Soul — CDs  

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 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".

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".

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

Wonderful early work from Madeline Bell – a great singer with a sound that's equal parts American soul and British 60s female pop! The recordings on the set are from Madeline's earliest years in the UK – long before she achieved greater fame on crossover rock recordings, at a time when she was just stepping off an early career in gospel, where she'd crafted some great recordings on Vee Jay with Alex Bradford. The sound of the album is wonderful – arranged to production by Arthur Greenslade, and produced by Johnny Franz with the same pop genius he brought to Philips work by Scott Walker and Dusty Springfield. The CD features the full tracks from the Poppin album, plus a number of contemporary singles – for a total of 20 tracks that include "Picture Me Gone", "Beat The Clock", "Can't Get Used To Losing You", "Didn't Want To Have To Do It", "Soul Time", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", and "You Won't See Me".

A sweet debut from soul singer Regina Belle – a nice dose of class and sophistication in the world of mid 80s R&B! Regina's got a well-developed style right from the start – the kind of poise that you might hear from someone like Phyllis Hyman, especially on the mellower cuts – with nice undercurrents of jazz that really help send the whole thing home – and really keep the album away from cloying commercial styles too! The set features some mighty nice instrumental elements alongside the vocals – including keyboards from Dexter Wansel and alto from Don Myrick – and titles include "Show Me The Way", "Intimate Relations", "Gotta Give It Up", "So Many Tears", "Please Be Mine", and "You Got The Love". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "Without You", "Show Me The Way (ext)", "You Got The Love (rmx)", "How Could You Do It To Me (rmx)", "So Many Tears (cool mix)", and "Show Me The Way (inst)".

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

That's almost a hip hop cover on the front – one that would be years ahead of its time – but the record's a great batch of soul from this overlooked group! There's a tightness here that goes way beyond the previous album from Black Ice – a really top-shelf delivery all the way through – of the sort you'd expect to hear from a much bigger act at the time. The album's divided into two sides – a "lover's side" and a "dancer's side" – the latter of which features the band grooving in kind of an 80s club mode, with lots of bass pedals and a smooth funky sound that's not too bad. The real strength, though, is the lover's side – which is sort of an update of the 70s east coast harmony sound, given a smooth modern soul twist, but still retaining the best part of the vocal style, especially on the midtempo cuts. Titles include "I Just Wanna Hold You", "This Time", "Never Knew Love", "Big Fun", and the ode to designer jeans, "Sergios (I Want To Be With You)".

Hard hard hard soul from the great Cicero Blake – a singer who's better known these days for his down-home blues work, but who was a heck of a great soul artist in the 60s and 70s! This wonderfully-done set collects together 23 singles from Cicero's diverse recordings of the 60s and 70s – pulling together recordings that were issued on a variety of different labels, but when taken together show Blake to be an incredibly powerful singer, with a depth to rival that of his Chicago contemporaries, like Tyrone Davis or Syl Johnson! And honestly, even though we'd heard the odd single by Cicero here and there over the years, we'd never gotten a complete picture of his career until this wonderful set – and we're extra-thankful to the folks at Grapevine for doing such a great job on the notes and track selection. Titles include "See What Tomorrow Brings", "Sad Feeling", "Soul Of Pain", "Take It From Me", "Loving You Woman Is Everything", "Shing A Ling", "Here Comes The Heartache", "Should I Go", "Could This Be Love", "Face The Case", "Don't Wait Until Tomorrow", "Bad But Beautiful Bag", "Doin What Comes Naturally", "Dip My Dipper", "Be Good To Me", "Your Love Is Like A Boomerang", and a bonus 90s sweet soul number, "Don't Wanna Blow My Chance With You".

One man psychedelic funk jams from Blue and his Bluefunks project – bass player for the ATL's hip hop funk band (who backed Outkast live) – doing his own thing here on HomeCookedTapeHissInfestedFunks! Blue's heavy bass groove leads the way, boundlessly straddling genres and making his own style out of it all. He plays all the instrumentals on the set and does the singing – it's his show all the way. You hear his love of classic raw funk rock and psych soul throughout. Creative energy permeates the home spun vibe in away that reminds of Cody Chesnutt, but Blue's sound is all his own. "Nay...Na-Na", "Moments Golden", "See Thangz", "Act A Fool", "On The Wall", "Watcha Wanna Do", "Step It Up", "Feenin'" and more.

Brass Construction's fifth album, and the group's still grooving harder than most of their contemporaries! The legendary Randy Muller is still fully in charge here – serving up his trademark lean, mean arrangements that compress all elements of the music firmly on the beat – all in a way that creates one of the funkiest grooves you'll ever hear in mainstream late 70s club! There's plenty of great little touches to keep each tune interesting – bits of strings, keyboards, or other elements that burst out of the mix playfully . Titles include "It's Alright", "Watch Out", "I Want Some Action", "Right Place", "Music Makes You Feel Like Dancing", and "Shakit".

Soulful fusion from The Brecker Brothers – a set that's one of their standout efforts from the 70s – and a record that went onto influence a whole generation of jazz musicians too! The album features the twin horns of Randy & Michael Brecker, along with alto by David Sanborn, keyboards by Don Grolnick, and guitar by Steve Khan – but one of the things that really makes the album great is the vocal arrangements, which were handled by Luther Vandross, who also sings on the album along with Patti Austin! The set's got a great soulful feel – with some wonderful mellow groovers that have a sweet 70s sound – titles that include "Lovely Lady", "Night Flight", "Slick Stuff", "What A Miracle Can Do", "I Love Wastin Time With You", "Keep It Steady", "Grease Piece", and "Dig A Little Deeper". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "If You Wanna Boogie (single version)", and "Slick Stuff (single version)".

That's Brenda & Herb, not Peaches & Herb – Herb Rooney and Brenda Reid of the excellent 60s group The Exciters – grooving together here in a really full-on vocal approach that's clearly inspired by the best aspects of Ashford & Simpson! Tracks have a lush, full feel – arranged by Lou Hemsey in a mode that works equally well on the dancefloor tracks and on the mellower numbers – and there's an ambitious approach that could fall flat on its fact, but hangs together well – thanks to the overall execution of the set! The group may not be one of the best-remembered pair from the disco years – but they do a great job here of matching the best work of their contemporaries. Titles include "I Think I'm Gonna Like This", "Lie Down", "I Wanna Make You My Sweetheart", "Two Of Us", "Look What They've Done To Our City", and "What Goes Around".

Great stuff – and possibly the best album ever by this classic harmony soul group! The style is wonderful – with Brenda's sweet voice in the lead, and backing by the all-male Tabulations. The overall approach was used by Gladys Knight & The Pips for years, but we've always liked Brenda's stuff better – because it's got a deeper soul approach, and much richer harmonies. This CD features all the tracks from the group's rare 1971 album, plus a number of singles that weren't on the record. Titles include "Right On The Tip Of My Tongue", "Don't Make Me Over", "The Touch Of You", "California Soul", "A Part Of You", "And My Heart Sang", "Lies Lies Lies", and "A Child No One Wanted".

Classic work from Brick – a group who went onto become surprisingly successful during the 70s with a hot Atlanta blend of funky soul and uptempo club grooves. The group has a feel that would be taken up heavily a few years later by LA funk combos – particularly those on the Solar label – and their style of slicking up funky licks into a tightly compressed sound was obviously a bit hit with the kids of their generation, and hip hop sample heads in years to come. This 12 track greatest hits set includes the classic g-funk number "Dusic", plus "Music Magic", "Dazz", "Good High", "Free Happy", "We Don't Wanna Sit Down, We Wanna Get Down", and "Living From The Mind".

Massive – and one of the best James Brown compilations ever, filled with rare and unreleased material! This completely essential set features tracks pulled from James' best years ever – the mighty early 70s, when he was working with the JBs, and laying down tracks that would forever change the face of funk! The tunes on the album are right up there with the best work on classic albums like The Payback, Doin It To Death, Hot Pants, and any of the other killer Polydor funk albums by James – and most of them were pulled from sessions for those records, and brought together in this format for the first time in the late 80s. The centerpiece of the set is a 9 minute version of "Funky Drummer", and other highlights include new versions of "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose (remix)", "Soul Power (mono re-edit)", and "Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothin (remix)". The set's also got bonus beats of "Funky Drummer", a long single take of "Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants)" (8:42 minutes long!), and the nice rare track "I Got To Move" – previously unreleased, and nice and long! Plus, this new version features the previously unissued extended mix of "Blind Man Can See It".

A stunning set of rare and unreleased grooves by James Brown – nearly all of which were cut during the classic early 70s years with the JBs, but never issued before this cool compilation! The set's got some essentials for any fan of JB – including the lost soul classic "She's The One", a duet with Bobby Byrd called "Since You Been Gone", a live version of "There It Is",an untitled instrumental and another one called "Funk Bomb." Plus, its got the full 9 minute version of the great "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" from Slaughter's Big Ripoff, and lots more excellent bits, packaged with great notes! The CD features a bonus remix of "I Got Ants In My Pants & I Want To Dance" – and this expanded version also features "You've Changed" and "Bodyheat (alternate mix)".

James Brown cooking it live – recorded (as the cover says) "live at home in Augusta, Georgia with his bad self"! The groove here is a nice extension of earlier Apollo modes – one that shows the increasing funkiness of the James Brown Band, captured with a raw power that few other groups could match! The set list is awash in some of James' new funky classics – and titles include a 10 minute long version of "Sex Machine", plus other groovers like "I Got the Feeling", "Mother Popcorn", "Licking Stick", and a great version of "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing".

