Pure Black Soul

Description

Previously unreleased 6-track session from singer-songwriter and bassist Harvell Guiton, recorded in 1982 at Nash Studios, Oakland, California. Born into a prominent West Coast gospel family, Guiton began performing early, playing drums and bass in church and touring internationally with various gospel troupes. In 2018, a chance encounter between Harvell and DJ/archivist James Pogson expanded on the promise of Guiton's rare 1983 self-released debut single, ‘My Dream’, revealing the existence of original multitrack session tapes for an unissued studio project, Pure Black Soul. In the early 80s, quality control standards at Kenneth Nash’s studio mirrored the elite lineup of players assembled by Guiton. A prolific musician and engineer, Nash was well-acquainted with state-of-the-art studios, performing on numerous jazz and soul albums by artists like Pharoah Sanders, Joe Henderson, Alice Coltrane, Herbie Hancock, Johnny Hammond and Patrice Rushen. When Sean P. worked on the 1982 sessions for this release, he noted the clarity of the multitracks: “It’s a really clean and well-balanced sounding recording that was easy to mix.” High-end analogue tracking, paired with Sean P.’s reverence for the original timeline, allowed Guiton’s vision to finally be realised. Whilst Pure Black Soul is an important historical document and testament to a musical legacy, for DJs and collectors, the project is an unearthed gem from music’s golden age. Featuring dance-floor-friendly and play-out picks, it’s a praise record that ticks all the boxes for soul, boogie and funk fans, with a tracklist that sounds right for both the disco and home listening alike.