Mike

Motown owes much to Valerie Simpson. In the late 60s, she and husband Nickolas Ashford penned "Aint No Mountain High Enough" and other glorious classics that turned Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell into pops most beautiful double act. They went on to achieve greater distinction for a series of excellent compositions, often in partnership with "Joshie" Jo Armstead. Among the many artists to record the teams songs were Ray Charles, Maxine Brown and Chuck Jackson and the solo Diana Ross. So this raft of Simpsons own recordings - combining her 1971 debut album on Tamla, Exposed, with 1972s follow-up, Valerie Simpson - makes for fascinating, uplifting listening. Gospel-infused soul prevails, especially on the opener, "I Dont Need No Help". Its a cappella intro sounds like a cry of freedom from the 25-year-old, already pigeonholed by Motown solely as a writer. Sweet melodies, tender lyrics and a beautiful climax sign this as one of the albums eighteen Ashford and Simpson compositions. The two went on to cast the 1984 floor-filler "Solid", and that tracks slick sound is foretold in The Collections shimmering production. Simpsons voice isnt up there with say Aretha or Brenda but its still authentically musical and demands to be heard. For the Bronx-born singer, love conquers all: on slowies like "Back To Nowhere" and "World Without Sunlight", Simpson adores her man. On "There Is A God" and others, she lauds the Lord. Ballads and mid-tempo arrangements are order of the day, but there are also uptempo tracks. "Sinner Man "is a Tamla tornado of sitars, trumpets, bongos and guitars. A cover of "We Can Work It Out" has a slow-blues opening, a trippy mid-section and a brass-fuelled finale. "Drink The Wine" is an irresistible force, evoking primetime Gladys Knight and The Pips. Motowns house band, the Funk Brothers, provides a perfect pulse here and throughout. ------------------------------------ Valerie Simpsons "The Collection" on Universal is out now in the US (available on Import through www.amazon.com)

PZAZZ Discog PZAZZ 001 ALEXANDRIA, LOREZ Im Wishin / Endless PZAZZ 002 FORTSON & SCOTT Better Than Anyone /Just A Little PZAZZ 003 ALEXANDRIA, LOREZ Didnt We /One You Love Is You, PZAZZ 004 JORDAN, LOUIS Amen Corner /Watch The World PZAZZ 005 TV SLIM My Hearts Full Of Pain / Dont Knock The Blues PZAZZ 006 BROWN, LYNN Here In This Room/the ballad of gail and tom PZAZZ 007 SINCERES, The Dont Waste My Time / Girl, I Love You PZAZZ 008 BARTEE, ANNE Twenty-Fourth Day Of July /Living For Someone PZAZZ 009 KING, JOHNNIE RUTH Dont Tell Me About My Man /Still I Love You PZAZZ 010 MOORE, MISTY Little Things /Cant Believe Youre Gone PZAZZ 011 JORDAN, LOUIS New Orleans And A Rusty Old Horn /Wild Is The Night 68 PZAZZ 012 FORSTON & SCOTT Sweet Lover /My Dreams Of You PZAZZ 013 MOORE, MISTY Magnifico /More Than The Eye Can See PZAZZ 014 SMITH, RAY (SHUGGY) Rather You Or The Bottle /My Mama Didnt Raise No Fool PZAZZ 015 JORDAN, LOUIS Santa Claus, Santa Claus /Sakatumi PZAZZ 016 BRIGHT, RONNELL Here It Is Again /To Be Alone With You PZAZZ 017 ALEXANDRIA, LOREZ Santa Is Here /Nonchalantly PZAZZ 018 MOORE, MISTY Children, Listen /Just Another Piece Of Paper PZAZZ 019 SMITH, RAY (SHUGGY) Papa And Santa Claus /Hitch Hiking Hippie, The PZAZZ 021 SOUL MACHINE Bag Of Goodies /Twitchie Feet PZAZZ 022 BONGO BEAN We Come From The Dirt Of The Ground /Some Girls Gonna Get Me PZAZZ 023 JORDAN, LOUIS Whats On Your Mind /Bullitt PZAZZ 024 LITTLE JANICE Mirror Mind /Not Till Him PZAZZ 025 ALEXANDRIA, LOREZ Hey Jude /I Dont Want To Hear It Anymore PZAZZ 026 SCOTT, WALTER Feeling Something New Inside /Soul Stew Recipe PZAZZ 027 FORTSON, BOBBY Aint It Lonely /Are You For Real PZAZZ 028 SMITH, RAY (SHUGGY) My Mama Didnt Raise No Fool /Hitch Hiking Hippie, PZAZZ 029 GOOD TIME CHARLIE I Remember Mini Ginny /Rover Or Me PZAZZ 030 TV SLIM Love Bounce /You Cant Buy Love PZAZZ 031 LITTLE JANICE Texas Woman /Good Bye, Baby PZAZZ 032 MOORE, MISTY Windy Curtains /Dont Mail The Letter PZAZZ 033 BARTEE, ANNE Come Into My Arms Again /Ill Be Yours PZAZZ 034 LITTLE JANICE Since Youve Been Gone /I Am A Soul PZAZZ 035 KEITH, KEVIN & AIR Euphoria /Michaels Theme PZAZZ 036 MOORE, MISTY Hello, Hello, Hello /Wherefore And Why PZAZZ 038 TAYLOR, CHARLIE Stop Callin The Police On Me /Law And Order PZAZZ 039 WARM EXCURSION Hang Up Part 1 /Hang Up Part 2 PZAZZ 040 BRIGHT, RONNELL Cocoa /Nobody Seems To Care PZAZZ 041 TYRONE, JANICE Im Gonna Make It /Meet Me, Baby PZAZZ 042 KIJANA Did You Really Choose Me /Man And A Woman PZAZZ 043 DIXON, DAVE Hitch Hiking Hippie / Sock It To Me On The Highway 69 PZAZZ 044 BROWN, LYNN And Im In Love / Home Where Loves In Vain PZAZZ 045 ALICE & SOUL SENSATIONS I Found A Love /Funky Judge PZAZZ 046 ALEXANDRIA, LOREZ Hello There, Girl /My Way PZAZZ 047 FOURTH COMING We Got Love/take time PZAZZ 048 MOORE, MISTY It Aint Me, Babe /Chicago Over The Rise PZAZZ 049 SKIGGS, PRIMBROCK That Was Yesterday / Wake Up PZAZZ 050 JEWELL, LEN Elevator Song / All My Good Lovin (Is Goin To Waste) PZAZZ 052 DANIELS, PEACHES Feeling Something New Inside /I Hate To Forget When I Try To Remember

Solid Hit Soul Club is kicking off on 20th November with special guest Dave Rimmer together with residents Gene Robertson,Martin Thomson,Stuart Tyler&Dave Greenhill at Vivos 17 Watling St. London EC4 9pm - 2am&a fiver at the door. However for those of you reading the event calendar we are not working overtime!! The calendar actually lists us being on practically every day for the 1st 2 weeks of November.The 20th is our first night honest! Any details give me a ring Dave G. 0797 1876661