Beverley Knight ‘Affirmation’ (Parlophone)

Our Bev’s dropped another fine album. You know that the songs are going to be strong, with some depth, and that she doesn’t hold back those vocals, if she doesn’t have to. The surprise though is that she’s come back riding a rock-ish tune, ‘Come As You Are’. The guitars even sound like it’s provided by the Stones’ Keith Richards! But fear not, Bev’s not gone totally rocky.  ‘Not Too Late For Love’, ‘No One Ever Loves In Vain’, and ‘Salvador’ are some of the cuts to please soul heads. She bops on the funky ‘Supersonic’, which has a rhythmic style that seems like it came from Prince’s song book. Love it.

Various Artists ‘British Hustle’ (Soul Jazz)

The mid-‘70s was when British black music began to really come into its own. Particularly with the Brit-funk sound. If you lived it, or you’re a fan, then this compo serves a veritable treat. Because many of the essential tracks are here. This is a mixture of club and chart hits. Opens with Hi-Tension’s ‘British Hustle’, there’s Atmosfear’s ‘Dancing In Outer Space’, Beggars & Co.’s ‘Somebody Help Me Out’, Freeze’s ‘Southern Comfort’ and Light Of The World’s magnificent ‘London Town’ Essential buts by the likes of FBI, Gozalez, Heatwaveand Olympic Runners are also represented. We need a volume two to cover stuff like Linx’s ‘You’re Lying’! 

Kool & The Gang ‘The Hits: Reloaded’ (Virgin)

The idea’s to get contemporary artist to ride a Kool & The Gang track. Somehow they’ve all pulled it off – it does work. The artists’ different flavours add something to the classic orginals. Stand outs include Ashanti’s ‘Cherish’, Beverley Knight attacks ‘Steppin’ Out’, Youssou N’Dour and Lauryn Hill take ‘Summer Madness’ somewhere else. Includes contributions from the likes of Big Brovaz, Sean Paul, Jamiroquai, and Blackstreet wring out the soulful ballad ‘No Show’. Worth investigating.

Soulnaturals ‘Sweet Communication’ (Fighting Chance)

A little known Brit soul band with a lot of talent that deserve better recognition. You only have to listen to the first track, ‘Lead Me To the Water’ – oh, the beauty of the rich strings and the adorable female singer – one listen and you out to be hooked! The track that follows funks up the elements just a little bit more. The songs benefit from the adept fusion of programmed with live musicianship. ‘Building On A Bad Foundation’ makes a solid comment, and it’s also primed to rock any dancefloor.

Various Artists ‘Inside Scandinavia’ (Raw Fusion)

Pining for some contemporary jazz? Well this Scandinavian compo should help. There are fine vocals, cool piano melodies, and groovy drums. There’s hip-hop, jazz funk, bossa nova, electronica, and samba!

The 411 ‘The 411’ (Sony)

This Brit girl R&B group look certain to blow up because they’ve simply got all bases well covered. ‘On My Knees’ is simply one of the finest R&B tracks around. A perfect blend of old school soul with modern, hip-hop tipped R&B. Thankfully, they’ve got other happening cuts to sustain their career. They are sassy and pull it. Their lyrics are more than fluff. The girls are going to love the soul/R&Ber ‘No Excuses’, which features Lemar. Ditto ‘My Friend’, a rocking tune highlighting domestic violence. These girls are comparable to any of the best Yankie girl groups.

Roy Davis Jr ‘Water For Thirsty Children’ (Nice + Smooth)

Roy Davis, known outside the club scene for his crossover hit ‘Gabrielle’, delivers an enjoyable jazzy-vibed album. The title track, blessed with a riffing soprano sax, is a mellow mid-tempo with some pointed socio-tipped rhymes. Though predominantly a mellow mood album, ‘How Will You Know’ and ‘Soldiers Listen’ are house tracks built on thumping rhythms.

The X-Ecutioners ‘Revolutions’ (Epic)

The X continue to uphold turntablism and the spirit of hip-hop. The Dead Prez, one of the featured artists, hype up on their track ‘Sucka Think’. The X display some cool scratching on the ‘The Truth’, featuring Fat Joe. The likes of Ghostface Killah, Black Thought help maintain the old hip-hop vibe going.

Van Hunt. Van Hunt (Capitol)

From the first blast of the lead off track, ‘Dust’ with lilting funk-rock sensibilities, Hunt impresses with his neo-soul style. It has an irresistible groove and Hunt’s voice charms without even though it’s quite well within the mix. ‘Sounds Of Please’ is a sensuous, soulful ballad on which Hunt’s mellow vocals echoes of Maxwell and Mayfield. This could be a staple of connoisseur soul sets. However, the radio-friendly ballad ‘What Can I Say (For Millicent)’ jumps out, and is destined to be a pop hit, should it be released. The funkster ‘Highlights’ has similar potential. With other tunes covering the quiet-storm and that Stevie-echoing funkster ‘Her December’, Van Hunt’s a name to look out for in 2004.

Siji ‘God-Given’ (BBE)

If you’re looking to discover a neo-soul artist or if you’re feeling withdrawal symptoms while you wait for new material from D’Angelo or Maxwell, then Siji is capable of filling the gap. He has an impressive soulful voice, sometimes echoing of Al Green. His music is now, but has old school sensibilities. The songs are quite strong and varied in style. It’s the type of album you can leabe to play all the way through and still enjoy it. Though I must say the mellow ‘Bittersweet’ is quite a fave, as is the uptempo ‘Running Away’. Siji draws on his Nigerian roots, lby using elements like the talking drum.

Various Artists ‘Bad Boy’s 10^th Anniversary … The Hits’ (Bad Boy)

This is not choc-a-bloc with the obvious hits. Maybe for contractual reasons Puffy couldn’t represent more of his hits here. Biggie saves this with compo – he features on six of the sixteen tracks. These include ’Hypnotize’. There’s however, ‘I’ll Be Missing You’, ‘Flava In Ya Ear’, ‘I Need A Girl’, and a remix of 112’s massive ‘Only You’, featuring Mase and Biggie. A fair commemorative offering, which warrants its Parental Advisory sticker.

Various Artists (Half Tooth)

The names – Kenn Starr, J-Live, Oddisee, Dash, etc may not be well known on these short, but that shouldn’t detract from the fact that they drop solid hip-hop. With UK distributors Units and Studio in place, hopefully this should start creating a bit of buzz. Language excepted, all the joints have the power to interest most heads.. Oddisee’s ‘Brother’ uses a cool, funk groove to deliver its brotherly singalong  rhymes. Love the simple, but effective rhythms too,

George Benson ‘Irreplaceable’ (GRP)

I feel this album would well place George at the same place when hits like ‘Give Me The Night’ had him appealing to the jazz, soul and disco market. George equally appeals to all those demographics with the material here. From the kicker. ‘Six Play’,George’s sings as well as makes this guitar sing too. The grooves of ‘Whole Man’, for example, should appeal to a younger R&B audience. Ditto ‘Cell Phone’. ‘Reason For Breathing’ is one of the stand outs here.

Phyllis Hyman. In Between The Heartbreaks: The Soul Of A Diva (Expansion)

If you’re into this late R&B and soul-jazz singer, then you’re bound to like this. First of all, there are five pleasant previously unreleased tracks, including the gorgeous R&B/soulster ‘Hottest Love Around’ and a phat b-lined, disco-ey version of ‘Don’t Tell Me, Tell Her’. Groover Washington’s sax blesses the mid-tempo ‘Sacred Kind Of Love’. Collaborations with McCoy Tyner, Jon Lucien, Pharoah Saunders and Norman Connors, add jazzy elements to this impressive singer’s soul.

Various Artists ‘Blaze: Found Love’ (Slip N Slide)

First off, let me admit my ignorance. I sat in the DJ booth of New York’s Shelter Club waiting to interview Louie Vega, and I did not realise that his DJing partner was Kevin Hedge, one half of the Blaze act and production team. Anyway for those that know, Blaze create uplifting house and garage, which abounds here. Like Ritmo De Rua’s gorgeous intrumental ‘Universal Love’, Louie Vega featuring Blaze’s uplifting ‘Brand New Day’, or Ambrosia’s ‘That’s How Much I Love You’.This must be left to play continuously to work its magic.

Brenda Russell. Between The Sun And The Moon (Dome)

Recorded in California, and in London with the likes of producers Bluey, VRS and Simon Law, it’s a rather patchy affair. Too many ordinary songs and different styles and moods, plus her cover of ‘Tracks Of My Tears’ probably shouldn’t have been added this album, unlike the delicious soul-jazzer ‘It’s A Jazz Day’, which is from her last album. The sparse Latin and African tinged title track sits incongruously between the fuller tracks. The strong tracks are the soulful mid-tempo ‘I Know You By Heart’, ‘Ain’t No Smoke’, and the dancey R&Ber ‘You Know Our Day Will Come’.

Hot Chocolate ‘The Essential Collection’ (EMI Gold)

OK, there’s nothing new here. You already know the hits, but if you want a handy package, then this double-CD should suffice. It’s all here, like ‘You Sexy Thing’, ‘Brother Louie’, ‘It started With A Kiss’, ‘You Could Have Been A Lady’, ‘Disco Queen’, etc, etc.

Tajai ‘Power Movement’ (promo)

The Oakland, Calif rhymester formally of Souls Of Michief, drops a straight up rap album which most heads ought to get into. The production’s clean and mostly uncluttered. Tajai seems capable of rhyming over different grooves, like the bumping warning ‘Do Not Touch’. He drops pure science on ‘Scientifically Speaking’ in a tone evocative of Gary ‘The Crown’ Byrd. ‘Quality, Equality’ is the surefire head-nodder, but  ‘Dedication’ is a critique and the most hip-hoppiest and funkiest cut here. A female chorus adds nicely.

Mario Winans ‘Hurt No More’ (Bad Boy)

Despite his pedigree, Winans isn’t as good a singer as he is a producer. Many of the songs are pedestrian. Some of those that jump out do so because they interpolate or sample well known sounds. Like is Enya-vibed massive single ‘I Don’t Wanna Know’ and ‘Never Really Was’, which uses Madonna’s ‘Papa Don’t Preach’ string section. I guess the charm here is that Mario is happy to play the vulnerable male.

Will Downing ‘Emotions’ (GRP)

This album ought to re-unite Will with many of his lost fans. Simply because it’s a consummate offering, as if one expected anything less, which however cleverly straddles between smooth jazz and R&B/soul. It’s definitely an emotional album, which starts with a gorgeous soulful ballad ‘A Million Ways’. It also has some fine covers. Like ‘Hey There Lonely Girl’ and ‘Daydreaming’, which Will manages to make his own. Will cleverly hasn’t tried to be too modern or youth orientated.

Various Artists. Black & Proud: The Soul Of The Black Panther Era Vol. 1 & Vol. 2 (Trikont)

The songs here mainly reflect African-America’s  pain, injustice, hope, and resolve to rise above their disadvantaged circumstances. The first volume opens with Sam Dee’s very emotive ‘Heritage Of A Black Man’, which chronicles the sad lot meted out to the African-American. Two of rap’s pioneers, Lost Poets and Gil Scott-Heron, succinctly  highlight on ‘Panther’ and the seminal ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, respectively, social issues which few of today’s rappers come close to. Miriam & Mbongi Makeba and the Staple Singers uplift with their offering. The second volume opens with Syl Johnson’s beautiful downtempo soul tune, which with its attractive strings belie the serious lyrical topic of the tune: ‘I’m Talking’ Bout Freedom’. Scott-Heron lambastes the system on ‘Who’ll Pay Reparations On My Soul?’. Marlena Shaw’s cover of I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)’ is upbeat, and almost celebratory with an ironic twist. Last Poets featuring Chuck D provide an engaging and self-empowering reflection on ‘Down To Now’, which youngs heads ought to be hearing. Asian Dub Foundation have Tupac’s mum Assata Shakur explaining her philosophy and dreams on the hip-hop/drum&bass/dub joint ‘Reluctant Warrior’. The likes of James Brown, Marvin Gaye and the Main Ingredient are joined by reggae artists Derrick Harriott and Earl 16. Deserves wider hearing.

IDMC. Live And Phaat (IDMC)

This British gospel act, whose name stand for Individuals Dedicated to the Ministry of Christ, recorded this CD/DVD package in my church – Ealing Christian Centre. Seeing that I missed the concert to mark their tenth year, I can now catch up. If it’s praise songs you want, they’ve got it covered with songs like ‘Sacrifice Of Praise’ and ‘Victorius’, on which the voices of the choir are allowed to shine. ‘It Will Be Alright’ is a bumping mid-tempo R&B-flavoured tune, which exhorts upliftment, no matter how bad the situations we find ourselves in. Watchman joins on the reggae tune ‘Trust The Love’, which is blessed with some delicious brass and choir.

Marlon Saunders. Enter My Mind (Soul Brother)

Hmm, I love it.. Although new, it has that old school independent soul vibe. Saunders has a voice that ought to charm anyone. Listening to the funky ‘Keep Doin’ What You Do’ he sounds like a cross between D’Angelo and Mehelle Ndegeocello! The ladies are going to love mellow cuts like ‘Coolin’’ This is an underground soul album worth discovering.

Shirley J Thompson/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra ‘New Nation Rising: 21^st Century Symphony (RPO)

You don’t have to understand classical music to appreciate this. Whilst there’s lots of strings and moods to absorb one, Shirley brings some of her black background to bear on her symphonic compositions. ‘New Nation Rising’ incorporates rap, for example, and it’s got a funky rhythm!

Vast Aire ‘Look Mum … No Hands’ (Chocolate Ind)

This promo version with a ‘you’re listening to Vast Aire solo debut …’ audio spoiler turns this into a sort of a mix CD. This rhymer has a good way of turning out rhymes over the mostly, uncluttered jazzy grooves. Madlib’s productions add some really jazzy soundscapes.

FYA ‘For Your Attention’ (Def Jam UK)

I  had this threesome from High Wycombe are a dancehall-hip-hop act, based on their earlier tracks like ‘Boops’. However on the evidence here, they more into dancehall. Their bumping recent hit, ‘Must Be Love’, just jumps. It’s just beckons one to move! ’10 Out Of 10’, is a girl-tipped song which also craves for attention. ‘Shack it Out’ adds a bit of singing before the girls getting into their MCing.  The girls can really sing, as they ably demonstrate on the R&B-dancehall combination. 

Various Artists ‘The Sisters Of Soul’ (Sanctuary)

This compo is definitely one especially for the ladies, as the songs by female artists cover love, relationship problems and various levels of drama in between. The compo has a few well known names here, but not theirs well-known hits. Aretha Franklin opens and closes the set with her pre-Altantic material. There are cuts by Candi Staton, Freda Payne, Kinda Jones, Shirley Brown, Brenda Holloway, and PP Arnold. Laura Lee discovers ‘Her Picture Matches Mine’. Thelma Jones has been shedding ‘Salty Tears’, and Thelma Jones decides  ‘I’d Rather Leave While I’m In Love’. Hmmm.

Rahsaan Patterson. ‘After Hours’ (Dome)

Now on an indie, the vocals and music are just as charming, and should please his fans. Though he’s got some good song, the charmer her is really Rahsaan’s vocals and arrangements. This is an enjoyable soul/r&ber. Though he tends to stay on the downlow tempo, he can rock it. Like the rightly titled ‘So Hot’, that’s a right old funky offering. Enjoyable.

Various Artists ‘Disco Divas And soulful Sista Flavas’ (Salsoul)

The sisters do a great job riding the disco rhythms. Loleatta Holloway opens powerfully with ‘That’s What You Said’. I could have had ‘More’ of Carol Williams’ upbeat Philly-sounding dancer. Jocelyn Brown’s vocals simply dominates Inner Life’s ‘Let’s Go another Round’. It takes First Choice to bring down the tempo with ‘You Can’t Take It With You’. Carol Williams adds a lvely soulful vibe on ‘My Time Of Me’.

Various Artists ‘Sock It To ‘Em Soul’ (WSM)

Culled from the Stax and Warner/Atlantic group of labels’ ‘60s catalogue, the tracks are top heavy with club favourites, instead of crossover hits. Joe Tex rocks as he asks to ‘Show Me’ a good woman. There’s Aretha Franklin’s biggie ‘Save Me’. Oh what a tune and singer! Eddie Floyd’s ‘Things Get Better’ is still an engaging celebratory song. About the R&B and soul cuts, is Miriam Makeba’s massive ‘Pata Pata’!

Leroy Hutson ‘Leroy Hutson’ (Soul Brother)

Culled from his mid-70s Curtom catalogue, this demonstrates the qualities some of today’s neo-soul artists try to emulate. Let yourself get lost among the sumptuous string sounds. However, you’re unlikely to doze off because despite what’s happening on top, there’re usually some upbeats. You can however find respite in the impressive, quiet-storm jazzy instrumental ‘Cool Out’. This contains the original rare groove classic ‘Lucky Fellow’, much popularised by McKoy.

Various Artists. Soul Anthology (EMI Gold)

This is a curious compilation. CD1 contains real, old school soul. Several of the well-known names aren’t singing their crossover tunes. Bobby Womack sets the standard with a soulful opener. Tina & Ike Turner rock a Motown classic. Includes Inez and Charlie Foxx’s hit ‘Mockingbird’. A big surprise is Labi Siffre sounding amazingly groovy on ‘The Vulture’. Another Brit, Maxine Nightingale, provides the only big crossover with ‘Love Hit Me’. CD2 has more Brits and hits from the recent past. Eternal’s ‘Stay’ still sounds great. There’s stuff from David Grant & Jaki Graham, Shara Nelson, Kenny Thomas, Soul II Soul, a blinder from Mica Paris, plus D’Angelo, Maze and Freddie Jackson. The most charming discovery is a soul blinder from pre-PIR Three Degrees.

Asher D. Street Sibling (Indepediente)

So Solid’s MC is definitely going to surprise a lot of people with this debut album. His rhyming style’s cool and his rhymes aren’t bad. He employs funk-based grooves and R&B collabos, which extend his fanbase well beyond garage and hip-hop. He keeps the underground sorted with tracks like ‘Solid Roc’, which is a rap collabo with the Roc-A-Fella crew. Crossover-wise, there’s ‘Give It Up’, which is built on a firm funk bed and has a soulful contributions from a Sugababe; and ‘There For You’, which is one of the strongest tracks. Musically, it’s blessed with soulful tones, whilst the babyfather lyrics are inspirational. Another conscious jam is Timbaland-like grooved ‘The Message’. Thankfully, his rhymes aren’t all about his time in prison.

Westwood ‘The Jump Off’ (Def Jam UK)

This is a no-brainer. Because this double-CD has many of the recent hip-hop hits, street-ruling cuts, and specials from the likes of 50, Kayne West, Chingy, Fabolous, Ja Rule, Ludacris, DMX, Iceberg Grimm and dancehall artists like General Degree, Beenie Man, Babycham, Kevin Lyttle, and Mr Vegas.

