A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too! CD

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too! CD

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". Features a great 16 page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". Features a great 16 page booklet with extensive liner notes and photos! LP, Vinyl record album

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A huge crossover moment for the young Billy Preston – a set that took him from his early fame as a child prodigy on the organ, to a realm of spiritual soul music that would set the course for his big albums of the 70s! The album's produced by George Harrison, and issued on The Beatles' Apple label – and the set's got a nicely rootsy style that's heavy on influences from gospel, and which often uses female backing vocals behind Billy's lead and organ. Harrison managed to get Billy to record versions of "My Sweet Lord" (wonder if Billy got sued too?) and "All Things Must Pass" – and other titles include "Let The Music Play", "I've Got A Feeling", "Right Now", "Use What You Got", and "Right Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Rootsy soul from Doris Troy – more of a down-home album than even her American work of earlier years! The set was recorded for the Beatles' Apple label at the end of the 60s – produced by Doris herself, and with a style that mixes in a fair bit of rock influences to a more standard style of soul. There's plenty of traces of late Beatles – in an "Oh Darling" or Let It Be mode, especially in the use of heavy guitars – and although Doris handled production, we also hear plenty of traces of Billy Preston and George Harrison in the mix. Titles include "Special Care", "You Tore Me Up Inside", "Gonna Get My Baby Back", "Jacob's Ladder", "Hurry", "So Far", and "You Give Me Joy Joy". LP, Vinyl record album

We don't know much about Bill Brown and his group – but they're a fantastic lost act from the 70s, and one who have a fantastic way of mixing warm soul harmonies with some very sharp grooves! The rhythms are pretty upbeat on most tracks, but the vibe is before the disco and club years – that special moment when funk musicians were able to move quick, and never lose their groove – and singers like Bill were able to slide into the mix and really soar with their vocals! We've never heard any of these cuts before, and the whole thing is like discovering a lost chapter of 70s soul that we'd completely missed – one that we'd rank right up there with some of the hippest east coast group soul of the time. Titles include "Bip Bam (parts 1 & 2)", "Stay Off The Moon", "Sock It To The Landlord", "Rainbow", "Time After Time", "Fool-Ology", "Love Under The Apple Tree", and "Dreamworld Fantasies". Also includes an instrumental of "Time After Time" – and a Billy Wilson version of "Fool-Ology". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Grace Jones' best albums – recorded at a point when she was really beginning to stretch the boundaries of club music, crossing over with the early 80s post-punk/post-disco crowd through a melange of sounds that was all her own. The oveblown diva mode of her disco years is gone by this point – and in its place is a wonderfully stripped down sound that bubbles with influences from reggae, post-punk, and elsewhere! The set was recorded in Nassau, with rhythm from Sly, Robbie, and Wally Badarou – and titles include a fair bit of original numbers penned with Barry Reynolds. Tracks include "Nipple To The Bottle", "My Jamaican Guy", "The Apple Stretching", "Cry Now, Laugh Later", and "Inspiration". CD

One of Grace Jones' best albums – recorded at a point when she was really beginning to stretch the boundaries of club music, crossing over with the early 80s post-punk/post-disco crowd through a melange of sounds that was all her own. The oveblown diva mode of her disco years is gone by this point – and in its place is a wonderfully stripped down sound that bubbles with influences from reggae, post-punk, and elsewhere! The set was recorded in Nassau, with rhythm from Sly, Robbie, and Wally Badarou – and titles include a fair bit of original numbers penned with Barry Reynolds. Tracks include "Nipple To The Bottle", "My Jamaican Guy", "The Apple Stretching", "Cry Now, Laugh Later", and "Inspiration". LP, Vinyl record album

It's Dance Time, Memphis style – thanks to a hip album of instrumentals from the great Willie Mitchell! This one's actually a bit rougher around the edges than some of Willie's other work, with strong guitar and groovy organ, very much in a Booker T & The MGs mode! The tracks groove along with a sound that's more Stax than Hi – which is ok by us, as the feel is nicely raw and raunchy! Titles include "Morning After", "Buster Browne", "Poinciana", "Twine Time", "Apple Jack", and "Wiggle Rock", "Fever", "Woodchopper's Bal" and more. CD

Early work from The Peddlers – the unique British trio who went onto cut some incredible break tracks in their day! This set's got the group more in the "beat" mode of things – still nicely syncopated, and working with the mix of guitar and organ that makes their tunes so nice – but with less of an emphasis on the downturning grooves that made some of their later work a bit more funky. Still quite nice, though, in the mode of early Georgie Fame – and with tracks that include "Gassin", "What'll I Do?", "Delicious Lady", "Adam's Apple", "True Girl", and "Anybody's Fool". LP, Vinyl record album

Rainbow Team, where have you been all our lives? You're a heck of a great little group – and we love the sound you've got on this second album! Sure, we know you're wearing a bunch of silly day-glo costumes on the cover – and that's probably what's made this record slip by our crates in the past – but one listen to the tightness of your grooves, and we're more than willing to forgive you for any bad fashion choices! The sound of the set is totally great – soaring along in the best sort of 80s groove mode – with tight snapping rhythms at the bottom, and a full set of arrangements that bring in some added horns and just the right amount of sweetening strings. And although Rainbow Team are Italian, the record's got a stone American soul sound – very much like the best of the Capitol Rare generation in the US. Titles include "A Song For You", "Let Em Be", "Please Let's Go", "Bite The Apple", "Hope He Wants", "Let's Forget", and "Don't Cry For Me". CD features the bonus track "Stay". CD

It's been many years since Ural Thomas recorded his first soul single – and if anything, the passage of time has only made his voice sound even more wonderful – with a contemporary richness that we never would have heard back at the start! The set's not the first "comeback" album that Ural has cut with his younger group, The Pain – but it may well be the one that pushes him over the top, and gets the singer the sort of newfound global attention he finally deserves after all these years! Titles include "Heaven", "Gimme Some Ice Cream", "Second Dimension", "Apple Pie", "Ol Safiya", "El Ey Em Eh", "Do You Remember The Times", "Hung Up On My Dream", and "My Favorite Song". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer soul from Doris Troy – a wonderful selection of classic singles from a variety of different labels – mostly smoking selections from the 60s, but a few rare gems from later years too! Doris is one of those singers who never hit the chart heights of some of her contemporaries, but always managed to do impeccable work – as you'll hear here on a range of singles for labels like Calla, Cameo, Capitol, Atlantic, and Apple! Troy's got this amazingly rich voice – one we'd rank right up there with Aretha Franklin at her best – supported here by a range of backings that run from deep soul to uptown soul to some warmer 70s modes. Titles include "Face Up To The Truth", "Just One Look", "What A Night Night Night", "Don't Tell Your Mama", "You Tore Me Up Inside", "Heartaches", "He's Qualified", "I'll Do Anything", "Hear Me Calling", "Can't Hold On", "Tomorrow Is Another Day", and "What A Wonderful Lover". CD

A very hip collection of work from the great Joe Turner – material that hasn't been easily issued elsewhere, and which fills in a key chapter of Joe's career! CD1 features vintage material, and is heavy on work from the postwar years, but before Turner rose to a second wave of fame on Atlantic Records – raw tracks recorded for labels that include Freedom and Stag, often with a style that's heavy on the jazzy arrangements that other jump blues artists were using at the time. CD2 features a variety of live recordings – from 1955, 1969, 1971, and 1985 – showing how strongly Turner held onto both his vocal powers over the years, and his ability to command a concert audience. Vintage cuts include "Still In The Dark", "Adam Bit The Apple", "Just A Travelin Man", "Jumpin At The Jubilee", "Around The Clock (part 1)", "Wine O Baby Boogie", "Christmas Date Boogie", and "Baby Won't You Marry Me". Live tracks include "Call The Plumber", "Chicken & The Hawk", "Honey Hush", "Mad Blues", "Chains Of Love", "Cherry Red", "Low Down Dog", and "Flip Flop & Fly". (Blues, Soul) CD

