• The San Francisco Bay Area was not known as a centre for urban soul productions in the 1960s, yet judged on the contents of [title]Hitsville West[/title], the R&B-mad region was just as capable of generating fine sophisticated soul sounds.
• An adjunct to our recent Kent collection Moaning, Groaning, Crying, this compilation focuses on the more polished local soul recordings, and in doing so necessarily includes virtually the entire catalogue of the renowned Villa label. The imprint is a legend amongst northern soul fans for the instrumental monster `Double Cookin''. Recently discovered master tapes turned up not one but two vocal versions of this great stomper. Along with the original track, both are included here. One is the stupendous `(Just A Little) Faith & Understanding' by the Magicians, which has already become the talk of the northern circuit.
• The Magicians are one of west coast souls best kept secrets, judged on excellent singles such `Is It All Gone' and `Love, Let's Try It Again'. Their entire recorded output, including some fine unissued sides, is presented on Hitsville West, as well as further gems from the Villa vaults by the Performers, Waves, Ozz & The Sperlings and Troy Dodds.
• A handful of items are also featured from the Fantasy subsidiaries Galaxy and Early Bird, from Claude Huey, Sisters Three, Lonnie Hewitt, the Fuller Brothers and Harold Andrews. Last but not least, there are several tracks pertaining to the great Bay Area soul voice of Freddie Hughes: splendid items by his groups the Ballads and Casanova II, `My Baby Came Back' (the sequel to his airplay hit `Send My Baby Back'), and the pure class of his third solo single, `He's No Good'.
• As usual, the package features detailed liner notes based on interviews with many of the participants, and a selection of photos of these rarely-seen artists. 1. Just A Little Faith And Understanding - Magicians (3)
2. We Got To Keep On - Casanova Two
3. Dance (Holes In Your Soul) - Oz & The Sperlings
4. Why Would You Blow It - Huey, Claude 'Baby'
5. I Can't See Your Love (For The Tears In My Eyes) - Ballads
6. Love Let's Try It Again - Magicians (3)
7. Times A Wastin' - Fuller Brothers
8. Is It Love Baby - Tandels
9. You're A Winner - Andrews, Harold
10. Keep Your Hands Off (My Baby) - Magicians (3)
11. You Can Forget It - Sisters Three
12. Feel Good All Over - Huey, Claude 'Baby'
13. Is It All Gone - Magicians (3)
14. Why Did Our Love Go - Tandels
15. Can You Qualify - Oz & The Sperlings
16. Why Must You Cry (I Deeply Love You) - Magicians (3)
17. You Gotta Git - Hewitt, Lonnie
18. Trust In Me - Magicians (3)
19. I Can't Jerk - Oz & The Sperlings
20. Why Do I Do These Foolish Things - Magicians (3)
21. Earthquake - Dodds, Troy
22. I'll Always Love You - Performers
23. Where Was I - Magicians (3)
24. Double Cookin' - Chekerboard Squares
Amazon USA:http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MMLMSK/?tag=imwan-20Amazon UK:http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B000MMLMSK/?tag=imwan-21
