Blue Magic --
Magic # ... CD
Mirage/FTG,
1983. New Copy ....
$14.99
A lost later set from Blue Magic -- recorded after their modern soul album for Capitol, and done in a sweetly gliding mellow groove! The sound here's quite different than their earlier records for Atco, but the vocals are all pretty darn wonderful -- maturing harmonies that are cast in some nice... read more
Was there ever a better harmony soul group than Blue Magic? Hearing a record like this, it's hard to think so -- and the album's pure east coast magic all the way through! The group still manage to keep the fragile quality that made their first work so great, but they've also got a wonderfully... read more
Sublime work from Blue Magic -- a record that still has them singing in the sweet harmony sound of earlier records, but which also picks up a fuller sound and a bit of a groove -- thanks to stone Philly arrangements by Norman Harris and Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey! A number of tracks add in... read more
Blue Magic/Major Harris/Margie Joseph --
Live! ... CD
Atlantic/Collectables,
1976. New Copy 2CDs ....
$14.9916.98
Philly soul magic -- recorded in New Jersey! This unique little set offers a wonderfully different look at the hit Philly sound that was bubbling strongly on Atlantic Records during the 70s -- as it features 3 of the label's best acts in the genre, caught live in a special performance at New... read more
One of the most comprehensive collections of work we've ever seen on Eddie Bo -- a really well-done set that finally gets at the full range of his massive funky talents -- including a host of rare singles done for a variety of other artists as well! Despite the dates in the title, most of the... read more
Modern Memphis soul from the Bo-Keys -- a group who play in the same spirit as classic acts from Stax and Hi Records! The sound's no surprise, as the record was recorded in the studios of legendary producer Willie Mitchell -- a perfect fit for the warm Booker T-inspired grooves of the set. The... read more
Willie Bobo & the Bo-Gents --
Do What You Want To Do ... CD
Sussex/Vampi Soul (Spain),
Early 70s. New Copy ....
$15.99
Incredible work by Willie Bobo -- a slamming record of hard funky instrumentals, one that sounds different than any of his other albums! The record's a killer all the way through -- a mixture of Latin and deep 70s funk, one of the few perfect fusions of the styles, held up beautifully all the way... read more
Sweet jazzy soul from Angie Bofil -- recorded in 1979 with Dave Grusin, who gives the album a smooth edge that really works perfectly with her vocals! The set's a perfect blend of the more soulful elements in the fusion scene of the late 70s, combined with Angie's warm vocal style and some... read more
Two Arista winners from Angela Bofill -- back to back on a single CD! Too Tough has Angela working strongly with Narada Michael Walden -- who helps Bofill on production and songwriting for part of the album, and really helps bring a nicely solid feel to the set! The tunes are more in an 80s soul... read more
A much-needed look at the Mercury years of Hamilton Bohannon -- and a treasure-trove of unreissued funky dancefloor tracks! Bohannon first sprang onto the scene with his early funky work for Brunswick -- chunky numbers that showed a very unique approach to rhythm, and an odd heavily-repetitive... read more
A different sort of sound for Booker T -- working here not with the MGs, but with backing from the Drive By Truckers, and a fair bit of guitar from Neil Young! The album's still heavy on the sorts of organ lines we love in Booker's work stretching back to the early 60s years at Stax Records -- but... read more
Memphis goes to California -- with surprising results! The album's one of a few that Booker T cut after splitting with the MGs -- of legendary Stax Records fame -- and it's completely different than his earlier sides, and not in a bad way! Book recorded the set in California with wife Priscilla... read more
