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.

Mantis

“Love Was Born For Me” / “Do We Have Love” 

This is a sensational previously unissued double sider from 1976.Do We Have Love is a beautiful sweet soul side with killer vocal from Rocky Whitaker. Click on play and put on your dancing shoes!

Label: Epsilon Record Co.
Catalogue Number: EPS023 
Release Date:  20th July 2023 
Format: 7’

MANTIS:
Was made up of college buddies. They had all been in a Dartmouth College sponsored traveling band called the Green Dream made up of students in a class taught by Robert Northern … aka “Brother Ahh”. After graduation they much to the chagrin of their parents, decided to take their shot at stardom. They never achieved stardom but I got something better… the friendship of  5 guys who act like brothers that has lasted 50 years…they still Zoom once a month.

TRU

“Never Give Up”

Label: Society Hill / EMG
Release Date: 30th June 2023  
Format: Digita

Hailing from the Camden, New Jersey / Philadelphia area, a part of the country that became a breeding ground for great vocal groups such as the O’Jays, Stylistics and Blue Magic, three veteran vocal greats come together to form TRU, a highly versatile group that brings the sweet sound of Philly Soul forward for a new generation. Led by vocalist James “Jimi” Williams, TRU also features vocal great Billy Maynor and newest member, the charismatic Dennis Sproul.

Bobby Harden & The Soulful Saints

“One Night of the Week” /“Feels So Good” 

How do you define a true Soul Man? With difficulty, given that so much is down to a certain mystical mojo. But if anyone knows one when they see him, it would be Stax legend Eddie Floyd, who has spent 60-plus years perfecting the role. When Bobby Harden joined the star-studded Blues Brothers Band in 2012 as one of two singers in support of Floyd, the elder Soul Man immediately recognized similar qualities in his understudy. “He was everything I’d been when I was younger,” said Floyd, who gracefully passed the torch after several tours tag-teaming on stage. “I always tell him. ‘I saw you, my man,’ and I said, ‘That’s it! I can go back to the house and rest!’”

You get the sense it will be many years until Harden makes a similar transition into retirement. The true Soul Man, after all, lives to work, recognizing that success don’t come knocking on the door with a gold-plated invite. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, Harden was blessed with a voice to raise roofs, and after a stint in Houston attending college, headed up to New York City to pursue his passion. It wasn’t always easy, but years singing soul classics on the wedding band circuit sharpened that church-trained voice and polished his moves in the process; they also instilled in Bobby the necessary professionalism to not just survive, but thrive on a slow, yet inexorable, rise in reputation.

The Rhythm Roots Allstars Feat: John Arthur Bigham

“Say I Do” / “Island Hustle”

Label: F-Spot Records 
Catalogue Number: FSPT-1027
Release Date: 16th Dec 2022
Format: Vinyl Color: Yellow / Blue / Black 7’

The Rhythm Roots Allstars began in 1998 as the house band for the weekly Rhythm Room at Temple Bar, a popular Los Angeles club that served as the epicenter for underground urban funk, soul, and international music for over a decade. This collective, featuring some of L.A.’s busiest musicians in the scene, is most notable for co-writing and crafting the music for 2017’s Grammy-nominated album “And The Anonymous Nobody” by De La Soul, in addition to recording with artists such as Ghostface Killah, Aloe Blacc, Raheem DeVaughn, Afrodisiac Soundsystem and more. Having backed up and supported numerous artists such as De La Soul, Talib Kweli, Brother Ali, and Barrington Levy, to name a few, it’s been a long time coming for Rhythm Roots Allstars’ first official solo release.

Double O’s Demingo’s

“Color One Tear Black” Parts 1&2

Label: Symphonical Records
Catalogue Number:  SR-012 
Release Date: 26th October 2022
Format: 7’  / Digital  

Double O’s Demingo’s Cincinnati teens Bill Smith & Randy Vandivier would play together during the late 60s in a group called ‘Billy & The Hitch Hikers’ fronted by James Bowens, who through his fascination with James Bond would adopt the nickname ‘Double O’ Hailing from Lincoln Heights, the group would be surrounded by and play with the likes of Bootsy Collins, Charles Spurling who became staples at local King Records.