Soul 4 Real Funk | Soul 23 Items

LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Soul4Real continues to provide invaluable service to lovers of quality soul music from the 1960s and 1970s, with another carefully curated long-playing selection of incredible music from the enormous vaults of the Ertegun brothers and Jerry Wexler’s Atlantic group of labels.

Atlantic was and is still based in New York, but its repertoire came from all over the USA. In ´Here Come The Tears´ you will hear music from Detroit, Miami, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Houston, Memphis and the Big Apple itself. Most of the featured artists will need no introduction – and that’s how it should be, for they are all legends of black American music, regardless of how well they fared in the US charts. Some tracks are big-ticket items, others can be found on 45 at pocket-friendly prices. Four have never been issued on vinyl until now, including the Drifters’ long-thought-lost version of the O’Jays’ “I Dig Your Act” and Judy Clay’s thrilling take on “The Love Of My Man” – written by Ed Townsend, who also produced the splendid Dee Dee Warwick track that makes its vinyl debut here.

One thing that all these tracks have in common, regardless of their vinyl value, is that they are all priceless examples of soul music, from an era where every US state had its own sound, and every artist their own unique style. There is no reason to list highlights – every track is a highlight! There is also nothing generic or homogenised about anything you’ll hear here – it’s all coming to you straight from the heart and soul. Whether you are hearing most of these tracks for the first time or getting reacquainted with ‘old friends’, there’s more to enjoy on this one album than there is in anything currently being issued in the name of 21st century soul. For Real…

Lend us your ears – Here Come The Tears! Tony Rounce

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V.A.

Win Or Lose

29,99 €*

Unloved, Unwanted Me / Soul Deep

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Welcome to Soul4Real’s second album, a collection of originally unreleased tracks which feature a whole host of soul royalty.

First off are two songs from the inimitable Bobby Bland, both of which hail from his prolific period at Duke Records.

Sandwiched between two stunning Chicago recordings by Etta James is the later “I Never Meant To Love Him”, taken from a Philly session she recorded with Bobby Martin.

Fontella Bass brings this side to a close with a mysterious Chicago recording of which, to this day, hardly anything is known.

Side two transports us to Detroit, when Motown was at the peak of its output. 1966 was not a good year to secure the approval of quality control, as proven in the rejection of this wonderful Velvelettes´ version of “Your Heart Belongs To Me”.

It was in that same year that Ashford and Simpson arrived at Hitsville as both singers and songwriters. Their “Love Woke Me Up This Morning” was recorded by Brenda Holloway and produced by Norman Whitfield. Despite being overlooked at the time, its appeal was undeniable, and it later resurfaced on albums by Marvin & Tammi, Valerie Simpson, and the Temptations.

As an integral member of the Motown family for over 14 years, it is surprising that to date only three songs recorded by Johnny Bristol have surfaced. In collaboration with ‘Mickey’ Stevenson “Tell Me How To Forget A True Love” was completed in May 1964.

“One Lucky Day I Found You” was inexplicably not included in the ‘David’ project. Ruffin´s later work with Van McCoy is also featured on this album.

From almost the start of his career, Marvin Gaye had endeavored to project himself as a great balladeer, and nothing could illustrate this better than his rendition of “I Wish I Didn’t Love You So”, which brings this chapter to a perfect end. - Chris Forrest

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Barbara Lynn

18,99 €*

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Spooner Oldham produced six recordings by Barbara Lynn for Atlantic in mid-1968, but session information had previously been scant. Spooner

recently confirmed that these tracks were "recorded at American in Memphis" and when the late Red Kelly (Soul Detective) digitised guitarist Reggie Young's session diaries, his endeavours presented further clarity. Reggie's 1968 diary indicates two American sessions on June 14th and 15th. Four songs were recorded, with "Unloved, Unwanted Me" being shelved. No songwriting credit was documented, but its sorrowful yearning is perfectly executed by Barbara. A third session the following month yielded two more songs, including the first known recording of "Soul Deep" (its writer Wayne Carson and The Box Tops each recorded the song in 1969). Reggie's diary documents a fortnight's holiday in July, but the distinct lack of guitar and the audible presence of other American Studio musicians further suggests Barbara Lynn's version was possibly recorded in Memphis too. Both songs make their 7" vinyl debut here. Enjoy!

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V.A.

Soul Prescription

LP | EU (Soul 4 Real)

30,99 €*

LP | 2023 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

Release: EU

Genre: Organic Grooves

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12 tracks, all great examples of real soul music, a mix of well known classics, overlooked gems, and 4 original unreleased songs.

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Jewell Bass

In And Out Of Love

33,99 €*

I Can't Leave You Alone / Don't Sit Around

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Jewel Bass recordings have, over time, developed a global underground following. The fact that Malaco Records used Jewel as a backing singer on so many of their A-Listers recordings (Johnnie Taylor, Latimore, Bobby Bland, Z.Z. Hill, Dorothy Moore, etc.) speaks far more to her talent than I can ever write in 300 words!

