Savoir-Flair [2022] - Keep Holding On / You're The Best [Miles Ahead #MA012]

Savoir-Flair were a group formed in July 1982 by Roger Boykin, John Miller and Cassandra Wright who had been working as studio singers and musicians on a variety projects at "Precision Audio" in Dallas.

They wrote songs in their spare time and experimented with, and recorded, them in the studio. Several of them found their way onto a self-titled album "Savoir-Flair" in 1983. When the album was completed they decided to put a group together with some other musicians  James Thomas, Malcolm Ealy and Thomas Hill to play gigs. Only one singe escaped from the album, "Keep Holding On" c/w "Happy Hour". Both the album and single were released on Boykin's Dallas based Soultex label.

Former Acid Jazz label manager, Dom Williams' Miles Ahead label has selected the two-step boogie/funk track  "Keep Holding On" along with "You're The Best" from the album to issue as their latest 7" vinyl release on 7 Oct 2021. It's available from Bandcamp. but only short sound samples are available, so have linked to Spotify for audio files as the album was reissued digitally by those good guys at Now Again Records in 2009.

Original albums are highly sought after selling for well into three figures with only three currently listed for sale on Discogs with one commanding a sale price of $499!

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

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Reissue
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 7" Vinyl
Label:	Miles Ahead
Cat No:	MA012
Date:	07/10/2022
Key/BPM:	3A/107 / 5B/120
Price:	£2.50 / £10.99

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Imperial Wonders [2022] - Lord What is Happening To This World? / I'll Never Go Looking For Love [Cordial Recordings #CORD7034]

Imperial Wonders are a quintet from Cleveland, OH, formed in the 60s consisting of Lester 'Jelly' McKenzie, Avaughn Wells, Leo Green, ex-Rotation Al Boyd and Walter Channey. They  released their first single "Just A Dream" 1969 and followed it in 1971 with "Trying To Get To You". They only released six singles in total between 1969-75, "That's Alright", "You Live Only Once", "Love Coming Down" and finally "Mean Ol' Miss Treater".

They are still performing today and have self-released several albums over the years which is where these two tracks released on 7" vinyl by Cordial Recordings come from.

It's the first time on vinyl for "Lord What Is Happening to the World?" and "I'll Never Go Looking for Love" which were  previously only being available on "Ice Cold Energy" CD album in 2005. It was a compilation of two recording sessions in Hollywood, CA, the first in 1980 at The Total Experience Recording Studio and the second in 1987 at Fast Forward Recording Studio.

The label is an imitation of the Solid Foundation label on which they hade a huge Northern Soul tune  "You Only Life Once" (also recorded by Rock 'N Co in 1976, their only recording which I was fortunate to obtain via one of those now incredible bargain Soul Bowl soul packs) which has a superb ballad flip "Turned Around Over You". Both songs were written by two of their fellow Cleveland natives Walter Williams and Eddie Levert of The O'Jays along with Bobby Dukes and were produced by all three O'Jays (Walter Williams, Eddie Levert and Bobby Massey).

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sweet Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 7" Vinyl
Label:	Cordial Recordings
Cat No:	CORD7034
Date:	06/11/2022
Key/BPM:	10B/92 / 9B/73
Price:	£2 / £9.99 (£14.99 Pic Sleeve)

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Michael Williams [2022] - Do We Have To Go (Our Separate Ways​)​? / Let Me Be The Man [Cordial Recordings #CORD9037]

Originally released digitally on 20 Feb 2020, Cordial Recordings is releasing "Do We Have To Go (Our Separate Ways​)​?" along with "Let Me Be The Man" by Michael Williams on vinyl today (6 Nov '22).

The main side is a 70s style dancer written by Alex Lloyd who has also written songs for Dayton Grey including both sides of the recent Cordial release "Love Is On The Line" / "He Won’t Love You (Like I Do)".

Michael Williams is from Birmingham (UK) and was the lead singer of The Drifters (that's the Tina Treadwell incarnation of the group based in the UK since winning the rights to the name in 2008. She is the daughter of George Treadwell who managed and owned the name of the original group). "Do We Have To Go (Our Separate Ways​)?" is his first solo single since leaving the group.

The flip side is the balled "Let Me Be The Man"

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 7" Vinyl
Label:	Cordial Recordings
Cat No:	None
Date:	06/11/2022
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£2 / £9.99

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Pleasure [2022] - We Have So Much / Joyous [Expansion #EXS035]

Pleasure were an eight piece band from Portland, OR, who were formed in 1972 from two existing bands The Franchise and The Soul Masters. Chicago guitarist Randy Hall was a member for a period. They were discovered by Grover Washington Jr who directed them to The Crusaders' Wayne Henderson who then mentored and produced them and got them signed to Fantasy in 1974 where they released an album each year between 1975-80. 

