DJ Grizz- On a Jazz Tip Vol.6

Time for some Jazz Funk goodies for all you dancers and head nodders alike!

Its volume 6 and we have Jazz Funk musical heavyweights Bobby Humphrey, John Handy and Ronnie Laws, 2 top quality jap-jazz cuts, 2 scandanavian jazz stormers and all topped off with a latin take on a funk anthem.

If you are off to carnival- enjoy, stay safe and take an umbrella as British Summer Time continues to be as bad as usual. SoulNRnB back with some new stuff after his 80's top ten (we had some serious debate on that as well as his upcoming 70's one- believe me... very difficult to pick just 10!!). I'll be posting more rare groove goodness with Niceness26 next week.

Grizz

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=HM8HISGZ

Tracklist in comments

The Soul Mixtapes Top 11 LP's of the 1980's

Over the next few months, we are going to bring you some "Top 11" lists of LP's we think every discerning soul fan should have in thier collection. We started this a while back with our Top 11 LP's of the Noughties here: The Soul Mixtapes Top 11 LP's of the Noughties

Were going to running through our picks of the 90's and the 70's in coming weeks, but we are kicking off with the 80's.

Let's start with the list, in no particular order:

Prince - Under a Cherry Moon

Steve Arrington - Hall of Fame I

Debra Laws - Very Special

Kashif - Kashif

Howard Johnson - Keeping Love New

Anita Baker - Rapture 

Alexander O'Neal - Alexander O'Neal

Luther Vandross - Forever, for always, for love

Shalamar - Friends

Stevie Wonder - Hotter than July

Sylvia Striplin - Give me your love

A quick word about these; 

Prince = Genius, no doubt. Big producers of the era all present (Save one, seen below!). Kashif, Jam & Lewis (With the LP that really broke them, even after having success with the S.O.S Band, with Alexander O'Neal), Leon Sylvers (With Shalamar's most successful LP and perfectly melded great tunes with the great vocals of Howard Hewett) and Roy Ayres. Some of the greatest vocalists of the era are present with Luther, Anita, Stevie and the aforementioned Mr Hewett.

But most of all, these are LP's that I believe define the decade, are all listenable throughout and are worth your investment. You can hear some of the class in the mix below.

Now, here's the complicated stuff. These are my picks, and I know that Grizz has some different views (Which he's welcome to post!) but I have consulted with him on this decade and the 70's. There are 2 massive omitions.

1) Slave - Stone Jam

I left this out because I didnt feel that I could have 2 Arrington LP's on the list. Is Hall of Fame a better LP? No. I love them both, and I guess I am just more sentimental about Hall of Fame I, and Arrington's on every track. However, Stone Jam is an absolute corker. Not one duff tune. Mark Adams on bass outdoes himself, and the whole LP is funk personified. Here's what I mean:

So get it too.

2) The System - Xperiment

The truth? I plain forgot before I ran the mix off. For me, this LP needs to be on the list. Where I talked about all the great producers being present, David Frank and Mic Murphy are the exception. Who would I have taken off the list to replace them with this LP? I have no idea.

But Xperiment is a one of a kind LP. There was nothing like this in the Soul music world at the time. Heavily synthesised, a hard edged sound, yet mixed with the soulful songwriting of the pair and Mic Murphy's yearning vocals. Promises can break, Lollipops and everything, I wanna make you feel good..... all classics. As is the following.

So there we have it. Grizz would also like to record that he would have had the following on his list;

Jacksons- Triumph (A nearly ran of mine to, "Give it up" is a classic)

BBQ- Genie

Blackbyrds- Better Days

Jack Mcduff - Kisses

Tania Maria- Come with me

He's back Monday, and I'm back with some new music next week.

The Soul Mixtapes Top 11 LP's of the 80's

R.I.P Nick Ashford 1942 - 2011

We mark the passing of another Soul legend Nickolas Ashford who died yesterday.

As half of the prolific recording and song writing duo Ashford and Simpson they were responsable for writing massive Motown hits like 'Aint no mountain high enough' and 'You're all I need to get by' in the 1960's and continued writing hits like 'I'm every woman' in the 70's. This coupled with recording a long list of quality Soul LPs throughout the 70's and 80's in their own right.

Below is one of my favorite Ashford and Simpsons songs by way of tribute from the 'Mixtape'.....



Thanks Grizz, and while were at it, one of my favorites.



SoulNRnB

DJ Grizz - Soulful 80's Vol.12

Welcome back for another dose of 80's Soul goodies!

The mix includes Melba Moore, Windjammer, Kid Creole (known for his cheesy, OTT shows but made some good tunes along the way in my opinion), Fat Larrys covering a soul anthem and a classic cut from Howard Johbnson.

Just to let you Soul Mixtapers know I'm experimenting with another file manager as the old one was getting too much negative feedback from our downloaders and we can't have you not having access to the tunes!! Please let me know if these guys are better/worse/same etc.

SoulNRnB up next and I'm back with another Soul/Rare Groove niceness.

Grizz

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=U44638P1

Tracklist in comments

SoulNRnB's Street Sounds Sessions 53 SPECIAL

Bit of a left field one for you all this week. Been a moment now since Miss Winhouse's passing and weve already noted her talent elsewhere, but this upfront mix is in her honour and whilst including a remix of one of her tunes, includes tracks that are influenced by her music, or would have definately got her seal of approval.

From the Jazzy vocals of Brandee Younger, the retro sound of Avery sunshine, the bluesy organic tune from Trombone Shorty, to the straight ahead soul of Soul T and Sarah Belladae.

If your a fan of Amy's music, we're here to show you that the spirit that was found in it is still alive in other artists.

This edition of our upfront series of mixes is dedicated to our cover star and evokes the spirit and influence in her music.

Grizz back in the new week, and I will have the first of many TOP 10's to share with you in 7 days.

SoulNRnB's Street Sounds Sessions Volume 53

Street Sounds Sessions MEGA PACK (March - June Volumes 35 - 44)

With all the Rapidshare deletions, alot of this years Street Sounds sessions have gone AWOL. So I have put this MEGA PACK of the mixes from March to June this year for you to catch up or cop the mixes you may have missed out on.

Again; I'm not gonna force you to download this, but you'll be missinng out on some of the best music released so far this year!

Tracklists for all mixes included in the download and are on the blog under the individual headings. See you at the end of the week for a special Street Sounds mix.

SoulNRnB's Street Sounds Sessions 35 - 44 MEGA PACK

DJ Grizz- 60's Soul Vol.11

Here we go with another 10 stomping tunes from the roots of Soul Music. Something for all you deep soul fans, Northern dancers and scooter guys alike. Still sounds good almost 50 years later!

Tracks from The Vibrations, Richard Parker, our cover boys -The Isley Brothers, and a 60's tune from a 70's and 80's soulstress Barbara Mason.

Have a good week and I'll catch you next Monday.

Grizz

https://rapidshare.com/files/528145721/60s11.mp3

Tracklist in comments

SoulNRnB's Street Sounds Sessions Volume 52

Another hit of Upfront niceness;

Beatchild's group Art of Fresh - An absolute smash, and one of my fave's of the year, from Jazmine Sullivan whose channelling Betty Wright - More new music from Anthony Hamilton - Some great stuff from Soulpersona - Great new UK find Sarah Fonteyne plus the soulful sounds of Saidah Baba Talibah and more.

Hope your enjoying these mixes and your exploring some of the new artists out there.

Grizz back next week with some 60's for you.

SoulNRnB's Street Sounds Sessions Volume 52

DJ Grizz- Soul Niceness 25

Back with my 25th installment of those hard to find rare groove and soul cuts!

The mix includes Willie Walker, The Fatback Band, a lesser known Supremes track and an 80's duet from Bobby Womack and Japanese soulstress June Yamagishi plus more quality than you can shake a stick at. All free and mixed with TLC here at the Soul Mixtape!

Back in a 60's/Northern Soul groove next week after SoulNRnB of course.

Grizz

https://rapidshare.com/files/1975462545/nice25.mp3

Tracklist in comments

SoulNRnB's Great Producers 15 - Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers

 

With a sound of thier own, coming out of the "Disco" 70's era, came Nile Rogers and Bernard Edwards of Chic fame. So successfull was the sound they created that every artist of the time had to have a "Chic" tune, from Blondie to Diana Ross, even forming the instrumentation to the Sugarhill Gang's "Rappers Delight" with the tune "Good Times".

Here we are concentrating on thier more soulful side, including a few tunes that didnt see the light of day at the time.

With an individual sound, these two talents (Bernard Edwards sadly no longer with us) need to be inducted into my Great Producers list, if only for the fact that they gave me one of my favorite music stories.

Back in the 70's, when they were unknown, the guys were waiting in line to enter Studio 54, the famous club of the era. When they got to the front of the queue, they were told by the bouncers that they couldn't enter. They responded by shouting "Aaaaaaaahhhhh  F**K OFF!" which later morphed into the line "Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh FREAK OUT" from the Chic tune.


SoulNRnB's Great Producers 15

MEGA DOWNLOAD: The Soul Mixtape Volume 1-5 Pack

Where it all started. The Soul Mixtape. 5 volumes. 1 Pack.

I'm not going to try and convince you to download this. But if you love your Soul, Funk, Jazz, Hip Hop, Jazz-Funk, Soulful House........ahhhh just get this.

Tracklists are up on the site on the individual posts.

The Soul Mixtape Vol. 1 - 5

DJ Grizz- Reggae Versions Return

Good morning blog fans! Summers finally arrived in London so I couldn't let the recent version excursion frenzy pass without a visit to my Lovers Rock and Rocksteady crates for some reggae versions of old much loved tunes.

Jennifer Lara and Barry Biggs both cover 80's soul anthems, Paulette Tajah does Billy Paul, and we have Trevor Sparks' take on Jefferey Osborne plus many more soul n pop, reggae style versions.

Finally a 'big up' to the guys who organised a free family music festival in my local London park yesterday. They had old school soul bands like Heatwave and Odyssey on the bill and was a bit surreal 2 stepping along to 'Don't tell me, tell her' not half a mile from my front door but most enjoyable!

SoulNRnB up next and I'll be back with more rare groove niceness.

Grizz

https://rapidshare.com/files/3468076638/reggaeversret.mp3

Tracklist in comments