Soul — All Formats  

One of the wildest albums by the funky conga player. The title track, "Lion Walk" runs through all of side one, and has a weird, tripped-out sloppy funk feel, with guitar and sax solos over Big Black's moody congas. Side two has three long songs, with a groove that's not as good, but still pretty dark and moody: "Tell Me, Do Your Conscience Bother You", "Love, Sweet Like Sugar Cane" and "Come On Down To The Beach".

Sublime soulful sax from Grover Washington – the man who virtually reinvented the sound of the instrument for a decade! The package here brings together some of the coolest cuts from Grover's years on Kudu Records – a place that really helped him hone his sound after initial recordings in the soul jazz underground – coming up with a compressed style that worked perfectly alongside keyboards and Hammond – played here by players who include Dave Grusin, Bob James, and Richard Tee! Tracks are often long and have a snakey vibe that's always funky, but a bit more too – that special blend that was Grover's imprint at the time – and which resonates a lot stronger here than on any later work. The package is overflowing with gems – including "Loran's Dance", "The Sea Lion", "Earth Tones", "Masterpiece", "Black Frost", "Ain't No Sunshine/Theme From Man & Boy", "All The King's Horses", and "Inner City Blues".

A sweet bit of Island-inspired pop – recorded here by an LA group of the late 60s, with inspirations drawn from the Carribean sands and the California sun! The group use a style that mixes together bits of late 60s South African pop, ala Hugh Masekela, a touch of steel band funk, and elements of other pop groups on A&M at the time – coming up with a sound that's happy and groovy, maybe not as totally Afro-thentic as their name might imply, but filled with good spirits and some nice grooves. Titles include "Mescalito", "Mama Lion", "Day After Day", "Hey Jude", "Sunshine Superman", "Cowboys & Indians", and "Ljuba Ljuba".

Heavy dancefloor funk from ADC Band – grooving in a bass-heavy mode that almost seems like a mainstream take on P-Funk – but which also has some really great mellow soul elements on the mellower tunes! There's a great ensemble Detroit groove going on overall – and as an added bonus, soul jazz legend Marcus Belgrave plays trumpet on most of the tracks! Titles include "I Just Want To Hold You", "Stank Machine", "Midnite Creeper", "Talk That Stuff", "ADC Is Back", and "At The Party".

Talk about a meeting of the minds – a pair of ultra-amazing classics from the team of Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – back to back in a single set! At the time of Step Into Our Life, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a smooth soulful style that was pushing the genre onto whole new levels, while still keeping firm roots in jazz – a rare blend that few other artists could handle this well! This initial debut from the pair seems to be much more dominated by the spirit of Roy Ayers' work at the time – particularly the mellow jazzed up work he was laying down on albums like Vibrations and You Send Me – a wicked sound that's rooted in modern soul modes, but filled with plenty of warm jazz elements too. The album's got wonderful vibes and electric piano from Roy – and tracks include "Step Into Our Life", "Lovers Should Always Be Together", "No Deposit No Return", "Ooh Baby", and "For Real". Prime Time is a funky classic from the team of Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson – both at the top of their game here, and effortlessly mixing together jazz, funk, and soul! The record really seems to embrace the best of both artists' styles – some of the bassy groovers that Wayne did so well himself, and while producing for other artists – and those snakey, soulful numbers that we love so much in the late 70s work from Roy Ayers – ultra-sophisticated, but still plenty darn grooving – and some of the most sensual soul you'll ever hope to hear. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Weekend Lover", "Thank You Thank You", "Can You Dance", "It Ain't Your Sign It's Your Mind", "You Make Me Feel Like Rockin With Ya", "Have Your Way", and "Million Dollar Baby".

JR's cut some records that have a rootsier feel – but this one features smooth modern arrangements and production by Phil Medley and Buddy Scott. The set begins with an uptempo clubby remake of "Taste of Honey", and also features a nicely grooving take on "Stella By Starlight". Other tracks include "Million To One", "Live Love & Play", "Love & Conversation", and "The Coming Of Your Love".

A folk funk classic from the early 70s – and a weird little record that has a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The arrangements are quite soulful, almost funky at times – with a righteous undercurrent that reminds us of Richard Evans or Charles Stepney at Cadet Records. But the vocals – by singer Barbara Massey – have a flanged-out quality that's clearly overdubbed, creating a double-voiced sound that's almost a bit like Brasil 66! This mix of modes is really great – completely unique, and sublime throughout – with a vibe that was years ahead of its time, and which is finally beginning to get some recognition these many years later. Arrangements are by the pair, but Deodato also had a hand in the record too – and the core combo of musicians includes Grady Tate on drums, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Sam Brown on guitar – alongside more guitars from Ernie and keyboards and piano from Barbara. Tracks include "Searching the Circle", "Do You Know", "For You", "Play With Fire", "My Love & I", "Satisfied", and "Prelude" – plus a wild remake of "Somebody to Love"!

A folk funk classic from the early 70s – and a weird little record that has a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The arrangements are quite soulful, almost funky at times – with a righteous undercurrent that reminds us of Richard Evans or Charles Stepney at Cadet Records. But the vocals – by singer Barbara Massey – have a flanged-out quality that's clearly overdubbed, creating a double-voiced sound that's almost a bit like Brasil 66! This mix of modes is really great – completely unique, and sublime throughout – with a vibe that was years ahead of its time, and which is finally beginning to get some recognition these many years later. Arrangements are by the pair, but Deodato also had a hand in the record too – and the core combo of musicians includes Grady Tate on drums, Ralph McDonald on percussion, and Sam Brown on guitar – alongside more guitars from Ernie and keyboards and piano from Barbara. Tracks include "Searching the Circle", "Do You Know", "For You", "Play With Fire", "My Love & I", "Satisfied", and "Prelude" – plus a wild remake of "Somebody to Love"!

Yipes! This one made everyone a bucket of money – especially Quincy Jones, whose new Qwest imprint the record was one of the first to grace. George has come a long way from his roots with Jack McDuff here – but in a way that kind of has us impressed, as he's grooving away slickly on guitar, laying down some smooth vocals that we never would have imagined from his mid 60s recordings. Includes the massive hit "Give Me The Night", a cover of "Moody's Mood", and the tracks "Star Of A Story (X)", "Midnight Love Affair", "What's On Your Mind", and "Dinorah, Dinorah". The sound of a million supermarkets and elevators during the 80s!

Brook Benton comes full circle – and after helping to form the idiom that would later become known as southern soul, he gets a chance to appear on Atlantic's new Cotillion label – easily a showcase for some of the best up-and-coming southern work at the end of the 60s! Brook's warm vocals are a perfect fit here – and the album was recorded in Miami, fast becoming Atlantic's new home in the south – with full arrangements by Arif Mardin that help take Brook past some of the country cliches of earlier years. Backing is by a small combo, and the Sweet Inspirations add in some vocals – and titles include the sublime "Rainy Night In Georgia", plus "We're Gonna Make It", "A Little Bit Of Soap", "Desertion", "Where Do I Go From Here", "Life Has Its Little Ups & Downs", and "Baby".

Wonderful work from Brook Benton – and the kind of record that always gets overlooked in discussions of southern soul, but which is proof that Benton's always been a key force in the genre! Brook virtually invented the style with his earlier country soul recordings – and by the time of this 1970 set, he's in perfect form vocally – and working under some wonderfully sophisticated arrangements by Arif Mardin. The result is the kind of cross-genre record that Brook could do effortlessly – and which should have made him huge, but instead kind of got him left behind by all the other folks who were copping his style. Yet with the strength of a record like this, we'll take that overlooked fame as still OK – because the set's a gem just waiting to be discovered by later generations like us! Rhythm's by the Dixie Flyers – augmented by jazz players that include King Curtis, Pepper Adams, and Joe Newman. Titles include "Aspen Colorado", "For Lee An", "Whoever Finds This, I Love You", "Don't It Make You Wanta Go Home", and "Let Me Fix It".

A lost southern soul gem – cut at the end of the 70s, in that rare blend of southern and modern styles that few performers could really carry off well! Frederick Knight produced the album, and it really steps off of his own mellow work of earlier years – taking things even further, thanks to a really wonderful presentation on the vocals by CL, sounding here like the best 70s work by Johnnie Taylor or Tyrone Davis! The album's got a really special feel – and if it was cut for a smaller label, it probably would have gone onto become a rare groove treasure – instead of a slightly-overlooked record on Cotillion. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Our Love Will Last", "I've Got To Make It On My Own", "I Wanna Get Down", "If I Had Loved You More", "Love Don't Feel Like Love No More", and "Let's Do Something Different Tonight".

Quite possibly THE James Brown album of the mid 60s – a solid set of hard-grooving tracks, based around the monster title hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)"! The tune's one of those numbers that has been used a gajillion times over the years in commercials and promos – but which never sounds better than here, on James' original version – one of those cuts that never gets old! The hit's also nicely offset by a number of other more obscure numbers that make the album really worth tracking down – titles that include "I Can't Help It (I Just Do Do Do)", "Good Good Lovin", "I've Got Money", "Three Hearts In A Tangle", "You've Got The Power", and "Love Don't Love Nobody" – all on the rougher side of the JB spectrum.

Quite possibly THE James Brown album of the mid 60s – a solid set of hard-grooving tracks, based around the monster title hit "I Got You (I Feel Good)"! The tune's one of those numbers that has been used a gajillion times over the years in commercials and promos – but which never sounds better than here, on James' original version – one of those cuts that never gets old! The hit's also nicely offset by a number of other more obscure numbers that make the album really worth tracking down – titles that include "I Can't Help It (I Just Do Do Do)", "Good Good Lovin", "I've Got Money", "Three Hearts In A Tangle", "You've Got The Power", and "Love Don't Love Nobody" – all on the rougher side of the JB spectrum.

Get down with the sound of Peter Brown – one of the funkiest white cats on the Miami soul scene of the 70s! Peter originally hailed from the Chicago area, but he got the call down to Miami with his classic club groover "Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me" – a compelling blend of snappy rhythms, soulful horns, weird keyboard bits, and sweet female vocals. That track instantly set Peter up large – reputedly the first 12" single to sell a million copies – and Brown followed the groove with a whole host of other clubby classics cooked up in the Miami TK studios! This set brings together 9 of Peter's extended dancefloor cuts from the 70s – plus 2 more remixes from later years – for a total of 11 tracks that include "Do Ya Wanna Get Funky With Me", plus "Dance With Me", "Love In Our Hearts", "Stargazer", "Fantasy Love Affair", and "You Should Do It".

Although this one's the bane to Clarence's earlier reputation, it's also the album that has him earning waaaaay more money than most of his late 60s southern soul contemporaries! The record snuck onto the market in 1986, one of the many so-so releases of bluesy southern soul on the Ichiban label from Atlanta. The spirit of the record is still in that of Clarence's earlier work, although the execution's got a really tinny quality. However, that didn't stop the song "Strokin" from becoming a huge underground hit – almost in the mode of early 50s R&B, in which the track's off-color sexuality was popularized by word-of-mouth, and spread from underground soul and blues audiences to frat boys, party crowds, and Saturday night beer drinkers, who seemed to play the track endlessly on jukeboxes throughout the 90s. We've got no real documentation, but we'd guess that Clarence probably made at least a million off the cut over the past 15 years – and more power to him for that, too! Other titles include "Let's Funk", "Dr CC", "I Stayed Away Too Long", and "If You Let Me Take You Home".

The fantastic first album by Cerrone – a landmark disco record that features the 16 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! Cerrone really set up a whole new blueprint for club here – stretching things out plenty, and layering in subtle time and chord shifts that expose the proggish influences that filtered into French club as the 70s wore on! The title track's got some nice keyboards by the great Alan Hawkshaw – who sounds even better on the album's cool disco version of "Black Is Black" and the tight snare-beat original, "Midnite Lady".

Sweet British harmony soul from this overlooked 70s group – a really wonderful record that continues some of the best mellow group styles of the earlier part of the decade! Dave Collins – of Dave & Ansel Collins fame – is a member of the trio – but the sound here is more in keeping with the best New Jersey group modes than any of his earlier hits – a wonderfully fragile mode that has the voices hanging in air, coming together in sublime late night harmony sounds! A few numbers get slightly more uptempo, but the record's a pretty ballad-heavy one overall – and tracks include "Indebted To You", "Never Lose Never Win", "Why Can't We Be Lovers?", "Think I'll Leave This Song Just Like It Is", "Hogtied", "Chase A Miracle", and "Cold Steel". 2 bonus tracks on this CD version: "This Eternal Flame" from a 1976 single, and the previously unreleased "Make It".

Razor-sharp funk from The Chapparals – an Atlanta group from the 70s, and one with a great balance of ensemble grooving and deeper soul roots! There was really something special in the Atlanta scene at the time – an approach to large group funk that was different than most northern scenes, and which could still come across with a lean sort of energy, even when hitting tight on the money for the dancefloor! These guys are a perfect summation of that groove – and the album's a blistering blend of bassy rhythms and tight instrumentation – including some mighty sweet keyboards that snake wonderfully alongside the guitar and horns, sometimes with some wild moogy touches that are almost P&P funk. The whole thing's great – one of those albums that's rare, but mighty satisfying too – and titles include "Juicy Fruit", "Shake Your Head (parts 1 & 2)", "Stop Cheating On My Lady", "Country Girl", "Hittin It", "Jam Around The World", and "The Brew".

Some of Ray's biggest tracks for Atlantic, including many remakes of standards like "Just For A Thrill", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin", "Am I Blue", and "It Had To Be You". You've heard it all a million times, but it's still beautiful stuff – and it's extra nice to hear on wax! The record also has a few nice jazz-oriented highlights, too, like playing by Zoot Sims, David Fathead Newman, and Paul Gonsalves – plus a trumpet solo "Alexander's Ragtime Band" by a young Marcus Belgrave!

An album that definitely lives up to the title promised by The Commodores – a record that takes all their raw funky energy of the early years, and fuses it into a new groove that would catapult the sextet to superstardom! The sound is commercial, but still has a pretty fresh sort of feel too – that quality the group brought to their work when breaking down so many boundaries in mainstream music – and finding fans in corners that few other funk groups might have touched! There's plenty of upbeat funk tracks in the mix, and even the mellower moments are still balanced nicely enough to avoid any of the cliches that Lionel Richie might have had during his solo years. Titles include "Why You Wanna Try Me", "This Love", "Been Loving You", "Lucy", "Saturday Night", "Lady (You Bring Me Up)", and "Oh No".

By this point in their career, The Commodores have lost Lionel Richie and any sort of funk credibility they had from their early years – but they also somehow manage to reemerge with a great new talent for a sweet mellow groove! The title tune "Nightshift" was one of those tracks that crossed over massively at the time – but to our ears, it also kind of redeemed the group too – as it's got a surprisingly soulful quality that really got the group past the soppiness of their ballads and love songs – gliding along with an almost-righteous quality that makes it a nice later cap to an earlier Motown 70s groove. Other tunes on the album don't always fare as well, but there's still some nice moments here – tunes that benefit from some Dennis Lambert production and hit just the right kind of mellow groove to follow up on the spirit of the single. Tracks include "Nightshift", "Slip Of The Tongue", "Lay Back", "Lightin Up The Night", and "The Woman In My Life".

A wonderful gem from Leon Dubouse – a singer whose voice is definitely the fine instrument promised in the title! The set's obscure, but put together with a really top-shelf approach – a mellow groove that's often a bit funky, too – even when warmly gliding on Leon's soulful vocals! The style's a lot like the best early Leroy Hutson work on Curtom – and Leon's voice has a very similar appeal, too – but the style's nicely farther-ranging too – a few familiar modes, and some other nice twists and turns that show that the instrumentation is mighty fine too. Arrangements were done by Clay Cropper, Mike Lewis, Roger Hattfield, and Norman Lotterer – and titles include "What Do We Do About Our Love", "Black Stallion", "Fast Food Chain", "It's True It's You", "In The Neighborhood", and "Every Fellas Girl".

Dr. John's second record, cut back in the days when there was a lot more freakiness to his bag – as you'll notice by his eyeballs in the photo on the back cover! The tracks are wild, funky, and messed-up New Orleans R&B filtered through a heavy dose of psychedelics – a unique little mix that countless others copied in later years, but which John did better than anyone else! Harold Battiste produced and arranged – and tracks include "Mama Roux", "Croker Courtbullion", "Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya", and the original version of "I Walk On Guilded Splinters".

Dr. John's second record, cut back in the days when there was a lot more freakiness to his bag – as you'll notice by his eyeballs in the photo on the back cover! The tracks are wild, funky, and messed-up New Orleans R&B filtered through a heavy dose of psychedelics – a unique little mix that countless others copied in later years, but which John did better than anyone else! Harold Battiste produced and arranged – and tracks include "Mama Roux", "Croker Courtbullion", "Gris Gris Gumbo Ya Ya", and the original version of "I Walk On Guilded Splinters".

An overlooked treasure from the Atlantic vaults – the first album by The Dynamics, and arguably a much greater record than the group's better-known set from the 70s! The Dynamics were a Detroit group from the late 60s, with that heavy harmony sound that was becoming a standard for the city's soul scene – and they were managed by Aretha Franklin's husband Ted White, who was probably responsible for getting them to record at Atlantic. Oddly, this session was recorded in Memphis, not Detroit – with production by Tommy Cogbill and Chips Moman – who give the group a deep soul bottom that adds a lot to their still-rough vocal style. There's a great mix of deep and smooth going on here – a style that reminds us a bit of the few great Memphis vocal groups of the period, but which also has a Detroit tightness at times too. The tracks are a great mix of originals by Don Mancha, Fred Baker, Ronnie Shannon, and others – and titles include "Ain't No Love At All", "I Don't Want Nobody To Lead Me On", "What Would I Do", "Fair Love", and "Murder In the First Degree". A killer, and the kind of record you started collecting soul for!

A stellar solo set from John Edwards – one of the tightest talents of the southern scene in the mid 70s, and a singer who would later break big with The Spinners! This album's got a really unique vibe – with some slight tropical touches hinted at by the cover image – and some deeper production from David Porter down at the Malaco and Ardent Studios – which ensures that the deep soul component of the music still stays strong! The whole thing's unlike anything else we can think of – and is a definite bridge between 70s soul scenes at the time – echoes of folks like Al Green or Sam Dees, but a tighter approach at points too. Titles include "You, Trouble, & Me", "That's That", "The Key To My Life", and "Baby, Hold On To Me".

A stunner of a funk album – a must-have for any fan of all things funky! This is the one-and-only record cut by the Fabulous Counts, a version of the Counts before they recorded for Westbound – and nearly every cut is a funky 45-type gem! The group's got a hard and heavy sound that mixed conga grooving at the bottom, guitar jamming in the middle, and lots of funky horns over the top – and the instrumental sound of the record is a non-stop funky party all the way through – all top-shelf material all the way through, with a sound that few other combos can match! The title track is an awesome groover – and the record features lots of other nice ones, like "Dirty Red", "Who's Making Love", "Girl From Kenya', "The Other Thing", "Scrambled Eggs", and "The Bite".

A lost classic from Father's Children – the group's only album ever, but an impeccably produced set – thanks to the efforts of Wayne Henderson's At Home Productions team! The groove here is similar to that forged by Henderson over at Fantasy – soul, but inflected with plenty of jazzy fusion touches – instrumentation that steps out riffing with a really great edge, and fleshes out the sound with a lot more creativity and imagination than mainstream soul at the time. The best grooves here have a midtempo boogie flavor – with plenty of righteous jazzy touches alongside the richer harmonies that flow out warmly on the lyrics! Titles include their landmark track "Hollywood Dreaming", plus other nice ones like "Got To Get Away", "Gone Bad", "You Can Get It", "Music For Your Mind", "Wild Woman" and "Shine On". 2 bonus tracks on this CD version: 7-inch edits of "Hollywood Dreaming" and "Shine On".

What can we say? We've heard this one a million times, it sold over a million copies – but it's still incredible! The record is Roberta's first, and it features her in a mellow trio format, augmented by some occasional larger arrangements by William Fischer. At most points, though, the sound is incredibly spare – with vocals that are much more soulful than any of Roberta's other records, and a sound that hints at Nina Simone, but which has it's own jazzy groove and deep sense of feeling. Includes the classic funky version of "Compared To What", plus "Angelitos Negros", "Our Ages Our Our Hearts", and "Tryin Times".

The classic jazz vibes of Lionel Hampton meets the soulful arrangements of the Chicago Brunswick studios – and the result is a great batch of funky instrumentals that have a similar sound to some of the classic Cadet albums from the same time. Willie Henderson and Tom Tom Washington did the arrangements – and nearly every track's an original by Eugene Record. Titles include "Please Sunrise", "Soulful Autumn", "It Must Be Love", "I Did It", and "I Call It Trouble". Tasty stuff, and tight Chicago soul grooves!

The classic jazz vibes of Lionel Hampton meets the soulful arrangements of the Chicago Brunswick studios – and the result is a great batch of funky instrumentals that have a similar sound to some of the classic Cadet albums from the same time! Willie Henderson and Tom Tom Washington did most of the arrangements – and many tracks are originals written by Eugene Record, with that great loping Chisoul groove that he was perfecting at the time. Titles include "Please Sunrise", "Soulful Autumn", "It Must Be Love", "I Did It", "I Wake Up Crying", "I Wish It Was me", "It's Time For Peace", "This Must Be The Place For Love", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", and "I Call It Trouble". Tasty stuff, and tight Chicago soul grooves!

The Impressions first album for Cotillion, cut after a great 70s run on Curtom – but one that's done with a sound that still carries on the groove nicely! The more righteous tones of the earlier work are shaken loose a bit, to be replaced by a fuller approach to the music built from arrangements by HB Barnum, Gene Page, and Gil Askey – a bit more LA than Chicago, but with a soaringly soulful quality that almost recalls the sound of The Spinners during their best Philly years. As with that work, the harmonies here are all right on the money, and get plenty of space to sparkle amidst the full strings and tight rhythms – and new group member Nate Evans really brings a deep sense of soul to the group's work. Many tunes were written by the team of Mervin Seals and Melvin Steals – and titles include "I'm A Fool For Love", "Same Old Heartaches", "This Time", "Stardust", "I Need You", and "What Might Have Been".

An amazing little album from the Isley Brothers – one in which the group manage to explore their growing love of the electric guitar, yet somehow sound even more soulful than before! The music is slinky and seductive, with a wonderful style that's never too overly funky – just laidback and flowing, with a vibe that's sometimes mellow, sometimes a bit more upbeat – but never too over the top or rocking. Titles include the group's the monster cut "That Lady" (parts 1 & 2) – a totally righteous groover, even if it has been in a million commercials over the years – and their cover of Seals & Croft's epic "Summer Breeze", which is ten times doper than the original! Other tracks include "Listen To The Music", "If You Were There", "What It Comes Down To", and "Sunshine (Go Away Today)". CD includes bonus live version of "That Lady".

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 that's somewhat more poppy, but still quite soulful overall. And yes, the success of the album meant that cuts like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", and "Beat It" got plenty of play – thanks to both heavy radio and video rotation – but a few decades later, there's still a tremendous amount of depth here – on great cuts like "Human Nature", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", and "PYT" – which all hold up nicely!

