Sly & Robbie - Make 'em Move 1985

Island Records 12 ISX 251

Sly & Robbie are one of reggae's most prolific production teams. The rhythm section of drummer Lowell 'Sly' Dunbar and bass guitarist Robert Shakespeare started working together in the mid 1970s but both made their name independently on the Jamaican music scene.

They changed the face of reggae several times: in 1976, they introduced the harder style called Rockers, which quickly replaced the then prevalent One Drop style, then introduced the Rub a Dub" sound in the early 1980s. Sly and Robbie were important in developing the trend towards computer assisted music and programming in the mid 1980s.

Chris Blackwell made them the core of the Compass Point All Stars at the Nassau (Bahamas) recording studios where they recorded their 1985 Language Barrier album from which these tracks are taken. Every one's a winner, Bass & Trouble taken straight from the album. The Riot Zone Mixes are Paul 'Groucho' Smykle remixes #2 being the instrumental.

Riot Zone #1
Riot Zone #2
Bass & Trouble

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sly & Robbie.rar Filesize: 41.96 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

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

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

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!

Nu Colours - Desire - (1996)

Polydor/Wildcard, LC0309

Well, Nu Colours have been well and truly covered on The Soul Vendor more than once. Mick's already put up Power, and only the other day I put up What In The World/Greater Love; Greater Love being one of my all-time favourite songs.

So that gets me out of having to write anything about the UK's premier gospel outfit.

Onto this track, then.

It's a decent track, second only to Greater Love in their repertoire (in my humble opinion)... but there was only one reason why I bought this CD single, and that was the excellent Linslee's Extended Mix - re-listening now it still stands out as much the best version.

The Ethnic Boyz version isn't bad, but it lacks the power-funk of Linslee's mix. The house mixes are... not my cup of tea. The Gospel Truth According to Mindspell mix is pretty nice, and takes the tune back to a live, stripped-down, purely gospel vibe - it's probably the best mix after Linslee's.

Peace and luvizm,

- Kymba :)

• Desire (7")
• Desire (Ethnic Boyz Main Mix)
• Desire (Linslee Extended Mix)
• Desire (Full Chorus London)
• Desire (Mindspell Classic Club Experience)
• Desire (The Gospel Truth According To Mindspell)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Desire.zip File size: 46.2 MB

Nine Yards - Always Find A Way 1999

Virgin Records VSCDT1746


Once again, supplied by Alifunk.

This time it's Nine Yards with their pre millennium joint, Always Find A Way. I must confess, Nine Yards never really did it for me but I know there was a lot of love for them. Like other UK R&B outfits, Nine Yards adopted the smooooth US-style. What made them a little more interesting than most was the involvement of some genuine talent, both in the playing and songwriting departments. Along with vocalist Clevedon Buntyn and rapper Ian Thomas, the South London born singer Wayne Beckford signed a major deal with Virgin records for his trio Nine Yards in 1997.

The accomplished artist, musician, songwriter and producer, has since gone on to a production career that now has nearly a decade of history. This Jamaican from Peckham has his new found family of KONVICT music which boasts platinum artists like Akon and T-Pain.

The Jay Dee Remix is the one for the R&B crew, stealing from Minnie Ripperton's 1975 recording Inside My Love. The Radio Edit makes for comfortable 'easy listening' while Todd Terry's Extended Club Mix needs to be pitched waaaay down, assuming you want it to sound anything like a half decent rendition of the song but hey, what the hell, if the beats fit, synch it!

• Radio Edit
• Todd Terry's Extended Club Mix
• Jay Dee Remix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Nine Yards.rar Filesize: 35.15 MB



Respect to José Manuel.

Trivia: The group name means 'everything' and the phrase refers to the length of an ammunition belt, i.e. 'Use it all, the whole nine yards.'

Lynden David Hall - Sexy Cinderella 1999

EMI Records 7243 886588 2 9

This is another addition provided by Alifunk, the 1999 re-release of Sexy Cinderella. The C&J Remix supplied by Cutfather and Joe for XL Talent. There is also the very competent Live Acoustic Version of Medicine 4 My Pain recorded at Café De Paris by BBC2 for their 'Soul Night' programme. It's hard to work out where the label were coming from with this release cos there are three random tracks with no particular purpose other than to gain some extra mileage off the back of Lynden's '98 Mobo award.

Whatever the reason, it's a good release because it features Perfect Love Song by Black Twang featuring Eldee. Tony Olabode a.k.a Tony Rotten a.k.a. Blak Twang is an award winning hip hop heavyweight, who has released two albums and has worked with artists such as Beverley Knight. In this instance he has built his own song around the chorus and groove of Sexy Cinderella. Eldee, sorry, LD is obviously Lynden who supplies the vocals for the chorus. Don't go thinking that The Twang has simply stolen Lynden's groove though because the video clearly shows them working together. The last few seconds show them fooling about together so it's legit.

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Lynden David Hall.rar Filesize: 34.19 MB



Big shout out to José Manuel. Respect!

