Soul — CDs  

Incredible early work from Lorez Alexandria – the kind of albums that instantly set her apart from other singers of the 50s, reissued here properly for the first time in years! On This Is Lorez, the singer is working with sublime small combo backings from the group of pianist King Fleming – an unusual Chicago ensemble that includes Wilber Wynn on guitar, Ronald Wilson on flute and oboe, Vernel Fournier on drums, and Audrey Jones on bongos – a musical lineup that brings in a different sort of sophistication to the record, shading tunes with moody colors on flute and oboe that perfectly support Alexandria's soulful and sensitive interpretations of the tunes. The whole thing is pure genius, and a key look at the new levels of sophistication that were bubbling everywhere on the Chicago scene during the years of Jamal and Sun Ra. Lorez Sings Pres follows in a very similar mode – with backing by a Chicago group that again includes King Fleming piano, plus Charles Stepney on vibes, Paul Serrano on trumpet, and Vernel Fournier on drums – an extremely hip lineup that makes the record far more than just the Lester Young tribute promised in the title! But despite the instrumentalists, the real star on all sides is Alexandria – who sings with dark tones and deep colors that go far beyond conventional jazz vocals – all carried off with that slightly breathy mode that was one more unique aspect of her work! CD features all tracks from both albums – a total of 22 titles that include "Snowstorm", "I'm Glad There Is You", "The Sky Is Crying", "I'm Making Believe", "Necessity", "Penthouse Serenade", "DB Blues", "This Year's Kisses", "Easy Living", "No Eyes Blues", "Jumping With Symphony Sid", and a key early reading of "Baltimore Oriole".

Amazing work from the legendary Phil Cohran – and a much-needed collection of his rare singles on the Zulu label! The work here is contemporary to the sides issued by Phil's Artistic Heritage Ensemble on their two famous records – but the sound is often a bit tighter, and funkier too – kind of the 45 distillation of sounds the group was working out in larger format on the full albums! As with those classics, the approach is amazing – a hip blend of jazz, soul, and African elements – very much in the spirit of Sun Ra, Cohran's predecessor on the Chicago scene – but often with a lot more groove, and a lot less avant garde elements. Players on the set include Charles Williams on alto, Don Myrick on baritone, Charles Handy on trumpet, Louis Satterfield on bass, Pete Cosey on guitar, and Henry Gibson on timbales and conga – all working at a level that easily rivals the best from Ra, Salah Ragab, Mulatu, and other space jazz legends from the time! Titles include "The African Look", "Loud Mouth", "New Frankiphone Blues", "Frankiphone Blues", "Detroit Red", "El Hajj Malik El Shabazz", and "Black Beauty".

An excellent bit of funk that sounds a heck of a lot like early Kool & The Gang! It's no surprise, too, because the album was produced by Gene Redd, has a few Kool & The Gang covers (like "Funky Granny" and "Who's Gonna Take the Weight"), and was issued on the related Red Coach label. The group are head and shoulders above most other early 70s ensemble funk groups – and have a very tight instrumental approach that was only matched by a few other combos, like the early Fatback Band or K & The G. Tracks include "Gold Smoke", "Funky Granny", "Who's Gonna Take The Weight", "Mama Said-Papa Said", and "Funky Gene-Ra-Tion".

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".

Finally – the complete story of The Ad Libs – a group known for their classic singles of the 60s, but one who never issued a full-length album of their own! This great little set more than corrects that fact – by bringing together 9 rare singles for the Blue Cat label, plus another 14 previously unissued tracks – including some rare acapella demos, alternate versions, and tracks that never made it onto vinyl back in the 60s! The issued singles alone are great – a beautiful blend of one gal and four guy singers, handled with a style that's on the rougher edge of the New York style of soul at the time. And when you hit the demo material, the vocals really take off – since there's no studio instrumentation at all, and the harmonies are left to handle all the rhythm and melody chores as well. These demo tracks are really wonderful, with a feel that's almost like old school vocal harmony soul – and have us respecting the group even more than ever. Titles include "Kicked Around", "Ask Anybody", "On The Corner", "The Slime", "Johnny My Boy", "I'm Just A Down Home Girl", and "The Boy From New York City" – plus "You'll Always Be In Style", and demo versions of "Strange Things", "The Tide Has Turned", "Santa's On His Way", "Oo Wee Oh Me Oh My", "Come On & Help Me", and "Kicked Around".

A massive look at the mighty pairing of Cannonball Adderley and David Axelrod – a partnership that's way more than just jazz musician and producer! Axelrod's talents in the studio are many, but his greatest heights were possibly reached in collaboration with Cannonball – a relationship that spawned an amazing run of singles and albums that allowed the saxophonist to expand his music to amazing new levels, and touch audiences that few other jazz musicians could reach! Axelrod's sense of sound and timing are a perfect match for Cannonball's intrinsically funky approach to the saxophone – and no matter what the setting here, from big band to small combo, studio recordings to live date, high concept records to relaxed jazz sessions, there's an undeniable groove in the music that never lets up. The CD pulls together a very wide range of work from key Axelrod/Adderley Capitol recordings – and offers a double-length look at their pairing that's as soulful as it is essential. Titles include "The Black Messiah", "Space Spiritual", "Do Do Do", "Gone", "Ndolima", "Up & At It", "Hummin", "Make Your Own Temple", "Tensity", "Fun In The Church", "Khutsana", "Price You Got To Pay To Be Free", "Walk Tall", "Music You All", and "Dialogues For Jazz Quintet & Orchestra".

