Various - The Soul of Cenco - Soul Direction LP
Soul Direction present the second album release for the label.
PRE ORDER FOR RELEASE DATE 3rd AUGUST 2026
Having worked with Robert Resnik in the past and striking up a musical connection and after various conversations with Robert “Buddy” Resnik based on some earlier Soul Direction Releases, I was asked about the possibility of an album of some of the more “Soul Based” tracks. So, after some back and forth with Buddy we now present the finished product. The first-time tracks from the West Coast label “Cenco Records” have ever been compiled on one album. 13 tracks from the soulful side of this hidden gem of a label which includes many highly collectable and very rare releases.
What we have here is a real enigma of a label. Only really coming to light for Northern Soul fans and collectors around the 80s and 90s with the emergence of the “Stafford Era”. The label had an eclectic variety of releases that mostly lent toward the blues genre from its owners’ previous ventures, but it had ties to the world-renown Ike & Tina Turner with their 45 releases and album release.
The label was certainly never much of a commercial success even after numerous releases.
Special thanks to Steve Green for his help on the Fred and Turbins & The Turbines information and to Kenny Gradney (The Turbines). Soul Direction are working on a full interview with Kenny Gradney who is currently on tour with his band.
SIDE ONE
A1 – Fred & The Turbins – Bernadine
A2 - Gene & Eunice – Soul Loving
A3 - Al McKay and The Turbans - Rubber Legs
A4 - The Turbines - What More Can I Say
A5 - Shades of Jade - Is It Wrong
A6 - Carbo Brothers – Soul Serenade
A7 - The Wheelers – Once I Had A Girl
SIDE TWO
B1 - The Turbines - We Got To Start Over
B2 - Gene & Eunice - Walking Away
B3 - Shades of Jade – Affection
B4 - Made in Japan Band - What It Is
B5 - The Leftovers (Gene & Lou) – Searchin’
B6 - Carbo Brothers - What Can I Give Her
Cenco Records was a division of the Spry Record Company.
Original publishing by Class Publishing .
Licensed courtesy of Resnik Music Group. Publishing administered by DBA Madelon Music Co. and the Robert & Sharen Resnik Trust.
The cover photograph is licensed from Alamy.com.
Package design by Jordan Wilson.
Mastering by Swift Mastering Limited.
The copyrights in these sound recordings are owned by the copyright holders listed inside and are licensed to Soul Direction Records.
