21st Century Soul - 2000 (The Best Of)

Artwork by Roger Williams

Midweek, especially Tue-Thu, is usually particularly quiet for new releases so we were discussing this with a few contacts and a suggestion was to feature some oldies and we came up with the idea of featuring Y2K soul which we will call 21st Century Soul and work through each year of the century.

Starting this week with 2000, and incrementing the year each week, with the selections of their favourites for each year from radio show hosts Kevin Oxberry, Paul Goldsmith, Roger Williams and Steve Aggasild and a few of our own if they haven't already been chosen.

You may know many of them and, hopefully, there will be some that you don't or have forgotten about.

Several of the selections aren't available on Spotify (highlighted in red below) but the ones that are have been included in the playlist below. They're in no particular order of merit, simply alphabetical by artist against each DJ who selected them. Inevitably there was some overlap but not as many as you might expect.

Anyone wishing to submit selections for 2001 onwards is invited to send them to soulstrutter@gmail.com

Artist	Title (Album)
Kevin Oxberry	Starpoint Radio
Andre De Lange	Could You Be (My Favourite Girl) (Educate Your Soul LP)
Avant Feat. KeKe Wyatt	My First Love (My Thoughts LP)
Fridrik Karlsson Feat. Cathy Ogden	Don't Let Go (A New Day LP)
Funkmaster Flex Feat. Faith Evans	Goodlife (60 Minutes Of Funk Vol. IV: The Mixtape LP)
Ian Martin Feat. Angela Berryman-Simpson	Thank You (One LP)
Nanette Frank	Settle For My Love (There's Room LP)
Natasha C. Coward	Been So Long (New Love LP)
Noel Elmowy	Only For You (Feelin' Good LP)
Phat Cat Players	This Is Your Day (Make It Phat, Baby! LP)
Shaila Prospere	Mistakes (In My Shoes LP)
Shelley Gaines	Saved (The Gift LP)
Urban Knights Feat. Hardeman	Strung Out (Urban Knights III LP)
Will Downing	Share My World (All The Man You Need LP)
Paul Goldsmith	Starpoint Radio
Beverlei Brown	On And On (Finest Soul Mix) (Next To You LP) (1996 on 12")
Bless-Ed	I'm Free (Blessed LP)
Brent Jones & The T.P. Mobb	Goodtime (Brent Jones & The T.P. Mobb LP)
Derick Hughes	Can You Say Love (All For Love LP)
Jonathan Butler	Shine A Light (The Source LP)
Shiro Sagisu Feat. Ian Pitter	Every Generation (Shiro's Songbook #2 LP)
Roger Williams	Starpoint Radio
Badwater Bridge Feat. Ron Hollins	Let Me Love You (It's Alright Tonight LP)
Brian Alexander	Don't Want To Sleep Alone Tonight (My Heart Is In Your Hands LP)
Carl B. Henry	Crazy Love (RNB LP)
Carl Thomas	I Wish (Emotional LP)
Elisha La'Verne	So Very Hot (Change Your Way LP)
Frank McComb	Future Love (Love Stories LP)
Gerald Levert	Dream With No Love (Bamboozled OST LP)
Kelli Williams	Crazy For You / In The Myx (Of Your Will LP)
Kelly Price	Good Love (Mirror Mirror LP)
LaTanya	Why You Acting Shady (LaTanya LP)
Lucy Pearl	Without You (Lucy Pearl LP)
Maysa Leak	Got To Be Strong (All My Life LP)
Natasha C. Coward	He Didn't Love You (New Love LP)
Nathan Heathman Feat. Marjorie Hughes	Guess I Didn't Know You After All (Right Here Right Now LP)
Noel Elmowy	Precious Love (Feelin' Good LP)
Phil Perry	Closer To Heaven (My Book Of Love LP)
Pru	What They Gone Do (Pru LP)
Rachelle Ferrell	I Forgive You / Individuality (Can I Be Me?) (Can I Be Me LP)
Randy Crawford	Sweetest Thing / Permanent (Play Mode LP)
Shiro Sagiso Feat. Freedom Gospel Choir	Sweet Inspiration (Shiro's Songbook #2 LP)
Temptations Feat. Wanda Vaughan	Error Of Our Ways (Ear-Resistible LP)
Tim Kepler	I'm Gonna Fly (From Folsom To Forgiven LP)
Tommy Sims	A New Jam (Peace And Love LP)
Steve Aggasild	State Of The Art Radio / Soul Music Radio
Bebe Winans	Love And Freedom (Love And Freedom LP)
Carl B. Henry	I'm Thinking (RNB LP)
Chante Moore	Better Than Making Love (Exposed LP)
Incognito Feat. Karen Bernod	Yesterday's Dream (Best Of Incognito LP)
Jill Scott	The Way (2000 Who Is Jill Scott Words and Sounds Vol 1 LP)
Ledisi	Take Time (Soulsinger The Revival LP)
Marion Meadows Feat. Suzy Vulaca	It's Alright Now (Next To You LP)
Musiq Soulchild	Love (AiJUstWanaSeing LP)
Nathan Heathman	Until We Meet Again (Right Here Right Now LP)
Ruff Endz	I'm Not Just Sayin' That, I'm Feeling That (Love Crimes LP)
Shaun Escoffery	Space Rider (Shaun Escoffery LP)
Sugar & Silk Feat. Martay	Get Down (Fact Or Friction LP)

