15 years on from both Dave Godin’s death and his fourth volume of “Deep Soul Treasures”, Kent has compiled a further 25 tracks using titles chosen by Dave for future projects in the series.
Many are recordings he wanted from day one of the Treasures concept, but licensing quirks made them unavailable until now. The Emotions’ ‘Somebody New’, Helena Ferguson’s ‘Where Is The Party’, George Jackson’s ‘My Desires Are Getting The Best Of Me’ and others are tracks he had wanted to include from the outset.
As usual there is an Eddie & Ernie offering and a release associated with Larry Banks and his musical family’s work; Larry’s nephew has contributed the note. The Banks’ track is actually previously unreleased; Kenny Carter’s reading of ‘I’m Not The One’ which he wrote with Larry Banks and recorded first. It was shelved when his LP project fell through and Larry’s version was later issued on Kapp and featured on the first “Treasures” CD.
Licensing hurdles were cleared with regard to Big Maybelle, an artist Dave always adored and got to meet at the Soul City headquarters. It is also the first time that Esther Phillips, James Carr, Barbara Lynn and Linda Jones feature; all favourites of his.
Always a champion of the oddball, he raved about the Soul City’s cover of Gladys Knight’s ‘Who Knows’, just as he did with the Zilla Mays and Ronnie Taylor tracks. They did not have extensive recording careers but hit the pinnacle for Dave on these specific offerings.
There is a fine balance of male/female and solo/group acts, reflecting Dave’s admiration for all styles of soul music. The Chantels’ 1958 single ‘Every Night’ is the earliest recording he ever chose (by some three years), but he heard deep soul in its impassioned vocal and it also reflects his love of black music from the pre-soul years.
The booklet is enhanced by an extensive interview Dave gave to Jon Savage in the 90s; Jon also writes an introduction. Where relevant, Dave’s words, mainly from the pages of Blues & Soul magazines of the time, are used in relation to the recording. Guest writers of the calibre and experience of Stuart Cosgrove, Sean Hampsey, David Nathan, Tony Rounce, Richard Searling, Richard Williams and others pen descriptions of the tracks – often with reference to Dave’s championing of them.