Anjulie - Rain (2009)

Well, it's Hola! Buenas Diaz! again for three weeks as I  return to the sun.  Except it's a bit dull at the moment . The sea is really calm and looks invitingly blue.  Internet connection is crappy and annoying but's it good to be back in the apartment. Will have to change suppliers. UK internet is ridiculously cheap by comparison and infinitely more reliable. So next time you experience a rare outage just bear in mind mine happens every 20 minutes or so. Busy getting on with the next book and doing it to a splendid soundtrack of Soul which is my usual mode of working. Today, in the infamous words of Monty Python, "...and now for something completely different.." i.e. a bit more left field. Meet Anjulie.

Anjulie (Persaud) is Canadian vocalist/song writer raised in Oakville, Ontario and the daughter of Indo-Guyanese parents. Growing up she struggled to come to terms with her own identity. In her own words "the black kids would be on one side and the white kids would be on the other... so I would mostly hang out by myself and write".  Like most entertainers she felt driven to become a singer and was influenced in her younger years by Janet Jackson. She has refused to be tied down to any particular musical labels but has cut a range of tracks that fall with in the Soul, R&B, Pop, Soulful House and Dance music genres. According to latest info she now works out of LA. Today's featured track is taken from her debut album entitled Anjulie. (2009) quite how it would go down with hardened Soul fans is debatable. But, personally, I think it's got that soulful something, what the French call je ne sais quoi, that makes it a bit special. Give it a listen and enjoy the video.

Unless you have deep pockets or just get plain lucky her CD album is now into rare availability territory. You can of course get the downloads. 

Don't believe me?

Check it out?

Amazon UK.

You may be better checking the CD Universe site for getting hold of it at a more reasonable price. Importing can be so much cheaper.

Check out Amazon US. for a great deal.

If you want to find out more about her try her website. Hear some choons. 

But beware...her site is unconventional.

Click on the photo below,

Angel Rissoff - Soothe You (2006?)

Retro flava time from Angel Rissoff this fine but cold morning. I'm off on my travels again back to warmer climes for three weeks so this morning's write up has of necessity to be brief. I confess that the more I have delved into the massive hinterland that makes up the American Soul homeland the more I have kept unearthing some little known but amazingly awesome performers. Angel Rissoff falls into this category. When I first heard Soothe You I thought this might be an old 70s style Carolina Soul cut.  In fact, it's pure 21st Century music from a very fine blue-eyed Soul singer. I'm going to supply links to his site so that you can get the full SP about him as well as the usual link to hear the tune.  Modern Room dj's doing the 70s-80s thing could try slipping this in for a bit of fun. Guaranteed it would go down really well without too many realising it's a newie. (Seemingly there are some 7" vinyl singles floating around just don't ask me  where as I don't do vinyl anymore). Take a listen to this brilliant bit of Soul...

It's taken from this album which...

...can be found on this website: Angel Music

You can also buy his other albums from there as they are all available as downloads. Hard copies of his other albums can still be obtained from Amazon UK but may be pricey. In addition you can find out more about this talented guy from his bio. He is one committed Soul singer with an extensive background in the Soul music scene.

Macy Gray - The Sellout (2010)

One of the most distinctive voices in the world of Contemporary Soul has to be that of Macy Gray. Once heard you never forget that soulful rasp. Macy Gray  has the same kind of vocal quality as Billie Holliday. In fact, stylistically, their voices are similar and pretty much made for Jazz. Macy Gray has often described herself as a Jazz singer doing Hip Hop/R&B/Pop. Make of that what you will. Today's featured track is the same as the title of her 2010 album The Sellout. In fact, it's the opening track of a marvellous album where Ms. Gray freed herself from the restraints of her record label and decided to do it her way. The end result is a much more jazz orientated sound that she has always aspired to achieve. The Sellout has one lyrical line that has to be a real classic:

"Yes, I wanna hold on to you
But you're slippery like the gasoline and you feel like fire
And I'm out on a limb"

The title of the track pretty much summarises how she felt trying to break out of the restraints being imposed on her and doing something new. However you want to interpret the song you'll probably just end up getting lost in the sound of her voice which has that amazing quality of sucking you into the music itself.

The album should still be readily available on CD from the likes of Amazon UK at very reasonable prices. If you  have misgivings about Macy Gray you should put them aside and give her alum a listen. You'll be pleasantly surprised by what your hear.

Amazon UK.

Click on her photo underneath to visit the Macy Gray website for latest info. on what she's up to.

Noel McKoy - Love Under Control (1998) and Jealousy (2009)

Noel McKoy is a British Soul singer and songwriter who hails from South London. He began his career in the early 90s when he formed a family group consisting of himself and his siblings called McKoy. Seemingly he also fronted the James Taylor Quartet. In the 90s he also worked with Snowboy releasing some 12s. as featured vocalist. He has duetted with the following female vocalists over the years: Juliet Roberts, Mica Paris, Vanessa Simon, Beverley Knight and Ebony Alleyne. In addition he has worked with Sounds of Blackness and Linton 'Kwesi'  Johnson. To date McKoy has released four albums. Featured today are two tracks taken from his career so far as a recording artist. The first is from his 1998 album Take This Personally and the second from from his 2009 release Brighter Day. 

A decade later...

the Reggae infused original version of Jealousy...

..but the really interesting version...

...from the CoolMillion crew remix...

All 7 minutes plus!

If you decide to go after the albums then these are what you'll be looking for:

Good luck trying to find the first album. I last saw the CD being offered at over £180 on Amazon UK. Availability on downloads should be much better. Brighter Day is much more reasonably priced so check it out on Amazon UK.

Corneille - Back To Life (2008) and Murder (2008)

Unless you follow the Canadian Soul/R&B scene, especially in French speaking Quebec, Corneille will probably be unknown to you. (He chose the name Corneille  after the  French classic author). In 2008 he released an album in English (The Birth of Corneille). I am featuring two tracks today from this album. I could attempt to do a bio for Corneille but I think both his life and musical career are so extremely checkered it might be easier to read about it separately. So if you want to know more about him  I've provided a link further on. Corneille (Cornelius Nyungura), has released six albums and a host of singles. All but the above mentioned albums have been in French. He has performed live on stage with the likes of superstar  Reggae legend, Jimmy Cliff. 

Back To Life (2008 album version)

 Possibly released earlier on a single.

Murder (2008) from the album.

Available on Amazon UK.

Corneille Biography

Jazmine Sullivan - Love Will Stay The Same (2010)

Perfect time for a mid-tempo ballad as Saturday mornings are for chilling out after a late night 's dancing. Also maybe a time for reflecting. In one of her songs Jazmine Sullivan has the line "A Life Without Love Is A Life Without Purpose."    If that doesn't make you think pretty much nothing much will. Personally, love doesn't make the world go round for me but love makes the journey much more interesting. Back in 2010 Ms. Sullivan released this superb love song Love Will Stay The Same. I leave it to you to decide what you think.  For me it has that essential soulful spark that communicates the message to that emotional level where we think and feel a little more deeply. 

You can visit Jazmine Sullivan's Website by clicking on her photo below.

Noel Gourdin - Patience (2014)

When I first heard today's track I thought I was listening to an unreleased Marvin Gaye recording. Turned out it was Noel Gourdin.  No bad comparison with the late great Maestro of Motown. Patience is taken from Gourdin's 2014 album City Heart, Southern Soul. If you're unfamiliar with Noel Gourdin (where have you been lately???) then there is a link to his website further down. Meanwhile, get yourself into happy feet mode and start tapping them...

Noel Gourdin - Patience (2014)

Visit Noel Gourdin's website. Hear other sounds and read his bio. 

Link in the photo beneath.

CD and downloads are available from all the usual sources.

Bonus track today? 

Why not... a little more romance and a fine video to go...

