Eramus Hall [2024] - Your Love Is My Desire (2024 Remastered) [Westbound #WB 5000] (Full Album)

More nostalgia as Eramus Hall's 1980 album "Your Love Is My Desire" has been remastered and reissued digitally, on CD and also on vinyl.

Original vinyl copies fetch as much as £700 but has been reissued several times, initially on vinyl and CD in 1996 by Ace. The CD release contained two bonus tracks not included on the original or this release.

The tracks of main interest to the modern soul followers are the title track "Your Love Is My Desire" and a cover of J.R, Bailey's "Just You And Me".

Eramus Hall were a  group who were allegedly named by George Clinton from the name of a Chicago building. One of their members, bassist and vocalist Joe Anderson, previously released three singles on Buddah in 1974-75, one of them being "You And I" that uses the same backing as Ed Summers "I Can Tell". You can listen to both HERE.

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Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / 80s Soul
Format:	Album / Reissue
Media:	Digital / CD
Label:	Westbound
Cat No:	WB 5000
Date:	09/02/2024
Price:	£7.49 / £32.62

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Doris Duke [2023] - Woman of the Ghetto (Original Mix) / Rhyze - Free (Extended 12" Remix) [Sam Records]

Another Demon Music Group reissue pairs Doris Duke's "Woman of the Ghetto" with Rhyze "Free"

Marlena Shaw first recorded the sister funk anthem "Woman of the Ghetto" on Cadet in 1969 with Doris Duke's version appearing on Sam in 1975. Duke made her recording debut as Doris Willingham (her married name, as she married Gus Willingham of The Cadillacs, she was born Doris Curry)  in 1968, She died in 2019 either aged either 77 or 73 depending on which birth year is correct, as Discogs states 1945 and Wikipedia 1941.

Rhyze were a Jersey City soul/disco band who started out as Soul Unlimited, who met at college, changing their name to Nu-Sound Express Ltd. after meeting Paul Kyser. They released two singles on Silver Dollar Records run by Kyser in 1970. Northern soulies will know Ksyer's name from writing songs like The Superlatives "I Still Love You" and Robbie Lawson "Burning Sensation" (both NS Top 500 tunes).

He also co-wrote Rhyze's second single "Free" in 1980 from their first of only two albums. Their only chart success was the title track of the first album "Just How Sweet Is Your Love" but "Bizzaar", from their second album "Rhyze To the Top", has graced modern soul dancefloors over the years which would have been a better bet for reissue, as it's never been issued as a single, but was released on 20th Century Fox not Sam.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sister Funk / Disco Boogie / Reissue
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Sam Records / Demon Music Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	28/07/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Dayton [2023] - Promise Me / Eyes On You [Expansion #EXS043]

One of the greatest 80s modern soul tunes ever released is gaining a reissue on 7" vinyl by Expansion Records who have paired two of their modern soul gems back to back.

Dayton's killer side "Promise Me" is taken from "Feel The Music" (1983) and "Eyes On You" from their 1980 self-titled debut album. Both were released as singles with "Promise Me" now fetching three figures. 

Don't take much notice of the highest price paid on Discogs (£255) (that must have been a desperate buyer) as they were selling for around £25 a few years back but have crept up in price (supply & demand) with none currently available for sale.

Anyway, unless you absolutely must have original vinyl you can now buy it for £12 and "Promise Me" is the slightly longer (4:02 v 3:43) album version available on 7" for the first time (it was released on a 3 track 12" which are a bit cheaper and easier to find).

Not surprisingly Dayton were formed in Dayton, OH, in 1980 and consisted of former members of Sun and Magnum. They released five albums between 1980-85 and are possibly best know for another track from the "Feel The Music" album "The Sound Of Music" which was a big club hit and a minor pop hit in the UK in 1983 but pales in significance to these two sides which 'criminally' never even made it into the R&B chart!

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Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Expansion Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	TBC/08/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£12

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

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.

 

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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

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Powerhouse [2023] - Come Into My World b/w You Turn Me On [Numero Group #NUM4402]

This would seem to be the only release by this group called Powerhouse. released on  Daystar from Chicago in 1980. 

Discogs lists another two singles by them on Blue Ash out of Columbus, OH, which 45Cat has listed separately. Whether or not they are the same group is open for debate as Chicago isn't a million miles way from Columbus. There is a comment on a YouTube video for "Come Into My World" stating that the commenter's father was in the group and named Carl 'Cincinnati' Durgan implying that he may have been from Cincinnati which of course is in Ohio. Another comment gives the names 'Michael Moe Peanut Jewel Lucas Joe Butler Cincinnati' for other group members (with no abbreviation so we don't know if these are first names or what?) but mentions Cincinnati again.

