Issue 61 updated

The Quintessential info provider for the Soul Survivor ISSUE 61 - 1st Nov 2015 - 31st Jan 2016

ALSO FEATURING: Kashif, Evelyn ‘Champagne’ King and Cheryl Lynn

Patrick Adams

Taihisha

Marc Mac

News, Reviews & Interviews

WHAT’S INSIDE? 3 PATRICK ADAMS speaks to Fitzroy

8 DARRELL’S FUNK BOX

Greetings, Soul Survivors

I almost can’t believe how qui ckly the year has gone and we sea are now entering festive son for 2015-2016. This has been an interesting year indeed the 51st state of being on this ear in my th wit HQ. Now already in it’s 9th we h some significant changes at Soul Survivors 14 CROSSWORD

’re aiming to “Look Ahead” like (Word Up 10!)

(Love that song) as we enter Aquarian Dream into our 10th in 2016. This fes tive is an season issue elo nga ted one from 1st Novem 16 MARC MAC

events advertised right through ber 2015 - 31st January 2016 as we have speaks to Fitzroy to quite balanced yet diverse inte February and March 2016. We have six rviews featuring respected old 22 RECORD REVIEWS singers and producers. Among and new school st them are some amazing sto ry antidotes that should keep you bonded readin 26 CHERYL LYNN

g this issue, like Bostic glue.

So like Patrick Adams’s, Evelyn “Cham speaks to Fitzroy pagne” King, Marc Mac of 4he Slim Shady.

Taihisha Grant and Kashif ple ro, Cheryl Lynn, ase stand up and take a bow 28 Roll Call of Fame . The Soul Survivors Roll Of Fame remembers fals etto ‘Hit Man’ Eddie Kendric WILTON FELDER k’s, ‘Mr Places & Spaces’ Donald Byrd and a fou ndi ng grandfather of sophisticated 30 TAIHISHA

Wilton Felder. Although there fusion jazz Mr is no tribute in this issue, lest speaks to Fitzroy we forget that two other soul surviving subjects of musical royalty have anniversar ies in December.

‘Soul Bro ther’ numero uno, 34 Roll Call of Fame the undisputed King of R&B soul, and the super heavy min ister of funk, James EDDIE KENDRICKS Brown passed 9 years ago 25 th December. Also dubbed the ‘Ivory Queen of Sou & DONALD BYRD l’ Lady T (Vanilla Choc) Teena Marie passed the next day 26th but in December 2010. So as most prepare for 36 KASHIF

mulled wine and seasonal bev the mince pies, erages, I’ll say enjoy this festive speaks to Fitzroy season and what it brings and in advance, Sou l Survivors 44 FAIR TRADE 4

2016 . Thanks for your continued sup wishes you all the best for New Year port in whatever capacity tha MUSIC CHART soul surviving. t is and keep 46 WHAT’S GOING ON?

10 EVELYN ‘CHAMPAGNE’ KING speaks to Fitzroy

Fitzroy

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 Thursday 7th January in order to meet the graphic designer and print 3 week preparation.

This will ensure that the magazine for February and March is ready and out on the street ahead of 1st February 2016.

Thanks in advance.

The Soul Survivors Team!

Thanks to those who con tributed in one shape or form towards the content of this issue .

Thanks to Barry King for as well as myself continually nud ging Pat and for speaking with Taihisha . Cleveland Anderson at CA Inte rick Adams for arranging Cheryl Lynn and rnational Artists Evelyn King interviews. Dez Par kes for introducing me to Marc Mac a few years back for hooking up Kashif. Thanks so we can make this happen now. Ralph Tee to tribute and to Anna B for the Akin Shenbanjo Junior for the Wilton Felder photos’ and proof reading. All Scarbutts (Printers) Ayshea the advertisers, (Graphic Designer) KFP Enterp rise, Fair Trade 4 Music and Kre8iv 4ce Media , Darrell S (Funk Box), David Moran (Crossword) Ronnie C (Hand2Hand), Jas on and Ian Soulprovyder (Fly er pack distributors) Trontelljordan and Doc’trin for Patrick Adams photo.

The Soul Survivors Suite 013, 986 Garratt Lane , Tooting Broadway, London SW1 7 0ND Mobile: 07956 312931 il: fitzroy@thesoulsurvivors.co. uk C fitzroy.facey C FitzEma roytheoriginalsoulsurvivor C TheSoulSurvivors www.thesoulsurvi vors.c o.uk

“One Saturday night I was talking to my girlfriend Sandy on the phone and she’s being enticing. I asked her what she’s wearing and she was describing that but adds “are you ready, are you ready for this, do you like it, do you like it, like this?”

speaks to Fitzroy

This Harlem globe trotting musician, producer and arranger, was fascinated with the creative sonics that made a song sound perfect to the discerning ear. From being in a band to creating songs from and early age, making jingles and working in A&R, Patrick Adams would introduce the world to the “ King of boogie” Mr. Leroy Burgess and Black Ivory. Even though many tried Patrick would not confine himself to the boxes other relegated him to and embarked on a career of making the unknown famous and the famous more famous with his eloquent music productions arrangements and songwriting. He has some fantastic stories so here, in part one, Patrick indicates like his Sine outfit why he always states to anyone to ‘just let me “Do My Thing”.

You don’t have to like it’... Fascinating stuff!

How was the experience of growing up four blocks from the Apollo Theatre in Harlem and breathing in the musical vapours from the areas previously rich in Cotton Club history, as well as learning to play various instruments by your early teens?

Music always seemed to be present in my life even when I was a small child.

I remember I got a toy xylophone for Christmas and apparently was always playing something on it. I was always thrilled by church music. I grew up a Catholic and choir music and hymns seem to bring me great satisfaction. In high school I was drawn to the Glee Club on day one. My father did buy me a trumpet when I was 9 or 10 but I remember rejecting that once I saw Dizzy Gillespie’s lip and how his neck use to swell up. It was actually the Beatles the sealed the deal for me. When I was 12 years old that was something I connected with instantly. I guess being right on the edge of puberty it was a profound experience trying to write songs about unrequited love. So by the time I was 15 or 16, I had already written a few hundred songs.

How much impact did sitting in at some of the orchestral and musical sessions at the Apollo have on your future self taught audio, producing and engineering skills?

Living four blocks from the Apollo Theatre was a wonderful opportunity for me. The staff saw that I was very serious about music so they used to let me hang out each week. When the new shows were coming in for dress rehearsal I got to sit in the middle of the orchestra during rehearsals. I got to hear the great arrangements from all of the different parts of the country like Stax

from Memphis or of course the Detroit Motown bands and arrangements. A lot of times when the Motown acts came in they would augment the Apollo orchestra with strings and of course each act had their own rhythm section that they traveled with. For instance Smokey Robinson and the Miracles had Marv Tauplin on guitar and The Temptations sometimes had Dennis Coffey show up. I just got to hear great music weekly.

I can tell you are very influenced by jazz because of the masterpieces you managed to secure working with many accomplished jazz artists, who crossed over into the disco era creating up-tempo versions of R&B Jazz. Who inspired you in the jazz world so you were able to cross-pollinate the chords, arrangements and complexities in years to come?

I like a variety of musical styles, so speaking about the greatest influences it’s hard to say. Are you familiar with Creed Taylor? (Fitzroy: “Of course Bob James and Grover Washington”) Ok, good so imagine I’m growing up as a teenager listening to Don Sabreski, Wes Montgomery and Stanley Turrentine. There’s a constant flow from that area and then there’s Joe Sample and Joe Zainwil from Weather Report. My brother introduced me to Steely Dan and my brother and I were into Jim Webb, Chicago and Blood Sweat and Tears. In addition with Motown I was buying so much of that but more interested in the writers and producers like Smokey Robinson or Dozier & Holland, Whitefield and Strong. I loved Stax with Isaac Hayes and Dave Porter. I was in a band and we were into Jimi Hendrix, so there are so many veins that my music blood runs through. I’ve often complained about being dubbed a specific type of producer. www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

Whilst being the vice president of A&R of Perception/Today Records, what caught your attention to Black Ivory featuring Leroy Burgess?

The background story is that whilst I was taking to Larry Newkirk on the phone and I heard a voice singing in the background and asked who it was. It was a group of four who were known as the Mellow Souls. The first time I met Leroy Burgess he was very serious about his music and he had unlimited potential. I recorded demos on the group, I managed and prepared them for almost year before I took them to the Perception label.

I saw that Thom Bell was working with a group called Odd And Ends on the Today Records label, which is why I went there. Today heard the demo and signed the group and once “Don’t Turn Around” became a hit I had free reign to do what I wanted at Today Records. Black Ivory’s first album’s growth was fostered by getting them involved in the songwriting and Leroy to do his first arrangements on the song “If I Could Be A Mirror”. This continued for many years working with Leroy and I’ve always tried to give him the right credits for what he’s done because it’s the right thing to do.

I traced back to a Julius Brockington “Sophisticated Funk” album in my collection from 1972, you producing his version of Aretha’s “Rock Steady”. All this was stuff you did before I discovered you in the late 1970’s. Again with “Bartel’s Boogie” what memories do you have of making those jazz soul tracks?

There was a man named Boo Fraizer, the vice president of Perception, he had worked before with Mercury Records, hiring Quincy Jones and managing Dizzy Gillespie. He had a similar vision to Jerry Greenberg at Atlantic in being creative. One of the mainstays of a successful label is to have an alternative catalogue other than your contemporary ones. So Perception signed acts like Astrud Gilberto, Dizzy Gillespie and Wanda Robinson. With Wanda we brainstormed and decided to get her to do her poetry on various Perception tracks and it was a brilliant concept.

Between 1976-1979 you worked with an emerging nucleus of underground talent that included Leroy Burgess, Peter Brown, Greg Carmichael, Norman Durham and Woody Cunningham (Kleeer), Donna McGhee, James Calloway, Venus Dodson, El Coco’s Michael Lewis, Christine Wiltshire, Jocelyn Shaw (Brown) and John Morales. Independent labels outfits like Universal Robot Band, Cloud One, Sine, Bumble Bee Unlimited, Dazzle and Phreek eventually became commissioned major label projects. You’d collaborate with established artists Herbie Mann, Art Webb, Tony Silvester, The KG’s and Musique. How did you manage that workload?

I was trying to establish myself as producer with credentials as once I left Today and Perception, between 1974 -76, I was mostly doing string and brass arrangements. I aligned myself with Tony Silvester of Main Ingredient because he was the hot producer of that period working with Ace Spectrum, Sister Sledge and Bloodstone on Atlantic Records. I was getting the arranging work but no producer work. Enter Greg Carmicheal who like me had Page 4 - Issue 61

quirky ideas and an adventurous attitude that resulted in the Bumble Bee concept that Greg paid for. The first record “I’m A Luv Bug” dumfounded the conventional listener with its quirkiness and this lead to a line of alternative music. At the same time I met Peter Brown whose more of a salesman and a promoter. His background allowed him to mix in the Dj and promotion circles quite easily. The Cloud One album was done over a weekend and out of frustration as part of my prolific work output. I was writing songs from habit at the age of 12 so this ethic was natural to me. P&P Records was one outlet and Red Greg was another. Due to the success of certain things I did in arranging, Atlantic showed me attention and I believe it was because of the “Low Rent Rendezvous” album by Ace Spectrum. Jerry Greenberg thought it was The Spinners and asked to meet with me when he discovered I arranged the track. My relationship with Atlantic Records was wonderful with Jerry Greenberg who had learnt form Jerry Wexler how to allow the passion of creative people to flourish.

Jerry Greenberg asked me to work with Herbie Mann in 1975 but Herbie turned that down.

I imagine once Herbie saw my name on a few albums he changed his mind. I’d never met Herbie until we worked in the studio on the “Super Mann” album. The fact that he walked into the studio on the say so of the powers that be, spoke volumes. I had the highest respect for Herbie Mann who was a respected international jazz artist and after he had his biggest hit with me, he told me face-to-face he loved my work but I was too expensive for him.

Herbie Mann’s “Super Mann” was an interesting concept with those lush orchestration strings. I also liked “Rock Freak” but my ultimate was “Stomp Your Feet”. What’s the story of covering Celi Bee’s “Superman” and again working with another renowned jazz artist Herbie Mann?

Having received the call from Jerry Greenberg, president of Atlantic Records to do the Herbie Mann album, I was extremely thrilled because I knew Warner Brothers was going to promote the album to coincide with the release of the Superman movie. However, the first day at the recording studio turned into a nightmare scenario. I found out that Meco Mernardo was across the hall also recording the Superman theme. Of course he already had the “Star Wars” hit under his belt and John Williams the composer sent him the actual score sheets from the movie. Additionally there were copyright restrictions that said I could not release a version of the Superman song. I was to wait two weeks until after the movie had been released and 3 weeks after John Williams released his original score album. I decided I was going to undercut everybody by recording the Celi Bee “Superman” song in which case Atlantic could release our record immediately.

This was ahead of John Williams, Meco and anybody else because being first gets you the hit. I remember when I first played my record for Jerry Greenberg, he had a fit because I was spending $100,000 on the album that had nothing to do with the movie song. Fortunately I was able to articulate my concerns to him and he understood the strategy that I set forth. He convinced the Warner Brothers bosses to buy into the concept. As a result we had a top 30 pop record and Meco never got out the gate.

How did you create the persona of Musique and do those two fantastic albums on Prelude?

(Patrick sniggers for about 45 seconds) Wow, I’ll try to stick to the meat of this story. I was working with Tony Silvester doing a record for Marvin Schlachter. This is quite an intriguing story. Are you familiar with the song “You To Me Are Everything” (Fitzroy: “By The Real Thing yes for sure, I want to hear this one so please carry on.”) Ok here’s an untold story. The producer of the record had made a handshake deal, with Louis Benjamin who was the chairman of Pye Records at the time. No one knew that “You To Me Are Everything” was going to do what it did. When it went to the top of the charts in the UK the producer, since he didn’t have ink to paper at the time, reneged on the deal, as he was suppose to give it to Pye worldwide. He recognised that he could jump on a plane, come to the United States and do a distribution deal just for the USA. At the time America were paying huge advances for hits from other countries. As it happened Marvin Schlachter was running ATV Records part of the Pye group in the United States, and he got a call from Louis Benjamin. Between them they realise that the producer is trying to screw them so they decided they would screw him over first. They recorded a version of the track and put it out in the United States with the two hottest producers and arrangers Tony Silvester and myself.

My experience in radio and TV commercials qualified me to put together a recording session in a two to three day period. The plan was that by the time the producer flew to the USA, we’d already have the record out and on the radio and no one would want his version. The group was Broadway, remember earlier you asked me about their song “X15”? Well the other side of that was “You To Me Are Everything” (Fitzroy: “Really? As on the promo it’s Silk?”). At the time we needed a B-side so that’s why I did the “X15” track which was a studio track.

