Mickey Finn

Well said that man! How dare anyone even contemplate the possibility of matching the greatness of Doris Day

Totally with you there, Alan - top tune. Mick O'Donnell has been on this for many months, so here's hoping for another Leon Timbo.

Been busy of late so less able to think of candidates, especially when so much stuff, new and reissued, keeps pouring out. But one candidate has pushed its way out from under. In 1986, after several years of intermittent output, William Bell returned with a very strong album on his own Wilbe Records. Prior to Wilbe's distribution deal with Ichiban, the album was picked up in the UK by Tout Ensemble Records and the title track and "Headline news" given UK remixes. At the time there was a lot of excitement about this and for me this was justified, as the album holds up very well. "Headline news" is an 80s mellow classic and "Passion" a strong dancer. There's a decent remake of his Stax-era classic "Lovin on borrowed time" and we were introduced to the vocals of Janice Bulluck on 2 duets. She later recorded a solo album on Wilbe, "Don't start a fire" (1987). That would be worth a reissue too...

Funny how they often come at once - it took years for Lew Kirton's "Don't Wanna Wait" track to find its way to cd, and then within a few weeks it was on both that year's Soul Togetherness and a Vinyl Masterpiece comp. Same with the Choice Four, which suddenly appeared on the latest Expansion Philly comp and now here comes their third LP. All good, whatever - that Diane Ducane track is long overdue and great if it gets a revival. Glad you mentioned Papik - that's another very strong album this year.

The power of Soul Source: https://www.funkytowngrooves.com/!-PRE-ORDER-CDs-!-/58/The-Choice-Four-On-Top-Of-Clear-(Expanded-Edition)/3741 Hopefully the first of three!

That Outta Sight comp looks very tasty indeed, and so good to get Diane Ducane's "Better late than never" finally on cd. The Soul Love 2016 comp is also worth checking.

Mick O'Donnell has been hammering the Gene Rice album, deservedly so. Another recent release worth a mention is the new Gwendolyn Collins album. Meanwhile the oldies comps keep flooding out. There's a set of Dean Rudland comps doing the rounds, a bit more pricey than average but really tip top selections: https://www.soulbrother.com/shop/extra-added-soul-crossover-modern-and-funky-soul/ https://www.soulbrother.com/shop/can-you-feel-the-beat-funk-45s/ https://www.soulbrother.com/shop/all-night-long-northern-soulfloor-fillers/ And Big Break will be releasing Vince Montana's Goody Goody album with extras, while Soulmusic.com are on the case with a twofer of Gladys Knight's 70s solo albums. Coming thick and fast...

Or there's always the poor side of town, now available on the compilation "Gonna make you an offer: the complete Cube recordings 1972-75":

What a great legacy. The credits of George Benson's "Give me the night" LP alone would be sufficient for me, from "Love x love" to "Star of a story" to one of the best fusion instrumentals of all time, "Off Broadway", as well as the title track. Throw in the other work with Heatwave, Herbie Hancock, and the rest of Quincy Jones' stable and it's just a monumental set of achievements. "Boogie nights" was one of the first pop Records that I got really excited about - I remember Heatwave appearing on "Multi-Coloured Swap Shop" to perform it.

Agreed According to the notes that come with his latest album "Love Tonight" (Society Hill, 2015), he was offered a place in the Blue Notes by Harold Melvin but turned it down because he didn't want to be typecast. "Hooked on you" is another great vocal performance by Simmons, who also has another previously unreleased album out on the same label, "Smother Me", recorded originally in 1986. He's in fine vocal form on both albums.

What a shocker. He was only just performing at this year's LSW in Blackpool and was in very fine voice. So glad to have had the chance to hear him live and grateful for the music. RIP.

Ossie Davis also has a memorable part in the mid-60s Sean Connery British made flick "The Hill", about a British Army prison camp for British soldiers during WW2.

Cracking idea - fingers crossed Somebody get in touch with Norman Connors ...

