Lee Fields & The Expressions – My World/Love Comes And Goes
(Truth & Soul) US 7”
From the forthcoming album ‘The Many Moods Of’ comes two great soul sides. Lee Fields has often been compared to James Brown over his lengthy recording career (almost forty years) but on the string laced, funky mid-tempo cut ‘My World’ he sounds closer to Bobby Womack on ‘Woman’s Gotta Have It’. On the flip side is the solid ballad ‘Love Comes And Goes’. Pure soul power!        
www.myspace.com/leefieldsandthesoulproviders
www.myspace.com/truthandsoulrecords
www.truthandsoulrecords.com

Mark Grant feat Russoul – Guessing Again (Sub-Urban) US 12”
It’s been a few years since we’ve heard anything from Tommy Musto’s Sub-Urban label but it’s back with a vengeance with this superior slice of soulful house. Included are the Soul Bounce Vocal and Yass remixes but it’s the original that really hits the spot, an uplifting future anthem with seriously infectious vocals from Russoul. If this doesn’t get you shaking your ass then check your pulse!
www.myspace.com/markgrant  

Ashley Thomas – Kept On Runnin’ EP (Counterpoint) UK 12”
This is Ashley Thomas’ debut release and what a release it is! Across four tracks he displays his vocal prowess which is particularly effective on the explosive ‘Kept On Runnin’’ and ‘Bop Bop’, two outstanding broken-soul excursions which combine digital with live instrumentation for some serious dance floor bounce. Not to be overlooked though is ‘Something’s Got To Give’, a gorgeous bossa flavoured outing.     
www.myspace.com/ashleythomasuk
www.ashleythomas.co.uk
www.myspace.com/counterpointrecords
www.counterpoitrecords.co.uk

Los Charly’s Orchestra – Jazz, Funk & Broken Beats/Disconsolidation (Imagenes) UK 12”
Los Charly’s Orchestra is an interchangeable collective with Juan Laya and Jorge Montiel at its core. As the title suggests ‘Jazz, Funk & Broken Beats’ effortlessly draws together elements of jazz, funk and broken-beat with a tough bass line and Rhodes and trumpet touches giving it that real organic edge. Xantone Blacq is drafted in to add some tasty ‘can you feel it’ vocal hooks towards the end. The flip side ‘Disconsolidation’ is equally impressive, a full on strings ‘n’ things disco instrumental with spacey keys and plenty of percussion.   
www.loscharlysorquesta
www.myspace.com/imagenes
www.imagenes.co.uk

Ignition – Secret Sunday Lover (Love Is War Music) UK 12”
With a number of electro-disco tracks under their belt the London based duo return with their finest moment to date. The SSL Original Radio Edit of ‘Secret Sunday Lover’ is an essential feel good disco-boogie bomb which you’d swear was recorded in 1982 by some British jazz-funk band. Also included is the Greg Wilson Edit which omits the vocals and extends the intro to epic proportions resulting in a much deeper groove.
www.myspace.com/ignitiontheband
www.myspace.com/loveiswarmusic
www.loveiswarmusic.com

Spengler – Beautiful/Justify (Bermuda Triangle) UK 12”
After making positive inroads earlier this year with ‘Good Things’ featured on Tru Thoughts’ ‘Shapes 07.01’ compilation, Spengler are back with another winner in the shape of ‘Beautiful’. Released on their own Bermuda Triangle label this is a stunning mid-tempo soul outing underpinned by jazzy trumpet and hand-claps. The result is a perfect summer tune. The Surra remix adds a tougher broken rhythm and then there’s also ‘Justify’ which follows in the footsteps of the aforementioned ‘Good Things’. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait too long for an album from these guys.    
www.myspace.com/spenglermusic
www.myspace.com/bermudatrianglerecords

Wahoo – I’m Your Lover/Don’t Take It Personal (Fine) UK 12”
Georg Levin and Steffan ‘Dixon’ Berkhahn together as Wahoo drop an awesome soulful house chugger that is ‘Don’t Take It Personal’ (Georg Levin Edit). From the heavy rolling drums and bass of the intro it steadily builds throwing chimes, horns, strings and guitar licks into the equation to create one hell of a catchy groove for vocalist Paul Randolph to do his thing. Pure brilliance! Oh yeah there’s also ‘I’m Your Lover’ but compared to ‘Don’t Take It Personal’ it’s not even in the same league.   
www.myspace.com/wahooberlin
www.finerec.co.uk

Monassa – Watercircles/Sargasso (Up My Alley) German 12”
Brixton born, Berlin resident Graham Stark AKA Monassa takes influence from a variety of sources fusing electronic and acoustic sounds to create a unique style of his own. On both ‘Watercircles’ and ‘Sargasso’ I can hear elements of soul, funk, jazz, broken-beat, hip hop and Detroit techo and on the former it all comes together in an immaculate fashion. From the gentle live drums and keys of the intro he gradually adds layer upon layer introducing a heavy double bass line, crashing drums, jangling key chords and subtle sax touches so before you know it he’s built it and you up so much you’re ready for lift off. One not to be missed!      
www.myspace.com/monassa
www.myspace.com/upmyalley
www.upmyalley.net

Sandboy & Nanar – Night Song (Hinterland) German 12”
Former Break Reform vocalist Nanar possesses one of the most enchanted voices in the business so this collaboration with one of my favorite producers Sandboy was always going to be a winning formula. The original mix of ‘Night Song’ starts in a mellow tone with what sounds like an African thumb piano being gently plucked allowing Nanar’s vocals to wash over you before further percussion and horns are added to produce an ethereal soundscape. The J.J. Webster Remix gives it a mid-tempo soul twist adding strings and harp for that Charles Stepney kind of feel whist Osunlade’s Yoruba Soul Mix takes it into house territory like only he can.    
www.myspace.com/tobiasmeggle
www.myspace.com/nanarvorperian
www.hinterland-records.com

Andre Zimma – The Calm EP (Swedish Brandy) Swedish 12”
Andre Zimma is DJ Honesty (Hans Schaaf) and Daniel Paul AKA Slope. This their second release as Andre Zimma includes the superior peak-time boogie-house cut ‘Hope Is On The Way’ featuring the uplifting vocals of Terry Lovique. Not quite as instant but just as compelling in my opinion is the Jane Hamilton fronted ‘Take It ‘N’ Make It’, an intense broken-boogie offering which should see the jazz dancers throwing some shapes.        
www.myspace.com/slopede
www.swedishbrandy.com

Soil & Pimp Sessions – Pimpoint (Brownswood) UK CD
Released on Victor Records in Japan earlier this year, Soil & Pimp Sessions’ ‘Pimpoint’ now gets a UK issue via Gilles Peterson’s Brownswood label. There are no real surprises here just the kind of quality furious horn driven jazz we’ve come to expect from this sextet. Their version of Freddie Hubbard’s ‘Red Clay’ is certainly one of the highlights but check ‘Makuroke’ with its twisted cosmic keys making it sound like a 70s cop show theme and the feel-good funk of ‘Funky Goldman’. Also included as a bonus track is the brilliant ‘Sahara’ from their ‘Pimp Of The Year’ set. Look out for the track on 12” with a remix from Zed Bias.
www.myspace.com/soilandpimpsessions
www.myspace.com/brownswoodrecordings

Cro-Magnon – Great Triangle (Lastrum/Jazzy Sport) Japanese CD
Cro-Magnon’s ‘Great Triangle’ continues the cosmic disco vibe established on their self titled debut album but touches on other elements along the way to create a far stronger set throughout. The fusion/boogie gems such as ‘La Fusion’ and ‘New Horizon’, the down-tempo ‘Eclipse’ with its rock steady bass line, the Acid House influenced ‘Take Me Higher’ and the Balearic ‘Keep Me Satisfied’ all sound good to these ears. Even better though is the monster jazz-funk workout ‘Chase After The Storm’ which features Soil & Pimp Sessions’ Tabu Zombie and Motoharu on trumpet and sax respectively. Think Lonnie Liston Smith’s ‘Expansions’ and you won’t be far off the mark!   
www.myspace.com/cromagnonmusic
www.myspace.com/jazzysport      
www.jazzysport.com