Soul — In Stock — LPs  

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... read more

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too... read more

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too... read more

Early Michael Jackson at his best – a brilliant solo album that sparkles with honest warmth and sweet soul energy! There's a gentleness to the tunes that's quite striking, but never childish – a simple and effective approach to the material that's sung in a manner that's years beyond... read more

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Arguably the last true moment of genius in Michael Jackson's career – a record that sold a bazillion copies around the world – and for plenty good reason! Michael's still working here with Quincy Jones – in territory that steps nicely from the Off The Wall groove, into territory... read more

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The return of a legend – or maybe more accurately, the first time this legend's ever really gotten his due! Ralph Jackson's been working in the Alabama soul underground for decades – yet this smoking album may well be the first time he's ever really gotten out front, and able to do his... read more

Pure genius – like just about every other early Motown album by the Jackson 5! The vocals are sublime – almost even more perfect than on the first few records – and the group have some great help in the studio from arrangers like The Corporation, Willie Hutch, Johnny Bristol, and... read more

An amazing bit of soul – and one of the rarest funk 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 overall! At times,... read more

Titles include "Laying Beside You", "Only Women Bleed", "Lovesick Blues", "Piece Of My Heart", "Strange Man", and "Blind Girl".... read more

Think what you might about Rick James, this is actually a pretty darn funky album – with lots of tight bass-heavy grooves! Rick's working here with the Stone City Band, in a style that's leaner and less commercial than some of his later work – going for a mainstream funk approach, but... read more

Rick James fires it up at the end of the 70s – stepping out at full star power that has him rivaling the strength of Bootsy Collins at Warner, and paving the way for the rise of Prince in the early 80s! As with Prince, James' version of funk here is a bit offbeat – lots of riffing... read more

One of the all-time great Rick James albums – a return to funkier sounds for Rick that worked both artistically and commercially – and actually got over far better than his more blatant attempts at crossover material on other records! The mix here is perfect – a true summation of... read more

A massive set from Al Jarreau – a set that gave the singer one of his smoothest hits of all time, yet still kept him very firmly in the sort of sophisticated territory that set him apart from most of his contemporaries! The sound here is often a lot more understated than you'd expect –... read more

An incredible album – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. ... read more

An incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group... read more

The classic first album by The JBs – James Brown's Fred Wesley-led backing band, and the force behind most of his greatest records of the early 70s! The set collects some of the group's best early singles, and includes all of the short little funky cuts that made them a legend right out of... read more

One of the most fantastic albums by the JBs – a masterpiece of funky jamming, tight instrumentation, and that free yet tight style of the James Brown 70s years! The tracks are longer than on some of the earlier singles – especially the 8 minute jammer "(It's Not The Express) It's... read more

One of the strangest albums ever issued on Philly International – a set of tunes by Dick Jensen, who was part blue-eyed soul singer, part easy male vocalist – sounding here as if he'd almost hit the market about 5 years too late to make a difference. The record's the kind that would be... read more

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A sublime bit of indie soul from the early 70s – the one and only album by vocalist Benny Johnson, recorded with some totally great backings from funk legend Julius Brockington and his United Chair combo! For the session, Brockington chose a warm, organ-drenched sound that's a fair bit like... read more

One of the few albums ever from Bubber Johnson – one of the classiest singers to work for King Records during the 50s! Bubber's got a sophisticated style that mixes in plenty of jazz with his R&B vocals – a style that's much more like some of the postwar singers on the west coast... read more

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Otis Johnson may well be the Timmy Thomas of gospel music – as here, he's working with just spare organ lines and rhythm machine – in a way that gives most of these tracks the raw, personal feel of Timmy's classic "Why Can't We Live Together"! The overall sound is a bit more... read more

A really really amazing package – the full story of the early years of Syl Johnson – one of the funkiest soul singers to ever come from Chicago! Syl's music has become the stuff of legend over the years – initially collected in rare funky 45s and two even rarer albums –... read more

The great Syl Johnson – doing his thing for Hi Records on a record that's more shiny diamond than it is rough – his second album for the label and a truly underappreciated gem from the Chi soul great! Diamond In The Rough is a much sweeter set of tunes than Syl's Chicago work on... read more

The funkiest album that Syl Johnson ever recorded – filled with short, tight cuts that play more like a stack of funky 45s than the standard soul album of the time! The record draws from the great run of singles that Syl cut for Twinight Records at the end of the 60s – some of the... read more

A Japanese-only release – and a much-needed LP collection of work from Syl's own Shama Records label – really great stuff that's compiled here from some excellent singles!... read more

