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A brilliant funky soundtrack – with great work from a number of different artists! The Buddah soul stable came out in full force for this soundtrack, including Harvy Fuqua, The New Birth, Barbara Mason, and Horace Ott – as well as the little known group Badder Than Evil! They play on the great instrumental track "Hot Wheels", which is the chase theme in the film, and a great sample track! Also includes "Super Shine #9", sung by Sister Goose & the Ducklings, which is a very groovy, goofy, soulful number – plus the tracks "Child Of Tomorrow", "Harlem Dreams", "Child Of Tomorrow", and "Come On & Dream Some Paradise".

Nice one! This obscure blacksploitation soundtrack features a hip Monk Higgins score for a Pam Grier film that's supposedly "Hotter than Coffey and meaner n' Foxy Brown". Having seen the film, we don't know if we'd totally agree with that assessment, but the music's strong enough, and the soundtrack's right up there with the best of its kind. Barbara Mason sung the title track and a few more vocal numbers – like "I'm In Love With You", "Good Man Is Gone", and "Sheba Baby" – all in the mode of her hipper work during the time, but the best cuts are the instrumentals, of course! Check out "The Shark", "Speedboat", "Heavy Shot", and "Breast Stroke", a necessary theme in any Pam Grier film!

Nice one! This obscure blacksploitation soundtrack features a hip Monk Higgins score for a Pam Grier film that's supposedly "Hotter than Coffey and meaner n' Foxy Brown". Having seen the film, we don't know if we'd totally agree with that assessment, but the music's strong enough, and the soundtrack's right up there with the best of its kind. Barbara Mason sung the title track and a few more vocal numbers – like "I'm In Love With You", "Good Man Is Gone", and "Sheba Baby" – all in the mode of her hipper work during the time, but the best cuts are the instrumentals, of course! Check out "The Shark", "Speedboat", "Heavy Shot", and "Breast Stroke", a necessary theme in any Pam Grier film!

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".

A pivotal album for Barbara Mason – one in which she takes the little girl soul sound of earlier albums, and turns it into a sophisticated range of emotions that foreshadows later Philly work by singers like Jean Carn and Phyllis Hyman! Despite the Philly arrangements by Ronnie Baker, Norman Harris, and Vince Montana, there's actually a bit of a southern twinge to the record – an aspect that works nicely on the ballad cuts, which have kind of an Ann Sexton or Shirley Brown feel to them – sophisticated female soul at its best, and a real change overall for Barbara. Features the uptempo extended political cut "World War Three", plus "All in Love is Fair", "Bed and Board", "Caught in The Middle", "I Miss You Gordon", and "Me & Mr. Jones", her cover of the Billy Paul hit, and a nice version too!

A pivotal album for Barbara Mason – one in which she takes the little girl soul sound of earlier albums, and turns it into a sophisticated range of emotions that foreshadows later Philly work by singers like Jean Carn and Phyllis Hyman! Despite the Philly arrangements by Ronnie Baker, Norman Harris, and Vince Montana, there's actually a bit of a southern twinge to the record – an aspect that works nicely on the ballad cuts, which have kind of an Ann Sexton or Shirley Brown feel to them – sophisticated female soul at its best, and a real change overall for Barbara. Features the uptempo extended political cut "World War Three", plus "All in Love is Fair", "Bed and Board", "Caught in The Middle", "I Miss You Gordon", and "Me and Mr. Jones", her cover of the Billy Paul hit, and a nice version too! Includes the bonus track "Child Of Tomorrow".

Transition is right, as the cover has Barbara floating above a Curtis Mayfield-ish scene of drugs, war, gambling, and Satan. The music isn't nearly as dope as the cover, but the album does include the odd track with a political message, like "World in a Crisis", "Trigger Happy People", and "The Devil is Busy". Arrangements are by Norman Harris, Richard Rome, and Bobby Eli – and the album's got sort of a "Philly consciousness" sound, similar to some of the semi-political vocal groups that were operating at the time. Other tracks include "Sunday Saint (Weekday Sinner)", "Half Sister, Half Brother", and "Time Is Running Out".

We'll be honest, we like Barbara Mason more as an adult artist than we do as a younger one – especially the way she sounds on sets like this! The album's got a great gentle groove at times – Butch Ingram production that brings in modern, mature elements – but also somehow unlocks a more deeply soulful vocal approach than on some of Mason's earlier albums. A few cuts have a great stepping groove – and titles include her classic mellow cut "She Got The Papers (I Got The Man)" – part of the Barbara/Shirley/Richard Dimples Fields song cycle – as well as a remake of her first hit "Yes, I'm Ready", plus lots of others like "On & Off", "I Love Having You Around", "I Can Want You", "Let Me Give You Love", and "You Did Not Stay Last Night". 13 cuts in all, with much more than the original LP!

Smooth soulful jazz from Harvey Mason – one of his strong 70s winners for the Arista album, and a record that really brings a new level of class to his sound! There's less of the grit in the grooves than you might expect from the down-home reference of the title – and in a way, the record's a similar shift to well-produced R&B as Michael Henderson or Norman Connor's work from the same time – a soaring, fluid groove that's still supported by solid jazz instrumentation, but which also has a nice dose of soul in the mix! Players here are a real all-star lineup – with talents that include Dorothy Ashby, George Benson, Ronnie Foster, Bob James, and Phil Upchurch – and most cuts have vocals, by The Waters and others. But possibly best of all is the production – which is by Harvey, and really wonderful – sophisticated and smooth, but never slick – a really careful balance that really puts him right up there with Norman Connors or Roy Ayers! Titles include "Pack Up Your Bags", "Till You Take My Love", "Funk In A Mason Jar", "What's Going On", "Set It Free", "Space Cadets" and "Freedom Either Way".

One of the best solo records from Harvey Mason – best known as the drummer on some really monster 70s funky fusion sessions (such as Johnny Hammond's Gears album) – but a surprisingly well-rounded R&B artist overall! As with Norman Connors, another fusion drummer gone soul star, Harvey's working here in a style that mixes jazz influences with modern soul – grooving things for a more mainstream audience, but still keeping things real underneath. The record's filled with guest appearances by fusion greats – like Bob James, David Spinozza, Richard Tee, Lee Ritenour, and others – and Jim Gilstrap sings vocals on a cut or two. Titles include "The Race", "Groovin You", "Wave", "We Can", and "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow".

One of the best solo records from Harvey Mason – best known as the drummer on some really monster 70s funky fusion sessions (such as Johnny Hammond's Gears album) – but a surprisingly well-rounded R&B artist overall! As with Norman Connors, another fusion drummer gone soul star, Harvey's working here in a style that mixes jazz influences with modern soul – grooving things for a more mainstream audience, but still keeping things real underneath. The record's filled with guest appearances by fusion greats – like Bob James, David Spinozza, Richard Tee, Lee Ritenour, and others – and Jim Gilstrap sings vocals on a cut or two. Titles include "The Race", "Groovin' You", "Wave", "We Can", and "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow". This Soulmusic.com edition has 2 bonus versions of "Groovin' You": the 6+ minute 12" version and the shorter-grooving 7" single version.

Easily the greatest album ever by funky drummer Harvey Mason – and quite possibly the only one to live up to the rhythmic complexity that Mason brought to countless other fusion sessions for other groups in the 70s! The tracks are all spacious and snapping with brilliantly funky touches – a sound that resonates with Mason's contributions to Johnny Hammond's Gears album, but which comes off slightly differently here, thanks to a stronger focus on the drums. Keyboards are still a prime element of the set – played here by Herbie Hancock, Dave Grusin, and Jerry Peters – the latter 2 of whom helped out on arrangements for the record – and other players include an all-star lineup of 70s jazz funk legends such as Blue Mitchell, Bennie Maupin, Paul Jackson, Hubert Laws, and others. The title cut "Marching In The Street" is a bucketful of breaks – but all tracks are great too, and titles include "Modaji", "Wild Rice", "Fair Thee Well", "Building Love", "Ballad For Heather", and "Hop Scotch".

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's never been done this perfectly again! James Mason's a player who's know for a bit of keyboard work with other artists – but here, he's really working as a collective power – bringing together a brilliant ensemble that work as one to hit some sublime sounds – much in the way that Roy Ayers could work some key magic with his groups at the same time, but with a vibe that's very different too. Players include Ayers associates Justo Almario on saxes and Philip Woo on piano – and a young Narada Michael Walden adds some excellent drums to the record – a lot more powerful and funky than on most of his own albums! Lead vocals are by Clarice Taylor – who's got this unique voice that really makes the record – proud, but sensitive at the same time too – and Mason plays lots of Fender Rhodes, polymoog, Arp, and a bit of guitar. Titles include the breakbeat classic "Funny Girl", the monster groover "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the funky "Slick City", and the massive "Free" – but every cut's a winner, and others include "Mbewe", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Dreams". This is the kind of album that makes us proud to be in business!

