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One of the most compelling later albums on Philly International – a killer mix of jazzy numbers that have a very different style than most of the other Philly work at the time! Even though Leon Huff had been banging around in soul music for about 15 years – most famously as half of the Philly soul superteam Gamble & Huff – this 1980 LP was his first effort as an artist, instead of producer. In Chicago, the big highlight is the jazzy stepping track "I Ain't Jivin, I'm Jammin" – which grooves along with a sweet two-step piano sound that's still quite popular on the dancefloor – but the record is filled with nice tracks including "Tight Money", which was done earlier by Reuben Wilson, the funky "Your Body Won't Move If You Can't Feel The Groove", the breezy instrumental "No Greater Love", "Tasty", "This One's For Us" and "Latin Spirit".

The first album from Thelma Jones – and a real standout set from mid 70s Columbia! The record is a sweet blend of southern and modern soul, with some fantastic arrangements by Bert DeCoteaux, who also produced the set in a wonderful way that lets Jones retain the deeper qualities of her vocals, but also glide nicely on some warmer modern touches. There's a really unified feel to the whole record, and tracks are a range of work by 70s songwriting greats that include Sam Dees, Leon Ware, Grey & Hanks, and Gamble & Huff. Features the excellent single "How Long", plus "I Can Dream", "Salty Tears", "Stay Awhile With Me", "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love", and "Now That We Found Love". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "You're The Song That I Can't Stop Singing", "Love Look What You Got Me Into", and "I Second That Emotion (single version)".

A seminal album by this legendary Philly instrumental group – essentially the house band at Sigma Studios, and an incredible ensemble filled with top-shelf musicians! The sound here is virtually the blueprint for Philly soul of the 70s – a blend of wickedly tight rhythms and fuller orchestrations – served up in a way that's never sleepy, never overdone – and which has a careful balance that none of the group's imitators could match! Production is by the team of Gamble & Huff – already well-known associates of the group of musicians that includes Bobby Eli, Lenny Pakula, Leon Huff, Norman Harris, Vince Montana, and many more! Most of the titles here are instrumental remakes of familiar tunes – all given a Philly soul sound, and one heck of a groove! Titles include "Family Affair", "Freddie's Dead", "Back Stabbers", "Something For Nothing", and "Poinciana". CD also features a bonus track – "Family Affair (7" single version)".

Early Philly soul from Bunny Sigler – two Leon Huff tracks served up perfectly by the singer! "Girl Don't Make Me Wait" has these hard vibes that soar along with the groove – a whirling frenzy that really seems to bring out some great harmonies as Sigler's lead mixes with the backing group! "Follow Your Heart" is a burner too – even better than the main track, with some of the most hard-edged vocals we've ever heard from Bunny!

Jazzy vibes – and jazzy sax, trumpet, and keyboards too – all heard in a host of rare cuts from the 70s – pulled together in one massively great batch of music! The set does a great job of digging around the edges of the 70s – moving past too-familiar jazz funk classics, and coming up with numbers that really get at the more sophisticated side of the genre! Most of the work is by relatively well-known artists, but the whole thing's still a nice change from the mainstream, and features loads of rare groove classics – including "In Good Faith" by Norman Harris, "Latin Spirit" by Leon Huff, "Latin Love" by Dexter Wansel, "Cisco Kid" by Reuben Wilson, "Red Beans" by Jimmy McGriff, "Out On The Coast" by Larry Willis, "Give Me Your Love" by Funk Incorporated, "Killing Time" by Natural Essence, "Like A Thief In The Night" by Mike Longo, "Them Changes" by Lionel Hampton, and "Killing Me Softly" by Hysear Don Walker.

Two great slices of work from vocalist Thelma Jones – her late 60s singles for the indie Barry label, and her tighter work for Columbia recorded nearly a full decade later! The first half of the set has Jones hitting hard in a tight Northern Soul mode – a socking 60s approach to the groove that's got echoes of deep soul on the vocals, but which also often bumps along with a tight sense of rhythm on the bottom – sometimes even a bit of funk as well! Titles from these years include Jones' excellent original take on "House That Jack Built" – a tight funky version that's way better than Aretha Franklin's – plus the cuts "Stronger", "Never Leave Me", "Gotta Find A Way", "I Won't Give Up My Man", "Mr Fix It", and "Give It To Me Straight". The second half of the set features material from Jones self-titled 1978 album for Columbia – a sweet blend of southern and modern soul, with some fantastic arrangements by Bert DeCoteaux, who also produced the set in a wonderful way that lets Jones retain the deeper qualities of her vocals, but also glide nicely on some warmer modern touches. There's a really unified feel to the whole record, and tracks are a range of work by 70s songwriting greats that include Sam Dees, Leon Ware, Grey & Hanks, and Gamble & Huff. Features the excellent single "How Long", plus "I Can Dream", "Salty Tears", "Stay Awhile With Me", "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love", and "Now That We Found Love". 22 tracks in all – and a long-overdue collection!

The sensuous soul gem from Barbara Mason – a sweetly soulful groover all the way – one of her strongest albums of the 70s! Give Me Your Love earns our love from the open second, and it features the great title hit, a reworking of Curtis Mayfield's "Give Me Your Love", which was arranged by Curtis himself – along with the equally great "You Can Be With The One You Don't Love". Vince Montana did most of the other arrangements, and you can see traces of Barbara's move into clubland later in the decade – but this one's more about lush, deeply soulful sounds. Leon Huff is on piano and keys, the tunes have incredible backing vocals with Barbara Ingram, Bunny Sigler, Kenny Gamble and others in the chorus – but this is Barbara's show all the way, emoting soulful magic out front! Tracks include "Let Me In Your Life", "Bed and Board", "Who Will You Hurt Next", and "You Can Be With the One You Don't Love" – and the album's one of her strongest all the way through. CD version comes with the bonus, shorter version epic groover "Yes, I'm Ready".

The roots of the 70s sound of Philly International – served up here in a host of earlier tracks that have a wickedly funky sound! All numbers here are instrumentals – and all are played by some formation of players who'd later end up working for Philadelphia International Records in the MSFB studio group – but who record here under a variety of names used for obscure funky 45s! Much of the work here was cut at Sigma Sound Studios back when the label was first cutting Philly soul – and the collection features early work by artists who include Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, Earl Young, Vince Montana, Ronnie Baker, Leon Huff, Larry Washington, Ron Kersey, and others – all jamming in a way that's more hard-edged and funk-based than the Philly hits of the 70s. Titles include "Nickol Nickol" by Brothers Of Hope, "Vibrations" and "Bo Did It" by Hidden Cost, "Trippin" and "Jason Pew Mosso (part 2)" by Interpretations, "Egg Foo Wa Wa" by Race Street Chinatown Band, "Squeeze Your Knees" by Cupit, "I Can Dig It" by Daley Diggers, "Cupid's Holding" by Alliance", "Ambassador's Theme" & "Jimmy Bishop Theme" by Sam Reed Band, "Keem O Sabe" by Electric Indian, "Monte Carlo" by French Connection, and "Ando's Theme" by Ando Orchestra.

Soaring work from guitarist Michael Boothman – a record that's probably more in a soul instrumental mode than a jazz one – but which is plenty darn great, thanks to help from a variety of top-shelf talents! Boothman's working here with Leon Pendarvis – who plays keyboards on the record, and arranged the fuller backings for the record – ones that mix Boothman's guitar with some especially great wordless vocals from singers who include Lou Courtney and Edna Holt – singing alongside the strings with a sweetly scatting mode that's pretty great! There's a slightly tropical feel to some of the tunes here – which, mixed with a bit of jazz and the sophisticated backings from Pendarvis, almost puts the record in the territory of Jon Lucien – although obviously with less of a lyrical focus overall. Titles include "Heaven", "Song For My Soul", "Saying It With Music", "Diego Shuffle", and "Scorpio Stew".

Overlooked genius from Nancy Wilson – a pair of gems, back to back on a single CD! Can't Take My Eyes Off You is a really great album from Nancy Wilson – a set that still has her working with the jazzy undercurrents of her best 60s work for Capitol Records – yet also moving into some hipper, more sophisticated soul styles too! There's a really strong adult vibe to the record – not that Nancy didn't have one before, but this time around there's even more sense of personality and experiential depth that really comes through in the choice of songs – and in Wilson's wonderful treatment of them. Tunes that might be stiff in the hands of someone else are really transformed here – with added thanks to Phil Wright for great arrangements on the record. Titles include a version of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne", Burt Bacharach's obscure "Waitin For Charlie To Come Home", and the tracks "Trip With Me", "This Girl Is A Woman Now", "Mixed Up Girl", and "Words & Music". Now I'm A Woman is a really unique moment for Nancy – one in which she leaves the LA sound behind, and gets some special treatment from the young Philly crew of the Gamble & Huff studios! Arrangements on the set are by Thom Bell, Lenny Pakula, and Bobby Martin – and the style's an interesting mix of Nancy's pop jazz vocals with some of the lighter, sweeter sounds of the Philly scene at the start of the 70s. The result is a surprisingly wonderful album – quite different for Nancy, and with the kind of backings that really break her out of the sound of the 60s – and pave the way for the sophisticated style of the 70s. Titles include "Now I'm A Woman", "Let's Fall In Love All Over", "Lonely Lonely", "Joe", "How Many Broken Wings", and "The Real Me". CD features three bonus tracks – "Go Away & Find Yourself", "When You're Alone", and "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me".