All Categories — All Formats  

Wow! The one-and-only album by Trinidadian combo Black Truth Rhythm Band – a completely incredible one at that – hypnotic Caribbean funky soul, jazz and wildly impressive musicianship all around by this group led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Oluko Imo. The record was made in the mid 70s era in which the Afro Funk sound was hitting it's peak – when African rhythms and James Brown style funk were being fused so furiously – but Black Truth Rhythm Band take a different approach, working more with sounds from African spectrum and the West Indies. It's really amazing stuff that takes unpredictable twists from stripped down rhythms, to jazzy guitars and cosmic synths – always with straight up brilliant playing by the group. A fusion of African rhythms, strains of Calypso and boundary free jazzy grooves that balance and exploratory sensibility with tight, irresistible rhythms. Soundway raises the bar once again! Titles include "Ifetayo", "You People", "Saved Musician", "Kilimanjaro", "Aspire", "Umbala" and the bonus track "Imo".

Otis Clay, still going strong – stepping out here on a sweet new recording from the Chicago scene – done with that warm mix of modern modes and deep soul roots we really love from his work of the late 70s! Clay's vocals have, if anything, only gotten better with age – really able to find the right notes and inflections to make the music sparkle – even more so than some of Otis records from back in the day! Instrumentation is relatively laidback – done in a mode that's a bit like some of the Jackson or Memphis styles at the start of the 80s, but without any of the bluesy inflections that might get in the way of the sort of solid soul performance that Clay delivers here. The legendary Tom Tom 84 handled many of the arrangements on the set – and although most of the material is new, Otis also tweaked a few older favorites for the set – to make for a nice long album, too. Titles include "Love's After Me", "All That's Missing Is You", "Walk A Mile In My Shoes", "Even Now", "I Thought You Knew", "Truth Is", "I Know I'm Over You", "Even When I Win", "I Keep Trying", "Steal Away To The Hideaway", and "The Only Way Is Up".

For your collection of little kid rap records, though this one's a bit more worthwhile for the Diamond D, Lord Finesse, Biz Markie and Erick Sermon beats. Includes "Head Or Gut", "Crumbsnatcher", "We Getz Buzy" and "Stick 'Em Up".

Although some of the albums that Mandrill made were a bit weak, and had too much hippy-dippy stuff, this one is one of their best albums, and has a nice hard funky sound that they didn't always match. The album includes the funky break classic track "Fencewalk", plus other groovers like "Hang Loose", and "Don't Mess with People". Nice reissue, on good US vinyl!

One is one of their best albums, and has a nice hard funky sound that they didn't always match. The album includes the funky break classic track "Fencewalk", plus other groovers like "Hang Loose", and "Don't Mess with People".

The one and only album by Moment Of Truth – a short-lived group with a mighty east coast club groove! The set soars with a sound that's in the mode of the best Philly work of the mid 70s – clubby, but not too caught up in disco cliches, and handled with plenty of soul on the vocals and the rhythms. Reid Whitlaw and Norman Bergen produced, and though their names aren't the most well known in the Salsoul roster, they do a great job with both the uptempo numbers and the sophisticated ballads. Includes "Lovin You is Killin Me", "You Got Me Hummin", "Helplessly", and "You're All I Want You to Be". CD features loads of bonus tracks – including "Lovin You Is Killin Me (12" mix)", "Lovin You Is Killin Me (Tom Moulton 12" mix)", "You Got Me Hummin (Rafael Charres 12" mix)", "Helplessly (Tom Moulton 12" mix)", "So Much For Love (Tom Moulton 12" mix)", and "Lovin You Is Killin Me (orig single)".

One of the all-time classics of early 60s mainstream jazz – and a beautiful record that showcases writing and arranging talents of Oliver Nelson! Nelson had been bumping around a variety of sessions before this one – as a leader, sideman, and arranger – but it was with this album that his true talents really unfolded – sparkling with a depth of imagination and expression that marked him as one of the greatest artists in 60s American jazz! The group on the set is an all-star sextet – featuring Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes, and Freddie Hubbard – a disparate group of players who manage to come together with Nelson and find a unique voice that's rarely been duplicated again! The album features 6 fantastic compositions by Nelson, including "Stolen Moments", "Hoe Down", and "Yearnin". A fantastic record – and one that you can't go wrong with!

Sweet vocals, great grooves, and a wonderful overlooked album, a real heavy hitter that stands with some of the best major label soul of the time! Truth are the duo of Leo Green and Larry Hancock – both singers with a talent for hitting notes that are sometimes sweet, sometimes jazzy, and occasionally really heartfelt almost in a classic soul mode. The rhythms often step along at a nice midtempo modern pace, but sometimes cook things up a bit more – and arrangements are tight and jazzy throughout, handled by Dunn Pearson Jr. Titles include "Understanding", "Touch Me", "See You Later", "It's Gonna Take A Miracle", and "Coming Home".

A very sweet little album by this great Motown group! The record was produced by Norman Whitfield, and it's a perfect example of the rumbling funky soul sound that he was developing at the time – a mixture of heavy bass, rumbling percussion, fuzzy guitars, and a stone righteous sound that pushed soul music firmly into the 70s! The songs are mostly all originals written by him and Barrett Strong – and the band is filled with great players like Dennis Coffey, Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffith, and the great Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin. Titles include "Ungena Za Ulimwengu (Unite The World) Friendship Train", "What It Is?", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "What's Going On", and "You Make Your Own Heaven & Hell Right Here On Earth".

An unstoppable groove from The Undisputed Truth – a group who worked with Norman Whitfield in the same psychedelic soul territory as The Temptations – and who arguably got the sound across even better than them! This set's not as much of a bit hit as the group's other records from the time – but that makes it sound even fresher and more fierce – loads of those hard-rolling basslines you'd expect from Whitfield's production – and some soaring arrangements from Paul Riser and David Van DePitte, both of whom give the album a sense of majesty to match its inherent righteousness. Titles include "Law of The Land" and "Mama I Got A Brand New Thing" – plus covers of Temps tunes "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Just My Imagination" – and other covers that include "Love & Happiness", "If I Die", "Feelin' Alright", and "Killing Me Softly", done in the full soul mode of the group.

A perfect example groove that got The Undisputed Truth big hit fame in the early 70s – sort of a rumbling funk, full-on approach, using male/female vocals in kind of a "wall of soul" approach. Includes the huge hit "Smiling Faces Sometimes", plus lots of covers of cool tracks like "California Soul", "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ball Of Confusion", and "You Got The Love I Need". Norman Whitfield production all the way through, with a lot of nice twists similar to those he was taking with other Motown groups at the time.

A perfect example groove that got The Undisputed Truth big hit fame in the early 70s – sort of a rumbling funk, full-on approach, using male/female vocals in kind of a "wall of soul" approach. Includes the huge hit "Smiling Faces Sometimes", plus lots of covers of cool tracks like "California Soul", "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ball Of Confusion", and "You Got The Love I Need". Norman Whitfield production all the way through, with a lot of nice twists similar to those he was taking with other Motown groups at the time.

Incredibly beautiful work from Willie Wright – an album of folksy soul with a slight island spirit – one that nicely nestles Willie's music in a space somewhere between the best 70s work of Terry Callier and Jon Lucien! The sound is wonderful – lean, stripped-down, and wonderfully personal – just the right fit for the sensitive lyrics in Wright's tunes! Instrumentation is mostly bass and guitar, plus some great flute and light percussion – produced with a sound that's just right, too – hardly what you'd expect for the time, without any too-slick modes at all. This beautiful reissue may well set a whole new standard for the Numero label, too – as it comes with the usual great sound and rich notes, plus a great package that also features a bonus 7" single of Wright's classic "Right On For The Darkness" and "Africa"! There's also 3 bonus tracks added to the core record – and titles include "Nantucket Island", "Lady Of The Year", "Love Is Expensive", "Dressing For The Occasion", "Indian Reservation", "Son Don't Let Life Pass You By", and "It's Only Life That's All".

