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4.
Artist:
Natalie
Cole
Track::Annie
May
Year:
1977
Comments:
Natalie
did some really great tracks earlier on in her career and she is at her
very best here with one of those little gems that was hidden on the
"Thankful" album .
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5.
Artist:
David
Joseph
Track:
Joys
of Life
Year:
1983
Comments:
Very
fond memories of this one back in the day and truly one of the best works
to come from the
former "Hi Tension" member. Taken from the LP of the same
name
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6.
Artist:
Leroy
Hutson
Track:
Lovers
Holiday
Year:
1976
Comments:
Mr.
Hutson was originally recruited by the late Curtis
Mayfield as
a replacement for one of the members for his group The
Impressions.
He would later sign to Curtis's label Curtom
records where he could find his nitch and he's at his very best on this track. He's given us so many
great tunes over the
years but this record is top notch. Taken from the "Feel
the Spirits"
LP
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7.
Artist:
Barry
White
Track::Early
Years
Year:
1976
Comments:
Barry
has so many classics tracks that it was really hard to choose any just
one, tunes such as "It's
ecstasy when you lay next to me",
"It's
only Love",
"Strange
games and things"
and "Whisper
Softly"
are all standards but this lil' gem taken from "The
Man"
LP is a true stand out.
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8.
Artist:
Ben
E. King
Track:
Spoiled
Year:
1978
Comments:
As
the lead singer of The Drifters, Mr.
King has one of those voices that just sticks in your head where songs
are concerned (who can forget the classic "Stand
by me")
and this track signifies just that - Simply magnificent. From the LP
"Let
me into your life"
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9.
Artist:
Light
of the World
Track::London
Town
Year:
1982
Comments:
What
can I say about this tune except "a classic track period - nuff
said". Taken from their 1982 album "Check
us out"
that features another classic in my mind in "No.1
Girl".
For those who don't know it was
Jean-Paul
'Bluey'
Maunick
(of
Incognito
fame) who formed the group after his stint with
Freeze.
Another personal favourite from my youth era days.
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10.Artist:
Keni
Burke
Track::Risin'
to the top
Year:
1982
Comments:
Another monster of a classic track without a doubt. I remember the exact
moment in time when I first heard this
one I knew it would be huge then and it's still huge now as it
enjoys it's 20th anniversary this year. If you find this one on
original 12" or on LP get it.
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11.Artist:
Minnie
Riperton
Track:: Baby,
This love I love
Year:
1976
Comments:
A legend in her own right, Minnie was tragically taken from us in
1979 at the tender age of 31 due to her battle with breast cancer but the plain and simple
truth is that was a baritoness, she could sing a tune like no other and there'll never be another
quite like her again let alone another that you can really compare to her. No one before or
since can hit the high notes quite like Minnie does and that's what makes
this young lady ever so endearing to listen to. Terrific track
indeed.
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12.Artist:
M.F.S.B
Track:
Mysteries
of the World
Year:
1980
Comments:
Mother,
Father,
Sister,
Brother
(hence the initials for the band's name M.F.S.B)
was formed by the Kenny
Gamble and
Leon
Huff production team and they scored big
with tracks like "TSOP"
and "Love
is the Message"
in the mid 70s.
But in 1980 they released a killer instrumental piece called "Mysteries
of the World"
taken from the album of the same name and the rest (as they say) is
history for me.
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13.Artist:
Hi
Tension
Track:: If
it moves you
Year:
1978
Comments:
Hi
Tension
is one of those groups that did just the one LP and then they
disbanded. The self titled LP contained classic hits like "British
Hustle"
and "Peace
on Earth"
but tucked away on there was this gem of a number that was highly
overlooked at the time when the album originally released.
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14.Artist:
Keith
Barrow
Track:: You
know you want to be loved
Year:
1978
Comments:
The
album didn't quite stand up to par with me but this ballad is one of my all time favourite ballads from the late Mr. Barrow who
died of the AIDS virus almost 20 years ago now in 1983.
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15.Artist:
Deco
Track:: I'm
so glad (I met you)
Year:
1980
Comments:
From
their very rare and hard to find LP "Fresh
Idea"
this little number to me is the highlight of the LP. Great track indeed
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16.Artist:
Lesette
Wilson
Track:: Caveman
Boogie
Year:
1981
Comments:
Lesette's
jazz roots is very evident on this track which came to light at the
tweet of the 'Jazz funk' era. A fantastic instrumentation of
keyboards, drums, horns and strings are involved that makes this to me
one of the best instrumentals ever made. If you find this get it well
worth the money.