So let me get this right. The Real Thing from Liverpool in the UK’s “You To Me Are Everything” tops the charts in the UK. The producer of that reneged on a handshake deal with Pye and tries to do a distribution deal in America. ATV and Pye bosses between them contact Tony Silvester who brings you in to remake “You To Me Are Everything” to screw over the UK producers deal, and the B side of that is why “X15” the first Prelude 12 is created?

YES! “X15” was a throwaway record as an extra track from the recording session as I had the musicians there already anyway. (Fitzroy: “Oh, I see you make me want to hear the version you did.”). Oh, it’s magnificent it sounds, for the initiated ear so you wouldn’t be able to hear the difference. Marvin Schlachter used to work at Specter Wand records and knew how to get a record mastered and pressed within two days. I’m telling you, before the producer got to America, that record was on the radio and no one was interested in his deal. (Fitzroy: “Wow!”) The reason why that’s important is that prior to that, Tony Silvester, who was good friends of Gamble & Huff, became aware that the Jackson 5 was leaving Motown and going to sign with Philly International. So Tony asked me if I had any music for any artists and he took the music to Philly, getting a response that we were going to do stuff with The Jackson 5. I said great, “When do we get a contract?”

Tony said we didn’t need a contract, that he was the producer so it was just for me to arrange it. Now there is a moment in a relationship when ones insensitivity has an affect on the other person. Up until that moment he had said that I was the most loyal person in the world. On the day of

the recording session Tony Silvester was home whilst I was arranging the rhythm track, the strings the horns. Despite any opinion, I am a producer.

About midday Marvin Schlachter and Stan Hoffman come to the studio and said they liked what they were hearing and asked for Tony. Now the loyal sidekick would cover his back and say he’s out of the session for a while for lunch or something. But in a moment of righteous indignation I told them that he was at home in bed. I had no bad feelings about saying that, because it was true. During a break in the session Marvin Schlachter and Stan Hoffman asked me to come and see them in the office. I go to the office they tell me they are funding a new label to make disco records and I told them that I could do that. Picture that!, There were only a handful of people that could do big orchestrations and being 28 years old at the time, I wasn’t recognised as a young black guy conducting strings for tracks that sound like a million dollars. During the meeting they said they wanted a female group and asked me what it would cost, and I gave them a low ball figure. It’s why there are only three songs on the album because I couldn’t afford to cut more, hence “Summer Love Theme” is the fourth song on a 30-minute album. I also sold Marv the idea to do a synthesiser album which became the Sine album. On all my albums I wanted to provide a variety of material, fast or slow.

They pulled out a cheque book and asked me when we could do the album and what it would it be called. I flippantly told them two weeks and said the group was called Musique. At the time I was at the height of my frustration as a creative person. Everyone wanted to do my songs and for me to come to do the arrangements. With the amount of work I did, I really was the producer but others were getting the credit for my work. Arrangers do not get points although they are well paid but the producer gets the royalties. So I let all my frustrations out and to this day I don’t know where some of that comes from but it’s wonderful.

I remember when “In The Bush” came out.(Patrick laughs) This is a true story. I called my girlfriend Sandra Cooper which helped inspire that. My original concept was to call it “To The Bush” as there was a dance club called Bush Gardens and my older brothers would chant ‘We’re going to the bush’. One day a background vocalist mispronounced and said ‘Push To The Bush’ and in my prime of being a sexual being it inevitably became into ‘Push In The Bush’. One Saturday night I was talking to my girlfriend Sandy on the phone and she’s being enticing. I asked her what she’s wearing and she was describing that but adds “are you ready, are you ready for this, do you like it, do you like it, like this?” and that’s where it came from.

What made you choose Jocelyn Brown to sing “Caught Up In A One Night Love Affair”?

I didn’t. Greg Carmichael did. All throughout my life I’ve been trying to start Patrick Adams own record label and at every opportunity some one messes that up or I allow that opportunity to slip out of my hands. Norbert Sloley who was the bass player in our community introduced me to Terri Gonzales.

I was immediately struck by her beauty and very sweet voice. Now I’m not a predatory person unlike some who have relationships with their artists festering the casting couch rumours in the industry. I don’t sleep with singers I’m working with because you lose authority and control, so I make sure there is no liaison and I separate sex from business. However I’m a human being and a man, and something that will turn you on is a beautiful www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

woman who can sing. So how do you deal with you being enamoured with that person? Well I beat myself up and write a song. It’s an interesting mental state to be in and if you can turn that into a song, that is a goldmine.

So “Caught Up In A One Night Love Affair” is one of those moments. I wrote it in one afternoon, but if you look at the credits it says Terri Gonzalez and Patrick Adams. I did most of the rhythm section myself, playing the drums and bass, and Stan Lucas did the guitar. I did the string and horns the next day and I called Terry into the studio. The lines “I’m gonna warm you for a while, I’m gonna play with you in style” were ad-libs, as I didn’t write them.

I was working with Eddie Kendricks who was on Arista at the time and I took the tape of “Caught Up” to Clive Davis’s office, and left it on the desk for Clive after the meeting for him to listen to. There’s a man called Vernon Gibbs who was doing A&R at Arista, and he saw Terri Gonzalez’s name on the tape. He slipped the tape off the desk and presented it to Clive Davis the next day, as though he’d discovered the artist Terri Gonzales and the song. I got a call from Terri saying Clive Davis is interested in signing her to Arista even though I’ve already signed her to a contract and given her a cash advance. Terri said she wanted Vernon to be her producer at Arista.

I released her from the contract and told her to keep the advance but told her that she’s was not doing my song. At the time, I was moving at light speed working on Eddie Kendricks, Jerry Greenberg at Atlantic wanted me to meet with The Spinners in Detroit and I had the Candy Staton project too. So “Caught Up” was a dead issue to me sitting on a shelf until Greg Carmichael heard it and flipped out. He asked if he could do a demo of it using Debbie Hayes and she is a monster talent. One day, whilst I’m crazy running around doing all these projects, I turn on the radio and hear “Caught Up” with Jocelyn Brown singing it! Needless to say I was shocked.

It wasn’t the first time Greg had done this to me, as he mastered Universal Robot Band’s “Dance And Shake Your Tambourine” off a cassette. (Fitzroy: “Yeah I’ve heard that about from John Morales”). As strange as it sounds Greg Carmichael is my true friend and although some of what he’s done may not seem ethical between friends, in the long run I’ve always made money working with Greg and we can sit down and speak about politics.

My problem then was that the song was being played on the radio and was wanted by everyone. Greg pressed the record on his label TCT and sold 30,000 in one week. Cory Robbins who started Profile had a label called Panorama and he offered me $12,500 for the single, which was a lot of money. Marv Schlachter asked me why I didn’t offer it to him and offered Page 6 - Issue 61

me $17,500 for the track, so then I had a dilemma. If I killed the record by taking it off the radio with what Greg had achieved, the record would have flopped. Marv asked whether myself or Greg owned the record and decided that whoever brought the 24-track master of the record to him would get the cheque, and I had it. Greg is not my enemy so I included Greg in the negotiations and that’s how we got the album deal, hence Greg produces the rest of the first Inner Life album. This is the answer to your question as to why my tracks end up on different albums with alternative versions, it’s because Greg would have the tapes and use a different artist. However Greg would use the same rhythm track which is unethical really.

I discovered another chameleon guise of yours that slipped under the radar.

How did you manage to write and produce two songs “Super Casanova” and “Love Clone” for Kenny Everett’s outrageous TV show dance troupe Hot Gossip featuring a young Sarah Brightman?

This was around Christmas 1978 when Atlantic Records and I were in a torrid love affair. I had worked with some of their main disco acts, Phreek (Patrick Adams Presents Phreek), Narada Michael Walden (Awakening) and Herbie Mann (Super Mann.) Now there are gifts and then there are ‘gifts’. I always enjoyed Jerry Greenberg’s (Atlantic Records President), sense of humour.

Thus I wasn’t surprised to receive a full luggage set, a monogrammed Atlantic Records baseball jacket and an envelope with round trip plane tickets to London. I was to fly over to meet Arlene Phillip’s dance troupe Hot Gossip. I never got the full story, but I was told it involved Bianca Jagger hearing “Push Push In The Bush” at Studio 54, and telling Arlene that the guy who made this record should produce Hot Gossip although I cannot verify that. In March 1979, the group flew to America and we recorded their album with Sarah doing most of the leads. This included “Super Casanova” and “Love Clone” which appears in the Joan Collins movie “The World Is Full OfMarried Men”. Thus I had the privilege of recording a young Sarah Brightman with the group Hot Gossip and in time she would marry Andrew Lloyd Webber and become “First Lady of the London Stage.”

Thank you Patrick for enlightening me.

(Part 1 of 2 – Part 2 will be in a future issue of the magazine.)

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New Year. I’ll see you in 201 per form for us mere mor tals Page 8 - Issue 61

www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

“ I was told that President Carter asked for a selection of artists including me to perform for him. I’m thinking the President doesn’t know about “Shame” but oh yes he did and when we spoke he whispered in my ear “I just love that song”.

Fitzroy interviews

EVELYN KING Bubbles by nickname and bubbly by nature Evelyn “Champagne” King was in the right place at the right time to be discovered, doing the most menial task, a then 14-year-old teenage girl helping out her family. She has gone on to work with a few prolific producers and create a host of iconic 1970’s-1980’s hits with a dynamic vocal range. Overcoming some of life’s hurdles Evelyn is still smiling and performing 40 years later. Ahead of her dates in Bristol and London this December, it would have been a “Shame” not to catch up with her.0 Page 10 - Issue 61

How was life growing up in the Bronx and Philadelphia in the early 1960’s and early 1970’s and who and what influenced you musically?

middle of my original name Evelyn King named after my grandmother on my fathers side.

I was 5 years old when I lived in the Bronx, New York until we moved to Philadelphia and I remember having a great time around my parents and family. I went to public school in the Bronx and saw a world of different cultured people in New York City. As a little girl I was always bubbly and wanted to sing, dance act or be a Dj, but to be a singer more than anything.

Then I went to Philadelphia and attended West Philly High, where I was in a local band at around 14 years old. Someone heard me singing and I became part of a band called Mirage that later changed its name to Volume One out of south Philly. (Fitzroy: “Didn’t you at some point want to be a comedian?”)

No, but my mother thought I could be a good comedian. Once I broke out of being shy I always made my parents laugh with my bubbly personality and I use that in my performances too.

I have a deep passion for “Shame” with itsinfectious bee sting Rhodes stab and guitar lick. What was your initial reaction when you heard it, and how was that chemistry working with T Life and Instant Funk?

How do you recall the story of Theodore Life aka T Life overhearing you singing “A Change Is Gonna Come” whilst you were aged 14 mopping the floor of the PIR studios?

I’m only 4 years younger than you so when that song came out, I remember it well. The success of that is folk law history but I cannot explain how the follow up single “I Don’t Know If It’s Right” touches me. The lyrics are the kind of sentiment that you would hear in a ballad but executed brilliantly, especially with your ad-libs on the 12-inch version. You sing in a high and low key on this so how did you adjust to singing that song, and were the ad-libs from the original take or did you go back to the studio to add them?

Yes, oh my goodness. I just recently lost my eldest sister Wanda King who I miss, (Fitzroy “Sorry to hear that.”) and my discovery was due to the fact that I replaced her, whilst she was too ill one day to work with my mom.

My father worked in maintenance and my mother did cleaning at Philly International Studio and Sigma Sounds also. Whilst cleaning I was singing Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come “ in the mens room, and as I’m hoovering in the hallway a tall dark handsome man comes walking out, just like a Cinderella story (Evelyn laughs). He wanted to know if I heard anyone singing and before I answered I’m thinking “Where did you come from and who are you?” I acted like I didn’t know what he was talking about. He went away and must have found my mother on the other side of the building, and he clearly spoke to her because he came back and approached me. He told me he’d make me a star and I’m thinking yeah right, and now here I am 40 years later. T Life, John Fitch and Rueben Cross the writers were a God send for my career.

Didn’t T Life try to get you contracted with Gamble & Huff but they didn’t want to take you on?

Yeah T Life told me later on that it wasn’t me personally but the company didn’t want to take on someone that young. My father had always been playing tape recordings of my singing to Gamble & Huff for a long time but I was still young. They did wish later that they had me on their label.

When T Life’s contract with Gamble & Huff ended in 1975 and he focused on getting you a record deal with RCA, what process took place in moulding you to make your first album “Smooth Talk” and explain how your nickname Bubbles influenced the inclusion of Champagne to your stage name?

Well, T Life was still contracted to them when he met me and working as a guitarist with many projects, but he also had his own production company and I was his first artist. Then he took me to RCA. Nancy Jeffries and Warren Schatz agreed that I had what it took at the time to be on their label. T Life, my mom and my dad were discussing a stage name for me. Bubbles was my nickname but myself and my mom thought it sounded like I was a stripper. We were looking for something that sounded mature so we stuck Champagne in the

The producer was T Life and Instant Funk played the music. We started touring very quickly showcasing the song and I thought the song was cute. As a kid my main thing was, wow I’m singing. The melody was cool.

I listened to many songs growing up, as my dad used to sing as a stand in for the Heartones, and he choreographed Buddy Holly. I’d listen to the, melodies of standard classic singers like Ella Fitzgerald, Nina Simone and Linda Jones. My dad was a little sensitive about the lyrics of “Shame” because he thought I was too young to know what I’m singing about.

They were all taken from the original take. I’m most proud of the fact that once they told me to go in the studio I could cut a song in one or two takes.

As a young girl it was that simple for me. They were high notes to sing and I just sang from the gut.

“The Show Is Over” is a song which showcases your ballad prowess and something your father thought was a major strength of yours. Again another emotive song for someone so young to sing maturely, so how big was it for you as Ice Cube sampled it years later for “This Is How We Do?” I loved everything I’ve done and am not one to say I have a favourite.

There was something in my heart as a youngster that allowed me to sing those songs even though they were older lyrically for me. I was in love with the process of telling a story like reading a book to a child. So that’s the equivalent of me singing my words to a grown up with the live musicians, with the structure of real music, with orchestration and production.

You and Kashif ironically both met President Carter, how did that happen for you?

Ah I was so proud of that moment and I pray for him right now because he’s not well. He was so nice. I was told that President Carter asked for a selection of artists including me to perform for him. I’m thinking the President doesn’t know about “Shame” but oh yes he did! When I met him he rolled up his sleeves and was partying with his daughter, and when we spoke he whispered in my ear “I just love that song”.

It was so amazing to me. I also met one of my idols Patti Labelle in the ladies room of the White House and also Barry White although not in the ladies, I may add! (Evelyn laughs).

If you think about it with “Shame”, you had a big Philly conglomerate behind you with T Life and Instant Funk, but it wasn’t a traditional Philly sound. Coming to the 1980’s you start working with Kashif after seeking a new direction after T Life. Now after speaking with Kashif he remembers you whilst he was with www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

B.T. Express, but when you met him and Paul Laurence what were your thoughts on their sound?

