Earl Davis
This lovely West Coast two sider seems to have been the obscure Earl Davis’ only 45. In The Middle Of The Night is a blues ballad right in the Bobby Bland mode – which is just fine by me even if Davis’ tenor voice doesn’t go quite as deep as the Great Man’s. I prefer Walk With Me by a short head for the demonstrative horn chart and the prominence of the fine electric piano, unusual to hear one of those on a 45 of this vintage. But this single is a smashing example of early soul.