VA - Club Beat: Stirring Up Some R&B (2020)

WELCOME TO THE CLUB! And our latest adventures in U.K. Club Land where we continue our exploration of the 'Club Beat' - the roots of Mod, R&B and Soul - that coalesced in the bohemian melting pot of Soho, London, post WW2.

In this chapter we explore the sound of 'Rhythm & Blues' that first resonated on these shores in and around Soho at the turn of the Sixties. R&B was born out of a blend of upbeat jazz and jump-blues in the Southern states of North America and came to the fore in the fifties, a Black antidote to rock 'n' roll, popularized by the likes of Bo Diddley who graces our cover and features here with his U.K. #34 pop hit 'Bring It To Jerome'. 1963 marked the emergence of Soul music in America but in Britain the Rhythm & Blues scene was in full swing in the basement clubs of the capital, spun by discerning DeeJay's on hard-to-find American imports and imitated by new breed rock stars such as the Rolling Stones, The Animals, Chris Farlowe and the Who with their iconic 'Maximum R&B' show!

This unique compilation captures the spirit and excitement of the time and features hits and rarities from the red hot dancefloors at a time when London was the hottest city in the world.