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Fantastic work from Archie Bell & The Drells – an important record that bridges their earlier and later sounds! It's a key transitional album for the crew – as most of the album's in the harder rawer Texas funk groove of earlier year, but some of it features newer production by Gamble & Huff, in that excellent smooth dancing style that took Archie light years from his roots. The Gamble & Huff tracks are the most obvious – the singles "I Can't Stop Dancing" and "Do The Choo Choo" – and the album's got other great cuts like the original tunes "Do You Feel It?", "You're Such A Beautiful Child", "Jammin In Houston", and "Love Will Rain On You", plus versions of Curtis Mayfield's "I've Been Trying" and "Sometimes I Wonder". CD also features three bonus tracks – "Low Down", "Going Out Of My Head (demo)", and "Who's Loving You (demo)".

Late Chuck Berry for Chess Records – and two albums that really get past the hits! The package is a bit unusual – in that it brings together two different UK albums that featured early Berry Chess recordings – most of which were from his later years at the label, and have him really opening up on guitar! There's still plenty of catchy tunes, and Chuck's guitar is definitely the stuff of legend – but, like Bo Diddley as his more obscure, there's also a compelling freshness to this music that may well have you appreciating Berry even more than before. 26 tracks in all – with titles that include "Big Ben", "You Never Can Tell", "Diploma For Two", "Liverpool Drive", "Don't You Lie To Me", "Guitar Boogie", "Fraulein", "Deep Feeling", and "Come On".

A sweet Jamaican-tinged take on this tune by Bob & Gene – one that features the duo's vocals set to grooves from the Inversions, a group led by Ticklah – all in a style that turns the soul track into a lost rocksteady number! The approach is mighty nice – strange at first, but really a grower – and the flip features a track that's basically the instrumental version of the vocal number!

A funky funky riffer from Charles Bradley and his Bullets! "Now That I'm Gone" is one of the best pieces of new deep funk we've heard in a long time – with searing guitars that rip through the whole thing, and give the tune a really sinister edge that seems to push Charles' vocals even farther than on any of his other singles! The flip's got a very similar feel – with all the right elements in place – just slowed down a few notches, for a sly slow funk groove!

A great lost album from James Brown – and totally funky! The record's got a super-hip cover that shows James standing in a blue room with three fine foxy ladies, and the words "I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me" are emblazoned across the top – and the whole thing's as super funky as it looks! The record features many obscure King singles from the mid and late 60s, great little tunes that we always enjoy on funky 45s, and which are sewn together into one of the rawer James Brown LPs from the decade. James and the band are playing Vox instruments – as you can tell by the shameless ad on the back cover – and the record has a garagey funk sound that reminds us of the best Desco work by artists like Lee Fields & Joseph Henry. A prize in any funk collection – and with the cuts "The Soul Of JB", "I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Get It Together (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky Soul #1", "Why Did You Take Your Love From Me", and "Baby Baby Baby Baby". Also features the funky hit "There Was A Time" – always a treat!

One of the most essential Can albums, and perhaps their best – have drums ever sounded better on a record? Ege Bamyasi features some of Jaki Liebezeit's greatest beats, from the shorter songs like the amazing "Vitamin C", "I'm So Green", and "Spoon", to the longer, stretched out tunes in the tradition of the group's previous masterpiece, Tago Mago – "Pinch", "Soup", and "One More Night". With the classic second lineup, featuring Damo Suzuki on vocals, spouting off in several languages during the course of single song, but with a few instrumental numbers too. Elastic grooves with a driving pulse!

A mid 70s killer from Can – sometimes overlooked next to the early classics, but a record that's filled with equally great charms! Things are still pretty noisy here, and plenty proggy too – thanks to driving drums from Jaki Liebezeit and hypnotic basslines from Holger Czukay and there's a surprising amount of noise in the guitars of Michael Karoli, produced here with a bit more clarity than smaller label records from the German scene – but still never any crisp or commercial qualities either. Irmin Schmidt's keyboards and electronic touches are as wonderful as always – and Czukay's production really helps keep the whole thing on edge throughout! Titles include the long "Unfinished" jam – plus "Full Moon On The Highway", "Half Past One", "Vernal Equinox", and "Hunters & Collectors".

Can opens up a bit with Unlimited Edition – expanding upon their earlier Limited Edition compilation – fleshing out that set of archival Can errata into a sprawling, boundless 70+ minute set of brilliant, yet largely unused genius from the group's earlier archives! Can is legendary for constructing their greatest studio material out of freewheeling studio experimentation, so it stands to reason that there was a whole heck of a lot of worthy material left out. Boy, was there ever! It's got bits from both the Mooney and Suzuki periods, as well as spacious Can instrumental material. It's made up largely of brief bits that didn't find their way into a whole piece, but there's some longer numbers, too – and one epic: the 17+ minute "Cutaway". Titles icnlde "Gomorrha", "Doko E", "The Anpress And The Ukraine Song", "TV Spot", "Mother Upduff", "Connection", "Fall Of Another Year", "Transcendental Express", "Ibis", "Blue Bag (Inside Paper)", "Musette", "EFS No. 10", "I'm Too Leise" and more.

Two great lost numbers from one of our favorite soul artists of all time! "I Can Take Care" is a rolling midtempo number, with that loping Chi soul groove that Gene was working in afer his early Vee Jay sides. Gene's vocals really send us – especially on the the chorus, when they go over the top! "Mr Big Shot" is a great cut too – with a strumming guitar underneath the beat, in kind of a hip mod style that's a real surprise to hear from Gene! There's some backup vocals on the chorus, but the verse has Gene rolling ahead full steam.

Lorraine Chandler really cooks here – soaring with Pied Piper production that brings in plenty of bass right from the start – building the groove on up from the bottom, which Chandler then really knocks out of the park with her vocals! "I'm Not Built That Way" features a strong male lead and some higher harmonies in the background – really pushing the whole thing along with the heavy Detroit groove!

A great mix of modes – and a set that represents a real turning point in the career of Otis Clay! The rougher edges of Clay's Chicago soul are warmed up here substantially by producer Willie Mitchell – bubbling up some Memphis soul for Otis, in a style that's similar to some of his backings for other singers on the Hi Records label – in a style that makes for a great step forward from Clay's singles of the 60s! The shift is a big one – the sort that helped make Otis one of the standout singers of his generation – really knocking it out of the park on tracks that include "House Ain't A Home", "Slow & Easy", "Born To Be With You", "Home Is Where The Heart Is", "Pussy Footing Around", and "Too Much Mystery".

A great mix of modes – and a set that represents a real turning point in the career of Otis Clay! The rougher edges of Clay's Chicago soul are warmed up here substantially by producer Willie Mitchell – bubbling up some Memphis soul for Otis, in a style that's similar to some of his backings for other singers on the Hi Records label – in a style that makes for a great step forward from Clay's singles of the 60s! The shift is a big one – the sort that helped make Otis one of the standout singers of his generation – really knocking it out of the park on tracks that include "House Ain't A Home", "Slow & Easy", "Born To Be With You", "Home Is Where The Heart Is", "Pussy Footing Around", and "Too Much Mystery".

A great 80s groove single, with a slightly more mainstream soul approach than we'd expect from Began Cekic, but without sacrficing any club appeal!

Features the amazing non-LP b-side "Can-I-Bust" that's got all the energy of the tracks from the "Soul By The Pound" LP and even better vocals plus a dope, rare, appearance by Twilight Tone aka Y-Not with this three-mansions-and-a-yacht rhyming style. Plus a nice and mellow remix of "Soul By The Pound".

The debut album from Tyrone Davis – a supreme achievement for the Chicago soul scene of the late 60s, and a record with a sound that would set the standard for years to come! Tyrone had been bumping around as a blusier singer before this set – but here, working with arrangements by Don Myrick and Willie Henderson, he gets a sound that's sweet and soaring – taking a rough-spirited soul, and recasting it in a sweeter sound for the 70s. Tyrone's not lapsing into bluesy cliches here, and instead keeps things wonderfully soulful by hitting a loping groove that picks up his beat and gives the songs a nice lilt. You can hear this to best effect on the title track "Can I Change My Mind", but all tracks are great – including "She's Looking Good", "Call On Me", "Open The Door To Your Heart", and "Have You Ever Wondered Why?".

The debut album from Tyrone Davis – a supreme achievement for the Chicago soul scene of the late 60s, and a record with a sound that would set the standard for years to come! Tyrone had been bumping around as a blusier singer before this set – but here, working with arrangements by Don Myrick and Willie Henderson, he gets a sound that's sweet and soaring – taking a rough-spirited soul, and recasting it in a sweeter sound for the 70s. Tyrone's not lapsing into bluesy cliches here, and instead keeps things wonderfully soulful by hitting a loping groove that picks up his beat and gives the songs a nice lilt. You can hear this to best effect on the title track "Can I Change My Mind", but all tracks are great – including "She's Looking Good", "Call On Me", "Open The Door To Your Heart", and "Have You Ever Wondered Why?".

A late 70s gem from Tyrone's years on Columbia Records – one that shows both sides of his talents for the label! The set starts out with an extended clubby groover called "Get On Up (Disco)" – a bumping sort of number that's clearly trying to push him into Johnnie Taylor territory, and which comes off surprisingly well. But even better are the rest of the tracks on the set – which update Tyrone's older Brunswick sound with a smoother, more sophisticated sort of style – still recorded in Chicago, and with some southern soul traces – but usually done in a warmer midtempo groove, with excellent lead vocals and great backing from The Haywood Sisters. Titles include "It's You It's You", "Bunky", "All I Ever Need", "I Can't Go On This Way", and "Can't Help But Say".

