Soul -- In Stock -- LPs  

Aretha Arrives in great style -- and a mixture between her earlier vocal jazz years at Columbia, and her later southern soul sides of the 60s! Arif Mardin is already arranging Aretha's work at this point, and the backing group includes southern soul studio giants like Spooner Oldham, Tommy Cogbill... read more

Hard to believe that in a few short years at Atlantic, Aretha Franklin could come up with a full LP's worth of material to be deemed "gold" for this 1969 compilation -- but that's definitely the case, as if these tunes didn't all make gold record status at the time, they're certainly the... read more

One of Aretha Franklin's greatest records -- and a complicated batch of jazzy tunes that features arrangements and production by Quincy Jones! The record breaks way past the stock southern soul style of some of Aretha's earlier work for Atlantic -- and it features a more sophisticated style that... read more

Essential work by Aretha Franklin -- one of her best albums for Atlantic in the late 60s, with tracks that virtually define the sound of hard soul during the late 60s! The album's filled with excellent material -- featuring 2 killer tracks recorded in Muscle Shoals ("Do Right Woman, Do Right... read more

Aretha Franklin and electric piano -- a really great combination that makes for a whole new level of soulfulness in the 70s! The album's one of Franklin's greatest of the decade -- a deepening of the sound she first brought to Atlantic in the 60s, and a maturation of that groove -- in a way that... read more

Early work by Aretha Franklin -- a collection of her work for Columbia Records during the 60s, sung in a mix of modes, from jazzy, to soulful, to bluesy. The style's pretty nice overall -- although quite different than her later work for Atlantic -- and tracks include "It's Just A Matter Of... read more

A classic 70s soul soundtrack -- and a dream of a combination! Curtis Mayfield wrote the soundtrack and produced the album -- and the result is a killer batch of 70s soul tracks that matches Aretha's strong vocals with the hip Curtom sound of Chicago! Aretha was still doing pretty well at this... read more

A budget collection of material that Aretha cut during her early years at Columbia -- featuring tracks from some of her hard to find albums, plus a few that we've never seen before. As with all of Aretha's Columbia work, the sound is very different from the Atlantic recordings -- but she does a... read more

A great little record from Aretha -- and on that always seems to get overlooked! The album's arranged by Gene Page, and it's got a sweet slightly funky electric side that opens up a whole new side of Aretha's style. Includes the nice groover "Mr DJ (5 For The DJ)", plus the cuts "It... read more

A beautiful album that perfectly mixes both sides of Aretha -- the earlier hard-hitting soulster, and the developing vocalist with a rich talent for more sophisticated material. The album features the anthemic title cut in Aretha's famous version -- plus the sample favorite "Rock Steady"... read more

Classic soul from Aretha Franklin's hip sister -- and quite possibly the most unified of all the Carolyn Franklin albums for RCA! This set's got some great arrangements from Wade Marcus -- who blends together strings and soul in that solid way that Arif Mardin was using with Aretha at the start of... read more

Lost funky work from one of the soulful sisters of Aretha Franklin! Erma's got a hard-hitting style that's right up there with Aretha's best for Atlantic -- and on this album, she's working in Chicago with Johnny Pate, Sonny Sanders, and Willie Henderson -- for a harder-hitting sound than her... read more

Fusiony soul material, and one of the more vocal-oriented albums cut by keyboardist Rodney Franklin. The vocals are sung by Jim Gilstrap, Howard Smith, and Darryl Phinnesse -- but at the heart of all the tracks are Rodney's nice soulful keyboards -- which have the same smooth feel as Bobby Lyle's... read more

A bit later than classic vintage for Rodney Franklin -- but still excellent work nonetheless, and still far greater than most of Rodney's contemporaries in the soul/fusion world! Tracks are a bit longer than before, and there's a definite vocal focus to the record -- letting tunes stretch out with... read more

Warm vocals, jazzy keyboards, and a wonderfully laidback set from Michael Franks -- a perfect illustration of the kind of music he could make better than anyone else! Although recorded at the end of the 70s, the set's got a simplicity that few other records of the time could match -- a stripped-dow... read more

Although he began his career as a funky organist, very much in the Charles Earland tradition, by this album Caesar had refashioned himself as a soul artist -- with a surprising degree of success! The record features the overall move to up-tempo soul and club sounds that the Westbound label was... read more

