There has been a lot of vinyl reissues this week which we tried to mop
up yesterday but another two landed this morning from Alex Subina's Jai
Alai imprint. The label is reissuing four songs by four different
artists over two 45s.
The first pairing consists of tracks taken from two self titled Malaco
albums. The A side, "Love Has Come", from Ruby Wilson's 1981 self-titled album along with "Throw Away Me" from Queen Emily's only album in 2010.
Ruby Wilson was born in Fort Worth, TX, but was based and
performed in Memphis becoming known as "The Queen of Beale Street". She
released a couple of singles on T.K.'s Glades imprint in the 70s and
signed to Malaco in 1981 releasing her debut, eponymous, album A further
three albums followed in the late 80s with three more appearing in the
noughties. Ruby died in 2016.
Queen Emily David is another Texan, from Houston, and her
solitary album was released as a result of being a semi-finalist of
America’s Got Talent in 2008 at the age of 40. In 1999 she won a Sammy
Davis Jr award but, as a single-mother, put her singing career on hold to
bring up her two daughters.
A year after America’s Got Talent, Malaco boss Tommy Couch Jr. called
her out of the blue and offered her a contract without even meeting her.
A digital 4-track EP titled "Sings" was released in the US, but her
album was released by Malaco on CD in the UK in 2010 before the US which
was eventually released in 2014. It includes a version of Frederick
Knight's "I Betcha Didn’t Know That" and Bill Withers' "Use Me" but it
is the George Jackson ballad "Throw Away Me" that has been chosen for
release on 45. Note: she sings "Throw Away Me" but the album 'incorrectly' labels the track "Throw Me Away".
Available to pre-order now from Jai Alai for release on 14 May '23, but be quick as their recent releases
sold out on pre-order within 24 hours!
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Posted yesterday was a forthcoming 7" single of two previously unreleased tracks by Ruby Winters which have only previously
appeared on a UK CD "The Best Of Ruby Winters" which didn't include one
of her most in-demand singes "I Want Action" / "Better".
Thinking about posting "Better" (which has been a long time favorite since acquired on UK Stateside many moons ago), I came across a 2010 compilation "Just A Dream" which seems to include all of her solo Diamond singles (A & B
sides) from the 60s.
Many may only know Ruby Winters for the ballads she recorded in the late
70s which entered the UK pop chart i.e. "I Will" and "Come To Me" but she
recorded a dozen or more singles before this with five of her 60s Diamond
singles entering the R&B top 10.
This week's anti-war/Ukraine solidarity tune is a Bill Withers song "I Can't Write Left Handed" covered by John Legend & The Roots from their 2010 album "Wake Up!" but done live.
Withers only ever recorded a live version, as far
as I'm aware, on his "Live At Carnegie Hall" album in 1973 (recorded Oct
1972). He died just over two years ago on 3 Apr 2020 aged 81 and a tribute was posted.
Anthony David also recorded it on his "Hello Like Before: The Songs Of
Bill Withers" album in 2018. Purely coincidentally, Anthony David has a new single out with Algebra Blessett which is a cover of a BeBe & CeCe Winans song from 1998 called "Heaven" which I'll post separately.
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Last week jazz drummer Dante' Roberson released a new album "Caveat" which had a track "Can I" featuring Phil Perry and Alyson Williams.
It was originally recorded in 2010 on T.W.O. "The Whispers
Orchestra" album which also featured the same vocalists.
At first I couldn't really tell any discernible difference, but putting them side by side it does appear that it has been re-recorded for
"Caveat"? This makes me wonder whether Dante' Roberson was a member of T.W.O.?
I came across this track on YT which shows the cover of her second
album from 2010 "Love Me Back" but it is actually an unreleased track
which I can find no info about, but it's a nice track so thought I'd
share.
Whilst we are here, I've also posted another underrated track
from the "Love Me Back" album "Excuse Me" which didn't enter the Hot 100 and only
reached #71 US R&B.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the
artist.
One of the best modern soul tunes from the 80s by Johnnie Taylor's 'What
About My Love' released on Otis Smith's Beverly Glen label in 1982. The
label only released three albums, but what albums they were: Bobby Womack
- The Poet, Johnnie Taylor - Just Ain't Good Enough and Anita Baker -
Rapture.
'What About My Love' got a Deadly Sins edit in 2010 titled 'What About
Lola?'.
It was also sampled on Shapeshifter's debut single 'Lola's Theme' in 2004
which topped the UK pop chart for one week and spent 25 weeks on the
chart.
Deadly Sins [2010] - What About Lola? (Deady Sins Edit) [Giant Cuts
#GC003]
Shapeshifters [2003] - Lola's Theme [Nocturnal]
Shapeshifters
at this time consisted of UK producer Simon Marlin and Swedish produer Max
Reich who recruited London gospel singer Janet 'Cookie' Ramus to provide the vocals. The song
'Lola's Theme'
was originally recorded as a promo instrumental in 2003 and was named
after Marlin's wife (Lola).
Lola's Theme samples Taylor's 'What About My Love' and Anthony White's
track from 2003
'Love Me Tonight', which in turn 'borrows' the line 'I'm a different person' (heard first
at 1:42 in White's song) from Imarri
'Let Me Love You (acapella)'
from 1993 (25 seconds in).
After listening to Leela James' latest album 'Did It For Love' released in 2017 it prompted me to visit her recording history. She has to date since 2005, released 6 albums, the biggest seller was 'My Soul' reaching #37 in US charts. All her others were outside the top 50 with one not even charting (Loving You More... In The Spirit Of Etta James) All made top 50 R&B with My Soul reaching #7. The 6 albums have spawned 20 single releases which have all failed to make a dent on even the US RB charts, except 'Tell Me You Love Me' which reached the heady heights of #72! However, 9 have entered the US Adult R&B charts, with 'Don't Want You Back' from her latest album reaching #1.
This surprised me as I thought that she was a 'more established' artist. Her latest album, I feel, is her best to date.
I have posted all her material chronologically embedding links to all her single releases from each album and added any other tracks that are 'worthy'. I've provided YouTube links to the remaining tracks at the bottom of each album.
2005 - A Change Is Gonna Come [Warner Bros. 48027-2]
Debut album from 2005 with 19 tracks, 5 of which were released as singles.
2005 - Music
Her first single taken from her first album
2005 - Don't Speak
The second single from her debut album.
2005 - Good Time
The third single from her debut album - a driving neo/modern soul dancer.
2005 - My Joy
The fourth single from her debut album - a deep and bluesy number.
2005 - When You Love Somebody
SoulStrutter's Rating: 8.85
The fifth and final single from her debut album - another deep soul cut - to me she sounds like Joss Stone on this track.
2005 - Mistreating You
SoulStrutter's Rating: 8.7
Album only - deep soul
2005 - It's Alright
Album track only - deep soul stepper
2005 - A Change Is Gonna Come
'Surprisingly' an album track only - cover of Sam Cooke's classic.
Her second album released 4 years after her debut on Shanachie, which is an album of 11 cover versions. Only 2 tracks were released as singles.
2008 - It's A Man's Man's World
The first single from Let's Do It Again was a cover of James Brown's 1966 classic. She again sounds very like Joss Stone to me on this track.
2008 - Baby I'm Scared Of You
Second single from Let's Do It Again was a cover of Womack & Womack.
2009 - You Know How To Love Me
Album track only - A reasonable cover of Phyllis Hyman's 1979 classic, but hard act to follow to beat the original. Sounds a bit fast and sparse i.e. lacking the lush Philly orchestral backing that Hyman's original had. For a better cover version try Regina Belle's from her latest album The Day Life Begins from 2016 on Shanachie (which prompts me to put some of her material up in future) or even Lisa Stansfield's from the eponymous album from 1997
2009 - Clean Up Woman
Album track only - A competent and faithful reproduction of Betty Wright's classic. Album track only.
2009 - Miss You
Album track only - A cover of the Rolling Stones. Album track only.
2012 - Loving You More... In The Spirit Of Etta James [Shanachie SH 5802]
Her fourth album and back to Shanachie for this one containing several covers of Etta James songs. Of the 11 tracks only 2 were released as singles.
2012 - Something's Got A Hold On Me Cover of Etta James 1962 45 on Argo was 1st single from album.
2012 - I'm Loving You More Everyday
I think this is a song from the Etta James vault that was unreleased until put on a Chess/Charly compilation Tell Mama in the 80s. If anyone knows more please leave a comment. It was the 2nd track release as a single from album.
2012 - Damn Your Eyes
Album track only. Another Etta James cover from her Seven Year Itch album from 1988.
2012 - I'd Rather Go Blind
Deep soul album track only cover of Etta James classic.
2012 - At Last
Deep soul album track only cover of Etta James classic.
The fifth album on yet another label, J&T, which I think 'may' be her own label as only this album and her last are on the label. The album contains 10 tracks of which 3 were released as singles.
2013 - Say That Feat. Anthony Hamilton
SoulStrutter's Rating: 8.7
Neo/modern soul dancer with a hint of Philly. 1st single from album)
2014 - Fall For You MORish ballad. (2nd single from album)
2015 - Set Me Free Neo soul stepper (3rd single from album)
Her latest album which I highly recommend. Five tracks 9of 11) already released as singles and several (better tracks in my view) which should have been, that I've embedded and the remaining tracks are linked to.
2016 - Don't Want You Back
SoulStrutter's Rating: 8.75
Neo soul ballad/stepper (1st single from album)
2017 - Hard For Me
Neo deep soul ballad. (2nd single from alum)
2017 - All Over Again
MORish Ballad(3rd single from album)
2017 - I Remember
Deep neo soul ballad/stepper (4th single from album)
2017 - Don't Mean A Thang
Neo soul stepper (5th single from album)
2017 - Good To Love You Feat. Dave Hollister
SoulStrutter's Rating: 8.8
Neo soul dancer - album track only
2017 - There 4 U
SoulStrutter's Rating: 8.75
Neo/modern soul dancer - album track only.
Great driving, dance track not released as a single. This is perfect for UK dance floors.
Ray Charles & Leela James [2005] - Compared To What [Rhino /ATlantic]
A bonus track for the Northern Soulers - here's Ray Charles & Leela James - Compared To What a monster on the scene by Mr. Flood's Party. This is a slower more jazzy/bluesy version. It's from Ray Charles Genius & Friends album from 2005 on Rhino/Atlantic.
Robert Randolph Feat. Leela James [2006] - Stronger [Warner Bros. 44393-2]
I've included this track for 'completeness'. I find it rather nondescript.
