Soul — CDs  

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid 70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD also features 5 bonus tracks – "Shining Star (future star)", "All About Love (first impressions)", "Happy Feelin (anatomy of a groove)", "Caribou Chaser (jazzy jam)", and "That's The Way Of The World (Latin expedition)".

One of the best collections of southern funk we've ever heard! The set has a cover that's a bit inconspicuous, but the music is excellent – an extremely well-selected, all-funky batch of tunes that blows away most other sets of this nature we've heard. The tracks start out in the New Orleans scene, then run northward with a hard and heavy sound – all funky 45-style numbers all the way through, with a quality level that's extremely high, and which blows away most of those bootleg-styled packages on the market. The folks at Grapevine are really getting their goods together for these full compilation releases, and this set's their first real funk outing – and a real killer! Titles include "Four Corners (part 2)" by Lee Dorsey, "Mama Said We Can't Get Married" by Warren Lee, "Goobah" by Soul Continentals, "Funky Lu" by Al Trahan, "Hung Up" by Salt, "Junk" by The Fantoms, "Coffee Pot (part 1)" by Bo Jr, "That Thing" by Pee Wee Ellis, "Katty's Thing" by Anthony Butler & The Invaders, "Squeeze Me (parts 1 & 2)" by Dynamic 7, "Down In A Bag" by BB Daddy, "Let The Groove Move You" by Gus The Groove Lewis, and "Hot Tamales (part 1)" by Prime Mates. 20 tracks in all – and all great!

A blistering collection of funk, hard-charging r&b and psychedelic soul from the Phoenix scene – amazing singles issued mostly in the late 60s and early 70s and spearheaded by producer Mike Lenaburg – and a great portrait of a too-long neglected funky southwest! Mighty Mike Lenaburg produced records for Phoenix area acts on a half dozen label imprints such as Homogenized Soul, Out Of Sight, Mighty and Darlene. The sound throughout this collection has for the most part a heavy bottom end of funky drums, chiming-and-chugging guitar and vocals that range from gritty soul howling to more of a harmony approach. There's some killer funky flute and soulful psych from Michael Liggins, tight funky soul from Lon Rogers, positively pummeling numbers from Ronnie Whitehead and much more. The Numero Group continues to raise the stakes with their amazing Eccentric Soul series – telling a culturally significant story, and just as importantly, assembling flat out perfect listening experiences! 17 tracks in all: "Too Good To Be True" and "My Girl Is A Soul Girl" by Lon Rogers & The Soul Blenders, "Standing On The Corner", by Michael Liggins, "Loaded To The Gills" and "Loaded Back" by Michael Liggins & The Super Souls, "I've Got To Have You" by Sheila Black, "Blending Soul" by Soul Blenders, "People, Open Your Eyes And See" by We The People, "Cold Feet" and "Begging You" by Ronnie Whitehead, "Funky Nightclub" by Soulsations, "The Quarrel" by Newly Weds and more!

This self titled album is fantastic solo work from Smokey – recorded a few years before his monumental Quiet Storm album, but with a very similar high level of quality! Willie Hutch co-produced the album with Smokey, and working with arrangements by Hutch and Gene Page, they transform Smokey's sound into a sophisticated 70s modern one, adding in slight touches of funk, and complicated backings that really let him open up as a singer, both vocally and emotionally. The whole thing's got a wonderful mellow soul groove, and titles include "Wanna Know My Mind", "Baby Come Close", "The Family Song", "Just My Soul Responding", "Holly", "A Silent Partner In A Three-Way Love Affair", and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" Quiet Storm is incredible – a record that should be in every household! Smokey breaks free of the group sound of the Miracles albums – hitting a whole new mode, and inventing the "Quiet Storm" radio format along the way! The title cut – "Quiet Storm" – is a majestic long-building track that's as important to mellow soul as Larry Mizell's work was to jazz funk at the same time, and it's got a similar layering effect that has sounds building and spinning, with a bit of sound effects, great keyboards, and cool moogy touches that recall some of Bobbi Humphrey's best work for Blue Note, but filtered through a mellow ballad style. The whole album's great, and other tracks include "Baby That's Backatcha", "The Agony & The Ecstasy", "Coincidentally", and "Wedding Song". Proof that Motown was still great in the 70s!