Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators – Feeling Free (Timmion)

Released: 25/09/2006

The global nu-funk scene has really been growing over the last few years. Lots of good stuff coming out, especially from the UK, but the scene is truly global. There is no better example than Nicole Willis and the Soul Investigators – a Finnish funk band!

Nicole Willis’ career spans across the world. Her voice tells you she is indeed American, born in Brooklyn in fact, back in the great days of soul music. Already, she has managed to be part of one of the earliest line-ups of Deee-lite (Groove is in the heart), has collaborated with Curtis Mayfield on “Let’s do it again”, supplied the vocals on Leftfield’s “Swords” and collaborated with husband Jimi Tenor and Maurice Fulton. Before joining forces with The Soul Investigators she recorded two solo albums worth checking out (“Soul makeover” and “Be it”).

“Feeling free” is like a Motown record that never was released. It has got that great authentic 60-70s soul vibe that you thought was lost forever. Cheerful and uplifting, funky and beautiful. I never get tired of playing it, and it always goes down well on the floor. The song is taken from the great “Keep reachin’ up” album, an album you definitively should add to your collection. I can’t praise it highly enough!

Nicolewillis.com | MySpace | LastFM | Juno Records | Timmion |