Fantastic work from Abiodun Oyewole – best known as one of the founding members of the legendary Last Poets – but a singer who works here with a contemporary crispness that goes way beyond his roots! The message in Abiodun's older recordings is still alive and well here – in part because the challenges continue, making his themes more important now than ever – updated with elements taken from 21st century soul, jazz, and even a bit of hip hop on the production tip – with contributions from other artists who include Ada De Poet, J Ivy, Jessica Care Moore, and Taylor Pace. Yet it's clear that Abiodun is the star at the center of the constellation – really sounding as important here as ever, at a level that maybe makes this record so much more crucial than some of the Last Poets revival projects of years past. Titles include "Brooklyn", "Harlem", "My Life", "Spirit", "Right Here Waiting", "What I Want To See", and "To Begin". CD

Fantastic work from Abiodun Oyewole – best known as one of the founding members of the legendary Last Poets – but a singer who works here with a contemporary crispness that goes way beyond his roots! The message in Abiodun's older recordings is still alive and well here – in part because the challenges continue, making his themes more important now than ever – updated with elements taken from 21st century soul, jazz, and even a bit of hip hop on the production tip – with contributions from other artists who include Ada De Poet, J Ivy, Jessica Care Moore, and Taylor Pace. Yet it's clear that Abiodun is the star at the center of the constellation – really sounding as important here as ever, at a level that maybe makes this record so much more crucial than some of the Last Poets revival projects of years past. Titles include "Brooklyn", "Harlem", "My Life", "Spirit", "Right Here Waiting", "What I Want To See", and "To Begin". LP, Vinyl record album

One of two albums produced by Rudy Ray Moore – the other being The Sensuous Black Man – which define the art of making love from a gender-based perspective. Like Rudy's Sensuous Black Man, The Madam's version features one side of "instructional" dialogue – very XXX-rated, in bitchy mode that verbally orders a man to make love to a woman properly. Side two features "Rap Session", kind of a Q&A session in which The Madam lays down a bit more knowledge about sex over some bluesy music. There's plenty of bits on here that have been sampled over the years – and the record was a big one in the early mixes of the Chicago house scene. LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly THE mother of all funky soundtracks – the legendary score to Rudy Ray Moore's classic first Dolemite film! The record's been referenced for years, and all the hype is totally right – because the whole thing's overflowing with funky tracks both vocal and instrumental – cut with a sound that's as gritty and badass as the movie itself! The Soul Rebellion Orchestra provided the wicked instrumental grooves for the set – and vocalists include Mary Love and Ben Taylor – and the pacing of the whole record almost makes it come across like a mini-movie in sound! You'll find enough samples on here to cut a lifetime's worth of hip hop LPs, and the funky tracks will have you coming back to the record again and again! Tracks include "The Queen", "The Rumble", "Mayor Get Away", "The Jive Jungle", "Creeper", and "Ghetto Expressions". CD

Quite possibly THE mother of all funky soundtracks – the legendary score to Rudy Ray Moore's classic first Dolemite film! The record's been referenced for years, and all the hype is totally right – because the whole thing's overflowing with funky tracks both vocal and instrumental – cut with a sound that's as gritty and badass as the movie itself! The Soul Rebellion Orchestra provided the wicked instrumental grooves for the set – and vocalists include Mary Love and Ben Taylor – and the pacing of the whole record almost makes it come across like a mini-movie in sound! You'll find enough samples on here to cut a lifetime's worth of hip hop LPs, and the funky tracks will have you coming back to the record again and again! Tracks include "The Queen", "The Rumble", "Mayor Get Away", "The Jive Jungle", "Creeper", and "Ghetto Expressions". This expanded 2CD edition features a bonus disc with a full 28 tracks of extra material – unreleased takes, mixes, acapellas, and instumental versions of album tracks plus a slew of untitled interludes! CD

Female funk galore – and one of the greatest all-girl compilations we've ever heard! The set's a brilliant follow-up to the first Funk Soul Sisters set on BGP – but we've gotta say that we like it even better than the first, and really appreciate the wide range of unusual tunes collected on the set! There's a depth here that goes way past the obvious – a love of bad-rapping funky female soul that digs deeper, and comes up with some key gems that explode cliches and really expand our love of the music. Titles include both rare album and single tracks pulled from a variety of American indies of the late 60s and early 70s – and although many are by familiar artists, they offer up a side of their talents you really wouldn't expect! Titles include "Easily Persuaded" by Martha & The Vandellas, "Family Tree" by Little Rose Little, "Who Told You" by Jackie Moore, "That's How I Feel" by The Sisters Of Righteous, "Ain't No Love Lost" by Patti Jo, "Love Connection" by Annette Snell, "Gotta Get Away" by Harolyn Montgomery, "Just A Mistake" by The Ebonettes, "Do You Really Want To Rescue Me (part 1)" by Elsie Mae, "It's My Thing" by Betty Moorer, "Speed Ticket" by Inez & Charlie Foxx, "Get On Up & Do It Baby" by Marie Adams, and "Jesse Joe" by Jean Knight. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album