VA [2005] - The Big Bad Bay Area Vol. 1 [Latin Soul Recordings] (Full Album)

The great thing about researching music is that once I've found and played a track, either on Spotify or YouTube, another pops up unsolicited whilst I'm writing that pricks my ears up. One such tune was The Diabolics "I Bet you Never Knew" which led me to this superb 2005 compilation "The Big Bad Bay Area".

The clue is in the label name, Latin Soul Recordings, and the title which almost guarantees that the track list is going to be sweet soul harmony tunes compiled for the lowriders, however there are few tracks towards the end of the compilation which have had spins on Northern Soul dancefloors and the surprise was seeing Rodger Collins, an out and out R&B stomper (that Wilson Pickett later covered and had quite big hit with #7 R&B #15 Hot 100).  It's almost like they got to track 18, which are all sweet soul numbers, and ran out of ideas and filled it with some random tunes.

There's some familiar tunes on it but also a few new ones to these ears. There are one or two errors such as The Emulations mistitled track "Story Of Our Love", which at first I thought may be a cover on The Carstairs flip side to "Really Hurts Me Girl", but should read "Story Of My Life".

There are far too many great tunes to start to list them so I'll let you choose your own but if you want to dive straight into the sweet spot then I'd recommend tracks 14 to 18.

This is a bargain at £7.99 for 24 tracks, especially as you will probably never find the originals on vinyl anytime soon without remortgaging your home!

Annoyingly, neither Spotify nor Amazon link are showing artists, so for a full track listing got to Discogs. P.S. Whilst finding link I noticed that there is a Volume 2, which is also on Spotify,  so will also post at some point!

The Discogs track listing differs from the digital track listing as there are three radio adverts interspersed not included on digital release and three additional tracks have been tagged onto the end (i.e. tracks 22-24), so here's the correct track list for the digital issue.

01 - Jesse James - I Need You Baby

02 - The Fabulous Ballads - God Bless Our Love

03 - The Emulations - These Are The Things

04 - Pacesetters - Don't Love Hurt

05 - California Malibus - I Stand Alone

06 - San Francisco T.K.O.'s - Ooh Baby Baby

07 - Shirley Combs - Why Should We Stop Now

08 - The Page Three - Wait! One Minute Baby

09 - Joe Washington - Look Me In The Eyes

10 - Papa And The Utopians - Cry For Joy

11 - The Master Plan - Only You (Can Touch This Heart Of Mine)

12 - The Fillmotions - Young Girl

13 - The Natural Four - Twelve Mouths Of The Year

14 - Soft Touch - Look Up, Look Down

15 - The Master Plan) - Hey Girl

16 - Diabolics - I Bet You Never Knew

17 - The Ballads - Baby, I'm For Real

18 - Sisters Of The Ghetto - What Made You Change Your Mind

19 - Fuller Bros. - Stranger At My Door

20 - The Natural Four - I Thought You Were Mine

21 - Rodger Collins - She's Looking Good

22 - The Emulations - Move A Little Slower (Good Timing Woman)

23 - Natural Four - Hanging On To A Lie

24 - Rodger Collins - Foxy Girls In Oakland

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

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sweet Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Latin Soul Recordings
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/06/2005
Price:	£7.99

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Aquakultre [2022] - Don't Trip [Forward Music Group]

Aquakultre is a music project based in Halifax (Nova Scotia) led by singer, rapper, composer and bandleader Lance Sampson. 

Sampson rose to fame by winning CBC's Searchlight competition in 2018 for a song he wrote whilst serving a prison sentence.

Their third album, "Don't Trip", was released a couple of weeks ago on 22 Jul 2022 and I have to admit that it has taken quite a few listens to warm to it.

The title track "Don't Trip" was featured as a breaker on last Saturday's Global Soul Chart show hosted by Russ Cole in Franklin Sinclair's absence which I didn't particularly like so ignored the album until It was suggested that I listen again. I'm still not 100% convinced. I can't quite put my finger on it but it just isn't quite doing it for me but offer it up for you to decide if it floats your boat.

For what its worth, the standout tracks for me are "It's All Good" and "You Got Feets".

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:	7.8
Explicit:	Y Tracks 2, 7, & 10
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Forward Music Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	22/07/2022
Price:	£7.99

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Joe Tex [1973/1975] - All The Heaven A Man Really Needs / Under Your Powerful Love [Dial #D-1021 / D-1154]

A couple of things triggered the idea for this post, first Little Royal's version of "Jealous Kind Of Fella" where he raps much of the song and also the hip-hop track by NONDO which samples James Brown. 

It got me thinking when did rapping start. It seems that it is attributed to the late 70s / early 80s with the likes of The Sugar Hill Gang and Grandmaster Flash & co when it was first commercially available but was going on in the Bronx long before in the 70s. Little Royal's single was released in 1972 and a couple of tracks here by Joe Tex, the first 1972/73 and the next 1975 all contain what would be termed as 'rapping'. Millie Jackson was also rapping in the early 70s.

Gil Scott-Heron is regarded as the Godfather of Hip-Hop and his debut solo single released in 1971 (but taken from his 1970 album "Small Talk at 125th and Lenox") "The Television Will Not Be Televised" is considered a major influence on hip-hop music. Before him were The Last Poets who rose out the the civil rights movement in the late 60s with their spoken word albums.

I've chosen a couple of Joe Tex recordings that have been popular on the Northern/Modern Soul scene which contain what could loosely be described as rap: "All The Heaven A Man Really Needs" / "Under Your Powerful Love". 

As Bill Buckley (SoulAndJazzAndFunk) has just reminded me, the title of his 1972 album was "From The Roots Came The Rapper" if we needed further evidence!

Sadly the only UK chart hit Joe Tex had in UK was "Ain't Gonna Bump No More (With No Big Fat Woman)", can you imagine that ever getting playlisted in these politically correct days? In fact on the official UK chart site they have 'conveniently' removed the last part and named it "Ain't Gonna Bump No More"! Cancel culture in action, as in the song he recorded in 1989 on "Different Strokes", "It's Ridiculous". 

Joe Tex died of a heart attack aged just 47 in 1982.

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Dial
Cat No:	D-1021 / D-1154
Date:	03/1973 / 06/1975
Key/BPM:	8B/115 / 1B/128
Price:	£15-£25 / £20-£30 approx.

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Beth Macari [2022] - Shoulda Known Better [Self Released]

Beth Macari has had some down time in the last year owing to a close family bereavement but is now back firing on all cylinders with her second release in a month. Hot on the heels of her last single "Circles", (29 Jun) Beth 'slips out a sly one' "Shoulda Known Better" on Bandcamp on Friday (29 Jul 2022). It is scheduled for a wider release later this month.

Her last single "Circles" entered the UK Soul Chart joining her 2021 singles "Love You More" and "Gotta Get Back" and it's Remixes.

Beth has recently performed at some major UK music festivals including "Summer Streets Festival" (curated by the Futureheads) and supporting Will Young at the South Tyneside Summer Festival which had over 20,000 attendees.

She has a main stage slot at this years' Lindisfarne Festival in September along with more single releases and headline shows later in the year.

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

Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Blue-Eyed
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	29/07/2022
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£0.79

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Kelly B. [2022] - Games (On Ya Mind LP) [Been Famous Entertainment]

A 'one-track' album by Kelly B. with only "Games" from "On My Mind" (released last Friday (29 Jul 2022)) being of any interest as I found the whole tone of the album rather depressing and all tracks are explicit!

Kelly B. (Kelly Lee Buckingham) appears to be a new artist debuting in April 2021 and has released four singles and this, his second, album.

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

Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	Y
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Album Track
Media:	Digital
Label:	Been Famous Entertainment
Cat No:	None
Date:	29/07/2022
Key/BPM:	11B/55
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

NONDO [2022] - Hating on my Hustle (MI EP) [Self Released]

The intro of this EP track "Hating on my Hustle" from NONDO should be a give away.  It's from a debut five track EP "MI" with rest of the EP not worthy of posting here. This track is only posted because of the James Brown sample used yet no credit is given as all songs are credited to Philip Dent and all tracks feature Lady X from Johannesburg.

If you can stomach listening to the last track ("Get The Power") it sounds like they've recruited Dick Van Dyke to do the rap!

From the original sound sample on Amazon I originally thought it was an Alicia Keys sample but of course that's because "Fallin'" also sampled James Brown. Someone (calling themselves BB Remixes) has done a pretty good mashup of both songs and posted it on YouTube (see below).

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

Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	Y
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul / Sample
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/07/2022
Key/BPM:	2A/83
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

KAYTRANADA & Anderson .Paak [2022] - Twin Flame [RCA]

It may seem like I'm going 'off-piste' with this one but for some reason I quite like it! It's a new single "Twin Flame" by Canadian DJ/producer KAYTRANADA (Louis Kevin Celestin from Montreal but born in Haiti) and Anderson .Paak (Bruno Mar's partner in Silk Sonic for anyone who's just returned from the moon).

Perhaps it's because there seems to be a familiar sample being used which I couldn't place at first but the clue was in the writing credits as it lists Chic's Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers and then it occurred to me that it's Sister Sledge "One More Time" from "We Are Family" 1979.

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:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	RCA
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/08/2022
Key/BPM:	9B/100
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

marei [2022] - Rock Steady [Self Released]

Released today is what appears to be a debut single by marei (Mareikura Nathan) titled "Rock Steady". I can only find it listed on Amazon at present, perhaps as it's hot off the press, and can find absolutely nothing about the artist but her sister posted a link to the track on her facebook and it appears that she is from Auckland, New Zealand.

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

Details

Rating:	7.9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/08/2022
Key/BPM:	8B/78
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Version Excursion - Cowboys To Girls

I've just seen a rare version of The Intruder's "Cowboys To Girls" posted on facebook by Richard Gilbert aka Gilly who's a well known 'face' on the UK Northern Soul scene. It's a version by The Composers. Although not listed under the same artist on either Discogs or 45Cat, I wonder if it's the same group who did "Let's Get To The Point" on Complex 3 Records as it has that same naive / raw sound. Both recordings are the only recording on the respective labels i.e. Composer Recordings in 1969 and Complex 3 in 1970, so probably both private pressings. However, digging a bit deeper probably not as The Composers were known earlier as The Knightriders from Portland, OR and the other Composers recording was on a NYC label.

Anyway I thought I'd bundle together all the different versions I could find (23 so far) and to be perfectly honest none after 1980 quite cut the mustard!

Links to Discogs on cat. no. and to YouTube on artist.

1968 - The Intruders [Gamble #G-214]

The original, obviously. A #1 R&B hit and #6 Hot 100 and their biggest hit.

1968 - The Fantastics [Hit #324]

Nashville group not the group originally known as The Velours who moved to England as The Fantastics. The label released mainly covers of soul hits recorded by relatively unknown artists.

1968 - Gene Chandler [Brunswick #BL 754131] LP There Was A Time

One of the first covers by The Duke Of Earl which is album only.

1968 - The Hollywood Youngsters [Center #17026 ST] Top Hits Aus USA, Folge 2 LP

I've not heard this and can't find a sound file but don't expect much as it looks like one of those 'Top Of The Pops' type recordings but from Germany.

1968 - Detroit City Limits [Okeh #OKS-14127] 98c Ninety-Eight Cents Plus Tax and Other Great Hits LP

A surprising find, an instrumental version released on an Okeh album.

1969 - The Composers Feat. Arlee Evans [Composers Recording #1001]

You'd hardly call this a polished performance but as one comment on the YT post puts it, that's the 'essence' of rare soul. These guys probably turned up to a studio and did it in one take and put it on vinyl to sell at their gigs.

1969 - Joe Bataan [Fania #SLP 375] Singing Some Soul LP

Latin soul, album only,  version.

1968 - Incredible Soul-Tet [Empire #WWR 868-585] Various Reading 1968 LP

Obscure Philly version reissued in 2017.

1968 - The Jalynne Sound [Dakar #1451]

An instrumental version by a one-off group led by Willie Henderson.

1971 - The Ripples [Apace #AM 2005]

One of the best versions, a sweet soul female version which flips it to Cowgirls To Boys and takes the tempo down.

1975 - Sweet Blindness [Quality #2150X]

Disco version played on Northern Soul turntables.

1980 - Norfolk [Barbara Jean International #BJI 751] 12"

Modern Soul / Disco version which has an instrumental version on flip.

1980 - Philly Cream [WMOT #WS7 5350]

Disco version produced by Philly's Butch Ingram.

1983 - Commodores [Intermedia #QS-5047] Uprising LP (Rise Up in Europe)

Instrumental version by the Commodores on their second album after leaving Motown.

1983 - The Dirk Howell Band [Dirk Howell Records #DH3-83001]

Horrible blue-eyed beach version

1989 - Payday [Aircraft #AC-4511]

No sound file available but I'm guessing that it's a blue-eyed version on this Pittsburgh label.

1995 - Chris Gaffney with Lucinda Williams [Hightone #HCD 8062] Loser's Paradise LP

Blue-eyed country/soul version later recorded with Hacienda Brothers

2002 - Jimmy & The Soul Blazers [Self Released] It's About Time LP

Blue-eyed beach version

2002 - The Embers [Eee Records #None] With Love LP

Blue-eyed beach version

2006 - Hacienda Brothers [Proper American #PRPACD004] What's Wrong with Right LP

Blue-eyed country soul version recorded earlier by group member Chris Gaffney

2007 - Rickie Fox [Self Released #None] Monomusical LP

Another blue-eyed version

2012 - Tony Strong & The Philly Soul [Essential Media Group #None] It Ain't Over LP

Out of Bruce Ingram's stable

2013 - Tony Strong & The Philly All Stars [Essential Media Group #None] Perform Hits of Intruders LP

Probably the same recording as above

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved