Various Artists - Nu Vintage - Soul Connection - 2007 - Soulchoonz

I first reviewed this album back in in 2007 and having been contacted on a few networking sites about tracks and artists on here i thought it a great idea to re-affirm the set and raise the profile yet again. As I say, quality will never die so why ever not dust off and re-present? After 3 scaringly quick years, the contention stays that there are no bad tracks on this set and still rates as an excellent album full of respectable modern street orientated soul songs - all compiled by Di-Lee here at Soulchoonz! The charming Kimia Collins kick starts this set, an in my opinion a sexy young vocalist from Los Angeles, and cites Faith Evans and Mary J Blige as her inspirations. I ascertain that she needs to aim much higher than those lightweights, and is certainly more of a singer than either of those particular 'idols'. You see, unlike her idols, Kimia understands that you need more than a heavy bassline and a sample to make a record. The song is still contemporary, but is still excellent so don't be put off by associations with the likes of Faith and Blige. We also have Lisa Bell who is another young talent who hails from Canada. Her inspirations are far more healthy, and include Etta James and Gregory Isaac. This beaty number is definitely from the quality end of the scale – think of the best songs from Kindred's last offering, and you're not far wrong.

Fellow Canadian Kayte Burgess has 2 songs on here. The first is marred by some rap, but once that ends the groove is infectious and drizzled with excellent sax and rhodes. “Happy” is more like it – an aptly titled boogie tunes affair and still remains a goodie! Lorraine reid is also a fellow Canadian and after 3 years we still await her début album. In the meantime, though, this street rumbler is very good indeed and has a great hook. This song bodes well for her album which is said to be styled on Jill Scott. Wade O Brown needs no introduction. This young chap has a seriously soulful voice and it is a pity that he is only about 28 as his vocals would have benefited the style of the 1980s very well. This Remix is chunky, funky and is perfect for today's resurgence in the sound I deem 'yester-now'. This track is, needless to say, a highlight of the album. Apart from being a very beautiful and sexy young Lady, Michelle Tavares also has 2 inclusions on here. The infectious and bubbling stepper “Wanna Be” and slap-bass led party friendly “I Need Your Lovin'” will not disappoint either. The latter should be particularly of interest.

Another highlight on this set is the KILLER “Deception” by Alana Bridgewater. This track is styled on the 60s Stax Records sound with vocals similar to Chaka Khan or Aretha Franklin. This song is still BRILLIANT and along with Wade O Brown (and many others, of course!) make this CD essential. Kate Bowen is another seriously attractive and talented young Lady, and was well-known for her 2006 EP “Bare”. “Been So Long” is an excellent and very tight modern stepper but pales in comparison to the aforementioned track. It was 2 years since Ian Martin's last album and was included on here to close the CD off. As a remix, “Movin' On” is a bit too UK-aimed and manufactured but I know it went down very well here in Blighty and a jolly good show too! This is still a strong, strong album and for those who missed out on this first time around I heartily recommend you check it out! Please contact Di-Lee at Soulchoonz for a copy before they disappear!

Barry Towler

The Vibe scribe

Roger Smith - Just Enough - 2007

Roger Smith's albums may well be lumped in with the Smooth Jazz elements and as such could well become overlooked. Being no fan of this pallid music form I can assure you that the fare that Roger dishes up is neither smooth, featureless or pallid in any sense of the word. Like other strong Jazz-Fusion artists he has to tread a fine line, yet Roger Smith does it with real aplomb. This recent musical episode is not one that I would recommend you overlook. As far as American Jazz goes, it's the best of the bunch and much doffing of my hat to the man for his sensuous, soulful and funky mix of ballads, steppers and instrumentals. There are plenty of vocals and these are the ones that really whet my appetite. Of all the vocal cuts my favourite has to be the brilliant "Sunset Dreams" which features 80s soul hero Philip Ingram as well as the wonderful Lynn Fiddmont! This is summer set to music...the warm bass, tinkling ivories, slinky yet funky backbeat and soulfully haunting backing harmonies are simply out of this world.

If this isn't good enough, the superb title track will be enough to satisfy. This kind of material is far, far removed from Smooth Jazz as you could ever wish it to be. This is the kind of material that Bobby Lyle expertly laid down on his seminal "The Power Of Touch" album back in 1997. Fans of George Duke will also dig this material. I call it exquisite. Those of you who own his "Consider This" album will already be aware of his "I'll Always Love You" which features the Temptations on vocals. Released in 2000, this line-up of the Temptations features Barrington Scott Henderson on lead vocals, and what a stunning lead singer he was! A great sax-drenched ballad it's welcome that it appears again here. The brassy "Friday" is another great vocal track and the vocal approach is a nod towards today's young buck RnB singer but the vocal harmonies are more akin to those usually adopted by George Nash and Eric Benét. The result? Superb! The remix with strings is also a lot warmer and a great track that stands separately. The beautifully sung "Just Another Day" would not be out of place on a Mojazz Norman Connors set, and I only wish we heard more from HIM! This is a really strong jazz set from the states, and trust me folks there ain't many of those about these days!

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Kenny Hamber - The Best Of Kenny Hamber - 2007 - It's Soul Time

Baltimore Soul legend, Kenny Hamber, unleahes a tasty collection of his recordings on the excellent It's Soul Time Records, and this 18 track compilation features many hitherto unreleased-on-CD gems from the 60s to today, and all manner of tastes will be catered for. An excellent, well-rounded performer Kenny exhibits a rare quality in his vocals. He exudes a huge SMILE when he sings - you can hear the sheer joy he is getting from his craft, and the big smile he portrays on the artwork shows us the joy this man has for life and music. Check the superb "I'm So Proud" which is a fantastic piece of Southern Soul a la Willie Clayton, with more emphasis of, say, Mosley & Johnson. Brilliant. Another modern cut is the SUPERB sexy beat ballad "Paradise" - a track that contains strong melody and enough aural levels to match the sexy female vocals and strong, strong soulful vocals that Kenny is more than able of deploying effortlessly. His 60s Kenny Gamble written / produced smash composition "Anything You Want" is a real treat and sounds crisp, clear and fresh. What a great mix of songs and styles, all displaying the goodness of this great artist.

"Time" is another great 60s cut complete with organ and rhythm guitar, a tight compact little number with plenty of crossover appeal, as is the Eddie Floyd styled stomper "Looking For A Love". Superb 60s Soul with a great Bob Babbit orientated bass guitar line to boot! A rare cut from 1986 is "Never Found Me A Girl", a track which was recorded for Million Dollar Entertainment, and recently released as a single through It's Soul Time. Collectible..and now on CD! Much better! LOL. Please check out the lovely modern composition "Can't Let You Go", which features some very tasty sax. From the same people who brought us the BRILLIANT Persuaders CD in 2005, Kenny Hamber is an artist that you need to be acquainted with. If you are unacquainted with the man then you will also be aware of his two recent albums, "Truly Blessed" and "In A Romantic Mood". All well worth a purchase and where else but CD Baby! Of course!

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

Tuomo - My Thing - 2007 - Jupiter Records

This is a superb, superb CD. It is abundantly clear that with Tuomo, Skalp, Cool Million, Janita, Mr. Shy, Seven, Remy Shand and many others it is no longer the province or Urban Black America to be the source of that is soulful, good and wholesome. There is more rare soul and passion in this effort from Helsinki than the majority of anything coming out Stateside – especially from the quickly sinking major labels. I can picture Tuomo with his musicians – yes, folks, real instruments again – huddled in a room that an estate agent would class as cosy. The blinds are drawn, it is dark and it is snowing. Hard. A very similar scene greeted us with the Elizabeth Shepherd Project CD, and this was literally how and when the CD was recorded! The music is lush, fully orchestrated, tighter than a mosquito's tweeter in one place, and beautifully chilled and summery in other places. If you love the rich, soulful sounds of the early 1970s then this CD is a real must for you.

I hear shades of The Wild Magnolias or Cheyanne's Comin' in places, and Leroy Hutson in others, and yet Tuomo is no copycat artist. Tuomo is, for my money, unique, and he has the same brilliance of mind as Remy Shand does. The lyrics are intelligent, and what is warming is the fact that he knows that his listeners are too. Fans of 50 Cent etc. need not bother. I think the sheer realness of “My Thing” would be too much to handle at any rate. The rattling bongos, the aggressive wah wah guitar, burbling bass and guitar stabs are straight out of the flare-flapping days of the 70s, yet hold true to the best of what the 21st Century holds for us connoisseurs. Contrast this gem with the beautiful and haunting “True Friend” - an addictive and catchy tune if ever I heard one – and the quirky and left-field autobiographical “Since Or Before” and you sum up the sheer brilliance of this young man. Please also check out the amazing “26” with its funky 70s keys – fans of Maxwell, Steve Harvey, Kem or Donnie will love tracks such as this. Another fave is the deliciously paced “So Surreal”with its excellent Dexter Wansel-styled bridge under 2 minutes into the track. This track, and indeed the majority of this CD is sheer heaven. This is what I call a no risk disc!

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Miguel Migs - Those Things - 2007 - Salted

2007 saw the release of “Those Things” which is easily as accessible as his previous “Colorful You” CD. I have always been partial to the classier, more intelligent House or Garage tunes. There is more soul in these genres than anything that is laughably called R&B today. As before, Migs has called upon a plethora of talented vocalists to add soulful flesh to the bones of this album. A young Lady called LT features on two of my choices. This Lady has a smooth, sexy voice and she is perfectly at home within this soulful, club groove. The first of these is the energetic, haunting “Mesmerised” with its bass-pin pounding beat, 80s synths and even a dash of Jesse Johnson styled electric guitar for good measure. This is a superb track, but it's the KILLER tune ”Giving It All” which should get even the hardiest of wallflowers the encouragement to cut a rug on the dancefloor. The song again benefits from some heady bass, spacey if not galactic keys and 80s flavours. This young Lady is a dream to listen to on this groove. I wonder if she looks as sexy as she sounds?! I cannot stop playing this song; it really is a breath of fresh air!

Tim Fuller is the next featured vocalist. He is amazing on the early 80s boogie of “Sometime”. I dare you not to succumb to the infectiousness of this track. His smooth yet husky tones are a perfect fit for this groove. Fans of “Colorful You” will immediately warm to this, and those who enjoy the excellent work of Joey Negro will appreciate it too. Tim also features on the exuberant joyful boogie of “Body Never Lies”. The funky, scratchy guitar, sax and rhodes keyboards jostle for attention. What grabs me is the sheer happiness of the groove. It certainly helps to have playful sax and stabbing 80s synth as frequent visitors. Ignore this at your peril! Fred Ross is a member of Sly & The Family Stone, and his superb vocals on “Let Me Be” are much recommended. This groove is straight out of the Kleeer bag and is so 80s it hurts! As far as soulful dance albums go, there is much to celebrate on here. Lisa Shaw appears on some cuts as do others such as Reggae artist Delroy Junior Reid on the step-to-the-left yet intriguing “Fire”. Material like this will always shine. Miguel Migs certainly proves that his heart is in the right place, and his sensibilities lie deep inside. This is as soulful as you could ever want. Please do not overlook this album. It's too good to miss!

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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Curt Jones - 360 Degrees - 2007 - Red Virgo

One of Soulchoonz' readers requested this SUPERB 2005 release be reviewed so here it is! We all know and love this gentleman, so he really needs no introduction. His work with Slave in the late '70s, and Starlena Young as Aurra and Déja in the 80s were impeccable as far as this scribe is concerned. Curt can turn on a sixpence and deliver a hot funky dancefloor groove one moment, then offer us a devastatingly sensual ballad the next. Not many artists can do this, and as I always say it is in the ballad arena where the boys are separated from the men. On this excellent CD, if further proof be necessary, Curt Jones does exactly that and prove he is no boy! Importantly, Curt's vocals are still of a very high quality. In fact, on may cuts I am seriously reminded of Walter and Scotty Scott from The Whispers. I also hear echoes of the genius of Marvin Gaye, too. Indeed, the opening track funks us in a 70s Gaye / Ware “I Want You” groove, peppered with a dash of guitar for good measure. The album is worth the asking price for this track alone. However, for these ears it is not the best cut on here! Yes, the CD is that good. In fact, it was “Seasons” which grabbed my attention in a BIG way. This gorgeous ballad has a classic 80s sensibility; the deep bassline and keys are supported by a haunting synth line, and Curt's vocals are seconds to none. “Seasons” represents the style of soul music that I really identify with and would love to hear more of. “Is It?” has received a lot of play on Richard Searling's radio show which is where I first heard this CD.

Many more youthful artists should listen to this album as it is an education in music crafting. What we display here is the best sensibilities of the 80s with the foundation funk from the 1970s, but firmly rooted in Y2K. It is this fantastic musical amalgam that makes this album so delicious. The ballads continue apace with the gorgeously relaxed and simple “Someone Like You”. This really does hit the spot. Again, I can hear The Whispers doing this. The excellent toe-tapper “Stay And Lay” will also impress, of that I have no doubt.We are not half way through and already we have FIVE essential 'must have' tunes. You'll not be surprised to know that the quality does not stop there, but if it had I would not be complaining! “I'll Be Around” is a very pleasant bubbler but I feel is surpassed by the superb “Never Take Your Love From Me” which features an old friend, Monte Moir, on a blinding fender rhodes solo. So, we know this is going to be a classy, classy, track. Take it from me – it is. “Full Circle” is chilled, bass-driven and unashamedly more-ish. This is another song that gets many plays here at home and in the car. Curt really does propel his vocals on here and really does show how good he is. Musically, I am reminded of Art Maddison on the equally tasty “Spend Some Time”. The 80s feeling is definitely here and the Marvin influences are more than welcome. “Is This Love?” at almost 7 minutes is yet another composition of which Curt can be proud. The intro at nearly one minute allows the keyboards to do all the talking and then ably sets the table for the guitar, percussion and Curt's cool voice to serve up a really smooth treat. We've had quite a few guitar flavours on here, ranging from rocky, funky, acoustic and within the tapestry of “Somebody's Loving You” we have a sweet Latin serenade. There really is no end to this gentleman's talents and I think its a crying shame that we have had to wait so long for a solo set. It rates as one of THE albums that you should have in your collection from recent times.

Barry Towler
The Vibe Scribe

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