Funky Compilations — All Formats  

A reverent snapshot of the spiritual & soul jazz emanating from the Mainstream label in the early 70s – a well curated set featuring great numbers by Frank Foster, Blue Mitchell, Hadley Caliman, Roy Haynes and other giants of the scene! The material comes from a time in Mainstream label history when it was essentially relaunched as a jazz label, following some the psyche era rock albums of the previous few years. Soulful jazz sounds from a spiritual realm as well as some in a jazz funk mode, and excellent material all the way! 12 great tracks in all: The sprawling opener "The Loud Minority" by Frank Foster, "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell, "Up And Down" by Harold Land, "Watercress" by Hadley Caliman, "Kamili" by Buddy Terry, "Senyah" by Roy Haynes, "EW Beautiful People" by Frank Foster, "Little One" by Hadley Caliman and "Petits Machins" by Johnny Coles/

A profoundly funky Message – a smoking set of early 70s funky jazz & heavy soul from the Mainstream Records vaults – a diverse set of incredible recordings from the label that may be fairly sprawling in style, yet holds together thanks to shared funky urgency! It's filled with Bob Shad productions for his stellar Mainstream roster, which at the time included a host of far reaching jazz veterans, soulful chanteuses, and killer funky combos – including Afrique, Blue Mitchell, Sarah Vaughn, Alice Clark, Charles Kynard and many more! The session players reads like a heavyweight jazz title card itself, with Don Pullen, Stanley Clarke, George Cables, Joe Sample, Victor Feldman and more. The set features a very well chosen 18 tracks, with solid notes on each by Dean Rudand. Titles include "House Of Rising Funk" by Chubukos, "Soul Makossa" by Afrique, "The Message" by Blue Mitchell, "Funky Butt" by The Delegates", "Never Did I Stop Loving You" by Alice Clark, "I Want You Back" by Bobby Shad & The Bad Men, "Grits Ain't Groceries" by Maxine Weldon, "The Spirit" by Curtis Fuller", "Bacon Butt Fat" by Charles Williams and more.

Massively funky work from the Mainstream Records catalog of the early 70s – some of the grittiest, most hard-hitting tracks recorded by the label at the time! Most of the tracks here are short, but pack plenty of punch – that rock-solid approach to jazz funk that Mainstream was putting down heavier than most other labels at the time – thanks to a top-shelf array of leaders, studio players, and arrangers in the mix! There's a number of tracks here that haven't been reissued as part of P-Vine's single album program on the label – making the compilation even more essential – and the 19 track album features over 75 minutes of music, more than enough to warrant the higher Japanese price. Titles include "Sweet Emma" by Don Burrows, "Mustang" by Sonny Red, "Red Clay" by Jack Wilkins, "Witch Doctor Bump" and "Boogie The Devil In" by The Chubukos, "Spinning Wheel" by Phoenix Authority, "Fire & Water" by Charles Kynard, "Family Affair" by Dave Hubbard, "Signifyin Gemini" by Lamont Johnson, "Freedom Jazz Dance" by Night Blooming Jazzmen, "Mother McCree" by Reggie Moore, "Let's Take The Long Way Home" by Arbee Stidham, and "Never Can Say Goodbye" by Johnny Coles.

Harmony soul heaven – a wealth of rare soul singles issued by the Mainstream Records family of labels in the 70s – most of which have never been on CD before! Mainstream's best remembered as a jazz imprint from the period, but they also turned out plenty of great soul too – and this collection focuses on their strong talents with male harmony groups, on a wealth of great numbers to rival the more famous names coming out on bigger labels at the time! Most tunes move at a mellow or midtempo pace, but there's a few fuller, funkier numbers too – and tracks include "Talk To The Rain" and "You're So Hard To Forget" by Spring, "Let's Fall In Love" by Spectrum, "That's When He Remembers" by The Preparations, "Has Love Been Here Before" by The Fabulous Determinations, "Come Back With Love (parts 1 & 2)" by Special Delivery, "Someday Somewhere" by The Dramatic Experience, "I Feel It" by Dramatics, "Stop & Think A Minute" by Charles Beverly, and "Love Looks So Good On You" by Larry Rice.

Ta'Raach mixes up a diverse ode to most influential sounds of the Motor City – bridging musical styles and eras – in a mix for Mochilla! Ta'Raach manages to mix bits and pieces of classic and underground Detroit sounds into a unique mold with his own inventive vibe – fusing 60s indie soul to blistering rock, 70s & 80s underground funk to R&B, pop and hop hop. Underground and mainstream sounds share space with otherworldy touches and MC/DJ narration. It's a 55 continuous mix with no tracklist – with recognizable voices and melodies speeding by and colliding with the sounds of the underground!

The dancefloor just got a whole lot funkier – thanks to an incredible selection of rare disco and club tracks from the best years of the genre! The set list here is really amazing – the kind of tunes that rarely turn up this easily, and never in such a cohesive package – and our hats are off to compiler Al Kent for putting together such a wonderfully tasty set! Most numbers here are from the mid to late 70s – and showcase a soulfully grooving approach to disco – one that's free from the cliches of the mainstream side of the genre, and which features plenty of real soul vocals alongside uptempo funky instrumentation that usually features a few odd twists and turns! Most numbers are edited by Al Kent, sometimes in very subtle ways, and include "cover ups" billed to other artists – and the package essentially brings together material from Kent's previous CD series of the same name – but with revised track order, wonderful packaging, and a bonus poster! Limited vinyl 2 features the tracks "Dancing Free" by Hot Ice, "Doing Our Own Thang" by Al Tanner, "Fear" by Arthur King, "Party Together" by Superbs, "How Can I Tell Her" by Curtis, "Giving It All To You" by Cheryl Berdell, "We've Got It" by Sylvano Santorio, and "Sound Of Disco Rock" by Stringfield Family.

