"Shout It Out" by PATRICE RUSHEN - Third Album from March 1977 on Prestige Records (November 2009 Soul Brother CD Remaster) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…You Got To Get Over…Gotta Try…"

Still only 23 when she released this vinyl gem (her 3rd album for Prestige since 1974) - March 1977's "Shout It Out" has long been a hugely sought-after jazz-funk and fusion piece - and this November 2009 remastered reissue by Soul Brother Records of the UK does that rarity proud.

"Shout It Out" by PATRICE RUSHEN on Soul Brother Records CD SBCS 37 (Barcode 5013993573722) is part of their "Classic Soul" and "Pure Jazz" reissue series and is the first appearance of the 8-track album on CD anywhere (there's a vinyl version too - LP SBCS 37 - a limited edition). The 8-page inlay has affectionate and informative liner notes by LAURENCE PRANGELI and track-by-track session details.

1. The Hump

2. Shout It Out

3. Stepping Stones

4. Let Your Heart Be Free

5. Roll With The Punches

6. Let There Be Funk

7. Yolon

8. Soujourn

Remastered from the original master tapes (licensed from another top reissue label - Ace Records of the UK) - the result is stupendous - detailed, clear, full of presence and as funky as James Brown's sock drawer. The sound throughout is wonderful - incredibly clean.

Originally released on LP in the USA on Prestige P 10101 in March 1977 - this fully remastered CD (43:47 minutes) also tags on the rare 7" single edit of "Let Your Heart Be Free" as a bonus track (it was issued on Prestige P-766 in the same year).

Featuring top musicians like AL McKAY on Guitar, CHARLES MEEKS on Bass and BILL SUMMERS on Percussion and a host of other great session-men - the album is in fact more notable for Patrice's own astonishing playing. She was blisteringly good on everything - Electric Piano, Clavinet, Mini Moog and even Electric Bass.

There's some vocals on the fantastically funky opener "The Hump" (lyrics above) and "Let Your Heart Be Free", but mostly it's all fusion instrumentals - fast and funky one moment - "Roll With The Punches" - soulful and jazzy and almost Bacharach the next - "Stepping Stones". It all leads up to the big finisher "Sojourn" which is magnificent - sort of what a great Santana track should sound like.

A great job done - and kudos to the guys at SB for the truly superb remaster quality.

PS: other titles by Soul Brother include...

1. Anthology - GARY BARTZ (CD SBPJ 23)

2. Hell Of An Act To Follow/Bobo - WILLIE BOBO [2LPs on 1CD] (CD SBPJ 39)

3. Gambler's Life - JOHNNY HAMMOND (SMITH) (CD SBCS 9)

4. Anthology - EDDIE HENDERSON (CD SBPJ 3)

5. Anthology - The Soul Jazz And Fusion Years 1966-1982 - FREDDIE HUBBARD (2CD set on CD SBPJ 10)

6. Rhythm Of Life - JAMES MASON (CD SBCS 3)

7. See The Light/Take A Look At Yourself - EDDIE RUSS [2LPs on 1CD] (CD SBPJ 37)

8. Fusion With Attitude - VARIOUS (CD SBPJ 28)

9. Now That I've Got Your Attention - LESETTE WILSON (CD SBCS 16)

PS: see also my reviews for two superb Edsel/Rhino 2CD Reissues for her later Elektra Records stuff - "Patrice/Pizzazz/Posh" - and "Straight From The Heart/Now"...

“Natural Four/Heaven Right Here On Earth’ by NATURAL FOUR. A Review Of Their Two Classic Seventies Soul Albums Now On A 2010 CD With Added Bonuses.

This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

“…What’s On The Inside…” - Natural Four/Heaven Right Here On Earth by NATURAL FOUR (2010 Soul Brother CD Remaster)

Putting two Curtom Records LP rarities back out in the marketplace (and with 4 bonus tracks tagged on) smacks of a good idea to me. THE NATURAL FOUR aren't as well known as their label mate Curtis Mayfield for sure - but these two platters contain wonderful Seventies Soul - and in this great sound quality - it's a proper blast to hear them again. Here are all natural details... Released April 2010 in the UK (reissued September 2010) - Soul Brother CD SBPJ 41 (Barcode 5013993674122) breaks down as follows (76:33 minutes):

1. Can This Be For Real

2. You Bring Out The Best In Me

3. Try Love Again

4. You Can’t Keep Running Away

5. This Is What’s Happening Now

6. Love That Really Counts

7. Try To Smile

8. Love’s Society

9. Things Will Be Better Tomorrow

Tracks 1 to 9 are their debut album "Natural Four" issued 1974 in the USA on Curtom CRS 8600 (No UK release)

10. Heaven Right Here On Earth

11. Love’s So Wonderful

12. Count On Me

13. Baby Come On

14. What Do You Do

15. Give This Love A Try

16. What’s Happening Here

17. While You’re Away

Tracks 10 to 17 are their 2nd album "Heaven Right Here On Earth" issued 1975 in the USA on Curtom CU 5004 and August 1975 in the UK on Curtom K 56142

BONUS TRACKS:

Track 18 is a rare USA-only 7" single issued in late 1973 on Curtom CR 1984 - it's a cover version of Curtis Mayfield's "Eddie You Should Know Better". The original Mayfield version is on his 1972 "Superfly" soundtrack album – here it’s given a different arrangement here by The Natural Four.

Tracks 19, 20 and 21 are "I Think I Found The Girl", "How Have You Been" and "Get It Over With" - taken from their 3rd album "Nightchaser" issued in 1976 in the USA on Curtom CU 5008 and April 1976 in the UK on Curtom K 56224

Charly reissued "Natural Four" on CD in 1996 and Sequel reissued both albums in 2000 - but this is the first time they've been paired together and had 4 bonus tracks thrown in too (from their 3rd LP). But the big draw on these albums for Seventies Soul and Funk fans is the songwriting genius and involvement of LeROY HUTSON - not to mention the fact that original vinyl issues of these 2-Step monsters have been costing punters huge amounts of money for years. The booklet is a fairly basic 8-page colour affair with liner notes by Laurence Prangell and musician/album credits. It doesn't say who remastered what and where but the sound quality is superb - very clear, clean and good on the ear.

This is classy Soul - sort of Philly International meets Cadet meets Brunswick - funky love songs one minute ("Try Love Again" - lyrics above) and social commentary tunes the next ("Things Will Be Better Tomorrow"). When they slow it down on "Can This Be Real" (a R&B chart hit Stateside in December 1973) or the lovely "Heaven Right Here On Earth", you're reminded of The Dells, The Chi-Lites, The Main Ingredient, Blue Magic and of course - LeRoy Hutson solo stuff. There's even a Hall & Oates vibe going on in there too.

Genius choice goes to the lone 45 cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Eddie You Should No Better" sounding not unlike a more string-filled outtake - it's superb and a real rediscovery. They've even included the better dancer tracks from the disco-fuelled 3rd album which sounds like AWB with Ben E King in places, but you're likely to return to the first two albums more because that's where the real quality is...

Very tasty indeed - another excellent reissue from Soul Brother Records of the UK…

“Shout It Out” by PATRICE RUSHEN. A Review of her 1977 Jazz-Funk Gem on Prestige Now Remastered & Reissued in 2009 by Soul Brother Records of the UK.

This review is part of my "SOUNDS GOOD: Exceptional CD Remasters Soul, Funk & Jazz Fusion" Download Book available to buy on Amazon to either your PC or Mac (it will download the Kindle software to read the book for free to your toolbar). Click on the link below to go my Author's Page for this and other related publications:

                       http://www.amazon.co.uk/-/e/B00LQKMC6I

"…You Got To Get Over…Gotta Try…”

Still only 23 when she released this vinyl gem (her 3rd album for Prestige since 1974), “Shout It Out” has long been a hugely sought-after jazz-funk and fusion piece - and this 2009 remastered reissue by Soul Brother Records of the UK does that rarity proud.

CD SBCS 37 is part of their “Classic Soul” and “Pure Jazz” reissue series and is the first appearance of the album on CD anywhere (there’s a vinyl version too - LP SBCS 37 – a limited edition).
The 8-page inlay has affectionate and informative liner notes by LAURENCE PRANGELI and track-by-track session details.

Remastered from the original master tapes (licensed from another top reissue label – Ace Records of the UK), the result is stupendous – loud, clear and as funky as James Brown’s sock drawer. The sound throughout is wonderful – incredibly clean.

Originally released on LP in the USA on Prestige P 10101 in 1977, this fully remastered CD (43:47 minutes) also tags on the rare 7” single edit of “Let Your Heart Be Free” as a bonus track (it was issued on Prestige P-766 in the same year).

Featuring top musicians like AL McKAY on Guitar, CHARLES MEEKS on Bass and BILL SUMMERS on Percussion and a host of other great session-men - the album is in fact more notable for Patrice’s own astonishing playing. She was blisteringly good on everything - Electric Piano, Clavinet, Mini Moog and even Electric Bass.

There’s some vocals on the fantastically funky opener “The Hump” (lyrics above) and “Let Your Heart Be Free”, but mostly it’s all fusion instrumentals – fast and funky one moment - “Roll With The Punches” - soulful and jazzy and almost Bacharach the next – “Stepping Stones”. It all leads up to the big finisher “Sojourn” which is magnificent – sort of what a great Santana track should sound like.

A great job done – and kudos to the guys at SB for the truly superb remaster quality.

PS: other titles by Soul Brother include…

1. Anthology - GARY BARTZ (CD SBPJ 23)
2. Hell Of An Act To Follow/Bobo - WILLIE BOBO [2LPs on 1CD] (CD SBPJ 39)
3. Gambler’s Life - JOHNNY HAMMOND (SMITH) (CD SBCS 9)
4. Anthology - EDDIE HENDERSON (CD SBPJ 3)
5. Anthology – The Soul Jazz And Fusion Years 1966-1982 - FREDDIE HUBBARD
(2CD set on CD SBPJ 10)
6. Rhythm Of Life - JAMES MASON (CD SBCS 3)
7. See The Light/Take A Look At Yourself - EDDIE RUSS [2LPs on 1CD] (CD SBPJ 37)
8. Fusion With Attitude – VARIOUS (CD SBPJ 28)
9. Now That I’ve Got Your Attention - LESETTE WILSON (CD SBCS 16)