The Quintessential info provider for the Soul Survivor 9th ANNIVERSARY EDITION ISSUE 59 - JULY - AUGUST 2015
News, Reviews &ring Interviews Co-Star
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WHAT’S INSIDE? 5 Fitzroy talks to TITO JACKSON 8 DARRELL’S FUNK BOX 10 Fitzroy talks to TOM BROWNE 14 Fitzroy talks to DELE SOSIMI 18 Fitzroy talks to ROB HARDT & FRANK RYLE OF COOL MILLION 20 RECORD REVIEWS 26 Fitzroy talks to GLENN JONES 28 EXTRA EXTRA! 30 Barry King talks to TONY OZIER 33 CROSSWORD 34 Barry King talks to MAIMOUNA AKA MUMU FRESH 36 Fitzroy talks to JARROD LAWSON 40 SOUL SURVIVORS ROLL CALL OF FAME 42 EVENT REVIEWS 45 FAIR TRADE 4 MUSIC CHART 46 WHAT’S GOING ON? All adverts are placed in good faith and The Soul Survivors take no responsibility for any issues arising from the use of those who have advertised. All dates are correct at time of going to print – please check with venue or promoter if unsure. All rights reserved 2008 - 2015 Copyright The Soul Survivors Magazine It is essential to note that all artwork, articles, adverts and listings must be confirmed and sent to fitzroy@thesoulsurvivors.co.uk before Monday 4th August 2015 for the next edition. This will ensure that we will be on schedule to have the September and October publication printed and hitting the streets by the last week of August, to obtain maximum exposure for the readers and the advertisers. Thanks in advance, The Soul Survivors Team. Page 4 - Issue 59
Greetings, Soul Survivors Welcome to the first issue in the “Dawning Of A New Era” , like The Specials classic, of the magazine celebrating it’s 9th Anniversary Edition. Launched in July 2006 with ex-partner in rhyme Anna Ma rshall (who sadly left in the last issue), this venture almost didn weeks before the magazine laun ’t happen despite much pre-planning. Literally two ch, I broke my ankle in a nas ty car despite being hospitalised and on crutches, that “the show mus crash but insisted, t go on”. Like the Airto classic that I loved dancing to and playing out, I anticipated that “The Road Is Hard, But We’re Gonna Make It” producin g a bi-monthly publication. So huge thanks and all the best to Anna and her new ven tures, after 9 years of tireless blood sweat and tears in developing Soul Survivors. “Movin’” on like Brass Constru ction I have a new team and my trusted witty and wonderful Darrell still with me. I’m diverse musical contributors incl blessed in this issue to have spoken with some uding Tito Jackson, Tom Browne Million, Glenn Jones and Jarr , Dele Sosimi, Cool od Lawson. Our new KFP Ente rprise correspondent, Barry King speaks with contempora ry arti he has had history working with sts Tony Ozier and Maimouna aka Mumu Fresh who from Barry’s USA travels. We have some great events advertised like Camp Soul, the Margate Soul Weekender, D’A ngelo and Horace Brown in concert and album release s from Sedsoul and Wah Wah 45. The regular record and event reviews, crossword and listing features remain intact, with a slight “Change” in some “Places And Spaces” like Donald Byrd. I’ve decided to utilise a hidden artistic talent of mine to pay homage to a few musical icons who’ve passed in recent times with a brief synopsis of their career. This feature the “Soul Survivo r’s Roll Call Of Fame”, seems a poignant one, albeit for sad reasons but the right thin g to do, considering our mag azine name is built on their ilk of contribution. I’ll take a Kit Kat break now and leave you to digest another episode of “the quintessential info provider for the Soul Survivor” ..Enjoy, Fitzroy! Thanks to Dom Servini, Alan Tenumbaum at Under the Brid ge and Joe Baxter at Air NTM Santosh & Peter at Dome, Orla , ndo Gittens for their assistance in arranging the interviews. All advertisers, particularly Gar y Dennis who has advertised in every issue of the magazine since 2006. Contributors, Coli n Williams (Southport review and photo), Nigel Chapman (Ibiza Soul 3 photo), Robert Malcolm (Soul in the Algarve) and Anna B event reviews and photos. Thanks to the mag azine members and readers for your continued support and encouraging words. A special thanks to Kweku for your spir itual guidance. The Soul Survivors team, Kre 8iv 4ce (IT & Media Consultanc y), Dez Parkes, Barry King, David Moran for the crosswo rd, Kazzie D (proofreading), Angie Greaves (Magic FM) for connecting me with Ayshea (Graphic Designer), Scarbutt (Printers) Jason and Ian (Distributors). Thanks to Tito Jackson for approving the use of the front cover photograph A particular mention to Darrell . S whose Funk Box column is featured in every bi-monthly issue. The Soul Survivo rs Fitzroy Facey, PO Box 377, Wes t Malling, ME6 9DQ Mobile: 07956 312931 il: fitzroy@thesoulsurvivors.co. uk C fitzroy.facey C FitzEma roytheoriginalsoulsurvivor C TheSoulSurvivors www.thesoulsurv ivors.co.uk
“Michael was a charmer and nobody knew him like his brothers did.” -Tito Jackson
N O S K C A J O T TI speaks
oy to Fitzr
It’s clearly providential that I seized the opportunity to speak with one of the coolest soul brothers on the planet from a singing family quintet, with more kudos universally than Enid Blyton’s ‘Famous Five’. In my younger “ABC” infant and middle school days, Tito Jackson and his four siblings were my adopted childhood older brothers from another mother. He was second to Michael as my favourite, with his kind yet stern and strong looking features. Ahead of the sixth anniversary of Michael Jackson’s passing, 25th June and Tito’s July concert this year, he speaks fondly of memories “Goin’ Back To Indiana”. With much raw talent and determination “Ready Or Not” Tito and his J5 brothers decided to “Get It Together” and strive with the “Uppermost” effort for total perfection. Tito spoke with a great sense of humour and from his angle about the things we see “Looking Through The Window” via the tabloid eyes and how it feels “Great To Be Here” in the UK. How are you Sir? I’m fine thank you, Tito. First of all, I just want to say thank you to you and your family. I’m 51 and grew up as a 1970’s pre teenager literally wishing that you and your other brothers were my older brothers. It was good to see a reflection of my own image on TV and in a cartoon. You made an impact on me and a lot of us in the UK, that come from the African West Indian culture. In addition this also spread to the rest of the world and you definitely help to shape my musical education.
You’re welcome, let’s go back to the beginning. You were born as the third child of the Jackson dynasty on 15th October 1953. So tell us about growing up and forming the ‘Jackson Brothers’ in 1962, winning competitions including at the Apollo. What was family life like before you got picked up by Motown?
We started out in Gary Indiana and you know the story of me breaking my father’s guitar strings. We would listen to country and western songs with mum, and my father thought that there was talent in the family. He bought all types of microphones, amps Well Fitzroy, it’s people like you who make and guitars so he could rehearse us. We us do what we do. And we want to thank formed the group ‘The Jackson Brothers’ you for your continual support, as it’s very which at first was just Jackie, Jermaine and myself. This was before my father knew we important as artists and we appreciate it. could sing. He would work all day and then go straight to bed but we would be singing
and making noise and he’d tell us to be quiet, especially when he had to go to work in 4-5 hours. One time he got up and was upset with us but my mother said “Joe they really can sing and have talent”. He said in a gruff voice “They can’t sing, let me listen to them” and upon listening he saw we had the talent and it all just grew from there. Michael wasn’t allowed to sing with us, as he was just a little kid, as was Marlon who was a year younger than Michael. They would be busy playing with toys while myself Jackie and Jermaine were trying to be the Isley Brothers. Then we heard Michael sing at a school play and we couldn’t believe what we heard, so then we put him in the group immediately. Marlon was like an honorary member because he was the youngest and that’s how The Jackson 5 started. The rest is pretty much history. www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
We had fun but not initially at the early stages of the group, because we had to learn music and dance steps. We lived on the corner house and it was a type of house that had talent, as did the other houses on our street. We’d all sing harmonies outside our houses but when it came to the talent shows we enjoyed ‘smoking them all’ (beating them). We kept things on the down low but when we hit that stage people knew what time it was!
parents and social workers with another five children. The next day after the audition for Berry he had us sing at Diana Ross’s birthday at his pool house in Detroit. We had to sing Temptation songs to The Temptations and it was the biggest show we ever had in our life doing that. If we were older we wouldn’t have been able to pull it off but being kids we didn’t have that fear.
just come in and sing on that day. They are well-groomed producers as I remember, we had a minimal amount of time to do the projects. They are both very talented but the musicianship of Leon Huff is so intrinsic.
Kenny was in a vocal group and Leon was part of Phil Spector’s “Wall Of Sound” I wanted to ask you about “Style Of Life” which is a song that I’ve introduced to many previously unaware Wow! Now Michael said of you “Tito is very people, on the radio. quiet and soft but can be really strong when necessary. He’s always there when we need him It’s one of my favourites too. and manages to project an inner calm which is vital within a family unit.” Now for me growing You are considered the baritone voice of the up listening to the J5, Michael was the cutest group,+ humming L A R I S S A the E D bass D I E line of “I Want You L A R Isang S S A Eco-lead D D I E on Funkadelic’s “I one and my first iconic hero, but I always thought Back”+ and there was something about you, maybe because Bet You” and17contributed on “Hum Along And FRIDAY JULY FRIDAY 17 JULY you look like Mohammed Ali, even though he Dance” and “Man Of War” in a spoken word never had an afro like yours. Have you been told vein. WasNAJEE it just that your baritone really stood & GARY TAYLOR 22 MAY NAJEE & GARY TAYLOR that before? out that FRIDAY much amongst the others who seemed FRIDAY 22 MAY to have a higher voice pitch? JOHN HIATT MONDAY 29 JUNE HIATT All the time, when I was young. JOHN MONDAY 29 JUNE Actually my singing voice is a lot higher UHURU You did look like the strong silent type and than youBLACK hear 2onJULY the records but I also have THURSDAY BLACK UHURU THURSDAY Jermaine said a similar thing to Michael in an the lowest voice2 JULY out of all the brothers. My interview I saw once. I was listening to the brotherRtalk E PupUthere B Land I CI talk A way down FRIDAY 29 R Ewon’t PMAYU let B LmeI C “Skywriter” album earlier today and that is here. They go A up there with FRIDAY 29 MAY a favourite of mine. What went through your them even though I can, but on my new KOOL KEITH mind when you recorded that song because the album I’m the place with my vocal Thu 16all Jul over KEITH KOOL Thu 16 Jul production was amazing for its time? chords. THE BLACKBYRDS+ TOM BROWNE Sat 25 JulBLACKBYRDS+ TOM BROWNE THE That song was produced and written by The Sat 25 Jul Corporation’s Freddie Perrin, Fonce Mizell london, under the bridge and Deke Richards. That was a fun song and london, under the bridge the background vocals took forever because BUY ONLINE AT UNDERTHEBRIDGE.CO.UK BUY ONLINE AT UNDERTHEBRIDGE.CO.UK of all the little things they wanted us to do. I remember that quite well thinking, what do they mean by “Skywriter”, is that like someone writing in the sky?
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Apart from the influence from your father and you mentioned the Isley Brothers, who else did you model yourselves on? Oh there was loads of them starting with James Brown and the entire Motown roster, even the blues BB King and Albert King too. We did The OJays, The Four Top’s, The Intruders and every R&B song that was on radio. We used to cover everyone’s material like a cover band. That’s how we got discovered, when we opened for a show with Gladys Knight at a theatre and she took a tape to Motown. A few years later we were in Torito Kansas with Bobby Taylor and The Vancouvers and he insisted on convincing Berry Gordy to hear us. Before that audition we were at the Apollo performing and had an opportunity to go on the David Frost Show which I said we should do because it was nationwide.
I spoke with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff who spoke highly of working with The Jacksons. You started writing your own songs whilst at CBS, a favourite of mine is “Everybody”, (Tito: Good that you like that song) “The Things I Do Did you say David Frost as in he who was in a For You”, “Do You Wanna”, “Push Away” and I did hear that on “We Made It”. What is it relationship with actress Dinah Carroll? “Destiny”. How was it working with Kenny and like to watch your son’s Taj TJ and Taryll aka the RnB group 3T come into their own as performers Leon and some of the other PIR musicians? continuing the Jackson legacy? Yeah that’s him and I felt going on his show, everyone could check us out. Berry didn’t Working with Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff want to deal with us because we were young was fabulous because those guys really It’s a great feeling watching them progress, kids and he already had Stevie Wonder. had it together. We did our first album in they fell on their butts for a while now Being honest he didn’t want to deal with the two weeks as they do the tracks and you they’re trying to get back up. Working with Page 6 - Issue 59
Michael was a charmer and nobody knew him like his brothers did. The amount of heart that man had for other people that nobody knows of, you can only imagine. He did things like sending families kids to college, paying for kids operations and he didn’t look for the publicity and he did that a lot. He’s just a loving caring person who loved everybody, not just his family and friends but the world. He was someone very Yeah that’s true and you did contribute to some strong and much more than an entertainer. of Jermaine’s albums doing some hand clapping on the “Let Me Tickle Your Fancy” album. (Tito That’s a perfect way to end the interview but I must ask when they did the cartoon what “Yep”) What’s with all the bowler hats? was the friendly rivalry like with the Osmond I came over to the UK about 20 years ago brothers? and passed this hat shop called “Locking Colt James” and I went in and bought a hat. We never had rivalry, as we were childhood I have many different ones and have my friends who were in the entertainment own range now. It’s cool it and keeps my world. It was the media that made more of it. We were basically here around the same head warm. time in the UK, actually they beat us coming What can we expect at Under The Bridge in here by a week. I’m still in touch with Donny but not for a while. July? ya kids is fun, not that they always listen to you though. I was busy being a father watching them grow up. You hear so many stories of fathers not being there for their kids especially in show business, so it was important for me to be there. My brothers were all having solo careers whilst I was doing that, and now that my three boys are older, I can do my thing now.
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A lot of fun and great music, so just come Like I said at the beginning, you guys were out and have a party. I might throw in some the first black characters I saw in a cartoon, remembering we grew up watching Warner of the Jackson repertoire. Brothers’ Road Runner, Sylvester and characters When you were at Motown and CBS, how like that (Tito: “Right, right”) often were you able to be the main guitarist on I must ask what’s the story of “One Bad Apple” those recordings as they had their own in house by The Osmonds as I heard that song was musicians and on the credits it’s not specific? offered to you first? On the earlier stuff on Motown not too much but on the later stuff like “Heartbreak Hotel” and “Can You Feel It”, it was my time. One of the reasons we left Motown was because my father wanted us to write our own songs but Berry Gordy wanted to continue down the path he had mapped out for us. That’s where the conflict came in and that was what he did with most of his acts except with Smokey Robinson. The Temptations had writers and The Corporation were our writers but when we went to Columbia they gave us the opportunity to write and the rest is history.
I have purposely refrained from asking about Michael as it’s about you and you are my second favourite… remember that! (lol). Just give us an indication of how you would describe Michael, who you knew all of his life and his impact on the world, music and his role as a humanitarian.
Yeah it was written for The Jackson 5 by Arron Carter but Berry Gordy wouldn’t take it.
You should have recorded it because that was The Jackson 5 record that The Jackson 5 didn’t do. Donny done a good job of imitating Michael, great song still. Yeah he did and I wish that was our record. Thanks Tito see you on the 17th July. Thanks so much and for your support.
See more original artwork by Fitzroy on Page 40 www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
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Music Events presents
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Tereza Joanne Boat, King George V Dock, Woolwich Manor Way, London E16 2QY
Doors will open from 1pm Limited early bird tickets £10 or £15 on the door
For more ticket information call 07595 339258 or check out the Universal Soul Music Events facebook page.