Incredibly beautiful work from Willie Wright – an album of folksy soul with a slight island spirit – one that nicely nestles Willie's music in a space somewhere between the best 70s work of Terry Callier and Jon Lucien! The sound is wonderful – lean, stripped-down, and wonderfully personal – just the right fit for the sensitive lyrics in Wright's tunes! Instrumentation is mostly bass and guitar, plus some great flute and light percussion – produced with a sound that's just right, too – hardly what you'd expect for the time, without any too-slick modes at all. This beautiful reissue may well set a whole new standard for the Numero label, too – as it comes with the usual great sound and rich notes, plus a great package that also features a really unique 5" vinyl single! There's also 3 bonus tracks added to the record – and titles include "Nantucket Island", "Lady Of The Year", "Love Is Expensive", "Dressing For The Occasion", "Indian Reservation", "Right On For The Darkness", and "Africa".

A stellar batch of smoldering gospel soul and good word funk – long underappreciated material released in the early-to-mid 70s on the Truth & Gospel Truth labels, imprints of the mighty Stax Records! The sound is often early 70s Memphis soul & funk to the bone – a few strings bring some soaring moments, but the groove is nice and gritty – with the gospel coming from the heart & soul of the singers. The set features a couple of numbers from The Staple Singers released on Stax proper back in the day, plus lesser known and equally great numbers from Clarence Smith, The Marion Gaines Singers, The Rance Allen Group, The Sons Of Truth, Joshie Jo Armstead, Louise McCord and many more released on Truth & Gospel Truth in the first half of the 70s. Titles include "Son Of The Deacon" by The Sons Of Truth, "Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child" by Clarence Smith, "(There's Gonna Be A) Showdown" by Rance Allen Group, "You Can't Stop Me Now" by The Marion Gaines Singers, "it Will Soon Be Over" by The Marion Gaines Singers, "Stumbling Blocks, Steppin' Stones (What Took Me So Long)" by Joshie Jo Armstead, "Brand New Day" and "Name The Missing Word" by The Staple Singers and more. 20 tracks in all.

Wow! The one-and-only album by Trinidadian combo Black Truth Rhythm Band – a completely incredible one at that – hypnotic Caribbean funky soul, jazz and wildly impressive musicianship all around by this group led by singer and multi-instrumentalist Oluko Imo. The record was made in the mid 70s era in which the Afro Funk sound was hitting it's peak – when African rhythms and James Brown style funk were being fused so furiously – but Black Truth Rhythm Band take a different approach, working more with sounds from African spectrum and the West Indies. It's really amazing stuff that takes unpredictable twists from stripped down rhythms, to jazzy guitars and cosmic synths – always with straight up brilliant playing by the group. A fusion of African rhythms, strains of Calypso and boundary free jazzy grooves that balance and exploratory sensibility with tight, irresistible rhythms. Soundway raises the bar once again! Titles include "Ifetayo", "You People", "Saved Musician", "Kilimanjaro", "Aspire", and "Umbala" – plus a bonus 7" single with the track "Imo".

Instrumental guitar great William Tyler's second album under his own name, and his first for indie powerhouse Merge Records – and it's an exceptionally beautiful piece of work from a player who's really just getting started! Tyler strikes a youthful presense, but he's actually been playing around a lot behind the scenes – as a studio and/or touring guitarist for Lambchop, Candi Staton, Charlie Louvin and others wise enough to record with producer Mark Nevers – who's works on this record, too. Tyler is definitely inspired by finger style folk guitarists from the mid 20th Century onward, but he's also got a hypnotic style that feels like it's inspired by more atmospheric country rock and rustic 70s soundtracks. Here he's mixing it all it into a brilliant style all his own, and it's SO good. Guest musicians include fellow youthful Nashville string genius Chris Scruggs, drummer Scott Martin, steel player Luke Schneider and Roy Agee on trombone. Includes "Country Of Illusion", "The Geography Of Nowhere", "Cadillac Desert", "We Can't Go Home Again", "A Portrait Of Sarah", "Hotel Catatonia", "The Last Residents Of Westfall" and "The World Set Free".

A strange but great chapter of The Blue Notes – working here without Harold Melvin or Teddy Pendergrass, but still sounding pretty great on their own! This version of The Blue Notes is a male quartet – not the Melvin group with Sharon Paige who were recording for ABC – and they get some fresh help in the studio from George Perry, who brings in this soaring groove that still echoes earlier Philly work, but also has a bit more of a clubby vibe overall! The style's never disco, but makes for some great uptempo soul – the sort that really lets the group's wonderful vocal style soar strongly – a rich blend that's totally great even without Teddy, and which has a great mix of raspy leads and warm harmonies. Titles include the wicked jazzy dancer "The Girl Makes Me Wanna Sing" – plus "It's Over", "Memories", "Standing By You Girl", "People Are Running Around", and "The Truth Has Come To Light".

A trio of early 60s gems from pianist Les McCann – all wrapped up here in a single set! First up is The Gospel Truth – a solid 60s smoker in which Les McCann really gets back to the roots of soul jazz – serving up the gospel-tinged truth promised in the title – and really linking his piano back to the pulpit in the process! Les has a wonderfully firm touch on the left end of the keyboard – which makes for a rollicking groove on just about every track, augmented by super-tight drum work from the great Paul Humphrey, who almost gets a tambourine vibe out of his snare and cymbal! Stanley Gilbert plays bass, and Charles Kynard plays guest Hammond on a few tracks – and titles include "Get That Soul", "The Preacher", "The Gospel Truth", "Oh The Joy", and "Didn't It Rain". Soul Hits is a really hard-hitting groover from the great 60s trio of Les McCann – a set that adds in some extra guitar from Joe Pass, who definitely sounds his most soulful on the set! Joe grooves perfectly with Les' piano – and has almost a Kenny Burrell-like depth in tone throughout – one that we're not as likely to hear on other Pass sessions of this vintage, possibly because of the excellent rhythms from Paul Chambers on bass and Paul Humphrey on drums! Tunes are definitely the soul hits promised in the title – mostly numbers that were brimming up big in the soul jazz generation of the time, but given a particular Les McCann twist. Titles include "Sister Sadie", "Bag's Groove", "Back At The Chicken Shack", "Work Song", "Sonnymoon For Two", "Groove Yard", and "Sack O Woe". McCanna is filled with a great Latin groove from the mighty Les McCann – a smoking set that adds in extra percussion from Willie Correa – who gives the record a sound that's quite a change from the usual McCann groove! The percussion is wonderful throughout – and given that the great Paul Humphrey is already playing drums in the trio, the whole thing's got a rhythmic zest that never lets up – way different than just the usual "with conga" style you'd hear on a Prestige Records piano trio record – and instead a groove that's definitely dedicated to the boldest Latin piano modes of the time! The track list includes a lot of originals, such as "McCanna", "Zulu", "Bastuto Baby", "Shaam-Pu II", and "Narobi Nights" – plus versions of "Que Rico" and "It Had Better Be Tonight".

One of the all-time classics of early 60s mainstream jazz – and a beautiful record that showcases writing and arranging talents of Oliver Nelson! Nelson had been bumping around a variety of sessions before this one – as a leader, sideman, and arranger – but it was with this album that his true talents really unfolded – sparkling with a depth of imagination and expression that marked him as one of the greatest artists in 60s American jazz! The group on the set is an all-star sextet – featuring Paul Chambers, Eric Dolphy, Bill Evans, Roy Haynes, and Freddie Hubbard – a disparate group of players who manage to come together with Nelson and find a unique voice that's rarely been duplicated again! The album features 6 fantastic compositions by Nelson, including "Stolen Moments", "Hoe Down", and "Yearnin". A fantastic record – and one that you can't go wrong with!

