Welcome to Part One of our two-part look at some of the most exciting soul and R&B reissues to have recently arrived from the Ace and Kent labels!

Wayne Cochran was known as “The White Knight of Soul,” for his outrageous onstage attire and white pompadour.  But underneath all the glamour of his showbiz persona, Cochran was a commanding soul vocalist.  With Goin’ Back to Miami: The Soul Sides 1965-1970, Ace aims to showcase Wayne Cochran, the singer.  This 2-CD, 38-track set collects recordings for the King, Mercury and Chess labels during the five-year period in which Cochran immersed himself in true R&B.  As Alec Palao explains in his introduction to the thick, 28-page booklet, “He came on as a novelty [at venues such as The Apollo] and left as a fully-fledged blue-eyed soul brother.”  Much of the rest of the booklet is filled with Cochran’s own illuminating recollections of his pop life; today, he’s a minister in Florida.

Inspired by his friend James Brown, Cochran’s approach was full-throttle in every respect.  He made his debut on King in 1963, just a year before he would score his biggest success as a songwriter with J. Frank Wilson (and later, Pearl Jam)’s “Last Kiss.”  He was encouraged to take his music in a harder-hitting direction by King labelmate Brown as evidenced by his recording of “Think” included here.  He next moved to the small Soft label and then to Mercury during the period in which his club shows with the C.C. Riders really set his live work skyrocketing.   Philadelphia’s Jerry Ross produced Cochran’s “Goin’ Back to Miami” in 1966, name-checking the city in which he’s lived since 1964.  After Mercury had failed to set his chart career ablaze (despite fine work from Ross and his frequent arranger Joe Renzetti, and others), Cochran moved to Chess, where he recorded at Muscle Shoal’s Fame Studios.  He returned to King in 1969 where plans were afoot for a live album.  Though The Wayne Cochran Show LP (cut “live in the studio,” not actually “live”) never materialized, Ace has included it in full on the second disc of this collection.  With Cochran’s interpretations of songs made famous by Otis Redding, Sly and the Family Stone, Sam and Dave and The Temptations, it’s a time capsule to the heyday of Cochran’s trademark “Vegas soul.”  Cochran ended his recording career in the 1970s at Epic, also bringing his live work to a close late in that decade.  He started a ministry in the early 1980s, where he happily remains ensconced today.  But Goin’ Back to Miami is a fine appreciation of his towering, often underrated vocal talents, equal parts showbiz and passion.  The set has been remastered by Nick Robbins.

After the jump, we're taking a look at music from Arthur Prysock and the When Country Meets Soul series!

Too Late Baby is the title of the very first CD compilation of R&B baritone Arthur Prysock’s classic singles for New York’s Old Town label.  But it certainly isn’t too late to celebrate the career of the versatile baritone (1924-1997) who, over the course of a long career, proved himself equally comfortable with R&B, smooth balladry, and even disco.  Prysock, whose robust tones might recall Lou Rawls or Billy Eckstine, began his professional career in Buddy Johnson’s big band, singing with Johnson from 1944 to 1950 and continuing at Johnson’s onetime label, Decca, to launch a solo career.  At Decca, he scored the biggest solo hit of his career – a 1952 interpretation of the 1946 Frank Sinatra hit “I Didn’t Sleep a Wink Last Night” which went to No. 5 R&B – but when his career there had cooled, he followed Johnson over to Mercury and then switched to Peacock.  In 1958, he signed with Hy and Sam Weiss’ Old Town Records for the most fondly remembered chapter of his career, and the one chronicled on this 24-track volume covering the period of 1958-1966.

At Old Town, Prysock brought his powerfully resonant voice to various styles, from standards to uptown soul.  Phil Medley and Bert Berns are among the great New York R&B songwriters recorded by Prysock, while the frequently lush arrangements were handled by other familiar names like Mort Garson and Alan Lorber.  Few artists could believably have gone from the 1940s R&B hit “Good Rockin’ Tonight” to “Ebb Tide,” but Prysock was no ordinary singer.   The title of the Ace compilation comes from old pal Buddy Johnson’s “It’s Too Late, Baby Too Late,” which gave Prysock a No. 11 R&B and No. 56 Pop hit in 1965.  Tony Rounce compellingly tells the story of Prysock’s career in the typically-lavish booklet including his post-Old Town work for Verve, King, and Bethlehem.  After a seven-year absence, Prysock returned to Old Town in 1973, and three years later, returned to the charts with the Philly disco of All My Life (recently reissued by Big Break Records).  He subsequently recorded for MCA and Milestone, and was recognized in 1986 and 1987 with Grammy nominations in the jazz field.  Nick Robbins has remastered this collection, a worthwhile addition to any popular vocals or soul library.

The third volume of the When Country Meets Soul series also has arrived.  The first two volumes, from 2012 and 2013, found the common ground between the two seemingly disparate genres, and the third continues to do the same.  These 24 cuts feature some of the greatest soul singers in the pantheon, among them Percy Sledge, Solomon Burke, Arthur Alexander, Brook Benton, Bettye Swann and Esther Phillips, as well as groups including The Isley Brothers, The Temptations and even The Supremes.  Selections have been drawn from the catalogues of Atlantic, Motown, Malaco, Roulette and many more.  Compiled and featuring track-by-track notes by Tony Rounce, When Country Meets Soul Volume 3: Cold Cold Heart has Johnny Adams doing the Hank Williams title track, Ona Watson bringing her own stamp to David Allan Coe’s “Take This Job and Shove It,” Arthur Alexander on Gene Autry’s “I Hang My Head and Cry,” and Margie Joseph on Dolly Parton’s “Touch Your Woman” – in short, an illustrious array of some of the most soulful renditions of country music you’re likely to find anywhere.  Duncan Cowell has handled the remastering.

All three titles are available now and can be ordered at the links below!

Wayne Cochran, Goin’ Back to Miami: The Soul Sides 1965-1970 (Ace CDTOP2 1393, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. )

CD 1

1. Goin’ Back to Miami (Mercury 72623, 1966)
2. Some-a’ Your Sweet Love (Chess 2020, 1967)
3. Which One Should I Choose a.k.a. No Name (previously unreleased)
4. When My Baby Cries (Chess 2029, 1967)
5. You Got It From Me (previously unreleased)
6. To Make Me a Man (Mercury 72552 alternate flipside, 1966)
7. Big City Woman (Chess LP 1510, 1968)
8. Think (King 5994 unedited version, 1965)
9. You Can’t Judge a Book by Its Cover (Chess 2054, 1968)
10. Harlem Shuffle (Soft 779/Mercury 72507, 1965)
11. The Peak of Love (Chess LP 1519, 1968)
12. No Rest for the Wicked (Mercury 72552, 1966)
13. I’m in Trouble (Mercury 72623, 1966)
14. Little Bitty Pretty One (Chess LP 1519, 1968)
15. Get Down with It (Mercury 72552, full-length version, 1966)
16. I’m Leaving It Up to You (Chess LP 1519, 1968)
17. Somebody Please (Soft 779/Mercury 72507, 1965)
18. Hoochie Coochie Man (Chess 2029, 1967)
19. Up in My Mind (Chess 2054, 1968)
20. Life’s Little Ups and Downs (Pt. II) (King 6253, 1969)
21. If It Don’t Fit, Don’t Force It (previously unreleased)
22. Everybody (previously unreleased)
23. Let Me Come with You (Pt. I) – King 6358/King LP 1116, 1970
24. My Machine (King LP 1116, 1970)
25. Chopper 70 (King 6326/King LP 1116, 1970)

CD 2 (all tracks previously unreleased):

1. Dance to the Music
2. Soul Man
3. When Something is Wrong with My Baby
4. 634-5789
5. Try a Little Tenderness
6. I Can’t Turn You Loose
7. Hard to Handle
8. I Wish It Would Rain
9. Hold On, I’m Comin’
10. Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)
11. (Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay
12. I’ve Been Loving You Too Long

Arthur Prysock, Too Late Baby: The Old Town Singles 1958-66 (Ace CDTOP 1401, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K.)

