Tamiko Jones -

Tamiko Jones — aka Barbara Tamiko Ferguson (born 1945) — is an American soul singer from Kyle, W.V., who released four albums on Atlantic, A&M, December, and Metromedia between 1967 and 1970. She reemerged in 1975 with the album Love Trip on Arista, followed in 1977 by Cloudy on Atlantis Records.

Background

Tamiko Jones was born Barbara Tamiko Ferguson in Kyle, West Virginia, and grew up in Detroit. She came from a multiracial family: her father was African-American, and her maternal line included Japanese, Scotch-Irish, and Cherokee ancestry. Her mother, Evelyn Dalton Ferguson, lived with the Dalton family in West Virginia before the family line shifted north to Detroit.

Jones worked as a secretary before an agent arranged an audition with bandleader Maurice King at the Flame Show Bar. King hired her for a one-week booking, and Jones stayed six months. During the engagement, King expanded her repertory and stagecraft, while Jones built a nightclub act without study.

Jones toured her act across the United States, Canada, and the West Indies. In May 1962, Jones appeared as Timiko Jones at the Guildwood Inn in Sarnia, Ontario. In December 1961, King signed Jones as Tamiko under a contract that covered her first known recording.

Checker issued the May 1963 Timiko single “Is It a Sin” (b/w “The Boy for Me”). She bounced to Atlantic for the May 1964 single “Don’t Laugh If I Cry at Your Party” (b/w “Rhapsody”), then linked with producer Gene Redd for the March 1966 Golden World single “I’m Spellbound” (b/w “Am I Glad Now”).

A Mann & a Woman

In May 1967, Atlantic issued A Mann & a Woman, a collaborative album between Tamiko Jones and flutist Herbie Mann.

The album presents vocal-and-flute treatments of film themes, Broadway material, bossa nova repertory, and mid-sixties pop singles, performed with pianist Joe Zawinul, percussionist Carlos “Patato” Valdes, vibraphonists Roy Ayers and Gary Burton, drummers Bruno Carr and Roy McCurdy, and bassists Victor Gaskin, Reggie Workman, and Everett Barksdale. The album includes songs popularized by The Beatles (“Day Tripper”), Len Barry (“1-2-3”), Bobby Hebb (“Sunny”), and Lee Morgan (“Sidewinder”).

“A Man and a Woman” glides through a soft-bossa arrangement, with Jones’s vocal and Mann’s flute sharing the foreground. “Little Boat” eases the same light syncopation into a compact song setting. “Day Tripper” brightens the album through Joe Zawinul’s chart and a pop-song chassis. “Sunny” places Jones in a smoother late-side vocal setting under Melba Liston’s arrangement. “Sidewinder” closes the program with a Lee Morgan theme inside the Mann-Jones vocal-flute format.

A1. “A Man and a Woman” (2:23) – Francis Lai, Pierre Barouh, Jerry Keller
A2. “Day Tripper” (2:30) – John Lennon, Paul McCartney
A3. “Come Back to Me” (2:42) – Alan Jay Lerner, Burton Lane
A4. “Little Boat” (2:31) – Roberto Menescal, Ronaldo Bôscoli, Buddy Kaye
A5. “It’s Time That You Settled Down” (2:08) – Ray Fox, Neil Sheppard
A6. “A Good Thing (Is Hard to Come By)” (2:13) – Tamiko Jones

B1. “1-2-3” (2:12) – John Madara, Dave White, Len Borisoff
B2. “Only Yesterday” (2:31) – Jimmy Wisner
B3. “Sunny” (2:25) – Bobby Hebb
B4. “How Insensitive” (2:35) – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Norman Gimbel
B5. “Sidewinder” (2:20) – Lee Morgan

Sessions occurred on September 27, November 23, and December 28, 1966 in New York City with producer Ahmet Ertegun and engineer Tom Dowd. Jimmy Wisner arranged “A Man and a Woman,” “Little Boat,” “It’s Time That You Settled Down,” “1-2-3,” “Only Yesterday,” and “Sidewinder.” Joe Zawinul arranged “Day Tripper,” “Come Back to Me,” and “A Good Thing (Is Hard to Come By).” Melba Liston arranged “Sunny” and “How Insensitive.”

