Soul Strutter: 01/26/24

Friday, 26 January 2024

Amoré The Songstress [2024] - Finally Vol. 1 [Endqu0temusic]

A debut five track EP "Finally Vol. 1" from Amoré The Songstress who is singer/songwriter Alydda Hill from L.A..

Her only other release available (on Spotify) is a single "Whisper" from 2020 although she also released the last track on the EP, "Summertyme (Don't Stop)", as a single in Nov '22.

The standout tracks for us is "Abandonded".

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Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	EP
Media:	Digital
Label:	Endqu0temusic
Cat No:	None
Date:	26/01/2024
Price:	£4.95

Paul Simpson Uniquity Introducing Simone G. [2024] - It's Your Love [Expansion]

You may be familiar with Paul Simpson Uniquity for the monthly Philadelphia Re-edit Sessions series of re-edited Philly classics.

He has a new single out via Expansion Records introducing Simone G. on a Roy Ayres and Dee Dee Bridgewater penned song "It's Your Love" which is a rare groove classic from 1981 by Ethel Beatty. It comes with three mixes: a 12" and 7" mix along with an Alterative 12" Mix.

Expansions released it on Luxury Soul 2017 (having released the A side "I Know You Care" on Soul Togeherness 2016) but it has also featured on many other compilations over the years. It first featured on Rare Groove Mastercuts compilation by the late Dez Parkes in 1993.

It was originally released on Ayers Uno Melodic label and was the only single recorded by Beatty but she worked on many Broadway shows and sang background for many artists including George Benson..

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Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Expansion Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	26/01/2024
Key/BPM:	3A/86
Price:	£2.97

Lois Leven [2024] - Pheromones [Baltic Jazz Recordings]

Liverpool's Baltic Jazz Recordings was launched last year with Steve Levine producing most of the material. Their inaugural release was a jazz rendition of The Clash's "Should I Stay Or Should I Go" by Lois Leven. They followed it in October with a five track EP "Revisioned" consisting of songs written by Lois Leven.

One of the songs, "Pheromones", has now been released as a single which contains the EP version, a Stripped Back version and a Searchlight Remix (Irish duo Cian McCann and Dom Purcell from FallenTree1Hundred label).

We note that it doesn't seem to be available for purchase on Amazon so may be streaming only at present. However, you can buy the original mix from October, which in our view is still the probably our preferred version although the other two do provide different dimensions. We were fortunate to receive all three cuts via promo so it has been serviced to radio.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Baltic Jazz Recordings
Cat No:	None
Date:	15/01/2024
Key/BPM:	9B/115 / 9B/104 / 10B/115
Price:	£N/A

Jacob G. [2024] - In Love With You [Round 2 Music]

Jacob G. has featured here several times over the last few years and has a new single, an old school lowrider, titled "In Love With You" which was released two weeks ago on 12 Jan.

The song was written by John Gary Williams (who was a member of The Mad Lads) who recorded it as the flip side to his debut solo single (a cover of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord") on Stax in 1972. Williams released only three solo singles and an album, His second single is sought after not only the A side "The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy" but also for another cover of Four Tops "Ask The Lonely" (originally recorded, but not released until long after, by co-writer (with Mickey Stevenson) Ivy Jo Hunter).

As you may know Jacob G. is the son on Chicano singer William Garcia aka Little Willie G. who sang with Thee Midniters and Los Lobos.

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Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul / Lowrider
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Round 2 Music
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/01/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/64
Price:	£1

Igor Gerzina feat. Anya Alu [2024] - Georgy Porgy [Self Released]

A new version of Toto's "Georgy Porgy" was released last week by Croatian (Zagreb) saxophonist Igor Gerzina with vocals from Anya Alu.

The song was written by Toto keyboardist David Paich and featured on their debut, self-titled, album in 1978 as well as being released as a single. Whilst guitarist Steve Lukather performed lead, Cheryl Lynn provided backing vocals.

Many other versions have surfaced over the years notably from Charme feat. uncredited vocals from Luther Vandross ('79), Side Effect ('80) and Eric Benet feat. Faith Evans ('98). In fact last year we did a bit of a version excursion on the song with 16 different takes on the back of a remix/reworking of Toto's version that was released by DoctorSoul.

The new version is a respectable smooth jazz version.

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Smooth Jazz
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/01/2024
Key/BPM:	5A/90
Price:	£1

Sy Smith [2024] - Until We Meet Again [The Foreign Exchange Music] (Full Album)

Well here it is! The one we've been waiting for ... the best release of 2024 so far by a country mile without a doubt. The new album from Washington D.C. native Sy Smith "Until We Meet Again". She gave us a taste in October with the lead single "Slide".

It's been almost exactly six years since her last album "Sometimes A Rose Will Grow In Concrete".

The album is produced by Detroit's Zo! (Lorenzo Ferguson) and Tall Black Guy (Terrel Wallace) and is Sy's sixth album and first released on their Foreign Exchange Music label. Executive producer Phonte Coleman co-wrote two of the songs ("Photograph" and "All The Ways"). It includes guest appearances from jazz trumpeter Chris Botti, Prince protégé Sheila E, Uruguayan guitarist Leo Amuedo, trumpeter Dontae Winslow and former hip-hop artist Tracey Lee.

We note that four songs were also co-written by Bianca Rodriguez who you may know as BeMyFiasco who released an excellent album "Where I Left You" on Foreign Exchange in Oct '21.

One of those rare beasts, an album you can play from start to finish without the urge to skip on. The three immediate standouts for us though, the single aside, are "Photograph" and "Remember How To Fly" feat. Chris Botti on which Ms. Smith channels her inner Minnie Riperton and "Summer Of '93" feat. Tracey Lee and Dontae Winslow.

To promote the album Sy will be embarking on a (so far) ten city U.S. tour in March and April kicking off with two nights in Indianapolis. She will do two nights in her home town Washington D.C. at Blues Alley where we were fortunate to catch her one night only gig promoting her last album in 2018 whilst on vacation.

You may recall earlier this week we posted a Tall Black Guy mashup of Sade and Donny Hathaway.

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Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	26/01/2024
Price:	£7.49