Sacramento
Bee
September 29, 2002
Unlike
Doc Pomus, Jerry Wexler, the team of Jerry Lieber and Mike
Stoller, and other Jewish songwriters and producers who
contributed significantly to the rise of rhythm & blues
and early rock 'n' roll, Bert Berns has remained largely
unrecognized.
This
new album (to be released Tuesday) rightly tries to change
that, collecting some great songs Berns wrote (sometimes
using the pseudonyms Bert Russell or Russell Byrd) and produced,
including: "Twist and Shout," recorded by the
Isley Brothers (and covered by the Beatles); "Everybody
Needs Somebody To Love" and "Cry to Me,"
recorded by Solomon Burke (and covered by the Rolling Stones),
and "Piece of My Heart," recorded by Erma Franklin,
Aretha's sister (and covered by Janis Joplin with Big Brother
and the Holding Company).
Berns,
who died in December 1967 at the age of 38, also worked
with the Drifters (writing and producing "Under the
Boardwalk," also covered by the Stones) and Van Morrison
(producing "Brown Eyed Girl" and the first album
by Morrison's mid-'60s group, Them, including Berns' song
"Here Comes the Night").
Unfortunately,
the Morrison material and "Boardwalk" aren't included
-- they would have strengthened an album that features only
10 songs.
-
Sacramento
Bee September 29, 2002
By Bruce Dancis -- Bee Entertainment Editor
