Bandtraxs

Wednesday, 1 February 2023

'He's Always Mad About Something' by The Formellas

NOW AVAILABLE MARCH 2023

(available now in places)
‘He’s Always Mad About Something’

Bandtraxs (PPL) ℗ 2023

Performed by
THE FORMELLAS

The official release date will be 2nd April 2023 and can be purchased from Amazon, iTunes etc and streamed via all leading digital services

LISTEN HERE

Bandtraxs are delighted to introduce 'He's always mad about something' performed this time by The Formellas. This is a throwback to a mid 1970s east coast disco style production which may have emanated from the likes of Philly & New York. The recording process is over, the mix/masters are complete for an official release on the 2nd April 2023. The original version was by The Delgonives released in 2017.

The drums were recorded in Detroit, the guitars, bass and horns all recorded in Nashville. Thank you to Drew, Sam, Gary, Mark, Roy and Mike as usual. The track listing currently looks like this:

He’s always mad about something (Vocal Radio Mix) GBXNE2200001 3:31
He’s always mad about something (Instrumental Radio Mix) GBXNE2200002 3:30
He’s always mad about something (Extended Vocal Mix) GBXNE2200003 4:34
He’s always mad about something (Extended Instrumental Mix) GBXNE2200004 4:32
He’s always mad about something (Trombone Vocal Mix) GBXNE2200005 3:31
He’s always mad about something (Mono Vocal Mix) GBXNE2200006 3:31
He’s always mad about something (Sounds Like 70s Vinyl Mix) GBXNE2200007 3:31
He's always mad about something (Vocal Deluxe Mix) GBXNE2200008 3:31

A number of mixes exist which may appeal to Music Supervisors for their programming/production needs and those who may just like instrumentals or alternative versions. This release includes a first 'Vocal Deluxe' version and features an octave difference on some of the strings, a male background vocal in addition to the female ones and a glockenspiel punctuating the strings in places. The 'Trombone' mix changes the last chorus by removing the lead vocal and only using the solo ad lib which is on all the other vocal versions with the chorus. In addition there is extra trombone in that same segment which makes it uniquely different compared to the other vocal versions. I have had some positive feedback regarding previous 'Sounds like vinyl' mixes which has encouraged me to make available on this release too. Dust, warp, hum, noise can be added digitally and here with a view to replicate a mid 70s stereo 45 rpm vinyl record.

Title: He's always mad about something

Writer: Carl Dixon

Published by: Carl Dixon (PRS/MCPS)

Artist: The Formellas

Label: Bandtraxs (PPL)

ISRC number: GBXNE2200001 to GBXNE2200008

UPC: 198004307048

This release: 2nd April 2023

Recording location: London/Nashville/Detroit/Salford

Drums: Drew Shultz

Baritone, alto & tenor sax: Sam Levine

Trombone: Roy Agee

Trumpet: Mike Haynes

Guitar: Mark Baldwin

Bass guitar: Gary Lunn

Keyboards/tambourine: Carl Dixon

Drew Schulz

https://drew-music.com/

Sam Levine

http://samlevinemusic.com/

Gary Lunn

https://www.facebook.com/garylunnbass

Mark Baldwin

https://markbaldwinguitar.com/about/

Mike Haynes

https://www.facebook.com/mike.haynes.5494

Roy Agee

https://www.instagram.com/royageemusic/

Produced, mixed and mastered by Carl Dixon for Bandtraxs Productions

For more information about Bandtraxs releases please visit

www.bandtraxs.com or contact carl@bandtraxs.com

Sunday, 1 January 2023

'A little of the big stuff' by The Formellas

PRESS RELEASE

'A Little of the Big Stuff'

Performed by

THE FORMELLAS
Written by: Carl Dixon
Published by: Carl Dixon (PRS) © 2011 (℗2017

The official release date is the 1^st June 2017 and can be purchased from, Amazon, iTunes and all leading streaming services.

