JT Taylor - Long Hot Summer Night 1991

MCA Records MCST 1567

James Warren Taylor was born August 16, 1953, in South Carolina. He got involved in music when he was 13 years old. Before his rise to fame, he was a schoolteacher. He joined Kool & The Gang in 1978 during the rise of disco when they were starting to slump. He became the band's lead singer in 1979 and alongside the bands other new boy, Eumir Deodato, the group re-entered the Top Ten with Ladies Night and topped the charts. The following year, Kool & the Gang had their first number one hit, Celebration.

Taylor's creamy voice helped the singles Too Hot and Ladies' Night reach gold and platinum status before leaving the band for a solo career in 1988. Kool & the Gang recruited three people to replace him, such was his worth. Signing with MCA Records in 1988, Taylor found himself with a hit in the shape of All I Want Is Forever, a duet with Regina Belle but was unable to cross over to the pop charts. He released his debut album Master of the Game in 1989.

Taylor recorded three albums for MCA during the early '90s, failing to trump that success. He completed his second solo album, Feel the Need, in 1991, and two songs from that album, Long Hot Summer Night and his duet with Stephanie Mills, Heart to Heart, were minor hits. This release bears the production stamp of The Funky Ginger himself, the awesome Simon Law, brother of Joanna Law. The title track is also a Funky Ginger production.

Taylor returned to Kool & The Gang in 1995 but is not to be found on Kool and the Gang's latest release, Still Kool (2007). Taylor released his fourth solo album, A Brand New Me, in 2000.

• Long Hot Extended Club
• Single Version
• Flintstrumental

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: JT Taylor.rar Filesize: 35.47 MB

Zushii - There Ain't Enough Love 1989

Red Fly Records FB 3005

Back in the mid 80's, Jason Halliday & Carol McLeod wanted to do 'something different'. Together they began to create tracks with a mix of soul, funk and jazz and Zushii came into being. They were spotted by producer Nigel Wright of Shakatak fame who signed them to his label and released their first single Surprise Surprise in 1987.

Shortly after, a difference in opinion between Zushii and Wright resulted in them parting company. The group decided to start their own label with long term friend Ricky McKenzie, which gave them another two releases, There Ain't Enough Love & A little Sunshine.

There Ain't Enough Love took the South London dance floors by storm. Its bad bassline and jangly melody instantly recognisable, it was a firm favourite with Soul fans. Both mixes are equally good but the flip side The Like A Child Mix (labelled Sweet Mix on the cover?) has a minute plus lead in before the vocal drops which is good for radio chatter or DJ mixing of course.

• Original Version
• The Like A Child Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Zushii.rar Filesize: 31.81 MB

Cashflow - Can't Let Love Pass Us By 1986

Club Records JABX 33

Their debut LP, Ca$hflow, yielded the hit, Mine All Mine, in 1986, which did well internationally and in clubs, but oddly they put their other certified dance floor killer tune on the flip. The follow up release contained a handful of good tunes from the album.

Can't Let Love Pass Us By is a good song, a great album track, but it lacked that special something to make it a hit. I Need Your Love is more of the same but the essential tune on this 12" release was (as Frank said) Spending Money. Not as essential as Mine All Mine and Party Freak but it's certainly a keeper. They issued a follow-up LP, Big Money, in 1988 which to my knowledge never made so much as a dent in the UK Soul scene.

• Can't Let Love Pass Us By
• I Need Your Love
• Spending Money

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Cashflow.rar Filesize: 35.92 MB

Lowrell - Mellow Mellow Right On 1979

AVI Records AVISL 108

This one goes back a few years and I must apologise for the cover coz it's a bit grubby.

Chicago's Lowrell Simon started out in The LaVondells in the 1960's. When the Vondells broke up, he formed The Lost Generation between 1969 and 1974. He went on to write many successful songs including All About the Paper for Loleatta Holloway in 1979.

In the late 1970's, Simon began recording under his first name. He signed to Liberace's label, AVI Records, and released an album in late 1979 entitled Lowrell. The album's second single, Mellow Mellow Right On was a #32 U.S. R&B hit and reached #37 in the UK Singles Chart in December 1979.

There's no great difference for the casual listener but I always played the Alternative Version. Although they are listed as Vocal and Instrumental tracks, the song is continuous on both sides. For this reason I have ripped in both formats, 4 songs and 2 songs, both of which have been added to the rar file. You can choose which to save and delete the other. The song has long since become an anthem and has been sampled by many, including by Massive Attack, Imagination and Common.

• Vocal
• Instrumental
• Alternative Vocal
• Alternative Instrumental

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Lowrell.rar Filesize: 94.97MB

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Posted By Mickey P. to The Soul Vendor on 7/07/2009 12:00:00 PM

Cashflow - Mine All Mine 1986

Club Records JABX 30

Larry Blackmon of Cameo relocated to Atlanta in the ’80s and got involved in music production. One of the groups he signed to his Atlanta Artists label was Ca$hflow.

