MHem [2024] - Little Sunflower [Pax Stereo]

An artist we've followed since his debut(?) album, "Friends With Benefits" in Sep last year is MHem (Mario Hemsely MD). We're pleased to see that his latest album of covers,"One Night Stand", has been gaining attention, especially for the vocal version of Kool & The Gang's "Summer Madness".

He has a new single out, a track not on the album, which is another cover. This time of jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard's "Little Sunflower" originally written by Hubbard as an instrumental and released on his 1967 "Backlash" album. It was re-recorded in 1979 with Al Jarreau adding lyrics and vocals which this new version is based on. It was released as a single from Hubbard's "The Love Connection" album in 1979.

As with the last two albums the vocalist is once again Derran Day. The song is a whopping 12:34, over 3 minutes longer than Hubbard's 1979 album version, so unlikely to get radio exposure without being significantly truncated.

Most definitely one for the 'chin strokers'!

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

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Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Jazz
Format:	Single / Cover Version
Media:	Digital
Label:	Pax Stereo
Cat No:	None
Date:	24/05/2024
Key/BPM:	8A/1258A/125
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Citrus Sun [2024] - Down For The Third Time [Dome]

From a forthcoming album "Anaconga" due on 14 June by Citrus Sun is the lead single, a cover of Bobby Caldwell's 1978 jazz funk gem "Down For The Third Time". It features one of our favourite UK based singers Natalie Duncan with Dominic Glover (trumpet) and Charlie Allen (guitar).

The album is conceived and produced by Incognito's Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick and pays homage to jazz and soul greats back in the day. It's Bluey's fourth album for Dome (and fifth overall as the first was on Expansion Records in 2000) with his Citrus Sun side project which shows his more instrumental-oriented side.

It opens with four covers on the bounce, Tony Momrelle and Deborah Bond feature on Maynard Ferguson's "Mister Mellow". Ms Duncan performs lead once again on Erykah Badu's "Honey" followed by "Mystic Brew" (Ronnie Foster) and "Down For The Third Time". The remaining six tracks, we believe, are all original songs.

The single comes in two sizes, the 3:58 Radio Edit and the full Monty 5:50 album version and is released tomorrow (24 May).

Very strange as this is the third time today that we've featured music by an artist recently deceased as Bobby Caldwell passed  only in March this year and a tribute was posted.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from. NB available 24 May

Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Soul Jazz / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Dome
Cat No:	None
Date:	24/05/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Patrice Isley [2024] - I Want You For Myself [Expansion Records]

The new single from Patrice Isley (posted from promo on 30 Apr) is out today. It's a new rendition of George Duke's 1979 modern soul classic "I Want You For Myself" on which Lynn Davis performed lead vocals.

The song was suggested to her by producer/keyboardist Gary Hudgens who was behind her single "Just Believe In Love" the title track from her 2016 debut album. She had worked with Hudgens previously on House tracks at his Baltimore studio. Patrice also had a personal connection with Duke and his wife whilst living in L.A. so she aimed to do the song justice.

Expansion Records suggested using a different instrument for the solo so Chicago's Audley Reid was recruited to record the saxophone solo. Reid is known for his work with Phil Perry, Buddy Guy, Kim Fields and others and also features on Michon Young's new album "Love Is My Lane").

Ms Isley was born in Houston, TX, and began singing from an early age, although not in the church as with so many soul singers. She relocated to L.A. where she joined a group that included Nina Simone's daughter, Lisa Simone, and not long afterwards found herself in the studio with Teddy Pendergrass singing BGVs. She was soon in demand as a background singer touring with an A list of artists including Barry White, Gladys Knight, Teddy Pendergrass, Ashford & Simpson, Norman Connors, Margie Joseph, Chante Moore, Solomon Burke, Andre Crouch, Phillip Bailey and Glenn Jones to name but a few.

The new single follows two other recent covers, "Free" (Deneice Williams) (Mar '24) and "Harvest For The World" (Isley Brothers although she is no relation to them) (Oct '23). Like the previous singles, there's the full version and a radio edit and include the full version.

NOTE: When we receive and post advance promos we 'drop' them with SoulStrutter idents to protect them from piracy. Therefore, we were astonished to hear a DJ play this on a prime daytime radio show/station this week with our idents still in place. It was blatantly downloaded or recorded from our post! Please refrain from doing this as otherwise labels/artists will either stop sending us promos or ask us not to stream sound files and everyone loses out! In future we will only post short samples as a result.

