Jon Lucien's "Search For The Inner Self" sessions from 1969 released by Kent/Ace

Championed by Paul Weller and Snowboy, Jon Lucien's 1969 recording session is being released as "Search For The Inner Self."   

Here's the scoop from Mark "Snowboy" Cotgrove...

"This work of beauty is finally out after nearly 60 years.

"I was fortunate to have played a series of concerts at the Jazz Café with the incredible Jon Lucien in 1995. I could hardly believe my luck. There’s no bigger fan of Jon than me. Along with his manager and the famous drummer, Kim Plainfield, was Jon’s wonderful wife, Delesa. We bonded immediately.  And with Jon, Kim and Nik Cohen on bass we had 3 or 4 incredible days playing music. I still have a fantastic recording of one of those shows.

"That week Jon gave me an unreleased album on cassette from 1969 and asked if I could try and get it released somehow. It was a beautiful folky kind of album, quite unlike his later albums, but typical of his early singles. However there was a potentially huge Soul bomb on there called ‘We Got Love’ of which I immediately cut on to acetate and played out everywhere these past 31 years (an anthem at my beloved ‘Good Foot’ residency). As promised, I tried all the Soul labels in the UK but to no interest.

"The next time I saw Jon a year or two later out of frustration he’d manufactured 100 himself on CD to sell at gigs.

"Anyway, I remained friends with Jon and Delesa until we lost them both. They were both wonderful, kind, warm and genuine people and I’m so proud to have known them.

"Funnily enough Jon told me once that he used to always take my current cd then to any house parties they went to, to get the party going! What a sweet thing to do.

"Here we are 31 years later and this beautiful album is finally out. I had considered releasing it myself in the past, but at last it’s found it’s perfect home now on the right label, ACE.

"Well done to Ady Croasdell and team on such an incredible job."

Jon Lucien – Search For The Inner Self

Jon Lucien’s ‘Search For The Inner Self’ was one of the highlights of Paul Weller’s recently complied Ace CD “That Sweet, Sweet Music”. When also issuing it as a single, we included ‘We Got Love’, a track from his self-financed CD “Precious Is Love”, which proved to be as feted a choice as the top side. 

Due to this and further encouragement from soul fans, DJs and the Lucien family, we licensed the rest of the Beau Ray Fleming produced 1969 recordings for LP and CD reissue. Here is the very start of Lucien’s songwriting creativity − ‘Precious Is My Love’, ‘A Heart In Love’, ‘Flower Garden’ and ‘The Season Of Spring’ are accomplished and captivating creations, equal to his later much-admired work.

The choice of cover songs was inspired. ‘Strawberries Don't Know Cherries’ was an unknown song that had yet to be covered, the reading of Barry and Robin Gibb’s ‘To Love Somebody’ is exemplary and the out-of-left-field ‘Only An Illusion’ is a number perfect for Lucien’s mystical approach to soul. Producer Fleming contributed ‘It’s Bigger Than I’ the previously undigitized flip to the ‘Search For The Inner Self’ 45, as well as the catchy dancer ‘We Got Love’, that DJ Snowboy has championed for years.

When Jon Lucien released the original CD in 1999, he only made about 100 copies; demand has rocketed for it ever since. It was never on vinyl originally. We have commissioned sleeve notes from acclaimed US scribe Kevin Goins to enhance the packaging of both formats. 

Get a copy of Jon Lucien's "Search For The Inner Self" album via Ace Records UK right here. Listen to the title track "Search For The Inner Self" and "We Got Love" below. 

Someone needs to release Jon Lucien's shelved Ampex album from 1971

Tortola-born soul singer Jon Lucien recorded an album for Ampex in 1971 which remains unreleased. Listen to "Search For The Inner Self" & "We've Got Love"

Writes Mark "Snowboy" Cotgrove...

I was so fortunate to play percussion for Jon Lucien at the Jazz Cafe for 4 nights back in ‘95. A beautiful, kind, friendly and gracious man. We had an instant bond and the friendship between Jon, his lovely wife, Delesa, and I lasted til we sadly lost them both.

That week Jon gave me a CD of an unreleased album that he did for Ampex and hoped that I could try and get it released for him. It’s a beautiful album. Stylistically untypical of Jon. Of course ‘Search For The Inner Self’ was on it, but the rest were ballads and even folk (but all lovely). But there was one incredible uptempo Soul track on there called ‘We’ve Got Love’. Almost Northern Soul/Beach Music. Naturally I immediately made a dub plate of it as any DJ would, and over the past 30 years have played it everywhere. Infact it was a track very associated in particular with my beloved ‘Good Foot’ nights at Madame Jo Jo’s, and became an anthem there, as my guest DJ’s would testify.

In the end Jon never got it released so he did a little 100 press on CD to sell at shows.

Although the album is still un-released (and lets hope not for long) ACE has finally put out ‘We’ve Got Love’ on a 7” backed with ‘Search For Your Inner Self’. I suggest you snap it up quickly. It’s an incredible track and without doubt will pack the floors of the right events. 

Listen to "Search For The Inner Self" and "We've Got Love" below. 

Paul Weller-curated soul collection That Sweet Sweet Music due in March

Paul Weller's selection of his fave soul records includes Jon Lucien's hard-to-find Ampex 45 and Archie Turner's Blackrock gem. 

 

Here's the scoop...

Soul music has always been in Paul Weller’s blood from early Jam covers of Martha & the Vandellas 1963 classic ‘Heatwave’. Along with other forms of music, soul found its way into Paul’s record collection, nourishing his ears and informing his own songwriting.

We don’t need to recap a questing musical career from the Jam to the Style Council which then blossomed into one of the most productive and revered careers of any UK solo artist. Paul has written anthems, standards and a songbook that have always developed from his own feelings.

Whilst Paul has talked about his love of soul music he has, before now, simply been too busy to sit down and curate a collection of his favourite tracks and get it into the record racks.

Ace Records are honoured and delighted to finally release that Paul Weller curated collection which he has aptly titled, “That Sweet Sweet Music”.

This limited edition 2-LP set and CD open the curtains on 26 tracks that are some of Paul’s favourite soul records most of which nestle on vinyl in his own collection. He can still recall paying £70 for his copy of Jon Lucien’s 1971 ‘Search For The Inner Self’ 7” at a record shop in Leicester in the 90s. Some of these tracks are soul classics like James Carr’s 1966 ‘Pouring Water On A Drowning Man’ and Brother to Brother's brilliant take on Gil Scott Heron and Brian Jackson’s ‘In The Bottle’ from 1975. Others are deliciously obscure gems like the A-side of Blackrock’s sole 1971 single 'Blackrock “Yeah, Yeah,” ‘Life Walked Out’ from the same year by The Mist or Syl Johnson’s ‘Black Balloons’ taken from his 1970 album “Is It Because I’m Black?”.

There are plenty of big vocal hitters such as Darrell Banks, Spinners, Joe Simon, O.C. Smith, the Dells and Betty Davis. Whilst the core is vocal soul the music does branch out with Paul selecting a wicked instrumental from the flipside of the Isley Brothers’ ‘Twist & Shout’ from 1962 and the funky jazz of the Headhunters ‘God Made Me Funky’, the A-side of their first 1975 seven-inch.

Paul has not only written an introduction but the way he has curated the music allows each side of the vinyl and the CD to flow like a river taking the listener on a journey through some of his favourite music.

You can pre-order a copy of That Sweet Sweet Music via Ace Records UK right here. Check out the track list, Paul Weller's liner notes and a few tunes below. 

One For The Weekend: Jon Lucien

Jon Lucien's 1971 gem "Search For The Inner Self" is one of Paul Weller's favourite records.