Gary Spence [2022-10-17] - An Interview with Lynn Davis [Solar Radio]

A debut single by Lynn Davis was posted from promo last week and officially released on Friday (14 Oct 2022) along with a video for the song.

Lynn has had an illustrious career and is one of the most recorded session singers in history but has not in over 40 years released any solo material until now and not only a single but an album "Lynn Davis Form The Vault" is also forthcoming. She was interviewed yesterday by Solar Radio's Gary Spence so here's the full interview.

Her name is probably best known for featuring in The George Duke Band and leading on his 1979 hit "I Want You For Myself". She joined Duke in 1977 and toured with him until 1987 featuring on lead and background vocals on many of his albums.

She has also provided background vocals for many other artists including Lalo Schifrin, Flora Purim, Twennynine & Lenny White, Patrice Rushen, LaToya Jackson, Seawind, Con Funk Shun, Sheree Brown, Syreeta, Brothers Johnson, Chaka Khan / Rufus, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Jeffrey Osbourne, Howard Hewett, Anita Baker and the list goes on. (her full discography here). It is claimed that she is one of the most recorded session singers in the music industry and as well as soul music artists has sung with many mainstream artists such as Madonna, Mick Jagger, Meatloaf, Barbara Streisand, Celine Dion, Elton John, Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston. 

Not only is Lynn a singer but also a writer and producer having contributed to albums by Patrice Rushen, LaToya Jackson and Tracie Spencer amongst others including a single for Bunny Sigler.

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Details

Rating:	8.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Bella Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	14/10/2022
Key/BPM:	2A/70
Price:	£1

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Semi-Cycle [2022] - KMCB [Opposite Thought Records]

Semi-Cycle is a project by producer, singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Kris Hansen from Chicago who is now living in New Orleans.

His latest single "KMCB" dropped on 9 Sep which is a pre-cursor for part 1 of a debut EP "MOMENTUM".

The song has been likened to Duke's "So In Love With You" from 1994.

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	09/09/2022
Key/BPM:	4A/122
Price:	£1

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Aston Grey Project Feat. Charnel Allen & Deo Soul [2022] - Love On Repeat (Sex Me Duet) [Platinum Vybe Recordings]

Received via promo with minimal info is Aston Grey Project Feat. Charnel Allen & Deo Soul "Love On Repeat (Sex Me Duet)". 

I'm not quite sure if this is a new mix of a song that featured on "The Sexy Side Of A Jazz Band" album in Jan 2021 and also featured on "The Sensual Side" in 2016, but that is definitely a different version as it features Connie Sawyer and is a good 30 seconds longer and has more of an instrumental section.

They sound the same to these ears even though it is subtitled "(Sex Me Duet)" so perhaps they have decided to release it as a single?

I'll post all three versions and you can decide.

The man behind The Ashton Grey Project is Soul Cafe Radio's Chris Clay who is also the president of Platinum Vybe Recordings and a member of the group.

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2021 Version

2016 Version

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soul Jazz
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Platinum Vybe Recordings
Cat No:	None
Date:	TBC
Key/BPM:	3B/65
Price:	£1

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David Porter [2022] - Chapter 1: Back In The Day [Made In Memphis Entertainment] (Full Album)

Any self-respecting soulie who's been around the block will know the name David Porter. Possibly overshadowed by his writing partner Isaac Hayes, but an integral part of the southern soul movement in the 60s/70s, think "Soul Man" and "Hold On I'm Coming" which he co-wrote with Hayes for Sam & Dave for starters, and most of their material in fact.

He was born and bred and worked in Memphis, TN, the home of  the legendary Stax Records where he would write for artists such as Otis Redding, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Don Covay, Johnnie Taylor, Rufus Thomas, Sam & Dave, Mable John, Judy Clay, Eddie Floyd, The Bar-Kays, The Soul Children, The Emotions and probably just about every artist on the roster as well as Homer Banks and Wilson Pickett and many many more.

He is listed as one of the top 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine in 2015 (positioned at 75 along with Isaac Hayes) and in 2005 was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

He released a couple of singles in the early 60s, his first in 1961 on Eagle followed by three under pseudonyms. The first as Kenny Cain on Hi in 1962 and then a couple on Savoy as Little David in 1963.  In 1965 he released his only single for the Stax main label and it wasn't until 1970 that he followed it up with five singles and four albums on Stax subsidiary Enterprise between 1970-73.

In recent years he released "The Classics" (2019) which consists of his version of songs written for Sam & Dave along with a commentary for the history of each song - well worth a listen just for those! Note that the songs themselves are all instrumental versions. Coincidentally, "Soul Sister Brown Sugar" was one of the very first soul records and US imports I ever bought which has been flipped in more recent times for "Come On In" (also a Hayes & Porter composition).

On 23 Sep 2022 he released "Chapter 1: Back In The Day" consisting of songs he wrote decades ago and recorded with many of his Stax mates but remained unreleased. They have been re-recorded with vocals shared amongst new artists Brandon Wattz, Candise Marshall and Marcus Scott.

Porter is approaching his 81st birthday in a month's time. He graduated from Booker T High School with Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire who died in 2016 and this album has been dedicated to him. 

Both releases are on Made In Memphis Entertainment which I am guessing is his own label. 

Click on cover image for details of featured vocalists.

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Made In Memphis Entertainment
Cat No:	None
Date:	23/09/2022
Price:	£7.99

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Qween Dafa [2022] - The Qween's Diary: Chapter One [QTRL Music/ IV Leigue] (Full Album)

Qween Dafa is the alter ego of Amber Gaston from L.A. who has been working in the background for four years until breaking free in April 2022. She's released "Break My Soul X Me, Myself and I (R&B Mix)"  which incorporates a cover of Beyonce's "Break My Soul"  in August (included below).

She follows it last Friday (14 Oct 2022) with a debut album "The Qween's Diary: Chapter One". Several tracks have a bit of a 90's bounce i.e. "Can't Stay", "Starcrossed", "Young Girl"  and "Since You've Been Gone".

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Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	QTRL Music/ IV Leigue
Cat No:	None
Date:	14/10/2022
Price:	£7.92

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved