Thursday 30 December 2010

The Soul Mixtape's Top 10 LP's of 2010


First off, Let me wish you all a happy new year from The Soul Mixtape.

Now on to buisiness. 2010 was a better year for music than 2009 and 2008 combined in my opinion. Last year was a disaster, but this year we had some great music, and as you'll see in my list there were quite a few "almost made it's".

So here are my list of the best LP's of the year, in no particualr order save for the No.1 spot.

10.JD73 - Pure Gold

On Joey Negros Z Label, this years "Sunburst Band" equivilent LP. 80's collide with soulful house grooves on tracks like "Fantasy","Baby Be mine" and "Step by Step", great mid tempo grooves like "Round and Round", excellent covers like "Pure Gold/Love will save the day"...I could go on. Just the most Fun LP of the year, like the Sunburst band's previous efforts, it looks back before moving forward. Candy for the ears!!

9.Eric Riko/Marc Mac Direct Soul EP + Slakah the Beatchild Something Forever EP -

Not really LP's in thier own right, but good enough that they had to be included, so I let them share a spot as a compromise! Erik and Marc fit like a hand in glove with thier organic, soulful EP. By now, you must all be aware of "Destiny", so nuff said about that. Equally as good is "I need your Love" like a wicked tune from Blaze, the latin tinged "Something I know" and the soulful "Just Love" that rides on a bossa nova beat. As for Slakah, you must know about him, he was our No.1 last year! Cant get "Something Forever" off my playlist and "Living for the Rush" is like a missing tune from "The Soul Movement Vol.1", as is "Boogie". Two great EP's to add to your collections.


8.Adriana Evans - Walking in the night

The year started with this LP, and I immediately proclaimed it the deserved follow up to Adriana's classic debut from the 90's. A regarded friend of mine wasnt so enamoured, which I felt was strange, as tracks like "Suddenly" were as good (And could have been lifted from) the debut. I still feel thats the case with tunes like "Midnight", "Love me on the One" and "El Sol" although I do accept theres a more 60's bent on some of the tunes. Dont let that stop you though, as this is a great LP!!

7.Dorian Wright - Mind full of music

Stevie Wonder is a musical genius. Fact. Favourite artist ever, for me. Fact. Brilliant Songwriter. Fact.

Dorian Wright, a Brit may I add, clearly agrees. From the play on words title of the LP, this is more homage than pastiche. Marvellous Stevie-alike tunes like "Say I do" and "What was once" run the spectrum of classic 70's Stevie, and whilst Dorian cannot match vocally, Ill take an LP of this quality, love and effort over, lets say, the lazy new offerings from R.Kelly's first LP of the year or Donnell Jones' effort anyday. Fave tune? Hard to say, but feeling "Perfect World" at the mo, but thats ever changing!

6.The Roots - How I got Over

Oh lord, how I wish "A Piece of Light" was a fully fledged epic it should be. Like Charles Stepney and Rotary connection had returned, its the great start to the best Hip Hop LP of the year. Has a left field acoustic feel, timing kept by Questloves great drums, with guests the calibre of Phonte. "Radio Daze" dazzles, loving "Walk Alone" and "Doing it again".....and "The day"....cant stop namechecking. Real Hip Hop. You know what I'm talking about.

5.Faith Evans - Something About Faith

Back in the 90's, when there was the "Mary J or Faith?" conversation, I was always on the Faith side. Mary won the commercial battle, and dont get me wrong I dig her, but Faith has the voice. Love the tone, whereas I always felt that Mary was more "off key".

This is on the list, like last years Ryan Leslie LP, because its the best R&B lp thats come out this year. "Way you move" is the best pop/R&B tune of the year no doubt, but there are great tunes like "Still", the mid tempo funky "Worth it", "Everyday Struggles" 70's sampled feel, and the return of Mike City production on the dancer "Sunshine". If your looking for something a little more commercial, this is the LP. And "Your Lover" is the shit!

4.Erykah Badu - New Amerykah Part 2

You all got this one right? Its Badu FFS. "Window Seat's" on here.

Jay Dee, Questlove, James Poyser all present. Just buy it if you aint got it already!

3.Foreign Exchange - Authenticity

Continuing on from "Leave it all behind", and more like that LP than "Connected", Authenticity continues that soulful Foreign Exchange sound with Nicolay providing the lush production and Phonte singing up a storm. FE crew like Yazarah, Zo! and Darien Brockington all present, as is the great songwriting, which whilst not as immediate as previous outings, are real growers. Fave tunes? Probable next single "Dont Wait", "Maybe she'll Dream...", and the classic FE sounding "Fight for Love". Great LP.

2.Aloe Blacc - Good Things

Probably as good as my no.1 pick of the year, the great Aloe Blacc and an LP from the 70's, made today. Totally organic, socially concious, and musically expert from the tight band to Aloe's great vocals. Youve probably heard "I need a dollar", but just as good are the great, soulful "You make me smile", the tight and funky "Good Things" with its sly stone feel, the beautiful "Femme Fetale" and my tune of the year..."Green Lights". Really, its that good. If you love 70's soul music, you need this like air.

1.Zo! - Sunstorm

For me, everything the Foreign Exchange crew touch is gold. Zo!, being one of the crew, belted out this LP where there aint 1 duff tune. Old school 2 stepper styled "Greatest Weapon of all time"...the great FE sounding "Sunstorm"...."Greater than the sun" rocks on strings and keys like a summers day, almost an FE track IMO.....and my close second for tune of the year, the Donald Byrd/Mizell alike "Flight of the blackbird". Whos on this? Yazarah - Phonte - Jesse Boykins III - Eric Roberson - Sy Smith - Lady Alma - Darien Brockington.

Styles mixed, just like last years winner of this title by Slakah the Beatchild, quality so good it dosent bore on repeated listens....it truly deserves your cash and the title of best LP of 2010. Invest.




Almosts

LATE ENTRY'S

***** Reggie B & Miles Bonny******
*****Frank McComb*****

If I would have got these earlier, they may have been on my list. Great Soulful LP's....BUY THEM!!! Also in the worth buying list.....


Geno Young - Ear Hustler
Avery Sunshine - Self titled
Incognito - Transatlantic RPM
Calvin Richardson - Americas Most Wanted
Richard Earnshaw - In time
Conya Doss - Blu Transition
Eric Benet - Lost in Time
R Kelly - Love Letters

Disappointments

R Kelly, Vivian Green, Donell Jones, R Kelly (Epic)

So thats 2010. See you all in the ew year....Grizz up next to get you out of the end of holiday blues. Enjoy the mix of some of my favourite tunes from our pick of the year List.

The Soul Mixtape's Top 10 LP's of 2010

Monday 27 December 2010

The Soul Mixtape's Tunes of 2010





































So, before we countdown the best LP's of the year at the end of the week, here is a list of the best individual tracks of the year IMO.

Some of the artists will re-appear in the best LP category, but this list is my choice of tunes. Dont agree? Let me know in the comments! Maybe Ive forgotten something! A lot of these tunes feature in some part on my "Street Sounds Soul Sessions" mixes, so check them out there or iTunes/Amazon etc etc

Click on the picture to see a larger version of it, or alternatively, save it to your PC for leisurely perusal.

Got to mention the passing of Lady Tee today, Teena Marie was one of the first artists that got me into this music, so a sad day for soul music.......maybe she'll jam with Rick James this New Years up in Heaven's best funk emporium.

RIP Teena Marie



Soloman Burke, Willie Mitchell, Gregory Issacs, Teddy Pendergrass and now Teena.... 2010 has taken some real talent from us this year. Take note X Factor- this is what real singer sounds like!

Thursday 23 December 2010

SoulNRnB & Grizz Present: The Rare as Rocking Horse Poo Mixes.

So, here's the big one this Xmas.

Both Grizz and I have produced mixes that highlight tracks that are super SUPER rare. Grizz's mix is old school, mine more up to date.

Heres what Grizz has to say about his mix:

"Merry Christmas to all our Soul Mixtape downloaders and from my sack i've pulled
a 'digging deep' special. I've dug that little bit deeper in my
boxes and mixed some harder to find quality 70's and 80's Soul nuggets for you.

The mix includes Ronnie Mcnier, Collins and Collins, Gene Harris and much more.

See you in the New Year"


As for me, my mix is one hours worth of unreleased material, rare remixes, and hard to find tracks by the likes of Raphael Saadiq, Earth, Wind & Fire Feat. Musiq, 4Hero, Jamiroquai, Common, and many more. Look at the tracklists and marvel.......its our Xmas present to you lot!

Have a great Xmas (or whatever holiday your celebrating) and a happy new year to you and yours from the Soul Mixtape.

Ill be back with best tunes of 2010 and best LP's of the year too.

Grizz's Rare as Rocking Horse Poo Mix

SoulNRnB 's Rare as Rocking Horse Poo Mix

Check the tracklists out!!

Monday 20 December 2010

DJ Grizz- Soul Jazz Live 2

Volume 1 had a good reaction so time to put out part 2. Packed full of classic soul and jazz funk tunes delivered live by the original artists. The mix features Maze, The SOS Band, The Jones Girls and an acoustic Randy Crawford amongst others.

I'll be back along with Mr SoulNRnB at the end of the week with a Xmas double bubble post which will be a treat for all you lovers of those real hard to find grooves! My next solo mix will be posted in the new year so make sure you all have a good Holiday!

