This 26-track double CD celebrates 50 glorious years of music that seemed to flow in ocean-like quantities from the Atlantic Record Company. This pioneering R&B label was started by the Ertegun brothers Ahmet and Nesuhi and Herb Abramson. Ray Charles was the labels first major signing and set the standard for the sublime soul that appeared on the famous red and black seven singles for many years. They're all here, Wilson Pickett's 'In The Midnight Hour', Ray Charles with 'What'd I Say', Percy Sledge ('When A Man Loves a Woman'), Sam And Dave ('Soul Man') and the best of the lot, Aretha Franklin's legendary version of 'Respect'.

Atlantic then diversified into the growing rock market and signed major acts like Yes, Iron Butterfly and Led Zeppelin. Their seminal heavy metal opus 'Whole Lotta Love' is paraded with pride as are Cream's 'Sunshine Of Your Love', Derek and the Dominoes' 'Layla', Yes' 'Roundabout's and Crosby Stills and Nash's 'Suite: Judy Blue Eyes'. Their steady finger on the pulse of popular music is illustrated by the artists whose songs bring the Atlantic story up to the present. Bette Midler, Foreigner, Tori Amos, Brandy, Hootie And The Blowfish and the um, "jewel' in their current crown, Jewel, who's debut album has just passed the ten-million sales mark. Her debut single off that album, 'Who Will Save Your Soul?', closes off this golden parade of artists on these two CDs, a small selection of the many talented musicians who have kept Atlantic Records at the forefront of popular music these past 50 years.

Stephen "Sugar"Segerman

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