The only full album from Johnny Ace – a key figure in the Memphis scene of the 50s, and one of the first great casualties of rock and roll! Johnny was one of the first singers to record for the legendary Duke label, and worked in a mode that helped transform the smoother style of the west ... read moreCD
Arthur Adams has his roots in blues, but he comes across here with a wonderfully warm Cali soul sort of vibe – that mix of earthy currents and tighter touches that was showing up in some of the best Fantasy Records work of the period! On the album It's Private Tonight, Arthur sings and plays ... read moreCD
Incredible early work from Lorez Alexandria – the kind of albums that instantly set her apart from other singers of the 50s, reissued here properly for the first time in years! On This Is Lorez, the singer is working with sublime small combo backings from the group of pianist King Fleming ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
Ernestine Allen —
Let It Roll ... CD Tru Sound, Early 60s. Used ...
$3.99
Tasty R&B material, recorded on Prestige's short-lived Tru-Sound subsidiary. Ernestine had some earlier fame under the name Anisteen Allen, and this record's got a similar sound to her late 40s work – with lots of smoky vocals, touched by a warm jazz sensibility that gives the material a ... read moreCD
Sure, their name marks them as part of that big world of prepackaged soul groups, and yes, their costumes on the cover may look a bit goofy – but over the years, this debut's got maybe a bit more staying power than some of their contemporaries! There's plenty of hip hop production in the mix ... read moreCD
PP Arnold —
Kafunta ... CD Immediate/Charly (UK), 1968. New Copy ...
$15.9919.99
A classic set of British soul by PP Arnold – LA native, and a onetime member of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue who ended up staying behind in the UK after a mid 60s tour! The album's got a very interesting approach that's quite a bit more sophisticated than the sound of the Ike Turner group ... read moreCD
A well-titled set from one of the greatest soul groups to ever come from Chicago – a sublime quartet who had a way of voicing their tunes that was really head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries! This killer record showcases The Artistics' genius right from the start – ... read moreCD
A really breakout moment for The Artistics – and the start of a really sublime run with the great Brunswick Records! The group had already broken a bit on Okeh a few years before – securing a top spot on the Chicago scene with their bouncy northern soul groove – a love of rhythm ... read moreCD
Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby – a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam – one of the forces guiding ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
(SHM-CD pressing! Part of the Diggin Universal Music – supervised by DJ Muro.)
Jack Ashford —
Hotel Sheet ... CD Magic Disc/Everland (Austria), 1977. New Copy ...
$10.9916.99
One of the coolest club records ever cut – and one with a great gimmick too! That gimmick is the "hotel sheet" – an instrument created by percussionist Jack Ashford, which is a light piece of metal that's snapped back and worth to create these cool wibbly, wobbly waves of ... read moreCD
A wonderful selection of work by the team of Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson – a batch of tunes that focuses on their tight 80s work for Capitol Records! The pair may be best known from this era for their mega hit "Solid" – but Nick and Valerie changed the face of duet soul ... read moreCD
Atlantic Starr —
Radiant ... CD A&M/Vinyl Masterpiece (Netherlands), 1980. New Copy ...
$11.9919.99
Radiant grooves indeed from Atlantic Starr – a group who really make things sparkle throughout this magnificent set! The group are at the height of their powers here – skirting a perfect line between mainstream soul and upbeat club – never falling too much into one style or the ... read moreCD
Donald Austin —
Crazy Legs ... CD Eastbound/Westbound (UK), 1973. New Copy ...
Just Sold Out!
A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label – and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove – sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that ... read moreCD
(Comes in a great little cardboard slipcase – replicating the old LP sleeve!)
It's like a dream come true – 13 previously unissued recordings by Roy Ayers, all from the height of his glory years on Polydor! Roy's work from this time is some of our favorite ever – a burning blend of jazz, soul, and funk – handled with impeccable charm, and a level of soul ... read moreCD
It's like a dream come true – 13 previously unissued recordings by Roy Ayers, all from the height of his glory years on Polydor! Roy's work from this time is some of our favorite ever – a burning blend of jazz, soul, and funk – handled with impeccable charm, and a level of soul ... read moreCD
Two Latin funk classics – back to back in a single set! First up is the self-titled Azteca album – a crowning moment for the west coast Latin scene in the 70s – a wonderful Bay Area set that brings together some of the best talents working on that scene at the time! The set's ... (Latin, Soul)read moreCD
Rare Bacharach galore – an assortment of under-reissued tracks all penned by the mighty Burt – most of which are from the heyday of 60s uptown soul! Despite the 1952 in the date range on the title, almost all the tunes here are from the mid 60s – that time when Bacharach was ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
A trio of solo albums from Phillip Bailey – presented here with bonus material too! First up is Continuation – an 80s soul classic from Philip Bailey – stepping out here from Earth Wind & Fire in a set that has him sparkling strongly as a solo act! The vocals still have that ... 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
Always classy soul from Anita Baker – her first album in years, wrapped up in a lush and laidback style that's perfect for her Blue Note debut! There's lots of jazzy undercurrents in the mix, and if anything, Anita's letting her vocals up even more – at times scatting with a tone and ... read moreCD
Anita Baker —
Songstress ... CD Beverly Glen/Elektra, 1983. Used ...
$5.99
From the female singer in the obscure group Chapter 8, Anita went onto become one of the biggest selling soul music acts during the 80s – and this album's her first effort as a solo act. The record's a smooth sophisticated batch of soul tunes, with lots of nice jazzy touches, and a classy ... read moreCD
Fantastic solo work from Ginger Baker – a musician who only seemed to get better and better the farther he moved away from Cream and Blind Faith! A set like this really gives Ginger a chance to open up and explore all the many musical currents that were grabbing his interests – served ... (Rock, Soul)read moreCD
Bessie Smith by LaVern Baker – a great blend of modes that really comes off great! Instead of sounding like a throwback blues album, the set comes across with a nice degree of contemporary class – thanks in part to a jazzy presentation that's a bit different than some of Baker's other ... read moreCD
Sexy is right! Hank may have been a half-pint wonder, but he had a voice that was like no other – high and raspy, but with a fierce growl that made you instantly take notice. Plus, his thuggish aproach to vocals really put a bit into the vicious R&B tunes that he cut with The ... read moreCD
Some of our favorite work ever from the legendary Hank Ballard – a key figure in early R&B, and a singer who cut some big hits with his group The Midnighters – but one who also continued to do some wonderful work for King Records long after his hits – most of which is included ... read moreCD
A sweet set of soundtrack funk – from a film named after one of our favorite streets in Chicago! Although the record's got an approach that's perhaps a bit tighter and smoother than anything going down on Stony in the late 70s, it does manage to share a good deal of styles with the Chi-soul ... read moreCD
Dean Barlow —
Solo Years ... CD Lescay, Late 50s/Early 60s. Used ...
$4.999.99
Includes "Hi Ya Honey", "As God Is My Judge", "Truthfully", "My Life Is Empty Without You", "Can't Stand It Anymore", "True Love" and more – 26 tracks in all! CD
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
Nathan Bartell —
Nathan Bartell ... CD Athens Of The North (UK), Late 70s/Early 80s. New Copy ...
$6.9916.99
Fantastic funky soul from a very mysterious figure – Georgia's Nathan Bartell, a singer with a deep soul style, and an under-exposed legacy that mostly involves a few indie label singles, and countless work in the smaller clubs of his state! The blend of music here is a bit different than ... read moreCD
Seminal work from the lovely Basia – and an album that's a wonderful hybrid of jazz, soul, and pop – all put together at a level that really goes beyond most of her contemporaries! There's a vibe here that's almost like Swing Out Sister at their best – catchy, but never cloying ... read moreCD
Joe Bataan working in a pronounced dancefloor soul mode! While the legendary Bataan was no stranger to the fusion of Latin, soul and funk, this some of the most club soul oriented sounds from Joe we've ever heard – and the sessions are seeing official release for the first time ever! The ... (Latin, Soul)read moreCD
These guys may not be the baddest boys of the industry – they'd have to go a long way to reach that title – but they definitely do a good job of bringing a touch of attitude to the world of harmony soul – blending hip hop inspiration with old school formation, in a style that's ... read moreCD
Sweetly soaring disco from the legendary Celi Bee – easily one of our favorite disco divas of the late 70s! This album's got a slightly lighter feel than some of Celi's other work – a bit less drama at times, but still plenty of full-on clubby rhythms – thanks to arrangements ... read moreCD
Celi Bee —
Blow My Mind ... CD TK/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1979. New Copy ...
