Soul Strutter: 06/18/23

Sunday, 18 June 2023

Steve Aggasild [2023-06-16] - Soul Struttin' [Soul Music Radio]

This Friday's "Soul Struttin'" show from Steve Aggasild on Soul Music Radio broadcast on 16th Jun 2023 between 21:00-23:00 GMT.

First hour classic oldies and second hour current sounds from 2023

Steve now does a show Fri 21:00-23:00 (GMT) on Soul Music Radio and two shows a week on SOTAR Sun 20:00-22:00 (GMT) and Wed 20:00-22:00 (GMT). 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:

Artist	Title / Album	Year
Rodney Franklin	The Groove [You'll Never Know]	1980
Darwin Hobbs feat. Michael McDonald	Everyday [Everyday]	2000
Dave Hollister	Keep Lovin' You [Sign Of Things To Come (Steve Harvey)]	2002
Keni Burke	Let Somebody Love You [You're The Best]	1981
Romina Johnson	Never Do [Soul Togetherness]	2001
Terry Callier	Ordinary Joe [Occasional Rain]	1972
The O'Jays	Summer Fling [Love And More]	1984
Pieces Of A Dream feat. Barbara Walker	Warm Weather [Pieces Of A Dream]	1981
Leo's Sunship	Give Me The Sunshine [We Need Each Other]	1978
Dexter Wansel feat. Cynthia Biggs	The Sweetest Pain [Time Is Slipping Away]	1979
Marcus Miller feat. Meshel Ndegeocello	Rush Over [Love Jones OST] (1995)	1995
Stanley Clarke feat. Howard Hewett	Heaven Sent You [Time Exposure]	1984
Papik feat. Nicole Magiolie	Montecarlo	2023
Princess Freesia	Oh! (The Sarsaparilla Mix)	2023
Dee Lucas feat. Selina Albright	Love Is Enough [No Boundaries]	2023
Joe Leavy feat. Althea Renee	Do It Again	2023
Jeff Bradshaw feat. Eric Roberson	Make Some Time	2023
Maeta feat Free Nationals	Through The Night	2023
Output / Input feat. Antonio McLendon	Someone I Used To Love	2023
LTJ Xperience & Papik feat. Anduze	Best Life	2023
Lack Of Afro feat. Jack Tyson Charles	All Night	2023
Sammy G & Friends	Choose It Right	2023
Kat Hawley feat. Steve Cole	Keep On, Keepin' On	2023
Nicola Conte feat. Zara McFarlane	Arise [Umoja]	2023

Kevin Oxberry [2023-06-16] - The Friday Night Rotation [Starpoint Radio]

This week's The Friday Night Rotation broadcast on 16th Jun 2023.

The Friday Night Rotation is broadcast each Friday hosted by Kevin Oxberry between 19:00-21:00 GMT on Starpoint Radio. The format of Kev's two hour shows is that the in the first hour and last half hour he plays upfront new releases and sandwiched in between for the first half hour of the second hour he digs out some oldies.

Catch up with previous shows on Podomatic.

Playlist:

Artist	Title / Album	Year
Hour 1 - UpFront
Helen Bruner & Terry Jones	You Got Me Feeling [2nd Overture]	2023
Ashle Renee	Wishes	2023
Devon Gilfillian	All I Really Wanna Do (Sunset Mix)	2023
Manuka Groove	Whatever It Takes [Whatever It Takes]	2023
Karlos Edwards	Summer Soft [Welcome To My World]	2023
Cruisic feat. Baku Furukawa	Come With Me	2023
Kat Hawley feat Steve Cole	Keep On, Keepin' On	2023
Lynn Davis	Beautiful You	2023
Will Downing	Till We Meet Again	2023
Karlos Edwards	For This Love [Welcome To My World]	2023
Camera Soul feat. Sabreetha Vee	Shooting Star	2023
Output / Input feat. Antonio McLendon	Someone I Used To Love	2023
RJ's Latest Arrival	One Step At A Time	2023
Entice	Come Over [Flavas]	2023
Joe Leavy feat. Althea Rene	Do It Again	2023
Hour 2 - Oldies
Leah McCrae	Rain On My Window Pane	2004
Cheri Dennis	I Love You [In And Out Of Love]	2008
Tweet	Boogie 2Nite [Southern Hummingbird]	2002
Adriana Evans	Say You Won't [Adriana Evans]	1997
Nicolas Bearde	Can We Pretend [Crossing The Line]	1998
Ronnie Dyson	Don't Need You Now [Brand New Day]	1983
Grover Washington Jr	Sausalito [Live At The Bijou]	1977
Hour 2 - UpFront
Jtreece & The Terri Green Project	Close The Door	2023
Wanmor	Mine (Remix)	2023
Patric Pleasure feat. Emilia Anastazja	All Night Long (Ruck P Remix)	2023
Cool Million feat. Shaila Prospere	Brand New Day	2023
Karlos Edwards	Havana [Welcome To My World]	2023
Stokes & Machine feat. Cleveland Jones & U-Nam	Freeway	2023
Daughters Of Legacy	You Better Know	2023
Assal	Somebody	2023

Checkmates Ltd [2023] - All Alone By The Telephone / Body Language [SB7055]

We mis-counted, as there are six not five reissues lined up by Soul Brother. The final one is from the Checkmates Ltd, from Fort Wayne , IN, who were discovered by Nancy Wilson whilst playing at Pussycat A Go Go in Las Vegas.

