7” – Limited Edition Black Vinyl.

Next on deck, straight from Producer Dan Ubicks Lions Den Studio, comes two more re-imagined soul classics from Los Angeles own Night Owls. First up, we have soul phenom Eli Paperboy Reed taking on Ray Charles classic You Dont Know Me and Rocksteady champions Jr. Thomas & The Volcanos, laying their beautiful soul harmonies to Eddie Kendricks timeless If You Let Me.

For Side As You Dont Know Me, Ubick had a tough assignment – find someone who could bring his own innate soulfulness to a song sung by The Genius in his prime. The answer came from Massachusetts-bred Eli Paperboy Reed, who moved to Clarksdale, Mississippi at 18 to cut his teeth singing in juke joints all over the Delta. Then, moving on to spend a year as minister of music at Chicagos Southside church of Soul legend Mitty Collier (Chess Records) and relocating back to the East Coast to record for Capitol Records, Warner Brothers, Colemine Records, and now Yep Roc, Dan had found his man. On You Dont Know Me, Reeds voice ranges from belted lows to soulful highs that perfectly sets the stage for this more upbeat and Roots Reggae-infused rendition. With a tip of the hat to Jamaican legend and producer Bunny Striker Lee, Night Owls take Charles classic soul and R&B standard to new territory. But thats not all; Ubick also brought in Staten Islands crown jewel, Eamon Doyle, who meticulously laid in all the vocal harmonies, faithful to Rays original.

On Side B is Eddie Kendricks If You Let Me feat. Jr Thomas & The Volcanos (Colemine Records), re-done here with a nod to another legendary Jamaican singer, songwriter, and music producer, The Techniques own Winston Riley (Johnny Osbourne, Dave & Ansel Collins, Hortense Ellis, etc.). Originally debuted on Eddie Kendricks post-Temptations 1972 masterpiece PeopleHold On (Tamla/Motown), Night Owls create a decidedly more moody and dubbed-out tone here, laying into a bass-heavy one-drop feel that perfectly sets the stage for Jr Thomas soulful lead and Volcanos members Alex Desrt (Hepcat, The Lions) & John Butchers (The Expanders) spot on backing harmonies. While keeping much of the original harmonic language, Night Owls bring this much-loved classic to new heights, primed for the dance floor. Its hard not to sway your hip and groove to this one!

Tracklist:

A: You Dont Know Me (feat. Eli Paperboy Reed)

B: If You Let Me (feat. Jr Thomas & The Volcanos)