Soul -- In Stock -- LPs  

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

Titles include "I Promise", "She's Just My Size", "What's On Your Mind", "Oldie Goldies", "Long Lasting Romance", "This Girl Of Mine", and "Playboys Holiday".... read more

Wickedly fuzzy funk! Jimmy Castor recorded in a lot of different styles during the 70s -- but the one he used on this album is still his best! The record's a non-stop guitar-heavy batch of classic funk tracks -- and it features the storming break track "It's Just Begun", the funky goofy... read more

Wickedly fuzzy funk! Jimmy Castor recorded in a lot of different styles during the 70s -- but the one he used on this album is still his best! The record's a non-stop guitar-heavy batch of classic funk tracks -- and it features the storming break track "It's Just Begun", the funky goofy... read more

One of the hippest funky jazz combos of the 70s -- stepping out here in their amazing debut for Cobblestone records! Catalyst had a groove that was unlike most of their contemporaries -- a sound that was often jazzier than some of the tighter funk artists on labels like Kudu or Prestige, with some... read more

The sweetly grooving first album from Central Line -- one of the few British soul groups to really kick it in the early 80s scene -- with a catchy dancefloor sound that both encapsulates the era and lays down a killer groove for the ages! The album is a blend of bass riffing, keyboards, group... read more

The fantastic first album by Cerrone -- a landmark disco record that features the 15 minute long "Love In C Minor" -- a swirling bit of strings, beats, and female voices -- one of those tunes that forever went onto change the face of dance music in the 70s. The cut's got some nice... read more

Long-overdue compilation of the rare work by this enigmatic Latin funk band! Although Chakachas are best known for their heavy sex-funk classic "Jungle Fever" (included here), they were a pretty far-reaching band that combined Latin, jazz, funk, and Euro easy styles into a very unique... read more

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 2LP set of work by The Chambers Brothers -- one studio disc, and one live one, recorded at the height of their fame before a very lively audience! Disc one features Love Peace & Happiness -- a set that features a number of original tracks, played with a harder soul feel than some of their... read more

A funky soul group produced by Fred Wesley and Azar Lawrence, with a sound that's got a bit of the Horny Horns feel to it. Lawrence sings and plays saxes on the album, in a way that's very different than on his mid-70s Fantasy recordings -- with a mix of late P-Funk and early 80s bass-heavy... read more

A sweet soul classic from the young Gene Chandler! The record is built around Gene's hit "Duke Of Earl" -- and it features Gene in a ridiculous looking "Duke" costume on the cover -- but the record's a great one overall, and features some excellent late-night soul material in a... read more

One of Gene Chandler's later albums recorded for Carl Davis' Chi-Sound label. The poor fate of the Chi-Sound label helped this nice little modern soul gem fall into sidebar like oscurity, but the pulls from heavy Chicago soul talent like Tom Tom 84, Sonny Sanders, and Carl Davis, and it does a... read more

Although Gene Chandler wasn't scoring nearly as big in the 80s as he was in the 60s, he was still a great vocalist, and could turn out some good material when he wanted to. This album's more than enough proof of that -- and it features some good mellow tracks that have Gene singing in a... read more

Jazzy soulful fusion, recorded in Italy, with additional vocals by Luther Vandross recorded in New York and laid into the mix. This may well be the best album this group ever cut -- thanks to Luther's help -- but even the instrumental tunes are still pretty darn nice, with a smooth sound that... read more

The second American release by this Italian jazzy soul combo with a nice 80s groove -- not as jazzy as the first, but still with some great mellow stepping material. Nice cuts include "Hold Tight", "Your Move", "Stop For Love", and "Heaven Of My Life". ... read more

We might argue with the mathematics in the title -- or at least joke that Ray was using equations as titles years before Anthony Braxton -- but you can't contest the fact that this one's a classic treat, and a legendary attempt to class up Ray's bluesy style for the masses. Quincy Jones and Ralph... read more

A totally righteous little record -- the only set we've ever seen from Native American vocalist Cheyenne Fowler -- and a wicked blend of jazz, soul, and funk -- tied together with a really positive spirit! Gene Russell had a hand in putting the set together, and you can definitely hear some echoes... read more

