JESSE JAMES Vinyl & CDs

Review: Diamond & James, aka Jesse James and Shirley Diamond, unite for a timeless collaboration that will swell the heart. First introduced by the late Harvey Scales, Jesse and Shirley's partnership flourished over time while Shirley, an educator from Atlanta, balanced her performing career with teaching, always showcasing her talents on weekends and school breaks. She has graced stages alongside music icons like Atlantic Starr and Bobby Bland, proving herself to be a versatile talent with notable releases like 'You Don't Have To Be Sad, To Sing The Blues' and 'Strong Woman'. This one 'You Don't Know Who You Sleeping With,' is a duet produced by Felton Pilate that highlights their enduring musical synergy and dedication to their craft.

Review: Jesse James, the revered cult soul man, delivers once again with 'Back On Top Again'. Despite his lack of recognition in his home country, James is celebrated across the UK and Europe for his authentic, old-school Southern soul sound. Now in his 80s, James continues to impress with this latest offering, maintaining the high quality seen in his previous releases with Soul Junction. The album features soulful mid-tempo grooves reminiscent of classic Malaco-style Southern soul, with tracks like 'Another Love Lay Over' and 'Keep It On The Hush Hush' standing out as highlights. James's cover of Harvey Scales' 'I'd Be A Fool 2 Fool Around On You' is particularly exceptional, showcasing his soulful vocals and emotive delivery. With tracks like 'I Lost My Baby On Facebook' adding contemporary commentary and 'What Happened To The O-O Wee' providing sonic variety, Back On Top Again is standout example to James's enduring talent and commitment to the soul genre. It's soul as it was and soul as it should be.

Review: Jesse James makes a welcome return to Soul Junction with a single led by his inventive re-imagining of Fred Neil's classic road-tripping anthem, 'Everybody's Talking At Me'. In James' hands, backed up by a fully decked out Motown-ready band, the track becomes an uplifting stomper with a dazzling arrangement from Willie Hoskins. It was originally recorded in 1971 during James' self-financed session at Searra Sound Studios in Berkeley. On the flip, James revisits one of the tracks from his 1990 album Looking Back, given an outing on 45 for the first time.