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VARIOUS Home Schooled Numero ****

Continuing Numero's mission to chart the places few other labels will frequent, its latest must-hear compilation gets down with the kids.

Back when The Jacksons were the hottest things in soul, hundreds of other kiddie acts were getting on the good foot and practising their moves up and down the US.

They never boarded the same fame rollercoaster as Michael and his brothers (and they may be thankful for this in hindsight), but acts such as Patrizia and Jimmy, Jack & The Mods, Cindy & The Playmates, Otis the 3rd and dozens more did make it into their local recording studios to record their sounds for posterity.

The sleevenotes may have some sorry tales to tell about overbearing parents - Deno Brown's old man was, as the saying goes, known to the police - but the music you hear throughout swings with heavyweight funk, heartbreaking soul and a whole lot of teenage love and angst. www.numerogroup.com  JIM CARROLL

Download tracks: Patriza & Jimmy, Trust Your Child; Otis the 3rd, Time