Soul — All Formats  

Mid 80s soul from Detroit's Colonel Abrams – One of the first artists to take the then burgeoning house sound into the mainstream – paired up with nicely grooving modern soul vibe! Includes the his "Trapped" and "I'm Not Gonna Let", with those bright and bumping synth melodies and relentless house influenced beats underneath vocals and songwriting that helped get it over with the chart ready contemporary soul scene – plus the solid ballad "Never Change", "Over & Over", "Speculation", "The Truth", "Table For Two" and more. This CD version includes 4 bonus tracks: 12" mixes of "Trapped", "I'm Not Gonna Let You", "The Truth" and "Over And Over" – plus the non album track "Music Is The Answer".

Smooth ensemble funk – somewhere between Earth Wind & Fire and Average White Band – not bad on the vocals, which are mostly sung harmony style, but lacking a bit of an edge on the grooves, which never really seem to catch. Titles include "Top 40 Band", "Soul Power", "Funk Footin", "Cindy", "Mean Child", and "Let It Live".

Breakout brilliance from Bobby Brown – the album that really showed the world he could stand on his own strongly after leaving New Edition! Given the tight production from LA & Babyface, among others, the sound here is hardly cruel – and instead, the album's got a catchily commercial groove that holds up surprisingly well – and arguably sounds a lot better these days, many years after these tunes were getting a bit too overplayed on the radio. Includes the hit singles "Don't Be Cruel" and "My Prerogative", plus "Every Little Step", "Rock Wit'cha", "Take It Slow", "All Day All Night" and "Roni".

Easily our favorite record by singer Merry Clayton – and oddly, because it's a record that actually smoothes out a bit of the emotion referenced in the title, and goes for a welcome mellow groove overall! The Merry heard here is quite different than the belting songstress who first rose to fame in the early 70s for her crossover work – and she's working here in a warm and jazzy set of backings that really help her move onto a strong new sound. Our favorite track on the set is Merry's great reading of Webster Lewis' excellent "Emotion" – done at a level that easily matches Webster's own version – and the set also features a great new take on "Armed & Extremely Dangerous", and a medley of Sly & The Family Stone tunes, titled "Sly Suite"! Other tracks include "Cryin For Love", "Let Me Make You Cry A Little Longer", and "Wasted Time".

An overlooked gem from The Controllers – one issued a bit late to be part of the classic wave of group soul, but a set that's still overflowing with really old school harmonies! The Controllers really have a wonderful way of putting over a ballad – letting things build slow and mellow, trading lead parts and harmonies together in a way that really moves the message forward, while never overdoing things too much in search of a hook. And even when the instrumentation is contemporary, it never gets in the way of the vocals – and almost always lays back once the lyrics come in, even on the album's few groovers. Titles include "For The Love Of My Woman", "My Secret Fantasy", "Love Is On Our Side", "Play Time", "Sleeping Alone", "Knocking At Your Door", and "No One's Ever Loved Me More".

The Dramatics hit an 80s groove mood here – and as on their clubbier sides from the end of the 70s, the vocals are still wonderful – and more than anything, the set's a strong soul-based set that still has the group at the top of their game! Ballads actually sparkle the best here – and showcase that wonderfully full mode that was the best side of The Dramatics harmonies – but the uptempo tunes are good, and have breakout moments that sparkle nicely. Production is by Ron Banks and LJ Reynolds, but Don Davis still oversees the whole thing – and titles include "It Ain't Rainin", "Wecome Back Home", "Love Is Here", "Be With The One You Love", and "Music Is The Peoples Choice".

Excellent middle period work by the Dramatics – recorded after their years at Stax, with a slightly smoother groove, and featuring some great tunes that really sparkle! By this point, the group were hitting a Detroit modern mode – with less of the rough edges of the Stax work, which meant that the harmonies were even tighter than ever – perfectly placed on the best cuts, with a precision you wouldn't have expected a few years earlier. Songwriting is still great – and this 16 track set features many fine numbers from their ABC LPs of the late 70s when the group were working with Don Davis. Titles include "Be My Girl", "Love Is Missing From Our Lives", "Door To Your Heart", "Stop Your Weeping", "Shake It Well", "You're Foolin You", and "Do What You Want Be What You Are", one of the greatest 70s ballad tracks ever!

