Monday, 23 August 2021

Crystal Winds [2021] - So Sad / Maybe What You Do Comes Back To You [Athens Of The North #ATH107]


Last year Athens Of The North reissued Crystal Winds 1982 album "First Flight" (which has been reissued several times, in 2003, twice in 2014 and in 2020) with, what I originally thought was, an additional, previously unreleased, track "Maybe What You Do Comes Back To You".   However, a regular reader (USMAN47) has pointed out that it is actually part 2 of the original track "It's a Wonderous Thing" which AOTN have 'chopped' in two.  

They have coupled it with "So Sad" and are due to release it digitally on Friday (27 Aug 2021). It will also be available on vinyl.

Crystal Winds consisted of three former members of Rasputin Stash, Paul Coleman, Martin Dumas and Frank Donaldson, along with Morris Cortez Brown and vocalist Theresa Davis who was a cousin of the Hutchinson sisters (i.e. The Emotions), who she sang with when Jeanette left to get married (and became Jeanette Hawes) in the 70s but was later replaced by another Hutchinson sister,  Pamela. She sang on their 1977 album "Sunshine".

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.


Details
Rating: 8.2
Genre/Style: Neo Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital / 7"
Label: Athens Of The North
Cat No: ATH107
Date: 27/08/2021
Key/BPM: 8A/72 / 1B/60
Value: £1 / £9.99

SoulStrutter Top 20 - 23rd Aug 2021



The SoulStrutter Top 20 of the most viewed posts in the last 30 days (i.e. blog readers choices not mine!).

I've changed the way this is reported as the blogger logs aren't accurate as although they say views over last 30 days the numbers don't add up and I suspect it's from the start of the month, or is somehow weighted, as there are some posts with more views that are not being reported. Therefore, to avoid confusion I am using the absolute no. of views and have gone through all posts in last 30 days counting and ranking views. GarciaWalker&Durrell is miles ahead with almost 3 times more views than the 2nd place. 

A surprising entry is Bigg Robb and also the retrospective post of the 2015 track by Sex On Toast is proving very popular!

Last 30 Days

PosArtist - TitlePostedDays
1GarciaWalker&Durrell - Praying For Rain LP27/0727
2Beth Macari - Love You More28/0726
3Christopher Williams - Fine As Gold03/0820
4Will Downing - The Warmth Of You10/0813
5The Paradise Projex - The Paradise Projex EP04/0819
6Sex On Toast - Oh! Loretta12/0811
7Don-E - Summer Bounce EP26/0728
8Sugar Rainbow - Game Of Life04/0819
9Luna Elle - Flaws13/0810
10Penzillathegreat - Stay A Little While20/0734
11Loose Ends - Gonna Make You Mine11/0812
12Tony Walk - The One For You06/0817
13Big Robb - Good One07/0816
14Bridge City Revival - Introducing Bridge City Revival LP24/0730
15Showship - The Greatest Part Of Loving You28/0726
16Jodie - Pushover23/0731
17Rich Beggar - Pretty Brown Eyes (George B Remix)05/0818
18Sidibe - Saturn Return EP01/0822
19Lady Blackbird - It Will Never Happen Again13/0810
20Leela James - See Me LP30/0724

The Dirty Dozen Mix Part 29 2021 Aug (week 33)


A blended, 35 minute, non-stop, mix of the best new releases last week (Aug 2021 week 33) based on the 'The Dirty Dozen' published 22 Aug 2021

NB Mix is now also available on YouTube
 ... until there's a copyright claim .. we'll see how it goes!

