'What'd I Say' an expensive book but worth the price

"What'd I Say: The Atlantic Story" was given to me as a Christmas gift (thanks, Sandi). I mention that because at $75 list ($52.50 at Amazon.com), this isn't a book I would normally buy myself. But after spending the last five months poring through 560 pages of wonderful photos and recollections of the most famous names in music, I can attest that this history of Atlantic Records is a fantastic investment in time and money. 

At 9.6 pounds, this oversized hardbound is a beast, but you'll appreciate the high-quality paper and crisp reproduction as you savor every inch of every page. Many of the photos come from the Atlantic archives and were previously unpublished. 

Outside of a half-dozen longer chapters written by famed music journalists like Greil Marcus, Robert Christgau and Robert Gordon, most of the text is presented as quotes and vignettes from label execs, musicians, producers and engineers. And it works, making the immersion into Atlantic's rich history of jazz, R&B, soul, rock and disco -- and perhaps equally important, key roles in promoting civil rights from day one -- more of an adventure than a lecture. 

The Coasters, Ornette Coleman, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, Cream, Led Zeppelin, CSN&Y, Foreigner, Abba, Matchbox 20, the list goes on and on and on. And on and on. 

Over five decades this was an independent label that kept its oversized personality and feistiness even after being sold and absorbed into the behemoth WEA conglomerate. 

Be forewarned, however: This is not an impartial look at  Atlantic. It was commissioned by Atlantic founder Ahmet Ertegun and his recollections on acts ranging from Ray Charles to Yes to Jewel run throughout. But Ertegun and the book's contributors are smart enough to present more than a few warts amid the highlights that made Atlantic the record label of the last half-century, perhaps for all time. 

I know I'm slobbering at this point, but I can't recommend this book enough. If you're lucky, someone who really loves you will save away for a rainy day and surprise you when you least expect it. It's a gift I'll treasure forever.

Southern soul collection puts spotlight on quiet geniuses

Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham are legends in Memphis/Muscle Shoals music lore, but their names aren't usually the first to come to mind when discussing Southern soul and R&B from the 1960s and '70s. And that's a shame because their work writing and performing on some of the most dynamic songs of that era is as good as it gets. 

Ace Records, the terrific British reissue label, spotlights Penn and Oldham on "Sweet Inspiration - The Songs of Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham," a 24-track collection of soul, pop, country and gospel that's top-notch from beginning to end. 

Guitarist Penn and organist Oldham are capable musicians willing to stay in the shadows but it's their collaborative songwriting that shines here on songs performed by no names and big names, including Percy Sledge, Dionne Warwick, Etta James, Solomon Burke, The Box Tops, Ronnie Milsap, Patti Labelle, Irma Thomas and Tommy Roe. 

The best, however, may be Charlie Rich's version of "A Woman Left Lonely," a ballad that's epic in all aspects. 

What's scary is Ace had the choice of multiple recordings of these Penn-Oldham songs by different artists. Imagine the decision to favor Jeanne Newman's version of "It Tears Me Up" instead of Percy Sledge's take?

I have so much music that I don't have many albums on heavy rotation, let alone light rotation, but "Sweet Inspiration" is one that will get regular play. 

Rebuilding Malaco, the little studio that could

It's difficult to stomach the incredible devastation caused by the string of tornadoes that have swept through the South in recent days and weeks. And it's difficult for residents of those areas to be thinking about entertainment when their lives have been turned upside down. 

But it is heartwarming to hear stories like this "Soundcheck" episode describing efforts to rebuild little Malaco Records, a historic soul-music studio in Jackson, Miss. Small independent companies like Malaco have been a rich part of the Southern culture for decades, so it's fitting the soul and R&B music that transformed a region and its politics a half-century ago will again be part of the healing process.