Righteous soul from The Free Movement -- a mixed male/female harmony group with a feel that's similar to The Fifth Dimension or The Friends Of Distinction, but a bit hipper! The group have a sunny feel that's quite nice -- soaring harmonies reaching to the top of the groove on the best cuts,... read more

A pretty rough and rugged set of rock tracks -- performed by a trio who were all prisoners at London's legendary Borstal! The title makes you think this might be some sort of Clash-type record, but the date belies the difference -- and the overall approach is kind of in the Rolling... read more

A beautiful album of pop soul tracks, recorded by a group that was once (along with the 5th Dimension) part of the legendary Rex Middleton's Hi-Fi's from LA. The record sports their hit vocal version of Hugh Masekela's "Grazing In The Grass", with the great "I can dig it" line,... read more

Funky organ, hard tenor sax, and plenty of choppy guitar make this another jazz funk gem in the crown of the legendary Funk Inc! The group are still totally at the top of their game here -- stepping out with a deep, soulful Indy-bred blend of jazz and funk -- a groove that was easily one of the... read more

A killer instrumental album of hard organ grooves and funky basslines! This was the album that broke Funk Inc out of their Indianapolis scene, and made them a force to be forever reckoned with in the history of funky jazz. The album grooves hard in the same sound as some of the classic work by... read more

No hangin out here -- because these guys are tighter than ever, and right on the money from the very first note of the set! A snapping drum break opens up the album -- followed by a wickedly stepping bassline, a rolling conga part, and a vamping dance between Hammond and tenor sax -- all to set... read more

A surprisingly wonderful record! Back in the day, we remember that we didn't like these later P-Funk albums because they weren't as druggy, trippy, or guitar heavy as the early stuff. Now, though, they sound pretty darn sweet to our ears -- especially this one, which has lots of cool pre-electro... read more

An insane classic from one of the wildest funk bands ever! According to reports, George Clinton and the band cut this set in a marathon 48-hour stretch in the studio -- working like mad all night and day long, after dropping a motherlode of some mighty fine acid! We don't know if that story's... read more

One of the darkest records to ever come out of the Detroit soul scene! As you might guess from the title, the album is Funkadelic's first -- and it's a swirling mass of psychedelic guitars, echoey drums, and bass-heavy riffing, all topped off by the band's harmony vocals, which sound like a... read more

An instant classic the day it was released -- and a perfect blending of the group's older freaked-out style with a slick late 70s funk sound that started showing up in the work of many other groups. "One Nation Under A Groove" is a monster cut with a hook that won't quit, and the LP... read more

A heavy best-of from Funkadelic -- one that covers the full range of their classic sounds -- from the trippy fuzz of the early days to the tighter funk of stardom years! The package has a power that's undeniable -- a really massive batch of music that forever changed the face of funk -- arguably... read more

One of our favorite Funkadelic albums ever -- a tightly grooving classic that never lets up at all! There's a sense of perfection to everything here -- one that really gets the group past their tripped-out early years, and firmly into the sublime territory George Clinton hit with Parliament -- an... read more

One of our favorite Funkadelic albums ever -- a tightly grooving classic that never lets up at all! There's a sense of perfection to everything here -- one that really gets the group past their tripped-out early years, and firmly into the sublime territory George Clinton hit with Parliament -- an... read more

Smooth modern soul from the 80s -- recorded in 1987 for Epic, but never issued until now. Rosie's produced by Patrick Moten, in a mode that's similar to his work with Anita Baker or Gerald Albright -- and it's a surprise that the album wasn't issued at the time, given its strong hit soul sound. ... read more

80s groove from the Ingram Family -- a record that features the core vocals of Ron Aikens and Galaxy, plus plenty of great backing funk from the Ingrams! The style here is a great mix of boogie, street soul, and bits of electro -- with a style that's a bit like Aleem from the same period, but a... read more

After marrying Kenny Gamble, Dee Dee Sharp seemed to inherit his smooth Philly soul style as part of the family -- and her records for Philly International are head and shoulders above her earlier work as a girl singer in the 60s. The record has some nice mellow midtempo cuts, including "Easy... read more

Perhaps the ultimate album for The Gap Band -- and sure, it was a hit, but the record still sounds great today, and the constant sampling of some of the record has kept it fresh in the crates for years at years. The band have lost the heavier funk sound of earlier years, and working in a slick 80s... read more

Wonderful stuff -- and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here -- suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch... read more

An incredible record -- quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique -- written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him -- done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love -- all of which were very much on the mind of... read more