Sweet 80s disco from Peter Brown – proof that man still wants to get funky, even after most of his contemporaries had long left the dancefloor! The style here is as compellingly crossover as before – lots of lively rhythms that percolate with pop-inflected hooks – soul at the core, definitely, but with enough winning elements to keep Brown moving through the wider audiences that brought his initial fame. A few sweet moments almost seem to echo some of the best Euro club styles of the time – and titles include "Rock With Me", "Double Or Nothing", "Love Is Just The Game", "Classical Dancing", "Hot Flash", "They Only Come Out At Night", "Zie Zie Won't Dance", and "Electric Shoes". CD features lots of bonus mixes – including "Love Is Just The Game (inst)", "Love Is Just The Game (12" mix)", "They Only Come Out At Night (12" mix)", "They Only Come Out At Night (inst)", "Zie Zie Won't Dance (12" rmx)", and "Zie Zie Won't Dance (inst)".

Seminal sounds from Solomon Burke – and a record that already has the young singer hitting the full heights of his greatness! There's a vibe here that's unlike anything else – even any of Burke's heavy-hitting contemporaries on Atlantic Records – and the album's key proof that Solomon's easily one of the greatest soul singers who ever lived! His vocals have roots that go very deep, but the strength of his vocals also help bring a new focus to 60s soul as well – a raw power that so many others would try to emulate, yet maybe never hit as well as Burke. A number of cuts here are great originals penned by Solomon, and every number's a gem – with titles that include "Stupidity", "Words", "If You Need Me", "Home In Your Heart", "Tonight My Heart She Is Crying", "I Really Don't Want To Know", and "Send Me Some Loving".

A pair of overlooked 70s gems from Jerry Butler – back to back on a single CD! Love's On The Menu is understated genius from Jerry – the kind of record that follows nicely off of his best strengths for Mercury in the early 70s – and which has him furthering the level of mature soul that was his greatest contribution to music in the decade! As before, the best tunes here are often the mellower ones – sung in a mode that's warmly soulful, and which often raises the bar for mainstream soul – to a level that would allow a lot more work to come from other singers a few years later. The title cut – "Love's On The Menu Tonight" – is a perfect illustration of this style – and other cuts include "The Devil In Mrs Jones", "Thank You Early Bird", "I'm Goin Left", "Don't Let This Smile Fool You", "I Don't Want Nobody To Know", and "This Is Your Life". Suite For The Single Girl is a great little concept album – and one that really shows the continuing sophistication and growth of Jerry Butler's music in the 70s! The record is dedicated to the "single girl" of the 70s (portrayed with the sad little photo of a brown bag lunch and a Gucci purse on the cover) – the new professional woman in the workplace – a surprisingly popular theme for many other singers of the period, but handled here by Butler with way more poise and class than any of his contemporaries! Arrangements are by James Mack and Paul Wilson, who often bring a great mellow mode to the best cuts – almost a Leon Ware style of laidback sensuality. A few other tunes are groovers, but still fit in just right – and titles include "Suite For The Single Girl", "I Wanna Do It To You", "Music In Her Dreams", "Only Pretty Girls", "Let's Go Get Out Of Town", "Chalk It Up", and "Ms Fine".

An insanely wonderful bit of Latin funk! The groove is super heavy, and falls somewhere in between NuYorican soul and Chicano Power rock – with a sound that's pretty close to Black Sugar, but a little bit more psychedelic, due to the heavy guitars and keyboards in the grooves. Hard congas take the lead on most of the tracks – especially the cut "Chapumbambe", which starts with a nice break! Other tracks include "Tema De Bwana", "Motemba", "La Patada", and the massive Latin soul cut "Lolita".

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)".

A tremendous solo act from GC Cameron – a singer who first rose to fame in The Spinners, but who really sounds wonderful on his own! GC's moved away from The Spinners here – into a wide range of styles that show him ready to take on most of the rest of the competition! He's working here with the best of the best of Motown – production from Stevie Wonder and Willie Hutch – and arrangements by both, plus Paul Riser, Gene Page, James Carmichael, and Frank Wilson – all of whom really give their best to the record, and show that Motown was putting plenty of effort into making GC one of the next big stars of the 70s. We're not sure why things never took off as strongly for Cameron, but whatever the case, the album's a great step for the solo artist – on cuts that include "If You Don't Love Me", "Tippin", "All In Love Is Fair", "If You're Ever Gonna Love Me", "Come Get This Thang", "I'm Gonna Give You Respect", and "Let Me Down Easy". CD features an insane amount of bonus tracks – 13 more tracks that include "Act Like A Shotgun", "Girl I Really Love You", "I'm Gonna Get You (parts 1 & 2)", "Don't Wanna Play Pajama Games", "You Are That Special One", "Have I Lost You", "Time", "Topics", and "No Matter Where".

Killer deep soul from James Carr – a landmark set that features 28 tracks pulled from his famous years at the Goldwax label! Carr's Goldwax recordings nearly died when they came out – hardly reaching the audience of contemporaries like Otis Redding or Wilson Pickett – but as years have progressed, these sides have become the treasures of soul collectors, and have thankfully hit the status of "classic" that they were due for! This set is one of the first times these tunes have been legitimately made available in a good package – and it's about time too, because the whole thing's excellent! Carr's voice is incredible, and the arrangements are great – with none of the hoke that you'd sometimes get in weaker acts of the time. Titles include "I'm A Fool For You", "A Losing Game", "Lovable Girl", "Love Attack", "She's Better Than You", "That's What I Want To Know", "You Don't Want Me", and "Lover's Competition".

James Carr is really maturing here – stepping forth with a sound that's every bit as great as his early Goldwax singles, yet also hitting a newly sophisticated vibe that helps take southern soul to a whole new level! Recordings were done both in Memphis and Muscle Shoals – and in addition to opening up a few more bluesy sounds in his style, James also brings in some of the more adult modes that he'd really help inspire in other singers in years to come – that open, honest attitude that really comes through in the more heartbreaking numbers. Titles include the classic "Dark End Of The Street" – plus "You Don't Want Me", "Hit & Run", "Bring Her Back", "Stronger Than Love", "More Love", "Gonna Send You Back To Georgia", "The Word Is Out", and "What The World Needs Now Is Love".

A seminal debut from the great Clarence Carter – proof that there was still a lot of genius to be heard in southern soul at the time! The 60s were just about over when Clarence appeared on the recording scene – and it seemed that most of the big names in soul had already grabbed most of the thrones in the kingdom. Clarence was a real comer, though – and his sweet style of southern soul was immediately popular, filling a void promptly after the death of Otis Redding, and setting a bit more fire than some of the other Atlantic male singers, who were waning a bit at the time. Of course, it certainly helps that that lil' ol' genius Rick Hall was behind Clarence's move – arranging and producing this album with some of the strongest, least cliched Muscle Shoals backings of the time. Titles include "Slip Away", "Funk Fever", "Thread The Needle", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Looking For A Fox", and "Slippin' Around".

A killer set from Cashmere – and a batch of music that definitely turns us on! The album's got a lean, mean groove that's mighty nice – a tight, keyboard-driven approach to 80s soul – but one that's also held together beautifully by lead vocals from Dwight Dukes, who was previously a member of Heaven & Earth! Dukes has this sweet falsetto mode that works perfectly with the cuts – and on many numbers, he gets vocal support from Dean Williams, whose deeper style really helps ground the tunes nicely – making for a blend that only gets richer as the album rolls on. Groovers dominate the styles, but there's a few nice laidback numbers too – and the contrast makes for the same energy that always made a record by Heaven & Earth so great. Titles include "Contemplation", "Try Your Lovin", "Inner Feelings", "Let The Music Turn You On", and "Do It Anyway You Wanna". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Do It Anyway You Wanna (12" version)", "Let The Music Turn You On (single)", "Try Your Lovin (single)", "Do It Anyway You Wanna (inst)", "Try Your Lovin (12" inst)".

Jimmy Castor's looking mighty butch on the cover of this one – what with the leather and motorcycle in the photo – and he's bringing all that energy to play strongly on the album's heavy heavy funk tracks! The record's a great extension of the funky style that Castor first started forging at RCA – touches with plenty of Jimmy's multi-instrumental touches on tenor, alto, and timbales – and given that great monster-inspired approach to lyrics – which ensures that the whole thing stays plenty vivid throughout! Vocals are nice and rough, and the instrumentation is heavy on basslines and clavinet – on titles that include the two part "Dracula", plus "Super Love", "I Love A Mellow Groove", "E Man Groovin", "I Don't Want To Lose You", and "Space Age".

Contemporary soul from Miami – a set issued by the legendary Henry Stone, and done with a vibe that's a great update of his TK Records sound from the 70s! Certified Slim is a singer with a definite southern pedigree – a soulful style that's got a few undercurrents of blues, in a way that reminds us a lot of Latimore – yet with a markedly more youthful feel. Like Latimore, Slim gets some great keyboards bubbling underneath his vocals – and some sweet riffing guitar that's definitely a key element in keeping the Henry Stone sound strong. Titles include "Lease To Own It", "Move Somethin", "If It's Love You Want", "Baby I Will", "So Independent", and "She's Her Own Boss".

Really sweet later work from The Chi Lites – 2 classics on a single set! The sound on Heavenly Body is less Brunswick Chicago soul than before – and the group step along in warm and sophisticated backings that sparkle in the best Chi-Sound style – uptempo at some times, but sweet and mellow at others. The vocals are superb – easily adaptable to both sorts of settings, but especially great on the ballads – which really seem to benefit from the move away from some of the more cliched styles that the Chi-Lites were falling into during their last years on Brunswick. Eugene Record produced, and titles include "Love Shock", "Round & Round", "Heavenly Body", "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You", "Give Me A Dream", and a remake of "Have You Seen Her". Heavenly Body has the group hitting a whole new groove, but keeping things real in the vocal department! The album's got a great mix of ballads and groovers – similar to other Chi-Sound productions at the time – and the upbeat numbers follow nicely from the group's work on Mercury in the late 70s, more kicked up than their fragile ballads of the early 70s, but with great vocals nonetheless. Production is by Carl Davis with group leader Eugene Washington, and arrangements are by an old Brunswick crew who include Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders. Titles include "Whole Lot Of Good Good Lovin", "Tell Me Where It Hurts", "Me & You", "Never Speak To A Stranger", "Get Down With Me", and "Try My Side".

A mighty run of classic fusion from Stanley Clarke – some of his biggest albums for Columbia Records, packaged here in mini LP-styled sleeves in a 6CD slipcase! The package is a great one – especially given that some of these records aren't easy to find on CD – and it traces the evolution from the more experimental Stanley Clarke of his Columbia debut and Journey To Love albums, into mega-hit status on School Days, more soulful modes on Modern Man, and even features some great Live work too – a great document of the unbridled power that Stanley had when away from the studio! Full albums include Stanley Clarke, Journey To Love, School Days, Modern Man, I Wanna Play For You, and Live 1976/1977 – all packaged together in a box with notes!

Two rare European records from Freddy Cole – best known to most of us in the US as a jazz singer! One More Love Song is surprisingly soulful set from Freddy – quite different than some of the straighter jazz vocals he's cut over the years! This rare gem was recorded in The Netherlands in the mid 70s – and features backings from Jerry Van Rooyen and Tony Noite, both of whom mix jazzy inflections with fuller orchestrations – helping to bring Cole's rich background into a whole new light! Freddy's voice still has that wonderful trademark rasp – familiar to, yet quite different than brother Nat – and the use of some smoother soul modes makes for a really great contrast. Titles include "One More Love Song", "I Loved You", "I Need You So", "Still Wanna Be With You", "Isn't She Lovely", and "Here Is Where Your Love Belongs". Right From The Heart has Freddy Cole taking on a mix of adult ballads and some groovier numbers – set to arrangements by John Gally, Hennie Bekker, and Steve Gray – and recorded in London with a nicely mature feel. There's a bit of polish to the production, especially on the more upbeat cuts – but the mellower numbers still have Cole singing in a great old school mode. Titles include "The Girl From The Piano Bar", "To Be With You", "Teach Me Tonight", "Summer Love", "Somewhere Down The Line", and "Right From The Start".

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

Funky genius from Con Funk Shun – a pair of late 70s albums – together in a single set! Loveshine finds the group working under the production helm of Skip Scarborough, who seems to give them an even sharper edge than usual! The album's filled with those tightly compressed rhythms that Skip was so great in producing back in the 70s – grooves that seem to make more out of doing less – and which have a sense of space and timing that's totally impeccable. There's a few light jazzy touches at times too – bits of flute, sax, and organ that bring in a nice sense of depth, and which takes it far past easily classified funk! Titles include "So Easy", "Shake & Dance With Me", "When The Feelings Right", "I Think I Found The Answer", "Wanna Be There", "Can't Go Away", "So Easy", and "Magic Woman". Con Funk Shun really hit a tight groove Candy – 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".

A pair of groovers by Norman Connors from the start of the 80s – Take It To The Limit and Mr C – together in a single set! Take It To The Limit is excellent album of smooth soul – one that reaches back to some of Norman's earlier records for inspiration, and which takes the sound up a few notches to expand the groove. Norman gets help on the arranging tip from Al Johnson, McKinley Jackson, and Paul Riser – which is why the album has such a great 70s smooth soul feel – and there's loads of guest appearances, like vocals by Johnson, Jean Carn, and instrumental solos from Freddie Hubbard and Gary Bartz. Adaritha sings lead vocals on a number of cuts, and Glenn Johnson takes the lead on "Melancholy Fire". Includes a great version of "Black Cow", plus "Take It To The Limit", "Justify", "You've Been On My Mind", and an excellent remake of "I Don't Need Nobody Else", with Al Johnson on vocals! Mr C is a real sleeper from Norman Connors, but a great record – one that shows him still moving strong in the 80s, always continuing to develop his smooth jazzy soul style! Backing is by the Starship Orchestra, with Marion Meadows on most sax solos – and vocals are by Beau Williams, Jean Carn, and Glenn Jones. There's a number of great uptempo tunes – with a tight hard jazz funk backing, and kind of a sweet early 80s club style in the vocals. Titles include "Love's In Your Corner", "She's Gone", "Stay With Me", "Keep Doin It", "Anyway You Want", and "Sing A Love Song".

The legendary unreleased Motown recordings by The Contours – material that should have been issued as a full length LP in 1964 – but all but a couple tunes have languished in the vaults until now! The group simply kills on on these dancefloor ready stormers, with raucous, charismatic lead vocals and tight harmony backup – on a set of numbers that were no doubt ready and set to slay live audiences. We're sure The Contours were unbeatable live, but these recordings really should have made it out at the time. Better late than never, to say the very least! Includes the 60s singles "Can You Do It" and "Can You Jerk Like Me", plus the unreleased "Do The See Saw", "Foot Stomping Time", "Party Groove", "Okey Dokey", "Love Is Uncertain", "Wanted", "Boy Meets Girl", "You Hurt Me So", "Throw You Out Of My Mind", "Giant Steps", "Let's Do The Uncle Willie", "Tonight", "Nobody Fine As Dinah", "Somebody's Daughter Outta", "Let's Do The Uncle Willie" and more. 26 tracks in all!

A cool step sideways for the great Don Covay – a set that still holds onto all the soul of his earlier work for Atlantic – but one that also has Don hitting a rootsier, bluesier mode too! The combo's definitely a blues group at their core, but apart from some harmonica and a bit more twang in the guitar, they come across more like a rough soul combo behind Covay's lead – a quality that comes through especially strong on some of the points where the drums step out a bit more than usual. Our hat's off to Don for making this move – as the record really shows a whole new side of his vocal talents, and has a deeper vibe than he'd go for in his later crossover soul of the 70s. Titles include "Homemade Love", "Steady Roller", "Four Women", "Mad Dog Blues", and "Shut Your Mouth".

A smooth later groover from Crown Heights Affair – a lot more 80s sounding than the group's classic work, but in a way that's actually totally great! CHA were never shy of hitting a mainstream sound – and early in the group's career, they traded harder funk for smoother disco – making a move that suited them well in later years. This set's got a brilliant sheen that really works wonderful for the group – tight production from Bert DeCoteaux in a style that's almost an update of earlier Philly modes – mature and sophisticated on the vocals and use of strings, but also with a funkier undercurrent at the bottom to keep with a New York De-Lite kind of sound. Titles include "You Gave Me Love", "Sure Shot", "I Don't Want To Change You", "You've Been Gone", "Use Your Body & Soul", and "Tell Me You Love Me".

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song".

Killer work from Betty Davis – one of the most impressive female funk talents ever! If you ever needed a definition of funk, this record may well be it – snapping drums, sharp-edged guitars, and sex-filled basslines that slink and slide all over the bottom of the grooves – a perfect setting for Betty's incredible vocals – which themselves have a smokey, raspy quality that's completely unique! At times, Davis is almost speaking, but at others she's practically screaming – belting out the lyrics in a way that makes you feel like you're sharing some space with her at the end of the bar as she gets more and more wound up about issues and people who are on her mind. And as if the vocals weren't enough, the backings are incredible too – filled with drum breaks and basslines that few other albums can match – all wrapped around badass tunes that include "Shoo-B-Doop & Cop Him", "He Was A Big Freak", "70's Blues", "Git In There", "Special People", "Don't Call Her No Tramp", and "Your Mama Wants Ya Back". Expanded CD features new remastering, a deluxe 32 page booklet, and 4 previously unreleased bonus tracks that include Record Plant rough mixes of "70s Blues", "Git In There", "He Was A Big Freak", and "Don't Call Her No Tramp".

A much-needed look at the mighty Sugar Pie DeSanto – a singer who really rocked Chess Records back in the 60s! DeSanto came to the label already boasting one hell of a groove – a rock-solid sense of rhythm that made all of her tunes groovers right from the get-go – and a raw vocal power that easily rivaled, if not beat, that of Etta James – her labelmate at Chess, and partner on a few duet tracks here! The collection's a non-stop soul party throughout – as upbeat as Northern Soul, but with plenty of deep soul elements as well – and it's the first time many of these cuts have been brought together on CD, and certainly never before as wonderful as this. Kent serves up some great notes and vintage photos with the package – the latter of which show Sugar Pie in action on stage, clearly one of the sexiest singers to work the circuit back in the 60s! Titles include "In The Basement (parts 1 & 2)", "Soulful Dress", "Witch For A Night", "Ask Me", "Good Timin", "Mr & Mrs", "Mama Didn't Raise No Fools", "Crazy Lovin", "There's Gonna Be Trouble", "Jump In My Chest", "Somewhere Down The Line", "Use What You Got", "Never Love A Stranger", "I Love You So Much", "Go Go Power", and "I Don't Wanna Fuss".

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)".

