The Brand New Heavies - Sometimes 1997

FFRR Records BNHCD 8

That sticker alone would have made this CD single essential to me. Anything sporting a Masters At Work remix was a 'must have' in my book but, let's step back a little and look at the list of accolades on this release.

The Brand New Heavies hit the scene via the UK's Acid Jazz movement. In the late 80's they were an instrumental funk outfit playing new retro music to Soul music's 'Rare Groove' crowd. For their first album the group featured the incredible vocals of Jay Ella Ruth on a few tracks. For various reasons, the group then hired the services of the very competent N'Dea Davenport who became a member and brought much polish to the bands veneer. The down side of this was the decision to re-record the debut album which resulted in the Jay Ella Ruth recordings being virtually forgotten. For their third album Shelter, from which this single was taken (fifth if you include the re-recording of the debut and sideline rap release Heavy Rhyme Experience) N'Dea Davenport had split for a solo career and the band brought in Siedah Garrett, a much lauded vocalist who had sung with Dennis Edwards, Michael Jackson & Maysa Leak (Incognito).

As an album track, Sometimes was one of the stronger tracks and it was therefore a logical choice for single release. The remix treatment by 'Little' Louie Vega & Kenny 'Dope' Gonzalez on the MAW Smooth Mix created a nice vocal dancefloor track. Much of the House music fodder was void of vocals and this is why Masters At Work have always been considered a cut (or six) above the rest. I don't consider this mix to be one of their better examples but in 1997 I thought it was great. There were quite a few MAW remixes of this track on vinyl.

Finally, the unique feature on this release for me is Q Tip. The acclaimed rapper/producer from A Tribe Called Quest, who came to the attention of the public via De La Soul and the Native Tongues Posse. Q Tip has since appeared on many releases and remixes but this was a new thing at the time. The Ummah (Arabic for "brotherhood") was a production team consisting of members of A Tribe Called Quest and Jay Dee. Their work on this release is what keeps it fresh. Enjoy!

• Radio Edit
• MAW Smooth Mix
• Ummah Remix
• Nuyoricans Meet The Heavies

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Sometimes (BNHCD 8).zip Filesize: 36.27 MB

Brand New Heavies - The Ticket E.P. 1994

The Ticket Cassette 1

So, what can I tell you? The Ticket was a magazine that appeared on the bookshelves in London for a very brief spell before disappearing into magazine oblivion. It was quite a classy mag but amidst the glut of club lifestyle mags on the shelves at the time, it found no interest. I was lucky enough to spot the Brand New Heavies cassette stuck to the front and that was it.

To my knowledge these tracks, all written and produced by BNH, have not turned up anywhere else since BUT... I'm no expert on The Heavies. Touch Of Your Love and Keep Together were recorded at RAK in London, while Country Funkin' and Acid One were recorded in Hollywood Sounds, LA in August & September 1993. Enjoy!

• Touch Of Your Love
• Country Funkin'
• Keep Together
• Acid One

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: The Ticket.zip
Filesize: 27.44 MB

Sorry about the cover scan, it's in good condition but the scan is nasty?
I have included CD sized cover art in the rar.

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: Real Love (Mixes).zip  Filesize: 59.25 MB

Special request / New for 2012

This will probably be pointless, but here goes...

If you want to download any of this amazing music, please take a moment to post a comment on why you like that song, what it means to you, some trivia about it... whatever. And don't be anonymous either. If you haven't got a Google ID then use the Name/URL option and put in your facebook or just a dummy URL. Help us keep this music alive and don't just download and take without giving back.

Show the artists some love and get involved, good people! 

Oh, and d'ya like the new look?

Peace & Luvizm.

Mickey & Kymba

A big THANK YOU to all who do take the time to join in. It really does mean a lot to us. Shout outs to active members such as Nitro, Mark S, Sasha, Frank Black aka Windowlicker, Tosh, DJ Bounce, the one Jaybilla, Seth J, BadBoySoul, and our boys from Brasil José Manuel aka Alifunk & DJ Larry (are you two still out there? We miss you guys!) and others. Your contributions to the site make all our  time & effort ripping the CDs & vinyl, scanning all the artwork and writing the reviews worthwhile.