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Tommy Sims [2000] - A New Jam / When You Go [Cherry Entertainment Group #012 159 292-2]

A couple of tunes that were burning up modern soul dancefloors in 2000 from Tommy Sims debut, and so far only, album "Love and Peace". 

They were alluded to on the post for Darryl Anders AgapéSoul EP "Heart Conditions" EP as Tommy featured on the 2020 single "Bulletproof" included on the EP and Darryl regards him as his good friend and mentor.

The two tracks are "A New Day" and "When You Go". As a point of interest Stevie Wonder appeared on harmonica on the track "Summer" which may indicate the respect Tommy had getting someone of that stature to feature on a debut album?

Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	CD
Label:	Cherry Entertainment Group
Cat No:	012 159 292-2
Date:	2000
Price:	£5-£15 approx.

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Walter Thomas [2022] - I Wanna Get Witcha [CQQL Records #CQQL-009]

A digital reissue of "I Wanna Get Witcha" by Chicago's Walter Thomas taken from his 2000 debut album "23rd Street" on Bay Breeze is out today. It was also released a couple of weeks ago on 7" vinyl by CQQL Records and comes with vocal and instrumental sides.

Real Side Records also included it as a B side to "Hold On To The Blues" 7" in 2008 (also from "23rd Street" and included below) which are selling for up to £80!

Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Reissue
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	CQQL Records
Cat No:	CQQL-109
Date:	04/11/2022
Key/BPM:	4A/106
Price:	£1.79

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Elisha La'Verne [2000] - So Very Hot [Urbanstar #URST 005]

A modern soul spin from the guvnor Terry Jones from 2000, Elisha La'Verne "So Very Hot" which is very appropriate for today!

I decided to try and continue on my laptop which is a right royal pain in the ass as all my logons, web links, software and sound links (Hi-Fi) etc. are on the desktop which is refusing to work in this heat (currently 35C where I am), and the laptop runs like a dog in comparison, but we'll see how productive this is until I throw it out the window in disgust!

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	12"
Label:	Urbanstar
Cat No:	URST 005
Date:	2000
Key/BPM:	10B/99
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Terry Harris [2000/2022] - The Soul Of Gerald Levert By Terry Harris [Self Released]

This is a confusing one as according to Amazon Terry Harris "The Soul Of Gerald Levert By Terry Harris" was released on 26 Oct 2000 and the publishing date on Spotify also states 2000 but also 2022. These two tracks appeared on YouTube on 4 Apr 2022 but again with a release date of 26 Oct 2000 so I'm 'guessing' they may be reissues as they do sound more like they were recorded in 2000 not 2022?

