Atlantic Soul Legends - 20 CD box set

"Legend" is a over used and often misapplied. There, I've said it. However in this case I believe it's wholly appropriate. Not only to the Atlantic label itself, responsible as it is for a whole raft of jazz, blues, RnB, soul and even later rock, but to the names on this set of CDs themselves. Cast your eyes down some of these:

• Ray Charles
• Booke T & the MGs
• Otis Redding
• Aretha Franklin
• Sam & Dave
• Rufus Thomas

etc., etc. etc. I well recall playing the legendary (that word again) "This Is Soul" reissue in the early 80s as a young Mod wondering what this soul stuff was all about. At a similar time the NME also released a cassette (!!) of the Stax / Volt revue of around 67 / 68 which also blew me away. I was hooked from then on.

So now we have hot of the press a box set containing 20 CDs of single album releases from some of these influential luminaries:



Apparently lovingly remastered in replica sleeves and pseudo-DJ box packaging this looks great. Add in some quality later soul from the likes of Donny Hathaway and raw hammond funk from Clarence Wheeler and the Enforcers (I've been known to drop "Right On" many a time) plus for the first time on CD the seminal early 70s soul LP from Sam Dees "The Show Must Go On" and this has been compiled by people in the know. Chances are you'll have many of these tunes, even the albums, in various guises - but this looks a classy put together selection with collectors in mind. At About £1-50 per CD what's not to like?