Tracklist 
(with links to original posts)

E.D.I.S Feat. Ariel Rae - Peaches (5A/57)
Sofyaah Lynn - The Best (4A/61)
Elshay - Pride (6B/64)
Jali - Kountry Love (9A/65)
JoJo - Worst (I Assume) (12A/81)
Shannon Lauren Callihan - Used To Be My Love (3B/84)
Novine - Pretender (9A/85)
The Carpet Shop Feat. KWAYE - Heaven On Earth (11A/87)
TanQueray Hayward - Can't Imagine (7B/99)
Acantha Lang - Sugar Woman (9B/90)
Sean Ardoin - For You (10B/99)
Yasmina - Don't Deserve This (6A/100)


Previous mixes:

Cynthia & The Imaginary 3 [2021] - That's What I Am (Without You) / Many Moods Of A Man [Hit And Run #HR 1532]


Isn't it strange? I did a discography for Cynthia Girty a few months ago after the North Broad St release of her single with Arenita Walker but couldn't find a sound clip for the flip side of her  Big Hit release "Many Moods Of A Man" and then, like the proverbial London bus, two turn up one after another as it was recently released on a Tuff City compilation "Get Your Point Over" last month and now gets a 45 reissue via Hit And Run.

To learn more about Cythia Girty I refer you to the above discography, but in a nutshell she is a singer/songwriter from Detroit who worked closely with Arenita Walker who were both members of 60s groups. They were also members of P-Funk outfit Godmoma.

As part of Cynthia & The Imaginations (later named Cynthia & The Imaginary 3 as the Imaginations were no longer with them at that point) she released four singles. The first on Magic City in 1969, followed by two on Blue Rock in 1969 and this, their final (and probably best) single, on Johnnie Mae Matthews' Big Hit in 1970 which is being reissued on Hit And Run.

The official A side "Many Moods Of A Man" was written by Girty. The 'preferred' side "That's What I Am (Without You)" was written by Temptations founding member Paul Williams (who died in 1973 from a gunshot wound which was ruled as suicide) along with Johnnie Mae Matthews and Timmy Shaw (aka Jake Hammonds Jr.), both of whom have also had records played on the NS scene.

Purchase details:
£12 each + £3 UK postage (good for 1-3 records) paypal - hitandrunsoul45@gmail.com
If interested in a demo contact Gary on same adddess.



Details
Rating: 8.2
Genre/Style: Northern Soul
Format: Single
Media: 7"
Label: Hit And Run
Cat No: HR 1532
Date: 16/08/2021
Value: £12 (+£3 P&P)

Willie & West / Willie & The Mighty Magnificents [2021] - Attica Massacre / Get Away From Me Girl / Check It Baby [Hit And Run #HR 1531]


The latest offering from Garry Cape's Hit And Run logo are three tracks from Willie Feaster. 

The A side Willie & West "Attica Massacre" is a rare recording on Turbo from 1972 which is a song about the infamous prison riot in 1971 at Attica Prison, NY. 

The B side on the original is Robert L. Taylor "The Will" (a deep soul cut). To confuse things further, Willie & West recorded "The Will" on their "At Their Best" album. Whether it's the same or a different version I don't know as I've not heard Robert L. Taylor's version. Could it be a misprint on the label as Robert L. Taylor was the writer (i.e. used writer's name as artist by mistake?) It gets even more confusing on the album label as writer credits are S. (Sylvia) Robinson, L. Taylor, R. Taylor, Leon Taylor, but are the last three all the same person i.e. Robert Leon Taylor? 

There are only two listed on Popsike, the first sold for, what seems a bargain price of, $381 in 2014 and the other for $3,051 in 2019.

There is only one YouTube clip of "Attica Massacre" on which UK soul aficionado Steve Guarnori commented that the singer is not Willie Feaster and that Willie & West are in fact Willie Hackett and John West and that the version is different to the 45 version. So, If that is the case, then I 'presume' that it may have been taken from one of the Outta Sight CDs as it featured on "Black Gold Sought After Soul" in 2007 and "Willie & West Meet The New Sounds", which again, presumably' may have slightly different takes? The vocal sounds very similar to Edwin Starr to my ears!

The flip side to the release has two tracks from Willie & The Mighty Magnificents, "Get Away From Me Girl" and "Check It Baby". Both of these tracks are available on a digital only compilation "Keeping The Faith: 30 Stomping Northern Soul Classics" released by Sanctuary in 2015 with "Get Away From Me Girl" 'incorrectly' credited to Willie & West as the track was released on two albums: Willie & West "At Their Best" on Stang (apparently named after, owner Syliva Robinson's husband, Joe's beloved Mustang) in 1971 (without sax break) and then as Willie & The Mighty Magnificents on "Very Soulful" on all Platinum in 1972 which is a different version with the sax break around 1:34, which is the version on this 45.

"Check It Baby" is an earlier 45 only release from their 1968 debut single on All Platinum as the flip to "Take My Love". 

Willie & The Mighty Magnificents also worked as session musicians for Sylvia Robinson's All Platinum setup backing artists like The Moments. To funk fans they are revered for their follow up to "Check It Baby" with "Funky (8) Corners" in 1969, which Northern Soul followers will know from Frankie 'Love Man' Crocker's speeded up version retitled "Ton Of Dynamite" on Turbo released the same year.

I also wrote recently in an article for Kool & The Gang's latest album that Robert 'Kool' Bell cited that Willie & The Mighty Magnificents influenced Kool & The Gang's stage act after seeing them perform in the late 60s.

In the 70s Feaster set up his own label Smog City which released around a dozen singles, many using aliases including Dynamic Concepts, The Esquires Ltd. Johnny Acey and Val Burke, but all featured Willie Feaster and variations of The Mighty Magnificents. Some of these recordings were released on a 2006 CD "On Dirt Road (Rare & Unreleased NY Funk & Soul 1969-1970)" on Funky Delicacies.

Purchase details (limited to 300 copies):
£12 each + £3 UK postage (good for 1-3 records) paypal - hitandrunsoul45@gmail.com
If interested in a demo contact Garry at the same address.


Details
Rating: 8.8
Genre/Style: Northern Soul
Format: Single
Media: 7"
Label: Hit And Run
Cat No: HR 1531
Date: 16/08/2021
Value: £12 (+£3 P&P)

Lee Hurst / Terry & The Pyrates [2021] - Whole Lotta Your Love / Someone [Diggin' Deep #DD016]


I posted Lee Hurst "Whole Lotta Your Love" in Jan 2021 and I'm sure this release was announced some time ago (Aprll), but I guess there is such a backlog at the pressing plants that the release has been delayed. Sean Hampsey has just announced the release of the latest Diggin' Deep 45 is due on 17 Sep 2021 but available to pre-order as of last Friday (20 Aug), which is recommended as these are limited 250/300 pressings and will surely sell out! (link on images below).

As always with Diggin' Deep, two quality sides. Lee Hurst's 1973 lowrider classic, released on A&M Canada only,  should need no introduction to soul connoisseurs. Fervor issued it (digitally) on a compilation "Deep Cuts: 70s Soul" in 2018 along with the flip side "Saturday".

The flip side "Someone" from Terry (Walker) & The Pyrates was originally released in 1968 on Canadian label Trend out of West Hill, Ontario, and was reissued by Fervor in 2014 as a 45 and digitally in 2020. According to Sean's promo material, this is a live recording but sounds studio quality to me. Discogs states the the 'performer' is Mike Levine, so presumably it was he, rather than Terry Walker on lead vocals. He joined Canadian band Motherlode in 1970 and later joined a group called Triumph. Terry & The Pyrates were all white musicians which you couldn't really guess from this soulful performance.

I'll put up Diggin' Deep's promo video as it contains some good background info (on the video and in the comments) but not the full tracks, but I will also post both tracks in full.



Details
Rating: 9
Genre/Style: Neo Soul
Format: Single
Media: 7"
Label: Diggin' Deep
Cat No: DD016
Date: 17/09/2021
Key/BPM: 10B/92 / 8A/52
Value: £12

Mad Surgeon [2021] - What's Up [Clinically Sound Productions]


It's a shame there are no vocals on this good instrumental groove titled "Whats Up" from Mad Surgeon, who, without checking, I would guess is a producer and the track may possibly be based on samples?

