Kent 30: Best of Kent Northern 1982-2012

by N/A

Overview

Kent Records, an offshoot of U.K. reissue label Ace Records began excavating obscure Northern Soul songs on a 1982 compilation album called For Dancers Only. As the years wore on, the label grew in profile and scope alike, licensing lost soul classics by the dozens and feeding a ravenous subset of soul collectors on their endless search for holier grails and more of the endless buried early soul gems that made up the often independently produced and distributed Northern Soul scene. Kent 30: Best of Kent Northern 1982-2012 is a highlight-heavy victory lap celebrating the label's 30th anniversary by collecting more unheard soul smokers and revisiting some of the label's greatest hits in a remastered form. Gene & Gary's early rock-informed vocal stomper "Baby Without You" dates back to that first compilation, while "I'm Shooting High (I Reach for the Sky)" by groovy progressive soul stirrer O.C. Tolbert appears in an alternate mix, resourced from the original master tapes. The collector's mentality runs heavy through the compilation, with a huge segment of the mix dedicated to records "so rare they didn't exist"; unearthed acetates of recordings that never made it to the often prohibitively expensive vinyl format. These tracks are among the rawest and most visceral productions on the record, including the killer, jumping soul cut "Love Keeps Me Crying" by Walter Wilson and the incredible alternate mix of Little Ann's "What Should I Do," shelved for decades waiting to be discovered by future generations. A remastering job renders Chuck Jackson's oddly eerie "I'd Be a Millionaire" especially electric as well. With 30 tracks of high-grade, no-filler Northern Soul, Kent 30 doesn't have much in the way of duds or dull moments, but its extensive running length can render even the best of its songs a little monotonous after an hour or so of deep cut listening. Taken piece by piece, however, Kent 30 has a bounty of top-notch, obscure, Northern Soul wonders and dancefloor burners. Collectors will especially enjoy the wealth of rarities and the expanded fidelity of the remastering, but even someone who just likes to dance will find a lot to enjoy here. ~ Fred Thomas

Product Details

Release Date:	11/06/2012
Label:	Kent
UPC:	0029667238427

Tracks

1. (True Love Is) In the Heart  - Alexander Patton
2. (Just a Little) Faith and Understanding [Alternate Mix]  - Herbert Campbell  - Frank Jones  -  Magicians  - Alec Palao
3. The Magic Touch [Alternate Vocal]  - Ted Daryll  - Melba Moore  - Alec Palao
4. You Only Live Twice [Original Take]  - Jack Ashford  - Lorraine Chandler  - Randy Scott  - Andrew Terry
5. What Should I Do [Alternate Mix]  - Ann Bridgeforth  - Rony Darrell  - Dave Hamilton  -  Little Ann
6. I'd Be a Millionaire  - Luther Dixon  - Chuck Jackson  - Van McCoy  - Alec Palao
7. Gettin' to Me  - Ben E. King  - Jerry Leiber  - Mike Stoller
8. Think Smart  -  Fiestas  - Florence Marandola  - Stan Vincent  - Hy Weiss
9. Love Keeps Me Crying  - Billy Jackson  - Tommy Keith  - Walter Wilson
10. Ooh It Hurts Me  - Larry Banks  - Herman Wesley Kelley  - Alec Palao  -  Pied Piper Players
11. Oh, My Darlin'  - James Carmichael  - Jackie Lee  - Sherlie Matthews  - Fred Smith
12. Rising Higher  - Marva Holiday  - Sherlie Matthews  - Alec Palao
13. Sorry Ain't the Word  -  Paramount Four
14. Two Wrongs Don't Make a Right  -  Mayberry Movement
15. No Limit  - Darrow Fletcher  - Zane Grey  - Len Ron Hanks
16. I Wanna Thank You  - David Blake  -  Quotations
17. Have Faith in Me  - Eugene Dozier  - Ugene Dozier  -  Sugar & Spices
18. Try My Love  - Tony Allen  - Alton Scott  -  Toni & The Showmen
19. Beauty Is Just Skin Deep  -  Sweethearts  - Steve Venet  - Toni Wine
20. Baby Without You [Edited Version]  - Jim Ford  -  Gene & Gary  - Lolly Vegas  - Pat Vegas
21. Handwriting on the Wall  - Delmar Wilburn  -  Wisdom
22. Oh Baby Don't You Weep  - Fred Bridges  - Luther Ingram  - Harrison Smith
23. I'm Stepping Out of the Picture  - Mark Barkan  - Windsor King  -  Maestro  - Alec Palao  - Peter Paul  - Ben Raleigh
24. I'm Shooting High (I Reach for the Sky) [Alternate Mix]  - Darryl Goolsby  - Dave Hamilton  - O.C. Tolbert
25. Without Your Love  - Larry Banks  - Bobby Penn  - Roy Robinson
26. Too Much for You  - Bobby Angelle  - Arthur Wright
27. Changes  - Lilly Fields  - Alec Palao
28. It's Torture  - Maxine Brown  - Rudy Clark  - Alec Palao  - Arthur Resnick
29. We Can Do It  - Larry Banks  - Rob Keyloch  -  Shaladons
30. The Panic Is On  - Bernie Baum  - Bill Giant  - Lou Johnson  - Florence Kaye

