SOLOMON KING

Description

The success of Shaft and Superfly triggered an explosion of films, many of which were produced by small independent studios and directors, whose soundtracks continue to serve as rich material for turntablists, crate diggers, and others. Among these independent black-themed films, the 1974 film, once lost and recently rediscovered, Solomon King tops the list. The film was written, directed, and produced by Sal Watts, an entrepreneur from Oakland, CA, who also starred in it. But this was not just a vanity project. Watts owned several labels in Oakland as well as a series of black urban fashion stores and was the executive producer of a local soul and dance music show. Thus, he was able to draw on a wealth of local talent to create Solomon King. And nowhere was this talent more evident than on the soundtrack. Southern soul stalwart and Ray Charles collaborator, Jimmy Lewis, arranged and conducted the score, while songwriters like Joyce Stiger, who penned Bobby Bland's hit "Recess in Heaven," contributed to the songs. The band was tight, made up of the cream of Oakland's thriving soul-funk scene. So it’s no surprise that original copies of this soundtrack sell for over three Benjamins, if you can even find one. However, in collaboration with the independent label Deaf Crocodile, which restored and reissued the film a few years ago with the cooperation of Belinda, Watts' wife, we at Real Gone are releasing the Solomon King soundtrack in an expanded version, with additional tracks drawn from rare 45s from Watts' Sal/Wa label.