Two different versions of this tune by HB Barnum – both of them nice! Judy Street's take on "What" begins with some sparkling vibes, then rolls into a singing girl soul beat that's both sweet and catchy, with just a hint of pop! Tina Mason brings a bit more twang to the tune – which still has the same Brit-styled hook here, but adds in some nice guitar as well – which almost works better with the groove!

Way more than just a simple reissue – because there's so many tracks on here, it's more like spending a day in the vaults of Sirocco Records! The core material here comes from Voyage 3 – a soaring third set from Voyage, – and one with a bit of a post-disco groove, as you might guess from the new wave look of the cover! The tunes still step out with plenty of clubby rhythms and keyboards, but also bring the guitars up a bit more – and almost give them a sharp edge at times – seeming to go for a crossover style that really works well with the lyrics. But the best cuts, as before, are mostly instrumental – and have that soaring, spacey sound that really lives up to the "voyage" name – a cool Euro-disco groove that works perfectly, even when the vocals drop out. Titles include "I Love You Dancer", "I'm Only Human", "Do It Again", "I Don't Want To Fall In Love Again", and "All The Way". Yet there's way way more, as promised – including 7 more tracks from Special Instrumental No 3 – an all-instrumental version of the album that's almost even better. Then, you also get the Sylvia Mason album – a project with a soulful singer fronting the same production lineup of Marc Chantereau, Slim Pezin, Pierre Alain Dahan, and Roger Tokarz! Sylvia's vocals really bring in a lot more soul than usual for Voyage material – sounding great on cuts that include "Shadow In The Sun", "Hello Superduper Star", "You're Like A Silent Movie", "Afraid Of Love", and "We've Gotta Dance". CD also features lots of bonus tracks too – including "I Love You Dancer" in 12" and 7" mixes, "We've Gotta Dance" in 12" and 7" mix , "I Don't Want o Fall In Love Again (7" mix)", and "Discotch" in 12" and 7" mixes!

Legendary drummer Harvey Mason in sweet jazz funk groove at Arista – a way stronger record than we remembered! Harvey played on some of our favorite jazz funk records of all time – including the massive Gears LP by Johnny Hammond among so many other great albums – and on his on 70s work for Arista, he explored jazz funk and soul instrumentals, with an expansive approach. He was an integral piece of the pie on so many completely essential records by other artists, that it's far too easy to overlook the considerable strengths of the records he headlined, and this is surely of on one of those! Players include Lee Ritenour & Ray Parker on guitars, the Sea Wind Horns of Bruce Fowler, Sally and Kenny Mason, Greg Pillinganes and Paul Smith on pianos and organs, Jan Hammer on Mini Moog and others. Cuts include "Sweet Mercy", "Bertha Baptist", "First Summer" (with Harvey Mason on vibes, bells and chimes), "No Lands Man", "Sho Nuff Groove", "The Mase", "When I'm With You (Live Version)" and "KY And The Curb". This expanded edition from Soulmusic.com includes 2 bonus tracks: "KY And The Curb (US Single)" and "The Mase (UK Single)".

Massive! This is probably the best-ever album of rollerskating grooves – and is the most famous entry into a short-lived funk genre that sprung up around the rollerskating craze of the late 70s and early 80s. The rollerskate sound took a tight stepping funk groove from earlier years, and mixed it with the extended instrumental style of club music – creating a sound that was a mix of funk and disco that worked perfectly for skating around a track, and which had a huge influence on the beat of early hip hop. The centerpiece of the album's the massive sample track "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll" – an instantly recognizable number that features tight vamping guitar and good choppy rhythms. The cut's offered up here in 2 parts – and the rest of the record's just as great, with titles that include "Roller Skate", "We're Gonna Funk You Up", and "Thinking About You Baby".

Amazing stuff – one of those records you see for years, and always pass by – but which yields some real surprises once you dig in! The set features, of course, Mason's huge hit "Classical Gas" – an instrumental you'll recognize instantly – but next to that is the sublime "Baroque A Nova", a very cool scatting harmony track that's like some lost late 60s Hugo Montenegro gem – and the camp psych gem "The Prince's Panties" – done with all the wit of late 60s Warner – as is the whole album! Other tracks include "Wanderlove", "Overture", "All The Time", and "She's Gone Away".

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's never been done this perfectly again! James Mason's a player who's know for a bit of keyboard work with other artists – but here, he's really working as a collective power – bringing together a brilliant ensemble that work as one to hit some sublime sounds – much in the way that Roy Ayers could work some key magic with his groups at the same time, but with a vibe that's very different too. Players include Ayers associates Justo Almario on saxes and Philip Woo on piano – and a young Narada Michael Walden adds some excellent drums to the record – a lot more powerful and funky than on most of his own albums! Lead vocals are by Clarice Taylor – who's got this unique voice that really makes the record – proud, but sensitive at the same time too – and Mason plays lots of Fender Rhodes, polymoog, Arp, and a bit of guitar. Titles include the breakbeat classic "Funny Girl", the monster groover "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the funky "Slick City", and the massive "Free" – but every cut's a winner, and others include "Mbewe", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Dreams". This is the kind of album that makes us proud to be in business! CD features great bonus tracks too – an unreleased 1977 mix of "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the single mix of that track too – and the later grooves "I Want Your Love" and "Nightgruv".

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's never been done this perfectly again! James Mason's a player who's know for a bit of keyboard work with other artists – but here, he's really working as a collective power – bringing together a brilliant ensemble that work as one to hit some sublime sounds – much in the way that Roy Ayers could work some key magic with his groups at the same time, but with a vibe that's very different too. Players include Ayers associates Justo Almario on saxes and Philip Woo on piano – and a young Narada Michael Walden adds some excellent drums to the record – a lot more powerful and funky than on most of his own albums! Lead vocals are by Clarice Taylor – who's got this unique voice that really makes the record – proud, but sensitive at the same time too – and Mason plays lots of Fender Rhodes, polymoog, Arp, and a bit of guitar. Titles include the breakbeat classic "Funny Girl", the monster groover "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the funky "Slick City", and the massive "Free" – but every cut's a winner, and others include "Mbewe", "Rhythm Of Life", and "Dreams". This is the kind of album that makes us proud to be in business! CD features great bonus tracks too – an unreleased 1977 mix of "Sweet Power Your Embrace", the single mix of that track too – and the later grooves "I Want Your Love" and "Nightgruv".

An obscure second set from the man who gave the world "Bounce Rock Skate Roll" – but a great one too! The album's got Vaughan Mason paired with Butch Dayo, in a way that brings a nice sort of back/forth feel to his usual roller skating groove – with results that are even more partyful than the first time around! The pair have a great sort of street soul energy to their groove – not really breakdance or electro, but not that far off – and served up with a much deeper soul conception than you'd usually find in this sort of project! We'd even go so far as to note a bit of hip hop influence in the music – even though the overall approach is definitely clubby soul – and titles include the great "Party on the Corner", plus "Rollalong Songs", "Feel My Love", and "You Can Do It". CD features the bonus tracks "Party On The Corner (orig Shep Pettibone 12" master dub)", "You Can Do It (orig 12" radio)", and "You Can Do It (orig 12" inst)".

A killer bit of jazz funk from the great James Mason! The cut's an old one – but has never been properly issued before, save for a brief appearance on a 12" single in 1996. The cut's over 11 minutes long – and it begins with this cool building moog/drum part that reminds us a lot of the excellent work on tracks like "Sweet Power" and "Free". The cut's got some female vocals that come into the mix about 1/3 of the way through – and they really help the track build its vibe as it goes along! The remix is a tasty stepper given a bit of a kick by Blacksmith – and the flip features the track "Night Gruv", which has a lot more modern sound, with jazzy keyboards over a pounding midtempo groove, a spacey insistent groove that has the feel of some of the best jazzy Detroit electronic sounds.

A killer bit of jazz funk from the great James Mason! The cut's an old one – but has never been properly issued before, save for a brief appearance on a 12" single in 1996. "I Want Your Love" is our favorite here – over 11 minutes long, and it begins with this cool building moog/drum part that reminds us a lot of the excellent work on tracks like "Sweet Power" and "Free". The cut's got some female vocals that come into the mix about 1/3 of the way through – and they really help the track build its vibe as it goes along! Single also features "Night Gruv", which has a lot more modern sound, with jazzy keyboards over a pounding midtempo groove, a spacey insistent groove that has the feel of some of the best jazzy Detroit electronic sounds.

What can we say? This is a classic! The track has a monster roller skating groove that's been sampled more than a few times over the years – but which still sounds incredible on its own! Both parts are great – and even though the single's pretty darn long, you still never want it to end!

Willy Mason & Brendon Benson recorded live at United in February of '13.