One of the best-ever soul albums to come out of Chicago – and it may well be one of the best soul albums ever! The set's the deepest that Syl Johnson ever recorded – and it takes all the hard, raw soul he forged on previous funky 45s – and spins it out in longer album format... read more

A wicked explosion from the legendary Syl Johnson – one of his smoking sets for Hi Records – done with solid soulful help from Willie Mitchell! Mitchell's familiar Memphis groove is firmly in place here – tightly compressed rhythms and horns, vamping perfectly for Syl's raw... read more

A wicked explosion from the legendary Syl Johnson – one of his smoking sets for Hi Records – done with solid soulful help from Willie Mitchell! Mitchell's familiar Memphis groove is firmly in place here – tightly compressed rhythms and horns, vamping perfectly for Syl's raw... read more

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Excellent work by Glenn Jones – even if the record is only a 5 track EP! The set is one of those strange little records issued in the early 80s, when the music industry was trying to figure out a way to make money between the ever-escalating cost of the LP and the less-popular 12"... read more

A pretty odd little record from Gloria Jones – a great soul singer back in the 60s when she was pounding out the hard northern numbers, but not so great here, where she's in an odd style that mixes disco with a hard soul approach, and just doesn't work. The "Reunited" in the title... read more

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Great work from Grace Jones – still riding high on a disco wave here, but also finding her own space and sound too! The mighty Tom Moulton produced, ensuring some great sound for the set – and arrangements are by Thor Baldursson and John Davis, both of whom bring in nice sense of... read more

A landmark little record from Grace Jones – a set that started off as one of those "hey, let's see if this model can sing" sort of records – but which has gone onto become an enduring classic! Most of the tunes are older ones, but they're remade with a soaring Sigma Sound... read more

A strange little film with a western motif – starring Bill Cosby, Leif Erikson, and Yaphet Kotto! Fortunately, Quincy Jones was the musical supervisor – so the tracks are hip enough in the best parts – a bit rootsy at times, but with a 70s soul approach that keeps things real. ... read more

In the early 70s, Quincy Jones surrounded himself with some of the best young soul and jazz talent he could find, plus a few older pros – and the result was a great series of albums that spanned genres and created a whole new approach to modern R&B. This gem of a record was put together... read more

One of Quincy Jones' best soundtracks of the 70s – filled with some great slick electric funky crime tracks, perfectly played by LA jazzers that include Clare Fischer, Paul Humphrey, Arthur Adams, David T Walker, Milt Holland, and Jerome Richardson. A few cuts feature vocals by Little... read more

An excellent Quincy Jones score that stands head and shoulders above the soundtrack to the first film in this series, In The Heat Of The Night. Q is in fine fine form with this material – adding in a lot more funk than before, to fit the uptown theme of the film. There's lots of nice jazzy... read more

We know, we know, you're wondering "Why is this here?". And truthfully, if it weren't for the fact that Quincy was at the top of his game when he produced this version of The Wiz, we'd write it off as total crap too, but there are a few moments peppered in here and there that will make... read more

The long-anticipated second album from Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings is a stunner – undoubtedly stronger than the group's fantastic debut – and a record that not only transcends the late model funk revival genre, but stands on footing as solid as the best hard funky soul of the late... read more

The fourth album from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – solidifying what we learned pretty early on from the indomitable soul spirit that is Sharon and her impeccable combo the Dap-Kings – it's that this is not some retro soul revival novelty act, what they are is the greatest active... read more

A great little set from this solo member of the Jones Girls – and one of the strongest new sets on Philly International in the 80s! Shirley delivers a warm set of sparkling modern soul tracks that really show the growth and the maturity of the Philly sound in the 80s – getting way past... read more

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Excellent work from this legendary vocal trio! The Jones Girls were probably one of the best female acts to ever hit the Philly International stable – really a cut above their contemporaries, and not just one of those acts that was kind of a backup singer set, come forward! Their vocals are... read more

Margie Joseph's really hitting on all burners here – thanks to sublime production from Lamont Dozier, working at the height of his mid 70s powers! Joseph's earlier deep soul vocals are given a nice sense of focus and righteous energy from Dozier's production – a fullness that somehow... read more

The third album in Margie Joseph's early 70s run for Atlantic Records – and like the rest, a batch of super-tight tunes arranged and produced by Arif Mardin – done with the same sense of sophisticated soul he was bringing to the work of Aretha Franklin at the time! Margie's nicely a... read more

One of THE indie soul treasures of the 70s – a wickedly funky record that blends together jazz, soul, and club – and which stands out with a sound that's all its own! You may well know the tag "moods and grooves" – as the record's had an influence on countless scenes,... read more

