Soul -- In Stock -- CDs  

Hard to go wrong with Al Green at this point -- 1973, when the mighty one was at the height of his secular soul powers -- and when the sweetly compressed production style of Willie Mitchell just couldn't miss! There's a homey, earthy feel to the record that's really great -- a sound that kicks... read more

A windy city hero -- the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch -- partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply -- but... read more

Massively mellow funk -- played by a cool Chicago trio that's heavy on the electric keys! The group's led by the team of keyboardist Gregory Bibb and guitarist James Norris -- with the former working through a set of tasty keys that include Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and farfisa! Rhythms are lean,... read more

A long buried treasure trove of southern soul from deep deep down in the Muscle Shoals scene -- gritty, beautiful, powerful work by Mary Gresham -- an unjustly unknown singer who we'll put way up there with very best female funk & soul vocals of the 60s, 70s and beyond! Mary found modest... read more

A great pair from a great pair -- two Grey & Hanks albums for RCA, back to back on a single CD! First up is You Fooled Me -- a great little debut album from the team of Len Ron Hanks and Zane Grey -- songwriters who'd scored earlier in the 70s with tracks for Jerry Butler and LTD, but who also... read more

Wonderful solo work from Billy Griffin -- the man who headed The Miracles after Smokey Robinson left the group -- heard here on a string of classic 80s sides for Columbia Records! Billy's got a sound that's almost as sweet as Smokey at his best -- but a groove that's a bit deeper overall, and... read more

A mini-LP, but one that packs more punch than most full length sets -- thanks to a top-shelf lineup all the way through! The set's a project put together by Sly & Robbie, and recorded at Compass Point Studios -- all with a groove that's kind of a dubbier take on the sound of New York... read more

A stone cold classic from Teddy Riley! Forget what you might think about the cliches of New Jack Swing, because this record is a landmark of modern soul, one of the freshest R&B albums from the 80s, and it still sounds great today. After starting things out with Wrecks N Effect, Riley moved... read more

A damn incredible package of work from Daryl Hall & John Oates -- one that's got way more than just the stock greatest hits you'd find on other box sets, and which is filled with loads of rare moments alongside the classics! There's a vibe here that's really wonderful -- an approach that... read more

A wonderful step forward for the team of Hall & Oates -- and a set that has them moving more into soul than ever before! The album's a tremendous collaboration with the legendary Arif Mardin, who takes the pair's well-crafted vocals into territory that's much more slinkily soulful than some of... read more

Tremendous work from vocalist Kenny Hamber -- a singer best known for his Philly Northern singles of the late 60s -- but who's still plenty darn great today! The CD brings together older 60s classics by Hamber with some newer, more contemporary tracks -- tunes that show that Kenny's magnificent... read more

The future is now! Or at least it seemed to be back in 1983 when Herbie teamed up with Bill Laswell to record this classic album of computer-driven keyboard grooves! Whatever you might think of the music, the record was a genius move for Herbie -- who was kind of flopping around in a number of... read more

A massive bit of funk -- and from 70s France, no less! These guys clearly come from a jazz-based background -- and have absorbed some of the best electric influences of their time -- working in a keyboard-heavy mode that's clearly inspired by Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, and George Duke -- yet... read more

A legendary Latin funk album -- spearheaded by Eddie Palmieri! The record is a landmark crossover album from the early 70s -- cut at the end of the Latin soul era, but featuring that genre's wonderful mix of Puerto Rican soul, Spanish Harlem Latin, and New York funk. The grooves are all nice and... read more

Far and above the best album by sweet soul vocalist Major Harris! Harris had knocked around for years in vocal groups during the 60s, and had even sung for a bit with The Delfonics in the early 70s -- but this album is his crowning achievement, a landmark of sweet Philly soul with some wonderful... read more

An obscure west coast soul set from Quinn Harris -- a well-titled "mastermind" with a great ear for a gritty groove! The set's got a really unique sort of feel -- not just straight funk, but not straight soul either -- kind of a hip blend of modes that often includes some warmly jazzy... read more

Not to be confused with Donny Hathway Live, this album was issued after Donny's untimely death, and features rare live material from his classic years (the stuff's not dated, but given the venues, we assume that some of it was recorded around the same time as the original Live album). As the fame... read more