So they may be the same group but there are no videos available for the Blue Ash group's music so we can't compare their sond but ere relese at the same time i.e. 1979/80.

In any case this one has been know to the rare soul crowd for a good few years and has been reissued digitally by Numer Group

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group / Daystar #DS 800
Cat No:	NUM4402
Date:	09/05/2023 / 1980
Key/BPM:	9B/78 / 9B/105
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Bobby Baker [2023] - Everything Has Got To Be Alright / Inst [Epsilon #EPS021]

The second of two reissues by Epsilon is a 1980 Davida recording "Everything Has Got To Be Alright" by Bobby Baker who was  former member of The Coasters (or on of it's offshoots).

The song was written by label co-owner David V. Andrews and produced by Andrews, Baker and the other label owner David Futch. Andrews also provided backing vocals with Delores Williams (aka LaVern Baker) and Patrice Rushen was on keyboards.

Available now on vinyl and digitally from Epsilon Records.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl / Digital
Label:	Epsilon
Cat No:	EPS021
Date:	28/04/2023
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£17.50 / £3

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Ben Jamin [2023] - Thru The Mirrorball EP [Discoholics Anonymous Recordings]

One you will either love or hate is a two track EP/ double single by Ben Jamin which samples / mashes up two well know songs from the 70s/80s. The first, "Some People", uses/loops sections of The Dramatics "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get" (1971) whilst the second, "Injection", samples Trussel's "Love Injection" (1980).

Whilst it may not or may not please or appeal to traditionalists, at least it may give exposure to the originals to a younger generation to seek out.

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Sample
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Discoholics Anonymous Recordings
Cat No:	None
Date:	06/03/2023
Key/BPM:	9B/65 / 9A/111
Price:	£1.98

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Charles Earland [2023] - Coming To You Live / Street Themes [Expansion #EXS039]

The latest reissue from Expansions consists of two sides from the 80s by Charles Earland.

The top side is the single version of the title track from his 1980 album "Coming To You Live" which was his first single following his only UK chart success with "Let The Music Play" in 1978. The female lead vocal is uncredited but the album lists backing vocalists as Debbie McDuffie, Hilda Harris, Yolanda McCullough (Ullanda McCullough) and Yvonne Lewis. There only sounds like one voice to my ears (unless their harmonies are so tight) so if I had to guess it would be Ullanda McCullough who released three soul albums of her own between 1979-82. She also sang background vocals for Ashford & Simpson, Diana Ross, Tina Turner, Luther Vandross, Quincy Jones amongst others. Musicians on the track include Marcus Miller (bass), Doc Powell (guitar) with rhythm and horns arranged by Tom Washington aka Tom Tom.

It is flipped with another album title track, "Street Themes" (1983) which, until now, has remained an album only track. It's an instrumental

Earland was from Philadelphia and learned to play saxophone at an early age playing with Jimmy McGriff aged 17. He formed his first group in 1960 and released his first single in 1964 as Charlie Earland, Jr. And His Band. He then learned to play the organ and joined Lou Donaldson for a couple of years at the end of the 60s.

Although Discogs lists his first solo album as "Black Talk!" in 1970, he had released two albums prior to that as Charlie Earland Trio, "Boss Organ" (Choice 1969 but recorded in 1966) and "Soul Crib" (Choice 1969).

Earland died of heart failure in Dec 1999 aged 58.

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Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Jazz Funk
Format:	Single / Reissue
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Expansion
Cat No:	EXS039
Date:	21/03/2023
Key/BPM:	3A/115 / 9A/116
Price:	£12

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Sharon Redd [2023] - Can You Handle It (Francois Kevorkian Remix) [Unidisc Music Inc.]

The Special Remixed version of Sharon Redd's "Can You Handle It" by Francois Kevorkian is out digitally today. I believe that it is the original Special Remix that was from 1981 that came out as a B side on the 12" for "You Got The Love"  and not a new mix. The remix was done in Philly at Sigma Sound studios.

This release also comes with the 1980 self-titled album version and a third mix, the Mastermix which I believe is the 'Shep Pettibone Kiss 98.7fm Mastermix' from 1982.

This one certainly brings back memories of sweaty club nights slaving over a hot console when yours truly had a six night club residency back in the day as this got a hammering and still sounds good.

Sharon Redd is the sister of Penny Ford and Gene Redd Jr who owned Red Coach records and was the manager of Kool & The Gang. She died of pneumonia on 1 May 1992 aged 46.

