SOUL RECOMMENDATIONS SEPTEMBER 2016

Review: Having released on classic powerhouses such as Capitol and Atlantic, as well as other lesser known but equally coveted soul labels, we can safely say that Wilson John Turbinton aka Willie Tee is up there with the greats. The multi-talented keyboardist and vocalist released an astounding volume of music before his death back in 2007, and not all of it easy to come by these days. So, we're pleased to see "Run Around" previously unissued and now on 7" for Super Disco Edits because it's a funky and timeless soul ballad with a warm twist and a touch of sexiness for the dance. The 'Sparse' mix on the flip is perhaps less seductive but Turbington lays out more space for his own vocal charm on this version. Excellent.

Review: Former Adorables member Betty Winston recorded a number of solo songs during the 1960s, several of which were later released on the Grapevine label in the 1970s. Arguably the most potent of all these songs, the Richard 'Popcorn' Wylie produced "Spellbound", eventually appeared on the Talk Of The Grapevine compilation. Happily, Soul Junction has finally secured the rights to the track, and here presents it on 7" for the first time. It's a wonderful chunk of heartfelt Detroit soul, with Winston's fellow Adorables members Pat and Diane Lewis, and sister Jackie Winston, providing superb backing vocals. Thrillingly, this release also includes the previously unissued instrumental version, which shines a light on Wylie's brilliant production.

Review: Australia's Choi Records keep the funk hot with a second seven inch serving in a matter of months that introduces the Juno office to the refined sounds of Melbourne troupe Fulton Street. The funk and soul septet are led - in classic fashion - by the wonderfully belting vocals of lead singer Shannon Wick whose commanding delivery ensures lead track, "Young People", slots in nicely in the long-running canon of socially-conscious funk jammers. Behind her, the Fulton Street band show what a tight instrumental unit they are. On the flip, Fulton Street's groovier side comes to the fore on "Problems & Pain" with Sly & The Family Stone and The JBs coming to mind as the band's organ and sax players lead the way. A great 7".

Review: Willie West is a rare treasure. He's an artist who has been making gorgeous soul music since the 1960s and who's never looked back. He's still making heart-breaking anthems in 2016, and this collaboration with The Soul Investigators band for Finland's Timmion imprint is as beautiful and moving as the material way back in the Detroit days. "After The Storm" is simply a magical piece of music, a bittersweet soul ballad that manages to bring the sadness out of the melancholia and deliver a powerful punch to the chest; West's own vocals are what tie the instruments together and immerse the listener like nothing else. There's an instrumental on the flip for the sample-junkies and for those who can't get enough of this powerful groove.

Review: The James Walsh Gypsy Band is kind of the outfit to go to if you're looking for some blue-eyed soul but, just like Ned Doheny and his sublime reissue on Numero, the band never fully came out of its shell and they were limited to just one album on RCA Victor, 1998's self-tiled LP...until now. I've Got The Feelin' was recorded a year later, in 1979, at the legendary Muscle Shoal Studios, but it never made it out onto the shelves apart from a seriously limited CDR run. Norway's Preservation has thankfully done the right thing by pressing it up on vinyl, and the opening title track is as just as wonderful as the first time we heard - a true soul masterpiece with a clear LA influence. "Looks Like You Got Down In Love" is a funkier, more soulful version of Credence at their deepest, while other highlights include the supremely majestic "It's Over Now", and the tear-jerking "Alabama Eyes". It's a road album, the sort you want to really take in properly. Recommended.

Review: Pat Biggerstaff's ZIP catapults itself into the modern soul game with an arresting statement of intent; St Louie-born, Kansas-based Bryan Austin takes time off his calling as a missionary to lay down two soft, dreamy, string and piano based ballads. "What Would Marvin Say?" is rich in references and respect while "Sunday" takes The Moments' classic to slower, deeper, emotive pastures. Both establish ZIP as a new label with promise.

Review: Daptone's contemporary doo-wop troupe The Sha La Das are a total family affair as intergenerational Schaldas pay homage to '60s soul and pop with rich, authentic results. "Those Years Are Over" marks the sands of time in a slow and swooning soul style while "Open My Eyes" begins as a ballad but soon drops into a psychedelic whirlwind that wouldn't go amiss on a label like Claremont 56. Heavy in harmony and sentiment, there's a lot more to The Sha La Das than straight up revivalism.