An overlooked 70s gem from the great Jose Feliciano – a set that really continues the warm soul styles he'd hit on his last few years at RCA – a wonderful blend for his unique vocals and his tremendous way of putting over a tune! The set was recorded down at Muscle Shoals, but it's got a nicely subtle approach that never tries to lean on the modes of that studio too strongly – avoiding some of the cliches that other records might showcase in such a setting – and throughout it all, it's clear that Jose's the star in the spotlight, using that warmly crackling vocal approach in a wonderful way – especially on the more upbeat modern soul moments. Titles include "Every Woman", "Marguerita", "Loving Her Was Easier", "Sweet Soul Music", "I Love Making Love To You", "Love Comes From Unexpected Places", and "Funny/Night Life". CD features the bonus track "What I Wanna Do". (Rock, Soul) CD

An incredible record – quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique – written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him – done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love – all of which were very much on the mind of Marvin during his troubled years of the mid 70s. The whole thing's beautifully put together – superbly orchestrated with just the right funky touches, and even a sweet bit of electronics to give the set a nice edge. An amazing album – one of those soul records that goes deeper and deeper than you ever thought pop music could go – filled with great tracks that include "I Want You", "After the Dance", "Come Live With Me", and "Since I Had You". Genius – pure genius! LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique – written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him – done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love – all of which were very much on the mind of Marvin during his troubled years of the mid 70s. The whole thing's beautifully put together – superbly orchestrated with just the right funky touches, and even a sweet bit of electronics to give the set a nice edge. An amazing album – one of those soul records that goes deeper and deeper than you ever thought pop music could go – filled with great tracks that include "I Want You", "After the Dance", "Come Live With Me", and "Since I Had You". Genius – pure genius! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". This fantastic 50th Anniversary version features new mastering by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, an essay by Hanif Abdurraqib, and a full record of bonus material that includes "What's Going On (stripped)", "What's Going On (rhythm & strings inst)", "What's Going On (mix 1 with no strings or horns)", "Symphony (demo version)", and original mono single mixes of "What's Going On", "God Is Love", "Mercy Mercy Me", "Sad Tomorrows", "Inner City Blues", and "Wholy Holy". LP, Vinyl record album

That's Andre Gibson sitting at an electric piano on the cover – an image that will give you very much an idea of the record – as the music here is more personal and intimate than previous recordings by the Universal Togetherness Band – and tracks that actually seem to show a lot more depth and soul overall! The mixture of Gibson's voice and Rhodes is like hearing some demo material from the Donny Hathaway side of the spectrum – definitely more 70s-styled than you'd guess from the date range in the title, but a bit more gritty overall – and mostly with electric piano and vocals, on all numbers, with occasional added instrumentation thrown in from time to time. Titles include "Bring Me Home", "Love Changes Life's Changes", "All My Pals", "Thankful For You", "Say I Will", "Stuck On A Thrill", "Don't It Feel Good", "I Wanna Take You Away", "Breakaway", and "I'm Falling". LP, Vinyl record album

The record that may well push Devon Gilfillian over the top – and a set that might also set a whole new standard in soul music as well! Devon's got a way of embracing the sensual presence of male soul stars from years back, while also presenting himself with a fragile, open quality that's really unique – one that comes through in the slight crackle of his vocals, and in the way the backings handled by producer Jeremy Lutito really fit the mode of the lyrics – this style that's crisply contemporary, but which feels as if it's come from a really special place in the spectrum – uniquely suited to the needs of Devon's vocals and lyrics. Titles include "Follow The Leader", "Brown Sugar Queen", "All I Really Wanna Do", "The Recipe", "Right Kind Of Crazy", "Imma Let My Body Move", "Love You Anyway", and "Let The Water Flow". (Neo Soul, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A dozen previously-unreleased tracks from the great James Govan – presented here with work from some of his rare singles from Fame Records! All the music was recorded at Muscle Shoals when the scene was at its height – headed up by production whiz Rick Hall, and backed by the great Fame studio musicians – but it's Govan himself who really makes these tunes sparkle – singing with this rich voice that's clearly rooted in the 60s modes of Otis Redding, but which also stretch forth in a new style of his own! James has this earnest appeal on record that really echoes his image on the cover of the set – and there's a charm to these tunes that really goes beyond the usual southern soul of the period –far past any overdone cliches or commercial modes. The discovery of these dozen sides is a great thing for fans of southern soul – and they make a great counterpart to the few Fame singles that Govan ever issued. Titles include "I've Gone Too Far", "Something", "Stuck On Her", "Way Over Yonder", "I Shall Be Released", "You Get A Lot To Like", "Just Like A Woman", "Take Me Just As I Am", "Jambalaya", and "Wanted Lover No Experience Necessary". CD

A beautiful collection of early Sansu Records material from Betty Harris – a fantastic funky female singer from New Orleans – and one who rose up in the same generation as greats like Lee Dorsey and Ernie K Doe! And like some of her best Crescent City contemporaries, Betty gets key help here from the young Allen Toussaint, working with his studio partner Marshall Sehorn – in a style that really creates all these tight, sharp corners on the tunes – all elements that really underscore the funky depth of Betty's vocals. Titles include "Ride Your Pony", "What A Sad Feeling", "I'm Evil Tonight", "What'd I Do Wrong", "I Don't Wanna Hear It", "Bad Luck", and "Mean Man". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible lost moment in the career of Screamin Jay Hawkins – material that was recorded in London in the mid 60s, and with a very different flavor than most of Hawkins' other material! There's a mod jazz approach to this set that's totally great – as Jay's raw vocals come into play with a sweet-grooving Hammond, in a combo that also features some sharp work on guitar, and some strong sax solos too! The upbeat, jazzy vibe is totally great – and gives Screamin Jay a whole new focus for his vocals – and for his songwriting, too – as most of the material here is original. And while Hawkins is always best remembered for his spooky, gimmicky cuts, this material is equally great in a totally different way – and, if it were pursued further, might have given the man a whole new direction in his career. Make no mistake, there's still plenty here to love if you're a longtime fan of Screamin Jay Hawkins – but you'll also really appreciate the mod grooves in the set as well! Titles include "I Wanna Know", "In My Dream", "Change Your Ways", "Serving Time", "Please Forgive Me", "Move Me", "My Marion", and "All Night". Plus, CD features a whopping 12 bonus tracks – a few alternate takes, and other versions of album songs – plus the titles "I'm Lonely" and "Stone Crazy". CD

One of our favorite soul singers on the LA scene of the 60s – served up here in a complete run of his legendary singles for the Minit label! Jimmy Holiday never fully got his due back in the day – partly because he was a successful songwriter who was often working behind the scenes – but he's a hell of a singer with a style that's rooted in the south, but given some hipper, more sophisticated touches on the west coast – with almost the same mix of the rough and the smooth you'd find in the best Minit label recordings by the young Bobby Womack! Jimmy's very much his own man, though – a standout talent that really gets his due here in a mindblowing batch of music. The b-sides are every bit as wonderful as the a-sides – and given Holiday's knowledge of a tune from the ground up, he really has a great way of putting over the lyrics. The package features two duets with female singer Clydie King – "Ready Willing & Able" and "We Got A Good Thing Goin" – plus 24 more tracks that include "I'm In Love With You", "Baby I Love You", "Turning Point", "The Beauty Of A Girl In Love", "Spread Your Love", "Everything Is Love", "Yesterday Died", "A Man Ain't Nothin Without A Woman", "I'm Gonna Move To The City", "In The Eyes Of My Girl", "Everybody Needs Help", "Baby Boy's In Love",a nd "I Wanna Help Hurry My Brothers Home". CD

