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Following the acclaimed Jazz On The Corner compilation 2019 again sees Martin Freeman team up with Acid Jazz's renowned head honcho Eddie Piller to present a veritable and personal collection of tracks. Compiled from the pair's personal favourites, be it hearing on the radio, word of mouth or Dj-ing - Soul On The Corner represents the entire gamut of soul from the sixties and seventies right up to the present as illustrated by the likes of Tommy McGhee and the Acid Jazz recent signee Laville.
Opening with the inimitable Bobby Womack and How Could You Break My Heart, as Piller explains; "I never tire of hearing this record and have used regularly to close my DJ set, it's a real hands-in-the-air moment." Further cuts from the renowned and less well-known seamlessly complement each other - the smooth sultry jam of Laville's Thirty One or the superbly nuanced slice of progressive soul in the shape of Sergio Mendes & Brasil 77's Love Music. Piller's selection transcends the rock / soul divide with Never Gonna Give You Up from former Impression Jerry Butler, adding: "I plumped for this because I recalled the incredible response from The Black Keys' version that I aired on the BBC's Funk and Soul show."
No less varied is the choice of soul fan Martin Freeman, opening with the vintage '68 soul with a twist of something rockier, Barbara Acklin's A Raggedy Ride that he professes; "is an unexpected gem that's been a favourite of mine for forever." Other picks arrive in the form of Georgie Fame's cover of Bobby Womack's Daylight that has Freeman enthusing; "the original is a beaut. This is better." Further inclusions come from The Supremes and The Wisdom Of Time, representing the mid-nineties contemporary soul scene is Lewis Taylor with Lucky that as Freeman asserts is; "an epic tune." Meanwhile, taken from their first self-titled album Earth, Wind & Fire's Fan The Fire epitomizes the innovative nature of one of the most successful acts of all time and adds Freeman; "this is a funky-as-hell cry for peace and love. Good lord, they were SO good."
Tracklist
Disc: 1
1 How Could You Break My Heart - Bobby Womack
2 Lucky to Be Loved By You - Willie Hutch
3 Now That I Have You - Tommy McGee
4 Positive Forces - Leroy Hutson
5 Thirty One - Laville
6 Love Music - Sérgio Mendes & Brasil '77
7 Oooh Baby - Pamoja
8 Brother Louie - Hot Chocolate
9 You and I - Goodie
10 It'll All Come Around - Patsy Gallant
11 Finally Made It Home - Arnold Blair
12 Like a Ship (Without a Sail) - The Reverend T.L Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir
13 If I Can't Fly - Honey Cone
14 Just to Be With You - Bobby Dukes
15 Can't Fight Your Love - The Modulations
16 Never Give You Up - Jerry Butler
Disc: 2
1 A Raggedy Ride - Barbara Acklin
2 Daylight - Georgie Fame
3 I Just Can't Help It - Major Lance
4 Passion - Shirley Brown
5 Fan the Fire - Earth, Wind & Fire
6 Lucky - Lewis Taylor
7 I Like the Things About Me That I Once Despised - Wayne Davis
8 The Wisdom of Time - The Supremes
9 Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything) - Donny Hathaway
10 It Hurts So Good - Millie Jackson
11 I'm Goin' Left - Syreeta
12 Love to Keep You in Mind - Curtis Mayfield
13 Don't Change Horses (In the Middle of a Stream) - Tower of Power
14 Shoes - Brook Benton
15 Hit and Run Lover - Tommie Young
16 The Babysitter - Betty Wright