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17.Artist:
AB's
Track:: Deja
Vu
Year:
1982
Comments:
Not
much is known about them except they are French and the song is sung
in French but this is an awesome track nevertheless.
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18.Artist:
Loose
End
Track:: Don't
hold back your love
Year:
1983
Comments:
The
2nd single from
Loose End
from 1983 (who later that year changed their name to
Loose Ends).
Again the choice was a hard one because they have so many classic
tracks to choose from but this track was just a preview of all the great songs that
Carl
McIntosh,
Steve
Nichol and
Jane
Eugene put together. Just terrific stuff
from start to finish.
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19.Artist:
Sugarhill
Gang
Track:: Passion
Play
Year:
1978
Comments:
Another
terrific instrumental piece and coming from the
Sugarhill Gang
too
was somewhat of a surprise as you just wouldn't expect such a classic 'rare
groover' from a rap
group from that era but nevertheless a great track. Taken from the self-titled LP
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20.Artist:
Foxy
Track::Madamoiselle
Year:
1979
Comments:
The
fellas from Miami scored big with their disco hit "Get
Off"
back in '79 taken from the album of the same name but this one is definitely my
favourites from the album.
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21.Artist:
Willie
'Lil' Beaver" Hale
Track::Groove
on
Year:
1981
Comments:
I could of chosen "Party
down"
as my track of choice from Willie for it is a very, very good song but this one just grabs you from
start to finish and doesn't let go.
A
classic track indeed taken from the "Beaver
Fever" LP, quality
timeless soul.
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22.Artist:
Jean
Carn
Track:: My
love don't come easy
Year:
1979
Comments:
She
has so many classic tracks "Don't
let it go to your head",
"Was
it all it was",
"I've
got some catching up to do"
comes to mind but this track is a true standout. Taken from the "When
I find you Love"
LP
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23.Artist:
Phyllis
Hyman
Track:: Give
a little more
Year:
1979
Comments:
When
Phyllis died in 1995, a part of me was truly at a loss. I loved her
voice so much that I couldn't phantom the thought of not hearing any
new tracks from her ever again. I have so many favourites where her
songs are concerned that it was hard to pick but this one just
symbolizes her as a fantastic singer
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24.Artist:
William
DeVaughn
Track:: Figures
can't calculate
Year:
1980
Comments:
He's
best known for the timeless classic "Be
thankful for what you've got"
but this ballad of his is truly a classic indeed. From the album of
the same name
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25.Artist:
Latimore
Track:: Sweet
Vibrations
Year:
1976
Comments:
Latimore
is one of those artists that never got the recognition he truly deserved but it's well deserved on this
slow groove track of his. Taken from the
album "It
ain't where you've been"
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26.Artist:
Parris
Track:: Can't
let go
Year:
1980
Comments:
The
only track I know of that they have done to date (not to be confused with Paris
who did "I choose you"
or at least I don't think so) but what a track nevertheless.
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27.Artist:
Natural
Four
Track:: Try
love again
Year:
1974
Comments:
Originally
from San Francisco, CA, the Natural Four scored big in the early 70s
with "Can
this be real"
and "You
bring out the best in me"
taken from their self-titled debut album for Curtis
Mayfield's
Curtom record label but this track is the one that stands out for me.
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28.Artist:
Side
Effect
Track:: Midnight
Lover
Year:
1981
Comments:
This
is another favourite group of mine they had hits like the Stevie
Wonder
penned "Always
there"
and a cover of the Beatles "Eleanor
Rigsby".
This track taken from the "Portraits" LP
that features a very
young Miki
Howard
on lead vocals
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29.Artist:
Terri
Wells
Track:: Who's
that stranger
Year:
1984
Comments:
Taken
from the only album (that I know of) from Terri to date called "Just
like Dreaming"
and this track is the cream of the crop.
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30.Artist:
Total
Contrast
Track::Sunshine
Year:
1985
Comments:
Delroy
Murray
and Robin
Achampong
who form Total
Contrast
never really got their due. Though they only made 2 albums with
moderate hits in "The
River"
and "Takes
a lil' time"
- this delightful number is taken from their debut self-titled album.
Great song
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