"Let’s Celebrate"
Mr Musicology 6 years later…
May be a close-up
Today is a very poignant Throwback Thursday!!Here’s a Blue Peter drawing I did earlier last night & this morning and a homage written in 2016. 💜🎼
It’s a ‘Sign Of The Times’ when ‘Around The World In A Day’ so many tears are shed and we the ‘Girls & Boys’ finally understand the meaning of what is sounds like ‘When Doves Cry’. His Royal Purpleness, declared with a ‘Kiss’ to the universe ‘My Name Is Prince’ “and I am funky” from ‘Uptown’ Minneapolis, and your ‘Love Bizarre’ affinity with my music and artistry will be the ‘Greatest Romance Ever Sold’.With plenty lyrics of ‘Controversy’,’Sexuality’ and ‘Love 2 The 9’s’ Prince was undoubtedly a ‘Sexy MF’. Women all over ‘Planet Earth’ worshipped him from the time he advised them all ‘I Wanna Be Your Lover’. ‘The Most Beautiful Girl In the World’ would beg him to please ‘Do Me Baby’ as you make me so ‘Soft & Wet’, ‘I Would Die For You’ ‘Sweet Baby’ and I’m so hungry ‘For You’ that ‘Breakfast Can Wait’. Albeit ‘Starfish & Coffee’ with ‘Cream’, Prince most certainly could convert a nun into a ‘Nasty Girl’, ‘Darling Nikki’, ‘Chelsea Rodgers’, ‘Cinnamon Girl’ or his ‘Lady Cab Driver’ driving them all ‘Delirious’ whilst working up a ‘Black Sweat’.Prince Rogers Nelson is regarded as an incredibly ‘Sexy Dancer’ could ‘Dance On’ regardless albeit ‘Under The Cherry Moon’, on ‘Alphabet St’ or in ‘Paisley Park’, for ’17 Days’ on a ‘LoveSexy’ groove, shaking his ‘Tambourine’. This is Prince’s ‘Housequake’ and he is the ‘Life O’ The Party’, so ‘If You Feel Like Dancin’’ like it’s ‘1999’, get dressed in your ‘Diamonds And Pearls’, put on your ‘Raspberry Beret’, jump into a ‘Little Red Corvette’ and ride ‘Gangster Glam’ style. Prince could make everybody ‘Get Off’ to his ‘Party Up’ music, and many ‘Adore’ Prince for his unique dress sense and ‘Sticky Like Glue’ ‘Extraloveable’ androgynous attraction. To be honest ‘Nothing Compares To You’ Prince Roger Nelson, so thank you ‘Dear Mr Man’, Mr ‘Hot Thing’ for the ‘Beautiful Loved & Blessed’ compositions and recordings. ‘Sometimes It Snows In April’ but in that month of 2016 sadly it melted and became a shower of tears coloured in ‘Purple Rain for Mr ‘Musicology’ …Like millions of your fans around the world in regards to your legacy ‘My Love Is Forever” to ‘The Max’ in the way I was touched by your music. 💜🎼

 

"Let’s Celebrate"
Happy Heavenly Earthday LV
Luther Ronzoni Vandross Jr. (April 20, 1951 – July 1, 2005).. Happy heavenly earthday Mr Velvet Voice.. Here’s a Blue Peter painting I did earlier last year with a homage featured in the Soul Survivors Magazine back in 2010..Enjoy and play ya Luther tunes loud & proud today!!
 
 
Luther Vandross was born a Tauren on 20th April 1951 in New York and grew up in a lower Manhattan housing project till his father passed when he was 8 years old before moving to the Bronx. Influenced by his parents and older sister singing, whilst at William Howard Taft High School he formed a vocal group Shades Of Jade with friends Carlos Alomar Diane Sumler and Fonzi Thornton whom he would work with in future times. As part of a musical theatre workshop, they recorded ‘Listen My Brother’ which Luther and his group sang on the children’s ‘Sesame Street’ show in 1969.
 
