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British mod singer Julie Driscoll (vocals) quickly became a musical icon as one of the central figures behind the groundbreaking R&B-fused blue-eyed soul aggregate Brian Auger & the Trinity, with Auger (keyboards)Dave Ambrose (bass) and Clive Thacker (drums). Her supple yet commanding voice slashes and burns on this 11-song collection derived primarily from the her own Open (1967) and Streetnoise (1968) albums. It also includes the non-LP cover of the Basement Tapes-era Bob Dylan/Rick Danko composition "This Wheel's on Fire." The Trinity's slightly acidic take yielded the group their only Top Five hit in the U.K. and became something of a cultural landmark, resurfacing in 1992 as the theme to the BBC-TV comedy Absolutely Fabulous. Driscoll rivals the likes of Dusty Springfield in terms of sheer emotive and interpretive skills as evidenced by her rousing and righteous reading of Nina Simone's "Take Me to the Water." With Auger's proto-funky Hammond B-3 organ leading the way, the revision of David Ackles' "Road to Cairo" adopts on an undercurrent of introverted sensuality, simmering just below the surface of her ethereal intonations. Additional standouts on the suitably-monikered Best of Julie Driscoll are the brassy "Why (Am I Treated So Bad)" and the obligatory late-'60s anthem "Let the Sunshine In" from the play Hair. This compilation is both appropriate for the curious and a good place to find "This Wheel's on Fire" for parties wishing to retire their 7" singles or otherwise well-worn vinyl.&mdash; Lindsay Planer

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