Modern Musings………grooves from the Modern Side with Mark Randle

 

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January 2007

 (These reviews appear first in Soul Up North, available from Howard Earnshaw, 19 Rectory Drive, Kirkheaton 44 1484 535999 £2 per issue  email soulupnorthhfe@aol.com web www.soulupnorth.org - Big thanks to Howard and all at Soul Up North for letting me feature this)

 

 DJ Kawasaki             Save You Love/Promises/The Love Of Music/I’m So On Your Mind             (JAP Columbia CD “Beautiful”)

 

DJ Kawasaki caused a stir a few months ago with the cut “Like Thunder” released on both CD and 12” through the excellent Especial Records in Japan.  Hot on the heels of that release comes this unmissable CD from Columbia records, also only released in the land of the rising sun.  The aforementioned cut features here too incidentally.  Soul fans who struggle with house music might just get with the great “Save Your Love”, as it features the wonderful Angela Johnson on vocals.  This is probably my pick of the CD, with a striding bass line and great brass, piano and organ work sitting nicely behind those quality vocals.  State of the art up-tempo soul music for the 21st century folks……………..don’t resist, embrace it!!  “Promises” features Terrance Downs from Ananda Project on lead, and whilst I could imagine the vocal being a bit light for some, again coupled with the arrangement and the use of some real keys amongst the beats, it works pretty well.  I’ve a feeling I’m not doing this cut justice by dissecting it……………it’s sort of a case of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts!  The third cut I’ve singled out features one of my favourite female house vocalists Alma Horton (or Lady Alma as she’s better known).  “The Love Of Music” features a great bass line and rolling percussion whilst Alma reminds us in her sweet tones that “something ‘bout the music makes you feel good inside”.  True, true!  Finally, Rasiyah provides vocals on “I’m So On Your Mind”, another real winner.  Vinyl freaks should note that the key cuts mentioned have recently been released on the “DJ Kawasaki EP” on Especial records, featuring a Piranhahead remix of the Lady Alma cut.  JAP vinyl…..ouch, more expense!!  There’s plenty more on the album though that makes the CD a worthwhile purchase.

 

Leo Mendez Group               I Feel Love                                                                            (EU Love Monk 12”)

 

Staying with the up-tempo numbers, and we often comment that quality soul and soulful dance music these days comes from all corners of the globe, and this is a fine example which is testament to that.  Out of Spain on Love Monk records, here way have one of 2006 key funky dance floor winners.  It just has that insatiable quality to it, with plenty of real instruments: keys, brass, bass, and a more than accomplished lead vocal.  Starting off slow, building into a great modern jazz-funk cut, and we’re off.  Like all great records, it breaks down in the middle, before taking off again with some killer sax work as it weaves its magic once more.  A future collectable I can assure you, so don’t sleep on this.  For those that aren’t vinyl freaks, and require value for money when making their purchases, you should be aware that this is one of the featured cuts on the 2006 instalment of the Soul Togetherness series.  Either way, acquire!

 

John Legend             Each Day Gets Better/P.D.A./Again                                                        (US Columbia CD “Once Again”)

 

Receiving mixed reviews on the UK modern soul circuit is the new set from John Legend.  It’s no secret that I thought whilst it was nice enough, “Live It Up” from the debut album was vastly overrated.  That’s no reflection on John you understand, more a reflection on the obsession with cuts that one can dance to.  My point you see, is simply that JL is at his best when it’s just him and his piano, on the ballads.  I would point you towards the original album mix of “Ordinary People” as a good example from that first set.  To that end, I would have to say that my favourite cut from this new album is “Again”.  If you think you know what real soul music is, just check this out to make sure you really do!  Absolutely awesome music and one of my favourites of the year…………….I haven’t felt the tingle this gives me since the great Anthony Hamilton unleashed “Change Your World” on us around this time last year.  Having said all that, there is plenty more on offer here to make it a worthwhile purchase.  The mid-tempo “Each Day Gets Better” has a lovely old skool 70’s feel and is a real highlight; perfect for radio this.  For the dancers “P.D.A. (We Just Don’t Care)” does the job perfectly, with some lovely lyrics to boot.  Of course, it’ll probably all get overlooked in the pursuit of the under-produced and obscure!!

 

Browns Bag               All cuts                                                           (UK Soulchoonz CD “Soul Satisfied”)

 

Big shout to Di Lee of Soulchoonz records (www.soulchoonz.com) on two counts.  Firstly for having the vision to release great US indie music like this in the UK, and secondly for having the good sense to supply me with a copy to tell you lot about!!  Ward Brown first appeared to me on his debut(?) CD “Labor Of Love” last year.  Indeed a couple of cuts from that set appear here in remixed form, and good they are too.  So, to “Soul Satisfied” then, and aside from those remixes we have ten new cuts to savour.  Picks for me are the great dancer “Me Around” which has a feel that will appeal to a broad cross-section of UK soul fans.  Plenty here too for radio play, such as the bright and cheery “You Touch My Heart” or the more moody “You’re Contagious”.  What I really like about this set is the real soul sound of the vocals of Ward Brown, set to a backdrop of quality contemporary production, rather than that crass sound so many of the hairy-chested soulsters seem to have to endure.  One of the years best albums……seek and enjoy!

 

David Sea                  Love Makes The World Go Round/Love Ain’t Love/Stay In My Arms            (US Park Place CD “Love Makes The World Go Round”)

 

One of our great friends David Sea returns after quite a hiatus with a new CD on US indie Park Place Records, distributed via Malaco.  We find our man in fine voice, demonstrated perfectly on “Stay In My Arms”, which is musically a dead-ringer for the Temptations “Stay” biggie from a few years ago…………….no bad thing that.  The title cut is a nice plodding two-step dancer in the R Kelly vein, with “Love Ain’t Love” picking up the pace and providing another dance floor winner after a slow start reminiscent (vocally and musically!) of the opening to the MAW re-work of Luther’s “Are You Using Me”.  Of course, a voice like that of David Sea eats up the ballads too, so here we have an unmissable set from one of our unsung heroes.

 

Brand New Heavies             I Don’t Know Why (I Love You) (Kenny Dope Mix)                   (US Delicious Vinyl 12”)

 

What a tune this is!  The Brand New Heavies deliver this double pack twelve released cover of Stevie’s “I Don’t Know Why” in various mixes, but it’s the Kenny Dope mix you need to head straight for.  It’s a typical Dope production, the percussion atop the beats lending to an almost broken beat feel courtesy of those double snare hits, and a squelchy synth bass type sound occasionally riding the rhythm.  Add to this the superb vocals of N’Dea Davenport and you have one of the finest dance floor moments of recent months.  Totally essential.

Mark Randle’s Starpoint Radio playlist for 24th November 2006:

 

K’Jon – Come Get To This (US Chopper City Records CD)                               Willie Clayton – She’s Holding Back (US Malaco CD)

Natalie Williams feat. Nate James – Conversation (UK Eastside Records CD)                Natalie Williams – Psychedelic Love (UK Eastside Records CD)

Romina Johnson – As Good As This (UK 2Funky CD)                                      Kem – I’m In Love (Shelter Vocal Mix) (US Underground Access 12”)

Brown’s Bag – You’re Contagious (UK Soulchoonz CD)                                   Jenny Morrison – Brand New Life (Blvd East Remix ) (US Deep Haven 12”)

Gerald Levert – Baby You Are (US Elektra Promo 12”)                                   Barbara Tucker – Simple Love (JAP Pony Canyon CD)

Marcell & The Truth – Hopes Too High (US Basement Boys CD)                       Feet feat. Simon Grey & Yuanist Woods – Hard To Say (EU Feet 12”)

Fred Hammond – More Of You (US Verity CD)                                    Nadirah Shakoor – Love Song (Feliciano Ricanstruction) (UK Yoruba 10”)

Trizonna McClendon – Remedy (US 4 The Soul Reciprocity CD)                       Preston Glass – The Weight Of The World (US BCS Records CD)

Curt Jones – I’ll Be There (US Red Virgo Music CD)                             Tamia – Please Protect My Heart (US Plus 1 CD)

Khalil – We Kicked It (US EVE CD)                                          Liv Warfield – Work For Me (US B&M Records CD)

Brown’s Bag – Me Around (UK Soulchoonz CD)                                             Coko – The Reason (US Light CD)

David Sea – Believe In Me (US Rabbit Factory CD)                              Frank McComb – Only In My Dreams (UK Expansion CD)

 

Hear my Starpoint Radio show on the last Friday of each month at www.starpointradio.com to catch me playing lots of the great music you read about here.

 

Kem                            I’m In Love                                                    (US Unrestricted Access 12”)

 

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, house remixes of R&B/soul cuts often don’t cut the mustard.  But, when done well, as this Scott Wozniak and Timmy Regisford rework of the cut from the recent Kem album is, they can be absolute killers.  Two things make this cut for me, firstly of course the great light and airy vocal performance and good lyrics from Kem, and secondly the great keys work…………….piano, organ and particularly the great guitar like keyboard run which appears every now and then, providing a memorable melody to the song……not something you can always say about a house cut I guess.  Don’t miss it………another future collectable.

 

Vincent Montana Jr             You Are My Everything (Original mix)                             (US Philly Sound Works 12”)

 

Not going to say too much about this, but suffice to say that those familiar with “That’s What Love Does” from earlier this year will want to own this slice of superior Philly styled dance floor devastation.  My only qualm is that it’s very obvious and safe, but if it turns more people onto searching out some of the less obvious 21st century up-tempo dancers then that can’t be a bad thing.  The fact is though, it is a very good record!  A Louis Beneditti remix is just around the corner I believe.

 

A few other bits to keep ‘em peeled for……Boney James new set “Shine” for the killer title cut dancer and more, J-Man & Yenza feat Charlie King “Smile” recent for UK Basic, Tim Dillinger’s killer second set “The Muse”, Kelly Price “This Is Who I Am” set for the title track big gospel dancer, one of my current fave’s Nadirah Shakoor’s “Love Song” (Feliciiano Ricanstruction Remix) for Yoruba recordings, Marcell & The Truth “Hopes Too High”, a great soul album on Basement Boys of all labels!  Khalil “Tease U Please U” will appeal if only for the dancer “We Kicked It”, Balage feat. Dolores Petersen “Got You On My Mind (I Remember)” will float the boat of traditionalists who struggle with house music.  Look out for some unreleased 70’s David Sea and Sam Dees cuts on “The Birmingham Sound” if you can find a copy!  K’Jon provides a great cover of Marvin’s “Come Get To This” on his “This Is Me” set. Natalie Williams “Secret Garden” set keeps it real on the UK tip….nice.  Two killer new housers from Deep Haven in the shape of Jenny Morrison “Brand New Life” and KT Brooks “Joy”.  The new CD in Japan from Barbara Tucker “Love Vibrations” contains the killer “Simple Love”.  A new set from Quincy Jones protégée Tamia “Between Friends” contains a great mid-paced dancer in “Please Protect My Heart”.  Finally, two definitely not to miss, which should of really received proper reviews are Frank McComb’s “The Truth Vol. 2” for Expansion and William Green’s “Green Valley” for US indie Music Montaj.

 

SIMPLY SOUL MAIL ORDER HOT TEN SALES

(W/C 27/11/2006)

 

1. David Sea - Love Makes The World Go Round (US Park Place CD)

2. Browns Bag - Soul Satisfied (UK Soulchoonz CD)

3. Brian McKnight - Ten (US Warner Brothers CD)

4. Barbara Tucker - Love Vibrations (JAP Pony Canyon CD)

5. Markus Enochson feat James Ingram - Day And Night (EU Sonar Kollektiv 12”)

6. William Green - Green Valley (US Music Montaj CD)

7. Reel Soul & Byron Stingily feat EL - Walk Away (US Stingily Music 12”)

8. Vince Montana/Double Exposure - You Are My Everything (US PSW 12”)

9. Soul Togetherness 2006 - Various Artists (UK Expansion CD)

10. Forever, For Always For Luther Vol 2 - Various Artists (US Rendevous CD)

 

Chart compiled by Fish…the above and much more available on 0116 237 5461/www.firstexperiencerecords.com. 

 

That’s all this time!!            Mark Randle (December 2006)

                                                                      

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

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