Booker T & The MGs --
Melting Pot ... CD
Stax,
1970. New Copy ....
$10.9911.98
One of the greatest albums ever from Booker T & The MGs -- and very different than their early work! The record has Book & Co taking off with a stretched-out jazzy sound -- carving expanded grooves that are filled with sweet organ solos, choppy guitar riffs, and some incredibly tight... read more
Taka Boom really sounds great in this set of 80s grooves -- tunes recorded in the middle part of the decade, but with some of the leaner styles of a few years before -- that near-perfect blend of beats and keyboards that sums up early 80s soul at its best! Taka's vocals have a strong sense of... read more
Massive work from Bootsy Collins -- one of his best-ever solo albums, and a perfect summation of the P-Funk groove -- focused strongly through Bootsy's own sense of stardom! George Clinton worked with Collins on production, and the album's as tight as the best Parliament or Funkadelic work of the... read more
One of the hippest records ever to come out of Chicago -- the sole recording by Boscoe, a group who was even more obscure and experimental than contemporaries like The Pharoahs or Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Like those groups, Boscoe has a very unique, very visionary approach -- one that's not... read more
A landmark album from Boyz II Men -- and a set that shows that the classic harmony style was alive and well into the 90s! Although the production and rhythms here are somewhat contemporary, the vocals have a classic approach all the way through -- maturing masculine soul styles that are totally... read more
Breakwater --
Breakwater ... CD
Arista/BMG (Japan),
1978. New Copy ....
$23.99
A landmark set from a group who only ever gave the world two albums -- but who've gone on to have a huge influence over the years! This initial offering from Breakwater is a masterful blend of jazzy fusion and mellower soul -- a sound sifted together so perfectly, it really tops the rest of the... read more
Tightly woven jazz funk -- the first super effort from the team of Randy & Michael Brecker, whose twin-horn frontline forged a very popular sound in the mid 70s! The record may not be the most groundbreaking bit of jazz funk you'll ever own -- but there's some really well-crafted numbers on... read more
Sublime soul from Brenda & The Tabulations -- wonderful group soul work that we'd take over Gladys Knight & The Pips any day of the week! The set brings together all of the group's early singles for the Dionn label -- prime 60s Philly work with a great blend of gentle ballads and more... read more
Amazing second-wave soul from Brenda & The Tabulations -- a mighty look at the group's years on the Top & Bottom label, a time when they really upped their game tremendously! Most tracks here still stay in that beautifully fragile harmony style that first brought the group attention in the... read more
Brenda & The Tabulations --
Dry Your Eyes ... CD
Dionn/Jamie,
1967. New Copy ....
$13.9915.98
Incredible early work from Brenda & The Tabulations -- one of the best male/female soul groups of their era, yet one that's often sadly overlooked! This album will more than display why the group are so great -- as they have a unique quality that's soft and sweet, yet also deeply soulful at... read more
Great stuff -- and possibly the best album ever by this classic harmony soul group! The style is wonderful -- with Brenda's sweet voice in the lead, and backing by the all-male Tabulations. The overall approach was used by Gladys Knight & The Pips for years, but we've always liked Brenda's... read more
Dee Dee Bridgewater --
Victim Of Love ... CD
Verve/Charly (UK),
1990. New Copy ....
$6.99
An unusual album from Dee Dee Bridgewater -- a set that carries forward some of the soul styles she had at the start of the 80s, but one that also points the way towards her return to jazz in the 90s as well! The production is fairly electric -- lots of keyboards and guitars, and mostly beats in... read more
One of the most unlikely electro soul pop projects of the mid 80s -- there's no way you'd guess from the lean & soul steeped 80s grooves that 2 of the 3 core members of this trio came from aggro noise pioneers Killing Joke! Bassist & keyboardist Youth and guitarist & keyboardist Jimi... read more
Excellent smooth soul from Johnny Bristol -- working here in territory that's a lot more sophisticated than his earlier work, in the same vein as smooth modern soul singers like Leroy Hutson, Leon Ware, or Prince Phillip Mitchell! The album's got a sweet warm feel -- and the richness of the... read more
Rare 80s soul from Al Broomfield -- a nice little modern soul set with lots of groovy keys and soulful vocals from Broomfield! Broomfield is a sweetly grooving set with the bubbling synthy touches of the era in full force, with a warmth and genuine soul that keeps it fresh years later. The warm... read more
A funky classic from the Brothers Johnson -- sweet funky soul, done with a polish few could match! The pair are still working with Quincy Jones at this point, and the record's filled with lots of tight jazzy grooves that certainly show Quincy's touch -- and which set the record apart from a number... read more
Trina Broussard --
Inside My Love ... CD
Expansion (UK),
Late 90s/2008. New Copy ....
$16.99
The long-overdue release of Inside My Love -- a sublime little set recorded by Trina Broussard in the late 90s -- originally planned for the So-So Def label, but never properly issued at the time! The album's years ahead of most soul of the time -- a great precursor to the Neo Soul explosion that... read more
Charles Hilton Brown --
Owed To Myself ... CD
Schema (Italy),
1974. New Copy ....
$18.99
A swirling blend of soul, funk, and jazzy grooves -- and a super-rare album that we've never seen in the original! Supposedly, backing on the record is by the British Afro-Funk group Assagai -- which sounds right to us, because there's a nice rolling conga groove on many of the tracks. Lead... read more
A righteous treasure from the end of the 60s -- an album of vocal tracks recorded by the Minister Of Information for the Black Panther Party, set to backings from the legendary Horace Tapscott! Elaine Brown's less of a soul singer than a powerful speaker who delivers the lyrics with an almost... read more
Excellent funky Christmas! Not everyone knows it, but James Brown cut a fair number of Christmas albums during the 60s -- 3 albums, and a bunch of singles to be exact! They're all super-rare, but this great comp brings together some of the best material from those years -- and nearly all the... read more
James Brown --
Gravity ... CD
Scotti Bros/Volcano,
1986. New Copy ....
$5.996.99
A bit of a comeback for James -- a mid 80s outing recorded with Dan Hartman, who gives the record a "contemporary" sound that must have been Scotti Bros' attempt to sell James to a younger crowd. The record sports guest appearances by Alison Moyet, Steve Winwood, and Stevie Ray Vaughan --... read more
Not socking soul, but laidback jazz -- an under-acknowledged side of James Brown's career, presented fully in this excellent collection of work from the 60s! The package shows a growing sophistication in James' music as the 60s moved on -- not just in his vocals, which were surprisingly suited to... read more
Not as well-known as James Brown's live albums from the Apollo, but a really cooking set from the 60s that keeps up a plenty hard groove all the way through! As with most of James' live dates, the tracks here move at a clip that's often even faster than the studio work -- played to perfection by... read more
Pure dynamite -- an explosion of soul from the mighty James Brown -- one that features the complete singles from two of his funkiest years on record! The set stacks 1969 and 1970 together beautifully -- offering up 39 killers that capture James at a pivotal moment -- hitting even harder than just... read more
Killer funk from the prime early 70s years of James Brown -- that time when it seemed that each new single pushed the boundaries of funk even farther than before! The set follows Brown's last few years with King into his monumental time with Polydor -- a really groundbreaking batch of work that... read more
A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting -- but they also went out of their way to record and re-re... read more
A great little album by The Godfather -- one that takes the core James Brown sound of the "Sex Machine" generation, and serves it up with a tighter mid 70s twist! Fred Wesley is still very firmly at the helm of the band -- and there's a power here that's equal to the later JBs work on... read more
James Brown makes a big nod to the younger generation here -- by letting Jazzie B and C&C produce some of the tracks on the record -- all with the expected contemporary funk vibe you might expect! The best numbers here are really those done by Jazzie B -- as they've often got a Soul II Soul... read more
These guys definitely take their remixing seriously -- as James Brown's originals here are pretty cut up and messed with -- definitely given a strong push in the direction of modern dance! The package is a bit short on notes, and doesn't really list the talents behind most of the mixes -- and the... read more
2CD package -- with one disc from James Brown, and another from Maceo Parker! The best disc here is disc 2 -- which features the classic album Doing Their Own Thing, recorded by Maceo Parker & All The Kings Men! The album was recorded during a period when Maceo left James Brown's band for a... read more
Trend-setting vocal work from Oscar Brown Jr -- one of the hippest singers of his generation, and a vocalist who really took things to the next level in the 60s! Brown's got a sound that's partially influenced by the vocalese of Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks, and other singers of the 50s -- but... read more
Peter Brown --
Stargazer ... CD
TK/Collectors Choice,
1979. New Copy ....
$10.9912.98
The second album from disco superstar Peter Brown -- and a batch of tracks that's a bit less clubby than before! Brown's emerging here more as a fully-fledged pop singer in his own right -- showing at least a bit of confidence by putting himself on the front cover this time around, even though his... read more
A massive amount of work from Ruth Brown -- one of the first ladies of R&B in the 50s, heard here in an assortment of her best work for Atlantic Records! Brown's talents were one of the label's strongest assets in the 50s, as you'll hear on this set -- a hard-wailing batch of classics that... read more
A split set of hip female soul -- two rare 70s albums produced by Swamp Dogg! First up is Ruth Brown's great Brown Black & Beautiful -- a record that takes off nicely from the newly sophisticated sound of Brown's similarly-titled album from a few years before -- in a mode that's quite... read more
14 of Tom's best tracks from the Arista years -- seminal jazz funk tracks that redesigned the face of funky fusion for the 80s, and which feature some very nice tasty moments! The title cut -- "Funkin For Jamaica" -- is one of those old school jams we never tire of, with lots of nice... read more
Smooth modern soul from Leroy Burgess -- one of the best underground talents of the 70s/80s east coast scene! Leroy's probably best known for his early work with the harmony group Black Ivory -- but after the breakup of that ensemble, he moved out on his own to work on a number of excellent... read more
No throwback here -- as the music is a bold step forward in the career of Leroy Burgess -- previously unissued tracks from his glory days in the New York club scene, and work that's as great as any of the material that was formally issued on the market! Burgess has a great ear for a compelling... read more
The genius of Leroy Burgess knows no bounds -- as you'll hear on this fantastic set of rare club tracks! Leroy first got his start in the group Black Ivory, but by the end of the 70s he'd left the ensemble to become a producer -- working on their own work, as well as records by a host of excellent... read more
Keni Burke --
Changes ... CD
BMG (Japan),
1981. New Copy ....
$23.99
A standout solo moment from the amazing Keni Burke -- an artist who's come a long way from his youthful start in the 5 Stairsteps! Keni had recorded other adult work by the time of this early 80s set, but Changes is easily his best-remembered album -- a masterpiece of 80s groove, all arranged and... read more
Solomon Burke's years at Atlantic Records are easily some of his best -- as you'll hear on this amazing package of tracks! The 2CD set is filled with gems from Burke's best period -- killer cuts recorded with help from both southern and northern soul talents -- with just a few later gems dropped... read more
Solomon Burke --
Like A Fire ... CD
Shout Factory,
2008. New Copy ....
$4.9918.98
A pretty sweet record from one of the best soul singer ever -- the mighty Solomon Burke -- a fairly stripped down set that finds Solomon backed in the studio by some huge names and session veterans alike -- who handle the material with taste, restraint, and soul! The title track kicks it off -- a... read more
A nice set from the recent comeback years of Solomon Burke -- a record that has him taking on tunes from Dylan, The Rolling Stones, and Van Morrison -- plus other bits from more soul-based sources! The material's recorded with a heavy emphasis on roots, but produced with a partly mainstream finish... read more
A key look at a near-neglected side of the career of legendary soulman Solomon Burke! The collection brings together some wonderful work that Solomon recorded for MGM, Chess, and ABC in the early 70s (including one funky soundtrack) -- records that step nicely off the style of Burke's later work... read more
The complete Okeh label recordings of Billy Butler -- Jerry Butler's lesser-known brother, but an even more grooving artist on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s! Billy's work at Okeh is easily some of the best of the all-great imprint -- tracks that step, slide, and groove along in a flurry of... read more
Beautiful Chicago soul! Billy Butler and Major Lance had had previous hits working on the Okeh label in town, and when that one folded, they moved over to Brunswick, where Carl Davis was cutting some amazing sides of male vocal soul, with other great local artists, like Otis Leavill! This... read more
Amazing work by one of our favorite soul singers ever -- the legendary Jerry Butler, heard here in his crucial early years at Vee Jay Records! Jerry first recorded for the label as part of the young Impressions trio with Curtis Mayfield, but was pulled out to become a solo act on his own -- and... read more
