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Drummer Mike Pride's working with a great group here – some especially nice alto and tenor work from Jon Irabagon, whose angular lines really help shape the set – and a cool mix of piano and synth from Alexis Marcelo, whose electric touches at the start really help enforce the freshness of the music. Bassist Peter Bitenc slides in a mix of deep, dark tones – and the set also features guest work from Jason Stein on bass clarinet and Jonathan Moritz on tenor – each on two tracks. Pride plays some cool glockenspiel at points – and titles include "Brestwerp", "Birthing Days", "79 Beatdowns Of Infinite Justice", "Occupied Man", "Motiaon", and "Clap".

No drummer's corpse here – as, if anything, the sound of the album is more than enough to keep the drummer alive and well – thanks to work from percussionist Mike Pride, and an array of other guest players too! The title track takes up the whole first half of the album – and features Pride on drums, gongs, organ, and more – with help from an array of other percussionists who include Bobby Previte, Oran Canfield, Russell Greenberg, Tyshawn Sorey, Ches Smith, and John McLellan – all working in a very layered approach to sound that almost feels like a drum-based take on a Glen Branca score once it gets going. There's a bit of vocals layered somewhere in the mix – and on the second track, "Some Will Die Animals", the percussion is much more spare, just handled by Pride, with guitar from Chris Welcome, bass from Eivind Opsvik, and some added recitations too.

How old was Foster Sylvers when he cut this record? Seven? Eight? Whatever the case, the little tyke forever changed the face of funky music with the incredible cut "Misdemeanor" – one of those chunky funky numbers that sounds like nothing else we've ever heard, and which has been in demand on the groove scene for years and years. The cut's simply amazing, and it kicks off a record that's pretty darn tasty all-around. Young Foster's singing in kind of a Jackson Five mode – but he's got some great arrangements by Jerry Peters, David Crawford, and King Errison that keep things pretty funky on many tracks, and nice and soulful on the rest. A good portion of the numbers are covers, but even those are done nicely. Titles include the classic "Misdemeanor", plus "I'm Your Puppet", "Mockingbird", "I'll Get You In The End", "Swooperman", "More Love", "Happy Face", "Lullabye/Uncle Albert", and "Only My Love Is True".

Beats by Jay Dee. B-side by Nikki Giovanni.

Houston Person really sounds great in this later date for Muse Records – definitely the older lion in the title, surrounded by a younger pride of players who really make the record swing! The set's got a rock-solid rhythm section with Benny Green on piano, Christian McBride on bass, and Winard Harper on drums – that kind of in the pocket combo that was often the driving force of a Person-produced Muse Records session like this. Philip Harper's also in the frontline on trumpet, sparkling nicely next to the tenor – and the tunes have a relatively laidback feel, and a rich sound that hardly shows the date of the record at all. Titles include "Dig", "Dear Heart", "Sweet Love", "Like Someone In Love", and "Captain Hook".

One of Jerry Butler's funkiest moments of the 70s – served up in a fantastic soundtrack co-penned and arranged by the great Jerry Peters! Peters is best known for his hip work with a variety of soul acts in the studio, but he really steps out here for the score to Melinda – a lesser-known blacksploitation film from the early 70s, but one that boasts a heck of a great soundtrack! Peters approach here is a bit more baroque than some of his contemporaries – and he uses stepping strings equally alongside funky rhythms – creating a groove that's complicated, yet still plenty darn funky – and a sound that's as soulful on the mellower tunes as it is on the standout uptempo ones. Jerry Butler sings vocals on "Speak Truth To The People", "Tank's Theme", "Love is", and "Melinda Reprise" – but the instrumental tracks are even better, and inlcude the clavinet groover "Part III", the sitar-styled "Melinda Latino", and the cuts "Music For Tank's Boat", "The Blues (Dope Pusher's Theme)", and "I Can't Let You Go".

A record that's way way different than the sound of Jimmy Smith Blue Note work – and a much-loved set by fans of 70s funk! Jimmy's organ is still very strongly out front of the arrangements – but it's soaring over the top of grooves done by Jerry Peters and Michael "Incredible Bongo Band" Viner – tracks that have a harder, hipper style than most of Smith's other recordings from the time – in a groove that often comes close to the best blacksploitation soundtracks of the time! The drums are plenty heavy on many numbers here – kicking in a hard and heavy bottom that gives the record a few key breaks – and other numbers even use a bit of chorus vocals, but in a way that never overwhelms the tracks, just supports them with a nice righteous edge. Titles include the classic break version of "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Babe", plus "Something You Got", "Wildflower", "Hang Em High", "Groovin", "Pipeline", "Why Can't We Live Together", and "Joy".

