Soul — All Formats  

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

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

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

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

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

A stone classic from Black Heat – the group's second album, and even tighter than their first! The group's size has dropped a bit between albums – but that only helps them cook even more – dropping a bit of the horn section from before, which allows even more emphasis on their razor-sharp rhythms! There's a slight hint of Afro Funk in some of the rhythms – and the keyboards cook with lots of sweet clavinet lines – mixed with a production style that features some bubbling electronic elements that remind us a lot of that crazy "magic bag" that was used by the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band. That group might be a good point of comparison, but the band also shares a lot of Kool & The Gang's ensemble funk style – especially on their cover of "Love The Life You Live" – which they burn here beautifully! Other tracks include "Super Cool", "M&M's", "Rapid Fire", "You Should Have Listened", "Times Have Changed", and "Check It All Out".

Gritty, powerful raw soul from Charles Bradley – the full length debut from the 62-year-old Brooklyn singer – backed perfectly by The Menahan Street Band! It's incredible, a record that sounds just as rawly emotional and impeccably soulful in 2011 as it would have in 1971 – much like the work Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, there's no mistaking this for anything but the real deal. Rough hewn in beautifully so – with perfect, funky backing by team Menahan. A timeless treasure! Titles include "In You (I Found A Love)", "I Believe In Your Love", "The Telephone Song", "Golden Rule", "How Long", "Trouble In The Land", "Since Our Last Goodbye", "Heartaches And Pain", "The World" and more.

A landmark album of 70s soul – and perhaps the most enduring full LP by this enigmatic harmony group! The vocals of General Crook alone are more than enough to win us over – some of the most distinct lead soul singing we've ever heard, pitched perfectly with the backings of the rest of the group. But the overall package is even better – righteous arrangements that really show the new Holland-Dozier-Holland energy for the 70s – more of a punch than most of Motown a few years before, and open to some headier elements that only serve to do even more with the vocals! Titles include the group's huge hit "Give Me Just A Little More Time", a totally compelling number with a scattershot beat, and some wonderful lead vocals from the always-great General Johnson – plus, their cover of Clarence Carter's "Patches" – which was a big single for them – and the tracks "Bravo Hooray", "Since The Days Of Pigtails & Fairytales", "Come Together", "You've Got Me Dangling on a String" and "Tricked & Trapped".

A soaring, burning set from Gene Chandler – completely different than his early hits, and a key point in the transformation of Chicago soul in the 60s! Gene's always had a heck of a great vocal range – and he really gets a chance to use it to best effect on this album of jaunty and groovy little tracks – tunes that bounce around with that majestic Chi-soul style of the late 60s, all produced to perfection by the great Carl Davis! The sound is sublime – a pulling together of so many different strands into one bold, proud sound – sophisticated yet soulful, and with a rhythmic component that really sets the album apart from the pack. And even when Gene's singing tunes that you may know from other singers' hits, he does a tremendous job of transforming them – recasting them into his more mature groove, and managing to funky them up in ways we wouldn't expect! Evidence to this is the album's great version of James Brown's "There Was A Time" – which is followed by loads of other great cuts, including "Cowboys To Girls", "Fooling Around", "Pit Of Loneliness", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Laughter To Tears".

Time Exposure has a lot of 80s electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout. Titles include "Play The Bass '10", "Heaven Sent You", "Speedball", "Future Shock" and the great title track.

A trio of funky electric albums from Stanley Clarke's mid 80s R&B years – 1984's Time Exposure, ''85's Find Out and '86's Hideaway – in a 2CD set! Time Exposure has a lot of 80s electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout. Titles include "Play The Bass '10", "Heaven Sent You", "Speedball", "Future Shock" and the great title track. Find Out follows somewhat similar territory, an 80s synth funky set with a few surprising twists – including an electro/funk/old school rap cover of "Born In The USA"! Other tracks include "Find Out", "The Sky's The Limit", "Stereotypica" and "Psychedelic". Hideaway makes a move towards more delicate synth soul for Clarke – who assembles an impressive guest list that includes Stanley Jordan, Herbie Hancock and Stewart Copeland. Titles include a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed", plus "My Love, Her Inspiration", "Where Do We Go", "Old Friends" and "When It's Cold Outside".

A rare bit of Cali soul – and a lot groovier than you'd guess from the cover! The music is rich in jazzy inflections – funky fusion used behind the lead vocals of Errol Knowles, in a blend that's quite similar to the best Bay Area funk of the time – particularly some of the grooves coming from the Fantasy Records scene! Guitars are great – played by Bill Courtial with lots of snakey, angular lines that really emphasize the groove – and other instrumentation includes keyboards and some mighty sweet percussion. Titles include "Losing You", "Love Nevermore", "Corn On The Cob/Time", "Don't You Think It's Time", "Time To Explain", and "Poem For Helen".

The second album of dubby funk by the legendary Cymande! This monster funk combo had a totally unique sound, with rolling bassy-grooves, and a very nice stoner-funk feel that had distinct Jamaican influences. This album's got some of their best tracks like "Anthracite", "Fug", and "Them & Us" – and it's one of their 3 classic titles from the early 70s!

Another stone winner from Tyrone Davis – cut during his classic stretch on the Dakar label! During the Dakar years, Tyrone just kept turning out great little soul songs – filled with that raspy emotion that was his unique vocal trademark, and touched with a bit of the blues from his west side roots. The title cut's a hit on this, but there's loads of other beautiful songs about love and remorse – "Your Love Keeps Haunting Me", "After All This Time", and "Was I Just a Fool". Produced by Willie Henderson, with arrangements by Gene Barge and Tom Tom Washington.

A hard to find later album from Dayton – and a set that still has the group riding high at Capitol Records! Production and arrangements here are by Rahni Harris of the group – and there's a bit more of a chunky/funky sense of rhythm than before – that kind of jaunty way of hitting beats and basslines that crossed over big for some 80s soul groups, but which is still handled here with a bit more restraint. As before, the group manage to bring a solid vocal approach to the tunes, and also balance things nicely with a few key ballads – on a set of titles that includes "This Love Will Last", "Nobody Else", "Hang Out", "This Time", "You Should Be Dancin", and "Coming To Get My Love".

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".

