Jump to content
View in the app

A better way to browse. Learn more.

Soul Source

A full-screen app on your home screen with push notifications, badges and more.

To install this app on iOS and iPadOS
  1. Tap the Share icon in Safari
  2. Scroll the menu and tap Add to Home Screen.
  3. Tap Add in the top-right corner.
To install this app on Android
  1. Tap the 3-dot menu (⋮) in the top-right corner of the browser.
  2. Tap Add to Home screen or Install app.
  3. Confirm by tapping Install.

Latest Updates

Jerry Butler - The Ice Man Cometh - A Past Article

Something to read…
Something I wrote a few years ago hoping to get in Record Collector magazine. Apparently they only run features on artists who might have a new collection or whatever. And it’s a bit long
Jerry Butler - The Iceman Cometh
As 1966 made way for 1967, Jerry Butler’s career was at something of a crossroads. The 27-year-old had moved to the security of the well-heeled Mercury label following the financial meltdown of his previous label, Vee Jay, but so far there had been little to trouble the high reaches of the US charts, certainly nothing to match the success of his first-ever release in May 1958, For Your Precious Love (No 3 R&B, No 11 pop) on which he sang lead as Curtis Mayfield and the other Impressions backed him up.
But in 1967 Butler was to begin recording the tracks that would give him back his artistic credibility, and which would in due course make up The Ice Man Cometh, a masterpiece of a work that can lay claim to being soul’s first concept album. It’s a suite of love songs inhabited by lyrics of rare introspection for the times in black music, beautifully sung, and immaculately played and arranged. It’s to soul music what Pet Sounds had been to the rock and pop field in 1966.
The Ice Man Cometh was also up-and-coming songwriting and production team Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff’s first collaboration with a blue-chip artist. A massively-successful career running their own record company, Philadelphia International, lay ahead of them in the 1970s. On the album, Gamble, Huff and Butler’s compositional skills were combined in a partnership that seemed to have been forged in musical heaven, but was to last for only two albums.
However, they represent the crowning glory of Jerry Butler’s career, one that has seen him record for the label that “lost” The Beatles, collaborate with Curtis Mayfield, write a rock and soul classic with Otis Redding, co-write and record a Northern Soul favourite (not bad for someone who was primarily a balladeer), form a writers’ workshop that encouraged  the likes of Terry Callier, become a partner in a beer distributorship, and become a politician in his adopted home city of Chicago.
And all this while never having a chart record of his own in the UK , accounting for the fact that many of his releases in this country, on labels like Top Rank, Stateside, Sue, Columbia and Fontana, are extremely collectable.
Jerry Butler was born in Sunflower, in the Mississippi Delta, on 8 December, 1939. At the age of three his family followed what had now become a familiar trip for blacks, heading up to a Northern industrial city, in the Butlers’ case, Chicago. As he grew up he sang in church choirs, and joined The Northern Jubilee Gospel Singers, part of The Travelling Soul Spiritualistic Church, where he met Curtis Mayfield.
They went on to join different singing group, in Butler’s case, The Quails. He had to leave when he was forced to drop out of school following his father’s death, but in 1957 joined the Roosters, fresh into the city from Chattanooga, Tennessee. Butler, along with brothers Richard and Arthur Brooks and Sam Gooden, the new boys in the city, decided they needed someone who could play an instrument and get their harmonies together.
As a result, Butler persuaded Mayfield, then still only 16, to leave his group The Alphatones and join him in The Roosters. They began to make a name for themselves on the Chicago club scene, and teamed up with Eddie Thomas, who became their manager and is usually credited with changing their name to The Impressions. Vee Jay, a growing label in the city, passed on a number of demos sent them before an audition with A&R chief Calvin Carter paid off.
He liked a song Butler and the Brooks brothers had written, For Your Precious Love, with a melody and feel rooted firmly in gospel music but with lyrics from the secular world telling us how lovestruck Butler is with a certain young lady. The 18-year-old Butler’s baritone was already well-formed, and he led the other Impressions’ moaning and harmonising on a song released in May, 1958, which somewhat surprisingly climbed the national charts considering they were a first-time-out  group and the record was very black-sounding. It got a release in the UK too (on London), and if you can find a mint 45 it will set you back a tidy sum.
Apparently ructions were caused within the group when the label billed them as ‘Jerry Butler and The Impressions’, and after only two more releases with them, Butler cut out on his own. His replacement was Fred Cash, and after the Brooks brothers left the scene, it was left to Mayfield, Gooden and Cash to forge a highly-successful career as a three-strong Impressions, which Gooden and Cash still tour as today.
Butler’s solo career had a promising-enough start (Lost, No 17 R&B, March 1959), but there was a string of less-successful singles before A Lonely Soldier (No 25 R&B, May 1960). This was also his first UK solo release, backed with I Found A Love (Top Rank JAR 389, June 1960). The problem was, Vee Jay didn’t really know what to do with Butler, or thought they did but were going down completely the wrong path.
They thought his warm baritone, with the occasional rough edge (which he’d employ to stunning effect later in his career) lent itself to the sort of MOR material that could make him a crossover star. Chicago soul music expert Robert Pruter wrote in The Blackwell Guide To Soul Recordings: “The songs were somewhat in the pop mode and had the same kind of fluffy arrangements as Atlantic were putting out on its R&B artists at the time. A flute, tinkling piano, chirpy girl chorus, syrupy strings and bouncy rhythm did not work that well with Butler’s forceful vocal approach. The songs were good, but producer Calvin Carter was saddling them with ill-advised production.”
But re-enter Curtis Mayfield. He replaced Phil Upchurch as Butler’s on-the-road guitarist, and with The Impressions’ reappearance some time away, settled down with his new employer to write his next three singles, much more musically satisfying than the Carter-produced tunes, and returning Butler to the national pop chart – He Will Break Your Heart (No 7, November 1960), Find Yourself Another Girl (No 27, March 1961) and I’m A Tell-in You (No 25, July 1961). They were not only Butler-Mayfield co-compositions, but virtually duets too, with Mayfield adding his floating tenor (and distinctive guitar work) to Butler’s lead. The first two of these also got UK releases on Top Rank.
Butler was truly up and running now, and moving into a period that would solidify his reputation as a singer’s singer, a real class act in the rapidly burgeoning soul music field. He had the looks, too, a handsome man who always dressed smart for the camera and for the stage. His ‘coolness’ was seized on by Philadelphia radio DJ Georgie Woods, who dubbed him ‘The Ice Man’ – a nickname that has stayed with him ever since.
However there was a brief step back into the pop field with Moon River (No 11, October 1961; UK Columbia) before a true classic – the first recording of the Bacharach-David song Make It Easy On Yourself, which marked a milestone in Burt Bacharach’s career, as he recalled in a 2002 interview. “I’ve always been grateful to Calvin Carter because he let me go in and make my first record where I could actually be in the studio and write the arrangement. That gave me the confidence and enough of a story so that other people would let me do the same.” Jerry Butler’s version climbed to No 20 in July 1962 (the first in a run of six releases on Stateside in Britain), and it remained for the Walker Brothers to have the big British hit with the song with an identical arrangement in 1965, with Scott Walker’s voice ideally suited to copy Butler’s lead.
There were some mightily satisfying and reasonably successful singles to follow in 1962, 1963 and 1964, including another reunion with Curtis Mayfield for Need To Belong (No 31, November 1963) and the spine-tingling I Stand Accused, co-written by Butler with younger brother Billy (the man whose The Right Track was to become a Northern Soul classic), with Randy Newman’s I Don’t Want To Hear It Any More on the flip. I Stand Accused got a UK cover courtesy of The Merseybeats, and was later given the Isaac Hayes treatment on his The Isaac Hayes Movement album. The delectable Van McCoy-penned I Can’t Stand To See You Cry had Jerry in the uptown beat-ballad style fashionable in 1965, and earned a British release on Fontana TF 588 as the UK licensing of Vee Jay product continued to be all over the place (as Butler closed out his days with Vee Jay, there were also two releases on Guy Stevens’s Sue imprint in 1966).
During this period there was a meet-up on tour that was to produce one of the most enduring compositions for its writers, Butler and Otis Redding. On the road together, they adjourned to a hotel room in Buffalo and came up with the melancholy I’ve Been Loving You Too Long. Redding’s version came out on Stax in 1965, and remains one of his signature performances.
Then there was the teaming with Vee Jay stablemate Betty Everett for the Delicious Together LP – remarkably Butler’s first chart album – which produced his biggest single hit to date, a revival of the standard Let It Be Me (No 5, September 1964). However these dizzy heights were soon to become a thing of the past as Vee Jay steadily went down the pan and eventually went bankrupt early in 1966.
Vee Jay, of course, are famous as being the label that had the Beatles… and lost ‘em. Legal battles with the giant Capitol Records and music-licensing firm Trans-Global over the Fabs did not help in their battle to keep afloat as the in-house creative staff began to desert the sinking ship, probably because they weren’t getting paid. Butler’s final release for the company was a remake of his first success there, For Your Precious Love.
The move to the more secure surroundings of Mercury was to prove to be a mighty good one for Butler. However, it got off to a false start when personality problems with his assigned producer Luchi De Jesus led to his first album project, Soul Artistry, being shelved. Things improved when another staff producer, Jerry Ross, entered the picture. He had Bobby Hebb’s Sunny on his CV and was soon to find success with Spanky and Our Gang, Keith, and Jay and The Techniques.
The result of the Butler-Ross link-up was two delicious singles, I Dig You Baby and Mr Dream Merchant in 1967, but most importantly Ross provided the connection to Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff. Ross and Gamble were both Philadelphia-based, and together had written Butler’s single You Don’t Know What You Got Until You Lose It the previous year. Gamble and Huff had played together in groups around The City of Brotherly Love, and after struggling to find success with their productions in anything but the R&B market, suddenly found themselves hot in 1967, with the Soul Survivors’ Expressway To Your Heart and the Intruders’ Cowboys To Girls reaching No 4 and No 6 respectively on the national chart. Curtis Mayfield said: “Gamble and Huff made a new Jerry Butler. That’s when he came back alive.”
Their first collaboration was the Motownesque Lost, recorded not in Philly but at Bell Sound Studios in New York in September 1967. Of the five singles to be included on The Ice Man Cometh album (it was also on Butler’s earlier Mr Dream Merchant long-player), it was the poorest performing, reaching No 62 on the pop chart. The other ten tracks for ‘Ice Man’ were recorded on Gamble and Huff’s home patch, using the musicians they had played alongside in the clubs, and who had accompanied the pair into the studios to help them develop what was to become an unmistakable sound.
Drummers Earl Young and Karl Chambers, bass player Ronnie Baker, guitarists Norman Harris, Bobby Eli and Roland Chambers, Huff himself on keyboards and Lenny Pakula on organ, percussionist Larry Washington and vibes whiz Vince Montana were the core players, wonderfully supported by a sympathetic horn section and a string section organised by Don Renaldo, most of them players from the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. This ensemble stayed with Gamble and Huff into the Seventies, developing the sophisticated yet soulful backdrop to Philadelphia International hits by the likes of The O’Jays, Billy Paul and Harold Melvin and The Blue Notes. In his book Only The Strong Survive – Memoirs Of A Soul Survivor (with Earl Smith), Butler also credits engineer Joe Tarsia with helping create the “magic” of his sessions in Philadelphia.
So, although the remaining tracks for The Ice Man Cometh were recorded between February and September 1968, there was a oneness, a certain atmosphere, that contributed to the concept feel, helped immeasurably by the arranging skills of Thom Bell and Bobby Martin. Then there were the lyrics, in the main by Butler and Gamble, with Huff providing the musical muscle. There was no moon and June here, but young men talking about real life and experiences. Gamble himself said: “We would talk about different situations that people would get themselves into in their love life and whatever, and we would write about it. We would look at it from every angle we could think of.” In his book, Butler wrote: “…we would work in the same way; sitting in Kenny and Leon’s office – Kenny, Huff and me. Huff would be on the piano, while Kenny and I would come up with the lyrics. Huff and Kenny would come up with some concept and play chords, and I started singing. That’s how we came up with Never Give You Up, which is considered a classic today.”
At the heart of everything was Butler’s voice, aching, pleading, cajoling; the epitome of soulfulness.
Never Give You Up and Hey Western Union Man (renamed Send A Telegram for Britain) both made the pop top 20, but the poignant Are You Happy stalled at No 39. But the biggest hit off the album was the song that would become Jerry Butler’s signature tune, Only The Strong Survive, which made No 4. They had, and still have, lyrics to make you reflect on relationships, and the ballads (Strange) I Still Love You, Go Away – Find Yourself and the country-flavoured I Stop By Heaven, revealed men’s emotions in a way that few songs in the soul idiom did in 1968.
The Ice Man Cometh, with sleeve notes by the DJ Georgie Woods, who inspired its title, reached No 2 in the R&B chart and No 29 in the national chart. It got a release as Mercury 20154 SMCL in this country before 1968 was out.
Butler, Gamble and Huff, their musicians and arrangers, reconvened in early 1969 to work on the follow-up album, Ice On Ice. Not quite as successful as its predecessor, it works brilliantly as a pair with it. The arrangements are possibly more inventive and unusual, but Bobby Eli’s sitar becomes wearing at times. Lead-off track Moody Woman has become a floorfiller on the Northern Soul scene and, ironically, possibly Jerry Butler’s best-known song in this country.
And then it was all over. Gamble and Huff got into contractual difficulties with Mercury, and severed their connection with Butler to set up the phenomenally-successful Philadelphia International company, reviving the career of Wilson Pickett in between times.
Butler would never reach the heights of The Ice Man Cometh and its singles again, although many of his Seventies records make for rewarding listening, particularly the duets with Brenda Lee Eager. He set up the Butler Music Workshop, with financial backing from Chappell Music, in 1970, and it gave Butler a source of songs while encouraging the careers of the likes of Terry Callier. After a spell with Motown he even reunited with Gamble and Huff on Philadelphia International in 1978 for a pair of albums which showed the great voice was still intact, and the production pair were just as sympathetic to what was needed to enhance it. However by the early Eighties the show was over for The Ice Man, as classic soul was shunted off the radio and out of the studios.
In his book, Butler admits he recognised this, and so got involved in a Chicago beer distributorship, The Iceman Beverage Company, dealing with brands including Carling Black Label and Skol. He was also becoming more politically active, and in 1985 won a seat on the Cook County Board of Commissioners, and today is its longest-serving member, and what has drawn most of his attention for more than 30 years. He's left recording, and the road, behind him now, but has been visible on TV in the States presenting a series of PBS music specials, looking as suave as ever, usually suited and with his grey hair making him look even more distinguished.
Only The Strong Survive, he sang, but sheer talent goes a long way too.
 
