SWV - I'm So Into You 1993

RCA Records SWV 2

OK, I lost the cover to this so I've managed to find the front but not the back. However, this is a must have. SWV, another 'BAM Jam' Brian Alexander Morgan production, Teddy Riley on the Remix with Wreck-N-Effect along for the ride but, for Mikey, it's all about track 4.

Allstar's Drop Check Dance Mix is all you need. Allen 'Allstar' Gordon Jr. cuttin' it up for Blackstar and boy, does he know how to rinse it out. It's a mutha, if you don't know, you better get to know!

• Allstar's Drop Radio Mix
• Teddy's Radio feat. Wrecks-N-Effect
• Teddy's Radio Mix
  
• Allstar's Drop Check Dance Mix
• Teddy's Extended Mix feat. Wrecks-N-Effect

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SWV.rar Filesize: 36.85 MB

Omar - Golden Brown 1997

RCA Records 74321 52542 2

In 1997 Omar released his new album, This Is Not A Love Song. Before it's release, he released a single from the album which surprised many. A cover of a Punk Rock ballad, an Ode to Heroin, a Heart FM classic?

In retrospect, it was a move of pure genius. Golden Brown, by The Stranglers, is a song that millions of normal everyday people feel comfortable with (many don't even realise it's about drugs) and therefore it might get the multi talented, under appreciated, genius that is Omar some kudos. It didn't of course, but it did give us this CD single release.

This release is all about Wherever, which is also from the album but on the album it is not remixed by the Blacksmith team though. The Blacksmith Full R&B Rub is eight minutes of pure class, leaving the, otherwise good, Blacksmith Hip Hop Mix in the shade.

The Brass Tooth "Well Constructed" Mix is a fine example of just how good a 4x4 remix can be. It plays a little fast for Omar but Croydon's Neville Smith who would put out the excellent Celebrate Life on Well Built Records the following year, has done a great job. This mix puts the song on the dance floor whilst retaining the soulful body of the song and giving it an uplifting gospel element.

• Golden Brown
• Wherever (Blacksmith Full R&B Rub)
• Wherever (Blacksmith Hip Hop Mix)
• Wherever (Brass Tooth "Well Constructed" Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Omar.rar Filesize: 35.89 MB

Cameo - Skin I'm In 1988

Club Records JABCD 77

Last week, Larry Blackmon strutted his stuff at the O2 Indigo. I had the opportunity to go but couldn't make it. Absolutely gutted. As a tribute to a fine group who have contributed far more than most to dancefloor history, The Soul Vendor proudly presents Cameo.

By 1980, Cameo already had a history as a 13 piece, funk and soul phenomenon. Albums such as Cameosis and Knights of the Sound Table were laid on a foundation of legend.

In the mid-80's Larry Blackmon and his crew were ready to move on. With Alligator Woman in 1982, the band stripped down to five main members. Blackmon moved the band in a new direction, giving them a cutting edge sound dominated by a drum machine and prominent bass line. He donned 'a red codpiece', added his trademark "Ooow!" into the mix and totally reinvented the group.

Cameo's 1983 release Style was one of the first to come from this new label and was the first disc to capitalize on Cameo's new sound. She's Strange came out in 1984 and its '12-inch mix' was a major smash in the clubs. 1985's Single Life was also a major club hit that saw some crossover success, especially in the UK.

Word Up! hit the airwaves in mid-1986, the resulting album turned Cameo into superstars. The follow-up tracks, Candy and Back and Forth, were also huge hits for the funk trio. By this time, the band were included in every mix or album compilation going. Les Adams remixed Word Up! to great effect and soon after the original Cameo Megamix made it's presence felt. The Cameo Megamix Two is an epic 10 mins of blistering anthems that doesn't sell you short.

Two years later, Cameo released Machismo to lukewarm response despite favourable review. It's a good song with a positive message and yet Skin I'm In sunk without a trace in the UK. It would appear Cameo's reign was over. Almost in reflection of this, Honey is a short reprise of Candy without a song as such. It simply echoes a song that once was.

