Soul — In Stock — LPs

A masterpiece of mid 70s jazz rock – from an obscure combo that features work by fusion legend Todd Cochrane Bayete! Bayete recorded two wonderful albums for Prestige before this set – and although the record has him moving into a much more rock-based style than on his fusion sessions, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Sublime mid 70s work from The Average White Band – and a record that really has the group deepening their groove a bit – moving past the heavier funk of their roots, into some mellower grooves that are totally great! There's a great undercurrent of jazz in some of the playing here ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A wicked album of Latin Soul tunes – recorded by Harvey Averne, one of the heaviest hitting producers of the New York scene of the late 60s! The album's one of the few that Harvey issued under his own name, and it features him on piano and vibes, working with arrangements by Marty Sheller, ... (Latin, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest and most historically important compilations ever put together by our friends at Light In The Attic – the first ever (!!!) anthology devoted to Stax sax great Charles "Packy" Axton! Packy was a founding member of the Mar-Keys and a cat who played with the best ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant set of straight jazz material from Roy Ayers – a set recorded for Atlantic at a time when he was working for the label in Herbie Mann's group – but done in a much more righteous groove that really points the way towards Roy's growth in the 70s! The lineup changes a bit ... (Jazz, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

One of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever – and also one of his deepest, too! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A funky classic from the team of Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson – both at the top of their game here, and effortlessly mixing together jazz, funk, and soul! The record really seems to embrace the best of both artists' styles – some of the bassy groovers that Wayne did so well himself, ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Talk about a meeting of the minds! At the time of this album, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a smooth soulful style that was pushing the genre onto whole new levels, while still keeping firm roots in jazz – a rare blend that ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

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(Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

(Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Ginger continues his further exploration into soul, funk, and African rhythms – working here in a mode that takes a Brit jazz rock groove and expands it with a growing interest in the Afro Funk and South African jazz influences that were floating around the London scene at the time. Tracks ... (Rock, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Bessie Smith by LaVern Baker – a great blend of modes that really comes off great! Instead of sounding like a throwback blues album, the set comes across with a nice degree of contemporary class – thanks in part to a jazzy presentation that's a bit different than some of Baker's other ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Killer early stuff from Hank – when he was just about the size of a bratty kid, and he had a voice on him that would stop a train! Loads of shoutin R&B tunes, including "The Coffee Grind", "I Love You So-o-o", "Don't Go, I Love You", "Look At Little ... read more 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 ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Later Bar-Kays at their best – still plenty funky, but also working in a smoothly soulful style that became the group's trademark sound at Mercury! The album's got a real bass-heavy appeal from the start – working in a mode that shares a lot with Cameo, The Gap Band, and some of the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Michigan soul from the 80s - with titles that include "Doin The Do", "Green Eyed Monster", "I'll Give", "Life", "Person To Person", and "Drive Me To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Barrabas began their career mostly as a soulful rock band, by this album, they're sort of heading in an uptempo funky club style – not really funk, or disco, but kind of an early blend of both, along with some of their older rock leanings. The record includes the funky tracks "S ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most obscure releases by this already-obscure singer – a smooth bit of modern soul tracks with an 80s groove on the more uptempo numbers. As usual, Keith is better on the sweeter tunes and the ballads – where his church-inspired vocals really have more room to roam. The ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A great secular set from Keith Barrow – a singer who started in gospel, but who's always been best-remembered for this modern soul gem from the 70s! Keith's got a great range to his vocals – one you can hear right from the start, as he dips and soars effortlessly with a quality that's ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Very righteous work from Fontella Bass – an album done after her time at Chess Records, and after her work in Paris with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – in a heartfelt, southern soul mode that's totally great! Fontella's back working with producer Oliver Sain, who first brought her fame ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

(Vocalists, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A real turning point for Joe Bataan – and the beginning of his funky Latin sound of the 70s! The album was one of the first in Joe's "Salsoul" style – a sweet blend of Latin rhythms, late 60s Latin soul influences, and some of the hipper styles bubbling through the NuYorican ... (Latin, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from the 70s – the one and only album from Batteaux, a group who do a great job of mixing older folksy soul modes with some tighter 70s production! David and Robin Beatteau are the core of the group – and work in this sing-song blend of vocals and acoustic guitar that' ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

