Luxury Soul 2020

As another year almost closes, the highlight of some of this year finest music can be found on the forthcoming 'Luxury Soul ' box set. Releasing physical product in the day when music is so freely available by streaming is a gamble.

Luxury Soul has it's many fans and have bought every one since it's first release back in 2004 to coincide with the Soul Weekender. Back then you would expect to see a Maysa, Frank McComb or track by Leon Ware to get us through the year, since 2012 the covers are now slicker than ever & still very collectable as ever. 

So the 2020 Luxury Soul album has many highlights this year, including some UK Soul chart #1's by the likes of Tyra Levone steppers anthem including Keep On Steppin', Rick Clarke ft Don E Lou Rawl's inspired 'Friends', Terri Green project, Barry White inspired 'It's You' which was also the best track from their current album 'what a Feeling'.

Expansion Records as a label have released some winning albums this year and those tracks are naturally included here by the likes of One Way, Candace Woodson & Rockie Robbins .

Kenny Thomas's other half Francisca Thomas 'Clouds In My Mirror' sings in a winning Memphis styled Nigel Lowis produced style that was included on the #1 DSG vol 2 album.

Toby Walker who's fantastic Soulwalking Website has rated this as his #1 choice song of the year. we are talking Tony Lindsay ' Find The Day' , in fact it's one of my choice cuts of the year also, finding this one time Santana lead singer very comfortable with this jazzy soulful delight.

The Man of the year Cornel CC Carter is thankfully included with the outstanding MetLife remix of 'I see Love' which was also released recently as a 7 inch single on the high profiled  Iziphosoul Records, the original version is included on his latest album AbSoultely which is available also on CD & Limited vinyl. A mighty fine Blue Eyed Soul moment with Bill Henry Band and their current Slow Down single which is included on their album 'Ride', and currently in the UK Soul Chart.

UK's #1 Modern Soul group SouLutions are covering Hot Cuisines 'Who's Been Kissing You?', that was a big success from their current album 'Fate', other covers include Lasperanza's unusual, but classy cover of Gwen Guthrie's 'It Should 've Been You from their album Seeds which was released on Dome Records which also has many highlights and is a true work of art. 

Luxury Soul Fans will be pleased to see Maysa, Tony Momrelle, Incognito, Paul Johnson, Noel McKoy, Glenn Jones, James Day that are stable inductees.

Much more for you to discover here on this 35 track compilation that will stay in our playlists for many years to come, Well done Ralph Tee !

Gary Van den Bussche 

DSG/Starpoint Radio

Luxury Soul 2017

Your yearly Luxury Soul box set injection of top selling Soul music is nearly upon us. With the injection ready, here is your Soulful fix of magical delights for 2017.

After only two album releases and the loss of band member Kae Williams Jr, it's a 'Gift Of Love' to see them back again with new materiel and also performing soon live in the UK with The Pockets, who's original members, bassist Gary Grainger, lead vocalist Larry Jacobs, percussionist-auxiliary drummer Greg,the bands 2016 release 'Sing A Message' is also included here, it's a mid tempo funky shuffler, almost Earth Wind & Fire in parts.  

DSG's Hannah White Joey Nelson remix of 'That's Love' is here on CD for the first time, it's Latino driven mix that saw the song reach top 5 in the UK soul charts, and pleasesd crowds at The Camp Soul Music Festival, The Solar Radio Boat party & Caister Soul Festival. Fe Fae catchy It's A beautiful day, Tom Glide's dreamy UK Soul #1 'All I Need Is You' featuring Funmilayo NGozi .

 Modern Soul favorites Cool Million are present with Kiki Kyte 'Disco Chick' and (Frank) Ryles 'Two Way Love Affair' which with remixes will be the new single from Ryles #1 Soul Album, 'Adventures of Jefferson Keyes'. Amazing to think it's be three years since Gary Van den Bussche discovered SouLutions, who have since followed, their #1 DSG release Listen with a top selling album last year called' Destiny' and a big #1 double A Side single this year in which,' Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover'' which is included  on this album and like many of the tracks for the first time on CD.