One of Houston Person's first forays into the jazz funk sound that other Prestige Records players were picking up at the time – a sweet little set with some nicely extended tunes! The groove here is a bit harder than some of Person's previous soul jazz sets – with some tightly snapping drums from Frankie Jones, augmented on rhythm both by the Fender bass of Bob Bushnell, and some added congas from Buddy Caldwell – both of whom help make for a very fluid groove. Other players include Billy Butler on guitar and Sonny Phillips on Hammond – and the tunes have a nicely snaking sort of feel – not the break-heavy funk of an Idris Muhammad-driven set, but a groove that's still plenty darn soulful and with some nicely funky undercurrents. Titles include a sweet version of "Cissy Strut", plus "On The Avenue", "The Pulpit", "For Your Love", and "Wadin".

The first American release by this super-hip Italian combo – part of the bossa-grooving Schema Records scene that gave us work by Les Hommes, Balanco, Nicola Conte, and others! The album combines tracks from the groups singles and LPs – and provides a perfect introduction to their spacey modern bossa dancefloor groove! Titles include "Blue Grassland", "Kickin Samba", "The Aftermath Of Love", "Circle", "Theme From Abbadesse's Street", "Inspired By Antonio Carlos", and "En Route".

An unstoppable groove from The Undisputed Truth – a group who worked with Norman Whitfield in the same psychedelic soul territory as The Temptations – and who arguably got the sound across even better than them! This set's not as much of a bit hit as the group's other records from the time – but that makes it sound even fresher and more fierce – loads of those hard-rolling basslines you'd expect from Whitfield's production – and some soaring arrangements from Paul Riser and David Van DePitte, both of whom give the album a sense of majesty to match its inherent righteousness. Titles include "Law of The Land" and "Mama I Got A Brand New Thing" – plus covers of Temps tunes "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Just My Imagination" – and other covers that include "Love & Happiness", "If I Die", "Feelin' Alright", and "Killing Me Softly", done in the full soul mode of the group.

Undisputed Truth and their late 70s space funk mode! They may have moved away from their Motown pop soul roots, but they're still getting production from Norman Whitfield, who knows how to keep the stormin sound that always worked best with the band. Players on the session include Wah Wah Watson, Walt Downing, and Jack Ashford – and the uptempo tracks have a nice, clubbier vibe that's a bit of an update of the band's approach of the preceding few years, not really disco, but more of an extended dancefloor groove hat's still pretty funky! There's also some nice moogy touches on this one!

Incredibly beautiful work from Willie Wright – an album of folksy soul with a slight island spirit – one that nicely nestles Willie's music in a space somewhere between the best 70s work of Terry Callier and Jon Lucien! The sound is wonderful – lean, stripped-down, and wonderfully personal – just the right fit for the sensitive lyrics in Wright's tunes! Instrumentation is mostly bass and guitar, plus some great flute and light percussion – produced with a sound that's just right, too – hardly what you'd expect for the time, without any too-slick modes at all. This beautiful reissue may well set a whole new standard for the Numero label, too – as it comes with the usual great sound and rich notes, plus a great package that also features a really unique 5" vinyl single! There's also 3 bonus tracks added to the record – and titles include "Nantucket Island", "Lady Of The Year", "Love Is Expensive", "Dressing For The Occasion", "Indian Reservation", "Right On For The Darkness", and "Africa".

Oliver Nelson's follow-up to his classic Blues & The Abstract Truth session for Impulse – and like that one, a tremendous little album – filled with deep tones and wonderful colors in sound! The group here's a bit larger than before – an ensemble that includes Phil Woods on alto, Ben Webster on tenor, Thad Jones on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone, Roger Kellaway on piano, Richard Davis on bass, and Grady Tate on drums. The album includes some superb original compositions by Nelson – just the kind of overlooked jazz numbers that make the set great – and as with most of his arrangements from the time, there's a perfect balance between group force and intimate solo space! Titles include "The Critic's Choice", "Blues & The Abstract Truth", "One For Bob", and 2 versions of Dave Brubeck's "Theme From Mr. Broadway".

A great little album of jazz funk – and the only record we've ever seen by this group! The 3 Pieces may not have lasted long in the record business, but this rare album from 1975 has made them legends on the rare groove scene for years. The record was cut during the height of the jazz funk years at Fantasy Records – and it features Donald Byrd handling the production chores, in a similar manner to the style that he used with the more famous Blackbyrds, who were also recording for Fantasy the time. The record features loads of electric piano and ARP, plus some tight and smooth guitar, and a nice rolling groove that is very catchy. A number of tracks have vocals – in kind of a subdued soul mode – and tracks include the groove classics "Backed Up Against The Wall", "Shortnin Bread", "Concrete Jungle", and "Vibes Of Truth". And believe it or not, there aren't any vibes on the album!

An instant soul classic from singer Frank McComb – awash in warm touches that take us back to the classic 70s work of Donnie Hathaway and Stevie Wonder – but done with a sound that clearly Frank's own! The instrumentation is enough to make us love the record – with lots of Fender Rhodes, mellow basslines, and sweet jazzy touches on flute and sax – but Frank follows up the grooves with some incredible vocals, stepping forth with a warmth and confidence that are immediately apparent, but which are also nicely offset by a personal, intimate quality on the mellower tunes. Titles include "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Shine", "Never Letting Go", "Fools", "When You Call My Name", "Intimate Time", and "Cupid's Arrow".

Very soulful jazz from Avery Sharpe – who plays acoustic and electric bass on the set – on the bassist and composer's wonderful tribute to and African American abolitionist and women's rights advocate Sojourner Truth! The record is an effective tribute to the brave woman it's named after, and it's also an enlightening one – but it's also a remarkably timeless jazz album by Avery, who has played in bands with some of greatest living legends over the years, as well as writing and recording great work of his own! Onaje Allan Gumbs is on piano, Craig Handy on saxes, Yoron Israel on drums and Duane Eubanks on trumpet. Includes "Isabella's Awakening", "Bomefree", "Ain't I Woman?", "Truth Be Told" and more, a nice version of "Motherless Child" with vocals by Jeri Brown, "Virtuous She Is" and more.

A nice one by Undisputed Truth – and the Method To The Madness is shoot further out into a space funk realm! By this point in the mid 70s, the group has firmly developed their spacier identity – possibly as an answer to George Clinton and Earth Wind & Fire's big cosmic funk vibe at the same time. There are plenty of Norman Whitfield's particular style of funky production, but what makes the record even more special is that they didn't set out to orbit with their smoother soul moments – with some really strong numbers in that vein, too. An underappreciated gem and that's the truth! This 2011 CD edition on Wounded Bird has 4 bonus versions: "Sunshine (Single Version)", "You + Me = Love (Single Version)", "You + Me = Love (Instrumental Edit)" and "Let's Go Down To The Disco (Single Version)".

One of the most righteous albums ever issued by Stax Records – from the title of the record, to the cover, to the grooves laid down by the group! The album was originally issued on Truth – the gospel subsidiary of Stax – and while it does have a bit of a spiritual component, the group's also plenty darn funky too – and the record has a feel that's far more secular than most other gospel records of the time! In fact, the whole thing may well stand as one of the best mainstream examples of the funky gospel genre of the 70s – one of the few records of this type issued on a slightly bigger label, even though the set still is something of a rarity! There's plenty of fuzzy guitar and electric piano in the mix – and the religion in the song lyrics is fairly buried in most cuts, and the overall approach is more one of general spiritualism and humanity, than it is preachy and churchy. Tracks include "The Ghetto", "Son Of The Deacon", "Give It Up", "God Bless The Children", and "He's All We Need".

A mini disco symphony from Norman Whitfield and Undisputed Truth – just the kind of track to make us get up and go down to the clubs! The tune is a great extension of the righteous Whitfield sound forged back at Motown – deepened here a bit and extended into the disco years, but still plenty dark and heavy – with almost more funk in the mix than club! "You + Me" is an uptempo dancefloor burner that still has the group working in a great Norman Whitfield mode – bass bubbling at the bottom, while strings and soul soar over the top! Both cuts presented in very long versions!

