Dave & Maurissa - London / Detroit (2LP) [Z Records]

Format: 2x12" + Gatefold.

Tracklist:

A1 You Decide
A2 What About My Love
B1 I Feel The Sun
B2 All Around The World (Redemption Dub) [Vinyl Only]
B3 You’re Giving Me Life

C1 By Loves Design
C2 No Question About It
C3 Just A Matter Of Time

D1 I’ve Been Here Before
D2 All Around The World
D3 Do You Believe

Over 35 years in the music business, Dave Lee has been constantly on the look out for new singers and songwriters to collaborate with. A search that has led to many fantastic collaborations and releases with the likes of Thelma Houston, Taka Boom, Dianne Charlemagne and Seal. Most recently this quest led him to Maurissa Rose and the creation of their album London / Detroit. After hearing Maurissa’s vocal on a Theo Parrish record, Dave reached out to her and after several long phone conversations and mp3 swapping, they both agreed a visit to London would be a lot more fun than trying to work together remotely. Maurissa made the journey from her home in Detroit to write and record an album with Dave at his studio in March 2022 as they both believe creating music together in the same room is always best. The fruit of their labour resulted in 11 brand new songs (and 1 cover) that explores their collective love of Soul, Disco, and R&B with a dash of Soulful House. This album is something of a special one for Dave Lee, as it’s the first time in his career that he has recorded a whole album with the same vocalist on every single track.

In the sleeve notes for the album Dave talks about how Maurissa is a naturally creative person, full of ideas, warm and unassuming which shines through in her vocal performances throughout London / Detroit. Dave’s expertly crafted music is backed by a deeply passionate yet effortless delivery from the Detroit chanteuse, a display of someone who has honed and mastered their craft. As for the musical side to this LP, Dave Lee once again shows that he is still at the very top of his game and shows no signs of slowing down. Drawing on his encyclopedic knowledge of all things Soul/Funk/Disco, he treats us to a variety of styles, BPMs and influences, from 95bpm street soul to more uptempo disco and boogie flavours. Be it the synth wave that opens You Decide, bringing the Johnnie Taylor classic What About My Love into a modern boogie realm, speeding up the tempo on the soul-house I Feel the Sun, or slowing the pace with the acid bass of You’re Giving Me Life. Mr. Lee is truly adept at crafting a modern disco soul sound without using samples.

London and Detroit may be two very different cities on opposite sides of the Atlantic, but this album is proof that creative synergy knows no distance.