 The groovy Doggett Brothers are here with a Japanese remix by T-Groove. R&B/Soul fans will be happy with the inclusion of ' Moving On', By Faye B, Kim Tibbs 'I Need Your Love', Latrese Bush 'Love I Can Sing About', Lovell 'Groove With You' & The nephew of The Three Degrees’ Helen Scott, Ashley Scott debut recording 'Words' is present here, as is, HD Laura Jackson adding some sugar with the catchy, 'Nothing But Love'. One of the Summer's biggest Soul hits was Sargent Tucker featuring Drizabone 'I Need Your Love' where Billy Drizabone even plays live drums on the track himself, it was released on a Limited 7 inch pressing with now only the last few left from  discosoulgold.com.

 Soulful House music fans, will be pleased with the inclusion of Phil Asher’s West Ten Mix of 'Asking Eyes', Ed The Red's Catchy 'Wish You Mine'. It's been a good year for DSG's blue eyed Soul duo Mather & Kingdon, included here you will find their cover of Barry Whites' I Found Love, plus from Mather recorded debut solo album, which reached #2 in the UK Soul charts from the album the first single release, which is his cover of Ronn Matlock's modern Soul gem, ' I Can't Forget About You'. 

Quality oldies by the likes of, Rose Royce, Brandi Wells, Jean Carne & the late Kashif who sadly passed this year, but earlier in the year he performing live at the Blackpool at the Luxury Soul Weekender 2016, so it's a nice tribute to include, Can We Just Get Along? A fantastic collection of tunes, compiled by Ralph Tee, think your agree a massive collection of future classics! - A MUST BUY

(Mr Ralph Expansions Tee  pictured here with Tracy Hamlin and Alton McClain Scarborough)

Here is the track listing ...
CD ONE
Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover - Soulutions
I Need You For Your Love! - Kim Tibbs
Gift Of Love - Breakwater
That's Love (Joey Nelson Mix) - Hannah White
Two Way Love Affair - Ryle
Moving On - Faye B
You Make Me Feel (T-Groove Remix) - Doggett Brothers
Where Do We Go (Boogie Back Remix) - Conell C.C. Carter
Let's Have A Good Time - Andy Stokes
Love I Can Sing About - Latrese Bush
Groove With You - Lovell
Asking Eyes (Phil Asher’s West Ten Mix)- Da Lata

CD TWO
Your Love Is All I Need - Alton McClain
Disco Chick - Kiki Kyte
Running Away (DOS 7” Dub) - Simpson Uniquity
It's A Beautiful Day - Fe Fae
Sing A Message - Pockets
All I Need Is You (5am Jazzy Jam Rework) - Tom Glide
I Need Your Love (Drizabone Remix) - Sargent Tucker feat. Drizabone
I Can't Forget About You - Mather
Nothing But Love - HD Laura Jackson
Can We Just Get Along? - Kashif
Emotion (Reel People Vocal Mix)- Tracy Hamlin

CD THREE
I Found Love - Mather & Kingdon
Now - Camera Soul
Take U Back (DJ Mix) - Joyce Irby
Wish You Mine (Ed The Red's Funk Soul Mix) - Ed The Red
All My Love - Keith Patrick
Early Morning Love - Jean Carne
It's Your Love - Ethel Beatty
Makeusmile (Tom Glide Rework)- Kenya
Words - Ashley Scott
Why Can't We Be Lovers - Brandy Wells
I Want You - Rose Royce
Heading Home - Kenny Wellington

Soul Togetherness 2016

Expansion's most successful and longest running compilation series returns with a 2016 edition. This is in the label's 30th anniversary year, 'Soul Togetherness' is an annual event since 2000.

The concept remains the same, fifteen must have modern soul room gems taken from some of this year's biggest dancefloor spins and revival tracks on the soul scene.

2016 has seen disco soul beats more prominent, reflected here by the music of Dutch Djs Diephuis Eastar feat. Jocelyn Brown, the Earth Wind & Fire inspired Los Charlys Orchestra Sunshine, the DSG Salsoul dance grooves of a Nigel Lowis produced mix of Hannah White's #1 Soul Hit ''Sunny Day'' presented here with the remix that was specially created for, The Caister Soul Festival weekender, where Hannah White sang the anthem live to a packed house.

 As usual there are exclusives here to the CD and vinyl in new music, this year from Farina Miss, Tracy Hamlin (Boogie Back Remix), Seest and Trina Broussard. With revival tracks, the full length version of Breakwater's 'No Limit' (posted above) which is officially released for the very first time in it's full length 12 inch version(which Ralph Tee only just discovered and he worked for Artista records back in the day), there's a Puff Johnbson track released on this compilation the first side out of Australia, then there's the year's biggest 'real soul' spin from Big Lee Dowel & The Cannonballs that first surfaced in Italy and has been flying out on a limited 7 inch for big dollars. 

 Also featured on this great new album is another of the year's biggest new modern soul music floorfillers, 'I Got To Party' by SouLutions, who Gary Van den Bussche first discovered a couple of years ago and persuaded Drizabone to remix their demo of ''Listen'', which was DSG's first release. The extended original mix of Nicolette Larson's revival of Neil Youngs cover of 'Lotta Love', plus an exclusive edit of 1983's 'You And I' by Ronnie Jones released on CD and vinyl for the first time. 

Well done Ralph Tee and Richard Searling on your 30 years of Expansion records, keep on doing what your doing as you do it just so well.  

Order Soul Togetherness 2016 here!  

Soul Togetherness 2014 is the Champagne of compilations!

The Dom Perignone of compilation albums is all set for release on the 29th of September.Be it Northern, Blue Eyed, Brit, Modern, Soul has always had a special place in the heart of recording artists as music lovers in the UK. With this month seeing the upcoming release of the yearly ‘Soul Togetherness’ album in the series, although on a way smoother taste to the palette than the awaited Beaujolais Nouveau!

The ‘Soul Togetherness’ collection album is for many Soul lovers the event of the year. With Ralph Tee at the controls, the series first started back in 2000 under the form of an album simply titled ‘Soul Togetherness 2000′, and has delivered the best new Modern Soul anthems and more once a year ever since! On this latest collection of Goodies, there are to be found some of this year’s most loved tracks. The vintage track this year is a 1979 Linda Clifford song, ‘I Can’t Let This Good Thing Get Away’ that might have got missed by us the first time around, but with its classy midtempo soulful feel which is simply irresistible, it definitely fits in well. Joe is on board with ‘Fortune Teller’, taken from latest album ‘Bridges’, one of the best albums of this year. UK Modern Soul duo, SouLutions are also included with their #1 UK Soul anthem, ‘Listen’ as remixed by Drizabone, as is Noel Gourdin‘s falsetto led over looked gem, ‘No Worries’, from his third album.  

Soulful House is also present in the form of Company‘s ‘Superstar’ that has been playing on Soulful airwaves throughout the Summer  Tracy Hamlin also appears with her winning cover of Luther Vandross‘s, ‘Never Too Much’. Quick look at the high caliber of artists featured, Eric Benet, Jennifer Holiday and Lalah Hathaway with top quality material. Lisa Stansfield has had a great comeback this year, returning back to the UK top 20 album chart. From her latest  to be remixed set is the limited edition 7 inch, Soul Talk remix of ‘So Be It’. In fact, one of three Soul Talk remixes with others being the UK's current #1 Soul artist Glen Goldsmith with ‘London Skies’ and Paul Johnson who quite rightly says “not much ‘Better Than This'”.

All in all, a mighty fine collection of songs making this year’s ‘Soul Togetherness 2014′ an essential purchase for every Soul music collector…
Updated review with thanks to indamixworldwide