Wood Brass And Steel
Wood Brass And Steel – Uncovered – The Lost Astroscope Sessions 1973

Wood Brass and Steel were the last and most famous house band of the All Platinum and Sugar Hill records group of labels run by Sylvia and husband Joe Robinson. They released two heralded albums ‘Wood Brass and Steel (1976 on Turbo) and Hard N Heavy (1980 on Sugar Hill). However there was a listing on the All Platinum catalogue for a 1973 album on Astroscope. The album was never released at the time but Soul Brother are delighted to present the un-released album on vinyl for the first time. The first track ‘Hey What’s That You Say’ was issued as a 45, but more famously was re-recorded as ‘It’s A New Day’ by the Skullsnaps later in the year. It turns out that members of Wood brass and Steel actually played on the Skullsnaps recording and it was in fact their drummer Harold Sargent who laid down the famous and much sampled drum break.

There is another funky cut on this album which also later appeared on the Skullsnaps album ‘Trespassing’. It is fascinating to hear these original versions of familiar tracks.’If he Can Do it’, She Can Do it’ is a further really funky track which really should have been a single at the time.There are a couple of nice mid tempo soul tunes ‘A Love Of My Own’ and ‘Let’s Take a stroll’ plus a great soulful instrumental ‘Jermilah’ and an unusual take of the Norman Whitefield classic ‘I Wish it Would Rain’.
So Wood Brass and Steel ‘Uncovered’ is a historic recording of the first known recordings of the band that featured on so many records on SugarHill and All Platinum records and launched the careers of Harold Sargent, Doug Wimbish, Bernard ‘Skip’ MacDonald/Alexander, issued here on a limited edition vinyl LP for the first time, nearly 50 years after it was recorded.