Madeline Bell – although her name may not be as widely known as the artists she has collaborated with, her voice is an icon of soul and jazz. If this is the first time you've heard her name, then all the better! It means you have the chance to discover a true musical treasure. Bell is not only the author of captivating solo albums and the vocalist of the legendary group Blue Mink, but also one of the most highly regarded session artists in the history of music. Madeline Bell’s "Soulmates" is a unique gem in the history of jazz music.
Her extraordinary talent and versatility have been appreciated by the greatest. Her vocals were a significant contributor to the success of Joe Cocker’s "With a Little Help from My Friends" a song that became an international hit and an anthem for an entire generation. Cocker reportedly waited patiently for a year for Bell to be available to record the track. Bell also left her indelible mark on John Lennon’s iconic song "Power to the People" and on The Rolling Stones’ legendary classic "You Can’t Always Get What You Want."
Now, for the first time in history, her 2003 album "Soulmates," considered by many to be one of the most mature in her discography, is getting its vinyl debut. This event inaugurates the new, prestigious GOLDENBLACK BAILEO JAZZ series, created in a unique collaboration between Polvinyl Records and the Dutch Baileo Music Productions. The official distributor is the Warsaw store Płyty Gramofonowe. Media partners for the release are portalwinylowy.pl and audiomuzofans.pl. Get ready for a journey into the world of jazz and soul, presented in the best possible edition. https://youtu.be/JWRvJVm31w4
Madeline Bell and "Soulmates" – Sit Back and Listen
Madeline Bell, born in Newark, New Jersey, USA, is a true icon of soul and jazz, whose extraordinary career began in the mid-1950s. After arriving in the UK in 1962, she quickly became one of London's most sought-after session vocalists. Her versatile, expressive voice can be heard on recordings by music legends like Dusty Springfield, Elton John, The Rolling Stones, and even Serge Gainsbourg. As a member of the iconic group Blue Mink, she released timeless hits such as "Melting Pot," which still captivate audiences worldwide.
For many fans, the "Soulmates" album is one of the most significant points in her discography. Originally released in 2003 on CD by the Dutch Baileo Music Productions, it is an exceptional work. The album is pure jazz and funk/soul at its best. Its creation was overseen by the label's founder and outstanding drummer, Jeroen de Rijk, who served as producer, sound engineer, and project manager. The record also features an elite group from the Dutch jazz scene, including Frits Landesbergen (piano), Hans Vroomans (piano), Peter Tiehuis (guitar), Aram Kersbergen (bass), as well as Ruud Breuls (trumpet) and Ilja Reijngoud (trombone). It is thanks to this collaboration that the album showcases Bell's full maturity and vocal mastery.
A History Waiting to Be Discovered
Although "Soulmates" did not receive widespread critical reception, its value among connoisseurs is undeniable. The lack of extensive reviews may be due to the fact that the album was released in 2003, during the early days of online music journalism, which meant many valuable releases were not widely documented at the time.
Today, after more than two decades, it returns on vinyl. This jazz masterpiece finally has a chance to receive the recognition it deserves and be widely shared among lovers of beautiful music. On platforms like Discogs and Last.fm, the album enjoys high ratings and strong interest from collectors. This is not just a reissue; it is a return to a world of sound that has been waiting to be rediscovered. We are confident that this new vinyl release will allow the "Soulmates" album to reach a wider audience and earn its rightful place in music history.
The "Soulmates" album is a true feast for jazz fans, offering new, fresh interpretations of well-known standards. One of the most moving moments on the album is the rendition of the iconic song "Somewhere Over The Rainbow." In Madeline Bell’s interpretation, it takes on a new, mature character, revealing the extraordinary depth of her voice and her mastery of emotion. https://youtu.be/i9uElBmoHdk
The GOLDENBLACK BAILEO JAZZ Series – A Polish-Dutch Collaboration
The Madeline Bell album "Soulmates" is the first release in the GOLDENBLACK BAILEO series. The brainchild behind this venture is Dominik Tomczyk, a businessman, business angel, and co-founder of POLVINYL Records. He found Jeroen on... LinkedIn. And so, the business world gave birth to a jazz child in the form of a beautifully sounding vinyl record.