Listen here on YouTube

If you enjoy retro sounding mid 1970s soul, this new album release features no less than fourteen mixes to capture the spirit of disco music prevalent around that time. These productions have been carefully crafted with respect to a period that gave us the likes of Love Unlimited, The Three Degrees, The Sound of Philadelphia, The Salsoul Orchestra and MFSB. The instrumentation remains faithful to a more traditional style of arrangement from the days when sequencing and midi did not exist. Although using modern techniques to record these tracks, the essence of the music here still sounds organic and collaborative. The main influences for this music are the 1970s and particularly the Philly Sound. Nobody will ever recreate that music successfully without the musicians who made it and arrangers that so eloquently added their input to the songs in the first place. The likes of Bobby Eli, Earl Young, Vince Montana, T G Conway, Jimmie Williams, Phil Hurtt, Tony Bell, Larry Washington, Ronnie Baker, Norman Harris, Thom Bell, Richard Rome and Bobby Martin are a few names that come to mind, but there are so many other individuals responsible for that sound too numerous to mention. The writers, producers, musicians, arrangers and artists are greatly appreciated and are celebrated here with efforts to write and produce similarly.

This song was originally an instrumental released on the Bandtraxs album named 'Make five' and was merely a notion that one day lyrics would be written and vocals added. These are the fruits of that idea with studio recorded drums, horns, guitars and bass guitar. Studio pro’s in LA provided the horn and the female vocal tracks with LaTisha on lead and b/v's, whilst Bobby Eli recorded Jeff Leonard on drums in his ‘The Grooveyard’ studio in Philly on the main tracks of this album. From a trivia point of view, the Loft mixes are specifically with early looped drums I was experimenting with before I commissioned Philly studio drums. These are real drums professionally recorded for producers to use with their productions whether demos or commercial releases, but I wanted a real Philly groove on this hence Jeff Leonard's contribution. The Moss mixes are the original London drums by Simon Moss from the instrumental version of ALOTBS off the 'Make Five' album released previously, except this time accompanied by vocals and other instruments not recorded previously. Simon was the drummer with Manchester 80s group 'The Clouds'. The bass guitar by Gavin Morris is on all versions, also from Manchester.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Title: A little of the big stuff

Writers: Carl Dixon (PRS)

Artist: The Formellas

Label: Bandtraxs

Production: Carl Dixon for Bandtraxs Productions

ISRC number: GBXNE1700031 to GBXNE1700044

This album version release: 1st April 2017

Recording location: Philadelphia, LA, Nashville and London

Original song incarnation 2011 and released on the album ‘Make five’ by Bandtraxs

For more information about the track please visit www.bandtraxs.com or contact carl@bandtraxs.com

Artists and session musicians on ‘A little of the big stuff’:

Lead Vocals:

LaTisha (Studio Pros, Los Angeles)

Backing vocals

LaTisha (Studio Pros, Los Angeles)

Carl Dixon (London)

Musicians

Drums 1: Jeff Leonard, The Grooveyard, Philadelphia. Thanks to Bobby Eli.

Drums 2: Loopmaster

Drums 3: Simon Moss, London

Guitar 1: Mark Baldwin, Nashville

Guitar 2: Carl Dixon, London

Bass guitar: Gavin Morris, Manchester

Horns: Studio Pros, Los Angeles

Keys/percussion: Carl Dixon

Produced, mixed and mastered by

Carl Dixon for Bandtraxs Productions

Tuesday, 26 July 2022

'Blame' by The Delgonives

PRESS RELEASE

11th MARCH 2022

‘Blame’

℗ 2022

Performed by

THE DELGONIVES

Listen here on YouTube

Bandtraxs are delighted to release 'Blame' performed by 'The Delgonives' written during a song writing retreat in 2014 at the Monnow Valley recording studio, Monmouth, Wales. This is the fruit of that labour after the three of us, myself, Steve McCarthy-Hunt and Sean O' Connell walked into the studio control room with just a guitar, pen & paper and an iPad with GarageBand, plus we had never met or collaborated together previously. The remit was simple: write a song together, so we did.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Title: Blame