The best collection we've ever seen on Ernie K Doe – a really massive set that not only features all the tracks from his early years on the New Orleans soul scene, but also includes his great comeback album from 1970 too – plus some killer cuts from the mid 70s as well! Allen Toussaint produced all the recordings – which makes for not only a really unified feel throughout, but also a nicely evolutionary one too – as the rough, gritty grooves of New Orleans are taken to hipper, more sophisticated territory as time moves on – those really complicated funky rhythms that have always made the title track a standout favorite from Ernie! The package features a hardcover book-style design, with notes, photos, and label scans in the middle – and cuts include "Come On Home", "Popeye Joe", "Here Come The Girls", "Stoop Down", "You Got To Love Me", "So Good", "Back Street Lover", "Talkin Bout This Woman", "A Long Way Back Home", "Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye", "So Good", "The Fight", "Rub Dub Dub", "Hey Hey Hey", "There's A Will There's A Way", "Wanted $10,000 Reward", "Mother In Law", "A Certain Girl", "Reaping What I Sow", and "Penny Worth Of Happiness".

Sublime work from one of our favorite groups ever on Salsoul Records – the amazing harmony quartet Double Expsoure – soaring out here in a set of Philly gems produced by Norman Harris! The album's got a wonderful sound right from the start – rich in rhythms, yet also soaring on harmonies that few other Philly acts could even touch – especially at this point in the 70s, when the group sound seemed to be waning a bit on other fronts. In a way, Double Exposure really carry on the best tradition of the east coast scene with a set like this – pushing things forward with rolling grooves for the clubs, yet also showing that they still can have a special way with a ballad too – a blend that's maybe only matched by Teddy Pendergrass-era work by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Titles include "Newsy Neighbors", "Perfect Lover", "There's Something Missing", "Handy Man", and "Why Do You Have to Leave". CD features bonus tracks – "Perfect Lover (orig single)", "Newsy Neighbors (unreleased 12" mix)", and "Newsy Neighbors (orig single)".

One of the excellent recordings made by The Dramatics at ABC – great group soul gems that are sometimes overlooked because they didn't yield as many hits as earlier sets – but which are stellar records nonetheless! This one's got all the right elements firmly in place – killer production by Don Davis, and smooth but real harmonies from LJ Reynolds, Ron Banks, and the rest of the group. There's a few tracks that hit a smooth sort of groove that might be tagged as "disco" – but which is really just an extension of the super-dope mode that the group used in earlier years – and which has a lot more to offer than just a cheap dancefloor cash in. Titles include "Life Is Just A Playground", "Love Birds", "A Marriage On Paper Only", "I'm Hooked On You", "That's My Favorite Song", "I Think About You", and "I Just Wanna Dance With You".

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

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

A pair of overlooked gems from Ronnie Dyson – both of which show there's way more to love than just his early hits! On Love In All Flavors, Ronnie's older than during his falsetto soul early years – and he's working here with some impeccably mature Chicago soul arrangements by Gene Barge, Gene Page, and Richard Evans. The album's produced by the always-great modern soul dynamic duo of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancey (ex-Independents), and it's got an approach that mixes deeply soulful vocals with smoother backings, kind of in the same mode that The Manhattans were using, but with a bit more of a modern tip that points towards the Capitol work by the Jackson/Yancey team. Tracks include "I Want To Be Where You Are", "Sara Smile", "Don't Be Afraid", "I Just Want To Be There", and "Ain't Nothing Wrong". On More You Do It, Dyson works with the 70s hit soul team of Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy – the pair who brought great sound to Natalie Cole, and who work some similar magic with Ronnie! The album was recorded in Chicago – partially at Curtom – and has arrangements from Gene Barge, Gene Page, and Richard Evans – all of whom bring a fullness to the record that's a nice change from Dyson's more fragile work of earlier years. Some of the best cuts have a gentle midtempo groove that's almost like Leroy Hutson – warm, and never slick – very personal, and stepping along nicely. Titles include "The More You Do It", "You & Me", "Jive Talkin", "Close To You", "Love Won't Let Me Wait", and "Lovin Feelin".

A nicely complicated little record – and one of the funkiest albums on the legendary Invictus label! The 8th Day group was a loosely-conceived batch of Detroit soul talents designed to cash in on a concept of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team – and they weren't just a studio project, as they included some wonderful talents that could make some great music when they wanted to! One of these was the amazing Detroit organist Lyman Woodard – who contributed the fantastic track "Cheba" to the album, an incredible organ groover that's unlike anything you've ever heard, rolling on with this pinched Hammond sound over congas, all-instrumental, and completely seductive! Another was Melvin Davis, who had recorded the song "Good Book" as a solo artist – but which was released here as if it was by the group. There's also a great guitarist in the group – unnamed due to the lack of liner notes – but who really shines on the funky tracks "Anythang", "Rocks In My Head", and "Heaven Is There To Guide Us", all with a fuzzed-out Detroit 70s groove! CD features the bonus tracks "Just As Long (single)", "I'm Worried (single)", "It's Instrumental To Be Free", and "You Made Me Over".

Kind of a silly name for a group – but the record's pretty nice! Elbow Bones & The Racketeers were one of the many retro-soul groups working under the guidance of producer August Darnell – aka Kid Creole – who gave the group a style that was similar to his own unique blend of 80s club grooves, 40s swing, and 30s gangster cliches! Vocals are by Gichy Dan, Stephanie Fuller, and Dutch Robinson – and the set's unified by Darnell's good ear for a catchy hook – those quirky, groovy little numbers that always made the Kid Creole and Dr Buzzard albums so great! Titles include "A Night In New York", "Other Guys", "Our Love Will Always Stand", "You Got Me High", and "I Call It Like I See It". CD features a huge amount of bonus tracks – 7 more numbers that include "Night In New York (12" ext)", "Happy Birthday Baby (12" ext)", "Happy Times (12" ext)", "I Wanna Remind You", "Night In New York (single)", and "Happy Birthday Baby (single)".

A soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". CD features a bonus single version of "Flowers".

The great debut from First Class – an east coast harmony group from the 70s, and one who work proudly here in some of the more uptempo styles of the time! Tracks here are often a bit extended, and filled with warmly clubby touches that are a nice All Platinum answer to the sound of Philly at the time – recorded in New Jersey, with orchestrations by Sammy Lowe and Mike Terry, who both take the music past standard dancefloor work. Tommy Keith plays some mean guitar in the backing group, and he also wrote and produced the whole record. Tracks include the wonderful stepper "Me & My Gemini" – a cut so good it makes us want to change our horoscope sign – plus the titles "Foxy Lady", "Let's Make Love", "This Is It", "Filled With Desire", "I've Got You", and "Lady Of The Evening". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "Me & My Gemini (7" version)", "Me & My Gemini (inst)", "I Do", "So Glad That I Got You", and "This Is It (7" single)".

A stone classic from Flaming Ember – a combo with a sound rooted in rock, but filled with plenty of soul too – making they a key funky crossover act in the early 70s! These guys borrow the best of Motown soul and the best of the jazzier rock groups of the time – and often use lots of raw congas in with their percussion – which keeps things grooving with plenty of soulful inflections. There's some nice psych production at times – a bit like the best Norman Whitfield modes at the start of the 70s – and titles include "Flashbacks & Reruns", "The Empty Crowded Room", "Going In Circles", "Westbound #9", "Spinning Wheel", and "Shades Of Green". CD features three bonus tracks – "Filet De Soul", "Don't You Wanna Wanna", and "Desert Village".

Wicked late 70s work from Ronnie Foster – a rare Columbia outing that's arguably better than his earlier sides for Blue Note! There's more of a soul vibe than before in the music – but in a way that's really foregrounded, and without some of the back/forth wavering that Foster had in his groove during previous sets. Jerry Peters produced the record, and gives it a solid, confident style that's right up there with the best soul/fusion sides on Columbia at the time – and the lineup of players features great contributions from Roy Ayers on vibes, Ndugu Chancler on percussion, Harvey Mason on drums, and Alphonso Johnson on bass. Foster himself did all the arrangements – and both sings and plays a mix of keyboards that come off sounding pretty darn great. Titles include "Midnight Plane", "Happy Song", "Why Don't You Look Inside", "I Want To Bring My Love Home", "Nassau Bay", "Shooting Star", and "Easier Said Than Done". 3 bonus single mixes on this great CD: "Midnight Plane, Pt 1 (US 7" Single)", "Midnight Plane, Pt 2 (US 7" Single)" and "Midnight Plane 12"" Single).

Massive music from one of the greatest Motown groups ever – served up here as a set of 78 singles from the 60s and early 70s – not just all the US releases for Motown, but also UK-only singles, Italian singles, and work with the Supremes as well! The lavish book-style set is done in the same mode as the excellent Complete Motown series from a few years back – with a heavy 7" cover, loads of color pages in the middle, and a wealth of information and photos – maybe the nicest set we've ever seen on the Four Tops! But the music here is more than enough, too – killer singles that mix big hits with more obscure numbers – on title that include "Sad Souvenirs", "Walk Away Renee", "The Key", "Still Water", "Together We Can Make Such Sweet Music", "You Keep Running Away", "If You Don't Want My Love", "I'll Never Change", "Can't Seem To Get You Out Of My Mind", "You Stole My Love", "Simple Game (UK version)", "Piangono Gli Uomini", "Gira Gira", and "Until You Love Someone".

A real standout from Aretha Franklin's years on Arista – a set produced by Luther Vandross, with a soaring groove that really opens Aretha up nicely! Luther's more in the mode here of his 70s club productions than his 80s hits – that warm, midtempo vibe that's full of lush moments, but never in ways that are cloyingly commercial. Franklin's vocals light up the tunes in the way that Luther's own might do – really soaring out beautifully in this setting. Titles include "I Got Your Love", "Giving In", "Get It Right", "Pretender", "Every Girl", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "Better Friends Than Lovers". CD features bonus tracks "Get It Right (single)", "Get It Right (12" inst)", and "Every Girl Wants My Guy (single)".

Aretha's grooving sweetly on a record that's produced by Luther Vandross – and a damn strong one, too! Aretha wasn't the first, or the last classic soul singer to embrace the modern sounds of the early 80s, but relatively few outshined their younger peers as brilliantly as Aretha does here. She's great on this one! There's plenty of space in the arrangements for Aretha to do her thing – emoting naturally, improvising some of the vocals, and really just knocking it out of the park. Luther's production shows ample love and respect for the previous generation of soul, while still sounding right at home in '82 – with some timeless ballads along with contemporary chart-ready groovers. Titles include "Jump To It", "Love Me Right", "If She Don't Want Your Lovin'", "This Is For Real", "It's Just Your Love", "I Want To Make It Up To You" and "It's Just Your Thing". This 2012 CD version from Big Break has 5 bonus versions: single versions of "Jump To It", "Love Me Right" and "This is For Real", plus "Just My Daydream (12" Version)" and "Love Me Right (12" Dance Version)".

About as classic as you can get for Aretha Franklin – a wonderful package that features 5 full albums for Atlantic Records – each packaged in a tiny LP-styled sleeve that reproduces the original cover! The work here is the stuff of legend – that key point when Franklin really got her groove together, thanks to help from producers Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin – who helped Aretha's amazing vocals find a place that not only transformed her career, but all of soul music as well! Every record in the set's a classic – and the package features I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You, Lady Soul, Aretha Now, Spirit In The Dark, and Live At The Fillmore West – with tracks that include "Respect", "Do Right Woman", "Save Me", "Good Times", "Groovin", "Chain Of Fools", "Think", "I Say A Little Prayer", "I Take What I Want", "One Way Ticket", "Honest I Do", "Spirit In The Dark", and lots more!

Fusiony soul from the early 80s on Columbia – and one of the more vocal-oriented albums cut by keyboardist Rodney Franklin! The vocals are sung by Jim Gilstrap, Howard Smith, and Darryl Phinnessee – but at the heart of all the tracks are Rodney's nice soulful keyboards – which have the same smooth feel as Bobby Lyle's from the same time. The record was produced by Stanley Clarke – and itincludes "Enuff Is Enuff" – the theme from the early 80s blacksploitation flick One Down,Two To Go – plus "Sonshine", "Learning To Love", "Don't Wanna Let You Go", "Sailing", "That's The Way I Feel 'Bout Your Love".

Wonderful stuff – and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here – suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch out!) Although the album was thought of as a no-brainer quickie at the time – and predicted to fail so that Anna wouldn't get any cash from it – the record is an extremely well-crafted one, filled with extremely personal songs that also have a warm soulful finish, in the style of Marvin's work on the LP I Want You (which is kind of a nice bookend to this one – as it was an extended love poem to the young girlfriend that caused him to split up with Anna!) Hard and soulful, the record's a searing testimony to the relationship between Marvin and Anna, and a painful document of the troubles between them – set to some mellow grooves that are easily some of Marvin's greatest of the 70s! The set's filled with great "lost" Marvin Gay songs, too – like "Sparrow", "When Did You Stop Loving Me", "Anger", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You", and "Time to Get it Together".

An incredible record – quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique – written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him – done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love – all of which were very much on the mind of Marvin during his troubled years of the mid 70s. The whole thing's beautifully put together – superbly orchestrated with just the right funky touches, and even a sweet bit of electronics to give the set a nice edge. An amazing album – one of those soul records that goes deeper and deeper than you ever thought pop music could go – filled with great tracks that include "I Want You", "After the Dance", "Come Live With Me", and "Since I Had You". Genius – pure genius!

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". This expanded edition includes the B-side tracks "God Is Love" and "Sad Tomorrow".

THE lasting classic from Gloria Gaynor – the record that contains her tremendous hit "I Will Survive", and a great batch of disco grooves overall! The album's got a simple, honest sort of approach, despite its release in an era of overblown dancefloor sets – and arranger Freddie Perren does a great job of balancing all the elements here – hitting strong on the rhythms, but mixing in bits of strings from Gene Page and others – all in a sound that's round, warm, and surprisingly soulful, despite the big crossover fame of the hit on the record. In addition to a nice long take of "I Will Survive", other tracks include "Anybody Wanna Party?", "Please, Be There", "I Said Yes", and "You Can Exit".

A long-overdue collection of work by this sublime Ohio soul group of the 60s – a trio of lovely ladies with a really tremendous sound! Gigi & The Charmaines are hardly the girl group cliche you might think from their sweet name and the image on the cover – and on most of the numbers here, they're hard-rolling at a pace that's somewhere between the best Detroit Northern Soul of the time, and some of the sweeter female soul that was coming out of Chicago at the end of the 60s. Ace have really outdone themselves with the collection – and bring together the group's singles on the Columbia, Date, and Fraternity labels – as well as some other key sides that have them performing vocals on records by other artists in the lead! CD features a whopping 28 tracks in all, plus a full set of notes – with titles that include "Guilty", "Poor Unfortunate Me", "Eternally", "Girl Crazy", "If You Ever", "I Idolize You", "Rockin Old Man", "On The Wagon", "What Kind Of Girl Do You Think I Am", "All You Gotta Do", "GI Joe", "I Can't Go On This Way", and "I Don't Want To Lose Him" – plus "I'm So Satisfied" with Max Falcon, "Lucy Miloo" with Kenny Smith, "Baby Please Don't Go" with Carl Edmonson, and "Baby What's Wrong" with Lonnie Mack.

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes".

The first-ever tribute to this overlooked genius of southern soul – a set that brings together the rare early 70s singles from Dan Greer, plus a huge amount of unreleased work as well! Dan recorded these cuts for the Sounds Of Memphis label, in a style that really shows the changes in southern soul taking place at the time – that rich move forward you'd hear in the music of Sam Dees, Jimmy Lewis, and other key contemporaries who, along with Greer, really helped shake free of some of the 60s cliches of the genre – and stepped forth strongly with a sense of pride and power that's really amazing! The music's definitely got a Memphis vibe, but also echoes a bit of Nashville and Jackson soul as well – and Greer's slight lyrical twang is a really great fit for the slight bite in the way he puts his songs together. Titles include "Hook Line & Singer", "Shell Of A Man", "Thanks To You Girl", "How Does It Feel", "Bless You", "Voodoo Woman", "Share", "So Good To Be Young", "Any Moment Now", "Natural Reaction", "Only The Beginning", and "I'm A Lucky Guy".

A stone classic from the great Gwen Guthrie – a singer who forged some brilliant vocals in the backdrop of other folks' soul sessions – then really exploded forth as a star on her own, with a handful of key albums in the early 80s! This cooker really shows off Guthrie's ear for the clubs – and has this style that's not really 80s groove, not really street soul – but a great blend of both, and put together in ways that seem to prefigure so many other soul styles in years to come – even as far forward as the new jack years. Gwen's strong vocals work perfectly with the arrangements – which have a tightly produced electric sound that could overcome weaker singers, but which only push Gwen into bolder vocals than before! Titles include the classic "Ain't Nothin Goin On But The Rent", plus "I Still Want You", "Stop Holding Back", "Outside In The Rain", "Close To You", and "You Touched My Life". CD also features four bonus tracks – "Save Your Love For Me", a duet with Surface – plus "Close To You (7" mix)", "Ain't Nothin Goin On But The Rent (12" club mix)", and "Outside In The Rain (7" mix)".

Leon Haywood's best album from the 70s! After working as a keyboardist and sometimes vocalist for a number of years – making some strong and some tentative entries into the soul genre – Leon really exploded with this album, an electric funk classic that gave the world his fantastic "I Want'a Do Something Freaky To You" (a track that had new life years later when Dr Dre sampled it to great fame.) The rest of the record holds up nicely, too – and is a mix of smooth soul and wicked funk, with tracks that include "Consider the Source", "Who You Been Giving It Up To", and "This Feeling's Rated Extra". Classic!

A massively tripped-out set of guitar-based funk – played to perfection by the legendary Eddie Hazel, best known for his work in the George Clinton P-Funk empire! The album offers a different side of Eddie's talents – one that's produced with a smoothly compressed California groove, in a mode that's almost an extension of some of the themes explored by Shuggie Otis on his own 70s albums – taken with a bit more of a P-Funk style. George Clinton produced the set with Eddie – and the tunes have a nice slow-stepping groove that really opens up the guitar solos wonderfully. The record kicks off with a massive cover of "California Dreamin" – but the whole thing's great, with a wonderfully unified feel throughout! Other titles include "Frantic Moment", "What About It?", "So Goes The Story", "Physical Love", and a great cover of "I Want You (She's So Heavy)".

