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A new addition to Kent records long running 'Songwriter Series', billed as 'a long-overdue addition', details and more follow below... A Different World - The Holland Dozier Holland Songbook - Various Artists (Songwriter Series) - CDTOP 520 'The Sound Of Young America- an extensive salute to the classic songs of Motown and Detroit's flagship tunesmiths of the 60s and 70s.' Release notes Holland-Dozier-Holland songs have been revisited many times by all sorts of artists, and “A Different World” brings two dozen diverse names and interpretations of their repertoire, with Motown and Invictus stalwarts like the aforementioned Supremes and Tops (as well as Martha and the Vandellas, Kim Weston, the Miracles and more) sharing disc space with The Band, Brenda Lee, The Vanilla Fudge, Laura Nyro and even The Fall – just a few of the non-traditional names who reinterpret Holland-Dozier-Holland’s vison of ‘The Sound Of Young America’ in their own individual and inimitable ways. Full release notes by Tony Rounce can be read via Ace records website (tap) Track Listing 01 Where Did Our Love Go - Donnie Elbert 02 Love's Gone Bad - Chris Clark 03 Jimmy Mack - Martha & The Vandellas 04 Don't Do It - The Band 05 Baby I Need Your Loving - Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston 06 How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) - Brenda Lee 07 Reach Out, I'll Be There - Gloria Gaynor 08 Heaven Must Have Sent You - Diana Ross & The Supremes 09 Medley Of Soul (It's The Same Old Song / Something About You / I Can't Help Myself) - Big Al Downing 10 While You're Out Looking For Sugar - Honey Cone 11 There's A Ghost In My House - The Fall 12 Take Me In Your Arms (Rock Me A Little While) - The Isley Brothers 13 You Keep Me Hanging On - The Vanilla Fudge 14 A Love Like Yours (Don't Come Knocking Everyday) - Dusty Springfield 15 This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You) - Bettye Swann 16 New Breed Kinda Woman - Holland-Dozier Featuring Lamont Dozier 17 Band Of Gold (Unedited Alternate Version) - Freda Payne 18 Leaving Here - Eddie Holland 19 I'm In A Different World - Four Tops 20 I Think You Need Love - Dionne Warwick 21 (Come Round Here) I'm The One You Need - Smokey Robinson & The Miracles 22 Come See About Me - Barbara Mason 23 Helpless - Kim Weston 24 Come And Get These Memories - Laura Nyro Leaflet Scans Availability Release date 26th April 2024 Available via Ace Records website and many fine soul stockists

Just in, release news from Soul Direction Label release and sleeve notes follow below... Soul Direction are pleased to announce Their Next Release. Sharisma – “Trouble, Trouble” / “Something Wonderful” / “Love Is the Way” – SD021 Release Date – Tuesday 7th May 2024 Available to Order – Monday 29th April 2024 Available for the first time on vinyl courtesy of Emandolynn Music & Manny Campbell. Emandolynn Music did release the tracks, but in digital format only. This prompted Soul Direction to strike a deal to license the tracks for a 7” vinyl release and believed that showcasing all 3 tracks together was the perfect package. This being the way it was meant to be released. Manny Campbell heard the group play in a talent showcase in 1969 and shortly after signed them up for a recording session. Their first recordings were at Upper Darby Studios “Love is the way/ something wonderful” recorded in 1969. Both as demos. He then decided to upgrade the sound and took them Sigma Sound Studios around 1970 to record “Trouble Trouble”. They initially never had a ‘name’ for the group, so Manny came up with Sharisma, which could have been a spin on the term Charisma as they were seen to have a certain charm. They liked it and decided to use it. “Trouble, Trouble” was meant to be the group’s first release, but unfortunately before they could finish the process, the main lead singer was drafted to the Vietnam War (He was an enlisted reserve at the time). “Trouble, Trouble” was written and produced by Manny Campbell as a ‘letter’ to his firstborn son who at the time was getting into some troubles himself at the time. These tracks sat in an unmarked tape box for many years. Because it was a ‘demo’ Manny Campbell shelved it due to the missing band members and moved onto the next project as this was just one of many tracks he was involved in. “Love is the way/something wonderful” was recorded at Upper Darby Studios. “Trouble, Trouble” Was recorded at Sigma Sound Studios. Sigma Sound was strongly associated with Philadelphia soul and, in the 1970s, the sound of Gamble and Huff’s Philadelphia International Records so it was the perfect fit for the sound Manny was looking for. The main recording Engineer for “Trouble Trouble” was Joe Tarsia. He was the owner of Sigma Sound and was Gamble and Huff’s main engineer on a lot of their work. The additional musicians on these tracks were the famous Trammps, who later recorded for Buddah & Atlantic records. Alan Kitchener https://www.soul-direction.co.uk Images Photo: Manny Campbell Videos Sharisma - Trouble Trouble - (Soul Direction) SD021A Sharisma - Something Wonderful - (Soul Direction) SD021B Sharisma - Love Is The Way - (Soul Direction) SD021C

