Inner Life - Inner Life - LP (1981) Salsoul - CD (2013) Big Break Records- Soul + Booklet (FLAC)

The story starts with lead singer and soul powerhouse Jocelyn Brown.Born in 1950, and reared in a God-fearing family North Carolina, Brown began priming her vocal skills from the tender age of three in a church where all of her extended family sang. Though singing became second nature to her as she got older, Brown never fancied it as a career. "I wasn't really enthused about it," she admits."Because I was around them, I was used to it. It was familiar. But I never considered a future in singing. I wanted to be a schoolteacher and a veterinarian. But it didn't wind up being that way. But by the age of 16, constant prodding from her aunt Barbara Roy (one half of duo Barbara & Brenda, & lead with the wonderful group Ecstacy, Passion, & Pain, POSTED ON THE OLD BLOG) had finally convinced Brown to continue cultivating what she perceived as a natural gift. Roy and another relative had a singing duo called Barbara & Brenda that often moonlighted as background singers for different recording artists.And while Roy's prodding convinced Brown to consider her natural talent, it also came with a bit of tough love and jesting as encouragement to polish it "They used to tease me because they said I always sang the wrong notes," she laughs. "I wanted to go hang out and sing with them, and they would tell me to go sit down somewhere. I used to get really upset and frustrated, because I wasn't looked upon as a singer. So I didn't take singing seriously" But that frustration fueled her desire to measure up to her aunt and cousin's vocal standards. It wasn't long before they took notice of her improvement. And when a recording session called for a third vocalist, the pair decided it was Brown's time to shine. She soon began attending studio sessions in New York City, appearing on recordings as a backing vocalist for artists such as Gene Pitney and Peaches & Herb's 1967 album Let's Fall In Love. It suddenly dawned on Brown that this could be a palpable career after all. discovered that I could make some money at it," she admits. "Then my aunt suggested that I get a singing group together. And I did.The group was called Something Different." Brown made the move to Washington, DC to study at Howard University while making her rounds on the local music scene. It wasn't long before she gave into the pull of the Big Apple. By the end of the 1970,s Inner life was born and released their first album.I decoded to post this up to highlight Jocelyns superb talents that would go on to contribute to other groups:Change,Incognito & Weeks & co. Inner life were Patrick Adams, Leroy jackson, Stan Lucas, & Greg Carmichel who owned Red Greg Records and released the great Donna McGee album "Make It Last Forever"(POSTED ON OLD BLOG).The title track is one of the best records to ever see the light of day IMHO but Jocelyn,s effort featured here is equally as good if not better.Extra tracks on here not on the LP.

                                                                        The Tasters!