Dusty Springfield - Heart & Soul

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Music reviews of Heart & Soul

Music Review: Excellent product - essential for hardcore fans
Rating: 5 Stars

The first 8 cuts - all studio recordings - is a skillfully assembled and close to exhaustive round up of Dusty's one off releases including duets and soundtrack recordings from the 80s and 90s (except for "Sea & Sky") that have either not seen CD release or are scattered all over the place in other artistes' products (eg, B J Thomas & Cilla Black). The audio quality of these recordings are for the most part superb (eg, "But It's A Nice Dream"). Even the vinyl transfers of the controversial "Sometimes Like Butterflies" and its B-side "I Wanna Control You" from Dusty's brief but ill-fated liason with Peter Stringfellow in 1985 sound excellent. We also get the full version (not the singles edit) of "Private Number", her duet with Spencer Davis. Other rare Dusty bits which would have fitted perfectly into this segment of the CD had Varese been able to include them would be soundtrack recordings of "Bits and Pieces" (from "The Stunt Man"), "I Don't Want To Hear It Anymore" (from "For Love Or Money"), "Learn To Say Goodbye" (from "Say Goodbye, Maggie Cole"), "Sweet Ride" (from movie of the same name), "The Look Of Love" (from "Casino Royale") and "Six Million Dollar Man" (from the TV series). But that would be expecting too much.

The second half of the CD consists exclusively of live recordings from Dusty's many appearances on American TV in the late 60s/early 70s, all chronologically ordered and seamlessly segued to produce the effect of a live concert (not quite, given the differences in backing....but close). Opening with her 3 biggest US hits (from Ed Sullivan and Music Scene), we then get a rare and uncredited audio clip of her souled up version of the Seekers medley from the Johnny Cash Show, before being treated to "Up On The Roof" (again uncredited, from the Andy Williams Show), one of this live segment's highlights. Her soulful rendition of the Impression's "People Get Ready" (from Rod McKuen's Show) is also a particular treat, as is hearing Dusty belting out "Won't Be Long" in 1971 long after she has stopped doing soul ravers in her full throated voice on TV. That's not all. Dusty has always loved singing "Since I Fell For You" on TV, though she never got round to recording it in the studio. Her version here on Bobby Darin's 1972 show is different but every bit as good as her other known live versions from the Tom Jones Show (1972) and her own UK TV series in 1966. Her cover of "Magnificent Sanctuary Band", a Donny Hathaway original and a staple in her concert repertoire (circa 1972) is simply a great performance and one of my own personal favourites, though it doesn't top her searing rendition of it on "Music My Way", a TV special aired over UK TV in 1973.

Like the sound of breaking glass at the end of "Dusty Definitely", there's also a hidden track at the end from an ad she did in 1967. Sounding exactly like Dusty from the 60s, it's a genuine rarity and great to have.

Like Rhino and Hip-O before it, Varese has done Dusty's memory proud with an excellent and thoughtfully assembled product for her most loyal fans.

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