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chuck Jackson   Primary Artist
The Paramount Four   Primary Artist
Johnny Maestro & the Crests   Primary Artist
The Shaladons   Primary Artist
Bobby Angelle   Primary Artist
Maxine Brown   Primary Artist
O.C. Tolbert   Primary Artist
The Mayberry Movement   Primary Artist
The Quotations   Primary Artist
Gene & Gary   Primary Artist
Lilly Fields   Primary Artist
The Pied Piper Players   Primary Artist
Alexander Patton   Primary Artist
Darrow Fletcher   Primary Artist
The Fiestas   Primary Artist
Bobby Wisdom   Primary Artist
Luther Ingram   Primary Artist
Lou Johnson   Primary Artist
Little Ann   Primary Artist
Melba Moore   Primary Artist
Lorraine Chandler   Primary Artist
The Sweethearts   Primary Artist
Bobby Penn   Primary Artist
Jackie Lee   Primary Artist
The Magicians   Primary Artist
Toni & The Showmen   Primary Artist
Sugar & Spices   Primary Artist
Marva Holiday   Primary Artist
Walter Wilson   Primary Artist
Ben E. King   Primary Artist

Technical Credits

Alton Scott   Composer
Florence Marandola   Composer
Sebastian Fonzues   Memorabilia
Pat Vegas   Composer
Stan Vincent   Producer
Ted Daryll   Composer
Bill Giant   Composer
Larry Banks   Composer
Ben Raleigh   Composer
Frank Jones   Composer
Fred Bridges   Composer
Lolly Vegas   Composer
Len Ron Hanks   Composer
Hy Weiss   Producer
Rob Keyloch   Mixing
Mark Barkan   Composer
Rudy Clark   Composer
Martin H.   Memorabilia
Van McCoy   Composer
Peter Paul   Producer
Bobby Angelle   Composer
Jerry Leiber   Composer
Nick Robbins   Mastering
Mike Stoller   Composer
Arthur Wright   Producer
Arthur Resnick   Composer
Alec Palao   Mixing,Photo Courtesy
Tommy Keith   Composer
David Blake   Composer,Photo Courtesy
Bob Calili   Photo Courtesy
Alex Esmail   Cover Model
Darryl Goolsby   Composer
David Richards   Memorabilia
Ady Croasdell   Liner Notes,Illustrations
Gilles Petard   Photo Courtesy
Sherlie Matthews   Composer
Dave Hamilton   Composer
Bernie Baum   Composer
Bobby Wisdom   Arranger
Jack Ashford   Composer
Florence Kaye   Composer
Luther Dixon   Composer
Jim Ford   Composer
Randy Scott   Composer
Toni Wine   Composer
Herbert Campbell   Composer
Zane Grey   Composer
Roy Robinson   Composer
Vicki Fox   Photography
Harrison Smith   Composer
Steve Venet   Composer,Producer
Ugene Dozier   Arranger,Producer
Gareth Thomas   Memorabilia
Windsor King   Producer
Delmar Wilburn   Composer
Fred Smith   Producer
James Carmichael   Arranger
Elain Constantine   Cover Photo
Tony Allen   Composer
Rony Darrell   Composer
Billy Jackson   Composer
Eugene Dozier   Composer
Andrew Killick   Memorabilia
Steve Guarnori   Memorabilia
Matt Baker   Memorabilia
Ann Bridgeforth   Composer
Herman Wesley Kelley   Composer
Andrew Terry   Composer