Soul Voices - 60s Big Ballads Various Artists (Kent)

£12.56

Genre:
60s Soul
Label:
Kent
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDKEND 490

This product is also available in these versions:
Soul Voices - 60s Big Ballads (Sampler) (MP3), MP3 (£4.74)

Majestic male vocalists singing over subtly orchestrated arrangements of superb songs were the pinnacle of 1960s black music sophistication.

Male soul balladeers from the 60s have always been particularly admired. Roy Hamilton, Walter Jackson, Lou Johnson and Ben E King – some of the A-listers featured here – epitomise the genre and have devoted followers. This grand sound evolved from the first soul records which emanated in the early 60s mainly in New York, where three quarters of the tracks here were recorded.

Four are previously unissued. Kenny Carter’s ‘Big Bad Rain’ is a superb Larry Banks and Herman Kelley song, stunningly arranged by New York studio maestro Garry Sherman. Clarence Pinckney is lesser-known but delivers the Billy Terrell song ‘Just Outside Of Lonely’ with aplomb. Prolific recording artists Junior Lewis and Billy Watkins both add a new song to their already impressive CVs. Lewis’ recording is a demo of the tender Buddy Lucas song ‘I Love You So Much’ which was never covered for a release. Its sparse backing seems appropriate to the song, especially next to Jimmy Radcliffe’s ‘Through A Long And Sleepless Night’, which has a minimal arrangement but made it to 45. Billy Watkins sang in most soul styles in a 20-year Los Angeles recording career. His reading of the jazz standard ‘I Want To Be Loved’ was clearly Sam Cooke-inspired and reeks of sophistication.

The producers of these three-minute dramas include Bert Berns, Jerry Ragovoy, Burt Bacharach and Teddy Randazzo who were aided and abetted by arrangers such as Bert Keyes, Artie Butler and Riley Hampton – all guarantors of top-quality performances.

There are rare 45s by Brooks O’Dell, Herb Johnson and Tony Mason which complement better-known but expensive collector’s items from Clyde McPhatter, Garrett Saunders, Jimmy Beaumont and Roy Hamilton. Despite being primarily records for listening rather than dancing, their value can be in the hundreds of pounds.

We have included some tracks which debuted on other Kent CDs that deserve reappraisal in an appropriate setting. Walter Jackson’s amazingly good ‘Forget The Girl’ and Tommy Hunt’s male take on ‘Don’t Make Me Over’ are particularly noteworthy examples. As with Chuck Jackson’s ‘I Can’t Stand To See You Cry’, it is bewildering how such great tracks can have been unreleased at the time of recording. There are classics of the style from Freddie Scott and Garnet Mimms, while left-field contributions from Al Hibbler and Sammy Sevens make this a must-buy soul CD.

ADY CROASDELL

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Track listing

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Side 1

  • 01 Preview Forget The Girl - Walter Jackson

  • 02 Preview They Say I'm Afraid (Of Losing You) - Freddy Butler

  • 03 Preview Heartache (Hurry On By) - Roy Hamilton

  • 04 Preview Like A Big Bad Rain - Kenny Carter

  • 05 Preview (There's) No Place To Hide - Ben E King

  • 06 Preview Lonely People Can't Afford To Cry - Clyde McPhatter

  • 07 Preview Gloomy Day - Herb Johnson

  • 08 Preview Just Outside Of Lonely - Clarence Pinckney

  • 09 Preview Seeing Is Believing - Tony Mason

  • 10 Preview Don't Make Me Over - Tommy Hunt

  • 11 Preview Reach Out For Me - Lou Johnson

  • 12 Preview Now You Are Gone - Brooks O'Dell

  • 13 Preview You Got Too Much Going For You - Jimmy Beaumont

  • 14 Preview A Day Or Two - Garrett Saunders

  • 15 Preview Where Does Love Go - Freddie Scott

  • 16 Preview I Can't Stand To See You Cry - Chuck Jackson

  • 17 Preview Anytime You Want Me - Garnet Mimms

  • 18 Preview Can't Stand Your Fooling Around - Gene Burks

  • 19 Preview I Want To Be Loved - Billy Watkins

  • 20 Preview Lover's Competition - James Carr

  • 21 Preview You Are A Lucky So And So - Sammy Sevens

  • 22 Preview Good For A Lifetime - Al Hibbler

  • 23 Preview Through A Long And Sleepless Night - Jimmy Radcliffe

  • 24 Preview I Love You So Much - Junior Lewis

Delivery & Returns

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We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

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You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Ace Records, Such Close, Letchworth Garden City SG6 1JF, United Kingdom. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

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