Cutting a rug with Lennie LaCour's Magic Touch Records

Numero Group digs deep into the tape vault of Milwaukee-via-Chicago indie soul label Magic Touch for their latest Eccentric Soul series compilation.

Here's the scoop from Numero Group...

Ever hear of cutting a rug? How about how a midwest carpet company used a little Magic Touch to transform itself into one of the region’s longest running indie soul records labels.

The Eccentric Soul Flagship collection continues to expand with the edition of the Magic Touch Label - a stone soul winner partially representing our home-turf of Chicago and nearby favorite Milwaukee. This one has been over 20 years in the making dating back to our earliest encounters and projects with local-ish legend Harvey Scales. Magic Touch Records was named after serial entrepreneur Lennie Lacour’s Magic Touch Carpets business though it would ultimately be the other form of “Cutting A Rug” that would leave the more lasting legacy of its founder.

Magic Touch Records went on to play a vital role in documenting and promoting independent Midwest soul music and dance records for more than 2 decades starting in the mid-60s and lasting through the mid-80s. Founded in Milwaukee-via-Chicago in 1964 by producer, songwriter, singer, and businessman Lennie LaCour, Magic Touch and its affiliated label imprints helped bring the regions emerging R&B and soul scene to a wider audience with a roster of acts including Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds, Junior & The Classics, Sean Taylor, Marvelle & The Blue Match, and The Comic Books.

Featuring 26 essential cuts from 1964–1980, this collection spans sockin’ R&B, basement beehive soul, hard funk, and group harmony across LaCour’s many imprints, complete with extensive notes, photos, and ephemera. Highlights include Harvey Scales classics “Get Down,” “Broadway Freeze,” and “Love-Itis,” alongside favorites from Junior & The Classics and Marvelle & The Blue Match. The Numero Group exclusive edition also includes a bundled 7” grail: James Monroe’s "Frontiersman Of The Galaxy" b/w "Funky Lady." Listen to both sides along with a few more Magic Touch label classics below. 

While you're waiting for the Magic Touch comp to magically appear, check out Numero's Magic Touch 7" bundle featuring rare tracks by LaJohn & Sheela, Light Touch Band and Andy Crown in snazzy custom Magic Touch "Double Disco" sleeves right here.