Delving into his unique collection of 18,000 singles, top Northern DJ Ian Levine begins a new series for connoisseurs of rare sounds . . .

> Jacklyn was a late Sixties Detroit Soul label, whose output of mastepieces places It alongside such classics labels as Ric-Tic, Mirwood,Loma ad Smoke.

Brilliant record on Jacklyn include two by Darrow Fletcher ( 1002 - " What Have I Got Now " / " Sitting There That Night " and 1006 " What Good Am I Without You " / "Little Girl " ) both of which are solid Northern dance sounds. 

Two by Paul Smith ( 1001 - "Ain't That Something " / " I'll Run "  and 1004 - " Only Once In A Lifetime " / "Ain't That Something " the first of which  again is a fine dancer, re-used as the flipside of the rather ordinary follow-up )

One by Bobbie brown ( 1005 - " Pushin And Pullin" / " Love Train " , the "A" side of which is a nice male group dance record with the same backing track as the Bobby Brown  record, but different lyrics ) and one by Pam Colquitt ( 1011 - " I Done Got Over Losing You " / "It's Gotta Be Love ", a superb soul classic in the same vein  as Bettye Swann " Make Me Yours " ).

Also on the label is a disc I haven't yet heard by the Detroit Soul Masters " Stirrin Up Some Soul ". Could this disc be another version of the instrumental dance record cut by the marketts, the White instrumental group ?

>  Aldora Britton seems to have cut three all time soul classic and then vanished into total obscurity.  Perhaps the best known is the hauntingly beautiful " No Cookies In My Bag " ( US Decca ) which despite its inusual title is slow, tortured, deep soul classic in a style not far removed from that of Lorraine Ellison " All Alone Again " (Decca ) is equally as haunting though less instant in its appeal.

In a totally different vein is " Do It With Soul " ( Columbia ) a stomping floorshaker which gathered its fair share of plays in the North about 18 months ago. The flipside, a slow, moody, deep soul number called " Am I Ever Gonna See My Baby Again " was also cut by Vernon Greene on Minit, on the flipside of this classic Northern dancer " Look At Me, Look At Me ". 

On the strenght of these tree singles alone, Aldora has proved that she should be up there at the top, yet where is she now ?

> Another girl singer who deserves to break through is Sonji Clay, who cut three of my all time favourites deep soul items.  One is " Deeper In My Heart " ( AMM ) a beautiful wailing showcase for Sonji's bittersweet voice.  The other two are both  on the Songree label, presumably named after Miss Clay.

" Nobody " is slow, with a lonely, haunting melody.  " I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face " is the ultimate version of a brilliant song cut originally by Baby Washington and covered by many different soul artists including Aretha Franklin.

> Dean Courtney is another great unknown .  " We Have A Good Thing " on RCA is a bubbling happy singalong dancer rather in the same style as some of Jackie Wilson's uptempo classics.

"(Love) You Just Can't Walk Away" (MGM ) is an absolutely stunning cut with a great staccato beat. And about a year ago he cut a song for Paramount, " You're All I've Got " , which in total contrast is a cool sweet slowie with alush harmonics and an overall Philadelphia sound to it. A tremendous voice of great potential.

> There is much talk at the moment of Lenny Williams, lead singer of Tower of Power, cutting a solo album. Yet how many people knew that he had cut at least two solo singles before he ever joined the group ? Both were issued sometime between 1969 and 1971.

" I Couldn't Find Nobody " ( Fantasy ) is a stomper which is only just beginning to make its rise in the North.

The other single, on Galaxy, is the killer, though. It's one of my all time favourites, a fast, shuffling sonog called " How Can I Forget You ", with an incredible femme chorus and beautiful nostalgic lyrics.

INDIETRO