Jacksoul

Fronted by Haydain Neale — who died of lung cancer in November 2009, following recuperation from a near-fatal road accident — Jacksoul was perhaps the leading light on the Canadian R&B/soul landscape. Pitching their tent in the same accessible domain occupied by Seal (whose voice is not so dissimilar to Neale's), the band picked up a series of awards and accolades since its formation in the mid-'90s, including Junos for R&B/soul Recording of the Year in 2001 and 2007. Here, we've distilled Jacksoul's magic into a handful of tracks that best express Neale's soul-stirring, heart-warming gifts, from mesmerising covers ("Change Is Gonna Come," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas") to best-loved hits ("Can't Stop," "Still Believe In Love"). Included in the playlist are a few standout tracks from the posthumously released 2009 album, SOULmate.