We've come across several releases by Smidi Beats over
recent months. Many are a bit hit and miss, but this one stood out. A
bit of digging uncovered that the song was released by
Angie La Spina in Apr 2016 as "I Said It Before" and sounds very similar and has the same running time, so a reissue
or a remix? Judge for yourself as we found the original on YouTube
(below).
Angie is from Nevada and the video states that it was the second single
from a forthcoming album "Why Not Us" which we can find no trace of, although it was the title of the first
single in Dec 2015 and is quite a nice stepper (also included
below). Curiously, it has also been released as Smidi Beats feat.
Angie La Spina with the amended title "What about Us".
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the
artist.
At the end of last year Dwayne Scivally released his
second, Thomas Gee produced, album "Soul Chapter II". Both albums ("Soul Of Nashville" and "Soul Chapter II") were initially only available on vinyl but in March this year they were
combined on a CD release.
Izipho Soul selected a track from each ("Let Me So" / "Is It Me")
for 7" vinyl release in April. They have now chosen two tracks ("Point Of No Return" and "So Good") from his first album "Stay Until the Morning" which was released in 2016
and is now as rare as hen's teeth.
The limited edition single is available to pre-order from Izipho Soul for release on Friday (22 Sep). An essential purchase (if you don't own the album) as just try finding the album on the interweb!
In addition, Thomas Gee has announced a third album he has arranged and produced for Dwayne which will be available soon on CD. We are awaiting further details and will post in due course.
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the
artist.
Following on from the new single by
Lynn Davis, it reminded me of a previous post which is timely to re-post. A great
Jazz/House version of George Duke's "I Want You For Myself" which of course featured Lynn Davis on lead vocals.
This version was released on Soulshine in May 2016 by Louis Benedetti feat. Sy Smithand also came out on a compilation "The Sound Of Soul Heaven Ibiza 2016". It's still available from Traxsource with various mixes.
Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the
artist.
Only a few weeks ago Numero Group released "Trouble" by Lou Ragland & The Great Lakes Orchestra and
today (22 Aug 2022) appear to have digitally released the full self-titled album it was taken from which was originally released on vinyl by P-Vine in
2016.
Whilst it wasn't released until 2016 the album sessions were recorded in Las Vegas between Sep 1982 and Jul 1983. Prior to 2016 only two tracks had seen the light of day on a 1982 Great Lakes Orchestra single, "This Is The Night For Loving" / "Didn't I Tell You", an in-demand double-sider on the UK modern soul scene.
For more information about Lou Ragland visit the post for the single "Trouble" posted on 21 Jul 2022.
A superb contemporary deep soul tune from an artist named
Mys Niki (aka Nikita Randle (Nikita Blues)) from Vicksburg,
Mississippi, who appears to have released only three singles in 2015-16
(plus a Christmas single) with "Heaven" being the best of them.
I believe this one was several DJ's pick of the year in 2016 including
DJ Kool Keith who suggested posting it for anyone who never heard it first
time around or who may have forgotten about it.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the
artist.
Whilst on the subject of Expansion (from previous Diplomats of Soul
post), I've also noticed that they have made available this cover of
Roy Ayers 1979 jazz/funk 'monster' "Running Away" which I consider one of
the best of the genre and remember many hours spent bopping away to this
in my youth.
'Buckle in' and give "Running Away (Funky Vibes)" by Simpson Uniquity Feat. Diplomats Of Soul a whirl and I
invite you to try and keep you toes still!
Originally released in 2016, it's available on 7" vinyl (£10) in very limited quantity (only 4 left
according to BandCamp!). It's also available digitally (£2).
As it's still pretty quiet on the new release front here's some footage of The O'Jays - Live From Daryl's House Episode #78 (of 84) recorded in 2016 (website).
It features two of the founding members of the original group The Mascots from 1958, Walter Williams and Eddie Levert who
were 72 and 74 respectively and Daryl Hall was also 69 when this was recorded.
They perform five of The O'Jays seven top 20 hits: 'Love Train',
'Backstabbers', 'I Love Music', 'For The Love Of Money' and 'Use Ta Be My
Girl', followed by two of Hall & Oates hits 'I Want To Know You For A
Long Time' and 'I Can't Go For That (No Can Do)'.
The great new EP 'Dulcet' from The Bruce Gardner Experience, released earlier this month (2 Apr), prompted me to visit his earlier EP 'Mellifluous' released in 2016, and it still sounds fresh.
Click icons below for further information or to connect with the
artist.
Softouch were a female quartet consisting of Alicia Ingram, Candice
Ghant, Opal Jones, Paula Denson. Candice 'Candi' Ghant later joined the
Mary Jane Girls
(All Night Long fame).
The song was written by
Jack Ashford
(percussionist with Motown's house band The Funk Brothers
and George Rountree who was a writer with Motown, music director for Four
Tops and a member of one album band Morning, Noon And Night).
This was their debut single in 1975, They joined Fantasy in 1978 and
released a disco album which spawned one single and then they
disappeared.
The flip side was written by Ashford, Rountree and Sandra Richardson (aka Sandra
Feva). Richardson recorded a version of the song which remained unreleased until
it appeared on The 100 Club 6Ts 37th anniversary give-away 45 in
2016. I actually prefer her slightly slower (122 bpm v 130 bpm) version to the Softouch version.
Softouch [1975] - Say That You Love Me Boy [Prodigal #P 618]
Softouch [1975] - After You Give Your All (What Else Is There To Give)
[Prodigal #P 618]
Sandra Richardson [2016] - After You Give Your All [Kent #6T 32]
A song generally associated with Aretha Franklin who had a #9 R&B and
#73 Hot 100 hit with it in 1972, but it was originally recorded by Lulu in
1969 at Muscle Shoals for her 'New Routes' album on Atco.
It reached #22
US Hot 100 /UK #47 for her 1969. It seems rather odd that Lulu's
version didn't enter US R&B even though it was top 30 pop and her only
US R&B entry was with 'To Sir With Love' (which was #1 Hot 100), which
I wouldn't regard as particularly soulful song.
It was also recorded by several others before (and after) Arethawrapped her pipes around it in 1971. I've added links to many
versions below.
Morgan James [2016] - Oh Me, Oh My (I'm A Fool For You Baby) [Live
Unreleased]
The featured version is by
Morgan James
who recorded it live and broadcast it on YT in 2016, but it has remained
unreleased.
The original from Lulu. Here's a 'warbly'
original video
which looks like it was filmed in Chelsea as that's Chelsea Bridge and
Battersea power station in the background!
Posting Al Castellana's new album promped me to revisit his
last album from 2016 'Souleidoscopic Luv' and what a good album that is so it's well worth posting for new listeners.
Just seen this great memory jerking video of The Groove Association's cover of The Dukes (aka (Dominic) Bugatti & (Frank) Musker) - 'Mystery Girl' which was a minor UK hit in 1981 (#47) which I confess I didn't like at the time but compared to a lot of material currently being released, it actually sounds more soulful - how things have changed! Their version would come under what is now termed as 'Yacht Soul'. I think TGA's version is much better than the original. It's taken from 2016 CD 'Soul Family Affair'.
That's not the only reason for posting the video, it's more as a nod to the legendary Caister Soul Weekender which has been running since April 1979, started by UK Soul DJ legends Chris Hill and Robbie Vincent.
George B(romfield) was a member of 80s Brit Funk band Second Image who never quite made the UK Top 40 but did have 6 entries in Top 100 between 1982-85.
Shades of Luther Vandross particularly on the intro on this 2016 neo/modern soul dancer from Marc Staggers who seems to be a fav in modern soul circles in UK.
I'm not sure whether or not this was ever released as the only place I can find it is on Soundcloud although it states it's on DSG and 'out now' but still cant find anywhere selling it. The main commercial release appears to be the Tom Moulton mix.
There's an long (almost 14 minutes) Mind-Bob'S Mix here done in 2019, mashed together from the Tom Moulton Mix which has a real Philly feel to it, presumably not entirely legal?
I recently came across the Sunday's Best EP by Raquel Rodriguez & Stan Taylor which sent me on a journey to explore some of their other material. Raquel has been recording for several years and I enjoyed what I heard so decided to put together some of her earlier material for others to listen to and hopefully turn them on to her sound. If you enjoy then please support the artist and buy from Amazon links provided.
Raquel Rodriguez has released 3 albums (to my knowledge - there may be others?)
2013 - Miss Me
2016 - The 310
2018 - The 310 Pt. 2
Both Raquel and Stan have their own YouTube channels with lots of live videos so check them out.
After mentioning Jarrod Lawson in the previous post it prompted me to visit his Facebook page and found this amazing (overlooked) track in collaboration with Chris Turner which is released on Chris Turner's 2016 album Bespeak Love.
.png)