A jam packed collection of classic funk that formed the bedrock of the hip hop revolution – iconic breakbeat material and straight up funky treasures – a 2CD set compied by Dean Rudland! This new set celebrates the great earlier Breaks series on Harmless with a nice mix of numbers that are as classic as can be to beat diggers, but only recoginizable for the sampled bits to younger and more mainstream listeners, plus better-remembered classics that are just as important . The set features tracks by Mohawks, Liquid Liquid, Al Green, Taana Gardner, Last Poets, Funkadelic, Cymande, MFSB, Brick, Syl Johnson, The O'Jays, Average White Band and many more. 31 tracks on 2CDs: "The Champ" by Mohawks, "Space Funk" by Manzel, "Get Down With The Philly Sound" by MFSB, "Love And Happiness" by Al Green, "The Message" by Cymande, "Groovin'" by Willie Mitchell, "Tramp" by Lowell Fulsom, "Here I Go Again" by Jean Plum and many more.

Possibly the best-ever collection of blacksploitation grooves we've ever seen – a really comprehensive package that not only manages to cover the classics, but which also digs deep enough to come up with lots of fresh bits too! The set really sets a new level for the Soul Jazz label – and is carried off with enough authority towards Black Action films as the label's legendary efforts towards a host of less mainstream genres – truly an achievement for the label's crew, not to mention a heavier bonus for our funky listening pleasure! There's way more here than just a slapped-together batch of tunes from the early 70s – as the set's very carefully put together to showcase a wide range of sounds, along with notes that really get at the social and political power of both the music and the films. 2CD package features a massive color booklet inside the slipcase – and features 34 tracks that include "Shaft In Africa" by Johnny Pate, "Down & Out In New York City" by James Brown, "Wilford's Gone" by The Blackbyrds, "Run Fay Run" by Isaac Hayes, "Theme From Black Belt Jones" by Dennis Coffey, "Willie Chase" by JJ Johnson, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Charley" by Don Costa, "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch, "Blacula" by Gene Page, "Theme From Cleopatra Jones" by Joe Simon, "Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile" by Isaac Hayes, "Sweetback's Theme" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Aragon" by Roy Ayers, "Strung Out" by Gordon Staples, "Easin In" by Edwin Starr, "The Bus" by Solomon Burke & Gene Page, "Make A Resolution" by The Impressions, "Ed & Digger" by Cotton Comes To Harlem, "Las Vegas Strut" by Jack Ashford, "Lay It On Your Head" by Don Julian, and "Zombie March" by Nat Dove & The Devils.

Sublime soul all the way through – really tremendous little tracks that are just waiting to be discovered – and none of them the kind of mainstream grooves you might expect from the "crossover" in the title! Instead, these tracks have a power that really helps shift perception of a genre – almost a bridge between upbeat 60s Northern Soul and smoother 70s modern – with a warmth that's undeniable, and a groove that never lets up! The vocals are sublime, and the production is perfect – totally tight, but never slick at all – just perfect for the arrangements that really help these tunes soar! The set features a whopping two dozen tracks in all – and in addition to some real gems by lesser-knowns, there's also some great overlooked tracks by bigger names too – titles that include "I'm Not Ready" by Ujima, "The Common Broken Heart" by Lou Courtney, "Let's Try It Over Again" by Willie Hutch, "Midnight Sunshine" by The Soul Children, "It's Gonna Be Alright" by Maxine Brown, "One Step Ahead" by Aretha Franklin, "Fool's Hall Of Fame" by Ike Lovely, "Wait Till I Give The Signal" by The Shirelles, "Sweeping Your Dirt Under My Rug" by Ann Bailey, "Main Squeeze" by Syl Johnson, "Satisfactorise Your Mind" by Africano, "Trapped In A Love" by Barrino Brothers, and "I Gotta Keep My Bluff In" by Freddie Hughes.

A killer assortment of funky leftfield grooves from the late 70s and early 80s – groundbreaking work that goes way beyond conventional club, funk, and disco! The music here was light years ahead of its time, and still sounds pretty darn fresh today – a weird mix of arty, punky, and experimental modes – but all filtered down into a groove that's still catchy and compelling enough to cross over to fans of mainstream club. Many cuts here had a huge influence on house and techno modes of the mid 80s, and continue to have impact today on some of the younger, more influential groovemakers around the globe – and this single CD set is sort of a re-casting of the previous Disco Not Disco collections on Strut Records, which themselves were influential enough at the start of the current decade. CD features the tracks "Mind Your Own Business" by Delta 5, "Crunch Cake" by Isotope, "Your Life (party mix)" by Konk, "Launderette" by Vivien Goldman, "My Spine Is The Bassline (12" edit)" by Shriekback, "Contort Yourself (August Darnell rmx)" by James White & The Blacks, "Love Tempo (rmx)" by Quando Quango, "Sharevari (inst)" by A Number Of Names, "Silent Street/Silent Dub" by Maximum Joy, "Shake It Right" by Six Sed Red, and "Los Ninos Del Parque (12" mix)" by Liaisons Dangereuses.

Wow! A storming collection of funk and hard grooving soul from the furiously productive period between the late 60s & early 70s – incredible material spun out by NYC labels Scepter, Wand, Dynamo & Musicor – deep stuff, too, with names that we simply don't see often enough these kinds of releases! Dynamic Grooves is just that – with killer numbers by favorites of funk collectors, but relatively (and sadly) obscure figures when it comes to mainstream knowledge all these years later – along with a few bonafide legends. Great funky soul songs by Billy Clark & The Maskman, Warren Lee, Betty Moorer, The Endeavors, Allen Toussaint, Raw Meat, Chuck Jackson, The Soul Brothers, The Backyard Heavies and more! 21 tracks in all: "Soul Party Pt 1" by Billy Clark & The Mask Man, "It's My Thing" by Betty Moorer, "Ain't That Peculiar" by George Tindley, "Chitlin' Strut" by Backyard Heavies, "She's My Meat" by Harmon Bethea, "Horsing Around" by The Soul Brothers, "Fever In The Funk House" by General Cook and more.

A killer collection of east coast soul from the 70s – work that originally appeared on a handful of different labels, but which was all put together by Robert Hosea Williams – an unsung producer working out of a small studio in Silver Springs – with an incredible ear for up-and-coming talent! The music here is totally deep and righteous throughout – the hippest of the indie label scene on the east coast – and work that really lives up to the progressive, righteous reference you'd get from the Red, Black, & Green in the title! There's plenty of group soul here – of a type that mixes older harmony modes with hipper 70s references – creating a really badass approach to soul music that's simply mindblowing – and way different than the mainstream variants that were hitting the charts at the time. The whole thing's great – one of the best Numero comps in years – and titles include "Phoney People" and "I Really Really Love You" by Father's Children, "Sleepwalking" and "Let's Do It Over" by The Summits, "Don't Worry About The Joneses" and "We're Two Fools In Love" by Dysons Faces, "Day By Day" and "It Must Be Love" by The Exceptions Featuring Mark Greene, "Town Called Nowhere" and "I Need Your Love" by Skip Mahoney & The Casuals, and "Summer In The Parks" and "Generation" by East Coast Connection.

A killer collection of east coast soul from the 70s – work that originally appeared on a handful of different labels, but which was all put together by Robert Hosea Williams – an unsung producer working out of a small studio in Silver Springs – with an incredible ear for up-and-coming talent! The music here is totally deep and righteous throughout – the hippest of the indie label scene on the east coast – and work that really lives up to the progressive, righteous reference you'd get from the Red, Black, & Green in the title! There's plenty of group soul here – of a type that mixes older harmony modes with hipper 70s references – creating a really badass approach to soul music that's simply mindblowing – and way different than the mainstream variants that were hitting the charts at the time. The whole thing's great – one of the best Numero comps in years – and titles include "Phoney People" and "I Really Really Love You" by Father's Children, "Sleepwalking" and "Let's Do It Over" by The Summits, "Don't Worry About The Joneses" and "We're Two Fools In Love" by Dysons Faces, "Day By Day" and "It Must Be Love" by The Exceptions Featuring Mark Greene, "Town Called Nowhere" and "I Need Your Love" by Skip Mahoney & The Casuals, and "Summer In The Parks" and "Generation" by East Coast Connection.

A long-overdue collection – and a rich document of one of our favorite sides of the Chicago soul scene! The package is devoted to the tiny Nickel and Penny labels, but it's also equally a set dedicated to legendary radio DJ Richard Pegue – whose work in both mainstream soul and later dusties formats really helped to shape our understanding of soul music! Pegue produced and wrote nearly every track on the set – which makes the collection one of the most unified the Numero Group has ever produced – a true tribute to Richard's great ear for a groovy soul record, and to all the smaller-name groups he helped support on the Windy City scene. The booklet does a great job of telling Pegue's story – really getting at the unique vision he brought to Chicago soul, and the wit and warmth that made him a favorite of many folks over the space of decades. The music alone is enough – stuff we've been waiting to get reissued for years – but together with the Numero research and booklet, the end result is sublime! Titles include "Just Say The Word" by Jerry Townes, "Fall In Love Again" by The Voices, "Never More" by Little Ben & The Cheers, "Why Do You Want To Make Me Sad" by The Norvells, "Instrumental 1" by Richard Terry & Company, "Shadows" by South Shore Commission, "This Is The Woman" by Sidney Pinchback, "The Ember Song" by Sidney Barnes, "Sign Of The Zodiac" by South Suburban Electric Strings, "This Love Of Mine" by Extensions, "Forever Is A Long Long Time" by The Voices, "Do The Pearl Girl (part 2)" by The Matta Baby, "I've Got To Find A Way" by Hallelujah Chorus, "First Thing I Do In The Morning" by Joyce Williams, and "I'm Gonna Get Even With You" by Little Ben & The Cheers.

A long-overdue collection – and a rich document of one of our favorite sides of the Chicago soul scene! The package is devoted to the tiny Nickel and Penny labels, but it's also equally a set dedicated to legendary radio DJ Richard Pegue – whose work in both mainstream soul and later dusties formats really helped to shape our understanding of soul music! Pegue produced and wrote nearly every track on the set – which makes the collection one of the most unified the Numero Group has ever produced – a true tribute to Richard's great ear for a groovy soul record, and to all the smaller-name groups he helped support on the Windy City scene. The booklet does a great job of telling Pegue's story – really getting at the unique vision he brought to Chicago soul, and the wit and warmth that made him a favorite of many folks over the space of decades. The music alone is enough – stuff we've been waiting to get reissued for years – but together with the Numero research and booklet, the end result is sublime! Titles include "Just Say The Word" by Jerry Townes, "Fall In Love Again" by The Voices, "Never More" by Little Ben & The Cheers, "Why Do You Want To Make Me Sad" by The Norvells, "Instrumental 1" by Richard Terry & Company, "Shadows" by South Shore Commission, "This Is The Woman" by Sidney Pinchback, "The Ember Song" by Sidney Barnes, "Sign Of The Zodiac" by South Suburban Electric Strings, "This Love Of Mine" by Extensions, "Forever Is A Long Long Time" by The Voices, "Do The Pearl Girl (part 2)" by The Matta Baby, "I've Got To Find A Way" by Hallelujah Chorus, "First Thing I Do In The Morning" by Joyce Williams, and "I'm Gonna Get Even With You" by Little Ben & The Cheers.

Hardly the gospel of your father's generation – and hardly even the gospel of previous Numero releases either – as the set's a wonderfully offbeat batch of tracks that definitely lives up to the "apocryphal" in the title! Production sounds and musical styles go way past the mainstream – and lots of these numbers feel like secular soul from the definite left end of the spectrum in the 70s – especially the mellower cuts, which have a trippy quality that comes from weird instrumentation and unusual studio work – often matched by vocal presentation that's anything but spiritual, and which feels more like Darondo overall! These tunes are a real discovery – a deeper level of unusual gospel recordings than even the funk and or soul sides featured on other compilations – all pulled from the hinterland of self-released albums and singles from back in the day. As usual, Numero's done as great of job with the notes and packaging as they have with the music – really telling the full tale of this unusual stream of music – in a smoking set that features "That's All I Need" by Sensational Saints, "A Message Especially From God" by Robert Vanderbilt & The Foundation Of Souls, "Come Holy Spirit" by God's Band, "Faith" by Soul Superiors, "Can't Run This Race Alone" by Flying Eagles Gospel Singers, "Searching For The Truth" by Dwain Vinyard, "Get Involved" by Jonah Thompson, and "I Hear You Calling" by Francis Reneau & The Mission Singers.

