A crucial look at the Chicago scene in the 1980s – and the first collection to really get at the roots of that city's legendary house music scene! Although later labels – like Trax or DJ International – became known as global forces for dance music in the 80s, the big wave of new sounds from the Windy City was really started by a much smaller company – the tiny Mitchbal label, and related Chicago Connection Records! This wonderful package really does a great job of bringing the Mitchbal contribution to light – with lavish notes, almost Numero-style, that fully detail the way the label mixed unique strands on the scene – British imports, new wave rhythms, and a younger generation of soul musicians still looking for an outlet in the post-disco years. These forces, and more, all came together to make the mighty sound of Mitchbal – featured here in a collection of the label's rare singles, some unreleased tracks, and other essential bits. 3CD package features a full bonus mix CD, plus a whopping 24 tracks that include "Fantasy (inst)" by Z Factor, "Shake Your Body" by Jeanette Thomas, "When I Hear The Music" by Mitchbal & The Housemasters, "The House Is On Fire" by Dezz & Grant, "Do Dat Stuff (dance mix)" by Mitchbal & Larry Williams, "I Am Music (inst)" by Libra Libra, "That's The Beat" by Risque Rhythm Team, "Fast Cars" by Z Factor, "More Than Just A Dance (backyard mix)" by Rique Rhythm Team, "I Got Broke Breakdancing (inst)" by MC Ghee, and "I Can't Forget" by Mr Lee. (House Music, Funky Compilations) CD

An instant party in a single package – a set that brings together a whole host of rare singles from back in the day – all work that's almost an equal blend of old school funk and early hip hop! The work here comes from the Spring label and related Posse imprint – a company who were around on the New York scene to issue plenty of soul and funk during the 70s – then made the move into hip hop at the end of the decade, yet in a way that also brought some of their funky currents forward! Where other labels were maybe using a lean approach and more records as the basis for cuts, Spring already had access to some great groups to back up the MCs – and the result is a batch of funky cuts that are already primed for a party crowd in the South Bronx! As the 80s move in, the cuts use more beats and electro elements – yet that older ear for funk is still nicely in place, and really keeps things moving throughout. Titles include "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All) (long version)" by Jimmy Spicer, "Charley Says (Roller Boogie Baby)" by King Tim III, "The Beach (long vocal)" by Afrika & The Zulu Kings, "Go For What You Know" by The Bally Boys, "Tearin It Up" by D4, "Rockin It" by MC Flex & The Crew, "I'm Hot" by The Rangers, "Magic's Message" by Mr Magic, "To Whoever It May Concern" by DJ Hollywood, "Cars (Zulu club mix)" by Afrika & The Zulu Kings, and "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" by Fatback – a cut that some folks call the first-ever hip hop single! (Hip Hop, Funky Compilations) CD

An instant party in a single package – a set that brings together a whole host of rare singles from back in the day – all work that's almost an equal blend of old school funk and early hip hop! The work here comes from the Spring label and related Posse imprint – a company who were around on the New York scene to issue plenty of soul and funk during the 70s – then made the move into hip hop at the end of the decade, yet in a way that also brought some of their funky currents forward! Where other labels were maybe using a lean approach and more records as the basis for cuts, Spring already had access to some great groups to back up the MCs – and the result is a batch of funky cuts that are already primed for a party crowd in the South Bronx! As the 80s move in, the cuts use more beats and electro elements – yet that older ear for funk is still nicely in place, and really keeps things moving throughout. Titles include "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All) (long version)" by Jimmy Spicer, "Charley Says (Roller Boogie Baby)" by King Tim III, "The Beach (long vocal)" by Afrika & The Zulu Kings, "Go For What You Know" by The Bally Boys, "Tearin It Up" by D4, "Rockin It" by MC Flex & The Crew, "I'm Hot" by The Rangers, "Magic's Message" by Mr Magic, "To Whoever It May Concern" by DJ Hollywood, "Cars (Zulu club mix)" by Afrika & The Zulu Kings, and "King Tim III (Personality Jock)" by Fatback – a cut that some folks call the first-ever hip hop single! (Hip Hop, Funky Compilations) LP, Vinyl record album

