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The Quintessential info provider for the Soul Survivor 1ST AUG - 30TH SEPT 2017

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News Reviews & Interviews

George Benson, Larry Mizell, Dez Parkes, Jan Kincaid and Simon Law

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Welcome to Issue 71 of the Soul Survivors Magazine.

3 MIKE VITTI SPEKS WITH GEORGE BENSON 6 DARRELL’S FUNK BOX 8 FITZROY SPEAKS WITH DEZ PARKES 16 FITZROY SPEAKS WITH SIMON LAW 21 RECORD REVIEWS 24 THE JACKSONS ‘HALLELUJAH DAY’ 26 FITZROY SPEAKS WITH LARRY MIZELL 34 MIRA PARKES SPEAKS WITH JAN KINCAID 37 NORTHERN SOUL SURVIVORS 42 EVENT REVIEWS 50 WHAT’S GOING ON All adverts are placed in good faith and The Soul Survivors Magazine take no responsibility for any issues arising from the use of those who have advertised.

All dates are correct at time of going to print – please check with venue or promoter if unsure.

All rights reserved 2006 - 2017 © The Soul Survivors Magazine It is essential to note that all artwork, adverts and listings must be confirmed and sent in to fitzroy@ thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk before Monday 4th September2017 in order to meet the graphic designer and print 3 week preparation.

This will ensure that the magazine for the October and November Issue is ready and out on the streets.

Thanks in advance. The Soul Survivors Magazine Team!

Suite 013, 986 Garratt Lane, Tooting Broadway, London SW17 0ND E: fitzroy@thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk M: 07956 312931 C fitzroy.facey C Fitzroytheoriginalsoulsurvivor C TheSoulSurvivors MSoulSurvivors1

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It’s been an emotional ‘Topsy Turvy’ like The Real Thing past two months here in the UK. For those affected by the Grenfell Towers tragedy and the mindless terror and acid attacks, we send out our Sounds Of Universal Love vibes to you. The Wombles of Wimbledon have two new champions, so congrats to Garbine Muguruza and Roger Federer. I always I thank the universe for enabling me to accomplish producing another issue of this publication. I’m very proud of this months one, because it’s a bit of an educational Bunny Wailer, going ‘Back To School’ edition. Amongst the news and reviews the interviews have both musical and social history from those qualified to speak.

Mi-Soul’s Mike Vitti kindly shows some ‘Love X Love’ as he shares with us his exclusive interview with George ‘Bad’ Benson. As depicted by the front cover we speak to Soul Survivors Award Musicologist Micheal Henderson ‘Wide Receiver’ Dez Parkes about marking the 30th Tony! Toni! Tone! ‘Anniversary’ of the ground breaking ‘Rare’ albums on RCA Records. It’s time to ‘Remember To Remember’ like Rick Holmes as Dez speaks frankly on the importance of how those albums defined an era and a genre. It’s Sky High time we featured one of the pioneering producers of the areospace dynamic productions of The Mizell Brothers in speaking with a very humble and articulate Mr Larry Mizell. He speaks of all the ‘Places And Spaces’ he’s been with the inspirational ‘Blackbyrd’ Donald Byrd and his other ‘Steppin’ Into Tomorrow’ projects. Working with Soul II Soul, Chante Moore and Junior Giscombe, finally Simon Laws’ ‘Morning Will Come’ being featured in our publication.

Mira Parkes speaks with my headmaster’s son co founder and ex drummer of BNH Jan Kincaid about his new ‘Come On With The Good Thing’ MF Robots band project. We are ‘Always’ like Electric Empire trying to embrace new ideas albeit 11 years in as the info provider for the soul survivor. Much to the Woods Empire ‘Sweet Delight’ of a die hard section of soul survivors, we are please to announce after several attempts in doing so, a new regular feature for namely the Northern Soul Survivors column curated by an original Wigan Casino and Blackpool Mecca attendee Les Csonge. Les and his partner Ann Taylor both original born and breed Northern Soul enthusiasts, are doing a weekender in October 2017 in Kent, and do lots of events through the year.

They kindly offer £10 discount off the weekender packages, ‘Jump’ like The Pointer Sisters on that opportunity. We welcome their insight and some new readership to expand the brand of The Soul Survivors Magazine ethos nation and worldwide. We are also selling wristbands for Soul Trains Ibiza event end of September so ‘Get In Touch’, like Collage.

We are pleased to announce that D Influence will be our live act at the 5th Soul Survivors Awards to be held 24th February 2018 at Under The Bridge Chelsea. Be under ‘No Illusions’ it’s going to be anything but ‘Grrrreat’ like Tony The Tiger. Thanks to Anna B, Ayshea, Darrell S, Mira Parkes, all the interviewees and advertiser, Les Csonge, Ann Taylor, Ian Gregory, contributors, Jason and the Soul Pack distribution team and our new printers Stephen & George for making this issue happen. Peace and enjoy Fitzroy Enjoy! Fitzroy.

Mike Vitti speaks with

George Benson

at Ronnie Scotts, London

After his successful appearance at Love Supreme 2017 and ahead Benson as he was ‘Breezin’ ’ in spoke with Mi Soul’s Mike Vitti. of his two sell out dates at Ronnie Scotts, George It’s less than 15 minutes long but quite insightful and educational. So enjoy some ‘Inside Love and (So Personal) conve rsation with Mike and George!

You’ve just played at the Love Supreme Festival 2017 in front of 30,000 people and you’re doing two shows tonight to a couple of hundred each. How does that feel making that transition from a huge audience festival wise and then coming to play to the intimate surroundings of Ronnie Scotts?

For many years I was a club act at all the greatest clubs in America and I came over here and played at the great Ronnie Scotts club. That was a highlight and the great classical guitar player John Williams came to see the show. I had Earl Klugh, that nobody had heard of before and he was 19 years old at the time, and John McLaughlin whose career was just getting off at the time. I regard those as some of the greatest days of my life. London means a lot to me and Ronnie Scott means a lot to me because of his love for jazz music. He didn’t take any crap from anybody about jazz, if you didn’t respect jazz he threw you right out of there. He was knowledgeable about all the musicians and he knew what sparked the jazz interest of people around the neighbourhood and all over Europe that came.

Do you think that the audiences have changed a bit or do you find that they are still as respectful with the music as they used to be?

You’re talking about some of the greatest people in modern music and they help to keep the ball rolling, like Ronnie Scott did when he was alive. He used to say to me “The next set I want you to play more jazz”. I was trying to find me an audience and mixing every kind of thing you could think of, and eventually we found an audience for what we could do. He was like my Father, my Father was like Ronnie Scott. He said ‘Son next time you play, put more jazz into your music, ok?”.

I said, “Dad there’s five people in the place, what are you worried about?” (George laughs.) The joints where I played to only five people, they allowed me the space to experiment, and that’s what jazz is, improvisation and experimental, so they turned me into what I am today. It showed me I could take any music and add my jazz experience to it and it worked for me very well. When someone says jazz to me they are saying a lot.

Last year you were involved on Sky TV as a mentor on a program where you were coaching younger and older guitarists from all different genres. You played a master class here at Ronnie Scotts as a part of that TV show. Are you still learning?

Mike Vitti

Jazz demands respect and if you come to a concert you’re going to hear something that you’ve never heard before. These guys are creating something new every night. They don’t know what they are going to do, they just do it. They think of a melody and a song and say “Hey man let’s grab this, and play this.”

When they finish nobody knows what’s happened but it’s going to be different and it’s going to be good. So this place is the perfect place for that mentality.

In this room there are so many contemporaries and piers that have been through here.

George Benson

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Your style of playing the guitar and also singing kind of mirrors Nat King Cole a bit because he could play that piano like a bad man.

They tried to talk him out of it. My manager said, “George now we’ve got your career off the ground you can lay the guitar down and just sing.” I said, “I got too many years I put in and I practice everyday so I just can’t put the guitar down.”

They asked which instrument did I like the best. I said it’s the same instrument, it’s all me and coming out of the same brain, whether it’s the guitar scatting or the singing. I’m so ORIGINAL ART BY FITZROY FACEY

Everybody is. John Coltrane took a trip to Asia or India and when he came back he was never the same. People were saying “Oh this is crap.” but it was genius, because we were playing half the music on this side of the world with 12 tones, but there are tones between the 12 tones and that’s what John Coltrane was talking about. You’ve got to allow people to breathe if you want to go forward. We can’t all be Charlie Parker or Lester Young and have 12 billion copycats.

Somebody has got to take that music to another place and give us options. One of my favourite pictures (within this room) is of Buddy Rich. He was a very different kind of guy who insisted on excellence from his musicians. People thought he was cruel but he wasn’t. Remember at 19 years old he played with the greatest musicians alive, Charlie Parker and Dizzy Gillespie. People used to ask for him and they didn’t even know his name. They’d ask ‘Where’s the white boy with the big feet, bring him to the recording session, the white boy with the big feet.” Nobody had chops like Buddy Rich.

My Father was like Ronnie Scott. He said ‘Son next time you play, put more jazz into your music, ok?” I said, “Dad there’s five people in the place, what are you worried about?

Creed Taylor said to me “Listen to this album and tell me if there is anything you like.” I said, “Everything on here is great.” he said, “Good we’ll do the whole album” and I gasped “Whaaaaatt? I can’t do no Beatles album”. We sure took a beating from the critics for doing that but years later it came across as quite a classic album. I had some of the baddest cats from New York on the album, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Ron Carter, Herbie Hancock and Bob James. Maaaann what an album that was. I didn’t even know what I was doing and we did it live with an orchestra but man we tore that album up. I felt like I was a legitimate artist after doing that album.

People said George I didn’t know you could sing. I said it’s the first time. I went back to vocals and after ‘Breezin’’ came out, that album gave the ‘Breezin’’album legs. You never know where life is going to lead you. Keep going ahead.

happy I insisted that my Father insisted that I lean more into the direction of jazz music. I’m experienced with jazz playing with Miles Davis and Freddie Hubbard and all the other greats in New York that I played with. I met the young Wynton Marsalis at 13 years old, he tugged on my coat and said “Mr Benson, when I grow up I’m gonna be just like you.” Next time I saw him he was about the same height and he’s slick, and dressed to kill. He said, “You don’t remember me do you?”

I said “You do look familiar.” He said, “New Orleans.” and I said, “In the park with BB King and 125,000 people.” and he said, “Yeah, that’s me.” I asked ‘What you doing in New York?’ and Wynton said proudly “Playing with Art Blakey.”

In my mind that means he could play. He asked if he could sit in tonight on 7th Avenue South with the Becker Brothers. I said yeah so him and Tom Browne had a battle that night on their trumpets. Brother they burnt all the paint off that place, that evening. That young kid aged 17 years old played the crap out of that trumpet. Then people started criticising him because he criticised everything that wasn’t jazz, including me because I was making all the hit records. He said something negative about me and they really started to get on him. I said “Don’t do that to him because jazz needs a champion and he is it today and he has been the champion for many years.”

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Mike Vitti will be airing this interview with music on Mi-Soul Bank Holiday Monday 29th August 2017

You talk about Coltrane going to India, so did John Lennon and you recorded that famous Abbey Road album with Creed Taylor.

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So a few things made June a fantastic month. The awesome Soul Network was a rammed affair with the second room firin’ on all cylinders. Then I got my ass along to Dingwalls for Another Sunday Afternoon of Jazz with Messrs Peterson and Forge. Both events are reasonably priced but you will pay more on the door. I also enjoyed Fitzroy’s ‘Any Old Sunday’ with Dez Parkes and Dezzi D, entry was free. Bargain!

Of course not all events seem to have a straight forward pricing system. Things seem to have gone a bit bonkers, in my opinion. We now have a tiered structure when it comes to paying for admission.

First off we have the ‘Early Bird’ release. To get your hands on these babies you need to be glued to your computer! That’s right, forget your family, friends, breakfast, lunch and dinner, and sit staring at the screen, waiting for the imminent moment of issue. Don’t these people realise that dozens of pointless bitch fests, on Facetweet, could be missed? It seems, in some cases, that you need to be ‘in the know’ so as to secure the illusive cheapest option. And you can bet your bottom dollar that as soon as the website pops up to say ‘Buy Now’, they’re gone! Just how many were available, you wonder? Twenty out of the thousands that will be on sale? I mean, seriously, how quick do you realistically have to be to catch the ‘Early Bird’?

Not to worry, all is not lost because you can get the ‘First Tier’ tickets at a slightly more expensive amount. WHAAAT!??

Why can’t the cheapest possible tickets be on sale for a little bit longer? You see, this is what I call the ‘Bugger That’ tier. I see how much the price has jumped, normally around a fiver, and I think, Nah! It’s when it gets to the fifth tier, and nearly all my mates are going, that I feel the need to get my credit card out! Already the price could have leapt by about 20 quid and I am kicking myself at my own apathy. But it leaves me Page 6 - Issue 71

wondering just what is the thinking behind the multi-tiered pricing system. Some events can have as many as seven phases of pricing. Why? It is something that I find perplexing and unnecessary, especially if an affair is announced two weeks after you’ve been paid and you know darn well that you’ll miss the cheapest tickets AND, if you’re like me, you’ll have forgotten about it by the time your next payday arrives!

And so the merry-go-round continues.

Then there is another level of entry that you can go down. The VIP range. If there is something that rises the bile in my throat it’s the pretentious assumption that, by buying these absurdly named tickets, you are going to be getting something special.

Well, you are. You’re going to be mugged off and you’re going to pay double the price for the privilege! A person shouldn’t have to pay for a VIP pass, it is something that should be GIVEN TO YOU. A Very Important Person is what VIP stands for, you can’t offer entry with benefits and then have your pockets picked as you walk in!

I know lots of people that access parties by this delusional method, and they give me various reasons for going down that route. For some it’s the toilet issue. In the VIP arena, apparently, you get an extra couple of loos. That way, presumably, you are able to avoid lavatories that are coated in s**t. Though, from my experience at 51st State and Southport Festivals, the toilets have never been an issue and are always clean.

Other peeps cite the issue of getting served quicker at the bar.

Their own little VIP bar. They might get their drink 7 minutes quicker than the rest of us plebs, but they’ve paid 20 nicker extra for the entitlement! And I know that this is the case because my friends, that have bought these tickets, tell me.

Whilst we’re at the bash, stood OUTSIDE of the VIP arena!

Hmmmm…..

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I’ve know Dez Parkes for 34 years and I consider him as an elder to me of the dancer to DJ and beyond kind of musicologist, hence why he was acknowledged by the magazine with an award. Amongst his many historical and folk law accolades is the golden nugget achievement of compiling the Rare albums on RCA 30 years ago in 1987. We spoke in parts about this 9 years ago in our first interview and it seemed poignant to do the part two currently. Living through the D Influence ‘Changing Times ‘ over a 40 plus year period involved in the music industry his insight and knowledge is undeniable. He’s honest as the day is long and much of what he say’s will ruffle a few feathers. Dedicated to putting the record straight like he’s danced all his life representing the east London boogie, are you sitting comfortably?? Like Arthur Adams Dez Parkes ‘You Got The Floor’. “The floor is yours.”

It’s been 30 years since the release of the ‘Rare’ album series came out in 1987 on RCA Records. Just give us the background story on how you were approached, what the process was, who was involved and tell us how successful they became?

FITZROY SPEAKS WITH

Dez Parkes

To be honest with you Fitz it all started with a conversation between me and my ex Bess Mobsby. At the time Bess worked at RCA Records and there were people in the record company who knew who I was. Bess mentioned me and suggested the possibility of me doing compilations, and a meeting was set up with Chris Haralambous. Chris subsequently headed up the whole project, to discuss the possibly of doing some compilations. We were we were known as The Underground Family and we also had the record label TUF. We were djing at various parties and clubs in the west end like Busby and Astoria on the Charring Cross Road. We used the branding of the transport logo, which I was worried about at the time, but they were quite cool about it, as we had no come back. We had a

Unknown Kwantity Dancers

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same time I could introduce people to new artists, not so familiar to them.

Andrew Levy (L) and Simon Bartholomew (R) before they co founded The Brand New Heavies with Jan Kincaid, in session for Diana Brown & The Brothers ’Yes It’s You’ 1987 on TUF Records

few people in the sound system including Chris Energy and RS Digital. At the same time I had a dance group called Unknown Kwantity with Leslie Michel, Vin Murray, Leslie Grant, Bennet Burton and Dave Magrass that went on to do big things. I digress slightly but going back to the meeting with Chris Haralambous, it ended up with Bess being the administrator, which she was very good at. I picked the tracks and put them all together as I wanted them to flow a certain way. Around that time we were involved with Barrie K Sharpe and Diana Brown & The Brothers who had an underground hit with ‘Yes It’s You’ on our TUF Records label. This was happening when in inverted commas “the main DJ protagonists” of that time started to flourish. This would have been around 1986-1989.

Prior to that there was no real history of most of those characters having voices or being as instrumental in huge things as they are today. Remember this all happened pre Facebook and YouTube, a sad side of the industry currently, which I will touch on later. Being a record collector and loving black music, as I and many others do, I was tired of picking up records with none or hardly any, information given, and noticed there were artists who were not getting credited. The other downside was that there was so much bootlegging going on. It gave people access to records they couldn’t get hold of, but it wasn’t doing the artists or music industry any good. A lot of people were making money but if you’re going to steal something from someone who you say you respect, at least give them something back.

I felt that there were certain artists, who had given us so much pleasure, who when you visit their country to meet them, you find they are not living as lavishly as you would imagine. They are either in dead end jobs, living poor or are under pressure. I felt that this project, if it went through with a major company, would get them some royalties or there would be prospects of rekindling their careers. At the

I want to speak about the term ‘rare groove’. ‘Rare groove’ as far as I’m concerned could be something that was 15 years old or a record of any genre that came out two weeks ago on a limited press. So when we define ‘rare’ we are speaking of things, that are not so accessible and are limited in quantity. Just because it’s tagged under ‘rare groove’ doesn’t mean it’s good. There was a lot of that stuff that wasn’t credible in my opinion and people were buying into the hype and being charged fraudulent amounts of money, for music that wasn’t that great. Bess and I came up with the concept and we called it ‘Rare’, because everyone at the time was caught up in that music cycle. We decided to make the cover with dance steps as a connection to dancing and music. I decided to do some sleeve notes to give a brief synopsis and insight on the artist. He was playing some good old tunes, that he was also featuring at his functions like Shake & Finger Pop. I decided to do some sleeve notes to give a synopsis and kind of insight on the artist. The album concept in 1987 was boosted by the popularity of Norman Jay’s radio show called ‘The Original Rare Groove Show’, on pirate station ‘Radical Radio’ Kiss FM which started around 1986. He was playing some good old tunes, that he was also featuring at his functions like Shake & Finger Pop. Let’s break it down, we as DJ’s have always played old music across the years during a current time, so if you put a name to something it doesn’t change the essence of what it is. There has alway been someone playing what would be termed as obscure music way before you or I discovered it.

(I concur with you Dez, as it reminds me of issue 69 when Eddie Piller stated that Chris Bangs defined the term ‘acid jazz’ in the late 1980’s, playing a funk record.) What’s interesting is that listening to you speaking it explains the knowledge and the passion and why you curated the ‘Rare’ project.

I was first and foremost a dancer before I was a DJ. There is no tune that I play that I can’t dance to. There are many DJ’s who play music by numbers, or rely on programmed beat mixing, and yet if you put them on the dance floor you’d be surprised. We danced to music where the rhythms are thrown all over the place, and to tracks that were from three and half minutes to fifteen minutes long, with all those real live arrangements, not like today’s software thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

programmed 4 to the floor music formula. It’s a whole different shebang today. I’ve gone through it all and I’m still here.

Dez, that ‘Rare ‘project launched many artists coming over and also created a market for many others to emulate and compile similar themed albums.

Speaking of compilers in 1993, Ian Dewhirst the Northern Soul DJ and compiler who I have respect for, because he loved the concept of the 1987 ‘Rare’ album, approached me to do the ‘Mastercuts Classic Rare Groove 1 and 2’. With the RCA ‘Rare’, there was no huge promotional budget so the quality of the tracks sold the albums independently.

The demands for the albums were huge and it was the first time a compilation ever appeared in the top 100 of the national album chart. We did reach number 75 above David Bowie at the time in the charts. I’m proud of what I did as it was about educating the people, each one teach one and giving people, something they knew and didn’t know. The ‘Rare’ albums sold thousands around the world and not just a few hundred in London. Those albums gave

For the people who say “Dez don’t share his records”, let me tell you something. I wouldn’t be who I am if I gave away all my trade secrets would I?

‘rare groove’ its authenticity on a major label and on a worldwide platform. They also became the template for the market of similar comps to be built on. It’s interesting when certain individuals, the same old usual suspects, define or document the ‘rare groove’ era, and neglect to acknowledge the contribution and importance of the ‘Rare’ series. I said this in our last interview Fitz 9 years ago and it’s still ‘Groundhog Day’. (Dez laughs) (Fitzroy: “That’s so true as I’ve seen evidence of what you state very recently on Facebook.”) It was also again to help the artists who were being bootlegged whilst these protagonists, were living large and buying houses off those proceeds.

There were record dealers up north going to America and taking the artist’s albums, promising them the world and Page 10 - Issue 71

Brighter shade advert.indd 2

12/07/2017 14:14 selling their records at exuberant prices here in the UK. The artists were not seeing this money because I spoke to many of them and they were pretty pissed by all of this. I won’t name them but there were several dealers that were known for that.

I did comps for Ace Record Best of Pleasure 1&2, Pucho, All Spice, Prelude Vol 1 for RCA and Motown Rare Groove and Jazz Spectrum etc.

You were generous in sharing music, despite the cries of “Parksey hordes his music”. Yes, you can be protective to a degree.

Elaborate on what you mentioned earlier regarding the keyboard warriors of Facebook and YouTube.

Many people from the industry are eating food off tunes I sold to them and many have made their riches. For the people who say “Dez don’t share his records”, let me tell you something.

I grew up through the Jamaican sound system and Jamaican music is my roots and it’s my heritage. I love how the reggae systems enabled individual DJ’s’ who cover up their tunes, which created healthy competition. How are you going to be established if everyone has what you have? I wouldn’t be who I am today, if I gave away all my trade secrets would I? Everyone will become a clone, which is what the industry has become, with the DJ’s and the tunes. It’s the same top thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

Dez Parkes and Noel Vaughn in the West End, mid 1970’s

20 or 30 records being played in many of the commercial arenas and people are playing safe. It seems that many DJ’s cannot break new music and think that their skills on the turntables, are going to save them. The sole purpose of playing music is to make people dance albeit, 2, 3 or 5 minutes into the record and keep them on a continuous high. Those people need a release from their daily issues to clear their head, and we, the DJs are the feel good factors.

Why should I leave my house to listen to tunes that I could play in my yard to myself? If I was socialising with people, that’s a different story, but then I’m not going out to listen primarily to the music am I? I’m not sure why or if the DJ’s don’t understand how to play the music, or is it that I am being too biased? Or am I confused?

happened to experiencing the same excitement and enthusiasm when you first hear a record on the radio, to responding in the same way hearing it in a club? Music is now the soundtrack for people socialising or meeting potential partners.

the access to music for people to call themselves a DJ now.

(Dez “Yes.”). People do things now by formula, by going to different clubs and listening to certain DJ’s, taking a bit of this, they’ll Shazam to find out what a tune is, and that and hey presto they’re a DJ. Where we come from as dancers, we want to play different music, flip B-sides and spin lesser known album cuts and 12’s. People listen to music differently now. What

trail and you know this, because of the slime and you can see where it’s been. Many people, out of nowhere, are talking about things to boost themselves up. Where were you, were did you go, whose mentioning you? People are making a mockery of what has come before them, especially on Facebook. Let’s remember that it’s all about the music and that the music is bigger than all of us. Today with YouTube

To read the full 71 musical professors and Ok, so nowIssue we get to the YouTube Facebook historians, with people talking about these wonderful tracks thatand they have no knowledge of. I know Dez Parkes interview our this because I was selling music, alongside Gary Smelt from John Anderton’s Bowl in Manchester, previous interview inSoulIssue 11at the London Record Fairs. A lot of this music wasn’t as accessible in that period. People have put these tracks up and people from 2008, please make subscribe themselves an authority or a via musical professor by downloading a dodgy mp3, and then project the impression that they’ve always had the tune. We are all defined by our www.thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk No I think that the landscape has changed. It’s very easy with timeline. When a snail moves along the road it leaves it’s

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and Facebook, all of a sudden everyone wants to be a star. I believe we are all entitled to our 15 minutes of fame, but why are all these people now proclaiming on Facebook that they were pioneers or innovators and doing this and that? Wait a minute! If you were doing this before Facebook and YouTube, why wasn’t anyone calling your name back then? You have to ask yourself, what were you doing back then, if people weren’t calling your name, and they are still not calling your name now? If you’ve done anything of recognition you will have left a lasting impression on people who would still be calling you now. If you have to go out there and talk about yourself, then there lies the problem. I see people talking about being at Crackers in Wardour Street. Well I was there in the early 1970’s on a Sunday and during the week when Mark Roman started there. Why is everyone getting excited?

On a Friday afternoon at Crackers the way people talk, you’d think there were a million people in there, when there were only a few hundred. Crackers was about us lot, the dancers, because although people loved the music, it was the dancing and the fashion, which had created a code, because we looked a certain way. That’s how it was and although people came from all around London it was the stomping ground for the East London boogie crew, I was part of. Other people who have spoke in your magazine, Kenny Wellington of Light Of The World / Beggar & Co and Leee John of Imagination have categorically stated us, as some of the main dancers. I used to organise the dancers when we go and battle in other areas because I taught a lot of the dancers.

racist areas like Canning Town and Plaistow, Trevor came from a very racist side of East London as well. Trevor had issues because a lot of the white cats in Canning Town used to bully him at the time. I grew up around that also, but they couldn’t do that around me, because I was known as a respected fisticuff boy and notoriously known for being a fighter. So Trevor hooked up with us and became friendly with our crew.

I noticed at first, that Trevor wasn’t a natural flowing dancer and didn’t really have any rhythm to be honest. Culturally Trevor at the time was not as aware of his blackness because of his more white environment. Although we were the first Jamaican family to live on my street, I was brought up as a staunch Jamaican, so I never had any issues about knowing who I was. I had to give him back his black. (Fitzroy: “That made me laugh.”) Trevor had a nice height to him. I was short and versatile and flexible as a dancer, but the way I wanted to dance I couldn’t execute the moves properly, with my lack of height. So with that in mind, my formula was called FFE ‘Free Flowing Expression’, and I taught Trevor a flow that not only would extenuate his height, but a flow that would give him the correct balance and feeling to how his stature was. In that way, he would look really good and graceful and not many tall dancers could pull that off. I knew what Trevor’s strengths and weaknesses in dancing were, regarding being good on his toes, spinning, his hip movement and all these profound things, that would be called their ‘line’ in a dance world.

Trevor picked things up, met other people and branched off coming into his own as the great dancer that he is. It’s nice that Trevor remembers and shared that memory with you.

Around that time in the mid 1970’s I became a Father and chose to spend time around my kids, that’s why the latter generation are not so aware of me dancing, as I’d cut out by then. I’d pop my head in and out of the scene from time to time and never considered myself prolific in anyway. People have talked about me and one thing I must say was that when East London arrived at a club, there were always problems.

Men were paranoid as they controlled the dance floor and the girls... until we arrived. It was funny man and made me laugh when Kenny Wellington described that in his interview.

There were dancers who I personally liked and danced with, like Mohammed, Kelvin Tambala, Michael Taylor, Masher and my favourite before Trevor Shakes, was Jeremy Barnes who sadly passed. I must also mention Brian Fontaine (Masher’s brother) who was a better dancer than Masher at the time, who decided to stop. There were loads of them and the boogie was our thing. Boogie is about natural dancers, not the ones that are taught by numbers 8ths and 16ths. It’s about free flowing expression and interpreting the music, in its natural format and being at one with the music. Don’t get me wrong I appreciate all dance forms, but the difference is that some don’t dance in unison with the tune. If the record goes left they go right which to me is not correct.

The Soul Survivors Magazine just wanted to mark the 30th anniversary of the very influential ‘Rare’ Albums respectfully.

I suspect that it has escaped many memories of those who have the albums and of those main protagonists I think that certain people like yourself are folk law legend and who document the HIStory people that weren’tcontinue there hear how revered youto are. Facebook gives people a platform to speak a certain way and claim to have done certainof things, to get likes and become popular. Many hateomitting relevant black music, and don’t appreciate what someone has done to get the accolade that they do. They see it and pieces they want it. Let me of interject,information. as there is a dancer in particular that so many have asked me to interview, but he’s not ready to speak yet. (Dez: “You talking about Trevor Shakes.”). Yes and 9 years ago when we spoke you did tell me something that I didn’t feel was appropriate to print without corroborating it with Trevor first. (Dez: “If you remember I’ve mentioned many other great dancers and it’s not about adulation and all about me.”). Trevor was away in Germany and I linked up with him when he got back and stayed round his house. During a conversation without any prompting he confirmed exactly what you had said to me 9 years ago literally word for word, as if you said it, but out of his own mouth. I feel now we can clarify your link with Trevor Shakes.

Always trying to increase the peace...

Fitzroy

I’ve known Trevor from a very young age in the later 1960’s and early 70’s, and used to play football against him when he was originally a Silvertown boy. He was a very good footballer. Although I was brought up around similar intense

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

Dez Parkes with a young Colin Dale at Spats early 1980’s

Here are the two releases on Dez Parkes’s TUF label

Page 14 - Issue 71

EXPANSION’S LUXURY SOUL TREASURES… YESTERDAY AND TODAY! REISSUES DAZZLE : DAZZLE

Leroy Burgess, Stan Lucas & Patrick Adams productions from 1979 featuring Jocelyn Brown

EXLPM 60 / EXCDM 60

RETTA YOUNG : YOUNG AND RESTLESS

Rare soul album from 1976 produced by Al Goodman, Harry Ray, Sammy Lowe & Walter Morris

EXLPM 61 / EXCDM 61

NEW RELEASES JAY KING : HELEN’S SON

Features “Good Kinda Lovin’”, “Trying To Get You Back”, “Helen’s Son” and Boogie Back Remix of “Runnin’”.

Also on iTunes. XECD 66

KIM TIBBS : KIM

Debut solo album. Features “Soul”, “Drifting”, “My Better Side”, “I Need You For Your Love”. Also on iTunes.

Also on iTunes. XECD 67

www.expansionrecords.com

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

FITZROY SPEAKS WITH

Jazzie played a cassette for me at Ross’s studio, then we went to Britannia Row and I played the grand piano at the Pink Floyd studio.

SIMON LAW From his early upbringing in a John Gibbs Orchestra ‘Trinidad’ environment The Funky Ginger, Simon Law has black music running through his bones. His link with making some of the pioneering classical meets soul sound with Soul II Soul in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s is written ‘In the Stone’ like EWF. Simon has a new album out working with some of the Soul II Soul collective and other established artist and talks about his ‘Love Has Taken Over’ music passion.

You were born in 1961, what were your musical influences preteens, having spent some of you early childhood living in Trinidad?

I was born in Luton. My dad was an Anglican minister and his first job after he finished training was in a village called Chaguanas in Trinidad. We moved out there when I was two and lived there until 1967 when I was six. I still remember so much about being in Trinidad as it was a beautiful place to grow up. My Mum was a professional classical musician.

Before that she was one of the BBC singers in the building down the road from where we are now. She went to the Royal Academy of Music and had quite a promising career ahead of her but then she got together with Dad, and started having kids and that was that. (Simon laughs as he states that). Occasionally that does come up as a sore point as things could have gone slightly differently. She still managed to find a way to remain being a professional musician and making Page 16 - Issue 71

music to a very high standard. Interestingly my Mum was one of the key people in the development of steel band music using classical music as an inspiration. A professor at the University of West Indies wrote a big book about the history of pan music, and Mum has a little section in there. They were playing Mozart and stuff like that on the steel pans and it had

a little input into the culture of it. (Fitzroy: What’s your mum’s name?) Christine Law and she is quite interesting. She was interviewed last year about her time doing that and there is a picture of her orchestra. This posh white lady with this band and the band all in their outfits, it’s amazing and I grew up around all that stuff. I went to the local school and I was the only white kid. Mum and Dad wanted their kids to grow up in that environment and that is where we lived. I feel like that Caribbean culture is right inside my blood. When I came back to England I was sent to Hereford Cathedral School and I was a singer in the choir. I was in a very intense singing classical environment in those early years until my voice broke at 14. I was singing church core music to a very high standard, every day, 3 times on a Sunday with practises before and after school. All that just went inside and started to percolate into some expression later on. It’s all part of the history of my music and being in the industry.

What do you remember listening to outside of the church music as a child growing up in the 1960’s and 70s?

I remember listing to a lot of pan music in Trinidad. On the radio, soul music and classical music via my Mum. When I came to England it was more classical music to be honest until I was at boarding school. That’s when I really started to hear the pop music of the day and it was the stuff that had funk in it, even if it was rock music that caught my ear. (Fitzroy: Would that be things like Free’s ‘Alright Now’?) Ahhh, Free where a great band and then they morphed into Bad Company. I liked the more funky David Bowie stuff and Hot Chocolate and you follow your nose and your heart. Then my voice broke and I moved to Suffolk where my parents were living by then, as my Father had stopped being a priest and was a chaplain at a local school. I started making music with other students, in particular I remember making Santana tunes. I was always drawn to the funky style and I can’t help but to make it funky even if it was church music, I’d make sure there was rhythm in there.

down. If you go off on one everyone has to follow. You can have a good band with a crap drummer and sound awful, but you can have a really good drummer and everyone else is ok but it still sounds good because the grooves there. Drums are very important and singing harmonies.

Where did you start going club wise to continue this quench of thirst you had for funky music, as I understand that you met Jazzie B around the time of The African Centre?

I can tell you that story. I was a country boy that grew up in Suffolk near Ipswich buying lots of records, not going to any clubs. Then in the early 1980s I came to London attending a teacher training college and immediately I wanted to find places to hear this funky music. By the mid 1980’s I was going to Soul II Soul events when they had just started out. When my Sister Joanne came to Goldsmith College we hung out and started clubbing a lot. We used to go to Bass Clef to hear Norman Jay probably more than any other club. It was like a university of education for me with the music that I loved and hearing it loud. There was always loads of James Brown stuff and Philly that everyone danced to. I was aware of some of it but most I was hearing for the first time, so I gravitated to that rare groove scene. Still to this day if I see a 70’s compilation I look to see if there is something on it that I don’t know, as I’m just a sucker for that era of music, it was such a powerful time of pure expression. All that music percolated out of America and I remember UK bands like Cymande and Osibisa.

So how did you meet Jazzie?

What instruments did you start to play around with?

Piano to start with and then drums. My first drum kit had just one snare drum. I used the sofa cushions for tom toms and I had one high hat. My Mum was telling me about that the other day remembering all the dust coming out of the cushions. I eventually went to London to buy my first drum kit, the instrument I love playing the most essentially. I know I’m known as a keyboard player and have a classical education, but I kind of abandoned that and taught myself on the drums.

People say the best producers are usually drummers, because you have to have a sense of the whole rhythm and hold it all thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

Joanna and Simon Law in the 1980’s

Jo and I had a band called The People that played in clubs.

The band wasn’t going anywhere and we were frustrated.

Eventually I met Ross Anderson who had a studio in Kingly Street, Covent Garden. That studio ended up being where ‘Back To Life’ and ‘Keep on Moving’ by Soul II Soul and lots of their early stuff were written. We had just been sending cassettes of our music and Ross had done a 12-inch record and showed it to me. It inspired Jo and I to do a track called ‘City Heat’ as an outfit called City Heat and we signed to Chrysalis Records. Jo and I were there every Sunday at African Centre always paying to get in. I gave Jazzie the record, which he liked and played and after that we never paid to get into the African Centre. (Fitzroy: “I don’t know the track actually.”) It wasn’t a great track but it was of the time and it got played.

We sampled from an early technology called Cabell sampler, the kick drum of Aerosmith’s ‘Walk This Way’, because it had the meanest hardest kick drum sound, and fitted it in with the song. Jazzie loved the tune and he hadn’t made ‘Fairplay’ yet, in fact I was there the night they performed that tune.

(Fitzroy: “I was there also. It was 1st January 1988.”) To be honest I didn’t think much of it when I first heard it. (Fitzroy: “I loved it.”) Then a couple more times after hearing it, I got it and I knew Jazzie was starting to look to work with someone who was making music too. So naturally we worked in the Page 18 - Issue 71

same area and started working together at Ross’s studio and it was an amazing time, very organic with no master plan.

I’ve stated this before I remember hearing ‘Fairplay’ on that night after Jazzie announcing it was their last African Centre, that they had got a deal with Virgin and had made a record that they were going to perform. Everyone in the club was thinking ‘Sorry did we hear that right? A record deal, but you’re a DJ, not a musician?”, We were kind of questioning everything. But when I heard the tune I thought it was rough (as in good) and couldn’t wait to get my copy. Jazzie as an entrepreneur was unassuming and many didn’t expect that with ‘FairPlay’. His next thing was ‘Feel Free’.

Yes, and that didn’t quite connect with people and then there was ‘Keep On Moving’ which got everyone’s attention.

How do you remember the making of ‘Keep on Moving’?

There was a rough idea of the song and then Jazzie played a cassette for me at Ross’s studio. I put down a bunch of chords and we didn’t have a bass line section yet. Then we went to Britannia Row and I played the grand piano at the Pink Floyd studio. There are very important parts to the songs ‘Keep On Moving’ and ‘Back to Life’ where you hear the really beautiful grand piano in there. It’s one of then reasons why those songs

Eric Roberson returns with the second in his series of three themed mini-albums titled Earth, Wind and Fire, and the New Jersey soul man doesn’t disappoint. An eight-song collection including new co single Love Her and the beautiful Lyrics Of Pleasure with special guest Will Downing.

Also available EARTH Dome CD 338

Includes Million Dollars and Superman Dome CD 340

have not dated too much because of the rich grand piano with the orchestration (Fitzroy: “It’s classical soul.”) Yeah and it’s interesting when you hear it today it sounds like a timeless song, not that we sat down to create that as it was just done in the moment.

You worked on all the Soul II Soul albums?

All except the third one, as I was really busy. The world really opened up to me success wise after Soul II Soul. I had loads of people wanting me to produce things and I ran with that. We got back together after that but it wasn’t a break up as such, both Jazzie and I were riding the crest of our own waves.

You played on The Chimes ‘123’ as I can tell it’s you.

Yeah you can here my piano riffs on there. (Simon laughs).

That’s what I’m saying from my classical training, which I abandoned, I created my own groove. Jazzie was doing a remix for The Chimes I think it may have been ‘Don’t Underestimate’ as it had strings and piano riffs.) Yes, they totally wanted to get some of that sound.

You worked with Vivienne McKone and Ten City. I spoke with

Junior Giscombe.

Ahh ‘Morning Will Come’ is one of the best songs I’ve written and I still say that to this day. I was so proud of that song and for Junior to have given me that opportunity, as he was a superstar to me. Someone at MCA approached me to work with Junior and that song is a lovely thing. I had the music and an idea of the lyric, mostly the chorus, and Junior just took those ideas, developed them and wrote verses. It was this beautiful combination with the “Da da da” falsetto adlibs. I was just knocked out and in heaven with that song and he’s such a lovely man.

When I interviewed him I mentioned that at the time when that song came out I wasn’t aware of which production had came first.

I know what you’re talking about. (Fitzroy: ‘Loves Taken Over’) Yes Junior’s tune was first. The thing was I’d already adored the idea of Jamaican music, where you have a rhythm and it gets used in a different context. You can make a whole new tune on that rhythm. I just felt that somehow I was really happy with that groove and that vibe and in that Jamaican style thought I would do another song on top of it. I just tweaked the rhythm for Chante’s tune with a different bass thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

line and music on top, but the drums are the same. You’d have found it easy to mix those two. I made your job easy man (Simon laughs.)

How did you work on the Jazzamatazz album?

(Simon laughs.) Well I always had a soft spot for them. Funny story this. I was working on a farm and heard someone playing their first single. They always wanted to be funky (Fitzroy; “Birmingham’s white soul boys.”) Yeah with the way they dressed up and having worked with Nile Rodgers. They were trying to be the white CHIC or something like that. I was sent ‘Come And Dance’ to remix and I insisted on a big budget for strings. I insisted on a 16-piece strings section to do a really big arrangement. They all came down and Duran Duran was in the house.

To read the full Simons Law interview please subscribe to www.thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

That was put together by Guy Mute who was originally an A&R man at EMI publishing in 1989 and I was one of his first signings. I was able to do my publishing when Soul II Soul exploded and got a great deal. He was young and understood the music and the scene and he’s now the supremo at SONY ATV publishing. He signed Amy Winehouse and was behind Jamiroquai and Salaam Remi. Anyway he and Patrick Moxey were behind Gangstarr and it was Guru’s orientation idea to bring jazz musicians in on top of hip-hop. Guy and Patrick approached people that they knew. Guy knew how much I loved Gang Starr and Guru’s flow and intelligence, so I was naturally asked to be involved.

You even made Duran Duran sound funky.

Page 20 - Issue 71

You worked on the Jazz Warriors a good version of Herbie Hancock’s ‘Chameleon’ in the early 1990’s. I used to play that quite a bit.

I’m really proud of that actually.

Your sister Joanne covered ‘First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’, what memories do you have of making that?

Joanne is my first collaborator and we’ve made loads of music

Record Reviews This mid summer nights dream selection includes some Armenian soul, some Hipopera and an infectious soul house 4/floor stomper. There’s a selection of current UK and USA single releases, a very soulful techno EP and an independent soul covers album. Throw in an anthology from BBR and an exciting new release from Acid Jazz and there’s plenty to be sifting through for this August and EWF September’s music choice.

Elliot Macauley - ‘Playa’ long version available on the ‘Blue Sky’ EP (via iTunes, Amazon and Spotify) From the first percussive beat to the salacious piano riff and rumbling bass line, you become hooked like a vinyl junkie. The vocal ad-libs are soothing and make you imagine you are in the Brazilian vicinity of the Rio or Sao Paulo beaches. I’ve known Elliot for over 25 years from our Jazz Cafe days, and he has delivered a quality piece of a 2017 musically married bossa meets samba and latin dance floor classic. Produced written and all instruments played by Elliot except piano from Cuban sensation Jesus Moreau.

Ivy Chanel - ‘Wind Blows’ Samba Soul Remix (CD Baby) What a wonderful combination of latin jazz and soul with a rumbling double bass in your face production.

Music like this excites me like a kid in a Cameo ‘Candy’ shop seriously. Defining the sound of summer, Ivy Chanel floats like an Ali butterfly and stings like a bee with her sweet honeysuckle voice. From start to finish this makes me wanna contort my body into positions, not even yoga could accomplish. It’s the kind of latin soulful salsa tune, that’ll make women ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya’ like Old Dirty Bastard, and the men wanna twirl them around more, than Bruce Forsyth would ask of Anthea Turner. I was first introduced to Ivy via playing ‘Carried Away’ on a radio show 2 years back, but this with it’s instrumentation and break down, allow her vocals and the BV’s to ‘Breathe’ like Blue Cantrell and Sean Paul. This is pure class plain and “simples” like the Meerket.

Treydonya - ‘My Favourite Guy (Spring Won’t Be The Same)’ (iTunes) I came across this lady when I had a weekly show on Solar around 9 years ago, so I welcomed this from TRAEDONYA! aka ‘’The Bride Of New Funk Hipopera’’. It’s a mix of classic, soul and hip-hop beats reminding me of Mary J Blige’s 1995 ‘Queen of hip-hop classic’ ‘I Love You’. It’s inspired by the legacy of baseball New York Yankee Great Derek Jeter and comes from an EP ‘Four Portraits’. It’s a celebration of a long distance affinity kind of love song concept, which is both very enchanting and haunting at the same time. With Traedonya’s commanding vocals with an equally complimentary set of backing vocals, together they knock this straight out of the ballpark and hit a home run. Traedonya cowrote this and also on the EP are four other portraits songs inspired

by Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Pele ‘The Black Pearl’ and Jim Brown with a bonus portrait songs dedicated to Serena Williams ‘Concrete Rose’.

Interesting concept. thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

Cornell Carter - ‘Vindicated Soul’ (CDC Productions) This is a covers album of classic soul hits and anthems with some more individual and refined lesser-known cuts from a variety of soul surviving influences. Cornell Carter has the unique ability to cover the classics being true to the original versions, naturally retaining their influence and essence, but without imitating them. The intro using Curtis Mayfield’s Give Me Your Love pays ode to the artist who inspired him. Listen to his soulful takes on Marvin Gayes’ ‘All The Way Round’, Slave’s ‘Watching You’ and Willie Hutch’s ‘Brothers Gonna Work It Out’. Cornell does ballads very well with Willie Hutch’s ‘I Choose You’ and Chapter mid 80’s production ‘Next To You’. Sounding nothing like Al Green, Cornell delivers on ‘Look What You’ve Done For Me’ and features a remix of his own composition the socially conscious ‘Where Do We Go’. A very musical and clean production. Not be to slept on!

MF Robots - ‘Believe in Love’ (iTunes) BNH co-founder drummer, and son of my high school headmaster Jan Kincaid fronts his new band MF Robots and delivers a second single with a nice and very catchy slice of jazz swing soul. Conjuring up musical imageries with a similar groove to John Handy’s ‘Hard Work’, Natalie Cole’s ‘This Will Be’ and Ronnie Laws’ ‘Can’t Save Tomorrow’ this has uplifting harmonies, horns and quite a driving rhythm. First half of the track is primarily full on verses and choruses with Dawn’s slick and sensual vocal leads. Jan Kincaid’s supporting vocals on the background are subtly effective alongside from almost halfway through till the end of the cut, there’s a strong melodic sax solo. I like this a lot with the interim minimal backing vocals and it’s runaway express train instrumental breakdown. Music For Robots that even Metal Mickey couldn’t rest grooving to this jazz soul swing thing.

Kameelah Waheed - ‘Lord’s Love’ Philly MC Kameelah and Lady Alma both add there flava on this inspirational Hip Hop Soul banger, which is needed so much in 2017. She (Kameelah) has written music for Bunny Sigler and was on BBE album ‘Larry Gold presents Don Cello & Friends’ featured on the track ‘Traveling’. Watch out for the forthcoming EP ‘Travels To The Get Back’ in August 2017

Leroy Hutson - ‘Positive Forces’ (Acid Jazz) As an avid fan of Leroy Hutson’s work, this is a Brand New heavies ‘Dream Come True’ signing for Acid Jazz’s head honcho Eddie Piller. Leroy sings in that familiar smooth and soulful sonic sound we know and love with his own twist to the more familiar The Tavares version. Instantly from the first note the interplay of the lead and background vocals, musically and overall production is sonically paralysing. This infectious concoction is destined to get both plenty club and radio airplay tune albeit from the vaults of Curtom relocated to new home of Acid Jazz.

Nyree - ‘Brighter Shade Of Love’ (FireFairy Productions available through usual digital outlets) ‘Soft And Easy’ like The Blackbyrds smooth contemporary piece of jazz soul, Nyree’s zephyr like delivery, is very noticeable accompanied by smooth strings, soft backing vocals with a complimentary supporting sax and rhodes instrumentation. The lyrics are both honest and vulnerable, depicting a desired visual love that could be like Phil Fearon a ‘Fantasy Real’. It does have a timeless 80’s jazz soul feel but oh so relevant in the contemporary 2017 climate. We featured Nyree in Mira Parkes’ recent interview as a teaser, so now here is the pleaser, with an advert place in this magazines issue. Quality beats!

Page 22 - Issue 71

All reviews by Fitzroy Facey except Kameeelah by Barry King

Darien Dean - ‘Departures’ (CD Baby) There are many male vocalists that sound similar but this cannot be said of Darien Dean. His new album sees Darien keeping it on the down low with a couple of extra added remixes thrown in. His vocal clarity comes through on ‘Harmless’ probably created in a familiar grown folks ‘Let’s Do It Again’ by The Staple Singers vein. There are two versions ‘Someone’s You’ featuring Avery Sunshine, a Willie Mitchell style production and my preferred classic soul mix. Darien’s subject matter includes loving with conviction, equilibrium and breaks ups as exampled in two mixes of ’Pieces’, and appreciating a lost love poetically conveyed in ‘Wonders’. Musically the balance between live music and millennium beats is an equal one. Darien’s writing depth is expressed via the social commentating military drums influenced ‘All I Ask’. One for both the mature and younger soul survivors.

Harvey Mason - ‘Sho Nuff Groovin You’ Anthology (Big Break Records) I receive quite a few of these anthologies to review and I am sometimes disappointed because they either miss off integral tracks or they are misleading in calling them an anthology. This is not one of them. Harvey Mason, drummer extraordinaire made 5 evolutionary albums from 1975 to 1981. Transcending jazz, funk, fusion and disco with the odd rock and soul flavour, that period is amply covered in this selection. CD 1 features much of Harvey’s more vocal and later 70’s disco groove repertoire, including the sampled ‘Groovin’ You’, ‘We Can Start Tonight’, ‘How Does It Feel’ and ‘On And On’. Merry Clayton provides the vocals on the latin soul boogie favourite ‘Till You Take Me Love’ and there’s a P Funk influence heard on ‘Sho Nuff Groove’. There’s a plethora of EWF traits in ‘Say It Again’, ‘Never Give You Up’, ‘Spell ‘and ‘Universal Rhyme’. CD 2 concentrates on the varied tempos of slow mid-tempo and faster fusion cuts. ‘Marching In The Street’ the title of his first album is a funky instrumental with ad-lib vocals highlighting the brilliant drumming accents of Harvey Mason. Two of my personal favourites are the epic intricacy and journey taken on ‘K.Y. And The Cur’ and Harvey’s synergy playing the vibraphone alongside George ‘Bad’ Benson, on one of the most inspiring up-tempo interpretations of Marvin’s Gaye’s ‘What Going On’. Harvey certainly found his niche as an independent artist during those 6 years on Arista Records. This this album was appropriately complied with plenty ‘Till You Take My Love’ by Wayne A Dickson.

Nu Era - ‘Geometricks EP’ (Omniverse) I would never profess to being an expert of the Techno genre as much of what I heard in its heyday went way over my head. But my memory of the mid to late 80’s soulful kind does qualify me to comment on Marc Mac’s Nu Era project instrumentals. ‘The Space Above Us’ truly reminds me of a throwback of Patrick Adam’s Sine and Cloud One projects, with the spacey synths and rising strings. ‘Lines Between Us’ although it’s not as fast sounds like the electronic disco experimentation that Mandre did with cuts like ‘Solar Flight’. ‘Heartstrings’ has more of a breakbeat influence with a grand orchestration feel, plus it has a punchier synth bass line. Lastly ‘Octahedron’ with it’s more skippy beats than the kangaroo could be played either in a late 1990’s UK Garage arena or be perfect for a film or TV soundtrack. Always on point and true to the art, it’s simple maths with this ‘Geometricks’ EP

Tom Glide - ‘Divas Got Soul’ (TGEE Records) This is Tom Glide’s 2nd complete album project since In ‘The Name Of Luv’ in 2010. Tom’s musical hareem features female vocalists including T r a c y Hamlin, Hil Street Soul, Stephanie Cook, Chidi and Kenya. There’s an assortment of challenging musical styles like hip-hop jazz on ‘Strong Feelings’ and a jazzy sax ode to music on ‘Soul Train’. Jazzy rhodes and soulful harmonies grace an uplifting ‘Light Up The Sky’ and a classy jazz and soul polish to ‘All I Need’. Dandace Woodson represents over an EWF Devotion inspired slow cut Where You Are followed later by S.E.L on a sure to be popular latin 4 floor delight ‘Teach Me’. Terisa Griffin’s disco bass lined ‘Spell’ is very catchy with an ear catching horn section and light-fingered jazzy house production. Nice that this comes ‘straight outta Kent’ in the UK. thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

The Jacksons

Photo Credit: Anna B, Fair Trade 4 Music / Kre8iv 4ce

‘Hallelujah Day’

Celebrating 50 years live concerts at Blenheim Palace, Love Supreme and Greenwich in the UK June & July 2017 I will have fond memories of June 2017 for many reasons. For one, personally meeting and seeing The Jackson’s perform 3 times. Having interviewed both Tito (who I met and DJ’d for, two years ago) and Jackie Jackson, I was blessed to experience this, via their agent also my fellow 40 years Perivalian buddy, neighbour and musicologist Cleveland Anderson. I was able to be instrumental in coordinating The Jacksons doing an interview, on Magic Soul Radio with their reigning soul queen, also a Perivale resident at one time, the lovely Angie Greaves. So when you know that ‘One Day In Your Life’ you finally get to meet your virtual brothers, who’ve had such an impact on ‘Music And Me’, that memory will always remain in the ‘Mirrors Of Your Mind’ as a ‘Lovely One’. I managed to get an ‘It’s Great To Be Here’ photo snap or two with The Jacksons, Jackie, Marlon Jermaine and Tito. We are talking musical royalty here but despite that, the brothers had much to prove to an audience who understandably have more of an affinity with their late King Of Pop and young brother Michael Jackson. So ‘Ready Or Not (Here I Come)’, at the live events and festivals they had before them The Jacksons had to be on top of their game, and become the ‘Life Of The Party’.

My first encounter was at Blenheim Palace in Oxford after a direct drive back from Blackpool after Kool & The Gang had set the stage with a very ‘Too Hot’ on a beautiful ‘Summer Madness’ day performance. The Jacksons opened up with ‘Can You Feel It?’ By the time they’d finished it was especially on a Sunday a joyous ‘Hallaujah Day’, and there was no need to ask the audience the dumbest question ever, “Did you ‘Enjoy Yourself’?” Even Kool & The Gang were out in the audience, watching their musical comrades ‘Walk Right Now’ and command that stage. So now the next big the question Page 24 - Issue 71

was could you…The Jacksons now ‘Get It Together’ and get a much larger and more diverse audience to ‘Rock With You’ at Glastonbury? Well from what I witnessed ‘Looking Through The Window’ TV, who else alive today could execute those slick ‘Dancin’ Machine’ moves with 50 years behind them, whilst singing on a platform like Glastonbury? The Jacksons, who interact with their fans, were given much adulation and in being humble about themselves, ‘That’s What You Get For Being Polite’. ‘We’re Almost There’ by the time we get to Greenwich at the close of their successful ‘Farewell My Summer Love’ tour and again the weather held out on this particular Throwback Thursday to remember. I was asked by Cleveland to invite some fellow friends and industry comrades to the last London date and many instantly said ‘Ill Be There’ Fitz as certainly ‘I Wanna Be Where You Are’…tonight. Talk about ‘Shake Your Body Down To The Ground’, my gosh of all the three dates I experienced Greenwich was the one that everyone most definitely did ‘Hum And Dance Along’ to the most. I don’t know why they even bothered to have seats The Jacksons had people bobbing more than Rockin’ Robin.

Their sets include ‘Can You Feel It?’, ‘Enjoy Yourself’, ‘Lovely One’, a melody of ‘I Want You Back’, ‘ABC’, ‘The Love You Save’, ‘Dancin’ Machine’, ‘Gone Too Soon’, ‘Rock With You’, ‘Wanna Be Starting Something’ and ‘Shake Your Body Down To The Ground’. When you think of acts that have longevity of 50 years in the rock and pop world you think of The Rolling Stones. However transcending all those originally black R&B music influenced genres, ‘We’ve Got Forever’ the eternally young soul surviving looking Jackson brothers. You got to ‘Give It Up’ to them really for carrying on the legacy.

LOVE IS THE MESSAGE

BARBADOS 2018

LOVE IS THE MESSAGE PRESENTS

Love is the message (summer of love 18) is offering you the chance to come and join us for this ‘once in a lifetime’ 11 day fun filled extravaganza on the beautiful Caribbean Island of Barbados.

The music genres featured for this exclusive event are Soul (modern and classic), R ‘n’ B (80’s, 90’s and noughties).

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FITZROY SPEAKS WITH

Larry Mizell

When you meet a musical genius and they speak articulately about their history you understand why they make music they way they do. With his late brother Fonce, Larry Mizell, one half of the Sky High production, Mizell brothers team is an Aquarian like myself so we were always going to get on when the stars decided it was time to align. Speaking of which his intellect saw him working for Nasa as an electrical engineer which opens up the understanding of how he blends physics and technical psychology sciences in making some of the most aero dynamic space ‘Places And Spaces’ music. Lloyd Bradley and I caught up with Larry to speak about his dual ‘New York Times’ and ‘San Francisco Lights’ encounters that gave so much ‘Sweeter Than Sugar’, ‘Black & Blues, ‘Science Funktion’ ‘Swing Thing’ ‘Music Is My Sanctuary’ classics.

It was a pinnacle moment for us to be working with Marvin.

The project got shelved eventually and the Marvin Gaye tracks were released some 30 years later.

the other. My grandmother had a piano, a big influence on our interest in piano and would sometimes play in the key of B or F sharp, which essentially are all the black keys. The black keys are unique in that it’s hard to hit a bad note; they make up a five-note scale. Some African instruments like the Kalimba are tuned that way and everything you play sounds melodic. That was our first influence before taking up the trumpet to get into the school band.

Fitzroy: Larry, you were born on the 17th February 1944, were you aware that you share your birthday with Huey P Newton of The Black Panthers, who was born a year before you?

Very interesting, I didn’t know that.

Fitzroy: In your high school years, growing up in New York what influenced you musically as it’s clear that you and your brothers are gifted at playing various instruments such as the trumpet?

We moved to New Jersey into 2 houses (a duplex), with Mum, Dad, and I in one house and our grandparents into Page 26 - Issue 71

Fitzroy: How did you meet Freddie Perren at school, form musical alliances and form the vocal Doo Wop group, The Nikons? Later on you formed The Vanlords, a vocal jazz quartet playing at a local campus contest and did you have a young Donny Hathaway with you at one time?

We met Freddie Perren at the time we moved to New Jersey and started the 6th grade.

Yes, Donny Hathaway played piano, as did Jesse Adams and James Nelson with our Howard University singing group, The Vanlords. He was a phenomenal piano player and we were yet to discover that he had a great singing voice.

Robinson and eventually became ‘Ray, Goodman and Brown’ and Sylvia Robinson went on to start the Sugar Hill label, wow what a connection.

Another connection, Sylvia and Joe Robinson’s studios were located in Englewood, New Jersey where we grew up.

The Vanlords Fonce Mizell far left Larry Mizell third from left on the photo

Fitzroy: What’s the story of your first music business experience on Hog Records with The Moments ‘Baby I Want You’ 1965 with two friends from Howard University?

It was Fonce, Freddie Perren, Toby Jackson and I. Toby Jackson eventually went to law school. As third year students we liked the idea of starting a label although we had no experience. Fonce found a vocal group at a college nearby in Baltimore which is in Morgan State and I came up with the name ‘The Moments’. Fonce and Freddie did the arrangements and I wrote the two songs for release on 45 rpm. We asked campus friends Gloria Parker, Jessina Johnson and Jill Griffith (AKA Sorority ladies) to sing background and recorded at a local studio. The studio only had 4 tracks and we used Howard students to play the rhythm track. We had several boxes of the records pressed. Toby also handled the marketing and promotion but we had limited funds and experience and ended up with an apartment full of boxes of records. We all graduated and gave ‘The Moments’ their contractual freedom and wished them luck. They eventually became the R&B group ‘The Moments’ who had several hits. Interestingly a copy of the record showed up on E-Bay and the record sold for nearly 5,000 dollars in the early 2000s and it still pops up from time to time selling at a couple of thousand dollars.

Fitzroy: How much did your electrical engineering, performing testing and reliability work on the Lunar Module for the NASA Apollo program, help you later with your productions as Sky High with brother Fonce?

That’s a great question. I was able to compartmentalise and enjoy both aspects of music and engineering. I was a ham radio amateur operator in my teenage years and had a transmitter/receiver communicating via morse code worldwide.

LLoyd: You went into a jazz setting and worked with Donald Byrd. Now Donald was always looking to move forward and do something else. Was this what attracted you and your brother to him?

Fitzroy: ‘The Moments’ signed with Sylvia thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

The actual connection was Byrd coming to teach at Howard University while Fonce was finishing his degree. Byrd had a lecture course, with guest speakers, on the business of being a recording artist. I was studying engineering at the time.

Years later, Byrd came by to our Hollywood home studio one evening. He was in town recording a straight ahead jazz album for his next Blue Note release, at Herb Alpert’s studio A&M Records on Sunset Boulevard. He said, “Man do you have anything I might be interested in?” We’d been working on some things and played him ‘Flight Time’ and one other tune and he dug it. Byrd was always looking for something new, always looking to reinvent his energy.

Lloyd: Did you think that jazz needed a bit of a kick up the backside at the time?

It had a serious impact. To be together on a college campus that is its own microcosm of society, interact with students who came from all over the world and in particular the USA. You couldn’t get that same experience if you stayed at home. You see black people with wide ranging aspirations, interests, opinions, and lifestyles. You gain an education on a social and cultural level. It has a lasting influence and you make lifelong friends and contacts. The SNCC (Student Non- violent Coordinating Committee) started at Howard with Stokely Carmichael, Rap Brown, and Cleve Sellers. At Howard during the school semesters, the members of SNCC, and many others, would risk their lives and travel to the southern United States, to increase Black voter registration, seeking a stronger voice for Black citizens. It was really a plethora of life experiences at Howard University.

That’s a very good question. We cut those two tunes the next day and didn’t hear from Blue Note for six months. We had pretty much forgotten about it as we were still doing things on Motown with Marvin Gaye’s follow up to ‘What’s Going On’. The project got shelved eventually as Marvin went on to do the ‘Trouble Man’ soundtrack. Seven months later we got a call from Byrd giving us the go ahead to do the album. The next song we put together was ‘Blackbyrd’, which was reflective of the black awareness movement of the early 70’s. There’s a little black bird above the ‘Welcum’ sign on the classic photograph used on the album cover.

Lloyd: You worked with Marvin Gaye on ‘Where Are We Going?’ and ‘Woman Of The World’ and both songs end up on Donald Byrd albums. You must have found that frustrating having been impressed with Marvin’s ‘What’s Going On?’ and how it moved Motown?

Lloyd: This is an interesting thing after the upheaval of the 1960’s. I was seeing that kind of consciousness or thinking being reflected in the movies, music and dance like a second black renaissance (Larry: “For sure.”) I was very interested in the Johnny Hammond tracks ‘Los Conquistadores Chocolates’ and Donald Byrd’s ‘Lansanas Priestess’ two of my favourites as one was about the Moors invading Spain and the other is an African folk tale. It’s an oblique black consciousness (Larry: “Yes oblique is a good word.”) and I found that seeds like that were being planted and expressions were being made to black history, now I wasn’t imagining that was I?

We were elated to work with Marvin Gaye. Marvin ignited a passion from his music with an album that spoke to the world. The story goes that Berry Gordy didn’t want to release the album at first because he felt it was a protest record and that might narrow the commercial market. Everyone who heard it loved it and the rest is history. It was a pinnacle moment for us to be working with Marvin. We had fun singing background vocals on those tracks as well. We considered ‘What’s Going On’ a musical statement and a symphony from his heart.

And many times, if you have a big success you can really take your time to get the next album right. Mr. Gordy then opened up the follow up album after ‘What’s Going On’ to other Motown producers. There was a meeting held for the producers to bring in their material and they liked all three of our songs. Marvin was great in the studio, he was enthusiastic. We’d go into the studio and he would knock out the vocal in one or two takes. We were disappointed for sure that the songs were not released then, but we totally understood that Marvin was happier doing his own material. We ended up cutting them on Byrd and the Marvin Gaye tracks were released some 30 years later.

No not at all, you could sense it everywhere. I had a friend who went to the university in Spain and knew about the history of the African Moors invading Spain. I thought it was a fascinating story and the musical imagery was right there. Same with ‘Lansanas Priestess’, the imagery wrote the music.

Lloyd: What was it like being at a historically black college like Howard in the 1960’s and how did that impact on you and your brother later in life?

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Lloyd: By the way that reminds me did you get a hard time from the jazz critics about the ‘Blackbyrd’ album at the time?

Absolutely, there were rumblings, Jazz Fusion hadn’t emerged as a category yet, but we were encouraged by the albums broad appeal. Later on we learned Blue Note had reservations about releasing ‘Blackbyrd’ but Byrd wanted to put it out, as did we. The label had a modest promotion staff, but the radio stations were playing it everywhere.

Blue Note was invigorated.

Fitzroy: I found it interesting that if you look back from before the 1970’s say from the late 1960’s you had artists like Willie Mitchell and Lou Donaldson who were making jazz that was funky. I guess it was still retained as jazz as jazz hadn’t moved that forward. How did you manage as producers especially being black producers to infiltrate an institution like Blue Note to gain their trust at a time when that was unheard of considering the racial climate of that era?

Had we gone through Blue Note that probably would not have happened. They had their own staff producers and Blue Note President George Butler, who was Black, also produced in-house projects for the labels. As a staff producer in those years typically you would not be paid royalties.

Basically you would function as an A&R (artist and repertoire) person. Another factor was that we finished the whole album weeks before it was due to be released, and they hadn’t sent us the production contracts. A month before the record was due to go out they sent us a contract for a total royalty buy out as a standard outside production contract.

We laughed at it and our attorney agreed since the record was already in the pipeline we could negotiate better terms.

That changed the game and they started to bring in other thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

independent producers.

You made a good point.

Lee Morgan’s ‘Sidewinder’ and other funk records were coming out.

Fitzroy: Donald Byrd had already gone into that funk arena with the ‘Electric Blue’ and ‘Ethiopian Knights’ on Blue Note so he already had that chameleon persona with jazz. ‘Places And Spaces’ remains as one of my prized possessions as a consummate orchestral, astral travelling jazz funk fusion of emotional entities. How, between you, Fonce and Donald Byrd did you come up with the album concept and the name of the tracks?

Another great question as there is another story attached to that and I’m not sure if you’ve heard it before. (Fitzroy: “No?”) Fonce and I were writing and recording music in our studio and Byrd pops in again. He asked about what we thought about a concept for a new album. Now we had been thinking and kicking a few ideas around but hadn’t settled on anything. Byrd said “Why don’t we rent a plane go to Las Vegas and play some tennis and see what we can come up with?” We said “Cool, sounds like a great idea”.

Byrd suggested we don’t pack anything and just go. We drove to Santa Monica airport hired a twin engine and flew over the mountains into Vegas in about 30 minutes.

Walked off the plane, took a cab to the hotel and bought clothes from the gift shop and picked up the tennis equipment from the hotel. For three days we played tennis, did a bit of gambling, ate relaxed and had a good time. We left to come back to LA and the phrase ‘Places And Spaces’ came up as we were throwing around names so we decided upon it. That’s why you see on the cover of the album the image of the planes from the trip we made subsequently to that. Those are camera shots taken from plane to plane.

The song ‘Wind Parade’ came from a vision of the winds blowing in a parade across the sky. Sometimes song titles will themselves inspirationally write a song. ‘You And Music’ is one of my favourite songs as well. A friend of ours, Kay Haith, sang the vocals with Byrd. ‘Change’ was a fun groove Page 30 - Issue 71

we got into and there’s an interesting fact about the bassist Chuck Rainey and that song. When we finished recording the rhythm track of ‘Change’ everybody was hyped up and as it was playing back in the studio. Chuck was playing bass on top of the bass he recorded on the rhythm track. So I said, “Chuck let’s record that too.” Now he was playing a funky bass on top of a funky bass part he’d already done.

It’s only released on the 45-rpm single of ‘Change’ part 2.

When we mixed the single we had to pay close attention to the volume and low frequency limitations of vinyl that would be of concern when we mastered. We also panned the basses left and right.

Fitzroy: You did the final mixed Gary Bartz’s ‘Singerella’ album on Fantasy and Gary had just started singing on his material after previously using Andy Bey as a lead vocalist. Gary sings on ‘Singerella’ and on the ‘Shadow Do’ album ‘Gentle Smiles’ and ‘Winding Roads’, but without the trademark vocals you guys had, until you get to ‘Sea Gypsy’ supporting his vocals.

By the time you get to ‘Music Is My Sanctuary’s’ album Gary lead vocals are minimal, so how was that working with Gary who seems quite strong minded, and was there a compromise because vocally you both produce differently?

Gary was already a producer in his own right. I really liked the ‘Singerella’ album and it was a pleasure to mix. We’d seen Gary and his band in Switzerland and liked their energy. We’d recently signed a deal with Fantasy and Orin Keepnews asked me to mix the ‘Singerella’ album. By the time we got to ‘Music Is My Sanctuary’ on Capitol Gary was in between labels and I spoke to Larkin Arnold to consider signing him. Gary knew Syreeta and that was a good project. Gary also played on Byrd’s next album ‘Stepping Into Tomorrow’.

Fitzroy: I love your vocal placement and arrangements on songs like Gary Bartz ‘Swing Thing’. It’s not barbershop quartet or doo wop, but the manipulation on the speed at times like in ‘Dominoes’ “Hey pretty baby, dry your eyes, you know it can’t be that bad.” I find amazing. Your singing style is significantly evident from the ‘Blackbyrd’ album through to the Bobbi Humphrey’s and Johnny Hammond albums and last Blue Note Byrd ‘Caricatures’ recordings. Where did that vocal style come from because you’re making what would be considered background vocals sound like a lead?

Our initial piano player at Howard was Jesse Adams, who played a Wurlitzer electric piano, and he helped hone our 4 part vocal style. Also during a cab ride one night, the

Donald Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd II (December 9, 1932 – February 4, 2013) comes from Detroit and later moved to New York in search of his now long and distinguished music career. During those early years in the 1950’s and 60’s, Donald become recognised as a gifted be bop horn player. Donald’s style was counselled by Art Blakey, Jackie McClean, John Coltrane and Thelonius Monk plus he mentored an emerging keyboard talent ‘Mr. Hands’ Herbie Hancock. Between 1955 and 1973 with a vast majority recorded on Blue Note, Donald Byrd who also taught at Howard University, made 42 albums and started his fusion of funk and jazz on the 1970. These were the ‘Electric Blue’ and 1972 ‘Ethiopian Knights’ LP’s, before he teamed up two of his ex students the legendary Mizell Brothers on the first of five albums, ‘Blackbyrd’ in 1973. Jazz purists frowned upon Donald’s stance of mixing jazz and r&b but a new generation was embracing the sophisticated production of ‘Blackbyrd’, ‘Where Are We Going’,’Lansanas Priestess’ and ‘Miss Kane’ courtesy of Mr. Byrd and the Mizell brothers.

Multitasking Donald introduced more of his university student portages The Blackbyrds and secured them a record deal with Fantasy producing their first self titled album in 1974. In 1975 Donald excels on arguably his finest hour, the seminal ‘Places And Spaces’ album. A future generation of hip-hop producers dream was to use the inspiring breaks and string arrangements from this album. ‘Change’, ‘Dominoes’, ‘Places And Spaces’ and the heart-rending ode to music ‘You And Music’ (break inspired my composition ‘Just Like Me’ on Freestyle Records) all are just faultless productions. The next follow up ‘Stepping Into Tomorrow’ inspired Main Source, Lisa Lisa and Armand Van Helden to sample the sultry and sexy ‘Think Twice’ for their respective ‘Looking At The Front Door’, ‘Let The Beat Hit Em’ ‘ and ‘Flowers’. Donald assembled another outfit NCCU before making 4 albums on Elecktra Records, his debut ‘F.U.M.I’. hosted the soulful ‘Loving You’ and three others with 125th Street N.Y.C. On the middle of those three ‘Lovebryd’ Donald collaborated with the late Isaac Hayes which produced Donald’s, probably like Carlsberg, most commercial anthem ‘Love Has Come Around’. Donald was still in demand and later forgiven by the jazz police catering for his be bop and progressive jazz fans, and was now being sampled heavily in hip-hop. He captured the attention of the late Guru who included Donald’s input for his ‘Jazzamatazz ‘ hip-hop soul jazz projects in the mid 1990’s. I’d just like to say thanks for all the ‘Places and Spaces’ that ‘You And Music’ took me and many others.

DONALD BYRD PLAYING THE TRUMPET

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To read the full Issue 71 Larry Mizell interview, please subscribe via www.thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

Page 32 - Issue 71

Thanks to Jazz FM’s Chris Phillips for linking me up with Larry Mizell and also Lloyd Bradley for his intelligent questions within this double act interview.

Larry, Fonce and Rod Mizell thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

Mira Parkes

The Official Soul Survivors Balkan and Worldwide Correspondent.

and a fantastic musician. In fact he’s all over this album on bass! I remember going to see him in a school concert, I must have been 9 years old or so. I was really impressed with the noise of his band and that I could feel it in my chest, the volume of the music. He would leave records lying around and was always playing them, I first heard Steely Dan, George Benson, Santana, Bob Marley, Earth wind and Fire and Herbie Hancock through listening to my brother’s tunes. I remember spending a long time looking at the covers.

MIRA PARKES SPEAKS WITH

Jan Kincaid Jan Kincaid (formerly of The Brand New Heavies) drummer, singer, songwriter, producer, is one of the founding members of The Brand New Heavies, who pioneered the worldwide Acid Jazz scene. The band whose unique mix of jazz, funk and soul lit up the UK music scene for nearly three decades and with sales of well over two million albums worldwide. Leaving behind one chapter of his rich and successful career, Jan continues on with his new band MF Robots, and this is his story.

Slightly later on, when I got to high school I naturally drifted towards soul music. Bands like Kleeer, Kool and the Gang and G.Q. were all on the radio. Shows by Robbie Vincent and Greg Edwards and I was a religious comber of the airwaves, taping all the way.

I’d had piano lessons already, but at high school, there was a good music department so I soon found myself attracted towards the drums and started having lessons at school.

Co-founders of The Brand New Heavies, Andrew and Simon had lessons with me, as Simon was also at the same school, Drayton Manor High School in Ealing. Once I’d got the bug that was it, lots of school concerts and jams, later the seeds of an early band were formed. Discos and clubs were equally important to my development in music, Ealing Town Hall had an under 18 Friday night disco that was a mecca to anyone into the music from Ealing. I used to see ‘Da Buzzboy’ Fitzroy there all the time, Femi Williams too, with frayed jeans, soul belts the lot, (Jan laughs) How did you get into writing songs?

Let’s go back to your humble beginnings. What influenced you to become a musician and what has inspired you to become a drummer and singer?

The inspirations were the same for both. It’s a matter of finding out what your skills are in life. I always had an affinity with music and felt it quite deeply. I guess my earliest influence was my brother Per, he’s 6 years older than me Page 34 - Issue 71

I was always pretty good at creative writing, stories that kind of thing, and I guess that morphed into lyric writing.

I used to fiddle around at the piano at my parent’s house a lot, newly inspired by what I was picking up musically around me in my world. A really early song I wrote in this period was ‘Never Stop’ which turned into a big hit later for the Heavies. I experimented and honed my style at home and later jamming

library. I can’t say I find what I do particularly difficult but it’s very rewarding when you get something right and when a vision you have for a piece of music or a song comes off. You can’t beat that, that’s what drives me.

The Brand New Heavies was formally formed in 1985 by you, guitarist Simon Bartholomew, and bassist/keyboardist Andrew Levy. Is that correct?

Yeah, pretty much. We’d been together in Diana Brown and the Brothers along with Lascelles Gordon (Black Finger Vibration) and Barrie Sharpe. Andrew and Simon had been asked to make a record for Dez Parkes, a cover of ‘Yes It’s You’ by Sweet Charles. I was interested in moving on from the Diana Brown set up and doing something new, along with Jim Wellman (who’d been playing with us on sax) and Lascelles and the boys. The Heavies was born out of this new vibe and Diana and Barrie went on to do ‘Masterplan’ etc. as a duo.

You, Andrew and Simon were longtime school friends who grew up together. From the current perspective, when you look back upon the time, are you satisfied with what you have achieved together? If you had a chance to change anything what would it be?

with early forms of the BNH. I’ve always been a very rhythmic player and that runs through everything I do. All songwriters will tell you that it’s something you feel you HAVE to do, as a way of expressing yourself and communicating with the world. Great songs can also mean a lot to people and touch them, I’ve always felt that to be quite a magical thing.

You are the full package, Jan, especially as you produce as well.

How easy or difficult is it for you, putting all that together?

I just do what I feel comfortable with, and its addictive. It’s a constant organic development. I learn pretty quickly and have had the privilege to work with some great musicians and singers over the years. You learn by working with other people and from the hours spent in studios and rehearsal rooms and on stages all over the world. I pick music apart unconsciously and look at how it’s put together. I’ve been collecting records for years and years, that’s my reference

Yeah I’m satisfied, certainly with what I achieved in the band.

We did a lot from something that grew out of a love of music from school days onwards. I was the engine room in that band on a lot of levels but wasn’t trying to be the leader or tread on anyone’s toes. I just grew as we grew as a band. I think things went as far as they could and should have, certainly for me.

I think the band and the relationships turned into something else over time and it lost its spark a little. I have no regrets, I think you have to live with your past no matter what it is, but focus on the now with an eye to the future.

Were there any ego issues in the band?

There are ego issues in every band, no matter how subtle. I’ve stayed pretty consistent over the years in what I’m about. I’ve been blessed to make a living out of this thing and I have a lot of fun doing it. I’m still driven by the same love of music and what I do in it, and to be creative. Sometimes people are driven by other things, control, money power, fear whatever it is, that’s when the ego shit pops up and it takes too much energy away from what’s really important.

After 25 years, you’ve drifted apart. Having closed the chapter and now moving on, is it fresh start or logical continuation for you?

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I guess it’s both. I wanted to challenge myself again and work on a whole new vibe with new people, where what we are doing musically is the main drive and reason for being there.

I’m having so much fun.

Your legacy continues to live on. Do you get paid royalties from The Brand New Heavies performing tracks that you have written, arranged and produced?

Yeah, my publishing is independent so that’s all good. On the recording side, let’s just say there are some issues that need to be resolved and leave it at that.

My husband, Dez Parkes and I met you in August 2015 in Belgrade. Was that your last gig with the band?

No my last gig was in September 2015 in Japan, a month or so later. It wasn’t intended to be my last gig, but unfortunately that’s how it panned out.

You and singer, Dawn Joseph left The Brand New Heavies in the same year. Now you have your new band MF Robots. Who are MF Robots and what is significance of the name?

we got more and more material together and I honed the sound it started to take on a life of its own.

The name is ironic and it means Music For Robots. It’s a comment on how a lot of the craft of record making and songwriting has become generic and samey. It’s not all like that of course, but a lot of people seem to be happy with mediocrity and stuff you won’t remember a year from now or making music lacking in edge or personality. We’re trying to make classics, all killer no filler.

I can hear your writing and production skills on the tracks of MF Robots similar to the sounds of The Brand New Heavies. Does it mean that you continue to make music in your old, recognisable style, or can we expect something new and different?