Keep it soulful in the meantime

Grizz

http://rapidshare.com/files/438246477/souljazzlive2.mp3

Tracklist in comments

Thursday 16 December 2010

SoulNRnB's Xmas Street Sounds Sessions



After Grizz's excellent Soulful Xmas mix, heres something special for Xmas with some upfront tunes including Jazzy Jeffs new tune specially produced for the holidays, "Xmas Time" featuring Ayah. Also included - Brand new Eric Roberson and Choklate, Marsha Ambrosius, Bilal, Jessie Boykins III, Syleena Johnson, Carmen Rogers, Deborah Jordan......goddam, just get this.

Perfect as an accompaniment to any holday occassion!!

Big post for Xmas next week. Both Grizz and I have produced mixes with music SO RARE.....hell, youll see. Dont miss it, its one of our biggest posts of the year! After that, itll be my yearly LP's of the year and Singles of the year, so stay tuned.

Off to try and shake this cold I have in time for my birthday next week, snow in the UK wont help, but ill be back in time for that special post from us!!!


SoulNRnB's Xmas Street Sounds Sessions


**** Update 23/12****

Looks like the powers that be took this one down already. Only 20 lucky people managed to get this mix, so you need to be sharp!!!

Monday 13 December 2010

DJ Grizz - Soulful Xmas 2010

In same spirit that some music afficiandos try to stop the XFactor manufactured tune getting to the Xmas No.1 spot I try to save all Soul lovers from listening to the usual dirge of tunes they wheel at this time of year.

Heres my 2010 offering of quality 60's and 70's Soul with a seasonal flavour. Honey and the Bees, Donny Hathaway and The Salsoul Orch. all feature. Perfect for carving the turkey and boiling sprouts to.

SoulNRnB starts his 2010 specials this week and I'll catch you next week.

Grizz

https://rapidshare.com/files/436712963/xmas2010.mp3

Tracklist in comments


Thursday 9 December 2010

SoulNRnB's Time Machine 1983


Im gonna do a few of these, but out of them all this is probably the year I remember most fondly musically. As a young man I couldn't afford to buy the latest 12" (I would have to save 3 weeks for one!) so would record my tunes off the radio from shows hosted by the likes of Robbie Vincent, Greg Edwards, the original Kiss FM and other Pirate Radio stations. I would covet those TDK, Memorex and Denon cassette's let me tell you.

Sometimes I wouldn't even know the name of the song or the artist (As the DJ wouldnt mention those un-important things at times) and finding out in the days before the internet was a task. Music discussions with a fellow soul music fan was always the remedy, and an escape from New Romantics, Cross dressing pop bands, and blokes with shuttlecocks down thier pants.

This mix is like one of my long lost cassettes found at the back of a drawer. Although we've heard some of the tunes a very many times, to me they remind me of those early years discovering soul music for the first time......

Next up - First of my Xmas specials. They are absolutely on fire, and the one im gonna post Xmas week is one of my favourite selections Ive done since contributing to the blog! Grizz has got some Xmas niceness coming up to so stay with us over the holidays!

SoulNRnB's Time Machine 1983 UPDATED 21/1/12

Monday 6 December 2010

DJ Grizz- New Funk Vol.5

Back to the future for me once again as the new funk bands get a mix to themselves once more. As I've said these guys can all play a bit and 3 or 4 of the bands have gigged in the capital over the years so worth catching if you can.

The mix features the Mehan Street Band, vocalist Alice Russell going solo, The Budos Band and a corking retro tune from the Baker Brothers who employed Average White Band singer- Hamish Stuart to do the vocals so you know its gonna rock!!

I'll catch you next week with some 60's and 70's Xmas soul tunes.

Grizz

http://rapidshare.com/files/435105623/newfunk5.mp3

Tracklist in comments

Sunday 5 December 2010

Update

To those who it may concern:

1) I have Re-upped a deleted mix by popular demand. See Here: SoulNRnB's Great Producers 2: Raphael Saadiq

2) Grizz and I have got something special coming up for Xmas..........

3) Check out Dreamchilde's Blog here: Free Friday Music

Phillip has recommended a number of our mixes, and is doing a roundup of his faves from 2010. Mans got good taste :)

Grizz up shortly!

Thursday 2 December 2010

SoulNRnB;s Street Sounds Sessions 29


The new Street Sounds mix celebrates the Return of Dave Hollister, a great voice, and somebody who made one of my fave songs of the Noughties, the Mike City produced "One Woman Man".

Some great tunes including Jazmine Sullivan from her new LP, the Foreign Exchange friendly Carlitta Durand, plus RnB from Ne-yo and 620.

Grizz back with you next week, have a great weekend.


SoulNRnB's Street Sounds Session 29