Soul Strutter: 08/11/22

Thursday, 11 August 2022

Lamont Dozier [2018] - Reimagination [V2 Benelux #VVNL32961] (Full Album)

Just dropped in the inbox, and probably received by DJs, is a lovely message and gesture from Mark Ede. Mark represented Lamont Dozier's European interests and had a professional stake in, what has sadly turned out to be, Lamont's final full album "Reimagination" in 2018 on which he duets on reimaginations of his classic Motown songs with many different artists ranging from Gregory Porter, Todd Rundgren as well as British singers, Sir Cliff Richard, Jo Harman and Rumer amongst others. Certainly a piece of music history albeit Dozier's voice obviously wasn't what it was in his heyday, he was almost 77 and sadly, as we know now, his health was failing as it was released less than a month before his cancelled UK tour.

Mark has kindly sent out the full album and also included a link to video footage of "Reach Out, I'll Be There" (a #1 Hot 100 hit for Four Tops in 1966) being recorded for the album with the UK's Jo Harman. Jo featured here in April with a cover of another Motown classic "You're All I Need To Get By" with Mike Mayfield.

Read what Bill Buckley at SoulAndJazzAndFunk wrote about the album when released in 2018

As said in Tuesday's tribute I bought tickets to see him a few years ago and the concert was cancelled and rescheduled and then cancelled a second time due to his ill health. He had seven dates lined up but I couldn't remember when the gig was scheduled for but luckily found the confirmation email and it was planned for 12 Jun 2018 at Symphony Hall, Birmingham and then rescheduled for Feb 2019 with the following statement from Lamont:

"To my friends & fans – I regret that I have to postpone my trip to the UK and my performances this coming June due to medical advice. I was very much looking forward to being there with you all and giving you my best. Please accept my humblest apology, as I will work on getting my health back to where it needs to be and will look forward to seeing you at the rescheduled dates."

Covid of course then hit us in 2020 and he lost his wife of 41 years, Barbara, in 2021.

Please note, as Spotify is not showing guest artists, click on cover image for full track listing.

Details

Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Motown Classics
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	V2 Benelux
Cat No:	VVNL32961
Date:	25/05/2018
Price:	£7.99

Soul Basement [2022] - Do No Wrong EP [Six Nine Records] (Full EP)

Soul Basement is a four piece group formed in 1997 by Fabio Puglisif from Syracuse, Sicily. Their latest release is a five track EP "Do No Wrong" (1 Aug 2022) which appears to have been released in conjunction with Six Nine Records in Newcastle yet I can't find it on their website. Whether this is just a digital release or a vinyl release is to follow I can't say at present until I get in touch with them.

The two standouts for me are the opening track "Take Me Back" and "Trying Hard" which features Lana Gordon.

UPDATE: We've been informed that a 7" single will be released early Autumn which will include "Trying Hard" c/w "T I M E (Back To The 80's Mix)".

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

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/08/2022
Price:	£3.49

Christina Reesa Feat. Yung Brazi [2022] - Like A Fantasy [Morgan Lee McAdory Productions]

Shameka Christina Reesa Landon is a new artist from Chicago who uses her middle names as her artist name. She released her debut single "Like A Fantasy" on Friday (5 Aug) which was going quite well with a bit of a 90s bounce until the, now seemingly obligatory, rap from Yung Brazi (who calls himself Prince of Maryland) sets in at around 2:13 thru 2:43 which has, sadly for purists, become de rigeur on many releases nowadays. Tape splicers at the ready!

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

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Details

Rating:	7.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	05/08/2022
Key/BPM:	3B/100
Price:	£1

Sham the Baddest [2022] - Songs from the Siren [Self Released] (Full Album)

I selected this album "Songs from the Siren" from Sham The Baddest (aka Simone Shama from Chicago) based on the opening track "The Zone". Unfortunately, most of the album is R&B/hip-hop and explicit. I considered just posting that track but it is just as much effort posting a single track as it is the full album and there might be other tracks that appeal to you even though I didn't detect anything else that appealed on a very quick skim.

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

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Details

Explicit:	Y Tracks: 1,2,4,5,6,8,9
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	05/08/2022
Price:	£7.99

Kenny Gamble 79th Birthday Tribute by Gary Van Den Bussche Starpoint Radio 11th Aug 2022

In celebration of Kenny Gamble's 79th birthday today, Gary Van Den Bussche dedicated his two hour lunchtime show on Starpoint Radio (11:00-13:00) to predominantly Gamble & Huff written songs, released mainly on their Philadelphia International Records.

