Soul Time: New Zealand Style (1966-1971)

"Technically New Zealand didn't have a dedicated Soul music scene during the time-frame of this release. Only The Action, Le Frame and Leo De Castro would class themselves as exclusively Soul artists. What we did have was an abundance of world class Pop, R&B and cabaret artists that included soul themed tracks in their repertoire. Many of the tracks on this collection are well known, but don't expect to hear too many carbon copy versions, rather our own unique take as we dismantle these tracks and give them a taste of Kiwi.

In a star-studded line up highlights are a-plenty starting with Sandy Edmonds as she blitzes Shirley Ellis's version of 'Soul Time', followed by The La De Da's, The Underdogs, The Challenge and The Newsounds, through to Leo De Castro, regarded as New Zealand's finest soul singer, who only ever recorded one track in his home country.

Peter Williams (ex Max Merritt & The Meteors) features twice, once as lead singer on his own song with The Groove (Australasia's first super group) and also his UK recorded song with chart toppers Blue Mink as the backing band.

Mr Versatility Ray Woolf features on three tracks and nails it every time. Our original King of Rock 'n' Roll, Johnny Devlin tears himself through his UK record ed 'Hurtin'. Many of the highlights come from the unreleased tracks on show including tracks from The Deep Set aka Troubled Minds, The Spectres, Le Frame, Renaissance & Leo De Castro."

Out on Frenzy Music on CD, 29 Oct 2021. Compiled by Grant Gillanders.

Tracks:
SANDY EDMONDS Soul Time
THE NEWSOUNDS All Night Worker
THE LA DE DA'S Respect
THE UNDERDOGS See Saw
THE CHALLENGE Things Get Better
SOUND INVESTMENT A Whole New Thing
THE SPECTRES So Badly Baby
THE DEEP SET Shake
THE LIBRETTOS Rescue Me
LE FRAME Get Ready
THE ACTION Something About You
LARRY'S REBELS In The Midnight Hour
BILLY KARAITIANA Pains of Love
JIMMY HILL Find A Job
RENAISSANCE Green Onions
FRANKIE STEVENS Come On Home
THE NEWSOUNDS Over You
JOHNNY DEVLIN Hurtin'
MAX MERRITT & THE METEORS Western Union Man
THE CASTAWAYS Baby What I Mean
TOMMY FERGUSON Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
SANDY EDMONDS You Keep Me Hangin' On
RAY WOOLF & THE AVENGERS It's the Same Old Song
GENE PIERSON Love Love Love
NASH CHASE Gimme A Little Sign
PETER WILLIAMS Give Me A Sign
LE FRAME It's A Man's World
THE DALLAS FOUR Toe Hold
RICKY DeVON Give Me Love
LEO DE CASTRO Funky Street
THE GROOVE Get In The Groove
PLEAZERS Security

Here's Sandy Edmonds with the title track, and a great groover from Nash Chase:

The Diasonics: Fresh Russian funk biz on 45

Via Record Kicks: "Welcome to “hussar funk”, that’s how The Diasonics call their music: a style that blends infectious deeply cinematic instrumentals, Eastern European flavours, hip-hop rhythms and psychedelia. 

 Firmly rooted in the late 60s and early 70s, their debut album Origin of Forms was recorded on an 8-channel Japanese tape recorder Otari MX-5050 MK III at The Diasonics HQ’s Magnetone Studio in Moscow and was mixed by Henry Jenkins (The Cactus Channel / Karate Boogaloo) in Melbourne.

The Diasonics are one of the latest additions to the Russian instrumental funk scene. The band was only formed in 2019 and it's made of five young and seriously talented Muscovite musicians: Anton Moskvin (drums), Maxim Brusov (bass guitar), Anton Katyrin (percussions), Daniil Lutsenko (electric guitar) and Kamil Gzizov (keyboards). 

In just a couple of years the band has amassed a cult following, releasing a shower of ten celebrated singles and various in-demand 45 vinyl records on funk labels such as Funk Night Records and Mocambo Records."

The single "Gurami' is taken from their upcoming debut album Origin of Forms: a mix of cinematic grooves, instrumental hip-hop and soviet psychedelia. The single will officially be available on October 22nd on digital platforms and on November 29th on ltd edition 45 vinyl - check Bandcamp. Album out 28 Jan 2022.

Lady Wray - new LP coming

"Big Crown Records is proud to present Piece of Me, the sophomore full length offering from Lady Wray. This album is something of a homecoming for Nicole. Where 2016's Queen Alone leaned more towards Soul and R&B with tinges of hip-hop, this record changes the mixture.

"It's still R&B with the textures of analog Soul, but there is a heavy Hip Hop influence that brings the sum of Nicole's career together in a new sound that will define her future. Leon Michels production creates a perfect head-nodding backdrop for Lady Wray to take on the good, the bad, the difficult, and the joyful on her most personal collection of songs to date ."

Out Jan 28 2022.

Jive Kiwis new 45: debut for Diver Records

The Jive Kiwis is the debut release for new Wellington-based label Diver Records. This instrumental funk 45 rips out of the speakers and won't let up from the word go. Taking after the likes of The Meters and funk sounds of the mighty city of New Orleans, it's some organ-driven good times. 

Pressed locally at Ak's Holiday Records, it's limited to only 150 copies, so grab it off Bandcamp.

Jamie and the Numbers drop new single, debut album

 

This is the third single from this cracking Wellington soul combo, and is also going to be the title of their  forthcoming album, which  will also include their fabulous earlier singles, If This Is Love Then I'd Rather Be Lonely (great northern soul stomper), and Magic Touch. There's a few 80s covers in there as well.

"Recorded originally in 1968 by a band called The Epitome of Sound, single "You Don't Love Me" is the title track and first song taken from the debut album of Jamie & The Numbers, a funk & soul outfit from Wellington, and latest signing of UK's Superfly Funk & Soul Records.

"Jamie Musuva is a wonderfully gifted Tongan – Kiwi singer with a voice that could fell a tree. Her clarity, power and feel are evident as she effortlessly tackles classics and original compositions alike. Her debut album with The Numbers is the result of a few days of recording sessions at Lee Prebble‘s legendary Surgery Studios, laying down a handful of quality tunes that are just waiting to be heard."

Single out 1 Oct 2021, album out Nov 12 2021 (LP/CD/digital)

Get the single on 7" vinyl from Moonhop Records, Slowboat Records, RPM, Creeps Parlour -Wellington, and Marbecks in Auckland.