Soul Jazz have done it again! As with their classic NuYorica, Strata East, and Black Jazz comps, this one's a definitive sampling of rare funky stuff that you'll never find otherwise. The set brings together 14 classic Jamaican tracks from the 60's and 70's – and unlike a lot of the other weak-ass reggae comps out there, every cut on here is a winner (or if you prefer, 100% Dynamite!) Great cuts include "Armageddon Time" by Willie Williams, "Stereo Freeze" by Jackie Mittoo, "Granny Scratch Scratch" by Sound Dimension, "Popcorn" by The Upsetters, and lots more! There's also some great Jamaican covers of American funky soul classics – like The Marvels' version of "Rock Steady", and Phyllis Dillon's great remake of Marlena Shaw's "Woman of the Ghetto". Lots more goodies, and the usual Soul Jazz high standard – which is 100% Dynamite! LP, Vinyl record album

A very hip collection of older funky cuts – ones that have been sampled in recent years by hip hoppers, but which stand up plenty darn great on their own! Most tracks here should be quite familiar from recent uses of their key elements, but they sparkle even more brightly here in their original versions – as really stand out soul, jazz, and soundtrack tunes from the 60s and 70s! The package features full notes on all tracks, and also lists a key sampling of each number – and as usual for Jazzclub, you get plenty of greatness here for a very low price. Titles include "Today" by Tom Scott, "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, "I Love You More & More" by Tom Brock, "Oba La Vem Ela" by Jorge Ben, "Soul Bossa Nova" by Quincy Jones, "Yo Soy Cubano" by Chakachas, "Listen To Me" by Luiz Henrique, "Daylight" by Ramp, "Someday" by George Duke, "Get Up" by Vernon Burch, "Mellow Mellow Right On" by Lowrell Simon, "Enchanted Lady" by Milt Jackson & Ray Brown, "Jim On The Move" by Lalo Schifrin, "Viva Tirado" by El Chicano, and "Daydream" by Gunter Kallman Choir. CD

With that whip in her hand, we're not gonna argue with Fontella Bass about her New Look in the photo – and we can definitely say that the whole classic album definitely lives up to her hip, powerful stance on the cover! Fontella's a singer who started in gospel, later sung jazz, but who really comes into her stride here – mixing St Louis roots with Chicago 60s soul in a completely sublime batch of tracks all the way through! 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! Some tracks are as sophisticated and classy as Marlena Shaw at the time, others are downright rootsy – with more of a deep soul southern mode – and in addition to the seminal hit "Rescue Me", other titles include "Come & Get These Memories", "Soul Of The Man", "Oh No Not My Baby", "How Glad I Am", "Our Day Will Come", and "I'm A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary bit of jazzy soul – recorded by an obscure female singer from Milwaukee! Penny's got a warm style that's pretty darn nice on its own – but it's made even better by the great arranger Richard Evans, who helped out a lot on the session. The feel is very much in the Chicago sophisti-soul mode – and at times, the record sounds a lot like Marlena Shaw's best work in the 70s, particularly her sides for Blue Note in the early part of the decade. Includes the great original "Too Soon You're Old" – a jazz dance classic for many years – plus a stellar cover of Gil Scott Heron's "Lady Day & John Coltrane", and the tracks "What's Goin On", "Slow Hot Wind", "He's Come Back", and "Rain Sometimes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Carmen McRae's great 60s albums for Atlantic Records – a set that's still strongly jazz-based overall, but which seems to have an extra dose of soul at the bottom! The approach is a bit like the best late 60s sides by Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw – rooted in jazz, but hipper with some soulful elements in the backdrops – penned in this case by Jimmy Jones and Shorty Rogers, both of whom do a great job with the arrangements. The crispness of Carmen's voice works perfectly in the setting – and titles include "Watch What Happens", "Sound Of Silence", "MacArthur Park", "Can You Tell", and "Gloomy Sunday". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit of soul, a bit of jazz, and some nice funky touches at the bottom – a killer little set from the great Spanky Wilson! Wilson's got a really unique place in music – at one level a soul singer with enough sophistication to rival the sound of Marlena Shaw or Nancy Wilson – but at another level, an artist capable of really letting loose – hitting heavier, funkier modes that neither of those singers could ever touch! This set may well be Wilson's masterpiece – put together with excellent production and arrangements from the great HB Barnum – here coming off a great run of work for other artists in the 60s, and focusing all that experience on making Spanky sound great. Titles include "If I Could", "You", "Don't Mess With Bill", "Light My Fire", "Sunshine Of Your Love", "Hurtin", and "The Love That A Woman Should Give To A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of grooves – as some of Blue Note's best soul jazz artists of the 60s and 70s take on a host of funky tunes and soul music classics. The vibe is great throughout – and most cuts are instrumentals, based around tunes that you might know, but redone here with that great Blue Note funkosity that made the label so wonderful! Titles include "Think" by Lonnie Smith, "As" by Gene Harris, "Pillow Talk" by Lou Donaldson, "Ain't That Peculiar" by Big John Patton, "If You Really Love Me" by Grant Green, "Feel Like Makin Love" by Marlena Shaw, "Me & Mrs Jones" by Ronnie Foster, "Soul Limbo" by Candido, "I'll Be There" by Hank Mobley, "Mr Big Stuff" by Reuben Wilson, "People Make The World Go Round" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Can't Hide Love" by Carmen McRae, and "Just My Imagination" by Donald Byrd. CD