Francois Kevorkian is a French producer and DJ based in NYC from the mid 70s. He was A&R man for Prelude who he did a number of remixes for, as well as DJ at iconic venues such as Paradise Garage and Studio 54.

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Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Dance Classic
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Unidisc Music Inc.
Cat No:	None
Date:	17/03/2023 / 1980
Key/BPM:	11A/112
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Clifton Dyson & Gwen Matthews [2023] So Lonely / I'm Giving Up [Numero Group]

The latest reissue from Numero Group is a 1980 single by the younger brother of Ronnie Dyson, Clifton Dyson, duetting with Gwen Matthews (aka Gwenche Machu). This appears to be her only release although she was a backing singer for members of the Laws family (i.e. Ronnie and Eloise) and also sang on Cherrelle's 1984 "Fragile" album.

The two tracks were the first released on Q.S. (Quantum Sonic) Records based in L.A. and most releases were by Dyson so suspect that it was his own label. Dyson formed Dyson's Faces in the mid 70s who released two albums, both self titled which gets confusing.

The A side "So Lonely" is a sweet soul ballad with the flip "I'm Giving Up" being a good 70s style modern soul dancer. Both tracks featured on his debut solo album "Slow Your Body Down" in 1981 and the latter has been known about for many years on the UK modern soul scene. The album is highly sought after (so much so it has been reissued twice) and also includes his version of Linda Jones' "Hypnotized" which we posted in 2021. That man Al Johnson crops up again as he was one of the album's arrangers.

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Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Sweet Soul / Modern Soul
Format:	Single / Reissue
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	16/02/2023
Key/BPM:	3B/62 / 10B/117
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Carrie Cleveland [2023] - Love Will Set You Free / Make Love To Me [Kalita]

London's Kalita label is reissuing two songs from Carrie Cleveland. It's the first time on 7" vinyl for the lead side, "Love Will Set You Free", which is taken from her 1980 album "Looking Up". They have flipped it with the promo version of a 1978 Audio Ent. single "Make Love To Me". 

There were three different mixes of "Make Love To Me", the promo single mix, the issued single mix and the album version. The one that is most sought after is the promo mix featured on this release. The album version has more of a reggae feel and the issued single version has cheap sounding, synthetic keyboards. To listen to a comparison of each, all three versions are included below.

Carrie Cleveland performed around the Bay Area in the 70s and produced the material over two years between 1978-80 with her husband Bill in their home garage studio in Oakland, CA. They 'private pressed' the recordings, the singles on Audio Ent. and the album on Cleve / Den. 

Her album has been highly sought after for many years and now fetches up to £350 or more. It was bootlegged in 2015 but Kalita reissued it legitimately in 2018.

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Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Reissue
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 7" Vinyl
Label:	Kalita
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/02/2023
Key/BPM:	4A/114 / 8B/119
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

D.J. Rogers [1980] - Love Cycles [Arc #AS 711] v Macka & Lowree [2022] - Chorin' Love [Fresh Take]

This may seem like a bit of a random post but it is inspired by an email received from a blog visitor from Milan, Italy, with an attachment asking if we could help identify the track as he didn't know what it was. It turned out to be a nice dance track by D.J. Rogers "Love Cycles" from 1980 which I'd long forgotten about, so thought it well worth sharing for others who may not be aware of it. It was released on 7", 12" (promo only) and appeared on the album "The Message Is Still The Same".

It was sampled last year by a Glasgow house duo Macka & Lowree titled "Chorin' Love" featuring Last Days of Pompeii on an album "Without The Music (I Don't Know Where I'd Be Dancin')" which was released on 4 Jun 2022 by Edinburgh based Fresh Take Records.

D.J. (DeWayne Julius) Rogers is not an artist whose work I'm particularly familiar with. He was born in L.A. in 1948 and died just over two years ago in Aug 2020 aged 72. He had eight entries into the R&B chart with only the first, "Say You Love Me", crossing over to the pop Hot 100, scraping in at #98. The song, like many of his, has a gospel feel and was covered by several gospel acts including Glenn Jones (before he went secular) & The Modulations in 1977 (single only), Jennifer Holliday (1985), Leon Haywood (1996) and Natalie Cole (1999) amongst others. 

"Love Cycles" was his second biggest hit reaching #44 (seven places higher than "Say You Love Me" (#51)) but behind "Love Brought Me Back" which was his highest charting single at #20 in 1978.

It may be fair to say he was an album artist as he released eight albums between 1973 and 1982 with a final one appearing in 1993.

