Betty Wright [1981] - Make Me Love The Rain [Epic #14-02602]

A topical one... no NOT the just announced General Election on 4 Jul, the other thing Brits talk about incessantly, and with good reason recently, the weather and more specifically the RAIN!

Betty Wright from her self-titled 1981 album on Epic and nice 2-stepper, "Make Me Love The Rain", not available for download, although it was reissued on CD in 2016.

The album's not expensive and well worth seeking out for the deep soul killer "One Bad Habit (And That's Loving You!)" (which we will also include, why not?)

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

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Epic
Cat No:	14-02602
Date:	10/1981
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£10-£25

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Eon [2024] We'll Go On / Children Of The Night [Octave #OTS353]

Record Store Day 2024 has come and gone in April but one that you may not have been aware of for Record Store Day Japan 2024 is a modern soul favourite from Eon. It consists of two album cuts only from their first of two self-titled albums in 1975 (Scepter), the second album is from 1978 (Ariola America).

Eon was a four piece group from New York who released just the two albums and three singles between 1975-78, two from first and one from the second album. Group members were Daniel Anderson, Jay Borrerro, Raymond Orta and Robert Remming. Although all members were African-Americans, the album is quite pop, folk and rock oriented.

The two tracks paired from the first album are "We'll Go On" and "Children Of The Night". They are both 7" edits from the album, 4:31 v 7:12 and 4:49 v  5:45 respectively. The YouTube clips below are the full album cuts.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Octave
Cat No:	None
Date:	20/04/2024 / 1975
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£17.99

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Luther [2024] - This Close To You [Primary Wave Music]

We reported some months ago that, at the behest of the Vandross family estate, two Luther albums on Cotillion were being reissued for the very first time. The first self-titled one, "Luther" from 1976, was released a month ago on 19 Apr.

The second from 1977 is heralded with the release of the title track "This Close To You" today with the full album due on 7 Jun, available digitally, on CD and vinyl. 

This one, we feel, will be more in demand as it contains the two modern soul gems "Don't Wanna Be A Fool" and "Follow My Love". 

The Cotillion albums have never been reissued as Vandross retained the rights to them when released by the label when the group was dropped by them. We bet someone's head rolled (or should have) when they saw the later success of Vandross in the 80s!

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / 70s Soul
Format:	Album Track / Reissue
Media:	Digital
Label:	Primary Wave Music
Cat No:	None
Date:	17/05/2024
Key/BPM:	5A/69
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

James Monroe [2024] - Frontiersman Of The Galaxy / Funky Lady [Numero Group #NUM4800]

Another Numero Group digital reissue of an obscure 1977 recording. This one is from Lennie LaCour's Magic Touch label by James Monroe with "Frontiersman Of The Galaxy" / "Funky Lady".

It also appears to be his only release although 45Cat has merged this recording with another James Monroe who was a bluegrass artist, so almost certainly not the same artist.

It's a new one on us with the top side having a modern soul/crossover appeal and must be known as it commands between £300-£400.

The flip is rather pleasant which has 70s style spoken word/rap intro that repeats later, some funky licks but also a nice falsetto harmony section around 1:30. It's difficult to pigeon-hole as it's unusual so give it a whirl.

Both sides were released last year on "The Magic Touch Singles Vol. 6 (1977)". by Tuff City who have released ten volumes, the last Vol. 10 in Feb this year.  You can find them all on Tuff City Bandcamp store.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Funk
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Numero Group
Cat No:	NUM4800
Date:	13/05/2024
Key/BPM:	9B/107 / 9B/106
Price:	£1,79

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Michael Wycoff [2024] - Looking Up to You (Mike Maurro Mix / Original) [RCA]

Originally released digitally in Dec. last year on a compilation "The Mike Maurro Remix Vault" (consisting of Maurros remixes of 17 classic dance songs) was one for Michael Wycoff's modern soul gem "Looking Up To You".

It is now getting pressed on 12" vinyl along with the original 1982 album version from "Love Conquers All". It will be available on 7 Jun but can be pre-ordered now from vinyl dealers.

The song, written by Leon Ware and Zane Hanks (Grey & Hanks) and produced by Webster Lewis, has been sampled multiple times, first by Dodge City Productions "Ain't Going for That" in 1991 but most famously by Zhane on "Hey Mr DJ" in 1993.