Hard and heavy female soul from the mighty Chess Records – and a selection of tracks that features plenty of funk in the mix too! The sisters on this set are not of the sobbing kind – as the package goes for a proud-stepping approach to soul that puts the ladies in charge right from the very first note – backing their deeply soulful vocals with a righteous set of backings, and really upping the power of tunes with some sock-solid production all the way through! Most of the tunes are from the late 60s, when Chess was bringing a good deal of funk into the mix – and plenty are from rare singles that haven't been reissued for years! 20 tracks in all, and part of this great Mojo Chess series – with titles that include "Dirty Man" by Laura Lee, "Git Out" by Mitty Collier, "Liberation Conversation" by Marlena Shaw, "Take Me For A Little While" by Jackie Ross, "Don't Mess With The Messer" by Koko Taylor, "In Orbit" by Joy Lovejoy, "Cheater Man" by Irma Thomas, "Sally Go Round The Roses" by The Jaynettes, "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, "My Babe" by Mitty Collier, "I Surrender" by Fontella Bass, and "I Don't Wanna Fuss" by Sugar Pie Desanto. CD

DJ Muro takes on a host of killer soul, funk, and jazz tracks from the deep deep EMI catalog – all in a mighty mix that's even more compelling than some of his other sets of this nature! The collection's filled with rare gems in a variety of genres – and Muro's definitely got the right sort of ear to mix things up perfectly – always with just the right sort of care to avoid crashing grooves together, unlocking some great musical combinations in the process! There's a few moments which are more Muro-mixed than others, but the core vibe of the tunes mostly shines through overall – on a massive set list that features 26 cuts that include "I'm In Love" by Nancy Wilson, "E-Carnival" by Tania Maria, "You're Welcome Stop On By" by Lou Donaldson, "A Little Bit Of Love" by Gentle Persuasion, "Think About Me" by Marlena Shaw, "Love The Way You Make Me Feel" by John Lee & Jerry Brown, "Family (live)" by Hubert Laws, "Why Can't We Be Friends" by Jacob Miller, "To See A Smile" by Ronnie Foster, "It's The Real Thing" by Monica Higgins, "Rhythm Rhapsody" by Ramona Brooks, and "Gift Wrap My Love" by The Reflections. CD

A wonderful early album from this hip Japanese singer – done in a mix of jazz and soul that reminds us a lot of Marlena Shaw! The overall style here is perhaps a bit more on the jazz side of the spectrum, but the arrangements and production are definitely influenced by American R&B of the 70s – in a way that takes Yasuko's versions of familiar standards, and turns them into sophisticated soul numbers. Instrumentation is a nice mix of acoustic and electric elements – and titles include "Wave", "Confide In Me", "The Good Life", "Too Shy To Say", "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down & Write Myself A Letter", and "It Might As Well Be Spring". CD

