J.J. JACKSON - The Great J.J. Jackson
Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 11:44AM
soundscapes in Reissue, Soul/Funk

Time to testify to another outstanding lost Sixties soul man who's now been found, or should I say redisc-overed, after having been forgotten by all but those diehard lovers and collectors of the genre. J.J. Jackson and The Greatest Little Soul Band in the Land had one mid-sized hit in 1966, the propulsive dancefloor shaker "But It's Alright". Their sole (no pun intended) album was a match for whatever material legends like Wilson Pickett or Sam and Dave were putting out, but Jackson never achieved the fame or commercial success of these rhythm 'n' bruisers. Pity, 'cause this ravin' reissue contains one humdinger of a number after another: "I Dig Girls", the exciting "Boogaloo Baby", the Robbie Robertson composition "The Stones That I Throw", and "Come See Me", which British proto-punk r'n'b beat group The Pretty Things ferociously amped up on their 1966 cover. The emotion Jackson wrings out of his version of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" is almost as equally heartfelt as the original. Get this and get down!!

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