Amazing music – a 2LP package that features both of Barbara Mason's early albums, in heavy individual sleeves – pressed on 180 gram vinyl, with heavy tip-on jackets! Yes I'm Ready is a landmark record – not just for Barbara Mason, or for female Philly soul – but for the role of women in soul music too! The title cut is a stunner – an honest, earnest, yearning message from a youngster ready to take the next step – a bit creepy at times when you come to think of it, but also a door-opening number that really helped pave the way for more robust female sensuality in years to come. The tune's got a fragility that's wonderful – and is followed up here with a host of other great numbers that follow in a similar groove. In addition to the hits "Yes I'm Ready" and "Sad Sad Girl", other tracks include "Misty", "You Got What It Takes", "Keep Him", "Trouble Child", and "Girls Have Feelings Too". Ooh How It Hurts is sublime early work by Barbara Mason – featuring a heartbreaking set of ballads and weepies that are perfect for her young voice. The record is even stronger than before – with a number of tracks that have her hitting a much more mature approach to love, one that takes her a lot farther than usual. Barbara's vocals are bit more grown up – with a deeper soul groove than her early little girl style. Most of the tracks are penned by Barbara, too – and titles include "Oh How It Hurts", "Poor Girl In Trouble", "I Need Love", "Game Of Love", "If You Don't", and "I Don't Want To Lose You".

Smooth soulful jazz from Harvey Mason – one of his strong 70s winners for the Arista album, and a record that really brings a new level of class to his sound! There's less of the grit in the grooves than you might expect from the down-home reference of the title – and in a way, the record's a similar shift to well-produced R&B as Michael Henderson or Norman Connor's work from the same time – a soaring, fluid groove that's still supported by solid jazz instrumentation, but which also has a nice dose of soul in the mix! Players here are a real all-star lineup – with talents that include Dorothy Ashby, George Benson, Ronnie Foster, Bob James, and Phil Upchurch – and most cuts have vocals, by The Waters and others. But possibly best of all is the production – which is by Harvey, and really wonderful – sophisticated and smooth, but never slick – a really careful balance that really puts him right up there with Norman Connors or Roy Ayers! Titles include "Pack Up Your Bags", "Till You Take My Love", "Funk In A Mason Jar", "What's Going On", "Set It Free", "Space Cadets" and "Freedom Either Way". This expanded edition from Soulmusic.com includes 2 bonus tracks: "Pack Up Your Bags (US Single)" and "Till You Take My Love (Original 12" Mix – UK Single)".

A jazz funk masterpiece, and THE record by the legendary Don Blackman – the only one issued under his own name for many many years, and a famous little set that's been sampled endlessly over the years, and for good reason! The vibe here is one that's barely been matched again – a blend of 70s fusion, bassy funk, and even tighter riffing – all put together with a greater depth and sense of soul than most other records of its type. Blackman's a GRP contemporary of Bernard Wright, Tom Browne, and Weldon Irvine – and there's bits of all their sound in the work here, but somehow Don does it even better – hitting these grooves, notes, and lines that seem to fall from the heavens – and which still stand as some of the hippest music of his generation. A record to file proudly next to your copies of Ramp and James Mason – and like those gems, the kind of record that only happens once in an artists career! Titles include "You Ain't Hip", "Yabba Dabba Do", "Heart's Desire", "Deaf Hook Up Connection", "Never Miss A Thing", and "Holding You Loving You", and "Since You Been Away So Long".

Ron Carter plays here with pianist Kenny Barron, drummer Harvey Mason, and guitarist Hugh McCracken, in a setting that is augmented by an off-kilter string section, and which has that sort of bright sound that characterized some of Carter's recordings from the time. Many of the tracks have a relaxed funky groove, and Carter's bass is very up front in the recording, with lots of tight plunked hard solo notes. Tracks include "12+12", "Woolaphant", and "One Bass Rag".

A bit more high concept than before for Stanley Clarke – almost a suite of sorts, but one that still has some great standout tunes in the mix! Although Clarke used to bring his higher concepts to bear in the space of a single song, this one's more of a full exploration of the character in the title – served up at the best moments with more soul than on previous albums from Stanley, some nicely tuneful tracks that almost get a bit funky at points. There's a bit of vocals on the record – courtesy of Dee Dee Bridgewater and others – and guests include Freddie Hubbard, Stan Getz, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and Airto. Titles include "More Hot Fun", "Slow Dance", "He Lives On", "Dayride", "Got To Find My Own Place", "Closing Statement", and "A Serious Occasion".

An excellent collection of Charles Earland's early 70s work for Prestige – a great set of grooves that trace his evolution from straight organ/tenor soul jazz, into the realm of more complicated arrangements that would show up heavily in his later fusion work! Players on the tunes include Lee Morgan, Houston Person, Virgil Jones, Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad, and Harvey Mason – and tracks include shorter numbers and single edits that include "Milestones", "More Today Than Yesterday", "Speedball", "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head", "Leaving This Planet", "I Was Made To Love Her", and "Black Talk".

Coke Escovedo's best album and a nice bit of groovy soul from the mid 70's. Patrick Gleeson produced, Harvey Mason plays drums, and the whole thing's got a nice laid back spacey soul sound. Includes covers of Lamont Dozier's "Why Can't We Be Lovers" and Leon Ware's "If I Ever Lose This Heaven", plus "What Are You Under", "No One To Depend On", "Easy Come, Easy Go", and "Make It Sweet".

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek".

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek".

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek".

Wicked late 70s work from Ronnie Foster – a rare Columbia outing that's arguably better than his earlier sides for Blue Note! There's more of a soul vibe than before in the music – but in a way that's really foregrounded, and without some of the back/forth wavering that Foster had in his groove during previous sets. Jerry Peters produced the record, and gives it a solid, confident style that's right up there with the best soul/fusion sides on Columbia at the time – and the lineup of players features great contributions from Roy Ayers on vibes, Ndugu Chancler on percussion, Harvey Mason on drums, and Alphonso Johnson on bass. Foster himself did all the arrangements – and both sings and plays a mix of keyboards that come off sounding pretty darn great. Titles include "Midnight Plane", "Happy Song", "Why Don't You Look Inside", "I Want To Bring My Love Home", "Nassau Bay", "Shooting Star", and "Easier Said Than Done". 3 bonus single mixes on this great CD: "Midnight Plane, Pt 1 (US 7" Single)", "Midnight Plane, Pt 2 (US 7" Single)" and "Midnight Plane 12"" Single).

Soaring soul from The Futures – a Philly group who'd already worked for years in the underground before cracking the racks with this debut LP in 1975 – schooled strongly in their best vocal modes from previous singles, and ready to unleash the best side of their sound on the world! The set's got a perfectly put-together style that's much more like some of the Philly vocal work on Atlantic of Philadelphia International at the time – although also not as commercial, thanks to a righteous undercurrent in the group's presentation and overall aesthetic – hinted at by their image on the cover! Arrangements are by David Van DePitte and Wade Marcus, who also echo a bit of Detroit styles too – particularly the righteous blend of The Temptations towards the end of their Motown years. The Futures are equally great on mellow cuts and stormers – and titles include Castles", "Do Unto Others", "Ninety Days (In The House Of Love Correction)", "I Had A Dream", "Love Will Be Around Forever", and "Super Love". Plus, the CD features 7 bonus tracks – duets with Barbara Mason on "We Got Each Other" and "Make It Last" – plus "No One Could Compare", "Grade A Woman", "The Way Of A Woman In Love", "Castles (single version)", and "You Better Be Certain".

Sweet fusion from the great Eric Gale – two late 70s albums back to back on a single CD! Part Of You is part of Gale's great run for Columbia Records in the late 70s, and a set that's got a nicely grooving bottom – thanks to production from Ralph MacDonald, and arrangements from William Eaton! The groove's uptempo at times, but always in a jazz-funk mode – and mostly played with smaller group instrumentation at the core – including keyboards from Richard Tee, bass from Anthony Jackson, and drums from either Steve Gadd or Harvey Mason – both cats who can hold up a groove on a date like this. Titles include "Let Me Slip It To You", "Part Of You", "Trio", "Nezumi", and "Holding On To Love". Touch Of Silk is a classic set that has the guitar of Eric Gale produced by the legendary Allen Toussaint! The cross of talents is pretty compelling – and although the album's not a New Orleans funk outing, it definitely shares some of the more creative elements that you'd get from some of Toussaint's other side projects at the end of the 70s. A few numbers definitely have a bit more bump than you'd expect from a fsuion date like this – and Toussaint himself plays piano and moog on the record, and even sings a tiny bit. Robert Dabon plays Fender Rhodes – and titles include "You Got My Life In Your Hands", "War Paint", "Touch Of Silk", "Au Privave", "With You I'm Born Again", and "Once In A Smile".

A masterpiece from Gene Harris – an album that's probably been his biggest influence on the sound of soul in the 21st Century, and for good reason too! The set moves way beyond both Harris' acoustic piano roots in the Three Sounds, and his other electric sides of the 70s – into sublime spacey territory that's wrapped up in soul – as much a pinnacle of his musical vision as early 70s records were for Herbie Hancock or George Duke! The vibe here is a bit between the looser styles of Duke's MPS recordings, and the tighter grooves of the Mizell generation – and arrangements are by Harris, Harvey Mason, and Jerry Peters, the latter of whom really adds some great elements to the record. Harvey's drums make for a great funky undercurrent – and the album features the funky break track "Higga-Boom", the great groover "Losalamitoslatinfunklovesong", and the cuts "Rebato Summer", "Don't Call Me N*gger, Whitey", "Love Talkin", "I Remember Summer", "Green River", and "My Roots".