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

David Oliver v Mahdi & Tracy Kerr [1978/1980] - Who Are You [Mercury #74071 / Indy 5 #IN 111]

Another post inspired by a play today on Gary Van Den Bussche's Starpoint Radio show. A sublime song "Who Are You" written and recorded by David Oliver on his sophomore album "Mind Magic" in 1978. It also came out as a single and is relatively cheap in the scheme of things (£25-£60) and certainly better value than spending the asking price of £200 for the new House Bros. single posted yesterday!

Oliver released four albums between 1977-80 all produced by ex-Crusader Wayne Henderson. He was the first to record the Cecil Womack and Edward 'Gip' Noble song "Love TKO" on his last album "Here's To You" in 1980 which went on to be a big hit for Teddy Pendergrass. He was also first to record "Friends And Strangers" which featured on his debut album "Jamerican Man" and was later recorded by both Ronnie Laws and Dave Grusin. Sadly Oliver died in 1982 aged only 40.

The song "Who Are You" was also recorded by Mahdi & Tracy Kerr on Indy 5 in 1980 which will cost a little more (£60-£75). 

Tracy Kerr is the daughter of legendary writer/producer George Kerr. She released a single on Stang in 1972 as Little Tracy Kerr (a very young and naïve sounding cover of Michael Jackson's "We've Got A Good Thing Going" not quite the same standard as Jean Shy's version, Esther Phillips also recorded it in 1981!) and another in 1984 on 12" on her fathers' label Tra San. The label was named after his two daughters Tracy and Sandra who recorded an answer song to Michael Jackson's Billie Jean "(I'm) Billie Jean" on the label in 1984.

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Mercury / Indy 5
Cat No:	74071 / IN 111
Date:	1978 / 1980
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£50 / £65 approx.

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

The Whispers [2022] - And the Beat Goes On (Whispers' Dance Version) [B and a Entertainment]

Two weeks ago on 9 Sep The Whispers released a Radio Edit of one of their biggest hits "And The Beat Goes On". Yesterday they released an extended Dance Version.

I understand, from a comment left of the radio edit, that they are re-recording some of their music so that they have the rights to it.

If you haven't already seen it, yesterday a playlist was posted in tribute to Walter and Wallace Scott's 79th birthday which highlighted some of The Whispers best 60s and 70s material

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	B and a Entertainment
Cat No:	None
Date:	23/09/2022
Key/BPM:	10A/115
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Timeless Legend [2022] - I Was Born To Love You (12" Version) [Expansion / Dawn-Light] (Full Album)

A 1980 modern soul classic by Columbus, OH, group Timeless Legend has been digitally reissued today by Expansion, although they did issue "I Was Born To Love You" on 12" vinyl in 2019.

The original 7" on Dawn-Light is now into four figures and was written by group member Jackie Hogg. The label was owned by their producer/manager Carl Fagain on which only Timeless Legend songs were released. 

The group released an album "Synchronized" in 1976 on Pendulum which also now sells for large sums but doesn't contain this track.

They released their first single in 1975 on Black Forest followed by two on Dawn-Light with their last single in 1985 billed as Timeless on Pendulum. The first two labels were both owned by Carl Fagain and I suspect Pendulum was too as the only releases are by this group.

Expansion also reissued an extended edition of the "Synchronised" album in 2020 on vinyl (it had originally been released by Escrow in 2003 on CD) which contains five additional tracks. It is essentially their full discography with the exception of "Everybody Disco" which I suspect was deliberately left out, although Expansion did reissue it in 2018!

I've included both the full expanded album and their 1985 single so this is the complete discography for Timeless Legend. NOTE: the expanded album is still available digitally (£7.99) on CD (£34.04) and vinyl (£24.99) on Amazon.

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Details

Rating:	8.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single / Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Expansion
Cat No:	None
Date:	10/09/2022 / 1980
Key/BPM:	7A/118
Price:	£1.50

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Herb Alpert [1980] - Red Hot [A&M #AMS 7557]

"Red Hot" from Herb Alpert's 1980 album "Beyond" and also remixed later in 1983 for "Blow Your Own Horn" (video version below).

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Jazz Funk / Instrumental
Format:	7"
Media:	Digital
Label:	A&M
Cat No:	AMS 7557
Date:	1980
Key/BPM:	9A/110
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Atlantic Starr [2022] - When Love Calls (DoctorSoul Long Extended Re - Therapy) [Self Released]

A Bandcamp only release by DoctorSoul with a remix of Atlantic Starr's 1980 song "When Love Calls" taken from their "Radiant" album featuring Sharon Bryant on lead.

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Classic Soul /80s / Remix
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/06/2022
Key/BPM:	?/112
Price:	€1.50

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved