Bobby Womack.

Things have been a bit of whirlwind lately and – forgive me Bobby – but I somehow forgot that soul great Bobby Womack was playing in Auckland tonight. Realising my error just before show time, not surprisingly I missed out on tickets to the man who once played guitar in Sam Cooke’s backing band, who wrote the Rolling Stones’ first UK #1 hit It’s All Over Now, who provided Aretha Franklin with the soaring I’m In Love, who gifted George Benson the greatest R&B instrumental of the 70s with Breezin’ and who gave us one of the most timeless soul songs to miss the US top 10 in Across 110th Street. Not to mention Harry Hippie, If You Think You’re Lonely Now etc etc.

For anyone who knows their Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Temptations and Curtis Mayfield but not their Bobby Womack as far as early 70s, socially-conscious soul goes, here is the never not monumental portrayal of New York ghetto-life, Across 110th Street.

The cover to Womack’s latest album.