You can tell after just one song that singer Allan Harris grew up around the corner from the world famous Apollo Theatre. Every song on this album oozes over with Old School soul, mixing a gospel feel, upbeat messages about love, and easy grooved beats framed with hip horns. Harris also plays guitar, and is backed by the funk brother team of Shirazette Tinnin/dr, Nimrod Speaks/b, Arcoiris Sandoval/p, Gregoire Maret/harm, David Castaneda/perc, Alex Budman/as, Keith Fiddmont/ts, Ondre J Pivec/org, with Tonga Ross-Ma’u cameoing a sleek guitar solo on the romantic “Color of a Woman Is Blu” with Harris telling the listener to “Sit right down” and take in the message.
Harris’s voice is a light read of Barry White, not unlike Al Wilson, and he uses his voice like an after shave lotion, drawing you in on the two stepped Stevie Wonderish “I Grew Up” and “99 Miles”. A gospel groove with vocalists Daneen, Jordan and Whitely Wllburn result in an upbeat “Wash Away My Sins” with some wacka wooka added for a hitting message on “Run Through America”. This guy represents a style that needs to be revisited, especially in a day of anger and attitude.