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Wonderful stuff – and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here – suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch out!) Although the album was thought of as a no-brainer quickie at the time – and predicted to fail so that Anna wouldn't get any cash from it – the record is an extremely well-crafted one, filled with extremely personal songs that also have a warm soulful finish, in the style of Marvin's work on the LP I Want You (which is kind of a nice bookend to this one – as it was an extended love poem to the young girlfriend that caused him to split up with Anna!) Hard and soulful, the record's a searing testimony to the relationship between Marvin and Anna, and a painful document of the troubles between them – set to some mellow grooves that are easily some of Marvin's greatest of the 70s! The set's filled with great "lost" Marvin Gay songs, too – like "Sparrow", "When Did You Stop Loving Me", "Anger", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You", and "Time to Get it Together".

An incredible record – quite possibly our favorite ever by Marvin Gaye! The album is quite unique – written by Leon Ware, and recorded in collaboration with him – done as a "suite" of tracks based on themes of passion, joy, and new love – all of which were very much on the mind of Marvin during his troubled years of the mid 70s. The whole thing's beautifully put together – superbly orchestrated with just the right funky touches, and even a sweet bit of electronics to give the set a nice edge. An amazing album – one of those soul records that goes deeper and deeper than you ever thought pop music could go – filled with great tracks that include "I Want You", "After the Dance", "Come Live With Me", and "Since I Had You". Genius – pure genius!

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks – with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous record. The record shows a sexy side of Marvin that would stun fans of his 60s work – very adult, very warm, and very preoccupied with desire and love. In a way, this sort of full-on love fest was a big payoff for all the folks who'd hung onto his simpler expressions of affection in the earlier years – sort of like getting let into the bedroom after spending years on the front porch! The record was produced by both Marvin and Ed Townsend – and the arrangements by David Van DePitte, Rene Hall, and Gene Page are smooth and seductive all the way through. Includes slow jam classics like "You Sure Love To Ball", "Distant Lover", and "Let's Get It On" – plus "Come Get To This", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", and "If I Should Die Tonight". This expanded edition contains the extra tracks "Let's Get It On (single edit)" and "You Sure Love To Ball (single mix)".

A wonderful 70s live album from Marvin Gaye – a set that was as expansive, ambitious, and sophisticated as his studio work from the time! The album's put together almost like a 3-sided portrait of Marvin – in that it begins with a long section of current work, moves into a "fossil medley" of older hits, then returns to "now" to showcase two of his biggest his of the time. The orchestrations are sublime – wonderfully carried off in a live setting amidst some very frantic screams from the females in the audience – and Marvin's vocals are incredible too – floating out magically amidst the crowd, and easily some of his best on record from the decade. Titles include the album's hit reading of "Distant Lover" – plus "Let's Get It On", "What's Going On", "Trouble Man", "Inner City Blues", "Distant Lover", "Keep Getting It On", and "Jan".

Marvin Marvin Marvin – just when we thought you couldn't impress us any more, you took it to the next level! Trouble Man is a heck of a wonderful surprise from an artist that most folks really only knew as a singer – a fantastically funky blacksploitation soundtrack, conceived and composed by Marvin himself – and served up with some occasional vocals that work beautifully with the album's cool instrumental grooves! The set's easily one of Gaye's most righteous records ever – almost a second chapter to What's Going On, but more instrumental – and like that classic set, it really shows the whole new range of vision that Marvin was able to work in the studio. Gaye gets a bit of arranging help on some tracks from Gene Page and JJ Johnson – and the album's filled with great cuts – including the landmark "T Plays It Cool", plus other gems like "Don't Mess With Mister T", "Main Theme From Trouble Man", "The Break In", and "T Stands For Trouble". Very funky, very sophisticated, and very soulful!

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". This expanded edition includes the B-side tracks "God Is Love" and "Sad Tomorrow".

Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell – definitely all you need, if you're looking for Motown duet work of the 60s! The album's possibly the best-remembered from the pair – filled with classics that really define the Marvin duo mode – sublime little tunes that have Gaye and Terrell trading lines back and forth, almost as if they were conversing together as a romantic couple! Production is sublime – handled by Harvey Fuqua and Johnny Bristol – and the grooves have a great mix of high moments and low-dipping notes, which further underscores the depths of feeling in the vocal performances. The title cut's one that we never tire of hearing – and the LP's got lots of other nice moments, including "Come On & See Me", "I'll Never Stop Loving You Baby", "Memory Chest", "Give In You Just Can't Win", and "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing".

Jazz loves Marvin Gaye – and we do too! Guess that makes us the perfect folks to rave about how wonderful this set is – a killer collection of 70s jazz funk numbers that pays homage to the great one – offering up instrumental versions of grooves originally recorded by Marvin for Motown – taking the tunes way past their original renderings with loads of sweet instrumental touches! There's still plenty of soul in the mix – given that most numbers here are done in an electrified fusion mode – and a few even feature some slight chorus vocals, too. Titles include "You Sure Love To Ball" by The JBs, "What's Going On" by Quincy Jones, "I Want You" by Gato Barbieri, "Distant Lover" by David Newman, "Don't Mess With Mr T" by Regina Carter, "When Did You Stop Loving Me" by Mongo Santamaria, "Inner City Blues" by Phil Upchurch, and "Trouble Man" by Grover Washington Jr.

