DEAN PARRISH: IT’S TIME – PURPLE MOUNTAIN MAJESTY – ACID JAZZ (VINYL SEVEN-INCH SINGLE 45)

Hailing from Brooklyn, New York, singer/actor Dean Parrish (real name Philip Anastasi), shows no sign of taking his foot off his work accelerator yet, despite being 79 years young. His latest recording, It’s Time – Purple Mountain Majesty, has been written, produced and recorded by Dean. It’s on general release, on limited edition vinyl single from February 5 via Acid Jazz records. Starting off as a teen doo-wop singer, he progressed into a soul singer; his live CV includes appearing with (among many others), Motown’s The Supremes and also Jimi Hendrix. Dean has had a number of his 60s records recognised as northern soul classics. From the formative years of the rare soul scene are Tell Her, Skate and Determination, while his emotive beat ballad, Broken Bottles and Sticks is evocative of the early 80s rare soul era of Stafford allnighters and the like. Without question his best, most widely known recording off all is his 1967 release via

US Laurie, I’m On My Way. An iconic example of northern soul at its very best, that has the added accolade of being the last record played at every Wigan Casino allnighter between ’73 and ’81, (except for the very last allnighter there), a record that is synonymous with Wigan Casino as one of the ‘three before eight’. Its Time – Purple Mountain Majesty is an absolute powerhouse tune, hard-hitting storming beats underpinning, while simultaneously driving, the epic-length killer tune along, as it ebbs and flows, punctuated by dirty stabs of brass. It’s five minutes-plus in duration, topped off with Dean’s unmistakable, imploring, impassioned vocal delivery. Aimed fair and square at the dance floor, this epic-length scorching, psychedelic-tinged, dark, funky tinged killer number is evocative of Norman Whitfield’s work with The Temptations, Undisputed Truth and other Motown acts. Also Isaac Hayes and David Porter circa early 70s along with some of Curtis

Mayfield’s work from the same era. Acid Jazz’s Eddie Piller has gone on record to say that this brand new release from Dean Parrish could be ‘possibly the record of his career’. Putting aside that it’s released exclusively through Acid Jazz, Eddie’s label, I would agree with that statement. It’s Time – Purple Mountain Majesty possesses all the hallmarks, prerequisites and elements needed to become a dance floor-destroying monster in discerning rare soul venues, as well as a present-day scooter rally anthem.

Sarge