Wycoff sang backing vocals on Stevie Wonder's "Songs In The Key Of Life" (as well as for Natalie Cole, DJ Rogers, Gwen McCrae and others and played keyboards on Bobby Womack's The Poet II). He embarked on a solo career in the late 70s releasing three albums for RCA Victor in the early 80s. Sadly, he succumbed to alcohol and drug addiction which terminated his music career and he later found faith and became a minister. He died from pancreatic cancer in March 2019 aged 63.

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

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	12" Vinyl
Label:	RCA
Cat No:	None
Date:	07/06/2024
Key/BPM:	6A/106 / 6A/104
Price:	£14

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Act 1 / Ivano Fossati [2024] - It's The Same Old Story / Night Of The Wolf (Tema Del Lupo) [Measured Mile #NW 517]

Every day's a school day. A massive instrumental played on Northern Soul dancefloors in the 70s (it may have been a Cleethorpes discovery as it was very popular there and always synonymous with the Pier/Winter Gardens all-nighters) was a song called "The Night Of The Wolf" which was billed/released in 1975 as a single on Roulette under the pseudonym The Al Foster Band. 

Saint Etienne group member and music journalist, Bob Stanley's Measured Mile label has just reissued it on 45 paired with Act 1's "It’s The Same Old Story" under it's original guise Ivano Fossati "Tema Del Lupo" which was the original single title on Italian label Cetra in 1974. It was initially an album track on a progressive rock album "Poco Prima Dell'Aurora" in 1973 which has been reissued several times over the years.

It's a bit of a Marmite tune but there is no denying that it was incredibly popular back in the day when instrumentals were all the rage. Quite what many of them have to do with soul music is debatable but it was all about the beat! It was also a big New York disco sound.

Act 1 was a Spring Records studio group from Detroit who later became Special Delivery. Their claim to fame (in the UK) was their 1974 single "Tom The Peeper" which made it to #40 on the UK pop chart. However, it was several of their album cuts that got attention on the rare soul scene, one of them being "It's The Same Old Story" along with "It Takes Both Of Us", "Goodbye Love (We're Through)"and a storming NS dancer "I Never Had a Love Like Yours". They released just four singles and one album, all on Spring, before morphing into Special Delivery.

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

Details

Rating:	8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Northern Soil Instrumental
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Measured Mile
Cat No:	NW 517
Date:	29/03/2024
Key/BPM:	B/115 / 7A/128
Price:	£10

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

China Burton [2024] - You Don't Care (About Our Love​)​ [Soul Brother #12 SBT 46]

A 12" reissue of China Burton's one-off single originally released in 1979 on Logo was pressed by Soul Brother for Record Store Day 2024.  Soul Brother reissued it on 7" for the first time in 2022. The long version has been previously reissued on 12" in Holland by Kindred Spirit in 2010.

The Soul Brother 12" reissue is a carbon copy of the original 12" with long, short and instrumental versions of "You Don't Care (About Our Love​)" which now sell for up to £400.

The song was covered by Yam Who? Feat. Norman Anderson in 2007 (video below).

Mark 'China" Burton also co-wrote a song "Do You Want It Right Now" with Nick Straker recorded first by Siedah Garrett in 1985 and covered by Taylor Dayne in 1987 and Degrees In Motion in 1992.

Note that only the short version is available to buy digitally.

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:	8.7
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / 12" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	12 SBT 46
Date:	20/04/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£1 / £22.50

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Maze feat. Frankie Beverly [2024] - Somebody Else's Arms / Love Is [Jai Alai #JAR13]

The UK's love affair with Frankie Beverly goes way back to his 60s Philadelphia recordings as the lead man of Frankie Beverly & The Butlers and one elusive recording in particular revered on the Northern Soul scene, "If That's What You Wanted".

We won't wax lyrical about Frankie Beverly & Maze as we did a Frankie Beverly Profile in 2022 to celebrate his 76th birthday and a Maze Feat. Frankie Beverly - The Best Of... in 2020.

Beverly announced his retirement this year with a farewell tour (which commenced at the end of March) but the members of Maze continue under the name TMF The Music Forever who, in case you somehow missed it, have just released their debut album "The Music Forever, Vol. 1".

Soul4Real has paired two tracks from their last two albums for release on 7" vinyl for their Jai Alai imprint. "Somebody Else's Arms" from "Silky Soul" (1989) along with the "Love is" from the "Back To Basics" (1993).