Added by site
 
By Soulwally in Artists ·

The Undisputed Truth - New Vinyl Lp - Kent Records

A new vinyl releases from Kent Records, an overdue repressing of the Undisputed Truth's self-titled debut 1972 album, available now for pre-order with a 28th February 2025 release date.
Undisputed Truth - The Undisputed Truth - Kent LP - HIQLP 153
Label Release Notes
Motown producer and songwriter Norman Whitfield assembled The Undisputed Truth to further explore the psychedelic soul he had been developing with the Temptations on songs like ‘Cloud Nine’ and ‘Psychedelic Shack’.
Joe Harris, Billie Calvin and Brenda Evans were assembled as the vocal front line and their first single was ‘Save My Love For A Rainy Day’/’Since I’ve Lost You’ that was released on Gordy in February 1971 and got to #43 on the R&B Chart.
It was followed by ‘Smiling Faces Sometimes’/’You Got The Love I Need’ that was a massive hit single getting to #2 R&B and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their debut album “The Undisputed Truth” followed and not only contained all four tracks issued on 7” but an almost interstellar version of ‘Ball Of Confusion (That’s What The World Is Today)’, ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’ as well as very soulful prowl through Bob Dylan’s ‘Like a Rolling Stone’. Tracks like ‘California Soul’ and ‘Aquarius’ also ticked the psychedelic soul box. All told it was a fantastic debut and sold strongly.
Amazingly this fantastic album has not been repressed since 1972. Thus Ace are delighted to put it back into the record racks pressed on 180gm black vinyl.
https://www.acerecords.co.uk/undisputed-truth
Side 1
01 You Got The Love I Need
02 Save My Love For A Rainy Day
03 California Soul
04 Aquarius
05 Ball Of Confusion (That's What The World Is Today)
Side 2
01 Smiling Faces Sometimes
02 We've Got A Way Out Love
03  Since I've Lost You
04 Ain't No Sun Since You've Been Gone
05 I Heard It Through The Grapevine
06 Like A Rolling Stone
 
