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Here is an event coming right up in my neck of the woods that is definitely worth the price of admission. Of course, everyone
knows about Sir Jonathan Burton, formerly of Charlotte now living in Leland, NC, he is always in demand as a session musician.
Sir JB has had some of the biggest hits in the Southern Soul arena over the last ten years, including tracks from his latest
Lonely At The Top album. Maurice Wynn from the Raleigh/Garner NC area, is a local favorite who had a national hit with What
She Don't Know a few years back. Miss Mini is a rising star from Rocky Mount, NC, who has had two songs, Can't Stop Me and
Old School Style, make it big on the charts here at the Corner and is taking the Carolinas by storm. Then there is Black
Diamond from Wilson, NC, who made the Top 45 chart here back in March with I Will, was on the Daddy B. Nice Top 10 earlier
this year with They Want Me To, which was the #2 song heading into this month on Lady T-Maxx's Top 60 Chart at WBAD 94.3 FM
in Greenville, Mississippi. The whole deal will be hosted by DJ Heavy, who has been a major player on the music scene in
Piedmont and Eastern North Carolina for many years and currently can be heard on WPWZ Power 95.5 FM out of Rocky Mount. Gonna
be a party, ya'll!!
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CDS Records has done an outstanding job over the last several years of highlighting new music in the Southern Soul/Blues arena
from both established artists as well as up and coming performers. The compilation series have included the Soul Blues Samplers,
Club Southern Soul, Southern Soul & Party Blues and Southern Soul Smashes. Volume 5 of the latter was just released in July,
with thirteen cuts of straight up Soul jams. Leading the way are two new tracks from Donnie Ray, Dog House and Two Way Love
Affair, which were also highlighted on his first solo album on CDS earlier this year. New and hot is front and center Mr.
Ricky White's Cookie Thang!
If You Don't Want Me was one of the top tracks on Ricky's 2013 Majic album. Patrick Henry and Patrick Green, both long time
Southern Soul staples, collaborate on the very relevant Same First Name! A tribute to the late Floyd Taylor, who we lost way
to soon in 2014, is here with his Wanna Make Love. Lovin' Soul superstar Barbara Carr's Don't Put The Cart Before The Horse
- this one should be on the charts. I'm Ready To Party is a good selection from Maryland based veteran Jim Bennett. The extended
version of Charles Wilson's 2009 Plumber Man and Carl Sims 2011 Hell On My Hands were top hits worth a replay. Cuts from Carl
Marshall and we can't forget Nellie Tiger Travis round out the release!
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Sixteen months between albums has become about the norm for the releases from the current up and coming Queen-to-be of the
Southern Soul circuit. (Yes, Denise you are still the Queen in our book!). Does Ms. Jody's style and sound change dramatically
from release to release? No, not really, but it just doesn't matter - her stage presence and effervescent personality make
her in big demand for shows all over the country! The most recent album is Jody's eleventh since leaving Bay Springs, Mississippi
to walk into the Ecko Records studio in Memphis for a tryout back in 2006. It seems like just yesterday that her first album,
You're My Angel, was released. Her impact in the genre over the period that has followed since that first outing has been
monumental.
The July drop of I Got The Feeling is a first for Ms. Jody, the first time she has been on album cover playing an instrument
(guitar). The content of the release is original material that is at what is now a par for the course very high standard -
multiple tracks that are very usable in the clubs and on the radio by the DJs, as well as adds to their charts. The album
is so strong that it broke in at #1 on Top 30 Southern Soul/R&B Chart for August. Already clicking here at the Corner
is the mid-tempo groove Don't Back Up Off It as well as the upbeat There's A Party Goin' On. I have also seen the title track,
the bluesy You Got To Leave Me Baby , the frenetic This Place Is Hot and the rockin' Come On being chart tracked. I also like
Zydeco Rodeo and It's Too Late To Do Right Now. So that is eight tunes right there that have great potential and I'm sure
a few of the others will get play as well. It happens every time - I believe a big part of the appeal is that Jody's true
love of what she is doing shines through in her songwriting and recording. She is certainly a stick of musical dynamite! That's
what I wrote the last time I reviewed one of her albums, was gonna start calling her Ms. Dynamite! Looking forward to seeing
Ms. Jody at a live venue later on this year!
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South Louisiana native Tucka's music reflects his home base heritage contained in a mix of old school sounds. A fan of Sam
Cooke as well as R. Kelly, he blends smooth Soul with rhythmic lyrical phrasing and a local R&B flavor. Tucka has had several
albums in this vein - the first was Love Rehab in 2009, the latest which we will talk about here is his sixth release, which
includes a Greatest Hits in 2014. Major hit singles have included: Sweet Shop, Work It Out, Book Of Love, Forever Swing,
Candy Land, Don't Make Me Beg, Back To The Sweet Shop, Move Something and What's Your Flavor? This young gun is way underrated
as a songwriter/performer when it comes to original music creativity and fresh delivery. His arranger/producer skills are
starting to get recognized as well. Allmusic.com guide still lists his first album genre as Rap, uh not exactly, it had some
Hip/Hop phrasings in it but is definitely NOT Rap. I would have to say overall Tucka is smooth R&B/Soul with some beat rhymings.