The stuff of legend – the complete 7" single output of Dionne Warwick during her early years at Scepter Records – a time when she was transforming the sound of 60s pop, with help from songwriter/maestro Burt Bacharach! In fact, the set's as much of a tribute to Burt's genius as it is to Dionne's – even though there are some non-Bacharach moments in the mix too, yet served up at a level that just shows how much potential Warwick had at the start, honed even more strongly in the hands of the maestro. The massive package features 74 tracks in all, and includes some great cuts past the hits – including "Amanda", "Who Gets The Guy", "Walk The Way You Talk", "I'm Your Puppet", "Window Wishing", "Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets", "Walk Little Dolly", "Let Me Be Lonely", "Who Is Going To Love Me", "Another Night", "As Long As There's An Apple Tree", "Slaves", "Whoever You Are I Love You", "Only The Strong", and "Let Me Go To Him". CD

The stuff of legend – the complete 7" single output of Dionne Warwick during her early years at Scepter Records – a time when she was transforming the sound of 60s pop, with help from songwriter/maestro Burt Bacharach! In fact, the set's as much of a tribute to Burt's genius as it is to Dionne's – even though there are some non-Bacharach moments in the mix too, yet served up at a level that just shows how much potential Warwick had at the start, honed even more strongly in the hands of the maestro. The massive package features 74 tracks in all, and includes some great cuts past the hits – including "Amanda", "Who Gets The Guy", "Walk The Way You Talk", "I'm Your Puppet", "Window Wishing", "Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets", "Walk Little Dolly", "Let Me Be Lonely", "Who Is Going To Love Me", "Another Night", "As Long As There's An Apple Tree", "Slaves", "Whoever You Are I Love You", "Only The Strong", and "Let Me Go To Him". CD

A masterpiece of messed-up LA funk – and one of the crowning moments in the career of Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band! Charles and crew do an excellent job with all the tracks – most of which are more open ended than some of their earlier ones, and run on for longer than usual with some good trippy instrumental moments that really stretch out the groove from their funky 45 days. The album includes the stoner funk classic "High As Apple Pie", done here in two "slices", plus the classic "Express Yourself", a monster number that still sounds great every time we hear it – even though it's been used on commercials and sampled plenty of times over the years! Other tracks include "I'm Aware", "Love Land", and "I Got Love" LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece of messed-up LA funk – and one of the crowning moments in the career of Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band! Charles and crew do an excellent job with all the tracks – most of which are more open ended than some of their earlier ones, and run on for longer than usual with some good trippy instrumental moments that really stretch out the groove from their funky 45 days. The album includes the stoner funk classic "High As Apple Pie", done here in two "slices", plus the classic "Express Yourself", a monster number that still sounds great every time we hear it – even though it's been used on commercials and sampled plenty of times over the years! Other tracks include "I'm Aware", "Road Without An End", and "Tell Me What You Want Me To Do". CD features 10 bonus tracks too – including 2 radio spots, single versions of "Express Yourself" and "High As Apple Pie", an alternate version of "Road Without An End", unreleased tracks "Jam #4" and "Everything's Gonna Be Alright", and the cuts "Living On Borrowed Time" and "Solution For Pollution". CD