Helen Bruner & Terry Jones - Better (2010)

Helen Bruner and Terry Jones are not only duo performers they are also song writers and producers. Terry Jones has worked with Celine Dion and Gloria Estefan as well as providing vocals for the likes of Redman. Bruner has achieved success a solo artist. Her album Have You heard About It reached No.1 on the Billboard charts. In 2012 their song Get To Know Me walked away with best song at the Grammy's. The duo also own Phil'erzy production company. Terry Jones, by the way, is the daughter of Linda Jones ("The Empress of Soul") so Soul music runs in the blood. Enough about the bio and more about the music.

Today's feature track is Better and is taken from their Hollyhood (2010) album. It's an absolute storming track guaranteed to get the dance floor filled. OK Mr. DJ, if you aren't spinning this...Why not? Take a listen and be impressed by them.

Helen Bruner & Terry Jones - Better (2010)

I'm tempted to think of them as the 21st Century female version of Sam & Dave or James & Bobby Purify but frankly they are uniquely themselves as one of the most outstanding female Soul duos of all time. If you don't already own their brilliant Hollyhood album then it has to find it's way into your collection before the last CD copies vanish. Alternatively you can get the downloads but you know what I think of those. If they're not lossless quality like FLAC then you really are not getting the best audio quality.

Some CD copies still available from the usual sources but don't leave it until later. When they're gone, they gone!

Amazon UK.     Amazon US.

Visit their website: Helen Bruner & Terry Jones.

Jo Jo - My Best Friend ft. Elisha La'Verne (Urbanstar 2001) and Tonite ft. Costa Rica (2001)

These great choons received major plays at TSOP (Prestwich) back in 2001/02. I've heard them being played fairly recently by dj's so it says something about their longevity as a popular spin. I owned both on the original vinyl 12 and also the Japanese import album which still gets lots of plays on my system.  By the way don't confuse this  Jo Jo with the US teeny bop idol similarly named: they are most definitely not the same. The shame of it is that this Jo Jo (15) appears, according to Discogs, to have only released one album and one CD EP in Japan. She is clearly not Japanese from her photo. Trying to find out anything about her on the web is like trying to find a needle in the teeny bop JoJo morass that comes flooding back on every entry. 

Can somebody out there fill me in on this infinitely more talented lady? Pleeeease... I'd love to know her backstory and why she has never recorded other albums.

Click on the album cover to hear My Best Friend.

Now for fabulous track No.2 Tonite ft. Costa Rica (Urbanstar Remix 2001). This really got the lion's share of plays and remains an absolute classic cut to this day. Click on the EP cover below to hear it.

If you can't find the original Japanese Album (See 'Tonite' cover above)

Then hunt the Urban Star CD (See cover below).

Amazon UK.

Finally, last but not least,here is a video of the elusive Ms. Jo Jo Talking About You that is the second track on the Tonite album. If you can't find the original album try Japanese dealers where it's likely to be more accessible. Enjoy.

Elisha La'Verne - So Very Hot (Urbanstar Remix) 2000

Today's featured track is one of my top ten favourite records. I originally owned this on a 12" when it came out. It surprised me that it didn't catch on the Northern Modern scene when it was released. This is a fabulous sultry soulful and sexy song which gets better each time I hear it. 

Ms. La'Verne is a Londoner who has been one of the mainstays of the UK Soul and R&B scene since the 90s. A consummate performer she has recorded some brilliant albums over the year.  I will be featuring her on the blog over and over again so look forward to hearing more from her in the future.

You can hear her on the Shazam site by clicking on the photo below. It's one of three tracks featuring her that you can find there.

If you only ever buy one of her albums it should be this one which is like a best of selection. But honestly, if you're a real deal Souler then you should get hold of ALL her albums.  The good news is it contains this Urbanstar remix of So Very Hot which by itself should be enough to sell it. Having written that I can add the other tracks are pretty hot too.

Greatest Hits & Remixes.  Amazon US. Amazon UK.