A Mann & a Woman appeared in a cover designed by Haig Adishian with illustration by Jerry Czember, whose image shows Mann holding a flute beside Jones under a decorative title panel.

Atlantic issued “A Man and a Woman” as a 1966 single (b/w “Sidewinder”), which reached No. 88 on the Billboard Hot 100. The label followed with “Day Tripper” (b/w “A Good Thing (Is Hard to Come By)”).

Tamiko

Tamiko Jones released her debut solo album, Tamiko, in February 1968 on December.

The album presents string-lined pop and film-theme material with bossa nova titles inside the sequence. Jones sings songs popularized by Nancy Sinatra (“You Only Live Twice”), Dionne Warwick (“Don’t Go Breaking My Heart”), Aretha Franklin (“Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream”), and Frank Sinatra (“That’s Life”). Jimmy Wisner wrote “Only Yesterday” and “Where Do I Go From Here.”

“Someone to Light Up My Life” glides on a light-bossa rhythm, with Jones placing the English text in an unforced line. “You Only Live Twice” lingers in a film-song setting with long vocal cadences. “The Folks Who Live on the Hill” slows into a standard-song cadence. “Only Yesterday” brightens Jimmy Wisner’s earlier tune with a livelier reading. “Meditation” settles into the album’s soft bossa core. “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” saunters through a subtle Bacharach-David rhythm. “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream” jumps into the liveliest tempo and sends one saxophone break through the arrangement.

A1. “Someone To Light Up My Life” (2:48) – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinicius de Moraes, Gene Lees
A2. “You Only Live Twice” (2:49) – Leslie Bricusse, John Barry
A3. “The Folks Who Live on the Hill” (2:58) – Oscar Hammerstein II, Jerome Kern
A4. “Only Yesterday” (2:40) – Jimmy Wisner
A5. “Meditation” (3:43) – Antônio Carlos Jobim, Newton Mendonça, Norman Gimbel

B1. “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” (3:02) – Burt Bacharach, Hal David
B2. “Where Do I Go From Here” (2:41) – Jimmy Wisner
B3. “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream” (2:33) – Ted White, Aretha Franklin
B4. “How Can I Leave You” (2:07) – George Devens
B5. “Live for Life” (2:47) – Francis Lai, Norman Gimbel
B6. “That’s Life” (3:05) – Dean Kay, Kelly Gordon

Jimmy Wisner produced Tamiko at Bell Sound Studio in New York City with engineers Harry Yarmark and Phil Macey. Wisner arranged and conducted “You Only Live Twice,” “The Folks Who Live on the Hill,” “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart,” “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream,” “How Can I Leave You,” and “Live for Life.” Pete Dino arranged and conducted “Someone To Light Up My Life,” “Only Yesterday,” “Meditation,” “Where Do I Go From Here,” and “That’s Life.”

December issued “You Only Live Twice” as a September 1967 single (b/w “Don’t Let Me Lose This Dream”). The label followed with “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” (b/w “Pearl”) in December 1967 and “Someone To Light Up My Life” (b/w “Where Do I Go From Here”) in June 1968.

I’ll Be Anything for You

Tamiko Jones released her second solo album, I’ll Be Anything for You, in October 1968 on A&M/CTI.

The album presents soul and R&B song material with Memphis rhythm tracks, Englewood Cliffs horn dates, and string arrangements by Teacho Wiltshire and Don Sebesky. Jones worked with producer Creed Taylor and a pool of more than 40 players, including keyboardist Richard Tee, bassist Chuck Rainey, drummer Bernard Purdie, guitarist Eric Gale, and trumpeter Marvin Stamm. The album includes songs popularized by Los Bravos (“Black Is Black”), Marvin Gaye (“Try It Baby”), The Temptations (“Please Return Your Love to Me”), Nina Simone (“Peace of Mind”), Solomon Burke (“Suddenly”), and Lee Dorsey (“Ya Ya”).