80s harmony soul from Imagination – a group who always managed to sound pretty great, despite the silly costumes they chose for their album covers! The general groove here is mostly in a catchy midtempo mode – with lots of snapping basslines and synth percussion, nicely offset by the trio's harmony vocals and the hook-heavy lyrics of the tunes! There's a number of nice mellow groovers on the set – including "All Night Loving", "Heart N Soul", and "One More Love" – and the album also features a long version of their hit "Just An Illusion".

Wonderfully sophisticated soul from Etta James – a real departure from the raw shouting R&B of earlier years, and perfectly set to sparkling arrangements by the great Riley Hampton (who'd had similar success with Walter Jackson, Lorez Alexandria, and other Chicago soul stars.) Hampton's dark use of strings brings out a whole new side of James' brilliance – a quality that raised Etta James up out of the R&B ghetto, and forever put her into the legions of legendary 60s soul stars! Titles include the perennial classic "At Last", plus "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Tough Mary", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Anything To Say You're Mine", and "Trust In Me".

It's definitely winning time for Klique – as the trio grooves here with a lean, clean sound that's totally great! Despite the silly jumpsuits on the cover, the group actually have a pretty nice sound in the grooves – one that's kind of a poppy approach to the boogie, filled with plenty of nice hooks and riffing rhythms – all laid out with production that never gets too cluttered or cliched! The sound is simple, but that's it's strongest suit – and the album's got a nice focused quality overall. Titles include "Love's Dance", "It's Winning Time", "From Now On", "Better Times", "So In Love With You", "I Think You Know", "Middle Of A Slow Dance", and "You Brought My Love To Life".

The last record we've ever seen by this funky vocal combo – and every bit as tasty as their early work for Fantasy Records! Part of the reason for that is because the group's getting production here from Augie Johnson – who picked up plenty of funky jazz touches through his work with Wayne Henderson, and had a long relationship with the group that clearly shows them in their best light. The vocals are great – harmonic and floating, without being hokey – and the tracks groove along with the same sort of gentle bounce you'd expect from late 70s Fantasy sides by the Boppers, Side Effect, and others. Tracks include "Dog House", "Perfect Love", "If You Go", "Wrap You Up", "Christy", and "Well Deserved Rest".

An excellent album of smooth soul tracks, and maybe Van's best record of the 70s! The record shows Van sitting at the piano in an intimate setting – ala Barry White – and it's got a similar Love Unlimited Orchestra approach, with much large backing behind Van's voice, and a very full instrumental sound. Van sings lead vocals, which aren't always that great – but he more than makes up for it with some great piano and keyboard work, and some wonderful soul songwriting and arranging that recall his best uptown moments of the late 60s. The record has a few uptempo hustle-type tracks, but they're all pretty darn great soul songs, and there's loads of great mellow soul moments woven in to make the record a nice album of ballads and groovers. Titles include "Before & After", "Wings Of Love", "My Favorite Fantasy", "That's The Story Of My Life", and "You're So Right For Me".

A novelty group if there ever was one, but still a big hit today.

The amazing legacy of Alicia Myers – two classic MCA albums, back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Alicia – a set that's right up there with Myer's recordings with the group One Way, but with some deeper, more personal touches as well! Production is by Kevin McCord and Al Perkins from the One Way camp – and they bring in a nice mix of the funkier numbers that group was known for, and some warmer, mellower cuts that really show Myers maturing as a soul singer – a depth that might not have been expected a few years before, and which should have made her a bigger act for years to come after this wonderful set! The setting really lets Alicia open up on vocals, singing with a power and presence that's really great – and titles include "We Can't Stay In Bed Forever", "Don't Stop What You're Doin", "I Want To Thank You", "If You Play Your Cards Right", "Reggae Funky Dance", "Reservation For One", and "Life Joy & Happiness". Alicia Again is equally great – and has a strong smooth midtempo groove – with the beat toned down a bit from earlier days, in a style that works perfectly for Alicia's voice. A perfect bit of soul for that warm Sunday afternoon in the fall – king of similar to Chaka Khan's great solo work on Warner from the same time. Titles include "When Love Starts To Go", "I'm So Lonely", "Love Me Or Leave Me Alone", and "Do Your Kind Of Dance".