Right enough he's a DJ/producer from Norwich who makes beats/instrumentals. Perhaps the tables could be turned and, rather than producers 'nicking' samples, a vocalist could nick his beats and lay a vocal on top ... I better be careful as if he really is a mad surgeon he might come and take my spleen out for that comment!

He's quiet prolific as he has uploaded over 70 tracks on Spotify since 2019, obviously, I haven't checked them all out, but I quite like this one. He states on his Twitter strapline that he is a BBC Introducing featured artist (he featured in an episode for BBC Norfolk on 19 Mar 2020 with "Soul Wars").

Despite my flippant remark above, it would appear that he makes his beats specifically for artists (singers/rappers) to collaborate with him.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.


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Details
Rating: 7.6
Genre/Style: Neo Soul / Beats
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Clinically Sound Productions
Cat No: None
Date: 21/08/2021
Key/BPM: 8A/94
Value: £1

Melody [2021] - One in a Million [Scorpion Melody Inc.]


Melody (Sadaf Ghaderi) is a Kurdish/Canadian singer based in Toronto. There certainly is a burgeoning soul scene going on there at present! 

She was a finalist in the Miss World Canada beauty pageant (I never know those events went on anymore in these politically correct days!), but dropped out to pursue a musical career and debuted in March 2021 with "Dancing With A Stranger" (27 Mar 2021) (she joined the cast of Strictly then? ho ho!).

Her sophomore single is "One In A Million" released on Saturday (20 Aug 2021) which has that edgy neo soul/R&B feel. 

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.


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Details
Rating: 7.8
Genre/Style: Neo Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Scorpion Melody Inc. / Self Released
Cat No: None
Date: 21/08/2021
Key/BPM: 11A/70
Value: £1

LaTanya Hughes [2021] - Too Grown [Eptone Music Productions]


Although her latest single "Too Grown" (released 17 Aug 2021) is listed separately on DSP's, I'm pretty sure that LaTanya Hughes is the same artist who just went by her Christian name LaTanya in the 90s/00s from Chicago. 

She released an eponymous album in 2000 which had a great version of Alicia Myer's "If You Play Your Cards Right" which was also released as a single in 1997. I had thought that Alicia Myers released it as a single but on checking it was an album only track on her debut album "Alicia" written by Kevin McCord, who was also a member of Al Hudson & The Partners, they co-wrote their biggest hit "You Can Do It".

In addition to those she released around a total of six singles between 1994-2000, all except the first ("I Want The B-O-M-B") are included on the album.

Since the 2000 album release I can find only two other recordings from her, one in 2015 "Leave Behind" and another in 2018 "Available.

Her 2000 album still sounds fresh, so I've included it below as good music is timeless! One of the tracks "Yes You're My Baby" is a duet with Al Hudson.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.



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Details
Rating: 8.8
Genre/Style: Neo Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Eptone Music Productions
Cat No: None
Date: 17/08/2021
Key/BPM: 3A/76
Value: £1

After 7 [2021] - Tomorrow Can Wait [SoNo]


After 7 are a 'boy band' from the 80s/90s who released a new album "Unfinished Business" on 20 Aug 2021. On 13 Aug they released the lead single "Tomorrow Can Wait", probably the best track from the album. The remainder of the album is mainly typical 80/90s style poppy love songs probably of no real interest to 'dyed in the wool' soul listeners.

The original band consisted of two elder brothers of Babyface (Kenneth Edmonds), Kevon and Melvin along with Keith Mitchell (a friend of L.A. Reid). Melvin died in 2019 and was replaced temporarily by Melvin's son, Jason until Danny McClain was drafted in permanently. 

They released three albums between 1989-95 and have subsequently, in recent years, released another two, one in 2016 and their latest in 2021.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.


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Details
Rating: 7.5
Genre/Style: Neo Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: SoNo
Cat No: None
Date: 13/08/2021
Key/BPM: 11A/90
Value: £1