Summary 26 May 2022

	Marc Staggers - You Make Me Feel READ MORE ->
SoulStrutter Neo Soul Top 20 May 20 READ MORE ->
	Johnny 'Dr J' James - Foolish Heart READ MORE ->
Barbara Mason - The Lost 80s Sessions LP READ MORE ->
	Reggie Alexander - It's Better READ MORE ->
Ruby Winters - Just A Dream LP READ MORE ->

Marc Staggers [2022] - You Make Me Feel [Expansion]

Marc Staggers returns to Expansion with a new single "You Make Me Feel" due for full release on 24 Jun 2022 but will be available on Bandcamp on 27 May 2022.

In the interim, and during Covid, Marc self released songs and also collaborated with The Terri Green Project on a remake of the Marvin Gaye classic "What’s Going On" along with Cornell C.C. Carter, David A. Tobin, Michelle Lawson, Miracle Thomas, Randy Hall, Rob Hardt and The Weather Girls. 

In 2021 he worked with Grammy nominated songwriter/producer Herb Middleton on a single "I Want To Be With You". A single he recorded several years ago was re-issued by DSG with a cover of "What The World Needs Now" at the start of the hostilities in Ukraine.

The song was composed by Terri Bjerre, Marc's brother, songwriter/producer Reggie Staggers, (who has also been working with Terri Bjerre of The Terri Green Project) and Anthony Freeman. There is also a Smooth Jazz version featuring saxophonist Brian Cunningham.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Expansion
Cat No:	None
Date:	24/06/2022 / 27/05/2022 (Bandcamp)
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

SoulStrutter Neo Soul Top 20 May 2020 (so far)

As it's so quiet today on the new release front I've drafted a Top 20 Neo Soul tunes for May 2022 which will be updated at the end of the month. They are in no particular order just a selection of what I consider the best 20 tunes so far this month cherry picked from the Neo Soul Dirty Dozens already posted.

Johnny James Dr J. [2022] - Foolish Heart (VocalSax Mix) [JSJ Entertainment]

The latest single, "Foolish Heart", from jazz saxophonist Johnny James Dr. J was released, as an instrumental only, on 11 Mar 2022. A new version is forthcoming with the added vocals credited to SanginDiva who is actually Shannon Pearson who you may remember as singing lead on Output/Input's cover of Chaka Khans's "Eye To Eye".

The song was originally recorded in 1989 as a single and an album track ("Here I Am") by Sharon Bryant (Atlantic Starr). It reached #7 R&B and #90 Hot 100.

Johnny James last featured on the blog with a Nigel Lowis Stepper's Remix of "Steppin" from his 2002 album "The Remedy" last October,

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

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

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Smooth Jazz
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	JSJ Entertainment
Cat No:	None
Date:	05/2022
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

Barbara Mason [2022] - The Lost 80s Sessions [Selector Series #SSLP002P] (Full Album)

"The Lost 80s Sessions" by Barbara Mason is a 2022 Record Store Day (RSD) vinyl release consisting of  four of her own songs and eight  cover versions of well known songs.

The majority of them (all but two flagged with * below) were previously available on a 2001 CD compilation "Soulful Truth".

It's available from Simply Soul and other vinyl retailers.

A1 - The Ghetto (Donny Hathaway)

A2 - I Feel The Earth Move (Carole King) *

A3 - Love And Happiness (Al Green)

A4 - Give Me All Your Love (Curtis Mayfield)

A5 - People Make The World Go Round (Stylistics)

A6 - You Got Me Runnin' (Jimmy Reed) *

B1 - Yes, I'm Ready

B2 - Oh How It Hurts

B3 - From His Woman To You

B4 - Don't Take Your Love Away (Isaac Hayes)

B5 - Shackin' Up

B6 - If Lovin' You Is Wrong (I Don't Want To Be Right) (Luther Ingram)

Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	LP
Label:	Selector Series
Cat No:	SSLP002P
Date:	23/04/2022
Price:	£20

Reggie Alexander [1967] - It's Better [Boss #102]

Having just posted a compilation containing "Better" by Ruby Winters reminded me of this rare recording "It's Better" by Reggie Alexander on Detroit's Boss label. Discogs states that it was released in 1966 and 45Cat 1967. I think 1967 is more likely as the label was related to two other labels Sport and Sir Rah whose releases were all from 1967-68. Each label only released a handful of singles Sport around a dozen, Sir Rah four and Boss five.

The labels were founded by Sheldon 'Shelley' Haims who was the general manager at Golden World records and set up Pied Piper Productions with Jack Ashford writing under the pseudonym Randy Scott. He passed in Nov 2012.

Reggie Alexander has only one other listed single "These Are The Questions" which came out on  L.B.J. (What Now) in 1969, Both his singles were written by Herbie  Williams. "It's Better" is pretty scare with only four listed on Popsike and the last one selling for around $1k but "These Are The Questions" can be picked up very cheaply (Under £10).

Continuing the "Better" saga I'm also reminded of a previous post of three versions of a song titled "It's Better To Cry" first recorded by Frankie Nieves but covered by The Appreciations on Sport and another version by Johnny Watson on Valise (not Johnny 'Guitar' Watson). 

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Boss
Cat No:	BOSS 102
Date:	1967
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1,000 (approx.)

Ruby Winters [2010] - Just A Dream [One Media Publishing] (Full Album)

Posted yesterday was a forthcoming 7" single of two previously unreleased tracks by Ruby Winters which have only previously appeared on a UK CD "The Best Of Ruby Winters" which didn't include one of her most in-demand singes "I Want Action" / "Better". 

Thinking about posting "Better" (which has been a long time favorite since acquired on UK Stateside many moons ago), I came across a 2010 compilation "Just A Dream" which seems to include all of her solo Diamond singles (A & B sides) from the 60s.

Many may only know Ruby Winters for the ballads she recorded in the late 70s which entered the UK pop chart i.e. "I Will" and "Come To Me" but she recorded a dozen or more singles before this with five of her 60s Diamond singles entering the R&B top 10.

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	60s Soul
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital
Label:	One Media Publishing
Cat No:	None
Date:	23/12/2010
Price:	£7.99