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Jimmy Lewis

17,09 €* 17,99 € -5%

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Jerry Williams / Swamp Dogg

Oh Lord, What Are You Doing To Me / If You're Leaving (Take Me With You)

7" | 2020 | US | Original (Soul 4 Real)

I Wanna Know / Sweet High (1981)

Release: 2020 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Limited to 400 copies worldwide on Soul4Real

Collectors of black American music have long revered maverick genius Jerry Williams Jr. a.k.a. Swamp Dogg. His brilliant songwriting and unique voice have left indelible imprints on soul for decades, and Soul 4 Real Records are proud to add a Swamp 45 to their ever-growing catalogue.

Both these tracks make their vinyl debut here. If you saw Swamp perform “Oh Lord” at 2019’s Soul 4 Real weekender, it’s a memory you’ll treasure forever. Swamp’s exquisite studio version of the soul standard was recorded in 1967 as a follow-up to “Baby You’re My Everything”, but inexplicably stayed unissued for 40 years.

Almost 40 years have also passed since Swamp recorded his demo of “If You’re Leaving”, a song from his “lost” country album on Mercury. Never issued anywhere before, it’s a rare chance to hear work-in-progress from one of soul’s most beloved artists.

As he enters his seventh decade of recording, Swamp continues to be active and musically provocative. A man of many names and many talents, here’s Swamp Dogg at his vintage best!

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Jewell Bass

7" | 2020 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

Take This Love Of Mine / Precious Precious

Release: 2020 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Malaco has long been a favourite label of mine and I always felt that Jewel Bass was a huge talent that never realised her potential there. She was somehow was overtaken by the likes of Dorothy Moore, Denise Lasalle and Fern Kinney in the “pecking order“ down in Jackson, MS. Jewel sang countless backing vocals for such luminaries as Johnnie Taylor, Tommy Tate, Jean Knight, Eddie Floyd, Bobby Bland and many others, and was featured in bands like the Carbon Copies, Natural High and Centaura.

Both of these tracks which have lain undiscovered until now were recorded in 1981 in International Recording Studio, Pearl, Mississippi, and are two contrasting delights for soul fans.

“I Wanna know“ is a mid-tempo shuffler with hints of a “Joy & Pain” riff in there and definitely one for the most discerning dancefloors. ”Sweet High” is a so soulful string laden ballad on which Jewel´s vocals are launched effortlessly into the heights on the back of an impressive production.

Enjoy these two fine examples of real soul music exhumed from the vaults for your pleasure.

(Bob Cosby)

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The Staples

7" | 2024 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

17,09 €* 17,99 € -5%

I Can't Do Enough For You Baby / Hold On

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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With the collapse of Stax Records, The Staple Singers signed with Warner Bros in 1975, leading to a brief and fruitful collaboration with Curtis Mayfield. Their first work, the OST ‘Let´s Do It Again’, became the Staples’ all-time best seller. Such was the success that the major decided that Mayfield would also produce their next work, ‘Pass It On’, in 1976.

Along with the group’s new sound and shift in lyrics, there also came a new image and a shortened name: The Staples. “Take This Love Of Mine” is a catchy two-stepper dancer, with a passionate and powerful vocal performance and uplifting chorus. “Precious, Precious” is an elegant and sophisticated ballad with less presence of arrangements but which is still incredibly moving and oozing quality. Both tracks, overlooked as singles, closed an album destined to consolidate the success of the new era.

Unfortunately, sales fell short of WB's expectations, leading to Curtis being removed from the production of the subsequent Staples records. Undoubtedly, one of their finest albums and a true favorite among soul fans.

Iu Adell

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Tommy Tate

7" | 2024 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

17,99 €*

Can You Love Again / I'm Trying To Overcome

Release: 2024 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Tommy was born in 1945 in Homestead, Florida, and after his first foray into music in a church choir, he launched his secular recording career in Jackson, Mississippi, working mostly with Tim Whitsett and his Imperial Showband in the latter half of the 1960s. After a short stint with the Nightingales, he signed with KoKo in 1971 and had six impressive singles released, followed by records on Sundance, Juana and Urgent Records.

“I Can’t Do Enough for You Baby” is a mellow and melodic slow-to-mid-tempo song that sounds almost inspirational, while “Hold On” is a beautiful waltz-time ballad which James Carr released on Atlantic in 1971. Both of these songs were cut as demos probably in 1969 after Tommy and Carson Whitsett had signed a deal to become staff writers with Malaco Records.

Tommy was a magnificent singer and songwriter, who never got the credit he deserved mainly because of poor business choices and unfortunate incidents throughout his career. However, he was a beautiful person, gentle and humble.

