All Categories — CDs  

Essential peak solo material from Diana – her aptly self-titled set from 1976, showing Ms. Ross stretching out stylistically with incredible style and with beautiful vocals! Diana '76 is among her best work of the 70s – and that's saying something! It opens with the gorgeous "Theme From Mahogany" – and given that this album's release was timed well with the movie, you could be forgiven to think it could be a quickie product to ride the film's commercial coattails. Not at all! In fact, this album is a major creative triumph – songs ranging from elegant balladry, to jazzy soul, to sultry disco. It's one of those rare few cases in which a great artists covers miles of stylistic territory and reins it all into a consistent whole. We always loved this album, but re-approaching after all these years, we think it's a real masterpiece! Titles include "Theme From Mahogany", "You're Good My Child", "Love Hangover", "Kiss Me Now", "After You", "Smile", "One Love In My Lifetime", and "I Thought It Took A Little Time". The folks at Motown/Hip-O Select are giving it the masterpiece love for this 2CD edition – with the original album plus 9 bonus tracks on Disc 1 – plus 15 more bonus tracks on Disc 2! Bonus tracks include non-album singles "Sorry Doesn't Always Make It Right (Single Version)" and "Together (Single Version)", single and alternate versions of the best album tracks, rare, unreleased sessions material that include a sweet cover of Elton John's "Harmony", "Go Where Your Mind Is", "Le Lo Li" and much more, plus an interview with Diana. 33 tracks on 2CDs plus a nice booklet..

One of the more righteous albums from the early years of Diana Ross' solo career – a set that really has her moving past the familiar Motown groove of previous years, into a vibe that really shows the label's new California influence! The tracks here often feature expansive arrangements that mix soul and larger orchestrations – arranged by Gene Page, James Carmichael, Gil Askey, and Michael Randall – all of whom preserve the class that Diana's always had in her music, while still also opening things up to some of the more thoughtful elements of 70s soul. The album includes a nice medley of Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus a version of "Imagine", and the tracks "Leave A Little Room", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "All Of My Life", and "Touch Me In The Morning". Expanded CD version is amazing, too! CD 1 features the full original album, plus 5 more previously unreleased bonus tracks – alternate versions of "Touch Me In The Morning", "All Of My Life", "Leave A Little Room", and "We Need You". Then, CD 2 features the stunning To The Baby album – a previously unreleased effort that's appearing here for the first time ever, really continuing the vibe of Touch Me In The Morning! Titles include "A Wonderful Guest", "Young Mothers (alt)", "Part Of You", "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "To The Baby", "A Wonderful Guest", "Imagine/Save The Children", and "Brown Baby (alt)" – plus two more bonus tracks, "When We Grow Up" and "Kewpie Doll".

A record that might be easy to write this off as a mistake or inessential session – but thanks to some great arrangements by HB Barnum, Paul Riser, and Gene Page, plus great vocals by the groups, the record shines as much as any other Motown set from the time! The vocals are traded back and forth nicely between the groups – with the guys dominating some moments, the gals others, but never in a kitschy way. Includes a lot of Motown standards redone – like "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Try It Baby", "I Second That Emotion", and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" – but also includes a tasty version of "Funky Broadway", which has some great fuzzy guitar work!

Diana Ross gets some great assistance on this set – the club classic team of Ashford & Simpson, who help give Diana a groove that's very much like their own great work of the time! Tunes are long and clubby, but never throwaway pop disco – and with Ashford & Simpson at the helm, Diana Ross sounds better here than on most of her other late 70s work! There's a tight-stepping groove to most numbers – never too fast, and exploding with that fuller soulful undercurrent we love so much in Ashford & Simpson. Titles include "No One Gets The Prize", "The Boss", "All For One", "I Ain't Been Licked", "It's My House", "Sparkle", and "Once In The Morning". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "The Boss (12" rmx)" and "It's My House (promo only 12" mix)".

A mid 70s winner from Ashford & Simpson – one of their earlier efforts, and a record that finds them fleshed out as a top notch act of their end – even if it'd be yeas before they'd net the kind of huge chart success that they deserved! Come As You Are is filled with solid soul with a sophisticated, expertly spun approach to production and arranging around the duo vocals – and the first rate songwriting that they'd provided for huge Motown stars like Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. A couple tracks move more towards a dancefloor soul vibe that's pretty wonderful, and doesn't compromise the intimate soul vocals at the center. Titles include "It'll Come, It'll Come, It'll Come", "One More Try", "Believe In Me", "Caretaker", "Somebody Told A Lie", "Tell It All", "Sell The House" and "It Came To Me". This CD edition includes a couple remixes of the most club soul styled tune "One More Try" – the 12" disco mix plus a longer Dimitri re-edit!

Thelma Houston's first album for Motown – and the start of a tremendous run of music in the 70s! The set's a great mix of modes – with vocals from Thelma that definitely show her roots in gospel – and rich, mature backings that give Houston the same sort of star treatment that Diana Ross would get during her early solo years – or which Dionne Warwick was getting over at Warner! Like the latter, Thelma's got a great way of being smooth, yet still keeping it real – and the set sparkles with warm soulful backings by Artie Butler, Gene Page, and Michael O'Martian. Tracks include "What If", "Black California", "Blackberries", "And I Never Did", "And I Thought You Loved Me", "There Is A God", and "I'm Letting Go". CD features an insane amount of bonus tracks – 9 more numbers from singles and non-LP tracks – with titles that include "Nothing Left To Give", "I Ain't Going Nowhere", "No One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever", "Pick Of The Week", "I Want To Go Back There Again", and "I'm Just A Part Of Yesterday".

Groovy late 60s work from Diana Ross & The Supremes – a record that has them breaking the Motown mold a bit, and hooking up with a nice variety of modder soul and pop modes! Tracks on the set include a few Motown-penned numbers, but the trio also tackle hits like "Everyday People", "Hey Western Union Man", "Let The Music Play", and a great Hair-inspired medley of "Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In"! But the Motown material here is almost even better – and titles include the slightly funky "No Matter What Sign You Are", which has a nice kick in the bottom – as well as "Discover Me", "The Composer", and "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted".

One of the later Supremes albums with Diana Ross as the headliner – and the final Supremes album with Holland-Dozier-Holland pulling the strings – and led of by the incredible title track! "Reflections" is a straight up incredible tune – one of those late 60s Motown production that allowed some of the sunshine and leftfield touches of the Pet Sounds era bubble underneath – and the huge, glorious chorus you'll be humming forever. Load of the slowbuilding hooks on this one – with tracks that include "Forever Came Today", "I Can't Make It Alone", "In And Out Of Love", "Bah-Bah-Bah", "What The World Need Now Is Love", "Up, Up And Away", "Then", "Misery Makes It's Home In My Heart" and "Ode To Billy Joe".

A great little solo set from Jean Terrell – a singer who's probably best known for her work as the leader of The Supremes after Diana Ross left the group, but who sounds even better here on her own! The album's still got the strong-voiced sound that Jean brought to her Motown years – but the production is smoother and more in a Philly mode, thanks to production and arrangements from Bobby Martin – who pushes Jean into the more sophisticated style that worked perfectly for the hipper ladies of the late 70s. The songwriting on the record is really great too – with plenty of adult soul numbers by Hanks & Grey, who really push the level of the lyrics up a few notches more than usual. Titles include "I Had To Fall In Love", "Rising Cost Of Love", "Change Up", "How Can You Live Without Love", and "No Limit".

Ashford & Simpson recorded plenty of great work on their own, but they were also a tremendous pair of songwriters – and had a way of penning can't-miss work that sounded great in just about anyone's hands! This collection is great testament to that fact – as it starts with gems the duo first wrote back in their early Motown days, then quickly moves up to their late 70s fame, and the way they had a major impact on the dancefloor. The tracks here are often quite familiar, but the actual recordings are sometimes obscure – lesser-known takes on some of Ashford & Simpson's best numbers, laid out back to back as proof of their genius talent for a groovy soul tune. Titles include "Top Of The Stairs" by Collins & Collins, "Keep It Coming" by Tata Vega, "Rough Times" by Angela Bofill, "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, "Bourgie Bourgie" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Have You Ever Tried It" by The Main Ingredient, "I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is" by Blinky, "It's In There" by Jennifer Holiday, "Clouds" by Chaka Khan, "Over & Over" by Sylvester, "Hit & Run Lover" by The Dynamic Superiors, "The Boss (ext club)" by Diana Ross, "Is It Still Good To Ya" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Keep It Coming" by Tata Vega, and "Keep Away Girls" by Stephanie Mills.

The sounds of the sixties – but way more than you might expect! There's definitely a few hits here, but most of the tracks are more unusual numbers too – presented here in a unique British twist on the 60s that not only includes some tracks that played big there, but not over here – and a whole host of collectable numbers that have come to represent the decade in some folks' eyes – even if the tunes only hit bigger fame in more recent years! So what does all that mean? It means you get a rich blend of rock, soul, and vocal numbers – both from the US and UK, in styles that run from mod to swinging to soulful to trippy! 46 tracks in all – including "We're In This Thing Together" by The Carrolls, "My Conversation" by The Uniques, "Night Life" by Willie Nelson, "You Can't Do That" by Nilsson, "No Matter What Sign You Are" by Diana Ross & The Supremes, "I Close My Eyes & Count To Ten" by Dusty Springfiel, "Sukiyaki" by Kyo Sakamoto, "That Means A Lot" by PJ Proby, "Hole In My Shoe" by Traffic, "Super Girl" by Graham Bonney, "Move In A Little Closer" by Harmony Grass, "Run Baby Run" by The Newbeats, "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby" by Justine Washington, "No Need To Explain" by Flamma Sherman, "Some Other Guy" by Richie Barrett, "Head Over Heels" by Mike Rabin & The Demons, and "I'm A Lover Not A Fighter" by The Brand.

11 tracks by Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson, Commodores, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross.

32 classic tracks by the Temptations – wrapped up on two CDse that celebrates their 25 years for Motown! Titles include "Get Ready", "I Can't Get Next to You", "Cloud Nine", "Just My Imagination", "Come To Me", "Soulmate", "Since I Lost My Baby", "So Much Joy", "I Want A Love I Can See", "My Girl", "Heavenly", "Papa Was A Rolling Stone (live)", "Hellow Young Lovers", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me (with Diana Ross & The Supremes)", and "Ol Man River".

A musical document of an amazing moment in the New York scene – the late 80s/early 90s wave of vogue balls – which were almost a collision of club culture with high fashion! There was a particularly rich gender-bending element to the vogue scene – and the music that accompanied it was a key part of that activity – tracks that had already risen to fame in crossover clubs from previous years, taken to new heights by DJs who provided music along with the voguing activity – in a great array of grooves from the disco years through early house music, brought together in ways that made 80s musical evolution make a heck of a lot of sense! The compilation album is a companion to the excellent book of the same name – also by Soul Jazz – and this 3CD version features tracks that include "Moment Of My Life" by Inner Life, "The Ha Dance (Ken/Lou mixx)" by Masters At Work, "Just Like A Queen (share the throne mix)" by Ellis D, "Is It All Over My Face" by Loose Joints, "Body Drill" by 2 Body's, "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross, "The Witch Doctor (dark ages mix)" by Armand Van Helden, "Break 4 Love (Spanish fly mix)" by Raze, "Din Daa Daa" by George Kranz, "X (Sound Factory mix)" by Junior Vazquez, "Love Is The Message (Tom Moulton mix)" by MFSB, "Cunty (party mix)" by Rageous Projecting Keven Aviance, "Love Thang" by First Choice, "This Brutal House" by Nitro Deluxe, "Ooh I Love It (Love Break)" by Salsoul Orchestra, and "Deep In Vogue (Banjie Realness mix)" by Malcolm McLaren. Also includes a limited bonus mix CD by Junior Vazquez – and a booklet and cool set of postcards!

A pair of overlooked gems from 70s singer/songwriter Marty Cooper – an artist who definitely leans towards the country side of the spectrum, but also comes across with more of a mellow rock feel too! A Minute Of Your Time is a 1972 set for the Barnaby label – one that beautifully mixes Cooper's raspy vocals with tunes that run from country twang to jazzier lines – especially on the tunes that feature sweet electric piano, and a bit less acoustic guitar. There's a knowing wink to some of these tunes – almost an echo of Lee Hazlewood, although Marty's a lot more sincere – and titles include "The Indiana Girl", "I Wrote A Song", "Mama Was A Cowgirl", "Cowboys & Daddies", and "To Say Goodbye To Anne". If You Were A Singer is a German-only album from the end of the 70s – but one that has Marty Cooper still working in the best mellow modes of his earlier work – kind of a commentary on country music and country ideals, nestled in a style that's real enough to have appeal to the mainstream it's commenting on. Titles include "Wine Wine Wine", "Stephen", "Like A Gypsy", "A Second Hand Song", and "Ten Dollar Room". CD features one bonus track – the previously unissued "The Biplane Evermore".

Three hard-grooving records from late 60s Motor City rockers SRC – self-titled, Milestones and Traveler's Tales – together in a 2CD set! The debut is straight-up one of the greatest rock albums to come out of Detroit in the 60s – even if these guys aren't as well known as The Stooges or MC5! There's a similar brilliance here, though – a heady brew of ripping guitars, burning Hammond, and massively pounding drums – all recorded with a slightly garagey edge and expansively searching quality that stretches things out without overindulging in too much jamming. There's also a really dark feel to the record too – one that has the same sense of danger and urgency as SRC's bigger contemporaries, yet never sounds forced. Titles include "Onesimpletask", "Daystar", "Exile", "Marionette", "Black Sheep", and "Refugeve". Milestones is the wickedly tight follow-up – with perfectly blended guitar, keyboards, and snapping drums – and the kind of a record that should have made them much bigger players at the time! Includes their jamming take on "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" in a medley with "Bolero" – plus the cuts "Checkmate", "The Angel Song", "No Secret Destination", "Eye Of The Storm", and "Show Me". The group had some lineup changes for Traveler's Time, but the lumbering rhythms and heavy organ grooves are as solid as ever! Titles include "Street Without A Name", "By Way Of You", "Diana", "Across The Land Of Light", "The Offering" and more. One bonus track: "My Fortune's Coming True".