Magazine & Web Site

Various Artists - GWP  - NYC - TLC Vol 2 - Kent CDKEND 326 

Kent hit a rich vein of untapped gold when they got access to the GWP vaults. Not only did they get al the released tracks, including those on Grapevine, but there were also some wonderful unreleased things in there as well. This CD contains eleven previously unreleased recordings, and two that have only appeared on Kent previously. They range from Soulful ballads, to pounding dancers, the best of which has to be ‘Changes’ by Lily Fields. Well worth the money alone. Keep ‘em coming Kent, still at the top of the game with this release. 

Detour - The Persians / Without Your Love - Bobby Penn  / My Life Is No Better - Larry Banks & Jaibi / Go Away - The Hesitations / Never Gonna Let Him Know - Debbie Taylor  / I Don't Care What He's Done - The Devonnes / All In My Mind - Benny Gordon / Good To Me (As I Am To You) - The Hesitations / You Hit Me (Right Where It Hurt Me) - Alice Clark / Changes - Lilly Fields / Tennessee Waltz - Little Rose Little / Momma, Look Sharp (From The New Broadway Musical Comedy "1776") -
Debbie Taylor & The Hesitations  / Here It Comes - The Persians / So Much In Love - The Exceptions / How Long Can This Last - Debbie Taylor / It Was Like A Nightmare - Jaibi Aka Joan Bates / Never Give Up On Love - Benny Gordon / I Really Love You - Larry Banks / Stop - Debbie Taylor - Happiest Girl In The World - Plus 4 / I Won't Be Such A Fool Anymore - The Modettes / Yes I'm Ready - The Hesitations / Don't Let Your Mind Go Wild - Benny Gordon / You Got Me - Jaibi

Various Artists - The 100 Club Anniversary Singles. 6Ts 1979-2009 - Kent CDKEND 323

 The 100 Club Anniversary singles will be regarded as THE premier collection of vinyl ever pressed up, and then given away ! There’s not much I can really say about this CD that hasn’t already been said about the singles over the thirty years that they have been released, other than what an achievement it is, to actually reach the thirtieth anniversary of the 6Ts allnighters. Mr Croasdell, take a bow. Who would have thought that back in 1979 when you and Randy set up the 6Ts Rhythm & Soul Club that you would have still been running the allnighters and even releasing a CD to commemorate the anniversary. Even if you own all these singles on vinyl, just go out and buy the CD ! 

Hey Stoney Face - Mary Love / The Magic Touch - Melba Moore    / Not My Girl - The Platters / Love Is Gonna Get You - Peggy Woods This Man Wants You - Wally Cox / I'll Never Stop Loving You - Carla Thomas / What's With This Loneliness - Chuck Jackson / Here Comes Loneliness - The Teardrops / Love Has Passed Me By - Phil Terrell / Ain't That Good Enough - John Edwards / (Putting My Heart Under) Lock And Key - Sharon Scott / You Only Live Twice - Lorraine Chandler / Make Up Your Mind - The San Francisco TKOs / Please Let Me In - Johnnie Taylor / Come Through Me - Garland Green / Ain't You Glad - Mill Evans / Can't Say No - The M-Ms & The Peanuts / To Get Love You've Got To Give Love - Debra Johnson / (Just A Little) Faith And Understanding - The Magicians / Doin' "The Gittin' Up" - The Devonnes / I Don't Wanna Lose Him - The Charmaines / What's One More Lie? - Milton Bennett / Good News - The Hytones / Get To Steppin' - Jackie Day

Various Artists – Goldwax Northern Soul – Kent CDKEND313 

As Ady says in the liner notes, Goldwax isn’t a label you immediately think of when you are talking about Northern Soul. The associations are all to do with Southern Soul. But, and it’s a big but, there are some belting dancers that were released on the label, and some even better ones that never made it to vinyl. Starting off with the thunderous ‘Let’s Talk It Over’ by Spencer Wiggins, it just carries on in the same vein. Eleven of the 24 tracks on show here are previously unreleased (Or only available on Japanese releases which are now almost impossible to get hold of) so this has to go to the top of the list 