“I’ll Be Anything for You” surges behind low string figures, while Jones holds the lead in a firm midrange line. “Goodnight, My Love” drives a Memphis-cut backbeat under a more forceful vocal placement. “Where Are They Now?” pleads through a country-tinged lament. “Cottage for Sale” slows to an intimate ballad reading. “Black Is Black” belts through harder piano accents and a broad refrain. “Try It Baby” works as a duet, with Jones stating the grievance before Solomon Burke answers and doubles the comic exchanges. “Ya Ya” clips the Dorsey source into a softer uptempo single with a firm dance beat.

A1. “I’ll Be Anything for You” (2:45) – Bobby Hebb
A2. “Goodnight, My Love” (2:35) – George “Tommy” Mottola, John Marascalco
A3. “Where Are They Now?” (2:45) – Brad Craich, Py Whitney
A4. “Cottage for Sale” (2:45) – Willard Robison, Larry Conley
A5. “Black Is Black” (2:55) – Anthony Hayes, Steve Wadey, Michelle Grainger
A6. “Try It Baby” (3:15) – Berry Gordy Jr.

B1. “This Time Tomorrow” (2:40) – Dee Ervin, Ylonna Watkins
B2. “Please Return Your Love to Me” (2:00) – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, Barbara Neely
B3. “Peace of Mind” (2:50) – Nick Woods
B4. “I’ve Got My Eyes on You” (2:40) – Les Reed, Jackie Rae
B5. “Suddenly” (2:40) – Solomon Burke
B6. “Ya Ya” (2:10) – Clarence Lewis, Lee Dorsey, Morris Levy

Sessions occurred on June 4, August 15, August 29, and September 17, 1968 at Sam Phillips Recording Studio and Van Gelder Studio in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, with producer Creed Taylor and engineer Rudy Van Gelder. Solomon Burke arranged the rhythm tracks for “I’ll Be Anything for You,” “Goodnight, My Love,” and “Where Are They Now?”; Teacho Wiltshire arranged strings for those titles and arranged or conducted “Black Is Black,” “Try It Baby,” “Suddenly,” “Cottage for Sale,” “This Time Tomorrow,” and “Peace of Mind.” Horace Ott arranged the rhythm tracks for “Please Return Your Love to Me” and “I’ve Got My Eyes on You,” and Don Sebesky arranged their strings.

I’ll Be Anything for You appeared in a gatefold cover designed by Sam Antupit with photography by Pete Turner, whose image shows Jones in a pink-and-red patterned garment with raised arms against a white field.

A&M issued “Ya Ya” as a July 1968 single (b/w “Goodnight, My Love”). The label also issued “Goodnight, My Love” (b/w “Please Return Your Love to Me”).

Tamiko Jones in Muscle Shoals

Tamiko Jones released her third solo album, Tamiko Jones in Muscle Shoals, in August 1970 on Metromedia.

The album presents mid-tempo vocal material recorded with keyboardist Barry Beckett, lead guitarist Eddie Hinton, bassist David Hood, drummer Roger Hawkins, rhythm guitarists Jimmy Johnson and Marlin Greene, backing vocal group Southern Comfort, and the Gene “Bowlegs” Miller horn section. Jones sings songs popularized by The Beatles (“Something”), James Taylor (“Blossom”), The Skyliners (“Since I Don’t Have You”), Dusty Springfield (“A Brand New Me”), Harry Nilsson (“Everybody’s Talkin'”), The Vogues (“Turn Around, Look at Me”), and Ruby and the Romantics (“Our Day Will Come”).