One of the best-remembered moments from the mighty King Floyd – a southern soul singer who came into the game slightly later than some of his Atlantic Records contemporaries, but who still packs a punch that's right up there with the best of them! The album's best known for the huge hit "Groove Me" – a slinky, catchy tune that's gotten King plenty of play over the years – but the whole thing is pretty darn great, and shows a new sound and style of southern soul coming into play – as Floyd's working in Jackson, at the Malaco Studios, with Wardell Quezergue producing – in a sound that's a bit free of some of the more obvious Memphis and Muscle Shoals modes, yet without any of the cliches that would later hold some folks back too. King balances things perfectly throughout – and in addition to "Groove Me", the set also features "Let Us Be", "Messing Up My Mind", "What Our Love Needs", and "Don't Leave Me Lonely".

Definite gold from Liquid Blue – an obscure indie group from the 70s, but one with a tight sound that should have made them huge! The style here is partly soul and funk, partly smoother AOR crossover material – but served up with a nice indie vibe that still keeps things fresh, and which makes the album feel more like a blue-eyed soul effort than anything else! There's a warm So-Cal vibe to the whole thing – rhythms heavy with keyboards and tight guitar bits – and the vocals are often compressed down nicely into the mix, making for a mighty smooth groove overall. Titles include "Ain't That What You Want", "Papa Do Right", "Girl Of A Million Dreams", "Abuse Me", "Go For It", and "Big Money".

An incredibly captivating album of female soul – unlike anything else we can think of! Side one features a suite of tracks that details an ill-fated love affair in 4 modes: Introduction, Hoping, Final Attempt, and The Next Time – all done in a mode that mixes standard southern soul with these deeper monologues delivered by Tami in between each track! Lynn performs the work in a starkly intimate style that sends chills down our spine – and which makes you feel like you're listening in on her talking to her best friend – very cool, very personal, and deeper than most other work of its type. Side two is back on the regular tip – with shorter songs overall – but Tami does a pretty good job its range of mellow southern ballads and a few more uptempo numbers. Titles include a version of Andre Williams "Mojo Hanna", plus "Ain't No Soul", "One Night Of Sin", "Love Is Here & Now You're Gone", and "That's Understanding".

The last album ever issued by the enigmatic studio collective Mandigo – a batch of British musicians, but recording here in the best Afro Rock mode of the 70s sound library scene! As with some of the best British projects of this nature, there's a lot of different elements at play in the mix – African percussion, American funk, and some fuller arrangements that really push the whole thing over the top – in ways that make the whole record come across like a batch of all the best chase and crime soundtrack cuts from hip action films of the time! And like the other Mandingo records, there's also some cool use of electronics too – a bit less than before, but still with some great elements that really help create a unique sound. The whole thing grooves nicely, and standout cuts include "Man From Takoradi", "Rebellion", "Jungle Juice", "Arachnid", and "Manhunter".

The one and only album from Detroit underground legend Ronn Matlock – but a modern soul classic through and through! By the time of this late 70s set, Matlock had spent nearly a decade working under Motor Town legends like Norman Whitfield and the Holland-Dozier-Holland team – and he emerges here fully formed as a wonderful soul songwriter with a really mature approach to his music! The album's more mellow soul than the uptempo disco you might expect for the time – and Matlock's very much in the spirit of Leroy Hutson or Leon Ware here – hitting gentle grooves that are never too sleepy, and which come off with a really mature, sophisticated feel. Production and arrangements are by Michael Stokes, but we're guessing that it's Matlock's talents that are still the main guiding light on the set – and titles include the sublime stepper "I Can't Forget About You", plus "Take Me to the Top (Of Your Mountain)", ""Back Street", and "You Got the Best of Me". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Let Me Dance (single version)" and "You Got The Best Of Me (mono single version)".

Two albums recorded a bit later than the initial 60s hit run for easy maestro Paul Mauriat – both with a more pronounced approach to the groove! Overseas Call was recorded in New York, and has Mauriat bringing in plenty of disco elements throughout – using soaring strings with tighter clubby rhythms, all in a mode that's right up there with some of the best European disco/easy sets done in a similar style! There's a few nice instrumental solos from both Brecker Brothers, and guitarist John Tropea – and titles include "Overseas Call", "Eva", "Come Back", "Power Jam (parts 1 & 2)", "You Can Do It", and "From Jupiter With Love". Brazil Exclusivamente has Mauriat moving down to Rio – working with Brazilian musicians in a local studio – and coming up with a sweet style that mixes late 70s club with some of the warmer samba styles of the time! The approach is a bit like a European 70s soundtrack approach to Brazilian music – and titles include "Suplica", "Mania De Voce", "Gostoso Veneno", "Estrada Do Sol", "Comecar De Novo", and "Na Paz Do Seu Sorriso".

A peach of a record from Melba Moore – one that's produced by Eugene McDaniels, who helps find a tight funky sound that unlocks some of the most righteous elements in Moore's vocals! Like some of McDaniels' best productions of the time, there's a good sense of balance here – a way of going deep, then swinging back for a nice hook – ensuring that the record would reach just the right audience, while still helping get the message across! Gary King did all the arrangements, with a righteous soul style that works perfectly with Melba's vocals – and the set's got some great keyboards from Bob James, Richard Tee, and Dave Grusin – all of whom keep things hip. Titles include "If You Can Believe", "My Soul Is Satisfied", "Must Be Dues", "I Am His Lady", "A Million Years Before This Time", "If I Lose", and "Natural Part of Everything".

Quite possibly THE mother of all funky soundtracks – the legendary score to Rudy Ray Moore's classic first Dolemite film! The record's been referenced for years, and all the hype is totally right – because the whole thing's overflowing with funky tracks both vocal and instrumental – cut with a sound that's as gritty and badass as the movie itself! The Soul Rebellion Orchestra provided the wicked instrumental grooves for the set – and vocalists include Mary Love and Ben Taylor – and the pacing of the whole record almost makes it come across like a mini-movie in sound! You'll find enough samples on here to cut a lifetime's worth of hip hop LPs, and the funky tracks will have you coming back to the record again and again! Tracks include "The Queen", "The Rumble", "Mayor Get Away", "The Jive Jungle", "Creeper", and "Ghetto Expressions".

Quite possibly THE mother of all funky soundtracks – the legendary score to Rudy Ray Moore's classic first Dolemite film! The record's been referenced for years, and all the hype is totally right – because the whole thing's overflowing with funky tracks both vocal and instrumental – cut with a sound that's as gritty and badass as the movie itself! The Soul Rebellion Orchestra provided the wicked instrumental grooves for the set – and vocalists include Mary Love and Ben Taylor – and the pacing of the whole record almost makes it come across like a mini-movie in sound! You'll find enough samples on here to cut a lifetime's worth of hip hop LPs, and the funky tracks will have you coming back to the record again and again! Tracks include "The Queen", "The Rumble", "Mayor Get Away", "The Jive Jungle", "Creeper", and "Ghetto Expressions". Plus, this CD reissue is even more beautiful than the original vinyl – with a booklet chock full of notes and vintage photos – and 6 bonus tracks that include "Dolemite (with narration)", "Flatland (film version)", "Human Tornado", "Miss Wonderful", "Dolemite Radio Spot (version 1)", "Dolemite Radio Spot (version 2)", and "Human Tornado Radio Spot".

A dark classic that broke out of the underground and forever transformed the world of dance music! "Blue Monday" has this infectious bass/keyboard riff that you'll recognize immediately – and which you've heard emulated a million times in electro house tracks from later on in the 80s. "The Beach" is more of the same – kind of a dub version of the hit.

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players".

The Originals are hitting more of a dance-oriented groove here – a mix of disco, soul, and uptempo funk arrangements, but still maintaining their harmony sound, in the manner of other Detroit groups at the time, like The Fantastic Four or Detroit Emeralds. Titles include "Call On Your Six Million Dollar Man", "Hurry Up & Wait", "Been Decided", and "Down To Love Town".

Sublime southern soul from The Ovations – a group with a really unique approach to their music! Unlike other southern groups of the time, The Ovations had a somewhat sweet style overall – one that was informed by their great love of the older music of Sam Cooke, and turned onto a hipper, more 70s-styled Memphis groove overall! Lead vocalist Louis Williams has a style that's as equally charming as Cooke, although with his own great touches overall – and the backings on some of the cuts add in a nice southern soul component, although still with the same sort of polish that Cooke might have appreciated. CD features 21 tracks in all – including their rare album for MGM, plus other singles for the Sounds Of Memphis and XL labels – as well as 6 previously unissued tunes, and one rare single for Chess! The package is a long-overdue tribute to this wonderful group, and titles include "Hooked On A Feeling", "One In A Million", "Touching Me", "So Nice To Be Loved By You", "I Can't Believe It's Over", "Having A Party", "Don't Say You Love Me", "I'm In Love", "Pure Natural Love", "Sweet Thing", "I Care For You", "Till I Find Some Way", "Hangin On", "You're My Little Girl", and "Gotta Get Free".

Ahhhhh . . . By this point, George Clinton and the P-Funk team were on top of the world! The record is a masterful dose of slick mothership jamming – perfectly woven together with that tightly compressed style that really served Clinton's production work well. The tracks are long, but never too loopy – and thanks to help from the Bernie Worrell, Jerome Brailey, Gary Shider, and the Horny Horns, the album stays very tight instrumentally all the way through! Loads of Parliament classics, including "Bop Gun", "Funkentelechy", "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk", and the massive "Flash Light", which we've heard a million times, but which never ceases to amaze us!

A huge crossover moment for The Pointer Sisters – thanks to their mega-hit version of Bruce Springsteen's "Fire", which helped sell about a gazillion copies of the record! The sound of that hit pretty much sums up the overall style of the album – as the trio delivers a number of smooth mainstream takes on 70s numbers by other soul and rock artists – all produced with a tight, guitar-driven groove by Richard Perry. Titles include "Fire", "Everybody Is A Star", "Hypnotized", "Come & Get Your Love", "Happiness", "Angry Eyes", and "Echoes Of Love" – plus the trio's take on the Steely Dan cut "Dirty Work", a personal favorite of ours! Includes 3 bonus tracks – "Love Is Like A Rolling Stone", "Nothing But A Heartache", and "Happiness (12" disco)".

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Like Brothers", and "Find Yourself". CD features a HUGE amount of bonus tracks too – titles that include "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", "No", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "I'm A Young Man", "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", and a 1969 version of "So Much Trouble In My Mind".

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Now Brothers", and "Find Yourself". This version is overflowing with bonus tracks – 9 more than the original album, pulled from singles on GSF and Mercury – with titles that include "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", "I'm A Young Man", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "No", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", and "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)". 18 tracks on the CD.

One of Lionel Richie's biggest records ever! Titles include "Can't Slow Down", "All Night Long", "Penny Lover", "The Only One", "Running With The Night", "Hello", "The Groove", "Love Will Find A Way" and "Stuck On You".

This album gives you three sides of live material and one side of four studio tracks. The live songs include "You Got Love", "Dance Wit Me", "Sweet Thing", "Pack'd My Bags", "Tell Me Something Good", "Ain't That Peculiar", and "Do You Love What You Feel". The studio tracks include "Ain't Nobody", "One Million Kisses", "Try A Little Understanding", and "Don't Go To Strangers".

Boz Scaggs at the height of his early powers – still very much in the best blue-eyed soul style that first got him noticed by CBS, but also working with a stronger, richer, prouder sound that's really great! A number of the tracks on the set were recorded in Muscle Shoals, with superb small combo soul backing that Boz seems to respond to tremendously well – hitting a mode that's somewhere between Al Green and Van Morrison, with vocals that are simply mindblowing, and extraordinarily soulful. The rest of the set was recorded in San Francisco, and has a similarly freewheeling sound to Boz debut for CBS – with some great backing vocals by Linda Tillery and Dorothy Morrison as well. Titles include "Dinah Flo", "Slowly In The West", "Full Lock Power Slide", "Old Time Lovin", "Might Have To Cry", "Hello My Lover", "He's A Fool For You", and "Freedom For The Stallion".

The second album from Sister Sledge – recorded in Munich with the team of Michael Kunze & Sylvester Levay, the guys behind the big disco hits by Silver Convention – with that tight, bright and bouncing soul groove and sultry group vocals from the sisters! The approach works very well – as girls had those perfectly adaptable vocals that could easily roll with the style of the Munich scene – as they later did to that of Nile Rogers. Great, overlooked early work from team Sledge! Titles include "Moondancer", "Funky Family", "Do The Funky Do", "Hold On To This Feeling", and versions of the Stevie Wonder songs "As" and "I Was Made To Love Her".

A key early classic from Slave – as the set features the group's first work with drummer Steve Arrington, who not only opened up their rhythmic concept, but also gave them a great new sound on lead vocals! Arrington's approach here is very much in the spirit of Slave's first 2 records – a lean, mean approach to funk that never goes too far over the top, but which also has a wide-open sound that's instantly appealing – and which makes Slave as much of a top-shelf soul act as they are a funky combo. Great all the way through – with a tightness and on-the-money sound few others can match – and featuring the cuts "We've Got Your Party", "The Way You Love Is Heaven", "Just Freak", "Coming Soon", "Drac Is Back", and "Stellar Fungk".

Non-stop grooving from Slave – a record that has them losing the lead talents of Steve Arrington, but not missing a beat! As with Showtime, the sound here is a nicely smoothed-out approach to the bassy funk the group helped forge at the end of the 70s – a more soul-based sound that still keeps things funky, yet which also stays away from the tricks, gimmicks, and too over the top sort of styles that were hurting some groups at the time. There's plenty of great bass parts and snapping drums, all next to filtered harmonies on the vocals that sweeten the album in just the right way. Titles include "Do You Like It Girl", "I'll Be Gone", "Friday Nites", "Sweet Thang", and "Be My Babe".

Great smooth soul from Wee Gee – a wonderful little record from the dawn of the 80s! The album's a great one, thanks largely to Vernon Bullock, who wrote, arranged, and produced with that uptempo modern style that he brought to his best work of the 70s. The soaring title track is a 10+ minute epic that really transcends – hitting an emotional groove early and holding it throughout – and the rest of the tunes are just as nice! Wee Gee's a pretty decent vocalist – and the lofty arrangements keep him in the groove in a mode that's similar to some of Lamont Dozier's best work. The keys and synthesizers are nice – never oversteeped in ways that mired modern soul later in the decade and they go very will with the larger arrangements! Titles include "Hold On (To Your Dreams)", "Let Me Lay With You", "You've Been A Part Of Me", "Remember The Love", and "Don't Make Me The Reason".

Excellent sounds from Charlie Wilson – aka "Uncle Charlie", the former lead singer of The Gap Band! Wilson's great here, and really finds a comfortable space that works well right from the start – never trying to be too young or too contemporary, and instead stretching out in these warm, wonderful lines that are an even deeper take on the best styles from his earlier years – especially on some of the midtempo groovers, which really make the album shine! There's some occasional electric touches on the vocals – not really processing, or auto tuning, but a vibe that recalls the funky power of the Gap Band on some of their old school jams – and Wilson really shows why he's still one of the best male soul singers of his generation – working here with a solid approach that few others could match. Titles include "A Million Ways To Love You", "Turn Off The Lights", "Our Anniversary", "My Love Is All I Have", "Whisper", "Say", and "I Still Have You".

A (sadly) posthumous release from Amy Winehouse – a voice we loved for a couple good years before knowing how troubled she was in real life and now lament the loss of – and this set, largely put together by producer Salaam Remi turned out surprisingly well! It'd be pretty easy to bow to cynicism, but for our money, there's more than enough strong stuff here. It features production by Remi, plus Mark Ronson on a couple tracks, and it's a mix of styles that ably demonstrate Amy's depth as an interpreter. There's some great, kinda late night jazzy soul numbers, classic level 60s R&B and thoroughly modern hip hop soul – all with strong vocal performances from Amy. Includes "Our Day Will Come", "Between The Cheats", "Tears Dry (Original Version)", "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow (2011)", "Like Smoke" feat Nas (and some eerily timely lyricism, as of this album's release date), "Valerie ('68 Version)", "Half Time", "The Girl From Ipanema", "Half Time", "Body & Soul" with Tony Bennett, "A Song For You" and more.

A soaring solo effort from the great Philippe Wynne – a vocalist who's probably best known for his hit 70s work with The Spinners, but one who also turns out to be a hell of talent on his own! Wynne's sweet raspy vocals click into place right from the start – stretching out over a host of Philly-styled arrangements that recall the backdrops he received with The Spinners, but with a much stronger focus on his lead – as often any backing vocals are just a female chorus back farther in the mix. Wynne really sparkles on the ballads – grabbing our hearts all over again – but the album also sports some great groovers too – of the sort that really benefit from the tight arrangements. Titles include the seminal "Think Of Your Thoughts As Children" – a really beautiful number – plus "Starting All Over", "Waiting On A Letter From Home", "Lisa", "Take Me As I Am", and "Like A Loser Needs A Winner".

The classic first album by this legendary funky combo – a group who not only went onto change the sound of funk in the 80s, but also went onto have a huge impact on generations of hip hop as well! The album burns from the very first note – the wicked snapping funk of "More Bounce To The Ounce" – a tune that became the blueprint for a generation, and still sounds way better than the millions of copycat attempts that came out over the years! The record follows with some equally wicked bass/keyboard cuts – often with plenty of electro production touches too – thanks to sweeeet work in the studio from Bootsy Collins and Roger Troutman. Bootsy's presence is key, too – as the set kind of strips down the ensemble P-Funk vibe of the generation before – going for a lean, clean groove that's held up beautifully over the years! In addition to "More Bounce To The Ounce", the record also features the mellow steppers cut "Be Alright", which has a wonderful hook, and a great compressed modern soul sound – and other tracks include "Funky Bounce", "Freedom", and "Brand New Pplayer".

The classic first album by this legendary funky combo – a group who not only went onto change the sound of funk in the 80s, but also went onto have a huge impact on generations of hip hop as well! The album burns from the very first note – the wicked snapping funk of "More Bounce To The Ounce" – a tune that became the blueprint for a generation, and still sounds way better than the millions of copycat attempts that came out over the years! The record follows with some equally wicked bass/keyboard cuts – often with plenty of electro production touches too – thanks to sweeeet work in the studio from Bootsy Collins and Roger Troutman. Bootsy's presence is key, too – as the set kind of strips down the ensemble P-Funk vibe of the generation before – going for a lean, clean groove that's held up beautifully over the years! In addition to "More Bounce To The Ounce", the record also features the mellow steppers cut "Be Alright", which has a wonderful hook, and a great compressed modern soul sound – and other tracks include "Funky Bounce", "Freedom", and "Brand New Pplayer".

The classic first album by this legendary funky combo – a group who not only went onto change the sound of funk in the 80s, but also went onto have a huge impact on generations of hip hop as well! The album burns from the very first note – the wicked snapping funk of "More Bounce To The Ounce" – a tune that became the blueprint for a generation, and still sounds way better than the millions of copycat attempts that came out over the years! The record follows with some equally wicked bass/keyboard cuts – often with plenty of electro production touches too – thanks to sweeeet work in the studio from Bootsy Collins and Roger Troutman. Bootsy's presence is key, too – as the set kind of strips down the ensemble P-Funk vibe of the generation before – going for a lean, clean groove that's held up beautifully over the years! In addition to "More Bounce To The Ounce", the record also features the mellow steppers cut "Be Alright", which has a wonderful hook, and a great compressed modern soul sound – and other tracks include "Funky Bounce", "Freedom", and "Brand New Pplayer".

Hard-burning soul from the great stretch of the 60s – that magical latter half of the decade when the genre really exploded – and turned out thousands of amazing tracks on smaller indie labels! This package pulls together some of the best groovers of that generation – all hand-picked by Northern Soul expert Kev Roberts, and served up here with fidelity that's a lot better than most of the beat up 45s we've got in our collection! And with a massive 31 tracks on the set, the whole thing's a heck of a great deal too – with cuts that include "Do You Love Me Baby" by The Masqueraders, "Change Your Ways" by Willie Kendrick, "I Need You" by Shane Martin, "I Got My Heart Set On You" by The Toys, "Let's Get Back Together" by The Honeybees, "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" by The Gentlemen Four, "Tightrope" by Inez & Charlie Foxx, "In The Long Run" by Curtis Blandon, "I Got What It Takes" by Brooks & Jerry, "One In A Million" by Maxine Brown, "Walk Like A Man" by Johnny Moore, and "I'll Always Need You" by Dean Courtney.

What can we say? We've heard this one a million times, it sold over a million copies – but it's still incredible! The record is Roberta's first, and it features her in a mellow trio format, augmented by some occasional larger arrangements by William Fischer. At most points, though, the sound is incredibly spare – with vocals that are much more soulful than any of Roberta's other records, and a sound that hints at Nina Simone, but which has it's own jazzy groove and deep sense of feeling. Includes the classic funky version of "Compared To What", plus "Angelitos Negros", "Our Ages Our Our Hearts", and "Tryin Times".

An incredible bit of southern funk – the first landmark LP by Archie Bell & The Drells, and the first big burst of energy from the Texas scene of the 60s! The album's incredible – with Archie up front on rough-hewn vocals, the band grooving in a mad tangle of guitar, bass, and drums, and some super-fierce horn work by the TSU Tornadoes! You've no doubt heard the band's classic "Tighten Up (part 1)", but this album also includes the incredible "part 2" to the track – which takes the groove a million miles higher! And the whole album's equally great – filled with other tight soul gems that include "A Thousand Wonders", "I Don't Want To Be A Playboy", "Give Me Time", and "When You Left Heartache Began".

One of the biggest albums ever for Ohio Players – a set that took their earlier funk sound and targeted firmly at the mainstream with a lean, mean groove that a million other groups copied at the time! There's still plenty of the soul of the early years in the group's approach here – and sometimes, the mellower tracks show a wonderful talent for harmonies coming even more fully to the top. But the real appeal of the record has always been the bold, bassy grooves that hit strongly just as ensemble funk was exploding in the mainstream during the early years of disco – making plenty of space for the Players and their contemporaries to grab up new audiences who never would have touched a record like this five years before! There's plenty of grit in the grooves on the best numbers – a style that's maybe not as dirty as on Westbound, but still more than enough to make any real funk fan proud. Titles include "Fire", "Together", "Together/Feelings", "It's All Over", "Runnin' From the Devil", "Smoke", "What The Hell", and "I Want To Be Free".

An incredible bit of southern funk – the first landmark LP by Archie Bell & The Drells, and the first big burst of energy from the Texas scene of the 60s! The album's incredible – with Archie up front on rough-hewn vocals, the band grooving in a mad tangle of guitar, bass, and drums, and some super-fierce horn work by the TSU Tornadoes! You've no doubt heard the band's classic "Tighten Up (part 1)", but this album also includes the incredible "part 2" to the track – which takes the groove a million miles higher! And the whole album's equally great – filled with other tight soul gems that include "A Thousand Wonders", "I Don't Want To Be A Playboy", "Give Me Time", and "When You Left Heartache Began".

