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

Capitol Classics Volume 1 1988

Capitol Records EMS 1316

Massive respect to my man Boo for supplying the artwork for this gem! As we are unable to record the vinyl at its (French?) source, I have collected together the tracklist. Can you please confirm that I have used all the correct versions Boo?

The first two Capitol Classics releases were essential at the time, I never managed to get this release and had to wait to find the tracks I wanted on other compilations. The later releases were 'less essential' back in the day although they are all interesting for different reasons now.

In the case of this album, the tracks that were of interest at the time were likely to be A Taste Of Honey - Boogie Oogie Oogie, The BB&Q Band - On The Beat, The McCrary's - Love On A Summer Night (a Jazz Funk classic), Dayton - Sound Of Music and Mystic Merlin - Just Can't Give You Up.

Most of these are now easily found and no surprise but what about L.J. Reynolds - Key To The World (a Nortern Soul anthem?), Eddie Henderson - Prance On (a forgotten Jazz Funker) and the wonderful O'Bryan - Doin' Alright. These are great songs that have been left on the back shelf for too long, good to be reminded of them again. Gary Bartz - Music Is My Sanctuary is a fine tune that slipped through the cracks into obscurity, sounding much younger than it's 31 years of age. The pearl in the shell making this album essential for me though, Sheree Brown - It's A Pleasure, and it certainly is!

A great list of record shops on the rear makes good reading. It's like a list of my favourite lunch time visits throughout the 80's & 90's. Tooting, Balham, Brixton, Holborn, Chingford, Hackney, East Ham, Bow, Putney & Croydon. Good to see Mi Price listed as there were LWR (92.5) DJ's working there. Every one of them helped relieve me of large portions of my hard earnt wages. Several shops in the heart of London's Soho helped, some were record shops too! Steve's in Leicester Square deserves a mention, as does Reckless in Soho, Solar in Brixton underground and Beano's in Croydon Market.

Thanks Boo, a great post! ;-)

• L.J. Reynolds
• A Taste Of Honey
• BB&Q Band
• Eddie Henderson
• McCrarys
• Sheree Brown
• Dayton
• O'Bryan
• Mystic Merlin
• Gary Bartz

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Capitol Classics.rar Filesize: 92.43 MB

Capitol Classics Volume 2 1989

Capitol Records EMS 1338

Capitol certainly have more than their fair share of Classics but I only have Volume 2 & 3. Many thanks to Boo for supplying Volume 1.

Anybody have Volume 4?

Another learning curve for me.

I bought it for Maze, BB&Q and Paul Laurence.

I value it for Gene Dunlap & Cecil Parker.

• William De Vaughn
• B B & Q Band
• Gene Dunlap
• Maze
• Xavier
• Cecil Parker
• Paul Laurence
• Dayton
• Gene Dunlap & The Ridgeways
• Natalie Cole

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Capitol Classics Volume 2.rar Size: 64.88 MB

Asia Blue - Connect 1992

Atomic Records ABDJ 1

This is the song that actually got me interested in Asia Blue. Note that it's a Promo 12", no cover i.e. no pretty girls to distract me from the music. No sir, this was recommended by Steve Hobbs in Blues & Soul mag and it joined my very long 'Wanted' list. Although all Asia Blue's songs are OK, none of them were particularly special. Boy In The Moon was all about D-Influence and Escaping was bought on the strength of the other two singles. Connect is more than that, Connect is special.

The 3 Amigoz Mix is as far as you need to go, IMO. It's an infectious piece of street soul that has the x factor (and I don't mean the bloody tv program) that makes you want to move. The other mixes are a little less effective and the 4 2 The Floor house mix should be treated with the contempt it deserves. A pointless attempt at making the song fit where it shouldn't.

• The 3 Amigoz Mix
• 4 2 The Floor Mix
• 7" Radio Mix
• Street Mix

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Asia Blue - Connect.rar Filesize: 38.96 MB

Asia Blue - Escaping 1992

Atomic Records WNRT 882

This song has been performed by several artists, including Dina Carroll in 1996, but Margaret Urlich's version, included on her 1989 album Safety In Numbers, seems to be the earliest. I don't have that album so I can't check the writing credit but Asia Blue credits "Written by B. Blue / R. Smith" whereas Dina Carroll's includes "D. Carroll / N. Lowis" As Barry Blue seems to be the man behind Asia Blue, I guess he is B. Blue and one is left to assume Dina re-arranged something?

The main version is a Steve Anderson Remix for the Disco Mix Club but the Sleeping Giant Mix is my fav.

• Escaping (A Kiss Across The Sea)
• Escaping (Sleeping Giant Mix)
• I Want The Right (To Be Wrong)

The Download Link is here: Download
Filename: Asia Blue - Escaping.rar Filesize: 28.89 MB