Source Team

News on a new project... Ace Records & Acid Jazz present Spring Revisited From the web site Two iconic British record labels join forces to celebrate the musical legacy of Spring Records Founded 1967 in New York, Spring Records became known for its contributions to soul, funk and R&B music in the 70’s and early 80’s. The label carved a niche in the music scene with its unique roster of artists including Millie Jackson, Fatback Band and Joe Simon who left a lasting legacy with music fans that still echoes today. Spring Records continues to influence and inspire today’s creators with both the sound and aesthetics of the music. Since acquiring the Spring Records catalog in 1988, Ace Records has built further on Spring’s legacy - through restoring and remastering the original master tapes, meticulously curating and crafting new albums while also unveiling previously unknown recordings from the vast Spring archives. Now the time has come to re-introduce some of these timeless tracks to a new generation of music fans. By initiating a strategic collaboration between the two iconic UK indie labels Ace Records and Acid Jazz Records, Cosmos Music is now launching SPRING REVISITED. The first Spring Revisited release is Dimitri From Paris’ brilliant new version of Millie Jackson’s ‘We Gotta Hit It Off’, which he has rebuilt from ground up using the original 24 track master from 1979. Additional mixes of the song from Opolopo will follow, giving two unique takes on a New York club classic and all of them will be released on a limited 12” on Acid Jazz in May. Full info via https://www.springrevisited.com/

Details just posted up in our Source Event Guide The Last Ever Kings Hall Stoke All Nighter Sat 19 Sep 2026, 20:00 Event Description The 30th Anniversary All Nighter at this historic venue comes to an end with Goldsoul. We arrived in 1996, before the regular Togetherness niters kicked in 1997. TWO ROOMS: Main featuring 8 DJs The Windsor with 4 DJs Tickets on sale from early April 2025 (£10 very limited until 30/4/25) £15(until 31/12/25) £20 thereafter A totally stunning night with Special Guests, a Free commemorative patch with the Greatest Music ever in a sensational venue Goldsoul ends its All Nighters after 30 years Event Guide Link https://www.soul-source.co.uk/events/event/85845-the-last-ever-kings-hall-stoke-all-nighter/

If you are looking for 'local' soul events this weekend, we may just have the feature for you... Our 'Local Soul' feature (events near me) allows anyone looking for 'soul events' to see just what is going on 'near to me' All you need to do is go to the feature, enter a town (along with a range if needed) and then tap 'Search for events' and our guide will deliver a fully featured dynamic map of event's in that area and period along with a detailed list underneath You can also then browse weeks before and after using the navigation arrows An active part of our Event Guide, but if not aware then why not give it a go below... https://www.soul-source.co.uk/events/14-local-soul/

Details land on an upcoming vinyl addition to the Numero Groups Eccentric Soul series... Eccentric Soul - Eccentric Modern Soul NUM 520 Label Words The Eccentric Playlist series spins on. Think of these as little mixtapes from us to you highlighting our favorite soul sections packaged up on heavyweight wax - a DJ's Delight. A fantastic record that makes a night in sound like a night out. This dazzling 11-track journey through the rich, handpicked gems of Numero’s finest "Modern Soul". Blending the timeless warmth of classic with a fresh, modern twist... modern being 1980s lol. Tracks A1 Mind & Matter - I'm Under Your Spell A2 Ujima - Maybe A3 Cosmos Universal Band - Third Eye A4 94 East - If You See Me A5 Crystal's Image - A Friend A6 Arabi - Times Three B1 Universal Togetherness Band - Dreamality B2 Third Rail - Just Had To Tell You B3 Clifton Dyson, Gwen Matthews - I'm Giving Up B4 Wind - Best Thing I Can Do (Vocal) B5 Wee - Take To The Sky Release Notes WTF is Modern Soul anyway? Even inside the hallowed halls of the Success Bottling Co., the definition is still a matter of serious debate. It once got physical, when our own Stephen Arndt and Tim Zawada had to be separated during a heated A&R meeting about the track list. This cold war-style feud began in the UK's Northern Soul scene, when late-'70s disco-adjacent 45s were played alongside more traditional sixties fare. Current parlance places the genre firmly in the '80s, with stray synths and drum machines tolerated, if not outright encouraged. An existential question emerged: Can strings and synths co-exist? How much brass is too much brass? Is it legal for the falsetto and guitarist to solo at once? Did that guy just slap his bass? Eccentric Modern Soul answers these burning queries and more, compiling eleven party starters onto a crate-ready single LP. Previously unissued heat from Wee, Ujima, and Wind align with Numeroverse mainstays Universal Togetherness Band, Mind & Matter, Maxx Traxx, and 94 East for a 40-minute sweat session. Everything but the club, so that a night in sounds like a night out. Pre-order: Release date is May 16th - Orders will begin shipping in April! Purchase/Pre-order via https://numerogroup.com/products/eccentric-modern-soul Spotify Playlist (9 hours)

Carolina Beach Music Compilation Albums: The Classic Years Details of a new book have just landed here from Rick Simmons Author Notes I have published eight books to date, some with the History Press, some with McFarland, and my current book is also with Arcadia/The History Press. My new book which came out in February, and I thought I'd do so. I drew on interviews I'd done over the years with artists such as Gary Barker of the Catalinas, Archie Bell, Norm Burnett of the Tymes, Joe Clinnard of Cannonball, Clifford Curry, Carl Gardner of the Coasters, Ken Houston of the Band of Oz, Ken Knox of the Chairmen of the Board, Bob Kuban of Bob Kuban and the In-Men, Meadowlark Lemon of the Globetrotters, John McElrath of the Swingin’ Medallions, Bobby Moore Jr. of Bobby Moore and the Rhythm Aces, Deacon John Moore, Rob Parissi of Wild Cherry, Wayne Pittman of the O’Kaysions, Charles Pope of the Tams, Jeff Reid of the Fantastic Shakers, Billy Scott of the Georgia Prophets, G.C. Cameron and Bobbie Smith of the Spinners, Ammon Tharp of Bill Deal and Rhondells, Donnie Trexler of Bob Collins and the Fabulous Five, Sonny Turner of the Platters, Brenton Wood, and others. Release Notes Carolina beach music – those often-soulful songs about the beach, parties, that special love, dancing, or just relaxing in the sun - has long been a mainstay of culture in the Southeast. Yet until the late 1960s, you needed an impressive collection of 45s if you wanted to hear those songs in your home or at a party. But beginning with Atlantic Records’ Beach Beat in 1967, that music slowly became available on albums from Bell, Warner Brothers, Ripete, and other labels. Through interviews and first-hand accounts, Carolina Beach Music Compilation Albums: The Classics, examines the stories behind those classic albums, the people who created them, and the artists and songs who contributed to the phenomenon known as Carolina beach music. Author bio: Dr. Rick Simmons was previously the George K. Anding Endowed Professor and Director of Honors at Louisiana Tech University. Author of more than 130 published works including eight books, his previous books for the History Press include Carolina Beach Music: The Classic Years (2011), Carolina Beach Music from the 60s to the 80s: The New Wave (2013), as well as two books about music for McFarland Publishers: The Carolina Beach Music Encyclopedia (2018) and 40 Hits, 40 Stories: Behind the Top songs of the 1960s and 70s. He currently lives in Pawleys Island, SC, with his wife Sue, and teaches at the Georgetown School of Arts and Sciences. Availability Paperback and Kindle formats https://www.amazon.com/Carolina-Beach-Music-Compilation-Albums/dp/1467157724/

Soul Direction have a new 45 out, details follow... Soul Direction Records are please to announce our next release. Ann Byers – “I’m Not Gonna Cry” / “Your Love Is A Wonderful Thing” – (Soul Direction) SD023 Release Date – 28th March 2025 (Pre Order from 14th March) Not much is known about Ann Byers as a person, but the Northern Soul scene is well-acquainted with her recordings on the Virtue and Academy labels. From her sparse biography, we know she was born in Philadelphia and began singing in church at the age of three. By the time she was 16, she had recorded her first 45 in 1963. She later made radio, TV, and personal appearances around Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware. Her television appearances included performances alongside Roy Hamilton, Billy Paul, Bunny Sigler, and The Young Holt Trio, among others. She was also a firm believer in UFOs and had a deep love for ancient history. One of her dreams was to travel to the U.K. on a jet plane, where she hoped to achieve a hit single. Byers briefly entered the U.K. market in 1975 with the Power Exchange release of “This Man Is Rated-X” and “Gotta Get You Back,” both initially released on Virtue in the U.S. Her early recordings were on The Lyric Label under the name Anne Buyers, with the tracks “Was It Worth the Price” and “Natural Feeling,” and later on the Cougar label as Ann Byers with “Where Have You Gone” and “Talk of The Town,” believed to be released around 1964. The tracks Ann Byers recorded for Academy in 1964 and 1965 were written by the composing duo Fred Andrew Smith and Phil Hurtt, with production and arrangement by Leroy Lovett. The two featured tracks in this release, “I’m Not Gonna Cry” and “Your Love Is a Wonderful Thing,” include backing vocals by the group Les Tres Femmes. “Your Love Is a Wonderful Thing” was co-written by Howard Ravitsky and Phil Hurtt, who also wrote the Academy release “I’m Happy Without You,” a much sought-after 45. These two tracks were meant to be Byers’ fourth release on Academy, but unfortunately, the label went out of business in 1967. Byers also had three releases on the Virtue label around 1975-1976, and her name appears in the writing credits of two releases on the low-budget Fox Century Plaza label from Philadelphia, which operated between 1977 and 1980. While it’s uncertain whether it’s the same Ann Byers, it is likely. “I’m Not Gonna Cry” resurfaced in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s from the master tapes and received some airplay from DJ’s in the UK before being released on CD around 2000. It reached the test press stage with another label in the late ‘90s but never saw full production. After conversations with Howard Ravitsky, who wished to see the tracks released as they were meant to be, Soul Direction with the help of Dave Louis helped make this a fitting tribute to Ravitsky’s musical legacy. Recorded at: Sound Plus Studios, Philadelphia, PA. Engineer: Tony Luis Producers: Howard Ravitsky & Phil Hurtt Backing Singers: Les Tres Femmes on “Love Is A Wonderful Thing” Musicians: Guitars: Roland Chambers, Norman Harris Bass Guitar: Win Winfield Drums: Karl Chambers Organ: Pete Dino Horns: Sam Reed Horn Section Images Videos Ann Byers - I'm Not Gonna Cry - (Soul Direction) SD023A Ann Byers & Les Tres Femme - You Love Is A Wonderful Thing - (Soul Direction) SD023B Website for purchase options and more https://soul-direction.co.uk/