A righteous treasure from the end of the 60s – an album of vocal tracks recorded by the Minister Of Information for the Black Panther Party, set to backings from the legendary Horace Tapscott! Elaine Brown's less of a soul singer than a powerful speaker who delivers the lyrics with an almost folksy quality – singing boldly and with a sense of power that matches Tapscott's great orchestrations for the record – done in a style that's a fair bit like his Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra work for Nimbus Records, but a bit more inside – given the vocal setting of the record. Titles include "The Meeting", "The Panther", "Assassination", and "Very Black Man". LP, Vinyl record album

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 the scratching riffs of the other JB material of the late 60s – in ways that almost make the record a second chapter to Dave's Grodeck Whipperjenny album – a gritty blend of funk, soul, and psych – all with some nice touches by the James Brown Band! All tracks are co-written by Brown and Matthews, and all are instrumental – and titles include "Can Mind", "Don't Mind", "Bob Scoward", and "Just Enough Room for Storage". CD

A slammin' set of heavy R&B numbers from James Brown – combined in here with some other nice tracks from King Records artists of the time! The set almost has the same feeling as some of the James Brown Show albums – in that James is presented with other hard-hitting artists of his time – yet the difference here is that the others are King Records giants in their own right. The album features about 50% material by James – all hard hitters that include "Suds", "Hold It", "Scratch", "Night Train", "Cross Firing", and "Night Flying" – nearly all of which are instrumentals, in the best early King tradition! These are followed up by other tunes, mostly instrumental, from other artists – including "Doin Everything" and "Switch A Roo" by Henry Moore, "Tonk Game" by Hank Marr, "Bushy Tail" by Clifford Scott, "The Wobble" by The Wobblers, and "Just A Little Bit Of Everything" by Herb Hardesty'. LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Oscar Brown Jr – a hip mix of jazz and soul, working in Brown's unique sense of showmanship, and his almost beat-like flair with a lyric! Ralph Burns and Quincy Jones handled the arrangements – and the album's filled with great original tracks by Brown, including "Mr. Kicks", "Opportunity, Please Knock", Love is Like a New Born Child", "Elegy (Plain Black Boy)", "Hazel's Hips", and many more! Nice jazzy groove, and very much in the best style of Oscar's 60s work! (Vocalists, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A Late Date from Ruth Brown – both in her 50s R&B years, and in the style of the work! The sound here isn't as rough and ready as on her famous singles – and the album's almost a jazz-based effort, done in a mellow, late nite mode with arrangements by Richard Wess – and a lovely, fluid style that we never knew Ruth had! There's still plenty of bluesy undercurrents, but the overall style is definitely more small club jazz – often in a torchy mode. Titles include "I Can Dream Can't I", "Why Don't You Do Right", "Bewitched", "It Could Happen To You", "We'll Be Together Again", "No One Ever Tells You", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary debut of Bobby Caldwell – a blue-eyed soul singer who borrowed just the right amounts from AOR and R&B! Bobby's got a voice that's really great, and wrapped up warmly amidst keyboards and larger arrangements that all come across with a very cool compressed style – almost as if Caldwell discovered that midtempo and mellow style on some of the Earth Wind & Fire albums from a few years before, and used it as inspiration to craft a classic groove that's very much his own! The set features Bobby's huge classic "What You Won't Do For Love" – but the whole album's great, and other titles include "Special To Me", "Can't Say Goodbye", "My Flame", "Love Won't Wait", "Come To Me", "Down For The Third Time", "Take Me Back To Then" and "Kalimba Song", another nod to Maurice White and crew, to be sure! LP, Vinyl record album

Jimmy Castor's a cat who's tried many styles in music – and handled them all surprisingly well – from sweet soul to heavy funk, to Latin grooves, and even the funky club style of this late 70s album for TK Records! The set has Jimmy giving a nod to the disco generation – no surprise, given that TK was a disco powerhouse – but the overall approach is maybe tied more to his mid 70s records for Atlantic – with all the warm humor and funk of those albums! On some tracks, it almost feels like Castor's trying to be a one man answer to the P-Funk army – but other tracks are more personal overall. Titles include "Time", "The Mystery Of Me", "Sweetooth", "The Real McCoy", "Future Place", "Let It Out", and "Bertha Butt Encounters Vadar". CD

Later work by Gene Chandler – but a surprisingly great little set overall, and proof that Carl Davis was really stretching for greatness in the glory years of his Chi Sound label! Rather than rehash the styles he'd hit with on Vee Jay, Constellation, Mercury, or Brunswick – Chandler steps out here almost as a whole new singer overall – one with surprising sensitivity for ballads, and a maturing approach that almost reminds us of Walter Jackson's same stretch on the Chi Sound label. And like Jackson, Chandler also manages to move a bit into clubby territory too – with arrangements from Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders that are quite solid overall – and almost a Chicago take on Philly. Titles include "Do What Comes So Natural", "That Funky Disco Rhythm", "When You're #1", "Dance Fever", "Stay Here In My Heart", and "I'll Remember You". LP, Vinyl record album

A title that seems to take off from Chubby Checker's bit trademark hit, but the overall groove is a lot better than you might expect – set for twisting, sure, but in a nicely rough and ready style that's almost equal parts soul and R&B! Some tunes are familiar, but twist-ified – and others are standout originals that really make the album sparkle. Titles include "The Ray Charles-ton", "Dance A Long", "Takes Two To Tango", "Continental Walk", "The Jet", "I Could Have Danced All Night", and "Peanut Butter". LP, Vinyl record album

Dee Clark cracked the charts big with a few crossover hits – but he's an excellent soul singer with a raspy tone that almost set the stage for some of the deeper soul acts to come in the 60s! The style here is very much in the mode of some of Jackie Wilson's best for Brunswick from the early days – tracks recorded in a mode that's often heavy on the voice, letting Dee step out with strong flourishes that change in style from track to track – sometimes dramatic, sometimes subtle – but always impeccably phrased with Clark's stunning vocals! Titles are a nice batch of numbers that go way past Dee's hits – and include "Just Like A Fool", "What I Say", "Come To California", "24 Boyfriends", "I Just Can't Help Myself", "Little Red Riding Hood", "Gloria", and "Baby What You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

A wickedly funky album from Stanley Clarke – perhaps his most fully-formed album of the Columbia years, and a set that really brings together his jazz and soul styles! There's a definite R&B vibe going on, but it's also one that's still quite heavy on bass work from Stanley – a groove that's not far from Bootsy Collins at times, but perhaps with a bit more jazz inflections. Jamming is kept to a minimum, which is fine by us – and the album's filled with really tuneful tunes that have an almost George Duke-like appeal. Guests include Tom Scott and Stan Getz on saxes, George Duke on piano, Harvey Mason and Steve Gadd on drums, and Dee Dee Bridgewater on vocals. Titles include "I Wanna Play For You", "Just A Feeling", "Strange Weather", "My Greatest Hits", "School Days", and "Blues For Mingus". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album from this beautiful soul duo – a pair who kind of take the earlier Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell mode into a sweet 70s groove – all with help from members of The Crusaders on the backing! Most numbers feature the male singer stepping out a bit more in the lead, but in ways that still have this beautifully sensual groove – definitely in a Marvin mode, as his his sense of mature soul – which really knocks the album out of the park when the female singer steps in and the two of them soar together! The album was issued by GSF, and has that mix of sweet soul and deeper righteous currents that the label did so well – and backing vocals are by Hodges, James, & Smith – who really help the whole thing hit a nicely full sound. Production is great, too – almost more in a New Jersey rare soul mode, and handled by Mickey Stevenson and Curtis Colbert – on titles that include "Little By Little", "Punish Me", "Without You", "That's Groovy", "We Got A Thing Going ON", "Hey There Little Girl", and "My Friend Heartaches". LP, Vinyl record album

Sure, they were hitmakers – but we love these guys, and find them to be one of the most radical vocal groups of all time! Under the impeccable guidance of Lieber & Stoller, the group recorded some of the fiercest vocal numbers of the 50s – mixing incredibly soulful vocals with an almost cartoonish ability to conjure up little pictures with words. This 50-track, 2CD set is an amazing tribute to the group's genius – and it includes a wonderful range of material that begins with their early days as The Robins, and which runs up to later sides cut as funky 45s for the Date label in the late 60s. Features the great funk numbers "Soul Pad", "DW Washburn", and "Down Home Girl" – plus totall excellent doo wop tunes like "Shoppin For Clothes", "Hitchin A Ride", "Girls Girls Girls", "The Slime", "Hongry", "Hey Sexy", "The Shadow Knows", "Sorry But I'm Gonna Have To Pass", "One Kiss", "What Is The Secret Of Your Success?", "Idol With The Golden Head", "Besame Mucho", "Stewball", "What About Us", and "Along Came Jones". Also includes the big hits – but the set goes way past that stuff too! CD

A classic full length set from The Coasters – and as much of a full album that brings together their best for Atlantic, as it is a collection of earlier material from singles! There's a really unified approach here – thanks to the group's really dynamic, surprisingly soulful vocal interplay – and to the top-shelf production and presentation of the material throughout. And sure, they were hitmakers – but we love these guys, and find them to be one of the most radical vocal groups of all time! Under the impeccable guidance of Lieber & Stoller, the group recorded some of the fiercest vocal numbers of the 50s – mixing incredibly soulful vocals with an almost cartoonish ability to conjure up little pictures with words. A dozen great numbers in all – "Poison Ivy", "Along Came Jones", "Down In Mexico", "The Shadow Knows", "I'm A Hog For You", "Charlie Brown", "Yakety Yak", "Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart", "That Is Rock & Roll", "Young Blood", "Sweet Georgia Brown", and "Searchin'". LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing instant about this album from the great Dennis Coffey – as the set marks a continuing evolution of the fantastic guitar sound he forged on the Detroit scene from the late 60s onward – that wicked blend of funk, soul, jazz, and a bit of rock – served up wonderfully here on a set of sweet instrumentals! This album's nicely different than some of Coffey's previous for the Sussex label, as it's got a few cuts that are quite long jams – both in the seven minute range, and with a groove that trips out at times, maybe a bit like Shuggie Otis was doing during the same generation – but with all these really wonderful charts that have odd elements, and almost come across with an unusual soundtrack/sound library vibe! The long cuts are the excellent "Moon Star" and "Outrageous (The Mind Excursion)" – and the set also includes a great remake of the theme to "Enter the Dragon", plus the sweet originals "Chicano" and "Kathy". CD

There's nothing instant about this album from the great Dennis Coffey – as the set marks a continuing evolution of the fantastic guitar sound he forged on the Detroit scene from the late 60s onward – that wicked blend of funk, soul, jazz, and a bit of rock – served up wonderfully here on a set of sweet instrumentals! This album's nicely different than some of Coffey's previous for the Sussex label, as it's got a few cuts that are quite long jams – both in the seven minute range, and with a groove that trips out at times, maybe a bit like Shuggie Otis was doing during the same generation – but with all these really wonderful charts that have odd elements, and almost come across with an unusual soundtrack/sound library vibe! The long cuts are the excellent "Moon Star" and "Outrageous (The Mind Excursion)" – and the set also includes a great remake of the theme to "Enter the Dragon", plus the sweet originals "Chicano" and "Kathy". CD

One of the less-remembered acts of the Solar Records west coast soul scene – but a great one too – and a group who step out beautifully on this killer set, thanks to great production help from The Whispers! Collage themselves have a tight, funky approach – heavy on basslines and keyboards, and almost setting the stage for Midnight Star – but they also have a nice sense of soul that The Whispers really bring out, especially on the mellower cuts, which may well be our favorites on the record. Titles include the wonderful slow stepper "Feelings" – a complete transformation of the hit to a slow jam soul classic – plus "Money In Your Pocket", "When You Smile", "Special Occasion", "Do You Like Our Music", and their cover of "Groovin". CD features bonus tracks "Groovin (single version)" and "Money In Your Pocket (single)". CD

Great early work from Albert Collins – the kind of mean, lean music that Collins specialized in before his later years of cliche – served up here in a style that's almost more funk than blues overall! The tracks are all instrumentals, with lots of raw guitar and soulful saxophone – coming across with a rootsy feel that's much more in the mode of work on a soul-based indie than you'd expect from the usual slicker sides on Blue Thumb – hardly smooth LA, and instead almost a funky 45 vibe overall! The titles give a good example of the stripped-down sound of the tunes – and they include "Kool Aide", "Thaw Out", "Hot N Cold", "Frosty", "Tremble", and "Icy Blue". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