An incredible record -- quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique -- written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him -- done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love -- all of which were very much on the mind of... read more

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks -- with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous... read more

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks -- with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous... read more

This is the second of two live albums that Marvin Gaye cut during the 70s -- and in many ways, it's the better one! The record features three sides of work recorded live at the London Palladium -- mostly in these swirling medleys that are introduced by Marvin in a very soulful mode, then swing... read more

Marvin Marvin Marvin -- just when we thought you couldn't impress us any more, you took it to the next level! Trouble Man is a heck of a wonderful surprise from an artist that most folks really only knew as a singer -- a fantastically funky blacksploitation soundtrack, conceived and composed by... read more

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes -- not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an... read more

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes -- not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an... read more

The last set of duets from the team of Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell -- and a sublime set of tracks that really stretches their partnership even further than before! It's no secret that Terrell was Marvin's favorite partner in the studio -- and you can really hear his strong feeling for her in the... read more

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell -- definitely all you need, if you're looking for Motown duet work of the 60s! The album's possibly the best-remembered from the pair -- filled with classics that really define the Marvin duo mode -- sublime little tunes that have Gaye and Terrell trading lines back... read more

Warmly gliding soul from Gloria Gaynor -- a great little set that has none of the cliches that sometimes mar our memory of Gloria's work, awash in tight arrangements that mix equal part disco and mainstream soul! Much of the record is upbeat, but never over the top -- and even the longer tracks... read more

Excellent work from Chicago smooth jazzer Ghalib Ghallab -- a player clearly influenced by Roy Ayers and Lonnie Liston Smith, but one who took their influence, and crafted it into his own unique homegrown sound! The record's one of Ghallab's last of the 80s, but it's still got a quality level that'... read more

The kind of sweet jazzy mellow stuff that's always been big with the stepper's scene here in Chicago. Ghallab's a keyboardist and vocalist, and the stuff on here could be slotted into a tradition that includes Roy Ayers and Gene Harris, especially their mid-70s fusiony work. Titles include "L... read more

Beautiful righteousness from poet Nikki Giovanni -- a wonderfully put together session that features her reading her own poetry over musical backings, plus some added choral bits from the New York Community Choir! The sound is completely right on -- never too over the top, and never too cliched --... read more

Reissue of this very nice bit of mid-80s modern soul, and a record that used to be tough to find -- until now! Roger Troutman produced, but the album has less of the LA funk sound than you might expect. Lots of groovy tracks, including "Your Spell", "So Mean", "Happy"... read more

80s groove soul, produced by War's Lonnie Simmons, and with a style that mixes goofy funk and better mellow ballads. The funky stuff kind of grates on us -- and is in that post P-funk bass-heavy mode. The mellow tracks are pretty nice, though -- and at their best moments, they have a jazzy style... read more

After the success of "Disco Nights", GQ cut this tasty album of smooth soul, with a tight up-tempo group sound that recalls the best later moments of The Jacksons, and which features some surprisingly complicated arrangements with some good jazzy touches. Case in point is the groovy... read more

Al Green's first LP -- with a very different feel than his later work on Hi. The record's got a harder southern soul groove -- almost in a Wilson Pickett/Arthur Conley mode, but with some sweeter elements in the backing. Al's voice is still incredible, although different than later, in that he's... read more

Al Green's first major album, and a killer batch of Memphis soul tracks with a sound that's a bit rawer than later years. The formula for the hits is firmly in place -- and Al's beautiful voice is swept up wonderfully in very sympathetic production by the great Willie Mitchell. Although Mitchell... read more

Al Green's first LP -- with a very different feel than his later work on Hi. The record's got a harder southern soul groove -- almost in a Wilson Pickett/Arthur Conley mode, but with some sweeter elements in the backing. Al's voice is still incredible, although different than later, in that he's... read more

Beautiful early work by Al! The record is a haunting mix of tender soul tracks filled with love, warmth, and Al's sexy soul. It's hard to distinguish this one from other records of his at the time, because they're all so good -- but we can tell you that the album features Al's stone classic "... read more

An album that yielded the one and only hit for Jesse Green, the big club groover "Nice And Slow", which has an excellent smooth mellow feel to it. The rest of the record's pretty darn great, too, and you'd hardly believe that it was recorded in the UK, because it's much better than most... read more

