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A killer start to the 80s for the Dazz Band – with great tunes in a funky mode as well as more measured group soul numbers – and it all adds up one of their best albums ever! Tunes like the opener "Shake It", plus "Shake It Up" and "Magnetized" bring the funkier vibes – with a vamping guitar, thumping bass groove, punchy horns, and top notch vocals from the group – while tunes like the title track and "Beyond The Horizon" have a more soaring arrangement of horns and some strings,still with an impeccable core groove. It's not as smoothed out in the production booth as some of their later grooves of the 80s – a total gem! Other titles include " Skate Lovers", "Carry On", "Do It Again", "Do It Again", "Sooner Or Later" and "Beyond The Horizon".

Dazz Band keep it plenty live on this early 80s gem – a killer set from the group's hit run for Motown! The set's got a bouncy groove that's very much in the best Motown funk style at the time – lots of bass at the bottom, and plenty tight on production – but never as smooth or commercial as work from a few years later. The group balance things out well with a few mellower cuts – numbers that still have some sort of a groove, but one that's a bit more laidback, and which shows they're not just a funk-driven outfit. Titles include the massive hit "Let It Whip" – plus "Gamble With My Love", "Just Can't Wait 'Till The Night", "Shake What You Got", "Keep It Live", and "Let Me Love You Until".

Dazz Band keep it plenty live on this early 80s gem – a killer set from the group's hit run for Motown! The set's got a bouncy groove that's very much in the best Motown funk style at the time – lots of bass at the bottom, and plenty tight on production – but never as smooth or commercial as work from a few years later. The group balance things out well with a few mellower cuts – numbers that still have some sort of a groove, but one that's a bit more laidback, and which shows they're not just a funk-driven outfit. Titles include the massive hit "Let It Whip" – plus "Gamble With My Love", "Just Can't Wait 'Till The Night", "Shake What You Got", "Keep It Live", and "Let Me Love You Until". CD also features the bonus track "Let It Whip (12" version)".

Titles include "Cheek To Cheek", "On The One For Fun", "Stay Awhile With Me", "Nice Girls", and "A Love Song".

The Dazz Band may be wild and free in the title, but the album's tighter than ever – a lean, focused approach to the Dazz Band sound – done here with loads of 80s production and instrumentation in the mix! The rhythms are heavy with drum machine lines – often mixed with keyboard bits and swirled together with a sound that's even more crossover than some of the group's earlier work. Vocals often take a back seat to the grooves – but on the ballads they shine through nicely, and remind us of the group's roots. Titles include "The Beat That's Right", "Wild & Free", "Love MIA", "Sunglasses", "Something You Said", and "Time Will Heal A Broken Heart". CD features bonus tracks – "Wild & Free (ext dance rmx)", "Last Chance For Love", "Love MIA (house mix)", and "A Place In My Heart".

A pair of killers – back to back on a single CD! First up is the killer debut from the Dazz Band – issued way back when they were named Kinsman Dazz, and when "dazz" was a reference to the fact that the group could play both dance music and jazz! That jazzy element is definitely in place here – as the set's got lots of hip instrumental touches over the core funky grooves – produced with some great help from Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson, who bring in a bit of Earth Wind & Fire vibe – and set to some larger arrangements from Patrice Rushen, who ups the jazzy quotient too! But the core sound of the group is what really drives the album – a well-crafted batch of Ohio funky numbers that step along with the best of their generation – on titles that include "Makin Music", "Forget About Lovin You", "Get Down With the Feelin", "Stand In Your Way", "And I Mean", and "Dazzberry Jam". On the Dazz album, Kinsman Dazz are even funkier here than before – showing off their Ohio roots, and pointing the way towards the classic Dazz Band sound they'd forge in the 80s! Rhythms are very tight throughout – but still often touched with the jazzy elements that made the group so great in their early years – echoing a bit of an Earth Wind & Fire sound, as Philip Bailey's on board to help a bit with arrangements and background vocals. The whole thing's great – a super-tight record without any filler at all – and titles include "I Searched Around", "Love Design", "Keep On Rockin", "Can't Get Enough", "Dancin Free", and the wonderful "Catchin Up On Love", a spacey harmony track with a really anthemic sound!

