VARIOUS - NEW BREED R&B (KENT, CDKEND 199)

With a sort of "going back to our roots" perspective, the rare soul scene has recently embraced Rhythm & Blues sounds as new discoveries. The Hideaway Club in Manchester is the home of this new movement, something crossing over the Northern and mod scenes. To celebrate the dawn of a new era, Ady Croasdell has selected 24 dancers from the vaults of US Kent/Modern and the result is highly enjoyable. The opening track, Larry Davis "I've Been Hurt So Many Times", is a classic as it was played to death at the legendary Stafford Top Of The World in the 80's. BB King, Bobby Bland, Vernon Garrett, Jimmy Holiday, Lowell Fulsom, Ike & Tina Turner are all masters of this genre and you know what to expect from theirs talent, stomping music hitting you with a kick in the ass. Obscurities abound too: who the hell are the Newports, a band discovered in Belgium by the Popcorn scene and "imported" in the UK by Roger Banks, the guru of R&B? Theirs "Dixie Women" is a fabulous midtempo and will satisfy an entire new generation of soul fans. Kent have already planned CDs from other top R&B indie labels of the 60s; how many great sounds are just waiting there?