By this point in their career, The Commodores have lost Lionel Richie and any sort of funk credibility they had from their early years – but they also somehow manage to reemerge with a great new talent for a sweet mellow groove! The title tune "Nightshift" was one of those tracks that crossed over massively at the time – but to our ears, it also kind of redeemed the group too – as it's got a surprisingly soulful quality that really got the group past the soppiness of their ballads and love songs – gliding along with an almost-righteous quality that makes it a nice later cap to an earlier Motown 70s groove. Other tunes on the album don't always fare as well, but there's still some nice moments here – tunes that benefit from some Dennis Lambert production and hit just the right kind of mellow groove to follow up on the spirit of the single. Tracks include "Nightshift", "Slip Of The Tongue", "Lay Back", "Lightin Up The Night", and "The Woman In My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Smoking Hammond work from the young Dave Cortez – sounding grittier here than on some of his other albums of the time – less pop, and almost with a soul jazz vibe overall – especially given some of his snakey solos! The record may be the closest that Cortez ever came to sounding like Jimmy McGriff – and the backings are tight and soulful, very similar to McGriff at Sue Records – handled by Henry Grover, who also produced. There's an uncredited tenor player on the record who's mighty nice – and a few cuts feature cool female backing vocals – and titles include "Belly Rub (parts 1 & 2)", "In Orbit", "Countdown (parts 1 & 2)", "Sticks & Stones", and "Peg Leg". LP, Vinyl record album

Chicago blues, but plenty darn funky – recorded with a sharpness and tightness that shows a strong soul-based influence in the second-generation electric work of James Cotton's generation! The core group here features James on harmonica and vocals – backed by piano, guitar, bass, and drums – plus a great horn section that has a distinct Chess Records feel – no surprise, given that it features Gene Barge, Paul Serrano, and Louis Satterfield! The production is by Barry Goldberg and Mike Bloomfield – and they're clearly helping Cotton tighten up his groove – and almost hit some Atlantic soul-styled modes at times. Titles include "Knock On Wood", "Sweet Sixteen", "Feelin Good", "Off The Wall", "Good Time Charlie", "Turn On Your Lovelight", "Something On Your Mind", and "Don't Start Me Talkin". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem on Stax Records – one of the only records ever cut by Bettye Crutcher – also a songwriter with the label, but a hell of a singer on her own! Bettye's got a style here that's very unique – still in a Stax mode, but a bit more sophisticated too – with a subtle groove that almost feels like some of the best female soul singers coming out of the Chicago scene at the time! Sir Mack Rice co-wrote most of the tunes with Bettye – and they've got a vibe that's really great – and which has made the record a real standout from Stax over the years – really unified, and really deep – in a way that goes past any easy hit modes or cliches. Titles include the sublime track "Sunday Morning's Gonna Find Us In Love" – plus "Long As You Love Me", "A Little Bit More Won't Hurt", "Passion", "Call Me When All Else Fails", and "Up For A Let Down". CD features lots of bonus tracks too – all previously unissued – including "So Glad To Have You", "Don't You Think It's About Time", "We've Got Love On Our Side", "Make A Joyful Noise", and demo versions of "Walk On To Your New Love" and "I Forgive You". CD

A very hip batch of 60s soul jazz numbers – played with a hard, full swing by the combo of LA bassist Clarence Daniels – and featuring vocals on a few of the best tracks! Daniels' group has a sound that's full, but never too much so – a great mix of rootsier soul jazz modes and more sophisticated arrangements – with a depth that almost reminds us of Oliver Nelson at times – but also with a sound that draws on the earlier jump blues sound of the postwar LA scene, reforged a bit for the 60s! This fantastic collection mixes Clarence's one full album with some rare singles and a number of unissued tracks too – and about half the set is instrumental, with saxes from Curtis Peagler – and singers on the other tracks include Obie Jessie, Sandy Miller, and Clarence Daniels himself. Titles include "Hard Working Girl", "Daddy's Got A Shotgun", "I Got To Get Ready", "Instrumental #3", "You Dig It", "Hello California", "Do The Deal", "I'll Drive My Blues Away", "Street Girl", "What Can A Poor Boy Do", "Baby I'm Gone", "I'll Never Let You Go", and "Pastel". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". CD

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth soul from Cliff Dawson – a singer as classy as his look on the cover, and definitely a cut above most of the mainstream soul artists of his time! The album's an overlooked gem that's very nicely put together – well recorded, arranged with a subtle flair, and usually done with a warmer sound than you might guess for the vintage of the set – almost like some late 70s underground modern soul set, which is saying plenty to ears like ours! Thor Baldursson did most of the arrangements, but in ways that are much more restrained than his disco years – and titles include "It's Not Me You Love", "Waiting For Your Love", "Betcha Didn't Know", "I Can Love You Better", "Ocean Green Eyes", and "Never Say I Do". CD

A glorious little album from The Dazz Band – a set that quickly proclaims its intentions with the title – as the group roll into a tight batch of upbeat funky numbers, all graced with their superb sense of musicianship! There's almost a late 70s funk mainstream vibe here than some of the other groups of their generation were hitting in the early 80s – amazing guitar riffs, just the right keyboard elements, and this sense of coming together with a cool, compressed sound that's completely right on the money! A few mellower cuts balance things out nicely – and titles include "Freaky Lovin", "Let The Music Play", "What Will I Do Without You", "I Believe In You", "Everyday Love", and "Satisfying Love". CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

A sweet little record that's way better than you might ever guess from the title – almost more of a jazz funk effort overall, with excellent work on guitar, trumpet, saxes, and keyboards! There's vocals on the album, but maybe more in a backup sort of way – and although the cuts could work on a dancefloor, they've often got the mix of jazz and groove that you'd find in some of the funkier Kudu Records material of the time – which might have been an inspiration for these guys! The album was recorded on the Atlanta scene of the late 70s, with lead guitar from Gary Ruffin – and titles include "Get Up & Get Down", "Summer Love", "Randy's Nap", "Simple Song", and "Journey Through The Night". CD

An incredible record from the Chicago scene – issued on a tiny little label from deep on the south side – and done with a much richer vibe than you might expect! "Attitude Belief & Determination" is a track that's almost got a righteous, spiritual sort of flavor – but a vibe that's funkier overall – somewhere in that classic James Mason mix of message and groove, with wonderful paired vocals in the lead, and a stepping bassline under Fender Rhodes, which really sends the whole thing home! The track is nice and long, and backed by by "Nonstop To The Top" – a tune with a bit more boogie in the bassline, but still this spacious sort of groove overall. Both cuts were recorded at Curtom – with production that's definitely a cut above the usual indie 12" single! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Early King Records material by Champion Jack Dupree – a hell of a pianist, and a heck of a great singer too – working almost as a raconteur on some of the best songs on this collection! The music has deep roots in New Orleans, where Jack must have really honed his piano skills – but there's also a more northern, more urban presentation of the music on these cuts – a strong current of wit that comes in the way that Jack puts over a tune, and a great mix of jazzy phrasing in both his piano and the electric guitar that sometimes provides strong accompaniment. Jack's vocals are almost more commentary than traditional lyrics – often with an undercurrent of raunch – and titles include "That's My Pa", "Failing Health Blues", "Big Leg Emma's", "Two Below Zero", "Camille", "Me & My Mule", "She Cooks Me Cabbage", and "Silent Partner". (Blues, Soul) CD

Fantastic stuff through and through – and almost a "best of" best of collection from the 70s! The album's a key illustration of the genius of Earth Wind & Fire on Columbia Records – because by the time the set was released in 1978, most of the tracks were already well-known hits – but still had a soulful power and righteous undercurrent that few other chart acts could match. Maurice White, Charles Stepney, and the others have a perfect way of holding onto their deepest inspirations while honing their sills in the studio – and the results of that commitment are heard beautifully on tracks that include "Got To Get You Into My Life", "Shining Star", "Getaway", "Can't Hide Love", "Fantasy", "Reasons", "September", and "That's The Way Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". CD

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". CD

The genius of Earth Wind & Fire knows no bounds – and even on this double-length set, the group keep up their groove tremendously! The 2LP scope of Faces might make it seem like an ambitious enterprise, but it's really just an overstuffed package that tries to contain all the genius the group was capable of at the time – a flurry of well-written, nice-grooving, and still-righteous soul tracks that have the EWF sound glowing brightly at the end of the 70s – always seeming to re-ignite itself with its own bold sense of power. A few tracks get a bit mellow, and almost adult – but the best numbers here are the groovers – still done with plenty of jazz in the mix, and a sublime mix of guitar, horns, and percussion that few other groups could carry off this well! Titles include "Pride", "Let Me Talk", "Turn It Into Something Good", "Sparkle", "And The Love Goes On", "Sailaway", "Take It To The Sky", "Song In My Heart", and "Win Or Lose". CD

Earth Wind & Fire touch the world with this sweet batch of grooves – a set of tracks that has them firmly embracing the electric sound of 80s soul, yet still bringing in some light spiritual touches of their own! The beats are pretty heavy at points – making for plenty of groovers – but the group almost seems to shine most on the ballads, which continue to provide a perfect showcase for the vocals of Philip Bailey and Maurice White. A few cool studio touches reference the group's earlier history – a nice reminder amidst the more contemporary sounds – and titles include "You & I", "System Of Survival", "Every Now & Then", "Money Tight", "Here Today & Gone Tomorrow", "Victim Of The Modern Heart", and "Thinking Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous soul, and the only record ever cut by East Coast – a group led by Larry Blackmon of later Cameo fame – and featuring vocals from a young Gwen Guthrie – heard here for the first time on LP, long before her later hits! The style is very hip – a mixture of funk and progressive grooving, all held together with a sound that's young, proud, and which moves easily between influences from a number of different camps. In a way, the group's almost a cross between early Earth Wind & Fire and The Voices Of East Harlem – with a style that's got some nicely soulful jazz elements, but served up with a dose of sweeter soul. Gregory Johnson plays some great keyboards on the set, and titles include "I've Got To Reclaim You", "Something Deep Inside", "Any Thing You Have In Mind", "Miss Gigi", "Keep On Trying", "I Found You", and "You Can't Let It Get You Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing box set – five full albums of material, plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Flowers – a soaring classic from The Emotions – thanks to some supreme help from the Earth Wind & Fire side of the soul spectrum! This set has the trio really sounding great – with Kalimba Productions by Maurice White and Charles Stepney – and a good deal of EWF help on the instrumentation as well! The girls break out of the rootsier style used on their earlier Stax recordings, and manage to fit perfectly with the jazzy tinges of the new grooves – and, along with Ramsey Lewis and EWF, the Emotions were part of a hugely successful trinity during the late 70s – one that took the indie soul roots of the Chicago scene and turned it into landmark big business for Columbia Records. The album's got a new approach to female group soul that would go onto shape R&B for years to come – and titles include "Flowers", "I Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", "We Go Through Changes", "Special Part", and "You've Got The Right To Know". Next is Rejoice – a huge hit for both The Emotions and Maurice White – whose Kalimba Productions handled this album in the same hit mode they'd been using for Earth Wind & Fire! There's a polished, soaring bounce her that definitely shows the Earth Wind & Fire touch – and which takes the girls miles from their rougher, rootsier soul of the Stax/Volt years – yet like all the best EWF records of the time, the sound is also plenty soulful, with lots of righteous undercurrents. The album includes the group's wonderful track "Don't Ask My Neighbors", a heavenly tune that builds on a long tradition of sweet female soul from Chicago; the super-huge "Best Of My Love", a hit on dancefloors and radios for years to come – and many other nice numbers like "Blessed", "How'd I Know That Love Would Slip Away", and "Key To My Heart". Sunbeam is great little album from The Emotions – largely because it sounds a lot like prime mid 70s Earth Wind & Fire, with female vocals added over the top – ultimately, pulling away with a soulful charm all its own! Maurice White produced the whole set, and it's got a soaring spacey sound that provides a perfect spiritual edge to the girls vocals – taking them way past the hits, into much more sophisticated soul territory. There's a beautifully righteous vibe going on throughout – a sound that's almost like Minnie Riperton at her 70s Capitol best – and titles include "Love Vibes", "Walking The Line", "Time Is Passing By", "I Wouldn't Lie", "Smile", and "Spirit Of Summer". Come Into Our World has the sweet Emotions at the top of their game – one of the brilliant albums that has the soulful trio working hand in hand with Earth Wind & Fire! The girls were plenty great in their early years, but working with Maurice White and company, they really took off – hitting a whole new level that really unlocked some deeply spiritual power in their vocals! And sure, the approach also yielded the group plenty of hits – but for good reason, too – given the classic quality and all-great nature of a set like this. Maurice White produced, and the lineup is filled with plenty of Earth Wind & Fire players too – working with some great arrangements from Tom Tom 84, Wade Marcus, and others. Tunes are balanced between clubby numbers and some nice midtempo moments – and titles include "Where Is Your Love", "Cause I Love You", "Come Into My World", "On & On", "I Should Be Dancing", "Layed Back", and "Yes I Am". New Affair has The Emotions breaking free a bit from the Earth Wind & Fire influence, and grooving nicely with a sweet 80s feel! The girls' voices are still quite wonderful – some of the deepest harmonies in the female soul world at the time – and the tunes kick it up nicely in a blend of snapping bassy club tracks and mellower cuts that sweetly sway with their great vocals! Loads of wonderful tracks – and an album not to miss! Titles include "Turn It Out", "There'll Never Be Another Moment", "Now That I Know", "Love Lies", "When You Gonna Wake Up", and "Here You Come Again". 3CD set features 8 bonus tracks – including "Boogie Wonderland (12" mix", "Don't Ask My Neighbors (single version)", "I Should Be Dancin (single version)", "My Baby Dance", "Changes", "Where Is Your Love (single version)", and "Flowers (single version)". CD

Earlier Stax work recorded by The Emotions, not issued at the time and packaged together into a pretty great album during the time of the girls' bigger fame on Columbia! The work here is surprisingly great – not really filler at all, and in a style that's almost hipper than any of the material that appeared on the trio's two full albums for the label. There's a definite 70s current running through most of the tracks – soul that's less sweet and more sophisticated than other older sides, and which really shows that the leap from Stax to Columbia wasn't a very big one at all. Titles include a great version of "Put A Little Love Away", plus "Shouting Out Love", "Anyway You Look At It", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Running Back & Forth", and "Baby I'm Through". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky new jack galore – a set that has Colin England stepping out as both a hell of a singer, and a surprisingly strong producer as well – really reveling in that early 90s moment when old school funk elements came back to soul music via sampling – while also kicked up a few notches by beats and breaks borrowed from the hip hop scene! There's a wonderfully warm flow to the whole record – almost uplifting, but in a way that's different than we might use that term with other soul albums – bubbling, bouyant, and completely captivating – on titles that include "Out Of Control", "No 1/2 Steppin", "Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word", "You Took My Love Away", "What's On Your Mind", and "I'll Do Anything". CD

Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the rhythms – that sweet groove that shows up in the best beach music classics – and which The Entertainers really have a lock on for this set! But there's also a warmer, more seductive feel going on too – a groove that fits in nicely with some of the early 80s modern soul work of the indie underground – and which helps get this album past any overdone cliches you might expect from the Carolinas – especially on some of the numbers that have a nicely compressed, almost poppish approach to the vocals. There's a depth here that makes the record way more than just a bunch of simple steppers for the dancefloor – and titles include "Hot On A Thang", "Pour Your Little Heart Out", "It's Not What You Got", "I'm Leavin", "In This Moment", "I Won't Cry Anymore", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Livin For The Summer", "Kidnapper", and "I'm In Love With You". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the rhythms – that sweet groove that shows up in the best beach music classics – and which The Entertainers really have a lock on for this set! But there's also a warmer, more seductive feel going on too – a groove that fits in nicely with some of the early 80s modern soul work of the indie underground – and which helps get this album past any overdone cliches you might expect from the Carolinas – especially on some of the numbers that have a nicely compressed, almost poppish approach to the vocals. There's a depth here that makes the record way more than just a bunch of simple steppers for the dancefloor – and titles include "Hot On A Thang", "Pour Your Little Heart Out", "It's Not What You Got", "I'm Leavin", "In This Moment", "I Won't Cry Anymore", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Livin For The Summer", "Kidnapper", and "I'm In Love With You". CD

A rock-solid collection of work from Eruption – the UK soul group whose sound really exploded during the disco generation! Eruption were always equal parts pop and soul – and the latter half was delivered strongly by the vocals of Precious Wilson – who could soar out of some of the more catchy arrangements of their tunes, and really give the group a strong identity – one that almost linked it to the best American club acts of the time. The set features all the best cuts from their Hansa years – and titles include "I Can't Stand The Rain", "Leave A Light", "Movin", "Computer Love", "Left Me In The Rain", "The Way We Were", "Wayward Love", "You Are My Soul", "Valley Of The Dolls", "Hey There Lonely Girl", "One Way Ticket", and "Runaway". LP, Vinyl record album

There's three Evas on the cover, three Evas in the name, and three Evas in the group – a trio of Italian singers whose voices work together in a playful blend of disco and pop! There's almost an Abba-like appeal to the music – really catchy tunes that are unabashedly poppy – upbeat rhythms that borrow plenty from disco, but aren't afraid to add in some other touches too – with some especially cool hints at the Italian cosmic club approach to come on a few more moogy moments! Titles include "Invasione", "Tennis Club", "Argentina", "Love Me Please Forever", "Do", "Vedrai", and an Italian cover of "Stayin Alive"! LP, Vinyl record album

Very righteous work from The Exciters – best known for their girl group recordings in the 60s, but recording here in a very heavy sort of 70s mode – strongly in keeping with the "Black Beauty" in the title! Arrangements and production on the set are by Herb Rooney – who takes the girls into territory that's much more deep soul than before, a space that really works wonders with the already-tremendous lead vocals of Brenda Reid. It's almost like the group were hanging back for years, waiting for the 70s to break before they could really show the hipper undercurrents that always set them apart from the rest of the groups in the 60s, but which were always eclipsed by their hits and sweeter material. Most titles are originals, and tunes include "Leaving Him Tomorrow", "Don't It Make You Just Feel Good", "Learning How To Fly", "I Can't Give In", and "Life Love & Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work by The Exciters – material we totally love to death, most of which is a lot harder-hitting than the group's earlier hits in the 60s! The package pulls together their post-UA recordings for the Bang, Shout, and RCA labels – the first to of which are represented by singles, the last by a full LP and some great extra material from 45s – all of which is really incredible stuff that moves way past any pop soul expectations you may have! Production is by Bert Berns on the non-RCA material, and Larry Banks on the RCA sides – and both producers bring an incredibly hip sound to the recordings, mixing the unique deep soul lead of Brenda Reid with some very groovy backings – arranged by Artie Butler, George Patterson, and Teacho Wiltshire, all of whom bring something unique to the mix. The force of these sides is amazing – almost a revolution in female soul, captured in the history of one group – and the booklet features very full notes on the girls, culled from interviews, and telling the story of their legendary years in the 60s. CD contains all of the legendary Caviar & Chitlins LP, plus lots of singles – 21 tracks that include "Take One Step I'll Take Two", "Soul Motion", "Number One", "A Little Bit Of Soap", "Number One", "You Don't Know What You're Missing", "Blowing Up My Mind", "Movin Too Slow", "Turn Me On", "A Year Ago", "You Got Me", "Always", "Fight That Feelin", "Give It All", and "Weddings Make Me Cry". CD

An incredible album, and very unique! Sarah Webster Fabio was a hip 70s poet with a very righteous sound – and she's working here with funky backings by a tight group that includes family members, in a style that's similar to early 70s work by artists like Wanda Robinson and Camille Yarborough – both of whom also mixed together funk and poetry! The album's got a massive funky cut called "Sweet Songs" – the kind of groover we never tire of, with tight drums, great guitar, and wonderful vocals by Sarah herself. There's lots of other great tunes too – with titles that include "Juju For Grandma", "Still A Red Hot Axe", "Chromo", "If We Come As Soft Rain", and "Jujus/Alchemy Of The Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A 70s indie club classic – and the only album we've ever seen from Maryann Farra & Satin Soul! The group have a sound that's equal parts Brunswick Chicago soul and New York early disco groove – a combination that's brought out even more by the production talents of disco maestro Tony Valor and Chi-soul genius Eugene Record! The tunes groove along in a really rich style of arrangement – often using sweeping strings over tighter rhythms – sometimes hitting the loping midtempo groove you'd expect from Brunswick records at the time, yet also going for some of the faster, freer rhythms that were cropping up on the east coast indies of the time. Some tracks have a tight dancefloor feel – like "Never Gonna Leave You", "Do Those Little Things", and "Just A Little Timing" – while others have a beautiful soul groove – like "You Got To Be The One" and "Living In The Footsteps of Another Girl" – which both have a sound that feels like it was lifted from a lost Barbara Acklin or Chi-Lites album! The set also includes a female soul remake of "Stoned Out Of My Mind" that's almost worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

Fatback flying like the Phoenix – but hardly rising from the ashes, given that the group's always on top! The sound here is a bit different – slightly leaner than before, but in a good way – with lots of core keyboards from Bill Curtis, who also handles most of the lead vocals – although as with most Fatback sets, there's plenty of sharing on that front with the rest of the group members – a bit of harmony here, a switched lead there – all keeping things nice and fresh! And this time around, there almost seems to be more of a focus on the mellower cuts, which we like a lot – because we've always enjoyed the more laidback numbers tucked in amidst the group's funkier sets – so this album's a real treat, with plenty of mellow and midtempo groovers. Titles include "The Drum Song", "Lover Man", "Call Out My Name", "You've Got That Magic", "Big Brother", "Jump Up Baby Jump Up", and "I Love You So". CD

Yum Yum indeed – because the groove on here is pretty darn tasty! Fatback are definitely shaking off the rougher edges of their funkiest years on this set, but the sound is still plenty great – a jamming dancefloor groove that's still filled with plenty of tight live instrumentation, all in a mode that's a lot more harder-hitting than most of the groups of the disco years! There's a bit more horns than before – showing a bit of a BT Express influence, it seems – but the rhythms are very firmly at the core, and have plenty of those rumbling basslines that first put the Fatback name on the map. Drums get nice and tight on some tracks too – making for some nicely breaking tracks on the record, almost in a street funk mode – and titles include "Put The Funk On You", "Let The Drums Speak", "Feed Me Your Love", "Trompin", "Boogie With Fatback", and "Gotta Learn How To Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest British funk albums of the 70s – if not all time! FBI may have an American reference in their name, but back in the day, they were the leading lights of the London soul scene – and one of the few groups who could blend together jazz, soul, and funk influences with the same sort of depth and tightness you might get from Kool & The Gang at their best! As with that group during their crucial mid 70s years, there's a style here that's really stretching out – not just copycat funk, but a really deep, personal approach to the groove – such that the mellow tracks have rhythms that are as infectious as the uptempo ones – and the whole record has this sense of righteous soul and almost spirituality – really tying things together beautifully, and making this classic way more than just a typical 70s soul album! A true treasure throughout – well worth all the praise its received over the years – with cuts that include "Love Love Love", "Talking About Love", "FBI", "The Time Is Right To Leave The City", "Bad Deal", and "Let Me Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