Really sweet later work from The Chi Lites -- proof that the group were still going strong long after their initial chart hits! The sound here is less Brunswick Chicago soul than before -- and the group step along in warm and sophisticated backings that sparkle in the best Chi-Sound style --... read more

Fantastic Chi-Lites is right, because the group's still going strong even after their hit years on Brunswick -- stepping forth with a sweet harmony sound that nicely fits the Philly arrangements they get on this set! There's a maturity here that gets past the fragile soul of earlier sets, and... read more

Perhaps the most heavenly of all the Chi-Lites albums, with soaring harmonies leaping all over beautiful Chicago soul production, and loads of great heartbreaking stories unfolding as the whole thing spins away! A true masterpiece from the Chicago scene -- and filled with loads of wonderful... read more

In retrospect, we still can never figure out whether or not Chic deserved the derision they got, after they had their day. All we can say, though, is that we still like having this one around for "Le Freak", which despite overplaying at the time, is still one of our favorite party tracks... read more

This is the second album of hard funky soul by this great New Orleans band -- and it's one of their best! The record's a nice one, with great production by Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn, and a nice rolling funk groove that never lets up. Loads of great deep funky cuts, including "Never... read more

Incredible work from Chocolate Star -- less a group than a record label or project name used for some excellent underground club recordings from the late 70s and early 80s! Gary Davis is the real brainchild here -- keyboardist, songwriter, and main spiritual force behind the music -- but Peter... read more

One of the greatest albums by this sweet east coast vocal group -- also known to folks as the Golden Apples album, because of the crate full of gold-covered apples on the cover. The album's got a wonderful mellow harmony sound -- arranged and produced by Van McCoy, much more in the style of his... read more

Nice batch of up-tempo funk -- recorded for Westbound during their Atlantic years, and featuring some very strong production by Mike Theodore & Dennis Coffey. CJ & Co were one of these groups that skirted between funk and disco -- in a style that was similar to T-Connection's early records... read more

Titles include "Freddy Blue Eyes", "Party Lights", "Foxy", "Dancin Party", "Disappointed", "Party Time", "What Kind Of Party", and "My Turn To Laugh".... read more

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An excellent album of strident female soul tracks! Sure, the Clark Sisters were a gospel group -- but their crossover single "You Brought The Sunshine" is a massive dancefloor track, with a stepping 80s groove that keeps on going strong, and which has the same crossover sense of... read more

A wickedly funky album from Stanley Clarke -- perhaps his most fully-formed album of the Columbia years, and a set that really brings together his jazz and soul styles! There's a definite R&B vibe going on, but it's also one that's still quite heavy on bass work from Stanley -- a groove that's... read more

The rough edges of Otis Clay's Chicago soul have been warmed substantially here by producer Willie Mitchell -- bubbling up some Memphis soul for Otis, in a style that's similar to some of his backings for other singers on the Hi Records label, and in a way that helps Clay hit a whole new depth in... read more

A bit goofy, but a pretty compelling record issued on Motown's MoWest subsidiary. Tom Clay creates these groovy tracks that mix popular soul instrumentals (arranged by Gene Page and Artie Butler) with recitations that have a very righteous political feel. The single on the record, "What The... read more

A bit over the top -- and the kind of record that might have bankrupted Curtom in its later years! Linda's very much in full-disco mode, singing to long clubby arrangements by Gil Askey that have more strings and less soul than previous efforts. The one saving grace of the album is the cut "D... read more

Linda's first effort for Curtom, and a record that's got a bit more soul than some of her later more disco-oriented albums. Unfortunately, it's also got a bit more schmaltz -- but if you stay away from the sillier cuts, you'll get some tasty mellow soul that's a good bridge between Linda's earlier... read more

One of the holy grails of the Spaced Out club music scene! Patrick Adams produced and arranged (and wrote and probably performed) this stunning set of spacey club grooves with a cool electronic feel, and a nice sense of mid to up-tempo rhythms. Includes the classic "Atmospheric Strut",... read more

