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A landmark set from a group who only ever gave the world two albums – but who've gone on to have a huge influence over the years! This initial offering from Breakwater is a masterful blend of jazzy fusion and mellower soul – a sound sifted together so perfectly, it really tops the rest of the combo's contemporaries – hitting a careful balance that never gets too cheesy or commercial, and which still manages to glow as strongly into the 21st century as it did when first released back in the day! The sound here is sublime – warm, but never sleepy – jazzy, but never cliched – and mixed in such a way that the vocals and instruments almost get center stage in the spotlight without trying to crowd one another out. Titles include the incredible "Work it Out" – worth the price of the record alone – plus "No Limit", "That's Not What We Came Here For", "Free Yourself", "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot", and "Feel Your Way".

No splashdown here – as Breakwater are every bit as soaringly soulful as they were on their debut set! The groove here is that perfect blend of jazz and soul that only a few groups in the 70s really got right – maybe Pleasure, or The Blackbyrds – and most certainly Breakwater, who were one of the reigning champions of the scene! Rhythms are often upbeat, but not in a disco or club-oriented way – and the instrumentation is tight, but never slick or smooth – always nicely funky with a nice little crackle, even on the mellow cuts – in a way that's opened up this album to new audiences for many years. This set's got a nice bit of moog that wasn't on the group's first – used almost in Mizell-like to further enhance the sound – and titles include the classics "Say You Love Me Girl", "Let Love In", "Time", and "The One In My Dreams". Great stuff, and with a really beautiful vibe!

Two early 80s groovers from Thelma Houston – back to back on a single CD! Breakwater Cat is an excellent set – one that has Thelma really reinventing herself after the disco years – stepping back into deeper soul vocals, while still working with full arrangements that push things forward nicely! There's a great mix of gentle groove and fuller strings on most trcks – with arrangements by Greg Mathieson, James Gadson, Webster Lewis, and Matthew McCauley – who handled most of side one. Houston's vocals are as soaring and powerful as ever – and side one's batch of Jimmy Webb tracks give her a mature showcase for richer emotions, a feather in the cap for both Thelma and Jimmy. Side two features cuts by a wider range of talents – which fleshes things out nicely – and titles include "Breakwater Cat", "Long Lasting Love", "Gone", "Understand Your Man", "Lost & Found", "Something We May Never Know", and "Down The Backstairs Of My Life". Never Gonna Be Another One is a great 80s groove from Thelma Houston – a set with arrangements that are leaner and meaner than before, still topped with those amazing soul diva vocals! Arrangements on the set are handled by George Tobin & Mike Piccirillo – who really give the album a nice sort of focus – groovers that shake off some of the disco styles of earlier years, balanced with a few ballads that help Houston slide nicely into some crossover territory too! Titles include "If You Feel It", "Never Give You Up", "Don't Make Me Over", "Hollywood", "Too Many Teardrops", "Never Gonna Be Another One", and "96 Tears".

No splashdown here – as Breakwater are every bit as soaringly soulful as they were on their debut set! The groove here is that perfect blend of jazz and soul that only a few groups in the 70s really got right – maybe Pleasure, or The Blackbyrds – and most certainly Breakwater, who were one of the reigning champions of the scene! Rhythms are often upbeat, but not in a disco or club-oriented way – and the instrumentation is tight, but never slick or smooth – always nicely funky with a nice little crackle, even on the mellow cuts – in a way that's opened up this album to new audiences for many years. This set's got a nice bit of moog that wasn't on the group's first – used almost in Mizell-like to further enhance the sound – and titles include the classics "Say You Love Me Girl", "Let Love In", "Time", "The One In My Dreams", and the monster sample cut "Release The Beast". Great stuff, and with a really beautiful vibe!

A landmark set from a group who only ever gave the world two albums – but who've gone on to have a huge influence over the years! This initial offering from Breakwater is a masterful blend of jazzy fusion and mellower soul – a sound sifted together so perfectly, it really tops the rest of the combo's contemporaries – hitting a careful balance that never gets too cheesy or commercial, and which still manages to glow as strongly into the 21st century as it did when first released back in the day! The sound here is sublime – warm, but never sleepy – jazzy, but never cliched – and mixed in such a way that the vocals and instruments almost get center stage in the spotlight without trying to crowd one another out. Titles include the incredible "Work it Out" – worth the price of the record alone – plus "No Limit", "That's Not What We Came Here For", "Free Yourself", "Do It Till The Fluid Gets Hot", and "Feel Your Way".