Written by: Carl Dixon, Sean O’ Connell, Steve McCarthy-Hunt

Artist: The Delgonives

Label: Bandtraxs

ISRC numbers: GBXNE2000031 to GBXNE2000037

UPC:191924033004

Sleeve art: Michelle Dixon

This release: 11th March 2022

Recording location: London/Salford/Nashville/Detroit

Drums/Percussion: Drew Schultz (Detroit)

Baritone and tenor sax: Sam Levine (Nashville)

Trombone: Roy Agee (Nashville)

Trumpet: Mike Haynes (Nashville)

Guitar: Mark Baldwin (Nashville)

Bass guitar: Gary Lunn (Nashville)

Keyboards: Carl Dixon (London)

Harmonica: Alan Jones (The Piccadilly Rats -Salford)

That tinkly piano idea: Simon Moss (The Clouds - Manchester)

Listen to 'Blame'👇

'Blame' on YouTube

'Blame' on Spotify

Thanks to all the musicians Stateside mentioned above.

Big thanks for Sean and Steve for making it easy to come up with something from scratch like this. It's a great story and maybe one day we'll be able to it tell together somewhere.

Thanks to Rita Campbell of BASCA (at that time) who organised the song writing retreat in 2014 at Monnow Valley and sent us in to the control room to collaborate.

Thanks to Simon Moss who has always been one of the best sounding boards for anything musically I create. His attention to detail and knowledge is unrivalled especially as being the drummer from the 90s Manchester band 'The Clouds'.

Thanks also to Alan Jones of 'The Piccadilly Rats' for listening to the recording demos in its early days of production in MediaCityUK/Salford. It took a while to realise that some harmonica on the track would be special, which he kindly did.

Big thanks to Michelle Dixon for the excellent sleeve art completed well before I needed it. The photo is of the River Humber facing south from North Ferriby, East Yorkshire, England. Photo © Carl Dixon

1) Blame - vocal radio mix

2) Blame - instrumental mix

3) Blame - vocal guitar mix

4) Blame - vocal hornless mix

5) Blame - saxophone inst mix

6) Blame - Mono vocal mix

7) Blame - Sounds like 60s mono vinyl

Monnow Valley Residential Recording Studio & Rehearsal Facility

http://www.monnowvalleystudio.com

Drew Schulz

https://drew-music.com/

Sam Levine

http://samlevinemusic.com/

Gary Lunn

https://www.facebook.com/garylunnbass

Mark Baldwin

https://markbaldwinguitar.com/about/

Mike Haynes

https://www.facebook.com/mike.haynes.5494

Carl Dixon at Monnow Valley - Photo © Carl Dixon 2014

Please also listen to 'Coming Home' by The Delgonives (Carl Dixon/Rikki James) which was also written at that same 2014 song writing retreat.

Produced, mixed and mastered by Carl Dixon for Bandtraxs Productions

For more information about Bandtraxs releases please visit

www.bandtraxs.com or contact carl@bandtraxs.com

Thursday, 19 May 2022

'She's always mad about something' by The Delgonives

PRESS RELEASE
‘She’s always mad about something’

Written by: Carl Dixon

Performed by
THE DELGONIVES

The official release date is the 20^th December 2017 and can be purchased from Amazon, iTunes and all leading digital streaming services.

Listen here on YouTube

Following on from the 2017 release of 'One piece of cake', The Delgonives perform an exciting new song, but this time with a more 70s groove. Carl Dixon wrote the song with a retro melody that takes the clock back to around 1975 and this production gives it a more east coast sound with sprinklings of Detroit, Philly and the 'Wall of Sound' here and there. This is the eleventh 'Delgonives' release in the last few years and no less than five of those this year alone. This release has a number of versions available to download, including the solo saxophone, organ, vibe and the rhythm plus mix too. All vocals were recorded in London/England, but guitars, bass and horns were recorded in Nashville and the drums by Drew Schultz in Detroit.