Incredible work from the obscure African Music Machine – a southern funk combo led by bassist Louis Villery – a legendary batch of funky singles, finally brought together as a full album! The band has a very unique sound that involves a lot of rolling bubbling basslines, spacey organ grooves, tight choppy guitar riffs, and punchy horn blasts – almost with the African elements promised in the title, but served up with a deeper funk sound all the way through! In a way, the group's a bit like Cymande or some of the other 70s hybrid ensembles – yet they've got a lot less dub, a much more direct funky groove, and plety of raw southern elements in the mix as well! This is the funky 45 material we first cut our teeth on back in the day – and the original singles are legendary! Includes massive cuts like "Black Water Gold (Pearl)", "A Girl In France", "Never Name A Baby (Before It's Born), "Making Nassau Fruit Drink", "Camel Time", "The Dapp", "Tropical", and "Mr. Brown".

A killer album of Afro Funk – with a very unusual origin! In the wake of Manu Dibango's big hit (and some kind of failure to register the copyright), many many versions of "Soul Makossa" were recorded and released, some good, some bad. This album is a good example of that situation – kind of a quickie project issued by Mainstream Records to cash in on the hit – but it's also an amazing bit of lost funk, and a record that's lasted for years in the hearts of beatheads! The group's a studio combo headed by Richard Fritz – and includes funky drummer Paul Humphrey, organist Charles Kynard, and guitarist David T Walker – all players we can trust to keep things groovy. The record does include a version of "Soul Makossa" that's pretty great – but even better is the breakbeat classic "House Of The Rising Funk", apparently the same version of the track that was issued on a 45 under the name The Chubukos. Other nice ones include "Kissing My Love", "Hot Mud", "Get It", "Hot Doggin", and "Let Me Do My Thing".

Smoking grooves from an incredible group – the amazing Afro Blues Quintet, a combo with a sound like no other! These guys were never one for stardom, but during the mid and late 60s, they burned up the west coast scene with an incredible blend of vibes, piano, and reeds – often kicked up nicely with some hard-rolling rhythm work that gave their tracks a similar mod groove to classics by Johnny Lytle, Ramsey Lewis, or Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers! But the real difference with the ABQ (if we can call them that!) is that they had a really spacious approach to their sound – never putting too much into the mix, and instead using the space between the notes every bit as much as the notes themselves. The grooves are great, and since most of this work has never been reissued, the set's totally fresh to the ears of most listeners! As usual, the folks at BGP have done a great job with the notes – and the set features 22 tracks from the group's Mira, Surrey, and Crestview recordings – titles that include "Monkey Time", "Freaks", "La La La", "Southside Habit", "Mirror Image", "Afro Rock", "Evening Of The Beast", "Spartacus", "Candie Luv", and "Our Mambo".

The standout set from Donna Allen – a real up-and-comer in 80s soul music, and a singer who'll always be remembered for this gem of an album! The record's got a positive, upbeat groove that works perfectly with Allen's vocals – a style that's bit lighter and more fluid than some of the more commercial soul of the time, yet still very much right on the money in the hook department – often served up with the kind of keyboards and basslines that would have been used with other artists a few years before. The album's mellower cuts really let Allen open up and show her vocal range – and titles include "Daydreams", "Satisfied", "Sweet Somebody", "Serious", "Wild Nights", "Bit By Bit", and "Another Affair". CD features bonus tracks – "Serious (12" ext)", "Satisfied (12" long)", "Sweet Somebody (12" rmx)", "Serious (single)", "Satisfied (single)", "Sweet Somebody (single)", and "Serious (12" delirious mix)".

The only album ever from Allspice – but a hell of an incredible soul record – and one that's kept the group's name strong with collectors and rare groove fanatics for years! The album's on of the best Fantasy Records productions by Wayne Henderson and his At Home team – and like some of the others, is handled with a groove that's tight, yet plenty sophisticated too – light years from mainstream disco or common club of the late 70s, and instead informed by plenty of jazz and deeper ideas as well! The vibe is perfect – as heavenly and righteous as some of the best Roy Ayers club tracks of the time – which proves to be a perfect foil for the Allspice style of mixing male and female vocals – which again is often done in an Ayers-like mode. The sound is sublime throughout – one of those real treasures that should have been a huge record in the 70s, but was barely pressed up at all – and quickly forgotten about by the record company. Yet even after all these years, the whole thing sounds amazing – one of those albums we'd never part with at all! Titles include the groovy "Slipped Away", the funky stepper "Hungry For Your Love" – and loads of other great tunes that include "Love Fire", "Destiny", "She's A Lady", "I Don't Know", and "Give It Time".

Some of the funkiest female soul ever recorded – the near-complete work of James Brown diva Vicki Anderson, compiled here officially for the first time ever! Vicki was one of the first female singers to work with James – replacing the sweeter style of vocalist Anna King in the James Brown Revue of the late 60s, and setting the stage for better-known hard soul singers Marva Whitney and Lyn Collins in years to come! Vicki recorded some excellent singles with James and the band backing her up – but never actually cut a full LP, which is why this overdue set is so essential. Vicki's got a socking-hard sound that worked equally well with the early funk sound of the James Brown Band of the late 60s, as it did during her later recordings with the JBs and Bobby Byrd. The collection brings together 17 of Vicki's recordings under the James Brown umbrella – including a number that we'd never heard before, some duets with James and Bobby Byrd, and a few of her singles recorded under the name of Myra Barnes. And you can take our word for it that you won't find a better collection of funky female soul – because this one's hard-stepping and massively grooving all the way through! Titles include "Baby Don't You Know", "Message From The Soul Sisters (parts 1 & 2)", "Super Good (parts 1 & 2)", "I'm Too Tough For Mr Big Stuff", "Answer To Mother Popcorn", "I Want To Be In The Land Of Milk & Honey", "Baby Don't You Know", "If You Don't Give Me What I Want (I Gotta Get It Some Other Place)", "Wide Awake In A Dream", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", "I'll Work It Out", "Think", "Don't Throw Your Love In The Garbage Can", and "You're Welcome Stop On By".

A masterful set of recordings from Chicago soul chanteuse Ruby Andrews – tunes she cut for Zodiac Records between 1967 and 1973! Ruby could handle any soul style her producers threw her way, be it driving dancefloor stompers or pure torch balladry, but she had a way of infusing everything she did with a great sense of emotion. It's the same kind of emotive, deep soul sweep that was buried so heavily in Curtis Mayfield's recordings – perhaps it's the Chicago factor! Whatever the case, this is wonderful stuff – essential to anyone interested in the best late 60s/early 70s female soul! 28 tracks in all: "Uh! Uh! Boy, That's A No No", "Help Yourself (Lover)", "Whatever It Takes To Please You", "Tit For Tat", "Good N' Plenty", "Can You Get Away", "Let's Get A Groove Going On", "Just Loving You", "The Love I Need", "Come To Me", "Wonderful Night", "Away From The Crowd", "Didn't I Fool You", "You Ole Boo Boo You", "All The Way" and lots more.

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too!

Lost Latin funk from the Bay Area scene of the 70s – and an album that may well blow away better-known work by groups like Malo, Azteca, or El Chicano! The album's near-perfect right from the start – and brings in plenty of New York elements to the groove, thanks to the inclusion of a heady amount of jazz alongside the soul, Latin, and funk elements in the grooves! The legendary Teo Macero produced and arranged – and really takes a lot of care in the studio to focus the overall energy of the tremendous talents on the record – players who include Hadley Caliman on flute and tenor, Steve Marcus on soprano sax, Benny Velarde on timbales, and Francisco Aguabella on congas – plus the trio of Cesar, Mark Levine, and Merl Sanders on keyboards. Most numbers have this really full, flowing groove – jazzy, but with a strong emphasis on the rhythms – and often touched with some great work on guitar that echoes the Santana-inspired sound of the generation, yet never in a rock way at all. Linda Tillery sings vocals on a few numbers, but the main focus is definitely instrumental – and the whole album's great – with cuts that include "See Saw Affair", "Azucar", "Descarga", "The Devil & Montezuma", "Gotta Get Away", and "Bridges".

A mid 70s winner from Ashford & Simpson – one of their earlier efforts, and a record that finds them fleshed out as a top notch act of their end – even if it'd be yeas before they'd net the kind of huge chart success that they deserved! Come As You Are is filled with solid soul with a sophisticated, expertly spun approach to production and arranging around the duo vocals – and the first rate songwriting that they'd provided for huge Motown stars like Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. A couple tracks move more towards a dancefloor soul vibe that's pretty wonderful, and doesn't compromise the intimate soul vocals at the center. Titles include "It'll Come, It'll Come, It'll Come", "One More Try", "Believe In Me", "Caretaker", "Somebody Told A Lie", "Tell It All", "Sell The House" and "It Came To Me". This CD edition includes a couple remixes of the most club soul styled tune "One More Try" – the 12" disco mix plus a longer Dimitri re-edit!

Sublimely satisfying work from Ashford & Simpson – a stone killer from the height of their late 70s glory days on Warner Brothers! The pair are working together wonderfully at this point – wrapped up in that blend of upbeat soul and righteous undercurrents that made them a real cut above in mainstream soul – getting great help from arrangers William Eaton, Paul Riser, and Al Gorgoni – all of whom know how to hit that perfect Ashford & Simpson balance between tightness, class, and soulful spontaneity! Backings are always filled with lots of jazzy touches, too – the kind of sophisticated soul elements other would cop from the pair in years to come – and titles include "Over & Over", "It's You", "If You're Lying", "Couldn't Get Enough", "Destiny", "So So Satisfied", and "Tried Tested & Found True". CD features 4 bonus tracks – "Over & Over (12" disco mix)", "Over & Over (Simphouse M&M mix)", "Tried Tested & Found True (12" disco mix)", and "Tried Tested & True (Simphouse M&M mix)".

Great stuff! From Motown songwriters to world-class superstars, the trip was a well-deserved one for Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford – and this album's perhaps their crowning achievement in sophisticated club soul! The record's got a great groove that offers a more soulful version of disco than most of the competing albums on major labels at the time – a perfect summation of the care and craft that Ashford & Simpson had always put into their music right from the start! The pair handle all production on the record, and also contributed all the songs too – and the whole thing's so wonderfully tight, right, and on the money, the album soars to the top even before the vocals come into the mix. Titles include more than a few club classics, like "Found A Cure", "Stay Free", and "Nobody Knows" – plus the cuts "Dance Forever", "Crazy", "Follow Your Heart", and "Finally Got To Me".

Dang, these guys could never miss! Even in later years, Ashford and Simpson were still going strong – working here in a wonderfully mellow style that's as soulful for the moment as their mid 70s groovers were for that time. The album's got a sweet modern style that's pretty much in the Capitol Rare sound of the time – a matured version of 70s soul, with wonderful depth and sophistication that really suits the pair well. Includes both the extended "Street Opera" suite and some shorter more straightforward tunes that include "Mighty Mighty Love", "Love It Away", "Make It Work Again", and "I'll Take The Whole World On". This remastered CD from Big Break UK has 3 bonus tracks: single versions of "Street Corner" and "Love It Away" a 12" long version of "Streeet Corner".

The title's certainly right on this one – because Atlantic Starr serve up a really brilliant blend of electro funk and mainstream soul – balanced with that near-perfect sound that made them one of the best groups of their generation! Despite the size of the combo, the sound is relatively lean – a very focused balance of basslines, keyboards, and some tightly snapping 80s groove rhythms – served up with vocals that warmly cascade over the tops of the tunes, but usually take a second seat to the extremely compelling instrumentation. The sound is polished, but never too slick – and the group are a great example of how well soul from this time could sound when done just the right way! Titles include "Love Me Down", "Sexy Dancer", "Circles", "Love Moves", "Your Love Finally Ran Out", and "You're The One".

A groovy little classic from Atlantic Starr – and a great example of the group's wonderfully catchy way of hitting a groove! The music's never pop, but has some captivating hooks all the way through – sweet little bits mixed in with the funky soul approach of the ensemble – made even better by the great way the vocals get traded back and forth! There's a careful approach to the whole set – a way of putting things together with a good degree of class – and definitely avoiding most of the cliches that would make a similar project sound a lot more clunky. Great stuff throughout – and titles include "Who Could Love You Better", "Second To None", "Touch A Four Leaf Clover", "Tryin", and "Island Dream".

The first Salsoul album from Aurra – and the start of a great run that would make the group one of the label's strongest acts in the early 80s! Things are nicely funky throughout – more 80s groove than the disco that first brought Salsoul success – and right from the start, Aurra have a well-conceived approach that uses both male and female vocals to flesh out the rhythms with plenty of soul! Instrumentation is as tight as older funk, but served up more at an 80s club clip – yet all still with a very live feel, and none of the too-stiff modes that were hurting other groups at the time. The album has 6 long tracks – and titles include "In The Mood To Groove", "Too Much", "Who Are You", "When I Come Home", and "You're the Only One". CD features the bonus tracks "When I Come Home (Larry Levan 12" mix)", "In The Mood To Groove (orig 12" mix)", "When I Come Home (ext album mix)", and "In The Mood To Groove (orig single)".

The image on the cover is a great summation of the Aurra magic – a sweet blend of male and female vocals with plenty of soul – woven together in ways that are quite different from more cliched duet modes of earlier years! The grooves are at the center of the record – set out strongly by producer/arranger Stephen Washington, with loads of great basslines at the core! Yet it's the vocals that really make the record sparkle – work by Starleana Young and Curt Jones – both very individual singers who have a way of coming together here with a very fresh feel! Studio magic allows both to provide backup as well as lead vocals – and the album's filled with great groovers that include "It's You", "Make Up Your Mind", "A Little Love", "In My Arms", "Still Free", and "Checking You Out". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "Checking You Out (Shep Pettibone 12" mix)", "Make Up Your Mind (unreleased Tom Moulton rmx)", "Make Up Your Mind (orig 12" inst)", "A Little Love (orig 12" rmx)", and "A Little Love (orig single)".

Great grooves from Aurra – a group with a sound that's rooted in the late 70s funk of Slave, but which is given a whole new life at Salsoul by fearless leader Stephen Washington! The album's tight and right on the money at the very first note – heavy on bass, but not in a way that's ever overdone – and sparkling much more strongly from the vocal contributions of Curt Jones and Starleana Young – two singers who really know how to open up while holding a groove! The whole thing's great – polished and tight, but never slick or commercial – and a perfect summation of the 80s groove at its best. Titles include "Baby Love", "Such A Feeling", "Undercover Lover", "You Can't Keep On Walking", and "One More Time". CD features bonus tracks "Such A Feeling (orig Shep Pettibone 12" mix)", "Such A Feeling (orig Shep Pettibone 12" mix part 2)", "Such A Feeling (orig Shep Pettibone 12" mix part 3)", "Such A Feeling (orig single)", and "Baby Love (orig Shep Pettibone 12" inst)".

Sweet 80s grooving from one of Salsoul's best acts of the post-disco years – a group with a groove that comes up right from the bottom, thanks to a great ear for a funky bassline! The sound is nice and lean – but all still mighty live, with a lot of spontaneous energy in the instrumentation – and none of the too-programmed rhythms that could hurt a project like this! Steve Washington plays bass, arranges, produces, and heads up the conceptual side of things – and vocals alternate between male and female leads in a really great way – creating this warm, almost family-like approach to the sound. The whole thing's wonderful – tight and soulful, in a mode that should have made these guys climb higher on the charts – and titles include "Are You Single", "Forever", "Send Your Love", "Living Too Fast", and "Keep Doing It". CD features two bonus tracks – original single versions of "Are You Single" and "Living Too Fast".

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label – and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove – sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind of sound you'd expect from Westbound in the early 70s! Austin's guitar is very much in the mode of Eddie Fisher, Eddie Senay, or other kicked-back jazz funk players from his generation – an approach that's probably got a bit of Hendrix somewhere back in the mix, but which is more focused on the tighter side of the funk and soul instrumental spectrum! The album's like finding a stash of rare funky 45s – loads of great short tracks with titles that include "Sex Plot", "Crazy Legs", "You Want It, You Got It", "Side Saddle", "Nanzee", "Pea Shooter", "Do Me Right", and "Shake Your Head".

One of the greatest and most historically important compilations ever put together by our friends at Light In The Attic – the first ever (!!!) anthology devoted to Stax sax great Charles "Packy" Axton! Packy was a founding member of the Mar-Keys and a cat who played with the best of them – Steve Cropper, Booker T, Teenie Hodges, Donald "Duck" Dunn and many more – all of whom can be heard on this mindblowing set of benchmark vocal and instrumental singles from the mid 60s – truly the blueprint material for the great Stax and all around Memphis soul to come! It features singles cut for labels such as USA, Bar, Hollywood and Pure Soul – soul/R&B vocal numbers and proto-funky instrumentals. Amazing, amazing stuff recorded at Royal and Ardent Studios with some of the greatest soul music players to ever come together – so highly recommended! Includes "Holiday Cheer", "Bullseye", "Hung Over", "I'll Always Love" and "Late Late Party" by The Martinis, "No Ending" and "No Love Have I" by Stacy Lane, "House Full Of Rooms", "Out Of Control" and "I'm A Fool (In Love)" by LH & The Memphis Sounds, "Stone Fox", "Hip Pocket" and "Greasy Pumpkin" by The Pac-Keys, and "Hole In The Wall" by The Packers. 17 tracks in all – treated beautifully by team LITA – with a thick booklet of notes (by Andria Lisle) and full of vintage photos of the players, shots of the inner labels of the original singles, details for each track and more.

What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The album's much more unified than your average funky soundtrack – and each track moves between styles that you'd hear on any of Roy's great albums from the time. There's heavy funk on the track "Brawling Broads", cool vibes and electric piano on "Aragon", off-beat jazz on "Coffy Sauna", and great soul on cuts like "Coffy Is The Color" and "Coffy Baby". Wonderful all the way through – and another jewel in the already-big crown of the great Roy Ayers!

Roy Ayers in a seductive mid 80s mode – his first for Columbia – and a record with some incredibly nice moments that blow away most of his contemporaries! The synth soul and drum machine era might seem like an odd fit for Roy's jazzy vibes, but it actually works really well here! You could argue that few players with a such profound jazz funk pedigree could pull off an 80s modern sound so succussfully – and we'd argue that Roy Ayers is indeed one of the few! If synths and programmed drums aren't your thing, this record is actually more heavily-weighted with laidback jazzy soul, with plenty of vibes and the usual warm sexy vocals from Roy. Includes the funky classic "Poo Poo La La", which has a great little monologue in it – plus "I Can't Help It", "Compadre", "Sexy, Sexy, Sexy", and "Love Is In The Feel". This 2012 FTG CD includes 3 bonus tracks: "In The Dark (7" Version)", "Poo Poo La La (Edit)" and "Love Is In The Feel (7" Version)".

An incredible album by Roy Ayers – but one that's often overlooked because it was a rare indie effort issued between Roy's years at Polydor and Columbia! The session's Roy's only full album for Uno Melodic – the label he formed to showcase the talents of Sylvia Striplin, Ladies Of The Eighties, and others – and it's done in a snapping, boogie-styled groove that's very similar to the work by other Uno acts at the time. There's still plenty of the late Polydor Roy in the mix too – especially on the album's mellower numbers, which glide along nicely with all the right jazzy touches we love in a classic Ayers groove! Highlights include the excellent "Chicago", a really dark funk track with a mad descending groove; the Fela-styled "Black Family"; the warmly jazzy "Lots Of Love", an instrumental with vibes along strings; and the bass bumping "Everybody", a wicked later funk number! Other tracks include "And Then We Were One", "DC City", "Drive", and "Fast Money" – all great too!

A cool collection of work from one of our favorite artists ever – literally one of the guys whose music was so great, it inspired us to start Dusty Groove! The package brings together a really hip assortment of Roy Ayers' best work for Polydor in the 70s – really incredible tracks that merge together jazz, soul, and funk at a level that nobody else can touch – not just the sum of the parts, but a sublime fusion that's completely Ayers-like, and which has gone onto inspire countless other folks over the years – even though nobody else can ever do it this well! The track selection is great – way hipper than the usual best-of on Roy – and titles include "And Don't You Say No", "Moving Grooving", "Come Out & Play", "Magic Lady", "Don't You Worry Bout A Thing", "Vibrations", "Tear To A Smile", "When Is Real Real", "Together", "He's A Superstar", and "He Gives Us All His Love".

Roy Ayers in a tight mid 80s funk mode – commanding a modern vibe really well, especially with his vibes so prominent in the sound! Although the sound's a step or two more modern than the Polydor years, Roy still sounds great – and he grooves nicely on this batch of tracks that mix his older jazz funk style with an 80s groove sound that has slight touches of electro. This mix of modes is really unique for the time, with Roy embracing the new school without completely letting go of his trailblazing personal approach. Jean Carn sings lead vocals on the cut "Can I See You", and the album also includes the nice stepper "Programmed For Love", plus "Virgo", "Night Flyte", and "For You", a smooth mellow cut that's got great vocals by Roy! This 2012 FTG edition features the rare single versions as bonus tracks – 6 in all, including "Programmed For Love (12" Extended Version)", "Hot (12" Version)", "Hot (Dub Mix)", "Slip N' Slide (7" Version) and more.

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

A really special record from a really special group – one of two sublime 70s gems from Azteca – a wicked blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and soul – all put together by a young Coke Escovedo! Coke's ostensibly the leader of the group, but there's also a richly collaborative feel going on – a style that brings together jazz players like Tom Harrell on trumpet, Mel Martin on saxes, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, and Flip Nunez on organ – and Latin players like Victor Pantoja on congas, Coke Escovedo on timbales, and Pete Escovedo on added percussion. In fact, the set's a key early example of the strength of the Escovedo family – and like their best later efforts, the set really stretches out and pushes the boundaries of conventional genres. There's also some great guest work from Lenny White on drums, Mike Nock on keyboards, and Neal Schon on guitars – and vocals are by a range of singers who really keep things fresh. Titles include "Red Onions", "Mazatlan", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Mexicana, Mexicana", and "Love Is A Stranger".

Out of the wreckage of Cream came some very hip grooves! Ginger Baker was the hippest of the group's 3 members – and although he's often credited by soul fans for his work with Fela, he should also get a hats off for his work with the group Air Force – essentially a 10-piece (which seems to have been expanded beyond even that number for this set) that came up with some of the most monstrous art funk jamming we've heard! At its base, the group's in the jazz rock mode – with players that include Brit jazz luminaries Phil Seamen, Harold McNair, and Graham Bond, plus rockers like Baker, Steve Winwood, Denny Laine, and Rick Grech. The tracks are all long groovers in a post-beat group mode – and the best tracks have a jamming sound that's pretty over the top! It's full of the propulsive, Afro-influenced bass and percussion, some wild, jazz funk flute and sax, plus amazing work on violin, guitar and occasional, ephemeral vocals. Awesome stuff – one of the best and most innovative live albums of the era! Titles include "Da Da Man", "Aiko Biaye", "Do What You Like", "Doin It", and "Don't Care". It's about time this thing arrived on CD!

Bessie Smith by LaVern Baker – a great blend of modes that really comes off great! Instead of sounding like a throwback blues album, the set comes across with a nice degree of contemporary class – thanks in part to a jazzy presentation that's a bit different than some of Baker's other music of the time – and which sports reeds from Sahib Shihab, tenor from Paul Quinichette, trumpet from Buck Clayton, and trombone from Jimmy Cleveland! Baker's voice is in fine form in this comfortable setting – and really works magic with tracks that include "After You've Gone", "Preaching The Blues", "Empty Bed Blues", "Back Water Blues", and "Gimme A Pigfoot".