Two wonderfully soulful albums from the Themes International sound library label – back to back on a single CD! The Voice Of Soul is a rare date from singer Madeline Bell – a vocalist who cut some key commercial work in the late 60s and 70s UK scene, but who shines beautifully on this rare set for the sound library! The tunes are all vocal, with Madeline in the lead – and the overall feel is a bit like Bell's This Is The One Girl set from the mid 70s – but with a leaner feel overall, thanks to the relatively small combo backing up the vocals. And although the record was never issued publicly at the time, it's a killer batch of mellow soul from the 70s – great vocals sliding along with the keyboards, and quite possibly Bell's finest moment on wax. Titles include "Your Smile", "You're A Winner", "Love Doctor", "Soul Slap", "Flying High", "Mr Smooth Man", and "Love Is All". The Sound Of Soul is all instrumental – classic set of soulful sound library tracks – lots of sweet keyboards, guitar, basslines, and other nice bits – one of the best of the titles on the Themes library label during the 70s, and with loads of great tracks by Alan Parker! The overall style is especially in the cop show mode – with tight production, but lots of hard riffing funk – and titles include "Move & Shake Your Body", "Love Doctor", "Soul Slap", "Crumpet", "Flying High", "Mr Smooth Man", and "Love Is All".

A chilling statement from the west coast scene of the 70s – the first album from The Watts Prophets, the ultra-powerful group who emerged from the LA turmoil of the 60s. Like the Last Poets, the group blends together righteous spoken word passages and some spare rhythms and a touch of jazz – all stepping forth in the kind of message-driven recording that was too powerful for radio at the time, but which had an undeniable influence as it circulated amongst underground circles. The whole thing's summed up perfectly by the cover, which shows a fist held high in rebellion! Titles include "I'll Stop Calling You N*ggers", "Kill", "Black Pussy", and "The Meek Ain't Gonna".

Fatback flying like the Phoenix – but hardly rising from the ashes, given that the group's always on top! The sound here is a bit different – slightly leaner than before, but in a good way – with lots of core keyboards from Bill Curtis, who also handles most of the lead vocals – although as with most Fatback sets, there's plenty of sharing on that front with the rest of the group members – a bit of harmony here, a switched lead there – all keeping things nice and fresh! And this time around, there almost seems to be more of a focus on the mellower cuts, which we like a lot – because we've always enjoyed the more laidback numbers tucked in amidst the group's funkier sets – so this album's a real treat, with plenty of mellow and midtempo groovers. Titles include "The Drum Song", "Lover Man", "Call Out My Name", "You've Got That Magic", "Big Brother", "Jump Up Baby Jump Up", and "I Love You So".

A pair of albums from saxophonist Wilton Felder – back to back on a single CD! We All Have A Star offers up solo sounds from Crusaders reedman Wilton Felder – a really great set that's very much in the best vibe of his larger group at the time – yet one that also offers up a stronger focus on Wilton's sublime solo work on tenor! The album's got plenty of Crusaders help on board – given that Stix Hooper and Joe Sample produced the set along with Wilton – and the vibe's a wonderful blend of electric backings, with especially great keyboard lines, and Felder's well-phrased saxophone lines over the top! A few cuts feature vocals – sung by Angela Bryant or Debbie Demoia Ross – and titles include "We All Have A Star", "I Know Who I Am", "The Cycles Of Time", "Why Believe", "Ride On", and "You & Me & Ecstasy". Inherit The Wind is one of the best Crusaders-related solo projects – a soulful bit of fusion from saxophonist Wilton Felder, co-produced with his fellow Crusaders! The album's got the best sunny finish of the group's late 70s albums – traces of Latin, funk, and soul bubbling through a warm jazzy mix – staying soulful all the way through, and coming up with a sound that's smooth, but never sleepy. The blueprint for a million other records – none of which ever sounded this good! Titles include "Insight", "LA Light", "Until The Morning Comes", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "Inherit The Wind".

A stunner! Al Green returns to the glorious, exuberant soul brilliance of the Hi Records years for his Blue Note debut – an amazing return to form that we could kick ourselves for not anticipating! Al Green asserted long, long ago that he had no intention of ever making another secular soul album – and God bless Rev. Green for turning around on that. Of course we wouldn't try to tell you that anything on I Can't Stop is as revelatory as "I'm Still In Love With You" or "Let's Stay Together", but a lot of it comes pretty damn close, believe or not. Al's voice has held up almost unbelievably well over the years, having picked up just enough rough edges to make Willie Mitchell's wonderfully tight, smooth and heavy Memphis soul arrangements that much more striking, but still hitting those knee-shaking high notes and that famous vibrato. And yes, you read the previous sentence correctly – the legendary Willie Mitchell's back in Al's corner for the set – and his horn-drenched Memphis sound is as big and beautiful as ever. If projects like this are going to characterize how Blue Note is going to spend all of that Norah Jones money, we should nominate that girl for president next time. Let's hope Al and Willie live up to the title and keep on going after this one. Another classic from one of the greatest artist/producer teams in the history of modern music! 12 tracks in all, including "I Can't Stop", "Play To Win", "Rainin' In My Heart", "You", "Not Tonight", "Million To One", "Too Many" and 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 also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes".

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 feel like they've been lifted from some lost blacksploitation soundtrack. Includes great versions of 2 Willie Henderson tunes – "Off Into A Black Thing" and "Funky Chicken", both of which sound even better than the originals with the vibes in place – plus the tracks "Easy", "Shut Your Mouth", "I Found Sunshine", and "One Man Band".

A great little set of instrumental tracks from Hamp – set to some hipper-than usual Brunswick soul arrangements, by the likes of Eugene Record, Willie Henderson, Sonny Sanders, and Hamilton Bohannon! Bohannon turns out the best track on the album – the slow funky sample cut "Happiness", which steps along at half pace, and sounds like one of the killers from his own Stop & Go album! Other tracks are all pretty great, too – and titles include "Without You In My Life", "I Never Had It So Good", "There It Is", "Wrapped Up In Your Warm & Tender Love", and "Sing A Little Song".

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 that's somewhat more poppy, but still quite soulful overall. And yes, the success of the album meant that cuts like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", and "Beat It" got plenty of play – thanks to both heavy radio and video rotation – but a few decades later, there's still a tremendous amount of depth here – on great cuts like "Human Nature", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", and "PYT" – which all hold up nicely!

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 that's somewhat more poppy, but still quite soulful overall. And yes, the success of the album meant that cuts like "Billie Jean", "Thriller", and "Beat It" got plenty of play – thanks to both heavy radio and video rotation – but a few decades later, there's still a tremendous amount of depth here – on great cuts like "Human Nature", "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin", and "PYT" – which all hold up nicely! This seldom seen picture disc version has an image of Michael in a leather jacket in front of a purple backdrop on one side, and the image from the album art with Michael in a white suit in front on the other.

One of the best-remembered moments from the mighty King Floyd – a southern soul singer who came into the game slightly later than some of his Atlantic Records contemporaries, but who still packs a punch that's right up there with the best of them! The album's best known for the huge hit "Groove Me" – a slinky, catchy tune that's gotten King plenty of play over the years – but the whole thing is pretty darn great, and shows a new sound and style of southern soul coming into play – as Floyd's working in Jackson, at the Malaco Studios, with Wardell Quezergue producing – in a sound that's a bit free of some of the more obvious Memphis and Muscle Shoals modes, yet without any of the cliches that would later hold some folks back too. King balances things perfectly throughout – and in addition to "Groove Me", the set also features "Let Us Be", "Messing Up My Mind", "What Our Love Needs", and "Don't Leave Me Lonely".

Classic bit of 70's fusion, played by Ronnie on tenor and flute, and with a group that includes some excellent keyboard work by Joe Sample. The highlight of the record is the big sample cut "Tidal Wave", but it also includes the great groover "Always There", which was covered a million times over by other bands during the 70's. Wayne Henderson produced, and the record is an archetypal example of his "At Home Productions" sound.

A beautiful swirling instrumental album that features the classic "Love's Theme", the cut that made Barry a multi-millionaire, and which firmly established his sophisticated orchestral soul style as one of the trademarks of the 70s! This is the ultimate in 70s soul class – from the cover that features Barry standing with ladies by the pool, to the complicated rhythms and sweet patterns of sound that made the record an instant classic. Includes some nicely funky cuts, like "What a Groove", "Baby Blues", and the sweet "Midnight and You".

