Jamie and The Numbers let us feel the full power of soul on their debut You Don’t Love Me. Carried by the voice of singer Jamie Mavusa, an album now sees the light of day that will delight soul fans worldwide with a mixture of originals and covers.
With the 11 Songs, we are presented with a band that has previously only released on 7″ vinyl. Highly praised and much played by radio presenters like Eddie Piller (Totally Wired Radio), Craig Charles (BBC 6 Music), and Kurtis Powers (The Face Radio), the sound from New Zealand has also reached us. Personally, I am also a self-confessed follower of Eddie Pillar’s programmes on Totally Wired Radio. After all, the co-founder of the Acid Jazz label with bands like Mother Earth, the Brand New Heavies and Jamiroquai has clearly influenced the musical taste of MUSICSPOTS. Musicians and bands recommended by Eddie Pillar are better remembered. Jamie and The Numbers are no exception.
Often I listen to new releases on the side and quickly get bored. Not here. The album starts energetically with You Don`t Love Me and already at track three Macgic Touch it is clear: The combination of soul with gospel convinces me. Front singer Jamie Mavusa was discovered during a rendition of the song Wade in The Water in her gospel choir in Wellington and forms herself into Jamie and The Numbers with a four-piece herself band. These are: Mark Lerwill (Vocals/Guitar), Geof Lerwill (Keyboards/Vocals), Simon Bayliss (Bass/Vocals), Craig Lerwill (Drums/Percussion).
The album is fun throughout. Whether you take the yearning Stay or the bluesy version of Boys Dont Cry. Again and again it’s Jamie’s singing that gets you hooked. The band plays its part in making especially the more powerful pieces round. Jamie’s fine and pure voice is once more clearly evident on While I Was Sleeping, a piece purely with acoustic guitar.
Soul debut with a powerful voice
All in all, Jamie and The Numbers’ debut is more than “just” a pure soul album. Because at the latest with the fade-out of the last song Let’s Make it Last, I realized that I’m directly in the mood for a real gig, where I can feel the music from the wild dancing at the beginning to the last quiet note at the end.
Until it comes to a real live concert, we get to hear Jamie and The Numbers from the top DJs on the radio or get to enjoy the album on the record player at home. Because at the end of the year, dancefloors are scarce here again.
You Don’t Love Me by Jamie and The Numbers can be directly orderd via the Bandcamp shop of Superfly Funk & Soul Records. Shout out and thanks to Guila from Willwork4funk who is preenting the best in Soul to us.
You want more Northern Soul power? Give the sound of Emma Noble or Nick Corbin a try. Beg you will love it.
