Serious soul collectors in general and Philly completists in particular need to check out a new Ace album on 60s popster LESLEY GORE. LESLEY, of course, is best remembered for the QUINCY JONES-produced smash ‘It’s My Party’ and the searing ballad ‘You Don’t Own Me’. After those mid sixties hits she continued to record prolifically but for some unknown reason her label, Mercury, kept some of her best stuff in the can. The ACE crew have managed to unlock the vault and have just released ‘Magic Colours’ – a 25 track set, which comprises the lady’s unreleased ‘Magic Colours’ LP and a whole host of previously unreleased items.
Amongst those items is a superb trio of Philly tracks. Produced by GAMBLE and HUFF and arranged by THOM BELL and BOBBY MARTIN, they are the ballad ‘Look The Other Way’ and the lilting ‘Take Good Care (Of My Heart)’ along with ‘I’ll Be Standing by’. All three are perfect ’68 Philly artefacts. The rest of the material is breezy “sunshine” pop – including great versions of ‘Wedding Bell Blues’ and DUSTY SPRINGFIELD’S ‘All Cried Out’.
The set’s worth checking… collectors, I’m sure, will have already checked out ACE’S latest LONDON Label compilation. The new collection focuses on 1958 and includes tracks from CHUCK WILLIS, THE COASTERS, CHUCK BERRY, CLYDE McPHATTER, BILLY WARD and the DOMINOES and THE DRIFTERS. Of particular interest is ‘The Secret’ from the GAINORS – an early soul “super group” whose twin lead singers were HOWARD TATE and GARNET MIMMS.
