Mary Love

 ‘More Love (And Then Some)’

Label: Record Shack
Catalogue Number: RS.45-065
Release Date: 28th Oct 2023 
Format: 7’

Mary Love is a much loved Soul-music legend, her sublime recordings are of equal quality to the likes of Linda Jones, Betty Everett and Betty Wright, but the deserved commercial success did not happen.
Nevertheless, she had a global career, appreciation came from those Soul loving people up there in the North of England where she became the ‘Queen of Northern Soul’!

The incredible ‘More Love (And Then Some)’ was written by Mary & Michael Stevenson in 1981 and was recorded in ’83 at Birdclift Studios in Culver City, CA and involved some really big names like David Majal Ii (Marvin Gaye, Parliament, SOS Band), Fred Wesley (James Brown, Funkadelic, JBs), Kenny Mason (Mandrill & Harvey Mason’s brother)and even backing vocals by none less than Fontella Bass under the direction and guidance of the great producer: George Semper.

Strangely, the track did not get released at the time and remained unknown, apart from inclusion on two compilations around 2000, and one on the legendary US record label “Luv‘N’Haight” from San Francisco.

So, for the first time on a vinyl 45 here is Mary Love with ‘More Love’, in simillar style to to our previous ‘Candy Rae’ release the single features two mixes, the original George Semper studio mix from ’83 on our A-side together with another, slightly more dancefloor-orientated mix by Jr. & Altroy on the flip, of course carefully done with BIG respect of the original and  no addition off strange effects or the like.
Mary’s voice amplified ‘across the pond’, connecting American music artists of African descent to the UK Northern & Rare Soul scene and NOW achieving the next step in the evolution to today’s global urban music through our not only central European, but WORLDWIDE PREMIERE of this cool, limited 7″ vinyl single.

Credits
Mary Love – Writer, Vocals (B 7-27-1946, Sacramento, CA D 6-21-2013, Lancaster, CA)
Michael Stevenson – Writer, guitarist, producer, liner notes (B 8-5-1951, D 5-12-2022)
Robbie Love – Backing vocals, liner notes
Fontella Bass – Backing vocals (B 7-3-1940, D 12-26-2012)
David Majal Li – Arranger horns, sax
Fred Wesley – Trombone
Kenny Mason – Trumpet
Nathaniel “Basey” Johnson – Producer, mixing, bass, liner notes (B 8-26-1948, D7-15-2022)
George Semper – Producer, mixing, organ, piano (B 1-1-1942, D 1-9-2009)
Ernest Ray “Brother Puff” Johnson – Drums, liner notes
Robert Ferrell – Engineer, mixing, liner notes
Jr. & Altroy – Side B Mixing, remastering
Joel S. Brockman – Tape transfer, liner notes
Cor Giesing – Liner notes

https://www.souldiscovery.co.uk/category/contributors/joel_semper/