Soul Strutter: 07/21/23

Friday, 21 July 2023

Output / Input [2023] - Forward Motion [Self Released] (Full Album) PROMO

The debut album from Output / Input "Forward Motion" is now due out on 4 Aug but you can pre-order via link on cover image below.

The album promo has been serviced today which we can share with you. NOTE: All unreleased tracks have been 'dropped' to protect from copying/downloading.

Now that the album can be heard in full, we are certainly not disappointed as quite often it is the best tracks that have been released as singles. With five of them already released, we wondered what was still to come but there are no fillers and at least three of the new songs could be singles in their own right, "Don't Be Sacred", "Doin' Alright" and "Time Of Our Lives". The album closes with the other two new songs ("Love Of Another Guy" and "True Love") which are certainly no slouches, (but ballads don't tend to do well here as singles as for some strange reason many UK DJs avoid them!), with Antonio McLendon's outstanding vocals, which, again on these two songs in particular, remind us of the great Luther Vandross.

We fully expect this album to be topping charts in the not too distant future and, with it being released two weeks early on promo, it could well be very soon after official release as it's certain to get plenty of radio airplay between now and then.

The album price has been reduced to £6.49 to reflect that five tracks have already been released as singles.

You should know all about Output/Input by now after a slew of very well received singles. Their earlier material consisted of several cover versions but only one cover is included on the album, "Here I Go Again" (Isley Brothers) along with a re-recording of O'Bryan's "Doin' Alright" from 1981 featuring O'Bryan himself, the remainder are all original songs.

Output/Input were formed during Covid-19 lockdown by bassist, composer, producer and arranger Melvin Lee Davis the musical director for Chaka Khan, who he still regularly tours with. He has also worked with George Benson, Lee Ritenour, George Duke, Will Downing, Lalah Hathaway, Patti Austin, Ledisi, and Angie Stone among many others.

The band's co-founders are known as the Triple H Horns comprising Nick Mead (trumpet), Jacob Shaw (saxophone) and Patrick Hayes (trombone)

They are a truly diverse and international group featuring members from countries including the USA, UK, Germany, Hungary and South Korea with all tracks being recorded remotely across multiple continents.

The other members, in addition to Melvin Lee Davis (Bass) and Triple H Horns, are Jay Williams (Drums), Kanghyun Bu (Guitar), Kevin Chokan (Acoustic/Guitar), Daeun Kim (Keyboards), Jesse Milliner (Keyboards), Noval Smith (Keyboards), Adam Kovacs (Percussion), Bryony Moody (Cello) and Olivia Holland (Violin).

Antonio McLendon has been the best kept secret in soul music until recently who we first featured in Sep '21 with "My Baby First" & "How I Feel". He features on no fewer than seven of the ten tracks and has released several singles of his own in the last year.

Vocalists on the remaining three tracks are Audrey Wheeler-Downing (Unlimited Touch and wife of Will Downing) and ex Tower Of Power lead singer Brent Carter on "Here I Go Again", the UK's Katie Holmes-Smith on "Really No Chance" and of course O'Bryan on "Doin' Alright".

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

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

01 - Smilin' Faces (feat. Antonio McLendon)

02 - Don't Be Scared (feat. Antonio McLendon)

03 - Here I Go Again (feat. Audrey Wheeler & Brent Carter)

04 - Doin' Alright (feat. O'Bryan)

05 - Someone I Used To Love (feat. Antonio McLendon)

06 - Time of Our Lives (feat. Antonio McLendon)

07 - I'm In Love (feat. Antonio McLendon)

08 - Really No Chance (feat. Katie Holmes-Smith)

09 - Love of Another Guy (feat. Antonio McLendon)

10 - True Love (feat. Antonio McLendon)

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/08/2023
Price:	£6.49

Michael Leonhart & Jswiss feat. Keyon Harrold & DJ Logic [2023] - The Chase (Strings Attached) [Self Released]

As in the words of Monty Python ... 'and now for something completely different'. Hip-Hop Jazz with a hint of classical anyone?

"The Chase (Strings Attached)" featuring Keyon Harrold & DJ Logic is a new reworking from the collaborative minds of accomplished MC JSWISS and Grammy Award-winning producer and trumpeter Michael Leonhart.

They originally released the song as a single in Sep '21 and it featured on their debut album together, "Bona Fide" in Nov '22.

The song has been reimagined with the assistance of an all-star Brooklyn-based string quartet (Mazz Swift, Dana Lyn, Jessica Troy, Marika Hughes) and is anchored by Leonhart's piano-driven dynamic production and JSWISS's wordplay and vocal flow, with heavy beats combining old school boom bap with modern hip hop production. Keyon Harold provides seductive horn lines and DJ Logic adds more complexities to the production.

Having sparked creative chemistry during a monthly residency at NYC venue Jazz Standard, JSWISS and Michael Leonhart released a string of singles together and their first full project as a duo, "The Alchemy EP", in Jan '21.

Trumpeter, composer, producer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Leonhart is no stranger to crossing genre lines, having played on the Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars Grammy award winning hit "Uptown Funk and collaborations with diverse artists ranging from Meryl Streep through Steely Dan (who he's played with since 1996), David Byrne (Talking Heads), Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings to Questlove, Wu-Tang Clan and Q-Tip to name just a small sample (check out his website bio for more). He is the youngest ever recipient of a Grammy award in 1992 aged just 17.

JSWISS operates seamlessly at the intersection between hip hop and jazz.

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:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Jazz / Hip-Hop
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	21/07/2023
Key/BPM:	11A/90
Price:	£1

Loie [2023] - What We Become [Self Released] (Full EP)

Brixton (South London) born and raised Loie Howard (pronounced low-ee) is from a mixed heritage family of Chinese-Trinidadian. She has been inspired by Jill Scott, Nina Simone, Lauryn Hill, Kate Bush and Eva Cassidy and began her musical journey as a songwriter before releasing her debut single "Take You There" in Apr '21.