They featured lead vocalist Kary Hubbert, backed by drummer Gaylord Parson, keyboardists James Duffie, and Regis Ferguson, and blended funk, rap, and urban contemporary music in a style very similar to Cameo.

Their debut LP, Ca$hflow, yielded one moderate hit, Mine All Mine, in 1986, which did fairly well internationally, especially in the clubs. It borrowed heavily from the Fatback Band classic, I Found Lovin' but was also a good enough song in it's own right to rise above the criticism.

The flip side featured another great song which became a funk floor favourite. Party Freak is another song that is heavily influenced by various songs. The rap section owes much to the Cameo classic, She's Strange, but then, since it's Larry Blackmon producing and it's his rap I guess it's OK. Party Freak is given the remix treatment by The Latin Rascals who are an 80's favourite of mine. Always lots of extra, added percussion.

It's Just A Dream should have been called It's A Nightmare. Really not my cup of tea, even if I were dieing of thirst?

• Mine All Mine
• Party Freak (Latin Rascals Edit)
• It's Just A Dream

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Cashflow.rar Filesize: 42.11 MB

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Posted By Mickey P. to The Soul Vendor on 7/05/2009 08:00:00 PM

Janet Jackson - Let's Wait Awhile 1987

Breakout Records USAT 601

Maintaining the Jackson connection, hey.... why not make the best of it? Miss Janet's Control album blew up big time and best part of the album went out on single releases with all the usual mixes on-board, Extended, Instrumental, Bonus Beats and the occasional Accappella. Let's Wait Awhile was rather twee in comparison (despite the remix) to all the dance floor killers that preceded it. The solution was to load the 12" with some 'in demand' Re-mixes of Nasty which had been a big hit on the floor in '86.

Janet Jackson sang the vocal on Herb Alpert's Diamonds and in return he laid down a bit of brass on the Cool Summer Mix of Nasty. Steve Hodge handled all the remixes for the Jam & Lewis production at Flyte Tyme studios. Enjoy!

• Let's Wait Awhile (Remix)
• Nasty (Cool Summer Mix Pt. 1)
• Nasty (Cool Summer Mix Pt. 2)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Janet Jackson.rar Filesize: 48.99 MB

Dread Flimstone - From The Ghetto (Remixes) 1991

Urban Records URBXR 87

Kymba has told you all about Dread Flimstone and his sidekick, David Rubble, here so I'm not going to dwell on the text. This is the Remix 12" that followed shortly after. I agree with Kymba, there are lots of mixes and not much between them and with the Album Mix you hear the samples making sense but this is a good mix and for those that are open to a smooth 4x4 beat, it should be heard.

This version is remixed by Danny Tenaglia before he blew up. Tenaglia grew up with Motown/Philly in early '70s New York and spent time at Paradise Garage. He begun producing in the mid-'80s during his stay in Miami and hit the mainstream in 1993. This is not a lot different (again) from most of the Bastone mixes but I think it's smoother. Outside of the Album Mix all the mixes seem to be searching for something. This one doesn't, on a smooth 4x4 tip this is comfortable and complimetary. Try it, you'll like it.

• Dreadzone Mix
• Dreadzone Dub

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Dread Flimstone & The Modern Ton.rar Filesize: 28.34 MB

SWV - Right Here 1993

RCA Records 74321-16048-2

Following on from the Michael Jackson memoriam post, I thought it was a good connection. The breakthrough hit for SWV was the smooth 1992 release, Right Here, this was soon to be followed up with I'm So Into You, establishing the trio as a commercial force early in 1993.

Then came two number one R&B singles in a row: Weak (which I can't find) and Right Here: The Human Nature Mixes. Stating the obvious I know but it's a remix of their first single that features samples of Human Nature from Michael Jackson's 1982 epic album Thriller. It's a simple remix, SIIS style beats with MJ harmonising on the chorus, but it turned the track into an absolute monster and it became an international success.

With eight mixes to choose from and no turkeys to speak of, this is a healthy release! On the downside, the commercial success of the Human Nature Radio Mix was so effective that you probably don't need to hear it again, ever. That of course, is not an option because it will be played on national radio everyday. You're bound to hear it somewhere.

That said, I ask you to listen, at least once, to the Funkyman 12" and dig the ruffness. Great scratching and boombox beats, you know it's good. Other enjoyable mixes for me are the UK Back To Black Mix and my ultimate Quiet Storm Mix.

