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 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". CD features five bonus tracks – "Feel So Real (voc ext)", "Feel So Real (inst ext)", "Dancin In The Key Of Life (special rmx)", "Dancin In The Key Of Life (megamix)", and "Dancin In The Key Of Life (Timmy Regisford & Boyd Jarvis rmx)". CD

Steve Arrington's got a long long legacy in soul music – one that goes back to his late 70s work on Slave – but he also sounds completely contemporary here, working in collaboration with a whole host of producers who were no doubt influenced by his creations of the past, and help Arrington find a whole new vibe in his music! Tunes are often spare, and served up in a blend of vocals, beats, keyboards, and guitar – yet all elements are given some cool, crispy twists and turns through a host of hip hop elements and other contemporary modes – but all at a level that only seems to bring new live to Arrington's music, and not overwhelm it. The set features work from Mndsgn, Gifted & Blessed, J Rocc, Knxwledge, Devin Morrison, and others – and titles include "Love Knows", "Keep Dreamin", "Soulful I Need That In My Life", "Make A Difference", "Joys Of Love", "It's Alright", "Make Ya Say Yie", "You're Not Ready", "Good Mood", and "Work On It". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Homeboy Sandman lyrically on point and fascinating as always – with production and/or appearances by Jonwayne, Georgia Anne Muldrow,Edan, Steve Arrington, yU, J-Zone and others. Includes "Heart Sings", "Eyes", "Real New York", "Seam By Seam", "It's Cold", "Gumshoe", "Keep It Real", "Earth, Wind, Fire, Waster", Funhouse", "Sly Flox, "God", Nonbelievers", "Speak Truth". CD

Not just a wonderful letter, but a love letter to Los Angeles – served up here in a style that maybe makes for one of the most evocative creations we've ever heard from J Rocc! There's a richness here that comes through on the very first track – almost an imagined LA from the past, at a time when the city had a few more problems – but given more than a few contemporary touches along the way, especially when some of the guests step into the mix – work from Koreatown Oddity, Med, Frank Nitt, Budgie, LMNO, and Key Kool – as well as older legends Steve Arrington and Egyptian Lover – whose appearance here really cements some of the 80s elements in J Rocc's conception. Titles include "LA Anthem", "Love & Dope", "Dancing With The Best", "All I Wanna Do (rmx)", "The Changing World", and "Flawless". LP, Vinyl record album

Dam-Funk and Snoopzilla, aka Snoop Dogg, teaming up as 7 Days Of Funk – and it's not merely a new day for the timeless G-Funk sound – they're packing a whole week of it! Producer Dam-Funk and MC/singer Snoop couldn't be a better match – Snoop delivering laidback rhymes and easy going funk singing with a deep love for 70s and 80s G-Funk – and Dam-Funk was born to carry on the legacy of that vibe. Thankfully, they're doing it for Stones Throw – a label that no doubt allows these guys to do it as they see fit without pressuring them for a hit single – so this is creative win, and a hell of a lot of fun! Guests include Bootsy Collins, Steve Arrington and Kurupt. Titles include "Hit Da Pavement", "Let It Go", "Faden Away", "1Question?", "Ride", "Do My Thang", "I'll Be There For You" and the bonus track "Stystamatic" feat Tha Dogg Pound. CD

Wonderful work from Slave – an album that's still got the hard funk of earlier years, yet which also has the group sweetening up their sound in a great sort of 80s groove way! Most tracks kick along with that great rolling bass sound that the group practically invented – and which has been their everlasting legacy to mainstream funk – and Steve Arrington's still in the group on lead vocals, really hitting some soaring notes that help the tunes groove even more – all of which maybe makes the record one of the most perfect distillations of everything that made Arrington and Slave such a standard-setting group for the 80s! Titles include "Party Lites", "Snap Shot", "Smokin", "Wait For Me", "Funken Town", and "Steal Your Heart". CD features bonus tracks – "Snap Shot (12" version)" and "Wait For Me (7" version)". CD

15 bass-heavy classics from the band that virtually invented the 80s groove sound! The set's a good selection of tracks from Slave's classic Cotillion albums from the late 70s, and it also includes 5 tracks from bandmember Steve Arrington, who went on to record with his Hall Of Fame group during the early 80s. Titles include "Slide", "Stellar Fungk", "Stone Jam", "Watching You", "Wait For Me", "Weak At The Knees", "Feel So Real", "Way Out", and "Are You Ready For Love?" CD

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

Electro soul pioneer and resurgent creative force Giorgio Moroder gets the front cover honor, and rightfully so – with classic electro-inspired Brooklyn instrumentalists Ratatat on the backside! This issue includes great features on both, plus pieces on Steve Arrington, Divine Styler, Van Hunt, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, the photography of soul jazz hero Les McCann, the too often underappreciated female voices of dancefloor soul legends Chic, and lots more! The always photo rich style of Wax Poetics is in full force here, too. One of the best issues in a while! Magazine

Music from Brick, Dazz, Slave, One Way, George Clinton, Pleasure, Bootsy Collins, Ray Parker Jr & Raydio, and Steve Arrington. CD

Terri Lyne Carrington on drums, percussion and vocals – with Morgan Guerin on saxophone, bass and EWI, Aaron Parks on piano and keys, Matthew Stevens on guitar, Debo Ray on vocals, and Kassa Overall as MC & DJ. CD

Valery Ponomarev, Chris Rogers, and Josh Evans on trumpet, Benny Golson, Peter Brainin, and Steve Harrington on tenor saxophone, Todd Bashore on alto saxophone, Corey Wallace on trombone, Mamiko Watanabe on piano, and Victor Jones on drums. CD