First Class [1979] - Tell Me What You Want [Park-way International #SRL1554]

This is an elusive record. It isn't listed on 45Cat and the one listed on Discogs has the same catalogue number but doesn't feature this track, it has The Softones - Love Minus One instead. In fact I own the 45 but sadly not the one with 'Tell Me What You Want' on the flipside!

It does, however, feature on the album 'The Softones & First Class - Together' released on Park-way International in 1979. 

I've never got to the bottom of why there is this anomaly except a conclusion that perhaps it was issued with 'Tell Me What You Want' and then withdrawn and reissued with a different B side?

It is, of course, a later version of the Jimmy Ruffin track released in 1974.

There are only two listed on Popsike.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Park-way International
Cat No:	SRL1554
Year:	1979
Key:	N/A
BPM:	N/A
Value:	£70-£150

Clydie King [1966] - Soft And Gentle Ways [Imperial #66172]

Top drawer mid-tempo Northern Soul from Clydie King, released as a B side on Imperial in 1966. Arranged by the legendary Gene Page, the A side 'He Always Comes Back To Me' was written by his brother Billy.

Clydie King is another unsung heroine. She was a member of The Blackberries who were a sought after session backing group who had a changing line up, but was originally King, Sherlie Matthews and Venetta Fields. 

As well as her solo work she released a couple fo singles with Bonnie & The Treasures and also with 70s group Brown Sugar, of which Jim Gilstrap as a member, best remembered for his 1975 hit 'Swing Your Daddy' but who was also a highly regarded and much sought after session singer.

King provided background vocals for many top artists including Bob Dylan, Humble Pie, Joe Cocker, Rolling Stones, Barbara Steisland, B.B. King and Linda Ronstadt amongst others.

She died in 2019 aged 75.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Imperial
Cat No:	66172
Year:	2021
Key:	7B
BPM:	112
Value:	£1

Masters Of Soul [1969] - Do You Really Love Me [Ovide #241]

A marvellous crossover tune from the Masters Of Soul with one of the singers sounding remarkably similar to Marvin Junior of The Dells. It was released as the flip side to a hauntingly deep version of 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix'.

The Masters of Soul were originally know as The Royal Masters who released a single on Guyden in 1963. 

They released their next single in 1968 on Houston's Ovide label as The Masters Of Houston. The record got a national release on Capitol with their name changed to Masters Of Soul. Another 45 was released on Capitol only. 

They cut five 45s for Ovide before moving to Duke in 1972 where they released a further three singles up to 1973.

They released a total of around nine singles between 1963-73, but sadly none of them dented the US R&B charts.

The group members were Eddie Webb, Fred Kibble, Harold Hopkins, Clarence Bellard and Tom McPherson (who replaced Jerry Porter in 1968).

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Ovide
Cat No:	241
Year:	1969
Key:	7B
BPM:	120
Value:	£120-£200

The Delfonics [1968] - Hurt So Bad [Philly Groove #LP 1150]

Written by Bobby Weinstein (Wilding), Bobby Hart (Harshman) and Teddy Randazzo, and originally recorded by Litte Anthony & The Imperials in 1965 and was a top 10 Hot 100 hit.

The Delfonics version was an album only track from their debut album 'La La Means I Love You' in 1968, but did 'escape' on a Stateside 45 in Jamaica only.

It was later covered by The Philly Devotions in 1976 and given the Philly disco treatment. Many others have covered it before: Susan Rafey, Byrdie Green, The Embers, The Soul Bros.. Willie Hutch and after: including Bobby And I,  Cathy Carlson, Baby Washington, Sandra Alexandra, Nancy Wilson, Nancy Holloway, Willie Hutch, El Chicano, Dionne Warwick, Arther Prysock, Carl Carlton, Peggy March (a disco version), Irene Barr,  Alicia Keys, Signs Of The Time, Bobby Hart (one of the writers of the song which is a pretty good blue-eyed deep version) and i also found a previously unreleased version by one of the other writers Teddy Randazzo.

There are loads of other versions, reggae, jazz, instrumental and pop/MOR which aren't worth linking to.

Details

Format:	Album
Media:	LP
Label:	Philly Groove
Cat No:	LP 1150
Year:	2021
Key:	11A
BPM:	125
Value:	£16-£70

Johnny Moore v Garland Green - Just My Way Of Loving You

It's been a disappointing week so far for new releases so I thought that, as I posted some modern soul last week, I'd post some crossover classics while waiting for some decent new music to arrive.

Here's two quite different versions of the same song written by Johnny Moore and Jack Daniels.

