Her first LP, produced by R Kelly. 11 tracks, plus the intro and a bonus remix of the single "Back & Forth", also includes the title track, "No One Knows How To Love Me Quite Like You Do", 'Street thing", "Old School" and "I'm Down". CD
(BMG music club pressing, small price sticker on booklet cover.)
As with any soul artist of her era, Barbara Acklin recorded most of her best work on 7" singles. This tasty 25 track set feature 13 rare singles – both a and b-sides full intact (two singles share the same b sides, so the set's only got 25 cuts instead of 26). A number of these cuts ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Johnny Adams —
Verdict ... CD Rounder, 1995. Used ...
$3.99
Rare work from a funky group who really lead with their basslines and love their rhythms – so much so that vocals are often an afterthought when it comes to the grooves! These guys are German, but they've got a righteous sound that really lives up to the flavor of the cover – and we're ... read moreCD
A sweet little set – one that brings together some of the grooviest cuts ever recorded by Japanese singer Yasuko Agawa – one of the leading lights of the overseas scene at the end of the 70s! Yasuko's got this really special blend of styles – a bit jazz, a bit soul, often ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
A whole new level of genius for Herb Alpert – a record that's light years away from his earlier work with the Tijuana Brass, and which has the trumpeter stepping strongly into the world of smooth jazzy fusion! The title track here went platinum the minute it was released – and became ... read moreCD
Anacostia make the move to Tabu Records for this sweet second set – and they seem to have picked up more of a groove along the way! The same elements as before are firmly in place here – production by Charles Kipps, with supervision from Van McCoy – but the groove is a bit more ... read moreCD
Ruby Andrews —
Black Ruby ... CD Zodiac/Everland (Austria), 1972. New Copy ...
$14.99
A hell of a great record from Ruby Andrews – a Chicago soul singer who started out sweet, but comes on hard and heavy on this righteous classic from the start of the 70s! The record's got a badass vibe you never would have expected from Andrews a few years before – with tremendous ... read moreCD
An incredibly wonderful record from The Art of Noise – their first full length, following off of the ep Into Battle With – and a much more open-ended array of beats, sounds, and that wonderful chunky Trevor Horn production! The album's got versions of some of the older singles – ... read moreCD
Ashford & Simpson —
High Rise ... CD Capitol (Japan), 1983. Used ...
$11.99
Always-great work from the team of Ashford & Simpson – the kind of a record that has them at the top of their game, even though they'd changed their overall sound over the years! The vibe here is more in an 80s groove mode than some of the duo's Warner albums, but they've still got an ... read moreCD
Stone classic early work from Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson – really moving past the Motown sound – stepping wonderfully into a hip style of soul that would have a huge effect on the direction of R&B in the 70s! I Wanna Be Selfish is actually a very giving effort from the ... read moreCD
Ashford & Simpson —
Stay Free ... CD Warner, 1979. Used ...
$6.99
Great stuff! From Motown songwriters to world-class superstars, the trip was a well-deserved one for Valerie Simpson and Nick Ashford – and this album's perhaps their crowning achievement in sophisticated club soul! The record's got a great groove that offers a more soulful version of disco ... read moreCD
An amazing album of spacey dancefloor tunes – and the first-ever proper reissue of work by the legendary UK outfit Atmosfear! Atmosfear had a revolutionary electronic disco sound that's probably best compared to the Patrick Adams or Cloud One work for the P&P label in the US – and ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Atoozi —
Atoozi ... CD Orpheus/EMI, 1990. Used ...
$2.99
... CD
(Tray card spine has a cutout notch.)
Patti Austin —
Live ... CD GRP, 1992. Used ...
$0.99
A masterpiece of mid 70s jazz rock – from an obscure combo that features work by fusion legend Todd Cochrane Bayete! Bayete recorded two wonderful albums for Prestige before this set – and although the record has him moving into a much more rock-based style than on his fusion sessions, ... read moreCD
A masterpiece of mid 70s jazz rock – from an obscure combo that features work by fusion legend Todd Cochrane Bayete! Bayete recorded two wonderful albums for Prestige before this set – and although the record has him moving into a much more rock-based style than on his fusion sessions, ... read moreCD
Their classic double live set from the mid 70s, and as tight a batch of grooves as you'll find on their studio albums! In fact, this one might even be tighter, as it's got a good set of classic tracks performed live, with a sound that's a little bit more uptight and open than the studio ... read moreCD
One of the biggest crossover funk groups of all time – and when the smoke finally cleared, they were actually pretty darn good musicians! AWB's right up there with Kool & The Gang and Earth Wind & Fire for sheer pop 70s funkiness – and despite what you might think about a bunch ... read moreCD
In case you don't get the joke, the title's a play on the fact that Atlantic Records had just been acquired by Warner Communications – now fully a major label at the end of the 70s! That fact doesn't stop the album from being a good one, though – and AWB work here with Arif Mardin on a ... read moreCD
An amazing slice of music from the legendary David Axelrod – quite different than his better-known sides for Capitol and Reprise Records – and plenty darn funky overall! Axelrod is at his studio best here – stepping off the funky jazz modes he produced for Cannonball Adderley, ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
Roy Ayers —
Feeling Good ... CD Vinyl Masterpiece/Polydor, 1982. Used ...