A lost album of raw twangy guitar from Mickey Baker – best known as the noisier half of the Mickey & Sylvia team – and even more let loose here on his own! The record is pretty rocking all around – with lots of loud, complex guitar soloing from Mickey – in a manner that would later emerge more in surf recordings, but which is here set in nice jazz-based studio arrangements – of the sort that really lets Baker step out as a bold solo talent on his own, instead of lurking in the background of the countless other sides he cut with other artists. Mickey really wails, and the album's a great lost treasure in the Atlantic catalog – with grooves that include "Midnight Midnight", "Gloomy Sunday", "Baia", "Whistle Stop", "Milk Train", "Baker's Dozen", and "Chloe".

A rare later album from 50s guitar giant Mickey Baker – recorded overseas, and with a different vibe than his legendary R&B work – including some nice funky moments too! The album's not really jazz, and it's hardly rock at all – and instead is more of a bluesy effort with slight undercurrents of funk – some modern touches provided by the tight rhythms of bassist Alex Sanders and his combo – who provide a nice backdrop for Baker's sharp lines on guitar! Mickey's picked up a few modern tones over the years, but still has plenty of grit in his grooves – and titles include "Pop Off", "Prelude", "Ouagadougou", "Sophie", "Wag Your Tail", "Shadadabah", and "Alexander's Funk Time".

Amazing – simply amazing – and one of the best LPs of 60s soul you could ever buy! Darrell Banks was one of the many lost talents laboring in Detroit during the 60s – and he was part of the city's hip underground soul scene that included monster talents like Steve Mancha and JJ Barnes, all of whom fall into the "should have been famous" category, but who have fortunately been honored for years by soul fans worldwide. This album's one of two that Banks ever issued under his own name – and it's a collection of singles that were put together by Revilot, but issued in full LP format by Atlantic. Banks mixes together raw deep soul vocals with some hipper uptown production – and the result is soul that's about as classic as "classic" could be! Every single cut's a winner, written by some of the finest talents in soul music at the time – and tracks include "Here Come The Tears", "Our Love (Is In The Pocket)", "I'm Gonna Hang My Head & Cry", "Baby What'cha Got For Me", and Banks' semi-hit, "Open The Door To Your Heart".

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".

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

The only album ever by The Barrino Brothers – a stellar early 70s harmony group, and one who could sing with the best of the east coast scene of the time! The whole set's got a feel that's very much in the best mode of groups like The Modulations, Soul Generation, and even The O'Jays – as the group's got a deeper, more solid sound than some of the more fragile outfits of their era. Production is very strong – thanks to the Holland-Dozier-Holland powerhouse sound of the time – and the group's vocals are supported on a full groove that really helps send the whole thing over the top! The title cut "Livin High Off The Goodness Of Your Love" is a stone classic – and other nice tracks include "Rain", "I Had it All", and "It Doesn't Have to Be That Way". Loads of bonus tracks too – including "Trapped In A Love", "I Had It All (single)", "I Shall Not Be Moved", "Livin High Off The Goodness Of Your Love (inst)", "Livin High Off The Goodness Of Your Love (single)", "Born On The Wild (voc)", and "Born On The Wild (inst)".

Very righteous work from Fontella Bass – an album done after her time at Chess Records, and after her work in Paris with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – in a heartfelt, southern soul mode that's totally great! Fontella's back working with producer Oliver Sain, who first brought her fame back in the 60s – but the sound is a bit more sophisticated than before, drenched with roots from gospel and country soul, but also inflected with some of the more righteous modes of the early 70s, too. Fontella's vocals are incredible – with a range that should have made her one of the leading ladies of soul in the 70s – and titles include "To Be Free", "I Need Love", "Wiping Tears", "Hold On this Time", "Talking About Freedom", and "My God My Freedom My Home". 4 bonus tracks on this CD edition: "It Sure Is Good", "I'm Leaving The Choice To You", "Home Wrecker" and "It's Hard To Get Back In".

Joe Bataan working in a pronounced dancefloor soul mode! While the legendary Bataan was no stranger to the fusion of Latin, soul and funk, this some of the most club soul oriented sounds from Joe we've ever heard – and the sessions are seeing official release for the first time ever! The recording feature players who worked on Joe's stellar Afrofilipino and features a backdrop of wonderful Afro and Latin percussion and rhythms with the best sounds of the NYC dancefloor soul in the mix – with uptempo and midtempo vocal numbers flirting with disco and modern soul very nicely – with solid lead vocals and groovy female backup! Most tunes bring a bit of harp into the mix for a little more of a soar that plays off the percussion in really cool way. Titles include "Sadie", "When We Get Married", "My Cloud", "I Need Love", a take on the Isaac Hayes "Theme From The Men", "Let Me Kove You", "My Opera" and "I Do Love You".