The first album by The Sylvers – a hard soulful band made up of youngsters from LA, but who had a lot more going on than some of the other kiddie-soul bands of the early 70s! The group's a sextet at this point, with four male voices and two female ones – coming across as a sweet blend of tenor and soprano harmonies, in a similar mode to the Five Stairsteps. The record has a solid sound and a funky groove that gives you a hint at what stars the kids would grow up to be – as not only The Sylvers would go on to crack the charts big, but members Leon and Foster would do some pretty great soul work on their own. Jerry Peters did arrangements on the best cuts – with that slightly messed-up groove that he brought to his best 70s work. The record includes the great funky sample cut "Fool's Paradise", which has a great intro that steps along with a fierce bongo sample! Also includes some nice mellower soul material – like "Wish That I Could Talk to You", "I Know Myself", and "Chaos". All that, and Jerry Butler production too!

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

The first album by The Sylvers – a hard soulful band made up of youngsters from LA, but who had a lot more going on than some of the other kiddie-soul bands of the early 70s! The group's a sextet at this point, with four male voices and two female ones – coming across as a sweet blend of tenor and soprano harmonies, in a similar mode to the Five Stairsteps. The record has a solid sound and a funky groove that gives you a hint at what stars the kids would grow up to be – as not only The Sylvers would go on to crack the charts big, but members Leon and Foster would do some pretty great soul work on their own. Jerry Peters did arrangements on the best cuts – with that slightly messed-up groove that he brought to his best 70s work. The record includes the great funky sample cut "Fool's Paradise", which has a great intro that steps along with a fierce bongo sample! Also includes some nice mellower soul material – like "Wish That I Could Talk to You", "I Know Myself", and "Chaos". All that, and Jerry Butler production too!

A landmark album that is perhaps the single most influential beat source in hip hop! The record was the brainchild of bongo player Michael Viner – who also happened to be running the Pride subsidiary of MGM at the time. Viner's got a meeeeeean touch on the bongo, hitting it hard and funky like the best 70s conga players – and his approach to the instrument is kind of like a funky update of popular instrumental styles laid down on guitar by The Ventures or on moog by Hot Butter. This album features the classics "Apache" and "Bongo Rock" – both with monster funky breakdowns that showed up on a heck of a lot of hip hop records over the years – plus loads of other goodies like "Last Bongo In Belgium" and "Bongolia". Excellent stuff – and for years, it was darn hard to find! (We can still remember how stunned we were when we found our first copy in a Canadian record store back in 1987 – and even then we had to pay plenty!)

Funky funky funky! A nice one on King that shows the direction James Brown would take in the 70s – a bit harder and more funky than before, with even more of a focus on the instrumental talents of the ensemble! The band here is super-sharp – playing with that tightly focused, highly funky groove that James virtually invented at the time – ringing out with pride and boldness that are undeniable! The album mixes a few older obscure numbers with the best newer ones – and the set's a no-filler package that's filled with great cuts! Titles include "Stone Fox", "Maybe Good – Maybe Bad (parts 1 & 2)", "Here I Go", "I Got The Feelin", "You Got The Power", and "Just Plain Funk".

A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out grooves as the album rolls on will pull you even further into the fold. Most tracks roll on with that improvised studio jamming style that James was hitting at the time – a pre-JBs mode that's not as long as later years, but which still makes you feel that there probably was plenty more recorded on the dates that didn't make it into the two-part versions of the tracks! And although James is singing on most numbers, the real focus is more on the band – hitting hard, vamping sharp, and grooving massively under shouted calls and directions from Brown. Titles include two great instrumentals – "Popcorn With a Feeling" and "Top of the Stack" – plus "Little Groove Maker Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Mother Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Mashed Potato Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Any Day Now", "You're Still Out Of Sight", and "I'm Shook" – as well as the great mellower number "If I Ruled The World" – redone here as an African-American anthem of pride and power!

A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out grooves as the album rolls on will pull you even further into the fold. Most tracks roll on with that improvised studio jamming style that James was hitting at the time – a pre-JBs mode that's not as long as later years, but which still makes you feel that there probably was plenty more recorded on the dates that didn't make it into the two-part versions of the tracks! And although James is singing on most numbers, the real focus is more on the band – hitting hard, vamping sharp, and grooving massively under shouted calls and directions from Brown. Titles include two great instrumentals – "Popcorn With a Feeling" and "Top of the Stack" – plus "Little Groove Maker Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Mother Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Mashed Potato Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Any Day Now", "You're Still Out Of Sight", and "I'm Shook" – as well as the great mellower number "If I Ruled The World" – redone here as an African-American anthem of pride and power!

A bomb! The title of this one says it all – a burning anthem of pride and power, issued in 1969, at the end of one of the most troubling decades in America. James answers all the Uncle Tom cries from his critics – and comes up with "Say It Loud", an instant chant that was taken up around the world, and which still packs a pretty hard punch today! The album's filled with other excellent cuts – like the tasty funk number "Lickin' Stick", with some rocket-driven guitar, and the great instrumental "Shades of Brown". Other titles include "Goodbye My Love (parts 1&2)", "Let Them Talk", "I Love You", and "I Guess I'll Have To Cry Cry Cry".

