JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 80th anniversary of the birth of Donny Hathaway.
Category: Soul Music
Throwback: Earth, Wind & Fire “September”
It’s the 21st day of September . . .
New Audio: The Womack Sisters Share Soulful Ballad “I Just Don’t Want You (To Say Goodbye)”
Los Angeles-based soul and R&B trio The Womack Sisters — BG, Zeimani and Kucha — are proudly carrying on their family’s legendary musical legacy. The trio’s Daptone Records debut, “I Just Don’t Want You (To Say Goodbye)” is an old-school soul-styled ballad featuring a slow-burning Motown Records-meets-Staxx Records-like groove serving as a lush bed for Kucha and Zeimani’s plaintive vocals and BG’s soulful lead to effortlessly harmonize throughout the song.
At its core, the song tells a tale of someone coming to terms with the pain of being in love with Mr. Wrong when they know they deserve Mr. Right — and in order to get to Mr. Right, they’ll have to make an uneasy, life altering decision.
Throwback: Happy 83rd Birthday, Issac Hayes!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 83rd anniversary of the birth of Isaac Hayes.
Throwback: Happy 72nd Birthday, Marvin Isley!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 72nd anniversary of Marvin Isley’s birth.
New Audio: Shawn Lee and Kelly Finnigan Team Up on a Breezy and Soulful “Say It Again”
Acclaimed singer/songwriter, musician, producer and Monophonics frontman Kelly Finnigan recently teamed up with acclaimed Wichita-born, London-based producer, composer, multi-instrumentalist and Young Gun Silver Fox co-founder Shawn Lee on “Say It Again,” a breezy and soulful tune that seemingly channels 1970s Isley Brothers — in particular, think of “Summer Breeze Pts. 1 & 2,” “That Lady,” and the like.
“There has always been a mutual admiration society between myself & Kelly. Over the years I’ve had the pleasure of playing on both the Monophonics & Kelly’s solo records in the studio and live onstage,” Shawn Lee says. “This is the first I’ve had Kelly on something that I’ve put together. Good things come to those who wait…and here it is!”
Colemine Records officially released the track on all DSPs today. Be on the lookout for 7″ 45RPM vinyl on September 19, 2025.
Throwback: Happy 86th Birthday, Mavis Staples!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the legendary and incomparable Mavis Staples’ 86th birthday.
New Video: bat zoo Returns with Aching “Lemon”
bat zoo is a rising American-born, Berlin-based singer/songwriter and producer, who has developed a reputation for boundless creativity — and for genre-agnostic work.
As a child, the rising artist and producer was immersed in a melting pot of musical influences, as a result of his father’s eclectic record collection. He grew up listening to soul, R&B, hip-hop and much more — and it opened his young years to kaleidoscope of sounds and styles, which helped informed his genre-blurring sound and approach.
He also brings his artistic vision to life by seamlessly blending his work with dynamic visuals. Embracing authentic and innovation, the American-born, Berlin-based artist continues to push boundaries as a jack-of-all-trades creative director of his solo recording project, a culmination of many years of trial and error. He’s extremely busy: while developing his own sound as a solo artist, he’s also a part of the acclaimed Berlin-based vocal ensemble A Song For You and one-half of R&B duo GOLDA.
bat zoo’s forthcoming EP, The Upward Bird is slated for a July 22, 2025 release through Lekker Collective. And in the lead-up to the EP’s release in just a few weeks, I’ve written about “Frozen Milk,” and “Diamond Lane.”
The EP’s third and latest single “Lemon” is a classic soul-tinged ballad that seemingly channels contemporaries like Monophonics and Bobby Oroza while featuring warped guitar, a supple bass line, bursts of twinkling synths as a lush bed for bat zoo’s achingly tender falsetto, which expresses urgent, desperate yearning defiant pride within the turn of a phrase. But throughout the sense of yearning and pride simmer with an unresolved, uneasy tension that churns and shifts without resolution.
The accompanying video for “Lemon” sees the American-born, Berlin-based artist reflecting back on the bittersweet moments of a presumably recent breakup, seemingly focusing on the moments in which he should have done better, said more, worked for the relationship and so on — with the ache of regret and shame.
Throwback: Happy 87th Birthday, Bill Withers!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 87th anniversary of the birth of Bill Withers.
Throwback: Happy 65th Birthday, Evelyn “Champagne” King!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates Evelyn “Champagne” King’s 65th birthday.
Throwback: Happy 89th Birthday, Syl Johnson!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 89th anniversary of the birth of Syl Johnson.
Throwback: R.I.P. Walter Scott
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the life and music of The Whispers co-founder Walter Scott.
Throwback: Happy 83rd Birthday, Eddie Levert!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates The O’Jays lead singer Eddie Levert’s 83rd birthday.
Throwback: R.I.P. Sly Stone!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the live and music of Sylvester Stewart, a.k. Sly Stone.
Throwback: Happy 83rd Birthday, Curtis Mayfield!
JOVM’s William Ruben Helms celebrates the 83rd anniversary of the birth of Curtis Mayfield.
