Back in the early 70s, guitarist Hank Swarn had been on the road for fi ve years with Earl Grant's touring combo when he decided to record some of his own material at Ripcord Studios in Vancouver, Washington with the support of some talented local musicians – including organist Billy Larkin, Roy Eldridge sideman saxophonist George Lawson – along with jazz vocalist Shirley Nanette.
The resulting album, Never Coming Back, was finished in a little over a week and issued by the tiny Portland, Oregon-based Satara label back in 1973. Only 500 copies were pressed at the time which is probably why you haven't come across it at your local record shop. Thank the fine folks at Truth & Soul and Magnetic Recordings for having the good sense to re-release two of the album's best tracks as a limited-run single.
All of Your Life is a psychedelic dance floor heater that sounds like Marlena Shaw singing over a lost Jimi Hendrix instrumental. The flipside, People Are Thinking showcases Shirley Nanette’s belting power as she soars over an uptempo backing track with Ethio-style horn melodies snaking around a stone-solid soul bump.
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