A stellar cast of musicians take the spotlight on this collection of soul, jazz, funk and other groovy Motown instrumentals which features six cuts otherwise available only as digital downloads and five masters previously unissued in any format.

Compiled by the guys behind our popular “Motown Girls” and “Motown Guys” series, the CD opens with three certified crowd-pleasers: the San Remo Golden Strings’ ‘Festival Time’, a Northern Soul favourite that reached the UK charts in 1971, five years after its original release in the USA; a version of the Supremes’ ‘Come See About Me’ by Choker Campbell’s Big Band; and ‘I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)’ by Earl Van Dyke & the Soul Brothers, an outfit known behind the scenes as the Funk Brothers.

The five previously unissued tracks are Choker Campbell’s brassy stomper ‘The Break Down’; Earl Van Dyke’s organ, vibes and guitar-led ‘L.B.J.’; the jazzy ‘Defunk Brothers’ by saxophonist Frank Morelli; ‘Little Mack’s Shuffle’ by the Morrocco Muzik Makers featuring tasty work from guitarist Harold Williams; and ‘Great Google Mook’, a terrific honker ‘n’ twanger by the Mysterions.

Other highlights include trumpeter Jonah Jones’ funky and almost unrecognisable treatment of Stevie Wonder’s ‘Uptight (Everything’s Alright)’; a great version of Hugh Masekela’s ‘Grazing In The Grass’ by Stevie himself under his Eivets Rednow alias; ‘Ich-I-Bon #1’ by Nick & the Jaguars, a hard-driving rocker from 1960; ‘Double 0 And A Half’ by the Agents, a band that included members of Jr Walker’s All Stars; and ‘Good Rockin’’ by Jr Walker & the All Stars themselves. • As usual with our Motown compilations, the package includes notes and track annotations by Hitsville historian Keith Hughes and photos of many of the featured artists.

TRACK LISTING:
1. FESTIVAL TIME - The San Remo Golden Strings
2. COME SEE ABOUT ME - Choker Campbell’s Big Band
3. I CAN’T HELP MYSELF (SUGAR PIE, HONEY BUNCH) - Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers
4. TRUE FINE BOY - The Funk Brothers
5. SWEET SOUL - Jr Walker & The All Stars
6. UPTIGHT (EVERYTHING’S ALRIGHT) - Jonah Jones
7. LET ME LOOSE - Stevie Wonder
8. ALL TURNED ON - Bob Wilson & The San Remo Quartet
9. THE BREAK DOWN - Choker Campbell’s Big Band
10. GRAZING IN THE GRASS - Eivets Rednow
11. CHICKEN LITTLE 69 – Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers
12. UPTIGHT - Herman Griffin & Band
13. I’MI SEE YOU LATER - Johnny Griffith Trio
14. L.B.J. - Earl Van Dyke & The Soul Brothers
15. DEFUNK BROTHERS - Frank Morelli
16. GET READY - Jonah Jones
17. ICH-I-BON #1 - Nick & The Jaguars
18. DOUBLE 0 AND A HALF - The Agents
19. HOT SAUSAGE - The Mysterions
20. LITTLE MACK’S SHUFFLE - Morrocco Muzik Makers
21. GOOD ROCKIN’ - Jr Walker & The All Stars
22. GREAT GOOGLE MOOK - The Mysterions
23. SOUL LINE - The Agents
24. PAPA HOOPER’S BARRELHOUSE GROOVE – The Crusaders