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Killer stuff – and probably the best record ever by this Chicago soul group! The record's got a full batch of original tracks written and produced by the group's mentor, Curtis Mayfield – including their amazing, funk steeped version of "Don't Change Your Love", with a breakbeat that lit up the sampler culture for years! That raw drum sound is in effect on even the more delicate numbers, and the lead vocals and harmonies soar or sink deep to the soul, as the groove demands. There's also some kind of tripped out touches in the production in spots, making for a nice balance of sweet soul and leftfield touches. Kind of an underappreciated effort in the grand scheme of Curtis Mayfield productions, but wholly essential! Other titles include "Stay Close To Me", "New Dance Craze", "Baby, Make Me Feel So Good", and "Little Young Lover".

Stunning single that includes 2 of the best tracks ever by this legendary soul group from Chicago! Written and produced by Curtis Mayfield, and with a sweet group sound that doesn't quit. "Danger!" was also sampled a few years ago, so you're bound to recognize it, too!

Always sweet soul from this great Chicago group! "Don't Waste Your Time" has a style that's a bit uptempo – kind of proud, and a bit righteous – with some really positive energy. "You Waited Too Long" is sadder, and slower – almost a Curtis Mayfield type ballad, although written by the group itself!

A pair of killer albums from The Five Stairsteps – 1967's self-titled set for Windy C – plus '68's Love's Happening by The Five Stairsteps & Cubie – together with bonus track on this great set from Outta Sight UK! The Five Stairsteps album is a landmark batch of sweet soul – recorded by the still youthful group that included a 13 year old Kenny Burke! The kids were brought together by their parents Clarence and Betty Burke, but it was Curtis Mayfield who really gave them a push – as he discovered them, produced them, and wrote some excellent songs for them during their best early years. Mayfield's sweet soul style forged with The Impressions runs through most of these tracks – and although the group is young, they really do a fantastic job with the material, and infuse it with a soulfulness way past their years. Titles include "Danger She's A Stranger", "World Of Fantasy", "Ooh Baby Baby", "Don't Waste Your Time", and "Behind Curtains". Love's Happening might be the best record ever by this Chicago soul group! The record's got a full batch of original tracks written and produced by Mayfield – including their amazing, funk steeped version of "Don't Change Your Love", with a breakbeat that lit up the sampler culture for years! That raw drum sound is in effect on even the more delicate numbers, and the lead vocals and harmonies soar or sink deep to the soul, as the groove demands. There's also some kind of tripped out touches in the production in spots, making for a nice balance of sweet soul and leftfield touches. Kind of an underappreciated effort in the grand scheme of Curtis Mayfield productions, but wholly essential! Other titles include "Stay Close To Me", "New Dance Craze", "Baby, Make Me Feel So Good", and "Little Young Lover". 5 bonus singles in the set: "Ain't Gonna Rest (Til I Get You)", "You Can't See", "Change Of Pace", "Madame Mary" and "We Must Be In Love".

Killer work by this fab Chicago soul group – a bunch of young kids, ala The Jackson Five, with sweet soul sound that actually predates the work of Jermaine and Michael and Tito, and which paved the way for countless 70s groups to come! The Five Stairsteps were first discovered by Curtis Mayfield – who wrote and produced a number of tracks on the set – but they had a strength of their own (thanks in part to a young Keni Burke, who was in the group), and continued to grow over the years, changing their sound to fit their expanding ages, and the changing material they needed to cope with the growth in soul in the early 70s. The set's filled with classics – including the super-huge hit "Ooh Child", plus "The Girl I Love", "Behind Curtains", "Come Back", "World Of Fantasy", "You Waited Too Long", "We Must Be in Love", "Oooh, Baby Baby", "Don't Waste Your Time", "Something's Missing", and the break-heavy "Don't Change Your Love".

Although this set was issued by Buddah in 1970, it's a great set featuring some of the earliest work that the Five Stairsteps recorded for Curtis Mayfield's Windy C label during the late 60s, under his production talents as well! We love all of the Burke brothers albums, both as a group and solo, and this one has their fine harmonies dressed up nicely in some sweet Windy City soul arrangements! 14 numbers in all, including "World Of Fantasy", "Danger! She's A Stranger", "Playgirls Love", "Behind Curtains", "Ooh Child", "We Must Be In Love", "Ooh Baby Baby", "(Baby) Make Me Feel So Good", "You Waited Too Long", "Playgirl's Love", "Stay Close To Me", and "Don't Waste Your Time".