Various Artists ‘New york Soul: A Bite Of Soul From The Big Apple’ (Unisex)

The regional compo covers the music from the Big Apple, which starts well with the delicious Amel Larrieux’s funkister ‘All I Got 2’. It’s simply a brilliant track. The equally adorable vocalist Angela Johnson features with DJ Spinna and also her group Cooly’s Hot Box, who bosaa nova-tipped ‘Over And Over’ is a delight, as is McKay’s funkster ‘Thinking Of You’. There’s leftfield, jazzy, neo-soul, and hip-hop  by the likes of Marlon Saunders, Angie Stone and Pete Rock. Includes ‘Take Me Home’ by the very soulful Sarah Devine. Worth checking out.

Kenny Dope ‘Life:Styles’ (Harmless)

What a combination this one half of Masters Of Works weaves! He goes from  heavy rockers Black Sabbath, through to Ellen McIwaine’s percussion-driven Latin dancer, the trippy Doris, to the jazz-funkster James Marques, to funksters BT Express. However the real discovery here is the mellow, and atmospheric Jackson Five quiet-stormer ‘I Am Love’. It’s worth getting this just to hear the young Michael Jackson singing so soulfully!

Tamia ‘More’ (Elektra)

Tamia finally gets her ghetto pass with this album. She’s rolling on one of the funkiest R&B tracks around: the Trackmasters-produced ‘On My Way’ featuring rapper Red Café. Sems like she’s trying for the younger R&B niche covered by the likes of Ashanti. Although vocally she has the capability and the music to compete with rap-laced R&B cuts like the title cut and the Fabolous-rapped ‘Into You’, I think she ought to be looking towards attracting the more mature audience with her soulful cuts like the duet with Gerald Levert’, or the impressive ‘Whispers’, ‘Officially Missing You’ and  ‘Smile’.

Planet Asia ‘The Grand Opening’ (Avatar)

One half of Cali’s Agents, this rapper seems like he’s got his head in the underground, rather than in the pop area. His rap style is on point and easily decipherable. His rhymes are ghetto-centric and he has bumping grooves. One of the most bumping grooves is ‘It’s A Big’, which sounds like something from the Neptunes’ sound lab. Cedric Davis adds some cool R&B vocals to ‘Hypnotized’, and he adds dancehall reggae to the hard ‘Swallow Them Whole’.

Various Artists ‘Disco Connections 2: Authentic Classic Disco 1974-1981’ (WSM)

The sub-title’s pretty on the money. Swirling strings, popping bass grooves, huge brass sections, and rocking back beats that epitomise disco can be found in opener Ashford & Simpson’s very funky instrmemental ‘Bougie Bougie’. Flautist Herbie Mann rides an equally irresistibly funky jazz-funk track ‘Hi-Jack’. Includes cuts from Mass Production, Gino Soccio, Chaka Khan, and crossover hits by Chic, Sister Sledge, and the Trammps. It’s the real deal.

Infinite Livez ‘Bush Meat’ (Big Dada)

British rap has so much stacked against it. Infinite Livez seems to have resolved to overcome the problems by highlighting, if not exaggerate, his English accent. He also offers a big dose of humour to disengage possible detractors. Think of the Streets, but only somewhat harder and more black. So if you’ve got a sense of humour, this could very well be up your street. What ‘UK Krap’ lacks in words is more than made up for with the silly, but catchy, noises. They get serious with their socio-tipped rhymes on ‘Tek Fi Jake’.

Various Artists ‘The Sound Of Smoove’ (Ministry)

Another double-CD. However, this sets itself apart because its mixer Shortee Blitz has concentrated on R&B and hip-hop on CD1 with tracks from R Kelly, Ashanti, Missy, LL, Ty, Jay-Z, and Redman. CD2 contains track by Elephant Man, Wayne wonder, Mr Vegas, TOK, Wayne Wonder, and Suncycle.

Tavares ‘Anthology’ (EMI)