Josh Tatofi [2020] - Never, Never, Never

This has just been posted on SoulTracks with a date 2 Jan 2020 ... so I'm not sure if they have mistyped the year as 2020 or whether it should be 2021.  However I did find it posted on YT with a release date of 9th June 2020.

In any case it's a nice smooth soul tune with a baritone voice not disimilar to Luther Vandross - so can't be bad! .. see what you think.

He hails from Hawaii and has been recording for a few years.  I found a cover by him of Gladys Knight & The Pips - You're The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me from 2016 and an earlier one from 2011 and a few others which are reggae tunes.

Tilly [2020] - Life After Love (Nigel Lowis Mix) [DSG]

The latest project from Nigel Lowis is with 15 year Essex teenager Tilly (Grace) released on 9th Dec 2020. A very mature and controlled voice for a 15 year old. I believe that they have already recorded several (mainly disco) tracks, but this is the best so far.

Kiana Ledé [2020] - Protection [Republic]

I came across this reviewing SoulTracks Top 100 of 2020.  It came out in Apr 2020 along with her debut album 'KIKI'.

Full album playlist

I listened to the whole album and much of it is R&B with expletives in the lyrics and overtly sexual videos, but if you can get past that then there are a couple of gems on the album. Her voice stands out and the material is quite original. Why do these new young female artists seem to think that they have to flaunt their sexuality to get attention and not just let their music do the talking? 

The album is listed on Discogs but without any credits but from what I can ascertain from the sleeve it appears that she wrote most of the tracks herself. So she is certainly an emerging talent. If she progresses to be an established artist she may well look back at these videos as a mistake if she wants to be taken seriously as an artist and gain wider exposure as she has got the talent, the voice and the look.... just saying!

Mad At Me, Forfeit and Chocolate have all been released as singles and have all failed to chart so perhaps the lyrical content and the sexual videos are doing her no favours in gaining exposure?

Anyway, that aside, the best tracks from a purely soul perspective are:

Protection

None For You

Attention

Sheena O. Murray [2021] - Don't Waste My Time [Self Released]

Here we have the first featured new release of 2021.  A new name to me although she has released a few singles and an EP since 2014.

2014 - One / (Video link)

2016 - SOMone EP  / (On A High, In Love, Right Now, Before, One)

2018 - Do For Love  / (Video link)

2019 - Easy To Leave Me / (Video link)

Born in Kingston, Jamaica and now residing in Atlanta after spells in New York and Fort Lauderdale. She is a musical theatre actress starring in Dreamgirls and certainly has her own smooth, sultry, melodic sytle. A full album can't be far away.

Check out her:

YouTube Channel 

website

Facebook

Liquid Soul [2000] - Dysfunction [Shanachie #SH 5065]

Whilst writing the previous post I was reminded of a track I first heard played by the 'guvnor' Terry Jones back in 2000 Liquid Soul - Dysfunction.  It's on the same compilation as the Ramsey Lewis cover of Portuguese Love 'Spirit Of The Street' released by Jazz FM in 2000, it came out on their 'Here's The Deal' album in 2000 on Shanachie.

A bit of classy, left field modern soul/jazz which features (Lisa) Simone who is Lisa Celsete Stroud and is the daughter of none other than Nina Simone and Andy Stroud.

Cover Versions of Teena Marie

Following on from the tribute to Teena Marie commemorating the tenth year of her passing, I started to look for cover versions of her songs.

Marsha Ambrosius [2010] - Yes Indeed [Unreleased]

'Yes Indeed' was an album track from 'It Must Be Magic' album from 1981 and was released as the flip to 'It Must Be Magic' single. Marsha Ambrosius performed it at London's Dingwalls on 27th Dec 2010, the day after Teena Maries' death.  It was a studio recording which she didn't actually perfom live, she played the recording to the audience to hear as a tribute to Lady Tee, it wasn't scheduled for the performance. As far as I can tell it has never been released, which is a shame as it's a very good version.  Marsha Ambrisoia was with Floetry and turned solo in 2011.

Curiosity [1992] - I Need Your Lovin' [Arista #74321 11313 7]

'I Need Your Lovin'' is probably my favourite 'dancer' from her which I distinctly remember getting spins by Colin Curtis at Cassinelli's on release in 1980 taken from her follow up album to Wild And Peaceful', 'Irons In The Fire'.