I thought it was up to date and I knew that the young kids would connect to that. Kashif knew what to do with the synthesiser sounds, bass line and the production, and he was right on the button. What a producer does is listen to what other producers do and at the same time they see and hear what happens in the clubs. We ended up having a hit with “I’m In Love” and several others “Get Loose” and “Love Come Down”. With Paul Laurence and Kashif their sound was funky so I’d get onstage and drop it like its hot.

For someone of your age at the time you have quite a deep alto octave as well the high one. Kashif said they were trying to get your mature sound to appeal to the younger audience by making you sing higher. He said at first you were unsure but he knew you could do it and it achieved great results. He and Paul certainly knew how to push the boundaries and were quite aware of what Leon Sylvers was doing, who you’d later work with.

Yes, as producers they were certainly aware of each other and be it Paul and Kashif or Leon Sylvers, they always knew how to compliment my vocals. When Paul and Kashif were brought to me I felt I could work with them. With me, depending on the song, I could make it a number one hit or something in the middle, so I’m proud of the sound that Kashif and Paul had created for me to sing.

You also had Willie Lester and Rodney Brown who’d worked with Sharon Redd and Gayle Adams on Prelude produce “Waiting For You”sampled later by Angie Stone for “I Aint Hearing You”.

There were so many people involved in the success of my songs like Morrie Brown, Foster Sylvers and John Morales.

You also worked with Dave Wolinski of Rufus on the song that started your discovery “A Change Is Gonna Come.”

Yes he did that in a rock form to make it different because he believed I was versatile. He was right on that but the audience didn’t accept it, but I liked it. I wanted to put it on an album my way and to make it my own.

You’re working with Cheryl Lynn in December and you both have similar paths in terms of the disco production to the moog productions. This transcends to another level on “Your Personal Touch” which reminds me of a miss mash of Jocelyn Brown’s “Somebody Else’s Guy”, Jenny Burtons “Bad Habit” and Barbara Pennington’s “Fan The Flame”. Not afraid of the electro pop either you do “I’m So Romantic” with The System.

I loved that and they are adorable, it was great working with them. Firstly I’m looking forward to working with Cheryl, who is a friend and that’s something that doesn’t always happen in this business. Especially with females who are used to competing with each other, back in the day which I always felt that was unfair because we all have our own styles performing on the same stage. It’s going to be a lot of fun working with Cheryl and I’m so excited. She still has a powerful voice to this day.

I saw you a few years ago at the Indigo2 for the first time doing all your classics Page 12 - Issue 61

but I’m going to ask if you get a chance can you do “Day To Day” from 1988 mixed by Marshal Jefferson. Do you ever perform that live?

No, it’s one of the songs that I don’t get to perform live as they want me to do all the familiar classic like “I Don’t Know If It’s Right”, “Betcha She Don’t Love You”, “Shame”, “I’m In Love” and “Love Come Down”. When you don’t have the song they request on a backing track some get upset but I sing the song accapella.

That’s exactly what Jean Carne does also taking requests so it’s good to know you do it also.

Some people can’t do that because they no longer sing that well or remember the words. It’s so much fun when I travel doing these songs but the audience have to remember that it takes time to rehearse. My husband Freddie of 25 years is my music director, and it would take so much time working with a band when your also travelling between shows, to have all the songs they request. So the accapella thing is the alternative solution.

Do you do “Spirit Of The Dancer”?

I do not sing “Spirit Of The Dancer” live but oh my God that is a danceable song. The music in that makes you want to stay in the disco clubs and dance all night long.

I know you have had some tragedies in your life but talking to you, you wouldn’t know it because you’re so positive.

I have to stay upbeat because for example after just losing my sister I have other siblings counting on me. I have to stay strong for my family and my husband, who in turn give me the support and also my fans. Because my family in heaven only know of Evelyn on stage and I can’t let them down. I go through this every day but when I’m alone, I go into corners and cry but I also have too much to live for.

You’re so bubbly and we are speaking first thing in the morning!

Well, my mother made me that way and after losing her in 1997, my brother in 1974 and in 1989 my child aged two, I have to realise that as traumatic as it is, I continue to do what I do for them. Sometimes the audience do not realise what one goes through but we are human too.

I will see you in December because fortunately I’m one of the Dj’s on the night, (Evelyn: “Oh excellent!”) Did you say you have a new record out?

Yes, it’s called “Dance All Nite” available on ITunes and CD Baby and my brother Johnny King is the writer producer arranger and did everything including playing the music. He’s got a CD out called “All About Me”.

So he’s an original one-man band?

Yes, he is and I’m working with Marsha Wash and Linda Clifford as The First Ladies Of Disco, our song is called “Show Some Love.”

Oh, excellent, thanks for your time Evelyn.

Thank you Fitzroy see you in December.

www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

By Soul Survivor David Moran

10 !

Word Up Across 1 Feeling ‘optimistic’ that this band can ‘go all the way’ (6,2,9) 10 “_ _ Girl” I’d be in trouble if you left me now! (2) 11 Ms Grayson; Bobby Womack’s Mary Hippie (9) 14 Alfredo De La Fe’s pacy latino classic with sex appeal (3,2,4) 15 “She Used _ _ Be My Girl”, the O’Jays bemoaned (2) 16 My thrills and pills, but you dropped ‘this’ Uncle Charlie bemoaned! (1,4,2,2) 19 Spinners’ lady who was sweeter than cotton candy and stronger than papa’s old brandy (5) 21 Luther’s love was _ _ amazing (2) 22 Smokey enjoyed going to one of these (2,2) 24 “Who’s Zooming _ _ _”? Aretha questioned (3) 25 Mr ‘chocolate salty balls’ Hayes (5) 28 “The Things” Freddie King “_ _ _ _ _ _ Do” (4,2) 30 “Nothing Ventured, Nothing ......”, risked Clarence Carter (6) 31 Hiphopper Rakim’s best bud (4,1 33 Mr mixer Moulton (3) 35 Kenny Gamble, Leon Huff and Tom Bell’s incredible sound initially (1,1,1,1) 36 You’re never gonna get this _ _Vogue clue (2) 38 Smooth saxophonist Sanborn (5) 40 Thelma Houston implored “_ _ _’_ _ _ _ _ _” Me This Way” (4,5) 43 Compton rapper taught us about “Thuggin” (2) 44 Vesta Williams warned “Don’t _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Thing” (4,1,4) 45 This ‘moonlighting’ jazz artist is ‘so good’... (2,7) 48 “_ _ I Do” asked Stevie (2) 49 ...while Ann Peebles warned “I’m Gonna Tear.......................” (4,9,4)

Down 1 Johnny Taylor’s woman had a little panache (13,4) 2 The Intruders wanted to be together (6) 3 “I _ _ _ _ _ _ You”, Bobby Thurston assured us (2,4) 4 The Cairos’ Twisted Wheel unnoticed favourite “Stop _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Me” (11) 5 The Salsoul Orchestra told us to get on with it; “Don’t..........”

(4,6,3,4) 6 Blaque don’t need no fancy cars or diamond rings but still want you to “Bring It _ _ _ _ _ Me” (3,2) 7 First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate and get in da Funkadelic’s vehicle (3) 8 Preacher man’s offspring that reached Dusty (3) 9 The Jacksons did this ‘to the ground’ (5,4,4,4) 12 Hey Girl Don’t Bother Me, just Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy advised this Atlanta group (4) 13 Archie Bell bemoaned about walking alone; “Here _ _ _ Again” (1,2) 17 See Gill Scott Heron over there runnin’ scared, he’s living in one. (6) 18 This Edition gave us Candy Girl (3) 20 “One _ _ _ Million Girl” serenaded Larry Graham (2,1) 23 Brothers Johnson crooned, ‘Of all these things there lies a tie, Makes me feel that it’s worth a try,’ “I’ll...........” (2,4,2,3 26 Stevie classic (2) 27 The Shirelles, Dixie Cups and Crystals were all going here to get married (6) 29 A lot of tension for these British Hustlers (2) 32 R Kelly label (1,1,1)

Page 14 - Issue 61

Answers will be posted on The Soul Survivor’s Facebook page

speak to Fitzroy

Marc Mac

Page 16 - Issue 61

“It’s an honor for Louie to credit us so highly for doing the “Black Gold” mix.

When Gus took the final mix of “Black Gold Of The Sun” down to Talking Loud, both Paul Martin and Gilles Peterson had tears in their eyes upon hearing it. “

Straight out of Harlesden this pioneer followed in the footsteps of some of his predecessor innovating producers, a young Marc Mac learnt the school of musical hard-knocks more than Jay Z’s hip-hop classic. Undeterred he persevered and has become one of the most respected producers on the planet with other established illuminate singing his praises. Self preservation of his belief for real music sees his record label celebrate 25 years as an independent label, recognised universally for the unique British born and bred productions with some Jamaican roots and culture thrown in. Marc Mac shares his visionary mind with me!

What was it like growing up in a Jamaican household and what did you soak up musically up until your teens?

I found out over the years that my story is similar to so many other people from a West Indian background. Both my parents are Jamaican and growing up in Harlesden you felt you were part of a community. I was born in 1968 so my childhood was part of that generation where we needed to stick together for all sorts of protective and financial reasons.

Musically I grew up with reggae music but my Mum had a lot of family in America so she got into Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Percy Sledge and that Atlantic soul sound. My Dad loved Marley, Marvin and Al Green. When my parents played tunes, it was a case of your turn, my turn, selecting and playing music on the stereogram. I’d hear anything from Isley Brothers to Bob Marley and more roots and radical stuff like Culture and Burning Spear from my Dad. At the same time being black British you’re influenced by what you hear at school from your peers also, so punk, two-tone, The Specials and that all had reggae foundations, so it was easy to get into. I consider myself lucky coming through a Jamaican household listening to music, as you get bombarded with all these different roots of Jamaican music that span into so many different things. Bob Marley would be in the studio with Mick Jagger and the Sex Pistols getting into “Punky Reggae Party” and I felt this gave me a passport, access to get into any music. As a teenager I got into hip-hop when a friend came back from New York with a distorted tape from a jam in a park. It was crazy listening to the drum machines, Mc’s and Dj’s but again it still had that Jamaican sound system sub culture.

I’m sure Jim Reeves is in there too? (Marc “Up until now I can’t understand why, but he was definitely in there”). So getting into hip-hop, were you part of a dance crew?

No I was the soundman and from a technical point of view I was building the speakers to play the music so mainly on that side of the dance floor. We had two sounds Solar Zone and Midnight Lovers. Solar Zone was more of the 80’s electric drum machine, soul mixing and blending, SOS Band and Viola Wills kind of sounds, very similar to what Rappattack would do but not as good (Marc laughs). Then it evolved into the ‘two step soul’ thing where Dego and Ian joined and we became Midnight Lovers Sound. We played with other sound systems, Crystal Cut, Syndicate, and Just Good Friends from the east side of London. We were still very young as I’m talking 1984, 85 and 86, so much so that none of us had a driving licence. I remember at 5am wheeling in trolleys full of speakers to the youth centre about a mile from my house, we were kids playing at big peoples dances.

You mention this is where you meet Gus and Dego and there’s a link with Strong Island radio station. What made you decide upon the name 4hero?

Despite what it looks like, it wasn’t just because there were four of us, four is a very lucky number for me. I was in the studio with a pile of records in front of me and one that stood out was African Bambataa and Soul Sonic Force’s “Renegades Of Funk” with cartoon superhero characters drawn on

the front. I didn’t want it to be 4hero with ‘es’ but more like how you’d look at the word ‘Fantastic4’ and think it looks cool. I met Ian and Gus at college, Dego joined later when I started Strong Island Radio.

So, what sort of music where you playing on Strong Island?

Myself Ian, Gus and Dego were playing rare grooves funk and breaks but the station itself was quite progressive so hip-hop and acid was being played too.

How did you then evolve to making music and starting Reinforced Records?

What connected us guys was that we all studied electronic and early computer technology at college. During that course we would also build equalizers and amplifiers for the sound system. Electronics was the driving force that got me into drum machines and music technology, one of the older students knew how to build transmitters for pirate radio stations.

We recruited him and that’s how we started the radio station. It’s all an electronic connection from college, which fed the sound system, the radio station and experimenting with drum machines. The first time we made a track together was from making a jingle for the radio station. We messed around with the keyboards and drum machines creating a three minute jingle. We closed down the radio station falling for the DTI unfulfilled promise of giving licenses to pirate radio stations, so we progressed further into production. Gus was working with ‘Trouble Rap’ who was signed to Tim Westwood’s label doing drum programming. There was a frustration within the British hip-hop community who were making tunes, which were getting shelved, so I decided to do something that was anti that. I didn’t want to just make hip-hop so it had to be an amalgamation of music. As a fight back of what was happening at the time, I didn’t want to sign to a major label but wanted the control of selling the music myself. The first Reinforced Record was made basically by us playing around with sampling from the records I had at Gus’s house in Kentish Town and experimenting with drum machine programming. “Rising Son” a hip-house rhythm with samples was created in the summer 25 years ago and sampled the drum break from the movie soundtrack “Shaft In Africa” which gave it a jungle feel, before the term jungle was coined as a phrase, and we sold 700 at first out of the back of a car. The next track was “Mr Kirk’s Nightmare” it sold 500 first press, then 1000 second press. The pagers were going off, the shops wanted more copies, we didn’t understand the business, and wasn’t interested in the SOR (sale or returns) system. We were dealing with this on a street level, cash upfront and not any ‘pay you next week business’, so it was looking good.

Pacific Records a distributer wanted to put “Mr Kirk’s Nightmare” out, so after some ummin’ and arrin’ we felt we needed some kind of institution involvement, but still being able to retain our independence. It flew off the shelves selling 17,000 in a few weeks and it would have sold more.

The first cheque was actually written out for £26,000 and as kids we were thinking… ‘Yes we’re rich’. The cheque never cleared. Pacific went bust and we never got paid a penny. (Fitzroy: Wow!). It was a harsh reality check and we contemplated whether to continue or just get regular 9 to 5 jobs. www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

“Mr Kirk’s Nightmare” sampled the Extra T’s “ET Boogie” and I loved the way that was used.

Yeah myself and Gus produced that, it was a melting pot of what we liked with the Isley Brother’s, JB and Sly & The Family Stone breaks in the track. After many meetings we decided to carry on as the industry knew about the label, and although we didn’t get paid we had good chart positions. Not only did we not get paid but also we were handed an unpaid bill of £9000 from the pressing plant. So in order to pay the bill, we went back into the studio to create “In Rough Territory”, which sonically reflected where we were within the industry.

We made enough to pay off the bill and make a little profit. This was the very early days of Reinforced Records 1990-1991. A lot of people said the music industry had died because a lot of companies were closing down and going bust.

You are credited as being one of the pioneers of that sound so who else was doing similar things?

were picking up on these hardcore and drum and bass sounds from the UK as imports. 20 years later some of those influential Dj’s get in touch and tell us they picked up various releases from our Reinforced titles.

