To soul fans, and particularly Soul and Funk Music.com visitors, Alyson Williams is no newcomer. Featured on duets with Def Jam labelmates Tashan, Chuck Stanley and Oran 'Juice' Jones and part of the "Soul Songs" tour in 1987, the soulful lady left an indelible impression on European music lovers through her varying different musical excursions.
AFTER a long hiatus and a label change, Steve Arrington is
back in the land of the recorded living! The ex-front man for
Slave marks his
switch from Atlantic/Cotillion to Manhattan with what most critics feel
is his best and, even more importantly, his most commercial effort yet
"jam Packed".
Currently unattached, he adds that although he welcomes the attention
of young ladies who show romantic interest, "I'm from the old school,
an old-fashioned kind of guy so I can handle myself in the proper way.
Right now though, I'd say my career is my biggest priority I'll deal
with romance later!"
To say Freddie Jackson is at the cross roads of his career would be something of an understatement. As far as cross roads go, Freddie's reached his spaghetti junction .. . in the rush hour! A slew of silky smooth hits in the eighties, kick started with undoubtedly his best collection to date, the two million selling "Rock Me Tonight" in '85, which of course, contained the monstrous title track along with the likes of "Calling" and "You Are My Lady", has, over the course of nine years and five albums gradually slowed down along with record sales. As the era for the smooth candlelight and champagne crooners in the '80's has given way for the riff happy, baggy jeans, bandana and Timberland hip-hop/soul homies in the '90's, naturally many of the older guard have been left concerned with the change of pace of their careers.
IF predictions were my line, Motown's newest signing Stacy Lattisaw
could, in time, become a serious threat to the likes of Teena Marie and
Janet Jackson. She was, to all intents and purposes, quite a surprising
addition to the Motown family because prior to this, very little had
been heard about the nineteen year old singer.
With a succession of specialist radio and club anthems ("Keep Your Body Working". "Get Tough"' "Intimate Connection" etc. having made Kleeer one of the most consistently acclaimed American funk outfits on the thriving early eighties UK soul scene,
I 'm a totally nutty person. I even laugh at my own jokes" giggled one
of our newest chart singers, Vesta Williams. The lady may
wound oh-so-serious on record, but when it comes to interviews she's a
different person entirely.
IF THEY aren't already, pretty soon Akron, Ohio based Heat Records will
become known as a company adept at turning out stunning ballads what
with first the superb album from Frederick, then the fine just The Two
Of Us single from Johnston Brown & Janice Dowlen and now a
consistent follow-up to Ivy's debut LP in 1984 with "Ivy II".
IF
predictions were my line, Motown's newest signing Stacy Lattisaw could,
in time, become a serious threat to the likes of Teena Marie and Janet
Jackson. She was, to all intents and purposes, quite a surprising
addition to the Motown family because prior to this, very little had
been heard about the nineteen year old singer. With "Nail It To The
Wall" showing healthy signs of becoming a hit, Stacy's debut album
"Take Me All The Way" is set for UK release next month - and what a
stunner that is too! However, before getting to that, a few facts and
figures.