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Jimi's legendary live recordings for BBC radio and television – live studio sessions from 1967 to 1969 – remastered from BBC tapes and sounding incredible! Most of the tracks feature the trio of Hendrix, Noel Redding and Mitch Mitchell at their fiery best, on classics like "Foxey Lady", "Fire", "Love Or Confusion", "Purple Haze", "Hey Joe" and more, plus some great, loosier, bluesier performances, such as"Drivin South", "Hear My Train A Coming" and more. The few guest musician appearances are incredibly notable – Alexis Korner plays some slide guitar on "(I'm Your) Hoochie Choochie Man" – and Stevie Wonder plays drums (!!!) on "Jammin" and "I Was Made To Love Her". Also includes the never before released bonus track "Burning Of The Midnight Lamp", a cover of "Day Tripper" and more. 37 tracks on 2 CDs.

The first in Wynton Marsalis' excellent Soul Gestures trilogy – a set that features some especially nice work from Joe Henderson on tenor sax! The set was recorded at a time when Henderson was really coming back into his own – and the long, extended tracks on the record really let Joe stretch out with the sort of freely expressive solos honed over previous decades of work! Henderson's presence brings a sharpness here that you might not expect – and a deeper sense of soul than some of Wynton's previous stiffer attempts at modernism. Other players include Marcus Roberts on piano – another great presence on the date – Bob Hurst on bass, and Jeff Watts and Elvin Jones on drums. Titles include "LC On The Cut", "Thick In The South", "Elveen", "Harriet Tubman", and "So This Is Jazz Huh".

One of the best collections of work by Joe Simon we've ever seen – a well-done 26 track set that really pulls together the best cuts from his years at Sound Stage Seven! Joe was unusual in that he was a country singer working out of Nashville, not Memphis, at the end of the 60s – but Joe used this fact to his advantage, picking up some country touches that were often ignored by other artists, but not the audiences in the south, who were often taking equal parts country and soul in their diet. The set features most of Joe's best singles from the late 60s and very early 70s – all wrapped up in a great set of notes, with tracks that include "Long Hot Summer", "The Chokin Kind", "It's Hard To Get Along", "Moon Walk (parts 1 & 2)", "Yours Love", "Farther On Down The Road", "That's The Way I Want Our Love", "The Girl's Alright With Me", "No Sad Songs", "Come On & Get It", "Message From Maria", and "Travellin Man".

The great late 60s record from Peruvian rockers The (St Thomas) Pepper Smelter! Soul & Pepper is a batch of fuzzy, organ-heavy groovers – with a few strong covers and some worthy originals by the band. It has a pretty tight late 60s feel – one that's informed by their garage and freakbeat forbears from around the world – along with some uniquely South American sounds. They take on "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida", "Strange Brew" and "Hey Joe" – and they put a unique spin on those classic tunes – but the group's originals are pretty great, too! Other tracks include "Pepper's Boogaloo", "Answer", and the wild "Betty Boom, Little Monster Doggie and Peggie At The Witches Castle". They sing in English on most tracks – and this great CD version has 3 bonus cuts – including a Spanish version of "Stormy", plus the instrumentals "Un Nuevo Verano" and "Outside Woman Blues".

One of our favorite South American rock records of all time – and maybe even one of our favorite rock albums too – a magnificent set by this sublime Peruvian group – done with a sound that's somewhere between late Beatles, early Bee Gees, and ELO in their prime! Yet the production style here is also a lot more primitive than that used by any of those bigger groups – which puts a lot more emphasis on the song structures and vocal phrasing of the tunes – a beautiful balance between harmony vocals, simple guitar lines, and these subtle rhythms that slide in with a seductive feel, and really send the whole thing home! Vocals are all in English, with these soulful undercurrents that are quite unexpected – and the overall sound is way more sophisticated than even their hippest SA contemporaries! Titles include "Children", "Carry On Till Tomorrow", "Walking In The Rain", "The City Will Be A Country", "It's A Sin To Go Away", and "Tomorrow". CD features 8 bonus tracks too – including "Blue", "Mornin", "California", "Feel", "Any World", and "Wake Up Joe".

A tight collection of uptempo funk and disco-driven soul tunes – with a selection that goes way past the usual dancefloor favorites! We're not sure how to read the title (which seems to have some sort of "inside take" on black culture in America) so we'll write that off to the overzealous imagination of the British compilers of the set – but we will say that the package includes some great numbers that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, including a few previously unissued tunes by artists on the Westbound label! The groove is upbeat on most tracks, with plenty of jazzy flourishes and a soulful approach to disco. Titles include "Disco Booty" by Melvin Sparks, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" by Sylvester, "Free Man" by South Shore Commission, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Latin Disco" by The Counts, "Alvin Stone (The Birth & Death Of A Gangster)" by Fantastic Four, "Moon Trek" by Mike Theodore, "Sadie" by Joe Bataan, "Sure Can't Go To The Moon" by CJ & Co, and "The Magic Man" by King Errison.

A rollicking follow-up to one of the best compilations of rare rockers from Bayou country you could ever hope to score – and it's just as great as the first Boppin' By The Bayou set – with tracks by Rocket Morgan, Pee Wee Trayhan, Mickey Gilley, Tony Perreau, Glen Owens, Jay Chevalier, Wiley Jeffers, Al Ferrier and many more! It's got some material that's akin to rockabilly, boogie woogie and R&B-fueled rockers from the period made famous elsewhere in the south – but with some surefire swampy characteristics that's pure Louisiana, too! 28 tracks in all – with rare singles and LPs released on labels such as Zynn, Castle, Flyright, Speedy, Goldband and others – plus some previously unreleased stompers! "You’re Humbuggin' Me" by Rocket Morgan, "Too Hot To Handle" by Vince Anthony, "Got A Right To Cry" by Glen Owens, "Going Back To Cocodrille" by Cajun Joe, "Oh Nell" by Warren Storm, "Castro Rock" by Jay Chevalier, "Rock-A-Me Lulu" by Johnny Jano, "She's Coming Back Again" by Wiley Jeffers, "Whose Baby Are You" by Robert Owens and more.

