v/a- THE ONE-DERFUL! COLLECTION: Midas 2LP

Highly recommended.

The fifth installment of the One-derful! Collection focuses on Midas, the gritty soul and funk imprint of this legendary RandB label group.

Midas is preceded by the One-derful!, Mar-V-Lus, M-Pac!, and Halo compilations and will be followed by Toddlin' Town. This series marks the first in-depth study of what was once one of Chicago's most prominent African-American run labels.

Within the grooves of these 25 tracks are generous helpings of funk, southern soul, and storming group vocals. As the shortest lived label in the One-derful! stable, Midas also provides an opportunity to dig deep into One-derful!'s vast tape vaults.

Among the 11 never issued tracks are gems from Andre Williams, Benny Sharp and The Sharpies, Bobby Mack, and McKinley Mitchell.

Central to Midas is the Leaner family. In the early 1960s when brothers George and Ernie Leaner added the Halo sub-label to their One-derful! label, they were revered figures on Chicago's Record Row and beyond. They distributed material from labels like Motown and Stax and they attracted top talent. It wasn't uncommon for a WVON DJ to help the Leaners sign their newest discovery, or for their singers, musicians, songwriters, or producers to have Chess or Motown on their resumes.