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If ever there was an artist whose music would have so much impact on our lives over a thirty year period then it would have to be Lamont Dozier. Alongside the likes of the late Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye, Lamont is a pure genius in soul and contemporary music circles.

As one third of the famous Motown songwriting team of Holland Dozier and Holland, during the boom years of 1963 - 1967 his talents not only made millions for Berry Gordy’s empire but shaped the music of the sixties in such a way that all those HDH songs from that era are still played across the globe on a daily basis to this day.

In 1967 when the trio split from Motown it wasn’t long before they were back in business again only this time with their own record company and label ‘Invictus’ having obvious total control on product output and at last the much deserved recognition that many argued they never received in Detroit.

This two CD set documents the best of Lamont’s solo work for Invictus/ABC/Dunhill and Warner Brothers for whom he signed a solo deal in 1976. Whilst there appears to be a current re-issue programme in hand to issue all his solo work during this year this double set is a perfect introduction to a genius a work.

From the early seventies period at Invictus the superb ‘Why Can’t We Be Lovers’ opens the batting a song which  is credited on the original 45 as being Holland & Dozier, but in fact finds Lamont taking complete control on lead vocals on this now classic soul cut which is now very collectable. However, the best cut from the Invictus sessions has to be the excellent mid-tempo dancer ‘New Breed Kinda Woman’ which if my memory serves me right was issued as a ‘b’ side at the time. A fine piece of pure soul set to a catchy backing.

Then we have four cuts taken from the highly acclaimed 1973 album ‘Out Here On My Own’ which produced the superb ‘Breaking Out All Over’ and ‘Fish Ain’t Bitin’ (a stab at the Watergate scandal a year earlier) The latter track is so well produced it’s no wonder it has remained a classic and a modern soul favourite for many a year now.

1974 saw the issue of ‘Black Bach’ seen by many as the all time soul LP. From it a number of 45’s were issued including ‘All Cried Out’ & ‘Let Me Start Tonight’ both of which are soul gems which bring out the best of Lamont’s most distinctive soul voice, setting him head and shoulders above the rest.

A move to Warner Brothers in 1976 saw no let up and the release of ‘Right There’ (see sleeve cover above) spawned the now legendary recording of ‘It’s The Same Old Song’ a tune that he had written with the Holland Brothers some eleven years earlier for the Four Tops. This version is given the seventies treatment just ahead of the big disco boom.

From the album ‘Peddlin’ Music On The Side’ found the highly collectable and appealing ‘Going Back To My Roots’ which was issued as a 12 inch single and created much interest in South Africa where Dozier was to become a national hero alongside Hugh Masakela. In the UK soul group Odyssey took the song to number one, but the real version will always be the original.

Hot on the heels of that particular songs saw the excellent ‘Sight For Sore Eyes’ which also saw light of day as a UK single and created similar interest amongst club DJ’s who found the tune easy to programme alongside other dance favourites of the day.

1979 and right bang in the middle of disco fever saw the issue of a monster single in ‘Boogie Business’ resulting in major dancefloor interest across the UK and Europe and a song that I remember playing to death during that period. Of note was the fact that this song held its own for almost twelve months on my playlist. Twenty two years on and I’m still filling dancefloors’ with it all over again.

There are two more albums in the pipeline to be reissued and these will feature in these pages. Meanwhile we would point out that whilst there are three sleeves shown above this review primarily concentrates on the ‘Roots’ double CD but readers should be aware that this disc contains many tracks featured on the other two titles.

Finally, on this set finds three previously unreleased tracks for your listening pleasure namely ‘I Cry For You’ ‘It Looked Good In The Window’ and ‘I Can’t Love You Anymore’  - You will NOT be disappointed.

All three CD’s are highly recommended.