Toni Braxton - Maybe (HQ2 Radio Edit) 2000

Toni Braxton was a great commercial success in the late 90s and early Noughties. Unbreak My Heart and Spanish Guitar were massive hits. Her videos, from a male point of view, were erotically charged and she was the epitome of an R&B success story.  To many on the UK Soul scene back then this was an anathema.  Retrospectively, fifteen and more years later, with a refreshed ear it's worth some time time listening to  recordings she cut. As with most performers you need to pick through their recordings and have a think about what the lyrics are saying.  Today's frenetic dance floor blast from the past, with its hurricane speed tempo, is likely to exhaust all but the fittest. It's not just the tempo but the speed with which Toni Braxton slips the words out of her mouth that's fascinating. the problem is that unless you can catch all the lyrics you really miss what the arrangement is all about. and indeed the message.  Are you still following where I'm going with this?

OK. Let me introduce you to the idea of stream of consciousness. Here's a simple definition: 

"The conscious experience of an individual regarded as a continuous, flowing series of images and ideas running through the mind."

Which nicely bring me back to Maybe (HQ2 radio Edit) because that's what's taking place in the lyrics. It's about  a woman's thoughts racing through  her mind revealing her non stop preoccupation about the man she's meeting. How should she behave, how will he react, how far should she go and so on. By the way if the idea of stream of consciousness seems strange to you then consider that is how our minds work all the time. Not, as we would like to think, in logical sentences. Hell, enough of the psychology lesson, it's about the music, right?

I suggest you watch the first youtube version before the second link. The quality of the video is poor but you can get a good idea of Ms. Braxton as a sex goddess back in the day The compiler created a video collage set to the song of all the best erotic bits Then use the second link where you can read the lyrics as the song is playing. That's when it will all make a lot more sense.

Now try listening to the lyrics and following the words from the link below. (Click on the photo to go to the web page).

It makes more sense now and you begin to appreciate why this is such a well done interpretation because it does simulate how we actually do think.  OK now try the R&B slower version and compare the two versions for yourself. The HQ2 Radio Edit is the better dance version but you may prefer just to listen to this version below. (Link in the photo).

You should be able to find the original  CD  without too much difficulty with the HQ2 Radio Edit. If not then hunt out the Platinum & Gold Collection as shown below.

If you think being a successful performer is all it's cracked up to be then you should read this revealing article about her life. It's not all glam like it may seem to be. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. To read the article click on the photo below.

Brigette - Much Too Much (2005)

Got a little behind today. It's not often I do that but you get days like this when plans change by the hour. OK, enough of that on to the music.

One of the albums that keeps finds its way into the CD player is Starlite Lounge (2005) from Brigette (McWilliams). Of the tracks I keep finding myself drawn to Much Too Much tends to get the attention. Today's feature track can be best categorised  as Smooth Soul/Jazz with a distinct Latin flava. Starlite Lounge was her third album  but there appear to have been no more since then which is a shame. Correct me if you know of any and forward me details about subsequent releases. Anyhow, enough jabber. Hear it by clicking on the youtube link below.

If you want to know more about Brigette McWilliams click on the pic below for her bio.

In case you want to get hold of the Starlite Lounge album this is what the the album cover looks like. If you get lucky you may still be able to locate it from the usual sources. Good luck with that...

Commercial Plug - Simply Soul Mail Oder

Got to recommend this site for all UK Soul lovers. Looking for all that's new and imported then this should be your first port of call. CD albums and Vinyl, they have it all. I always head for their stand in the big Modern room at Prestatyn each year but they provide  a first rate service online in between. Not only that but you can get to sample/hear some of what you may be finding interesting.

Joey Diggs - Your Love Keeps Working On Me (1992) & Groove Junkies Remix VERSUS Jody Watley cover (1993)

Joey Diggs has an incredibly smooth and soulful voice. He is the epitome of so many talented singers who never gets the fame and rewards that they richly should gain. Instead the public votes for those with the lowest common denominator of label hype and their publicity machine. Life is unfair and that's a fact. Fortunately, the Modern Soul scene in the UK recognises a fabulous soulful recording when it hears it. Your Love Keeps working On Me has justly earned its long standing popularity continuing to get played. I don't, as a rule, like to dwell on popular retro sounds but there are times when it's good not to conform to expectations. Today it'g going to be a twofer day (two for the price of one in case you don't understand UK parlance) with the Groove Junkies remix for a comparison. Like me you may decide you like both versions but for sure I'll be utterly surprised if you don't like either. 

