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Sunday 22 January 2023

Raja-Nee' [2023] - My Window (Remastered) [JARF Music Group]


The latest single from Raja-Nee' is taken from her album "The Sovereign of 1472". It's the track "My Window", co-written with, and produced by MS1 Project's Mike 'DJ Blue' Harrison and now remastered.

We still have a few copies of signed CDs left. This album really is a slow burner and once the CDs have gone, they are gone, as we won't be getting any more due to exorbitant US shipping costs. (email soulstrutter@gmail.com).

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Details
Rating: 8.6
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: New Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: JARF Music Group
Cat No: None
Date: ??/01/2023
Key/BPM: 9B/60
Price: £1
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved


The Supremes [2023] - These Boots Are Made For Walking (SILO x Martin Wave Remix) [Motown]


I saw this released last week and havered over whether to bother posting. It is of course the, Lee Hazelwood written, kitsch song "These Boots Are Made For Walkinga #1 hit for Nancy Sinatra in early 1966. It was covered by The Supremes who included it on their "Supremes A Go-Go" album in 1966 (which only saw a single release in Argentina on an EP). A new 'souped up' SILO x Martin Wave Remixwas released on 13 Jan '23.  

A stomping instrumental version was an unlikely 'monster' on Northern Soul dancefloors in the mid 70s by The Happy Cats when instrumentals were all the rage. So much so that John Anderson reissued it on his Grapevine label in 1978 to satisfy demand with a different B side (a vocal "Destroy That Boy") to the original on Omack in 1966. The same song (with different writer's credits) was recorded by The What Four (a NYC based white female garage band) on Columbia as "I'm Gonna Destroy That Boy" which 45Cat lists as Oct 1966, so I don't know who recorded it first but believe the The Happy Cats' version was unreleased in the US and was perhaps sent to Anderson to release with 'Boots'. There is also an unissued Columbia acetate version by an unknown artist posted on YouTube and Spotify which was reissued in 2014.

It is the only (listed) release for the Omack label which I would guess was owned by Ollie McLaughlin who was a Detroit producer who owned a number of labels and was behind many a NS tune and it wouldn't surprise me to learn that several Funk Brother are moonlighting on this one as it has that feel.

I said 'listed' above as there is at least one other release on the label not listed by Joe Hunter & His Happy Cats (same group?) Pajama Party b/w Squaw #S-437 which is surely the same label (although the design and colour are different) as it has McLaughlin Pub. Co. on the label and Ollie McLaughlin on writer's credits. Assuming it is the same Joe Hunter, it also reinforces the Funk Brothers connection as Hunter of course was their pianist, and the Ramsey Lewis style piano is quite prominent on The Happy Cats' instrumental.

Posted for novelty/topical value more than anything else and to expose the instrumental version which is a bit of a 'Marmite' tune.

Details
Rating: 7.4
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: Motown / Pop / Remix / Northern Soul / Instrumental
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Self Released
Cat No: None
Date: 13/01/2023
Key/BPM: 8B/176
Price: £1
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved


Aaron Frazer [2023] - Heart Full of Love - Live From Easy Eye [Dead Oceans] (Full EP)


Durand Jones & The Indications' singer/drummer Aaron Frazer released a five track live EP "Heart Full of Love - Live From Easy Eye" last Friday (13 Jan '23).

It consists of two original songs and three covers. The first cover is Curtis Mayfield's 1970 Curtom single "The Makings Of You" which has been covered a dozen or more times, first in 1974 by Gladys Knight & The Pips but also by Aretha Franklin (1994), Renee Geyer (who died this week) (2003), as well as Syl Johnson's daughter Syleena Johnson (2017). 

The first track "Heart Full Of Love" was recorded by The Invincibles in 1965 on Warner Bros. Thanks to whoever left the anonymous comment as I missed that one. They were a trio from L.A. active between 1964-70 consisting of Clifton Knight, Dave Richardson and Lester Johnson (who went on to join Ebony Rhythm Band (Ebony Rhythm Funk Campaign)) who are all credited as writing the song. They released an updated version in 1970 and Richardson also recorded it himself in 1988, both on their own label Stardom.

