Kent 217 - Pounds of Soul(2003) Various Artists - Rare Soul

This album was compiled from the Vaults of the Kent/Modern labels based in California.The Modern label was formed in 1945 as Modern Music in Los Angeles by the four brothers Joe Bihari, Saul Bihari, Les Bihari and Jules Bihari. The label name changed to Modern Records in 1948. The Bihari Brothers recorded country & western, jazz, popular, blues, and gospel, but the main focus was rhythm & blues. The brothers built Modern into a major blues and R&B label. Their first success was "Swingin' the Boogie" by Hadda Brooks. They bought a pressing plant, and divided tasks among them equally, with Jules responsible for talent spotting and recording, Saul for manufacturing, and Lester for distribution. Joe worked with Ike Turner as a talent scout in the Memphis area, discovering Johnny "Guitar" Watson among others.
In the early 1950s the Biharis launched several subsidiaries: RPM Records, Flair Records , and Meteor Records, which was set up in Memphis in 1952 and was headed by Lester Bihari. Successful artists on the Biharis' labels included B.B. King, Elmore James, John Lee Hooker, Etta James, Lightnin' Hopkins, Lowell Fulson, Rufus Thomas and Charlie Feathers.
Later they launched more subsidiaries: Crown Records, featuring artists like Johnny Cole, Vic Damone, Trini Lopez with Johnny Torres, Jerry Cole, Dave Clark Five, and United Superior Records. Kent was launched in 1958 as a label for the blues musicians of Modern records and released singles by famous artist like B. B. King, Elmore James und Z. Z. Hill. In the sixties they launched a subsidiary Yuletide Series, which specialized in Christmas records (mostly with Johnny Cole and the Robert Evans Chorus). In the mid 1960s Modern Records went bankrupt and stopped operating, but the catalogue went with the management into what would become Kent. After the deaths of Saul, Lester and Jules Bihari, the labels' back catalogue was licensed to Ace Records Ltd. (UK) in the mid 1980s, with the Label becoming Kent Records, and then later purchased by them during the '90s. On this CD the emphasis on creating a setting for strong singers with gospel-based vocal styles...horns rather than string offer support. So although there are plenty of uptempo belters there are also some fantastic ballads and the sort of harmony vocals that all soul fans should rejoice in. So what's what? Well for those who want to be serenaded by the ballads, I suspect you could always try the down right classic Without A Love by Jackie Day, although I would personally suggest checking the previously unreleased Johnny Durain cut Brighter Days. This gospel-drenched number reminds me a bit of It's Not Easy by Reuben Bell the undoubted find of the Murco Story Kent CD. But of course there are plenty more from the likes of Freeman King, Joe Hayward or Betty Bibbs. The title track of this album by Betty Bibbs,s is yet another undiscovered Kent Modern masterpiece and it is one of a handful of outrageously good but previously unreleased funk tracks that the Ace group of labels will be putting out this year. It gets us off to a flyer. It's a mid to down-tempo, bluesy, dirty groove that gets under your skin. Also in this realm are the cuts by Vernon Garret, Brenda George and Jimmy Bee, who appears with his cover of Calvin Arnold's "Funky Way". But just in case you get worried by the idea of repetitive grooves and James Brown grunts (you shouldn't, but I understand it happens) this is funk with songs and soul by the ton. Of course there is more, fine harmonies on the Arthur and Mary and Sims Twins tracks, big names such as ZZ Hill and Johnny Copeland and unknowns such as Millie Foster and Jeb Stuart.A damn fine album showcasing the natural evolution into soul music in the 1960,s.

AMM

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