Sweet Chicago soul from this ex-lead singer of the Drew-Vels! The tracks are arranged and conducted by Phil Wright, and they have a pretty nice groovy soul feel – in the Capitol mode of the late 60s. The record's got a fair number of covers, like "I, Who Have Nothing", "What the World Needs Now", and "Midnight Confessions" – but there's also a lot of good soul cuts, too, like the title cut "I've Been Here All The Time", "Just Can't Forget About You", and Patti's great version of "Hard to Handle"!

Surprisingly great work from Full Force – a set that seems to only get better with the passage of time, set apart nicely from most of its 80s soul contemporaries with a good deal of homegrown charm! Sure, there's some pretty heavy beats here – and sure, the sound is a few notches towards commercial/crossover territory – but there's also a really honest appeal to the record, a kind of intimate group feel that's an update of 70s funky groups – taken more strongly into an electric 80s style! Vocals come through nicely on some of the best tracks, and relax into the groove on some of the others – and titles include "Unfaithful", "Never Had Another Love", "Temporary Love Thing", "Old Flames Never Die", "Child's Play (parts 1 & 2)", and "Chain Me To The Night". CD also features lots of bonus tracks – including "Only Temporary", "Temporary Bow Legged Theatre", "Unfaithful (faithful rmx)", "Old Flames (My Desire My Burning Fire)", "Love Scene (12" mix)", and "Unfaithful (doctor no na na no no no)".

Here's a group who definitely live up to their name – a damn funky 70s act from Nigeria, with a tight, righteous groove that's completely outta sight! The Funkees have an approach that's a lot more compact than Fela, and a lot more soulful than some of their more tripped-out contemporaries – and they also had some recording experience in London, which possibly gave them an even hipper focus – like some of the great post-colonial combos that were brewing up sounds on the British scene of the 70s! This wonderful package brings together the best of the group's work – their rare early Nigerian 45s, and key cuts from the UK albums – all with the incredible Soundway ear for a groove – meaning that The Funkees sound pretty darn funky all the way through. Titles include "Mimbo", "Dancing Time", "Break Through", "303", "Life", "Ole", "Akpankoro", "Abraka", "Acid Rock", "Slipping Into Darkness", "Point Of No Return", and "Dancing In The Nude".

Here's a group who definitely live up to their name – a damn funky 70s act from Nigeria, with a tight, righteous groove that's completely outta sight! The Funkees have an approach that's a lot more compact than Fela, and a lot more soulful than some of their more tripped-out contemporaries – and they also had some recording experience in London, which possibly gave them an even hipper focus – like some of the great post-colonial combos that were brewing up sounds on the British scene of the 70s! This wonderful package brings together the best of the group's work – their rare early Nigerian 45s, and key cuts from the UK albums – all with the incredible Soundway ear for a groove – meaning that The Funkees sound pretty darn funky all the way through. Titles include "Mimbo", "Dancing Time", "Break Through", "303", "Life", "Ole", "Akpankoro", "Abraka", "Acid Rock", "Slipping Into Darkness", "Point Of No Return", and "Dancing In The Nude".

A classic underground funk set from the 70s – and a record that definitely lives up to the party time promised in the title! The group have a really festive approach to funk – still as hard-hitting and sharp-edged as other indie contemporaries – but willing to open up and push things with a live sort of energy too – a vibe that's a bit like a funkier take on Jr Walker & The All-Stars – especially given the strong use of tenor on the tunes! The set's got two very long jamming numbers – "Party Bump (parts 1 & 2)" and "One More Time (parts 1 & 2)" – and other titles are all pretty nice too – including "You're Gonna Need", "Now Generation", and "Party Strut". Produced by George Kerr, arranged by Bert Keyes, and even the version of "Amazing Grace" comes out pretty nice too!

Pre-Mercury work by Heaven & Earth – cut with a sound that's a bit rougher, but still pretty darn nice! The group exhibit their strength in both the ensemble funk mode and the group harmony style – and the single's a nice piece of the puzzle for their early career!

Smooth mellow soul by Michael Henderson – taking up where he left off with his work with Norman Connors, and proving that he was an even better vocalist than guitarist. The overall sound of this one's perhaps a bit slicker than his first 2 albums on Buddah – but there's still some strong modern soul moments, and good production from the Sigma Sound Studios. The best cuts have a smooth mid-tempo groove – not unlike the modern soul coming out of Philly at the time, and perfectly suited to Henderson's jazzy sensibilities. Titles include "Take Me I'm Yours", "Whisper In My Ear", "Am I Special", "One To One", and "In The Night-Time".

Smooth mellow soul by Michael Henderson – taking up where he left off with his work with Norman Connors, and proving that he was an even better vocalist than bassist. The overall sound of this one's perhaps a bit slicker than his first 2 albums on Buddah – but there's still some strong modern soul moments, and good production from the Sigma Sound Studios. The best cuts have a smooth mid-tempo groove – not unlike the modern soul coming out of Philly at the time, and perfectly suited to Henderson's jazzy sensibilities. Titles include "Take Me I'm Yours", "Whisper In My Ear", "Am I Special", "One To One", and "In The Night-Time".

The Impressions first album for Cotillion, cut after a great 70s run on Curtom – but one that's done with a sound that still carries on the groove nicely! The more righteous tones of the earlier work are shaken loose a bit, to be replaced by a fuller approach to the music built from arrangements by HB Barnum, Gene Page, and Gil Askey – a bit more LA than Chicago, but with a soaringly soulful quality that almost recalls the sound of The Spinners during their best Philly years. As with that work, the harmonies here are all right on the money, and get plenty of space to sparkle amidst the full strings and tight rhythms – and new group member Nate Evans really brings a deep sense of soul to the group's work. Many tunes were written by the team of Mervin Seals and Melvin Steals – and titles include "I'm A Fool For Love", "Same Old Heartaches", "This Time", "Stardust", "I Need You", and "What Might Have Been".