The other cover, which I was quite surprised to see, is a song written by Patrick Adams and Fay Hauser played on Northern Soul dancefloors in the mid 70s originally recorded by The Eight Minutes "Looking For A Brand New Game" in 1973.

Why am I surprised, well The Eight Minutes was a short-lived teen group from Chicago who lasted only two years between 1972-73. The group consisted of eight members, six of them from two families plus another two: Ricky, Hank and Ronald Goggins and Hedda, David and Wendel Suddut along with Juwanna Glover and Carl Monroe. They released six singles, four on Jay Pee (owned by Jim Porter (i.e. hence Jay Pee) who was their manager) and two singles and an album, "An American Family" on Perception but this track wasn't included on the album. Another single was released earlier on S.I.M. as The Soul Impacts circa 1968 which was written by Doris I. Jones.

There is another group from Alabama that used the same name, albeit in a different format (i.e. The (soul) IMPACTS) who also recorded a single in 1968 but obviously it is not the same group. 

Interestingly (to Northern Soulies at least, so skip if you're not interested) Jones is also credited for writing an instrumental song "Festivo" for The Checkerboard Squares (who's "Double Cookin' is probably one of the best ever NS instrumentals originally covered-up as Bob Wilson Sounds "Strings A GoGo" on a Simon Soussan bootleg label Soul Galore) on the same label (i.e. S.I.M.). It seems a bit unusual as their only other two (listed) singles are on San Francisco's Villa label. 

Jones, you may recall, is a singer who recorded several of Ian Levine's tailor-made Northern Soul songs in the mid/late 70s (i.e. "He's So Irreplaceable", "Stranded In The Wilderness", "No Way Out" and a few others). Levine discovered her via Herb Rooney of The Exciters who he had already worked with on "Reaching For The Best". Rooney had worked with Jones and her sister Lumishia who formed the trio Black Stash with a third member Karen Young (who went on to have a big disco hit with "Hot Shot" in 1978) on their 1974 single "Mighty Love Man". That single was released in the US on John Abbey's (Blues & Soul) Contempo label and in UK on Seville in 1975.

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Details
Rating: 8
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: Retro Soul
Format: EP
Media: Digital
Label: Dead Oceans
Cat No: None
Date: 13/01/2023
Price: £4.95
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved


The WRLDFMS Tony Williams [2023] - UBUBU [Sidewalk Records]


The WRLDFMS (World Famous) Tony Williams aka Antony Williams is a five time Grammy winning artist who has been working with Kanye West since 2004. He released his debut solo album "A King Or A Fool" in 2012 which featured vocals from John Legend, Raheem DeVaughn, and Stokley Williams (Mint Condition).

He featured here last Feb ('22) with "Kiss Or Go Crazy" since the he's released another two singles "Black Heart Emoji" (Mar '22) and "Everybody Knows" (Apr '22) and is back with a brand new one "UBUBU" today (20 Jan '23)

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Details
Rating: 8.3
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: New Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: Sidewalk Records
Cat No: None
Date: 20/01/2023
Key/BPM: 7A/65
Price: £1
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved


Henry Aberson feat. Brian Hargrove & Dyna Erie [2022] - Much to Do [MAX C]


Henry Aberson is a drummer from Tulsa, OK, who drafts in guests to feature on his recordings. He last featured here with "Hang It Up" in April '22. 

On his latest single "Much to Do" he is joined by L.A. pianist Brian 'Theory' Hargrove and Haitian-American singer Dyna Erie.

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Details
Rating: 8.2
Explicit: N
Genre/Style: New Soul
Format: Single
Media: Digital
Label: MAX C
Cat No: None
Date: 30/12/2023
Key/BPM: 12A/91
Price: £1
Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved