One For The Weekend: Melvin Davis

The folks at Kent/Ace have just recirculated the Melvin Davis swinger "Wedding Bells" – check it out. 

Before They Were Famous: Mick Jagger

Here's a teenage Mick Jagger demonstrating proper rock climbing footwear in Tunbridge Wells, Kent back in 1959.

More rare Stax grooves uncovered for Can I Be A Witness comp

Can I Be A Witness boasts previously unreleased tracks by The Soul Children, Little Milton, Nightingales & Sweet Inspirations. 

Here's the scoop...

A brand-new collection gathered from the Stax catalogue of southern-flavoured dancers, from soul to funk and in between, Can I Be A Witness: Stax Southern Groove (due September 24) features 11 previously unreleased tracks from such illustrious names as The Soul Children, Little Milton, The Emotions, The Sweet Inspirations, The Nightingales and Frederick Knight, amongst others. The other nine tracks from artists such as Eddie Floyd, R.B. Hudmon, Rance Allen Group and Eric Mercury delve deep into the archive, bringing you B-sides, obscure album cuts, dancefloor favourites and originally unissued tracks. The booklet is well illustrated and comes with an in-depth essay from compiler Dean Rudland.

Check out a few of the tunes following the track listing below.

Various Artists – Can I Be A Witness: Stax Southern Groove (Kent/Ace) 

1. BAD WATER - LITTLE MILTON Previously unissued (2021) 3.02 

2. CAN WE TALK THIS OVER - EDDIE FLOYD Originally unissued. Stax CDSXD 116 (1998) 3.02 

3. HOW CAN I BE A WITNESS - RB HUDMON Truth 3230 (1975) 3.03 

4. LOVE IS TAKING OVER - ERIC MERCURY Enterprise 9080 (1973) 3.48 

5. BURNING ON BOTH ENDS - THE NIGHTINGALES Previously unissued (2021) 3.13 

6. FOREVER AND A DAY - MEL & TIM Stax 0224 / Stax LP STS 5501 (1973) 4.39 

7. I WANNA MAKE UP (BEFORE WE BREAK UP) - MAJOR LANCE Volt 4079 (1972) 3.59* 

8. YOU AIN’T PLAYING WITH NO TOY - THE SOUL CHILDREN Previously unissued (2021) 3.24 

9. I GOT TO BE MYSELF - THE RANCE ALLEN GROUP Gospel Truth 1208 / Gospel Truth LP GTS-3502 (1973) 2.50 

10. PASSING THRU/WORLD KEEPS TURNING - FREDERICK KNIGHT Previously unissued extended version of Truth 3202 (2021) 10.54 

11. AIN’T ENOUGH HOURS - THE EMOTIONS Previously unissued (2021) 3.02 

12. CHANGES - JEANNE & THE DARLINGS Originally unissued. Stax CDSXD 116 (1998) 3.20 

13. SLOW DOWN - THE NIGHTINGALES Previously unissued (2021) 3.42 

14. SOUL GROOVE - ART JERRY MILLER Previously unissued (2021) 2.15* 

15. DON’T FIGHT THE FEELING - THE SWEET INSPIRATIONS Previously unissued (2021) 3.53 

16. THREE’S A CROWD - THE TEMPREES Previously unissued (2021) 3.08 

17. HELPING MAN - JEAN KNIGHT Stax 0136 (1972) 2.52* 

18. TRUE LOVE DON’T GROW ON TREES (Demo) - VEDA BROWN Originally unissued. Kent CDKEND 302 (2008) 2.28 

19. THE NATURAL YOU - OLLIE & THE NIGHTINGALES Previously unissued (2021) 2.47* 

20. LEANING ON YOUR UNDYING LOVE - SHACK Previously unissued (2021) 2.52* 

Stereo except * Mono

Ady Croasdell digs deep for new Ace/Kent Northern Soul comp

Northern Soul's Classiest Rarities, Vol. 7 – due February 26th – boasts loads of unheard and lesser known gems from the vaults.

Here's the scoop...

This latest episode of the high-quality end of the Northern Soul world is as varied as the scene has become, featuring manic funk, Detroit grooves, doo wop-inspired ballads, neo-Motown and pure soul stompers.

Los Angeles features strongly throughout. As a taster of the pleasures to come over the next couple of years, the opening tracks by ex-Motowners Carolyn Crawford and Kim Weston, along with the Joe Buckner & Major IV number, are from Mickey Stevenson’s late 60s Los Angeles operation; and the Lovers’ acetate-only ‘She’s Supreme’ and John Wesley & the Four Tees’ stomping version of the Williams & Watson LP track ‘Love Is Such A Funny Thing’ were recorded under the aegis of the city’s great arranger Arthur Wright.

Researching the tape vaults during lockdown has proved fruitful. The first version of Claude Huey’s ‘Why Would You Blow It’ by the unknown Isaiah Smith was discovered among the Galaxy tapes, as was the Brothers Of Soul’s ‘I Need Your Love’ – any previously unheard track by this redoubtable outfit is big soul news. I had originally thought that Buck Ram’s group Two Cats & A Mouse would be 50s sounding, like most of his acts, but ‘Love In My Heart’ proved to be a classy cover of the Oracles’ 1967 rarity on OM.

Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds

From Milwaukee, the Badger State, we have two little-known 1963 recordings from the Cuca label. ‘You Don’t Care’ by the Esquires (aka Betty Moorer’s brothers’ group the Ambassadors) first appeared on “Badger A-Go-Go”, a compilation album issued on Cuca’s Night Owl subsidiary in 1968, while Harvey (Scales) & Seven Sounds’ beat ballad ‘It’s Midnight’ was finally made available as a download-only in 2020.

Jack Ashford’s influence is also strong. ‘Crazy Things’ by the unknown Joe Douglas, one of Jack’s earliest productions, was cut in Philly with a Motor City backing track. Jack’s Pied Piper set-up produced the Hesitations’ ‘Soul Kind Of Love’, the second 45 from their superlative “Soul Superman” LP, and his later work with Detroiters Lorraine Chandler and George Rountree is represented by Philly singer Ray Gant’s update of Eddie Parker’s ‘I Need A True Love’, and the Family Brick’s vocal group version of ‘I’ll Fly To Your Open Arms’, which Jack sang on his “Hotel Sheets” LP.

Other soul legends include Major Lance with ‘Girl, Come On Home’ (the original flip of ‘Since I Lost My Baby’s Love’) and the Exits’ ‘Under The Street Lamp’, which epitomised the aspirations of black street corner vocal groups. Joe Hicks’ ‘Don’t It Make You Feel Funky’ is adrenalin-driven soul, adored by the Northern Soul crowd. Rocky Gil’s ‘It’s Not The End’ and Little Nicky Soul’s ‘You Said’ are both mega-money items, but the rarest and most-desired track has to be ‘The Intruder’ by Melvin Hicks & the Versatiles, which was thought to exist only on acetate but is actually a missing number on a collectible soul label – all will be revealed.  – ADY CROASDELL

Pre-order a copy of the CD right here. Listen to the uptempo Joe Hicks banger "Don't It Make You Feel Funky" and Little Nicky Soul's "You Said" arranged by Richard Tee and the Jack Ashford & Mike Terry-penned "Crazy Things" by the little known Joe Douglas. 

Northern Soul's Classiest Rarities, Vol. 7

01  Ready Or Not Here Comes Love - Carolyn Crawford

02  It Takes A Lotta Teardrops - Kim Weston

03  The Intruder - Melvin Hicks & The Versatiles

04  She's Supreme - The Lovers

05  Why Would You Blow It - Isaiah Smith

06  It's Not The End - Rocky Gil & The Bishops

07  It's Midnight - Harvey Scales & The Seven Sounds

08  You Said - Little Nicky Soul

09  You Don't Care - The Esquires

10  I Need Your Love - Brothers Of Soul

11  I Wish I Knew - Joe Buckner & Major IV

12  I'll Fly To Your Open Arms - The Family Brick

13  I Need A True Love - Ray Gant & The Arabian Knights

14  Don't It Make You Feel Funky - Joe Hicks

15  Love Is Such A Funny Thing - John Wesley & The Four Tees

16  Soul Kind Of Love - The Hesitations

17  Crazy Things - Joe Douglas

18  Love In My Heart - Cats 'n' Mouse

19  Farewell Goodbye My Love (Edit) - The Performers

20  Girl, Come On Home - Major Lance

21  I've Got To Come In - Jean Battle

22  So Glad - The Lyrics

23  The Right To Cry - The Perfections

24  Under The Street Lamp - The Exits