(This is a much longer post than usual since it’s my first in a few weeks!
Now, let me say from the jump that I have never lost my faith in music and in particular, soul music as the bedrock, tapestry and foundation of my current incarnation. It’s true that the R&B and soul sounds that nurtured me, provided comfort, frequently brought joy in the midst of pain, energized me, gave cause for celebration and was - more times than I can remember - the soothing balm for a love-gone-bad, a few sleepless nights and (not just) Tuesday Heartbreaks, with a nod to the ‘Wonder ‘Man - have decidedly changed, as have I.
My life has been informed in many ways by songs that are embedded deep into my ‘interesting’ psyche! Randomly…“You’re Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else” (The Jones Girls), “Be Thankful For What You Got” (William DeVaughn), “Payback Is A Dog” (The Stylistics), “Optimistic” (Sounds Of Blackness), “Tired Of Being Alone” (Al Green), "Surrender” (Diana Ross), “Baby Hang Up The Phone” (Carl Graves), “I Know You I Live You” (Chaka Khan), “Giving Love” (Voices Of East Harlem), “Make Me A Believer” (Luther Vandross), “Can’t Hide Love” (EW&F) and “Until You Come Back To Me” (Aretha Franklin) are just a miniscule ‘glimpse’ into the treasure trove of tunes that have been my musical ‘companions’ through these many decades of my as-lived experiences… and I ain’t ashamed to say so!
Which, dear reader (with apologies to Bridgerton fans for ‘borrowing’ from Lady Whistledown!) brings me fortuitously to the title of this post. True that in the last decade, there hasn’t been a whole lot of music by legendary or contemporary artists that held my attention for more than a little while which may have as much to do with how my own life path has changed, just like everyone else’s!
Nothing, as Benard Ighner so eloquently stated, ‘stays the same’. It’s the nature of our human journey that we change and if we resist change, it makes no difference anyway and often makes the pathway harder and tougher. A wise man once noted that it’s best to ride the horse in the direction it’s going!
Forgive the brief ‘tangent-izing’ as I like to call it: essentially, there have been some bright spots in the music I’ve heard and the shows I’ve seen but not what I’d call a tidal wave of songs or performances that have fuelled my fire like music from the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s and a little of the ‘90s.
Then…somewhat unexpectedly in the last few weeks, my attention has been drawn to two recordings and one video that have brought much enthusiasm and renewal to my essential love and passion for music itself - and in all these specific instances - not what you ‘might’ think my ‘British Ambassador Of Soul’ moniker would be enchanted by!
MADONNA: GOOD FOR THE SOUL
I’m fessing up: I lived in New York City when Madonna’s arrival on the music scene, with all the hype that surrounded it, basically left me mucho disinterested. I knew she’d worked with my good friend Reggie Lucas, something that in the world of ‘really?’ we had in common (since Reggie and musical partner Mtume had actually produced a full-on - never released - recording with me as soulful vocalist). Some of her early recordings were bouncy and breezy (“Holiday,””Borderline”): I ‘may’ have even smiled at “Like A Virgin” (a state that was just a vague memory for me in 1984!).
Through all that the world of Madonna offered in the years that followed, I paid scant attention, although in the interests of transparency, I was quite happy to work with a few of the artists as a media coach and bio writer that were signed to her Maverick Records label in the ‘90s including N-Phase and Dalvin DeGrate.
One album, 1998’s “Ray Of Light” piqued my interest, signalling what seemed like a personal and musical transformation for Madonna: that the track “Shanti/Ashtangi” was sung entirely in Sanskrit was a particular revelation and it remains a favourite, if truth be told, not on my regular playlists.
For the most part, I never paid heed to what ‘Lady’ Madonna was up to - or as far as recording went, not up to. Politely and not personally, she was not on my radar until my dear friend, colleague and fellow Substack-er Tim Dillinger, with whom I have regular conversations, mentioned the release of “Confessions II,” the first new album by Madonna in seven years.