Gregg Diamond's fortunate enough to have some help again from Luther Vandross here -- whose lead vocals on the cuts "Crazy Lady Luck" and "Lay It On The Line" make them sparkle with a lot more soul than they might otherwise! The rest of the album's pretty decent, too -- and... read more

The sweet second set from the team of Hanks & Grey -- their last album for RCA, and a wonderful follow-up to the first! As before, the groove is totally top-shelf -- well-written, well-produced, and definitely at the head of the modern soul pack of the time! The pair have a bit more of a... read more

Smooth 80s soul from Billy Griffin -- formerly of The Miracles, but emerging here as a solo artist on his own, with a strong bid for stardom, dressed in a slick narrow-tie linen-jacket-with-collar-turned-up 80s stab at crossover fashion! Billy's voice is a lot better than his choice of outfit,... read more

Electro madness galore from Reggie "Rej" Griffin -- the keyboardist who recorded an indie single with Technofunk, but steps out here in an album of funky tracks recorded for Quincy Jones! Rej plays plenty of keys, sings lead vocals, and also produces throughout -- and the album's got a... read more

The only album ever from Groove Theory -- but the set that introduced the world to Amel Larrieux -- whose vocal talents alone are worth the price of admission! The feel here is a bit more mainstream soul than some of Amel's later work -- but given the mid 90s date of release, the sound is still... read more

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A rocketing bit of South African funky soul -- and of the few great records released on Ahmad Jamal's short-lived Jamal label! The session's a lot hipper than some of the South African work that was issued in the US around the same time -- and the feel here is almost more in a London post-colonial... read more

What can we say? We winced at this one back when it came out, but over the years, it's got a real "Free Soul" appeal to us -- with vocals that are surprisingly soulful in parts, some nice 80s mellow soul instrumentation, and even a few hooks that are real guilty pleasures. Includes the... read more

One of the hippest albums ever cut by Lionel Hampton -- a badass batch of 70s funk tunes, recorded with arrangements from the Chicago powerhouse team at Brunswick Records! Lionel's vibes are mixed with tight drums, sweet bass, and some very soulful arrangements that make even the mellower tracks... read more

Mad funky soul from King Hannibal -- a down and dirty singer from the Atlanta scene of the 70s! The notes on the back say "He's black, he's proud, he's arrogant -- the combination is powerful" -- and we've gotta say that we agree with that assessment, because King really grabs his groove... 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

A tasty set that compiles tracks from Donny's three albums on Atco, plus a single, and two tracks from his work with Roberta Flack. The latter includes successful AOR ballads "You've Got A Friend" and "Where Is The Love", and Donny album cuts include "The Ghetto",... read more

One of the best albums ever by this legendary Chicago soul star! The album's masterful blend of spiritual soul tracks that plumb the depths of Donny's dark soul -- done with a level of sophistication that you won't hear in other soul albums from the time! Classic cuts include "A Song For... read more

Massively beautiful work from the great Donny Hathaway! After two studio albums that had firmly put him on the map as one of the 70s best soul talents, Atco had the genius to have Donny record this live album before very enthusiastic crowds in Hollywood and New York. The result is one of the best... read more

Massively beautiful work from the great Donny Hathaway! After two studio albums that had firmly put him on the map as one of the 70s best soul talents, Atco had the genius to have Donny record this live album before very enthusiastic crowds in Hollywood and New York. The result is one of the best... read more

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music -- a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The... read more

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music -- a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The... read more

Perhaps Donny Hathaway's greatest album from the 70s, and certainly the one with the most amazing arrangements! The record was Donny's last studio session, and it's got him working at a level that's far advanced from even his groundbreaking earlier work -- using complicated rhythms and... 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

And once again, Isaac Hayes wows us with the brilliance of his later work at Polydor -- really subtle soul that's a wonderful extension of modes first begun at Stax! The sound is a bit smoother here, but it really fits Ike's aging vocals wonderfully -- and sets him up in these beautiful mellow... read more

An album that needs no introduction, except to tell you that most of the mixes are the ones that were on the singles, and not the full LP versions. Tracks include "Walk On By", "Do Your Thing", "Shaft", "Joy (part 1)", "Never Can Say Goodbye", and... 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

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 great 2LP set that brings together some of Isaac Hayes' best work for the Stax/Enterprise label -- with an especially strong focus on the kind of jams that have held up well for a 21st Century audience! The set's got a strong focus on titles that have either been sampled by hip hoppers, or which... 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

