A new CD featuring the modern end of northern soul is the latest offering from the Sanctuary Records group who very rarely fail to deliver a quality package. One of the strange things about the northern soul scene of the last few years is the amount of 70/80's styled soul tunes that have crept onto the scene, which at the time of release would not have been entertained by the hardened 'northern' fanatics who saw these releases at that time as second rate 'disco', but thanks to the likes of veteran DJ's such as Blackpool's Ian Levine who as far back as 1973 at the towns Mecca venue introduced the legendary 'modern' tune by the Carstairs which was received so well by so many, began what was to become the biggest split on the northern scene and ever since the whole scene has somewhat accepted the blend of old and new.

Let's be fair about it though  - whatever you want to class these tracks as you cannot deny their soulful content and danceability. Whilst the majority of sixties soul boys are pushing into their mid fifties it doesn't take much working out that most cannot keep up with the pace of the 100mph dance tracks of their soulful youth, and those well attended soul nights across the UK in recent years has welcomed a more gentler side of soul music.

'Flying High' contains twenty four blistering tunes mainly from the 70's from a variety of labels such as Today/All Platinum/Colossus/
Invictus/Hot Wax/Chelsea but to name a few. Some of the tracks will be well known as they received a UK single release during the seventies such as the Motown influenced 'Better To Have Loved' by the fabulous Honey Cone (featuring Sandy Wynns) from 1972 and produced by none other than Greg Perry, a gorgeous uplifting dancer so reminiscent of late sixties Motown. The next track from the same producer finds another fabulous modern dancer from the 8th Day entitled 'You've Got To Crawl'. Holland, Dozier & Hollands trademark is stamped right across these two tracks.

The legendary Chuck Jackson whose previous recordings for Wand and Motown in the sixties had raised the profile of this amazing powerful singer wasn't going to be left out during the seventies and his 1976 release 'Love Lights' whilst being aimed fair and square at the disco market was quickly picked up by the northern crowd for immediate acceptance. This bouncy 'wah wah' groove becomes irresistible after just one play. Staying with the same label and same year, stablemates The Moments have three of their singles included with the storming 'Nine Times' and the gentler 'It Don't Rain In My Back Yard' and 'Key To My Happiness'. The group had been responsible for delivering some of the sweetest ballads of the decade but these three songs proved they were amongst the best when it came down to dancefloor level.

The further you delve into this excellent CD the better it gets. If you want to know which is the killer tracks then look no further than 'Take Your Time' by the Festivals (a complete mid-tempo throwback to the sixties) plus their other included tune 'Gee Baby' which is so identical to the sound of the Esquires, and then there is the Duprees' version of 'Check Yourself' previously recorded by Philadelphia's Intruders and issued here in 1971 on Polydor'

J.J. Barnes will be no stranger to any sixties/northern soul fan via his recordings for Stax/Volt/Groovesville/Ric Tic and whilst 'Can't See Me Leaving You' may not be his strongest performance of his career it nevertheless retains a nice steady groove and arrangement that grows with each listen. It is good to see the inclusion of Virgil Henry's 'You Ain't Saying Nothin' New' (a song that was issued on US Tamla during the seventies) and was getting played at northern gigs as far back as 1994. Tyrone Edwards is not a name that will be familiar to most but his 1977 UK Invictus track 'Can't Get Enough Of You' is just superb to dance to, and is packed with that Invictus sound from start to finish and a blinding vocal delivery which sadly didn't carry the singer forward to better things.

This excellent CD features other cracking numbers from the likes of the Whispers/Street People/Exciters/Universal Mind making up a collection that any discerning soul will not want to be without. If your looking for a stocking filler this Christmas then look no further than 'Flying High' - 100% soul satisfaction guaranteed.

Rating 10/10