$11.99
Stellar sounds from the great Roy Ayers – an early 80s album for Polydor, but a set that's still got the wonderfully tight, wonderfully groovy feel of his late 70s albums for the label! Roy's really perfected his sense of balance by this time – and does a great job of balancing ... read moreCD
A late 80s effort for Columbia from the legendary Roy Ayers – his third and final album for the label from the early-to-mid 80s – a time that found Roy applying his classic smooth, jazzy soul style to a more profoundly modern vibe – and it works as well on this set as it did on ... read moreCD
A fantastic lost chapter in the career of genius soul/jazz/funk maestro Roy Ayers – a set that was only ever issued in the UK, and which is a great second part to his Lots Of Love album on the Uno Melodic label! This album features a few tracks from that gem, but in longer versions – ... read moreCD
Back East —
Day By Day ... CD Everland (Austria), 1975. New Copy ...
$14.99
A really obscure album of groovy soul – one that's got lots of different strands working together at once, in a way that may make these guys a follow-up to the work of Rotary Connection or some of the other hip groups from Chicago at the end of the 60s! The music is definitely soul, and has ... read moreCD
A tough record to peg – but a great one too! Wally Badarou plays a range of spacey keyboards that include synclavier, mini moog, and prophet 5 – all over some beats that are a mix of electro and Carribean rhythms – in a style that's part jazzy, part new agey, and part 80s groove! ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Erykah Badu —
Live ... CD Universal, 1997. Used ...
$0.99
A surprising second album from Erykah Badu – a live recording, coming right on the heels of her first studio set – and showing that the girl's equally great without any added production work! The feel is warm, earth, and wonderful – intimate, and richly spiritual – as ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
Philip Bailey's looking hipper than usual on the cover – and he's sounding hipper than usual within – thanks to fantastic production help from Robert Glasper, Christian McBride, and Chick Corea – all artists who play on the record, and help give Bailey a really timeless sense of ... read moreCD
The pinnacle of classy crossover soul at the end of the 80s – and a landmark album that's probably still helping Anita pay her bills! The feel is mellow and laidback without being too cheesy or too adult contemporary – drawing from mellow soul traditions of the 70s, and filtering it ... read moreCD
A mega-hit, but for good reason – as the record brought sophistication back to chart soul at the end of the 80s – proof that well-done, deeply-voiced records could still beat the schmaltz of the geri-curl generation! Anita's working here in territory that draws from the classics, but ... read moreCD
Pure genius from the B Baker Chocolate Company – a set that's equal parts fusion and soul, held together by these rich arrangements that really send the whole thing home! The album's never too slick, yet has a sense of perfection that matches some of the best soulful fusion dates at Blue ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
(Part of the Groove Merchant Mo' Groovy Collection!)
Amazing stuff from Ginger Baker's personal archives – live recordings with his Salt group – born of his relocation to Nigeria and a wonderful, dexterous fusion of jazz & rock percussion with African rhythms! The sound is pretty great on these 2 CDs, and the performances are truly ... (Rock, Soul)read moreCD
Mickey Baker —
Rock With A Sock ... CD RCA/Bear Family (Germany), Mid 50s. New Copy ...
$13.9924.99
Groundbreaking work from the great Mickey Baker – a postwar electric guitarist who maybe took the music from the bluesy territory of T Bone Walker, and helped push it forward to the earliest roots of rock and soul! Mickey recorded these searing singles for RCA subsidiaries Vik and Groove, ... read moreCD
Mindblowing work from the legendary Hank Ballard – a set cut years after his initial fame with The Midnighters, when he was working with James Brown in some very hip, funky, territory! James produced the record, and penned most of the tunes – and he does a really great job of bringing ... read moreCD
Late Bar-Kays – when the group were getting the "rock" out of their grooves, hitting the bass a lot heavier than before, and opening up in that slicker funkier style of the late 70s. Given that the group had a big hand in defining the sound and style of mainstream funk in the years ... read moreCD
The only career-spanning collection we've ever seen on The Bar-Kays – and a set that does a mighty nice job of hitting all the right bases! The group first rose to fame as a funk combo on Stax in the late 60s – then shifted a bit after part of the group was killed in the same plane ... read moreCD
One of the few rare albums on the Maple label – a 70s imprint that's known for some incredible funk and soul! Despite the title, the set's a record that sounds a lot more down-home than uptown – thanks to hard-wailing vocals from Gloria Barnes herself, and a nicely rough-edged quality ... read moreCD
The only album ever by The Barrino Brothers – a stellar early 70s harmony group, and one who could sing with the best of the east coast scene of the time! The whole set's got a feel that's very much in the best mode of groups like The Modulations, Soul Generation, and even The O'Jays – ... read moreCD
A landmark album from Joe Bataan – so great, that it made the entire record company change its name! The record has Joe really bursting out after his seminal Latin Soul work of the late 60s – blending Latin rhythms and American soul into a whole new style of music – one that Joe ... (Latin, Soul)read moreCD
A great collection of work from Regina Belle – one that features a number of remixes, singles, and collaborations – as well as the album tracks that made her one of the most rock-solid female soul singers at the end of the 80s! At some level, Regina's a singer from another time – ... read moreCD
Jessie Belvin's often talked about in reverent tones as a bridge between a number of different styles of 50's R&B and vocal soul, but it's not until you hear a great compilation like this one that you realize how fantastic his stuff really is. This excellent Ace set compiles tracks from his ... read moreCD
George Benson —
Breezin ... CD Warner, 1976. Used ...
$2.99
A super huge hit for George – the record that took him from being a funky jazz guitarist into an R&B superstar! The album features George playing and singing over arrangements by Claus Ogerman – some of Ogerman's best of the 70s, ones that mix together his trademark pillow of sound ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
Guitar legend George Benson pays tribute to the music of New Orleans – and also hearkens back to his earliest years in R&B, before he rose to jazz fame in the 60s! George sings as much as he plays guitar here – working in a tight combo that's heavy on soul styles – and most ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
Overlooked genius from Brook Benton – moving past his simple hit style here to work with arranger Belford Hendricks in a set of tunes that's a bit more "singerly". The tracks are mostly ballads and slower, sadder numbers – sung by Brook in a style that's slightly emotive, but ... read moreCD
A double-helping of Chuck Berry brilliance from his early years on Chess Records – music that always has way way more to offer than you might think! Sure, some of Chuck's hits are very familiar – and sure, the man could later be a bit of a parody of himself – but there's no ... read moreCD
Chuck Berry makes the same London move as some of his other Chess Records contemporaries – and the result is one of Chuck's best albums from the later years! The set's not as star-studded as other efforts of this nature – but that's fine with us because Chuck really shines as the lead ... read moreCD
Two classic Chess albums from Chuck Berry – issued here on a single CD! First up is One Dozen Berrys – the fresh fruits of the labors of a young Chuck Berry – heard here at his raw, early best! The sound here is stunning – a version of Chuck that gets way past any oldies ... read moreCD
That's Ron Baker, Norman Harris, and Earl Young – one of the greatest rhythm sections in Philly soul of the 70s – stepping out here on an amazing album of their own! The record's got a great pedigree right out of the gate – given that Norman Harris had already arranged some of ... read moreCD
The first album by Gregg Diamond's Bionic Boogie group – and a cooker of a set that follows strongly from Gregg's previous Hot Butterfly gem! Luther Vandross isn't on board this time around, but the overall groove is still totally great – upbeat, soaring, and put together with a jazzy ... read moreCD
A breakout solo moment from the great Edwin Birdsong – an artist who participated in some of Roy Ayers great albums of the 70s, and who cut some great underground records of his own – but who finally got the chance to step into the limelight on this set for Philadelphia International! ... read moreCD
Blackbyrds —
Night Grooves ... CD Fantasy/BGP (UK), 1978. New Copy ...
$9.9914.99
A great album of funky dancefloor tunes! Originally issued in 1978, and clearly for the New York dancefloor crowd – the record takes the earlier work of funk group The Blackbyrds, and remixes the tracks slightly to pump up the groove a bit for the dancers. While the approach might not sound ... read moreCD
A pair of ABC Records classics from Bobby Blue Bland – back to back on a single CD! First up is Get On Down – brilliant later work by Bobby Blue Bland – done with backings that are much fuller than on his earlier albums – a mixture of strings and horns that really expand ... (Blues, Soul)read moreCD
One of Bobby Blue Bland's best albums ever – a stunning mix of blues and soul that's the kind of killer stuff that will make you a fan of his forever! There's no beating Bland at this point in his career – and the record is one of the finest illustrations of the power he brought to his ... (Blues, Soul)read moreCD
An incredible record from Bobby Blue Bland – and quite possibly the greatest one he ever made! The set's got an amazing something special that's unlike most other material of the time – a bit blues, but a lot of soul too – still with some echoes of R&B in the jazzier charts ... (Blues, Soul)read moreCD
(Out of print. Please note the tray card is missing the spines.)