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Although Archie Bell & The Drells had recorded earlier with Gamble & Huff on Atlantic, this is their first album for the team's own label – and it's a killer! In a way, Archie and group were sort of responsible for getting Gamble & Huff their own famous imprint in the first place ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A great return to form for the legendary William Bell – one of the first singers to make the Stax Records label so great back in the 60s – finally back on the imprint, working here in one of the best settings he's had in decades! The album was recorded in New York, not Memphis – ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Beyond The Sea", "No One Emotion", "Please Don't Walk Away", "New Day", "Hold Me", "Stand Up", and "You Are The Love Of My Life". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Yipes! This one made everyone a bucket of money – especially Quincy Jones, whose new Qwest imprint the record was one of the first to grace. George has come a long way from his roots with Jack McDuff here – but in a way that kind of has us impressed, as he's grooving away slickly on ... (Jazz, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the wildest albums by the funky conga player. The title track, "Lion Walk" runs through all of side one, and has a weird, tripped-out sloppy funk feel, with guitar and sax solos over Big Black's moody congas. Side two has three long songs, with a groove that's not as good, but ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

One of Big Black's better LPs for UNI, and one that features stripped down conga groove with spare flute playing by Black "Melody" Harold. Side one is a long 3 part track, divided into "Problem", "Cause", and "Cure". Side two's got three long tracks: " ... (Global Grooves, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

The title kind of says it all – as the album's a set of 10 bluesy tracks by Maybelle, built around her perennial hit "Candy" – a sweet and dreamy tune that's been forever kept alive by her version! The style is very much in the vein of that hit, and other tunes on the album ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from the combo also known as Lafayette Afro Rock Band and Ice – but still pretty darn nice – and served up in a style that has more straight Afro-Funk grooving than you'd expect! There's a nicely tight small combo feel to the whole thing – more African than before, ... (Global Grooves, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

A searing debut from Black Heat – one of the best funk acts to record for Atlantic during the 70s, and a tight little group with a sound that's a mixture of New Orleans funk and New York heavy! The album's got a bit of vocals – figuring in on about half the tracks – but the main ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic ballad soul from one of the greatest groups from the east coast 70s scene! Black Ivory may not have scored as big as some of their contemporaries on the charts – but to fans of harmony soul, they'll always be kings, and this record is the sort that forever gave them keys to the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Killer grooves from Black Ivory – a trio who've really come a long way here since their roots – stepping out with proud, soulful tones that are a perfect fit for the upbeat grooves of the set! There's still a touch of fragile harmonies at times – but overall, the group have a ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent bit of southern funk – very much in the early mode of Little Beaver, but with a sound that's even harder! James Knight is The Black Knight – leading a tight little combo with a raw funky 45 sound, heavy on the horns for backing, but with James' guitar right up front in the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy drums and a good dose of soul – both of which make Black Pearl stand out a bit from many of their late 60s contemporaries! There's a definite bluesy undercurrent to the group's music, but the riffs are also pretty hard and fast too – almost a bit funky at times, and delivered ... (Rock, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet warm grooves from the mighty Blackbyrds – a set that has George Duke working with the group, giving them some of the electric vibe of his own great work! The sound is less sharply funky than the early days of the group, but still mighty nice – and titles include "Do It ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A funky jazz treasure – and the band's landmark first album! The Blackbyrds were a legendary 70s combo that were discovered by Donald Byrd while he was teaching at Howard University – and they had a tight style that mixed raw funk influences with smoother jazz playing, creating a sound ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Not the band's first album – as you might think from the "start" in the title – but a classic batch of jazzy, funky, and soulful grooves from The Blackbyrds – one of those combos that few groups could match back in the 70s! The set's got a beautifully put-together feel ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Not the band's first album – as you might think from the "start" in the title – but a classic batch of jazzy, funky, and soulful grooves from The Blackbyrds – one of those combos that few groups could match back in the 70s! The set's got a beautifully put-together feel ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

One of the fantastic Duke LPs by Bobby Bland from the early 60's, with a rootsy southern soul sound that prefaces later sounds to come out of Stax and Muscle Shoals. Includes the great cut "You're The One (That I Adore)", plus "You're Worth It All", "Your Friends", ... (Blues, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff, like all of Bobby's early Duke albums, and a breathtaking mix of soul and R&B, with some nice jazzy touches in the arrangements. Tracks include "Wouldn't You Rather Have Me", "Ask Me Nothin' About The Blues", "Gotta Get To Know You", and "You ... (Blues, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

There's nobody like Bobby Blue Bland on Duke Records – especially during the early years that are featured on this collection! Bland came out of Memphis with a very unique, really amazing sound right from the start – an approach to blues that was a lot more sophisticated than most of ... (Blues, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Was there ever a better harmony soul group than Blue Magic? Hearing a record like this, it's hard to think so – and the album's pure east coast magic all the way through! The group still manage to keep the fragile quality that made their first work so great, but they've also got a ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

The Bo-Keys have been a rock-solid force on the Memphis scene for a number of years – and here, they take an even deeper step into the city's rich soul history – by making space on the record for performances by classic Memphis soul singers Percy Wiggins, Don Bryant, and The ... (Deep Funk, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Nice stuff from Willie – maybe not as hard and funky as his early 70s work, but very nice in kind of a Latin Club mode, thanks to some great production by Wayne Henderson! Includes his classic take on "Always There" – which is a great dancefloor jazz jammer – plus ... (Latin, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work by Willie Bobo – a slamming record of hard funky instrumentals, one that sounds different than any of his other albums! The record's a killer all the way through – a mixture of Latin and deep 70s funk, one of the few perfect fusions of the styles, held up beautifully ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Not as funky as Rita's other record on 20th Century – but still pretty nice, in kind of a compressed mid 70s rock sort of way. Rita uses a lot of heavy guitars on the tunes, creating a nice undercurrent of guitar-based funky rock underneath her sweeter vocals, at a level that still has some ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Massive grooves from the mighty Hamilton Bohannon – the kind of skittish, nervous rhythms that made his funk unlike any other artist of the 70s! There's a sense of rhythmic progression here that's super-tight, but often quite subtle in its inflections – a mode that went onto have a ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Stand By Me Girl", "Punkathon Affair", "Love Injection", "Deep Inside My Soul", and "Finders Keepers". LP, Vinyl record album

Nice stuff – a lot better than you might think, from what we remember about Gary! The tunes are nicely grooving numbers with a hard sock-soul approach – a bit of twist, a bit R&B, and all jumping around in a lively style that makes for a good listen all the way through. Plus, most ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

You gotta give Gary credit for getting two 60s dance crazes in a 3 word title! The album's a pretty good one, though – some nice 60s groovers with a slight Latin feel on some numbers, and more straight rock and roll on others. Titles include "Dear Lady Twist", "Naughty Little ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Massive work from Bootsy Collins – one of his best-ever solo albums, and a perfect summation of the P-Funk groove – focused strongly through Bootsy's own sense of stardom! George Clinton worked with Collins on production, and the album's as tight as the best Parliament or Funkadelic ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest records ever to come out of Chicago – the sole recording by Boscoe, a group who was even more obscure and experimental than contemporaries like The Pharoahs or Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Like those groups, Boscoe has a very unique, very visionary approach – one that' ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A brilliant soul album! That's right, we said SOUL album! Bowie was at the height of his Ziggy Stardust fame when this one was recorded – a drastic left-turn in styles, forged during a point in his American tour when he could take a break, head to Philly, plug in at the Sigma Sound Studios, ... (Rock, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Jaw-dropping work from Charles Bradley – a stunning album that's maybe his best so far – and that's saying a hell of a lot, given the quality of his previous work! There's a focus and power here that really puts Charles on top – from the bold statement at the start of the record, ... (Deep Funk, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

A very hip album that mixes gospel and jazz – recorded in 1968 as a tribute to Martin Luther King, but a set that more than stands on its own – at a level that's way different than the usual King tribute records! The album was put together by Jesse Jackson's Operation Breadbasket ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

The second set from St Louis funk combo Breakaway – and the album already shows a great deal of growth – especially in the territory of rhythm! Breakaway have definitely dug some of the best club modes from the New York scene – and work here in a jazzy disco style that's filled ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked Brecker Brothers gem from the end of the 70s – easily one of their most soulful sets from the Arista years, and a record that's got way more lasting power than the Cold War reference of its title! The Brecker's are still rooted in jazz here, but definitely step out with plenty ... (Jazz, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendously soulful session from the late 70s P-Funk empire – sung by a group who were George Clinton's answer to Three Degrees, First Choice, and other female club trios of the time! The sound here is hardly as disco as those other groups, though – and there's plenty of funky ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful work from Julius Brockington – an artist that we know best from his early 70s funk albums, but who is working here in a gospel mode, with the Julius Brockington Ensemble – a very hip group of singers, with a righteous 70s approach to the music. The feel is almost in the mode ... (Gospel, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Rough and raw work from Big Bill Broonzy – well-done sides that feature Bill on vocals and acoustic guitar, recorded in Paris in the early 50s, and issued here in a US package on the Scepter label! There's a pretty earthy feel to most of the tracks – a real "crossroads" feel ... (Blues, Soul) read more LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff – and the kind of group that would be easy to overlook if the tracks weren't so good! The Brothers were clearly some sort of a studio project designed to cash in on the disco craze – and they included Bhen Lanzaroni on keyboards, who'd also recorded a bit on his own as a ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

(Gospel, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Blam is right – an all-out batch of funky tracks from The Brothers Johnson – captured here right in the middle of their classic period with Quincy Jones! The Q's at the helm on production for the set, and the record's a great extension of their earlier efforts with the man – but ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

More hit magic from the Brothers Johnson – still working with Quincy Jones at this point, and virtually setting up the blueprint for jazzy soul in the 80s! Backings are by an all-star team, and Rod Temperton's helping out Quincy with arrangements – going for that snapping groove ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

An all-star soul affair produced by Quincy Jones, and featuring the talents of studio greats like Harvey Mason, Billy Cobham, Toots Thielmans, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, and many others – not to mention the Brothers themselves! We'll be honest, though, in saying that we really think it's the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A funky classic from the Brothers Johnson – sweet funky soul, done with a polish few could match! The pair are still working with Quincy Jones at this point, and the record's filled with lots of tight jazzy grooves that certainly show Quincy's touch – and which set the record apart ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Breakout brilliance from Bobby Brown – the album that really showed the world he could stand on his own strongly after leaving New Edition! Given the tight production from LA & Babyface, among others, the sound here is hardly cruel – and instead, the album's got a catchily ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

By this point in his career, Charles has come a long way from his "Drifting Blues" hit of earlier years – but he's still one heck of a singer, and in a modern soul/blues format like this, it's interesting to hear him sound like singers like Mose Allison, on whom he had an undeniable ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked 70s set from the legendary Charles Brown – one that has the famous west coast singer updating his sound a bit from his initial postwar fame – in a mode that comes across surprisingly well throughout! Brown was a hell of a crooner back in the late 40s – one of the ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

Tasty stuff from Genie Brown – a strong vocalist with a deep soul voice, of the sort you'd normally hear on a southern soul album, but which is set up here in a pretty tasty LA milieu! Dee Ervin put together the whole set and also wrote a fair number of the songs – and the record ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s collection of some of James' best King funk singles from the late 60's – with a monster set list that includes "I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me", "Don't Be A Drop Out", "Let Yourself Go", "Bring It Up", "Lickin Stick", "Give ... read more LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from Brother James – a wonderful 60s album that not only includes the incredible title track – one of James' best groovers from the time – but a set that also showcases his talents in so many other styles too! There's a few wonderful ballads – but completely ... read more LP, Vinyl record album