Soul — All Formats  

Seminal work by one of our favorite soul singers of all time! Jerry first came to fame with The Impressions and on his own in the early 60s – singing dark moody easy tunes that well earned him the nickname of "Iceman". In the late 60s, though, he moved onto Mercury where he broke through even bigger with some excellent early production by Gamble & Huff, which took Jerry to a whole new level, and which gave his work a swinging soul groove that worked great with his vocals. This set compiles some of the best moments of the Mercury years – including "Never Give You Up", "Lost", "Moody Woman", "Mr Dream Merchant", "Hey Western Union Man", and "Only The Strong Survive".

We'll be honest, there's not that much funk going on in this album – or at least not nearly as much as you'd expect from the title – but it's also not a bad soul record, and it's probably one of Eric's best overall. Steve Cropper arranged and produced the set, and there's enough of a Memphis groove on the best cuts – especially the extended "It's Time For Me To Make Love To You" – to keep the record going. Other titles include "A Gift To You", "Like It Should Be", "I Can Smell That Funky Music", "Stop Looking Down", and "Wrap Me In A Map".

An obscure Afro Funk combo from the early 70s – produced by Ronnie Lane of The Faces, who may very well have been inspired by Ginger Baker's love of the style! The record's got some pretty heavy guitar work, and there's lots of funky rock running through the grooves – so those African-inspired rhythms are touched by more than a bit of heavy tripped out electric fuzz. Titles include "Wajo", "Awade", "Happy Song", "Psychedelic Baby", "Midnight Lady", "Blow", and "Confusion".

No honking here, as Sil Austin takes his deeply soulful tenor sax, and turns it to a set of creamy late-nite tracks – all done over some very "pretty" backings, ala the Verve strings work of Ben Webster or Lester Young. Most cuts have voices in with the orchestrations – and titles include "I'll Walk Alone", "Call me", "Ruby", "My Mother's Eyes", "Stardust", "Prisoner Of Love", and "Sweet Slumber".

Man, these guys really know how to groove – and even on a bigger label, with a more commercial image, they still manage to come up with a tight little set! There's a key ear for a bassline and beat that keeps The Bar-Kays standing stronger than most of their contemporaries – a sense of rhythm schooled in years of indie funk that comes through even on the mellower cuts here – which themselves show an even better side of the group in this generation, one that comes across great here on a few slower numbers that have a sweetly stepping groove. Titles include "Nightcruising", "Freaky Behavior", "Feels Like I'm Falling In Love", "Touch Tone", "Hit & Run", "Unforgettable Dream", "Traffic Jammer", and "Backseat Driver". CD also features a bonus single mix of "Hit & Run".

It's clearly long after his Stax years at this point, but the album's still got some nice enough soul moments, and was still all recorded in the south. Tracks include "Yesterday I Lied, Today I Cried", "Morning Glory", "Your Love Keeps Me Going", "Let it Shine", and "Satin Sheets".

A nice disco record from Hamilton Bohannon. The album mainly contains uptempo dance numbers but there are a few slower songs like "Daddy's Little Son" – a dedication to his son whose picture is on the cover of the album. The other tracks are "Andrea", "But What Is A Dream", "Bohannon's Disco Symphony", "Isn't It A Beautiful Morning", "Just Doing My Thang", and "Moving Fast". Some of Bohannon's original band members like Ray Parker, Jr. turn up playing guitar on some of the songs.

The only thing better than Cameo is more Cameo – especially when the group's best tunes are stretched out a little! This tasty set features 10 tight little jammers – some of the group's greatest dancefloor groovers, served up in extended 12" mixes – one of which is previously unreleased! The grooves range from the group's stellar late 70s years into some of their more heavy-handed 80s funk – and titles include "Rigor Mortis (12" mix)", "Single Life (12" UK mix)", "Candy (12" UK mix)", "Shake Your Pants (12" club)", "Word Up (12" club)", "I Just Want To Be (12" ext)", "She's Strange (12" club)", "Room 123 (12" rap)", "Attack Me With Your Love (12" club)", and "Back & Forth (12" Larry Blackmon mix)".

Full-on frenetic funk from Cameo – one of the group's tightest albums, yet still without any of the too-slick sounds of later years! The sound here is amazing – and we always find ourselves wondering how a group of guys can hit such perfect grooves with just a bunch of basses, guitars, and keyboards – a totally on-the-money style that vamps, leaps, and jumps with energy throughout. The vocals are great too – bubbling up in the mix almost like another instrument – and the album's got a depth that so many other copycat funk records from the time just couldn't touch. Wonderful throughout – with tracks that include "Shake Your Pants", "Cameosis", "On The One", "We're Goin Out Tonight", and "Please You".

The sweetly grooving first album from Central Line – one of the few British soul groups to really kick it in the early 80s scene – with a catchy dancefloor sound that both encapsulates the era and lays down a killer groove for the ages! The album is a blend of bass riffing, keyboards, group vocals and nice electro touches – always done with a truly soulful approach as a perfect counterbalance to the breezy electronics! Upbeat and fresh early 80s modern soul that holds up better than most huge hits of the time! Titles include the killer opener "Walking Into Sunshine", plus "Don't Tell Me", "Shake It Up", "Breaking Point", and "I Need Your Love".

A massive 2-fer from The Chi-Lites – 2 amazing post-Brunswick records on a single CD! Happy Being Lonely is beautiful beautiful work from The Chi-Lites – and a record that we might even say tops the best of their late Brunswick book! Despite the move from that label to Mercury, the group have a sound here that's still wonderfully fragile and harmony-focused – especially on the mellower cuts, which crackle with a sense of humanity that so many other harmony groups were losing at the time. But even the more upbeat tunes are great too – rolling along on some spacious arrangements by Tom Tom Washington, and showing that Chicago could come up with grooves to rival the sound of Philly! Titles include the great ballad "Love Can Be Hazardous", the Sam Dees number "Vanishing Love", and the titles "Don't Blame The World", "Message To The World", "Let Your Love Fall Like Rain", and "I Turn Away". The other album on the set is great too – and Fantastic Chi-Lites is right, because the group's still going strong even after their hit years on Brunswick – stepping forth with a sweet harmony sound that nicely fits the Philly arrangements they get on this set! There's a maturity here that gets past the fragile soul of earlier sets, and which has the group moving into a warmly adult mode that's a perfect shift from their more familiar hits. Includes the classic club groover "My First Mistake" – a stunning track that recalls the best work of groups like Blue Magic or Double Exposure – and other tracks include "I've Got Love On My Mind", "If I Had A Girl", "Who's In Love With Me", "Let's Touch", and "Love At Its Best".

