Soul — All Formats  

Deep southern soul from vocalists Chuck Brooks, Joe Wilson and George Soule – a both gritty and and some sweeter material cut at Malaco Studios, mostly in the early-to-mid 70s – with some rare 45 numbers, and others that were never issued at all! The Chuck Brooks tracks are wonderful and show a real range, from funky, stripped down numbers to bigger productions that still have plenty soulful grit to them! The Joe Wilson tunes are just as strong – with a heavy bottom end to the rhythms, organ and vamping soul guitar in the mix, and uniquely emotive vocals from Chuck. The set's closed out by a trio of tunes by George Soule, solid, moody, a mix of soul, a bit of southern rock & pop, and Motown ballad influences. Really incredible stuff! Includes "Loneliness (Is A Friend Of Mine)", "Baby Please Don't Set Me Free", "You Can't Be In Two Places At The Same Time", "Once Up A Love Affair" and more by Chuck Brooks, "(Don't Let Them) Blow Your Mind", "Sweetness", "When A Man Cries", "Our Love Is Strong", "Don't Look Back", "Go On And Live", "Walking Away From True Love" and more by Joe Wilson, "Talking About Love", "The Easiest Think I've Ever Done" and "That's Why I'm A Man" by George Soule. 25 tracks in all!

A brilliant little compilation – despite the title – one that showcases some of the best work from the legendary Jackson scene of the 70s! As the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scenes were beginning to slow down after years of great soul records in the 60s, Jackson, Mississippi picked up the slack – thanks to the mighty might Malaco Studios! And while the Malaco name later became more associated with the label of the same name – and put out some great blues and soul albums in the 80s – back in the early years, the studio was more of an overall crossroads for many different styles of southern soul, and opened its gates to loads of excellent talent that wasn't getting recorded elsewhere. The depth of the set will really surprise you, as there's some tracks that have a straighter southern soul, but others with styles that are a bit more modern, sophisticated, and at times, even sound a bit like work coming out from east coast indie labels of the period. The set's got 21 tracks in all – filled with sublime work that represents some of the best of the indie scene of the south at the time, most of which you've probably never heard before, plus a few more modern numbers that are equally great! Titles include "Don't Matter To Me" by Billy Cee, "Calling For Your Love" by The Enticers, "All The Way In Love With You" by Ray Crumley, "Standing In The Wings Of A Heartache" by Ted Taylor, "I'm Gonna Love You More" by Richard Caiton, "Foot Loose & Fancy Free" by Carolyn Hudson, "Last Minute Plans" by Chuck Brooks, "Get Some Understanding" by Patrick Green, "When We Touch" by Floyd Taylor, "Kiss & Tell" by Stan Mosley, and "What Do We Have To Lose" by Sam Dees.

A standout classic from Fern Kinney – and a set that not only marked a big moment of evolution for southern soul, but also for the Mississippi scene as well! The set was recorded at the Malaco studios in Jackson, but has a vibe that's much closer to some of the TK Records material from Miami – that maturation of southern soul during the disco era – as warmer, more modern touches came into play with rootsier styles of vocals! Mike Lewis handled the string arrangements – giving the record the same disco vibe as some of his other work of the time, including Anita Ward's big debut – and Fern's vocals have this higher range than usual for a southern singer – almost more innately tuned towards clubby rhythms. Titles include a big hit remake of King Floyd's "Groove Me" – really marking the change from the original version – plus "Baby Let Me Kiss You", "Pillow Talk", "Sun Moon Rain", "Angel On The Ground", and "Under Fire". CD features bonus tracks "Let's Keep It Right There", "I Want You Back", "Movie Show", "Baby Let Me Kiss You (single)", "Sweet Life", "Tonight's The Night", and "Groove Me (single)".

Produced by Tommy Couch, with tracks that include ZZ's classic "Down Home Blues" – plus "Givin It Up For Your Love", "Woman Don't Go Astray", "When It Rains It Pours", and "Love Me".

One of the first strong female talents on the Malaco label – a great singer with a style that works equally well on deep soul, smooth soul, and uptempo material. The lasting contribution of this set is Dorothy's approach to smooth southern material – taking the hard soul diva approach into a more sophisticated vein, a bit like Jackie Moore a few years before. Titles include "Love Me", "I Believe In You", "Too Blind To See", "Loving You Is Just An Old Habit", and "For Old Time's Sake".

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".

An overlooked gem from the equally-overlooked Clay Hammond – a sweet 70s groover that offers up a great mix of modern and deep soul modes! Clay's vocals are still every bit as great as on some of his earlier soul singles, but the arrangements push things into tighter territory that's mighty nice – a lot like some of the later Hi Records work from Al Green – or even better, like that great sound that Otis Clay hit at the end of the 70s! Like Otis Clay's best records from the time, Clay's vocals stay nice and real – wrapped up in a sweet mix of blues and soul – and although the backings often hit a warmer midtempo groove, they're never overdone or commercial at all – just a maturation of southern soul modes – in ways that kind of point towards the later Malaco scene, while avoiding any of its cliches. Titles include "Tuning Up", "Rap On Wood", "Don't Stop Your Love", "Come Into These Arms Of Love", "Part Time Love", "Love Won't Let Me Stay Away From You", and "Women Are Human".

The title's a bit misleading – as the set's not exactly the stuff of hits – but it is a wicked collection of material that ZZ Hill recorded for United Artists Records in the early 70s – sublime southern soul, finally getting its due in this reissue package! Hill's style here owes a lot to some of the Memphis singers of the 60s – especially Otis Redding and Bobby Blue Bland, both of whom would be welcome references here – although ZZ's also stepping out strongly with his own bad self as well – putting in a bit more punch, and hipping things up for a 70s market that had southern soul audiences stretching way up north and out west too. There's also none of the blues modes that Hill adopted in later years – which is great if you've only heard his Malaco dates – and titles include "Bad Mouth & Gossip", "I Created A Monster", "I Don't Need Half A Love", "Ain't Nothing You Can Do", "Am I Groovin You", "Look What You've Done", "That Ain't The Way You Make Love", "Snap Your Fingers", "Can I Get A Witness", and "Dream Don't Let Me Down".

The return of a legend – or maybe more accurately, the first time this legend's ever really gotten his due! Ralph Jackson's been working in the Alabama soul underground for decades – yet this smoking album may well be the first time he's ever really gotten out front, and able to do his thing – working with a tight group of younger musicians who really respect the southern soul vibe that Ralph's going for – and help him hit a really great sound in the process! The set's a soul record through and through – not one of these modern funk workouts with an old singer thrown into the mix – but the kind of old school album you'd hear from Malaco or Criteria Studios – particularly during that point when deep soul was growing up in the 70s. Production and arrangements are right on the money – and all tunes are written by Jackson, save for one totally great cover of The Ides Of March classic "Vehicle"! Other titles include "You've Been Very Good To Me", "Searching", "For Just One Second", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "I'll Take Care Of You", and "There Must Be A Reason".

The return of a legend – or maybe more accurately, the first time this legend's ever really gotten his due! Ralph Jackson's been working in the Alabama soul underground for decades – yet this smoking album may well be the first time he's ever really gotten out front, and able to do his thing – working with a tight group of younger musicians who really respect the southern soul vibe that Ralph's going for – and help him hit a really great sound in the process! The set's a soul record through and through – not one of these modern funk workouts with an old singer thrown into the mix – but the kind of old school album you'd hear from Malaco or Criteria Studios – particularly during that point when deep soul was growing up in the 70s. Production and arrangements are right on the money – and all tunes are written by Jackson, save for one totally great cover of The Ides Of March classic "Vehicle"! Other titles include "You've Been Very Good To Me", "Searching", "For Just One Second", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "I'll Take Care Of You", and "There Must Be A Reason".

The great Jesse James – still going strong! We've loved Jesse for decades – from his great 60s album on 20th Century, through his important 70s underground singles, and even into his later bluesy years – a great place for James' talents in the later generation! This album's definitely got that feel – kind of a Malaco Records sort of sound, but arguably produced with a sweeter feel than Malaco's had on any of their sessions for many many years – southern soul that's contemporary, yet pretty darn timeless too – especially with vocals as great as James'. Millie Jackson adds in a few great guest appearances – and titles include "Let's Get A Room Somewhere", "Are You Gonna Leave Me", "I Can Do Bad By Myself", "Where Do Lonely Lovers Go", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "If He Can't Hold His Pants Up How Can He Hold You Up", and "It Just Don't Feel The Same". Also features a XXX live version of "Let's Get A Room" – and an interview with Jesse!

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".

Tight and soulful blues from Little Milton – just the sort of record that helped him cross over to bigger audiences back in the day, and a set that still sounds plenty great all these many years later! The set was done in Chicago – arranged by James Mack, with backing vocals from Kitty & The Haywoods – and the sound is a sweet west side mix of rootsy and soulful elements – a blend that shows the same growing sophistication of the Malaco scene at the time, at a level that moves nicely away from college circuit blues cliches of the 70s. Milton's vocals are wonderful – raspy and appealing with a Tyrone Davis-like charm – and titles include "Friend Of Mine", "Don't Turn Away", "You're Gonna Make Me Cry", "It's All Bad News", "Sundown", "Bring It On Back", and "Baby It Ain't No Way".

Jackson soul from McKinley Mitchell – more polished than his earlier work, but still with that Chimneyville/Malaco late 70s southern style that was the best heir to 60s work in Memphis and Muscle Shoals. Tracks include "Open House At My House", "You're So Fine", "The Town I Live In", "You Know I've Tried", "Run To Love", "Dream Lover", "End Of The Rainbow", and "Follow The Wind".

Incredible southern soul work from Sound City – a lesser-known studio operating out of Shreveport in the 70s, with a groove that's a bit different than some of its bigger contemporaries on the scene! The Sound City approach is a bit leaner than Hi, Jewel, Malaco, or other outfits running at the time – and this collection of tracks issued on its tiny Alarm label show a growing sophistication that moves past some of the more familiar southern soul modes. There's a bit of funk on some of the tracks – almost more New York influenced in approach than down south –and there's also some more personal, mature ballad numbers too – really great tracks that make great use of the more heartbreaking qualities of the vocalists featured here – Ted Taylor, Reuben Bell, and Eddie Giles. The set has a really unified sound – given that there's only these three singers featured on the set – and that all vocalists have a good way of hitting both high notes and rootsier modes. Titles include "Somebody's Getting It", "Steal Away", "I'm Gonna Hate Myself In The Morning", "Looking Back", and "Everybody's Stealing" by Ted Taylor; "I'll Be Your Woman", "Superjock", "One Sided Love Affair", and "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye" by Reuben Bell; and "Swearing Out A Want", "There Must Be A Place", "You're My Sweet Inspiration", "How Many Times", "I Can't Get Over You", and "Married Lady" by Eddie Giles.

A lost soul treasure from the 70s – and a rare secular album recorded by gospel singer Dottie Peoples! The set's got a stunning deep soul feel – easily right up there with the best 70s work from the Malaco and Muscle Shoals scenes – with a pure and top-shelf approach to the material that stands tall throughout the entire session. Dottie's vocals are tremendous – influenced by her gospel work, but with an easygoing style that's never too overdone, and which has the same mix of modern and southern that we love in work from the time by Jimmy Lewis or Sam Dees. The album's never been issued before, and the original 1978 tapes have been lovingly remastered with beautiful sound. Titles include "Look Around", "Imagine Me", "A House Made Of Love", "Very Strong Affection", "I Don't Want Nobody", and "Bring It Over Baby".

A surprisingly soulful album for the Prelude label, and a great batch of smooth mellow tracks produced by David Porter in Memphis and Malaco. The record's got some tight harmony vocals, and a rhythmic approach that's more mellow soul than it is uptempo disco – although that doesn't stop the record from having a few dancefloor stormers. Titles include "On Fire", "Party (parts 1 & 2)", "I Know I Didn't Do You Wrong", "Leaving Me", and "Live While You Can".

A surprisingly nice later album from Chicago soul singer Ruby Andrews – quite different than her famous work of the late 60s, but proof that she's still a heck of a singer in the long run! The style here is mostly in a modern southern soul mode – the style used by the revived Goldwax label at the time – and in that manner, Ruby brings in a bit more blues than before – yet still goes for a mostly-soul delivery in the end. The album's got the feel of some of those Malaco sessions made by southern soul singers in the 80s – but maybe a bit more Memphis overall – and titles include "Cheaters Can't Be Choosers", "Footprints On The Ceiling", "I Don't Want To Wake Up", "Trying To Love Two", "Dead To Right In The Wrong", "When You Love Somebody", and a mighty nice remake of "Casanova" – almost done as a modern stepper!

The great Jesse James – still going strong! We've loved Jesse for decades – from his great 60s album on 20th Century, through his important 70s underground singles, and even into his later bluesy years – a great place for James' talents in the later generation! This album's definitely got that feel – kind of a Malaco Records sort of sound, but arguably produced with a sweeter feel than Malaco's had on any of their sessions for many many years – southern soul that's contemporary, yet pretty darn timeless too – especially with vocals as great as James'. Millie Jackson adds in a few great guest appearances – and titles include "Let's Get A Room Somewhere", "Are You Gonna Leave Me", "I Can Do Bad By Myself", "Where Do Lonely Lovers Go", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "If He Can't Hold His Pants Up How Can He Hold You Up", and "It Just Don't Feel The Same". Also features a XXX live version of "Let's Get A Room" – and an interview with Jesse!

Syl Johnson, back in action and sounding great – and working here with key help from the younger generation too! As the title indicates, Johnson's singing here with up-and-coming vocalist Melody Whittle – a contemporary artist, but one with deep soul touches that work perfectly with Syl's classic approach – all wrapped up here with a style that's partly old school, and partly that modern evolution of the southern soul style you might find on a label like Malaco – further proof that Johnson just keeps on growing after all these years! Daughter Syleena makes an appearance on the set, and shades things in with some of her own flavors too – and titles include a few remakes of old tracks too. Tracks include "Mr Invisible", "I'm With You Too", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", "Is It Because I'm Black 2006", "Ms Fine Brown Frame", "Loving On The Run", "Baby I'm Scared Of You", "Goodie Goodie Good Times", "Mellow Down Easy", "I'm Just A Freak For You", and "Just Make Love To You".

A treasure trove of early material from singer Tommy Tate – most of it pulled from demo tapes at the Malaco Studios in Jackson, and some of it previously unreleased! The music here really shows a great evolution in styles – as the earliest tracks show Tate coming off his role as the singer for The Imperial Showband, with a more popular 60s soul style – and the later tracks have Tommy deepening strongly, into the mature southern soul modes of his KoKo Records period. Like so many other releases on the Soulscape and Grapevine labels, this set's way more than a reissue collection – and much more of a discovery in soul – a rare look into the vaults, and a batch of material that really deserved better circulation at the time. The package features some compelling notes on Tate's career, and comes with a whopping 23 tracks that include "The Whole World Is The Same", "Friend Of Mine", "My Wife", "I'd Really Like To Know", "Do You Think There's A Chance", "Cold & Lonely Man", "Solid Straight & Sound", "So Hard To Let A Good Thing Go", "Hold On", "All A Part Of Growing Up", "Get It Over Anyway", and "Peace Is All I Need".

Modern southern soul from CL Blast – a singer who took his music into great new territory during the time covered on this set! CL was a vocalist with roots in much bluesier modes, but at the end of the 70s, working with producer Frederick Knight, he really hit his stride in hipper, more contemporary styles – using an approach that was a bit like the updated Johnnie Taylor sound over at Columbia, but still somewhat more southern overall! There's a mix of Miami and Malaco vibes going on here – the tightness of the former but without the too-contemporary styles of the latter – and although Knight's production (plus a bit of help from Sam Dees) really sets the tone of the tunes, it's Blast's vocals that send the whole thing home. CD features 20 tracks in all, plus great notes on the music – with titles that include "Don't Fight The Feelin", "Beautiful Lover", "I Wanna Get Down", "50/50 Love", "Boomerang Love", "Let Me Entertain You", "Drown In My Own Tears", "I've Got To Make It On My Own", "If I Had Loved You More", "Share You Love With Me", and "Lay Another Log On The Fire".