This set of rare and rather amazing soul classics has a lot going for it straight out of the gate. To start with, it comes courtesy of Ace Records, a magnificent label to be celebrated for its lovingly curated compilations, always wide ranging, knowledgeable and beautifully presented. I’m a huge fan of their invaluable Beat Girl series, featuring forgotten distaff chart toppers from around the world — including Japan, Sweden and Eastern Europe along with more familiar territories such as France, Italy and Spain.
But in this case the loving curation has been provided by none other than Paul Weller, an artist with enduring credibility and a man who knows a thing or two about soul music. Former frontman of the Jam and the Style Council and a solo artist for decades, Weller is a champion of new talent (such as Liam Bailey). But here he is acting as a champion of old talent…
The description ‘soul’ is perhaps a little too narrow for the gems Weller has assembled here. Indeed we’re in funk territory from the first cut with God Made Me Funky by The Headhunters. And Spanish Twist from The I.B. Special is described in the liner notes as having a surf rock flavour, but to these ears it sounds ska-adjacent. Incidentally, those liner notes are by none other than Pete Paphides, just one more asset in this splendidly packaged set which includes invaluable information on matters like arrangers, producers and original release dates and labels.
The collection strikes a remarkable balance by featuring tracks which are irresistible and instantly appealing while at the same time rare and unknown. I was familiar with a fair number of the recording artists (including Syl Johnson, Betty Davis and Richie Havens) but not a single one of the songs themselves. And many of the singers are new to me, too. Such as Johnny Williams, who was with The Drifters for a heartbeat before going solo. His heartfelt Maggie features some superb harmonica playing by an unknown hero. The trippy Blackrock “Yeah Yeah” is a supreme rarity by the eponymous Blackrock, session players from the great Memphis labels Stax and Hi, gone rogue.
I’d never heard of America Gypsy, either, but their extraordinary Golden Ring, featuring scat, Fender Rhodes, and a string section as just one small section of an epic sonic odyssey, suggests that it might be time to start crate digging for their 1975 album on Chess. Billy Stewart’s 1966 cover of Summertime (also originally on Chess) is another classic cut and a remarkable working of the Gershwin original, notable both for Stewart’s flamboyant vocals and Maurice White, later of Earth, Wind and Fire, excelling on drums.
Paul Weller Presents That Sweet Sweet Music is a fabulous resource for the specialist and the dyed in the wool fanatic while at the same time providing an immaculate introduction to the genre. With Weller’s name attached it is to be hoped that this release will bring all these artists to a richly deserved wider audience. But it would also be wonderful if it alerted that wider audience to the whole Ace reissue project, with its constant flow of wonderful rediscovered music, always meticulously annotated and appealingly packaged.
Track Listing
Side 1
1 God Made Me Funky – The Headhunters
2 Spanish Twist – The J.B. Special
3 Breakaway – The Valentines
4 Top Of The Stairs – Collins & Collins
5 Don’t Let The Green Grass Fool You – The Spinners
6 Black Balloons – Syl Johnson
Side 2
1 Soulshake – Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson
2 I Can’t Make It Anymore – Richie Havens
3 You Got To Have Money – The Exits
4 Pull My String (Turn Me On) – The Joneses
5 Run For Cover – The Dells
6 On Easy Street – O.C. Smit
7 It Ain’t No Big Thing – The Radiants
Side 3
1 Summertime – Billy Stewart
2 In The Bottle – Brother To Brother
3 Hard Times – Baby Huey
4 Maggie – Johnny Williams
5 When – Joe Simon
6 Pouring Water On A Drowning Man – James Carr
7 That’s Enough – Roscoe Robinson
Side 4
1 Blackrock Yeah Yeah – Blackrock
2 Golden Ring – American Gypsy
3 Search For The Inner Self – Jon Lucien
4 Life Walked Out – The Mist
5 In The Meantime – Betty Davis
6 Beautiful Feeling – Darrell Banks
