VA - Dore L.A. Soul Sides 2 (2015)

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 The same scenario applies to the Swans punchy Nitty Gritty City, believed to have been withdrawn due to a pressing fault.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.

TRACKLIST
01. The Entertainers IV / Gettin’ Back Into Circulation
02. The Fidels / I’m Givin’ You Notice Baby
03. Kenard / What Did You Gain By That?
04. The Superbs / Wind In My Sails
05. The Natural Resources Unpolluted / Funky With My Stuff
06. Eddie Williams / Pictures In My Window
07. Milton James / That’s What Love Will Do
08. The Vows / I Wanna Chance
09. Dee Torres / I Want You
10. The Darlings / My Pillow
11. Smoky & The Bears / We Together Baby
12. Little Johnny Hamilton / Keep On Moving
13. Bobby & Eddie Unlimited / The Girl That I Loved
14. The Swans / Nitty Gritty City
15. The Puffs / I Only Cry Once A Day Now
16. The Superbs / Goddess Of Love
17. The Natural Resources / Nothing Lasts Forever
18. The Entertainers IV / Just Ain’t My Day
19. Rambling Willie & The Euphonics / Stuffin’ The Bird
20. Gail Anderson / Just A Little Ugly
21. Johnny Braff / This Girl Is A Good Girl
22. Toussaint McCall / Saigon To San Francisco
23. The Whispers / As I Sit Here
24. Eddie Kool / I Look In The Mirror