Country cats, southern rockers, and even some soul-singers too – all wrapped up in a heady brew of grooves that definitely lives up to the swamp rock in the title! The package is a rich discovery of tracks from the southern scene at the start of the 70s – an amazing place where sounds were really criss-crossing at the time – not just mixing up country and redneck rock styles, but also drawing a surprising amount of influence from soul and funk too – especially the latter, given some of the massive rhythms in the set! Like the first volume, the collection is a great illustration of the way that, in the right parts of the south, boundaries were constantly being broken – as you'll hear on great tracks that include "Ruby" by Area Code 615, "Houston" by Cowboy, "For What It's Worth" by Cher, "Touch Em With Love" by Bobbie Gentry, "Sufficiently Breathless" by Captain Beyond, "Deep In Kentucky" by The Box Tops, "Lonesome & A Long Way From Home" by Earl Scruggs, "Let The South Wind Blow" by Grinderswitch, "Midnight Rider" by Gregg Allman, "The Minstrel Is Free At Last" by Barefood Jerry, "Somewhere In Between" by Bobby Lance, "No Fence Around Me" by Joe South, and "Who's Making Love" by Tony Joe White.

Country cats, southern rockers, and even some soul-singers too – all wrapped up in a heady brew of grooves that definitely lives up to the swamp rock in the title! The package is a rich discovery of tracks from the southern scene at the start of the 70s – an amazing place where sounds were really criss-crossing at the time – not just mixing up country and redneck rock styles, but also drawing a surprising amount of influence from soul and funk too – especially the latter, given some of the massive rhythms in the set! Like the first volume, the collection is a great illustration of the way that, in the right parts of the south, boundaries were constantly being broken – as you'll hear on great tracks that include "Ruby" by Area Code 615, "Houston" by Cowboy, "For What It's Worth" by Cher, "Touch Em With Love" by Bobbie Gentry, "Sufficiently Breathless" by Captain Beyond, "Deep In Kentucky" by The Box Tops, "Lonesome & A Long Way From Home" by Earl Scruggs, "Let The South Wind Blow" by Grinderswitch, "Midnight Rider" by Gregg Allman, "The Minstrel Is Free At Last" by Barefood Jerry, "Somewhere In Between" by Bobby Lance, "No Fence Around Me" by Joe South, and "Who's Making Love" by Tony Joe White.

The first-ever tribute to the legendary American Studios – the late 60s Memphis powerhouse that was as important to the sound of the south as Fame, Stax, and Hi Records! American did work for a number of different labels, and had their own brief imprint as well – and like their better-known contemporaries, they had a core house band who could provide killer backup to just about anyone – as you'll hear from the great range of music in this collection! Like Fame, who started in soul and picked up a lot of rock business as the 60s moved on, American had a great way of crossing barriers between music – and really helping unite the sounds of the time through their legendary production work and super-sensitive instrumentation. The CD's an accompaniment to the similarly-titled book by Roben Jones, but comes with almost enough great notes to make for a book itself – and titles include "Nine Pound Steel" by Joe Simon, "You've Got My Mind Messed Up" by James Carr, "I'm In Love" by Wilson Pickett, "More Than I Can Stand" by Bobby Womack, "Let's Do It Over" by LC Cooke, "Suspicious Minds" by Mark James, "Born A Woman" by Sandy Posey, "The Letter" by The Box Tops, "Shake A Tail Feather" by James & Bobby Purify, "Son Of A Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield, "Skinny Legs & All" by Joe Tex, "Funky Street" by Arthur Conley, and "Suzy Do It Better Than You" by Clay Hammond.

A wild collection of extraterrestrial country, pulp, pop, r&b and even some doo wop influenced tunes from the outerspace fringes of 60s & 70s Nashville & beyond – largely from the brain bananas of Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan! We knew that Jack & Misty recorded some fairly far out countryish gems as a duo – but this crazy set really opens our minds to how wild they were as writers, producers & arrangers! It truly rivals Joe Meek's productions when it comes to pulpy themes and unpredictable stylistic range – while carrying a weird, earthier rustic & rural groove. Jack & Misty sing and play often throughout, as themselves and under pseudonyms – and they recruited friends and peers as singers and players for the others. Far more than just an exercise in strangeness – the songs are good enough to stand out as more than novelties, and some of the most respected Nashville session players of the past half century can be found in the notes. You get electrified banjo, sax, and organ in the same wild tunes – any questions? The majority of songs were cut between the fertile period between 1965 and 1974 – with a few going back earlier & later – a whopping 30 tracks in all! "Strange New World" by Jacqueline Hyde & The Moonfolk, Time Machine" by Joel Mathis, "Skellykins" by Rusty Diamond, "I'm Hung Up On You" by Rusty Diamond, "Hit Me One More Time" by Jack Blanchard & Misty Morgan, "Let's Have A Hayride" by Maryanne Mail, "New World" by The Jack Blanchard Group, "Monkey See, Monkey Do" by Brad Wolfe, "Dance Of The Living Dead Chickens" by Jack Blanchard and more!

Smoking soul from 60s Texas – a tremendous amount of rare tunes from obscure little singles – pulled together to showcase the Lonestar State as a musical powerhouse to rival Motown, Philly, or the Windy City! The tracks here are all from various labels headed by the legendary Huey P Meux – and unlike other Texas work you may know from the time, lots of these numbers are bubbling over with the kind of soul elements you'd normally hear from east coast indie work of the time – and in that way, are almost like some of the other 60s material cut by southern transplants on the LA scene of the time – familiar, but a little offbeat too – with odd little twists and turns that really keep things interesting, and which make the package a really fresh musical discovery. There's some nice deep soul elements at times, particularly on the mellower cuts – and titles include "Go Go Train" by Jackie Paine, "That Is Why The End Must Begin" by Joe Masters, "Irene" by Rockin Dave Allen, "Time" by Charles Barry, "Get To Gitten" by Big Walter, "Doggin Around" by Jean Knight, "Friends In Show Business" by Joe Melvin, "Neighbor Neighbor" by Alton Valier, "You'll Lose A Good Thing (demo)" by Barbara Lynn, "Let Them Talk" by Johnny Adams, "If You're Looking For A Fool" by David King Thomas, and "Pick Me Up On Your Way Down" by Margo White.

A treasure trove of deep soul – featuring rare and unissued tracks by some of our favorite artists of the genre! The set goes way way past the usual collections of southern soul – to bring together obscure singles, album tracks, and rare vault material – going past the obvious mainstream of Memphis and Muscle Shoals, to include some totally incredible material! There's a very sophisticated vibe here overall – almost heading towards the mellow soul of the 70s north, but still recorded with an earthier quality that's steeped in traditions borrowed from gospel, and infused with the best that the secular south had to offer. An impeccable set throughout – as pleasing to any collector of rare soul as it is to a newcomer – with tracks that include "Warm Loving Man" by Carolyn Faye, "Two Wrongs Don't Make It Right" by Patterson Twins, "Troubled Waters" by Sam Dees, "If You See That Girl Of Mine" by Hank Sample, "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell, "When A Man Cries" by Joe Wilson, "A Quitter Never Wins" by Jimmy Dobbins, "Why Oh Why" by J Count Hughes, "I Won't Be The Last To Cry" by Eddie Houston, "Bluer Than Blue" by Ruby Wilson, and "I Believe In Love" by Billy Cee. 23 tracks in all – with great production and excellent notes!

A treasure trove of deep soul – featuring rare and unissued tracks by some of our favorite artists of the genre! The set goes way way past the usual collections of southern soul – to bring together obscure singles, album tracks, and rare vault material – going past the obvious mainstream of Memphis and Muscle Shoals, to include some totally incredible material! There's a very sophisticated vibe here overall – almost heading towards the mellow soul of the 70s north, but still recorded with an earthier quality that's steeped in traditions borrowed from gospel, and infused with the best that the secular south had to offer. An impeccable set throughout – as pleasing to any collector of rare soul as it is to a newcomer – with tracks that include "Warm Loving Man" by Carolyn Faye, "Two Wrongs Don't Make It Right" by Patterson Twins, "Troubled Waters" by Sam Dees, "If You See That Girl Of Mine" by Hank Sample, "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell, "When A Man Cries" by Joe Wilson, "A Quitter Never Wins" by Jimmy Dobbins, "Why Oh Why" by J Count Hughes, "I Won't Be The Last To Cry" by Eddie Houston, "Bluer Than Blue" by Ruby Wilson, and "I Believe In Love" by Billy Cee. 23 tracks in all – with great production and excellent notes!

Sublime southern soul from one of the greats! James Carr is right up there with the best of the 60s – Otis Redding, Arthur Conley, Joe Tex, and others – but he never made it as big as them because of personal troubles and bad planning on the part of his label and management. Fortunately, his genius has been kept alive by record collectors everywhere – for whom this rare gem is a holy grail! The album features 11 tunes that sum up the best of the south in the 60s – all sung by James with his unbelievably heartbreaking voice. Titles include "The Dark End Of The Street", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "A Woman Is A Man's Best Friend", "I'm A Fool For You", "Stronger Than Love", "More Love", and "Sowed Love & Reaped A Heartache".

A tribute to Ray Charles, but played by a hard-swinging, and mighty soulful ensemble – one that features Eric Alexander on tenor and Mike LeDonne on Hammond B-3! Both players really give the album a nice bite – and hearing Alexander next to LeDonnne's organ, we're reminded of Eric's early gems with Charles Earland – that deep tenor vibe he first learned when coming up on the south side of Chicago – a quality that almost makes Rotondi sound even deeper than usual too! There's no hoke here – no overdone, overwrought Brother Ray modes – just solid, soulful swinging based around a set of tunes that Charles once made his own – but which these cats definitely take into new territory themselves. The group also features Joe Farnsworth on drums and Peter Bernstein on guitar – and titles include "Brother Ray", "What'd I Say", "One Mint Julep", "Cry Me A River", and "Lonely Avenue".

A tight collection of uptempo funk and disco-driven soul tunes – with a selection that goes way past the usual dancefloor favorites! We're not sure how to read the title (which seems to have some sort of "inside take" on black culture in America) so we'll write that off to the overzealous imagination of the British compilers of the set – but we will say that the package includes some great numbers that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, including a few previously unissued tunes by artists on the Westbound label! The groove is upbeat on most tracks, with plenty of jazzy flourishes and a soulful approach to disco. Titles include "Disco Booty" by Melvin Sparks, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" by Sylvester, "Free Man" by South Shore Commission, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Latin Disco" by The Counts, "Alvin Stone (The Birth & Death Of A Gangster)" by Fantastic Four, "Moon Trek" by Mike Theodore, "Sadie" by Joe Bataan, "Sure Can't Go To The Moon" by CJ & Co, and "The Magic Man" by King Errison.

Soul Jazz takes an open-eyed and open-minded look at swampy, funky, freewheeling southern rock – southern-by-nature or southern-by-inspiration grooves from the end of the 60s and well into the 70s! What we love most about the set, besides that it features one great song after another, is the Soul Jazz perspective. They don't simply put together Delta Swamp Rock from a purist's standpoint regionally, or as a sound – it's loosely-defined, which you could complain about if you want, but we love all of this stuff so it works for us! There's early phase southern rock, blue-eyed soul, soulful country and homey, swaggering pop. Tracks include "The Seasons" by Lynryd Skynryd, "Smokies" by Barefoot Jerry", "Papa, Won't You Let Me Go To Town With You" by Bobbie Gentrie, "Stone Fox Chase" by Area Code 615, "Be What You Want To" by Link Wray", "I'll Be Long Gone" by Boz Scaggs, "God Rest His Soul" by Duane And Gregg Allman"Out In The Woods" by Leon Russell, "Polk Salad Annie" by Tony Joe White, "Come To Me Tonight" by Barefoot Jerry, "I Won't Be Hangin' Round" by Linda Rondstadt, "Big D" by Waylon Jennings, "Mississippi Delta" by Bobbie Gentry", "If I Were A Carpenter" by Johnny Cash" and more. 25 tracks on 2CDs.