"Baby U Are" is a long time favourite Gerald Levert song taken from his 1999 "G" album and released as a single which peaked at #89 on Billboard Hot 100 in 2000. Terry Harris' version is made to sound like a live cut but I don't think it is actually live? An interesting note is that Terry introduces it as 'one of my favourites songs by the late/great Gerald Levert', who died in 2006, so it can't be a 2000 recording!

The other track "Mr. Too Damn Good" only appeared on the 2000 reissue of the album (i.e it wasn't on the original 1999 version).

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Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/04/2022
Key/BPM:	4B/60 /11A/96
Value:	£1.98

Superloop [2000] - Baby Be Mine [SUPER LOOP #001]

I heard this played today on Gary Van den Bussche's excellent lunchtime show on Starpoint radio. It's a fairly obscure UK 12" release by Superloop called "Baby Be Mine" which  samples Teddy Pendergrass' 1978 classic "Close The Door". 

I don't know when it was released but would guess around 2000 give or take a year or two. They appear to be quite hard to find as there are none currently for sale on Discogs but seem to sell for between £20-£30.

Beware as they also released a track called "Be" that appears on a few compilations which is a completely different  song.

Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	12"
Label:	SUPER LOOP
Cat No:	001
Date:	2000 approx.
Key/BPM:	N/A
Value:	£2-£30 approx.

Shaft 50th Anniversary

Today sees the 50th anniversary of the first screening of the legendary cult Blaxploitation movie "Shaft" starring Richard Roundtree and the seminal soundtrack by Isaac Hayes for which he won an Oscar, Grammy and BAFTA for "Best Original Song" for the title track in 1972. 

What better excuse then to post of few of the tracks, not least R. Kelly's modern soul classic from the 2000 remake soundtrack (Music From And Inspired By Shaft), not available anywhere else other than the soundtrack release.

Also Ian Levine's reworking of  Cafe Regio's (the flip side of "Theme From Shaft" 45) by Gary The Master Blaster with a sped up instrumental which adds a rap from a legendary Miami WCKO radio DJ. It was originally recorded in 1998 and was the first release on Neil Rushton and Phil Dick's Soul Intention label in 2010.

Also, the 2009 mix of the title track by way of a change as well an 80s version by Eddy & The Soul Band which features Mahogany on backing vocals from 1985 (both 12" mixes).

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Bridge [2000/2020] - Crying For Love [FER #CD3/LP1 / High Jazz]

Thankfully the technical issue experienced yesterday preventing posting images has resolved itself. However, there are still hardly any new releases worthy of posting, so I thought I'd 'treat' you to this classic modern soul album from Bridge which I noticed was reissued (digitally and vinyl) last year (Dec. 2020) by Swiss company High Jazz. It's crazy, as one sold on Discogs for £95 when there are some vinyl copies still available on BandCamp for 40CHF (approx. £31.50 plus postage)! 

(NOTE when I wrote this yesterday there were 3 still available but today there is only one so if you want it grab it quickly! ... and I've looked again just now (a few hours after initially posting) and there are 5 .. Hhmmm! ... sales tactics ... in any case don't pay a ransom on Discogs without checking BandCamp first!)

The album was originally recorded in Boulder, Colorado in 1981 for Bang Records, but lay in the can until Mark 'Fish' Coddington licensed it on his First Experience Records (aka Simply Soul) on both CD and vinyl in 2000. Unbelievably, the album on original vinyl is selling for up to £220.There is only one currently listed on Discogs for £231.40, I wish I'd bought a few vinyl copies at the time but only bought the CD version!

It's a superb album throughout, one you can just put on the decks and leave it and bask in the sixteen tracks for 62 minutes.  All songs were written by group member Paul Tillman Smith except for "Sweet And Wonderful" which was written by three other group members. Lead vocals were shared by Debravon Lewis (who recorded on Motown as Fizzy Qwick in the 80s), Derick Hughes (son of Freddie Hughes), and Freddie Hughes appears on a couple of tracks.

It is worth highlighting the killer tracks, but of course it is personal taste. The title track "Crying For Love" has an anthemic quality with Debravon Lewis on lead and Freddie Hughes on backing vocals.

