KENT SOUL

The Arock & Sylvia Soul Story - Various Artists - Kent Soul CDKEND 212

This album catalogues the story of Al Sears the man behind the above two labels. Comprehensive sleeve notes as usually associated with Kent, and a range of issued titles, obscure and popular, northern popularities, beat ballads, previously unreleased material and general historic fillers.

Most of the cuts date back to the early sixties and as an overview some of the tracks here are a throwback to the end of rock'n'roll doowop era, and some are forerunners of the emerging soul one. Very much a transitional phase I guess. I don't think this label has ever purported to be or seen as innovators and as such it was following the styles of the time.

On the 'Northern' side I just love Billy Washington's 'Later for Romance', a cut containing all the right ingredients and not particularly rare or expensive I don't think. Neither is 'Keep on' which was a big Northern record yet is peculiar in that it is acoustically led and it is the vocal which drives it on. His unreleased 'You're Supreme' is similar but not quite so frantic and is all the much better for it. Joan Moody's 'We must be doing something right' is another storming cut, but don't miss out on 'Don't do me that way' which has the familiar vocal but more midtempo. 'Lend a helping heart' sees Joan in a much more mellow mood.

Gene Burks 'Can't stand fooling around' is very much of the era, a bit Sue like, prominent horns, soulful vocal and Gene in fine voice and less 'hard' than on his better known 'You Got it'. The Larks 'For the love of money' contains great vocal interplay reminiscent of the doowop era with a great leads in turn, particularly the falsetto) and wonderful harmonies.

Diplomats, being a big name currently with 'Cards on the table' which is not featured here. The featured tracks are - 'I am a witness being' which is excellent group soul and the frantic and forgettable 'Hey Mr Taxi Driver' (nice sax break though!).

Corvairs are featured with 'A victim of her charms' but it's not really clear which 'Corvairs 'this was, not that it matters to me on this fine outing. Tutti Hill has two tracks (is she Al Sears daughter?, making that assumption but could be hopelessly wrong), the first being the great and original version of 'He's a Lover' popularised by Mary Wells, and 'Handful of memories'. Chet Poison Ivey's track 'Love' emanates from an acetate that was discovered. Compelling girl chorus on this.

Junior Lewis is featured on four tracks plus a duet with Marie Knight. The best for me is the ballad 'Which Way'. Garrett Saunders is very Chuck Jackson esque, in beat ballad mode. Competent but not one I particularly like. Sam Hawkins 'Just to make me cry' is almost Rock'n'Roll but with a wonderful falsetto a, agreeing with Ady's sleeve, Clyde McPhatter, soundalike

There are several 'Unknown' cuts featured 'Deep down inside' a hard hitting R'n'B item which would go down well in some circles, 'Tears on my face' a demo version of Junior Lewis, in a Jackie Wilson style, and 'Where the river meets the Sea'. I can see why because of the style why these are featured but neither of them does much for me.

DC Playboys featuring the great Van McCoy on vocals but 'Too Much' isn't too much to write home about I'm afraid.

Marie Knight is included with an alternative take to the awesome 'Come tomorrow'. Theola Kilgore with an extended version of 'As long as you need me' is featured here. 'The love of my man' I love and this ain't far behind .

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