"Sweet Soul Music - 24 Scorching Classics From 1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS - Vol. 15 of 15 in a Yearly Series Covering 1960 to 1975 (February 2014 GERMAN Bear Family CD Compilation - Volume 15 of 15 In a Yearly Series Covering 1960 To 1975 – Wolfgang Manns Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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I reviewed the preceding 10 volumes in this incredible series from 1961 to 1970 (probably the best Bear has ever done) and loved them to distraction. 

Jurgen Crasser was the remaster engineer for those. This time around (1971 to 1975) the sound hero on all five volumes bears the unlikely moniker of WOLFGANG MANNS. And I swear I may have to get "Wolfgang Is My Main Mann!" tattooed on my frumpy Irish buttocks - because these expertly crafted CD compilations are sonically sensational in every way. They're going to blow the minds of Seventies Soul fans everywhere. Here's the glitterball details for "1975"...

GERMANY/EUROPE/UK released Friday 14 February 2014 (11 Feb 2014 in the USA) - "Sweet Soul Music - 24 Scorching Classics From 1975" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Bear Family BCD 16885 AS (Barcode 5397102168857) is a CD-only compilation that breaks down as follows (86:10 minutes, all 45-Single A-sides except Track 17):

1. Lady Marmalade - LABELLE (November 1974 US 45 on Epic 8-50048)
2. Supernatural Thing, Part 1 - BEN E. KING (January 1975 US 45 on Atlantic 45-3241)
3. Walking In Rhythm - THE BLACKBYRDS (January 1975 US 45 on Fantasy F-736)
4. Love Won't Let Me Wait - MAJOR HARRIS (February 1975 US 45 on Atlantic 45-3248)
5. Rockin' Chair - GWEN McCRAE (March 1975 US 45 on Cat Records CAT 1996)
6. Shining Star - EARTH, WIND and FIRE (January 1975 US 45 on Columbia 3-10090)
7. Shackin' Up - BARBARA MASON (March 1975 US 45 on Buddah BDA-459-N)
8. Give The People What They Want - THE O’JAYS (April 1975 US 45 on Philadelphia International ZS8 3565)
9. The Hustle - VAN McCOY AND THE SOUL CITY SYMPHONY (April 1975 US 45 on Avco AV-4653)
10. Keep The Home Fires Burnin' - LATIMORE (March 1975 US 45 on Glades 1726)
11. Slippery When Wet - THE COMMODORES (April 1975 US 45 on Motown M 1338F)
12. This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - NATALIE COLE (June 1975 US 45 on Capitol 4109)
13. Fight The Power, Part 1 - THE ISLEY BROTHERS (May 1975 US 45 on T-Neck ZS8 2256)
14. How Long (Betcha' Got A Chick On The Side) - THE POINTER SISTERS (July 1975 US 45 on Blue Thumb BTA-265)
15. Do It Any Way You Wanna - PEOPLE’S CHOICE (June 1975 US 45 on (The Sound Of Philadelphia) TSOP ZS8 4769)
16. It Only Takes A Minute - TAVARES (July 1975 US 45 on Capitol 4111) 
17. Loving Arms - MILLIE JACKSON (September 1975 US 45 on Spring SPR 161, B-side of "Leftovers")
18. Full Of Fire - AL GREEN (October 1975 US 45 on Hi Records 5N 2300)
19. Love Rollercoaster - OHIO PLAYERS (November 1975 US 45 on Mercury 73734, This A-side is a Single Edit At 2:59 minutes, the "Honey" LP Version is 4:52 minutes)
20. Love Machine (Part 1) - THE MIRACLES (September 1975 US 45 on Tamla T 54262F) 
21. Sweet Thing - RUFUS featuring CHAKA KHAN (December 1975 US 45 on ABC Records ABC-12149)
22. Hold Back The Night - THE TRAMMPS (December 1975 US 45 on Buddah BDA-507 – September 1975 UK 45 on Buddah BDS 437)
23. Turning Point - TYRONE DAVIS (November 1975 US 45 on Dakar DK 4550)
24. Boogie Fever - SYLVERS (November 1975 US 45 on Capitol 4179)

The three-way fold-out card digipak of the preceding 10 volumes has been kept as has the live-on-stage Jackie Wilson photo on the spine that is now extended (when you line all 15 spines they make one photograph). This "1975" set features THE POINTER SISTERS on the front cover while the stock 7" of "The Hustle" by VAN McCOY graces the inside flap with a further photo of the lady threesome LABELLE in wild concert garb on the center lip. The detachable booklet is properly beautiful - a 76 oversized-pages wad of deep liner notes by world-renowned R 'n' B and Soul expert BILL DALH with Discography info by DAVE "Daddy Cool" BOOTH. There are black and white/colour publicity pictures of the artists (hairy chests, large-brim white hats and patch-inlaid elephant flares ahoy), the single labels/album covers and adverts from the US music press. Quality all the way...

As you can see from the catalogue numbers provided above all tracks are US 7" singles and proceedings open in stunning form with Labelle's irrepressible "Lady Marmalade". The crystal clear sound quality continues with a double slinky - "Supernatural Thing" and "Walking In Rhythm" - but slows down into the bedroom huffing of Major Harris being a naughty boy in "Love Won't Let Me Wait". Things pick up considerably with Gwen McCrae's infectiously brilliant "Rockin' Chair" - a tune I've loved for decades - and at last is lifted out of its former muddiness and given a brand new coat of aural paint. 

Genius choices come in three forms - the talking nosey-neighbors "Shackin' Up" by Barbara Mason while Latimore's "Keep The Home Fires Burnin'" is superlative funk. Equally cool in our trio is the wah-wah guitars and chunky bass of "How Long..." by The Pointer Sisters combining with some great string arrangements to deliver a fabulous builder. Even Van McCoy's over-played "The Hustle" sounds transformed as does the happy Natalie Cole movie-favorite "This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)". The bopping "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by People's Choice (written by Leon Huff) contrasts nicely with the barroom Tom Waits impassioned moan of Millie Jackson's "Loving Arms" in beautiful sound quality. And how good is to hear Al Green sound full on in your speakers instead of the clamped-down production values we've been used to (his "Full Of Fire" a forgotten nugget). The Miracles' "Love Machine" is bound to bring out the Afro Hairdo in you and a need to chuck some talcum powder on the kitchen floor while I'd forgotten just how sensual and beautiful "Sweet Thing" by Rufus and Chaka Khan is - no wonder it hit R&B Number 1 (both stunning transfers). Check out the YouTube footage of Prince introducing Chaka at a live venue where she and his band tear into "Sweet Thing" - what a wow. 1975 goes out with three popular dancers - the fantastically upbeat "Hold Back The Night" by The Trammps (covered by so many) and the "I used to stay out all night long..." of "Turning Point" by Tyrone Davis on Dakar (sounding lovely) with the future of Disco finishing it all off - "Boogie Fever" by The Sylvers. 

I had honestly thought that this Volume from 1975 would be the weakest - but if anything it's as brilliant as the 1971 set - a superlative mix of the familiar and lesser-heard - all properly handled by people who care about sound quality. And check out that eye-watering total playing time - 86:10 minutes – indeed a Good God Y'all!

These CDs have been a long time coming - but man have they been worth the wait. I know long-term Soul fans will look at the track list and price and perhaps baulk at duplicity and cost - DON'T. You've not heard these classics and undergrounds until now. And if you've any joy for Seventies Soul - then you need to have this volume and the other four compilations in your life - because GLORIOUS is the word that comes to mind. 

"Sweet Soul Music 1971 to 1975" are already my Soul/Funk reissues of the year for 2014 and I’m certain, a shoe-in for Grammy awards. Fabulous stuff... 

PS: see separate reviews for all Volumes from 1960 to 1974 in Bear Family's "Sweet Soul Music..." CD Series...