Available now from Soul4Real website.

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

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Jai Alai
Cat No:	JAR13
Date:	17/04/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/86 / 10B/92
Price:	€14

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Winfield Parker [2024] - I Wanna Be With You / My Love For You [Celestial Echo Records #CER001]

The last secular recording by Winfield Parker was in 1979 on his own P&L (P(arker) & L(yles) his manager at the time) label.

The official top side "My Love For You" was a re-recording of his first single on Ru-Jac in 1963 which we suspect was far too dated to make any impact in 1979 but the flip, 'I Wanna Be With You', is regarded as a modern soul anthem in the UK. In the 80s he turned to gospel music. Only one album is listed for him, a gospel album, "Miracles", in 2005.

Both sides of the P&L single have been reissued digitally by Celestial Echo Preservation Group and are available via Bandcamp.

We did a feature on Winfield Parker on his death in Jan 2021 if you wish to learn a little more about his career. There's also a more detailed account HERE based on an interview with David Cole (In The Basement) in 2004.

A little teaser, he was originally lined up by Otis Redding to be the vocalist for the 60s classic "Sweet Soul Music" but owing to a mix up of recording venues, Redding told him to go to Cincinnati instead of Muscle Shoals, Arthur Conley, who had been opening for Parker's shows and was already in Muscle Shoals, got to record the song instead!

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:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital
Label:	Celestial Echo Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/04/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/117
Price:	£2

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Luther [2024] - Luther [Primary Wave Music] (Full Album)

In Feb this year it was announced that the Vandross family estate had agreed to reissue two albums by Luther originally released in the 70s on Cotillion. Vandross bought back the rights to these albums from the label when the group was released preventing the label from reissuing them and they have lay dormant for almost 50 years. The announcement was heralded by the release of Luther's second single "Funky Music (Is A Part Of Me)" from the first album, "Luther" (1976).

The full album has been reissued for the very first time (digitally on CD and vinyl) today (19 April) and includes a bonus track, an instrumental version of "The 2nd Time Around". It is also the day before his birthday, he would have been 73 on 20 Apr 2024.

The second Luther album, "This Close To Me" (1977), will also be reissued on 7 Jun. and contains three bonus tracks "Can’t Get Enough Good Loving", "Come Back To Love (Instrumental)" and " Don’t Wanna Be A Fool (Instrumental)". It includes two massive modern soul gems "Follow My Love" and "Don't Wanna Be A Fool".

Physical copies are available to pre-order via LutherVandross.com. NOTE The bonus tracks are NOT available on the vinyl releases.

The albums are being reissued to coincide with a documentary "Luther: Never Too Much" directed by Dawn Porter which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival on 21 Jan '24.

Only three singles materialised from these two albums: "It's Good For The Soul (Pt I & II)", "The 2nd Time Around" / "Funky Music (Is Part Of Me)" and "This Close To You" / "Don't Wanna Be A Fool", with the latter being sought after by the rare soul scene and sells for up to £300.

Whilst the act uses his name, Luther was a five piece group consisting of Luther Vandross, Anthony Hinton, Diane Sumler, Theresa Reed and Christine Wiltshire  (Class Action, Musique, Phreek). Vandross wrote all songs on both albums. The three singles all charted on the R&B charts (#28, #34 and #94 respectively) but the albums didn't sell particularly well and the group was released by Cotillion.

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

Details

Rating:	8.3
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / 70s Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital
Label:	Primary Wave Music
Cat No:	None
Date:	19/04/2024
Price:	£7.92

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Willie Hutch [2024] - Fully Exposed [Motown] (Full Album)

When 'legendary' Motown artists names are bandied around seldom, if ever, is the name Willie Hutch included. Hopefully the recent reissue of much of his Motown catalogue will rectify this because, as far as we are concerned, the man was a genius and his music has stood the test of time unlike many of his contemporaries.  

We did an in depth profile of his work some time ago but he joined Motown primarily as a writer having had success writing for The 5th Dimension and was asked to write the lyrics for "I'll Be There", a #1 Hot 100 & R&B hit for The Jackson 5 in 1970. Maria Carey also has a Hot 100 #1 hit with it in 1992.

As quite often the case with many artists, Hutch came to the attention of the UK's Northern Soul scene via his debut solo single, a 1965 Dunhill recording "The Duck" / "Love Runs Out". He was a member of The Phonetics who released a handful of Hutch written singles on Trudel between 1964-65.