1. I Worry ‘Bout You (single 1073, 1959)
2. The Greatest Gift (single 1055, 1958)
3. I Just Want to Make Love to You (single 1060, 1958)
4. Keep a Light in the Window for Me (single 1060, 1958)
5. Good Rockin’ Tonight (single 1092, 1960)
6. If Ever I Should Fall in Love (single 1079. 1960)
7. One More Time (single 1106, 1961)
8. Do You Believe (single 1087, 1960)
9. Come and See This Old Fool (single 1132, 1963)
10. Pianissimo (single 1125, 1962)
11. Our Love Will Last (single 1132, 1963)
12. There Will Never Be Another You (single 1144, 1963)
13. My Special Prayer (single 1138, 1963)
14. Crawdad (single 1144, 1963)
15. Ebb Tide (single 1155, 1964)
16. Close Your Eyes (single 1163, 1964)
17. Full Moon and Empty Arms (single 1174, 1964)
18. Teardrops in the Rain (single 1177, 1965)
19. I’m Crossing Over (single 1177, 1965)
20. Only a Fool Breaks His Own Heart (single 1185, 1965)
21. Let It Be Me (single 1196, 1966)
22. Again (single 1188, 1965)
23. House by the Side of the Road (single 1191, 1966)
24. It’s Too Late, Baby too Late (single 1183, 1965)

Various Artists, Cold Cold Heart: Where Country Meets Soul Volume 3 (Kent CDKEND 422, 2014) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. )

1. True Love Travels on a Gravel Road – Percy Sledge (Atlantic 2679, 1969)
2. Touch Your Woman – Margie Joseph (Atlantic 2933, 1972)
3. My Woman’s Good to Me – George Benson (A&M 1076, 1969)
4. Beautiful Brown Eyes – Solomon Burke (Atlantic 2205, 1963)
5. Hummin’ a Heartache – Clarence “Frogman” Henry (Dial 4057, 1967)
6. Little Green Apples – The Temptations (Gordy LP GS 949, 1969)
7. Easy Loving – Bo Kirkland and Ruth Davis (Claridge 414, 1976)
8. Big Blue Diamonds – Little Johnny Taylor (Galaxy 752, 1967)
9. I Hang My Head and Cry – Arthur Alexander (Dot 16387, 1963)
10. Wishful Thinking – Cornell Gunter and the Cornells (Challenge 59281, 1965)
11. It Makes No Difference Now – The Supremes (Motown LP MT 625, 1965)
12. Stand by Your Man – The Mirettes (Uni 55110, 1969)
13. Who Will the Next Fool Be? – Bobby Bland (Duke 347, 1962)
14. Another Man’s Woman, Another Woman’s Man – Laura Lee (Chess LP CH 50031, 1972)
15. Cold Cold Heart – Johnny Adams (Ron 996, 1963)
16. Till I Get It Right – Bettye Swann (Atlantic 2950, 1973)
17. Jambalaya – Ralph “Soul” Jackson (Amy 11002, 1967)
18. Tender Years – Brook Benton (Mercury 72135, 1963)
19. Take This Job and Shove It – Ona Watson (Chimneyville 10223, 1978)
20. Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry – Esther Phillips (Roulette 7031, 1969)
21. Long Black Limousine – O.C. Smith (Columbia 44616, 1968)
22. Whenever You Come Around – Little Milton (Malaco CD MCD 7513, 2002)
23. When I Think About Cheating – Willie Clayton (Malaco CD MCD 7529, 2006)
24. The Most Beautiful Girl – The Isley Brothers (Warner Bros. LP 1-25347, 1986)