SoulStrutter Selections of Modern Soul & Rare Groove Pt. 6

The sixth instalment of Modern Soul and Rare Groove flavas. 

Previous Episodes

Pt. 1 / Pt. 2 / Pt. 3 / Pt .4 / Pt .5

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

SoulStrutter Selections of Modern Soul & Rare Groove Pt. 5

The fifth instalment of Modern Soul and Rare Groove flavas. 

Previous Episodes

Pt. 1 / Pt. 2 / Pt. 3 / Pt .4

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

SoulStrutter Selections of Modern Soul & Rare Groove Pt. 4

The fourth instalment of Modern Soul and Rare Groove flavas. This time digging a bit deeper with not quite as many established 'classics', although most are still pretty well known.

Previous Episodes

Pt. 1 / Pt. 2 / Pt. 3

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

SoulStrutter Selections of Modern Soul & Rare Groove Pt. 3

The third instalment of Modern Soul & Rare Groove. A mix of classics and a few lesser knowns.

Previous Episodes

Pt. 1 / Pt. 2

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

SoulStrutter Selections of Modern Soul & Rare Groove Pt. 2

The second instalment of modern soul, rare groove, two step with the odd northern soul and crossover tune thrown in for good measure. We're still only scratching the tip of the iceberg.

Previous Episode

Pt. 1

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

SoulStrutter Selections of Modern Soul & Rare Groove Pt. 1

After yet another weekend scouring the new releases looking for those worthy of posting (for every one found a hundred others are dismissed) we're taking a break from new music and listening to our first love, rare vintage soul.

We were asked only last week what it was that we 'really' listened to, which has prompted possibly the first of many playlists highlighting rare vintage soul. These are just a small selection of the tunes that float our boat. Attempting to compile a Top 100, or any other numerator, is nigh on impossible, but these came to mind for the first instalment.

Most will be well known to soul connoisseurs, but second guessing what others know and don't know is problematic, so hopefully some will be new to you or forgotten. 

There's no need to get hung up on genre definitions as the playlist includes vintage rare soul unearthed by northern soul, crossover, modern soul, sweet soul, rare groove, two-step underground scenes over the years. Call it what you will, but we hope you'll agree all are rare soul gems from predominantly the 70s.

No disco, no rap, no auto-tune, no samples, no gimmicks, no nonsense, just classic, honest, timeless soul music of the highest quality that has stood the test of time.

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Vaneese & Carolyn [2023] - Goodbye Song / Just A Little Smile (From You) [Soul Brother #SB7048]

A vinyl reissue by Soul Brother of Vaneese (Thomas) & Carolyn (Mitchell) 1978 Polydor single "Goodbye Song" / "Just A Little Smile".

The sides have been reversed from the original release, leading with the two-stepper "Goodbye Song" co-written by both singers. This was their second single together which followed "Let Me In" / "I'm Losing You" in 1977 with both songs being written by Vaneese Thomas who is the daughter of Rufus Thomas and hence sister of Carla and lesser known brother Marvell. John 'Monster' Davis arranged the first and produced the second single, neither of which dented the R&B charts and the original of the reissued single now commands around £375 based on Discogs sold prices.

Vaneese went on to release her solo debut album "Vaneese" in 1987 and has released a further seven albums up to 2019, but these appear to be the only releases from partner Carolyn Mitchell.

The single is available to pre-order from Soul Brother and other vinyl dealers (e.g. Simply Soul) with a release date sometime in May '23.

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

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Two-Step / Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Soul Brother
Cat No:	None
Date:	TBC/05/2023
Key/BPM:	5A/85 / N/A
Price:	£13

Copyright © 2009-2023 SoulStrutter All Rights Reserved

Bill Summers [2022] - Come Into My Life / Don't Fade Away [Expansion #EXS033]

Expansion Records is to reissue two 70s two-step tracks from Bill Summers. The A side "Come Into My Life" is from his "Feel The Heat" album and also released as a single on Prestige in 1977. The song was written and recorded as an instrumental first (but not released until later) by Alphonse Mouzon. The female vocalist is Deborah Thomas who's featured on recordings by George Duke, Ronnie Laws, Teddy Pendergrass, George Benson, Leon Ware, Diana Ross, Rick James, Jermaine Jackson, Lionel Ritchie and may others.

The flip side "Don't Fade Away" is from "Cayenne" and also released as a single on Prestige as Bill Summers & Summer Heat (which included Rodney Franklin) in 1977.

Summers is an Afro-Cuban Latin jazz percussionist from Detroit who now lives in New Orleans who is possibly best known in the UK for his 1979 club hit "Straight To The Bank".

Available to pre-order from Simply Soul for release around 24 Jun 2022.

UPDATE a comment from bluesky stating that the vocalist on "Don't Fade Away" is Leo Miller (Chocolate Jam Co). Mark Coddington's (Simply Soul) put out a compilation CD ("Simply Soul Flavas Part II") in 1999 on FER (First Experience Records) which included a track by him called "Pretty Lies".

"Don't Fade Away" was produced by Ndugu (Leon Chancler) (Chocolate Jam Co). He played drums on Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" and received a Grammy nomination for writing Dazz Band "Let It Whip" in 1983. He died in 2018 having worked with some jazz heavyweights such as Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, The Crusaders, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, George Duke and many more.

Details

Rating:	8.4
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Jazz Funk / Rare Groove / Two-Step
Format:	Single
Media:	7"
Label:	Expansion
Cat No:	EXS033
Date:	24/06/2022
Key/BPM:	N/A
Price:	£12