VARIOUS

Het Dore label uit Los Angeles stond onder leiding van Lew Bedell, die ruim twintig jaar op zoek was naar de grote hit. Die vond hij niet, maar en passant wist hij wel Bobby Day en Toussaint McCall aan zich te binden. Daarnaast vele artiesten die alles gaven om maar een singletje op te kunnen nemen, waardoor de intensiteit er vaak vanaf spat. Dore bleef tot in de jaren tachtig actief, maar het zijn de jaren zestig die de hoogtepunten leveren.


This compilation is strong on harmony groups and uptempo West Coast soul from the best Los Angeles studios and using arrangers Miles Grayson, Gene Page, Ernie Freeman and Jack Eskew. Lew Bedell produced most of the recordings and wrote several sides too.
 The rarest of the rare is Little Johnny Hamilton’s ‘Keep On Movin’’: there is only one known copy in existence. The same scenario applies to the Swans’ punchy ‘Nitty Gritty City’, believed to have been withdrawn due to a pressing fault. The Milton James single is almost as scarce. Its beautiful flip ballad ‘That’s What Love Will Do’ is on CD for the first time. It was re-recorded by the outfit for United Artists when they became War in 1971.
 Doré excelled at vocal harmony as early as the 50s and the early 60s. Tracks by the Darlings and the Vows are bridges to that classic sound. By the mid-60s the label was getting success from the Superbs, Whispers and Entertainers IV in this field. It continued into the 70s when Bobby Swayne of the Superbs and Entertainers IV formed the Natural Resources group.
 Doré was home to many one-off acts such as Dee Torres, the Puffs, Rambling Willie and Johnny Braff, who produced fascinating tracks worthy of our attention. Eddie Kool, Eddie Williams and Bobby & Eddie were all variations of 50s veterans Bobby Day and Eddie Williams with failed but glorious attempts to hit the soul market.
 Toussaint McCall had moved to LA from New Orleans and his downbeat ‘From Saigon To San Francisco’ is reminiscent in mood to his big Crescent City-recorded hit ‘Nothing Takes The Place Of You’. Modern Soul fans will enjoy the Natural Resources and Gail Anderson’s rare 1981 outing
 Northern Soul fans will go for the Superbs’ rarity ‘Wind In My Sails’ along with tried and trusted tracks like ‘What Did You Gain By That’ from Kenard and ‘Getting’ Back Into Circulation’ by the Entertainers IV. Smoky & The Bears’ catchy instrumental We Together Baby’ has aged rather well and the Fidels’ ‘I’m Giving You Notice’ just epitomises that 1966 soul sound.

track listing
1. GETTIN' BACK IN CIRCULATION - The Entertainers IV
2. I'M GIVING YOU NOTICE BABY - The Fidels
3. WHAT DID YOU GAIN BY THAT - Kenard
4. WIND IN MY SAILS - The Superbs
5. FUNKY WITH MY STUFF - The Natural Resources Unpolluted
6. PICTURES IN MY WINDOW - Eddie Williams
7. THAT’S WHAT LOVE WILL DO - Milton James
8. I WANNA CHANCE - The Vows
9. I WANT YOU - Dee Torres
10. MY PILLOW - The Darlings
11. WE TOGETHER BABY - Smoky & The Bears
12. KEEP ON MOVING - Little Johnny Hamilton
13. THE GIRL THAT I LOVE - Bobby & Eddie Unlimited
14. NITTY GRITTY CITY - The Swans
15. I ONLY CRY ONCE A DAY - The Puffs
16. GODDESS OF LOVE - The Superbs
17. NOTHING LASTS FOREVER - Natural Resources
18. JUST AIN’T MY DAY - The Entertainers IV
19. STUFFIN’ THE BIRD - Rambling Willie & The Euphonics
20. JUST A LITTLE UGLY - Gail Anderson
21. THIS GIRL IS A GOOD GIRL - Johnny Braff
22. SAIGON TO SAN FRANCISCO - Toussaint McCall
23. AS I SIT HERE - The Whispers
24. I LOOK IN THE MIRROR - Eddie Kool