 

 

 
By Mike in New Releases ·

New 45s - West Grand - Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, Kim Weston, Brenda Holloway, Earl Van Dyke

Pre-orders being taken now for the first 2 singles on the brand new West Grand label
Under licence from Universal Music / Motown
WG0001S1
Tears At The End Of A Love Affair - Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
Just Too Much To Hope For - Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston 
 
WG0001S2
Think It Over (Before You Break My Heart) 
A - Brenda Holloway (Vocal)
B - Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers (Instrumental)
Debut worldwide release on any format for 2 previously unissued mixes
We are looking to despatch by Feb 27
The singles are £14 each + £3.50 1st class Royal Mail postage (for 1 or 2  records)
 
Message @Neil Rushton on here to pre-order
 

By Neil Rushton in New Releases ·

Film - Sly Lives - Documentary - Questlove - Now Out

A new documentary from Questlove'  is picking up a lot of attention, titled  'Sly Lives!, (aka The Burden of Black Genius) '  which charts the ' rise, reign and subsequent fadeout ' of Sly Stone
Release notes below...
'Questlove' Thompson, the Oscar-Winning Director of Summer of Soul, SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) examines the life and legacy of Sly & The Family Stone, the groundbreaking band led by the charismatic and enigmatic Sly Stone.
This film captures the rise, reign and subsequent fadeout of one of pop music’s most influential artists, but also shines a light on how Black artists in America navigate the unseen burden that comes with their success.
Drawing from his own personal experience and relationships, Questlove tells an empathetic human story about the cost of genius, reframing the way we all engage with pop culture.
Stream SLY LIVES! (Aka the Burden of Black Genius) on February 13 on Hulu and Disney+.
Trailer
 
Interview
 
Article Clip
Using archival clips, the film charts Sly Stone's rise from a Bay Area DJ to wild years with his band, the Family Stone. It illustrates Stone navigating fame before spiraling into drug addiction...
... Questlove plans to work on a documentary about the band Earth, Wind & Fire.
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/12/nx-s1-5235513/sly-lives-the-burden-of-black-genius-questlove-sly-stone
 
Thanks to @Seano for posting a heads up in the forums earlier this week 
Following on from the excellent Summer of Soul, Questlove has partnered with Joseph Patel to make a documentary about the life of Sly Stone. The trailer looks very strong. Unfortunately for me it's coming out on Disney - anybody know if it might get to cinema?
Uk official viewing options do appear to be via Disney Plus, while Usa is via Hulu
https://www.disneyplus.com/en-gb/movies/sly-lives/1ZbFjZD2QgI1
 
By Mike in New Releases ·

2 New Hit and Run 45 Releases - Feb 2025

Here we go with 2 new releases - just in from the plant and Quality Control completed.
No price increase on the vinyl or the postage (despite twice a year Royal Mail increases)
£15 each + £3 UK postage (good for 1-3 records)
 
HR 1560 HERMON HITSON : A - Walking In The Park
                                                 B1 - Love Slipped Through My Fingers        B2 - Why Not Me
Our A side is an edited version, minus the bluesy guitar, which sharpens it up for the dance floor. Pretty elusive on the 1976 US Lisa label, last sold on Discogs almost 4 years ago now.
Our B side firstly contains the CD only and never on vinyl unreleased cut of the Sam Williams classic - plenty comment out there as their respective merits ..... plus a BONUS TRACK - a copy of this sold last week on a carver for £200 and was described as 'simply one of the best Northern soul crossover dancers of all time'.
According to Soul Source, an acetate was sold in 2011 for £1,500; our master was dubbed from an original Johnny Brantley acetate, but not that acetate... and carefully remastered. '
Those that have heard this out will testify to this being one of his greatest records, his killer soulful vocals, great guitar work, a legendary crossover masterpiece.
'So much better than the released version by Freddie Terrell, which in itself is pretty great. This is phenomenal'.
Comments taken from soul platforms, not mine.
 
HR 1561 THE JADES : A - Lucky Fellow . B1 - And Now / B2 - So Proud I Found You
New Orleans male vocal trio, also recorded as The Enticers; US release on Mode seems to have now hit £1,000 - helped I'm sure by the big in-demand West Coast Lowrider flip 'And Now'; added here is a bonus track from the New Orleans Scram label, previously unreleased other than a 1997 compilation CD.
 
Still at £15 each + £3 UK postage (good for 1-3 records); please paypal as friends to - hitandrunsoul45@gmail.com
I've a feeling the promos will be popular on these two, so if interested please PM me to check availability..




HR 1560 A - Hermon Hitson - Walking In The Park [remaster].mp3 HR 1560 B1 - Hermon Hitson - Love Slipped Through My Fingers [remaster].mp3 HR 1560 B2 - Hermon Hitson - Why Not Me.mp3 HR 1561 A - The Jades - Lucky Fellow.mp3 HR 1561 B1 - The Jades - And Now.mp3 HR 1561 B2 - The Jades - So Proud I Found You.mp3
By Dewsburyborn in New Releases ·

Candi Staton - Back To My Roots - New Album - Digital

Out today the 32nd Album from Candi Staton
'Back to My Roots' is now out on digital music platforms today (February 14, 2025).
Candi posted on her socials 
'It's Americana, Blues and Retro Soul with an inspirational message. I perform songs with my sister Maggie Staton Peebles, bluesman Larry McCray and the legendary STAX Records artist "William Bell (You Don't Miss Your water, Born Under A Bad Sign, I Forgot to Be Your Lover). We had a lot of fun.'
Available right now on most digital platforms
Browse all sources via
https://ffm.to/cs_btmr
 
Youtube album playlist (use arrows to play/browse all track)
Album – Back To My Roots
 
Track list of Back To My Roots - Candi Staton

1 I Missed The Target Again - Candi Staton feat. Jonathan Dubose Jr.

2 It's Gonna Rain - Candi Staton feat. Maggie Peebles

3 Hang On in There (God Is At The End Of Your Rope)- Candi Staton feat. Larry McCray

4 Shine A Light

5 The Lord Will Make A Way Somehow

6 God's Gonna Use Me

7 There Will Be Peace In The Valley - Candi Staton feat. Maggie Peebles

8 1963

9 Reach Down And Touch Heaven For Me

10 Love Breakthrough

11 My God Has A Telephone - Candi Staton feat. William Bell
 
By Mike in New Releases ·

New LP : 'One More Chance' - Various Artists - Jai Alai

Glad to announce the first JAI ALAI compilation album, including four originally unreleased tracks by Earth Wind & Fire, Phyllis Hyman, Glenn Jones, and Gladys Knight and the Pips.

VARIOUS ARTISTS "ONE MORE CHANCE" LP (JAI ALAI)
SAMUEL JONATHAN JOHNSON - YOU

EARTH, WIND & FIRE - CLUB FOOT
Originally unissued Columbia recording

GLENN JONES - SHARE MY LOVE
Originally unissued RCA recording

GLADYS KNIGHT & THE PIPS - HOW DEEP IS YOUR LOVE
Originally unissued Columbia recording

ARETHA FRANKLIN - HERE WE GO AGAIN

PHYLLIS HYMAN - FOREVER WITH YOU
Originally unissued P.I.R. recording

TYRONE DAVIS - NEVER STOPPED LOVING YOU

DON COVAY - RIGHT TIME FOR LOVE

GARLAND GREEN - I KNOW WHAT LOVE IS

THE DELLS - SOMEBODY´S GOTTA MOVE

PRE ORDER NOW for 24th February

www.soul4real.es

Videos
 
 
 
 
ONE MORE CHANCE (JARLP01)

If you have been following the subsidiary label of Bilbao’s Soul4Real Records, you will know they have delivered fourteen singles over the last three years and now comes their first compilation.

