United Souls, in conjunction with Legacy Recordings, is delighted to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Philadelphia International Records with Love Is The Message – The Sound of Philadelphia International Records Volume 3. Following on from the huge acclaim for the first two volumes, Love Is The Message contains eight albums on CD and an exclusive 12” vinyl disc. Presented in a deluxe package with a booklet telling the story of how this iconic label evolved in Philadelphia to become truly international. The notes this time around feature a personal account from writer Tony Cummings who recalls his fascinating visit to the City Of...
Brick Lane Jazz Festival takes place over a three day weekend across seven music venues at the Truman Brewery and Village Underground, offering an unforgettable gig-hopping experience with all participating venues within a few minutes’ walk of each other. This year’s lineup boasts some of London’s jazz-scene heavyweights, including Steam Down, Lex Amor, Ashley Henry, Reuben James, Jas Kayser, Bel Cobain, Sarathy Korwar, Tenderlonious, Seed., Jasmine Myra, Camilla George, Kay Young, Colectiva, Chelsea Carmichael, Coco Maria, Tim Garcia, Andrew Ashong + many more. Rated the #1 Best UK Festival 2023 by Timeout, head on down and enjoy vintage markets, record...
The ever reliable Soul On The Realside CD series returns with its 15th volume. Packed with 16 modern soul gems from the 70s emanating from the Capitol group of labels. Highlights included the modern soul dancers Corey Blake 'How Can I Go On Without You', Cornelious Brothers & Sister Rose 'Big Time Lover' , Rance Allen 'Reasons To Survive' and Freddie Terrell 'You Had It Made' . George Soule all time great 'Get Involved' sits alongside the excellent but lesser known Brown Sugar 'The Game Is Over' and Charles Williams 'Standing In The Way'. There are some nice mid tempo...
Thrust – McNeal & Niles McNeal and Niles initially recorded their first album—limited to 500 copies—in Akron Ohio in the makeshift Man-Ray studios, which also happened to double up as a car wash. Barrels of soap and detergent were rolled out of the way to make space for the band and their equipment, an unknown assortment of names from the American Midwest, and Niles’ then girlfriend Machelle McNeal recording vocals and synthesisers. Thrust exists in the blurred space between jazz, funk, soul and R&B in which many homemade recordings from the late seventies occupied, the overall sound signature not too...
To coincide with the relaunch of Bob Thiele's Flying Dutchman label Dean Rudland has compiled for BGP 'This Is Flying Dutchman 1969-75. It contains 16 tracks from this epic label, featuring not only its main stars Gil Scott Heron, Lonnie Liston Smith and Leon Thomas but many lesser known artists. Gil Scott Heron 'Revolution Will Not Be Televised' and 'Whitey On The Moon' perfectly illustrate his spoken word style. Leon Thomas 'Just in Time To See the Sun' is a fantastic uptempo Funky Jazz stormer, whilst 'Echoes' is a beautiful mid tempo track. Cesar 'See Saw Affair' is a vocal...
Vaneese & Carolyn - The Goodbye Song / Just A Little Smile Vaneese & Carolyn are Vaneese Thomas (daughter of Rufus Thomas) and Carolyn Mitchell who recorded two singles together at Polydor in 1977 and 1978. From these, the 1978 collaboration has been reissued here, the sides reversed. Original copies have exchanged hands for over £300. Both singers had recorded with Disco producer John Davis and his Monster Orchestra the same year on his album “Ain’t That Enough For You”, but both these songs are more sophisticated classic soul stylings with incredible vocal performances. Buy standard dinked copy HERE Buy...
The Prince of Sophisticated Soul, Will Downing returns with a new 7 track CD. Will is in fine voice throughout, supported by some fine musicians including Hubert Eaves IV on bass,John 'Lil' Roberts on drums and David P Stevens on guitar and his wife Audrey Wheeler Downing on backing vocals on certain tracks' Love On You' , 'Make You Mine Again' , 'You Deserve Better', 'Dammit I Want You' and 'Kinda Guy' are good mid tempo soul tracks. There is a nice cover of Barry White's rare groove classic 'Early Years'. 'What I Gotta Do' has a little more tempo...
Bob Thiele Jr resurrects his father's Flying Dutchman label with this beautiful album from Billy Valentine & The Universal Truth. It contains versions of classic message songs mainly from the early 70's. The message of these timeless songs is still as revelant today as it was in those ground breaking times 50 years ago. Billy is accompanied by many great musicians including James Gadson, Jeff Parker, Larry Gouldings, The Croker and more. The album is superbly produced by Bob Thiele Jr. Tracks include Curtis Mayfield 'We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue', Gil Scott Heron 'Home Is Where The...
NDR Kultur have put out a rare and hitherto unreleased live recording of Pharoah Sanders in concert at the Fabrik club in Altona, Hamburg in 1980, accompanied by Curtis Lundy on upright bass, former Jazz Messenger John Hicks on keys and the experienced Idris Muhammad on drums. The set is an energetic, powerful live affair, comprised mainly of tracks taken from Pharoah’s 1980 Theresa album Journey to the One, in my book one of his finest bodies of work which eschews the free form and polemical musical stylings of some of his braver and more spiritual output on Impulse back...
Reel People return after a ten year wait with a new album 'Love 2'. It features many guest vocalists and is a mixture of uptempo and mid tempo contemporary Soulful and R&B grooves. Eric Roberson soulful voice fronts the superb uptempo dancer 'Save A Lil Love'. Jill Rock Jones sings on the upper mid tempo plodder 'Everything's So Crazy'. Chantae Cann lends her sweet voice to 'Dance In Her Eyes' another mid tempo groover which ends with an unnecessary rap from Dayne Jordan. Raheem DeVaughn vocalises on the pulsating mid tempo Deja Vu'. Paula features on two neo soul tracks...
