EP Collection, The

Chuck Jackson's 1960s sides for Florence Greenberg's New York-based Wand Records imprint were full of smooth brass and string arrangements and a steady, sleek professionalism that practically defines the idea of pop-soul (it's no accident that he was one of the first artists to record Burt Bacharach songs). Critics have tended to be drawn more to emotionally driven deep gospel shouters like Otis Redding in their assessment of soul during the era, however, and Jackson, although he was a steady chart presence for Wand from 1961 to 1967, is little more than a historical footnote these days in the States. Which is a shame, because there are a thousand ways to get to the well of soul, and the uptown route is certainly one of them. This set gathers the six EPs released by Wand during Jackson's run at the label (he left Wand in 1967, signing with Motown, a move that should have been monumental for Jackson's career, but instead appeared to sink it) along with some additional cuts, and the end result is a fine introduction and overview of Jackson's peak years. ~ Steve Leggett