| VA: - Rare, Blue Eyed & Northern Soul |
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Vinyl Only Records 2006 | LP | 18.00 € |
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| VA: - Real Thing - The Songs Of Ashford, Simpson & Armstead The songs of Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson could occupy a whole Hall Of Fame to themselves. There can’t be any students of popular music who are not familiar with at least a few of their classics, be they their own hits like ‘Solid’ or those they wrote for Motown’s ‘A’ list artists, such as ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’ and ‘Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing’ for Marvin & Tammi and ‘Reach Out And Touch (Somebody’s Hand)’ for Diana Ross. These and many like them are as much a part of our lives as getting up in the morning. Less well known outside of connoisseur soul circles are the songs they wrote in the years immediately leading up to ‘Ain’t No Mountain’, with their original collaborator Joshie “Jo” Armstead. Between 1964 and 1967, the trio collaborated on a significant number of superior songs to provide hits for artists including Chuck Jackson and Maxine Brown, Betty Everett, Aretha Franklin and scores more. This month we celebrate their three-way collaborations with “The Real Thing”, the latest volume in our songwriter series and the first to appear on Kent. This CD brings together just about all of the most notable “JoValNick” compositions and embellishes them with a handful of early songs that Ashford and Simpson wrote without Jo. Given that it’s a Kent CD, the soul content is very high – as well as those already mentioned, others who bring the songs to life include the Crystals, the Coasters, Candy and the Kisses, Tina Britt, the Shirelles, the Apollas, Marie Knight and blue eyed soulster Ronnie Milsap. (The inclusion of many of those and other equally notable names will ensure that it also goes straight onto the shopping list of every girl group aficionado…) And as for those songs, there and many among those who will buy it who will not be familiar with at least one version of ‘Let’s Go Get Stoned’, ‘Running Out’, ‘Cry Like A Baby’ or ‘You’re Absolutely Right’. These are part of the very fabric of 60s soul and it would be impossible to imagine life without them after almost 45 years! Mick Patrick has maintained the perfect balance between the strikingly familiar and sensationally obscure that we always continue to aim for throughout this series and he is to be congratulated for doing so, given that Nick, Valerie and Joshie worked together for a much shorter period of time than most of those who’ve so far appeared in the series. Valerie and Nick are said to be hard to please when it comes to reissues of their early work, but they can feel justifaibly proud of this splendid revelation of the genesis of their songwriting (as can Ms Armstead). Looks to me like this could be The Real Thing! Ain’t Nothing Like It… By Tony Rounce (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2009 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Red Bird Story Vol. 1 2LP 60 original recordings from the celebrated New York label including classic tracks from The Shangri-Las, The Dixie Cups and more. Founded in 1964 by songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Red Bird Records may only have been operational for three years but during that time the label became synonymous with the 60s girl group sound, particularly due to the success of The Shangri-Las and The Dixie Cups – both of whom scored No.1 hits for Red Bird in its fledgling year. Rising Phoenix-like from earlier try-outs with Tiger (founded in 1962) and later Daisy (in 1963), Red Bird was unique among indie labels in that its output was of a consistently high standard and almost half of its releases made a commercial impact. The secret to Red Bird’s “hit factory” lay in no small part with the chart-topping Brill Building songwriting team of Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry who’d previously penned hits for producer Phil Spector’s Ronettes and Crystals. In the years prior to the British Invasion, the husband and wife wrote prolifically for most of the label’s biggest names including the aforementioned Shangri-Las (‘Leader Of The Pack’, ‘Out In The Streets’) and Dixie Cups (‘Chapel Of Love’) The Butterflys (‘Goodnight Baby’), Sam Hawkins (‘Hold On Baby’), The Ad Libs (‘He Ain’t No Angel’) and Andy Kim (‘I Hear You Say’), as well as occasionally recording in their own right. This deluxe two disc set draws together the best of Red Bird along with tracks from its Blue Cat Soul/R&B subsidiary and material from the short-lived Tiger and Daisy affiliates. Carefully compiled and annotated by Roger Dopson, this compilation is a worthy successor to previous volumes incorporating lesser-heard gems alongside the major hits. |
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Charly 2012 | LP | 28.00 € |
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| VA: - Red Bird Story Vol. 2 2LP |
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Charly 2012 | LP | 28.00 € |
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| VA: - Respect - Aretha's Influences And Inspiration Considering she is still such an influence on so many others artists, Aretha Franklin’s own inspirations might have been a little overlooked. This Ace CD addresses that situation perfectly. The 24 R&B, soul and gospel recordings here, many of them performed by Aretha's favourite artists, helped influence and inspire her to become the great artist she is. Aretha recorded a tremendous number of covers over the years. Her choices of the best songs to record in her own way were impeccable. ‘Respect’ is totally different to Otis Redding’s storming original and it established her as the female soul singer to beat for years to come. Likewise Don Covay’s See Saw’, which in her hands proved to be a bigger R&B hit than its writers’ own version. An important influence on Aretha was Little Miss Cornshucks. Obscure to the general public, Ahmet Ertegun named her as his favourite blues singer of all time. Here is her recording of ‘Try A Little Tenderness’ from 1952, generally regarded as the first R&B version of this classic song. Aretha recorded the number for Columbia in 1962. Aretha first heard Ray Charles’ version of ‘Drown In My Own Tears’ (originally cut by Lula Reed) on the radio one night after she had gone to bed. She said she heard his voice coming out of the dark and that she had never heard anything like that before. I’ve a soft spot for the version by the underestimated Jean Wells. Coincidentally Wells is featured here singing Clyde Otis’ ‘Sit Down And Cry’, later recorded by Aretha for her “This Girl’s In Love With You” album. From the same Calla label as Jean’s record comes ‘Prove It’ by the under-recorded Mary Wheeler from 1966, which Aretha cut a year after for the “Aretha Arrives” LP. One of Aretha’s greatest influences was the gospel legend Clara Ward, featured here with ‘The Day Is Passed And Gone’, a song that was among the very first she covered, and sung by her at Clara’s funeral in 1973. As often with Ace compilations an alternate, extended or album cut is used, not just securing sales to completists (join the club!), but giving an interesting slant on well-known or well-loved recordings. This collection is no exception, offering, for example, the stereo LP versions of Otis’s ‘Respect’ and Ben E King’s ‘Don’t Play That Song (You Lied)’, which features the verses in a different order to the single. Other big names include Wilson Pickett with the tremendous ‘I’m In Love’ (Aretha considers Pickett to be one of the great soul singers, and vice versa, if you remember his comments about a party at her house in Only The Strong Survive), Bobby Womack, Howard Tate, Bobby Bland and Dinah Washington. The woman recently named the Greatest Singer of All Time by Rolling Stone magazine certainly has the best of taste. BY JOHN MARRIOTT (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2009 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Return Of Mod Jazz 24 tracks |
