Let's take some of the live songs as Jimmy delivers his own roaring version of the Temptations classic 1966 recording 'Ain't Too Proud To Beg' to an audience just begging for more. Willie Mitchell's stomping classic 'That Driving Beat' from the same year would have been a perfect song for Jimmy anyway, and his rip roaring performance of this song has the listener almost feeling as if you were there at the club in the sixties amongst hundreds of swaying bodies and chanting voices - brilliant. Another crowd pleaser is his gospel chanting of 'Amen' before the medley blends into 'If I Had A Hammer'

Having been one of no doubt hundreds of DJ's over the years who have had the pleasure of working with Jimmy live, I am only too aware of his real magical talent in delivering a more gentler side to his soul, and whether its a cover version of a tried and tested classic it matters not, because Jimmy always adds his personal touch to such songs making them almost exclusive to him. Cover versions include 'Its' Growing' (Temptations) 'I Gotta Dance To Keep From Crying' (Miracles) 'Ain't No Big Thing' (Kittens) 'People Get Ready (Impressions) 'I'm Just A Fool For You' (Gene Chandler) This Heart Of Mine' (Artistics) and 'The Entertainer' (Tony Clarke) and 'You Don't Know Like I Know' (Sam & Dave) all delivered with soul perfection in the same groove that made the originals such good songs. Just listening to these covers shows Jimmy's dedication and love of his music and most of all his genuine respect for fellow artists and their songs.

During the early 1970's when the budget priced LP series on the Marble Arch label brought us collectors many a collectible title Jimmy had a release too with the excellent 'This Is Jimmy James' which contained the brilliant 'Come To Me Softly' which has a gorgeous piano arrangement and strings that give the song mass commercial appeal and make this one of James' finest songs of all time. Side one ends with mayhem as he and the band play out with 'Sock It To Em J.B. (a hit for Rex Garvin) a song that had the crowd screaming for more and more!

Side two has twenty four tracks of essential listening kicking off with the US version of 'Come To Me Softly' a slightly different version to that issued in the UK, before he delivers a credible mid tempo ballad in 'You Showed Me The Way' showing that he is a multi talented singer. Whilst UB40 scored heavily in the UK with the song 'Red Red Wine' it was in fact Jimmy's song from the sixties and no compilation would be complete without it - of course his was not a reggae version but a real downtempo affair for which his version is always considered the best. Track 8 will knock you off your feet and a song that many a star would not attempt to cover at any cost - not Jimmy - as he takes on a near copy of the Dells' US Chess recording 'Wear It On Our Face' at the same tempo and arrangement - perfect.

Still there's more cover versions as he performs a lazy arrangement of JJ Jackson's UK Warner Bros '45' 'Courage Aint Strength' with a niggling yet jazzy piano piece complementing the Herb Alpert style trumpet accompaniment. Next up is the northern soul styled stomper 'Cry Like A Baby' (a hit for US group The Boxtops) which is a great dancer, as is 'Help Yourself' which became popular amongst the northern soul fraternity who would juggle this version with Jay & the Techniques' own outing on Mercury.

Jimmy James recorded a blinding mid tempo track on UK Stateside in 1972 entitled 'A Man Like Me' (later re-issued on EMI) and found even greater fame and fortune around the middle of the 1970's when the disco boom had took grip on club land. He enjoyed two major hits here in the UK with 'I'll Go Where The Music Takes Me' and 'Now Is The Time' (the last three titles are NOT included on this set). Jimmy continues to tour the UK even to this day and firmly remains one of the last few surviving sixties soul acts whose musical output was, and still is, a real pleasure to experience.

Don't forget to check out the superb fold out accompanying booklet that is crammed with information and vintage pictures.

Rating 9/10

Also available is another Jimmy James UK CD entitled 'Vagabond King' NEMCD 942 (Castle/Sanctuary Music)