Marvin Marvin Marvin – just when we thought you couldn't impress us any more, you took it to the next level! Trouble Man is a heck of a wonderful surprise from an artist that most folks really only knew as a singer – a fantastically funky blacksploitation soundtrack, conceived and composed by Marvin himself – and served up with some occasional vocals that work beautifully with the album's cool instrumental grooves! The set's easily one of Gaye's most righteous records ever – almost a second chapter to What's Going On, but more instrumental – and like that classic set, it really shows the whole new range of vision that Marvin was able to work in the studio. Gaye gets a bit of arranging help on some tracks from Gene Page and JJ Johnson – and the album's filled with great cuts – including the landmark "T Plays It Cool", plus other gems like "Don't Mess With Mister T", "Main Theme From Trouble Man", "The Break In", and "T Stands For Trouble". Very funky, very sophisticated, and very soulful!

A mid 70s winner from Ashford & Simpson – one of their earlier efforts, and a record that finds them fleshed out as a top notch act of their end – even if it'd be yeas before they'd net the kind of huge chart success that they deserved! Come As You Are is filled with solid soul with a sophisticated, expertly spun approach to production and arranging around the duo vocals – and the first rate songwriting that they'd provided for huge Motown stars like Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye. A couple tracks move more towards a dancefloor soul vibe that's pretty wonderful, and doesn't compromise the intimate soul vocals at the center. Titles include "It'll Come, It'll Come, It'll Come", "One More Try", "Believe In Me", "Caretaker", "Somebody Told A Lie", "Tell It All", "Sell The House" and "It Came To Me". This CD edition includes a couple remixes of the most club soul styled tune "One More Try" – the 12" disco mix plus a longer Dimitri re-edit!

A wonderful album of mellow soul tracks! The record is Lou Courtney's masterpiece – and it's a jam-packed set filled with great tracks that rank right up there with classic 70s work by artists like Marvin Gaye, Leroy Hutson, or Leon Ware! Leon Pendarvis handled most of the arrangements – and the record's got a wonderfully full soul sound – with a mix of moody keyboard-driven groovers and ballads – all topped by excellent vocals from Lou, miles ahead of any work he did in the early days! The best thing, though, is the songwriting, as these tracks rank right up there with the best underground mellow soul we can think of – sophisticated yet not soppy, filled with soulful lyrics about love and losing it, never giving into cliches of other soul from the time. A real dream of an album – and filled with great tracks like "I Will If You Will", "I'm In Need Of Love", "Just To Let Him Break Your Heart", "Somebody New Is Loving On You", "Just To Let Him Break Your Heart", and "The Common Broken Heart".

Sweet and gritty soul from D'Angelo – who takes a huge step into deeper territory on Voodoo – and it's one of the most monumental records of its time! On one level, Voodoo works as a nicely stripped-down session with a very classic soul feel. Gone are the overzealous flourishes that sometimes overwhelmed his earlier songs, and in their place are some sweetly crafted vocal parts with a classic Marvin Gaye/Al Green feel. That warmth is probably what made Voodoo a massive popular success – but what makes it such a creative triumph are the darker undercurrents – hinting at a troubled soul struggling for spiritual truth. One of the rare cases in popular music when great art became music for the masses! Titles include "Left & Right (feat Method Man & Redman)", "The Line", "Spanish Joint", "Africa", "Feel Like Makin Love", "The Root", "Playa Playa", "Devil's Pie", and "Greatdayndamornin/Booty".

Sweet disco and soulful jazz – the only album we've ever seen from Copeland Davis, a great talent on the piano, and a mellow soul singer with a clear inspiration from Marvin Gaye! The album's a pretty unusual one – in that the overall groove is instrumental, mostly tight rhythms and strings with Copeland playing piano over the top – but a few cuts have Copeland singing as well – in this great sexy style that really adds a lot to the record. The approach is a bit rough at times, but it's kind of a rough version of slickness, which makes for a compelling set, and gives the album a few nice underground clubby numbers! Titles include "Look What We've Found", "Morning Spring", "So In Love", "Jet", and "No Arms Can Ever Hold You".

An infectious batch of soul tunes from Raheem DeVaughn – his long overdue debut for Jive Records! Raheem stands apart from many in the mainstream soul and neo soul, not because he wears his influences so proudly on his sleeve, but in the way he wears them. Raheem's soul style is born of love for singers from Marvin Gaye, to Prince, to D'Angelo, to the Isleys and beyond – but his approach to songcraft and recording is born of hip hop and mixtapes – in which he can appropriate a given groove into his own tunes. The album's full of peaks and valleys, and the peaks are worth the the climb! Tracks include "The Love Experience", the Kenny Dope-produced "Guess Who Loves You More", "Who", "Where I Stand", "Breathe", "You", "Sweet Tooth", "Ask Yourself", "Believe", "Is It Possible", "Catch 22", "You", "Cadillac", "Green Leaves" and more!

The Floacist, sounding better than ever – in a record that may well top any of her previous work – and maybe even music by Floetry too! The set begins with a wonderful duet with Raheem Devaughn on the cut "Start Again" – a cut that feels like some lost treasure from the 70s, maybe a Marvin Gaye duet from the I Want You period – which then sets the stage for some perfect Floacist numbers that have a wonderfully righteous feel! Her solo identity is really coming together here – bold and proud, and never too smoothed out for commercial ends – on tracks that include "Children Of The Sun", "Slow Down", "Could It Be You", "Speechless", "Roots Of Love", "This Love", and "Start Again".

An incredible album – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. The grooves then kick in – with the same heavy funk as on earlier records, but also a nice nod towards experimental production – from strange fade ups and fade downs, to stark time and rhythm changes, and even bits of electronics used to create some very cool moments in the grooves! The whole thing's as dead funky as can be, and is stuffed with insane classics like "Blow Your Head", "Same Beat", "Damn Right I am Somebody", "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'", and a great cover of Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love to Ball"!