A fantastic document of the genius of Donny Hathaway -- and a set that shows that the 70s soul legend was every bit as wonderful live as he was in the studio! The set features a huge number of unreleased tracks by Donny -- grouped with numbers pulled from his two successful 70s live sets (Donny... read more

An unusual career in the Atlantic career of Donny Hathaway -- and a unique collaboration with the legendary Quincy Jones! The music here is Hathaway's sole entry into the blacksploitation soundtrack genre of the 70s -- penned for film version of a Chester Himes novel, and scored in a mix of funky... read more

A wonderful collaboration between vocalist Lalah Hathaway and keyboardist Joe Sample -- one of Lalah's few sessions from this under-recorded point in her career -- and a set that's quit different than the straighter soul of her earlier music! Sample's warm tones really bring out a lot in Hathaway's... read more

Baroquely beautiful work from the Stax soul master -- one of Isaac Hayes' heaviest albums of the 70s -- and a record so massive, they needed 2LPs to contain the whole thing! The record's a culmination of the rich, full style of soulful arranging that Hayes had pioneered in his early solo work at... read more

One of a few of Isaac Hayes' mid 70s albums issued on his own label, Hot Buttered Soul, originally by ABC, but now back out again on Stax, where he'd originally found his musical home. After Ike's first few albums for Stax, he seemed to be trying to turn himself into more of a Barry White-style... read more

Amazing stuff from Isaac Hayes! Although Ike had first appeared on LP with the album "Introducing", this was the first record to really expose his true soul genius -- and it was also the first release on Ike's successful sub-label at Stax, Enterprise Records. The record shows that for... read more

Hardly the disco set you might guess from the title -- and instead, a surprisingly soulful gem from the post-Stax years of Isaac Hayes! There's certainly a bit of uptempo grooving in the mix -- but, as on Ike's Polydor years, the approach is still handled with the deeper sounds that Hayes first... read more

Isaac Hayes' first album as a solo act -- and a much more stripped down record than his later baroque symphonic sides! Ike's working here in trio mode -- playing piano and singing, alongside bass from Donald Duck Dunn and drums from the great Al Jackson -- who brings in a warmly rhythmic approach,... read more

A landmark album that hardly needs any introduction -- as it's one of the most famous soundtracks, if not soul records, of the 70s! Isaac Hayes had already surprised music fans with the sophistication of his first few solo albums, which had been issued before this one -- but with Shaft, he did the... read more

An amazing collection of music -- and essential to any collection of blacksploitation soul and funk, even if you own the original Shaft album on Stax! Disc 1 features the original film score for the Shaft movie, not the record issued by Stax -- so although Isaac Hayes handled the music, it's... read more

Overlooked later work from Leon Haywood -- an album for Casablanca that continues the funky groove he started at 20th Century in the 70s! The style's got a bit more boogie in the mix, and a touch of electro soul too -- more keyboards over the basslines, but used in a sweetly sneaky way that... read more

A massively tripped-out set of guitar-based funk -- played to perfection by the legendary Eddie Hazel, best known for his work in the George Clinton P-Funk empire! The album offers a different side of Eddie's talents -- one that's produced with a smoothly compressed California groove, in a mode... read more

Really great live work from The Headhunters -- almost sounding more jazz funk here than back in the 70s! There's a really classic groove to the record -- possibly because of the unadorned feel of the live setting -- and the mix of tight rhythms and jazzy solo work is really tremendous -- steeped... read more

2 unusual soul rarities on Stax Records -- back to back on one CD! Mighty Joe Hicks is a rare album of funky blues from singer Joe Hicks -- the only one recorded he recorded for the Stax label Enterprise, and oddly recorded out in Hollywood! Despite its west coast roots, the record's got a sound... read more

A killer bit of funky soul from Hidden Strength -- an uptempo 70s group with a very tight groove! The group are clearly in the mode of Earth Wind & Fire -- extremely proficient instrumentally, grooving together in a righteous style that has plenty of jazz, but which is also going for a more... read more

An excellent batch of soulful and funky instrumental tracks -- super-dope 70s work from funky arranger Monk Higgins! The album grooves in the best blacksploitation soundtrack mode -- as Monk plays tenor sax and organ in the set, over slinky stepping arrangements that feature Paul Humphrey on drums... read more