The album opens with the rarer 12” mix of Samuel Jonathan Johnson’s seventies disco funk offering, “You”. And if you thought you owned every track by Glenn Jones, Earth Wind & Fire and Gladys Knight & The Pips, all three will delight with previously unreleased recordings. It’s astonishing how the mid-pacer “Share My Love” was omitted from Glenn’s 1983 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘓𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘈 𝘞𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳. Indeed, who decided that Gladys’s “How Deep Is Your Love” should not make the final line-up of her 1985 set, 𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦? As EWF’s “Club Foot” was not included on the 1983 𝘌𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 album, it does make you wonder how many other unreleased gems could be unearthed from the Sony Music vaults. And then there’s Aretha…nothing more needs to be said!

Side two opens with Phyllis Hyman’s joyous dancer “Forever With You”, recorded in 1991 (released posthumously in 1998 on her final CD of the same name) and where her hallmark vocals have never sounded better.

There are also some spectacular downtempo moments; “Never Stopped Loving You” from Tyrone Davis, “Right Time For Love” from Don Covay, and Garland Green’s “I Know What Love Is” are long forgotten knee-tremblers that have always been out there, but many may have been missed.

The album closes with the mighty Dells, clearly at their very best on the gorgeous Gamble & Huff penned and produced “Somebody’s Gotta Move”. Originally included in their 1992 set 𝘐 𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘠𝘰𝘶, it was a CD-only release in the US and very hard to find on the Jamaican vinyl-only version.

STEVE HOBBS
 




By Alexsubinas in New Releases ·

New 45 - Cash Money Experience - Outside Looking In - Epsilon EPS 033

Epsilon Record Co. is delighted to unveil its latest release, EPS033.
 
Cash Money Experience - Outside Looking In - Epsilon EPS 033
Listen to it here:
 
 
CASH MONEY EXPERIENCE FEAT. DARRY HOWARD (Nu-Rons) 
2024 Columbia / South Carolina
Title: "Outside Looking In"
This 2024 recording showcases original artists who continue to captivate audiences with their exceptional music and require our support.
Darryl Howard, the vocalist and songwriter of Nu’rons, takes on the lead vocals, while Emanuel Campbell, also a member of Nu’rons, contributes to the lyrics.
The 45rpm vinyl includes two versions of “Outside Looking In”: an extended version and a full radio edit.
The band members are:
- Darryl Howard (vocals)
- Eugene Williams (guitar)
- Teddy Jackson (bass)
- Lucious Frierson (keyboards)
- Danny Kelly (drums)
Written by Emanuel M. Campbell.
 
Some of you may recognise my esteemed friend Eugene Williams from the Williams Brothers, who played guitar on “Outside Looking In.”
This 45 is a previously unreleased gem that is now available for purchase on our website
15 Demos (£25 inc worldwide shipping)
300 issues (£18 inc uk shipping / £21 inc worldwide shipping)
 
Buy it here:
https://www.epsilonrecord.com/
 

By Yann V in Articles - Archives ·

New LP - GSF Free Soul - Various Artists - Charly Records - Out Today

This release has been picking up interest after being mentioned in our forums (link at end), the official release date is today
GSF Free Soul - Various Artists - Charly Records
- NEW YORK’S BEST KEPT SOUL SECRET
- Features legendary Northern Soul classics courtesy of Anderson Brothers, Skull Snaps and Connie Laverne
- Produced by hit makers George Kerr and Motown veteran Mickey Stevenson
- Starring the Whatnauts and Eddie “Hey There Lonely Girl” Holman
In 1971, film producer David Gil and his business partners Robert S Sinn and Paul Frankenberg launched a film company called GSF. Over the next few years, it would be involved in a small number of productions. But, in 1971 the movie business was kind of old-hat, music was where it was at, and so GSF Records, a well-funded label, headed by Larry Newton was formed. Today Newton is largely remembered for his attempts to prevent Louis Armstrong from recording 'What A Wonderful World' but that didn’t stop him from growing ABC from a second division company to an industry leader. As he approached his 52nd birthday he was unveiled as GSF Records’ president a full-service music company, involved in records and publishing across all genres. Through a joint venture with drummer Bernard Purdie the label targeted the R&B charts and soul & funk dominated GSF's release schedule.
Black music ruled and this was reinforced by the hiring of Lloyd Price as head of A&R (veteran R&B star), and producers George Kerr (All-Platinum), Mickey Stevenson (Motown) and Jerry 'Swamp Dogg’ Williams. No wonder then, unintentional as it was, that GSF left behind such an extraordinary legacy of rare soul treasures.
TRACK LIST LP
SIDE A
ANDERSON BROTHERS - I Can See Him Loving You
LLOYD PRICE - Love Music
SKULL SNAPS - My Hang Up Is You
BLANCH CARTER - Halos Are for Angels
GARNET MIMMS - Somebody, Someplace
JACKIE ROSS - Do I (Love You Like You Like It)
CLASSIC EXAMPLE - That's Groovy
SIDE B
CONNIE LAVERNE - Can't Live Without You
PASSIONS - A Toast (May There Be No Last Time)
LIBERATION - Don't Spread Your Love Around
WINFIELD PARKER - Trust Me
WHATNAUTS - Give Him Up
BARRY SMITH - That's All That's Required
EDDIE HOLMAN - Young Girl (In Your World)
Purchase
https://charlydirect.com/products/gsf-free-soul
Forum topic
https://www.soul-source.co.uk/forums/topic/456830-gsf-free-soul-new-album-from-charly-records/
 

By Mike in New Releases ·

New Album - Paul Weller Presents That Sweet Sweet Music - Ace Records

A heads up on an interesting upcoming album release from Ace Records, due out at the end of March 2025.
Cd and Vinyl format
Paul Weller Presents That Sweet, Sweet Music - CDTOP 1655
Label notes
Soul music has always been in Paul Weller’s blood from early Jam covers of Martha & the Vandellas 1963 classic ‘Heatwave’. Along with other forms of music, soul found its way into Paul’s record collection, nourishing his ears and informing his own songwriting.
Side 1
01  God Made Me Funky - The Headhunters
02  Spanish Twist - The I. B. Special
03  Breakaway - The Valentines
04  Top Of The Stairs - Collins & Collins
05  Dont Let The Green Grass Fool You - The Spinners
06  Black Balloons - Syl Johnson
07  Soulshake - Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson
08  I Can't Make It Anymore - Richie Havens
09  You Got To Have Money - The Exits
10  Pull My String (Turn Me On) - The Joneses
11  Run For Cover - The Dells
12  On Easy Street - O.C. Smith
13  It Ain't No Big Thing - The Radiants
14  Summertime - Billy Stewart
15  In The Bottle - Brother To Brother
16  Hard Times - Baby Huey
17  Maggie - Johnny Williams
18  When - Joe Simon
19  Pouring Water On A Drowning Man - James Carr
20  That's Enough - Roscoe Robinson
21  Blackrock Yeah Yeah - Blackrock
22  Golden Ring - American Gypsy
23  Search For The Inner Self - Jon Lucien
24  Life Walked Out - The Mist
25  In The Meantime - Betty Davis
26  Beautiful Feeling (Single Mix) - Darrell Banks
https://www.acerecords.co.uk/paul-weller-presents-that-sweet-sweet-music-1
 


By Mike in New Releases ·

New Album - Brooke Combe - Dancing At The Edge Of The World

A new album by Uk artist Brooke Combe has been picking up interest in the msm, with the track 'This Town' also picking up mentions on here and elsewhere. Details and audio follow below
 
Brooke Combe - Dancing At The Edge Of The World - Modern Sky Uk
Release notes
Brooke Combe, a rising Scottish singer-songwriter, delves deep into her soulful roots with her new album 'Dancing at the Edge of the World'. This album marks her most authentic work yet, blending rich, emotive vocals with contemporary soul sounds. Brooke's music captures the essence of heartbreak, empowerment, and self-discovery, resonating with a broad audience. 'Dancing at the Edge of the World' is a powerful showcase of Brooke's artistry, highlighting her evolution as a leading voice in modern soul music.
Various Formats: cd/vinyl/streaming
Info, streams, sounds, purchase options and more via
https://brookecombe.os.fan/
 
