Thursday, April 1, 2004; Page B06

Ernesto McKenzie Phillips, 50, a Columbia resident who was a musician in pop rhythm-and-blues groups and then produced a series of local entertainers, including singers Toni Braxton and Kimberly Scott, died March 25 at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after a stroke. He had hypertension.

Mr. Phillips, a native Washingtonian, was raised in Crownsville and graduated from Arundel High School in Gambrills. He was a self-taught guitarist, and during high school he attended the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore to study trumpet.

He was a graduate of Anne Arundel Community College and attended Howard University, where he intended to study medicine as his father -- a psychiatrist -- had. He decided instead to make music his career.

With his four brothers -- George, Lloyd, Orlando and Gregory -- Mr. Phillips formed Licyndiana, an R&B group named after his mother and his sisters. Ernesto Phillips sang and played guitar. He also wrote songs and did production work.

Singer Renee Diggs, who was Mr. Phillips's longtime companion, and musician-songwriter Kayode "Ky" Adeyemo later joined Licyndiana.

Mr. Phillips had greater success as leader, co-producer and primary songwriter of a successor pop R&B band called Starpoint, which included the same members except for Lloyd.

The band toured nationally, opening for such performers as Luther Vandross, and appeared on "Soul Train," "Solid Gold" and other television programs. Its album "Restless" (1986) sold more than 500,000 copies, according to news reports, and included the hit song "Object of My Desire."

At the 1990 Washington Area Music Awards, Starpoint was named best R&B/urban group. Mr. Phillips, on guitar, was named best instrumentalist.

The group disbanded about 1990 as members went in different directions professionally. Until his death, Mr. Phillips worked as a producer. He owned and operated Longevity Records and Pearl Studios, both in Columbia.

"I pledged that once we made it, I was going to prove there is a lot of talent in this area," he told The Washington Post in 1995.

His best-known find is Braxton, the Grammy Award-winning singer whom he met through a friend.

In recent months, he worked as a counselor for teenagers at Sheppard Pratt psychiatric clinic in Ellicott City.

Survivors include his mother, Ana Phillips, of Columbia; four brothers, George Phillips and Lloyd Phillips, both of Columbia, and Orlando Phillips and Gregory Phillips, both of Annapolis; and two sisters, Diane Laguerre of Elk Ridge, Md., and Lisa Phillips of Columbia.

Nick Ashford of the famous songwriter/producer duo Ashford and Simpson died in New York on August 22, 2011.

Nick Ashford Together with Valerie Simpson started their career in the mid-1960s, writing for artists such as The 5th Dimension, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles. Their work with Ray Charles brought them to the attention of Motown chief Berry Gordy. They joined Motown and started writing songs for Marvin Gaye. Later on they produces three albums for the Diana Ross and the Supremes. Gladys Knight and the pips song some Ashford & Simpson penned songs.

In 1974, Ashford & Simpson married and resumed their career as a duo with the Warner Bros. album, Gimme Something Real. This was followed by the hit singles, "Don't Cost You Nothin'" (1977), "It Seems To Hang On" (1978), "Is It Still Good to Ya" (1978), "Found a Cure" (1979), "Street Corner" (1982), and their biggest hit, "Solid", released in 1984.

Nick Ashford died of complications from throat cancer. He is survived by his wife and two daughters. Nick Ashford RIP

Former member of LTD, Jeffrey Osborne, just finished recording his new album 'A Time For Love' on Saguaro Road records. This album is released after 8 years from  his latest 2005 album 'From The Soul'. This albums consist of twelve songs. A lot of them are real soul covers. He collaborated on this album with different well known artists like George Duke, Paul Jackson Jr., Chaka Khan, also with other less known artists like Everette Harp, Rick Braun, and Kamasi Washington.

I just updated the database with about 4000 soul funk albums, 400 old school artists from 1970 till now. At this moment the database constist of  2625 artists, 7219 songs, 18092 albums and 1383 producers. Also some rare albums from Smoke City, Future Flight, Orlando Johnson, Human Body, Antilles.are provided by tracks.

MarkB

‘SOULED’ (Out) Who keeps Messing with our Music? By  Lamar R. Thomas, Sr. Hello fellow Soul, Rhythm & Blues, and Black Music Lovers, please help me out with this, for I am a bit confused, or perhaps I didn't grow up listening to the right music or the right artists. What exactly is "Northern and/or Modern Soul"? And how does that differs from the original Black Music? Did some else: “Create some new form of Black Music, with its’ own originality? Help me please!

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Mamas Gun will be releasing his new single ‘Only One (Featuring Beverley Knight)’ on January 9^th 2012.

The track is taken from Mama’s Gun latest album ‘The Life And Soul’ which was released in the summer of 2011. The video for the single which sees the band and Beverley Knight perform the track live at Kensaltown Studios in London.

Click here to see the Video of Only On on Youtube
Digital stream - http://soundcloud.com/mamas-gun/09-only-one

Mamas Gun will be playing the Jazz Café, London on January 20^th 2012.

www.mamasgun.co.uk
www.facebook.com/MamasGun
www.myspace.com/mamasgun

www.twitter.com/mamasgun_uk

Here’s another 30 classic Soul albums for you to consider for your collection. All records are one off’s so please order early to avoid disappointment. Records can be ordered on-line , over the phone of 020 8875 1018 or collected in person from our shop open Mon-Sat 10 -7 sun 11-5. Visit Soulbrother.com