Simon Harris Starring Dina Carroll & Monte Luv ‎– Don't Stop The Music - UK CDS - (1990)

Living Beat Records ‎– SMASH 10CD

In 1986, Simon Harris, who would later become best known for producing the number one hit "Bass (How Low Can You Go?"), founded the label Music of Life with hundreds of productions, many by Simon himself,  involving UK, US and Jamaican urban artists. Simon broke new ground alongside Asher D and Daddy Freddy, when they released "Ragamuffin Hip Hop", a fusion of reggae and hip hop, and helped to lay the foundations of the urban UK music scene for years to come.

He has remixed many artists such as Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), Arthur Baker, War, James Brown, George Clinton, Tony! Toni! Toné! and Prince (The Most Beautiful Girl in the World) to name a few.

He's also the man behind the legendary Beats Breaks and Scratches series of albums – which I've got several of.

This tune has real pedigree, being a cover cover of the 1980 classic by Yarbrough and Peoples, with Mr Harris and team infusing it with 90s urban sensibilities.

His team for this release features the excellent Dina Carroll blessing us with her beautiful vocals as well as rapper Monte Luv. 

It also opens with a nice breakbeat, underpinning the whole song, and I do like a break!

Wicked stuff! :)

Tracklist

1. Don't Stop The Music (Critical Club Mix)
   Featuring [Starring] – Dina Carroll, Monte Luv
2. Ragga House (Return Of The Prodigal Raggamuffin Mix)
   Featuring [Starring] – Daddy Freddy
3. Love Brake
4. Don't Stop The Music (Radio Edit)
   Featuring [Starring] – Dina Carroll, Monte Luv

Discogs page

Download: SH-DSTM.7z | Filesize: 43.9MB

Mica Paris - One - (1995)

Cooltempo Records, CDCOOL304

Originally posted in 2009 by me. Now re-upped in 320. This is another of those odd ones that is now being attributed to Mickey. Really weird, that. - Kymba

Following on from Mickey's The Chimes post, "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" which is a U2 cover version par excellence, I thought I'd do the same. We're all about the continuity here!

So take one pretentious rock/pop star's arguably finest moment. Get someone hugely talented, vocally, in to re-sing it and voila - instant magic! (Ah... but it was 'a good song' and Mica is probably the only singer who could've truly improved it? Mickey)

Yup, you're right, Mick. I'll take my slap on the wrists there - it is a classic song with truly beautiful lyrics, and I'm letting my dislike for Bono & Co colour my words, but listening to Mica Paris sing it is like hearing it the way it should be rather than just a mere cover.

Mica sings with effortless grace, and real passion. Her smokey vocals - I almost melt when she ups the emotion with the line "...did I disappoint you..." - over the slick, non intrusive beats, really are a match made in heaven. Having said that, Mica could ride over a Gun N Roses beat and make it sound wicked.

There's a suite of mixes, and I'll hazard a semi-educated guess and say that our Mickey would go for the lovely Perfecto mixes, but, for me, the Ethnic Boyz mix is the best (points awarded if you can tell me what song is sampled for the main loop), closely followed by the Original Mix. 

That's not to say the others are bad at all, though!

Tracklist

1. One (Perfecto 7" Edit)
2. One (Original Mix)
3. One (Perfecto Mix)
4. One (Ethnic Boyz Mix)
5. One (Perfecto Dub)

Download: MP-O.7z | Filesize: 58.9MB

Mica Paris - Stay 1998

Cooltempo Records 12COOLDJ 334

I have written much of Mica Paris elsewhere on this blog. Seek & ye shall find? Basically, I love her voice and believe her to be one of the worlds finest vocalists. For me, she was the standard by which all others were measured during the early 90's. With regard to her material, she lost her cutting edge during the mid 90's but her voice was still in fine fettle.

Written by Sylvester Stewart, Stay was a Sly & The Family Stone classic from their 1973 album Fresh. Originally entitled If You Want Me To Stay, I recall hearing it opening an episode of ER (sorry, I love it) a few years back and being surprised at how good it still sounds.

Mica covered the song on her 1998 Black Angel album, the Radio Edit of that version is on here. She works the vocals into her own groove, staying with the original song but making it her own and doing a fine job as expected. Of course, The Soul Vendor requires a little more to make the shelves look impressive and on this promo release we have Blacksmith back in the house again. The Brooklyn Funk Mix puts some bounce into the song giving it a whole new lease of life while the Blacksmith Club Rub takes us into head nodding territory but letting Mica's vocal smoulder. Summer Funk for the Bar-B-Que, you just know this is bad!