Hardly the gospel of your father's generation – and hardly even the gospel of previous Numero releases either – as the set's a wonderfully offbeat batch of tracks that definitely lives up to the "apocryphal" in the title! Production sounds and musical styles go way past the mainstream – and lots of these numbers feel like secular soul from the definite left end of the spectrum in the 70s – especially the mellower cuts, which have a trippy quality that comes from weird instrumentation and unusual studio work – often matched by vocal presentation that's anything but spiritual, and which feels more like Darondo overall! These tunes are a real discovery – a deeper level of unusual gospel recordings than even the funk and or soul sides featured on other compilations – all pulled from the hinterland of self-released albums and singles from back in the day. As usual, Numero's done as great of job with the notes and packaging as they have with the music – really telling the full tale of this unusual stream of music – in a smoking set that features "That's All I Need" by Sensational Saints, "A Message Especially From God" by Robert Vanderbilt & The Foundation Of Souls, "Come Holy Spirit" by God's Band, "Faith" by Soul Superiors, "Can't Run This Race Alone" by Flying Eagles Gospel Singers, "Searching For The Truth" by Dwain Vinyard, "Get Involved" by Jonah Thompson, and "I Hear You Calling" by Francis Reneau & The Mission Singers.

Some of the hippest Detroit soul of the 60s – a wealth of wonderful recordings done by legendary producer Don Davis! In the 70s, Don would make some huge marks in the mainstream with groups like The Dramatics, Dells, and others – but these sides represent the initial flowering of the Davis' genius in the Motor City – a magnificent melding of that scene's tightness with some rootsier, harder-edged vocals that really send the tunes home! We'd be hard-pressed to think of a better start to dig into the Detroit scene past Motown – and in addition to rare singles, the set also features some unissued tracks too. Titles include "Somebody Needs You" by Darrell Banks, "Love On A Lease Plan" by Johnnie Taylor, "Girl Crazy" by Sharon Soul, "A Love That Never Grows Cold" by Jackey Beavers, "I'm The One Who Loves You" by Melvin Davis, "Headache In My Heart" by Debonaires, "I Need You Like A Baby" by Andrea Henry, "Who's Kissing You Tonite" by Herman Lewis, "Has It Happened To You Yet" by Edwin Starr, "That's Why I Love You" by The Professionals, "Deeper In Love" by Robert Ward, "Friday Night" by Steve Mancha, and "When You Lose The One You Love" by Buddy Smith.

One of the funkiest gospel collections you'll ever hope to own – and an amazing document of the criss-crossing styles going down at the legendary Jewel Records! Jewel didn't just record gospel, but handled a fair bit of soul, funk, blues, and jazz – all of which seems to bubble forth in these amazing recordings – tracks that easily represent some of the hippest, coolest gospel sides of the late 60s and early 70s – the kind of work we've dug for years in its ability to easily cross over to the secular scene, thanks to wicked grooves underneath the vocals! And the vocals are pretty darn great too – work by singers who could have been huge in the mainstream world, had they broken from the spiritual realm – really belting out with the best of the southern soul scene of the time. The package features a whopping 41 tracks in all – with tracks that "Don't Forget The Bridge" by Mighty Songs Of Glory, "There's A Creator" by Roscoe Robinson, "Trouble's Brewin" by The Meditation Singers, "Brotherly Love" by BP's Revolution, "I'm Trying To Be Your Friend" by Soul Stirrers, "Far Away From God" by Armstrong Brothers, "Golden Gate" by Traveling Echoes, "He's A Friend" by Dorothy Norwood, "Watch That Rogue" by Silver Gate Quartet, "You've Got To Serve Somebody" by Bill Moss, and "The Upper Way" by The Violinaires.

Hard-hitting Harlem soul – a sweet selection of indie singles from the late 60s and early 70s – most of which are light years away from the mainstream! The sound of many cuts here is quite unique – elements of soul modes of the era, but swirled up and spit out in really fresh ways – often with a bit of grit in the grooves, and some unusual, offbeat production, instrumentation, and rhythms – all of which help keep things cool throughout! We'll be honest in saying that we'd hardly heard most of these singles before, and only knew a few of the artists – but there's a wealth of wonderful music to discover in the package – all quite different than you might find on other funk or soul collections, with almost the revelatory approach we're used to getting from the Numero Group. CD features track-by-track notes on the tunes – and titles include "I'll Do It For You" by Little Willie, "She Said I'd Be A Failure" by Clarence Ashe, "I Pray To Keep Our Love Strong" by Johnnie & Joe, "I Got A Feeling" by Dicky & Billy, "24 Hours Of The Day" by The Gillettes, "Stay Away From My Baby" by Taffie Lee, "Dancing In A Dream World" by Jimmy & Arthur, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" by Miss Johnnie, "You Needn't Tell Me" by Sity & James, "I Won't Ever Try To Change You" by Henry Hodge, "Money & All Your Love" by Freda Allyne, and "It Doesn't Matter" by Niece Dezel.

Jazzy vibes – and jazzy sax, trumpet, and keyboards too – all heard in a host of rare cuts from the 70s – pulled together in one massively great batch of music! The set does a great job of digging around the edges of the 70s – moving past too-familiar jazz funk classics, and coming up with numbers that really get at the more sophisticated side of the genre! Most of the work is by relatively well-known artists, but the whole thing's still a nice change from the mainstream, and features loads of rare groove classics – including "In Good Faith" by Norman Harris, "Latin Spirit" by Leon Huff, "Latin Love" by Dexter Wansel, "Cisco Kid" by Reuben Wilson, "Red Beans" by Jimmy McGriff, "Out On The Coast" by Larry Willis, "Give Me Your Love" by Funk Incorporated, "Killing Time" by Natural Essence, "Like A Thief In The Night" by Mike Longo, "Them Changes" by Lionel Hampton, and "Killing Me Softly" by Hysear Don Walker.