"Stella", recorded originally on Norman Connors' 'This Is Your Life' album in 1977 with vocals from Jean Carn and James Robinson. Debravon Lewis and Derick Hughes lead on this track.

"Listen" also originally recorded originally on Norman Connors' 'This Is Your Life' album with vocals from James Robinson. The great Freddie Hughes leads on this track, which, for me, is an even better rendition than the original.

"Reach Out" with Derick Hughes on lead.

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Details

Rating:	9.2
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital/LP
Label:	High Jazz : FER
Cat No:	None : CD3 / LP1
Year:	2020 : 2000
Value:	£32 / £140-£200 (approx.)

Joy Enriquez [2000] - Tell Me How You Feel [LaFace #LFDP-4457]

The mention of Lowrell Simon in the earlier, Ferdinand Debeaufort reworking of The Dells, post reminded me of this modern soul gem from 2000 which uses samples from Lowrell's 'Mellow Mellow (Right On)' by Joy Enriquez. So, with not much happening today so far on the new release front, I thought I'd post it continuing the modern soul oldies theme.

The singer is from Whittier, LA and recorded this when she was just 20. A few years later she married her producer Rodney Jerkins (aka Darkchid) and became a Christian and ceased recording secular songs. Her second album in 2006, 'Atmosphere Of Heaven', is a Christian album.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	12"
Label:	LaFace
Cat No:	LFDP-4457
Year:	2000
Key:	1A
BPM:	94
Value:	£2-£5 (approx.)

Gerald Levert [2000] - Baby U Are [EastWest #67066-2]

As far as I'm concerned this is Gerald Levert's best track. From the 1999 album 'G' and released as a single in 2000.  It scraped into the Hot 100 and peaked at #89.

He died of an accidental drugs overdose (prescribed and over-the-counter) in Nov 2006. He was son on O'Jay Eddie Levert who tragically also lost his other son Sean due to complications of sarcoidosis only six days into a 22 month prison sentence for failing to pay child support in Mar 2008.

They formed the group Levert with Marc Gordon in 1983 and had twelve US R&B top 10 singles, five of them reaching #1.

Details

Rating:	9.5
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	12"/CDs
Label:	EastWest
Cat No:	67066-2
Year:	2000
Key:	11A
BPM:	86
Value:	£1

Rahsaan Patterson v Donell Jones - I'll Go

Rahsaan Patterson wrote and recorded the original version of this tune, which was also recorded by Donell Jones and featured on the soundtrack of 'Love And Basketball' in 2000. I don't think Jones officially released it as only a 12" promo exists of the recording other than on the soundtrack album.

A, now defunct, UK internet radio station Soul24/7.com received a demo from Patterson when he was interviewed by them. Terry Jones played it on his show and at his gigs around the UK. It was then picked up by Ralph Tee's Expansion label and released on 'Soul Togetherness 2001' compilation. As Donell Jones was a hot property at the time, it was decided that he should release it, rather than Patterson, and it came out on a LaFace 12" promo in 2000.

Rahsaan Patterson [2001] - I'll Go [Expansion #EXP 14]

Donell Jones [2000] - I'll Go [LaFace #LFDP-4411]

Marcus Johnson [2000] - On My Mind [Lightyear #54410-2]

Here's one I've just found on my hard drive from Washington D.C. jazz pianist Marcus Johnson from his 2000 debut album Urbangroove - a great little toe-tapping stepper.

To date, since his debut in 2000, he's released 15 albums with another one 'Ballads In My Voice' imminent.

Website

Liquid Soul [2000] - Dysfunction [Shanachie #SH 5065]

Whilst writing the previous post I was reminded of a track I first heard played by the 'guvnor' Terry Jones back in 2000 Liquid Soul - Dysfunction.  It's on the same compilation as the Ramsey Lewis cover of Portuguese Love 'Spirit Of The Street' released by Jazz FM in 2000, it came out on their 'Here's The Deal' album in 2000 on Shanachie.

A bit of classy, left field modern soul/jazz which features (Lisa) Simone who is Lisa Celsete Stroud and is the daughter of none other than Nina Simone and Andy Stroud.