The first album by The Sylvers – a hard soulful band made up of youngsters from LA, but who had a lot more going on than some of the other kiddie-soul bands of the early 70s! The group's a sextet at this point, with four male voices and two female ones – coming across as a sweet blend of tenor and soprano harmonies, in a similar mode to the Five Stairsteps. The record has a solid sound and a funky groove that gives you a hint at what stars the kids would grow up to be – as not only The Sylvers would go on to crack the charts big, but members Leon and Foster would do some pretty great soul work on their own. Jerry Peters did arrangements on the best cuts – with that slightly messed-up groove that he brought to his best 70s work. The record includes the great funky sample cut "Fool's Paradise", which has a great intro that steps along with a fierce bongo sample! Also includes some nice mellower soul material – like "Wish That I Could Talk to You", "I Know Myself", and "Chaos". All that, and Jerry Butler production too!

A spiritually-resonant set from vocalist Dwight Trible – one of the greatest jazz singers of the past few decades! Trible's got a depth that few others can match – a quality that takes us back to the glory days of Leon Thomas with Pharoah Sanders, or Joe Lee Wilson on the Paris scene of the 70s – but heard only on a handful of albums under his own name, plus work with the Build An Ark collective and Life Force Trio! Cosmic reminds us of everything we loved about Dwight's Living Water album a few years back, and this one may be even stronger – sung with a yearning, soaring, soul-shaking voice that's perfect for both the original material, and a few well-chosen classics. Trible is backed by a stellar group of musicians that includes John Beasley on piano and organ and George Harper on tenor sax – and titles include "Speak To Us Of Love", "I've Known Rivers", "In The Beginning GOD", "Love Is Forever", "Little Afrika", "Algeriangeles", "Hyku For Peace/Come Ye", "It's All About Love" and a glorious take on the Five Stairsteps soul classic "Ooh Child"!

Classics and rarities from the Windy City Soul scene that gravitated around the great Curtis Mayfield and his studio! The set features tracks from Curtom, plus the Thomas, Mayfield and Gemigo labels along with Paramount and Polydor – with numbers by The Fascinations, Five Stairsteps & Cubie, The Mayfield Singers, Major Lance, Chuck Ray, Ruby Jones, Notations, Linda Clifford, Gene Chandler and many more! 26 tracks in all: "Girls Are Out To Get You" by The Fascinations, "Don't Start None" by The Mayfield Singers, "You Got The Power" by Mamie P Galore, "I Spy (For The FBI)" by Jamo Thomas & His Party Brothers Orchestra, "Lucky" by The Mayfield Players, "Don't Have To Be Lying Babe" by Gene Chandler, "You Better Run" by Ruby Jones, "Can't Get Enough" by Linda Clifford and more.

A cheesy cover, but a rock-solid record – kind of a later version of the Five Stairsteps, heard here in groove that's much more grown up! The album's got a feel that really shows the evolution of the Burke family – way past their kiddie soul roots, and even some of their offshoot projects of the 70s – into a style that's pretty complex at times, and which really shows a mature approach to rhythms. The vibe is hard to describe accurately – because while there are some clubby elements, the overall sound is deeper and more complicated too – showing some of the quirkier elements of the Island Records contemporaries alongside which the group were placed for this debut. The feel is quite different than the second album from the group – which is much more straight ahead – and titles include "9 Times Out Of Ten", "Full Moon", "All Night Thing", "Rent Strike", and "Love Can't Come/Love Has Come".

The first album by The Sylvers – a hard soulful band made up of youngsters from LA, but who had a lot more going on than some of the other kiddie-soul bands of the early 70s! The group's a sextet at this point, with four male voices and two female ones – coming across as a sweet blend of tenor and soprano harmonies, in a similar mode to the Five Stairsteps. The record has a solid sound and a funky groove that gives you a hint at what stars the kids would grow up to be – as not only The Sylvers would go on to crack the charts big, but members Leon and Foster would do some pretty great soul work on their own. Jerry Peters did arrangements on the best cuts – with that slightly messed-up groove that he brought to his best 70s work. The record includes the great funky sample cut "Fool's Paradise", which has a great intro that steps along with a fierce bongo sample! Also includes some nice mellower soul material – like "Wish That I Could Talk to You", "I Know Myself", and "Chaos". All that, and Jerry Butler production too!