A really well-chosen set of classic Afro Funk records from Fela Kuti – hand-picked by Idris Elba, and brought together in this limited box set! Open & Close is an early classic from Fela Kuti & Africa 70 – the kind of early 70s record that helped both the leader and the group establish themselves as a global powerhouse of funk and soul! The set begins with the side-long "Open & Close" – a righteous tune that's driven onward by lots of tight drums from Tony Allen – young, focused, and completely amazing here – while Fela delivers all these madly leaping electric piano lines amidst the super-sharp horn section – all moving instrumentally for many minutes before the vocals come into play! Side two features two shorter tracks, but still nice and long in comparison to most funky groups – the wonderful "Swegbe & Pako" and "Gbagada Gbagada Gbogodo Gbogodo" – tunes that really send the record over the top! Fela teams up with vibist Roy Ayers on Music Of Many Colors – one of the best soul collaborations ever – a whopping album that brings together the best sides of these monster soul talents of the 70s! In keeping with Fela's work, the tracks are long and Afro-tinged, with a complicated groove that grows over the length of the track. And in keeping with Roy's work, the album has a sweet soulful feel, with lots of nice jazzy touches, cool vibes, and great vocals by Roy. Two long tracks, both classics: "2000 Black" and "Africa, Center of the World". Opposite People is seminal work from one of Fela's most crucial periods – recorded at a time when his soul was the deepest! The album features 2 long tracks – "Opposite People" and "Equalisation Of Trouser & Pant" – and they both have beautiful spooky keyboards in the instrumental passages, then leap into hard soul vocals by Fela. Tremendous stuff – done in a style that shows that no matter how many people cop or remake Fela's sound, he's still the best one to do it! The rare Stalemate album features the side-long tracks "Stalemate" and "Don't Worry About My Mouth" – both really hard-driving numbers, with a fantastic mix of vocals and grooves! Live In Amsterdam is an excellent live set from Fela – one that shows that he was still very capable of going over the top during the 80s! The set's a double LP – and it features 4 great numbers by the group, with Fela on soprano sax, piano, and organ, and plenty of other great work on tenor, alto, and trumpet. Titles include "Gimme Shit I Give You Shit", "Custom Check Point", "Movement Of The People", and "Political Statement Number 1". I Go Shout Plenty is a great one from Fela – with a date of 1986, but a sound that's pure late 70s! The record features 2 long tracks – "I Go Shout Plenty" and "Why Black Man Dey Suffer" – and they're both hard groovers with a strong political feel. "Why Black Man" is especially nice, and has some great keyboard riffing in the middle, with that great tinny sound that you'll hear on the best Fela albums. One that we almost never see – and issued on the Decca subsidiary Afrodisia. (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning start to the 80s from Fela Kuti – and a record that has the Egypt 80 band cooking every bit as strongly as Africa 70! The album's got this massively cooking vibe right from the start – fast-running, fast-riffing rhythms that are peppered with horns at the beginning of "Original Sufferhead", which then lay back for a nicely weird tenor solo, and some great keyboards too! "Power Show" is great too – with more other-worldly energy, and a vibe that almost makes it feel like Sun Ra has joined the band – and decided to deliver a solo on one of those weird keyboards of his! The arrangements are amazingly tight, and a bit more sophisticated than usual – and the whole thing grooves wonderfully. (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Two killers from the glory days of Afro Funk! Side one features the title cut "Excuse O" – a tune that begins with some of the most complicated rhythms Tony Allen had given the group to date – a skittish groove that has the electric piano jumping eagerly, driven onward by horns – while the tune moves into a crescendo after Fela's tremendous tenor solo in the middle! "Mr Grammarticalogy" is on the flipside, and is an equally unique groove – one that builds more slowly, and almost dubbily – really letting the bassline set the tone before an incredibly soulful saxophone solo sets the tone for Fela to then deliver a powerful message on Education. (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A really killer 70s album from Fela Kuti – one that serves up a hell of a message, and some great slinky grooves too! "Yellow Fever" is a brutal attack on miscegenation, backed by a funky groove that makes the whole thing fall into place with an amazing riffing sound – bold, powerful, and Afrika 70 at their best! "Na Poi 75" begins with a cool spoken bit – then moves into this pulsating keyboard part which is almost eerily spare, until the rest of Afrika 70 come into the mix and really funk things up! Drums are wonderfully skittish – kind of double-snapping, while the bassline dips nicely below – and the tune ebbs and flows in this really great way. (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful little live album from Jose Feliciano – recorded in London at the end of the 60s, with a sound that's often more stripped down than his studio work of the time! Jose's on vocals and guitar, backed by only a bit of bass and percussion – so the record's almost got the intimacy of a solo effort, which is quite astounding – given the obvious size of the concert setting! The double-length nature of the record allows Jose to stretch out a bit more than usual – and take on a nice variety of material that really show his growing talents at the time. Titles include "High Heel Sneakers", "Mama Don't Allow It", "La Entrada De Bilboa", "The Comedy Bit", "Malaguena", "No Dogs Allowed", "Day Tripper", "Black Orpheus Medley", "California Dreamin", "Light My Fire", "Day In the Life", and "El Voh". (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty great little record – a mixture of jazz and soul from the heavy talents of Hilton Felton – and a record that not only features some of his own great work on organ and keyboards, but some great contributions from other members of the DC scene of the 70s! In addition to help from The Blackbyrds in the core combo, and guest tenor from Andrew White, the set also features vocals from a young Angela Winbush on one track – singing backup on some others! But the core charm of the record comes from the grooves – the kind of upbeat, righteous sounds that we've always loved in Felton's keyboards – almost an extension of the Prestige Records jazz funk groove from the start of the 70s, with echoes of records by Funk Inc, Melvin Sparks, and Leon Spencer – but given a particularly hip east coast indie sort of spin! Titles include "Family & Friends", "Spreading Fever", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Family Reunion", "Clay's Way", and "The Power Of Love". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Maynard really grooves it up on this one – playing with a group that's even larger than some of his early 70s funk sessions, in a style that's got traces of disco and R&B-styled fusion! The set was arranged, conducted, and produced by Jay Chataway – who's going for a nice smooth mode on most of the cuts, almost in the slick manner of some late 70s cop show soundtrack. Tracks are a bit longer than usual, with more room for the groove, and titles include the originals "Oasis" and "El Vuelvo", a surprisingly nice disco take on "Maria", and the cuts "Airegin" and "Star Wars". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A surprise hit for Richard Dimples Fields – and one of those albums that seems to turn up in just about every collection of records from the 80s! Although Fields first got his start turning out self-produced soul albums, and you'd expect him to sound a lot slicker here, recording for MCA's Boardwalk imprint, the record's still got a nice down-home feel that almost makes it feel like an indie soul record, despite the fact that Richard is going for a smooth modern sound on most cuts. Our standout favorite is the classic "She's Got Papers On Me", Richard's entry into the Barbara Mason/Shirley Brown song cycle ("you got my man", "he's your man, but he's my lover", etc) – one that takes the view of the man, but which has a sassy female monologue coming in at the end, telling him off! Other tracks include "I Like Your Lovin", "Let Me Take You In My Arms Tonight", "Let The Lady Dance", "In The Still Of the Night", "I've Got To Learn To Say No", and "Don't Ever Take Your Love". CD

A surprise hit for Richard Dimples Fields – and one of those albums that seems to turn up in just about every collection of records from the 80s! Although Fields first got his start turning out self-produced soul albums, and you'd expect him to sound a lot slicker here, recording for MCA's Boardwalk imprint, the record's still got a nice down-home feel that almost makes it feel like an indie soul record, despite the fact that Richard is going for a smooth modern sound on most cuts. Our standout favorite is the classic "She's Got Papers On Me", Richard's entry into the Barbara Mason/Shirley Brown song cycle ("you got my man", "he's your man, but he's my lover", etc) – one that takes the view of the man, but which has a sassy female monologue coming in at the end, telling him off! Other tracks include "I Like Your Lovin", "Let Me Take You In My Arms Tonight", "Let The Lady Dance", "In The Still Of the Night", "I've Got To Learn To Say No", and "Don't Ever Take Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet mainstream grooving from Richard Dimples Fields – the 70s indie artist who really struck big with these early 80s albums for Boardwalk! The style here is a mix of mellow soul and more upbeat numbers – very much the kind of blend that Fields' served up best back on his own label in the 70s, but which is re-presented here with a more professional, more contemporary soul vibe. There's a sweetness to Richard's vocals that's quite different than most of his contemporaries – an earnestness that makes even the most poppy numbers sound pretty great – and which almost sound better here than they did in the old days. Titles include "Don't Ever Stop Chasing Your Dreams", "Butter", "People Treat You Funky", "You Shouldn't Have Made It So Good", "You Send Me", and a nice version of "Moody's Mood For Love". CD

An early 80s classic from Richard Dimples Fields – one of the most unique talents in soul music of his generation – with an appeal that's both down home, and smoothly sophisticated at the time! In a way, Fields' music represents many changes his audience was going through at the time – classing things up a bit, and heading into the mainstream – yet still very much concerned about the same issues and challenges of years past. The approach is almost southern soul by way of southern California – rough edges polished out, but still earthy enough to hang out with the crowd from back home. Almost all titles are originals, and Richard handled most of the production too – on tracks that include "If It Ain't One Thing It's Another", "After I Put My Lovin On You", "Baby Work Out", "Mr Look So Good", "Taking Applications", and "A Freak On The Side". CD