Youtube Complete Album Playlist
(use arrows to play all tracks)
 
Track Listings
1 Prelude
2 This Town
3 Guilt
4 Shaken By the Wind
5 L.M.T.F.A
6 The Last Time
7 Pieces
8 If I Could Only Be Yours
9 Laneswood Pines
10 Butterfly
11 Dancing at the Edge of the World
Spotify Embed
 

By Mike in New Releases ·

New Ace/BGP Album - The Brides Of Funkenstein - Funk Or Walk - Cd/Lp

Out this weekend a 'new/reissue' album release from BGP Ace Records, available right now on vinyl and cd.
The Brides Of Funkenstein - Funk Or Walk
Details below...
Release Notes Preview
 
George Clinton’s imagination knew no bounds and, defying normal music industry convention, by 1978 had five bands signed to three different record labels. One of these comprised of three other Parliament/Funkadelic female backing singers working under the name of Parlet, whose debut single, ‘Pleasure Principle’ was released on Casablanca Records in March 1978.
It was Clinton’s idea that two other backing singers, Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva, become the Brides Of Funkenstein, a character he invented for the 1976 Parliament LP, “The Clones Of Dr Funkenstein”. “I have to be honest – at first, I hated the name and I thought George was kidding,” Mabry told Blues & Soul, “But I have gotten to like it – especially just the Brides.”
Clinton got the Brides signed to Atlantic Records and their first single was ‘Disco To Go’ / ‘ When You’re Gone’. The A-side was written and produced by Clinton and Bootsy Collins and had originally featured in live shows by Collins’ live band. Clinton was asked by Black Echoes why the song was recorded by the Brides rather than Bootsy. “He could, and it would have been a smash too,” he replied. “But we thought it sounded too much like James Brown, so we gave it to the girls. Now it don’t sound like James Brown.” It certainly did not and this electronic bass and horn-powered banger – complete with an Old MacDonald nursery rhyme refrain – debuted on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart at #80 on 30th September 1978. By the time the P-Funk crew were flying across the Atlantic in early November it had peaked at #7. Sadly for UK fans, ‘Disco To Go’ was only available on import although a Black Echoes review stated it was a “Slow chunky handclapper. It sounds not unlike Funkadelic’s own ‘Coming Round The Mountain’”....
.... and Ace are delighted to put it out again. It comes with an inner sleeve with notes written by Ace’s Ian Shirley.
Full notes, purchase options and more available via Ace Records website
Cd
https://www.acerecords.co.uk/funk-or-walk-1
Lp
https://www.acerecords.co.uk/funk-or-walk
 
Track Listing
Side 1
01 Disco To Go
02 Warship Touchante
03 Nappy
04 Birdie
05 Just Like You
06 When You're Gone
07 Amorous
 
Leaflet Scans



 
 
Video Playlist
 
 
By Mike in New Releases ·

Luxury Soul 2025 (3 x CD) - Expansion Records

Details of the 2025 release, the latest in this long running series from Expansion Records
Luxury Soul 2025 3 x CD Box Set
Release Notes
Expansion Records commences each year with the label’s most anticipated collection, “Luxury Soul”. The success of the series comes down to the quality of tracks sourced from independent soul music artists, often unsigned or with recordings previously unissued or on limited release elsewhere.
Included on this unique collection are exclusives by Kloud 9 ft Shalamar’s Howard Hewett, first time on CD releases by Diplomats Of Soul (produced by Incognito), Julian Jonah, Steve Nichol (formerly of Loose Ends), Kim Tibbs, Gwen Dickey (originally from Rose Royce), Devon Howard, Dee Lucas, Ronald Isley with Robin Thicke’s mother Gloria Loring and more of the finest soul releases of the past 12 months by Michael Gray, Jessie Laine Powell, Shaun Labelle, Matt Cusson and so many more.
Released January 13, 2025
Luxury Soul 2025 by Luxury Soul (Various Artists)
Track Listing
CD ONE
Everyday-Cornell C.C. Carter
I Love You-Diplomats Of Soul
The Power Of Love-Will Downing
What The Heart Wants-Steve Nichol feat. Debby Bracknell
I Love My Life With You (feat Brian McKnight)-Jeff Lorber
Soul Night-The Groove Association feat. Georgie B
It's Alrght-Kim Tibbs
Let the Lovin' Start-Victor Haynes
Water-Gwen Dickey
I Do, I Did, I'm Done-Natasha Watts
Treat Your Right (T-Groove Remix)-Devon Howard
Back In Tha Day-Hill St. Soul
CD TWO
I Want You For Myself-Patrice Isley
Let's Not Say Goodnight-Julian Jonah
Unite & Heal-T.I.L.A.R
Nights Over Egypt-Castella
Weak Spot (feat. Kevin Bennett)-Dee Lucas
Smile-Lucita Jules & Foster Rogue
I Love You -Steven Thad
Can I Get Ur Numba-Everis
Why-Alli' Starr
Fallin In Love (Rob Hardt Remix)-David A. Tobin
I Wanna Be Loved By You-Full Flava feat. Angela Johnson
CD THREE
Back Against the Wall-Kelyn & Keite
Fire and Ice-Jessie Laine Powell
She Don't Mind (feat. Yulia Musayelyan)-Matt Cusson
Next Move-Jarrod Lawson
All I Want Is You-Michael Gray feat. Lex Cameron
Ain't No Sunshine-The Paradise Projex
Falling in Love-Kloud 9 feat. Howard Hewett
Your Love Kept Calling My Name-Shaun LaBelle
No To Heartbreak-Benjamin Race
Will You Ever Stay-Tristan
Love Is Still The Answer-Ronald Isley & Gloria Loring
My Love-Peggi Blu feat. Rockie Robbins
 
Preview
 
 
https://luxurysoulvariousartists.bandcamp.com/album/luxury-soul-2025-2
 
https://expansionrecords.co.uk/Luxury-Soul-2025-CDBEXP25-CD-p278103653
By Mike in New Releases ·

James Holvay - Working Man EP - Review By Bill Buckley

Intro
Bill Buckley from Souljazzandfunk.com recently got in touch with us regarding a recent (Nov 2024)  Ep release from James Hovay, that he thought deserved exposure. You can read Bill's review further below
Long time readers may be familar with James recent 2022 releases,  this time around the five track EP does take a similar path and would say that the description 'the soundscape is the classic sound of 60s Chicago' is a most valid take.
Review, details and video clips follow below
 
James Holvay – Working Man Label: MOB Town Records – MTR 003
1 Working Man 2:41
2 Don't Take Your Love 3:13
3 Bring It 3:10
4 Love That Lady 2:34
5 Grace Of Your Love 04:25
Format wise, the EP can be found on most of the major streamers, a while a cd is mentioned am currently trying to track down purchase details if any, anyone know?
Video Track - Love That Lady 
 
Review of ‘Working Man’ by Bill Buckley
Chicago-born JAMES “SOUL” HOLVAY is a veteran singer, songwriter and guitarist. His biggest success as a writer was ‘Kind Of A Drag’ – a US pop no. 1 hit for the Buckinghams but he also led his own band, the Mob. They gigged hard through the late 60s and 70s playing their take on soul but as musical tastes changed the band split up and James turned away from the music business.
A career in sales followed but back in 2020 Mr. H decided to make a musical comeback. He’d been listening to plenty of young, new  artists and bands delivering their take on classic, retro soul  so he decided he’d join them. The thinking being that if these youthful artists could do it, then why couldn’t someone who was there in the golden age of soul do it too!
Thus in 2021 he started to release new music – but a very special new music. He released an EP called ‘Sweet Soul Song’ which channelled the classic Chicago soul sound that he’d grown up with – the sound of Curtis Mayfield, Major Lance, Gene Chandler and Johnny Pate. Indeed when James played the demo tapes to Pate, the veteran arranger/producer was amazed that James and his musicians had managed to recreate so successfully the sounds of 60s Windy City Soul.
The EP made James Holvay something of a cult figure amongst 60s Chicago soul collectors and they’ll be delighted to know that our man has just released a brand new five track EP, ‘Working Man’. Again, the soundscape is the classic sound of 60s Chicago. The songs, four written by James, could’ve come from the Curtis Mayfield catalogue while the productions and arrangements are true to the craft of Johnny Pate.
The EP begins with  the title track -a strident workout maybe more redolent of Mayfield’s solo work. That’s followed by ‘Don’t Take Your Love’  which sounds like a long lost Curtom artefact. Next up is another strident cut, ‘Bring It’  – big and brash. The fourth cut Is the mini album’s standout – a gorgeous, feel-good ‘Love That Lady’ – a tune that embodies all that was good about 60s Chicago soul! The EP is rounded off with a lush balled ‘The Grace Of Your Love’  which even incorporates dear Curtis’ ‘Need To Belong’ in the fade out. This one was penned by Al Ciner.
This ‘Working Man’ EP is quality retro soul  and it’s good to go now via your preferred streaming/download platform. You can learn more @ https://jamesholvay.com/  while you may want to check our 2021 interview with the man –  https://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/interviews/sweet-chicago-soul-the-james-holvay-interview/ . In the meantime, our “one to watch” video box presents the video for ‘Working Man’.
(BB) 4/5
Posted via Bill Buckley, article originally on SJF 
https://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/reviews/james-holvay-working-man-windy-city-soul/
 
