TSU Toronados - The Toronado
I could almost let these guys introduce themselves, but they get a fine introduction at the start of the track. Most famously heard as the band backing Archie Bell & the Drells on"Tighten Up",

The Ambers - I Love You Baby
A great favourite of mine that I still manage not to know a great deal about. It was released on Verve in 1966 and is their only single for the label as far as I know. This song must have one of the best intros ever - an amazing swirl of horns launching into some really classy vocal harmonies with great energy right the way through.
Major Lance - Investigate
...and onto one of the giants of Chicago soul! This is my favourite of the Major's many, many great tracks - and I suspect I'm not alone in that. A tremendous vocal performance - of course - and that great Okeh brass sound underpinning it.

Sugar Pie DeSanto - Jump In My Chest
Sugar Pie DeSanto was a childhood friend of the great Etta James (and recorded a couple of great duets with her) and was one of the many R&B artists who got a start in recording through the famed bandleader Johnny Otis. This track comes from quite a few years later in 1965 when she was recording for Checker - it's the flip to "Mama Didn't Raise No Fools" and yet another reason to always listen to both sides of a 45! This one has fantastic atmosphere, and is led throughout by a great horn riff - and of course, being a Sugar Pie DeSanto track there's more than a little attitude, too!

JJ Barnes - Sweet Sherry
Another really well known tune, this one from the Detroit master JJ Barnes. Those are the Originals singing harmonies behind him, by the way. Lovely.
Norma Jenkins - Me, Myself & I
A very nice piece of soulful, melodic pop on Joe Evans' Carnival label. The lyric is sweet and

Bluesbusters - I've Gotta Get There
This single is a tremendous double-sider on Capitol. The Bluesbusters are an odd combination, a successful vocal duo from Jamaica comprising Lloyd Campbell and Philip James who

Chuck Jackson - Beg Me
And once again onto someone who needs no introduction! This is Chuck Jackson at his grav

Bobby James & Vicki Adams - Love Is Such A Sweet Thing
A really storming tune on the Stop label from Nashville. Vicki Adams also has a nice solo release on Stop ("I'm Drowning"), but beyond that I really don't know all that much about them. Not

Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure - You'll Miss Me (When I'm Gone)
Fontella Bass, of course, you already know - "Rescue Me" must be one of the most famous songs in all of soul music - her first single for Chess. Before that, though she recorded a couple of duets with Bobby McClure - one of which, "Don't Mess Up A Good Thing" was a hit. This is the flip side to the other one "Don't Jump" and is further proof - as if we needed it - that you can't judge a record by its sales!
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