Smooth and sweet soul from Jeffree – an unsung 70s vocalist with a really great approach! Jeffree, aka Jeff Perry, is the brother of Greg Perry – and works in a similar style to his more famous brother – warmly grooving soul with a fluid, mellow approach – served up with great production, bubbling rhythms, and a really solid sound overall. The work is very much in the best tradition of 70s giants like Marvin Gaye or Leroy Hutson, and the collection brings together the best tracks from the self-titled Jeffree album on MCA from 1979, plus other assorted singles recorded under the name of Jeff Perry for Arista and Epic. Titles include "Love's Gonna Last", "Gentle Love", "Love Loan", "Unforgettable Person", "Call On Me", "Love Don't Come No Stronger", "Mr Fix-it", "Honest Baby", and "Take My Love".

Killer live work from Seu Jorge – one of his boldest, proudest records to date – and that's saying a lot, given the soulful promise of all his other work! We've always loved Jorge, but we first really fell in love with his music in a live setting – where he's got an undeniable charm and charisma, on a level with older legends like Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye at their best. Other live sets have always shown Jorge as a mellower, more acoustic artist – but this one really has him exploding with a very funky sound throughout – really hitting that superstardom we always saw coming in his talents – working before a very large crowd, and clearly driving them nuts with his sublime performance on the set. The album's a real step forward for Jorge – upbeat, funky, filled with soul, and exactly the kind of music that should hopefully have him exploding around the globe. Titles include "A Doida", "Pessoal Particular", "Dia De Comemorar", "Mina Do Condomino", "Vizinha", "Burguesinha", "Diario De Um Detento", and "Dois Beijinhos".

Two of our favorite albums by The Main Ingredient – back to back on a single CD! Euphrates River is a wonderfully complex batch of tunes that shows that the group were taking a cue from some of their hipper contemporaries, and pushing past a stock hit formula. Bert DeCoteaux was still arranging, but the group produced themselves, giving the record a sexy funky feeling in the best parts, not that dissimilar from some of Marvin Gaye's work, or records by groups like The Isley Brothers or The O'Jays. Includes great versions of two Seals & Crofts songs – "Summer Breeze" and "Euphrates" – both a perfect example of this style, as is "Happiness Is Just Around The Bend" – plus a great reading of Willie Hutch's "California My Way", which has a super-dope sample at the beginning. Of course, the album still includes material like their hit " "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", a sweetly style AM radio pop hit in the band's best style of earlier years. Afrodisiac is one of the most righteous albums ever from the Main Ingredient – as you might guess from its title and stylish cover! The group are really opening up here – and show a distinct Stevie Wonder influence throughout – not just because they perform their own hip takes on a number of tunes by Stevie, but also because Wonder himself plays a bit on the record! Rhythms are inventive, and grooves nice and complex – way past standard chart soul, into a heady mix that holds up beautifully over the years. Keyboards slide in great with the harmonies – and titles include great versions of Stevie Wonder tunes "Superwoman", "Where Were You When I Needed You", "Something Lovely", "Girl Blue", and "I Am Yours" – plus the great breakbeat track "You Can Call Me Rover", which has a very tight drum sound at the beginning, and tight soul harmonies all the way through. Also features a hip take on the Isleys' "Work To Do" too!

A beautiful debut from Frank McComb – a singer we've really grown to love and know well from his indie releases of the 21st Century, but who surprisingly got his start on a major label! The album's near perfect all the way through – as wonderful a mellow soul document as you could hope for from 70s Marvin Gaye or Leroy Hutson at their best – and Frank's got an amazing talent for blending together rich vocals and lush arrangements, yet somehow never making the whole thing too sleepy or slow. We've still never been sure as to why Sony never decided to do more with Frank at the time – and after falling in love with this album, if we ever happened to run into the exec who let McComb go, we'd certainly give him a talking to! Titles include "Looking At You", "Gotta Find A Way", "If This Is Love", "Love Natural", "Future Love", "Wasting Your Time", and "Listen To Your Heart".

This is definitely not your father's calypso – no living room limbo or Harry Belafonte cliches – and instead, a smoking batch of Caribbean grooves from The Mighty Sparrow! Sparrow was very much on the edge of the best styles in the 60s and early 70s – and although his basic groove might be termed calypso, he also brought in plenty of Cuban, Haitian, and Jamaican rhythms to his music too – as well as an occasional does of American soul! Like some of the best early sounds from Kingston, the grooves here often echo a deeper R&B sensibility, turned towards island rhythms – and really hit home strongly by Sparrow's wonderful vocals – as catchy, compelling, and charming as some of the best US singers of the time – with touches of the wit of Oscar Brown Jr, the warmth of Lou Rawls, the swing of a young Marvin Gaye, and the spookiness of Screamin Jay Hawkins! This massive collection is the first to really dig through his older records to pull out the best tunes – just the kind of special focus we'd expect from the Strut label, with a wicked track selection and great notes too! Titles include "Bongo", "Calypso Boogaloo", "Zinah", "Fool Fool Fool", "Ah Diggin Horrors", "Jook For Jook", "Sparrow Come Back Home", "Slave", "She's Been Gone Too Long", "Congo Man", "Ten To One Is Murder", and "Kennedy & Kruschev".

