[ Frenzy / CD ]
Release Date: Friday 29 October 2021
Technically New Zealand didn't have a dedicated Soul music scene during the time-frame of this release. Only The Action, Le Frame and Leo De Castro would class themselves as exclusively Soul artists. What we did have was an abundance of world class Pop, R&B and cabaret artists that included soul themed tracks in their repertoire. Many of the tracks on this collection are well known, but don't expect to hear too many carbon copy versions, rather our own unique take as we dismantle these tracks and give them a taste of Kiwi.
In a star-studded line up highlights are a-plenty starting with Sandy Edmonds as she blitzes Shirley Ellis's version of 'Soul Time', followed by The La De Da's, The Underdogs, The Challenge and The Newsounds, through to Leo De Castro, regarded as New Zealand's finest soul singer, who only ever recorded one track in his home country.
Peter Williams (ex Max Merritt & The Meteors) features twice, once as lead singer on his own song with The Groove (Australasia's first super group) and also his UK recorded song with chart toppers Blue Mink as the backing band. Mr Versatility Ray Woolf features on three tracks and nails it every time. Our original King of Rock 'n' Roll, Johnny Devlin tears himself through his UK record ed 'Hurtin'. Many of the highlights come from the unreleased tracks on show including tracks from The Deep Set aka Troubled Minds, The Spectres, Le Frame, Renaissance & Leo De Castro.
SANDY EDMONDS Soul Time
THE NEWSOUNDS All Night Worker
THE LA DE DA'S Respect
THE UNDERDOGS See Saw
THE CHALLENGE Things Get Better
SOUND INVESTMENT A Whole New Thing
THE SPECTRES So Badly Baby
THE DEEP SET Shake
THE LIBRETTOS Rescue Me
LE FRAME Get Ready
THE ACTION Something About You
LARRY'S REBELS In The Midnight Hour
BILLY KARAITIANA Pains of Love
JIMMY HILL Find A Job
RENAISSANCE Green Onions
FRANKIE STEVENS Come On Home
THE NEWSOUNDS Over You
JOHNNY DEVLIN Hurtin'
MAX MERRITT & THE METEORS Western Union Man
THE CASTAWAYS Baby What I Mean
TOMMY FERGUSON Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
SANDY EDMONDS You Keep Me Hangin' On
RAY WOOLF & THE AVENGERS It's the Same Old Song
GENE PIERSON Love Love Love
NASH CHASE Gimme A Little Sign
PETER WILLIAMS Give Me A Sign
LE FRAME It's A Man's World
THE DALLAS FOUR Toe Hold
RICKY DeVON Give Me Love
LEO DE CASTRO Funky Street
THE GROOVE Get In The Groove
PLEAZERS Security