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Although this one's not from Gabor's classic period on the Skye label, it does have a nice R&B fusion sound to it, and was recorded at Sigma Studios in Philly. Bunny Sigler produced, and he gives the set a 70's soul sort of sound, but Gabor's cool guitar is still out front, and keeps the tracks sharp, in a sort of pop fusion way. Cuts include the spacey "Concorde (Night Flight)", plus "Babby Rattle Snake", "Smooth Sailin", and "Keep Smilin".

Nice compilation of the Temprees' great vocal group sides cut for the Stax/We Produce label in the early 70's. If you don't know this stuff, their harmonies are great, and they deliver up a soulful batch of tracks that sound more like they would have come from the great east coast group recordings in Philly and New Jersey from the time, than they would have come from Memphis. 12 tracks in all "Love...Can Be So Wonderful", "I'm For You, You For Me", "Explain It To Her Mama", "Love's Maze", "Dedicated To The One I Love", "My Baby Love", "A Thousand Miles Away", "You Make The Sun Shine", "At Last", "Come And Get Your Love", "I Love, I Love" and "(Girl) I Love You".

Not the group's most famous work, but a really strong batch of Philly soul tracks – with production and arrangements by Ron Baker and Norman Harris, in a blinding Sigma Sound mode that shows that the Philly Groove could still be kicking it large in the late 70s. Our favorite track, though, is the mellowest – "Seasons For Girls", which is a beautiful smooth mellow stepper, one that runs for 8 minutes long, with some excellent harmony vocals. Other tracks, though, include "Love Per Hour", "The Night The Lights Went Out", "People Of The World, Rise", and "Living The Life".

A beautiful Rebirth for the Tribe Records scene in Detroit – a set that brings together older players whose work illuminated that famous label – Phil Ranelin on trombone, Wendell Harrison on saxes, and Marcus Belgrave on trumpet – all working here with younger musicians who include Amp Fiddler on keyboards, John Arnold on guitar, and Carl Craig on keyboards and production! The mix of generations is amazing – every bit as mesmerizing as the Detroit Experiment session from years back – and the tunes have this soulful, spiritual sensibility that really holds up to the promise first laid down by Tribe back in the 70s – a righteous reworking of familiar jazz ideals, stretching forward with cosmic energy that's really amazing! Craig's presence on the set makes for a bit of electricity at times – but the rhythms are all live and acoustic – and if anything, the whole project marks a real growth in Carl's own music, almost more than that of the originators whose sound here is every bit as great as we could have hoped! Titles include "Son Of Tribe", "Livin In A New Day", "Deneka's Chant", "Jazz On The Run", "Ride", "Lesli", "Where Am I", "13th & Senate", and "Glue Fingers".

A legendary pairing of two key 60s pop talents – the soulful sounds of Ike & Tina Turner, and the soaring production styles of Phil Spector! The album's quite different than some of the grittier Turner projects of the time – lots of full orchestrations and strings, mixed with the rougher rhythms you'd usually hear from Ike – a blend that's surprisingly great, and helps push Tina's vocals into wonderfully mature territory – a bit like the mix of deep soul and class that you'd get from Etta James on mid-60s Chess Records! The album's a feather in the cap of both Spector and Turner – and titles include "River Deep Mountain High", "I Idolize You", "A Love Like Yours", "Such A Fool For You", "I'll Never Need More Than This", "A Fool In Love", and "Hold On Baby". Weird cover, too – with photography by Dennis Hopper!

A legendary pairing of two key 60s pop talents – the soulful sounds of Ike & Tina Turner, and the soaring production styles of Phil Spector! The album's quite different than some of the grittier Turner projects of the time – lots of full orchestrations and strings, mixed with the rougher rhythms you'd usually hear from Ike – a blend that's surprisingly great, and helps push Tina's vocals into wonderfully mature territory – a bit like the mix of deep soul and class that you'd get from Etta James on mid-60s Chess Records! The album's a feather in the cap of both Spector and Turner – and titles include "River Deep Mountain High", "I Idolize You", "A Love Like Yours", "Such A Fool For You", "I'll Never Need More Than This", "A Fool In Love", and "Hold On Baby". Weird cover, too – with photography by Dennis Hopper!

