Soul Strutter: 09/14/22

Wednesday, 14 September 2022

R.I.P. Jesse Powell (12 Sep 1971 - 13 Sep 2022)

We've had a lot of losses in the soul world this year but many have been quite elderly. The death of Jesse Powell yesterday comes as a shock as he was only 51 on the day before he died yesterday (13 Sep 2022).

Powell, who had a four octave vocal range, was discovered by Louis Silas in 1993 who signed him to his label Silas where he released his first three albums. He released four albums between 1996-2003.

The sad news of his death was announced by his sister Tamara who is also part of a duo Trini & Tamara with their sister.

His biggest hit was "You" in 1999 (#2 R&B #10 Hot 100) taken from his sophomore album "'Bout It", although it was also on his debut self-titled album.

His first venture into the charts was with "All I Need" from his debut album, followed by a cover of Enchantment's "Gloria", "I Wasn't With It" from his second album and then his #2 hit "You".

He released another six singles, three from his third album "JP" and and two from "Jesse" his last. Three got into the lower reaches of the R&B chart ("If I", "Something In The Past" (a cover of One Way Feat. Al Hudson from their 1980 self-titled debut album) and "By The Way") but none crossed over into the Hot 100.

He doesn't appear to have released anything since 2003.

Only his third album "JP" is available to stream on Spotify, along with his biggest hit "You", so selections are limited.

Ivory Tilmon - The Detroit Emeralds - A Profile

Ivory Tilmon was a member of the Detroit Emeralds and would have been 81 today. He died the day before his 73rd birthday on 13 Sep 2014.

The Emeralds were formed as a vocal harmony group in Little Rock, AK, by Ivory and his three brothers, Abrim, Cleophus and Raymond Tilmon. Cleophus and Raymond left and childhood friend, James Mitchell joined. When they moved to Detroit they renamed themselves Detroit Emeralds.

Now a trio, they joined Ric-Tic Records and had their first hit with "Show Time" (vocal and instrumental) in Dec 1967 which reached #22 R&B and #69 Hot 100. They recorded another two singles with the label, "Shades Down" which was an instrumental (probably by The San Remo Strings) which had spins on the Northern Soul scene with a cover of Bobby Gentry's "Ode Billy Joe" on the flip in Apr 1968 followed by "(I'm An Ordinary Man) Take Me The Way I Am" (an underrated song) / "I'll Keep On Coming Back" in Jul 1968. Neither made a dent on the R&B chart.

Ric-Tic was bought by Motown in 1968 and it would seem that the Emeralds were surplus to requirements and by 1970 signed to another Detroit label Westbound. It is claimed that whilst touring they recorded demos at the Willie Mitchell run Hi studios and brought them back to Detroit to record the vocals and strings. Out of these sessions came their next hit "If I Lose Your Love" reaching #32 on R&B chart in 1970.

They had one more minor hit with "I Can't See Myself Doing Without You" (#41 R&B) before having a run of several crossover hits between 1971-73. Amazingly, probably their best known record, "Feel The Need In Me" failed to enter the Hot 100 (falling just outside at 110) yet it was a UK #4 pop hit!

Whist not a hit in the US, not even registering on the R&B chart, "I Think Of You" was a UK Top 30 pop hit reaching #27 on it's fifth of a twelve week run on the chart in Sep 1973. It was released following the UK reissue of "You Want It, You Got It" (which made it to #12) to capitalise on the chart success of "Feel The Need".

The group began to split in 1974 with James Mitchell and later member Marvin Willis along with Ivory departing and forming another Detroit Emeralds. Abe continued with his group naming it A.C. Tilmon & The Detroit Emeralds (presumably elder brother Ivory had rights to the name). Mitchell and Willis also formed The Floaters, writing songs for them, who included James' brother Paul Mitchell.

The group only had one more minor success with a re-recording of "Feel The Need In Me" in 1977 which again fared much better in the UK reaching #12 whilst only #90 on Hot 100 and #73 R&B.

The song has been covered several times, by Graham Central Station (1974) and Forrest (1983) probably being the better ones, but Bryan Ferry and, God forbid, Shakin' Stevens covered it in 1988 and even Annie Lennox (1992) as well as several others.

The group released five albums, all on Westbound:

1971 - Do Me Right

1972 - You Want It, You Got It

1973 - I'm in Love with You

1977 - Feel the Need

1978 - Let's Get Together

Abrim Tilmon died from a heart attack in 1982 aged only 37.

You may recognise "Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms)" as one of several samples used by De La Soul in their 1989 hit "Say No Go". Other songs sampled include Hall & Oates "I Can't Go For That" and Emotions "Best Of My Love".

One of De La Souls' later singles "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" samples loads of songs and the intro is from Instant Funk's "I Got My Mind Made Up" which prompted me to post it along with a couple of the B sides from the 12".

