Tight bass-heavy funk from Slave – still working here in that excellent compressed style that was their unique contribution to soul music. There's probably a bit more of a vocal-heavy sound here than on other albums, but the groove's still strong, and is reaching a bit towards an 80s club sound. Titles include "Shine", "Roots", "Funky Lady", "Just A Touch Of Love", and "Warning". LP, Vinyl record album

We couldn't think of a better way to describe the sound of Slave than "stone jam"! The band's got a bass-heavy groove, mixed with a lot of soul, in a style that was often copied by many groups in the 80s, but never equalled. The real strength in the band was their songwriting – always fresh, and never too overindulgent in the funky elements. The vocals are tight and soulful, and the restriction of the funky bits makes for some nicely compressed grooves. Steve Arrington's on lead vocals – and tracks include "Watching You", "Never Get Away", "Stone Jam", "Feel My Love", and "Let's Spend Some Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary record from Show & AG – and one of the strongest full lengths of the early 90s from the DITC camp! Runaway Slave came about during the end of an era when major labels still seemed to be hungry for for dope underground MCs, so there's a gritty realness here, and on other great hip hop LPs of the early 90s that's still pretty incredible. This full length debut delivers very strongly on the Soul Clap EP – and titles include that classic track "Bounce Ta This", "Represent", "Catchin Wreck", "Fat Pockets", "40 Acres And My Props", "Hold Ya Head", "He Say, She Say", "Hard To Kill" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Roy Brooks albums of all time – an a set that rivals the spiritual genius of his classics released on the Imo-Hotep label! The tracks here are long, live, and feature stunning performances from George Coleman on tenor, Woody Shaw on trumpet, Hugh Lawson on piano, and Cecil McBee on bass – a group who are really on fire throughout, as they take on tunes that include "Understanding", "The Free Slave", "Five For Max", and "Will Pan's Walk". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty nice later work from Grace! Although we prefer the percolating disco meets reggae records Grace Jones cut with Sly & Robbie to this later effort – but there's no denying that on a couple of numbers she really clicks with producer Trevor Horn's slick sheen. With "Ladies & Gentlemen: Miss Grace Jones", "Jones The Rhythm", "The Fashion Show", "The Frog & The Princess" and "Slave To The Rhythm". LP, Vinyl record album

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A really great session from Sonny Stitt – and one with a slightly different vibe than usual! That vibe comes from the work of two Latin percussionists – Marcelino Valdez on congas and Osvaldo Martinez on bongos – both of whom really a a lot to the groove next to the drums of Herbie Lovelle – a rich bottom end that's maybe more Afro-styled than conventional Latin jazz! The mighty Ronnie Mathews is on piano, Herbie Lovell plays bass, and Stitt blows tenor throughout – on great titles that include "Blue Blood Ritual", "Slave Maidens", "Island Shout", and "Barefoot Ball". LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the rarest of all albums by the Last Poets – so rare that it often doesn't show up in lists of their work, and that it's never reissued with the frequency of their other early titles. Jalal is firmly in place by this point, and his hip rhyming poetry has brought a new level of musicality to the group that shows up best in the album's jazzier numbers and nice traces of funk. The politics are still as strong as ever – they're just tempered with a bit more concern for phrasing, and a tighter approach to overall delivery. Titles include "Uncle Sam's Lament", "In Search Of Knowledge", "The Courtroom", "African Slave", "Death Row", and "Tranquility". LP, Vinyl record album

A pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Nathan Davis' triumphant return to the American recording scene, and a very swingin, very soulful set recorded with a septet that includes Nelson Harrison, Roger Humphries, and Joe Kennedy. The vibe is righteous and free, but with a good groove all the way through. Similar to some of the stuff on Strata East or Black Jazz, but marked by the great writing and excellent reed solos of Mr. Davis, who (we feel) is one of the true geniuses of the saxophone of the 20th century. Nearly every track is great, and the titles include "Extra Sensory Perfection", "I Want To Be Free", and "Slave March". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful soundtrack to one of the most important films to Latin music in the 70s! This double-length set features a huge array of work from the movie – not only important musical bits, both live and in the studio, but also snippets from TV, concert introductions, and lots lots more that show the range and cultural impact of the early 70s New York scene – stretching way past a simple understanding that you might have from other records! Players include Ray Barretto, Willie Colon, Larry Harlow, Pacheco, and Bobby Valentin – and tracks include "Drum Story", "The Sugar Cane", "Hollywood", "Barrio", "Mi Gente", "Congo Bongo", "Slave Ship", "African Village", and "Soul Makossa". Also features guest appearances by Geraldo Rivera, Dezi Arnaz, Ismael Quintana, Carmen Miranda, and Al Jolson! LP, Vinyl record album

An album that some thought might mark the final years of The Rolling Stones – as it came out as Mick Jagger was reaching 40 – but one that instead marked a great rebirth of the group and its sound, and set a whole new standard for the group for years to come! The opening lick of the first track, "Start Me Up", has become one of The Stones trademark sonic fingerprints – and the whole thing keeps on moving strong, through titles that include "Hang Fire", "Slave", "Black Limousine", "Worried About You", "Waiting On A Friend", "No Use In Crying", "Tops", and "Little T & A". LP, Vinyl record album

A third great chapter in the career of the mighty Steve Arrington – a solo debut, after work in the groups Slave and Hall Of Fame – and a set that has Arrington maybe shining even more than ever in the spotlight! Rhythms are a bit more mid 80s than his previous work – but Steve's way of handling beats, basslines, and keyboards is every bit as funky as before – and his enthusiasm on the vocals brings a sort of warmth to the record that really knock away so much of the thinner soul on the charts! Arrington keeps things nice and lean – in a good way, which lets you know he's in charge – and titles include the anthemic title track "Dancin In The Key Of Life" – plus "Gasoline", "Stand With Me", "Turn Up The Love", "Brown Baby Boy", "Feel So Real", and "She Just Don't Know". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost classic in the funky poetry mode of the 70s – and right up there with the best work from the time by the Last Poets, Jim Ingram, or Gil Scott Heron! Bama's got a rough-edged voice that works very well with the funkier backings of the set – handled by a team that includes Bernard Purdie on drums, Richard Tee on keyboards, and Cornell Dupree on guitar – and this rough vocal style also fits the themes of the tunes, which are still as political and righteous as other work in the genre, but a bit more down to earth as well. The music itself was arranged and composed by Jimmy Wizner and Billy Jackson – and titles include "Ghettos Of The Mind", "The Right To Be Wrong", "Nothingness", "Drunken Sister", "I Got Soul", "Welfare Slave", "Social Narcotics", and "Blackman, My Brother". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Les Baxter's greatest records – and one of his rarest too, one of the few he cut for Reprise after leaving Capitol! The record is a continuation of Baxter's exotica sound of the late 50s – played with some great help that includes Larry Bunker on vibes and percussion, Clare Fischer on celeste and piano, and Leo Acosta on gourd! The sweetly dreamy sound of Fischer is an especially nice addition – and often creates a gentle flow to tunes that have a more driving approach overall – but it's Les' genius with the arrangements that make the album sparkle most of all, because even familiar tunes are transformed by his exotica magic! Titles include "Slave Ship", "Congale", "Via Veneto", "Night With Cleopatra", "Peking Tiger", and "Fiesta Brava". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best of Elton's early years – with cuts that include "Hercules", "Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters", "Salvation", "Slave", "Rocket Man", "Honkey Cat", "Mellow", and "I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled album – given that Taj Mahal's music is always pretty darn rootsy – and this time around, he's also adding in a bit of Jamaican roots too, thanks to production help from Bob Marley and Aston Barrett of The Wailers! The pair help Taj out on a few numbers, mixing in some reggae rhythms with his bluesy lead – another compelling combination of modes that marks the creative apex of Taj Mahal's years on Columbia. Titles include "Johnny Too Bad", "Big Mama", "Cajun Waltz", "Slave Driver", "Blackjack Davey", and "Desperate Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite album ever from Roland Kirk – and a beautiful mix of two different sides of his genius! Side one's got Roland doing these crazy takes on late 60's pop cuts like "My Cherie Amour" and "Say a Little Prayer", plus his own "songs", done with soulful vocals and a straight-on approach that shows him trying to break out of the avant jazz underground, and reach a wider audience with a spiritual message on tracks like "Search For The Reason Why" and "Spirits Up Above". If this description sounds like a mess, it's not – because this side of the album is one of Kirk's most brilliant statements ever about jazz, soul, love and freedom! Side two has Roland in a straighter vein – running through a tight live set from Newport 1968, handled with fire and imagination, the kind of boundless energy he always brought to his public appearances. Tracks on that set include "One Ton", "Three For The Festival", "Afro Blue", and some great remarks by Roland! LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual little soundtrack to this obscure pre-Roots film about slavery – handled with some very nice touches from Gary McFarland, Bobby Scott, and Grady Tate! The music is penned by Scott, and is mostly in that hip blend of jazz and soul roots that he was using on some of his own 60s vocal work – but expanded a bit more here with the groovier styles of Skye Records, thanks to arrangements and conducting from Gary McFarland! The work's not as funky as you might expect, but is still plenty darn great – and there's a few instrumental numbers that are especially great here. Grady Tate sings on the vocal ones, often in the deep-voiced style of his own Skye albums – but with an approach that's a bit more down home and soul-based, which is a nice change – almost like Oscar Brown Jr at the best moments. A number of tracks are done in both instrumental and vocal versions – and titles include "Nightwind", "Slaves", "Black Lullabye", "Another Mornin", and "Pickin Cotton". LP, Vinyl record album