Tripped-out sounds from the 60s and 70s, plus a few key contemporary cuts too – all a great way of serving up the sound of Latin music at its trippiest! New York Latin acts borrowed plenty from psychedelia early on – and the groove kept growing and changing as it made its way down the South American scene – then back up to the US in recent years, where crate diggers and record collectors have come up with a whole new variant on the sound! This smoking selection of tracks is put together by Pablo Yglesias – who's given us some great sets in recent years – and titles include "Pastel En Descarga" by Juan Pablo Torres, "Piratas En El Titicaca" by Conjunto El Opio, "Drink Or Two" by Wild Wind, "Olivdalo" by Brownout, "Cloud Nine" by Johnny Rivera, "Tomalo O Dejalo" by Los Pakines, and "Psychedelic Baby" by Joe Cuba. Also features a bonus CD – rare work from Peruvian combo Los Destellos from the late 60s and early 70s – 13 more tracks that include "El Electrico", "El Campesino", "Noche De Garua", "Tu Jugaste", "La Cumbia Del Sol", and "Volando Alto".

An amazing tribute to one of the best soul songwriters in the 70s – the mighty Phillip Mitchell, a key force in mixing together deep soul roots with more sophisticated styles for the time! Mitchell's got this mighty positive way of putting over a tune – lyrics that still hold onto the emotion of the past, yet also come through things with a forward-thinking style too – one that really helps get past obvious cliches, and which always seems to make a Mitchell-penned track stand out as the real gem on an album of 70s soul! Many of the artists here are from a southern soul background – no surprise, as Mitchell made most of his magic south of the Mason/Dixon line – and the set really brings together a great number of artists, and really shows the deep reach that Mitchell had at the time. Titles include "Hitch Hiking To Heartbreak Road" by Bobo Mr Soul, "Something New To Do" by Bobby Sheen, "Carry Me" by Ernie Shelby, "I Don't Do This" by Sidney Joe Qualls, "Free For All" by Mel & Tim, "Come Through Me" by Garland Green, "Here I Am Again" by Candi Staton, "You Made Me What I Am" by Erma Coffee, "Gonna Have A Murder On Your Hands" by JJ Williams, "Archie's In Love" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Leftovers" by Millie Jackson, "How Can I Go On Without You" by Corey Blake, and "That's The Way I Wanna Live My Life" by Tommie Lee.

Smoking blues from Billy Boy Arnold – an artist who never got the fame as some of the bigger acts on Chess Records in the 60s – but who could certainly cook with the best Chicago electric sound! Arnold sings and plays guitar on the record – with a bold, upfront quality that easily makes the record one of the best in this series on Prestige – thanks in part to backing from a youthful group that includes Mighty Joe Young on guitar and Lafayette Leake on piano! Titles include "School Time", "Evaleena", "I Love Only You", "Two Drinks Of Wine", "Billy Boy's Blues", and "You Better Cut That Out". CD features the bonus track "Playing With The Blues".

Tripped-out sounds from the 60s and 70s, plus a few key contemporary cuts too – all a great way of serving up the sound of Latin music at its trippiest! New York Latin acts borrowed plenty from psychedelia early on – and the groove kept growing and changing as it made its way down the South American scene – then back up to the US in recent years, where crate diggers and record collectors have come up with a whole new variant on the sound! This smoking selection of tracks is put together by Pablo Yglesias – who's given us some great sets in recent years – and titles include "Pastel En Descarga" by Juan Pablo Torres, "Piratas En El Titicaca" by Conjunto El Opio, "Drink Or Two" by Wild Wind, "Olivdalo" by Brownout, and "Psychedelic Baby" by Joe Cuba.

A different side of the stepper's scene in Chicago – the more bluesy, southern soul-inflected one – kind of a criss-cross of two different modes in the Windy City! The tracks here are from a variety of sources, but all echo kind of a down home mode – often a modern take on older southern styles that comes off with a sweet little groove – one that's almost a musical illustration of the regional shifts that have taken place as folks from points south moved up to Chicago over the years. That's not to say that all the tunes here have Chicago origins, just that they play well in a side of the city's scene – and the track list includes "Hard Road To Travel" by Shakey Jake, "Wrapped Up In Your Love" by Joe Perkins, "That's When The Crying Begins" by Kip Anderson, "A Good Date" by Charles Earland, "Man To Woman" by Lonnie Youngblood, "Too Many Hands" by Otis Clay, "I'm At The Crossroad" by Vernon Garrett, "Blues For Gerry" by Mark III Trio, "Stone Hearted Woman" by Andrew Tibbs, and "Give It Back" by Lee Roberts.

The rootsier side of the Chicago steppers scene – and a collection that shows the strong cultural ties between the Windy City and the south! There's plenty of bluesy currents going on here – even if all the music isn't blues – and the set's a great mix of soulful styles and modern modes that really shows the way that Northern scenes like Chicago helped take sounds from back home, and tighten them up for an urban audience. And by that, we hardly mean the kids in the north side blues clubs – we mean the folks down at places like Mr G's Supper Club or East Of The Ryan – both favorite haunts of ours, back in the day. Titles include "How Can I Say Goodbye" by Sidney Joe Qualls, "I Truly Love You" by Tony Troutman, "Good Lovin" by Otis Clay, "Tell Em I Heard It" by Sandra Feva, "Sugar" by Kenny Doss, "Leanin Tree" by Artie White, "Baby You're Ready" by Willie Clayton, and "My Money Ain't Long Enough" by Al King.