Spencer Wiggins - Let's Talk It Over / Ovations Featuring Louis Williams - They Say / James Carr - A Losing Game / Percy Milem - Call On Me / Phillip & The Faithfuls - What'cha Gonna Do / Vel Tones - I Do / Lyrics With The Top Notes - So Hard To Get Along / George & Greer - To Me It's Storming / Ivory Joe Hunter - Every Little Bit Helped Me / Wee Willie Walker - I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More / George Jackson - You Gotta Have Soul / Spencer Wiggins - Love Attack / Barbara Perry - A Man Is A Mean Mean Thing / Dorothy Williams - The Well's Gone Dry / James Carr - That's What I Want To Know / Ovations Featuring Louis Williams - Qualifications / Timmy Thomas - It's My Life / Wee Willie Walker - I Don't Want To Take A Chance / Lyrics - Now Girl / Phillip & The Faithfuls - If You Love Her / Percy Milem - I Slipped A Little / Spencer Wiggins - Lonely Man / Barbara Perry - You Ain't Woman Enough / James Carr - Coming Back To Me Baby

Freddie Scott – Mr Heartache, The Best Of The Columbia Recordings – Kent CDKEND 314

Big City Soul that just pours emotion through the sound system. A combination of Columbia and Shout singles and LP tracks recorded between 1964 and 1967. Several of these tracks were big hits for Freddie back in the Sixties and it’s a real shame that his recording career just seemed to die off for no real reason. Freddie Scott explains it by saying that there were no real labels left by the end of the Sixties. Personally I think it was a real loss to the Soul world because it’s recordings like the one on this CD that epitomise that mature Soul sound that I love.

Lonely Man / Just One Love / One Heartache Too Many / Spanish Harlem / Giving You My Heart / Blow Wind / My Arms Aren't Strong Enough / One More Time Before I Go / I'm Too Far Gone (To Turn Around) / It's Been Like This (All Of My Life) / Sing Girl / I'll Try Again / Don't Let It End / Mr Heartache / Come Up Singing / Forget Me If You Can / One Iddy Biddy Needle (And A Little Bit Of  Thread) / Let It Be Me / For Your Love / Bring It On Home To Me / Everything I Have Is Yours / Laura / There Goes My Heart

Sugar Pie DeSanto – Go Go Power, The Complete Chess Singles 1961-1966 – Kent CDKEND317

Now I always thought Sugar Pie DeSanto’s recordings were on the rawer side of Soul, great voice, over a solid R & B backing. So I was quite surprised to find that several of these single were actually in a classic Sixties girl group style. Not any worse for that though, it’s just my own preference is for the more uptempo dancers. The title should really say from the Chess family of labels because there are recordings that were released of Chess, Checker, Cadet, and Argo featured here, including the duets with Etta James, and an absolute stunner of a previously unreleased recording. Well worth buying for anyone.

Soulful Dress / I Don't Wanna Fuss / In The Basement Part 1 / Witch For A Night / Slip In Mules (No High Heel Sneakers / Mama Didn't Raise No Fools / Go Go Power / Do I Make Myself Clear / Mr & Mrs / Good Timin' / Here You Come Running / Ask Me / Can't Let You Go / Crazy Lovin' / I Love You So Much / Jump In My Chest / Love Me Tonight / There's Gonna Be Trouble / Use What You Got / Never Love A Stranger / Open Your Heart / Somewhere Down The Line / In The Basement Part 2

Various Artists – Memphis 60 – BGP CDBGPD201 

A somewhat strange compilation that features a real mixture of styles. From Deep Soul, to group harmony, to out and out Funk, and a real mixture of tempos as well. Consequently I didn’t really find myself enjoying listening to the CD in it’s entirety. Yes, there are some killer tracks on here, but they are mixed in with some, for want of a better description, strange choices ! Five of the twenty tracks are either previously unreleased, or alternate versions of previous releases, but it’s probably better to make sure you read the track listing before buying blind. 

