Feature Group: Albums of the Year

Louie Vega ‘Starring XXVIII’ is our top album of 2016 a mixture of Soul, Soulful House and Jazzy grooves, a superb uplifting set. Frank McComb returned with his best in years ‘Soul Mate’ being our Soul album of the Year. Kindred and the Family Soul ‘Legacy of Love’ was also their best in over a decade another excellent Soul album. Chantae Caan took us on a ‘Journey to Golden’ and delivered an excellent quality debut album backed in places by Snarky Puppy. Terisa Griffin made her best album to date and what a ‘Revival of Soul’ it is, with great...

There were fewer Reissues this year than in recent Years but there were some real gems. ‘This is Eleanore Mills’ was our pick for Soul Reissue of the year, a great lesser known 70’s Soul gem from the All Platinum vaults. Harold Melvin and the Bluenotes ‘To Be True’ is one of their best albums a real Philly Soul classic. The JB’s ‘Doing it to Death’ is an iconic Funk album and the re-master in a mini LP sleeve sounds fantastic. Anglo Saxon Brown are a less well known Philly band, their album ‘Songs For Evolution’ is an underground classic,...

2016 saw some great Compilations ‘Mainstream Modern Soul’, Soul on the Real side Vol 5’, ‘Sprirt of Philadelphia Vol 4’, ‘Beauty’, ‘Black Gold’, ‘Extra Added Soul’ and ‘Greg Belson’s Divine Disco’ were all superb compilations of heritage material whilst ‘Soul Togetherness 2016’ has proved to be one of the most popular of this long running series highlighting contemporary dance floor winners

There were some great Smooth Jazz albums in 2016, Richard Elliot ‘Summer Madness’ was the best, but also check albums from Gerald Albright, BWB, Rippingtons, U-Nam, Kim Waters and more

2016 was an incredible year for Jazz. Top of the pile was an amazing album by Trumpeter Theo Croker ‘Escape Velocity’, we haven’t heard music like this for many years. It just piped Terrace Martin ‘Velvet Portraits’ another great album fusing Jazz, Soul , Funk and a little hip-hop to great effect. Shola Adisa Farrar joined with Florian Pellissier Quintet to make the best vocal jazz album of the year, the deep and at time spiritual ‘Lost Myself’. Tom O’Grady from Cambridge is Resolution 88 who made a superb heavy jazz fusion album ‘Afterglow’. Ashleigh Smith charmed us with her...

NEW SOUL| 2015 treated us to some defining moments in soul music with some great new names coming to the fore. The super talented Tahirah Memory (who also provided vocals for Jarrod Lawson) delivered her superb debut set 'Pride' that shone a light on her abilities as a singer/songwriter. Diane Shaw brought the late 60s back with a much lauded, big sounding soul album 'Love, Life and strings', while Daptone backing singers Saun & Starr also forged ahead with their stunning debut 'Closer' that put them in the spotlight. Nicole Willis dropped what is considered her best album yet with...