As writers, producers and sometime arrangers, Leiber & Stoller have had more direct effect on the progression of popular music since the mid-50s than almost anyone. Principally, though, it was as record constructors that they reigned supreme, as this 60s collection testifies. The pair had an unerring ear and knew how to catch their listeners’ ears.
Broadway’s drama infiltrated their recording world, and they knew just how to highlight a musical moment to draw you in. Their use of Latin rhythms and sparse light’n’shade arrangements are well in evidence here with The Drifters’ Rat Race, Solomon Burke’s You Can’t Love ’Em All, and Irene Reid’s jazzy My Heart Said (The Bossa Nova). Poppier power comes through The Exciters’ It’s So Exciting and The Shangri- Las’ Bull Dog.
The songs that you can immediately visualise on a stage prove to be the gems here: Dee Dee Warwick’s I (Who Have Nothing), Jimmy Scott’s absolutely stunning version of On Broadway, and Peggy Lee’s superb Is That All There Is? With many other rarities, and an informative booklet, serious collections have to include this.