A much-needed look at the massive amount of music recorded in Kenya during the 70s and 80s – an incredibly fertile time for local culture in the nation – and a time when it seemed like there was a great new groove coming out nearly every day! The work here really rivals the best of the classic Soundway compilations – especially their strong surveys of Ghana and Nigeria, with an ear for grooves that go way beyond the usual mainstream sounds of world music! There's more than enough grit and funk here to please any fan of American funk and soul – but the sounds also go way way deeper, too – and echo not only a long Kenyan cultural heritage, but also reflect the unique place the nation had at the crossroads of East Africa – a site that often made the scene especially vibrant in these years. The presentation is superb – with detailed notes and wonderful imagery that includes vintage label scans – and titles include "Mu Africa" by The Rift Valley Brothers, "Wendo Ti Mbia" by Gatanga Boys Band, "Ware Wa" by The Loi Toki Tok, "Sweet Sweet Mbombo" by Orchestre Baba National, "Cha Umheja" by Afro 70, "See Serere" by Sophia Ben & The Eagles Lupopo, "Mutumia Muriu" by The Lulus Band, "Nzaumi" by Ndalani 77 Brothers, "Teresia" by Huruma Boys Band, and "Week End" by Afro 70.

A much-needed look at the massive amount of music recorded in Kenya during the 70s and 80s – an incredibly fertile time for local culture in the nation – and a time when it seemed like there was a great new groove coming out nearly every day! The work here really rivals the best of the classic Soundway compilations – especially their strong surveys of Ghana and Nigeria, with an ear for grooves that go way beyond the usual mainstream sounds of world music! There's more than enough grit and funk here to please any fan of American funk and soul – but the sounds also go way way deeper, too – and echo not only a long Kenyan cultural heritage, but also reflect the unique place the nation had at the crossroads of East Africa – a site that often made the scene especially vibrant in these years. The presentation is superb – with detailed notes and wonderful imagery that includes vintage label scans – and titles include "Mu Africa" by The Rift Valley Brothers, "Wendo Ti Mbia" by Gatanga Boys Band, "Ware Wa" by The Loi Toki Tok, "Sweet Sweet Mbombo" by Orchestre Baba National, "Cha Umheja" by Afro 70, "See Serere" by Sophia Ben & The Eagles Lupopo, "Mutumia Muriu" by The Lulus Band, "Nzaumi" by Ndalani 77 Brothers, "Teresia" by Huruma Boys Band, and "Week End" by Afro 70.

Quite possibly the most beautiful record we've ever seen from the folks at The Numero Group – and that's saying a lot, given the quality of all their top-shelf releases! This beautiful edition features a hardcover book of vintage black and white photographs taken on Chicago's south side in the mid 70s – images of patrons and proprietors from long-lost nite spots that include Perv's House, Pepper's Hideout, The High Chaparral, and The Showcase Lounge – all the kind of clubs that were likely to feature the sort of Chicago funk and soul that Numero's been reissuing for the past few years! The images are amazing – a really rare look into the community that supported this sort of music – caught far far from the mainstream, in placed that were almost even private, compared to more well-travelled entertainment outlets. Photographs come from the collection of Michael Abramson – and are beautifully reproduced on LP-sized pages, in a book that also features some vintage flyers, posters, and business cards from the clubs! And if that's not enough, Numero also throws in some great notes of their own, and a bonus 2LP set with music that includes "I'm A Streaker Baby" by Arelean Brown, "No Better Time Than Now" by Ricky Allen, "The Same One" by Malcolm Simmons, "You Made Me Suffer" by Andrew Brown, "This Is My Prayer" by Lady Margo, "It's A Dream" by Little Ed & The Soundmasters Band, "I Sayed That" by Slim Willis Band, "Bring It Down Front" by Hugh Hawkins, "Womans Lib" by Lucille Spann, "Gimmie Some Of Yours" by Artie White, "Baby" by Walter Butterball Davis, "Is It Because I'm Black (inst)" by Syl Johnson, "Goose Walk" by Little Mack, "Young Blood" by Detroit Jr, "California Lady" by James Kinds & Stack, and "I Learned My Lesson" by Willie Davis. The albums are packaged in their own Numero-like cover – then nestled in a slipcover with the book – a hell of a sweet set at this price, and it also comes with an introduction by Nick Hornby!

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones.

A great compilation of rare soul from the dual vaults of Nashville's SSS International and NYC's GSF Records – a north-meets-south collection of brilliant late 60s to mid 70s soul put together by Outta Sight UK! Both labels released a pretty diverse mix of soul styles – from gritty and funk tinged, to sweeter and more soaringly orchestrated – and the set includes incredible stuff from some of our all time favorite acts from the period overlooked by the mainstream, as well as stuff that's was heretofore unheard by our deep digging selves! 20 tracks in all: "Lonely For You Baby" by Sam Dees, "Help Is On The Way" by Van McCoy, "Baby You Got Me" by Clarence Murray, "Give Him Up" by The Whatnauts, "Love Me" by Lloyd Price, "My Hang Up Is You" by Skull Snaps, "I Got The Place If You've Got The Time" by Allison, "Do I (Love You Like You Like It)" by Jackie Ross, "I'm Your Pimp" by Skull Snaps, "Lonely Man" by Johnny Soul and more.

If there's one thing we've learned over the years, it's that soul music can come from anywhere – as you'll hear in this amazing collection of grooves from the Spanish scene of the late 60s and early 70s! The artists here take plenty of inspiration from American artists of the 60s – not just mainstream soul, but some earlier strands of R&B, bits of nascent funk, and even some grittier garagey touches too – all wrapped up into a really unique sort of sound – not just because of the Spanish language lyrics, but also because of the way these guys are grabbing what they want from our scene, and making it into a whole new groove in the process! And although this one's the third volume in the series, it may well be the best so far – really amazing music we might never have heard otherwise – with tracks that include "Ya Ves Ya Ves Ya Ves" by David Lara, "Beggar For Your Lovin" by The Explosion, "Mentirosa" by Los Kifers, "Africa" by Lone Star, "Arbol Sin Raiz" by Los Goya, "Wello Wello Wap" by Nico, "Sonando" by Los Mitos, "What Can I Do For You" by Canarios, "Superman" by Larry Wald, "Eh Tu Loca marabu" by Los Go Go, "Stop" by Nelo Costa, and "Un Poco De Carino" by Els 5 Xics.

Sublime soul all the way through – a tremendous set of modern and mellow cuts from the end of the 70s and start of the 80s – all put together with a really beautiful feel! There's a perfect balance here – between mainstream and underground, laidback and grooving – the classiest sort of soul from the time, and work that's light years away from both disco dancefloors and chart-oriented cuts. Expansion Records' Ralph Tee put the package together, and his approach here really takes us back to the time when the label first started catching our ear with their subtle, sophisticated approach to soul. Many tracks here haven't been reissued before, and even those that have sound wonderful in the company of the rest. Titles include "If You're Ready" by Beau Williams, "Let's Go All The Way" by Gayle Adams, "The Good Side Of Love" by Ronnie McNeir, "We're In Ecstasy" by Hubert Laws, "Evening Of Love" by Main Ingredient, "It's Alright With Me" by Patti Labelle, "Say You Love Me Girl" by Breakwater, "Never Had A Love Like This Before (inst)" by Tavares, "Here We Go Again (parts 1 & 2)" by Isley Brothers, "I Want To Be Where You Are" by Ronnie Dyson, "Can You Find The Time" by Champaign, "How Do You Take Your Love" by Major Harris, and "What About My Love" by Damaris Carbaugh.

A wonderful overview of the sound of soul music in Brazil – not the heavy beats of the booty-shaking crowd, or the mainstream R&B of the chart-toppers – but that real soul undercurrent inspired by the best work of American artists of the 60s and 70s – presented here in a great batch of classic and contemporary tracks! The package is equally weighted between the important samba soul generation of the 70s – a time when Brazilian music was really embracing American soul and funk – and work from the first decade of this century, too – made by key Brazilian artists who were going back to 70s roots, and finding new ways to re-work this wonderful blend of styles! There's a few artists here we might have missed otherwise – and the set features 18 tracks that include "Voce Vai Estar Na Minha" by Negra Li, "Colecao" by Cassiano, "Olhos Coloridos" by Sandra Sa, "Eu Nao Vou" by Fat Family, "E Descobridor Dos Sete Mares" by Tim Maia, "Vizinha" by Seu Jorge, "Oba La Vem Ela" by Jorge Ben, "As Dores Do Mundo (rmx)" by Hyldon & Bossacucanova, "Tem Espaco Na Van" by Ed Motta, "Maria Fumaca" by Banda Black Rio, and "Cuidado Com O Bulldog" by Wilson Simonal.

A damn classic entry in the Super Breaks series from BGP – one that's filled with crucial sample cuts from the old school – some really wonderful funky nuggets, brought together here as a great reminder of the tracks that first got us digging back in the day! There's less of the totally obscure numbers here than you might find on other Super Breaks volumes, but things aren't totally mainstream either – and the compilers have not only done a great job of pulling together tracks that were really important for hip hop, but have also managed to put a really fresh spin on the music altogether – reminding us once again that even in the age of digital music, nothing beats a well-done compilation! Titles include "Shifting Gears" by Johnny Hammond, "Mary Mary" by The Monkees, "Scratchin" by Magic Disco Machine, "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor, "Africano" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Apache" by Incredible Bongo Band, "Got To Get A Knutt" by New Birth, "Get Up & Dance" by Freedom, "Super Sporm" by Captain Sky, "Who Is He & What Is He To You" by Creative Source, "Funky President" by James Brown, "Blow Your Head" by The JBs, "Johnny The Fox" by Thin Lizzy, "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man" by Dyke & The Blazers, "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis, and "Get Ya Some" by Melvin Sparks.

A damn classic entry in the Super Breaks series from BGP – one that's filled with crucial sample cuts from the old school – some really wonderful funky nuggets, brought together here as a great reminder of the tracks that first got us digging back in the day! There's less of the totally obscure numbers here than you might find on other Super Breaks volumes, but things aren't totally mainstream either – and the compilers have not only done a great job of pulling together tracks that were really important for hip hop, but have also managed to put a really fresh spin on the music altogether – reminding us once again that even in the age of digital music, nothing beats a well-done compilation! Titles include "Shifting Gears" by Johnny Hammond, "Mary Mary" by The Monkees, "Scratchin" by Magic Disco Machine, "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor, "Africano" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Apache" by Incredible Bongo Band, "Got To Get A Knutt" by New Birth, "Get Up & Dance" by Freedom, "Super Sporm" by Captain Sky, "Who Is He & What Is He To You" by Creative Source, "Funky President" by James Brown, "Blow Your Head" by The JBs, "Johnny The Fox" by Thin Lizzy, "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man" by Dyke & The Blazers, "The Clapping Song" by Shirley Ellis, and "Get Ya Some" by Melvin Sparks.

They call it crossover, we call it great – a wonderful assortment of rare soul treasures from the late 60s and early 70s, most of them in a mellow midtempo groove! The term "crossover" isn't used as the way we'd use it here – in that these aren't commercial hits from the mainstream. Instead, they've got a great vibe that takes them past some of the harder dancefloor numbers of the period – warm enough to win the heart of just about any listener, with a sweet groove that really gets you from the start! Many of the tracks are from the east coast scene of the early 70s – but there's also some key Chicago and Detroit numbers too – and titles include "Crying Time Is Over" by Tony Love, "Without You Here" by Gene Chandler, "Who Will Do Your Running Now" by Marvin Smith, "It Could've Been Me" by Erma Franklin, "Ain't It Funny What Love Can Do" by Kenny Young, "Don't You Wake Me" by 100 Proof Aged In Soul, "I Don't Need Nobody" by Gloria Edwards, "Lovely Woman" by Eldridge Holmes, and "The Sweetest Thing" by Channel 3.

Relatively recent soul tracks, but mostly with a classic feel – given that many of the tracks on the set were cut by artists who broke big in the 60s and 70s! The package is a really unique collection – titles from the past decade or two, recorded by older soul artists in a mode that mixes vintage styles with more contemporary production – yet all in ways that are light years from the mainstream R&B you'd hear on the charts! The set's great proof that a great voice never dies, and it also includes a few younger artists who definitely draw inspiration from the older crowd too – and many of the cuts are from the recent Motorcity recordings, showing a real UK love of classic Detroit styles. Titles include "Soul Searching" by Barbara Randolph, "Don't Wait Around" by The Elgins, "No Need To Explain" by GC Cameron, "Back In Circulation (metropolitan soul mix)" by Sweet James Epps, "Crying Shame" by Lynda Laurence, "Love Still Lives In My Heart" by The Originals, "Prime Time Lover" by Linda Griner, "Too Great A Price To Pay" by Bettye Lavette, "My World Will Never Be The Same" by Gina Foster, "Got To Win You Back" by The Contours, "I've Seen The Light" by JJ Barnes, and "Hurt The One You Love" by David Ruffin.

One of our favorite compilations of all time – a smoking batch of soulful jazz from the 60s, with a slight bit of funk and blues thrown in as well! The set's exactly what's promised in the title – jazz cuts, but with an ultra-cool mod vibe – the kind of soulful sounds that played big with the younger London crowd digging American music in the mid 60s – and also the kind of music you'd be likely to find blasting out of a backroom jukebox on the west side of Chicago! There's loads of rare single mixes of LP tracks on the set, and a number of smoking 45s from artists you might know better from more mainstream work – really hitting hard here, alongside a few special numbers from the indie underground too. Tracks are cool enough for old school hipsters – but appealing enough to bring in a new listener too – and as proof of that, we've given this one away for many years as a Christmas present. The collection features 25 tracks in all – non-stop pleasure throughout – with titles that include "Soul Shoutin" by Shirley Scott, "Tengo Tango" by Cannonball Adderley Sextet, "Whip It On Me" by Billy Hawks, "Yeh Yeh" by Mongo Santamaria, "Black Talk" by Charles Earland, "I'm Ready" by Otis Spann, "Mama Rufus" by Merced Blue Notes, "Theme From NYPD" by Johnny Hammond, "Step Out & Get It" by The Nomos, "Why Don't You Do Right" by Mark Murphy, "Collard Greens" by Freddie McCoy, "Theme From The Carpetbaggers" by Jack McDuff, "Filthy McNasty" by Eddie Jefferson, "Evil Ways" by Cal Tjader, "Kenny's Theme" by Kenny Burrell, and "Games" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones.

The dancefloor just got a whole lot funkier – thanks to an incredible selection of rare disco and club tracks from the best years of the genre! The set list here is really amazing – the kind of tunes that rarely turn up this easily, and never in such a cohesive package – and our hats are off to compiler Al Kent for putting together such a wonderfully tasty set! Most numbers here are from the mid to late 70s – and showcase a soulfully grooving approach to disco – one that's free from the cliches of the mainstream side of the genre, and which features plenty of real soul vocals alongside uptempo funky instrumentation that usually features a few odd twists and turns! Most numbers are edited by Al Kent, sometimes in very subtle ways, and include "cover ups" billed to other artists – and the package essentially brings together material from Kent's previous CD series of the same name – but with revised track order, wonderful packaging, and a bonus poster! There's a whopping 45 tracks in all – with cuts that include "Love Is All Around" by Sizzle, "I've Been Searching" by Arts & Crafts, "Get Ready" by Allan Harris & Perpetual Motion, "Sweet Jazz Music" by Panache, "To Be With You" by Jimmy Sabater, "Funkathone" by The People's Workshop, "Just Friends" by Silver Platinum & Gold, "Why In The World Do They Keep On" by Executive Suite, "Dancing Free" by Hot Ice, "Doing Our Own Thang" by Al Tanner, "Fear" by Arthur King, "Party Together" by Superbs, "How Can I Tell Her" by Curtis, "Giving It All To You" by Cheryl Berdell, "We've Got It" by Sylvano Santorio, and "Sound Of Disco Rock" by Stringfield Family.

Here's some chillout music we can really get behind – mellow soul tracks with a beautifully gentle groove – all cut back in the days when an artist could relax a bit without ever losing their cool! The set's heavy on mellow modern soul numbers – all hand-picked by Expansion Records frontman Ralph Tee – who's shown us for decades that he's really got a golden ear when it comes to music like this! There's loads of great gentle steppers on the package, sung by some of the best voices of the mainstream soul scene at the end of the 70s – cuts that include "We Need Love" by Chapter 8, "Be My Girl" by Michael Henderson, "We Found Love" by The Dynamics, "Gonna Make Changes" by Phyllis Hyman, "No Love Nowhere Without You" by Linda Williams, "Ain't That Love Baby" by Lou Rawls, "Brother Brother" by Esther Phillips, "What Do You Want Me To Do" by Lou Courtney, "Stay" by Glenn Jones, "We Never Said Goodbye" by Dionne Warwick, and "Paintings Of Love" by Keni Burke.

The dancefloor just got a whole lot funkier – thanks to an incredible selection of rare disco and club tracks from the best years of the genre! The set list here is really amazing – the kind of tunes that rarely turn up this easily, and never in such a cohesive package – and our hats are off to compiler Al Kent for putting together such a wonderfully tasty set! Most numbers here are from the mid to late 70s – and showcase a soulfully grooving approach to disco – one that's free from the cliches of the mainstream side of the genre, and which features plenty of real soul vocals alongside uptempo funky instrumentation that usually features a few odd twists and turns! Most numbers are edited by Al Kent, sometimes in very subtle ways, and include "cover ups" billed to other artists – and the package essentially brings together material from Kent's previous CD series of the same name – but with revised track order, wonderful packaging, and a bonus poster! Limited vinyl 1 features the tracks – "Love Is All Around" by Sizzle, "I've Been Searching" by Arts & Crafts, "Get Ready" by Allan Harris & Perpetual Motion, "Sweet Jazz Music" by Panache, "To Be With You" by Jimmy Sabater, "Funkathone" by The People's Workshop, "Just Friends" by Silver Platinum & Gold, and "Why In The World Do They Keep On" by Executive Suite.

Seminal club tracks from the New York underground at the end of the 70s – a host of killer singles from the Spring, Vanguard, and Posse labels – all in a fantastic blend of boogie, disco, electro, and soul! The work here is easily some of the most sophisticated to come out of the east coast club scene at the time – a real return to indie genius after disco broke heavily in the mainstream, almost a reinvention of the groove with a host of new elements! Some of these tunes will be familiar, but they're presented here in their full extended versions next to others that have been un-reissued for years – making the set an essential batch of tunes that really gets at the best sound of New York from these years! 10 long tracks in all – including "Over Like A Fat Rat" by Fonda Rae, "It Ain't No Big Thing" by Rainbow Brown, "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All)" by Jimmy Spicer, "Charley Says (Roller Boogie Baby)" by King Tim III, "Wired For Games" by C-Bank, "Rockin It" by MC Flex & The FBI Crew, "Electric Kingdom" by Twilight 22, "Is This The Future" by Fatback, "Love Hangover" by Players Association, and "You Keep On Making Me Hot" by Busta Jones.

Possibly the best-ever collection of blacksploitation grooves we've ever seen – a really comprehensive package that not only manages to cover the classics, but which also digs deep enough to come up with lots of fresh bits too! The set really sets a new level for the Soul Jazz label – and is carried off with enough authority towards Black Action films as the label's legendary efforts towards a host of less mainstream genres – truly an achievement for the label's crew, not to mention a heavier bonus for our funky listening pleasure! There's way more here than just a slapped-together batch of tunes from the early 70s – as the set's very carefully put together to showcase a wide range of sounds, along with notes that really get at the social and political power of both the music and the films. Vinyl volume 1 features an insert with notes – and tracks that include "Shaft In Africa" by Johnny Pate, "Down & Out In New York City" by James Brown, "Wilford's Gone" by The Blackbyrds, "Run Fay Run" by Isaac Hayes, "Theme From Black Belt Jones" by Dennis Coffey, "Willie Chase" by JJ Johnson, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Charley" by Don Costa, "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch, and "Blacula" by Gene Page.

Patrick Adams picks the best of P&P Records – and the man definitely knows what he's doing – given that he was one of the "P's" in the label's name! The tunes here are heavy on those cool spaced-out grooves that Adams did so well – that wonderfully hip, and very underground style he used after an initial few years in more mainstream soul – the trademark imprint of P&P, and the reason why the label's tunes have gone onto influence so many others over the years! The grooves are all sublime – from quick-stepping moogy numbers, to mellower tracks that stretch out in this great sort of gentle funk – all tied together with a united production aesthetic and lots of shared sympathies between the artists. Titles include "Dance Dance Dance" by Marta Acuna, "Jump Jump Jump" by The Musicmakers, "God's Greatest Gift To Man Is Woman" by Margie Lomax, "God Save & Protect All The Children" by Margo Williams, "The Guardian Angel Is Watching Over Us" by Golden Flamingo Orchestra – and "Flying High", "Disco Juice", "Happy Music", and "Don't Let My Rainbow Pass Me By" by Cloud One.

A treasure trove of twelve inch singles from Solar Records – the west coast powerhouse for uptempo soul! Most of the numbers here date from the early 80s years when Solar were totally on top of their game – really dominating mainstream soul of the time in the same way Philly International did a decade before. The 2CD set features 12" mixes for all tracks – which mean that most are longer than the LP versions – and most grooves here are in a bumping, stepping, or boogie-oriented mode – post-disco with plenty of great west coast R&B touches. Titles include "Midas Touch" and "Scientific Love" by Midnight Star, "Show Me Where You're Coming From" and "Dance With You" by Carrie Lucas, "Call Me" by Bill Wolfer, "There It Is" and "Night To Remember (US ext mix)" by Shalamar, "No Pain No Gain" and "Rock Steady" by The Whispers, "I Don't Wanna Be A Freak" and "Love In The Fast Lane" by Dynasty, "It's All The Way Live" and "One Minute After Midnight" by Lakeside, "Classy Lady" by Leroy Hutson, "Romeo Where's Juliet" and "Winners & Loser" by Collage, "Street Beat" by The Deele, and "Come Back Lover" by The Sylvers.

Soul sounds that work perfectly together – on a set that's maybe the most compelling of the Soul Togetherness series so far! There's loads of great contemporary numbers here – some nuggets from the underground, a few more mainstream tracks, and even a few mixes that really transform the tunes – making their key appearance here in CD format. The vibe is deeply soulful throughout – as the set's put together by folks who also have a strong ear for classic soul and funk – and titles include "Turn It Up" by Kenny Thomas, "Don't Give Up" by Aaries, "Taking It Too Far" by Big Brooklyn Red, "Don't Wanna Wait" by Lew Kirton, "Save Our Freedom" by Bah Samba, "Running Around" by Cool Million, "1960 What (Opolopo kick & bass rerub)" by Gregory Porter, "Woo" by Anthony Hamilton, "Let It Go" by Jazzanova, "Thinking About You" by Maurissa Rose, "Share My Love" by R Kelly, and "You Did It Again" by Soulpersona & Princess Freesia.

Groovy takes on famous Stevie Wonder Tunes – all of them jazz-based, and played by some of the funkiest artists of the early 70s underground! The set's heavy on Hammond, Fender Rhodes, riffing guitar, and soulful sax – and cuts come from some of the best indie labels of the time – Groove Merchant, Mainstream, and even smaller imprints – all of whom were home to some pretty hip cats back in the day! The package has a sweet edge that really lives up to the high quality of the Return Of Jazz Funk series on P-Vine – kind of a summation of all the greatness the label's done in recent years, wrapped around the compositions of Stevie Wonder for extra impact. Titles include "Music Talk" by Paul Humphrey, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Pete Yellin, "Superstition" by Charles Kynard, "My Cherie Amour" by Cal Green, "You've Got It Bad Girl" by Richard Groove Holmes, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" by Tyrone Washington, "All In Love Is Fair" by Bubbha Thomas & The Lightmen, and "Super Woman" by O'Donel Levy.

Soul sounds that work perfectly together – on a set that's maybe the most compelling of the Soul Togetherness series so far! There's loads of great contemporary numbers here – some nuggets from the underground, a few more mainstream tracks, and even a few mixes that really transform the tunes – making their key appearance here in CD format. The vibe is deeply soulful throughout – as the set's put together by folks who also have a strong ear for classic soul and funk – and titles include "Turn It Up" by Kenny Thomas, "Don't Give Up" by Aaries, "Taking It Too Far" by Big Brooklyn Red, "Don't Wanna Wait" by Lew Kirton, "Save Our Freedom" by Bah Samba, "Running Around" by Cool Million, "1960 What (Opolopo kick & bass rerub)" by Gregory Porter, "Woo" by Anthony Hamilton, "Let It Go" by Jazzanova, "Thinking About You" by Maurissa Rose, "Share My Love" by R Kelly, and "You Did It Again" by Soulpersona & Princess Freesia.