• Skin I'm In
• Honey
• The Cameo Megamix Two

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Cameo.rar Filesize: 33.75 MB

Jomanda - I Like It 1993

Big Beat Records A8377CD

Jomanda are from New Jersey and comprised of Joanne Thomas, Cheri Williams and Renee Washington. Their 1990 album was a house music affair that delivered several US dance chart hits, including Got a Love for You, which made US #1 in 1991. It also crossed over to the mainstream, peaking at number 40 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

I first encounted Jomanda during the 'Summer Of Love', courtesy of a blinding House classic entitled Make My Body Rock. It certainly did and when I came across this release, I hoped for another belter. I was in for a bit of a shock. To my surprise, I Like It turned out to be an R&B track. In 1993, they released their second album, Nubia Soul, which was an R&B/Hip Hop joint from which this single was released.

The track play list is perfect though. The Radio Edit introduces you to a great R&B joint. It's followed by the Smoove Edit. Eric 'E Smoove' Miller was the third part of the Chicago Trax team, along with Steve 'Silk' Hurley and Maurice Joshua. His mixes are of the 4x4 variety, walking that thin line between Dance and House. It's good ground in the right hands but the Extended Smoove Club Mix is to cheesey for my liking and the Smoove Edit has nothing to offer at all. What can I say, I'm honest and it's only my opinion?

The Original Mix puts you back in an R&B mood and then up steps Kenny 'Rah-Rah Smoove' Kornegay with his Nubia Soul Remix for an Untouchables Production that gives us that last minute slam dunk. Bam!

• Radio Edit
• Smoove Edit
• Extended Smoove Club Mix
• Original Mix
• Nubia Soul Remix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Jomanda.rar Filesize: 35.62MB

Joanne Thomas also went under the name of Yavahn and in 1998 she released a track called Baby You which is one of my (many) all time favourite songs. Sadly, she died in October 2003 after a three year battle with cancer.

Mary J. Blige - Real Love (YD Remixes) 1992

MCA Records MCSTD 1721

Todays post comes courtesy of my main man Sasha:

"I have the 12" back home in Australia but have just found it on CD Single. It was released in the UK in 1992 and the mixes are definitely as good as I remembered. Check out Track 3 and Track 4 for some really special and soulful mixes.

p.s. I have also included some of the other Blacksmith remixes that were on a 1993 UK 12" of Real Love, that someone sent me - vinyl rip. Cheers, Sasha"

A quick summary then, Real Love came out on 25th August 1992, the second release lifted from her excellent début album, What's the 411? It boasts executive production by Sean 'Puffy' Combs and is written and produced by Mark C. Rooney and Mark Morales (again). The track is built on a drum sample from Audio Two's 1988 classic, Top Billin'. The Hip Hop Mix by Bad Boy Ent. features a sample of Betty Wright's 1972 single, Clean-Up Woman and the first appearance of The Notorious B.I.G., then going by the name Big E. Smalls. The vinyl has the Hip Hop Club mix which much the same but without the acappella intro.

Then they brought out the UK Remix 12" which added '2 Special Mixes By The Young Disciples' and suddenly we have something to talk about. This is The Soul Vendor blog, we aren't interested in simply Classic Soul & R&B that everybody has in their collection. We try to target the long forgotten obscure and unusual mixes that you can't find. I think this fits the bill. Femi Fem of The Young Disciples on the controls and incorporating the services of Mad Marco, Phil Linton, Incognito's Jean-Paul 'Bluey' Maunick on guitar and Omar Lye-Fook on keyboards. The Fresh 'N Funky Mix is my fav but The Talkin' Love Mix is just as good.

In the bonus collection you will find the 1993 MCA Records release on MCSX 1922. There were two 12"s with the same serial number (as with this 1992 12"). One featuredthe Phat Mix built on the Roy Ayers 'Love Will Bring Us Back Together' mentioned by Tosh. The other, absolute clincher here, featured the two Blacksmith mixes, the Brixton Flavour 12" and the Blacksmith's Summer Sound 12" both mixed by The Funk Mob with a rap by Sniper.

The Uptown 411 Remix featuring Biggie's rap and an introduction by Puffy, is the Hip Hop Mix with the intro changed. I'm not sure as to what release it is from?

