... LP, Vinyl record album

Carol's at the top of her game in this set of full-sounding disco numbers arranged and conducted by John Davis – singing with that heartfelt tone that still has plenty of great traces of AM radio soul, but which also slides nicely into the smoother, sophisti-club arrangements of the set. There's no real standout singles on the set, but a few of the tracks have some nice hooks – and titles include "Lie To Me", "Life Time Guarantee", "Crime Don't Pay", "Headline News", and "Midnight Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring disco from Carol Douglas – a tightly produced set, but one that still has a surprising degree of soul! Douglas has a way of holding it together a bit more than some of her contemporaries on the Midsong label – and the backings here are all by John Davis, and filled with warm touches that are heavy on Philly Soul influences. There's plenty of strings, but also a core combo with Davis on the keyboards – and the percussion stands out nicely on many numbers. Titles include "Full Bloom Suite", "I Want To Stay With You", "We're Gonna Make It", "We Do It", and "I Got You On My Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

(Gospel, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

(Gospel, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Rare bit of lost rocky funk, recorded by Alan Douglas for his short-lived 70s label. The record includes a lot of nice keyboards by Neil Larson, funky drums by Phillip Wilson, and some heavy guitars by Buzz Feiten. There are also some guest playing by Airto, Ray Barretto, and Randy Brecker – but the core sound's by the funky Full Moon. Some tracks have vocals that are a bit weak, but there are some nice fuzzy funky moments to make up for them. Titles include "The Heavy Scuffle's On", "To Know", "Midnight Pass", "Selfish People", and "Need Your Love". (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the Last Poets greatest albums – and one of their most sophisticated as well! Gone are the rough-hewn rhymes of the group's first album, and in their place are better arranged, more thought-out tracks that mix in a wealth of musical influences – and which expand the group's verbal expression past simple protests, and into the realm of Jazzoetry that became their trademark during the mid 70s. Tracks include "Related to What", "Black Is", "White Man's Got a God Complex", "Black People What Y'All Gonna Do", and "This is Madness" – and a number of tracks are preceded by strong and forceful chants before the lyrics kick in! LP, Vinyl record album

Wild guitar from Luther Johnson – an obscure earlier session recorded with a nicely gritty feel, and a fair bit of funk in the rhythms too! The group's billed as the Muddy Waters Blues Band – and Muddy appears to be on the record, although the notes are a bit lean – and the album features a number of great instrumentals, with really ripping guitar solos – plus a few vocal tracks too. The record's got a raw sound that's more of a Delmark Chicago blues vibe than a Chess Records one – and titles include "Top Of The Boogaloo", "Sting It", "Natural Wig", "Blues For Hippies", "Remember Me", "Snake", and "Sad Day Uptown". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Van McCoy, Blackbyrds, Gwen McCrae, Sugarloaf, Styx, Disco Tex & The Sex-O-Lettes, Stylistics, Hot Chocolate, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Gloria Gaynor, Carol Douglas, Kool & The Gang, Billy Preston, George McCrae, Jim Gilstrap, Hues Corporation, Kiss, and BT Express. LP, Vinyl record album