"The Northern Soul Scene" by VARIOUS (December 1998 UK Deram 'Decca Originals - On The Scene' CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Baby, You Got It!"

The nine titles in this 'Decca Originals' CD Series (listed below) are each worth an essay alone - 'On The Scene' compilations pitched as I recall at less than a fiver and in some cases a mere four quid - representing amazing value for money in any man's language (then and now).

Originally released in late 1998 and early 1999 in the UK, each generously proportioned genre-themed CD gives unsuspecting punters a 25-track access to ultra-rare music that would cost a Euro Sceptic's bar tab to acquire the originals on 60ts vinyl. Each is aimed at the discerning collector for sure, but there is also a clever commercialism at work here – the ludicrously well-informed compiler JOHN REED having lined up the goodies to please the ear of the old hand and newbee alike. And of course, all those images of bodies throwing shapes on talcum-powdered floors...let’s get to our worlds turned upside down...

UK released December 1998 - "The Northern Soul Scene" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Deram 844 805-2 (Barcode 042284480529) is a 25-Track CD compilation of 'Decca Originals - On The Scene' Remasters (all British released 7" singles) that plays out as follows (66:55 minutes):

1. I'll Hold You – FRANKIE and JOHNNY (April 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.22376, B-side to "(I'm) Never Gonna Leave You")

2. So-Called Loving – DAVID ESSEX (1969 recording first issued on the 2LP set "Lost & Found" on Decca DPA 3083/4 in April 1980)

3. Nothing But A Heartache – THE FLIRTATIONS (November 1968 UK 7" single on Deram DM 216, A-side)

4. Don't Change It – FEARNS BRASS FOUNDRY (September 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F.12721, A-side)

5. Baby You've Got It – CLYDE McPHATTER (January 1969 UK 7" single on Deram DM 223, A-side)

6. Name It You Got It – MICKY MOONSHINE (October 1974 UK 7" single on Decca F.13335, B-side of "Baby Blue")

7. My Love – RONNIE JONES (January 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F.12066, A-side)

8. Ask The Lonely - THE FANTASTICS (January 1970 UK 7" single on Deram DM 283, B-side of "Waiting Around For Heartaches")

9. Stop Breaking My Heart – TOM JONES (January 1970 UK 7" single on Decca F.13061, B-side of "I (Who Have Nothing)")

10. Billy Sunshine – BILLIE DAVIS (1969 SPANISH 7" single on Decca MO 720, A-side - also on the 1970 UK LP "Billie Davis" on Decca SKL 5029)

11. Our Love (Is In The Pocket) – AMEN CORNER (on the 1968 UK LP "Round Amen Corner" on Deram SML 1021)

12. Whose Little Girl Are You – DANNY WILLIAMS (September 1967 UK 7" single on Deram DM 149, B-side of "Never My Love")

13. Heart Trouble – THE EYES OF BLUE (November 1966 UK 7" single on Deram DM 106, B-side of "Up And Down")

14. Everybody Needs Love – BOBBY HANNA (May 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F.12783, B-side of "Written On The Wind")

15. Picture Me Gone – DAVE BERRY (November 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12513, A-side)

16. I Wanna Know – JOHN E. PAUL (October 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F.12685, B-side of "Prince Of Players")

17. The Way You Do The Things You Do – ELKIE BROOKS (January 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F.12061, A-side)

18. I Just Made Up My Mind – JON GUNN (June 1967 UK 7" single on Deram DM 133, A-side)

19. Something Beautiful – ADRIENNE POSTER (February 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12329, A-side)

20. Reach Out Your Hand – THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN (March 1971 UK 7" single on Deram DM 327, A-side)

21. Giving Up On Love – SONNY CHILDE (September 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F.12218, A-side)

22. My Smile Is Just A Frown Turned Upside Down – TRULY SMITH (March 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12373, B-side of "Love Is Me Love Is You")

23. All The Time In The World – STEVIE KIMBLE (April 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12378, B-side of "Some Things Take A Little Time")

24. Let The Good Times Roll – TONY NEWMAN (June 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F.12795, B-side of "Soul Thing")

25. Listen To My Heart - THE BATS (December 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.22534, A-side)

NOTES:

Track 1 – Frankie is a pseudonym for Maggie Bell who would later front Stone The Crows; Johnny is Bobby Kerr

Track 6 - Micky Moonshine is Chris Rainbow

Track 22 – a Smokey Robinson song originally played by Carolyn Crawford

The pleasingly nice-looking 12-page colour booklet has JOHN REED extend an informed paragraph to each artist – The Flirtations jumping up in the air in their cardigans on some runway somewhere as the tuba-festooned Fearns Brass Foundry accompany a happening black couple through the painted archway of love - while Andy Fairweather-Lowe dreams of a solo career posing with Amen Corner (the inset pictured ticket stub for a Spring Bank Holiday Monday gig shows a mouth-watering line-up of Inez & Charlie Foxx, Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, Geno Washington and The Fantastics). There are no mastering credits, but it does state on the see-through spine 'digitally remastered from the original master tapes' for all of these sets and I’ve found that to be uniformly true. Take the stunning tambourine and strum Soul of "Ask The Lonely" by The Fantastics whose 45s elicit frenzy amongst collectors - gorgeous arrangements and a lead singer with a voice to die for. The huge attack of a throat-wrenching Tom Jones, hits home loud and clear on his typically melodramatic "Stop Breaking My Heart".

Northern Soul Scene opens on a glorious note - Maggie Bell who would of course become the front vocalist for Scottish rockers Stone The Crows - gives it some powerhouse Soul under the non-de-plume of Frankie on "I'll Hold You" - a mere 1965 B-side that will set you back £250 if you can find a copy. Speaking of spunky flipsides, Wiggan Scene dancers would have chewed up Mickey Moonshine and his wah-wah need-in-me guitar anthem "Name It You Got It" while Billie Davis earns her huge collectability with the Euro Decca 45 "Billy Sunshine" (I've never actually seen her lone self-titled "Billie Davis" LP that also contains this deep grooves treasure).  

Welsh boyo's Amen Corner give it some oh yeah baby as they inform us that love is in the pocket (thank God for that - don't want it dangling about boys) while The Eyes Of Blue tried a sort of Small Faces Mod groove with "Heart Trouble" (successfully too). John E. Paul taps the spirit of Jackie Wilson for his frantic "I Wanna Know" while the classy Truly Smith lifts things up with a cross-armed smoocher "My Smile Is Just A Frown Turned Upside Down" (why wasn't this gorgeous song not a hit). And on it goes. Billie Davis stares wistfully over a railing onto a misty Thames on the back inlay, that stripy suit oh so very 60ts. What a decade...

  

Titles in Deram's 'Decca Originals - On The Scene' UK CD Series

1. The Beat Scene (released December 1998 on Deram 844 799-2 - Barcode 042284479929)

2. The Blues Scene (released February 1999 on Deram 844 801-2 - Barcode 042284480123)

3. The Freakbeat Scene (released September 1998 on Deram 844 879-2 – Barcode 042284487924)

4. The Girls Scene (released February 1999 on Deram 844 897-2 - Barcode 042284489720)

5. The Mod Scene (released September 1998 on Deram 844 549-2 - Barcode 042284454926)

6. The Northern Soul Scene (released December 1998 on Deram 844 805-2 - Barcode 042284480529)

7. The Psychedelic Scene (released September 1998 on Deram 844 797-2 - Barcode 042284479721)

8. The R&B Scene (released September 1998 on Deram 844 798-2 - Barcode 042284479820)

9. The Rock 'n' Roll Scene (released March 1999 on Deram 844 892-2 - Barcode 042284489225)

Please note that some of these titles were reissued August 2007 on the budget label 'Spectrum' and "The Northern Soul Scene" has been reissued as a Digipak CD and 2LP Orange Vinyl set (45s wording centred on its front artwork) in March 2024 - Decca 5876826 (Barcode 602458768268) for CD and Decca 5876822 (Barcode 602458768220) for VINYL. 

"The Freakbeat Scene" by VARIOUS (September 1998 UK Deram 'Decca Originals' CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Dig The New Breed..."

The nine titles in this 'Decca Originals' CD Series (listed below) are each worth an essay alone - 'On The Scene' compilations pitched as I recall at less than a fiver and in some cases a mere four quid - representing amazing value for money in any man's language (then and now).

Originally released in late 1998 and early 1999 in the UK, each generously proportioned genre-themed CD gives unsuspecting punters a 25-track access to ultra-rare music that would cost a Euro Sceptic's bar tab to acquire the originals on 60ts vinyl. Each is aimed at the discerning collector for sure, but there is also a clever commercialism at work here – the ludicrously well-informed compiler JOHN REED having lined up the goodies to please the ear of the old hand and newbee alike.

These listens are fun and brilliantly informative too – pointing the musical finger to the hybrid forms of Rock to come in 1969 and 1970. Dig the New Breed indeed. Let's get freaky with the dorky details...

UK released September 1998 - "The Freakbeat Scene" by VARIOUS ARTISTS on Deram 844 879-2 (Barcode 042284487924) is a 25-Track CD compilation of 'Decca Originals-On The Scene' Remasters (all British released 7" singles) that plays out as follows (64:09 minutes):

1. Please Please Me - THE SCORE (November 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12527, A-side - Beatles cover)

2. Come On Back - PAUL and RITCHIE and THE CRYIN' SHAMES (September 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12843, B-side of "September In The Rain")

3. Anymore Than I Do - THE ATTACK (March 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F.12578, B-side of "Hi-Ho Silver Lining")

4. One Third - THE MAJORITY (July 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12453, B-side of "Simplified")

5. One Fine Day - SHEL NAYLOR (March 1964 UK 7" single on Decca F.11856, A-side)

6. Unto Us - THE NEW BREED (November 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F.12295, B-side of "Friends And Lovers Forever")

7. Grounded - THE SYN (June 1967 UK 7" single on Deram DM 130, B-side of "Created By Clive")

8. Father's Name Is Dad - THE FIRE (March 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F.12753, A-side)

9. Understanding - SMALL FACES (August 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12470, B-side of "All Or Nothing")

10. No Good Without You Baby - THE BIRDS (October 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F.12257, A-side)

11. The Third Degree - MARC BOLAN (June 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12413, A-side)

12. I'm Not Your Stepping Stone - THE FLIES (December 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12533, A-side)

13. Hey GYP (Dig The Slowness) - KEITH SHIELDS (February 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F.12572, A-side)

14. I'm Leaving - THE MARK FOUR (August 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F.12204, B-side of "Hurt Me If You Will")

15. Sorry She's Mine - JIMMY WINSTON And His REFLECTIONS (June 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12410, A-side)

16. Wooden Spoon - THE POETS (February 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F.12569, A-side)

17. Help Me Please - THE OUTER LIMITS (April 1967 UK 7" single on Deram DM 125, B-side of "Just One More Chance")

18. I Am Nearly There - DENIS COULDRY (February 1968 UK 7" single on Decca F.12734, B-side of "James And The Basement")

19. I Can Take It - THE BLUE STARS (December 1965 UK 7" single on Decca F.12030, B-side of "Please Be A Little Kind")

20. Poor Little Heartbreaker - TIMEBOX (March 1969 UK 7" single on Deram DM 246, B-side of "Baked Jam Roll In Your Eye")

21. Run And Hide - THE FAIRYTALE (August 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F.12644, B-side of "Guess I Was Dreaming")

22. Tax Man - LOOSE ENDS (August 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12476, A-side)

23. Thanks A Lot - THE SEA-DERS (March 1967 UK 7" single on Decca F.22576, A-side)

24. Pink Dawn - THE HUMAN INSTINCT (February 1968 UK 7" single on Deram DM 177, B-side of "Renaissance Fair")

25. You Better Get A Better Hold On - THE BEATSTALKERS (March 1966 UK 7" single on Decca F.12352, B-side of "Left Right Left")

NOTES:

Track 1 - Beatles cover - the B-side of "Please Please Me" is on "The Mod Scene" CD compilation

Track 2 - Paul and Ritchie are Paul Crane and Ritchie Routhledge

Track 8 - Members of The Fire would later play with Paul Brett's Sage and The Strawbs

Track 10 - Ron Wood of The Birds would later join Faces and The Rolling Stones

Track 11 - Marc Bolan would later form Tyrannosaurus Rex with Mickey Finn, which became T.Rex

Track 12 - A Monkees cover version

Track 13 - A Donovan cover - Keith Shields was one of The Wildcats, Marty Wilde's backing group

Track 14 - The Mark Four A-side "Hurt Me If You Will" is on 'The Beat Scene' CD compilation

Track 15 - Jimmy Winston was the Organist in Small Faces - the B-side "It's Not What You Do" in on 'The Mod Scene' compilation

Track 22 - Beatles cover

The pleasingly nice-looking 12-page colour booklet has JOHN REED extend an informed paragraph to each artist – the Israeli Sea-Ders and New Zealand's Human Instinct - while West London's Birds spawned Ron Wood who would of course join Rodders and Ronnie Lane in the Faces and then hop on board The Stones in 1976. There are no mastering credits, but it does state on the see-through spine 'digitally remastered from the original master tapes' for all of these sets and I’ve found that to be uniformly true. Take the 'waters of my mind' of Denis Couldry's brilliant "I Am Nearly There" – wickedly good audio whether he's smooching or rocking out (he does both in great tune). The attacking guitar in The Blue Stars "I Can Take It" is the same, clear and in yer face.

Freakbeat fans love their hidden nuggets - which is why you will notice that a huge 14 of these tracks are flips - the band or artist in question able to whig out a tad and get away from the schmaltz that would invariably be given pride of commercial place on the A-side. The Beatles get two clever re-workings – their 1963 debut "Please Please Me" by The Score and Loose Ends giving it some Revolver with their stab at George Harrison’s withering "Taxman". And how unsurprising is it to hear T. Rex's Marc Bolan (even then) have that sprinkle of magic dust on him with his fabulous groover "The Third Degree".

 "...Their closing in on me..." moan The New Breed on their fantastic chugger "Unto Us" as cops and sheriffs chase down our heroes. Barnstormers come in the shape of supernatural intellect with Fire giving us "Father's Name Is Dad" while the wild fuzzed-up guitar gives The Flies an aggressive edge as they take on that angry Monkees hit "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone". But my fave-rave has to be "Poor Little Heartbreaker" by Timebox - a sexy guitar-jangle akin to The Byrds have a melodic dancing moment. Dig the New Breed...Dig In and Enjoy...

  

Titles in Deram's 'Decca Originals/On The Scene' UK CD Series

1. The Beat Scene (released December 1998 on Deram 844 799-2 - Barcode 042284479929)

2. The Blues Scene (released February 1999 on Deram 844 801-2 - Barcode 042284480123)

3. The Freakbeat Scene (released September 1998 on Deram 844 879-2 – Barcode 042284487924)

4. The Girls Scene (released February 1999 on Deram 844 897-2 - Barcode 042284489720)

5. The Mod Scene (released September 1998 on Deram 844 549-2 - Barcode 042284454926)

6. The Northern Soul Scene (released December 1998 on Deram 844 805-2 - Barcode 042284480529)

7. The Psychedelic Scene (released September 1998 on Deram 844 797-2 - Barcode 042284479721)

8. The R&B Scene (released September 1998 on Deram 844 798-2 - Barcode 042284479820)

9. The Rock 'n' Roll Scene (released March 1999 on Deram 844 892-2 - Barcode 042284489225)

Please note that some of these titles were reissued August 2007 on the budget label 'Spectrum'

"Home In Your Heart: The Best Of..." by SOLOMON BURKE (July 1993 Rhino/Atlantic & Atco Remasters 2CDs - Ted Jensen Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Meet Me In Church..."

For sure in 2019 - and even if they are from original master tapes as stated on the artwork - Remasters from January 1992 are 'old'. But that doesn't stop this barnstorming Solomon Burke twofer anthology (released July 1993 in the UK) from doing exactly what it says on the lame-suit lid – hitting you in the Solar Plexus and making a "Home In Your Heart".

Longstanding Audio Engineer and Associate to US reissue label giant Rhino Records - TED JENSEN did these transfers back in the day as I said and I've always loved the way they sound - full of life and oomph and that storming live-in-the-studio Sixties feel. Then throw in the fact that you get a whoop-ass 41 slices of primo Atlantic Records Soul (34 singles and 7 album tracks to be exact-a-mundo) and I'm Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye). And Burke had 21 children! There's a lot on here, so let's get to the prayer books and have those remorseful tear ducts a-flowing people 'cause I feel a sin coming on (Lord have mercy)...

UK released July 1993 - "Home In Your Heart: The Best Of Solomon Burke" by SOLOMON BURKE on Rhino/Atlantic 8122-70284-2 (Barcode 081227028428) is a 41-Track 2CD Anthology of 1992 Remasters that plays out as follows:

Disc 1 (57:35 minutes):

1. Home In Your Heart (February 1963 US 7"single on Atlantic 45-2180, B-side of "Words" - A-side is Track 8 on Disc 1)

2. Down In The Valley (May 1962 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2147, A-side - B-side is Track 4 on Disc 1)

3. Looking For My Baby (July 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2241, B-side of "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love" - A-side is Track 18 on Disc 1)

4. I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You (May 1962 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2147, B-side - A-side is Track 2 on Disc 1)

5. Cry To Me (January 1962 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2131, A-side - B-side isn't on this compilation)

6. Just Out Of Reach (Of My Two Open Arms) (August 1961 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2114, A-side - B-side isn't on this compilation)

7. Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye) (April 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2226, A-side - B-side is Track 15 on Disc 1)

8. Words (February 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2180, A-side - B-side is Track 1 on Disc 1)

9. Stupidity (July 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2196, B-side of "Can't Nobody Love You" - A-side is Track 13 on Disc 1)

10. Send Me Some Loving (from the 1963 US album "If You Need Me" on Atlantic SD 8085 in Stereo)

11. Go On Back To Him (December 1962 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2170, A-side)

12. Baby (I Wanna Be Loved) (from the 1962 US album "Solomon Burke's Greatest Hits" on Atlantic SD 8067 in Stereo)

13. Can't Nobody Love You (July 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2196, A-side - B-side is Track 9 on Disc 1)

14. Got To Get You Off My Mind (February 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2276, A-side)

15. Someone To Love Me (April 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2226, B-side to "Goodbye Baby (Baby Goodbye)" - A-side is Track 7 on Disc 1)

16. You're Good For Me (October 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2205, A-side)

17. Dance Dance Dance (August 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2299, B-side of "Someone Is Watching" - A-side is Track 10 on Disc 2)

18. Everybody Needs Somebody To Love (July 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2241, A-side - B-side is Track 3 on Disc 1) 

19. Tonight's The Night (May 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2288, A-side)

20. Baby, Come On Home (December 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2314, A-side)

21. If You Need Me (March 1963 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2185, A-side)

22. The Price (October 1964 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2259, A-side)

Disc 2 (57:53 minutes):

1. Get Out Of My Life Woman (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

2. Save It  (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

3. Take Me (Just As I Am) (June 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2416, A-side - B-side is Track 13 on Disc 2)

4. When She Touches Me (October 1966 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2359, A-side - B-side is Track 17 on Disc 2)

5. I Wish I Knew (April 1968 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2507, A-side - B-side is Track 14 on Disc 2)

6. Party People (February 1968 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2483, A-side)

7. Keep A Light In The Window (January 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2378, A-side - B-side is Track 16 on Disc 2)

8. I Feel A Sin Coming On (March 1966 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2327, A-side)

9. Meet Me In Church (June 1968 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2527, B-side of "Save It")

10. Someone Is Watching (August 1965 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2299, A-side - B-side is Track 17 on Disc 1)

11. Detroit City (November 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2459, A-side - B-side is Track 18 on Disc 2)

12. Shame On Me (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

13. I Stayed Away Too Long (June 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2416, B-side of "Take Me (Just As I Am") - A-side is Track 3 on Disc 2)

14. It's Just A Matter Of Time (April 1968 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2507, B-side of "I Wish I Knew (How It Would Feel To Be Free)" - A-side is Track 5 on Disc 2)

15. Since I Met You Baby (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

16. Time Is A Thief (January 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2378, B-side of "Keep A Light In The Window Until I Get Home" - A-side is Track 7 on Disc 2)

17. Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do (October 1966 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2359, B-side of "When She Touches Me" - A-side is Track 4 on Disc 2)

18. It's Been A Change (November 1967 US 7" single on Atlantic 45-2459, B-side of "Detroit City" - A-side is Track 11 on Disc 2)

19. What'd I Say (from the 1968 album "I Wish I Knew" on Atlantic SD 8185 in Stereo)

The 22-page booklet has illuminating and often-hilarious liner notes by GERI HIRSHEY on the larger-than-life Burke of whom it was said could sing to soften or arouse on a dime. The famous Atlantic Records albums "I Wish I Knew" and "Rock 'N Soul" are given full pages and there's a hugely detailed track-by-track Sessionography where you'll spot names like King Curtis and Sam Taylor (Saxophones), Eric Gale, Reggie Young, Billy Butler, Joe South and Jimmy Johnson (Guitars) with Spooner Oldham (Organ) - creamy company indeed. The track list at the rear even gives you Master Tape Numbers and US R&B and Pop chart positions. To the music... 

"...You laughed...you called me my personal clown in front of your friends...you cost me..." - pity poor Solomon as he wails like a man with a nail in his head never mind his shoe on "The Price" - typical melodrama where he does all but weep and ask the Lord for mercy (can't unfortunately help but think that he's heard these calls before from butter-wouldn't-melt in his mouth Solomon). I'd have to say that the Bear Family "Sweet Soul Music - 1961" Remaster for "Just Out Of Reach (For My Two Empty Arms)" is far better than what's on offer here - but that doesn't stop it from being wickedly period. Even better is the sexy shuffle of "Got To Get You Off My Mind" where Solomon's gal has only gone and found someone new and better (so it ain't so papa) - Sam Taylor and Charles Brown punching out those boppin' horns.

But the beauty of this vaults-trawl is that it gives you deeper stuff than obvious compilation cuts like "Cry To Me" and the titular "Home In Your Heart" - dig those 1968 shimmy-shaker LP tracks on Disc 2 like "Save It" (when Solomon gets home he’s gonna have needs) and his call-and-response version of the Ray Charles classic "What’d I Say" – an overdone tune that he brings something new to (Bobby Emmons giving it a bit of Ray on the electric piano while Reggie Young (who only passed this year) plays cool guitar licks. He gets preachy and down with Gospel-Soul on fantastic smoochers like "Meet Me In Church", the quarrelling song "Shame On Me" and the pleader "I Stayed Away Too Long". The intro to "Detroit City" might be a tad hissy but those Joe South and Jimmy Johnson guitar flicks keep things interesting, whilst legendary kit-man Roger Hawkins anchors the brass chugging along to the backbeat like they were to the musical manor born. Burke even keeps up with changing times by covering the Staples Singer educational-call-to-arms stomper "It's Been A Change" - pleading with Washington to open their ears.

A fabulous wealth of Soul, Gospel, Boogie and damn it – sexiness! "...All of the time I keep saying, I'm gonna quit you, but, but, but..." - Solomon stammer-sings on "Woman, How Do You Make Me Love You Like I Do" – bemoaning his dreadful and not in the least bit self-inflicted lovelorn fate (easy on that man woman). Grooviest sounds around and then some...

"I'm Not Talkin' - The Song Stylings Of Mose Allison 1957-71" by MOSE ALLISON (October Ace/2016 BGP CD Compilation of Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

"...Swingin' Machine..."

Like myself (and so many others I suspect) - I became aware of the mighty American Jazz swinger Mose Allison via England's Modfather Georgie Fame.

In fact in a 2016 interview, Fame admits that in 1964 an introduction by a musician friend to one of Allison's imported US Hard Bop LPs, Georgie initially nicked Moses' scat vocal styles/cadences to such a point that it was hard at times to tell the two apart! Only three songs into this uber-groovy UK CD compilation brought to us hipsters by those cool types over at Ace Records on their Beat Goes Public imprint label (BGP) - and you can so hear how true that is. Lifetime fan Georgie boy was (you have to say) always on the style money – seventh son of a seventh son indeed – he knew the one.

Culling tracks from Allison albums on Prestige (Fifties) and Columbia, Epic and Atlantic (Sixties and Seventies) - you get 18 cuts in glorious Stereo and 6 in pin-sharp Mono - Allison on Piano and Vocals throughout. Let's get to the Swingin' Machine...

UK released Friday, 28 October 2016 (4 November 2016 in the USA) - "I'm Not Talkin' - The Song Stylings Of MOSE ALLISON 1957-1971" by MOSE ALLISON on Ace/Beat Goes Public (BGP) CDBGPD 304 (Barcode 029667077828) is a 24-Track CD Compilation of Remasters that plays out as follows (61:32 minutes):

1. I'm Not Talkin' (from the 1964 US LP "The Word From Mose" on Atlantic SD 1424 in Stereo)

2. Parchman Flying (from the 1958 US LP "Young Man Mose" on Prestige PRLP 7121 in Mono)

3. Foolkiller (from the 1964 US LP "The Word From Mose" on Atlantic SD 1424 in Stereo)

4. If You Only Knew (from the 1971 US LP "Western Man" on Atlantic SD 1584 in Stereo)

5. Baby, Please Don't Go (from the 1960 US LP "Transfiguration Of Hiram Brown" on Columbia CS 8240 in Stereo)

6. The Seventh Son (from the 1958 US LP "Creek Bank" on Prestige PRLP 7152 in Mono)

7. I'm Smashed (from the 1970 US LP "...Hello There, Universe" on Atlantic SD 1550 in Stereo)

8. Wild Man On The Loose (from the 1966 US LP "Wild Man On The Loose" on Atlantic SD 1456 in Stereo)

9. If You're Goin' To The City (from the 1963 US LP "Swingin' Machine" on Atlantic SD 1398 in Stereo)

10. Everybody Cryin' Mercy (from the 1968 US LP "I've Been Doin' Some Thinkin'" on Atlantic SD 1511 in Stereo)

11. I Love The Life I Live (from the 1960 US LP "I Love The Life I Live" on Columbia CS 8365 in Stereo)

12. Young Man's Blues (from the 1957 US LP "Back Country Suite For Piano, Bass And Drums" on Prestige PRLP 7091 in Mono)

13. Back On The Corner (from the 1962 US LP "Takes To The Hills" on Epic BA 17031 in Stereo)

14. You Can Count On Me To Do My Part (from the 1966 US LP "Wild Man On The Loose" on Atlantic SD 1456 in Stereo)

15. Lost Mind (from the 1958 US LP "Young Man Mose" on Prestige PRLP 7121 in Mono)

16. Eyesight To The Blind (from the 1959 US LP "Autumn Song" on Prestige PRLP 7189 in Mono)

17. Your Mind Is On Vacation (from the 1962 US LP "I Don't Worry About A Thing" on Atlantic SD 1389 in Stereo)

18. Jus Like Livin' (from the 1968 US LP "I've Been Doin' Some Thinkin'" on Atlantic SD 1511 in Stereo)

19. If You Live (from the 1958 US LP "Creek Bank" on Prestige PRLP 7152 in Mono)

20. V-8 Ford Blues (from the 1962 US LP "Takes To The Hills" on Epic BA 17031 in Stereo)

21. Your Molecular Structure (from the 1968 US LP "I've Been Doin' Some Thinkin'" on Atlantic SD 1511 in Stereo)

22. Hello There, Universe (from the 1970 US LP "...Hello There, Universe" on Atlantic SD 1550 in Stereo)

23. Western Man (from the 1971 US LP "Western Man" on Atlantic SD 1584 in Stereo)

24. Swingin' Machine (from the 1963 US LP "Swingin' Machine" on Atlantic SD 1398 in Stereo)

Track 11 by The Mose Allison Trio, all other tracks by Mose Allison

Tracks 1, 3 to 5, 7 to 11, 13, 14 and 17, 18 and 20 to 24 are in STEREO - Tracks 2, 6, 12, 15, 16 and 19 are in MONO

Compiled and Annotated by long-time Ace Records associate DEAN RUDLAND - the 16-page booklet features informative liner notes and all those oh-so cool 50ts and 60ts album covers - Mose sat in a wicker chair for "Young Man Mose" and our Al looking a bit more man-about-town and with-it for "The Word From Mose" - a 1964 album that contains two of his most popular tunes in Blighty - "I'm Not Talkin'" and "Foolkiller" - covered by The Yardbirds and Brian Auger & The Trinity. Those rare Esquire Records British EPs for "Back Country Suite" and "Mose Allison" are pictured as are label repros for American 7" singles you never see either like "Parchman Farm" (Prestige PR 295) and "The Seventh Son" (Prestige 150). Very tasty...

DUNCAN COWELL has done the Audio Mastering and all sounds tickety-boo (as you would expect from labels like Prestige, Columbia and Atlantic).

I’ve always loved his suave covers of the Joe Williams, Willie Dixon and Sonny Boy Williamson Blues and R&B classics "Baby Please Don't Go", "The Seventh Son" and "Eyesight To The Blind" - and the way he makes the witty lyrics sound like he penned them all along. He also gives Percy Mayfield a whirl on his version of "Lost Mind", but just in case you’re thinking he can’t cut a laugh himself – try out the sexy "Your Molecular Structure" or the deprecating "Wild Man On The Loose" or sly jabbing in "Your Mind Is On Vacation". Even in the early Seventies when he was wearing Afghans, tie-dye shirts and beads – he still managed to feel hip and swinging on cuts like "Hello There, Universe" and "I'm Smashed".

For sure his style of vocals and almost tripping-over-itself deadpan delivery may not be to everyone’s tastes, but if ever a CD compilation was an ample advertisement for why so many thought Mose Allison so influential and worthy of worship – them "I'm Not Talkin'" is it. Yeah baby and nice job done...