Mable John: My Name Is Mable - The Complete Collection (1960-1963)

Mable John's stint with Motown was sufficiently obscure that even some of the relatively few soul fans who know of her work at all aren't aware that she started her career with the label. She did record a fair amount of material while there, and the accurately titled My Name Is Mable: The Complete Collection has all of it, containing all nine songs that showed up on 1960-1963 singles (including both the stringless and with-strings versions of 'No Love' and both the 1960 and 1963 versions of 'Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That') and ten previously unreleased outtakes. It's fine music, not just as quality early soul by one of the style's more underrated vocalists, but also as a document of Motown when it was at its bluesiest, and still looking to nail down the pop-soul groove that would eventually become its strongest suit. Several of the figures who would be key to Motown's success were involved with these sides, among them (as producers and songwriters) Berry Gordy, Mickey Stevenson, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Clarence Paul, Brian Holland, and Lamont Dozier. What, then, was missing, considering that John was a mature, passionately strong gospel-influenced singer? Not much, except perhaps truly great songs that would have been obvious hits. The songs are decent, and though they've been a bit lazily classified as blues by some, you can virtually always hear the classic Motown sound in embryo. 'Who Wouldn't Love a Man Like That' doesn't sound much different from the early Miracles' material, for instance, and you could certainly hear other songs fitting into the early repertoire of fellow Motowners like Marvin Gaye and Mary Wells without a problem. Check out Joe Hunters amazing piano intro on this song. 'Looking For a Man' is the first indication on this disc of the Motown sound we all love and could have been a hit for Mary Wells this chirpy foot tapper is a very strong contender for being one of the best commercially sounding tracks on this set. Mable teams up with Singin' Sammy Ward on the upbeat 'I'm Yours, Your Mine' a much heavier arrangement than her other songs and a formulae that was to work wonders for Mary Wells and Marvin Gaye in 1964 - of particular note the drum beat was much heavier on this recording and was a sign of things to come. It is well known that Berry Gordy utilised some of the artists on the label to provide backing vocals on songs for other artists you'll find a stellar performance from non other than the Supremes on 'I'm Finally Through With You' where on close inspection they have used a similar backing vocal to Marvin Gaye's 'Stubborn Kinda Fellow' to complement what is great song full of commercial promise which sadly failed to materialise into a hit song. Examination of the track 'Say You'll Never Let Me Go' released as a 'B' side finds a gorgeous gospel flavoured ballad featuring the Temptations on backing. The disc closes with the HDH written 'Meet Me Halfway' which whilst being unreleased at the time could have been a single release and rates as good as anything else out at that time. Some fans might prefer the funkier stuff that John recorded later in the '60s for Stax (as heard on the Stay Out of the Kitchen compilation), but this anthology is strong enough to appeal to general fans of early soul music, not just specialist collectors. http://sixtiesmotown.co.uk/, http://www.answers.com/

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