A really great label, getting a well-deserved 40th Anniversary celebration – as Easy Street was easily one of the best things going on the New York scene of the late 80s and early 90s! The company's always been way more than just another indie imprint – much stronger than the sorts of labels who spin out quick dance hits that burn out fast – and instead a company dedicated to deeper styles of R&B, and an ongoing commitment to care and class that rivals that of most of the bigger labels of the time! Yet Easy Street never got caught up in any sort of commercial drive – which is what makes this music so great – singles that were created from the streets for the clubs – evolving strongly in styles over the years, but always on the best musical path. This special 2LP set brings together some of the key classics from Easy Street, in great versions – with titles that include "In & Out Of My Life (club mix)" by Adeva, "Go De Yaka (club mix)" by Monyaka, "Goin Through The Motions (motions mix)" by Keisha Jenkins, "Picking Up Promises (club mix)" by Jocelyn Brown, "Main Thing (club voc)" by Shot with Kim Marsh, "Share The Night (club)" by World Premiere, "Body Work (voc mix)" by Hot Streak, "Please Don't Break My Heart (radio)" by The Affair with Alyson, "Ma Foom Bey (love chant version)" by Cultural Vibe, "You Don't Know (limited edition special rmx)" by Serious Intention, "Treat Her Sweeter (dance mix)" by Paul Simpson Connection, "Happy People (knee deep's to LB dub)" by Kathy Brown, "Hideaway (deep dish rmx)" by De'Lacy, and "Baby Love" by Cassio. LP, Vinyl record album

A great look at an obscure indie soul label from the Cleveland scene at the end of the 60s – and a company that's definitely a cut above, given that it released some early O'Jays singles in the years before their crossover fame in the 70s – and members of that group also wrote a fair bit of singles for the label too! Besides a tie to the O'Jays, the Saru label also had a tight, well-chosen roster – one that really helped make Cleveland a hotbed for sweet soul at the time – easily competing with the hippest singers and groups from Philly, New York, and New Jersey – thanks to a string of excellent 45s on both the Saru imprint, and related Horoscope Records! As usual with Numero, the whole package is filled with fantastic details and photos that are as compelling as the music itself – and as for the music, this time around the Numero folks really get to the heart of the matter with a non-stop array of excellent material – not unreleased tapes, but killer 45s that really show Saru as a hell of a great soul label during its short run of records. Titles include "For The Rest Of My Life" and "Tears Don't Care Who Cry" by The Out Of Sights, "I Believe" and "Are You Man Enough" by Sir Stanely, "Stand In For Love" and "Love's Needed" by Pandella Kelly, "Come Back Boy" and "The Last Time" by The Ba-Roz, "Bound" and "I Remember You" by Ponderosa Twins, "Just To Be With You" and "Got To Make It Right" by Elements, "Can't Make It Without You" by Michael Bell, "Got To Get My Broom Out" by David Peoples, "Just To Be With You" by Bobby Dukes, and "Now He's Home" and "Shattered Man" by The O'Jays. LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of soul from the East St Louis scene – all of it recorded under the Young Disciples program – an effort to keep kids off the streets, and one with some very funky results! Although set up as a social program, Young Disciples had some amazing cultural results – a legacy of very hip music with a full range of soulful expression – mellow harmony soul, upbeat group numbers, hard-edged funk, and quick-stepping dancers – all packaged together here beautifully by the Numero group! Like all of their other releases, the album's more of a musical story than just a simple compilation – packaged with a wealth of detailed notes and vintage photos from the Young Disciples project – more than enough to keep your eyes occupied while you listen to the wonderful grooves in the set. The whole thing's one of the heaviest releases to date from Numero – and the CD features 21 tracks that include "Would You Rather" and "Hard Hard" by The Georgettes, "The World Is Changing" by LaVel Moore, "Crumbs From The Table" and "Girls Girls Girls" by The Young Disciples Co, "Third Flight" by Third Flight, "Tears" by Debonettes, "It's Not Your Business" by Sharon Clark & The Product Of Time, "Country Loving Country Style" by Bobby McNutt, "I Love You" by Dauphin Williams, "Anyone Or Anything" by DeDe Turner Happening, "People" by Ames Harris Desert Water Bag Company, and "Homeboy" by Eddie Fisher & Allan Dealth Merry. CD

