Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Few would argue that Britain's Ace Records are the best re-issue label in the world and down the years they have compiled countless excellent albums in most fields of music. In recent years the number of gospel compilations has lessened though Ace still continue to issue numerous albums for followers of gospel's sister music, soul. This 24-song collection of '60s and '70s soul from LA's most prolific stable of labels owned by the renowned Bihari brothers was compiled by broadcaster and soul expert Ady Croasdell. He's done a brilliant job in bringing to light a lot of obscure tracks which sound every bit as good as the R&B hits of the era. The opening track, the previously unissued "I Want Action" by Jeanette Jones, is in fact a cover of an R&B hit by Ruby Winters cut in 1967 which soul connoisseurs will acknowledge is every bit as good as the original. Croasdell tells us in his sleevenotes, "Leo Kulka's work with local black churches meant he was able to identify talent within the choirs and sign them, with an eye to exploiting them with records aimed at the secular market. His most significant find in this regard was Jeanette Jones. The tall, good looking belter had originally been the featured vocalist with the Voices Of Victory Choir, whom Kulka had first recorded in 1965." Other artists here who sound like they had church music roots are Robert Ramsey (though his "Take A Look In Your Mind" is not as good as the original single's "Like It Stands" which was a deep soul gem) and Willie Gauff & The Love Brothers whose frantic piece of funk "I Know She's Gonna Leave" was unissued until this CD. The website Sir Shambling's Deep Soul Heaven once wrote about the act, "West Coast artist Gauff & The Love Brothers only cut three 45s but they were all so full of righteous fire they must have come from the gospel scene - and may well have gone back there." Not every artist featured on 'Los Angeles Soul' had gospel music roots of course. Felice Taylor always struck me as a Diana Ross-imitator and didn't impress here with her "Sing Me A Love Song" while Jackie Shane, a gay cross-dresser, can't do much with a soulification of Jimmie Davis' standard "You Are My Sunshine". But when you have the delicious voice of Millie Foster on a remake of Mary Love's "Move A Little Closer" you can hear just why she went on to receive accolades at the Montreux Jazz Festival and record a fine gospel album with guitar virtuoso Mike Bloomfield. And the strong connection between gospel and the Los Angeles soul scene is underlined on this fascinating set with the final track "Your (sic) Gonna Miss Your Chance" by Maurine Williams & The Mount Olive 2nd B C Choir. There's no secularization here. This gospel ballad was written by Betty Gouche (who also recorded as Betty Fikes) who was a prominent civil rights worker in her home town of Selma, Alabama. "You're Gonna Miss Your Chance" was also covered by the mighty Clara Ward Singers with Fikes as the featured pianist. Croasdell is right in calling Maurine Williams' rendition a "gospel gem" and it is a fitting closer to a intriguing, and at times uplifting, celebration of sweet soul music.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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