The Quintessential info provider for the Soul Survivor ISSUE 60 - 1st SEPTEMBER -
31st
OCTOBER 2015
“Encore”
News, Review s & Inte rviews Louie Vega Don-E Bob Masters Walter Scott ers of The Whisp
Jazzie B Ernie Isleyers
roth of the Isley B
ame Roll CallVaonfdroFss, (Luther yah) Prince & Aali
rapy & a l The c i s ns u M motio i z P ro B n l u y o S r yl L n ts Che n r e e s v e r e p st her fir live in oncert UK C
Doors Op en 7pm till th e morning (a ll night train ser vice)
“Got To Be Real”
e”
“Sham
” “Shake It Up
“I’m In Love”
WHAT’S INSIDE? 5 Fitzroy talks to TITO JACKSON 8 DARRELL’S FUNK BOX 10 Fitzroy talks to TOM BROWNE 14 Fitzroy talks to DELE SOSIMI 18 Fitzroy talks to ROB HARDT & FRANK RYLE OF COOL MILLION 20 RECORD REVIEWS 26 Fitzroy talks to GLENN JONES 28 EXTRA EXTRA! 30 Barry King talks to TONY OZIER 33 CROSSWORD 34 Barry King talks to MAIMOUNA AKA MUMU FRESH 36 Fitzroy talks to JARROD LAWSON 40 SOUL SURVIVORS ROLL CALL OF FAME 42 EVENT REVIEWS 45 FAIR TRADE 4 MUSIC CHART 46 WHAT’S GOING ON? All adverts are placed in good faith and The Soul Survivors take no responsibility for any issues arising from the use of those who have advertised. All dates are correct at time of going to print – please check with venue or promoter if unsure. All rights reserved 2008 - 2015 Copyright The Soul Survivors Magazine
It is essential to note that all artwork, adverts and listings must be confirmed and sent in to fitzroy@thesoulsurvivors.co.uk before Friday 2nd October in order to meet the 5th October graphic designer and print 3 week preparation. This will ensure that the magazine for November and December 2015 is ready and out on the street ahead of November 1st 2015. Thanks in advance. The Soul Survivors team!
Greetings, Soul Survivors Salutations to all fellow musick
ateers…All for one and one for all and all that! Firstly a huge thank you to tho se of you wh o gave feedback on the last issu with it’s slight Gok Wan makeo e autumn/winter issue there’s ver, it is humbly appreciated. In this cross over ple nty to kee p you going ove months with another diverse selection of soul surviving inter the next couple of who collects the magazines spe rviews. Louie Vega something for everyone’s mu aks about his new concept album, one that has sica I managed to get a moment l taste buds. After various prior arrangements to speak to the a man who stri Movin’ ” the original ‘Funki Dre ves to ”Keep On Love Thing” twin Walter Scott, d’ Jazzie B and The Whisper’s sibling “It’s A Voices Of Soul’ gig both in Ma who are both headlining the forthcoming ‘Great “Unbreakable” talent of south nchester and London mid November 2015. The he speaks about his new “Fu London street beats king, Don-E are still rife as to tie down one of the hardesture Rare Groove’s Vol 2” project. I also managed own vibe out of his humble sout working unsung DJ promoters who created his about his passion for soul mu th east stomping ground. Bob Masters talks due respect to those I spoke sic, fashion and other interesting things. With all was with a natural born thrillerwith in this issue, the most inspiring interview Isley speaking on how he enj of guitar and songwriting etiquette, Ernie working with his elder music oys to “Groove With You” and the rest of world, mind it’s Black History Monthdynasty siblings, The Isley Brothers. Bearing in Call Of Fame pays homage to in October, the new feature Soul Survivor Roll observing for what’s in gossip three candidates. The Extra Extra page is worth finger on the pulse Dark Kent. column courtesy of our correspondent with his Digestive, a few Rich Tea’s, or I’ll leave you now to dunk either a McVities scraped off with ya teeth bisc my favourite Custard Cream’s carefully split and uits, platt your feet together and enjoy…Fitzroy in your comfy chair ..Enjoy, Fitzroy!
Thanks to those who contribute Campbell at Shiloh PR and Sel d to this issue in one shape or form. Evadney PR) for making the Jazzie B ena Quick and Stuart Kirkham (Hall Or Nothing advertisers, Scarbutts (printe and Ernie Isley interviews happen. All the (KFP-Enterprise, Fair Trade 4 rs), Ayshea (Graphic Designer), Media Partners Photo’s Lucky Benson, Nigel Music, Kre8iv 4ce It & Media Consultancy). Chapman, Don Hunsteine Son Anna B, John Walker, Jane Bon y Music Archives, (Crossword), Raph Parkinson otto, Brian Norman for Dave Moran and Suzanne Diamond Levene(North East Soul Survivors Correspondent) Soulprovyder, Jason and Ron for their reviews, Darrell (Funk Box), Ian niee C. (Flyer pack distributors ). The Soul Survivo rs Fitzroy Facey, PO Box 377, Wes t Malling, ME6 9DQ Mobile: 07956 312931 Ema il: fitzroy@thesoulsurvivors.co. uk C fitzroy.facey C Fitzroytheoriginalso ulsurvivor C TheSoulSurvi www.thesoulsurv vors ivors.co.uk
“If you look at the collaborations with The Winans, The Clark Sisters, George Clinton, Jocelyn Brown, Adeva, and Tony Momrelle they are all artists I’ve worked with this past last year.” -Louie Vega
© Photo by Lucky Benson
speaks to Fitzroy
Needing no introduction but we’ll give him one anyway. One half of the renowned DJ/ Production remix dynamic duo, Masters As Work, Louie Vega speaks of his excitement at the pending release of his forthcoming project “Louie Vega Starring”. It has an all star cast with Louie dabbling in soulful, jazz and funk based 4 floor house beats and retaining, with his own flavour, the essence of the some familiar and unfamiliar club classics with surprising results. Louie took time out of his busy European tour to chat with Soul Survivors.
Hi Louie thanks for taking time out during your busy schedule at Croatia Suncebeat. How long was the process of making your new album “Louie Vega Starring” with such a musically talented cast? Well I started it a couple of years ago but I’ve really concentrated on it this year. I’ve been working with artists in various cities like in Hong Kong, when I met Soul II Soul. Caron Wheeler asked when are we going to work together so we hooked it up. Wherever I travelled around the world the same story kept unfolding. The process of making this album was organic and very natural. I have tons of ideas so I lay them down and that’s pretty much how it’s happened. If you look at the collaborations with The Winans, The Clark Sisters, George Clinton, Jocelyn Brown, Adeva, and Tony Momrelle they are all artists I’ve worked with this past last year. Thanks for the album there are a couple of tunes that don’t suit me personally but I think there is something for everybody on there. Jocelyn is singing on “You Are Everything” and the first single was “Dance” with The Winans and Clark Sisters and although I like the version that’s been ham-mered over the past few months I really prefer this latin mix. Thank you, as like you said, there is something for everybody. I’ve been pretty clever with this album as I was inspired by the different pieces of music on it. The funk house mixes of “Dance” are getting played on the radio like WBLS and 12 other stations in the USA. So we are able to capture a whole different crowd with the house head and an astral sound for the
soul ones. There’s a plethora of different people that like different styles. The hardest thing is to get one mix that every body likes. I have most of your concept albums. The most popular one I imagine that I received was Nu Yorican soul where you had different tempos and artists, this reminds me of that. What I do like about this is the mixture of latin house beats on CD 1 with tunes like “Together We Can” by Kenny Bobien that’s socially conscious and Adeva’s “I Deserve To Breath” the new single. There is also a beautiful track by Bucie “Angels Are Watching Me” (Louie: “Bucie’s from South Africa”). I like the flipped script on CD 2 more so early on with the interpretation of Pharaoh Sander’s “You’ve Got To Have Freedom” on “Because We Love It” featuring Zara McFarland from the UK. Giles Peterson introduced me to her and I loved her voice, we connected and she just sung the song in a cool jazz vein, which is a sound that can be kept. I was at the listening party in May and heard what was available to hear with tunes like “Turned Onto You” by The 80’s Ladies and I like that it’s true to the original. I also heard and liked “Stop On By” a Bobby Womack track but you’ve based it on the Chaka & Rufus version. (Louie laughs) That’s Lisa Fischer and Cindy Mizell singing on that. You did “Slick City” by James Mason.
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Who plays the guitar solo on “You’ve Got It Bad Girl”? Dominic James a wonderful guitar player who plays with Paul Simon and Angelique Kidjo. He’s worked with so many artists of different genres but he gave it a nice jazz vibe. Who plays the Spanish guitar on the instrumental “Es Vedra”? That’s Luis Salinas who did a track with me in the late 90’s. I hadn’t seen him in 15 years and bumped into him in New York City at a jazz club because my keyboard player was playing with him. He told Luis I wanted to touch base so that’s when I saw him at the club and Luis suggested we get together and record something. We did that in three days and he was signed to GRP at one time, he’s like a Spanish George Benson. I like the afro vocal track “Good Things (Cosa Buena)”
e n g L ou i e V i t e e m y o r F itz
ga
Yes Lisa Fischer is a good friend of his and I met him last year. I’ve always loved that rare album he did “Rhythm Of Life”. I wanted to do one of those tunes so I chose that one. What I was pleasantly surprised with and something that wasn’t played at the listening party was the amazing job you did on Eddie Drennon’s “Do What You Gotta Do”. That really goes on a jour-ney. (Louie laughs) Thank you man. I wasn’t going to put it on the album and I did that song about seven years ago. I gave it a second thought because I liked it a lot and previously I couldn’t find the right album to put it on until this one, which I thought it was perfect. I’ve always loved the song. What was a nice surprise was Josh Milan singing Stevie Wonders “You’ve Got It Bad Girl”. Yeah me and Josh kind of housed it up. I wanted to cover different styles and help create some songs as up-tempo dance songs so I thought it would a good mix for the clubs. Josh did a wonderful job on it and the guitar solo allowed Josh to improvise to that signature. When the guitar is playing it sounds like George Benson scatting. Josh has a way of making an already existing song his own, he’s my brother and I love working with him. He also sings the first track on CD2 a cover of another Stevie Wonder cut. “Joy Inside Of My Tears” is from the “Songs In The Key Of Life” album. Usually Josh is a songwriter and we usually write together, but in this case we had already done these songs. We saw how the people were reacting to them and it’s a beautiful ballad gospel song that we interpreted differently. I like that kind of Quincy Jones effect on it like you hear on his early albums with the harmonica. That’s William Galison he’s a really talented harmonica player from New York who plays with Carly Simon. He did a wonderful solo on that track. Page 4 - Issue 60
That is from one of the original Fania All Stars, bongo player, Roberto Ronea. He’s the one who danced like crazy in the 1970’s at the big concerts in Madison Square Gardens. We recorded this in the studio and it was an honour. He’s one of the few remaining members left and has recorded his own stuff. He’s in his 80’s by the way. You told me you’ve just added the George Clinton “Ain’t That Funk Got A Hard On You” to the album. Yeah just two days ago we got confirmation and it’s got to be mastered. It was meant to be there from the beginning but George wanted to put it on his label. Then he came back and asked if it could go on my project, once he saw who was on it, so it’s where it was supposed to be originally in my plan. Initially it was going to be the first track and now with a with a slight reshuffle is still going to be the first cut on the album. It’s just come out as a 12” on my label on vinyl that I had the rights to do, and now I can put it as on my CD which I’m excited about. George is releasing it with various mixes on his C Kunspyruhzy label. Now the new thing is that George called Kendrick Lemar to drop something on the track that sounds amazing. Since then Ice Cube is directing the video and dropping a verse on there too. Ok that’s wicked because Ice Cube had George Clinton on his “Bop Gun” (One Nation) remix 12”from the “Lethal Injection” album about 20 years ago so Ice Cube’s returning the compliment. Exactly and George could have done that with any track, but luckily he’s doing that on my mix. It’s bringing house music to a different audience for sure. I’ve been playing around the world and George is doing the version that I did at his concerts including Glastonbury. When I bumped into you in Ibiza at the bar you were DJ’ing at you were mixing in “Ain’t That Funky Got A Hard On You”. That tune is going to be huge and I’m destined to play it at Margate next week. There are more raw house versions coming with Kendrick who sounds amazing and we are waiting for Ice Cube’s verse and the video is being shot in September. Excellent thanks for your time and good luck with the album. Nice catching up with you Fitz.
23 years after his “Unbreakable” debut on 4th & Broadway, Don-E is still relevant touring around the world. He’s still finding time to delve into the rare groove archives which inspires his forthcoming “Future Rare Groove’s Vol 2” album. He’s given me a sneak preview of the album as his new single “Grown N Sex-E” gets a promotional push from KFP Enterprise ahead of the albums release. Don-E explains part of the “Mystery” that gets his creative juices flowing. Last time we spoke was two years ago when you released “Little Star”, so what have you been up to between then and the last album “Future Rare Grooves?” I’ve been doing lots of writing with Lucas Secon, we had a number four hit a few months ago with Blondie. I’ve been working with Brian Eno and touring with Grace Jones as well as being locked in the lab working on music. What’s Brian Eno more famously known for? He’s one of the biggest producers in the UK. He did “Joshua Tree” for U2 and he was in the Tom Tom Club group and produced “Lets Dance” for David Bowie, he’s a don. How well did “Future Rare Grooves” do, as you had no plugging and just put it out yourself?
DON-E speaks to Fitzroy
“I also used “Rated Xtra” by Carl Carlton and “Postcard Love Affair” which is mad bruv, just mad (Don-E laughs). So I’m really taking it back and the album is coming out by mid August.” -Don-E
I just stuck that out randomly. I did a track called “Feeling You” on the So Soulful EP who hit me up for a song after “Little Star” and I didn’t have anything. I was sitting, listening to some rare grooves and I found myself singing on top of a Barry White groove. Within an hour and a half “Feeling You” was born. I sent it out and everyone was freaking out over it. It didn’t take me long to do and I had an idea to do a little project on that genre. I went to a party and a DJ played the track and had to rewind it back five times. I said, “Raaaah this is proper, yeah they love this”. After seeing that reaction I decided upon the project, as we are in the future, still loving rare grooves, hence the name “Future Rare Grooves”. It’s taken off with people gravitating towards it. I’m just flipping the bass line, playing on top of the old grooves and coming up with new hooks. I making the old sound new so the younger generation of kids can get the vibe that we had growing up and hopefully it will create the interest to find out what’s gone on before. For me there’s been a gap within the market with people recreating old sounds but not the rare groove genre because it’s the foundation of what’s out there today. It’s done really well and I thought lets strike whilst the iron is hot and come with a part two. Great, how’s that been received in Europe and the USA? It’s been a slow burner, but they are just catching on. However I’ve heard that the Americans are downloading the track and getting into it. It’s interesting because we, in the UK, have been on that vibe for around 35 years, having been inspired by the music hailing from the USA. It comes from their back yard but it seems some are just tapping into that sound, but they don’t quite get the Caribbean thing like we do here. Yeah you’re right and these tunes come with a West Indian, Caribbean style bass line on it, when we make them. In all my travels over the years to America they describe it as ‘West Indian soul’ and it makes sense to drop my West Indian heritage all over those rhythms. To me it’s a return to the source when you did your debut “Unbreakable” album with tunes like, my favourite, “Mystery”, so you’re only doing now what you did twenty three years ago. Basically I was doing it years ago and got stopped in my tracks, for whatever reason, with the record company and management, so I haven’t really changed the format. I’m just being myself, making music and pleasing myself making music that people really like and being in tune with their vibe.