UK pop act Curiosity Killed The Cat, name was later shortened to just Curiosity, released their version of 'I Need Your Lovin'' in 1992 with a few different mixes released on 12".  It reached #47 on UK Pop chart.  The single prior to this release was a cover of Johnny Bristol's 'Hang On In There Baby' which got to #3!

Curiosity [1992] - I Need Your Lovin' [Arista #74321 11313 7]

A better 'beefed up' Driza Bone extended mix from the 12".

The Cover Girls [1996] - I Need Your Lovin' [Quality #QALCD-6730]

Here's a decent cover by The Cover Girls from 1996, released as 12" with various mixes and also on their 'Satisy' album. It got a digital only reissue in 2017.  This is the album version and some of the 12" remixes are a bit 'dubious'!

Sheena Easton [2001] - Fabulous [Universal #UICO-2010]

Yet another UK cover by Sheen Easton from Glasgow who rose to fame in UK in 1980 after winning a talent show. She collaborated with Prince in the late 80s and there was speculation that they were linked romantically which she has always denied. This track was released only as a bonus track on the Japaneses release of her 2001 album Fabulous which appears to an album full of cover versions and is the last album she has recorded.

Martin 'Mayhem' & Timmi 'Magic' Feat. Elisabeth Troy [2005] - I Need Your Lovin' (Classic Vox Mix) [Soul Purpose #SP 008]

A UK house track from 2005.

Reel People Feat. LaSharVu [2018] - I Need Your Lovin' [Reel People Music #RPMCD006]

Another, more recent and sympathetic, UK cover by Reel People featuring LaShureVu.  Taken from their Retroflection  album which features cover versions of a dozen dance classics by various featured vocalists.

Here's a great bit of vintage footage of Teena Marie performing on Soul Train in 1980 (the sound has been over dubbed).

Ramsey Lewis Feat. Donica Henderson [1998] - Portuguese Love [GRP #RD-9904]

Now here's a great version of Portuguese Love I first heard from a UK compilation CD 'Spirit Of The Street' released by Jazz FM in 2000. It was taken from Ramsey Lewis' 'Dance Of The Soul' from 1998 and features Donica Henderson on vocals.

Bah Samba [2004] - Portuguese Love (Phil Asher Restless Soul Mix) [BKO #12BK02]

Another UK cover which features Alice Russell on vocals.  Even though the sound clip is 9:50 I think it's been cut short as the track listing states it should be 11:23.

Pete Escovedo Feat. Alysha Antonino [2018] - Portuguese Love [Esco]

Percussionist Pete Escovedo and his brother Coke were members of Santana.  This track is from his 2018 album 'Back To The Bay' which consists entrely of jazzy cover versions of some classic soul tracks.  Three of the tracks feature Sy Smith, an artist I saw perfrom a few years ago in her home town of Washington D.C. at Blues Alley purely by chance whilst I was visiting. She does a great job on 'Let's Stay Together', 'I Can't Help It' and 'Never Too Much'.  You can have a listen to the full album here. 

Maynard Ferguson [1983] - Portuguese Love [Columbia #FC 37713]

Canadian jazz trumpeter, Maynard Ferguson covered 'Portuguese Love' on his Hollywood album in 1982 which was full of cover versions, and I got interested when I saw Deja Vu on the track list but it's the Dionne Warwick song (which is still a good song) not the Lady Tee classic!

Johnny Gill & Coko [1987] - Fire & Desire [Jive #01241-41610-2]

Released on OST for 'Booty Call' is a cover of Rick James Feat. Teena Marie's deep soul masterpiece 'Fire & Desire' by Johnny Gill & Coko (Cheryl Elizabeth Gamble former lead singer with SWV).  

It's a good effort, but for me doesn't have the same impact as the original.  The original was initially an album track only on Rick James' 'Street Songs' from 1981, but was released on the B side to 'You Turn Me On' in 1984.  Apart from the album, the best way to own in is on UK 12" with the full length album version as it wasn't on the US promo only 12" and the 45 version is a short version.  Curiously Teena Marie isn't officalllly credited.

B.E.F. [2013] - Co-Pilot To Pilot [Wall of Sound #WOS120D]

B.E.F. is British Electric Foundation formed by ex Human League, then Heaven17 members Martyn Ware and Ian Craig Marsh. Craig Marsh left in 2007 before the release of 'Music Of Quality And Distinction Volume 3 - Dark' from which this cover is taken.  Kelly Barnes sang with Heaven 17 standing in for Billie Godfrey.

The song is an obscure Teena Marie recording released only as a 'hidden' bonus track on the 1991 CD reissue of Lady T. It was later released on posthumous compilation First Class Love: Rare Tee.

Here's Teena Marie's version:

Several Hip-Hop / Neo Soul artists have sampled Lady Tee's recordings, here's a few of them:

The Fugees - Fu-Gee-La samples Ooh La La La

Raekwon - Ooh La La La samples Ooh La La La

Mobb Deep (Feat. 50 Cent & Mary J. Bluge)  - It's Alright samples Ooh La La La

Donell Jones feat. Alja Kamillion - The Closer I Get To You samples Ooh La La La

The Firm - Firm Biz samples Square Biz

Niki Minaj & Jadakiss - Firm Biz 08 also samples Square Biz

Ludacris - Child Of The Night samples Portuguese Love

Pastor Troy - Licence To Kill samples Out On A Limb

Jadakiss Feat. Ne-Yo - By My Side samples I Need Your Lovin'

Snoop Dogg Feat. Charlie Wilson - Peaches N Cream samples I Need Your Lovin'

MF DOOM - Operation: Greenbacks samples I Need Your Lovin'

Anthony Hamilton feat. Rick James - Back Together samples Fire And Desire

Joke - Diamant & Cigarios samples Fire And Desire

Tru - Photo Book - samples DeJa Vu

DJ Aakmael - Just a Track 5 sampled Casanova Brown

Borvoe McMidnite  - Initiate Accumulating samples Yes Indeed

Teena Marie [1979] - Wild And Peaceful [Gordy #G7-986R1] (Full Album)

I'm a little late with this, but it is now 10 years since we lost Lady Tee ... 'The Ivory Queen Of Soul' Teena Marie (Mary Christine Brockert) on Boxing Day (26th Dec) 2010. I did a big post on her at the time here.

I bought her debut album 'Wild And Peaceful' on import when it was released in 1979, blind, but mainly for 'I'm Just A Sucked For Your Love', and was 'blown away' by the deep and soulful ballads on the album and continued to buy all her albums.  

To commemorate her untimely passing I've posted a link to her debut album which is a classic and still stands the test of time over 40 years later!  

You've just got to listen to the complete B side i.e. tracks 4,5 & 6 ... is there a better full side to an album? If it doesn't move you then you are obviously on the wrong blog as this is most definately soul music at it's finest!

The link is to the expanded edition which has 3 additional tracks, an instrumental version of 'Sucker' (released on B side of 12" release), 'You Got The Love' (scheduled for release on an unreleased album of the same name in 1983) and an extended version of Ed Cobb's 'Every Little Bit Hurts'  originally recorded by Brenda Holloway on Tamla in 1964 (and recorded by many others including Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight & Alicia Keys). It is a superb version which features Rick James.  She released a shorter version on 'I Need Your Loving' compilation in 1994 which didn't feature Rick James and this longer version is only availabe on the 2005 expanded edition CD of Wild And Peaceful released by Hip-O Select which seems to very hard to find now as only a limited edition of 5,000 were produced, and sells for over £50 if you can find one.

'Wild And Peaceful'  Full Playlist

As a 'taster', if you're not familiar with her early work, here's De Ja Vu (I've Been Here Before), written by Rick James,  which was also released on the B side to  'I'm Just A Sucker' on the 45 issue.

Fourplay [2020] - The Closer I Get to You (Feat. Patti Austin & Peabo Bryson) [2020 Remastered]

Now here's some quality from Fourplay (which consists of Bob James (piano), Nathan East (bass), Harvey Mason (drums), Lee Ritenour (guitar)) featuring Patti Austin and Peabo Bryson covering a classic ballad originally recorded by Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway in 1977.

This was released last November (2020) on The Best Of Fourplay [2020 Remastered] which is a 2020 re-issue of their 1997 album with this track as an additional track not on the 1997 album.

Another noteworthy track is a cover of The Isley Brothers - 'Between The Sheets' featuring Chaka Khan and Nathan East.