$7.9915.99
Celi Bee picks up a few 80s touches for this album – mixing her usual disco groove with some slight Eruo electro touches – adding in a nice dose of darkness to the set! Celi's still got an undeniably strong talent for a catchy tune – the kind of vibe that first made us fall in ... read moreCD
Celi Bee —
Greatest Hits ... CD Get Disconnected, Late 70s. New Copy ...
$10.9916.99
More a retrospective of Celi Bee's best disco work than a true greatest hits collection – but plenty darn great nonetheless, given her flair for a catchy, kitschy club tune! Celi's definitely one of the campiest talents of her generation – but she's also plenty darn comfortable in that ... read moreCD
William Bell was one of the first great soul singers to record for the legendary Stax Records in Memphis – an artist who really helped set the tone for deep soul singles to come from the likes of Otis Redding and Johnnie Taylor – and one whose early work is still some of the best he ... 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
A really unusual collection of work from the great Brook Benton – material that's much more obscure than you'd guess from the hits in the title – as it comes from two different periods in his career! CD1 features early demos that Brook did when he was an emerging songwriter – ... read moreCD
Raucous, rumbling and hard-charging Chess rhythms, rock and roll by Chuck Berry – his legendary After School Session – and possibly his greatest album ever! It features not only some of Chuck Berry's most famous material, but some of the best early rock songs, period –particularly ... 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
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
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
Big Maybelle's got a new bag – and we like it! This tasty set was cut for the tiny Rojac label in between Maybelle's earlier years at Savoy and later albums on Brunswick – and it's got a swinging, 60s mod sort of style that's pretty darn groovy, baby! The arrangements are by Bob Gallo ... read moreCD
(In a very cool Japanese-styled, LP-like cardboard sleeve cover!)
A great set that may well be Big Maybelle's best record ever – really rare work that's quite different than her famous work of the 50s! The set was recorded in the Criteria studios in Miami – and it's got a cool southern soul sound that's part Bobby Blue Bland bluesy soul, and part ... read moreCD
(In a very cool Japanese-styled, LP-like cardboard sleeve cover!)
(Out of print, small cutout hole through case and booklet.)
Billion Dollar Band —
Billion Dollar Band ... CD Good Sounds/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1977. New Copy ...
$12.9915.99
One of the coolest records to come from the TK Records Miami soul empire of the 70s – and one of the few that was ever issued on their tiny Good Sounds subsidiary! We know little about the group, but the approach here is great – kind of all the strengths of the usual TK/Criteria ... read moreCD
Jo Bisso —
Love Somebody ... CD Marlin/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1977. New Copy ...
$12.9915.99
Disco grooves, but with a definite difference – given that Jo Bisso had previously worked on the Parisian club scene, and brings a special flourish to this American album from the late 70s! Jo sings lead vocals on the side-long "Love Somebody" – a tune that builds strongly as ... read moreCD
Bill Black's Combo —
Hi Masters ... CD Hi Records/Demon (UK), Late 50s/1960s. Used ...
$3.99
Some of the sharpest, jazziest funk you'll ever hope to hear – a smoking collection of the legendary 70s work by The Blackbyrds on Fantasy Records! The group started as a jazz combo under Donald Byrd's supervision – right at a time when Byrd was making his own fantastic funky records ... read moreCD
Don Blackman —
Don Blackman ... CD Arista/Expansion (UK), 1982. New Copy ...
$16.9919.99
A jazz funk masterpiece, and THE record by the legendary Don Blackman – the only one issued under his own name for many many years, and a famous little set that's been sampled endlessly over the years, and for good reason! The vibe here is one that's barely been matched again – a blend ... read moreCD
(Remastered edition – completely new version taken from the original source master tapes!)
Bobby Blue Bland —
Anthology ... CD MCA, 1950s/1960s/1970s/Early 80s. Used 2 CDs ...
$8.99
Mary J Blige —
Breakthrough ... CD Geffen/Matriarch (UK), 2005. Used ...
$0.99
Mary J Blige broke through well over a decade ago, but Breakthrough is an apt title for her eighth album – as it not only busts up the morass of mid 00s urban radio fodder – it also breaks through MJB's own creative doldrums – adding up her best work in years! It's certainly not ... read moreCD
Blowfly —
Butterfly ... CD Weird World/Ultra Vybe (Japan), Mid 70s. New Copy ...