One of the greatest blacksploitation soundtracks of the 70s – and one of the rarest too! The album's a crowning achievement for the mighty Don Julian – an artist who's best known for his earlier LA soul with The Larks, but who steps out here with a hip, hard-grooving sound that's... read more

The first album by this sweet little Hawaiian band from the 70s – a great mix of jazzy rock and smoother AOR styles, with a soulful finish that made the group one of the best of the islands! Titles include "Going Going Gone", "The Hurt", "Nightbird", "Natura... read more

Wonderful work from Ty Karim – an LA singer from the 60s, just waiting to be rediscovered! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with... read more

A monumental bit of 80s soul – the first solo album from Kashif, issued hot on the heels of a few years spent penning and producing work for a range of bigger artists! Given his experience with the pros, Kashif's emerging here as a very fully-formed talent in soul – a singer with a way... read more

A stunning batch of funky big band tracks from the Kashmere Stage Band – sounding a lot fuller than on their first LP – thanks to an expanded lineup that gives them a whole new sound! The group are grooving here in a mode that's a lot like classic 70s blacksploitation soundtrack work... read more

Massive massive Miami funk – and a record that seems to sound better and better as the years move on! Sure, KC and crew were a chart-topping act, but this first album's a stellar batch of heavy cuts – featuring great instrumentation on clavinet, conga, guitars, and horns – all... read more

Mega-hit material from KC & The Sunshine band – an album issued firmly into the disco years, but which still had the group hitting hard in their trademark Miami sound! The tracks here are a bit longer and more hook-heavy than before – and represent the kind of material that linked... read more

Classic 70s work from KC & The Sunshine Band – a record that's not as hit-heavy as previous efforts, but still a plenty great set that's filled with catchy dancefloor funk! KC's clearly feeling the heat of the disco fire he helped to ignite a few years before – and there's... read more

A truly amazing album – unlike anything Eddie Kendricks ever did before, or since – and one of those records that really helped shape the sound of soul in the 70s! The music is as rich and powerful as the image on the cover – with some righteous undercurrents that really mark the... read more

A truly amazing album – unlike anything Eddie Kendricks ever did before, or since – and one of those records that really helped shape the sound of soul in the 70s! The music is as rich and powerful as the image on the cover – with some righteous undercurrents that really mark the... read more

A short, but totally killer Ghanaian disco record from KG Band – which is led and produced by multi-instrumentalist Kiki Gyan – and recorded at Lagos' Decca Studios in 1980! Disco Train is a rare one – with one long grooving dancefloor stormer per side. Each cut is a really... read more

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Ha! This one really takes us back! The set was a massive breakthrough for August Darnell – one of his biggest hits since his day with Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, with an equally appealing approach to the dancefloor. Tracks mix early 80s New York club styles with Darnell's mad... read more

A tight date from 1977, and one that follows nicely in the spirit of King's later Stax sides, but with a slightly smoother groove. There's a bit of the Detroit 70s mode going on in the set – that rough-and-smooth quality that you'd find on a Don Davis production, which proves to be a... read more

A brilliant debut from Clydie King – a singer who worked countless backing vocal sessions on the LA scene of the 70s, but who really shines here on her own! Clydie's got a rough and raw vocal style that you might guess from the hip-looking cover – a slightly rootsy mode that's clearly... read more

Hardly the surf album you might expect from the title – although the set is a killer batch of guitar instrumentals – with more than enough power to blow any west coast groups right off the beach! At this early point in his career, Freddie King is way more than just a blues guitarist,... read more

Very nice record of lost soul from LA, recorded for Hanna-Barbera, who are much better known as purveyors of cartoons, not music! We don't know much about Jean, but she's got a lovely voice, and the setup for the record – which is an intimate live setting – gives her perfect space to... read more

Surprisingly enjoyable record in which King Curtis runs through a number of C&W favorites, and turns them into R&B sax instrumentals. The album shows what a clear link there was between the two musical traditions, and includes classics like "Night Train To Memphis", "You're... read more

An instant groove from King Curtis – and a record that's even more deeply soulful than some of his other Atlantic albums! The title cut's a killer – a hard-vamping number that pushed funk further into the mainstream back in the day – and lots of the rest of the album follows suit... read more

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Sure, they were one hit wonders – but oh what a hit! We totally love the title track "Dancing In The Moonlight" – a magical number that begins with this excellent electric piano riff, then rolls into some totally captivating blue eyed soul lyrics that really send the whole... read more

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An excellent 2nd album from Lew Kirton – a bit smoother than his first one, but still with that great mellow soul sound that we dig so much! Lew's a strong singer in a tradition that includes Leroy Hutson and Leon Ware – sweetly grooving in a warm and mellow style, but also kicking... read more

Tight 80s soul from Kleeer – one of the group's standout classics, and a set that's produced with kind of a jazzy finish by Deodato, who also plays some nice keyboards on the record! The Kleeer sound is at its height here – tight, warm, and filled with great harmonies on the vocals... read more

It's definitely winning time for Klique – as the trio grooves here with a lean, clean sound that's totally great! Despite the silly jumpsuits on the cover, the group actually have a pretty nice sound in the grooves – one that's kind of a poppy approach to the boogie, filled with plenty... read more

Crazy funk from a crazy-costumed geezer with an equally crazy name! Boobie Knight led an obscure 70's funk outfit that was somewhere between Sly & The Family Stone and The Jimmy Castor Bunch. His group has a definite guitar-heavy sound that's a bit blunted, and a bit fuzzed out at times... read more

A wonderful mid 70s set from Gladys Knight & The Pips – a soundtrack date written and produced by Curtis Mayfield, who really helps bring a lot of depth to their music! Curtis really helps Knight and the group get out of some of their hit cliches of the 70s, and find some hipper space... read more

An amazing blend of raspy vocals, rumbling backings, and hip late 60s Motown soul – proof that Gladys Knight's move to the label was one of the smartest of her career! Thanks to top-shelf production here from Norman Whitfield, Gladys gets a newer sound that's ultra-hip – a bit deeper... read more

Rock-solid Buddah work from Gladys Knight & The Pips – still pretty righteous on the vocal tip, but often a bit fuller and more polished than before! Knight shows a great talent for a mature ballad here – no big hits, but that's part of the charm of the set – as there's a... read more

After hitting big as a singer on the soundtrack for Claudine, Gladys Knight finally got her chance in front of the camera for Pipe Dreams – a record that featured her both as the star on film and on the soundtrack! The styles here are a bit more wider-ranging than the usual 70s soundtrack of... read more

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Long heavy disco tracks with nice touches of African percussion. Cerrone produced, and the tracks include "Africanism", "Tatoo Woman", and "Dr. Doo Dah". European club disco, but not without some nice funky moments – largely due to the percussion!... read more

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Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a... read more

Blistering funk rock and raw, tightly grooving psych soul from small town Victoria, TX – trailblazing material from Kool & Together. This is an amazing anthology from Heavy Light/Light In The Attic that pulls together material from private press 45s the group put in the early-to-mid 70s... read more

Often overlooked amidst the bigger early albums by Kool & The Gang – but a totally solid record of funky stuff that's right up there with their best work! The band is super-tight at this point, grooving along in a hard drum, heavy bass, wah wah guitar frenzy – and even the vocals... read more

A great album – even if most of the cuts are on other records! The set's designed to focus on the jazzier side of Kool & The Gang – and it sifts through the first few albums to come up with some of the more sophisticated (yet still totally funky!) numbers by the band, giving a good... read more

A shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but with a few nice touches! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. ... read more

It's the mid 70s, and Kool & Co not only keep the funky groove up, but also expand their style into a moogy style that adds a nice dimension of spacey soul to their rich palette of funk. The funkier cuts – like "Street Corner Symphony" and "Rhyme Tyme People" –... read more

It's the mid 70s, and Kool & Co not only keep the funky groove up, but also expand their style into a moogy style that adds a nice dimension of spacey soul to their rich palette of funk. The funkier cuts – like "Street Corner Symphony" and "Rhyme Tyme People" –... read more

Fantastic live stuff from the classic early period of Kool & the Gang! The set swings mightily with a sound that's hardly matched on some of their studio albums, and the band proves that their tightness isn't just a batch of studio tricks as they blow away the crowd at the Sex Machine night... read more

A magic carpet ride of funky soul from Kool & The Gang – classic Open Sesame from '76 – one that took the group to a higher level! It's not as rawly funky as some of the group's earlier albums, but they do still bring it, just with a cooler spirtual vibe that we never expected... read more

Sure, this one's got "boogie" in the title – but don't let that scare you off! The album's carved in the same hard funky style as mid 70s hits like "Hollywood Swinging" or "Jungle Boogie" (both from earlier albums) – and in fact, the "boogie" in... read more

Way more than just a "boogie" album – as you might think from the title – and much more a hard-hitting batch of funky tunes, mixed with some even cooler laidback numbers! The album follows heavily off the style of Wild & Peaceful – mixing together the group's older... read more

After this one, there was no turning back for Kool & The Gang! The record has them bringing their underground funk sound to the masses – with a choppy riffy groove that stands out almost as a public challenge to all the other pretenders that had been cropping up on major labels during... read more