Listening to things like Maxi Anderson’s “Lover to Lover” sample on “Maximum Styles” to Lectivus “The Burial” suing Foxy’s “Mademoiselle” were so evolutionary.

Back then, when myself, Ian and Dego were raving, if for example hip-hop acts like Mantronix, Ultramagnetics or De La Soul were performing in town, we’d be at Dingwalls or wherever. Then we’d go raving in a field listening to acid and to end the night, we’d go to some broken down house in East London, listening to two-step soul until 6-7am in the morning. That’s how we came up with jungle things like our track “Maximum Styles” by Tom & Jerry. We’re now actually living out our experience but on wax, feeling that the two step needed to be in there with the hip-hop and rave influences. It’s a total reflection of our way of life and how we grew up with all the melted musical influences.

It’s difficult to say if there was one particular person as an originator. What we were doing at the time was a freestyle formula which incorporated house, reggae and breaks, this was the Biology and Energy rave scene days. Music from Detroit, hip-hop, electro and funk, you name it and we were influenced by it. When talking about real hardcore and jungle I’d have to say Shut Up & Dance, DJ Hype, the Blapps Posse, Tam Tam Records, Warp and Bassic Records from up north were influential. The north was more influenced by deeper house, dub and bleeps but the breaks were coming from London. I used to go to raves wondering how long I’d have to wait to hear some breakbeats, as up north was definitely more four to the floor. Our sound was like a sub mixture of the rare groove, reggae, soul and the American influences in London. We were shunned by many Dj’s at the time who didn’t like what we were doing. UK soul and acid jazz was very popular and to be honest I could understand the dislike at the time, because I even had family telling me I was making foolishness, (Marc laughs) a typical Jamaican attitude. 25 years later some of these same people are dancing to it now going down to the gym and jumping to jungle, listening to TV programs now and their kids and grandkids are hearing it regularly all over the TV. We were getting slated in the music press, so it was a very interesting time.

Your second album “Parallel Universe” is voted album of the year by NME in 1995 and a year later you remix Nu Yorican Soul’s cover of “Black Gold Of The Sun”. Louie Vega says it’s one of the best remixes he’s ever heard. I’ve got the Rotary Connection original and loved what you did with it as a cross-pollinated balanced production of digital and analogue menagerie. What you achieved there is what Charles Stepney and The Mizell Brothers display on their amazing productions. That is why I cited you as one of 6 influential musician producers for Sky TV’s Culture Vulture Black History month special last year.

If you think about the Public Enemy song “Bring The Noise” the opening line is “Too Black Too Strong” (Marc: “You’re absolutely right and I remember people saying that Public Enemy’s music was just noise as well.”) Exactly, I remember Hank Shocklee explaining that the whole group would press the drum machines full of different samples, all at the same time and that’s how they made “Rebel Without A Pause”. Hip-hop was already sampling like, “The Godfather” from Spoony G and Eric B & Rakim, “I Know You Got Soul”, but you flipped the script doing things your own way back then in 1991 and people are only recognising it when Kanye West makes “Through The Wire” a whole decade after.

“Hold It Down” is Dego’s baby. I guess it grew from the connection with the broken beat scene. We knew Orin (Afronaught) because he’d pass through the studio we had in Dollis Hill. MarkForce, Seiji and Nubian Minds were making records on Reinforced, Kaidi Tatham was the main man behind the keyboards in that scene and we met him through IG Culture who Dego started working with. There was a quite a large pocket of people pioneering this new “broken beat” sound, and we managed to cross pollinate together, coming from the same era and area of London. Although “Hold It Down” wasn’t technically a broken beat track the remix by Bugz In The Attic was a monster broken beat track and became an anthem. I don’t know how much credit 4hero can take as being heads of that scene but people saw us at the forefront of it coming off the back of a successful album on Talkin’ Loud I guess. What IG and those guys were doing was happening simultaneously, but independently to what we had at Reinforced in the late 90’s. All credit

It’s true what your saying there as when I hear people taking about innovators of hip-hop, I hear techniques that we are employing in the early 1990’s. A lot of the music fans and Dj’s that attended college in the USA Page 18 - Issue 61

I’ve never thought of it like that but now I can understand exactly what you’re saying. At the time with Rotary Connection there was this thing of them interlocking soul with psychedelic music, and behind the scenes there was a pending thought of how to merge the two together. The Mizell Brothers were also trying to incorporate the synthesizers with jazz and I’ve read some artists like Johnny Hammond didn’t like what they were trying to achieve. So yes, I can relate to having a battle bringing the electronic sound and sampling through intertwining with what people perceived as soul and jazz traditionally and presenting it in a new way.

In 1998 you achieved a triple whammy, getting signed to Talking Loud, a Mercury nomination and starting your “R Solutions” show on Kiss FM. My first introduction to 4hero was “Hold It Down”on another London hybrid sound of a broken beat production. So within this evolution I’m more familiar with the 4Hero sound so explain that migration.

for what they were doing and it was I guess great timing that we managed to work together.

What’s good is that out of our West London manor towards the latter 1990’s both yourself and IG started working with live musicians and respected vocalists. IG had his version of Guru’s Jazzamtaz Da Steppaz merging jazz and hip-hop using artists like Dominic Glover and Dennis Rollins. Your production sound now embraces genres and different tempos’ beyond the drum and bass and it finds you working with vocalist’s Jill Scott, Ursula Rucker Shaun Escoffrey and Bembe Segue. So how does all this happen coming out of a little studio in Dollis Hill?

I understand where you’re going, Ultranate, Mark Murphy, Juan Atkins, Terry Callier and Roy Ayers, I guess there’s something in the music that draws you in. Like I said influences like Al Green, Mizell’s and Charles Stepney seem to come through our sound, but we had to prove that we were genuine. At Talkin’ Loud we had the opportunity to show and prove ourselves and what we did was to spend our budgets on recording as opposed to living large by not buying cars and all those super star expenses, that others chose to spend part of their budgets on. I would read credits on the back of my favorite albums. I remember reading Leroy Hutson’s albums sleeve notes and seeing ‘Arp Odyssey and Strings’ and I noted Richard Evans and The Mizell brothers had a specific sound, it made me want to create my own sound. When we built the studio we made sure that the walls were at certain angles so we could deflect sound because I wanted to perfect that sound that was in my

head, I went and sourced a particular drum kit. I feel sorry for the kids that can’t read the credit off the back of an mp3 like we could off the albums (Marc laughs). You need to do your homework on sound. Our album ‘Two Pages’ was about doing our homework and perfecting our sound. We would seek out fresh artists to collaborate with like Ursula Rucker who I heard performing on The Roots record. I was always into that afro centric spoken word vibe from Wanda Robinson in the 1970‘s. Dego contacted Ursula in Philadelphia through King Britt who was a fan of the Reinforced stuff we did and we managed to get her to fit in with our sound and that’s what a good producer should do. We love and appreciate the artist for what they do but they have to come into the 4hero world. I figure that’s why I don’t work on “other peoples” records so much because I feel I’m so much better at producing my own. The unique voice of Ike Obiamiwe who did “Cosmic Tree”, jazz saxophonist Chris Bowden, Luke Parkhouse, Andy Hamil and a host of strings players were brought in to realize our sound. That helped to make our mark and gain the respect from cats like Jazzy Jeff who introduced us to Jill Scott and then those connections lead on to others. We did the Montrose Jazz Festival and exchanged details with Terry Callier, who one day got on a train by himself with his guitar on his back and knocked randomly on our Dollis Hill studio door to record tracks that went on both our albums. That gravitational pull helped us work with people we revered as youngsters. How do I manage to remix my all time favorite record “Black Gold Of The Sun” I had no idea that would ever happen but when the opportunity landed I had to do this correctly because the original was already an exceptional production. So I had to make it ‘future proof’.

www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

How long did you take to make those two albums released on your Raw Canvas albums because they are so musical? How do you get that balance on analogue and digital recordings and incorporating live musicians because it sounds expensive?

I’m glad you picked up on that because it’s something that doesn’t get spoken about much. “Play With The Changes” was our first album after leaving Talkin’ Loud and we had to co-ordinate around 60 musicians to record it. That’s a lot of work and with our own money you have to fulfill that commitment.

Now we have no samples in our music after “Parallel Universe” so we’re talking about real creative original compositions and recording methods on songs like yours and my favourite “Sophia” and “Morning Child”. Anyway, yes so this is all done with no record company budget or deadline, it takes longer, it’s a new era of production for us with some digital audio arranging and editing which helps with costs but not only are we producing the records we are organizing the 60 musicians as well.

How did you get your link with Dez Parkes because you both have large mutual respect for each other and have collaborated on various things?

Before we knew Dez we picked up on his “Rare Groove” comp on RCA in 1987, and to me it’s the best ‘rare groove’ compilation to come out. It’s been sampled to pieces and introduced me to Don Blackman and Weldon Irvine. These were new undiscovered grooves we would play on our pirate radio station. I knew the name of Dez Parkes and RS Digital. RS called us up one day asking who we were, after hearing us and asking us where we acquired these tunes, us being young kids and all. Fast forward a few years and Dez’s son Deon was into rave and knowing his Dad is in the business asks him to get hold of “Mr Kirks’s Nightmare”.

So Dez does his research and finds out who we are, meets up with us and comes to the studio. We end up staying in regular contact and supplying Dez with tunes for him and his son. As time goes on he hears the different things we produce like Techno and house bits on our label Partners Inc. Whoa.. Stop there! You did stuff on Partner’s Inc.? (Marc: “That was my label”) What? You mean the same one with “Don’t You Dare” that Paul Anderson used to bust at Legends on a Thursday circa 1992 and “Hustle Ain’t Over”?

Yeah. (Fitzroy: “Oh My Gosh! Wow!”) That’s how we got to link up with Kenny Dope and Louie Vega because they were playing our stuff. We had to package it like it came out from America, on the label it said Jamaica Queens, New York. (Fitzroy: “Yeah I remember that as Cleveland did a version sampling “Car Wash” on that label”) Yeah, so people like you, Stafford and Paul Anderson was on it. Paul was getting the white labels and killing them on Kiss FM as he lived around the corner from Gus. We were doing this before The Bucketheads did “The Bomb” and music journals like Echoes and Blues & Soul were slating us on the hardcore stuff, saying we don’t know how to make music. Turn the page and we were getting 5 stars for our house productions. So Dez’s son linked us and Dez started to see how we evolved and brought people like Clifford Dyson down to our studio as he was happy to introduce us to his contacts because he believed in us.

You know what Dez is like, so for him to bring Roy Ayers down to us gives you an idea of Dez’s faith, and we recorded “2000 Black” with Roy Ayers.

One regret is not being able to work with Don Blackman before he passed.

Page 20 - Issue 61

I loved your production of drum and bass because it reminded me of the Blue Note Prestige and Strata East quality, but on an independent label from the UK. How did you get the gig to remix “Black Gold Of The Sun”?

That was through Gilles being a clever link-up man with us both being signed to Talkin’ Loud. “Black Gold” was our test, I reckon. We did the “Le Fleur” cover because Gilles did an article in a magazine saying that no one could do that track justice, apart from 4hero, maybe. Using that B-Boy mentality I rose to the challenge. It’s an honor for Louie to credit us so highly for doing the “Black Gold” mix. When Gus took the final mix of “Black Gold Of The Sun” down to Talking Loud, both Paul Martin and Gilles Peterson had tears in their eyes upon hearing it. The icing on the cake was hearing from Charles Stepney’s daughters who had nothing but high praise on what we did and we are still in touch with them now.

I remember going into Sound Of The Universe in Soho and picking up your Visioneers remix 10 inch of “Fantasy” by Johnny Hammond.

I could not believe what I was hearing and I kid you not it’s become one of my signature tracks, with demands like you wouldn’t believe to play it. Everyone loves the original but how did you get to rework that?

Juno approached me to do a remix after they acquired the original rights to the track. I decided to cover it as oppose to remixing it as I lived with it for over 20 years. Sonically I made it something that the Dj’s could play but retain that original essence of the Mizell Brothers production. The drums are harder with a broken edge so when I get a connoisseur like you and Dez giving the thumbs up, that authentication feels good. That whole Visioneers project “Dirty Old Hip Hop” has become a cult records like “Two Pages”, they find new fans every week.

How is your “Rights To Be Civil” and “Extend The Knowledge” albums with the spoken word and its conscious messages on top of hip-hop beats doing?

They are getting to the right places, it’s important for me to do these albums. These days it feels almost like I’m saying dirty words when talking about ‘Black Power’ and ‘Civil Rights’ as though I am racist or anti establishment but the messages have universal value.

Marc thanks for your time Sir. Nice one Fitz

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Wed 02 Dec

Thu 17 Dec

KENNY THOMAS CHRISTMAS SOUL SHOW

BROTHER STRUT CHRISTMAS PARTY

Fri 04 & Sat 05 Dec

Thu 17 Dec

AMERIIE WITH FULL LIVE BAND

DANCALL ROCKS

ROBBO RANX & SPECIAL GUESTS

10:30pm – Late

Sun 06 Dec

SOUL SANCTUARY GOSPEL CHOIR NINE LESSONS & CAROLS: A SOULFUL PROCLAMATION

Fri 18 & Sat 19 Dec

THE BLOCKHEADS Harun Kotch Sun 20 Dec

Mon 07 & Tue 08 & Wed 09 Dec

MELBA MOORE A CHRISTMAS GIFT

ROY AYERS Thu 10 Dec

Tue 22 & Wed 23 Dec

HACKNEY COLLIERY BAND

LONDON COMMUNITY GOSPEL CHOIR CHRISTMAS SHOW

Sat 12 & Sun 13 Dec

KINDRED THE FAMILY SOUL

Sun 27 Dec

Tue 15 Dec

MESSIN’ AROUND WITH SNOWBOY & THE LATIN SECTION

TIMEOUT PRESENTS THE BEST OF RISING STARS 2015 CARRIE HABER, SONIA LEIGH, BROKEN WITT REBELS, THE CARNABYS, PLUS SPECIAL GUEST TBA

7pm – 2am

Mon 28 Dec

Wed 16 Dec

JANET KAY & CARROLL THOMPSON

REEPS ONE Thu 31 Dec

TIME OUT PRESENTS NEW YEAR’S EVE AT THE JAZZ CAFE

TANKUS THE HENGE, OLD DIRTY BRASSTARDS, NUBIYAN TWIST SOUND SYSTEM, DOM SERVINI (WAH WAH 45S)

For Christmas Party Bookings e-mail: B OXOFFICE@THE JA ZZCAFE LONDON.COM

Phone booking: 0207 485 6834 / 0844 847 2514

Online booking: THE JA ZZCA FELONDON.COM www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

Record Reviews There’s plenty of festive seasonal pressies on offer here so I hope your Christmas club money or Pard’ner (if you’re West Indian) savings are ready to part with you on your nearest and dearest. Well, there’s a legendary singer songwriter and producer of boogie proportion’s with a long awaited album for his die hard fans, for starters.