My influence in that band was very deep. Let’s say that and what you hear in MFR is still me but mixed up with Dawn’s vibes and amazing talents, anything goes as long as its funky.

The whole experience has been very free and exciting, but also very liberating. We are developing organically and our sound is evolving, as it should. There are a lot of influences on our album and no two tracks sound the same, but once you’ve heard it and are familiar, we are moving into our own sound.

There have been many collaborations with the band over the years. Is there anybody you would like to work with now, as MF Robots, that you didn’t get chance to work before?

Not right now, we have a lot to explore ourselves. We are working with some great musicians as part of our live set up, that’s exciting for now.

MF Robots already have two singles - ‘The Night Is Calling’ (a great track that remind me of Michael Jackson ‘80s classic ‘Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough’), and ‘Come On With The Good Thing’, which were released in early 2017. When can we expect a complete album and what will be the title of the album?

The album will be out in January 2018, the next single ‘Believe in Love’, at the end of July and an EP in early autumn.

We both left at around the same time for some of the same reasons, but also for different ones too.

MF Robots is essentially a duo, Dawn and I. We have written, conceived and produced the whole thing between us. It really grew out of a love of writing together and how easy it flowed creatively between us. We’re kindred spirits in that sense. We used to get together to write before it even had a name, but as Page 36 - Issue 71

What is your next move as an artist, and where does Jan Kincaid see himself in the future?

I’m focusing on this right now, I will go wherever this exciting life takes me. It won’t be boring whatever it is.

Thank you, Jan! I wish you great success in your new project and in the future.

Northern Soul Survivors A Soul Galore Weekender Special Supplement

August 2017

Les Csonge & Ann Taylor give us an insight into their world of “Northern Soul” from their early beginnings as teenagers in the early 70’s growing up in Blackpool and Bacup Lancashire right up to their forthcoming Soul Galore Weekender on the South Coast of England this October 13th-15th 2017 at the Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone.

Les Csonge “I guess you would have to say I was the, now stereotyped, description of an early Northern Souler, white, working class from Lancashire.

My mother worked in a biscuit factory and my dad (RIP) was a HGV driver” At age 15 I got a job working on the hot dog and burger stall in the car park under the Mecca The 70’s Soul Scene had a lot more to it than just underground Northern, we had Soul and TSOP in the charts that local pubs like The Crown would be playing before we would head to the Blackpool Casino at the Pleasure Beach, many smaller clubs like Barbarellas

Northern Soul Survivor

in Blackpool, it was crazy busy. At closing time the queues would be 5 deep, full of wide eyed youngsters clutching vinyl records, buzzing like bees around the van.

Earlier at 12 midnight many were jumping on a coach to go to this place called Wigan.

I did not understand why at the time but I guess, not surprisingly, it was not too long before I was joining them on the trip”

Les Blackpool Mecca 70’s

and others would be playing a great mixture of both Northern & Motown.

Before the legendary Saturday Nights at the Mecca with Colin Curtis & Ian levine I used to go to the Sunday Sessions in the Highland room, it was open to age 16+ and was like a stepping stone to the main event for me.

I can remember vividly my very first visit to Wigan Casino (pictured), the hairs stood up on the back of my neck just as they are now as I recollect it and when I hear a certain tune, the heat as you went through the doors and pure energy and sense of belonging was addictive, the whole room was clapping in unison to then breaking now legendary tunes of Richard Searling, Russ Winstanley, Kev Roberts and many more great DJs.

01 n

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Ann Taylor

I

grew up in Lancashire loving Motown and other Soul music since the age of about 11, I started going to the Wigan Casino All Nighters in 1974 and like a lot of people pretending to stay at a friends house overnight! I also went to Blackpool Mecca and afterwards would catch the coach to Wigan.

There were also some really good local clubs around – especially Ginger (Taylor) and Eddie’s events and Accrington British Legion, where you could get your Soul “fix”, I gravitated towards people who had a real passion for the music and not simply a “liking” for it.

I left the north of England in 1980 to attend college in Croydon and was away from

the scene for several decades (like a lot of people for one reason or another) then I had what I suppose you might call a “mid-life crisis” and decided to explore the Soul scene down south, I had a yearning to promote and DJ. I saw Martha Reeves at the Jazz Café and an ex-Wigan Soul fan I met that night encouraged me to go for it !

This person I met was Les who is now my partner.

I bought some decks (Technics), mixer and speakers – and of course MORE records and started in a local pub in Teddington on Thursday nights.

Some local Soul fans and DJs became regulars, we outgrew the pub so I set up Teddington Fridays at the Constitutional Club down the road which is now in its 6th year and regularly gets 150+ attendees from all over London and the South.

The Dome All Dayers (Sundays) in Tufnell Park are also into the 6th year with a fabulous large retro room and

dancefloor and coincidently the venue of the old Capitol Soul Club, we have people travelling from all over the UK to this and it gives us the opportunity to have great guest DJ’s (Sean Chapman 24th September).

Our biggest project to date is the forthcoming Soul Galore Weekender in Folkestone, October 13/14/15th which was inspired by the great Soul Galore record by Jackie Wilson (Brunswick) I find it difficult to play a set without Jackie – he can do no wrong… his voice is like an instrument and what a showman, I love the pace of this song it’s a real “belter” as we say Ooop North !

Ann - Cats Whiskers Burnley 70’s

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Northern Soul Survivor

When I first moved south I found a lot of the events were much smaller, often in pubs without a dance floor, sometimes mixing the music up with Ska and other genres.

For me it has always been about Dancing and for that you need a decent size dance floor, when you combine that with great tunes and passionate people the magic happens and a great atmosphere is created.

For many years we have both travelled up north regularly to the larger traditional Northern Soul weekenders like Blackpool, Prestatyn, Cleethorpes and many others and more recently international events in Europe and now USA. An All Nighter / Weekender was the natural progression from the successful monthly nights and Sunday All Dayers so people could experience the Togetherness and feeling

Northern Soul Survivor

of a larger event down South and that is how Soul Galore was born.

We searched for a suitable large venue for months, trying to find somewhere with a big enough dancefloor and good accommodation, several holiday camps and locations later we discovered the Leas Cliff Hall in Folkestone, the minute we walked in we just knew this was it.

Because it was a South based event we knew there would also be a lot of people who would like Modern Soul and other genres like Rare and Underplayed and another passion of ours Disco Soul so we added appropriate dedicated rooms for all of them, we also wanted to keep the cost sensible and at £25 for an all

Day/Night (2pm-6am) Ticket £34 Full Weekend Wristband (Fri-Sun) and with inclusive Hotel packages starting at £99 Sat night £169 full weekend we think we have managed to create a real value for money event.

Live Acts have always been popular and we were delighted to convince Kiki Dee to come and sing her 60’s/70’s Motown recordings and of course the classic Magic Carpet Ride backed by Snake Davis & The Suspicions whilst on the Modern side chart topping acts Soulutions and Peter Symphorien will be in the amazing Channel Suite.

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Northern Soul Survivor

thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

Event Reviews

Hayling Island Soul Weekender 5 Review by Martin Abel This year’s annual event turned out to be a scorcher in more ways than one. Not only were we blessed with such amazing weather, but we were treated to an unbelievable three and a half days of full value entertainment. We enjoyed a premier line-up of top quality DJ’s who played their music all day long, completely rocking and smashing each of their sets, keeping us fulfilled and dancing to the early hours of each morning.

Although there were several recreational fixtures taking place throughout each day, to cater for everyone, many others took to having a leisurely day sitting outside their accommodation, sipping drinks, chatting to friends, new and old, and listening to chilled music whilst basking in the glorious sunshine. The highlight of the weekend, was the fabulous array of star studded celebrity artists, who were given a massive Hayling welcome.

Kicking off Friday night was the much talked about, and very ambitious soul band from Newcastle, SouLutions. Led by the brilliant vocals of Louise Mehan showcasing their talent with a medley of their single hits, which was quite simply brilliant.

I can see, and predict a good future for this band, mark my words, they are going places.

Saturday night we saw yet another exclusive, starlet Shaila Prospere take to the stage and completely own it with a collection of her own delightful tracks, and capped with a ‘peachy’ Sister Sledge version of ‘Thinking of You’. Once again, she is another name to look out for in the future, and I definitely recommend her CD ‘Back to Life’.

Finally, after dancing and singing into the early hours of Sunday morning, we were still anticipating the appearance of the Grammy winning living soul legend who is Melba Moore.

The wait was rewarded, as she sauntered glamorously onto stage wearing what can only be described as a bright yellow swan suit, then proceeded belting out a string of her greatest hits, which the Hayling family responded to by singing along! It was a night to remember! And rounded up a truly memorable weekend.

Special mention and thanks go out to Scott James and Orlando Gittens who are the masterminds behind this brilliant event, also to Mark Gurcha Collins, Shirley Chapman and Nicky Prill who also put in the graft, plus all the DJs and staff at Mill Rythe. I went home a very happy man! With wonderful memories! Roll on next year!

Photo by Jojo Guest runner up Best Photographer in The Soul Survivors Awards 2016

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Blackbyrds and Larry Mizell at The Barbican, 9th June Well we (those who attended) were certainly ‘Walking in Rhythm’ and “moving in sound, humming to the music”, at this, for me, a very emotional live concert, honouring the works of the late Donald Byrd.

The stage was set with the Blackbyrd logo and imagery of Donald Byrd, to feature as an opening act for the second time since Nov 2015 Resolution 88. This young UK jazz-fusion group have released two albums and embody the essence of Herbie Hancock and The Headhunters, with their complex jazz-fusion conclusion compositions.

They were well received and their leader keyboardist Tom O’ Grady remained on stage to join Larry Mizell also on keyboards, Keith Killgo on drums, Joe Hall on bass, Orville Saunders on lead rhythm guitar, the remaining original members of Donald’s ‘Dance Band’ The Blackbyrds. All I can say is it was ‘Happy Music’ all the way. With extra musicians including a trumpet and sax section, the ensemble opened appropriately with ‘Blackbyrd’. Also applauded by Larry Mizell when I spoke with him, huge props to Tom O’Grady, who replicated the original soul stirring strings, like he was Wade Marcus, but on the keyboards, it was that stunning. ‘Stepping Into Tomorrow’ with “both feet on the ground” upfront on the mic JusPaul aka Paul Spires the lead vocalist. He graced our ears with his interpretation of ‘Think Twice’ and the afore mentioned title, with a sincere serenity that charmed us all.

Musically it was as near to perfection as we were going to get, as if Donald were still here, I guess he actually was… in spirit. I could say so much more but trust me, there was an exhilarating abundance of ‘Do It Fluid’ in the ‘Places And Spaces’ of everyone’s minds, who witnessed that. Donald’s son travelled to the UK for the first time and was moved at the adulation for his father, and it was great to see a rare appearance on stage from his majesty King Larry Mizell. ‘Thank You For Funking Up My Life’ Donaldson Toussaint L’Ouverture Byrd II and long may the creator bless the legacy of ‘You And Music’. Well done Adrian Gibson of AGMP.

Joyce Sims at The Hideaway, 30th June I managed to catch Joyce Sims celebrating 30 Years of ‘Come Into My Life’ before heading to Love Supreme. Soul Survivors Award Winner of Best Specialist Promoter, Simon Precilla kicked off her UK tour at the very plush Hideaway in Streatham with a good attendance for school night Throwback Thursday. Joyce seemed excited to be heard again and performed her other classic ‘Lifetime Love’, ‘All N All’ and ‘Walk Away’ from her debut album. She also did material from her new album namely ‘Running Back To You’ and a melody of classic hits ‘Encore’ and ‘I’m Every Woman’ included. She had a good rapport with the band and interacted with the audience as well as signing T-shirts and albums after the show. Well done Simon Precilla.

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Event Reviews

Sun & Soul In Cyprus Where do I start when I have so much to share with you?

I have been to many soul holidays and weekenders and am impressed by the organisation that goes in to them. I have never been to Cyprus, so when Tracy and Trevor Bailey announced the holiday and many of my friends were going, I thought it would be worth a try. It was the first holiday event organised by the lovely couple so to be honest, a sun tan and a laugh with friends listening to great music would have been enough.

Omg! The week was jam packed from beginning to end and I feel lucky to still have my body intact! Club nights were organised in the best venues in Paphos. The team of DJs Calvin Francis, Wayne Enyaw, Rudy Ranx, Colin Williams, Sammy Confunktion, Peter Poyton, Pete Precise, Mr Vibz and top girl Gayle Dumont all played their socks off for us. Not a duff tune played.

We had a day out on the Wavedancer 1 Boat where we could sunbathe, swim in some shallow waters We had a live PA from Raphael Orlando Tate, who took our breath away! It was then time for our lunch, which was all freshly cooked on the boat and was the best meal of my holiday. Bloody lovely! Some incredible acrobats then entertained us...

Many of the nights/days had themes which you could take part in if you wished. Masquerade cocktail night, Greek Gods and Legend Night, White and Gold party and a Brazilian theme for one of the beach parties.

We had 2 beach parties with food provided on the final day along with a salsa display, a statue man and a fire-eater when the sun had gone down. Just an awesome end to a fantastic holiday.

