Mayer Hawthorne

...so white yet so black...can't believe this geeky dude is going to bring soul back! if eminiem could do it for rap I can't see why this dude can't be the male amy winehouse equivalent for soul. Almost dismissed this guy off hand when I saw the cover of his first single release, glad I didn't he's good...dare I say good enough for the purists and definitely good enough for these discerning ears. I think he's good at doing what he is natural at, simple doo-wop harmonies with a slight hip hop slant. I'd pay this.

Hil St Soul - Pieces

I bought their album for like $40 based on hearing this song once! can't say the rest of the album lives up to this song because it definitely is the best song on the album, but if only for this song it would still be worth the $40!...The song is dayam catchy! melodically its a powerhouse and the lyrics at least is not your usual love song. Like the name of the album this song is copasetic and cool. nuff said just listen

Floetry - Floetic

This happy joyful vibe came off as the fiest single from their debut. The two ladies that make up floetry, natalie stewart and marsha ambrisious hail from london. I can't remember where they sampled the horn riff of the song, but they definitly made good use of it. Always reminds that fun is just around the corner when I hear this.

Note: I couldn't embed the proper mtv so this youtube clip comes courtersy of some humanities professor talking about black hip hop culture. If you want a better version youtube it yourself!

Jazmine Sullivan - Say I

This ones for all the independant and fearless ladies out there. This appeared on her debut but not long after she was dropped from her record label christina milan picked it up, so you may have heard her version, though I prefer the OG. This live version shows off the horns beautifully and its what I think makes the song. Again I wish Sullivan went back to the more funkier soulful jazzy numbers rather then the rnb lollypop she seems to be doing these days

Jazmine Sullivan - Braid your hair

Before Jazmine Sullivan went all radio/rnb/pop she has this fine jazz soul thing going on which I had quite an affinity for...I can only hope she goes back to the more sultry tunes like "braid you hair" it's like a cross between jill scott and floetry with a dash of ledesi thrown in. Now to be honest I can't be entirely sure she wrote this but since I give the song more currency than the artist so the proof is in the pudding with this one.

Johnny Osborne - We need love

Since I'm on a reggae theme, this one is one of my favourites, its more soul than reggae and it's got such a cool vibe. Always takes me back to a carribean sunset, girl on one side beer on the other and doing absolutely nothing but enjoying the moment....ahhhh

Heavy D - Queen Majesty

What do you know...big fella Heavy D did a cover of this curits mayfeild song to and looks like it was only released early this year. He's taken the reggae cue from Dennis Brown but has made it more funkier with an added riddim thrown in. I'd pay this...though I'll let you make up your mind which version is better.