Soundtrack to a 1975 film that featured the band. This was the album that really put EWF into the soul mainstream and to go to become probably the most popular band of the 70’s. The beautiful mid tempo stepper title track is still one of their best ever with great vocal harmonies. ‘Happy Feelin’ is a vibrant horn backed dancer with nice instrumental sections, ‘Africano’ a kicking jazz funk instrumental, ‘Shining Star’ a funky dancer, and ‘See The Light’ a mystical track with many musical changes later covered by Eddie Russ. ‘All About Love’ and ‘Reasons’ are great soul ballads....
Fantastic look at a selection of the Chicago legend’s The Notations’ catalogue, selecting some of their best known and lauded work. Produced by many stellar names including Syl Johnson and Curtis Mayfield, The Notations had the ability to embrace the sweeping changes in both music and society and create a sound that echoed the times. The wonderful ‘A New Day’ is a socio-political message song set to a fabulous crossover groove while ‘Trying My Best To Find Her’ is a rolling funky northern burner originally issued on TAD that commands serious $$$. Both sides of the Numero/Cash 7” are also...
The third release from Night Dreamer’s essential “Direct-to-Disc” sessions was recorded direct-to-disc at Artone Studio, Haarlem, The Netherlands on Tuesday 29th Wednesday 30th October 2019. Gary Bartz & Maisha’s Night Dreamer Direct To Disc album, is a five track offering and documents the results of a meeting between legendary US saxophonist Gary Bartz and leading UK spiritual jazz ensemble, Maisha. The set features two Bartz classics (extended to include improvised grooves) namely “Uhuru Sasa” and “Dr Follows Dance” and three brand new songs written by both Bartz & Maisha. Of the new cuts, the superb, funky ‘Harlem – Harlem’ features...
Following his acclaimed 2017 album ‘Don’t Give Up on Love’, soul/blues man Don Bryant returns with another set of southern soaked tunes that both mine his own back catalogue and comprise new work. His 50 year marriage to legend Ann Pebbles is celebrated as ever on the touching ’99lbs’, the heartwrenching ‘Is It Over’ and the more uptempo ‘Your Love Is To Blame’ are previously unheard while the more sneaking R&B feel of ‘Your Love Is Too Late’ is another highlight. The sumptuous ‘I’ll Go Crazy’ is a sublime slab of deep southern balladry while ‘A Woman’s Touch’ is another...
Pianist and composer Greg Foat was in a rich vein of form in 2019 with an armful of albums and collaborations and this year sees no let up as he follows his joint project with Linkwood with a sublime album of jazz, classical and ambient. The surging title track brings to mind the likes of GoGo Penguin, the pulsating ‘Anticipation’ is a swaggering slab of sax lead jazz while the muscular ‘Yonaguni’ is carried along on bubbling percussion and a chunky bass that gives it an irresistible groove. ‘Island Life’ has a raw, funky head nodding groove that brings it...
Izo Fitzroy returns following her superb 2017 offering ‘Skyline’ with an even better album in the form of ‘How The Mighty Fall’. Izo’s background in gospel gives her incredible voice a strength that, when met with the blues, takes it to another plane. The emotive, defiant ‘I Ain’t Here For Your Pleasure’ is a gritty blues number that sets the tone for this brilliant album that is both confessional and a declaration of intent. The musicianship is totally on point here and the breadth of styles works incredibly well to give the set a self-contained cohesion. ‘Red Line’ is a...
Brilliant debut album from London producer and multi-instrumentalist Simon Jefferis, this 11 track set takes in a broad landscape of sounds and styles with some humorous skits thrown in that illustrate the depth of creativity here. There’s a hip hop feel to the tempo and vibe of some of the cuts here but underpinning it all is a rich well of soul and jazz that brings this album into the cannon of new jazz being created in the capital. The gorgeous, laid back ‘White Rabbit’ is soulful gem featuring Rosie Lowe, Ezra Collective’s Dylan Jones lends his tones to the...
Ann Sexton was a niece of Chuck Jackson and released this hard to find album in 1973. The northern soul classic 'You've Been Gone Too Long' features as well as the punchy funk classic 'You're Losing Me'. The pacey 'I Still Love You' is a superb uptempo cut with searing horns and a perfect tempo for progressive, funky-end soul dancefloors while slower numbers like the sumptuous southern ballad 'Come Back Home' and the stunning 'Loving You, Loving Me' (also covered by Sandra Wright) are also standouts. In truth the whole album is a winner...a well balanced mix of slower, deep...
The sole effort of Kenny Stover, Johnny Simone and Alvin Few (who all happened to be born under the star sign Leo) this 8 track effort comprises just 4 individual tunes that the group recorded before Simone fell ill and tragically died. Stover and Simone had been backing singers for Marvin Gaye and the influence of the legendary soulman is there to hear. Stover blocked the album’s release at the time and would move onto work with Finished Touch until Lyons Records took the four tracks, added four instrumental/alternate mixes and this classic, if brief, album came into existence. The...
Superb Anthology featuring all the in demand tracks recorded by one of the all time great Jazz singers, Mark Murphy for the Muse label 1972-91. It Includes his fantastic vocal versions of the Jazz classics ‘Stolen Moments’, ‘On the Red Clay’ ‘Canteloupe Island’, ‘Effendi’, ‘Maiden Voyage and ‘Naima’. The Brazilian ‘Waters of March’, ‘Two Kites’ are great dancers as well, and there is his homage to the London Jazz Dance scene ‘Ding Walls’. Try ‘Looking for another Pure love’ and ‘I Don’t want to cry anymore’ for the more soulful side of Murphy, the bluesy ‘Come and Get Me’ and...