Overlooked 70s genius from The Impressions – 2 killer albums back to back on a single CD! Loving Power is later Curtom work from the group – but still plenty darn nice, with a super-dope vocal harmony approach on the best tracks! The title cut is worth the price of admission alone – as it's a slow-stepping harmony tune that really burns with a sweet mellow feel – sung to perfection by a quartet lineup that includes younger singers Ralph Johnson and Reggie Torian working with older Impressions Fred Cash and Sam Gooden. Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy had a good hand in much of the record – bringing it into the warm, sophisti-soul style they were using at the time – and arrangements include some great work by Richard Evans and Rich Tufo. Titles include "Loving Power", "If You Have To Ask", "Sunshine", and "I Can't Wait To See You". It's About Time is The Impressions first album for Cotillion, cut after a great 70s run on Curtom – but one that's done with a sound that still carries on the groove nicely! The more righteous tones of the earlier work are shaken loose a bit, to be replaced by a fuller approach to the music built from arrangements by HB Barnum, Gene Page, and Gil Askey – a bit more LA than Chicago, but with a soaringly soulful quality that almost recalls the sound of The Spinners during their best Philly years. As with that work, the harmonies here are all right on the money, and get plenty of space to sparkle amidst the full strings and tight rhythms – and new group member Nate Evans really brings a deep sense of soul to the group's work. Many tunes were written by the team of Mervin Seals and Melvin Steals – and titles include "I'm A Fool For Love", "Same Old Heartaches", "This Time", "Stardust", "I Need You", and "What Might Have Been".

Probably the biggest album by this Chicago soul group, and the one that yielded up their big hit "The First Time We Met". The set's got some excellent Chicago arrangements by Tom Tom, and a good bunch of tracks that includes all original material, like "Here I Am", "Just As Long As You Need Me", "I Just Want To Be There", and "Leaving Me".

A tremendous set from Luther Ingram – proof that the singer had way more to offer than just his famous southern soul singles! The record's got a really deep feel from the start – kind of a slow-burning sound that moves way past easy soul music styles, and offers up Ingram as one of the most mature singers of his generation. The Bar-Kays handle some of the backings, and they're also quite good here too – much rootsier at times than on their own records, but still with a hint of funk as well. Titles include "Ghetto Train", "I'll Just Call You Honey", "Since You Don't Want Me", "I'll Love You Until The End", "Be Good To Me Baby", "Ain't That Loving You", and "You Were Made For Me".

A mid 70s meeting of two seminal blues talents from the Memphis scene – singer Bobby Blue Bland, and legendary guitarist BB King! The pair were both working for ABC at the time – major label fame after years woodshedding in the indies – and hitting well-deserved fame for their huge talents – still as fresh here as they were a decade before, and unmarred by any studio sanitization in this great live set! The record does an especially good job of bringing together the artists verbally – letting Bobby and BB open up and rap a bit during the songs – yet still having plenty of space to go into their own thing musically, too. Titles include "It's My Own Fault", "I'll Take Care Of You", "I'm Sorry", "3 O'Clock Blues", "Goin Down Slow", and a great long Medley track.

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

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

A 50s LP that compiles Julia's earlier singles for Capitol – a mixture of jump blues and early R&B, done with some nice jazzy touches that give the tracks a Kansas City groove. Titles include "Last Call For Alcohol", "I Was Wrong", "Tell Me Daddy", "Ain't It a Crime", "King Size Papa", and "Snatch & Grab It".

An excellent album of smooth soul tracks – very different than Little Beaver's earlier work, but every bit as great! The album's got a warm, mellow finish that's almost a maturation of the sound that Beaver first forged on his Party Down album – with plenty of his deep soul vocals and guitar work laced through the mix, on top of lots of nice keyboard bits from Timmy Thomas! The groove is mellow Miami soul at its best – and in a way, it's this shift that really helped Beaver keep his music alive – giving it a depth that sets it apart from some of the hitbound Miami music of the period. Titles include the classic groover "Concrete Jungle", plus "When Was The Last Time", "Pretty Little Girl", and "I Really Love You Babe".

Although this set was recorded early in the history of the Main Ingredient's career, it also compiles tracks from their strongest period – which means that nearly every track's a winner, and all are graced by smooth uptown soul arrangements by Bert DeCoteaux. Includes their seminal AM radio hit "Everybody Plays The Fool", plus "Black Seeds Keep On Growing", "Spinning Around (I Must Be Falling In Love)", "Make It With You", "I'm So Proud", "I'm Better Off Without You", "You've Got To Take It (If You Want It)", "Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)", "You've Been My Inspiration", and "No Tears (In The End)".

One of the nicest early albums by this great 70s soul collective – featuring a strong mix of funk and mellow soul tracks, with backing by the Nite Liters on some tracks, and production by the great Harvey Fuqua throughout! Titles include "Wild Flower", "It's Been A Long Time", "Keep On Doing It", "Pains of Love", "Ain't No Change", and "Heaven Says". Classic funky 70s soul!

One of the best soul records to come out on the Paula label in the early 70s – one with a number of beautifully soulful moments – and a few surprisingly funky ones, too! Although Bobby did a lot of work for other singers, this is one of the few albums he actually cut under his own name – and it's a lasting testament to his talents as both a singer and writer. It's got a nice mix of southern soul ballads and more uptempo tracks, and loads of original compositions by Bobby! Includes "This Whole Funky World is a Ghetto", "If You Took A Survey", How Do You Spell Love", "Make Sure You Can Handle It", "I Just Loved You Because I Wanted To", "Right On Jody", "Quiet! Do Not Disturb", and "I Get My Groove From You". 7 bonus tracks on the CD edition: "She Don't Have To See You (To See Through You)", "It Takes Two To Do Wrong", "Take Time To Know The Truth", "I Get My Groove From You", "I'm In The Wrong" and more.

A great litle early album from Ann Peebles – rawer than most of her more familiar stuff, with a gutbuckety soul quality that really keeps things fresh! Willie Mitchell produced and arranged (of course!), and the record's got some sweet backing vocals by Rhodes, Chalmers, & Rhodes – very much in a Sweet Inspirations mode. Tracks include a funky remake of The Isleys' "It's Your Thing", plus "Solid Foundation", "Crazy About You Baby", "Give Me Some Credit", and "Generation Gap Between Us".

Much more of a soul-based effort than usual from Pieces Of A Dream – a tight set of hook-heavy grooves with a sharp late 80s vibe! There's still some of the jazz of the group's roots in place – often heard on the keyboards – but the focus has shifted most strongly to vocals, and rhythms that really help structure the energy of the tunes – a setting that works perfectly for the addition of Norwood, who stepped in to really help the group increase their lyrical direction at this point! Norwood's got a rich style that's definitely deepens the soul of the record – and titles include "Bout Dat Time", "For You", "Can't Be Alone", "Kicking", "Surrender", and "Pick Up The Pieces". CD features bonus tracks – a 7", 12", and dub version of "Bout Dat Time".

Deep deep deep soul from Bobby Powell – featuring tracks from his late 60s years at the Jewel and Whit labels, all cut in a super-tuff backwoods Louisiana style! The material shows Bobby at his best – stepping out in a rough vocal mode that's backed up by some raw arrangements that keep proceedings at a pretty rootsy level. A few cuts hit kind of a 70s funk groove, but overall, the main feel of the set is steeped in southern soul and R&B influences. 30 tracks in all – the best set of this material we've ever seen – with tracks that include "Question 71", "Our Love", "Cry To Me", "Hold My Hand", "Have A Heart", "Funky Broadway 69", "Into My Own Thing", "I Care", "I'm Not Going To Cry Over Spilt Milk", "The Bells", "Stay In Bed", "I'm Gonna Leave You", "Done Got Over", and "That Little Girl Of Mine".

Sweet keyboards and loads of wonderful 80s grooves – a great little set that perfectly balances jazzy riffing, funky rhythms, and warm soulful vocals! The cover's a bit slick, but there's a lot more depth here than some of Prime Time's contemporaries – an ear both for the mainstream and the soulful underground – and one that has the group sparkling well on both the upbeat groovers and the sweet slow slow steppers! Titles include "I Owe It To Myself", "Love Talk", "Give It To The Beat", "I Want Somebody Tonight", "Flying High", and "Talk It Over". CD features bonus tracks – "Love Talk (12" version)", "Love Talk (inst)", "I Owe It To Myself (12" version)", "I Owe It To Myself (inst)", "Give It To The Beat (12" version)", and "Give It To The Beat (inst)".

A pair of post Philly International gems from Lou Rawls on Epic – Now Is The Time from '82 and Close Company from '84 – in a single set! Now Is The Time is a solid soul effort from Lou, still working wonders here in the early 80s on a record that stands the test of time surprisingly well! The production doesn't overdo it with period production flourishes, with some sweeping arrangements on some numbers and more of an easygoing vibe on others. Titles include "Kiss Me One More Time", "Let Me Show You How", "Ain't That Love Baby", "This Love" and "Back To You". Close Company features a fair bit of production from Dexter Wansel, in a way that continues the groove from a few years before! The sound's got a smooth, sophisticated feel that works great with Lou's maturing vocals – and the overall feel is right up there with the best classy soul coming out on Epic at the time – work that's really stood the test of the time because it never gave in too much to commercial trends. Titles include "Close Company", "All Time Lover", "In The Middle Of The Night", "Pretty Eyes", "Forever I Do", "Ready Or Not", and "Say It Again". 17 tracks in all on the CD.

A great bit of mellow soul from William Robinson – a cut that's got a bit of a groove, but mostly stays laidback – in ways that let Will's vocals flow wonderfully, almost with a quiet storm feel. "I'm Ready" has heavier beats, and a bit more of a poppish funky groove.

Boz Scaggs at the height of his early powers – still very much in the best blue-eyed soul style that first got him noticed by CBS, but also working with a stronger, richer, prouder sound that's really great! A number of the tracks on the set were recorded in Muscle Shoals, with superb small combo soul backing that Boz seems to respond to tremendously well – hitting a mode that's somewhere between Al Green and Van Morrison, with vocals that are simply mindblowing, and extraordinarily soulful. The rest of the set was recorded in San Francisco, and has a similarly freewheeling sound to Boz debut for CBS – with some great backing vocals by Linda Tillery and Dorothy Morrison as well. Titles include "Dinah Flo", "Slowly In The West", "Full Lock Power Slide", "Old Time Lovin", "Might Have To Cry", "Hello My Lover", "He's A Fool For You", and "Freedom For The Stallion".

Soaring soul from Marlena Shaw – her last recording for Blue Note, and a set that points the way towards her bigger fame to come at Columbia Records! Like some of her previous sets, there's definitely still some jazzy elements in the mix – yet the overall sound is much more fully soulful, thanks to arrangements and production from Bert DeCoteaux and Tony Silvester, who both bring in a rich sound that's similar to some of the indie dancefloor soul coming out of Philly and New York at the time – with backings that are a great blend of funk and strings, perfect for Shaw's unique blend of the sophisticated and soulful. Marlena handles this mode better than anyone else, and we think this set's easily one of her strongest records ever – even more so than some of her later dates too. Titles include the wonderful "Think About Me", a solid stepping seventies soul track that is (or should have been) an instant classic – plus "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", "Take My Body", "No Hiding Place", "Love Has Gone Away", "You & Me", "It's Better Than Walkin Out", and "Be For Real".

A mad bit of funk and jazz from Ben Sidran – much more tripped-out than his later work! Ben's got a great bunch of musicians on the album – with either Tony Williams or "funky drummer" Clyde Stubblefield on drums, and Phil Upchurch on bass, laying down a nice dark groove on the best cuts – often with an offbeat funky sound that's made the record a favorite for crate-diggers for years. Ben's on piano, grooving in a number of different hipster modes – from LA sleezy to New Orleans soulful – and his vocals, as always, are compelling and catchy. The set includes the nice long groover "Now I Live (And Now My Life Is Done)", a monster track with a great slow groove that's been sampled a number of times over the years – and other cuts include "Full Compass", "Play The Piano", and "Think Twice".

It's hard to imagine a more perfect 60s southern soul album – the legendary vocals of Percy Sledge mixed with classic Muscle Shoals production from Quin Ivy – all wrapped around a host of hip tunes that go way past the easy 60s soul hits! The formula here is similar to that cooked up by Otis Redding on Stax, but it goes perhaps a few steps more – relaxing into its own confidence, and hitting an easy, open approach to the material that's neither too "stock", nor too slick. And although Otis first started the groove, Percy really helps push it forward strongly on this record – by bringing a deepening spirit and new sophistication to the music that would help it thrive greatly into the 70s. Many tracks are written by the team of Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, including "I Love Everything About You", "Out Of Left Field", and "Feed the Flame" – and other titles include "Sudden Stop", "Baby Help Me", "Cover Me", "Between These Arms", and "High Cost Of Leaving".

