Brian McKnight - One Last Cry 1993

Mercury Records Promo MRXDJ 394

Brian McKnight grew up on gospel as a member of a Seventh-day Adventist Church choir and a band leader in high school. His older brother was a member of Take 6 and their success gave him a little motivation. McKnight signed with Mercury Records at the age of 19 and released his first album, Brian McKnight, in 1992.

Brian McKnight produced and featured in BMU (Black Men United), a collaboration between a large number of black male RnB acts including Aaron Hall, Boyz II Men, El DeBarge, Gerald Levert, H-Town, Tevin Campbell, Tony! Toni! Toné!, Usher. The sole song "U Will Know", written by a young D'Angelo, was released in 1994. It was featured in the movie Jason's Lyric and on the movie's soundtrack.

McKnight’s vocal style is his own. He does however draw heavily from Stevie Wonder and also has an uncanny ability to mimic the timbre and style of other singers .

• One Last Cry (Single Edit)
• Goodbye My Love (A Real Goodbye Mix)
• Goodbye My Love (Radio 7")
• Goodbye My Love (N.O. Joe Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Brian McKnight.rar Filesize: 30.76 MB

Higher Ground - Sugar Free (Don't Want Your Love) 1991

Cooltempo Records COOLCD246

This cover of the superb 80's Groove killa by Juicy (Jerry & Katreese Barnes, who also wrote the song) was the follow up to Somebody. Personally, I thought Somebody was better and Juicy's 1985 version of Sugar Free (Super Deo Dance Mix) remixed by legendary Deodato, was much better... but this seems to be very popular, then and now so, by request, here it is.

A Mike Percy & Tim Lever production for One World. My apologies for the diabolical CD scan but its reflective and after about six attempts I settled for this one cos you can just about read the credits?

• 7" Edit
• One World Mix
• One Touch Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Higher Ground.rar Filesize: 22.94 MB

Nomad Soul - Candy Mountain 1991

Island Records CID 505

Diane Charlemagne is one of those rare UK sparkling talents. Her voice has been described as a soulful, sensual, swooping energy to flow through an eclectic collection of music. Her songwriting claims an innocent beauty with her use of pseudonyms. Achieving stand-out in the musical genres of drum and bass, jazz, dance and pop cannot be claimed by many artists.

Diane has an exceptional flair for songwriting, and so it comes as no surprise the majority of the material she appears on has in fact been both arranged lyrically and melodically by herself. She writes carefully crafted lyrics and beautifully balanced melodies - often shaded by the twinkling stars of leading artists.

Her roots began in Manchester's Moss Side in the early 80s scene. Starting off in a battle of the bands scenario Diane soon became an associated member of legendary R'n'B group 52nd Street. Diane continued her early successes with the band to include Tell Me How It Feels (coming soon) which went on to tear up the US Billboard Charts reaching number 15.

The early nineties saw Diane working with Howie B and Dobie (Soul II Soul), Howie B & Dobie were offered a deal with Island Records. Along with Charlemagne they, allegedly, recorded an album as Nomad Soul. After only one single, Candy Mountain, Dobie apparently left because he wasn't happy with where things were heading.

I was also under the impression she was the vocalist with Cool Down Zone but she doesn't record it in her discography? Then came the monumental breakthrough of Inner City Life by Goldie.

The mid Nineties engaged Diane's voice with Urban Cookie Collective, releases include The Key, The Secret. Since then Charlemagne has progressed on the dance scene and moved into house and garage. Working and writing with artists such as K-Klass, Satoshi Tomiie, Mutiny UK, Santos and Judge Jules, prior to being invited to tour as a singer with Moby. Touring for over 3 years, Diane gained worldwide recognition.

Recent years have seen the soulful diva signed with Chrysalis Music and continuing to work with respected acts such as, collaborations with London Electricity, 2020Soundsystem and Prayer Box. Diane was part of The Gospel Choir performance of Cry Of Innocence - the opera in respect of the tragic death of 19 year old Stephen Lawrence.

OK, so this is a request and I found it in the crates. The SIIS boys get a little quirky on this oddball leftfielder. Using that guitar sample that I know so well but can't put a name too, this avoids a pigeonhole by standing firmly astride the Jazz & Soul division. Hard to choose between the Radio Mix and the Nellee Hooper Mix but both work well.

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Nomad Soul.rar Filesize: 27.31 MB

Bootsy's Rubber Band - Jungle Bass 1990

4th & Broadway Records BRECD 550

One for the Funky People out there, I know there are a few. William Bootsy Collins was one of James Brown's regular band, The JB's, in the late 1960s before joining forces with George Clinton and the Parliament-Funkadelic cartel in the '70s, Collins' driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk. His signature instrument is a custom-built star-shaped bass guitar he calls the Space Bass. Collins was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.

Check the names on this list of credits, a veritable 'Who's Who' in the Funk business.

In 1990 Bootsy collaborated with Deee-Lite on their massive hit Groove Is In The Heart where he contributed additional vocals along with Q-Tip from A Tribe Called Quest. Although he also appeared in the music video playing the bass, the bassline in the song is actually a sample of a Herbie Hancock song called Bring Out The Birds, Bootsy's Rubber Band did become the backing musicians for Deee-Lite during their world tour though. Despite being thoroughly busy they still had time to produce this wonderful bit of experimental music. 30 minutes of cyberfunk!

• Jungle Bass (Jungle One/Long Form)
• Disciples Of Funk (Return Of The Funkateers)
• Jungle Bass (House Of Bass Mix)
• Interzone (Silent Hush-Hush Mix/Cyberfunk)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Jungle Bass CDS.rar Filesize: 46.5 MB