Soul Strutter: 01/13/23

Friday, 13 January 2023

Steve Aggasild [2023-01-10] - SoulAndJazzFlavas [Soul Groove Radio] 90s Special

Last Tuesday's episode of Soul & Jazz Flavas show from 'The Soul Master' Steve Aggasild on Soul Groove Radio 10th Jan 2023.

The second Tuesday of the month means it's 90s Special week.

Steve does two shows a week on Soul Groove Radio Mon 18:00-20:00 (BST) and Tue 22:00-24:00 (BST). If you have yet to listen then please do take a listen as he is one of the best UK soul radio presenters around with a 40 year pedigree.

Catch up with other SoulAndJazzFlavas podcasts at Mixcloud or from 27 Jun 2022 onwards Podbean

Playlist:

01 - Ebony Vibe Everlasting (EVE) - Groove Of Love

(1994 Good Life CD)

02 - D'Influence - Magic

(1997 London LP)

03 - Ann Nesby - Thrill Me

(1996 I'm Here For You LP)

04 - The Isley Brothers - Floatin' On Your Love feat Angela Winbush

(1996 Mission To Please LP)

05 - Chante Moore - I Wanna Love (Like That Again)

(1992 Precious LP)

06 - Keith Washington - Trippin

(1993 You Make It Easy LP)

07 - Glenn Jones - Good Thang

(1992 Here I Go Again LP)

08 - Sean Oliver - You And Me

(1997 Solitaire CD)

09 - Incognito feat Maysa Leak - I Love What You Do For Me

(1992 Tribes, Vibes & Scribes LP)

10 - Front Page - Closer

(1994)

11 - Yolanda Adams - Already, Alright

(1999 Mountain High, Valley Low LP)

12 - Guru feat Sweet Sable - Living In This World

(R&B Radio Edit By Cutfather & Jo) (1996 12")

13 - Barry White - I Only Want To Be With You (Ext Version)

(1994 The Icon Is Love LP)

14 - Portrait - All Natural Girl / Chuckii Booker - Games MIX

(1995 All That Matters LP / Chuckii Booker 1992 Niice N' Wiild LP)

15 - Gems For Jem - Time For Love

(1993 12")

16 - Wizards Of Ooze - Trippin

(1994)

17 - Lisa Fischer - How Can I Ease The Pain

(1991 So Intense LP)

18 - Tom Grant - I've Just Begun To Love You feat Sharon Bryant

(1992 In My Wildest Dreams Lp)

19 - Prince Markie Dee & The Soul Convention - Trilogy Of Love

(1992 Free LP)

20 - Donald Harrison Jr feat James 'D Train' Williams &

Sharon Bryant - Close The Door (1991 The Power Of Cool CD)

DJ Kool Keith [2023-01-08] - Soulful Vibes [Soul Groove Radio]

The Soul Emperor's selections of the latest releases broadcast on Sun 8th Jan 2023 on Soul Groove Radio.

DJ Kool Keith has two shows per week, his Soulful Vibes show Sun 12:00-14:00 (GMT/UK Time) on Soul Groove Radio and his Soulful Slow Jams show on Soul Radio Coast 2 Coast Sat 23:00 PST (Sun 07:00 GMT in UK).

All DJ Kool Keith podcast are available to listen/download from Podomatic.

Playlist:

Kenny Thomas - Got It On Time (Opolopo Remix)

Dave Mascall - Back To Scat (Franklin D Remix)

Whitney Houston - You'll Never Stand Alone (Moto Blanco Remix)

Cerrone - Look For Love (The Reflex Revision)

KulaKingz feat. Leroy Burgess - Holdin' On (Yam Who? & Jaegerossa Uptown Radio Mix)

Chavonna Adams - Spellbound

Brian Power feat. The Lewis Sisters - Year Of Decision

Steph Payne - Fantasy (Gedi Edit)

Davey H - Just The Way U R

Annyett Royale - I Wanna Know (Gedi Clean Edit)

Whitney Houston - Far Enough

Winston Surfshirt feat. Kimbra - All I'm Saying (Gedi Edit)

Erikka J. - Rewind (Gedi Edit)

Phebe Edwards feat. Mark Asari & Alexander Jackman - Get It Right (Gedi Edit)

DMo! feat. Sy Smith - Do You Feel The Same Way

AyeTeeM & Da Hotel Labi feat. Kruzie - Main Chick (Radio Edit)

AyeTeeM - Lights Out

Masta Edge Of Soul - No More Tears In Your Eyes (Remix)

Jaz Karis - Complicated

DJ J-Bo feat. Shannon, Lord Keyyz & Kiano - Me & You (Gedi Edit)

Jarvis Greene - Got Me Thinking

Rhythm Roots Allstars - Say I Do (feat. John Arthur Bigham)

Kenny Hamber - Open The Door (Original Soul Funk Mix)

Maysa - I Don't Mind

Sydney Ranee´ - Wake Up And Get It

Elijah Banx - Wanna Be Down (Gedi Clean Edit)

Toy Taha - Loving On Me

Silla - Lonely

Rose Gold - Addicted (Clean Version)

Bey Bright - Just A Little Bit

Crutchfield Jones - Toast To Jones

Nia Sultana - Element

Kamaria Sarai - Vibing (Gedi Edit)

Claudia Campagnol - You Are On My Mind

Energy MC2 - Love To Make Love To You

Energy MC2 - You And Only You

Monophonics, Kelly Finnigan - Love You Better

Amaris J - Seraphic Passion

Sham The Baddest - The Zone (Gedi Clean Edit)

Leroy Hutson [2023] - @In The Round Festival, London 18 Apr 2023

As if by magic, after a reference to him in the earlier Donny Hathaway tribute (as he co-wrote The Ghetto), we've just discovered that Leroy Hutson will be performing in London on 18 Apr 2023.

He will appearing with his Magic Makers Band as one a several artists at In The Round Festival at the Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Rd, London, NW1 8EH.

Link on image below for further information and tickets.

VA [2023] - Luxury Soul 2023 [Expansion] (Full Album) OUT TODAY

The annual collection of some of the best new music of 2022 (with the odd one from 2021) from Expansions, "Luxury Soul 2023", is out today both digitally (£9.99) and on 3 x CD (£20.99).

Again this year it consists of 35 tracks spread across three CDs. The majority of tracks should need little introduction as they have been burning up the airwaves in 2022, but there are one or two new mixes and a couple of exclusive, not previously released, tracks: Kenya feat. Noel Gourdin "Slow Motion" and Kloud 9 "When We're Together".

Detail

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	CD
Label:	Expansion
Cat No:	None
Date:	09/01/2023
Price:	£9.99 / £20.99

Melvin Davis - Help with medical bills

I came across a post on Rare Soul Talk facebook page yesterday highlighting a GoFundMe page for 60s Detroit soul artist Melvin Davis. Davis was diagnosed with Leukaemia before the pandemic and then got infected with two bouts of Covid along with pneumonia. The States being the states, there is no NHS so he needs $25k for pay his medical bills, which is not easy for anyone, never mind an 80 year old, so please help if you can.

Davis says "It’s been a very challenging past 18 or 19 months for me. I’ve lost about 60 or 70 pounds and am feeling very weak. Any assistance from my music family is more than appreciated. I just don’t have the words to tell you how appreciative I am of all my supporters."

Melvin is a songwriter, singer, drummer, producer, and bandleader who worked with Motown in the 60s as a staff drummer performing with Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, The Temptations, Martha Reeves, The Supremes and others. He has become a bit of a 'legend' in Northern Soul circles over the years for his songs and recordings. He has written songs played on the scene by artists such as Ann Perry, Edward Hamilton, Johnnie Mae Matthews, Steve Mancha, J.J. Barnes, E.J. & The Echoes, The Turbines, Darrel Banks and Johnnie Taylor.

In 2018 he recorded "Politicians in My Eyes" with Detroit proto-punk band Death and the crowdfunding campaign was started by fellow musician Drew Schultz, who worked with him on the recording.

Melvin Lincoln Davis was born on 29 Aug 1942 in Georgia but moved to Detroit with his family when he was 3. He was inspired by hearing Little Richard perform at a juke joint on one of his regular visits to his grandparent's farm in Georgia and also by gospel in his family’s Baptist church that brought in groups like the Soul Stirrers which featured Sam Cooke, and Nashville radio station WLAC radio which transmitted the latest R&B hits.

When 17 he joined the Navy where, after having near drowning experience in swimming lessons opted out and instead, learned to play the piano. Upon discharge he set about writing and recoding his first song "I Don’t Want You" / "About Love" (which has a garage come R&B sound) and was released by the Jack Pot label in 1961. He was assisted on the recording by Joe Peal, a guitar player he grew up with. Peal had connections in Detroit’s music scene and began introducing Davis to various names, including Richard 'Popcorn' Wylie of Popcorn and the Mohawks. Wylie was a well-connected piano player and producer who, in turn, shared his expertise and knowledge of the music industry.

