Features Clark Terry and Thad Jones on trumpet, plus Coleman Hawkins and Booker Ervin on tenor sax! CD

Sure, they were hitmakers – but we love these guys, and find them to be one of the most radical vocal groups of all time! Under the impeccable guidance of Lieber & Stoller, the group recorded some of the fiercest vocal numbers of the 50s – mixing incredibly soulful vocals with an almost cartoonish ability to conjure up little pictures with words. This 50-track, 2CD set is an amazing tribute to the group's genius – and it includes a wonderful range of material that begins with their early days as The Robins, and which runs up to later sides cut as funky 45s for the Date label in the late 60s. Features the great funk numbers "Soul Pad", "DW Washburn", and "Down Home Girl" – plus totall excellent doo wop tunes like "Shoppin For Clothes", "Hitchin A Ride", "Girls Girls Girls", "The Slime", "Hongry", "Hey Sexy", "The Shadow Knows", "Sorry But I'm Gonna Have To Pass", "One Kiss", "What Is The Secret Of Your Success?", "Idol With The Golden Head", "Besame Mucho", "Stewball", "What About Us", and "Along Came Jones". Also includes the big hits – but the set goes way past that stuff too! CD

Lots of beats and breaks – and the groove is a lot less mellow than you'd guess from the title! Tracks are pulled from some of the coolest indie labels of the 70s – Brunswick, HDH, and Salsoul – and the focus is on tracks that have lots of heavy drums and sharp changes – of the sort that were sampled heavily back in the day, but which also make for a nice batch of upbeat soul numbers too! Yet the collection is way more than just a sample-based collection of soul – as most of these numbers are pretty unusual, and not the kind of soul tracks that show up often on other compilations – and they link together surprisingly well, given the different sources from Chicago, Detroit, and New York. Titles include "Girl I Need You" by The Artistics, "I'm Bugging Your Phone" by The Smith Connection, "Seeing You Through The Eyes Of A Blindman" by Satisfaction Unlimited, "Lovin You Is Killin Me" by Moment Of Truth, "Where Will It End (Walter Gibbons mix)" by Love Committee, "I Got It" by New York Port Authority, "Love Factory" by Eloise Laws, "Breakaway" by First Choice, "Taster Of The Honey" by The Jones Girls, and "You Don't Have To Go (edit)" by The Chi-Lites. CD

16 tracks from the Jones Girls, Jean Carn, Dee Dee Sharp, Patti Labelle, Frantique, Dexter Wansel, Phyllis Hyman, Shirley Jones, and MFSB. CD

Includes music by Parliament, Chakachas, Curtis Mayfield, Funkadelic, Sound Experience, Cameo, Salsoul Orchestra, Marva Whitney, Leon Huff, the Jones Girls, and more – 30 tracks total. CD

Great work by one of the most unusual girl groups of the 60s! The Dixie Cups hailed from New Orleans – and as such, had a sound that was rougher and choppier than some of the other female trios from the north, especially the sweeter ones in LA. The group were discovered and produced by Joe Jones, a Crescent City soul star in his own right – and under Joe's guidance, they created a style that was steeped in the bubbling soul of the New Orleans scene, yet also had the kind of girl group sensibilities that would help them reach wider audiences across the US. This 18 track set is the best reissue we've ever seen of their material from the time – and features all of their recordings for the Red Bird label, produced by Lieber & Stoller, with arrangements by Joe Jones, Wardell Quezerque, and Mike Stoller. Titles include "Iko Iko", "People Say", "Little Bell", "Gee Baby Gee", "Another Boy Like Mine", "Chapel Of Love", "Girls Can Tell", "All Grown Up", and "Thank You Mama Thank You Papa". CD

Female soul galore – and a set that mixes together work from the 60s, 70s, and 80s – mostly pulled from the older catalog of Charly Records, and featuring styles that include funk, deep soul, and modern club! The stylistic mix is a bit all over the map, but there's plenty of great cuts on here that haven't been reissued in awhile – and as long as you're prepared for a genre shift as the set moves on, you'll find plenty to enjoy. 30 tracks on 3CDs – with titles that include "You're Losing Me" by Ann Sexton, "If My Friends Could See Me Now" by Linda Clifford, "There's A Break In The Road" by Betty Harris, "Funky Love" by The Staple Singers, "Girls Are Out To Get You" by The Fascinations, "Jessie Joe" by Jean Knight, "Take Care" by June Conquest, "All I Want Is You" by Zilla Mayes, "One Man's Poison" by Liz Lands, "Baby Don't You Know" by Bobbi Humphrey, "You Gotta Push" by Jodi Gales, "It's You I Need" by Deniece Chandler, "I Know You Care" by Ethel Beatty, "If You Don't Start" by The Jones Girls, and "Love & A Friend" by Eddie Bo & Inez Cheatham. CD