New Kent 45s - 2 x Select 45s - 1 x Kent Repro and 1 x Kent Deep Soul - Oct 2024

Ace Records release day with a hat full of 45s let loose.

Two additions to the Kent Select Imprint

Kenneth Wright / Miss Louistine - The Souls Of Black Folks / Extra-Extra - City 097

Soul connoisseurs are adventurous folk and the emergence of a previously unknown singer/songwriter is big news among the cognoscenti. The only trace of Atlanta’s Kenneth Wright is a handful of unrecorded song titles on BMI represented by Aware’s
publishing company Act One. At least a dozen of his recordings have recently been found in the Aware tape vaults and ‘The Souls Of Black Folks’ is the pick of them. It features Kenneth’s vocals and an equally impressive unknown female lead who adds more mystery to the project.

From the same Atlanta label source comes Miss Louistine’s take on the Sam Dees’ song ‘Extra, Extra’. Originally recorded by Ben E King as an album track, Louistine’s punchier take featured on a recent 100 Club Anniversary 45 and is well in-demand.

Berna-Dean - Don’t Try To Tell Me / Laughing On The Outside - City 095

Bernadine or Berna-Dean Washington recorded seven singles for producer Dave Bartholomew in New Orleans in the early 60s.
A protégée of Earl King, her final single was released on Los Angeles’ GNP Crescendo label in 1964 and is stylistically similar to her previous Imperial and Post 45s. ‘Don’t Try To Tell Me’ and ‘Laughing On The Outside’ were cut for GNP but the company never followed up on her ‘This Is The City’ single. 

Both tracks are in a more soulful style than her released sides and are attracting much attention on the current retro R&B scene and with the rare soul crowd also. This is their first public hearing. 

One new Kent Repro 45

Richard Temple / Jimmy Conwell - That Beatin’ Rhythm / Cigarette Ashes - Repro 21

Little needs to be said about these two Mirwood Monsters, but to have both tracks on the same 45 is a righteous luxury. ‘That
Beatin’ Rhythm’ is the epitome of the Northern Soul dance scene and has been a call to the floor for fifty years now.

The instrumental flip (credited to the actual singer of the A side) was equally massive at the time, but has been somewhat neglected in recent years - the vocal version gaining most DJ spins.

One New Deep Soul 45

Miss Louistine / Sam Dees - Con Me / Con Me Kent - Deep Soul 18

Miss Louistine’s version of ‘Con Me’ was one of the best Deep Soul finds of recent years. The Paragons smooth Chicago reading of Dees’ composition that came out in 1975 has long been admired, but this southern soul treatment of the now-classic is jaw-dropping.

To really focus on the masterpiece of a song, we have added Dees own take as the flip. That also remained unissued until Kent accessed the tapes in 1998 and is finally a single.

Availability

45s  available via Ace Records website - (tap), and various record stores including our very own Source Store - (tap)