Soul Strutter: April 2023

Sunday, 30 April 2023

Bobby Baker [2023] - Everything Has Got To Be Alright / Inst [Epsilon #EPS021]

The second of two reissues by Epsilon is a 1980 Davida recording "Everything Has Got To Be Alright" by Bobby Baker who was former member of The Coasters (or on of it's offshoots).

The song was written by label co-owner David V. Andrews and produced by Andrews, Baker and the other label owner David Futch. Andrews also provided backing vocals with Delores Williams (aka LaVern Baker) and Patrice Rushen was on keyboards.

Available now on vinyl and digitally from Epsilon Records.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl / Digital
Label:	Epsilon
Cat No:	EPS021
Date:	28/04/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£17.50 / £3

Dana V. Andrews [2023] - Mr Justice / Inst [Epsilon #EPS020]

Another UK based reissue label, Epsilon, also has a pair of 7" vinyl releases hot off the press. Yann Vatiste has uncovered a couple of songs written by Dana V. Andrews. The first, "Mr Justice" recorded by himself in 1976 on his own Davida label and the other, "Everything's Has Got To Be Alright" recorded by Bobby Baker, also on Davida.

In 1973 aged 23, Dan V. Andrews moved to L.A. in search of fame and fortune as a songwriter. He met David Futch in 1975 and they formed a record and publishing company, Davida, that recorded R&B and Gospel music. They worked with the gospel group Highland Park Community Choir from Highland Park, MI, who had a song nominated for a Grammy Award in 1976. The label released just five (listed) singles.

He recorded "Mr. Justice" in 1976 as a result of the social injustice he saw in the world hoping for it to be a rallying call to unite and vote for responsible, fair, politicians who had helping the people foremost in their hearts. He also wrote the other Epsilon release "Everything’s Got To Be Alright" recorded by Bobby Baker because he had faith that eventually right will win out over wrong.

Available now on vinyl and digitally from Epsilon Records.

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Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Boogie
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl / Digital
Label:	Epsilon
Cat No:	EPS020
Date:	29/04/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£17.50 / £3

Van McCoy [2023] - Sing Yeah Sing / Wait Till I Get You In My Arms [Soul Direction #SD016]

Alan Kitchener's Soul Direction label's latest offering consists of two previously unreleased tracks from the legendary singer, songwriter, producer and arranger Van McCoy.

McCoy will forever be known to the mainstream for his 70s disco hit "The Hustle" but soul connoisseurs will know that he was much more than that with many, many of his 60s songs and productions being uncovered on the Northern Soul scene, far too many to even start to list. McCoy dies at a criminally young age of 39 of a heart attack in 1979 only four years after achieving his biggest commercial success having a world-wide #1 hit with "The Hustle".

The A side, "Sing Yeah Sing" was initially discovered by Northern Soul stalwart Kev Roberts on an acetate around 1977 whilst clearing out April Blackwood publishing’s office.

The B side, "Wait Till I Get You In My Arms", is a demo version of the Major Lance track tucked away on the flip to his all time Northern Soul classic "You Don’t Want Me No More" (Okeh 1967) also recorded by Kenny Carlton on the B side to his only release "Lost and Found" (also written by McCoy) on Blue Rock 1968. It was also on an acetate which came from a UK collector.

Both tracks have been licensed from Van McCoy Music. Inc. and are available now from Soul Direction.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7! Vinyl
Label:	Soul Direction
Cat No:	SD016
Date:	22/04/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

The Petersons [2023] - Just What I've Been Looking For / What's It Gonna Be [Soul Junction #SJ550]

The latest single from Dave Welding's Soul Junction is a particularly rare record by The Petersons originally released on Mel Omega in 1973. None have ever sold on Discogs and we found only three listed on Popsike, all selling for four figures with one selling for just under £3k in 2016. The other two were only listed as 'good' condition.