A killer start to the 80s for the Dazz Band – with great tunes in a funky mode as well as more measured group soul numbers – and it all adds up one of their best albums ever! Tunes like the opener "Shake It", plus "Shake It Up" and "Magnetized" bring the funkier vibes – with a vamping guitar, thumping bass groove, punchy horns, and top notch vocals from the group – while tunes like the title track and "Beyond The Horizon" have a more soaring arrangement of horns and some strings,still with an impeccable core groove. It's not as smoothed out in the production booth as some of their later grooves of the 80s – a total gem! Other titles include " Skate Lovers", "Carry On", "Do It Again", "Do It Again", "Sooner Or Later" and "Beyond The Horizon". CD includes the bonus track single version of "Invitation Of Love".

Classic work from Brick – a group who went onto become surprisingly successful during the 70s with a hot Atlanta blend of funky soul and uptempo club grooves. The group has a feel that would be taken up heavily a few years later by LA funk combos – particularly those on the Solar label – and their style of slicking up funky licks into a tightly compressed sound was obviously a bit hit with the kids of their generation, and hip hop sample heads in years to come. This 12 track greatest hits set includes the classic g-funk number "Dusic", plus "Music Magic", "Dazz", "Good High", "Free Happy", "We Don't Wanna Sit Down, We Wanna Get Down", and "Living From The Mind".

A killer debut from Brick – the start of a massive run at the end of the 70s, a time when the group was easily one of the biggest acts to come out of the up-and-coming Atlanta scene! Like some other Atlanta acts of the time, Brick had a way of fusing older funky soul on a tighter modern groove – coming up with a sound that was nice and lean – perfect for these key transitional years of funk – with influences that were felt for years, in places as far away as the west coast! Case in point is the album's classic "Dazz" – one of those cuts that never gets old – nestled nicely in a lineup that also includes "Music Matic", "Here We Come", "Good High", "Brick City", and "Sister Twister".

A warm, easygoing and sprawling 2CD set from the Expansion and Jazz FM team – the third and best yet in their Funky Sensation series – with both hits and relatively underappreciated numbers! It's wonderful stuff all the way – and well chosen by Mike Vitti & Ralph Tee – with full-length treasures by Roy Ayers, Rick James, Cameo, Rene & Angela, Willie Hutch, Dazz Band, Charles Earland, Teen Marie and The Gap Band to name but a few. What we love about the Funky Sensation series is the sort of informal, unfussy vibe. It's not so much about shining a lot on particular labels, producers or well-defined scene – and very much about simply putting together some sensationally funky, jazzy and soulful music, nearly all of it from the mid 70s to early 80s, together in a generous double-sized set! 26 tracks on 2CDs – and over 150 minutes of music. Includes "Running Away" by Roy Ayers, "Circles" by Atlantic Starr, "Now That We Found Love" by Third World, "So Fine" by Howard Johnson, "Man Power" by Lalomie Washburn, "I Believe In Miracles" by The Jackson Sisters, "I Need Your Lovin'" by Teena Marie, "I'l Be Good" by Rene & Angela, "Get It Up For Love" by Tata Vega, "Outstanding" by The Gap Band, "Let The Music Play" by Charles Earland and many more.

Two sweet reggae covers – both of them great! Derrick Harriott takes on the Dazz Band classic "Let It Whip" – but gives the tune a sweet rolling groove that's quite different than the original – still a "whip" in the beat, but with a gentle vibe that really unlocks a new sort of energy in the cut! "Juicy Fruit" is a tune you might know from Mtume – but it gets a stepping remake here that's mighty nice – a bit rougher around the edges than the original, yet in ways that somehow make the lyrics even more charming than ever!

A wonderful 70s set from Herbie Mann – and one that features some heavy help from P&P maestro Patrick Adams! The album's more of an Adams-directed affair than the usual Herbie set – as Adams produced and arranged all the tracks, and really takes Mann in the direction of a hip late 70s dancefloor! Rhythms are upbeat and lively – the best side of 70s disco – and there's still plenty of room for Herbie's flute to solo over the top, even though the cuts also feature added keyboards from Adams and Leroy Burgess, plus some occasional vocal choruses as well. Titles include a remake of Celi Bee's "Superman", plus "Etagui", "Jisco Dazz", "Django", "Body Oil", "Rock Freak", and "Stomp Your Feet".

Amazing grooves from Dazzle – disco at the start, but a lot more righteous too – thanks to some great keyboards in the mix! "Explain" is worth the price of the single alone – fast bassline at the start, then these spacey keys that only get better as the track moves on – soloing in these cool moogy ways that give the tune a great cosmic groove! "In The Disco" follows up with similar energy – and "Play It" is great too – both tracks with vocals, but plenty of keyboards and a really great sound!