PS - Got LOTS of really nice releases coming on here over the next few weeks. I think you're gonna love it. I can also make lossless rips of any of my posts if you ask nicely.

PPS - Have you got CD Singles or 12"s that belong on here, and can you scan the artwork? Don't be shy of posting a link for us.

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

Polydor/Wildcard, CARDD 4

Another 320kbps re-up!

I'm going to start this off with a complaint: WHAT THE HELL WERE POLYDOR/WILDCARD 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 this 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 nice guitar driven piece of soul, produced by a certain Robert Howard of The Blow Monkeys fame (thanks for the confirmation, Frank). I always loved Wait his duet with my namesake, Kym Mazelle.

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 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 :)

Tracklist

1. What In the World 
2. Greater Love 
3. Greater Love (Ethnic Boyz Remix) 
4. Want Your Love 2 B Mine 

Download: NC-WITW-GL.7z File size: 38.1 MB

Young Disciples - Apparently Nothin' (1991)

Talkin' Loud, TLKCD 5

I originally posted Apparently Nothin’ in February 2009, but since we're on a program of re-upping all the releases that were saved to (and lost by) Megaupload, I figured I'd rip it again at a higher quality.

Apparently Nothin' is such an undeniable, bona-fide, classic, and it’s the sort of track that should have been on this blog first, before any other tracks are added, kinda thing - it really is that big a tune.

You all know this song. It was the gem in the crown of the UK urban music scene in the 90s. A modern day funk masterpiece, no less. I’d even go so far as to say it is arguably one of the finest slices of music to ever come out of the UK (then again, the YD’s are one of my all-time fave bands, so I’m kinda biased). It was covered by the Brand New Heavies (I have their version laying around somewhere if anyone is curious), but it plain wasn't as good as this original release. There really isn't much to say about this song that you won't already know, I guess.

Its flawless retro funk production, coupled with a killer vocal performance from Carleen Anderson (True funk royalty; her mother was one of James Brown's go-to funky divas, recording the classic Message From The Soul Sisters among others), make it a killer release.

This CD single contains no real surprises - there's the version we all know and love, as well as a shortened Radio Edit, and an Instrumental version (yay!). There's also the Soul River version, which appears on the album, but isn't quite as good (in my opinion anyway), but does have a lovely wah-wah guitar opening.

Ladies and gentlemen, Soul Vendor is proud to present the mighty Young Disciples, Apparently Nothin’.

I've re-ripped it in 192kbps for your listening pleasure, so you may want to re-download. Oh, I also bought the US limited edition remixes recently; I'll get those ripped and upped ASAP for you.

Enjoy!

- Kymba

• Apparently Nothin’ (Edit)
• Apparently Nothin’
• Apparently Nothin’ (Soul River Mix)
• Apparently Nothin’ (Instrumental)

The Download Link is here: Apparently Nothin'.zip | Filesize: 26.33MB @ 192kbps

Omar - Outside/Saturday (1994)

RCA Records 74321213972

Omar is quite often overlooked in the history of soul, he's certainly one of the UK's most underrated artists. He virtually invented Street Soul and is an all-round writer/producer/musician/artist and yet he is remembered (just) as a one hit wonder for There's Nothing Like This. Time's are changing, after six albums (yes, six albums. The last one Sing released in 2006) and awards for 'Best Neo-Soul Act' and 'Outstanding Achievement Award' at the Urban Music Awards 2006, Omar is getting the recognition he deserves.

Back in 1994 he released the superb For Pleasure album and this single was lifted from it. Strange release, this one. The title track is Outside and it was specially remixed by the legendary Ray Hayden at Opaz Studios. Unfortunately, only the Radio Edit is on the CD?

Saturday is another track from the album and this has been remixed by Frankie Foncett. Foncett is not always good but the Gangster Club Ride is an interesting take on that urban ghetto vibe. For me though, this release is all about the Absolute Remix. Sublime, as always.