The Petersons were a vocal trio from Waycross, GA, named after their founder founder, lead vocalist and drummer Kenneth Peterson with the other two members being Salem Chatman (keys) and Johnny Members (vocals/bass). They regularly performed shows along the east coast, and working in Philadelphia in early 1973 answered an advert in Billboard Magazine from Omega Sound Productions which was a fledgling independent recording company formed by Frank Fioravanti who was a budding songwriter who later formed Sound Gems and was behind William DeVaughn's evergreen "Be Thankful For What You've Got" as well as Crystal Motion's "Your My Main Squeeze" amongst others.

The trio were booked into Frank Virtue's recording studio to record two Fioravanti and the late Alan Felder penned songs, the up-tempo "What’s It Gonna Be" and "Just What I’ve Been Looking For" and released on Mel Omega.

The single failed to make any impact and the group returned to their native Georgia where they continuing to perform and record but under the name of "Toll Darkness". They took the remaining copies of the single with them and pasted stickers with the name Toll Darkness over the artist name on the label to sell at their gigs.

Dave tells us that copies were found circa 2000 by John Anderson and UK soul guru Steve Guarnori acquired a copy and broke "Just What I've Been Looking For" at Soul Essence initially.

The up-tempo arrangement of "What's It Gonna Be" by Frank Virtue has been reused on a plethora of other Philly artists recordings, i.e. Fred Mark, Liza Mae, Michael Christian, Cody Michaels etc over different record labels, Melomega, Concept, Fox Century Plaza and Merben.

Released on 24 Apr '23 so available now from Soul Junction.

Credit to Dave Welding for background info.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Junction
Cat No:	SJ550
Date:	24/04/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Dwayne Scivally [2023] - Let Me So / Is It Me [Izipho Soul #ZP90]

Dwayne Schivally is a name not far from the lips of UK rare soul connoisseurs in the last few years with two excellent, vinyl only, albums ("Soul Of Nashville" (2021) and "Soul Chapter II" (2022)) produced and released by Paris producer Thomas Gee.

To satisfy demand both album were released on CD last month.

The ever diligent Izipho Soul has licensed a track from each album for one of two new releases. It leads with "Let Me So" from "Soul Chapter II" with "Is It Me" taken from "Soul of Nashville"

US Air Force veteran, (Sgt) Dwayne Scivally is from Nashville, TN, born 29 Sep 1960. He started singing in the church choir aged ten. He also played instruments such as the drums, clarinet and saxophone.

Dwayne started singing professionally in 2011 and released his debut album "Stay Until The Morning" in 2016 for Tate Music Group. It's on Spotify but unfortunately the tracks are greyed out, however, a couple of tracks are available on this Soundcloud channel (along with one that appears to be unreleased). One of the tracks from the album, "The Point of No Return", was rated #4 by respected UK rare soul DJ Brian Goucher in the UK Vibe magazine for best song of the year (he also included "Is It Me" from "Soul of Nashville" in last year's selections).

Available to pre-order now from Izipho Soul and good to go on 11 May '23.

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Izipho Soul · Dwayne Scivally - Let Me So

Izipho Soul · Dwayne Scivally - Is It Me

Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Izipho Soul
Cat No:	ZP90
Date:	11/04/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Antione Hutchins / Nero Foster [2023 ] - Be Alright / He Reigns [Izipho Soul #ZP087]

Izipho Soul announce another pair of 7" vinyl releases. The first consists of two recent gospel songs released by IR Music Group.

The A side being a 2021 single by Antione Hutchins (the nephew on Bishop Norman Hutchins who's single was released by the label in. Feb) "Be Alright" which also later featured on his 2022 album "Thirsty For You". It's a mellow gospel stepper with a tremendous gospel choir in the background.

The flip is a 2022 single "He Reigns" from Nero Foster and is more uptempo with the gospel choir again in evidence.

Available to pre-order now from Izipho Soul to be released on 11 May '23.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Gospel Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Izipho Soul
Cat No:	ZP087
Date:	11/05/2023
Key/BPM:	3B/70 / 12A/110
Price:	£13

Smokey Robinson [2023] - Gasms [TLR] (Full Album)

Smokey Robinson met Berry Gordy 66 years ago in 1957 and the rest is history. He turned 83 in Feb this year and is still active musically releasing a new album "Gasms" on Friday (28 Apr).

