Released in 1973, ‘Extension Of A Man’ was Donny Hathaway’s last solo studio album and is rightly considered an all-time classic. The album features (among others) Stanley Clark, and Fred White (brother of Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White) on drums. The swirling, orchestrated ‘I Love The Lord; He Heard My Cry’ is a dramatic, theatrical opener that paves the way for the soulful, often jazz laced numbers that follow. The impassioned ‘Someday We’ll All Be Free’ finds Hathaway in a Stevie Wonder vibe, the soul-jazz of ‘Flying Free’ allows his stunning range to find it’s full power while the...
UK soulstress Yazmin Lacey returns with the third EP in her trilogy of releases following ‘Black Moon’ and ‘When The Sun Dips 90 Degrees’. Lacey describes this set as a collection of tunes centered around healing and includes contributions from a dazzling array of talent: Femi Koleoso and Ife Ogunjobi of Ezra Collective on drums and trumpet respectively, celebrated pianist Sarah Tandy on keys, and jazz protege Moses Boyd on drums and production. The cuts here are deeply personal with a lazy, laid back Badu-like calm to them, even if the subject matter is sometimes fraught. The gorgeous jazzy soul...
Fantastic soul album from 1977 , her career best. ‘Blessed Is The Woman’ is an exceptional ballad allowing Shirley’s powerful voice to soar . ‘When You Really Love Somebody’ , ‘I Need Somebody To Love Me’ , ‘the inspirational ‘Giving Up’, ‘Midnight Rendezvous’ and ‘I’ll Be Right Here Lovin You’ are all great soul ballads. ‘Mighty Good Feeling’ is a string laden upper mid tempo dancer, and the bonus tracks are also good especially ‘Honey Babe’ another good dancer and the modern dancer ‘Cant Move No Mountains’ which has a great hook. Classic Soul with a Capital S. Unmissable. CD...
With a series of innovative, stylish and critically-acclaimed albums that he recorded throughout the seventies, multi-talented singer, keyboardist, producer/songwriter Leroy Hutson has been responsible for creating his own musical style, a style and sound that have made classics of his works. He is also well known for his contribution as co-writer of Donny Hathaway’s masterpiece, “The Ghetto”, and his participation as lead singer for the legendary “Impressions” when he replaced Curtis Mayfield. Leroy”s music continues to live today having been sampled by such renowned acts as Erykah Badu, Rapper Too-Short and Bones, Thugs-N-Harmony. Of all his albums ‘Hutson’ subsequently known...
Highly anticipated collaborative album from producer/singer/songwriter Tom Misch and drummer Yussef Dayes, the latter noted for his work in Ruby Rushton and Yussef Kamaal. ‘What Kinda Music’ finds the duo in a made to measure fit: Misch’s often smooth, lounge-soul vibe colliding with Dayes’ powerful rhythms on an album that differs from either of the pair’s previous projects. The slow building opening title track is typical of the feel on most of the set: dream-jazz landscapes with linear structure and a kind of improv feel. The chilled ‘Nightrider’ is closer in terms of structure to Misch’s work on his lauded...
Coming five years after 2015’s ‘Sound Of Sinning’, Bay area combo The Monophonics (featuring lead singer Kelly Finnigan) hit pay dirt with what has to rank as their best! An unashamedly political, social and personal album, ‘It’s Only Us’ is a somewhat self-depreciating title for a body of work that has such universal scope. The catchy, uptempo ‘Chances’ is brilliant opener that has a heavily bittersweet vibe while the emphatic dancer ‘Last One Standing’ sounds like we’re hearing both sides of a 45, with the first 3:18 mins a full on northern soul mover while the second half is more...
The controversial ‘Bitches Brew’ still divides opinion fifty years after its release. Some regard it as the work of genius others as an aberration. It built upon the controversy that his previous album ‘In A Silent Way’ had stirred up. Incorporating elements of Rock and Funk, like ‘In A Silent Way’ it strengthened the rhythmic intensity that was such a bold departure from Miles’ work with his second great quintet. This double album was recorded 19th through 21st August 1969 and released in 1970. It features three keyboard players – Chick Corea, Joe Zawinul and Larry Young, two bass players...
One-time member of Aquarian Dream and Eighties Ladies, Sylvia Striplin was part of Roy Ayers’ Uno Melodic set up and it was on that imprint that this classic album was issued. The title track ‘Give Me Your Love’ is a huge soulful disco number that bears the hallmarks of the Eighties Ladies sound, the lazy slink of the stepper has Roy Ayers’ stamp all over it while the sparkling ‘Look Towards The Sky’ is an irresistible dancer. ‘Toy Box’ and ‘Searchin’ both superb, angular boogie number that are soaked in that Roy Ayers magic while the mid tempo ‘You Said’...
The Skull Snaps originally started life as The Diplomats (one of several groups under that moniker) but when they released their one and only album in 1973 on GSF they had fully re-emerged as the group that would lay down one of the most in demand albums ever. The thumping ‘My Hang Up Is You’ is rightfully a northern soul classic, the much sampled break of ‘It’s A New Day’ is a funk staple while the stunning crossover ‘Didn’t I Do It To You’ is a sublime slab of soul with a beat. The menacing chase-funk of ‘All of A...
‘This is Eleanore Mills’ was her debut and only album, recorded for the Sylvia Robinson’s All Platinum subsidiary Astroscope in 1974. The album was produced by Harry Ray and Al Goodman of the Moments and Tommy Keith of The Rimshots. It includes some great Crossover and Modern Soul cuts; including the in-demand string laden early Soul/Disco ‘Same Routine’ a popular killer cut and ‘I’m Gonna Get You’ another superb up tempo Soul cut. ‘Fascinating Devastating Man’ is a lovely mid tempo track. The album includes some beautiful Soul ballads ‘He Said Goodbye’, ‘How Can I Love You’ and the heavily...