A 70s soul genius – even if you've never heard of the guy! Ron Henderson's a real enigma – a totally great soul artist who recorded throughout the 60s and 70s, but never really cracked the big time – thanks to the fact that his work was spread out over a number of different labels, and never given the push or full album release it deserved. His sound is one that rivals the best bigger names of the 70s mellow soul era – and Ron's got a wonderful talent for gently grooving rhythms and lovingly laidback tunes – in a style that reminds us a bit of Bobby Wilson, or of some of Leroy Hutson's first solo work, and which has a similar evolution as the 70s progress. This excellent CD finally gives Henderson his due – and presents a total of 20 tracks recorded during the early and mid 70s – all packaged with great sound and a full set of notes on Ron's life and music. Titles include "Gemini Lady", "I Feel I Have It In Me", "Your Love", "Problem Child", "The Other Side", "Hooked On Your Love", "Yours Is The Love I Want", "I'll Be Around", "Baby I Wanna Be Yours", "Sunshine", "Mary Green", "You're Twenty One Today", and "She Pleases Me".

A pair of gems from High Fashion – back to back on a single CD! Feelin Lucky is an 80s groove classic – and a killer bit of Captiol Records soul from High fashion! Of all US major labels, Capitol was probably putting out the best soul in the early 80s – and this is a tight modern batch of up-tempo tracks, right up there with other contemporary classics on the label, like work by BB&Q Band, Taste Of Honey, and TS Monk! The tunes all manage to have a great groove without sounding cheesy – thanks to some nice jazzy touches in the arrangements, good hooks in the songs, and some great soulful vocals. Very, very nice – and nearly every cut's a winner! Tracks include "Feelin Lucky Lately", "Next To You", "Hold On", "When The Lover Strikes", "I Want To Be Your Everything", and "You're the Winner". Make Up Your Mind offers up more sweet modern soul tracks from High Fashion – a short-lived combo who cut a few high quality sides for Capitol at the beginning of the 80s, part of that imprint's strong commitment to R&B at the time. The group here features lead vocals by Alyson Williams, caught at a very young point in her career, plus other leads by Eric McClinton, who's on most of the best tracks on the set. At their best, the group hits a smooth stepping modern sound that's really nice – a toned-down approach for the clubs, infused with a bit of quiet storm soul. Titles include "Show Me", "A Little More Time", "Pump On The Pipe", "Just A Little More Love", "Love", and "Make Up Your Mind".

Tremendous sounds from Honey Cone – easily one of the most hard-hitting girl groups in soul music – thanks to some funky funky backings on these early 70s tracks! The trio work in a mode that was first forged by female soul groups in the 60s – yet really push things forward with a righteous groove that totally kicks ass – lots of funk at the bottom, burning soul at the core, and soaring vocals that really take off wonderfully throughout! And while there's been plenty of collections of Honey Cone work over the years, this one may well be the best – thanks to a massive 22 track set list, and a really well-chosen batch of tracks that includes "When Will It End", "Want Ads (long version)", "While You're Out Looking For Sugar", "Take Me With You", "If I Can't Fly", "Stay In My Corner", "Woman Can't Live By Bread Alone", "Innocent Til Proven Guilty", "Sitting On A Time Bomb", "Who's It Gonna Be", "Stick Up", and "The Feeling's Gone".

Definitely a soulful tapestry here – as the trio of Edna Wright, Shellie Clark, and Carolyn Willis are at the height of their 70s powers – soaring forth in a massive trio mode, and one that really rewrites the sound of girl group soul for the 70s! There's a bouncy, upbeat groove to the record – kind of a pre-disco approach, but one that's still strongly rooted in the best Detroit soul mode of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team too – balanced with just the right sort of force that makes the trio sound great, and all without any of the cliches that this sort of group might hit a few years later! Titles include the Honey Cone classics "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show (parts 1 & 2)" and "Want Ads", plus the tracks "VIP", "The Day I Found Myself", "Stick Up", "Don't Count Your Chickens", "All the Kings Horses", and "How Does It Feel". CD features the bonus track "We Belong Together (single version)".

The second album by Honey Cone – and the one that really broke them out of the box! The record's got a groove that gets going right from the start – a sense of upbeat, soulful energy that really shows why the Honey Cone approach was so different than most of the girl groups who came before them – a groovier, more righteous style that shows that the ladies are very much in charge – and able to send things over the top with their unified energy! Production is great – very rumbling and bold, which further helps the groove – and titles include the huge hit "Want Ads" – a pre-disco cut that pointed the way towards future female soul groups of the mid 70s – plus "Deaf Blind Paralyzed", "Sunday Morning People", "My Mind's On Leaving", "We Belong Together", and "Blessed Be Our Love". CD features two bonus tracks – "Want Ads (unedited version)", and "The Day I Found Myself (single version)".

Thelma Houston's first album for Motown – and the start of a tremendous run of music in the 70s! The set's a great mix of modes – with vocals from Thelma that definitely show her roots in gospel – and rich, mature backings that give Houston the same sort of star treatment that Diana Ross would get during her early solo years – or which Dionne Warwick was getting over at Warner! Like the latter, Thelma's got a great way of being smooth, yet still keeping it real – and the set sparkles with warm soulful backings by Artie Butler, Gene Page, and Michael O'Martian. Tracks include "What If", "Black California", "Blackberries", "And I Never Did", "And I Thought You Loved Me", "There Is A God", and "I'm Letting Go". CD features an insane amount of bonus tracks – 9 more numbers from singles and non-LP tracks – with titles that include "Nothing Left To Give", "I Ain't Going Nowhere", "No One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever", "Pick Of The Week", "I Want To Go Back There Again", and "I'm Just A Part Of Yesterday".

Fantastic! This is the kind of soul that we still collect vinyl for and are all the more thrilled to see officially reissued by careful curators such as those at Kent UK! Freddie Hughes is one of the great lost voices of the 60s, and this sparkling album of soulful tunes is a real gem – loaded up here with incredible bonus tracks recorded in earlier duo sessions! He's not the same singer as the Freddie Hughes from Chicago – and he hailed from San Francisco, a very unlikely source for such great soul music. The session was recorded with Lonnie Hewitt (Cal Tjader's funky piano player) in SF – but it's got that perfect New York Wand/Scepter "deep soul meets uptown" sound. The tracks are mostly written by Hughes or Hewitt – and they are all pretty amazing, filled with hooks that just don't quit, and some heartbreaking verses that match the work of writers like Curtis Mayfield or Garland Green. Titles include "Send My Baby Back", "He's No Good", "Tonight I'm Gonna See My Baby", "You're My Everything", "Natural Man" (the Aretha classic remodeled for a male perspective) and "I Gotta Keep My Bluff In" and bonus tracks "Love Can't Be Understood" and "My Baby Came Back". Earlier in the decade, Freddie sang in San Francisco duos Casanova II with Wylie Trass and The Soul Brothers with Ken Pleasants. This CD includes "Maybe They're Right", "Love's Philosophy", "I Was A Fool" and "We Got To Keep On" by Casanova II, plus "Let Our Love Go On", "Love's Philosophy" (Pts 1 & 2), "Where's My Baby" and more by The Soul Brothers, many previously unreleased. One more bonus track: "Do The Philly" on the Music City label, credited to The Music City All Stars.

Some of Bobbi Humphrey's greatest work of the post-Blue Note years – an album that's filled with soulful fusion tunes throughout, all with a great focus on her funky flute! Bobbi also sings a bit on the set, but in a way that's pretty darn great – wonderfully sweet at times, with a bit of an influence from Minnie Riperton that really warms up the set. Arrangements are by Cleveland Eaton, with a bit of help from Art Jenkins – and production is by Ralph MacDonald, who clearly has a great ear for the blend of jazz and soul that Bobbi's going for on the set. And although Larry Mizell's not on board, some of the cuts here still have that stepping/sliding sort of groove from Bobby's Mizell-produced Blue Note years – a really wonderful sound that's a perfect showcase for her uniquely jazzy talents on the flute! Tracks include "Freestyle", "Home Made Jam", "Sunset Burgundy", "Good Times", "My Destiny", "I Could Love You More", and "If You Want It". This Soulmusic.com edition has 2 bonus tracks: "Home-Made Jam (Extended Version)" and "Sunset Burgundy (Single Version)".

Seminal work from the great Ivory Joe Hunter – an artist who went onto have a huge impact on the development of music well into the 70s, but who doesn't always get his due! Joe's got a really amazing way of weaving together different strands of music – jazz, blues, and R&B – plus a healthy dose of country – which he uses here years before bigger later names like Ray Charles, Brook Benton, and Joe Tex! Hunter's work is completely sublime, and given a great Atlantic punch throughout – a way of fusing these elements together without making anything sound forced at all – still plenty darn fresh all these many years later. Titles include "Since I Met You Baby", "I Want Somebody", "Heaven Came Down To Earth", "I Need You", "That's Why", "I've Got To Learn To Do The Mambo", "You Can't Stop This Rocking & Rolling", "It May Sound Silly", and "That's Why I Dream".

Super-dope work from Willie – a great selection of laidback and electric grooves, done here with plenty of great work on hollow-body electric guitar, which adds a nice raspiness to the instrumentation, and creates the same sort of vibe you'd hear on Willie's best soundtrack work. The record's got a great cover of "I Wanna Be Where You Are", plus Willie's originals "If You Ain't Got No Money, You Can't Get No Honey", "California My Way", the sample classic "Tell Me Why Has Our Love Tuned Cold", "Ain't Nothing Like Togetherness", "Sunshine Lady" and more.

A heavy funk party from the Japanese jazz scene of the 70s – and a set that hits a lot harder than some of the smoother fusion of the time! There's a grit here that hearkens back to some of the best American jazz funk at the start of the decade – a nice edge that you often don't find in Japanese recordings of this vintage – which is clearly inspired by the American soul scene of the time – as evidence in the weird-looking cover, and in the album's choice of tracks! The notes are in Japanese, which makes it a bit hard to tell what's going on – but the whole thing feels like a live performance, with supposedly different Japanese groups taking the lead – and some calls on the tunes that almost give the whole thing an Osaka Monaurail feel! Titles include "Put It Where You Want It" by Jiro Inagaki & Soul Media, "I Who Have Nothing" by Tan Tan, "Walking All Day" by Eddie Ban & Orient Express, "Sex Machine" by Ozawa Tetsu, and "Scratch" by Akira Ishikawa & Count Buffalo.

A sublime second chapter in the career of Memphis soul singer Luther Ingram – one of the greatest talents of his generation, represented here by some of his best work ever! Ingram first got his start doing rougher, more fragile soul tunes – but by the time of these 70s recordings, he'd really found his voice – and hit a more confident, more sensuous style that could easily go head to head with Al Green or any of his southern soul contemporaries. There's a key Stax connection to most of the material here, but the sound's a bit different too – thanks to the production efforts of Koko label head Johnny Baylor, who gives Ingram a sound that's nicely apart from the pack. The booklet features a really in-depth look at the music – 14 pages of track-by-track notes on the tunes – and the CD features 19 singles recorded over most of the mid 70s. Titles include "Missing You", "Puttin Game Down", "If Loving You Is Wrong I Don't Want To Be Right", "Always", "Help Me Love", "Love Ain't Gonna Run Me Away", "Ain't Good For Nothing", "These Are The Things", "Let's Steal Away To The Hideaway", "I Like The Feeling", "I'm Gonna Be The Best Thing", "Do You Love Somebody", "Get To Me", "How I Miss My Baby", and "You Were Made For Me".

Maybe the third great Philly studio group of the 70s – after MFSB and Salsoul Orchestra – a killer combo who provided backing grooves to plenty of great club tracks over the years – and who step out strongly here on their own debut album! Bunny Sigler helps give the album a sharp focus – with his own production and songwriting in play – in modes that are very much like his own best club tracks of the time – but the group is more than great enough on their own – with a funky edge that definitely lives up to their name, and a groove that's even sharper than the two aforementioned contemporary combos. Lead vocals are by James Carmichael, who's totally great – and titles include "Don't You Wanna Party", "Never Let It Go Away", "I Got My Mind Made Up", "Dark Vader", "Wide World Of Sports", and "You Say You Want Me To Stay". CD features bonus tracks that include "I Got My Mind Made Up (12" rmx)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (single)", "Crying (12" rmx)", "Crying (single)", and "Dark Vader (Pat Stapley rmx)".

2 Isley Brothers gems from 2 different eras – back-to-back on a single CD! 1969's It's Our Thing is a stone classic – the album that kicked off their successful T-Neck label, and established that mighty Isleys sound that would have such a huge influence in the 70s! It's filled with sinister, sexy numbers that bristle with energy that's still heard best here at the point of its creation! Tracks include "It's Your Thing", "Give the Women What They Want", "He's Got Your Love", "I Know Who You Been Socking It To", "Don't Give It Away", "He's Got Your Love", "Save Me", "Feel Like The World", and "Somebody Been Messin". Go All The way came about a decade later – at the end of the 70s, and the Isleys are still going strong – keeping it real and going for a smooth soul sound that would be one of their biggest strengths during the early 80s! This sound can be heard to perfection on the tracks "Say You Will" and "Here We Go Again", both wonderful numbers that have this strident groove that's part "Harvest For The World", part compressed guitars and keyboards working in a smooth wall of sound. Those two alone are more than worth the price of the record, and other titles include "Pass It On", "Go All The Way", and "The Belly Dancer" – all done in the Isleys' trademarked "part 1 & 2" style!

A key album in the Isley Brothers "extended funk" mode of the 70s – a style in which the group approached nearly every tune by adding in a "part 2" in order to stretch out the groove! The style here is bass-heavy funk, but less of the sort that other groups were using at the time – because the Isleys still bring in plenty of soul to the mix, and resist popping the bass too much so that they still have plenty of space for the slinky vocals that always make their work so great. Most of the titles on the album have this extended approach, and titles include "I Wanna Be With You (parts 1 & 2)", "Liquid Love (parts 1 & 2)", "Winner Takes All", "Love Comes & Goes (parts 1 & 2)", "Let's Fall In Love (parts 1 & 2)", "Let Me In Your Life (parts 1 & 2)", "Life In The City (parts 1 & 2)", "Go For What You Know", and "Mind Over Matter (parts 1 & 2)". CD also features a bonus track – "It's A Disco Night (12" disco version)".

Two killers from Jabula – overlooked Afro soul albums from the 70s! The set mixes up the track list a bit, but still comprises both full albums from the group – the first of which is the self-titled Jabula. Jabula is South African soul, but recorded in the UK – coming across with a post-colonial vibe that's mighty nice! Jabula have a sound that's a bit like Osibisa – heavy in African roots, but also trained a bit more towards a 70s soul audience as well – with some very tight arrangements that really help focus their energy strongly – and make the album a surprisingly great debut! Most cuts have female vocals in the lead – but the instrumentation is also pretty great too – with some killer reed work from Dudu Pukwana, and lots of warm keyboards too. Titles include the great instrumentals "Naledi", a snaking funky track with a great soprano sax solo, and "Let Us Be Free", which is kind of an Afro-descarga number, with lots of guitar – and other cuts include "Thandi", "Jabula Happiness", "Listen To Me Crying", and "Our Fathers". Thunder Into Our Hearts is a great second set from Jabula – and a record that seems to push the jazzy component of their sound even further than before! The ensemble has really wonderful rhythms – great bass and percussion that get nice and funky at times, and which are often mixed with some really sweet keyboard parts. But the horns also have a great UK jazz approach too – reeds from Dudu Pukwana, trombone from Nick Evans, and even (supposedly) a bit of trumpet from Mongezi Feza – all of whom really help give the music a complex, modern vibe that goes way beyond other Afro-styled groups of this nature. Tunes are a mix of vocals and instrumentals – and titles include "Soweto My Love", "Tears Of Africa", "Thunder Into Our Hearts", "Harvest (part 2)", and "Journey To Africa".

What the what?!? Soul sides so great they'll blow your mind – even though none of them have ever been issued before! George Jackson is one of the great lost talents of southern soul – an artist who often stayed in the background, lending his talents to others in the studio, or as a writer – but a hell of a strong artist on his own – as you'll hear in this package of 24 recordings done at the legendary Fame Studios! Jackson's vocals are great – nice and gritty, plain and honest, and with just the right sort of focus to perfectly serve up the poetry of his lyrics. And the backings are wonderful, too – that simple, soulful groove that Fame did so well – often slow-burning on the rhythm tip, with production that lets George shine right out front in the mix. Why these cuts were never issued at the time is a mystery to us – as they could have made George and a few other folks a nice little fortune and a good deal of fame. But as with most discoveries like this, the obscurity of the tracks also makes for a freshness that we love too – as if we've taken a time machine back to a period we love, and found a way to hear the "real deal" right up close! Titles include "Greedy Over You", "I Want You So Bad", "Stuck On Her", "Statue Of Soul", "Talking In Your Sleep", "Back In Your Arms", "You're Gonna Need Me Again", "I Can't Love Without You", "Evidence", "Bite The Hand That Feeds You", "Let's Stop Hurting Each Other", and "Getting The Bills But No Merchandise".

Damn! The first volume in this series of rarities cut by George Jackson for Fame Studios really blew our minds around here – and Kent has gone and somehow topped it with Volume 2! Let The Best Man Win features 2 dozen songs, most of which are originals by Fame staff writer Jackson – and not one of these was officially released back in the day. A bunch were cut to demo the songs for prospective artists, but it's truly hard to imagine anyone bettering these versions – not even Candi Staton or Wilson Pickett! The backing is top notch, too – with that unshakable Fame southern soul rhythm that's just raw enough – and each track feels fully-formed – not at all like a demo! As essential a trip into the Fame archives as any we've had to date! Includes "Mini Skirt Mini", "Get It When I Want It", "Forbidden Love", "Save Me", "Let The Best Man Win", "Soul Lovin'", "I'm Livin' Good", "Your Love Lifted Me", "You Got A Lot To Like", "Ain't That Some Good Lovin'L, "The Darkest Hour Is Before The Dawn" and many more.

Seminal 70s southern soul from Millie Jackson – a record that's head and shoulders above most of what she recorded in later years! Before she got all naughty and raunchy, Millie Jackson was one of the best female soul singers to come out of the south – and this album's a work of understated brilliance that brings a new level of emotion and feeling to the music. The whole thing's conceived as a bit of a concept album – one in which Millie's a bit fragile at the start, due to unfulfilled love – then regains her confidence by confronting those around her, and eventually steps forth boldly as a proud, new woman. Jackson put together the record with producer Brad Shapiro – and the overall style is Muscle Shoals, but with a more sophisticated twist – thanks to inventive use of strings alongside the more standard soul rhythms. Highlights include a great remake of "If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right" (complete with a nice bit of spoken dialogue!) – plus "I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You", "It's Easy Going", "I'm Tired Of Hiding", "Summer (The First Time)", and the great "It's All Over But The Shouting". CD also features 4 bonus tracks – including alternate "live vocal" versions of "I'm Tired Of Hiding", "I'm Through Trying To Prove My Love To You", and "Feel Like Making Love" – and an instrumental called "A House For Sale" by The Muscle Shoals Swampers!

