Dayo

Had NO idea that Little Ritchie was white! Paul Anka = probably the epitome of Northern (soul!?) That's a can of worms... Mitch Ryder does it for me everytime. You get your kicks and Breakout.

I'm so jealous. Love to see her live. LMDE - One of me all time faves. Great pole dancing record too! Or, so i'm told, by people who dance with poles! Good call on Walter Jackson... a big fave with the early mods. So was his soulful version of Where Have all The Flowers Gone. Colin

I dug out Roy Lee Johnson's Boogaloo No. 3 last night. Hadn't heard it decades. UK Action copies were quite easy to come by and it was one of the first things I ever bought. I never heard it played out (in my day) - the beat was just a little too funky and perhaps it didn't rack up against instrumentals of the quality of Bari Track, Exus Trek, Festival Time etc. Maybe it's been a hit on our scene at some venues, I've been away tooooo long. I know a few so called rare groove jocks jumped on it. However.... Has this record aged well or what?! Boogaloo No. 3 If you haven't heard it in a while, crank it up loud. You might be glad you paid it another visit - I was. Colin

Sounds I'd lurve to hear out again.... They call me Jesse James (+ the flip Charge) - Jesse James & the Dreams Band Do the 45 - Sharpees You're not lovin a beginner - Jesse Fisher Uhuru - Jomo (never heard this anywhere!) It's also been a zillion year since I heard Mary Love's Turned my bitter into sweet.... but it's such a classic I'm sure someone is still hammering it. Colin (penchant for Wheel sounds) Day!

Miff - you're spot on. I've always considered the Clapping Song to be a rap record. Surely Shirley Ellis though?

I'm certain that never got the plays it deserves.

Don't know that track. Funny how the backing vocalists are so distant...

1973. Year of my avatar pic. Er... been downhill since ! lol

Anyone else think Nico is here to wind us all up!? C'mon.... Tony Joe White, Rick Astley, Elvis.... Respect to you and your music taste Nico but someone needs to play you some quality soul. Best wishes Colin

Well I'd be first in the Q for that. Where's Ady when we need him!?

Steve Certainly sounds like Derek Martin, and it's a great record whatever. Thanks for the post. Regarding the Sly Girl comments elsewhere; couldn't agree more. Perfect Northern Soul. Leaving out DM's vocal, the bass line is stunning, don't you think? Colin

Just a note to say thanks to Craig & Rowley for posting those great tracks. Would be fantastic if someone could put together a Derek Martin CD. Ady?

Derek Martin. Brilliant genius, or what? Here's the thing; first time I heard You Better Go, I was well confused. I mean here's this song with a strange construction, full-on emotion drenched vocal, gorgeous jazzy chords and sublime lyrics. But then there's a problem. Big one. It's the backing vocals. Part of me thinks they are angelic, but part of me is also thinking of White Horses (Jackie, remember?) Took me a while, but I finally put them firmly in the angel category. It's been one of my top five records ever since. But it's his voice I keep coming back to. His tone. His way with a lyric. His range. Does he have the recognition he deserves? Anyone else rate this guy as high as I do? Has anyone got any lesser known tracks to recommend? Colin

Chuckling

I imagine Glen Campbell may have played on a lot more soul stuff than we'll ever know. If memory serves, wasn't he one of the most in demand sesion guitarists on the West Coast? He certainly played on loads of Phil Spector stuff and also toured and played with the Beach Boys (Good Vibrations was one of his sessions, ditto Pet Sounds). Personally I love what he did with those Jim Webb songs. A big, big talent.

Both points agreed!

Matt Munroe. About as far away fom soul music as you can get. Nevertheless, I've got a small soft spot for him too. Under rated and under appreciated, he had superb tone and a delicate gift for phrasing. Also copped for some cracking songs from the best of Britain's Tin Pan Alley. On the subject of MOR stuff, my girlfriend is a huge fan of Doris Day. It's got to be said, she was a great actress, but an even greater singer. I wouldn't call myself a fan, but again; fantastic tone, and gorgeous arrangements. And, yes, I realise she is something of a gay icon, and no I'm not My other loves include ska and reggae, blues (if it's earthy like John Lee Hooker). Folk does nothing for me, I just don't get it - and jazz is ok if you're stoned. But... My love affair with black American soul music goes back 36 years. I may flirt with other musical genres, but I'd rather hear the bridge from Just Can't Live My Life, than anything else on the planet.

Late eighties, saw him live at the Albert Hall, along with Liza Minelli and Frank Sinatra. He blew them both off the stage. An amazing perfomer. Soulful, perhaps. Soul music, no. (IMHO)

Realise that a lot of the records mentioned here are hard ones, but just wondered if anyone had any soundfiles to post; low quality, just half the disc, whatever. Would love to get a flavour of some of these... Thanks Colin

Good points, all well made. I'm absolutely certain that there have been some stunning soul records discovered over the last twenty odd years. It's the quantity and quality of the Northern element that may be an issue, as defined by records like Bob Relf, Linda Jones, Morris Chestnut etc. (And by the way, no-one is disputing the amount of tripe amongst the goodies - at Wigan, in particular). Mello Souls is often held up as the champion of more recent discoveries, but would it have been a big record at the Torch? I don't think so. A marginal spin at best. And yes, ok, I know, one of the biggest records at the Torch was The Shakers. Love on a mountain top was hardly gritty, heart felt soul either. I think it's a fascinating debate this one, and I'm sure it'll go on and on. Best wishes Colin (Still waiting and praying to be convinced)

We live in hope. Half the reason I stay connected to this scene is because of a yearning to here something new - anything - that you might call the essence of classic NS. If there is another Tomagoes, or Duke Browner, or Exus Trek out there, then I hope whoever is sitting on it gets it out there sharpish. Mello Souls? Pah! Col

Always had a soft spot for that Na Allen track. Anyone else playing it?

Can't agree Pete. Solid Soul Sensations was the first place I heard Maxine Brown's Let me Give My Lovin. Sublime. Worth the asking price for that alone! One or two duffers, but a great compilation.

Don't know. My copy is on red Ru-Jac. Glad a few of us groove on it too. Great track imho

Going way back, most of the Motown Big 16 albums were excellent. Tended to feature the lesser known tracks than the Chartbusters series.