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Wednesday 13 January 2021

Yacht Soul!


I recall using this phrase 'tongue in cheek' recently but it transpires that it is a genuine term that is now being used and I have just joined a facebook group called 'Yacht Soul' which has just been set up last year and already has nearly 600 members so it will be interesting to see what is turned up.

If you're interested in joining the group here the link 'Yacht Soul'

These are the 'terms of reference':

So what is 'Yacht Soul'?
Smooth, well-crafted, super-engineered with the sprinkling of perfect musicianship: Yacht Soul is where soul music from the late 70s and AOR collided to create a perfect blend which has stood the test of time - thanks in large parts to the meticulous songwriting and producing of the era.
An elite group of musicians which included members of Toto – Steve Pocaro, Jeff Pocaro, Mike Pocaro, Steve Lukather, David Paitch along with other well respected session musicians such as Paulinho DaCosta, Greg Phillinganes, Louis Johnson, members of Average White Band and finally Jerry Hey, Larry Williams & Kim Hutchcroft of Seawind Horns. Song writers included David Foster, Jay Graydon, Bill Champlin and Rod Temperton.
Yacht Soul has more synthesizer and horns with less emphasis on rock guitars. Lyrics are a little more romantic, a little more sensual. The players are rooted in R&B, jazz and soul - it’s all very smooth.

Yacht or Nyacht?
Before posting your selection ask yourself the following questions... 1) Was it recorded between 1978 - 1986? 2) Does it include more horns & synthesizers & less guitars? 3) Were West Coast musicians involved? e.g produced by Jay Graydon.

To give you (and me) a flavour of what's included in this 'new' genre here's a podcast from the group's creator Paul Clifford on Solar Radio posted on 3 Jan 2021.  He introduces it as 'the souful side of Yacht Rock' ... so could be a lot of blue-eyed stuff!



After a bit of digging around I also found a link to this SoulTracks posted on the group.


OsKeyz & Conya Doss [2021] - 6019 [Independent] (Full Album)


Oskeyz & Conya Doss are currently in the UK Soul Breakers Chart with 'Happy Valley'. Here's the full EP titled 6019 released on 8 Jan 2021.

Oskeyz, real name Oscar Stieler. is a UK music producer and this is his debut album. 

Conya Doss has been around for quite a while, releasing the first of her eight albums, so far, back in 2002.  It's funny how titles get bandied about, as she is apparently known as 'The Queen Of Indie Soul' and only the other day I did a post on Sy Smith who is acclaimed as 'The Queen Of Underground Soul'! 




UK Soul Chart - 12th Jan 2021 - The Breakers


UK Soul Chart - 12th Jan 2021 - The Breakers

01 - Corey Henry - Happy Days (2020 Something To Say)


02 - Francisca Thomas feat Incognito - Fall Into My Love (2020)


03 - The HamilTones - Celebrate (2020 1964) The Remixes Vol 1)


04 - Rina Chanel - Made (2020)


05 - Jeff Bradshaw - Celebrate feat Conya Doss (2020 Stronger)


06 - Tanqueray Hayward - Caught Up (2021)
Sample only


07 - Kim Tavar - Movin' (2021)


08 - Sy Smith - Feeling Good feat Dominique Xavier (2021)
Already posted here

09 - Mary Cross - Promise (2021)
Already posted here

10 - Sound Of Superbad feat Robert Imtume Owens - Vibration (SOS VIBE MIX) (2021)

11 - Chris Kingdon - Baby It's You (2021)
Avaialble on BandCamp

12 - Bey Bright - Vibe (2021)

13 - Output/Input - Take A Stab feat Katie Holmes-Smith (2021)

14 - OsKeyz & Conya Doss - Happy Valley (2021 EP 6019)


15 - Ione - Loved By You (2020)



UK Soul Chart - 12th Jan 2021


The first UK Soul Chart of 2021 and the first since 21 Dec 2020.

As usual, links only to new releases - for previous entries please check UK Soul Chart link.

01 (1) SouLutions - Stop What You're Doing (Album)

02 (NE) Luxury Soul Family - (VA Album)
Previously posted here

03 (2) The Groove Association feat. Georgie B - It's Been So Long (Album)
04 (8) Shaila Prospere - Under My Skin (Album)
05 (4) Delegation ft Rick Bailey - I Surrender
06 (27) Jarrod Lawson - Be The Change (The Album)

07 (NE) Sound Of Superbad ft. Robert Imtume Owens - Vibration




08 (9) Al Castellana - Love Is Here
09 (5) Reel People ft Eric Roberson - Dancing On The Moon (EP)
10 (3) True Music Group - True Soul Vol. 1 (Album)

11 (NE) Papik - Sounds For The Open Road Vol. 2


Full Album here
24 tracks on vinylt LP or 26 tracks CD/Digital, split 50/50 jazz / soul.

