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Billed as "some of the most important jazz recordings ever made" – and for good reason, too! The set brings together all the crucial early Louis Armstrong recordings from the 78rpm era – late 20s/early 30s sides for Okey, Parlophone, RCA, and Odeon – all presented with better sound and notes than any of the cheapo, knockoff packages you'll find on the market! This 10 CD collection is overflowing with key moments in jazz – great small group recordings by Armstrong's Hot Five and Hot Seven groups, some orchestra performances, and many other important sides that went onto shape the sound of jazz for decades to come. A beautiful package, with a booklet that includes new essays, and great remastering of these crucial recordings!

60s Chicago soul doesn't get any better than this – a sublime debut from the legendary Walter Jackson – done in a smoothly sophisticated style that set a whole new standard for the genre! The record steps off nicely from some of the earliest work by Jerry Butler and The Impressions – blending Chicago soul with more adult-styled orchestrations from Riley Hampton – at a level that has Jackson sitting beautifully across a number of different modes at once – still appealing to the kids with the uptown groovers on the set, but also reaching to an older crowd with the beautiful ballads and heartbreaking love songs. The sound is incredible – easily one of the most fully realized full-length soul records on the Okeh label – and titles include "What Would You Do", "There Goes That Song Again", "I Don't Want To Suffer", "That's What Mama Say", and "It's All Over". CD adds in 10 more bonus tracks – most of which are previously unissued – making for an amazing collection that's one of the first time that Jackson's work at Okeh is finally getting its due! Bonus titles include "The Heartbreak Road", "Anything Can Happen", "Blue Rose", "Starting Tomorrow", "Don't Play With Love", "It's Hard To Believe", "You Gotta Give", and "Tell The World".

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 tremendous second step for Chicago soul legend Walter Jackson – packaged here with a huge amount of bonus tracks as well! The core album is a sublime mix of new tunes and re-imagined standards – and a set that takes Walter Jackson into even more sophisticated soul territory than before! The record is proof that the up and coming soul artists of the 60s had a key place alongside the more established mainstream acts on the other side of the fence – as Walter's working here with arranger Riley Hampton to re-cast a number of familiar tunes in his cool Iceman soul mode – changing the themes, rhythms, and inflections of the tracks for a more contemporary soul market – and also interspersing them with a few great new songs of his own! The approach is amazing – far better than even Jerry Butler or Chuck Jackson's work in a similar idiom – and the album features the sublime hit "Welcome Home", plus the Van McCoy tunes "Suddenly I'm All Alone", "Still At The Mercy Of Your Love", and "The Magic's Gone" – alongside versions of "Moon River", "Let It Be Me", "Imagination", and "My Funny Valentine". Added to the original album are 7 more rare tracks pulled from singles – some of the true gems in Jackson's 60s career for Okeh – with titles that include "Deep In The Heart Of Harlem", "Cold Cold Winter", "That's When I Come To You", "Special Love", "One Heart Lonely", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", and "The Folks Who Live On The Hill".

Unbelievably beautiful work – and possibly the greatest album ever from the mighty Walter Jackson! Jackson was one of the best singers to come out of the Chicago soul scene of the 60s, and his Okeh recordings are a perfect example of the city's sophisticated approach to Iceman soul – as perfected by Walter, Jerry Butler, and (later) Garland Green. The arrangements are by Riley Hampton, and they have a cold fragile beauty that lingers somewhere between a Scott Walker album and Riley's earlier work with Lorez Alexandria – and the no-filler selection of songs is one of Jackson's best ever– a range of work that really show his deep talents, and his maturing approach to a tune – proud, powerful, and a new level of adult sophistication in soul. Titles include the amazing title cut "Speak Her Name" – plus "Corner In The Sun", "My One Chance To Make It", "It's An Uphill Climb To The Bottom", and "Not You". This expanded CD makes the original album ever better – and adds in a full batch of 10 bonus tracks – some of which are unissued, others of which are rare singles from Jackson's later Okeh years, plus rare Epic sides. Bonus titles include "No Butterflies", "Ad Lib", "The Look Of Love", "The Bed", "Forget The Girl", "My Ship Is Coming In", "Road To Ruin", and "Just One Smile".

Includes King Oliver with Butterbeans & Susie, Clarence Williams' Washboard Five, His Novelty Four, and Orchestra, Victoria Spivey, Sippie Wallace, Elizabeth Johnson, Hazel Smith, Texas Alexander, and Blind Willie Dunn's Gin Bottle Four.

Easily some of the greatest work ever recorded by Ted Taylor – done as a string of sessions in Chicago, New York, and Nashville for Okeh Records – and finally properly collected here in one great set! Taylor's a singer with a wonderful voice – one that was more famously tuned towards bluesier work later in his career, but which is hear heard coming off an initial run in doo wop – in a mix of modes that includes both Chicago and southern soul styles! Production is by Carl Davis, Billy Sherrill, and others – and no matter what the setting Taylor's vocals are incredible – crackling with a sense of emotion and soul that made him one of the singers to match at the time, even if his Okeh years never yeilded that many hits. CD features 25 tracks in all – with titles that include "So Hard", "I'll Make It Up To You", "Don't Lie", "Pretending Love", "I'll Release You", "Can't Take No More", "Be Ever Wonderful", "Need You Home", "Somebody's Always Trying", "Top Of The World", "Stay Away From My Baby", and "Mercy Have Pity".

Bernie Young with Young's Creole Band, Viola Bartlette, Ozie McPherson, Blythe's Sinful Five, Ida Cox, Ma Rainey, and Arthur Sims & His Crewole Roof Orchestra.

A stunning selection of Chicago soul – with many many rare singles from the legendary Okeh label, one of the best-ever for the Chi-soul sound! Titles include "End Up Crying" by The Vibrations, "Let Me Show It To You" by The Fundamentals, "You Can't Take It Away" by Azie Mortimer, "Yesterday Is Gone" by The Variations, "Hello Heartaches, Goodbye Love" by Joyce Davis, "Can't Live Without Her" by Billy Butler, "You're Gonna Be Sorry" by The Opals, "Cool Breeze" by Gerald Sims, "Memories" by The Triumphs, and "After You There Can Be Nothing" by Walter Jackson.

A crowning moment of the Chicago soul scene of the 60s! Nobody was better than Walter Jackson at Iceman soul – and no cut of his carried this off better than the sublime "It's All Over" – one of those incredible tunes that we never tire of hearing!

What? This is John Medeski? Hard to believe – as the album sounds unlike most other work the keyboardist has ever recorded – especially the sides cut with his famous trio of the past 20 years! The album's a wonderfully moody little set – spare and solo, played on an older-style Gaveau piano, which rings out with these dark tones that are completely sublime! The feel of the record is more in a Ran Blake sort of solo mode than the bolder lines we'd usually hear from John – and as the artist requests in the notes, the record is perfect for late night listening – when the ear and mind have hit just the right pace to appreciate all the subtle shifts in sound taking place. Titles include "A Different Time", "Lacrima", "Otis", "Luz Marina", "Waiting At The Gate", "His Eye Is On The Sparrow", and "Graveyard Fields".

Acoustic sounds from two players who made their mark during the fusion generation – and a wonderful illustration that at their core, both Bob James and David Sanborn are pretty darn great jazz musicians! The album's got a laidback vibe that's wonderful – these flowing lines on acoustic piano from James, mixed with Sanborn's well-blown alto and soprano sax solos – moving with this mellow groove that's never sleepy, and certainly never cheesy in a commercial way – just a great late night sort of mode with a surprisingly classic feel. The quartet also features Steve Gadd on drums and James Genus on bass – both working at a well-matched pace with the leaders – and titles include "Geste Humain", "You Better Not Go To College", "Maputo", "Deep In The Weeds", and "Genevieve".

Acoustic sounds from two players who made their mark during the fusion generation – and a wonderful illustration that at their core, both Bob James and David Sanborn are pretty darn great jazz musicians! The album's got a laidback vibe that's wonderful – these flowing lines on acoustic piano from James, mixed with Sanborn's well-blown alto and soprano sax solos – moving with this mellow groove that's never sleepy, and certainly never cheesy in a commercial way – just a great late night sort of mode with a surprisingly classic feel. The quartet also features Steve Gadd on drums and James Genus on bass – both working at a well-matched pace with the leaders – and titles include "Geste Humain", "You Better Not Go To College", "Maputo", "Deep In The Weeds", and "Genevieve".

A sweet Okeh rarity from the Seven Souls – a cut that bounces along with a groove that's right up there with the bigger Chicago soul issued by the label – that gentle swing that always played big in the Windy City soul scene of the 60s, topped with great harmony vocals from the group! "I'm No Stranger" is a bit more jaunty – almost funky, if we say so ourselves – with this guitar that gets great and groovy right at the start, before launching the tune's great vocals off on a tightly soaring riff.

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".

The classic of all classics by Billy Butler! "Right Track" is a seminal Northern groover that forever put Billy's name on the lips of dancefloor requests – and it's issued here with a rare instrumental flip too!

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".

Lovely numbers from Sandi Sheldon cut for Okeh and issued here by Outta Sight UK! There's a heavy drum sound and prominent bass groove underneath some tasty soul guitar on "You're Gonna Make Me Love You" – which is nice and gritty, but is sweetened up nicely when Sandi's lovely vocals kick in after a few seconds. "Baby You're Mine" is the more delicately grooving number on the flip.

A pretty great album in which Larry revisits some of his earlier hits from the late 50s – redoing them in versions that have a bit more 60s soul in the mix, in keeping with his shift to the Okeh label! Overall, the sound's still pretty hard hitting – very R&B inspired, and perfect for Larry's shoutin vocals. Titles include "Slow Down", "Boss Lovin", "I Got A Woman", "Mary Ann", "Short Fat Fannie", and "Hootchy Koo".

The Demures are totally great – a sweet female soul group, but one who work here with a solidly socking groove! "Raining Teardrops" may have a sad theme, but the rhythm's right up there with the best Chicago dancefloor soul of the late 60s – that romping style you'd hear most famously on Okeh or Brunswick records! Speaking of Brunswick, the Lost Generation fly on the flip – turning out one of our favorite Chicago soul tracks ever – the sublime "Sly Slick & The Wicked"!

An amazing set throughout – not just for the musical growth of Coleman Hawkins, but also for the development of the tenor sax in jazz, too! These sides could very well be said to be THE seminal recordings for tenor – the records that helped transform the instrument from a bit of a trick noisemaker into one of the most dominant voices in jazz during the 20th century – the beginning of a rich legacy that went onto encompass Lester Young, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, and so many others! The package captures Coleman Hawkins right at the start of his career – with vital early 78rpm recordings that move from trad to swing to some of the modern combo sounds that Hawkins would blow in the postwar years. And the range of settings is amazing, too – not a loose collection or mish-mash of material, but a really thoughtful progression that has Hawkins working with Mamie Smith, Fletcher Henderson, Clarence Williams, The Chocolate Dandies, and McKinney's Cotton Pickers in the early years – then moving up to work as a leader on his own – as well as material with Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, Benny Carter, and Count Basie. Most of the later material is for small labels – like Baronet, Cont, Meritt, Neatwork, and others – and the early sides are for Okeh, Columbia, Vocalion, Brunswick, and other smaller imprints. Features 190 tracks in all, and very copious notes, too – an amazing package from Mosaic!

Seminal soul from one of Chicago's greatest labels in the 60s – the One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus imprints, plus tracks from related Toddlin Town too – home to some of the best indie work at the time! The quality here is right up there with the best you'd hear from Chess, Okeh, or Brunswick in the 60s – no surprise, since the pair of labels shared lots of similar talents with the bigger companies – as well as session men, songwriters, and producers too! The full scope of Chicago soul is really covered here – upbeat groovers for the dancefloor, heartfelt ballads with great harmonies, and some of the harder-edged bluesy numbers that really helped put One-Der-Ful on the map! There's also some key early examples of funk – proof that in the 60s, Chicago was one of the hippest scenes in the world – and the set comes with 2 CDs, nestled in a hardback booklet of notes and photos – with a whopping 50 tracks in all. Titles include "Tired Of Being Lonely" by The Sharpees, "Without You" by The Ulti-Mations, "That's How It Is" by Otis Clay, "Keep On Dancin" by Alvin Cash, "The Funky Judge" by Bull & The Matadors, "I Get A Groove" by Thomas East & The Fabulous Playboys, "Damper Down" by Bobby Davis, "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell, "Come Back Home" by Beny Turner, "Master Key" by Harold Burrage, "If I Could Live My Life All Over" by Dorothy Prince, "You Told A Lie" by Johnny Sayles, "New Girl" by The Accents, and "Don't You Worry" by Joe & Mack.

A pretty great funk album from Jimmy – and very different than his other jazz work at the time! The record was produced and arranged by soulster Larry Williams, and most tracks have these raspy vocals that we're not sure are Larry's or Jimmy's. But whatever the case, the sound is great – and the tracks work well as messed-up funk numbers with a slight jazzy edge. We might compare the album to some of Larry's work for Okeh during the late 60s, or to later Johnny Hammond albums that feature vocals. Titles include "Number One", "Love Is Mission Impossible", "Zodiac Song", "Recession Or Depression", and "Jimmy Smith Is The Midnight Cowboy".

Way more than just a simple "survey" of Chicago soul – and instead, a whopping collection of work from the vaults of Dakar Records – nearly all of it produced by Chi-soul genius Carl Davis! Back in the 60s, Davis' work was a seminal force in shaping the sound of the Windy City – particularly that lightly stepping, sometimes loping groove that showed up in Carl's productions for Okeh and Brunswick, and which was used even more heavily once he launched Dakar! And while Dakar was kind of a partner label to Brunswick for many years, the company also had much firmer Chicago roots – and mostly issued a variety of rare singles by artists who never cut full LPs – either for the bigger labels at the time, or at all! This extremely well-done package digs through the finest Dakar work of the late 60s and early 70s – tracing a groove that starts with the trademark Chicago sound of the 60s, then moves into a much more righteous style as the 70s move in. CD features 28 titles in all – including "Love Had To Be You" by Jean Shy, "Forever & A Day" by Wales Wallace, "Cowboys To Girls" by Jalynne Sound, "Just To Make You Happy" by Shirley Karol, "Baby Jane" by Otis Clay, "I'm In Danger" by The Visitors, "You're So Right For Me" by Johnny Sayles, "You Babe" by Carl Davis, "Love Uprising" by Mister T, "You Brought Out The Good In Me" by Otis Leavill, "Follow The Leader" by Major Lance, "I Choose You" by Donald Height, "Broken Home" by Ben Monroe, and "It's All Over Between Us" by Lee Charles.