Soul Strutter: 05/04/24

Saturday, 4 May 2024

Mayfield Records' House Band [2024] - I Believe in Miracles [Mayfield Records]

The Mayfield Records' House Band have released a reimagined cover of the Mark Capanni classic, made famous by The Jackson Sisters, "I Believe In Miracles". It features three female vocalists, Hannah Reem, Gloria Miller and Marlene Hill.

It kicks off with a faithful reproduction of the Jackson Sisters' iconic horn intro but then is taken in a new direction with funky bass and beat, syncopated piano, snappy guitars and horns up and down in the mix.

Mayfield Records is a label and recording studio based in Drayon, Hampshire, founded by Dominic Ellis.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Mayfield Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Key/BPM:	7B/108
Price:	£1

Nobody's Child [2024] - All My Friends Call Me A Fool [Sound Of Soul]

Another digital reissue from August Moon's (Alexander Randolph) 70s Richmond, VA, based Sound Of Soul label.

It's a killer sweet soul ballad, "All My Friends Call Me A Fool", and the only release from Nobody's Child from 1971.

The song was also recorded by Larry Saunders on his 1976 "Stranger" album and also by Dickie Wonder as a single on Golden Triangle in 1975.

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

Details

Rating:	8.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sweet Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sonud Of Soul
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Key/BPM:	12B/75
Price:	£1

Ike Noble & The Uptights [2024] - Good Thing / Look A Little Higher [Athens Of The North #Ath 153]

Two songs taken from a 2022 Athens Of The North compilation "Look A Little Higher" by Ike Noble & The Uptights.

Both were unreleased until then, but the title track and "Good Thing" are being released digitally and on 7" vinyl on 24 May by the label.

The lead side, "Good Thing" is a funky R&B chugger cover of Frank Williams Rocketeers (Lloyd 1966) / Pearl Dowell (Saadia 1970) with "Look A Little Higher" being a deep soul ballad.

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

Details

Rating:	8.1
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	R&B / Deep Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 7" Vinyl
Label:	Athens Of The North
Cat No:	Ath 153
Date:	24/05/2024
Key/BPM:	1B/150 / 8B/87
Price:	£2 / £9.99

Ike Noble & The Uptights [2024] - It's Bad / Best of Luck to You [Athens Of The North #Ath 152]

A record that has been championed in recent years by soul record dealer John Manship at the Newark Sunday soul sessions is "It's Bad" by Ike Noble. We've posted it before on an Ike Noble Discography in 2020.

It is now being reissued digitally and on vinyl by Athens Of The North. It was released in 1967 on Alley and was favoured by the Northern Soul fraternity for the flip side "That's What I Get". As is often the case in later years, enterprising DJs flip record over to test the B sides which were regarded far too slow back in the day when anything less that 100mph was a no go and slower, and perhaps more soulful, songs are now gaining exposure.

Until Manship starting including it in his sets you could have picked an original up for under £100 but they now sell for up to £400! Only one copy is currently up for sale on Discogs with an asking price of £375 for a VG+. You can now buy a minter for a fraction of that. As far as we can ascertain there is no other way of obtaining it on vinyl, except on an Ike Noble compilation "Look A Little Higher" released by AOTN in Jun 2022.

Instead of the original A side, AOTN have issued it with a previously unreleased deep soul song "Best of Luck to You".

Available along with another two Ike Noble singles from AOTN Bandcamp store, all billed as Ike Noble & The Uptights, from 24 May.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Deep Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 7" Vinyl
Label:	Athens Of The North
Cat No:	Ath 152
Date:	24/05/2024
Key/BPM:	8A/108 / N/A
Price:	£2 / £9.99

Ike Noble & The Uptights [2024] - Money Wont Change You / She's Got to Be Loved [Athens Of The North #Ath 151]

The first of three forthcoming digital and vinyl releases by Athens Of The North from Ike Noble & The Uptights.

It pairs two previously unreleased songs by Noble until they were released on a compilation "Look A Little Higher" in Jun 2022.

Both are cover versions leading with James Brown's "Money Wont Change You" (King 1966) and then Tyrone Davis' "A Woman Needs To Be Loved" (Dakar 1968) retitled "She's Got to Be Loved".

The latter was written by Gerald Sim and Floyd Smith (who married Loleatta Holloway) although, curiously, Noble's version is credited to Charles J. Holmes, perhaps a few lyrics may have been changed but essentially it's the same song!