A tremendously beautiful album – and a righteous anthem of power and growth that seems to open itself up to us more and more over the years! Earth Wind & Fire are at their height here – mixing together soul and funk with a set of influences that includes African percussion and Brazilian jazz – then blending the whole thing effortlessly into a cosmic sound that's simply breathless! "Keep Your Head To The Sky" is a song of pride that became an instant underground classic; "Zanzibar" is an incredible reworking of Edu Lobo's famous composition, turning the Brazilian baroque track into a spacey groover that soars on for 13 minutes; and "Evil" is a great tune that features the electrified Kalimba that became the band's sonic and legal trademark over the years! Other titles include "The World's A Masquerade", "Clover", and "Build Your Nest".

A key 70s moment of pride for the New York Latin scene – and one of a number of crucial live sets cut by the legendary Fania All Stars! The group were invited to play a three day music festival in Zaire in 1974 – timed to coincide with the Rumble In The Jungle Ali/Foreman fight – and after blowing the crowd away on the first night of the festival, they took the stage again for a massive encore on the last night – recorded here in all its glory! The energy of the set is amazing – as some of New York's greatest Latin artists of the time rock the house in front of a crowd of 80,000 Africans – creating a cultural exchange that should have made the State Department blush. Numbers include "En Orbita", "Guantanamera", "Quimbara", "El Raton", "Mi Gente", and "Ponte Duro". Package includes the full original film, plus lots of bonus footage that's extra-cool – including some great location shots in Zaire! Also features the full album on CD - but with more cuts than the film!

The first-ever tribute to this overlooked genius of southern soul – a set that brings together the rare early 70s singles from Dan Greer, plus a huge amount of unreleased work as well! Dan recorded these cuts for the Sounds Of Memphis label, in a style that really shows the changes in southern soul taking place at the time – that rich move forward you'd hear in the music of Sam Dees, Jimmy Lewis, and other key contemporaries who, along with Greer, really helped shake free of some of the 60s cliches of the genre – and stepped forth strongly with a sense of pride and power that's really amazing! The music's definitely got a Memphis vibe, but also echoes a bit of Nashville and Jackson soul as well – and Greer's slight lyrical twang is a really great fit for the slight bite in the way he puts his songs together. Titles include "Hook Line & Singer", "Shell Of A Man", "Thanks To You Girl", "How Does It Feel", "Bless You", "Voodoo Woman", "Share", "So Good To Be Young", "Any Moment Now", "Natural Reaction", "Only The Beginning", and "I'm A Lucky Guy".

Millie Jackson's feelin bitchy – and letting a whole new side of her talents show! After the sweet southern soul sound of her early recordings, the Jackson style takes a sharp shift here – letting a bitchier side show up more strongly, and really setting the tone for the next great chapter of her music! Some of the set still features the older style production work by Brad Shapiro – but that's also pushed out by a smoother more modern soul feel on most of the record – one that has Millie emerging with a lot more pride, presence, and power than ever – all-woman, and all in control! Titles include the 10 minute Latimore cut "All The Way Lover", which has a great monologue that would even make Latimore blush – plus the tracks "A Little Taste Of Outside Love", "Feelin Like A Woman", "Angel In Your Arms", and the great "If You're Not Back In Love By Monday". CD also features 3 bonus tracks – "Lovin Your Good Thing Away (alt vocal)", "Angel In Your Arms (alt vocal)", and "If You're Not Back In Love By Monday (alt vocal)".

The 2 fantastic albums Shorty Long cut for Soul/Motown – '68's funky Here Comes The Judge & '69's soulful Prime Of Shorty Long – a perfect pair, put together with 2 bonus tracks and great notes by the rare soul-reverent heroes at Kent UK! The CD kicks off with the Here Come The Judge – a fantastic album of funky soul – actually only one of two albums he cut – and the only one that was issued before his untimely early death – a killer batch of tracks that mix together funk, Detroit soul, and a great sense of humor! The album kicks off with Shorty's hit single "Here Comes The Judge", a funky musical version of the "judge" routine that had been knocking around the Chittlin Circuit comedy scene for years, particularly in the work of Pigmeat Markham. The album also features Shorty's legendary "soul party" cut, "Function At The Junction", plus lots of other tasty numbers like "Night Fo Last" (done in vocal and instrumental versions)", "Here Comes Fat Albert", "Stranded In the Jungle", "Don't Mess With My Weekend", "Ain't No Justice", and "Sing What You Wanna". The Prime Of Shorty Long is a beautiful album from Shorty – issued shortly after his early death from drowning at the age of 29 – and an amazing document of the mighty soul powers he would have had in years to come! There's a depth here that Shorty never had before – a sense of power and righteousness that comes through not just in the vocals, but in the construction of the songs as well – very tight, with a musical vision that shows a sense of pride and power that was never present in Long's earlier singles. Paul Riser handled the arrangements, in a way that really illustrates that cresting Motown intensity at the start of the 70s – and titles include "Whiter Shade Of Pale", "Baby Come Home To Me", "When You Are Available", "The Deacon Work", "Give Me Some Air", "I Had A Dream", and "I Wish You Were Here". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "Mobile Lil The Dancing Witch" (previously unissued stereo mix) and "Chantilly Lace" (previously unissued stereo alternative version).