Plus three vintage 70’s and early 80’s reissue albums, two from the light fingers exponents of the keyboards, and one from a triple whammy hybrid of talent thats got flavours to savour. There’s also a comprehensive 70’s and 80’s anthology, two varied compilations, a 40th anniversary DVD from the UK’s premier Fab4 . Last but not least check out an expanded Expansion’s classic from an 80’s icon and two single releases retaining the essence of the Beverly Knight “Flavour Of The Old School”..I hope you enjoy…Fitzroy

Logg - Logg II Leroy Burgess brings Logg II into the millennium arena with the creative remix skills of 4hero’s Marc Mac, DJ Spinna, Easy Mo Bee and Marly Marl on this 12 track CD. Marc Mac’s remix of “Dance Til U Can’t No More” is one of sublime Patrick Adams “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” proportions. Leroy revisits his TS Monk classic “Fantasy” with two mixes, the Marly Marl mix will be more favourable by the soulful house Dj’s. Leroy delivers three mixes of his ode to mother’s “A Mother Love” with a polished mix aimed at the younger generation mixed by Craig Mack remixer Easy Mo Bee. “The One” has two complimentary mixes, a deeper house and a preferred by me mid tempo four floor production.

DJ Spinna gives minimal subtle 4 floor touch to Romeo an alternative to the more musically melodic classic sounding version. One for the Burgess boogie fans!

Lonnie Liston Smith - Visions Of A New World - BGP From one of the mellowest character’s I’ve met and interviewed, 40 years old and still sounding glorious “Visions Of A New World” is now available on CD. Featuring his brother Donald on lead vocals Lonnie Liston Smith takes you on the path of spiritual awakening and righteousness, opening up with the original down tempo funk version of “Give Peace A Chance”. Inviting you to experience some mellow tranquility “Love Beams” and “Colors Of The New Rainbow” features Donald’s nature’s calling octaves that hopefully will massage your conscious mind. Digable Planets 1993 “Pacific” sampled the very oozing “Devika” my third favourite off this album. My first is the totally spell bounding 3 minute 43 seconds of an esoteric “Visions Of A New World (Phase II)”.The other two tracks “Sunset” and “Summer Nights” are the early chill out signatures that would be the plethora for Lonnie’s 1978 masterpiece “Quite Moments”. Mesmerising!!

Johnny Hammond - Gears - BGP Having experimented with Johnny Hammond on a brilliant Salvation Records release “Gambler’s Life” a year before, “Gears” is a superlative next level achievement. Extended with 6 extra unreleased and unfinished productions, you can only marvel at what a “Gear’s” follow up could have been. Both the slow and fast versions of “A Childs Love” are equally captivating in their raw state, as is the crisp drum snared “Song For My Family”. You’ll be forgiven for longing to at first hear the finish overdubs of the original album’s standard, but when you hear the potential of unpredictable chord and key changes of “Detroit Rainbow”, you get like Sister Sledge totally “lost in the music”. “Funky Native” is quite a seductive instrumental followed by a lengthier alternative and purely instrumental version, of the original albums finale cut entitled here as “Why Can’t We Smile?” A must have festive present for Mizell fans.

Page 22 - Issue 61

Evelyn Champagne King - Evelyn Champagne King Anthology1977-1986 - BBR It seemed rude not to review this excellent double album considering “Bubbles’” is going to burst into the UK late December 2015. This is a chronological selection of Evelyn’s transition from disco to soul and electro. Visiting all her albums with selected tracks and quotes from some of those who produced a young to a maturing Evelyn Champagne King, it’s a comprehensive but collectable festive choice. From “Smooth Talk” her classic “Shame”, “I Don’t Know If It’s Right” (US Remix)” a very funky “Till I Come Off The Road” and the gorgeous “The Show Is Over” all set a very high standard. More disco funk comes courtesy of “Out There”, “Sweet Delight” and “Lets Get Funky Tonight”. Tracks 11-15 showcase Miss King’s ‘Evelynution’ to the more contemporary 1980’s sounds working with respectively with production duo’s Kashif and Paul Laurence, Willie Lester and Rodney Brown. “I’m In Love”, “What Are You Waiting For?” and an Evelyn favourite “Spirit Of The Dancer” being examples of those collaborations. Showcasing Evelyn’s high and low octaves further CD two highlights more Kashif and Laurence productions the inspired Lil Kim’s sample origin “Betcha She Don’t Love You” and an almost Rick James esque “I Can’t Stand It”. Riding the infectious groove train “Back to Love” and the magnificent “Get Loose” conclude that fruitful Kashif and Laurence era. Increased electro funkiness develops further with Evelyn working with Leon Sylvers on “Action” and “Shake Down” where Evelyn experiments with some electro pop with The System on “I’m So Romantic” and made more chameleon moves on a funky soul time traveller “Your Personal Touch”. So now you are versed in her history there’s no reason not to treat yourself or someone else for the festive season with this as a pressie is there? Well worth it like L’Oreal!!

Private Wax Volume Two - BBE Zaf digs deep with some independent and illusive late 70’s to mid 80’s 7, 12 inch and album connoisseur cuts. Starvue’s infectious “Love Affair” is the only cut I previously knew. The remaining 15 are a miss mash of productions tempo’s and individual appeal so I’m choosing those that singularly stood out. Infinity’s melodic “Queen of The Universe” and a contrasting early Ohio Players meets Cameo jamming funk joint “Say You Want To Party” by The N. Cee, certainly would get me on the dance floor instantly.

Completely different to a same titled Eastside Connection classic New Xperience “Frisco Disco” and Nina Dunn’s impassioned vocals on “Stay And Dance” typify how much of that late 1970’s goodness escape so many of us. True Feelings “Land Of Stuphph” is damn funky and I’m partial to the sythn stringed True Feelings “Love Me Love You”. Interesting selection of obscureness.

Kashif - Who Loves You - Expansion Being honest I missed this first time around but can appreciate Kashif evolving vocally and musically during that late 90’s contemporary R&B sound era. I hear a few parallels at times with Boz Scaggz, Maxwell, Barry White, The Isley’s and R Kelly subliminally interwoven. “Bed You Down”, “Rhythm Of The Mind and “Lay You Down” (an extension of “Bed You Down” on the same rhythm with different lyrics) are the club dance choices. Slower and seductive jams “Good Ol’ Days” and “I Don’t Give A Damn” certainly are the bedroom aphrodisiac recommendations. I’m enamoured with Kashif’s pledged allegiance to jazz with the cruising and oozing “Brooklyn Breeze” and “Mingo Weya”. I like the inspired continuation of “It’s Alright” and it’s part two “Who Love’s Ya”. Sounding very 80’s is a moog based “Right Now” and included is the live version of “Help Yourself To My Love”. A must for Kashif fans! www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

Ennio Styles presents Stylin’ 700 Various Artists Comin’ ‘Straight Outta Melbourne’ Australia, DJ Enni Styles collates a Krypton Factor conundrum with 32 of the most diverse compilation cuts I’ve heard to date.

They’re not all to my liking but there are some stand out cuts. There are two innovative covers, a laid back funky clarinet version of “I Can’t Stand The Rain”

by Akua Allrich and a beatbox version of JB’s “The Big Payback”. The strange strings and things production of “IwanCha” by Brae Leni deserves attention. The most enticing is a 1 minute 52 seconds up-tempo soulful jazz cut “Country Virginia” by Dj Harrison. Check out the Zapp vocoder influence on Dogg Master and Busta Brown’s “Decompression Activated” and the filtered latin boogie synth concoction “Got To Get Away From Here” (Belizian Voodoo Priest Remix). Last but not least check out the tornado twisting Valerie Troutt Jazzsoul Projects “Suddenly Awake” Worth checking!!

The Legendary Real Thing Live DVD Filmed at the Liverpool Philharmonic this live DVD celebrates 40 years of The Real Thing. Dave Smith with Chris and Eddie Amoo as the three remaining original members of Liverpool’s undisputed soulful Fab 4. Their fans who are now mature women were totally mesmerised by the smooth velvet voice of Chris Amoo, backed by Dave and Chris harmoniously, serenading the Benjamin Button regressed female entourage. The group sing their favourite hits and songs including “Cant’ Get By Without You”, “Whenever You Want My Love”, You’ll Never Know What Your Missing, “The L8 Melody” “Can You Feel The Force?” and their biggest anthem “You To Me Are Everything”. It’s amazing to see the audience interaction and how without the airtight band of musicians, the audience sings accapella like a Sunday church choir. The audio is being released next year but this DVD is a must watch for The Real Thing fans.

Cheryl Lynn - Instant Love - BBR Personally “Instant Love” surpasses her others before hand mainly for the fact of her working excellently and in synergy with Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller. Very much in the vein of his “Forever For Always, For Love” album, Cheryl’s exemplary vocals interpret Luther’s musical vision harmoniously. “Instant Love” is full of those harmonious Luther vocal precisions on the harmonies and pronunciations with the excitement and freedom Cheryl had on “Shake It Up Tonight”. No matter whether Cheryl’s bellowing on “Sleep Walker”, “Look Before You Leap” or “Say You’ll Be Mine” she vocally enhances the funkiness of the Vandross and Miller production. I simply love what I consider to be the album bullet, a very serene falsetto delivery of “I Just Wanna Be Your Fantasy”. There are both album and single versions of “If This World Were Mine” the spine trembling duet with Luther, concluding an exceptional album. Instantly loveable!!

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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 61

Cheryl Lynn

“But there was one more he played that I really liked (Cheryl sings) ”Jump jump jump to it”. I jumped up and said “What about this one.. I like it?” Luther said “I just wanted to play it so you could hear it, that one is for Riri.” (Aretha Franklin) I told him I loved the song”

Growing up in the church and already training for her life’s vocation, an impromptu act from her then boyfriend would change Cheryl Lynn’s life indefinitely. Conquering the 1970’s and 80’s with well respected anthems, Cheryl would also find her fortune in the Far East, constantly receiving an “ Encore” or two. She’s making a long awaited return to the UK in December so she can “Shake It Up Tonight” one more time and share some “ Instant Love”. Cheryl speaks with moi.

Born in March 1957 what was life like growing up in LA and what inspired you to get into the music business?

and sang “You Are So Beautiful” by Joe Cocker. I got a perfect score and then offers from every major record company.

I grew up in the church singing gospel music in the choir. My mother was and still is to this day the minister of music at our local church. I got most of my musical training from singing with other choirs around LA. I always wanted to be around music.

You did your debut album “Cheryl Lynn” on CBS in 1978 and co-wrote “Got To Be Real” with David Paich of the pop rock group Toto. As an infectious anthem track it’s recently been used in a Marks & Spencer’s advert. Interestingly around the same time The Emotions “Best Of My Love”and Alton McClain & Destiny’s “It Must Be Love”, that have similar rhythms, came out, which I usually mix together. Was that the realisation that you were destined to be a singer as opposed to a speech therapist?

What artists outside the church were grabbing your attention?

Most definitely Diana Ross, Aretha Franklin and Tina Turner. I love Diana Ross because she was phenomenal with her presence, wonderful clothes and big hair that everyone was in awe of. Aretha’s voice! Well she’s the queen and her vocal range is just incredible. Tina Turner had so much energy on stage with her performance and was exciting to watch. So that combination of the three was what I aspired to.

What about on the male side?

I didn’t have a particular one but I was into Motown with the Temptations and huge fan of Stevie Wonder because of his huge talent.

How did you get your break in 1976?

I was in school at the University of California majoring in speech pathology working with kids with speech impediments. I had no idea I would end up in music, because my focus was getting a degree. I was always singing in church and my boyfriend at the time, felt I could do something else out side of singing in the church. So he set me up with the audition for the Gong Show which I didn’t know and was surprised about. I went ahead with him Page 26 - Issue 61

I wasn’t ready for it at the time, so all of a sudden the process of going to class, to going to dates and travelling around the country promoting a single was life changing. I was comfortable being in the background but now I was at the forefront, and initially when the song came out I didn’t travel on the road to promote it. I was shy at first but the fans and the public helped me to accept the success that was coming my way. I didn’t know this was going to happen, but going to the record stores and doing the record signings, meeting the public and hearing the comments, made me enjoy what was happening.

Interesting that you mentioned Diana Ross, because from the same album, the single “Star Love” starts of as a slow ballad that transforms into an up-tempo disco cut, like Diana’s “Love Hangover”. How did “Star Love” fair after the success of “Got To Be Real”?

It did very well and was written by John Footman and Judy Wieder whom David Paich introduced me to. They sent me the song that I thought had so much energy, with the thought of star light in the night and the slow to fast interchange. So I took the song to David Paich who produced my first album

and we both liked it. I’m glad because it was a big club hit in the USA and around the world. I can’t go into any club and perform “Got To Be Real” and not get a request for “Star Love”.

Many people are aware of hearing “Georgy Porgy” by either Charme featuring Luther Vandross or by Eric Benet featuring Faith Evans. Not sure many are aware of you singing the original with Toto the pop rock outfit, who you wouldn’t credit as doing something so soulful. What’s your memory of recording that song?

At the time David Paich and I were working together and individually on our albums. We’d work on my album during the day and at night he’d work on his Toto album. One night in the studio he asked me to sit with him by the piano as he was working on some music. He got to the chorus and I started singing “Georgy Porgy pudding pie, kiss the girls and make them cry”. David said “I like that” so we included it in the song from the nursery rhyme. It was also based on a guy called George who came around the studio. He was a bit of a womaniser so that reference was also synonymous with the song.

Hitting those various octaves that you acquired from your church days, what was it like working on the third album “In The Night” with Ray Parker Jnr that carries my favourite track, “Shake It Up Tonight”?

It’s interesting you mention the church because “In The Night”s “Shake It Up Tonight” was written by two friends of mine from my church Michael and Brenda Sutton. I fell in love with the song, Michael played the piano and Brenda sang in our church. The song allowed me to be myself and I felt comfortable doing it because it was a fun record.

Your next 1982 album “Instant Love” was a co-written and produced by Luther Vandross and Marcus Miller. It showed your versatility on another level because Luther and Marcus had a particular sound at the time. How was that?

Luther at the time had just come to CBS records and apparently, according to Luther, he asked to work with the diva of the record label which they said was me. So he picked me up in his Rolls Royce and drove around New York City with the top down playing me songs he’d written. It was very cool and he took me to the group Chic’s party that same night. “Instant Love” and “Sleep Walking” were two of the songs he wrote specifically for me.

But there was one more he played that I really liked (Cheryl sings) ”Jump jump jump to it”. I jumped up and said “What about this one.. I like it?”

Luther said “I just wanted to play it so you could hear it, that one is for Riri.”(Aretha Franklin) I told him I loved the song. It was such a beautiful evening. We had a great time and Luther’s voice is such a gift. I learned a lot from him about the business. He was very serious about music, like being on time and getting the structure right with some fun thrown in. I was more relaxed and used to having fun, but he taught me how in working with other people you should take things more seriously.