Two funky classics – back to back on a single CD! Put The Music Where Your Mouth Is features some of the funkiest grooves recorded in the UK during the early 70s – the wicked first album by the Olympic Runners, a group who almost got their start by accident! The combo was booked to back up bluesman Jimmy Dawkins for a one-off session in London – but worked together so well in the studio, jamming before Dawkins showed up, that they decided to make it a go with a groove of their own – and this fantastic funky album is the result! The tracks are all instrumental, mostly short and midtempo – with tight changes, lots of guitar and keyboards, and a vibe that's almost in the spirit of Average White Band – but grittier and funkier overall. The title cut – "Put The Music Where Your Mouth Is" – begins with this riffed bass part that's virtually a blueprint for the BDP generation of samples – and other cuts include "Everyone A Winner", "Do it Over", "Taco Toes", "Grab It", "Sproutin Out", "Just Once Is Enough", and "Be My Main Squeeze". Out In Front features funky, fantastic grooves from this hip UK combo of the 70s – a set that's heavy on keyboards and guitars, all produced with this cool compressed feel by the mighty Mike Vernon! The sound is kind of a mix of 70s American funk from the mainstream, and some of those great British studio styles of the period – that way of comping all instruments down on a groove that you'd find in better glam and pop – turned here towards a much more soulful style for the Olympic Runners! Tracks include "Freeze on Funk", "Dump the Bump", "Panic Button", "Exit City", "Get This Thing Down", "Coucou N Flying Fish", and "Go No Further".

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Like Brothers", and "Find Yourself".

A killer debut from Rasputin Stash – a funky group who work with all the long-haired inspiration you'd expect from their name! The groove is a mix of guitars and tight horns – undercut by the kind of heavy basslines that later made the group a good fit for Curtom Records, and lots of cool percussion touches that pepper the bottom of the rhythms nicely – with a pretty spontaneous feel! At times, there's almost a Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band vibe to the record, but mixed with some of the trippier influences of the Westbound crew – especially on the guitar – and like those artists, these guys have no trouble at all dipping into a touch of rock here and there to trip out their groove. Titles include "Mr Cool", "You Are My Flower", "Dookey Shoe", "I Want To Say You're Welcome", "Take Me On Back", and "Freaks Prayer".

Lionel's third album for Motown – one in a string of massive hits that forever changed the sound of 80s soul! The smooth mellow lover is still firmly in place – taking a few chances on the set, but still sounding best on the romantic numbers. Titles include "Love Will Conquer All", "Se La", "Don't Stop", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "Tonight Will Be Alright", and "Say You Say Me". CD features bonus tracks – 12 inch mixes of "Se La", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "Don't Stop", and "Love Will Conquer All".

Fantastic! We've heard it a million times, but it still sends us soaring (in fact, we're listening to it right now). The most fantastic mix of Gil's poetry and his beautiful spiritual jazz sound. The title cut alone is worth any price, and is one of the best soulful jazzy ballads from the seventies. But along with that one, you get other great cuts like "Lady Day & John Coltrane", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "The Needle's Eye", and "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". Essential.

Tight bass-heavy funk from Slave – still working here in that excellent compressed style that was their unique contribution to soul music – possibly the best album ever by the Ohio funky soul combo! They may be be handling the vocals with just a bit more focus and care on Just A Touch Of Love than on other albums – which takes to all to a more soulful level, but doesn't spare on the strength of the grooves one bit. They also point the way towards the more club soul styled approach to come in the 80s, but do so firmly grounded in simmering 70s funk. Excellence! Titles include "Shine", "Are You Ready For Love?", "Roots", "Funky Lady", "Just A Touch Of Love", and "Warning".

Far and away the band's best record! The album's got a fresh funk sound that takes an earlier 70s ensemble style and slicks it down a bit – but thanks to some great drum work by Tim Dozier (Steve Arrington had yet to join the band), and a subtle riffing bass style by Mark Adams, the band had a groove that was quite revolutionary, and which set them apart from the legions of funk imitators that were springing up at the end of the 70s. The high points of the album is the band's seminal "Slide", which is followed up with "Son Of Slide" – and both tracks have these amazing dark repetitive grooves that have really stood the test of time (thanks in part to a famous sample by Tribe Called Quest!) Other tracks include "You & Me", "Party Hardy", "Screw Your Wig On Tite", and "Separated".

A fantastic bit of space age funk – and maybe one of the greatest moments ever from Philly Soul maestro Dexter Wansel! The album goes way beyond any of Wansel's other work – and blends his warm soulful styles with some of the more keyboard-oriented funk that was coming out of the Herbie Hancock camp during the mid 70s – a vibe that's every bit as electric and spacey as you'd guess from the cover! Some cuts have a bit more of a soul focus, but others have loads of jazzy keyboards from Dexter – driven on by some great drums at points too. Titles include Wansel's legendary version of "Theme From the Planets" with the much sampled breakbeat at the beginning – plus the funky "Life On Mars", and the tracks "One Million Miles From The Ground", "You Can Be What You Wanna Be", "Prophet Named KG", "Rings Of Saturn", and "Stargazer".

Great smooth soul from Wee Gee – a wonderful little record from the dawn of the 80s! The album's a great one, thanks largely to Vernon Bullock, who wrote, arranged, and produced with that uptempo modern style that he brought to his best work of the 70s. The soaring title track is a 10+ minute epic that really transcends – hitting an emotional groove early and holding it throughout – and the rest of the tunes are just as nice! Wee Gee's a pretty decent vocalist – and the lofty arrangements keep him in the groove in a mode that's similar to some of Lamont Dozier's best work. The keys and synthesizers are nice – never oversteeped in ways that mired modern soul later in the decade and they go very will with the larger arrangements! Titles include "Hold On (To Your Dreams)", "Let Me Lay With You", "You've Been A Part Of Me", "Remember The Love", and "Don't Make Me The Reason".

A wonderful stepper from the enigmatic Wee Gee! "Hold On" begins with a spare spacey intro, then sneaks into a warm midtempo groove – stepping along underneath some incredibly soulful vocals by Wee Gee that remind us of the best that Teddy Pendergrass had to offer. The real talent, though, is from Vernon Bullock – who provides some seminal mellow soul arrangements and production on the cut! Rolls on for 10 minutes long – and the flipside's a pretty catchy uptempo number too!

Funky funky funky – way more so than you might think from the hokey title! The set's overflowing with rare instrumentals pulled from the indie label and funky 45 underground of the late 60s and early 70s – very much in the spirit of the Super Funk compilations on BGP, but almost harder-hitting, as the groove's completely without vocals overall – and the range of material is even more obscure than some of the usual BGP/Ace bits! The combos on the set range from rocking R&B combos to early funky jazz outfits – and the recording quality on most of these tracks is nice and rough and ready – with just the right edge to send over these cuts even more! Titles include "More Soul" by Ron Buford, "Ninety Eight Cents Plus Tax" by Detroit City Limits, "Chocolate Cherry" by Joe Tex Band, "Humpin" by Frank Armstrong & The Stingers, "Stokin" by Leon Ferguson & The Groove Tones, "Thing" by Lowell Fulsom, "Sundance (part 1)" by Lorenzo Holden, "Put Your Weight On It (part 1)" by Fillmore Street Soul Rebellion, "Roly Poly Mickey Lolich" by The Fans, and "Bad On Bad" by Chet Ivey & His Fabulous Avengers.

Strong dancefloor funk from ADC Band – one of the tightest combos of their generation, and a group who manage to skirt the worlds between 80s club and more jamming funk. There's a much smoother sound here than the group had in their roots, and the focus here is on plenty of bass and keyboards, but a few tracks also feature a bit more guitar. Vocals are by the group in a shifting lineup – including leads from Kaiya Matthews and James Maddock, plus chorus vocals from all the rest. Titles include "Hot Box", "Nuclear Funk Out", "Our Thought", "Super Freak", "Brother Luck", "Celebrate", and "Nothing You Can Do".