Airto's unique Brazilian fusion style meets the electric funky genius of CTI – and the result is a killer album of long tracks with a far-reaching jazzy groove! The album takes off a bit from Airto's work with Return To Forever – no surprise, since Chick Corea and Flora Purim are on the record – but the set's also got the choppy modal groove that you'd expect from work by other CTI artists like Hubert Laws, Joe Farrell, Ron Carter, and Stanley Clarke, all of whom are on the album. Most tunes are quite long and free-flowing – and titles include "Lucky Southern", "Flora's Song", "Creek (Arroio)", and "Return To Forever".

Wonderful work from Brook Benton – and the kind of record that always gets overlooked in discussions of southern soul, but which is proof that Benton's always been a key force in the genre! Brook virtually invented the style with his earlier country soul recordings – and by the time of this 1970 set, he's in perfect form vocally – and working under some wonderfully sophisticated arrangements by Arif Mardin. The result is the kind of cross-genre record that Brook could do effortlessly – and which should have made him huge, but instead kind of got him left behind by all the other folks who were copping his style. Yet with the strength of a record like this, we'll take that overlooked fame as still OK – because the set's a gem just waiting to be discovered by later generations like us! Rhythm's by the Dixie Flyers – augmented by jazz players that include King Curtis, Pepper Adams, and Joe Newman. Titles include "Aspen Colorado", "For Lee An", "Whoever Finds This, I Love You", "Don't It Make You Wanta Go Home", and "Let Me Fix It".

An excellent bit of southern funk – very much in the early mode of Little Beaver, but with a sound that's even harder! James Knight is The Black Knight – leading a tight little combo with a raw funky 45 sound, heavy on the horns for backing, but with James' guitar right up front in the mix, jamming hard in a way that would have made Hendrix proud! The tracks are a mix of heavy funk numbers and more tripped-out jams – and Knight's vocals remind us a bit of Charles Wright in the old days, blaring out of the speakers with a bit of distortion and lots of soul, really driving home the quality of the songs. Titles include "Fantasy World", "Save Me", "Flyin High", "Funky Cat", "Uncle Joe", "Cotton Candy", and "Just My Love For You".

Deep southern soul from vocalists Chuck Brooks, Joe Wilson and George Soule – a both gritty and and some sweeter material cut at Malaco Studios, mostly in the early-to-mid 70s – with some rare 45 numbers, and others that were never issued at all! The Chuck Brooks tracks are wonderful and show a real range, from funky, stripped down numbers to bigger productions that still have plenty soulful grit to them! The Joe Wilson tunes are just as strong – with a heavy bottom end to the rhythms, organ and vamping soul guitar in the mix, and uniquely emotive vocals from Chuck. The set's closed out by a trio of tunes by George Soule, solid, moody, a mix of soul, a bit of southern rock & pop, and Motown ballad influences. Really incredible stuff! Includes "Loneliness (Is A Friend Of Mine)", "Baby Please Don't Set Me Free", "You Can't Be In Two Places At The Same Time", "Once Up A Love Affair" and more by Chuck Brooks, "(Don't Let Them) Blow Your Mind", "Sweetness", "When A Man Cries", "Our Love Is Strong", "Don't Look Back", "Go On And Live", "Walking Away From True Love" and more by Joe Wilson, "Talking About Love", "The Easiest Think I've Ever Done" and "That's Why I'm A Man" by George Soule. 25 tracks in all!

A pretty darn compelling album – one of the only sets we've ever seen from singer John Byrd – and a unique set of work for the time! The album was recorded at Muscle Shoals – with arrangements, production by Joe Wilson, who also wrote a good deal of the songs too – but the overall sound is almost more like that of some of the heavier soul coming out from points north at the time – far less southern soul at times than you'd guess from the record's pedigree. Most tunes are original to the set, and some of the best numbers even have a bit of a jazzy undercurrent. Titles include "Your Thing & My Thing", "I Can't Stop Loving You, Girl", "I've Got What You Need", "Sunshine", "Honey, I Don't Mind", and "Wait Til Tomorrow".

A warm, southern-inflected batch of bluesy sunshine rock from Dale "The Hawk" Hawkins – best known for gifting the world with his Chess original version of "Suzie Q" back in the late 50s – a big step away from the r&b steeped rockabilly he made his name on a decade earlier! LA, Memphis & Tyler, Texas is a catchy title and kind of a good hint at the sound – which has a breezy late 60s California vibe, but it's laid down with Memphis style horn backings and swampy guitars. Dale's vocal delivery is his most effervescent ever – and the players include James Burton, Spooner Oldham, the Memphis horns and even Taj Mahal! Tracks include "LA-Memphis-Tyler", "Heavy On My Mind", "Joe", "Houndog", "Back Street", "La-La La-La", "Candy Man". "Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town", "Little Rain Cloud" and more.

Funky soul from Bobby Patterson – a smoking set of music that's easily some of the funkiest ever cut for the Paula label in the 70s! Bobby's a southern soul singer, but he's got a righteousness that feels much more Detroit or Chicago – and some of the best cuts here have this sharp, funky undercurrent that's not unlike work by Joe Quarterman – a wicked bottom groove that's definitely inherited from James Brown, and which really helps underscore the badass quality of Bobby's music! The set's a wonderful way to start digging Patterson at the height of his career – and the package includes 17 tracks, with "This Whole Funky World Is A Ghetto", "Right On Jody", "If You Took A Survey", "It Takes Two To Do Wrong", "How Do You Spell Love", "Quiet Do Not Disturb", "I Just Loved You Because I Wanted To", and "I'm In The Wrong".

An overlooked gem from Wilson Pickett – recorded in the post-Atlantic years, and with some great funky moments mixed in with those undeniably soulful vocals from the Wicked Pickett! Arrangements are by Brad Shapiro, who works the same magic here with Wilson that he did with a handful of other southern soul artists – updating their groove a bit more for the 70s, while also still respecting the best rootsy elements of the vocals. The style's a lot like some of Joe Tex's best funky moments from the same time – save that Wilson's vocals are even rawer and grittier – and titles include "I'm Gonna Do It All Over", "That Woman", "Best Part Of A Man", "Let Me Know", "Sweetwater Jail", and "It's Gonna Be Good".