Links
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Working-Man-James-Holvay/dp/B0DMVGR3FX
By Mike in Soul Music Features ·

Out Now - Soul Up North Magazine #122 Winter 2025 Issue

Out Now - Soul Up North Magazine #122 -  The  Winter 2025 issue
This issue goes like this...
GOOD TUNES & GREAT GROOVES
Dave Halsall
#FUNK IN YO’ FACE – QUINCY JONES – THE DUDE
Howard Priestly
#CHICAGO SOUL
Shane Cox
#CISSY HOUSTON - RIP
David Nathen
#SOUL SPOTLIGHT – FLORIDA’S TEMPTATIONS (PART 2)
Steve Guarnori
#COLLECTOR’S CD – TRACK LISTING
Karl ‘Chalky’ White
#THE LADIES CHOICE – COLLECTING RARE SOUL
Julie Molloy
#CODY MILLER
John Smith
#SOUL IN A DIGITAL AGE
John Farrar
#SOUL IN PRINT – MAGAZINES & FANZINES (Part 25)
Iain McCartney
#1970 – A VIEWPOINT
Steven Riley
#SOULFUL SEVENTIES SPINS aka ‘PLUMB’S PEACHES’
Steve Plumb
#COLLECTING BRITISH
Lord Snooty
#RICHIE MERRETT – THE ‘VOICE’
Ed Salamon
#LP SPOTLIGHT 
COLOR ME BLUE – THE DECISIONS - SOUL DIRECTION
#HOT OFF THE VINYL PRESS
Howard E
#CHICAGO SOUL SPECIAL - THE ARTISTICS
Shane Cox
#LP SPOTLIGHT
ASKING FOR THE TRUTH (BUT PAYING FOR  A LIE )– VARIOUS ARTISTS – SOUL 4 REAL
#OFF THE SHELVES
Martyn Bird
#STEVE CROPPER – THE NEW LP & MORE
Ed Salamon
#VIEW FROM THE APE HOUSE
Tim Brown
#LITTLE SILVER DISCS
Howard E
#HOT OFF THE VINYL PRESS – LP extra
Howard E
#AND FINALLY – DEEP SOUL CORNER
Mike Finbow
 
Availability
Available now from all the usual stockists including our very own Source Store
Tap here to purchase Soul Up North 122 Winter Issue via our Source Store

By Mike in New Releases ·

Troubling the Water: The Power of Song, from the Underground Railroad to Rhythm and Blues

Wade in the water
Wade in the water children
Wade in the water
God said He’s gonna trouble the water

We are the sons and the daughters
We gotta stand up and make it loud
Just like our God told the Pharaoh
Let my people go

We are a new generation
From the ones who have gone before
He’s calling us out of bondage
Let my pеople go
“Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains. Those songs still follow me, to deepen my hatred of slavery and quicken my sympathies for my brethren in bonds.” (Frederick Douglass; 1845).
 
E. Mark Windle 23 January 2025.
For over forty years now I’ve been immersed in a community that celebrates and explores Black music; placing emphasis on a history that remains largely unfamiliar to mainstream society. If there’s any common ground, it’s the assumption that the advent of jazz, R&B and soul represented a release from the constraints of the Church. Irony then, that Ramsey Lewis’ 1966 take on the spiritual Wade in the Water was among the first of countless vinyl record acquisitions as I set out on my journey of musical enlightenment. Wasn’t this stuff supposed to be all about the Devil’s music?
Don’t be fooled by the popular misconception that Black America has always had a strong connection with the Church. Much to the frustration of white antebellum society, the reality was that Christianity was a slow burner. It took at least a hundred years and multiple institutional influences before any significant religious transition was evident. Scholars suggest that even then, the attraction lay in the Old and New Testament tales of struggle, hope and freedom – themes that paralleled the African American plight.
There should also be no surprise that when this ‘new’ religion was ultimately embraced, bible teachings and prayer were heavily complemented by music and song. Of course, these elements had always been an integral part of ritual celebration and worship of spirits and gods back in the homeland. And pre-emancipation, countless original Christian spirituals were composed by enslaved communities, or existing hymns modified to speak to a different audience. Wade in the Water, one of the most recognisable of spirituals, was first recorded by the Sunset Four Jubilee Singers. At least a dozen other versions followed in what could be described as the golden age of Black gospel between 1925 and 1960. To date, well over 300 published versions of the song sit on the of register of BMI.
But let’s backtrack. Nashville’s Fisk Jubilee Singers were the first to rescue slave songs from obscurity. In the late 1800s, and with direct access to oral history from free and formerly enslaved individuals, the student choir built a repertoire of around 40 spirituals and work songs, including Wade in the Water. The purpose was to perform these across the US and overseas as a means of raising money for their financially struggling school. The upshot? Nashville got its Music City moniker from Queen Victoria (so the story goes), and its first historically Black university. Brothers John and Frederick Work brought things further into public consciousness in the early 20th century, when the lyrics appeared in New Songs as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers of Fisk University. If it wasn’t for the efforts of Fisk University, these spirituals may well not have been preserved in their original form, if at all.
Other than providing a means of religious expression, spirituals were associated with escape from slavery. Opportunities for escape from plantations and farms which followed Native American raids or spontaneous internal uprisings were invariably ill-fated. The Underground Railroad provided a much more organised option for flight, by employing coordinated systems of passage. The Appalachian Mountains offered indirect access to the northern free states and Canada. Mexico was a more logical destination for the enslaved on Texan or Louisiana soil. In any direction, journeys remained extremely perilous – especially for women and children, the weak and the elderly – but by the time of Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, some 100,000 slaves sought passage through the Underground Railroad.
Part of its success was the use of code. ‘Passengers’ (escapees) rode the Underground Railroad under the instruction of guides, known as conductors. ‘Stations’ were safe places for rest between each run, taking the form of cellars, churches and rendezvous points in marshland or woods. For communication, the use of code within song was also key; folk songs and spirituals could regularly be heard by slave owners on the plantations and fields, so would give no cause to raise suspicion. Some biblical lyrics doubled as warnings to potential passengers. Others were instructions from guides or co-conspirators to prepare for flight: being “bound for the land of Canaan” referenced a flee attempt to Canada. In Sweet Chariot, “Swing low to carry me home” indicated the imminent use of escape routes to the south. Steal Away meant, well, just that. As far as Wade in the Water is concerned, the literal biblical narrative is the story of the Israelites crossing the River Jordan to enter the Promised Land. For Mama Moses, one of the Underground Railroad’s most notable conductors, it was also code for escapees to enter the streams and rivers, thereby minimising scent and diverting the slave hunter’s bloodhounds from the trail.
With the origins of Wade in the Water in slavery, and the uprising of the civil rights movement of the early 1960s, it was a given that there would be a cross-over to a secular setting. Call-and-response has a way of unifying people, whether for religious or political purposes. The Chambers Brothers frequently included Wade in the Water in their performances at music festivals and freedom marches. Prior to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, gospel groups including Sam Cooke and the Soul Stirrers, and The Pilgrim Travellers featuring Lou Rawls fuelled the cause with their versions. The Staple Singers secured its status as a song of solidarity with their take towards the end of the decade, as racial tensions were coming to a head in the urban areas of the North. Outside of the political arena, the musical transition of Wade in the Water to popular music featured folk, jazz, and R&B interpretations. Instrumental versions were popular, doubtless a hang-over from gospel church renditions, and the song was easily adapted for the organ. Ramsey Lewis’ infectious piano and horn-driven jazz / R&B version for the Chess label subsidiary, Cadet, took it to new heights. Political timeliness, shrewd marketing techniques and not least dancefloor appeal ensured it reached peak positions in the US R&B and pop charts and across Europe.
Marlena Shaw’s 1966 vocal version for the same record label was also popular at the time. Lyrical content was swapped from the spiritual narrative to one of an intense, seductive and stormy relationship. As Fiona McQuarrie noted in Shindig magazine, this wasn’t well received in some parts: “(The Ramsey Lewis version) inspired vocalist Marlena Shaw to adapt the song’s lyrics for her ‘66 single… an updating which, she said, was put down by the church people in the South who felt that some of the lyrics were a little risqué “. Two years later, Big Mama Thornton presented another alternative lyrical take – and a dramatic switch in tempo – on her rousing recording for Arhoolie, the Californian blues and R&B specialist label.
Thanks then to the unknown composer and the conductors of the Underground Railroad; to the Fisk Singers and the Work brothers of Nashville; and to the activists who adopted Wade in the Water as a civil rights anthem. Let’s not forget the record-buying public either. Perhaps the ultimate recognition of the song’s lasting significance is inclusion in Celebrating Fisk! The 150th Anniversary Album. The Fisk Jubilee Singers picked up the 2021 Best Roots Gospel Album Grammy Award for that one. Messages of hope and freedom from oppression clearly still resonate. Two centuries on, the enduring legacy of Wade in the Water is assured.
(Copyright 2025; E. Mark Windle)
By Windlesoul in Soul Music Features ·

