A simple topic set up to inform on all new soul related releases...

updated june 2025

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Acid Jazz notes

We’re thrilled to announce a brand new single from Dee C Lee, out now on all digital platforms 👆.

‘Walk Away’ was written by Dee and former fellow Style Councillor Mick Talbot, who brings his distinctive piano and Wurlitzer playing to the track.

Walk Away · Dee C Lee Walk Away ℗ Acid Jazz Acquisitions Ltd. Released on: 2024-01-04 Composer: Mick Talbot Composer: Dee C Lee

 

Edited June 18Jun 18 by Mike
into edited

bbe have a few Brian Jackson things coming up, though they are a couple of months off

For now here's a recent July release

I like modern stuff; not all of it of course but I try to keep an open mind when listening to new stuff. We're no longer in soul's 'golden age' (the 60's & 70's), so we can't expect great new tracks every week, but you only have to watch TV shows like THE VOICE to see plenty of gospel trained black UK singers who have the chops to cut good to great tracks. OUR STYLE of soul (both NS, deep soul., modern soul) isn't exactly what's in vogue though, many artists these days wanting to make tracks in hip hop or 'new R&B' styles. Must admit, much of this material leaves me cold. But those type of tracks aren't aimed at the type of soul fans that we are. Whereas the specialist soul label stuff (& I'd include Daptone in that category) is aimed / marketed towards us.

Back in the 60's / 70's lots of UK soul fans were quite snobbish -- if it wasn't a US recording it didn't fully fit the bill. I'd include myself in this bunch too, though the classier side of British stuff (Jimmy James & the Vagabonds 60's output , the Real Things "Children of the Ghetto") certainly ticked all the boxes for me. It can be the same today, with British recorded stuff not being given much credence.

ANYWAY, enough waffling ... I think some current UK recording teams can often come up with decent stuff. Mayfield Records, out of Portsmouth, try very hard to cut & release quality soul. Some of their past product has been decent -- I started taking notice after catching one of their acts (Gloria Miller) live in a Corfe Castle pub many moons ago. I've bought a few of their things since then (though obviously they have to make money to stay in business, so they cut many 'outside artists' & not all of their 'in-house' output would appeal here). They do though continue to put out decent stuff. The guy who runs the studio is an 'old soul' fan, so they do covers of some of his old faves ("Too Late To Turn Back Now" being a recent example of this). They also endeavour to make good original soul tracks.

Their Hannah Reem has a track out real soon; "Do You Know" -- to be included on the EP 'Sublime Soul Part 1 -- At present, a sample of this can only be heard on the label's Facebook page & the short clip of the song shows it to have promise (IMO). In the past they've put out vids of Hannah's work, he's one that was for promo purposes ...

27 minutes ago, Roburt said:

I like modern stuff; not all of it of course but I try to keep an open mind when listening to new stuff. We're no longer in soul's 'golden age' (the 60's & 70's), so we can't expect great new tracks every week, but you only have to watch TV shows like THE VOICE to see plenty of gospel trained black UK singers who have the chops to cut good to great tracks. OUR STYLE of soul (both NS, deep soul., modern soul) isn't exactly what's in vogue though, many artists these days wanting to make tracks in hip hop or 'new R&B' styles. Must admit, much of this material leaves me cold. But those type of tracks aren't aimed at the type of soul fans that we are. Whereas the specialist soul label stuff (& I'd include Daptone in that category) is aimed / marketed towards us.

Back in the 60's / 70's lots of UK soul fans were quite snobbish -- if it wasn't a US recording it didn't fully fit the bill. I'd include myself in this bunch too, though the classier side of British stuff (Jimmy James & the Vagabonds 60's output , the Real Things "Children of the Ghetto") certainly ticked all the boxes for me. It can be the same today, with British recorded stuff not being given much credence.

ANYWAY, enough waffling ... I think some current UK recording teams can often come up with decent stuff. Mayfield Records, out of Portsmouth, try very hard to cut & release quality soul. Some of their past product has been decent -- I started taking notice after catching one of their acts (Gloria Miller) live in a Corfe Castle pub many moons ago. I've bought a few of their things since then (though obviously they have to make money to stay in business, so they cut many 'outside artists' & not all of their 'in-house' output would appeal here). They do though continue to put out decent stuff. The guy who runs the studio is an 'old soul' fan, so they do covers of some of his old faves ("Too Late To Turn Back Now" being a recent example of this). They also endeavour to make good original soul tracks.

Their Hannah Reem has a track out real soon; "Do You Know" -- to be included on the EP 'Sublime Soul Part 1 -- At present, a sample of this can only be heard on the label's Facebook page & the short clip of the song shows it to have promise (IMO). In the past they've put out vids of Hannah's work, he's one that was for promo purposes ...

Many good points made there Roburt

On 23/02/2024 at 07:34, Mike said:

After months of non-stop touring in support of his critically acclaimed debut album, Jalen Ngonda returns with a brand new single, "Illusions." With its sophisticated arrangement and infallible, soulful groove, Jalen's voice exudes the class and maturity one may expect from an artist who has refined their craft on the road.

 

Pure Class!!! Could have been 'cut' in the Mid 70's, has a Real authentic Vibe to it .Thank You for sharing=0)