While many of the decade’s most successful UK bands (The Beatles, The Rolling Stones et al) were originally inspired and influenced by Black American soul and R&B, it could be argued that Black artists recording in Britain at the time weren’t given the exposure they deserved. The first two discs of ‘Gotta Get A Good Thing Goin’ document the explosion of homegrown Soul and Rhythm and Blues which reflected the growing success of labels such as Motown and Stax/ Atlantic, which spearheaded the plethora of Black music emanating from the States. Artists such as Carl Douglas and Jimmy James were popular live draws, who later enjoyed chart success in the 1970s. Jackie Edwards, Owen Gray and Jimmy Cliff came to the UK from Jamaica after signing with Chris Blackwell’s Island Records while Geno Washington was an American GI who stayed here and continues to perform to this day. Clyde McPhatter was the legendary original singer in The Drifters and The Chants would eventually evolve into The Real Thing. However, Soul and R&B aren’t the only genres catered for here. While disc 3 is devoted to the homespun Ska, Rocksteady and Reggae from artists who’d often been born in the Caribbean (chief among them Laurel Aitken, the ‘Godfather of Ska’), Disc 4 reflects a wider range of styles including choice selections from many stars of their day (Cleo Laine, a highly respected jazz singer; Shirley Bassey, a successful worldwide phenomenon; Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, a charismatic maverick; Winifred Atwell, a popular boogie woogie pianist; Geoff Love, a renowned orchestra leader). The UK also played host to many visiting American blues and folk men and women (such as Champion Jack Dupree, Otis Spann and Mabel Hillery). ‘Gotta Get A Good Thing Goin’ boasts numerous tracks new to CD and includes many 45s which now command three figure sums on the collector’s market. With comprehensive sleevenotes and artist biographies, a plethora of rare images and photos and newly remastered sound, this is a fitting homage to a golden era in Black British music.

Disc: 1
1 The Soul Brothers -Gotta Get a Good Thing Goin'
2 The Flirtations -Nothing But a Heartache
3 Carl Douglas -Serving a Sentence of Life
4 Jimmy Thomas- Springtime
5 Jimmy James and the Vagabonds- This Heart of Mine
6 Jackie Edwards- Come on Home
7 Chris Rayburn- One Way Ticket
8 Herbie Goins and the Night-Timers Coming Home to You
9 Jimmy Cliff- Waterfall
10 The Ferris -Wheel I Can't Break the Habit
11 Geno Washington & the Ram Jam Band-Michael
12 Cleo Laine- Don't You Pass Me By
13 Danny Williams- Whose Little Girl Are You
14 Madeline Bell- Picture Me Gone
15 Watson T Browne and the Explosive-Some Lovin'
16 Ebony Keyes- If You Knew
17 Sugar Simone- Take It Easy
18 Kim D the Real Thing-Brothers Grimm Looky, Looky
19 Lucas and the Mike Cotton Sound Ain't-Love Good, Ain't Love Proud
20 The Fantastics- Ask the Lonely
21 Oliver Norman- Drowning in My Own Despair
22 Owen Gray -Gonna Work Out Fine
23 John L Watson and the Hummelflugs-Lookin' for Love
24 Kenny Lynch- Movin' Away
25 Root and Jenny Jackson- Let's Go Somewhere
26 Kenny Bernard -What Love Brings
27 Ram John Holder- Yes I Do
28 Hoagy Benson- Turn Me on

Disc: 2
1 The Chants- a Man Without a Face
2 Marsha Hunt- Walk on Gilded Splinters
3 The Foundations- New Direction
4 Caleb -Baby You're Phrasing Is Bad
5 John Fitch and Associates -Stoned Out of It
6 Simon K and the Meantimers- Bring Back Your Love (To Me)
7 The Sugarlumps -Can't We Be Friends 8 Flamma Sherman -Move Me
8 Jack Hammer -What Greater Love
9 The Shadrocks (Featuring Little John) -There Is
10 Clyde McPhatter- Only a Fool
11 Ronnie Jones- I'm So Clean
12 This 'N' That- Get Down with It / I Can't Get No Satisfaction
13 JJ Jackson and the Jeeps -But It's Alright
14 Ernest Ranglin and the GBS -Swing a Ling Pt. I
15 Norma Lee -Hurt
16 The Corduroys -Too Much of a Woman
17 Errol Dixon- I Don't Want
18 Sonny Childe- Giving Up on Love
19 Ray Gates -Have You Ever Had the Blues (Alternative Take)
20 Paula and the Jetliners- I Know Some Day
21 Maynell Wilson- Motown Feeling
22 BB James and Derv- Kiss Me, Kiss Me
23 Blue Rivers and His Maroons -Take It or Leave It
24 McFarthing Kissoon- I'm Living Good 26 Laris McLennon- Confusion
25 Freddy Mack -Sock It to 'Em, J.B. (Live)

26 The Reaction- That Man
Disc: 3
1 Black Velvet- African Velvet
2 Rico's Combo -London Here I Come
3 Millie -My Love and I
4 Laurel Aitken -Bar Tender
5 Winston Groovy- Work It Up
6 Pat Rhoden- Jezebel
7 King Horror -Cutting Blade
8 Beresford Ricketts & the Blue Beats-You Better Be Gone
9 The Classics- Worried Over Me
10 Sonny and the Daffodils -That Girl She Done Me Wrong
11 The Brixton Market -Children Get Ready 12 Tony Washington and The- D.C.'s Show Me How (To Milk a Cow)
12 Joe's All Stars -Musical Feet
13 The Fabulous Blue Beats -One More Try
14 The Rudies -Boss Sound
15 Bobby Johnson and the Atoms- Another Man
16 Laurel and Girlie -Scandal in Brixton Market
17 Ambrose Campbell -Hey Jude
18 Sugar 'N' Dandy- Girl Come See
19 The Gruvy Beats- Kent People
20 The Bluebeaters There I Go
21 Winston and Pat- Pony Ride
22 Top Grant -Coronation Street
23 Seven Letters- Call Collect
24 Dimples and Eddie- with Rico's Combo Fleet Street
25 Cab Kaye with His Music from Ghana-Everything Is Go
26 Cy Grant- King Cricket
27 The Barnaby Rudge Hip Band Run Thru-The Park
28 Rupert and the Red Devils- Please Think of Me

Disc: 4
1 Shirley Bassey -Sunshine
2 Maxine Nightingale- Spinning Wheel
3 Peter Straker- Breakfast in Bed
4 Peanut- I'm Waiting for the Day
5 Mel Turner- They Killed the King
6 Joy Marshall- Heartache Hurry on By
7 Eldridge Devlin -You're My Girl
8 Cleo- to Know Him Is to Love Him
9 Lorraine Child- You
10 Dorris Henderson and John
11 Renbourn -Watch the Stars
12 Mabel Hillery- Rock Me Daddy
13 Champion Jack Dupree with T.S
14 McPhee- Get Your Head Happy
15 Otis Spann- Keep Your Hand Out of My Pocket
16 Screamin' Jay Hawkins- All Night
17 Joe Harriott Quintet- Liggin'
18 Flash Domincii & the Supersonics-
19 Rora Rora Majo Omo Pupa
20 Shake Keane- Green Onions
21 The New Orleans Knights- Enjoy Yourself
22 The Chariots- Problem Girl
23 The Southlanders- Imitation of Love
24 Winifred Atwell- Bossa Nova Boogie
25 Emile Ford and the Big Six -Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me
26 Howie Casey and the Seniors- I Ain't Mad at You
27 Ricky Wayne with the Fabulous Flee-Rackers -Chicka'roo
28 Ray Ellington- the Rhythm of the World
29 The Ray King Soul Band- Soon You'll Be Gone
30 Fitzroy Coleman and His Guitars-Lucilla
31 Davy Jones- Love Bug
32 Geoff Love and His Orchestra-Coronation Street