They released one further album for RCA in 1982 before splitting up. They reformed in 2019 releasing "Now Is The Time" from which Six Nine  Records released "One More Time" and "For Your Pleasure".

In Sep 2022 a couple of tracks from their early albums were reissued on vinyl "Straight Ahead" ("Dust Yourself Off" 1975) and "Can't Turn You Loose" ("Joyous" 1977) by Octoposse.

Expansion Records have just reissued two more tracks. The lead side "We Have So Much" is an album only track (apart from dubious reissues a 12" in 2011 and a 7" in 2015 although it is claimed that it was licensed) from "Accept No Substitutes" (1976). The B side "Joyous" was the title track of their next album in 1977 and was released on a single.

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

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	70s Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Expansions
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/11/2022
Key/BPM:	9B/114 / 8B/112
Price:	£12

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

China Burton [2022] - You Don’t Care (About Our Love) [Soul Brother #SB7046]

Soul Brother releases on 7" vinyl the first official reissue of this obscure and sought after 1979 dance track, "You Don’t Care (About Our Love)", the only release by China Burton who also wrote the song.

Note the YouTube clip is the full length 12" version as I can't find the short 7" version.

Joey Negro (Dave Lee) did a re-edit on the track in Dec 2010 (included below).

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

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	SB7046
Date:	04/11/2022
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Betty Everett [2022] - Wondering / Try It You’ll Like It [Soul Brother #SB7045]

A reissue of a Fantasy single released in 1974 by Betty Everett. Both sides were written by Johnny 'Guitar' Watson , produced by Watson and David Axelrod, and featured on her first Fantasy album "Love Rhymes". The sides have been flipped from the original format leading with the in-demand two-stepper "I'm Wondering" with the original ballad A side "Try It You’ll Like It" relegated to the flip .

Original copies are now selling for up to £225.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	70s Soul
Format:	Single / Reissue
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	SB7045
Date:	04/11/2022
Key/BPM:	9B/69 / 8B/53
Price:	£13

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Mz Pat the Lady of Soul Feat. Ciddy Boi P [2022] - LIES [TLOS Records]

Mz Pat the Lady of Soul is Patricia Hatcher from Baton Rouge, LA, who featured here with her last release, the album "To Be Continued" in April. 

Her first release since then is "LIES" featuring Ciddy Boi P (aka Patrick LeRon Rodriguez) on 1 Nov 2022.

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:	Southern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	TLOS Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	01/11/2022
Key/BPM:	10B/104
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Will Downing [2022] - Kinda Guy [Sophisticated Soul]

The 'Prince of Sophisticated Soul', Will Downing, is due to release his 26th album "Pieces" in the new year. It follows his landmark 25th album "Sophisticated Soul" from a year ago (1 Nov 2021). 

In the meantime he's pre-released the lead single from it in the form of "Kinda Guy" to give you a flavour of what's to come and it's smooth sophisticated soul with a steppers groove as we've come to expect from The Man.

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

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sophisticated Soul / Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/11/2022
Key/BPM:	6A/77
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Marcy Brown Feat. May Rose [2022] - Never Give You Up [Bassmanberg Productions]

Marcy Brown is not actually the name of the singer it is the name of an Amsterdam based  project with the songs composed and produced by Benji van Gelder and Peter Bergman. The lead voice is Melissa Roos (May Rose). 

Their latest single "Never Give You Up" is their sixth since starting out in Dec 2020 and is their fifth this 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

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/11/2022
Key/BPM:	5B/77
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Deanna Li [2022] - Deserve Your Love [Self Released]

A new single "Deserve Your Love" from Deanna Li (Lisa Clarke from Cleveland, OH) which is only her third single since her first in Jul '21. 

It sounds familiar and I'm pretty sure it's sampling, or using samples used on, a recent song but can't put my finger on it .. don't you just hate it when that happens? After a long weekend listening to so much music I can't, and don't have the inclination to try and, decipher what it is ...any ideas?

Upon retrospect, I think it perhaps reminded me of Joyce Wrice's "Chandler"

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:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	30/10/2022
Key/BPM:	10B/82
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

V. Cartier [2022] - Frequency [V] (Full EP)

V. Cartier (Ve'Cartier Johnson) is a singer/songwriter, producer, saxophonist from L.A. who debuted with an appropriately titled four track EP, "Start: Volume 1", in Feb 2018.

He's featured here a couple of times recently with "Touching" (May '21) and "Westside" (Sep '21) although some of his music does veer towards electronica/EDM and R&B on occasions.

He's back with a five track EP "Frequency" which includes two of the three singles he's released since "Westside" i.e. "Come Down" (Sep '22) and "NFMU" (Feb '22).

From the new EP, "Oh Boy" is the track from the new songs picking up attention but I think the opening track "Take You There" also needs airplay.

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:	Y Track 5
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	V / Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/11/2022
Price:	£4.95

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved