Luxury Soul 2015
It is always a pleasure at the beginning of each year to receive the consistently brilliant independent Luxury Soul compilations. I have checked in my files and found all discs going back to 2004 with great music by Leon Ware, Frank McComb, Keni Burke, Sandra St. Victor, or Ronnie McNeir.
The latest 3 CD Box set edition begins with four new songs by established and new names. Glen Goldsmith is back and heard here with “Don’t Play”, a solid soul swinger and nice reminder of his late 80s hits “I Won’t Cry” from 1987 and “Dreaming” from 1988. Next up is a track from the recent Calvin Richardson album “I Am Calvin” and a brandnew song by veteran Shirley Jones (formerly of the Jones Girls): “Because You Love Me” shows that she is still in superb form. There are more album tracks on the first CD from the most recent discs by Marc Staggers (also reviewed on these pages), Eric Roberson, the great Jarrod Lawson, or Angela Johnson (a duet with Raul Midón). A nice addition is also the Incognito Lounge Mix of a Guido De Palma & Jazzinho cut from 2013.
On CD 2, we get more Incognito (the 2012 “The Way You Love”), a new piece by the group Soul Talk, the Diplomats of Soul featuring the ever so soulful Noel McKoy, a return to form by Drizabone featured here on a new song by Neo, and album tracks from Imaani and Personal Life. There are also several exclusive tracks here on the box set.
CD 3 keeps the high quality stuff coming and includes the oldest cut of the set here, a 1998 recording from Keni Burke from his album “Nothin’ But Love”. Paul Johnson (remember “When Love Comes Calling”?) is back here as the featured singer on a Soul Talk Remix of a new song by Dasha Logan, and then some more cute album tracks from the past years by Sheree Brown, Adriana Evans, Kloud 9, or Kindred The Family Soul. Oh and then there’s a new discovery for me: the immensely talented Latrese Bush with the compelling swayer “The Best”.
Another must-have compilation for all soul fans.