Underground club from the New York scene of the 80s – a mix of late disco, early hip hop, and some prime boogie groovers! The tracks are relatively long – mostly pulled from 12" singles – and there's a nicely eclectic mix of tunes here, really showing the scope of styles that played on the 80s dancefloors in the Big Apple – the kind of creative cuts that never charted big, but had plenty of impact back in the day. Titles include "Somebody's Loving You" by Klassique, "Let's Do It" by Convertion, "Rapper's Revenge" by Mike Gee, "On The One" by Lukk, "Hold On" by Kremecicle, "Just How Sweet Is Your Love" by Rhyze, "This Beat Is Mine" by Vicky D, "Main Thing" by Shot, "Please Don't Break My Heart" by The Affair, and "Share The Night" by World Premier. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Jazzman take on the Cali scene – and the results are every bit as amazing as you might imagine! Like previous Texas, Florida, and Midwest Funk comps on the label, this volume is essential listening all the way through – a massive dig into rare west coast grooves of the late 60s and 1970s – presented with excellent notes on every single track, and more than enough historical detail to put the music in perspective! The whole thing's fully legit, with great mastering on most cuts – and the track list is filled with rare gems we've never seen on any other collections before – a massive funky treasure trove that includes "Turn It Over" by Chucky Thurmon, "Farm Song" by Leon Gardner, "What Goes Around Comes Around (part 1)" by Arthur Monday, "Get It Right" by Rhon Silva, "Funky Fire" by Billy Larkin, "WB" by California Gold Notes, "Curse Upon The World" by Apple & The Three Oranges, "Cold Heat" by Lil Lavair & The Fabulous Jades, "Bones" by Winter, "Smokin Tidbits" by Edwards Generation, "Al's Place" by Enrique Olivarez Y Los Vampiros, "Talking About My Baby" by John Heartsman & Circles, "What's Going On" by Mr Clean & The Soul Inc, and "All Bundled Into One" by Water Color. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A Philly soul legend finally gets his time in the spotlight – as drummer Earl Young played on countless classic sessions back in the day, but rarely even got his name in the liner notes! That lack of recognition is corrected here – in a great package that puts Young's face on the cover, details his genius on the drums in the notes, and then presents a motherlode of killer soul tunes from the late 60s through the 70s! Young's maybe best known for his work at Sigma Sound Studios, and on famous sessions for the Philadelphia International label – but here, he's heard on an even wider range of cuts – including late 60s Northern Soul numbers, and great album work by artists you might not normally associate with Philly. Titles include "Storm Warning" by The Volcanos, "Silly Silly Fool" by Dusty Springfield, "Hit & Run" by Loleatta Holloway, "I Just Can't Say Goodbye" by Philly Devotions, "Please Give Me One More Chance" by Clyde McPhatter, "Do The Hand Jive" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Penguin At The Big Apple/Zing" by The Trammps, "I Can't Fight Your Love" by The Modulations, "Touch & Go (12" mix)" by Ecstasy Passion & Pain, "I Like To Live The Love" by BB King, "I'm Doin Fine Now" by New York City, "Ain't Got The Love Of One Girl" by The Ambassadors, "Just Can't Get You Out Of My Mind" by The Spinners, "Do It Again" by Charles Mann, and "Be Truthful To Me" by Billy Paul. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

With selections by Alvin Robinson, Bettye Lavette, Johnny Adams, Mickey Murray, Doris Allen, Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson, Soul Suspects, The Rugbys, Randy & The Radiants, The Tikis, The Twiggs, Sam Dees, Evie Sands, and US Apple Corps. (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible funk from an almost-unlikely source – the legendary P&P family of record labels, mostly known for their groundbreaking disco work – but also home to some excellent funky tracks in the late 70s! Given that most of the focus on P&P reissues has often been on the label's club tracks, nearly all the tunes on this CD are reissued here for the first time – offering a completely fresh look at the sound of P&P – making the collection a totally essential set, and long overdue! Many of the tracks are instrumental, and have touches that clearly mark them as coming from the hands of Peter Brown or Patrick Adams – nice spacey bits in the keyboards, wickedly snapping rhythms at the bottom, and an overall sense of groove that's always yearning for something new. Titles include "I've Been Working" by Wild Honey, "Hooker (parts 1 & 2)" by Peter Brown, "I'm Gonna Fool" by Ella Hamilton, "Do The Funky Donkey" by Otis Turner, "Hitch Hike One More Time" by King David, "Long Time Ago" by Smokey Brooks, "New York Apple Jack" by Scott Davis & The Movements, "Solid Funk" by Flame & The Sons Of Darkness, and "Determination" by Eddie Owen. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Funky sounds from the Harlem scene – an incredibly rich collection of work from the Rojac and Tayster labels – a set so massive, it's like finding a box of rare funky 45s and deep soul singles in the back of some old record store! The package offers up way more work than we might have expected from our knowledge of a few key funk classics from the labels – a treasure trove of under-discovered gems from the grittiest years of the New York scene – most of them cut in the pre-disco years, with raw edges that almost feel more like southern soul and funk than other work from the Big Apple! This overstuffed set also comes with a sweet booklet of notes – really telling the tale of the labels and related enterprises – plus 44 tracks that include "Where Were You" by Kim Tolliver, "Meet Me Halfway" by Lillie Bryant, "Old Love Never Dies" by Big Maybelle, "Something Special About My Baby" by Clarence Reid, "I Love My Baby" by International GTOs, "No Better For Ya" by Jo Armstead, Love Love Love" by Chuck Flamingo, "Christmas In Vietnam" by Private Charles Bowens & The Gentlemen From Tigerland, "Everybody's Going Wild" by Curtis Lee & The KCPs, "Lovin Lies" by Third Guitar, "This & That" by Jo Armstead, "Don't Lose Your Groove" by Lavell Hardy, "Nwanne Nwanne Nwanne" by Aleke Kanonu & Tolbert The Miracle Man, "Lucky Man" by Damn Sam The Miracle Man, "Baby Don't Cry" by Third Guitar, and "Whip Ya" by Chuck A Luck & The Lovemen Ltd. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A landmark debut from the mighty Erykah Badu – a record that really set the world on fire when it first appeared – and which continues to blow our minds all these many years later! There's a simple, straightforward grace to the album that comes through immediately – as Erykah tries to forge new ground for soul music, but does it by taking a few steps backwards – not into retro modes, but more in a way that focuses on the core vocal, songcraft, and right instrumentation that can make a special soul record such a standout. She does a great job of both avoiding easy commercial paths, or some of the temptations to embrace other then-contemporary genres – which has made the work of some of her colleagues seem a bit dated. The record defines a whole new style of expression – "Baduizm", if you will – one in which Erykah sings with a depth that stretches back through a century's worth of jazz, soul, and gospel influences – but works a groove in a stripped-down and forward-thinking mode that sets the pace for countless Neo Soul singers to come! Titles include "Certainly (Flipped It)", "Next Lifetime (radio)", "On & On", "Appletree", "No Love", "4 Leaf Clover", and "Sometimes (mix #9)". (Neo Soul, Soul) CD

A landmark debut from the mighty Erykah Badu – a record that really set the world on fire when it first appeared – and which continues to blow our minds all these many years later! There's a simple, straightforward grace to the album that comes through immediately – as Erykah tries to forge new ground for soul music, but does it by taking a few steps backwards – not into retro modes, but more in a way that focuses on the core vocal, songcraft, and right instrumentation that can make a special soul record such a standout. She does a great job of both avoiding easy commercial paths, or some of the temptations to embrace other then-contemporary genres – which has made the work of some of her colleagues seem a bit dated. The record defines a whole new style of expression – "Baduizm", if you will – one in which Erykah sings with a depth that stretches back through a century's worth of jazz, soul, and gospel influences – but works a groove in a stripped-down and forward-thinking mode that sets the pace for countless Neo Soul singers to come! Titles include "Certainly (Flipped It)", "Next Lifetime (radio)", "On & On", "Appletree", "No Love", "4 Leaf Clover", and "Sometimes (mix #9)". (Neo Soul, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album from the Isley Brothers – and a real departure from their funkier sound of the 70s! The album has the group operating in a wonderful smooth soul mode – just what you'd expect from the "between the sheets" in the title, and the silky bedclothes on the cover! The centerpiece of the album is the loving title cut – a wonderfully catchy number that works well not only as a stepper's dancefloor tune, but also as a hip hop sample track (used most famously in Tribe Called Quest's "Bonita Applebum".) The whole thing's great, though – and other tracks include "Choosey Lover", "Touch Me", "Slow Down Children" and "Getting' Over". LP, Vinyl record album

