Hot on the heels of Studio One Rockers comes Studio One Soul, another sensational compilation that this time spotlights the inescapable link between Jamaican reggae and US Soul. Since the late 1950s, which saw ska born out of American R&B, the Jamaican reggae fraternity has always had a strong affiliation towards US soul, and later on, funk. For instance, the late great Curtis Mayfield was a pivotal influence on a young Bob Marley. The profound impact of US soul on Studio One is perhaps best illustrated by the oodles of cover versions of well-known soul sides, many of them radically re-worked and re-interpreted, recorded at the studio. The musicianship dazzles throughout, the Studio One ensemble effortlessly matching Motown's Funk Brothers, Stax's Booker T & The MGs and Spector's Wrecking Crew. Indeed, such is the sheer jaw-dropping brilliance on display, that it's difficult to highlight favourites. But if pressed, Norma Fraser's reading of PP Arnold's "First Cut Is The Deepest" and Jerry Jones version of The Four Tops "Still Water (Love)" are worth the price of admission alone. In tribute to Hitsville USA, Studio One record sleeves proclaimed the legend "The sound of young Jamaica". Certainly, on the evidence provided here, Studio One, like Motown, boasts a back catalogue of truly timeless treasures. --Chris King
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