Japan's
Free Soul series has emerged as one of the most consistent and enlightened compilation series on the market -- mastermind
Toru Hashimoto, also the mad scientist behind the brilliant
Cafe Apres-midi series, is arguably the most daring and knowledgeable compilation producer going, unfailingly discovering the ideal balance between deep-groove rarities and tried-and-true favorites. So it comes as no huge surprise that
Free Soul Al Green is the best single-disc collection of
Green's music on the market, assembling not only the singer's renowned
soul hits, but just enough album cuts and forgotten classics to offer a truly complete portrait of his extraordinary gifts. Opening with the murderers' row trilogy of
"Let's Stay Together," "Call Me," and
"I'm Still in Love With You," Free Soul Al Green simply never lets up, stepping and sliding between blockbusters (
"You Ought to Be With Me," "Love and Happiness") and lesser-known favorites (
"King of All," "So You're Leaving") to document the full scope of
Green's magnificent 1970s output on the
Hi label. The only problem is that at import prices, U.S. listeners may find it more economical to bypass
Free Soul Al Green in favor of either a less-comprehensive domestic compilation or the four-disc
Immortal Soul of Al Green box set, but if price is no object, this is highly recommended for listeners seeking all the
Green they require across just one CD. ~ Jason Ankeny
![The Color Purple [Music From & Inspired By]](http://prodimage.images-bn.com/pimages/0617513842968_p0_v2_s90x140.jpg "The Color Purple [Music From & Inspired By]")