• Brooklyn Funk R'n'B Mix
• Radio Edit
• Blacksmith Club Rub

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Mica Paris.rar Filesize: 37.65 MB

Samuelle - Living In Black Paradise 1990

Atlantic Records 7567-82130-4

My apologies for this post, it is ripped from a cassette album. I have no idea why I chose to buy a cassette but then I do not post albums as a rule and the only reason I'm posting this is because it's cassette quality. I'm not sure if it's available on CD but I don't have the vinyl. Having apologised, I must say it's better quality than I expected?

OK, I bought this album for Circle Of Love which is my favourite track on the album. The second single, Black Paradise, is also worth mentioning but the album is not what I would call essential. On the other hand, it isn't lame either and a quick run through the credits reveals the En Vogue girls on backing vocals. It is therefore, worth checking out and has its place in your collection.

• Black Paradise (5:29)
• So You Like What You See (4:41)
• Greedy Man (5:59)
• I'm So In Love (4:41)
• Take My Heart (5:54)
• Stay (4:34)
• Struck By Your Love (4:51)
• When Love Calls (4:47)
• Circle Of Love (4:33)
• Wanna Make You Feel Real Good (4:52)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Samuelle - Living In Black Parad..rar Filesize: 56.07 MB

Samuelle - So You Like What You See 1990

Atlantic Records A 7864 (T)

Club Nouveau were formed by record producer/performer Jay King in Sacramento, California, subsequent to the break up of the Timex Social Club. The group included Jay King, Grady Samuelle Prater, Denzil Foster, Thomas McElroy & Valerie Watson. They turned out a 'Go-Go' style (who remembers Go-Go) cover of the Bill Withers classic, Lean On Me in 1986 which was quite successful. It was catchy (and very mainstream) but they didn't manage to repeat that success again. Foster & McElroy soon left to form their own projects and focus on producing other acts. They would, of course, soon score big with The Tonies and En Vogue. Prater also left for a solo attempt.

So the 80's ground to a halt and in the UK we had half the dancefloors shouting "Acieeeed!" while the other half done the bump & grind to SIIS beats or New Jack Swing. Prater released his debut album, Living In Black Paradise as Samuelle in 1990, co-written, produced and arranged by his old friends Foster & McElroy under the umbrella of 2 Tuff-E-Nuff Productions (nothing to do with the UK's Tuff Jam's Matt & Karl).

So You Like What You See was the lead off single from the album. The Extended LP Mix is mixed by Ken Kessie who was on the recent Sinclair post. Teddy Riley got involved in the remixes adding his New Jack Swing Production to the mix and Wrecks N Effect added a rap to the 12" Remix. It slammed the dancefloors and made an impact on the specialist charts in the summer of 1990.

The follow up single, title track Black Paradise, was criminally ignored and no more was heard of Samuelle. In 1996 he released All That Matters To Me which didn't make the charts at all. He resurfaced in 2005 and recorded with his brother as Samuelle & D'Lynn. The release, Don't Worry, There's Love In the Ghetto, is inspired by classic 60's and 70's soul and was released on an independent label.

• Extended LP Mix
• 12" Remix
• Club Remix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Samuelle.rar Filesize: 39.95 MB

The Family Stand - Ghetto Heaven 1990

Atlantic Records A7997T

Formed by Peter Lord, Vernon Jeffrey Smith and Sandra St. Victor in the early 90s, the band released their debut album, Chain, from which the huge club hit, Ghetto Heaven, was taken. Built around the songwriting and production talents of Smith and Lord and the excellent vocals of St. Victor,

The Family Stand combined elements of rock, folk, soul, free jazz, hip hop, funk and hardcore gospel. More than the sum of their influences though, the group took on social issues with leftfield classics such as Plantation Radio and The Education Of Jamie.

I think it's fair to say that the production talents of Beresford Romeo and Nellee Hooper on The Remix, definitely made this an essential tune and gave The Family Stand the break they needed. The difference between this and The Original is rather dramatic, losing the rough edges that delivered the message but gaining a smooth dance floor edge. I think it showed admirable restraint by the marketing team, choosing not to use the extremely fashionable Soul II Soul name on the front cover. Jazzie B's name was just as well known, of course. The follow up, In Summer I Fall barely made an impact.

They then made the legendary Moon In Scorpio album and became the production team of the moment, working with Paula Abdul, Daryl Hall, Des'ree and Aftershock to name but a few, before going on hiatus in 1999.

• The Remix
• The Original
• The Dub

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: The Family Stand.rar Filesize: 31.9 MB