Reissue 45 - Claire Davis - Thrive/Playground - LRK Records

LRK Records is excited to announce the highly anticipated reissue of Claire Davis' iconic single, 'Thrive/Playground.' Originally released as a limited edition black vinyl 45, this pressing sold out in just 24 hours and has since become a highly sought-after collector’s item. Due to overwhelming demand, we’re bringing it back for a limited repress on blue coloured vinyl—so don’t miss out again!
Featuring Claire’s signature blend of emotive lyrics and captivating melodies, ‘Thrive/Playground’ showcases her undeniable talent and artistry. Whether you’re a long-time fan or discovering Claire’s music for the first time, this repress is a must-have for any vinyl collection.
Pre-order now to secure your copy—limited stock available! Shipping begins around early February 2025, with a release date set for 3rd Feb 2025
Credits
Releases February 3, 2025
Music & Lyrics by Claire Davis & Scott McCannell
Produced, Mixed, & Mastered by Scott McCannell
https://lrkrecords.bandcamp.com/album/thrive-playground-reissue-45
 
Thrive / Playground REISSUE 45 by Claire Davis
By LRK in New Releases ·

New 45 - Soul Junction SJ559 - The Scott Brothers / Judson Moore & The Al-Tog Staff

Press Release: The Scott Brothers “My Sweet Polly” (Previously Unissued)/Judson Moore & The Al-Tog Staff “Everybody Push & Pull” (Previously Unissued Studio Version) SJ559
Release Date:  Monday January 27th 2024

 
Once again Soul Junction have dipped back into the Scot-Tees Capri master tapes to bring to you two previously unissued tracks, the late 60’s dancer “My Sweet Polly” performed by The Scott Brothers coupled with a previously unheard studio version of Judson Moore’s popular crossover dancer “Everybody Push & Pull”.

The Scott Brothers began as a vocal quartet formed during 1958 under the performing name of the “Elpeccios” after a subsequent name change to the ‘Masquerades’ they were discovered while singing in a North Side Club during 1960 by Don Talty. Talty as the owner of the Formal Record label signed the group up and recorded two 45’s on them. Further 45’s appeared on the Boyd and Joyce labels before in late 1963 the group made the decision to quit as a vocal only ensemble and learn to play some instrument’s thus becoming the ‘Scott Brothers Band’. The Scotts went through many changes of personnel (including other family members) and names changes, The Scott Bros Orchestra, Scott Brothers World and Howard Scott & The World Band. Another family connected ensemble was Scotty & The Rib Tips led by brother Kenneth “Buddy” Scott husband of Irene Scott. The ‘Irene’ in question being ‘Irene’ of ‘Irene And The Scotts’ of “I’m Stuck On My Baby/Why Do You Treat Me Like You Do” (Smash Records) fame. Irene later recorded the excellent solo outing “Everyday Worries/Your No Good” for the Leaner Brothers Midas label. The late Buddy and Irene’s son ‘Hollywood’ himself a talented musician featured in many of the Scott family’s later ensembles but he too has recently passed. As a mainstay of the Chicago club scene for many, many years, family loyalty always came first with the Scott’s, even while performing as part of Chicago legend Tyrone Davis’s Band they wore their distinctive black silk “Scotts Brothers World jackets with Tyrone Davis’s name relegated to the back.

During 1968 Howard Scott (sometimes credited as Sephus Scott) formed Capri Records which operated as a recording and production company not just for themselves but for other local independent artists. Acting as songwriters and music publishers in their own right, as Scot-Tees Publishing Co, BMI. Howards writing credits can be found on Sly Johnson’s “Do You Know What Love Is” (Special Agent) and “I’ve Got To Get Over” TMP-Ting) the latter brought Howard into contact with respected arranger Johnny Camerson whose arrangements can be found on several Capri productions including Cam Cameron’s “They Say/I’m A Lonely Man”. One of the Scott’s own vocal outings “We Like Girls/Magic Wand” gained a release on the local Zachron label which was owned by John Zachary and Johnny Cameron.  Another Howard Scott production of note is “I Won’t Stop To Cry” for Twinight Records recorded by the artist ‘Stormy’ a.k.a John Colley who later, with two former members of the C.O.D’s (Kellmac Records) Carl Washington and Robert Lewis became the group  ‘The Lost Family” who recorded the Scott/Capri co-productions “Blow My Mind/Pretty Face” for International Music Bag and Innovation II labels respectively. Scot-Tees writing and publishing credits can also be found on Garland Green’s third Revue single “Ain’t That Good Enough”.

Howard Scott always believed in sharing the credit for productions with his fellow musicians who were collectively referred to as the ‘Al-Tog staff’ (although often thought of in the past as an abbreviation of a single person’s name, Al-Tog was in fact an abbreviation of the word ‘Altogether’ which Howard Scott used to encourage and create a sense of togetherness within the Capri Productions studio). The mainstays of the Al-Tog Staff were an exceptionally talented horn section of Bill McFarland, Claude Williams, Johnny Jackson and a drummer Ira Gates, who together complimented the Scott family guitarists. Al-Tog Staff arrangements and songwriting credits can be found throughout the Capri catalogue of works with no finer example being the Soul Majestics excellent double sider “I Done Told You Baby/Missing You” released on the Scott’s appropriately named Al-Tog and Chicago Music Bag labels respectively.   

The Scott’s also become heavily involved with the Leaner Brothers, the respected owners of One-derful, Mar-V-Lus and M-Pac group of record labels etc and the Va-Pac Music Publishing Company. George Leaner later chose to retire from the One-derful label to concentrate on the publishing side of the business with his brother Ernest and his son Tony Leaner then concentrating on a new record label, Toddlin’ Town. The Toddlin’ Town label is littered with many of the Scott’s productions and writing credit’s, examples being, Alvin’s Cash’s “Keep On Dancing” (later covered by The Commodores on Atlantic Records), the ‘Toddlin’ Town Sounds’ “The Dud”,  the powerhouse instrumental “They All Came Back” backed with “Hunk OF Funk” recorded by the Scott Brothers Orchestra  and the early 70’s midtempo vocal outing “Top Of The Mountain(Part1 & 2)”credited as just the Scott Brothers.