Page 6 - Issue 60
We’ve bumped into each other a few times since, starting with me Dj’ing for you at the Jazz Cafe two years ago after the “Little Star” release. Fast forward to next month I’m Dj’ing for you again at the Jazz Cafe as you play next to Avery Sunshine in late August. So what’s forthcoming on “Future Rare Groove” volume 2?
It’s moving on from where I left off, from the last one, grabbing the old classics and flipping the lid on them. I’m really excited as the first single “Grown N Sex-E” is on top of the Skool Boyz ridden “Your Love” from back in the day and that’s receiving some nice love. It’s got some duets on there, which was inspired by a duet I did on the first one with Natasha Watts called “Big People Tings”. I’ve got Terri Walker on a duet and I’ve utilised “It’s Cool” by Walter Jackson, “Midnight Lover” By Side Effects and that song “Good Music”(Don-E sings the lyrics).
Basically I was the Guinea pig being the first-born. My siblings would encourage me saying, “do this and do that” (Don-E laughs). I’ve got my own mind being an Aries and I did what I wanted to. When he used to go to work people used to tell him they heard me on the radio and saw me on TV, so he felt proud.
What you just sung sounds a bit like “Dancing To The Music” by Benny Golson with Earth Wind & Fire “On Ya Face” groove. (Fitzroy: hums the groove)
Yeah of course. Now I live everyday like it’s the last one. I had to take some time out since he passed in March, roughly two months, because he was on my mind constantly, whilst trying to work in the studio. It’s been and still is surreal trying to deal with it with my family too. It inspired me to write “Pressing On” with So Soulful on their EP about a month ago, so I’ve kept my head down and just carried on. Hopefully by Carnival everyone will be listening to “Future Rare Groove 2”.
(Yeah that’s the tune Fitz.) That is Benny Golson. (“Oh OK”) You know what happened back in the day when they used to bootleg the tunes on the RAW album series, they didn’t always know the titles so they would guess and name them something from the hook of the chorus for example. (Gotcha.) I also used “Rated Xtra” by Carl Carlton and “Postcard Love Affair” which is mad bruv, just mad (Don-E laughs). So I’m really taking it back and the album is coming out by mid August. So you’re off to America in a couple of days with Grace Jones touring? Yeah, we are doing an event called ‘Afro Punk’ with Lauren Hill and Lenny Kravitts at the Hollywood Bowl in San Francisco. I’m trying to do my bits in between with The Collective and a remix called “Piece Of Heaven’. Roachford and Errol from China Black have added their flavour to The Collective project, so things are coming along nicely. Not sure if you want to discuss it but you had some sad news earlier in the year with your dad passing away. I remember from our last interview you told me you had to sneak records in to listen to them because he was a staunch pastor. Eventually he came round and supported you all the way.
How has that affected you since in making music, has it inspired you in some way to write some-thing since his passing?
Speaking of Carnival what’s going to happen with that special you gave me “Party Now”? Yeah, I’ve kind of held off on that vibe and am looking to put it on my next album. The “Future Rare Groove” vibe took off because it’s kicking right now. I got to tell you I dropped it at Soul In The Algarve this year. We did the very first street carnival in Alvor Portugal and I dropped it in the mix. Even though people didn’t know what it was, they still jumped to the tune. In Portugal? Wow.. Yeah in May. Good luck and have a safe journey. Working with Lenny Kravitts and Lauren Hill, dam, I’d love to be there. Thanks it’s an outdoor event in Brooklyn. Nice one Fitz. Yeah speak soon, Don-E.
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I’m going I can’t en meltdown. Once I’ve said I’m going into a guilt ridd mean spirited er rath l fee I but ’ ing Sure, I can un-click ‘attend guilt trip. it. a o it’s chosen night und me my For to . ng trip alo a ’s trip Life but I do it any way. I’ll just so, ng doi my picture is by is, t tha and soul nights up thing different. Until, ple that run and promote and no-one need know any h. Oh boy does bas a r the find to ano d at We all know countless peo sse ling pre d smi and is a be honest, you’d be har posted with me laughing if the host for the night more than down the country. And to feel like Judas! Especially so many gigs on now, far e me are t hav ke I tha ma ry, t is g tha inju ) thin ved The you rcei bad night. cases) that to add insult to (pe lot younger in some of our friend. A good friend. And ht only to bail nig r his you ut g abo osin ing when we were younger (a cho hus to ent es s or so to turn when it com d” I spent the last two month I’m sure he’d understan just don’t know which way minute. “Not to worry, k last thic the y at larl out ticu par is . and night out has broad shoulders think to myself. My mate n. Besides, I only ctio and fun ry iasm eve hus nd ent atte the ’t I can are a jolly bunch and skinned and knows that y own soul. ................Oh nooo…. Promoters in themselves finds it’s way into our ver to John Does night............ de ng exu alo t y the wen t tha ng nt bei me all us commit with t, tha to s media sites add never have The explosion of social nts that, years ago, ber Mymate and John Doe centre by e.flyers for eve at that point that I remem that John It’s ms see it of t fac way In ed ion bombarded left right and er. it been done the old fash d to say about each oth wor had d by on to go goo us ht a nig sed his pas e die on hav the would course still ing to Mymate, put side clubs. There are of Doe ‘deliberately’, accord rt doesn’t seem to to apa dy es rea mil are 60 handing out leaflets out and y’re , the gig t a t tha sent when you leave decent against his night. The fac hard few that are ever pre now a spat bet ween two 2 degrees and My guilt hasn’t eased and ery smile even though it’s owed e. che foll a put er com with lag r of k flye ut a drin abo a you g e hand around my neck. I tak intrusion, the nicest thin ght et wei ern a -int like pre is as and t, fell y. pas awa raining. In the was that you could feeling of betrayal melts you were out and about by a rum chaser and my being given a flyer when corner, and that the und aro got you e onc of Mymates night, that dash it straight into a bin I’m looking at the photos, and r late day t. A . It looks like it tha of was the end feeling a little bit gutted e been posted and I’m hav t I know, that tha , r ple eve r peo flye few a the te you tastic night. There are qui see the person that gave fan a er a friend to nev was ring ly I . bab all had d pro was nge will You can see that loads of fun But social media has cha ht. you nig and the d, ut nde night was abo r atte The hea ell. n t again or eve lt. As soon as tha and he drops the bombsh come a whole heap of gui was hardly find out how good it was ere “Th to ed. tion tray iga por obl s that and along with it has an ure l fee t the pict He wall and into my inbox I s**te and nothing like wha s are all that was there!” ’ button in flyer is posted on to my id clicking the ‘attending Those people in the picture avo re. nce the ays y nda alw I bod atte nt. any the eve kes the show up at Storage Hunters y in my head. So that ma decide to watch re-runs of tells me. I quickly do a tall to my guns and case I change my mind and say I’m attending and e been 26 if I’d stuck do I hav n ld whe l wou fee It I lt 25. gui the und aro but , science-stricken ead con for inst my e g ible dra Dav ons I on mate. What have I done? I feel as if I’m solely resp . My ing ted elm por rwh sup glaring out at ove ges is a ima ’t, to then don g the night and look again at the and my absence could brin I notice that body back to my computer ple if it wasn’t. peo ling smi e hav the success of the night n ’t ldn whe y You wou ling normally goes awa me. Maybe it was good. e. There aren’t any. shuddering halt. This fee y’re like me, comments on the event pag been invited. But if the the also for e rch hav sea I ple peo er ur. ono 1,469 oth dish of s ling ? fee e rum ters with the sam Arrrgghh! Where’s the that’s an awful lot of pun but gig one d on flyers in my hand, decide But by In days of yore, if I had two r, it really didn’t matter. the ano to t wen and d where nt poi changed my min a to ed whole psyche is disrupt the power of tweeting my Page 8 - Issue 60
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“ If you saw Tommy Mac who is now big built like myself, he is a larger than life character. He’ll do a lit tle shuffle and do 10 spins, stop dead and look at you as if to say I’ve still got it”. - Bob Masters
© Photo by Nigel Chapman
BOB MASTERS speaks to Fitzroy
Bob Masters has travelled far and wide in his quest to feed his hunger for jazz funk and soul music. This lead to Bob discovering an impromptu niche market outside his clubbing manor and an opportunity to share his passion with like-minded friends. Speaking about DJ’s, clubs, fashion and his ethos on entertaining his dedicated followers, Bob enlightens us to why he is a Master of his own work. When we spoke in Ibiza you told me about travelling to London in the 1970’s frequenting various clubs was it Newbury that you came from? Originally I was born in Ireland but brought up in Ilford, Essex. My first experience of the music and club combination was going to Ilford Town Hall, paying 50p to get in on a Monday night. It transpired that Froggy was there. I’d be lying if I said I was there because of him, as I discovered that information much later. I used to go to Lacy Lady on a Friday night and I went to the Goldmine on a Saturday once. I was young and just as interested in girls as I was in music so going to jazz funk clubs every night wasn’t as important, as much as I loved it. I did frequent Room At The Top and the Cranbrook also. I never really heard of the term ‘soul boy’ or consider myself one, but at the time it was trendy to be into jazz funk and soul. A friend of mine’s older brother introduced me to things like New York Port Authority “I Got It”, and I remember walking in to Lacy Lady and hearing Dennis Coffey “Wings Of Fire”, Wee Willie And The Winner’s “Wipe Your Feet And Dance” and Leon Haywood’s “I Wanna Do Something Freaky To You”, which I bought as a mellow groove on a 7 inch. I was more of a “War Is Coming” by War and “Welcome To My World Of Merry Music” by Mass Production, kind of jazz funk lover. Around 1975 a friend of mine won a pair of tickets on the Robbie Vincent show to see The Crusaders at the New Victoria Theatre. Although the place was half empty it was there that my love for jazz started, and we felt that we were part of something other than just being kids going to a local disco. We were now searching for places to go and thinking back, there seemed to be a lot of house parties that people wouldn’t entertain now. Because I was so passionate about music, I started collecting records although I didn’t realise it fully at the time. I use to go to Contempo Records in Hanway Street, London and then discovered Groove Records. I then started going to Crackers, not every week but once a month on a Friday lunchtime but never during the night time sessions. I’m not sure if everyone tells the truth about going to Crackers because the amount of people I’ve met who say they went but I don’t remember them. It was predominantly a black club in terms of people and it was where I first started dancing after loving watching the guys move. I met DJ Paul Page 10 - Issue 60
Murphy through a girl I used to go to school with who married him. Paul used to come into Crackers with those real old bad plastic Woolworths type album boxes full of import records. I bought Willie Bobo “Always There” and he turned me onto “Six Million Steps” by Rahni Harris. Paul said I had to have it as he only had two copies and just given one to the Crackers DJ George Power. There are some tunes that will forever stick the first time you hear them and you’ll never forget. The first time I heard “Six Million Steps” and also “Love Hangover” by Diana Ross. The ballad build up of “Love Hangover” we were used to hearing at times, because of listening to tunes like “Float On” by The Floaters, but it was the not knowing what was coming next when the impact of that bass line kicked. It totally freaked me out because it was another level of music I hadn’t heard from what I loved listening to. If only I could have bottled that moment! Oh my gosh! It was so amazing! I had to go searching for it the next day and then that becomes part of your DNA, that passion and love of music that sucks you in, so now you’re hooked. Until Chris Hill opened up his shop in Chadwell Heath Essex, it was Groove and Comtempo where I purchased tunes, and then I discovered purely by mistake, Our Price records in Leicester Square where coincidentally Paul Murphy worked. These were brilliant times. I’ve seen some old photos of you with hair and wearing various soul boy fraternity outfits like dungarees. What was the fashion attire like back in the day? People thought that soul boys all looked the same but there was more to the wedge haircuts and dangling belts. We wore Smiths jeans, Mohair jumpers, plastic sandals and karate shoes and we used to go down to Kings Road and see all the punks fashion. We’d bump into people with feather earrings, different coloured hair, Mohair jumpers and plastic sandals coming towards us. We’d nod and acknowledge each other because we were into the same things. We’d speak to people in clothes shops and find out they were into the same music and you’d build up this camaraderie and travel to different places. The fashion was a great big deal as well as a statement.
You mentioned earlier on about going to Crackers, who do you remember being notorious for dancing? There was a guy called Paul Mizzi who lived around the Ilford area and he was older than us. Apparently he suffered from Polio when he was young, so he was really skinny but he could out dance the top dancers. I remember a black guy called Socks who people used to watch in awe of, but Paul Mizzi could dance him off the floor. Chris Hill done the Glen Miller swing thing at the Lacy which was a fun thing, but it didn’t mean much to me personally and musically. Paul Mizzi was one of the guys that Chris Hill chose to appear on BBC TV’s Nationwide to represent the dancing and dress code that was happening at the time. There was also a guy called John Queen who used to move with Tommy Mac. People will remember Tommy Mac from Mad Mondays in Ibiza just after Nicky Holloway started things over there. In the jazz funk days John Queen and Tommy Mac went everywhere no matter what night of the week Monday to Sunday. If you went to any club of notoriety they were there and everybody was watching them dance. They were amazing and had moves they would exaggerate and were fantastic jazz dancers. If you saw Tommy Mac who is now big built like myself, he is a larger than life character who was on TV recently. (Yeah I saw him on Come Dine With Me). He’ll do a little shuffle and do 10 spins, stop dead and look at you as if to say I’ve still got it. I used to travel to some clubs knowing Tommy and John were going to be there as I would like to hear specific DJ’s. I‘ve met Tommy Mac and heard people speak about his prowess from back in the day. It’s interesting because when you speak to people, like you said earlier about Crackers, people talk about certain things but there are from different time frames. When I was growing up Trevor Shakes was a dance floor legend way before I hit the dance floor. (Bob: “Yeah I remember that name”). Some of these guys moved on and went on to do other things by the time we arrived on the scene. I’ve heard people talk about Tommy Mac but never Paul Mizzi.
