Shirley Davis & The Silverbacks - Wishes & Wants LP

British soul diva Shirley Davis returns with Europe’s powerhouse funk outfit the Silverbacks for sophomore long player ‘Wishes & Wants’ released on Tucxone Records.

Authentic funk and soul with a dash of Afrobeat, ‘Wishes & Wants’ was written by Davis in tandem with the Silverbacks musical director and lead guitarist Eduardo Martínez, plus song-writer Marc Ibarz, and it’s a welcome new addition to the lineage of classic soul albums defined by the struggle of a black woman in life, love and loss. Says Davis “We write together - they understand my life story and all I’ve been through”.

Released on Tucxone Records, Tucxone is viewed by funk and soul cognoscenti as a European counterpart to New York’s Daptone Records. Despite having only been in existence since 2013, its artists produce some of the best retro-sounding soul, funk, reggae and afrobeat in Europe – with Davis and the Silverbacks leading the charge.

On ‘Wishes & Wants’ the London diva gives everything, her vocals carrying scorned fury, heartfelt longing and joyous celebration. Her voice echoes the greats of soul music such as Marva Whitney - whom Davis has sung for - and Gladys Knight, as well as contemporary artists such as Macy Gray and Sharon Jones – the latter a friend and mentor to Davis and a pivotal figure in her incredible tale.