Here’s a great re-issue that will appeal to classic soul collectors AND Bobby Womack completists. Originally issued in 1995, the set ostensibly belongs to the Memphis Horns – essentially Wayne Jackson and Andrew Love, a duo whose brass work graced and embellished countless Stax hits through the sixties and seventies. Here, however, they’re joined by a number of very special guests including the aforementioned Mr. Womack. Bobby gets to sing on a couple of cuts – a version of Sam Cooke’s ‘Somebody Have Mercy’ and his own original composition, ‘Break The Chain’. Both are as you’d expect from the line-up that’s enhanced by Isaac Hayes on Hammond and Bobby himself on guitar. Other featured vocalists include Etta James, Mavis Staples, Robert Cray, Leon Russell and William Bell and if that’s not enough to tempt real soul lovers I don’t know what is. Song-wise, most of the tunes are soul standards like ‘Take Me To The River’, ‘Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa’ and ‘You Don’t Miss Your Water’. Insensitive people would call the sound old-fashioned, but those who really know soul will call it all timeless. One of the best cuts on the set features a new name to me – Warren Haynes. Haynes, apparently, is a member of the Allman Brothers touring band and he offers a truly impassioned vocal and some biting guitar to a standout version of Otis Redding’s ‘I’ve Been Loving You Too Long.’ Real soul music for real grown ups.
(BB) 3/5
