The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
The Spill Magazine The Spill Magazine
11
new
SPILL FEATURE: THE ROLLING STONES’ UNZIPPED – A CONVERSATION WITH THEMUSEUM’S DAVID MARSKELL
SPILL FEATURE: I WAS ROCKER SPICE – A CONVERSATION WITH KATHY VALENTINE OF THE GO-GO’S
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM
SPILL NEWS: LISA GERRARD AND JULES MAXWELL (OF DEAD CAN DANCE) SIGN TO ATLANTIC CURVE + ANNOUNCE NEW BURN ALBUM TO BE RELEASED MAY 7
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: EX EN PROVENCE – “COUNTING DOWN THE SUNS”
SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)
SPILL NEW MUSIC: THE MYSTICS – “BLACK WIDOW”
SPILL VIDEO PREMIERE: TAMAR APHEK – “RUSSIAN WINTER”
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART
  • MORE
  • Reviews
    • Album Reviews
    • Features
    • Live Reviews
    • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • Headlines
    • News
    • Contests
    • Events
    • Entertainment Headlines
    • Concert Listings
    • Toronto Concert Venues
  • New Music
    • Premieres
    • TOTD
  • Books + Movies
  • Scene Unseen
  • About
  • Spill Menu
    • Reviews
      • Album Reviews
      • Features
      • Live Reviews
      • Festivals
    • Portraits
    • Headlines
      • News
      • Contests
      • Events
      • Entertainment Headlines
      • Concert Listings
      • Toronto Concert Venues
    • New Music
      • Premieres
      • TOTD
    • Books + Movies
    • Scene Unseen
    • About
REGISTER
@
LOGIN
Album Reviews
233
previous article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MOZES AND THE FIRSTBORN - DADCORE
next article
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: WATERMELON SLIM - CHURCH OF THE BLUES

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JAYE P. MORGAN – JAYE P. MORGAN (REISSUE)

Jaye P. Morgan

Jaye P. Morgan
Jaye P. Morgan (Reissue)
WeWantSounds

In what should have been a landmark moment for soul and disco music, Jaye P. Morgan released her self-titled album, Jaye P. Morgan, in 1976. Rather than being a watershed moment for both her career and pop music, the album was initially limited to a very rare and highly-coveted pressing which was intended for private circulation. Morgan’s smooth vocals aside, the album was David Foster’s first full-blown production (released two years prior to his influential work with Earth, Wind & Fire) and features musical performances from the likes of Harvey Mason, Ed Greene, Jay Graydon, Ray Parker Jr., Tower of Power, and Ernie Watts, among others. Now for the first time, forty-three years later, the record has been reissued for the general public, shining a bright light on the artistry of Morgan’s latter career, and will leave listeners excited and reeling with nostalgia for what could have – or rather, should have – been.

Opening with the up-tempo pulse of “I Fall In Love Everyday”, Morgan perfectly sets the tone for Jaye P. Morgan with a funky disco track reminiscent of Donna Summer. With its catchy chorus and slick instrumentals, this song alone, should it have been released in ’76, would have put Morgan very much in line with the budding R&B scene which was becoming vastly popular. Morgan’s warm vocals pair perfectly with the groovy band and lush, accenting strings. It is worth noting that Morgan’s backing band truly is of an all-star quality and shines throughout all nine tracks of the album, especially on the slow-burning “Here Is Where Your Love Belongs”, the hot shuffling of “Let’s Get Together”—perhaps the strongest funk track on the album—and her cover of Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Can’t Hide Love”.

Morgan’s vocals naturally take the centre of the album and carry her band through an array of tracks inspired by disco, funk, pop, and soul. While there is not a single weak moment throughout the record, Morgan’s voice shines much brighter on the ballads “It’s Been So Long” and the closing “It All Goes Round”.  Like a smoky lounge singer with a voice that is as full-bodied as it is breathy, Morgan effortlessly commands your attention with a performance that is nothing short of stunning.

All in all, Jaye P. Morgan is a record which, were it released when it was recorded, would have been a big step forward for ‘70s soul music and disco; however, given the circumstances regarding its highly exclusive pressing and circulation, hearing it in 2019 feels like stumbling upon a long-lost and forgotten treasure. Like a time capsule, Jaye P. Morgan transports the listener back to Los Angeles in 1976 when the soul music of the decade was at its peak. Ultimately however, it is Morgan’s stellar vocal performance which steals the show, making this an album that you simply must hear.



Artist Links

website_flat_2016 facebook_flat_2016

Item Reviewed

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JAYE P. MORGAN – JAYE P. MORGAN (REISSUE)

Author

Gerrod Harris

Here's what we think...
Spill Rating
Fan Rating
Rate Here
New Criteria
10
10
8.0
Total Spill Rating
10
Total Fan Rating
1 rating
You have rated this
Album Reviews
album reviewalbum reviews
album review, album reviews
About the Author
Gerrod Harris
Gerrod Harris
A passion for music has always been a part of Gerrod’s life. As a young boy, he was raised on a steady diet of the music from The Chili Peppers, Aerosmith, The Stones, Prince, and others from his mum. Raised in the GTA, Gerrod continued to foster his love for music by attending a wide range of concerts and learning the drums. His unapologetic passion for music has no bounds and has spread to a wide variety of styles, whether it be the 90’s rock that sound tracked his teenage years, the jazz he studied in university, or his newfound love for hip-hop. He recently received his bachelors in music and education from York University and is passionate about writing and reviewing good (and less than good) music. Gerrod is also the drummer and songwriter for a Toronto based rock & roll band, One In The Chamber.
RELATED ARTICLES
album reviewalbum reviews
 
8.0
Front Line Assembly
6.1

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL

by Trista Whitman on January 15, 2021
Front Line Assembly Mechanical Soul Metropolis Records After over three decades of music from industrial greats Front Line Assembly, they’ve now released their 17th album, [...]
 
9.0
Grievous Angels

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE STORM

by Aaron Badgley on January 15, 2021
Grievous Angels The Summer Before The Storm Jimmy Boyle Records The Grievous Angels made their debut in 1986, and The Summer Before The Storm, their eighth album, is [...]
 
7.0
The Dirty Nil
8.9

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART

by Matt Owczarz on January 1, 2021
The Dirty Nil Fuck Art Dine Alone Records Fuck Art is the third studio album from the Hamilton, Ont.-based The Dirty Nil, in which they reaffirm their commitment to keeping the spirit of [...]
 
8.0
George Thorogood And The Destroyers
10

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS – LIVE IN BOSTON, 1982: THE COMPLETE CONCERT

by Aaron Badgley on December 18, 2020
George Thorogood And The Destroyers Live In Boston, 1982: The Complete Concert Craft Recordings George Thorogood has been making music [...]
 
10
Paul McCartney
9.2

SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III

by Aaron Badgley on December 18, 2020
Paul McCartney McCartney III MPL/Capitol Paul McCartney has always used music to get through difficult times. In 1970, when the Beatles split, he came out with the classic McCartney [...]
Latest Album Reviews
View All
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: FRONT LINE ASSEMBLY – MECHANICAL SOUL
8.0
6.1
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GRIEVOUS ANGELS – THE SUMMER BEFORE THE S...
9.0
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: THE DIRTY NIL – FUCK ART
7.0
8.9
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GEORGE THOROGOOD AND THE DESTROYERS – LIV...
8.0
10
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
10
9.2
Latest Live Reviews
View All
 
Lord Huron

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LORD HURON ALIVE FROM WHISPERING PINES: EPISODE 1 OF 4 (VIRTUAL EVENT)

by Robert Defina on January 7, 2021
60
 

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: WARDRUNA – ‘KVITRAVN’ PRESENTATION (ONLINE PERFORMANCE)

by Samantha Wu on December 10, 2020
78
 
Evanescence

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: EVANESCENCE @ ROCK FALCON STUDIO, NASHVILLE (TN)

by Melinda Welsh on December 5, 2020
41
 
Alice In Chains

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: MoPOP PRESENTS: ALICE IN CHAINS @ MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE, SEATTLE (WA)

by Gerrod Harris on December 1, 2020
54
 
Lowest Of The Low

SPILL LIVE REVIEW: LOWEST OF THE LOW @ LEE’S PALACE, TORONTO

by John Graham on November 28, 2020
1294
Tweets by @spillmagazine

SPILL MAGAZINE MENU
  • Home | The Spill Magazine
  • Premieres
  • Album Reviews
  • Books + Movies
  • Features
  • Live Reviews
  • Festivals
  • Portraits
  • News
  • Events
  • Entertainment Headlines
  • Concert Listings
  • Toronto Concert Venues
  • About Us
  • Contests
  • New Music
  • Spill Magazine Contributors
  • TOTD
  • Privacy Policy
  • The Scene Unseen
  • Newsletter

Copyright © 2020 | The Spill Magazine
All Rights Reserved.

TRENDING RIGHT NOW
   
 
SPILL FEATURE: REMEMBERING LEX GORE: A SPILL MAGAZINE MEMORIAL – TRIBUTE BY SUSANA MEZA
2699
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN LENNON – GIMME SOME TRUTH. THE ULTIMATE MIXES
640
 
SPILL FEATURE: THAT GOOD OLD FASHIONED RAZZMATAZZ – A CONVERSATION WITH DALLON WEEKES OF I DON’T KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME
585
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: MARY HOPKIN – ANOTHER ROAD
579
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: QUEEN + ADAM LAMBERT – LIVE AROUND THE WORLD
551
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: PAUL McCARTNEY – McCARTNEY III
503
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: ALTER BRIDGE – WALK THE SKY 2.0
497
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JON ANDERSON – 1000 HANDS
466
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GUIDED BY VOICES – STYLES WE PAID FOR
456
 
SPILL FEATURE: TO FEEL OUR HUMANITY IN SOLIDARITY – A CONVERSATION WITH NINA HAGEN
441
 
SPILL MUSIC PREMIERE: CHURCH OF TREES FEAT. CAROLE POPE – “WORLD’S A BITCH”
389
 
SPILL FEATURE: GIVE THE DRUMMER SOME – A CONVERSATION WITH CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA
359
 
SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: JOHN FOXX AND THE MATHS – HOWL
355
ENTERTAINMENT HEADLINES