A seminal bit of crossover soul from the mid 80s -- and the standout effort from California trio Club Nouveau! The album's best known for its hit remake of "Lean On Me" -- one that pushes the tune along with some very heavy beats, and a version that helps us remember why Bill Withers'... read more

A fantastic album of mellow soul by jazz drummer Jimmy Cobb! Yes, that's right, the same Jimmy Cobb who played with Miles Davis in the 50s. This album's very different than Cobb's jazz work -- and is a smooth album of jazzy soul, with a wonderfully warm vibe that sounds like some of the material... read more

Mad funk from one of the heaviest cats on the early 70s Detroit scene -- guitar legend Dennis Coffey, finally given his due in a long-overdue collection of his best grooves for Sussex Records! Coffey's guitar has a sound that's been sampled countless times over the past 20 years -- a raspy way of... read more

A landmark LP of guitar-based funk! Dennis Coffey had been playing, arranging, and producing all over the Detroit soul scene by the time this album came out -- so it wasn't like he really needed a hit to get paid or anything -- but the record forever marked him as a guitar player to be reckoned... read more

Funky Latin breaks and very groovy grooves -- the kind of record that you hear for only a second, and say "oh yeah, this is the stuff!" Coke were an obscure Florida combo who mixed together Latin, funk, and soul -- served up in a crossover style that's halfway between the sound of the... read more

Cold Blood are still going strong in the mid 70s -- a lot stronger than anyone would imagine for a group that was kind of a white-boy (and girl) soul group coming out of the magical Bay Area scene of the late 60s. The group's actually a lot tighter here than before -- and the instrumentation has... read more

One of the best albums ever recorded by this legendary Bay Area funk combo -- a key part of that city's crossover scene, and a group who always deserves a second listen! The album's a mixture of Sly Stone funk, Tower Of Power horns, and some of the hard-burning guitar/organ lines of groups like... read more

Bootsy's tightening things up a bit from before, but still sounding plenty darn great -- that classic Collins groove in all its P-Funk glory! All the best elements are certainly in place -- production by George Clinton and Bootsy, horn arrangements by Fred Wesley, and the slinky soulful sound that... read more

The mellower of Lyn Collins' two albums for the People label -- but still pretty darn fantastic! At some level, it seems like Lyn's taking on the rest of the soul industry -- showing them that she can kick some major booty on her interpretations of hits like "Backstabbers", "If You... read more

The mellower of Lyn Collins' two albums for the People label -- but still pretty darn fantastic! At some level, it seems like Lyn's taking on the rest of the soul industry -- showing them that she can kick some major booty on her interpretations of hits like "Backstabbers", "If You... read more

Not The Commodores first album -- but a really that really broke them out of the box and exposed the group to a huge new audience! The album hits perfectly on both sides of the group's strengths -- the tight ensemble funk on which they were raised, and some of the sweeter aspects that were showing... read more

Early funk from the Commodores -- back in the days when Lionel Richie could still get up and groove! We'll be the first to admit that we're sometimes put off by the group, given their later hits, but it's records like this that actually remind us how great they could be -- a mixture of funk and... read more

Sweet ensemble soul from The Commodores -- still sounding pretty darn funky at this point, and grooving with a nastier edge than you'd guess from Lionel Richie's later work! True, the album does include the soppy love ballad "Three Times A Lady" -- but it's nicely offset by funkier... read more

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Not the group's 7th album, but a bold statement of the unity they feel as a 7 piece ensemble -- perfectly lived up to in the record's well-crafted grooves! The album's one of Con Funk Shun's best overall -- really solid, but never too slick, very tight in the bass department, but still soulful on... read more

One of the sweetest-grooving albums ever from Con Funk Shun -- proof that the group was almost better when they tightened things up a bit! The set was produced by Deodato at the height of his hit-making soul powers -- and it's got a sharpness that really helps bring the Con Funk Shun groove into... read more

A great early album from Con Funk Shun -- a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze -- done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and... read more

