Tough sides recorded by Jammys and Scientist, besides a couple of killers from the Black Ark — The Children Are Crying (with The Heptones) and Mr Scabina.

LP from Speakers Corner.

Paradigmatic group-harmony soul from the Chocolate City.
Remastered from the original tapes for this fiftieth anniversary edition.

With the funky, bad-ass Smoking Cheeba-Cheeba. A bit of a skeleton in the closet, surely — the debauched transition from Wes Montgomery-styled 60s soul jazz, to the urbane sophistication of his super-stardom.

The great tenor saxophonist’s two 1961 albums for Contemporary — with stellar West Coast sidemen like Art Pepper, Phineas Newborn, Frank Butler, Frank Rosolino — showcasing singer Helyne Stewart on the first.

A highly collectible, 1978 one-away by a group of high school friends in St Louis, featured on the recent Private Wax compilation. ‘A fantastic example of the Modern Soul sound which bridged the gap between Northern and Disco, introducing synthesisers alongside incredibly tight vocal harmonies and lush instrumental arrangements.’