The Hawg (Pt 1) - Eddie Kirk / The Spoiler - Eddie Purrell / I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More - Wee Willie Walker / Double Up - L.H. And The Memphis Sounds / I Don't Know - The Dixie Nightingales / Let The Best Man Win - Unknown / I'm Going Home - Prince Conley / You Don't Love Me - Willie Cobbs / Tramp - Junior Kimbell / Blue Groove - Sir Isaac & The Do-Dads / Assassination - The Dixie Nightingales / When My Love Comes Down - Ruby Johnson / Man Around The House - Barbara & The Browns / Ticket To Ride - Wee Willie Walker / Shake Shake Shake - Willie Bollinger / Soul City U.S.A. - Spencer Wiggins / She's About A Mover - Percy Milem / Restless - The Cobras / Nothing But The Truth - Ann Hodge / The Side Wind - The Lyrics With The Top Notes

Various Artists – The Complete Goldwax Singles Volume 1 1962-1966 – Ace CDCH2 1226

Ace seem to be mining the Goldwax catalogue for every track they can at the moment. Perhaps it might have been better to release these CDs first (This is one of a series of three), and then concentrate on all the previously unreleased tracks they have found and that would have saved some of the duplication. It doesn’t detract from the sense that these CDs are wonderful. Ace, as a company have always been superb in documenting a whole label and it’s no different this time. It’s all here really, the tunes, the history, the whole shebang. If you like your Soul (and some Country as well I have to say) Deep and southern style, this is for you.

Disc 1: Big Bad Jon The Twister - Jon Kennedy / Pop-Eye Time - Jon Kennedy / A Thousand Vows - Bobby Mcdowell / A Girl Named Jo - Bobby Mcdowell / Tradin' Stamps - Oboe / Mother-In-Law Trouble - Oboe / Darling - The Lyrics / How A Woman Does Her Man - The Lyrics / The Day The World Cried Part 1 - Oboe / The Day The World Cried Part 2 - Oboe / The Greasy Frog - Jeb Stewart / Will I Ever Be Free - Jeb Stewart / Our Last Quarrel - Bobby Mcdowell / These Ain't Raindrops - Bobby Mcdowell / Too Slow - Oboe With The Keys / She's Better Than You - Oboe With The Keys / The Side Wind - The Lyrics With The Top Notes / So Hard To Get Along - The Lyrics With The Top Notes / That's How Strong My Love Is - O V Wright With The Keys / There Goes My Used To Be - O V Wright With The Keys / I Can't Fight This Much Longer - Eddie Bond / Now And Then - Eddie Bond / Only Fools Run Away - James Carr / You Don't Want Me - James Carr / Love Me - Phillip & The Faithfuls / Rhythm Marie - Phillip & The Faithfuls / Spoonful - The Playboy Five / What Am I Living For - The Playboy Five / Pretty Little Angel - The Ovations Featuring Louis Williams / Won't You Call - The Ovations Featuring Louis Williams

Disc 2: Toddlin' - Gene "Bowlegs" Miller / Bow-Legged - Gene "Bowlegs" Miller / I Can't Make It - James Carr / Lover's Competition - James Carr / Arabian Jerk - The Merits / Please Please Little Girl - The Merits / It's Wonderful To Be In Love - The Ovations Featuring Louis Williams / Dance Party - The Ovations Featuring Louis Williams / Ohio Bound - Big Lucky Carter With Prince Gabe & The Millionaires / Hurricane Blues - Big Lucky Carter With Prince Gabe & The Millionaires / The Well's Gone Dry - Dorothy Williams / Country Style - Dorothy Williams / Every Woman I Know (Is Crazy About An Automobile) - Al Vance / Have You Seen Jean - Al Vance / What Do You Think About My Baby - Spencer Wiggins / Lover's Crime - Spencer Wiggins / I'm Living Good - The Ovations Featuring Louis Williams / Recipe For Love - The Ovations Featuring Louis Williams / Love Works That Way - Spencer Wiggins / I'll Be True To You - Spencer Wiggins / She's Better Than You - James Carr / Talk Talk - James Carr / My Motor Bike Balked - The Lamars / Don't Cry - The Ovations / I Need A Lot Of Loving - The Ovations / Darling - The Vel Tones / I Do - The Vel Tones

Various Artists – The Real Thing, the songs of Ashford Simpson & Armstead – Kent CDKEND318 

Kent have really gone for it the last couple of months haven’t they. Label compilations, artist compilations, and now songwriter compilations. Of course they aren’t messing about here ! Three of the most consistent, famous, and successful writers of Soul music (And all non Motown recordings as well0. read the track listing, it says more about the abilities of the song writers than I ever could with mere words. Go out and buy it, now ! 

Crystals - Are You Trying To Get Rid Of Me / Betty Everett - Too Hot To Hold / Shirelles - Look Away / Diplomats - Love Ain't What It Used To Be / Jo Ann & Troy - Same Old Feeling / Maxine Brown - You're In Love / Bettye Lavette - Only Your Love Can Save Me / Mary Love - Baby I'll Come / Aretha Franklin - Cry Like A Baby / Chuck Jackson & Maxine Brown - I'm Satisfied / Mary Love - Dance Children Dance / Tina Britt - You're Absolutely Right / Apollos - Mr Creator / Candy & The Kisses - Looky Looky (What I Got) / B J Thomas - Never Had It So Good / Bettye Everett - The Shoe Won't Fit / Chiffons - The Real Thing / Jewells - Smokey Joe's / Marie Knight - Say It Again / Doris Troy - Please Little Angel / Ronnie Milsap - I Saw Pity In The Face Of A Friend / Big Maybelle - No Better Place For You / Vernon Garrett - Running Out / Coasters - Let's Go Get Stoned

The Exciters – Soul Motion The Complete Bang, Shout, and RCA Recordings 1966-1969 – Kent CDKEND 319 

Having said in the Goldwax Singles review that Ace are the masters of label compilations, Kent are the masters of artist compilations that spill across more than one label. This CD being a perfect example. Fortunately, as Kent gain access to more and more labels, this type of compilation becomes more realistic. Who would have thought you would ever see RCA recordings on a legitimate compilation with recordings from other labels. So, what do you get here ? Exactly what it says on the tin. A collection of mid-Sixties Soul sides from one of the established groups of the era. Some good, some excellent, some average, but that’s what you’d expect when you do a ‘complete’ collection. Excellent work though from Kent, and long may it continue. 

Let's Go Get Stoned / A Little Bit Of Soap / I'm Gonna Get Him Someday / You Better Come Home / Weddings Make Me Cry / Number One / You Got Love / Soul Motion / You Don't Know It's Right / Take One Step (I'll Take Two) / If You Want My Love / Blowing Up My Mind / You Don't Know What You're Missing (Til It's Gone) / Give It All / Fight That Feelin' / Always / I Don't Have To Worry (No More) / You Got Me / Movin' Too Slow / If I Could See Into Tomorrow / A Year Ago / Turn Me On

Jackie Lee – The Mirwood Masters – Kent CDKEND 320 

Various Artists – Slow ‘N’ Moody, Black & Bluesy, And More – CDKEND 321 

Just when you thought it was simple, this is an updated reissue of a 1994 CD (CDKEND003), which was a CD reissue of a 1983 vinyl album (KENT003). Apparently the original CD was withdrawn because there were licensing issues about one track. Kent have taken this opportunity to reissue that CD with a slightly amended track listing, and a vastly updated liner booklet, and much improved sound quality. All on the early, rawer side of Soul music, songs that were recorded for a Black audience that still remembered the Blues. None of your frothy pop hits here ! Drawn mostly from the Kent / Modern Records stable, this is proper Soul music ! 

Nothing Can Change The Love I Have For You - Z Z Hill / You Messed Up My Mind - Clay Hammond / I Can't Stand It - Jimmy Holiday / Let's Get Together - Arthur & Mary / Darling I'm Standing By You - Jeanette Jones / Baby I'll Come - Mary Love / If I'd Lose You - Jackie Day / I Don't Wanna Lose You - Tami Young / (Baby) Come To Me - Little Henry & The Shamrocks / Ain't Nobody's Business - B.B. King / Every Dog's Got His Day - Johnny Copeland / Weep No More - Terry & The Tyrants / It's Real (Pt 1) - Jimmy Robins / Whenever I Can't Sleep - Willie Gauff & The Love Brothers / The Last One To Know - Joe Haywood / A Woman Needs A Man - Yvonne Baker / Everybody Needs Somebody - Jimmy Holiday / Farewell - Willie Gauff & The Love Brothers / Why Should I Be The One - Tommy Youngblood / I'll Come Back To You - The Mighty Hannibal / Consider Yourself - Stacy Johnson / The Years Go Passing By - Larry Davis / I'm Falling For You - Ernie Andrews / I'm In Love - Larry Sanders / Sweet Bitter Love - Millie Foster / The Smartest Fool - Ruth Davis