We gave it a tentative listen on Friday amongst the multitude of release but felt it deserved more time, so have listened again. It consists predominantly of the standard 'quiet storm' style tracks that he has become associated with and gave the name to after his third solo album, "A Quiet Storm" (1975).

Our picks of the pack are the title track "Gasms" and the album closer "I Fit In There".

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Details

Rating:	7.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	TLR
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/04/2023
Price:	£7.99

Izo FitzRoy [2023] - A Good Woman [Jalapeno Records] (Full Album)

Having pre-released four singles from it ("Chasing Days" (Mar '23), "A Good Woman" (Feb '23), "Give Me The High" (Jan '23), "God Gets A Little Busy Sometimes" (Nov '22)) Izo FitzRoy released her third album, "A Good Woman", on Friday (28 Apr).

We're left feeling that, perhaps, the best tracks have already been released with only "Small Mercies" and a cover of Joan Armatrading's "Love And Affection" from the new material having any impact.

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Jalapeno Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/04/2023
Price:	£8.99

Arthur Adams [2023] - I Got Your Back [Cleopatra Blues]

Veteran Arthur Adams (who is now 79) has a new single out on Friday called "I Got Your Back" which we can't help feeling borrows heavily from both Isaac Hayes' "Theme From Shaft" and The Beatles "Get Back".

It's one of those 'almost, but not quite' as it has good parts but then veers off course and sounds a bit confused as it's a mix on soul and then rock but we'll offer it up for you to be the judge.

Adams is perhaps best known in rare soul circles for his great dance record "You Got The Floor" in 1981. His debut solo album "It's Private Tonight" was released in 1973 on the legendary jazz label Blue Thumb which included Joe Sample and Wilton Felder of The Crusader as musicians (who he had recorded several singles with in the 60s) as well as in-demand backing group The Blackberries (Sherlie Matthews, Clydie King & Venetta Fields). He later reciprocated by playing on several Crusaders album

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Details

Rating:	7.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Cleopatra Blues
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/04/2023
Key/BPM:	9A/121
Price:	£1

US [2023] - The We-Mixes [Self Released]

US are UK duo Dean 'Whodini' Anthioni and Em-Cee (aka Miss Cherokee aka Clarissa Walters). The have released a Bandcamp only album "The We-Mixes" which the state features unreleased and popular mixes of your favourite US singles.

We detected samples from Phyllis Hyman/Odyssey, TLC, Randy Crawford. Many, if not all tracks, we believe have been previously released e.g. "Give In To Me", "Down", "T'Boo", "Fly Away" and "No More".

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	30/04/2023
Price:	£8

Saturday, 29 April 2023

Sunny Cowell [2023] - DREAM [Self Released]

Sunny Cowell is a singer, songwriter, viola player and guitarist from Baltimore, MD. She is the daughter of the late jazz pianist Stanley 'Sunny' Cowell who co-founded New York label Strata-East with Charles Tolliver probably best know for releasing Gil Scott-Heron's "The Bottle" in 1975.

Sunny began collaborations with Baltimore-based artists Mighty Mark and TT The Artist in 2019 with a single "Center of Attention" followed by "Nothing Else" and her debut album "Anthology of Love" in Dec. 2022.

Her new single "DREAM" was released today which has shades of Sade.

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Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/04/2023
Key/BPM:	4B/95
Price:	£1

Lawrence Leon [2023] - Amoroso (Demos) [The Moses House] (Full EP)

Singer/songwriter/rapper Lawrence Leon (Victor Lawrence Collins) from Tulsa, OK, (now based in Atlanta, GA) is a genre bending artist who merges Hip-Hop, R&B, Neo-Soul and Folk.

He has dropped a five track EP of demos titled "Amoroso". The track that warranted it's posting is "Move" as two of the tracks are simply interludes. The final track "Lucid" is also a rather pleasant, haunting ballad.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	The Moses House
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/04/2023
Price:	£4.95