A sparkling Christmas set from Mary J Blige – one that takes full advantage of those wonderful vocals, and lets them loose on a whole host of Holiday tunes! The album's on Verve, and has a feel that's a lot more classic than some of Mary's other work – a vibe that's somewhere between ... (Holiday Music, Soul)read moreCD
One of the hippest groups of the Nigerian scene of the 70s – presented here in two classic albums, back to back on a single CD! Chapter One is a landmark set of African grooves – very unusual in both conception and execution – with a feel that's unlike anything we can think of! ... (Global Grooves, Soul)read moreCD
Bloodstone —
Party ... CD T Neck/FTG, 1984. Used ...
$6.99
One of Bloodstone's great groovers from later years – work that has a very different feel than the group's fragile harmony soul of the 70s, and which has them taking off into a much more confident sound! Production is by McKinley Jackson, and the album's a mix of a few funky 80s groove ... read moreCD
One of the greatest soul groups of the 70s – finally given their due on this double-length set! Bloodstone may not have charted as strongly as some of their contemporaries back in the day, yet they always delivered top-shelf work that was filled with incredible harmonies, deft vocal leads, ... read moreCD
Bohannon —
Insides Out ... CD Dakar/Solid (Japan), 1974. New Copy ...
$13.99
A wonderful early record from Bohannon – and with a very different feel than usual! Although most of Bohannon's work from the time is up-tempo and funky, side two of this album has some amazing slow spacey cuts – done with a drum sound that's still quite hard, but just slower than ... read moreCD
What can we say? Booker T and crew are always tops in our book – and this album's as strong a batch of their classic singles as you'll ever find! Book's organ is the sound of a generation, and Steve Cropper's sinister vamping on guitar gives even the poppier tracks a hard edge that still ... read moreCD
A treasure trove of tight, organ-driven grooves from Booker T & The MGs – a quartet who really helped transform the sound of soul music in the 60s – even if they never sang on any of their records! The combo instrumental record had existed before Booker and the group, but working ... read moreCD
2 full albums – plus bonus tracks too! On Hip Hug Her, Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – ... read moreCD
Booker T & The MGs —
Hip Hug-Her ... CD Stax/Rhino, 1967. Used ...
$4.99
Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky with this one – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – but the grooves are even better than before, ... read moreCD
One of the greatest albums ever from Booker T & The MGs – and very different than their early work! The record has Book & Co taking off with a stretched-out jazzy sound – carving expanded grooves that are filled with sweet organ solos, choppy guitar riffs, and some incredibly ... read moreCD
Massive work from Bootsy Collins – one of his best-ever solo albums, and a perfect summation of the P-Funk groove – focused strongly through Bootsy's own sense of stardom! George Clinton worked with Collins on production, and the album's as tight as the best Parliament or Funkadelic ... read moreCD
Wonderful live work from the legendary Brecker Brothers – cut at a time when the duo were still totally hard and funky – maybe even more so here than on their studio albums of the time! The live setting really brings out a crackle in the group – lots of funky rhythms at the ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
The start of a legendary run from superjazz brothers Randy and Michael Brecker – trumpeter and tenorist, respectively – already players who'd worked on a hell of a lot of previous sessions, both as a pair and on their own – finally stepping here into some well-deserved fame in the ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
Brecker Brothers —
Detente ... CD Arista/One Way, 1980. Used ...
$14.99
An overlooked Brecker Brothers gem from the end of the 70s – easily one of their most soulful sets from the Arista years, and a record that's got way more lasting power than the Cold War reference of its title! The Brecker's are still rooted in jazz here, but definitely step out with plenty ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
No heavy metal here – just tight and funky jamming from the mighty Brecker Brothers! There's a bit more guitar here than on some of their other records – hence, possibly, the title – but the whole thing's still very much in that mix of soulful fusion and jazzy soloing that the ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
Classic work from Brick – a group who went onto become surprisingly successful during the 70s with a hot Atlanta blend of funky soul and uptempo club grooves. The group has a feel that would be taken up heavily a few years later by LA funk combos – particularly those on the Solar label ... read moreCD
One of the greatest jazz vocal albums of all time – and one of the first true moments of genius from a young Dee Dee Bridgewater! The album's a Japanese only release (proof that they're always hipper to our jazz artists than we are!) – and it features Dee Dee singing material that's ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
An obscure bit of boogie from Brief Encounter – a southern soul group known best for their mid 70s sides for the Sound Stage Seven label, stepping out here in a completely different 80s groove! Most tracks are upbeat and dancefloor funky – plenty of bass on the bottom and some sweet ... read moreCD