Man, these guys never seem to miss – and always come up with some great little tunes that snap along in a really compelling way! This album might be easy to overlook in favor of the band's bigger classics, but it's a stone winner all the way through – with a number of tunes that groove on beautifully with tight hooks, skipping beats, warm vocals, and that beautifully compressed production style that always gave Heatwave a sound that slide perfectly into an AM soul radio groove. And sure, there's a few hooks here that feel like they're "borrowed" from some of the bigger hits – but they work wonderfully as a reprise of greatness, and keep us half stepping into the album even more. Titles include "Razzle Dazzle", "Eyeballin'", "Raise A Blaze", "First Day Of Snow", "One Night Tan", "All Talked Out", "Disco", and "Therm Warfare". The Big Break UK remastered edition ahs 5 bonus tracks: "Birthday (7" Version)", "Eyeballin' (US 12" Disco Version)", "One Night Tan (US 7" Version)", "Therm Warfare (UK 7" Version)" and "Birthday" (US 12" Version)".

Titles include "Me & My Baby", "Ten Percent", "Loopin The Loop", "Class", and "Razzle Dazzle".

One of the most obscure Stylistics albums of the 70s – a smooth late 70s modern soul effort, headed up by group soul maestro Teddy Randazzo! Teddy wrote, arranged, and produced the whole set – and the record nicely links together older group harmony styles, especially 60s uptown soul mode, with the more modern approaches that were appearing in the wake of the early 70s super-hit status of The Stylistics and other groups on the scene. The result is an approach that's more mature than the group's earlier work – still sweetly soulful, but also more confident and mature. Titles include "First Impressions", "You're The Best Thing In My Life", "Looking At Love Again", "I Can't Stop Lovin", and "California Sun".

A wicked little collection that really lives up to its name – a set that's filled with warmth and good energy throughout – not to mention a great array of overlooked soul tracks too! Most of the numbers here are lesser-known gems from the late 70s and early 80s – upbeat, but not in a disco way – and usually somewhere in a space between modern soul and boogie, which works perfectly for the positive vibes of the tunes! There's a soaring feel that definitely takes off from an Earth Wind & Fire sort of style – and although most of the artists here are familiar, you'll really be surprised at the tracks chosen for the set. Titles include "Love Vibes" by The Emotions, "Something On Your Mind" by Melba Moore, "Razzle Dazzle" by Heatwave, "Better Things" by Sylvia St James, "Riding" by Michael Henderson, "Can You See Where I'm Coming From" by Instant Funk, "All In The Way You Get Down" by Ray Parker Jr & Raydio, "Sweet Fire" by Mighty Fire, "Here I Am" by Dynasty, "No One" by Flakes, "Love Is Such A Crazy Thing" by The Spinners, "Wonderful" by GQ, and "When I'm Dancin" by Lenny Williams.

Harmony heaven – a pair of Little Anthony & The Imperials albums together in a single set, with some sweet bonus tracks too! On A New Street is wonderful work from Little Anthony – and a great update to his smooth 60s harmony sound with The Imperials! Anthony wisely employs the use of two of 70s top harmony arrangers on the album – using Thom Bell on one side, and Teddy Randazzo on the other – both of whom really help take the group to a whole new level! The Thom Bell material fits perfectly with his work with The Stylistics from the same time, and the cuts have a wonderfully mellow east coast harmony style that's quite different than Anthony's earlier work. Teddy Randazzo does a pretty nice job, too – but with a fuller sound too, almost in a Manhattans mode that makes for a nice change from the previous fragility of Anthony's vocals. Titles include "I Don't Have Time To Worry", "That's What Love is All About", "I'm Falling In Love with You", "Heartache Never Entered My Mind", and "The Loneliest House on the Block". Also features an alternate take on "La La La At The End". Hold On has Little Anthony & The Imperials really hitting some great Philly modes – working with help from Tony Bell and Phil Hurtt, and getting lots of sweet backing from the Sigma Studio team – all in a mode that rivals some of the bigger soul group work of the 70s! The vibe's got a bit of Spinners in the mix, but still also holds on to the more fragile style that made The Imperials so great – especially on the mellower cuts, which have Anthony's voice cracking in that completely wonderful, very human way. But like Eddie Holman on Salsoul, he can also really shine on the clubbier cuts too – and the blend makes for a mighty compelling album from the group! Titles include "Hold On", "You Are The World To Me", "Promise Me", "I've Got To Let You Go", and "Back Where You Belong". CD also features some bonus cuts – "Hold On (stereo single mix)", "I've Got To Let You Go (stereo single)", "I've Got To Let You Go (stereo)", and "I've Got To Let You Go (mono short version)".

One of the greatest spy soundtracks of the 60s – a very groovy batch of tracks written for Stefanie Powers' brief TV show, The Girl From UNCLE! The music here is better than the male version of the UNCLE franchise – hip 60s spy themes, done in a groovy style for the television audience – often a cool blend of swirling strings, jazzy orchestrations, and some very hip rhythms! Dave Grusin penned the music, and Teddy Randazzo arranged – bringing his 60s soul background into the work in a really great way – emphasizing the grooves even more than on other records of this nature, in a way that's made the set very sought after in the crate-digging scene. There's plenty of nice 60s elements – keyboards, wordless vocals, funky flute, and other hip effects – and titles include "Movin On", "Out Of The Frying Pan", "The Girl From UNCLE", "Sneaky Search", "The Countess", and "Bomb Scare".

Two different sides of Louie Vega – served up to show his rich work for the King Street Records label over the years! CD one features a continuous mix by Louie – one that brings his talents for a dancefloor vibe to the works of other contemporaries – as Vega mixes together their grooves with some of his own – in an extended mix that includes "Vega 1" by Louie Vega, "Gypsyman" by Dazzle Drums, "Seasons Of Love (Blaze club mix)" by Blaze, "Goodbye Love (Alix Alvarez SC fly dub)" by DJ Roland Clark presents Urban Soul, "Found Him (Kerri Chandler Koaz dub)" by Studio Apartment, "Stargazer" by K-Scope, "Inhale" by Mood II Swing, "Where The Music Takes You (Teddy Douglas re-edit)" by Ananda Project, "Transitions" by Dennis Ferrer, and lots lots more – 25 tracks in all. CD two features work of Louie's own – or key mixes for other artists, in which Vega really transforms their sound with the same sort of warmth and soul he brough to his Masters At Work productions! These cuts include "Give It Up (MAW club)" by Rain/A Lil Louis Painting, "Cassio's Theme" by Groove Box, "Vega 3" by Louie Vega, "Hold On (Louie's MAW club)" by 95 North, "Lovery (Louie Vega dance ritual remix)" by Tuccillo & Kiko Navarro, "Souffles H (King Street club mix)" by Mondo Grosso, and "Here With My Best Friend (dance ritual mix)" by Stephanie Cooke.

One of the dreamiest sets of sound library tunes we've ever heard – a sampling of work from the De Wolfe Sound Library, with a sound that's different than most other compilations of this type! While most sound library compilations focus on the funkier or beat-heavy tracks, this great little gem goes for the groovy and jazzy numbers – and picks the best of De Wolfe's light and breezy output, including some killer bossa and soundtrack-type cuts. There's a really jazz feel to the whole set – no surprise, as many of the talents were actual recording jazz players themselves, simply working in the studio for De Wolfe in order to bring in a little extra cash. The whole thing's great – really overflowing with great numbers that will show you that the sound library scene is still wonderfully under-tapped! Titles include "Gentle Soul", "Sandy", and "Dazzle" by Roger Webb; "Red Spanish Onions" by David Goykovich, "Boat Race" by Ludovic Decosne, "Holiday Job" by Simon Haseley, "Big Incentive" by Reg Tilsley, and "Up & Away" by P Kass.

One of the dreamiest sets of sound library tunes we've ever heard – a sampling of work from the De Wolfe Sound Library, with a sound that's different than most other compilations of this type! While most sound library compilations focus on the funkier or beat-heavy tracks, this great little gem goes for the groovy and jazzy numbers – and picks the best of De Wolfe's light and breezy output, including some killer bossa and soundtrack-type cuts. There's a really jazz feel to the whole set – no surprise, as many of the talents were actual recording jazz players themselves, simply working in the studio for De Wolfe in order to bring in a little extra cash. The whole thing's great – really overflowing with great numbers that will show you that the sound library scene is still wonderfully under-tapped! Titles include "Gentle Soul", "Sandy", and "Dazzle" by Roger Webb; "Red Spanish Onions" by David Goykovich, "Boat Race" by Ludovic Decosne, "Holiday Job" by Simon Haseley, "Big Incentive" by Reg Tilsley, and "Up & Away" by P Kass.