Label: Soul-Direction Records Catalogue Number: SD018 Release Date: 4th August 2023 Format: 7’
Following on from the enormous success of the first two releases by The Decisions on Soul Direction and courtesy of Fred White and the Decisions we give you another double sided masterpiece from master tapes kindly provided by the band. The 5 young men who formed The Decisions, originally started their own Record Label – York Records in the late 60s and recorded two releases on the label which to this day are still very sought after amongst soul collectors. They then went onto record for Sussex Records in the early 70s. The Los Angeles-based label founded by Clarence Avant and distributed by Buddah Records.
The Exportations (aka Living Proof) In the early 80’s Anthony Pilgrim, Bernard Gibson, Ernestine Johnson, Rick Gibson, Willie Gibson, from Detroit, Michigan released a couple of singles at VIR-RO Records. One minor hit was “Find Another Day”. The group consisted of the three brothers, Gibson and two other singers. In the mid-1980s, they changed their Name to “Living Proof” and released another album and a handful of Singles.
‘Higher Than High’ / ‘It’s Got To Be The Real Thing For Me This Time’
Label: Kent-City Records Catalogue Number: CITY 087 Release Date: 25th August 2023 Format: 7’
The recent find of four Joe Graham recordings in the GRC/Aware tapes has shown there was much more to Joe’s talents than the southern soul of his 60s Chant recordings and the synthesiser, electro pop he recorded for various Atlanta labels in the 80s. ‘Higher Than High’ is a soulful disco number featuring a relentless beat. The track already has a strong following, thanks to advance plays in Europe and the UK from DJ Dave Thorley. This track, along with three other numbers, were recorded around 1976 for the GRC stable – just as the company was floundering so badly that the songs were left as unmixed multi-track tapes. Now mixed the demand for this one will be high.
Label: Creative-Soul Records Catalogue Number: CS-1004 Release Date: October 2023 Format: 7’
Michael J. Calhoun has accomplished greatness in music for over 30 years. He was influenced by such luminaries as B.B. King, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, The Beatles and Motown, and of course his Cleveland soul brother and early days mentor, the legendary Lou Ragland. Michael’s career launched as a founding member, singer, composer and guitarist of ‘Kinsman Dazz’.
Label: MD Records Catalogue Number: MD122/ MD123 Release Date: July 2023 Format: 7’
Well, here we are now bringing out on two releases from the great Tommy Rodgers, a name many will know from his own musical prowess and that of his Brewster Crew association amongst others. These releases will each hold a never-before released A side backed with alt recordings of a released track. As usual they are remastered for today’s vinyl production methods by the great JJ at Goldenmastering, to bring the recordings back to life.
Next up we have ‘United hearts of America’ backed with ‘Pass the word’. United Hearts is a powerful call to action song that captures the sentiment of time, seeking harmony and unity following the Detroit riots. Backing up this is the powerhouse of ‘Pass the word’ that just ignites as the needle flicks out of the ‘run in’ to the music.
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.
Label: Society Hill / EMG Release Date: July 2023 Format: Digita
Hailing from the small city of Chester, PA on the outskirts of Philadelphia, Kathleen Fontaine-Prattis (affectionately dubbed “Kat” by family and friends) exhibited extraordinary talent as a singer at an early age. As a teenager, Kat began performing and recording with a host of local artists. It was not long before she was sought out by countless musicians, singers and producers that revolved around Philadelphia at the time. As the Sound Of Philadelphia and the recording empire created by Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff grew, so did the experience and reputation of Fontaine. By then, she earned her place on a very short list of the area’s top voices. Kat quickly moved up the ranks of Philadelphia’s booming music scene.
TMF isn’t a Tribute Band… THEY ARE THE BAND! These gentlemen with the exception of lead vocalist, Chris Walker toured and recorded with the man himself for the last two decades and beyond. Ladies and Gentlemen, Introducing… TMF “The Music Forever”
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.
ESSAY FOR Dr. Robert Riehemannʼs Course THE LIFE OF THE MIND, (2010)
THE LIFE OF MY MIND………Lorraine Feather
Iʼve been asked to write an essay about my creative life by your instructor, Dr. Riehemann. He has played my musical work for some of you, but otherwise itʼs unlikely that you would know who I am. Iʼve never been featured prominently on TV, or had a big pop hit. I describe myself as a “lyricist/jazz singer.” I put “lyricist” first because I can envision giving up singing at some point, but never writing. Iʼve been involved with some big projects as a lyricist, have been in and out of work, written lyrics for film and TV, done seven solo recordings since the late 1990s. I have what I would call a most interesting career, one that engages me tremendously.
