Even Mo Mod Jazz

Even Mo Mod Jazz

• Mod Jazz Vol 3: Even Mo Mod Jazz
• CDsVinylStylesJazzSoulJazzBoogaloo 358949031 CDsVinylStylesJazzSwing Jazz 5522418031 CDsVinylStylesPop 694208 CDsVinylStylesRBSoulSoul 761124
• Brand: Kent

One of the biggest fears when reviewing an album that is a follow-up to a pair of classics, is that the tracks won't match up to those on the originals. Well in this case they most certainly do.<p>Several of the tracks fall into the 'So Tacky They Are Tasteful category', namely Trini Lopez' <i>Unchain My Heart</i> which far outweighs Ray Charles' original and Andy Williams' <i>House of Bamboo</i>, which some smart-ass covered up in the mid 80s as by William Andrews.<p>Psychedelic soul is also represented by two of the finest songs ever to emerge from this bizarre fusion. Eddie Jefferson's <i>Psychedelic Sally</i> and Erma Franklin's <i>Light My Fire</i> have long been underground club anthems and are at last making it on to a Mod Jazz CD.<p>Former mod classics <i>Honey Child</i>, <i>Ain't There Something Money Can't Buy</i> and <i>Secret Love</i> all cross over nicely - but it does seen weird hearing them without the usual pops and scratches.<p>Talking of scratches, <i>My Back Scratcher</i> by Frank Frost is an amazing new sound to me, presumably inspired by Slim Harpo's <i>Baby Scratch My Back</i>. For me Woody Herman's version of Joe South's <i>Hush</i> sounds too much like a TV theme tune, but this is more than made up for by two previously undiscovered gems. <i>Caesar's Pad</i> was made by a young Googie Rene, a whole four years before Smokey Joe's <i>La La</i> (as featured on the earlier <b>Mo Mod Jazz</b> CD) and the best of the bunch <i>Another Plan For School Mix Up</i> by the Cals. Not only is this track a social comment on the school segregation of early 60s southern American states, but it's also great to dance to! Can't wait for <b>Even Mo' Even Mo' Mod Jazz</b>! -- Paul Hallam: seedy nightclub DJ and 'Popcorn' dance promoter.