Disco de Jacksoul: “Soulmate”

Haydain Neale, lead singer and songwriter with Canadian group Jacksoul succumbed to lung cancer on November 22 aged 39, leaving behind a wife Michaela, young daughter Yasmin, and bandmates. "SOULmate" is the band's 5th album and comprises 10 tracks written and recorded with Neale before his death, and Executive produced by Neale and his wife.

The band have always been difficult to categorize. Similar to Ben Harper, they have dabbled in Soul, Funk, Jazz and Rock. Neale's rich sonorous tones remind me of UK singer Lemar's or Al Green's.

"Yes I've scraped along this highway / And I've crashed at least a hundred times" sings Neal on opening Rocker Lonesome highway (with rhythmic strummed guitar). The songs are sunny and optimistic, with lyrics dwelling on love. "How we do" finds him laying a quivering Al Green falsetto to a gently swinging groove.

"All you need" is upbeat and sunny, while the beautiful ballad "This is heaven" perfectly showcases his sometimes gravelly voice. "I surrender" is a lilting Caribbean-tinged midtempo song, "It's you" an upbeat edgy Rocker, "Do it to me" is a smouldering midtempo groove, and closing is the Reggae-ish "You're beautiful".

My absolute favourite though is the absolutely stunning and soulful "911" in which he offers refuge to a female friend in an abusive relationship. "Never hesitate to call me" he sings to a groovy twinkly backdrop.

Unencumbered by any excess, this CD is heartfelt and beautiful, a fitting epitaph to a great talent!