• Album Version
• Hip Hop Mix
• The Fresh 'N Funky Mix
• The Talkin' Love Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Mary J Blige.rar Filesize: 59.25 MB

Sinclair - Ain't No Cassanova 1995

Dome Records CD DOME 103

OK, Kymba is taking care of I Want You Back so I thought I'd throw up the 1995 remix of Ain't No Casanova. It's not a great release, the Groove '95 Remix trying to use the Jackson 5 bass line as it's hook and the Ken Kessie US Mix being the US Encore Mix renamed.

It is of interest however, for it's inclusion of the 2B3 Back To Basics Remix which opens it up with a light and airy production. Unfortunately, I find it distorted and uncontrolled. It's certainly not up to 2B3 standards which is a shame.

All is not lost though because we still have the beautiful Stay With Me Tonight which is not Street Soul but is a classy stepper worth having, especially as it wasn't on the 1994 I Want You Back album.

• Groove '95 Remix
• Ken Kessie US Mix
• 2B3 Back To Basics Remix
• Stay With Me Tonight

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sinclair.rar Filesize: 27.99 MB

Sinclair - Ain't No Cassanova 1993

Dome Records CDDOME 1004

Mike Sinclair sprung onto the UK Soul scene in 1992, thanks to some great support from specialist radio. I Want You Back was the tune that launched him but it was this tune in 1993 that nailed his colours to the mast. Championed by the likes of Choice FM and Echoes, Ain't No Casanova was played by everyone everywhere. It was a great example of Brit Street Soul during that time and came very close to crossing over, denting the UK Top Twenty at #28 in September of '93.

Ain't No Casanova was written and produced by Dwayne Burke & William Flowers at Groove And A Quarter and the Groove Mix is also theirs. Groove And A Quarter released I Want You Back on their own label, G&Q Records. The third mix is the US Encore Remix by Ken 'Dr. Shaft' Kessie who worked on some Tony! Toni! Toné! releases. Back in the day it was all about the Groove mix but listening now, I'm liking Ken's mix which features a rap by Pepperhead.

For the real soul lovers out there (QS), check out It's Over. Penned by Mike himself and produced by Ashley Ingram who clearly has the silky touch required for the Quiet Storm genre. This is Sinclair at his best, a little slice of soul heaven, pure class!

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sinclair.rar Filesize: 32.5 MB

Darkman - Yabba Dabba Doo - (1994)

Wildcard Records, CARDD6 855781-2

Here's an oldie but goodie!

Wildcard were another label on a roll in the early nineties. They'd signed China Black after their massive indie success on the Reggae charts with the still brilliant Searching, and helped propel it into the pop charts. They had Nu Colours, another up and coming urban act, and then they signed Darkman, who would go on to score the biggest UK Hiphop chart position to date with the infectious Yabba Dabba Doo.

I remember this track absolutely dominating airplay in the UK in the summer of '94. It was massive both on radio and in the clubs. it would blow up again the following year as well, when it was remixed and rereleased (I'll post the re-release at a later date for sake of completion). However, the finest version of it for me was always the Party Like That Mix, available on both releases.

The Ghetto Lab mix is interesting for the more gangsta take on the lyrics, the 7" Mix is thoroughly decent, as is the bonus track What's not Yours, but, as stated above, it's the anthemic Party Like That Mix all the way for this girl.

Some trivia - Yabba Dabba Doo was produced by Darkman AND a guy called Micky P (I'm pretty sure he was the Micky P who used to be on KISS FM back in the day, when it was actually good) - no relation to our bossman, I take it? Also, and I never realised this back in the day, but there was additional production by the Young Disciples' very own Femi Fem. Cool, huh?

- Kymba :)

• Yabba Dabba Doo (7" Mix)
• Yabba Dabba Doo (Party Like That Mix)
• What's Not Yours (Power Lab Censored Mix)
• Yabba Dabba Doo (Ghetto Lab Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Yabba Dabba Doo.zip File size: 22 MB

Brigette McWilliams - I Get The Job Done 1994

Virgin Records VUSCD18

Brigette McWilliams was born in Chicago and raised in Los Angeles and New York. She grew up immersed in an environment full of musical greats. Her mother, Paulette McWilliams had a 60s hit, ‘Bend Me Shape Me’ with the group Rufus and regularly toured and recorded with Quincy Jones and Luther Vandross. She claims that she is influenced by Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Nina Simone, Chaka Khan, Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn. The music, energy and spirit of the scene at the time captivated her and set the scene for what she would later become.