An early 80s classic from Richard Dimples Fields – one of the most unique talents in soul music of his generation – with an appeal that's both down home, and smoothly sophisticated at the time! In a way, Fields' music represents many changes his audience was going through at the time – classing things up a bit, and heading into the mainstream – yet still very much concerned about the same issues and challenges of years past. The approach is almost southern soul by way of southern California – rough edges polished out, but still earthy enough to hang out with the crowd from back home. Almost all titles are originals, and Richard handled most of the production too – on tracks that include "If It Ain't One Thing It's Another", "After I Put My Lovin On You", "Baby Work Out", "Mr Look So Good", "Taking Applications", and "A Freak On The Side". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth stepping grooves from The Floaters – still very much in the nicely compressed mode of their more famous debut, and getting some nice production help here from Eugene McDaniels! There's a righteous punch to the record that really shows the influence of McDaniels – a way of keeping things hip, even when hovering near the mainstream – and although the groovers are great, we actually think that the best cuts are the mellow ones – tunes that move in a lightly gliding, almost spacey way – one that has the group's voices crackling nicely with an honest approach that we really love! There's a warmth to these tunes that's undeniable – and titles include "Levitation", "Woman Love/You Are My Lady", "Brand New Lite", "Made Up My Mind", "The Best Of Our Love", "Go Down To The Disco", and "Sweet Lady September". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the last albums the Four Tops ever issued on Motown – but also one of the best, and a set that really has the group taking off in a strong new direction for the 70s! Frank Wilson's at the production helm, and the set has all these cool little twists and turns that work perfectly with the magnificent harmonies of Levi Stubbs and the group – a mode that draws on all their vocal highlights from older years, but also refits them with a more spacious, more mature sort of sound! The approach is different than that used with the Temptations at the same time – less political, but still flowing with plenty of new ideas – handled by arrangers Jerry Long, Jimmy Roach, and David Van DePitte. The title cut – "Still Waters (Run Deep)" – is a perfect example of this – as the tune's got weirdly wonderful production, almost as watery as the cover image, and a bit of moog buried in there – which comes forward even more on the reprise of the song at the end of the record. Other titles include "Love Is The Answer", "Reflections", "I Wish I Were Your Mirror", "Bring Me Together", "LA (My Town)", and "Everybody's Talkin". LP, Vinyl record album

Pretty great stuff by Aretha – despite what the pro-Atlantic Records books say! The record is one of the first she cut with John Hammond at Columbia, and although it's not in the classic soul mode of the Atlantic sessions, it's a darn nice batch of bluesy jazz tracks that would still stand the test of time well if people weren't so hung up on the propaganda that plays down the Columbia years. Backings are by Richard Wess on most tracks, and at times Aretha's voice is recorded with a nice echoey touch that gives the material almost an R&B-ish feel. Titles include "Rough Lover", "You Made Me Love You", "It's So Heartbreakin", "Nobody Like You", "I Told You So", and "Just For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Aretha Franklin's definitely growing into her role as a soul sister here – a later date for Columbia Records that hints a bit at the sounds to come on Atlantic! Backings are by Robert Mersey and Belford Hendricks – both of whom use some relatively full orchestrations and occasional backing vocals – in ways that almost translate a 60s country soul aesthetic to a leaner, cleaner sound for Aretha's strong vocals. Franklin, as always, is great – the kind of singer that really illuminates any tune she gets – even familiar numbers that seem to take on new life in her hands. The material is a bit deeper-digging than before on Columbia – less covers, and more tunes that are well-suited to Aretha's sensibilities – including a few penned by Van McCoy or Hendricks. Titles include "Until You Were Gone", "Follow Your Heart", "A Mother's Love", "I'm Losing You", "Take A Look", and "Can't You See Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A hip little live date from Aretha Franklin – one that's got a very jazzy feel, and some great small combo backings! The album's almost a distillation of the jazzy styles on Aretha's first albums for Columbia – taken into even leaner territory here, in ways that really set Franklin loose on vocals – making for some of her most forceful moments on record at the time. The quartet features pianist Teddy Harris, who steps back on a few tunes to let Franklin take over the piano – and titles include "Once In A Lifetime", "Love For Sale", "Impossible", "Today I Love Everybody", and "Without The One You Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Early early work from Aretha's foxy sister – recorded in a mode that's similar to some of Aretha's Columbia work from the same period! Erma's singing in a bluesier style than on her Brunswick recordings – working in an approach that's almost like Ruth Brown on Atlantic – singing with larger backings that occasionally have some backing singers and strings on some tracks, and which are more in a rocking soul mode on others. Titles include "Pledging My Love", "Don't Blame Me", "Hello Again", "What Kind Of Girl Do You Think I Am", and "Each Night I Cry". LP, Vinyl record album

An oft-overlooked gem by Funkadelic – the group's last album for Westbound, and a record that really has them growing into a great new groove! Bootsy and Eddie Hazel have stepped aside for the set, but that gives Bernie Worrell plenty of room to work his magic on keyboards – in a way that really increases the spacier elements of the set, and almost trades a messed-up moogy sort of feel for the heady guitars of earlier years – a slippery kind of Funky Worm groove that we totally love! The set is self-described as "delightfully putrid" on the Pedro Bell cover – and we couldn't agree more! Titles include "Undisco Kidd", "Let's Take It To The People", "How Do Yeaw View You", "Butt-to-Butt Resuscitation" and "Take Your Dead Ass Home!". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record from the southern scene of the 70s – a really unique set that's filled with righteous soul touches, and which really stands out from most other southern soul of the time! The feel here is often in a cosmic mode with plenty of jazz at the bottom – a sound that's influenced by Earth Wind & Fire, but which is also carried off here in a more laidback mode that seems to get equal inspiration from soulful fusion of the mid 70s. The group has both male and female singers trading things back and forth nicely and sometimes coming together on the choruses – creating an overall feel that's almost like Roy Ayers at times. And as with Ayers' best work, there's a tightness and focus to the whole record that's really wonderful – a cohesive groove that's way more than just a few ensemble funk tracks cut in the studio, and which really displays a wide musical vision! Titles include "My Queen", "Clock In", "Fantasy Garden", "Clap Song", "Love & Affection", "My Dreams", and "Magnificent Choo Choo". CD

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks – with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous record. The record shows a sexy side of Marvin that would stun fans of his 60s work – very adult, very warm, and very preoccupied with desire and love. In a way, this sort of full-on love fest was a big payoff for all the folks who'd hung onto his simpler expressions of affection in the earlier years – sort of like getting let into the bedroom after spending years on the front porch! The record was produced by both Marvin and Ed Townsend – and the arrangements by David Van DePitte, Rene Hall, and Gene Page are smooth and seductive all the way through. Includes slow jam classics like "You Sure Love To Ball", "Distant Lover", and "Let's Get It On" – plus "Come Get To This", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", and "If I Should Die Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album