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Later work from New Orleans legend James Booker – but a set that may well be one of his greatest records ever – a real back to basics effort recorded with a hands-off approach that almost makes you feel like you're catching Booker in some small club down off the Quarter! James plays piano and sings throughout – bringing a special magic to tunes that include a few surprises, mixed with a few of his own numbers too – and half the set features additional backing from Alvin Tyler on tenor, James Singleton on bass, and John Vidacovich on drums. Titles include "Madame X", "Hound Dog", "Classified", "All Around The World", "Bald Head/Tipitina", "Baby Face", and "Three Keys". CD

The second comeback effort from Booker T Jones for Anti-! All around, it's a more sharply-honed and classics-steeped set than its solid, but more southern rock-inflected predecessor – one the finds the Stax organ titan backed by co-producers ?uestlove & Rob Schnapf, Dennis Coffey and others on the sessions, and allstar guest vocals on a few numbers! It's really well done and a worthy effort from a true giant! The heart of the album is the loosely grooving organ soul instrumentals – with a quite a bottom end wallop, thanks to ?uesto, and the incomparable Booker T in great form – but the handful of guest vocalists include Sharon Jones, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, Lou Reed, Matt Berninger and Booker T himself. Titles include "Walking Papers", "Crazy", "Progress", "Down In Memphis" with Booker T on vocals, "Representing Memphis" with Sharon Jones & Matt Berninger, "The Bronx" with Lou Reed (weird, but it kinda works!), "The Vamp", "Harlem House" and "Rent Party". CD

The legendary Booker T – sounding funkier and more soulful than we've heard in years – and really stepping out here in a rich new format! The set has Book soaring over the top on Hammond throughout – working on grooves that are co-crafted with the Avila Brothers, who include Bobby Ross Avila – an artist who's matured in a surprisingly nice way! Each new tune features some key guest appearance – so that the sound is really fleshed out nicely by the talents of folks like Mayer Hawthorne, Anthony Hamilton, Poncho Sanchez, Estelle, Ted Jones, Jay James, and Luke James. Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis add in a bit of production, too – but in ways that are surprisingly well-tuned for Booker's music – and titles include "66 Impala", "Father Son Blues", "Can't Wait", "Sound The Alarm", "All Over The Place", "Fun", "Broken Heart", and "Gently". CD

Music from Big Mama Thornton, Marie Adams, Johnny Ace, Big Walter, Junior Parker, Bobby Bland, Norman Fox and the Rob Roys, the Original Casuals, the El Torros, James Booker, Joe Hinton, and more – 16 tracks total. CD

A great Memphis sound from the second greatest instrumental group on Stax next to Booker T & The MGs – heard here on a massive record that really pushes The Mar-Keys to the next level! On previous records, the combo always had a sound that was a bit brighter than Booker and his group – still soul, but not nearly as sharp. Yet this time around, they really dig deep – and have a way of smoking out plenty of the best soulful elements associated with the Stax Records sound – that great way with a heavy-stepping groove, instrumentation that's tight yet never slick, and solo moments that burst out and really give the tunes a hell of a lot of personality! The rhythm jumps out of the grooves on numbers like "Honey Pot", "Grab This Thing" and "Philly Dog", and the album winds up with a James Brown medley that's pretty darn swingin too. LP, Vinyl record album

Features work with The Clowns, Bobby Marchan, and Frankie Ford too! Musicians include Dr John, Allen Toussaint, James Booker, Alvin Tyler, and Earl Palmer. CD

A great Memphis sound from the second greatest instrumental group on Stax next to Booker T & The MGs – heard here on a massive record that really pushes The Mar-Keys to the next level! On previous records, the combo always had a sound that was a bit brighter than Booker and his group – still soul, but not nearly as sharp. Yet this time around, they really dig deep – and have a way of smoking out plenty of the best soulful elements associated with the Stax Records sound – that great way with a heavy-stepping groove, instrumentation that's tight yet never slick, and solo moments that burst out and really give the tunes a hell of a lot of personality! The rhythm jumps out of the grooves on numbers like "Honey Pot", "Grab This Thing" and "Philly Dog", and the album winds up with a James Brown medley that's pretty darn swingin too. CD

3rd volume, and the righteous 70's soul and funk tracks keep on coming! Titles include "World Is A Ghetto" by War, "Ike's Mood" by Isaac Hayes, "Trouble Man" by Marvin Gaye, "Love TKO" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Breakout" by Johnny Hammond, "Ironside" by Quincy Jones, "Move On Up" by Curtis Mayfield, "Who Is He & What Is He To You" by Creative Source, "Melting Pot" by Booker T & The MGs, "Westchester Lady" by Bob James, and lots lots more! 25 tracks in all. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

3 album set packed with tracks by Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Otis Redding, Booker T, Ike & Tina Turner, and so much more. LP, Vinyl record album