A soulful set of jazz vocal tracks from singer Carmen Bradford – an underground talent that we've loved for years! Carmen's got a style that's in the tradition of some of the classier soul singers of the 70s – a mixture of jazz and touches of modern soul, peppered with a bit of old fashioned swing – similar to some of Marlena Shaw's work during the past 15 years or so. The album features a tight backing group led by Frank Foster on tenor – and tracks include "Destiny", "Rough Ridin", "Right To Love", "I Believe To My Soul", "You Must Believe In Spring", and "Chicago Hello", one we're still trying to get the Mayor to make the official city song! CD

A never-heard live set from the mighty Donald Byrd – recording here with live accompaniment from the Mizell Brothers – at a level that's every bit as wonderful as their work with the trumpeter in the studio! The material was originally recorded during a same series of albums that Blue Note issued with live material from Marlena Shaw, Bobby Hutcherson, and Bobbi Humphrey – and the approach here is wonderfully similar, with long tracks that really showcase a hip, creative quality that may well beat that of Byrd's studio albums of the time! There's some many wonderful elements going on in the music – Fender Rhodes from Kevin Toney, bass from Henry Franklin, and both tenor and soprano sax from Nathan Davis – a wonderful surprise in the lineup. And while Larry Mizell adds in a bit of electronics, Fonce Mizell is alongside Donald on a second trumpet – on titles that include "Kwame", "Poco Mania", "The East", "Black Byrd", and a sweet remake of the Stevie Wonder tune "You've Got It Bad Girl". CD

Jean Carn was one of the best-ever singers to hit the Philly International label – a sophisticated diva with a style that would strongly influence soul music for the next 10 years, and a downright compelling voice that crafted some of the best modern soul of her generation. Although Jean started out as a spiritually-oriented singer working with husband Doug Carn and Earth Wind & Fire, this debut album has her grooving in a style that resembles the classy Columbia sound of Marlena Shaw. Like Shaw, Carn takes the best of her jazz roots, and strips off the nonsense to adapt to a more modern style. Gamble & Huff take a great deal of care with the album – and are careful not to bury Jean's voice in overly club-oriented arrangements, as they occasionally did with other female singers. Includes the hit groover "Free Love", plus "Don't You Know Love When You See It", "You Are All I Need", "You Got A Problem", and "If You Wanna Go Back". LP, Vinyl record album

The standout classic from Curtom disco diva Linda Clifford – and an album that showed that Chicago could rival Philly in the clubby groove department! Linda has a proud presence that really matches that of her better-known sisters in the City Of Brotherly Love – and she's singing here with a strong sense of personality that really sets the album apart from other female disco albums of the era. One of the greatest examples of this is her stunning "Runaway Love" – which has a bad-rapping, almost Marlena Shaw-esque monologue in the middle – but other tracks are equally nice, and include "Gypsy Lady", "If My Friends Could See Me Now", "Broadway Gypsy Lady", "You Are You Are", and "I Feel Like Falling In Love Again". Arrangements are by Gil Askey – who also produced the set in collaboration with Curtis Mayfield! LP, Vinyl record album

An interesting little record from Geraldine DeHaas – a Chicago-based jazz vocalist who's probably best known to Dusty Groove customers as Geraldine Bey, which was her name when she was part of the legendary Andy & The Bey Sisters! This record bears few traces of her earlier work, and is more in kind of a "classy jazzy soul" mode, ala 70s work by Marlena Shaw. The arrangements are by Tom Washington, who did a bunch of Chicago soul work for Brunswick, and Bob Perna. The set list leans heavily to Paul Anka numbers, but Geraldine actually makes them sound pretty decent. Titles include "Keep On Walkin", "Wheels Of Life", "Everything's Been Changed", "We Made It Happen", and "Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the best album ever from deep soul diva Doris Duke – a set that's produced with a slight undercurrent of sophisticated funk – and put together in ways that take Duke way past the rougher soul of earlier years! The album's a rare UK production – with backing from Ultrafunk and the Armada Orchestra, and a sound that's a great mix of Doris' roots back home with some of the sweeter, funkier sounds of the mid 70s – never in a way that's too commercial, and always with a quality that resonates strongly with the best US indie soul of the time. The album begins with a sublime remake of Marlena Shaw's "Woman Of The Ghetto" – and Doris takes the tune into whole new territory with her reading – and other tracks include "A Little Bit Of Your Love", "To Chicago With Love", "Love Is Here & Now Your Gone", "Grasshopper", "Hey Lady", and "Pick Up The Pieces". CD

