Soul Strutter: 01/06/23

Friday, 6 January 2023

R.I.P. - Gordy Harmon (The Whispers) (1943 - 5 Jan 2022)

Good grief .. yet another loss to the soul world. Founding member of The Whispers, Gordy Harmon, who was the only remaining original member, apart from the Scott twins, has died aged 79. It is reported that he died in his sleep at home in L.A. on Thursday night (5 Jan).

It is not long ago that we did a full feature on The Whispers to celebrate Wallace and Water Scott's 79th birthday in Sep 2022 so refer you there to reflect on his contribution to the music we love. I have to say that The Whisper are one of my all time favourite male groups.

Also posted only a few weeks ago was a compilation of their early Dore material "The Dore Singles". He wrote / co-wrote many of their Dore and Soul Clock singles e.g. "As I Sit Here", "Take A Lesson From The Teacher", "Can't Fight What's Right", "The Time Will Come", "What Will I Do" and "Needle In a Haystack"

Harmon had to retire from the group in 1973 owing to an injury to his larynx suffered in a driving accident and was replaced by former Friends of Distinction member Leaveil Degree. The other two original members of the quintet are also now deceased, Marcus Hutson in 2000 aged 56 and Nicholas Caldwell in 2016 aged 71. The group remain a trio of the Scott twins along with Harmon's replacement Leaveil Degree as when Hutson retired from the group in 1992 with prostate cancer they vowed never to replace him and continued as a quartet until the death of Caldwell in 2016.

UPDATE: A joint tribute playlist of songs has been posted on the post for the posthumous birthday of Marcus Hutson.

Joe Leavy [2022] - Deja Vu [Video]

A quick post as I've just come across this video posted by Joe Leavy on facebook of a live performance of Dionne Warwick's "Deja Vu" at Rock N Brews Sacramento.

I can't wait for the new album which 'was' due in Sep 2022 so it can't be far away now?

He has also announced that he will be coming to the UK in the summer with the "Let it Go Tour" 2023 June 9-12 with a full band.

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Lionel Patrix [2022] - Join the Fun [Self Released] (Full Album)

An album, which appears to be a debut release, from Lionel Patrix, "Join The Fun", was released on Wed (4 Jan 2023). There is a video below for the title track.

Lionel Patrix is a Franco-British pianist, composer, arranger based in Paris. He studied classical music then jazz and contemporary music at EDIM & CRD Bourg-La-Reine / Sceaux (DEM Jazz) where he now also teaches piano since Oct 2018.

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soul Jazz / Blue-Eyed
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/01/2023
Price:	£6.32

Nautilus [2023] - Lady Day And John Coltrane / Serengeti [Jazz Room]

Japanese trio Nautilus (Toshiyuki Sasaki (drums), Shigeki Umezawa (bass) and Mariko Nakabayashi (keys)) last featured here with a cover of Lonnie Liston Smith's jazz funk classic "Expansions" in Feb 2022 which was a remix of an earlier release of the song in Oct 2020.

Their name and style was inspired by the great Bob James' jazz/funk track "Nautilus", the last track on his debut album "One" in 1974 which has been sampled literally hundreds of times by hip-hop artists, most notably by A Tribe Called Quest, Dr. Dre, Run DMC, Soul II Soul, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince and hosts of others (WhoSampledWho lists 342 samples).

Their latest release covers Gil Scott-Heron's "Lady Day And John Coltrane" (From "Pieces Of A Man" (1971)) converting it into a broken beat sound. Lady Day, of course, refers to Billie Holiday with the song being a homage to both Holiday and legendary jazz saxophonist John Coltrane.

It is due on 7" vinyl on London Jazz DJ Paul Murphy's Jazz Room records. The B side will feature UK underground Jazz Keyboard Surf Queen Jessica Lauren's "Serengeti".

Apparently the track is already receiving plays on Gilles Peterson's BBC6 Music and Colin Curtis Latin Jazz Fusion show.

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soul Jazz / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Vinyl / Digital
Label:	Jazz Room
Cat No:	None
Date:	17/02/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£10 / £3

Coco & Ben [2023] Good Feelin' / See The World (As It Is [Athens Of The North #AOTN12019]

The second AOTN reissue is another in-demand modern soul tune, a one-off private press by Coco & Ben out of Memphis, TN, with "Good Feelin'" which was originally the B side to "See The World (As It Is)".

However, this is a previously unreleased, slightly longer take, than the original for which AOTN acquired the tapes direct from Ben (Robinson) and have released it on 12". The song was written by Ben and Richard Carl Watson and Coco is a female singer I'm not able to find much about and this may be her only recording.

The recording seems to be a private press on Earth World (no other releases) from 1979 and when it was originally discovered in the UK it was covered up as Barbara St Clair. None have ever sold on Discogs and the last one to sell listed on Popsike went for just over $2k ($2,032) in Feb 2022.

Both side were reissued by Garry J. Cape on Hit And Run only in 2020 but, as said, this is a different take.

If you need convincing how good both sides are then here's an extract from top rare soul dealer John Manship's upload on YouTube:

"Coco is about to take you on a journey into one of the finest 70's Soul tunes ever recorded. Served up by an astonishingly soulful vocal of the very highest quality, supported by a pouting baritone sax and a soaring flute; that heady cocktail is utterly intoxicating but still that exquisitely tortured leading lady steals the show; achingly mesmerizing as Coco steadily ascending the scales until the long-hold of the climax induces a body-spray of goose-bumps, you just can't prepare for.

Not only Utterly BRILLIANT but unparalleled in the world of D.I.Y. Soul Sister creations.

How on earth a record of this breath-taking quality can ever start life as a flipside is bemusing; this is a distilled Soul dancer of the very highest order. but then flip it over and you start to understand why, as the other side is only a smidgen off being every note as good.

A back to back winners guaranteeing a euphoric dancefloor uplift every time. which ever side to drop the needle on.

The very best of 70's rare Soul that leaves you breathless."

Available to pre-order on 12" vinyl from Bandcamp for release on 27 Jan 2023. Definitely do not sleep on this one as these won't be around for long.

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

Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 12" Vinyl
Label:	Athens Of The North
Cat No:	AOTN12019
Date:	27/01/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£2 / £12.49

Crutchfield Jones [2023] - The Crutchfield Jones Project [Self Released] (Full EP)

Shireen Crutchfield and Ricky Jones met some 30 years ago at Motown Records in Hollywood, CA. Shireen was the lead singer of the 90’s group The Good Girls, and Ricky the lead singer of Yours Truly. They had the same manager and their paths crossed at many events but it wasn't until they both left Motown that a friendship developed.

Their careers took them in different directions, Shireen modelling and acting and Ricky releasing two solo albums and travelling the world working with various artists such as Nancy Wilson, Faith Hill, The Backstreet Boys, Lionel Ritchie, Babyface, Aaron Neville and others.

Shireen and Ricky married other partners and started families. Their love of music reconnected them some 20 plus years later, both now divorced. They fell in love and married and are now recording together as Crutchfield Jones. Their first single "You’re Not Here (A Christmas Song)" in 2020 followed by "Crazy Ass" in Jan 2022 (and a later remix of it) followed by "Queen Appeal" a new take on Sade's 1984 debut single "Your Love Is King".

They start 2023 with a bang with a debut five track EP "The Crutchfield Jones Project". The two standout tracks to these ears on first listen are "Toast To Toast" and "Sunshine". There are two nice mellow ballads "Cloudy" and "Go On And Do This", with "Find Me" being a bit of an mid 80s pop throwback.

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Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	06/01/2023
Price:	£4.95

Wade C. Long [2022] - A Long Story [Sealong Music Group] (Full Album)

Vocalist-keyboardist-producer Wade C. Long has A LONG STORY to tell, and he's invited some of his musically talented friends to help turn the pages.

Following the release of its lead single "Electricity" last year, his sophomore album "A Long Story" is delivered today (6 Jan 2023). It includes a duet with current chart-topping songstress Hil St. Soul, "Celebrate You" which will also be released as a single in Feb ready for Valentines Day.

Wade C. Long began singing at the age of 3 and by 6 had written his first song, a rap, and he was leading songs in his church choir. He began to write and produce music for himself and other artists throughout his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. Later moving to the big city, L.A. releasing his debut "Love Is" in 2014. Two years later he collaborated with Dance band, Zona, lending lead vocals on their single "Love of My Life", and his producing several other songs on their album "Peace Love Understanding".

He released a full length album "Nostalgia" in 2020 and had some success in the UK with a single last year "Right Moves" which benefitted from a Nigel Lowis Remix.

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Details

Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sealong Music Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	06/01/2023
Price:	£7.99

Friday, 6 January 2023

R.I.P. - Gordy Harmon (The Whispers) (1943 - 5 Jan 2022)

Joe Leavy [2022] - Deja Vu [Video]

Lionel Patrix [2022] - Join the Fun [Self Released] (Full Album)

Nautilus [2023] - Lady Day And John Coltrane​ / ​Serengeti [Jazz Room]

Coco & Ben [2023] Good Feelin' / See The World (As It Is [Athens Of The North #AOTN12019]

Crutchfield Jones [2023] - The Crutchfield Jones Project [Self Released] (Full EP)

Wade C. Long [2022] - A Long Story [Sealong Music Group] (Full Album)

Nautilus [2023] - Lady Day And John Coltrane / Serengeti [Jazz Room]