Trace feat. Paul Mac Innes [2024] - Ain't For Free [Six Nine Records] PROMO SAMPLE

A song that you may recall from 2006 is "Ain't That Free" by Trace feat. Swedish blue-eyed soul singer Paul Mac Innes when it featured on the "Soul Togetherness 2006" compilation (only?).

It now gets a release on 7" vinyl by Six Nine Records which includes the original 2004 version along with a new edit for 2024. It's available now to pre-order and we're told will be released in a couple of weeks.

It's the label's first release for a little while, since 3TOB "My Baby" / "Love Will Find It's Way" last year.

Coincidentally, Mac Innes released a new single on Friday titled "No Chains", We last featured him with another vinyl release in 2022 on LRK Records, "Falling By The Wayside".

Excuse the pun but we can find no trace of Trace but from writing and production credits (Christopher Ekholm and Nils Dahl) and musicians Anna Bellander (backing vocals), Carl Bellander (trumpet) and Carl Ryden (guitar), believe they may also be from Sweden.

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

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

Ain't For Free (Original 2004 Version)

Ain't For Free (2024 Edit)

Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Six Nine Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	05/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£20

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

21st Century Soul - 2006 (The Best Of)

2006

Continuing the 21st Century Soul series with the 7th edition 2006.

Previous Years

2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Alphabetical playlist by artist against individual who selected them.

Artist	Title (Album)
Kevin Oxberry	Starpoint Radio
Allon Sams feat. 3AM	You Remain The Same (Music And Laughter LP)
Archie Love	Loving On Borrowed Time (Sincerely Yours LP)
Donald McCollum	U Don't Want My Love (U Don't Want My Love LP)
Freddie Jackson	Heaven (Transitions LP)
Gary Taylor	My Blackness (Retro Blackness LP)
Keshia McFarland	Movin' (I Can Feel The Spirit) (Covergirl LP)
Maysa	Don't Say Goodnight (Sweet Classic Soul LP)
Steve The Scotsman Harvey feat. Linn Segolson	Troubled Times (The Everyday People Project Vol. 1 LP)
Tracii Chinwah	Hear Me (This Is The Day LP)
Unified Tribe	Love's On My Mind (Funktional Family LP)
Paul Goldsmith	Starpoint Radio
Amar Khalil	Sunny Day (Where There's A Will There's A Way LP)
Darien Brockington	All We Ever Need (Somebody To Love LP)
Donald Harrison Jr.	You Love Me Back (3D Vol. 1 LP)
Jáven	Not Gonna Worry (Believer LP)
Karl Frierson	Ten Minutes (Soulprint LP)
Keisha White	Out Of My Hands (Out Of My Hands LP)
Marcell & The Truth	Hopes Too High (Hopes Too High LP)
Reesso 90220	This Must Be Love (M Box Mix) (M Box Story LInes LP)
Stacie Orrico	Take Me Away (Beautiful Awakening LP)
Steve Aggasild	Soul Music Radio / SOTAR
Tamar Davis feat. Prince	Beautiful, Loved & Blessed ( LP)
Kierra Kiki Sheard	This Is Me (This Is Me LP)
Natalie Williams	This Girl (Secret Garden LP)
Braxton Brothers feat. Ledisi	Better Than Nothing (Both Sides LP)
Diplomats Of Soul feat. Noel McKoy	Someday (We'll All Be Free) (Yam Who Mix)
Drew Sidora feat Mario	For the Love (Step Up OST)
Jazz Juice	Atravessar (52nd Street LP)
Karl Frierson	Ten Minutes (Soulprint LP)
Lin Rountree feat. Leslie Nelson	The Message (Groovetree LP)
Marion Meadows feat. Will Brock	Miss Know It All (Dressed To Chill LP)
Maysa Leak feat. Kevin Whalum	There's Nothing Better Than Love ( LP)
Najee	The Night I Fell In Love (Forever, For Always, For Luther Vol 2 LP)
The Invisible Session feat. Mika	I'll Be Your Wings (The M&D Mix) (Schema The Invisible Session LP)
The Juju Orchestra	Kind Of Latin Rhythm (Bossa Nova Is Not A Crime LP)
SoulStrutter
Briana Scott	Brand New Day (While I'm Here LP)
Chavous	Hey (Life Without Limit LP)
Darrius Willrich	Just Wanna Know (Love Will Visit LP)
Frank Mccomb	Tomorrow's Not Promised (The Truth Vol.2 LP)
Gwen McCrae; David Hudson	Honey (Honey LP)
Hil St. Soul	We Don't Talk (SOULidified LP)
Joy Denalane feat. Raekwon	Heaven Or Hell (Born & Raised LP)
Joy Denalane	One In A Million (Born & Raised LP)
Keshia McFarland	You Don't Know (Covergirl LP)
L'Renee	I Wanna Fall In Love (Special Song LP)
Lynne Fiddmont	Flow (Flow LP)
Maysa	Playing Your Game, Baby (Sweet Classic Soul LP)
Monica	A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me) (The Makings Of Me LP)
The New Mastersounds feat. Corinne Bailey Rae	Your Love Is Mine (Your Love is Mine LP)
Sleepy Brown	Sunday Morning (Mr. Brown LP)
Teena Marie	The Way You Love Me (Sapphire LP)
Vanessa Haynes	I Wonder (Stay with Me LP)
The Whispers	Diamonds (For Your Ears Only LP)