A lasting classic from Miki Howard – maybe the singers best-remembered moment from the 80s – and a record that set a whole new standard for female soul at the time! Miki's got this all-adult approach right from the start – a move in the territory that was first forged by earlier sophisticated soul singers like Phyllis Hyman and Marlena Shaw – in which Howard can act with the poise of a jazz vocalist while still being a soul artist – stepping out in smooth arrangements that give the whole record a nicely mature vibe. Lemel Humes produced – and titles include "My Friend", "Come Share My Love", "Love Will Find A Way", "Imaginations", "Come Back To Me Lover", and "Do You Want My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic lost album from one of the 60's most under-rated female singers – done in a style that's far hipper than Barbara's work for Atlantic! The set's got a vibe that's totally great – proud and righteous – stepping out in a mode that shakes off the sweetness of Barbara's earlier records, and grooves into a much more mature 70s-styled groove – handled perfectly by producer Ollie McLaughlin! Although Barbara and Ollie hailed from Detroit, the set was actually recorded in Chicago at the end of the 60s – with arrangements by Mike Terry, and a sophisticated groove that has some of the bounce of records by JoAnn Garrett or Marlena Shaw at the time. Every cut is a winner – and the album's a no-filler gem that we treasure in our soul collection! The record includes of great tracks, including "Baby That's A No No", "Break Away", "Anyway", "You Made Me A Woman", "Oh, Be My Love", "How Can I Tell", and "Slip Away". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "That's The Way I Like It", "Ask The Lonely", and "Why Did It Take You So Long". CD

A great smooth soul session from Carmen McRae – an album that's not nearly as well known as her American sides of the 70s, but which is possibly even better overall! The record features a great batch of smooth soul arrangements by Mario Sprouse – a blend of jazz and contemporary soul modes that's almost in the same space as Marlena Shaw – and the band backing up Carmen is filled with superstar players who include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Hubert Laws on flute, and Grover Washington on sax. The whole thing's got that well-crafted feel you'd expect from a Japanese session at the time – and it includes many nice moments, like a cover of "Mister Magic" with some nice breaks – plus "New York State Of Mind", "Sweet Alibis", "Come In From The Rain", "This Masquerade", and "I'd Rather Leave While I'm In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Three great 60s albums from jazz singer Carmen McRae – all in a single set! Second To None is one of Carmen McRae's best records of the 60s – an album done with beautiful arrangements from Peter Matz, who's probably best known for his work with Barbara Streisand at the time – and who really helps McRae take her music to the next level! Carmen was already one of the most sophisticated jazz singers of the 50s – but in the following decade, she really perfected her phrasing – and was able to grab material and make it completely her own – all with a mode that's steeped in the special sort of inflections a jazz singer can bring, but which is also able to maybe be even more adult in approach overall. The strings soar, the percussion is fairly spare and often a little bit off kilter – and Carmen emphasizes her phrasing and more earthy tendencies without any empty histrionics – on titles that include "In The Love Vain", "The Music Makes Me Dance", "Too Good", "Once Upon A Summertime", "The Night Has A Thousand Eyes", and "Cloudy Morning". Live & Doin It is about as strong an example of the genius of Carmen McRae as you could ever hope to find – a live album that displays Carmen's impeccable phrasing in a very stripped-down setting – and one that also swings with a fair degree of sophisticated soul as well! Back in the 50s, Carmen paved the way for later stars like Marlena Shaw or Nancy Wilson – and here, she outdoes both of them with effortless ease – working with a very cool trio that features Norman Simmons on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, and a very young Stu Martin on drums. The set's got that strong understanding of soul that was explored even more fully in her Atlantic Records years – which really transforms tracks in unexpected ways. Titles include "Guess Who I Saw Today", "Quiet Nights", "Trouble Is A Man", "My Ship Has Sailed", "No Where", "Meaning Of The Blues", and "I Only Have Eyes For You". Haven't We Met is great work from Carmen McRae – light and groovy one minute, deeply expressive the other – but all with a sense of balance that few other singers can touch at this point in her career! Carmen's already moved past straight jazz, yet she also avoids the traps of bigger label commercial singers too – really making the best of the sophisticated charts by Don Sebesky, yet also always reminding us who's in charge! The album's on a par with the excellent work to come for Atlantic records – and titles include the groovy "Life Is Just A Bowl Of Cherries", "Who Can I Turn To?", "He Loves Me", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Limehouse Blues", "I'm Foolin' Myself", "Fools and Lovers", and the title track – a wonderfully groovy take on the Kenny Rakin tune "Haven't We Met". CD

