McKoy ‎– On The Streets - UK CDS - (1993)

Right Track Records ‎– CD TUM 

Noel McKoy is a revered soul singer from South London. He also currently owns the Dutch Pot nightclub in London. How's that for diversification? :D In recent times Noel has linked with fellow UK soul icons such as Don E, Omar, Lee Johns, Carl McIntosh and more to form the British Collective. Look up and buy their album 'The Renaissance' if you can. It's wicked.

Noel cites influences such as The Beatles, Dennis Brown, Chaka Khan, Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. Quite a mix!

McKoy the band have been covered on here multiple times, so I will keep this short and sweet. 

(Mickey did a much better write up of this one here.)

Allow me to save you time and effort; the 7" and Extended versions are great, the Mother Mix does nada for me... jump straight into track 3 without hesitation.

Track 3 is the Soweto Meets Moss Side mix, by far my favourite version, and features The James Taylor Quartet doing their thang. Funky, old skool vibes run throughout this one, lifting it above the original versions and blowing away the other mix. It's brilliant and possibly even tops the always wicked Family as Mr McKoy's finest moment (Actually, that last statement is a biggie and it depends on my mood).

Thanks for the funky UK vibes, Noel!

Tracklist

1. On The Streets (7" Version)
2. On The Streets (Extended Mix)
3. On The Streets (Soweto Meets Moss Side)
4. On The Streets (Mother Mix)

Discogs page

Download: M-OTS.7z | Filesize: 44.3MB

McKoy - Family - (1994)

RighTrack Records CD TUM 8

Originally posted 23/07/2008

1990-92 was busy time for Noel McKoy. At the same time as he fronted the acid jazz cult band The James Taylor Quartet, he also had some success with Snowboy (doing a cover of Leroy Hudson's Lucky Fellow and Leo's Sunship's Give Me The Sunshine) and his family as McKoy. 

The album 'Full Circle - Within A Spiritual Social Soul' was released in 1993 (If you like this then you need a copy) and that prompted a re-release of the highly rated but underexposed Family.

The Original Version is a beautiful slice of soul but this release called in Ray Hayden of Opaz Studios. Hayden, knowing a good song when he hears one, done the right thing and left it virtually as it was but in true Opaz style, he gives it a great big helping of schmoove. You can't fault this guy, he's a master. Walter Turbitt turns out a short but sweet Live Band Mix which is a joy to hear. Personally, I'm not keen on the Gussie P. Reggae Mix but different strokes and all that?

Tracklist

1. Family (Ray Hayden's Extended Mix)
2. Family (Original Version)
3. Family (Gussie P. Reggae Mix)
4. Family (Live Band Mix)

Download: M-F.7z | Filesize: 39.0MB

'For those who know Soul is what you feel not what you hear.'

Noel McKoy

JTQ with Noel McKoy - Love The Life 1993

Big Life Records BLRD 93

The James Taylor Quartet are a British four-piece jazz funk band that were formed by Hammond organ player James Taylor. The core line-up includes Nigel Price (guitar), Gary Crockett (bass) and Neil Robinson (drums). Their is also a horn section, The Alive & Kicking Horns, comprising John Willmott (tenor sax/flute) and Nick Smart (trumpet) and a vocalist Yvonne Yanney (not featured on this release). Often referred to as simply JTQ, the group are affiliated to a collective of, mainly, London based UK musicians and groups, members of which, guest on each others recordings.

On this release, Noel McKoy of the group McKoy (backing vocals), is the featured guest vocalist on the track Love The Life, a classic uptempo paean to the joys of life originally included on the 1990 Do Your Own Thing album. The 12" Revisited mix is, I believe, the 1993 remix by Chris Jones & James Taylor but the original 12" came out in 1990 with Morales mixes. Alongside are two JTQ instrumental tracks, the quirky but funky Breakout from the 1993 Get Organised album and the excellent soulful jazzy, Higher World which as far as I know is only available here.

• Love The Life (Revisited Edit)
• Higher World
• Love The Life (12" Revisited)
• Breakout

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: JTQ - Life.rar Filesize: 27.13 MB

McKoy - On The Streets 1993

RighTrack Records CD TUM 7

Following the success of Fight and prior to the re-release of Family, this collaboration with James Taylor was released. Produced in conjunction with Mykaell Riley (Chinablack) it kept McKoy in the public eye. Chris Jones does a fair job of a commercial mix, as far as you can crossover with McKoy and still retain credibility, I guess. Noel's own mix, Soweto Meets Moss Side does a far better job with regard to bringing the best out of the song, in my opinion of course. The Mother Mix is really a dub. Mother (Jools Brettle & Lee Fisher) had some exposure on the dancefloors in 1993, with a tune called All Funked Up (Bosting Records) which worked quite well. This funky mix shows some of that enthusiasm and I can't help but wonder whether there was a full vocal Mother mix.

Noel Mckoy has proved a versatile artist, crossing various musical boundaries. Today, he owns his own label, RightTrack Records, and in 1998 released the album, Please Take This Personal. He has performed duets alongside Juliet Roberts, Mica Paris, Vanessa Simon and Beverley Knight. Today, Noel runs the Dutch Pot nightclub in London, where artists perform acoustic sets. These have included Omar, Lynden David Hall, Tashan and, of course, himself. He is currently working on new material.

• 7" Version
• Extended Mix
• Soweto Meets Moss Side Mix
• Mother Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: McKoy - Streets.rar Filesize: 30.76 MB

McKoy - Fight 1993

RighTrack Records CD TUM 1

McKoy features Noel McKoy on lead vocals with Junette, Cornelle and Robin McKoy on backing vocals. Noel is one of the unsung heros of British Soulmusic. Not just a singer, not just a songwriter, but also someone striving to promote new artists. He has performed with several U.K. acts including Nu Colours, The Pasadena's, the James Taylor Quartet, Snowboy, Sounds Of Blackness, Steve Williamson and Linton 'Kwesi' Johnson. Noel came to prominence in 1989 when McKoy (the collective) released the songs I'm Lucky and Family.

The next single, Fight, almost broke through. It was successful enough to get a release on a major label. This release, on his own Rightrack Records, features the Original Mix, produced by Noel McKoy and remixed by Henry Holder, the most soulful version by far although it is jazzy. The City Lick Mix by Dodge & IG Culture for City Lick Productions (as opposed to Dodge City Productions), features Steffan Brown on Bass, Henry Holder, this time on Keyboards and it's engineered by Leo Grant and Giles Robinson. It's the version with the most balls and although it's into hip-hop territory it should not be missed. Paul Gotel's Belvedere Mix, I initially ignored thinking it would be some kind of trancey dance job. Big mistake, it's another soulful R&B mix with a good feel. All good people, it's all good.

• 7" Mix
• City Lick Mix
• Paul Gotel Belvedere Mix
• Original Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: McKoy - Fight.rar Filesize: 31.21 MB

Noel McKoy - Baby Mother, Baby Father 1995

Right Track Records RT 004

A couple of years after the splendid McKoy album, Full Circle, Noel McKoy released this solo work under his full name. It's still Right Track Records, still Hit & Run Music but Noel's name seems to be the only one involved.

As for the mixes, head straight for the B-Side and make your choice. Longsy D knocks up a soulfull shuffler but for me, KG's Naughty Boy mix with it's Doug E. Fresh sample works well and probably gets more plays.

• Solo Funk Mix
• Take Heed Club Mix
• Longsy D's Father Mix
• KG's Naughty Boy Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Noel McKoy 1995.rar Filesize: 28.09 MB