I ‘confessed’ to Tim, with no pun intended, that I was somewhat surprised that Madonna was an artist he had any particular affinity for or interest in, given his deep love for gospel/soul and related genres. In his recent Substack post, “Madonna: The Gospel/CCM Connections,” Tim shared that as a child of the 1980s, her music remains important to him. When Tim started to wax lyrical about “Confessions II,” I listened. I value his opinions when it comes to music. Anyone who shares a passion, as do I, for artists such as Laura Nyro and Teena Marie knows a thing or twenty about real, when it comes to music!
Tim suggested I give the new Madonna album a try, explaining that, given my years in New York in the mid-’70s through the early ‘80s and in particular the many Saturday nights-into-early-Sunday-mornings spent at clubs like the famed Paradise Garage, I just ‘might’ enjoy some of the dance-flavoured tracks on “Confessions II”.
I listened to the entire album a couple of times over and had to ‘confess’ that it really resonated with me, as Tim had suggested it might. Now, It takes something for me to add a new recording to my ‘Liked Songs’ playlist which consists of classics like “Blessed” (The Emotions), “At The Concert” (Roberta Flack & Michael Henderson) and “Same Ole Love” (Anita Baker).
“Good For The Soul” hit the spot. Given my deep interest in ‘matters of the Soul,’ I was drawn in, no surprise given that the track begins with ‘everything begins with consciousness,’ a quote from French philosopher Albert Camus. Lyric lines like ‘Echoes of voices recalling the time, we will be one, we will be divine, time is a river we cannot unwind,’ along a propulsive rhythm almost had me dancing on a London bus when it came up on my playlist!
When I shared my enthusiasm with Tim on our next call, he was not surprised: I told him that the lyrics on “Good For The Soul” in particular along with other songs on the album seemed to reflect Madonna’s own personal journey and he agreed.
The album is a potent reminder that any judgement we may form about the creative journey of an artist who has stood the test of time (no easy endeavour in this fast-paced digital age) is worthy of review. Indeed.
MESHELL NDEGEOCELLO & CYNTHIA ERIVO: I KNEW YOU WERE WAITING (FOR ME)
Yes, the second biggest pop hit that The Queen Of Soul, my dear Aretha Franklin had in her illustrious recording career, the first being her anthemic reading of Otis Redding’s “Respect” in 1967, as a duet with George Michael some two decades later, was the subject of another recent conversation with my friend Tim!
He had written another Substack post, "1986: I Want to Be in the Mainstream II” in which he shared how the song was - and I quote -’a testimony of survival and victory that summarizes, in some ways, Franklin’s own climb back to the top.’
When Tim and I were talking further about the recording, I recognized that Clive Davis at Arista was indeed astute at suggesting the song to Aretha given whatever personal challenges she had faced in the few years before she recorded it with George. With 1985’s “Who’s Zoomin’ Who” platinum album and the hit singles therein, Aretha was enjoying a major resurgence and teaming her with George Michael was a brilliant move.
Unbeknownest to either Tim or I when we were having the conversation in late May, another artist - with a connection to the afore-mentioned Madonna since her debut album was released on Maverick Records a few decades ago - had recorded a version of “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” for her forthcoming album, Synonym.
Indeed, slowed down as a duet with Cynthia Erivo and released as the first track from the album of collaborations with a star-studded list of artists and musicians, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” has immediately been added to my ‘Liked Songs’ playlist, a sign of just how much I love Meshell and Cynthia’s hypnotic take on the song. As I noted in my chat with Tim, the lyrics of the Aretha-George duet are powerful; heard in this new reimaging of the song resonates in a whole new way for me personally.
Meshell Ndegeocello has had a remarkable career, no doubt. A cursory glance of the Wikipedia entry on her reveals that her 1993 set, Plantation Lullabies was considered by some as heralding the ‘birth of neo-soul,’ a statement that in hindsight seems debatable.
Not for any particular ‘reason’ but Meshell’s work hasn’t often been on my radar and in doing some research on her extensive discography, I discovered that she had recorded an entire album in 2012 in dedication to Nina Simone who, for those of you know my history are aware, jumpstarted my own lifelong passion and dedication to Black music as a teenager in 1965.
Checking it out in hindsight, I note that Meshell’s repertoire choices for Pour une Âme Souveraine: A Dedication to Nina Simone, recorded for the Paris-based Naive label, indicate a real awareness of the depth of Nina’s catalogue and include some fascinating choices, such as “Either Way I Lose,” “Don’t Take All Night,” “Real Real” and “Turn Me On.” When it comes to Nina, Meshell clearly knows her stuff!
While I get regular emails from a prominent UK publicist informing me of various festivals, events and new releases, not all of them are relevant to my particular musical leaning. That said, the press release about Meshell’s third Blue Note album piqued my interest in particular for its choice of repertoire - ranging from tunes associated with Human League (“Don’t You Want Me”) to Roberta Flack & Donny Hathaway (“Be Real Black For Me”), Sonny & Cher (“I Got You Babe”) and Dennis Edwards (“Don’t Look Any Further).
Syonynm isn’t Meshell’s first forray into ‘reinvention’ in her own unique way with recordings by others: 2018’s Ventriloquism ventures into the R&B and pop arena with a daring approach to hits by Sade, Tina Turner, Force MDs and TLC.
Clearly, Meshell Ndegeocello consistently demonstrates a ‘real artist’ approach, an essential element reminiscent in how Nina, Roberta Flack, Stevie Wonder, Bill Withers, Marvin Gaye and a few other lesser-known but equally bold artists such as Zulema, D.J. Rogers and Jon Lucien (interestingly, all signed to RCA Records in the ‘70s) crafted their work.
Certainly, “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” has led me to go back and check Meshell’s catalogue: no doubt there are some of my readers, friends and colleagues already familiar with her artistry who might ask what took me so long!
Well, everything in its own time, I say and I look forward with genuine excitement to hearing Synonym when it’s released in October, providing another example that the very title of this particular Substack piece holds true: my faith in music continues to be renewed!
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LEEE JOHN & BYRON STINGILY: PROUD & BOLD
In the interests of full disclosure, I have known Leee John since I conducted the very first interview he did, with his friend and then-musical partner Russell Fraser, as part of a duo known as Sight & Sound in October 1974 for my ‘Take A Look Around’ column in Blues & Soul magazine. I still remember (as does Leee!) how he and Russell came up to the Contempo office-turned-record-shop on Hanway Street in London one afternoon and boldly asked if I would do an interview for their then-first release for EMI. They were both still in school and truth be told, it was that ‘boldness’ that had me say ‘yes’ without having heard the music on a cassette! One late afternoon after school, we met at the small bar underneath the Contempo office and of course, it was orange juice all around! Memories indeed!
Leee’s career as a recording and performing artist began to take shape a few years later when he, Ashley Ingram and Errol Kennedy formed the group Imagination, achieving consistent success in particular in the UK and Europe with ‘80s hits like “Body Talk,” “Just An Illusion” (a US R&B Top 30 charted single), “Music And Lights,” “Changes” and “Instinctual,” (a US Dance chart #1 in 1987).
I recall meeting up with the trio at the time I was living in L.A. and they were recording the album, “Closer” and it was good to reunite with Leee, who I would see on occasion during my visits to London.
While Imagination continued to record and perform through the ‘90s, Leee’s solo tenure took hold in the 2000’s with a series of dance-oriented singles such as “Your Mind, Your Body, Your Soul” and of particular note for this Substack post, “U Turn Me On,” with Byron Stingily of Ten City fame.
In 2005, Leee stepped into new musical terrain with the jazz-flavoured album, “Feel My Soul”: I recall seeing his performance at the renowned New Morning club in Paris and I was thorughly impressed with his adept interpretations of a number of classic standards, including a very emotional reading of Billie Holiday’s “Strange Fruit,” no easy task for any performer.
All of which, dear reader (again a nod to Lady Whistledown from Bridgerton!), leads me with a long intro to “Proud & Bold,” released just a few weeks ago, a musical reunion with Leee and Byron Stingily. When I watched the video which landed in my WhatsApp feed last week, I felt compelled to call Leee to share just how much I loved it! For real.
When we spoke, he shared about the song’s inspiring statement, noting, that he observed so many of the everyday challenges in the world today and penned lyrics that reflected the importance of celebrating self-belief, resilience, unity and upliftment.
The music is vibrant, Leee and Byron’s voices gell and the track could easily have me boogie once more (well, maybe not quite as well as I used to)! That said, it’s the video itself that really does it for me - and I’ve seen more than a few videos in my life and times! It’s simply brilliant and any statement about being ‘proud and bold’ is always going to get my ‘thumbs up’.
Check out the video and the tracks (with stellar remixes, available on all digital platforms). As I listen again, I’m reminded of a few moments in my longtime friendship with Leee including a hilarious time when we sang together in his house to some of our favourite ‘70s and ‘80s dance anthems including “Pieces Of Ice” by ‘The Boss,’ Diana Ross. Fortunately for one and all, never captured on film or tape!
Much like in my reference to both Madonna and Meshell Ndegeocello and their respective abilities to reinvent themselves musically over time, I salute Leee John for his consistent commitment to staying the course, proud and bold.
ZED SOUL: TIME TO SHINE
Put it down to my British upbringing, the cultural leaning to not - for want of a better phrase - ‘big up’ myself too much since, by observation, Brits (distinct from their American counterparts) are discouraged from extolling their accomplishments, given the inbuilt British tendency for self-deprecation.
How do I know? Well, when I left Britain in 1975 for what turned out to be three decades in America, I was immediately struck by the difference in how Americans societally had no ‘issue’ with speaking ‘proud and bold’ (referencing the last segment in this post!) about their achievements to the point where, on occasion, I found it irritating.
I figured that too much ‘boasting’ was definitely not appropriate and that letting one’s accomplishments ‘speak for themselves’ was the way to go! Right? No, wrong! Well, with some moderation, that is. There’s a difference between ‘false’ modesty and being genuinely humble; by observation, I can say that since returning to Britain some seventeen years ago, I could tell when underneath the ‘oh, it’s no big thing, I was just doing what I do,’ there could be a seething resentment for not being recognized for what what one might have achieved that was worthy of praise.
Well, here’s my disclaimer for THIS post: you’re about to find out, dear reader (note: I’m now ‘owning’ the phrase, forget about Lady Whistledown and Bridgerton!) that I’m no longer hiding my talents as a really good songwriter: per Miss Ross, ‘I’m coming out!’ which brings me to the subject of this fourth section of my ‘renewed faith’ post, namely the song “Time To Shine,” one of the four tracks I co-wrote with my friend and musical colleague Amar Naik that are on his recent Zed Soul album, “Those Words.”
My work as a songwriter dates back to the late ‘70s, when ensconced in New York, I began expressing my aptitude as a lyricist with collaborations with friends like the late John Simmons (later, musical director for Stephanie Mills and then Whitney Houston, until his passing in 1989) and Phillip Ballou (later, longtime touring and session vocalist with Luther Vandross and James Taylor among others). Neither of them were ‘slouches’ when it came to their knowledge of music.
I also wrote a few tunes myself and yes, remarkably, I still have cassettes with songs like “Everybody Needs Their Dreams” (a tune I played for my late father who felt that any notions of being a recording artist in my own right were unlikely to manifest since he said I didn’t ‘look’ the part of becoming a ‘pop’ hitmaker, whatever that meant, but really did like the song!), “Who You Gonna Choose?” (with double-tracked vocals that I sang in falsetto as if I were a Bee Gee!) and “We Got To Go Our Separate Ways,” a straight-up soul-inflused blues tune.
To reference The Carpenters, that was ‘long ago and oh, so far away’. In the ‘80s, I continued my songwriting exploits with another friend, the talented Byron Motley and others with, sadly, little result in terms of placement. I did consider that just maybe it was because being known as a music journalist within the music biz might have affected whether producers and artists took me seriously as a composer. Who knows?
My contuining passion for expressing myself as a lyricist finally began to flourish and result in recordings by others when I began to collaborate with the multi-talented producer/songwriter/musician, Mr. Preston Glass. Together, we’ve co-written and have had recordings on several songs and seeing my name as a credit on tunes by the likes of The Spinners, Russell Thompkins Jr., Chubby Tavares and others has been amazing.
