UK soul entrepreneur GARY VAN DEN BUSSCHE is a mighty busy man. Gary's been in the soul business for over 40 years – for 28 of those he ran his own soul club nights and DJ'd at the renowned Tramp nightspot. A few years back he created the must read DISCO SOUL GOLD (DSG) blog/website which soon spawned DSG RECORDS, a label that's sourced and released plenty of classy modern soul in its relatively short life span. If all that's not enough Gary is currently hosting his own show on Starpoint Radio. He broadcasts in the weekday (Monday- Thursday) mid morning spot (11 – 1).

Now most soul stations feature charts of some sort and this gave Gary the idea for a new album.... a compilation that collected together all the big soul chart riders from the year and with impeccable timing as the year end beckons (yes, it's November), Gary's DSG Records have just released the very album - 'THE UK SOUL CHART ALBUM'.

Avid soul radio listeners will know most of the tunes and collectors will have many of them but it's kind of satisfying to have all the year's big ones in one place. The set is a 19 tracker and features stuff like Regina Troupe's 'Friday Night', the Nigel Lowis mix of Kenny Thomas' 'Your Love' , Al Lindsey's Cotton Candy' , Tilly Grace's 'Chill' and Sir Wick's 'I Love You'. If that's not enough to satisfy, then to remind of what a great soul singer he was, there's Ali Woodson's 'You Gotta Believe That'

Gary says that he sees the album in the same way that we would have once collected the Motown Chartbusters or Top of the Pops (non-original artists) albums back in the day. Well 'THE UK SOUL CHART ALBUM' is a million times better than those tacky Chartbusters and as for the Motown comparison, well, you can make up your own minds but the new music does represent where we are now in terms of commercial soul in the same way as those Motown sets did in the 70s and 80s.

'THE UK SOUL CHART ALBUM' is available now but be warned.... the CD will only have one limited edition pressing only!

Last Updated on Tuesday, 13 November 2018 11:00

Earlier this year, LISA STANSFIELD made a comeback of sorts with the acclaimed 'Deeper' album and a sell-out tour. In truth, her devoted fans knew she's never been away and the energy and passion she showed at those live shows only confirmed that.

Incredibly for an artist who's been around since the 80s, 'Deeper' was only Lisa's eighth studio album. But like the previous seven it met with acclaim from both the soul media and audiences worldwide. The album also birthed a couple of charting singles while the title track has become a Stansfield standard.

Moreover, a steady flow of danceable remixes of some of the key tracks (from dons like Snowboy and the Cool Million team) have kept the modern soul dancers happy too. Now even more good news... all those great mixes (and a few more) have been collected together and compiled onto a CD that forms disc 2 of a new "Deluxe" version of the 'Deeper' LP.

This new 2 CD pack features the original 13 track 'Deeper' set on disc 1; the second disc has all those lovely, aforementioned remixes alongside 4 brand new live recordings from Lisa's recent UK (they include versions of 'Soul Deep' from London and 'All Woman' from Berlin). The cherry on this ultra tasty cake, though, is a delicious, previously unreleased mix of 'There Goes My Heart Again'. Lisa fans will know the song first emerged on her 'Seven' long player and this new version easily rivals the original and the quartet of mixes that subsequently became available. It's just one great tune and features some stunning Ian Devaney strings and a blistering sax solo from Mick Donnelly.

LISA STANSFIELD; DEEPER DELUXE is out now on earMUSIC

Last Updated on Monday, 12 November 2018 19:03

Sadly for soul lovers 2018 will be chiefly remembered for the passing of ARETHA FRANKLIN. Thankfully we have her music as a lasting legacy and plenty of people are working hard to keep her memory alive too. Amongst them is UK singer JANINE JOHNSON who, next year, is taking to the road with her own Aretha tribute show – "RESPECT".

Janine is a well-known session singer and backing vocalist and has worked with people like George Michael, Take That and Paloma Faith. Out on her own she's released the album 'Strength, Wisdom and Growth' and now has a new EP called 'Passion' on the way. Her musical director for the show is Malcolm Maddock (whose credits include work with James Brown, Elton John, Lionel Richie, Stevie Wonder, and George Benson). He heads an 8 piece band made up of seasoned soul sessioneers.

The tour begins at Oakengates on 25th January and runs right through the year with the last date at Exmouth in December. A diligent internet search will give you all the details.

Last Updated on Monday, 12 November 2018 19:04

           Led by the impassioned soul vocals of dynamic frontman, Paul Janeway - think Otis Redding meets Freddie Mercury -  ST. PAUL & THE BROKEN BONES, who were first championed by this website back in 2014, are back in Britain later this month. They're also back with their third album, the superlative 'Young Sick Camellia,' via Sony Records, which has just hit the stores as well as the usual streaming and download platforms.

The new album, helmed by noted producer and arranger, Jack Splash (who's worked with Kendrick Lamar, Cee Lo Green, and Mayer Hawthorne) marks a notable growth in the group's sound and style but without sacrificing their inherent soulfulness and devotion to old school R&B values.

 The Alabama octet are hitting the UK on Nov 14 for five shows:

 14th November   Brudenell Social Club, Leeds

 15th November   Albert Hall, Manchester

 16th November   Barrowland, Glasgow

 17th November   Rock City, Nottingham

 19th November  Roundhouse, London

 For tickets, go here: http://stpaulandthebrokenbones.com/shows/#.W8BxBBNKhuU

 Look out for a detailed review of 'Young Sick Camelia' soon.

      Read SJF's interview with Paul Janeway here: 

http://www.soulandjazzandfunk.com/interviews/4190-today-glastonbury-tomorrow-the-world-st-paul-of-the-broken-bones-speaks.html

Last Updated on Sunday, 11 November 2018 15:20

BBC Radio 2 has announced that soul stars PEABO BRYSON and BEVERLEY KNIGHT will front two of the broadcaster's Friday Night Is Music Night shows at the London Palladium later this month.

On November 21st, PEABO BRYSON will be performing a tribute to the poet laureate of symphonic soul, Barry White, at the London Palladium. Originally from Greenville, South Carolina, Bryson rose to fame in the mid 1970s at Capitol Records and later scored hit duets with Natalie Cole ('Gimme Some Time') and Roberta Flack ('Tonight I Celebrate My Love'). His two Grammys came much later, in the '90s, and were the result of his work on the soundtracks to the animated movies Beauty & The Beast (he sang the title song with Celine Dion) and Aladdin (Bryson sang opposite Regina Belle on 'A Whole New World'). His latest album is his 21st, 'Stand For Love.'

The UK's own BEVERLEY KNIGHT, 45, is a multi-award-winning recording artist and stage singer/actress hailing from Wolverhampton whose career began in the mid-1990s. On November 22nd, she will take to the London Palladium stage to perform a selection of songs by one of her idols - Stevie Wonder. Knight, who was awarded an MBE in 2006, has recorded eight solo albums to date, her last being 2016's critically-acclaimed  'Memphis.'

Tickets are still available from www.livenation.co.uk and www.palladium.theater

Last Updated on Sunday, 11 November 2018 15:21