Honoré “Honoré” — CD

HONORÉ “Honoré” — CD — Soul Jones Records — 30th October 2026

Soul Jones Records proudly presents the self-titled debut from Honoré (pronounced “On-or-Ray”), the Motor City-raised singer-songwriter who followed her heart to Toronto and wrote an album about it. It runs from heartbreak to happy ending, and it doubles as a love letter to the soul she grew up on, 1972 to ’86: Philly, disco, sweet southern soul and the big eighties ballad.

Picture Minnie Riperton or Deniece Williams fronting a Thom Bell session, with a Detroit rhythm section underneath. That’s the sound, and she did it properly, paying for it out of her day job, session by session. Every track features the 18-piece Detroit Soulchestra, strings, full brass and harp, led by producer and arranger Maurice “Pirahnahead” Herd (Victoria Monét, Lucky Daye, Sy Smith, De La Soul), a protégé of Motown’s Paul Riser. Alongside it is her crack session band, the Detroit Lovers: Ron Otis on drums, Takashi Iio on bass, Antony Gordon on keys, and Wayne Gerard and KC Roberts on guitars. Co-producer Thomas McKay, formerly of Nightcrawlers (“Push The Feeling On”), cut most of the vocals in Toronto. Honoré wrote or co-wrote every song, and sang Pirahnahead her own ideas for the strings, counter-melodies and horn lines.

Soul-heads already know the singles. The sweet soul double A-side “It’s Over” / “Innocent and Real” opened the account, “It’s Over” riding a Philly brass fanfare to BBC Radio 2 and Jazz FM airplay and #2 on the UK Soul Chart, “Innocent and Real” becoming a connoisseur favourite. The euphoric ’70s super-soul of “Ain’t No Substitute” went one better and hit #1. This summer’s “We’re Still Making Love” served up gorgeous Hi Records-style southern soul for the steppers, while current single “Overcome” is a Gamble & Huff-style message song riding tight Earth, Wind & Fire funk.

Then there are the deep cuts. “Never Get Enough” opens the album on the dancefloor, the soul side of disco in the Stephanie Mills and Sister Sledge mould, with a lyric that’s grown and sexy. “Unrequited Love” is the eighties power duet nobody dares attempt any more, Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle style, with old Zebula Avenue bandmate Caleb Gutierrez channelling his inner James Ingram. The pair sang it live in the studio, face to face, and you can hear the chemistry. Honoré makes no apology: “Nobody does cheese anymore. So I’m going to make good cheese!”

“One Man Woman” is the centrepiece, the big side-two statement in the tradition of the O’Jays’ classic Philly albums. Written once she was safely married, it looks back on the breakup that took her to the brink. She dictated KC Roberts’ guitar solo bar by bar so it tells the story again without words, and cut the final, keening note in Detroit with Pirahnahead in the booth, hand raised, urging her higher. Then “Toronto” brings it home, cocktail-hour jazz chords and a thick, Isleys “Voyage To Atlantis”-style guitar solo from James Browneagle Niemi, a toast to the city that came with the man.

Echoes put her on its cover. SoulTracks readers voted her Newcomer Soul Artist of the Year for 2025. Now comes the album: out 30th October on CD and digital, with the LP to follow in November.

Philly strings, Detroit grooves and a five-octave love story. Dig it.

Album: “Honoré”

Written by: Maureen Honoré (“It’s Over” co-written with Tim Bovaconti)
Produced by: Maurice “Pirahnahead” Herd, Thomas McKay
Arranged by: Maurice “Pirahnahead” Herd
Mixed by: Vic Florencia
Mastered by: Philip Shaw Bova
Additional mastering by: Donald Cleveland for DCBA
Vocal engineer: Tom Rice
Vocals, backing vocals: Maureen Honoré
The Detroit Lovers: Takashi Iio (bass), Ron Otis (drums), Antony Gordon (keys/synth), Wayne Gerard (guitar)
Additional musicians: Thomas McKay and Sasha Kashperko (guitar, 6, 8), KC Roberts (electric guitar, 7), Doron Berlin and Paul Frydrych (guitar, 7), James Browneagle Niemi (lead guitar, 9), Chris Codish (organ, 4), Larry Fratangelo (percussion, 1, 2)

Duet vocals: Caleb Gutierrez (5)

Backing vocals: The Ward Family – Keir, Arym, Timothy (1, 2)

Strings and Brass: Detroit Soulchestra Ensemble, led by Maurice “Pirahnahead” Herd; contractor: John Madison

Cat. Nos: SJRCD01

Label: Soul Jones Records

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