Damn funky work from Wilson Pickett – maybe his hardest-hitting album for Atlantic Records in the early years – and that's saying a lot, given the punch of his other records! The set's sharp and tight right from the start – mostly recorded in Miami with that new approach to southern soul that was brewing up in the Criteria Studios at the time – lots of emphasis on the rhythms, in a mode that would later break big at TK, but which is still handled here by players who made the trip down from Muscle Shoals! Wilson gets a bit of backing vocal help from a group that features Judy Clay and Cissy Houston – but honestly, it's his vocals that are right out in front of the mix all the way through – sounding bold, proud, and loud on tracks that include "Funky Way", "Steal Away", "Hey Joe", "Groovy Little Woman", "This Old Town", "Lord Pity Us All", "Woman Likes To Hear That", and "Sweet Inspiration".

A brilliant collection of work from this overlooked Chicago soul singer – a set that brings together his whole 1974 album for Dakar, plus bonus singles from his late 70s years at Chi-Sound Records! First up is the sublime I Enjoy Loving You – one of a rare few albums cut by Sidney Joe Qualls – a fantastic 70s soul talent who's probably better known for his work behind the scenes, and as a songwriter, than he is as a voice on his own. The session is produced with a style that kind of mixes Brunswick Chicago soul with rootsier southern elements – stepping proud in the 70s territory of Johnnie Taylor or Tyrone Davis, but sounding way way better here, and with a much more independent vibe. Plus, the album boasts some incredible material – original tunes written by the likes of Sam Dees, Clifford Davis, George Davis, and others. Titles include "Shut Your Mouth", "Run To Me", "I Enjoy Loving You", "Please Help Me", "Can't Get Enough of Your Love", and "The Next Time I Fall in Love". CD then features 5 more bonus tracks from his 1979 studio work with Carl Davis' Chi-Sound label – tracks that include "I'll Run To Your Side", "Let The Woman Know", "So Sexy", "Good Ol Funky Music", and the classic "I Don't Do This To Every Girl I Meet".

An incredible blend of southern and modern soul – the second album by soul songwriter Sydney Joe Qualls, recorded in both Chicago and Muscle Shoals, with a stone mellow sound that's outta site! The groove here is extremely well-done – tight, but never too slick – and with a soaring quality that marks the best late 70s soul coming out of Chicago at the time, but which also has some rootsier vocals from Sydney. The album's a classic for the standout groover "I Don't Do This" – but the whole thing's pretty darn great, and tracks include "Bad Risk", "I'll Run To Your Side", "Let the Woman Know", "I Could Be So Good For You", and "Where Have You Been".

Hard to go wrong with Joe Tex at this point in his career – as the singer's not only at the top of the game of southern soul, but also helping to forge great new changes in the genre as well! The set begins with Joe's classic "Buying A Book" – easily one of his best-remembered cuts from the Dial years – then it spins into some great numbers that show a slight trace of funk creeping into the music, amongst some even more heartfelt, more personal narratives – of the sort that Tex virtually helped introduce to soul music at the start of the 60s. Production is wonderful – and titles include "Buying A Book", "Chicken Crazy", "Everything Happens On Time", "You're Right Ray Charles", "That's The Way", "It Ain't Sanitary", "I Can't See You No More", "Sure Is Good", "Bad Feet", "Papa's Dream", "I Gotcha", "A Mother's Prayer", and "You Said A Bad Word".

We can't get enough of Fame Records – that legendary powerhouse of southern soul in the 60s and 70s – and fortunately, the vaults of the studios have finally been opened after all these decades – and we're really getting the full picture of all the genius that went down in Muscle Shoals! This tremendous little package is essential southern soul listening for both the collector and newcomer – a whopping 24 tracks that virtually define the sound of the genre at its height – handled perfectly by producer Rick Hall and his core combo of crack musicians – working way past cliche to create some tremendous music on the set! A few of the artists here are names you'll know from Fame hits, a few more are lesser-knowns from the scene at the time – and a few more are even completely unknown – singers who weren't listed on the master tapes or studio records, but who are issued here because their vocals are so great. Titles include "Long Ago" by Ben & Spence, "It Tears Me Up" by James Barnett, "Take Me Back" by George Jackson, "Unfortunately" by Jackie, "Have Pity On Me" by Billy Young, "Don't Let It Be Sad" by June Conquest, "Fool For A Woman" by Prince Phillip, "Take It All Off" by Clarence Carter, "Are You Teasing Me" by Linda Carr, "I Can't Stop" by Big Ben Atkins, "Get In A Hurry" by Joe Simon, and "Midnight Affair" by George Soule.

A bit blues, a bit soul, and a great document of some under-recorded talents in the Memphis scene at the start of the 70s! The album's got a grittier sound than usual for Hi Records – and shows that at some levels in Memphis, there were still artists carrying the heavier sounds of a decade before – music that's a lot rougher and more unbridled than the sorts of more popular Memphis soul that was fast becoming the stuff of chart hits. The whole thing's a much-needed look at this side of the southern scene – and titles include "Please Don't Leave", "You Better Mind", and "Miss Betty Green" by Big Lucky; "Dog Man", "I'm Gone", and "Going To Vietnam" by Big Amos; and "Please Accept My Love" and "Stormy Monday Blues" by Donald Hines. CD version features nearly twice the music as the original album – with more cuts by each of the above artists – plus addition of cuts by Joe Lee Carter that include "Please Mr Forman", "As The Years Go Passing By", "I Can't Stand It", and "Let Me Know".