Bwana --
Bwana ... CD
Acid Symposium,
1972. New Copy ....
$8.99
An insanely wonderful bit of Latin funk! The groove is super heavy, and falls somewhere in between NuYorican soul and Chicano Power rock -- with a sound that's pretty close to Black Sugar, but a little bit more psychedelic, due to the heavy guitars and keyboards in the grooves. Hard congas take... read more
Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd -- sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s -- and feature Bobby working in that incredibly... read more
An essential bit of jazz funk from Donald Byrd and Larry Mizell! The groove's very similar to the classic Places & Spaces, and the record's got loads of cool spacey tracks with hot funky trumpet from Donald, and cool waves of synth and sound from Larry. The title cut's a great groover, and... read more
A post-Blue Note effort, and Donald's changing things up a bit with his 125th Street Orchestra and Uptown Singers -- funking along in a way you'd expect from the longwinded title! Byrd loostens up the smoother backgrounds of his recent Larry Mizell helmed work, and in their place are grooves that... read more
Donald Byrd & 125th Street, NYC --
Love Byrd ... CD
Elektra/Wounded Bird,
1981. New Copy ....
$10.9911.98
Funky electric groove from Donald Byrd -- a post Mizell effort that's still burning in a crisp groove similar to his classic 70s Blue Note work -- one that's absolutely dripping with keys! Isaac Hayes produced this one, and also played a lot of those keyboards on the session with Byrd's 125 St... read more
A definite soul based session for Donald Byrd -- and that's saying a lot here, because his previous decade's worth of work had all had some sort of R&B focus! The main force behind the set here is Isaac Hayes -- who's producing, arranging, and playing most of the keyboards on the album. Oddly... read more
A label-spanning look at the music of Terry Callier -- one that starts with his folksy roots, runs through his sublime soul at Chess, and ends with some of his overlooked modern soul numbers from the early 80s! There's been a few other Callier collections on the market, but this one's got the best... read more
Two slices of work from Terry Callier -- a collection that's mostly made up of his sublime early 70s recordings for Chess -- but which also features a few tracks from his 1999 comeback for Verve! The Chess recordings are the stuff of legend -- a unique blend of jazz, folk, and soul with the... read more
Jazzy folk soul survivor Terry Callier returns to Mr Bongo with Hidden Conversations -- with Terry's soul searching lyricism, warm vocals, and mood setting acoustic guitar paired with laidback production by trip hop pioneer Robert Del Naha of Massive Attack! The styles work pretty well together --... read more
Jazzy folk soul survivor Terry Callier returns to Mr Bongo with Hidden Conversations -- with Terry's soul searching lyricism, warm vocals, and mood setting acoustic guitar paired with laidback production by trip hop pioneer Robert Del Naha of Massive Attack! The styles work pretty well together --... read more
Terry Callier --
Lookin Out ... CD
Mr Bongo (UK),
2004. New Copy ....
$4.99
A lovely album from the legendary Terry Callier -- another spacious set of gorgeously composed soul for Mr. Bongo! Lookin' Out was largely recorded in the Chicago area, with players that sit in with Terry in his residences at the Green Mill, and the easy, jazzy feel reflects it. What really makes... read more
Terry Callier's first album -- recorded in 1964 when he was a wee teen hanging around Chicago's folk scene! As the title indicates, the album's definitely got a folk-styled sound -- but also as the "new" implies, it's got a sound all it's own, fresh and free -- and that sound is the... read more
Terry Callier's first album for Cadet -- and the kickoff of one of the greatest three album runs that any soul artist ever recorded! This one's got a different feel than the later two, as it takes songs by Terry, and structures them with these little musical "seque" tracks in between... read more
The best work we've heard in years from Terry Callier -- the legendary soul singer from Chicago who's finally getting his due! This album avoids many of the mistakes of Terry's recent comeback efforts -- and has him working with the best of the London scene -- extremely fitting, as London's always... read more