Muddy's grooving hard and funky – with help from Cadet studio funksters like Charles Stepney, Phil Upchurch, Louis Satterfield, and Morris Jennings – one of the best ever of the once oft-maligned, now oft-beloved funk era Chess/Cadet albums! After The Rain has more of Muddy's classic bluesy finish than some of the other Chess blues remodel albums from the time – but it's still got plenty of raw production and great fuzzed out guitar that totally killer! Hard charging dirty grooves from Muddy Waters that we've always dug – and we're thrilled to see these kinds of records get some belated love! Titles include "I Am The Blues", "Hurtin Soul", "Bottom Of The Sea", "Honey Bee", "Rollin' And Tumblin'", "Screamin & Cryin", and "Blues & Trouble".

Muddy's grooving hard and funky – with help from Cadet studio funksters like Charles Stepney, Phil Upchurch, Louis Satterfield, and Morris Jennings – one of the best ever of the once oft-maligned, now oft-beloved funk era Chess/Cadet albums! After The Rain has more of Muddy's classic bluesy finish than some of the other Chess blues remodel albums from the time – but it's still got plenty of raw production and great fuzzed out guitar that totally killer! Hard charging dirty grooves from Muddy Waters that we've always dug – and we're thrilled to see these kinds of records get some belated love! Titles include "I Am The Blues", "Hurtin Soul", "Bottom Of The Sea", "Honey Bee", "Rollin' And Tumblin'", "Screamin & Cryin", and "Blues & Trouble".

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

A silly title, but a great selection of grooves – and a record that features a few really nice clubby soul tracks from the Atlantic catalog – making a rare appearance on LP! Most of the work has a prime mid 70s Philly groove – no surprise, since Tom Moulton put together the set, and remixed a few of the tracks at Sigma sound – taking grooves from the New York, Miami, and Muscle Shoals scenes – and making them sit nicely next to homegrown Philly tracks! Titles include the funky break classic "Getting Uptown (To Get Down)" by United 8, "I Can Understand It" by The Valentinos, "This World" by Sweet Inspirations, "Look Me Up" by Blue Magic, "Mama Never Told Me" by Sister Sledge, "Time" by Jackie Moore, "You Call Me Back" by Clyde Brown", "Look Me Up" by Blue Magic, and "Got To Get You Back" by Sons Of Robin Stone.

Soaring sounds from Philadelphia International – the label that virtually defined the sound of soul in the 70s, thanks to a succession of ultra-big hits! Those cuts are great, but this set goes even deeper – to move past the chart standouts, and come up with a brilliant batch of Philly groovers that stayed mostly on the underground – but which have had a huge influence on the global scene over the past few decades! All the best Philly 70s elements are in place here – tight rhythms, impeccable musicianship, and production that finds a way to polish without ever making things too slick – a wonderful blend that makes these tunes totally top-shelf all the way through – and even fresher than some of the bigger hits you'd know from the artists. Titles include "Hey Baby" by Anthony White, "I Heard It In A Love Song" by McFadden & Whitehead, "Old People" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Sunshine & You" by The Futures, "Groovy People" by Lou Rawls, "You Can't Come Back Now" by Jean Carn, "Tell The World How I Feel About Cha Baby" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, "Let The Dollar Circulate" by Billy Paul, "Found A Love You Couldn't Handle" by The Stylistics, and "I'm Just Thinking About Cooling Out" by Jerry Butler.

A bunch of classic tunes that inspired – and were covered by punk rock founders The Ramones – with some that you'd expect and many more that might surprise you! If you're a fan of The Ramones, you know that they were students of rock and pop history. They really had an ear for the most irresistibly catchy songs, with the rawest underbellies. This set has feral tunes by The Stooges, The Seeds and The Trashmen – along with classic Phil Spector productions, some of the greatest surf pop and much more – all of which were covered by The Ramones at one point or another – and all of it great! Includes "Let's Dance" by Chris Montez, "California Sun" by The Rivieras, "Do You Want To Dance" by The Beach Boys, "Surfin Bird" by The Trashmen, "Baby, I Love You" by The Ronettes, "My Back Pages" by The Byrds, "Can't Seem To Make You Mind" by The Seeds, "7 And 7 Is" by Love, "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" by Tom Waits, "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, "Little Bit O' Soul" by Music Explosion and more. 24 in all.

A treasure trove of twelve inch singles from Solar Records – the west coast powerhouse for uptempo soul! Most of the numbers here date from the early 80s years when Solar were totally on top of their game – really dominating mainstream soul of the time in the same way Philly International did a decade before. The 2CD set features 12" mixes for all tracks – which mean that most are longer than the LP versions – and most grooves here are in a bumping, stepping, or boogie-oriented mode – post-disco with plenty of great west coast R&B touches. Titles include "Midas Touch" and "Scientific Love" by Midnight Star, "Show Me Where You're Coming From" and "Dance With You" by Carrie Lucas, "Call Me" by Bill Wolfer, "There It Is" and "Night To Remember (US ext mix)" by Shalamar, "No Pain No Gain" and "Rock Steady" by The Whispers, "I Don't Wanna Be A Freak" and "Love In The Fast Lane" by Dynasty, "It's All The Way Live" and "One Minute After Midnight" by Lakeside, "Classy Lady" by Leroy Hutson, "Romeo Where's Juliet" and "Winners & Loser" by Collage, "Street Beat" by The Deele, and "Come Back Lover" by The Sylvers.

Funky, soulful, and totally wonderful – a wicked late 70s live set from Jorge Ben – and one of his few post-Philips albums that really holds the energy from earlier years! The date's a live one, and the group grooves in a style that's got plenty of Africa Brasil touches – mixed with some other soulful and funky modes too – always great for Jorge's wonderful vocals, especially on some of the earthier tracks. Titles include "Troca Troca", "Bom Dia, Boa Tarde Boa Noite Amor", "A Banda Do Ze Pretinho", "Denize Rei", "Berenice", "Amante Amado", and "Era Uma Vez Treze".

A seminal set from Jorge Ben – one that mixes samba soul with more baroque arrangements from the legendary Arthur Verocai! The record's got a different feel than some of Jorge's other work – almost a wider vision of music that ties his usual funky style to some of the more ambitious modes being explored by Marcos Valle and Edu Lobo at the time – expressed here in some larger instrumental passages that shade the tunes lightly, while still letting Jorge step out strongly on vocals and the usual mix of tight percussion and raspy guitar. Titles include "Que Maravilha", "Rita Jeep", "Comanche", "Porque E Proibido Pisa Na Grama", "Cassius Marcelo Clay", "Palomaris", "Maria Domingas", and "Negro E Lindo".

A stunning batch of early tracks from one of Brazil's greatest artists! The album includes loads of Jorge's choppy bossa-styled tracks, all driven by his tight acoustic guitar playing, and haunted by his deeply soulful voice! The album's a masterpiece that has Jorge breaking out in a hip new style that would forever change the face of Brazilian music – and which still sounds pretty darn amazing today! Titles include "Mas Que Nada" (the original!), "Tim Dom Dom", "Chove Chuva", "A Tamba", "Balanca Pema", and "Rosa, Menina Rosa". Great stuff, and essential all the way through – we promise!

Searing samba soul from Jorge Ben – one of his best-remembered albums of the 70s, and for good reason too! The album's got a slightly fuller feel than some of Ben's other work of the time – never slick, but with backings balanced nicely against his own raspy vocals and acoustic guitar – sweetening things up with a bit of the strings you'd find on Forca Bruta, but with a hint of the soul to come on Africa Brasil! The balance is great – thanks to arrangers Osmar Milito, Darcy De Paulo, and Hugo Bellard – and as usual, Jorge's vocals are the main attraction – dipping, turning, and rising with this really unique, personal feel – Ben-like brilliance at its brightest. The whole thing's wonderful – a key gem from the Philips years – and titles include "Cinco Minutos", "Zumbi", "Brother", "Os Alquimistas Estao Chegando Os Alquimistas", "Errare Humanum Est", "Menina Muler Da Pele Preta", "Hermes Tri", and "O Namorado Da Viuva".

A brilliant anniversary release for the ever cosmic Build An Ark collective – featuring improvisations, remixes, solo pieces and collaborations – all previously unreleased and a pretty great little encapsulation of the group's freely soaring spirit! This is the rare group whose greatest charms derive from their limitless adventures, always pulling us into the groove, wherever it happens to be floating. There's airy solo piano by Miguel Atwood-Ferguson and hypnotic solo Rhodes by Nate Morgan bookending the album, and in between we get Dimlite and DNTEL remixes, group improvisation, folk psych vocals, classic styled soul jazz with Dwight Trible and Phil Ranelin and more. Includes "Love (Miguel Atwood-Ferguson Solo Piano)", "Medley 1" (Dimlite Remix/Build An Ark Improvisation)", "Peace And Love! (Trevor's Mood)", "Medley 2 (Love Theme)", "Love, Swwet Like Sugar Cane (DNTEL Remix)", "Mother (Nate Morgan Solo Rhodes)", "The Yes Song (Build An Ark Featuring Mia Doi Todd)" and more. 11 tracks in all.

A sparkling stormer from Jean Carn – and both cuts are great! "Don't Let It Go To Your Head" is one of the real Philly treasures from later years – a track that never charted big, but which has gone onto become a global soul favorite – thanks to a sublime jazzy groove, and vocals that just won't quit! "We Got Some Catchin Up To Do" has a similar lineage – overlooked at the time, but a bouncy groover filled with plenty of mature sophisticated soul!

Genius work from William De Vaughn – recorded years after his classic "Be Thankful" album, and with a different, modern soul feel – but equally great in its own sort of way! The album came 6 years after De Vaughn's classic crossover hit of the mid 70s – and it's got the singer working in smoother, more sophisticated territory – hitting a key mellow groove with a great late Philly feel, and showing that he still had plenty to offer even years after his hit! The title cut – "Figures Can't Calculate" – is worth the price of the album alone – as it's a great mellow groover, with a catchy, stepping sort of feel. De Vaughn also remakes his classic "Be Thankful For What You've Got" – doing the tune with a bit of a kick in the groove, but overall still in the same style as the original. Other tracks include "You Send Me" and "Hold On To Love". CD features bonus mixes – "Hold Onto Love (radio version)" and "Be Thankful For What You Got (radio)".

A great session that was recorded by Freddie Hubbard in the 60s, but not issued by Blue Note until the mid 70s – and only then as part of a short-lived double length set! This version is the first real issue of the material – with the original cover art intended for the session in the 60s – and as such, it's presented in a way that helps it stand strongly with Freddie's best early albums for Blue Note! The sound here is sharp-edged and soulful – a reflection of the groove that Freddie was hitting in the Jazz Messengers of the early 60s, played by a group that features three members of that ensemble – Wayne Shorter on tenor, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass – along with Philly Joe Jones on drums! Tracks are hard, straight, and soulful – not bogged down in some of Hubbard's misdirected modernism – and titles include "Philly Mignon", "Father & Son", "Nostrand & Fulton", and "Assunta".

A classic disco stormer from Grace Jones – recorded at Sigma Sound with a real Philly groove, thanks to arrangements from John Monster Davis – and produced with a full, soaring sound from the legendary Tom Moulton! The set may well be Grace's true club classic from the late 70s – a record that works both on the quirky levels of her early rise to fame, and on the more soulful expectations mainstream clubgoers had at the time – a beautiful balance that owes plenty to the input from Davis and Moulton! Titles include "Do Or Die", "Pride", "Fame", "Below The Belt", and "Am I Ever Gonna Fall In Love In New York City".

Sweet, funky, and outtasite – one of Ramsey Lewis' greatest albums of the 60s – cut under the supervision of Chicago soul maestro Charles Stepney! The album's an amazing mix of jazz, funk, and the more baroque and spacey elements – that were running through the Chicago soul and jazz scene of the time – all coming together under the guidance of Lewis and Stepney, with a sound that points the way towards countless 70s recordings to come! Highlights include a bit of kalimba from drummer Maurice White, some great guitar from Phil Upchurch, and plenty of tasty electric keys from Ramsey himself – really laying back in a righteous kind of groove – hitting new heights on tunes that include "Bold and Black", "If You've Got it, Flaunt It", "Do What You Wanna", "Cecile", "Wanderin Rose", and "Opus #5".

A tasty set of rootsy mid 70s rhythms, cut by the core of the Upsetters band, with Wire Lindo, Bobby Chung and Carlton and Family Man Barrett, alongside a host of other musicians. Though it's not credited as such, the set's supposedly cut at Tubby's and was mixed by one of his acolytes, Prince Phillip Smart, who approaches the mix with a very minimalist touch, not too much space dust sprinkled over the rhythms here, which is just the way we like it on this set, it lets the percolating funk bubble up from underneath without too much echo to get in the way! A heavy lesser known dub side that's one of our forgotten favorites! 11 tracks in all, including "Bradsta Dub", "Ista Episode", "Dub In My Soul", "KC Black", "Mike-O-Lette", "Capo Dub" and "Shotman Chow".

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

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

A rare second chapter to Mobley's famous Workout album – recorded in the early 60s, but not issued until the mid 80s – and even then, only momentarily on vinyl! The session's a great one – a quartet outing with a structure that's similar to Hank's classic Soul Station record, but which is a bit more fluid and free-thinking overall! The long tracks give Mobley plenty of room to open up on his solos – really commanding the record with his deeply soulful tone and strong sense of timing. Other players include Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – and titles include "Out Of Joe's Bag", "I Should Care", "Getting & Jettin", "Hank's Other Soul", and "Three Coins In A Fountain".

An overlooked set from Melba Moore – an Epic session from the start of the 80s, and one that's served up with a nicely understated groove! There's a bit of disco in the mix, but the sound's never too far over the top – and in a way, Melba's working in the same sophisticated territory as some of the Philly International singers of the same generation – moving past easy club or chart soul, into a well-rounded, fully mature mix of music. Given the great vocals that Moore's always brought to her music, the format is a great way for her to keep on growing – as you'll hear on titles that include "Closer", "Something On Your Mind", "Shame", "Next To You", "Rest Inside My Love", and "Never Gonna Let You Get Away".

The one and only album from Plush – an early 80s groover that features vocals from a young Siedah Garrett, and lots of help from Rene & Angela too! The group's a trio, mixing Siedah's voice with male singers Tony Phillips and Ambroce Price – a really full, focused vocal approach that works great for the tight grooves from Rene & Angela – who not only produce with Bobby Watson, but also contribute a good number of their own tunes to the set – giving the record a great blend of groovers that are totally catchy, yet never in ways that are too commercial or chart-heavy at all! The balance is a hard one to define, but a crucial one when it comes to 80s soul – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Free & Easy", "We've Got The Love", "Livin For Your Love", "Gonna Get Ya", "Strangers Again", "I Don't Know Where Love Comes From", and "Coast To Coast".

A pair of Colpix classics from Nina Simone – back to back on a single CD! First up is Nina Sings Ellington – but as always, she makes whatever she sings all her own! The album's a bit straighter than later efforts – with large backings by Stu Phillips that also feature vocals by the Malcolm Dodds Singers – but Nina also conceived the whole thing herself, as an effort to bring a new level of spiritualism to Ellington's work. The result is a masterpiece – proof that even in her early years, Nina could completely transform anything she laid her hands on – and unlock a soulful depth that even the original recordings might have missed. Titles include "I Got It Bad", "Solitude", "The Gal From Joe's", "It Don't Mean A Thing", and "I Like The Sunrise". Nina At Carnegie Hall is a hip set of live tracks from Nina Simone – very dark and moody, with backing by only a small combo that includes two guitars, bass, and drums by Montego Joe. The songs are incredibly spare, with an approach that's intimate and emotional – almost stunningly so, considering the size and scope of the venue that Nina was performing in. Features a 7 minute reading of "The Other Woman" and "Cotton Eyed Joe" – plus "Black Swan", "If You Knew", "Theme From Sayonara", and "Will I Find My Love Today".

Mid 70s magic from The Three Degrees – a time when this Philly trio was really at the height of their powers! The girl group had recorded previously, in a somewhat more standard style of Philly soul – but during the 70s they hooked up with Gamble & Huff, and managed to make some really amazing music that forever helped transform the style of female soul on the dancefloor! The trio's vocals are a perfect match for the soaring strings and lively rhythms of the Philly International groove – and the cuts are as sweet as they are grooving – a magical balance that few other groups could strike this well. CD features 14 tracks – including "When Will I See You Again", "Long Lost Lover", "Can't You See What You're Doing To Me", "Love Is The Message", "TSOP", "Dirty Ol Man", "Here I Am", "I Didn't Know", "If & When", "Year Of Decision", and "Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon (live version)".

A pair of late disco classics from Ultimate – back to back in a single set! First up is the group's self-titled debut from 1979 – Euro disco, but recorded in Philly – which makes for a wonderful criss-crossing of modes throughout! As with other disco sets of the style from the time – especially work on Casablanca Records – the set's got a number of really long, stretched-out tunes – almost mini musical symphonies built for the dancefloor, which unfold with sharp rhythms changes, sweet chorus vocals, and razor sharp studio instrumentation! The best of these is the leadoff number which takes up all of side one – the massive "Love Is The Ultimate/Touch Me Baby/Dancing In The Night" medley – which is then followed by slightly shorter groovers with equally great flavors – "Ritmo De Brazil", "Take Me To Chinatown", and "Music In My Heart". CD also features two bonus tracks – different mixes of the "Love Is The Ultimate" medley. Next is the Ultimate album from 1980 – a set that's got a stronger vocal approach than their previous effort – thanks to work by a trio of lovelies from the Philly scene, recorded here with a sound that's a bit different than some of their Casablanca contemporaries! The record's not nearly as polished as some of the rest – arranged by Michael Forte with a style that's certainly clubby, but with some hook-heavy modes that are a bit song-based too – almost crossover soul at the best moments, which is quite unexpected. Vocals are by Riti Saunders, Barbara Hernandez, and Deborah McGriff – and titles include "This Time I'm In Love", "Get To The Top", "Feel So Fine", "Now & Forever", and "Secret Agent Man".

Muddy's grooving hard and funky – with help from Cadet studio funksters like Charles Stepney, Phil Upchurch, Louis Satterfield, and Morris Jennings – one of the best ever of the once oft-maligned, now oft-beloved funk era Chess/Cadet albums! After The Rain has more of Muddy's classic bluesy finish than some of the other Chess blues remodel albums from the time – but it's still got plenty of raw production and great fuzzed out guitar that totally killer! Hard charging dirty grooves from Muddy Waters that we've always dug – and we're thrilled to see these kinds of records get some belated love! Titles include "I Am The Blues", "Hurtin Soul", "Bottom Of The Sea", "Honey Bee", "Rollin' And Tumblin'", "Screamin & Cryin", and "Blues & Trouble".

Wax Poetics is closing in on 10 years in its unrivaled coverage of classic and rare soul, jazz, hip hop and all things funky – delivering big once again with Issue #48! Nina Simone is on the front cover – with a really great feature that focuses on the unfiltered realness, honesty and blunt social awareness at the core of her life and so many of her best recordings – with artful newcomer Theophilus London on the backover. Issue #48 also has pieces on Count C, Neu!, Dom Salvador, Shock G, Yabby You, Billy Cox, Gil-Scott Heron In Memorium, Re:Discovery of treasured records by Swamp Dogg, Sarah Vaughn and Odyssey, and much more!

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.

Massive funk from CTI – some of the label's grooviest, jazziest, most soulful gems from the 70s – all hand-picked by the folks at Wax Poetics Japan! There's some familiar tracks here, and some lesser-known nuggets too – and the set is one of the grooviest CTI collections we've ever heard – filled with just the right sort of sounds to show the label's genius in its best light – including some tracks from related imprints Kudu and Salvation, too! Don't let the "dance" in the title put you off – because this isn't dance music, just tight funky jazz of the best 70s variety – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Baretta's Theme" by Ron Carter, "Macumba" by Lalo Schifrin, "Stanley's Tune" by Airto, "Star Borne" by Johnny Hammond, "Nights In White Satin" by Deodato, "Hard To Face The Music" by Idris Muhammad, "Corazon" by Hank Crawford, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by David Matthews, "Boy I Really Tied One On" by Esther Phillips, and "Sugar Free" by Hank Crawford.

Some of the best-remembered cuts from the legendary CTI Records of the 70s – all tracks that have been sampled over the years, thanks to their funky breaks and amazing grooves! CTI and Kudu have been reissued plenty in recent years, but we'll honestly say that this is one of the hippest sets we've ever heard from the label's mighty catalog – and it's got plenty of tracks that aren't that common on the reissue market – a really fresh look at CTI, one that goes way past the bigger hits of the 70s, with a focus on the label's grooves that are being dug strongly in the 21st Century! Titles include "That's All Right With Me" by Esther Phillips, "Canned Funk" by Joe Farrell, "September 13" by Deodato, "Power Of Soul" by Idris Muhammad, "I Had A Dream" by Hubert Laws, "Sister Sanctified" by Stanley Turrentine, "Ziggidy Zag" by Gabor Szabo, "People Make The World Go Round" by Freddie Hubbard, and "Wildflower" by Hank Crawford.

A killer set from Cashmere – and a batch of music that definitely turns us on! The album's got a lean, mean groove that's mighty nice – a tight, keyboard-driven approach to 80s soul – but one that's also held together beautifully by lead vocals from Dwight Dukes, who was previously a member of Heaven & Earth! Dukes has this sweet falsetto mode that works perfectly with the cuts – and on many numbers, he gets vocal support from Dean Williams, whose deeper style really helps ground the tunes nicely – making for a blend that only gets richer as the album rolls on. Groovers dominate the styles, but there's a few nice laidback numbers too – and the contrast makes for the same energy that always made a record by Heaven & Earth so great. Titles include "Contemplation", "Try Your Lovin", "Inner Feelings", "Let The Music Turn You On", and "Do It Anyway You Wanna". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Do It Anyway You Wanna (12" version)", "Let The Music Turn You On (single)", "Try Your Lovin (single)", "Do It Anyway You Wanna (inst)", "Try Your Lovin (12" inst)".

A well-conceived session that brings together 4 extremely different styles of altoists – the icy Lee Konitz, the freewheeling Phil Woods, the soulful Pony Poindexter, and the rhythmic Leo Wright – all backed by a hiply swinging modern rhythm section that includes Steve Kuhn on piano, Palle Danielsson on bass, and Jon Christensen on drums. Most tracks feature all four players soloing, and the album includes a great version of Curtis Amy's "Native Land", plus Pony's "Good Booty", Woods' "Perils Of Poda", and Benny Bailey's "Prompt".

An Orlons smoker from South Street in Philly – a perfect example of the way the city was becoming a major soul power in the early 60s! The set's got The Orlons taking on a host of other hits of the time – romping rockers, mellow ballads, and socking soul – all wrapped together in one tight little package that shows that the group, along with some Cameo Records help, can do just about anything they set their minds to! The blend of three girls and one guy makes for some unusual vocal moments – and titles include the chunky groover "South Street", plus a number of tunes in a similar mode, like "Big Daddy", "Pokey Lou", "We Got Love", "Don't Let Go", and "Between 18th & 19th On Chestnut Street".

One of the greatest of all Dusty Springfield albums – a gem of a record that mixes British pop, soul, and some very groovy orchestrations! The whole session has that kind of strident bounce that Dusty had on her best records – but which was possibly never done nearly as well as on this one! Backings are conducted by Alan Tew, Peter Night, Arthur Greenslade, and Wally Stott – Brit Easy giants all of them – and tracks include sublime gems like "Bring Him Back", "Don't Let Me Lost This Dream", "I Can't Wait Until I See My Baby's Face", "Sunny", "Welcome Home", and "Broken Blossoms".

An overlooked gem from Dexter Wansel – a mid 80s set recorded after his famous albums for Philly International, and a record that offers a nice transition of his earlier groove! The set's got a keyboard-heavy vibe – similar to the mode that Wansel brought to the studio in the late 70s, but with a different 80s spin overall – especially given the use of drum programs in most of the rhythms, and a mix of other instruments from electric sources as well. Yet given Dexter's ear for a tune, the whole thing comes together with a nice degree of warmth, and a sense of soul that's deeper than you'd expect – especially given that Virgin Records were clearly trying for a crossover hit on this one. There's some great vocals on the leadoff track by The Jones Girls – and other vocals are by Meeta Gajjar, Dr Pearl Williams Jones, and Cynthia Biggs El – who co-wrote most of the record with Wansel. Titles include "Captured", "Do What You Wanna Do", "Nam", "In The Wind", "East Meets West", "Heart On The Line", "Conversations", "Turn Me On", and "Year Of Living Dangerously". CD also features a bonus 12" mix of "Captured".

Ghetto, maybe, but it's most certainly prime era ska! Ghetto Ska is a stellar compilation of tracks from vaults of the Wirl & Federal Studios – backed by the Skatalites and featuring numbers by Theophilus Beckford, Frank Cosmo, Lloyd Clarke and others. The vocals are soulful and the shuffle rhythm in full effect here – heavy with numbers fronted by T Beckford. Includes "Don't Have A Ticket Don't Worry", "Seven Long Years" and more by T Beckford, "Come On My People" and "Brother Nathan" by Daniel Johnson, "Love Me Or Leave Me" by Lloyd Clarke, "On Your Knees" by Frank Cosmo, "Now You're Gone" by Shenley & Annette, "Streets Of Glory" by Basil Gabiddon and more.

The roots of the 70s sound of Philly International – served up here in a host of earlier tracks that have a wickedly funky sound! All numbers here are instrumentals – and all are played by some formation of players who'd later end up working for Philadelphia International Records in the MSFB studio group – but who record here under a variety of names used for obscure funky 45s! Much of the work here was cut at Sigma Sound Studios back when the label was first cutting Philly soul – and the collection features early work by artists who include Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, Earl Young, Vince Montana, Ronnie Baker, Leon Huff, Larry Washington, Ron Kersey, and others – all jamming in a way that's more hard-edged and funk-based than the Philly hits of the 70s. Titles include "Nickol Nickol" by Brothers Of Hope, "Vibrations" and "Bo Did It" by Hidden Cost, "Trippin" and "Jason Pew Mosso (part 2)" by Interpretations, "Egg Foo Wa Wa" by Race Street Chinatown Band, "Squeeze Your Knees" by Cupit, "I Can Dig It" by Daley Diggers, "Cupid's Holding" by Alliance", "Ambassador's Theme" & "Jimmy Bishop Theme" by Sam Reed Band, "Keem O Sabe" by Electric Indian, "Monte Carlo" by French Connection, and "Ando's Theme" by Ando Orchestra.