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.

A great second single from UK singer Liam Bailey – and 2 great songs produced masterfully by Leon Michels and Jeff Silverman for Truth & Soul! "Please Love Me" yearns as sweetly as you'd expect from the title, with some falsetto vocals by Liam over some fairly tight drums and an insistent rhythm – sweetened nicely by some easygoing strings – a bit in the mode of their contemporaneous productions for Lee Fields. The flip has a great stripped down vibe of echoey guitar, drums and and a bit of organ. Great stuff!

A very promising single from Brit soul upstart Liam Bailey – a diverse talent with a love for myriad American, British & Carribbean soul music – here with a single on Truth & Soul with a love for stripped down reggae soul! Here Bailey is working with NYC funky soul torch carriers Truth & Soul Records, really letting these songs simmer in an honest, real and raw stew of vocals, organ, drums and bass. Word is that Bailey is working with Salaam Remi for a major label debut, and we're thinking there's major potential for a huge breakout when that comes out – Bailey's got the goods, that's for sure!

The first-ever full length set from Bronx River Parkway – a wonderful blend of Latin and funk styles that follows beautifully from their strong run of funky 45s! The groove here is sort of a deeper, dirtier take on the Fania sound of the 70s – almost a re-imagining of the late 60s Latin Soul vibe, pretending that it still held on strongly through the following decade – and picked up all sort of weird little twists, turns, and unusual instrumental elements! The group's ties to the El Michels Affair show strongly at points – no surprise, as Leon Michels is in both groups, and produced this set – but the sound is nicely different too, with a bit more of an east coast Latin vibe. Wonderful stuff overall – and proof that the right corners of the deep funk underground still know how to keep things fresh! Titles include "Song For Ray", "Agua Con Sal", "La Valla", "El Resbalon", "San Sebastian 152", "Me Toca", "Mi Corazon", "Para Los Rumberos", "Donde", and "Nora Se Ve".

Wicked stuff – and 2 tracks that offer a whole new take on the modern sound of deep funk! "Creation" is a weird little offbeat number that snaps along the beats, blasts them with horns, and almost goes for a Chicago Brunswick sort of style! There's a bit of strings lilting along with the grooves, and even some vibes that seem to sneak out from time to time! The vibes come in even more strongly on the flipside – making "Behind The Blue Curtains" sound somewhere between the work of Lionel Hampton on Brunswick, and some of the recent instrumental funk from the Madlib side of the spectrum!

Wu Tang gets funky – as El Michels Affair serve up spare funky versions of two older classics – almost turning them back into the core samples from which they came! "Duel Of The Iron Mics" is totally great – slow-stepping drums, spare spooky piano, and flowing wave of sound that often carries dark little sounds and noises that shimmer at the bottom of the mix! "Bring The Ruckus" is more straightforwardly funky, but still keeps things slow – starting with a great drum break on the intro, then rolling into a very weird-sounding blend of instruments that has plenty of odd Eastern elements!

Smoking soul from the mighty Lee Fields – and a set that really has him getting back to his roots, as well! The record's billed as a follow-up to the previous My World – but it's got a style that's much more deep soul, much more southern-tinged than that great record – a beautiful indication of Lee's rich legacy in soul music – which stretches back decades, with rare releases on small indie labels! Yet the sound here is much stronger than Fields ever got back in the day – thanks to help from The Expressions, and some sublime Truth & Soul production – a combination that really has the record feeling as if it were recorded for Atlantic at Muscle Shoals at the end of the 60s. Lee's vocals really rise to the setting, and may well be some of his best in years – and that's saying a hell of a lot, given how great he always is! A stone home run throughout – with titles that include "Faithful Man", "Wish You Were Here", "Moonlight Mile", "Walk On Thru That Door", "Still Hanging On", "You're The Kind Of Girl", and "I Still Got It".

The instrumentals for the smoking soul set by the mighty Lee Fields! The record's billed as a follow-up to the previous My World – but it's got a style that's much more deep soul, much more southern-tinged than that great record – a beautiful indication of Lee's rich legacy in soul music – which stretches back decades, with rare releases on small indie labels! Yet the sound here is much stronger than Fields ever got back in the day – thanks to help from The Expressions, and some sublime Truth & Soul production – a combination that really has the record feeling as if it were recorded for Atlantic at Muscle Shoals at the end of the 60s. A stone home run throughout – with titles that include "Faithful Man", "Wish You Were Here", "Moonlight Mile", "Walk On Thru That Door", "Still Hanging On", "You're The Kind Of Girl", and "I Still Got It".

Early early work from Lee Fields – a set originally issued at the end of the 70s, but with a raw funky power that's much more like music from a decade before! The set was a real anomaly at the time, and was passed over for years – but through the decades, it's earned Lee legendary status as one of the few cats who were keeping things hard and funky when the rest of the country was going disco – a reputation that's definitely held up strongly by the gritty tracks in the set! There's a strong echo of southern soul in the music – again the feel of something from years before – and the raw production only seems to make the whole thing sound even better – with an edge that's even different than Fields' better-known work of recent years. The album was done for the tiny Angle 3 label – a company so small that it opted for one of the "stock" images that was given the album by the pressing plant, which gave the album a very unspectacular cover – corrected on this deluxe reissue by the great cover image here. This reissue also features loads of bonus tracks too – other rare Lee Fields singles from over the years – making the package a true testament to his pre-revival genius! Album tracks include "Everybody Gonna Give Their Thing Away (parts 1 & 2)", "Flim Flam", "Wanna Dance", "She's A Lovemaker", "Mighty Mighty Love", and "Let's Talk It Over". Bonus tracks include "Fought For Survival", "Funky Screw", "The Bull Is Coming", "Take Me Back", "You Been Cutting Out On Me", and "Bewildered".

Tight!! Lee Fields, one of the great criminally under appreciated funky geniuses of the 70s is back with another pounding, raw funk classic that still finds the man at the peak of his powers, decades after he first made mark on the funk landscape! This is Lee's first full length effort for Soul Fire, a label that we all know goes to painstaking lengths to carefully carry the torch lit by the People Records scene in the 70s into the future, and it's great to see a titan like Lee do amazing work for a great label that does it purely for the love! Lee is absolutely on fire on all 10 of these tracks, with a Godfather like delivery that knocks us out of our chairs every time, whether it's that fiery funk howl that we love so much, or a smooth, soulful glide on the occasional ballad. He's backed up by a bona fide funky orchestra at Soul Fire Studios that includes TONS of hot drums, propulsive percussion, and some driving conga work that steers things into an afro funk groove on several of the tunes. The group MVP, other than Lee himself, could be multi instrumentalist Leon Michels, whose work on flute, keys, tenor and baritone sax, as well guitar and bass not only helps keep the classic 70s feel going, but keeps things crackling at breakneck speed. This isn't newfangled funk revival, this is the real deal from one of the originators – a 33-minute funk maelstrom that will knock you right out of your chair, and have you restarting it the second it ends! Includes "Problems", "The Right Thing", "Rapping With Lee", "I Don't Know Where I'm Going", and "Honey Dove". Oh, if only all of our heroes remained this vital!

One of the best new soul records we've heard in years – a tremendous accomplishment for the mighty Lee Fields, and a set that's quite different than any of his other work! We've always loved Lee's funk and deep soul sides, but this album's something new altogether – almost done in the hard-edge, downtempo mode of the east coast harmony scene of the late 60s and early 70s – like some of the best group soul work coming out of New Jersey or Philly, with some super-dope production and instrumentation that's really amazing! The grooves follow strongly in the same laidback style as recent El Michels work – no surprise, given the El Michels connection to the music – with beats that are hard, but slow – and instrumentation that's funky, but in a mellow sort of way. Lee's vocals are as deep as ever – very much trained in the James Brown tradition, but turned here towards a really unique groove that makes us completely reevaluate his talents – an amazing achievement not just for Fields, but also for the whole Truth & Soul/El Michels crew! An instant classic – with tracks that include "My World", "Ladies", "Expressions Theme", "Honey Dove", "Money I$ King", "Love Comes & Goes", "Do You Love Me", and "Last Ride".

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". This great deluxe edition from Truth & Soul comes inside a beautifully done, 80-page booklet – full of rare photos of the band in action and behind-the-scenes – plus richly detailed notes.

A sparkling debut – and a whole new side of Truth & Soul! The Olympians feature Toby Panzer on keyboards and vibes – and work here with a laidback groove that's totally great – kind of a combination of slow funk and instrumental sweet soul, with mellow beats, El Michels horns, and a really warm sound on the piano! "Stand Tall" is mellow too, but with more of a super-dope feel – quietly tripping grooves with snapping drums, snakey guitar, and more of those great horns over the top!

Easily one of the top 5 female southern soul albums of the 70s – a landmark record that Shirley Brown never matched again! The record's got an open, honest quality that's far deeper than even other work from the time on Stax Records – a style that's partly Memphis, but which also has some of the rougher edges of other southern indies – not just in the way the songs are put together, but also in the open-handed emotion that Shirley brings to her work. The standout track is the classic "Woman To Woman", which begins with a great monologue that started off a whole slew of answer songs at the time! (In case you don't remember it, it's the one that goes "Girl, I was diggin' through my old man's pockets last night, and I came across your number...") Other tracks include "Stay With Me Baby", "Long As You Love Me", "Between You And Me", "So Glad To Have You", and "Passion".

The first LP of smooth Gospelly soul by one of the best groups working on Stax in the early 70s – and a stunning blend of styles that pushes way past its roots! Yeah, this stuff's kinda religious, but it's hidden underneath some fantastic soul arrangements, and given such power by the group's voices that you hardly notice the gospel message. Rance plays cool electric piano on a number of cuts, and the tracks include "Love Power", "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright", "Up Above My Head", and "What Is This?".

Smoking soul from the mighty Lee Fields – and a set that really has him getting back to his roots, as well! The record's billed as a follow-up to the previous My World – but it's got a style that's much more deep soul, much more southern-tinged than that great record – a beautiful indication of Lee's rich legacy in soul music – which stretches back decades, with rare releases on small indie labels! Yet the sound here is much stronger than Fields ever got back in the day – thanks to help from The Expressions, and some sublime Truth & Soul production – a combination that really has the record feeling as if it were recorded for Atlantic at Muscle Shoals at the end of the 60s. Lee's vocals really rise to the setting, and may well be some of his best in years – and that's saying a hell of a lot, given how great he always is! A stone home run throughout – with titles that include "Faithful Man", "Wish You Were Here", "Moonlight Mile", "Walk On Thru That Door", "Still Hanging On", "You're The Kind Of Girl", and "I Still Got It".

Early early work from Lee Fields – a set originally issued at the end of the 70s, but with a raw funky power that's much more like music from a decade before! The set was a real anomaly at the time, and was passed over for years – but through the decades, it's earned Lee legendary status as one of the few cats who were keeping things hard and funky when the rest of the country was going disco – a reputation that's definitely held up strongly by the gritty tracks in the set! There's a strong echo of southern soul in the music – again the feel of something from years before – and the raw production only seems to make the whole thing sound even better – with an edge that's even different than Fields' better-known work of recent years. The album was done for the tiny Angle 3 label – a company so small that it opted for one of the "stock" images that was given the album by the pressing plant, which gave the album a very unspectacular cover – corrected on this deluxe reissue by the great cover image here. This reissue also features loads of bonus tracks too – other rare Lee Fields singles from over the years – making the package a true testament to his pre-revival genius! Album tracks include "Everybody Gonna Give Their Thing Away (parts 1 & 2)", "Flim Flam", "Wanna Dance", "She's A Lovemaker", "Mighty Mighty Love", and "Let's Talk It Over". Bonus tracks include "Fought For Survival", "Funky Screw", "The Bull Is Coming", "Take Me Back", "You Been Cutting Out On Me", and "Bewildered".

The title track to the sublime late career treasure by Lee Fields and his Expressions – which happens to be one of the greatest songs he's ever recorded, in our opinion – plus a vital, stripped-down version on the flip! "Faithful Man" packs in just about everything we love most about Lee's Truth & Soul recordings into about a 4 minute package. It's got a perfect, southern soul-tinged funky arrangement with killer horns, backing up Lee's achingly soulful lead vocals and female backup. Speaking of vocals – the flipside is stripped to the barest of essentials – little more than chugging guitar groove and acoustic bass – with vocal accompaniment by classic doo-wop group The Del-Larks. Amazing!

Killer instrumentals from the My World album by Lee Fields – a set that features none of Lee's vocals at all – just some great slow funk grooves by The Expressions! The vibe here is wonderful – even without Fields on deck – and in a way, leaving the vocals off unlocks a whole new side of the album's brilliance – showing the kind of roots the group hits with their music. The Expressions features the mighty Leon Michels on sax, bass, guitar, and keyboards – and overall, there's plenty of El Michels' elements in the music – slow, snakey rhythms – a slight dash of southern funk – and a great way of staying mellow and laidback, yet still funky and soulful too! Titles include "Money Is King", "My World Is Empty", "Love Comes & Goes", "Do You Love Me", "These Moments", and "Ladies".

One of the greatest tunes we've ever heard from Lee Fields – a super-mellow bit of funk that's more like Marvin Gaye than some of his previous James Brown-styled tunes! The track's got a great laidback groove – vibes, snapping drums, and just a bit of strings – all couched perfectly with a gently funky undercurrent – almost like a cut from a lost 70s soundtrack. Lee's vocals are still as soulful as ever – sweet, but with a slight rasp that keeps things real, and which underscores the hip lyrics of the tune. "Love Comes & Goes" is great too – almost a New Jersey harmony track from the early 70s – very slow, but funky nonetheless!

One of the funkiest records we've heard from Lee Fields in years – and most of his records are already pretty darn funky! This one's got a very different approach than some of Lee's recent deep funk sides – a more electric, 70s-styled slow funk groove – one that begins with great slow-stepping drums that burn with a nice southern soul undercurrent – topped off by warm keyboards and horn bits, all grooving at a laidback groove that's really outta site! "Honey Dove" is also incredible – and begins with a super-dope guitar bit that just snakes out at a really slow, slinky pace – setting things up for the mellow funky drums, and Lee's total soul vocal part!

The long-overdue return of soulsinger Terri Walker – teamed up here brilliantly with Nicole Wray, and served up in a format that's even better than before! Lady have a style that's totally great – a really old school female duo, presented with strong Truth & South touches that really take us back to late 60s/early 70s indie girl soul – a time when things could be powerful one minute, and fragile the next – especially as the vocals going back and forth really find their own sort of intimate space! Terri's still every bit as great as she was on her contemporary soul albums from the past decade – but this old school approach somehow makes her sound even better than before – and Nicole's a great partner, as is the whole El Michels-ish lineup in the backing group! Titles include "Money", "Hold On", "Karma", "Sweet Lady", "If You Wanna Be My Man", "Waiting On You", "Get Ready", and "Tell The Truth".

Another great funky single from the Truth & Soul camp – from the Afro-funky Bama & The Family & Asiko! "Feeling Good" is by Bama & The Family is a great little hybrid of the tried-and-true funky 45 style, with just a touch of Fela expansiveness. It's a groover, with long sax notes stretched over some lumbering funky drums, and some called vocal vamps. "Drums Of Asiko" by Asiko is quite appropriately named – nothing but percussion here, with clicking and thumping bongos and other slapped acoustic beats – making this one a bit more Africa-derived than the A-side!

Sweet Latin grooves from Bronx River Parkway – two great numbers back to back! "Aqua Con Sal" has a soulful stepping bassline at the bottom – one that sets the groove with almost a bit of early 70s west coast Latin – in contrast to the more New York-sounding horns on the top! Vocals are held to a minimum, and the cut's also got a nice percussion bit in the middle! "Me Toca" is nice and mellow too – slowly snapping timbales, bits of bass and keyboards, and a Malo-styled soulful vocal in Spanish!

Standiout cuts from The El Michel's Affair's instant classic tribute tribute to Isaac Hayes! – covering "Run Fay Run" and "Hung Up On My Baby" in a raw instrumental funk mode! "Run Fay Run" rolls along with some incredible percussion – faithful to the original, but not a straight up replication, putting their own twist on the classic style. The Affair's got a sinister bass groove here that's unshakable! The group's take on the sample classic "Hung Up On My Baby" is just as great.

Easily one of the greatest new funk records of the 21st Century – and a set that goes way beyond some of the cliches that are currently gripping others in the deep funk underground! El Michels Affair have a cool, easygoing style to their music – one that's as much 70s jazz as it is 60s funk – and which makes for tunes that have a looser structure overall, which allows much more room for instrumental interplay, and the kind of sweet surprises that make the album so great! These guys have a real penchant for an unusual rhythm and interesting instrumental flair – and they borrow as much from 70s soundtracks and Latin albums as they do from the funky 45 era that clearly gave them their start. Totally fresh all the way through, and a record that delights us a lot more than we might have expected! Titles include "Detroit Twice", "El Pueblo Unido", "Behind The Blue Curtains", "Ocho Rios", "Hung Up On My Baby", "This Song's For You", and "Slide Show".

A mighty take on the music of Isaac Hayes – put together by the El Michels Affair! The album's every bit as funky as the combo's own work – and it's an amazing rework of familiar funk favorites from the 70s – redone here with a slightly leaner feel by the group, and without any vocals at all! There's still a relatively full approach to the tunes – given that the group has a great horn section at its heart – but the keyboards, guitar, and bass are much more up in the mix than on the originals – which makes these cuts burn like funky 45s! Drums are great too – completely rock-solid, and essential to the grooves – and the whole thing's produced with the right raw funky edge to make this one come across as way more than just a simple cover of Ike's original greatness. Titles include "Walk On By", "Run Fay Run", "Hung Up On My Baby", "Red Rooster", "Bumpy's Lament", "Shaft", and a shorter edit of "Walk On By". Note that this is apparently the same material as on the Memphis Sounds album Ike's Moods – except that this album features 7 tracks.

Super-dope, super-slow funk from The Expressions – a really great change from the usual deep funk groove! "These Moments" slinks along like some 70s mellow soul instrumental b-side – still plenty funky, but moving at a pace that's never too over the top, with instrumentation that slowly grooves instead of rips along in quick riffs. There's a nicely breaking guitar over the track's stepping bass – and rhythm that hangs there perfectly in mid-air! "Money Is King" is slightly faster, but still quite laidback – guitar strutting out wonderfully next to a bit of strings – almost making the whole thing sound like some badass soundtrack theme!

Early early work from Lee Fields – a set originally issued at the end of the 70s, but with a raw funky power that's much more like music from a decade before! The set was a real anomaly at the time, and was passed over for years – but through the decades, it's earned Lee legendary status as one of the few cats who were keeping things hard and funky when the rest of the country was going disco – a reputation that's definitely held up strongly by the gritty tracks in the set! There's a strong echo of southern soul in the music – again the feel of something from years before – and the raw production only seems to make the whole thing sound even better – with an edge that's even different than Fields' better-known work of recent years. The album was done for the tiny Angle 3 label – a company so small that it opted for one of the "stock" images that was given the album by the pressing plant, which gave the album a very unspectacular cover – corrected on this deluxe reissue by the great cover image here. This reissue also features loads of bonus tracks too – other rare Lee Fields singles from over the years – making the package a true testament to his pre-revival genius! Album tracks include "Everybody Gonna Give Their Thing Away (parts 1 & 2)", "Flim Flam", "Wanna Dance", "She's A Lovemaker", "Mighty Mighty Love", and "Let's Talk It Over". Bonus tracks include "Fought For Survival", "Funky Screw", "The Bull Is Coming", "Take Me Back", "You Been Cutting Out On Me", and "Bewildered".

Tight!! Lee Fields, one of the great criminally under appreciated funky geniuses of the 70s is back with another pounding, raw funk classic that still finds the man at the peak of his powers, decades after he first made mark on the funk landscape! This is Lee's first full length effort for Soul Fire, a label that we all know goes to painstaking lengths to carefully carry the torch lit by the People Records scene in the 70s into the future, and it's great to see a titan like Lee do amazing work for a great label that does it purely for the love! Lee is absolutely on fire on all 10 of these tracks, with a Godfather like delivery that knocks us out of our chairs every time, whether it's that fiery funk howl that we love so much, or a smooth, soulful glide on the occasional ballad. He's backed up by a bona fide funky orchestra at Soul Fire Studios that includes TONS of hot drums, propulsive percussion, and some driving conga work that steers things into an afro funk groove on several of the tunes. The group MVP, other than Lee himself, could be multi instrumentalist Leon Michels, whose work on flute, keys, tenor and baritone sax, as well guitar and bass not only helps keep the classic 70s feel going, but keeps things crackling at breakneck speed. This isn't newfangled funk revival, this is the real deal from one of the originators – a 33-minute funk maelstrom that will knock you right out of your chair, and have you restarting it the second it ends! Includes "Problems", "The Right Thing", "Rapping With Lee", "I Don't Know Where I'm Going", and "Honey Dove". Oh, if only all of our heroes remained this vital!

The first taste of the Faithful Man album from Lee Fields & The Expressions – a living oracle of deep soul and at the very peak of skills in 2012 – seriously, the man and the band are completely incredible here! "You're The Kind Of Girl" gives us what we need from Lee – achingly soulful vocals dripping with experience and emotion and with a classic groove – but the Lee and band up the ante with some of the richest Truth & Soul production we've heard to date! There's some laidback psych soul touches in the guitar, some strings soar over the chorus, the horns have a unique style and keys are just as sweet. "It's All Over But The Crying" isn't a weepy as you might think, with Lee singing the tale of emotional demise. Later high points in a legendary life in soul!

One of the best new soul records we've heard in years – a tremendous accomplishment for the mighty Lee Fields, and a set that's quite different than any of his other work! We've always loved Lee's funk and deep soul sides, but this album's something new altogether – almost done in the hard-edge, downtempo mode of the east coast harmony scene of the late 60s and early 70s – like some of the best group soul work coming out of New Jersey or Philly, with some super-dope production and instrumentation that's really amazing! The grooves follow strongly in the same laidback style as recent El Michels work – no surprise, given the El Michels connection to the music – with beats that are hard, but slow – and instrumentation that's funky, but in a mellow sort of way. Lee's vocals are as deep as ever – very much trained in the James Brown tradition, but turned here towards a really unique groove that makes us completely reevaluate his talents – an amazing achievement not just for Fields, but also for the whole Truth & Soul/El Michels crew! An instant classic – with tracks that include "My World", "Ladies", "Expressions Theme", "Honey Dove", "Money I$ King", "Love Comes & Goes", "Do You Love Me", and "Last Ride".

Vamping guitar grooves, soulful lead and group vocals, and Latin funky rhythms from the legendary NYC Ghetto Brothers! "Ghetto Brothers Anthem" is their hard grooving mission statement, a heavy groove that starts with some wah wah guitar leading to the pummeling drums and rhythms – fantastic and flavored with conga, a killer bass line, and powerhouse vocals! The flip "I Saw A Tear" is more of a slow cooking raw soul styled ballad with Latin percussion, some keys and excellent vocals from the group.

Standout cuts from the legendary Power/Fuerza record by The Ghetto Brothers – nicely paired on a Funky 45 by Truth & Soul! "Got This Happy Feeling" is one of their tighter, hard-charging numbers. It's got a straight-up killer guitar groove, feverish Latin Funk drums and percussion – and those charismatic Benky Melendez vocals out front. "Ghetto Brothers power, baby. . .from The Bronx!" The flip is "Girl From The Mountain" – one of the more melodic, psych-styled numbers by the group – and it's also one of their best!

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre".

The long-overdue return of soulsinger Terri Walker – teamed up here brilliantly with Nicole Wray, and served up in a format that's even better than before! Lady have a style that's totally great – a really old school female duo, presented with strong Truth & South touches that really take us back to late 60s/early 70s indie girl soul – a time when things could be powerful one minute, and fragile the next – especially as the vocals going back and forth really find their own sort of intimate space! Terri's still every bit as great as she was on her contemporary soul albums from the past decade – but this old school approach somehow makes her sound even better than before – and Nicole's a great partner, as is the whole El Michels-ish lineup in the backing group! Titles include "Money", "Hold On", "Karma", "Sweet Lady", "If You Wanna Be My Man", "Waiting On You", "Get Ready", and "Tell The Truth".

One of the sweetest tunes we've ever heard with "Money" in the title – a wicked groove from the duo of Terri Walker and Nicole Wray – set to this tippling piano bit that takes us back to a Barbara Acklin single on Brunswick! There's a perfect old school approach to the cut – and the vocals traded back and forth really emphasize the tune's wonderful hook. And on the flipside, the instrumental version has this wicked riffing guitar and really lets the piano stand out – almost a Young-Holt to the Acklin on the main side!

A wicked groove from the Pacific Northwest underground of the early 70s – a collaboration between vocalist Shirley Nanette and the wild guitarist Hanc Swarn! "All Of Your Life" has these monstrous funky drums on the bottom – then mixes Shirley's righteous vocals with Hanc's cool guitar solo lines – really tripped-out, almost in an Eddie Fisher way, and merged beautifully alongside the lyrics! "People Are Thinking" is even more mysterious – with an exotic, almost Eastern groove – thanks to angular reed work next to the vocals!

Quite possibly the heaviest groove we've heard to date from Bronx River Parkway – a tune that snaps out with a stark little break on the beginning – really crackling with a heavy funk energy, but also sharing a bit of Wu-Tang like piano in the background! As the tune rolls on, the record picks up a bit more of a Latin flourish on the horns and vocals – setting the scene for the mellower "Nora Se Va" on the flipside – a jazzy laidback number with piano darting out nicely underneath Spanish language vocals!

Deep funk for the hip hop scene – instrumental versions of 2 Wu-Tang classics, both of them great! "CREAM" is done here as a low-down and dirty funk track – hard drums in place of the beats, scratchy guitar to enforce the darkness, and a madly tippling piano part that's pure Wu-Tang all the way! Raekwan's "Glaciers Of Ice" follows in a similar mode – familiar, yet very strange in this new incarnation – equally dark and nicely subdued, another crowning achievement for El Michels Affair!

Mid 80s soul from Detroit's Colonel Abrams – One of the first artists to take the then burgeoning house sound into the mainstream – paired up with nicely grooving modern soul vibe! Includes the his "Trapped" and "I'm Not Gonna Let", with those bright and bumping synth melodies and relentless house influenced beats underneath vocals and songwriting that helped get it over with the chart ready contemporary soul scene – plus the solid ballad "Never Change", "Over & Over", "Speculation", "The Truth", "Table For Two" and more. This CD version includes 4 bonus tracks: 12" mixes of "Trapped", "I'm Not Gonna Let You", "The Truth" and "Over And Over" – plus the non album track "Music Is The Answer".

Do you need a dollar? You just might get one with this stellar and soulful single by Aloe Blacc – rawly produced, memorably composed, and one of the finer underground soul singles of 2010! "I Need A Dollar" may sound familiar – it's the theme song to How To Make It In America on HBO – but that aside, it's a winning single and a sign of the great things to come on Aloe's Good Things LP. He takes a socially conscious tack on the A-side that serves the sound wonderfully. Co-produced and by Jeff Dynamite and Truth & Soul player Leon Michels – the latter providing tight horn arrangements. The flip "Take Me Back" is a more measured funky soul number that's just as excellent.

A great little set from salsa legend Sammy Ayala – an original member of the 50s born Cortijo Y Su Combo orchestra of Puerto Rico – singing warmly and wonderfully on this excellent self-titled set on the Candela label! An all star roster of modern producers and players indebted to Sammy and his style contribute – include Quantic, Nicodemus, Truth & Soul combo Bronx River Parkway, Mo'Horizons and others – but this feels like the work of an old school master, as it should. Timeless stuff and a worthy effort by all! Titles include "Otra Vez", "Invitacion Al Salon", "Corazon" feat Bronx River Parkway, "El La San Sebastian" feat Mo'Horizons, "Huellas De La Ilusion" and more.

Seminal record from one of the most important hardcore bands to walk the earth – and DC underground classic that hit the scene like a lightning bolt to White House – that cover art speaks the truth! Bad Brains (the album) was originally issued on the then cassette-only ROIR label – this version restores the iconic original cover art and features 15 listed tracks – and adds an unlisted bonus cut! Titles include "Sail On", "Don't Need It", "Attitude", "The Regulator", "Banned In DC", "Jah Calling", "Supertouch/Shitfit", "Leaving Babylon", "Fearless Vampire Killers", "I", "Big Take Over", "Pay To Cum", "Right Brigade", "I Luv I Jah" and "Intro".

Seminal record from one of the most important hardcore bands to walk the earth – and DC underground classic that hit the scene like a lightning bolt to White House – that cover art speaks the truth! Bad Brains (the album) was originally issued on the then cassette-only ROIR label – -this version restores the iconic original cover art and features 15 tracks: Titles include "Sail On", "Don't Need It", "Attitude", "The Regulator", "Banned In DC", "Jah Calling", "Supertouch/Shitfit", "Leaving Babylon", "Fearless Vampire Killers", "I", "Big Take Over", "Pay To Cum", "Right Brigade", "I Luv I Jah" and "Intro".

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".

One of the hippest funky jazz combos of the 70s – stepping out here in their amazing debut for Cobblestone records! Catalyst had a groove that was unlike most of their contemporaries – a sound that was often jazzier than some of the tighter funk artists on labels like Kudu or Prestige, with some deeply spiritual leanings in the solos – but also a style that was still pretty tight and focused, not as far out as some of the headier groups on the Strata East label. There's loads of great choppy rhythms and tight-edged grooves on the record – thanks to Fender Rhodes from Eddie Green, reeds from Odeon Pop, bass from Al Johnson, and drums and percussion from Sherman Ferguson. Skip Drinkwater produced the session at Sigma Sound, and it's definitely got some of his hallmark appreciation of rhythm in the mix – on titles that include "Ain't It The Truth", "New Found Truths", "East", "Catalyst Is Coming", "Jabali", and "Salaam".

Strongly emotional and slowly simmering craft from Ty Causey – a veteran of the midwestern smooth, jazzy soul scene – and his efforts are as strong as ever here! There's an easygoing confidence in Ty's approach that he's carried for a while – and that continues in full effect here. His songs speak to straight forward, soulful truth, with a relaxed style and emotional and spiritual depth. The production is just as sweet – with a smooth soul pace, and subtly dexterous musicianship. Some guitar, a bit of flute or sax come into play with nice keys and percolating percussion. Includes "Must Be Magic", "Too Much Baggage", "Tap Into This Chemistry", "I'll Wait For You", "I'll Wait For You", "You'll Never Be Lonely", "False Faces", "Love Call", "A Reason Why", "Hot 2 Night", "The Limit of Love", "Bold And Beautiful".

Sweet and gritty soul from D'Angelo – who takes a huge step into deeper territory on Voodoo – and it's one of the most monumental records of its time! On one level, Voodoo works as a nicely stripped-down session with a very classic soul feel. Gone are the overzealous flourishes that sometimes overwhelmed his earlier songs, and in their place are some sweetly crafted vocal parts with a classic Marvin Gaye/Al Green feel. That warmth is probably what made Voodoo a massive popular success – but what makes it such a creative triumph are the darker undercurrents – hinting at a troubled soul struggling for spiritual truth. One of the rare cases in popular music when great art became music for the masses! Titles include "Left & Right (feat Method Man & Redman)", "The Line", "Spanish Joint", "Africa", "Feel Like Makin Love", "The Root", "Playa Playa", "Devil's Pie", and "Greatdayndamornin/Booty".

The first-ever release of this lost soul treasure – a rare session from a late 70s group from Tulsa, recording in LA at the studio of Sly Stone! The set's got a groove that's way more than you'd expect from any Oklahoma combo – a mature, modern soul sparkle that's totally great – almost the sort of vibe you'd find from some of the best groups of the time on labels like Elektra or Capitol, but handled here with a bit more indie charm overall! The tracks are all originals, and they balance out mellow steppers and tighter groovers nicely – which makes for an album that's amazingly deep in conception, and way more than just a slap-dash batch of tracks from the studio. We're sure that Sly would have been proud of the work here – and our hat's off to the folks at Lotus Land for finally getting this one released! Titles include "Funky Sounds", "Accept The Truth", "Keep On Smiling", "If You Dance Tonight", "I Love Everything About You", "On A Lovely Night Like This", "I Hope You'll Be", and an untitled track.

Rootsy work from the 70s – not disco style, per the title! We don't care whether you dub him the original Ragnam Piza or the Dub Organizer, Dillinger chats it up in nice style on this set of bouncing Bunny Lee rhythms, keeping himself busy, so you don't have to! The bionic dread unleashes a storm of microphone fury, with each track followed by it's dub version, on cuts like "African World Wide", "Truth & Right", "Don't Take Another Man's Life", "Trial & Crosses" and "Jah Show Them The Way". 12 in all.

Herb Ellis pays homage to one of the first great jazz guitarists – the legendary Charlie Christian, certainly one of the first true soulful talents to emerge on the instrument! The set's one of Ellis' nicer ones for Verve – and although it mentions Christian in the title, there's nothing outdated or old-timey about the sound of the record! Herb's lean lines on the guitar come through nice and clear – in a group that features Frank Strazzari on piano, Chuck Berghofer on bass, and Kenny Hume on drums – as well as Harry Babasin on cello, playing some nicely plucked notes that sound beautiful alongside the guitar! Tracks are relatively short, and titles include "Everything's Pat", "Workin' With The Truth", "Cherry Kijafa", and "Karin".

A great solo record from Donald Fagen – tightly anchored by the best of his elegant jazz funk tendencies – and one that we're comfortable calling his best since The Nightfly! Shoot, we'll even go one step further and call this the best Steely Dan-related record since Two Against Nature. Sunken Condos is co-produced by frequent latter-day Dan collaborator Michael Leonhart, who put out a terrific record of his own on Truth & Soul a couple years prior, on top of serving as a go-to horn player for team Truth & Soul over the years. It's possible that working with a relatively youthful producer (Leonart was born the year that Pretzel Logic came out) has pushed Donald to raise the bar a bit, or perhaps he's been off the road long enough to take his time and deliver a stronger album in 2012. Whatever the reason – it's great stuff! They've put together a top notch studio band (naturally), and the slick groove sounds natural here, rather than shined to a high gloss, ala most Steely Dan and solo projects from Aja onward. We're so deep "in the tank" when it comes to Steely Dan that we're a pretty easy mark, but honestly, we can set aside our lifelong fandom to objectively tell you how good this one is! Titles include "Slink Thing", "I'm Not The Same Without You", "Memorabilia", "Weather In My Head", "The New Breed", "Out Of The Ghetto", "Miss Marlene", "Good Stuff" and "Planet D'Rhond A".

A darker record later repressed on Ninja Tune – with lots of messed up beats, noisy fills, and sounds that collide and slip around one another. Think of electronica played by a young Money Mark, and you've got half the picture – then throw in crunchy production and blasted-out sound. Some tracks have oblique lyrics, and titles include "Check Fraud", "Pneumonia", "Staring At The Dashboard", "Hitting A Wall", "Truth In The Laughing Gas", "Fool", and "Word Of Advice" featuring Doom.

Truth in album titles from Manuel Goettsching – inventive soundscapes from the Ash Ra Tempel founder – played entirely on electric guitar, though it's all about hypnotic layering and effects. It's amazing stuff, evolving guitar notes manipulated into the studio. "Echo Waves" is a 17+ minute, uber-hypnotic piece that's another case of material living up to the title, one that reminds us a bit of some of Tangerine Dream's soundtrack work of a decade later. "Quasarsphere" is atmospheric and spacey, a shorter piece. "Pluralis" is the 20+ minute epic closer, very much akin to "Echo Waves".

Grand Slam take plenty of inspiration from the P-Funk universe – and as proof of that fact, they've got Gary Mudbone Cooper on vocals for a few tracks on this sweet little set – a record that definitely offers up a 21st Century evolution of the original P-Funk groove! The combo are heavy on basslines and keyboards – often used with that best slinky style that the George Clinton groups hit at the end of the 70s – and occasionally touched by some modern rhythms, although overall the group have a very live funky mode! Vocals are often layered together nicely, and sometimes vocoded too – as a few cuts echo that early 80s shift to more electric funk, particularly from the Zapp generation. Lige Curry sings lead on a few other numbers – and titles include "Long Term Ticket", "You Can't Nickname The Truth", "Camp Down", "Elemelemel", "Streets Of Harlem", and "The Fog".

Soulful reggae legend Beres Hammond – still going strong on 2012's double album One Love, One Life – which is a nice, timeless take on his tried-and-true mix of lover's rock and straighter soul – and well produced by Beres and Chris Chin! Honestly, pretty much everything we've heard from Beres in recent years has been pretty strong – smartly focusing on the more timeless elements of Jamaican music and global soul – and One Love, One Life is right up there with the best of it! Breezy rhythms, soulful songs and charming vocals by Hammond! 20 tracks on 2CDs: Can't Waste No Time", "No Candle Light", "Lonely Fellow", "My Life", "More Time", "The Song", "Crazy Dreams", "Still Searching", "Don't You Feel Like Dancing", "Not Made Of Steel", "Prime Time", "Family", "Can't Make Blood Out Of Stone", "Truth Will Live On" and more.

How many different personalities does Dan the Automator have? Way better than we'd expected, but we were only expecting a sort of joke one-off project. We should have known better, given that Prince Paul's themed projects (like Prince Among Thieves) have been pretty dope. Guest spots by just about everyone: Money Mark, DJ Shadow, Del, J-Live, etc. etc. Tracks include "Metaphysical", "Waterworld", "Truth", "Projects", "Sunshine", "Runway Song" "Rock N Roll (Could Never Hip Hop Like This)" and more.

The last Honey Cone album for Hot Wax Records – and a set that's still very much at the top of their game! As with other artists from the Holland-Dozier-Holland stable of hits in the 70s, Honey Cone have a massive amount of force behind their groove – so much so, the record might still be great even if the vocals were nothing special – but fortunately, the trio of Edna Wright, Shellie Clark, and Carolyn Willis bring plenty to the table too – a great sense of individual soul and all-together harmonies! Titles include "Who's Lovin You", "Stay In My Corner", "I Lost My Rainbow", "Ace In The Hole", "Sittin' On a Time Bomb", and "A Woman's Prayer". CD features great bonus tracks too – "It's Better To Have Loved & Lost", "Ace In The Hole (single version)", "If I Can't Fly", "Somebody Is Always Messing UP My Good Thing", and "The Truth Will Come Out".