Brigette studied law and thought this may be her eventual career before joining a girl group Flavor and signing with Universal Records. However her distinctively rich alto tones soon landed her a solo deal with Virgin Records for two highly acclaimed albums.

McWilliams made her début for Virgin in 1994 with the album Take Advantage Of Me. Produced by Jermaine Dupri and Manuel Seal for So So Def productions, she was surrounded by a wealth of musical talent and was only required to sing what was written for her. It received favourable reviews in the soul / R & B papers but she later complained that she enjoyed 'zero creative control' in its conception.

The fact that she went on to write and produce alongside Steve Harvey on her 2005 release, Starlight Lounge, on Expansion Records , venturing into Jazz and Brazilian rhythms, tells you how frustrating it must have been for her. She shortened her artist name to Brigette, branched out into fashion accessories and married Mark Romanek, (the film director responsible for films like ‘One Hour Photo’ and the music video to Michael and Janet Jackson’s ‘Scream’).

OK, that's the story, here's the music. A plethora of mixes from Jermaine Dupri himself using EW&F and James Brown samples, an interesting offering from Shannon Houchins but the only mix I need is the Quiet Storm Mix by Wicked T incorporating the guitar work of Verve artis, Evan Marks. Pure unadulterated soul. Enjoy!

• Natural Radio Mix With Clean Intro
• Hard Funk Mix
• Quiet Storm Mix
• The Extended
• Hard Funk Mix Instrumental
• On Top Of The Job Mix
• On Top Of The Job Mix Instrumental
• LP Version
• Quiet Storm Mix Instrumental

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Brigette McWilliams.rar Filesize: 68.61 MB

Beverley Knight - Made It Back 1999

Parlophone Records CDRHYTHS 18

Finally, the second of Alifunk's Beverley Knight's Made It Back CD singles. Released in April 1999, this was the first single taken from her re-packaged album. Made It Back '99 features a more commercial production provided by TNT and Mike Spencer, who introduce a sample of 's Good Times by Chic into the song. The Nile Rodgers & Bernard Edwards groove with its bitchin' bassline, has been used more times than a 2 Bit hooker but Boy, does it feel at home on this number. Not much left of the Soul Inside production of course, but what the hey, it still includes Redman & Specialist. I guess you can't make an omlette without breaking eggs?

The single became Knight's first top 20 single in the UK when it peaked at #19 upon its release. It was supported by a re-released version of Prodigal Sista, which contained this and two other remixed tracks. A new video was also created, but was not included on the CDS but I've included it here. As with the original, it uses the TNT 7" Mix which does not feature Redman. The Booker T Night Time Dub is typical 4x4 Garage fodder although it does retain much of the vocal.

• TNT Good Times 12" Mix
• TNT Good Times 7" Mix
• Booker T Night Time Dub
• Original Album Version

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Beverley Knight.rar Filesize: 58.6 MB

Pauline Henry - Too Many People 1993

Sony S² Records 659594 6

Pauline Henry started her career as the lead-singer of the Scottish band The Chimes. She then went solo and released two albums: Pauline and Do Over. The singles include a cover of the Juicy classic Sugarfree, Watch The Miracle Start and Too Many People.

After parting with The Chimes, Henry needed to reassess her career:

"After The Chimes, I took a while to think about what I really wanted to do with my career. I got my head down writing and had 25 songs. I learned my craft live, as opposed to being 'created' in the studio. I didn't know much about studios until I joined the Chimes."

As she idolizes Tina Turner, it was doubtless no accident that her debut album included Can't Take Your Love, co-written with Terry Britten, who had penned many of Turner's biggest hits. There was also a cover version of Bad Company's Feel Like Makin' Love, revealing her R&B roots.