RSD 2024 saw a limited edition comp Lp released, blurb and video trailer follows below... Harlem Shuffle Records presents ANDY SMITH’S NORTHERN SOUL ESSENTIALS L.P. 14 Fast Spinning Soul Stomper by DJ Andy Smith - for dancers mostly! With stunning Northern Soul photographs by Richard Oughton GREEN VINYL ALBUM COMPILATION OF 14 TRACKS 750 COPIES LIMITED EDITION L.P. Exclusive to RECORD STORE DAY - on sale April 20th 2024 in stores participating in Record Store Day. ABOUT THIS RELEASE 50 years ago, on the 23rd of September 1973, Wigan Casino started its first-ever Northern Soul all-nighter, an incredibly popular event that was celebrated all over Britain - from the vibrant Northern Soul clubs all the way to the BBC Proms. To celebrate further, Harlem Shuffle Records asked DJ Andy Smith, of Portishead and “The Document” fame among others, and also an accomplished Northern Soul DJ, to hand pick this unique blend of fast and furious Northern Soul masterpieces, a genre Andy particularly loves. It is a collection of 14 fast spinning tracks produced during the sixties by crème de la crème of Soul producers Jack Ashford, Lorraine Chandler, Darrow Fletcher, Harry Bass, and Kent Harris. These are pure Northern Soul stompers, there is no Modern Soul and no crossover whatsoever here. These 14 relentless tracks convey particularly well the energy of Andy Smith live DJ sets. “Andy Smith’s Essentials” is for the true fans and the dancers also who like the finest Northern Soul on vinyl. Even those who normally don’t partake in Northern Soul will no doubt be tempted by this unique release of 14 relentless driving beats on this gorgeous neon green record superbly illustrated by the work of Northern Soul photographer Richard Oughton. NOTE: this 750 copies’ limited edition is the only release on vinyl and there will be no downloads. A FEW WORDS FROM DJ ANDY SMITH “Roll on to the 90s and while digging for samples with my portable turntable for the band Portishead I would randomly come across records that were more Soul than Funk and realised that these were Northern Soul. I quickly saw how great these tunes were and continued to dig for these records, eventually adding them to my multi genre DJ sets. After doing Northern Soul nights at the Jazz Cafe in Camden Town, London (and releasing my first Northern Soul compilation on Ace/ BGP records) Keb Darge asked me to DJ at Madame Jo Jos in Soho, London where Northern Soul featured heavily on the musical menu. Now, I do a regular Northern Soul night at The Rivoli Ballroom in Brockley, South London and often appear at Levanna Mclean's (“the Northern Soul girl”) events in Bristol. Hope you enjoy this essential selection of Northern Soul.” ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER RICHARD OUGHTON Richard has been covering the Northern Soul events for over 15 years in U.K. and abroad. He owns a vast collection of gorgeous Northern Soul related photographs from Blackpool to Brazil. His photographs play brilliantly with motions and shadows and truly capture the magic of the scene as the two superb photos featured on this album demonstrate. The front cover photo was taken at Blackpool Tower Ballroom in November 2016 while the back one was taken at Blackburn Wigan Casino 45th anniversary in September 2018. Side 1 1 'I'm Coming Home' - September Jones – 1967 2 'Sweet Baby' - Al Gardner – 1968 3 'I'm Gone' - Eddie Parker - 1968 4 'Ease My Mind' - Lorraine Chandler - 2017 5 'Watch Yourself' - Al Gardner – 1968 6 'The Pain Gets A Little Deeper' - Darrow Fletcher – 1965 7 'Don' t Let Him Hurt You' - Les Chansonettes – 1966 Side 2 1 'Ain't That Love Enough' - Larry Atkins – 1967 2 'I Need Your Love (To Satisfy My Soul)' - The Stylists - 2019 3 'Give Me Lots Of Lovin'' - Freddy Butler – 1967 4 'This Heart Is Lonely' - Rose Batiste – 2013 5 'I'm Not Built That Way' - The Hesitations – 1966 6 'Toy Boy' - King Louie's Court – 1966 7 'It's Everything About You (That I Love)' - Lee Williams & The Cymbals – 1968 https://www.harlemshufflerecords.com/ourshop/prod_8129075-ANDY-SMITHS-NORTHERN-SOUL-ESSENTIALS-RECORD-STORE-DAY-2024.html