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Ace Records 2005 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Richard Rodgers' No Strings - An After Theatre Version Broadway Musical Hit - Chris Connor, Bobby Short, Lavern Baker, Herbie Mann |
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Collectables 2004 | CD | 15.00 € |
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| VA: - Richard Searling Presents - 100% Casino 20 Northern Soul Classics |
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Goldmine Soul Supply 1998 | CD | 18.00 € |
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| VA: - Road To Soul 2CD A selection of 55 songs which present the intensity of African American church music and R&B sounds which helped to shape soul music in the '60s. Includes such major stars as: James Brown, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Etta James, Tina Turner and more! Features hit singles like: 'What'd I Say', 'You Send Me', 'Money' and 'Hit the Road Jack'. Fully detailed liner notes on the roots of soul with even more extensive notes available here. |
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Jasmine Records 2012 | CD | 13.00 € |
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| VA: - Rock On ROCK ON was the first collectors' shop in England to stock almost every style of retro music. This compilation resounded at the Rock On palaces of wax is a turkey-free zone, with a little something for everyone. |
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Ace Records 2008 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Rock Your Baby t’s an odd truism in music that the songs that last the longest aren’t the Grammy winners, or the Mull of Kintyres or the multi million-selling soundtracks, but the songs that are sung in the playground and passed down from generation to generation. Maybe things have changed since I was a loveable scamp, but certainly in the 70s I was gleefully singing songs about the various bells of London or mass death via the plague. Just as oddly, if I were somehow elevated a minimum of two inches higher than my classmates I would proudly declare them dirty rascals, despite the fact this hadn’t been an effective insult for over a century. Perhaps today a government department sponsored by an alcopop manufacturer gives credits according to which corporate-owned nastiness kids choose to jig about to, but I for one hanker after a more innocent time. Which is exactly where this album comes in. I love my kids, really I do. Even when I think I don’t, deep down I know I do. I love my kids and I love my car and I love my music, so this album was put together for those infuriating long journeys and those infuriating short journeys, when Clive and Natasha are creating in the backseat. We all fancy a singalong but I’m not in the mood for the tweenies, but I am in the mood for a long list of names that almost rhyme with food, or songs about idiot amphibians or dance tunes about monkeys. This will keep us all entertained for a couple of hours, till the little poppets have worn themselves out and I can rest easy, safe in the knowledge that I’m a great dad, and that my kids are entirely fictional. Which is a relief, as he doesn’t really look much like me and I’m not entirely sure if that’s how you spell her name. So here we go, a new musical curriculum for the young and the simple of mind. By Mark Lamarr (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2011 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Roots Of British Beat 2CD |
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Fantastic Voyage 2012 | CD | 15.00 € |
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| VA: - Shattered Dreams - Funky Blues 1967-1978 As soul became the music of black America in the late 60s, blues performers had to adapt to survive. Playing to the white rock crowd was an attractive option, but in hundreds of sweaty, run-down clubs across the US an older urban black audience was still there to be entertained. Blues musicians made a few concessions to the age, added funk licks and a few soul screams and created some seriously good music, which has often been ignored by blues scholars. “Shattered Dreams” is BGP’s celebration of that period. In recent years funky blues has become a sought-after genre, especially with younger collectors. Numbers such as Finis Tasby’s ‘It Took A Long Time’, Slim Green’s ‘Shake It Up’ and Buddy Guy’s ‘I’m Not The Best’ can all fill a dancefloor with their wild energy. The blues guys could certainly hit a groove, but if this CD captures anything it is a sense of despair you can hear as Smokey Wilson sings ‘You Shattered My Dreams’ – despair for an age that was fading away. Drawn from the vaults of such influential players as Stax, Modern and legendary producer Johnny Otis, this is exciting music from major names such as Little Milton, Lowell Fulson and Albert King, all using the nous gathered through years on the chitlin’ circuit to keep themselves relevant to record-buying audiences of the day. Elsewhere we have some terminally obscure names and cult heroes. Finis Tasby and Smokey Wilson create music of great worth that was rarely heard at the time, never mind 40 years later. This is music that has been hidden away, sometimes ignored for being neither one thing nor the other. Put “Shattered Dreams” in the player and you will very quickly be brought into a world of older guys still making it in the world. There is a lot of tough talk, but despite being cool, they are still stuck in a world of trouble full of women that make it hard for them, or who are trying to use them. Listen to Albert King on ‘Playin’ On Me’ and you are listening to a man expounding themes that wouldn’t sound out of place on rap records recorded decades later. The same could be said of Smokey Wilson’s previously unreleased ‘High Time’ or Arthur K Adams’ ‘Gimme Some Of Your Lovin’’. These 21 tracks define an era when bluesmen were not the big stars they had been a decade or so earlier, struggling to keep it together in a world where their music was fast becoming a thing of the past. By Dean Rudland (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2011 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Shrine: The Rarest Soul Label Vol. 2 Volume 2 of the story wraps up all the outstanding releases and unissued tapes that appeared on the Horace's LPs a dozen years ago, but also has some outstanding exclusives of its own. The most notable of these are the two Bobby Reed tracks that I discovered in a tape vault about five years ago and which happened to be outstanding 1966 dancers. Baby Don't Leave Me is typically Shrine with a pounding fast beat, strings and heavenly backing singers, while Caldonia Brown is more Jackie Wilson's mid-60s Brunswick style. Label owner Eddie Singleton was of course working at Brunswick as well at the time and had previously produced Jackie's SOUL GALORE LP. While Bobby Reed had also had a Brunswick release of his Clay Town You Are single, so the connection is not surprising. From the same period came the exquisite Wisemen's ballad I Wouldn't Mind Crying, written by Eddie and one of his favourite pieces of work. Whilst also in the slow and moody vein, is a lovely DC Blossoms' track This Is Your Last Chance, that was found tucked away on the original Shrine 1/2" master tapes and had been missed when I originally went through them with Eddie. There's also the rousing Take A Look At Your Baby by the Cautions-.