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

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Funk / Deep Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Athens Of The North
Cat No:	Ath 151
Date:	24/05/2024
Key/BPM:	3B/156 / 2B/90
Price:	£2 / £9.99

Ruby Winters [2024] - I Can't Help But Let You [Charly]

The first releases on Cliff Steele and Andy 'Tats 'Taylor's Creative Soul label in 2002 consisted of two sides from Ruby Winters languishing on a 1999 UK only CD compilation of her work ("The Best Of Ruby Winters"). It contained two previously unreleased, George Kerr written, songs "I Can't Help But Love You" and a cover of Linda Jones' If Only (We Had Met Sooner)"

Two versions of "I Can't Help But Let You" were released on vinyl in Oct last year by Charly and are now available digitally, curiously, with the title changed from 'love you' to 'let you" which is actually what was sung so perhaps the compilation title was originally mistake?

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Charlyelf Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Key/BPM:	6A/107 / 6A/108
Price:	£1.98

Jackey Beavers [2024] - What Does It Take / Lover Come Back [Charly]

There's a few dozen versions of this Johnny Bristol, Vernon Bullock and Harvey Fuqua written song "What Does It Take (To Win Your Love)" originally recorded in 1969 by Jr. Walker & The All Stars.

This is a previously unreleased version by Jackey Beavers who reputedly cut it around the same time as the original having been present during the recording of Jr. Walker's version.

It was released on 45 by Charly last year along with an alternate take of "Lover Come Back" and both have now been made available digitally.

Beavers co-wrote "Someday We'll Be Together" with Bristol & Fuqua which they recorded as Johnny & Jackey in 1961. In 1969 it was a big hit for Diana Ross & The Supremes and was their break up song as not long afterwards Diana Ross left for a solo career.

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

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Charly
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Key/BPM:	2B/116 / 8B/112
Price:	£1

Alias Ducie / Lee Bates [2024] - Why Don't You Write (Production Demo) / Why Don't You Write [Charly]

A song recorded in 1971 by NOLA singer Lee Bates called "Why Don't You Write" on Instant is released with a demo version by Alias Ducie.

Both were released by Charly on 45 last year and are now available digitally.

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

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Charly
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Key/BPM:	5B/128 / 5B/135
Price:	£1

VA [2024] - Holland-Dozier-Holland 'Detroit': 1969 - 1977 [Demon Music Group] (Full Album)

We hope you're sitting comfortably, as this new compilation of 68 tracks has a running time of 3 hrs and 30 mins. As it states in the title, it covers the music of "Holland-Dozier-Holland 'Detroit': 1969 - 1977", Most will need no introduction kicking off with Freda Payne's UK #1 pop hit "Band Of Gold" (which stayed at #1 for six consecutive weeks from Sep-Oct 1970 and was 'probably' instrumental in our own baptism to soul music at an influential age but is now regarded as an overplayed wedding song!) and closing with Chairmen Of The Board's "Skin I'm In".

Although we haven't checked rigorously, it will undoubtedly include all the hits released on their Invictus, Hot Wax and Music Merchant labels over an eight year period after they split from Motown.

The compilation is also available on vinyl (but with only 55 tracks) and CD with comprehensive sleeve notes from Stuart Cosgrove, the author of a trilogy of soul history books "Detroit 67: the Year That Changed Soul" (2015), "Memphis 68: The Tragedy of Southern Soul" (2018) and "Harlem 69: the Future of Soul" (2019).

Some songs worth highlighting include a few modern soul favourites: the sublime Satisfaction Unlimited "Let's Change The Subject", Silent Majority "Something New About You", H-D-H "Why Can't We Be Lovers" and "New Breed Kinda Woman", New York Port Authority "I Got It", Tyrone Edwards "Can't Get Enough of You". A couple of popular Northern Soul tunes, Eloise Laws "Love Factory" and Just Brothers "Sliced Tomatoes" as well as Freda Payne "Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right" and "We've Got to Find a Way Back to Love" along with Brian Holland "I'm So Glad" and so many others.

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

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	60s/70s Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Demon Music Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Price:	£31.96

Ellysium [2024] - Echoes Of Beginnings [Twin Noir Records]

We can find nothing about Ellysium, however, we have found some information on the song's writer Ronald Gordon Patton. They have released what appears to be a first single, "Echoes Of Beginnings", today.

After an orchestral style opening it sounds a bit like The Spinners from their 70s Thom Bell, Phillipe Wynne led, period. Whether or not this is a brand new song, or something that has been languishing in the vaults, we don't know but it sounds and, from the artwork, looks vintage.

This song was posted on his Soundcloud channel a week ago along with several other recent recordings (not all soul) and released on Twin Noir which we must presume is his own label. So perhaps it is a new recording but of course the song may have been written/recorded years ago.