• Outside (Opaz Radio Edit)
• Saturday (Frankie Foncett's Gangster Club Ride)
• Saturday (Frankie Foncett's Club Part 1)
• Saturday (The Absolute Remix)

The Download Link is here: Omar - Saturday (CD Single).zip | Filesize: 30.1 MB

Omar - Say Nothin' (1997) - CD1 & CD2

RCA/BMG 74321 50286 2

Back in 1997 our friend Omar came back in fine style with a track, Say Nothin', that plain blew me away, despite the album not really being his best work.

Sure, we could probably debate all night what this guy's finest hour was (for some, it would obviously be There's Nothing Like This, for me, it could well be Saturday or Keep Steppin' (Uptight Remix), and our boy Nitro argues there's too damn many finest moments to pick from - I'm inclined to agree), but whatever, this song surely has to be up there with the best of them.

Featuring another hero of mine: Russell Tyrone Jones aka Ol' Dirty Bastard aka ODB aka Dirt Dog aka Osiris aka Big Baby Jesus(!) aka Ason aka Dirt McGirt, this tune had a funky '80s throwback feel to it which appealed to me hugely.

For me, it's all about the Original Mix, which still sounds every bit as fresh as it did 12 years ago, although the Structure Rize Remix has re-recorded vocals and a cheeky interpolation of Gwen McCrae's "All This Love That I'm Giving" to make it a remix of note. I bet you can't listen to that chorus without a big grin spreading across your face. Probably my second favourite version after the Original.

The Rae & Christian Remix is pretty groovy, too - as are the Nightmares on Wax, Opaz and Scratch Professor Mixes. All in all, there's not a bad version of the track. Odd really, on most CD singles there's usually at least one remix that makes you think "why on Earth did they bother?" - Or is that just me?

So, here it is, in all its dual CD Single glory. CD2 link after the jump.

• Say Nothin' (Original Mix)
• Say Nothin' (Structure Rize Remix)
• Say Nothin' (Rae & Christian Remix)
• Say Nothin' (Opax Remix)
• Say Nothin' (Nightmares On Wax Remix)
• Say Nothin' (Scratch Professor and Omar's Dark Mix)

The Download Link is here: Say Nothin' (Disc 1).zip | Filesize: 45.56MB

---

RCA/BMG 74321 50287 2

CD2 contains the Original Mix again, as well as a Radio Edit which has no ODB!! Booohoooo! However, this ODB-less version does show off the lovely bridge section our perenially inebriated hiphoppa otherwise drowns out.

Sip N' Taste is fairly standard Omar fare, meaning by anyone else's standards it's excellent. Typical Omar type keyboards on this one. Give it a listen and you'll hear what I mean. Good tune.

Oh Baby is a very sexy track featuring some really well sung backing vocals from an uncredited female singer, possibly Sylvia Bennett Smith, as she's listed as a co-writer. I really like this track, it's slinky and sexy, and sounds way too good to be a backup track/B-side. In fact, for me, it's the pick of the tracks on Disc 2. Whadda you think?

• Say Nothin' (original mix)
• Say Nothin' (Radio Edit)
• Sip N' Taste
• Oh Baby

The Download Link is here: Say Nothin' (Disc 2).zip | Filesize: 26.02MB

Enjoy!

- Kymba

The Beatmasters - Boulevard of Broken Dreams (1990)

Rhythm King/Epic Records 657361 2

Stop.

I know what you're thinking; "Beatmasters. Betty Boo. Is this what a quality site like The Soul Vendor has descended to?"

Hold on, though. This track is a perfect candidate for TSV. Okay, it's not so much soul as it is hip-hop, really, but this classy little number samples the hell out of Marlena Shaw, one of my soul icons, and her brilliant Woman of the Ghetto track (I think it was actually the live version of Woman Of The Ghetto), alongside 24-Carat Black's Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth. Oh, there are also a slew of other samples in there. Try and spot them all.

It features Brit rapper JC 001, who, at one time I seem to recall, held a record for being the fastest rapper around. Fortunately, he exhibits restraint on this and offers up some contemplative rhymes and paints an interesting picture with his lyrics. Check it and hear for yourself.