Original version first (as featured in the movie Bebe's Kids):

It was inevitable that the remixers would want to try and improve upon it. Did they? Lend an ear and hear the Groove Junkies rendition. As good? Or just inferior? Anyone care to leave a comment?

Ok? Now to make it tougher. How do you think Jody Watley's version from 1993 compares/competes with the Joey Diggs version(s)?

Jody Watley, a prolific artist who has cut many great tracks in the past, will feature in the future  on more than one occasion so I'm keeping it low key about her today. Jody Watley looking fabulous...

Availability on CD, Vinyl, Download etc.? Good luck with that...

Wayna - Midnight Rendezvous (2008)

Ethiopian born Wayna has had an interesting musical career starting when she was quite small. An accomplished performer and songwriter she has recorded a considerable number of songs spanning three albums.  A graduate of the University of Maryland she began working as writer for the Clinton Administration in the 1990s but soon realised her true path was as a singer/songwriter. (See Bio link further on for a detailed account). Today's featured is taken from her second album  Higher Ground (2008) and is the opening track, Midnight Rendezvous. The link to song is in the album cover. 

Yes, it's a short track but it's still worth the hearing.  The CD of Higher Ground now seems to be limited to Amazon U.S. and CD Baby at good prices. The only remaining item in the UK  (at the time of writing) is priced at a ludicrous £101 (Amazon UK) and is a used item. Available as a download on iTunes and other sources too. More of her recordings can be found on  Myspace . Worth some time exploring her work. Click on each of the photos below to read more about her and what she has accomplished as a performer.

Wayna Bio (link above)

In addition to Higher Ground  Wayna has released Moments of Clarity (2004) and The Expats (Download only). Read about her Grammy nomination by clicking on the photo below.

Dorian Wright - Lying Girl (2010)

Dorian Wright was born in Wimbledon in the UK.  He is the son of musician Gary Wright and has followed in his father's footsteps into the music business. At the age of 19 he signed his first publishing contract with Zomba Jive. Subsequently he signed his first recording contract with BMG UK but found difficulties dealing with the commercial politics. He has worked as a backing singer for the likes of Teena Marie,  John Anderson and his own father, Gary Wright. In 2010 He released his debut album Mind Full of Music. His latest album Sorrow has just been released. However, todays track is taken from his Mind Full Of Music album.

Lying Woman samples Bob & Earl's Harlem Shuffle for a powerful vocal delivery that is reminiscent of a young Motown Stevie Wonder. If you like vocalists with strong voices who make contemporary Soul music with a nod to classic Soul and R&B then you'll like this blue-eyed Soul singer. (To hear it click on the album cover).

The album can still be found on Amazon UK and CD Baby for downloads.

Soul Talk - I Want It (2011) and Really Don't Mind (Cool Million 7" Mix) (2011)

Soul Talk came together as a result of three musicians deciding that there was room for a band on the UK Soul/Funk scene. Having a long time relationship with the UK Soul/Funk scene as backing instrumentalists and vocalists they became fed up with the notion that there was no room for bands anymore. So they decided to do something about it. In 2011 they recorded and released their eponymous album through Ralph Tee's Expansion label entitled Soul Talk. The three were Gary B. Poole (former vocalist with Troi), Ernie McKone (Bass player who worked with Galliano) and Tom Baker (keyboards). They created a fluid sound that was a blend of smooth Soul/Jazz and Funk allowing other musical influences from the 70s and 80s to creep into their arrangements.  Today the first track to be  featured is I Want It taken from their album so give it a whirl and see what you think.

Now wasn't that a tasty flava?

The second track featured is also from the album and is a ubiquitous Cool Million remix. I like the Coolfunk label which captures the style accurately. It seems an appropriate description for this next track: Really Don't Mind. I have to say that this one really does sound a lot like the Average White Band. Personally, I don't care as AWB are one of the retro bands whose recordings I still listen to regularly. 

The album is still available on CD from all the usual sources. I gather that the remix found its way onto a 7" 45 vinyl release. Can't help you with that one as I don't do vinyl anymore. Good hunters should be able to locate copies.