$8.9915.99
The raunchy one is at it again – serving up funky, filthy, and funny parodies of 70s soul and pop songs with more than enough bad language to make even the most street hip hopper turn red! The band is nice and tight on most of the tracks, grooving hard with a funky wah-wah sound underneath ... read moreCD
Eddie Bo —
Hole In It ... CD Soulciety/Ultra Vybe (Japan), Mid 90s. New Copy ...
$14.9919.99
A funky update from New Orleans soul legend Eddie Bo – a set recorded during a brief by great period of funk revival albums by the Soulciety label in Germany – the same imprint who brought back Fred Wesley and Bobby Byrd for some excellent records at the same time! There's a bit less ... read moreCD
A great collection of funky New Orleans genius from the legendary Eddie Bo – an artist who made music in many different modes over the years in Nola, but who comes across here with a sound that's definitely in the funkiest side of his spectrum! There's lots of cuts on the collection that ... read moreCD
Eddie Bo cut plenty of classic funk on the New Orleans scene, back in the day – and this set has Eddie returning to some of the glories of those years – thanks to help from the Soulciety label, at a time when they were doing plenty to revive older soul styles of the 60s and 70s! The ... read moreCD
A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, ... read moreCD
A killer bit of early funk from the great Hamilton Bohannon – and quite possibly his greatest album ever – a really unique approach to funky rhythms, with a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of! The album's got a slower funk sound than Bohannon's later disco groove a few ... read moreCD
The first-ever full length set of work from Howard Bomar – a singer who only issued a few rare 45s back in the 60s, yet kept on making music for years! From the very first tune, you'll hear that Bomar has a fantastic voice – that sort of searching, searing style that you'd hear from ... read moreCD
A great little record from Booker T and group – often overlooked amidst the range between Green Onions and Melting Pot, but a very strong album of soulful Memphis instrumentals all the way through! Book's organ is bubbling hot, and the band's tight rhythm style works in a perfect laid-back ... read moreCD
A killer bit of female soul by a very short-lived group – one with a great sound that comes out of some real criss-crossing of styles – some deep soul currents, but some hipper modern soul touches at the top! The set was produced by Brad Shapiro, and has a good blend of his modern and ... read moreCD
Toni Braxton —
Secrets ... CD LaFace, 1996. Used ...
$1.99
The second smash hit record in a row by Toni Braxton, and one of biggest and best of the mid 90s – the secret was out by this point to say the least! If the pressure was high to match the sales and creative strengths of the self-titled solo debut, Toni, composer/producer Babyface and ... read moreCD
The smash first solo album from Toni Braxton – a set that not only catapulted the singer to worldwide fame, but also earned the LaFace production team another big feather in their cap! The set's got a nicely deep vibe that's a few steps beyond some of the more mainstream pop of the time ... 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
Brit Funk Association —
Ancestral Voices ... CD Expansion (UK), 2023. New Copy ...
$18.9921.99
That's almost an Earth Wind & Fire-styled image on the cover – and the Brit Funk Association definitely live up to the spirit of that scene – which is maybe no surprise, given that group members have a legacy that goes way back for many years on the UK soul scene! There's a warmth ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
Julius Brockington —
United Chair ... CD Today/Octave (Japan), 1973. New Copy ...
$18.9922.99
Keyboardist Julius Brockington really takes off here – in a style that's not quite funk, not quite jazz – and which has some of the unique sophisticated changes that Gene Harris was bringing to his Blue Note records in the mid 70s! Like Gene, Julius already has a strong background on ... read moreCD
A classic set of clubby soul from the All-Platinum New Jersey soul empire of the 70s – the third album from a group who started in funk territory a few years before, but who've definitely sharpened up their groove for the dancefloors here! Brother To Brother are a great example of a group ... read moreCD
Fantastic work from the great Charles Brown – an equal mix of jazz and blues, delivered with a smooth, sophisticated touch that really helped move things forward in the postwar years! 20 classics from his years at Aladdin Records. CD
James Brown —
Bodyheat ... CD Polydor (Japan), 1976. New Copy ...