The series' mission is to present world-class jazz albums in a vinyl format that were previously available only on CDs. GOLDENBLACK BAILEO is described as a "unique jazz series" and "a musical journey in the footsteps of the greatest jazz traditions." The original albums in this series were recorded and mastered by the Dutch company Baileo Music Productions. It is worth noting that some of them were recorded in a soundproof church or in single takes without any corrections, which provides an exceptional level of listening experience.
Technical and Artistic Specifications
Releases in the GOLDENBLACK BAILEO series are characterized by their LP (180g vinyl) format. The sound of the "Soulmates" album, as well as the others, is supervised by Michał "Rosa" Rosicki from the production collective Red Producers. The mastering process was carried out from a CD because the original session files were not preserved. POLVINYL, responsible for pressing (records pressed at the partner pressing plant RAND MUZIK in Germany), made as many as three test pressings.
To ensure the highest sound quality and an excellent listening experience, we commissioned a detailed audio analysis of our test pressing. "We used the iZotope RX 10 Audio Editor for the analysis," explains Pan Winyl. "This advanced audio editing and repair software uses machine learning algorithms. It is a professional tool used to remove noise, pops, clipping, echo, and other unwanted sounds from recordings." The purpose of this was to preemptively check the record for any unwanted effects and ensure it reaches listeners in the best possible condition. Thanks to this detailed analysis, we can proudly confirm that we have made every effort to ensure that the vinyl records in the GOLDENBLACK BAILEO series offer the highest possible sound quality.
Upcoming Titles in the Series
- Louis van Dijk "Moonlight In Vermont" (estimated release date October/November 2025)
- 4 Of A Kind "Cattin’" feat. Dado Moroni (estimated release date November/December 2025)
From Amsterdam to Warsaw – The Story of GOLDENBLACK BAILEO's Creation
Baileo Music Productions and Jeroen de Rijk – The Heart of the Project
Baileo Music Productions is a Dutch music production company, booking agency, and independent label, founded in the summer of 1998 in Amsterdam by Frits Landesbergen and Jeroen de Rijk.
Since its inception, the company has been passionate about connecting people through music – in live settings, through custom music, and studio recordings. Baileo is also a record label for CDs, vinyl, and DVDs, with a catalog of around 60 releases.
At the helm of Baileo Music Productions is Jeroen de Rijk, an acclaimed drummer and music entrepreneur from Amsterdam. Since 1981, he has recorded for approximately 350 albums and countless jingles, played live, and also worked as a "clinician." In the music industry, especially for highly-regarded instrumentalists like Jeroen, a "clinic" is a meeting or workshop where a musician demonstrates their skills and shares their knowledge, techniques, and experiences with other musicians or students. It is a form of masterclass or teaching session.
Jeroen de Rijk has been named "Best Benelux Drummer" ten times by readers of "Slagwerkkrant" magazine, and in 2020, he won the title of "All-Time Favorite Benelux." In his extensive career, he has collaborated with many world-class artists, including David Guetta, Bruno Mars ("Versace On The Floor"), George Duke, Yellowjackets, Metropole Orchestra, Pat Metheny, Toots Thielemans, Dado Moroni, and Candy Dulfer. His contribution to the posthumous Michael Jackson album "Xscape" is one of the absolute highlights of his career as a studio musician. Jeroen de Rijk was involved in Michael Jackson’s single "Love Never Felt So Good."
Baileo Music Productions is the publisher of four Madeline Bell albums: "Melting Pot," "Blessed," "Blue Christmas," and "Soulmates."
From Amsterdam to Kraków – The Story of GOLDENBLACK BAILEO's Creation
How We Met
It all began during one of our weekly meetings at Polvinyl. That’s when Dominik shared his extraordinary discovery on LinkedIn – he had connected with Jeroen de Rijk from the Netherlands. It quickly became clear that our new Dutch friend had an impressive catalog of jazz recordings that had never been released on vinyl.
When we gained access to these musical archives, we were simply blown away. The richness and quality of the music were so immense that it was difficult to decide which album to start with. However, one title captured all of our hearts without exception – the Madeline Bell album "Soulmates." It was this record, with its unique energy and class, that became the perfect choice to inaugurate our new, collaborative GOLDENBLACK BAILEO JAZZ series.
New Beginnings and Exceptional Partners
Our collaboration with Jeroen de Rijk has been exceptional from the very beginning. After many months of productive discussions, online meetings, and a personal visit from Jeroen to Kraków, where Dominik had the opportunity to spend time with this extraordinary, open, and warm person, we were convinced that our "musical chemistry" was something special. We all share the same love for music and a commitment to honest collaboration, and this is just the beginning of our journey together.
After finalizing the first few titles for release, we started looking for the right partners in Poland. We entrusted the distribution of our series to the Płyty Gramofonowe store, owned by Wojtek "Gofer" Kapelko. We believe it is the most jazz-oriented independent vinyl store in the country, and their dedication and passion perfectly align with our mission.
Our vision was also supported by our media partners – the websites Portal Winylowy and Audiomuzofans. Both publications speak highly of our project, which confirms its value. Thanks to them, we will be able to reach a wider audience and ensure these albums get the recognition they deserve among lovers of great music.
Events, Reception, and Distinctions
Official Test Pressing Listening Session An official listening session for the "Soulmates" vinyl test pressing took place on April 12th in Warsaw. The event was held at the Płyty Gramofonowe store at 11 Ząbkowska Street. During this special evening, attendees had the unique opportunity to experience the sound of the upcoming release and meet Tomek Olszewski, also known as PanWinyl.pl. It was an excellent occasion to share impressions and celebrate the return of this jazz-soul album in vinyl form.
Album Reception
The Madeline Bell album "Soulmates" has been well-regarded since its original release, although its broader critical reception remains limited. Nevertheless, existing data from music platforms indicates its high quality and interest among listeners.
This album, which was not fully appreciated at the time, has the potential to gain wider recognition thanks to its vinyl reissue as part of the GOLDENBLACK BAILEO series. This new release will allow it to reach new audiences and enable them to rediscover its unique sound and Madeline Bell’s versatile, expressive voice.
Media Patronage and Certification
We are proud to announce that the release of "Soulmates" in the GOLDENBLACK BAILEO series has been granted media patronage by Portal Winylowy, which we are very proud of and grateful for!
Summary and Invitation
The release of Madeline Bell’s album "Soulmates" as part of the GOLDENBLACK BAILEO series is much more than just another vinyl record. It is, first and foremost, a profound tribute to the extraordinary talent of Madeline Bell, whose versatile and expressive voice has captivated audiences for over 65 years, easily adapting to diverse musical styles and genres. It is also an expression of unwavering passion for music – a passion that Baileo Music Productions has cultivated since 1998, connecting people through studio recordings and live performances, and which Jeroen de Rijk, a multi-award-winning drummer, embodies as a musician and entrepreneur.
This unique reissue is also proof that true quality will stand the test of time. Thanks to the meticulous production process, including analog mastering dedicated to vinyl and the creation of three test pressings to ensure the highest sound quality, this timeless work has been recreated at an unparalleled level. Despite the limited number of critical reviews, existing data, such as the average rating of 5/5 stars on Discogs and collector interest, confirm the album's lasting value. The GOLDENBLACK BAILEO series brings "Soulmates" back to life, offering both long-time fans and new listeners the opportunity to discover its exceptional sound and depth in the best possible edition.