VARIOUS: Birth Of Soul, Special Chicago Edition (Label: Kent)
Over the years Kent/Ace have issued several splendid series of albums – Dave Godin’s ‘Deep Soul’ collections immediately spring to mind. Just prior to his death Dave also worked on a series called ‘Birth...
VARIOUS: Good To The Last Drop (Label: Fantastic Voyage)
Way back in 1960, a London-based jazz musician and club owner, Jeffery Kruger, started his own record label – Ember. His original aim was to use the label to issue the esoteric jazz sounds...
VARIOUS: A Complete Introduction To Tamla Motown (Label: Motown, Universal)
This lavishly-packaged four CD, 94 track album represents the culmination of Motown’s fiftieth anniversary celebrations in the UK – where of course the Tamla Motown brand eventually represented all of Gordy’s labels. Faced with...
VARIOUS: The Sound Of Jazz FM 2009 Vol. 2 (Label: Jazz FM)
The almost-all-new Jazz FM continues its upward trajectory with a second 2009 compilation that’s every bit as good as the first – and every bit as good as all those old chameleon-logoed albums the...
VARIOUS: Astral 22 Presents… Imperial (Label: Trans Phatt)
2009’s been a vintage year for indie soul compilations and this new 15 tracker from Los Angeles’ Trans Phatt Records is right up there with the pick of the crop. However, it’s not quite...
VARIOUS: A Solitary Man … the Early Songs Of Neil Diamond (Label: Ace)
‘A Solitary Man’ is the latest in the Ace Records’ series that looks at the work of influential American songwriters of the 60s. This 24 tracker turns the spotlight on Neil Diamond who, before...
VARIOUS: The Soul Of Smooth Jazz (Label: Jazz FM)
The re-vitalized Jazz FM goes from strength to strength – pulling in more listeners, consolidating its presenter base with a roster of credible names and continuing with its excellent series of chameleon-branded compilation albums...
VARIOUS: Soul Unsigned Volume 3 (Label: Soul Unsigned)
A little after a year since its first release, Phil Driver’s Soul Unsigned set up reinforces its position as a major UK soul player with this – its third volume of modern soul from...
VARIOUS: Soul Togetherness 2009 (Label: Expansion)
Expansion’s annual Togetherness compilation is always eagerly awaited by the real soul fraternity. They know that the album will – without doubt – deliver the very best selection of modern soul and this new...