A deep soul legend -- back in action with a tremendous band to back her up! Martha High's probably best known for her classic recordings with James Brown, but this recent set proves that she's still very much at the top of her game -- especially when getting such great support from the Shaolin... read more

The title's a bit misleading -- as the set's not exactly the stuff of hits -- but it is a wicked collection of material that ZZ Hill recorded for United Artists Records in the early 70s -- sublime southern soul, finally getting its due in this reissue package! Hill's style here owes a lot to some... read more

An underground set from early 70s Stax Records -- the only set cut back in the day by Ernie Hines -- a really great singer who works here with a blend of southern soul and sweet harmony modes! The album's got a pretty laidback vibe, which is great -- almost in the same space as The Temprees, with... read more

A really great set of later southern soul from Eddie Hinton -- recorded at Muscle Shoals with a nice 70s take on the classic 60s style of the genre -- with powerful vocals from Hinton! The record's surprisingly rootsy for the time -- and Eddie sings in a wonderful mode that has plenty of traces of... read more

18 tracks from one of Motown's loveliest ladies of the 60s -- featuring some of Brenda's not often reissued hits, and some even harder to find rarities from her golden years! Titles include "Operator", "When I'm Gone", "Who's Lovin You", "Where Were You",... read more

Amazing early work from Loleatta Holloway -- much more deep soul than her later fame in the disco years -- and a really mindblowing set overall! In the years before she became the hot club queen with "Love Sensation" and other 12-inch cuts, Loleatta Holloway laid down some of the most... read more

A turning point for Loleatta Holloway -- as she makes the move from dreamy southern soul diva to club queen of the late 70s! Norman Harris is producing, and the record has a soaring Philly disco sound that proves to be just as great for Loleatta's soulful vocals as the stripped-down southern modes... read more

A funky holy grail -- one of the rarest of the rare, and the only album ever cut by funky guitarist Carl "Sherlock" Holmes! Carl's work on the guitar is incredible -- fast riffing and jazzy, with a style that's dirtier and messier than some of his 70s jazz funk contemporaries, but which... read more

Fantastic stuff from John Lee Hooker, and a record that's unlike any other he's ever done! The groove is very hard and funky, with tight drumbreaks and excellent basslines that you'd hardly expect to find on an album by a blues artist -- jamming around with a tight groove that really makes us love... read more

One of the best albums by this seminal British rock & soul of the 70s -- a great mix of group soul and funky rock, with some overtures to the oncoming disco scene that work incredibly well within the heavy rhythms and strings and brass punctuated groove the group worked in so masterfully! The... read more

One of the last great albums from Hot Chocolate -- and an album that's still awash in fuzzy guitars and glammy touches as their previous best! Mickie Most is at the helm producing, and the sound here is nicely dark throughout -- that slightly spooky kind of pop that was showing up in the UK in the... read more

Strutting guitars, stomping rhythms, and a great mix of glam and soul -- the trademark groove of the UK's classic Hot Chocolate! The album's filled with great tunes that resonate with their trademark compressed sound -- vocals wrapped on guitars and set to sweetly stepping rhythms -- all produced... read more

Essential work from one of the heaviest tenors on the west coast in the 50s -- the mighty Joe Houston, heard here on a set of rare material recorded for the legendary John Dolphin! The set brings together rare 78s, unissued tracks, and even a cool radio ad from the time -- all graced by Houston's... read more

One of the lesser-known Leroy Hutson LPs, but still a damn good one. There's a number of tracks that are a bit more uptempo, and aimed at the dancefloor, like "It's The Music" and "Feel The Spirit", but there's also some great cuts that are in his more standard Chicago mellow... read more

Amazing work from Chicago soul legend Leroy Hutson -- a rare session for Elektra, issued after his classic 70s sides on Curtom! The album's one of a few modern soul gems issued by Elektra at a time when they were one of the leading lights in soul -- and like the Leon Ware albums from the label at... read more

Phyllis Hyman's last full album in the studio -- and really more of a collection of unreleased material put together after her untimely early death, but a set that still stands nicely alongside most of Hyman's best work in the later years. The feel on the record is mature and powerful -- almost... read more

Rare work by the late Phyllis Hyman -- a killer collection of obscure sides from some of the best projects of her career, plus some additional titles that have never been issued before! In a world of endless "best of" collections of Phyllis' work, this set is a real gem -- a package that... read more