A heavy bit of boogie from Southroad Connection – a large ensemble funk outfit with a warm and clubby style! The tracks on the set burn along in a nice late disco mode – with plenty of real instrumentation and small band rhythms at the bottom, but a polished groove overall that nicely offsets the party funk approach. There's lots of bass popping away as the whole group jams over the top, taking time out only to chill down for two ballad numbers on the record – and titles include "Gotta Keep Dancin", "In The Morning", "I Need To Love You", "Best Boogie In Town", and "Take Me Back For More".

A double-length, 4 act disco fantasy from Donna Summer and Giorgio Moroder – both very much at the height of their powers here – and able to keep up enough energy to make it through what was originally 2LP set! The work's a unified sort of story – kind of a disco opera of sorts – but more than the lyrics or the story, what makes the album great is the rhythms – full-on and non-stop, rolling strongly from tune after tune in a highly energized blend. Titles include "Once Upon A Time", "Fairy Tale High", "Queen For A Day", "Now I Need You", "Dance Into My Life", "A Man Like You", "I Love You", and "Rumor Has It".

Classic! The third LP from the Time, and last before Morris Day went off and started his solo career – though by this point Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis had departed the group. Nonetheless, the sound is still tight modern funk, with Jesse Johnson and crew keeping things in the great post-Prince Minneapolis pop-funk sound, including some nice dance numbers like "Jungle Love" and "The Bird" – and Morris just being Morris on cuts like "My Drawers", "Chili Sauce" and "If The Kid Can't Make You Come".

Titles include "Go For It", "First Timothy Six", "I Miss Your Kiss", "Do The Guitar", "Planet Funk", and "You Sexy Thing".

The first full look at a near-lost southern soul label – the tiny Minaret Records imprint, based down in Florida, but part of the larger family of labels held by Memphis powerhouse Sun Records! Working down in the Florida scene, Minaret had a fair bit of independence – and managed to cut some great indie soul sides that borrow elements of 60s Memphis soul, but make the whole thing come out with a fairly different sound. There's a looser, more relaxed feel to these Minaret sides – one that comes from the comfortable studio setting, and the cohesive house band – which provided an atmosphere that most other southern labels were starting to lose by the end of the 60s. The whole package is a great discovery in southern soul – supported by some great notes on both the company and the artists, and a set of 18 tracks that includes "Money Man" by Johnny Dynamite, "Fine Time" by Genie Brooks, "Eternally" by Willie Gable, "Don't Worry About Me" by Willie Cobbs, "Shell Of A Woman" by Doris Allen, "Blue Diamonds" by The Double Soul, "The Judgement" by Candy & Billy, "South Side Of Soul Street" by Genie Brooks, "Bright Star" by John Hamilton & Doris Allen, "You Have Done Me Wrong" by Willie Cobbs, and "Who's Been Warming My Oven" by Gable Reed.

Hard-burning soul from the great stretch of the 60s – that magical latter half of the decade when the genre really exploded – and turned out thousands of amazing tracks on smaller indie labels! This package pulls together some of the best groovers of that generation – all hand-picked by Northern Soul expert Kev Roberts, and served up here with fidelity that's a lot better than most of the beat up 45s we've got in our collection! And with a massive 31 tracks on the set, the whole thing's a heck of a great deal too – with cuts that include "Do You Love Me Baby" by The Masqueraders, "Change Your Ways" by Willie Kendrick, "I Need You" by Shane Martin, "I Got My Heart Set On You" by The Toys, "Let's Get Back Together" by The Honeybees, "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" by The Gentlemen Four, "Tightrope" by Inez & Charlie Foxx, "In The Long Run" by Curtis Blandon, "I Got What It Takes" by Brooks & Jerry, "One In A Million" by Maxine Brown, "Walk Like A Man" by Johnny Moore, and "I'll Always Need You" by Dean Courtney.

A smoking selection of seventies funk – a perfect introduction to the genre, and one that's overflowing with the kind of classics that got first got us started loving music like this! The set list is decidedly hip – cuts that didn't always get much play back in the day, but which have gone onto become huge over the decades – thanks to deep digging by serious collectors, or sampling by hip hop acts – or even by the raving reviews of funk fanatics like us! The package features a massive 19 tracks in all – with loads of heavy drums, sharp guitars, and raw soul vocals – on titles that include "Watts Breakaway" by Johnny Otis, "Got To Get A Knutt" by New Birth, "Afro Strut" by Nite-Liters, "The Dapp" by African Music Machine, "It's Alright" by Bobby Rush, "Good Thing (part 2)" by Casey Jones, "Ice Cold Daydream" by Shuggie Otis, "One Monkey" by Kim Melvin, "Get It Where You Find It" by Jesse Gresham Plus 3, "Pull My Coat" by Eddie Jacobs Exchange, "Toe Hold" by Al Kooper, "Soul Train" by Little Royal, "It's Not How Long You Make It" by Shay Holiday, "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor, "Soul Drums" by Bernard Purdie, and "Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter" by Nina Simone.

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful girl group and solo sounds from vaults of Red Bird – that wonderful label founded by songwriting giants Lieber & Stoller in the 60s – stereo masters from '64-'66! The label came out of the girl group boom earlier in the decade, so some of the material blew up big on the charts while a great deal of it fell by the pop wayside. The thing is, ALL of it wonderful – sweet, soaring pop soul majesty from some of the best songwriters and loveliest voices of their time! Great singles by The Goodies, The Jelly Beans, The Ad-Libs, Ellie Greenwich, Evie Sands, The Butterflys, The Charmettes, The Young Generation and more – stuff that truly rivals The Wall Of Sound! Include "The Dum Dum Ditty" by The Goodies, "The Kind Of Boy You Can't Forget", "I Wanna Love Him So Bad" and "How Fine Can One Guy Be" by The Jelly Beans, "The Boy From New York City" and "I'm Just A Down Home Girl" by The Ad-Libs, "You Don't Know" and "Another Boy Like Mine" by Ellie Greenwich, "I Can't Let Go" and "Take Me For A Little While" by Evie Sands, "Gee Baby Gee" by The Butterflys, "The Hideaway" by The Young Generation, "He's So Easy To Love" by Roddie Joy and more..

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

Time Exposure has a lot of 80s electro funk in the mix, particularly Clarke's impeccable bass lines, which are heavy throughout. Titles include "Play The Bass '10", "Heaven Sent You", "Speedball", "Future Shock" and the great title track.

The second album from Chicago soul legend Tyrone Davis – and every bit as wonderful as his first! Like that set, this one bounces along on a wave of well cast Chisoul arrangements – penned by Tom Washington and Willie Henderson, with a great mix of the sweet and the rough – bubbling under with a heavier rhythm than you might expect for such a session. The whole set skips along with a sound that's totally tight, but also plenty darn righteous – and Tyrone's voice crackles with honesty and feeling on the album's entire set list. Tracks include the mega-hit "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", plus "Undying Love", "If It's Love That You're After", "I Keep Coming Back", and "Let Me Back In".

Previously unreleased material by The Staple Singers – recorded in the 70s, but issued after their departure from Stax – but all strong enough to make a great companion to their better-known albums of a decade before! The sound is tight and righteous – that sublime blend of gospel roots and hipper 70s soul that really rose the Staples to fame during their years at Stax – and which is here carried off with lots of guitar and keyboard riffing amidst the great vocals of the group. Mavis Staples is strongly in the lead on most numbers – and titles include "Trippin On Your Love", "A Child's Life", "I Got To Be Myself", "People Come Out Of Your Shell", "When It Rains It Pours", "If It Wasn't For A Woman", and "Live In Love".

A great collection of classic Gospel tunes – pulled from the catalogs of Chess, Vee Jay, Savoy, Vault, Jewel, and Peacock Records! The set was put together as an offshoot of the Chicago-based Steppin Muzak label – and it features the kind of timeless gospel tunes that have always held the hearts of those in the Chicago soul scene – classics that go way beyond church, and have become as important as soul tunes over the years! Titles include "Well Well Well" by The Swan Silvertones, "Teach Me" by The Highway QCs, "I Stood On The Banks Of Jordan (part 2)" by James Cleveland, "Behold The Beauties Of The Lord" by The Caravans, "Motherless Child" by Ben Branch, "We Need More Love" by Reverend Sammy Lewis, "I Must Tell Jesus" by Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church with Clay Evans, "Open Your Eyes" by The Gospel Clefs, "It's Gonna Rain" by The Sensational Nightingales, and "Christmas Joy" by The Soul Stirrers. 15 tracks in all.

A great near-lost slice of Betty Everett's career – material recorded for Uni Records, in the years after her first big hits on Vee Jay! The sound here is a lot more soulful than on earlier albums – more grown-up and sophisticated, yet also retaining the best sweeter touches that made her great in the first place. The album's got a number of tasty originals – including the title cut "There'll Come A Time", Curtis Mayfield's "Hold On", and the cuts "Maybe", and "You're Falling In Love".

Al Green's last secular album for Hi Records – but still a nice little cooker that's overflowing with Memphis soul! As with Green's previous set for Hi, the album's produced by Al himself, and not Willie Mitchell – in a style that's a bit rougher, chunkier, and almost funkier than the sound that Mitchell had been giving Al as the 70s moved on. Tunes have a nice snapping feel overall, and a lot heavier soul vibe than you might expect for the time – making the record a nice lost sleeper in Green's classic Hi Records catalog! Titles include "King Of All", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Happy Days", "Blow Me Down", "Lo & Behold", "Wait Here", "Truth N Time", and "To Sir With Love".

A mid 70s meeting of two seminal blues talents from the Memphis scene – singer Bobby Blue Bland, and legendary guitarist BB King! The pair were both working for ABC at the time – major label fame after years woodshedding in the indies – and hitting well-deserved fame for their huge talents – still as fresh here as they were a decade before, and unmarred by any studio sanitization in this great live set! The record does an especially good job of bringing together the artists verbally – letting Bobby and BB open up and rap a bit during the songs – yet still having plenty of space to go into their own thing musically, too. Titles include "It's My Own Fault", "I'll Take Care Of You", "I'm Sorry", "3 O'Clock Blues", "Goin Down Slow", and a great long Medley track.

An excellent album of smooth soul tracks – very different than Little Beaver's earlier work, but every bit as great! The album's got a warm, mellow finish that's almost a maturation of the sound that Beaver first forged on his Party Down album – with plenty of his deep soul vocals and guitar work laced through the mix, on top of lots of nice keyboard bits from Timmy Thomas! The groove is mellow Miami soul at its best – and in a way, it's this shift that really helped Beaver keep his music alive – giving it a depth that sets it apart from some of the hitbound Miami music of the period. Titles include the classic groover "Concrete Jungle", plus "When Was The Last Time", "Pretty Little Girl", and "I Really Love You Babe".

One of the nicest early albums by this great 70s soul collective – featuring a strong mix of funk and mellow soul tracks, with backing by the Nite Liters on some tracks, and production by the great Harvey Fuqua throughout! Titles include "Wild Flower", "It's Been A Long Time", "Keep On Doing It", "Pains of Love", "Ain't No Change", and "Heaven Says".

Soaring soul from Marlena Shaw – her last recording for Blue Note, and a set that points the way towards her bigger fame to come at Columbia Records! Like some of her previous sets, there's definitely still some jazzy elements in the mix – yet the overall sound is much more fully soulful, thanks to arrangements and production from Bert DeCoteaux and Tony Silvester, who both bring in a rich sound that's similar to some of the indie dancefloor soul coming out of Philly and New York at the time – with backings that are a great blend of funk and strings, perfect for Shaw's unique blend of the sophisticated and soulful. Marlena handles this mode better than anyone else, and we think this set's easily one of her strongest records ever – even more so than some of her later dates too. Titles include the wonderful "Think About Me", a solid stepping seventies soul track that is (or should have been) an instant classic – plus "This Time I'll Be Sweeter", "Take My Body", "No Hiding Place", "Love Has Gone Away", "You & Me", "It's Better Than Walkin Out", and "Be For Real".

A soaring batch of boogie from the Sunburst Band – the group's long-awaited second album, and just as incredible as the first! Dave Lee's really gone all out for this session – dipping back into his classic references to feature vocals by older club singers that include Norma Jean and Lucy Martin of Chic, Taka Boom, and even Linda Clifford – while still getting the group to groove in that instant-classic blend of clubby rhythms and jazzy riffs! The sound is incredible – like finding some lost indie disco album from the end of the 70s – steeped in soulful production, and coming across as a stone winner on every single track! Imagine the excitement you felt when you first heard Incognito – and at that, you've only got a small bit of the sound! Titles include "Twinkle", "We Will Turn You On", "Until The End Of Time", "Fly Away (parts 1 & 2)", "Far Beyond", and "Just Do It".

One of the two 80s masterpieces by this amazing Minneapolis group, before Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis left to change the face of commercial R&B! This first album and it's follow-up remain as a couple of the more enduring moments of slick, stylish American pop soul, and represent just a huge part of what we still love about the 80s! Titles include "Get It Up", "Girl", After Hi School", "The Stick", "Oh Baby" and the 10 minute jam "Cool", one of our fave cuts of the early 80s. "I'm cooler than Santa Claus, baby. . ."

One of the two 80s masterpieces by this amazing Minneapolis group, before Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis left to change the face of commercial R&B! This first album and it's follow-up remain as a couple of the more enduring moments of slick, stylish American pop soul, and represent just a huge part of what we still love about the 80s! Titles include "Get It Up", "Girl", After Hi School", "The Stick", "Oh Baby" and the 10 minute jam "Cool", one of our fave cuts of the early 80s. "I'm cooler than Santa Claus, baby. . ."

Once a raw harmony group, the Younghearts moved into a sweeter, smoother soul vein for their 20th Century recordings, and the result is an excellent batch of modern soul tracks with a nice groove to them. This album includes their great groover "Do You Have The Time (parts 1 & 2)", which is also added in in a special "skatt" version. Other nice ones include "All The Love In The World", "Stop What You're Doing Girl", and "Look What Your Love Has Done For Me".

Heavy funk and soaring soul from the Mainstream Records family of the mid 70s – a rare batch of tracks that were only ever issued as singles by the label, and by the smaller Brown Dog and IX Chains imprints! Most of the cuts here are right from the middle of the 70s – and are a mix of small combo grooving and some fuller, Philly-styled backings – all in support of a range of great singers who often bring some deeper soul vocals into the mix. Most of the cuts here have never been reissued before, and the package is a whopping 17 track look at this under-acknowledged side of the Mainstream Records story – with rare tracks that include "Let The People Talk" by Steptones, "Seven Day Lover" by Raymond Smith, "Be Here In The Morning" by 2nd Verse, "I'm Gonna Get You" by Frankie Floyd, "Let The Music Play" by JG Lewis, "Gonna Have A Good Time" by Crystal Image, "You Are The Spice Of My Life" by Nia Johnson, "Wind Up Toy" by Zebra, "These Memories" by Almeta Lattimore, "Super Guy Flying High" by The Last Crusade, "Get Down Get Down" by South Side Coalition, "You've Got A Lot To Give" by Chocolate Syrup, "You're A Friend Of Mine" by Words Of Wisdom, and "If You Wanna Party" by Spectrum.

Killer early stuff from Hank – when he was just about the size of a bratty kid, and he had a voice on him that would stop a train! Loads of shoutin R&B tunes, including "The Coffee Grind", "I Love You So-o-o", "Don't Go, I Love You", "Look At Little Sister", and the hit "Finger Poppin Time".

Gritty, powerful raw soul from Charles Bradley – the full length debut from the 62-year-old Brooklyn singer – backed perfectly by The Menahan Street Band! It's incredible, a record that sounds just as rawly emotional and impeccably soulful in 2011 as it would have in 1971 – much like the work Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, there's no mistaking this for anything but the real deal. Rough hewn in beautifully so – with perfect, funky backing by team Menahan. A timeless treasure! Titles include "In You (I Found A Love)", "I Believe In Your Love", "The Telephone Song", "Golden Rule", "How Long", "Trouble In The Land", "Since Our Last Goodbye", "Heartaches And Pain", "The World" and more. Expanded version features two bonus tracks – INCREDIBLE covers of Neil Young's "Heart Of Gold" and Nirvana's "Stay Away".

Includes "I Got You", "Sex Machine (part 1)", "I Got The Feelin", "Mother Popcorn (part 1)", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (part 1)", "Think", "Get Up Offa That Thing", "Hot Pats (part 1)", "Superbad (parts 1 & 2)", "Papa Don't Take No Mess (part 1)", "Payback", "Get On The Good Foot", and more!

Two classics from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on one CD! Last Days & Time is Earth Wind & Fire's first album for Columbia Records – the start of a really legendary run during the 70s! The sound here is a bit tighter than their first two for Warner Brothers – a groove that has funk and soul taking a bit more precedence over the jazz of their roots – but all in a blend that's completely fresh and unique, and which takes all the righteous energy of the past, and focuses it here even more strongly! And while the groovers are great, there's also a few sweet numbers that are almost even better – some slightly mellow tracks that don't hit that commercial ballad sound of the group's later years – and which almost have an earthy, organic feel overall. The whole thing's tremendous – truly essential work by the group at their best – and titles include "I'd Rather Have You", "They Don't See", "Make It With You", "Remember The Children", "Mom", "Power", and "Time Is On Your Side". Head To The Sky is a tremendously beautiful album – and a righteous anthem of power and growth that seems to open itself up to us more and more over the years! Earth Wind & Fire are at their height here – mixing together soul and funk with a set of influences that includes African percussion and Brazilian jazz – then blending the whole thing effortlessly into a cosmic sound that's simply breathless! "Keep Your Head To The Sky" is a song of pride that became an instant underground classic; "Zanzibar" is an incredible reworking of Edu Lobo's famous composition, turning the Brazilian baroque track into a spacey groover that soars on for 13 minutes; and "Evil" is a great tune that features the electrified Kalimba that became the band's sonic and legal trademark over the years! Other titles include "The World's A Masquerade", "Clover", and "Build Your Nest".

