Soul4real レコード& CD

Review: These two unreleased tracks from Geater Davis deliver raw, hard-hitting Southern soul with his some nice gritty vocals, sharp guitar work and powerful horns all making them perfect for anyone who loves a bit of blues-tinged soul. Geater was born Vernon Davis in East Texas in 1946 and learned guitar from T-Bone Walker before then working as a sideman and breaking through with 'Sweet Woman's Love' in 1970. He charted again in 1972 with' Your Heart Is So Cold' on Seventy 7 Records, and though disco's rise curtailed touring opportunities, he kept performing across the South. Sadly, just as he was preparing for a comeback, he died of heart failure at age 38, but these gems remain.

Review: Sam Diss has a buttery voice that immediately melts the heart. His tunes on the likes of Outta Sight and Kent Dance and albums on Pure Pleasure always sell out. This 7" single was written by the man himself and is one of his many majestic cuts from a career that started in the late 60s and found him recording for the next 30 odd years. An original will be hard to find and probably too costly if you do so grab this limited edition 7" and prepare to get smoochy as soon as you drop the needle on the record.

Review: The Soul 4 Real label do a damn fine job of digging out the deepest cuts from soul legends you know and those you don't. Jimmy Lewis may not be a household name but he wrote for the likes of Ray Charles, and with his 1974 album Totally Involved he revealed himself to be something of a pinnacle of real soul music. From a similar era when he was recording for Hotlanta, the two tracks on this 12" were previously only available on a CD compilation but they absolutely deserve to be ringing out on this beautifully crafted 7".

Review: Electric guitarist and singer Barbara Lynn was an undisputed legend of Memphis funk, blues and soul. Her paean for desirability, 'Unloved Unwanted Me', was a full-on lamentation of the human condition in album form. While the album was originally shelved for a time in 1968, it later found a way out of production hell and managed to rock the worlds of all listeners around, despite its distinct lack of guitar compared to Lynn's other albums.

Review: Newban is a band that hailed from Westwood, California, and was made up of Sharon Bryant, Jonathan Lewis, Porter Carroll and Joseph Phillips alongside Mark Slifstein, Keith Johnson, Albert Jones and Gregory Press. After the release of their first single they rammed themselves Atlantic Starr but then put out a couple albums in 1977, Newban and Newban 2. That's the backstory sorted, and so to this reissued 7" which kicks off with the deep cut funk of 'If I Could (Make You Mine)', a tune with sung-spoken lyrics and rousing horns. 'Rhythm & Rhyme' is smoother and more seductive, with a quieter soul sound seducing as it unravels.

Review: This fine new double-sided soul release from Soul4Real features two legendary producers and one legendary singer. When Dionne Warwick joined Warner Brothers in 1972 it brought an end to her work with Bacharach and David and saw her hook up with new soul producers of the era such as Holland/Dozier/Holland, Jerry Ragovoy and Thom Bell. The ensuing collabs are some of the best in her career and include two incredible mid-70s tracks that feature here. This essential 45 was unheard for almost 40 years but then made it to CD in 2003 and now vinyl. Essential stuff.

Review: The Valentinos had plenty of early success but still, their story is often seen as one of missed opportunities. The group was led by Friendly Womack Sr. who taught his sons gospel songs before they pursued secular music and that rather led to a struggle between serving up gospel and secular sounds. History tells us the friendly "June" Womack recalled their desire for another hit like 'Looking For A Love' which had been a significant seller in their early days. Two tracks from that era had remained unreleased until now when Soul4Real Records pressed them up here and both are seriously good soul swingers.

Review: Soul4Real returns to southern roots with a collection of 11 tracks from legendary names Malaco, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and Alarm Records. In the 1970s and 1980s, Malaco in Mississippi and Muscle Shoals Sound in Alabama were pivotal in shaping southern soul as Alarm Records in Louisiana added its own unique contributions to the scene. This album shines a light on that great time and opens with Dorothy Moore's classic 'Girl Overboard' followed by stellar performances from male singers including Bobby Bland and King Floyd. Three tracks debut on vinyl, with Jimmy Jules' 'Having A Little Talk With Love' one of those standouts to be making its first appearance.