A mainstream selection of funky tracks from classic 70s soundtracks and beyond – mostly familiar numbers, but plenty nice to have all in one place! Titles include "Truck Turner" by Isaac Hayes, "Cornbread" by The Blackbyrds, "Sweetback's Theme" by Earth Wind & Fire, "The Bottle" by Gil Scott-Heron, "Coffy Is The Color" by Roy Ayers, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" by James Brown, "Express" by BT Express, "Big Papa" by Edwin Starr, and "We Be's Getting Down" by Graham Central Station. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A beautiful little record from the Brazilian scene – served up by a trombonist who's got a great ability to mix Brazilian rhythms, jazzy grooves, and American soul! The approach is one that you might recognize from contemporary trombonist Raul DeSouza, who moved to the US in the 70s, and cut some great records for Capitol – but Zeca's working here back in Brazil, with a vibe that's much closer to the core – and adding in all these raspy soul vocals that sound completely sublime next to the upbeat instrumentation on the record! The set's heavy on keyboards, and has a nicely jazzy vibe – one that you may recognize from the title track's showing up in some great Ed Motta collections over the years. In fact, there's a quality here that's not far from Ed's more recent AOR tribute recordings – as you'll hear on titles that include "Boa Nova", "Papo Coracao", "Rota-Mar", "Exilio De Coracao", "Em Busca De Mim", and "Gavea Um Beijo De Cinema". Features two bonus tracks – "Ave Anne" and "Tema Do Brisa". (Brazil, Soul) CD

The debut album from Stargard – a set that turned the trio into strong soul stars, after a brief and mistaken role in the film Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band! Given the failure of that cinematic endeavor, it's amazing that MCA signed the girls up – but it's also clear that the group have a vibe that's really waiting to shine in the spotlight – partly the disco female mode that others had been working already, but also maybe more of a sense of identity too – one that makes them way more than just a trio of vocalists in the hands of a club producer – especially given the way they really hit some surprising deep soul moments on the set. Production is by Mark Davis, with some help from Gene Page – and titles include "Three Girls", "Don't Change", "Theme From Which Way Is Up", "The Force", and "Disco Rufus". CD

Stunning funky soul by California Playboys – a heck of a record that should have made the Playboys a huge combo at the time! It's a shame the group didn't become millionaires – but the obscurity of the record is maybe also one of its charms – the kind of small label set that never fully got its due at the time, but which is ripe for rediscovery all these many years later! The California Playboys were together for a number of years – forming as a backing band for singer Lester Young (not the sax player), doing session work for others, and otherwise developing their skills for years – all of which really comes through here in their sharp-edged instrumentation, which sounds even sharper in the 70s indie-level production for the album. The killer title tune sounds like it could (and should!) be the namesake tune of a funky mid 70s soundtrack – as it's really got a perfect cinematic soul vibe, ala Bobby Womack and Marvin Gaye – though in a tighter, smaller combo setting. Most tunes start with vocals and end with long instrumental riffing – and titles include"Double Love", "She's A Real Sweet Woman", "Just Say A Four Letter Word", "I've Got To Find Myself Another Girl", and "Turned On For Good". LP, Vinyl record album

A great early album from Junior Wells – and one that really opens up that more soulful side of his talents that was becoming a Chicago hallmark at the time! The set was produced by Samuel Charters, but has none of the rootsy vibe of his earlier work on Folkways – and instead matches the harmonica and raw vocals of Wells with a bit of horn backings on a few tunes by the great Ed Bland (of previous Sun Ra cinema fame, and later funk arrangements) – blown by the unlikely mix of Tom McIntosh on trombone, with trumpets by Clark Terry, Wallace Davenport, and Jimmy Owens! The core group has the mighty Buddy Guy on guitar, with Walter Williams on rhythm guitar and Douglas Fagan on tenor – and Junior knocks it out of the park, on tunes that include "So Sad This Morning", "When My Baby Left Me", "Stop Breakin Down", "Somebody's Tippin In", "You Don't Love Me", "Little By Little", and "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man". (Blues, Soul) CD

2 massive Isaac Hayes soundtracks in one set – both from the magical cinematic year of 1974! Truck Turner is a hard and heavy soundtrack that we like even more than his classic work on Shaft! Unlike Shaft, Ike actually starred in the film Truck Turner – which may be one reason why he brought his full game to the table for the record – and scored a batch of badass tunes that still stand with some of the best funky soundtrack work of the 70s! The rhythm's especially hard on the best cuts – really crackling with a lot of intensity, and a stark, hard funky sound that's made the record a favorite of beatheads for years! Ike kicks it hard on cuts like "Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile", "House Full Of Girls", "Drinking", "Give It To Me", "Now We're One", "Breakthrough", "House of Beauty", and the massive title cut "Truck Turner". Tough Guys is deeper and more complicated than the groove of Shaft and Truck Turner, and filled with some great tunes that glow with color, life, and imagination – showing an Isaac Hayes that almost seems to be moving beyond the usual blackploitation groove! The album sports 2 really classic tunes – the title theme "Tough Guys", and the classic "Hung Up On My Baby" – both of which have a solidly funky feel that will more than please the usual soundtrack beathead crowd. But overall, the other tunes twist and turn in a delightful mix of modes – expanding on the soulful territory Ike first explored in his original soundtracks, and offering up a great range of moods and emotion. The album's got some especially great chromatic guitar work – and other titles include "Joe Bell", "Randolph & Dearborn", "Buns O Plenty", "Run Fay Run", and "Red Rooster". CD