 
By 1973 he written 2 songs recorded by Delores Hall and a year later school friend Carlos Alomar became David Bowie’s guitarist and invited Luther to a recording session at the famous Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia. Bowie upon hearing his velvet tones recruited Luther who co wrote ‘Fascination’ and did BV’s on the ‘Young American’ album. Also rumoured is that Luther sang BV’s on ‘Golden Years’ a track he would sing with another outfit Mascara a few years later.
 
His composition ‘Brand New Day’ was featured in both the film and Broadway musical of ’The Wiz’. By now he was working with Bette Midler, Judy Collins, Gary Glitter and the Brecker Brothers. Whilst working with Bette Midler he met Arif Mardin of Atlantic who worked with the Average White Band Aretha and Chaka Khan and reacquainted his Shades of Jade outfit with the addition of Christine Wiltshire who went on to work with Jocelyn Brown and Leroy Burgess and record two albums under the guise of Luther.
 
Providential not co incidental Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards were part of Luther’s Band reigniting their collaborations from the Sesame Street band .Cotillion dropped the group and Luther ended up retaining the rights to the album so they were out of print why I don’t know as they were nice albums. He became an in demand session singer working with Chic headlining the BV’s of the their ‘C’est Chic’ debut album and the original instrumental version of ‘Everybody Dance’, and on the following Sister Sledge, Quincy Jones, Roberta Flack, Odyssey, Peter Jacques Band, BB&Q Band, Kleeer to Cat Stevens, Ringo Starr & Carole Bayer Sager projects.
 
 
As disco became prevalent he fronted bands Lemon, Gregg Diamond, Charme, Mascara and Change…the rest is history. Now 1981 his voice was unmistakable and he touted a successful record deal with Epic a subsidiary of Sony. Again releasing album after album he alongside his partner in rhyme the ‘Marvellous’ Marcus Miller he co wrote and produced his own albums as well as a few for Aretha Franklin. Covering many a classic by artists Brenda Russell, Stevie Wonder and Burt Bacharach & Hal David, and Heatwave, Luther had a unique style of replicating a composition as though he’d sung it first.
 
 
Luther has sung with many female vocalists including Gwen Guthrie, Cheryl Lynn, Patti Austin, Dionne Warwick, Janet Jackson & Patti Labelle. Travelling around the world doing live concerts, I was lucky enough to see him in the mid 80’s at Wembley, Luther was undoubtedly instantly recognisable on a track even if he was doing BV’s.
His film credit includes The Meteor Man a Robert Townsend film where he played a villain within a gang. As wells singing for the 70’s gang epic ‘The Warriors’ and writing a song ‘You Stopped Loving Me’ sung by Roberta Flack for the film starring Cicely Tyson and Richard Prior Bustin’ Loose.
 
Lending his voice to many musical styles mostly gospel & soul based but versatile in other genres, he truly was a ‘One in a million guy’ as sung by Dee Dee Bridgewater. Even now I discover tracks he featured on and when you listen carefully you wonder how you never recognised him as on it. The reason being that he blends in with background as much as he shines in the fore front. Two years back Melba Moore told me to listen to her album ‘Closer’ and when you hear Luther on ‘Something On Your Mind’ I you’ll understand why. Vocalist songwriter producer and an all around African American Artist of huge proportions…I miss you Luther ‘Velvet Voice’ Vandross.

 

"I Remember Yesterday", "Let’s Celebrate"
Steve Arrington & Teena Marie 66th earthday homage

https://www.mixcloud.com/StreetSoundsRadio/rare-grooves-and-funk-with-fitzroy-on-street-sounds-radio-2300-0100-09032022/

Norman Harris- In Good Faith
Steve Arrington Hall Of Fame- Last Night Night Before
Steve Arrington Hall Of Fame-Mellow As A Cello
Slave-Stella Funk
Slave-Party Lights
Slave- Wait For Me
Slave-Just A Touch Of Love
Slave-Watching You
Steve Arrington Hall Of Fame-Way Out(Instrumental)
Steve Arrington Hall Of Fame- What Do You Want From Me?
Steve Arrington Hall Of Fame- Nobody Can Be You But You
Slave-Thank You Lord
Steve Arrington-Summertime Lovin’
Teena Marie-Behind The Groove
Teena Marie-I Need Your Lovin’
Teena Marie-More Love
Teena Marie-You Make Love Like Springtime(Reprise(ReFitz’d)
Teena Marie-Midnight Magnet
Teena Marie- Don’t Look Back
Teena Marie-Chains
Teena Marie-Gonna Have My Cake And Eat It Too
Teena Marie-Shadow Boxing
Rick James feat Teena Marie-Happy
Rick James-My Love

"I Remember Yesterday", "Let’s Celebrate"
Eddy Amoo 4 years anniversary
Greetings on this Waybackayard Wednesday. 4 years ago today Eddy Amoo co founder of the early 1960s teenaged Doo Wop group The Chants and a fully fledged member of The Real Thing since the early 1970s sadly passed away. Eddy was featured in a Soul Survivors Magazine issue 29 for April & May 2011 and gave us an incredible insight into life in Liverpool, impressing the Fab 4 The Beatles to becoming part of the other pioneering black Fab 4 The Real Thing.
 
With his brother Chris he co wrote the universal world wide child poverty anthem ‘Children Of The Ghetto’ which has been recorded by Courtney Pine and Mary J Blige to name a few. In 2017 we decided to honour The Real Thing at our awards for their over 40 years as a soul surviving UK soul band. I was able to present the award to Eddy Amoo in July 2017 at their packed Jazz Cafe date, where he shared that the award was the first they had been given of recognition by the industry. Since Eddy’s passing there has been a documentary ‘Everything’ currently showing on BBC I player which you should watch if you already haven’t and it is so insightful.
 
Chris Amoo and Dave Smith the two surviving original members are still performing and have a new album out ‘A Brand New Day’ which is flying high in the album charts, with an updated Chris Amoo vocal of ‘Children of The Ghetto’. So if you got any Real Thing tracks handy..played them loud today as a homage to Eddy’Doo Wop’ Amoo a true soul survivor RIP.

"Let’s Celebrate"
Earthday Celebrations for the two LW’s Leon and Lenny
"Let’s Celebrate", Headline News
Any Old Sunday is Back Sunday 12th Sept @ All Nations Bar London N.15

Any Old Sunday started in November 2016 as a once a month Sunday afternoon to late evening soirée for those who were looking for alternative grooves to make them move. Starting in Kings Cross and with a few months sabbatical, we reconvened in the summer of 2017 and held down three regular residency venues in Camden and our last three were in Stoke Newington before the national lockdown in the spring of 2020.

Residents Dez Parkes, Dezzi D & Fitzroy(Soul Survivors) have a rich history together and between them in spinning and hosting Sunday sessions dating back to 40 years ago. The music selection is second to none as all three have reputation of plying eclectic music out of the box. Any Old Sunday has attracted a loyal devoted music lovers and dancers who like their music a little left of the right.

We are back monthly starting Sunday 12th September @ All Nations Bar 81 Broad Lane London N.15 4DW 4pm-9pm £5 admission on a nice wooden dance floor with space to slide & glide.. Food and refreshments are available and the venue is well ventilated and located just across the road from Seven Sisters underground station (Victoria Line) and the parking is free! If you really wanna ‘ Get On The Good Foot’ like JB we will see you 12th September @ Any Old Sunday.. “spread the word to those who may not have heard” Peace

https://www.facebook.com/events/994902234673564?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22search_results%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22search%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D

"Let’s Celebrate", Headline News
The Real Thing at Jazz Cafe Aug 12th 2021

Whether you’re a ‘Plastic Man’,’Saint Or Sinner’, feeling ‘Young & Foolish’ or ‘Topsy Turvy’, if you wanna bring ‘Humpty Dumpty’ or are from ‘Stanhope Street’…next Thursday 12th August come down to The Jazz Cafe to see The Real Thing for the ‘Boogie Down(Get Funky Now)’ ‘Street Corner Boogie’. I’ll be spinning some ‘Can You Feel The Force?’ bullets from the 70s..doors open 7pm.. Make sure you’re there cause The Real Thing ‘Can’t Get By Without You’..You get me??
https://www.ticketweb.uk/event/the-real-thing-jazz-cafe-tickets/10891985?REFERRAL_ID=tmfeed

"Let’s Celebrate"
Boom SAKA laka !!