“Something” glides through a light-pop cover setting, with Jones placing the vocal in a controlled midrange. “Since I Don’t Have You” eases the same smooth Muscle Shoals treatment into a slower lament. “A Brand New Me” turns the album toward a firmer chorus shape. “Please Don’t Tell Me” and “Blossom” fit the compact single format, with plainspoken vocal placement over polished Southern backing. “Our Day Will Come” closes the repertory with a familiar pop cadence inside the same soft-edged studio finish.

A1. “Something” (2:28) – George Harrison
A2. “Blossom” (2:15) – James Taylor
A3. “Since I Don’t Have You” (3:05) – Joe Rock, The Skyliners
A4. “A Brand New Me” (2:35) – Kenneth Gamble, Thom Bell, Jerry Butler
A5. “Everybody’s Talkin'” (2:45) – Fred Neil
A6. “Turn Around, Look at Me” (2:55) – Jerry Capehart

B1. “Please Don’t Tell Me” (3:05) – Carroll Quillen, Grady Smith
B2. “Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide” (3:05) – George Soule, Albert Cedarholm
B3. “What’cha Gonna Do” (3:05) – Donnie Fritts, Jon Reid
B4. “Just a Little Loving (Early in the Morning)” (2:12) – Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil
B5. “Our Day Will Come” (2:35) – Mort Garson, Bob Hilliard

Jones produced Tamiko Jones in Muscle Shoals for A Love Productions at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama with Jimmy Johnson and Barry Beckett. The engineering credits list Johnson, Marlin Greene, and Larry Hamby. Jimmy Wisner arranged strings with Beckett, Hinton, and Greene.

Metromedia issued “Please Don’t Tell Me” as an August 1970 single (b/w “Blossom”).

Love Trip

Tamiko Jones released her fourth solo album, Love Trip, in April 1975 on Arista.

The album presents mid-seventies vocal R&B material with Muscle Shoals rhythm tracks, string overdubs, horn charts, and background vocals by Rhodes-Chalmers-Rhodes. The album contains four Jones co-writes. Jones sings songs popularized by Bill Withers (“Let Me in Your Life” and “Who Is She (And What Is She to You)”) and Stevie Wonder (“Creepin'”). The album also includes a song popularized by James Taylor (“Chili Dog”).

“Touch Me Baby” saunters through a warm-finished Muscle Shoals setting, with Jones’s low vocal held close to the refrain. “I’m the Woman Behind the Man (Playing the Guitar in the Band)” leans into a self-contained narrative line and a steadier backbeat. “Let Me in Your Life” settles into the album’s relaxed song-led mode. “Creepin’” deepens the tone through a softer cover reading. “Read Me Right” clips the vocal into a tighter late-side setting. “Chili Dog” relaxes the album with a looser rhythmic turn.

A1. “Touch Me Baby” (2:58) – Johnny Bristol
A2. “Everyone Belongs to Someone” (3:25) – J.W. Alexander, Jerry Weaver
A3. “I’m the Woman Behind the Man (Playing the Guitar in the Band)” (3:40) – Brenda Riden, Tamiko Jones
A4. “Just You and Me” (3:25) – J.W. Alexander, Jerry Weaver, Jones
A5. “Just Sitting Around” (2:42) – J.W. Alexander, Jerry Weaver, Jones
A6. “Let Me in Your Life” (2:38) – Bill Withers

B1. “Creepin'” (3:53) – Stevie Wonder
B2. “Oh How I Love You” (2:37) – Phillip Mitchell
B3. “Who Is She (And What Is She to You)” (3:16) – Bill Withers, Stanley McKenney
B4. “Read Me Right” (3:40) – Tamiko Jones, Val Benson
B5. “Chili Dog” (3:08) – James Taylor
B6. “A Long Way to Go” (3:31) – Barry Mann, Cynthia Weil

Jones produced Love Trip at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama, with additional recording at Lowery Studio I in Atlanta, Sound Pit Studios in Atlanta, and Criteria Studio in Miami. Roger Hawkins co-produced “Chili Dog.” Jerry Masters, Mickey Buckins, Steve Clark, and Steve Melton engineered the sessions. Paul Riser and Mike Lewis arranged strings; Willie Hutch arranged strings and horns.

