"Where Soul Begins... KENT/MODERN - For Dancers Forty" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - a 24-Track '40th Anniversary' CD Compilation That Celebrates Ace Records first Kent Records LP Compilation Issued August 1982 (October 2022 UK Ace/Kent-Soul CD with Duncan Cowell Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...That's It!..."

 

*** 3 Stars 

I've had "...For Dancers Forty" for over two months now since its release in late October 2022 of last year, but in truth (and despite being a self-confessed Kent compilation loon) - I've struggled with this release big time. 

 

Without saying that much of it isn't actually any good - for me there are maybe only five tracks out of twenty-four on the CD variant that I'd play at any further time - the rest feel like second rate R&B, out of place Blues, Seventies Funk that feels just wrong and four uninspired unreleased that were clearly canned for very obvious reasons. Hence this is the first time I've slapped 3-stars review on a Kent-Soul CD compilation in decades. But let's get to what we do have...details...

 

UK released Friday, 28 October 2022 - "Where Soul Begins... KENT/MODERN For Dancers Forty" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records/Kent-Soul-40 CDKEND 514 (Barcode 029667107327) is a 24-Track CD compilation that plays out as follows (62:53 minutes):

 

1. Satisfied Feeling - MARY LOVE (January 1967 US 45-single on Modern M 1033, B-side of "Baby I'll Come")

2. You'd Be Good For Me - JEANETTE JONES (Originally an Unissued Golden State recording in Stereo, first released on the 2007 UK CD compilation "Super-Funk Is Back - Rare And Classic Funk 1968-1977" on Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 183)

3. Gonna Put It On Your Mind - ARTHUR ADAMS (Previously Unissued 1966 Modern recording, 2022)

4. Tobacco Road North - TOMMY YOUNGBLOOD (from the 1970 US LP "The Soul Of Tommy Youngblood" on Kent Records KST-541 in Stereo)

5. Jealous Woman - T-BONE WALKER (Originally Unissued 1964 Modern recording first issued in 1992 UK 3CD Compilation "60 Great Blues Recordings" on Cascade CBOXCD 3)

6. Walk The Chalk Line - AARON COLLINS & THE TEEN QUEENS (Previously Unreleased 1966 Modern recording, 2022)

7. I've Got Papers On You Baby - B.B. KING (from the 1959 US LP "B.B. King Wails" on Crown CLP 5115) 

8. You Changed Me - TEDDY REYNOLDS & THE TWISTERS (from the 1961 US LP "The Twist" on Crown Records CLP 5245)

9. Wanting You - JIMMY BEE (Originally unissued version of Kent 5431 from 1969: an Alec Paolo Remix from 2019)

10. That's It - Z.Z. HILL (1965 US 45-single on Kent K 432, B-side of "What More")

11. Push Me - LOWELL FULSON (November 1967 US 45-single on Kent K 479, A)

12. Here Comes The Judge - LARRY & TOMMY (Originally Unissued Modern recording first released on the 2007 UK CD compilation "Super-Funk Is Back - Rare And Classic Funk 1968-1977" on Beat Goes Public CDBGPD 183)

13. Tramp - FOXFIRE featuring JOHNNY ADAMS (1972 US 45-single on Kent 4578)

14. Freedom And Justice - PACE-SETTERS (1972 US 45-single on Kent 4565)

15. Jimmy's Special - LITTLE JOE BLUE (Originally Unissued 1967 Kent recording, first released on the March 1999 Japanese CD "West Coast Modern Blues 1960s" on P-Vine PCD-3060)

16. Remove My Doubts - STACY JOHNSON (1963 US 45-single on Sony 113) 

17. You Brought It All On Yourself - CLAY HAMMOND (1967 US 45-single on Kent 472)

18. It's Crazy Baby - IKE & TINA TURNER (from the 1967 US LP "The Soul Of Ike & Tina" on Kent LP 5019)

19. On My Way Back Home - FLASH HARRY (1958 US 45-single on Kent 310)

20. Mr. Bad Luck - KING SOLOMON (1966 US 45-single on Kent 446)

21. Mr. Bus Driver - THE TEEN QUEENS (Previous Unreleased 1966 Modern recording, 2022)

22. No More Tears - THE SWEETHEARTS (1966 US 45-single on Kent 442)

23. Help Me - BEATRICE LEE (1962 US 45-single on Kent 385)

24. I'll Let Nothing Come Between Us - BILLY WATKINS (Previously Unreleased 1965 Kent recording, 2022)

NOTES: 

Tracks 1, 3, 5, 6 to 11, 13, 15, 16 and 18 to 24 are MONO

Tracks 2, 12, 14 and 17 are STEREO

Tracks 3, 6, 21 and 24 are PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

 

There is a 20-page fact-filled booklet (superb ADY CROASDEL liner notes) and the usual great Remasters from DUNCAN COWELL at Sound Mastering – the Mono single sides in particular having real punch. There is 8-disc advert inlay visible through the see-through CD tray at the rear showing New Breed Jazz, Northern Soul comps – all on the Kent Soul/Kent Dance imprints belonging to Ace Records of the UK. To the music...

 

Things start well with two lady boppers, "Satisfied Feeling" by Mary Love (she's featured in the cover photo stood alongside Z.Z. Hill) and "You'd Be Good For Me" by Jeanette Jones - an unreleased recording first issued in 2007. The first of four unreleased appears, the pretty good Arthur Adams funk of "Gonna Put it On Your Mind" but the audio wavers in and out a bit as does his voice. Things start to go wrong for me with Tracks 4 through to 9 where a series of out-of-place grooves occur - some are OK - but that's all. The first real 'Soul' vibe appears when Track 10 offers the fabulous chugger that is "That's It" by Z.Z. Hill - a 1965 hip-shaker that's followed by Lowell Fulson giving it some "Push Me" - tremendous remaster as the steppin' R&B pushes across your speakers all nite long.  

 

But stuff like Larry & Tommy doing "Here Comes The Judge" or the wildly out of place 70s Funk of "Tramp" by Foxfire featuring Johnny Adams are awful. The instrumental Funk Groove of "Freedom And Justice" by Pace-Setters feels like it some be on a another compilation while "Jimmy's Special" is just manic and all over the place - trying too hard. I have to wait until Track 16 to get a bite at last with the brassy confident vocals of "Remove My Doubts" by Stacy Johnson - a great groover with the ladies pleading while Johnson goes all wicked-Pickett on the snarled warning vocals. Clay Hammond's "You Brought It On Yourself" is great too but both Tracks 20 and 21 left me cold, and on it goes. 

 

I'd advise a listen on this one - way too disappointing for me... 

 

PS: Ace have also issued a single LP called "For Dancers Forty - Kent Records 1982-2022" on Ace/Kent Soul HIQLP 103 (Barcode 029667015219) in October 2022. However as you can see from the track list provided below - only three of its fourteen songs (Tommy Youngblood, Aaron Collins and The Teen Queens and Z.Z. Hill on Side 2) are on the 24-cut CD compilation (those marked with * are exclusive to the LP variant). The LP also has different artwork front and rear:

 

Side 1:

1. Long As I Got My Baby - JACKIE DAY *

2. Down In The City - THE MARVELLOS *

3. I Got Love - THE OTHER BROTHERS *

4. I've Got To Win Your Love For Me - SIMS TWINS *

5. My Love She's Gone - THE INTENTIONS *

6. This Couldn't Be Me - THE SWEETHEARTS *

7. The Sun Don't Shine (Everyday) - THE SAINTS *

 

Side 2:

1. Tobacco Road - TOMMY YOUNGBLOOD 

2. Stand Up Straight And Tall - JACKIE SHANE *

3. Walk The Chalk Line - AARON COLLINS and THE TEEN QUEENS 

4. I'm Tired aka Love Line - BILLY WATKINS *

5. Tired Of Walkin' - JOE HINTON *

6. That's It - Z.Z. HILL 

7. I Was Born To Love You - JOHNNY COPELAND *