After the single on Jack Pot his next single was "I Won’t Be Your Fool" / "Playboy" on Fortune where he was also a member of The Nite Sounds who released three singles for the label in 1962-63. He released another six singles in the 60s on Ke Ke, Wheel City, Groovesville, two on Mala and one on Golden State.

In the early 70s he was a member of 100 Proof (Aged In Soul) / The 8th Day (who's members included Clyde Wilson aka Steve Mancha) who recorded for Holland, Dozier, Holland's new Invictus label were he also released two solo singles ("I'm Worried" / "Just As Long" and "You Made Me Over" / "I'm Worried"). 100 Proof (Aged In Soul) had a hit with "Somebody's Been Sleeping in My Bed" and radio stations began playing another song by them "She's Not Just Another Woman". HDH didn't want the new song hindering the success of the previous single so released it as The 8th Day, so they were in fact the same group. They hit with a follow up single "You've Got to Crawl (Before You Walk)" so HDH formed a new group using the name.

Davis set up his own label Rock Mill Record in 1976 where he released further singles through the 70s, 80s, 90s and 00s. All but two were his own singles, but there was one by a group called Charisma which was formed out of former members of The Contours and one by Liz Taylor.

In 2010 Davis released a compilation of many of his 60s songs titled "The Detroit Soul Ambassador" which includes "I Must Love You", "Find A Quiet Place", "Chains Of Love" (recorded by J.J. Barnes on Groovesville), "Still In My Heart" and "I Need My Baby" amongst several others (included below).

Here's a clip of him from April 2018 after receiving a lifetime achievement award and performing his song "I Must Love You" released on Don Davis' Groovesville label in 1966.

Remembering Donny Hathaway (1 Oct 1945 - 13 Jan 1979)

Having just posted a comprehensive feature on Teddy Pendergrass who died on this day in 2010, it was brought to our attention by reader Yves Lambert that another legend of soul music, Donny Hathaway, also died on this day in 1979.

Donny's name isn't as well know in the mainstream but his influence on soul music is undeniable being honoured with a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. His biggest hits were both duets with Roberta Flack, "Where Is The Love" (#1 R&B / #5 Hot 100 in 1972) and "The Closer I Get To You" Back Together Again" (#1 R&B / #2 Hot 100 in 1978).

Hathaway was born in Chicago on 1 Oct 1945 but raised by his grandmother in St. Louis, MO. His grandmother was a professional gospel singer and he began singing in the church choir with her at the age of 3. He studied music at Howard University in Washington D.C. but left before completing a degree in 1967 after receiving opportunities in the music business. Whilst at Howard he met Roberta Flack and also formed a jazz trio.

The first recording that I can find that he was involved with is a 1967 single by Betty Wilson & The 4 Bars "I'm Yours" (well known in rare soul circles and a rare and expensive record) followed by Eddie Jasper Daye's Four Bars both on Daye's Washington D.C. label Dayco which Hathaway arranged. He also arranged "Court Of Love" for The Unicefs who were a group of students from Howard University who included Al ("I'm Back For More") Johnson as a member. The Unicefs' manager Guy Draper discovered Hathaway at Howard.

He found his way to Chicago and began working for Curtis Mayfield's Curtom Records (formed in early 1968 with Eddie Thomas) as a songwriter, producer and session musician. His first recording was a duet with June Conquest billed as June & Donnie "I Thank You Baby" (co-written with Mayfield) / "What's This I See" on Curtom in 1969 (reissued in 1972 as Donny Hathaway & June Conquest as "I Thank You" with a different B side "Just Another Reason").

Hathaway was scouted by King Curtis and joined Atlantic subsidiary Atco where he released his debut solo single "The Ghetto Pt. 1 & 2" in Oct 1969 co-written with Howard University roommate Leroy Hutson (who would replace Mayfield in The Impressions in 1971). He released four more singles on Atco, none of which charted R&B, although the classic Christmas song "This Christmas" made it to #37 Hot 100, before switching to the main Atlantic label.

Whilst at Atco three albums were released "Everything Is Everything" "Donny Hathaway" and a soundtrack "Come Back Charleston Blue" (supervised by Quincy Jones) and then another two on Atco after his duet album with Roberta Flack on Atlantic, his "Live!" album followed by "Extensions Of A Man" which would prove to be his last album.

His first single on Atlantic was a duet with Roberta Flack with the Carol King song "You've Got A Friend" which was one of his biggest hits (#8 R&B). It was followed by "Put Your Hand In The Hand" paired with a song that he has made a classic, his rendition of Leon Russell's "A Song For You" which failed to chart.

In 1967 Hathaway married Eulaulah Vann who he met at university and they had two daughters Eulaulah Donyll (Lalah) and Kenya Canc'Libra who both studied at Berkley College of Music and became singers. Sadly during his peak years between 1973-77 Donny suffered from depression and was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia for which he was prescribed medicine but then stopped taking it. Hours after an aborted recording session for a duets album with Roberta Flack on 13 Jan 1979 he was found dead on the pavement below his 15th floor apartment in NYC aged only 33.

Out of seventeen charting singles, just over half were duets, five were with Roberta Flack, two with June Conquest and one with Margie Joseph.

During his short life Hathaway released five studio albums, one of which was with Roberta Flack, and a live album recorded at two venues The Troubadour in Hollywood and The Bitter End in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. A posthumous album "Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway" was released in 1980, on which Flack included tracks from the unfinished sessions, along with another live album "In Performance".

Album Discography

1970 - Everything Is Everything [Atco]

1971 - Donny Hathaway [Atco]

1972 - Come Back Charleston Blue [Atco]

1972 - Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway [Atlantic]

1972 - Live! [Atco] (Live)

1973 - Extension of a Man [Atco]

1980 - Roberta Flack Featuring Donny Hathaway [Atlantic]

1980 - In Performance [Atlantic] (Live)

Many thanks to Yves Lambert for the heads up on this.

Unfortunately not a lot of footage of Hathaway performing has survived but we've managed to find a compilation of what is available posted on YouTube by MrDomin099 Stone.

Remembering Teddy Pendergrass (26 Mar 1950 - 13 Jan 2010)

Teddy (Theodore DeReese) Pendergrass, born in Kingstree, SC, on 26 Mar 1950, died from respiratory failure on this day (13 Jan) in 2010 aged 59. He was lead singer of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes from 1971-1975, who had four R&B #1 hits during his tenure, before launching a solo career in 1977.

Teddy was sadly left as a tetraplegic from a spinal injury after a car accident in March 1982. He continued to record despite his condition and released a further six albums between 1984-97 albeit he wasn't the same singer, the two albums released in 1982 and 1983 were recorded before his accident. Having viewed a documentary on his life ("If You Don't Know Me" BBC) the circumstances were suspicious as his brakes had failed and some believe may have been tampered with but that has never been proven. More tragedy and conspiracy surrounded his life earlier in 1977 when his girlfriend, and manager, Taazmayia 'Taaz' Lang was shot dead at her home which is suspected to have been a hit by the Black Mafia but no one has ever been charged with her murder. Also his father left the family when he was young and not long after they met again, when he was 11 in 1962, his father was stabbed to death in a fight.

Pendergrass' first recording was "Angel With Muddy Feet" for Gene Lawson's Up Look label in Philly in the late 60s. I can find no trace of it apart from it being on a 2006 Grapevine compilation CD "The Up Look Records Story" which also has two other tracks by him, "We Got Love" and "Should I Go Or Should I Stay". Only a handful of singles seem to have been released on Up-Look and those that were released were all from Charles Mintz or Delegates Of Soul between 1969-70. Teddy sang backing vocals for Charles Mintz in his first session. Lawson was also a publicist for Otis Redding and co-wrote a song "Free Me" which was posthumously released in Aug 1969 (Redding was killed in a plane crash in Dec 1967 along with members of The Bar-Kays).

He played drums for several local Philadelphia bands, eventually becoming the drummer of The Cadillacs and came to the attention of Harold Melvin in 1970. However, Melvin was impressed with his vocal ability and made him lead singer in Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. The group joined Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International setup in 1971 and the rest is history.

Their first single with PIR was "I Miss You" in March 1972 (a Gamble & Huff song written for, and unbelievably turned down by, The Dells) which was a Top 10 R&B hit and made #58 Hot 100. It was followed by a #1 R&B / #3 Hot 100 hit "If You Don't Know Me By Now", another song originally intended for another i.e. LaBelle who were not able to record it owing to other commitments. Patti LaBelle eventually recorded it in 1985. With Teddy at the helm, the group had it's most successful period achieving nine R&B Top 10 hits from their following eleven singles, with four achieving the top spot and several crossing over to the Hot 100 Top 20.

By 1975 there was a rift between Pendergrass and Melvin over finances and also with Pendergrass wanting the group renamed to Teddy Pendergrass & The Blue Notes as he felt that he was constantly being mistaken as Harold Melvin. Despite one album ("To Be True") being billed as Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes featuring Teddy Pendergrass, the conflict wasn't resolved and Pendergrass left for a solo career in 1977 by which time the group left for ABC with Pendergrass staying at PIR. The group did not have any further Hot 100 entries and only minor R&B hits whilst Teddy P had a dozen top 10 R&B hits (10 top 5 with 3 #1s) and ten Hot 100 entries with another four just outside, so I think we know who won that battle.

