Willis was born in Brooklyn but spent her formative musical years in London, working with The The and Leftfield along with more traditional soul musicians like the Repercussions. Her husband, Finnish musician Jimi Tenor, produced her solo debut in 2000, mixing traditional jazz styles with electronics, as is his wont. The Soul Investigators are themselves a Finnish collective, around nine members strong (it looks like from their photo) and oddly, it's with them that her voice really finds a home.

The album, Keep Reachin' Up, actually came out an embarrassingly long time ago: 2005, in fact, but it had only limited release on a Finnish label. Thankfully, it's finally available on iTunes. Check out "Soul Investigators Theme," an instrumental track that features the piano front and center again.

"Soul Investigators Theme" (via Die Monster)

The groove is insistent and hypnotic, the kind of thing you could set on repeat all night. Or try "Feeling Free," a Marvin Gaye-reminiscent number with an insistent beat, precisely executed by these crazy Finns. The Soul Investigators work in the grand tradition of The Four Tops and The Supremes, but can't help imbue their music with a cool, airy spirit.