Gerald Levert

I was listening to Gerald Levert's Album "Do I Speak For The World" as I was driving around this week and I realized that it's been 8 years this month since his passing, wow, it seems just like yesterday. I couldn't let this pass, so this week I have featured four tracks from Gerald's solo years. History will prove what an amazing artiste he was. He had all the Levert trademarks inherited from his father but was still his own man, something that many artists struggle with when they come from that kind of background, so please forgive my indulgence! I could have done a full show, lol.

An artist I only really stumbled on a couple of years ago is Chicago based General Crook,  I believe his output was not massive, but most of what he did do was just soooooooooooo good, I have included his interpretation of the soul classic "If This World Were Mine" .... this week it's pretty special ... I think.  I'll be album tracking from; Kindred Family Soul, Gwendolyn Collins and Avery Sunshine and please take '3 minutes & 30 seconds' to really listen to Jimmy Hughes "I Was The Closest At Hand," a true masterpiece of song writing and Jimmy's vocal is just soul perfection.

My thanks to Mickey for updating everything so quickly last week, I know it's pretty tough right now.. Ok as always it's on with the music, and by the way, I was asked the other day; "why do I never use Science of Soul Jingles or artist drops" it's only because there is soooo much music to share I really don't wanna waste 5 mins out of each hour on jingles, etc, if your tuned in you already know it's The Science Of Soul the music tells you that, lol.

Playlist for Sunday 16-11-2014

Hour One
The O'Jays - Mr Lucky
Gwendolyn Collins - Take A Walk
Bobby Womack - I Wish It Would Rain
Fathers Children - Hollywood Dreaming
Maryanne Ito - Feeling You
Kindred Family Soul - Everybody's Hustling
Eddie Kendrick - Skippin Work Today
Avery Sunshine - See You When I Get There
The Superb's - Baby's Gone Away
Concious Platt - Sistars
Wilson Williams - Take Me The Way That I Am
Reggie Garner - That Ain't The Way To Make Love
Ted Taylor - Houston Town

Hour Two
Gerald Levert - Click A Glass
Gerald & Teena Marie - A Rose By Any Other Name
Gerald Levert - Groove On
Gerald & Miki Howard - That's What Love Is
General Crook - If This World Were Mine
Jimmy Hughes - I Was Closest At Hand
Dorothy Norwood - ...Some Rain In Your Life
Ali Ollie Woodson - Angel
Aretha Franklin - United Together
Pete Belasco - Wonderful Woman
Eddie Levert - What If

Gerald Levert's Biography:

Soul man Gerald Levert had an auspicious childhood as the son of R&B legend Eddie Levert, the lead singer of the O'Jays, and the choice gene pool seemed to kick in at an early age. It ultimately led to him becoming one of the most popular R&B singers in the world as well as a prodigious songwriter. Sadly, at the peak of his career in 2006, Levert's memorable life was cut short by a fatal heart attack.

While still a teenager, Levert joined with brother Sean and friend Marc Gordon to form the soul group LeVert and, after one independent release, signed with Atlantic Records in 1985. Gerald's voice was a near dead-ringer for his father's distinctive, growling baritone, and his engaging lead took the group to the top of the Soul charts with "Pop Goes My Mind" and followed the next year with the top five Pop and Soul Atlantic single, "Casanova," an infectious midtempo tune written for the group by Midnight Star's Calloway brothers that elevated LeVert to the top of the late 80s Soul music pyramid. More Chris Rizik