Warmly grooving vocal work from Howard Johnson – one of the few albums the singer cut under his own name, and a sparkling gem from the 80s groove scene! Howard's got a style that really sets the stage for some of the bigger singers of his time – a sound that's mature, yet still very able to groove – which is something that Johnson does often in the set, supported by some snapping bass, electro keyboards, and crackling drums on most of the cuts. Kashif wrote about half the tracks on the album, and also co-produced – and titles include "So Fine", "Keepin Love New", "Jam Song", "Take Me Through The Night", "Say You Wanna", and "This Is Heaven". LP, Vinyl record album

Syl's last big record – a sweet bluesy groover for the clubs, with a bit of an older feel to it. "Ms Fine Brown Frame" was written with General Crook, who also produced and arranged. Backing on all tracks is by the James Cotton group. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Righteous soul, and the only record ever cut by East Coast – a group led by Larry Blackmon of later Cameo fame – and featuring vocals from a young Gwen Guthrie – heard here for the first time on LP, long before her later hits! The style is very hip – a mixture of funk and progressive grooving, all held together with a sound that's young, proud, and which moves easily between influences from a number of different camps. In a way, the group's almost a cross between early Earth Wind & Fire and The Voices Of East Harlem – with a style that's got some nicely soulful jazz elements, but served up with a dose of sweeter soul. Gregory Johnson plays some great keyboards on the set, and titles include "I've Got To Reclaim You", "Something Deep Inside", "Any Thing You Have In Mind", "Miss Gigi", "Keep On Trying", "I Found You", and "You Can't Let It Get You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange little film with a western motif – starring Bill Cosby, Leif Erikson, and Yaphet Kotto! Fortunately, Quincy Jones was the musical supervisor – so the tracks are hip enough in the best parts – a bit rootsy at times, but with a 70s soul approach that keeps things real. The best cuts include the vocal number "Better Days" by Bill Withers – but even better are the instrumental numbers by JJ Johnson, including the oft-sampled groover "Pull, Jubal, Pull". (Soundtracks, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest, grooviest albums ever from jazz vibist Johnny Lytle – a set that really leans into the impact that he was having with the soul instrumental crowd, and which serves up tunes in these short, tight grooves that show why Johnny was the king of the stepping dancefloor in the 60s! The set's still done with producer Orrin Keepnews, who'd handled Lytle's earlier jazz sides – but the tunes are shorter, and have the grooves punched up nicely – with plenty of cool Hammond work from organist Milt Harris, and tight drums from Peppy Hinnant – augment6ed with work from Willie Rodriguez on congas, and guest piano from Wynton Kelly on a few cuts! The whole thing's sweet and groovy, and the set features Johnny Lytle originals "Big Bill", "The Shyster", "Possum Grease", "The Man", "The Loop", and "Hot Sauce" – plus a cool cover of "Cristo Redentor". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous discovery in soul music – previously unreleased demos from the legendary Dan Penn – one of the key songwriters in the Fame Studios/Muscle Shoals scene of the 60s! Dan's tunes had an undeniable impact on southern soul for decades to come – yet Penn hardly issued any singles himself – just sang on these in-house recordings as a way of demonstrating the strength of his songs! Yet Penn's vocals are amazing – as raspy and soulful as any of the big names who recorded his work – and backed here by superb Fame support by the core combo of Spooner Oldham on piano and organ, Jimmy Johnson on guitar, and Roger Hawkins on drums. Oldham co-wrote most of the tunes with Penn, and really gives them a slow-burning, all-soul feel with his keyboard lines – and although demo recordings, the production here is every bit as great as commercially-released material from Fame – making the collection sparkle like the lost album (or albums!) that Dan Penn never had at the time. Titles include "Keep On Talking", "Feed The Flame", "Strangest Feeling", "I Do", "It Tears Me Up", "Uptight Good Woman", "Far From The Maddening Crowd", "The Puppet", "Long Ago", "Slippin Around With You", and "Do Something". LP, Vinyl record album

Loads of killers that played big in the Carolina scene – including "Te Ta Te Ta Ta" by Ernie K Doe, "Across The Street" by Lenny O'Henry, "Fat Boy" by Billy Stewart, "39 21 46" by Showmen, "Thank You John" by Willie Tee, "Quiet Place" by Garnett Mims, "You Keep Telling Me Yes" by Cannonball, "Would You Believe" by Tempests, "Ms Grace" by Tymes, "Shaggin" by Band Of Oz, "Hey Hey Baby" by Swinging Medallions, and "Summertime's Callin Me" by Catalinas. LP, Vinyl record album

A really great collection of work from De-Lite Records – one that goes way way past the bigger hits on the label from Kool & The Gang and the Kay-Gees! Instead, this one really digs deep – and comes up with rare 45s for a host of artists that we didn't even know recorded for De-Lite – obscure but great material that shows just how tied to the east coast scene the label was before it starting hitting the charts and the clubs! There's lots here you'll be hard-pressed to track down otherwise – and titles include "The Story Of Our Love" and "It Really Hurts Me Girl" by The Carstairs, "Super Soul Music" and "I Got To Get Close To You" by Yvonne Daniels, "Darling Baby" and "I Wish It Would Rain" by Beverly Hammonds, "I Need You" and "I'll Always Love You" by Felton Burks, "I Smell Trouble" by Johnny De'Vigne, "Love Making" and "When A Woman Loves A Man" by Jean Battle, and "I Saw You There" and "Keep Away" by The Appointments. LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool record, and one that digs deep into the earliest days of the disco scene – that time in New York where there weren't any records being made as strictly "disco" cuts – and DJs had to make their pick of soul and funk records from a time when the music was really changing things up! The album's heavy on New York and Philly-based tracks, and some of the artists here are ones who'd had an earlier life in soul music, but were picking up the rhythms, adding in some larger arrangements, and creating grooves that really knocked the whole thing out of the park! The presentation here is based on a famous 1975 article that looked at the underground scene out in Brooklyn for New York magazine – later made famous as Saturday Night Fever – and as such, the tracks here are full of surprises, and very different than the usual disco-inspired compilation. Titles include "Just As Long As We're Together (single version)" by Gloria Scott, "After You've Had Your Fling" by The Intrepids, "Welcome To The Club" by Blue Magic, "Mellow Me" by Faith Hope & Charity, "Got To Get You Back" by Sons Of Robin Stone, "Date With The Rain (LP version)" by Eddie Kendricks, "Georgia's After Hours" by Richard Popcorn Wylie, "If That's The Way You Feel" by White Heat, "It's The Same Old Story" by Act 1, "Tell Me What You Want" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Night Of The Wolf" by Ivano Fossati, "The Whole Damn World Is Going Crazy" by John Gary Williams, "You Can't Hide Love" by Creative Source, "Wendy Is Gone" by Ronnie McNeir, "Free & Easy" by Satyr, and "Keep It Up" by Betty Everett. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever soul albums to come out of Chicago – and it may well be one of the best soul albums ever! The set's the deepest that Syl Johnson ever recorded – and it takes all the hard, raw soul he forged on previous funky 45s – and spins it out in longer album format – with some wicked backings that more than keep up the funk from before, but which also help Johnson deepen the message of his tunes! The political vibe of the album comes through right away in the striking cover and title – and the title track is a 7 and a half minute gem – one of the boldest songs ever about disempowerment. Backings are by Jimmy Jones & The Pieces Of Peace – who really keep the sound deep throughout – and in addition to the classic title track "Is It Because I'm Black", other tunes include "Right On", "Together Forever", "Concrete Reservation", "Walk A Mile In My Shoes", "Black Balloons", and "I'm Talkin About Freedom". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever soul albums to come out of Chicago – and it may well be one of the best soul albums ever! The set's the deepest that Syl Johnson ever recorded – and it takes all the hard, raw soul he forged on previous funky 45s – and spins it out in longer album format – with some wicked backings that more than keep up the funk from before, but which also help Johnson deepen the message of his tunes! The political vibe of the album comes through right away in the striking cover and title – and the title track is a 7 and a half minute gem – one of the boldest songs ever about disempowerment. Backings are by Jimmy Jones & The Pieces Of Peace – who really keep the sound deep throughout – and in addition to the classic title track "Is It Because I'm Black", other tunes include "Right On", "Together Forever", "Concrete Reservation", "Walk A Mile In My Shoes", "Black Balloons", and "I'm Talkin About Freedom". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest, grooviest albums ever from jazz vibist Johnny Lytle – a set that really leans into the impact that he was having with the soul instrumental crowd, and which serves up tunes in these short, tight grooves that show why Johnny was the king of the stepping dancefloor in the 60s! The set's still done with producer Orrin Keepnews, who'd handled Lytle's earlier jazz sides – but the tunes are shorter, and have the grooves punched up nicely – with plenty of cool Hammond work from organist Milt Harris, and tight drums from Peppy Hinnant – augment6ed with work from Willie Rodriguez on congas, and guest piano from Wynton Kelly on a few cuts! The whole thing's sweet and groovy, and the set features Johnny Lytle originals "Big Bill", "The Shyster", "Possum Grease", "The Man", "The Loop", and "Hot Sauce" – plus a cool cover of "Cristo Redentor". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An odd little album in which Sly's classic funky tunes are remixed and extended by John Luongo – ostensibly for play on the dancefloors of the late 70s. Unlike recent remix projects, this one keeps most of the original song intact, and the real changes are in added rhythmic elements – designed to open up and extend the groove a bit. The overall feel is kind of in a TK funk mode, with longer bass and keyboard solos, and some percussion that occasionally breaks down. Remixed tracks include "Stand", "Everyday People", "I Get High On You", "Dance To The Music", and "Sing A Simple Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album from Johnnie Taylor – a set that not only gave his career a giant boost, but which also helped shift southern soul into hip new territory in the late 70s! The music's a great change from Taylor's previous work at Stax – and the set features warm production from Don Davis that brings a new level of smoothness to Johnnie's music – a quality that unlocks the soulful undercurrent always lurking in his bluesier work, and which pulls him out of the indie soul ghetto to the modern soul mainstream. The album features the massive "Disco Lady" – a record that's probably still paying Johnnie's bills today – and a cut that's much more groovy soul than you might guess from the title. Other tracks are great too – and include "Running Out Of Lies", "I'm Gonna Keep On Loving You", "Pick Up the Pieces", and "Somebody's Gettin It". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic! Tight modern funk, with Jesse Johnson and crew keeping things in the great 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". LP, Vinyl record album

A real classic from blues giant Joe Turner – a singer who burst back to the mainstream on 50s Atlantic Records, thanks to a host of R&B singles that burned up the charts – but who here returns to his roots, and lays down a great set of jazzy tunes that get back to his roots in the Kansas City scene of the 30s! The shift is a bit like that Ray Charles made at the end of the 50s on Atlantic – R&B to more of a jazz-based groove – and Joe works here with great help from Pete Brown on alto, Pete Johnson on piano, Joe Newman on trumpet, and Lawrence Brown on trombone. After the raw hard R&B of Joe's bigger hit sides for Atlantic, the album's a compelling change – a reminder that Turner had roots that went much deeper than his rock and roll fame – and a depth of delivery that would keep his career strong, long after some of his 50s R&B contemporaries faded! The mix of modes – R&B and jazz – is a bit like some of the later Ray Charles albums on Atlantic – and tracks include "Low Down Dog", "Roll Em Pete", "Cherry Red", "How Long Blues", and "Morning Glories". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The third album from Black Heat – and quite possibly the funkiest of the bunch – thanks to an even tighter sound than before, and lots of emphasis on the bottom of the groove! The group's got a few more members than before, but their sound is somehow even leaner – a really tight approach to ensemble funk that really sits proudly with the best of the Kool & The Gang/Fatback generation – with some sweet Afro-inspired touches as well! The organ on the set is especially nice – played by Johnell Grey, and bubbling up nicely underneath the horns – and the drums from Esco Cromer have a wicked kick too, even on some of the album's mellower cuts. Titles include the killer break cut "Zimba Ku", plus "Questions & Conclusions", "Love", "Prince Duval", "Feel Like A Child", "Keep On Runnin", and a nice funky version of "Drive My Car". LP, Vinyl record album

More hit magic from the Brothers Johnson – still working with Quincy Jones at this point, and virtually setting up the blueprint for jazzy soul in the 80s! Backings are by an all-star team, and Rod Temperton's helping out Quincy with arrangements – going for that snapping groove approach he worked to best effect with Heatwave. The sound is tight, but never too slick – and The Brothers keep a nice funky undercurrent on the bottom of most tracks. Titles include "Smilin On Ya", "You Make Me Wanna Wiggle", "Light Up The Night", "Stomp", "This Had To Be", and "Closer To The One You Love". LP, Vinyl record album

There's no need for The Impressions to push from behind – because with a record like this, they're very firmly in the driver's seat! The album's a treasure through and through – one of the greatest documents of 60s soul from the Chicago scene – filled with sublime original compositions by a young Curtis Mayfield, set to great arrangements from the legendary Johnny Pate! The sound here is immaculate – a groove that's slightly stepping, gently lilting – just enough to get things moving, but with plenty of care not to smother the fragile harmonies of the group. And as on other of the best ABC albums by The Impressions, there's not a hint of filler here – just one great track after another, with titles that include "Amen", "I Made A Mistake", "Don't Let It Hide", "Keep On Pushing", "Somebody Help Me", "Long Long Winter", and "I've Been Trying". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of a comeback for Chicago soul legend Syl Johnson – a set initially recorded for the smaller indie Erect, but picked up for bigger distribution by Boardwalk thanks to a catchy title hit! The sound here is quite different from Syl's Twinight or Hi Records years – still a bit bluesy overall, but also going for a much tighter boogie-based groove – in keeping with the sound of Erect at the time. Johnson's vocals still retain that nice kind of pinch that shows his down home roots, but the instrumentation is much tighter than before – often in an electric mode that's a bit like Malaco in the 80s, only slicker. Syl produced the record with General Crook – and titles include the nice groover "Ms Fine Brown Frame", plus "Sweet Thing", "You Don't Have To Go", "It Ain't Easy", "Groove Me", and "Keep On Loving Me". LP, Vinyl record album