In the past Hull born Carl Dixon has co wrote and produced with celebrated Funk Brother guitarist, song writer and performer Dennis Coffey songs featuring Spyder Turner and Cherokee Pree in the ‘Motor City’ along with some other notable ‘Funk Brothers’ and session musicians back in 2008. 'Tell me (crying over you)' and 'Glory Fleeting' featuring Spyder Turner on lead vocals, 'Suddenly there's you' featuring Pree on lead and 'Detroit (city by the river)' by Bandtraxs were all released successfully from that session and are available to purchase or stream.

Later that same year Carl teamed up with Philly legend Bobby Eli where they co wrote, along with singer songwriter Chiquita Green, four new songs in his ‘Grooveyard’ studio. The two releases from that session were ‘There I go falling in love again’ by Chiquita and ‘Soul Recession’ by legendary Salsoul recording harmony group ‘Double Exposure’ famous for such releases as ’My love is free’, ‘Ten percent’ and ‘Every man’. In addition, Carl also has a co write with UK soul singer Diane Shaw and producer Andy Birkinshaw called ‘Good Lovin Man’ which is on her album ‘Love, Life and Strings’. Carl and The Delgonives are also proud to have co produced and sang on Robert and Mike Paladino's 'Soul Girl' parts 1 & 2 in 2015. This song is a derivative of 'The Four Winds' original 'Playgirl' released in 1963. Carl and Robert created this masterpiece remotely via Internet collaboration.

Title: She's always mad about something

Writer: Carl Dixon

Published by: Carl Dixon/CHD Publishing

Artist: The Delgonives

Label: Bandtraxs

ISRC number: GBXNE1700091 to GBXNE1700103

UPC: 191924356516

Sleeve art: Michelle Dixon

This release: 20^th December 2017

Recording location: London/Nashville/Detroit

Drums and tambourine: Drew Shultz

Baritone, alto and tenor sax: Sam Levine

Trombone: Roy Agee

Trumpet: Mike Haynes

Guitar: Mark Baldwin

Bass guitar: Gary Lunn

Keyboards (keys, strings, vibes)/tambourine: Carl Dixon

Produced, mixed and mastered by Carl Dixon for Bandtraxs Productions

For more information about Bandtraxs releases please visit

www.bandtraxs.com or contact carl@bandtraxs.com

Monday, 1 November 2021

'There I go falling in love again by Chiquita Green

September 2009
'THERE I GO FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN'
(Eli/Green/Dixon) ℗2009 Soultronics
Performed By
CHIQUITA GREEN
Listen here👇

Internationally acclaimed Chiquita Green has travelled the world as a professional vocalist and songwriter for over twenty years and has appeared at venues such as The Half Note Jazz Club in Athens, The Q Jazz Club in Istanbul and The Vienne Jazz Festival in France. In addition Chiquita is also a successful vocal arranger, percussionist and producer in her own right and has worked on numerous projects with the likes of Deniece Williams, Russell Thompkins Jr, Ted Mills, Jean Carne and Stevie Wonder. Her vocal production skills and expertise are clearly audible on this fabulous recording celebrated here today. Constantly in the studio exploring her many talents with the soul, jazz and gospel productions she is involved with, she never fails to uplift the session to another level of creativity.

For a spiritual journey of some of her best works check out her CD albums ‘The Sandmouth – Mercy Project’ and ‘Let’s Go’, the latter winning her two ESMA Gospel Awards in 2006 for best urban soul album and best Jazz performance.

The music and vocals on ‘There I go falling in love again’ were all recorded at Bobby Eli’s legendary ‘Studio E’ in Philadelphia, where writer/producer Bobby Eli, vocalist/writer Chiquita Green and writer Carl Dixon crafted this terrific new Philly classic. The rhythm section included some of Philadelphia’s renowned session musicians including those who performed with the legendary ‘MFSB’ and ‘Salsoul Orchestra’ like Bobby Eli, Dennis Harris, Jimmie Williams, T Conway, Earl Young and Rikki Hicks.

Track listing
1) There I go falling in love again by Chiquita Green 3’42”
2) There I go falling in love again (instrumental version) 3’42”
Written by:Bobby Eli/Chiquita Green/Carl Dixon (Soultronics Music/BMI, PRS) © 2009

Produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by: Bobby Eli at Studio E Recording, Upper Darby, PA, USA.

Musician acknowledgments:
Drums – Earl Young
Bass guitar – Jimmie Williams
Keyboards - T Conway/Bobby Eli
Guitars – Bobby Eli/Dennis Harris
Percussion – Rikki Hicks
Additional backing vocals:
Chiquita Green
Janice McClain

© 2009 Soultronics Music All Rights Reserved

Wednesday, 1 September 2021

'Soul Recession' by Double Exposure

PRESS RELEASE

September 2009

“SOUL RECESSION”

(Eli/Green/Dixon) ℗2009 Soultronics

DOUBLE EXPOSURE

They are back - ‘Double Exposure’. A brand new song with thought provoking lyrics and great harmonies, as this fresh Philly production will attest. Times have changed and the group are vocal about today’s recession. Which recession, there is more than one?

'Soul Recession’ is a brand new recording by legendary Philly group ‘Double Exposure’ renowned for their terrific harmonies and celebrated releases on Salsoul Records. Including disco’s very first official 12” record ‘Ten Percent’, they also cut songs like ‘My love is free’ and ‘Everyman’ which remain popular today by still being played in clubs and on radio stations around the world.

‘Double Exposure’ are James Williams, Joseph Harris, Charles Whittington and Leonard ‘Butch’ Davis who were originally called ‘United Image’ back in the 1960’s. They have been singing together since junior high school and have remained friends ever since. The opportunity to record ‘Soul Recession’ was presented to them recently by legendary Philly producer, writer and musician, Bobby Eli; their cumulative magic can be heard on these terrific new productions.

Backed by some of Philadelphia’s finest and renowned session musicians including some original members of MFSB like Earl Young, Bobby Eli, Dennis Harris, Jimmie Williams, T Conway, and Rikki Hicks, the track scrutinises today’s recession implications with a soulful upbeat performance just made for the dance floor. The rhythm, music and vocals were all recorded at Bobby Eli’s legendary ‘Studio E’ in Philadelphia, where writer/producer Bobby Eli, writers Chiquita Green and Carl Dixon, the musicians and ‘Double Exposure’ bounced ideas off one another to create this classic piece of new Philly soul.

In addition to the Bobby Eli mix of ‘Soul Recession’, we include two very special mixes created by music industry gurus John Morales and Tom Moulton. Their pedigrees go back many years as both pioneered early mixing techniques for dance records to extraordinary levels and are still extremely creative with their productions today. Their exceptional contribution to dance music is historic and we can now share and enjoy their enthusiasm again with these distinctive renditions of ‘Soul Recession’. Also included is the ‘announcer’ version of the song featuring Philly personality Jerry Wells who introduces the track with a bespoke news statement just for fun! Being an early incarnation of the song and created the same week the rhythm tracks were recorded in the studio, we felt its inclusion on this selection important. In addition, check out the rather unusual and clever “Ali Baba’s ‘Watcha Gonna Do’ mix”.

We would also like to introduce our very special guest Chiquita Green who performs as the featured artist on bonus track ‘There I go falling in love again’. Internationally acclaimed Chiquita has travelled the world as a professional vocalist and songwriter for over twenty years and has worked on numerous projects with the likes of Patti LaBelle, Deniece Williams, Russell Thompkins Jr, Ted Mills, Jean Carne and Stevie Wonder. Her vocal production skills and expertise are clearly audible on all the recordings celebrated here today.

So take heed, listen please; ‘Double Exposure’ are back!

Track listing

1) SoulRecession (a BobbyEli mix) 4’35”

2) SoulRecession (a BobbyEli mix instrumental) 4’35”

3) SoulRecession (aTom Moulton mix)8 ’35”

4) Soul Recession (a Tom Moulton mix instrumental) 8’18”

5) SoulRecession (a John Morales mix)10’47”

6) SoulRecession (a John Morales mix instrumental)7’15”

7) Soul Recession (Ali Baba’s ‘Watcha Gonna Do’ mix) 4’21”

8) Soul Recession (Radio Announcer mix) 4’ 36”

9) There I go falling in love again by ChiquitaGreen 3’42”

10)There I go falling in love again (instrumental) 3’42”

All songs written by:

Produced, recorded and mixed by:

Bobby Eli at Studio E Recording, Upper Darby, PA

except tracks 3 & 4 mixed by Tom Moulton and tracks 5 & 6 mixed by John Morales

Musician acknowledgments

Drums: Earl Young

Bass guitar: Jimmie Williams

Keyboards: T Conway & Bobby Eli

Guitars: Bobby Eli & Dennis Harris

Percussion: Rikki Hicks

Tambourine: Chiquita Green

Additional percussion on track 5 & 6: John Morales

Radio 'voice over' on announcer version by: Jerry Wells

http://www.youtube.com/phillysoultronics

http://soultronics.blogspot.com/ UPC 884502192759

Friday, 19 February 2021

'You Ain't Changed' by The Delgonives

PRESS RELEASE

‘You Ain’t Changed’

Performed by

THE DELGONIVES

Listen to all versions here

Bandtraxs are delighted to release this version of ‘You ain’t changed’ by The Delgonives, co written by UK performer Johnny Boy Pryers and established UK songwriter Carl Dixon. It follows on from the earlier 2018 release by Johnny Boy also on Bandtraxs Records. This collaboration resulted in a truly authentic sounding blue-eyed soul masterpiece with elements of 60s Detroit soul and Carolina Beach Music. Carl and Johnny had communicated via email since 2007 with a view to someday working together and after meeting face to face at a Butlin’s soul weekender a few years ago, they decided to come up with a song idea and pursue a vocal for it. What transpired after scratch vocals were laid down by Carl for Johnny’s version, it was realised this could easily be a contender for a future ‘The Delgonives’ release also as it fits their style perfectly. Cleverly using the same backing tracks, a number of mixes now exploit the terrific melody and groove of this song and give it further appeal. There are also six instrumental versions to enjoy also.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Title: You ain’t changed
Writers: Carl Dixon/Johnny Pryers
Published by: CHD Publishing
Artist: The Delgonives
Label: Bandtraxs
ISRC number: GBXNE1700081 to GBXNE1700087
UPC: 191924137917
Sleeve art: Michelle Dixon
This release: 2nd April 2021
Recording location: London/Nashville/Detroit
Drums : Drew Shultz
Baritone and tenor sax: Sam Levine
Trombone: Roy Agee
Trumpet: Mike Haynes
Guitar: Mark Baldwin
Bass guitar: Gary Lunn
Keyboards: Carl Dixon

1) You ain't changed - Vocal

2) You ain't changed - Instrumental

3) You ain't changed - Instrumental sax mix

4) You ain't changed - Instrumental vibe mix

5) You ain't changed - Instrumental organ mix

6) You ain't changed - Instrumental rhythm plus mix

7) You ain't changed - Instrumental sax/vibe mix

Produced, mixed and mastered by Carl Dixon for Bandtraxs Productions
For more information about Bandtraxs releases please visit
www.bandtraxs.com or contact carl@bandtraxs.com