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Tomorrow's Promise v Glenn Jones - You're Sweet, You're Fine, You're Everything

We are just in the process of compiling some of the best tunes of 2006 for the next instalment of 21st Century Soul which has been dormant for a couple of weeks owing to holidays. This one from Glenn Jones' 2006 album "Forever: Timeless R&B Classics" stood out. 

It's a cover of a song "You're Sweet, You're Fine, You're Everything" written by James Sawyer who was a member of Tomorrow's Promise who recorded it for Capitol in Aug 1973 reaching #31 R&B.  

Sawyer was a Vietnam veteran who served two tours of duty there. Later in life he became a deacon. He died in 2013 aged 68.

It's a very cheap and easy record to pick up on vinyl, depending on condition. If it were rare then this would almost definitely sell for big bucks! Tomorrows Promise released just five singles between 1973-75, three on Capitol followed by two on Mercury,  before disbanding. 

Here are both versions of the song.

We did a feature on Glenn Jones last year for his 60sth birthday, yet somehow managed to miss this gem from the playlist of 30 of his best songs!

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

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

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Norman Hutchins [2023] - I Really Love You / God's Got A Blessing [Izipho Soul #ZP083]

Izipho Soul has two new vinyl single releases available to pre-order which will be released on 1 Mar '23. The first is a pair of tracks by Bishop Norman Hutchins taken from two albums. 

The A side is an extended mix of  "I Really Love You" from "Where I Long To Be" (JDI Records 2006) paired with "God's Got A Blessing" from "Nobody But You" (JDI 2002) (which is incorrectly titled "Norman Hutchins" on Discogs)

Norman Earl Hutchins was born in Delaware in 1962 and started his solo music career in 1992 with the release of an eponymous album. He proceeded to release at least another eleven albums over his career with his last album released in 2013.

He started preaching at the age of 8 becoming ordained at 12 and later, aged only 19, the preacher of Hope Church of God in Christ in Delaware. When he relocated to L.A. he became music minister for COGIC before returning to Delaware to start Frontline Ministries.

His first two albums ("Norman Hutchins" (1992) and "Don't Stop Prayin'" (1993) failed to chart. After six years his next album "Nobody But You" appeared on L.A. based JDI where he would release five albums, the first three charted ("Nobody But You" and "Battlefield" in 1999 and "Emmanuel" in 2001) but the last "Battlefield: The Sermon" (2002) and "Where I Long To Be" (2006) didn't.

In 2008 he signed with IR Records for the releases of "Spontaneous Praise, Vol. 1" (2008), "God Is Faithful" (2009), "If You Didn't Know...Now You Know" (2011) and his last album "Hosanna" (2013). All charted on the Gospel Albums chart.

Hutchins has received eight Dove Award nominations and eight Stellar Award nominations, along with Grammy Awards nominations.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Gospel
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Izipho Soul
Cat No:	ZP083
Date:	01/03/2023
Key/BPM:	9B/94 / 12A/95
Price:	£12

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Willie Walker & The Butanes [2022] - I Feel It / Cry, Cry, Cry [Jai Alai #JAR06]

Alex Subinas' has announced another pair of 7" vinyl releases on his new Soul4Real imprint Jai Alai. If you recall, the imprint was created earlier this year specifically to release 21st century, previously CD only, tracks on 7" vinyl for the first time. 