For my money the TSOP (The Sound Of Philadelphia) has to be the most enduring of soul music with a lot of 60s material beginning to sound dated. Disco music was borne out of the Philly sound and so much of house music and today's Nu Disco and soulful house music owes much to the 70s sound created by Gamble & Huff's PIR label and the orchestration of in-house band MFSB (Mother Father Sister Brother which in actual fact originally stood for something else ... I'll let you use your imagination but first word is correct and the third is Son!).

According to Wiki they have written and produced 175 gold and platinum records which earned them an entry to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in March 2008 ... what took so long?

Gamble was discovered by songwriter Jerry Ross when he was 17 and made his recording debut in May 1962 as part of duo Kenny & Tommy (Thom Bell) with a single on small, short-lived, Philly label Heritage run by Ross which they wrote with Murray Wecht. The label ran from 1961-62 but was resurrected in 1968 with a distribution deal with MGM and many records became known on the Northern Soul scene such as Cherry People, The Show Stoppers, Bill Deal & The Rhondells and Billy Harner to name a few.

Kenny & Tommy also did background vocals on many of The Sapphires recordings i.e. "Slow Fizz" and "It's Gonna Be A Big Thing".

The first Kenny Gamble solo single appeared in 1963 on Mate "No Mail On Monday" / "You Don't Know What You Got" the latter side written with Ross which was released on Columbia a year later with "Our Love". In between, the A side, along with a different B side "Standing In The Shadows", was released on Epic.

In 1965 he recorded for Jimmy Bishop's Arctic setup, first as Kenny Gamble & The Floaters and then Kenny Gamble & The Romeos. followed in 1966 by two solo singles on the label before his final single on Atco in 1967 as Kenny Gamble & The Romeos.

His first hit was with the song "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me" co-written with Jerry Ross and Leon Huff (although some credits replace Huff with Jerry Williams Jr. and others just credit Gamble & Ross). The song is probably best known by Diana Ross & The Supremes and The Temptations 1968 version but was first a #13 R&B (#88 Hot 100) hit for Dee Dee Warwick in 1966 and covered by many others including Jerry Butler ("Soul Artistry" 1967), Madeline Bell (Mod/Phillips 45 1967) (allegedly after it was offered to Dusty Springfield who turned it down and gave it to her backing singer Madeline) and Aesops Fables (Cadet Concept 45 1968) beforehand and also by Ross produced group Jay & The Techniques on their "Lost & Found" album in 1968.

His first big hit was The Soul Survivors "Expressway to Your Heart" released in July 1967 which reached #3 R&B / #4 Hot 100 followed by a song on his own label, Gamble, which was posted only last week as a version excursion, The Intruders "Cowboys To Girls".

He formed Gamble Records with Leon Huff in 1966 (whose main act was The Intruders) followed by Neptune Records in 1969 which included The O'Jays, The Three Degrees, Bunny Sigler, Linda Jones, The Vibrations, Billy Paul and The Corner Boys (who also had other incarnations as The Formations, Silent Majority and Hot Ice) on the roster. When Philadelphia International Records was founded in 1971 Neptune was folded and Gamble became a PIR imprint and then later became TSOP.

The rest, as they say, is history. You don't need me to list all the Philly hits but you can listen to the selections made by Gary in his show today.

BAELY [2022] - Teleport [Self Released]

The second post from a South Londoner today following Savannah Dumetz. BAELY (Joel Bailey) after debuting in 2019 with a single "Talking To The Walls" releases his fourth single "Teleport" today (11 Aug 2022).

The song is co-written with producer Matthew Suggett (SOULECTION) and written and partly recorded in L.A. before drafting in Reuben James and Ben Carr (aka CARRTOONS) to help him finish it off.

Videos for all his last three singles are on his YouTube channel and one for his new single is also on there but thus far seems hidden from public viewing on the channel but is included below.

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

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Details

Rating:	7.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul / R&B
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	11/08/2022
Key/BPM:	4B/83
Price:	£1

Eddie Chacon [2022] - Holy Hell [Stones Throw Records]

Even if you don't realise it, you will more than likely be aware of Eddie Chacon as he is one half of the duo Charles & Eddie (with Charles Pettigrew) who had a world-wide hit in 1992 with "Would I Lie To You".

After a few years in the limelight he left music to build a career as a photographer and creative director returning to music in 2020. He was also half of The Polymorous Affair with his fashion editor/stylist wife Sissy Sainte-Marie who released three albums and a handful of singles between 2008-2011.

He has just signed to Stones Throw Records in May 2022 and releases his debut single for them today (11 Aug 2022) in the form of "Holy Hell" co-written with John Carroll Kirby. Apparently it's the first single from a forthcoming album.

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

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Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Blue-Eyed
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Stones Throw Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	11/08/2022
Key/BPM:	4B/105
Price:	£1