Ron Patton (aka Ropatt) was born and raised in Michigan and whilst at college explored songwriting as a profession. When he graduated he continued writing with his twin brother Arnold and promoted their demos to labels and publishers around Detroit. In 1976 the brothers relocated to L.A. where they became staff songwriters for Holland Dozier Holland Music in Hollywood. In 1980 he co-founded Baywest Records in Marina Del Rey, California.

He authored a book last year "Fables & Proverbs: Songwriting’s Secret Weapons for Lyric Writing".

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

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Twin Noir Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Key/BPM:	4B/80
Price:	£1

Kat Fontaine [2024] - No One Can Love You More Than I Do [Society Hill Records]

Butch Ingram's Society Hill Records continue with the cover versions. The latest offering is a cover of the superb Phyllis Hyman, Skip Scarborough penned, song "No One Can Love You More" sung by Philly's Kat Fontaine with a slightly amended title.

The song was on Ms Hyman's eponymous debut album on Buddah in 1977 which we have posted previously highlighting this specific song.

No one could sing it better than Ms Hyman but Kat Fontaine gives it her all.

Kat Fontaine released an album "This Time" in Feb '22, which was all cover songs. One of the tracks (a cover of Dee Dee Sharpe's 1980 PIR single "I Love You Anyway") did quite well on UK Soul Chart. Kat was a regular go-to backing vocalist in the Philly International heyday working on may recordings for the label's roster.

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

Details

Rating:	8.1
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Society Hill Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

Michael Gray [2024] - Optimism [Sultra Records] (Full Album)

Dumbarton born, Croydon (South London) based, DJ / producer / remixer Michael Gray has released his second album, "Optimism".

As you'd expect, it's rammed with 'housed up' dance tunes. A striking one is "Fly Away" based on Stevie Wonder's "As" with a gospel choir, The Sultra Gospel Singers.

However, there are a few soulful songs such as "All I Want Is You" feat. Lex Cameron and a few 80s throwbacks such as "Don't Want Anybody" and "Where Do We Go From Here" (both feat' Kelli Sae) with a funky Chic/Nile Rogers-like bass line as does "Virtual Cool".

Kelli Sae has her fourth studio album due later this year and a forthcoming Latin flavoured single from it, "Good Feeling", is due on 21 Jun via Reel People Music.

If dance music is your thing then there are plenty to choose from here some with obvious commercial crossover appeal.

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:	Dance / Disco
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sultra
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Price:	£7.99

Dana Masters [2024] - Real Good Mood [Self Released] (Full Album)

We first encountered the music of Dana Masters (pronounced Dayna) in March with her single "Waste Your Time" and took the opportunity of also posting her first single of the year, "Rising", performed live with the Ulster Orchestra. Both were from a, then forthcoming, debut album "Real Good People" which is now released and she launches with three dates in Belfast (4th), Dublin (9th) and London (10th).

Unsurprisingly, when you listen to her sound, Dana Masters was born and raised in the deep south of the US. She is the granddaughter of a celebrated Civil Rights Movement activist of the 50s and 60s, Johnnie Ruth Jenkins .

At 17 she left South Carolina to pursue her musical ambitions in Minneapolis and worked with Prince's guitarist. Four years later she relocated to L.A. where she met an an Irishman which led her to live in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

Whilst in NI she was introduced into the jazz scene and for the last 7 years has toured and recorded with Van Morrison as a featured vocalist. Morrison says of Dana: "Dana's wide-ranging musical influences are evident through her own unique sound. Her vocal dexterity spaces the spectrum from deeply meditative to soaring, soulful resonant highs".

Although her recorded material was rather scant (two EPs and a handful of singles) before her debut album, she is a seasoned performer, having performed for the Pope, President Clinton and Tony Blair and of course 7 years with Van The Man!

Last year she presented a BBC documentary "My Name Is Ottilie" which traces the history of Ottilie Patterson, a little known white blues/jazz singer from County Down, NI, who was a member of the Chris Barber Band who performed at Muddy Waters' club in Chicago in 1959 receiving a rapturous response.

If you like the sound of Acantha Lang then you should love Dana's new single as it's very similar sounding to our ears. (Note Dana is pronounced as Dayna rather than Darna).

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:	New Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/05/2024
Price:	£7.99

SoulStrutter Selections April 2024 - Neo Soul

Our selections of some of the best Neo Soul releases for April 2024. There are many (approx. 20) that we shortlisted but didn't get around to posting owing to our Easter break at the beginning of the month so we've extended the playlist to 50 tracks with a running time of approx. 2 hours 30 mins. They are loosely in ascending release date order.