Barbara Acklin's first album – and a landmark of Chicago soul that firmly established Acklin as one of the city's best writers and new female singers! Acklin had a classy sound that was different than some of her raw soul sisters in the city – but although she was classy, she also didn't have any of that little girl stuff that you might hear from singers like Denice Chandler or Barbara Mason. Instead, she had an approach that mixed a real soul vocal with more sophisticated material, in a manner that worked well with the evolving blueprint for the Brunswick Chisoul sound. Carl Davis and Eugene Record do a perfect job producing Barbara's songs, all forged nicely into the loping soul groove that set Chicago apart from other cities in the late 60s. Includes the big title track "Love Makes A Woman" – plus "Be By My Side", "Your Sweet Loving", "Come and See Me Baby", and a great cover of "The Look of Love"!

An excellent second album by Barbara Acklin – filled with some wonderful original material, plus a few covers, redone in Barbara's killer Chisoul style! The album includes the great cut "Am I The Same Girl", a loping soul groover that was all set to be a big single for Barbara – but for some reason, Brunswick held the tape back, stripped off the vocals, put on some piano, and released it as the instrumental "Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited at the same time! We still dig Barbara's version better, though, and it's on this album along with some other great cuts like "Seven Days of Night" and "Where Would I Go".

Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".

Pre funk, perhaps, but mightily storming soul singles from Vicki Anderson – James Brown productions from the mid 60s to the end of the decade – incredible stuff that's been a bit underappreciated in a world of funky compilations, yet no less incredible and even more diversely soulful than the funky stuff! Vicki's 70s funk sides are the stuff of legend, and these 60s recordings, which started around the time she joined the James Brown Revue in the mid 60s are just about as good a selection of period female fronted R&B and soul as we can think of – and a really eye opener if you came on board with Vicki for the 70s sounds and her later work with Bobby Byrd! Includes a pair of duets with James Brown – the proto funk gem "Think" from 1968 and "Let It Be Me" from 1970, which truth be told, has more than a little funk bubbling underneath, and some groovy guitars, strings and brass on top – plus "Here Is My Everything" and "Loving You" with Bobby Byrd. But this is Vicki's showcase all the way, and it's a great one! Titles include "I Love You", "My May", You Send Me", "Wide Awake In A Dream", "All In My Mind", "Tears Of Joy", "No More Heartaches, No More Pain", "In The Land Of Milk And Honey", "The Feeling Is Real", "I'll Work It Out" and more. 23 tracks in all.

The only compilation of 60s female soul trio The Apollas we've ever seen – beautiful tunes with sweet and soulful vocals, big emotions and excellent arrangements – fantastic stuff from the trio, earlier material recorded as The Lovejoys and solo numbers by singer Leola Jiles! We'd love to say we've been fortunate enough to have heard more than a handful of the great Loma and Warner 45s, but that isn't the case – so this compilation from Kent as rewarding for us as just about anything they've put together in recent years – which is really saying something! A number of the tracks are should-be anthems that really allow the girls to sing big – backed by brass and tight arrangements to suit. That said, they're diverse talents, and there's some sweeter girl group styled tunes here that come across just as strongly. Glorious! Titles include "You're Absolutely Right", "Who Would Want Me Now", "Jive Cat", "See The Silver Moon", "Pretty Red Balloons", "I'm Under The Influence Of Love", "Baby I'll Come", "My Soul Concerto" and more from The Apollas proper, plus "He Ain't No Angel" and "Wait 'Round The Corner" by The Lovejoys, "I've Got So Used To Loving You" and "Why I Was Born" by Leola Jiles and more. 25 tracks in all.

A funky blacksploitation soundtrack – issued here for the first time! The score was written and performed by HB Barnum, the great soul arranger who was responsible for some of the funky work that David Axelrod did at Capitol Records during the late 60s – and this set features him working in a hipper mode of wah-wah funk, jazzy instrumentals, and a few more full-on soul numbers. The CD features a total of 18 tracks lifted from the original film, and remastered for mainstream release for the first time ever – and the album's filled with great short numbers that are a must for any fan of the sound of 70s funky action films! Titles include "Freedom", "Kung Fu Funk", "They Keep Comin", "Black Star Barber Shop", "Playin Numbers", "Fun Lovin Arrives", and "Roof Top Fight".

A stone classic from this famous Chicago spiritual leader of the 70s – and an album that's got a nice balance between intimate soul numbers and larger tracks that have the whole Mount Zion Baptist Church along for support! The set's definitely got the strongly soulful vibe of Barrett's Like A Ship album – a strong ear for the best secular elements of the time, which are used liberally in the instrumental backing – to really send home the message in the music! Most tunes really soft-pedal the religion, and instead go for an overall feel that really crosses over to regular soul music – a fact we can attest to, given how many times we turn this up in older collections of 70s soul records. Titles include "Do Not Pass Me By", "So Many Years", "Oh What A Day", "I Want To Be In Love With You", "These Are The Words", and "After The Rain".