A massive celebration of the legendary Westbound Records – a Detroit record label started at the end of the 60s, and one that took the Motor City into much heavier territory than Motown! Westbound was the initial home of both Funkadelic and Ohio Players – and the imprint had a great ear for the kind of deeper, funkier side of the soul music spectrum – both with big groups like the two we just mentioned, and with a host of lesser-known singers and combos too! This package brings together two dozen key singles on Westbound – but not the giant hits, and instead the kind of songs that illustrate that key special touch that really set the company apart from the rest – even as the 70s moved on, and elements of club music started coming into their groove. Titles include "I Love You" by The Motivations, "A Letter From Vietnam" by Emanuel Lansky, "Everything Is Going To Be Alright" by Bill Moss & The Celestials, "Ain't No Telling" by Houston Outlaws, "Yes I'm In Love" by Unique Blend, "Why Not Start All Over Again" by The Counts, "I've Changed" by The Magictones, "I'll Bet You" by Funkadelic, "Music Man (part 1)" by Pleasure Web, "Get Up Off My Mind" by Denise LaSalle, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Devil's Gun" by CJ & Co, "Get Ya Some" by Melvin Sparks, "Alvin Stone" by Fantastic Four, "If You Love Him" by Junie, "Calling Planet Earth" by Dennis Coffey, "Crazy Legs" by Donald Austin, and "Funky Worm" by The Ohio Players. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

Funky female soul galore – a killer set of rare tunes that's one of the best sets of this type we've ever stocked! The SuperFunk crew at BGP have gone through the rich array of labels handled by the company – pulling out some massive tunes that really push our understanding of female soul – taking things way past the obvious hits and girl group numbers, into hard and heavy-stepping territory that we really love! Most of the tunes on the set are completely new to our ears, and there's a great mix of northern and southern funk styles that keeps things super-fresh. Drums crackle, basslines pound, and the gals belt it out loud, clear, and funky on a set of 20 tracks that includes "Tell Me What's Wrong" by Lynn Varnado, "Listen Here" by Valorie Keys, "Know What To Do When You Get It" by The Genies, "Heavy Heavy Hangs My Heart" by Vera Hamilton, "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Pounds Of Soul" by Betty Bibbs, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Delilah Moore, "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Staying At Home Like A Woman" by Lynn Varnado, "Hold On This Time" by Fontella Bass, "Mr Fix It" by Thelma Jones, "I'm Glad I Got Over You" by Jeanette Jones, "One Way Street" by Little Ann, and "It's Too Late For Tears" by Rene Bailey. CD

Funky female soul galore – a killer set of rare tunes that's one of the best sets of this type we've ever stocked! The SuperFunk crew at BGP have gone through the rich array of labels handled by the company – pulling out some massive tunes that really push our understanding of female soul – taking things way past the obvious hits and girl group numbers, into hard and heavy-stepping territory that we really love! Most of the tunes on the set are completely new to our ears, and there's a great mix of northern and southern funk styles that keeps things super-fresh. Drums crackle, basslines pound, and the gals belt it out loud, clear, and funky on a set of 20 tracks that includes "Tell Me What's Wrong" by Lynn Varnado, "Listen Here" by Valorie Keys, "Know What To Do When You Get It" by The Genies, "Heavy Heavy Hangs My Heart" by Vera Hamilton, "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Pounds Of Soul" by Betty Bibbs, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Delilah Moore, "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Staying At Home Like A Woman" by Lynn Varnado, "Hold On This Time" by Fontella Bass, "Mr Fix It" by Thelma Jones, "I'm Glad I Got Over You" by Jeanette Jones, "One Way Street" by Little Ann, and "It's Too Late For Tears" by Rene Bailey. CD

Funky female soul galore – a killer set of rare tunes that's one of the best sets of this type we've ever stocked! The SuperFunk crew at BGP have gone through the rich array of labels handled by the company – pulling out some massive tunes that really push our understanding of female soul – taking things way past the obvious hits and girl group numbers, into hard and heavy-stepping territory that we really love! Most of the tunes on the set are completely new to our ears, and there's a great mix of northern and southern funk styles that keeps things super-fresh. Drums crackle, basslines pound, and the gals belt it out loud, clear, and funky on a set of 20 tracks that includes "Tell Me What's Wrong" by Lynn Varnado, "Listen Here" by Valorie Keys, "Know What To Do When You Get It" by The Genies, "Heavy Heavy Hangs My Heart" by Vera Hamilton, "Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Pounds Of Soul" by Betty Bibbs, "Ooh Wee Baby" by Delilah Moore, "Sunshine Of Your Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Staying At Home Like A Woman" by Lynn Varnado, "Hold On This Time" by Fontella Bass, "Mr Fix It" by Thelma Jones, "I'm Glad I Got Over You" by Jeanette Jones, "One Way Street" by Little Ann, and "It's Too Late For Tears" by Rene Bailey. LP, Vinyl record album

