Voice of a Soul Angel (From Surrey Comet)

Voice of a Soul Angel

10:51am Wednesday 4th February 2009 in

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Aficionados of authentic soul music have a treat in store when the This Is Soul revue comes to town, featuring those giants of the genre Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band, Jimmy James and groovy soul diva and former Purley resident PP Arnold.

All three artists enjoyed great success during the sixties, so it comes as a surprise that Arnold has never actually worked with Geno and Jimmy before.

“Of course we knew each other and would occasionally meet playing similar circuits,” she said, “but this will be the first time we’ve actually worked together.

“It’s a fantastic line-up and we’re just going to have a lot of fun.”

“Right now I’m hearing things in my voice that I haven’t heard in years, so if you work hard, keep fit and active and maintain your voice, then as you mature you can actually get better.”

PP Arnold

She sounds genuinely excited about the forthcoming shows too, “Oh you know, that’s what it’s all about. Giving it to the people, having a party and having a good time, that’s really what soul music is all about!”

Blessed with a glorious vocal range honed from her gospel background, Patricia Arnold began her career as an Ikette, the backing vocalists for Ike and Tina Turner, but when their soul revue toured England in 1966 supporting the Rolling Stones, Mick Jagger and manager Andrew Loog Oldham convinced her to stay and sign with his newly formed Intermediate label as a solo recording artist.

She scored major hits with The First Cut is the Deepest and Angel of the Morning and worked extensively with label-mates The Small Faces, Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane writing several songs for her, while Pat returned the favour by providing backing vocals for their single Tin Soldier.

Of the three artists on this tour, Pat has certainly enjoyed the more varied career, forming The Nice as her backing group and singing on sessions for everyone from Nick Drake and Eric Clapton to Primal Scream and Oasis.

Looking back, it appears that Pat has actively sought out different styles of music to showcase her soulful voice.

“That’s true, I really, really have,” she said.

“I’ve been so fortunate, you know, I never planned to be in this business, I think that music has saved me.

“Being able to collaborate with people on so many different musical projects has given my career this longevity.

“Some times have been more of a struggle, especially after a certain age…,” Pat laughs again, “some people think it’s all over after thirty, but most voices don’t start to mature until then.

“Right now I’m hearing things in my voice that I haven’t heard in years, so if you work hard, keep fit and active and maintain your voice, then as you mature you can actually get better.”

Pat’s recording history is littered with projects that never quite materialised, so I wondered if there were plans to record and restart her solo career?

“Most definitely, I want that more than anything,” she said.

“It’s amazing that in my whole career, I’ve really only had the two solo albums; but without that record label, without management and that whole support system behind you, it’s really hard to do.

“I made an album with Chaz Jankel of the Blockheads that no one’s ever heard, I’ve got an album with Fuzzy Samuels that never came out, tracks with Eric Clapton and there’s an album that was recorded and produced by Barry Gibb that nobody’s ever heard.

“So there’s a lot of my work hidden away that could have and should have been released, but for industry politics.”

In fact when Britpop came along with its renewed interest in the Mod scene of the sixties, people liked Pat’s connection with the Small Faces and Mick Jagger. “Absolutely, working with Primal Scream and Ocean Colour Scene, bits and pieces with Paul Weller, the Mod scene has kept me alive.

“Plus the exposure of working with Roger Waters as well, he is just a great artist and professional, touring and working with him has been a wonderful experience for me.”

When the current tour heads towards Croydon, Pat could help navigate the tour bus as she actually knows the area quite well.

“When I first stayed over here I lived in Epsom, in a big house with Ian Stewart, the Stones road manager and his girlfriend and record producer Glyn Johns with his girlfriend,” she said.

“Just for the first three or four months after I left Ike and Tina Turner and before I moved into London and things really started happening for me.

“Then in the late nineties I also lived in Purley, during which time I formed the band with Chaz Jankel and played a couple of gigs at the Jazz Café, which was where Roger Waters found me.

“His tour was about ready to start, so it must have been fate that he saw me there and saved me.

“I’ve been truly blessed to have this career, no matter how hard the times I’ve been through, I always feel that I’ve had angels all around me.”

PP Arnold, Jimmy James, Geno Washington and The Ram Jam Band in This Is Soul, Fairfield Halls, Croydon, February 18, 8pm, £18 / £20. Call 020 8688 9291 or visit fairfield.co.uk .