Some great tracks from the jazzy soulful genius of Norman Connors! Connors is one of the best crossover soul jazz artists of the 70s -- with a masterful blend of styles that's matched by only a few other artists, like Roy Ayers or Leroy Hutson. This set includes tracks from his Buddah and Arista... read more

A real sleeper from Norman Connors -- showing him still moving strong in the 80s, always continuing to develop his smooth jazzy soul style! Backing is by the Starship Orchestra, with Marion Meadows on most sax solos -- and vocals are by Norman, Jean Carn, and Glenn Jones. There's a number of... read more

Late 80s -- but Norman's still the king of the mellow soul groove! The album's got Connors working with his Starship Orchestra on a set of tunes that bubble forth with the same jazzy touches as in earlier years -- showing a bit of the trace of their time in the group's silly costumes on the back... read more

One of Norman Connors' first true soul albums -- a real shift from his earlier work in the spiritual jazz mode, and a sublime blend of styles! The record still shows plenty of traces of Norman's earlier roots -- as he blends together jazzy influences with smoother mid 70s production -- getting... read more

A masterpiece of mellow soul and jazzy grooves, with the heavenly title cut -- "You Are My Starship" -- which features Michael Henderson on vocals and Gary Bartz on sax! Bartz plays on a number of other cuts, too, including a remake of "The Creator Has a Master Plan", "Just... read more

A one-off studio group, but a really great one -- the team of Moses Dillard and Jesse Boyce, teamed to serve up this sublime blend of keyboards, vocals, and strings! The album's one of the biggest crossover club hits from the Prelude catalog of the 70s -- but it's also a set that's got a lot more... read more

Amazing! This album is one of the great lost classics of East Coast harmony soul of the 70s -- and it always leaves us breathless! Continental 4 may not have been as big as some of their contemporaries, but the cut "(You're Living In) A Dream World" is one of the most sublime soul... read more

An 80s collection of the hits off of one of the earliest albums on Motown -- featuring some killer hard soul numbers! We're sure you know the group from their famous title cut "Do You Love Me" -- heard often on oldies show. This compilation collects most of that album plus a few other... read more

The first album by this excellent southern harmony soul group -- recorded in Jackson by Frederick Knight, with a smooth sound that's much more in a Philly modern mode than most other work coming out of the city. These guys are clearly inspired by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes -- and have a... read more

A surprisingly wonderful set from The Controllers -- recorded years after their late 70s classics, but with a great mellow 80s style that makes some great use of their harmonies! The style here is a mix of smooth quiet storm and mellow midtempo grooving -- and although some of the electric... read more

One of the stranger soul acts of their day -- but with a great capacity for coming up with catchy groovers when they wanted to! This one features their standout hit "Treat Her Like A Lady", plus "Let Me Down Easy", "Since I Found My Baby", "Big Time Lover",... read more

Fantastically groovy bit of funky instrumental cuts, and probably the best thing that Dave Cortez ever did. Produced by the Isley Brothers, and featuring instrumental versions of lots of their great early T-Neck hits. Includes the massive version of "I Turned You On", with a great intro... read more

Stomping organ instrumentals from Dave Baby Cortez -- a great little batch of work for the Clock label at the end of the 50s and start of the 60s, all of which helped to really find a place for the organ in American pop and soul! Cortez brought a style to the instrument that was as wild as some of... read more

A very weird record -- and one of the most compelling albums ever cut by organ whiz Dave Baby Cortez! The record's a mixture of many different styles -- the pop soul instrumentals of Dave's earlier career, the funky soul jazz of the early 70s, and some trippier sounds that have a wild spaced out... read more

A classic live set from Bill Cosby -- recorded at Harrah's Hotel in Reno, Nevada -- back in 1973, when he was still pretty darn hip! As you'd guess from the title and cover, the emphasis here is on stories and bits involving Fat Albert -- the Cosby creation that was then playing big time in... read more

A funky masterpiece from Bill Cosby -- hardly the sort of record you might expect from all of his years on mainstream TV! This set was cut back when Bill was a much hipper cat on the LA scene -- and it was the start of a brief all-instrumental run with his Badfoot Brown ensemble -- a group who's... read more

