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Very righteous work from Fontella Bass -- an album done after her time at Chess Records, and after her work in Paris with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- in a heartfelt, southern soul mode that's totally great! Fontella's back working with producer Oliver Sain, who first brought her fame back in the 60s -- but the sound is a bit more sophisticated than before, drenched with roots from gospel and country soul, but also inflected with some of the more righteous modes of the early 70s too. Fontella's vocals are incredible -- with a range that should have made her one of the leading ladies of soul in the 70s -- and titles include "To Be Free", "I Need Love", "Wiping Tears", "Hold On this Time", "Talking About Freedom", and "My God My Freedom My Home".

Very righteous work from Fontella Bass -- an album done after her time at Chess Records, and after her work in Paris with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- in a heartfelt, southern soul mode that's totally great! Fontella's back working with producer Oliver Sain, who first brought her fame back in the 60s -- but the sound is a bit more sophisticated than before, drenched with roots from gospel and country soul, but also inflected with some of the more righteous modes of the early 70s too. Fontella's vocals are incredible -- with a range that should have made her one of the leading ladies of soul in the 70s -- and titles include "To Be Free", "I Need Love", "Wiping Tears", "Hold On this Time", "Talking About Freedom", and "My God My Freedom My Home". CD reissue also includes 4 bonus tracks!

Easily the best-ever collection we've seen of the work of Fontella Bass -- and one that really goes past her oft-remembered hit, to feature the full scope of her mid 60s work for Chess Records! To most folks, Fontella's remembered for a few reasons -- her Aretha Franklin-styled hit "Rescue Me" (often mistaken for Aretha herself), or the fact that she married Art Ensemble member Lester Bowie. But back at the start, Fontella was a heck of a great little soul singer -- capable of a wide variety of modes, all of which are included here! The 25 track package really shows an evolution in music -- and Bass sings in styles that include deep soul ala Atlantic, sweet soul ala Motown, uptown soul ala Wand, soaring soul ala Brunswick, and tight duet soul, in the mode of some of the more famous duets coming from Detroit or New York. CD really digs deep and brings back a full range of singles, plus some unreleased tracks -- and the sound here is totally great. Titles include "Oh No Not My Baby", "Our Day Will Come", "Free At Last", "I Surrender", "I Can't Rest", "Leave It In The Hands Of Love", "You've Lost That Lovin Feelin", "The Soul Of A Man", "Joy Of Love", "Don't Mess Up A Good Thing", "You're Gonna Miss Me", "Come & Get These Memories", "Rescue Me", "Since I Fell For You", "I'm A Woman", "How Glad I Am", "Impossible", and "Lucky In Love".

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago -- and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer -- and plays with a creative tightness that you'll be hard pressed to find on other records. Some tracks are almost straight jazz -- but there's all these wonderful little breakdowns and burst of creative energy that keep the AACM spirit alive and true. The lead track of the album is the massive "Theme De Yoyo", a righteous powerful groover that features vocals by Fontella Bass (wife of Lester Bowie of the group), and which has become an all-time jazz dance classic! Other tracks have a sparer soundtracky feel, and a few more are in the experimental vein of the Art Ensemble's other Paris work at the time. Wonderful overall though -- and an incredibly righteous album filled with power and imagination! Titles include "Theme De Celine", "Proverbes", "Theme Libre", and "Variations Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi".

Seminal work from the Art Ensemble of Chicago -- recorded during their most creative period ever! The album was recorded live in October of 1969 -- at a time when the group had pulled up roots and moved to France for a few years, bursting on the European scene with unique creativity that was not getting the recognition it deserved in their hometown of Chicago. The studio sets from this time are already the stuff of legend, and have thankfully made it back on reissue heavily the past few years -- and this brilliant live set stands perfectly next to them -- matching any of the LPs in the Great Black Music series on BYG/Actuel for sheer creative brilliance and soulful energy! Fontella Bass joins the group for a bit of vocals, and the 2LP set features 2 long tracks -- "Bon Voyage" and "Oh Strange".

