Sylvester And The Hot Band - The Blue Thumb Collection (2009)

Before disco, before "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" and "You Are My Friend," 25-year-old Sylvester emerged from the underground scene in San Francisco with a longhaired rock band, recording two influential albums for Blue Thumb Records. Infused with a love of the blues, a deep emotional connection with Billie Holiday and a flair for flamboyance, the Sylvester and his Hot Band tackled with boundless energy a dizzying sampler of American music, from Neil Young to Ray Charles, from James Taylor to "My Country 'Tis Of Thee."

Now, Hip-oSelect.com presents The Blue Thumb Collection, which includes both albums Sylvester & the Hot Band (a.k.a. "Scratch My Flower") and Bazaar, adding two bonus tracks--featuring the Pointer Sisters--from a rare San Francisco sampler LP. All tracks are on CD for the first time.

"Sylvester's falsetto alone evoked a universe of timeless, idiosyncratic talents and influences," writes Brian Chin in the package's liner notes, which are graced by beautiful photos of the singer from the era and full reproductions of both LP jackets; additionally, the first LP came with a poster, whose image graces the cover of this new collection.

The Blue Thumb Collection offers intriguing insight to Sylvester, pre-Disco Diva. In addition to a nastily funky version of "Southern Man," the debut LP, produced by Ben Sidran, has left-field covers of Procol Harum's "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" and the Coasters' Baby That Is Rock & Roll." Bazaar, which the band produced themselves, pumps up the jams even further, with heavy covers of James Taylor's "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight" and Gram Pasrons' "She," alongside stylish originals "All That I Need" and "Friendship."

"The combination of smart, substantial cover material and the excellent band backup stands with the progressive Labelle and Isley Brothers albums of the time," Chin also writes. "Throughout Bazaar, the Hot Band distinguishes itself, if anything, even more than on the first album--at times balancing, and at times emphasizing, the inherent sexual threat of Sylvester's falsetto." Sylvester wanted nothing more than to be a star. Here's a rare 77 minutes of the first musical path he walked, believing at every step he'd get there.