The next big change with electro soul coming to the front is you working with Jam and Lewis. “Encore” became an essential Dj tool anthem if you wanted to get the party started. As a song that defines an era, how do you remember feeling about this production when they presented it to you?

Yes it was huge record. I remember that as a fun time which was also a reflection of hanging with Jam and Lewis, who were very spontaneous wanting to do adventurous things.

That was right up my alley, and I have to admit initially I wasn’t certain about “Encore”. So they sat C he ryl L ynn me down and said, “listen to the th L ut he r Van drwi drums”, eventually the rhythm oss grabbed me and I started feeling it. I said “Yeah that’s it.” and they would say excitedly “Yeah we told you didn’t we?” It was so funny. We had so much fun fooling around and that’s how “Encore” came out as a major collaboration and fun record to do reflecting the environment we were in.

There was a follow up to that that sounded similar “Fidelity” but I don’t think it had the same impact. But the track that impacted on me from that album was “Fade To Black”.

Why thank you I like that song too as it reflected bringing something to a close after everything was great. You know the reflection of a relationship.

It happens to be a favourite song of mine.

When was the last time you were here in the UK? It was a while around 1996 back working with Jazzie B (Soul II Soul) who was Dj-ing quite a bit so we went to a lot of clubs and I recoded a song with him called “Renegade”.

What were you doing after 1985 as there was a period for around 20 years where I lost track of what you did until 2004 when you recorded “Sweet Kind Of Life” for the Shark Tale film which was a massive club hit here?

I had a career in Asia recording and performing over there as I still do today. It’s good being exposed to the Asian fans, as they really love the “In The Night”album. It was huge over there and I was doing a lot of licensing and creating things in the background.

How was the response to “Sweet Kind Of Life”?

I was pleased with the response as it was a good song that was big in Japan.

As a bonus I had two songs on that soundtrack including. “Got To Be Real“ Did you know there is a male vocal of “Sweet Kind Of Life”?

No I’d like to hear it.

I’ll send it to you. What can the fans expect to hear?

“Got To Be Real”, “Star Love”, “Shake It Up Tonight”and “Encore”. I’m looking forward to performing in the UK again because they were very receptive the last time I was here, so there is much excitement. I want to make that connection with what I’m feeling inside and all the emotion I have and let it all hang out.

I look forward to meeting with you in December, thank you for your time.

Thanks Fitzroy. Have a great day. www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

Soul Survivors

Roll Call of Fame RIP WILTON LEWIS FELDER Sax and Bass Crusader (August 31, 1940 – September 27, 2015) one of jazz, R&B and pop music’s true giants. As a soulful, blues inspired tenor player with strong attention to swing and melody, this original ‘Jazz Crusader’ more than made his exceptional mark, though far less is ever mentioned of his contributions as a studio session bassist of equal distinction. For the uninitiated, in his ‘moonlighting’ role as a highly regarded and in demand electric bassist among LA’s vibrant recording scene of the late 60s right through to the early 1980s, Felder would be responsible for the bass lines and rhythm arrangements of some of recorded music’s most gratifyingly creative moments.

Alongside contemporaries James Jamerson, Chuck Rainey, Bob Babbitt, Carol Kaye and (the recently departed) Louis Johnson, Felder became part of an elite group of session bass players whose phenomenal contributions to the American songbook have rarely been given their rightfully acknowledged due.

The Jackson 5 (‘I Want You Back’), Shuggie Otis (‘Freedom Flight’), Marvin Gaye (‘Let’s Get It On’, ‘I Want You’), Minnie Ripperton (‘Adventures In Paradise’), Willie Hutch (‘The Mack’), Lamont Dozier (‘Going Back To My Roots’), as well as more pop-oriented luminaries such as Steely Dan (‘Royal Scam’ and ‘Aja’), Joni Mitchell (‘The Hissing of Summer Lawns’), Joan Baez (‘Diamonds & Rust’) and Billy Joel (‘The Piano Man’), all bear the hallmark of Felder’s favoured Fender Precision, effortlessly defining and embellishing the rhythm sections for the now classic works of the many acts it graced, to which they all in no small part owed a great deal of their respective success and much revered place in recorded music folklore.

WILTON FELDER

On a more personal level, my own choice ‘Felder Fender’ moment has to be Lamont Dozier’s ‘Peddlin’ Music On The Side’ set from 1977; arguably the legendary singer/songwriter’s definitive album in both music and compositional terms. The bass legend is featured here alongside fellow Crusader Joe Sample on piano who together, with LA session stalwarts James Gadson (drums), David T. Walker (guitar) and Bill Summers (percussion) perform some of their finest work. God bless you bass/sax maestro for all the wonderful, timeless music; your contribution and legacy is most definitely assured!. Akin Shenbanjo Jnr I was truly saddened to hear the news of Wilton Felder’s passing on 27th September 2015. As a poignant reflection of how his music influenced others, please indulge me in this short but very true story. On Saturday 3rd October 2015 a friend of mine Janet Riley celebrated her pending 60th earthday, and I was asked to Dj. One song on her hit list was The Crusader’s “Sweet N Sour”, a record that Janet Riley aged 17 and her best friend Janet Hector, both from Stevenage Hertfordshire, took down to Global Village at Charring Cross London in 1977. They eagerly asked the Dj to play it and he flatly refused for few weeks.

This did not deter the two Janet’s and eventually the Dj relunctantly gave in. He did promise to name and shame them if the track cleared the floor. Fortunately it had an overwhelming reaction, whereupon the Dj admitted to his audience on the mic that these two ladies were responsible. For personal reasons that are relevant but private, Janet and Janet relived dancing to that song on Janet’s 60th. It was emotional and regardless of whether people knew it or not, the infectiousness of “Sweet N Sour” had the dance floor, 38 years on, rocking again. It’s one of my favourite Crusader’s cuts period and from now on I’ll have that story to enhance an already incredible memory of Wilton Felder’s contribution to “Sweet N Sour”. Fitzroy

Page 28 - Issue 61

TAIHISHA

speaks to Fitzroy

Coming from a wealth of rich musical dynasty is not something this singer songwriter depends on to be recognised for her passion and dedication to music. Taihisha speaks about growing up around a hybrid of talent that flourished in the 1980’s and forging her way to achieve what she has thus far and there is so much more to come. Digging “Down Deep Inside”, Taihisha tells her story.

You were born in Boston, Massachusetts and grew up within a rich musical environment and you attended your first concert aged 7 in the late 1970’s.

Tell us about growing up and how you came to realize that music was what you wanted to do?

That first concert experience forever changed me. It was like I instantly knew what my purpose was and knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.

What were you listening to in those formative years?

I was a 1970’s baby but my real formative years were in the 1980’s. My musical palate was very diverse. I loved R&B, everything from the 70’s.

I listened to Journey and Foreigner at the same time listening to Aretha Franklin, James Taylor, Chaka Khan, Stevie Knicks and the Bee Gee’s etc. I studied vocal arrangements, lyrical content and in general how songs were formatted.

Ok at what point did you enter the industry as a professional artist?

Once I hit junior high, I studied in the school choir and began competing with other esteemed choirs in Massachusetts. I grew up in the era of New Edition and Maurice Starr & Cornell Brown in Boston with all the talent shows in the area, and I was part of that fabric. Hanging out at House of Hits with Maurice Starr and groups like Classic Example and witnessing the formative years of New Kids On The Block from Dorchester. Maurice Starr‘s House of Hits headquarters was in Roxbury (Boston, Ma) and many of my friends were in his groups. My cousin Spice (Amir Quadeer Shakir, Blackberry Soul Radio) worked with Donnie Wahlberg producing Donnie’s brother Marky Mark, now actor Mark Wahlberg. There was really no way to escape being in the business in some fashion. I was surrounded by it all the time.

My first industry gig was a vocalist feature with Hank Shocklee of the Bomb Squad (Public Enemy, BBD). Ironically, when I moved to New York years later, I went on to work with his brother Keith Shocklee. Hank and I met up again as well. I also attended the induction ceremony (in 2012) when Public Enemy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and it was really awesome to share that moment with them.

It’s interesting you mention Donnie Wahlberg because I’m a huge fan of the TV cop series Boomtown and recently was bought the box set. It’s surreal seeing Donnie progress into being an actor like his brother Mark, so it’s interesting you have that connection with them.

Page 30 - Issue 61

“Fitz, I was included in the same chart as Leroy Burgess and Louie Vega, people I look up to musically, that blew me away. Tear worthy for sure.”

Oh trust me, I have a few funny stories but, I’m not going to go there! (We both burst out laughing).

You’ve written a top ten Billboard dance track “Anything for Love” performed by Reina, forgive me but I don’t know her or the song.

Reina was a dance music vocalist signed to Strictly Rhythm Records who I came to know in 1998 working as a songwriting assistant for Welcome Productions. Welcome Productions (Joe Carrano & Welcome Bienvenue) produced for Kristine W, RuPaul and they also picked up the production of “Melody of Love” for Donna Summer after the death of David Cole (CC Music Factory). At the time, my uncle (Bruce Sudano) suggested that I intern with Welcome Productions. I would travel from Boston to New Haven, CT to work with Joe Carrano in the studio. I wrote and recorded the song that would eventually become “Anything for Love” as a demo in Boston but was sick for the demo session recording. I sent a cassette tape with the vocal arrangement, and lyrics sheet which they presented to Reina.

Reina recorded the track, Strictly Rhythm loved the track, and Hex Hector produced the released version. The crazy thing is that my aunt heard the completed demo. At the time she was in production for her “Live & More Encore” album and was interested in recording the song. Imagine her shock when she realized I wrote it. As a result, I flew to Nashville to collaborate/ write with her.

Wow that’s a great story. You appeared on a soundtrack for a documentary called “Hang the DJ” and performed at a film premier in Cannes for “The Land of Happiness”. It seems like you’ve come from being in the background of creativity, so at what point did you decide to come upfront?

I always wanted to be upfront but didn’t feel like I fit the mold imagewise and I experienced a few uncomfortable instances that put me in doubt mode. I decided to step back and go the songwriting route because it seemed safe from judgment. When the “Hang the DJ” opportunity presented itself, I decided to get back out there. Joe Caranno encouraged me, he believed in me from the first note. It was a great experience and a highlight was that my cousin Mimi Dohler (Donna Summer’s eldest daughter) also performed on the soundtrack and it gave us the opportunity to work together professionally. Working and promoting that soundtrack took us to Cannes and appearing at The Winter Music Conference in Miami for a huge launch event with DJ Junior Vasquez. Mimi and I talk about the memories still today.

Your uncle Bruce Sudano of Brooklyn Dreams is quite a big mentor in your life and a prolific songwriter. He wrote Jermaine Jackson and Michael Jackson’s “Tell Me I’m Not Dreaming” that blew me away when I found that out.

www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

I can flip you out even more, he wrote “Are You Ready for Me” from the film The Five Heartbeats. My respect for Uncle B as a songwriter has no boundaries. I learn from him even still today and he’s a great inspiration.

He is unbelievably unfiltered in his honesty. His continued guidance is invaluable.

Well if I‘d have felt the wrath of your anger for putting it in the show and the chart, it would have been worth it for staying two months at number one.

How did you meet KFP’s consultant Barry King?

I’ve really been blessed to have worked with an esteemed list of producers in my career as a vocalist, Eric Rico, Nick Harvey, Neal Conway, BlaqLiquid and Frederic Dinca. I’ve just completed a feature on Andrew Edward Brown’s (Champion Soul) new album project. I am currently working in the studio with the amazing Josh Milan (Honeycomb Music, Blaze). I am very excited about that. I’ll also, very soon, begin production on a project with the incomparable Marc Mac, one of the founding fathers of 4Hero & Reinforced Records. Marc and I have been due to work on a project for ages, 7 years. The first time around, I didn’t feel ready and was honest with Marc about it. Marc honored my honesty and has always graciously left the door open and I am humbled that he respected my decision at the time.

It feels good and I am grateful for every opportunity, past and present.

I am walking in my truth artistically and it is important to create music on my own terms. At this point, it’s about quality vs. quantity in regards collaborations. I’ve been big on making my own way, having my own personal journey to draw inspiration from all the while embracing the process and carrying the knowledge forward. I’m walking in my own shoes and they feel fantastic!

We met in 2002 when he was on Solar Radio in the UK. Barry at the time asked me to send him music for his show. I was very reluctant thinking who is this British guy? I did the girl thing and ignored him (Taihisha laughs).

When we did speak finally after a few conversations, I realized he was legit and our friendship blossomed and he’s supported my career from then until now. Barry is a champion for music.

It was through him that I discovered you and the track “Love” about 4 years ago.

How did you come to record the track?

Initially “Love” was collaboration with producer Jason Mo from London.

We had a main mix and wanted a broken mix for the track. Barry gave the acapella to Arch-type (Producer based out of NY) which resulted to the boogie version of “Love”. Arch really gave the production the boogie edge and the rest is history.

So being pleased with the result, how was that received in America, as the broken style is a British phenomenon sounding different to the contemporary USA R&B productions?

“Love” is a special track and because of where music was at the time, the song could have been hit or a miss. I knew it would always come down to the right time, right place for that song. Barry & Dez Parkes played it on their respective shows and DJ’s would inquire about the song and would request it. That was great as it really laid the foundation for interest. Apart from the legendary Dez Parkes & Mark Mac, I think you were the only other person in the UK in possession of the song.

I decided to include the song in my ‘21st Century Intergalactic Black 2 Da Future Show’ a feeder radio show for the new Fair Trade 4 Music Chart Show concept, and it went straight to number one as new entry. I told Barry and he thought I was joking.

When he first mentioned the turn of events, I had mixed emotions. I was angry and said “who submitted the track? It’s only a demo”... Barry said, “No, no it’s cool” and explained the concept to me to which I questioned “Really? People voted for it, Wow”. I still was a little wary; you always want what you consider the mixed version of a song out there. I eventually came around. Not every song can be perfect. Sometimes the imperfection is what makes the perfection. Again, a wonderful milestone that I am so grateful for.

There are so many varied genres submitted to the show and the chart from reggae to jazz, hip hop, house, afro, latin, broken beat and soul. They are all post millennium music from the year 2000 onwards, and titles that are not heard often in abundance. So for that track to be chosen above and beyond all shows its quality.

Fitz, I was included in the same chart as Leroy Burgess and Louie Vega, these are people I look up to musically, that blew me away. Tear worthy for sure.

Page 32 - Issue 61

Apart from that appearing on the forthcoming Marc Mac/KFP compilation what are you working on?

Dubbed the “queen of disco” I loved your main inspirations material with songs “I Feel Love”, “I Remember Yesterday”, “Down Deep Inside’’, “Spring Affair”, “Last Dance”, “Heaven Knows”, “Bad Girls” and “State Of Independence” OMG. What song resonated with you the most from your TiTi (as you affectionately call her)…….Donna Summer?

My favorite song is “On The Radio”. She once caught me belting the song out and gave me the side eye, (Taihisha laughs). (Fitzroy: Tai belts out “Someone found a letter you wrote me, on the radio” and sounds scarily like her aunt and it sent chills through me).