It's the 7" you'll want, which is wicked, but the jazz-tastic Freebop mix is also really nice if you fancy a switch.  The Chips Mix is another nice variation on the track, but not quite as good as the other two in my opinion. Night in Action is a really good secondary track. Heavy on the reggae samples, and good for it. Give it a breakbeat and it would almost be old skool hardcore. Very much in the spirit of their previous release Ska Train.

All in all, this package goes to show what an underrated bunch of producers the Beatmasters were if you look past their novelty misadventures with Betty Boo.

• Boulevard of Broken Dreams (7")
• Night In Action
• Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Freebop Mix)
• Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Chips Mix)

The Download Link is here: Boulevard Of Broken Dreams.zip | Filesize: 38.18MB

James Ingram - It's Real 1989

WEA Records W2975CD

James Ingram is from Akron, Ohio. Like the family group Ingram, he is also a self-taught musician who plays piano, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards, as well as having an excellent voice. Additionally, he is a producer and songwriter. He began his career in the '70s as part of the band Revelation Funk and gained his reputation in the Los Angeles area as a session vocalist. His surname and six degrees of seperation seem to be the only connection with Ingram the group?

Having made the grade with his performance on Quincey Jones album and his duet with Michael McDonald on Yah Mo B There, Ingram put his voice on all the best recordings but his own solo work didn't seem to get the same recognition. In 1989, for his third album, the production skills of Gene Griffin were used, with remixes by Teddy Riley, It's Real, the album title track was very much the sound of now. Despite the Swingbeat label, it still sounds pretty fresh. I like the comments from the producers.... (Teddy Riley & Gene Griffin, I guess?)

"Who we working with?"

"It's James man"

"Brown?"

"Nah man, James Ingram."

Yeah, New Jack Swing, some of it was damn good!

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: James Ingram - Its Real CDS.rar
Size: 20.86 MB

Azizi - Trouble 1991

Arista Records 211 685

Azizi are Nanci Williams and Eileen McKoy, about whom I know little but they seem to be a project. The names that crop up on the vinyl are production by Alun (with a 'U') Lane & Ted Hayton and additional production or remix by Phil Bodger.

For my part, in 1991 Midnight Lover (Young Girl) got played on Essex FM and I thought it was good. I heard no more about them but found the album 'Trouble' purely by chance, some time later.

Thanks Saleiz for pointing out the obvious reference (when you know) to Minnie Ripperton's 1975 'Adventures In Paradise' album.

I also found that my favourite track from the album, the Slam Jam Phil Bodger tweaked 'Don't Say That It's Over' was released with Frankie Knuckles remixes.

Thanks to Finest Def Mix for making it available. ;-)

• Midnight Lover (Young Girl)
• Don't Say That It's Over
• Sweet Thing
• Evermore
• Don't Make Me Wait
• Trouble
• Free
• Things Are Not The Way
• I Betcha
• (They Long To Be) Close To You

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Azizi - Trouble.rar
Filesize: 73.09 MB

Azizi - Midnight Lover (Young Girl) 1991

Arista Records 614 092

Another band I know nothing about except that they appeared in 1991 and disappeared shortly thereafter?

This was their first release which I heard on Essex FM, played by John Leech. He was a pretty cool local DJ who managed to break the new without upsetting the mainstream listeners.

• Club Mix
• Instrumental
• Full Moon Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Midnight Lover.rar
 Filesize: 25.99 MB

Teddy Riley Featuring Tammy Lucas – Is It Good To You (1992)

SOUL Records, MCA Records – MCSTD 1611

This is another one that should have been on here years ago!

The soundtrack album for seminal Hip-Hop movie Juice was overflowing with dope tracks from various artists like EPMD, Naughty By Nature, Big Daddy Kane and others. It really is up there with the best soundtrack albums ever put together. Leading the way in terms of single releases were Aaron Hall's superb Don't Be Afraid, and this little monster. Check the Don't Be Afraid link for a little more info.

Is It Good To You is a reworking of a tune of the same name that Teddy had already produced for  the late great Heavy D a year before. That song featured the bassline from Junior Giscombe's 'Mamma Used To Say', and, coupled with Heav's quality rhymes, made it a song of some note. Forward on a year and Teddy hooked up with long term collaborator, the honey voiced Tammy Lucas to rework the song from just a chorus on a rap song into a fully fledged R&B masterpiece.

