‘Laura liberated musicians to employ all their influences in crafting a pop song – as she had combined jazz, folk, classical, 60s soul, the Beatles, Dylan, Tin Pan Alley… so ahead of its time it’s still ahead…’

Singers like Jimmy Thomas, Stacy Johnson, Vernon Guy, Jessie Smith, Bobby John, Jackie Brenston, Venetta Fields, Tina Turner, Ernest Lane, Dee Dee Johnson — fronting a super-tough Kings Of Rhythm lineup.

All his records, from his 1958 debut through to 1964, when he withdrew from performing to concentrate on writing songs for the Supremes, the Vandellas, the Four Tops etc, with his bro Brian and Lamont Dozier.

Regal rhythm and blues, rock and roll, big-band funk and the rest from this amazing man, with his son Shuggie just coming into view.

Top soulful swamp pop via Huey P Meaux’ in Texas, including a bunch of demos for Fats and Cookie And The Cupcakes alongside JD’s complete Tear Drop sevens.

‘In these recordings without amplification I could hear the natural resonance of the instruments and the subtleties in the vocals. They also played songs not heard in the dance halls: haunting, sad songs.’

For Your Precious Love started out as a Bandera recording (subsequently leased to Vee-Jay), made by co-owner Vi Muszynski — and there are eleven Impressions sides here, seven of them previously unissued.

Hats off every time to the founding father of New Orleans rhythm and blues. DB holds the master recipe for soul-ska-rhumba-blues gumbo. Just check the tracklisting for a sense of his achievement. Don.

All the stuff he did for Smash.

‘The Complete Liberty And Imperial Singles, Volume 2.’

‘Most of the sides contained here were recorded in New Orleans or Los Angeles during the late 50s, providing her entire Modern recordings.’ Rocking and raunchy as ever.

Miss Peaches, 1954-9, rocking the hell out with Richard Berry, Lee Allen, Dave Bartholomew and co.

A Hamlet moment two hours long.

Fine Detroit doo wop, Drifters and Coasters style, definitively presented in this limited edition.

Superb songwriting in a dazzling range of styles and voices, from soul ballads to cocktail jazz, the sardonic to the purely heartfelt.