A South African jazz set from the end of the 60s, but one with a different vibe than some of the rest – as the group have a lean style that still also seems to mix a fair bit of Township elements in with the jazz – which makes for tracks that have a wonderfully playful mix of modes, and a great sense of energy throughout! The group features Clifford Moses on lead guitar and a bit of vocals – the latter of which have a lightly raspy charm that's really unique – as he steps out next to core work from Richard Schilder on piano, Basil Moses on bass, and Billy Bowers on drums. The set also features some excellent guest work from the legendary Basil Coetzee on flute and alto – on titles that include "Seven Steps Lament", "Katrina", "Interim", "Up From Slavery", "Wells Square", and "Don't Close Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing fancy, but a tight set of soul jazz trio tracks from Les – recorded with Ron Jefferson on drums, and either Leroy Vinnegar or Herbie Lewis on bass. The tracks were all recorded live, and stretch out longer than most of Les' studio work from the time. Titles include "Frankie & Johnnie", "Love Letters", "Three Slaves", and "On Green Dolphin Street". LP, Vinyl record album

The first LP from a group that would go on to become one of the most well known Jamaican artists, largely due to their crisply produced crossover sound that appealed to fans of modern soul. The sound here's a shade rootsier than the album's that would garner them wider appeal, with 8 numbers in all, including "Sette Messgana", "Slavery Days", "Brand New Beggar", "Got To Get Along", "Sun Won't Shine" and "Freedom Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A sprawling set of material Dionne recorded for Scepter before departing the label – a good number of which were made with Memphis producer Chips Moman during the sessions for the excellent Soulful album – and some diverse, equally great material that spans her years at the label! It includes a host of great Bacharach/David productions – with some nice medleys of hits and wide range of covers, including some classic Sly Stone and Curtis Mayfield on the edgier end, plus nice takes on the Beatles and others. It's got some great gospel-leaning numbers, too! A far-reaching set with more than 30 tracks – including "Grace", "People Get Ready", "Summertime", "Give A Damn", "Slaves"., "People Got TO Be Free""The Love Of My Man", "I've Been Loving You Too Long", a cool cover of The Band's "The Weight", "Someday We'll Be Together", "Games People Play" and "Everyday People". LP, Vinyl record album