Back in the early 70s, the Perception label was one of the hippest new record companies to come up on the scene – a very cool, very forward-thinking company that did a great job of blending together jazz, funk, and soul – sometimes with older artists looking to find a new way forward, sometimes with younger acts that were given a lot of freedom by the label! This set's a great overview of the Perception sound at its best – and the collection not only brings together some killer funky jazz and soul material, but also throws in a few surprises from the world of Brazilian music and soundtracks as well! Titles include "Jaded Jackie" and "Rock Steady" by Julius Brockington, "Boogie" by John Bartel, "One Life" by The Albert, "Heritage Hum" by James Moody, "Take It Easy My Brother Charlie" by Astrud Gilberto, "N'Bani" and "Alligator" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Saudia" by Larry Young, "Baby I Love You" by Benny Johnson, "Chitlins & Chuchifritos" by Joe Thomas, "Submission" by Tyrone Washington, "Kiba" and "Dance Girl" by Fatback, "Soulful Brother On The Run" by Johnny Pate, and "Take My Love Don't Set Me Free" by The Eight Minutes. CD

Cooking Kingston sounds from the 60s – a heady helping of work from the under-documented Caltone label – an early imprint whose quality level was right up there with Studio One! Caltone was a smaller operation, but managed to issue sides by some of the best on the scene at the time – and did so in a way that often created a nice sense of variety, given the looser setup of the company. Most of the grooves here are in a rock-solid rocksteady mode – with plenty of echoes of American 60s soul – and although the instrumentation is great throughout, the sublime vocals on some cuts are really what make the package crackle! Titles include "Killer Joe" by Tommy McCook & The Supersonics, "Making Love" by Devon & The Tartans, "Hold Your Love" by The Cool Cats, "Hear Them Say" by Eric Monty Morris, "Gypsy" by The Emotions with Lynn Taitt Band, "The Journey" by The Uniques, "Return Home" by Alva Lewis, "I'll Never Try" by The Clarendonians, "Why Wipe The Smile From Your Face" by The Kingstonians, "Listen To The Music" by Lloyd & The Groovers, and "You Are The One" by King Rocky & The Willos. (Reggae, Funky Compilations) CD

Mid 60s magic from a record label that only lasted a few short years – yet one that's gone on to have as much prominence for real soul collectors as the music of Atlantic and Motown! Loma Records was a small offshoot of Warner Brothers on the west coast – yet one that worked far from the hit territory of its parent company, and instead captured all these wonderful groups and singers who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – a few of whom would go on to record later for bigger labels, but most of whom lost the chance for fame once Loma closed its doors! The quality of the music here is incredible – really top-shelf productions, at a level that rivals some of the best Detroit studios of the time, mixed with some of the cool class of Chicago soul as well – served up in a style that works equally well for vocal groups and solo singers. And while Loma recorded some deep soul cuts during this period, this set focuses on the more upbeat numbers – as you'd guess from the "Northern" in the title – served up in a collection that not only features rare singles, but also a few unissued tracks too! CD set features 25 tracks in all – and include "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "You Can't Outsmart A Woman" by Kell Osborne, "I'm Getting Weaker" by The Soul Shakers, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Bright Lights" by Delilah Kennebreuw, "Runnin Around" by Tony Amaro & The Chariots, "Baby Don't Look Down" by Billy Storm, "The Big Jerk (part 1)" by Clyde & Teh Blue Jays, "Better Think Of What You're Losing" by Tommy Starr, "The Man With The Golden Touch" by Charles Thomas, "Got A Thing Goin" by The Invincibles, "It's Your Love That I Need" by The Marvellos, "Just A Little Longer" by The Enchanters, "I'll Find A Way" by Bobby Reed, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Lester, "See The Silver Moon" by The Apollas, "Lies" by Bobby Freeman, and "If You Should See Her" by Ben Aiken. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

