
The latest super 7” from IZIPHO soul is a real double A sider from “BRIDGE” – a music project masterminded by Oakland’s PAUL TILLMAN SMITH. Now we know that Paul isn’t one of modern soul’s big “names”, but the drummer/percussionist has been in the business for almost four decades and in that time he’s created some quite beautiful music that deserves a larger audience. In his career Paul has led several bands including Vitamin E, Park Place and of course the aforementioned Bridge. FYI… He’s also the founding Board member of the “Bay Area Jazz Society” a non-profit music charity and the co-founder & Artistic Director of the Berkeley Juneteenth Festival, the longest running African American Music and Arts festival in Northern California history.
Back to Bridge, though. That band cut an album in 1981 for the CBS distributed Bang label that never saw the light of day. It was released by First Experience Records as a double LP and CD in 1999 and is recognised as being one of the finest unreleased discoveries within its genre.
The new Izipho 45 pairs two very different tracks from the album. The putative A side is a gorgeous, hook-laden, mid-tempo soul groove, ‘Crying For Love’. It’s a full-on production with a sublime and soulful vocals from the late Debravon Lewis. The flip, ‘Listen’ is a searing and sophisticated ballad. Like ‘Crying…’ it was penned by Tillman Smith and the production delivers the perfect marriage of Freddie Hughes’ emotive vocal and Sonny Lewis’ sensual sax. Like we said, this 45’s a real double A sider and unmissable!
Learn more @ https://www.iziphosoul.com/