All Categories  

Killer cuts from Carnival Records -- a New Jersey indie from the 60s that turned out some mighty wonderful music! Carnival's possibly best known as the original home of The Manhattans, before their later fame at Columbia -- but back in the mid 60s, the label was a hotbed of activity -- and recorded a whole host of really great artists, most of whom are featured on this set! As you'd guess from the Northern Soul title, the package focuses on upbeat groovers from Carnival -- the kind of hard-hitting soul tracks that bubbled under in the American underground in the 60s, but finally got their due later, as overseas collectors picked up on their genius. The set's overflowing with really wonderful cuts -- and we'll be honest in saying that in all our years of crate digging, there's loads of numbers here we've never been able to find in good shape. Titles include "Little Miss Soul" by The Lovettes, "Wishes" by The Metrics, "I Wanna Be Your Everything" by The Pretenders, "Hey Girl" by The Topics, "Love Has Passed Me By" by Phil Terrell, "Lost Love" by Lee Williams & The Cymbals, "Please Come Back" by Harry Caldwell, "I'll Catch You On The Rebound" by Leon & The Metronomes, "Why Did She Lie" by Vick & John, "I Call It Love" by The Pretenders, "I Say Yeah" by The Pets, "My Love Is Yours Tonight" by The Turner Brothers, "Me Myself & I" by Norma Jenkins, and "Leave Me If You Want To" by Curby Goggins.

Northern Soul from a surprising source -- and a killer batch of rare material from the mighty Memphis powerhouse of soul! Goldwax is probably best known for its deep soul work -- most famously with James Carr -- but in the mid 60s, the label cut some killer groovers that really match the vibe that was coming out of Detroit or Philly at the time -- upbeat, uptempo singles that bristle with energy, yet also have some of the deeper tones you might expect from the label! Some tunes have a bit of a Memphis sound -- depending on the singer -- but the rhythms and production mostly recall modes from up north, and offer up a really surprising new chapter of this label that already won our deep respect many years ago. The folks at Kent have put together the package with some really wonderful notes -- and the CD features two dozen numbers that will really open up your ears -- tracks that include "Let's Talk It Over" by Spencer Wiggins, "Call On Me" by Percy Milem, "They Say" by The Ovations, "So Hard To Get Along" by The Lyrics, "What'Cha Gonna Do" by Phillip & The Faithfuls, "You Gotta Have Soul" by George Jackson, "A Man Is A Mean Thing" by Barbara Perry, "The Well's Gone Dry" by Dorothy Williams, "That's What I Want To Know" by James Carr, "I Slipped A Little" by Percy Milem, "Now Girl" by The Lyrics, "It's My Life" by Timmy Thomas, "Qualifications" by The Ovations, "To Me It's Storming" by George & Greer, "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More" by Wee Willie Walker, and "If You Love Her" by Phillip & The Faithfuls.

Much better modern Northern Soul recordings than we've heard on other sets of this nature -- tunes that really get at the best aspects of the older music, and which never sound too thin or contemporary! The work here's produced by Ian Levine, but most of it avoids the too-modern or too-clubby styles that showed up in some of his other contemporary Northern recordings -- and, if anything, there's probably a dose of modern soul in the mix -- but more in the best sort of 70s indie mode overall. Titles include "Rain From The Skies" by Michael Lloyd Pino, "No More Second Chances" by Judy Duff, "You Threw A Lucky Punch" by Fay Jones, "Love Is My Sanctuary" by Nat Augustin, "No More Water In The Well" by Jennifer Dee, "World Of Your Own" by Tahira Jumah, "Man On The Spot" by The Concentrations, and "Top Secret" by Big Al Cooper. Also features a bonus DVD!

Way way more than just a northern soul collection -- as the set features some killer late 60s soul singles, brought together with a groove that's far wider than simple dancefloor soul -- and which features some amazing baroque and sweet soul numbers too! Most of the work is from the Universal-owned side of the 60s labels scene -- Chess/Cadet, Uni, Smash, and MGM -- but unlike other collections from Universal, this one does a great job of avoiding Motown work, and instead focuses on some lesser-known gems that fell between the cracks (and the charts) at the time! We're really pleased that a number of our favorite older singles have shown up on this set -- treasured tunes we've had for years on wax, finally presented properly in a great top-shelf package. 20 tracks in all -- with titles that include "Trust In Me" by Jackie Ross, "I Got A Bone To Pick With You" by Ruby Andrews, "Foolish Me" by Joanne Garrett, "What Would I Do" by The Tymes, "Cry Your Eyes Out" by Dottie Cambridge, "Watch Out Girl" by The Embers, "I Got The Fever" by The Prophets, "The Panic Is On" by Roy Hamilton, "Comin Home Baby" by The Soulful Strings, "Wherever You Were" by Bud Harper, "To The Ends Of The Earth" by Tony Middleton, "I Can't Make It Anymore" by Spyder Turner, and "It's All Up To You" by The Dells.

An unbeatable batch of uptempo 60s soul tunes -- wonderful singles from the vaults of RCA, Okeh, Bell and Date Records -- 22 tracks from legends, lesser known but no less wonderful artists, and some soulful surprises! Most of these tunes have are in a nice floor-shaking mode -- with powerhouse vocals and tight, walloping instrumentation -- great stuff from Major Lance, Little Richard, Billy Butler & The Enchanters, Johnny Moore, The Glories, Willie Kendrick, The Artistics and more! Titles include "You Don't Want Me No More" by Major Lance, "I Can't Hold On" by Lorraine Chandler, "Nevertheless" by Billy Butler & The Enchanters, "A Little Bit Of Something" by Little Richard, "Chain Reaction" by The Spellbinders, "Paris Blues" by Tony Middleton and lots more!

Plenty of driving beats here -- a wealth of rare Northern Soul numbers from the late 60s and early 70s -- sounds from Detroit, Chicago, Philly, and more -- all brought together in this classic collection compiled by Ian Dewhirst, a name we've come to trust on countless other compilations over the years! The groove is familiar, so we'll leap right into the set list -- and let you know that the collection includes "I Get The Sweetest Feeling" by Erma Franklin, "She'll Come Running Back" by Mel Brit, "Love Factory" by Eloise Laws, "Sweet Inspiration" by Johnny Johnson & The Bandwagon, "The Chase Is On" by Johnny Howard, "Purple Haze"b y Johnny Jones & The King Casuals, "You'll Get Enough" by The Delfonics, "When You Called Me Baby" by Len Barry, "Sliced Tomatoes" by The Just Brothers, "Girl Don't Make Me Wait" by Bunny Sigler, "Hit & Run" by Rose Batiste, "I Love You Baby" by Cindy Scott, "Don't Be Sore At Me" by The Parliaments, "My Love Keeps Getting Stronger" by Gloria Edwards, "Wrapped Tied & Tangled" by Lavern Baker, and "Somebody Somewhere" by Darrell Banks.

Groovy soul from Westbound Records -- the Detroit imprint that's best known for its heavy funk from groups like Funkadelic or The Counts, but which also cut some killer Northern numbers in their early years too! The package features loads of under-discovered Westbound nuggets, including a few unreleased tracks too -- and the overall feel is almost in the same territory as the HDH/Invictus camp of the early 70s -- soaring soul that's clearly informed by the Motown generation, but which comes across with a lot more righteous overtones, thanks to some heady production work! A few names here are familiar, but most of the work should be pretty darn fresh, even if you've got other collections of Westbound work -- and as usual, Kent have really knocked it out of the park with a great job on the notes and overall packaging. Titles include "Third World" by Joe Matthews, "Love Love Love" by Damon Shawn, "Till Another Day (Tom Moulton 7" edit)" by Caesar Frazier, "Ain't No Telling" by Houston Outlaws, "Happy Days" by The Magictones, "Gonna Spread The News" by Unique Blend, "Ain't That Lovin" by Denise & Abe, "Lonely In A Crowd" by Superlatives, "My Baby Ain't No Plaything" by The New Holidays, "Can't Shake It Loose" by Funkadelic, "I Can't See Myself Doing Without You" by Bob & Harold, "Never My Love" by Emanuel Laskey, "I'm Slowly Moulding" by The Magictones, and "I Am So Thankful" by Eddie Hill.

4CDs, 101 tracks, and a hell of a lot of Northern Soul in one tiny package! The collection delivers exactly what it promises in the title -- a heaping helping of soul classics that played big on the UK scene back in the day -- mostly 60s nuggets, pulled from a wide range of labels currently under the EMI corporate umbrella. The notes are as spare as the cover image, but we can forgive the producers for that fact, given how much they give us for a pretty nice price! Titles include "She'll Come Running Back" by Mel Britt, "Landslide" by Tony Clarke, "Skiing In The Snow" by The Invitations, "Time Marches On" by Lainie Hill, "Moonlight Music & You" by Laura Greene, "Nothing But A Heartache" by The Flirtations, "You're Ready Now" by Frankie Valli, "I'm Gonna Run Away From You" by Tami Lynn, "You Sexy Sugar Plum" by Rodger Collins, "Movin Away" by Kenny Lynch, "So Is The Sun" by World Column, "I Love You Baby" by Cindy Scott, "My Little Girl" by Bob & Earl Band, "The Drifter" by Ray Pollard, and lots lots more!

Sockin soul and groovy grooves -- a stunning collection of lost treasures from the late 60s and early 70s! Nearly all of the numbers were pulled from the catalogs of Warner Brothers or Atlantic Records -- and the myriad of small sub-labels and imprints that they both had going on at the time. Because these goodies were put out by the majors, they're in some way a lot more obscure than similar titles on smaller labels -- because to Warner, records like these were simply an afterthought -- and often got lost in the shifting sands of time and corporate planning. That doesn't stop them from being great, though -- because the work on here is all top shelf -- done by the best arrangers and studio players the companies had working for them, and sung by a host of great singers who shoulda been huge! There's a total of 26 tracks on the set -- with tunes that include "Somethings Burning" by The Marvellos, "Just Can't Live My Life" by Linda Jones, "Mr Creator" by The Apollas, "Here I Go Again" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Fireman" by Vala Reegan & The Valarons, "Lil Ole Man" by Bill Cosby, "Stirrin Up Some Soul" by The Marketts, "Thank You Baby For Loving Me" by Soul Brother Six, "Yes To The Lord" by The Stovall Sisters, "Keep Me In Suspense" by Mary Wells, "Bar B Q" by Wendy Rene, "That's What You Do To Me" by Don Jackson, and "Where Did I Go Wrong" by The Embers.

Some great Northern soul, pulled together from the wide array of labels currently handled by Universal/Spectrum -- including Motown, MGM, Philips, and Chess. There's more than a few great cuts on here that we haven't seen reissued elsewhere -- and although the price of the set is cheap, it's got a fortune's worth of rare soul sides! Titles include "6x6" by Earl Van Dyke, "The Boogaloo Party" by The Flamingos, "He Who Picks A Rose" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Worth Every Tear I Cry" by Dee Dee Warwick, "Learning To Trust My Man" by Sisters Love, "Landslide" by Tony Clarke, "The Way You've Been Acting" by Al Kent, "Do I Love You" by Frank Wilson, "Baby Hit & Run" by The Contours, and "Love Love Love" by Bobby Hebb. 17 tracks in all!

The third great installment in the After Hours series -- one of the best collections of Northern Soul we've heard in years! The genius of the set is that it moves past the smaller indie labels -- and really gets at some of the treasures that have been hidden in the catalogs of the major labels from the 60s -- tunes that are great, but which were often eclipsed by the bigger hits of the time, and not pushed nearly as heavily as the work might have been, had it come out on a smaller label. As with previous volumes, the set's overflowing with gems from the depths of the Atlantic and Warner catalogs -- a total of 29 numbers that includes a wide range of folks that you might never have guessed recorded for the companies -- plus other singles by familiar names, represented here by some of their more obscure numbers! The groove is hard upbeat soul all the way through -- and titles include "Last Minute Miracle" by Linda Jones, "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "Happiest Girl In The World" by Plus 4, "My Love Is Getting Stronger" by Cliff Nobles, "I Want It Back" by The Voice Box, "Hang My Head & Cry" by The Big Guys, "We Need To Be Loved" by Teen Turbans, "Tell Me Why" by Life, "Contact" by Three Degrees, "Frantic Escape" by Innocent Bystanders, "West 4th Street" by Valerie & Bobby Capers, and "Call On Me" by The Dynells.

One of the coolest collections of Northern Soul we've ever seen from a major label -- a massive book-shaped package that features 100 tracks in all, plus a huge booklet with notes on the tunes and lots of vintage photos! Given the never-ending rarities that keep showing up on the Northern scene, this package may not be entirely "complete" -- but it is filled with rare gems from a variety of labels, including a number of under-reissued imprints from the huge holdings of Universal Music! There's plenty of Motown, but lots of other great bits too -- and the package is divided into Motown Memories, Motown's Hidden Nuggets, Northern Floorshakers, and Northern Anthems -- all the kind of cuts that burned strongly on the UK soul scene back in the day. Titles include "Why Am I Lovin You" by Debbie Dean, "Do I Love You" by Frank Wilson, "My Love Is Your Love" by The Isley Brothers, "Keep Stepping" by Carolyn Crawford, "That's Not Love" by Holly St James, "Take My Hand" by The Dalton Boys, "Soul Self Satisfaction" by Earl Jackson, "Picture Me Gone" by Evie Sands, "Angel Baby" by The 3 1/2, "You Didn't Say A Word" by Yvonne Baker, "Night Owl" by Bobby Paris, "Country Girl" by Vicki Baines, "Long After Tonight Is Over" by Jimmy Radcliffe, "I Feel So Bad" by Jackie Edwards, "You Can Come Right Back To Me" by David Ruffin, "I'm Learning To Trust My Man" by The Sisters Love, and "I'll Always Love You" by The Spinners.

Upbeat stormers from the legendary Chess Records -- a collection of 20 tracks from the 60s that bristle and burn with the best energy of a Northern Soul dancefloor! The package really spans the genius of Chess at the time -- running through soul, jazz, blues, and gospel in search of a groove -- going past the bigger hits to feature some great lesser-known gems, including a few singles from tinier Chess-related labels! There's plenty of Chicago and Detroit 60s grooves running through the set -- mixed with other great bits that pick up the sound nicely, and stretch out with some really unusual touches! Titles include "Hold On" by The Radiants, "It Ain't Necessary" by Mamie Galore, "Ordinary Joe" by Terry Callier, "Leave It In The Hands Of Love" by Fontella Bass, "Landslide" by Tony Clarke, "Sweeter Than The Day Before" by The Valentinos, "More & More" by Little Milton, "More Love That's What We Need" by The Gospel Classics, "I Can't Help Myself" by The Gems, "Wade In The Water" by Ramsey Lewis, "Boogaloo Baby" by Tommy & Cleve, "Make Sure" by The Dells, and "Peak Of Love" by Bobby McClure.

Nice raw early material from Carl Carlton -- with a good groove that's sort of a mix between northern and deep southern soul. In fact, the production styles differ from track to track -- leading us to wonder if the LP's not just a collection of recordings from different sources. But whatever the case, we like the album a lot more than some of Carlton's other work -- and it's got some great little cuts like "Did You Mean It?", "Competition Ain't Nothing", "International Playboy", and "You Times Me Plus Love".

One of the grooviest 70s soul groups ever! Chairmen of the Board were unlike anyone else -- not just because the vocal talents of members like General Johnson and Harrison Kennedy were completely unique, but also because the group had a unique mix of harder southern soul and tighter northern production, put together impeccably by the Holland-Dozier-Holland team. This set collects most of the group's big hits -- and titles include "Give Me Just A Little More Time", "Dangling On A String", "Everybody's Got A Song To Sing", "Finders Keepers", "Pay To The Piper", "Everything's Tuesday", "Chairman Of The Board", "Hanging On To A Memory", "Men Are Getting Scarce", and "Try On My Love For Size".

The complete Motown work of Chris Clark -- one of the few white singers ever signed to the label, and a great vocalist at that! Chris has a sound that's quite unique -- halfway between Motown soul and some of the soul-inspired pop of the time -- particularly that of UK singers like Dusty Springfield and some of her generation. There's a proud, bold sound here -- all Motown in the backings, and often done with the kind of tightly-stepping grooves that have made some of Chris' singles big ones on the Northern Soul scene over the years. The 2CD set offers a huge amount of her work for Motown -- the complete contents of 2 albums (Soul Sounds and CC Rides Again), plus non-LP singles, and a full bonus CD that includes 25 previously unissued tunes! As with other releases in this great Motown UK series, the notes are completely thorough -- and take you through Chris' career, and into the vaults for the rarer bits too. The package features a total of 50 numbers that include "I Want To Go Back There Again", "Love's Gone Bad", "Born To Love You Baby", "How About You", "Can I See You In The Morning", "One", "Don't Be Too Long", "I Love You", "The Beginning Of The End", "Ask Any Girl", "Everything Is Good About You", "It Must Be Love Baby", "I Like Everything About You", "What You Doing", "Bad Seed", and "Something's Wrong".

A great Motown album from Chris Clark -- one of the few white singers ever signed to the label, and a great vocalist at that! Chris has a sound that's quite unique -- halfway between Motown soul and some of the soul-inspired pop of the time -- particularly that of UK singers like Dusty Springfield and some of her generation. There's a proud, bold sound here -- all Motown in the backings, and often done with the kind of tightly-stepping grooves that have made some of Chris' singles big ones on the Northern Soul scene over the years. Titles include "I Want To Go Back There Again", "Day By Day Or Never", "From Head To Toe", "Sweeter As The Days Go By", "Do Right Baby Do Right", "Born To Love You Baby", "Love's Gone Bad", and "Whisper You Love Me Boy". CD also features a previously unreleased alternate stereo mix of "Do Right Baby Do Right" -- and the overall package is amazing -- with a 20 page full-color booklet that includes long notes on Clark's career, vintage photos, and even session details for the album!

A wonderful album from this enigmatic soul group! Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose were one of a handful of early 70s groups -- like Chairmen Of The Board or 100 Proof Aged In Soul -- who had a sound that was incredibly hard to peg. There were bits of southern rawness in the vocals, but the overall approach also had plenty of elements of smoother Northern Soul, and wasn't afraid to use strings or uptown arrangements when they were needed. This album's their best, and features 10 tracks written by Eddie Cornelius, plus a great little cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together". Tracks include the sublime easy soul number "Too Late To Turn Back Now", choppy odd groover "Treat Her Like A Lady", and the cuts "Gonna Be Sweet For You", "Let Me Down Easy", and "Lift Your Love Higher".

Slammin early soul from the great Lou Courtney -- an artist who's recorded so much excellent work over the years, that we're never surprised when we find a overlooked chapter like this! The record's quite different from Lou's raspier southern soul of the 70s -- filled with killer uptempo cuts, and really snapping a groove with some monster sock-boogaloo and shing-a-ling numbers that are sure to send any fan of 60s Northern! Production is by Robert Bateman and The Funk Brothers -- and titles include the singles "Skate Now" and "Do The Thing", plus "Psychedelic Shing-a-Ling", "Me and You (Doin' the Boogaloo)", "Another'n Like The Other'n", and "I've Got Just the Thing".

A much-needed look at the mighty Sugar Pie DeSanto -- a singer who really rocked Chess Records back in the 60s! DeSanto came to the label already boasting one hell of a groove -- a rock-solid sense of rhythm that made all of her tunes groovers right from the get-go -- and a raw vocal power that easily rivaled, if not beat, that of Etta James -- her labelmate at Chess, and partner on a few duet tracks here! The collection's a non-stop soul party throughout -- as upbeat as Northern Soul, but with plenty of deep soul elements as well -- and it's the first time many of these cuts have been brought together on CD, and certainly never before as wonderful as this. Kent serves up some great notes and vintage photos with the package -- the latter of which show Sugar Pie in action on stage, clearly one of the sexiest singers to work the circuit back in the 60s! Titles include "In The Basement (parts 1 & 2)", "Soulful Dress", "Witch For A Night", "Ask Me", "Good Timin", "Mr & Mrs", "Mama Didn't Raise No Fools", "Crazy Lovin", "There's Gonna Be Trouble", "Jump In My Chest", "Somewhere Down The Line", "Use What You Got", "Never Love A Stranger", "I Love You So Much", "Go Go Power", and "I Don't Wanna Fuss".

Wonderful sweet soul from the amazing Renaldo Domino -- an artist who always sounds great to our ears! Both of these tracks are previously unreleased -- for some reason that still remains a mystery, given the strength of the work -- and they really continue the genius that Domino laid out during his work for Twinight. "I'll Get You Back" is a slow-stepping number with some really wicked guitar alongside the vocals -- and "Two Years" is a bit more upbeat, with a groove that's almost shagging, but a bit more Northern.

Rubbery funk and soulful grooves from Dr Rubberfunk -- a mix of solid instrumentals with live instrumentation bring a real depth to the sound -- and some even better vocal numbers featuring the soulful talents of Sitzka, John Turrell, Phillippo and others! Dr Rubberfunk knows his funk, soul and jazz -- with solid interpretations of timeless styles of each throughout the 10 tracks, with some nice horn arrangements, groovy keys, guitars and heavy drums. Titles include "Part Of Me" and "You're No Good" feat Sitzka, "Theme From Hot Stone", "Trouble Woman" feat Roachford, "Northern Comfort" feat John Turrell, "Magic Beans", "Sunset Breakup" and more.

Rubbery funk and soulful grooves from Dr Rubberfunk -- a mix of solid instrumentals with live instrumentation bring a real depth to the sound -- and some even better vocal numbers featuring the soulful talents of Sitzka, John Turrell, Phillippo and others! Dr Rubberfunk knows his funk, soul and jazz -- with solid interpretations of timeless styles of each throughout the 10 tracks, with some nice horn arrangements, groovy keys, guitars and heavy drums. Titles include "Part Of Me" and "You're No Good" feat Sitzka, "Theme From Hot Stone", "Trouble Woman" feat Roachford, "Northern Comfort" feat John Turrell, "Magic Beans", "Sunset Breakup" and more.