Mid 60s magic from a record label that only lasted a few short years – yet one that's gone on to have as much prominence for real soul collectors as the music of Atlantic and Motown! Loma Records was a small offshoot of Warner Brothers on the west coast – yet one that worked far from the hit territory of its parent company, and instead captured all these wonderful groups and singers who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – a few of whom would go on to record later for bigger labels, but most of whom lost the chance for fame once Loma closed its doors! The quality of the music here is incredible – really top-shelf productions, at a level that rivals some of the best Detroit studios of the time, mixed with some of the cool class of Chicago soul as well – served up in a style that works equally well for vocal groups and solo singers. And while Loma recorded some deep soul cuts during this period, this set focuses on the more upbeat numbers – as you'd guess from the "Northern" in the title – served up in a collection that not only features rare singles, but also a few unissued tracks too! CD set features 25 tracks in all – and include "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "You Can't Outsmart A Woman" by Kell Osborne, "I'm Getting Weaker" by The Soul Shakers, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Bright Lights" by Delilah Kennebreuw, "Runnin Around" by Tony Amaro & The Chariots, "Baby Don't Look Down" by Billy Storm, "The Big Jerk (part 1)" by Clyde & Teh Blue Jays, "Better Think Of What You're Losing" by Tommy Starr, "The Man With The Golden Touch" by Charles Thomas, "Got A Thing Goin" by The Invincibles, "It's Your Love That I Need" by The Marvellos, "Just A Little Longer" by The Enchanters, "I'll Find A Way" by Bobby Reed, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Lester, "See The Silver Moon" by The Apollas, "Lies" by Bobby Freeman, and "If You Should See Her" by Ben Aiken. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

Loads of rare tracks from one of the greatest indies on the west coast – the legendary Kent/Modern label, a company that started during the indie heyday of R&B in California, but continued to put out some really strong soul records in the 60s and 70s! This side of the label's output isn't nearly as well known, but there's some real killers here – tracks that never broke big, especially outside of California, but which are filled with sharp funky edges, and some really wonderful vocals! The collection brings together a few of our favorite singles from Kent that we've never seen reissued, plus lots of other gems, and even a few unreleased tracks from the same stretch – and the whole thing's a real treasure trove of discovery, augmented by the usual really well-done Ace Records approach to notes. Titles include "I Need A Love" by Wally Cox, "Take A Look In Your Mind" by Robert Ramsey, "Cherry Pie" by Lord Charles & The Prophets, "I Want Action" by Jeanette Jones, "No In Between" by Johnny Adams, "My Love She's Gone" by The Intentions, "I Don't Know" by Earl Wright, "Tear My Love Down" by Wayne Boykin, "Push On Jesse Jackson" by The Pace-Setters, "Gone On Home" by Tommy Youngblood, "You're My Girl" by Larry Sanders, "It's Been A Long Time Baby" by The Other Brothers, "Move A Little Closer" by Millie Foster, and "All That Shines Is Not Gold" by The Windjammers. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

Stunning soul from the Motown label – a huge amount of tracks that were recorded by the company during their key years in soul music, but which are issued here for the first time ever! The depths of Motown never fail to amaze us – because even though these tracks might have lain in the vaults, they're still better than most of the competition – and not only match some of the bigger cuts by the artists involved, but also shed new light upon the careers of some of the lesser-known female singers in the Motown stable! These aren't throwaway numbers – and instead, the collection's brimming over with wicked Detroit soul groovers from the 60s – 25 tracks in all, supported by some nicely thorough notes on the project and recordings. Titles include "Mr Pride & Mr Gloom" by Connie Haines, "Just Go On Sleeping" by LaBrenda Ben, "Reassure Me That You Love Me" by Brenda Holloway, "Midnight Johnny (early version)" by Liz Lands, "I Can't Make It Without You" by Debbie Dean, "Close My Crying Eyes" by Yvonne Fair, "Forgotten" by Chris Clark, "Lover Man" by Kim Weston, "Check Yourself" by Chris Clark, "The Good Times Are Gone" by Barbara McNair, "Momma Tried To Warn Me" by Oma Heard, "Now That Love Is Gone" by Hattie Littles, "My Love Is Your Love" by Barbara Randolph, "The Things Time Can't Erase" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, and "Mother Tell Me What To Do" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

