Category Archives: Articles

The Ellis Hall Group

“Those Passing Words” / “What Will I Do”

Label: Ellis Hall Records
Catalogue Number: SDE68
Release Date: November 2023
Format: 7’

We are back after a fairly quiet summer. A case of me playing too much golf and just not being able to find the quality i like when releasing new music. But stop the press, after about 7 years of trying we have finally secured this amazing modern soul winner from 1978 by The Ellis Hall Group. Hailing out of Boston Massachusetts the group recorded a show reel for tv music show “Nightshift”. This is where we first heard the incredible “Those Passing Words” and straight away knew we had to have the original studio version.

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Soul Prescription- Various Artists

Label: Soul4Real Records
Catalogue Number: S4RLP04
Release Date: 7th December 2023
Format: LP

Whatever condition your condition is in, Soul4Real have huddled together a team of the finest soul physicians to make you feel good.
We scoured all the shelves in the soul pharmacy and discovered some potions that were only just through the trial stage. Just one listen to the brilliant Aretha, Gladys, Walter Jackson and the Purify’s tracks convinced us not to wait for FDA approval, so we took the plunge and shared them with the world on vinyl for the very first time.

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New Kent Records 45’s

The Mayberry Movement
“I Can See Him Making Love To You” / “What Did I Do Wrong”

Label: Kent Records
Catalogue Number: CITY 090
Release Date: 24th November 2023
Format: 7’

This pairing was slated to be Event 218 in late 1974, but as no copies have emerged, it can be assumed that the single was pulled. It is hard to know why, but judging by its rarity the Anderson Brothers GSF release of ‘I Can See Him Loving You’ was a commercial failure – perhaps Event didn’t want to suffer a similar fate. This reading of producer Ray Dahrouge’s song is more soulful and vital than the Anderson Brothers which was huge on the Northern Soul scene, but without this take for competition at the time. Maybe the steamy finale to the Mayberry’s version was a bit too much for radio play, but surely the brilliance of the ballad A side would have compensated for that. Their loss; our gain.

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Julian Jonah

Julian Jonah Featuring: Dutch Robinson A-Side & Sugar Rainbow B-side “If You Wanna Know (What’s Missing)”

Label: Izipho Soul Records
Catalogue Number: ZP96
Release Date: November 2023
Format: 7’

We are proud to announce Julian Jonah’s highly anticipated follow up to last year’s Now’s The Time For Us b/w Coming Back For Your Lovin’. This time around there are two incredible versions of the same song – If You Waanna (Know What’s Missing) One featuring the lead vocals of Dutch Robinson, the other Sugar Rainbow. Julian Jonah was originally known as one of the main producers and influencers of the early-house scene. He is now focussed on an early 80s U.S. styled soul / funk sound, reminiscent of labels such as Prelude.

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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’!

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The Natural Soul Brothers Ltd / The Four Thoughts

“Cement, Plaster & Gold” / “Kisses & Roses”

Label: Soul Direction
Catalogue Number: SD019
Release Date: 24th November 2023
Format: 7’

Staying in my favourite state of Philly, we continue with 2 sublime tracks from the Wally-O- Production stables.
The home of Herb Johnson & The Impacts, The Topics and the soul duo of Jeri Payne and Joe Freeman aka. Jeri & Joe. The two tracks featured in this latest Soul Direction Release are both prime examples of the forgotten and obscure talents from this Wally Osborne production line.

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Jessie Laine Powell

‘Like No Other Love’ / ‘Love Supreme’ / On The Edge / Pure Love

Jessie Laine Powell has been deemed a timeless classic soulful voice. Born in Lexington Kentucky, Jessie grew up in a home filled with the gospel music of the church and that of her talented siblings. But it was the jazz influence of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughn, Nancy Wilson, Shirley Horn, and the Lawrence Welk Show that stirred her soul and began to dominate her musical taste.

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All Platinum – The Making of a Sound

26th October 2023Collectors Soulbook, soul musicMick

Author: Steve Guarnori
ISBN: 978-1-3999-5659-8
Release Date: 26th November 2023

All Platinum – The Making of a Sound is the long overdue detailed history of All Platinum records from 1967-1979. The book contains 534 pages and over 300,000 words, dealing with each year in the company’s history as well as telling the stories of its artists and the musicians who signed for the company each year.