Stellar work by Jimmy Hughes – one of those southern soul talents whose name you've heard, but can't always find on record! Jimmy's best known for his classic Muscle Shoals tune "Steal Away" – and that great number, plus many other similar ones, are presented on this obscure Vee Jay release – issued at a time when both that label and Chess were licensing a number of titles from Rick Hall's Fame studios. The sound is great – a key link in the southern scene of the 60s, and one that's often lost because it wasn't recorded for a bigger label, like Atlantic. Titles include "Steal Away", "Try Me", "I Want Justice", "Shot Of Rhythm & Blues", "Neighbor Neighbor", "I'm Getting Better", and "I'm Gonna Rise Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Both classic albums from Luther Ingram – issued back to back on a single CD! I've Been Here All The Time is a tremendous little set from Luther Ingram – proof that the singer had way more to offer than just his famous southern soul singles! The record's got a really deep feel from the start – kind of a slow-burning sound that moves way past easy soul music styles, and offers up Ingram as one of the most mature singers of his generation. The Bar-Kays handle some of the backings, and they're also quite good here too – much rootsier at times than on their own records, but still with a hint of funk as well. Titles include "Ghetto Train", "I'll Just Call You Honey", "Since You Don't Want Me", "I'll Love You Until The End", "Be Good To Me Baby", "Ain't That Loving You", and "You Were Made For Me". The second album is wonderful mellow soul from Luther Ingram – and a record that gave the south one of its greatest soul anthems of the 70s! "If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don't Want To Be Right" is one of those genre-defining tunes – a slow-burning track that shows a new level of maturity for southern soul in the 70s – sweetly sad vocals from Luther right out front of the mix, supported with bubbling backings that ooze sex throughout – and a message of pride in the face of love that had an undeniable impact on a whole generation. The rest of the album's equally great – done with slightly fuller backings at times, and a more familiar Memphis soul groove at others – a perfect showcase for the mighty talents of Ingram at this high point of his career. In addition to "If Loving You Is Wrong", other titles include "Dying & Crying", "I Remember", "I Can't Stop", "Love Ain't Gonna Run Me Away", and "I'll Be Your Shelter". 21 tracks in all – and 14 pages of detailed notes and photos! CD

Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. 2CD version features lots of bonus material – including "One More Chance", "70s Love Groove", "And On & On", "You Want This", "Where Are You Now", "Because Of Love", and "That's The Way Love Goes (CJ R&B 7" mix)". CD

A flawless batch of classics from Millie Jackson in the heart of her early years on Spring Records – maybe sounding better than ever here! Millie's raunchier style would come later on, but here she's working in styles that are a perfect mix of gritty and sweet – arrangements tailored perfectly to those characteristics in her sultry, smoky voice – and equally at home in sessions in Muscle Shoals, Philly or NYC. Covers the bases from moody southern soul, to tender ballads, to lightly soaring strings – and the mixes by Steve Levine really bring out the vibe of the original sessions, as closely as possible to the spirit and vision of the original recordings – a restoration as opposed to a revision. Includes "Sweet Music, Soft Lights & You" featuring Isaac Hayes, "House For Sale", "I'll Continue To Love You", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Cry", "If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don't Wanna Be Right)" and "It Hurts So Good" – plus "Kiss You All Over", "Bad Risk", "Never Change Lovers In The Middle Of The Night" and more. 12 tracks on the CD. CD

Plenty to party with here – snapping Miami grooves from KC and the band – still very much in a classic 70s mode! There's a bit more strings here than before, and almost more emphasis on lyrics – even though those are still pretty repetitive, the sort of chants that KC always got going out in the clubs. And although there's no massive hits here, the album does feature the wicked title cut "Do You Wanna Go Party" – a track that has a funkier edge than the rest, a cool moogy bit, and a stretched out groove that even features a kalimba solo! Other titles include "Hooked On Your Love", "Ooh I Like It", "Please Don't Go", and "I've Got The Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

A really well-titled album from the mighty Lakeside – as the record makes you think that the group were going to keep on going for many years – working in their own unique version of earlier funk modes – almost a tightening up of the Funkadelic style of the late 70s! The basslines are very much in charge, but like the George Clinton groups, they also have a great way of really bringing everything together at once – sly vocals, riffing guitar, sweet keyboards, and everything else that comes to groove – all hitting right on the money on titles that include "It's You", "Be My Lady", "All For You", "Anything For You", and "We Want You (On The Floor)". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on drums, and Mack Thompson on bass – all to craft a set of rough and ready blues tunes that would have played well on both sides of the tracks at the time. Titles include "That's All I Need", "All Of Your Love", "I Don't Want No Woman", "Mama Mama Talk To Your Daughter", and "Lookin Good", a nice instrumental! (Blues, Soul) CD

A classic bit of indie blues from the Chicago scene – featuring some great players from the second generation after Chess Records stopped picking up the younger local talents! Magic Sam leads the group on vocals and guitar, and he's working here with Mighty Joe Young on guitar, Odie Payne on drums, and Mack Thompson on bass – all to craft a set of rough and ready blues tunes that would have played well on both sides of the tracks at the time. Titles include "That's All I Need", "All Of Your Love", "I Don't Want No Woman", "Mama Mama Talk To Your Daughter", and "Lookin Good", a nice instrumental! CD features a bonus alternate of "I Don't Want No Woman". (Blues, Soul) CD

Some of the greatest work ever by The Main Ingredient – a selection of their singles for RCA records from the late 60s and early 70s – but one that goes way past just the hits, in order to fully trace the evolution of their heavenly vocal style! The trio started out as an already-great harmony act in the late 60s – a group who were even sweeter and more soaring than some of their contemporaries – making them perfectly placed to move into some of the more righteous harmony modes of the 70s – including some surprising turns towards more righteous, political material. The 22 track package is the greatest we've ever seen on the group – 15 pages of deeply detailed notes, in true Ace/Kent mode – plus singles that include three by The Insiders, "I'm Better Off Without You", "If You Had A Heart", and "I'm Just A Man" – as well as Main Ingredient singles that include "Black Seeds Keep On Growing", "California My Way", "Magic Shoes", "Everybody Plays The Fool", "You've Got To Take It If You Want It", "Girl Blue", "Happiness Is Just Around The Bend", "I Was Born To Lose You", "Brotherly Love", "You've Been My Inspiration", "I'm So Proud", "Spinning Around", "I'm Leaving This Time", "Rolling Down A Mountainside", "The Gold Old Days", and "Shame On The World". CD

A really well-titled set from Frankie Beverly & Maze – as the album takes the group right back to the mellow-stepping sound that first made them great back in the 70s! Production's a bit more updated, but still very laidback – and there's a smoothly-grooving glow to the record we totally love – a perfect format for Frankie's always-amazing vocals, updated just slightly for the 90s. The production values are never too polished, and the songwriting is still great – on titles that include "Love Is", "the Morning After", "Laid Back Girl", 'What Goes Up", "In Time", "All Night Long", "Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", and "Twilight". CD