Sublime early work from Carmen McRae – a collection of recordings done with backing from pianist Ray Bryant in both small combo and large group settings! The first dozen tracks on the album have Carmen singing in a beautifully fragile mode – with only Ray's piano and a bit of bass and drums to back her up – and it's a real treat to her the McRae vocal approach in such an unfettered format, because even at this earlier age, Carmen had a sense of control, poise, and grace that shines through immediately. Next up are 14 more tunes that also feature Bryant's piano, but over larger backings directed by Jack Pleis – in a way that's more similar to some of McRae's better known recordings from the time, but still quite great – done with a level of sophistication that clearly paved the way for Nancy Wilson and Marlena Shaw in years to come – on a batch of 12 mostly Noel Coward numbers, and 2 other tunes. 26 tracks in all – and titles include "I Can't Escape From You", "Guess Who I Saw Today", "Exactly Like You", "All My Life", "Dream Of Life", "Zigeuner", "A Room With A View", "Never Again", "Invitation", "If Love Were All", "Why Does Love Get In The Way", and "Mad About The Boy". CD

A gem of a female soul album from the 70s – recorded in Texas by singer Shirley Nanette, but issued on a tiny label and never circulated at the time! The music here is all handled by guitarist Hanc Swarn – who'd worked with Earl Grant, and helped create that cool syncopated groove that made Grant a favorite with the steppers – a style that's expanded here into some funkier 70s modes, which really let's Nanette's vocals soar! Shirley's hardly the rootsy singer you'd expect from the Texas scene – as she's sometimes got this poise and class that almost rivals Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw, but can also hit these badass modes when the tunes get funkier too. The set's great – way more than just another rarity, and the kind of overlooked 70s gem we'd rank right up there with lost indie soul treasures by Mike James Kirkland or Penny Goodwin. Titles include "Give & Take", "Limelight", "Tropic Of Love", "I'm So Glad", "Heaven On Earth", "People Are Thinking", and "Yours Truly Love". LP, Vinyl record album

It's a few years after Freda's big hit "Band of Gold", and she's recording here in a very different mode! The record is produced by Holland-Dozier-Holland, with arrangements by a number of different talents, like McKinley Jackson, Tony Camillo, and Michael Smith – and the overall sound is much more sophisticated than on some of Freda's earlier work. The vocals are especially sharp – quite mature, and almost in a mode that points towards later work by singers like Jean Carn or Marlena Shaw during the late 70s. Includes the nice midtempo groover "We've Gotta Find A Way Back To Love", worth the price of the album alone – plus "Mood For Love", "Reaching Out", "Two Wrongs Don't Make A Right", "Mother Misery's Favorite Child", and "Right Back Where I Started From". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Nancy Wilson's excellent 70s run on Capitol Records – a set that goes way beyond the spirit of some of her earlier records, and features a very unified vibe overall! The set was done in heavy collaboration with producer/composer Clarence McDonald – and features all original album penned for the date, most of which has a sublime blend of strings and soul that really pushes Wilson into even more sophisticated territory than before! Nancy's really on a par here with Marlena Shaw at her 70s best – even though Wilson had hit some of the territory years before – and the set's overflowing with great little numbers – including the funky classic "I'm In Love", plus "Let It Flow", "I'm Gonna Let Ya", "Music On My Mind", "He Makes Me Feel Good About Myself", and "Light". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collection of work by funky soul diva Spanky Wilson – a set that features her full Westbound album Specialty Of The House, plus a nice array of even harder-hitting singles! Spanky first rose to fame as a gritty singer mixing jazz and soul on a series of late 60s/early 70s sides with HB Barnum, but during her Westbound years she cleaned things up a bit – taking her already-rich vocals, and turning them towards fuller backings and more soaring soul that almost hit the heights of soul singers like Marlena Shaw or Motown artists of the time. Backings penned by David Van DePitte, Paul Riser, and others gave Wilson a nicely mature sound that was a good change from her aging style of previous years – but other singles still maintained a grittier, funkier groove too – allowing for a nice range of modes during these short years at Westbound Records. This CD's the first to give full due to these overlooked years in Spanky's career – and it breaks up the core album and intersperses some of the funkier singles, plus unreleased tracks – in a blend that sounds even better than the original records! 18 tracks in all – including the break classic "Kissing My Love", plus "Shake Your Head", "Non Stop Flight", "He Called Me Baby", "Easy Lover", "Spend The Night With Me", "Missing Pieces", "I Think I'm Gonna Cry", "Standing Room Only", "Love Song", "The Downer I Get", and "I'll Stake My Life On You Boy". CD

