Soul Sensation

Welcome to day 3 of Kwanzaa.  "In opposition to alienation and isolation from others, fostered fear and hatred for political purposes, and a vulgar individualism at the expense of others, the principle of Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility) teaches us the necessary and compelling commitment to work together to conceive and build the good community, society and world we want and deserve to live in. And this means cooperatively repairing and renewing the world.”- Dr. Maulana Karanga (inventor)

I'll take this opportunity to thank all who came out to support the PCRL/Wassifa show at the Tower Ballroom on Friday night, no it was not packed as we would have liked, but still what a fantastic vibe created by all the entertainers; Wassifa Showcase, Observer, Rockers Roadshow, Love international, Little Richie, Trevor Ranks & all the artistes them, they did a beautiful show, everyone was dancing and the floor was lively, big up as well to the two cameramen recording the show! - Cecil Morris

Sunday 28-12-2014 play list

Hour One

Keith Sweat - Think (Mama Used To Tell Me)

Eric Nolan - Reminds Me Of You

G Womack - Groove wit Yourself

Randy Crawford - Endlessly

Curtis Mayfield - You're So Good To Me

Don-E - Your Special

Joe - Very Special Friend

Dramatics - Key to The World

Jaheim - Looking For Love

Kindred The Family Soul - Call Me Crazy

Idris Alba/Maverick Sabre - You Give Me Love

D'Angelo - Sugah Daddy*

Hour Two
Luther Vandross - Better Love*
Calvin Richardson - There Goes My Baby*
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud*

Groove Assn - Old Skool Magic
Tracy Carter - Everyday
Sunny Hawkins - Love Me To
Maze - Before I Let Go
Chaka Khan - Everywhere
Siani - Get up on The Floor

* Sorry these tacks missing due to net + studio failures.

Merry Christmas 2014

Famed boxer Muhammad Ali was admitted to an undisclosed hospital Saturday with pneumonia, his spokesman Bob Gunnell said. Ali's treatment prognosis is good, he said. "Ali, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, is being treated by his team of doctors and is in stable condition," Gunnell said in a statement. The illness was caught early, and Ali, 72, is not expected to be in the hospital long.

Muhammad Ali at the Allstate Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on January 2, 2013. "At this time, the Muhammad Ali family respectfully requests privacy," the statement said. Ali was born Cassius Clay and won an Olympic gold medal as a light-heavyweight at age of 18. In 1964, he became world heavyweight champion in an upset victory against then champion Sonny Liston, according to Ali's official website. Shortly thereafter changed his name to Muhammad Ali to reflect his conversion to Islam. The boxer was also known for his protest against the Vietnam War and refusal to be drafted into service out of religious conviction. He retired from boxing in 1981 and announced his diagnosis with Parkinson's Disease three years later. Get well soon Ali!

JB's home Beech Island from the 70's

Singer James Brown passed away on Christmas Day in 2006, but unfortunately the legal struggles regarding his will are STILL being contested by his family. This month, a judge will review legal documents about why each party says James Brown's "marriage" to his female companion Tomi Rae Hynie was valid or not. Hynie, is also contesting the will to fight for a share of Brown's estate, even though she was not mentioned in the will. The judge’s decision will affect whether or not Hynie will take any ownership of the estate, including Brown’s music. In this will (which was made in 2000), Brown split his money (worth tens of millions) and property between the six children he claimed and scholarship charity fund for Georgia students in need, the state where he grew up. The will also sets aside $2 million in scholarships for his seven grandchildren and divided his personal belongings, such as costumes, between those same six children. But unfortunately, none of wishes have been carried out because a few of his adult kids have challenged the will because they want to renovate Brown’s former home into a tourists attraction, much like Elvis’ Graceland. More at singersroom

Merry Christmas to readers from Mr Merry & Mickey Nold

Playlist for Sunday 21-12-2014



Hour One
Anita Baker - My Favorite Things
Paris - I Choose You
Kenny G - G-bop
Commodores - Zoom
Lose Ends - Choose Me
Cee Lo Green - This Christmas
Rena Scott - Night Dancin'
Donell Jones - The Finer Things In Life
Ed Sheeran - Thinking Out Loud
R-Kelly - A Love Letter Christmas


Hour Two
Al Green - What Christmas Means To Me
Teddy Pendergrass - Happy Quanzaa
Anthony Hamilton - 'tis the Season

Freeeze - Southern Freeze
Joe - Express Yourself
Drifters/Clyde McPhatter - White Christmas
Bill Withers - Use Me
Phyliss Hyman - You Know How To Love Me
Joeci - Get On Up

Isaac Hayes

Thousands of demonstrators marched in Washington, New York and Boston on Saturday to protest killings of unarmed black men by police officers. Organisers said the marches were among the largest in the recent wave of protests against the killings of black males by police in Ferguson, Missouri, New York, Cleveland and elsewhere. The protests were mainly peaceful, although police in Boston said they arrested 23 people who tried to block a highway. One person was arrested in New York after two officers were assaulted by protesters, prompting a condemnation from Mayor Bill de Blasio who said the alleged assault marked “an ugly and unacceptable departure from the demonstrations thus far.”  More at:  France24

Blue & Sonny (thanks 4 music)

Within days of each other two founding members of the Manhattans have died. Winfred "Blue" Lovett,  bass singer extraordinaire of the legendary vocal group The Manhattans. He was 74. For a half century, Lovett's songwriting and singing were integral parts of one of the most popular R&B groups in the world. His composition "Kiss and Say Goodbye," introduced by his deep spoken word prologue, is still one of the most beloved soul songs ever. And while many fans knew of Lovett's terrific vocal work, fewer knew of his impeccable songwriting instincts, often combining elements of love, loss and even infidelity into songs that moved the Manhattans to the A-List of vocal groups. Lovett's death comes just a few days after the death of group co-founder Sonny Bivins, who maintained a version of the group in both good times and bad. - See more at: Soultracks

Sunday's playlist 14-12-2014



The Manhattans - Shining Star (RIP)
Bee Bee & Cee Cee Winans - You
Vincent Ingala - Just Imagine
Gwen McCrae - I Can Only Think Of You
Dangerfield Newbies - Heaven Sent
Don-E - I Don't Wanna Hold It Down
Godchild Presents - Where Are We Going
Victor Haynes - Feel
Angie Stone - Pissed Off
Anthony David - Body Language
Calvin Richardson - We Go'n Love Tonite

Isaac Hayes x3
1 Wonderful 2 The Look Of Love
3 Never Can Say Goodbye

L.J. Reynolds - Say You Will
Chaka Khan - One For All Time
Betty Wright - Whisper In The Wind
Ronnie Dyson - Make It With You
Rafael Saddiq/Teedra Moses - Chic
Katie Cole - Think About It
Odyssey - Don't Tell Me, Tell He

Isaac Hayes Biography:
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and producer. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the mid-1960s. Hayes, Porter, Bill Withers, the Sherman Brothers, Steve Cropper, and John Fogerty were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 in recognition of writing scores of notable songs for themselves, the duo Sam & Dave, Carla Thomas, and others. Hayes is also a 2002 inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. More at Wiki

The Manhattans . I Kinda Miss You by capitainfunkk

Barbara Lynn

While fans of the late songstress Aaliyah are still letting it be known that they didn’t take too kindly to Lifetime’s Wendy Williams produced biopic of the singer, it seems as if they are trying to make up for things this time around. Set to air the Angela Bassett directed biopic for the legendary Whitney Houston on January 17, the newest addition to the Lifetime Movie database has viewers on pins and needles. Aptly titled Whitney, the film will follow the supreme vocalist from her childhood as a choir girl in New Jersey up to her untimely death as an incredible superstar. Highlighting her tremulous relationship with R&B crooner Bobby Brown and her struggles with drug addiction, the short trailer gives us a taste of what can be expected once the New Year hits. Airing on the third anniversary of her death at 8 p.m., the upcoming film stars Yaya DaCosta as Whitney and Arlen Escarpeta as Bobby, while R&B songstress Deborah Cox covers each of Whitney’s vocal performances. More here

Earlier today, it was revealed that a grand jury would not indict white New York City police officer Daniel Pantaleo over the death of African American Eric Garner, whose death was caused by an illegal chokehold. The ruling comes nine days after a Ferguson, MO grand jury decided not to charge a white police officer for the murder of unarmed black teen, Michael Brown. As previously reported, Garner died during an arrest on July 17th outside of a convenience store in Staten Island. He was reportedly selling single, untaxed cigarettes -- the entire incident was caught on video. The chokehold is considered an illegal move to use in an arrest in New York and is defined by the NYPD as "any pressure to the throat or windpipe, which may prevent or hinder breathing or reduce intake of air," but according to new reports, the move has been used more this year than in a decade. Following the ruling, several members from the R&B community took to Twitter to voice their disdain and/or concerns.

R.I.P Eric Garner! "This is just so unbelievably sad and disturbing. What do I tell my young son? #Icantbreathe" - Deborah Cox
"R.I.P. Eric Garner... May your soul find rest, and may your family find comfort in their hour of mourning." - Ne-Yo
"Mayor of New York telling the truth right now." - Trey Songz
"Genocide" - Dawn Richard
"Tears fall and words won't come to me #ICantBreathe" - Anita Baker
"Trayvon happened. They wanted witnesses. Mike Brown happened. They wanted footage. Eric Garner happened. ALL not guilty or non-indictments." - Tyrese  More here

Playlist for Sunday 7-12-2014

Will Downing - Something Special
Ginuwine - Far Away
Andy McClean - Early Bird
Rene' & Angela - Imaginary Playmates
Ledisi - Stay Together
Teddy Pedergrass - My People (500 years)
Sharon Jones/Dapkings - We Get Along
Betty Wright - Thank You 4 The Many Ways
Idris Elba - Thank U For Freedom
Big Brooklyn Red - Taking It Too Far
Allen Stone - Stepin' In The Name Of Love
Wish & Blue - Your Love

Barbara Lynn x3
1 Until Then I'll Suffer 2 Disco Music
3 You Make Me So Hot

Kenny Thomas - Turn It Up
Mary J Blige - Before I Let Go
Ann Nesby - In The Spirit
Vivienne/J.Negro/Sunburst - Trust Me
Manhattans - Crazy
Plush - We've Got the Love
Jeff Redd - What Goes Around Come Around
I-Level - In The Sands

Barbara Lynn's Biography:

She was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1942, and attended Hebert High School. She played piano as a child, but switched to guitar, which she plays left-handed. Inspired by blues artists Guitar Slim and Jimmy Reed, and pop acts Elvis Presley and Brenda Lee, and winning several local talent shows, she created an all-female band, Bobbie Lynn and Her Idols. She began performing in local clubs in Texas. Singer Joe Barry saw her and introduced Lynn to producer Huey P. Meaux, who ran SugarHill Recording Studios and several record labels in New Orleans. Her first single, "You'll Lose A Good Thing", co-written by her and Meaux, was recorded at Cosimo Matassa's J&M studio with session musicians including Mac Rebennack (Dr. John). Released by Jamie Records, it was a number 1 US Billboard R&B chart hit and Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hit in 1962. The song was later recorded by Aretha Franklin and became a country hit record for Freddy Fender. Lynn also released an album, also titled You'll Lose A Good Thing, which featured ten of her compositions. More at Wiki