50s / 60s

Review: If you dig hip-hop, funk or soul, you should know 'The Champ', a much-sampled, Hammond-heavy 1968 rhythm & blues workout from Alan Hawkshaw's Mohawks outfit. However, you may not know this version: a 1973 reggae remake from the band that brilliantly slows down the main organ motif and places it atop a sturdy, bass-heavy rhythm. This time round, it comes backed with another killer reggae rework: a skanking take on Aretha Franklin soul classic 'Rock Steady' from the Marvels. Recorded and released in the UK by a group of exiled Jamaicans in the early 1970s, it remains an inspired example of reggae's 'versioning' culture.

Review: Should you be able to find original copies of the two dusty-fingered classics featured on this "45", your bank balance was be significantly smaller. Of course, just because something is rare and expensive doesn't make it good, but Jimmy Thomas's 1969 cut 'Springtime' is genuinely brilliant. Released when funk-rock was arguably at its height, it sees the legendary soul man belting out Alan de Roches' lyrics over a Hammond-heavy fusion of soul, funk and Hendrix-style heavy rock. This time round, it comes backed with a relatively hard to find - on vinyl, at least- chunk of reggae/soul/rhythm & blues from iconic Jamaican singer Owen Grey. It's superb, of course, but we still prefer the incendiary A-side.