Later work from Phyllis Hyman -- one of her mature albums for the Philly International label! The set picks up a modern groove even more strongly than Hyman's debut for Philly -- going for a sound that's got a bit more of an 80s soul approach overall, but which also uses some extremely strong... read more

A lost treasure from keyboardist Doug Carn -- an album recorded after his 70s classics for the Black Jazz label, at a time when he'd changed his name to Abdul Rahim Ibrahim! As you might guess from that moniker, and the cover of the set, the album's got a pretty spiritual bent overall -- one that... read more

Forget Tina Turner -- we'll take Ike's backup singers, who sound great all the way through this collection! The Ikettes may never have had the fame of Tina, but back in the early and mid 60s, they were actually scoring a few more hits -- and these recordings for the Modern label represent the... read more

A great record from the Ikettes! It only takes one listen to this album to realize how much better this trio was than most of the other "girl" groups around at the time -- working with a depth and tightness that's way more than simple girl pop -- and which shows their close ties to the... read more

Two of the most excellent Impressions ABC albums, and the one's that are always nearly impossible to find on wax. Recorded in the years 1964 and 1965, just when Curtis Mayfield was beginning to get his political teeth, but when he still had an amazing talent for heartrending love songs. Includes... read more

Two early 70s gems from The Impressions -- back to back on a single CD! Preacher Man is heavy soul from the early 70s version of the group -- put together with all the same depth as Curtis Mayfield's work of the time! This time around, Rich Tufo is at the helm on production and arrangements --... read more

2 of our favorite Impressions albums ever -- both righteous late 60s sessions, back to back on one CD! This Is My Country has The Impressions wearing their politics much more on their sleeve than before -- with a cover that shows them standing in the rubble of the ghetto, and a title that is both... read more

A landmark album that is perhaps the single most influential beat source in hip hop! The record was the brainchild of bongo player Michael Viner -- who also happened to be running the Pride subsidiary of MGM at the time. Viner's got a meeeeeean touch on the bongo, hitting it hard and funky like... read more

Contemporary work from the Ingram Family, but a set that's got a definite old school pitch -- especially as most of the tracks here are cover versions oft-sampled funk tracks from the 70s! The approach is a bit unusual -- almost "Ingram plays Ultimate Breaks & Beats" -- but it comes... read more

A wicked 80s groove from the mighty Ingram Family! Ingram were one of those groups that actually got better as they got slicker -- and by the time of this 1983 release, Butch, James, and William Ingram had had more than enough experience working together and with other artists to really forge a... read more

Two classics from Luther Ingram! First up is Let's Steal Away -- a masterfully mature record that really helped take southern soul to the next level in the mid 70s! The music has a slow-building, sensuous sort of feel that's really great -- a classy, sophisticated approach, but one that still has... read more

A stunning club groover that still holds up well after all these years! The album's title cut -- the classic "I'm Caught Up (In A One Night Love Affair)" -- has an incredibly tight groove, a catchy hook, and the best sort of New York sound -- with tight instrumentation that has a very... read more

A beautifully-done collection of work from The Intruders -- a brilliant package that follows the group from early harmony days into some of their more sophisticated grooves for Philly International in the 70s! The Intruders have a sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of -- a sound that's... read more

A great later effort from the 5 Stairsteps family -- a later offshoot of the initial enterprise, still working here under the production helm of father Clarence Burke! Keni Burke's a member of the group, and the work here has a very similar groove to his own RCA material of the time -- offset with... read more

Weldon Irvine's last album for a major label -- and a key set that marks the debut of the legendary Don Blackman! Irvine's still very much in charge of the session, but Blackman's emerging here with the strength that would show up on his later soul sessions -- singing lead vocals on some of the... read more

Massively funky work from the mighty Weldon Irvine -- sublimely cosmic and filled with soul throughout! The vibe here is a bit more focused than on some of Weldon's earlier albums -- a moody blend of electric keys, heavy percussion, and some slight bits of jazzy solo work by trumpeters Charles... read more

An amazing record! This one's probably our favorite Isley Brothers album of all time -- and it's a perfect blend of all the styles they were into at the time -- heavy funk, sweet soul, folksy rock, and rolling uptempo grooves! The Brothers handle all styles equally well, and the album's a real... read more

