This set of CDs is the story of how one city, New Orleans, with its unique, proud and energetic history came to adopt soul music and how its music producers and arrangers came to utilise the styles of soul music being made in other cities of the US and to adapt them to the rhythms and approaches that made New Orleans so different to every other soul city USA.

These CDs are also a tribute to the little labels, whose sound became the heartbeat of the city, playing out onto the streets from jukeboxes, radio stations and mom-and-pop stores selling a few 45s as a sideline.

Most of the tracks on these CDs have never been released since the day that the vinyl was first stamped.