A fantastic entry in this excellent series – in part because more than half of the music here appears for the first time ever! Yet despite the unreleased status of the tracks, they definitely live up to the "masterpieces" promised by the title – great grooves from a time when more sophisticated production was coming into soul music, but never in a way that was too commercial or chartbound! Instead, these tracks mix all the raw vocals and righteous energy of the early 70s with some more sophisticated styles of arrangement and production – really taking soul music to a new level for the growing generation of the time – with results that were so ahead of their time, even the cuts here that got pressed on wax hardly got much circulation back in the day! The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Have A Good Time" by Maggabrain, "Don't Play Me Cheap" by Foxfire with Johnny E Adams, "I Want You" by Cynic, "Bedroom Eyes" by Betty Everett, "Happy Times" by Ramona King, "Higher Than High" by Joe Graham, "Let's Make A Move" by Ronnie McNeir, "Second Time Around" by The Exportations, "Must Have Had Company" by Elayne Starr, "Hobody" by Margie Joseph, "You Could Have Tried" by Karen Sanders Group, "I'll See You In Hell First (alt take)" by Phillip Mitchell, "You Done Let The Daylight Catch You" by Second Resurrection, "You & Me Baby" by Joe Hinton, and "Doo Doop Dee Deep Doot Doo" by George Semper. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

A fantastic entry in this excellent series – in part because more than half of the music here appears for the first time ever! Yet despite the unreleased status of the tracks, they definitely live up to the "masterpieces" promised by the title – great grooves from a time when more sophisticated production was coming into soul music, but never in a way that was too commercial or chartbound! Instead, these tracks mix all the raw vocals and righteous energy of the early 70s with some more sophisticated styles of arrangement and production – really taking soul music to a new level for the growing generation of the time – with results that were so ahead of their time, even the cuts here that got pressed on wax hardly got much circulation back in the day! The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "Have A Good Time" by Maggabrain, "Don't Play Me Cheap" by Foxfire with Johnny E Adams, "I Want You" by Cynic, "Bedroom Eyes" by Betty Everett, "Happy Times" by Ramona King, "Higher Than High" by Joe Graham, "Let's Make A Move" by Ronnie McNeir, "Second Time Around" by The Exportations, "Must Have Had Company" by Elayne Starr, "Hobody" by Margie Joseph, "You Could Have Tried" by Karen Sanders Group, "I'll See You In Hell First (alt take)" by Phillip Mitchell, "You Done Let The Daylight Catch You" by Second Resurrection, "You & Me Baby" by Joe Hinton, and "Doo Doop Dee Deep Doot Doo" by George Semper. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

The deepest sound of the legendary TK Records label in the 70s – music that shows the way the company was really helping to transform the sound of southern soul in the decade, and also open the door to a whole new range of styles too! The tracks here definitely have a mellow groove, but they're never sleepy – just set apart from the more disco-oriented hits on TK, thanks to a sophisticated approach to instrumentation and arrangements – at a level that still makes most of these cuts stand head and shoulder above mainstream soul of the time! You'll know a few artists from earlier, straighter material – and will discover a number of other rarer, much more obscure TK talents – in a great set list that includes "Confusion" by Leno Phillips, "Keep Her Happy" by Phillip Wright, "I Got Bills To Pay" by Johnny K, "Thousand Years" by Brand New, "If You Want My Love" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "You Can Be A Lady" by JP Robinson, "Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do" by Betty Wright, "Sleep On Dream On" by Raphael Munnings, "Tears Of The World" by Robert Moore, "The Silence That You Keep" by Milton Wright, "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower, and "Love Insurance" by Gwen McCrae. CD

Beautiful grooves from the Japanese scene – most of them from a time when its singers and musicians were leaning heavily on influences from American funk and soul, and turning out some wonderful music of their own! Lyrics on most tracks are in Japanese, but there's a really universal vibe to the grooves – great basslines, warm keyboards, and lots of jazzy touches in the instrumentation – a soulful, often funky approach that gives the collection an appeal that goes way beyond the boundaries of language! These aren't the mellow, electronic, or offbeat Japanese tracks of the 80s – and instead, the work here is overflowing with soul - on titles that include "Simple Another Love" by Jadoes, "Kimagure" by Kumi Nakamura, "Natsu No Hikari Ni" by Sumiko Yamagata, "Party Is Over" by Hatsumi Shibata, "Moonlight Flight" by Makoto Iwabuchi, "Paradise's Dream" by Arakawa Band, "I Wander All Alone (part 3)" by New Genration Company, "Sofa Bed Blues" by Haruo Chikada & Vibratones, "Tuxedo Connection" by Hitomi Penny Tohyama, and "Chigasaki Memory" by Mitsuko Horie. (Japanese, Funky Compilations) CD