After a hiatus of several years Rude Rich and his High Notes return in style (albeit in a slightly modified line-up)! 'Tribute To The Greats', the previous long player of what remains the best ska and rocksteady-ensemble in the Benelux, already dates back to 2012, but now there's 'The Soul In Ska Vol. 1', recorded at the Pum Pum Hotel Studio in Charleroi! As the title suggests, on this album the band revisits a number of soul classics. The album opens with 'Ain't Too Proud To Beg', a ska version of the eponymous classic by The Temptations, immediately followed by an excellent version of 'Mouth A Massy', a song by Alton Ellis. Then The High Notes go soul again for Tyrone Davis' 'Turn Back The Hands Of Time'. One of the most original songs in the track list is 'Miss Lulu, Mi Switi', an update of the Derrick Morgan classic 'Miss Lulu' sung in English and Sranantongo, and the next tune, a ska-reworking of The O'Jays' 'Backstabbers' is another one of our favorites on 'The Soul In Ska Vol. 1'. With Al Green's 'Love And Happiness', we're served yet another soul classic and then there's 'How Many Times', a lesser known Bob Marley song that was already dusted off by his son Stephen a few years ago. 'Turn Your Lamp Down Low' is a delightful up-tempo ska version of the Muddy Waters classic. Slim Smith's 'My Conversation' (also featured in an excellent combination with deejay Otty Rankin) of course needs little introduction, and the same goes for Lord Creator's 'Evening News'. Since this is album is titled 'The Soul In Ska Vol. 1', more goodies are sure to follow!