© SPIRIT OF '69

[NORTHERN SOUL OF JAMAICA]

Northern Soul has always been a 'USA' thing, and to be honest, that's where

the best Northern Soul type records are created.  No one can deny the USA as

the true Northern Soul capital of the world.  This page aims to show some of

you that Jamaican artists can also cut a great Northern Soul tune too, and some

actually 'lose' that Jamaican tinge in their voice and sound astonishingly american!

 

FIRST GENERATION - GIVE HIM UP/

DAVE BARKER - SHE WANT IT (HIGH NOTE)

Hidden on the flip of a 'Dave Barker' Skinhead stomper is this beautiful

piece of crossover Northern.  First Generation are a female group with

fantastic vocal ability, the horns throughout are very similar of a 'Glen Miller'

track, up and down, in and out like a beautiful orchestration of delight!

Once this tune becomes known by the 'Northern Crowd', in particular the

crossover lovers, this records value will shoot through the roof, of that I have

no doubt!  At the moment, this record remains fairly unknown.

 

ERROL DIXON & GOODTIME BAND -

NEED SOMEONE TO LOVE ME/I WANT IT (FAB)

Nice little double sider here!  The best side for me is 'I Want It' which is a

great uptempo 'Soul' stomper!  Great saxophone burps throughout and catchy

lyrics make this a dancers dream, first issued on the 'Rainbow' label [RAI 104]

the same year, this FAB 45 has a distinct feature, it's supposed to be an EP!

It was the first 'FAB' EP in the series of five.

 

SUGAR SIMONE - I LOVE MY BABY/

I'LL KEEP YOU SATISFIED (RAINBOW)

Sugar Simone is one of those guys that a lot of SKA/REGGAE affrection-ados

dont really go a bundle on.  I suppose he belongs in the 'safe' category of

Reggae singers, having said that, he does possess a beautiful 'Soul' voice.  This

particular tune is done in 'Otis Redding' style, complete with 'STAX/ATLANTIC'

style horns.  It's a midway between being a Northern dancer and a Stax shuffler.

 

BUSTY BROWN - LOVELY NIGHT/

LLANS & CELESTIALS - CHOO CHOO SKA (ISLAND)

Great Downbeat Northern Soul beat ballad, just right for lovers of that

'New York' type of big production/vocal type records.  Busty Brown has

a fantastic us 'Soul' voice!  This track is on a comparison with the

'Blues Busters' now legendary 'Wide Awake In A Dream' also issued

on Island.

 

THE VIRTUES -A BURNING LOVE/EXCLUSIVELY YOURS (UK BLANK)

This is a blank uk 45.  'Exclusively Yours' is a Ska offering, whilst 'Burning Love'

is a mid uptempo Soul group chugger.  Dont know much about it, except that it

could be one 'Rupie Edwards' on lead vocal, as im pretty sure he sang with 'The

Virtues'.  To further enchance this fact, he did have a release on 'Doctor Bird' entitled

'Burning Love' [DB 1164] and the flip was 'High Tide' by none other than 'The

Virtues', A great tune with superb vocals!

 

JOE WHITE & LYNN TAITS BAND - LOVELY NIGHTS/I NEED YOU (JA)

Joe White is well known in Jamaica for his Soul outings and most are of the

ballad variety, this track is in a more mid-tempo/upbeat mood and is a nice

dancer with perfect 'Soul' guitar licks throughout, great horns too!

 

PRINCE BUSTER - DOESN'T BOTHER ME/

OLIVE BLOSSOM - GIVE LOVE A TRY

Prince Buster singing an uptempo Northern Soul style record? never! yes! This

borrows heavily from 'Otis Redding' and Stax/Atlantic sound and has upbeat

Soul in it's very grooves.  A real rarity this one!

 

THE GAYLETS - LONELY FEELING/

I LIKE YOUR WORLD (ISLAND)

last, but defenitely not least!  'Lonely Feeling' is the best of the lot and my

favourite Northern Soul Jamaica girl group sound!  The girls sing in a pure

'usa' Soul sound like a genuine american act from the '60's' period.

Absolutely superb and I reckon the single will now rocket in value!

Nice organ workout.  A MUST HAVE!