It's records like this that will keep us loving the Isley Brothers year after year -- and with such great Holiday tunes on the set, you can bet we'll be pulling this one out for many Christmases to come! Despite the slightly postured look on the front cover, the duo's sounding nicely laidback here... read more

A hard title to carry for most groups, but just about any release by the Isley Brothers is a masterpiece in our book! Even at this mid 80s point, the Brothers sound great -- sliding along in some warm mellow tracks that make the album really worth owning -- the kind of laidback soul tunes they... read more

A massive amount of work from the Isley Brothers -- 5 classic albums, packaged in individual sleeves inside a sweet little slipcover! First up is Brothers Isley -- a stone cold funk album that forever changed the face of soul music -- a bold shift in styles by the Isley Brothers at the end of the... read more

Early genius from the Isley Brothers -- work that's much rougher and more rocking than their sweet soul of the 70s -- and some tunes that really set the world on fire at the time! The set features most of the Brothers' early singles for Wand Records -- including the "Twist & Shout"... read more

Classic 80s work from the Isley Brothers -- a set that has the duo of Ronald and Rudolph getting some great help in the studio from Angela Winbush! Angela helped produce the record, and she also wrote many of the songs -- and she plays keyboards on the set too, giving the tracks the upbeat, bouncy... read more

The first breakaway effort from the trio of Ernie Isley, Chris Jasper, and Marvin Isley -- a set that's got an even leaner groove than some of the Isley Brothers material from years before! The group really hit their stride right away -- stepping out in a sweet array of funky rhythms that have... read more

Great stuff from one of our favorite soul vocalists of the 60s! We love Deon Jackson -- we love his sweetly honest vocal style, we love his songs, and we love the great production he gets from the legendary Ollie McLaughlin! This album is the only one he ever cut -- and it's a masterpiece all the... read more

Freddy Jackson material from the tail end of the 90s and through the aughties -- a nice set of grown folks soul that holds up pretty well! Freddy's charismatic lead vocals sound great in any context, whether it's a bedroom soul groover, a tender ballad, or more of anthemic chorus backed number. ... read more

A killer album by the justly described Great JJ Jackson -- and one that's been a darn tough one to find over the years! The leadoff cut is JJ's amazing single "But It's Alright", a slammin' soul track that always stops us dead whenever we hear it -- which isn't often enough! The rest of... read more

One of our favorite albums of all times -- and a legendary testament to the greatness of the Chicago music scene in the late 60s! Melvin Jackson was the bassist in Eddie Harris' very successful group of the time -- and his playing on Eddie's trippy and funky records for Atlantic is one of the... read more

A well chosen compilation of prime Motown era Michael Jackson and The Jackson Five -- getting to the heart of the classic singles, early solo numbers and unstoppably great group numbers! It's the kind of stuff you'll never get tired of, both the uptempo singles and the more ballady tracks. What... read more

An amazing tribute to the late Michael Jackson -- a beautifully done package that brings together all of his early solo albums for Motown -- plus some great bonus tracks as well -- all wrapped up in a book-styled cover with lots of notes and vintage photos! The music here is tremendous -- the... read more

A great idea for a compilation -- one that focuses on the mellower side of Michael Jackson's early work, which makes for a nice contrast to some of the more groove-oriented collections on the market! The package pulls together both solo Michael tracks for Motown, and early work by The Jackson 5 --... read more

Classic Michael Jackson -- with a difference! The package is an amazingly fresh look at the earliest solo years of Michael, and the best Motown sides recorded by the Jackson 5 -- one that goes back to the original tapes, and represents the material here in nearly-acoustic versions -- leaving out... read more

The soundtrack to This Is It -- the celebratory release of the King Of Pop's rehearsal footage from the days before his untimely death -- which also serves as sort of a best of Michael's years at Epic/Sony! It does a fine job of touching on the each of the diverse styles Michael handled in his... read more

A breezy MJ remix project -- featuring material from the 70s Motown years remixed by club, hip hop, pop and soul producers bringing eclectic atmosphere to some classic tunes -- and most importantly, leaving Michael and the J5 vocals, and those huge, unforgettable hooks to lead the way! The... read more

Seminal 70s southern soul from Millie Jackson -- a record that's head and shoulders above most of what she recorded in later years! Before she got all naughty and raunchy, Millie Jackson was one of the best female soul singers to come out of the south -- and this album's a work of understated... read more

Millie Jackson's feelin bitchy -- and letting a whole new side of her talents show! After the sweet southern soul sound of her early recordings, the Jackson style takes a sharp shift here -- letting a bitchier side show up more strongly, and really setting the tone for the next great chapter of... read more

An excellent early album from Millie Jackson -- recorded in a southern soul style in New York and Muscle Shoals, but a lot hipper than most of the rest of the female soul that was coming out of the south at the time. For one thing, Millie was a bad mamma singer -- rapping hard and frankly about... read more

60s Chicago soul doesn't get any better than this -- a sublime debut from the legendary Walter Jackson -- done in a smoothly sophisticated style that set a whole new standard for the genre! The record steps off nicely from some of the earliest work by Jerry Butler and The Impressions -- blending... read more

Forget the million times you've heard the schmaltzy title tune of this one -- and check out Walter's version! Like most of his work from the time, the album's an incredibly mature batch of soul tracks -- recorded in a very adult style that was similar to Teddy Pendergrass' work from the same... read more

A great funky set from Willis Jackson -- recorded in conjunction with the same sessions that yielded the classic Harlem Underground album! The record features Willis working with Paul Winley -- blowing soulful riffs over backing by a group that includes organ, guitar, and added horns, on a set of... read more

One of the best Motown Christmas albums ever -- a really playful romp through a set of classic Holiday tunes, all sung by the youthful Jackson 5 at their best! There's a charm here that's undeniable -- and the energy of the group at this point in their career makes the music way more than just a... read more

What a great idea! The classic Motown work of The Jackson 5 is remixed and remade by a host of super-hip producers! The cuts really retain a lot of their Motown soul flavor, and the remixers do an excellent job of pulling out some of the best elements -- like guitar riffs, piano lines, and... read more

Really amazing stuff -- a true treasure for fans of The Jacksons, and for any lover of classic soul music as well! This set's exactly what it promises -- unreleased recordings made by the Jackson 5 during their early years at Motown -- all music that's totally excellent, and which really stands up... read more

Holiday magic from The Jackson 5 -- a group whose youthful warmth made them one of the best acts to ever handle Christmas music for Motown! The set features rare tracks, plus the group's great Christmas Album for Motown from 1970 -- one of the best Motown Christmas albums ever -- a really playful... read more

The great mid 70s work of The Jackson Sisters -- the Compton-bred sister act with only one official album to their name -- but a rich legacy thanks to their wholly unique blend of rollicking soul and amazing harmony vocals! I Believe In Miracles -- The Jackson Sisters Collection includes all of... read more

An amazing bit of soul -- and one of the rarest records of the 70s! This masterpiece was recorded by The Jackson Sisters, a semi-gospelly soul group that has a sound that's a bit like The Voices of East Harlem, but that's a lot harder, and that has a deeper soul sound to it. At times, the group... read more

A heavy groove and a heady title that points the way towards Michael Jackson's soon-to-be legendary solo career -- all served up in a batch of tracks that resonate nicely with the Off The Wall groove! The sound here really isn't disco or club, but it's a nicely upbeat groove that shows The... read more

The second collaboration between the Jacksons and the Gamble & Huff production team for Philly International -- and a nice little sleeper that we like more and more over the years! Like the preceding album from the team, the pairing's a great one -- and the Jacksons' pop soul harmonies match... read more

One of Michael Jackson's last albums with his famous brothers -- a record that was cut in between the two Quincy Jones albums (Off The Wall and Thriller) that would catapult him to megastardom! This set is still an all-Jacksons affair -- produced and written by the whole group, and put together... read more

Searing stuff -- easily one of Etta James' greatest albums! The set is a non-stop jam, recorded live at the New Era Club in Nashville before a small and screaming crowd -- a perfect performance all the way through, one that showcases Etta as she rarely sounded on vinyl during the 1960s. The whole... read more

The gentler side of Etta James -- a great collection of ballads and love songs from her 60s years at Chess -- a time when she was changing her game from the rougher R&B of the 50s, and turning into one of the most sophisticated soul stars on Chess! There's a great balance here between Etta's... read more