Funky, soulful, and completely sublime work from keyboardist Gene Harris – working here with some great help from Jerry Peters on arrangement and production – in a style that makes the album one of Harris' most compelling sets of the 70s! The backings are full, but tight too – and in addition to Gene's own sweet work on keyboards, the set's also got some massive drums from Harvey Mason and James Gadson – both of whom really help things crackle at the bottom! Other instrumental highlights include more keyboards from Jerry Peters, tenor from Azar Lawrence, and trombone from George Bohannon – plus guitar from Lee Ritenour too. There's a bit of vocals on the set – mostly a soul chorus sort of mode that works perfect with Peters' groovy arrangements – and titles include "Love For Sale", "Theme For Relana", "Rebop", "Zulu", and "Soft Cycles".

Sweet sweet keyboards from the amazing Gene Harris – one of his seminal electric sides for Blue Note in the 70s – recorded between his earliest fame in the Three Sounds, and his later return to acoustic styles in the 80s! The sound here is equal parts jazz and soul – as Gene's working with vocalist/arranger Jerry Peters, who brings in a good deal of his own groove to the tracks – giving them a strong focus that's sometimes missing from other solo Harris sets. Both Peters and Harris play Fender Rhodes and other keyboards on the album – alongside a variety of players that include Donald Byrd on trumpet, Harvey Mason on drums, and Chuck Rainey on bass. Tracks include the Peters tunes "If You Can't Find Love" and "A Minor", a two-part remake of Duke Pearson's "Christo Redentor", the sweet stepper "Peace Of Mind", and a strong vocal take on Stevie Wonder's "As".

Funky fusion doesn't get any funkier than this – and the album's one of the greatest 70s recordings by jazz funk trumpeter Eddie Henderson! The album's got a harder edge than a lot of Eddie's other records of the decade – razor sharp rhythms crackling away underneath a sublime space-heavy mix of keyboards, bass, saxes, and Eddie's funky trumpet. The group includes work by Bennie Maupin on reeds, George Duke on keyboards, Julian Priester on trombone, and Harvey Mason on drums – and the great Skip Drinkwater is at the production chair, cutting the grooves here with a lot more fire than in some of his later work! The whole thing's great – and titles include "Involuntary Bliss", "Galaxy", "Kumquat Kids", and "Explodition".

A beautiful later Blue Note album from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – a set recorded after his famous association with Harold Land, but with a groove that's wonderfully soulful in a whole different way! Bobby plays marimbas instead of vibes this time around, and he's working with his own arrangements for a slightly larger group – one that has some sweet fusion overtones, and these wonderful mellow funk inflections – so that even the mellow cuts have this warmly glowing, ultra-soulful sound that's mighty nice – a bit like some of the work from Gene Harris around the same time. Other players include Jerry Peters on Fender Rhodes, who also helped out with the arrangements – plus Harvey Mason on drums and Ernie Watts on reeds – and a few tracks feature sweet backing vocals from The Waters. The highlight here is a nice moody extended version of "People Make The World Go Round", but all cuts are great, and titles include "Silver Rondo", "Manzanita", "NTU", and his dark cover of "Theme From MASH".

Ahhh . . . Great stuff! This Millie Jackson's tremendous debut album – and the work here is completely different from later records that have her more in a bitchy mode! Here, Millie's a heartbroken southern diva – right in the vein of Ann Sexton, Doris Duke, or Shirley Brown – and even though the arrangements are done north of the Mason/Dixon line (in New York by Bert DeCoteaux, and in DC by Tony Camillo), the record feels like it was lifted off the pressing plant in Muscle Shoals or Jackson! Titles include "I Ain't Giving Up", "I Miss You Baby", "Ask Me What You Want", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Just Can't Stand It", and "Strange Things". CD version features a whopping 11 bonus tracks – many of which were never issued before – and titles include the MGM numbers "My Heart Took A Licking" and "A Little Bit Of Something", plus "Ask Me What You Want (unedited master)", "Untrue Men", "I Don't Wanna Talk About It", "Strange Things (alt mix)", "My Man A Sweet Man (unedited master)", and "You're The Joy Of My Life (alt take)".

The sweet debut from guitarist Earl Klugh – a player whose sound went onto dominate late 70s fusion in a big big way! Klugh's clearly stepping here into a space allowed by George Benson at the time – a blend of jazz and R&B that's warmer and mellower than work previously done on Blue Note in the decade (or on CTI and Kudu for that matter) – one that's less focused on rhythm than it is on tone, and the kind of setting that allows Earl to shine wonderfully. There's a lot less of the cheesiness here that would hurt Klugh's later albums, and the overall presentation is nicely retrained – arranged by Dave Grusin at a time when he still knew how to bring a good deal of soul into a session, avoiding cliche and letting the soloist step forth unmarred. Other players include Lee Ritenour, Harvey Mason, and Grusin himself – and Klugh plays both electric and acoustic guitar, on tunes that include "Angelina", "Slippin In The Back Door", "Vonetta", "Waltz For Debby", and "Wind & The Sea".

A very nice bit of spacey funky jazz from sax player Azar Lawrence, and one of the great earlier productions by Skip Scarborough, with a feel that's very similar to Gary Bartz's work with Larry Mizell! Azar plays a mix of funk and spiritual soul jazz – and he's got some great electric backing by Patrice Rushen, Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, Mtume, and Lee Ritenour. The whole thing's got a great Fantasy Records funk groove – and includes many nice titles like "Theme For A New Day", "Kickin Back", "Canticle For The Universe", "Gratitude" and a great take on Scarborough's "Can't Hide Love".

A standout set from guitarist Wilbert Longmire – one of a few classics cut in the 70s for Bob James' Tappan Zee label, done with some great help from James on production and arrangements too! The vibe is very much in the best spirit of the Kudu Records label at the time – plenty of room for Longmire's guitar in the lead, wrapped up in some tight arrangements with a nice undercurrent of soul – grooving a bit upbeat on a few cuts, but mostly laying back in a sweet mellow vibe on the rest! Wilbert sings a bit on one cut – and other players include Richard Tee on piano and Fender Rhodes, Bob James on Fender Rhodes, Cornell Dupree and Eric Gale on guitars, and Harvey Mason on drums – on titles that include "Black Is The Color", "Lovely Day", "Starflight", "Love Why Don't You Find Us", and "Good Morning".

A classic set of soul jazz from Chicago – a rare indie date recorded in the early 80s, but with a tight and swinging feel that's more 70s jazz funk than you might think! Corky's on Yamaha keyboards, and he's backed by a hip group of Chicago players that includes Curtis Prince on drums, Artee Duke Payne on saxes, and Stephen Harris on guitars – all working together in a tightly rhythmic sound with some slight spiritual undercurrents – almost in the same territory as James Mason on his legendary record from a few years before! As with that set, there's a bit of polish here, but never too much – a balance that makes the record a wonderfully mature record with a depth that keeps it going for years. Byron Woods sings lead vocals on the album's jazz dance classic "Searching For Soul" – and a few other tracks feature Theresa Davis on lead vocals. Other titles include "Everything Must Change", "Open Wide", "Passion", "Jive Mama T", "Off C", and "Mirror Mirror".

A classic set of soul jazz from Chicago – a rare indie date recorded in the early 80s, but with a tight and swinging feel that's more 70s jazz funk than you might think! Corky's on Yamaha keyboards, and he's backed by a hip group of Chicago players that includes Curtis Prince on drums, Artee Duke Payne on saxes, and Stephen Harris on guitars – all working together in a tightly rhythmic sound with some slight spiritual undercurrents – almost in the same territory as James Mason on his legendary record from a few years before! As with that set, there's a bit of polish here, but never too much – a balance that makes the record a wonderfully mature record with a depth that keeps it going for years. Byron Woods sings lead vocals on the album's jazz dance classic "Searching For Soul" – and a few other tracks feature Theresa Davis on lead vocals. Other titles include "Everything Must Change", "Open Wide", "Passion", "Jive Mama T", "Off C", and "Mirror Mirror".

Some of our favorite work ever by Esther Phillips – served up on a compilation that does a great job of sorting through her classic 70s sides for Kudu, CTI, and Mercury! Back in the 60s, Esther sung in a sad and bluesy sort of soul style – but in the 70s, at the time of these recordings, Esther picked up a sweet electric vibe, really hipping up her sound with lots of funky guitar, bass, and keyboards. The result is tremendous – as you'll hear on this set – as Esther works with arrangers that include Pee Wee Ellis, Bob James, Benny Golson and Harvey Mason to cut some wickedly soulful tunes! The set includes 18 tracks in all, with titles that include "Use Me", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "That's All Right With Me", "I've Never Found A Man", "Brother Brother", "From A Whisper To A Scream", "All The Way Down", "Black Eyed Blues", "Native New Yorker", "Changing", "SOS", "We've Got A Good Thing Going", "You Think Of Him", "Bedtime Stories", and "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy About Me".

