Soul Unsigned Vol. 3 – Various Artists

Various Artists – Soul Unsigned Vol. 3

 

Sometimes I like to think a sweet refrain from a soul-injected tune is like being hugged by a good friend.  Listening to voices who are bearing their heart with every strain of the music has moved me on many occasions to shear excitement, to a few tears and makes me want to clap my hands and dance – even if it is only a recorded performance.   Maybe that is the reason why I was attracted to the passion behind Motown, Stax, and other soul making machines since I first owned a transistor radio.  Now with urban hit radio indulging in steadier diets of sometimes senseless rap, it is good to know there are still plenty of signed and unsigned musicians who can kick the classic soul music meter up several notches. 

 

Thanks to Phil Driver’s appropriately named Soul Unsigned Records, the mission is to seek those underground musicians from all over the world who capture soul music’s heyday during the seventies and eighties in their own classy way.  His affection for back in the day talent also resonates to current unsigned musicians who freely exercise their artistic freedom.  With a huge collection of raw untapped talent at his disposal, Driver was able to select the best of the best for The Soul Unsigned Vol. 1 & 2 compilations; covering the bases with energetic jazz, funk, dance and of course soul trimmings.   

 

I had the utmost pleasure of reviewing Vol. 2 a few months ago for T.U.M.S., and nearly every track jumped out of the disc with those future soul-stirring memories.  As for Vol. 3, I utter the same sentiments.  For that reason, it was extremely difficult to zero in on the highlights, but nonetheless I will choose just a few pieces that gave me hugs and stirred my highest emotions from the opening notes.

 

In no particular order, I start with the straight-ahead soul grooves from Soul Unsigned Vol. 3. Tyrone proves that the U.K. urban scene knows how to deliver the grooves with “Time Of Your Life.”  “Give Love A Chance” from Germany’s Candy cream emits that Stevie (Wonder) aftertaste, and a real urban music treasure from Latvia – J. Stever, who has already released five discs – dropping a Simply Red vibe on “Music.”  For a taste of southern flavored soul (and to take a break from the usually energetic pace of Vol. II), Chris Youngblood’s “In Love With You”absolutely soothes the spirit.  Alessia Piermarini, a veteran jazz voice out of Italy with the trio Boop Sisters, is a true disciple of the African-American musical experience, which shows on “Don’t Step On My Flower.”  Those Excellent Gentlemen (from near my neck of the woods – Portland, Oregon) administers uncompromised funk a la Prince with their contribution, “Freaky.”  Want to hear scary excellent synth-induced funk music just like The Dazz Band or anybody on Solar Records?  Representing France, Skalp handles that department quite well with “Chanana.”  I also can not forget Unified Tribe’s “Get Up” that simply defies description. 

 

Alright; I got carried away with the selection process, but Driver obviously knows his selection process by finding musicians who proudly wear the urban music banner on their sleeves.  As for the disappointments on Soul Unsigned Vol. 3, they are few and far between.  Only“Delightful Jazz” by Daniel Nelson & Mark Drummond treads a bit deep into slick jazz territory and the stilted arrangement of “You’ve Changed” by vocalist Richard Alexander Davis dampens a fairly decent vocal performance.   Otherwise, the latest chapter of Soul Unsigned stands toe-to-toe with Vol. II.  Now for the latest musical news headlines:  Vol. IV is on the way soon.  When that time comes, I know the place to go to in receiving my soulful hugs and raising my dance fever to the highest pitch.

 

Peggy Oliver

The Urban Music Scene