Sublime female soul from one of the hippest labels we can think of – a company who was always taking a chance, always trying something new, and always willing to give exposure to some great new artists! This cool collection is definitely the best side of Brunswick Records on the Chicago scene – as it features a few better-known singers, mixed with lots more artists who never issued a full album for the label – but who cut some wonderful singles that are even better than some of the imprint's bigger hits! There's a stunning array of greatness here – from sweet soul numbers that lope along in a warm groove, to badass tracks that have a funkier vibe – all handled by the usual top-shelf talents that made bigger Brunswick artists so strong. Titles include "My Baby's Gone Away" by Shirley Karol, "Walk On My Side" by Jackie Ross, "Caution" by September, "Love Is" by The Promises, "Where Do You Go" by Lyn Roman, "Raining Teardrops" by The Demures, "It Hurts To See You Happy" by Sylvia St Claire, "What Kind Of Girl" by Demetriss Trapp, "What Did I Do" by The Sweethearts, "Memories & A Broken Heart" by Linda Hopkins, "The One Who Really Loves You" by Sugar Pie De Santo, "Love Had To Be You" by Jean Shy, "That's What You Are To Me" by Tracie Robbins, "The 3rd Movement" by Sunni Nash, and "Higher & Higher" by Erma Franklin. CD

A really really beautiful little compilation – one with a sound that's every bit as powerful as the image on its cover! The music here all comes from the Gospel Roots label of Miami soul powerhouse TK Records – a key force in mainstream soul in the 70s, but also a company who issued some excellent spiritual material at the time! The work here isn't rootsy gospel – and instead reflects all the hip, righteous changes that were coming into the music during the 70s – bits of blacksploitation funk in the rhythms, powerful lead singers upfront, and an impeccable production style that often mixed deep soul vocals with modern soul presentation. This side of the TK legacy has been crucially ignored over the years – but this wonderful package more than corrects that fault – by offering up some of the key tracks from the Gospel Roots label, alongside a lavish booklet that's filled with notes, photos, and record images – all recounting the overdue tale of this great music. Not all artists are southern – there's a number from up north, and even a few from Chicago – and titles include "Tell Me" by The Fantastic Family Aires, "After The Rain" by Pastor TL Barrett, "Will You Save Me" by The Jordan Singers, "Never Say What You Want" by The Phillipians, "Help Me To Carry On" by The Fabulous Luckett Brothers, "I've Got To Make A Change" by Bright Clouds, "Wake Up Everybody" by The O'Neal Twins, "On Jesus Program" by The Original Sunset Travelers, "Blessed Be The Name Of God" by The Brooklyn All Stars, and "Christians Catch Hell" by Reverend Edna Isaac & The Greene Sisters. (Gospel, Funky Compilations) LP, Vinyl record album

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 treasure trove of Japanese jazz from the 70s – all originally issued by the groundbreaking East Wind label – not the first Japanese company to focus on jazz, but one who definitely helped move the scene a few steps forward with killer recordings like these! East Wind came in at a time when Japanese avant and fusion work was really picking up steam – and, combined with attention to earlier hardbop modes, the label was able to craft a fantastic catalog that allowed older and newer modes to resonate together strongly – usually with all-Japanese groups in the lineup, but sometimes also opening the door to American jazz musicians too – some of whom made some of their best records of the decade for East Wind! This well-done set focuses only on the Japanese artists recorded by the label – and features a special selection of tunes handled by Yusuke Ogawa, who did all the work for the Deep Jazz Reality series over the past 20 years or so. Titles include "Abundance" by Terumasa Hino, "Hip Dancin" by Isao Suzuki, "East Wind" by Masabumi Kikuchi, "Something's Coming" by Shunzo Ohno, "Minors Only" by Takehiro Honda, "Recollection" by Kosuke Mine, "Ring 4" by Masahiko Togashi, "Let's Get Together" by Mikio Masuda, "Episode" by Sadao Watanabe, "Green Dolphin Street" by Tsuyoshi Yamamoto, and "Montevideo" by Ryo Kawasaki. CD

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. 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