-that originally came from the Scepter studios where the master tapes were left when Eddie hurriedly left New York. It is from the same session that produced Fall Guy and the late 1966 influence of a very slightly off-beat rhythm can be felt on both songs. So that's five new Shrine recordings exclusive to this CD, and the final track Peaches Baby is virtually in this category. This is the rarest of the rare-.-the last release to be confirmed when Shrine super-sleuth Andy Rix found one of the group (who we only knew about from what we then considered to be an unissued master tape of My Only Love), who confirmed that the single had come out and that indeed he had a copy. As the A-side Peaches Baby had never been heard apart from as the instrumental backing track, its arrival was eagerly anticipated. But tragedy struck when it was posted across the Atlantic Ocean with virtually no protection, on this the most brittle of all labels, and arrived in pieces. Some time later US collector and dealer Lew Stanley picked up a copy and kindly allowed us to dub the precious 45, so we can at last include it and complete the story. The sound quality is admittedly poor and may have been the reason for the scarcity of the disc if, as has been speculated, it was withdrawn from sale for this reason. But the effort, tears and wranglings that have gone into finding the thing meant it was inevitable it would make it on to this CD if only for curiosity's sake alone. One or two of the other tracks are aurally below Kent's usual standard, but that was a problem that no doubt contributed to the complex reasons for Shrine's rarity and collectability. The Cairos' Don't Fight It is the other most notable example with no master tape and this dub actually taken from a super-rare mint copy of the record but still sounds audibly confused. Its musical merits are high and again it's a must have on the CD. When master tapes were available the quality of Shrine's work is fully revealed and tracks like the Prophets' If I Had (One Gold Piece), the Enjoyables' Shame and Sidney Hall's I'm A Lover shine out as great examples of mid 60s soul music at its most sophisticated and creative. Eddie Daye's ballad, What Am I Gonna Do is a slow soul masterpiece and Ray Pollard's This Time and The Cautions No Other Way are Northern Soul classics whose mid 80s spins created enough enthusiasm to get the scene through its darkest days. Northern Soul and 60s soul in general owes a huge debt to Eddie Singleton, Raynoma "Miss Ray" Gordy, Stanley Ossman, Carl Kidd, Kenny Lewis and Harry Bass, along with all the artists, for pursuing a dream that wasn't realised but left us a wonderful legacy of music to savour and enjoy for ever. By Ady Croasdell (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2002 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Something Good From The Goffin & King Songbook A new volume in Ace’s Songwriters series is always a cause for celebration, and all the more so when the writers concerned are Gerry Goffin and Carole King. As arguably the greatest of the so-called Brill Building teams, their catalogue is unmatched in its quality and hit-rate. No songwriters of the era articulated the emotions of adolescence and the pains of teen-dom with quite the same mix of innocence and sophistication of Goffin and King; they were, after all, still teenagers themselves when they were crafting much of this material, so were experiencing the same emotions as their audience. Even so, you might think that, this being Ace’s third collection of their compositions, the well of hits might have run dry. But then “Something Good” opens with the Drifters’ joyous ‘At The Club’ (the superior and rarely heard single version) and you know that once again Mick Patrick and Tony Rounce have served up another peerless compilation of classics, near misses and lost obscurities. You’ll find hits aplenty on “Something Good”, including essential recordings from the Chiffons (‘One Fine Day’), the Byrds (‘Goin’ Back’) and the Cookies (‘Don’t Say Nothin’ Bad (About My Baby)’). But, as is their way, the compilers have again taken the path less travelled, usually plumping for a more obscure interpretation (or, more often, an earlier recording) of a catalogue favourite. Thus we get Bunny Sigler’s version of ‘Will You Love Me Tomorrow’ over the Shirelles’, ‘The Loco-Motion’ interpreted by Dee Dee Sharp rather than Little Eva, and a version of ‘It Might As Well Rain Until September’ from Bobby Vee instead of Carole’s own take. Whether this is by design isn’t clear (or particularly relevant), but boy, it ain’t half refreshing. Revelations also come thick and fast. Bobby Goldsboro’s warm, optimistic ballad ‘The Time For Us’ is new to me, and is the only known recording of this number. At the other end of the spectrum is the Eccentric’s’ (that’s not a typo!) ‘What You Got’, a snotty, clangourous freakbeat gem apparently modelled very closely on Carole’s original demo. She could turn her hand to anything, it seems. And it’s always a joy – though one tinged with melancholy – to hear Lesley Gore’s ‘The Old Crowd’, a vibrant yet achingly wistful rumination on lost youth, and for me as good as anything Gerry & Carole wrote. The sleeve notes tell the story behind each recording, and the booklet is brimful with the kind of photos and details you come to expect from Ace. The CD’s strapline indicates that this third instalment of the Goffin & King songbook might just be the best one yet. Who am I to argue? By Harvey Williams (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2012 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Soul Classics Vol. 4 |
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Collectables 1999 | CD | 10.00 € |
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| VA: - Soul Of Detroit |
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Lupine | LP | 13.00 € |
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| VA: - Soul Of Detroit |
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Relic Records 1992 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Soul Of Money Records High quality 60s and 70s LA soul from an indie label with a fine pedigree and polished productions. |
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Ace Records 2002 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Soul Of Money Records Vol. 3 After John Dolphin was shot dead in 1958, his wife Ruth continued to run the business through to the mid 70s. She was very business savvy and knew how to pick the right people and delegate properly. Al Scott, Arthur Wright, Hank Jacobs, Don Julian and Rudy Ray Moore made sure that if it was a Money release it was going to be good. This final volume of the Money soul story begins with Bettye Swann, the artist whose success was the rock on which this musical history was built. I’m not sure if the Northern soul public, or even the modern soul division, realise how good these tracks are. Virtually all self-penned, Bettye’s tracks manage to combine true emotion with the dance beats and hip sounds of the day. ‘Don’t Take My Mind’ and ‘The Heartache Is Gone’ both sound stunning while the LP version of ‘I Will Not Cry’ is totally different to the flip that sold a million copies on the back of ‘Make Me Yours’; it is far superior. Undoubtedly Bettye’s success in selling so well has led to some rare soul fans bypassing her 45s for scarcer sounds. I have done it myself, only to be extra pleased when I turn up overlooked gems like these. Other Money, Ten Star, Utopia and Call Me releases on this volume include Bobby Angelle’s three tracks: a super-rare mid 60s dancer; an uptempo take on a great Jimmy Reed number and a churchified southern soul wailer á là James Brown. There’s a stomper and a beautiful ballad from the Larks, and an attempt to cash in on the beat boom by passing themselves off as a bunch of Limeys that fooled nobody apart from me. Other regular label Money contributors include M&M & The Peanuts with a vocal group ballad and a pretty mid-tempo ditty for all you lovers out there, while Hank