I still get a little teary speaking about her. I miss her every day. I find comfort in that she lived and left her mark. She was an inspiration. The greatest gift she gave me was a template for success. She would tell me “Love God, save your money. “Just have faith, Tai Tai, just have faith. You can do this and I believe in you”. She was a mentor, a cheerleader and most of all a very true friend. I’m blessed, truly blessed.

Wow, I remember when she passed I was in Portugal DJ-ing and I got the text from the UK saying she was no longer with us. I was gutted and fortunately had “Bad Girls” and played it. When I got back our next issue was due for the magazine and it was a no brainer… We had to give her front cover for June July 2012. (Taihisha: “I remember that Fitz.”)

I really glad we spoke Tai and you are your own person in your own right. I spoke with Tito Jackson in the last issue and focused on him as opposed to Michael because Tito has natural talent. You cannot help the connection you have and there is no limit to your sky.

The sky is no limit, because God said we can have over and above what we ask or desire. It’s exactly why you are having this conversation with Taihisha, the artist.

Thank you so much Taihisha it’s been educational.

Thank you Fitzroy Take care.

Celebrating 23 years of *The Award Winning Soultrain

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Soul Survivors

Roll Call of Fame

Eddie James Kendricks (December 17 1939 - October 5th 1992) grew up in the deep south area of Birmingham Alabama and formed a friendship with childhood church friend and fellow Temptation vocalist Paul William’s. Eddie was part of several vocals outfits, The Cavailiers and The Primes before he and Paul Williams became part of the Elgins. The Elgins ultimately became the ‘Fantastic4’ Temptations. Eddie’s natural singing voice was a high tenor as heard on The Temps 1962 cut “May I Have This Dance”, but it was his sweet falsetto on the groups first Motown single ‘Dream Come True” and “You’re My Everything” that would become his trademark signature. Eddie traded lead vocals with Paul Williams and David Ruffin between 1964 and 1968 and sang lead on “Get Ready” and dual lead with Diana Ross and The Supremes on “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me”. Eddie nicknamed “Cornbread” because of his love for corn bread, was apparently notorious for his slick dancer steps, good looks and sharp dress sense. Eddie left the group to pursue a solo career in 1971 after his magnificent final parting gesture and reminder on “Just My Imagination” (Running Away With Me). Between 1971 and 1983 Eddie made 13 solo albums, 9 on Motown, 2 at Arista, 1 on Atlantic and one on Dixey. With an instantaneously recognisable voice Eddie could slither like soothing honey on a sore throat albeit a lush ballad or a funky disco boogie cut. His spiritually inspiring “People Hold On” album had an incredible EDDIE KENDRICKS catalogue of brilliant vocal deliveries as exampled on “Someday We’ll All Be Free”, “Date With The Rain”, “My People Hold On” a journalistic “Girl I Need A Change Of Mind” and the sample inspiration to Masta Ace’s classic hip-hop bullet “Brooklyn Battles” “If You Let Me Know”. Eddie collaborated with Vincent Montana on his 1973 self-titled album’s monstrous “Keep On Trucking”. “The Hit Man” from 1975 produced three sublime cuts “Get The Cream Off The Top”, the sensual “Body Talk” and the sublime “Happy” sampled by Max Sledgely in 2004. Eddie’s next 1976 albums title cuts “Going Up In Smoke” and “He’s’ A Friend Of Mine” were popular dance tracks enhanced by Philly’s Norman Harris productions. “Slick” Eddie’s final Motown album’s “Intimate Friends” inspired Sweet Sables’ 1994 slow jam “Old Times Sake”. I was educated on Eddie’s solo debut on Arista “Vintage 78” album from my father’s collection featuring mid-tempo versions of Jackie Moore’s later classic “How’s Your Love Life Baby” and album favourite “Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Love”. Eddie’s bows out on his final Arista ‘Something Special album with the aid of Leroy Burgess and Patrick “The Disco Messiah” Adams. He duets with Leroy on “I Never Used To Dance” and performs Patrick’s Caress outfit’s “I Can’t Let You Walk Away”.

By now Eddie’s voice suffering because he’s a heavy smoker but he still cutting it when The Temptations team up in 1982 for a reunion tour and shares lead vocals on Rick James and The Temptations punk funk bomb “Standing On The Top”. In 1989 Eddie is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame with the other Temptations. Eddie died from cancer in 1992 in the winter month of October 2 a month short of his 53rd earthday. As we approach what would have been his 76th earthday, Soul Survivors pays homage to the “Pleasure Man” like his 1979 Patrick Adams produced cut falsetto supremo Mr. Eddie Kendricks!

Donald Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) comes from Detroit and later moved to New York in search of his now long and distinguished music career. During those early years in the 1950’s and 60’s, Donald become recognised as a gifted be bop horn player. Donald’s style was counselled

by Art Blakey, Jackie McClean, John Coltrane and Thelonius Monk plus he mentored an emerging keyboard talent “Mr. Hands” Herbie Hancock. Between 1955 and 1973 with a vast majority recorded on Blue Note, Donald Byrd who also taught at Howard University, made 42 albums and noteably showcased his fusion of funk and jazz on the 1970 “Electric Blue” and 1972“Ethiopian Knights” LP’s, before he teamed up with two of his ex student,s the legendary Mizell Brothers on the first of five albums, “Blackbyrd” in 1973. Jazz purists frowned upon Donald’s stance of mixing jazz and r&b but a new generation was embracing the sophisticated production of “Blackbyrd’s” “Where Are We Going”,“Lansanas Priestess” and “Miss Kane” courtesy of Mr. Byrd and the Mizell brothers. Multitasking Donald introduced more of his university student DONALD BYRD portages The Blackbyrds and secured them a record deal with Fantasy producing their first self-titled album in 1974. In 1975 Donald excels on arguably his finest hour, the seminal “Places And Spaces” album. A future generation of hip-hop producers dream was to use the inspiring breaks and string arrangements from this album. “Change”, “Dominoes”, “Places And Spaces” and the heart-rending ode to music “You And Music” (break inspired my composition “Just Like Me” on Freestyle Records) all are just faultless productions. The next follow up “Stepping Into Tomorrow” inspired Main Source, Lisa Lisa and Armand Van Helden to sample the sultry and sexy “Think Twice” for their respective “Looking At The Front Door”, “Let The Beat Hit Em’” and “Flowers”. Donald assembled another outfit NCCU before making 4 albums on Elecktra Records, his debut F.U.M.I. hosted the soulful “Loving You” and three others with 125th Street N.Y.C. On the middle of those three “Lovebyrd” Donald collaborated with the late Isaac Hayes which produced Donald’s, probably like Carlsberg, most commercial anthem “Love Has Come Around”. Donald was still in demand and later forgiven by the jazz police catering for his be bop and progressive jazz fans, and was now being sampled heavily in hip-hop. He captured the attention of the late Guru who included Donald’s input for his “Jazzamatazz “ hip-hop soul jazz projects in the mid 1990’s. Donald would have been 85 this December but I’d like to say happy earthday and thanks for all the “Places and Spaces” that “You And Music” took me and many others.

Page 34 - Issue 61

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K A SHIF speaks to Fit zroy

Page 36 - Issue 61

“ On the day I met with George Benson and Arif Mardin I’m excited, we talk about music for a while and then they asked to hear what I’d done.

Remembering I hadn’t written a single note or verse or anything, I pressed the drum program and a pre programmed beat came out. They liked it and asked for the rest”

Determined from a very young age to soak up any form of music spillage like a dry sponge against certain odds, a young Micheal Jones was blessed with a technical mind.

He progressed from graduating playing in an iconic 1970 east coast outfit to touring with a respected 1970’s songstress to becoming a producer and pioneering a innovative moog boogie sound. MJ became better known as Kashif the artist, producer singer and songwriter who helped the progression of four floor disco become technology meets contemporary soul. Ahead of Blackpool in January 2016, I caught Kashif whilst he was in “ The Mood” to share his interesting history.

You were born as Micheal Jones on the 26th December 1959 in Brooklyn spending quite a bit of time in foster care. So how was life growing up and what motivated you to learn instruments at such a young age?

When you only have one thing to compare your life to , it is what it is. I didn’t see life as particularly bad although some of the families I grew up in, were abusive and neglectful. The world didn’t seem that bad to me because it was all I knew. I started learning music in elementary school and paid three dollars for a song flute. I was very excited that I could control the instrument confidently by recognising notes and putting together songs that I knew and heard on the radio. I had a natural tendency towards music, and my elementary school teacher made sure that I got into a junior high school with great music program. That’s all I needed. My junior high school teacher became my mentor and a father figure.

What songs do you remember listening to, as you were a youngster?

from a kid who had hardly been out of Brooklyn who is now travelling first class on airplanes and tour buses.

I do like the album you debuted on “Energy To Burn” with “Time Tunnel”, “Can’t Stop Grooving”and “Herbs”. But “Energy Level” is the bullet for me, do you remember much about making that track?

My body of work is pretty large so it’s hard to remember things from 40 years ago. The recording process of being in the studio around all that technology, with Jeff Lane taking me under his wing meant I was soaking up everything I was exposed to, big time. What you’re hearing on those early recordings with B.T. Express is me developing as a writer. I used to have a four track tape recorder to make multi tracks to help me develop my writing and arranging skills.

You wrote “Get On the Dance Floor” and “Let Me Do It” for the Fatback Band.

Yes, I had a friend, Robin Dunn who was a dance instructor and danced with Fatback, she introduced me to Bill Curtis who is still performing and chugging along. Bill and some of the older cats liked me because I was so young and enthusiastic, and this seemed to attract the other musicians to my musical ideas. I don’t think they realised that all of this was coming via my admiration for Joe Zawinal from Weather Report. He’s a huge influence on me in terms of arrangement with that jazz influence.

I noticed that jazz influence comes through much later on in “The Mood”. You also wrote “Ain’t Enough For Me” for Bill Withers from the “Menagerie” album that gave us “Lovely Day”and it’s quite funky.

Really? I should check my royalties on that one.

When did you change you name and why?

I loved all types of music albeit Three Dog Night or Allen Toussaint, classical music, The Temptations or the Four Tops because I wasn’t just an R&B head.

I loved the song “Brandy”, which I later found out, was about a dog and not a girl by Rod Steward. I loved TV themes like “The Golden Girls” and the theme from “Welcome Back Carter”. All of the themes that had great melodies caught my attention.

You got introduced to BT Express by Sandy Davis whose father King Davis managed the group. How did you feel becoming part of a fairly successful band whose first album included “If It Don’t Turn You On”, “Do It Till You’re Satisfied”and “Express”?

Well firstly the genesis of Sandy and I is that we went to junior and high school together and I was always on the piano. Once we graduated high school I learned that her father was looking for a keyboard player to expand BT Express’s sound. She spoke highly of me to her father. This just happened to be around the same time when my foster mother, Vandella had just passed and my relationship with my foster father had diminished due to us having a falling out. So I left the home as did my foster father and I became homeless. I was bouncing from basement to basement and made a meagre living playing block parties and small neighborhood events. I was homeless but King Davis scoured the neighborhood and eventually found me. He asked me to attend a B.T. Express rehearsal the next day. I attended the audition and was asked to return the next day. From that rehearsal I never looked back for two years touring the world with BT Express. This

I changed it during B.T. Express because I looked up to Jamal the bass player who was so studious. He played his instrument everyday and was a devout Muslim. I was attracted to his personal discipline and had by then formulated what was going to make my life successful, as in the things I should do, like stay away from drugs and alcohol. I wanted to be serious about my music and asked Jamal Rasool how he got his name because his brothers name was Bill Risbrook, and he had a different surname. He explained about taking a Muslim name and showed me a book of Islamic names. He asked what resignated with me and I decided upon Kashif which means ‘discoverer and inventor’, and Saleem means ‘one who comes in peace’ these sat well with me. www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk

Speaking with Lillo Thomas he mentioned knowing you around the Brooklyn area as you were in a local band called Stepping Stones.

That was the band I joined after B.T. Express. It also had a connection with another band called Future 2000 who was comprised of the best musicians from local bands. It was pretty fortuitous that I would end up in that band because everyone tried to recruit members of that band because we were the best band in that neighborhood.

You wrote “She Love Me” and a few other tracks.

That’s right and a good friend of mine Darrel Gibbs recently sent those tracks to me because I didn’t have them nor had I heard them in 30+ years.

You also did a version of “Time Tunnel” with Tony Aikins and Future 2000 on Kisham Records that you also recorded with B.T. Express.

Yes Tony Aikins was the head of the band Future 2000 and very passionate about r&b and reggae music. Tony would buy the best equipment drum and keyboards for the band. I’m glad you ask that question. Do you know David Nathan? (Fitzroy: “Yes I do, he’s been interviewed in the magazine.”)

I met David Nathan at an Al Steward concert in Carnage Hall and I was sitting next to Clive Davis.

After Clive left his seat David asked me how I knew Clive, so we spoke and became friends. David and I ran into each other once I left B.T. Express and Stephanie Mills was looking for a keyboard player.

David was good friends with John Simmons who was Stephanie’s music director so I got an introduction, and although I wasn’t a good site reader, I had a strong knowledge of chords and theory. I eventually got the gig with Stephanie Mills for about a year or two. I was also doing demos and recording with Stepping Stone. A guy from my neighbourhood, Kevin Harewood was working for A&M Records and passed my demos on to a Mark Spector, then A&M wanted to sign me. On the day of the signing after waiting around for a few hours, A&M decided not to sign me and Mark actually quit A&M Records and went on to become a successful manager. I met Leeds Levy a publisher at A&M who introduced me to Morrie Brown who has a brilliant analytical musical mind connected with sound. Morrie was moulding both Paul Laurence Jones and myself. Robert Wright was head of the Black music department at RCA records and liked some of my demos. He asked me to produce Evelyn King and I said yes, but I had to ask what a producer’s job was. I went home that day and recorded a bass part, used a drum machine and played the piano creating “I’m In Love”.

After working with Evelyn on “I’m In Love” you’re now established working with the Mighty M Productions alongside Paul Laurence. How did you manage to perfect that sound you pioneered experimenting with the keyboards, as it defined the moog synth sound of the 1980’s?

I understand what you’re asking. Joe Zawinal of Weather Report, Leon Sylvers’s production at Solar and Stevie Wonder’s “First & Fufilness” influences got my attention. I wanted my baselines to take on what Kool & The Gang achieved with those percussive things on the bottom. This made sure the record sonically had things on the high end also, like the bells and Page 38 - Issue 61

the ‘Fender Rhodes’. The music’s lower end had the bass and the drum being steady, so it’s like a novice chef trying to be unique with different ingredients. Seeing the reaction to the rough draft of “I’m In Love”on Robert Wrights and everybody in the studios face, I knew I was on the right track.

You cemented that sound working with Melba Moore’s Hush Management who had Melisa Morgan, Najee, and Lillo Thomas in the camp. You’ve stated that practically every record company wanted to get your sound and one label that secured your production was A&M working with Howard Johnson. Howard recalls that you and he didn’t quite hit it off at first, as he was quite confident about his vocal ability. He mentioned that what became “So Fine” was initially a backing track for a product called ‘Drake Cakes’. How do you remember that episode?

Drake Cakes wanted music for a commercial but didn’t feel that the music suited their product. Howard was hung up on the fact that originally it was initially a Drake Cake commercial, but there were never any lyrics when he heard it, and he just didn’t like the track. So I performed the background vocals myself with Fonzi Thornton singing the ‘Baby Baby Baby with Howard singing the lead vocals on the track. He was very confident about his vocals but he was too much for me and all over the place with ad-libs. I had to tell him to calm down and we went back and forth with our differences. I took him to a Luther Vandross concert and asked him to listen to how Luther sings the melody to show him how singing a simple melody could bring a song home. Howard totally got it. To this day we are good friends who speak once a week and we have a good relationship, but he was correct in the beginning about not feeling that song.

Howard elaborated that you wanted more money for the second album but the record company decided to give it to The System to produce.

Mick Murphy of The System said when “I’m In Love” landed, it gave others a hope of how to make music progressively. Howard said he was disappointed not to work with you again especially when he found out that what you asked for was not that excessive.

Howard was caught up in two ways with the record company or the management not wanting to pay more money. I was also moving away from working with Morrie Brown who would credit himself as the producer.

Morrie didn’t play any instruments or do background vocals so I didn’t want to be taken advantage of, with someone getting credited for work they didn’t do under the title of a producer.

When I bought George Benson’s “Open Your Eyes” I discovered “Inside Love” (So Personal) one of the albums stand out tracks. I know you’re a huge George Benson fan and I know the story of how you got the phone call to work with him, but I’d like you to elaborate, because it’s a fascinating story.

George was one of my hero’s with his musicality, in particular when he worked with Tommy Lapuma on “Breezin’” and “In Flight” and with Quincy Jones and Arif Mardin. I was really busy at the time and I didn’t want to say no when I was asked to work with George. So for a few months they’d get in

touch with me asking how the project was moving, and I’d advise it’s going great even though I hadn’t even started it. I was trying to be encouraging rather than being deceptive. I was multitasking also as a session player at the time for The Rolling Stones, Hall & Oats, Aretha Franklin, Peabo Bryson and Change. I worked with different keyboards that travelled with me, so when my keyboards arrived to Atlantic studios, they were set up and ready on the day I met with George Benson and Arif Mardin. In walks George and Arif and I’m excited, we talk about music for a while and then they asked to hear what I’d done. Remembering I hadn’t written a single note or verse or anything, I pressed the drum program and a pre programmed beat came out. They liked it and asked for the rest of the music so I spontaneously played some chords off the top of my head. I’m freaking out in my mind but being young and reckless I soldiered through. They wanted a bass line so I improvised on the moog bass, and now I’ve got both my hands occupied playing instruments, and they want the melody and to hear the lyrics. Just at that point the studio phone rang which was a private line that was only essential for important calls. I just started singing, “Using that private line, we plan for a quiet night, for whispers and love aside, making it personal”.

It was so perfect. I wrote the song right on the spot and luckily the engineer had hit the record button. Once we had the basis, they all loved it and that’s the song you hear.

You just couldn’t make that up! I actually have the instrumental of that song.

(Kashif: I don’t have that can you please send that to me?) Of course no problem. You manage to land a deal with Arista. You’d been working towards this as a solo artist from when you were with B.T. Express I imagine, so how does the first album fair from being Kashif the artist as opposed to the producer?

It was like a whirlwind as there was so much going on. I already had success with B.T. Express and being on the road with Stephanie Mills. That notoriety grew again with Evelyn so to have my own music as an artist was a big deal.

Clive Davis gave me creative control and I felt a huge sense of freedom to express myself musically. All the influences I had amassed with McCoy Tyner and the jazz players, Earth Wind & Fire and Barry White, allowed me do what I wanted. All the planets seemed to have aligned and with the technology, Oberhiem synths, Fender Rhodes clavinet and mini moogs being available to me, I also had the right people around to help me make the best records I possibly could.

I loved “Gotta Have You”, ”Help Yourself To My Love” and I love “The Mood” nominated for a Grammy with its dub bass eerie sounds going on as an instrumental. What inspired that?

“Help Yourself To My Love” is my album favourite. Remember going back to my jazz roots, that inspiration was always in me. If I had to pick one song that is a reflection of Weather Report it’s “The Mood”. I just wanted to further showcase my musical ability beyond just playing all the instruments on the songs, and wanted to develop my musical personality via jazz. If you notice I have an instrumental on all my albums?

“Send Me Your Love” the second album is more of an electro soul advancement of the first album with a mixture of ballads and up-tempo grooves. The track for me was “Edgar Town Grooves” with Al Jarreau.

Page 40 - Issue 61

That groove was based on “Are You The Woman?”and to expand on it we flew out to LA where I played all the instruments apart from the guitar. Al was one of my favourite vocalists and he hadn’t heard the song but just laid it down in one take. I told him the name of the song and that’s what you hear as the result. He is so vocally talented to come up with those lyrics and melodies. This was again me challenging myself.

You worked with Luther Vandross, Dionne Warwick, Meli’sa Morgan and Jermaine Jackson but because you are also so musically technical, I understand that you’ve written a book called “Everything You’d Better Know About The Music Industry”. How did you move into writing a book?

Again it’s me challenging myself. Because of my interest in technology and recording methods I’m like an egghead of the music industry, and people ask for my advice often. I decided to put this into a book and share it, but I had no idea on how it would impact others. I decided to publish it myself and started doing small events and music seminars. Then out of that one day I took it to Tower Records. I asked them who the book buyer was and they pointed to a girl who had all kinds of piercings and tattoos. I’d pre judged her as a biker that would not know a thing or be interested in my book. To my dismay when she asked who I was, she exclaimed “Kashif? Oh my god I know everything you’ve ever done, I love you”. She asked me how many books I had and I advised 20 in the car, and she told me to bring them in, but couldn’t make any promises on selling them. Next day she called me and asked for another 40 as the previous 20 had sold out in one day. Same thing happened with the 40, so she hooked me up with Tower Record Central, and they put in an order for 1500 books. So all the other book stores got involved and I eventually sold 375,000 copies of the book.

Wow, that’s like 6 degree’s of separation right there. You couldn’t make that up either! You did an album with Ralph Tee on Expansions called “Who Loves You” in 1998 with Dwayne Higgins Gary Taylor, Gerald Albright and Sheila E. There was a 9 year hiatus from your previous album so what happened in between?

I took along vacation in Maui for a year as up till that point from 1974 I’d been working constantly at a high level. I moved to California and introduced myself to session players. I also wrote the book and developed some software. I became involved as an activist in working with young kids in foster care as these things are important to me. I decided to make another record with Ralph that was released in the UK only, and they did a good job promoting that. I’m now focusing on producing and writing now.

What can we expect at Blackpool because the excitement when the news broke was quite big news. I know you have Tracy Hamlin singing some of the Melba, Evelyn and Whitney songs?

It’s going to be a show full of hits and hope the audience are more familiar with me as a music maker, as so many are unaware that I worked with various people. The sound and rehearsals has to be so incredible like we are performing on steroids. We’ll do “Gotta Have You”, “Help Yourself To My Love”, “Are You Woman?”, “Love Changes” “Reservation For Two” “Do It Till Your Satisfied”, “So Fine”, “Inside Love” and all the hits. We are there to make everyone happy and fully satisfied and to get drunk on the music.

Thanks for your time Kashif.

Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

The Wokefield Park Weekender 19th 20th 21st February 2016

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Fitzroy’s Soul Surviving Gig Guide 7th November - The House That Jack Built at Halfway House Essex 13th &14th November - Maceo Parker at Under The Bridge 20th & 21st - Omar Jazz Cafe 21st November - Ronnie Scotts Funky Nation W.1 27th November - The Blackbyrds Under The Bridge SW6 13th December - Soul Boat Xmas Temple Pier 19th December - Cheryl Lynn and Evelyn King at Indigo2 Greenwich 22nd & 23rd December - LCGC at Jazz Cafe NYE Aqua Ipswich 8th, 9th &10th January - Luxury Soul Weekender Blackpool 30th January 2016 - Boys2Men Stevenage 3rd March - Three Degree’s Jazz Cafe 5th March - Funky Nation Ronnie Scotts

What's going on?

NOVEMBER 1st - 29th November The Stylistics In Concert various dates @ Birmingham, Weymouth, Weston Super Mare, Warrington, Nottingham, Isle Of Wight, Bournemouth, London Indigo 02, Liverpool Philharmonic - see advert 6th November MusicConnex presents with a full band Maimouna Youssef and Maya Blu @ Shoreditch Town Hall 380 Old Street, London. EC1V 9LT £15 on the door. Doors open @ 7pm visit http:// musicconnex.eventbrite.co.uk 14th November Jarrod Lawson @ 02 Shepherds Bush Empire, Shepherd’s Bush Green, London W12 8TT for tickets check www.ticketline.co.uk or call 0844 888 9991 - see advert 25th November MusicConnex Live Soul City Tour with Tristian, Kenya, Funmilayo Ngozi and Nina Simmons Amsterdam Sugar Factory - http://musicconnex. eventbrite.co.uk - see advert

Page 46 - Issue 61

26th November MusicConnex Live Soul City Tour with Tristian ,Kenya, Funmilayo Ngozi and Nina Simmons - Zoetermeer de Boerderij - http://musicconnex. eventbrite.co.uk - see advert 26th November Leroy Burgess and Los Charly’s Ochestra live @ POW 467- 469 Brixton Rd, London SW9 8HH. £15 showtime 9pm doors open at 7pm. Dj Marcia Carr www.pow-london.com - see advert 27th November Real @ The Exclusive Club Azure 8-10 Silver Street, Enfield Town EN1 3ED. Guest Dj’s Firing’ Squad, music policy classic rnb, soul, funk, hip hop, and UKG. Free before 10pm more after - see advert 27th November MusicConnex Live Soul City Tour with Tristian, Kenya, Funmilayo Ngozi and Nina Simmons - Paris Bizz’Art - http://musicconnex.eventbrite. co.uk - see advert 28th November Soul Motown & Soul Christmas Spectacular @ The Troxy Limehouse, 490 Commercial Rd, London E1 0HX. Raising money for cancer research with a special PA from Jocelyn Brown and after party with Fitzroy (Soul Survivors) 7pm - 2am - see advert 29th November MusicConnex Live Soul City Tour with Tristian, Kenya, Funmilayo Ngozi and Nina Simmons - Manchester Band On The Wall - http:// musicconnex.eventbrite.co.uk - see advert 30th November MusicConnex Live Soul City Tour with Tristian, Kenya, Funmilayo Ngozi and Nina Simmons - Birmingham Hare & Hounds http:// musicconnex.eventbrite.co.uk - see advert

DECEMBER 1st December MusicConnex Live Soul City Tour with Tristian ,Kenya, Funmilayo Ngozi and Nina Simmons London - Jazz Café http://musicconnex.eventbrite. co.uk - see advert 2nd December Kenny Thomas Christmas Soul Show @ Jazz Cafe Parkway Camden N.W.1 - see advert 3rd December MusicConnex presents Diane Shaw Live with full band @ Band On The Wall, 25 Swan Street, The Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 5JZ. Doors open 7pm DJ’s Colin Curtis, JM, Paul Mac and Bizzy B http://musicconnex.eventbrite.co.uk - see advert 7th, 8th & 9th December Roy Ayers @ Jazz Cafe Parkway Camden N.W.1 - see advert 9th December The Christmas Cracker @ Jazz Cafe Parkway Camden N.W.1 Doors open 10pm Calvin Francis & Bigger http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk - see advert 12th & 13th December Kindred The Family Soul @ Jazz Cafe Parkway Camden N.W.1 - see advert 17th December The Christmas Cracker Special Evelyn “Champagne”King and Melba Moore live with support from UK’s Natasha Watts @ SWX Bristol 15 Nelson Street, Bristol BS1 2JY Tickets available from Bristol Ticket Shop 01179299008 - see advert

19th December Soul Fine @ Tereza Joanne Boat, King George v Dock, Woolwich Manor Way E16 2QY. 10pm -4am Advance tickets £7 £10 on the door Dj’s Fat Freddie M & Wayne Enshaw - see advert 20th December Melba Moore @ Jazz Cafe Parkway Camden N.W.1 - see advert

27th December Janet Kay & Carroll Thompson @ Jazz Cafe Parkway Camden N.W.1 - see advert 27th December Soultrain 23rd Anniversary @ 1 Nelson Street, Bristol BS1 2JY. 8pm - 3am. Three rooms of music. http://www.bristolticketshop.co.uk - see advert

8th-10th January 2016 Luxury Soul Weekender at The Hilton, North Promenade, Blackpool FY1 2JO. Live session with Kashif and Tracy Hamlin and 4 rooms of alternative music. Bookings 01253754403 Weekend passes available - see advert

MARCH

26th December Soul Expressions Boxing Day Special @ Flava Bar, Stevenage Town Centre, SG1 1PF DJ’s Danny Peters, Rob James and Frostie. Advance tickets £15 £20 on the door call 07931778167 - see advert

31st December New years Eve Aqua Boogie @ Aqua 8, 8 Lion Street, Ipswich. IP1 1QD DJ’s Dean H and Fitzroy (Soul Survivors) £5 Entry R.O.A.R. - see advert

11th-13th March 2015 Spring Soul & Reggae Weekender @ Mill Rythe Holiday Village, 16 Havant Rd, Hayling Island PO11 0PB. Plenty DJ’s over two rooms with live PA’s and performances from Leroy Burgess, General Levy, Omar, Sandra Cross & many more. £175 accommodation food and entertainment all in. Call 02392 4600044 - see advert

JANUARY

APRIL

27th December Girlz B Like @ Book Club 100 Leanord Street London EC2A 4RH. Free b4 8pm £5 after 7pm12am. Dj’s Marcia Carr, T. Maroine and Auntie Maureen, afro boogie, broken beat disco latin house, funk and jazz - see advert

1st January 2016 NYD Real @ The Exclusive Club Azure, 8-10 Silver Street, Enfield Town, EN1 3ED. Special Guest Mo George (Eastenders), music policy classic rnb, soul, funk, hip-hop, and UKG. Free before 10pm more after - see advert

April 2016 Gregory Porter various dates in London, Bristol, Southend, Sheffield, Edinburgh Glasgow, Liverpool, Brighton and Birmingham, start booking now - see advert

22nd & 23rd December London Community Gospel Choir @ Jazz Cafe Parkway Camden N.W.1 Dj Fitzroy (Soul Survivors)

31st December NYE @ Jazz Cafe with live acts and DJ Dom Servini (Wah Wah 45) @ Jazz Cafe Parkway Camden N.W.1 - see advert

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