Heikki Suosalo

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Aretha Franklin

7" | 2023 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

19,99 €*

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Have't I Been Good To You / I´M Gonna Cry Till My Tears Run Dry

Lorraine Ellison

7" | 2023 | UK | Original (Soul 4 Real)

26,99 €*

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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You Make Me Tremble / Come With Me

Paul Kelly

7" | 2023 | UK | Original (Soul 4 Real)

15,29 €* 17,99 € -15%

Release: 2023 / UK – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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All I Wanna Do Is Save You / Turn Ariund And Love You

Irma Thomas

17,99 €*

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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All I Want To Do Is Save You

Irma Thomas

7" | 2022 | UK | Original (Soul 4 Real)

22,99 €*

Release: 2022 / UK – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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7" | 2022 | UK | Original (Soul 4 Real)

Dionne Warwick

Meant To Be

22,99 €*

Release: 2022 / UK – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Where Is The Love / Love Calls

Sam Dees

17,99 €*

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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If I Could Make You Mine / Rhythm & Rhyme

Newban

16,99 €*

Oh Lord, What Are You Doing To Me / If You're Leaving (Take Me With You)

Release: 2022 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Back in what now feels like a golden period in music and creativity, in the 1970s, many bands were formed by students. It almost seems like so many people could either sing, play, dance or write songs! This was also the case of several Woodland High School students in New York, who created Newban with fellow classmates.

The group started gigging around the tri-state area of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey, and were soon brought to the attention of legendary Bell Recording Studios audio engineer Malcolm Addey, who recorded with the band over a two-month period in 1974. Three years later the tracks made up two superb and sought-after albums released by tax scam label Guinness.

In 1977, Newban headed out to play the Los Angeles nightclub scene, closed a deal with A&M, and changed the band name to Atlantic Starr at the request of Herb Alpert.

For the first time on a 7” format, Soul4Real brings you two of the best songs from Newban. Enjoy the music…

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Bobby Barnes

7" | 2020 | US | Original (Soul 4 Real)

Release: 2020 / US – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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A Million Things / No Way To Stop It

Jimmy Gresham

7" | 2021 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

I'll Take Her / Looks Like (You've Been Crying)

Release: 2021 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Soul4Real bring you the last 45 in their trio of previously unreleased Jimmy Gresham Playground Studios recordings from the mid-70’s; a perfect tribute to a great but under-recognized talent.

“A Million Things” has been a huge collaborative effort, meticulously pieced together in 2020 from an unfinished vocal track. Jimmy’s trademark rich, velvet voice, imbued with soul and inflected with a large pinch of southern grit, has been complemented perfectly by the addition of multitalented Marc Franklin’s evocative vibes, horn and string arrangements. Clayton Lancaster laid down the gorgeous, choppy guitar licks which drive the whole mid-tempo groove, and the absolute pinnacle is formed by the glorious, soaring backing vocals of Jimmy’s sister, Mary.

A recording that sounds as though everybody had been in that same Florida studio in the mid-70’s, bouncing off each other’s talent, on a day when they could feel the electricity in the air and they knew something special had been created.

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Calvin Richardson

7" | 2019 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

Oh My Goodness / We Fell In Love

Release: 2019 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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Calvin Richardson is a bit of a chameleon, smoothly able to transition between the most heartfelt gritty soul ballads to the latest cutting edge urban R&B that now dominates the more mainstream sound of today's "Black America".

His revered solo debut "Country Boy" came back in 1999 when signed to major label powerhouse Universal Records and went on to sell 100.000 units but, in those halcyon days, still not enough to get him a second bite of the cherry at the time. He then went on to strike deals with Hollywood Records, Jordan House (owned by Eric Benet) and Shanachie Records where he still resides.

With comparisons drawn to a young Bobby Womack. It's easy to see why he chose to record long player "Facts Of Life: The Soul Of Bobby Womack" back in 2009. For their ninth release those sterling Soul 4 Real guys have chosen to resurrect two fantastic sides from that debut recording, with the soulful as hell "I'll Take Her" backed with the melodic gem of a beat ballad "Looks like (You've Been Crying)"... make sure you don't miss it! -- Mark Coddington (Fish)

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The Masqueraders

7" | 2018 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

That's All I Need / Every Night & Every Day

Release: 2018 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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At times The Masqueraders must have felt like they were Soul music’s best kept secret; a career overflowing with some of our music’s finest recordings, yet never gaining the recognition and worldwide fame they truly deserve. “Man, everyone tells us ‘how good we are’… but that don’t pay the bills. After 50 years of trying we still don’t have anything to show for it”, Harold wryly laughed.

Somehow, by chance, we found ourselves sat in Harold’s Memphis home as he played “just an old tape” he had found buried in his garage, “Oh my goodness”. Suddenly, we were goose-bumped back to December 67’ inside American Sound Studio, as The Masqueraders´ exquisite vocals poured out over the legendary “Memphis Boys” rhythm section led by the illustrious Tommy Cogbill.

Originally scheduled for release in the spring of ’68, the record sadly got caught amidst the tragic and turbulent troubles of Martin Luther King’s assassination in Memphis and was never released. Until now…enjoy!

(Tats Taylor and Mike Charlton)

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Magic Sam

7" | 2023 | EU | Original (Soul 4 Real)

13,99 €* 19,99 € -30%

Release: 2023 / EU – Original

Genre: Organic Grooves

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