Here’s a welcome return of an old friend (two actually), and a reminder that for every Irma Thomas, Lee Dorsey, the Meters, King Floyd and Jean Knight who made hits in New Orleans in the 1960s and ’70s, there were a score of neighborhood hit makers including Eldridge Holmes, Warren Lee, Zilla Mayes and Willie West. The bulk of the material on this double CD was originally released on locally distributed labels like DeeSu, Sansu, White Cliffs and Tou-Sea, all of which were owned at least in part by the late Marshall Sehorn. Some only sold a few hundred singles, but these Allen Toussaint-produced tracks are as good, if not better, than anything else he produced before or after.

There’s a few familiar names here—Dorsey, Aaron Neville, Earl King, the Meters and Ernie K-Doe—but the lesser-known artists steal the show throughout. Case in point is the energetic Warren Lee, whose opener “Star Revue,” and infectious “Climb the Ladder” are both worth the price of two copies of this CD alone. Another highlight is the oft-recorded foot soldier Eldridge Holmes. Possessing a bluesier style than the other artists here, his “Cheatin’ Woman” and the jaw-dropping “Love Affair” are particularly appealing. The Aaron Neville hard-to-ignore pairing, “Hercules” and “Strutting On Sunday” are worth noting as the arrangements on these songs owe nothing to New Orleans, but in fact are contemporary (circa early1970s) urban soul. There’s a couple of former Clowns here—(as in Huey Smith and the Clowns) “Scarface” John Williams and Curley Moore (of “Soul Train” fame)—who both prove to be outstanding solo artists in their own right. Too much great material here to mention. Dare we hope for a volume two?