He went on to release fourteen solo albums between 1977-98. The first five albums all went Platinum (over 1m sales) with another two ("Love Language" (1984) and "Joy" (1988)) going Gold (over 500k sales). Pendergrass retired from recording in 2008.

With so much great music to choose from, narrowing down the playlist below was a challenge as it could have been filled with the 'obvious' material that most already know and love. Therefore, vintage footage of the hits have been included, mainly from the official PIR YouTube channel, along with playlist of some of perhaps his lesser known material i.e. mainly album tracks and B sides.

Album Discography

1977 - Teddy Pendergrass

1978 - Life Is a Song Worth Singing

1978 - Live! Coast To Coast

1979 - Teddy

1980 - TP

1981 - It's Time for Love

1982 - This One's for You

1983 - Heaven Only Knows

1984 - Love Language

1985 - Workin' It Back

1988 - Joy

1991 - Truly Blessed

1993 - A Little More Magic

1997 - You and I

1998 - This Christmas (I'd Rather Have Love)

Singles Discography

Chart positions in brackets (Hot 100 / R&B), if missing then the record didn't chart. Top 10 R&B hits in bold.

1977 PIR

I Don't Love You Anymore / Somebody Told Me (41/5)

The Whole Town's Laughing at Me / The More I Get, The More I Want (102/16)

1978 PIR

Close the Door / Get Up, Get Down, Get Funky, Get Loose (25/1)

Only You / It Don't Hurt Now (106/22)

Life Is a Song Worth Singing / Cold, Cold World

1979 PIR

Turn Off the Lights / If You Know Like I Know (48/2)

Come Go With Me / Do Me (-/14)

Shout and Scream / Close The Door (-/21)

1980 PIR

Where Did All The Lovin' Go / It's You I Love (-/44)

Is It Still Good To Ya / Girl You Knew

Can't We Try / This Gift Of Life (52/3)

Love T.K.O. / I Just Called To Say (44/2)

1981 20th Century-Fox

Two Hearts (with Stephanie Mills) / I Just Wanna Say (40/3)

1981 PIR

I Can't Live Without Your Love / You Must Live On (103/10)

You're My Latest, My Greatest Inspiration / Keep On Lovin' Me (43/4)

1982 PIR

Nine Times Out of Ten / The Gift of Life (31/)

I Can't Win for Losing / Don't Leave Me Out Along The Road (-32)

1984 PIR

I Want My Baby Back / Life Is For The Living (-/61)

1984 Asylum

Hold Me (with Whitney Houston) / Love (46/5)

You're My Choice Tonight (Choose Me) / So Sad The Song (-/15)

In My Time / Stay With Me

1985 Asylum

Somewhere I Belong / Hot Love (-/76)

Never Felt Like Dancin' / Love Emergency (-/21)

1986 Asylum

Love 4/2 / One Of Us Fell In Love (-/6)

Let Me Be Closer / Love Emergency (-/67)

1988 Asylum / Elektra

Joy / Let Me Be Closer (77/1)

2 A.M. / 2 A.M. (Instrumental) (-/3)

Love Is the Power / I'm Ready (-/57)

1990 Elektra

Glad to Be Alive (Edit Of Remix) (with Lisa Fischer) /Glad to Be Alive (Remix) (-/31)

Glad to Be Alive (with Lisa Fischer) / With You (with Minnie Curry) (Europe only)(-/31)

Make It with You / Love Is The Power (-/23)

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart / She Knocks Me Off My Feet

1991 Elektra

It Should've Been You (4 versions) (-/1)

I Find Everything in You (3 Versions) (-/31)

1993 Elektra

Voodoo (Single Edit) / Voodoo (Radio Edit)(-/25)

1994 Elektra

Believe in Love (Phat Phili Mix / Believe Dat Dub / Teddy Bear Club Mix / Instrumental) (105/14)

I'm Always Thinking About You (Single Edit) / LP Version (-/90)

The More I Get, The More I Want" (with KWS) (35 UK)

(Radio Edit / Original 1977 Version / Loveland Club Version / Chris King's Street's Of Philadelphia 94 Remix / Long Island Remix

1997 Surefire

Give It To Me (Remix / Album Version / The Seduction / Remix Instrumental / Acappella)

Don't Keep Wastin' My Time / Slow Ride To Heaven (90/39)