Quality Time
Three compilation albums, The Motion Picture CD Life,
and two new Expansion compilations, Soul Steppin'
and Soul Degrees, feature several quality soul
songs, including Maxwell, Isley Brothers, Kelly
Price, Simone Chapman w. Alexander O'Neal and Johnny
Bristol and Angie B. Stone.
April Harris is the sweet-voiced soprano singer who
shines on Dunn Pearson's latest CD,
while Maysa Leak and Calvin
Richardson are the vocal guests on the new Pieces
of a Dream set.
The Soul Scale Gerald Levert's new CD G was
shelved in the United States, but the album is now
available at least here in Finland and it's our album of
the issue. Other albums reviewed in this issue include
new sets by Sounds Of Blackness, Brian McKnight,
Smokey Robinson and Little Milton,
plus the new UK releases by Camelle Hinds, Ola
Onabule and Genai.
Archive Material / Reissues
Westside continues their reissue work of Philadelphia
International classics, this time with Lou Rawls'
two mid-70s sets and all four PIR albums by
Dexter Wansel. The magnificent Isley
Brothers triple-CD box It's Your Thing - the
Story of the Isley Brothers is analysed, too.
PIECES OF A DREAM - New Maturity
An exclusive 4-page interview with Pieces of a
Dream, one of the most celebrated jazz-funk
groups of the last two decades.
EARTH, WIND & FIRE - Album by Album, part 2
(1977 - 1999) The classic 1977-1979 albums by Earth Wind &
Fire are included in the second part of the album by
album story of the group, plus all their 80s and 90s
releases.
THE DRAMATICS STORY - Part 1 (1962-1970) The Dramatics celebrate their 40th
anniversary in the business after a couple of years. They
are still active today, currently recording their 29th
album called Look Inside. In this in-depth story
and interview with the group we return to their early
history from 1962-1970, and the story will continue in
our 2000 issues.
Deep Oscar Toney Jr. has a new album out,
offering both something old and new. Read Oscar's own
comments about the album. Also interviewed in this column
are Billy Price, Larry Hamilton, Projekt
and Hardway Connection.A
pile of new releases include Mighty Clouds of
Joy, Johnnie Taylor, Mel Waiters, J. Blackfoot, Quinn
Golden, Billy "Soul" Bonds, Jimmy Lewis
and Syl Johnson. On the reissue front we
have CD's by Gene Chandler, Jackie Wilson, Al
Green, The Chi-Lites, Fred Hughes & Johnny Sayles,
O.V.Wright and The Impressions.
Jazz-Funk
The pride place of the jazz-funk column goes to
Doc Powell's new project Double Scale,and other
CD's reviewed this time include Brian Culbertson,
Kim Waters, Shakatak, Bob James, Craig T. Cooper, Earl
Klugh, Jonathan Butler, Pieces of a Dream and Dunn
Pearson.
Upfront Soul Freddie Jackson proves that there's
still Life after 30s on his latest set, ex-Vertical
Hold lead singer Angie Stone
has managed to get a major record deal on Arista, on
which she debuts with the acclaimed Black Diamond
set. Marc Nelson and Kevon
Edmonds are not actually newcomers on the scene,
either, although they are now getting more recognition
among the record-buying public than ever before with
their new solo releases. Mint Condition
has their fifth album out, while Ce Ce Winans has
published her third solo set. Finally, N'Dambi
follows the footsteps of Erykah Badu on
her Little Lost Girls Blues set, and the former
backing singer of Erykah proves that she can put some
serious grooves on the record by her own right, too.