It's a real shame Tammy Lucas never blew up in her own right. I always loved her voice; she  sounded damn near angelic, sung with real style, and stole the show whether guesting on the brilliant 1nce Again by A Tribe Called Quest, or Blackstreet's Tonight's The Night (both of which I will be adding to this site in the coming weeks). Frank/Windowlicker mentions in the comments section reading an interview with her where she mentions that, as a larger sized woman, the record company didn't know how to market her, and so she went into writing rather than being an artist herself. What a superficial world we live in; hypocritical, too, with Heavy D being perfectly acceptable.

This release, then, is a nice reminder of a wonderful soul singer who never quite got her due.

There are six tracks on this single, most of them sound almost identical barring one or two slight differences in the arrangement, so I will let you judge which is the best. However, the Acapella might be of interest for you mixologists. For me, much like Don't Be Afraid, it's the album version, conspicuous by its absence, which is best, so I've included it as a bonus track. I've also included the Percapella and Bonus Beats versions found on the US release of this for sake of completion, which leads me to this question; Is Kymba good to you? :)

• Is It Good To You (On The Radio Mix)
• Is It Good To You (Acapella)
• Is It Good To You (Hip Hop Mix)
• Is It Good To You (In The Clubs Mix)
• Is It Good To You (Lucasade Mix)
• Is It Good To You (Instrumental)
• Bonus:  Is It Good To You (Album Version)
• Bonus:  Is It Good To You (Percapella)
• Bonus:  Is It Good To You (Bonus Beats)

The Download Link is here: Download 
Filename: Is It Good To You.zip
Filesize: 87.12MB

Loose Ends - Love's Got Me (1990)

Ten Records TENCD 330

Originally formed in the very early 1980’s, and comprised of members Carl McIntosh, Jane Eugene, and Steve Nichol, Loose Ends are probably the closest thing the UK ever had to a soul/R&B band to perform the impossible task of breaking America (well, until Soul II Soul came along in the late 80’s, that is).

The superb Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) was a hit, both here and America, peaking at #13 on the UK Singles Chart and a healthy #1 in the US R&B Singles Charts, and served as a platform for a small handful of classy minor hits to follow. They disbanded in the late 80’s, but by 1990, a new look Loose Ends appeared, with a reshuffled line-up of Carl McIntosh, Linda Carriere and Sunay Suleyman, and released the album ‘Look How Long’, which had an edgier and more urban sound than the band previously had displayed.

The band split again not long after the dust had settled on their last four releases, but briefly reformed to make a very decent song with Hip-Hop uber producer Pete Rock in 1998 on his Soul Survivor LP. Carl McIntosh threw himself into production duties, producing very respectable names such as Caron Wheeler, and remixing for the likes of D’Angelo among others.

…but I digress. ‘Look How Long’ spawned three monstrous singles, Don’t Be A Fool (Mickey has posted that particular classic elsewhere on TSV), Cheap Talk, and, my favourite of the bunch, the infectiously funky Love’s Got Me.

Love’s Got Me was propelled along by cheeky usage of a Funky Drummer-esque breakbeat sampled from the excellent Sleep Talk by Alyson Williams, and a Carl McIntosh who sang, in places, like he was channelling the late great Marvin Gaye. It was further helped along by an extended version, which added trippy dub elements after four minutes of normality to make a club dance-floor smash - and provide my favourite version of the track.

The flipside, 'Feel The Vibe...' is a nice chill-out track without sans vocals that wouldn't be out of place on a trendy "bar music" collection CD. Not quite the quality of the lead track, but not bad as a bonus.

Love’s Got Me, for me, stands alongside Hangin' On A String (Contemplating) as Loose Ends finest moment. 

What do you think?

- Kymba

PS - why are some of my posts showing up with Mick as the poster? D'ya reckon this is something to do with the site being previously and you re-upping my posts, Mick? I've only just noticed it where I'm going back to older posts and putting a new working DL link in.

• Love's Got Me
• Love's Got Me (Extended Version)
• Feel The Vibe...

The Download Link is here: Love's Got Me.zip | Filesize: 19.65MB