Trend-setting vocal work from Oscar Brown Jr – one of the hippest singers of his generation, and a vocalist who really took things to the next level in the 60s! Brown's got a sound that's partially influenced by the vocalese of Eddie Jefferson, Jon Hendricks, and other singers of the 50s – but his groove here is also a bit more fluid and lyrical too – thanks to some great lyrics penned by Oscar, some of which went on to become classics over the years. Like his predecessors, many of the tunes chosen by Brown got their start as jazz instrumentals, but sparkle anew here with fresh lyrics that really liven them up a lot – tales of sin and soul and a lot more, often delivered with a good sense of wit. Titles include great vocal versions of "Dat Dere", "Work Song", and "Afro-Blue", plus some of his great original compositions, like "Brown Baby", "But I Was Cool", and "Rags and Old Iron". The arrangements are great, with a nice jazzy sound – and the group includes the excellent Floyd Morris on piano! CD features 5 bonus tracks that include "Straighten Up & Fly Right", "Forbidden Fruit", "World Of Grey", "Mr Kicks", and "Hazel's Hips". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

This is it! A pretty darn complete document of one of the greatest soul labels of all time – put together in a wonderful box with a book on the label that's almost as great as the music on the 9CDs in the set! This one established a new standard for box sets when it was issued in 1991, and it was the first time you could really get a clear picture of the great work of Stax without spending a lifetime tracking down obscure singles. A portion of this work will be familiar to you – as it includes classic tunes by the likes of Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, The Bar-Kays, Booker T & The MGs, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, William Bell, and others – but there's also a wealth of amazing soul by artists who recorded for Stax and Volt, yet never made it big on the charts, and never cut full albums for the label. Just a small amount of these folks include The Memphis Nomads, Jeanne & The Darlings, Derek Martin, Barbara & The Browns, Eddie Jefferson, The Tonettes, Macy Skipper, The Premiers, Sir Isaac & The Do-Dads, Ruby Johnson, Bobby Wilson, Eddie Purrell, Sir Mack Rice, and many others. A lifetime of listening in one box – and an essential set if you dig 60s soul! This is the nicely compact jewel case version – 9CDs in a box that's roughly 6" square. CD

Legendary work from Goldwax Records – pulled from a stretch when the Memphis imprint was really going strong! By the time of these tracks, Goldwax was really coming into their own – picking up some of the best soul currents of the Memphis scene – and rivaling the Stax/Volt powerhouse in terms of quality – especially on the deep soul tracks that Goldwax seemed to do better than anyone else! This 2CD package is a wonderful overview of these golden years for the label – and it features every single single, both a and b-sides intact – presented with detailed notes on each release. Some of the work is the stuff of Memphis soul legend – mixed in with some more unusual, lesser-known bits from the scene – including a few rock, blues, and country numbers as well. 54 tracks in all – with titles that include "Anything You Do Is Alright" by Spencer Wiggins, "Don't You Believe Him" by Ivory Joe Hunter, "Cry Me A Hand Full" by The Terrys, "Say You Need It" by Barbara Perry, "Lovable Girl" by James Carr, "When You Look In The Mirror" by Eddie Jefferson, "What Time Ye Got" by Gene Bowlegs Miller, "Little Things" by Jeannie Newman, "Forgetting You" by James Carr, "Hello Daughter" by Leroy Daniel, "I Can't Forget You" by The Yo Yos, "Good Times" by George & Greer, "Walking Out On You" by Spencer Wiggins, "Qualifications" by The Ovations, "Liquid Mood" by Timmy Thomas, "Call On Me" by Percy Milem, "Me & My Imagination" by The Ovations, and "The Wife Of The Life Of The Party" by Kathy Davis. CD