Back catalogue: Funk Soul & Jazz

Review: The soundtrack to Jon Savage's monumental history of LGBTQ influence on popular culture is an essential double CD compilation that traverses the clandestine alongside the openly celebrated. Featuring artists from Joe Meek to Buzzcocks, Patrick Cowley, Tom Robinson Band, Lesley Gore, Billy Fury and Little Richard, it encapsulates the hidden and overt narratives of LGBTQ life in post-war music. Starting with the groundbreaking success of Little Richard in 1955, the compilation captures the coded expressions of the 50s and 60s, mirroring the societal secrecy and oppression faced by the gay community. As the music progresses into the early 70s, it reflects the era's burgeoning openness, marked by the influence of icons like David Bowie. The tracks span pop, Tamla, soul, glam rock, and the early funk and disco sounds that dominated underground New York clubs, ultimately leading to the disco explosion of the late 70s. This compilation is a tribute to freedom and the intertwined worlds of music and sexuality. Some artists identify as LGBTQ+, others are included for their impact on or by the gay aesthetic, making a heartfelt homage to the diverse and rich history of music shaped by the community. A vibrant and significant cultural journey.

Review: Here, There and Everywhere: Black America Sings John Lennon, Paul McCartney & George Harrison is Ace Records' third compilation of soulful jazz and r&b covers of Beatles classics by Black American artists. This collectio has a deep Motown presence, acknowledging the Beatles' early admiration for Motown before the label's music even hit the UK charts. The album spans Beatles and post-Beatles compositions from 1964 to 2004, with standout performances by artists like Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder. The song selection takes listeners on an inspired journey through well-known hits, reimagined with rich soul and jazz interpretations. The Supremes' take on 'You Can't Do That' and The Four Tops' 'Michelle' reveal fresh, emotive layers in songs that are simultaneously faithful and transformative. Randy Crawford's stirring 'Give Peace a Chance' and Stevie Wonder's vibrant 'We Can Work It Out' underscore Black America's lasting engagement with the Beatles' work, while tracks like Sam Fletcher's 'Can't Buy Me Love' and Keb' Mo's 'Imagine' breathe new life into familiar melodies with jazz-infused warmth and soul. Each cover on the compilation not only reflects the artists' creative voices but also traces the Beatles' own roots in soul and r&b, bridging cultural influences that shaped music in the 60s and beyond. Here, There and Everywhere is an enriching and unique compilation that has one of the most enduring cross-cultural exchanges in modern pop history.

Review: New Jill Swing is a vibrant throwback that captures the essence of late 80s and early 90s female r&Bb, offering a refreshing take on the male-dominated New Jack Swing era. This collection shines a spotlight on the talented women who matched, if not surpassed, their male counterparts, delivering smooth, soulful tracks that defined a golden age of R&B. From SWV's infectious 'I'm So Into You' remix to Karyn White's upbeat 'The Way You Love Me,' the album kicks off with undeniable energy. Gems like En Vogue's 'Lies' remix and Xscape's 'Love On My Mind' keep the groove going, blending attitude with vocal finesse. The compilation also includes lesser-known but equally powerful tracks like Ex Girlfriend's 'What I Will Do To You' and Chantay Savage's 'Betcha'll Never Find,' adding depth and variety. Each song is a nostalgic journey, perfectly curated to remind listeners of the era's distinctive sound. Overall, New Jill Swing is an enjoyable and well-crafted homage to the women who helped shape R&B.

Review: Paul Weller is perhaps one of the best non-soul musicians to ask to compile a rare soul compilation. Rather than documenting soul music as it proliferated in the 1960s, Ace Records' soul aim was to capture a genre, fashion and style as one man saw it in retrospect, in light of his involvement in the mod revival of the mid 1970s. Weller would later go onto form and front The Jam, but in late 1974, shortly before his involvement in the punk movement, he was about none of that business at all. Punk partly grew on febrile tissues of mod, which was in turn an offshoot of 60s soul; and it is true that we may hear a foetal form of the sound in the brasher cuts on this record, be it Billy Stewart's 'Summertime' or James Carr's 'Pouring Water'. Also clock Brother To Brother's 'In The Bottle', a super-early drum machine blues gem perfect for the house heads.

Review: Paul Weller of The Jam pens an unlikely soul missive in 4xLP compilation form, released through Ace. The British new wave and mod revivalist naturally grew up listening to soul music, though the likes of 'That's Entertainment' and 'Going Underground' hardly bear their imprinting marks. Having hassled Weller for years to compile such a thing, Ace now finally, happily deliver this biographic brain-pick. From James Carr's 1966 'Pouring Water On A Drowning Man' to 'Life Walked Out' by The Mist, we've a somewhat obscure selection here; but it's only natural for a man so immersed in 60s soul as a teenager that he'd go so far as to buy a Lambretta and vow never to take off his mohair!