Incredible early-to-mid 70s albums from The Miracles – Renaissance and Do It Baby – plus a bonus Tom Moulton remix! First up, Renaissance truly is one, and proof that the the group could do amazing things away from Smokey Robinson! Of course, they've got a heck of a lot of great help on this set – from some of Motown's best, like Willie Hutch, Fonce Mizell, Freddie Perren, and even Marvin Gaye, who wrote and produced the album's standout track "I Love You Secretly", a stone treasure that's as good as any of Marvin's recordings from the time! The whole set is great, though, filled with wonderful songs that never got their due – and which will make this one stand for years as a treasure to fans of harmony soul! Titles include "I Didn't Realize The Show Was Over", "I Love You Secretly", "I Don't Need No Reason", "Don't Let It End", and "What Is A Heart Good For". The follow-up Do It Baby is another overlooked post-Smokey gem – a beautifully display of Miracles' unmatched soul harmony mastery – on a record that's just about as good as anything they did with Smokey. This one actually reminds us a lot of some of our favorite Philly albums coming out at the same time! Arrangements are handled by James Carmichael, Freddie Perren, and Willie Hutch – and it's heavy with slinky smooth soul groovers like "Do It Baby", "You Are Love", "What Is A Heart Good For", and "Give Me Just Another Day", one of a few great cuts on the record written by Leon Ware! This much needed Hip-O Select package includes a bonus track, too: Tom Moulton's mix of "Do It Baby" – which extends that classic cut to more than 7 minutes of dancefloor soul greatness!

A stone treasure from one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s – and a set you'll regularly find in the coolest of record collections from back in the day! Billy Paul was always one of the hippest talents on Philly International – mixing together soul and jazz influences with a deeper sense of spirituality, and long experience as a sophisticated vocalist. This album's one of his most sublime efforts – kind of a quasi-spiritual record with a similar high-concept approach to some of Marvin Gaye's work from the same time – really righteous, in ways that the Philly label didn't always hit – and which really goes past even most of Billy's already hip previous efforts. Gamble and Huff produced and wrote most of the record – including the two long tracks that make up side one, "I See The Light" and "War Of The Gods", the latter of which starts out slow and moody, then breaks out into a club groove. Other titles include the more standard soul tune "The Whole Town's Talking", plus "Thanks For Saving My Life" and "Peace Holy Peace". CD features bonus tracks – "War Of The Gods (part 1)", "The Whole Town's Talking (single)", and "I Was Married (single)".

One of the more righteous albums from the early years of Diana Ross' solo career – a set that really has her moving past the familiar Motown groove of previous years, into a vibe that really shows the label's new California influence! The tracks here often feature expansive arrangements that mix soul and larger orchestrations – arranged by Gene Page, James Carmichael, Gil Askey, and Michael Randall – all of whom preserve the class that Diana's always had in her music, while still also opening things up to some of the more thoughtful elements of 70s soul. The album includes a nice medley of Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus a version of "Imagine", and the tracks "Leave A Little Room", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "All Of My Life", and "Touch Me In The Morning". Expanded CD version is amazing, too! CD 1 features the full original album, plus 5 more previously unreleased bonus tracks – alternate versions of "Touch Me In The Morning", "All Of My Life", "Leave A Little Room", and "We Need You". Then, CD 2 features the stunning To The Baby album – a previously unreleased effort that's appearing here for the first time ever, really continuing the vibe of Touch Me In The Morning! Titles include "A Wonderful Guest", "Young Mothers (alt)", "Part Of You", "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face", "To The Baby", "A Wonderful Guest", "Imagine/Save The Children", and "Brown Baby (alt)" – plus two more bonus tracks, "When We Grow Up" and "Kewpie Doll".

Wonderfully catchy work from the team of Peggy Scott and JoJo Benson – easily one of the grooviest soul duos of the 60s! Peggy and JoJo were kind of the Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell of southern soul – recording for Shelby Singleton's SSS International label in Nashville, with a sound that's a lot deeper than some of the Motown or New York male/female duos – yet with a groove and way with a hook that made them even catchier than most of their contemporaries! JoJo goes deep, and Peggy soars over the top – and the pairing works perfectly on the playful lyrics of the tunes, with a raw quality that's way beyond the simple pop you might imagine. The package features some of the best SSS cuts by the pair, plus a few solo Peggy tunes too – and titles include "We Were Made For Each Other", "Soul Shake", "Lover's Holiday", "Pickin Wild Mountain Berries", "Til The Morning Comes", "Eternally", "Sugarmaker", "Lover's Heaven", and "Let's Spend A Day Out In The Country".

A classic! This is one of the best-ever albums by the legendary Marlena Shaw – and it's a tremendous live set that really lives up to the righteous promise of her earlier work on Cadet Records! The album was cut with a small combo, and the overall feel is incredibly hip – a mixture of jazz and soul, much more open-ended than some of Marlena's other albums, and with a more sophisticated feeling that was probably part of the way that she was presented to the crowd at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The highlight of the set is a 10 minute long re-working of her classic "Woman Of The Ghetto" – done in an incredible way, with lots of extra lyrics, and a great jazzy groove that's been sampled more than once over the years. Also features an excellent reading of Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus the cuts "Twisted", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "The Show Has Begun", and "But For Now".

Perfect Bob James electric arrangements make this LP by Stan one of his best for CTI! The record's got a laidback dope 70s approach to funky jazz – with loads of nice modal chords, sliced through by some deep soul solos from Stan. Players include Idris Muhammad, Bob James, Harold Mabern, and Eric Gale – and the record features a great remake of Marvin Gaye's "Don't Mess With Mister T", plus "Too Blue", "Two For T", and "I Could Never Repay Your Love". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Harlem Dawn", "Mississippi City Strut", and "Don't Mess With Mister T" in an alternate take.

Amazing stuff! Arguably Leon Ware's greatest record – and one of the greatest Motown records of the 70s! The record is a beautiful set of interwoven mellow soul tracks, recorded right on the heels of Marvin Gaye's I Want You album, which was written and conceived by Ware, then taken at the last minute by Marvin! For this set, Ware creates a very similar sound – mixing together smooth keyboards with subtle bits of funk and electronics, all wrapped up in his own sweet warm vocals, which sound better here than on any other album. The whole thing's filled with loads of beautiful tracks, including "French Waltz", "Journey Into You", "Phantom Lover", and the great "Turn Out the Light", written with Minnie Riperton. Plus, this reissue features 5 previously unissued bonus tracks – Leon's original versions of "Comfort (aka Come Live With Me Angel)", recorded with Minnie Riperton, and "I Wanna Be Where You Are", both done by Marvin Gaye on I Want You, plus the tracks "Don't You Wanna Come", "Long Time No See", and "You Are The Way You Are".

Smooth soul from Asaph – the self-proclaimed "son of soul", and a strong talent bubbling underground! Asaph first made his appearance in the R&B world as the lead singer of the early 90s group True Image – but since that time, he's really developed richly as an artist, writing and playing his own work, and singing in a mature style that's got lots of warm classic touches. There's certainly a strong influence here from gospel, but Asaph also works the groove in a style that's sexily secular – sliding around in warm and slinky grooves, moving in a range that's somewhere between Marvin Gaye and D'Angelo. Titles include "Sunshine", "Tell Me Girl", "I Apologize", "Heaven", "Key To My Heart", and "Come Back To Me" and now contains two extra tracks – "It's You" and "Feelin You".

Possibly the best-ever collection of blacksploitation grooves we've ever seen – a really comprehensive package that not only manages to cover the classics, but which also digs deep enough to come up with lots of fresh bits too! The set really sets a new level for the Soul Jazz label – and is carried off with enough authority towards Black Action films as the label's legendary efforts towards a host of less mainstream genres – truly an achievement for the label's crew, not to mention a heavier bonus for our funky listening pleasure! There's way more here than just a slapped-together batch of tunes from the early 70s – as the set's very carefully put together to showcase a wide range of sounds, along with notes that really get at the social and political power of both the music and the films. 2CD package features a massive color booklet inside the slipcase – and features 34 tracks that include "Shaft In Africa" by Johnny Pate, "Down & Out In New York City" by James Brown, "Wilford's Gone" by The Blackbyrds, "Run Fay Run" by Isaac Hayes, "Theme From Black Belt Jones" by Dennis Coffey, "Willie Chase" by JJ Johnson, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Charley" by Don Costa, "Brother's Gonna Work It Out" by Willie Hutch, "Blacula" by Gene Page, "Theme From Cleopatra Jones" by Joe Simon, "Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile" by Isaac Hayes, "Sweetback's Theme" by Earth Wind & Fire, "Aragon" by Roy Ayers, "Strung Out" by Gordon Staples, "Easin In" by Edwin Starr, "The Bus" by Solomon Burke & Gene Page, "Make A Resolution" by The Impressions, "Ed & Digger" by Cotton Comes To Harlem, "Las Vegas Strut" by Jack Ashford, "Lay It On Your Head" by Don Julian, and "Zombie March" by Nat Dove & The Devils.

Massive mixes from the legendary John Morales – one of the key talents for really opening up the sound of New York dancefloors at the end of the 70s! The mixes here were all cut by John back in the day – all for special play in the clubs, and never commercially issued at the time – which makes the package one hell of a musical discovery – like finding your way back onto an underground dancefloor in the waning years of disco – when a handful of mixers like Morales were still finding some rich new energy in the scene! Most tracks are quite long, and have all their best elements expanded out by John – but in ways that really avoid some of the later "look at me" styles that mixers would use in the next generation. This 2CD set features all instrumental mixes by Morales – a great complement to the vocal version package – with titles that include instrumental versions of "Only You" by Teddy Pendergrass, "Is It All Over My Face" by Loose Joints, "Was That All It Was" by Jean Carn, "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own" by Sandy Barber, "Ride On The Rhythm" by Mahogany, "First Time Around" by Skyy, "Do it To The Music" by Raw Silk, "Hit & Run" by Loleatta Holloway, "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else" by The Jones Girls, "I Want You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Can't Have My Love" by Hamilton Affair, and "I Want Your Lovin" by Curtis Hairston.

Massive mixes from the legendary John Morales – one of the key talents for really opening up the sound of New York dancefloors at the end of the 70s! The mixes here were all cut by John back in the day – all for special play in the clubs, and never commercially issued at the time – which makes the package one hell of a musical discovery – like finding your way back onto an underground dancefloor in the waning years of disco – when a handful of mixers like Morales were still finding some rich new energy in the scene! Most tracks are quite long, and have all their best elements expanded out by John – but in ways that really avoid some of the later "look at me" styles that mixers would use in the next generation. 3CD set features 24 tracks, some very extended mixes – "Never Never Gonna Give Ya Up (M+M keep on doin it mix)" by Barry White, "Was That All It Was (M+M South Philly groove mix)" by Jean Carn, "If You Know Like I Know (M+M Teddy know best mix)" by Teddy Pendergrass, "I Think I'll Do Some Stepping On My Own (M+M stepping out the door mix)" by Sandy Barber, "Hit & Run (M+M I ain't sharing mix)" by Loleatta Holloway, "Only You (M+M you got what I need mix)" by Teddy Pendergrass, "I Want You (M+M breakdown beat mix)" by Marvin Gaye, and "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else (M+M I don't wanna do it mix)" by The Jones Girls.

More funky breaks than Evel Knevel after the Snake River Canyon jump! The groove hounds at BGP records were set loose on the Ace catalog – which includes holdings from Atlantic, Stax, Volt, Westbound, and other funky classic labels – and they managed to come up with a killer batch of funky cuts, even though this is their 3rd dip into the crates! If anything, perhaps they dipped even deeper this time – especially as some of the once-trusted sources for breaks, like the famous Ultimate Breaks & Beats series, are now disappearing from the market. Titles include "Soul Pad" by The Coasters, "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Johnny Jenkins, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Nappy Dugout" by Funkadelic, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by The Mad Lads, "The Rose" by 50 Foot Hose, "Holy Ghost" by The Bar Kays, "No Strings Attached" by The Mad Lads, "After Laughter Comes Tears" by Wendy Rene, "River's Invitation" by Freddie Robinson, "This House Is Smokin" by BT Express, "Music Man (parts 1 & 2)" by Pleasure Web, and "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter.