They were a mixed race group formed in high school in the mid 50s as a doo wop group consisting of three black and two white members: Charles Hemphill (aka Sonny Charles) (vocals), Bobby Stevens (vocals), Sweet Louie' Marvin Smith (drums), Bill Van Buskirk (bass) and Harvey Trees (guitar).

Their biggest success was with "Black Pearl" as Sonny Charles & Checkmates Ltd in 1969 (a #8 R&B hit produced by Phil Specter). Their second hit was this one, "All Alone By The Telephone", which scraped into the R&B chart at #96 in 1976.

The song was co-written by H.B. Barnum and Joyce Ann Clay and was recorded a couple of months later by J.B. Bingham on United Artists (which is about double the price) and reissued by Soul Junction in 2015 and also on Canadian reissue label Stardust mid/late 90s.

Northern Soulies go for their "Kissin' Her and Crying For You" on Capitol 1966.

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

Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl / Reissue
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	SB7055
Date:	TBC Jul/Aug
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Odyssey [2023] - Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love / Battened Ships [Soul Brother #SB7052]

Two tracks from Odyssey's self-titled, one-off, album on MoWest in 1972. They released just one single from it "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" in the US but another "Battened Ships" was released as a single in Japan only. Both sides feature on a 45 reissue by Soul Brother due in Jul/Aug.

Both sides have been well known over the years and their album has been reissued numerous time on both CD and vinyl. Originals of album and both singles sell well into three figures.

This is not the same group who released "Native New Yorker" in the 70s and had several disco hits in the 80s, but a mixed race seven piece group from California who had former Chicago / Badfinger guitarist Donnie Darcus as a member. Another member, Royce Jones, later toured with Steely Dan and was a member of Ambrosia ("How Much I Feel"). So their roots were in soft rock or what is now termed Yacht Rock.

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

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Rare Groove
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl / Reissue
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	SB7052
Date:	TBC Jul/Aug
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

The Reason Why [2023] - Step Inside My World / So Long Letter (In A Picture Frame) [Soul Brother #SB7054]

The penultimate, i.e. fourth of five, 45 reissue from Soul Brother is the only single by a group named The Reason Why which was produced and arranged by the great Willie Hutch and has his mark stamped all over it. Both sides co-written by his brother Richard with Brian Warren.

Curiously, there were at least another three groups with the same name: one from Florida who recorded a single in 1969, one from Illinois 1970, and another from Pittsburgh who recorded two singles in 1971-72. Whether or not any of these were the same group is not known for certain, but unlikely given the Hutch's were from L.A.

The in-demand side has been "Step Inside My World" (which has been comp'd a couple of times) but the official A side (and a long time SS favourite) is "So Long Letter (In A Picture Frame)" a superb mid-tempo soulful stepper with Willie Hutch written all over it (and certainly sounds like it could be his vocals?).

The original Polydor 'issue' sells for up to £800 but the same sided promo with the official A side, can be picked up for a 'snip' at £150-£200. We thought that only the in-demand side had featured on compilations but discovered that "So Long' appeared on a Japanese CD compilation "Soul Galaxy Gambling To Sweet Harmony" in 2008. (along with Mojoba).

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:	7" Vinyl / Reissue
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	SB7054
Date:	TBC Jul/Aug
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Mojobo [2023] - Say You Will / I Know [Soul Brother #SB7053]

The third 45 reissue from Soul Brother is another rarity. We found only five listed on Popsike which now fetch approaching four figures.

Like Crystal Clear, Mojoba also only released two singles on Polydor. This was their second in 1977 which followed "Keep The Funk A Flowin'" / "Disco Music" (disco funk from 1976).

Their name is a derived from the three members' surnames: Sam Ray Mosley, Bob Johnson (who went on to record as Mosey & Johnson) and Doris Badie, who only actually featured on the flip to "Say You Will", "I Know" which was the official A side and is a bit of a southern soul beater). The three had sung together earlier as Bob & Sam & The Soulmen feat. Doris Badie.

Badie recorded a solo single for Polydor in 1977, "Why Is Leaving You So Hard To Do", which she wrote and recorded with Bob & Sam & The Soulmen feat. Doris Badie. It was reissued by Garry Cape on Hit and Run in 2011 along with another song written by her and recorded by the group on their 1971 album "Mississippi Mud".

The 'in-demand' side has always been "Say You Will" which has shades of The Isleys' "For The Love Of You".

