Soul Strutter

Thursday, 20 April 2023

Bobby Harden & The Soulful Saints [2023] - Bridge of Love [Dala Records]

Whilst we're in a retro mood and groove, here's the latest single from Bobby Harden not forgetting The Soulful Saints (released on 7 Apr '23) which is the title track of their forthcoming album "Bridge of Love" which is due out on the 12 May '23.

Oh Lord, how good is this? I loved their "Feels So Good" from Dec '21, but this one presses and caresses all the soul buttons. This is a soul masterpiece and most definitely a future classic. The song is co-written by Harden and Dala label owner Billy 'The Kid' Aukstik.

The last digital single "One Night Of The Week" is paired with "Raise Your Mind" for release on 7" vinyl on the same day as the album.

The album consists of ten tracks and will include five tracks already released i.e. the 2019 single "Runnin' (To Get to Your Love)", "Feels So Good" and "Wounded Hearts" which were released together on a vinyl 7", along with the last single "One Night Of The Week" and of course the title track "Bridge of Love". One of the five other songs is the vinyl flip "Raise Your Mind" along with four new songs which we won't divulge so as not to spoil the surprise when the album drops.

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

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

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Retro Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Dala Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	07/04/2023
Key/BPM:	10B/70
Price:	£1

Tuesday, 19 May 2020

Bobby Harden [2019] - Where Is The Love [DALA 103]

What a great tune this is! Taken from his 2015 album River Of Soul which appears to have been released by CD Baby.

He's a new artist to me but must have been around for quite a while as he was inducted into The New York Blues Hall Of Fame in 2013. Don't confuse him with a country singer with the same name active between 1967-76.

He was born in Youngstown, Ohio, moved Houston and then New York. He's lead for The Original Blues Brothers Band which is led led by Stax legend Steve Cropper and Lou Marini who released The Last Shade Of Blue Before Dark in 2017.

Discogs list a 12" from him (probably from 80s) - I Found Love (When I Found You) on Nyota - the only release on the label listed so perhaps a self-release? No label scan except for the picture cover and no credits available.

I found a transcript of an interview he did in 2013. It would appear that the 12" was released around 1984. He thought he'd bought the rights to the song from the writer Charles Ray Burton but turns out he'd only bought the publishing rights and he mentions that he wrote the B side Tell Me You Want My Loving which isn't on this release of the !2", so perhaps there is another? I don't think it's the same song as recorded by The Spinners on Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow as it is credited to Phillip Pugh & Sherman Marshall but who knows?

Bobby Harden Website on here he has lots of live footage from performances.

He's released 2 albums

2002 - Soul Purpose

Playlist

2015 - River Of Soul

Playlist

Bobby Harden [2019] - Where Is The Love [DALA 103]

Bobby Harden & The Soulful Saints [2020] - Runnin' (To Get To our Love [Dala DALA-103]

Release at the end of last year around Nov 2019 is his first 45 and the third release on Datone imprint Dala is a neo Northern Soul track. This seems to be a single-sided 45.