Long Live The King dropped in July on the Groove City Music label. Ms. Jody (see above) debuted at #1 in August on the Top
30 Southern Soul/R&B Albums Chart, this one came in at #2! It has a few strong repeats from previous albums - Blowing
In The Wind, Love Doctor and Touch Your Spot. The breakout charting tunes so far have been When She Said Goodbye and Slow
Rock, both mid-tempo and radio friendly. Serious jams such as Til The Sun Comes Up, Cry Baby Cry, Heartbreaker and Appointments
Only make me realize this guy belongs on a bigger stage. The Repair Man has a little King Floyd Groove Me sound to it! Sweet
Tooth is an old school joint that bumped just a bit would be suitable for the Beach music shaggers. It could show up on next
month's new chart here at the Corner! ! Carousel Of Love, floating nine minutes and change, hmm, filla Tucka, LOL! Overall,
I would say this is the best outing to date for the amazing young artist! More good things in the works to come for Tucka,
I am sure in the genre and the possibility of beyond!
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Beat Flippa is back!! Just hot off the press is I Got The Blues Volume 2, more solid grooves from the Louisiana Bayou's finest
up and coming artists. The Baton Rouge producer created quite an awakening last year with Volume 1 and he is back for more!
I have to give this guy major props - he is showcasing some of the talent that might otherwise never get recognized. Some
of the relatively new names appear here once again - Veronica Ra'elle, Big Issac J, Rosalyn Candy and Ms. Portia got some
good exposure from their inclusion on last year's compilation. They are back once again along with Laylia Fox, Lady Soul,
Jeter Jones, LJ Echols, Napoleon Demps, Big Cynthia, Sharnette Hyter, Louisiana Blues Brothas, Nicole Jackson and Tyree
Neal. There is an intro track from Beat followed up by fifteen individual cuts. For potential upcoming charters, I like
Tighten Up by Lady Soul, Come Saddle Up by Ms. Cynthia, Let's Get The Business Clear by Rosalyn Candy and Groove It How You
Move It from Veronica Ra'elle featuring Tyree Neal. Keep 'em coming, Beat Flippa, you doin' good!!
I was thinking we had a pretty significant lull right now in the number of Southern Soul tracks that are being played in the
Beach music world. After all, currently there are only two songs on the August Smokin' Top 45 that are from traditional Southern
Soul artists. I couldn't, however, have been more wrong. After scouring the submitted lists of the contributing DJs, the following
songs from the genre were found, most of which are fairly new but a few from just a few years back, which if perfectly fine
as well!
Why You Wanna Do That - Lomax
I Found You - Big G
You Got To Leave Me Baby - Ms Jody
Who's Rockin' You - Donnie Ray
Right Kind of Woman - Andre Lee
Saving Up - Mosley & Johnson
Swing It - Lomax
I Ain't Leaving Mississippi - Jaye Hammer
Stand By Man - Mr Sam
My Girl - Andre Lee
Ole School Style - Miss Mini
There's A Party Goin' On - Ms Jody
Baby Come Back Home - Mr X
You're So Freak Girl - David Brinston
Watch It Shake It - Lomax
Don't Move The Groove - Theodis Ealey
The Blues Is Calling My Name - Walter Waiters
Girl With The Coke Bottle Frame - Nelson Curry
Dog House - Donnie Ray
Shake What You Mamma Gave U - Summer Wolfe
Bad Mamma Jamma - Nathaniel Kimble
Dancin' With My Baby - Ms Rebekah
The Kind Of Woman - Columbus Toy
Do You Wanta Party - Steve Perry
I Need Your Sugar - Larome Powers
Party House - Big G
Sugaa Shack - Klass Band Brotherhood
The Bop - Ms Jody
Little Bit - Rob Hewz
Soul Dog's Smokin' Top 45 Southern Soul Hits
July/August 2016
$ - new entry
1. Why You Wanna Do That? - Lomax
2. If You Need Some - Miss Mini & J Red
3. Move Something - Grady Champion
4. There's A Party Goin' On - Ms. Jody $
5. It's Da Weekend - Jerone Da Entertainer
6. Give It Up, Turn It Loose - Sir Jonathan Burton
7. I Wish It Was Me - Chuck Strong $
8. Do It Up - Adrena
9. It's My Time To Get Down - Jim Bennett
10. You're My Craving - Summer Wolfe
11. My Man Is A Full Grown Dawg - Jesi Terrell
12. Pop It Baby - Donnie Ray
13. The Three Of Me - William Bell
14. Don't Move The Groove - Theodis Ealey $
15. Hush Money - Alonzo Reid
16. Don't Back Up Off It - Ms. Jody
17. Move - Shay Denise $
18. Role Play - Rosalyn Candy
19. You Don't Know What You Do To Me - Lee Roy Ward
20. Slow Rock - Tucka $
21. Another Man Will - Charles Wilson $
22. My Lady's My Queen - TJ Hooker-Taylor
23. Slow Motion - LaMorris Williams
24. Queen - Lysa
25. Stop That Knockin' _ Jo Jo Murray
26. I Got A Love - Sharnette Hyter $
27. Got My Whiskey (remix) - Big Robb $
28. You Knew What You Had - Rue Davis
29. Shake A Little Something - Karen Wolfe w/ Denise LaSalle $
30. Old School Jam - Willie Clayton
31. At the Club - Charles 'Big Daddy' Stallings $
32. That Groove - Rick Lawson $
33. Bring It Baby - Pat Cooley $
34. Stand By Man - Mr. Sam
35. Took My Grandma To The Club - Stan Butler $
36. Knock The Fire - Mr. David $
37. Steps To Love - Sweet Angel
38. Drop That (Thang) - J Red w/ D Aaron & J Nice
39. Bag This Wagon Up - Nicole Jackson $
40. My Time To Shine - Shirley Jones
41. Make Her Feel It - Tony Tatum
42. I Found You - Big G
43. Coke Bottle Frame - Nelson Curry
44. Sneak In The Night - Alfrieda Upshaw $
45. Trail Ride - Jaye Hammer
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