This must be the follow-up to what has become an in-demand classic:

"Elevator (Going Up)" with Monique Bingham is one of the tunes of the year for me

Spot on Dave - how could we miss that?! Re comps and reissues I also forgot ASB, not to mention these:

Lots of worthy goodies already mentioned, to which I can add on the jazzier side Bob Baldwin's latest, which is his best for a long time, as well as Kylie Auldist and the wonderful Donnie Tatem on Society Hill: Re compilations, the Welcome 2 Groove City is worth checking out also for new cuts while there are some good underground dance comps kicking around: and for comps featuring older music we can also look forward to a second instalment of Mainstream material from Kent after a great first volume, as well as more mid-70s Atlanta soul: while this has been one of the comps of the year for me: Also these, straddling northern and modern: On the reissue front it's still crazy, if not as intense as last year, but among the standouts this year must be these:

https://colin-brown.podomatic.com/entry/2016-09-18T03_11_21-07_00 Colin Brown presents the Early Show: Showcase of Mellow Soul www.stompradio.com Every Sunday, 07:00-09:00 UK time Mainly rootsier tracks from the 60s and 70s in the first hour, followed by a second hour of 80s and 90s tunes with the tempo picking up in the last 30 minutes. I wasn't able to catch the track following Bigg Ben's "Waiting for your love", and if anyone can help me out with that William Cole track I'd appreciate it. Otherwise I've been able to trace Colin's regular lorry load of rare indies and the just plain forgotten/underplayed. Once again, apologies for occasional skips in the recording. I was unable to upload last week's show due to the skips being rather more than occasional. Those darn sunspots... Monifah "I still love you" (1997) Millie Jackson "Hurts so good" (1973) Teacher's Edition "I wanna share everything" (1972) Ron Banks and the Dramatics "I made myself lonely" (1974) Little Joe Hinton "My love is real" (1961) Fred Hughes "Georgia on my mind" (1969) Aaron Neville "Since you're gone" (1966) Gladys Knight & the Pips "My bed of thorns" (1967) Aretha Franklin "Every little bit hurts" (1964) J. J. Barnes "I just make believe (I'm touching you)" (1973) Lyndon "The very first time" (1969) Phillip Mitchell "Little things" (1972) Millie Jackson "Leftovers" (1975) The Hesitations "I believe in love" (1968) Bobby Kimble "I have seniority over your love" (1966) Betty Wright "Watch out love" (1968) Ferguson, Davis and Lee "She's not an ordinary girl" (1973) William Cole (sp?) "Without your love" Cyriese Lambert "What's gonna happen to our world" Bigg Ben "Waiting for your love" (1993) ? "My life" Edmond Daniels "Try'n to get over" (1992) Shae Jones "Talk show shhh" (1996) Kenny Lattimore "Never too busy" (1996) Pat Hodges "You give me no reason" (1990) Jo Ann Jones "Share my joy" (1988) Arnie's Love "I'm out of your life" (1983) Roberta Gilliam "All I want is my baby" (1985) Fresh Cut feat. Ann Cain "Let me lead you to paradise" (1994)

The ABC catalogue is a real treasure trove of goodies that deserve a proper airing in the here and now, as a few of the selections above confirm. Actor Laurence Hilton-Jacobs released 2 LPs for the label in 1978 and 1979, produced by Lamont Dozer and Freddie Perren respectively. It was around this time that Perren had been producing a more commercially-focused set of Tavares albums and of course the (for me at least) truly terrible "I will survive" for Gloria Gaynor. No surprise that the Perren album follows a similar path, although it does have a couple of strong tunes. In his book John Lias doesn't really rank Hilton-Jacobs as a soul singer, and the Perren-produced album gets a big thumbs down ("faceless ... so boring"), but together I think these albums would make a good twofer package of the kind that Expansion Records is good at issuing...

Nickolas Ashford as a dodgy reverend and Christopher Williams as a dodgy lawyer in New Jack City. Keith Sweat also appears as a wedding singer

Add to that "Chicken George" actor Ben Vereen Dorian Harewood who played Alex Haley's father Simon in the second series of Roots recorded an album for Ichiban Meanwhile Harry Belafonte in "Uptown Saturday Night" starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby - theme written and produced by Van McCoy and sung by Bill Harris Lou Rawls in, er, Baywatch/Baywatch Nights Philip Michael Thomas in Miami Vice Is former Motown recording artist Bruce Willis allowed?

Together with Dionne Warwick in at least one episode of the Rockford Files And together with Al Matthews along with Taurean Blacque (Hill St Blues) and Antonio Fargas (the original Huggy Bear) in Ian McShane's excellent tv comedy drama from 1995 "Soul Survivors" And together with Antonio Fargas again along with Bernie Casey, Jim Brown and the Wayans family in "I'm Gonna Git You Sucka"