I donʼt have children and I donʼt know anything about parenting, but Iʼve seen it done. As I understand it from friends of mine with kids in college, thereʼs a fair amount of pressure these days to offer some idea of what you want to do in life by the time youʼre in your late teens or early twenties. The basic point of this essay—to quickly end the suspense as to whether there might be one—is to share a little of my own experience regarding the setting of goals, changing of goals, despairing over whether itʼs possible ever to reach any of them, and lessons Iʼve learned along the way in the course of pursuing my own.
Label:Jazzroom Records Catalogue Number: JAZZR-025 Release Date: 23rd June 2023 Format: Vinyl LP Only
Hideo Shiraki travelled to the US from Japan in 1962 and was bowled over by Horace Silver and the Bossa Nova Craze happening at the same time. When he returned to Japan he went straight into the studio and cut this Blue Note inspired Japanese Jazz Masterpiece.
“My passion for Japanese jazz started way back in the 1970s and was fueled even more as the decade went on with the evolution of jazz dance in the UK’s burgeoning jazz funk scene. As jazz breaks emerged in the jazz rooms, the demand for danceable jazz music in the UK kept growing. Through scouring the record shops in Manchester, Birmingham, and London, the emergence of great Japanese jazz added another dimension to this genre. My love for Japanese jazz continued until the turn of the century when the names changed from Sadao Watanabe, Mikio Masuda, Casiopea, Toshiyuki Honda, Shigeharu Mukai, and the like to the new emerging nu-jazz bands like Sleep Walker, Quasimode, Kyoto Jazz Massive, Jabberloop, and in 2006, the powerful force that was the indigo jam unit!
Label: Izipho Soul Records Catalogue Number: ZP-93 Release Date: 9th June 2023 Format: 7”
Legendary Memphis soul brothers William, Bertram and Randy Brown released an album under the group name TEN-63 entitled Facing The Music,it was published in 2009, but recorded sometime earlier. You & me and our pick for the flip Say We’ll Stay are beautifully constructed songs with each of the Brown brothers serving up a solo part, it cannot be denied their contrasting vocal styles and harmonies are supreme in the extreme!
Lynn Davis is finally stepping back into the spotlight. After four decades of singing background for icons like George Duke, Marvin Gaye, Chaka Khan, and Stevie Wonder, Lynn is reintroducing her high-reaching, warm, vocal range to the world. As one of the most recorded session singers in the music industry, Lynn Davis has musical credits that goes around your neighborhood block at least five times. She has written songs for Patrice Rushen, Tracie Spencer, Thomas Anders, and LaToya Jackson, just to name very few.
Starting her career at the age of seventeen as one of the vocalists in the George Duke Band led by the iconic George Duke, Lynn Davis performed before hundreds of thousands of people and toured worldwide. “The addition of Lynn Davis made a huge difference in what I was able to write. I composed with the band in mind, utilizing each of their personal musical strengths.” says George Duke. Lynn’s vocal talent afforded her the opportunity to record a song that became one of their signature hits “I Want You for Myself” (1979). The song became a top-charting single that remains a well-known funky classic to date. She continued recording by performing with R&B group Twennynine. As the featuring female vocalist for their second album “Best of Friends”, their mainstream success invited them the opportunity to perform on American Bandstand.
During a recording session with Lalo Schifrin, Lynn was introduced to singer/pianist Patrice Rushen of whom she would go on to write and produce songs for. Collaborating on Rushen’s many songs, Lynn’s voice can be heard on “Look Up”, “Where There Is Love”, “This Is All I Really Know”, and Rushen’s highest-charting single “Forget Me Nots”. After becoming the talk of the R&B music industry, she began recording on albums by Stanley Turrentine, Greg Phillinganes, Sheree Brown, The Brothers Johnson, Billy Preston & Syreeta Wright, all of which happened in 1981.
“What Will You Leave Behind”(Digital Out Now) / “Bang, Bang, Bang”
Label: LRK Records Catalogue Number: LRK-19 Release Date: 26th May 2023 Format: 7’
The new single by Bella Brown & The Jealous Lovers and B side to the new vinyl 45 release! Right on the heels of the success of their previous single “What Will You Leave Behind”, LRK Records is proud to announce the digital single follow up by Bella Brown & The Jealous Lovers!! Bella Brown & The Jealous Lovers are a Los Angeles based, transplanted from Chicago, unit that specializes in 60s/70s soul and funk. The band is fronted by the dynamically charismatic Bella Brown. A fiery female lead singer that is a mixture of Tina Turner and Sharon Jones, with a persona that is reminiscent of the empowered female leads of 70s Blaxploitation films.
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