11 tracks by Stevie Wonder, Jackson 5, Smokey Robinson, Commodores, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross.

An amazing record – quite possibly the best ever by Chicago soul legend Leroy Hutson! The whole thing's a smooth soul masterpiece beyond compare – a stunning blend of great songwriting, sexy vocals, and buttery production that rank it up there with the best work of 70s giants like Marvin Gaye, Leon Ware, or Roy Ayers. Leroy's got a voice that's both warm and mellow, yet incredibly honest at the same time – and the songs on the record show a range of colors and emotions that perfectly fit his unique style. Features mellow "Cool Out", the funky "Lucky Fellow", the sweet "All Because Of You", and the sublime cuts "It's Different" and "Can't Stay Away". The whole thing's great – and is one of the crowning achievements of the Chicago soul scene!

A pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". Also includes bonus tracks – "Put Your Hands Together (live in London 1973)", "For The Love Of Money (single version)", and "Now That We Found Love (single version)".

An amazing album – and a space soul classic for the 21st Century! Steve Spacek really caught us by surprise with this set – because he's working here in a much deeper groove than ever before – one that's slower, spacier, and which has him coming off like some outer space version of Marvin Gaye! There's a vibe here that's like some of the best recent work coming from Detroit – but a sound that also goes farther, and which is much more soul-based than groove-oriented – beautifully hitting on all burners with a chunky set of rhythms that sounds perfect next to the airier keyboards of the set, and which help Steve's vocals to really hit home on the lyrics. Titles include "Dollar", "Slave", "Thursdays", "Rapid Rate", "The Hills", "3 Hours Of Fun", "Love Yu Be", "I'm Glad", "Smoke", "Days Of My Life", and "Look Into My Eyes".

A great set from Chicago soul singer Tammy Harris – warm, mellow, and put together with a great deal of care – way more than the simple homegrown set you might expect! There's a really classic vibe going on here – flowing tones that almost feel like they're lifted from mid 70s Marvin Gaye, then recast in a different mode to fit Tammy's smoothly seductive vocals. Yet while the sound is polished, it's never too tight nor too commercial – professional, yet still extremely personal – and just the right sort of indie soul blend we love around here at Dusty Groove! Harris' vocals are as compelling as the backings and overall production – and she's got a great sense of timing and pacing with these tunes – never trying to force her presence too much, but always reminding us that she's there for us. Titles include "Never Stop", "Natural Vibe", "Come Over", "Only To You", "Take Me Away", "I Would Be Your Love", "You Are", "You Know How To Love Me", "Baby I Need You", and "The Sweetest Sound".

An excellent 80s set from one of the greatest voices in 70s soul – the sublime Billy Paul, sounding great here with a bit of electro groove in the rhythms! The album's approach is a bit different than Billy on Philly International – but the strength of Paul's presence is still very much in place – reshaped a bit like some of Marvin Gaye's later modes on Columbia Records – referenced possibly in the album's sweet slinky "Sexual Therapy" number. Titles include a wonderful remake of The Flamingos classic "I Only Have Eyes For You" – plus "On A Clear Day", "Let Me In", "Fire In Her Love", "Sexual Therapy", "Me & You", and "Hot Date". CD features a bonus single version of "Sexual Therapy".

An amazing little record from the lovely Syreeta – our favorite album from the singer, next to her seminal debut – and a soaring set that's put together with sublime production from Leon Ware! Leon grooves things up a bit more than before – which really helps Syreeta's amazing vocals take off strongly, and still hit the spacey heights of her previous work with Stevie Wonder! Ware's right at the top of his game – with killer grooves that rival his work for Marvin Gaye on I Want You, or his own Musical Massage album for Motown – and at some level, we'd easily rank this one up there as part of that heavenly 70s trilogy for the label. There's some sweet electric bits that work perfectly for Syreeta – and titles include "Don't Cry", "Harmour Love", "I Don't Know", "Rest Yourself", "One To One", and "Tiki Tiki Donga".

A jazzy soul stunner Pete Belasco – the singer, producer and sole performer on his completely great third album – possibly the best we've heard from him to date! Pete's first album for Verve Forecast was a really strong effort, steeped in emotionally rich, though laidback soul with jazz-learned arrangements and atmosphere. His second album came a good half decade later, which found him moving deeper into a smoldering, resonant soul sound, appropriately titled Deeper. Lights On is the next step, and it's all the more incredible! Pete does everything here – penning the songs, handling the subtle, restrained instrumentation and the soulful falsetto singing. The man truly earns the comparisons to Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield. Timeless and totally real! Includes "I Ain't Doin It", "Lights On", "Rock It", "Down", "My Eyes", "Repay You", "Stubborn (Stay Focused)", "Later", "One", "Just Me", "Sweeter" and "Who's The Man". CD includes 2 bonus versions: "My Eyes (Organic Mix)" and "One (Organic Mix)".

Definitely a classique set from Will Downing – soul that's both classic and classy, beautifully put together by a real master of the genre! We dig this set even more than some of Will's better-known records from back in the day – and the whole thing's got a smooth, soulful balance that's really wonderful – never cloying or cliched, with an easygoing flow that takes us back to 70s mellow work by Marvin Gaye, or some of the Isley Brothers' bedroom classics! Rex Rideout helped Downing on production for the set, and we can definitely hear his touch – on titles that include "Ride", "I Won't Stop", "Something Special", "Just Think About It", "Baby I'm For Real", and "Let's Make It Now".

An amazing double-header – and a set that really adds a lot more music than we might have expected! First up is a richly expanded version of Cleopatra Jones – one of the best of the blacksploitation scores of the early 70s – a masterpiece of music that we rate every bit as high as Shaft or Superfly – maybe even higher! The music here is incredible – a surprising funky turn for JJ Johnson, who most folks know for his straighter jazz work – and like Marvin Gaye, Barry White, and others who were surprising the world with their ability to score music for a full film during the early 70s, JJ really knocks it out of the park with this one – coming up with a batch of tunes that are a wonderful mix of sophisticated scoring, creative instrumentation, and some damn funky grooves! The title cut features Joe Simon on vocals, and Millie Jackson sings on the cuts "Love Doctor" and "It Hurts So Good". The rest of the set is instrumental, and other cuts include an instrumental take on "Cleopatra Jones", plus "Go Chase Cleo", "Goin To The Chase", "Wrap Up", and "Airport Fight". This new version features 17 bonus tracks from the original film score, not the record – amazing extra music by Carl Brandt, with titles that include "Emdee", "Elevator/Cleo & Captain", "Pot Burn/Mommy/Police Raid", "Ambush", "Doodle Apartment", "Before Crash", and "Snake Crib". CD 2 features some long-lost music from the film Cleopatra Jones & The Casino Of Gold – a well-known follow-up to the original movie, but one that was never properly represented on record – making this CD set a long-awaited premiere of the original music for the film! The set features music by Dominic Frontiere – penned in a mix of funky action modes, with some slight exotic touches too, due to the location of the story. Frontiere's in his best soul/funk mode – a side that few folks realize he can do this well – and the music has a slightly different feel than JJ Johnson's Cleo Jones work, but is equally nice. Titles include "Casino Source", "Chopped Meat", "Oymia", "Les Orgie", "Fatman Stomp", "Dead Dragon Lady", and "Pool Hall Rock" – plus the vocal number "Playing With Fire". CD also features 4 more bonus tracks from Cleopatra Jones – including extended versions of the theme, and Pattie Brooks singing "Swing Down Chariot" and "Am I Blue". Great notes too – very full, with lots of photos, in the best Film Score tradition!

Killer live work from Seu Jorge – one of his boldest, proudest records to date – and that's saying a lot, given the soulful promise of all his other work! We've always loved Jorge, but we first really fell in love with his music in a live setting – where he's got an undeniable charm and charisma, on a level with older legends like Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye at their best. Other live sets have always shown Jorge as a mellower, more acoustic artist – but this one really has him exploding with a very funky sound throughout – really hitting that superstardom we always saw coming in his talents – working before a very large crowd, and clearly driving them nuts with his sublime performance on the set. The album's a real step forward for Jorge – upbeat, funky, filled with soul, and exactly the kind of music that should hopefully have him exploding around the globe. Titles include "A Doida", "Pessoal Particular", "Dia De Comemorar", "Mina Do Condomino", "Vizinha", "Burguesinha", "Diario De Um Detento", and "Dois Beijinhos". 2CD version features 12 more tracks than the core album – almost like getting a full extra record!

Mindblowing work from Minnie Riperton – her first solo album, cut at the end of the 60s, after a number of years of work with the group Rotary Connection. The album builds off the now famous sound of Rotary Connection – but takes it to the next level, with arch-baroque production by the great Charles Stepney – who couches Minnie's fantastic vocals in a suite of shimmering soulful tracks that mix strings, horns, jazzy piano, and slight touches of bouncing rhythms. The overall sound is impossible to describe – sort of a cross between Burt Bacharach on A&M, Scott Walker's 3rd album, and the sound of Marvin Gaye's What's Goin' On. The album's pure genius all the way through – one of the highlights of the Chicago scene of the 60s – and proof that Riperton, Stepney, and crew were shooting for the outer limits of soul music! Titles include "Les Fleur", "Only When I'm Dreaming", "Rainy Day In Centerville", "Memory Band", "Expecting", "Whenever Wherever", and "Oh, By The Way".

An overlooked Motown gem from T-Boy Ross – a self-produced set that's filled with loads of 70s mellow soul moments! Ross begins the set by covering Marvin Gaye's "I Want You" – and there's definitely a similar vibe to the record – that kind of warmer grooving that Leon Ware brought to his own work for the label – sparkling and tight, yet never commercial at all – and served up with a style that's right on the money – known when to groove gently, and when to lay back and enjoy a more soulful moment too! Ross is great throughout – not as much on vocals as on his overall presentation – set up amidst nice rhythms from James Gadson on drums and Harold Johnson on keyboards. Titles include "I Want You", "I'm In Between Changes", "Smile & Be Beautiufl", "To The Baby", "Slow Down", "Forever Is As Long As It Lasts", and "Somebody's Sneaking & Peeking".

A wealth of wonderful work from Mary Wells – a set that includes overlooked early singles, a huge amount of unreleased tracks, plus many others that weren't issued at the time – and which haven't been in print for years! This set not only brings together rare Motown singles from Mary, and bits from the Vintage Stock album – but also includes some that appeared on the early 90s Looking Back collection – and a lot more of which show up here for the first time ever! The music here not only shows Mary in formation, but Motown as well – trying out a whole host of different styles for Wells' great vocals – and really finding strong focus as the set rolls on. Mary's one of the first great solo singers for Motown – and the package features loads of solo numbers with her in the lead – plus a handful of numbers with the Supremes or Four Tops, one with The Temptations & Supremes, and one with Smokey Robinson – as well as seven more duets with Marvin Gaye! There's also a batch of "standards" – as Wells takes on the mode that Motown also tried with Marvin – and the package features a whopping 47 tracks in all, with very detailed notes. Titles include "Cinderella", "Is It Me Or Is It You", "Money", "Why Do You Want To Let Me Go", "When Your Lover Comes Back", "My Heart Is Like A Clock", "My World Of Dreams", "Your Loss My Gain", "Prove It", "Drop In The Bucket", "Everybody Needs Love", "Back In My Arms", "Oh Lover", "In Case You Need Love", "Again", "Always", "A Lovely Way To Spend An Evening", "Can't Get Out Of This Mood", and "This Is Something New".

Funky breaks galore – mixed by a man who knows them better than anyone! Kenny Dope really came up with some choice bits for this set – and pulled together 37 different tracks that include 60s soul, 70s funk, and a few choice bits from the early years of hip hop – all sewn up into one mighty groove that never stops kicking! Great all the way through – and like having Kenny play his favorite jams for you, one after the other! Titles include "Uphill Peace Of Mind" by Kid Dynamite, "Engine #9" by Wilson Pickett, "Can I Get A Soul Clap" by Grand Wizard Theodore, "Be Black Baby" by Grady Tate, "Scorpio" by Hoctor Band, "2001" by Cecil Holmes, "Space Dust" by Galactic Force, "T Plays It Cool" by Marvin Gaye, "Super Sporm" by Captain Sky, "Get Up" by Vernon Burch, "Catch A Groove" by Juice, "The Guardian Angel" by Golden Flamingo Orchestra, and "Sessomatto" by Sessomatto.

An amazing look at the music of Leon Ware – one of our favorite soul artists of the 70s! Leon's got a warmly mellow style that's totally great – heard most famously in collaboration with Marvin Gaye on the classic I Want You album, but equally noteworthy on Leon's own records – and on a host of other projects he's done with top-shelf soul artists over the years! A good number of those projects are collected here – the cream of the crop of Ware-associated cuts from the 70s and early 80s – tunes penned, produced, arranged, or even featuring Leon himself – all brought together here in a really wonderful little collection. Each track is a treasure, and the whole thing is a sublime mellow soul masterpiece – filled with musical moments that sound even better in the company of each other – pulled from other records, and rewoven here in a new tapestry that stands as a rich tribute to Ware's mighty talents. Titles include "Everywhere Inside Me" by Norman Connors, "I Don't Know" by Syreeta, "You Do The Right Things" by Al Wilson, "Point Of View" by Rockie Robbins, "No Tricks" by Chuck Jackson, "I Can't Keep Holding Back" by Shadow, "Trust Your Heart (ext 12" mix)" by Bobby Womack, "Just Don't Make It Hurt" by Krystol, "I Came To Love You" by Booker T, "I Can Dream" by Themal Jones, "You Make Me Wanna Love Again" by Vesta Williams, "I Know It's You" by Donny Hathaway, "Can You Feel What I'm Saying" by Minnie Riperton, "Looking Up To You" by Michael Wycoff, "Thank You Early Bird" by Jerry Butler, and the tracks "What's Your World" and "Girl Girl Girl" by Leon Ware himself!

A killer set in the fantastic Mojo club series – a stellar mix of soul, jazz, fusion, and Brazilian tracks – all wrapped into a groovy tracklist that makes each of the rare tunes sound even more wonderful together! As with other volumes, there's a boundary-less nature to the work here – as the music is not just from a few different decades, but also spans both sides of the Atlantic, and the equator – making for nearly a globe's worth of wonderful tunes! Cuts include "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love, "Wouri" by Manu Dibango, "Maracaibo" by Michel Legrand, "Take Us Down To The River" by Michael Naura, "Sambao" by Walter Wanderley, "Roots" by Willie Bobo, "Soul Soul Soul" by Wild Magnolias, "Mundo Deserto" by Elis Regina, "Calypso Blues" by Marvin Gaye, "In Memory Of" by Randy Weston, and the great "El Soul Condor" by Certain Lions & Tigers.

Cinematic soul rooted in the rawer organ, drums and horns vibes that resonated deeply in records from north to south in the 70s – done with a lean, tight and head nodding groove no doubt informed by Aloe Blacc's own roots in hip hop – on his best album yet and one of best raw soul styled albums ever to come from our friends at Stones Throw! Good Things is a giant leap ahead of Shine Through, Aloe's previous full length on the label. We loved that record for its gritty, unique approach to funky soul, but, Good Things reaches for the heights of Aloe's heroes from Donny Hathaway to Marvin Gaye – and comes closer than we could have imagined! It's produced by the Truth & Soul team, with a timeless funk & soul vibe comparable to their work with the great Lee Fields. We have a feeling we'll still be listening to this album 10-15-20 years from now. Essential! Titles include the underground breakout "I Need A Dollar", an incredible cover of The Velvet Underground's "Femme Fatale" (we must have dropped the needle on that 50 times in the first couple days we had it), "Green Lights", "Miss Fortune", "Good Things", "Loving You Is Killing Me", "Mama Hold My Hand", "Hey Brother" and more.

A sweet soulful groover from the great Harold Vick – quite a different record than some of his other 70s sessions, but a nice one too! The sound here is very mellow – and very much in the "After The Dance" mode that the album references from the Marvin Gaye tune – laidback, slinky, sexy, and a sweet blend of jazz instrumentation and some larger backdrops put together by William Eaton – almost with a vibe that would be more at home on Kuduo or CTI! Vick solos wonderfully – stepping out with a line that's spare, but right on the money – similar to some Stanley Turrentine solo work on projects like this – amidst other instrumentation from Richard Tee on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, and Ralph MacDonald on percussion. Titles include a great version of Marvin Gaye's "After The Dance", plus "You Are Everything", "Blue In The Face", "Ghetto Fantasy", "In My Life" and "Things Ain't Right".