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

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Southern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl / Reissue
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	SB7053
Date:	TBC Jul/Aug
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

New World [2023] - Were Gonna Make It / Help The Man [Soul Brother #SB7050]

The second of five vinyl reissues by Soul Brother is New World "Were Gonna Make It" /" Help The Man" originally released in 1972 on Polydor.

New World were from Munster, Indiana, and evolved from a mixed race group World Column known to the Northern Soul crew for their 1969 stomper "So Is The Sun" released on Tower and reissued in the mid 70s in the UK on Capitol to satisfy demand for it. It was a massive sound, especially at Cleethorpes Pier/Winter Gardens circa 1975.

We did a feature on The World Column and their associated groups in Dec 2021. They made one other recording as New World titled "Lolita" which was unreleased until unearthed by Numero Group in 2020.

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

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl / Reissue
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	SB7050
Date:	TBC Jul/Aug
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Crystal Clear [2023] - Stay With Me / You're So Unreal [Soul Brother #SB7051]

London's, Putney based record store Soul Brother has announced pre-orders for the release of five new rare groove / modern soul singles on their label which will be released in Jul/Aug '23. All were released originally on Polydor in the 70s and 80s.

The first is the first of only two singles released by Crystal Clear, both in 1980, the other is "Oomph In My Life" which is a nice rare groove two stepper which sells for high sums (i.e. circa £700).

Not much is known about the group apart from that Morris Bailey was a member and songwriter. He wrote many songs from 60s onwards recorded by the likes of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Billy Paul, Patti LaBelle, Nina Simone, The Spinners, Jimmy Ruffin, Donnie Elbert, Ronnie Walker and many others.

We're not sure who the female vocalist is but may be Pearl Scott as a guess who was co-writer on two of the songs, but not "Stay With Me" which was written by Buddy Turner.

The flip side "You're So Unreal" is also a very nice two stepper which has been somewhat overshadowed by the A side.

All four sides recorded by this group, including the flip side to "Ooomph In Your Life", "Trademark", are well worth picking up if you ever come across them.

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

Details

Rating:	8.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Rare Groove
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl / Reissue
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	SB7051
Date:	TBC
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Helene Smith [2023] - I Am Controlled By Your Love [Numero Group] (Full Album)

Helene Smith has been dubbed 'The First Lady of Miami Soul' and was married to Johnny Pearsall who co-owned two of the labels she recorded on, Lloyd and Deep City, with Willie Clarke. 45Cat lists fifteen singles for her starting in 1963 through to 1972. Her recordings were predominantly on Miami labels (Blue Star, Dade, Reid, Lloyd and Deep City) apart from an excursion of a few singles on Phil L.A. of Soul (45Cat lists 2 but Discogs lists 4) between 1967-69 finishing with a pair on Miami's Dash in the early 70s.

A compilation of twelve of her 60s recordings has been released by Numero Group titled "I Am Controlled By Your Love" which contains three tracks released in Jun '22 by Hit And Run on 45 "I Am Controlled By Your Love" / "You Got To Do Your Share" / "True Love Don’t Grow On Trees".

Helene Smith is still alive and well and released a single in 2019 "Let A New Day Begin", video included below (from 2022).

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

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	60sSoul
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	02/06/2023
Price:	£7.99

That Driving Beat [2023] - Come Back Home [AMTY Records] SUN

Initially intrigued by their name 'That Driving Beat', that we felt 'must' have had something to do with Willie Mitchell's Northern Soul classic of the same name, we tentatively opened this new single up half expecting it to be Northern oriented and, right enough, they derived their name from the 1965 B side much loved by the scene with a name synonymous with the genre!

That Driving Beat is a 12-piece soul band from Stockholm fronted by three female singers, apparently known for digging up, they claim forgotten, NS tunes but purists may disagree. They have recorded songs such as "The Right Track" (Billy Butler), A Little Togetherness" (Younghearts), "Everybody Dance Now" (Soul City) for starters which are 'hardly' forgotten, some may even say overplayed?

Whilst we wouldn't classify their new single "Come Back Home" as NS, it has a throwback sound. It's an original song co-written by Ulrika Orre (lead singer on it) with Mikael Ledin.

They sound more like a 60 garage band than a soul band and, to be fair, they do state that they play Garage, Freakbeat & Northern Soul.

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

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Details

Rating:	7.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	AMTY Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	16/06/2023
Key/BPM:	10B/103
Price:	£1

Yooks & Hannah Khemoh [2023] - I Won't Give Up [Infinity Music Recordings]

East Londoner Hannah Khemoh featured earlier this week on another Soulful house release, "Better" with Paris Cesvette which was a remix of a track they did together in April

On Friday she teamed up with Yooks for "I Won't Give Up".

Included below is a 23 minute interview.

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:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soulful House
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Infinity Music Recordings
Cat No:	None
Date:	16/06/2023
Key/BPM:	4A/123
Price:	£1.98