"New Breed R&B: Soulful 60s Blues For Today's Dancers" by VARIOUS ARTISTS – Featuring ZZ Hill, B.B. King, The Newports, Jimmy Holiday, Bobby Bland, Mary Love, Lowell Fulsom, Little Joe Hinton, Jimmy McCracklin and more (July 2001 UK Ace Records/Kent Dance CD Compilation of Remasters - Nick Robbins Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…Stand Up Straight And Tall…"

What a corker this is, the first in a string of seven CD compilations across nearly 20-years (see title list below) dedicated to lovers of New Breed R&B, dancing joy and serious bouts of unfortunate hip-displacement thereafter (but it was worth every trip to the A&E). A lot to mashed potatoes to Yakety Yak about, so let's get to the cool moves and sexy grooves right away...

UK released July 2001 – "New Breed R&B: Soulful 60s Blues For Today's Dancers" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Ace Records/Kent Dance CDKEND 199 (Barcode 029667219921) is a 24-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that breaks down as follows (61:38 minutes):

1. I've Been Hurt So Many Times – LARRY DAVIS (1969, Kent 4519)

2. No More Doggin' – ZZ HILL (1966, Kent 444)

3. Love You Baby – BOBBY "Blue" BLAND (Vocal) and IKE TURNER and His Orchestra (1962, Kent 378)

4. Tired Of Walkin' – LITTLE JOE HINTON (1962, Kent 368)

5. Long Gone Baby – B.B. KING (1967, Kent 462)

6. Stand Up Straight And Tall – JACKIE SHANE (1967, Modern 1031)

7. Dixie Women – THE NEWPORTS (1962, Kent 380)

8. Stuffed Peppers (aka "Humpin'") – FRANK ARMSTRONG (1967, Modern 1045)

9. New Figure – KING SOLOMAN (1965, Kent 451)

10. Yea, Yea, Yea, Yea, Yea, Yea – TERRY & THE TYRANTS (1964, Kent 399)

11. Baby You're The One – MARVIN & JOHNNY (1965, Kent 436)

12. You Gotta Bend A Little – LARRY & TOMMY (1967, Modern 1041)

13. You And Me Forever – VERNON GARRETT (1966, Modern 1026)

14. Just To Hold My Hand – VERNON and JEWEL (1965, Kent 430)

15. The New Breed – JIMMY HOLIDAY (1967, De Silva Music/Kent 482)

16. Me And The Chauffeur – BIG MAMA THORNTON (1965, Kent 424)

17. Let Your Hair Down – ARTHUR K. ADAMS (1967, Modern 1050)

18. Take Your Shoes Off (Part II) – BOOKER T. AVERHART & THE MUSTANGS (1965, Kent 437)

19. Lovin' Touch – LOWELL FULSOM (1968, Kent 505)

20. Ain't Givin' Up Nothin' – AL KING (1968, Kent 498)

21. Find Another Woman – WILLIE HEADEN (1967, Kent 473)

22. He's The One – IKE and TINA TURNER (1965, Kent 418)

23. Move A Little Closer – MARY LOVE (1966, Modern 1020)

24. I Got Eyes For You – JIMMY McCRACKLIN (1962, Kent 369)

Roughly based around a night's playlist at The Hideaway Club in Manchester, England (and The Twisted Wheel) – this dreamy Mod CD compilation has contributions from PAUL WELSBY (Hideaway Club) and is compiled by fan and archivist ADRIAN CROASDELL – so the floor-boogie credentials are all in place. The 16-page booklet is filled with photos of Kent and Modern USA demos, pictures of faves like B.B. King, Joe Hinton, Big Mama Thornton and even a colour snap of Arthur Adams in a hammock lounging with his guitar. 

But the big news for real fans has to be the stunning song choices combined with NICK ROBBINS remasters from original master tapes. This Kent Dance 60ts New Breed R&B CD sounds absolutely amazing. Let's get the shakers and makers…

It opens with the brassy dancer "I've Been Hurt So many Times" and you literally see those shimmy-shaking dudes and dudettes on some club dancefloor giving in shapes their respective mums would find alarming. Hard-hitting floor-filler continues in the equally lively "No More Doggin'" by ZZ Hill - where his woman has spent all his money on whiskey, beer and wine (naughty girl). We get genuine old-time R&B with "Love You Baby" where a young Bobby Bland wails in front of an Ike Turner band that's cooking. Far better is the "no more" growl of Little Joe Hinton where he tells us he's "Tired Of Walkin'" against a stabbing backbeat with the guitar and brass going at it good-o.

One of the highlights on here – B.B. King's rare British 45 on Polydor 56735 from 1967 of "Long Gone Baby" on that distinctive mottled red label is pictured in the booklet across Pages 4 and 5 – and not surprisingly, it's a corker. That's followed by the wickedly funky organ shuffle of Jackie Shane – a very clever choice and the kind of cool killer tune you wish you could find at some car-boot sale for 50p on a Sunday morning (fat chance). Tempo-wise it's smartly followed by "Dixie Women" – a mid-tempo piano and girl's hand-clapper that has a fantastic saxophone solo in the centre. "Stuffed Peppers" is a superb hip-shaking Saxophone and Guitar instrumental also known as "Humpin'" because – well – that's what it sounds like.

King Soloman is digging his new figure mama because she sure looks good – even if she has gained a little weight (she’s gained it in the right places you see). Staying with a saucy theme – Big Mama Thornton (pictured on Page 9 on tour in the UK in 1965) – takes the Ernest Lawler Blues tune about doing naughty things in cars and funks it up into a frantic James Brown dancer – all shiny suits and wicked shuffling footwork (what a winner – and fabulous audio quality too). Another Funky Blues nugget follows with fantastic guitar and organ grooves on "Let Your Hair Down" – Arthur Adams even giving some James Brown-"Uh!" in-between brass breaks. 

Part II of "Take Your Shoes Off" is a flipside saxophone and guitar instrumental sounding not unlike Ike Turner's Rhythm Kings lashing one out. The audio remaster on "Lovin' Touch" is shockingly good, a fab Funky Groover with an irresistible backbeat where Lowell Fulsom wants to tell his lady that she's in luck – he still has that loving touch (thank God for that). And on it goes, winner after winner to the sweaty-betty end.

It becomes commonplace in reviewer circles to award Ace's Kent Soul and Kent Dance CD compilations five stars.

But sometimes when you’re faced with this much brilliance and it’s presented this well by people who both know their stuff and care – then five-stars it is…

Titles in Ace's "New Breed R&B" CD Compilation Series on Kent Dance

In Release-Date Order (2001 to 2020)

1. New Breed R&B: Soulful 60s Blues For Today's Dances (July 2001, Ace/Kent Dance CDKEND 199 – Barcode 029667219921)

2. King New Breed Rhythm & Blues (July 2002, Ace/Kent Dance CDKEND 210 – Barcode 029667221023)

3. New Breed R&B With Added Popcorn – Early 60ts R&B Dancers Right In Today's Groove (February 2008, Ace/Kent Dance CDKEND 291 – Barcode 029667229128)

4. King New Breed R&B Volume 2 (April 2012, Ace/Kent Dance CDKEND 373 – Barcode 069227237321)

5. New Breed Blues with Black Popcorn (April 2013, Ace/Kent Dance CDKEND 393 – Barcode 029667239325)

6. New Breed Workin': Blues With A Rhythm (January 2016, Ace/Kent Dance CDKEND 443 – Barcode 029667244329)

7. New Breed R&B: Saturday Night Special (July 2020, Ace Kent Dance CDKEND 492 – Barcode 029667098823)