Oliver Cheatham sounds wonderful here – in that best bouncy style that made him a big favorite on the dancefloors in the early 80s – a groove that's still pretty darn great all these years later! The set features key songwriting help from Al Hudson and Kevin McCord, both of whom help enforce the One Way style of grooving here – nicely punched-up club tracks filled with plenty of hooks, mixed with the odd mellower number to show that the album's a solid soul effort all the way through – and not just some dance tracks cooked up in the studio! Cheatham's vocals are great – better than we remember – and titles include "Everybody Wants To Be The Boss", "I Want Your Love I Need Your Love", "Boogie Stomp", "Don't Take Your Love Away", and "I Gave Myself To You".

A dancefloor classic – one of the strongest albums ever by Al Hudson, Alicia Meyers, and the whole One Way crew! The record's got a sweet soulful feel that provides a nice counterpoint to its bass-heavy grooves – popping along at that midtempo pace that was Al's popular remedy for disco on the dancefloor, and which had a crucial effect on soul at the time. The album still plays mighty big here in Chicago, where a classic 80s groove can reign supreme if it's strong enough – and tracks include "You Can Do It", "I Am Under Your Spell", "Music", "Come Dance With Me", and "Now That I Found You".

One of the greatest albums ever from Al Hudson and One Way – a set that still has the group bristling with loads of funky energy – yet also hitting a groove that's wonderfully smooth as well! One Way were really one of the top of the larger funk combos of the time – and this set's a great illustration of the way they were able to perfectly balance all their different components, and come up with a sound that was lean, mean, and right on the money! Vocals shift a bit from track to track, as does the groove – and although things are upbeat, they're also never disco at all – nor too "fake funk" either. Some moments echo the coming style of 80s groove, but there's also a deeper soul feel overall, too – especially heard in the mellower ballads, which are as great as the uptempo numbers. Titles include "Something In the Past", "Do Your Thang", "Pop It", "I Wanna Be With You", "You're The One", and "Copy This".

A slow burning monster of a late night jam from Al Hudson & One Way! The cut pumps along in a mellow mode, with a completely infectious synth line floating underneath the haunting vocals – no syrupy ballad here!

Damn, One Way never lets us down – and although the group cut many albums back in the day, all of them have some great standout moments! The groove here seems even tighter than ever, but never slick or commercial – a very important distinction, given that so many of One Way's contemporaries really let things slide as they headed for the pop charts. Not so with Al Hudson and group, though – as they always know how to balance things out with all the best elements they had from the start – a good mix of upbeat groovers and some mellower steppers – the latter of which really make us love the record. Titles include the smooth stepper "More Than Friends, Less Than Lovers", which features lead vocals by Ewana Wilson, and some sweet harmonies by the Ridgeways that really make the track – and other titles include "Let's Talk", "Serving It", "Condemned", and "If I Knew". CD also features the bonus track "Let's Talk (extended version)".

A solid bit of heavy funk – and one of the last strong-selling soundtracks of the blacksploitation era! Sure, you know the hit "Car Wash", but there's plenty of other great numbers that rank the 2LP set right up there with the best of its genre. There's a lot of nice instrumentals on the album that feature a tight smooth funky sound – with good work on clavinet, wah wah guitar, and horns – all quite different than the usual work of Whitfield and Rose Royce at the time. The group do a good job on the vocal cuts, working in that soulful early 70s Motown mode that Whitfield was working on with other acts – and the whole album's as great a debut for Rose Royce as anyone could have hoped for. Features the hit title cut, plus "I Wanna Get Next To You", "Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is", "Zig Zag", "Mid Day DJ Theme", "I'm Going Down", "Crying", "Doing What Comes Naturally", and "Righteous Rhythm". The Pointer Sisters sing on one track, "You Gotta Believe".