One of Isaac Hayes' richest soundtracks -- deeper and more complicated than the groove of Shaft and Truck Turner, and filled with some great tunes that glow with color, life, and imagination -- showing an Isaac Hayes that almost seems to be moving beyond the usual blackploitation groove! The album... read more

A so-so comeback album from the mid 80s -- most noteworthy for the track "Ike's Rap VII", which is a weird monologue in which Ike comes to terms with his lady about her use of crack cocaine! As Ike says, "You become a resident of CRACK CITY, and the price of occupancy is way too... read more

Leon Haywood's best album from the 70s! After working as a keyboardist and sometimes vocalist for a number of years -- making some strong and some tentative entries into the soul genre -- Leon really exploded with this album, an electric funk classic that gave the world his fantastic "I Wanna... read more

A wonderful early record by Leon Haywood -- very different than any of his later work! The album showcases both sides of Haywood's talent -- as side one features Leon singing in a sweet soulful style, and side two's all-instrumental, with Leon atop the Hammond B-3, grooving away with a sound that's... read more

More smooth soul from the end of the 70's, with the cuts "Don't Push It Don't Force It", "Love is What We Came Here For", "Who You Been Giving It Up To?", "That's What Time It Is", and "If You're Lookin' for a Night of Fun".... read more

A great record -- by a group we know almost nothing about! Haze were an excellent little combo that had a clean and funky feel -- lots of guitar in the groove, giving their work a sweet little funky rock feel, made even more so by the group's nice use of heavy drums. Surprisingly, though, our... read more

The second album by this legendary 70s funk combo -- best known as Herbie Hancock's backing band, but sounding great here on their own. The album's much more of a solid soul effort than the first one -- which was great, but felt more like Herbie Had stepped out of the studio for a minute or two. ... read more

A landmark bit of jazz funk -- from one of the greatest backup groups of the 70s! Herbie Hancock first brought The Headhunters to light -- working with the San Francisco-based combo that included Bennie Maupin, Mike Clark, Paul Jackson, and Bill Summers -- using their sound to give his work the... read more

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Nothing too hot here, as Heat's got a nicely cool feel -- a groove that's laidback and easygoing, a perfect fit for the sophisticated sound of soul at the start of the 80s! There's a jazzy feel in the instrumentation that we really love -- kind of an extension of the Wayne Henderson sound of the... read more

Great work by The Heath Brothers -- a lot slicker and smoother than their earlier album for Strata East, but still filled with a soulful jazzy approach that befits their rich talents! By the point of this set, Jimmy Heath, once a rougher talent on the tenor, had emerged as one of the smooth soul... read more

The second album by Heatwave -- and a great effort that's almost as perfectly sublime as the first! Despite their UK origin, these guys really give American late 70s soul a run for its money -- hitting in a sweetly compressed sound that fuses the vocals, keyboards, and grooves together wonderfully!... read more

80s grooving hard with Heatwave -- still going strong on this album from 1982, taking that smooth funky style they helped forge in the 70s, and pushing it to a whole new level on this set. Over the years, the group continue to show a tremendous depth as a soul act, working here well on both... read more

A killer album of crossover soul from the mid 70s -- one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album -- and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul stations... read more

Excellent work from this smooth Chicago vocal group! The album may well be the best the group ever recorded -- and it features some stellar ballad work produced with a nice spacey tone, almost in a Rose Royce mellow mode, by Jerry Butler's Fountain Productions team and by Clarence Johnson, who... read more

The classic first LP by this stellar Chicago harmony group -- and a monster! Heaven & Earth had a wonderful falsetto harmony sound that reminds us a lot of east coast winners like Blue Magic or The Stylistics -- and like some of the best east coast groups, this group's vocals work equally well... read more

A great little album from Heaven & Earth -- recorded after their big years on Mercury, but with Philly production that gives them a nice fresh sound! The production's a lot more in a modern soul vein than before -- but the harmonies are top-shelf all the way, and seem to stretch out even more... read more

A mix of 80s groove and mellower material from Michael Henderson -- a sweet extension of the jazzy soul he first laid out in the 70s! The style here is a bit more electric and contemporary than before -- less of the deeper, warmer tones -- and a bit more synth drums and keyboards. But Henderson's... read more

Smooth mellow soul by Michael Henderson -- taking up where he left off with his work with Norman Connors, and proving that he was an even better vocalist than bassist. The overall sound of this one's perhaps a bit slicker than his first 2 albums on Buddah -- but there's still some strong modern... read more