Too Many People has the catchiest chorus ever and this 12" release features an all-star cast of remix talent. Unfortunately, in my humble opinion, nothing can raise the song higher than a very well performed, fairly good song with an extremely catchy chorus. Don't get me wrong, it isn't I Should Be So Lucky but Pauline is capable of great work so why give her any less than great songs. Blacksmith do a fine job as usual, as do Absolute and the less obvious Ten City. Hard to choose but the Blacksmith Extended Mix is probably the pick of the bunch. Enjoy, it is a good song and were it by an unknown I would probably think even more highly of it?

• Extended Version
• Blacksmith Dancehall Mix
• Blacksmith Extended Mix
• Absolute 12" Mix
• Ten City 12" Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Too Many People 12@.rar Filesize: 54.48 MB

Beverley Knight - Made It Back 1998

EMI Records 7243 885636 0 4

Another one of Alifunk's gems. Beverley Knight in fine form, striking out for girl power, well it was the late Nineties. This is the original release of Made It Back, featuring Redman. Ali has also supplied the video to which I have added a stereo soundtrack. It's not the best quality available but I have increased the frame size and contrast and I believe it is meant to feel a bit ruff.

Made It Back was the first single released from her second album, Prodigal Sista. It was also the first single on EMI after she signed with them in 1997 after disagreements with Dome Records. The release instantly proved that Knight had made the right decision after it entered the UK Top 40 at #21 - her highest charting single up to that point. Featuring US rap star Redman, the song was nominated for Best Single at the 1998 MOBO Awards in London, which Knight lost out to Freak Me by Another Level and she had to settle for Best R&B Act of 1998, a very reasonable accolade, I think?

• Made It Back (feat. Redman)
• Made It Back (C-Swing Mix)
• Made It Back (Brooklyn Funk Club Mix)
• Made It Back
• Made It Back (Video)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Made It Back 97.rar Filesize: 66.25 MB

Intelligent Hoodlum - Back To Reality (CJ Mackintosh Mixes) - (1990)

A&M Records, AMCD 598

Not so sunny here in North London today, but I thought I'd post another BBQ classic regardless.

I'm not sure really how well you'll receive this one, as it's not soul as such, but a nice, chilled out slice of Hip-hop, reminiscing about simpler times.

Intelligent Hoodlum (born Percy Chapman, although he would later switch to the monicker "Tragedy Khadafi") is an extremely eloquent rapper from Queens, New York. His first, self-titled album was a politically charged affair featuring the excellent Arrest the President, and a whirl of other contentious tracks.

However, amongst the anger and social commentary on his debut there lurked a rather good party jam, the Soul II Soul sampling Back To Reality - no surprises for guessing what sample was used there, huh? ;)

On its release in the UK, Back To Reality was given a suite of remixes by one CJ Mackintosh. The pick of which for me is CJ's Drum And Bass Mix (nah, not THAT kind of Drum & Bass), which cranked up the Soul II Soul elements, added nice piano chords and strings stabs, and made a great summer vibe kinda tune out of it. The Ragamuffin Version is also pretty dope (love the strings), but for me, it's all about the Drum And Bass Mix.

Hope you dig this as much as I do. If you don't know it, give it a try and tell us whatcha think.

- Kymba :)

• Back To Reality (Drum And Bass Mix)
• Back To Reality (Back To Basics)
• Back To Reality (Ragamuffin Version)
• Back To Reality (Ragadub)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Back To Reality (Maxi-Single).zip File size: 28 MB

Incognito - Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing - (1992)

Talkin Loud, TALKCD 21

The sun is shining here in North London, so I thought I'd post something with a Summery vibe to match the weather outside.

What better, then, than a Talkin Loud track? One that's a remake of a Stevie Wonder classic?

I'm a huge Stevie Wonder fan, I know most of his songs backwards, and can't get enough of his 70's period albums. That boy had the funk down to a T. I would normally consider anyone covering one of his songs as utter blasphemy, but Incognito did a brilliant job with this tune, and, dare I say it, made it a little more dance-friendly, with a more pronounced groove.

Just listening to it now takes me back to summers gone by where I had it on a playlist, along with various other acid jazz type tracks, playing loud during barbeque's with family and friends, the rosé wine flowing, the smell of cooking burgers and spliffs* being passed round...