A real stormer from Round Trip – a group whose roots go back to the legendary Sins Of Satan album on Buddah, and who also work here with great production from Al Perkins – in a style that's a bit like his music with One Way! We're not sure if "round trip" was an answer to One Way's name – but whatever the case, the group's a great part of the Perker corner of the universe at the time – and really share his wonderfully warm way with a groove! Oliver Cheatham's in the group at this point – and his vocals really help deepen their sound, especially on some of the mellower cuts, which stand as a real surprise for this sort of record – and give the whole thing a much richer vibe than you might expect. Titles include "Woman", "Nothing Wrong With Dancing", "Not In The Cards", "Let's Go Out Tonite", "Lost Inside Of You", and "Higher Consciousness".

Sweet funky club soul from Stargard – a group who pick up on the guitar-based styles of Labelle, but who have the sweeter soul approach of Three Degrees or First Choice! The bass dominates the arrangements, and there's some surprisingly soulful numbers on the set – despite the silly costumes on the cover! Titles include "Sensuous Woman", "Disco People", "Blue Rain", "Chameleon Lady", and "Starbob".

Bill Summers is a long way from The Headhunters on this record – but he's still sounding great! Unlike the acoustic rhythms of Summers' 70s albums, this set has Bill crafting some electro-tinged groovers designed to appeal to the street crowd indicated by the image of a boom box on the front cover – a tight compressed 80s groove sound that you'd find in the best work at the time by Bernard Wright or Keni Burke, with some great jazzy touches underneath! Vocals are by Lori Ham, Calvin Tillery, Claytoven Richardson, and Larry Batiste – and tracks include "We Call It The Box", "Dreaming", "Dream Of Love", "At The Concert", "Throw Down", "Drum Affair", and "Give Your Love To Me".

A great bit of boogie from the Chicago scene of the early 80s – a set recorded with a nice jazzy bounce overall, and a strong ear for a catchy hook and tight groove – very much in the mode of Omni or Zoom from the same period! Alfonzo's got a warm vocal style that soars up to falsetto one minute, but dips down deep the next – a perfectly fluid approach that works well with the dynamic grooves of the record. And throughout, the whole thing stays nice and cool – nice and classy – never too over the top or schlocky, and in a really timeless way that's held up great for years! Titles include "Gimmie", "Forever", "Only A Winner", "Gimmie Your Love", "Make It Feel Good", "Gotta Be Love", and "Our Love Is For Keeps".

If you look at this single in perspective, it really should have been massive, Jody Wately's huge chart hit, with added verses by Rakim and a remix courtesy the Bomb Squad, all of whom were pretty much at the top of their game in the late 80s, when this was cut.

The legendary Bobby Womack embraces 80s grooves fully on Last Soul Man – his gritty vocals bringing real, gritty soul to backdrops centered by keyboards, synth and programmed beats – and live instrumentation from some exceptional players. Womack brings more depth to the proceedings with some social awareness and an all around realness to the song choices. Tracks include "Living In A Box", "When The Weekend Comes" (featuring Sly Stone) "I Still Love You", "Gina", "A World Where No One Cries", "The Things We Do (When We're Lonely)", "Outside Myself" and more.

We know, we know, you're wondering "Why is this here?". And truthfully, if it weren't for the fact that Quincy was at the top of his game when he produced this version of The Wiz, we'd write it off as total crap too, but there are a few moments peppered in here and there that will make this worthwhile to some of you out there! Skip past "Ease On Down The Road" to the "Emerald City Sequence", "Poppy Girls", 'So You Wanted To See The Wizard" and "Home".

A nicely priced collection of work from One Way and their best lead vocalist – Alicia Myers! The set features 5 tracks by One Way, including dancefloor favorites like "Push" and "Cutie Pie", as well as "Who's Foolin Who", "My Lady", and "Lady You Are". Next up are 5 solo tracks by Alicia – including "Appreciation", "Don't Stop What You're Doin", "I Want To Thank You", "You Get The Best From Me (Say Say Say)", and "Reggae Funky Dance".

Titles include "Let The Good Times Roll", and lots of medley numbers of classic blues!

2LP promo only set – featuring instrumental and acapella versions of some of Mary J's biggest cuts! Titles include "Sweet Thing (hip hop mix)", "You Remind Me", "Reminisce (bad boy remix)", "I'm Going Down (acapella)", "Love No Limit", "Real Love", "You Don't Have To Worry", and "Be Happy".

Mary J's second LP, and every bit as fine as the first. She's still working with Puffy and Chucky Thompson here, staying true to the commercial R&B formula that has been Blige's mainstay over her entire career. 13 tracks of the fine Brooklyn soul sound, plus a couple of interludes, including "You Bring Me Joy", "I'm Going Down", "Be Happy", "My Life", "Mary's Joint", "No One Else" and "Mary Jane".

The roots of the new soul. . . Mary J's first, and still her best, 12 tracks in all including "Real Love", "Sweet Thing", "Love No Limit", "You Remind Me", "Reminisce", "What's The 411?", "You Don't Have To Worry", "Changes I've Been Going Through", "Slow Down" and more.

Tight Latin Funk from El Chicano – a bit slicker than some of their earlier albums, and with tracks that are a tad weak, but there are still plenty of fine moments. The title track "Pyramid" is a wonderful Latin groover – all instrumental, and in a slow Chicano funk mode with nice organ solos, and plenty of great congas and timbales. Other tracks include a remake of "Barretta's Theme", plus "I Love You Anyway", "Lake Aquabi", "Such A Good Life", and "Michael's Theme".

Catchy soul from the mid 80s scene – one of the more mainstream efforts from a group who could also be a bit jazzy at times! The album's still got a quality that's better than most of the chart work of the period – a bit more of that British bounce at the bottom, even though the overall sound and production are quite professional. Titles include "Children Of The Night", "Abandon Love", "You're My Last Chance", "Smiling Eyes", "I'm Available", and "Let's Celebrate".

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 late 70s, compressed a bit more towards a tighter soul groove, but still with all the warmth that reference might imply. Vocals are by male and female singers, often wrapped together nicely – and titles include "It's Up To You", "Just Like You", "This Love That We've Found", "Don't You Walk Away", "Side Steppin", and "Billet Doux".

A hit set from the end of the 80s – one that showed Patti still going strong in her third decade in soul music! The set's got a style that's decidedly more modern than some of the classic work we know from Patti – but her vocals are still very strongly in place, and if anything, the overall presentation of the album has her strutting her stuff as a diva even more strongly than before. Titles include "Yo Mister", "I Can't Complain", "If You Asked Me To", "I'm Scared Of You", "Can't Bring Me Down", "Need A Little Faith", and "I Can Fly".

Quite a different record than most of Denise's other southern blues sides – and a great little set with a warm clubby feel! The album's got arrangements by David Van DePitte, and a warm flowing dancefloor style that shows Denise as a whole new sort of singer than we might have expected from her more rootsy, more bluesy work of earlier years. The standout cut is the title cut – "I'm So Hot" – which is a really great number that slowly builds with a midtempo groove, Denise singing in a really anthemic style that she hardly matched again! But the whole album is pretty darn great too – and tracks include "Giving Up", "Tear For Tear", "May The Funk Be With You", and "Sometimes".

Titles include "Something In The Way", "Home", "Real Love", "Comfort Of A Man", "Fast Talk", "Good Girl Gone Bad", and "Ain't No Cookin".

An 80s pop R&B classic – and one of the best numbers by New Edition - updating the young harmony vocal sound of the Jacksons and other groups for the New Jack era!

A great little set from One Way – post disco Detroit dancefloor soul of the first order! There a crisp, tight bubbling sound that's pretty wonderful – and warm in the spots where so many records of the period and cold and mechanical. The tunes bounce along nicely with production from Al Perkins, and some nice bass work by Kevin McCord. The album includes the nicely snapping funky tune "Hold It" – plus "Pull Fancy Dance/Pull". "Burn It", "Your Love Is All I Need", "He Is My Friend", "Get Up", and "Show Me" – plus bonus track "Let's Talk".

A totally massive set from One Way – a record that has them sounding even better than ever – drawing on all the strengths of the previous few records, and really knocking it out of the park! Although the group's got a great way with a groove, the mellow cuts here are equally nice – including the sublime title number, which begins the set as a sweet stepper – then lets the grooves pick up pace as things move on. Everything's nicely restrained – no overdone boogie modes, or too-funky rhythms that would usually show up on a set like this – and if anything, One Way should be given plenty of props for not just going for the dancefloor – and really coming up with a richly-voiced album like this! Titles include "Love Is", "My Lady", "Wait Until Tomorrow", "Push", "I Didn't Mean to Break Your Heart", and "All Over Again".

A dancefloor classic – one of the strongest albums ever by Al Hudson, Alicia Meyers, and the whole One Way crew! The record's got a sweet soulful feel that provides a nice counterpoint to its bass-heavy grooves – popping along at that midtempo pace that was Al's popular remedy for disco on the dancefloor, and which had a crucial effect on soul at the time. The album still plays mighty big here in Chicago, where a classic 80s groove can reign supreme if it's strong enough – and tracks include "You Can Do It", "I Am Under Your Spell", "Music", "Come Dance With Me", and "Now That I Found You".

One Way were one of MCA's biggest (and only) soul acts during the late 70s – and as this album will prove, they kept on going very strongly into the 80s! The strength of the group was the great work by Al Hudson – a fearless leader who kept things funky, and who wrote in some great hooks to tracks that could have otherwise been throwaway dancefloor fodder. Case in point is the group's classic "Cutie Pie" – the leadoff track on this album, which also includes "Runnin Away", "Who's Foolin Who", "Sweet Lady", and "You're So Very Special".

Giorge may have switched the "e" in his name, but that's not the only thing that makes him stand out – because the album's something of an underground classic from the 80s, even though it's issued on a major label! Pettus is a great singer with a really mature feel – a quiet storm vocalist who really sparkles on the mellow cuts, and manages to sing with a deeply expressive feel that offsets any of the stiffer rhythms in the background. The album features some production by Kashif, who's probably a good comparison to Pettus – and titles include "My Night For Love", "Can You Wait", "I'm Good For You", "One Track Mind", "Trouble In Paradise", and "Make It Right".

Classic post-Prince commercial 80s soul! Even though Prince, Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and even Andre Cymone are nowhere in sight, this classic 80s LP could just as well have come out of Minneapolis as Flint, Michigan, and we mean that in the best possible way. "Oh Sheila" has deservedly reached classic status, and the rest of the set's just as great, jheri curls and all! Also includes "Tonight", "Digital Display", "Ceramic Girl", "Deep Inside Your Love", "Human Toy", "Slide Over", "Out Of Town Lover" and "I'm The One Who Loves You".

The first album – and an archetypal bit of jazzy rocking soul that would forever change the face of 70s pop. Chaka Khan and the band are still working things out at this point, but the record's got some excellent sweet funky moments, and some great LA production that drives the whole thing home nicely. Titles include "Haulin Coal", "Satisfied", "Feel Good", "Keep It Coming", "Slip N Slide", and "There's No Tellin".

Sure, you've heard a lot of these cuts a million times – but honestly, it's still great to hear Rufus and Chaka, whatever the setting! The set dips back into the ABC recordings by the group, and features tracks from the years 1974 to 1979. Titles include "You Got The Love", "Sweet Thing", "Hollywood", "Tell Me Something Good", "Do You Love What You Feel", "Stay", and "Once You Get Started".

A nice later effort from War – one that really has them grooving in a great way! If you never got past the first two tracks on side one – "Galaxy" and "Baby Face" – you might imagine this album's just a middle of the road attempt to move in on the disco sound that was becoming popular. But as you delve into the album further, you can hear their trademark Latin tinged rhythms and breezy, jazzy soloing on harmonica and guitar. Mellow California Latin soul, including the great extended instrumental "The Seven Tin Soldiers", plus "Hey Senorita" and "Sweet Fighting Lady".

Classic work by War! "Galaxy" is a later funky classic by the group – strutting out with some sweet funky riffing, ensemble vocals, and a powerful groove that's always been a dancefloor pleaser!

Smooth stepping grooves from The Floaters – still very much in the nicely compressed mode of their more famous debut, and getting some nice production help here from Eugene McDaniels! There's a righteous punch to the record that really shows the influence of McDaniels – a way of keeping things hip, even when hovering near the mainstream – and although the groovers are great, we actually think that the best cuts are the mellow ones – tunes that move in a lightly gliding, almost spacey way – one that has the group's voices crackling nicely with an honest approach that we really love! There's a warmth to these tunes that's undeniable – and titles include "Levitation", "Woman Love/You Are My Lady", "Brand New Lite", "Made Up My Mind", "The Best Of Our Love", "Go Down To The Disco", and "Sweet Lady September".

A totally massive set from One Way – a record that has them sounding even better than ever – drawing on all the strengths of the previous few records, and really knocking it out of the park! Although the group's got a great way with a groove, the mellow cuts here are equally nice – including the sublime title number, which begins the set as a sweet stepper – then lets the grooves pick up pace as things move on. Everything's nicely restrained – no overdone boogie modes, or too-funky rhythms that would usually show up on a set like this – and if anything, One Way should be given plenty of props for not just going for the dancefloor – and really coming up with a richly-voiced album like this! Titles include "Love Is", "My Lady", "Wait Until Tomorrow", "Push", "I Didn't Mean to Break Your Heart", and "All Over Again".

One of the greatest albums ever from Al Hudson and One Way – a set that still has the group bristling with loads of funky energy – yet also hitting a groove that's wonderfully smooth as well! One Way were really one of the top of the larger funk combos of the time – and this set's a great illustration of the way they were able to perfectly balance all their different components, and come up with a sound that was lean, mean, and right on the money! Vocals shift a bit from track to track, as does the groove – and although things are upbeat, they're also never disco at all – nor too "fake funk" either. Some moments echo the coming style of 80s groove, but there's also a deeper soul feel overall, too – especially heard in the mellower ballads, which are as great as the uptempo numbers. Titles include "Something In the Past", "Do Your Thang", "Pop It", "I Wanna Be With You", "You're The One", and "Copy This". CD features a bonus track – "Tonight (full length version)".

Sure, it was a hit – but it's also an excellent batch of jazzy soul, sung by one of the 70's greatest voices, backed by a sweet mellow vibe that's still influencing hip hoppers today. Includes the incredible track "Stop On By", plus the instrumental "Rufusized", "I'm A Woman", "Somebody's Watching You", "Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)", and "Right Is Right".

Billy Stewart was one of the greatest soul singers ever to record for Chess (even though he wasn't from Chicago), and although his work for the label stretched from the early to the late 60's, he's not nearly as well-remembered as he should be. This set aims to correct that, and features 20 great tracks of some of the most unusual soul you'll ever hear. You may already know Billy's voice from his amazing crossover version of "Summertime" (which still shows up on oldies stations), but that's only the beginning of the way this stuff grooves, as the arrangements are fantastic, and have a tight punch and loping groove that will knock you off your feet. Tracks include the classic "Sitting In the Park" (later covered by GQ), "Cross My Heart", "Secret Love", "Tell Me The Truth", "Strange Feeling", "Fat Boy", and the nice version of "Every Day I Have the Blues", which begins with some tight funky drums. Great stuff throughout, and one of the truly unique voices in soul music!