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

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Details

Rating:	8.5
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Expansion Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	17/05/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Kenzo Collective [2024] - Bad Bad News [Self Released]

A cover of a Leon Bridges song "Bad Bad News" (from his 2018 "Good Thing" album) by Kenzo Collective has been released toady (15 May).

We believe that they are from Kent, WA, led by Ekene Okpareke and their recordings made in Seattle. This is only their second release (following "Lockdown" (Dec '20)) and is recorded live. 

Muscians are: Yvonne Idro (vocals), Kevin Mironyuk (guitar), Ekene Okpareke (keys), Daniel Mbumba (bass), Samual Panasyuk (drums).

Another song from Bridges' album, "Bet Ain't Worth the Hand", won a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance at the 61st Annual Grammy Awards in 2019.

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:	8.75
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	15/05/2024
Key/BPM:	3B/112
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Nigel Hall & DJ Harrison [2024] - The Burning Bush: A Journey Through the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire [Regime Music Group] (Full Album)

Having pre-released two singles from it already ("Earth Wind & Fire" (22 Mar) and "Happy Feelin'" (12 Apr)) Nigel Hall & DJ Harrison release their full EWF tribute album "The Burning Bush: A Journey Through the Music of Earth, Wind & Fire" today (10 May).

It includes amongst the 12 tracks some familiar and some perhaps less familiar songs from the EWF catalogue. They have avoided many of the 'obvious' songs, the most recognisable is probably their 1981 #1 R&B hit "Let's Groove" and perhaps "That's the Way Of The World".  Many are album only tracks or B sides of singles.

A well considered selection of EWF songs which highlights some that you may not have heard before or overlooked on albums or even B sides. It also introduces a younger audience to the music of one of the greatest soul/jazz/funk bands of all time so that they may perhaps visit their back catalogue and even so that us oldies may re-visit them as some of the older songs now approach 50 years old!

It's rather churlish attempting to choose highlights but one that does stand out is "My Love" from their 1981 "Raise!" album only released as a single in the UK as the B side to "Wanna Be With You" and in Australia and New Zealand to "I've Had Enough". Athens Of The North reissued it on 7" in 2017 as the B side to Brazilian Rhyme".

Another less familiar one worth highlighting is the jazz/funker "Runnin'" which again was only a B side on various A sides around the world (but mainly "Fantasy" and "Jupiter") from "All 'N All" (1977).

Aiding Hall & Harrison on the album are members of their respective bands i.e. Lettuce and Butcher Brown.

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

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Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Regime Music Group
Cat No:	None
Date:	10/10/2024
Price:	£7.99

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Fred White feat. Tia P [2024] - People Make The World Go Round [Self Released]

Fred White may not be a name that you are familiar with but he has a wealth of experience dating back to the 80s. 

He's toured with Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin as well as pop artists such as Phil Collins, George Michael, Rod Stewart; recorded with Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Teena Marie, Patti Austin, George Benson, Phyllis Hyman, EWF, Stevie Wonder, Anita Baker, Johnny Mathis, Patti LaBelle, Oleta Adams, Kirk Whalum and written songs for: Diana Ross, Oleta Adams, Patti LaBelle, Howard Hewett and even Smokey Robinson.

He now has his own single out, a cover of the Thom Bell and Linda Creed song "People Make The World Go Round" feat. Tia P first recorded by The Stylistics' in 1971. The song has been covered many times since, first by Michel Jackson and then by others such as Stevie Wonder, Phil Perry, Angela Bofill and perhaps most recently by Raquel Rodriguez & Stan Taylor on their "Sunday Best Volume II" in Feb '23.

It's not yet available on the main DSPs but you can purchase it direct from Fred White's website.

UPDATE: 10 May It is now available on the main DSPs.

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

Details

Rating:	8.1
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	New Soul / Cover Version
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Self Released
Cat No:	None
Date:	02/05/2024
Key/BPM:	9A/75
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

JohnnyLaSalsa [2024] - Soul Times [Arena Digital Net] (Full Album)

JohnnyLaSalsa is an alias for Cuban Salsa and Latin Jazz singer, producer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist, violinist, keyboardist Juan Antonio Portuondo Zayas.

He graduated as a violinist from the National School of Arts in Havana, Cuba in 1981 and now lives in Gran Canaria.

After releasing each track as a single over recent months, he has released his first solo smooth Latin jazz album, "Soul Times" which consists of seven covers of soul classics. Our pick is his version of the Roy Ayers classic "Everybody Loves The Sunshine" (1976).

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

Details

Rating:	7.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Smooth Jazz / Cover Version
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Arena Digital Net
Cat No:	None
Date:	03/04/2024
Price:	£6.93

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved