Paul Ritchie's Cellarful of Soul

VARIOUS ARTISTS A Complete Introduction To Northern Soul (Universal) is a budget priced four CD box featuring plenty of weird and wonderful items from the mysterious world of northern soul. This compilation would still leave the inquisitive scratching their heads when attempting to define the sound of northern. “The Motown sound’s cousin once removed” was one renowned soul writers, slightly mischievous way of putting it. Ironically this Motown heavy set unwittingly proves a point. Amongst the classics this set dares to branch out with inclusion of the odd new recording. Thankfully the likes of Frank Popp Ensemble’s ‘Breakaway’, whilst not strictly northern, remains a sussed crossover dancer with its heart in the right place. The heavy Motown bias and the over familiarity of the featured tracks are minor gripes on this nicely packaged collection.

VARIOUS ARTISTS Ultimate Northern Soul (Music Club CD) would be a perfect pint sized, budget introduction to the scene if it wasn’t for a couple of lousy new recordings. The Four Vandals’ ‘Wrong Side Of Town’ fooled many into believing it was from the ’60s only to be later ousted as a ’90s recording. Shame, as the bulk of the tracks are all top dollar although readily available elsewhere on superior compilations.

Heavyweight Hammond organ and Library Music clash on THE MOHAWKS’ Tramp (Vampisoul CD), a longstanding crate diggers’ delight, crossing genres from Mod to Hip Hop. This timely re-issue is the first proper legit release for a curio that has grown in legend. The familiar opening refrain of ‘Tramp’ is a guaranteed party starter as is the Hammond orgy that is ‘Beat Me Till I’m Blue’.

The rare soul scene is littered with one-off singles making it hard to select groups or artists whose legacy and output went beyond a handful of standouts. Soul fans are more likely to wax lyrical about record labels than individual groups. One such revered label was Chicago’s Okeh Records home of THE VIBRATING VIBRATIONS whose ’60s soul sides have become northern soul staples. The Okeh and Epic Singles 1963-1968 (Kent CD) collects the blistering ‘Cause You’re Mine’ and ‘Love In Them There Hills’, amongst other group harmony driven club soul belters that dare to out tempt The Temptations or topple The Four Tops.

For those who like their soul with a tougher edge, the funk scene of the late ’60s/early ’70s is a treasure trove of undiscovered delights. VARIOUS ARTISTS Mighty Superfunk Volume 6 (BGP CD) features some thrilling sister funk from the unlikely named Eleanor Rigby and other less known dream girls such as Gloria Lucas and Sandra Phillips. These sassy foxes add the cream to the pudding of funky grooves within.

Zelma “Zell” Sanders entrepreneurial and maternal instincts helped nurture raw black talent across a number of labels she ran in the ’50s/60s. Her most famous protégée was Baby Washington. There is plenty of rare soul to be discovered on VARIOUS ARTISTS J&S Harlem Soul (Kent CD). A lack of resources probably attributed to the lo-fi feel of the songs that was at odds with the big productions normally associated with New York based soul. The CD format sometimes sound too polished, losing the urgency and vitality of the original recording. Not so with this disc, the scarcity of the material has resulted in some of these tracks been dubbed straight from vinyl, retaining the kicks and punches you can only get from dusty old singles.

What he lacked in finesse OTIS REDDING more than made up with an unadulterated passion that has come to define what ‘soul’ is all about. The historic Stax Revue gigs are best appreciated visually but the remastering on Live In London And Paris (Stax) makes this CD release the best possible audible record of those momentous events.

The troubled life of LITTLE WILLIE JOHN tarnished his legacy as an early pioneer of soul. It was whilst on parole the singer hooked up with hotshot producer David Axlerod and a stellar cast of session musicians to create what would be his last recordings. Nineteen Sixty Six (Kent) compiles tracks that have not seen the light of day until now. Breezy sophisticated blues and moody soulful grooves hint at what might have become of the singer. Sadly pneumonia took his life prematurely in ’68 whilst in prison.

Slowing things down and for those amorous types the following releases may help get you in the mood. The smooth, honey coated voice of GARLAND GREEN adorned many epic tales of romance in all its fabled forms. The Very Best Of (Kent CD) captures recordings Green made for a hotchpotch of labels. Green’s deep voice may be an acquired taste for some but fans of lush string laden seventies soul will find rewards aplenty.

AL GREEN’s Can Anyone Mend A Broken Heart (Music Club CD) takes the fun out of what I suspect is many a Shindig! reader’s favourite past time, making DIY themed compilations (No? just me then). The theme is cover versions from Green’s extensive back catalogue and is a patchy affair. At best, the Reverend strips down the original and conjures up something quintessential Green, at worst the word “filler” springs to mind. Stick with the originals.

ARETHA FRANKLIN’s The Early Years (SPV CD) is the label’s third instalment of her Columbia era and the best to date. Sounding less dated than her early blues and jazz period, these more soulful sides hint at what was to follow when she eventually hooked up with Atlantic records.

Finally, we head back to the future with LADY DOTTIE & THE DIAMONDS whose self-titled debut (Hi Speed Soul CD) is a trashy, garage soul affair with wailing harmonica and rollicking bar room blues screamers. The alternative to the more celebrated funky grooves of Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, these young San Diego musicians have hooked up with another veteran blues shouter to create a high octane rebel rousing session of original and choice cover versions. Not for the faint hearted!