Mellow soul and soaring club – all nicely balanced together in this first album from the group Anacostia! There's a sound here that's slightly different than some of the other east coast groups of the time – a willingness to slow things down, then groove them up – all with a sound that's polished, but never in a too-commercial sort of way. In fact, most of these tunes seem to aim for a space that's pretty far both from radio, and conventional disco – despite the fact that Van McCoy supervised the production, which is mostly handled by Charles Kipps. There's a fair bit of strings in the backings, and keyboards are by Richard Tee – on titles that include "Looking Over My Shoulder", "Heartache In Disguise", "We Can't Live Life Alone", "I Can't Stop Loving Her", "Baby I'm Available", and "Face The Fact".

A stone club classic from the early 80s – one of the best mainstream groovers of the post-disco years! Cheatham's a percussionist by trade, but really comes off with something extra here – a smoothly soulful groove that's sublime from start to finish – no filler, no cliches, just the best sort of rhythms the early 80s scene had to offer! Rhythms are a mix of electric and acoustic beats – blended together with a keenly jazzy sensibility, and topped with sweet keyboards that dance wonderfully alongside Oliver's vocals. Titles include the stellar "Get Down Saturday Night", plus "Something About You", "Through It All", "Just To Be With You", "Do Me Right", "Bless the Ladies", and "Make Your Mind Up". CD features the bonus track "Get Down Saturday Night (special extended version)".

BB King live at the Cook County Jail in Chicago – and given the amount of great live shows going on in the institution during the early 70s, the jail must have been one hell of a place to be incarcerated! This classic features BB King entertaining the prisoners with a wickedly sharp blues set – done, like most prison live shows, with an edge that's often missing from more conventional concerts – plenty gritty, both on the vocals and guitar, with a sound the Chicago audience must have loved! Titles include "How Blue Can You Get", "Worry Worry", "Sweet Sixteen", "The Thrill Is Gone", "Please Accept My Love", and "Every Day I Have The Blues".

Great later work from Rufus – working here without Chaka Khan on vocals, but sounding even jazzier as a result! There almost seems to be more emphasis on the instrumentation than before – and the album's got a warmly funky groove that definitely carries on the 70s Rufus tradition, but cleans things up a bit for the 80s generation – especially lean on the rhythms and the keyboards! Tony Maiden and David Wolinski handle the vocals, often in a compressed way that's mixed right down in the music – but the real charm here comes from the rhythms and the sweet jazzy licks in the grooves. Titles include "Tonight We Love", "Can I Show You", "What Is It", "Afterwards", "We Got The Way", "Party Til You're Broke", "Love Is Taking Over", and "Secret Love".

A definite masterjam from Chaka Khan and Rufus – one of the group's last key efforts together – produced to perfection by the mighty Quincy Jones! Chaka's vocals are sublime right from the start – taking on the soaring majesty she'd use on her initial solo recordings – and the group's tighter than ever – really hitting the right mix of jazzy funk and soul to make the whole thing come together perfectly. Greatness like this only gets better with years – and this sweet little album is more than proof of that fact! Tracks include a version of "Body Heat", plus "Heaven Bound", "Live In Me", "Any Love", "Do You Love What You Feel", and "What Am I Missing".

Mellow soul and soaring club – all nicely balanced together in this first album from the group Anacostia! There's a sound here that's slightly different than some of the other east coast groups of the time – a willingness to slow things down, then groove them up – all with a sound that's polished, but never in a too-commercial sort of way. In fact, most of these tunes seem to aim for a space that's pretty far both from radio, and conventional disco – despite the fact that Van McCoy supervised the production, which is mostly handled by Charles Kipps. There's a fair bit of strings in the backings, and keyboards are by Richard Tee – on titles that include "Looking Over My Shoulder", "Heartache In Disguise", "We Can't Live Life Alone", "I Can't Stop Loving Her", "Baby I'm Available", and "Face The Fact".