Ahhh . . . Great stuff! This Millie Jackson's tremendous debut album – and the work here is completely different from later records that have her more in a bitchy mode! Here, Millie's a heartbroken southern diva – right in the vein of Ann Sexton, Doris Duke, or Shirley Brown – and even though the arrangements are done north of the Mason/Dixon line (in New York by Bert DeCoteaux, and in DC by Tony Camillo), the record feels like it was lifted off the pressing plant in Muscle Shoals or Jackson! Titles include "I Ain't Giving Up", "I Miss You Baby", "Ask Me What You Want", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Just Can't Stand It", and "Strange Things". CD version features a whopping 11 bonus tracks – many of which were never issued before – and titles include the MGM numbers "My Heart Took A Licking" and "A Little Bit Of Something", plus "Ask Me What You Want (unedited master)", "Untrue Men", "I Don't Wanna Talk About It", "Strange Things (alt mix)", "My Man A Sweet Man (unedited master)", and "You're The Joy Of My Life (alt take)".

A smoking second album from Rebbie Jackson – a set that has Rebbie working with strong production help from two of the bigger aspects of the Columbia Records soul family in the 80s – Tito Jackson and Reggie Lucas, who each handle a handful of songs along with David Conley and Howie Rice. The album's got a bubbly, perky approach to soul – almost more catchy and beat-heavy than Jackson's debut for the label, with cuts that include "Reaction", "Ticket To Love", "Ain't No Way To Love", "Lessons In The Fine Art Of Love", "Always Wanting Something", "You Send The Rain Away", and "If You Don't Call". CD features loads of bonus tracks – including "You Send The Rain Away (single)", "Reaction (single)", "Reaction (ext dance)", "Reaction (dub)", "Reaction (inst)", "Ticket To Love (7" mix)", and "Ticket To Love (12" mix)".

60s Chicago soul doesn't get any better than this – a sublime debut from the legendary Walter Jackson – done in a smoothly sophisticated style that set a whole new standard for the genre! The record steps off nicely from some of the earliest work by Jerry Butler and The Impressions – blending Chicago soul with more adult-styled orchestrations from Riley Hampton – at a level that has Jackson sitting beautifully across a number of different modes at once – still appealing to the kids with the uptown groovers on the set, but also reaching to an older crowd with the beautiful ballads and heartbreaking love songs. The sound is incredible – easily one of the most fully realized full-length soul records on the Okeh label – and titles include "What Would You Do", "There Goes That Song Again", "I Don't Want To Suffer", "That's What Mama Say", and "It's All Over". CD adds in 10 more bonus tracks – most of which are previously unissued – making for an amazing collection that's one of the first time that Jackson's work at Okeh is finally getting its due! Bonus titles include "The Heartbreak Road", "Anything Can Happen", "Blue Rose", "Starting Tomorrow", "Don't Play With Love", "It's Hard To Believe", "You Gotta Give", and "Tell The World".

An excellent Chess session by Etta, with hard Chicago soul production by Monk Higgins and Ralph Bass – and the kind of searing vocals that always made Etta a treat, whether rocking or mellow! The album's got some wonderful hard soul tracks, of the style that Etta could really cut loose with when she was at her best. This album is very heavily weighted in this more storming mode – and it's tremendous! She's so much more better remembered in the pop realm for the more tender and ballady material she cut over the years, but there's a heck of a strong case to be made for grittier gems such as this album! Titles include "Happiness", "It's All Right", "842-3089 (Call My Name)", "That's All I Want From You", "Nobody Like You", "I Prefer You", "Don't Pick Me For Your Fool" and more. This great version from Kent UK is the first ever (!!!) CD release and it's expanded broadly, with 12 bonus tracks: "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man", "I Got You Babe", "Misty", "I've Gone Too Far", "The Soul Of A Man", "Miss Pitiful", "Slow And Easy" and more.

Queen of Soul is right! Heck, on these early albums, Etta practically invented soul – or at least invented a deep soul style of singing that would be taken up by countless other female singers during the 60s, but rarely matched with this kind of brilliance. Straight up beatiful stuff! The arrangements are uncredited, but we think they're probably by Riley Hampton – who did so much of Etta's other wonderful work in the early 60s. The recordings for sure took place at points between '62 and '64, mostly in Chicago, with couple in New York and one in Nashville. One other thing that is crystal clear about the sessions is that she had access to the very best musicians and the best sound possible – all you need is a listen to know that! The album's an all-solid, all-soul record with loads of obscure tunes and not a bit of filler! Titles include "Flight 101", "Bobby Is His Name", "Breaking Point", "Mello Fellow", "Do Right", and "Somewhere Out There". This first ever proper CD release is loaded with excellent bonus material – recordings from the same early-to-mid 60s period – 13 of them "You Got Me Where You Want Me", "Only Time Will Tell", "Pushover". "You Can't Talk To A Fool", "Would It Make Any Difference To You", "Pay Back", "Tomorrow Night", "I Can't Hold It Any More" and more. 23 tracks in all!

An incredible collection of work from Jesse James – a soul singer who's hardly ever gotten his due on the reissue market – until the release of this sweet little collection! Jesse's probably best known to our ears for his sublime album for 20th Century in the late 60s, and for a handful of really rare singles – and he's got this blend of raspiness and groove that's really wonderful – kind of southern styled, but with the warmth of modern soul too – a blend that's not unlike the mix of rough and smooth you'd find in the work of Freddie Hughes – but very much Jesse's own sound too. This collection is filled with wonderful moments from this crucially overlooked singer – including some rare singles from the late 60s and early 70s, plus cuts of similar vintage, but never issued before – really wonderful tunes that include "I'm In Love With Loving You", "I Feel Your Love Changing", "One & Only Love", "When We Become As One", "I Gave You Love With A Plus", "I Don't Want An Undivided Love", "Just As Long As We're In Love", "Visiting Rights", and "Let Me Show You".

One of the most fantastic albums by the JBs – a masterpiece of funky jamming, tight instrumentation, and that free yet tight style of the James Brown 70s years! The tracks are longer than on some of the earlier singles – especially the 8 minute jammer "(It's Not The Express) It's the JBs Monourail", an answer to BT Express' theme song, and a fantastic cut that's held up through so many years and so many scenes! Another great jammer is the group's version of "Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself", which runs for nearly 10 minutes – plus spacey funk tracks "Transmogrification" and "Taurus, Aires, & Leo", and the tighter jammer "Soul Funky Train", which returns to the group's funky 45 mode. Fantastic all around – and the kind of record you'll be playing for your grand kids! CD adds 5 extra bonus cuts, all from hard-to-find People singles, and not on other LPs – including "J.B. Shout", their version of "Alone Again", "Sportin Life", "Dirty Harri", and the two part classic "Everybody Wanna Get Funky One More Time". Nice stuff, and a good reason to pay the extra price for the Japanese reissue!

One of the strangest albums ever issued on Philly International – a set of tunes by Dick Jensen, who was part blue-eyed soul singer, part easy male vocalist – sounding here as if he'd almost hit the market about 5 years too late to make a difference. The record's the kind that would be more at home on late 60s Capitol than early 70s Philly – but they must have had big plans for it, as all the tracks are originals by Gamble & Huff, who also do the production with Thom Bell and Bunny Sigler. Bobby Martin, Vince Montana, and Norman Harris all arrange, so the backings are top-shelf too – it's just that Dick can't seem to figure out what he wants to be from track to track on the record. Titles include the funky "Fat Mama", plus "Peace Of Mind", "Going Up To The Mountain", "I Don't Want To Cry", "32nd Street", and "Tamika".

A great second-chapter effort from the legendary Syl Johnson – a sweet little record in which Johnson's raw vocals come into play with the tighter, warmer sound of Hi Records – with amazing results that have made the album a classic for years! The blend here is great – as Johnson's trademark crackle is still very much in place, but the production by Willie Mitchell really helps give him a lot of focus too – especially on some of the more heartfelt numbers, which come across here with a sensual force that Syl might never have hit on his own. Syl wrote a number of the tracks himself too – and titles include "I'm Yours", "Feelin' Frisky", "I Hate I Walked Away", "Wind Blow Her Back My Wan", "I Let A Good Girl Go", and "The Love You Left Behind".

KC & The Sunshine band definitely live up to the title here – doing it good, and doing it funky with a great early Miami funk groove! The sound has a lot more sharp edges than their later hits – but is still already plenty darn infectious – a wicked bouncy groove that never lets up at all – making the album every bit a funky party as the best early gems from Fatback Band or Kool & The Gang! Production is great too – that cool Miami sense of spreading out, yet never turned towards commercial ends – as you'll hear on groovers that include "Sound Your Funky Horn", "Do It Good", "Baby I Want Your Lovin'", "All My Love", "Blow Your Whistle", "I'm a Pushover", and "I Need a Little Lovin". CD features bonus tracks – "I'm Gonna Do Something Good To You", "Why Don't We Get Together", "Queen Of Clubs (single)", and "I'm A Pushover (single)".

There's some bigger arrangements here than you'd usually get on a BB King album of the 60s – but they're used in a really great way that makes the album one of our favorites by King from his years at ABC! Johnny Pate arranged and produced, and he gives the whole thing a Chicago soul punch that's mighty nice – a mix of blues and soul that's not unlike some of the best Bobby Blue Bland work at Duke a few years before – and a blend that's really a lot like some of the best indie soul coming out of Chicago's west side in the late 60s too. The album's a killer all the way through, and it's great to hear BB in such a setting – on cuts that include "Dance With Me", "Heartbreaker", "I'm Not Wanted Anymore", "Having My Say", "That's Wrong Mama", "Now That You've Lost Me", "Until I Found You", and "Worried Dream".