To read more about Bob Masters please join our membership www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk
. That leads nicely into your history with Bournemouth so please do carry on. People may have wondered why we went to Bournemouth. Here’s the story. I remember us queuing up outside to get into this particular bar called ‘Straights’. All the blokes were as pretty as the girls were, very model-esque, very cool and trendier than we were, and on another plateau, fashion wise, to us. When we eventually got in, to our disappointment there was nothing going on, it was just a bar. We asked ourselves what was the fuss about, because we loved our music and the lack of it was deflating us. So we left and searched everywhere for somewhere with the music we loved, but it was to no avail. We found a nightclub The DirtBox that had a rockabilly scene but still no soul clubs. We literally walked past a bar which had a pair of Citronic decks in the window, and it had a side room like a wine bar. I went in and asked the
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landlord if we could come in and play some tunes because we had nowhere to go. He said “I don’t want any trouble” and I said no we got a few girls with us so no worries. We literally walked around the park and told a few people we were playing there that night. Before I got there to play there were 130 people outside who’d heard about the gig. I played my records from 8pm to 1am on my own and it was rammed. Not everyone could get in and the landlord asked me to come back the next night as this was a Bank Holiday Easter weekend. After doing that we did the August Bank Holiday at the venue underneath the bar which held 200 people. I got Phil Perry, Chris Bangs and a girl we called Five Bar Doris aka Lisa Blofeld, who worked for Nicky Holloway, Tongy (Pete Tong) and London Records for years. She’s one of my greatest friends and she DJ’d and warmed up at a time where there were no female DJ’s. We outgrew that venue eventually. At the time there was so much trouble in and outside of clubs in Bournemouth, we approached the council who owned all the venues and found a club called Neptunes in Boston Pier. Although it was licensed for only 400-500 people, we had 1100 in there. It had the longest bar in Europe, a small stage with plastic walls that were designed to look like the walls of a cave and a low ceiling, but it was just the best venue on earth. I’ve got pictures of people sleeping in cars, Escort Mark 1’s, 1600 E Cortina’s, some Capri XR3’s all lined up outside. It was just brilliant. It just mushroomed from there, Nicky Holloway was the “IT kid” in town doing things with Special Branch and Doo’s At The Zoo around the same time as us. There became a synergy between both crowds and we were chuffed because Nicky wanted some of us to play on his gigs. In turn he’d play on ours. Then Giles Peterson, Norman Jay, Chris Bangs, Nicky Holloway and myself were part of a strong line up. Mixed with the fashion and rare groove music coming through, it was funky again and we felt part of another new era of movement. This twice a year event was now 7 years old and it felt great. People have to remember that people like me wouldn’t be the first person someone would phone to DJ, so in order to play out, I put on my own gigs and the people I had who DJ’d for me, were in a similar boat. We had no idea that the first gig at the Badger bar with 100 people would take us to where we were. Just through word of mouth it grew to getting over 1000 people. We played a mixture of everything from rare valuable 7” to S Express. I’ve always had this thing that you cannot be reliant on old music.
a kind of hip house Nasty Master mix, as Merv called it, for Kariya’s “Let Me Love You For Tonight (Fitzroy: “Wow I loved that tune.”). I left Sleeping Bag to join Jeff Young at A&M Records. I ended up eventually applying for a job internally in TV & Radio promotions working in that field also for Sony and Polydor for 20 years What sort of planning, travelling, costings and organising is involved in maintaining the same audience coming back for more at your successful Ibiza Soul venture? There were a couple of soul holidays on the calendar but the people I knew had an affinity with Ibiza from years ago. It wasn’t easy to go to Ibiza and do something on their turf. The idea was to take about 150 people. I felt, unlike some other ideas I’ve had, that this would work. I spoke to someone at Thomas Cook who advised me to go out there for a fairly cheap flight. She knew some people who would put me up as they had four or five sites. When they took me to Punti Arabi it was Hippy Market Day and it was mobbed. I couldn’t get anywhere and I felt it wasn’t the right place. The next day when the site was clear and I looked around and saw the club venues, the standard of mass-produced food, the basic accommodation and the sea view, I then felt it was doable. I was nervous and had to sign a contract that made me responsible for £80,000 if it failed because flights, accommodation, staff and electrics were part of the remit. If I’d have had £80,000 in the bank, I may have thought twice about doing it. However with a ‘nothing to lose’ attitude, I decided sometimes you got to hang your nuts out there, believe and be brave to do something. Without the way Facebook works, if you use it properly, this wouldn’t have worked. It was unbelievable how the whole thing exploded. On the day we launched, I got a phone call from Thomas Cook within two hours saying they’d sold two planes and were looking to find a third. This was hard to comprehend. We took 400 people in 2013, 550 to the second one and just over 800 this year. I was taking a big chance but with a strong DJ line up, it being 2 hours flight away and ending to return home just before the last Bank Holiday Sunday in May, with no work the next day, all the planets seemed to line up. It looks like the 24th August this year when we launch the 2016 event, that we are going to sell out. I don’t want to make it bigger as it was perfect last year. I do two or three ‘Madness’ gigs a year, this new “Funky Like A Train” after work gig plus the Bournemouth weekend. They all feed each other, crowd wise, who regularly come to support the events. It’s about timing and there are many people who I thank, who love it and make friends for life with like-minded people who’ve come on a similar journey. What I love is everything is left at the front door, no matter what job you do, how much money you got, what car you drive, when you get off that plane it’s one common bond. I’m very proud of it and I think if any one else had tried it, it would have worked but I’m glad it’s me. It’s turned out to be a good event and there is no 10 year plan here.
To read more about Bob Masters please join our membership www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk
I’ve met both David and Mervyn Lyn in Ibiza, both whom have known you since the early days, how did you liaise with them? They use to come to the gigs and I ended up working with Merv at Sleeping Bag Records. Merv worked at Blues & Soul with Jeff Young, Pete Tong and Mark Webster, who was a journalist, there. My profile was rising and I used to submit charts to Blues & Soul magazine. Mervyn moved into the record industry at a time when Blues & Soul was a hub for people to move into that area. I wanted to get into the industry and Blues & Soul was a steppingstone to get an industry job or so it seemed. I saw John Hasinger and Bob Killbourne at a time when you could just pop into the Blues & Soul office and Merv was looking to leave the magazine. They needed someone to sell advertising space, so I got the job, not caring what I did and it got my foot in the door. I worked there for a couple of years. It did strike me as odd them being middle aged white gents who loved cricket. They would go to Lords or The Oval for the matches and on occasion they would leave the office for two days at a time. In the office was this big book with all the contacts of the music industry in it and I took a camera in and photographed them all for my own contacts. As it transpired I got offered a job at Supreme Records who were a satellite company for PWL who had Mel & Kim as their artists. My first signing was Rob Base and Easy Rock as A&R . I went to work for Merv at Sleeping Bag Records and work in club promotions. I actually did Page 12 - Issue 60
What other events have you got other than Bournemouth in October? I’ve taken a chance to do New Years Eve at a reasonable price at £15. I usually stay clear of doing that but I wanted to say thanks to everyone one. But I’m looking to do other things left of centre next year, as well as the ‘Madness’ and Ibiza gigs. To draw a line under this, if it wasn’t for Chris D Smith who gave me my first gig at the Rio in Didcot, working with Chris Bangs, working with Merv and Jeff Young and Nicky Holloway who has transformed Ibiza totally, I wouldn’t be where I am now. Thanks Bob it’s been educational sir.
“ When we went into the studio and recorded that song we knew that it was going to be a multi platinum hit. People think “Rock Steady” is our biggest song but “And The Beat Goes On” surpassed that.” -Walter Scott
Walter Scott of TheWhispers speaks to Fitzroy
For over 5 decades what started off, as a singing trio becomes one of the most respected male vocalist groups in the history of soul R&B music. The Whispers have survived where many have fallen at various hurdles, singing some of the most lush ballads as well as an equal portion of funk a disco and dance floor classics. Walter Scott, who on many occasions, shares lead vocals with his identical twin Wallace spoke on why ‘It’s a Love Thing” with the groups history and success to date ahead of their Great Voices Of Soul concerts in November.
What was life like growing up originally in Texas, the same state as Archie Bell, and at what point did you move to LA with your twin brother Wallace and become part of the Eden Trio?
like The Young Hearts. There was a very popular disc jockey Herbie who had radio show and held talent shows that we won several times as The Whispers popularising us in L.A. We got a deal with Janus ran by Luber Dell.
We didn’t stay in Texas very long, we moved to Nevada and then to California around our junior high school period. My brother and two other guys formed the Eden Trio before I joined them in 1959. I went to serve in Vietnam and then became part of The Whispers on my return.
What made you change the name to The Whispers?
The Whispers formed in 1964 the year I was born and so it’s 51 years as a group. Exactly right and we are still touring around the USA, it’s an astounding achievement. That’s five decades and half a century. How did you manage handle the battle of the bands locally and attract the attention in gaining a record deal, moving to Janus Records in 1970? Right out of high school living in Los Angeles in the early 1960’s we were like most young groups trying to get our feet wet battling with other outfits Page 14 - Issue 60
Luber Dell gave us the name when we became Gordy Harmon’s background singers. He was a slightly older singer to us and had a record deal at Janus, he took us with him. Mr. Dell liked our sound and described us as very soft and whispery, hence the name The Whispers. The first couple of albums had a northern soul persuasion and you shared vocals on “Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong” which has a nice bossa groove. I liked the doo wop vocals on “Needle In A Haystack”. (Walter: “Definitely.”) We were very attracted to the social meaning of “Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong”, which reflected what was going on at the time in the United States. At the time we didn’t have the marketing tools to make that a bigger song than it was but we so loved the lyrics that appealed more so to the minorities in the USA.
You do covers very well and I liked the treatment of “Blood Sweat & Tear’s”, “You Make Me So Very Happy” and I like “Planet Of Life”. You could see that the group was trying to find their voice with mostly down tempo ballads and a few funky tunes like “Somebody Loves You” and “Illusions”. But being honest you came into your own on the “Bingo” album working with the Philly trio Baker Harris and Young. Yes, strangely enough Gamble & Huff, who we wanted to work with and never got to, gave us their minor producers, who, as you said, brought us into our own with “Bingo” and “A Mother For My Children”. It was the first opportunity we had to work with a big label as Chess Janus allowed us to work under contract with the Gamble & Huff production team. I also liked “One More With Feeling” which reminded me of something The Trammps or The Intruders would have done. What did get my attention was “Little Red Riding Hood” because it was the prelude to “Olivia Lost & Turned Out” a few years later. Very true and accurate and very insightful on your part. These songs were given to us because the other groups in the Gamble & Huff nucleus didn’t want to do them. So as a young group we did them and they were good songs that formed our style. Absolutely. You did “One For The Money” on Soul Train records again produced by the Philly trio of Norman Harris, Earl Young and Ron Baker. On the next album “Open Up Your Love” it features “Chocolate Girl” and the up-tempo “I Fell In Love At The Disco”. How did you feel about making more up-tempo records as opposed to the down-tempo ballads you were famed for? We were evolving and beginning to understand what the make up of a good song was. Keep in mind we never had a bass singer and in the 1960’s the groups we all looked up to such as, The Temptations and The Dramatics all had bass singers. We never had a bass singer and our style was based on white groups like The Four Freshman and The High Lows, which may be before your time and they were different. That suited our style because we had no bass singer similar to what Melvin did with The Temptations, so you knew our sound instantly with the mid tempos and ballads. One of my favourite albums is “Headlights”. I must share how I came across it. I used to listen to a DJ called Greg Edwards on his Soul Spectrum show. In trying to record his show he omitted the title of a track that I knew had the lyrics ‘all the way’ in it. I lost the tape but ‘all the way’ stuck in my head so I went on a mission looking out for songs with that title. I came across “Lets Go All The Way” with a bittersweet scenario, out of disappointment that it wasn’t the track I was looking for. (Walter laughs.) However when I listened to your track it melted me and discovered it was co-written by Keni Burke. I saw a video and was impressed with you and your brother Wallace trading vocals. Apart from the funky “Headlights” and the updated version of “Planets Of Life” I loved the sequel to “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Olivia Lost & Turned Out”. When you got offered ‘Olivia’ did you have a flashback to it reminding you of “Little Red Riding Hood”? Not at the time but much later we realised the similarities between the songs that was written by two guys Josef Powell and Art Posey. They were
cousins of the owner of Solar records Dick Griffey. It’s a true story about one of their niece’s who literally did get turned out by a pimp and he wrote a song to get her out of the life (Fitzroy: “Wow”). He gave us the song with that narrative and not unlike “Seems Like I Gotta Do Wrong” it had a social message. We melted, as it resonated with us, so we had to do it. What was your connection with Keni Burke who wrote “Lets Go All the Way” and “Can’t Do Without Love”? Keni Burke was a tremendous bass player with his family. “The Stairsteps” were like The Jackson 5, before the Jackson 5. He went on to become a prolific producer and a big fan of The Whispers. Whilst at Solar he did a presentation of his work and asked us what we thought. We knew of him and respected his family and their achievements. What we loved about “Lets Go All The Way” was Keni’s bass style on the song. I was going to ask you if Keni was playing the bass, as the sleeve notes doesn’t credit the musicians, but I knew it had to be Keni. Oh my god being in the studio when he played was like being in heaven. We were so enamoured with his musicianship. We also did another track called “Heaven” with Keni. (Fitzroy: “I didn’t know about that one”.) I happen to know you have a very close relationship with Carrie Lucas. I’m friendly with Carolyn Griffey, her daughter who is over in the UK with Shalamar performing in Oxford and I’m Dj’ing (Walter: “You’ve got to be kidding me, wow what a coincidence!”) I spoke with her yesterday. Carolyn said that The Whispers are like her uncles. You recorded on the album “The Whispers”, “A Song For Donny” written lyrically by Carrie Lucas and another track, which I’ll mention in a while. I loved your up-tempo version of The Temptations “My Girl”, but my question is did you realise the Leon Sylvers influenced, “And The Beat Goes On” would become such an anthem? When we went into the studio and recorded that song we knew that it was going to be a multi platinum hit. After our experience we knew, after a record is done in 1-3 takes, it’s gonna be a hit. All the singing, mixing and production worked and it went gold. 8 months later it was double platinum. People think “Rock Steady” is our biggest song but “And The Beat Goes On” surpassed that. On the flip side of the 12” of “And The Beat Goes On” we have “Can You Do The Boogie”, written by Carrie Lucas. I can only say it’s one of those, one of a kind Whispers cuts, never to be repeated again and it stunned me totally. What memories do you have of recording that? Again, a little history. Carrie Lucas was the wife of Dick Griffey, the owner of Solar Records, so songs that she did were not regarded in my opinion, as they should be. “Can You Do The Boogie” was an after thought as something that was ‘not to get in the way’ of “And The Beat Goes On”. From an artistic point of view it’s incredible and shows the writing skills of Carrie Lucas with a production level that equaled it. It never received the accolades it should have. I agree and for me it was worthy of being a double A side. The album www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
“Imagination” is another favourite of mine showing another Whispers tentacle. “It’s A Love Thing” was a sure fire formula from Leon and I adore “I Can Make It Better” with the strings orchestration and harmonies with Gene Dozier and Harvey Mason on board. I liked it so much more that “It’s a Love Thing” (Walter: “Wow, that’s quite an accolade thank you!”) But the track for me, as another anomaly from The Whispers is “Imagination” a jazz funk fuelled classic that reminded me so much of Willie Bobo’s “Always There”. How did you feel about doing something so diverse? We loved it, but strangely enough that track was us imitating, like most groups, the influence of Earth Wind & Fire. Strangely enough people in the USA didn’t like it and although we had changed lanes musically by trying to be like Earth Wind & Fire, we were only paying homage to their sound. Please tell me about “I Can Make It Better”. After “And The Beat Goes On”, Leon Sylvers wanted show how we can make things better. It didn’t make it, as he hoped and it was the second follow up to “And The Beat Goes On” even though we loved it, the public didn’t agree as much but we thought it’s one of Leon’s greatest as far as we were concerned.
that? If you do that black people will lose their minds! No are you kidding me? I wasn’t aware and that’s very interesting. Wow, that’s very good to hear! I loved the 1983 “Love For Tonight” as “Keep On Loving Me” was my tune. You’d gone into producing your albums by then and included both the late George Duke and Al Johnson inputs. There is a jazzy tune “Keep Your Love” an electro soul track as another evolution of sound so where did you feel the group was at, almost 20 years in? By then we’d ran the gambit of the producers with who was doing well and doing what. Al Johnson was the lead singer of a group called “The Olympics” and he was such a joy to work with and so talented. We were now the recipients of so much talent. The album you mentioned earlier featuring “Rock Steady”, “In The Mood”, “No Pain No Gain” was a good one. I really liked “Special FX” but the one that moved me was the ballad “Give It To Me” (Walter: “I’ll be darned that was Nicholas Cardwell”). I loved the swing jazz vocals. How did you find sharing similar style vocals with your twin Wallace because watching the videos it’s a very smooth transition between you both?