Mighty symphonic disco from club maestro Alec R Costandinos -- very much the record you might guess from the title, and a very ambitious set overall! The nice thing about this one is that Costandinos has really gone over the top with the strings -- and he's not working with any other gimmick, just... read more

Reissue of his hard-to-find LP of beautiful mellow funky soul, produced by Bill Withers for Columbia, and issued at a time when Columbia didn't seem to know what to do with LPs like this -- but when they still were able to do a great job with them. This one has lain nearly forgotten for years, and... read more

A funky funky classic from The Counts -- and an album that has the group tightening up their sound from the Westbound years, but still keeping the groove plenty nice! There's a tight, bad-walking feel to most of the cuts on the set -- one that almost comes across with a blacksploitation groove --... read more

Quite possibly the most righteous work ever from The Counts -- a move away from the heavier funk of their Westbound years, and a shift into some great jazz-based material! The vibe here draws heavily on the electric keyboard scene of the early 70s -- with echoes of Lonnie Liston Smith's spaciness... read more

A masterpiece of funky soul by the Counts! The record is a fitting bit of funk from the Westbound label -- and it blows away the later work by the group. There's loads of funky guitar work, plenty of sinister breaks, and a super-heavy stoner funk groove that never lets up! Features the 8 minute... read more

Slammin early soul from the great Lou Courtney -- an artist who's recorded so much excellent work over the years, that we're never surprised when we find a overlooked chapter like this! The record's quite different from Lou's raspier southern soul of the 70s -- filled with killer uptempo cuts, and... read more

Excellent Atlantic soul from Don Covay! Don was one of the label's biggest soul talents in the mid 60s -- and he not only cut some great work on his own, but also penned some tunes that have become some of the most enduring soul numbers of his generation -- like the cuts "Mercy, Mercy",... read more

The killer first album from Don Covay -- working here with his classic Goodtimers combo in a nicely gritty groove! The record really stands out from other Atlantic soul of the time -- as Covay keeps things tight, and fresh -- providing most of the tunes himself, and working in a style that has... read more

The killer first album from Don Covay -- working here with his classic Goodtimers combo in a nicely gritty groove! The record really stands out from other Atlantic soul of the time -- as Covay keeps things tight, and fresh -- providing most of the tunes himself, and working in a style that has... read more

If you're looking for hip hop or funk, look elsewhere, as these 8 tracks by Reynauld Deschamps are stripped down, jazzy house, in the style of Eightball records or some of the other lower east side type club cuts of the early 90s. 8 tracks in all, including "F.U.N.K", "Pump... read more

Nothing that's too filthy here, but an album that's one of the best of Papa John Creach's 70s run -- bluesy at points, but a bit funkier at others -- with Creach on both vocals and violin, with support from a hip batch of younger players! Arrangements are by Papa John with Miles Grayson and Roger... read more

The first Creative Source album of funky soul, and still a major classic from the early 70s! Creative Source were way more than just a regular soul vocal group from the start -- as they had some superior vocal arrangements from Skip Scarborough, who really gave the group a unique approach that... read more

Key early work from Crown Heights Affair -- the kings of the indie club scene of the mid 70s! There's a strong De-Lite funk groove firmly in place -- with lots of electric keyboards, tight guitar, and harmony vocals in a very late 70s Kool & The Gang style! Titles include "Sexy Ways"... read more

The fantastic first album by one of the most unique funk groups of all time! A key part of the crumbling British colonial network that produced some excellent music in the postwar years, Cymande was comprised mostly of West Indians who'd emigrated to England in the 60s, eventually meeting up... read more

Excellent dubby funk! This is possibly the greatest record ever cut by Cymande --- the legendary British group who were made up of expatriated musicians from Guyana living in London. The album's got a complicated groove that's even more compelling than the earlier albums -- with a righteous... read more

The second album of dubby funk by the legendary Cymande! This monster funk combo had a totally unique sound, with rolling bassy-grooves, and a very nice stoner-funk feel that had distinct Jamaican influences. This album's got some of their best tracks like "Anthracite", "Fug",... read more

Nice compilation of tracks by James "D Train" Williams -- one of the most soulful artists to arise from the early 80s New York club scene of labels. The tracks are all produced by Hubert Eaves, and they feature a lot of nice keyboard work -- presumably from Eaves as well. Includes a... read more

Dam Funk's entry in Stones Throw's Rhythm Trax series of instrumental beats on wax -- elevating the art of the DJ geared vinyl genre! RTV4 is a funky set of untitled instrumentals that blend elements of the spacey 80s club sounds without getting bogged down in token revivalism -- loads of spacey... read more

Weird bit of modern soul, with a slightly off-kilter edge to it. This is obvious in the misspelling of the word "altar" in the title (the mistake wasn't ours), right down to Angela Davis' shaky, honest vocals on tracks like "Please Don't Desert Me", "Your Friend", and... read more

Sweet disco and soulful jazz -- the only album we've ever seen from Copeland Davis, a great talent on the piano, and a mellow soul singer with a clear inspiration from Marvin Gaye! The album's a pretty unusual one -- in that the overall groove is instrumental, mostly tight rhythms and strings with... read more

Spare electro grooves from John Davis -- supposedly recorded in Germany during the early 80s, but with a heavy dose of New York street soul as well! Most numbers feature popping basslines, drum machine beats, and cool cosmic keyboards -- and a few cuts have some distinctly soulful vocals, while... read more

The first groover by the Dazz Band -- recorded back when they were leaving the "band" off their name. The record's actually a lot nicer than some of their 80s albums -- and while some cuts have that stock bass-heavy funk sound, there's some other nicer ones that show the group grooving... read more

9 songs total including "Anticipation", "Single Girls", "One Time Lover", "Huff & Puff" and "All The Way".... read more

A stone pop soul winner from DeBarge -- the kind of record that made the group a heck of a lot of money back in the 80s, and which sounds surprisingly great to our ears today! The record features lots of electro arrangements -- fuzzy keyboards and bass pedals grooving around in a way that's got... read more

There's never been a better bit of pop throwaway dancefloor fodder ever! Sure, these guys were blaring out of every cheap radio at the time, and it was just about impossible to walk into a shopping mall without hearing "Groove Is In The Heart" for about 5 years after the album came out --... read more

Trombone-heavy funk from Joseph Bowie and Defunkt -- a key crossover album in the late 80s, and one of the few mainstream funk efforts of its type! By this point, Defunkt have shaken off some of the rockier edges of earlier years, and are going for a more soul-based sound that's clearly inspired... read more

The classic first album from Delegation -- a great male soul trio from the late 70s, and one who sounds great on both sweet mellow tunes and more upbeat ones! Delegation have a sound that's quite unique, especially on this album -- a groove with slightly tropical traces on some numbers, and a way... read more

The third album in an amazing early run from The Delfonics -- the kind of work that set a whole new standard for group soul in the 70s! A number of the tracks here had already risen to fame before the album's release as singles -- and these are mixed with some additional tracks that are woven... read more

A landmark album in harmony soul -- one of those records that pushed the genre to a whole new level! The Delfonics emerge fully formed here as one of the most compelling groups of their time -- a tremendous trio with a really unique approach to soul music -- one that's heartfelt and heartbreaking,... read more

A groundbreaking album of vocal group soul -- right from the first note! The record kicks off with the sublime "Ready Or Not, Here I Come" -- which starts with fierce stepping strings that are actually funky, then soars into some of the best harmonies the group ever put to record,... read more

One of their best from this period, and a stunning mix of soulful harmonies with smooth Chicago production by Charles Stepney. Lots of nice heart-rending tracks, including "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "Stand Up And Show The World", "Soul Strollin", "Glory... read more

A wonderful early album by The Dells -- famous not just for the music, but also for the cover image -- which shows two white lovers clasping on the beach, one of the key examples in soul music when an artist got pushed off the cover in the hopes of selling the record to a wider audience! Although... read more