A great early album from Con Funk Shun – a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze – done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and beyond – honest, intimate, and at times just more focused in the vocals department than both the funky soul groups of the time and the quiet storm singers of the approaching early 80s – and still doesn't spare the bass, horns and funky interplay! High points include the closing instrumental "Indian Summer Love" and funky centerpiece "Ffun" –plus "Doowhachawannadoo", "Who Has The Time", "Secrets", "Tear In My Eye" and "I'll Set You Out OK".

A trio of early 80s efforts from Con Funk Shun in a 2CD set – with bonus tracks! Touch is a killer from the group – one of the few mainstream funk groups who actually managed to sound better and better with each new record – and on this set, they really seem to come into their own! Titles include "Too Tight", "Lady's Wild", "Give Your Love To Me", "Kidnapped", "Welcome Back To Love", "Touch", and "Play Widit". Includes 2 bonus tracks: "Lady's Wild (12" Version)" and "Body Lovers (12" Version)". 7 is not the group's 7th album, but a bold statement of the unity they feel as a 7 piece ensemble – perfectly lived up to in the record's well-crafted grooves! The album's one of Con Funk Shun's best overall – really solid, but never too slick, very tight in the bass department, but still soulful on the vocal tip, and never afraid to slip into a sweeter, more mellow tune. Titles include "Straight From The Heart", "Bad Lady", "Promise You Love", "I'll Get You Back", "A Song For You", and "California 1". To The Mix has snapping grooves and a sweet clubby sound. The bass is tight, the keyboards are electric, and the rhythms are great – never forced or stiff, and always flowing with a sense of soul that's head and shoulders above most of the group's contemporaries. Vocals are strong too – especially on the numbers that step things down a few notches – and titles include "Ms Got The Body", "Let's Ride & Slide", "Everlove", "Hide & Freak", "You Are The One", "Take It To The Max", "The Freak", and "Love's Train". Includes the bonus "Ms Got The Body (12" Version)" and an instrumental version.

Although Don's probably best known for his Atlantic stuff, we really love this album for Mercury from the early 70s. It's a nice bit of 70s soul, with a sound that's a lot more in place than that of his earlier recordings in the decade, which were a bit bluesy. The LP includes the great AM radio hit "I Was Checkin' Out She Was Checkin' In", plus the funky "Overtime Man", and "The Pinch Hitters". Groovy 70s soul, with a nice quirky twist.

Delegation really hold onto their groove in this rock-solid second set – an album that burns with vibrant energy right from the start – but all in ways that are really a cut above the usual uptempo soul of the time! Rhythms are a key part of the sound, but it's the trio's vocals that really hold us rapt – a warmly glowing approach to the lyrics, and one that still keeps things plenty soulful, even when tunes are upbeat, catchy, and very firmly aimed at the dancefloor! These guys were never huge at the time, but they've got a near-perfect sound throughout – a sense of funk that rivals some of the large-member ensembles, and a warmth with their vocals that matches some of the solo acts of the period. Titles include the sublime "In Love's Time", which has a great Earth, Wind & Fire kind of groove – plus "Singing", "Feels So Good", "In The Night", "Gonna Keep My Eyes On You", "12th House", "Turn On To City Life", and "I Wantcha Back".

Delegation really hold onto their groove in this rock-solid second set – an album that burns with vibrant energy right from the start – but all in ways that are really a cut above the usual uptempo soul of the time! Rhythms are a key part of the sound, but it's the trio's vocals that really hold us rapt – a warmly glowing approach to the lyrics, and one that still keeps things plenty soulful, even when tunes are upbeat, catchy, and very firmly aimed at the dancefloor! These guys were never huge at the time, but they've got a near-perfect sound throughout – a sense of funk that rivals some of the large-member ensembles, and a warmth with their vocals that matches some of the solo acts of the period. Titles include the sublime "In Love's Time", which has a great Earth, Wind & Fire kind of groove – plus "Singing", "Feels So Good", "In The Night", "Gonna Keep My Eyes On You", "12th House", "Turn On To City Life", and "I Wantcha Back". Bonus tracks include "Singing (12" special disco mix)", "Singing (single)", and "12th House (single)".

One thing you have to remember about The Dells – they always sound great! Even here, in later years, their sound is superb – a rich, deep approach to harmonies that's still head and shoulders above most other groups in the business! The production on the set is by Norman Harris and the Harris Machine – and some tracks get a Philly groove on, while others stick in a mellower ballad mode that's completely dominated by the group. Niceness abounds, and titles include "Private Property", "God Helps Those", "Don't Trick Me, Treat Me", "Wasted Tears", and "How Can One Man Be So Lucky". CD features a bonus track – a US single edit of "Private Property".

Coke Escovedo's best album and a nice bit of groovy soul from the mid 70's. Patrick Gleeson produced, Harvey Mason plays drums, and the whole thing's got a nice laid back spacey soul sound. Includes covers of Lamont Dozier's "Why Can't We Be Lovers" and Leon Ware's "If I Ever Lose This Heaven", plus "What Are You Under", "No One To Depend On", "Easy Come, Easy Go", and "Make It Sweet".

A perfect follow-up to Exuma's first album on Mercury – and like that one, a really rootsy blend of soul, funk, and other global sounds! Percussion and acoustic guitar dominate most of the instrumentation – just right for the rough-edged vocals on the set – in ways that help underscore some of the more righteous themes in the lyrics! The whole sound is a great summation of the musical journey that Exuma's taken from his Bahamian roots – and titles include "Damn Fool","Paul Simon Nontooth", "Fire In The Hole", and "A Place Called Earth".

A crowning moment from the Chicago scene of the late 70s – the second Mercury album from Heaven & Earth, and a stunner all the way through! The set's an undisputed groover right from the start – thanks to the massive arrangements from the great Floyd Morris – an artist who did some excellent work in the Chicago indie soul scene in the 60s, including some classic funky 45s – and whose work here definitely gives Heaven & Earth a sharper edge than most other acts of their type at the time! You can definitely hear Floyd's touch in the funky bottom of the two-part classic "I Feel A Groove Under My Feet", and in the riffing guitar of "Poetry In A Box" – and the group also show their warmer, mellower side nicely on cuts like "Let's Get It Together", "I'm In Love With Your Lady", "I Only Have Eyes For You", and "Whole Lot Of Love" – nice warm numbers with great harmonies and gentle stepping grooves!

Excellent work from this smooth Chicago vocal group! The album may well be the best the group ever recorded – and it features some stellar ballad work produced with a nice spacey tone, almost in a Rose Royce mellow mode – by Jerry Butler's Fountain Productions team and by Clarence Johnson, who brought the group up from the beginning! The real strength of the album, though, is the group's vocals – wonderfully harmonious, but with a rougher edge and a deeper soul than many other 70s groups of the same type. The album includes the massive semi-hit "Guess Who's Back In Town" – plus other good ballads like "How Do You Think You're Gonna Find Love", "Let's Work It Out", and "Distant Melody". The album also features some uptempo numbers – and other tracks include "Run & Tell That", "Dance A Thon", and "No Limit".

Excellent work from this smooth Chicago vocal group! The album may well be the best the group ever recorded – and it features some stellar ballad work produced with a nice spacey tone, almost in a Rose Royce mellow mode – by Jerry Butler's Fountain Productions team and by Clarence Johnson, who brought the group up from the beginning! The real strength of the album, though, is the group's vocals – wonderfully harmonious, but with a rougher edge and a deeper soul than many other 70s groups of the same type. The album includes the massive semi-hit "Guess Who's Back In Town" – plus other good ballads like "How Do You Think You're Gonna Find Love", "Let's Work It Out", and "Distant Melody". The album also features some uptempo numbers – and other tracks include "Run & Tell That", "Dance A Thon", and "No Limit".

A brilliant batch of funk – featuring every single chart hit by the JBs, the best of their hot funky singles for the People label, all recorded during the early 70s, under the supervision of James Brown! All tunes are offered here in their shorter single versions (save for "It's The JBs Monaurail", which runs for over 8 minutes) – in tight edits that sum up the funk perfectly, and put it over the fence with some amazingly hard rhythms! Tracks include "The Grunt (part 1)", "Hot Pants Road", "Doing It To Death (part 1)", "Breaking Bread", "If You Don't Get It The First Time, Back Up & Try It Again", "Blow Your Head", "Gimme Some More", "Pass The Peas", "Same Beat (part 1)", and "Damn Right I Am Somebody (part 1) (7 inch single mix)".

Sure, they're a funk act – but Kool & The Gang also have a great way with a ballad, too – and as the 80s moved on, the laidback mode worked just as great for the group as their groovers! This mellow set features a dozen Kool & The Gang ballads – some gentle love songs that still seem to hold onto the compression we love in their funk – yet turn the energy towards different ends, often without being overly commercial. Tracks include "Strong", "Think It Over", "Jones Vs Jones", "September Love", "No Show", "Cherish", "Broadway", "Too Hot", "Just Friends", and "Special Way".

One of the later, post-Fantasy albums by the LA Boppers – a great one for Mercury! Bop Time has some of their nice smooth two step harmony vocals set amidst jazz-tinged arrangements – with plenty of funk in the mix, too – especially in those killer basslines! Augie Johnson produced for At Home productions, so the jazzy moments blend nicely with the dancefloor funky soul. Tracks include "You're On My Mind", "If It Is That Way", "Dreamer", and "You're No. 1". Also features a very tasty remake of "La La Means I Love You"!

An obscure group, but a wonderful one – and an ensemble we really wish we could hear more from! Yet thankfully, they've given us this wonderful album from the start of the 80s – a soaring, soulful set that seems to pick up the funky torch dropped by Earth Wind & Fire – and push things forward with the same blend of jazzy undercurrents and righteous feelings! Tunes are uptempo, but never too much so – and handled with musicianship that's really top-shelf – and the production has a wicked blend of jazz and soul that almost feels like some of Wayne Henderson's best productions from the At-Home years. The record features a wonderful soul number called "Dreams", which has great compressed grooves, and some early vocals by Miki Howard – and other titles include "Swingin", "Aspects", "Mirror Of My Soul", "I'll Always Love You", and "Who Are You?". CD features both UK and US cover art – and bonus cuts that include "Emergency", "The Word Is Out", "Swingin (rmx)", "Midnight Groovin (single)", and "Midnight Groovin (12" version)".

A great debut from The Malemen – a short-lived group in the recording studio, but one who spent many years on the southern scene as a well-travelled showband! The group have a more modern vibe here than they might on the stage – a sweet 80s groove approach that features plenty of tight basslines bumping up the rhythms, with keyboards following quickly in step – all while the group often do a great job of harmonizing together alongside the groove! There's a nicely varied sound to the record – one that goes way past the usual slapbass funk of the time – and titles include the nice mellow cuts "Baby Doll" and "The Love We'll Share" – plus "Shakedown", "Party Time", "Hard On It", and "Take You Out".

A great debut from The Malemen – a short-lived group in the recording studio, but one who spent many years on the southern scene as a well-travelled showband! The group have a more modern vibe here than they might on the stage – a sweet 80s groove approach that features plenty of tight basslines bumping up the rhythms, with keyboards following quickly in step – all while the group often do a great job of harmonizing together alongside the groove! There's a nicely varied sound to the record – one that goes way past the usual slapbass funk of the time – and titles include the nice mellow cuts "Baby Doll" and "The Love We'll Share" – plus "Shakedown", "Party Time", "Hard On It", and "Take You Out".

Two gems from Johnny Mathis' mid 60s years at Mercury Records – one classic album, and another previously unreleased session! First up is Love Is Everything – an album that's got Johnny working with arranger Glenn Osser – who always seemed to set the right tone to unlock the best side of Mathis' 60s vocals. Orchestrations are lush, but never sleeping – and have that wonderful pillow of sound approach that really lets Johnny open up and soar vocally. Titles include "A Thousand Blue Bubbles", "Never Let Me Go", "This Is All I Ask", "People", "One More Mountain", and "Go Away Little Girl". Next up is Broadway – a record that was recorded for Mercury, yet never issued at the time! The album's got a nicely unusual feel – a range of songs that really moves past the usual ballads and love songs you might normally know from Johnny Mathis – and which, at some times, shows sides that are a bit more upbeat and playful. Titles include "Get Out Of Town", "Manhattan", "Don't Rain On My Parade", "When I'm Not Near The Girl I Love", "Ridin High", "She Loves Me", and "Ain't It De Truth".

A pair of gems from Johnny Mathis' years at Mercury Records – back to back on a single CD! First up is So Nice, an album that definitely lives up to its title – with a sound that extends strongly from the lushness of Mathis' early 60s recordings, but which also has a bit of a nod to the late 60s scene too – thanks to tunes from Marcos Valle, Michel Legrand, Burt Bacharach, and others! Glenn Osser handles most of the arrangements – in that shimmering strings style that always seemed to work best for Johnny during this period – a mode that never overshadows his vocals, and really lets that Mathis magic unfurl – on titles that include "The Music That Makes Me Dance", "I Will Wait For You", "So Nice", "Elusive Butterfly", "What Now My Love", and "What The World Needs Now Is Love". Johnny Mathis Sings is the final Johnny Mathis album for Mercury Records – and one of our favorites from the time! There's a nice little bounce to some of these cuts that really opens Johnny up – a style that's never too groovy, but which brings in some slight 60s syncopation to the rhythms – albeit in a gentle sort of way. Strings and horns shimmer over the top, next to Johnny's great vocals – which are still the center stage of the session – almost a bit more mature, and sounding wonderful on cuts that include "Strangers In The Night", "Who Can Say", "I Wish You Love", "The Second Time Around", "Sunny", "Saturday Sunshine", and "Eleanor Rigby".

Two Johnny Mathis gems from his years at Mercury Records – back to back on a single CD! Sweetheart Tree is a unique album – in that it represents some unusual London sessions from Johnny Mathis – material recorded in the UK with different arrangers than usual – including Tony Osborne, Alyn Ainsworth, and Allyn Ferguson – all of whom help give Mathis a slight change of flavor here! The new talents make for a fresh change – and the album also brings in a few US tracks too, with work by Glenn Osser and Lincoln Mayorga – on titles that include "Symphony", "The Skye Boat Song", "A Wonderful Day Like Today", "Clopin Clopant", "This Is Love", and "I'll Close My Eyes". The Shadow Of Your Smile is a record that has the singer both hitting classic modes, and stretching out towards some of the hip changes in 60s music as well! The mix of tunes is very nice – with a few Beatles tunes, some bossa tracks, and a few more standard numbers to round out the mix – all arranged with some inventive rhythms by John Pisano, Glenn Osser, Jack Elliott, and Tony Osborne – in ways that make for a nice sense of variety throughout the record. Titles include a great reading of "The Shadow Of Your Smile" – plus "Quiet Nights", "Michelle", "Taste Of Honey", "Melinda", "Come Back To Me", "Something's Coming", and "Moment To Moment".

A pair of Mercury Records albums from Johnny Mathis – on CD for the first time ever! Tender Is The Night is tremendous work from Johnny's short years on Mercury – a set that has the singer hitting a new level of maturity in his music – thanks in part to arrangements from Don Costa! Costa's scored plenty of singers before this set – but with Johnny, he hits a level of sophistication that's really amazing – the depth of tones and colors that Frank Sinatra was getting on his late 60s years at Reprise – perfect for the new level of expression that Mathis was hitting in his vocals. There's loads of numbers here that go way beyond what you might expect from the usual hits from Johnny – and titles include "Laura", "No Strings", "A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes", "Forget Me Not", and "Tomorrow Song". Wonderful World Of Make Believe features Mathis working with arranger Allyn Ferguson – who often gives Johnny the same sort of shimmering charts he might get from Glenn Osser, but who takes a bit more liberties here with the "make believe" modes promised in the title! Lots of the tunes are numbers from shows – but those of a whimsical, wistful variety – postwar tunes with a fantasy vibe that's perfect for the inherent sense of longing in Mathis' vocals. Titles include "Shangri La", "House Of Flowers", "Beyond The Sea", "Camelot", "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows", "Sands Of Time", and "When You Wish Upon A Star".

A pair of Mercury Records albums from Johnny Mathis – back to back on a single CD! First up is This Is Love – a record that really sparkles, thanks to backings from Allyn Ferguson, done in that perfect mix of soft strings and shimmering brass that seems to work best for the vocals of Johnny Mathis! The album's got a feel that's full, but never in a too-lush or sleepy way – that perfect balance you find on Johnny's key classics from the early years – of which this album is certainly a real standout. Ferguson's backings have a subtle sense of drama, but never overdone – and titles include "Over The Weekend", "More", "You Love Me", "Poinciana", "The Touch Of Your Lips", and "Just Move Along Meadowlark". Ole is an unusual Latin-themed album from Johnny Mathis – one that uses the drama of Spain, the exotic sounds of South America, and even a bit of bossa nova – all to help Johnny hit some new styles in his music! Backings are by Allyn Ferguson, and still cast perfectly for Mathis' vocals – so that while sounding fresh, the album also has a strong quality that ties it to other Johnny Mathis albums of the time – particularly the overlooked gems he cut for Mercury Records. Titles include "Samba De Orfeu", "Manha De Carnaival", "Serenata", "Bachianas Brasileiras", "Granada", and "Without You".

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".

It's the mid 70s, and the Ohio Players were certainly turning out a lot of gold! Their move to Mercury Records from the smaller indie Westbound was a real winning move – as it gave them a smoother soul feel that only expanded their groove, not restricted it! This tasty "best of" set features most of their top work from those years – with killer tunes that include "Love Rollercoaster", "Fire", "Skin Tight", "Who'd She Coo?", and the great "Sweet Sticky Thing"!

Great work from the Ohio Players – and proof that moving to a big label could be a good thing for a funky group! This was the band's first album for Mercury – and although one might have the temptation to say that the label cut down the radical funk sound of the trippy Westbound years, the move also taught the band to sharpen up their act, and get out of the repetitive sloppy groove into which they'd been lapsing during the past few years. The record's a lot smoother than earlier work – with a polished funky sound that would soon push the band right up there with Earth Wind & Fire at the top of the soul charts. And although there's familiar funky numbers like "Skin Tight", "Jive Turkey", and "Streakin Cheek To Cheek" – the best moment on the entire album is the wonderful spacey soul number "Heaven Must be Like This", a seven minute mellow groover that's got a sophisticated jazzy soul style, with voices and piano soaring into the heavens, in a way that always still sends chills down our spine! That cut shows the band's tremendous growth – and it's one of their best-ever!

An amazing album that's probably one of the most unified albums that George Clinton ever recorded! The band's rawer style has been firmed up and economized – but a lot of the best elements are still in place, including a strange approach to vocals that has male and female voices interacting and counterbalancing in a similar style to that heard on some of Roy Ayers' best work from the early 70s. Clinton's begun introducing a lot of elements of Funkadelic into the group – but the tracks are still short and very tight, with a focussed approach to both funk and lyrics that really makes the album stand up to repeated listenings over the years. The album begins with the sublime "Chocolate City", a surprisingly political number that has these incredible jagged piano lines that echo away madly – then it rolls into other great numbers like "Side Effects", "What Comes Funky", "If It Don't Fit, Don't Force It", and "I Misjudged You". CD includes 3 bonus tracks – "If It Don't Fit Don't Force It (alternate)", "I Misjudged You (alternate)", and "Common Law Wife (previously unreleased)".

Great late 70s work from Jimmy Smith – two albums back to back on a single CD! One of our favorite later albums from organist Jimmy Smith – and a set that cooks heavily in a wicked blend of jazz, funk, and soul! The style's a bit like the groove that Johnny Hammond hit during his Gears period – arranged by Eugene McDaniels and Alan Silvestri, with an approach that's somewhere between Larry Mizell and Skip Scarborough – tight grooves, bits of vocals, yet plenty of room for Smith's keyboard solos to take off over the top! Players include Herbie Hancock on piano, Alan Silvestri on guitar, and Lenny White on drums – but the main star is Jimmy – who's grooving massively over the top of the album, with soaring solos that are some of his best work from the late 70s. Our favorite track on here is a masterful take of "Can't Hide Love", but there's a lot of other nice funky tracks like "Slippery Hips", "My Place In Space", and "Give Up the Booty". Unfinished Business is mighty soulful business from the great Jimmy Smith – a set for Mercury Records that updates his sound slightly, yet also hits some classic Hammond lines too! Jimmy plays a bit of acoustic piano and keyboards in addition to his classic organ – and works here in a setting that's tightly arranged, yet mostly small combo – with work from Ray Crawford on guitar, Nolan Phillips on tenor and flute, and added percussion from Buck Clarke and Stephanie Spruill. Rhythms step along nicely in kind of a 70s take on 60s soul jazz modes – leaving lots of room for Jimmy to open up on his solos – but there's also a few other more ambitious moments, including a great take on "Serpentine Fire" arranged by Ronnie Foster – and a warmly wonderful "Stevie" – which is a suite of tracks dedicated to Stevie Wonder. Other titles include "8 Counts For Rita", "Blues For Charlie", "Until It's Time For You To Go", and "Norristown PA".

One of the most obscure Stylistics albums of the 70s – a smooth late 70s modern soul effort, headed up by group soul maestro Teddy Randazzo! Teddy wrote, arranged, and produced the whole set – and the record nicely links together older group harmony styles, especially 60s uptown soul mode, with the more modern approaches that were appearing in the wake of the early 70s super-hit status of The Stylistics and other groups on the scene. The result is an approach that's more mature than the group's earlier work – still sweetly soulful, but also more confident and mature. Titles include "First Impressions", "You're The Best Thing In My Life", "Looking At Love Again", "I Can't Stop Lovin", and "California Sun".

Includes "Holy Smoke & Gee Whiz", "Let Me Know", "Thinking Of You", "Top Notch", "Let's Get Down", "Lovin You", "Don't Fall In Love", and "Still A Man". Excellent harmonies, and a warm classic soul sound!

Excellent work from Dee Dee Warwick – Dionne's more soulful sister, and a heck of a singer! The record's got a mix of uptown soul production and deeper soul styles, with a sophisticated style that reminds us of Chicago work by singers like Joann Garrett, Marlena Shaw, or Ruby Andrews – totally tight and sophisticated up top, but with a nice kick on the bottom that really deepens up the groove! The sound is really wide-ranging – similar to what you might find on Shaw's Cadet albums from the time – and production is by some top shelf talents throughout – including Lou Courtney to Ed Townsend to Jerry Ross to Gamble & Huff – all of whom leave their own impressions on the record. Titles include "Foolish Fool", "You Taught Me To Love", "Thank God", "That's Not Love", "Thank You Love", and "When Love Slips Away". Great bonus tracks from singles, too – including "Ring Of Bright Water", "Next Time You Fall In Love", "All The Love That Went To Waste", "I Who Have Nothing", and "I Haven't Got Anything Better To Do".

One of The Maestro's true materpieces! Fragile, sexy, sinful soul, held together by interwoven strings and keyboard lines, with Barry's voice over the top like rich cream on a sweet piece of cake. Includes the long versions of "Honey Please, Can't Ya See" and "Never, Never Gonna Give You Up", plus "Hard To Believe That I Found You".

The first rumblings of the pop genius in Yello's music – a record that still has all the best quirky electronics of their first two sets, but which also focuses that energy into a sound that's often more direct and oddly hook-oriented on the best numbers! There's a really percussive vibe going on here – a quality that makes the album almost more darkly rhythmic than other efforts, but which also pushes some tunes ahead with quite a sense of drive – mixing early samples, analogue electronics, and Dieter Meier's always-great vocals into a sound that's still better than many of the countless groups who sprung up in Yello's wake. Titles include "I Love You", "Swing", "Heavy Whispers", "Crash Dance", "Lost Again", "Smile On You", "Pumping Velvet", and "Salut Mayoumba".

Mid 80s funky soul from Cashflow – a rare one cut for the Atlanta label, and produced by Larry Blackmon – a group R&B effort that seamlessly combines the club ready soul, funk, 80s rap influences and otherwise tightly thumping grooves Blackmon worked with at the time! Cashflow had a hit with "Mine All Mine", but the rest of the record is nearly as nice as that one – post electro, keyboard heavy synth soul & funk production with group vocals that range from quite strong lead and backing vocals – plus a Larry Blackmon rap in the middle of "Party Freak", a cut that works nicely in the She's Strange era Cameo mold! Other tracks include "Can't Let Love Pass Us By", "Spending Money", "Reach Out", "I Need Your Love" and "It's Just A Dream".

Beautiful beautiful work from The Chi-Lites – and a record that we might even say tops the best of their late Brunswick book! Despite the move from that label to Mercury, the group have a sound here that's still wonderfully fragile and harmony-focused – especially on the mellower cuts, which crackle with a sense of humanity that so many other harmony groups were losing at the time. But even the more upbeat tunes are great too – rolling along on some spacious arrangements by Tom Tom Washington, and showing that Chicago could come up with grooves to rival the sound of Philly! Titles include the great ballad "Love Can Be Hazardous", the Sam Dees number "Vanishing Love", and the titles "Don't Blame The World", "Message To The World", "Let Your Love Fall Like Rain", and "I Turn Away".

Delegation really hold onto their groove in this rock-solid second set – an album that burns with vibrant energy right from the start – but all in ways that are really a cut above the usual uptempo soul of the time! Rhythms are a key part of the sound, but it's the trio's vocals that really hold us rapt – a warmly glowing approach to the lyrics, and one that still keeps things plenty soulful, even when tunes are upbeat, catchy, and very firmly aimed at the dancefloor! These guys were never huge at the time, but they've got a near-perfect sound throughout – a sense of funk that rivals some of the large-member ensembles, and a warmth with their vocals that matches some of the solo acts of the period. Titles include the sublime "In Love's Time", which has a great Earth, Wind & Fire kind of groove – plus "Singing", "Feels So Good", "In The Night", "Gonna Keep My Eyes On You", "12th House", "Turn On To City Life", and "I Wantcha Back".

Sublime mellow tracks from Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions – a great reminder that amidst all the uptempo groovers they gave us in the 60s, the group also could really make a ballad shine too! These slower-paced cuts feature harmonies that are even more sublime than on the upbeat numbers, and some especially heartbreaking leads from Curtis – whose slight vocal crackle always really seems perfectly suited for moods like these. Titles include "I Can't Stay Away From You", "I Loved & I Lost", "Just One Kiss From You", "Falling In Love With You", "I'm So Proud", "Never Let Me Go", and "I'm The One Who Loves You".

A landmark crossover album – featuring Buddy Miles' mixed Freedom Express group, and a heavy jazz-rock sound that would soon dominate the charts with other groups. Buddy's drums are super-heavy, even if his vocals always get us the wrong way. Includes the original recording of "Them Changes", plus "Memphis Train", "Your Feeling Is Mine", "Dreams", and "Down By The River". One for the Fillmore crowd!

Funky stuff from this obscure rock band that played with more of a soul sound than a lot of their contemporaries! The live material's pretty darn great from an instrumental standpoint, with lots of heavy conga-driven grooves (thanks to King Errison), and plenty of guitar and sax work, very much in the funky style of Mandrill on their early albums. Titles include "Runaway People", "Big Dealer", "Tycoon Bufoon", "If You Don't Like My Music", and "Hold On".

A great step forward for The Bar-Kays – an album that actually has them taking on a few mellower moments, amidst the heavy funk you might expect – yet all without softening their groove at all! The album's very much in the best spirit of the group's Mercury debut – still recorded in Memphis, with production that's tight, but never uptight – enough to firmly put the group at the top of the funk superstar scene of the mid 70s, yet never sell out the rich Memphis groove that first got them going! Titles include "You Can't Run Away", "Let's Have Some Fun", "Can't Keep My Hands Off You", "Whatever It Is", and "Shut the Funk Up".

Proof that even a move to a major label couldn't keep the Bar-Kays down – as the group are working here in a great groove that's wider, fresher, and stronger overall than any of their Stax albums! Sure, the whole thing's not guitar-based funk all the way through, but the group are also maturing, and really opening up a lot – working equally well on ballads and mellower midtempo numbers, as they were on the still tight funkier tracks. The overall sound is almost that of the Ohio Players when they moved to Mercury, but without the chart hits, and more of a focus on working at a level that's even higher than before! The band still jams it hard on the funky cut "Give It Up", but also kicks back with some beautiful harmony vocals on "I Lean On You/You Lean On Me", get some great pop hooks in on "Shine", and come together nicely on the tracks "We're The Happiest People In The World", "Angel Eyes", "Are You Being Real", and "Love's What It's All About".

Killer stuff from Gene! After recording a few sadly overlooked albums for Brunwsick, Gene hit big big big with this killer record on Mercury! The record virtually defines the Chicago soul sound of the late 60s – with arrangements by Tom Tom, production by Gene, and a great loping soul groove – but the best part of all is Gene, who's an amazing singer with a maturity that stretches years beyond his earlier hits, and which put him in a camp with the best of his generation. The songwriting is excellent throughout, with a great mix of uptempo numbers and heartbreakingly personal ones. Titles include "Groovy Situation", "Simply Call It Love", "Not The Marrying Kind", "Give Me a Chance", and "Hey, Little Angel".

Con Funk Shun really hit a tight groove on this one – late 70s dancefloor funk at its finest – and a turning point for the group that set the scene for 80s grooves to come! The killer group vocals, thumping funk bass and punctuating horn blasts are in full effect, and the group is also starting to work more with synthesizers and electronic sound washes – the spacey touches blending perfectly with their tried-and-true funk. A great batch of tunes, well-produced by the group and Skip Scarborough, and ear-pleasing tunes all the way – sparkling with a great blend of bassy funk and smooth ballads! Tracks include "Fire When Ready", "Chase Me", "Not Ready", "Da Lady", "Candy" and "(Let Me Put) Love On Your Mind", "Main Slice" and "Images".

Early work from Con Funk Shun – different than their later, better known hits! The group sure knew how to slap that bass, even back on this first album for Mercury – but then again, they – along with other big Mercury groups like The Ohio Players – were pioneering the bass-heavy sound that would influence countless bands over the next decade in soul. This first album's actually one of the group's best, with some nice rough edges that we like even more than the smoother sound of later albums. And oddly, some of our favorite cuts are the mellower ones – like the smooth jazzy instrumental "Foley Park", which has a nice moogy solo in the middle. Other good mellow cuts include "Another World", which almost has a "Summer Madness" quality to it, plus "Forever Just Ain't Long Enough" and "Never Be The Same".

A super-funky set – two vintage albums from Con Funk Shun – back to back on a single CD! The self-titled Con Funk Shun album is quite different than their later, better known hits! The group sure knew how to slap that bass, even back on this first album for Mercury – but then again, they – along with other big Mercury groups like The Ohio Players – were pioneering the bass-heavy sound that would influence countless bands over the next decade in soul. This first album's actually one of the group's best, with some nice rough edges that we like even more than the smoother sound of later albums. And oddly, some of our favorite cuts are the mellower ones – like the smooth jazzy instrumental "Foley Park", which has a nice moogy solo in the middle. Other good mellow cuts include "Another World", which almost has a "Summer Madness" quality to it, plus "Forever Just Ain't Long Enough" and "Never Be The Same". Secrets is a great early album from Con Funk Shun – a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze – done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and beyond – honest, intimate, and at times just more focused in the vocals department than both the funky soul groups of the time and the quiet storm singers of the approaching early 80s – and still doesn't spare the bass, horns and funky interplay! High points include the closing instrumental "Indian Summer Love" and funky centerpiece "Ffun" –plus "Doowhachawannadoo", "Who Has The Time", "Secrets", "Tear In My Eye" and "I'll Set You Out OK". CD also features a bonus track – "Ffun (12" version)" – a clubby killer!

Classic club jazz from Charles Earland – one of the best LPs from his late 70s, post-Hammond period – when he was really opening up and exploring the use of a variety of keyboards! The set was done in conjunction with Randy Muller – who arranged, produced, and wrote the tracks – and it's also got background vocals by Skyy, who fit in nicely with the record's R&B-tinged approach to the material. Lots of nice clubby groovers, and Charles even sings lead vocals on one really nice mellow track. Titles include "Let The Music Play", "I Like It", "Changes", "Over & Over", and "Smile".

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".

Rough and raw classics from Louis Jordan – served up with a bit more of an R&B tinge than some of his work from the late 40s! There's a searing quality here that really hits hard on the instrumentation – guitar parts and saxophone riffs that clearly mark the space that Jordan helped allow in American music at the time – moved into nicely by the group here on their renditions of classic tracks from the Jordan book! Titles include "Run Joe", "Early In The Morning", "Caldonia", "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby", "Beware, Brother, Beware", and "Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens".

The standout classic from Junior Giscombe – one of the more unique soul artists of his generation! The set's probably best known for its huge hit single "Mama Used To Say" – a killer cut with an incredibly catchy hook, and a groove that's lasted for years on 80s groove dancefloors – but the whole album's pretty darn wonderful overall, with slight twists and turns that are quite different than other mainstream soul sets of its type. Junior did the record in collaboration with producer Bob Carter, who also plays a fair bit of keyboards on the set – bringing in an airy, open feel that matches Junior's vocals wonderfully – in a sound that's somewhat sweeter than other male soul of the early 80s, but never in a way that's too soft or sleepy. Titles include "Mama Used To Say", "Too Late", "I Can't Help It", "Let Me Know", "Down Down", "Love Dies", "I Can't Help It", and "Darling You (Don't You Know)". Loads of bonus tracks too – including "Fame", "In Words", "Too Late (7" single)", "Too Late (alt version)", "Mama Used To Say (British party mix)", "Mama Used To Say (American rmx)", and "Mama Used To Say (American inst)".

One of the most soulful sets ever recorded by the Buddy Miles Group – a really searing set of live performances from 1971, often done in a way that has the band stretching out and jamming heavily! The core group seems a bit bigger than usual – with a lineup that includes guitar and organ alongside some heavier tenor, alto, trumpet, and trombone. The horns come on strong, but are offset by lots of searing guitar from Charlie Karp – and Buddy, as usual, is a real monster on the drum kit. There's plenty of instrumental moments here that cook with funky soul intensity – and titles include "Wrap It Up", "Joe Tex", "Take It Off Him & Put It On Me", "Down By The River", "Place Over There", "The Segment", and "Them Changes".

Bluesy soul from Buddy Miles – an album that was half-produced by Jimi Hendrix, and which showcases the really crowd-pleasing side of Miles' sound! Tracks are a mix of soul covers and original numbers – done in a mode that puts plenty of guitar out front in the mix, and which uses Buddy's screaming vocals a bit more than his heavier drums. Horns are used on most numbers to give them a bit of southern soul inflection, and titles include a great live jamming take on "Wrap It Up", the funky "Destructive Love", and the cuts "Cigarettes & Coffee", "Miss Lady", "Texas", and "My Chant".

Pure crossover genius from Buddy Miles – a great mix of funky soul and rockish touches – and the kind of record that easily put Buddy in the same camp as Sly Stone or The Isley Brothers with mainstream audiences of the time! Tracks here are a bit longer and more jamming than work by either of those two artists – with the kind of heavy guitar and horns that played heavily to the Fillmore crowd – but the overall sound of the record is a fair bit more soulful and even funkier than some other Miles' efforts from the earlier years too, with plenty of his tight drums in the mix! Titles include a great 12 minute reading of the title track "We Got To Live Together" – plus "Take It Off Him & Put It On Me", "Runaway Child", "Walking Down The Highway", and "Easy Greasy".

One of our favorite later albums from organist Jimmy Smith – and a set that cooks heavily in a wicked blend of jazz, funk, and soul! The style's a bit like the groove that Johnny Hammond hit during his Gears period – arranged by Eugene McDaniels and Alan Silvestri, with an approach that's somewhere between Larry Mizell and Skip Scarborough – tight grooves, bits of vocals, yet plenty of room for Smith's keyboard solos to take off over the top! Players include Herbie Hancock on piano, Alan Silvestri on guitar, and Lenny White on drums – but the main star is Jimmy – who's grooving massively over the top of the album, with soaring solos that are some of his best work from the late 70s. Our favorite track on here is a masterful take of "Can't Hide Love", but there's a lot of other nice funky tracks like "Slippery Hips", "My Place In Space", and "Give Up the Booty".

Nice early 70's record by Joe, with a mix of 70's funk tracks and tracks that have more of his classic southern soul sound from the 60's. Joe's raspy voice is as beautiful as always, and he's got some really sweet material on here like "Cat's Got Her Tongue", "All The Heaven A Man Really Needs", "Papa's Dream", "Living In The Last Days", and "You're Sure Gonna Get It".

Loads of classic singles – 20 in all – with cuts that include "I've Got So Much To Give", "It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next To Me", "You're The First The Last My Everything", "Honey Please Can't Ya See", "Never Never Gonna Give You Up", "Love's Theme", "Satin Soul", "Oh What A Night For Dancing", "Don't Make Me Wait Too Long", "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe", and "Playing Your Game Baby".

Beautiful ballads from The Man – proof that Barry White had a great way with a mellow track and a love song! Of course, Barry was always singing about love, even when grooving – but over time, he really found a great way to use all that energy, but bring it down a few notches too – laying back into a gentle groove that worked perfectly with his round, large vocal approach! This set's a nice mix of lesser-known ballads and a few key tracks – with titles that include "Love Serenade", "Of All The Guys In The World", "It's Only Love Doing Its Thing", "Dark & Lovely (radio)", "I've Got So Much To Give (single)", "Hard To Believe That I Found You", "You Turned My Whole World Around", and "Put Me In Your Mix (single)".

Tightly grooving work from The Bar-Kays – a set that's light years away from the sound of their Memphis roots, but still plenty darn funky overall! The album's got a tight bass-heavy approach to the music – the well-forged ensemble sound that graced the later years of the Bar-Kays' career, with nary a note out of place, and a sweet blend of keyboards over the bass, giving the tunes a strong electric feel – gliding wonderfully over romping rhythms on the upbeat tracks, and stepping sweetly on the album's few mellow gems. Titles include "Tripping Out", "Propositions", "Anticipation", "Do It (Let Me See You Shake)", "She Talks To Me With Her Body", and "You Made A Change In My Life".

One of the sweetest-grooving albums ever from Con Funk Shun – proof that the group was almost better when they tightened things up a bit! The set was produced by Deodato at the height of his hit-making soul powers – and it's got a sharpness that really helps bring the Con Funk Shun groove into focus – a style that's not nearly as commercial as Deodato's work with Kool & The Gang, but which shares a similar blend of jazz and modern soul elements! Most tracks groove nicely, even some of the mellower ones – and Deodato's got a perfect balance in the sound of the set – keyboards, beats, and bass all in the right places, with plenty of soulful vocals flowing warmly over the top. Titles include "Don't Let Your Love Grow Cold", "Hard Lovin", "If I'm Your Lover", "Can You Feel The Groove Tonight", "Indiscreet Sweet", and "Baby I'm Hooked".

Well, we don't know if Mr B could ever be considered "modern", but this is a pretty groovy batch of 60s pop tunes – like "Mister Kicks", "People", "Wanted", "Wives & Lovers", and "A Beautiful Friendship" – all done to arrangements by Billy Byers, Benny Carter, and Bobby Tucker, with that great mid 60s Mercury pop feel to them. There's some nice jazz elements in the mix, and Billy's always a treat for us!

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", and "Shine On".

A hip little album by Miriam Makeba – part South African soul, part New York hip, with arrangements that recall some of Makeba's later work, bits of Nina Simone, and touches of Uptown soul. Arrangements and backing are by Luchi De Jesus – and Sivuca's actually part of the backing, and you can hear him singing and playing accordion behind Makeba with that cool breezy sound of his. Titles include "Mr Man", "A Piece Of Ground", "Akana Nkomo", "West Wind", "Where Are You Going", and "My Love Is Young".

Great work from the Ohio Players – and proof that moving to a big label could be a good thing for a funky group! This was the band's first album for Mercury – and although one might have the temptation to say that the label cut down the radical funk sound of the trippy Westbound years, the move also taught the band to sharpen up their act, and get out of the repetitive sloppy groove into which they'd been lapsing during the past few years. The album's a lot smoother than earlier work – with a polished funky sound that would soon push the band right up there with Earth Wind & Fire at the top of the soul charts. And although there's familiar funky numbers like "Skin Tight", "Jive Turkey", and "Streakin Cheek To Cheek" – the best moment on the entire album is the wonderful spacey soul number "Heaven Must be Like This", a seven minute mellow groover that's got a sophisticated jazzy soul style, with voices and piano soaring into the heavens, in a way that always still sends chills down our spine! That cut shows the band's tremendous growth – and it's one of their best-ever!

Great work from the Ohio Players – and proof that moving to a big label could be a good thing for a funky group! This was the band's first album for Mercury – and although one might have the temptation to say that the label cut down the radical funk sound of the trippy Westbound years, the move also taught the band to sharpen up their act, and get out of the repetitive sloppy groove into which they'd been lapsing during the past few years. The record's a lot smoother than earlier work – with a polished funky sound that would soon push the band right up there with Earth Wind & Fire at the top of the soul charts. And although there's familiar funky numbers like "Skin Tight", "Jive Turkey", and "Streakin Cheek To Cheek" – the best moment on the entire album is the wonderful spacey soul number "Heaven Must be Like This", a seven minute mellow groover that's got a sophisticated jazzy soul style, with voices and piano soaring into the heavens, in a way that always still sends chills down our spine! That cut shows the band's tremendous growth – and it's one of their best-ever!

Here's where it all happens! George Clinton lands the mothership, forges the space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act! The record's got some extremely tight numbers that mix the best of the group's new slick playing with the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – and virtually every cut on the album's a classic. The whole thing slides from track to track in a sublime document of the future of funk – and titles include "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo". CD features a bonus version of "Star Child", a promo radio version!

A super huge hit for Donna Summer – a disco classic as well as a pop crossover smash! The album was produced by disco powerhouse Giorgio Moroder, and featured the hits "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls", and "Dim All The Lights". Plus the songs "On My Honor", "Our Love", "Lucky", "There Will Always Be A You", "Sunset People", and lots more!

A landmark first album from Exuma – one of a handful of early 70s classics that really worked hard to break down musical genres! At some level, the set's got a Caribbean feel, but at others it's quite funky – a great mix of Exuma's Bahamian roots and some of the headier sounds that Mercury Records was serving up at the time – all hinted at strongly by the rootsy psychedelia of the cover! And given Exuma's appeal to wider audiences, it's almost tempting to think of him as sort of a tripped-out Richie Havens – with similar acoustic elements, yet a lot more percussion and groove in the end. Titles include "Séance In The Sixth Fret", "You Don't Know What's Going On", "The Vision", "Mamma Loi Papa Loi", and "Dambala".

It's the mid 70s, and Kool & Co not only keep the funky groove up, but also expand their style into a moogy style that adds a nice dimension of spacey soul to their rich palette of funk. The funkier cuts – like "Street Corner Symphony" and "Rhyme Tyme People" – sound a bit too much like the hits from earlier albums, but are still pretty nice. But it's the synth heavy cuts – like "Whiting H&G", and the landmark "Summer Madness" – which really open up the record. They're great stuff, and have the group moving into a spacey otherworldly funk realm that had been opened up a few years earlier by Earth Wind & Fire. The long-lasting potential of "Summer Madness" proves that the move was a great one – and we're always stunned at how fantastic the track still sounds today!

Perhaps the greatest record Jerry Butler made in the 70s, and a very tight bit of baroque Chicago soul with arrangements and production by Samuel F. Brown III. The tracks are a good mix of originals and covers, and they all show Jerry going way past his Gamble & Huff/Mercury years – into the sophisticated mix of soul, jazz, and studio imagination that was going down on the Chicago scene of the late 60s and early 70s. A few cuts feature duets with Brenda Lee Eager, but the best numbers are the solo ones, like "A Prayer", "That The Way it Was", "If I Could Remember", and "I Need You".

Remix features Busta Rhymes and Dres from Black Sheep.