A quadruple-header of a set – four great albums together in one cool box! First up is the first album from the great Special Edition group of drummer Jack DeJohnette – a wickedly sharp record that's as equally tight on the reeds as it is on the drums! The album features brilliant work on tenor and bass clarinet from David Murray, and equally nice alto from Arthur Blythe – both criss-crossing and soaring out effortlessly in each others' company – amidst complex rhythmic impulses from DeJohnette on drums, and both bass and cello from Peter Warren. Jack also plays a bit of piano and melodica as well – and titles include "One For Eric", "Zoot Suite", "Central Park West", "India", and "Journey To The Twin Planet". On Tin Can Alley, the great Chico Freeman really shines with drummer Jack DeJohnette – lending his tenor, flute, and bass clarinet to the album – and helping make it a really reed-heavy affair! John Purcell's also in the frontline with Chico – playing alto, baritone, and flute – and in addition to Peter Warren's bass and cello, the album Jack DeJohnette also plays drums, congas, piano, and organ too! The range of instrumentation almost echoes some Chicago AACM roots at times – but with that tighter focus that musicians like Jack were bringing to their work at ECM – and titles include "Riff Raff", "The Gri Gri Man", "I Know", and "Pastel Rhapsody". Inflation Blues is a record that bristles with energy right from the start – spurred on by the creative rhythms that have always made Jack DeJohnette one of the most inventive drummers of his time! The group features a triple-threat lineup with Baikida Carroll on trumpet, Chico Freeman on tenor and soprano sax, and John Purcell on alto, baritone, flute, and clarinet – especially nice at points when the reedmen shift and turn with sharp edges learned from the earlier avant years, yet given a nice focus here under DeJohnette's leadership. Jack penned all original tunes for the set, and there's a depth to his writing that really marks a move forward – possibly some of his richest musical statements on record ever! Titles include "Ebony", "Inflation Blues", "Slowdown", and "The Islands". Album Album is a record that really dives deep with a rich mix of creative rhythms and inventive horn lines! The album still has Jack staying true to his more avant roots – working with tenor from David Murray, alto and soprano sax from John Purcell, baritone and tuba from Howard Johnson, and bass from Rufus Reid – a lineup that's a bit bigger than on other Special Edition albums, and which is used to fill in even more colors and deeper elements than before. Some of the tunes are wonderfully vivid in approach – and titles include "Festival", "Third World Anthem", "Zoot Suite", "Ahmad The Terrible", and "New Orleans Strut".

This promo 12" of tracks off Diamond's first LP, was issued at the time of the Hatred, Passions & Infidelities album.

A hip little look at Lee Dorsey's best music of the late 60s and 1970s – and a set that features some really great surprises! The core of the collection is some of Lee's funky work recorded with Allen Toussaint on production, and the Meters helping out in the backing – the kind of gritty New Orleans grooves that forever made Lee one of the leading lights of the Crescent City scene. Later tracks are a bit more polished, but pretty great too – numbers that show an evolution of the original Dorsey groove, often still in the hands of Toussaint. CD features 16 tracks in all – including the great "Radio Commercials", which features 2 numbers recorded for Coke – plus "My Babe", "What Am I Living For", "Sneakin Sally Through The Alley", "Night People", "Behind The 8 Ball", "Great Googa Mooga", "Ya Ya", "You Better Tell Her", "Lonleyology", "Yes We Can", and live versions of "Ride Your Pony", "Lottie Mo", and "Working In The Coal Mine".

A nicely complicated little record – and one of the funkiest albums on the legendary Invictus label! The 8th Day group was a loosely-conceived batch of Detroit soul talents designed to cash in on a concept of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team – and they weren't just a studio project, as they included some wonderful talents that could make some great music when they wanted to! One of these was the amazing Detroit organist Lyman Woodard – who contributed the fantastic track "Cheba" to the album, an incredible organ groover that's unlike anything you've ever heard, rolling on with this pinched Hammond sound over congas, all-instrumental, and completely seductive! Another was Melvin Davis, who had recorded the song "Good Book" as a solo artist – but which was released here as if it was by the group. There's also a great guitarist in the group – unnamed due to the lack of liner notes – but who really shines on the funky tracks "Anythang", "Rocks In My Head", and "Heaven Is There To Guide Us", all with a fuzzed-out Detroit 70s groove! CD features the bonus tracks "Just As Long (single)", "I'm Worried (single)", "It's Instrumental To Be Free", and "You Made Me Over".

A Chicago house classic, taking off on the riff from the Isaac Hayes tune that's been re-edited and mixed as doubles in clubs for ages and turning it into a new club anthem!

One of the crowning moments in the career of Geraldine Hunt – a massive club number with a really righteous groove! "Can't Fake The Feeling" starts with a slower, stomping sort of groove – almost pre-house – then Geraldine works in the vocals with a really majestic touch – never too overblown, always soulful, and with perfect intensity on the hook – foreshadowing the much later style of the New Jersey scene!

Phyllis Hyman's nicely balanced here between the two key sides of her early career at its best – working with straight soul production from Chuck Jackson, and slightly more complicated grooves handled by Norman Connors! The pair really bring a nice sense of balance to the record, and in a way the set may well be one of the deepest that Hyman cut during the 80s – a set that avoids some of the too-classy or too-contemporary modes that later held back her vocals a bit – and which instead goes for all the warmth and sensual soul that first made Phyllis rise to fame during the 70s! There's a gentle glow to the record that really shines through – a sense that even in the studio, working for a label like Arista, Phyllis Hyman could work with the same deep spirits as the more righteous albums of her youth. Titles include "Can't We Fall In Love Again", "I Ain't Asking For Your Love", "Sunshine In My Life", "Don't Tell Me, Tell Her", and "Just Another Face In The Crowd". CD also features 5 bonus tracks too – "You're The One", "In Between The Heartaches", "If You Ever Change Your Mind", "Sleep On It", and "I'm Not Asking You To Stay".

Forget Tina Turner – we'll take Ike's backup singers, who sound great all the way through this collection! The Ikettes may never have had the fame of Tina, but back in the early and mid 60s, they were actually scoring a few more hits – and these recordings for the Modern label represent the group at their height – stepping firmly into righteous soul territory, shaking off any girl group cliches, and avoiding any of the stereotypes that could sometimes mar Ike Turner's projects. There's a really special sound here – one that's got bits of Motown, bits of R&B, and bits of Northern Soul – all wrapped together perfectly and delivered with sock-solid vocals from singers Robbie Montgomery, Jessie Smith, and Venetta Fields. The CD features all the material from the girls' full album for Modern – Soul The Hits – plus loads of other singles and even some unissued tracks! Titles include "Fine Fine Fine", "Camel Walk", "Sally Go Round The Roses", "Cheater", "You're Trying To Make Me Lose My Mind", "I'm So Thankful", "Don't Feel Sorry For Me", "Can't Sit Down Cos I Feel So Good", "Lonely For You", "Sha La La", "It's Been So Long", and "Nobody Loves Me".

Great work from John Lee and Gerry Brown – a pair of fusion stalwarts who added key help to a number of classic 70s sessions for other artists – and got to make a rare few albums like this on their own! Lee's on bass and Brown's on drums, and the pair are in perfect time throughout – working with Skip Drinkwater production, which helps them find even more focus than before, and shake off some of the more jamming aspects of their rock-fusion performances with others – a move that helps them come up with a wonderfully soulful sound in the process – very much in the best Drinkwater soul jazz style of the time! Some cuts have vocals that get nice and soulful – from Donald Smith, CP Alexander, and Tawatha Agee – and titles include the brilliant "Love The Way You Make Me Feel" – plus "Freeze It Up", "Breakin", "Rise On", "Funky Now", "Strut N Get Up", and "Down The Way".

Sublime soul from the mighty Laura Lee – one of the best deep soul singers of the 70s, even though she recorded with the mostly-northern team of Holland Dozier Holland! The set shows that the trio really knew how to change it up after leaving Motown – and although Lee had recorded for Chess in the 60s, she really finds her groove here – mixing southern soul with a dose of 70s funk – all of which really stands out from most of her contemporaries! Laura's voice is sweet and dusky, in the mode of some of the best underground singers of her day – but also rises above the rest, thanks crack arrangements by HB Barnum and Eugene Moore – who mix strings and soul into a stellar blend of styles! Titles include the breakbeat classic "Crums Off The Table", which begins with some great hard drums – plus the cuts "Every Little Bit Hurts", "I Can't Make It Alone", "Mirror Of Your Soul", and "I Need It Just As Bad As You". Features a bonus unedited version of "I Need It Just As Bad As You".

The Groovers definitely earn their name here – coming up with a wicked rocksteady rhythm behind Lloyd's lead vocals and the sweet harmonies that really send the tune home! The Emotions aren't the American group, but have a great Jamaican soul approach on this cut – moving with vocals that are slower than the snapping rhythm of the track – with this sad, heartbreaking quality that really moves us!

Titles include "Over & Over", "Into The Groove", "Holiday", "Everybody", and "Physical Attraction".

Insanely great sounds from the legendary Tim Maia – easily the most soulful singer in 70s Brazil, and an artist with a heck of a strong ear for funk, too! The music here is an incredible hybrid of American soul and Brazilian elements – especially since some lyrics are in English – and the grooves are often mixed together in a sound that's nice and fuzzy around the edges, with some slight psychedelic elements that makes the cuts a perfect fit for this Luaka Bop series! Yet Tim Maia's hardly a guy who can easily fit into any easy slot or series – because as you'll hear on this set, he's got a vibe that's all his own – a really wonderful approach that's different even from some of his hippest contemporaries in Brazil – and which has gone onto have influence on countless other generations of singers and musicians – including his nephew Ed Motta. The package is great – a real visual tribute to the sounds within – and titles include "Que Beleza", "Ela Partiu", "Do Leme Ao Pontal", "Brother Father Mother Sister", "Quer Queira Quer Nao Queira", "Let's Have A Ball Tonight", "I Don't Care", "The Dance Is Over", "Rational Culture", "You Don't Know What I Know", and "Nobody Can Live Forever".

A previously unreleased soul track from the legendary Manzel – a great little number that has a bit more of a soul feel than some of his other work! The track's got a nice raspy vocal in the lead, but it also still has plenty of keyboards too – used in a sly, slinky, slow funk way alongside some trippy chromatic guitar – in a style that makes the tune nicely spacey but still plenty grooving in a laidback way!

A sweetly stepping mid tempo disco groover with a hypnotic, stripped down Euro-disco feel that never veers too heavily into the pulsating sequencer mode or cheesy over-synthesized excess!

A great album of mellow soul tracks from Curtis Mayfield – laidback, slinky, and almost to his earlier work what Let's Get It On was to the early 70s career of Marvin Gaye! The album's got a warm, soulful vibe that's totally great – not as all-out funky or politically righteous as before, and instead more deeply personal, and almost intimate at times – in a way that really lets Curtis open up with those fragile and heartbreaking vocals that made his 60s work so great. The restraint here is totally great – another mid 70s masterpiece from arranger Rich Tufo – and at times, Mayfield hits a similar mode to some of Leroy Hutson's best Curtom work from the time! Titles include "Just Want To Be With You", "All Night Long", "When We're Alone", "I'm Gonna Win Your Love", "Sparkle", "Never Say You Can't Survive", and "Show Me Love".

