Sweetback feat. Maxwell - Softly Softly [Epic 1996]

Sweetback are a jazz/funk band with R&B overtones, made up of Stuart Matthewman (guitar, saxophone) Paul Spencer Denman (bass) and Andrew Hale (piano, keyboards). They have been recording with female vocalist Sade Adu since 1984, and trio formed Sweetback in 1994 at the end of Sade's Love Deluxe world tour. Their albums feature a host of guest vocalists such as Leroy Osbourne, Amel Larrieux, Aya (Lysa Aya Trenier), Bahamadia, Chocolate Genius, El Debarge and Maxwell, who features on lead vocals on this track, Softly Softly which was released on the album Sweetback in 1996.

Seduction - Heartbeat (The Clivilles & Cole Club Mix) [A&M/Vendetta 1990]

Seduction was a female dance music trio from New York assembled and produced by David Cole & Robert Clivillés (later of C+C Music Factory fame), consisting of members April Harris, Michelle, and Idalis DeLeon.
Originally intended as a studio project, and prior to any assemblage of the aforementioned trio, the first track produced, "Seduction" (later renamed "Seduction's Theme"), featured vocals by Carol Cooper, and was released to dance clubs. Against its producers' expectations, it ended up becoming a hit. Envisioning a potential hit phenomenon, Cole and Clivillés set to the task of assembling a group of girls who displayed talent, sex appeal, and multiformat potential. Visage, DeLeon and Harris were chosen and assembled for the recording of the album Nothing Matters Without Love and subsequent singles. Their biggest hit came in early 1990 with "Two to Make It Right", a No. 2 pop hit. In mid-1990 DeLeon left the group and was replaced by Sinoa Loren. After a pair of hits with this line-up, the group disbanded in 1991.
Heartbeat was originally recorded in 1981 by Taana Gardner. It was arranged by Dennis Weeden and Kenton Nix, and released by West End Records, with the more famous club mix created by Larry Levan. It reached US Billboard R&B at no.10, US Billboard Dance charts at no.6.
In 1990, Seduction recorded the song which peaked at number two on the dance charts. This version also peaked at no.21 on the soul chart and number thirteen on the Billboard Hot 100.

- FVHK5K

The Doggett Brothers feat. Sulene Fleming, Jazz Café, 9th March 2013

I don't get out to live gigs anywhere near as much as I should, but the last few I have attended have by pure chance managed to involve Sulene Fleming in some way. After seeing her strut round the stage at the 100 club last November in a manner that would make Tina Turner salute, I had the privilege of seeing her perform once again, this time at the Jazz Café, fronting The Doggett Brothers as part of the launch of their new album, Daylight.

If you're not familiar with the Doggett Brothers, they are Greg Doggett on lead guitar, Carl Doggett on drums, Benjamin Race on bass, and Andrew Nimmo on keyboard, sax and clarinet. James Junior and Sharn Adela were on backing vocals.

They're not quite the easiest band to pinpoint musically; they have quoted influences as diverse as Jamiroquai, Incognito, The Average White Band, Roy Ayers and Prince. It certainly showed too; their mostly album-based set was a gentle mix of guitar-based jazzy soul with tracks like That's The Way Love Is, Reminds Me Of You, Daylight and Tokyo also showing a distinct Brand New Heavies influence, a big compliment coming from someone who is a die-hard Heavies fan.

Thats not to pigeon-hole them though; It's Complicated pays more than a little homage to The Purple One in it's musical structure and vocal narrative, while Hit The Beat with it's synth melody and prowling electronic bassline would find a home on most Brit-soul LPs from the 80's with ease. They do a pretty good instrumental too; The Pass and more prominently Sin Fin show the Doggetts showcasing their musical talent, the latter track reminding me of many a uptempo Fusion composition.

Lets not forget Ms. Fleming, the reason I know about the Doggetts; a great performance, with her now-usual energy and on this occasion sounding like Chaka Khan with a dash of Alyson Williams thrown in. She was a great match for the material. If you ever get a chance to see her live do so; her vocals, while great on the album, gain an extra dimension in a live setting.

One other track performed on Saturday must be mentioned that alas isn't on the album for fairly obvious reasons; a worthy cover of the the Stevie Wonder/Susaye Greene-penned I Can't Help It (made famous by Michael Jackson on his Off The Wall album) was double-teamed by Sulene and James Junior to great effect.

A great gig; Camden's Jazz Café has always been a great place for me to discover new talent and Saturday was no exception; the Doggetts are quite the revelation, a collective talent that will go onto bigger things in the future. I recommend the album.

Here's a sampler:

C-60, C-90, See Them All

Randy & The Gypsys feat. Karyn White - Luv Thang (1989)

To anyone who's watched American Idol and wondered how Randy Jackson got a spot as a judge on the show and thought he didn't have much talent - well pull up a chair, we're gonna tell a tale of how Randy should be judged right up their with his more famous siblings.

Back in the summer of 1989, I picked up this CD on the strength of his family association and because of his track One More Chance on the Jacksons Victory album. He had deliberately chose to not use his famous surname in order to be judged on his own merits; and on that footing, he bats a 1000, as they say in baseball.

This CD proves that Randy has talent to burn, and if this CD had been better promoted, he'd be a household name. He formed a backing group called The Gypsys, consisting of himself, Pepe Tynes, Kris Kellow, Cece Worrall, Baba burns, Jara Harris, Jeff Harris, and Cornelius Mims.

The CD kicks off with the poppy sound of Perpetrators, with its high kicking, snares, and drums. Luv Thang (the track presented here) follows soon after; this was big on the airwaves in London at the time. The female vocalist is none other than Karyn White, at this point relatively unknown except for her collaborations with Jeff Lorber, but who went onto worldwide success with her own début album and the hugely successful track Superwoman.

Love You Honey follows; this could easily fit into the new jack swing category, and is one of my favourites (being a new jack swing head). You got a Lady, a funky/poppy affair, is next up to bat, and deals with Randy getting blanked by a lesbian, a fact that probably went over most peoples head when they listened to it. The Love We Almost Had is a slow ballad that plays to Randy's strengths; anyone that loves One More Chance will love this as it's in the same vein; it's quite beautiful, with haunting background vocals, over a piano base, with Randy displaying a mature vocal performance. He throws a curve ball with Gigolo, which plants it's flag firmly in the Prince-style funk camp with a great keyboard riff in the background underpinning a vocal which while it apes The Purple One himself, shows how much breadth of talent Randy had. I Can't Wait is a very nice mid tempo album track, which has a very summery feel to it, with a memorable synth string sound. I Need You is Light, sugary ballad that again, is done well, show casing Randy's strong vocal prowess. The CD closes, with Not Because Of Me, which is a full blown epic ballad, that builds, and dip, to a final musical finish.

On the strength of this album alone, Randy deserved a successful career and to be a star in his own right and not be just looked at as 'another Jackson doing music'. I personally think he was more talented than Jermaine, plus Randy was able to make his own music at the level as Prince; that sounds like over-praise, but as a diehard Prince fan, I think it's justified.

Randy remains a bit of an enigma; a great unrealised talent that could have equalled Michael's. her's hoping he'll give a recording one more chance.

- TOS