Terry Callier --
Total Recall ... CD
Mr Bongo (UK),
2003. New Copy ....
$4.9917.98
The genius of Terry Callier -- remixed! One of the greatest things to happen to Chicago soul legend Callier in recent years was his discovery by a host of cutting edge producers and DJs on the European scene -- important talents who took his work to a whole new audience, by fusing Terry's original... read more
Possibly the greatest album ever by the legendary Chicago soul singer Terry Callier! Terry's rich mellow voice is mixed with superb arrangements from the Cadet studio team, with Charles Stepney at the head, and the result is completely sublime. The songs are longer than on earlier albums -- and... read more
Smooth vocals from Reggie Calloway -- a singer who almost sounds better in his later years than he did before -- and that's saying a lot, given Reggie's hit recordings of the 80s! The album's got a laidback vibe that's pure Calloway all the way through -- Reggie's tremendous voice gliding warmly... read more
Cameo --
Best Of Cameo ... CD
Polygram,
Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy ....
$5.996.98
Not to be confused with the Funk Essentials version of this title -- this one's a slightly more slimmed-down set, but one that's still filled with plenty of Cameo hits! The package veers more towards some of the later 80s grooves, but is still pretty nice overall -- with plenty of funky soul... read more
A bit dated, but an indisputable classic from Cameo -- one that has them changing up their sound from earlier albums! The heavier funk of some of their late 70s sides is long gone, and in its place is a more stripped-down style that relies more on electric percussion and keyboards to update their... read more
The title might tangle your tongue, but GC Cameron's vocals are plenty darn smooth throughout -- surprisingly great work that has this 70s soul legend sounding almost as great as on his classic early work for Motown! Cameron's sense of soul hasn't dimmed a bit over the years -- and the lean,... read more
A much-needed look at the music of Carl Carlton -- in a set that fully traces his evolution of sound over the years! There's really three major chapters to Carlton's career here -- early recordings for the Backbeat label, bigger sides for ABC Records, and then his stunning collaboration with Leon... read more
Brilliant modern soul from Jean Carn -- 2 of her greatest albums for Philly International, back to back on one CD! Jean first got her start singing righteous jazz with husband Doug Carn for the Black Jazz label -- but by the time of these albums, she was out on her own and working with the Gamble... read more
Smooth modern duets from one of our favorite ladies in soul music! Jean Carne's a heck of a singer -- with a career that stretches back to early soul jazz recordings with (then) husband Doug Carn, to solo recordings on Philly International in the late 70s, to appearances on records by other... read more
Sublime southern soul from one of the greats! James Carr is right up there with the best of the 60s -- Otis Redding, Arthur Conley, Joe Tex, and others -- but he never made it as big as them because of personal troubles and bad planning on the part of his label and management. Fortunately, his... read more
Beautiful work from Clarence Carter -- easily one of the greatest southern soul talents to emerge at the end of the 60s! The work here is mostly from Carter's late 70s stretch on Ronn Records -- material that's surprisingly under-documented over the years, but which contains some great moments... read more
Killer early soul from Jimmy Castor -- material that's mostly from the years before his better-known Smash Records and RCA sides -- done in a wickedly-grooving style! The work here is a mix of upbeat dancefloor numbers and mellower harmony cuts -- and even at this early stage, Castor's clearly a... read more
Here it is: everything you really want by Jimmy Castor! Jimmy's Just Begun album is far and away his best -- and this is the first CD to ever included the whole album in its entirety. The record is a monster funk jam of heavy proportions, and is filled with surging burning tracks like "It's... read more
One of the grooviest 70s soul groups ever! Chairmen of the Board were unlike anyone else -- not just because the vocal talents of members like General Johnson and Harrison Kennedy were completely unique, but also because the group had a unique mix of harder southern soul and tighter northern... read more
A motherlode of gems from Chairmen Of The Board -- one of the most unique soul groups around in the early 70s -- working here for the Invictus label with some killer production by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team! The vocals of both General Johnson and Harrison Kennedy are amazing -- completely... read more
A massive batch of work from Chairmen Of The Board -- two albums from the group, one solo project, and bonus tracks too! Bittersweet is an album with a hard and heavy style -- similar to the funky soul that was creeping into the sound of other artists on the Invictus label -- and it rumbles along... read more
