VARIOUS ARTISTS – CELLARFUL OF MOTOWN (MOTOWN UNIVERSAL 544 619-2)

Let’s open this little, but I hope useful, review in the words of Little Stevie Wonder: “Are You Sure Love is the Name Of this Game?” Yes I am mate, it’s for the love and devotion of the Detroit stable that this two cds were compiled by Paul Nixon, with an immaculate sense of quality, style and freshness. Imagine how could a Motown fan feel, holding in his hands a cd with 40 tracks, most of them rare, appearing only on bootleg, or previously unissued! I bet almost every hardcore fan has once dreamed of being in the “snakepit”, the recording studio of Hitsville USA. Well this compilation opens you the doors of the “snakepit”, if you are used to run with your imagination of course. The Funk Brothers providing the music for such talented and passionate artists, such as Brenda Holloway, Tammi Terrel, Jimmy Ruffin, Marv Johnson and Gladys Knight just to name a few. But don’t think of obscure recording or dusty grooves... THE MOTOWN SOUND SHINES BRIGHT AND CLEAR and you’ll find yourself playing the same track, two, three, four times before passing on to another. The more you play the more you love it! On disc one, Jimmy Ruffin & Stevie Wonder along with Brenda Holloway sweet voice, outshine everyone! Jimmy’s version of a Funk Brothers track also dubbed by Marvin Gaye with the title of “Lucky Lucky Me” is classy mid-tempo soul at its best! A gem that was left apart and layed undiscovered for 40 years! How could it happen? Don’t ask me! Also the aformentioned “Are You Sure Love is the Name Of this Game?” recorded by Stevie Wonder is a fine example of smooth soul with Stevie’s unmistakable voice singing out the chorus line from the heart! I am sure a big debate could be hold on which song stands out from the others, I am personally touched by the quality of the music in general, even of the recordings. I think the Funk Brothers were really a strong instrumental group, just take a listen to their rendition of the Velvellettes’ hit “He Was Really Saying Something”. Cd two opens with a Frank Wilson penned track My Sugar Baby and features recordings taken across the sixties and seventies decades. This is a gem in its entire track list! Each song should be underlined and mentioned here! I keep on listening to the Originals awesome Why When Love Is Gone, and Syreeta’s cover version of You Made Me Feel Like (Everything Is Alright) by The Supremes, but a terrible mistake should be forgetting Chuck Jackson & Yvonne Fair recording It Must Be Love, later assigned to Marvin and Tammi. I have seen some copies of this Cd also in italian shops, a sign that times are changing? I can’t tell honestly, but please don’t leave this cd on the shelves of a record store, this is definetly the must-buy of year 2002, and Volume II is already on the going...so don’t miss it!