Classic modern soul from the legendary Frankie Beverly! The record's perhaps one of their best remembered – most likely for the killer cut "Joy & Pain", which has a great hook that's been sampled many times over the years. The record also features the wonderful "Southern Girl", an excellent smooth cut that's a great example of the kind of solid soul that Frankie was bringing to the charts in the early 80s. Other tracks include "Roots", "Changing Times", and "The Look In Your Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A live album from the mighty Frankie Beverly and Maze – and a set that's every bit as important as their studio classics for Capitol Records! It's always a sign of how huge Frankie Beverly was during the 80s that Capitol let him cut not one, but two double live albums during the early part of the decade – and this one, his first, has the band grooving wonderfully before a crowd going mad in the Crescent City – while the group keep all the perfection, sharp grooves, and sophisticated soul that they had on record! The songs retain all the charm of the studio renditions – and are stretched out a bit more in the live setting, with some really nice interplay with the crowd – who are clearly going nuts in the presence of the group. Titles include the famous live version of "Joy & Pain" – sampled heavily back in the day – plus other classics that include live takes on "Happy Feelins", "Southern Girl", "Look At California", "Before I Let Go", "We Need Love To Love", "The Look In Your Eyes", "Running Away", "Reason", "Feel That You're Fallin", "You", and "Changing Times". LP, Vinyl record album

A live album from the mighty Frankie Beverly and Maze – and a set that's every bit as important as their studio classics for Capitol Records! It's always a sign of how huge Frankie Beverly was during the 80s that Capitol let him cut not one, but two double live albums during the early part of the decade – and this one, his first, has the band grooving wonderfully before a crowd going mad in the Crescent City – while the group keep all the perfection, sharp grooves, and sophisticated soul that they had on record! The songs retain all the charm of the studio renditions – and are stretched out a bit more in the live setting, with some really nice interplay with the crowd – who are clearly going nuts in the presence of the group. Titles include the famous live version of "Joy & Pain" – sampled heavily back in the day – plus other classics that include live takes on "Happy Feelins", "Southern Girl", "Look At California", "Before I Let Go", "We Need Love To Love", "The Look In Your Eyes", "Running Away", "Reason", "Feel That You're Fallin", "You", and "Changing Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely killer work from Frankie Beverly & Maze – captured here at the height of their power, with that amazing blend of Frankie's lead vocals and the group's tight instrumentation – all at a level that so many others tried to copy, but never got this right! The sense of unity in the title really comes through in the music – a proud, progressive approach to contemporary R&B that always made Maze one of the more positive acts of their time – even if the message was played in a more subtle way than earlier groups in the 70s. At some level, Maze are picking up the torch that Earth Wind & Fire were dropping a bit by this point – but with an even more charismatic singer in the lead – and just the right blend of acoustic and electric elements in the instrumentation. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "I Wanna Thank You", "Love Is The Key", "We Are One", "Right On Time", "Never Let You Down", and "Metropolis". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electric funk from Womack and Womack – a set that's got the same sort of tight songwriting as their classic Love Wars set from the 80s, but a groove that's maybe even heavier on the beats and keyboards too! The style's still nice and warm, in all the right ways to work with the duo's vocals trading back to back – and in addition to Fender Rhodes from Linda, the album also features some nice worm from Bobby Lyle, Neal Larson, and Eddie Noble on the keys. Titles include "No Relief", "Maze", "Night Rider", "Strange & Funny", "Eyes", and "Radio MUSC Man". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from Chapter 8 – a set that's probably best remembered for introducing the world to Anita Baker, but one that's also pretty darn great on its own! Chapter 8 have a sharply soulful focus, one that takes them a bit above some of the other mainstream ensembles of the time – a balance of grooving rhythms and deeper feelings that's just about perfect – about at the level you might get from Maze or LTD, two other groups who both sported equally soulful lead singers! Gerald Lyles sings the male parts alongside Anita, and the blend is perfect – one that should have made the record even bigger than it was at the time, but maybe all that much better, since the lack of hit quality really keeps things fresh. Titles include the singles "Ready For Your Love" and "I Just Wanna Be Your Girl", plus "Don't You Like It", "Let's Get Together", "Come & Boogie", "I Go Disco", and "We Need Love". LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

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! LP, Vinyl record album

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". LP, Vinyl record album

Mighty righteous work from Zulema – a singer who steps right out of the gate with a rich, full sound on this tremendous debut album – the kind of record that makes it seem as if she's going to become one of the most powerful forces in female soul for the 70s! Zulema draws on the new generation of soul styles that was coming from artists like Roberta Flack and Aretha Franklin, and serves up a style that's very much her own – vocals that soar with the energy of soul that goes back to the gospel roots, but nicely sophisticated arrangements that showcase the new level of pride and power that was bubbling over in the 70s! Titles include the great "American Fruit African Roots", plus "I Leave It Up To You", "This Child Of Mine", "If I Loved You", "Don't Be Afraid", "Ain't It Sad", and a surprisingly great version of "Maybe I'm Amazed". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer by Sam & Dave – recorded in Memphis with crack work by the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter, and unfortunately a record that was recorded by Stax, but stolen by Atlantic in their 1968 takeover of the label! Sam & Dave are at the height of their powers here – hitting on all burners with that tight funked-up southern soul style that made them one of the most popular acts of their generation – and although the pair may be familiar, they've got an energy that never fails to amaze us on a record like this! Titles include "I Thank You", "Don't Turn Your Heater On", "Love Is After Me", "Talk To The Man", "Don't Waste That Love", "Wrap It Up", and "You Don't Know What You Mean To Me". LP, Vinyl record album