Heavy funk galore – and easily one of the best titles in the massive Super Funk series! This one seems to go deeper than all the previous volumes – really digging down for some obscure tracks that push past the obvious funky 45 standards, to include some lost gems from rare sources in the southern scene! The set's awash in hard drums, fuzzy bass, tripped out guitar, and lots of rootsy deep soul vocals – stepping from track to track with a quality level that beats most other funky 45 collections on the market, made even better by some superb liner notes from compiler Dean Rudland! Titles include "I Got Some" by Billy Garner, "Deep Soul (part 2)" by Ron Buford, "Doin The Model" by Eddie Clearwater, "Crazy Legs (part 2)" by Albert Washington, "Momma Momma" by Betty Barney, "Don't Ever Change" by Chet Ivey & His Fabulous Avengers, "The Warm Up (part 1)" by Clifton White, "Chicken Scratch" by The Chili Peppers, "Fat N Funky" by Charles Crawford, "Super Cool (You're Just A Super Fool)" by Pat Hunt, "Out Of Sight" by The Soulsetters, and "Boogaloo Party" by Joe Swift's International. 20 tracks in all!

Heavy funk galore – and easily one of the best titles in the massive Super Funk series! This one seems to go deeper than all the previous volumes – really digging down for some obscure tracks that push past the obvious funky 45 standards, to include some lost gems from rare sources in the southern scene! The set's awash in hard drums, fuzzy bass, tripped out guitar, and lots of rootsy deep soul vocals – stepping from track to track with a quality level that beats most other funky 45 collections on the market, made even better by some superb liner notes from compiler Dean Rudland! Titles include "I Got Some" by Billy Garner, "Deep Soul (part 2)" by Ron Buford, "Doin The Model" by Eddie Clearwater, "Crazy Legs (part 2)" by Albert Washington, "Momma Momma" by Betty Barney, "Don't Ever Change" by Chet Ivey & His Fabulous Avengers, "The Warm Up (part 1)" by Clifton White, "Chicken Scratch" by The Chili Peppers, "Fat N Funky" by Charles Crawford, "Super Cool (You're Just A Super Fool)" by Pat Hunt, "Out Of Sight" by The Soulsetters, and "Boogaloo Party" by Joe Swift's International. 20 tracks in all!

The world needs changing – and plenty of these tunes may well do it – thanks to infectious grooves and some very righteous message-oriented lyrics! The set's a great document of the positive, progressive energy going down in soul music during the heady days of the late 60s and early 70s – a time when the country was changing heavily, and the music was as well – moving into new styles, themes, and ideas – expressed here by a hip batch of cats who were working on some of the best indie labels of the underground! This set offers up a great mix of cool cuts from a variety of sources – a few gems from the Flying Dutchman label, some other obscure 45s, and even a few southern soul numbers that fit surprisingly well with the northern vibe of most of these numbers. Titles include "Walk Tall" by Esther Marrow, "Get Ready/Uptight" by Little Eva Harris, "All Power To The People (part 1)" by Joe Savage & The Soul People, "Soul Patrol" by The Original Soul Patrol, "Do It (inst)" by Johnny Griffith, "The World Needs Changin" by Hank Jacobs & Don Malone, "Sea Saw Affair" by Cesar 830, "Love Tones" by Melvin Sparks, "That's The Way It Goes" by Elaine Armstrong, "This Is The Me Me" by Brenda Jones with Groove Holmes, "Sissy Strut N American Woman" by The Willard Posey Reunion, and "Rudypoot" by Huck & The Soul Patrol.

One of the string of hard grooving swamp rock LPs Tony Joe White cut for Monument early on – charismatic, swaggery sounds from a master – a killer blend of southern rock steeped in soul! On some records, Tony's vocals take on a bit of a laconic storyteller vibe, a la Bobby Bare and other country rock fellas, but on this early LP he's going back & forth from a growling drawl to a more bluesy style backed perfectly with organs, swampy guitars occasion horns – production and arrangements showing a real feel for the Stax and Muscle Shoals sounds, yet full of grit. It's a blend of styles that's quite unique – and superior to some far more famous swamp rockers we could rattle off! Includes the great "Rainy Night In Georgia", "Elements And Things", "Fre Le Ann", "Old Man Willis", "Woman With Soul", "The Migrant" and more.

A great summation of the best of Joe's early work – which is really some of our favorite! The set brings together Joe's best cuts for the Sound Stage Seven label – some really great tracks done in a sweet 60s southern soul mode, with arrangements by Chips Moman and Cliff Parman – in a style that has some slight country soul touches as well. Joe was really at his best in this period, and the album's a perfect testament to the work that first got him noticed. Titles include "My Special Prayer", "Farther On Down The Road", "It's Hard To Get Along", "Hangin On", "The Chokin Kind", "Yours Love", and, as an extra special bonus, the LP includes the stellar 2-part funk cut "The Moon Walk (parts 1 & 2)"!

One of the funkiest records ever cut for the mighty MPS label – and a unique session that definitely lives up to the "soul time" promised in the title! The set features a unique combination of American soul vocals and European funky jazz – a hybrid formed in late 60s Germany as Baltimore-born singer Dee Dee McNeil started working with South African drummer Barry Window – who's got a hell of a funky talent for hitting a groove! The pair were making big waves in the German clubs, then came to the attention of MPS – who hooked them up with hip jazz players like Barney Wilen on tenor, Joel Vandroogenbroeck on organ, and Ronald Bryer on guitar! The result is a very very groovy little record – funky on some key tracks, and burning with mod soul on others – a brilliant blend that's way better than most of the other expatriate work cut on the Euro scene of the 60s – and definitely worth the legendary status its hit over the years. Dee Dee mostly takes the lead on vocals, but some cuts feature surprisingly nice duets with Barry – and titles include the landmark break cut "Get Out Of My Life Woman", plus "Midnight Hour", "Hold On I'm Coming", "It's Alright", "Funky Broadway", "Soultime", and "Summertime".

A much-needed look at the funky Miami scene of the late 60s and early 70s – the new powerhouse of southern soul, after the slowdown in the scenes in Memphis and Muscle Shoals! The Miami sound was harder, tighter, rawer, and faster than that of other southern outlets – based around a really strong ability to pick up a little riff, cook it up nicely, and create the perfect backdrop for sock-soul vocals. By the mid 70s, Miami was topping the charts with disco tunes that sprung out of this energy – but the tracks on this set are all heavy-hitters from the pre-disco years – kickass funky tunes that burn like a box full of rare funky 45s! Titles include "You Got To Be A Man" and "The Spanish Flyer" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Do It To Me One More Time" and "Somebody Done Took My Baby & Gone" by Joey Gilmore, "Cadillac Annie" by Clarence Reid, "You Got To Be A Man" and "A Woman Will Do Wrong" by Helene Smith, "Funky Cat", "Save Me", and "Fantasy World" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Funky Me" by Timmy Thomas, "Funkadelic Sound" by Little Beaver, "Don't Make The Good Girls Go Bad" by Della Humphrey, "I Get Lifted" by George McCrae, and "Cramp Your Style" by All The People.

A great issue of Classic Rock – the magazine that really does celebrate the best and most treasurable rock and roll, and skirts the overplayed and the cliched – and it includes a great CD, too! The cover feature lists the 250 Lost Tracks You Must Hear Before You Die – hand-picked and carefully-considered, and spanning a bunch of genres from blues rock, to glam, to power pop, AOR and well beyond. Also includes a Guide To Prog, interviews with Dave Grohl, Joe Cocker, The Jayhawks, Redd Kross, Bob Mould, John Cale and others, Lost Treasures Of Southern Rock from the perspective of Johnny Van Zant and much more. The free Rise Above CD features tracks by UK cult heroes Catherdral, Uncle Acid, The Deadbeats and more

One of the funkiest records ever cut for the mighty MPS label – and a unique session that definitely lives up to the "soul time" promised in the title! The set features a unique combination of American soul vocals and European funky jazz – a hybrid formed in late 60s Germany as Baltimore-born singer Dee Dee McNeil started working with South African drummer Barry Window – who's got a hell of a funky talent for hitting a groove! The pair were making big waves in the German clubs, then came to the attention of MPS – who hooked them up with hip jazz players like Barney Wilen on tenor, Joel Vandroogenbroeck on organ, and Ronald Bryer on guitar! The result is a very very groovy little record – funky on some key tracks, and burning with mod soul on others – a brilliant blend that's way better than most of the other expatriate work cut on the Euro scene of the 60s – and definitely worth the legendary status its hit over the years. Dee Dee mostly takes the lead on vocals, but some cuts feature surprisingly nice duets with Barry – and titles include the landmark break cut "Get Out Of My Life Woman", plus "Midnight Hour", "Hold On I'm Coming", "It's Alright", "Funky Broadway", "Soultime", and "Summertime".

Damn! Here's a record we wish we'd been treasuring for years and years, but it came into our lives more than 40 years after it was recorded, released and largely forgotten – an absolute masterpiece of funky country rock & soul from Jim Ford! '69's Harlan County is a record that brings so many styles into the mix that it could make you dizzy if it wasn't all so perfectly grounded by gritty southern roots, R&B and swampy rock – plus Ford's vocals, which range from wildly bugged out to soulful and richly emotional. We hear he once dated Bobbie Gentry and that makes some sense. You can compare him to lots of folks – he is as omnivorous of country, rock and southern soul in all its forms as Charlie Rich, but Ford's nowhere nearly as restrained by convention – and he's drawing from deeper wells of funk and soul. Tony Joe White comes to mind, too, as do a number of Muscle Shoals soul singers of the era. That said, Ford's his own animal! We came in late, but we'll love this record for the rest of time! Some famous fellows played on the sessions, but we won't name them, 'cuz Ford deserves all credit from us. Includes "Harlan County", "I'm Gonna Make Her Love Me", "Dr Handy's Dandy Candy", "Working My Way To LA", "Spoonful", "To Make My Life Beautiful" and more.

The funky side of the Jewel & Paula labels – surprisingly jazzy work for a company that's best known for its blues recordings! Most of the tracks here come from a creative early 70s stretch for the label – and there's a number of cuts that show a strong connection with the AACM and Chicago undergrounds of the time – mixed with other tracks that show more of the southern roots that you might normally expect from Jewel/Paula. Electric and acoustic sounds mix together wonderfully in the track selection for the package – and titles include "Just A Feelin" by Ronnie Kole, "Chi Congo" by Art Ensemble Of Chicago, "Tropical" by African Music Machine, "L&T" by Tony Valor Orchestra, "Ode To Billie Joe" by Ronnie Kole, "First Thing In The Morning" by James Moody, "I Love Every Little Thing About You" by Odell Brown, "Toussaint Shuffle" by Toussaint McCall, "Got To Get Over" by Sonny Stitt, "One For Bud" by Mal Waldron, and "Great Stone Bottle" by Ronnie Kole.

A much-needed look at the funky Miami scene of the late 60s and early 70s – the new powerhouse of southern soul, after the slowdown in the scenes in Memphis and Muscle Shoals! The Miami sound was harder, tighter, rawer, and faster than that of other southern outlets – based around a really strong ability to pick up a little riff, cook it up nicely, and create the perfect backdrop for sock-soul vocals. By the mid 70s, Miami was topping the charts with disco tunes that sprung out of this energy – but the tracks on this set are all heavy-hitters from the pre-disco years – kickass funky tunes that burn like a box full of rare funky 45s! Titles include "You Got To Be A Man" and "The Spanish Flyer" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Do It To Me One More Time" and "Somebody Done Took My Baby & Gone" by Joey Gilmore, "Cadillac Annie" by Clarence Reid, "You Got To Be A Man" and "A Woman Will Do Wrong" by Helene Smith, "Funky Cat", "Save Me", and "Fantasy World" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Funky Me" by Timmy Thomas, "Funkadelic Sound" by Little Beaver, "Don't Make The Good Girls Go Bad" by Della Humphrey, "I Get Lifted" by George McCrae, and "Cramp Your Style" by All The People.