Good morning, here’s a Blue Peter one I drew earlier yesterday morning. Albeit I’m a COYS fan gotta big up this young Gunners and England football star. Just raising the profile of Mr Boom SAKA Laka a young African prince given the freedom to the borough of my old hood Ealing. Raise in Greenford UB6 15 minutes walk up the road from my local Perivale UB6 this 19 year old has achieved so much at his tender age than myself and many of my first and second generation Windrush teenagers did when we were a Paul Hardcastle na na na na ’19’ year old!!

"Let’s Celebrate", Headline News
Get On Board The Soul Train Box Set

9 years ago I was fortunate to have an in depth interview with Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff which was very enlightening. It was a members only issue but we do have some back issue which are available from our website shop. In our current issue 95 we feature an advert for an amzing box set Get On Board The Soul Train with a record review in the designated section of the magazine. It’s included in this Blog post so have a read and make sure you secure one and also grab yourself a copy of the issue 40 with the Kenny Gamble & Leon Huff interview.. Enjoy..Fitzroy

Issue 1 of TSSM July 2006
"Let’s Celebrate"
TSSM 15 years old today

Today is a proper ‘Waybackintheday Wednesday’ for sure. It’s 15 years exactly on this date that the very first edition of The Soul Survivors Magazine was distributed to the soul surviving attendees at The Soul Village Weekender 7th-9th July 2006. This small acorn has grown into a teenaged soul tree that has produced 92 issues as the ‘info provider for the soul survivor’.

Co founded by Anna Marshall who left after 9 years in 2015 and myself still carrying with the baton, both of us novices and virgins at the time in the music publication industry, which already had a few still on going long serving and established soul music journals.
The Soul Survivors Magazine as a bi monthly printed and digital publication has been blessed to have some great contributors and advertisers too many to mention and featured interviews many with the following:

Smokey Robinson, Jocelyn Brown, Omar, Leroy Burgess, Jean Carn, Jeffery Daniel& Howard Hewitt (Shalamar), Melba Moore, Chaka Khan, Eddie Levert (O Jay’s), Robert & Ronald Khalis Bell (Kool & The Gang) Frankie Beverly (Maze),Greg Edwards, Robbie Vincent, Tony Blackburn, Dez Parkes, George Power Paul ‘Trouble’ Anderson, Chris Hill, Colin Curtis, Trevor Shakes, Brand New Heavies, John Legend, Leon Ware, Larry Blackmon (Cameo), Wayne Henderson, George Duke, Thelma Houston, Teena Marie, Tom Moulton, John Morales, Louie Vega, Josh Milan, Nile Rodgers (Chic), Steve Arrington (Slave) and Larry Graham (Sly & The Family Stone). Roy Ayers, Gwen McCrea, Gwen Dickey (Rose Royce), Harold Brown (War) Omar, Bluey (Incognito), Carleen Anderson, Courtney Pine, Gary Hines(Sounds Of Blackness) Rahsaan Patterson, Natalie Stewart aka Floacist (Floetry), Eric Roberson, Jazzie B, HB & Caron Wheeler(Soul II Soul), Marcus Miller & Angie Stone.

I’ve tried to keep this brief as I have so much more memorabilia to share over the next few weeks and I will be personally thanking the subscribers contributors and advertisers in the forthcoming various posts. Happy 15th to The Soul Survivors and long may we continue to be the’ info provider for the soul survivor’