Arlen Roth and Jerry Jemmott Super Soul Session Blue Heart Records

Guitarist Arlen Roth (“The Master of the Telecaster”) and bassist Jerry Jemmott (“The Groovemaster”) were mainstay session and touring musicians in the late ’60s and early ’70s. Chances are if you listened to any music from that period in the rock, pop, soul, blues, or jazz genres, these guys were in the band.

Longtime friends, the pair decided to collaborate on a set of 13 classic tracks chosen to celebrate 50 years of making beautiful music together. Super Soul Session (Blue Heart Records) finds the pair in good company, teaming up with keyboardists Bruce Katz and Alex Salzman, guitarist Tom Gage, drummer Chris Parker, and the Uptown Horns, plus special guests Joe Louis Walker (vocals/guitar) and African vocalist Mukamuri.

Mukamuri sings on the stirring opener, “I’m Just A Mortal Man,” which served as the title track to the Persuasions’ 1971 debut release (the song is dedicated to Persuasions lead singer Jerry Lawson). The next track is a fine instrumental version of Aretha Franklin’s hit, “(Sweet Sweet Baby) Since You’ve Been Gone" (dedicated to Franklin), which incorporates a Memphis/Stax feel within its grooves. A rocking instrumental read of “Dancing In The Street,” dedicated to Motown’s great bassist James Jamerson, features excellent work from Jemmott, Roth, and the horns.

Joe Louis Walker guests on vocals and guitar on a splendid cover of “The Thrill Is Gone,” which has a Latin flavor and is highlighted by the guitar interplay between Walker and Roth (Jemmott played bass on the 1969 single by B.B. King). Jemmott’s rumbling bass kicks off a rollicking version of Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Is Lifting Me) Higher and Higher,” sung by Mukamuri, while Aretha Franklin’s “Chain Of Fools” gets a down-and-dirty instrumental treatment that pays tribute to Franklin and the late Muscle Shoals Swampers, Barry Beckett and Roger Hawkins.

Walker delivers a fun interpretation Sam Cooke’s “Shake,” and Mukamuri does a faithful reading of Dobie Gray’s “Drift Away,” a monster hit back in 1973. Roth takes the mic for The Rolling Stones’ gritty, swampy “Down Home Girl.”

Jemmott played bass on Franklin’s version of The Band’s “The Weight,” and reprises his role, with Roth taking Duane Allman’s place on this cool redo. Mukamuri makes one final appearance on vocals for Danny O’Keefe’s 1972 crossover classic, “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues,” before Jemmott and Ronee Martin narrate the ingredients required for the funky “Memphis Soul Stew,” paying tribute to King Curtis, the man who discovered him in 1967.

The album closer is a goosebump-inducing instrumental performance of “America The Beautiful,” which is presented similarly to Ray Charles 1972 rendition, with Roth providing wonderful slide guitar.

While a new release, the songs here provide a flashback to a golden era of soul music, thus its selection as the Flashback feature for the month.

Roth and Jemmott sound fantastic on guitar and bass, respectively. Neither has lost a single inch off their fastball. The song selection is familiar, but the interpretations are fresh and compelling. Soul and blues fans will certainly want to add Super Soul Session to their collections as soon as they can.

--- Graham Clarke