Lester Bowie's no pretender here -- as he really sounds great as a leader on his own, away from the Art Ensemble Of Chicago -- really finding his voice in music, and dipping into a full range of styles and expressions! Bowie's keen wit and sensitivity both come into play here -- and the album's a bit more open and free than his Brass Fantasy years -- almost hearkening back to elements of his St Louis scene, but with a bit more dynamism overall. Other players include Hamiet Bluiett on baritone, Donald Smith on piano and organ, Fred Williams on bass, and Phillip Wilson on drums -- and both David Peatson and Fontella Bass sing on the extended track "The Great Pretender", which spans a good chunk of the album's first half. Other titles include "It's Howdy Doody Time", "Rose Drop", "Rios Negros", and "Oh How The Ghost Sings".

A mighty helping of music from the overlooked Mitty Collier -- a 60s soul singer on Chess Records, and one who was every bit as great as bigger label stars like Etta James or Fontella Bass! Like both of those singers, Mitty's got a voice that grabs you right from the get-go -- a deeply soulful approach to her music that's really fresh and without cliche -- especially considering she got her start belting out tunes years before some of the bigger names in 60s female soul, and managed to keep things mighty real all the years she was working at Chess. Production and arrangements here are all top shelf -- handled by Phil Wright, Riley Hampton, and others -- and the CD offers up 24 gems from Mitty's years at Chess -- the a-sides of all 15 singles cut for the label, plus 9 more great tunes from the flips! Titles include "Everybody Makes A Mistake Sometimes", "Gotta Get Away From It All", "I've Got Love", "I Had A Talk With My Man", "Walk Away", "My Party", "Sharing You", "That'll Be Good Enough For Me", "Git Out", "Watching & Waiting", "Like Only Yesterday", "No Faith No Love", "I'm Your Part Time Love", and "Miss Loneliness".

An amazing package of heavy female soul -- one that features all the cuts from the three Hot Wax albums by Laura Lee, plus some rare bonus tracks as well! Lee's got a really incredible style -- kind of an early 70s heir to the 60s groove of Fontella Bass -- no surprise, at some level, given that both Lee and Bass got their start at Chess Records! But these cuts represent the second chapter in Laura's career -- a time when she worked with the legendary Holland-Dozier-Holland team, in a groove that blends Lee's older southern soul roots with some hipper 70s Detroit inflections. The blend is great -- often quite hard-hitting and funky, and always deeply soulful no matter what the groove -- and the set list here is wonderful, with 32 tracks that include "Rip Off", "Workin & Lovin Together", "Crumbs Off The Table", "Women's Love Rights", "Wedlock Is A Padlock", "Love & Liberty", "I Don't Want Nothing Old But Money", "I Can't Make It Alone", "We've Come Too Far To Walk Away", "I Need It Just As Bad As You (unedited)", "I Can't Hold Out Much Longer", and "I'll Catch You When You Fall".

Funky female soul galore -- a killer set of rare tunes that's one of the best sets of this type we've ever stocked! The SuperFunk crew at BGP have gone through the rich array of labels handled by the company -- pulling out some massive tunes that really push our understanding of female soul -- taking things way past the obvious hits and girl group numbers, into hard and heavy-stepping territory that we really love! Most of the tunes on the set are completely new to our ears, and there's a great mix of northern and southern funk styles that keeps things super-fresh. Drums crackle, basslines pound, and the gals belt it out loud, clear, and funky on a set of 20 tracks that includes "Tell Me What's Wrong" by Lynn Varnado, "Listen Here" by Valorie Keys, "Know What To Do When You Get It" by The Genies, "Heavy Heavy Hangs My Heart" by Vera Hamilton, "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Pounds Of Soul" by Betty Bibbs, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Delilah Moore, "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Staying At Home Like A Woman" by Lynn Varnado, "Hold On This Time" by Fontella Bass, "Mr Fix It" by Thelma Jones, "I'm Glad I Got Over You" by Jeanette Jones, "One Way Street" by Little Ann, and "It's Too Late For Tears" by Rene Bailey.

Funky female soul galore -- a killer set of rare tunes that's one of the best sets of this type we've ever stocked! The SuperFunk crew at BGP have gone through the rich array of labels handled by the company -- pulling out some massive tunes that really push our understanding of female soul -- taking things way past the obvious hits and girl group numbers, into hard and heavy-stepping territory that we really love! Most of the tunes on the set are completely new to our ears, and there's a great mix of northern and southern funk styles that keeps things super-fresh. Drums crackle, basslines pound, and the gals belt it out loud, clear, and funky on a set of 20 tracks that includes "Tell Me What's Wrong" by Lynn Varnado, "Listen Here" by Valorie Keys, "Know What To Do When You Get It" by The Genies, "Heavy Heavy Hangs My Heart" by Vera Hamilton, "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Pounds Of Soul" by Betty Bibbs, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Delilah Moore, "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Staying At Home Like A Woman" by Lynn Varnado, "Hold On This Time" by Fontella Bass, "Mr Fix It" by Thelma Jones, "I'm Glad I Got Over You" by Jeanette Jones, "One Way Street" by Little Ann, and "It's Too Late For Tears" by Rene Bailey.

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago -- and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer -- and plays with a creative tightness that you'll be hard pressed to find on other records. Some tracks are almost straight jazz -- but there's all these wonderful little breakdowns and burst of creative energy that keep the AACM spirit alive and true. The lead track of the album is the massive "Theme De Yoyo", a righteous powerful groover that features vocals by Fontella Bass (wife of Lester Bowie of the group), and which has become an all-time jazz dance classic! Other tracks have a sparer soundtracky feel, and a few more are in the experimental vein of the Art Ensemble's other Paris work at the time. Wonderful overall though -- and an incredibly righteous album filled with power and imagination! Titles include "Theme De Celine", "Proverbes", "Theme Libre", and "Variations Sur Un Theme De Monteverdi".

More deep soul than funky divas -- but a hip collection of work from a variety of female singers -- all of it pretty darn great! You might know some of these artists from more mainstream or pop-oriented work, but amidst some of the hipper, lesser-known singers on the set, the few familiar ones really hold their own -- hitting hard with soulful elements borrowed from Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and elsewhere -- all in a groove that's totally great! Titles include "The Ghetto" by Barbara Mason, "If I Work My Think On You" by Ann Sexton, "You Can Only Do Wrong So Long" by Tommie Young, "Homewrecker" by Fontella Bass, "Good Woman Go Bad" by Barbara Carr, "You're No Good" by Barbara West, "Lady Marmalade" by Irma Thomas, "Anyone But You" by Barbara West, "You're Losing Me" by Ann Sexton, "My Love" by Betty Everett, "There's A Break In The Road" by Betty Harris, "Don't Push My Love Cup" by The Teques, and "Cussin Cryin & Carryin On" by Tina Turner.

Massive work from singer Dee Dee Warwick -- a set of tunes that show that she's easily the most soulful member of her famous family! At one level, Dee Dee's got a sweetness that reminds us a bit of her sister Dionne -- but she's also much more of a soul singer overall, and has a range and depth that really opens up on these classic recordings for Mercury -- a sheer raw power that easily puts her in a class of top-shelf 60s soul divas that includes Fontella Bass, Maxine Brown, and Aretha Franklin. Dee Dee's tunes are often arranged here with a nice bit of class -- an approach that echoes the uptown sound of the New York scene of the time, but which also has vocals that burn with a deeper approach -- and which have retained a strong degree of power over the years. Titles include "We're Doing Fine", "Yours Until Tomorrow", "That's Not Love", "Don't Pay Them No Mind", "It's Not Fair", "Right Of Bright Water", "Thank God", "Foolish Fool", "Another Lonely Saturday", "Do It With All Your Heart", and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me".

Upbeat stormers from the legendary Chess Records -- a collection of 20 tracks from the 60s that bristle and burn with the best energy of a Northern Soul dancefloor! The package really spans the genius of Chess at the time -- running through soul, jazz, blues, and gospel in search of a groove -- going past the bigger hits to feature some great lesser-known gems, including a few singles from tinier Chess-related labels! There's plenty of Chicago and Detroit 60s grooves running through the set -- mixed with other great bits that pick up the sound nicely, and stretch out with some really unusual touches! Titles include "Hold On" by The Radiants, "It Ain't Necessary" by Mamie Galore, "Ordinary Joe" by Terry Callier, "Leave It In The Hands Of Love" by Fontella Bass, "Landslide" by Tony Clarke, "Sweeter Than The Day Before" by The Valentinos, "More & More" by Little Milton, "More Love That's What We Need" by The Gospel Classics, "I Can't Help Myself" by The Gems, "Wade In The Water" by Ramsey Lewis, "Boogaloo Baby" by Tommy & Cleve, "Make Sure" by The Dells, and "Peak Of Love" by Bobby McClure.