Sunday Soul - She Is My Lady

Beautiful Laughter

I've learned to live for the sound of her laughter
Her sunny smile is my only light
To love her now is the sole thing that I'm after
I'll make her melody my life
She came to me when I knew I'd lost the meaning
Lifted the shadow from across my way
She touched my heart with the sweet song she was singing
Brought back the sun into my days

Ooooh she is my lady
I'm a witness to the wonder of her ways
Oooh she's my lady
The solitary reason for my days

I picked up this record a little while back in and it's been patiently waiting for me to give it a spin. I finally did, and it's beautiful. Donnie's voice is so plaintive, so genuine. It's too bad we lost him so early.


Donny Hathaway - She Is My Lady : Donny Hathaway

Summer Time

Summer Time

Because it's finally starting to feel like that time of year, here's Summer Time, a cut from the upcoming album Pulse of the People, the third installment of Dead Prez's Turn Off the Radio series, which is dropping on the 23rd and sports an album long collaboration with The Evil Genius DJ Green Lantern. In the process of making your summer CD? This one is a must have to throw in the mix.

Dead Prez and The Evil Genius DJ Green Lantern - Summer Time : Pulse of the People

Visit Dead Prez's website and become their friend on MySpace.

Time Out - Out Again

Some albums deserve to be in every music listener's collection, no matter their age, their typical listening preference, their shoe size, or whether they preferred the Munsters or the Adams Family (I fall in the latter category). Time Out easily fits the bill. It's a jazz masterpiece that even jazz illiterates can joyfully appreciate, and as a result, one of the best selling jazz albums of all time.

Recorded in 1959, the album was Dave Brubeck's crowning masterpiece to a career that is still alive today. It's name comes from the fact that in its seven unique tunes, Brubeck and his quartet played with the very foundation of jazz music at the time. They skillfully moved beyond the standard 4/4 and 3/4 time signatures (time signatures are the numbers of beat per measure that are played) that were so prevelant and explored unconventional meters that even with their complexity were warmly received by the listening public while simultaneously dismissed by critics. Take Five, the album's third track, was in fact the first million selling jazz single.

And now, 50 years later, Columbia Records has released a Legacy Edition of the album which, besides containing the album's original seven tracks on one disc, also includes a second disc with eight previously unreleased live recordings from the Newport Jazz Festival from 1961, '63, and '64, AND a third DVD disc with an interview with Brubeck on the making of the album, some performance footage of the group, an animated photo gallery, and an animated piano demonstration. Packaged along with the discs are some phenomenal liner notes on the band and the history of the album.

So, in other words, IF you don't already have this timeless album, here's your chance to check out what you've been missing. Already have the album? There's enough here to warrant picking it up again.

The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Take Five (live) : Time Out (50th Anniversary Legacy Edition Disc 2 - Live At Newport 1961, 1963, 1964)

Visit his website and the re-release's label Legacy Recordings.

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Martin Denny - Take Five (Dave Brubeck cover) : A Taste of Honey

What Haven't You Done, Naomi?

Although normally associated with soul and funk, Brooklyn based Daptone Records dipped into the origins of their favorite music with the release of Como Now last year (read about it here if you missed it then). They've done it again with the release of What Have You Done, My Brother?, which while the debut full length release from Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens, is far from their first foray into making music.

Naomi Shelton first started singing in her church's choir at age six, and has been singing a mix of gospel, soul, and R&B ever since. In her early twenties (in 1963), Naomi moved to New York City, where she met Cliff Driver, the phenomenal organ player you'll hear on this album. The two worked together for several months, then went their own ways, only to come back together again in 1999, when the two formed Naomi Shelton and the Gospel Queens. The band took to the road, playing in club settings, and then cut a 45 on Desco Records (the forerunner of Daptone Records) as Naomi Davis and the Knights of Forty First Street, and when Gabriel Roth went on to form Daptone, he asked Naomi to contribute some vocals for Sugarman Three's first record for the new label on their track Promised Land (under the name Naomi Davis). It wasn't until several years later, in 2005, that the Gospel Queens decided to put together an album of their own, and now, four years later, it's finally here!

The album is well worth the wait, too. It clearly shows off Naomi's 60+ years of singing, and it strongly pulls from the early days of soul, when it was still taking birth as it shifted away from its gospel roots. Think Sam Cooke (who by the way she covers on the album's last track, A Change Is Gonna Come), both with his work with the Soul Stirrers and his initial forays into secular music, or Ray Charles and his exploration of soul versions of gospel tunes. In other words, this is the real deal. There's nothing neo- about this album. It's 100% genuine soul shaking gospel at its finest.

Naomi Shelton and The Gospel Queens - What Have You Done? : What Have You Done, My Brother?

and an older one:

Sugarman Three - Promised Land (feat. Naomi Davis) : Pure Cane Sugar

Visit their label Daptone Records and become their friend on MySpace.

Everything She Wants

I'm not too proud to say that I owned this album back in the 80's. Not too proud at all. Check out that Bromance going on above. Tell me there wasn't a tighter duo making sugar pop for listeners to fluff out on. That's why I can listen to this cover version of Everything She Wants by Philly soul group The ReBel Yell (who by the way, are dropping their new album Love & War in August) and appreciate it for the fine work of art that it is.


The ReBeL Yell - Everything She Wants (Wham! cover) : Unreleased

Wham! - Everything She Wants : Make It Big

Visit The ReBel Yell's website, their label Rapster Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

Someone to Kiss

and now be honest with what you're going to miss
then we're back to someone you used to kiss
and i know what i did wrong
is it real that anyone could fall in love at first sight?

if i have to i'll work every single day
if i have to i'll set hills on fire to light your way

let's go find a part of you that was lost
i have no concern whatever the cost
here we are in a goldmine
let's take what we need and leave the rest of it behind

if i have to i'll work every single day
if i have to i'll light hills on fire to light your way

Here's a short little ditty that will tug on your heart-strings. It reads so sweet, yet it's also a little melancholy, leading you to wonder if it's more of a plea than a celebration, a quite desperation trying to put on a hopeful face. And I love the brief clarinet (?) punctuations.

It's the first track from the four song EP In A Goldmine, from Charlie Wadhams. Things pick up with track two and get a little honky-tonk with the third, Blind as a Bat. Get a further listen on Charlie's MySpace page.

Charlie Wadhams - Someone to Kiss : In A Goldmine EP

Visit his website, his label Sargent Records, and become his friend on MySpace.

Royal Family Get Down

I know it's ages away, but if you live anywhere in the Northampton, MA area, mark your calendars folks for September 12th - you've now got plans. It's the date for the first Royal Family Get Down, a brand new festival put on by the folks over at Royal Family Records, with their band Soulive headlining the whole shebang. Also pumping out tunes for the day will be John Scofield, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, the Charlie Hunter Trio, Nigel Hall, with more artists to be announced. Can we say "killer line-up?" It's all going down at the Pines Theater at Look Park, and as anyone who's been there before can attest, it's a beautiful venue.

And speaking of Soulive (yes, that's them above), they released the digital version of their latest album Up Here back in April, with a physical release (both CD and vinyl) coming up next month on the 7th. And of course, as you'd expect from the group, it's nine tracks of gritty, hard funkin' soul power harnessed in forty minutes of jamming. These guys know how to keep it tight and in the pocket, and as typical with their albums, there's a mix of thick instrumentals and a few tracks featuring guest vocals (including Nigel Hall, who'll be at the festival, coincidentally!). A couple tracks of note include a bluesy guitar licks rich number titled PJs, a nod to the Hardest Working Man in Show-Biz on Tonight, and an Outkast cover (Prototype) to close the album.

So like I said, pencil the 12th in on your calendars now, because even with just the acts they've already announced it should be one great set after another. Check out the new album's opener, Up Right, below, a meaty number that comes in loud and kickin'. And then since I wrote about Stephanie McKay just the other day, I added a cut from one of their older albums with features her lovely pipes. And THEN, to sweeten the deal even more, a few songs from the other artists playing the festival. Enjoy.

Soulive - Up Right : Up Here

and an older one:

Soulive - Romantic (feat. Stephanie McKay) : Doin' Something

Visit their website, their label Royal Family Records, and become their friend on MySpace.

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some festival acts

Nigel Hall - Don't Be Shy : The Face of Things to Come

Grace Potter and the Nocturnals - If I Was From Paris (live) : Live in Pittsburgh, PA 5-29-09

Sunday Soul - the Great American Soulbook

You're probably familiar with the term the Great American Songbook, the body of songs, primarily written between the 20's and 60's, that form the cannon of standards that singers of that period heavily drew upon. It's composed of songs written by such songwriters as Irving Berlin, George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hart, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and others, and if you look at any albums from the big acts of the day, you'll find all sorts of credits to them. Ella Fitzgerald even recorded a series of eight albums in the 50's and 60's titled The Complete Ella Fitzgerald Song Books.

Today's post is about none of those artists, writers, or songs. Instead, it's about the Great American Soulbook. Haven't heard of it? Well Tower of Power wants to change that with the release of their album of the same name. While talking about their live album The East Bay Archives Last December (back here), I had hinted that they were coming out with an album of soul covers, and now it's here, twelve prime cuts of soul goodness. Here's the line-up:

1. You Met Your Match (Stevie Wonder cover)
2. I Thank You (feat. Tom Jones) (Sam & Dave cover)
3. Loveland (Watts 103rd St. Rhythm Band cover)
4. It Takes Two (feat. Joss Stone) (Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston cover)
5. Me & Mrs. Jones (Billy Paul cover)
6. Star Time ( Tribute To James Brown ) - "It's New Day""Mother Popcorn,""There It Is"&"I Got The Feelin"
7. Mr.Pitiful (feat. Sam Moore) (Otis Redding cover)
8. Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel (Tavares cover)
9. Since You've Been Gone (Baby, Baby, Sweet Baby) (Aretha Franklin cover)
10. (Heaven Must Have Sent) Your Precious Love (feat. Joss Stone) (Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell cover)
11. 643-5789 (feat. Huey Lewis) (Wilson Pickett cover)
12. Who Is He (And What Is He To You)? (Bill Withers cover)

While admittedly all of these cuts aren't necessarily the definitive soul songs of all time, they're still pretty darn good. On top of that, you might have noticed some guest vocalists adding their star power to the project, including Tom Jones, Joss Stone, Sam Moore (a genuine soul star of Sam & Dave fame), and Huey Lewis (maybe not the first, or 300th, name that comes to mind when talking about soul music, but he does an admirable job covering Wilson Pickett).

You can tell that the group is having a good time while performing these tracks, the first time really that TOP has devoted to covers. Overall, the songs are presented in a jazzed up, polished manner that are reminiscent of what was done with the Commitments soundtrack - a an updated, modern shine that simultaneously pays homage while bringing a new feel to the table. Below are a couple of tracks in which you can see what I mean. The first features Tom Jones singing a Stax track, I Thank You. The second is a medley of James Brown songs deftly woven together into an original arrangement, Star Time.

Tower of Power - I Thank You (feat. Tom Jones) (Sam & Dave cover) : Great American Soulbook

Tower of Power - Star Time (Tribute To James Brown) - "It's New Day""Mother Popcorn,""There It Is"&"I Got The Feelin" : Great American Soulbook

Visit their website.

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the originals

Sam & Dave - I Thank You : I Thank You

James Brown - Mother Popcorn : 20 All Time Greatest Hits!

Telling It Like It Is

I know this album isn't new, and I've been sitting on it for a while now, but I still felt the need to post on it 'cause it's just that damn good. I've honestly been spinning it for months now, but for whatever reason (I can come up with a whole list of excuses if you want them), it's taken this long for me to share it with you all. It's the second album from Bronx born Stephanie McKay, but her first album to be released state-side. Originally, Tell It Like It Is was released a few years ago overseas, but it wasn't until March of this year that it was available to us here in the States.

What makes that fact especially hard to believe is that McKay has been slaving away behind the microphone for other groups since the early 90's. Over that period of time, she's worked with artists such as the Brooklyn Funk Essentials, Kelis, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, Roy Hargrove’s RH Factor, Amp Fiddler, and many others. Finally, in the last few years, she's been able to strike out on her own and record an album with her front and center, instead of as a secondary contributor. I'll be honest with you, her name didn't stand out in my mind before listening to this album, but since I have, I've tracked down her work with many of the musicians listed above.

So anyway, this album does a fine job of presenting Stephanie front and center with all of her vocalistic intensity. It mixes soul, R&B, and hip-hop in a filling recipe that burns right through from beginning to end without a hiccup. I think one of the things that I like most about it is her confident sass, regardless of the material or the style. You can tell she's a girl who isn't afraid to stand up for herself or her friends, hence the title of the album. She's equally confident celebrating the summer in the hip-hopesque Jackson Avenue, a true throw-back jam that gives a shout out to all that summer's about (and which should appear on any summer mix-tape you plan on assembling), as when things slow down with the soulful Where Did Our Love Go?, which also features Anthony Hamilton providing some backing male counterpoint to her sensualness.

The bottom line is that this album grooves deep, and should be on your list of to buy immediately.

Stephanie McKay - Jackson Avenue : Tell It Like It Is

Stephanie McKay - Where Did Our Love Go? (feat. Anthony Hamilton) : Tell It Like It Is

a collaboration:

Amp Fiddler feat. Stephanie McKay - Heaven : Afro Strut

and one from back in the day:

The Brooklyn Funk Essentials - You Don't Know Nothing (feat. Stephanie McKay) : In The BuzzBag

Visit her website, her label Muthas Of Invention, and become her friend on MySpace.

Cruel World

Cruel

"That's life for you. All the happiness you gather to yourself, it will sweep away like it's nothing. If you ask me I don't think there are any such things as curses. I think there is only life. That's enough."

from The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao,
by Junot Díaz

Solomon Burke - Cruel World : Live At The House Of Blues

Beautiful Melody

Melody (live acoustic) from Kate Earl on Vimeo.

studio version of Melody appears on Introducing Kate Earl.

Visit her website and become her friend on MySpace.

mo' NOMO

For those of you who read my Favorites of 2008 List, you might remember seeing NOMO's album Ghost Rock on the list. Well, less than year after originally posting on it (back here), the band is back with another full length album titled Invisible Cities. It was recorded during the Ghost Rock sessions and tours, but don't let that fool you - by no means are these cast-offs, b-sides, or noodle sessions.

As with their previous release, there are nine tracks here of instrumental goodness, and while it shares some characteristics, it also has some subtle differences. Of course present are some killer horn section work as well as curious sounds created from instruments invented by the band, something they love to do. To my ears, the album sounds a little more intricately textured though, with more subtle layers building upon each other, almost having a orchestral effect at times. There also seems to be less of an electronic feel to it compared to the last album and more of a natural flow very reminiscent of a mix between the tribalness of the Congotronics series and the raw funkiness of Fela Kuti.

The entire album is certainly cohesive, and even coming less than a year after its predecessor claims an identity of its own. Check out the album's opener, the title track, below.

NOMO - Invisible Cities : Invisible Cities

and an older one:

NOMO - Rocket #9 (Sun Ra cover) : Rocket #9 / Nu Tones 12"

Visit their website, their label Ubiquity Records, and become their friend on MySpace.