Mark Lundup is best known as the singer and keyboardist of Level 42, as well as his more recent involvement with Da Lata.His long overdue follow up album 'Changes 2' sees Mark on great form and accompanied by some fine musicians and guest vocalists. The uptempo opener 'Atlantia' has a very Level 42 feel to it . 'You Can't Just Live As An Island' is a strong dancer ft Yolanda Charles on bass and Vanessa Freeman on backing vocals. The feel good groover 'Could It Really Be' features Tony Momrelle on vocals, Ernie McKone on bass and Alex Wilson on...
Miche has delved deep again to uncover 15 underground obscure soulful gems from some of our music's lesser known artists. Billy Boomer recorded one single for the Chicago Blast label in 1982 and both sides are featured here, the good time party track 'I Like what She's Doing' and the more laid back groover 'You Can't Hide'. P.J.City 'Straight Forward' and Mixed Generation Enterprize 'Take To The Sky' are hard hitting brassy disco funk tracks. Maxwell 'Realize' is an excellent upper mid tempo track in the style of Mighty Ryeders. Cecil Lyde 'I'll Make It On My Own' and Alice...
Kelly Finnigan of the Monophonics has produced a really good retro harmony soul album by the Sextones 'Love Can't Be Borrowed'. This album sounds and feels like a really authentic late 60s to mid 70s group soul record. There are beat ballads like 'Daydreaming' , 'Better Late Than Never' and 'Getaway Driver' alongside 2 stepper 'This Could Last Forever' and the horn backed 'Trouble On My Mind' . The uptempo dancer 'Without You' and mid tempo funky soul groover 'The Other Side' are likely to get some dancefloor action. There are also a couple of nice mid tempo floaters 'Your...
Australian Spiritual Jazz band Menagerie make their forth album ‘Shores Of Infinity’ their third on the Freestyle label. ‘Shores Of Infinity’ is a very energetic opener with heavy drums and a spiritual approach. ‘Kingdom’ is a stand out track which has a classic Roy Ayers rare groove feel to it, with off key vocals and vibes over a wicked bass line and unusual keyboard riffs that may have been influenced by Leon Thomas ‘Shade Your Mind to Die’. ‘Earthrise’ is a soprano sax led Jazz dancer featuring Phil Noy, whilst ’Arrival’ is more mid tempo fusion highlighting Lance Ferguson’s guitar...
Natasha Watts has established herself as one of the UKs most prolific and best independent female soul singers over the past decade.Her 4th studio album is appropriately named 'Music Is My Life' is a very uplifting album partially recorded in her new studio in Wales. It contains 11 quality new soul songs. 'I Am Me' is an upper mid tempo stepper with a strong groove. 'Home' and 'I Do I Did I'm Done' are strong uptempo party groover's. 'Not What You Think', 'Brighter Days', 'Right The Wrong' ' and 'Feels Like Sunshine' have an 80's style funky soul groove. 'Part Of...
This 1975/6 album founded and gave the P-Funk genre its name, featuring George Clinton, Bootsy and co at their most creative and sapced out funky.Supported by Bernie Worrell on surreal keyboards, Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Michael and Randy Brecker and Joe Farrell on horny horns, Bootsy’s striding bass with background vocals by Soulsters Inc Taka Khan (boom), Debra Wright and Sidney Barnes, the complete sound was unprecedented and fantastic. The album not only appealed to Clinton’s underground audience, but right across the board and was a massive Soul and Pop Chart hit, and founded a new movement. ‘P-Funk’ with its...
Headhunters bassist Paul Jackson recorded his solo album Black Octopus in Japan in 1978 during a tour. Paul is joined by a stellar cast of musicians including Headhunters members and regular associates, Herbie Hancock, Webster Lewis, Alphonse Mouzon, Bennie Maupin and Ray Obeido. 'Funk Times Three' is a very funky Jazz Funk instrumental cut that really builds to a crescendo with all players jamming to the groove. ‘Black Octopus part 2,’ ‘Eight ways of love' and ‘Tiptoe Through The Ghetto’ feature Jackson on vocals and are mid tempo Funk grooves. Black Octopus part 1 Many Directions is a slightly edgy...
Most of you will by now be well of Yussef Dayes and his contribution to UK Jazz. Blasting onto the scene with the highly regarded albeit short lived Yussef Kamaal, he is know stranger to making an impact on a large scale. Since then he has been seen to work with follow South-Londoner Tom Misch on the chart hitting album ‘What Kinda Music’, as well as a talented crew of musicians all included in his endeavour as an independent artist. This album marks his debut studio album in that capacity and right from the beginning it is clear that this...
The Mixed Bag First Album was recorded in the HDH studios in Detroit in 1975, and released on the Tribe label. It features Eddie Russ on keyboards under the pseudonym Gaff Dunsun, most of the band had played on his debut album 'Fresh Out' a year earlier. It contains the original version of his classic 'Ziaus' this take being more acoustic and straight ahead than the better known version on 'See The Light' but still a shifter and good track. ' La Margarita' is a highly percussive Latin tinged Jazz dancer also written by Russ, who plays quirky keyboards with...
There is a lot to be said for staying true to your sound, something that features heavily in Matthew Halsall’s ninth studio album ‘An Ever Changing View’. Consisting of ten tracks, the album is a rich tapestry of sonic interplay composed from bits of percussion, samples and loops and of course Halsall’s inimitable tone on trumpet. Like much of his work, this album clearly draws influence from the natural world, with the opening tune sampling bits of birdsong and tracks like ‘Mountains, Trees and Seas’ featuring a gentle Rhodes piano sound under steady beat. Halsall’s trumpet playing is melodic and...