Her sophomore single "Hide My Feels" was her breakthrough gaining a lot of attention in March 2022. Since then she's followed up with "That's My Girl" (Jun '22), "Perfect" (Oct '22), "Standing" (Feb '23) and her last single "Know Better" released 31 Mar '23.

Today she released her debut EP "What We Become" which consists of her last three singles along with two new songs, "Living Room" and "My Life". We're sorry to say they don't really do anything for us as they come across as simply fillers as we don't think either has potential to do particularly well as singles.

The clear standout for us on the EP is "Standing" (which was included in out Top 100 Neo Soul tunes for the first half of 2023) for which a music video is included below as well as a live performance of it along with "Know Better" at Octagon Studios, Brixton, in May '23.

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:	Y Tracks 1,2 & 5
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	21/07/2023
Price:	£4.95

Gerald Levert [2023] - When It’s Right The Anthology (1991-2007) [SoulMusic Records #QSMCR5211T] (Compilation)

Back on 13 May we notified you of a forthcoming compilation from David Nathan's SoulMusic Records following recent compilations from Randy Crawford and Dionne Warwick. It is out today on CD and may be available digitally in the coming weeks/months like the others.

It's 3 CD box set anthology "When It’s Right The Anthology (1991-2007)" consisting of 45 tracks covering all nine of Gerald Levert's solo albums between 1991-2007 (three albums for EastWest America (1991-1998), four for Elektra (1999-2003) and two for Atlantic (2004-2007)). He released another two with his father Eddie.

Before, and concurrent with, his solo career he was a member of Levert with brother Sean and Marc Gordon as well as part of the supergroup "LSG" (Levert, Keith Sweat & Johnny Gill).

The anthology takes it's name from one of his rare tracks previously available only as a bonus track on the Japanese edition his sophomore album "Groove On" (1994).

A couple of other rarities are included: a cover of Rick James & Teena Marie's deep soul classic "Fire And Desire" feat. Sherena Wynn (a cassette only single) and two remixes "Can You Handle It" and "I Wanna Be Bad".

The boxset is available to order from Cherry Red now.

Track Listing

Disc 1

01 - Private Line

02 - School Me

03 - Baby Hold On To Me (with Eddie Levert)

04 - Groove On

05 - I’d Give Anything

06 - Answering Service

07 - Same Place,Same Time

08 - Love Street

09 - When It’s Right

10 - Thinkin’ Bout It

11 - That’s The Way I Feel About You (with Mary J Blige)

12 - Taking Everything

13 - Nothin’ To Somethin’

14 - Mr - Too Damn Good

Disc 2

01 - Baby U Are

02 - Spill A Little Love

03 - Let Me Know

04 - What Makes It Good To You (No Premature Lovin’)

05 - Made To Love Ya

06 - Dream With No Love

07 - Funny

08 - Closure

09 - Stroke Of Genius

10 - (They Long To Be) Close To You (with Tamia)

11 - U Got That Love (Call It A Night)

12 - Wear It Out

13 - Didn’t We

14 - Eyes And Ears (with Sean Levert & Eddie Levert)

15 - Crucify Me

16 - Everyday

Disc 3

01 - One Million Times

02 - Click A Glass

03 - In My Songs

04 - DJ Don’t

05 - Deep As It Goes

06 - Can It Stay

07 - Private Line (Radio Club Remix)

08 - Can You Handle It (Remix Edit)*

09 - I Wanna Be Bad (Remix Edit)*

10 - School Me (Full Live Version)

11 - Can’t Help Myself (Radio Remix)

12 - Answering Service (Heavy D Remix)

13 - Fire And Desire (ft - Sherena Wynn)*

14 - Taking Everything (Soap Opera Remix Extended)

15 - DJ Don’t (Remix ft Jaheim)

Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	CD
Label:	Cherry Red
Cat No:	QSMCR5211T
Date:	21/07/2023
Price:	£22.99

Ernie & The Family Mckone feat. Lex Cameron [2023] - Feels Like I'm in Love [Boogie Back Records #BBR26]

In Oct '21 Ernie & The Family Mckone released a cover of Brenda Russell's "In the Thick Of It". feat. Valerie Etienne.

It has been paired with an original song "Feels Like I'm in Love" for release on 7" vinyl which has been made available digitally today.

This song was written by the Boogie Back boys Ernie Mckone and Toby Baker with assistance from the vocalist on the song Lex Cameron.

God forbid that it was a cover of Kelly Marie's 1981 disco monstrosity, which incidentally was written by Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry.

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

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Boogie Back Records
Cat No:	BBR26
Date:	21/07/2023
Key/BPM:	4A/107 / 5A/91
Price:	£1

Ken@Work [2023] - Rapturous [Springbok Records #SBK310]

No prizes for guessing what this new release "Rapturous" from Ken@Work may be based on, although it takes a while to get there! We don't know who the vocalist is, as she's not credited, but it's certainly not Anita Baker's vocals sampled. Ms Baker can sleep easy!

There are two versions included, the main mix and a Soulful House Mix.

The original song "Caught Up In The Rapture" from "Rapture" (1986) was co-written by Garry Glenn and Dianne Quander.

Ken@Work is DJ/producer/remixer Ken Walker, originally from Edinburgh, now living in Melbourne, Australia. He's featured her a few times with various other mashups.

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:	7.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soulful House / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Springbok Records
Cat No:	SBK310
Date:	21/07/2023
Key/BPM:	8B/106 / 8A/122
Price:	£1.98