Juno Recommends Soul: April 2022

Review: We don't know much about Cat Boys, other than that they're a Japanese trio that has delivered a string of surprising, jazz-funk flavoured cover versions over the last seven years. They first tackled Crystal Waters' house classic 'Gypsy Woman' with vocalist Asuka Ando back in 2018, delivering a lightly jazz-funk-flecked live organ-house take. On this brand-new 2022 version, they've dialled up the spacey jazz-funk synth solos and bongo-rich percussion, while also giving greater prominence to Ando's new Japanese lyrics. Over on the flip, DJ Koko reaches for some classic disco vocal samples on an organ-rich take that sticks closer to the 1990s organ-house vibe while utilising the band's organic instrumentation.

Review: Freda Payne began her career in the 1960s and is best known for recording plenty of soulful sounds up until the 80s Fun fact - she is the older sister of former The Supremes singer Scherrie Payne, and is best known for her 1970 hit 'Band of Gold'. Here Expansion have carefully dug out a pair of classic gems that offer two different vibes. 'Tell Me Please' is a lazy and rolling soul sound for Sunday afternoons on the sofa, while 'I Get High (On Your Memory)' has cosmic feels and sensuous vocals for a different kinda trip.

Review: This sizzling new 7" from Super Disco Edits serves up Dayton's 'Sky's The Limit' which is a red hot slice of previously unissued 1982 soul.Hall of fun famers Dayton were a well established and popular group with a lush sound that was couched in soul but with funky grooves, boogie basslines and hints of disco shimmer and shine. This gorgeous single has all that and more including a big, buttery vocal. It is an epic, guaranteed floor filler which on the flip side has 'Sky's The Limit (long version)' for extra devastation.

Review: Is there any label out there that does as much leg work as Athens of the North. The Edinburgh outlet doesn't just reissue the obvious stuff, but goes on mad quests to track down almost impossible to find OG soul, funk and disco tunes for the benefit of us all. This latest 7" is another irresistible one from Antonio Castro. Born in Spanish Harlem to Puerto Rican immigrants, Castro later changed his name to covid any association with Fidel and was inspired by everyone from Louis to Frank. This one came in around 1970 and is a heart rending two tracker with warming vocals and gentle rhythms.

Review: Chuck Jackson's 'Waiting In Vain' was actually written by Bob Marley who also released it first in 1997 with his band The Wailers. Soul talent Jackson though took the tune in a whole other direction with the help of some great baking singers and session musicians. The sax lines are glorious, the vocals lush and harmonic and the rhythm section as smooth as silk. Jackson's own voice adds the icing on the cake and on the flip 'No Tricks' pairs big stabs with smooth Phiily strings and another standout vocal performance.

Review: Actor, producer and musician Matt Berry teams up instrumentally with vocalist Emma Noble on this alt-funky, psychic single jam, which comes to limited 7" wax. Lyrically, 'Beatmaker' is a rags-to-riches tale of the son of a tailor-maker who makes it big - "they know that you're the gravy-maker". Gradually, though, our protagonist's penchant for financial conquest and accruing assets begins to bite him in the foot. Ironically, that's not something you'll learn so readily after you inevitably cop the wax!

Review: Expansion have been busy recently with a wealth of superb releases all dropping in relatively quick succession. This one comes from 70s and 80s Us soul family, Family Brown. They put out just one album in 1978 and a couple of singles with these two tunes now pressed onto 45rpm some of the best. On the a-side is the slow motion stepper 'Never Had A Love' which has pirouetting strings and male and female vocals playing off in seductive fashion. On the flip is the more groovy but just as melodically lush 'Listen.'

Review: Leonard Lothlen is a California gospel music icon who this label made contact with for this release. It comes with a concept and that is "to place two gospel compositions recorded fifty years apart on one record." It means there are two very different and diverse tunes but two equally brillaint ones on this 7" with powerful vocals from Derick Hughes on 'In The Presence.' They come with a subtle doff of the cap to the late great Bishop Rance Allen. On the flip is 'Let Us Pray,' which was the first tune Leonard did with his GC's group in 1971. It is a real rarity and expensive gem if you can find an OG, Importantly, it is worth the cash whatever you pay.

Review: Hailing from Akron, Ohio, Wesley Bright is a new voice in soul who has made some strong moves this year including his spot on The Soul Chance's Who Could It Be? Now he's back on Colemine, one of the most reliable sources for modern soul, with a stunning two-part beauty. 'Come Right Back' is draped in creamy 70s production, with an understated but damn funky backing to carry Bright's soaring vocal. It's bittersweet and guaranteed to catch the ear of any discerning soul head, able to cut it with the classics and anyone doing their thing in the present day.

Review: City pop is most often associated with Japan, but as this new various artist compilation on Cultures Of Soul proves, it also had a rich scene in Tanamur City in Indonesia from chelate seventies up until the early nineties. These cuts have been put together by a master of the form, Harry 'Munir' Septiandry, and take in some dazzling disco highs, lovely moments of enjoyable kitsch and plenty in between. New Rollies' 'Sebuah Kenyataan' offers funky AOR, Denny Malik's 'Jakarta Kasmaran' mixes gamelan with disco and all the other cuts are just as quirky.

Review: Even for Jedi level diggers, tracking down original copies of Doctor T aka Lenoah Presley Strong aka Rick Strong, 7"s is almost impossible. He was a master instrumentalist who can turn out a tune on any piece of gear and was a regular in his local clubs. He spent time between Selma, Atlanta, where he was born, and Beverly Hills and played with artists like Willie Hutch. This compilation collects together some of his best jams and is an essential pick up for any and all soul lovers. A-side 'Love Is A Heartbreaker' is a real pearler in particular, while the flip side is no slouch either.

Review: Over the years, the rare West Virginian soul gem, Garnet Mimms' 'Looking For You', saw many different release iterations. Originally out in 1966, it was first pitted alongside Mimms' B-side 'I'll Take Good Care Of You', providing certain hitmakership for the R&B emoter and his then label, United Artists. Several versions later, however, and we come to now, with the song now appearing in stereoized glory with its true soulmate: 'As Long As I Have You'. From the change in track (and in turn, the track title) we get the sense that Mimms truly found love and intends to keep it; the song is a swinging barrage of sensual, monogamous joy, and is remastered here for our 7-inched pleasure. Winky face.

Review: Shawn Lee and his Angels of Libra bring that sweet, blue-eyed soulful sound to Legere Recordings with a heart-warming 7" single to keep you cosy through the winter months. 'Bless My Soul' has a subtly dubby tone in the rhythm section, but as it hits its stride it becomes something more like a Curtis Mayfield-style Motown joint that'll put a spring in your step, no doubt about it. 'Souvenir' is no slouch either, packed full of resplendent brass and breezy Rhodes played with the smoothest of touches.

Review: Another month, another absolutely crucial new/old album from one of our favourite labels, name Edinburgh's Athens of the North. This one collects together some eye-wateringly rare soul music from the 1970s that only came on two 45rpms and one famously madcap self titled Premonitions long player. Melvin Miller and Finley Martin's band put together a killer fusion of deep soul, deep funk, disco and plenty of in between sounds here. It makes for a magical listen that will open the heart and have the feet tapping to these most emotive and timeless grooves.