• Human Nature Radio Mix
• Back To Nature Mix
• UK Back To Black Mix
• Quiet Storm Mix
• Funkyman 12"
• G-Man 12"
• Smooth Bam Jam Mix
• Original LP Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: SWV.rar Filesize: 92.44 MB

Soul Family Sensation - I Don't Even Know... 1990

One Little Indian Records 42 TP 12

In 1989 Johnny Male teamed up with Guy Batson and Jhelisa Anderson to begin the project Soul Family Sensation. Their debut album 'New Wave' was praised by the UK media as was the single, I Don't Even Know If I Should Call You Baby. Despite interest from the style press and radio play for '...Baby', SFS bombed. Too white for the dance kids, too black for the indie kids, SFS were stuck in a sort of no-mans land in-between.

Their second LP, Burger Habit, recorded without Jhelisa under the band name of Sensation, disappeared without a trace and the band split. Male - after reputedly writing songs for Jimmy Nail - turned up next in Republica.

Jhelisa Anderson has become an accomplished solo artist singing, writing & producing under her first name Jhelisa. She has made two albums and struck gold with Friendly Pressure. Her sister is P.Y. or Pamela Anderson (No, not that one.) who sang with D*Note and Incognito and of course, her cousin is Carleen Anderson, daughter of Vicki Anderson & Bobby Byrd.

I Don't Even Know If I Should Call You Baby failed to gain it's deserved acclaim, probably because the artist and title are far too long. It was re-released in 1991 and spent 4 weeks, reaching the dizzy heights of #49 in the UK Charts. I love this song, both versions here are absolutely sublime. Don't be misled by the alternate title, it's another version of ...Baby but the other track, Beat Author, it's probably a good indication of what the album is about?

I've included BadBoy's video so you can hear the song.

• I Don't Even Know If I Should Call You Baby
• Beat Author (Howl Mix)
• I Could Read All The Letters (The Karen Carpenter Late Night Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Soul Family Sensation.rar Filesize: 26.23 MB

Michael Jackson 1958 - 2009

Epic Records 662695 2

The Soul Vendor site was not considering Michael Jackson releases for inclusion. I'm not a particularly great fan of his work although I do recognise his worth and fully condone his place at the pinnacle of Black Music history. He was at the cutting edge of Soul & Dance music in 1979 and given the events of June 25th, I thought recognition was needed.

There have been moments in Jackson's career, mostly with Quincy Jones, that are unequalled and unparalleled. He took his cue from the Godfather of Soul but I personally believe he equalled James Brown's contribution without plagiarising. The Michael Jackson DMC Megamix on the first release here is a good summation of his work put together by Alan Coulthard of the Disco Mix Club.

Earth Song was Jackson's first song that dealt with the environment and animal welfare. Reviews were generally favourable, but some charged that the song sounded pompous, accompanied by a lavish music video shot on four geographical regions. The song was a top five hit in most European countries. In the UK, it remains Jackson's best-selling single. Earth Song was not released as a single in the United States?

Jackson performed the song at the 1996 BRIT Awards, but was interrupted when Jarvis Cocker stormed the stage, apparently offended with the imagery presented. Jackson went on to receive recognition from various animal and environmental organizations. It went on to receive a Grammy nomination in 1997.

The song was written and composed by Jackson; the task of production was split between Jackson, David Foster and Bill Bottrell.

• Earth Song
• Earth Song (Hani's Club Experience)
• Michael Jackson DMC Megamix

1. Billie Jean
2. Rock With You
3. Bad
4. Thriller
5. Don't Stop Till You Get Enough
6. Black Or White
7. Scream
8. Wanna Be Startin' Something

Epic Records 657774 2

Remember the Time was released in March 1992 as the second single off of Dangerous. The song was a successful attempt by Jackson to create a New Jack Swing-flavored R&B jam with producer Teddy Riley, which received the US Soul Train Award for Best Male R&B Single.

Written and composed by Teddy Riley, Michael Jackson and Bernard Belle, the Silky Soul 7" Mix is a house mix by Steve 'Silk' Hurley who was prominent on the dance scene at the time. The New Jack Main Mix is, as the title suggests, the one to go for. Mixed by Riley and Jean-Marie Harvet under the pseudonym of the NJS Future Team, it is clearly how Riley wanted it to be.

Come Together is a cover of The Beatles classic which was performed by Jackson and used as the music for the closing credits of his 1987 Moonwalker movie.

• Remember The Time
• Remember The Time (Silky Soul 7")
• Remember The Time (New Jack Main Mix)
• Come Together

Epic Records 658018 2

In The Closet: Mixes Behind Door #1

In the Closet was originally conceived as a duet between Jackson and Madonna. According to a 1992 interview with British journalist Jonathan Ross, Madonna claimed she worked on some lyrical ideas for the song but when she presented them to Michael, he decided they were too provocative and she decided not to continue with the project. Despite the song's suggestive title its lyrics do not allude to hidden sexual orientation but rather a concealed relationship.