Blacksmith - Get Back To Love 1989

ffrr Records FX 111

Karl Alexis Atkins & Hugh Atkins together with Peter Carlyle Trotman formed the foundation of Blacksmith. They are essentially a production team from South London. Blacksmith mixes were in demand and invariably came in pairs, Brixton Bass and Upso mixes. They had an edge in the late 80's, early 90's, in the fact that their production style covered both downbeat R&B headnodders, and uptempo dancefloor mixes without entering into house music territory.

Trotman can be found on quite a few things outside the Blacksmith field. He plays bass on, among others, Zero 7's 'Simple Things' album and has even sung vocals for East West Connection. Karl 'Blacksmith' Atkins is the main man though, I suspect? For a short time only, they tried their hand in the 'Artist' category, releasing (to my knowledge at the time) two singles, for which they went all 4x4 deciding to move Blacksmith into the 'Dance' arena.

Get Back To Love done quite well because it featured on ffrr's Silver On Black sampler album. The album contained a Radio Edit which clocked in at around four minutes. It sounded good, uplifting house with lots of vocals, but the fade left you wanting more and so I went seeking the twelve inch.

The exciting thing about this 12" was the Blaze Remixes. Blaze, to me, were the MAW of the late 80's. I had flipped over If You Should Need A Friend and went through the roof to Can't Win For Losing. Then they provided the remixes of Mica's Great Impersonation. I had great expectations for this 12" but I was blandly disappointed. The Blaze Club Mix has the vocals and keyboards higher in the mix and some fluttering percussion has been added with a bucketful of flange. The Blaze Dub doubles up, nay, triples the amount of flange and leaves the vocals in which is effective but then it adds further insult by fading out at five and a half minutes.

All in all, the Blaze mixes are no better than the original. Had this not been Blaze I would not have been so critical but Kevin Hedge & Josh Milan are producers of high calibre and I came to the conclusion that they were short of time or couldn't be bothered. For that reason my vote goes on the Blacksmith Mix every time.

They followed it up with Hold You Back in 1990 which I have a horrible feeling has gone missing but I will have a look later.

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Blacksmith.rar Filesize: 40.47 MB

Nu Colours - What In The World / Greater Love - (1993)

Polydor/Wildcard, CARDD 4

I'm going to start this off with a complaint:

WHAT THE HELL WERE POLYDOR THINKING MAKING GREATER LOVE A B-SIDE????!?!?!?

It's got classic stamped all over it, and, if only it had been supported and marketed it could well have made a decent splash on the pop charts, and seen the band get a bit more recognition than they did. It's an incredibly strong song, it's got beautifully sung vocals, and a nice, slinky, urban groove to it courtesy of producers par excellence Ethnic Boyz.

I honestly believe it is one of the UK's finest soul moments.

Not that there's anything wrong with the main track, What In the World. It's a really good guitar driven piece of soul, produced by a certain Robert Howard. I'm guessing it's the same Robert Howard (or "Dr. Robert") from The Blow Monkeys fame. Can anyone confirm? (edit: it IS Dr Robert - thanks, Frank!!)

There's a third track (fourth, if you count the Greater Love Remix - more on that in a moment) called Want Your Love 2 B Mine, which is a perfectly decent backup track, but with such a good main track in What In The World, and an even better one as the "B-Side", if you will, in the shape of Greater Love, it's easily forgotten.

As mentioned, there's also an Ethnic Boyz remix of Greater Love, which is odd really, as they produced the original version, and it's fairly similar, just a touch more dubby. I much prefer the original, but it's nice to have for completions sake.

So there you have it, one of my all-time favourite tracks, as a bloody B-Side! Amazing.

- Kymba :)

• What In the World
• Greater Love
• Greater Love (Ethnic Boyz Remix)
• Want Your Love 2 B Mine

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: What In The World.zip File size: 25.1 MB

Paris - I Choose You 1987

Bluebird Records BRT 38

For my next post, I'd like to return to the classics!

Truly, they don't come much better than this. I Choose You is the ultimate in mellow, silky soul this one stands the test of time with its head held high. I don't know much about this release, it was big around the Rare Groove scene but I don't think it's particularly rare. It came out on Chicago's Kelli Arts Records and got a UK release on the Bluebird Records label in 1984 and I bought it from the Bluebird Records shop in Paddington, London in 1987. I considered it, at the time, to be a Bluebird re-issue of an old rarity?

Written by Paris L. Holley, whom I assume is the vocalist, and produced by Otis Leavill & Carl Davis. Yes, that's the legendary producer Carl Davis of Windy City fame. Leavill & Davis are included as writers on the original release.

The flip side is a funky thing, very reminiscent of Prince and should not be ignored, nor compared with the A side. I never listened to Punkin' Funkin' after the first play, because it was a world away from I Choose You. I mentally filed it as 'lame' only to discover at a much later date that it ain't a bad Funk tune?

• I Choose You
• Punkin' Funkin'

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Paris.rar Filesize: 23.4 MB