Chakachas --
Jungle Fever ... CD
Polydor/Dusty Groove,
1972. New Copy ....
$10.9913.98
A mad mix of Latin and funky rhythms -- a 70s classic from the Belgian group Chakachas! The album's best known for its title hit "Jungle Fever" -- an insane cut that features heavy drums, choppy guitar, and a stop/start action that's peppered with sounds of female pleasure! The track... read more
A huge batch of material from female R&B singer Mickey Champion -- possibly best known for her work with Roy Milton, but presented here in a range of other singles as well! Mickey's got a style that's especially nice on the mellower, bluesier tunes here -- tracks sung in a way that's almost a... read more
Excellent compilation of some of Gene's totally hard to find Brunswick soul sides from the late 60's. The arrangments are beautiful, sophisticated, and way way past the Duke of Earl type stuff that he's best know for. And the CD includes such gems as "Good Times", "Buddy Ain't It A... read more
A Chi-Sound spectacular -- a split set that features five tracks each from these two Windy City greats! Gene Chandler checks in with some great later work -- more mature than his initial hits, and even than his Mercury sides too -- tracks that include "Rainbow 80", "What Now",... read more
An overlooked set from Change -- a record that possibly wasn't as hit-worthy as some of their previous efforts -- yet one that still had the group very much at the top of their game! By this point, Change had really evolved past being just a studio project, into a rock-solid soul group with a... read more
A stunning standout from Ray Charles' years on ABC Records -- and a set that brings in a bit of hard-swinging jazz to the country-styled groove Ray was hitting at the time! Backings are by Ralph Burns, who keeps things pretty hip -- not as modern as some of his 50s charts for other singers, but... read more
A righteous early 70s set from Ray Charles -- and a record with a much deeper vibe than you might guess from the image of Ray and some kids on the cover! Arrangements were handled by Quincy Jones, Sid Feller, and Mike Post -- and the record is kind of a 70s take on the fuller modes that Charles... read more
Brilliant work throughout -- both of Ray Charles' classic country albums on a single CD package! Volume one is the stuff of legends -- and what seemed a silly idea at the time was true proof of Ray's genius -- the most successful album of his career and a bona-fide number one hit that rode the... read more
A great holiday album from Ray Charles -- recorded in the 80s, but with a sound that's pretty classic all the way through! Ray's vocals are excellent -- with that raspy intimate quality that persists all through his later years -- and the sweetly jazzy arrangements work perfectly with the voice to... read more
Tripped out soul from Ava Cherry -- rare mid 70s sessions produced by David Bowie -- with a sound that really echoes his style from the Ziggy Stardust years! Ava Cherry's best known for her great solo album on Curtom -- but these tracks are from a much earlier point in her career -- and come... read more
Seminal work from one of the 70s greatest groups! The band had always been great at love songs and uptempo numbers -- but this record has them moving into more righteous area, picking up on some of the more socially conscious soul of their generation that had been working its way up the charts. ... read more
Half A Love was a fantastic album by the Chi-Lites, but it's always never gotten its due, because it featured half new material, and half tracks pulled from earlier albums. That problem's been fixed here, as it's reissued here with the 6 original cuts -- plus 9 more tracks that are rare singles... read more