https://colin-brown.podomatic.com/entry/2016-09-04T02_32_29-07_00 Every Sunday, 07:00 - 09:00 www.stompradio.com Thankfully a better recording this time around and lots of goodies from the late 70s to enjoy Ebonee Webb "Woman" (1981) The Dramatics "Be my girl" (1976) Johnny Bristol "A chance to taste the wine" (1976) Norman Connors feat. Adaritha "Handle me gently" (1979) Richard Barbary "There was never, ever, anyone but you" (1968) Linda Clifford "Please darling don't say goodbye" (1978) Benny Latimore "Tonight's the night" (1981) Millie Jackson "Good to the very last drop" (1973) Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes "It's all because of a woman" (1975) Margo White "I've got a right to lose my mind" (1964) Oscar Perry "Then you came" (1978) Johnnie Taylor "Steal away" (1970) Clarence Reid "I've been trying" (1969) Gladys Knight and the Pips "Where do I put his memory" (1975) Santana feat. Greg Walker "Stormy" (1978) The Intruders "Rainy days and Mondays" (1974) Sweet Thunder "Honey bee" (1976) Frederick Knight "Lean on me" (1974) Aquarian Dream "Do you realize" (1978) Fred Hughes "Who you really are" (1969) Jerry Butler "I'm glad to be back" (1978) Rufus and Chaka Khan "Better days" (1977) Dorothy Moore "Write a little prayer in your book for me" (1978) Sidney Barnes "Love in the moonlight" (1978) Detroit Emeralds "My dreams have got the best of me" (1973) G. C. Cameron "You need a dose of strong love" (1977) Ben Vereen "Signed, sealed, delivered (I'm yours)" (1975)

Every Sunday, 07:00 - 09:00 www.stompradio.com https://colin-brown.podomatic.com/entry/2016-09-04T02_18_59-07_00 August Bank Holiday special focusing on female vocalists (plus one saxophonist) A great selection of tracks, mostly from the 90s and 2000s. My apologies for the occasional jumping that occurs throughout the recording. It might be weather, internet traffic or whatever but the tunes are worth hearing and then buying for jump-free enjoyment. Aaliyah "I care 4 U" (2001) Shirley Slaughter "Yes I'm ready" (2007) Joss Stone "Bruised but not broken" (2007) Dionne Warwick "Humbly I pray" (1998) Roni "He's my man" (2008) Carolyn Walden "Heart to heart" (1999) E. C. Scott "Sugar on the floor" (1995) Rhonda Thomas "Passion plea" (2004) Carla Thomas "Guide me well" (1969) Vessie Simmons "The time for love" (1995) Stan Mosley feat. Nellie Tiger Travis "Who knows you" (2010) Pamela Williams "Saxy-ness" (1998) Marva Wright "Do right woman - do right man" (1993) Vicki Winans "Stand up and carry on" (2006) Betty Wright "For love alone" (1994) Saundra Williams "Baby talk to me" (1999) Deborah Cox "The morning after" (2002) Adeva "Until you come back to me" (1991) Ruby Andrews "Trying to love two" (2012) Karen Bernod "Dreamer" (2006) Pat Brown "I can do bad by myself" (1996) Shirley Brown "Take me to your heart" (1989) Barbara Carr "Right kind of love" (2003)

https://colin-brown.podomatic.com/entry/2016-08-21T06_39_20-07_00 The Early Show: Showcase of Mellow Soul 07:00 - 09:00 UK time, every Sunday www.stompradio.com Mostly 90s this week, with a few googlies and bouncers among some absolute corkers including the Chi-Lites, Paul Williams, Badwater Bridge and the Notations. Apologies for the disappearance of the show broadcast on 14 August - electrical storms meant that the recording kept jumping. Tracks marked with an asterisk were difficult or impossible to trace online, so any information much appreciated. The funk workout following the Chi-Lites track is completely unknown to me. 112 ”Can I touch you” (1996) Heart2Heart ”Never make a believer of me” (1996) Next “Problems” (1997) Dawkins & Dawkins “Love is you” (1998) *Vessels “Heaven only knows” Ohio Players “Bad bargain” (1969) Chi-Lites “There’s a change” (1990) - Boys Choir of Harlem “Amazing grace” (2001) Barkays “My everything” (2003) Company “How you make me feel so good” (1993) Paul Williams “Feel like givin’ up” (1996, originally recorded in 1973) The Notations “Gotta cry for two” (1996) Patrick Henry and the Liberation Band “Don’t put me out” (1994) James Grear & Co. featuring Ann Nesby “Lord how I need you” (1998) JK “So sorry” (1998) The Spinners “Neither one of us” (1999) The Temptations “Just like I told you” (1998) *Stone “Sorry” Brown’s Bag “Love never comes around” (2005) Badwater Bridge “Don’t take your love away” (2000) By All Means “I know you well” (1989) *Inevitable Magic Touch “Ooh ooh wee” (instrumental) Little Buster and the Soul Brothers “Ever since” (1995) Tower of Power “Lovin’ you forever” (1995) The Whispers “Can I get next to you” (2006)