TOM BROWNE Like another pioneering “Man With The Horn” (Miles Davis) Tom Browne grew up within a sublime infested hub of musical talent called Jamaica Queens USA. Rubbing shoulders with many established and yet to be discovered illuminates, it seemed inevitable that Tom’s “Throw Down” sound would be “Rockin’ Radio’s” worldwide. Tom speaks openly and candidly about his “Love Approach” to experimenting his beloved bebop passion with the R&B funk, and the struggles of compromising his art. Deciding to let “Bye Gones” be bye gones, Tom shares his thoughts on his sabbatical, faith and respect for players ahead of his pending Camp Soul August date. So “Come For A Ride” with Tom Browne and I as we go “Crusin” down memory lane. Growing up in Jamaica Queens USA clearly had a hybrid of budding musical talent like Marcus Miller, Bobby Broom, Lesette Wilson and yourself within the neighbourhood. So what was it like growing up in that area until when you broke into the music industry? Well I guess the sixties and the early seventies in Jamaica was a fabulous place. I mean Jamaica was by no means a high dollar neighbourhood, but what it had was richness in terms of the great musicians who lived there. I mean we had some areas in Jamaica where in one block Count Basie had a residence and James Brown lived a few blocks away. So it was just that whole dichotomy of the great jazz and funk musicians who lived there, that brought the mixture of appreciation of all kinds of music, but especially in jazz and funk to the young players at that time. So just that whole idea of being in a melting pot where you could glean and learn from the greats on both sides of the spectrum, I think was what produced the Marcus Millers and Chuck Mangiones coming out of Jamaica that could play both ends of the music.
with people like Noel Pointer and Dave Valentin. How exciting was the experience of breaking your chops and ultimately ending up getting involved with another Jamaica Queen’s legend Mr. Weldon Irvine? That’s right, music and performing arts were like no schools I had ever seen. Here is a place that was on 145th Street on Convent Avenue and the way we got to that school, coming from Queens on the subway, was walking up a huge hill to get there. I just remember the very first thing we did when we arrived in the school was to take out a horn and go into the auditorium and do a jam session. So it was just a different standard but I learned more there at that high school level, than is taught in quite a few colleges on the music scene. It was that good and it was that degree of involvement that many famous players came through the school. So how did you get to work with Weldon Irvine? I think it is quoted that you worked with him back in 1975?
Yes, around the 1974/1975 era and So you went to the Fame Academy Performing probably a bit before then too. Weldon was Arts School, which became famous universally living in the Jamaica area at that time. I because of the film ‘Fame’, and you attended it think Weldon was originally from Hampton Page 10 - Issue 59
Virginia, but he heard me play in some of the clubs around the area, just sitting in on sessions. I guess I credit Weldon for being the central focal point of all of the young cats. I mean he was able to bring us and our egos and our eccentricities all together and make it work and help us develop. Omar Hakim, Marcus Miller, Donald Blackmon, Lesette Wilson, Lenny White and so many people came through being tutored under Weldon, because he was a very well known songwriter and arranger in his own right also. So how did you then go from working with Weldon Irvine to working with Sonny Fortune, recording an album with him and then going on tour? Most of the time the way the music connections work, you submit a demo and you pursue certain jobs, but often it’s being in right place and time. I must have just played in the right venue where Sonny or one of his reps heard me, and Sonny at that time had quite a few jazz albums out on the fusion and bebop scene. I just remember getting a call from him asking if I would be interested in playing with the band.
There was this young 16-year-old boy with his hat turned back to front who said he had a song for Lonnie. This sounded dubious until the teenager played the notes on Lonnie’s keyboard which ended up being “Journey Into Love”, and that young man was Marcus Miller. Were you at That was great as Lonnie and I both that session when that happened? frequented a club in up town New York called the Breezin’ Lounge. When I first started I wasn’t at that session but that’s kind of going there I probably should have known how it was. Another young person who was by the name that there would have been around at the time was Bernard Wright who some sort of connection with George Benson. was probably about 13 or 14, if Marcus As it turned out the person who managed was 16. It was just very primed for young and owned the club was George Benson’s players. Marcus was phenomenal even back first manager and ended up subsequently then as a bassist and off course he has just becoming my manager for quite a few years. gone on to be one of the premier players and But Lonnie and I both performed at Breezin’ producers in the world. My hat is always off Lounge and got to know each other very to Marcus. well. It was just a place where numerous record executives would come through and Your first album, “Brown Sugar” featured Dave artists like Earl Klugh. It was one of those Grusin on piano, Bernard Wright, Marcus Miller, Michael Brecker and vocals from Patti Austin. The unsung spots in upper New York. funk fusion thing was already big with George I read that Earl Klugh spoke with Dave Grusin and Duke, Stanley Clarke and Chick Corea doing Larry Rosen and told them about you. They came these different types of jazz funk and fusion. down to, I think it was the Breezin’ Lounge to How did you approach doing your first album see you and decided to offer you a record deal? featuring “Throw Down”, “Herbal Scent” and your version of “What’s Going On” and what did Yes it was the Breezin’ Lounge and I was Dave Grusin think of the result? subsequently offered four deals. One with Columbia, one with CTI and we were flown The first album, although I wrote some of out to the west coast by Warner Bros. and the songs, I have to credit 100% to Dave then one with GRP Arista. I do credit Earl and Larry, especially to Dave Grusin. As Klugh for taking me over and introducing I mentioned before when I went into the me to Dave and Larry because after meeting studio for the first record I really didn’t all the other labels, we just felt that with have a clue being a bebop trumpet player. them I wouldn’t get lost in the music industry I mean I knew how to play melodically in shuffle. Here I was, a new artist trying to different forms but as far as I was concerned figure where to go and how to do it and I was just a jazz and classical trumpeter. The what the recording business was about. one thing about good producers like Dave Columbia was a great label with Miles Davis, Grusin, Quincy Jones or Bob James, is that Freddie Hubbard and Chuck Mangione being they can hear an artist, know that there is very popular at the time, but we felt if our a potential there, and find a way to produce record didn’t hit coming right out of the box them, without changing who they are but we would possibly just be left on the shelf rather enhance who they are. Dave and GRP and that would have been the end of it. With had that vision and a forte for that. As far as the track record that Dave Grusin had and cross over in fusion, they weren’t very much the fact that there weren’t a whole bunch in the funk jazz market but definitely found of other established trumpet players on the ways of taking the jazz players and having GRP label, we felt that it was the best place them reach a much wider audience. to go to try to get our foot in the door. Your second album “Love Approach” in contrast Just digressing slightly, I spoke with Lonnie Liston to “Brown Sugar” is a much funkier connotation Smith and he told me the story of how he came as opposed to the bebop essence of the debut down to Jamaica Queens to a jamming session. album. Even though we were introduced to After you worked with Sonny you then went to work with Lonnie Smith and featured on his “Gotcha” album. Then you also recorded later on, one of his compositions “My Latin Sky”. So how was that working with Lonnie Smith?
Marcus Miller and Bernard Wright on the first album we’re now introduced to some more Jamaica funk players like Lesette Wilson. It also hosts Omar Hakim on the drums, Bobby Broom and obviously the vocalist Toni Smith. How did you come across Toni Smith and did you pick up on the fact that she sounded so much like Chaka Khan? I came across Toni Smith who was the girlfriend of a gentleman named Eric Rail. He was a local keyboard player that we hired to do our touring group. I found out that Toni played a little keyboard and she sang also, and although I knew that she had soulfulness to her voice, I didn’t necessarily equate her with Chaka. Your absolutely right so many people have said that they thought that was Chaka Khan that even Chaka ended up going on You-Tube and recording it, just to kind of say she had covered it. (Fitzroy: “I didn’t know that!”) Yes, it was a very grey area. I didn’t put that out there to compete with Chaka but it just felt like it had the same soulful, sultry kind of slurring of the words feel that Chaka has. I think part of what made the song hit was the fact that Chaka at that particular moment didn’t have anything out and when the song came out people just thought it was Chaka’s new single. That helped “Jamaica Funk”. To this day people still think it was Chaka that did that. With “Jamaica Funk” do you remember how that whole song came about? As far as I was concerned the “Love Approach” album was 100% finished. The word came back from Arista, who distributed GRP at the time, that they felt like it needed another song. Keep in mind this is prior to me doing any R&B, hit bass stuff with them. They were just expecting another “Brown Sugar” album. the So what album had was To read fulltheinterview primarily pop jazz tunes on it, other than “Jamaica remember going home pleaseFunk”. join Iour membership and composing the bass line and the concept ofwww.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk the song in my parent’s attic. We had a little music workshop at the time and I remember showing it to Bernard Wright and he said “Yeah I dig” and we kind of built the song as it went along. The funny thing is that when we handed in the finished product nobody believed or had a clue it was going to do what it did. There were no www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
great accolades from GRP, Arista said “it’s new, ok and no big deal, we’ll put it on the album”. No one including myself believed in it initially as it was just a tenth song for the record. So everybody was shocked that it did what it did. The thing was, that it just sounded like you were having a live jam because of the voices in the background. Sometimes that is the power of DJ’s as they hear things that a record company cannot hear and it was a phenomenal track, later sampled by many people including Snoop Dogg. It was just meant to be. That was the era when the tempos were coming down to 102-103 bpm. So that was a transitional period. I have been told there have been a number of things; the horn lines in it were funky, that intro horn part that just kind of tells everyone to get on the floor, you know it was kind of different. Toni sounding like Chaka Khan, the whole background spoken part, that was during the early era of rap and it just sounded like a party. This was a true group of guys just talking about their hometown during a jam session, and the record just took off.
Oh all of the earlier trumpet players Lee that was shaped around me to bring that Morgan, Clifford Brown, Blue Mitchell and together and make that work. Over here in the USA, folks just rebelled against it saying Fats Navarro, that’s my prime love era. that is just not the Tom Browne sound that we I indicated earlier that “Lazy Bird” was the know. That’s not “Jamaica Funk”. So record sequel to “Nocturne” and it totally blew me sales just took a complete dive because the away. This was your fourth album in and given public just did not accept it as my sound. that the record company still wanted you to make another hit was “Lady Bird” a compromise Saying that, I have to say to you that I was very partial to “Brighter Tomorrow”. I liked that track, for that purpose or for your self? how did you feel about it? I always, as you said, wanted to have some bebop on the record. That was just in my I felt good about that track. That was a heart. GRP was always cool. Dave and Larry Clifford Branch track. Clifford and Terry were always cool as long as we were putting Burrus were in the band I had touring with out quality material that transcended both me in that era. So what happened was that genres, funk and jazz, that was believable. naturally you allow your band members to GRP were cool, Arista however were not. write and “Bye Gones” was a Terry Burrus What happened after the second record tune. “Brighter Tomorrow” was Clifford’s, was that Arista became increasingly more as they were both writing at that point. As and more demanding on GRP to give them long as it had some elements of what was successful, we could still more “Jamaica Funk”. “Jamaica Funk” be good musically and They weren’t spending that was fine. It also had a any more money but they was just a great message to it as well just got that taste of that tenth song for so that was something we blood and that is pretty did as well. much where they wanted the record. So to go from there. To the everybody was What are your memories degree whereby I think the last two records they shocked that it did of the ‘New York Jazz Explosion’ with Jean Carn just outright bought me what it did” and Roy Ayers and Lonnie off of GRP and the last two Liston Smith? records were directed by -Tom Browne Arista. That was really the downfall for me because they did not have Great, I am still doing gigs with Jean to production staff and they started hiring this day. Of course, we recently lost one of outside producers who had no concept of the earlier members that toured with us, what I was trying to do or who I was and I Wayne Henderson of the Jazz Crusaders. We played together, quite a bit with Roy, myself just lost my identity completely. Wayne and Lonnie Liston Smith and we did I remember when “Rockin’ Radio” came out, a bunch of them. This was the latter version produced by Michael Jonzun and Maurice Starr in of the explosion from maybe 2003-2004. I 1983. We were going to a club in Camden called enjoyed all the explosion tours, all the way the Electric Ballroom and I remember hearing back to when Noel Pointer was on it. They “Rockin Radio” for the first time and they said it were just very enjoyable, having guys that was Tom Browne. It was just weird to hear you in had that same vision of being able to play in the electro field so how was that transformation the jazz realm but still reach people. for you, moving into the electro field? Yes, that was massive over here in Hammersmith. It was very, very difficult. It wasn’t natural I never actually went for some strange reason for me and again it wasn’t done with a but I always knew about it because I knew producer who considered the fact that I was other people who went. You went through some a jazz trumpet player or what my style was changes in your life because there is a period or a producer who sought to find something where I didn’t really hear anything from you, and
To read more about the making of “Funkin’ for Jamaica” and Tom’s memories of the New York Jazz Explosion please join our membership www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk
Your album, “Yours Truly”, is one of my favourites. I absolutely loved “Fungi Mama” which like you said was trying to find that formula to make another hit record like “Funkin’ for Jamaica”. However it was a cover of the Blue Mitchell cut, so what made you decide to cover that jazz classic in such an unusual but thankfully funky way?
Well we always knew that, again with Jamaica hitting the way it did, there is always going to be pressure from the label to do something funky. They never want to go back to selling 100,000 records after selling a million somehow. I was just trying to find a way to remain true to my jazz chops and to my jazz playing and still give them something that had that dance element. “Fungi Mama” just seemed like a good cover. Of course it didn’t do what the earlier record did but again I was just trying to avoid that whole concept of cloning a hit record. So I am taking it you were a big fan of the Blue Mitchell version? Page 12 - Issue 59
that came out was sexually orientated. Every single record that came out from black artists was either “Between The Sheets’ or “Juicy Fruit” or something along that line and it just didn’t sit well with me. I remember Arista called me to record trumpet with some other artist (I don’t remember who it was) and I asked them is this ‘between the sheets music’ and they said yes, so I passed on it. I think that is probably what broke the straw over Arista because they said he’s not even going to do contemporary music any more so lets just call it quits. I still did some touring I’m guessing like most artists you went through but definitely no recording, as I had just had some kind of spiritual or religious experience. my fill of it all at that point. What happened? When I mentioned Blue Mitchell earlier you I became a born again Christian back in mentioned other contemporaries you looked up 1981. I was still very much involved in the to. Donald Byrd had been doing the bebop from music business but by 1986 and the last his Blue Note days but also embracing the new record on Arista, I was trying to get off of music. So how did you view other trumpeting Arista and finally did get released in 1986. contemporaries Jimmy Owen and Eddie I was so bitter with the music business that Henderson in the 1970’s when the new breed of I basically didn’t record for 6 or 7 years. I music is coming in and whether you were to be didn’t seek any other labels I just dropped there at the beginning of it? off the scene. It was two fold, I think for any artist you enjoy music but you don’t I never really approached it that way. I just necessarily enjoy the business. I just had a always appreciated their playing but I didn’t lot of very bitter experiences in the business think of it in terms of saying this music is side of it. That caused me to say to myself transitional and that I am going to use it or that I just need to leave this alone as I am not I’m going to somehow be a part of the new having fun doing what I am doing. The other wave of music coming in. George Benson part of it was that over here the music was said something about me one time in an changing to the degree whereby everything interview. He said, “he is believable in any
musical style”, I listened to that interview played back and I said that is, what it is. I just feel that if someone hires me to do a classical wedding, where I am playing classical trumpet, then I am going to imagine myself as if I were performing in the kings court, where I see the king coming in and I am hearing this long echo from the staff striking the ground, then I am going to play trumpet that matches that. So whatever genre I am in I just tend to transport myself to that vibe. I don’t necessarily change the notes or change my playing, I just play in accordance with where I am at and what I am doing. To me there are a lot of great players who are just like that. Everyone thinks of Lee Morgan as a bebop trumpet player but Lee Morgan and Freddie Hubbard were the forerunners of funky jazz trumpet. So I don’t look at them and say they are great bebop trumpet players, I just look at them and say they are great musicians and players. Freddie Hubbard to me is one of the funkiest trumpet players that ever walked the earth. It’s just a different way of looking at everything.
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Ok, excellent. Well listen, Tom, thank you. I think we have pretty much covered everything that we can cover, in terms of your career and the people you have worked with. Thanks for everything I appreciate it.
E L E D I M I S O S speaks
oy to Fitzr
Oh my gosh, talk about getting an insight into one of the few remaining indigenous cultured sounds on the planet! This is one of those learning curves I enjoyed immensely. Hailing from Hackney east London Dele Sosimi clearly an inquisitive individual, found his lifetime “Sanctuary” by his mid teens, working with the reputed spokesman and political activist of afrobeat Fela Kuti. With his digital memory for detail and Steve Austin bionic ears, he homed into an intrinsic sound that would rule his life till this day. Against the wishes of his educated family but ultimately gaining their blessing, Dele travelled the world with Fela experiencing more high and low drama’s than the ‘Eastenders’ TV soap history. Yet he is here to tell the tale of his dual African and British heritage, playing his keyboards and continuing the real essence of afrobeat. Fascinating stuff from a favourite son of the “Africa Centre Of The World” motherland. As a West Indian Jamaican descendant my first interactions with Africans were only with a few, at middle school and high school. You were born 22nd February 1963 one year and four days before me, so how was early life for Dele Sosimi growing up in Hackney East London? I think I was luckier than you and I have amnesia of those first four years except for the nanny and ice cream. My mum and dad were students who came from a tradition of Africans who gained independence in the 1950’s and 60’s. Africans were highly motivated to get a western world education and empower themselves to go back home, make an impact and build a great nation. So they didn’t waste time in getting their qualifications in order to head back to Africa. Hence by the age of four, I was already back in Page 14 - Issue 59
Nigeria. I specifically remember the ice cream, my favourite treat and staying with some white English folks. They used to tie me to a tree, sitting on a blanket and put toys around me, because I was so troublesome. I was going through my terrible two’s and three’s and destroying everything in their house. Back in Lagos it was traditional for me to spend three weeks with my parents and three weeks with my paternal grandpa in the school holidays. Just after the civil war my grandpa had a plantain farm, I’d go everywhere with him as he traded. I remember walking through long roads where there were plenty of spiders and lizards, which looked like baby alligators to me. My paternal grandmother stayed with my family so I got to learn the local language quicker, as she didn’t speak a word of English.
What inspired you to play the piano? My paternal grandfather was a church organist and every New Years Eve, I’d spend with him. He’d be belting out the music and I would marvel at how his hands and feet coordinated on the keyboards and pedals of the Hammond organ. That was my first attraction and it became engrained in me. Then I met Fela Kuti’s nephew, who could play most of the Fela tunes on piano, in my high school. When we had a break or a recess people would gather around the piano in the assembly hall and listen to Fela’s nephew, Enitan Ransome-Kuti play the music. I would pay more attention to what he did, listening to the different chords and notes, working out melodies and playing them in different keys. I became highly proficient and ended up entertaining my friends
to the point that Ransome Kuti was in awe of me. I would always watch Fela on TV studying how he conducted the music intently and it inspired me to want to play like him. Taking it seriously I graduated to listening to jazz greats like Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Chick Corea and Earl Hines. Fortunately my mum worked for the United States Information services, the equivalent of the British Counsel, so if there was anything about art and culture I’d get to see films or documentaries on people like Billy Holliday or Louie Armstrong. So I attempted to play jazz standards and afrobeat simultaneously.
alto sax and I, became close. We were in the school band and Fela knew that I had musically influenced his son from the moment we met. Femi decided to quit high school and join his father’s band and asked if I also wanted to do so, but Fela said I only had one year left and to stick at that and he’d still have an opening for me in the band. I couldn’t wait for that time to come quick enough and then when the time came, he told his personnel to add me to the musicians list. I was fortunate to meet Femi and we clicked like brothers from another mother.
Gillespie and Ron Carter. He asked “Do you think this education is going to offer you that chance in a lifetime?” If he didn’t tell me that, I would have gone to university and god knows what else I’d be today. I told my sister that I changed my mind and my whole family went ballistic as they felt I was throwing away a good opportunity for a dream. I reassured them that I was already orchestrating and arranging music so how could I fail.
turning points for me was when my family insisted upon me getting some form of formal education. I was going to do performing arts, but I hadn’t told Fela beforehand that my sister and her boyfriend were coming to take me to the university open day. So I told him the situation and that this meant I’d have to take a sabbatical for however many years the course took. I stated that whenever I could, I would come back in between and full time after I’d completed the full education, if that was ok with him. He said, “Wow that’s interesting, but what are they going to teach you that you haven’t already learned in my band with the variety of instrumentation you’ve experienced firsthand?” He was going on tour with forty dates over Europe at world music, jazz and rhythm of blues festivals, to be rubbing shoulders with Joe Zawinul, Dizzy
to do something together as it’s special that we are two generations of afrobeat maestros making significant contributions to the genre of afrobeat.
Currently championing the up to date afrobeat sound with you is another Fela Kuti musician, drummer Tony Allen of the 2007 Afro funk bullet How was that education under the master ‘Kilode’ fame. What’s your relationship with him I imagine as a teenager you were listening to class of Fela Kuti whom you played and toured like from back then to today and how often do plenty of Ginger Johnson, Hugh Masekela, Manu extensively with in various outfits Egypt 80 and you get to work or collaborate? Dibango, Fela Kuti, Letta Mbulu and Miriam The Positive Force between 1979-1995? Makeba. But how did you feel about the reggae He is like my godfather and I have a very special and lovers rock rhythms that are inspired by the It was a wealth of experience that is now within relationship with him. We speak from time to African melodies from artists like Bob Marley, my core and I’m privileged to know and show how time because our work schedules dictate this. it impacts on those who love afrobeat. One of the There is a lot of mutual respect. We are hoping Aswad and Third World? I loved it. In fact when most of my peers were having birthday parties, the music was predominantly reggae, afrobeat, funk and disco like Chic, Stevie Wonder, The Bee Gee’s and Saturday Night Fever. But I found the camaraderie between reggae and afrobeat, with the thumping bass and the monotonous repetition of a deep hook line, quite hypnotic. The rhythms keep you in a repetitive state of nodding tapping or swaying, which is synonymous with the cultural rhythms that are syncopated. So we listened to Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, U Roy, I Roy, Linton Kwesi Johnson, whom I met, as well as Dennis Bovell who produced one of Fela’s live recordings.
DJ elder Dez Parkes met you in recent times when you were guest on DJ Freestyle’s show, as his show was on afterwards; and said he was aware of you back in the late 1970’s. How did you eventually become the youngest member of Fela Kuti’s camp in 1979?
What did you think of Manu Dibango, Burai, Bunny Mack and Modern Sound Corporation who bring that afrobeat element to funk and disco? Manu Dibango didn’t really have a fantastic relationship with Fela but as an instrumentalist and arranger, he’s a legend and I have a lot of respect for him and his work. I’m not sure of some of the others but Bunny Mack did a track that was a dance circle favourite ‘Let Me Love You’. If you didn’t play that your party wasn’t hip as it was a killer track.
Very simple and going back to my story, I had impressed Fela’s nephew with my enthusiasm and tenacity even though he was two years above me in high school. We became very close friends and Ransome Kuti became my mentor. Sooner or later being around him and Fela’s son, Femi, I was destined to meet the great man. Fela started a regular night and we used to go and watch until one day I was brave enough to ask and was given a solo. I gave them the best performance I could and people where trying to see who was playing this new sound. So by now Femi, who played www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
How has it been developing your composer, singer and entertainer prowess within the afrobeat sound, also as an educator and instructor working on various compilations and embarking on doing much more since your debut solo album “Turbulent Times” in 2002?
Indeed and there were quite a few tracks like that at the time Somebody asked me recently, why is there a resurgence of afrobeat and I asked them to remember that the mainstream dictates what’s popular, but there has always been an underground scene that they discovered much later. It’s very important that I state that. Can you play me or send me the other two tracks you mentioned?
It’s been quite an experience with lots of learning curves and I’d probably do things differently if I had the opportunity to do it again, but I have no regrets. One of the greatest assets was the evolution of Fela music when he played four times a week fifty weeks a year in front of a live audience. So working with Fela you didn’t have time for any other projects, as you are in full time employment and getting paid. His song writing and arrangements had been played for years live, and he would for example, write a song on a Wednesday, play it to us on Thursday for us to perform on a Friday. If there were mistakes he would explain to the audience that they were hearing the song raw and that by the next time they heard it, it would be perfected. His motto was once he recorded the song, you’d better buy the album because he wouldn’t do it live again. I managed to develop my arranging and musical director skills when Fela was incarcerated. We continued to perform at The Shrine and it was my responsibility to re orchestrate the old songs. This made an enormous impact, because people of my generation were now excited at hearing Fela’s music differently. There was a rule that no smoking of Marijuana was allowed at The Shrine because we couldn’t afford to bring attention to the venue with Fela being in jail. It actually made the front page of the newspapers “Fela’s son bans smoking weed in The Shrine” (ha ha). So it opened up the door for a new audience to come to The Shrine when they couldn’t before and the venue was packed. The first time Fela came to The Shrine to see us perform after he came out from jail, he was in awe of the band with all the harmonies and arrangements intact. So I had evolved my writing, arranging and director skills and that conformation came just from seeing the look on Fela’s face when he heard his classic blurting out.
Thank you, thank you and I respect that coming from you as a DJ because you know what time it is. This album is the clear destination in the development of the afrobeat medium. The DNA of the pulsating groove, the sheering horns and the heavily syncopated guitar rhythms, are for me the important statements of afrobeat which is often confused with the term that is used indiscriminately describing the rival new found afrobeats. The title was hard to choose but imagine going to Cuba and trying to impress their native musicians by emulating their indigenous music, they would just look at you ridiculously. It’s going to be the same with classical music or any other genre, as the real musicians will frown at you, because they truly understand the spirit of the music. You feel it, it touches and envelops you and keeps you sane, but like MC Hammer... “You Can’t Touch This”. You may see it spiritually through dance or it being performed, but you
“What an experience to be in the studio when Roy and Fela recorded “African Centre Of The World” and “2000 Blacks To Be Free” I wish I had an android phone back then”
To read more about Dele Sosimi please join our membership www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk
After playing ‘Safari’ both instrumental and the vocal to Dele he recalls it instantly “Yes that was a
floor filler, where we would get down low and kick our feet out like the Russian dancers do. Please send that to me as it brings back memories.”
How involved were you when Fela worked with Roy Ayers on the “Music Of Many Colors” project and tour and featuring the “African Centre Of The World” and “2000 Blacks To Be Free” songs? What an experience to be in the studio when Roy and Fela recorded “African Centre Of The World” and “2000 Blacks To Be Free”. I wasn’t involved actually playing on the studio recording session but was actually there in the studio when they recorded the album. Fela offered me a spot on the tour but my mother would not allow me to go as I was still in high school as it was 1979. I remember all of the concerts in Lagos and I met Roy and the others as we musicians used to hang together during the rehearsals. I wish I had an android phone back then because to see Roy, Fela and the others jamming during a sound check was truly amazing and recorded in my memory.
Page 16 - issue 59
-Dele Sosimi
cannot physically touch it, if that makes sense? So all the tracks on the album relate to that. Dom Servini asked me everything about my life when he interviewed me on his radio show. I brought my early solo albums which we spoke about and then he asked about me doing a new album. I explained I didn’t have time to wear all the various hats that come with putting something out myself. Dom said he had his label Wah Wah 45 and they would be interested to put it out, which I was initially dubious in how sincere his offer was. However before you know it, we met and it happened and I’m so glad I was able to put pen to paper and come up with this concept.
I love all seven tracks of your current album “You No Fit Touch Am” totally as I only heard “Sanctuary” initially and played it on my radio show. It’s quite an additive album to listen to and it is crisply produced. How did you manage to hook up with Dom Servini and Wah Wah to Thanks Sosimi it’s been very insightful. release it and what’s the meaning of the album’s strange title? Thank you Fitzroy all the best.
tour dates 26th June Passing Clouds, London UK
30th July Horniman Museum & Gardens, London http://www.netmums.com/lambeth/whats-on/view /jazz-picnics-dele-sosimi-quartet
22nd July FMM Sines, Sines Portugal
28th - 30th August Dimensions Festival, Pula Croatia
http://fmm.com.pt/en/programme/
http://www.dimensionsfestival.com/2015-line-up/
25th July Afrobeat Vibration, London
30th August ValleyFest, Bristol
http://www.valleyfest.co.uk/
www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
FITZROY TALKS TO ROB HARDT & FRANK RYLE OF COOL MILLION
Celebrating their fourth album Rob Hardt and Frank Ryle aka Cool Million bring a ‘Muller Light’ mix of known and unknown artists to this current project. Having met and spoken with them both on many occasions, it was interesting to speak with Frank for the first time in the magazine after speaking twice with Rob. Their enthusiasm for the 80’s moog groove is insatiable and they make no apologies for this kind of favouritism. It is purely a Q&A about how the album was structured, collated and successfully produced, calling in some heavyweight and respected musical vocal artillery. Flying the flag for the Eurovision Soul Contest is joint Denmark meets Germany collaboration and there is no hint of ‘nil pwa’ from the judges.
Frank: Denmark is not a soul country, it’s a rock country and I had knowledge that I wanted to share with someone. So a friend told me how easy it was to make a website and speak about soul music and that’s how I met Rob. I started to write reviews, do interviews and speak about what was coming out. It ran for seven years. You’re right I spoke to Ralph Tee via an interview and invited him over to DJ. How do you know about that Fitzroy?
Rob: He is busy but one of the most open-minded guys we met. We met him at the Body & Soul weekend in Germany face to face. We usually meet the artist via Facebook or Skype and this helps in keeping the production costs down these days. It took a couple of years to get what we wanted, but we just take our time as there is no pressure. Frank: It was interesting working with him, as we are not in the house scene like he is, so he likes to show the soul world what he can do. He was pleased with the music and the overall finish of the track.
I do my research sir. So you met Rob who becomes part of Cool Million and you’re on your fourth album now. The album has a nice mixture of artists, legendary, consistent and unknown to me. So how easy or difficult was it to get these Glenn Jones, now that is a scoop. I saw him a year and a half ago at Indigo O2 and his voice artists on board? is still a quality one. It’s a typical Cool Million Frank, just give me a brief synopsis of your Rob: It was easy because after the last three upbeat vibe where Glenn sounds like he had the history growing up and loving that 1980’s sound albums people are aware of our quality, so when freedom to sing like he did on “Finesse” and that you currently champion in your production. we ask them to join us they are already happy “Meet Me Halfway There”, so I’m guessing you with our sound. With the first record we had to were very pleased with the result? Frank: Ok long story short. Back in the day all show people and we obviously had a good start. we had was one radio station in Denmark, if you could get it, Radio Luxembourg. There were only a couple of Danish DJ’s who played soul music plus a Swedish DJ on national radio so we’d spend a lot of time finding the records in local record stores. It’s different from today with the internet, back then, you’d look at the covers to see who was producing and playing the instruments, along side other records. If the same artist appeared on those recordings you would build up your knowledge that way. The whole thing started with me when the new wave thing with Blancmange, Thompson Twins and The Cure started evolving into the electro rap scene. I was also getting into groups like The Bar Kays, ConFunkShun, Earth Wind & Fire and Michael Jackson. Soul music was always with me and that’s my love.
Rob: Absolutely.
I know Rob’s position and skill within Cool Million is making the music but what’s your Frank? Frank: Our main objective is to bring back the Frank: I collect all the artists, pre-program most of the tracks and send them to the artist. I collect the vocals and then we hire external musicians as and when we need them. Rob and I listen to the tracks to see what we like.
memory of the eighties and who better than someone like Glenn Jones to perform with the essence of those songs you mentioned presenting such wonderful vocals. Rob: He was easy to work with and we performed with him at a festival last November. He came over and played with a live band and a horn section, with no ego and it was great. We are performing with him at Margate in August too.
I’ve had a couple of days to sit with the album and although it carries the usual antidotes of Cool Million, there are a few surprises on there. Maintaining your standards, you retain many Yeah I’ll be there too. Pace’s is a nice mid tempo influences from the 80’s era. I know you make two-step track with some nice horns, he has a the music and send the tracks to the artist who nice voice but I don’t know anything about him. then write the lyrics, how was that process with Frank: He’s from the USA, Las Vegas actually, and What’s this Soul Portal thing you had with Jesper Marc Evans? performed on the first album and on “Back For Koan and you bringing Ralph Tee over to DJ in More”. Rob and I like him because he has an RnB Copenhagen? Page 18 - Issue 59
approach.
Rob: Pace is a combination of a new soul singer like Musiq Soulchild with the sound of the late 1970’s-early 1980’s that Cool Million is delivering, and its a nice sexy combination on this track “Type Of A Woman”.
I liked it as it was very left of the right for Cool that. She’s our American disco queen from LA who Million (Rob: “absolutely”) and I liked his voice is also a drummer as well as a singer. She’s been touring with the female band Kystol but looking and ad-libs. Where did you find him? Frank: He’s a legend.
to do her own music and approached me to sing with us.
Laura Jackson’s “Give It Up” is one of my favourite vocal performances because her voice travels smoothly on the track. She sits on and weaves in and out of the groove. The moog bass on this reminds me of that Levis advert with the instrumental exaggerated bass of “Flat Beat”.
I don’t know him.
Rob: There’s much more to come from her.
Rob & Frank both laugh.
Frank: He also did a track with Jeff Lorber and a solo album around 1986.
Rob: It’s a credit to the song as we have no rules at Cool Million and if it fits we do it. It’s what we like about Laura, she does what she likes, she doesn’t try too hard to please people specifically and it works.
Marc Sadane, I quite like this track, which reminds me of a cross between Donell Jones Oh ok, see for me, I think of Lenny Williams, as “Put Me Down” and he cheekily uses lyrics of Teddy Pendergrass’s “When Somebody Love You that’s my Tower Of Power era. Back.” Frank: He was the lead singer of Tower Of Power.
Farina Miss “No Ordinary Music” is an interesting track, as an ode to music, so what is her background? Rob: She’s from Germany and studying jazz in
Porter Caroll “Say Ooh Rap”, the background Austria where she lives. She is experimental jazz vocals remind me of D Train. What’s the story wise and loves Erykah Badu. She plays keyboards with Porter? and is also very beautiful. I met her at the Frank: He was the front man and drummer of Atlantic Starr and formed a band before hand with some others before Atlantic Starr. (Fitzroy: I think you’re talking about Newban). In 1985 he did a solo album and I loved his vocals and wanted him from the conception of Cool Million to sing for us. I saw by chance that he’d sung a duet with vocalist Regan Whiteside and realised he was still around. So I tracked him down, emailed him and asked him to work with us. Two months later he asked me how did you talk me into this? He’s been working with Daryl Hall of Hall & Oats as a percussionist.
“Do You Right” by Janine Johnson (Rob shouts out “baby girl”) is using the chords of Al Hudson’s “You Can Do It”, Leon Haywood’s “Don’t Push It” or Kool & The Gang’s “Ladies Night” depending on how you hear it. Why do you consider Janine Johnson your baby girl? Rob: Because with her, Eli Thompson and Laura Jackson, they are like family being our live performance singers.
Probably my favourite on the album is Michael Jeffries on “Summa Breeze”. Rob: That’s a favourite of mine. Imagine driving with the sunshine by the water and you’d never want to stop playing the record.
weekender and she gave me her CD to check out. I liked it and produced a track with her and then she did this with us.
“Our main objective is to bring back the memory of the eighties and who better than someone like Glenn Jones” -Frank Ryle
Jeff Ramsey’s “Automatic Love” sounds like Rob: I think we approached him and he’d already Midnight Stars “Midas Touch” (Frank: “For sure, heard about us. We’ve done two tracks with him just a little.”) and the second up-tempo track will be on the Rob: The problem is, that these guys are our heroes and having two American airbases around me between 1981-85, this music is what we grew up with. Frank and I try not to copy but show respect for how they influence us. Frank: There is no sample there, by the way.
digital release.
Who came up with the artistic cover concept?
Rob: Ben Fraser did the cover on Cool Million 3 and Phil the drummer did this one. We are doing it as an album and wanted to create that vibe where you bought the album because you like the cover.
What are we going to get at Margate in August? Eli Thompson on “Sweet Soul Music” is funky and slightly different for Cool Million, what Frank: Well we’ll have to do “Back For More” and happened when you sent it to him? we will be bringing Farina with us plus backing Rob: The music was different actually and we added the horn section after Eli put his vocals on it. Then Eli had to re-sing it to make his performance more powerful with the new arrangement. Same thing happened with Michael Jeffries as the production was more electronic on his track.
Glenn Jones.
When is the release date? Rob: The vinyl is out in June and the CD in May.
Thanks guys.
Kiki Kie “Good Times” surely influenced by Chic? Frank: Yes and she would be very happy to hear www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Record Reviews For this 9th anniversary issue there’s liquorice all sort mixture of the old and new. Enclosed are 3 classic CD re-issues with bonus cuts, an undiluted afrobeat concept, original conscious spoken word and a triple classic CD box set. We have a talented jazz trio, two respected acts fulfilling some soulful gospel projects and an east coast funk band having a throwback moment and sounding finger licking good. So enjoy seeking these “Summertime Lovin’ ” like Steve Arrington goodies.
Alicia Myers - Right Here Right Now (AceBeat Music) From one of the most sublime and underestimated gospel vocalists, who has retained her soulfulness, comes this uplifting secular crossover cut. Alicia Myers recently mesmerised the Blackpool Luxury Soul Weekender in Jan 2015 and hits another high note released on AceBeat music. Like Chaka, Alicia can twist her high and low notes in her own immutable way as she tells the tale of remaining optimistic to a nice and simple music production. Very much in the vein of “I Want To Thank You” Alicia sings lead and background vocals on this song that is available as a dance and radio mix. I suggest whether or not you like “Keeping God In Your Life” you buy this available from Traxsource and iTunes.
Heatwave - “Central Heating” & “Too Hot Too Handle” (BBR) Although this is not a two for one CD, I’m reviewing them together from a quality band with US and UK affiliations. Both albums produced by Barry Blue feature Rod Temperton compositions and contain many classic disco funk and emotional ballads forever etched in our soul surviving membranes. “Central Heating” features an added cut ‘Wack That Axe’ and bonus 12” mixes of the album’s hit singles with the infectious “Groove Line” and heart melting “Mind Blowing Decisions”. Johnny Wilder’s unmistakable falsetto voice rides on any given rhythm as presented on the original of a George Benson cover of “Star Of A Story”. The ”Too Hot Too Handle” CD is more notably an all round fulfilling album, whose first five records are magnificent like The Clash’s seven. The self-titled track, with “Boogie Nights”, “Ain’t No Half Steppin” and “Super Soul Sister” truly mark the musicianship of the band. “Always And Forever” historically is up there as an all-time classic wedding anthem with Johnny Wilder excelling on the popular love ballad. There are three bonus tracks, previously not included on the album’s vinyl release, “Turn Out The Lamplight” again covered by (George Benson) a very funky “Slip Your Disc To This” and “Special Offer”. So warm yourself up with two glowing Heatwave must have on CD.
Cool Million – Sumthin Like This (Sedsoul) Still championing the 1980’s moog and synth groove, Rob Hardt and Frank Ryle pull out the big guns on their fourth album. You will hear familiar overtones of D Train, Midnight Star, Chic, Al Hudson and “Flat Beat” (yes you read that correctly) and Teddy Pendergrass in the mix. The Cool Million ‘A Team’ of Janine Johnson, Eli Thompson and Laura Jackson are joined by Glenn Jones, Michael Jeffries (Tower Of Power), Marc Evans and Porter Carroll (Atlantic Starr). There is a mix breed of genres with Pace’s RnB “Type Of Woman” to Farina’s vocal ode to music “No Ordinary Music”. Two of the mainstream dance floor fillers are “Give It Up” and “Tonight” with a very musical jazz and soulful falsetto vocal “Summa Breeze” breaking away slightly from the usual Cool Million template. Cool Million fans will be happy with this serving of European soul food. Page 20 - Issue 59
Tony Ozier - 36 Flavaz (Ropeadope Records) Tony is someone whose variety of influences makes him unique in what he produces outside the confinements of music genre boxes. Mixing all things but delivering his own Dookie Funk he opens up with a slurry almost Parliament, D’Angelo pitched vocal meets Dr. Dre’s “Still Dre” piano break, on “Funk’d Up” feat Westbred Diamond 1. A nice balance of live music and technology is captured on two bumping beats production, “Caught Up In The Groove” and “Playground” featuring Easy McCoy and Slimkid3. Debra Luck and Tony syncopates harmonies with some earthy and grimy beats on “What We Have”. “Mrs. Starfighter” is a Prince sounding rock meets pop cut featuring Tony’s voice, weaving in between his falsetto, operatic and baritone octaves. I’m loving the lyrical and funky flex of “Where Do We Go From Here” and the title cut “36 Flavaz” both reminding me of early Bilal. With bonus remixes of “Mrs Starfighter” and “Funk’d Up”, I recommend this for those who like something a bit left of the right.
Dele Sosimi - You No Fit Touch Am (Wah Wah 45) This African warrior is only one year older than me but for 36 years he has learnt under the tutelage of the great Fela Kuti. Dele Sosimi, keyboardist, arranger, producer and musical director teams up with Dom Servini’s Wah Wah 45 and captures the true essence of afrobeat. Varying in tempo, musicality and social statements, Dele produces a consummate seven concept album. Experience the traditional afro horns, guitar licks and militant drums on “E Go Better”, “My Turn” and the infectious self titled “You No Fit Touch Am”. The afrobeat influences on roots, rock, and reggae are evident listening to “Where you Want To Be” and “I Don’t Care” and more poignantly on “We Siddon We Dey Look (Straight Molin)”. “Sanctuary” is the albums first single and vocally the most catchy, concluding that these afro grooves are guaranteed to make you move. Awesome!
Don Ray - Garden Of Love (BBR) This classic late 1970’s disco album features the talents of Madeline Bell, Cerrone, Lene (Lucky Numbers) Lovich and the featured artist keyboard and synthesiser exponent Don Ray. It’s pulsating euro disco with three must play cuts from a personal point of view featuring Rob King and L Rich sharing lead vocals. Purchasing the vinyl years ago, I was initially drawn to “Got To Have Loving” but it’s the congas and hypnotic rhythm of “Body And Soul” that dancer and DJ Trevor Shakes introduced me to that totally captivated me. If you don’t know it, check out the album’s sampled champion “Standing In The Rain” utilised heavily by Groove Committee’s 1991 Nu Groove house cut “Rain On Me”. “Midnight Express” is more like a cheesier disco cut but “Garden Of Love” and “My Desire” (reminds me vocally of “The Love Boat”) being much slower and funkier. No bonus cuts but worth having.
www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Grace Jones - Disco Box (Universal Island) Be it Russell Harty, Studio 54, the American GI hair cut, her androgynous physic, Dolph Lundgren, ‘Boomerang’ with Eddie Murphy or her extravagant dress attire, you won’t be forgetting ‘My Jamaican Girl’ Grace Jones in a hurry. This three CD box set features full and bonus cuts of Grace’s first three albums “Portfolio”, “Fame” and “Muse” circa 1977-1979. “Portfolio” hosts three classics “Send In The Clowns”, “La Vie En Rose” (with instrumental) and the album, disco and instrumental of the delightful “Sorry”. Extra bonus mixes of “I Need A Man” and “That’s The Trouble” are also available. Grace was, according to Tom Moulton, just discovering her voice and sometimes sang in other dialects other than in English on some of these recordings with some memorable results. The first three “Fame” cuts “Do or Die”, “Pride” and “Fame” are personified with 12” inch and instrumental mixes of the first two. Grace seems to suit a latin groove as exampled on “Autumn Leaves” and on occasion rides smoothly on the disco bumping “Comme Un Oiseau Qui S’Envolve” and “Anema E Core”. Finally the “Muse” CD does have bonus mixes from the previous two albums and does have a miss mash of varied disco pieces like “Suffer” and “Repentance”. However my ‘piece de resistance’ remains to be the beautiful “Find My Way To You” on purchasing the vinyl quite a few years back. You should enjoy plenty “Nightclubbing” memories taking you back to your misspent youth listening to this.
Gil Scott Heron - Small Talk at 125th And Lenox (Flying Dutchman BGP) Forty-five years ago a young, gifted and very black conscious, singer, songwriter, poet and activist made an album that would inspire many despite their origin. Gil Scott Heron’s debut on Flying Dutchman was a pivotable turning point for precise and purposely directed spoken word that was made available lyrically on wax. Uncompromising in his subject matters Gil delivers his soul sermon, in front of a live audience, aided by a percussionist and is as controversial as he is brutally honest. “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, “Evolution” and “Whitey On The Moon” depict the state of America as seen through the eyes of the black race. The intro to “Brother” was famously sampled on The Ballistic Brother’s vs The Eccentric Afro’s “Blacker” classic hip-hop remixed jazz groove. A piano assists the bongos on the only three songs sung by Gil “The Vulture”, “Who’ll Pay Reparations On My Soul?” and “Everyday”. Love the rawness of the content so buy this brilliant release on CD.
Want A Review? If you want a guaranteed record review of your pride and joy music product as an advertorial, we can accommodate that subject to space @ £50 per title or a discount for more. For more information contact fitzroy@thesoulsurvivors.co.uk Page 22 - Issue 59
Dennis Rollins’ Velocity Trio – Symbiosis (Dogwithboneproductions) I’ve been a fan of this young man from when he worked on IG Culture’s hip-hop jazz project “Da Steppaz Project” 19 years ago. I liken Dennis to a smidgen of Fred Wesley, Raul De Souza and Wayne Henderson all rolled into one. Flexing between jazz and funk gives him an edge and with Pedro Segundo on percussion and drums and Ross Stanley on Hammond Organ, this CD has that old-fashioned swing thing for sure. “Utopia” and “Reverence” put you in the mood for the funkiness of the self-titled “Symbiosis”, an interchanging complexity of mid tempo to fast bebop jazz. There is great synergy between the trio even within the mellower orchestral vibes of “Hark!” and “Senhora Do Almortao”. “Money” has random pauses and rhythmically reminds me of Henry Mancini’s “Pink Panther Theme”. Another highlight is the short and sweet ‘crowd participation’ themed “Bakkra”. A touch of class from a master of the brass. Highly recommended!!
Louie Vega - Dance feat. The Winans and The Clark Sisters This is quite an infectious record that has been getting so much attention. It was the most played track at SITA over the seven days in Alvor. I much prefer this funk house radio mix, which is slightly slower in tempo. Lyrically it will be the summer anthem for most DJ’s to spin and as usual Louie gets the equilibrium between music and technology. There is also a nice latin soul mix that has the gospel vocals of both the legendary Winans and the Clark Sisters. The vocals almost glide over the track at times sounding like they are auto tuned. Ahead of his forthcoming album, to which I attended the listening party at Ministry Of Sound, this is a nice taster from Mr. Vega.
Brazilika - (20th Year Anniversary Double CD Celebrating The Best Of Far Out Brazil & Beyond) (Far Out Records) I’ve known Joe Davis since 1990 when we first DJ’d together in Aylesbury Buckinghamshire. With his insatiable passion for Brazilian music, I remember my fellow west Londoner giving me Azymuth’s 1996 “Carnival” release from his new label venture and playing the new broken mix of “Jazz Carnival” regularly at my Jazz Cafe residency. Celebrating 20 years Joe releases a double CD. The first features unmixed Azymuth, Joyce and Banda Black Rio cuts out of 15 Brazilian skilled titles. CD 2 is mixed by Spiritual South with contributions via The Far Out Monster Orchestra, Marcos Valle and Friends From Rio amongst 27 titles. It features remixes from a collective including 4Hero, Ashley Beedle, Jazzanova, and Daz I Kue. I always felt proud that a neighbouring DJ from my manor managed to get the attention of respected individuals namely Kenny Dope, Gilles Peterson and 4Hero to collaborate with his Brazilian dream team label concept. In the words of Skyy, “Here’s To You” Joe Davis and Far Out Records. It’s out now!
Fatback Band - Get Your Head Out Your Phone Just as I was about to press the send button to my graphic designer, this lands in my inbox and I had to squeeze it in. I always loved to “Boogie With The Fatback” and this is a return to the source from Bill Curtis and his 45-year strong east coast ensemble, slam-dunking the funk, to my delight. “Get Your Head Out Your Phone” is a song depicting the poignant 21 century addiction many of us experience, of being spot welded to your phone. With a hint of a “go go” beat and Al Green’s “Love And Happiness” horn influence, I love the relaxed and street rap vocal delivery, mixed with a crazy sax solo on a sure “Fired Up ’N’ Kickin” “Groovy Kind Of Day” bullet. So whether you’re at the “Bus Stop” “Chillin’ Out” or doing a “Street Dance”, you’ll “Keep On Steppin’” to this “Yum Yum” gimme some “Tasty Jam” from Bill who always “Let The Drums Speak”. www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Fitzroy talks to GLENN JONES
Like so many singers I’ve spoken with Glenn Jones at a very young pre to early teen age, had worked with some of the leading figures championing gospel music. Overcoming racism and segregation in dangerous quarters to sing in the name of the creator, was his calling before he crossed into the secular arena. With much “Finesse” Glenn has proved “He Is So Good”, in fact good enough to capture the attention of many with his “Sweet & Wonderful” velvet smooth and exciting voice. Lending his voice to many projects and more recently showcasing his amazing vocal power at Indigo O2 October 2013, Glenn decided to “Meet Me Halfway There” and chat face to face ahead of his date at the Margate Weekender in August 2015. You were born in 1962 and grew up in Florida the greatest gospel singers around. I’d seen the within the gospel world, were you working with obstacles and a lot of racism travelling through the south of Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee, Mighty Clouds Of Joy and James Cleveland? Yes as a matter of fact I just spent two weeks with Joe Lagan, lead singer of Mighty Clouds Of Joy. I knew him from when we were kids; in fact we were an opening act. I joined a group called The Biblic Specials and they used to come to the church and sing, and then asked my mother if I could work with them after they heard me sing. We ended up travelling on the road with The Five Blind Boys, Shirley Caesar and The Mighty Clouds Of Joy, so I knew these acts from very early on. That’s where I really got my start, doing gospel.
How was everyday life in Florida? It was cool, I was the baby from a family of nine where there was still segregation. My father was a manual labourer, truck driving to pay for his large family. I saw a lot of things early on with prejudice and racism first hand, but I was secure because I had a strong family.
but somehow God protected us. When I was seventeen, I met Reverend James Cleveland who recorded with Savoy Records and I had written quite a few songs since I was fourteen. He invited me and my group to his house and we sat playing around his piano, then a couple of days later I was in the studio recording. He signed me to the label because he had that kind of power, having sold so many records at the time and being the ‘king of gospel’. He took me to Ray Charles’s studio and I had written about twelve songs, so we performed them on the album ‘With A Made Up Mind’ and produced it. I had another record on Savoy ‘Feel The Fire’ and that was when Norman Connors heard it whilst in Washington DC. He was friends with my manager and entertainment lawyer Louise West, and I was asked to sing “Melancholy Fire”. That’s when I met Al Johnson and Jean Carn which was the second start of my career.
Page 26 - Issue 59
Glen laughs… I don’t know man it just happened as I listen to everything. It’s undeniable that I come from gospel but I listened to Donny Hathaway and Stevie Wonder that had a more contemporary jazz feel, so that’s what I came up with. When I met my wife, Genobia, I had all these songs stored up (“Genobia the singer?”) Yeah that’s my wife Genobia Jeter, she’s singing the background vocals on that album and it’s how we met. She had a good album out at the time called “Heaven”, on the same label and when I played her the song, it blew her away. It’s funny I haven’t performed that song in thirty years till a friend of mine passed away in Jacksonville Florida and I sang that at his memorial.
The thing about that song is although it’s gospel and about being close to God it does have an appeal to both secular and non-secular people.
What led to you becoming involved with the gospel outfit The Modulations? By the time I was thirteen my parents were tired of me singing with the group I was with, travelling throughout the summer on the road from Florida to California, and coming back with no money. So they helped me to start my own group, supporting me financially with equipment and travelling across the country. They believed in my talent and recognised the exposure I had with some of
who did “Rough Out Here”. I had to recheck the credits, as I was adamant you were not in the line up of the north Carolina group until I realised it was a different group. How did that song happen as it is a far departure from the rest of the album?
Going back to the “Feel The Fire” album, although it was very gospel, there was one killer track “He Is So Good”, which I only discovered about eight years ago on You-Tube randomly. I was a bit confused, as I knew The Modulations
Absolutely and as a kid even though I wasn’t supposed to be listening to secular music, I did, and I wanted to listen to some old time hip slapping music and R&B. Me and my brothers would go to the record store and buy music and had to hide them when our parents were about.
How was that transition of explaining to your parents once you were approached by Norman
Connors, of moving into the often frowned upon I can imagine how that happens and the conflict secular music world? of managing the middle ground between the two. I loved the first album “Finesse”, the title It was very difficult and my biggest concern track being my personal favourite. With Kashif, apart from my relationship with God, was of Freddie Jackson, Melissa Morgan and Leon what my family thought. They had supported and Sylvers it’s a classic. I also liked “Meet Me invested money towards me and being honest Halfway There” but lately I’ve been captivated when Norman flew me out to California, I was by “You’re The Only One I Love” (Woooooh) and back and forth battling whether or not to go “Show Me”, the ballad, was a hit for you right? into the studio because my relationship with the church was so deep. So I made up my mind and re-wrote the lyrics of “Melancholy Fire” so that I was comfortable with it as a more inspirational song, even though I’m not credited on the “Take It To The Limit” album for that. When I played it to my mother and my father they were cool with it.
Then you sang “Sing A Love Song” on Norman Connor’s “Mr C” album, great song, did you do anything else on that album?
Yeah “Show Me” was huge.
I was asked to sing “Melancholy Fire”. That’s when I met Al Johnson and Jean Carn which was the second start of my career.”
Rufus and Chaka days, produced that for me.
You moved to Atlantic with “Here I Go Again” and did a track with Regina Bell, which got some radio play but was there a period in the 1990’s where you stopped making music? I did an album “Here I Am” with Atlantic. The song “Stay” went into the top five with a video and then I released a second single called “Good Thing” where I actually met Jay Z for the first time, and he opened up for me. I met Ross Vannelli and he wanted to work with me and at the same time I was at the end of my contract with Atlantic. Then Steve Rusfelt was a fan of mine so together we started our own thing SAR Records in 1997 with the first single “Let It Rain”, a killer record. It was a time when the record industry was changing on retail and radio, but I broke through with a single called “Baby Come Home”, a monster hit. As an independent label we sold about two hundred thousand copies which is equivalent to selling a million on a major. After that I didn’t do anything until 2002 when I worked with Peak Records, Herb Middleton and Barry Eastmond on the “Feels Good” album. It was one of the best records I’ve done in my life. I did another project in 2007 but the whole industry had changed and even though my records did not have commercial success I’m proud of what I delivered.
To read more about Glenn Jones meeting Norman Connors, Jean Carne, working with Leon Sylvers and Kashif please join our membership www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk
No, but I was Norman’s feature artist when he toured, doing the songs I recorded with him plus some of Michael Henderson’s, like “Valentine Love”. I got a call from RCA as “Melancholy Fire” was a big record and then I signed my first secular deal.
-Glenn Jones
“It Hurts Me Too Much” has a riff that’s also in Evelyn Kings “Love Come Down” that sounds like Kashif is on it.
Speaking with Jean Carn she calls her working with Norman Connor’s vocalists ‘background He’s not but what happened was La La, Steve colouring’, did you get any assistance from her? Horton and Wayne Braithwaite were signed to Soul Tracks wrote that you were an “underrated Kashif’s production company. So Kashif wasn’t singer, who worked with some producers who Yes Jean actually worked with me to produce my as hands on but he did tell me that ‘Show Me’ didn’t know what to do with your voice”, how vocals on “Melancholy Fire” and I got to work with sounded too much like I was singing in church, but did you find that? her on “Sweet & Wonderful”.
Have you heard the original of that by Bridge?
No and I never knew who wrote it or the origin of the song.
it was a smash record. That was around the time that Leon Sylvers, Kashif and Jam & Lewis started their own production companies and I loved all of their productions. There was a rivalry between Leon Sylvers and Kashif as their sounds were similar at times but their interpretations would sometimes cause that fuel to fire.
Norman helped a group called Bridge and “Take It From Me” was your last RCA album. ultimately recorded three songs from their album, “Stella”, “Loves On Your Corner” and That album I did with La La, writing things like “Sweet & Wonderful”. “Stay With Me” was where I started to get the Ok I didn’t know that.
So with your five track EP “Everybody Loves A Winner” from 1983 on RCA, “I Am Somebody” becomes a universal anthem with that cross secular and non-secular connotations. That was me making my transition from gospel to secular. Funnily when I made that song and “Keep On Doing”, I was told my records were not sensual enough.
focus on writing secular music. It wasn’t much different from writing gospel as, like you said earlier, you can interpret “He Is So Good” differently. So changing a lyric here and there, talking about love and feelings became a natural and easier progression.
Wasn’t there a song you did that was in a film? My song “Talk Me Into It” that came from the album was in a film called “Youngblood” that had the actor Rob Lowe in it. Hawk Wolinski from the
Sometimes it doesn’t matter who produces you, if they don’t come with the right product everything falls short. I worked with Teddy Riley when he was on fire but I didn’t get the best of the best that he had. Sometimes as a maturing artist, people push you to do things, which I understand, that keeps you relevant. But at the same time the record has got to fit you more and not you chasing a concept, so they must find the right record to mould around you, which is not easy. The new producers don’t always look at your history and try to fit you into being the new hottest thing. If you look at someone like Charlie Wilson they find the right records and he can reinvent himself, you can sing in the same key because you have been doing it for years.
Thanks for speaking with me Glenn. Thanks man and don’t forget to hit me up with that version of “Sweet & Wonderful”. www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Extra Extra! D’Angelo
years ago, almost to the month, that he unleashed a beast of a debut album 20 “Brown Sugar”, singer, songwriter and a fellow
music Aquarian D’Angelo, providentially was seen in a guise, that his current album titles suggests, of him being the “Black Messiah” and a saviour for real black music. Trevor Nelson, Steve Wren and myself used to thrash his CJ Mackintosh remixed composition “You Will Know” by B.M.U (Black Men United) from 1994, at “Reminisce” on Sunday nights at the Broadway Boulevard in Ealing W.5. A year later I remember receiving promo’s of the EP, singles and album and utilising these like a souljah equipped to do battle on the turntables. His jazz, soul, hip-hop flavoured RnB was playable both in the clubs and on radio. I have vivid
READ ALL ABOUT IT... memories like it was yesterday of his packed concert at the Jazz Cafe in the summer of 1995 as he churned out “Brown Sugar”, “Lady” “Me And Those Dreamy Eyes Of Mine” and Smokey Robinson’s “Crusin”. During my interview with Smokey Robinson (Issue 22 2010) he said of D’Angelo’s cover of “Crusin’”, “I love it when someone records one of my songs. I know D’Angelo. A great young man, and I know his family, so I was overwhelmed when he sang it”. Since then the pressure was on to at least equal his debut album and “Voodoo” 5 years later did that from my perspective with “Left & Right”, “Devil’s Pie” and the superlative
“Spanish Joint”. During and in between some of his sabbatical moments D’Angelo worked on “Everyday” with Angie Stone, covered The Ohio Players’ “Heaven Must Be Like This”, Eddie Kendrick’s “Girl I Need A Change Of Mind” and collaborated with Don-E on “So Cold”. His current “Black Messiah” album after a 14-year hiatus features a new direction for D’Angelo yet it retains the essence of his humble debut antidotes with prime cuts like “Sugar Daddy”. We are proud at Soul Survivors HQ to be advertising the extra London date Monday 20th July so don’t delay get you ticket to see this man...Today!!
Horace Brown
Shalamar
of you I grew up listening to a few and controversial innuendo Lsongsikeslightlymostin thesexual 1970’s on the radio. Marvin’s
very label has a super group who without question champions the stable of Eamalgamated talent that is showcased to

“Lets Get It On” LP, R&J Stone “We Do It” and Meri Wilson’s “Telephone Man” (I love that song) comes to mind. But in the mid 1990’s Uptown Records took a risqué gamble releasing a new RnB sensation’s blatant and overtly sexual slow jam “Taste Your Love”. Horace Brown had arrived with his rugged yet sweet boy looks and serene vocal chords. He later switched labels to Motown and I remember receiving from Matt White the Blackbyrd’s “Mysterious Vibes” sampled “One For The Money” and James Brown’s “Blue & Pant’s” influenced “Things We Do For Love” promo’s. These tracks were essential DJ tools and anthemic classics of the glorious naughty nineties. Switching labels to Sony, Horace came with another monster club floor filler “Shake It Up” a huge classic, rinsed at many of my residencies including Sunday nights at “Twice As Nice” in the early 2000’s. Horace makes his debut with a full live band at the Jazz Cafe Camden N.W.1 on July 26th, courtesy of Matt White and Nick Smood. The DJ line up includes the afore mention gents, Steve Running Man, Lloyd Life and DJ Skinz, all of whom I’ve DJ’d alongside many times championing the RnB and hip-hop sounds of that period. So ‘hurray like a Murray’ for this is “One For The Money”, (two for the show) and see HB get saucy and “Shake It Up” in the club. “So to the ladies in the house tonight looking fly, you got it right, we gonna have an after party.... cause HB’s got to have somebody”. Page 28 - Issue 59
us, the soul surviving public. Shalamar were that for Solar Records headed up by Dick Giffrey with endless hits and a few personnel changes over a 40 year period. Gary Mumford, Gerald Brown and Jodie Watley have certainly brought merit to the Shalamar legacy. The line up now consists of Howard Hewitt and Carolyn “Baby Girl Iron Princess” Giffrey, daughter of Solar records first lady Carrie Lucas and step father Dick Giffrey. I have got to know the current line up quite well personally via conducting interviews and attending rehearsal sessions and they are “Full Of Fire”. Carolyn’s make up artist Sonia Damney and her husband decided to get “Right In The Socket” and bring Shalamar to their local soul home of Oxford at the O2 on the 12th July. They’ve kindly asked local Oxford Dictarian (I made that word up), Darrell S and I to both represent Soul Survivors and spin for a few hours with some classic 70’s & 80’s jazz funk and disco. So if you are around the M25 perimeter I suggest you “Make That Move” for an evening with Shalamar, a real “Night To Remember” “Over And Over” again for a guaranteed “Take That To The Bank” concert. See the advert and see ya there, mine’s a JD & Coke so I’ll “Owe You One” when I spin some classic plastic.
By Entertainment Correspondent Dark Kent aka Fitzroy
www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Tony Ozier
Tony is musical nomad who now resides in Portland Oregon as a happily married family man. However his thirst for creating the equilibrium between various sonic genres and audio vs digital technology is final one that he’s managed to conquer and champion with his own Doodle Funk umbrella. Those who know his capability revere him and you can read about this via Mr. Barry King who was flown over by Tony to DJ for his wedding…. Enjoy.
Tony, you’re based in Portland? Yes I am and it’s beautiful and we’re making some crazy music over here. How did the journey start for you as you are not a Portland native? No, I grew up in Texas and went to college in west Michigan and that’s where I got into music, but I’ve been to Orlando, Atlanta, LA, Detroit and now I’m settled in Portland. Did you go to school in Detroit and get into music? No, I went to Michigan to play college basket ball, and when that didn’t go well for me, I went into the music and that was in west Michigan. Detroit is east Michigan. What was your influence growing up in Texas? Growing up as a kid my grandmother kept me in the church but she was a Stevie Wonder fan and my mother was into Luther Vandross. My first stepfather was into reggae so I listened to Peter Tosh and a few guys I grew up with were into rock bands like Led Zeppelin and Metallica. Growing up in Texas we were exposed to gospel and country music too. What instruments did you learn to play? Initially the bass, the piano and a bit of drums. So what years are we talking about?
producers DJ’s, and writers and still work with them to this day. Did you have any guests on that album?
INTERVIEW BY BARRY KING
It was mainly me but I had some guest musicians. What was the next move for you? In 2006 I got married and later had my first child, then it was 2007 when I moved to Michigan and you came to play at our party. Wow, that was 8 years ago T damn. I started going back and forth to London from Michigan and “Aural Penetration” was created from that whole London vibe. What year was “Aural Penetration” out? That was 2009 Were you working with any Detroit artists? I was working with Scientifix Universal and we did an album together called “The One”. I worked with Jason Lowe and Sky Montique out of London. James Shelton a dope musician was on that album too. So there’s a gap between then and now of you making albums?
This was the mid 1990’s when Tupac, Pharcyde, Goodie Mob, Tribe Called Quest, Blackstreet, Ereka Badu and D’Angelo were prominent.
There was a couple more in between, The Doodle Funk came out in 2010 and in 2011 the first instrumental “Beats Galore” came out ,and Vol 2 came out in 2013.
When did you put your first album out?
What made you come up with the Doodle Funk idea?
That was 2006 called “Mental Candy” and I came over to England on that album but it never got released over here in the USA. The response was crazy on it. I did a bunch of shows and met some cool folks
That was created when I moved to LA after I graduated and started doing an internship. Simultaneously I was pursuing my music and meeting different artists. The response I got from people was that my music
Page 30 - Issue 59
www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
wasn’t jazz, funky, soulful or RnB enough. This genre stuff prevented people for listening to my music, so Katie who was my girlfriend and now is my wife came up with a few names. Doodle Funk was the one that stuck out and this helped create a genre for my music. People would always say my music was funky so I started The Doodle Funk Crew Band and we stomped hard on LA for about three years practically playing all over. Then I moved to Atlanta, visited London and eventually relocated back to Michigan, and that’s when you came over in 2007 when I moved to Portland. And you ain’t looked back since. No and we helped to create a fresh movement down here that took a life of its own. You got a night down there now Yeah, The Dookie Jam and we are celebrating six years this year and it happens on the first Thursday of every month. What you got lined up?
The great Bootsy Collins. What’s the new album called?
“Growing up as a kid my grandmother kept me in the church but she was a Stevie Wonder fan and my mother was into Luther Vandross.”
“36 Flavas” with guests Farnell Newton, Easy McCoy, AB an RnB artists out of Cleveland, SlimKids3, Deborah Luck my man Majestic. G Force did a remix on there too.
-Tony Ozier
What’s the first single? Its called “Funked Up” and it just dropped yesterday the 26th and B, it’s 8 years to the day of my wedding anniversary.
To read more about Tony Ozier working with Bootsy Collins and Jarrod Lawson please join our membership www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk
It’s a live jam and sometimes we get guest musicians when they just roll into town, and then end up finding out about The Dookie Jam. One day I got a phone call that Al B Sure was in town and he came down and just did like most, an improvisational show. I host the show and introduce people on the mic, be they drummers, singers, piano or guitar players. Is that where you met Farnell Jones?
No when I got here a friend of mine introduced me to Farnell at Jimmy Macs a local legendary jazz club. Farnell and I have been close and working together ever since. How did you get involved with Bootsy Collins?
Via a saxophonist called Mike Phillips who is responsible for a lot of people stepping up their game, and he’s an intricate part of what’s going on. Bootsy and Farnell had done the ‘Soul Train Music Awards’ and Mike knows Bootsy very well. Farnell asked Bootsy if he needs some horns on his music so Bootsy asked to hear what he had done. Now we had just cut some horns for Doodle Funk’s “Keep The Funk Alive” and Farnell contacted me to send the tracks, so Bootsy could hear how he played horns. Unbeknown to me Farnell sends the tracks to Mike Phillips and Mike calls me asking if I’d like to get Bootsy to play on the track he heard. Off course I said yes and Mike asked me to send the track without the vocals. A year goes by and another ‘Soul Train Music Awards’ happens and Bootsy had recorded his part on our track. Mike played it to me down the phone and Bootsy’s signature was all over the track. We had to cut some out because Bootsy was screaming louder on the track than we were (Barry laughs). It was crazy and that’s how he got on the track and I only met him last year.
Page 32 - Issue 59
Is that a coincidence?
Nah man it’s how it was supposed to happen.
We need to get your Portland thing pushed to the max T.
We having a meeting about streaming the Dookie Jam, it’s already on line and there’s a mixture of old and new footage up there. The Dookie Jam is all improvisation and I love it because we’re being spontaneous. You helped champion Jarrod Lawson at your club and Jarrod actually mentions you in his interview with Fitzroy. Well Jarrod is killing it right now and I love the way he is a complete musical genius and how he layers things vocally. He’s incredible and I told people he was the truth four five years ago. I’m so happy he’s making music, travelling the world and shinning. It’s beautiful because he come out of the Dookie Jam and it’s all love, Barry everybody coming out right now comes via the Dookie Jam. Thanks Tony
Tony Ozier’s - 36 Flavaz Album is available now. For more information go to www.kfp-enterprise.co.uk
By Soul Survivor David Moran
Word Up 8! Across
1 Sally’s ride (7) 5 SOS’s girl is one of these, TGIF (7) 8 What War advised about Nobody getting you down? (4,3) 10/22 “_ _ _ _ _ Nothing” Patti’s ultimatum (3,2) 11 Place or show? - the Intruders would rather do this (3) 12 Japan’s strong woman and dopest emcee (5) 13 Atmosfear and Level 42’s superior label (5) 14 See 29 15 Earl and funk brother with van (4) 16 Donny Hathaway speaking easy says we’ll always have this (6,2,3,4) 19 Jimmy “Bo” Horne expressing his gratitude (5,2,4,2,2) 21 Yvonne Fair wanted to let your what down?(4) 22 See 10 23 Major Lance impatiently crooned “Love Won’t _ _ _ _ _ Wait” (3,2) 26 Bluesman Muddy Waters growled “I Love The _ _ _ _ _ Live” (4,1) 28 James Brown’s number for the downstroke (3) 29/14 Fats Woller asked disorientedly “_ _ _ _ _ Another World” (2,1,2) 30 Latin favourite De La Fe is hot to trot (7) 31 You’re never gonna get it from these sassy ladies (2,5) 32 It’s in Betty’s kiss, shoop shoop! (7)
Down
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 9 11 17 18 19 20 24 25 27
Billy Ocean wanted you out of this and into his car (2,5) “You’re Gonna Make Me Love You” was a famous Froggy crown jewel for this Sheldon (5) Bobby Womack assured us someday we will this (3,2,4) Bernard “Beloyd” Taylor’s Caister favourite looking to be involved (3,4,4,4) Where the Dells reveal their special place to show their love (4,2,2,3,4) Fitzgerald, she with the “sweet and lovely” voice (4) This Williams wants to be free (7) Extended Release in short (2) Souls of Mischief rapped “What A _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Out” (3,2,2) Mighty mighty White lead (7) Long after tonight is all over, it’s 3 before 8 for Jimmy (9) Whose there for James Ingram and Michael McDonald? (3,2,2) Dotti Cambridge’s Wigan tearjerker “Cry Your _ _ _ _ _ _ _” (4,3) Love unlimited’s love melody (5) Kool or Gary’s bunch (4) Debarge’s Spanish article (2) Answers will be posted on The Soul Survivor’s Facebook page www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
aka Mumu Fresh
MAIMOUNA
This young lady comes from an unusual perspective in her approach to music. Like Tony Ozier she is not confined to the restrictions people put on others because she intrinsically has a deeper connection with music, from an indigenous point of view. She sings, dances, raps and recites the realities of life and has made her mark with some well respected hip-hop and soul giants. The best is yet to come as she speaks with Barry King, who met her long before she started to explode on the music scene and as someone who has watched her fruitfully flourish. Where was your first introduction into music? I’ve been singing native American and African tradition songs at home with my mother and listening to jazz and later to hip-hop. Your mother has her own history, I believe, singing with Kid Creole? She did sing for Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band, Sammy Davis Jnr and Lionel Hampton. That’s a great background and this was before you were born obviously? (Mumu: “yes”) How did you get your start?
What was your next movement in getting things like “Oh you rap now” not realising noticed after that? that I’ve been rapping since I was eleven years old. Sometimes I sing and sometimes I recorded a single “Don’t Feel Right” that it’s easier to express something via spoken track was nominated for a Grammy and I word rather than to sing it. ended up doing a world tour with The Roots and people began to know my name. I’ve noticed you’ve worked with a lot of great artists from Big Daddy Kane, Dead Prez and Jill How did that come about with The Roots? Scott. Did you work with them in the studio or live on stage? We were recording in Larry Gold’s studio. (Barry: Oh MFSB’s Larry’s Gold’s studio in I did both. With Jill Scott we performed and Philadelphia) I just started recording and shared vocals with The Roots in, jam sessions experimenting with them and something and Dave Chappell’s block parties. We are stuck. They liked it and I ended up touring good friends and when I was in Philly I used with them. After I left them I wanted to do to see her all the time but not as much since some solo work. This was about 2006-2007. she had her baby.
I started recording around seventeen. After I So what were you doing between Serious B and graduated from school I organised my band The Roots? to a standard where we ended up recording our first album around 2004. There really wasn’t much of a gap, as Serious B we were still recording being were signed That band was Serious B? (Mumu: “yes”) As a to a label. I went straight into being the native from Baltimore with Serious B your music only singer doing the leads the background was jazz, hip-hop, funk and soul influenced, so hooks, and rapping for The Roots. how many albums did you do? So you’ve been nominated with a Grammy with We recorded two albums but only released The Roots and you also rap as well? one. The second one on Sony never came Yeah people hear my mix tapes and say out. Page 34 - Issue 59
INTERVIEW BY BARRY KING
How did the Dave Chappell thing happen? I was in the right place at the right time. I was an adamant youngster who wanted to be a part of this thing. I was hanging with Big Daddy Kane, The Roots and Jill Scott at the time, who took me under their wing as their new homie. I met Dead Prez that day. In fact one of the Dead Prez members had been to a show I did with Cody Chesnut and Martin Luther, two weeks before, and walked into the block party building singing one of my songs. I asked him how did he know my
song and we started talking. He mentioned What do you mean by it being different? he had no singers for their “Lets Get Free” album and asked if I knew his music. I advised that I knew all of their music and “With Jill Scott we for a teenager that was an amazing thing to performed and shared happen and record with Dead Prez. This was around 2007. vocals with The Roots That must have been a massive springboard for you. So this was in Brooklyn right? Yes and it was the first time I met Kanye West and Common. In fact it was after the performance at the Dave Chappell block party when The Roots asked me to tour with them. I ended up working with Common recording the song “Love You” on the “Be” album. My skills as a writer were also flourishing working with Vanessa Hutchins as a writer but not a singer. So it definitely spring boarded me in getting noticed for my talents. I then stared recording solo in 2007, recording myself in the basement from some equipment I brought.
in, jam sessions and Dave Chappell’s block parties” -Maimouna
Well most soul artists listen to soul music and develop loving it further during high school or college. Mine is different because I was trained from the age of four to be a singer and not for the music business. My mother was very adamant, believing music was for healing and not for corporate profit. I was trained to be a consummate professional singer, for example my mother wouldn’t let So when was your first solo release? me listen to certain music because she felt the quality wasn’t high enough and it would I recorded “I Got A Man” with Jazzy Jeff in distort my hearing. So she worked on vocal 2011 and that was the first time my own articulation with me and I studied African material was available to the public. and native American tradition music singing in ceremonies also. Not many people know Tell us about the “Black Magic Woman EP” that about me and even the way I sing is influenced firstly from growing up around I wanted people to connect and put the indigenous music. pieces together and realise who I was via my face, my voice and my story. The EP was to That’s very interesting. In the same year introduce myself to everyone as many artists 2011 you put out your first solo album “The have similar stories but I felt that my African Blooming”. How was that received? and native American ancestry upbringing was different. I felt it was well received. People liked “I Got A Man”(with Jazzy Jeff) the lead single and BET used it for a TV show called ‘Being Mary Jane’. It’s a gospel signature all about love. I did the blues, jazz and rock feel and people loved that it wasn’t monotonous. Some asked why didn’t I do a straight up RnB album but I wanted to challenge the thought, that there is no separation in black American music between rock jazz and gospel. James Brown is the most sampled person in hip-hop, so the connection is clearly there. It doesn’t happen that often that a young girl from Baltimore is so knowledgeable of America’s black music. Everyone is afraid to think of it because it doesn’t make money and it’s not in the top 40 which is about dumbing down. I didn’t
want to do that. It’s not hard to do that but it’s not for me and I want to do things my own way. I do like that you speak about different subjects like political stuff and that intrigues me as we need someone to carry the torch. I feel music should reflect life and the conversations you have with family politics and relationships. It’s not all about why did she leave or cheat on me. I love songs like “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” or music by Earth Wind & Fire because of their subject matter is indicative of black music. Maybe those artists were reading more and there is more intellectual value. People are not as spiritually aware and it shows in their music. Like you said they are afraid to go against the grain. They think system will shut them down because their message appears to be anti but it’s not,it’s just being aware. So I commend you. Well, thank you. There is something inside of me that makes me work against the grain. Look at all the greats they went against the grain, so keep on with what you’re doing. So you’re coming to the UK soon? Yeah I am and I’m excited! I land on 23rd June. What track are you going to give us at KFP for the UK? It’s a track I’ve been working on called “Guiltiness” with a producer Chucky Thompson who worked on Notorious BIG’s first album with Faith Evans. I’m looking forward to hearing that in it entirety. When are you planning to release your full album? I’m not sure at the moment. I’ve got to do some fundraising to put it out being an independent artist. Thanks for speaking with me You too Barry.
www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
FITZROY SPEAKS WITH
JARROD LAWSON So much turbulence has been caused since Jarrod Lawson’s arrival on the soul jazz arena, that he has pinch moments with the accolades bestowed on him. Congratulation to Jarrod who just won Jazz FM’s Soul Artist of the Year Award 2015, proving his artistry is a naturally gifted one which pulls in a diverse young and mature audience. He is humble and conscious of what’s been done before him and what he is expected to maintain. He embraces it with humility blended with a school-boy charm that befits his newfound status. This interview was filmed the day after his Sunday concert and Jarrod turned the tables on me becoming the interviewer and me the interviewee, now that’s a first. So no “Sleepwalkers’ allowed whilst reading this quite easy “Walk In The Park” conversation on a not so “Manic Monday”. What was the set up of your father’s recording studio that led you to siphon the energy of his soul collection, which led to you learning to play the drums at an early age and then the piano by your early teens? My earliest memories are from the age of two, practically living in my father’s studio in a depressed area of Redwood City that was in a business district. My father was an electrician by day. Music was his passion so I guess I followed in his footsteps, doing a hard laboured job as a stonemason for ten years, and loving music in my spare time, like he did. I gravitated towards the drums aged two to three and have wonderful memories of my dad with his band recording. We still have some on reel to reel and I’m thinking of resurrecting some of the songs at some point, and that’s the environment I grew up in.
It’s clear that you have quite a perfect pitch ear for music, with your classical jazz prowess, that you display performing on studio and live recordings. I hear elements of Ramsey Lewis, Ahmed Jamal, Chick Corea and Stanley Cowell, with a touch of D’Angelo in your piano playing (“That’s pretty spot on I would say”). How much of an advantage does your hidden skill as a piano tuner have and which keyboard players inspired you? Page 36 - Issue 59
Jarrod laughs… How did you know that? After ten years of working as a stonemason I started having a lot of problems with my body, for a smallframed guy like me, there’s a lot of wear and tear. I ended up having a compensation claim and had surgery on my wrist, so that’s when I got out of the stone masonry business. I was out of work for around six months trying to figure out what to do, and it suddenly hit me after playing the piano for twenty plus years, why don’t I become a piano tuner? So I asked about it and before I knew it someone was looking for an apprentice, so I took the test and passed. It took a lot of time before I felt comfortable as a piano tuner. I don’t know if it works to my advantage as I was born with a good set of ears, and I was also infatuated with classical music, listening to Chopin and Brahms aged thirteen. I couldn’t read music so I’d mess around and just figured the music out. I remember my dad coming in once when I was practicing playing Chopin’s “Waltz In D Flat Minor” on the piano. He asked me if I learnt to read music without him knowing and I advised no. I just listened to the record and figured it out. My ears are my strongest feature so it’s about a feeling and an immersion that lives within me and eventually comes through.
So who are some of your favourite piano players? Errol Gardner, Oscar Peterson, Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock whose “Sunburst” album blew my mind when I first heard it, and had a huge impact on me. I am a huge Earth Wind & Fire fan too.
That’s interesting, as I was wanted to know have you ever experimented with the kalimba instrument? That’s an interesting question as I actually bought a kalimba two years ago. I’ve messed around with it a little bit and I really love the instrument, in fact you may hear a little bit of it on my next album.
That’s what I like to hear. It’s clear that you are unashamedly inspired by high ranking old school musical spiritualists Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye,
Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder, as well as the some soul, folk and pop acts like Donald Fagan and Steely Dan. Latter day soul purveyor’s Omar, Lewis Taylor, Bilal, Frank McComb and D’Angelo are obvious too, but I also detect you are partial to some hip-hop and rap. Which artists from that genre inspired you? I think Mos Def is probably my favourite MC on the planet plus Common and Talib Kweli. I love the conscious stuff and I must mention Q Tip too.
Ok I ask because on your album you experiment with some spoken word that reminds me of Gil Scott Heron and Michael Franti of The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy influences. What are your beliefs that enable you to cattail these elements within your message music mantra, as I don’t know what your faith is? I grew up in a Christian household and that’s essentially my roots. My spirituality and concept of God is always evolving so I keep myself very open and ultimately I’m a truth seeker. If something challenges my concept of God and the truth, I’m open to that and I try to keep things applicable to all races. I think my main hope is that my music is universal and the recent crowds from Jazz Cafe are a testimony to that.
How was it working with Gretchen Mitchell and what happened to the tune that you made together that didn’t make the album? Interesting, how do you know about that? You’ve been digging haven’t you? (“Yes I have”). Gretchen and I went to high school together out in the sticks in a little town called Mollala about fifty miles south of Portland. People often ask how did I find soul music living out in the middle of nowhere and my response is, from my father. Gretchen and I were good friends and we went to community college together. We went our separate ways and one day she asked me to come and sing with her band on the spur of the moment, so I agreed. We did a duet on what was considered to be the album’s banger, and I didn’t hear the music till I got in the studio. The first person I see is Liv Warfield the biggest name in Portland soul wise and she’s been working with Prince’s NRG Band. With Tony Ozier and Gretchen in the mix we just laid the track down, but when the album was released, for some reason, the record label left off our recording of what most say was the best track on the album. I think it was called “You Don’t Even Know”.
What’s the story of you being a guest vocalist on trumpeter Farnell Newton’s “Class Is Now In Session 2011” album and him posting links of your album, which ultimately attracted the attention of many and in particular landing you the deal with Dome Records?
To read more about Jarrods thoughts on UK pop soul artitsts, his respect for Tony Ozier and flipping the tables on me to become the interviewer and me the interviewee please join our membership www.thesoulsurvivors.co.uk
How did you meet the members of your Good People Band and perfect your jazz, funk, soul and gospel fusion sound over the few years before I know that Farnell is one of those who networks for his people, who are around him. He promotes people who he believes in and I love that about you made the album? We got together three years before recording the album. My bass player Chris Friesen is the son of my high school choir teacher and he’s much younger than me. But his father kept saying to me “you need to hear my son play the bass because he’s talented”. So since Chris was eighteen I’ve had my eye on him and I developed a spiritual brotherly love level relationship with him, and all my band which is super important to me. Josh Corry my drummer and the guitarists (from the previous version of the band) Evan Bergeron and I met at a party and we were talking about music. We wrote and composed songs together for a few years before we recorded.
him, as he has supported me from day one. Somehow it all lead to Peter and Dome Records with whom I have a relationship, that I hope lasts along time. Since my debut album dropped in May 2014, I’ve been contacted by Chris Wells of Echoes and DJ Chris Philips who heard me previously on Farnell Newton’s album. Peter Robinson is one of the coolest dudes and he is not only my label owner, but he picks me up from the airport, and traveled back with me on the train with from Paris and he’s like my homie.
I did enjoy the album especially “Sleepwalkers” which reminds me of D’Angelo’s “Spanish Joint” from 2000, “Walk In The Park” and “Spiritual Eyes”. Not many can get away with lyrically waxing or emulating a Gil I must tell you that out of over seventy-seven thousand votes cast by Scott Heron or Michael Franti spoken word citation on a debut album. the listening public “Peace & Love” with Tony Ozier, Farnell Newton and So my question is when you made this album, what kind audience did yourself made number eighteen as a new entry in a new concept I’m you have in your Stevie Wonder inner-vision mind that would embrace it? involved in called The Fair Trade 4 Music Chart top twenty. Wow! Are you serious? That is so cool!
I’m serious as heart attack. How did you meet Tony, whose club Dookie Jam in Portland, is somewhere you often play? I have a great relationship with Tony who has the greatest heart and he’s a sweet person. His whole philosophy coming into Portland was a leader, bringing the hip-hop and RnB community together. Whether you danced, sang could do spoken word, or play an instrument, it was an open space to perform and not be judged. He’s the spearhead of the blueprint. I respect him immensely, he’s a great dude and an amazing musician with great production ears, which is more futuristic as opposed to my old school kind. He’s been doing the Dookie Jam for about seven years.
Good question. I think I came to a resolution that my audience was going be what it was. I had an expectation of certain demographics, but I came to a place that it would become universally accepted and whoever it reaches and has an impact on, that is my audience.
I did quite a favourable review of your album in issue 56 of Soul Survivors Magazine but missed, due to work commitments, your Ronnie Scott’s debut. How has the whole overwhelming and possibly daunting success of the album impacted on you, so much more so as it’s unusual for a relatively unknown artist to sell out at Ronnie Scotts on his debut? It’s crazy and surreal as this journey started a year ago and since May 1st 2014, the progression of this has been immense. To debut at Ronnie Scott’s is like a dream come true and unbelievable like having an outer body experience, knowing these people are here to see me. I was tuning pianos a year ago, just scraping by so it’s a… (“Pinch moment?”) Yes! www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
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How does acts like Pleasure and Jeff Lorber’s success reverberate in Wow I had heard her recordings before but to hear her and see her live with her beautiful voice, face and presence was awesome and what a band! Portland? There are others like Esperanza Spalding and one of my backing singers Tahirah Memory’s father, Thara is a Grammy award winning arranger and trumpet player, who is in his 70’s and is a Portland legend. He wrote on Esperanza’s “City Of Roses” and is hugely respected, also Mel Brown is a Motown drummer from the area too. It’s a great music community.
Having been here before, I feel like I have a family now in London, and that my people are here who seem to be in tune and connect with my music. Across the globe the people that I have mostly connected to are here, and I feel the love emanating from the audience in London.
Can I ask you a question as I’m curious and you seem to have your finger on the pulse?
How much pressure is there on you when you are mentioned in the same Sure. accolade as Donny, Marvin and Stevie, making message music? I couldn’t hope for a higher compliment as those are the guys I’ve looked up to most of my life. Their music makes me cry, jump for joy and touches my heart, so to mention me amongst them, humbles me greatly. Simon Manni from the UK made a collage of album photo’s including Steve Wonder’s “Innervisons”, Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”, D’Angelo’s “Brown Sugar” and mine in a square. It created a huge buzz on Facebook. It instilled a certain feeling of responsibility like I’m carrying on a torch, which is a huge accolade.
You mentioned your admiration for Lewis Taylor during your concert, a great singer songwriter, who unfortunately we don’t hear anything about now. Do you fear being labeled and that you may become part of that obsolete talent, when there is so much pressure for soul artists to cross over to pop and lose their soul so to speak? Yes there is always that fear but I’m a different person. I did some research on Lewis Taylor and I totally understand where he was coming from, doing things he didn’t want to do. This is why I have my independence but I think I can handle the pressure a little differently, which is no bad reflection on him because it’s a different time with new technology.
Would an artist like Sam Smith or Adele, before they were huge, done venues like the Jazz Cafe?
Not initially, as to my recollection. They may have been backing singers for someone else maybe at the Jazz Cafe but once they sign with a major label and become big, they do bigger venues like the Indigo O2. Many jazz funk and soul acts like the Jazz Cafe because of its intimacy, which begs the question, how did the Jazz Cafe compare to Hancock doing Ronnie Scott’s?
“Herbie whose “Sunburst” album blew my mind when I first heard it, had a huge impact on me. I am a huge Earth Wind & Fire fan too”
-Jarrod Lawson
There was an article recently published in the Independent here in the UK about the status that commercial so called ‘white soul artists’ like Sam Smith and Adele have, compared to the often overlooked indigenous black artists, won Grammys MOBO’s and Mercury awards. It’s not such an issue in America but worldwide it’s a reoccurring phenomenon. How is that seen from your point of view as an American artist that does, unquestionably, pay full respect to the original source, who is also a noncommercial entity, making message music? I know the exact article you’re talking about and there is a frustration that’s talked about in my music community all the time. I don’t put a lot of stock into it because if you look at the Grammy situation, ninety percent of the people on the board are white males who do not have any background in music. It’s a strange thing if you put all the facts together and also a touchy conversation.
I said on the mic last night that the Jazz Cafe is more my speed and having the audience right next to the stage brings such a connection. I loved Ronnie Scott’s whose sound is impeccable but the audience is more of a sit down around the tables one. I’ll tell you something, Ronnie Scott’s has more of an intellectual audience, who has money and sits there slightly restricted but enjoying the music. But the Jazz Cafe has more of a street edge where people have the freedom to dance and express themselves.
The reason I asked about Adele and Sam Smith is that I don’t feel they are making soul music necessarily and that’s not taking anything away from what they do.
Their music is what I call pop bubble gum soul. I’ve seen many commercial pop so called soul artists in the soul section of HMV records which is not right. Just because they can do some rolls with their voice does not define soul music and whoever is categorising this is making a serious error.
Congrats on winning the Jazz FM 2015 Soul Artist Of The Year Award, How elated are you?
For more information I’m incredibly humbled, honoured and privileged to have been chosen Jazz Soul Artist of the Year. I never could’ve conjured up a story to rival what please call Fitroy FM’s on 07956 312931 my actual life has now become, being pitted against two of the most prominent How was that Jazz Cafe experience for you and especially on Sunday as soul icons on the planet, one of whom just happens to be the daughter of one orhow email fitzroy@thesoulsurvivor.co.uk I heard you praised Imanni’s performance who came on before you? of my absolute greatest musical heroes, the great Donny Hathaway. What an for advertiing fitzroy@thes
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incredibly blessed journey I am on now. Thank you all who have shown me such amazing love through this past year. I couldn’t have done it without a strong network behind me.
Soul Survivors
Roll Call of Fame
As a publication with a name like Soul Survivors it seems rude not to honour some of the grand father and god fathers who have journeyed to ‘Soul Heaven’ in recent times. So with a brief synopsis and visual artist interpretation from myself, we honour two kings, three vocal princes and a bass thumping magician, long may they continue to rock the music in paradise R.I.P. Riley B King (16-9-1925-14-5-2015) came from a very religious background and sung spirituals before he became known as ‘King Of The Blues’. His early life from the deep south of Memphis and Mississippi saw him transform from picking cotton for 35 cents a day to singing in a club paying £12 a night. Inspired with diversity by Blind Lemon, Lonnie Johnson, DJango Rienhart and Charlie Christian, Riley King developed an unusual style of singing and playing especially with an unorthodox vibrato sound towards the neck of the guitar strings. Both he and his beloved Lucille Gibson E5 355 survived a massive blaze only to be later dubbed as the ‘Beale Street Blue Boy’ shortened to how he was fondly known as BB King. With 15 Grammy’s and at one time being ranked the 6th greatest guitarist of all time, he influenced many including Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton. Mr. King performed over 250 live dates a year for most of his life as well as his countless recordings. Amongst “The Thrill Is Gone” and “Ghetto Woman” BB will be fondly remembered for his facial expressions of rapturous emotions as he strummed his longtime companion Lucille to masses of audiences worldwide. He passed aged eighty-nine after over half a century of telling the blues. Ben E King (16-9-1938-30-4-2015) moved to Harlem New York aged nine and joined the Drifters in 1959 singing lead vocals with them and as a soloist on Atlantic Records. Songs like “There Goes My Baby”, “Save The Last Dance For Me”, ‘Spanish Harlem” and the epic “Stand By Me” (used in an 1980’s Levis advert) became his signature tunes. Influenced by Brooke Benton, Roy Hamilton and Sam Cooke, Ben E King continued in the 1970’s to enjoy cult status reciting Gwen Guthrie’s “Supernatural Thing”, a Philly tinged “We Got Love”, the underground magnificent and moody “Street Tough” and boogie bullet “Music Trance”. I was fortunate to see this inspiring artist at the Jazz Cafe a few years back and his presence commanded so much adulation and respect. A true pioneer of soulful singers passed aged seventy-six.
Errol Brown (11-12-1943- 6-5-2015) hails from Jamaica relocating to the UK and formed the early line up of Hot Chocolate covering and rewriting a more suited lyric format to John Lennon’s “Give Peace A Chance” in reggae. As a multi racial pop disco act from 1970, Hot Chocolate had a long and successful sixteen-year career. With Errol’s trademark baldhead, macho moustache, coolness and uniquely distinctive voice the collective achieved a hit for fifteen consecutive years. Errol graced “Heaven Is The Back Seat Of My Cadillac, “Brother Louie”, ”Emma”, “You Sexy Thing”, ”So You Win Again”, “Everyone’s A Winner” and lest we forget “Mindless Boogie”. Errol performed at Prince Charles and Lady Di’s wedding reception and received an MBE for services to popular music. As well as being an iconic sex symbol, he’s reputed to be devoted husband father and family man evading the trapping of the rock and roll lifestyle . Errol passed aged seventy-one. Page 40 - Issue 59
Percy Sledge (25-11-1941-15-4- 2015) was a hospital orderly before he struck with the epic 1966 bleeding heart rendering soul ballad and number one hit “When A Man Loves A Woman”. Percy had a smooth James Brown meets a slightly nasal Ray Charles richness tone to his voice that probably helped create a lot of births with songs like “Cover Me”, “Warm And Tender” and “My Special Prayer”. Like Ben E King he too endured a second wind of success when “When A Man Loves A Woman” was revived in 1987 for a Levis’ advert. He passed aged seventy-three and may only be known for a few songs but he made a lifetime impact on so many true lovers of the southern soul sound.
Louis Johnson (13-4-1955–21-5- 2015) came form Los Angeles and started life prior to his commercial success and acclaim as Three Plus One with an elder brother Tommy, cousin Alex Weir and his future partner in rhyme brother lead guitarist George. Backing Bobby Womack, The Supremes and eventually becoming part of Billy Preston’s band, by 1975 Louis played bass on Grover Washington’s “Hydra” on Kudu records. In the same year with his brother George they performed on Quincy Jones 1976 A&M “Mellow Madness” album. Nicknamed ‘Thunder Thumbs’ and with his brother George, The Brother’s Johnson made 8 albums between 1976 and 1988 on A&M Records. They racked up classics “Get The Funk Out Of My Face”, “Strawberry Letters 23”, “Ain’t We Funky Now”, ”I’ll Be Good To You”, “Q”, “Stomp”, “Light Up The Night” and a silent sleeper “Caught Up”. Louis was considered in the same circles as a bass technician with maestro Larry Graham and performed on historical recordings from Micheal Jackson’s, “Off The Wall” and “Thriller” albums. He made with his then wife Valerie Johnson a gospel album with Passage on A&M as well as guesting on projects like Stanley Clarke’s “Time Exposure” and developing his trademark bass prowess. I got the sad news and played a custom-made nineminute re-edit of “Stomp” whilst in Ibiza May 2015 and it did cause a bit of a stampede on the dance floor. He was sadly only just sixty years old when he passed. Linton Charles Beckles was a Forest Gate east ender who grew up with neighbour DJ, dancer and musicologist Dez Parkes and was very active on the west end club circuit in the 1970’s. Frequenting Ronnie Scotts, Columbo’s, Trafalgar Kings Rd, Waterloo Bird’s Nest and the infamous Crackers night spots, Linton mixed with fellow future musicians who’d become part of the Brit jazz funk fraternity. Alongside Camille Hinds and Steve Salvari he joined Central Line as their lead vocal front man and percussionist, and co wrote the majority of the first self-titled album from 1981 on Mercury Records. I remember hearing his voice for the first time as the group surfaced on “You Know You Can Do It ” and purchasing the single. Linton co-wrote the immortal universal anthem “Walking Into Sunshine” remixed by Larry Levan for the USA market and revered by Louie Vega. That song made Central Line the first UK Brit funk group to really break in America and it has been sampled many times by hip-hop artists more notably on Organized Konfusion’s sublime album classic “Walk Into The Sun”. Linton became a pastor in the early 1990’s and worked hard bringing positivity within his community. Dez Parkes fondly remembers that Linton was the life and soul of the party when they were footloose and fancy free youngsters. He will be fondly remembered by those who knew him as sadly he passed aged 59. www.soulsurvivors.co.uk
Mica Paris
POW Brixton, 19th March 2015 “Soooo Good” to see local girl Mica Paris on the 19th March in great form. The POW Brixton agreeably flaunting one of the UK’s finest female vocalists on stage, belting out her classics and permitting her loyal fans to enjoy an close encounter with their favourite London diva. To an instantly receptive and appreciative crowd we heard “Carefree” and classics such as, “One Temptation”. The 1990’s smooth groove “I Should’ve Known Better” and a stunning rendition of “You Put a Move on my Heart” captivated us all. Watching Mica’s mother dancing her heart out to “Young Soul Rebels” in the midst of the crowd was a joy. Mica certainly, as always, put her heart and soul into her performance. Supported by a superb band and backing vocalists with a special mention to lead guitarist Kenny Barry for his performance on “I Put a Spell On You”. For such a celebrated and accomplished UK singer and songwriter, we certainly should be hearing more and seeing more of this versatile lady who apparently is due to star in a new theatre production of the musical Love Me Tender based on the songs of Elvis Presley touring from June 1st this year. Anna B.
Soul Network North Meets South
Event Reviews
Revolution, 28th March 2015
Once I’d heard about this night I couldn’t contain myself with excitement. Soul Network has been one of London’s most successful soul nights for 20 years now. When the night is held at Revolution, in the City, it takes on a 2 roomed identity and the inclusion of some of Manchester’s finest DJ’s promised a night that was going to be finger licking good for lovers (especially me) of modern soul. I must confess that I spent the whole night in the ‘North’ room where Messrs Mike Stephens, Chris Box, Bizzy B, Paul Mac and Brian Norman brought the sound of the north west to London Town and they did not disappoint. Playing Soulful RnB and modern and independent soul, they kept the room rammed and dancing all night long until the doorman intervened! The main room was pumping from the moment the doors opened and it was good to hear the difference in musical influences between the North and South. Although the genres of music were similar, you could hear the funky element, in the music, that makes London unique and the soulfulness of the North that is present and done so well in areas such as Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham and surrounding areas. I hope Vivy B does it all again as this was, for me, one of THE highlights of the year so far. Darrell S.
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Dennis Rollins
Jazz Café, 21st March 2015 Unassuming but dangerous like Busta Rhymes, Dennis Rollins gave a master class of jazz funking up the Jazz Cafe with yours truly spinning some deep fried grimy underground jazz, funk breaks and beats. Amongst his own compositions “Make Your Move”, “Funk And Disorderly” and “The Funky Funk”, Dennis covered Sly Stone’s “Sing A Simple Song” and Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Cars”. Shout to Ernesto Simpson (drums) Lawrence Insula (bass) Al McSween (keyboards) Johnny Heys (guitar) and James’ The Funk’ Morton (alto sax) who were tighter than stretch jeans. Dennis’s funk album is dropping later on in the year so watch this space!! Fitzroy
Shalamar
Colston Hall, Bristol, 2nd April 2015 To be honest, I’ve never had Shalamar high on my list of bands to see live. And it’s only because Bristol’s top soul night, Soul Train, were promoting this gig that I decided to give it a go. Am I glad that I did! If you’ve seen this trio live then you know exactly what to expect, and all the hits were there. Howard Hewetts’ vocals are as strong, clear and unmistakable as ever. Jeffrey Daniel delighted the crowd with his body popping, moon walking and I found myself being swept up in the love and adoration that Bristol’s Soul fraternity were showing them. The inclusion of Carolyn Giffrey as a replacement for Jody Watley couldn’t have worked better. This young lady’s vocals astound and bring goosebumps to your arms in equal measure. So impressed was I that the next time Shalamar are at venue near me in the future, I will be there. Do not miss this fantastic band. Many thanks to Soul Train’s Johnny Stallard and Paul Alexander for their hospitality. Darrell S.
Sheila E.
Brooklyn Bowl, 10th April 2015 It was a strange mixture of an audience that attended the Brooklyn Bowl to see Sheila E, and I was quite suspect of whether some were in the right venue. However Sheila put my doubts to rest with a blistering latino fireball performance, showcasing her varied skills. On the drums and percussion Sheila makes it look easy peasy lemon squeeze, as like a martial artist her hands were that fast and coordinated. She danced, played the guitar and performed, The Headhunters “Watermelon Man” by blowing into a coke bottle. Sheila paid tribute to her local San Francisco Bay Area music icons and performed versioning homage’s of Bill Withers’s “Lovely Day”, Sly Stone’s “Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself” and James Brown’s “Ain’t It Funky Now”. From her “Icon” album Sheila cruised through “Old School” “ Leader Of The Band” and “Mona Lisa”. I was most happy that Sheila, at my earlier request, played “Love Bizarre” alongside “Belle Of St Marks” and “Glamorous Life” for the more mature fans in the audience. Legendary Pee Wee Ellis was in the house, which was an added bonus to my evening, including meeting him and Sheila to give her copies of our interview. If she comes back to town make sure you catch her amazing one-woman band act. Fitzroy
Fitzroy’s Soul Surviving Radio & Gig Guide Club Dates 20th June - Funky Nation, Ronnie Scotts W1 4th July - Soul Innit, Elements 19, Manchester 12th July - Shalamar, Academy 02, Oxford 19th July - Jazz Funk Soul Boat, Temple Pier 19th July - Universal Soul, Tereza Joanne Boat, King George V Dock, Woolwich Manor Way, London E16 2QY 25th July - Blackbyrds and Tom Browne, Under the Bridge SW6 31st July - 2nd August - Margate Weekender, Margate Kent 19th August - Soul Boat Neville’s Earthday, Temple Pier 26th September - Funky Nation, Ronnie Scotts, W1 Radio Sundays 3-5pm RamJam Radio www.ramjamradio.com Mondays 4-6pm Stomp Radio www.stompradio.com The 21st Century Intergalactic Black 2 Da Future Show http://www.fairtrademusicuk.com/radio-shows/ black-2-da-future/ Fair Trade 4 Music Chart http://www.fairtrademusicuk.com/radio-shows/ latest-ft4m-chart-show/
The Groove Association (Featuring Georgie B) with special guest Deborah Bell Jazz Cafe, 23rd April 2015 There was definitely no need for “breaking any ice” with a very receptive crowd on what was an energetic evening at the Jazz Café. A party atmosphere ensued with Georgie B, his excellent band and backing vocalists on stage. Lots of ‘old and nu skool magic’ going on and not a little bit of variety of tempos and styles. Sweet reggae rhythms of the good old days reflected in “Do You Remember” with the added bonus of vocals of Deborah Bell had everyone on the dance floor bouncing. The appropriately named latest single “Ain’t No Stopping Us” finishing off the set leaving us all with a touch of that infectious Georgie B smile. A special mention to James Anthony, Ash Selector and to Louise at Groove On Promotions for bringing us a very ‘groovy’ night of entertainment and all this on St. George’s day. Anna B.
Rebirth
Borderline, 4th May 2015 Bank Holiday Monday two days before I flew out to the Algarve, I went to see the band Rebirth. An ample amount of people attended considering that the Rebirth band were appearing on the Southport line-up a few days later. As a live band they were pretty tight with an energetic lead vocalist, Baskerville Jones, performing some of the bands noted catalogue. “This Is Coming To” and “By Design” my favourite off their new album, both stuck out for me. They did an outro interlude of Sylvia Striplin’s “You Can’t Turn Me Away” and being honest, I felt musically the majority of their set was what I consider to be quite mellow. Until…towards the end they interpreted EWF”s “Brazilian Rhyme” cut and went into their mash up of The Mighty Ryeders “Evil Vibrations” vs De La Soul’s “Saturday”. However, what took me by total surprise was when my bionic ears heard the riff of my favourite band on the planet, Pleasure’s “Joyous” OMG they rocked it like the Clash’s Cashbar and harder than LL Cool J’s bells, seriously. So ultimately they get a big thumbs up from me!! Fitzroy
7th -14th May 2015 I remember the day Vivy B rang me in 2005 and asked me if I was up for her latest venture, the very first Soul In The Algarve 2006 like it was yesterday. This event has grown from one hundred and twenty people to seven hundred on this momentous 10th anniversary. It was planned and executed down to the minutest detail, meticulously, now I’ve done all ten and can truly say Viv surpassed herself. With such little time to prepare at short notice she pulled off a historical first ever mini carnival parade in Alvor at the request of the mayor. The themed White night and the Arabian Knights were enthusiastically embraced and at last... the SITA team after years of failing managed to beat the local restaurant team 5-3 at football after being 1-2 down at half time. Darrell’s commentary and quiz master skill remain legendary. I was personally honoured to play for two hours, some jazz latin calypso reggae, soca and soul before the carnival parade started. The availability for bookings the 2016 SITA are already diminishing fast, as people frantically booked with deposits before they left. So ‘hurry like a Murray’ if you want to make it next year. The weather was hotter than Stevie Wonder’s “July” reminding me of Janice’s Zumba class on the beach being the best yet. There were a few, including DJ’s, who’ve been on, and were honoured for, making all ten excursions. It’s clear to see that many return regularly with families and friends making this their main soul surviving holiday. Vivy has certainly earned the title of being the Vibe istress. Check the website for the June White Night Reunion and the July dates of Soul Network on www.soulnetwork.co.uk. Fitzroy
Southport Soul Weekender
Event Reviews
Soul in the Algarve
8th -10th May 2015 Southport 52, phew! It’s hard to reflect on something so emotional, so monumentaland potentially so final. After a nearly thirty-year journey the Southport Weekender closed its doors for the final time in ay 2015. The event was awash with an unprecedented volume of DJs past and present with UK based Southport favourites including Terry Jones, Bob Jefferies, Andy Davies, Joey Negro, Bigger, DJ EZ, Ronnie Herel and Paul Anderson to name a few,with their well-known global counterparts including Masters at Work, Kerri Chandler, Black Coffee, Chez Damier, Tony Humphries, David Morales, Dennis Ferrer plus many more. The artist portfolio included Peven Everett, Lalah Hathaway, Shaun Escoffery, The Rebirth, Tony Momrelle, Portia Monique, Natasha Watts, Michael Watford and a few newer “must see” artists. I must tip my cap to The Rebirth and Shaun Escoffery for whipping the crowd into an absolute frenzy (Rebirth were off the scale) . And last,but certainly not least I must mention the wonderful Southport 52 crowd. Things felt different this time, very different as all tried to party but equally were totally engulfed in sadness. There was no more poignant a time than the final moments of the finale when Natasha Watts sang to Alex and Dave then presented them with a series of gifts collected by Siobhan of the Southport staff team from a secret Facebook group. And Bob Jefferies kindly gave a series of canvas prints I specially made on that same stage. The response from the crowd was immense,emotional and unprecedented. There were cheers but tears across the board (many a man was wiping away a tear or two) and an outpouring of real feeling for the curtain closing of one of the music industry defining events of the last three decades. Admittedly ‘Suncebeat’ in Croatia, the Southport Weekender sister event, is still running, but the signature written into music history and folklore for delivering the best events, the best DJs, breaking new talent and setting new trends is one that will never be mirrored and certainly never bettered. With the Southport Weekender being part of my own personal journey I am pleased, honoured and proud to have been a part of it and on behalf of everyone who ever attended I personally thank Alex Lowes and Dave Gardner for making good,continually good, then even better. Colin Williams - Southport Weekender& Photographer, DJ,
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Ibiza Soul 3
17th – 24th May 2015 Literally less than 24 hours after touching down at Gatwick Airport I was on the plane to the third Ibiza Soul to join 800 soul music enthusiasts for a week of ‘Beefa fever’. Bob Masters against all odds has managed to increase the peace at the spiritual home of Punti Aribi’s resort for the 3rd consecutive year. The DJ line up included Jeff Young, Ian & Rob, Scott Gray, Eddie Pillar, Terry Jones, Brian Jay, Marie Garaccio, Abi Clarke, Paul Clarke and Bob Jeffries. It’s an inclusive and relaxed all day 10am-12 midnight, free drinks, food and music session. This is followed by two alternative12 till 4am on site club sessions. Musically boundaries were certainly broken with Ian & Rob playing some relentless latin boogaloo. There were also some inspirational sets this year from Dean Thatcher and Ibiza’s favourite DJ son Alfredo during the afternoon sessions. I must add that my first visit to Cafe De La Mar was an enlightening one. I met some old and new faces and I am humbly and publicly thanking those for the kind words regarding my sets. Some of the comments were quite overwhelming and I heard similar said about other DJ’s who, I am sure like me, appreciated the ‘Beefa lurrve’. Bob has proved to be one of the original ‘Masters At Work’ in pulling off another amazing feat and I’m blessed to have been asked to do all three and thank you in advance for including me to DJ at the Cafe De La Mar next year 2016, whoop whoop and a Kaaaaching!! Start booking a.s.a.p. and ”Bring It On” like JB!! Fitzroy
FAIR TRADE 4 MUSIC TOP 20 CHART
Compiled from over 90,000 votes a month and rising, spreading the love for the universal language of music from an eclectic selection of post millennium music of varying genres tempos. Concept design Anna B and Fitzroy.
www.fairtrade4music.com
Top 20 Chart - May 2015 No Artist 1 Will Downing 2 Richie Spice & Alison Hinds 3 Mode 4 Ivy Chanel 5 Neil Pierce feat. Vanessa Freeman 6 Electric Empire 7 Mather & Kingdon 8 Misteridge 9 Cherry B & The Soundmakers 10 Tahirah Memory 11 Lenny Fontana 12 LFT 13 Booker T -vs- Inner Life 14 Conversion feat Leroy Burgess 15 Citrus Sun 16 Dennis Rollins Velocity Trio 17 Brooklyn Soul Biscuits 18 Blitz The Ambassador 19 Down To The Bone 20 Glass The Tramp
Track Name This Song Is For You King & Queen Heaven feat. Leroy Burgess (Frankie Valentine remix) Carried Away Ready For Your Love DJ Spen Remix Always Baby Love (You Got Something About You) Hopes & Dreams No Answer Puddin’ Raise Your Hands feat D Train Quadron Your Love Lets Do It (Louie’s Boogie Mix edit) Tonight We Dance Utopia Worm Theory JuJu Girl Put A Different Spin On It Crazy Lonely
JULY Thursday 2nd July Black Uhuru Under The Bridge Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London SW6 1HS 020 7957 8261 (see advert)
What's going on?
JUNE Saturday 20th June Soul Unity DJ’s Mark Grice, Tony Shawcross and Chris Priestley host a night of quality modern soul & 70’s onwards soul grooves @ Runway 26 Cafe Bar, City Airport, Liverpool Road, (A57) Eccles, Manchester, M30 7SA. A57 Junction 11 M60 (0.7mile) Junction 21 M6 (7.5mile) 9.00pm to 2.00am Tele 0161 707 0423 / 07788 720154 or info@soulunity.co.uk For full information www.soulunity.co.uk or www. runway26.co.uk
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Saturday 4th July Soul Innit - (Independence Day Special) Element 19, 19 Albion Street Manchester M1 5HN 8pm-late, tickets £10 more on the door, 2 rooms of soul funk R&B and modern soul tel 07811 702084 (see advert) Saturday 4th July - MOVE ON UP returns to the Greyhound Bar & Club SW16 5NJ for our 6th Birthday Party 2 Rooms of music 9pm - 4:30am. DJs joining Tony Rodriguez and Stevie Dundee will be Steve Sutherland, Pete Mello, Johnny Reckless, Danny Gee, Lil’ Stevie, Jazzy Gman plus more to be announced. Advance tickets via www.gottickets.com INFO moveonupevents@hotmail.co.uk
Friday 17th July Tito Jackson Under The Bridge Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London SW6 1HS 020 7957 8261 (see advert) Sunday 19th July Universal Soul (Summer all day party) Tereza Joanne Boat, King George V Dock, Woolwich Manor Way, London E16 2QY Early bird tickets £10: £15 On the door Tel: 07595 339258 Plenty DJ’s including Bobby & Steve & Fitzroy (Soul Survivors Magazine) (see advert) Monday 20th July D’Angelo Final Show @ Hammersmith Apollo, 45 Queen Caroline Street, London W6 9QH 0208 563 3800 (see advert)
Saturday 25th July - The Blackbyrds and Tom Browne @ Under The Bridge Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, London SW6 Sunday 12th July (see advert) 1HS 020 7957 8261 DJ Fitzroy (Soul Survivors Shalamar @ 02 Academy Oxford 190 Magazine) (see advert) Cowley Road, Oxford OX4 1UE, 6pm-11pm Tickets £26.50, meet & greet £46.50 DJ’s Saturday July 25th Darrell S & Fitzroy (Soul Survivors Magazine) Music Without Labels @ Bar Salento, 3 Clove Crescent, London E14 Thursday 16th July 2BB. Guest DJ, Ginger Tony - Solar Radio. Tkts Kool Keith £8 in advance £10 on the door via - http:// Under The Bridge Stamford Bridge, www.musicmeltdown.co.uk/ Fulham Road, London SW6 1HS 020 7957 8261 (see advert)
Sunday 26th July - Horace Brown @ Jazz Cafe, 5 Parkway Camden NW1 7PG Doors open @ 7pm with respected RnB/ hip-hop DJ’s Info and table reservations contact concerts@mattwhite.co.uk / 07534 375 439 (see advert) Friday 31st July 2nd August Margate Soul Weekender featuring Roy Ayers, Glenn Jones, Kenny Thomas, Cool Million, Norman Jay, Gordon Mac, Joey Negro, Fitzroy (Soul Survivors Magazine)Tickets £40 for the weekend pass for 3 days visit www.margatesoulweekend. co.uk for more info. (see advert)
AUGUST Saturday 1st August Soul Innit Element 19, 19 Albion Street Manchester M1 5HN 8pm-late, tickets £10 more on the door, 2 rooms of soul funk R&B, roots culture and soulful house tel: 07811 702084 (see advert) Friday 14th - 15th August Rhythm Assembly Island Bar Pipers Island, Caversham Bridge, Reading Berkshire RG4 8AH. A weekend of luxurious riverside music with 2 rooms and 18 DJ’s more info visit www.rumshophq.com (see advert)
Saturday 29th August Carnival Soul Indigo2 Peninsula Square, London SE10 0DX 7pm-4am featuring Evelyn King, Leroy Burgess and Omar live and 14 DJ’s Tickets available from www. musicaltherapyents@gmail.com (see advert) Sunday 30th August The White Lion Soulful Alldayer No5 The White Lion Streatham, 232 Streatham High Road, London SW16 1BB. 12 noon-1am Stevie Dundee, Tony Rodriguez & a host of guest DJ’s (to be announced). 2 rooms of Soulful and Funky music, BBQ in the courtyard, Sunday Lunch, Record & CD Fair. FREE ENTRY
On The Radio Soul Unity show every Tuesday evening 7-9pm, co presented by Tony Shawcross & Mark Grice, playing the very best in jazz funk, soul, and up front tunes. www.radiodiamond.co.uk or go to tunein.com, or download the tunein.com app Rich Chocolate - Sundays 10am-12pm listen live on floradio. co.uk and www.tunein.com/radio-s196345 nu jazz, nu soul, Scandinavian soul, Jap jazz, jazz fusion, crossover and classic soul
You can guarantee your radio or organised event’s in the What's Going On listings subject to space by supplying the following and correct information (spell checked by you). Events One Entry - Maximum 50 words - £10.00 75 words - £13.00 Two Entry - Maximum 50 words - £15.00 75 words - £18.00 (If however you are already advertising your event as an advert in the magazine your entry will be free.)
Radio Shows Time - Name of the Show - URL - £5.00 Maximum words - 100 If you want to ensure your entry is guaranteed in each upcoming issue you can pay via Paypal regular/reoccurring payments direct to our account.
Example: 1 Radio Show Listing = £5.00 per issue x 6 per annum = £30.00 / 12 = £2.50 per month. 1 What’s Going On listing - 75 words = £13.00 per issue x 5 per annum = £78.00 / 12 = £6.50. Set up a recurring payment of £9.00 per month. Please note that if you would like to advertise your radio show as a 1/4 page we are doing an introductory rate at £60 reduced from £90.00 Please email me at fitzroy@thesoulsurvivors.co.uk www.soulsurvivors.co.uk