The Singles

Album Tracks / B sides

Instant Funk [1978] - I Got My Mind Made Up / Crying / Wide World Of Sports [Salsoul #SG 207]

This may seem a bit of a random posts but all will become evident shortly. It has to be one the best double-sided 12" dance records ever on one of the best dance labels Salsoul.

Salsoul was formed in 1974 and their first release was Joe Bataan's Latin instrumental version of Gil Scott-Heron's "The Bottle" nationally distributed on Epic. The label's name was conceived by Bataan from New York street lingo for the musical culture of urban Latinos who were listening to soul music and combining it with salsa music. Bataan used it for his first album recorded in 1973 for the Cayre brothers who owned Mericana Records before forming Salsoul.

The label brought in members of Philly International's MFSB who were in dispute with Gamble & Huff over royalties, which is perhaps why the sound is similar and the label often confused as a Philly rather than New York label. Critically, they signed the trio who are credited most with creating Disco, Baker, Young & Harris (Ronnie Baker, Earl Young and Norman Harris). They also signed Vince Montana who was behind The Salsoul Orchestra who had the label's first hit, Bunny Sigler who discovered and produced Instant Funk and others,

Baker, Young & Harris had First Choice under contract with Philly Groove and took them with them.

The label released the first commercially available 12" (only promos had existed before) which was a 9:48 version of Double Exposure's "Ten Per Cent", another great tune, mixed by Walter Gibbons in 1976!

The track featured here is Instant Funk double-sider "I Got My Mind Made Up" with "Crying" (written by Bunny Sigler). Other versions were released with "Wide World Of Sports" on the flip which wasn't extended it was the same length as album and 7" versions.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Disco / Philly Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	12"
Label:	Salsoul
Cat No:	SG 207
Date:	1978
Key/BPM:	3B/113 / 3A/129 / 6A/126
Price:	£1

Lee Fields [2022] - Forever [Daptone Records]

One to pacify the 'hard core', after the Amy Winehouse tribute, is the latest single to be pre-released from Lee Fields' forthcoming album "Sentimental Fool" due on Daptone on 28 Oct 2022. "Forever" was released today (14 Sep 2022).

The title tack "Sentimental Fool" was set loose on 18 Aug, with the first track "Ordinary Lives" being available on 21 Jan 2022. All three songs so far have been written by Daptone co-founder Gabriel Roth (aka Bosco Mann).

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:	N
Genre/Style:	Deep Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Daptone Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	14/09/2022
Key/BPM:	8A/95
Price:	£1

Amy Winehouse Heavenly Birthday Tribute

We've hit the midweek hump with new releases so one to get the purist's hackles up as today would have been Amy Winehouse's 39th birthday who died tragically in Jul 2011 aged only 27.

There seems to be very mixed opinions about her music in soul circles, for whatever reason, but, if you're being objective, then she has to be one of the most influential artists of the 21st century whether you like her music or not.

Plenty has been written about her life so we'll just let her music do the talking.

Amahla [2022] - Reason [Self Released]

A new acoustic version of "Reasons" was released today (14 Sep 2022) along with the original version which came out on 10 Aug.

Amahla (Mahalia Changlee) is a British singer/songwriter, of Guyanese/Jamaican descent, mentored by Chic co-founder Nile Rogers. She is an Ivor Novello Award: Rising Star nominee who debuted in 2018 with the single 'Old Soul' and released a four track EP 'Consider This' in 2019 and another "Where Do We Go From Here?" in 2021 along with around ten singles now under her belt.

Her single "Commandments" was featured here in Apr 2011.

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:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	14/09/2022
Key/BPM:	6A/89
Price:	£1.98

moxie muzik Feat. Kyana [2022] - Some body New [Self Released]

I can't find any information on moxie music but, given that the name Damon Moulden appears on credits for all five singles available, I would have to assume that it is his brainchild.

All five singles have been released since Feb 2022 and the first "Get Home" also featured Kyana. The latest "Some body New" was released on 11 Sep 2022 and is the best of the bunch.

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

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	11/09/2022
Key/BPM:	6A/78
Price:	£1

Dawan Cuttone [2022] - Step With You (Stepping Mix) [StellarVerse Records]

Dawan Cuttone (Dawan Naim Henderson) was born in Detroit but moved to Houston to grow his music & business ventures. He released his debut album "Black Shakespeare" in Jan 2019 and has since released two singles in 2021 and on 12 Sep 2022 his third "Step With You (Stepping Mix)". It's a change of direction from the album and one of the two singles which were hip-hop, whereas this is traditional soul aimed at the steppers.

Whilst "Black Shakespeare" appears to be his debut album, it is not his first release as there is a three track EP "Vintage Love 7-Platinum Single Edition" on Bandcamp from 2013.

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:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	StellarVerse Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/09/2022
Key/BPM:	3A/103
Price:	£1