The first consists of two CD tracks from Memphis born Willie Walker whose gritty southern soul style sits amongst the pantheon of Wilson Pickett, Syl Johnson, Lou Rawls, James Carr, Eddie Floyd, Tyrone Davis and L.V. Johnson. He also recorded as Wee Willie Walker to differentiate himself from other singers with the same name who recorded on Eutor and Hi in the 70s.

 

He has an illustrious career as a member of The Rhythm Harmonizers, The Val-Dons, The Exciters, The Bound Band, Willie & The Bumblebees (although that Willie is actually Willie Murphy of The Val-Dons).

In 2004 he joined The Butanes in Minneapolis and recorded three albums. The first of these was mainly cover versions. The two tracks featured on this Jai Alai vinyl release are "I Feel It" from "Right Where I Belong" (2004) and "Cry, Cry, Cry" from "Memphisapolis" (2006). 

"Right Where I Belong" was released by UK Soul connoisseur Colin Dilnot (In Dangerous Rhythms) on his On One Records. Apparently the band on the album once backed John Lee Hooker and Little Johnny Taylor.

Willie died peacefully in his sleep in Nov 2019 aged 77 whilst recording his last album "Not In My Lifetime" with The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra for Blue Dot. The album was posthumously released in 2021

Earlier this year Kent released "I Don't Want To Take A Chance" / "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More".

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Southern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Jai Alai
Cat No:	JAR06
Date:	31/08/2022
Key/BPM:	6A/112 / 11B/72
Price:	€14 + P&P

Copyright © 2009-2022 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Kenny Smith [2006] - One More Day [Shake It Records #SHAKE IT 551] (Full Album)

Following the post for Kenny Smith's Northern Soul single "Lord, What's Happening To Our People", I thought why not post his full compilation from 2006 "One More Day" which contains many of his singles.

It's still available to buy on Amazon either digitally or on CD. (Click on image below).

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Northern Soul / Funk
Format:	Album / Compilation
Media:	Digital/CD
Label:	Shake It Records
Cat No:	SHAKE IT 551
Date:	2006
Value:	£7.99 / £16.16

Diplomats Of Soul [2006] - Someday [Expansion]

Ralph Tee of Expansion records is gradually uploading much of the Expansion back catalogue to BandCamp. This one came up this morning, originally released in 2006. I am 'guessing' that this may be the first digital release (don't quote me), or perhaps just a reissue, of these mixes of Donny Hathaway's "Someday We'll All Be Free" by Diplomats of Soul, who are Ralph Tee and Mike Allin with help for friends i.e. Bluey and Incognito with lead vocals by Noel McKoy.

There are three different mixes of "Someday" (original, Yam Who Mix, Notenshun Mix) along with a jazz funk instrumental "From Here On"

Available digitally from Expansion BandCamp store for £2

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

UPDATE Whilst looking for something else from The Reflex I came across this from last year, so rather than putting it in another post, I thought here would be appropriate.

The Reflex · Donny Hathaway - Someday We'll All Be Free [The Reflex Revision]

Details

Rating:	8.2
Genre/Style:	Soulful House
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Expansion
Cat No:	None
Date:	20/02/2006 / 15/09/2021 (reissued)
Key/BPM:	2B/120
Value:	£2

Anthony David Feat. Keisha Jackson [2006] - Lady [Brash #BRH 0024-2]

A killer track 'Lady' from Anthony David (Harrington) which features Keisha Jackson from the 2006 album 'The Red  Book Chronicles'. The track was also released as an additional track on the single 'Something About You' (cover of the Level 42 song) on Dome in UK in 2007.

Listen to Full Album here.

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

Details

Rating:	9.3
Genre/Style:	Neo Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Brash
Cat No:	BRH 0024-2
Year:	2006
Key:	12A
BPM:	61
Value:	£7.99

Frank McComb v Stevie Wonder - Golden Lady

This was first played c2000 from a bootleg CDr 'The Motown Sessions' which were unreleased demo recordings he made for Motown. Tracks from the album were subsequently released on UK's Expansion label in 2006 as 'The Truth Vol. 2'. 

This track is a cover of Stevie Wonder's 'Golden Lady' from his 1973 'Innervisions' album, sounding very like Donny Hathaway.

Frank McComb [2006] - Golden Lady [Expansion #XECD 51]

Stevie Wonder [1973] - Golden Lady [Tamla #T 326L]