A pair of later Maze albums – back to back in a single set, and with bonus tracks too! First up is Silky Soul – a late 80s album, but one that has the smooth soul genius very much at the top of his game! Frankie's work from the 70s inspired countless imitators in the next decade – but after so many other male singers trying to cop his game, Beverly can still do it better than the rest – with this easygoing, effortless style that's never commercial or cheesy – and which continues to raise the bar for sophisticated soul! Grooves are mostly in that perfect midtempo stepping style that seems to work best for Frankie – and the overall instrumentation and production are far more timeless than some of the other big records of the period – with a style that places the set very strongly in the best Maze tradition. Titles include "Can't Get Over You", "Silky Soul", "Just Us", "Love's On The Run", "Mandela", and "Songs Of Love". CD features bonus tracks – "Africa", "Mandela (radio edit)", and "Love's On The Run (rmx)". Next up is Back To Basics – a really well-titled set from Frankie Beverly & Maze – as the album takes the group right back to the mellow-stepping sound that first made them great back in the 70s! Production's a bit more updated, but still very laidback – and there's a smoothly-grooving glow to the record we totally love – a perfect format for Frankie's always-amazing vocals, updated just slightly for the 90s. The production values are never too polished, and the songwriting is still great – on titles that include "Love Is", "the Morning After", "Laid Back Girl", 'What Goes Up", "In Time", "All Night Long", "Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", and "Twilight". CD features bonus tracks – "Laid Back Girl (edit)", "What Goes Up (radio)", and "What Goes Up (smooth mix)". CD

Rudy Ray Moore takes the White House – or at least tries to – in this cool 1972 album that must have been a great antidote to the campaigns of Richard Nixon and George McGovern! The set starts with Rudy running his way through a whole bunch of campaign issues – including "Free Love" and "Mary Wanna" – all delivered in faux politico mode, with a crowd cheering him on, and an introduction that features music from "Exodus"! The rest of the set is a bit more typical Dolemite material – almost even more raunchy than the presidential mode – and other titles include "Dance Of The Freaks", "Bulldaggers", "Good Pussy Lil", and "Sit In Your Mama's Lap". Language is raw – so be warned! LP, Vinyl record album

The never-heard third album from Mutiny – one of the tightest, funkiest offshoots of the P-Funk empire of George Clinton – a group who gave us two wonderful Columbia albums at the end of the 70s, then somehow left this gem behind in the can! Drummer Jerome Brailey's the head of the group – that's him pictured on the cover – and maybe it's his work on the kit that keeps the record so hard and heavy throughout, although we've also got to admit that the basslines are every bit as heavy as you might hear on a record from Bootsy – yet driven more strongly by the kick that Jerome brings to the grooves! Titles include "Child Support", "Hand Maid", "Electric Hot Dog", "Black Hat Daddy & The Silver Comb Gang", "How's Your Loose Booty", "I Want A Raise", and "Funk N Roll". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest voices ever in soul music – served up here in a stunning set of new mixes by the legendary John Morales – king of the edit, with a talent that goes way back to the best modes of the early club scene in NYC – and an equally great ability to find all the best bits in a cut and make them even better! In other words, these aren't the kind of remixes that seek to bludgeon an original track to death in service of putting the remixer in the spotlight – and instead, Morales has a superb way of helping Teddy Pendergrass shine even more than ever – letting the vocals soar over majestic Philly soul grooves – on tracks that are both from the Pendergrass years in Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and some of Teddy's later solo cuts too. Titles include Morales mixes of "The More I Get The More I Want", "The Love I Lost", "Come Go With Me", "Don't Leave Me This Way", "Only You", "Now Is The Time To Do It", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "If You Know Like I Know", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", "Is There A Place For Me", "Where Are All My Friends", and "If You Don't Know Me By Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool combo from the LA scene of the 70s – a tight funky group, topped with two female soul singers – all working together in a style that's got a wonderful mixture of warmer edges and grittier sounds at the core! The two female singers really give the set a unique vibe – as they help bring focus to the instrumentation of the group, with a lot more presence than the usual throw-in female vocals of the time – hardly the backing chorus mode of a disco record, and instead a great balance to the sharp guitar lines and keyboards from the musicians! We've not heard of any of the players in any other setting, but they're very good – clearly able to handle jazz if they want, but aimed here towards a sophisticated funk style that's equally great on the mellow steppers as it is on the more upbeat tracks. Titles include "Heavenly Feeling", "World Full Of People", "Do You Hear Me Talking To You", "Dreaming Our Lives Away", "A Thank You Song", "Fantasies & Dreams", and "I'd Like To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful group soul vocals effort from the Persuasions in the early 70s – working in a throwback acapella mode, but still with a fresh feel – thanks to a hip dawn of the 70s sound, and a stripped-down feel that you'd probably have never gotten back in the day! It's amazing how fresh it sounds, even today – each individual voice captured with crystal clarity, and strong genuine emotion – with an honest and real sound that's not overly polished. Wonderful! Titles include "Chain Gang", "Walk On The Wild Side", "Gypsy Woman", "Another Night With The Boys", "Let It Be", "Don't It Make You Want To Go Home", and "The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic debut of The Pointer Sisters – an album that's a lot deeper than most of their crossover pop from years to come! At the time of the album's release, the trio were a badass group of female singers on the Bay Area scene – out to redefine the role of the girl group in soul – working not only with righteous power that was a real change from modes of the 60s – but also this trans-temporal quality that had them reaching back with ease for references from decades past, which also includes a surprising amount of jazz! The highlight here is the group's classic funky break version of Allen Toussaint's "Yes We Can Can" – and other titles include "Naked Food", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Sugar", "Pains & Tears", "Jada", "River Boulevard", and "Cloudburst". CD

The fantastic debut of The Pointer Sisters – an album that's a lot deeper than most of their crossover pop from years to come! At the time of the album's release, the trio were a badass group of female singers on the Bay Area scene – out to redefine the role of the girl group in soul – working not only with righteous power that was a real change from modes of the 60s – but also this trans-temporal quality that had them reaching back with ease for references from decades past, which also includes a surprising amount of jazz! The highlight here is the group's classic funky break version of Allen Toussaint's "Yes We Can Can" – and other titles include "Naked Food", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Sugar", "Pains & Tears", "Jada", "River Boulevard", and "Cloudburst". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure if Arthur Ponder ever really got crowned prince on the Georgia scene of the early 80s – but given the class and quality of the tracks on this set, he definitely comes across like some sort of royalty! In truth, only a few of the songs here were ever issued at the time – a bit of solo material, and some that feature Arthur working with the group Sideshow – both of which have a modern soul update of older deep southern modes – killer vocals from Ponder in the lead, set to arrangements that are sometimes warm, sometimes mellow, and occasionally done with more of an upbeat groove! The package is the first-ever full length to showcase the music of Ponder – and titles include "Sexy Lady", "You Are The One For Me", "It's You Girl", "You Talk Too Much", "Lonely Girl", "If You Want My Love", "Let's Get Together For The Wrong We Have Done", and "Whatcha Gone Do About It". LP, Vinyl record album

Really great work from Positive Force – a group who gave the world a rare groove classic back in the 80s, and who return here with fresh material that's every bit as great! The last time around, their lead singer was Denise Vallin – and here, the lovely Leslie Page steps up to the microphone with a vocal style that's a great fit for the warm, Cali-styled grooves that the group does so well – a mixture of soulful inclinations with jazzier flourishes – all given a production style that's nicely down to earth, like some lost west coast jazz vocal album from back in the day! Disregard the 2022 date, as the whole thing feels a lot more like the kind of Free Soul material folks overseas were digging years ago – with titles that include "Gone Are The Days", "One Heart", "I Know", "Manti", "Dawn Breaks", and "I'll Be What I Wanna Be". LP, Vinyl record album

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

Fantastic solo work from Smokey Robinson – 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?" LP, Vinyl record album

Smokey and the group do a great job on some lesser-known numbers – all presented with that wonderful warm polish that The Miracles brought to soul, a sound that's always great, even on a lesser-hit album like this! Titles include "Give Her Up", "Special Occasion", "Yester Love", "If You Can Want", "Just Losing You", "Much Better Off", and "You Only Build Me Up To Tear Me Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Blue-eyed soul from Boz Scaggs, with a decidedly Philly influenced sound to the production, which we'd hazard a guess comes more from the Hall & Oates side of town than the Sigma Sound axis. Still, this is a solid album with the irresistible hit "Lowdown", still a favorite around these parts. Also includes "Lido Shuffle", "Harbor Lights", "Jump Street" and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do". CD

A massive posthumous compilation – one that features album tracks, singles, and some other non-LP material from the fantastic Aaliyah – a double-length set that certainly deserves the "ultimate" used in the title! Tracks here feature a few guest appearances by Timbaland, and one by Missy Elliot too – on titles that include "4 Page Letter", "If Your Girl Only Knew", "Hot Like Fire", "Rock The Boat", "Are You Feelin Me", "Come Back In One Piece", "Messed Up", "Hold On", "More Than A Woman (bump n flex club mix)", "I Am Music", "John Blaze", "Man Undercover", "I Don't Wanna", "Miss You", "Don't Know What To Tell Ya", "At Your Best", "Are You That Somebody", "Back & Forth", "Try Again", "More Than A Woman", and "Hot Like Fire". LP, Vinyl record album

An obscure soul group, but a great one – equally at home with a fragile harmony tune as they were with more uptempo groovers for the dancefloor! This one and only album from Act One is a perfect illustration of the best two sides of the east coast indie soul scene of the early 70s – because some tunes are spare, simple, and heartbreaking – really building off the best qualities of 60s harmony soul, but with a lot more sophistication – while others are bolder, more upbeat, and positive – really using the new studio modes of the time to send a few tunes really over the top! The mix is quite similar to Black Ivory at their best – although the album's more under-discovered treasure – and although it's the only record ever by the group, it's got a solidity that should have made them as big as any of the 70s stars on Atlantic or Philly International! Titles include "Goodbye Love", "Friends Or Lovers", "Tom the Peeper", "Party Hardy People", "I Don't Want To Know What You Do To Me", "Still Waters", "It's The Same Old Story", and "Love's Got Your Mind". CD also features the bonus tracks "I Never Had A Love Like Yours", "A Whole Love Of Love Makin", and "It Takes Both Of Us". CD

Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby – a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam – one of the forces guiding Dorothy's more spiritual sound at the end of the 60s, clearly opened up in a way that's not unlike the direction of Alice Coltrane's work, but a lot more focused and a lot more funky! Ashby not only plays her usual jazz harp, but also koto as well, and even sings a bit too – and the larger group directed by Evans features work by Stu Katz on vibes and kalimba, Lenny Druss on flutes, and Cash McCall on guitar – all in a groove that's really a precursor to the Earth Wind & Fire generation of the Chicago scene! Titles include the amazing break "The Moving Finger" – worth the price of the album alone – plus "Dust", "Joyful Grass & Grape", "Heaven & Hell", "Wax & Wane", "Shadow Shapes", "For Some When Young", "Myself When Young", and "Drink". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label – and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove – sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind of sound you'd expect from Westbound in the early 70s! Austin's guitar is very much in the mode of Eddie Fisher, Eddie Senay, or other kicked-back jazz funk players from his generation – an approach that's probably got a bit of Hendrix somewhere back in the mix, but which is more focused on the tighter side of the funk and soul instrumental spectrum! The album's like finding a stash of rare funky 45s – loads of great short tracks with titles that include "Sex Plot", "Crazy Legs", "You Want It, You Got It", "Side Saddle", "Nanzee", "Pea Shooter", "Do Me Right", and "Shake Your Head". CD

AWB's first for Atlantic – and a nice slice of funk that proves that they can mix it up with the best groups of the 70s! The record's got plenty of sweet electric keyboards over smooth funky basslines – and as the years go by, the band's white boy vocals don't sound nearly as bad as we remember them. And besides, when they play their instruments so nicely – how can you hold the singing against them? Includes the killer classic "Pick Up The Pieces", sampled more times than we can remember – plus "You Got It", "Just Wanna Love You Tonight", "Person To Person", and a nice remake of the Isley Brothers' "Work To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album by Roy Ayers – one that features none of his hits, which means lots of fresh material – and which has great examples of both sides of Roy's talents at the time! The dancefloor side of Roy kicks in with "Love Will Bring Us Back Together", an extremely catchy groover that's very much in the mode of "Running Away", with plenty of choppy funky riffs, and a good soul base at the core. Even better, though, is the mellow spacey side of Roy – which shows up wonderfully in the cuts "Is It Too Late To Try" and "If You Love Me" – two overlooked gems that float along in a perfect blend of jazz and modern soul, with great breathy vocals and vibes, very much in the spirit of stuff on the You Send Me album. Other cuts include "I Wanna Feel It", "Leo", "Take Me Out To The Ball Game", and "Simple & Sweet" – all nice too! LP, Vinyl record album

It's like a dream come true – 13 previously unissued recordings by Roy Ayers, all from the height of his glory years on Polydor! Roy's work from this time is some of our favorite ever – a burning blend of jazz, soul, and funk – handled with impeccable charm, and a level of soul that few other artists of the time ever matched. Roy's genius was strongly documented at the time by a series of excellent Polydor albums – but there was also a heck of a lot of great material that never saw the light of day, and which is every bit as great as the classics that we've come to know and love over the years. Hearing this set is incredible – like upping our already-massive appreciation of Roy's talents, and like finding a lost corner of soul music history that nobody's ever heard before. The tunes are all amazing – a great blend of jazzy soul, mellow soul, and dancefloor groovers – and the package is only the tip of the iceberg, from what we've been told! The full album does a great job to not cross over too much with the 12" singles previously issued in this "Virgin" series – and titles include "What's The T", "I Really Love You", "Sugar", "Mystery Of Love", "Green & Gold", "Brand New Feeling", "I Did It In Seattle", "I Just Wanna Give It Up", "Together Forever", "Boogie Down", "I Am Your Mind", and a great alternate version of "Mystic Voyage"! CD

It's like a dream come true – 13 previously unissued recordings by Roy Ayers, all from the height of his glory years on Polydor! Roy's work from this time is some of our favorite ever – a burning blend of jazz, soul, and funk – handled with impeccable charm, and a level of soul that few other artists of the time ever matched. Roy's genius was strongly documented at the time by a series of excellent Polydor albums – but there was also a heck of a lot of great material that never saw the light of day, and which is every bit as great as the classics that we've come to know and love over the years. Hearing this set is incredible – like upping our already-massive appreciation of Roy's talents, and like finding a lost corner of soul music history that nobody's ever heard before. The tunes are all amazing – a great blend of jazzy soul, mellow soul, and dancefloor groovers – and the package is only the tip of the iceberg, from what we've been told! The full album does a great job to not cross over too much with the 12" singles previously issued in this "Virgin" series – and titles include "What's The T", "I Really Love You", "Sugar", "Mystery Of Love", "Green & Gold", "Brand New Feeling", "I Did It In Seattle", "I Just Wanna Give It Up", "Together Forever", "Boogie Down", "I Am Your Mind", and a great alternate version of "Mystic Voyage"! CD

It's like a dream come true – 13 previously unissued recordings by Roy Ayers, all from the height of his glory years on Polydor! Roy's work from this time is some of our favorite ever – a burning blend of jazz, soul, and funk – handled with impeccable charm, and a level of soul that few other artists of the time ever matched. Roy's genius was strongly documented at the time by a series of excellent Polydor albums – but there was also a heck of a lot of great material that never saw the light of day, and which is every bit as great as the classics that we've come to know and love over the years. Hearing this set is incredible – like upping our already-massive appreciation of Roy's talents, and like finding a lost corner of soul music history that nobody's ever heard before. The tunes are all amazing – a great blend of jazzy soul, mellow soul, and dancefloor groovers – and the package is only the tip of the iceberg, from what we've been told! The full album does a great job to not cross over too much with the 12" singles previously issued in this "Virgin" series – and titles include "What's The T", "I Really Love You", "Sugar", "Mystery Of Love", "Green & Gold", "Brand New Feeling", "I Did It In Seattle", "I Just Wanna Give It Up", "Together Forever", "Boogie Down", "I Am Your Mind", and a great alternate version of "Mystic Voyage"! LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funky soul from a very mysterious figure – Georgia's Nathan Bartell, a singer with a deep soul style, and an under-exposed legacy that mostly involves a few indie label singles, and countless work in the smaller clubs of his state! The blend of music here is a bit different than most collections of this nature – as Nathan's work spans both the hard-hitting funky 45 world of the 70s, and the emerging groove styles of the 80s – which means that the record begins with the kind of funky material you'd guess from other southern singles of the time, then moves into midtempo modern soul that's more in the territory of Leon Ware! The mix of modes is a great testament to the under-recognized strengths of Bartell – an artist who kept on growing, even if the rest of the world wasn't paying attention at the time. Titles include "I Feel It Coming", "Top Going Down Bottom Going Up", "Moving On", "Some One Like You", "Ooh Baby I Love You", "Mystery Lady", "I Want Your Love", "See Me Cry", "If I Could Win Your Love", and "Jody & John". CD

These guys may not be the baddest boys of the industry – they'd have to go a long way to reach that title – but they definitely do a good job of bringing a touch of attitude to the world of harmony soul – blending hip hop inspiration with old school formation, in a style that's similar to DRS and some of their other contemporaries! And sure, their name might make them seem like a bit of a joke, but the record stands nicely next to similar efforts of the time – in part because these guys can really sing when they want, a quality that's kept the record stronger over the years than you might expect. Titles include "Nasty", "Where Will You Go", "Addicted To You", "One Night Of Freedom", "Baby Hold On", "Da Choice Is Yours", and "Ecstasy". CD

Wonderful work from Brook Benton – and the kind of record that always gets overlooked in discussions of southern soul, but which is proof that Benton's always been a key force in the genre! Brook virtually invented the style with his earlier country soul recordings – and by the time of this 1970 set, he's in perfect form vocally – and working under some wonderfully sophisticated arrangements by Arif Mardin. The result is the kind of cross-genre record that Brook could do effortlessly – and which should have made him huge, but instead kind of got him left behind by all the other folks who were copping his style. Yet with the strength of a record like this, we'll take that overlooked fame as still OK – because the set's a gem just waiting to be discovered by later generations like us! Rhythm's by the Dixie Flyers – augmented by jazz players that include King Curtis, Pepper Adams, and Joe Newman. Titles include "Aspen Colorado", "For Lee Ann", "Whoever Finds This, I Love You", "Don't It Make You Wanta Go Home", and "Let Me Fix It". LP, Vinyl record album

A rare chapter of James Brown's career – material recorded for producer Henry Stone in the early 90s – at a time when James himself was without a major record contract! Most of these tracks were recorded by Stone, but unissued for years – which is a bit of a surprise, as the overall quality is quite good – very much in the modern funk mode that Brown was forging back in the 80s! And sure, the work here isn't in the same mode as Brown's classics on King or Polydor, but the sound is still pretty great – with beats and instrumentation that are relatively modern, but an overall groove that's quite tight and right, and plenty of room for James' incredible vocals in the lead! Most tracks feature Brown as the lead singer, but there's also a few with vocals by Venisha Brown or Yamma Brown – and one track has James singing a duet with Bobby Byrd! Titles include "Becha Bottom Dollar", "Funk On Ahh Roll", "Respect Me", "God Is Good", "Peace In The World", "I Wanna Be Loved On The 1", "Motivation (rmx)", "Say It Again", and "I Got To Feel It". CD

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings – and soul music too! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – the sort of show that really set his fans on fire – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone", "Think", "Night Train", and the massive medley featuring "Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set that's extremely well-titled – as BT Express were one of the hottest ensemble funk acts of their time! The groove here is definitely aimed at a more disco-oriented dancefloor than before – but the overall sound is plenty funky enough for our ears – thanks to some amazing horn passages arranged by Carlos Ward, whose own work on sax and flute really add an edgey quality to the set. Ward's horns are really fantastic – cutting and turning with a sharply-honed tone that keeps things fresh throughout – even when the rhythms are hitting more of a mainstream dancefloor sound. Titles include the group's mellow soul version of "Now That We've Found Love", plus "Herbs", "Time Tunnel", "Energy To Burn", "Can't Stop Groovin Now Wanna Do It Some More", and "Make Your Body Move". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice compilation of tracks that features some fine (and famous) moments from one of our favorite Chicago soul singers, recorded for the Vee Jay and Mercury labels. Most of these songs are pretty hard to get a hold of on vinyl any more, and though the package is a bit low budget, this is still a great set of some of the Ice Man's best numbers. Tracks include "He Will Break Your Heart", "For Your Precious Love", "Find Another Girl", "I Don't Want To Hear Anymore", "I Stand Accused", "Let It Be Me", "Never Give You Up, "Hey, Western Union Man", and "Only The Strong Survive". CD

Fantastic work by Chicago Iceman soulster Jerry Butler! Jerry's moving past the harmony formula of his earlier years with The Impressions, into a sophisticated style that would forever change the sound of male vocal soul. Jerry's a wonder with this material – delivering heartfelt tearjerkers in a mature style that had hardly ever been explored in the R&B market, yet still swinging with a good raw quality wherever the nature of the material called for it. Titles include "How Beautifully You Lie", "Such A Feeling", "Isle Of Sirens", "You Can Run But You Can't Hide", "Make It Easy On Yourself", "Message To Martha", "You Can Run (But You Can't Hide)", "Giving Up On Love", and "Whatever You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

A label-spanning look at the music of Terry Callier – one that starts with his folksy roots, runs through his sublime soul at Chess, and ends with some of his overlooked modern soul numbers from the early 80s! There's been a few other Callier collections on the market, but this one's got the best vibe of all of them – as it really goes out of its way to paint the full picture of Terry's unique music – by weaving together tunes that touch on his strongest moments of genius, and mixing those with some surprising gems that haven't been reissued before! Especially rare bits include the previously unissued "Hangman" – recorded for Cadet in the early 70s; a 45 mix of "You're Going To Miss Your Candyman"; the Erect Records cuts "I Don't Want To See Myself Without You" and "If I Could Make You Change Your Mind", both only issued on 12" single; and the early soul 45 "Look At Me Now". Other tracks include "It's About Time", "Dancing Girl", "Occasional Rain", "Martin St Martin", "Until Tomorrow", "I Don't Want Nobody Else", "Turn You To Love", "Be A Believer", "What Color Is Love", and "Ordinary Joe". CD

A label-spanning look at the music of Terry Callier – one that starts with his folksy roots, runs through his sublime soul at Chess, and ends with some of his overlooked modern soul numbers from the early 80s! There's been a few other Callier collections on the market, but this one's got the best vibe of all of them – as it really goes out of its way to paint the full picture of Terry's unique music – by weaving together tunes that touch on his strongest moments of genius, and mixing those with some surprising gems that haven't been reissued before! Especially rare bits include the previously unissued "Hangman" – recorded for Cadet in the early 70s; a 45 mix of "You're Going To Miss Your Candyman"; the Erect Records cuts "I Don't Want To See Myself Without You" and "If I Could Make You Change Your Mind", both only issued on 12" single; and the early soul 45 "Look At Me Now". Other tracks include "It's About Time", "Dancing Girl", "Occasional Rain", "Martin St Martin", "Until Tomorrow", "I Don't Want Nobody Else", "Turn You To Love", "Be A Believer", "What Color Is Love", and "Ordinary Joe". CD

Brilliant work by Terry Callier – and his greatest album in years! If you, like us, have loved Terry's older work, but been a bit disappointed by the heavy production of recent albums, then you'll probably love this excellent live set – recorded recently at London's Jazz Cafe, with small combo jazz backing that really brings out the best of Terry's sound! The group's got a warmly soulful sound that really adds a lot to Terry's vocals – yet which also lets them stand out in all their jazzy folksy brilliance. The mix of electric piano, guitar, and saxes is some of the best support Terry could hope to have in recent years – and it returns him to the glory of his classic years at Cadet, like no other recent recording we've heard. Songs are great, production is wonderful, and the album's one you'll proudly stack with your classic work by this legendary Chicago soul singer! Titles include "People Get Ready", "Step Into The Light", "Lament For The Late AD", "Timepiece", "African Violet", "Ordinary Joe", "Dancing Girl", "You're Gonna Miss Your Candy Man", and "I Don't Wanna See Myself". CD

A pair of classic albums from Clarence Carter – back to back on a single CD, with bonus tracks too! First up is the album This Is Clarence Carter – a seminal debut from the great Clarence Carter – proof that there was still a lot of genius to be heard in southern soul at the time! The 60s were just about over when Clarence appeared on the recording scene – and it seemed that most of the big names in soul had already grabbed most of the thrones in the kingdom. Clarence was a real comer, though – and his sweet style of southern soul was immediately popular, filling a void promptly after the death of Otis Redding, and setting a bit more fire than some of the other Atlantic male singers, who were waning a bit at the time. Of course, it certainly helps that that lil' ol' genius Rick Hall was behind Clarence's move – arranging and producing this album with some of the strongest, least cliched Muscle Shoals backings of the time. Titles include "Slip Away", "Funky Fever", "Thread The Needle", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Looking For A Fox", and "Slippin' Around". Next is Dynamic Clarence Carter – seminal southern soul from the legendary Clarence Carter – one of his early killers for Atlantic Records, all of which really stand out from most of his work to come in later years! There's a raw, raspy brilliance here that's undeniable – the blind singer stepping out with incredible confidence on a host of tunes that really run the gamut – numbers of love and loss, mixed with a few more contemporary pop tracks – but all given a unique Muscle Shoals twist that really transforms them. Carter wins our heart from the start with his version of "I'd Rather Go Blind" – then keeps on soaring through cuts that include "Think About It", "Steal Away", "Look What I Got", "That Old Time Feeling", "Let Me Comfort You", "Weekend Love", "Light My Fire", and "Too Weak To Fight". Includes 5 bonus tracks – "Take Me Use Me", "I'll Be Over After A While", "She Ain't Gonna Do Right", "There Won't Be Another Sunset", and "I'm Happy Go Lucky". CD

Sublime stuff! Sure, it's easy to sit back and say that you don't really dig Ray Charles albums that mix together country music and soul, and that you prefer his hard raw raunchy Atlantic recordings from the earlier days. But let's be honest, Ray really made his biggest splash with this stuff – and although it became extremely popular over the years, it's also part of a huge country soul tradition that's a very accurate representation of the rich crossover culture going on in southern soul, a tradition that for some reason always gets underplayed by folks who want to carve up the world in easy racial lines. Truth is, Ray was not the only soul artist to embrace country, and we can think of a host of others – including Solomon Burke, Ivory Joe Hunter, Joe Simon, Clarence Carter, Brook Benton, and Bobby Womack who all participated in this rich tradition. This set's essential if you're interested in checking out this side of Ray's career – and the price is pretty nice, considering that you get 4CDs, a great book, and 92 songs in all! Work is pulled from Ray's classic ABC sides in the format, plus others from before and after that generation. Titles include "A Born Loser", "I'm Movin On", "Busted", "Crying Time", "Teardrops In My Heart", "Half As Much", "No Letter Today", "Oh Lonesome Me", "Ring Of Fire", "What Am I Living For", "Let Your Love Flow", "Down In The Valley", and "Take These Chains From My Heart". CD

Easily one of the best Ray Charles albums on ABC – if not one of the best Ray Charles albums of all-time. Ray's in his C&W mode here, but it's a bit more restrained than on other LPs, and is replaced here by a sophisticated style that works perfectly with his heartbreaking voice. Proof that Ray knew what he was doing when he said that he didn't want to cut any more crazy R&B records! Titles include "Teardrops From My Eyes", "Cry", "A Tear Fell", "You've Got Me Crying Again", and "I Cried For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Yes indeed – a mighty early classic from the great Ray Charles – one of his first full length albums, and a set that brings together the searing sort of work he was doing for Atlantic Records in the 50s! Ray's completely confident and at the top of his game here – and a lot more raw than if you only know him from his later country-tinged material. Tracks include "What Would I Do Without You", "It's All Right", "Get On The Right Track", "Blackjack", "I Want A Little Girl", and "Heartbreaker". LP, Vinyl record album

Really sweet later work from The Chi Lites – proof that the group were still going strong long after their initial chart hits! The sound here is less Brunswick Chicago soul than before – and the group step along in warm and sophisticated backings that sparkle in the best Chi-Sound style – uptempo at some times, but sweet and mellow at others. The vocals are superb – easily adaptable to both sorts of settings, but especially great on the ballads – which really seem to benefit from the move away from some of the more cliched styles that the Chi-Lites were falling into during their last years on Brunswick. Eugene Record produced, and titles include "Love Shock", "Round & Round", "Heavenly Body", "All I Wanna Do Is Make Love To You", "Give Me A Dream", and a remake of "Have You Seen Her". LP, Vinyl record album

A full helping of work from Claudine Clark – a killer 60s soul singer, and one with a really great ear for upbeat, romping tunes! Claudine originally hails from Georgia, but the work here is much more in Detroit, Chicago, or New York styles of the time – nicely moving numbers with a Motor City blend of tight instrumentation and bold lead vocals – sometimes a bit sweet, but always with enough power to keep up with the grooves in the tunes! The package does a great job of bringing together work from Claudine's varied recording career in the 60s – material done for labels that include Chancellor, Jamie, Fayette, Swan, Herald, and Match – under Clark's name, and the names of Joy Dawn and Sherry Pye as well. CD features full notes on Claudine's music and recording history at the time – plus 24 tracks that include "Party Lights (alt take)", "Gimme A Break", "A Sometimes Thing", "Easy To Love", "The Strength To Be Strong", "The Telephone Game", "Goodbye Mama", "Hang It Up", "Standing On Tip Toe", "Moon Madness", "My Turn To Laugh", "Who Will You Hurt", "Angel Of Happiness", "What Kind Of Party", and "Teenage Blues". CD

Dee Clark cracked the charts big with a few crossover hits – but he's an excellent soul singer with a raspy tone that almost set the stage for some of the deeper soul acts to come in the 60s! The style here is very much in the mode of some of Jackie Wilson's best for Brunswick from the early days – tracks recorded in a mode that's often heavy on the voice, letting Dee step out with strong flourishes that change in style from track to track – sometimes dramatic, sometimes subtle – but always impeccably phrased with Clark's stunning vocals! Titles are a nice batch of numbers that go way past Dee's hits – and include "Just Like A Fool", "What I Say", "Come To California", "24 Boyfriends", "I Just Can't Help Myself", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Gloria", and "Baby What You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

Two rare European records from Freddy Cole – best known to most of us in the US as a jazz singer! One More Love Song is surprisingly soulful set from Freddy – quite different than some of the straighter jazz vocals he's cut over the years! This rare gem was recorded in The Netherlands in the mid 70s – and features backings from Jerry Van Rooyen and Tony Noite, both of whom mix jazzy inflections with fuller orchestrations – helping to bring Cole's rich background into a whole new light! Freddy's voice still has that wonderful trademark rasp – familiar to, yet quite different than brother Nat – and the use of some smoother soul modes makes for a really great contrast. Titles include "One More Love Song", "I Loved You", "I Need You So", "Still Wanna Be With You", "Isn't She Lovely", and "Here Is Where Your Love Belongs". Right From The Heart has Freddy Cole taking on a mix of adult ballads and some groovier numbers – set to arrangements by John Gally, Hennie Bekker, and Steve Gray – and recorded in London with a nicely mature feel. There's a bit of polish to the production, especially on the more upbeat cuts – but the mellower numbers still have Cole singing in a great old school mode. Titles include "The Girl From The Piano Bar", "To Be With You", "Teach Me Tonight", "Summer Love", "Somewhere Down The Line", and "Right From The Start". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

An album that definitely lives up to the title promised by The Commodores – a record that takes all their raw funky energy of the early years, and fuses it into a new groove that would catapult the sextet to superstardom! The sound is commercial, but still has a pretty fresh sort of feel too – that quality the group brought to their work when breaking down so many boundaries in mainstream music – and finding fans in corners that few other funk groups might have touched! There's plenty of upbeat funk tracks in the mix, and even the mellower moments are still balanced nicely enough to avoid any of the cliches that Lionel Richie might have had during his solo years. Titles include "Why You Wanna Try Me", "This Love", "Been Loving You", "Lucy", "Saturday Night", "Lady (You Bring Me Up)", and "Oh No". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary unreleased Motown recordings by The Contours – material that should have been issued as a full length LP in 1964 – but all but a couple tunes have languished in the vaults until now! The group simply kills on on these dancefloor ready stormers, with raucous, charismatic lead vocals and tight harmony backup – on a set of numbers that were no doubt ready and set to slay live audiences. We're sure The Contours were unbeatable live, but these recordings really should have made it out at the time. Better late than never, to say the very least! Includes the 60s singles "Can You Do It" and "Can You Jerk Like Me", plus the unreleased "Do The See Saw", "Foot Stomping Time", "Party Groove", "Okey Dokey", "Love Is Uncertain", "Wanted", "Boy Meets Girl", "You Hurt Me So", "Throw You Out Of My Mind", "Giant Steps", "Let's Do The Uncle Willie", "Tonight", "Nobody Fine As Dinah", "Somebody's Daughter Outta", "Let's Do The Uncle Willie" and more. 26 tracks in all! CD

A really well-done collection of work by Randy Crawford – one that not only gets at that unique place she holds in soul music, but also one that shows just how much she kept growing as the years went on! Randy's voice was maybe first exposed to folks for her famous work on The Crusaders' "Street Life" – but even before that, she was emerging as one of the elite in a new generation of sophisticated soul singers – equally well-skilled in jazzy expressions and soulful styles, and able to bring a new level of maturity to the music from the late 70s onwards! This great package traces Randy's growth as a solo artist over the course of many albums for Warner Brothers – and also includes some duets, live material, and compilation cuts – really getting at the importance she held in the field at the time. There's a whopping 57 tracks on 3CDs, complete with a big booklet of notes – and titles include "Don't Wanna Be Normal", "Blue Flame", "I Stand Accused", "Same Old Story", "Tender Falls The Rain", "Gonna Give Lovin A Try", "Ain't No Foolin", "Everything Must Change (live)", "Street Life (edit)", "When Your Life Was Low", "One Day I'll Fly Away", "Time For Love", "Your Precious Love (live with Al Jarreau)", "Windsong", "We Had A Love So Strong", "Imagine (live with Yellowjackets)", "All It Takes Is Love", "Single Woman Married Man", "Last Night At Danceland", "Just A Touch", "He Reminds Me", "Knockin On Heaven's Door", "Almaz", "I Let You Walk Away", "Bottom Line", "Cigarette In The Rain", and lots more! CD

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song". CD

Way more pop than jazz from Deodato – a record that has the keyboardist working with a trio of younger vocalists who alternate lyrics on each track in the set! The approach here takes off from Deodato's strong soul production and arranging work of earlier years, but has a bit more of a crossover sound overall – still echoing strains of his R&B side in the rhythms, yet exposing the real agenda a bit more in the lead vocals of the tunes. Keyboards aren't nearly as important to the sound as the drum programs on the record – and titles include "Everybody Wants To Be My Girl", "Where Can You Run", "When A Lover Says Goodbye", "Forever For You", "Stay With Me", and "Somewhere Out There". (Jazz, Soul) CD

At last! Someone's finally put out a good collection of the heavenly Detroit soul doo wops by Nolan Strong and his group The Diablos. This first volume of 25 tracks kicks off with their classic "The Wind", a heavenly ballad track that was covered by everyone, and then it leaps into a great set that includes "Beside You", "I Wanna Know", "Mind Over Matter", "Ooh Ooh Those Eyes", and loads of other impossible to find tracks from the rare Fortune label. Includes a nice book with loads of notes on the group. CD

One of the rarest soul records on Brunswick! This one was cut during the mid 70s – when the label was really having some rough times financially, but also was cutting some of its most groundbreaking soul work. The Directions are a tight harmony quintet – equipped, it appears, with their own band (The Directions Band) who give the group a nice rough soul sound. The vocal cuts on the record have sort of a Philly harmony style – with many uptempo numbers that are sort of a rougher version of work by Blue Magic or The Spinners. The instrumental tracks are smooth funk – with lots of tight keyboard work over heavy riffing and vamping, mostly in an uptempo vein. Titles include "Too Many Secrets", "Soup Line", "I Want To Be Your Special Man", "If You Ever", "We Need Love", and "I Love You So". CD

Excellent middle period work by the Dramatics – recorded after their years at Stax, with a slightly smoother groove, and featuring some great tunes that really sparkle! By this point, the group were hitting a Detroit modern mode – with less of the rough edges of the Stax work, which meant that the harmonies were even tighter than ever – perfectly placed on the best cuts, with a precision you wouldn't have expected a few years earlier. Songwriting is still great – and this 16 track set features many fine numbers from their ABC LPs of the late 70s when the group were working with Don Davis. Titles include "Be My Girl", "Love Is Missing From Our Lives", "Door To Your Heart", "Stop Your Weeping", "Shake It Well", "You're Foolin You", and "Do What You Want Be What You Are", one of the greatest 70s ballad tracks ever! CD

Well, we don't know if Mr B could ever be considered "modern", but this is a pretty groovy batch of 60s pop tunes – like "Mister Kicks", "People", "Wanted", "Wives & Lovers", and "A Beautiful Friendship" – all done to arrangements by Billy Byers, Benny Carter, and Bobby Tucker, with that great mid 60s Mercury pop feel to them. There's some nice jazz elements in the mix, and Billy's always a treat for us! (Vocalists, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A really beautiful album of harmony soul – and a set that we'd already love for its music, even if the group didn't have an interesting story! Edge Of Daybreak are part of a small sub-culture of 70s soul groups – an ensemble who existed behind prison bars, like Power Of Attorney or The Escorts – and like both of those groups, they've got an amazingly strong sound – one that goes way beyond their incarcerated status, and which should have made them (like the other two) worthy of greater attention in the outside world! The material was recorded in 1979, but it's got a fragile early 70s vibe – maybe because that was the last time these guys heard work in the mainstream – and the voices come together with a style that's proud, but quite heartbreaking at times too – a bit like The Whatnauts on their best ballad material. If you dig harmony soul, you'll find plenty to love here – especially if you like early 70s material from Philly and New Jersey – and don't even worry about the behind bars gimmick, because the record has way more to offer than that! Titles include "Let Us", "Eyes Of Love", "I Wanna Dance With You", "Bring Me Down", "Edge Of Daybreak", and "Your Destiny". CD

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

An incredible album, and very unique! Sarah Webster Fabio was a hip 70s poet with a very righteous sound – and she's working here with funky backings by a tight group that includes family members, in a style that's similar to early 70s work by artists like Wanda Robinson and Camille Yarborough – both of whom also mixed together funk and poetry! The album's got a massive funky cut called "Sweet Songs" – the kind of groover we never tire of, with tight drums, great guitar, and wonderful vocals by Sarah herself. There's lots of other great tunes too – with titles that include "Juju For Grandma", "Still A Red Hot Axe", "Chromo", "If We Come As Soft Rain", and "Jujus/Alchemy Of The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A key classic from the earliest years of the Fatback Band – one of the group's funkiest albums, and part of their original trilogy for the Perception label! The groove here is mighty raw throughout – but a bit more complicated than some of their funky 45 releases – a mixture of funky vamps and some more soul-styled tunes – showing the group evolving a bit from the start, yet still losing none of their funky edge – sounding surprisingly nice on a few of the album's mellower instrumentals. Titles include the massive "Goin' To See My Baby", with a classic break on the intro – plus "Street Dance", "Free Form", "Give Me One More Chance", "Green Green Grass Of Home", "Baby I'm A Want You", and "Take a Ride (On The Soul Train)". Features the bonus track "Dance Girl". CD

A great set of tracks that shows an oft-hidden side of The Fatback Band – their talent for smooth, mellow numbers! Despite the fame of the group as a funky act and as dancefloor favorites, they could kick back and lay out a good ballad or a love song when they wanted to – something they did once or twice an album on their sides for the Spring label, from which the 10 tracks on the CD are pulled. The approach is a great one – as the group have a sweet sound that's perfect for mellow harmonies, drifting as effortlessly here as the band grooves on their funkier numbers. Titles include "Oh Girl", "She's My Shining Star", "I'm So In Love", "Please Stay", "I Found Lovin", "Sunshine Lady", "At Last", "Can't You See", "Is This The Future", and "Do It To Me Now". CD

13 tracks of Eddie's classic Stax sides, with a range of material that runs from 60s through 70s. A handful of big hits, and a big batch of lesser known, but still great Memphis soul from Floyd. Includes "I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)", "Bring It Home To Me", "Check Me Out", "Soul Street", "I've Got To Have Your Love", "Blood Is Thicker Than Water", "Don't Tell Your Mama", "Why Is The Wine Sweeter (On The Other Side)", "California Girl", "My Girl", "The Best Years Of My Life", "Yum Yum Yum (I Want Some)" and "Baby Lay Your Head Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Very nice work from Lowell Fulsom – strongly in the mode of his Tramp album for Kent, with a mix of blues and 60s soul, coming together in a sock-hard style that's much better than a lot of Fulsom's other work for other labels! Arrangements are by Rene Hall and Maxwell Davis – the latter of whom does a surprisingly great job on giving up a sharper edge than we remember in his other work. About half the set's straight blues, but the half that's not is nice and funky – including the "Tramp" follow-up "I'm A Drifter", a nice cover of "Funky Broadway", and the cut "Let's Go Get Stoned". Other titles include "Feel So Bad", "I Cried", "The Letter", "Tomorrow", and "Mellow Together". CD features 2 bonus tracks too – "Blues Pain" and "I Wanna Spend Christmas With You". (Blues, Soul) CD

A killer compilation – one that's every bit as wild and wooly as the famous image on the cover! The set came out in the mid 70s, and it's a perfect summation of all the greatness that Funkadelic had given the group in just a few short years – their brilliant way of blending together soul, funk, and psychedelic influences pulled from all parts of the Detroit scene – working under the leadership of George Clinton to craft a sound that few folks would ever be able to touch – even though thousands would try over the years! Every cut on the set is a killer – the kind of tight, short cuts that the group served up on singles – and which still blew away more than most other full album sides of the time! Titles include "I Got A Thang, You Got A Thang, Everybody's Got A Thang", "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On", "Cosmic Slop", "Funky Dollar Bill", "I Wanna Know If Its Good To You", "I'll Bet You", "Loose Booty", "Can You Get To That", and "A Joyful Process". CD