Taking a quck scan of the 'Soul Side':
You're The First The Last My Everything Feat. Frances Alina Ascione - (Barry White cover)
The Other Side Feat. Filippo Perbellini
Caught In The Rapture Feat. Nadyne Rush - (Anita Baker speeded up cover)
My Favorite Song Feat. Kenneth Bailey
#Shiver Feat. Frances Alina Ascione
The Secret Garden Feat. Filippo Perbellini - (Quincy Jones Feat. Al B. Sure, James Ingram, Barry White & El Debarge cover)
Hello Feat. Neja an uptempo version of Lionel Richie additonal track on CD/Digital not on LP
I Want Your Love by Frances Alina Ascione - Chic cover
No More Talking Feat. Filippo Perbellini
#Body To Body Feat. Frankie Lovecchio
Careless Feat. Frances Alina Ascione
Lovely Day Sarah Jane Morris - (Bill Withers cover)
A World Apart Feat. The Soultrend Orchestra

12 (20) Patrick McLean - One Heart One Beat (Album)
13 (25) CJ's Connection - Tell Her (Mixes)
14 (7) Dyson The Singer ft Ollie Ali Woodson - Love At The Same Time
15 (10) Light Of The World - Black Gold EP
16 (RE) Sandra-Mae Lux - Happily Ever Now (Album)
17 (RE) The Brit Funk Association - Lifted (Album)
18 (17) Tilly - Life After Love (Nigel Lowis mix)

19 (NE) Bey Bright - Vibe (Album  Soul Nostalgia 3)


Full Album Playlist here

Vibe


20 (6) Cool Million featuring D-Train - Be a Star Tonight

21 (NE) Mather - Never Say Never Again (Album)


Full Album Playlist here


The best thing he's done is a cover of Richard Stepp's Caught Up In A Whirlwing remixed by Nigel Lowis in 2018. There were 3 mixes which you can listen to here.


22 (RE) Light of the World - Jazz Funk Power (Album)
23 (16) Dayon & Ed Mills - Come Back Again
24 (30) George Anderson/Joyce San Matteo - Let's Celebrate Life

25 (NE) PrivatProjekt - Welcome (Album)

PrivatProjekt is an independent soul, funk and philly Band from Hamburg/Germany.
I can't find the album anywhere, not even on their own website.

Welcome - available from BandCamp
Don't Walk That Way - available on BandCamp

26 (NE) Aja Valle` - Mixed Emotions (Album)
I've already posted this album here.

27 (15) Output / Input - Eye To Eye / Take A Stab

Posted previously but here's a 'lockdown' video.  It's a good cover of Chaka Khan's Eye To Eye.



28 (24) Jack Tyson Charles - Something
29 (RE) Kindred the Family Soul - The Best Thing

30 (NE) Don E - Soulcial-D-Stance EP

Sampler only currently available. EP available from his website

1 Lockdown Time Again
2 Isnt it craz-E
3 Grown n sex-E
4 Mask Parade
5 Get back to love
6 All i want is you
7 It wont feel like xmas



Version Excursion - Love Ballad (L.T.D.)


I've just seen a new version of the 1976 L.T.D. classic 'Love Ballad' made famous by George Benson but it got me wondering how many versions of it there are. Heres' a list of ones I could find (20 so far). There's a few reggae covers which I've omitted as it was de rigueur for them to make reggae versions of hits. I've also excluded instrumentals, as again a lot of jazz artists, in particular, do instrumental covers of hits, although I quite like Gary Bartz's version. If you know of any others (which there probably are) then leave a comment and I'll add them.   


Click artist name to listen to track or album name to view in Discogs.

I've flagged the better versions with an asterisk.

A new release 28 Dec 2020.

This one doesn't do it for me I'm afraid the blue-eyed vocals are too strained.

A pretty soul-less uptempo jazz/funk version dug out of the archives. Unlimited Source were an 80s UK home counties jazz/funk group.

Dave Lee doing his stuff as his alter ego Joey Negro on George Benson's version.

This is a bootleg remix using Joey Negro's track remixed by David Curniffe titled The Finest v Love Ballad.

An uptempo modern take.

Pretty faithful to the original but adds little.

Husband and wife duet (now divorced).

Patti doing her thing - not to my taste.

A good version from 80s slow jam legend.

Another 'House' version which is better than the one below.

A pretty lame house/dance version which is just an excuse put a melody over some beats IMHO and the vocal is pretty poor!

Live version

*1998 - K-Ci & JoJo'Love Always' LP
Cedric Renard Hailey & Joel Lamont Hailey

A decent (and probably quite obscure) RnB version by four girl group from their only album.

An additional track on 12" and CDr only for Love Will Keep Us Together

A good version from Baltmore singer from her her debut album

This is essentially an instrumental version

Everyone must surely know this version.

Love Togetherness & Devotion featuring Jeffrey Osbourne on lead who left the group in 1980 to pursue a solo career.

It's still a 'no brainer' for me - L.T.D. for the most soulful and George Benson for the most dancable.  Freddie Jackson and K-Ci & Jo Jo's versions are worthy efforts and I like the Tanya Blount version which I've had on CD since release.