An overlooked gem from that great early stretch when Arista was leading the pack when it came to jazzy, sophisticated funk – really hitting hard with groups like Breakwater and Locksmith, and also giving us this sweet little set from Madagascar! The group may not be that well-known by name, but they've got some very famous help on sax and vocals – a young Gerald Albright – plus other singers Marva King, John Barnes, and Sharon Barnes! Things are funky, but never over the top – less an ensemble funk style than a jazz funk groove – kind of a maturation of the 70s Kudu Records mode, taken into some nice lean territory for the 80s! The groove is very upbeat and positive – a lot like the best Fantasy Records styles a few years before – and titles include "Dance Spirit Dance", "International Jamboree", "Pay Attention", "This is When It Counts", "Thank You For Our Song", and "Here Today Gone Tomorrow".

Joyous grooves indeed – the second album by this legendary 70s jazzy soul outfit – and a landmark album in the Fantasy Records Bay Area funk mode! The record will forever be remembered for the cut "Joyous" – a monster groover with a killer hook, strong funky playing, and a searing tenor solo that wails for about a minute before the vocals even come in! Wayne Henderson produced the record – and it's very much in the mode of work that he was doing for other groups at Fantasy, but also sounds a bit like later jazz funk groups, such as Breakwater or Smoke – tight, but never uptight – funky, but never with the kind of grit you'd find in the indie underground. The vocals are a bit in the Average White Band mode, and the instrumental playing is top-shelf all the way – a monster mix that's possibly carried off better here than on any other album by the group! The album includes 2 instrumentals, "Selim" and "Sassafras Girl", as well as the vocal tracks "Tune In", "Let Me Be The One", and "Can't Turn You Loose".

Joyous grooves indeed – the second album by this legendary 70s jazzy soul outfit – and a landmark album in the Fantasy Records Bay Area funk mode! The record will forever be remembered for the cut "Joyous" – a monster groover with a killer hook, strong funky playing, and a searing tenor solo that wails for about a minute before the vocals even come in! Wayne Henderson produced the record – and it's very much in the mode of work that he was doing for other groups at Fantasy, but also sounds a bit like later jazz funk groups, such as Breakwater or Smoke – tight, but never uptight – funky, but never with the kind of grit you'd find in the indie underground. The vocals are a bit in the Average White Band mode, and the instrumental playing is top-shelf all the way – a monster mix that's possibly carried off better here than on any other album by the group! The album includes 2 instrumentals, "Selim" and "Sassafras Girl", as well as the vocal tracks "Tune In", "Let Me Be The One", and "Can't Turn You Loose".

Sublime soul all the way through – a tremendous set of modern and mellow cuts from the end of the 70s and start of the 80s – all put together with a really beautiful feel! There's a perfect balance here – between mainstream and underground, laidback and grooving – the classiest sort of soul from the time, and work that's light years away from both disco dancefloors and chart-oriented cuts. Expansion Records' Ralph Tee put the package together, and his approach here really takes us back to the time when the label first started catching our ear with their subtle, sophisticated approach to soul. Many tracks here haven't been reissued before, and even those that have sound wonderful in the company of the rest. Titles include "If You're Ready" by Beau Williams, "Let's Go All The Way" by Gayle Adams, "The Good Side Of Love" by Ronnie McNeir, "We're In Ecstasy" by Hubert Laws, "Evening Of Love" by Main Ingredient, "It's Alright With Me" by Patti Labelle, "Say You Love Me Girl" by Breakwater, "Never Had A Love Like This Before (inst)" by Tavares, "Here We Go Again (parts 1 & 2)" by Isley Brothers, "I Want To Be Where You Are" by Ronnie Dyson, "Can You Find The Time" by Champaign, "How Do You Take Your Love" by Major Harris, and "What About My Love" by Damaris Carbaugh.

A killer bit of modern soul – one of the standout classics from the best years of Arista! Richard Evans produced and arranged this excellent set of smooth soul grooves for Linda Williams. Linda plays keyboards and sings, and the album was recorded in 2 different sessions – one in LA, and one in Chicago. The album's got a nice jazzy sound, with a similar feel to the Breakwater LPs on Arista at the time. Linda's voice is as wonderful on this set as on anything we've heard from her, and with her depth of talents on the piano & keys, and on the songwriting tip, she's a real creative force at the top of her game here! Tracks include "No Love, No Where, Without You", "Oh Honey", "Loving You Forever", and the great groover "Elevate Our Minds", which is worth the price of the record alone! This Big Break UK remastered edition has 2 bonus tracks: "No Love, No Where, Without You (Single Version)" and "City Living (Single Version)".