Jacobs either fronting, or as just part of the TKOs, gives us two, possibly three, organ-led soul/jazz/funk groovers. Money’s proliferation of great 60s soul sides has meant that its modern soul profile has never been particularly high, despite the excellence of those later releases: Delilah Moore, Pat Livingston and Eddie Horan being particular highlights. The unissued masters are also of very high quality, an example being the Choice Of Colors’ terrific 1971 recording, inexplicably left to gather dust on the shelves. Other highlights include singer-songwriter Eric Williams’ one shot at stardom and an attempt at being Sam & Dave from Tommy & Eddie. (Earlier in the year they were known as Buster & Eddie of ‘Can’t Be Still’ Northern soul fame.) Both of those singles are scarce and collectable, as is the Question Marks track featured. The Mysteries are a made up “unknown” group name, thereby adding some whodunit action to the story. There are half a dozen catalogue numbers with no record allocated to them; perhaps they will turn out to be the missing releases and the Mysteries will be solved. If you’ve got those missing numbers languishing in your collection, don’t forget to tell us. Ady Croasdell 2009 (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2009 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Soul Vocal Groups from The West Coast Vol. 1 15 biisiä The Dupremes / Nights |
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Famous Groove Records 1994 | CD | 12.00 € |
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| VA: - Soul Vocal Groups Vol. 1 From the West Coast - LA. 15 tracks : The Nights / The Dupremes |
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Famous Groove 1994 | CD | 13.00 € |
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| VA: - Soulful Sounds From Soulville 25 tracks. The Soulville Jaywalking Story. What’s new from Soulville? Is Soulville back? What ever happened to Soulville? These are questions that have been asked. Thee Reverend Bobby Fulton, the original founder of Soulville says that Soulville never went away and soul music is still alive at Soulville. This CD/Vinyl album compilation features a Soulville Allstars revue. With an office now in Pittsburgh, Soulville is being manufactured, marketed and distributed by Get Hip Archive Series. Started in September 1967 by Bobby Fulton, Toby Young, Jimmy Walker and Hulie Diggs, Soulville Records was conceived to fill the void for a Gospel/Soul record label in the Harrisburg and central Pennsylvania area. The label’s first release was “Nobody To Blame”/“Nothing Matters” by the Soulville All Stars, a young racially mixed Harrisburg eight-piece band. Though this 45 didn’t garner much attention, their second did: “Be My Girl”/“I’m Gonna Get You” was very well-received. Jay-Walking was started as another attempt to get more radio airplay. Like many labels, Soulville found that DJ’s wouldn’t play every release by a specific label. It was named to honor Jimmy Walker who ironically would dissolve his partnership soon after. Toby Young also faded in the background afterwards leaving Bobby Fulton as the main man. The departure was amicable and they all remained friends. Fulton kept the rights to Soulville and Rob-Cole Music. In fact, Fulton would serve as road manager/organist for labels biggest success, the Continental Four. Bobby Fulton was also one a vocalist for the soul group The Emperors, who cut a one hit dance number called “Karate,” still popular o soul dance and DJ circles! Although none of the other acts had national success, each and every cut reveals outstanding quality, ranging from soulful ballads to tuff funk to Motown styled Pop. In 1972 Bobby Fulton moved to Pittsburgh to become director of operaions for Black Circle Records. Although Soulville will not release another recording, for Bobby Fulton the label has always been alive. He still listens to the Soulville/Jaywalking recordings all the time and he is really pleased to finally share his exciting story and have the chance to revive the label. Soulville and the dream is still alive! *This retrospective release includes a huge full color booklet with extensive liner notes and cool photos etc. |
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Get Hip Recordings 2001 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Soulful Sounds From Soulville 2LP Bobby Fulton and DJ Toby Young started Soulville 1967 in an attempt to document Pennsylvanian R&B. located on North Sixth Street in Harrisburg, the fledgling company's first release was the 45 "Nobody To Blame/Nothing Matters" from the Soulville All-Stars. Other artists and groups were soon released on the Soulville label and the company soon built up a catalog of R&B, Soul, Funk and gospel titles which included artists from across the country. The Get Hip's Archive series compilation includes the best of Soulville/Jay-Walking records: twenty-five dancers, groovers and sweet PA Soul gems sure to please collectors and newcomers alike. knockout sounds by the likes of Ray Gant and The Arabian Nights, Donald Lee and The Executives, The Continental Four, Mastermen, Hank Sample and plenty of others. excellent package and liners by the Get Hip team. |
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Get Hip 2001 | LP | 25.00 € |
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| VA: - Soulful Thangs 22 tracks |
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Latin Soul 2005 | CD | 19.00 € |
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| VA: - Steppin' Stone - The XL and Sounds Of Memphis Story Vol. 3 When we began to search for the owners of the Sounds Of Memphis and XL record labels, we were aware of a small number of their releases, perhaps a CD or two’s worth of material – an interesting project to do some work on if we could secure a deal. It took us a few years to track down Gene and Linda Lucchesi and then a little bit longer to do the deal and get into the climate-controlled tape vault. Sitting at Ardent Studios in Memphis lining up the tapes and transferring the music contained on the reels we realised that we had something more exciting. This was an untapped mine of great recordings – Southern soul at its very finest. Our first objective was to get a Barbara Brown album completed and then a great compilation. Once we had completed those we realised that we hadn’t even touched the surface of what was available. Gene Lucchesi, who had started the label in the mid-60s, had been fairly free with his studio time while employing the best producers and the best musicians in town. We are now into our third various artists compilation of the material and if anything this contains some of the strongest cuts we have ever had. My favourites come from the lesser-known artists. The two tracks by Willie Walker (the Goldwax singer) were produced as demos by George Jackson. The wonderful ‘You’re Gonna Miss Me’ and the equally classy ‘Run Around’, could quite easily have been released, such is their quality. I suspect Otis Wheat’s ‘I’m Your Slave’ comes from the same time and makes you wish that he had recorded more. William Bollinger recorded for Gene Lucchesi in the 60s and we have unearthed two more cuts that could easily become dancefloor winners in ‘People Are Talking’ and ‘I Won’t Have To Cry’. The Jacksonians – from Jackson, Mississippi – recorded six sides for SOM, of which only two were issued. We rectify that by digging out two previously unheard titles. We have also found recordings from some of the favourites who have graced our earlier anthologies, such as another unreleased George Jackson master and a wonderful alternate take of ‘How Can I Get Next To You’. The Minits have three cuts here, two of which are unreleased. We have found an unissued Ovations gem called ‘The Plumber’ and the title track, an unreleased stepper from Louis Williams. Two other highlights for me are the Dan Greer cuts from the period when he was in-house producer for the label. They shine a light on not only his songwriting talents, but also his exceptional voice. We also venture into the 80s when Gene’s daughter Linda had taken over the business determined to prove that Memphis was still a hotbed of talent. She recorded the exceptionally talented Erma Shaw and Tekelia Kelly, both showcased here. Will this goldmine ever be exhausted? I can only answer that vaguely: we’re on the case and more music will see the light of day. By Dean Rudland (ACE Records) |
