NUM027
Album cover

Eccentric Soul

Smart’s Palace

Smart’s Palace was anything but royal. Beyond the bloodlines of the Smart Brothers and their jester brother Leroy, the only kings and queens to be discovered there were JB and Aretha playing on the Wurlitzer. But between 1963 and 1975, the club held court for the entire Wichita, Kansas, soul scene. At its heart was Dick Smart: bassist, club and record store owner, DJ, promoter, and sole proprietor of the Solo label. Collected here for the first time are the story and songs that came out of this thriving, if not totally unknown scene. A decade in the making, leading soul historian Dante Carfagna has compiled 19 dizzying Wichita twisters—by the Smart Brothers Band, Theron & Darrell, Baby Neal, and more—covering the Solo, Kanwic, Vantage, and Lee-Mac labels, all fully annotated with a ransom of pictures, posters, and ephemera fit for a king.

  • 2xLP

    2 150g black LPs (or)
    2 150g Pink LPs
    2 printed inner sleeves
    1 2-pocket tip-on gatefold LP jacket
    1 Numero catalog

Track List

  1. Baby Neal & the Smart Brothers I'm Not Ashamed
  2. Theron & Darrell I Was Made To Love Her
  3. Fred Williams & the Jewels Tell Her
  4. The Smart Brothers Barefoot Philly
  5. Chocolate Snow A Day In The Life
  6. Baby Neal & the Smart Brothers Lorraine
  7. LT & the Soulful Dynamics Everyone Needs Someone
  8. Theron & Darrell It's Your Love
  9. Hard Road If You Really Love Me
  10. Chocolate Snow Inflation
  11. Kenneth Carr Don't Hate Let's Communicate
  12. John Smart's Band Herbie's Bag
  13. Fred Williams & the Jewels The Dance Got Old
  14. The Smart Brothers I've Got A Funny Feeling
  15. LT & the Soulful Dynamics Crazy About You Baby
  16. Tim Jacob Mercy Baby
  17. Hard Road Dedicated To You
  18. Chocolate Snow Let Me Be Your Christmas Toy
  19. Chocolate Snow It's Like Heaven