Smooth mellow soul by Michael Henderson – taking up where he left off with his work with Norman Connors, and proving that he was an even better vocalist than bassist! The overall sound of this one's perhaps a bit slicker than his first 2 albums on Buddah – but there's still some strong modern soul moments, and good production from the Sigma Sound Studios. The best cuts have a smooth mid-tempo groove – not unlike the modern soul coming out of Philly at the time, and perfectly suited to Henderson's jazzy sensibilities. Titles include "Take Me I'm Yours", "Whisper In My Ear", "Am I Special", "One To One", and "In The Night-Time".

A solid club slammer from Jackie Moore – way different than her earlier southern soul work, and done here with a sweet Philly groove from producer Bobby Eli! The track burns and builds for a full seven minutes – really picking up steam but never going too far – and setting Jackie's vocals up as strong enough to rival any other club divas of the time! Great hook too!

Pre-Philly magic from The Spinners – a wonderful early album recorded for Motown – done with a heady Detroit sound that's quite different than their later work in the 70s! The album already has the group sounding amazing on the harmonic tip – definitely a cut above the groups that came before them – with that brilliant Spinners ability to harmonize heavily while still hitting a groove! Arrangements are by Paul Riser, Wade Marcus, and David Van DePitte – all of whom keep things full, but never overblown – presenting music with a perfect polish for the group, but in quite different ways than the later Philly groove. Titles include the classic original version of "It's a Shame", plus "My Lady Love", "Souly Ghost", "Ooh Child", "In My Diary", "My Whole World Ended", "I've Got To Find Myself A Brand New Baby", "Bad Bad Weather", and "Pay them No Mind".

Grover Washington Jr's first few albums for Columbia – Strawberry Moon, Then & Now and Time Out Of Mind – together in a 2CD set! Strawberry Moon has a number of laidback groovers, with some solid Washington originals such as the title track and some sweet covers. BB King plays and sings on "Caught A Touch Of Your Love", with Jean Carne guesting on "The Look Of Love". Grover's sax is soulful and sweet throughout, and the titles include "Strawberry Moon", "Summer Nights", "Keep In Touch", and "Maddie's Blues". Then And Now is a nice one that has Grover working in a straighter jazz mode for the most part, taking a break from the soul and R&B groover –- the most timeless of the 3 albums compiled here! Players include Herbie Hancock, Ron Carter, Grady Tate and Darryl Washington. Titles include "Just Enough", "French Connections", "Stolen Moments", "Stella By Starlight" and more. Time Out Of Mind's title track is a cover of the Steely Dan classic, circa Gaucho – and this album finds Grover embracing the 80s a lot more than his previous album for Columbia. A mix of moods, with some electric funky flourishes and fusiony keys and synths. Titles include "Jamaica", "Sacred Kind Of Love", "Fly Away", the title track and more. This trio of albums represents a wide stylistic range covered by Grover in just a 3 year period!

"One Step At A Time"s not as sweet a disco cut as Tracy's disco anthem "Sure Shot", but it's got some warm moogy keys that help set the track apart, and besides, you get the instrumental to "Sure Shot" on the flip of this great single!

One of the most beautiful records to come out of the early 70s – a tremendous indie effort from a young Weldon Irvine! Irvine put this album together as sort of a musical "time capsule" of his generation – an effort to capture the era's thoughts, feelings, and emotions through a mix of music, vocals, and a few spoken bits – all woven together in a way that changes moods nicely, but always keeps the same righteously spiritual vibe! Weldon plays keys that are both electric and acoustic throughout – and he's joined by a very hip batch of players who include Jimmy Owens, Lenny White, Alex Blake, George Cables, and others – all working here in a very rough-edged and soulful mode. Titles include the classic break track "Bananas", the sweet vocal number "Deja Vu",and the soul classic "Feelin' Mellow" – also covered by Fatback Band, but even better here in the original! Other tracks include "Soul Sisters", "Watergate Don't Bug Me", "Spontaneous Interaction", and "I Am".

A late 60s southern soul gem from then 14-year-old belter Betty Wright – her early singles for the Alston label that eventually became her debut album for Atlantic! Clarence Reid wrote most of the tracks, with arrangements and production handled by Steve Alaimo's Marlin Productions. It's done in the raw southern soul style which made that organization's name at the time – and Betty carries that groove incredibly well – as well as a woman of any age group! Essential! Cuts include "I'm Thankful", "The Best Girls Can't Always Win", "Girls Can't Do What the Guys Do", "I'm Going To Hate Myself In The Morning", "I Can't Stop My Heart", He's Bad, Bad, Bad", "Funny How Love Grows Cold", the incredible "Cry Like a Baby", "Circle Of Heartbreak", "Just You" and more!

Wicked work from Dexter Wansel – a funky classic for Philly International, put together with just the sort of care he brought to his albums for other artists! The album's a bit more straight Philly than some of Dexter's earlier records – a bit less of the cosmic funk from before, but in its place are some amazing jazzy backings – modern soul galore, with key adult touches – completely sublime throughout, and wrapped up with more great keyboards than you're likely to find on other Philly albums! The album features a killer cut – "The Sweetest Pain", a smooth stepper with some subtle keyboard grooving behind warm female vocals by Terri Wells – and other great tracks include "Funk Attack", "New Beginning", "One For the Road", "It's Been Cool", and "I'll Never Forget My Favorite Disco".

Early 80s club grooves, with kind of an electro feel – and that post-disco positive diva soul sound!

A massive early 80s electro club groove, with great syn drum beats and some nice soulful vocals over top!

Nice ealry 80s Italian euro disco, with a midtempo synthesizer kissed groove.

An excellent second album by Barbara Acklin – and a perfect demonstration of her really unique Chicago soul talents! Acklin's really at the cusp of two generations here – at one level still with some of the sweetness of the earlier style of 60s girl soul, but at another full of the power and pride that was really flowing into other artists of the 70s – a balance that's a great summation of the unique way that Chicago artists could play both ends of the spectrum, and come up with something really unique in the process! The album includes the great cut "Am I The Same Girl", a loping soul groover that was all set to be a big single for Barbara – but for some reason, Brunswick held the tape back, stripped off the vocals, put on some piano, and released it as the instrumental "Soulful Strut" by Young-Holt Unlimited at the same time! Yet we still dig Barbara's version better, though – nestled here alongside other great cuts that include "Seven Days of Night", "A Raggedy Ride", "Go With Love", "Mr Sunshine", "Until You Return", and "Where Would I Go".

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

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