The song, written and produced by Teddy Riley and Michael Jackson, is typical of Riley's New Jack Swing style. The original song is a duet and the female vocal is credited to Mystery Girl but was later revealed to be Princess Stéphanie of Monaco. Naomi Campbell mimes the lyrics in the music video.

The first three remixes are dance mixes by Tommy Musto and the last is a Def Mix, down tempo house style, by Frankie Knuckles himself entitled The Promise. They are all good quality mixes for various dancefloors but KI's 12" Mix is my personal favourite, mixed by Kiyamma Griffin & Vincent Herbert for 3 Boyz From Newark productions, as it stays true to the original R&B format.

• 7" Edit
• Club Mix
• The Underground Mix
• Touch Me Dub
• KI's 12"
• The Promise

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Michael Jackson.rar Filesize: 180.12 MB

Alyson Williams - I Need Your Lovin' 1989

Def Jam Records 655143 6

Alyson Williams, daughter of the jazz bandleader and trumpet player Bobby Booker, had sung background vocals for various artists including, Curtis Hairston, Melba Moore, B. B. & Q. Band, Cashflow, Unlimited Touch, Bobby Brown and Barbara Mitchell. She joined High Fashion with Meli'sa Morgan in 1980. The group, which also included Eric McClinton, was put together by Jacques Fred Petrus in New York. They had a couple of albums with some success until Morgan left the band in 1983.

After they disbanded, Williams sang on Please Don't Break My Heart by The Affair in 1985 before moving onto a solo career. Her first single, Yes We Can Can, was first released on Profile Records in 1986 but it was when she joined the Def Jam label in 1987 that she found prominence.

She established herself as an in demand vocalist, duetting with many of her label mates including Chuck Stanley, Make You Mine Tonight (included on this release) and Oran "Juice" Jones on How To Love Again.

She was the first R&B female singer signed to Def Jam, where she released her debut Raw in 1989. The album produced the singles My Love is So Raw, featuring female rapper Nikki D, and Sleep Talk. I Need Your Lovin' was remixed by Soul II Soul's Jazzie B and reached #8 in the UK Top 40.

My Love is So Raw, is remixed here by Dave Dorrell & CJ Mackintosh who were popular at the time as MARRS with their hit Pump Up The Volume. The Baby Love Mix which I expected to be dance fodder is actually well handled and definitely worth a listen.

• I Need Your Lovin' (Extended Remix)
• Make You Mine Tonight
• My Love Is So Raw (Baby Love Mix)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Alyson Williams.rar Filesize: 39.07 MB

Kool & The Gang - Raindrops 1989

Mercury Records MERCD 293

Formed by Robert "Kool" Bell, his brother Ronald Bell in New Jersey, Kool & the Gang played jazz before discovering funk alongside the likes of Sly & the Family Stone and James Brown. They were signed by the De-Lite label in the early 70s and exploded in 1974 with Jungle Boogie. However, as quickly as they rode to fame, Kool & the Gang faded.

In 1979 they brought in J.T. Taylor and pop/jazz producer Eumir Deodato for another try, an album called Ladies Night. The title track and the midtempo Too Hot were the beginning of a string of top 10 pop and soul hits for the group that would make Kool & the Gang the top selling soul group of the 80s. Ladies Night was followed by the even bigger Celebration, the joyous title cut of which became the lynch pin of every wedding and birthday party ever since. The infectiousness of their music often went to the extreme but for every Get Down On It there is a Summer Madness.

Deodato left as producer in 1983 and J.T.Taylor left the group in 1987 to pursue a brief but modestly successful solo career (he had one major hit with All I Want Is Forever, a duet with Regina Belle, and a couple of dancefloor grooves, Long Hot Summer and Feel The Need in 1991).

This single release, Raindrops, came out in 1989. It's written and produced by Chuckii Booker with a 12" Remix created by the mighty Blaze. The extra track is an instrumental mix of Amore, Amore, penned by Denise Rich & Randy Edelman and produced by Bell under his pseudonym of Khalis Bayyan. I've not come across a vocal mix but suspect it would be pretty good.

Along with the uncertainty of the group, who had lost two original members after Taylor left, their finances went into meltdown. If this release had become a hit there would probably have been an album in this style but there are many other talents from this era with K&TG connections.

The group kept going but never had another chart hit. They spent the next decade on the oldies circuit, Taylor rejoined for a 1996 reunion tour and the album State of Affairs, which was ignored by both Pop and Soul radio.

• Raindrops
• Raindrops (12" Remix)
• Amore, Amore (Instrumental)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Kool & The Gang.rar Filesize: 32.51 MB