Here is a timeless playlist by Essential Media Group, full of essential soulful classics from the 40s, 50s, 60, 70's, 80 and today, including the Philly Soul, and Northern Soul eras. All together with our lates and greatest Soul releases. Enjoy. Send all 

Soul Essentials

Corrie Theron & Suzy Solar - Milestone will be released on We Are Trance this Friday, July 23, 21! Corrie is my A&R partner at We Are Trance and we made this epic vocal trancer to celebrate the milestone of the 100th release on the label. Enjoy!

Corrie Theron & Suzy Solar - Milestone (Original Mix)[We Are Trance]

While not the most flamboyant member of the iconic Philly outfit, Richard Pratt was a key to the act’s success, with his formidable writing skills and immense vocal prowess, helping to make Blue Magic one of the truly great vocal groups of the 1970s, and Philadelphia soul royalty.  Formed by Temple University student Ted 'Wizard' Mills, with some friends, the group scored an early hit with Mills' composition "Spell." When the other members who participated in the recording balked at touring, Mills merged with local band Shades of Love (Richard Pratt, along with Vernon Sawyer, Wendell Sawyer, and Keith 'Duke' Beaton) to form the nucleus of Blue Magic that would top the charts for years to come. The five members of Blue Magic reunited in 2018 for an episode of TV One's music biography show, Unsung. It was the first time they had all been together in nearly three decades, and they mulled over the possibility of a full reunion, though that never materialized. Now, with the untimely death of Pratt in early 2022, that dream has faded. As we celebrate the half century of musical greatness he brought to the world, we still have his music to carry us through. Pratt had recently gotten together with his dear friend and legendary producer Butch Ingram to record a new song he had written. "Sweetest Girl In The World" marks the final time Pratt would grace a recording studio, and we are all the more fortunate to have yet another memento of his supreme talent that will surely inspire future generations of Philly Soul artists for years to come.

Sweetest Girl In The World

Richard Pratt - Sweetest Girl In The World ( Instrumental)

Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes were one of the dynamic groups that came out of Gamble and Huff’s Sound of Philadelphia and went on to become one of the most popular acts of the 1970s. Carrying on this long standing tradition of excellence, “The Legendary Bluenotes” now consist of Sugarbear Aikens, Sonny King, Rock’n Ramon Bentley and Frank Lee. The group recently reconvened with famed producer Butch Ingram to record its well-received second full-length offering entitled “Where Is My Baby.” Presented here is the standout track from that album, “Anything For My Baby,” a wonderful original penned for the group by Ingram which has been newly remixed for this special single release.

Anything For My Baby (Radio Mix)

The Legendary Bluenotes Feat. Sugarbear - Anything For My Baby (Radio Mix )

Augustus "Gus" Georgia is such a devotee of The Godfather of Soul that he actually changed his surname (real name: Augustus Riley) to pay tribute to the little town in the Peach State where the late great James Brown was raised. Being able to sing and perform Brown's complete catalog is his stock and trade, so he hooked up with one of the hottest production teams in Florida to record and deliver a well-received tribute album. The blitz of positive feedback from club and radio DJs proved that Gus was definitely on to something special. With touring still problematic due to the state of the world, Gus headed back to the studio and recorded the follow-up "Synthetic Substitution - Disco Loops & Breaks" just to prove that he wasn't a one-trick pony. The new album was culled from a wide range of funky soulful material - taking some of his personal favorite jams and reinventing them in a style that places the accent on funky loops and breaks to bring the best bits forward. With a few original tunes mixed in for good measure, and only one James Brown song which appropriately ends the album, Augustus Georgia truly shows us the depth of his range through the symbiotic relationship he's obviously developed with his team of producers. The lead single from the new album, "I've Got Just The Thing," is a complete reworking of Lou Courtney's 1967 soul funk hit featuring a total of four mixes including bonus instrumental and acappella takes for the discerning bedroom DJ.

I've Got Just The Thing

Augustus Georgia - I've Got Just The Thing

Augustus "Gus" Georgia first made a name for himself as a masterful interpreter of the late great James Brown's music, infusing it with his own modern sensibilities. Spending countless hours in the studio with his team of producers, Gus has emerged as a skilled songwriter in his own right, while still retaining all the funk and swagger of his main inspiration. Gus keeps bringing the music forward with each passing release, and his new single, "Stir The Beans," is yet another example of his exceptional talent and creativity. The new single includes the original studio mix plus bonus extended, instrumental and acappella takes.

Stir The Beans

Augustus Georgia - Stir The Beans

A country outfit from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, popular in the mid to late 1990s, Natchez was the brainchild of talented vocalist, guitarist and songwriter Larry Hall and drummer David Robinson, who took the name for the band from the Natchez Plantation House, a legendary resort hotel that was a popular destination spot on Fort Lauderdale’s beachfront “Strip.” Hall and Robinson were joined by a trio of savvy musicians in Beetle Bailey (keyboards), Ross Bigbie (steel guitar) and Mark Brooks (bass). At the height of their popularity in the late 1990s, Natchez recorded its only full-length album, "Just Between The Two Of Us," - a fine collection of Larry's superb songs with writing contributions from Robinson ("Somebody's Woman") and American songwriter and session singer Hoyt Garrick Jr. ("New Orleans Ladies") and one co-written by album producer Joe Stone ("Love's Gonna Change"). Long out of print, the original album has been a sought-after treasure in collector's circles. This overlooked gem is presented here newly remastered for this CD reissue and has been finally made available in the digital domain.

Just Between The Two Of Us (2023 Remaster)

Somebody's Woman

What Will I Do

That Belongs To Me

New Orleans Ladies

Red Dress

Love's Gonna Change

Turn The Tables

Lee, a musician from Clewiston, Florida, gained prominence in the 1990s as part of the hip-hop duo Straight Coffee For George with friend Antonio “T-Lyfe” Humphrey. He later formed The Square Egg, known for blending hip-hop, funk, jazz, and soul, earning recognition in Miami and New York. As a solo artist, Lee played renowned venues in New York and Buenos Aires, releasing albums like "Naked" (2010), "Reasons To Buy This Album" (2014), and "2+2=5" (2017). His 2022 album, "Maybe Now," was a lush musical journey influenced by his life in Buenos Aires.His latest release, "The Reprieve," continues to push musical boundaries. Stay tuned for more...

The Reprieve

My Debut Release on Dissident Music / EMG called "Love is An Echo".

Love Is An Echo

Love Is An Echno

Download // Stream

Flashback

Closer Than Close

Do You Get Enough Love

Essential Media Group LLC. is a South Florida based record label specializing in multiple genres encompassing all eras of Folk, Blues, Jazz, Classical, World, Rock, R&B and Pop including current Hip Hop, Dancehall, Reggaeton and Dance/Electronic Music.

Richard Pratt - Sweetest Girl In The World ( Instrumental)

Essential Media Group

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