Killer work from The Flirtations -- originally an American group, but one who made a hip step to the UK in the mid 60s -- where they began backing a lot of big artists, and also recorded this rare gem on their own! The sound is a wonderful blend of American soul and 60s UK girl pop -- arranged beautifully by maestro Johhny Harris, who was easily one of the most soulful studio talents on the UK scene of the time. There's strong echoes of Detroit and New York soul in the record, but the sound is almost more majestic too -- pushed strongly forward with some great backings over Northern soul rhythms -- in ways that probably give the vocals even more support than they might have gotten in the US. Titles include the classic "Nothing But A Heartache" -- plus "Stay", "Need Your Loving", "Momma I'm Coming Home", "Love Is A Sad Song", and "How Can You Tell Me?" CD features 5 bonus tracks too -- including "Christmas Time Is Here Again", "Everybody Needs Somebody", "Can't Stop Loving You", and "Keep On Searching".

Tremendous work from vocalist Kenny Hamber -- a singer best known for his Philly Northern singles of the late 60s -- but who's still plenty darn great today! The CD brings together older 60s classics by Hamber with some newer, more contemporary tracks -- tunes that show that Kenny's magnificent vocals haven't dimmed a bit over the years, and which come across with a smoothly soulful mode that still beats most of today's current R&B singers. Older tracks and newer ones are interspersed throughout -- with about 1/3 60s material, and the rest newer tracks -- all standing together as a testament to this overlooked soul talent from the east coast scene! 18 titles in all -- including "Anything You Want", "Paradise", "I'm So Proud", "Looking For A Love", "Tears In My Eyes", "Walk Away From Love", "Time", "Can't Let You Go", "Members Only", "Show Me Your Monkey", "The Closer I Get To You", "I'll Be There", "There's Nothing", "Twelve Midnight", and "After The Show".

A landmark record from one of the greatest underground vocal groups of the 60s! The Hesitations take the theme to "Born Free", and through some magical soul, turn it into a Civil Rights-era anthem of freedom and pride. The rest of the record is equally great -- with a good mixture of uptempo tracks done in a bouncy northern groove, handled with production and arrangements by Teacho Wiltshire, and a pretty raw down-home edge overall! Titles include "Let's Groove", "Overworked & Underpaid", "Love Is Everywhere", "Don't Go", "Push A Little Harder", "Without Your Love", and "We Can Do It".

Great girl group soul -- with a righteous undercurrent too! "Please Stay" moves along at a really nice clip -- a tight Northern-styled number that has the vocals soaring up strongly, almost with a Chi-soul sort of sound! There's piano peppering the rhythms -- possibly the ivories mentioned in the group's name -- and "I'm In A Groove" is definitely a cut that lives up to its name, with a sweet undercurrent of funk that's really great!

Heavy soul from Jackie Lee -- one of the most hard-grooving singers to record on the west coast scene in the 60s! The package pulls together all of Lee's legendary sides for the Mirwood label -- the classic Northern Soul album The Duck, and lots of equally great singles that have the smooth-toned vocalist working at a very uptempo clip! The package is the first to really do justice to all of this music -- and it features a whopping 28 tracks all presented with wonderful sound quality, which really blows away any previous reissue -- especially considering that there's some unissued material here too. And as always with Kent, the notes are as great as the track selection -- 16 pages that tell the full story of Jackie's burning career at the time, complete with vintage photos and images. Titles include "Do You Love Me", "The Bounce", "The Duck (part 2)", "Hully Gully", "Do The Temptation Walk", "Land Of 1000 Dances", "A Man Ain't Nothin", "Oh My Darlin", "Try My Method", "Treat Her Right", "Tin Pan Alley", "Dancing In The Street", "Everybody Jerk", "Harlem Shuffle", and "Whether It's Right Or Wrong".

Super-rare soul from Junior McCants -- a great singer who died at a tragically young age -- which made King Records pull the single before it was ever released! "Try Me For Your New Love" has a hip mix of Northern grooves and sweeter vocals -- a higher-toned groove from Junior, which really soars over the romping rhythms of the track. "She Wrote It" is slower and sadder -- almost a deep soul tune, but with Junior singing in a style that's almost like east coast sweet soul!

One of the greatest Northern Soul albums ever -- completely great all the way through, and filled with songs that have been burning up dancefloors for years! The vocals are incredible -- soaring harmonies that hold together perfectly, even when the grooves are hard and heavy -- and the instrumentation is great too -- handled by the Pied Piper team, who were kind of a Motown offshoot that featured Jack Ashford on vibes and percussion, Dave Hamilton and Ray Monette on guitar, and Joe Hunter on piano. Hunter and Ashford handled the arrangements -- with a pitch-perfect sound that's completely sublime -- sweet and grooving at the same time, and put together with the same kind of care you'd find at Motown -- but with all the harder-edge qualities that always made indie work from Detroit so great. Every cut is a winner, and the set is the only full album ever done by the group -- with cuts that include "Egyptian Love", "Till The End Of Time", "Since I Found My Baby", "Sweetest One", "Unlucky Sun", "I'll Never Forget You", "Do The Pied Piper", and "I'm With You All The Way". Great reissue -- fully remastered from the original tapes -- with new liner notes too!

Wonderful early work from The Moments -- material recorded years before they cut their bigger hits for the Stang label, and done with some great help from the Mizell Brothers! "Baby I Want You" is a fiercely uptempo tune -- hardly the fragile harmony soul of The Moments' early Stang singles, and more of a soaring Northern Soul groover -- carried along on waves of wonderful strings over romping rhythms arranged by a young Freddie Perren! "Pray For Me" is a bit mellower and sweeter, but still plenty darn great -- a tune written by Larry Mizell, who also wrote the a-side -- and arranged by Fonce Mizell with a slow-stepping sound that really opens up the harmonies in the vocals!

Rare and groovy country rock from the UK scene of the early 70s -- and warm, wonderful stuff with the feel of some of the great records coming out of Cali and other points stateside at the time -- with some melodies, piano and keyboard touches that do indeed have a little bit of a London vibe. Roger's voice is good and authentic, and suggests that he was listening to The Band at the time, as well as folks should have been, and the musicianship is straight up stellar, rustic and folky but with real strains of country and country soul. Titles include "Taken For Granted", "The Trail Of Tears"., "Let The Four Winds Blow", "Northern Star", "The Vigil", "The Showdown", "First Snow", "Idaho" and more. This edition includes 4 bonus tracks, recorded in the following year!

Tight-stepping soul from the well-named Hank "Soulman" Mullen -- a great groover that moves at a Northern pace, but has a deeper soul feel overall! Hank's vocals are totally great -- warm and raspy, almost in the best Memphis tradition -- and the rhythms of the track are tightly vamping with some nicely skittish guitar and horns blasting over the top! "Listen" is great too -- a mellower number with a great southern soul feel -- like a lost gem from the far-reaches of the Muscle Shoals recording scene!

Heavenly harmony soul from Chicago -- a real lost treasure on the legendary Twinight label! "So Good To Have You Home Again" is a sweet ballad with a really heartbreaking quality -- stepping along slowly with a groove that's gentle, but which works with the vocals wonderfully! "Put Out The Fire" is more uptempo -- a bit Northern in the rhythms, with drums and guitar grooving away jauntily while The Mystiques' vocals try to keep up!

The Olympics were one of the great underrated vocal groups of the early 60s -- and they had a tight, goofy harmony style that really recalls the greatness of the Coasters in their best moments. This album for the legendary Mirwood label features the band reprising some older hits -- like "The Bounce", "Huly Gully", and "Western Movies" -- as well as performing some newer material with the Mirwood Northern soul groove firmly in place -- like "The Duck", "Baby, Do The Philly Dog", "I'll Do A Little Bit More", and "Secret Agents".

A cooking little killer -- presented here in two great versions! "Wait A Minute" has some hard-burning Northern Soul energy from the get-go -- rhythms that romp at a really quick little pace, along with a warmer guitar and keyboard part flowing underneath -- all topped by Eddie's great vocals, which have a crackling style that almost echoes southern soul! The instrumental groove features a bit more horns -- which creates even more of a soaring, joyous feel!

Chicago Soul/New York Underground issue. Songwriter/manager Bernice Williams recalls the early days of Gene Chandler/The Du-Kays, and the true story of "Duke of Earl"; Northern Soul legends the Conquistadors tell tales of 1960s West Side Chicago teenage R&B (plus the first soul Jesus concept album); Do "The Chimp" with Chicago 60s garage rocker/R&B singer Jerry Mundo; H. Dwight Thompson tells tales of 70s NYC punk with the Heat and Klaus Nomi's first band! Relive the early Hip Hop parties of the Disco Fever nightclub; Nardwuar meets Jay-Z and N*E*R*D*; plus great interviews with Chris Montez and Doug Randle, and amazing tributes (by those who knew them) to Lux Interior, Michael Jackson, Billy Lee Riley, Sid Lavarents, Sky Saxon and (sadly) more. And amazing comix about Lennon, Danzig, Hagar, record store clerks, hot dogs, riots, and much more by the best underground cartoonists on earth! 120 pages.

Obscure material from this great raw soul singer -- issued as a joint venture between Money Records and Abet/Nashboro, with a tight uptempo groove, in a solid northern soul tradition.

Killer Okeh soul by this great group from the 60s! The record covers both sides of The Vibrations' bag -- from mellow moody vocal group standards, to uptempo groovers -- of the sort that have always made the group a favorite with the Northern Soul scene! The album's a nice departure from the group's earlier work, as it shows them really locking in some great harmonies on the mellower cuts -- but still able to really let loose when they want to! Titles include great versions of the cuts "Secret Love" and "Everybody Loves A Lover" -- plus the tracks "Soul A Go Go", "Gonna Get Along Without You Now", "Forgive & Forget", and "For Your Love". CD features a whopping 10 bonus tracks -- including "Cause You're Mine", "Remember The Rain", "Love In Them There Hills", "Talkin Bout Love", "End Up Crying", "Pick Me", and "You Better Beware".

A great batch of driving, early 60s soul from the Vibrations -- their complete recordings for the Checker label for the first time on CD! The Vibrations never really achieved the massive popular success of some of the soul groups of the era, but they could hang with the best of them -- whether they were rolling out Northern Soul stompers, frenetic dance soul, or post doo wop romantic ballads. Great stuff -- and a real joy to see collected on CD! Disc one features 18 tracks, including "Watusi", "Wallflower", "So Blue", "If You Should", "Doing The Slop","Sweet Slumber", "People Say", "Talk That Talk", "I Still Love You", "The Junkeroo" and much more. Disc two features another 18 tracks, including the great singles "Peanut Butter" and "Down In New Orleans" (both originally released under their pseudonym the Marathons) plus "Don't Say Goodbye", "Let's Pony Again", "The New Hully Gully", "Hamburger On A Bun", "May The Best Man Win", "Dancing Danny", "All My Love Belongs To You" and much more!

A sock-soul set of material from Larry Williams and Johnny Watson -- and one that really updates their older groove for the Northern Soul generation! The album's pretty amazing -- hardly anything you might expect from any of Williams' earlier work, and drenched in the charms that Johnny Watson discovered in the 60s, and expanded in the 70s -- but set to rhythms that are as hard-grooving from a soul perspective as any of the best work on the Okeh label at the time! Arrangements are by Arthur Wright and Melvin Jernigan, who hit a very natural vibe that lets Larry and Johnny trade lines back and forth wonderfully -- in a very personal, almost spontaneous way that's very different than better-known male soul duos of the 60s -- and the record is a key lost link in Watson's career, one that really lets you hear him tightening things up before his superstar years of the 70s. Titles include the killer classic "Two For The Price Of One" -- plus "Too Late", "Aint' Gonna Move", "Keep On Lovin' You", "Takin No Chances", "A Quitter Never Wins", and "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch". Features great bonus tracks too -- including the Johnny/Larry single cuts "Nobody" and "Find Yourself Someone To Love" -- and cuts from Watson's other Okeh albums that include "Fever", "Coke", "Unchain My Heart", "Comin Home Baby", "Skate Key", "Summertime", "Makin Whoopee", and "Ain't Misbehavin".

Excellent compilation of rare funk tracks by this groovy soul combo! Willie and crew were one of the rawer acts to record on the legendary New Jersey All Platinum label -- and they have a hard sound that takes off from some of the rawer groups of the 60s, and moves into a tighter 70s funk groove. This long-overdue CD features both of the band's albums on All Platinum -- On Scene '70 & Very Soulful -- plus a nice batch of bonus cuts, including a number of unissued sides! The tracks are a mix of raw funk and northern soul -- and the material stands in strong contrast to some of the smoother New Jersey soul on All Platinum -- like that of The Moments and Sylvia. Included are such classics as their semi-hit "Funky 8 Corners" (both vocal and instrumental versions!), "Riding High", "Toe Jam", "Play That Funky Beat", "Say It Again", "Psycho", "Think Funky", "Soulin", "Check It Baby", "Bowlegged Woman", "Without You", "Come On Back", and "My Thang". 29 cuts in all -- and all super-heavy!

Slamming soul from the incredible Nicole Willis -- a great singer who goes way beyond simple deep funk modes! "Four Leaf Clover" is a wicked track that could easily rival the best Northern Soul of the late 60s -- a spare groover with heavy drums on the bottom, just a bit of horns in the background, and a hard-yet-sweet lyric from Nicole! "Holdin On" is much funkier -- with even heavier bottom sounds that include some Westbound-styled guitar and tightly snapping drums -- all sitting proudly next to the righteous lead vocal! Both cuts Didier-produced, with splendid sound!

A killer batch of rare soul tracks -- mostly from the 60s, and all numbers that were originally pressed up on very limited 45s for the members of London's soul-based 100 Club! Rarity aside, the tracks are all pretty darn great -- very well-chosen bits of dancefloor soul, with a groove that stretches out nicely past the typical Northern vibe -- proof that the 100 Club were always trying to explore fresh territory with their efforts! Many of these cuts are from unreleased master tapes from American 60s indies -- pulled specially from the vaults of Ace/Kent, and issued as 45s for the club's annual birthday celebration -- presented here in a package that has plenty of great grooves to offer for any fan of rare soul music. Titles include "Come Through Me" by Garland Green, "Hey Stoney Face" by Mary Love, "The Magic Touch" by Melba Moore, "Love Has Passed Me By" by Phil Terrell, "I'll Never Stop Loving You" by Carla Thomas, "This Man Wants You" by Wally Cox, "Good News" by The Hytones, "Get To Steppin" by Jackie Day, "What's One More Lie" by Milton Bennett, "Doin The Gittin Up" by The Devonnes, "Faith & Understanding" by The Magicians, and "Ain't You Glad" by Mill Evans.

Mod jazz and socking soul -- a wicked little collection of 60s groovers, put together by the folks at London's 6T's Rhythm & Soul Society! The sound here is quite different than that of compilations by UK Northern Soul clubs and DJs -- with an overall groove that's rougher, deeper, and more open to tracks from a variety of different genres. If we had to come up with our own tag, we'd almost call the sound here "early mod" -- that keen British appreciation of all things American soul and R&B, but in the years before that love of the music had become too easily stereotyped. But whatever the genre, the set's a really great one -- with a sweet Soul Cargo sort of groove that's presented with high fidelity and great notes on the club and its music! Titles include "Two Stupid Feet" by Chuck Jackson, "Zig Zag Lightning" by Little Johnny Taylor, "All About My Girl" by Jimmy McGriff, "Tell Me What You're Gonna Do" by James Brown, "Opportunity" by The Jewels, "Forget About Me" by Carolyn Crawford, "It's Me" by Johnny Copeland, "He's A Lover" by Tutti Hill, "Chica Boo" by Googie Rene Combo, and "The Hoochi Coochi Coo" by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters.

A masterful set of old school funk & soul put together by DJ Andy Smith -- who also worked some magic a few years back for the BGP label on the Northern Soul tip -- this time out doing his thing with prime funk from the late 60s & early 70s! Smith does a excellent job of mixing sample classics that helped build golden age hip hop, and many deeper tracks -- funk nuggets from The Blackbyrds, Billy Garner, Funk Inc, Spanky Wilson and others! The CD version is a continuous mix, with some scratches and nods to the hip hop era -- and it's a great one! Titles include "Cracklin' Bread" by Dave Hamilton, "It's My Thing"by Betty Moorer, "I Don't Know What It Is But It Sure Is Funky" by Ripple, "I Got Some" by Billy Garner", "Can't Get Enough" by 87th Of Broadway, "Skunk Juice" by Pazant Brothers, "I'm A Good Woman" by The Generation", "Tighten Up" by Roosevelt Matthews and more. 24 tracks in all.

A masterful set of old school funk & soul put together by DJ Andy Smith -- who also worked some magic a few years back for the BGP label on the Northern Soul tip -- this time out doing his thing with prime funk from the late 60s & early 70s! Smith does a excellent job of mixing sample classics that helped build golden age hip hop, many deeper tracks -- funk nuggets from The Blackbyrds, Billy Garner, Funk Inc, Spanky Wilson and many more! Vinyl version is not a continous mix like the CD -- and works as a straight up, excellent funky compilation. Titles include "Cracklin' Bread" by Dave Hamilton, "It's My Thing"by Betty Moorer, "I Don't Know What It Is But It Sure Is Funky" by Ripple, "I Got Some" by Billy Garner", "Can't Get Enough" by 87th Of Broadway, "Skunk Juice" by Pazant Brothers, "I'm A Good Woman" by The Generation", "Tighten Up" by Roosevelt Matthews and more. 24 tracks on 2LPs.

Things are plenty dirty in the Barnyard -- as the set's a heavy batch of deep funk and soul rarities, packaged with an ear for the "greasy gritty groovy" in the title! The set's got a similar approach to Pow City or Get It (and seems to come from a similar source) -- tunes presented as a free-for-all sort of rare soul party -- one that's heavier than northern soul, but sometimes a bit more upbeat than the usual deep funk set. There's a raw-burning energy throughout the entire set -- a love of all things gritty, and a top-shelf list of tracks that more than makes up for any shortage of notes on the titles! CD features a whopping 27 tracks in all -- with titles that include "Watch Yourself" by Al Gardner, "Astrological Soul Train" by Bobby Boseman, "A Kiss To Build A Dream On" by Benny Gordon & The Soul Brothers, "Hot Butter N All (part 1)" by Lou Courtney, "You Babe" by Don Gardner, "All I Want Is Loving You" by Frankie Seay, "Low Down Dirty Tramp" by BB Brown, "Stanky" by Billy Davis, "Funky Pete (part 1)" by Guitar Ray, "Hands On Hands Off" by Joe Valentine, "Green Power" by Sir Sidney Wallace, and "Sissy" by Charles Simmons & The Royal Imperials.

An essential chapter of Miami soul -- even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul -- but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own -- served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect -- Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene -- and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. But even above the 20 great tracks on the CD, the package is amazing too -- filled with notes on each group, a special appendix on Miami soul, a rare indie label discography, and a wealth of great images and photos -- all layered lovingly into a full-color, 32 page booklet! Numero have really outdone themselves with this one -- and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package -- more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers.

An essential chapter of Miami soul -- even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul -- but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own -- served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect -- Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene -- and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. Numero have really outdone themselves with this one -- and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package -- more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers. 2LP version features a great 12 x 12 fold out color insert in the middle -- and includes 4 bonus tracks -- instrumental versions of "Play With Fire" by The Rollers, "True Love Don't Grow On Trees" by Helene Smith, and "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers -- plus the cut "Frenchy The Tickler" by Johnny K Killens & The Dynamites.

A double-length collection of work from two obscure Atlanta soul labels -- the Tragar and Note imprints, both run by local producer Jesse Jones! Back in the day, Atlanta wasn't nearly as big of an outlet for soul records as it's become in recent years -- so Jones' labels were key in showcasing under-exposed local talent in the city, a range of soul groups, solo singers, and funk combos -- all produced here with a really fresh sound! Nearly every track here is super-obscure -- and there's few southern soul cliches to get in the way of the music -- no overdone blues, no Hotlanta disco, no Muscle Shoals copies -- just honest-to-goodness indie soul at its best -- full of life, vitality, and personality -- all presented with the usual deep-digging Numero look at the artists in the notes. The package features a whopping 50 tracks in all -- one of the biggest Numero collections so far -- and together, they really tell the tale of this crucially overlooked scene -- a key link between more familiar southern styles and rising Northern modes, all with a personality of its own. Titles include "All Because of You" and "Down In The Country" by Tee Fletcher, "The Hump" and "Tipping Strings" by The Knights, "Somebody Got A Help Me" and "Love is So Mean" by Richard Cook, "I'll Show You With Love" by Young Divines, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Messing Around" by Bobby Owens & The Diplomats, "I Think It's Time" by Alice Swoboda, "Black Midnight" by JJ Jones, "That's How Much I Love You" by Eula Cooper, "Let's Get Funky" by Langston & French, "You Got A Spell On Me" by Bill Wright, "Strange Feeling" by Nathan Wilkes, "Shake Daddy Shake" by Eula Cooper, and "Nitecap" by L Daniels.

Funky female soul galore -- a killer set of rare tunes that's one of the best sets of this type we've ever stocked! The SuperFunk crew at BGP have gone through the rich array of labels handled by the company -- pulling out some massive tunes that really push our understanding of female soul -- taking things way past the obvious hits and girl group numbers, into hard and heavy-stepping territory that we really love! Most of the tunes on the set are completely new to our ears, and there's a great mix of northern and southern funk styles that keeps things super-fresh. Drums crackle, basslines pound, and the gals belt it out loud, clear, and funky on a set of 20 tracks that includes "Tell Me What's Wrong" by Lynn Varnado, "Listen Here" by Valorie Keys, "Know What To Do When You Get It" by The Genies, "Heavy Heavy Hangs My Heart" by Vera Hamilton, "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Pounds Of Soul" by Betty Bibbs, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Delilah Moore, "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Staying At Home Like A Woman" by Lynn Varnado, "Hold On This Time" by Fontella Bass, "Mr Fix It" by Thelma Jones, "I'm Glad I Got Over You" by Jeanette Jones, "One Way Street" by Little Ann, and "It's Too Late For Tears" by Rene Bailey.

Funky female soul galore -- a killer set of rare tunes that's one of the best sets of this type we've ever stocked! The SuperFunk crew at BGP have gone through the rich array of labels handled by the company -- pulling out some massive tunes that really push our understanding of female soul -- taking things way past the obvious hits and girl group numbers, into hard and heavy-stepping territory that we really love! Most of the tunes on the set are completely new to our ears, and there's a great mix of northern and southern funk styles that keeps things super-fresh. Drums crackle, basslines pound, and the gals belt it out loud, clear, and funky on a set of 20 tracks that includes "Tell Me What's Wrong" by Lynn Varnado, "Listen Here" by Valorie Keys, "Know What To Do When You Get It" by The Genies, "Heavy Heavy Hangs My Heart" by Vera Hamilton, "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Pounds Of Soul" by Betty Bibbs, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Delilah Moore, "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Staying At Home Like A Woman" by Lynn Varnado, "Hold On This Time" by Fontella Bass, "Mr Fix It" by Thelma Jones, "I'm Glad I Got Over You" by Jeanette Jones, "One Way Street" by Little Ann, and "It's Too Late For Tears" by Rene Bailey.

A motherlode of female soul -- rare work from the Jubilee, Josie, and Port labels -- all of it by girl singers of the 60s, most of whom aren't reissued that often! The work here is a good assortment of Northern soul groovers and deep soul numbers -- and the CD is put together so that each artist is represented by a few tracks in a row -- so that you can really dig in and get a feel for their styles. Titles include "Ooh Little Daddy" and "I'll Be Around" by Edna McGriff, "I Found Somebody To Love" and "I Miss You" by Little Sylvia, "Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight" by Gloria Mann, "Today Is Your Birthday" by The Enchanters, "When I Say My Prayer" by Gloria Alleyne, "Johnny Has Gone" by Patti Jerome, "I Can See Through You" by Fay Simmons, "Crying In The Chapel" by Carol Fran, and "Let Me Go" by Big Maybelle.

Rare funk from one of the greatest labels in the business! King Records is known to many for its classic work with singers like James Brown, Hank Ballard, and Wynonie Harris -- but during the later years of the label, they also pressed up a great amount of excellent funky 45s, including many that are some of the rarest you'll ever try to find. This 24 track set is the first to really try to document King's rich funk legacy -- and it's got some amazing tracks that blend together raw southern soul, hard northern rhythms, and sweet James Brown-produced grooves. Any one of these tunes would set you back at least $50 on a single -- not just because they're rare, but because they're some of the best funk cuts ever recorded. Titles include "Mr Tuff Stuff" by Toby King, "Gold Walk" by The Presidents, "Butter Your Popcorn" by Hank Ballard, "Your Thing Ain't No Good Without My Thing" by Marie Queenie Lyons, "Down Home Girl" by The Coasters, "Don't Get Funky" by Gloria Walker, "Funky Lady (parts 1 & 2)" by Soul East, "From The Back Side (parts 1 & 2)" by The Sons Of Funk, "Camelot Time" by J Hines & The Fellows, and "Papa's Got The Wagon" by Gloria Walker.

Magical music from the days when radio really mattered -- an assortment of raw and raunchy singles all popularized by Pittsburgh DJ Mad Mike Metrovich in the 60s! Mad Mike had an ear that was unlike anyone else -- a way of seeking out unusual tunes with a gritty edge -- cuts that fell far from the charts, and included a rich array of garage, instrumental, and R&B-influenced styles! Even at the height of his popularity, Mike was dedicated to digging up little-heard singles -- and would often work towards keeping them obscure by covering up the labels -- a practice that was still yet to come in hip hop or Northern soul scenes. This amazing series does a great job of making Mike's music live again -- combining rare singles with a few radio spots too -- and packaging the whole thing will full notes on Mike, the Pittsburgh scene, and the rich array of record stores and radio stations that allowed music this great to exist! Titles on this first volume include "Get It" by Silvertones, "Chicken Rock" by Scott Wood, "Goo Goo Muck" by Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads, "Send-Di" by King Rock & The Knights, "Carioca" by Aqua Nites, "She Can Rock" by Little Ike, "Swingin Little Chicky" by Belltones, "Do The Del Viking" by Patrice Holloway, "Gismo" by Jimmy Heap, and "Mysterious Teenage" by Vels.

A great little criss-crossing of Northern Soul and disco -- one that has the fuller grooves of the latter, but some of the deeper soul moments of the former! The tracks here are mostly quite unique -- uptempo and clubby, yet with as much an equal focus on the lyrics as on the rhythms -- especially on some of the numbers that have a single vocalist in the lead. The style's somewhat like that pre-disco period when east coast groups were speeding things up a bit, but still more soul than club -- yet there's also a fair bit of moments that are different than that groove too -- somewhat fresh, and relatively under-discovered! Titles include "Theme From Lady Lady Lady" by Boogieman Orchestra, "Spring Rain" by Destiny Orchestra, "Heart Be Still" by Carl Graves, "Delicious" by The Duprees, "I Wanna Be With You" by Winfield Parker, "Think About It Girl" by Solid Solution, "You Can Win" by Bileo, "Never Gonna Let You Go" by Jobell & The Orchestra De Salsa, "Consideration" by Gail, and "Boogie With Your Baby" by Willy J & Co.

Great rare bits from the Philly scene of the 60s! Although the city later had a huge reputation for pre-disco girl groups in the early 70s, this great collection takes a good look at Philly's strong female soul scene during the 60s -- a wonderfully rich body of work that's filled with many overlooked gems! The package groups material by the same artist together in a great way -- making for a nicely segmented compilation that offers up Philly gals in specific slices -- almost individual chapters that help you get an even better idea of the scene! Lots of upbeat groovers with a Northern Soul bounce -- and a total of 26 tracks that include "Call On Me" by The Persianettes, "Mixed Up Shook Up Girl (long version)" by Patty & The Emblems, "Be Yourself" by Honey & the Bees, "The Hard Way" by Butterflies, "Uncle Sam" by The Sherwoods, "That Guy Belongs To Me" by The Swans, "Inside Of Me" by Fannie & The Varcells, "Dead End" and "Natural Feeling" by Ann Byers, "New Boy" by Joyce Bennett", and 2 great tracks by unknown artists!

Hard and heavy soul from the end of the 60s -- a killer set with a groove that runs deep deep deep! The package pulls together a host of rare singles from the time -- all with a great vibe that's perhaps a bit too rough for Northern Soul, a bit too soul for funk, and a bit too nasty to have ever made it big on the charts! Most of the tracks are from small, local labels -- selected nicely with as much of an ear for great sounds as for the rarity of the work -- and the collection follows in the mode of the Pow City or All Night Soul Stomp sets -- which clearly come from the same source as this one. CD features a total of 27 tracks in all -- including "Drive Me" by Stu Gardner", "Limber Up" by Simtec Simmons, "I'm Stuck On My Baby" by Irene & The Scotts, "Tighten Up The Slack" by Howard Peters, "Soul Stroke" by King Earnest, "Of Hopes & Dreams & Tombstones" by Jimmy Fraser, "Do Your Own Thing" by Harvey Clark, "Nightime Lady" by Bohanna, "Discotheque" by The 4 Instants, "I Got The Feeling" by Little Hank, "I Can't Do Without You" by Marty Lewis, "Groove Time" by Johnny C & The Champs, "Shake A Leg" by Billy Nichols, "It's A Fine Thing" by James Haan & The Soul Entertainers, "Scram" by Tony Mason, and "Please Come Back My Love (part 2)" by Oliver Bush.

The Soul Togetherness series is going strong -- well into its 7th year of release, and still serving up some of the deepest club tracks and underground soul around! Soul Togetherness present modern tracks, but they come out of the same spirit of the Northern Soul scene of the 70s -- with a boundary-less quest in pursuit of the perfect groove, and a taste for newly serving up crucially overlooked tracks to a very eager audience! Most tracks here are from recent years, but have a more classic sense of club in their construction -- with lots of soulful vocals, warm rhythms, and a near-classic approach to the groove! Titles include "Let's Groove" by Funky Company, "Oh" by Janita, "Lord (Bah Samba mix)" by Alexander O'Neal, "I Feel Love" by Leo Mendez Group, "Walkafteru" by Aura Jackson, "First Sight" by Peter Hadar, "Here We Go Again (bump mix)" by Aretha Franklin, "Ain't For Free" by Trace, "Rhythm Of Love" by Jersey Street, "Keep On Keepin On" by Unified Tribe, "Where Has The Love Gone" by Steve Harvey with KK, "Something Bout Cha" by Millie Jackson, and "Do You Love Somebody" by Luther Ingram.

Northern soul groovers from New York down to Miami -- an excellent collection of tracks that goes way past the ordinary soul hits! The package definitely takes is "underground" title seriously -- and tracks are pulled from rare singles on the Roulette, Calla, Port, New Voice, and Cat labels -- mostly from the 60s, but with one surprising gem from the 70s! Titles include "I Need You Like a Baby" by Janice, "I'm In Such Misery" by Don Gardner, "Spinnin' Top" by The Orlons, "Three Dollar Bill" by Beverly Ann Gibson, "Never Ever Leave Me" by Geraldine Hunt, "Stop Hurting Me Baby" by Purple Mundi, "Isn't It Just a Shame" by Kenny Wells, "Turn To Me" by Chris Towns Unit, "I'm So Glad" by Robert Neal, and lots more by Honey and the Bees, Jessica James and The Outlaws, The Clovers, June Adams, Duff Thurmond, The Baltimore and Ohio Marching Band, and others!

Seattle funk & soul in superbly classic form -- and it's all new recordings -- featuring a roster of first wave Seattle scene figures and engineered by the the legendary Kearney Barton! All the cuts were recorded in 2008 at Audio Recording, where it all went down in the first place, as chronicled on Light In The Attic's excellent Wheedle's Groove compilation -- and this all new set features many of the players from the mid 60s through early 70s Emerald City scene, working as an all star band on funky originals and covers! It's incredible stuff, from the Hammond B3 & Moog funk instrumental "Babyback", to a gospel funk take on "Jesus Christ Pose" featuring Pastor Pat Wright (aka Northern Soul legend Patrinell Staten) and the Total Experience Gospel Choir, to the gritty soul of "HOE" featuring Ural Thomas on vocals and backing by the Muscle Shoals Horns, an anthemic spacey keyboard workout on Marc Moulin's "Humpty Dumpty" and much more. Producer Dynomite D does a wonderful job of putting the pieces together, and the players include members of Black On White Affair, Cookin' Bag, Cold Bold and Together, with Overton Berry on piano, keyboard maestros Ron Buford and Greg Davison, drummers Robbie Hill and John Lee Rodde, vocalists Ural Thomas and Broham (Larry Hammond, Leonard Hammond & Curtis Hammond Jr), guitarists Johnny Horn, Herman Brown and Coleman Brown, bass player Bob Lovelace and others. Other tracks include "Sea Of Glass", "Fools Gold", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Rainy Sea" and "Baddest".

Seattle funk & soul in superbly classic form -- and it's all new recordings -- featuring a roster of first wave Seattle scene figures and engineered by the the legendary Kearney Barton! All the cuts were recorded in 2008 at Audio Recording, where it all went down in the first place, as chronicled on Light In The Attic's excellent Wheedle's Groove compilation -- and this all new set features many of the players from the mid 60s through early 70s Emerald City scene, working as an all star band on funky originals and covers! It's incredible stuff, from the Hammond B3 & Moog funk instrumental "Babyback", to a gospel funk take on "Jesus Christ Pose" featuring Pastor Pat Wright (aka Northern Soul legend Patrinell Staten) and the Total Experience Gospel Choir, to the gritty soul of "HOE" featuring Ural Thomas on vocals and backing by the Muscle Shoals Horns, an anthemic spacey keyboard workout on Marc Moulin's "Humpty Dumpty" and much more. Producer Dynomite D does a wonderful job of putting the pieces together, and the players include members of Black On White Affair, Cookin' Bag, Cold Bold and Together, with Overton Berry on piano, keyboard maestros Ron Buford and Greg Davison, drummers Robbie Hill and John Lee Rodde, vocalists Ural Thomas and Broham (Larry Hammond, Leonard Hammond & Curtis Hammond Jr), guitarists Johnny Horn, Herman Brown and Coleman Brown, bass player Bob Lovelace and others. Other tracks include "Sea Of Glass", "Fools Gold", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Rainy Sea" and "Baddest".

Get ready for a whole new source for funky music -- obscure small label recordings made by singers and musicians working in British bars, clubs, and lounges during the 60s and 70s! The cover looks kitschy, but the grooves are surprisingly great -- a really wide range of funky numbers that feature lots of organ, choppy guitar, and jazzy vocals -- all served up with a style that aims to be commercial, but which always falls a few spots short of the mark -- giving the tracks some nicely rough edges, and a great sense of humanity that definitely earns the "Working Man's Soul" in the title! You'll be hard pressed to find most of these tracks in the original on either side of the Atlantic -- and the folks at Licorice Soul have done a really wonderful job reconstructing the details of this elusive scene. A real delight through and through -- one of the most mind-opening collections we've heard in years -- with tracks that include "Meadowbank" by Sounds Bob Rogers, "Don't Bother Me No More" by Sophisticats, "Work Song" by Alan Randall, "Vehicle" by Collection, "Flyin Hi" by Maxwell Plumm, "Little Bit Of Love" by Carol Lee Scott, "Chain Of Fools" by Dave Anthony, "Light My Fire" by Brian Sharp, "Hip Flask" by The Northern Jazz Orchestra, "Hang In There" by The Peter Coe Big Band, and "Funky Nassau" by John O'Hara & The Famous O'Hara's Playboys.

Solomon Burke's years at Atlantic Records are easily some of his best -- as you'll hear on this amazing package of tracks! The 2CD set is filled with gems from Burke's best period -- killer cuts recorded with help from both southern and northern soul talents -- with just a few later gems dropped into the mix for good measure. The package is like a "hits beyond" sort of collection -- in that it features loads of Solomon's classics, but also includes some great lesser-known numbers too -- including some favorites of ours! Titles include "Keep Looking", "I Wish I Knew", "Get Out Of My Life Woman", "Proud Mary", "The Price", "Tonight's The Night", "He'll Have To Go", "Go On Back To Him", "Just Out Reach", "Cry To Me", "Down In The Valley", "I'm Hanging Up My Heart For You", "Home In Your Heart", "Can't Nobody Love You", "Everybody Needs Somebody To Love", "Goodbye Baby Goodbye", "Take Me", "Party People", and the killer "Soul Meeting" cut by the Soul Clan.

A classic Northern Soul groover from the great Kenny Hamber -- a track that steps out strongly in a midtempo vibe -- just the right sort of rhythm to work out a few more complicated moves on the dancefloor, without having to pump up the faster energy of most Northern tracks! Kenny's vocals clearly love the setting too -- and use the slightly slower space to really inflect the lyrics wonderfully! "Never Found A Girl" is a more contemporary recording from Kenny -- warmer and more modern, but still plenty great -- with a gliding, keyboard-driven groove that's filled with sweetly soulful vocals!

Forget Tina Turner -- we'll take Ike's backup singers, who sound great all the way through this collection! The Ikettes may never have had the fame of Tina, but back in the early and mid 60s, they were actually scoring a few more hits -- and these recordings for the Modern label represent the group at their height -- stepping firmly into righteous soul territory, shaking off any girl group cliches, and avoiding any of the stereotypes that could sometimes mar Ike Turner's projects. There's a really special sound here -- one that's got bits of Motown, bits of R&B, and bits of Northern Soul -- all wrapped together perfectly and delivered with sock-solid vocals from singers Robbie Montgomery, Jessie Smith, and Venetta Fields. The CD features all the material from the girls' full album for Modern -- Soul The Hits -- plus loads of other singles and even some unissued tracks! Titles include "Fine Fine Fine", "Camel Walk", "Sally Go Round The Roses", "Cheater", "You're Trying To Make Me Lose My Mind", "I'm So Thankful", "Don't Feel Sorry For Me", "Can't Sit Down Cos I Feel So Good", "Lonely For You", "Sha La La", "It's Been So Long", and "Nobody Loves Me".

Wonderful work from Ty Karim -- a singer who definitely lives up to the "soul goddess" promised in the title! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here -- starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers -- then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated -- laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover -- and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous -- making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production -- one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record -- further illuminated in the detailed notes from Ady Croasdell. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Lightin Up", "I Ain't Lying", "You Just Don't Know", "Natural Do", "I'm Leavin You", "All In Vain", "After Your Love Has Gone", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong".

From Northern Soul to modern soul, and everything in between -- great coverage on a variety of fronts from the folks at Soul Up North! The great thing about these guys is they're always driven by the records they find -- so that most of the features will be based around rare singles and obscure pieces of vinyl -- always the way we've discovered some of our favorite soul sounds over the years! The issue's got snippets on loads of rare singles -- plus a look at the funk legacy of Michael Jackson, the local side of Soul Train in Chicago, and lots more other cool bits too.

The mighty Ted Taylor is profiled this issue, and he graces the cover of Soul Up North -- The Fan's Fanzine for great Northern Soul! Ted's given a nice little bio, and which is followed be a comprehensive discovery -- and other items this time out include part 2 of their excavation On The Rare Side Of Girl Group Soul, part 1 of Jake "Roctober" Austen's profile of Soul Train, obits for Eddie Bo, Koko Taylor, and Motown drummer Uriel Jones, round ups of many soul 45s, lots of reviews, and more!

A wonderful Northern Soul groover from Ronnie Walker! "Trouble" has the kind of hook you can dig through a whole box of singles and never find -- a blue descending riff that stays with you long after the cut is over, and which fills you with a groove while it's still rolling along! The track's a totally solid sender -- recorded in the Philly underground of the late 60s, and topped off on the flipside with a sweet mellow heartbreaker!

A treasure trove of rare soul -- a good deal of it by American artists, but pulled from the vaults of the British Ember label! The work starts in the 60s, with a definite ear for the best of the US scene -- grooves that echo Northern rhythms, but often have a deeper soul feel -- moving into 70s sounds as the set moves on, with a nice mix of funky and full-on modes from the decade! About half the tracks on the collection come from Detroit's GM Records, and the rest appear to be of Ember origin -- and titles include "That's The Way" by The Casinos, "Dig In" by The Pac-Keys, "Compared To What" by Mr Flood's Party, "Disaster Area" by Milt Matthews, "My Own Special Way" by The Jones Girls, "Why Can't There Be Love" by Dee Andrews, "Return To Me" by The Values, "Whip Your Loving On Me" by Tony & Tyrone, "Skeletons In The Closet" by Fork In The Road, "Hey Blackman" by Ed Robinson, and "Baby Don't You Leave Me" by Carol Woods.

The title totally gets it right -- because these are some wonderfully put-together soul tunes -- mini-masterpieces of the modern variety, and the kind of cuts that are ripe for rediscovery today! Hardly any of these cuts got their due back in the 70s, but they've all got a completely sublime sound -- that groove that first started as Northern Soul turned into modern -- when the rhythms laid back a bit more and the lyrics hipped up a bit -- moving past simple soul themes into even deeper, more mature modes. Production is great, but never commercial at all -- and most of the singers still have a really great edge -- raspy enough to really bring enough feeling to the tunes, but poised with the right maturity to fit the music. Completely wonderful throughout, and even better than the first volume -- with 24 tracks that include some great harmonies on many numbers. Titles include "Double Love" by The California Playboys, "A Broken Heart Cries" by The Pretenders, "It's Better To Cry" by Johnny Watson, "What Hurts" by Grover Mitchell, "Still A Part Of Me" by The Minits, "Lovin" by The Pacesetters, "Always" by Garland Green, "You Gotta Be A Lady" by The Chargers, "That's The Way Our Love Is" by The Radiations, "You're Gonna Lose Me" by Freddie Hubbard & Jeanie Tracy, "Hope For Love" by Darrow Fletcher", "I Can See Him Loving You" by The Mayberry Movement, "More Than Just Somebody I Know" by Brenda Wayne, "The Fool Who Used To Live Here" by Betty Fikes, "I'm A Dreamer" by Bobby Burn, and "Wear Your Natural Baby" by Towana & The Total Destruction.

Sockin soul galore -- a killer set of 60s singles and album tracks from the vaults of Atlantic and Warner Brothers! The set's a stunner -- filled with hard-grooving numbers that offer a nice rootsy take on uptempo soul -- rougher than Northern, but with a similar punched-up sound and strong emphasis on the beat. A number of the tracks on the set are hits or familiar numbers -- but sound great here next more obscure numbers, all laid together back to back -- in a way that makes sure that the energy level never lets up! Titles include "Knucklehead" by The Bar-Kays, "Funky Street" by Arthur Conley, "Sock It To Em JB (parts 1 & 2)" by Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers, "Don't Fight It" by Wilson Pickett, "Pata Pata" by Miriam Makeba, "Stupidity" by Solomon Burke, "Some Kind Of Wonderful" by Soul Brothers Six, "Smokey Joe's La La" by Googie Rene, "Sho Nuff" by JJ Jackson, "Candy" by The Astors, "My Sweet Potato" by Booker T & The MGs, "Walkin Up A One Way Street" by Willie Tee, and "Bella Delena" by The Marketts. 30 tracks in all!

The complete Okeh label recordings of Billy Butler -- Jerry Butler's lesser-known brother, but an even more grooving artist on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s! Billy's work at Okeh is easily some of the best of the all-great imprint -- tracks that step, slide, and groove along in a flurry of tight-edged Chi-soul rhythms -- nearly all of which are produced by the legendary Carl Davis, with arrangements from Johnny Pate and Riley Hampton! Billy's in the lead on vocals, but nearly all numbers have a strong harmony soul component too -- support from The Four Enchanters or Chanters -- in a mode that echoes The Impressions' style of the time somewhat, but which also carries more of the Butler-family emotive quality, thanks to the stronger lead. This is the first time all this material has ever been brought together so well -- and the package features great notes and a number of previously unissued titles as well -- including some rare versions and instrumentals that are sure to get some play from Northern Soul listeners. Titles include "Found True Love", "Lady Love", "Gotta Get Away", "Can't Live Without Her", "Right Track", "Boston Monkey", "Does It Matter", "Fighting A Losing Battle", "To Be Or Not To Be", "Singing The Blues", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry".

A tiny label, but one with some really great sounds -- a great slice of the late 60s Philly scene, and a pretty darn soulful one at that! The label started as Kayden in Philly, then moved across the river to New Jersey and switched to Merben -- but had a really unified sound throughout their short run, so much so that even the few pop recordings here come across with a pretty soulful feel! Most numbers are upbeat, and move in a Northern-ish soul mode -- and the male singers here are especially great, almost a bit more deep soul than usual for the Philly scene, especially some of the groups. CD features 24 cuts from both labels, including some unreleased material -- and titles include "You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing Baby", "Help Me Pretty Baby", and "At The End Of The Day" by John Bowie, who's pictured on the front cover -- plus "Stop Think It Over" and "A Place For Me" by Leverett Sisters, "I Wanna Know" by Bill Horton, "Seven Days Fifty Two Weeks" by Cody Michaels, "Ask Any Girl" and "What Am I Gonna Do" by Matt Sound, "Where Did You Leave Your Heart" by Sharon Marshall, "Shake Me Wake Me" by Natural Facts, "I Can Only Give You Everything" by Bram Rigg Set, "Why Did God Make Girls" by JD Rogues, "Tell Me" by Shags, "How Could You Have Known" by Bats, and "Paint It Black" by Jimmy Roma.

An early treasure from a great tradition in soul music -- one of the first few compilations from Ace/Kent Records -- issued way back in the early 80s, and still a treasure trove of great 60s soul after all these years! As you'd guess from the title, the tracks here are all upbeat and uptempo -- numbers brought together for the Northern Soul audience in the UK, but which also represent a great sampling of underground soul from the US in the 60s! Many of these numbers mix rough-edged vocals with more tightly-crafted instrumentation -- and the collection features a total of 16 tracks that include "Lay This Burden Down" by Mary Love, "You Just Cheat & Lie" by ZZ Hill, "Good Taste Of Love" by Danny Monday, "Wanting You" by Jimmy Bee, "Can It Be Me" by Mel Williams, "Hole In The Wall" by The Other Brothers, "Talkin Woman" by Lowell Fulsom, "What Kind Of Man Are You" by Jackie Day, "Country Girl" by The Johnny Otis Show, "Everybody Needs Love" by Willie Gauff & The Love Brothers, and "My Baby Needs Me" by Yvonne Baker.

Magical music from the days when radio really mattered -- an assortment of raw and raunchy singles all popularized by Pittsburgh DJ Mad Mike Metrovich in the 60s! Mad Mike had an ear that was unlike anyone else -- a way of seeking out unusual tunes with a gritty edge -- cuts that fell far from the charts, and included a rich array of garage, instrumental, and R&B-influenced styles! Even at the height of his popularity, Mike was dedicated to digging up little-heard singles -- and would often work towards keeping them obscure by covering up the labels -- a practice that was still yet to come in hip hop or Northern soul scenes. This amazing series does a great job of making Mike's music live again -- combining rare singles with a few radio spots too -- and packaging the whole thing will full notes on Mike, the Pittsburgh scene, and the rich array of record stores and radio stations that allowed music this great to exist! Titles on this first volume include "Get It" by Silvertones, "Chicken Rock" by Scott Wood, "Goo Goo Muck" by Ronnie Cook & The Gaylads, "Send-Di" by King Rock & The Knights, "Carioca" by Aqua Nites, "She Can Rock" by Little Ike, "Swingin Little Chicky" by Belltones, "Do The Del Viking" by Patrice Holloway, "Gismo" by Jimmy Heap, and "Mysterious Teenage" by Vels.

Magical music from the days when radio really mattered -- an assortment of raw and raunchy singles all popularized by Pittsburgh DJ Mad Mike Metrovich in the 60s! Mad Mike had an ear that was unlike anyone else -- a way of seeking out unusual tunes with a gritty edge -- cuts that fell far from the charts, and included a rich array of garage, instrumental, and R&B-influenced styles! Even at the height of his popularity, Mike was dedicated to digging up little-heard singles -- and would often work towards keeping them obscure by covering up the labels -- a practice that was still yet to come in hip hop or Northern soul scenes. This amazing series does a great job of making Mike's music live again -- combining rare singles with a few radio spots too -- and packaging the whole thing will full notes on Mike, the Pittsburgh scene, and the rich array of record stores and radio stations that allowed music this great to exist! Titles on this second volume include "Snacky Poo" by Del-Mars, "Camel Walk" by Saxons, "Jungle Fever" by Grand Prees, "Sapphire" by Big Danny Oliver, "Geronimo" by Renegades, "Tucscon" by Neons, "Jungle Talk" by Shane Kai Ray, "Oomp Boomp" by Rhythm Addicts, "Red Rose Tea" by Marquis Chimps, "Wizard Of Ahs" by Count Ferrell, "Red Headed Flea" by Caps, "Anyway You Wanta" by Harvey, and "Slappin Rods & Leaky Oil" by Savoys.

Magical music from the days when radio really mattered -- an assortment of raw and raunchy singles all popularized by Pittsburgh DJ Mad Mike Metrovich in the 60s! Mad Mike had an ear that was unlike anyone else -- a way of seeking out unusual tunes with a gritty edge -- cuts that fell far from the charts, and included a rich array of garage, instrumental, and R&B-influenced styles! Even at the height of his popularity, Mike was dedicated to digging up little-heard singles -- and would often work towards keeping them obscure by covering up the labels -- a practice that was still yet to come in hip hop or Northern soul scenes. This amazing series does a great job of making Mike's music live again -- combining rare singles with a few radio spots too -- and packaging the whole thing will full notes on Mike, the Pittsburgh scene, and the rich array of record stores and radio stations that allowed music this great to exist! Titles on this third volume include "Firewater" by Premieres, "Strollie Bun" by Blonde Bomber, "Malanese" by Avalons, "Monkey Man" by Baby Huey & The Babysitters, "The Birds" by Motivations, "Oo Ma Liddi" by JJ Jackson & The Jackals, "Cotton" by Duvals, "Come On Back" by Big Syl Barnes, "Zebra" by Youngsters, "Done Done The Slop" by Ervin Rucker, "Cherry Juice" by Marino Choice, "The Hunch" by Mad Mike & The Maniacs, and "Uncle John" by Wild Child Gipson.

Wonderful stuff all around -- and the kind of collection that we live for! This second set of Ol Virginia Soul tops even the great first batch -- and comes across with a funky funky edge that really showcases the hardest-hitting side of the Richmond and Tidewater scenes of the late 60s! The tunes on the set really crackle with energy -- and take advantage of the unique mix of northern and southern influences running through Virginia at the time -- by effortlessly mixing the styles of funky Philly, DC, and Jersey with some of the deeper soul touches of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and Miami. And the best part about the set is that it's so damn thorough -- filled with 27 tracks that we never would have heard otherwise, and supported by an excellent 20 page booklet that really runs down the full details of this under-documented scene. Titles include "Open The Door To Your Heart" by Art Ensley & The Fabulous Echos, "Small Town Boy" by The Anglos, "Doggie In The Window" by The Idets, "Wrong Crowd" by Prince George, "Shake Your Po Po" by Earl Carter & The Fantastic 6, "Find A New Love" by The Untouchables, "Workin For My Baby" by King Edward & His BDs, "Are You Ready For This" by Blue Eyed Soul, "Your Soul Searching Love" by William Cummings, "Lucky Me" by Jay Griffin, and "Back Walk (part 1)" by Rickey & The Impressionables Band.

Funky breaks from the Stax Records -- the legendary Memphis label that's had as much of an influence on the sound of hip hop as any northern company! The set brings together 19 tracks that are immediately recognizable for their use in modern hip hop -- all heavy funk numbers with a solid southern groove -- filled to the brim with burning horns, searing guitars, rumbling bass, and heavy funky drums! Tracks on the set have been sampled over the years by the likes of Wu Tang, Brand Nubian, Dilated Peoples, De La Soul, and others -- but they also stand out equally well as funky tunes on their own, whether or not you've got an ear for who used them later. Great funky southern soul all the way through -- with tracks that include "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines, "Black" by The Mar-Keys, "Tramp (inst)" by Otis & Carla Band, "Make This Young Lady Mine" by The Mad Lads, "The Devil Is Dope" by The Dramatics, "In The Hole" by The Bar-Kays, "I'll Play The Blues For You (part 1)" by Albert King, "Soul Girl" by Jeanne & The Darlings, "Itch & Scratch (part 2)" by Rufus Thomas, "Drumbeat" by Jim Ingram, "Crop Dustin" by Steve Cropper, "After Laughter" by Wendy Rene, "Memphis Sunrise" by The Bar-Kays, "Girl I Love You" by The Temprees, and "As Long As I've Got You" by The Charmels.

Mod grooves from British funk scene survivors Big Boss Man -- returning to blow our minds with an excellent dish on Blow Up Records! The Boss has been tearing it up for years now with a blend of organ heavy grooves, funky drums, vamping guitars and even some occasional vocals -- and Full English Beat Breakfast is as loveable as anything they've done to date. There's been a bunch of excellent new classic funk combos that have cropped up in the aughties, but Big Boss Man stands out for the ripping mod r&b and touches of Northern soul they bring to the plate. This one's a thriller! Titles include "Triumph Of The Olympian", "Beat Breakfast", "Black Eye (I Believe In Hope)", the bossa inflected "Full Brazilian", "C'est Moi", "Clown Face", "VIP 233", "Hairy Mary", "Pies And Pastiche", "Trilby Of Fun", "The Bloater", "Luna 2" and more.

Mod grooves from British funk scene survivors Big Boss Man -- returning to blow our minds with an excellent dish on Blow Up Records! The Boss has been tearing it up for years now with a blend of organ heavy grooves, funky drums, vamping guitars and even some occasional vocals -- and Full English Beat Breakfast is as loveable as anything they've done to date. There's been a bunch of excellent new classic funk combos that have cropped up in the aughties, but Big Boss Man stands out for the ripping mod r&b and touches of Northern soul they bring to the plate. This one's a thriller! Titles include "Triumph Of The Olympian", "Beat Breakfast", "Black Eye (I Believe In Hope)", the bossa inflected "Full Brazilian", "C'est Moi", "Clown Face", "VIP 233", "Hairy Mary", "Pies And Pastiche", "Trilby Of Fun", "The Bloater", "Luna 2" and more.

The vinyl debut of these two 60s soul gems -- previously only issued on Kent CDs! "Tell Me Baby" is a soaring, joyous number from Karmello Brooks -- a female singer who's really got a great sense of spirit -- plenty of uplift that really helps the tune groove! "I'll Never Stop Loving You" is a great Carla Thomas rarity -- one with a sweet swing that's got great appeal for a Northern Soul dancefloor -- with some strings and vibes in the mix!

The genius of The Dells -- traced beautifully over the course of 15 years of work for both the Chess and Mercury labels! The 2CD set goes way farther than other collections of The Dells' work -- and features 10 tracks appearing here on CD for the first time ever -- gems that are long-overdue for reissue, standing sweetly next to some more familiar classics from the group. The package does a beautiful job of showing the true scope of The Dells' music -- romping northern soul, sweeter ballads, surprisingly jazzy moments, baroque Charles Stepney productions, and even some of their wonderfully warm modern soul numbers from later years. As always, the vocals are incredible -- really the best of the best of classic soul harmony -- blending the rough and the smooth in a heavenly way that few other groups could ever match. Features 39 tracks that include "Make Sure", "When I'm In Your Arms", "Does Anybody Know I'm Here", "Always Together", "One Less Bell To Answer", "It's All Up To You", "The Love We Had", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "Closer", "Slow Motion", "No Way Back", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "Learning To Love You Was Easy", "I Miss You", "Thank God You're My Lady", "Your Song", "I Touched A Dream", "All About The Paper (12" mix)", "Whatever Turns You On", "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", and "Bring Back The Love Of Yesterday".

A motherlode of socking soul from the Fantastic Johnny C -- a hard-grooving singer who definitely earns the "fantastic" in his name! Johnny's style here is somewhere between Wilson Pickett and Dyke & The Blazers -- both contemporaries of his on the late 60s scene, but better-known proponents of the sort of groove that's going on here! Most cuts have that romping, upbeat style known as boogaloo in soul circles -- a style that's different than the Latin uses of the term, but no less groovy -- and a great upbeat style that comes across with plenty of jerking rhythms. Johnny's got a belting style of singing that really keeps up with the grooves nicely -- almost deep soul at points, with some echoes of southern soul modes -- yet set to rhythms that have much stronger Northern appeal overall. The set features all of Johnny's best singles from the 60s -- including "Hitch It To The Horse", "Boogaloo Down Broadway", "Got What You Need", "Cool Broadway", "Some Kind Of Wonderful", "Is There Anything Better Than Making Love", and "Look What Love Can Make You Do". But even more importantly, the set features some even rarer work from 1973 -- 4 great tracks that take on a smoother Philly style, but still in an upbeat way -- "Don't Depend On Me", "Just Say The Word", "I'm A Man", and "Waitin For The Rain".

A bit dubby, a bit funky, and some pretty compelling work from Grand Magneto! "Saturday Night Fever" is a Jamaican-styled cover of the Bee Gees hit -- done at a level that's completely different than the original, and a lot rootsier overall! "Tainted Love" is another cover too -- a reggae-fication of the tune made famous both by Northern Soul and Soft Cell -- sounding completely different, and almost like a lost track pulled from some Soul Jazz compilation!

The latest and greatest from a magazine that seems to get better and better with each new issue! This time around, there's full features on Melba Moore, Bobby Patterson, Jimmy Ruffin, Rena Scott, and the great Pat Lundy -- all mixed with the usual depth that we love about In The Basement -- attention to reviews, soul music news, and more -- usually in ways that show these guys are paying even more attention to the world of soul than we are! Loads to love if you're into classic Northern, southern, modern, and mellow -- and even the ads will hip you to plenty of new music.

Catchy, captivating soul from Jay & The Techniques -- a set that's mighty heavy on the group's key sides from the late 60s, but also features some surprising gems from later years too! The group were unique in that they were a mixed-race soul act -- one of the few to really break big at the time, with a crossover groove that was a sublime mix of Philly and Motown modes -- mostly handled in the studio with some tight added punch from Jerry Ross, but clearly already present in the group's own core sound too. There's a swinging, stepping groove to most of the cuts here -- a vibe that's kind of a laidback take on the Northern Soul rhythms of the period, sweetened a bit on the top, but still very much aimed at the dancefloor. CD features a whopping 28 tracks in all -- with titles that include "Keep The Ball Rollin", "The Power Of Love", "Contact", "Lovin For Money", "If I Should Lose You", "The Singles Game", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Hurtin Myself", "Mexico", "Dancin Mood", "Robot Man", "Apples Peaches Pumpkin Pie", "Strawberry Shortcake", "Don't Ask Me To Forget", "Number Onederful", "I Feel Love Coming On", "You Gave Me Somebody To Love", "Help Yourself", and "Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music".

A northern soul classic! Jackie's the same guy as Earl from Bob & Earl, and combined with his excellent work in that duo, he's one heck of a big force in underground 60s soul! His hard groover "The Duck" has always been a favorite on soul dancefloors around the world, and it's offered up here in 2 parts -- along with some other nice groovers, like "Do The Temptation Walk", "The Neighborhood", "The Bounce", "Everybody Jerk", and "Do You Love Me". The arrangements are by James Carmichael, and they've got a wall of sound mix of guitar, piano, bass, drums, and even a bit of vibes -- all rolled into a tight northern groove that's still fresh nearly 40 years later! CD features the full Duck album, plus some bonus outtakes and rarities too -- makign for 24 cuts ina ll, including some backing tracks and instrumentals that really expand the set!

Socking soul from Little Willie John -- the 45 debut of material from his legendary album with David Axelrod! "City Girl" is an upbeat groover with a definite Northern vibe -- a great setting for Willie's raspy vocals, with a nice punch in the backings from HB Barnum! "I Need Someone" is great too -- a track that's quite different than anything John recorded for King Records -- with a soaring, sweeping feel that's very much in an uptown soul kind of vibe!

Excellent work from one of Motown's greatest lost stars! Shorty Long passed away suddenly at the end of the 60s, at a time when he'd only recorded 2 albums for Motown, and had hardly had a chance to make a mark in the soul market -- but that hasn't stopped him from leaving a lasting impression on soul fans everywhere, thanks to the high quality of his work. Shorty was great at both straight northern soul and funkier numbers -- and there's more than enough of both on this 18 track set. Titles include "Night Fo Last", "Here Comes The Judge", "Don't Mess With My Weekend", "Here Comes Fat Albert", "Ain't No Justice", "People Sure Act Funny", "Out To Get You", "I Had A Dream", "Another Hurt Like This", and "Sing What You Wanna". Great stuff!

Two sides of greatness from Spencer Wiggins -- both tracks pulled from his Goldwax Records years, making a debut on 45! "Let's Talk It Over" is Memphis soul, but with a bit of a Northern groove -- some great female vocals alongside Spencer's lead -- and a burning bassline that really cooks the whole thing up! "Love Attack" is rootsier, but in a good way -- with some hard Memphis horns, and a wicked guitar lick in the middle!

The third volume in one of the most popular soul series we've ever stocked! The CD features 25 rare soul tunes -- from a variety of northern and southern sources, all of them hard-to-find gems with a deep soul sound that's dripping with sincere emotion and raw songsmithery. Brit soul DJ/collector/writer Dave Godin put the set together -- and it would be hard to find a more loving collection of tunes with such a no-nonsense approach to the material. Titles include "Thanks For Yesterday" by Eddie & Ernie, "I'm Undecided" by Toussaint McCall, "Who Are You Gonna Love" by Rozetta Johnson, "I Paid For The Party" by The Enchanters, "Too Far Gone To Turn Around" by JR Bailey, "My Deceiving Heart" by The Impressions, "I'm Missing You" by Loretta Williams, "Let Me Down Easy" by Betty Lavette, "Don't Leave Me Baby" by Ray Gant & The Arabian Knights, "Like It Stands" by Robert Ramsey, and "Look At The Boy" by Jean Plum.

Detroit finally gets its funky due -- stepping out from the shadows cast by endless Motown and Northern Soul compilations, and fixing its funky wagon to a great batch of rare indie groovers! The package brings together some real gems from labels that have barely, if ever, been reissued in the past -- Sport, Big Hit, and Northern -- and features tunes that run in vintage from the late 60s through the mid 70s. There's a really fierce funky 45 sort of feel going on here -- with lots of deep deep bass on the best cuts, plenty of snapping drums, and vocals that have lots of raw and rough southern-styled touches! The set's got 14 tracks ina ll -- with titles that include "Party On 4th Street" and "Mama Didn't Lie" by Black Nasty, "Going To Get It" by Calvin Williams, "Don't Leave Me To Be Lonely" by The Dramatics, "Funky Soul" by Dynamic Walton Brothers, "You Better Get Yourself Together" by Timmy Shaw & Chuck Holiday, "Keep On Stepping" by Black Nasty, "Bit Off More" by Lynn Day, and "Uncle Tom" by Herbie Thompson.

Magical music from the days when radio really mattered -- an assortment of raw and raunchy singles all popularized by Pittsburgh DJ Mad Mike Metrovich in the 60s! Mad Mike had an ear that was unlike anyone else -- a way of seeking out unusual tunes with a gritty edge -- cuts that fell far from the charts, and included a rich array of garage, instrumental, and R&B-influenced styles! Even at the height of his popularity, Mike was dedicated to digging up little-heard singles -- and would often work towards keeping them obscure by covering up the labels -- a practice that was still yet to come in hip hop or Northern soul scenes. This amazing series does a great job of making Mike's music live again -- combining rare singles with a few radio spots too -- and packaging the whole thing will full notes on Mike, the Pittsburgh scene, and the rich array of record stores and radio stations that allowed music this great to exist! Titles on this second volume include "Snacky Poo" by Del-Mars, "Camel Walk" by Saxons, "Jungle Fever" by Grand Prees, "Sapphire" by Big Danny Oliver, "Geronimo" by Renegades, "Tucscon" by Neons, "Jungle Talk" by Shane Kai Ray, "Oomp Boomp" by Rhythm Addicts, "Red Rose Tea" by Marquis Chimps, "Wizard Of Ahs" by Count Ferrell, "Red Headed Flea" by Caps, "Anyway You Wanta" by Harvey, and "Slappin Rods & Leaky Oil" by Savoys.

Magical music from the days when radio really mattered -- an assortment of raw and raunchy singles all popularized by Pittsburgh DJ Mad Mike Metrovich in the 60s! Mad Mike had an ear that was unlike anyone else -- a way of seeking out unusual tunes with a gritty edge -- cuts that fell far from the charts, and included a rich array of garage, instrumental, and R&B-influenced styles! Even at the height of his popularity, Mike was dedicated to digging up little-heard singles -- and would often work towards keeping them obscure by covering up the labels -- a practice that was still yet to come in hip hop or Northern soul scenes. This amazing series does a great job of making Mike's music live again -- combining rare singles with a few radio spots too -- and packaging the whole thing will full notes on Mike, the Pittsburgh scene, and the rich array of record stores and radio stations that allowed music this great to exist! Titles on this third volume include "Firewater" by Premieres, "Strollie Bun" by Blonde Bomber, "Malanese" by Avalons, "Monkey Man" by Baby Huey & The Babysitters, "The Birds" by Motivations, "Oo Ma Liddi" by JJ Jackson & The Jackals, "Cotton" by Duvals, "Come On Back" by Big Syl Barnes, "Zebra" by Youngsters, "Done Done The Slop" by Ervin Rucker, "Cherry Juice" by Marino Choice, "The Hunch" by Mad Mike & The Maniacs, and "Uncle John" by Wild Child Gipson.