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Alvarez

‘I Can’t Make It’ /‘I Can’t Stop Loving’

Label: Izipho Soul Records
Catalogue Number: ZP94
Release Date: 20th Oct 2023
Format: 7’

IZIPHO SOUL in association with SOUL SESSION are extremely proud to present the 7” release of ALVAREZ’s ‘I Can’t Make It’ and ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ – two exceptional pieces of previously unissued music, taken from the only known 1977 Columbia Promotional Test Pressing LP, courtesy of Tamas Bogyo (Soul Session). These tracks are from the same session that spawned the Polydor 7” ‘Sooner Or Later’, however the album never gained a release.

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ATLANTIS JAZZ ENSEMBLE

Atlantis rising anew with Celestial Suite

The Atlantis Jazz Ensemble is on the rise once again with Celestial Suite, a brilliant set of spiritual soul-jazz, with a righteous energy in the mode of some of the best work on independent labels such as Strata East or Tribe back in the day, though updated with a fresh current vibe. With the blend of electric piano, sax, trumpet, bass and percussion presented here, the quintet has refined the searching, soaring quality of their sound, capturing over the course of two days in the studio an inspired session worthy of the skyward promise of the album’s title.

The group was first formed by Pierre Chrétien and Zakari Frantz of The Souljazz Orchestra back in 2013, as an outlet for the more modal, esoteric and spiritual compositions they were exploring outside the confines of their original unit. After the addition of trumpeter Ed Lister, bassist Alex Bilodeau and drummer Mike Essoudry, the Atlantis Jazz Ensemble released their maiden voyage Oceanic Suite in 2016, a bold first outing that became a bit of an underground classic, capturing the number two spot on the Canadian radio jazz charts that year (just behind BadBadNotGood’s IV), and leading Atlantis to open up live for the likes of Kamasi Washington and Anderson Paak.

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Judy Freeman and Blackrock / Marshall Hooks

‘I Know Where You’re Coming From’ / ‘She Is All I Need’

Label: The Preservation Project
Catalogue Number: 015
Release Date: 29th Sep 2023
Format: 7’

Did you know that Judy Freeman and Blackrock cut more songs than the 4 that were put out in 1971? We know of at least one.
“I Know Where You’re Coming From” is a 70s funky Northern Soul masterpiece. We’ve rescued a lost, never heard before, track by the group for the A-Side here. Fans of their music will immediately connect with this blistering anthemic Northern Soul monster. Go ahead and grab the talcum powder, and prepare to dance up a storm to this one.

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Jewel Bass

“In And Out Of Love”

Label: Soul4Real Records
Catalogue Number: S4RLP03
Release Date: 20th September 2023
Format: LP

Jewel Bass’ recordings have, over time, developed a global underground following. The fact that Malaco Records used Jewel as a backing singer on so many of their A-Listers recordings (Johnnie Taylor, Latimore, Bobby Bland, Z.Z. Hill, Dorothy Moore, etc.) speaks far more to her talent than I can ever write in 300 words!

Jewel started singing in church but began her career in secular music when a friend approached her to ask if she would replace a singer in his band who was ill. She was only required for one song, and she agreed to do the gig on a one-off basis to help out. It was all that was needed to start her career. She joined the band and went on the road with them.

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Danny Ward & Reality

Label: Jazz Room Records
Catalogue Number: JAZZ027
Release Date: 29th September 2023
Format: LP

Another Holy Grail album from Jazz Room Records with Danny Ward & Reality who were the Go To Funky Jazz Band for College and other Hardcore Funk Party gigs in the Mid to late ’70’s in the Seattle area of the Pacific North West. They didn’t just drop covers of the latest Disco or Top 40 hits though but instead took their audiences on a musical trip through the Funkiest and Jazziest sounds of the day featuring a coterie of Steely Dan inspired covers of cuts made famous by George Benson, Lydia Pense and Coldblood, The Headhunters , Mandrill and many more.

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ONEGRAM

“TRANS EUROPE EXPRESS” / “AEO”

Label: Jazz Room Records
Catalogue Number: JAZZ029
Release Date: September 2023
Format: EP

When we do something Funky at Jazz Room Records you can be sure it’s gonna be a Dancefloor Smashsation! Got TWO Super Dynamic cuts on this Hot Slab of Wax. First track needs no introduction unless you’ve been sleeping under a rock for the last Dancefloor Millenium.

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Heart Soul & Inspiration

“I’m Gonna Love You More” (Parts 1 &2)

Label: Izipho Soul Records
Catalogue Number: ZP98
Release Date: 22nd September 2023
Format: 7’

Mythical band ‘Heart-Soul & Inspiration’ and their band leader, L.A. drummer and producer Vince Howard cut their self-titled (and only) album in 1974 for the Los Angeles-based Viscojon label. The result was an astonishing collection of music filled with playful sexy moans, climaxing grooves and soulful hooks.

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