Sunshine pop from late 60s Florida – a cool little set from Mercy, a group that features a sweet mixture of guy and gal vocals over some nicely gentle rhythms! Production is by Brad Shapiro and Steve Alaimo, but the Warner release of the album seems to give it a cool sort of sophistication too – almost a darker take on more mainstream pop styles of the time, with a wry undercurrent that's hard to describe, but which sets the album apart nicely. Instrumentation includes organ and 12 string guitar underneath the vocals – and titles include "Love Can Make You Happy", "Forever My Love", "The Morning's Come", "Sounds Of Silence", "Love Is Blue", and "Do I Wanna Live My Life With You".

A sparkling debut – and a whole new side of Truth & Soul! The Olympians feature Toby Panzer on keyboards and vibes – and work here with a laidback groove that's totally great – kind of a combination of slow funk and instrumental sweet soul, with mellow beats, El Michels horns, and a really warm sound on the piano! "Stand Tall" is mellow too, but with more of a super-dope feel – quietly tripping grooves with snapping drums, snakey guitar, and more of those great horns over the top!

The long-overdue release of an album that should have been a Neo Soul classic! The team of Otis Cooper and Shugg David recorded this gem of a set back in the mid 90s along with help from longtime friend and producer Raphael Saadiq – but due to shifting priorities at the major label, the set was shelved and is only now finally seeing the light of day! Despite the wait, though, the album bristles with electricity and has a totally fresh sound – bubbling over with the warmth and soul of the best Saadiq production work of the time, and hitting a vibe that's almost in the same mode as his own recent Ray Ray recordings. But even more charming are the talents of Otis & Shugg – two down-to-earth vocalists who work in a style that's nicely free of cliché, and which really shows them setting a tone that would be followed by many other make singers in the Neo Soul years to come. Titles include "Right On Track", "Fantasy", "If You Want It", "My First Mistake", "Round & Round", "Indiana", "This Is My Phone Call", and "Something Inside Of Me".

Easily our favorite album ever by Ann Peebles – not just for the beathead title track, but also because it seems to be the one record where she brings a bit something extra to the studio! The sound is certainly in the classic Hi Records mode here – thanks to production by Willie Mitchell – but there's also a deeper groove overall, a stronger burning bottom, and an all-soul sound to most tracks that goes way beyond simple cliches of southern soul. Ann's vocals are tremendous throughout – sometimes sweet, sometimes mean – and titles include the sublime "I Can't Stand The Rain", plus "Run Run Run", "One Way Street", "You Keep Me Hangin On", and "If We Can't Trust Each Other".

Easily our favorite album ever by Ann Peebles – not just for the beathead title track, but also because it seems to be the one record where she brings a bit something extra to the studio! The sound is certainly in the classic Hi Records mode here – thanks to production by Willie Mitchell – but there's also a deeper groove overall, a stronger burning bottom, and an all-soul sound to most tracks that goes way beyond simple cliches of southern soul. Ann's vocals are tremendous throughout – sometimes sweet, sometimes mean – and titles include the sublime "I Can't Stand The Rain", plus "Run Run Run", "One Way Street", "You Keep Me Hangin On", and "If We Can't Trust Each Other".

Although James Phelps has a deep raw soul voice – he's matched here with some nice uptown arrangements courtesy of Phil Wright, for a sound that's a lot like some of the best solo Ben E. King solo stuff for Atlantic! "Love Is A 5-Letter Word" is a nice slowly-rolling track with a catchy chorus – and "I'll Do The Best" has an uptowny style that's wonderful – really one of those "shoulda been a hit" kind of tunes!

Featuring Mickey Oliver, Ralph Rosario, Pierre and others.

A solid stormer from Benny Poole! "I Can Dig It" has this rumbling Hammond down at the bottom, and some killer sax right up on top – coming across like some great Pee Wee Ellis riff from the JB years! "That's All Right" is another great instrumental – with some wicked conga rattling along to bump up the groove!

A classic batch of Bay Area Brazilian grooves – recorded in the sweet breezy electric style of the Fantasy studios, and featuring the vocals of the lovely Flora Purim in the lead! The session's got a great mix of Brazilian and American fusion players – including Airto (of course!), Ron Carter, George Duke, Egberto Gismonti, Alphonso Johnson, Robertinho Silva, Hermeto Pascoal, and Ndugu Leon Chancler. Pascoal's reed work is a very nice treat, especially over the warm keyboards of George Duke. Purim's voice is as wonderful as ever, and the album's got lots of nice numbers, like "Ina's Song", "Andei (I Walked)", "Time's Lie", and "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly".

Incredible work from a group who've definitely earned their name! Naming a group SOUL might be suicide for a band that can't carry off the groove – but these guys are funky monsters, with a real talent for a hard heavy sound that was rarely matched by other combos. The band have a great drummer, with a good talent for the funky break, but also a jazzy flourish that works well on SOUL's mellower numbers – and apart from the usual bass and guitar riffing, the album also features some great funky flute, in a mode that's similar to some of Jeremy Steig's excellent early work. Some tracks have vocals and some have instrumentals – but the whole album's great, and is an undisputed funky classic. Titles include "Can You Feel It", "Do What Ever You Want To Do", "Peace Of Mind", "Love, Peace & Power", and "My Cherie Amour".

Incredible work from a group who've definitely earned their name! Naming a group SOUL might be suicide for a band that can't carry off the groove – but these guys are funky monsters, with a real talent for a hard heavy sound that was rarely matched by other combos. The band have a great drummer, with a good talent for the funky break, but also a jazzy flourish that works well on SOUL's mellower numbers – and apart from the usual bass and guitar riffing, the album also features some great funky flute, in a mode that's similar to some of Jeremy Steig's excellent early work. Some tracks have vocals and some have instrumentals – and both albums are great! ACE put together both these masterpieces of heavy funky grooves and laid them back to back on one CD of super-heavy funky tracks. The set's a great deal, and both albums are winners all the way through! Tracks include "Down in the Ghetto", "Burning Spear", "Soul", "Tell it Like It Is", "Peace Of Mind", "My Cherie Amour", and "Sleeping Beauty".

A near-perfect album from the great John Surman – recorded at the crossroads of the British jazz scene as it stepped into the 70s, and done with a fullness and focus that Surman hardly matched again! As with some of the other Deram sessions of the time, the album's overflowing with great players from the cream of the British new wave of jazz – including Barre Phillips on bass, Tony Oxley on drums, Alan Skidmore on tenor, Harry Beckett on trumpet, and John Taylor on piano – but despite strong work from the entire ensemble, Surman's work on baritone, soprano, and bass clarinet are a tremendous highlight here – poised between some of Eric Dolphy's most inventive modes on the instruments, and some of the greater changes to come in the European free scene of the 70s! There's a cohesiveness here that's really wonderful – a sound that's never too free, nor too overindulgent – but also not as tightly arranged as on work by some of Surman's contemporaries. Titles include "Caractacus", "Galata Bridge", "Premonition", and the long suite "Event".

Jimmy James has some great bass work going on "I Can't Dance" – a line that dips, turns, and grooves amazingly – all underneath vamping horns that set the stage for Jimmy's excellent vocal – spoken at first, then sung with a raspy, gritty kind of groove! "Waiting At The Station" is slower and more deep soul – a nicely burning number with a southern soul undercurrent that shows off a whole different side of Jimmy's talents!

Amazing work from Timmy Thomas – a southern soulster with a groove like no other! At some level, Timmy shared the bluesy and sweet soul styles of his Miami contemporaries at the TK label – but at another, he had this wild approach that often used bits of electronic percussion, in a primitive drum machine mode that gave his tracks a wonderful future soul sound that was really rare for the time! Timmy's best known for his huge crossover classic "Why Can't We Live Together" – a massive tune that was very much in the Stevie Wonder/Syreeta mode – but this set brings to light a motherlode of Timmy's other work from the time, all steeped in spare organ lines, deep soul vocals, and lightly skipping percussion that makes for a really compelling groove! Titles include "Why Can't We Live Together", "Funky Me", "I've Got To See You Tonight", "You're The Song I Always Wanted To Sing", "What Can I Tell Her", "Sweet Brown Sugar", "People Are Changin", "Ebony Affair", "Dizzy Dizzy World", "Love Shine", "Stone To The Bone", "Freak In Freak Out", "Take Care Of Home", "Fox With The Box", and "Are You Crazy (part 1)".

Featuring Smoothe Da Hustler and DV Alias Khrist.

Amazing work from The Voices Of East Harlem – a group with roots in gospel, but working here in a wonderfully soaring secular soul style – complete with arrangements and production from the legendary Leroy Hutson! The style here is similar to some of Leroy's best work, and that of his contemporaries on Curtom – a sound that's righteous and often funky, but able to hit some sweeter, warmer notes as well. Individual voices step out from the larger ensemble and take key leads on some tracks – and the overall style is simply mindblowing, at a level that makes us easily rank this as one of our favorite soul albums of all time! A must-have album, and one we've treasured for years – with tracks that include "Just Got To Be Myself", "So Rare", "March Across This Land", "Amazing Love", "Take A Stand", and "Can You Feel It".

Rare R&B on a small Chicago label!

Two Arista groovers from Dionne Warwick – back to back on a single CD! How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye has Dionne Warwick stepping out strongly with some great production help from Luther Vandross – who gives the lady a groove that's possibly even tighter than on her other Arista albums, really shaking off some of her more familiar modes, and going for a powerful 80s sound. There's still some good ballads to balance out the upbeat cuts, too – and these really glow with the classy Vandross touch. Titles include "So Amazing", "Got A Date", "I Can Let Go Now", "What Can A Miracle Do", "How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye", and "I Do It Cause I Like It". Friends In Love has Dionne Warwick working in warm, mature territory – a sound that's a bit more like the vibe she explored on her late 70s records – a maturing past the original Bacharach years, with an all-adult style that really works with her voice. Titles include duets with Johnny Mathis on "Got You Where I Want You" and "Friends In Love" – plus "Never Gonna Let You Go", "Can't Hide Love", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "More Than Fascination", "For You", and "A Love So Right".

Very nice spacey soul from the late 70s Columbus, Ohio scene by Norman Whiteside's Wee – a mindblowing mix of jazz funk sophistication, harmony vocals and electric keyboard led psychedelic soul! Whiteside started Wee after the dissolution of Capsoul Records, where he was an important figure to say the least – and here he's working with a great group of Columbus players harmony vocals in the frontline, backed by some great jazzy arrangements, with slight touches of a Mizell groove. Many of the tracks have a mellow midtempo feel, and some really innovative use of electric keyboards and flanged production on the vocals. A fantastic rediscovery from the fertile 70s Ohio scene! This stellar Asterisk reissue of the 9 track original Owl LP extends the tracklist to 20 songs – including a bunch of previously unreleased tracks – with "I'm All Changed", "Alone", "Put It In Real Good", "Leavin You Alone", "Try Me" (album and 45 versions), and "Find Me, Love Me", "Stay", "Trying To Tell You How I Feel", "I Luv You", "Do You Know", "I Think I Am In Love With You" and more. Vinyl version features 1 bonus track – and a really amazing package with a cool insert too!

A totally great boogie track, with an uptempo groove that pops along in an unstoppable roller disco mode with some very soulful vocals by Jean.

Can't get enough of Barry White at this key point in his career – a time when he was stepping from the shadows as one of the most sensuous soul stars of the 70s! The album's a near-perfect effort throughout – a great blend of the soaring strings and funkier rhythms that always made Barry's work so great – topped with vocals that are both sung and spoken, all in a voice that's deeper than deep! Tracks intertwine nicely – almost sharing similar themes at points – and although not penned as a "soul symphony", the album certainly comes across like one. Titles include "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe", "Oh Love Well We Finally Made It", "Mellow Mood (parts 1 & 2)", "You're The First The Las, My Everything", and "I Can't Believe You Love Me".

Can't get enough of Barry White at this key point in his career – a time when he was stepping from the shadows as one of the most sensuous soul stars of the 70s! The album's a near-perfect effort throughout – a great blend of the soaring strings and funkier rhythms that always made Barry's work so great – topped with vocals that are both sung and spoken, all in a voice that's deeper than deep! Tracks intertwine nicely – almost sharing similar themes at points – and although not penned as a "soul symphony", the album certainly comes across like one. Titles include "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love Babe", "Oh Love Well We Finally Made It", "Mellow Mood (parts 1 & 2)", "You're The First The Las, My Everything", and "I Can't Believe You Love Me".

One of the best singles in years from the lovely Nicole Willis – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given how much we always love her work! Both Nicole and The Soul Investigators seem to hit a new level with their work on "Tell Me" – a groove that's more mature than before, and not just raw funk – but instead almost a 70s soul style that's a perfect maturation of both talents! The hook is wonderful – and the style is continued strongly on the slow funky flipside!

A stone killer from OV Wright – a record that's got all the raw, deeply soulful vocals we love in his early work – mixed with some wicked 70s Hi Records production from Willie Mitchell! Imagine an Al Green record, but with rawer vocals, and you've got a good idea of the feel of this one – a perfect setting for OV's massive talent, and a great way for him to reach out to a wider audience too! The sound is impeccable – about as classic as you can get for Hi – and titles include a number of great Willie Mitchell originals – including "I Feel Love Growin", "The Time We Have", and "You Gotta Have Love". The set also includes a nice version of "Trying To Live My Life Without You", too!

Possibly the best-ever collection of blacksploitation grooves we've ever seen – a really comprehensive package that not only manages to cover the classics, but which also digs deep enough to come up with lots of fresh bits too! The set really sets a new level for the Soul Jazz label – and is carried off with enough authority towards Black Action films as the label's legendary efforts towards a host of less mainstream genres – truly an achievement for the label's crew, not to mention a heavier bonus for our funky listening pleasure! There's way more here than just a slapped-together batch of tunes from the early 70s – as the set's very carefully put together to showcase a wide range of sounds, along with notes that really get at the social and political power of both the music and the films. 2CD package features a massive color booklet inside the slipcase – and features 34 tracks that include "Shaft In Africa" by Johnny Pate, "Down & Out In New York City" by James Brown, "Wilford's Gone" by The Blackbyrds, "Run Fay Run" by Isaac Hayes, "Theme From Black Belt Jones" by Dennis Coffey, "Willie Chase" by JJ Johnson, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Charley" by Don Costa, "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch, "Blacula" by Gene Page, "Theme From Cleopatra Jones" by Joe Simon, "Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile" by Isaac Hayes, "Sweetback's Theme" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Aragon" by Roy Ayers, "Strung Out" by Gordon Staples, "Easin In" by Edwin Starr, "The Bus" by Solomon Burke & Gene Page, "Make A Resolution" by The Impressions, "Ed & Digger" by Cotton Comes To Harlem, "Las Vegas Strut" by Jack Ashford, "Lay It On Your Head" by Don Julian, and "Zombie March" by Nat Dove & The Devils.

An essential look at the key years of the Chicago house scene – the time when the city's musicians were carving out a whole new space in sound! Although early house first began as an extension of some of the later modes of disco and 80s club, influences from European post-punk and post-disco work soon crept into the mix, and pushed the Chicago artists to work in a darker, edgier sound that was completely unique! The work from this period is filled with stark, spare electronics – not the cheesy kind that showed up often in New York electro records, but intense analogue bits that had a really dark, dystopic space age sort of quality – laid out over harsh beats and bass, and often presented with no additional vocals at all. For the collection, Soul Jazz do a great job of picking out the best of the early acid house scene in Chicago (the key recordings before the term got picked up overseas, and used to make some very dodgy dance music at the end of the 80s) – and then they go on to pull together some of the best strands of the house revival in Chicago in the early 90s, including key work from the Cajual label. 2 CD set features 17 tracks in all – including "This Is Acid" by Maurice, "Do You Want To Percolate" by The Sweat Boyz, "Beyond The Clouds" by Mr Fingers, "Go Wild Rhythm Track" by Virgo, "Acid Crash" by Tyree, "Dum Dum (part 2)" by Fresh, "Acid Bass" by Roy Davis Jr, "Phuture Jacks" by Phuture, "I've Lost Control" by Sleezy D, "Take Me Higher" by Virgo Four, "Acid Over" by Tyree, "Box Energy" by DJ Pierre, "Video Clash" by Lil Louis, "Explorer" by Green Velvet, "Like This" by Two Of A Kind, "Acid Tracks" by Phuture, and "Downfall" by Armando.

An essential look at the key years of the Chicago house scene – the time when the city's musicians were carving out a whole new space in sound! Although early house first began as an extension of some of the later modes of disco and 80s club, influences from European post-punk and post-disco work soon crept into the mix, and pushed the Chicago artists to work in a darker, edgier sound that was completely unique! The work from this period is filled with stark, spare electronics – not the cheesy kind that showed up often in New York electro records, but intense analogue bits that had a really dark, dystopic space age sort of quality – laid out over harsh beats and bass, and often presented with no additional vocals at all. For the collection, Soul Jazz do a great job of picking out the best of the early acid house scene in Chicago (the key recordings before the term got picked up overseas, and used to make some very dodgy dance music at the end of the 80s) – and then they go on to pull together some of the best strands of the house revival in Chicago in the early 90s, including key work from the Cajual label. 2LP set features 8 tracks in all – including "This Is Acid" by Maurice, "Do You Want To Percolate" by The Sweat Boyz, "Beyond The Clouds" by Mr Fingers, "Go Wild Rhythm Track" by Virgo, "Acid Crash" by Tyree, "Dum Dum (part 2)" by Fresh, "Acid Bass" by Roy Davis Jr, and "Phuture Jacks" by Phuture.

An essential look at the key years of the Chicago house scene – the time when the city's musicians were carving out a whole new space in sound! Although early house first began as an extension of some of the later modes of disco and 80s club, influences from European post-punk and post-disco work soon crept into the mix, and pushed the Chicago artists to work in a darker, edgier sound that was completely unique! The work from this period is filled with stark, spare electronics – not the cheesy kind that showed up often in New York electro records, but intense analogue bits that had a really dark, dystopic space age sort of quality – laid out over harsh beats and bass, and often presented with no additional vocals at all. For the collection, Soul Jazz do a great job of picking out the best of the early acid house scene in Chicago (the key recordings before the term got picked up overseas, and used to make some very dodgy dance music at the end of the 80s) – and then they go on to pull together some of the best strands of the house revival in Chicago in the early 90s, including key work from the Cajual label. 2LP set features 9 tracks in all – including "I've Lost Control" by Sleezy D, "Take Me Higher" by Virgo Four, "Acid Over" by Tyree, "Box Energy" by DJ Pierre, "Video Clash" by Lil Louis, "Explorer" by Green Velvet, "Like This" by Two Of A Kind, "Acid Tracks" by Phuture, and "Downfall" by Armando.

An under-discovered treasure trove of southern soul – incredible early 70s work from the Sounds Of Memphis label – arguably a hipper imprint than Stax Records at the time! Sounds Of Memphis, and related XL imprint, were a perfect showcase for the growing sophistication in southern soul at the time – the generation of artists who were shaking off the cliches of soul that played big with crossover crowds in the 60s, but which were holding back development of the music in the following decade. The styles here are every bit as rootsy as before, but they offer up new sounds, new styles, new subjects, and new singers – plus some older artists who shine even more brightly in this setting. The package is a great counterpart to the other Sounds Of Memphis set on Kent – that based on Barbara & The Browns – and the production, presentation, and care of this set is every bit as great as that one. Titles include "I Can't Be Satisfied" by Spencer Wiggins, "Last Mile Of The Way" by The Minits, "You're Welcome Back" by Ann Hodge, "Tell Him Tonight" by Rudolph Taylor, "Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Love" by Lou Roberts, "Talking About The Love I Have For You" by George Jackson, "Hook Like & Sinker" by Dan Greer, "You Can Lead Your Woman To The Altar" by William Bollinger, "Take It From Someone Who Knows" by The Ovations, "California Dreamin" by The Jacksonians, "Let the Movement Last" by Vision, and "Play Thing (alt mix)" by Barbara & The Browns.