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Ace Records 2010 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Super Soul Blues Vol. 2 16 tracks |
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Paula Records 1991 | CD | 11.90 € |
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| VA: - Super Soul Blues Vol. 3 16 biisiä |
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Paula Records 1991 | CD | 11.90 € |
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| VA: - Swampbilly Shindig 2CD Swampabilly Shindig leaps deep into the bayous and plantations of the Deep South. Here, although racial segregation remained law, black and white music mixed with country and rockabilly taking beautiful shape as the hillbilly cats learnt from their blues playing and gospel singing neighbours. Gathered here are 50 tunes with Southern roots from artists as legendary (and as different) as The Staple Singers, Elmore James and Jerry Lee Lewis. |
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Union Square Music 2013 | 2-CD | 10.00 € |
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| VA: - Sweet Inspiration - The Songs Of Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham We have received many requests to add Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham to our songwriter series. It’s never really been about if we would, so much as when. With 2011 being something of a “Year Of Southern Soul” for Ace and Kent, what better way to kick it off than with a genius gathering of 24 of the best songs ever to bear their names below the title. “Sweet Inspiration” does a bang-up job of assembling the key songs Dan and Spooner wrote together during the 1960s and early 1970s. A quick look at the track listing will show prospective buyers that my co-compiler Bob Dunham and I have tried hard to make sure that there’s a version of every major Penn and Oldham composition included. We haven’t always chosen the obvious versions, so there will be some nice surprises here for even the most avid collectors. It was difficult to bring what started out as a massive wish list down to just 24 selections, but we think our choices do justice to the performers of the songs and, most importantly, the writers. Everyone will have their own highlights. Mine would include Arthur Conley’s Fame recording of ‘In The Same Old Way’ (which was originally written as a straight ahead country song) and country thrush Jeanne Newman’s riveting, previously unissued Goldwax recording of ‘It Tears Me Up’, one of the earliest songs Penn and Oldham wrote together. I’m also very partial to the Southern sincerity of the Box Tops’ ‘Everything I Am’ (a UK Top 3 hit for Plastic Penny in late 1967) and Tommy Roe’s little-known 1966 take on ‘Wish You Didn’t Have To Go’, a number made more famous a year later by James and Bobby Purify. But greatness abounds from beginning to end of this set, and it’s unlikely that any prospective purchaser will not be totally impressed by everything it contains. A companion volume – which will also include songs co-written by Dan and/or Spooner with collaborators such as Donnie Fritts, Rick Hall, Marlin Greene and Chips Moman – will hopefully see the light of day next year. In the meantime, here’s over an hour of the sweetly inspired songwriting of Wallace Daniel Pennington and Lindon Dewey Oldham. Oh, what a power! By Tony Rounce (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2011 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - Sweet Soul Music - 1962 28 scorching classics from 1962 |
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Bear Family 2008 | CD | 22.00 € |
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| VA: - Sweet Soul Music - 1964 21 scorching classics from 1964 |
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Bear Family 2008 | CD | 22.00 € |
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| VA: - Sweet Soul Music - 1965 30 scorching classics from 1965 |
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Bear Family 2008 | CD | 22.00 € |
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| VA: - Sweet Soul Music - 1967 1-CD DigiPac with 96-page booklet. 30 tracks, playing time: 81:51) -- Here comes the eagerly anticipated sequel to our first five volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music,' as well as the highly acclaimed, award-winning R&B series 'Blowin' The Fuse.' This is ehe sound that influences musicians who weren't even born when it came out, like Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone! All the greatest and most influential soul hits of the 1960s, including some surprisingly hard-to-find selections! Every song is the original version. The ultimate soul collection spread across ten individual CDs! The soul-searing soundtrack to the 1960s! Massive, beautifully illustrated booklets with detailed notes, incredible vintage photos, and ephemera. -- Over the course of ten spectacular years, R&B morphed into soul music with a side order of funk, and became the soundtrack to a social revolution. The riveting story of that incredible decade is told in full for the first time on Bear Family's 'Sweet Soul Music' series. Some record companies have compiled anthologies from their own vaults, but Bear Family has gone the extra mile... and then some, licensing classic recordings from virtually every record label at the epicenter of '60s soul to compile the greatest hits with the finest sound quality. -- The second five volumes, available now, cover the years 1966-1970. Though gospel remained the bedrock of soul music, the sound was transforming fast, thanks to Motown, Stax, the regional innovations of Chicago, New Orleans, and Muscle Shoals, and the funk revolution, led by James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone. The civil rights and antiwar movements were now rolling full speed ahead, and the messages at the heart of the music were often as powerful and invigorating as the grooves themselves. The second half of this incredible story is just as fascinating as the first. Bill Dahl's track-by-track commentary provides extensive biographical info on every artist on every disc. -- The prelude to this series, 'Blowin' The Fuse,' definitively covered the history of R&B from 1945- 1960, garnering awards and general acclaim. The first five volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music' earned the same enthusiastic response. Now here come the other five jam-packed volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music,' compiled with love by Dave 'Daddy Cool' Booth. -- Hits' Too many to mention! Consult the track listing! |
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Bear Family 2009 | CD | 22.00 € |
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| VA: - Sweet Soul Music - 1968 (1-CD DigiPac with 96-page booklet. 29 tracks, playing time: 79:48) -- Here comes the eagerly anticipated sequel to our first five volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music,' as well as the highly acclaimed, award-winning R&B series 'Blowin' The Fuse.' This is ehe sound that influences musicians who weren't even born when it came out, like Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone! All the greatest and most influential soul hits of the 1960s, including some surprisingly hard-to-find selections! Every song is the original version. The ultimate soul collection spread across ten individual CDs! The soul-searing soundtrack to the 1960s! Massive, beautifully illustrated booklets with detailed notes, incredible vintage photos, and ephemera. -- Over the course of ten spectacular years, R&B morphed into soul music with a side order of funk, and became the soundtrack to a social revolution. The riveting story of that incredible decade is told in full for the first time on Bear Family's 'Sweet Soul Music' series. Some record companies have compiled anthologies from their own vaults, but Bear Family has gone the extra mile... and then some, licensing classic recordings from virtually every record label at the epicenter of '60s soul to compile the greatest hits with the finest sound quality. -- The second five volumes, available now, cover the years 1966-1970. Though gospel remained the bedrock of soul music, the sound was transforming fast, thanks to Motown, Stax, the regional innovations of Chicago, New Orleans, and Muscle Shoals, and the funk revolution, led by James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone. The civil rights and antiwar movements were now rolling full speed ahead, and the messages at the heart of the music were often as powerful and invigorating as the grooves themselves. The second half of this incredible story is just as fascinating as the first. Bill Dahl's track-by-track commentary provides extensive biographical info on every artist on every disc. -- The prelude to this series, 'Blowin' The Fuse,' definitively covered the history of R&B from 1945- 1960, garnering awards and general acclaim. The first five volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music' earned the same enthusiastic response. Now here come the other five jam-packed volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music,' compiled with love by Dave 'Daddy Cool' Booth. -- Hits' Too many to mention! Consult the track listing! |
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Bear Family 2009 | CD | 22.00 € |
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| VA: - Sweet Soul Music - 1969 (1-CD DigiPac with 92-page booklet. 28 tracks, playing time: 80:32) -- Here comes the eagerly anticipated sequel to our first five volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music,' as well as the highly acclaimed, award-winning R&B series 'Blowin' The Fuse.' This is ehe sound that influences musicians who weren't even born when it came out, like Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone! All the greatest and most influential soul hits of the 1960s, including some surprisingly hard-to-find selections! Every song is the original version. The ultimate soul collection spread across ten individual CDs! The soul-searing soundtrack to the 1960s! Massive, beautifully illustrated booklets with detailed notes, incredible vintage photos, and ephemera. -- Over the course of ten spectacular years, R&B morphed into soul music with a side order of funk, and became the soundtrack to a social revolution. The riveting story of that incredible decade is told in full for the first time on Bear Family's 'Sweet Soul Music' series. Some record companies have compiled anthologies from their own vaults, but Bear Family has gone the extra mile... and then some, licensing classic recordings from virtually every record label at the epicenter of '60s soul to compile the greatest hits with the finest sound quality. -- The second five volumes, available now, cover the years 1966-1970. Though gospel remained the bedrock of soul music, the sound was transforming fast, thanks to Motown, Stax, the regional innovations of Chicago, New Orleans, and Muscle Shoals, and the funk revolution, led by James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone. The civil rights and antiwar movements were now rolling full speed ahead, and the messages at the heart of the music were often as powerful and invigorating as the grooves themselves. The second half of this incredible story is just as fascinating as the first. Bill Dahl's track-by-track commentary provides extensive biographical info on every artist on every disc. -- The prelude to this series, 'Blowin' The Fuse,' definitively covered the history of R&B from 1945- 1960, garnering awards and general acclaim. The first five volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music' earned the same enthusiastic response. Now here come the other five jam-packed volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music,' compiled with love by Dave 'Daddy Cool' Booth. -- Hits' Too many to mention! Consult the track listing |
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Bear Family 2009 | CD | 22.00 € |
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| VA: - Sweet Soul Music - 1970 1-CD DigiPac with 76-page booklet. 24 tracks, playing time: 85:39) -- Here comes the eagerly anticipated sequel to our first five volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music,' as well as the highly acclaimed, award-winning R&B series 'Blowin' The Fuse.' This is ehe sound that influences musicians who weren't even born when it came out, like Amy Winehouse and Joss Stone! All the greatest and most influential soul hits of the 1960s, including some surprisingly hard-to-find selections! Every song is the original version. The ultimate soul collection spread across ten individual CDs! The soul-searing soundtrack to the 1960s! Massive, beautifully illustrated booklets with detailed notes, incredible vintage photos, and ephemera. -- Over the course of ten spectacular years, R&B morphed into soul music with a side order of funk, and became the soundtrack to a social revolution. The riveting story of that incredible decade is told in full for the first time on Bear Family's 'Sweet Soul Music' series. Some record companies have compiled anthologies from their own vaults, but Bear Family has gone the extra mile... and then some, licensing classic recordings from virtually every record label at the epicenter of '60s soul to compile the greatest hits with the finest sound quality. -- The second five volumes, available now, cover the years 1966-1970. Though gospel remained the bedrock of soul music, the sound was transforming fast, thanks to Motown, Stax, the regional innovations of Chicago, New Orleans, and Muscle Shoals, and the funk revolution, led by James Brown and Sly & The Family Stone. The civil rights and antiwar movements were now rolling full speed ahead, and the messages at the heart of the music were often as powerful and invigorating as the grooves themselves. The second half of this incredible story is just as fascinating as the first. Bill Dahl's track-by-track commentary provides extensive biographical info on every artist on every disc. -- The prelude to this series, 'Blowin' The Fuse,' definitively covered the history of R&B from 1945- 1960, garnering awards and general acclaim. The first five volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music' earned the same enthusiastic response. Now here come the other five jam-packed volumes of 'Sweet Soul Music,' compiled with love by Dave 'Daddy Cool' Booth. -- Hits' Too many to mention! Consult the track listing! |
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Bear Family 2009 | CD | 22.00 € |
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| VA: - Take Me To The River - A Southern Soul Story 1961-1977 3CD selection of 75 songs that tell the story of the golden era of Southern Soul 1961-1977 with full notes and lavish illustrations in a 72 page booklet |
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Ace Records 2008 | CD-Box | 48.00 € |
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| VA: - The !!!! Beat, Vol. 4 Legendary R&B and Soul shows from 1966 - Shows 14-17 - yhteensä 41 träkkiä mm Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Gewn Davis, Manie Galore, Beat Boys, Louis Jordan, Freddie King jne |
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Bear Family 2005 | DVD | 25.00 € |
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| VA: - The !!!! Beat, Vol. 5 Legendary R&B and Soul shows from 1966 - Shows 18-21. 43 träkkiä mm Chuck Bernard, Mamie Galorie, Robert Parker, Johnny Jones, ZZ Hill ym jne |
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Bear Family 2005 | DVD | 25.00 € |
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| VA: - The !!!! Beat, Vol. 1 Legendary R&B and Soul shows from 1966 - Shows 1-5. Yhteensä 50 träkkiä mm Little Milton, Esther Phillips, Lee Shot Williams, Carla Thomas, Gatemouth Brown jne |
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Bear Family 2005 | DVD | 25.00 € |
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| VA: - The !!!! Beat, Vol. 2 Legendary R&B and Soul shows from 1966 - Shows 6-9 - 42 träkkiä mm Freddie King, Johnny Hones, Gatemouth Brown, Mighty Joe Young, Kelly Brothers, Joe Tex jne |
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Bear Family 2005 | DVD | 25.00 € |
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| VA: - The !!!! Beat, Vol. 3 Legendary R&B and Soul shows from 1966 - Shows 10-13 43 träkkiä mm Jimmy Church, Louis Jordan, Commanders, Beat Boys, Rodge Martin, Johnny Taylor, Little Gary Ferguson jne |
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Bear Family | DVD | 25.00 € |
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| VA: - The !!!! Beat, Vol. 6 Legendary R&B and Soul shows from 1966 - Shows 22-26. 56 träkkiä mm Earl Gaines, Eva Larse, Joe Simon, Freddie King, Little Milton, Willie Mitchell jne |
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Bear Family 2005 | DVD | 25.00 € |
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| VA: - The 100 Club Anniversary Singles 6T's 1979-2009 was 26 and needed to hear more of that inspiring, original 60s club soul music that was a recent revelation. There were no dances to go to, so my new mate Randy and I thought we’d give it a go ourselves. Thirty years on, we’ve tragically lost Randy and a few others along the way, but we’re still opening the club doors for the fans of that same great music, as we have for a generation now. The first Kent LP we issued featured the very essence of that 6Ts Rhythm ‘N’ Soul Society who can be seen whooping it up on the LP cover, our resident DJ Ian Clarke, an inspiration to so many, designed most of the first 50 sleeves and Randy himself told me which tracks to go with, if I was ever in any doubt. The label and club were always inextricably linked and when I had the bright idea of a free record, instead of a poxy cloth patch, it was Ace who copped the plea. First up - Mary Love, Etta James and the Ikettes: simple and very effective. It was the essence of R&S. Two years later, though, the penny dropped. I realised we were sitting on some dance floor dynamite with all those unissued 60s soul tracks begging to be allowed into collections where as singles they would be revered. In September 1986 Melba Moore’s ‘Magic Touch’ was issued on the second Kent 6Ts Anniversary Single and with those internationally recognised, dramatic opening piano bars, the legend began. Perhaps I’m guilty of a little self-delusion here, but I believe this series of 25 singles is up there with the best original US 60s soul series on any UK label and the standard on this CD demonstrates just that. The “big”, tracks are all here: the San Franciscan TKOs, Chuck’s ‘Loneliness’, the Magicians historical vocal to ‘Double Cookin’’, Lorraine Chandler and Gigi with her charming Charmaines. But those are the ones we regularly hear played out in clubs across the Northern Soul galaxy. It’s the ones who I believe have yet to have their day that excite me, particularly now that I’ve had time to reassess their charms. Take Johnnie Taylor’s growling and grooving on ‘Please Let Me In’; it won’t outdo J J Barnes’ original Ric Tic version, but listen to those opening clean, crisp guitar licks and dig those Staxy horns as they drive the song. Here’s another one for you - the Devonnes singing Larry Banks and Jaibi’s ‘Doin’ “The Gittin’ Up”’. Two lovers with superb writing and singing talents, who could turn a lightweight dance number into a work of art. Not destined to become a dancefloor staple, but a stunning record nonetheless, is ‘Can’t Say No’ by the M-Ms and the Peanuts. Get your fine selves down to Ladbrokes and put a tenner on Mill Evans ‘Ain’t You Glad’ being the next £100 anniversary 45. Butch has picked up an original acetate and is playing it and all of a sudden its quality is appreciated. Then there’s the sheer class of Sharon Scott’s Detroit-inspired masterpiece ‘(Putting My Heart Under) Lock And Key’, Peggy Woods’ underrated Modern mid-60s mover ‘Love Is Gonna Get You’ and owzabout Wally Cox’s Golden State Recorder -produced soulful reading of his Wand stomper ‘This Man Wants You’. The notes are substantial; I ramble on about a subject which, after all, is very close to my heart and now I finally know the truth about one of the greatest soul records ever from Ms Carla Thomas, I share it; not even sparing the boss’s blushes. Strike me down if I ain’t gorn and revealed the 30th anniversary single before the dance ‘as ‘appened. But you don’t know what the flip is yet (any more than me), do yer? ‘Arboro ‘Orace (ACE RECORDS) NB: due to contractual problems we have had to drop the Moments aka The Fabulous Impact single, but you can still read all about it in the booklet. |
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Ace Records 2009 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - The Best of Hollywood Records Vol. 2 24 tracks |
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Hollywood Records | CD | 19.00 € |
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| VA: - The Big Beat - The Dave Bartholomew Songbook Great songs really do take on a life of their own and very often, unbeknownst to their creators, they’re discovered and interpreted by a wide range of different artists. One of the unexpected pleasures that Ace’s Songwriters series affords is underlining just how many styles and directions key compositions of yesteryear have taken. This collection of songs by New Orleans’ very own Dave Bartholomew is no exception as it weaves its way through 25 tracks of varied origins and labels. Two of Dave’s own recordings provide essential listening, led off by his original of the double-entendre-filled ‘My Ding-A-Ling’, which he later re-cut several times with different lyrics and which provided the template for Chuck Berry’s revival two decades later. Then you’ll find the much-revered parable ‘The Monkey’, which Elvis Costello memorably reworked some years back. Dave’s rich-toned narrative reigns supreme and is a cornerstone of his Imperial Records output. The set opens with ‘The Fat Man’ by Fats Domino and, although the technical limitations of that 1949 session are still obvious, the vibrancy of the performance is undeniable. Fats once told me that after Imperial-owner, Lew Chudd, received the master, he called and asked him to re-cut it, but a couple of days later he rang again to say he’d changed his mind and it was OK! Was that an understatement or what?! Other milestone Bartholomew productions featured here include Roy Brown’s hard-hitting version of ‘Let The Four Winds Blow’ (which Dave had first cut himself) and the gloriously prophetic ‘I’m Gonna Be A Wheel Someday’ as styled by Bobby Mitchell and co-authored by hillbilly singer Roy Hayes. As much as the multi-talented Bartholomew was writing, recording and producing in the Crescent City throughout the 1950s and beyond, his influence was being felt all over the musical world. This was clearly evident on the Johnny Burnette Trio’s rockabilly workout of Fats Domino’s 1955 charter ‘All By Myself’. Similarly, listen how effortlessly Jerry Lee Lewis slides into ‘Hello Josephine’ and how ‘I’m In Love Again’ fits Tom Rush like a well-worn rhythmic glove. Bartholomew was not aware at the time how influential and popular his music was in Jamaica. Neville Grant’s take on Chris Kenner’s ‘Sick And Tired’ provides ultimate proof that Dave’s big beat was perfectly adaptable to the reggae style. Another standout delight is the previously unissued cover by Annie Laurie of ‘3 x 7 = 21’, which Dave originally wrote and produced for Jewel King. The song became a benchmark in the Bartholomew catalogue and was successfully reworked as ‘21’ in 1954 by the Spiders, the group that cut the first version of ‘Witchcraft’, which Elvis Presley turned into a 1963 chart success, also included here. I must mention two other standouts: ‘Every Night About This Time’ by the World Famous Upsetters, which offers undeniable proof of Little Richard’s ability as a first-class blues wailer, and Dave Edmunds’ 1971 hit remake of “I Hear You Knocking’, which perfectly contemporised the song without diluting the memory of Smiley Lewis’ unbeatable original. By Alan Warner (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2011 | CD | 17.00 € |
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| VA: - The Cleethorpes Northern Soul Weekender 1993-2012 The notes for this CD came in at a whopping 16,000 words (half a book I’m told), but they were easier to write than a studied piece on a record label. When writing musical history there are a heck of a lot of facts to research and you can spend an hour getting a troublesome sentence verified. In this case, as the organiser of 20 Northern Soul Weekenders held in the noble town of Cleethorpes, I merely had to Google myself. Having said that, the celebrations that go on at the events do include some imbibing – but nothing serious for me until the Sunday, the final night. If the place burns down then, well, that’s show business. The pool’s just outside to avoid any singeing and I can guarantee my records would be swimming alongside me to avoid the flames. I did have to make a public appeal on the Soul Source website to see who could remember what happened at the third and fourth weekenders, but I eventually recalled them myself with a bit of nudging. There are a million smaller facts probably lost in the ether, but the noteworthy ones about the acts are indelibly burned into my mind. Some of the highs were bringing Maxine Brown out of retirement to sing her full repertoire to her European fans, having Dean Parrish perform ‘I’m On My Way’ to 1,000 people who had grown up with it as a key musical moment in their lives and presenting a demure lady called Little Ann, all the way from Detroit to Cleggy, to headline the bill for soul fans who knew her full repertoire that had remained unissued in its place of birth. Drama came from a jet-lagged Bettye Lavette getting the pip with two devout Christian ladies, Sidney Barnes temporarily turning mute on me and Hoagy Lands losing his clothes, composure and marbles. The bizarre was represented by a chance encounter with H.B. Barnum and its wonderful repercussions, meeting Tony Middleton and Jake LaMotta in NYC and watching a man with a back seizure perform a backdrop. Other hilarity included Spencer Wiggins not wanting to sing the song I had brought him to the UK to perform and my latest act putting the date in her diary 12 months later than I had hoped for. The number of acts that have performed at Cleethorpes exceeds the number of tracks we could get on a CD and musical omissions from the Velvelettes, Derek Martin, Carl Carlton and others are no reflection on their talents; their stories are covered in the booklet. Some of the recordings here have appeared on other Kent CDs, but in most cases the audio has been substantially improved. For example, Maxine Brown’s ‘Let Me Give You My Lovin’’ is mastered from a recently located multi-track and boasts an extra nine seconds, all previous issues of the 45 mix having been from disc dubs, and Tommy Hunt’s ‘The Pretty Part Of You’ is a totally different version to the one we debuted in the 80s, with altered lyrics and female backing vocals added. Jesse Davis’ ‘Gonna Hang On In There Girl’ and Marva Holiday’s ‘It’s Written All Over My Face’, both penned by Cleethorpes participant Sherlie Matthews, sound magnificent from newly discovered master tapes. Willie Tee’s ‘I’m Only A Man’, Little Ann’s ‘Who Are You Trying To Fool’ and Doris Troy’s ‘Face Up To The Truth’ serve to remind us what great talents have been lost to the soul world and how lucky we were to see them sing the songs live on the North East Lincs coast. By Ady Croasdell (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2012 | CD | 18.00 € |
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| VA: - The Complete Goldwax Singles Vol. 1 2CD Memphis is one of the great music cities. So many great artists and so many great labels have emerged from there down the years that the history of rock’n’roll and soul and R&B would be very different without them. Sun, Stax and Hi are the labels that define Memphis, but not far behind is our very own Goldwax, who in James Carr, Spencer Wiggins and the Ovations had their own trio of great artists. Since Ace bought Goldwax nearly a decade ago the major artists have all been treated well, with at least a CD of their recordings each, and in the case of James Carr, four CDs rounding up every single bit of his recording career. There has also been two label overviews that have helped to throw light on some of the lesser acts, as well as the stars and the sought after rarities. However labels are complex affairs and their stories are sometimes difficult to cover fully in the short-form. With this in mind we have taken on the herculean task of compiling ‘The Complete Goldwax Singles’ which allows us to present to you the A and B sides of every single 45 on the label or produced by the label or its principles. This takes us into areas that you wouldn’t meet ordinarily and allows us to provide you with some excrutiatingly rare records. Goldwax was started in late 1963 by Doc Russell and Quinton Claunch, although our compilation lets us take a step back and include three earlier Quinton produced 45s on his own Bingo and Beale Street labels that form the true genesis of the label. These are just the first of many titles that are seeing their first ever legal reissue across these volumes including one side of our cover star Philip and The Faithfuls one single on the label – and the one that has proved itself to be the rarest of them all. Amongst the obscurities and the rarities we are sure that you will find yourself an especial favourite that you have never heard before, be it a storming instrumental such as the Playboy Five’s ‘Spoonful’, the Arthur Alexander take-off of Oboe’s first single ‘Mother-In-Law Trouble’ or even one of the pop or country records that sporadically appeared on the label. However it is not just about what you have heard before. The chronolgical nature of this compilation allows you not just to watch the careers of, say, James Carr or Spencer Wiggins unfold, but more acurately Memphis music, as R&B slowly moves into soul which then develops a distinctly southern nature as time passes. It is perhaps easier to see this progress with a mid-size label like Goldwax than with a behemoth like Stax where weight of numbers obscured the changes. It has to be remembered of course that Volume 1, however great, is just the first stirrings, the roots, as it were. The golden age is still to come, but this is still a pretty great start. By Dean Rudland (Ace Records) |
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Ace Records 2009 | CD | 23.00 € |
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| VA: - The Essential Northern Soul Collection |
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Vinyl Only Records 1998 | LP | 18.00 € |
