Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators "Keep Reachin’ Up" – Great modern soul. This is a collaboration between vocalist Nicole Willis and The Soul Investigators (funksters from Finland of all places). Northern soul lovers and Motown lovers take note! The music ranges from fun modern soul to funk to Motown to soul jazz styles. The music is seriously tight. Solid rhythm section with excellent guitar and organ and finally a horn and string section to fill it all out. Vocals are great too. Her voice fits in perfectly with the smoother sounds of the modern soul and the Motown styles. Similar to Sharon Jones, Diana Ross, Bettye LaVette, Betty Wright etc. Every single track is good so play it already!! (FCC clean)
My Picks: 1, 2, 6, 7
Katie P. 8/29/07

1)Starts quiet with string plucking and a steady uptempo beat. Eventually builds to a fun soulful dance song. Full of wah-wah guitar and a great string section. Hot disco-like beat and great vocals. Get your groove on!
2)Laid-back and groovy with just percussion and bass to start it out. Simple guitar comes strumming in and then the rest of the band to a solid uptempo walk. Nice soulful horn section fits well with the smooth lovely vocals. Very cool flute solo near the end.
3)Heavy horns and solid pounding beat. Super funky Daptones-esque groove. Fun party music. Vocals a bit more raw, although she doesn’t sound as comfortable with this style. The vocals are good, but are much better on the smoother tracks.
4)Slower midtempo drums kick it off. Goes into serious wah-wah guitar and some great organ. Nice horn arrangement too. Smooth jazzy vocals. Reminds me a bit of Eugene McDaniels soul jazz style, but a bit funkier.
5)Fun bouncy Motown style song. Handclaps and super catchy lyrics with horns to fill it out. Ooo, and then the strings hit in. Wow, this is nice!
6)Strong walking Motown style song. Heavier on the horns. Again, catchy lyrics and fun vocals with handclaps. Wow!! Great organ solo in the middle! And followed up by a nice guitar solo through the end.
7)Bouncy piano plinks. A bit sassier and angrier. Again some Motown style in there. Chorus of She-doo Doo-doo-de-doo is just so nice. Nice trumpet solo.
8)Funky smoother soul. Nice bass and drums keep the rhythm going with nice guitar and organ accents. Deliciously smooth vocals and fun horn accents are added. Another killer organ solo in the middle.
9)Creeping slow guitar plucking. Oooo, organ hits in and then builds with strings and drops back off when the vocals come in. Slower midtempo that tends to build and drop off again. Very nice.
10)Laid-back groovy soul. Solid midtempo bass and drums with guitar and piano. Instrumental.
11)Bonus track. Stripped down version of track 1. Or maybe it’s a remix? Mostly strings, percussion, and then the chorus before it suddenly fades out.