Minnie's last LP – or at least the last LP released while she was alive – and a wonderful batch of jazzy modern soul cuts that gives a good indication of the direction that Minnie might have gone in the 80s. The album's got plenty of great guest players – including Minnie's longtime fan/friend Stevie Wonder, plus Phil Upchurch, Jose Feliciano, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and many others – and production is handled by the usual Rudolph/Riperton team, with help from Henry Lewy. Includes the great track "Memory Lane", which gets endless airplay here in Chicago, plus the beautiful ballad "Never Existed Before", and the cuts "I'm A Woman", "Lover & Friend", and "Return To Forever".

2 incredible albums from 70s soul legend Minnie Riperton – back to back on one nicely-priced CD! Stay In Love is is one of the key albums of Minnie's career – recorded when she was at the height of her power, forging a whole new soul sound that mixed her incredible voice with jazzy modern arrangements that were a few years ahead of most of the other singers at her level. The album's subtitled "A Romantic Fantasy Set To Music", and it features a swirling mix of ballads and uptempo tunes – all with a sexy sound, and some of the most seductive vocals that Minnie ever recorded. Includes the club groover "Young Willing & Able", plus "Can You Feel What I'm Saying?", "Gettin' Ready for Your Love", "Could It Be I'm In Love", and the great "Stick Together", written with Stevie Wonder. Minnie was the last album released before Riperton passed away from a tragic early death – and it's a wonderful batch of jazzy modern soul cuts that gives a good indication of the direction that Minnie might have gone in the 80s! The album's got plenty of great guest players – including Minnie's longtime fan/friend Stevie Wonder, plus Phil Upchurch, Jose Feliciano, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and many others – and production is handled by the usual Rudolph/Riperton team, with help from Henry Lewy. Includes the great track "Memory Lane", which gets endless airplay here in Chicago, plus the beautiful ballad "Never Existed Before", and the cuts "I'm A Woman", "Lover & Friend", and "Return To Forever". 17 tracks on one CD!

David Ruffin at Warner Brothers – a very good thing, thanks to some sublime production from Detroit soul legend Don Davis! As with other key productions in the 70s, Don pitches Ruffin with a sound that's smooth, but still has a great sense of humanity – a style that's a bit like late 70s Marvin Gaye and Leon Ware, and which proves to be a perfect fit for David – giving him a new sense of focus here that's totally great! Those classic Ruffin vocals sound wonderful here – flowing, glowing, and getting a sense of warmth without getting too slick. A few cuts feature backup vocals from Leon Ware and Ronnie McNair, and female singer Laverna Mason brings in some great duets that really help deepen the sound of the record! Titles include "Love Supply", "I Wanna Be With You", "I Got A Thing For You", "Don't You Go Home", "Can We Make Love One More Time", and "All I Need".

Beautiful material from this legendary Bay Area soul jazz combo! The Sons & Daughters of Lite have an incredibly spiritual sound – one that sounds sort of like the best groups on the Strata East label, with touches of Roy Ayers or James Mason-esque soulfulness, but with a little less polish. Many of the cuts have sweet female vocals in the lead – with backing that includes vibe, electric piano, tenor, alto, and percussion by Babatunde. The record's a great one if you dig spiritual jazz funk – along the lines of Gary Bartz, The Pharoahs, or Oneness Of Juju – and Luv N Haight have done a stellar job of repackaging the album! Titles include the classic mellow groover "Let The Sun Shine In", plus "Fly Away", "Operation Feed Yourself", "Darkuman Junktion", and "Ju Ju's Door".

Massive massive work from Starship Orchestra – a trio of talents from the Norman Connors universe, but one who get some heavy help in the studio from arrangers Bobby Lyle, McKinley Jackson, and Jerry Peters! There's a real Aquarian Dream sound at play here – all the best energy of Connors' soulful years of the mid 70s, fused into a jazzier vibe overall – played to perfection, yet without any commercial touches at all – a really amazing thing for a major label album of the time! We've loved this record for years, and easily rank it right up there with the most sophisticated grooves of the time – like the best from Roy Ayers or Leroy Hutson, with some echoes of James Mason's wonderful album too. One cut has lead vocals from Joe Saulter – and other players include Lyle and Peters on keyboards, Wah Wah Watson and Paul Jackson on guitars, Don Myrick on saxes, and Louis Satterfield and George Bohannon on trombones. The whole thing's perfect – and titles include "You're A Star", "The Genie", "All Those Things", "Serious Business", and "New York New York".

Soulful fusion by one of the best groups of their genre! The CD contains both albums recorded by Tarika Blue for Chiaroscuro Records in the 70s – both of them wonderful fusion records that have an incredibly soulful sound. The group features work by soulful luminaries like Justo Almario, James Mason, and Ryo Kawasaki – and the overall feel is sweetly bubbling, soul-inspired jazz – very much in the tradition of Roy Ayers' best work of the period, or work recorded for the same label by Mason and Kawasaki! Irene Datcher and Dolores Smith sing on a few tracks, giving the album a nice vocal dimension that takes things even deeper – and the CD features a total of 13 tracks that include "Love It", "Truth Is The Key", "Dreamflower", "Things Spring", "Blue Neptune", "Jimi", "Downtown Sound", "Sun Through Winter", "Sunshower", "Charlie", and "My Love Is So Free".

Plenty of darkness here from Phil Upchurch – those great tones and notes he worked so well back in the 70s – all with that near-perfect quality that made him one of the most in-demand players of his day! The style here is a bit different than some of Phil's previous work in Chicago – as the set was recorded on the west coast with support from players who include Joe Sample on piano, Arthur Adams on rhythm guitar, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Harvey Mason on drums. But that shift of locale hasn't dampened Phil's sound at all – and he's still getting a bit of hometown help from Donny Hathaway, who arranged a few tracks and also plays a bit of electric piano on the record. Other arrangements are by Nick DeCaro, and titles include "Love & Peace", "Darkness, Darkness", "Cold Sweat", and "Inner City Blues".

The second US album from Euro disco outfit Voyage – a group who manage to bring in some nice progressive and jazzy elements to the mix! There's almost a jamming rock-gone-disco approach to a few of the best numbers – thanks to a strong use of heavy guitars and keyboards, and a real rock-like phrasing at times. All tracks are longish, with TK-styled breakdowns on the better tunes – and lead vocals are handled by Sylvia Mason. Titles include "Tahiti, Tahiti", "Souvenirs", "Kechack Fantasy", "Eastern Trip", "Let's Fly Away", "Golden Eldorado", and "Gone With The Music". This 2CD special edition also includes he album length Special Instrumental Vol 2 on CD1 – plus a second CD featuring 12", 7" and otherwise alternate mixesof "Souvenirs", "Let's Fly Away", "Tahiti, Tahiti" and more – including the bonus "Dance And Romance" recorded as Disco & Co. 24 tracks on 2CDs!

Excellent lost modern soul from Philly – most of it recorded during the early 80s, when the bigger labels were losing their groove, and the torch was passed onto some of the city's smaller imprints. The set's got a nice mix of mellow modern soul and 80s dancefloor groovers – and all titles were produced by Butch Ingram. Titles include "Lost In Love" by Michelle Gold, "(Joy) I Know It" by Odyssey, "Tell Me Tell Me Tell Me" by Marki, "You Broke Your Promise" by Edmond Daniels, "Still Loving You" by Brandi Wells, "Never Too Late" by Julius Brown, "You Wear Me Out" by The Sigma Sweethearts, "Since You've Gone" by Booker Newberry, "Say That You Will" by Butch Sam, "Mr Man" by Alectra, "My Magic Is Real" by Blue Magic, "I Believe In Love" by Major Harris, and Barbara Mason's bizarre "Another Man", the nail in the coffin to the Barbara/Shirley song cycle!

Cooler than ice – and cooler than just about any other label collection we've ever seen – a massive collection of work from the legendary Artic label, home to some of the best Philly grooves in the late 60s and early 70s! The package not only includes 6CDs, but also features 6 funky 45s as well – each of which features an unissued gem from the label – all wrapped up in a really well-done cover that comes with a 48 page booklet, and lots of vintage photos! There's never been a label overview like this one before – and the CDs feature every single issued by the company, both a and b-sides – a project that took the folks at Jamie many years to produce, but which has been well worth the wait. The music is wonderful throughout – great female soul, some soaring group tracks, and even a few funky nuggets too – way more than we ever knew that Arctic ever recorded. In addition to early efforts from later stars like Barbara Mason or Kenny Gamble, the set also features music by Honey & The Bees, The Ambassadors, The Combo Kings, The Rotations, Teddy & The Fingerpoppers, Three Strangers, Billy Floyd, Jack & Jill, The Temptones, Kenny Hamber, Herb Johnson, Winfield Parker, Lane Relations, Volcanos, Della Humphrey, Royal Five, and many others. The set's six 7" singles are amazing too – a dozen tracks that have never been heard before – including "He's Got To Love Me" and "Catch Him Love" by Barbara Mason, "I'm At My Best When I'm Down" and "The Rock" by The Combo Kings, "It Takes Two" and "Fat Daddy" by Kenny Gamble, "No Doubt About It" and "Lover Boy" by The Tiffanys, "Doctor Love" and "I Only Have Eyes For You" by The Ambassadors, and "I Love You Just The Same" and "Fallin Star" by Winfield Parker.

A fab collection that's casting light on one of the neglected eras in soul reissues, the cusp of the 80s, with an emphasis on great, soulful disco numbers. All the tracks here have a nice pumping 4/4 beat underneath, but the tempos on most numbers sit nicely in the middle, building a set of great 80s boogie numbers, roller skating soul and sophisticated club tracks that fill in some gaps in your 12" collection! There's a number of styles represented, with some nice moogy bits on a few tracks and soaring strings on others, but every cut's a gem, 12 of them in all, with Charme "Georgy Porgy", Harvey Mason "Groovin You", Melba Moore "Standing Right Here", Vaughn Mason "Bounce, Rock, Skate, Roll", Young & co "I Like What You're Doing to Me", Dunn Pearson "Groove On Down", "New Jersey Connection "Love Don't Come Easy", James Perry "April Lady", Garfield Fleming "Don't Send Me Away", Goldie Alexander "Show You My Love", Hipnotic "Are You Lonely" and the Circle City Band "Magic".

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

The third volume in Expansion's excellent series of fantastic soul from Philly – one soaringly melodic, soulful masterpiece after another – the best set yet! Expansion hasn't rushed these Spirit Of Philadelphia compilations onto the market – number 3 comes nearly decade sense we were knocked out by the first. We don't know if this time taking approach is what makes them so good or not, all we know is that it's totally great! Includes numbers by Tapestry, Ecstasy, Passion & Pain, Ghetto Children, Debbie Taylor, Major Harris, Sister Sledge, Brown Sugar and more – going way past the obvious hits! 17 tracks in all: "It's Not The World That's Messed Up" by Tapestry, "New To You" by Sharon Paige, "I Wouldn't Give You Up" by Ecstasy, Passion & Pain, "When You Look At Me" by Barbara Mason, "I Just Gotta Find Someone To Love" by Ghetto Children, "I Have Learned To Do Without You" by Debbie Taylor, "Help Me Find A Way (To Say I Love You)" by Little Anthony & The Imperials, "This Is What You Mean To Me" by Major Harris and more.

Barbara Acklin's first album – and a landmark of Chicago soul that firmly established Acklin as one of the city's best writers and new female singers! Acklin had a classy sound that was different than some of her raw soul sisters in the city – but although she was classy, she also didn't have any of that little girl stuff that you might hear from singers like Denice Chandler or Barbara Mason. Instead, she had an approach that mixed a real soul vocal with more sophisticated material, in a manner that worked well with the evolving blueprint for the Brunswick Chisoul sound. Carl Davis and Eugene Record do a perfect job producing Barbara's songs, all forged nicely into the loping soul groove that set Chicago apart from other cities in the late 60s. Includes the big title track "Love Makes A Woman" – plus "Be By My Side", "Your Sweet Loving", "Come and See Me Baby", and a great cover of "The Look of Love"!

Wicked late 70s work from Ronnie Foster – a rare Columbia outing that's arguably better than his earlier sides for Blue Note! There's more of a soul vibe than before in the music – but in a way that's really foregrounded, and without some of the back/forth wavering that Foster had in his groove during previous sets. Jerry Peters produced the record, and gives it a solid, confident style that's right up there with the best soul/fusion sides on Columbia at the time – and the lineup of players features great contributions from Roy Ayers on vibes, Ndugu Chancler on percussion, Harvey Mason on drums, and Alphonso Johnson on bass. Foster himself did all the arrangements – and both sings and plays a mix of keyboards that come off sounding pretty darn great. Titles include "Midnight Plane", "Happy Song", "Why Don't You Look Inside", "I Want To Bring My Love Home", "Nassau Bay", "Shooting Star", and "Easier Said Than Done".

In the pocket, and plenty darn funky – a killer collection of 70s jazz funk that's heavy on electricity, yet still keeps things mighty sharp throughout! The groove is tight – tighter than the raw soul of the 60s jazz years – yet never uptight, as all these cuts are plenty fresh and freewheeling, and definitely preserve the most spontaneous vibe of the players. Some cuts have a bit of vocals, some have some larger backings, but all still have some great solos in the middle – with an especially strong emphasis on sweet keyboards! Titles include "Zauis" by Eddie Russ, "Barbara Ann" by Webster Lewis, "Coming To You Live" by Charles Earland, "Brazilica" by Ramsey Lewis, "Sinbad" by Weldon Irvine, "Put It In The Pocket" by Freddie Hubbard, "Palos" by Willie Bobo, "Chicago Theme" by Hubert Laws, "Hop Scotch" by Harvey Mason, and "In The Park" by Lonnie Liston Smith.

A jazz funk masterpiece, and THE record by the legendary Don Blackman – the only one issued under his own name for many many years, and a famous little set that's been sampled endlessly over the years, and for good reason! The vibe here is one that's barely been matched again – a blend of 70s fusion, bassy funk, and even tighter riffing – all put together with a greater depth and sense of soul than most other records of its type. Blackman's a GRP contemporary of Bernard Wright, Tom Browne, and Weldon Irvine – and there's bits of all their sound in the work here, but somehow Don does it even better – hitting these grooves, notes, and lines that seem to fall from the heavens – and which still stand as some of the hippest music of his generation. A record to file proudly next to your copies of Ramp and James Mason – and like those gems, the kind of record that only happens once in an artists career! Titles include "You Ain't Hip", "Yabba Dabba Do", "Heart's Desire", "Deaf Hook Up Connection", "Never Miss A Thing", and "Holding You Loving You", and "Since You Been Away So Long".

One of the fine fine albums of spacey keyboard funk that Charles cut for the Mercury label during the late 70s. Earland starts with a Herbie Hancock approach – and no surprise, he's got Paul Jackson and Harvey Mason in the group – but then he changes the groove to show off more of his funky soul jazz roots, and comes up with a sound that has a bit of a Mizell touch, with a nice soulful groove, still underpinned by some great jazzy conceptions. Titles include a cover of a Stevie Wonder's "I Wish", plus "Betty Boop", "Singing A Song For You", "Shining Bright", and "Revelation".

Amazing stuff! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of Gears, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the say we he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". The second half of this CD is Forever Taurus, which Johnny recorded right after his legendary Gears album, and it features production by Wade Marcus that's very much in the Larry Mizell mode that made Johnny huge in the 70s! As with the Gears record, Johnny's backed by a large ensemble of players – and the overall sound has lots of nice touches, extra percussion, and a good electric groove. Tracks include "Cosmic Voyager", "Walk In Sunshine", "Ghetto Samba", and the title cut.

A seminal jazz funk session of the 70s – Herbie Hancock's legendary meeting with The Headhunters, and a killer batch of tunes that really gave the combo their name! Herbie's playing a wide range of keys here – including Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and Arp – but almost even better is the work from the rest of the group – including Bennie Maupin on soprano and tenor sax, Paul Jackson on bass, Harvey Mason on drums, and Bill Summers on percussion! The earthier elements of the rhythm players really keep Herbie on track – bringing him back to the planet from previous trips into space, and helping him hit an all-solid, all-righteous funky groove! Titles include a great remake of "Watermelon Man", the classic original recording of "Chameleon", and the cuts "Vein Melter" and "Sly" – all nice and long!

Herbie plays a host of cool electric keyboards in this nice session of modern jazzy tracks – recorded in the company of some of his best bandmates, like Bennie Maupin, Tony Williams, Harvey Mason, Ron Carter, Alphonse Mouzon, and Paul Jackson. The feel's a bit smoother than some of the more out there mid 70s sides – but still nice and funky in an electric way, with plenty of warmly grooving tracks! Titles include "Spiralling Prism", "4 AM", "Shiftless Shuffle", and "Textures".

Sweet sweet keyboards from the amazing Gene Harris – one of his seminal electric sides for Blue Note in the 70s – recorded between his earliest fame in the Three Sounds, and his later return to acoustic styles in the 80s! The sound here is equal parts jazz and soul – as Gene's working with vocalist/arranger Jerry Peters, who brings in a good deal of his own groove to the tracks – giving them a strong focus that's sometimes missing from other solo Harris sets. Both Peters and Harris play Fender Rhodes and other keyboards on the album – alongside a variety of players that include Donald Byrd on trumpet, Harvey Mason on drums, and Chuck Rainey on bass. Tracks include the Peters tunes "If You Can't Find Love" and "A Minor", a two-part remake of Duke Pearson's "Christo Redentor", the sweet stepper "Peace Of Mind", and a strong vocal take on Stevie Wonder's "As".

Not Joe's most cutting-edge album, but a sweet warm batch of tracks with a good California/Fantasy records feel! The group includes Dawilli Gonga (aka George Duke) on electric piano, Harvey Mason on drums, and Bill Summers on conga – so the group has a nice groove to them. Henderson's joined by Hadley Caliman, Oscar Brashear, George Bohannon, and Snooky Young on horns – and the tracks include "Immaculate Deception", "Black Miracle", "Gazelle", and "Solution".

Fabulous stuff – one of the legendary albums that funky flute player Bobbi Humphrey cut with producer Larry Mizell! The record's a prime example of the Mizell genius at work – as Larry's arranged these fantastic backdrops for Bobbi's flute – soaring keyboard lines, layers and layers of rhythm, and just enough space for Bobbi to come in and send the record to the heavens with her spiritually grooving sound. Harvey Mason plays drums, Jerry Peters is on keyboards, and the rest of the group's an all-star LA studio jazz assemblage – perfectly fit together by Larry's arrangements and production in that classic cosmic mid 70s Mizell wall of sound! Tracks include "Fun House", "Satin Doll", "San Francisco Lights", and "New York Times".

An overlooked gem from the early 80s years at Salsoul – a set that's beat-heavy, and plenty funky too – with a groove that's nicely heavy on both roller skate and electro modes! The record's a bit more offbeat than the usual Salsoul set – and we mean that in a good way – more in the street-styled mode you'd hear on the Vaughan Mason/Butch Dayo collaboration for the label – and proof that the company had a strong ear for grooves that go way beyond disco! There's plenty of surprises here – and the approach to the grooves has a very New York feel that mixes together the best of the up-and-downtown modes of the time. Titles include "Angel Baby", "Come To Me", "Rock The Rhythm", "I've Been Watching You", "Holdin On", and "I Need Your Love".

A smooth, clean-toned example of early 80s fusion from John Klemmer! Klemmer is backed by Dean Parks, John Tropea, Don Grusin, Victor Feldman, Abe Laboriel, and Harvey Mason, with some spacial synths here and there and even some vocalising by John! Tracks include "Magnificent Madness", "Don't Take Your Love Away", "Deja Vu", "Lifesong", "Adventures In Paradise", "I Can't Help It", "Don't Take Your Love Away", and more.

One of Henry Mancini's grooviest LPs from the 70s – a mixture of tight large arrangements with a smooth funky edge, similar to some of his best soundtrack work at the time! The rhythm section is great – with Harvey Mason on drums and Joe Sample on keyboards, and guitar by David T Walker and Dennis Budimir – and the album also features some cool solos on instruments like African finger piano and piccolo trumpet. The whole thing bounces along with a majestic approach that's very full and complicated – yet also tight and funky! Lots of nice groovy tunes – and titles include "Sun Goddes", "Symphonic Soul", "Soul Saga", "African Symphony", "Slow Hot Wind", and "Satin Soul".

The second album by The Sylvers – and a very hip batch of funky tracks that goes way beyond their roots as a kiddie soul group! The set was put together by Jerry Peters, with additional rhythm arrangements by Harvey Mason – and the pair of them give the set a very groovy feel, taking full advantage of the group's strong ability to turn a catchy lyric, but also adding some razor sharpness to the grooves. Titles include "Stay Away From Me", "Let It Be Me", "I Remember", "Cry Of A Dreamer", "Through The Love In My Heart", "Handle It", and "I Don't Need To Prove Myself".

Sweet, smooth, and soulful – a heck of a great album from Stanley Turrentine, and one that's recorded in a mode that steps off nicely from his best work at CTI! The sound's a bit tighter than most of his sides as Mister T, but the groove is still quite similar – a warm approach to electric soul jazz, played by the best in the business, and topped off by some great lead solo work from Stan – all in that impeccable tone, and with some surprisingly creative solo flourishes that seem to pop out of nowhere and keep the record interesting! Wade Marcus arranged, and players include Paul Jackson, Harvey Mason, Bill Summers, and Joe Sample – on tunes that include "I'm Not In Love", "There Is A Place", "Stairway To Heaven", "Everybody Come On Out", "Hope That We Can Be Together Soon", and "Airport Love Theme".

The second US album from Euro disco outfit Voyage – a group who manage to bring in some nice progressive and jazzy elements to the mix! There's almost a jamming rock-gone-disco approach to a few of the best numbers – thanks to a strong use of heavy guitars and keyboards, and a real rock-like phrasing at times. All tracks are longish, with TK-styled breakdowns on the better tunes – and lead vocals are handled by Sylvia Mason. Titles include "Souvenirs", "Kechack Fantasy", "Eastern Trip", "Let's Fly Away", "Golden Eldorado", and "Gone With The Music".

Robert Walter's out of his usual jamband context here – and is working with a group of soul jazz masters, older players who helped define the jazz funk groove of the 70s, clearly a strong influence on Walter's keyboard style. The group features tenor by Red Holloway, drums by Harvey Mason, guitar by Phil Upchurch, and bass by Chuck Rainey – and the album's got a freewheeling soul jazz style that recalls some of the Prestige jazz funk of the 1972/73 era. Titles include "There Goes The Neighborhood", "Bread & Water", "Swap Meet", "Bakery Blues", and "4:00 Wash Up".

Nobody fills a dancefloor like Philly – especially with a batch of 70s groovers this great! The set's a really well-chosen batch of classics from the City Of Brotherly Love – one that features a few hits and lots more overlooked nuggets from the Gamble & Huff universe on Philly International – plus some even more obscure bits from labels like Buddah or Epic – showing that there was lots of great Philly work going on in the 70s! The package was put together by Ralph Tee – the man who gave us the sublime Philadelphia Uncovered collections – and the set features 16 titles that include "I Just Can't Goodbye" by Philly Devotions, "I'll Always Love My Mama" by The Intruders, "Do You Like The Way I Love" by The Ebonys, "People Power" by Billy Paul, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, "Can't Accept The Fact" by Gateway, "Falling In Love With You" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Midnight Lady" by David Morris Jr, "Words Without Love" by City Limits, "All I Need" by Anacostia, "Make It Last" by Barbara Mason & The Futures, "Your Love Has Me Locked Up" by The Modulations, and "The Love I Lost" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes.

Rootsy folk and early country music – pulled from a host of pre-war 78s, and served up in one mighty nice package from the folks at Mississippi Records! The set's a real treasure – filled with darkness and a sharp edge that you might not expect from tunes of this vintage – almost bluesy at points, and quite different than some of the overdone tropes of the time! Most numbers are surprisingly clear – done with a crisp style that makes the acoustic instrumentation and spare vocals come through brilliantly – on titles that include "Reuben Oh Reuben" by Emry Arthur, "Louise Collins" by John Hurt, "Adieu False Heart" by Arthur Smith Trio, "Dark Holler Blues" by Clarence Ashley, "Molly Man" by Moses Mason, "Lulu Wall" by Bascom Lamar Lunsford, and "A Short Life Of Trouble" by Buell Kazee.

Sublime sounds from the legendary Stanton Davis – a rare 70s gem that's been a favorite of groovehounds for years! The set's got a really unique feel – part spiritual jazz, part soaring club – a blend that's similar to the sound you'd get on James Mason's legendary album too – a unique hybrid of American undergrounds that comes off beautifully throughout! Production is perfect – a Mizell-like blend of acoustic and electric jazz elements, layered with a bit of vocals – and Davis plays soulful trumpet lines, in a group that has some especially nice keyboards! Titles include "Space A Nova (parts 1 & 2)", "Play Sleep", "Brighter Days/Brighter Daze", "Nida", "High Jazz", and "Things Cannot Stop Forever".

Sublime sounds from the legendary Stanton Davis – a rare 70s gem that's been a favorite of groovehounds for years! The set's got a really unique feel – part spiritual jazz, part soaring club – a blend that's similar to the sound you'd get on James Mason's legendary album too – a unique hybrid of American undergrounds that comes off beautifully throughout! Production is perfect – a Mizell-like blend of acoustic and electric jazz elements, layered with a bit of vocals – and Davis plays soulful trumpet lines, in a group that has some especially nice keyboards! Titles include "Space A Nova (parts 1 & 2)", "Play Sleep", "Brighter Days/Brighter Daze", "Nida", "High Jazz", and "Things Cannot Stop Forever".

One of our favorite records of all time! We've got to admit, this one's an acquired taste, but if you dig cool LA studio pop from the early 70's, this record's a real treasure! Nick DeCaro was probably best known to the world as an instrumental arranger for A&M (he did a lot of the Claudine Longet albums), but this record from the early 70's has him singing in a set of cool spacey tracks that mix studio pop and jazz for a sound that's unlike anything else we've ever heard before. Nick's backed by a tight group that includes LA jazz players like Arthur Adams, Wilton Felder, Paul Humphrey, Harvey Mason, and David T. Walker – and the sound is very compressed, very laidback, and very very hip. Tracks include "Under The Jamaican Moon", "Wailing Wall", and great versions of "Getting Mighty Crowded" and Stevie Wonder's "Angie Girl". Remember, it's an acquired taste, but if you like stuff like middle period Steely Dan or Maria Muldaur, you'll really dig this one!

Amazing stuff! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do".

Funky mid 70s Herbie – one his funkiest of the era! Herbie plays a host of kool keyboards (like Fender Rhodes, Arp, Hohner Clavinet, etc), and he's joined by a group that includes just about all of the Headhunters (Paul Jackson and Mike Clark in the rhythm section), as well as Wah Wah Watson, Stevie Wonder, Wayne Shorter, Bennie Maupin, and Harvey Mason. In many ways, one of Herbie's more underrated albums, and worth it alone for the mad, uptempo "Hang Up Your Hang Ups". Other cuts include "Bubbles", "Heartbeat", and "Sun Touch".

One of the most legendary albums of jazz funk ever recorded! Rufus Harley was a saxophone player who also picked up the bagpipes for a few excellent 60s albums for Atlantic Records – and although those records are great, this 1972 independent album is a real mind blower! By the time of this set, Rufus had really stretched out – both creatively and spiritually – working his standard bagpipe jazz groove into a much trippier sound, one that explored the tonal and modal properties of the instrument. Not only that, Rufus got a lot funkier than ever before – working here with organist Bill Mason, a sonic contemporary of Leon Spencer and Charles Earland – and the resultant mix of organ and bagpipes creates a monstrous sound that's unlike anything we can describe! The album's a mixture of Sufi and Biblical statements – fused into long funky jazz tracks, stretching out into some incredible grooves. Includes the classic "Malika", plus the cuts "Etymology", "Hypothesis", and "Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen", done in a great heavy version! CD also features a bonus 10 minute jam not on the original album!

The south rises again – in this excellent annual issue of Oxford American dedicated to music from below the Mason-Dixon line! This year, the publication's got a special focus on Louisiana – a great mix of soul, jazz, blues, and roots – served up in an issue that's heavy on Crescent City commentary – with articles on Shotgun Joe, Professor Longhair, and Amede Ardoinand – plus musings on the music of New Orleans by Stanley Crouch, a look at a NO strip club, and a long piece on "The Anxiety Of Authenticity". There's loads more little features too – on Louisiana music old and new – and as the biggest bonus, the issue comes with a 21 track CD – featuring cuts that include "Sugar Bee" by Cleveland Crochet & Hill Billy Ramblers, "Two Wings" by Rev Utah Smith, "Real Live Living Hurtin Man" by Johnny Adams, "Reconsider Me" by Margaret Lewis, "Shirley" by John Fred & The Playboys, "The Eyes Of Love" by Margie Singleton, "Parlez Nous A Boire" by Chris Stafford, "Monkey In A Sack" by Lil Buck & The Top Cats, "A Thousand Miles From Nowhere" by Robert Pete Williams, "The Patriotic Flag Waver" by Dr John, "Shine" by Kid Ory, "Bon Ton Roula" by Clarence Garlow, "Look What You're Doin To Me" by Professor Longhair, and "Old Man's Darling" by Nathan & The Zydeco Cha Cha.

Smooth and funky fusion from Lee Ritenour – top-shelf all the way, and handled with a really soulful groove, thanks to production from the legendary Skip Drinkwater! Lee's all over the top of the guitar in true "Captain Fingers" style, and Skip makes sure he's got plenty going on underneath, too – with an all-star assemblage of players that includes Harvey Mason on drums, Patrice Rushen on keyboards, Dennis Budimir on guitar, Alphonso Johnson on bass, and Ernie Watts on saxes. The keyboards groove as nicely as the guitars (thanks Patrice!), and titles include "Margarita", "Fly By Night", "Dolphin Dreams", "Captain Fingers", and "Sun Song".

Beautiful material from this legendary Bay Area soul jazz combo! The Sons & Daughters of Lite have an incredibly spiritual sound – one that sounds sort of like the best groups on the Strata East label, with touches of Roy Ayers or James Mason-esque soulfulness, but with a little less polish. Many of the cuts have sweet female vocals in the lead – with backing that includes vibe, electric piano, tenor, alto, and percussion by Babatunde. The record's a great one if you dig spiritual jazz funk – along the lines of Gary Bartz, The Pharoahs, or Oneness Of Juju – and Luv N Haight have done a stellar job of repackaging the album! Titles include the classic mellow groover "Let The Sun Shine In", plus "Fly Away", "Operation Feed Yourself", "Darkuman Junktion", and "Ju Ju's Door".

The great first album by Traffic – one of the best debuts by a British group in the late 60s! Better remembered as Mr. Fantasy, the album has a bit of a confusing release history. This excellent CD version features the album as it first appeared in the US – including the brilliant singles and in the rare mono mix. The punchy, direct vibe of the mono version is wonderful, but however you may prefer to hear it, the artistry is indisputable! There's still plenty of psych pop in the mix, colorful songcraft with a bluesy rock undercurrent. Capaldi, Winwood and Wood are most prominently credited, as Dave Mason hit the road after the singles, but since those are included on this early US version, let's show him some love, too! The organ and a driving rhythm are prominent, with flute and trippy atmosphere throughout. Later on, the group would work with jazzier and bluesier styles, traces of which are here. They would evolve pretty quickly, actually, both stylistically and via lineup shifts. Here's a most vital first stage! Includes "Paper Sun", "Dealer", "Coloured Rain", "No Face, No Name And No Number", "House For Everyone", "Dear Mr. Fantasy", "Smiling Phases", "Heaven Is In Your Mind", the weird closing fade "Were A Fade, You Missed This" and more.

Simply the best Philly 70s collection we've heard – ever! This one goes way past the hits, and moves into work from a variety of labels – not just the famous tunes on Philly International, but all of the Philly-produced gems that were coming out from other sources and other singers during the 1970s – a decade when the Philly sound had a golden touch that could transform the work of any singer into pure genius! The tracks on the set are really well thought-out – a sampling of work from a variety of different artists that you might not think to associate with the Philly groove at first glance, plus others who had their only really truly strong success through a brief link with the City of Brotherly Love. 18 tunes in all – and all of them warm clubby grooves with a perfectly smooth feel! Titles include "Look On The Good Side" by The Invitations, "Make It Last" by Barbara Mason & The Futures, "Good For The Gander" by Jermaine Jackson, "Stay With Me" by The Futures, "Who Loves You" by The Joneses, "I Just Can't Say Goodbye" by Touch Of Class, "Hurt So Bad" by The Philly Devotions, "Will You Be Mine" by The Whispers, "Now OR Never" by Little Dooley, "One More Time" by Dianne Steinberg, "Where It's Warm" by Revelation, and "A Little Bit Or Love" by Charen Cotton.

John Williams come back! All is forgiven! We'll hardly complain anymore about all those overblown top-selling scores after hearing this gem from the early 70s! The record is a treasure – completely unlike any work that Williams did in later years – quite possibly because the film itself is a quirky little love story, starring James Caan and Marsha Mason in the sort of offbeat "when losers meet" sort of film that could have only been made in the early 70s. Some of the tunes on the set are nicely funky – almost in a Lalo Schifrin way – and others are mellow, but nicely moody, in a really understated scene-setting style that's great. Toots Thielemans plays some great harmonica on a few of the mellower cuts, and Paul Williams sings vocals to 3 of the tracks on the set, all contributed by him. Titles include "Wednesday Special", "New Shooter", "Boxing Montage", "The Ferry Ride", "Neptune's Bar", "Nice To Be Around", and "Maggie Shoots Pool".

A killer killer compilation – the sort we've been dying to own for years! It's a well known fact that there's plenty of funky nuggets hidden amidst 70s gospel recordings – massive grooves and break-heavy tracks that rank right up there with the best indie funk from the same time. Yet tracking down these tunes has always been plenty tough – given that most gospel records sold in different circles, had different distribution, and often are less easy to decipher for the crate digger than more conventional funk and soul. Enter the folks at Numero – who have really gone all out this time around, and dug through piles and piles of rare gospel records to come up with a whopping batch of great tracks! This set is definitely ground zero for getting into funky gospel – and it's filled with far more obscure work than the Soul Gospel set on Soul Jazz – all indie numbers from small labels that only got minor distribution at the time. As usual with Numero, the notes and package match the soulful depth and righteousness of the music – and the set is one of the most perfectly wrapped-up genre compilations we've ever seen! 18 tracks in all – with titles that include "I Thank The Lord" by Mighty Voices Of Wonder, "This Old World Is Going Down" by The Modulations, "Look Where He Brought Us" by The Apostles Of Music, "Thoughs (sic) Were The Days" by LaVice & Company, "Bad Situation" by 5 Spiritual Tones, "God Been Good To Me" by Mighty Walker Brothers, "O Yes My Lord" by Voices Of Conquest, "We Don't Love Enough" by Triumphs, "Heaven On Their Minds" by Sam Taylor, "God Will Dry My Weeping Eyes" by Horace Family, and "I Call Him" by Masonic Wonders.