I better stop now, as I'll be boring you.

There's a Frankie Foncett mix, as well as another track, a remix of Colibri, which sounds, for all the world, like a latin-tinged Roy Ayers/George Benson collaboration.

However, what you'll really want are the Edit and LP Versions (the LP Version being my personal pick). Essential summertime listening.

Enjoy the sun, y'all!

- Kymba :)

• Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing (Edit)
• Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing (LP Version)
• Colibri (Remix)
• Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing (Frankie Foncett Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing.zip File size: 27.8 MB

* can't do that now, my boyfriend's a cop and doesn't approve!

Aaron Hall - Don't Be Afraid - (1992)

MCA Records, MCSTD 1632

It's the 7th of April, and that can only mean ONE thing.... it's Aaron Hall Day today on Soul Vendor, and here's our second offering:

Don't Be Afraid, alongside Teddy Riley & Tammy Lucas's brilliant Is It Good To You, were the lead singles from the Juice OST, one of the very best Original Motion Picture Soundtracks I've ever heard.

Instead of working with his former colleague Riley, Hall made this track with heavyweight Hiphop producer Hank Shocklee (of The Bomb Squad fame), whose 'wall of sound' production style blew so many of us away on the first three Public Enemy albums.

As far as CD singles go, this is a fine, FINE release, and fantastic value for money.

There are eight(!) tracks, two of them instrumentals; there's a 7" Edit of the original album track (which is still the best mix for me), a track called Vocal Files (which is an alternative acapella take on the chorus), a nice downtempo extra-naughty mix in the form of the Sex You Down Version, and a funkier-than-James-Brown's-socks version in The 125th Gangster of the Posse Mix, in which Mr Hall struts his stuff in a jazzy, semi-scat manner, and proves nobody can shout "oooh-wee" quite like he does. I aint even joking! Oh, there's also the tweaked Nasty Man's Groove mix, which is a slightly less street, slightly more melodic version of the original, without straying too far from it (for the record, 'Nasty Man' was Aaron's nickname in Guy).

Don't Be Afraid is something of a classic, and certainly one of my favourite R&B tracks of the nineties.

- Kymba :)

• Don't Be Afraid (7" Edit)
• Don't Be Afraid (Nasty Man's Groove)
• Don't Be Afraid (Sex You Down Version)
• Don't Be Afraid (Sex You Down Instrumental)
• Don't Be Afraid (Nasty Man's Groove Instrumental)
• Don't Be Afraid (The 125th Gangster of the Posse Mix)
• Don't Be Afraid (Piano Jam)
• Don't Be Afraid (Vocal Files)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Don't Be Afraid (Single).zip File size: 31.5 MB

Aaron Hall featuring Redman - Curiosity - (1995)

MCA Records, MCADM-55143

It's the 7th of April, and that can only mean ONE thing.... it's Aaron Hall Day today on Soul Vendor, and here's my first offering:

Aaron Hall was the silky-voiced lead singer of uber-producer Teddy Riley's New Jack Swing trailblazers Guy. He also sounded more than a little like Charlie Wilson of the Gap Band - no bad thing at all.

Anyway, post-Guy, Aaron had a few solo hits like the superb Don't Be Afraid (which I'll be posting on here later today - I told you it was Aaron Hall Day today!) from the excellent Juice OST, and this track, Curiosity, taken from the Dangerous Minds OST - yes, that's the film that *THAT* Coolio song came from.

It's a nice, funky slice of street-soul, produced and writted by Mr. Dalvin of Jodeci and Missy Elliott, but the Marley Marl Remix is the one you'll want. It's much, MUCH funkier, and features Redman, one of my favourite rappers, doing a couple of verses that again help lift it above the original.

There's also a nice instrumental for you mixologists out there - something I always look for in a release, although no acapella.

- Kymba :)

• Curiosity (Marley Marl Remix - Radio Version)
• Curiosity (Misdemeanor)
• Curiosity (LP Version)
• Curiosity (Marley Marl Remix - Instrumental)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Curiosity.zip File size: 24.7 MB