Trevor Bailey has been promoting for years and has lived in Cyprus so has all the right connections but behind every successful man is an amazing woman, as we all know, and Tracy went above and beyond to the point where it will be almost impossible to top it. As it happens, she has already found a beautiful complex as alternative accommodation for next year (November 2018) so you would be mental not to book it. It is true value for money and I believe you can pay Page 44 - Issue 71

in instalments for next year if you wish. That is 18 months notice! Check out the website with all the details www.sunsoul-cyprus.co.uk. (NOT to be confused with any other event promoted in Cyprus).

It was great to help Tracy and Trevor out this year and be part of their team along side my fab friends Catherine Lorford Lindsay, Jane McGinty, Nicky Hyde and the all round entertainer Swifty, who was constantly on the go. Bloody awesome photos from Jayne Billi who didn’t stop either, bless her.

I am grateful to have been part of an incredible week and spend time with such a lovely crowd who danced, sang and laughed the entire magical holiday. I will be there next year‌. will you? Anna B xx

n ve tio ha ec at o n t n s rs ed co nd o as ing frie rviv e Pl inu ur Su ine o l nt th ou az co wi e S ag Th M

SOLAR radio Your Classic & 21st Century Soul Station

THE SOUL SURVIVORS MAGAZINE 2016 AWARD WINNERS...

Best Soul Radio Station Best Radio Show Ash Selector ‘Groove Control’ Best Facebook Soul Music Group Page www.solarradio.com 0000_SOUL_SURVIVORS_AD.indd 1

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Event Reviews

Blackpool Soul Festival at Blackpool Winter Gardens, 16th - 18th June Wow what a venue, never seen anything like it. It’s a 200-year-old complex with grand architecture that was for a weekend home to over 5000 Northern and Modern Soul enthusiasts. Unfortunately due to my DJ schedule I never got to see any of the main acts on either night, but judging by the massive line of fans queuing to get their albums signed, I’d guess they were a bit good. Friday night in the Luxury Soul Room, Chris Box had the floor bubbling till I came on for an hour followed by Mike Stephens. Considering most are there for the Northern Soul it was a good turn out in that room getting busy from early doors on the Saturday afternoon with Terry Jones, Bob Jeffries and Andy Davies. There was parade of scooters on show in the afternoon where the weather was very sunny and many turned up to see this outside by the promenade. Saturday night in the other main hall myself Terry Jones, Paul Garland and Colin Curtis played the more up-tempo disco and new aged disco influenced beats, which was very well received. Thanks for the kind words about my set and I must commend Terry Jones before and Paul Garland after me for their educational sets. This was the second instalment of this mid summer weekend. Next year they have Patti Austin and Ann Sexton performing so don’t leave it till last min.com to book for 2018.

Summer Soulstice, Barnet 24th June This event gets bigger as each year rolls on. It’s my third and second year in a row DJ-ing in the main soul tent. Huge thanks to that audience the atmosphere was electric and again kind words were said about my set, so thank you. It really was a Bill Withers ‘Lovely Day’ and good to see so many people from the soul surviving entourage gather together for a good cause. Due to my set finishing 5 minutes at 5.55pm before Steve Arrington, I had to make my ‘Way Out’ to the stage in what I estimate was an 800-yard dash to be there for 6pm. Luckily I made it like Raw Silk ‘Just In Time’. Steve ‘The Invade’ Arrington’s performance certainly did meet ‘my approval’ as he did plenty of his impressive catalogue. ‘Way Out’, ‘Mello As A Cello’, ‘Watching You’, ‘Feel So Real’, ‘Wait For Me’ and ‘Just A Touch Of Love’ with a live band sounded like a good ‘Stone Jam’. Caught bits of Jeff Young and Jamie Topham in the mix sets and conversed with too many people to mention. I believe Soulstice raised over £38,000 for the Alan Weeks charity so hats off to them. How you gonna better things next year? I’m sure we’ll find out.

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Love Supreme at Glynde 30th June - 2nd July

George Benson

It really was a case of being a Stevie Wonder ‘Hotter Than July’ weekend which set the tone for this spectacle of a weekend festival. The first act I caught on the main stage was the charismatic Lee Fields, with a well traveled from the deep USA south, raspy voice in his shiny tonic suit. He was such a brilliant showman and although it was early afternoon he kicked started what was to be much later for those there a ‘Special Night’. Next up were the Martine Girault ‘Revival’ act to grace the forthcoming Feb 2018 Soul Survivors Awards (let the cat out the bag Herbie Hancock now) D-Influence. Needless to say their performance was ‘Magic’ and under ‘No Illusions’ as to whether Sarah Anne Webb’s amazing vocals can still bellow out clarity like she did 25 plus years back. It was time for a Kit Kat break before I caught in the tent the ‘Rockit’ set from Herbie Hancock. Seeing him for the first time, I now have ‘Actual Proof’ that this man is a genius. I had to leave that arena early as it was a quick Usain Bolt dash back to the Main Stage to catch the pending performance of The Jacksons. My elder virtual brother’s did me proud. I think Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon Jackson left the audience in a ‘State Of Shock’ with their “Dancin’, Dancin, Dancin”…’Dancin’ Machine’ moves. To see the whole audience that went back as far as the eye could see waving their hands in the air in unison to ‘I’ll Be There’ was incredible. Jermaine does a heart wrenching delivery of ‘Gone Too Soon’ and Marlon a little dance solo as one of the many highlights of their show. A brilliant end to the Saturday. Sunday afternoon after a little wander I settled near the front of the stage to see the continued legacy of Love Supreme’s theme song composer John Coltrane, saxophonist Kamasi Washington. I was in spiritual heaven. My gosh that man can blow a horn with the velocity of Courtney Pine (now wouldn’t those two together be a something!) With his father on stage with him and a totally together ‘The Rhythm Changes’ band, Kamasi was nothing short of spectacular.

Fortunately I managed to get a photo moment with him as the gentle giant mingled with the audience. Now ‘This Masquerade’ was yet to be over as I again positioned myself at the front for Mr George ‘Bad’ Benson. Smooth like MJ’s moonwalk is how I describe his performance with a voice that seems not to have faltered. George did his classics ‘Love X Love’, Give Me The Night’, ‘Breezin’’, ‘In Your Eyes’, ‘Lady Love Me’ and ‘On Broadway’. A great crowd pleaser who drew a massive Kamasi Washington audience. As the evening dawned ‘We’re Almost There’ like MJ and the man with the voice Gregory Porter closes the festival down on the Main Stage. The roar when he came on was like we could hear it from a lion in Africa. Always spectacular to watch as he always gives a consummate performance. Had to sneak out early during his set but ‘All N All’ like EWF it was an incredible weekend. Thanks to Joe Baxter at Baxter PR.

D-Influence

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Event Reviews

Paphos Soul Survivors (Re-Named Event) Review by Greg O’D Michael Haywood and I were sat in our local pub on Sunday night 11th June, looking forward to the proposed ‘3 The Soul’ event that coming week with 300+ other likeminded people.

It was just over 48 hours before we were due to fly out to Paphos in Cyprus, when we were suddenly informed that it had been cancelled. The feelings of shock, disbelief, doubt, frustration, anger, questions that needed answering, along with all the things that go through your mind when trying to comprehend the sudden and disastrous news. The following day we decided that we were still going to go to Paphos as we had already paid for the flights separately.. With the help of modern day social media, it started filtering through that others like ourselves were still going to make the journey out there and make the most of a bad situation. What we didn’t know is that the DJ’s and helpers (who I might add were not being paid), Stretch Taylor, Lisa Lucas, Martin Rafferty, John Mustoe, Ronnie Herel, Sara Jane Rundel, Stevie Day, Leigh Brandon, Debra Reynolds, Kevin Hawkins, Michelle Regan, Alison Weatherall and Debi Jones (hope I haven’t left anyone out) were already working tirelessly on the ground in Paphos and in England, to resurrect a lost cause for the people, just so that we could all have some sort of event and entertainment. The team with hardly any time on their hands to plan venues and get licenses (which I understand is difficult in Cyprus) worked above and beyond the call of duty.

There were events every single night at different venues plus 4 daytime events as well, which included 2 beach parties at

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the lovely setting of Antlantida Beach Bar, a boat trip and a Reggae/Soul afternoon at the Basilica hotel. This was nothing short of remarkable and miraculous in my humble opinion, considering most events are planned at least a year in advance. When the party started the 150 people who made the trip (my heart goes out to the ones who could not make it), we all came together as one. There was positivity in the air, everyone was kept informed of what was going on, what time and where. The music was sensational and at times off the hook, all the DJ’s cannot get enough credit, nor the helpers for that matter. We partied hard, met old friends, cemented other friendships and made some new wonderful ones, the weather was sparkling, there was non-stop smiles and laughter all week and the Cypriots hospitality was all welcoming and friendly. In that sense it couldn’t have been better.

I can only speak for myself here, but the money that I have lost could not have bought those memories. The Soul family really demonstrated and displayed their togetherness and kindness and everyone that was there contributed in some way or another. It is hard to find the words to do them justice in the way they conducted themselves. Never to be forgotten times with the Paphos Soul Survivors. May the funk be with you...

Much love, Greg O’D

Fitzroy presenting The Real Thing their 40 years Soul Survivors Award.

Catch them live at Soul Train’s SWX date in Bristol, 25th August 2017

The Real Thing at The Jazz Cafe, 13th July If The Jacksons are deemed musically royalty in the USA, then we have to acknowledge The Real Thing in a similar vein in the UK. Their history starts 50 plus years back when Eddie Ammo performed with The Beatles in the early 1960’s at The Cavern with teenage doo-wop group the Chants. 10 years later with his brother Chris, The Real Thing started a 40 plus year journey to date, as the boys who done good from ‘Liverpool 8’. Despite conversing with both Chris and Eddie Amoo, we never met until 13th July at their Jazz Cafe date. Their audience was predominantly full of mature women who were soon to regress back to their teenage ‘Young And Foolish’ teenage fan mania youth. The band certainly play up to the starry-eyed ‘ Lovin’ You Is A Dream’ antics from the female entourage especially Chris Amoo the smooth yet raspy voiced lead vocalist. Not exactly a Teddy Pendergrass throw your knickers at the stage hen party crowd, but the women’s eyes look n hope that he’s singing especially to them. They do all the classics ‘You To Me Are Everything’, ‘You Never Know What You’re Missing’, ‘Children Of The Ghetto’ and ‘Whenever You Want My Love’. In particular whilst singing a personal favourite ‘Can’t Get By Without You’, Chris without the band music engaged the audience to sing the song with him accapella. They knew single every word and were very much in the right musical key. It shows that the audiences’ ‘Love’s Such A Wonderful Thing’ for The Real Thing’s Dave Smith, Chris and Eddie Amoo. Chris’ powerful voice is still so amazingly awesome and supported by Dave and Eddie’s complimentary harmonies, you understand ‘Why Oh Why’ they still maintain their core audience. After their finale ‘Can You Feel The Force?’, I was invited on stage to present the group with their Best Soul Surviving Vocal Group Achievement Award that I’ve been holding onto since February 17th 2017. Thank you to the audience for the love and respect shown whilst we did that and for the applause. I do urge you whether you’re a ‘Saint Or Sinner’, live on ‘Stanhope Street ‘or you’re job is being a ‘Plastic Man’ to see this magnificent band in the ‘Flash’ of a pan. thesoulsurvivorsmagazine.co.uk

September

August

What's going on?

4th August - 6th August - Margate Weekender Margate with, The Blackbyrds, Arrested Development, The Blackbyrds, Gwen Dickey www.margatesoulsfestival.co.uk

24th September - Eat, drink and dance at Any Old Sunday’s “Summer in the city sessions.” – Boho, Inverness Street, Camden – Fitzroy Soul Survivors and guests - 3pm–11pm FREE ENTRY 15th - 20th September - Vocal Booth Campoamor Alicante Spain check www.vocalboothweekender.com 22nd September - Snowboy & The Latin Section at Olbys 3-5 King Street Margate CT9 1DD (see advert on page 25) September 29th - 2nd October - Soul Train Does Ibiza (check out advert on page 5)

20th August - Eat, drink and dance at Any Old Sunday’s “Summer in the city sessions.” – Boho, Inverness Street, Camden – Fitzroy (Soul Survivors) , Dezzi D and special guest Akin Shenbanjo - 3pm–11pm, 20% discount on food FREE ENTRY

October

20th August - 4 To The Floor with DJ Rap Saunders at The Book Club 100-106 Leonard Street, London EC2A 4RH (see advert on page 15)

August 2018

25th August - Soul Train at SWX Nelson Street, Bristol with The Real Thing and DJ Bigger (see advert) 26 - 27 August Camp Soul Music Festival at Grove Farms Milton, Oxfordshire OX13 6AD - DJ’s including Jeff Young, Maria Garracio, Shaun Gallagher, Darrell Steaman, Chris Brown, Shaun French, Fitzroy Soul Survivors and live concert from The Brit Funk Association th

th

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13th - 15th October Soul-Galore Weekender at The Grand Burstin Hotel Leas Cliff Hall Folkestone Kent (see adverts pages 41 and 42)

15th - 26th August 2018 - Love Is The Message in Barbados (See advert on page 27)

November 2018 5th - 12th November 2018 - Sun & Soul Cyprus in Pathos Cyrus (see advert on page 43)

ON THE RADIO

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EUROPES MAJOR LATIN JAZZ GROUP 3-5 KING STREET, MARGATE, CT9 1DD TEL: 01843 448595 FURTHER INFO AT WWW.OLBYSSOULCAFE.CO.UK