$10.9913.99
An enduring classic from James Brown – quite possibly the strongest of his late 70s albums, and a record that nicely balances the harder funk of the early part of the decade with a more sophisticated style that almost gets slightly jazzy at times! The vocals are planted strongly at the top ... read moreCD
(Part of the Rare Groove Funk 1000 Best Collection!)
James Brown —
Family Affair ... CD Brownstone/Ultra Vybe (Japan), Early 90s. New Copy ...
$16.9919.99
A rare chapter of James Brown's career – material recorded for producer Henry Stone in the early 90s – at a time when James himself was without a major record contract! Most of these tracks were recorded by Stone, but unissued for years – which is a bit of a surprise, as the ... read moreCD
James Brown screams at the beginning of the record – "I'm Back! I'm Back!" – which is his proclamation that he was ready to take on a whole new generation of funk music – grooving with a new sound that was guaranteed to hit as big as it did in earlier years! The ... read moreCD
(Part of the Rare Groove Funk 1000 Best Collection!)
One of the greatest albums ever from James Brown – even if it wasn't issued during his classic run of funk records in the early 70s! Yet the material here is all from that time – recorded by Polydor when James and the JBs were completely kicking ass in the studio – turning out ... read moreCD
A legendary bit of fuzzy funk from James Brown – an important collaboration with the mighty Dave Matthews, who brings a more tripped-out feel to the record than some of James' other King sessions of the time! Matthews adds in lots of psych-influenced guitar – used very different than ... read moreCD
A different James Brown album – but a nice one! James doesn't sing soul, so much as jazz – in front of large backings by Louis Bellson, with arrangements by Oliver Nelson that are in his best 60s soul mode – and which give the album a very very groovy feel overall! The record's ... read moreCD
(2004 pressing.)
James Brown —
Soul Syndrome ... CD TK/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1980. New Copy ...
$12.9915.99
A rare TK Records effort from James Brown – very much in the best uptempo funk mode of the later Polydor years! The groove here is quite similar to those better-known efforts – grooves that are a bit quicker than a few years before, but still played in a core JB funky style – ... read moreCD
A rare TK Records effort from James Brown – very much in the best uptempo funk mode of the later Polydor years! The groove here is quite similar to those better-known efforts – grooves that are a bit quicker than a few years before, but still played in a core JB funky style – ... read moreCD
72 tracks – and a fantastic overview of the music of James Brown – from the gritty R&B years to his classic moments of 60s soul, to his mindblowing 70s funk and beyond! CD
A great later document of the power of James Brown in a live setting – an early 80s concert that really cooks strongly all the way through – bubbling over with the sort of non-stop energy that James was bringing to his live albums from the Apollo Theater onward! The group isn't listed ... read moreCD
James Brown —
Think ... CD King/Polydor, 1960. Used ...
$4.99
One of James Brown's earliest full albums for King Records – and a set that kicks off with his monstrous reworkin of the tune "Think" – originally recorded by the Five Royales, but recast here by James as the blueprint for all the funky goodness in years to come! That track ... read moreCD
An unusual slice of work from the James Brown Family – material from three different periods – early 60s cuts for Dade Records, early 70s material for Brownstone, and late 70s tracks for TK Records! The collection features some especially rare Dade material – tracks from artists ... read moreCD
A real lost chapter in the James Brown legacy of soul – tracks that The Godfather issued on a branch of TK Records, right during the same time he was cutting some familiar funk classics on the Polydor and People Records labels! The music here is an offshoot of the Funky People universe that ... read moreCD
Maxine Brown on Wand Records is really something amazing – not just because she began her recording career at the label, but also because she never again hit the heights of these recordings! Brown was a really important singer with these sides – still partly in the class and poise of ... read moreCD
One of Oscar Brown's great ones, recorded live at the Cellar Door in Washington before an enthusiastic crowd of hipsters! The record's a beautiful mix of soul, jazz, and folk – in the same Chicago tradition that spawned Terry Callier (although Brown's style has a bit more of a "show" ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
(1998 digipak pressing. Cover has some wear, barcode has a cutout mark.)
A super-huge moment for Miami funk guru Peter Brown – a record instantly recognized by the silhouetted cover image of a perky nude in a window on the front, and for the very famous title hit, "Do You Wanna Get Funky With Me?" Despite its hit status, the record's actually a pretty ... read moreCD