Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators

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Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators - Keep Reaching Up TIMMION Records 2005©
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This was one of the purchases I made this year as a shot-in-the-dark that turned out to be a very solid addition to my collection. With the Curtis Mayfield inspired opening track "Feeling Free" that reminds me of early 70's Blaxploitation Curtom styled and arranged in the vein of "If There's A Hell Below, We're All Gonna Go". This was one I dug almost instantly. Lush string arrangements complete with signature Curtom-sounding wah-wah guitar riffs and deep driving bass. The next tune moves into the late 60-ish sounding gem
"If This Ain't Love (Don't Know What Is)" which comes off as if it could have come straight out of Motown's stable of great vocal arrangement & musicianship in it's sixties heyday. This tune was nominated for Song Of The Year over in Finland last year.
"No One's Gonna Love You" is another of my favorites with its dark & mysterious soulful vibe with my main gripe being the chorus.
"Four Leaf Clover" was cool also. While the disc is not perfect and obviously has it's own faults, I would have to say that this is the kind of release that I would spend my money on over 90% of what is being passed off as music today....all day every day.

This is a refreshing breath of funk/soul that comes off as retro but actually released in summer of 2005. I never even heard of this sister until late January of this year although she's been around with other groups since the early 90's...most notable >(The Brand New Heavies) and also has about 2 or 3 other solo albums. Other seasoned collectors and listeners may already know but it's all new to me and I'm mos def satisfied. I was already digging Finland's "The Soul Investigators" and have been ever since 2001's "Home Cooking" album released on Timmion and the "Soul Strike" album which was released on Soul Fire.....A label that is also well known for releasing heavy funk/soul numbers by the likes of Lee Fields, JD & The Evil's Dynamite Band,The Whitefield Brothers, The Third Eye etc.
This is another heavy funk offering to place alongside their other two releases not counting their contribution to the "Soul Fire Majestic Collection" compilation. These guys are usually an instrumental outfit whose tastes and influences range from groups such as James Brown & The JB's, The Meters, Booker T & The MG's etc but they perfectly back Nicole Willis on this set. I feel that musically, This is a great release but at times I found Nicole's vocals to be repetitious, can sound kind of tired and definately could use more work. Still I found it very listenable and that is what makes it unique. The fact that although the vibe is centered on retro-styled jamming, One can still tell that it is some of today's work just not as painfully obvious as most of today's work. This one has compelled me to support it in any way that I can and that's the purpose of this post. This stuff should be held in greater regards than it does and definately should be heard by anybody diggin' on late 60's funk/soul/jazz. If interested, click the pic below for samples,biography/discography & more info. Maybe we can bring real music back if this keeps up. I'm sure some of the "higher-ups" than I out there will disagree with it but again, like I always I say...Like it for what is is.

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:-o ...You mean to tell me that out of all you funk/soul & general music lovers out there that not ONE of you are feeling this? Is it really that bad or is it just that no one has posted on it? This is a discussion forum so give a little feedback.
I know it's new music done in retro style but I would like to think that we like music because we like it, Not because it was released whenever it was released. I really feel that anyone who truly likes real music (no matter when it was made) should be able to get into and support stuff like this especially when it's still being made in a world like today's. If you don't like it then give reasons why and do likewise if you do like it.

[eddie]

I shall be on the lookout for it as I have purchased similar retro-style records by Sharon Jones. I am familiar with the Soul Investigators and have one of their albums.

[visuals]

I have purchased similar retro-style records by Sharon Jones

Sharon Jones.....This is the sister that has a Lynn Collins/James Brown type approach correct? I have seen her stuff around with "The Dap Kings" but it seems always out of stock when I run across it. Worth pickin' up? I do remember hearing one of her tracks a couple years ago (Hook & Sling maybe or something like that:icon_question: .
I remember the first line being "Now we're gonna do something everybody likes to do". It was definately a JB'sy type track. Her cover art also has that late 60's James Brown type of look to it.

[Jow]

Sharon Jones.....This is the sister that has a Lynn Collins/James Brown type approach correct? I have seen her stuff around with "The Dap Kings" but it seems always out of stock when I run across it. Worth pickin' up? I do remember hearing one of her tracks a couple years ago (Hook & Sling maybe or something like that:icon_question: .
I remember the first line being "Now we're gonna do something everybody likes to do". It was definately a JB'sy type track. Her cover art also has that late 60's James Brown type of look to it.

This is awesome stuff. Definitely worth picking up. Sounds very retro indeed. kind of raw style but with great vocals...

[Disco Funk]

I've been anti-retro sounding songs for as long as I remember. That's why I couldn't get into Jamiroquai and Brand New Heavies in the 90s. I was really annoyed when they started packaging records to look like they were released back in the day, when they were recorded recently, like the Daktaris album (did they do more than one?). I felt cheated on that one.

I'd rather spend my time digging up still yet to be found nuggets from the 60s and 70s when the sound was fresh. The stuff out now just strikes me as been too synthetic and formulaic, right down to the way they mix the tracks. But that's just me.

Disco Funk

[eddie]

Hey, Disco funk I can't disagree with you more. I've always loved older styled songs from both today and yesterday. Artists have been doing it for along time like the Dells, Larry Graham, and Dramatics. Just as long as its not ALL COVERS and doesn't sound cheezy, I'm for it.

Funk Revival is not my favorite genre but it definitely does have a bit different sound than the obscure stuff from back in the day. As far as Jamiroquai, they're allright but reminded me more of British soul and dance as opposed to retro-disco.

The Brand New Heavies were a group that I really dug and thought they sounded unique as opposed to retro. "Never stop" was one of my favorites from the 1990's.

P.S. It's good to see people posting and responding in this forum.

[visuals]

This is awesome stuff. Definitely worth picking up. Sounds very retro indeed. kind of raw style but with great vocals

thanks for the recommendation. I have been seeing at least 2 of her cd's around so I think I'll dig them in the near future:-D

I've been anti-retro sounding songs for as long as I remember. That's why I couldn't get into Jamiroquai and Brand New Heavies in the 90s. I was really annoyed when they started packaging records to look like they were released back in the day, when they were recorded recently, like the Daktaris album (did they do more than one?). I felt cheated on that one

I have tried a few times but I am another that just couldn't get into Jamiroquai. Brand New Heavies had 1 or 2 pieces that I felt were listenable but other than that I wasn't a fan of theirs either. While I can understand your reasoning to prefering authentic obscure old school gems over contemporary artists playing retro sounding styles and flavors,
I can tolorate them as long as they are good and wholesome sounding and not mechanical. It's the mechanical sounding stuff of today that I have a problem with (excluding Techno because that's where it belongs).Ultimately though, I would say that I prefer the rarities over the new retro styled groups too.
In regards to "Daktaris", The "Soul Explosion" release is the only one that I am familiar with by them. The cover does look like it could have been buried in a dusty crate along with countless other gems and passed off as a lost jewel. The only way I found to keep from being burned by these type of releases is to check dates. Or course, Not all of these groups can pull these type tactics off as their music says it all but the ones that come very close deserves a mention IMHO.

Funk Revival is not my favorite genre but it definitely does have a bit different sound than the obscure stuff from back in the day.
Just as long as its not ALL COVERS and doesn't sound cheezy, I'm for it.

Very well put eddie and an interesting point. Me and a few fellas were having a conversation on this not so long ago. A couple of them totaly detest cover renditions of songs period and we agreed that most of the time, The artist tried so hard to overshine the original that they either wound up sounding like a carbon copy (which is never good) or something that should have never been issued on a cd in the first place.

P.S. It's good to see people posting and responding in this forum.

I agree and hope it stays this way with more people chiming in.

[Mixmachine]

:-o ...You mean to tell me that out of all you funk/soul & general music lovers out there that not ONE of you are feeling this?

I never heard of the Soul Investigators before your post :-o, (I like the name :-P) I'll put it in my wish list, but man, there is not enough time in a life time to listen to all the music I like :-o:sad: I've got about half a dosen CDs rolling around that I haven't opened yet:oops:

I was pleasantly surprised with Jamiroquai about two years ago after many mentions around this parts, never new they existed until then, so much so that I bought all their CDs (still missing the last one), some of their best grooves like Canned Heat, Cosmic Girl, little L, Love foolosity, I would've spun back in the day, I find their Albums grow on you after a few repeated plays, unfortunately the sound quality on a couple of them is not very good. I saw them performing for the first time a few month back in one of the Late shows promoting their last LP.