To read more about Walter Scott please join our membership www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk
“Love Is Where You Find It” was an album that came with “In The Raw”, a huge hit when I was at college.
Talk about staying power “Love Is Where You Find It” with “In The Raw”, those songs are still done in our show. “Love Is Where You Find It” was written by Carsy Garner from Nashville, Tennessee and we were ecstatic about doing it, as it shows our uniqueness. It was a marginal tune on the album and never got released but it’s one of our favourite songs in 50 years of singing. I wanted to ask what was it like in 1981 working in the Solar camp with Lakeside, Dynasty, Midnight Star and Shalamar? It was an incredible time with all these young up and coming groups and their creativity all over the place. Leon Sylvers was becoming a premier producer. He had members Nitra and Kevin of Dynasty writing material plus there was Dick Griffey and Don Cornileous. The latter two started Soul Train Records. They had their differences and Don Cornelius came out of the music business completely. Dick then started Solar records and with all his grooming of super talented people like Baby Face, the world benefited from that in my opinion. Over here in the UK I must tell you, as you may not be aware, you have two types of Whispers fans. There are the ones that like the up-tempo funky and disco stuff and another set that is predominately from the black community who grew up around the reggae sounds and liked what is referred to as ‘reggae man soul’, the more ballad and mid tempo two step tunes. One of the massive tunes is from the album “This Kind Of Lovin’” “I’m The One For You” which I think you should consider doing when you come over in November. Were you aware of
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In the studio my brother Wallace sang 80% of the songs but on stage both of us become him, meaning ‘Scotty’ We both sing high energy but I prefer to sing the smooth jazz thing but we had to go with what sells and that’s in how ‘Scotty’ sings. Seeing us on stage when we switched you couldn’t tell because him being my twin I can sing like him although we are different we can sound the same. Carolyn Griffey asks when are you gonna invite Carrie Lucas to tour with you and perform “Just A Memory”? Oh my god that would be a dream come true. We saw Carrie Lucas perform about three years ago, she is one of the most talented people and I wish the world could see that. Carolyn and I speak about her performing often but Carrie is reluctant to come to the fore as she is very particular and a perfectionist. We’d love to do “Just a Memory” with her and bring her to Europe. I believe that Jessie Tsang, a mutual friend of Carolyn Griffey is looking after Carrie who apparently is ready now, to perform. I saw you a few years ago at the Indigo and I was pleased to see you at last. How much are you looking forward to working on the ‘Great Voices Of Soul’? It’s so exciting as we work with Patti Labelle in this country and have worked previously with all these groups who sing real rhythm and blues and there is no joke about it. So to be on the stage with them is incredible. Thanks Walter I look forward to seeing and meeting you. Thanks Fitzroy it was my pleasure.
Soul Survivors
Roll Call of Fame
Luther Vandross was born on the 20th April 1951 in New York. Whilst at the William Howard Taft High School, Luther was in a group Shades Of Jade with friends, Carlos Alomar, Diane Sumler and Fonzi Thornton. As part of a musical theatre workshop, the group recorded a single “Listen My Brother” for the children’s TV program, Sesame Street in 1969. Providentially that occasion was the first of a few encounters that Luther and an then unknown Nile Rodgers, who was a musician of the Sesame Street house band would have. By 1973 Luther had written 2 songs recorded by Delores Hall, one being a very funky duet “Whose Gonna Make It Easier For Me”. A year later school friend Carlos Alomar became David Bowie’s guitarist. Luther was invited to a recording session at the famous Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, and Bowie upon hearing Luther’s velvet tones, recruited him for backing vocals on the “Young American” album. In 1975, Luther cowrote Bowie’s “Fascination” and did his own version called “Funky Music” featured on his debut project. It’s rumoured that Luther sang backing vocals on Bowie’s “Golden Years” a track Luther would sing with disco outfit Mascara a few years later. His composition “Brand New Day” was featured in both the film and Broadway musical of “The Wiz”. In 1975 Luther with Patti Austin recorded vocals for Bob James’s “Westchester Lady” which subsequently were taken off the final mix. When I spoke to Bob James for Soul Survivors in issue 34, Bob said in later years whilst they were working together, Luther joked with him, that had Bob left the vocals on, Luther would have had an earlier solo career.
Whilst working with Bette Midler, Luther met Arif Mardin of Atlantic. This helped to reacquaint Luther’s Shades of Jade outfit with the addition of Christine Wiltshire (Phreek) and they recorded two albums under the guise of Luther. Nile Rodgers and LUTHER VANDROSS Bernard Edwards were part of Luther’s Band reigniting their earlier collaborations from the Sesame Street band. By 1977 Luther had become an in demand session singer of various projects. His third encounter of the now not so strange kind with Nile Rodgers continues headlining the backing vocals of Chic’s “C’est Chic” debut album and the original instrumental version of “Everybody Dance”. Luther’s vocals were gracing many late 1970’s- 1980 recordings including Odyssey Kleeer, Lemon, Gregg Diamond, Charme, New York City Band, Change and Mascara. Mascara’s was a project produced by UK funk Mafia consigliere Chris Hill who mentioned when speaking with me in Soul Survivors from 2008, that he discovered Luther, David Lasley and Ula Hedwig as leading backing vocalists . Luther sang lead in albums title “See You In L.A.”. But it was to be a year later 1980 when Luther’s incredible vocal overtures on Change’s “Glow Of Love” and “ Searching” that would catapult him finally as solo artist with huge potential . However between then and Luther touting for a successful record deal with Epic in 1981, it would appear that none other than Quincy Jones seemingly overlooked signing Luther Vandross. Speaking with Patti Austin in 2012 issue 36, Patti recalls working with Luther on her godfather Quincy’s Jones’ “Sound’s”album and duets with Luther on “I’m Gonna Miss You In The Morning”. Luther also sings lead on the albums “Taking In To The Streets”. Patti says “Ironically Quincy has since admitted he didn’t see that vision of Luther. He loved him but didn’t pursue taking him under his wing but put him on the album. Quincy just didn’t get Luther’s potential and I thought, ok I’m trying to tell you something here LOL.” From the time Luther sealed the deal with Epic in 1981 he released album after album alongside his partner in rhyme bassist ‘Marvellous’ Marcus Miller. Luther co-wrote and produced his own albums as well other artist including Aretha Franklin’s “Jump To It” and “Get It Right” and Cheryl Lynn’s “Instant Love”. I always remember waking up Easter 1985 to “The Night I Fell In Love” like it was yesterday and although I was already a fan of his music, that album with the song, that‘ll make a grown man cry, “My Sensitivity”, sealed the fan for life deal. Covering many a classic by artists Brenda Russell, Stevie Wonder, Burt Bacharach & Hal David, and Heatwave, Luther had a unique style of replicating a composition as though he’d sung it first. Luther has sung with many female vocalists including Gwen Guthrie, Patti Austin, Dionne Warwick, Janet Jackson & Patti Labelle. I was lucky enough to see him in the mid 80’s at Wembley when he travelled the world doing live concerts. Luther was undoubtedly instantly recognisable on a track even if he was just doing background vocals. His film credit includes “The Meteor Man” a Robert Townsend film where he played a villain within a gang. He provided vocals for the 70’s gang epic “The Warriors” soundtrack and Roberta Flack covered his “You Stopped Loving Me” for the film “Bustin’ Loose”, starring Cicely Tyson and Richard Prior. Luther has lent his voice to many musical styles, mostly gospel & soul based, but he was very versatile in other genres throughout the changing faces of R&B music from the 1970’s to the 2000’s up until he passed. He has been sampled in hip-hop and rap, by many including Heavy D sampling “Don’t You Know That” in “Got Me Waiting”, Queen Pen sampled “Never Too Much” on “All My Love” and Busta Rhymes rapped on Luther’s version of Bill Wither’s “Lovely Day”. Master’s At Work mixed “Are You Losing Me?” and there was a very soulful house mix of “Take You Out Tonight”. One of the last releases that became a classic was “Shine” sampling Chic’s “My Forbidden Lover”. In my interview with Melba Moore in issue 13 from 2008 she urged me to listen to her album “Closer” and when you hear Luther on “Something On Your Mind” you’ll understand why. Vocalist, songwriter, producer and an all around gifted African American artist of huge proportion. Luther Vandross passed 10 years ago on July 1st 2005. So as I never got to speak with him I thought I would honour him in the Soul Survivor’s Roll Call Of Fame. www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
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There have been so many female vocalists who we often overlook for one reason or another for seemingly not being seen as currently relevant. I happen to know it has taken some hard work from my longtime neighbour, DJ compadre now artist agent, Cleveland Anderson, and successful promoter Orlando Gittens to bring this singing enigma over after a long sabbatical from the UK shores. This one lady who we haven’t seen here in the UK after a long hiatus and according to some sources, has never done a full concert here, is Lynda Cheryl Smith aka Cheryl Lynn. Born in March 1957, Cheryl started making in roads in 1976 as a backing vocalist and getting a perfect score on America’s talent showcase, Gong Show. The Gong Show clip was shown to CBS who signed her for a record deal in 1978. Her incredible and effortless octaves on the self-titled “Cheryl Lynn” debut album released the anthemic “Got To Be Real” co-written by Cheryl with David Paich of the pop band Toto. It was an infectious funky disco track that had elements of the brass and rhythm simulation of two other cuts around the same time, Alton McClain & Destiny’s “It Must Be Love” and The Emotion’s “Best Of My Love”. I used to mix all three together in fact and they all have powerful vocal deliveries. “Got To Be Real” has been eternally humungous and was used in recent times for a Marks & Spencer’s TV advert. Most I suspect know the song ‘Georgy Porgy” either by Charme featuring Luther Vandross or by Eric Benet, but it was Cheryl’s vocals on pop outfit Toto’s original recording that gave the song huge credence in 1978. “Star Love ” almost emulating Diana Ross’s “Love Hangover” and Thelma Houston’s “Here I Am Again” ballad meets up-tempo disco template, was the second single and a popular disco club favourite. In fact I was introduced to “Star Love” via my crate digging for samples upon purchasing a house 12” “Take Me” from the Disco Fried Session Vo1 2001 EP who used it. Cheryl worked with Ray Parker Jnr on her third album from 1981 showcasing a personal favourite of mine “Shake It Up Tonight”. Her next 1982 album was produced by Luther Vandross who co-wrote with Marcus Miller and sung the ballad “If This World Were Mine” as a duet with Cheryl. “Instant Love” was a very good album very much in the style of Luther’s “Sugar & Spice”, “She’s A Super Lady” meets “I Wanted Your Love” vein. “Sleep Walking”, “Look Before You Leap”, “Say You’ll Be Mine”, and my personal favourite “I Just Wanna Be Your Fantasy” are sung with a freedom that totally showcases Cheryl’s underestimated soul sonic force. It would appear that Cheryl’s number two classic anthem came via two ex musical jesters of the Minneapolis ‘Purple Reign’ courtyard, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis producing the monster moog space bass stomper “Encore”. That was an essential DJ tool for any regular working club or sound system DJ in the mid 1980’s for sure. “Fidelity” from the next 1985 album was riding on the back end of “Encore” but I doubt was as popular. However “Fade To Black’ was the track that I think got more deserved attention with Cheryl sounding glorious vocally. Although Cheryl’s clearly been active, it wasn’t for another 20 years, almost in 2004 when she came with another club bullet “Sweet Kind Of Life” from the 2004 Sharks Tales soundtrack. Fast forward 11 years now in 2015 we finally get to see Cheryl at the Indigo2 in Greenwich with another female starlet who had been here in recent years Evelyn “Champagne” King. Evelyn of course is Page 18 - Issue 60
the darling 17 year old who sang “Shame” in 1977 and “I Don’t Know If It’s Right” two of the funkiest cuts from her debut 1977 “Smooth Talk” album. Ice Cube samples “The Show Is Over” for the Westside G Funk 1993 classic “You Know How We Do It” also from her debut. Evelyn hooked up with Kashif and commanded his new found production sound with “I’m In Love”, “Spirit Of The Dancer”, “Love Come Down” and “Get Loose” giving Evelyn universal crossover presence UK and stateside. By 1989 Evelyn was working with Leon Sylvers and collaborated with Marshall Jefferson and Ten City on the mid tempo boogie monster “Day To Day”. Evelyn has had her fair share of tragedies in her life but she still going strong and is fittingly on the bill with Cheryl. Between them they have so much history so I for one who will be DJ’ing on the night, will be pleased to see theses two ladies “Live On Stage” like Roxanne Shante Saturday 19th December. For tickets go to www.ticketmaster.co.uk
By Entertainment Correspondent Dark Kent aka Fitzroy
www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
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Soul Survivors
Roll Call of Fame
PRINCE
Roger Prince Nelson was born June 7th 1958 and named apparently after his father’s, Prince Rogers Trio jazz band. Growing up in Minneapolis, Prince was exposed to both rock and soul, that would become an advantage, in addition to his light complexion, in how he transcended both black and white audiences. Prince showed promise in music aged 12 with his group, of five years Champagne. Aged 17, Prince linked up with Pepe Willie’s 94 East outfit laying guitar licks on tracks “10.15”, “Fortune Teller” and five “Cookhouse 1975 sessions”, “If We Don’t”, “You See Me”, “I’ll Always Love You”, “Games” and “Better Than You Think”. Pepe saw Prince’s raw potential and years later releases the “Historical 1977 Session’s” featuring Prince on a favourite instrumental of mine “If You Feel Like Dancin”. By the late 1970’s Prince landed a record deal with Warner Brothers who afforded him what the other labels wouldn’t, the chance to produce his own albums. This was important to Prince who as a truly gifted multi instrumentalist, played all the instruments on both his debut and follow up albums “For You” and “Prince” circa 1978 and 1979. The latter 1979 album carried “Sexy Dancer” and “I Feel For You”, a song that would later be covered and taken to huge heights by label mate Chaka Khan. The single that really broke Prince mainstream was “I Wanna Be Your Lover” and this gave Prince his first TV performance. The young and very shy Prince,was so overwhelmed he was rendered speechless with stage fright, so much so, that he vowed that stage fright would never happen to him again. When I spoke with Larry Graham three years back for Soul Survivors it transpired that Prince, by his own admission, developed his sound in a similar vein to Larry Graham’s Grand Central Station funk, vocal and musical ethos. Percussionist Sheila Escovedo told me she met Prince in the late 1970’s when he came to California and stayed with her family. Sheila said Prince became fascinated with the latin percussion sound. He invited her to work for him, she would take that offer up in the next decade of the 1980’s, as the artist Sheila E. With an incredible vocal range by his third, fourth and fifth albums “Dirty Minds”, “Controversy” and “1999”, Prince remained funky, producing cuts such as “Head”, “Controversy”, “Lady Cab Driver” and “1999”. He managed to masquerade a very unique dual identity persona in both his music and physical dress guises. Prince was able to flex outrageously between both the soul/punk funk world with equilibrium, and also synonymously please the pop and rock world. However it was his risqué cross dressing, androgynous, sexual/kinky feline persona, wearing hi heels, suspenders, stockings and make up, and his contrasting new romantic, bohemian, Edwardian and gothic style, that made him such an anomaly. Flirting with challenging political, social and sexual statements, Prince by the mid 1980’s was a visual personification of Little Richard, Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, James Brown and Michael Jackson all morphed into one very fit, athletic, exciting and dynamic performer. Women drooled over him and men either envied or wanted to be like him. Prince is that charismatic. Between 1982 and 1984 Prince introduced and produced albums by Vanity 6 with “Nasty Girls”, being a massive Electric Ball room classic that I danced to, and The Time Band, thank heavens for “7779311”. From the Minneapolis camp, artist’s Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis formally of The Time Band went on to become the prolific producers Jam & Lewis in the 1980’s for Janet Jackson, The SOS Band and Change. Morris Day (Time Band) and Apolliona (Vanity 6) co-starred in Princes’ 1984 semi autobiographical film “Purple Rain”. The film score was revolutionary like the name of his band, which spawned many hits including the no bass line classic Page 20 - Issue 60
“When Doves Cry” and the Academy award winning best song “Purple Rain”. Between then and 1987 with the films success, Prince now had Lisa & Wendy in his band and continued his musical prowess by writing a number two charting “Manic Monday” recorded by the Bangles. After another swift change in the line up, Prince worked with Scottish pop star Sheila Easton on “You Got The Look” and recruited percussionist Sheila E who had a club hit with “Love Bizzare”. Both ladies featured on the 1987 “Sign Of The Times” double album. I often wondered if “Ready For The World” wrote “Oh Sheila” in the style of Prince because of those two ladies? “Housequake” was like Ron Seal, exactly as the title suggests, with “Starfish And Coffee”, “The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker” and the social commentating “Sign Of The Times” propping up another great concept album. Up until that time from the early 1980’s, Prince and iconic hero Michael Jackson were the only two black artists who were making waves in a very white dominated MTV world. Although Michael had more kudos in the industry, I’d say that Prince was the more acceptable face as a rock star, partially because of his less than squeaky clean image, and the fact he could dance and play his guitar with equal eroticism. Prince had his own label, Paisley Park with Madhouse’s superlative “15” and Mavis Staples as signed acts. Prince also had pop hits with “Girls & Boy’s” and “Kiss” the latter covered by Tom Jones. Prince made another three films “Sign Of The Times”, “Under The Cherry Moon” and “Graffiti Bridge”. As we tail off the late 1980’s Prince’s outfit “The Family” had a club hit with “Screams Of Passion” and from that album “Nothing Compares To You” became a worldwide hit for Irish singer Sinead O Connor. His “Love Sexy” with “Alphabet Street”, collaboration with Chaka Khan and film score for the ‘Batman’ movie starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, kept Prince relevant as a pioneering entrepreneurial artist. Embracing on occasion jazz, rap, hip hop, and reggae rhythms, and often comfortable in blending into the background as a session musician, Prince in his career has been nominated for over twenty Grammys and won seven, nine MTV awards and won four and successful won an Academy award. Prince is a controversial character changing his band often and his name. He’s become a Jehovah’s Witness via huge mentor and friend Larry Graham and can announce he’s doing a concert in less than an hour and sell it out. After major wrangling with Warner Brothers Prince went to Sony and recorded the “Musicology” album, before he gave an album “Planet Earth” with funky “Chelsea Rodgers” away free in the Mail On Sunday here in the UK. This paid off in making an eighteen million dollar profit from sold out concerts as he forwent his four point six million dollar licensing fee. Thirty one years after “Purple Rain”, Prince has influenced many including Mica Paris, a huge Prince fan, whom Prince asked to come and sing an impromptu rendition of The Temptations “Just My Imagination” live at a private function in Camden. Prince wrote especially for Mica “If I Love You 2Nite”. Melisa Morgan’s sung a superb 1984 cover of “Do Me Baby”, and check Ginuwine’s Prince like vocals on an almost “When Doves Cry” produced “I Owe You” by rapper Nas. More recently his influence is all over Bilal’s latest 2015 album. To conclude I saw Prince at last in 2007 at The 02 Greenwich and he was funky. He will be forever hailed as the “Extraloverable” ‘Purple Reigning king of the Minneapolis who loves working up a “Black Sweat”.
