Carlton Jumel Smith Ignites With New Summer Anthems
Photos c/o Hello, Exactly! Records
When Carlton Jumel Smith took the stage at Times Square’s B.B. King’s Club in the early 2000s, he made one thing clear: soul music thrives in shared spaces. Whether headlining packed venues or roaming European clubs, Smith has always emphasized connection—come as you are, dance freely, revel together. That philosophy underpins Songs of Summer, his two‐single project out on Hello, Exactly! Records, the nonprofit label founded by Drew Sheldon with the mission “Less music business, more audio community.”
On May 23, Smith released “Shake Hands All Over the World” alongside “Here to Stay,” timed perfectly for Memorial Day weekend. July 4, he wil unveil “Love in the Room”—inspired by a hushed, participatory Sid Gold’s Request Room performance where the boundary between artist and audience vanished.
“Shake Hands All Over the World” kicks off with a conga groove like sunshine on smooth pavement. Smith’s voice enters relaxed yet commanding—equal parts Sam Cooke’s smoothness and Bobby Bland’s authority—inviting you: “Let your hands do the talking, let the music set you free.” Behind him, a bass line weaves a melodic pulse that runs under staccato guitar riffs reminiscent of Steve Cropper’s classic Stax work but transposed into a global context. Each horn stab lands like confetti, celebrating unity as the guitars and percussion push the beat into a transcendent dance floor anthem.
Switching to “Love in the Room”, Smith shifts gears to a hushed, candlelit vibe. A muted trumpet laces the air with Miles Davis–style restraint over a warm chord progression that nods to early Philadelphia soul. In both tracks, Smith’s vocal production captures every breath and slide, while mixing retains slight tape hiss for analogue authenticity.
At its heart, soul music was born in congregational worship and civil‐rights gatherings—voices clashing and uniting in righteous harmony. “Shake Hands” brings that ethos to the global stage: congas speak of Afro‐Caribbean resilience, the chorus extols “all nations, all stations” to join hands. There’s no digital slickness here—just the raw energy of church‐steeped backing vocals that lift the hook into a communal rallying cry. In a world where screens often isolate, “Shake Hands” reminds us that real magic happens when we sync palms and share breath in a crowded space.
Then there’s “Love in the Room,” a song born from a modest Manhattan gig where Smith and his pianist turned audience claps into rhythmic gospel. Here, the track becomes a microcosm of SOUL Newspaper’s mission: to document joy born from adversity, to celebrate gatherings that feel revolutionary simply because they bring people together. In 2025, when many live through headphones, Smith’s invitation is simple: come closer, feel this collective heartbeat.
In an age when streaming algorithms dictate what we hear, Carlton Jumel Smith reminds us that soul music’s true currency is community. Hello, Exactly!’s pledge‐driven model—offering anything from physical singles to private performances—shifts focus from clicks to connections. It’s a return to the days when fans rallied behind artists, when buying a single meant owning a piece of the cultural conversation.
Smith’s union of vintage textures and contemporary relevance—melding Motown, Stax, Philly, and modern soul—ensures these songs aren’t mere nostalgia or simply summer singles—they’re invitations to reimagine soul as a living handshake.
Smith reminds us: Music’s greatest power is the people it brings together. “It’s such an honor to work with Carlton, not just because he’s such a tremendous talent, but because he completely embodies our values of community, openness and acceptance,” stated founder Drew Sheldon in a press release.
Hello, Exactly! Records is inviting fans to pledge their support for the release in exchange for a range of exclusive rewards—from vinyl copies of the singles to an intimate, private performance.
“We really want to make this a special release for everyone involved – and the audience is such a huge part of that for me in every regard,” Smith also stated. “The ability to connect, to share myself with the audience and to have them be so generous in return, that’s the beauty of all music, but especially Soul.”
SONGS OF SUMMER
Track list:
May 23 Release:
Shake Hands All Over the World
Here to Stay
July 4 Release:
Love in the Room*
The Life I Live*
All songs written and performed by Carlton Jumel Smith and Drew Sheldon except (*) where Greg Sundel appears on drums.
Saxophone by Danny Rasczyk
Trumpet by Ronnie Silver
“LOVE IN THE ROOM” and “THE LIFE I LIVE” FROM SONGS OF SUMMER RELEASE
JULY 4, 2025
To help support the release, Hello, Exactly! Records will be accepting pledges from the community of fans and offering various levels of swag in return – from physical copies of the singles to a private performance.
““The ability to connect, to share myself with the audience and to have them be so generous in return, that’s the beauty of all music, but especially Soul.””