If you're unfamiliar with his work then here's the fourth recent digital reissue of his Motown work, "Fully Exposed", following "Color Her Sunshine", "Concert In Blues" and "Ode To My Lady" in recent weeks.

As with all his albums, this one includes several killer cuts including his rendition of Leon Ware's "I Wanna Be Where You Are", along with a few of his own compositions such as "Sunshine Lady", "Can't Get Ready For Losing You", "I Just Wanted To Make Her Happy", "California My Way" (a 2-step classic) and of course his own interpretation of "I'll Be There", similar to "The Way We Were" (on Ode To My Lady")  he puts his own inimitable stamp on the song which is almost unrecognisable to the Jackson 5s version.

He released eight albums for the label between 1973-77 after two he released for RCA in 1969-70. Only two further of his Motown albums are not currently available digitally, "Foxy Brown" and his last "Havin' A House Party" (from whence this blog gets it name from the track "Soul Strut") so 'no doubt(?) these may also appear in the coming weeks.

He left Motown to join Norman Whitfield's label where he released two albums and returned to Motown for one album in 1985. Three further albums appeared on indie labels in 1994,1996 and 2002. Hutch died in 2005 aged only 60.

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

Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album / Reissue
Media:	Digital
Label:	Motown
Cat No:	None
Date:	04/2024
Price:	£8.91

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Willie Hutch [2024] - Ode To My Lady [Motown] (Full Album)

Following the digital reissue of two 1976 Willie Hutch albums a few weeks ago ("Concert In Blues" and "Color Her Sunshine") Motown/Universal reissue another gem, "Ode To My Lady", from 1975.  It was first reissued on CD by London's Soul Brother Records in 2011 but we believe this is the first digital release of the album.

Only two singles materialised from the album with "Love Power" being his highest charting single reaching #41 Hot 100 and #8 R&B (his only solo top 10 career hit) and the other,  "Party Down", containing his modern soul gem, "Just Another Day", on the B side.

Apart from "Just Another Day", the real diamond on the album is hands down the best performance of a classic song "The Way We Were" made famous by Barbara Streisand in 1974 (via title track of the movie she starred in with Robert Redford) and then Gladys Knight & The Pips. Many others such as Freda Payne, The Dells, The Manhattans, 21st Century and so many more have all covered the song faithfully in the MOR style but Hutch's version ups the tempo and changes the arrangement and is sung in his distinctive soulful style. A SS favourite for far too many years to remember and, if it's a new one on you then, you're in for a real treat.

Other highlights (and there are several) include the powerful deep soul ballad "Since I Found You", the mid-tempo "Talk To Me" (B side to "Love Power") and "(I'm Gonna) Hold On", a superb modern soul dancer that we don't recall ever hearing 'played out' but no doubt someone will tell us that Jack The Lad played it in the back room at Itchy Bottom Working Man's Club in 1977! The instrumental title track is no slouch either and very much in his earlier Blaxploitation movie theme mode of Foxy Brown and The Mack!

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

Details

Rating:	9
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album / Reissue
Media:	Digital
Label:	Motown/Universal
Cat No:	None
Date:	13/04/2024
Price:	£9.90

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Oliver Cheatham [2024] - Don't Pop The Question (If You Can’t Take The Answer) / Good Guys Don’t Make Good Lovers [Soul Junction #SJ555]

Two previously unreleased songs by Oliver Cheatham, until released on 45 by Soul Junction in 2012, are being reissued owing to demand. We are told that initially over 1,000 copies were sold, becoming the label's biggest seller and barely a week passes without the label receiving enquiries about it. There are currently only six for sale on Discogs all with an asking price of over £100.

Soul Junction are repressing 300 copies which go on sale on 5 Apr, so that you don't have to spend over £100 for a copy, but be quick as these will surely sell out fast, not only for the A side but the sweet soul ballad B side has also become sought after by the lowrider scene. 

Both songs were written by Cheatham and his cousin Bill Miller and recorded in Detroit around 1974/75. The A side, "Don't Pop The Question (If You Can’t Take The Answer)" is an in-demand modern soul dancer with the ballad flip "Good Guys Don’t Make Good Lovers".

Cheatham, from Detroit, may be, unfairly, considered a one hit wonder with his 1983 dance hit "Get Down Saturday Night" co-written with One Way's Kevin McCord. However, his career began much earlier than that in the mid 60s as a member of his future brother-in-law's, Allen Cocker, group the Young Sirs who recorded "There’s Something The Matter (With Your Heart)" on Magic City. Some sources state that he was also a member of Mad Dog & The Pups who also recorded on Ernest and Barbara Burt's label.

By 1971, Young Sirs became Butch & The Newports, Butch being Cheatham's nickname, with Cocker and Curtis 'Kippy' Henderson. They recorded just one single, of only five released on Black Rock, the best known from the label being perhaps Little Rena Scott's "I Just Can't Forget About You Baby". One of the sides on Black Rock was later released on another Marvin Figgins label, Grand Junction, under a new name for the group, The Gaslight, who released three singles for the label between 1971-73 and another, final, one later on Polydor in 1975 which Soul Junction maestro Dave Welding informs us was reputedly first released on local label T.E.A.I. 

Cheatham then became lead singer with Sins Of Satan, a group led by DJ/singer/producer Al Perkins (who also produced Al Hudson & The Soul Partners who became One Way), from the mid to late 70s who released three albums and four singles. By 1981 they evolved into Round Trip releasing an album and two singles before being named Oliver with two singles, "Everybody Wants To Be The Boss" and "Make Up Your Mind" in 1982.

His next release was his breakthrough under his own name with "Get Down Saturday Night" in 1983 which peaked at #37 R&B and #38 UK pop chart. A song sampling it was recorded 20 years later as "Make Luv" by Room 5 feat. Oliver Cheatham entering straight in at #1 on the UK pop chart in Apr 2003 staying their for 4 weeks and remaining on the chart for a total of 15 weeks. It was followed by "Music And You" the same year which made UK pop chart Top 40 at #38.

He had a further three R&B chart entries with "SOS" (#35 1986), "Celebrate Our Love" (#87 1986) and a duet with Jocelyn Brown "Turn Out The Lights" (#70 1990)  and recorded six albums before his demise of a heart attack in Nov 2013 aged 65.

The back story to the Soul Junction release, paraphrased from an article Dave Welding published, is this.

The two songs were discovered on an unreleased six track acetate bought on eBay by Italian collector Marco Cavenaghi. The only information on the recording was the name Pam Jackson handwritten on the sleeve, two of the tracks were by a female artist presumed to be Jackson who is unknown. 

Marco passed the acetate to DJ Olindo Di Tizio for radio play. He in turn took several cuts of the songs and passed them to several UK DJs hoping that further exposure would help identify the artist. It eventually fell at the feet of Dave Welding who had an inkling that it may be Oliver Cheatham. He used his contacts in Detroit, namely Janet 'Pixie' Wright a former session singer at Magic City and close friend of Cheatham's, who gave Dave his number. 

Dave called Cheatham and played both songs over the phone and he confirmed with excitement that it was indeed him singing and that he hadn't heard the songs for almost 40 years. After tracking down his cousin Bill Miller, Dave got agreement to lease both songs. 

Bill relayed that the acetate was cut at United Sound Studios, Detroit, after leaving The Gaslight, for a Motown producer's party Bill was invited to. Motown showed no interest in it although Bill later joined Motown as songwriter, arranger, producer, (he wrote "I Feel Sanctified" for Commodores also recorded by Wild Cherry). Bill then tried to get a deal for the record with Buddah without success.

How the acetate ended up on eBay is anyone's guess. Bill assumes that it must have been left at United Sound and sold off when the studio closed.

Available now to pre-order from Soul Junction for release on 5th Apr 2024.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Sweet Soul
Format:	Single / Reissue
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Junction
Cat No:	SJ555
Date:	05/04/2024
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£13

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Dee Dee Warwick [2024] - This Time May Be The Last Time / Funny How We Change Places [Private Stock Records]

A digital reissue of two songs by Dee Dee Warwick from 1975 on Private Stock. The B side, "Funny How We Change Places",  was released under various artist names first as Dee Dee Warwick in Jan '75 with a different A side, then Dede Warwick in Aug 1975 and finally as Dede Schwartz by RCA in Apr '76 (with the A side "This Time May Be The Last Time"). Reportedly she adopted the name Schwartz (German for black) to fight off the Warwick syndrome of living in the shadow of her elder sister Dionne.

It got a UK release as Dee Dee Warwick in late Mar '76 with the original A side "Get Out Of My Life".  This pairing has also been reissued digitally but we don't know exactly when.