Johnny Moore [1967] - It's Just My Way Of Loving You [Date #2-1562]

The original version which was the A side to his biggest Northern Soul tune 'Walk Like A Man', so beware when buying as it was bootlegged on a counterfeit label. The original is styrene and the bootleg is vinyl.

Not to be confused with the Johnny Moore who was lead singer of The Drifters in the 70s.

Moore is credited with writing 'Turn Back The Hands Of Time', although it was Bonnie Thompson, his girlfriend at the time, whose name appears on the labels.  It was first recorded as an instrumental by The Mustangs on Jetstar in 1967 before Tyrone Davis made it a #1 R&B and #3 Hot 100 hit in 1970.

Sadly his solo singles had no success even on R&B charts and he died in 2005 aged 64. Whether it was he, or his grilfriend, who received royalties for 'Turn Back The Hands Of Time' is anyone's guess!

Garland Green [1971] - Just My Way Of Loving You [Cotillion #45-44126]

[10B/87]

Garland Green released three singles on Revue between 1967-68, all of these have made appearances on NS scene at some time or another.  He hit paydirt in 1969 with 'Jealous Kind Of Fella', his first release on Uni after leaving Revue, which reached #5 R&B and #20 Hot 100. He never managed to match this and was released from Uni after two more 45s. In 1971 he signed to Cotillion and this was his second of five releases for the label.

The Harlem Gospel Travelers [2021] - Nothing But His Love / God's Gonna Move His Hand [Colmine #CLMN-192]

Released on digital in Jun 2020 but Colemine have just announced that the 7" vinyl is ready to pre-order (on BandCamp) and will be released 7 May 2021.

The A side 'Nothing But His Love' is a neo Northern Soul cut with the B Side a deep soul/gospel group harmony tune 'God's Gonna Move His Hand'.

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	Digital/7"
Label:	Colemine
Cat No:	CLMN-192
Year:	2021
Key:	3B / 8B
BPM:	121 / 66
Value:	£1.50 / £4.25

Rosalyn Candy [2021] - Jody Jr. [Rosetta Magic] (Full Album)

Neo Southern Soul from Rosalyn Candy on new album 'Mood Swings' released 16 Feb 2021.

Listen to Full album here.

Details

Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Rosetta Magic
Cat No:	None
Year:	2021
Key:	9B
BPM:	93
Value:	£1/£6.93

Divine Nature [2021] - Real Talk [Self Released] (Full Album)

A new album from Divine Nature released 8 Jan 2021 featuring some good contemporary neo soul/gospel tunes.

The track I've featured below is 'Under Construction'

Listen to Full Album here.

Details

Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Year:	2021
Key:	11B
BPM:	96
Value:	£1

Kelly Price [2021] - Grace [Motown Gospel]

New single (?) by Kelly Price from a forthcoming album 'Grace' due 6 Apr 2021, her first new album since 2014.  This is a soul/gospel ballad. This is the only track currently available to sample so I assume this is the single to promote the album.

Details

Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Motown Gospel
Cat No:	None
Year:	2021
Key:	11A
BPM:	61
Value:	£1/£?

Jonathan Winstead [2021] - Old School / Body Language [One Staj Music Group]

A new release from Jonathan Winstead released 14 Feb 2021.

As you can probably guess from the title, it's a 60s throwback sounding like a southern soul / Stax sound.  It's not really my kind of thing as it just plods along to the end with no high points for my ears, and sorry to say it's been done so many times before.

The 'B side' 'Body Language' is also a throwback, Sam Cooke sounding, track.

Old School

Body Language

Details

Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	One Staj Music Group
Cat No:	None
Year:	2021
Key:	6B / 10A
BPM:	114* / 76**
Value:	£1

* I've counted it at 76! **NB I've counted it at 52!

Maze Feat. Frankie Beverly [2021] - The M + M Mixes [Capitol] (Full EP)

Here's a nice one for the UK Soul Boys & Girls and the 80s soul weekender crew, four of Maze featuring Frankie Beverly's 80s classics remixed by M + M, with extended vocal and instrumental versions of 'Joy And Pain', 'Before I Let Go' and 'Too Many Games' and 'Back In Stride'.  Released on digital only(?) on 19 Feb 2021

Listen to Full EP here.

Before I Let Go (M+M Mix)

[11A/111]

Joy And Pain (M+M Mix)

[9B/106]

Back In Stride (Extended M+M Mix)

[6B/113]

Too Many Games (Extended M+M Mix)

[5A/111]

Details

Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Capitol
Cat No:	None
Year:	2021
Key:	11A / 9B / 6B / 5A
BPM:	111 / 106 / 113 / 111
Value:	£1/£6.99