The title's no lie – as this sweet little set features 101 Northern Soul classics – a treasure trove of upbeat soul from the 60s – with lots of rare cuts, obscure groovers, and the kinds of tracks that always got more play on UK dancefloors than back home here in the US! For the price, the set is a hell of a collection – and features killer classics from labels that include Motown, Chess, Philips, MGM, and other vintage imprints – with a nice degree of overlooked cuts that have only been discovered by the northern scene in more recent years. Titles include "Til You Were Gone" by Frank Wilson, "Love Love Love" by Bobby Hebb, "Stop Her On Sight" by Edwin Starr, "What More Could A Boy Ask For" by The Spinners, "Can't Satisfy" by The Impressions, "I'm The One Who Loves You" by Darrell Banks, "Why Am I Lovin You" by Debbie Dean, "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "I Got A Feelin" by Barbara Randolph, "Heaven Must Have Sent You" by The Elgins, "Dr Love" by Bobby Sheen, "Trampoline" by Spencer Davis Group, "Nothing Left To Give" by Thelma Houston, "Baby I Miss You" by Tommy Good, "I've Been Blessed" by Bobby Taylor, "Look What You Done Boy" by The Lollipops, "Friday Night" by Johnny Taylor, "Baby I Love You" by Howard Tate, "Helpless" by Kim Weston, "Moody woman" by Jerry Butler, "There's A Ghost In My House" by R Dean Taylor, "Ordinary Joe" by Terry Callier, "Wade In The Water" by Marlena Shaw, "Drop In The Bucket" by Mary Wells, "Baby A Go Go" by Barbara McNair, "Love's Gone Bad" by Chris Clark, "Run For Cover" by The Dells, "Battened Ships" by Odyssey, "Nothing But A Heartache" by The Flirtations, "Sure Is A Lotta Woman" by The Isley Brothers, and "Keep On Lovin Me" by Francis Nero. CD

Incredible sounds from the Chess Records catalog – not the blues that you might know the label for, but a huge range of funk, soul, and jazz tracks from the headiest years of the 60s and 70s – a time when the Chicago scene was really turning out some incredible musical hybrids! As you'd guess from the title, all the cuts here have had a new life in recent years – thanks to samples by hip hop artists or other producers – but the original grooves are even better than the tracks that used them, and come together here to make one of the most mindblowing collections of Chess material we've ever heard! The package is nicely heavy on sounds from the Cadet/Concept years of the label – with more than a few contributions from producers Charles Stepney and Richard Evans – and the package features 42 wonderful tracks – including "Fonky Thang Diamon Ring" by The Dells, "Windmills Of Your Mind" by Dorothy Ashby, "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun" by Rotary Connection, "Jelly Jam" by Jack McDuff, "The Getaway" by Alvin Cash, "In My Body's House" by Gene Chandler, "Cross Country" by Archie Whitewater, "Memory Band" by Rotary Connection, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Inside Out" by American Gypsy, "Go Go Power" by Sugar Pie DeSanto, "Shake It Up" by The Vibrations, "Up Above The Rock" by Ray Bryant, "Bad Moon Rising" by Bo Diddley, "Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Be Do Da Day" by Eddie Fisher, "Humpin Bumpin & Thumpin" by Andre Williams, "Who Got The Number" by Pigmeat Markham, "Walk On By" by Jo Ann Garrett, "Chocolate Candy" by Soulful Strings, "Got To Get Your Own (7" version)" by Reuben Wilson, "Hanky's Panky (7" version)" by Shirley Scott, "Liberation Conversation" by Marlena Shaw, "Look Of Love" by Monk Higgins, and "Think About It" by Odell Brown & The Organizers. CD

A massive batch of mixes from dancefloor maestro John Luongo – a set that's heavy on cuts from the 80s in many styles, and which has some other surprises in the mix as well! Luongo was one of those talents who did a great job of bringing underground dancefloor modes to a more mainstream audience – and he finds grooves in cuts that might not normally have gotten such strong club treatment on their own, or in the hands of another remix talent! This 2LP set features some of the best work that Luongo did back in the day – titles that include "The Best (ext mighty mix)" by Tina Turner, "Suspicious Minds (suspicious mix)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "The Chinese Way (New York rmx)" by Level 42, "Out In The Night (12" version)" by Serge Ponsar, "Give It Up (12" version)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Missing You (ext version)" by John Waite, "Eyes Without A Face (full length version)" by Billy Idol, "Look Of Love (part 3 – dance version)" by ABC, "Fade To Grey (US 12" version)" by Visage, "Blind Vision (ext version)" by Blancmange, "Shy Boy (US ext version)" by Bananarama, "Tarzan Boy (ext dance version)" by Baltimora, "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)" by Dan Hartman with Loleatta Holloway, "You Stepped Into My Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Melba Moore, and "Music Is My Way Of Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Patti Labelle – plus more from Soft Cell, Bill Nelson, Sharon Ridley, Fantasy, Material, Cabaret Voltaire, Cher, ZZ Top, Gonzalez, Marlena Shaw, Jackie Moore, and others. 4CD set features 43 tracks in all – and includes a 32 page booklet, with rare photos, track annotations, and an essay on Luongo's music! CD

12 tracks in all: "Walking On Sunshine" by Eddy Grant, "This Time Baby" by Jackie Moore, "I've Got The Next Dance" by Deniece Williams, "Touch Me In The Morning" by Marlena Shaw, "Born To Be Alive" by Patrick Hernandez, "Changin'" by Sharon Ridley, "Streetplayer" by Chicago, "Vertigo/Relight My Fire" by Dan Hartman & Loleatta Holloway, "Pull Yourself Together" by Buddy Miles, "Got To Be Real" by Cheryl Lynn, "Sinner Man" by Sarah Dash and "Keep On Dancin'" by Gary's Gang. CD

Not a bad little soundtrack – filled with sleazy 70s soul tunes! Given that the movie features Diane Keaton trawling her way through the singles underground of the time, the music goes pretty darn well with the film – and in fact is almost better, as it keeps a sunny optimism, without the darker turn of the narrative. Titles include "Don't Ask To Stay Until Tomorrow" by Marlena Shaw, "Don't Leave Me This Way" by Thelma Houston, "She Wants To Get On Down" and "She's Lonely" by Bill Withers, "Prelude To Love" and "Could It Be Magic" by Donna Summer, "Backstabbers" by The O'Jays, "Love Hangover" by Diana Ross, "Machine Gun" by The Commodores, and "Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs. LP, Vinyl record album

A rare session from indie soul legend Penny Goodwin – a previously unissued live performance from 1974, featuring small combo backing in a sweet and jazzy mode! Penny's got a voice that's instantly recognizable – a bit raspy, in the mode of Esther Phillips – but cooler and more sophisticated, with a Marlena Shaw-like hipness that really fits the tracks on the set. Most of the numbers are traditional jazz standards, swung by Penny and a small piano trio – in a mode that's a lot more intimate than, but equally soulful to, the fuller backings used on her classic Portrait Of A Gemini album. Titles include "What's Going On", "Inner City Blues", "Midnight Sun", "Little Girl Lost", "On A Clear Day", "Day Dreaming", and "Where Is The Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Cool, classy work from the great Irene Reid – a set that's got all the deep soul vocals of her previous albums, but also a nicely jazzy vibe, too – one that gives Reid a sophisticated style that almost feels a bit like Marlena Shaw or Nancy Wilson in the way the tunes take off – even though Irene is very much her own woman throughout! Arrangements are by Bert Keyes, and the record's got a number of original tunes written by producer Buddy Scott – nicely fresh material that has this laidback, mature vibe that's mighty nice – as Irene steps slinkily into the lyrics on titles that include "Two Of Us", "Treat Me Good", "I'll Get You Over", "No Yesterday", and "Brand New Me". CD

Not just disco cuts from the 80s – as the title might imply – but a great range of work from the mid 70s onward, including a fair bit of funky numbers that are nicely different from more familiar disco! As with other volumes in the series, the approach here is maybe more towards upbeat soul – bits of boogie, 80s groove, and even some jazz funk styles too – brought together on tracks that include "It's Too Late" by Delight, "Do You Really Love Me" by Janice Bullock, "Touch Me In The Morning" by Marlena Shaw, "I Felt You Glancin" by Kimiko Kasai, "Lookin For A Lovin" by Dorothy Moore, "You're Lying (12" mix)" by Linx, "You're Number One" by Devarne, "Do You Love Me" by Marlene, "Girl You Are The One" by Alfonzo, "The Good Life" by Bobbi Humphrey, "We Belong Together" by Tony Valor, "Rejoice" by The Emotions, "Carnival" by Splendor, "Ain't Gonna Hurt Nobody" by Brick, "Be With Me (12" mix)" by Billy Griffin, "This Time" by Chocolate Jam Co, and "ASAP" by The Jones Girls. CD

Some of the most righteous recordings ever issued – a rich batch of soul, funk, rock, and spoken word tracks from the boldest era of African American empowerment! The set does a great job of mixing together classic cuts and overlooked nuggets – all of which bring forth the message of the times with energy that's far more direct, and far more powerful than some of the more easygoing songs of the Civil Rights era – a musical shift that follows the cultural one documented in the book of the same title! The collection and notes are done by Pat Thomas – who wrote the Listen Whitey book – and he's done a really amazing job of picking just the right selections, and finding a way to make them all resonate together beautifully – in ways that only increase the focus and strength of their message. Titles incude "Free Bobby Now" by The Lumpen, "I Ain't Black" by Kain, "Free Huey" by Stokely Carmichael, "Invitation To Black Power (parts 1 & 2)" by Sahid Quintet, "Woman Of The Ghetto (live)" by Marlena Shaw, "Who Will Survive America" by Amiri Baraka, "Winter In America (solo version)" by Gil Scott Heron, "I Hate The White Man" by Roy Harper, "Dem Niggers Ain't Playing" by The Watts Prophets, "Tim Leary" by Eldridge Cleaver, and "Angela" by John Lennon & Yoko Ono. CD

There's two stylish British hipsters on the cover, but the album's filled with classic American jazz tracks – each hand-picked by Martin Freeman and Eddie Piller, and served up with plenty of soul! The work here begins in hardbop territory, and moves through 60s soul jazz and more righteous moments in the 70s – and while there's a few more recent tracks, the vibe of the record is very vintage throughout – and really reflects that longtime London love of obscure American records – sounds from a scene that has really taught us a lot over the decades! There's a few tracks here we haven't seen in years, and some great old favorites too – and titles include "Now At Last" by Blossom Dearie, "Trees & Grass & Things" by Charles Williams, "The Hipster" by Harold McNair, "Chains" by Blacks & Blues, "Bend Your Head Down Low" by Geoffrey Stoner, "Sphynx" by Brand New Heavies, "Look At Me Look At You" by Marlena Shaw, "Get Up Off Your Knees" by David Axelrod, "Psychedelic" by Lee Morgan, "Terra Firma Irma" by Joe Gordon,"The Rhythm Changes" by Kamasi Washington, "Just In Time To See The Sun" by Leon Thomas, "Mother Of The Future" by Norman Connors, and "Mi Hermano" by Blue Mitchell. LP, Vinyl record album