Returning to the aforementioned “Irene And The Scotts “I’m Stuck On My Baby” which was one of two releases that the Scotts recorded for the Mercury subsidiary Smash label. The second being The Scott Brothers (this time without Irene) recording the excellent mid-tempo “My Day Has Come” backed with the funk dancer “Got To Get A Groove”. Both Smash 45 releases were recorded using some of Detriot’s finest session Arrangers Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey and Motown bassist Bob Babbit. The performers line up on “My Day Has Come” was Charles Scott (drums), Howard and Tommy Scott (bass guitarists), Walter Scott (rhythm guitar) and bass vocalist Ike Hickman. 

The above, mentioned productions are only a small part of the Scot-Tees/Capri Records story with plenty more to acknowledge. While playing through numerous tape reels a few previously unissued productions came to light, from one of their earliest recording sessions came the soon to be released “My Sweet Polly”. A simple, yet catchy little song performed by Howard Scott, with the Sweet Polly in question being none other than a former girlfriend of Howard’s from Rockford Illinois, belated fame for Howard’s former main squeeze has finally arrived!

Judson Moore was born in Forrest City, Arkansas. Following his graduation from Lincoln Senior High School he entered military service in the United States Air Force. Following his honorable discharge from the service he met and married his wife Barbara and together they had one daughter. It was around this time that Judson’s interest in performing as a singer grew. During this initial period of performing in several Chicago Night Clubs Judson was introduced to the Scott Brothers who invited him to join their Capri Productions company. While with the Scotts, he had two 45 releases, the self- penned songs “Everybody Push & Pull/Confidence” released on the Capri label and the A.C. Carson penned “Lisa/Groovy Thing” which appeared on another Scot-Tees label imprint Chicago Music Bag. Judson’s records gained a fairly good following throughout the Midwest with Chicago’s WVON radio station presenter Herb Kent ‘The Cool Gent’ being a great supporter of Judson’s records.

“Everybody Push And Pull” is a joyous dance instruction song thought to have been influenced by Rufus Thomas’s hit of the day “Do The Push And Pull”.  this featured version of “Everybody Push And Pull” is a previously unissued studio version with vocal accompaniment by the Al-Tog Staff. Judson is still residing in a Care Home in the Northside of Chicago.
Words By: David Welding
Acknowledgements to:  Howard Scott, Bill McFarland, Johnny Coleman & Lee Moore.
For further information e-mail:   sales@souljunctionrecords.co.uk
or visit the website for more details https://www.souljunctionrecords.co.uk/SJ559.html
 
 

By Chalky in New Releases ·

Dean Chalkley's Short Film - Good For The Soul - Now Online

News on Dean Chalkley's new short film 'Good For The Soul' which is now available to watch online via Nowness
Information
GOOD FOR THE SOUL sets a blistering pace! The film is a joyous celebration of dancing to Northern Soul. This modern, vibrant and fast paced short taps right into the emotional and cathartic nature of the music, a high powered firecracker of a film that’ll turn your heartbeat up. 
Originally created and exclusively screened in the ’50 Years On The Soul Stays Strong’ exhibition in Wigan, Lancs. The film was one of the five installations director/photographer Dean Chalkley presented in the show that explored the lasting influence and love of Northern Soul. The month long exhibition coincided with the golden anniversary of the first of the legendary Northern Soul all-nighters that took place at the iconic Wigan Casino between 1973 to 1981. 
The music in the film titled ‘True True Love’ is a very rare soul recording performed and co-written by Tobi Lark, Tobi also went under the name of Tobi Legend and her track ‘Time Will Pass You By’ was famously one of the ‘three before eight (a.m.)’ records always played at the end of the Wigan Casino all-nighter sessions.
Dean met featured dancer Durassie Kiangangu shortly after completing his 2011 film ‘Young Souls’ (a short film dedicated to the experience of going to a Northern Soul all-nighter). Between then and now they have worked together on a several photographic projects but Dean bided his time and waited for the right moment to make a short film with Durassie, GOOD FOR THE SOUL is it, a project that fused together many creative elements in the process of it's creation.
Since the ’50 Years On The Soul Stays Strong’ exhibition in Wigan this evocative film has screened in the Doc’nRoll and Southend-on-Sea film festivals as well as the Doc of the Bay film festival in San Sebastián, Spain.
We are all very excited that the film has premiered on-line at NOWNESS a platform and movement that presents emotional and sensorial stories designed to provoke inspiration and debate.  
Full info via
https://www.deanchalkley.com/news/2025/january/nowness_good_for_the_soul_
 
Video Embed
 
Video Nowness  Link
https://www.nowness.com/series/just-dance/good-for-the-soul-dean-chalkley
 
Upcoming Kent Related 45 Release Info
TOBI LARK / THE DAVE & DARRELL BAND – TRUE TRUE LOVE / INSTRUMENTAL
‘True True Love’ was released as the first Kent Select single in 2006 and original copies sell for £300 plus − if you can find one. Ace are delighted to re-issue ‘True True Love’ on vinyl paired with an unreleased instrumental version by the Dave & Darrell Band.
The single comes in a picture sleeve featuring a still from Dean Chalkley’s amazing film along with liner notes written by Ady Croasdell.
 

 

 
 
By Mike in New Releases ·

New Single - The 7:45s - The Way that I Love You - LRK Records

New single from LRK Records released Friday 10th Jan 2025
The 7:45s - The Way that I Love You
Manchester-based original soul collective
The 7:45s release their debut single. Named after 7-inch 45-rpm vinyl, The 7:45s write short and snappy soul singles. Inspired by Charles Bradley, 'The Way that I Love You'is full of contrasts: the piano chimes and horns respond, a man calls and a woman answers. It's laidback then intense, major then minor, nostalgic then heartbroken. Songwriter and bassist Sam Flynn formed The 7:45s, inspired by the house bands of soul labels like Motown to Big Crown. The young collective feature some of the finest musicians in the Manchester scene, spotlighting guest vocalists such as Martin Connor and Yemi Bolatiwa. Named after 7-inch 45-rpm vinyl, The 7:45s write short and snappy singles influenced by soul, funk and disco. They blend the vintage sound of northern soul and rare groove with the songcraft, hooks and arrangements of perfect pop – then add autobiographical lyrics and rhythmic twists. Live, The 7:45s are an eight-piece. Boasting male and female vocalists, harmonies, horns and a tight rhythm section, the band produce a wall of sound that's built for the dancefloor. In the studio, the collective feature a bespoke line up for each track, ranging from dozens of musicians to an intimate five-piece..
 
 
By Mike in New Releases ·

The Altons - New 45 and Album - Penrose / Daptone

News regarding a new album and 45 release from The Altons via Penrose/Daptone, due out next month
45 Info
The Altons - 'Waiting / Teach Me (exclusive, non-album track)' - Penrose 1026

A side: "Waiting"
B side: "Teach Me"

 
Album Details
 
The Altons - Heartache in Room 14 - Daptone DAP 079
After several wildly popular singles out on Penrose Records, The Altons gear up to release their debut album on Daptone Records. With lead vocals shared between Adriana Flores and Brian Ponce the interplay between their unique timbres brings a romantic quality to the music that is absent in many of today's soul offerings. Steeped with moody ballads, soulful, tejano-kissed duets and Bond theme psychedelia–Heartache in Room 14 is poised to be the "must have" album of 2025. 
 
Preview
 Heartache in Room 14 by The Altons
 
 
 
Purchase Options
45
https://shopdaptonerecords.eu/products/the-altons-waiting-45
Album
https://shopdaptonerecords.eu/products/the-altons-heartache-in-room-14
 
Tour Dates - The Altons & The Sinseers
May 26 London
Mon 19:00 · Jazz Cafe
Usa Dates

 
By Mike in New Releases ·

Niters 2025 - The Next 100 Soul Nighters

Events - The Next 100 Soul Nighters as at Jan 2025
2025 is here and so a heads up Event Guide Nighter shout for all you nighter types
Direct from our Source Event Guide a dynamic grab of the next upcoming 100 Soul Allnighter Events
 
Event Links
Event Guide Main Page (tap)
Event Guide Allnighter Section (tap)
By Mike in Articles - Archives ·

Advert via Google


Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.