Stargard's Debra Anderson originally recorded "Funny How We Change Places" in Jun 1974 with a slightly different title "Funny How We've Changed Places" and a faster pace (126 BPM vs 119 BPM). As is often the case because Anderson's version it is harder to find, it's perhaps more 'respected' in rare soul circles and commands a significantly higher price tag by a factor of around 20x. Outta Sight reissued it on 45 in 2019 on a Real Side logo..

It was Anderson's first of only two solo recordings before joining Stargard who had a big disco hit with "Theme From Which Way Is Up" in 1977. The second "Where Do We Go From Here" on Henry Stone's Drive label in 1976 which also got a UK issue on Seville.

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

Details

Rating:	8.2
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	Digital / Reissue
Label:	Private Stock Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	??/03/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/119
Price:	£1.98

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Winston Francis [2024] - Extra Careful [Cobra Records]

A digital reissue of a 1975 recording by Jamaican reggae singer Winston Francis which was originally released under an alias Billy Cole.

"Extra Careful" was released on Jamaican label Recreational And Educational but also gained a release in the UK on Power Exchange and got spins on the rare soul scene. Always had a bit of a soft spot for this nice little 'floater'.

Power Exchange was a short-lived label that ran for just over two years from Nov 1974 to Jan 1977. A few other interesting releases include Ann Byers "This Man Is Rated -X" and "Call The FBI (My Baby's Missing)" by Gene Faith as well as Eddie Spencer's version of The Precisions "If This Is Love (I'd Rather Be Lonely)". The label owners recruited the services of H.B Barnum to draw in talent, and Barnum released the second single on the label "Having A Party". 

For Francis' follow up in 1976 he reverted to his real name in the UK (and used Young Billy Cole in the US on Audio Connection)  and released a reggae/soul version of Billy Stewart's "Sitting In The Park".

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / 70s Soul
Format:	Single / Reissue
Media:	Digital
Label:	Cobra Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	12/02/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/104
Price:	£1

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

The Invitations [2024] - Look On The Good Side / They Say The Girl’s Crazy [Expansion Records #EXS042]

The Invitations are perhaps best known for a couple of Northern Soul monsters. They released their first three records on Bob & Dan Crewe's New York based DynoVoice in 1965-66. Their last for the label, "Skiing In The Snow", was arguably their biggest on the scene and was infamously covered by Wigan's Ovation in 1975 when mass media attention was focused on NS and Wigan Casino in particular, to much chagrin. However, the more soulful "What's Wrong With Me Baby" (also written by Randell & Linzer and recorded on the label by The Toys on their only album in 1966 but not released as a single until 1973 on Virgo), is much better in our opinion. Wigan's Ovation also had a bash at that song on their album "Northern Soul Dancer".

None of the three singles registered on the R&B chart yet they found their way to a major label, MGM, for their next two singles followed by just one on Diamond in 1968. Without any chart success from their first six singles up to 1968, they appear to have gone into hiatus until 1973 when they re-emerged on Silver Blue with Lew Kirton as their lead singer. Their, and the label's, first single was a cover of Jerry Butler's "For Your Precious Love" (co-written with former Impressions The Brooks Brothers (Arthur and Richard)) which gained them their first entry onto the R&B chart peaking at  #17 and just missing out on a Hot 100 position at #110. However, the flip side, "They Say The Girl's Crazy", is what it's sought after for nowadays having been a firm favourite on the modern soul scene for decades. If it's new to you then be prepared to be blown away as it's a superb example of mid 70s Philly soul and is still relatively cheap and easy to pick up on original vinyl, proving that you don't have to take out a mortgage to buy top quality soul records.

The group released three further singles for the label, all produced by Philly producer Bobby Martin, the last being "Look On The Good Side" which has been paired with "They Say The Girl's Crazy" by Expansion Records for release on 7" vinyl next month with the original Silver Blue design.

The group recorded just one more single on Red Greg in 1977. Kirton, of course, went on to have a solo career releasing four albums and had a Northern/Modern Soul favourite in his own right with "Heaven In The Afternoon" on Alston / T.K. in 1977. (posted HERE along with both sides on the reissue and a couple of others by Lew Kirton).

Details

Rating:	8.8
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul / Philly Soul
Format:	Single / Reissue
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Expansion Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	TBC (Apr '24)
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£12

Copyright © 2009-2024 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved