MODERN SOUL and R'n'B REVIEWS

DEHVAN - MYSTORY I -WILD CHERRY

This is slightly off topic but it should be of more than peripheral interest to any music lover and we should support our local artists anyway.

Dehvan and I go back a long way, easily 25 years. We don't these days see each other as often as we should; we're in touch, out of touch; but we're always 'in touch' - you know what I mean.

Back in the days, mid 70's, I recall dropping stuff like ZZ Hill deep soul 45's on unsuspecting party goers, while D would play upfront reggae and soul. Seeing Gil Scott Heron recently - see below - reminded me that we always used to greet each other with a 'What's the word?'.

Subsequently I moved to London and frequently his band Talisman would be playing in town. On occasion the band would stop by my flat in Brixton.

Dehvan is a talented songwriter and musician and he could have followed perhaps more lucrative musical directions. However for him there was only one path to go down, and he followed it and he's still right on it. Breaks come and go, priorities - business, family and social - change, and it is so easy to be deflected from that chosen direction but 'iron like a lion' he followed that path, that righteousness, that consciousness and that destiny. Big respect for that.

The road is now standing at Mystory-I - a double album, nicely packaged, of quality. The previous album - Raggafunkin - forgive me - should've been harder. I always felt like picking it up and remixing it (if only I had the ability, not just the ears!) hardstyle, lyrically sound but lightweight in application.

This album though is much much better. Lyrically outstanding and the beat is hard and gets harder throughout. The album grows as time passes through it. The observations, awareness, conscience, love, and most of all optimism shine through. The brass and assisting vocals add a depth that was not seen previously. Personally I feel that Dehvan's strength is in the writing.

The album starts with Mystory which sets the direction for the album. Jewel in the Crown and Wheel of fortune take it further building the harmonies as we go and by the time we hit Vibe in the Street the brass kicks in and we are storming. An excellent cut - bit more commercial - and dub ending. Deep conscious lyrics on Ises 27 and ain't it right - 'What is life but a moment in time, what is time but a moment in life'.

DJ Blackout arrives on Soul Searchin to add a bit of variation over a mellower vocal. I prefer the tracks with the mellower vocal or the ones with deeper harmonies. We then move into acoustic and Funde, this is a long and thoughtful piece which I think will grow on me but on early listening I prefer the reprise on CD2, or the less complex Zion home.

CD2 starts in a mellow vibe and positive thoughts with - Konchus Mind. Zion Home shows Dehvan at his vocal best, a slow pleading traditional number with lilting melody. Iyah Ites continues is this vein - dead slow but uplifting.

One Shot carries you away on the female harmonies - like this one a lot.

Remix of Afrikans is excellent with lilting sax in the background

Last Lick concludes peacefully a powerful album

Overall there is much to hear and I wish it well. Promotion is low key at the moment but hopefully it will pick up. Can be found at Genesis Music Stapleton Road Bristol, or Back-a Yard Music St Stephens Street Bristol.

Or contact Dehvan \ Bekele 0n 01179523330 or dehvan@hotmail.com

Or contact us at Life & Soul and we'll pass the mesage on

'Looking forward to the Life of Bekele Othieno Sengor'

Fly by Nature - Songbook

Three tracks by Top London Soul Band led by Roy Williamson. Getting good plays on Soul 24-7 and good live reviews. These sound on CD as they would live. No recording gimmicks, tight and funky. 'Unforgettable' starts in a mellow groove, then Bernadette's soulful vocal kicks in with nice harmonies. 'I must be a fool' is a slowie with the vocal dominant until the jazzy keyboard break. Faster vibe start to 'I'm free' and a free form style vocal on top. On the strength of this must try and get to see them live and I would urge you to support them too.

Funkmaster Flez & Faith - Good Life

This is really very good. Forget the Funkmaster Flex bit this is Faith - a midtempo modern mellow soul groove I think this one could go at Modern Soul venues

Just for the ladies - Various -TKO Canada

An R'n'B Collection including Usher's worldwide big seller Pop Ya Colla. Mix CD's I don't normally like particularly those that include 'jingles'. However this one is not too bad and includes some top material.

Includes Dennis Taylor 'Enough is Enough' , and the great Koffee Brown 'After Party', four excellent Jaheim tracks from the Ghetto Love album ('Looking for love' I particularly like). Other good midtempo soul is Portrait 'Don't be shy' and the Stevie Wonder-esque 'Future Love' by Frank McComb.

One of the new big names of the moment Musiq Soulchild 'Just friends sunny' and 'Love' are here together with Toni Estes 'Told me' and 'Stupid' . It will be interesting to see if Musiq and Bilal get up there with Rahsaan, Maxwell, Benet and D'Angelo. I hope so.

Popular R'n'B cuts include Destiny's Child, Mystikal and Lucy Pearl.

Bilal - Soul Sista - Interscope

Magnificent slab of mellow soul in the vein of D'Angelo and Maxwell. Beautiful groove that just takes you along with it. Soul of the highest order. Too mellow to get plays but if you like the aforementioned, or the ladies - Jill Scott, Angie etc you will love this.

Profyle & Monifah - Nasty

Fairly uptempo street or urban soul which could get some plays at Soul venues despite the banal 'rude' lyrics. Nice interplay between the male/ female vocal.

Martine Girault - Been thinking about you - RCA

I'm a bit of a sucker for these mellow females grooves. Sultry, sexy but moves at a midtempo pace suitable to dance to. From1995.

Be Be Winans - Thank you - Atlantic

Usual gospel style of Be Be Winans taken to another level on the MAW mix. Excellent

Joy Enriquez - Tell me what you like

The sort of sound that goes down well at Modern Soul venues. Midtempo and soulful in the same style as, say Elisha Laverne, India T, Veronica and so on. Top Sound.

A:xus feat. Naomi - Baghdad Cafe - Guidance

Laid back kind of house with slow hypnotic sultry vocal. Won't get played in Soul venues but kinda nice. Certainly one that grows on you.

Bob Sinclair - Darlin - Defected

From the much touted Champs Elysees - best just by this one Part 2 of the sampler. Funk style'Party' opening before a modern soul groove sets in. Garnering plays pretty much across the board - in soul venues and beyond.

Nemah - Stand up and believe - Perception

This was a new one on me but hails from 1998. Actually I find the radio edit the best to listen to from a Soul point of view. The other 'mixes' including the Gospel mix being a bit too 'dance' for me. Top quality gospelly vocal along the lines of Sounds of Blackness, and nice vibes. Lenny Fontana mixes.

India T - Keep it up - Deminted

Been around for a few months now but not had the chance to include the review. Nice hard beat, midtempo female soul and was quite popular for a while. Popularity seems to have drifted a bit now but a nice tune nonetheless.

Darryl D'Bonneau - Just to be with you - Easy Street

Continuing with he gap filling exercise this was a top sound from last year and still manages to garner some interest. Black Masses Orchestra Philadelphia Soul Remix is the one I go for. Uplifting Soulful US Garage.

Jody Watley featuring Roy Ayers - I love to love - Masters at Work

Another one from last year - probably one of my favourites from that year - Nearly 9 minutes of excellence with jazzy sax and vibe breaks. Typical Masters at Work mix. Jody in good form as usual.

Smooth Utopia - Various - Utopia

Excellent compilation containing some classic modern soul grooves like Donell Jones - I'll go and Do what I gotta do and Jaheim - Waiting on you.

As the title suggests this is cooltempo smooth grooving inna Soul and R'n'B stylee. Particularly nice is It's goin Down by Parle and the Ruff Ryders. Also contains tracks by Portrait, Mica Paris - the beautiful Six Street, Meesha, Jamelia, Glen Jones, Ask Me, Keesha, World Dejah Gruv, Methrone, Dejah and H Town. Good stuff - recommended. Not sure where you can get this yet but email me and I might be able to secure a copy.

Jaheim - Ghetto Life - WB

Out in February I understand, this is getting reaction from both Soul and Urban collectives. Looking for Love is good cool soul as is Ghetto Love while Let it Go picks up the Funk. Happiness, Anything, Waiting for you, Ready willing and able are all well above average. If like me your album buying is limited because most of the tracks are not up to scratch - I still haven't succumbed to the Shaft soundtrack for Up and Outta Here, but I'm getting close!, then you should be happy with this one.

Tiorah - Noonday Cafe - USA

This is garnering much interest in the UK with pieces in Togetherness and Echoes. Available also from Soul Brother.

Erykah Badu - Mama's Gun - Motown

Let's dispense of the negatives first- the Sleeve (do you still call it that?) is dreadful and Track one is disgusting. Aside that this album is excellent- typical Badu and progresses from Baduism. Yes she has succeeded in following the debut. From the slow funk of My Life, to the Jazz of Cleva to the Epic of Green Eyes. Classic cuts of Orange Moon and Bag Lady.

Yes she has style, soul, street, jazz, cred and so on but does she have longevity. I wonder whether there is sufficient in her style for it still to be 'now' in 5 albums time! But let's love it while it's here and now.

DJ Spen - Disco Dreaming - Black Vinyl UK http://www.blackvinyl.co.uk

I have to say that there is not enough vocal material on here for my liking. The beats are hard and funky, the grooves take you with them and are very typical of Basement Boys material. In most cases however the vocals are kept to a minimum or are samples. On Back When for example I am crying out for the vocal to come to the front and take it to another level. Similarly on Trapped I wish the vocals went somewhere because the feel of the track is good.

On 'Give me your love' Fruity lets loose with a soulful gospel vocal on a track not previously available in the UK. I wish that there had been more like this.

All in all a hard and tight, well produced upfront dance album but would be enhanced with additional soulful vocals.

Order Spen CD Today! Order Spen Vinyl Today!

Dennis Taylor - Smile / You know just when - Dome

Continuing from the success of Enough is enough and the album of the same name. Cool, easy and soulful.

Order Dennis Taylor CD Enough is enough Today!

Little Louie Vega featuring Arnold Jarvis- Life goes on-Masters at Work http://www.mastersatwork.com

Top Masters at Work sound-one of the best releases of the year. The 12" vinyl is a terrific modern soul dancer. The 7" is sweet and meaningful. Their website has been under construction for ages. Keep trying - it might be ready soon!

Kenny Bobien - U gave me love- Basement Boys http://www.basementboys.com

Basement Boys can do little wrong. Magnificent crystal clear falsetto over a thumping groove. Listen out also for the more recent Father available on a double 12"

Sonya- Not the man that I need- Electrik Groove

Good but in my view slightly overrated. The theory was that it was going to take over from Pressure as being the most played Modern item at Northern venues. Don't think so personally although it is getting some exposure. Don't know anything about the singer but vocally to me sounds like Jamaican lovers rock

Latanya- Why you acting shady-TVT http://www.tvtrecords.com

Killer cut from one of the best albums of the year. My copy though is very crackly- why is this. The first three cuts are urban R'n'B stylee, and then comes the Soul. Perfectly illustrates how the Soul is much more powerful. Hopefully she will stick to this but I guess the R'n'B will sell better

 Maxwell - Ascension- Columbia

One of the top names on the soul scene along with Rahsaan Patterson. Beautiful sound- Just because it is not rare or uhheard of doesn't mean that it should be ignored- deserves plays

Andricka Hall- Stay inside my life - Soul Shine http://www.soulshine.net Club Vocal Mix

Excellent Miami US Garage. Good vocals, good beat and good Jamie Lewis mix. Solid and worth playing without being earth shattering

Karizma featuring Sandy- Don't go - Basement Boys http://www.basementboys.com

Slightly brittle vocal. Typical basement boys - gets better when the male vocal response kicks in

Stevie Wonder - All I do

'Housed' up Stevie Wonder - Takes a while to get going but when it does---'top mix'. Being released in new year but not by Stevie.

Elisha Laverne- So very hot - Urbanstar

As it says this is so very hot. Hugely popular across the soul scene

Soul Brothers featuring Joi Cardwell - Let it go - Deep Soul http://www.nervousnyc.com

This is possibly the top sound at the moment- for example on of the few sounds to get multiple plays at the recent Togetherness all-nighter.

Black Masses - Give it all you got - Tom Tom Club

Have to say I wasn't too keen on this, vocals a bit shrill, and backing a bit empty but it is getting a lot of plays.

Cooly's Hot Box - Over and over - Sole Music

This builds very nicely into good male /female soulful vocal. Very nice groove, this one could grow on me.

Karen Clark-Sheard - Nothing without you

Love this to death - big thanks to Roger Williams for introducing this to me. Excellent strong vocal from this gospel singer. A Mellow Groover but strong enough to get some plays. Only heard snippets but rest of the album seems to be very much Gospel but this cut oozes soul of the highest class. I think this is readily available from Amazon.com.

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