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Record Reviews This issue “Autumn Love and “Winter In America” selection includes some vintage revisits from the classic Miami Vice manor of TK Records and an unreleased assortment from a legendary musical family dynasty out of Ohio. There’s an empowering ‘power to the people’ concept and two new and improved disco singles from two UK based outfits. Two entities that make value for money compilations from the UK and USA air the wares, plus an innovative funk rock and soul courtesy of BBE Records. Last but not least, check out some underground street beats from one of the UK’s finest and a classic reissue out of the PIR stable. Hopefully if there is any Kool & The Gang “Winter Sadness” these will make you “Smile” like Sister Sledge.
Henry Stone’s “Miami Sound” (Athens Of The North) This showcases 20 tantalising cuts under the umbrella of Miami’s finest label export TK. Amongst the unique productions are some very infectious and varied tempo funky soul and latin influenced treasured 7” 45’s. Little Beaver’s and Jimmy Bo Horne’s respective social messaged “Concrete Jungle” and “Hey There Jim” represent some of the albums raw funkiness. Milton Wright’s first version of “Silence That You Keep” and Leon Phillips “Confusion” cattail the male soulfulness, that is equaled with the female energy of Lyn Williams “It Takes Two” stirring a few emotions. Much of this reminds me of many an unearthed classic that were sought after throughout the 1980’s revival underground funk events in the UK. Check out great instrumentals “Cutting Room” (Hot Pants)-Oceanliners and “Bahama Soul Stew” Funky Nassau. Leading nicely to Beginning Of The Ends funky bullet “Superwoman”. Amazing Thriller Killers.
Rasheed Ali “Soul Power 1968” (Digital Rain) Rasheed Ali has “Blackenized” like Hank Ballad this soul rockumentary project as a dual entertainment and education concept. Vocally it’s a more relaxed impassioned delivery albeit the singing or the spoken word content, but it’s indicative of the dialect that depicts that focused 1968 era. Like The O’Jay’s you’ll hear ‘The Message In The Music” which is predominantly funky and smooth and quite minimal as a production yet effective with subtle hip-hop beats. James Brown, Curtis Mayfield, Aaron Neville and Sly Stone influences, can be heard on the plethora of universally challenging blaxploitation and social commentary compositions on the black experience in America. Homage to Malcolm X, Mohammed Ali, being black and proud, daishiki’s, afro picks, black leather jackets and berets are the ingredients that cook nicely in this soul food serving. Like Bamber Gascoigne check out “Float Like A Butterfly”, “Vietnam”, “Soul Power” and “Black Power Revolution” as starters for ten.
Page 22 - Issue 60
Los Charley’s “Orchestra featuring Xantone Blaque-All Around The World” (Imagenes Recording) Featuring Xantone Blaque this is a funk meets disco with a touch of latin boogie, moulded into a simplistic boogie wonderment production. Los Charley’s Orchestra are consistent in maintaining the feel good dance floor element with disco boo’s on this infectious retro memorabilia. The bass rumbling, the percussion, strings and horns work in unison highlighted enormously in the instrumental. I ”Love Love Love” this like Donny Hathaway when I listen to “All Around The World”. The package comes with an instrumental of both the original and extended versions as a Vinyl 12” and Digital download from the 4th of Sept worldwide.
Don-E “Future Rare Grooves Vol 2” (www.don-emusic.com) Don-E gets self indulgent creating these rehashed ‘ragga funk’ riddems. On a street beat flex, it’s a return ‘black to the future’ for those still submerged in the West Indian ‘bump and grind’. Don-E does all the vocals and harmonies with some unadulterated sex and soul overtones. Lush strings and brass stab crescendo’s can be heard on a certain ladies choice “All That I’m Thinking Bout”, and a Benny Golson “Always Dancing To The Music” influenced “Feel Good”. There’s two duets one featuring Terri Walker harmoniously on Live & Let Live, the second is a hidden cut the “Don’t Bizniz’ bogel remix of a previous classic “No Reason”. “Take A Stroll” utilises nicely the old percussive music box, whilst “This Is Wassup” borrows Little Beaver’s “Let The Good Times Roll”. Tyrone Davis’s “In The Mood” gets a unique a deep dub sub treatment on “We Should Hook It” Up. Now available for those who like to ‘twiss to dis’ mid tempo menagerie.
Sunlightsquare “Papa Was A Rolling Stone/Super People” (Sunlightsquare Records) Some people believe it’s sacrilege to cover certain records but an artist’s interpretation can be an ambiguous or an ambitious one when taking on a revered Motown classic. Sunlightsquare has proven to be immune to not reinventing the wheel in taking on that task and flipping the script on a Temptations classic. This 4-floor disco treatment version sounds less dramatic than the impas-sioned funk original. On the flip side “Super People” features some latin percussion, vocals with jazz rhodes and a driving grooved horn presence. Both tracks would make a good double A side, if we were talking in vinyl. It features 3 mixes, original, extended and an instrumental and available on vinyl as well as digitally.
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Soul Shine - Various Artist (Expansions) Amongst these 16 songs, Carmen Rodger’s “Beyond The Stage” kick starts the album gracefully with her serene toned vocals on a well-produced rhythm. Natasha Springer gives credence by remaining true to Candy Bowman’s classic “Since I Found You” and Neo’s “Your Smile” gets a Johnny Bristol meets Barry White remix treatment. Nigel Lowis has two mixes on here “Soul Town” and Samuel D Sander’s orgasmic Philly influenced “Make You Mine”. Nice to see Kaidi Tathams’ mix of Ruth Koleva’s broken masterpiece “What Am I Suppose To?” include, and the best uplifting/ up-tempo cut comes courtesy of Sheree Brown’s “All Your Love”. There’s some intriguing mellow smooth jazz offerings from Tony Momrelle and Tony Remy’s “Lighthouse” and Victor Haynes “Picking Myself Up”. But it’s Victor Fields take on Lou Rawls “Let Me be Good To You” that will probably yield the most surprising attention. Shining with varying degree’s of soul, you’ll be happy.
Bilal “In Another Life” (BBE) Bilal’s “In Another Life” album is a fusion of experimenting genres, uniquely instrumentally as well as vocally. Aided by a gifted and versatile multi instrumentalist Adrian Young, funk, soul, jazz, rock psychedelia, break beats and hip-hop run riot on this album. Bilal hits falsetto octaves as well as baritone and tenor ones and often sounds very much like Prince. I like the slightly hypnotic, futuristic, mysterious and eerie atmosphere you hear on “Sirens”, “Star Now” and the piano trickling “I Really Don’t Care”. Most tracks are of a similar funky fatback beat drum tempo, but “Open Up The Door” has a latin samba groove with Bilal’s lead and background vocals cleverly interwoven. An-other unique cut is the old school hip-hop beats influenced “Pleasure Toy” featuring a smooth rap from K.R.I.T. Check the rock tined “Lunatic” and “Love Child” on this diverse funk album of sorts.
Want A Review? If you want a guaranteed record review of your pride and joy music product as an advertorial, we can accommodate that subject to space @ £50 per title or a discount for more. For more information contact fitzroy@thesoulsurvivors.co.uk Page 24 - Issue 60
The Isley Brothers “Wild In Woodstock” (Legacy/ Sony) There are many family groups who have impacted themselves in the R&B arena over the last fifty plus years, The Womacks, The Stairsteps (Keni Burke) and The Jackson 5 dynasties come to mind. But lest we forget the formidable force that came from Cincinnati Ohio called The Isley Brothers whose musical history goes back over 60 years. This previously unreleased holy grail 1980 album concept was initially conceived as a live album with overdubbed crowd noise. Fea-tured are 12 classic renditions of some of their finest rock & soul moments. Retaining the original essence but either slightly pitched tempo wise or improvised vocally and in key changes, as an Is-ley fan you must have this. You can really hear the major influence Ernie Isley’s robust guitar play-ing was integral on cuts like “That Lady”, “Say You Will” and my personal favourite “Here We Go Again”. Of course Ronald’s smooth and enchanting vocals reign supreme as exampled on the “Melody: Hello It’s Me/ Footsteps In The Dark” cut. Ballads “For The Love Of You” and “Groove With You” melted me listening to them being slightly adapted from the original recordings. I’m per-sonally glad the crowd overdubs are not on this raw piece of Isley talent. Ten minutes of “Summer Breeze” is pure soulful heaven and ‘It’s A Disco Night” surely continues to “Rock Don’t Stop”. 11 of out 10 seriously!!
Louie Vega “Starring” (Vega Records) Two years after Elements Of Life’s double album, Louie Vega embarks on another concept starring a few familiar and not so familiar vocal and music artistry. Louie is certainly a current purveyor of championing real live sounding music. CD 1 features the latin mix of his first single “Dance” featuring the gospel vocals of The Winans and The Clark Sisters. Showcasing the jazzy soulfulness house music can incorporate, Monique Binghams “Elevator” and Bucie’s “Angels Are Watching Over Me” really set the benchmark of this albums diversity. Hear Caron Wheeler’s unpredictable latin linguistics on “A New Day” latin groove, N’ Dea Davenport’s smooth “Magical Ride” and keyboardist Hajime Yoshisawa’s infectious instrumental “Heaven Knows” for more clarification. Adeva’s “I Deserve To Breath” is the current strong vocal single followed by Louie’s up-tempo dance mix of Conversion featuring Leroy Burgess’s ultimate boogie template “Lets Do It”. Jocelyn Brown’s effortless gospel overtones on “You Are Everything” opens CD 2 and Josh Milan vocals the first of two Stevie Wonder covers “Joy Inside My Tear”. The next few tracks are compositions of pure nostalgia. UK’s Zara McFarlane debuts nicely on a jazz dance Pharaoh Sanders influenced “Because We Love It” ahead of Lisa Fischer and Anane’s rendition of 80’s Ladies “Turned Onto You”. Lisa Fischer and Cindy Mizelle exercise 30 plus years of being top session vocalists fittingly, over the next three covers of Eddie Drennon’s “Do What You Gotta Do” and by far the most improvised, Rufus’ versioned “Stop On By” and James Mason’s “Slick City”. Josh Milan sings and scats on a favourite mellow Stevie classic of mine “You’ve Got It Bad Girl” and Fania All Star’s percussionist Roberto Roena’s “Good Things (Cosa Buena)” is an unbelievable trip down latin percussion lane. Louie shows he still is a Master At Work!
MFSB “Universal Love” (BBR) Without question one of the most sublime set of musicians on the planet came in the guise of the Phillyharmonious collective MFSB. “Sexy” and “K -Jee” were instantaneous club classics released as singles both included as two of the four bonus single cuts in this package. Deserving it’s own merit “MFSB”, another slick hustle groove may have slipped under the radar for those who never bought the album. “Human Machine” a slightly off beat mid tempo instrumental is a relaxing groove which preludes a mesmorising vocal ad-libbed “Love Has No time Or Place”. “T.L.C”. is another gorgeous piece of minimal vocal ad-libs with the male vocal chanting “Lets Go Disco” co-written by future PIR legends McFadden & Whitehead. This really is a touch of orchestral class which finishes the original album listings with a very lush mid temp “My Mood”. Musically Fantastic Sounding Brilliant! www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
speaks to Fitzroy
JAZZIE B
“The most moving thing about that whole experience was Mr. Brown himself, this was at the height of my career and if father should come and take me tomorrow I’ve got that to stand for. So for me to meet the king, to be amongst him in his chamber and for anything British that Mr. Brown did wasn’t sanctioned unless it was passed through me. A dream come true.” -Jazzie B
A true north London “Gooner” and entrepreneur, Jazzie B front man of the sound system Soul II Soul paved the way for his DJ collective to gain a music deal like they were pop stars. I’ve known and worked with Jazzie on occasion for almost 30 of the nearly 40 years he’s been in the business. I’ve seen his ethos to “Keep On Movin” flourished from the humble days of the African Centre to co-starring in November with Patti Labelle and The Whispers at the forthcoming ‘Great Voices Of Soul’ concert. It’s been a long time coming but I managed to catch up with Jazzie to document his place in Soul Survivors history. Page 28 - Issue 60
© Photo - Selena Quick at Soul II Soul for press photos
You’re a Capricorn born, in north London. My first question. What are you Arsenal or Tottenham? (Jazzy B: “I’m a Gooner”). Ok we’re gonna fight here, cause I’m Tottenham but it’s all good. Give me a background on growing up near Hornsey and what your influences were before you started up the sound system?
around us and not emulating the Americans. This meant taking the concept of the sound system flipping it on its head, and broadcasting all forms of music. We went to the same clubs and hung out, so the idea of building something grew from there.
I was born and raised in Finsbury Park with a large family and musically influenced firstly from my brothers who had sound systems in the early 1970’s. I was surrounded by both the music and the sound system equipment and was very drawn to that. I guess it all stemmed from that Bluespot gram we had in the house that you shouldn’t touch, and I was always fascinated by the glowing blue lights and the carpentry of the woodwork. My first taste of the music business would have been carrying the KT88 valves for my brother’s amplifier when he used to play out. Another thing that chained me to this whole experience was the smell of the valves with the dust from the amps. Growing up in the 1970’s there was such great music and that made me want to play it all together within a sound system concept. Now days it’s very easy with the evolution of technology to achieve that.
What influenced the ideology of the “Funki Dreds” and maintaining that persona which became the emblems of Soul II Soul, as I too, at some stage, had my “Funki Dreds” which were popularised more so because of the Soul II Soul phenomenon?
So club wise you went to the usual suspect places like, Crackers, Global Village etc, so what was that like? My biggest influence in the early days was listening to Paul Anderson when he used to play with George Power. On the second occasion of going to Royalty in Southgate, I heard Steve Walsh play. I saw the effect he had on the crowd with his character and ended up following him. But Paul was a heavy influence as a DJ and what I wanted to do because he was “the geezer” and a local north London boy. You started out playing on the sound system when it was called “Jah Rico” during the Queen’s 1977 Silver Jubilee outside your house, what made you change the name to Soul II Soul in the early 1980’s? Myself and Daddy Harvey wanted to do something different and take the sound system idea on full time, as most others ran sound systems part time, and that you had to support financially yourself as a hobby. To us, this was our life and we lived it, hence the name meaning so much. The music we played was a hybrid of what we grew up with, moving into a technical era it was a mish mash of musical styles that was soulful, so it became Soul II Soul. I often wondered about that because there were a couple of records by the “Michael Zager Band” and the Philly outfit “The Soul Survivors” both called Soul To Soul. There was a concert called Soul To Soul and I found out later there was a sound system in Jamaica called Soul To Soul, so it wasn’t that unique really (Jazzy B laughs). You mentioned Daddy Harvey, his brother Chris Harvey was one of the first warm up DJ’s for George Power at Crackers. Chris was also in my brother’s sound system. So we’re connecting all the dots here. How did you link up with Aitch and Jazzie Q and the rest of the Soul II Soul collective? Q was from my area and grew up with us as a kid. Aitch and Sparky were from east London but we had many things in common, as all of our roots were based in reggae. What we aspired to was the fusion of everything
It was a meeting of minds, as I said before, our roots were in reggae and we were trying to be a different collective not seeming to emulate the Americans, like the great British bands Imagination, Linx and I Level. The idea of reggae music, our face and being young people of that generation trying to carve our own way, was a full time ideology to pursue, as opposed to being a part time gig for us. We wanted a unique identity that encompassed either being into soul or reggae music, hence we create the logo and the motto “a happy face with thumping bass for a loving race”. It was an integration of everything and everybody moving from a class system to what we’re about in our social life here in in Britain. Importantly, as black people, our identity within the logo was universal so like you mentioned you had your locks and had things in common with us, so you would have felt like part of it and that’s what it was all about. That whole look made us stand out and I on many occasions was accosted by Rasta’s and other ruffians, and at the same time the Europeans liked it so we got both ends of attention really. You and I were on the same bill around 1987 and to be honest I hadn’t heard of Soul II Soul prior to then, but whilst Dj’ing on the circuit I frequented The African Centre regularly for the last six months before it stopped. I remember you coming on as the last set saying ‘My name’s Jazzie B and if you’re not dancing fuck off” (Jazzie: “Yeah that’s right.”). The very last African Centre was on Sunday 1st January 1998 and people were distraught because it was the last one. At the end as blasé as you like you said “We’ve got a record deal with Virgin and a track coming out with Rose Windross singing on it and this is being performed tonight so you can hear it”. We all looked at each other in dismay as though we questioned ‘Are we sure… what we just heard… a record deal with Virgin? How did that happen?’. How did you manage to negotiate such a deal because I didn’t know of any sound systems or DJ’s who could land a record deal as though they were musicians beforehand like Loose Ends, Light Of The World and Beggar & Co? Going back to the first question you asked me on my influences with the valve smells and the gram, I came into the business from a sound engineer position, then I became a producer and then an artist. I embarked on becoming an entrepreneur. That stemmed from all the syndicated ideas from the Silver Jubilee outside my house in 1977. As part of the community celebrations, I got paid. The next move was studying my brother’s sound systems and seeing one man putting the whole thing together, controlling the gate and the bar. Now this was unusual for a black man to have a club or be able to hire a space and have a throw down. Remember as previously mentioned we’d follow George Power who could go in and rent those places where black people couldn’t, hence the evolution of Shibeens and blues dances. The money made would pay for the rent of the house via the drinks and food. So I took that concept and took that on myself like a concert or club promoter and followed it through. Also being a sound engineer I could cut my own dubs. That’s how “Fair Play” was made and in actual fact, it was a loop originally with a Martin Luther King speech on top. During those days with Trevor Nelson we made mash ups like the London Beats www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
series (Fitzroy: “I remember them.”) and we’d sell those through the record shops. I was always connected with the industry because I could press up tunes that people wanted like “Across The Tracks” by Maceo or albums sold in my shop, because they were recorded or re-mastered in Jamaica. I didn’t buy them from Warners and they were seen as bootlegs because they were pressed in Jamaica. Between Crime, Q and Dolby (Soul II Soul) we’d make beats with Nellee Hooper. So we signed to Virgin after Mick Clark and Julian Palmer came to our night at the African Centre in Covent Garden and saw what was happening. Being soul boys and DJ’s in their own right and working at the subsidiary record labels, they were up to date on what occurred on the underground scene. Mick Clark already had a reputation for signing Loose Ends to Virgin and I had something that was to be handed over on a silver plate that needed distribution and not an A&R outlet. So we signed as producers and featured artists who could be elevated and pursue a career. We were the first to be featured artists, that made the deal even more different. That’s the template of Soul II Soul and musically we changed things. No one knew what this was and we were breaking into the charts. So exactly like you said on the last African Centre I said “ We’re fucking off now to another venture, as we got a record deal, anyway here’s the tune… Boom” and people were thinking, “What the fuck!!” I had all the 12” of “Keep On Movin” and “Fair Play” pressed when the record company used to have pluggers, because I already had the circuit cov-ered. So I went from doing bootlegs to making my own music and it was a natural evolution. I always followed through, so for example I may have made a loss on a dance but I always negotiated a percentage of the bar or something else, as that was my ethics of business. At the time all the subsidiary labels were run by DJ’s and not black DJ’s initially. Gilles Peterson was A&R, Norman Jay and Trevor Nelson eventually had A&R jobs too, all looking for the next Soul II Soul, but Fitz this was our way of empowering ourselves. By doing a deal that allowed me to act as an independent, but if I met the dividend, I could have the capacity to cross over. Most of the rock press at the time that didn’t feature us thought we were an American outfit because we were on a subsidiary label. Our music at the time wasn’t called Urban or R&B it was called black music, and when we broke America we were classed as black music and not dance. So we did the black circuit. Europe thought we were American because everything was polished and slick. Between 1988 and the early 1990’s even though we had hits it was only in the 90’s that we started to get press as before then Smash Hits and NME couldn’t categorise us because we were too dark and black. We only got industrial press like Music Week but outlets like WH Smiths and Menzies were out of bounds for us initially as we didn’t fit the criteria. It wasn’t until years later after meeting journalists that they apologised to me about not recognising we were from the British soil and then the acco-lades came… 15-20 years later. Yeah I hear ya as I was at the unveiling of the plaque at what was once the Fridge now called Electric, 21 years after your residency there in 1990. Around that time you had featured artist like Rose Windross considered the first lady of Soul II Soul, then Doreen, Caron Wheeler and Kym Myzelle. The actual first singer was Rose but the first release was the more crossover cut “Feel Free” featuring Doreen. However with Rose singing “Fair Play” the more club friendly track was the double A side. This was slightly political and became a compromise because the record company wanted “Feel Free” and I knew that “Fair Play” was already the street favourite. The crescendo was that neither track quite made the mark but became so unique with the A side protection of “Feel Free” that as a bonus it had “Fair Play” too, which had previously only been available as a promo. Page 30 - Issue 60
At the time when you were on Kiss FM, myself and Aitch B were on Studio FM. When Kiss got a licence, many of us, did feel like were part of or contributed to the success that Soul II Soul and Kiss were experiencing. (Jazzie B: “Absolutely.”) There are lots of people within the Soul II Soul collective on the periphery that went on to and continue to do great things. This includes to start with dancers like Company, Mark Tyrell, Cav Manning and Brian “Bizzy’ Amos, Tony Houston, Paul Anderson who was already known. My son’s mum Lisa Frost danced in the “Back To Life” video. Nicolai Bean created the logo, Marco Nelson became a Young Disciple, Nellee Hooper, Si-mon Law and Kym Myzelle are connected too. Lest we forget singer and dancer Wumni whose sil-houette was on the back of the debut “Club classics” album. (Jazzie B: “Yeah Judge Jules used to play at the African Centre too.”) I got to blame you for something though Jazzie. Around my 25th birthday I had a party and popped into Red Records in Beak Street to pick up my promo copy of “Keep On Moving” from Trevor Nelson who’d saved one for me. I was literally one minute and returned to find my car was clamped for parking on a double yellow (Jazzie laughs). Cutting a longer story short in my panic Trevor Nelson kindly drove me to Marble Arch to pay the fine and retrieve my car. I’ve waited 25 years to share that with you and all because I was desperate to get my hands on the promo of “Keep On Movin”. Thinking of the title of that tune, you kept on moving Fitz, you let nothing hold you back.
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By Soul Survivor David Moran
9! Word Up Across - 1 Holland and Dozier ask the question, even though they’ve lost what they can never get back. (3,4,2,2,6) 10 Millie Jackson’s Northern stomper “House For _ _ _ _” (4) 11 Randy’s night in Georgia was this (5) 13 Supernatural Johnnie! (6) 18 Dee Dee Sharp wondered, “Where Did _ _ _ Wrong?” (1,2) 19 Teena Marie says “_ _ _ _ _ La La” it’s the dream that lasts forever (3,2) 20 Tatyana was knocked out by the boy (3) 21 Spinners had a unique “One _ _ _ Kind Love Affair” (2,1) 22 The Four Tops urged you to be a father to your children, the provider of all their daily needs (6,2,3,6) 27 British soulster who is ‘free as a bird’. (4) 28 All Mary J Blige really wants is for her to ..... (2,5) 29 Donnie Elbert was Ready Willing and what? (4) 30 This band liked Movin’ and Changin’ with their horn assembly (5,12) 36 What ain’t nothing but a number Aaliyah? (3) 37 Label for film musical scores featuring Solomon Burke, Gloria Gaynor and Millie Jackson (1,1,1) 38 Gladys Knight album and single from 1974 “_ _ _ _ _ A Song In My Heart” (1,4) 39 “Dance A Little _ _ _ Closer” urged Charo And The Salsoul Orchestra” (3) 40 Rita’s ornamental group has moved with the “Northern” wind (6) 44 Arie is ready for love (5) 45 The Reflections’ Wigan floorfiller “Like _ _ _ _ And Eve” (4) 48 Finding the answer to this Velvelettes’ classic will not be easy (6,2,1,8) Down - 1 Dionne was only being what you wanted her to be for goodness sake! (7) 2 Luther classic that everyone needs, no doubt! (4,3) 3 Monk the supreme jazz drummer (1,1) 4 What is it good for Edwin asked? (3) 5 Debarge’s article (2) 6 Michal Jackson’s rat! (3) 7 “_ _ _ No Man Put Asunder” demanded First Choice (3) 8 Missy who can lose control (7) 9 Only you can make this superficial sounding band happy (7) 12 Eddie Levert’s relationship with any kind of “Music” (1,4) 14 Ring this Ward’s bell. (5) 15 D Train are Bustin’ up on a cloud, and shouting out loud, “You’re..........” (3,3,3,2) 16 This “Avant Gershwin” jazz diva keeps falling in and out of love (5,6) 17 Cross the tracks with this ex JB and maestro saxophonist (5,6) 23 Mr Deodato de Almeida, the magnificent Brazilian pianist, composer, producer and arranger (5) 24 Mica who collobarated with 27 Across never felt like this before (5) 25 Blue Magic had to stop before they could do this (5) 26 Mr Thomas sang about his “Sexy Girl” (5) 30 Unbreak her heart and let Toni breath again (7) 31 This White Band could be described as run of the mill, au contraire! (7) 32 See 43 33 James Brown protege and “female preacher” Lyn (7) 34 Oh, no, no, no, no, no Usher “U Got.........” (2,3) 35 If You’re _ _ _ _ _ _ _ In Love By Monday, you can’t say Millie Jackson didn’t try (3,4) 41 When he gits there, this is what Lou will do to ‘you’ (3) 42 Hartman who enjoyed an Instant Replay (3) 43/32 Julian Bendall, Kevin Alexanda and Geoff Holroyd let their drums speak (3,5) 46 Dope showed us the “Heat On _ _ Beat” (2) 47 You don’t like this soul music crossword then, Get The Funk Out Of _ _ Face! ;) (2) Page 32 - Issue 60
Answers will be posted on The Soul Survivor’s Facebook page
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ERNIE ISLEY speaks to Fitzroy Probably like Carlsberg the most insightful interview of this publication. Admittedly I always thought I would speak firstly with the group’s main focal member Ronald, however speaking with the musically and naturally gifted lynch pin, Ernie Isley was inspirational. His story, as he jokingly indicates, would make an epic film because his talent is so natural. It teaches us a lesson that sometimes the people in the background are as integral as those upfront. With his lavished songwriting, exceptional bass, lead and acoustic Page 34guitar - Issue skills60 plus drums prowess, Ernie still has plenty “Work To Do”.
© Photos -Don Hunsteine Sony Music Archives, for both Isley brothers pictures
“ The Isleys actually ran into The Beatles in an elevator and The Beatles asked if, when they came back to America, if they could come to our home. That would have been crazy, can you imagine that? The Isley Brothers and The Beatles at our house and hearing Jimi Hendrix play! - Ernie Isley
You were born March 1952 in Cincinnati Ohio and moved to Tea Neck, New Jersey in 1960, so how was early life for you? I remember it as fun discovering radio stations, how to ride a bike, making friends at school and in the neighbourhood.
I listened and observed and the rest is history. It’s an amazing story and would make a remarkable movie one day when someone decides to do something on The Isley’ Brothers.
Your older brothers were having success as the Isley Brother’s and for over 2 years Jimi Hendrix lived in your home between 1963 and 1965. Apparently you would do your social studies in the room where he practised, so you could hear him. (Ernie: laughs, “Yes I would.”) Although he was seen like a family member, how much of an impact did that have on you aged 11? To myself and my brother Marv, being young and not musical yet, all of the musicians seemed like regular people, until they stared playing their instruments. As far as guitars go we were exposed to that instrument a lot. However, when you have someone suddenly come into your home and they are left handed, and the way it looks is that they are playing it left handed, with the guitar upside down, that was an added fascination. Jimi played very well even back then and what happened later was a continuation of that. Before I heard the “Are You Experienced” album people were raving about this so called ‘new guy’. I already knew of his potential and nobody played like Jimi Hendrix. You don’t have a crystal ball for moments when you’re watching The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show on a couch in my home with Jimi Hendrix sitting between me and my brother Marv. Whilst watching there was no clap of thunder in my home. Jimi is just observing and watching normally. A few days after the performance there was a meeting at our home with all the band and my eldest brother Kelly said ”These English guys have changed the whole game now and I don’t think it will go back to what it was. I don’t know what’s going to happen from here onwards with Paul Anka, Connie Francis or even Elvis Presley. The Beatles have both our “Shout” and “Twist & Shout” songs in their repertoire and they have two guitar players but remember, we’ve got Jimi.” At that moment I looked over at Jimi and he was grinning from ear to ear, because it was true. When the Beatles did the State Stadium concert the first song they did was “Twist & Shout” which stopped the show. If somebody had said we’re gonna get the Beatles to do this song with The Isley Brothers, who did it first in 1962, with a member of their band on stage and maybe give Ernie a tambourine, the guitar player would have been Jimi Hendrix. You never know who you are rubbing elbows with and how things will go. Certainly if Jimi was around when “That Lady” was done, he would have given me something between a bear hug and a tackle and say some something like “How in the hell did you learn to play a guitar like that because you wasn’t doing that around me?” I would say, “It’s from listening to you man”. So he would automatically know. In 1969 with the success of “It’s Your Thing” we wanted to do a gig at the Yankee Stadium and reached out to Jimi to play with us. He wanted to do it but had to speak with his people first. A few days later Jimi advised Kelly that he was committed to performing at the Woodstock Arts And Music festival in upstate New York. The promoters were concerned that if he played our gig in New York in June that it would hurt the sales of the festival so Jimi had to decline. Obviously he didn’t have a crystal ball either. Our musical journey is blessed with the longevity to change with the musical terrain. Everybody who’s in the business knows “Shout” and “Twist & Shout”, cover bands, karaoke singers, weddings and bar mitzvahs feature those two songs. All this has happened in ways that we couldn’t imagine. Sometimes I wonder why, when I tell people our history with Jimi Hendrix, they are surprised. How can you claim to be a fan of Jimi Hendrix and not look at his personal history, and not know he was in the band and lived in our home? The Isley Brothers bought him his first Fender guitar. So I was one of those kids who was around Jimi Hendrix and
Did the Beatles ever acknowledge to you the impact “Twist & Shout” and “Shout” had on their success? We ran into Paul McCartney in 2011 when we did a show in upstate New York. I was sat at a table, with my wife Tracy and she pointed out Paul McCartney sitting about three tables away. We had just come off stage and the room was still buzzing. I tapped him on his shoulder. He turned around, stood up and gave me a bear hug that almost put me out of commission as we talked in each other ears at the same time. He told me “Ernie if it wasn’t for the Isley Brother’s, The Beatles would still be in Liverpool”. Not long after that we took the stage again this time with Bon Jovi, Usher, Jennifer Holiday and Paul McCartney. Paul took the mic and repeated his statement about remaining in Liverpool if it wasn’t for The Isley’s. Then we performed as the last song of the night “Twist & Shout” and it was the first time The Isley’s and a Beatle did that song together. (Fitzroy: “Wow”). We did “Shout” by ourselves and my wife Tracy has on her cell phone, Paul McCartney running down the aisle dancing and singing, “Shout”. We got the 2014 lifetime Grammy achievement award and The Beatles were also recipients of that award. Ringo and Yoko were gracious in their regards towards us, it was amazing. You are a multi instrumentalist but apparently you were inspired by Jose Feliciano’s version of “Light My Fire” and bought your first guitar in 1968? Yeah, I bought that guitar in the September of that year. Of course I heard The Doors song before but when I heard Jose’s version, he gave it a different treatment and perspective. I wanted to play that song the way he played it. I learned how to play a 12-string part and after that I practiced and tried to play what I had heard in my head. The guitar player on “It’s Your Thing”, Charles Pitt happened to be the same guitar player who did the wah wah licks on Isaac Hayes’s “Shaft” and he was funky like nobody’s business. He was also a great influence on me and we ran into him in 1977 when we did our “Go For Your Guns” sell out show in Memphis. He came backstage after the show and I was the first person he came towards giving me a bear hug. At the top of his voice he asked, “How the fuck did you ever learn to play guitar? You were playing drums and bass guitar when I last saw you! How man? How?” All my older brothers were crying with laughter. I told him listening to him around the “It’s Your Thing” album and he said, “Man get out of here! You are the dude!” It was like being hit with a Joe Frazier left hook to get praise like that. www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Mentioning “It’s Your Thing”, how did you guys feel when James Brown’s, Marva Whitney recorded “It’s My Thing”? The thing was, we found out that it was the James Brown Corporation who did it, in his name. Initially they were not giving credit to the original writers, so it was a little contentious at the time but it eventually straightened out. “It’s Your Thing” was such a humungous record that both The Temptations and The Jackson 5 recorded it. Politically Mr. Gordy sued my older brothers for ownership of the song because they had left Motown. For anybody who had a career at Motown and had left, it was considered the kiss of death. That turned out to be the biggest 45 single of the Isley’s career and sent shock waves through the Motown organisation in 1969. Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” was made 1971 and although he already had a tremendous resume and track record with Motown, that album gave him a definite change away from previous formats. Same thing with a distinct
difference with Stevie Wonder’s “Talking Book” and “Inner Visions”. Also T Neck (aptly named after our home town, Tea Neck in New Jersey) was my brother’s label that gave the Isley’s the authority and more control to decide what they wanted to do creatively. This made a lot of other artists want to test the waters. You mention the change, which is evident from 1968 onwards. You were playing drums and guitar on some of those recordings like “Giving Back”, “Brother Brother” and “Getting Into Something” but not officially in the group. Motown had a sound, James Brown had his sound and there was definitely an Isley Brothers sound, so what made the group, after leaving Motown, find that sound? That’s true. What we did with tracks like Still’s “Love The One You’re With”, Carol King’s “Brother Brother” and “It’s Too Late” was to add 6 and 12 string acoustic guitar’s with added congas to these hit songs. When our distribution with Buddha finished Ronald suggested we go to California to record there because the sound technology and audio was more up to date. James Taylor, Sly & The Family Stone were there and Motown moved to California so it made sense at this next musical stage of the bands career. So in 1973 we followed suit and did the 3+3 album on CBS. It had a different sound with the lead guitar and looked different with the extra three new members, myself, Marv and Chris Jasper. When they heard “That Lady”, they liked it even though it didn’t have any sax or trumpet on it. They were not sure how to categorise it because it wasn’t the conventional R&B sound as it had a rock and pop sound too. They asked who played the guitar and my brothers said, “That’s Ernie, our younger brother he’s 21 and just came out of college.” Their reply was “Get out of here! Is he the same one that’s on “Summer Breeze” too? We also explained that Marv was the brother Page 36 - Issue 60
on bass and Chris Jasper our brother in law was on the keyboards. “That Lady” proved to be a huge hit and changed the game. It took us out of the ready-made category of R&B black artists, as it sounded unlike anything an act like that had done before. It was on every radio station. The original version of “Whose That Lady” was made in 1962 and has more of a latin bossa feel. So what made you decide to update it?
One day Ronald suggested we redo it. I questioned it because it had a bossa cha cha cha groove. Ronald said we would change the lyrics, tempo and melody, plus I was to play guitar on it. I wasn’t going to argue and when we recorded the rhythm track it was quite funky. I went to a music store on Sunset Boulevard and asked them to bring out certain gadgets for me to plug in and a guitar strap for me to mess around with. They brought out the Phase shifter/ maestro upon which I got the actual rhythm and the lead sound I wanted in the store. Nobody turned around, walked over to me or batted an eyelid, but I knew I had something unique. I went to the studio that night I started talking about the Phase shifter/ maestro that I could get for 100 bucks. The recording engineer said the company would get it for me, and the next day it was there waiting for me. I plugged everything in and put the headphones on and from the moment I hit the first note, the entire track changed and I played all the way through it. When I stopped the engineers and everyone around me were mummified. My older brother Kelly looked at me through the glass and said you’ve been playing for 45 minutes. They said Ernie we got to record it again because you have to make room for the vocals. I said “What? You could put it out just like it is now and it would be a hit” and no one disagreed. So we had to do it again and I was really ticked off. They decided to leave it alone for a couple days and come back to it. Luckily they didn’t erase the first take but it’s take two you hear on the record, but take one was better. A similar thing happened with “Summer Breeze” when they asked me to warm up before I did the take. I did the warm up and came out saying “I’m ready to play” and Kelly said, “We already got it”. I questioned him and he confirmed saying they had recorded it, so where I stopped playing is what you hear on the record. We wanted to give CBS a dynamic album and it turned out we succeeded. All of the albums from there onwards have inspirational tracks some of which you’ve co written including “Fight The Power”, “Harvest For The World”, “At Your Best”, “Footsteps In The Dark”, “That Lady”, “Between The Sheets” and a favourite of mine “Slow Down Children” (Ernie: “Marv did the lead vocals on that”). Did you play on “I Turned You On”? I played the bass on that. (Fitzroy: “What about “Lay Away”?”) I played guitar.
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Tito Jackson
Under The Bridge, 17th July 2015 On the last school night of the week many students of various ages turned up for registration for a lesson on Motown and CBS history. I was blessed to spin some retro 70’s memorabilia ahead of the master class tutorial from the honourable soul brother Tito Jackson, in his trademark bowler hat and dark glasses. Tito started with two jazz blues instrumentals “I Gotta Play” and “T Bone” before delighting his audience with a melody of J5 and Jackson hits. “I Want You Back”, “ABC”, “The Love You Save”, ”Dancing Machine”, “Can You Feel It” and “Heartbreak Hotel” were some of his choices. Tito performed a recent single “We Made It” and featured two vocalist Five Star’s Denise Pearson and Thriller Live’s west end star Haydon simulating Michael’s vocal parts. Personally a pleasure to meet Tito. - Fitzroy
Larry Graham, Graham Central Station, Mark King & Jett Rebel Jazz Café – 2nd July 2015
Event Reviews
Coming to the Jazz Café, I secretly had a great sense of expectation of seeing a master of his craft in action, playing some of my favourite soundtracks of yesteryear. Warming up the set, dropping deep funk bullets, Fitzroy The Original Soul Survivor had the crowd bubbling along nicely just before he hit the stage to give an articulate & informed introduction of the man, Soul Survivors interviewed, ahead of the game, 5 years ago. Sly & the Family Stone bass playing legend, Larry Graham and newly reformed Graham Central Station, brought the funk to London with a two hour + super bad, hip 2 da bone, take no prisoners master class at the Jazz Café. The sell-out crowd was treated to a sumptuous helping of authentic, uncut Bay Area funky goodness. You name it, they played it…the Sly Stone classics flowed with “Dance To The Music”, “Family Affair”, “Everyday People”, “If You Want Me To Stay”, “I Want To Take You Higher” and the slap bass classic that started the “jazzfunk” phenomena “Thank You (Fa Lettinme Be Myself)”. Graham Central Station standards such as “We’ve Been Waiting For So Long” were loud, brash funky and energizing, but the true Soul of GCS shone through with Ashling “Biscuit” Cole’s version of the Ann Peebles gut wrenching soul classic “I Can’t Stand The Rain” and Larry Graham’s heartfelt ballad “One In A Million You”. Some very competent and classy covers were delivered, with the Prince classic “1999” and Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up” were very well received. Young Dutch rocker Jett (Jesus) Rebel, joined the stage and absolutely killed it with an edgy rock tinged version of the Beatles “Come Together” (damn that boy can sing). As the lights dimmed, the lit up guitar in the darkness on the balcony followed by the signature plucking and thumping, could only mean, that none other than, Level 42’s Mark King was ‘in da house’. The slap bass fest that followed between two of the baddest bassists on the planet nearly tore the roof of the sucka. To top it all off, a jam session ensued when some deftly talented guitar rockers and bassists from the audience, including Rob Harris (guitar) & Paul Turner (Bass) from Jamiroquai, were invited by the band to showcase their talents onstage, all contributing to a great night’s very funky entertainment. -Richie Mac and Akin Shenbanjo Jnr
3 The Soul - Cyprus 2015 Myself and my partner Laura Watts spent our summer holidays in the beautiful island of Cyprus attending the 3 The Soul Cyprus soul week promoted by Brian Norman and Trevor Bailey. Pafos was the location. The planning and organisation put into this event was evident by the variety of venues covering beach parties at the Lighthouse and Atlatiida and the roof top at the Everest Bar. We enjoyed a very swanky black tie dinner dance at the Elee Estate Golf Club with guest singer Raphael Orlando Tate who had the ladies loving every note from his very soulful voice. The ‘Wavedancer’ was the boat used for the early evening boat drip and BBQ. Throughout the week the soul family members from as far a field as Cheshire, Bristol, Merseyside, Manchester and all parts of London were treated to the best in modern soul, soulful house, disco, reggae, jungle and lovers rock provided by Bigger, Paul Mac, Chris Box, Brian Norman and local DJ Haji Mike. The package including music, food and entertainment was great value for money. The 2016 event is already planed for June 15th till the 22nd 2016. Big respect to my host Diane Horesfield who ensured also that there was good attendance from the Pafos community. Raph Parkinson - North West Soul Survivor. www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Shalamar
O2 Oxford – 12th July 2015 Sonia Damney and Bobby Dee took on this gig with only 6 weeks to promote it. A mammoth task to bring Shalamar to Oxford and achieve this like Mr. Kiplin’s Bakewell tarts with “exceedingly good taste”. Myself and Darrell S represented Soul Survivors on the wheels of steel to a very appreciative mixed mature crowd before I multitasked as the MC introducing the act on stage. Carolyn, Howard and Jeffrey always give an energetic and powerful performance and did not disappoint on this occasion. They did the usual hits, “Take That To The Bank”, “Second Time Around”, “I Can Make You feel Good” and “Night To Remember” but also individually performed solo. It was a great atmosphere with 500 people on a pre-school Sunday night having something to tell their “Friends” that missed out for sure. Shalamar certainly are no “Disappearing Act”.
Universal Soul Summer All Day Party II
Soul Innit Manchester – 4th July 2015 Independence Day at Soul Innit was my second outing to Element 19 in Manchester courtesy of Dave Cyrus. Tony Shawcross & Mark Grice spun some party modern soul pieces before I, the main guest, dropped some soul surviving sonics. It was a good audience who appreciated tunes like Stevie wonder “Love Light In Flight”, Mercy Mercy’s “What Are We Gonna Do About It” and the big bomb was when I dropped Regina Bell “Good Lovin’” Wow! Nice to See Wendy Rolliinson, Christine Fisher, Tony Wearlegend and Liz Harvey make the effort form the surrounding north and London areas. Gordon West showed why he’s still a major fixture mixing and scratching up 70’s and 80’s classic for fun. Look out for more events from the Soul Innit crew at a Manchester shin dig near you.
Beggar & Co
Event Reviews
Jazz Café – 24th July 2015 Rarely do I get a similar feeling to the first time I saw a group 34 years ago live as I did on Friday 24th July. My ultimate UK Brit Funk core members of Light Of The World, Kenny Wellington, Bap Baptise, Breeze McKreith and Pete Hinds (Beggar & Co) made me and an audience of ‘jazzfunk’ diehards regress like Benjamin Button. Performing the classic“Round Trip” album “Time”, “Visualise Yourself”, “Peter’s Crusade”, “London Town” and “Painted Lady” reminded me of how I revere the musicianship of these, one time naive yet talented hopefuls who found their true vocation to “Keep The Dream Alive”. With a new vocalist Amil and Ernie McKone paying true homage to the legacy of Tubb Williams on the space bass, my “Boys In Blue’ covered “Funky Stuff”, “Movin” and “That’s The Way I Like It”. Naturally doing “Somebody Help Me Out“ these guys were “Swinging” for sure. Thanks Kenny Wellington for public shout regarding the Soul Survivors Magazine, it did slightly make me go a darker shade of brown but was appreciated my friend. Excellent night!!
Page 40 - Issue 60
19th July 2015 On the 19th July 2015 I went to Universal Soul summer party, that was held on a stationary boat. The event was in my opinion one of the best day events I have been to. The reason for that is, the weather was fantastic, the venue was the best and the people were very friendly. But most of all, the DJ’S played music that accommodated everyone. Everyone but everyone danced they feet off. One DJ that got me off my chair as my feet were tapping was Fitzroy, musically brilliant and I didn’t stop dancing until he was finished. Then I needed a chair again. I recommend this event to anyone that hasn’t been. Well done to the promoters, and a bigger well done to all the DJ’S. Thank You! -Suzanne Diamond Levene
Jarrod Lawson
The Stables – Milton Keynes – 3rd July 2015 Since his interview with Fitzroy in the last issue of Soul Survivors and securing Jazz FM’s Soul Artist of the year award, Jarrod has been back in the UK on a short tour. By Jarrod’s own admission, he didn’t really know what to expect from this all seated venue “out in the middle of nowhere” but he was in for a pleasant surprise with some of his regular devotees in the audience and an almost full house. Jarrod, Tahirah Memory and The Good People flawlessly went through many of the tracks off the album clearly winning the hearts and minds of the audience who were new his music. Jarrod and Tahirah took the time to grace the foyer with their presence during the intermission. A characteristic gesture indicative of their continued appreciation for “All That Surrounds” this thriving collective. Later Jarrod announced his appearance earlier that day in the1Xtra Live Lounge for Trevor Nelson in which he had played a cover of Lauryn Hill’s Ex-Factor. For the audience’s pleasure he performed it for us impeccably and with justice to the original. Acoustically the sound at the venue was exceptional and I look forward to returning in the future. It was a privilege for me to be there on behalf of Jarrod, Soul Survivors, Fair Trade 4 Music and Dome Records to photograph the event. I would like to personally thank Alison Young and Sharona Voigtlander of the Stables, Milton Keynes for their hospitality and a special thank you to DJ Rob James for his continued support. - Anna B.
Love Supreme Love Supreme 2015 where does one start with over 70 class acts. Neneh Cherry bounded onto the main stage a whirl wind of hyper energy delivering a cascade of hits that included “Man-child”, “Woman” and a very radical version of “Buffalo Stance” Rebecca Fergusons voice captures the pure guts and soul of Billy Holiday’s songs, HUGH MASAKELA “My Baby Don’t Care” being my favourite. © Photo by Jane Bonotto The Big Top was packed to the rafters for multi award winning songstress Diana Reeves. Bob Marley’s “Waiting in Vain” rolled out over a languid shuffle and “I’m in Love Again” benefited from a perfect arrangement. I have seen Chaka Khan perform on numerous occasions, hurling herself straight into her signature tune, the Prince-penned “I Feel for You”; followed by her lung-shredding 1984 hit “Ain’t Nobody” she had the crowd in the palm of her hand. Sunday’s rain did nothing to dampen the love everyone was feeling. When Jarrod Lawson sung his first notes the sun shone. Every note effortlessly pitch perfect, a melodic rhapsody sung with guts and passion, to a sea of adoring fans, me included. Candi Staton lures you into songs that manage to convey the unresolved complications of human emotion with beguilingly simple deliveries and a voice of smoke and honey. Finale track “Young Hearts” unleashed leg-kicking disco dancing amongst the crowd. It has been said before, but it always astounds me that a voice so big and soulful can appear from such a tiny woman. Lisa Stansfield belted out signature tracks “People Hold On,” All Woman”, and “All Around the World,” the Lancashire lass definitely still has it. Life Time Achievement Awardee Hugh Masekela was for me the number one act. A musician of phenomenal grace and power: Intricate and fiery on flugelhorn and still blessed with a voice that can reduce a grown man to tears. World class musicians deftly accompanied him through well known songs; “Cantaloupe Island” and “Grazing in the Grass”. With two well deserved encores, the crowd left totally elated. We caught the first ten minutes of Van Morrison singing “Brown Eyed Girl” a small dot in the distance of a sea of hand clapping. What an end to another amazing Love Supreme.
Event Reviews
Margate Soul Weekender 2015 This event started of with 50 people outside a pub in 2006 and now it’s become a yearly event that feeds the Margate economy more than any general election. Thousands descend from all over the country to spend 72 hours in the sun sea and sonic ambience of Kent’s funkiest town. Eli Thompson, Mick Bradley and Keith have organised another successful event with the aid of radio stations Zero and Mi Soul broadcasting live from two outside areas and plenty Dj’s and quality acts. I’ve been blessed to do the last three playing a wide range of black music that embraces everyone of every race. The Westcoast bar was always busy and lively with northern soul, funk, jazz and mellow grooves paying host to the venues ambience. The Westcoast main club room was heaving every night and have to mention in particular an inspirational set from Tony Fernandez Friday night 1-2am. FITZROY & FARINA MISS The Lighthouse bar is like my first home in Margate as I’m welcomed there with open arms every © Photo by Fitzroy Facey time I do a set with Graham Grumpy Brown, and Andy Davis throwing down some bullets too. So big thanks for the heartfelt reception especially on Sunday afternoon. The Winter Gardens is a nice size venue featuring Dave Lee aka Joey Negro controlling the wheels of steel to a packed Saturday night audience with his remixes of classic disco. Props to Lewis Mastermind for his short and sweet but firing on all cylinders set. The weather was brilliant all weekend and the live session on Zero radio’s stage from Shaun Escoffrey had a good gathering and Shaun never ever disappoints. The live concert at The Winter Garden Sunday night I felt was the best I’ve seen Cool Million perform with Farina Miss making an impressionable debut. Eli Thompson was fired up sharing centre stage with Laura Jackson and Janine Johnson who also made their feline vocal presence an equally measured one. Glenn Jones for me was awesome, he truly does have a special voice. Roy Ayers brought the sunshine and was well received as probably the most profile artist the weekender has had thus far. Now in his 70’s its amazing the speed he plays his vibes with and what coolness he shows on the stage. “All n All” like EWF you must “Reach Up” like Tony Lee next year . It really is with an annual carnival parade and a variety of soul food ,happy people and a warm embrace 3 days of the best Kool & The Gang ‘Summer Madness” www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Fitzroy’s Soul Surviving Radio & Gig Guide Club Dates 18th September - Streatham Soul Club, White Lion SW16 26th September - Ronnie Scotts Funky Nation W.1 3rd October - The Real Thing Jazz Cafe NW1 7-14th October - Bol Sol Croatia st 21 November - Ronnie Scotts Funky Nation W.1 27th November - The Blackbyrds and Tom Browne Under The Bridge SW6 19th December - Cheryl Lynn and Evelyn King at Indigo2 Greenwich
Radio Sundays 3-5pm RamJam Radio www.ramjamradio.com Mondays 4-6pm Stomp Radio www.stompradio.com The 21st Century Intergalactic Black 2 Da Future Show http://www.fairtrademusicuk.com/radio-shows/ black-2-da-future/ Fair Trade 4 Music Chart http://www.fairtrademusicuk.com/radio-shows/ latest-ft4m-chart-show/
Page 42 - Issue 60
Soul Survivors
Roll Call of Fame
AALIYAH HOUGHTON 1979 in Brooklyn New York and raised in Detroit. Aged 11 and blessed with an angelic voice, she was singing five nights a week performing with Gladys Knight in Las Vegas. In 1994 Aaliyah signed a record deal with Jive Records “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number” which spawned at least 4 huge club classics. I remember spinning the first single “Back & Forth” remix sampling Foster Sylver’s “Misdemeanour” as a floor filler at my residences. This was a top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and a No1 R&B song. The second single was a seductive rendition slow jam cover of The Isley Brother’s renowned ballad “At Your Best” with an exceptional Gangstar Child remix by R Kelly. I’m not a connoisseur of slow jams but this version did melt me, and got the approval of Ernie Isley when I spoke with him for this magazine issue. It reached top 10 on Billboard and No 2 on R&B radio. “Down With The Clique” borrowed a reggae dub bass line and the title track “Age Ain’t Nothing But A Number” was another club favourite. Only just in her mid teens Aaliyah was making waves for Jive Records, like another teenage sensation Brandy was for Atlantic Records. Her second album “One In A Million” in 1996 on Atlantic, hosted collaborations with Naughty By Nature’s Treach and Kay Gee, Slick Rick and Paulino Da Costa playing percussion on her complimentary version of Marvin Gaye’s “Got To Give It Up”. The big single was “If Your Girl Only Knew” with a Missy Elliot and Timberland collaboration that proved to be a dream team combination. Aaliyah was naturally a very strikingly beautiful looking young woman who was maturing into becoming a well sort after commodity in the entertainment world. Before she broke into acting she had two songs featured in film soundtracks, “Are You That Somebody” from ‘Dr. Doolittle’ and “Journey To The Past” for the motion picture ‘Anastasia’ nominated for an Academy for best song. In 2000 Aali-yah starred with martial arts supremo Jet Li in “Romeo Must Die” and showcased three songs on the soundtrack. They include Aaliyah singing triumphantly on “Try Again” from her third album now signed to Virgin Records, “Are You Feelin’ Me?” and a funkadelia supremo duet with DMX, sampling Parliament’s “Sir Nose D’ Void Of Funk” “Come Back In One Piece”. Aaliyah’s final film was starring as a vampire queen in the 2001 film, The Queen of the Dammed and she was scheduled to feature in the “Matrix Reloaded and Revolutions”,“Honey” and a Whitney Houston production remake of “Sparkle” films. Her final self titled album “Aaliyah” was well anticipated and the monster Timberland produced “Try Again”, I had several copies of as it as it got played that much. Although “More Than A Woman” seemed popular, for me it was all about the soulful “Rock The Boat”. I salivated when I heard that tune it was so sexy and sensual. It was on route to filming the video for that song that Aaliyah unfortunately with others died fatally in a plane crash. It was a shock and I remember distinctively getting the promo and spinning it as the last tune later that same evening at my residency The Ion Bar in Ladbroke Grove W.11. It’s 14 years since her passing 25th August 2001 and she was only 22. She in many ways was “More Than A Woman” and ‘At Your Best You Are Loved’ and sorely missed Aaliyah Dana Haughton. www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
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Page 44 - Issue 60
What's going on? SEPTEMBER Saturday 26th September Music Without Labels @ Bar Salento, 3 Clove Cresent, Docklands London E14 2BB. Tkts £8 in advance (call Paul Clarke on 01273413800)or £10 on the door. 7pm-2am, Dj’s David Lyn, Grumpy Brown with guest Abi Clarke, Kevin Connelly & Six Million Steps
OCTOBER Friday 16th, Saturday 17th, and Sunday 18th October Bournemouth Soul Weekender The Carringtotn House Hotel Boscombe BH1 3QQ Dj’s Bobby & Steve, Terry Jones, Bob Jones, Eddie Pillar, Paul Clarke, Gary Dennis, Bob Master, Marie Garaccio and more Tkts £55 for all 5 sessions
NOVEMBER
BOOKING NOW
Friday 13th November Great Voices of Soul O2 Apollo Manchester Stockport Rd, Ardwick Green, Manchester M12 6AP. Live In concert Patti Labelle, The Whispers, Meli’sa Morgan,. For tkts 0844844 0444
Grown & Sexy 10th -19th June 2016 Antigua £479 with no hidden extra’s to pay. Included accommodation, event pass, Catamaran and early bird airport transfers. To book call 07956350010 or go to www.grownandsexy.co.uk
Sunday 15th November Great Voices of Soul Arena Square Engineers Way London HA9 0AA Live in concert Soul II Soul,Gwen Dickey, SOS Band, Loose Ends feat Carl McIntosh. Fot tkts 0844844 0444 Friday 13th and Saturday 14th November Maceo Parker @ Under The Bridge, Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road SW6 1HS Tel 0207957 8261 Saturday 28th November Motown and Soul Spectacular @ Troxy, 490 Commercial Road London E.4 0HX
DECEMBER
On The Radio Saturday’s Soul Town between 6pm and 8pm on Magic FM Angie Greaves 105.4FM - http://www.magic.co.uk/on-air/ Soul On Sunday With Mick Foster - 9AM - 12 Noon - Modern Soul Jazz Funk - The New & The Old. 102.8 FM IN Bedfordshire Area or Download the apps Tune in / Reach app/Diverse FM app http://www. diversefm.com A Fresh & Brand New Show across Your airwaves: WEDNESDAYS @ Midnight (GMT) Ronniee C from the Another Planet! Camp Presents “Bringing Back De Memories” Music Of Foundation...” Listen: Westside Radio App via http://www.thisiswestside.com FM Radio Freq. 89.6FM (LDN) Tunein App- ‘Westside Radio’
Saturday 19th December Cheryl Lynn & Evelyn Champagne King Check out the Passed Shows via www.mixcloud. @ Indigo Peninsula Square Greenwich London SE10 0DX. Tkts Standing £29, balcony com/ronnieedjtmc £40, Kings Row £60,Meet & Greet £100. www.ticketmaster.co.uk Doors open @ 7pm Dj Fitzroy(Soul Survivors
www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Diverse FM - 102.8 FM - Luton A fresh new entertainment channel that has been built around dance music and youth culture and local communities, reaching every one...
View on www.diversefm.com
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“Herbie Hancock whose “Sunburst” album blew my mind when I first heard it, had a huge impact on me. I am a huge Earth Wind & Fire fan too” -Jarrod Lawson
For more information please call Fitzroy on 07956 312931 or email fitzroy@thesoulsurvivor.co.uk www.soulsurvivors.co.uk