The album uses the Muscle Shoals Sound Rhythm Section with lead guitarists Pete Carr and Eddie Hinton, rhythm guitarist Jimmy Johnson, keyboardist Barry Beckett, bassist David Hood, drummer Roger Hawkins, the Muscle Shoals Horns, and background vocal group Rhodes-Chalmers-Rhodes.

Nancy Greenberg directed the cover package with design by Bob Heimall and photography by Richard L. Shaefer. Shaefer photographed Jones between illustrated red hearts and cloud forms on the front cover.

Arista issued “Touch Me Baby (Reaching Out for Your Love)” as a March 1975 single (b/w “Creepin’ (In My Dreams)”), which reached No. 12 on the Billboard R&B chart and No. 60 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. “Just You and Me” followed in August 1975 (b/w “Read Me Right”) and reached No. 78 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Cloudy

Tamiko Jones released her fifth solo album, Cloudy, in July 1977 on Atlantis.

The album presents extended vocal tracks with horn and string arrangements by Paul Riser, rhythm arrangements by Jones, and co-arrangements by Kenneth Mims and Tommy Stewart. Jones sings songs popularized by Average White Band (“Cloudy”) and Stevie Wonder (“Creepin'”). The sequence also includes songs popularized by Roberta Flack (“Feel Like Making Love”) and Bill Withers (“Make Love to Your Mind”).

“Cloudy” glides through the album’s slinky rhythmic surface, with Jones’s vocal placed against string-swept backing. “Creepin’” hushes the Stevie Wonder source into a controlled cover reading. “Feel Like Making Love” lengthens the album’s slow-burn center. “Make Love to Your Mind” repeats its title phrase across a lingering refrain. “Let It Flow” stretches the rhythm section into the album’s longer-form side. “Boy, You’re Growing on Me” clips the tone back to a compact late-side cut.

A1. “Cloudy” (3:27) – Alan Gorrie, Hamish Stuart
A2. “Creepin'” (3:53) – Stevie Wonder
A3. “Feel Like Making Love” (6:39) – Eugene McDaniels
A4. “Make Love to Your Mind” (5:16) – Bill Withers
A5. “Afraid of Losing You” (2:33) – Michael Sutton, Pamela Sawyer

B1. “Let It Flow” (6:53) – Bill Wright, Marlin McNichols, Thomas Stewart
B2. “Boy You’re Growing on Me” (2:31) – Bill Wright, Richard Marks, Thomas Stewart
B3. “Reachin’ Out for Your Love (Touch Me Baby)” (2:58) – Johnny Bristol
B4. “Woman Driver” (3:48) – S. Eaton, T. Eaton
B5. “Let It Flow Tamiko” (4:45) – Bill Wright, Marlin McNichols, Thomas Stewart

Jones produced Cloudy at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield, Alabama, Bill Lowery Studio I in Atlanta, Sound Pit Studios in Atlanta, Criteria Studio in Miami, and Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. Jimmy Wisner co-produced “Woman Driver.” Jerry Masters, Jimmy Johnson, Milan Bogdan, Rick Rushing, and Wayne Neuendorf engineered the sessions.

The credited player pool spans more than a dozen musicians, including lead guitarist Kenneth Mims, rhythm guitarist Jimmy Johnson, bassist David Hood, drummer Roger Hawkins, and keyboardist Barry Beckett. Riser arranged horns and strings, while Stewart co-arranged rhythm tracks on “Boy You’re Growing on Me” and “Let It Flow Tamiko.”

Contempo issued “Let It Flow” as an October 1976 single (b/w “Let It Flow (Inst)”), which reached No. 76 on the Billboard R&B chart. Atlantis paired “Let It Flow” with “Cloudy” as a March 1977 single, and “Cloudy” reached No. 92 on the Billboard R&B chart.

Discography: