A really well-titled set from Frankie Beverly & Maze – as the album takes the group right back to the mellow-stepping sound that first made them great back in the 70s! Production's a bit more updated, but still very laidback – and there's a smoothly-grooving glow to the record we totally love – a perfect format for Frankie's always-amazing vocals, updated just slightly for the 90s. The production values are never too polished, and the songwriting is still great – on titles that include "Love Is", "the Morning After", "Laid Back Girl", 'What Goes Up", "In Time", "All Night Long", "Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", and "Twilight". CD

An essential 2 CD set that brings together some of the best work ever by one of the 70's most enduring modern soul groups! We've always loved Maze, but they sound extremely great on this CD – since it picks through their classic albums, and brings together the best cuts, skipping over some of the group's weaker material. Nearly every cut's a winner, and titles include "While I'm Alone", "Golden Time of Day", "Southern Girl", "Joy & Pain", "Happy Feelings", "Love Is The Key", "Lady Of Magic", "Back In Stride", "I Wanna Be With You", "Running Away", and "Reason". CD

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An overstuffed collection of classics from Frankie Beverly and Maze – 18 tracks that perfectly sum up the mellow-grooving genius of the group at their best! The set brings together hits and key album cuts from the core Maze albums on Capitol – starting out with the group's first few at the end of the 70s, through their long strong run in later years – a time when Frankie's lead was stronger than ever, and even 80s production couldn't dampen their soul! Titles include "Southern Girl", "Workin Together", "Golden Time Of Day", "Before I Let Go", "Never Let You Down", "We Are One", "Back In Stride", "Joy & Pain", "Silky Soul", "Too Many Games", "Happy Feelins (live)", and "Feel That You're Feelin". CD

Frankie Beverly and crew can't miss at this point – and as usual, these 2 albums by Maze stands head and shoulders above most of its soul contemporaries from the time. The overall feel is nice and warm, with plenty of focus on Frankie's sweet smooth vocals – and the band grooves behind him in a slightly jazzy style that must have sounded like an instant classic at the time! There's a total of 16 tracks on 2 CDs, and titles include "Too Many Games", "Back In Stride", "Magic", "I Want To Feel I'm Wanted", "Reachin Down Inside", "I Wanna Thank You", "Love Is The Key", "We Are One", "Right On Time", "Never Let You Down", and "Metropolis" – plus "Twilight", which was only ever available as a 12" single b-side! CD

Frankie Beverly and crew can't miss at this point – and as usual, Maze stands head and shoulders above most of its soul contemporaries from the time. The overall feel is nice and warm, with plenty of focus on Frankie's sweet smooth vocals – and the band grooves behind him in a slightly jazzy style that must have sounded like an instant classic at the time and still sounds great today. With the classic "Back In Stride", plus "Reachin Down Inside", "Can't Stop The Love", "Too Many Games" and "Magic". CD

A collection of classics from Frankie Beverly and Maze – 10 tracks that perfectly sum up the mellow-grooving genius of the group at their best! The set brings together hits and key album cuts from the core Maze albums on Capitol! Titles include "Southern Girl", "Golden Time Of Day", "Before I Let Go", "Back In Stride", "Joy & Pain", "Happy Feelins", and "While I'm Alone". CD

A great follow-up to the first set in this series – a dozen classic dancefloor tunes, running the gamut from funky fusion to jazzy soul to 80s groove! The vibe here is definitely somewhere in the Larry Mizell/Capitol Rare mode – with a real focus on the kind of smooth groovers that really helped set the pace as the disco era drew to a close. Titles include "Always There" by Ronnie Laws, "Dominoes" by Donald Byrd, "Promise Me" by Dayton, "Music Is My Sanctuary" by Gary Bartz, "Parisienne Girl" by Incognito, "Mr Magician" by Mystic Merlin, "Groove On" by Willie Beaver Hale, "Do Me Baby" by Mel'isa Morgan, "Doin Alright" by O'Bryan, "Too Many Games" by Maze, and "Prance On" by Eddie Henderson. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A great early album from Con Funk Shun – a mix of funkier tunes and some excellent smooth modern ones in step with the mellower work by Cameo or Maze – done with more soaringly emotional sounds that moves beyond their peers! A love for earlier 70s styles might be what pushes Secrets above and beyond – honest, intimate, and at times just more focused in the vocals department than both the funky soul groups of the time and the quiet storm singers of the approaching early 80s – and still doesn't spare the bass, horns and funky interplay! High points include the closing instrumental "Indian Summer Love" and funky centerpiece "Ffun" –plus "Doowhachawannadoo", "Who Has The Time", "Secrets", "Tear In My Eye" and "I'll Set You Out OK". CD

Ahhhhh . . . By this point, George Clinton and the P-Funk team were on top of the world! The record is a masterful dose of slick mothership jamming – perfectly woven together with that tightly compressed style that really served Clinton's production work well. The tracks are long, but never too loopy – and thanks to help from the Bernie Worrell, Jerome Brailey, Gary Shider, and the Horny Horns, the album stays very tight instrumentally all the way through! Loads of Parliament classics, including "Bop Gun", "Funkentelechy", "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk", and the massive "Flash Light", which we've heard a million times, but which never ceases to amaze us! CD

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and Afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth, Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid-70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid 70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD also features 5 bonus tracks – "Shining Star (future star)", "All About Love (first impressions)", "Happy Feelin (anatomy of a groove)", "Caribou Chaser (jazzy jam)", and "That's The Way Of The World (Latin expedition)". CD

The second album by Soul II Soul, and although not as totally great as the first, still filled with some very nice moments, and the band's trademark modern classic soul style. Guests include Courtney Pine, Kym Mazelle, Marcia Lewis, and Fab Five Freddy – and tracks include "Get A Life", "People", "Courtney Blows", "Time", and "Our Time Has Now Come". CD