"Chicago Soul" The Early Years 1950-1961 - CD1

Chicago has always been a hotbed of Black music, but the focus is usually its' thriving blues scene; the R&B and Soul artists are often overlooked or forgotten…..This fine collection brings together the cream of Windy City Soul from the years 1950 to 1961 on Disc One, and the year 1962 on Disc Two. As one would expect, Vee-Jay and Chess are the dominant labels and their performers are well represented-Jerry Butler (with and without the Impressions), Dee Clark, and Gene Chandler for the former, and Billy Stewart, Etta James, Mitty Collier, and Little Milton for the latter-but some of the smaller upstart imprints get a look in as well: Abner (The Impressions), Rene (Betty Everett), One-derful (McKinley Mitchell, Five Du-Tones, Everett), and Argo (Etta James, again). And the majors were hardly left out: Columbia and its' "black" imprint OKeh (Ted Taylor, Walter Jackson), ABC (The Impressions), Decca (Harold Burrage), and Mercury (Major Lance) all made their presence felt during the period. The tracks themselves range from the doo wop of The Sheppards and The Spaniels to female belters like Mary Johnson, Sugar Pie DeSanto, and Etta James. As is often the case with these types of compilations, it's the obscure cuts that make them worthwhile and this one is no exception with a 1956 Four Tops number cut for Chess, "Could it Be You", Ted Taylor's dynamic "Can't Take No More", McKinley Mitchell belting out "I'm So Glad", Mary Johnson's epic "These Tears", and Gerald Sims & The Daylighters' "Cool Breeze" being among the highlights. Helpfully sequenced in chronological order and sporting an informative 28 booklet with notes by Robert Pruter, author of the definitive book "Chicago Soul", this collection is a winner by a huge margin. (R&B Review)

trax disc 1:
1. Hi Yo Silver - Harold Burrage 2. Play It Cool - The Spaniels 3. Could It Be You - The Four Tops 4. For Your Precious Love - Jerry Butler 5. Billy's Blues, Pt. 2 - Billy Stewart 6. I'll Weep No More - Betty Everett 7. Satisfied - Harold Burrage 8. Never Felt This Way Before - The Sheppards 9. Senorita I Love You - The Impressions 10. I Want to Know - Sugar Pie DeSanto 11. Crying for My Baby - Harold Burrage 12. I've Got a Girl - Major Lance 13. He Will Break Your Heart - Jerry Butler 14. Tragic - The Sheppards 15. These Tears - Mary Johnson 16. If I Can't Have You - Etta James 17. Say That You Love Me - The Impressions 18. Where Is She - Dobie Hicks 19. So Mean to Me - Little Milton 20. Stop Giving Your Man Away - Joyce Davis 21. Waiting for Charlie to Come Home - Etta James 22. Better Tell Him No - The Starlets 23. Gypsy Woman - The Impressions 24. Your Friends - Dee Clark 25. Oh Cindy - The Vibrations 26. Forgotten - The Sheppards 27. Oh What a Way to Be Loved - The Daylighters 28. New Rockin' Baby - The Chaunteurs 29. Be Ever Wonderful - Ted Taylor 30. I Got to Get Away from It All - Mitty Collier
…served by Gyro1966...