Ortheia Barnes "Never Ever Leave Me"

Kent Records releases so many 45s that it's easy to fall behind.  That and the fact that the price of their singles has gone up in the last year or two to the point where you don't get much (if any!) change out of a tenner mean that, unless a chap's pockets are as deep as Daddy Warbucks', it's best to do a bit or research before disbursing any cash.  The conclusion of tonight's bout of online rummaging is that Ortheia Barnes' "Never Ever Leave Me" is an essential purchase.  It may not be a Detroit stomper but what it lacks in tempo it makes up for in atmosphere and class.  That it's classy is no surprise given that it's a Dave Hamilton co-write/production.  Hamilton's productions often feature something a little a different and in this case it's a deliciously restrained flute solo which ends with a cheery flutter. It'd be an ideal early evening number for an All-nighter in a once glorious ballroom. In that context it would probably have me wiping a convenient speck of dust from my eye.