Mel Alexander, founder of Consolidated Productions, was an active songwriter while running one of the longest-operating Black-owned independent record conglomerates of the 20th century. This is the first installment in the series, and it looks like we can expect a steady stream of releases to come from the labels he helmed — Ajax, Angel Town, Car-A-Mel, Emanuel, Kris and more. Simply stunning. A 2LP packed with 28 tracks spanning full-throttle '60s doo-wop, northern soul, tear-jerking soul ballads and jazz. Especially intriguing is Gene Russell's Trio — it's unclear whether this is definitely the trio of the Black Jazz founder Gene Russell, and even the release year is unknown, making it thoroughly mysterious. Amid a lineup steeped in soul, the three funky modern jazz cuts on side C arrive at unexpected moments and land beautifully. Includes meticulously researched liner notes by the producers, a discography, and photos. (Original Japanese text by AYAM)