A love letter to the legendary Fame Records – filled with unissued tracks and rare gems from the vaults! Fame was one of the great ones back in the day – the driving force behind Muscle Shoals soul music, and a company that helped really redefine the sound of the music in the 60s – thanks to incredible production, and a tight cast of studio musicians who knocked it out of the park on nearly every session! 21 of the set's 24 tracks have never been issued before – and, even more compelling, none were featured on the similar 7" box set from Ace – making the package a treasure trove of music, even for the serious soul collector. Titles include "Tell It Like It Is" by Big Ben Atkins, "Almost Persuaded" by Jackie, "You're So Fine" by James Barnett, "I Do" by June Conquest, "Your Helping Hand" by Otis Clay, "In The Heat Of Love" by Marjorie Ingram, "Steal Away 67" by Jimmy Hughes, "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy" by Ralph Soul Jackson, "Let's Do It Over" by Travis Wammack, "For You" by George Jackson, "Baby Come Back" by Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces, "Keep On Talking" by Prince Phillip, "It Ain't No Harm" by George Byrd & The Dominoes, "Blind Can't See" by Richard Earl & The Corvettes, and "I Need Someone" by The Entertainers. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

Major labels didn't always get soul music as well as the indies back in the 60s – but there's one exception to that myth, the mighty Loma Records label from Warner Brothers! The company had a near-perfect run during its few years in business – killer soul singles that are every bit as prized by collectors as some of the more obscure records on tiny labels from the time – and which are handled with a quality level that's never too commercial, never as slick as you'd expect from a bigger company that was also handling easy listening and pop during the same period. Instead, the Loma legacy is a mighty deep run of greatness – as you'll hear on this stunning third volume in the series – with titles that include "The Shadow Of Your Love" by Bobby Freeman, "I Paid For The Party" by The Enchanters, "Can't Win" by The Invicibles, "Better Think Of What You're Losing" by Tommy Starr, "If This Ain't Love" by The Realistics, "Don't Come A Knockin" by Mary Lee Whitney, "Sad Sad Feeling (part 1)" by The Autographs, and "I Wanna Love You So Bad" by Bobby Reed. (Soul, Funky Compilations) LP, Vinyl record album

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

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 heavenly set of southern soul – a package that pulls together a wealth of rare and unreleased singles from the Malaco label – that important Jackson, Mississippi imprint that took on the deeper sounds of the 70s – after the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scenes were losing steam! Some of the artists here are ones who would have ended up on Stax or Volt, had the labels still been going at the time – and instead found a great home on Malaco, a company who also had a great legacy of work in southern blues, and really knew how to bring out the best in a strong-voiced singer! Yet despite that side of the label, the music here is all-soul all the way through – not some of the soul/blues hybrids that Malaco could do well, and instead amazing deep soul, handled with a new sort of sophistication for the 70s! The sound is wonderful throughout – and the set features loads of cuts we'd never heard before – 18 titles that include "Overflowing" by Jewel Bass, "Ain't No Love For Sale" by Tommy Tate, "Sour Love Bitter Sweet" by Joe Wilson, "Lovin On Borrowed Time" by Anita Mitchell, "Got To Find The Nerve" by Hank Sample, "Two Of A Kind" by Dorothy Moore, "Once Upon A Love Affair" by Chuck Brooks, "That's How Much I Love You" by Eddie Houston, and "Talkin About Love" by George Soule. (Soul, Funky Compilations) CD

A heavenly set of southern soul – a package that pulls together a wealth of rare and unreleased singles from the Malaco label – that important Jackson, Mississippi imprint that took on the deeper sounds of the 70s – after the Memphis and Muscle Shoals scenes were losing steam! Some of the artists here are ones who would have ended up on Stax or Volt, had the labels still been going at the time – and instead found a great home on Malaco, a company who also had a great legacy of work in southern blues, and really knew how to bring out the best in a strong-voiced singer! Yet despite that side of the label, the music here is all-soul all the way through – not some of the soul/blues hybrids that Malaco could do well, and instead amazing deep soul, handled with a new sort of sophistication for the 70s! The sound is wonderful throughout – and the set features loads of cuts we'd never heard before – 18 titles that include "Overflowing" by Jewel Bass, "Ain't No Love For Sale" by Tommy Tate, "Sour Love Bitter Sweet" by Joe Wilson, "Lovin On Borrowed Time" by Anita Mitchell, "Got To Find The Nerve" by Hank Sample, "Two Of A Kind" by Dorothy Moore, "Once Upon A Love Affair" by Chuck Brooks, "That's How Much I Love You" by Eddie Houston, and "Talkin About Love" by George Soule. (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

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) LP, Vinyl record album