Deep grooves from Marc Mac – a set that's way earthier than any of his 4 Hero projects – and which is almost a tribute to the soulful sounds that have shaped his music over the years! The package is a bit similar to Mac's previous Right To Be Civil collection – and definitely has a similar aesthetic in the cover art – and the grooves here are forged from older samples, but reworked completely – way way different than any of the base elements that make them up, and abstracted with the kind of cosmic twists and turns we've always loved from Marc. There's also some great snippets of found spoken bits – showing especially the role of African American soldiers in the Vietnam era – and these give an added political bent to the whole project, albeit in a less direct way. Titles include "Afro Pride Soldier", "Feelin Like Clay", "Saigon Say No", "Brand New Thinkin", "Reflection Time", "War Baby Bloods", "Keep Your Word", and "Fort Bragg Revolution".

Masta Killa continues to keep the Wu Tang flag flying with pride – with appearances by nearly the whole clique – including Ghostface, Raekwon, RZA, Meth, Deck, U-God and GZA! 16 tracks including "Born Chamber", "Last Drink", "Secret Rivals", "Digi Warfare", "Silverbacks", and more.

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players".

Some serious slammin from The Pointer Sisters – still going strong here, near the end of an amazing run of records done with producer Richard Perry! The late 80s vibe is definitely in place – as the beats are a lot more upfront than previously for the trio – a bumpin, thumping approach to the groove that really lives up to the title – and which serves to be a perfect way to emphasize the hook-heavy approach to soul that was always the Sisters' strongest suit. The album's filled with crossover gems – and titles include "Shut Up & Dance", "He Turned Me Out", "Flirtatious", "I'm In Love", "My Life (rmx)", "Pride", "I Will Be There", and "Moonlight Dancing". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Translation (rmx)", "I'm In Love (single)", "He Turned Me Out (ext radio)", "Be There (12" ext)", and "He Turned Me Out (ext dance mix)".

Billy Preston right in the middle of a classic 70s run – hitting a trademark blend of soul, jazz, and other groovy influences – all with a sound that's very much his own, and which puts him in the same company as Sly Stone or Stevie Wonder! Preston's market was a bit more mainstream than those two, but at this point in his career he's very much on top of his game – really pulling together all the experience of woodshedding in the 60s, and bursting forth with a sense of pop power and pride that's totally great! Billy plays a fair bit of different keyboards on the set – and rhythms run from the respected Preston romping modes, to others that are a bit more laidback and soulful. Titles include the hit "Nothing From Nothing", plus "St Elmo", "Sometimes I Love You", "You Are So Beautiful", "Creature Feature", "Tell Me You Need My Loving", "Sad Sad Song", and "Sister Sugar".

An incredible set of low rolling, hypnotic dub genius from true reggae Revolutionaries – a batch of amazing tunes centered around the amazing drums of Sly Dunbar – cut in the mid-to-late 70s height of the Channel One groove! This might be the strongest collection of dubs that Pressure Sounds has ever compiled – benchmark work all the way – from the chugging, echoey guitar groove, to the heavy bass lines, to the sublime vocals. Amazing stuff mined from singles on the Channel One, Well Charge and Disco Mix labels. The set starts out with the incredible "Kunta Kinte Version One" – one of the most legendary dub plates ever, and other titles include "Hotter Fire Version", "Rootes Dub", "Pride & Ambition Version", "Dunkirk", "War Version", "Jah Creation Version", "Rude On Marchus Version", "Swell Headed", "Catonine Version", "Tivoli Skank", "Plantation Heights Version" and more.

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, you'll find an undercurrent of politics, feminism, and social commentary delivered with surprising intensity. Marlena Shaw's voice is generally sweet, but she's set up in some extremely powerful arrangements by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that recast even the simplest phrase into a whole new setting of strength and pride – and Bobby Miller of Dells fame also helped make the record what it is, and helped write some of the best songs on the record. The set includes Marlena's classic original reading of "Woman Of The Ghetto", which has been sampled by just about everyone, plus "California Soul", which has a nice hard break, and the tunes "Liberation Conversation", "Where Can I Go?", and the original version of "Go Away Little Boy" – as sweet a statement of womanhood if there ever was one!

Grady's most obscure album – and one that's got much more of a jazzy tip than his other ones. Richard Tee plays electric piano, and the band includes Billy Butler, George Coleman, and Ron Carter – all of whom do their best to keep things hip, and not fall into some of the schmaltzier moments that you get on other Grady Tate LPs. The big track on here is Grady's jazzy cover of "Moondance" – which is a great jazzy dancer – and the LP also includes "Movin Day", "You're A Lady", and "Love Has No Pride".

60s soul treasures from a trio of New York labels reverered for so many great singles – Sceptor, Wand and Musicor – in a great collection from Kent UK! It's filled with group acts and solo stars, soaringly emotional cuts and rawer rumbling R&B, even some early strains of funk – and includes a number of previously unissued songs from the vault that are just as sweet as the regional hits of the time. The genuine love of the material that goes into these Kent and Ace compilations continues to impress! 24 tracks in all: "That's No Way To Treat A Girl" by Marie Night, "I Want A Guarantee" by Maxine Brown, "Stick By Me" by Ed Townsend, "Sweeping Your Dirt Under My Rag" by Ann Bailey, "Diamond Ring" by The Fabulous Dinos, "So Help Me Woman" by George Tindley, "Speed Up" by Betty Moore, "You Got It Baby" by The Toys, "Walking With Pride" by Dan & The Clean Cuts, "Ain't No Love Lost" by Patti Jo and more.

B-sides, remixes and exclusive tracks from team Record Kicks – tracks by Third Coast Kings, Kokolo, Nick Pride & The Pimptones, Crabs Corporation, Diplomats Of Solid Sound, Ray Harris & The Fusion Exerience and more! Funk DJ and producer Smoove and picked the tracks, and the titles include "Spicy Brown" by Third Coast Kings, "Prophets Bound To Christ" by William Joseph Fowler & The Disciples, "Fuoco" by Trio Valore, "Give Me One More Chance (Lack Of Afro Mix)" by Diplomats Of Solid Sound, "Rags To Riches (Ray Lugo rmx)" by The Liberators, "Under My Skin" by The Hawk feat Little Hannah Collins, "Deep Fried Funk" by Hannah Williams & The Tastemakers, "Witness" by New Mastersounds and more. 18 tracks on the CD.

Some serious slammin from The Pointer Sisters – still going strong here, near the end of an amazing run of records done with producer Richard Perry! The late 80s vibe is definitely in place – as the beats are a lot more upfront than previously for the trio – a bumpin, thumping approach to the groove that really lives up to the title – and which serves to be a perfect way to emphasize the hook-heavy approach to soul that was always the Sisters' strongest suit. The album's filled with crossover gems – and titles include "Shut Up & Dance", "He Turned Me Out", "Flirtatious", "I'm In Love", "My Life (rmx)", "Pride", "I Will Be There", and "Moonlight Dancing".

An incredible record that was one of the highest points of Donald Byrd's career! The album's the third one he cut with producer/arranger Larry Mizell – and of all Byrd's work with Mizell, this one's the funkiest, the tightest, the most soulful, and the most perfectly realized vision of the smooth jazz funk sound that the team were aiming at. Every track is a winner – and the album glides along with a slippery sinewy groove, never pausing for a weak moment or a misplaced note, shimmering with pride in its own genius. Byrd's trumpet soars over the top, banking gracefully over waves of funky drums, spacey keyboards, and extremely well-placed vocals – all brought together perfectly by Mizell, with a tightly fused style that few people have ever been able to match in the studio since! Tracks include "Change (Makes You Want To Hustle)", "Dominoes", "Wind Parade", "Places & Spaces", and "Night Whistler".

Two classics from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on one CD! Last Days & Time is Earth Wind & Fire's first album for Columbia Records – the start of a really legendary run during the 70s! The sound here is a bit tighter than their first two for Warner Brothers – a groove that has funk and soul taking a bit more precedence over the jazz of their roots – but all in a blend that's completely fresh and unique, and which takes all the righteous energy of the past, and focuses it here even more strongly! And while the groovers are great, there's also a few sweet numbers that are almost even better – some slightly mellow tracks that don't hit that commercial ballad sound of the group's later years – and which almost have an earthy, organic feel overall. The whole thing's tremendous – truly essential work by the group at their best – and titles include "I'd Rather Have You", "They Don't See", "Make It With You", "Remember The Children", "Mom", "Power", and "Time Is On Your Side". Head To The Sky is a tremendously beautiful album – and a righteous anthem of power and growth that seems to open itself up to us more and more over the years! Earth Wind & Fire are at their height here – mixing together soul and funk with a set of influences that includes African percussion and Brazilian jazz – then blending the whole thing effortlessly into a cosmic sound that's simply breathless! "Keep Your Head To The Sky" is a song of pride that became an instant underground classic; "Zanzibar" is an incredible reworking of Edu Lobo's famous composition, turning the Brazilian baroque track into a spacey groover that soars on for 13 minutes; and "Evil" is a great tune that features the electrified Kalimba that became the band's sonic and legal trademark over the years! Other titles include "The World's A Masquerade", "Clover", and "Build Your Nest".

Massive work from Aretha Franklin's ultra-hip sister – singer Carolyn Franklin, a soul artist that we'd gladly trade for Aretha any time! Carolyn got her start in deep soul modes that were somewhat similar to Aretha's work on Atlantic – but she also worked with production that was a bit looser, freer, and more open to righteous influences than some of her sister's hit-bound sessions – and over the course of 4 albums for RCA she recorded some tremendously hip and funky tunes! This package is one of the first times that Carolyn's material has ever officially made it into the reissue years – and it brings together some of the best cuts from her RCA albums, including work arranged by Horace Ott, Wade Marcus, Bert De Coteaux, and other soul legends. There's a good deal of funk in the mix here – heavy bottoms on the tunes that really make them snap alongside the righteous vocals – and the package is easily one of the hardest-hitting sets of female soul you could ever hope to buy! 22 tracks in all – including "If You Want Me", "There I Go", "Ain't That Groovy", "Boxer", "Reality", "Chain Reaction", "Don't Wake Me Up In The Morning Michael", "Not On The Outside", "Boy I Love You", "You Are Everything", "Shattered Pride", "I Can't Help My Feeling So Blue", "As Long As You Are There", and "You Can Have My Soul".

The complete collection of Hag's 60s singles at Capitol – with some of his most legendary songs – along with some equal treasures that just didn't hit as big on the charts! It's a pretty tightly-focused set that starts with the formative, Bakersfield honky tonk-honed style of the earlier singles and segues pretty early to his popular and creative peaks as both a performer and songwriter! That smoky smooth voice is as great as it would ever be during this period, and he really starts showing his storytelling excellence on these songs, too. To this day, Haggard doesn't get the credit he deserves for his empathetic songcraft – and many of his best songs are in this set! 28 tracks in all: "I'm Gonna Break Every Heart In Can", "Falling For You", "Swinging Doors", "The Bottle Let Me Down", "Silver Wings", "Branded Man", "Sing Me Back Home", "The Fugitive", "You'll Never Love Me Now", "If I Had Left It Up To You", "Someone Told My Story", "I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am",

A mid 70s funky classic from the Isleys – but also one that we love for number of excellent mellower tracks! Sure, the Isleys could wear flashy suits and play some heavy guitar with the best and and the funkiest combos of the era – but honestly, what might really love them more here for the laidback, loving tunes they do so well. We actually think that this album includes 2 of their greatest ballad tracks ever – "Voyage To Atlantis" and "Footsteps In The Dark" – plus the great midtempo tune "Tell Me When You Need It Again" – but the whole thing is a treasure! Other tracks include "Climbin Up The Ladder (Part 1 & 2)", "The Pride (Parts 1 & 2)", and "Go For Your Guns". This Big Break UK remastered edition includes 3 bonus tracks: "Voyage To Atlantis (Alternate Version)", "The Pride (Part 1) (Single Version)" and "Voyage To Atlantis (Single Version)".

A full funky session from master drummer Bernard Purdie – a set that expands out his previous Prestige vibe, and almost goes for a soundtrack scope to match the record's Shaft title! The set leads off with a great take on the Isaac Hayes hit – one that follows in the same fully-flowing, slow-building mode as Ike's – but which comes across here as an instrumental with some great solo work from Houston Person – playing here almost in a Stanley Turrentine sort of mode! Other tracks continue the hip mix of jazz and larger backings – and feature a lineup of players that includes Neal Creque on electric piano, Gerry Thomas and Danny Moore on trumpets, Willie Bridges and Houston Person on tenors, Billy Nichols and Lloyd Davis on guitars, Gordon Edwards on Fender bass, and Norman Pride on congas. The sound is warm without ever sounding too smooth – and Purdie's funky drums at the bottom ensure that most tunes are nicely lively. Titles include "Shaft", "Butterfingers", "Summer Melody", "Changes", "Way Back Home", and "Attica".

A sweet set of sophisticated soul from the always-great Marlena Shaw! After cutting some jazzier sides at Cadet in the late 60s, and some super mellow fusion ones at Blue Note in the early 70s, Marlena moved to big fame at Columbia during the mid 70s – working in a righteous smooth soul approach that skated the line between warm romantic ballads and righteous statements of female pride and power. The ultimate example of this is her fantastic remake of "Go Away Little Boy", merged here with the tune "Yu Ma", into a 7 minute track that has a sublime monologue in the middle – one in which Marlena accuses her man of hiding behind his heritage to not get down to business at a day to day level! Other tracks show Marlena as one of the most expressive, most together women in soul during the 70s – and this 14 track package is a perfect introduction to her work at Columbia! Titles include "Sweet Beginnings", "Walk Softly", "No One Yet", "Love Dancin", "Pictures & Memories", "Touch Me In The Morning", "I Wonder", "Moonrise", "I Think I'll Tell Him", and "Rhythm Of Love".

A mighty strong late effort from U-Roy – a record that features a solid roster of legendary and contemporary guests – and one that shows that The Originator can still deliver a fresh, timeless original record even this late in the game! U-Roy is classic-era toaster who sounds perfectly at home in a contemporary setting, so it stands to reason that the mode here would be mix of classic and new rhythms. It works really, really well and The Originator is fine and fresh form! Includes "Love Questions" with Marcia Griffiths, "Pray For Di People", "Border Line" feat Chezidek, "Call On Jah" feat Harrison Stafford, "Cheating Girl" feat Ernest Wilson, "Ebony Eyes" feat Winsome Benjamin, "Pumps And Pride" with Tarrus Riley, "Reason With Jah" feat Horace Andy, "Ungrateful Girl" with Richard Robinson and more.

Excellent work from Stevie Wonder – and a record that really has him emerging strongly as an adult soul singer! The set's got a joyous power that's undeniable – a sense of pride and place that really points the way at the Stevie of the 70s, and which has Wonder stretching out wonderfully on his vocals. Titles include the stellar "I Was Made To Love Her" – a cut with a choppy groove that made it one of the more unique crossover tunes of the late 60s, and with a complicated mix of vocal and musical bits that still always blows us away. Other tracks include "Baby Don't You Do It", "A Fool For You", "I'd Cry", "Send Me Some Lovin", and the ill-titled "Every Time I See You I Go Wild".

A seminal Dee Jay LP from Jah Youth. Mad, bad riddims – courtesy Gussie Clarke, Big Youth's prowess on the microphone and a smattering of nice dub like effects blend to create a landmark early 70s reggae LP, forever raising the bar for DeeJays. 12 numbers in all, including "The Killer", "Screaming Target", "Tipper Tone Rock", "Pride & Joy Rock", "Lee A Low", "Honesty", "I Am Alright", "These Fine Days", "Be Careful" and "Solomon A Gunday".

A monster album of 70s salsa – and one that has bad boy Willie Colon taking the Latin world by storm – forging the new sound that would push him and the New York scene into the frontline of 70s Latin! Willie's got a strength on the set that's very much in keeping with his machine gun pose on the cover – a no-nonsense salsa groove that's overflowing with righteous pride and youthful energy – consciously aware of its new direction, and not afraid to show it! The album features the classic dancefloor groover "Che Che Cole", plus the tracks "Lo Me Llores Mas", "Sonero Mayor", "Sangrigorda", "Ausencia", and "Te Conozco".

A long-overdue look at the mighty mid 60s work of The Falcons – a group who are usually only covered during their early doo wop years, but who went onto do some tremendous group soul as well! The work here features many of the group's excellent recordings for the Big Wheel label with vocalist Sonny Munro in the lead – a really great singer who more than carries on the strong traditions started in the group by earlier singers who include Eddie Floyd and Wilson Pickett! The Big Wheel work is really great – often a bit Northern and upbeat, but with a very deep vocal style overall that's totally great. Added to the set is some additional material that Sonny Munro cut in later years – showing him to be an equally great solo act, working in some more sophisticated modern soul modes – briefly recording for Epic in the 70s, but represented here on some previously unissued tracks from the time. CD also features two tremendous Falcons-backed cuts on Big Wheel with singer Sandy Hollis in the lead – "I'm Tempted" and "Tables Will Turn" – plus the cuts "Good Good Feeling", "Standing On Guard", "Love You Like You Never Been Loved", "I Can't Help It", "Love Love Love", "In Time For The Blues", and "Standing On Guard" by The Falcons – as well as "Don't Leave Me Alone", "On The Other Side Of Pride", "Why Do I Let You Do The Things You Do", and "I'm Tired Of Being Your Play Thing" by Sonny Munro.

Nothin like the blues at all – and instead one of the most freeform, outside recordings we've ever heard from tenor player Jon Irabagon – working here in a mighty fierce trio with Mick Barr on guitar and Mike Pride on drums and nose whistle! The album is one long blast of noise – drums, guitar, and tenor all working together at an equal pace, and equal sonic sensibility – so that the whole thing's a lot more powerful than you might guess from the title or the cover. Jon's always grabbed our ears with his music – either solo or in the group Mostly Other People Do The Killing – but this is easily his most intense effort to date!

A great little album from Jeannie Reynolds – and her lasting contribution to underground soul! Jeannie's vocals are nice and deep – with hints of southern diva phrasing, filtered through some of the tighter soul styles coming out of Chicago and other points north at the time! Detroit talents LJ Reynolds, Tony Hester, and Don Davis produce – save for one song by Michael Henderson – and the big highlight is the slow groover "The Fruit Song", a sly seductive stepper of a track, with rolling congas, sweeping strings, and a very catchy hook from Jeannie. That number runs for about 7 minutes long – and the album also includes a number of nice shorter cuts, like "I've Still Got My Pride", "The Feelin' Ain't There", and "You Want To Get Your Hands On A Woman" – all wonderful numbers that will have you loving Jeannie as one of your favorite new discoveries in 70s soul!

A brilliant testament to the righteous power of soul music in the civil rights era – and key proof that even a subtle message could do a lot back in the day! The package presents the work in roughly chronological order – starting from a time when politics had to be peddled softly, and moving towards a time when things could be a bit more explicit – showing a great evolution of themes of pride and power, offered up in tunes both familiar and obscure. The collection is way more than a "hip hits of the 60s" sort of set – and acts almost as a mini-documentary of the contributions of soul music to civil rights – supported by a great set of notes and photos in the booklet. We're especially happy to see the track "Have You Ever Seen The Blues" by Yaphet Kotto – alongside 22 more titles that include "Blues For Mr Charlie" by Lou Gosset & Joe Lee Wilson, "The Ghetto" by Homer Banks, "We're A Winner" by The Impressions, "When Will We Be Paid" by The Staple Singers, "Oh Lord Why Lord" by Parliament, "Message From A Black Man" by The Spinners, "Run Charlie Run" by The Temptations, "Cryin In The Streets (parts 1 & 2)" by George Perkins & The Silver Stars, "Free At Last" by Jackie Day, "Someday We'll All Be Free" by Donny Hathaway, and "The Prayer" by Ray Scott.

A funky album – but one that we love best for the mellow tracks! Sure, the Isleys could wear flashy suits and play some heavy guitar – but honestly, what we really love them for here are the laidback, loving tunes they do so well. The album includes 2 of their greatest ballad tracks ever – "Voyage To Atlantis" and "Footsteps In The Dark" – plus the midtempo tune "Tell Me When You Need It Again", another great track that almost has the same power as the other two. Other tracks include "Climbin Up The Ladder", "The Pride", and "Go For Your Guns".

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".

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, you'll find an undercurrent of politics, feminism, and social commentary delivered with surprising intensity. Marlena Shaw's voice is generally sweet, but she's set up in some extremely powerful arrangements by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that recast even the simplest phrase into a whole new setting of strength and pride – and Bobby Miller of Dells fame also helped make the record what it is, and helped write some of the best songs on the record. The set includes Marlena's classic original reading of "Woman Of The Ghetto", which has been sampled by just about everyone, plus "California Soul", which has a nice hard break, and the tunes "Liberation Conversation", "Where Can I Go?", and the original version of "Go Away Little Boy" – as sweet a statement of womanhood if there ever was one!

A heavy-hitting batch of salsa from the legendary Fania Records catalog – and a collection that's almost more on fire than the first volume in the series! As before, the tracks here showcase the best sounds of New York's glory days for Latin music – that point in the 70s when the scene was exploding anew with a fresh sense of power and pride – and really hitting the best elements of the groove that was starting to be known as salsa! The package digs a bit deeper than before, and features some great lesser-known gems – and like other titles from the revived Fania, the packaging and presentation is superb. Titles include "El Remolon" by Cabrerita, "Timbalero Mayor" by Menique, "Payaso" by La Muralla, "Resignacion" by Gilberto Cruz, "Don Anastacio" by Javier Vazquez, "Arenque" by Alfredo Vargas, "Nosotros" by Monguito Santamaria, "Catano" by Justo Betancourt, "La Fiera" by Kako & Azuquita, and "Dejame En Paz" by Johnny Colon.

A cool combat-themed country rock record by The Red Rippers – largely the work of songwriter and Vietnam veteran Lt. Edwin Bankston – and a pretty riveting obscurity from the early 80s private press vaults! The sounds range from breezy, Creedence-styled backdrops and 70s outlaw country inspired grooves, to more of a fuzzed out, slightly harder-edged feel – but it's the lyricism that really pushes Red Rippers into a different realm. It's full of war-wizened songs about forgotten soldiers, bloody jungle battles and other prideful and mournful tales from this veteran's point of view! The difference between the catchy, if quite raw tunefulness and the frank lyricism gives it a really dichotomous, intriguing feel! Includes "I Roll", "Soldier Of Fortune", "Firefight", "Who Remembers", "Vietnam Blues", "The Dark And Bloody Road", "She's Been Down", "Body Bag".

A cool combat- themed country rock record by The Red Rippers – largely the work of songwriter and Vietnam veteran Lt. Edwin Bankston – and a pretty riveting obscurity from the early 80s private press vaults! The sounds range from breezy, Creedence-styled backdrops and 70s outlaw country inspired grooves, to more of a fuzzed out, slightly harder-edged feel – but it's the lyricism that really pushes Red Rippers into a different realm. It's full of war-wizened songs about forgotten soldiers, bloody jungle battles and other prideful and mournful tales from this veteran's point of view! The difference between the catchy, if quite raw tunefulness and the frank lyricism gives it a really dichotomous, intriguing feel! Includes "I Roll", "Soldier Of Fortune", "Firefight", "Who Remembers", "Vietnam Blues", "The Dark And Bloody Road", "She's Been Down", "Body Bag".