My collaborations with Amar and Zed Soul began a few years ago and with the release of the Zed Soul debut set (which has deservedly received a great response from the UK soul music community and beyond), I’m thrilled that songs like “Who’s Gonna Rescue My Heart?” and in particular, “Time To Shine” are being heard for the first time worldwide.
I single out “Time To Shine” because much like Leee John & Byron Stingily’s afore-mentioned “Proud & Bold,” it’s all about empowerment and as the title suggests, stepping up, stepping out and indeed, shining! Amar’s great production on the track featuring Thir13een has easily found its way onto my ‘Liked Songs’ playlist as I bop along on my (mostly) daily walks!
And…if I thought nobody knew I was a songwriter, that’s become a myth with the recent release of two tracks on the Soul City label which began life all those years ago with John Simmons and Phillip Ballou, namely the rare groove classic “Ain’t Nothing Like The Love” and “We’ll Be Together,” proof that a good song can be timeless! Move over, Lionel Richie!
THE WOMACK SISTERS
Just when I thought I had referenced recent music that seemed worthy of mention in this ‘renewed faith’ piece along come The Womack Sisters! Truth be told, the trio’s name had somehow been on the outer edges of my consciousness if only because of the name ‘Womack’ - although, yes, there are a few ‘Womacks’ out there who are not a part of the renowned soul music family (like Lee Ann Womack, an award-winning country singer/songwriter)!
I can’t offer any explanation as to why I ‘slept’ on the music of these three amazing women; maybe it’s just all about timing. What really woke me up to the music that BG, Zeimani and Kucha have been making for a few years now was an interview by Alexis Petridis a few days ago in the UK online edition of The Guardian which is my only ‘go-to’ for news.
Alexis is the head rock and pop critic, a description that always irks me since I don’t quite know how one earns the ‘right’ to be a ‘critic’ as such! Not personal to Alexis - who I’ve never met - but not a term I relish or savour.
The Womack Sisters have been releasing music officially since 2017 with the single “Darling,” then with an EP, “Legacy” in 2022 and subsequently, a few standalone singles (including an amazing version of their grandfather Sam Cooke’s “Just Another Day” from his early years in gospel with The Soul Stirrers); and now, with Daptone Records, a full album which features a few of the singles released previously.
I’m somewhat at a loss (unusual as it may seem!) to pick any one track from their recorded works. As part of ‘soul music royalty’ (mother Linda and father Cecil of Womack & Womack fame, with Cecil’s brother, the legendary Bobby Womack, their uncle), the sisters have not only inherited the vocal traditions associated with their family heritage, they have created their own sound and style.
Listening to “I Don’t Want You (To Say Goodbye)” with Kucha’s deeply soulful lead vocals, no kidding, I am reminded of Aretha at her very best in those early Atlantic years, with BG and Zeimani providing family harmonies reminiscent of the Franklin sisters Carolyn and Erma. Now, those of you who know how much Aretha means to me know that I don’t make such comparisons lightly.
The videos supporting their recordings also show retro-yet-contemporary styling: I confess I think the finger-snappin’ “If I Let You” is mesmerizing while “Darling” with those ‘60s bee-hive wigs took me back to the era of The Ronettes and some of Motown’s finest girl groups early on.
It takes a lot for me to enthuse as much as I have, literally in the last few days about my personal ‘discovery’ (a little late though it may be) of The Womack Sisters. I’ve learned that the trio has performed in the UK a few times, as recently indeed at The Jazz Cafe (my least favourite London venue, oh well!) in May this year and later that month, at an outdoor festival just twenty minutes from where I live - oops.
I asked my dear friend Michael, with whom I speak frequently, albeit from a few thousand miles away if he was familiar with The Womack Sisters and he responded with a definitive ‘yes’!
Yes, y’all, I’m hooked! The Womack Sisters - to quote Shirley Ellis (1963) and Gladys & The Pips (1969) - get right down to the real nitty gritty, believe it. Can’t wait to see them live in performance back in the UK and meanwhile, I’ll watch the videos and stream the music on their new self-titled album - and if you like real soul music, I invite you to do the same.
© 2026, David Nathan, All Rights Reserved.
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