A lost album from the legendary Stax Records – a full set of tracks from the deep soul group Hot Sauce – planned as a record of its own in the final years of the label, but never issued at the time! Hot Sauce were one of the funkiest groups on Stax in the early 70s – a wickedly badass group who sported great lead vocals from Rhonda Washington – a singer who really knew how to stay on the groove and send the whole thing home! The work on this set is a great evolution of the Stax groove – and shows where the label might have gone in terms of 70s funk, had they stayed the course – and although the album's long overdue to get released, we're plenty happy to finally have it out after all these years. Many tracks were issued over the years as singles, and the set also features a few tracks not intended for the album too – titles that include "Stop Dogging Me", "Funny", "Mama's Baby", "I'll Kill A Brick", "Good Woman Turning Bad", "I Can't Let You Go", "Echoes From The Past", and "I Can't Win For Losing". CD

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary Phyllis Hyman – a set that not only includes her groundbreaking records as a solo act, but also a big range of her famous collaborations with jazz artists who include Norman Connors, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, and Grover Washington! Hyman is a singer unlike anyone else – an artist who was raised equally in jazz and soul, then found a way to mix the best of both with a new sort of sophistication that made her one of the most important female soul talents to show the way forward during the 80s – an artist who was always equal parts class and care, soul and style – and one who departed our planet all too soon. Fortunately, even after a short time of recording, Phyllis already left us an amazing legacy of music – as you'll hear in this set of overstuffed gems – a 33 track package that includes "Sacred Kind Of Love", "Baby", "You Know How To Love Me", "Under Your Spell", "Sleep On It", "Loving You Losing You (12" mix)", "Deliver The Love", "Can't We Fall In Love Again", "Let Somebody Love You", "Gonna Make Changes", "Black & Blue", "Somewhere In My Lifetime", "I'll Be Around", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "No One Can Love You More (7" version)", "Just Imagine", "Love Surrounds Us Everywhere", "In A Sentimental Mood", "In Search Of My Heart", "I Don't Want To Lose You", "Why Did You Turn Me On", "Riding The Tiger (single)", and "Tonight You & Me (disco version)". CD

A huge package of work from a time when the Jewel/Paula label was a strong force in underground soul – an imprint whose home base was down in Louisiana, but who also had a reach that went up to the Windy City as well! The material here is on the deeper side of the spectrum – some New Orleans modes mixed with other southern soul styles – often recorded with nicely earthy production that really makes the singers come across at their best! Titles include "I Can't Stand To See You Go" by Joe Valentine, "Messed Around & Fell In Love" by Ricky Allen, "Nothing Takes The Place Of You" by Toussaint McCall, "What Is Love" by Jimmy Dobbins, "Cover Me" by Ted Taylor, I Want Everyone To Know" by Fontella Bass, "My Baby's Gone" by Wallace Brothers, "You've Got Me Tamed" by Clay Hammond, "Loosen These Pains & Let Me Go" by Albert Washington, "We Got A Good Thing Going" by Roscoe Robinson, and "Sweet Little Woman" by McKindley Sandifer. CD

The music of Otis Redding – sung by some of his hippest contemporaries, and by a whole new generation inspired by his talents! The tunes here are all numbers you'd know from Redding's famous recordings for Stax and Atlantic – yet the versions are nice and fresh – some done with a gritty down-home feel that's rougher than any of Redding's records, others done with an inventive style that pushes the music forward into new modes – possibly those that Otis might have explored on his own, had he not been taken from us so soon! The package is a great testament to the Otis Redding legacy in soul music – and is filled with a whopping 25 tracks, all of them well-chosen – including "Baby Cakes" by Maxine Brown, "Just One More Day" by Clarence Carter, "Give Away None Of My Love" by Buddy Miles, "Wholesale Love" by Arthur Conley, "Hawg For You" by Tina Britt, "Hard To Handle" by Patti Drew, "Chained & Bound" by Bettye Swann, "I'm Missing You" by Mitty Collier, "Sister Pitiful" by Judy Clay, "These Arms Of Mine" by Albert Washington & The Kings, "Monkey On My BacK" by Jackie Hairston – plus the previously unreleased "Loving By The Pound (part 2)" by Otis Redding himself! CD

Louis Armstrong is on the cover, but the set also features work from a nice mix of "friends" – other important artists from the postwar years, who help round out this collection of Holiday favorites! Louis Armstrong sings on "Christmas In New Orleans", "White Christmas", "Christmas Night In Harlem", "Winter Wonderland", "Zat You Santa Claus", and "Cool Yule" – and other tracks include "Silent Night" by Dinah Washington, "The Christmas Song" by Mel Torme, "It's Christmas Time Again" by Peggy Lee, "May Everyday Be Christmas" by Louis Jordan, "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Lena Horne, "Merry Christmas Baby" by Lionel Hampton, "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt, and "Jingle Bells" by Duke Ellington. CD

Two seminal albums from Doug Dillard and Gene Clark – back to back in a single set, and with bonus tracks too! Fantastic Expedition is a mellow masterpiece of sunshine country rock from Dillard & Clark – a duo that featured Gene Clark of the Byrds and Doug Dillard of the Dillards – in a wonderful blend of Cali longhair harmonies, back porch psych, and expert Byrds-y tunefulness! Dillard provides lots of great banjo and some chirping fiddle – along with mandolin and chiming acoustic guitars that bring a bit of bluegrass into the sound – but the record has California written all over it thanks to the vocal harmonies and wistful tune craft. Really close to perfection – and deserves as much praise as the better known country rock benchmarks of the era – including the early two classics by Flying Burrito Brothers. Tracks include "Out On The Side", "She Darked The Sun", "Train Leaves Here This Mornin", "With Care From Somewhere", "Git It On Brother", "In The Plan", and "Don't Come Rolling". Through The Morning Through The Night is the amazing second album from the great duo of Gene Clark and Doug Dillard – and a record that's maybe even better than the first! Even though the set's a key part of the late 60s Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers legacy – the vibe is probably more like the latter than the former – that is, more country than rock – in a way that really has the Clark/Dillard team getting even more confident with that side of their sound – drawing both on Doug's roots, and pointing the way toward his years to come. Clark provides some excellent songwriting, and his vocals are what really set the album apart – and the album also features some backing vocals from Donna Washington, amidst a mostly acoustic lineup that includes bluegrass instrumentation – and guest work from Sneaky Pete Kleinow on steel guitar, Chris Hillman on mandolin, and Bernie Leadon on guitar. Titles include "So Sad", "Corner Street Bar", "I Bowed My Head & Cried Holy", "Kansas City Southern", "No Longer A Sweetheart Of Mine", "Polly", "Four Walls", and "Through The Morning Through The Night". Bonus tracks include "Why Not Your Baby", "Lyin Down The Middle", and "Don't Be Cruel". CD

The super-sound of Henry Mancini, served up here in a special SACD set! The first half of the package features cuts from two different RCA albums that collect together some of the best of Mancini's music from the 60s – key soundtrack numbers and other instrumentals – in a lineup of tracks that includes "Charade", "Hatari", "Peter Gunn", "Lujon", "Breakfast At Tiffany's", "The Brothers Go To Mothers", "Pink Panther", "Dear Heart", "Cheers", and "Baby Elephant Walk". Concert Sound has Mancini working with larger orchestrations than usual, in an expansion of his usual 60s groove! The tracks here are all somewhat long – suite-type numbers made up from smaller songs wrapped together in new Mancini arrangements that have a really cool feel in this setting! The orchestra is somewhat large, with strings and woodwinds – but in true Mancini fashion, there's also key solos from players who include Pete Candoli and Conrad Gozzo on trumpet, Dick Nash on trombone, Ted Nash on alto sax, and Jimmy Rowles on piano. Titles include "Peter Gunn Meets Mr Lucky", "The Music Of David Rose", "Academy Award Selections", and "A Tribute To Victor Young". Mancini Salutes Sousa is a very weird one – as Henry Mancini pays tribute to the work of John Philip Sousa! As you'd expect from Sousa's marches, most of the work has a parade band military sound – and Mancini, despite his grooviness, hardly breaks format to change the style of the work. The approach has touches of some of Mancini's more military soundtrack work – and the recording quality definitely has a classic Hollywood approach – but overall, it's still Sousa. Titles include "The Gladiator", "Washington Post", "National Fencibles", "The Thunderer", and "Drum Corps". CD set also features the rare bonus track "Man Of The World" – originally only on a 7" single! CD

Sweet cuts for the Christmas season – a great batch of jazz, vocal, and R&B numbers pulled from the postwar years – excellent songs and singles from a time when the best sort of Holiday music was coming out on record, year after year! The set's a great addition to the ever-growing Bear Family Christmas collections – and like the rest, it really shows a strong understanding of what makes a great Christmas tune so great – not just a hit, or a familiar chart number from the past – but new takes on old tunes, or fresh songs that really show just how much Holiday music was flooding the record business back in the day! The package is great, with notes on each track – and titles include "Ole Santa" by Dinah Washington, "Mambo Santa Mambo" by The Enchanters, "I've Had A Very Merry Christmas" by Jerry Lewis, "Happy New Year Baby" by Johnny Otis, "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" by Ramsey Lewis, "Christmas Ball" by Georgie Auld with Bill Darnel, "Jingle Bells" by Knuckles O'Toole, "Jing A Ling Jing A Ling" by The Andrews Sisters, "Sleigh Ride" by Leroy Anderson, "Come On Santa Let's Have A Ball" by Kay Martin & Her Body Guards, and "Mister Santa" by Dorothy Collins. CD

A great little follow-up to one of our favorite compilations ever from Kent Records – a motherlode of under-discovered soul from 70s powerhouse Spring Records! Spring is best known for its big hits with Joe Simon during the decade – but at the same time, the label also issued countless great singles by lesser-known artists – great little gems that run the gamut from southern soul to heavy funk, harmony soul, and disco – all with a quality level that matches or beats most of the other indies of the time! This wonderful set brings together some of the best from those years – and includes work issued not only on Spring, but also on the related Event and Posse labels – served up here as a whopping 24-track package that's supported by great notes on all the music. Titles include "It's So Good To Know" by Mayberry Movement, "I'm A Lover" by Vernon Brown, "You & I Go Good Together" by Garland Green, "Turn Yourself Around" by Clare Bathe, "Walk All Over God's Heaven" by Jackie Verdell, "Baby There's Nothing You Can Do" by The Joneses, "I'm On My Way" by Winfield Parker, "Ain't It Amazing" by Prince Harold, "Dry Bones In The Valley" by The Internationals, "Mr Everything" by Little Eva Harris, "It Takes Both Of Us" by Act One, "I'll See You In Hell First" by Phillip Mitchell, "Sherry Washington" by Ray Godfrey, and "Just Can't Say Hello" by Ronnie Walker. CD

Kellee Patterson's amazing first album for the Shadybrook label – a total killer all the way through, and much harder and heavier than any of her later sides for the label! The record's got a nice jazzy vibe that's a good bridge between her earlier work on Black Jazz, and her later, straighter soul material – a dose of funk in all the right places, and a touch of spiritual leanings too – really put together with a wonderful feel that sets the album apart from much other work of the time! Includes a sublime breakbeat version of "I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby" – with killer drums, and an excellent monologue at the beginning – plus a great cover of Grover Washington's "Mister Magic", with some interesting vocals. Other titles include "Time To Space", "What You Don't Know", and "I Love Music". Gene Russell handled production and arrangements, too – giving the whole thing a nice tie to her album for Black Jazz. CD

A deep double-dip into the legendary TK Records catalog of Miami Soul – and one that offers up a very different version of the label than you might know from the hits! This 2CD set follows in the best tradition of the Free Soul series from Japan – which means that the collection is filled with unusual tracks that we might have missed otherwise, alongside other numbers that we do know, but which seem to have a really special vibe in this setting – an unpacking of the TK catalog from top to bottom, with a special focus on warmer, more unusual bits of funk and soul. Titles include "Jolie" by Lattimore, "Don't Waste My Time" by Jerry Washington, "Keep It Up" by Milton Wright, "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower, "Cramp Your Style" by All The People, "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone" by Willie & Anthony, "Street Love" by Spats, "Concrete Jungle" by Little Beaver, "Good Good Lovin" by Charles Johnson, "90% Of Me Is You" by Vanessa Kendrick, "I Got Bills To Pay" by Johnny K, "You Can Be A Lady" by JP Robinson, "Love Is A Simple Thing" by Leon Ware, "Island Girl" by Lew Kirton, "Share Your Love" by Herman Kelly & Life, "Ain't Nothin Wrong" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "What Would Your Mama Say" by Facts Of Life, "Jazz Freak" by Paulette Reaves, "Let's Make A Baby" by Funky Brown, "The Love We Had Stays On My Mind" by Freddy Henry, and "How Long" by Brandye. CD

A great collection of rare 45s from the powerhouse TK Records label and all it's many smaller imprints – Dade, Glades, Alston, and many others – brought here together with a focus on a really special side of the label! TK was one of the first to really promote the 12" single in the disco generation – but before, during, and after the label maintained a strong commitment to the funky 45 too – and really used the format to showcase some of its stronger soul singers, in a way that made sure that the 7" singles packed plenty of punch! This set features 24 of those rare nuggets from TK, with plenty of obscure numbers in the lineup – and titles include "All Because Of Your Love" by Otis Clay, "Rules Are Made To Be Broken" by The Diamonettes, "Never Had A Love So Good" by Charles Johnson, "I Can't Speak" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "Don't Waste My Time" by Jerry Washington, "Hold On To It" by Barry Smith, "Please Don't Stop" by Wildflower, "Stop Hurting Me Baby" by Purple Mundi, "One Night Affair" by The Rising Sun, "That Is Why" by Sherlyn Wittiker & Touch, "Even Though" by King Tutt, "Do What You Wanna Do (part 1)" by Frank Howard & The Continentals, and "How Can I Do What's Right" by Vanessa Kendrick. CD