Tight funky instrumentals from Brother Jack McDuff – an Atlantic groover that's probably closer to his late 60s gems for Cadet Records than it is his earlier work for Prestige! The solos are shorter, but they're packed nicely around the rhythms – played by a combo that features a young Melvin Sparks on some mighty nice guitar – plus Leo Johnson on tenor and Ray Appleton on drums! The groove is tight and choppy, with little bits of funk, and McDuff's usual sense of humor and warmth – and for the record, Jack wrote loads of original tracks, including "Mush Melon", "Snap Back Jack", "Strolling Blues", and "Do It Now". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful female soul from The Minits – a three piece group that recorded just a few singles for the the Sounds Of Memphis label – with a dozen great songs pulled together for this excellent compilation from Kent UK, many of which were never issued before now! Ultimately, there were far too few female soul stars coming out of Memphis with popularity anywhere near the levels of the male stars, and fewer still on labels other than Stax or Hi – and the dozen tracks here make a very strong case for The Minits, who should have busted out hugely. The set is light on ballads and skews towards dancefloor ready rhythms and pop soul of the best kind, with genuine soul! It includes their great Sounds Of Memphis singles and several tracks that were left in the vaults and only recently discovered. Titles include "Lover Boy", "Still A Part Of Me", "Last Mile Of The Way", "Pullin'", "Natural Reaction", "If You Don't Like My Apples (Don't Shake The Tree)", "Follow Your Heart" and more. CD

The album that sported his classic "Little Green Apples", which was covered by just about everybody in showbiz at the time. There's a lot of other cuts on here with that same sort of storyteller vibe, and the whole thing's arranged and conducted by H.B. Barnum. Tracks include "Seven Days", "The Best Man", "The Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp", "Main Street Mission", and "The House Next Door". LP, Vinyl record album

The album that sported his classic "Little Green Apples", which was covered by just about everybody in showbiz at the time. There's a lot of other cuts on here with that same sort of storyteller vibe, and the whole thing's arranged and conducted by H.B. Barnum. Tracks include "Seven Days", "The Best Man", "The Son Of Hickory Holler's Tramp", "Main Street Mission", and "The House Next Door". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Charlie Gracie, Timmie Rogers, the Rays, Billy Scott, the Storey Sisters, John Zacherle, the Playboys, the Applejacks, Chubby Checker, Bobby Rydell and more – 25 tracks in all. (Rock, Soul) CD

Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! Tracks include "Lowe Groovin", "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere", & "Applejack" by Joe Morris, "That Old Black Magic", "Annie Laurie", & "Midnight Special" by Tiny Grimes, "Cole Slaw", by Frank Cully, "So Long", "I'll Get Along Somehow", "Daddy Daddy", & "5-10-15 Hours" by Ruth Brown, "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" & "Drinkin Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by Stick Mcghee, "The Chill Is On", "Chains Of Love", & "Sweet Sixteen" by Joe Turner, "Hey Little Girl" & "Mardi Gras In New Orleans" by Professor Longhair, "Fool Fool Fool" & "One Mint Julep" by the Clovers, and "The Midnight Hour" by Ray Charles. LP, Vinyl record album

Great group soul from the wonderful Brunswick Records – and a sweet selection that goes way beyond the hits and the bigger groups who recorded for the label! Sure, Brunswick is known for its big groups from Chicago – who were some of the best of their time – but the label also recorded a lot of up-and-comers who were totally great too – but who never got to put together a full album for the label! Lots of those groups are collected here – in a wonderful collection that's filled with soaring harmonies, deep soul leads, and some totally groovy arrangements that are in the best Brunswick ultra-hip style of the early 70s. Titles include "Chickens" by Complaments, "Purple Haze" by Johnny Jones & King Casuals, "Lonely Street" by The Admirations, "I'll Take You Just As You Come" by The Nialations, "Until You came Along" by The Visitors, "I Think I'll Cry Out Loud" by The Realistics, "The Sweetest Thing" by Channel 3, "Sing A Ling" by The Cooperettes, "Don't Fail Me Now" by The Symphonics, "A Strange Way" by The Loreleis, "Don't Take It Out On This World" by Adam's Apples, "Cowboys To Girls" by Jalynne Sound, "He's Got Your Number" by The Demures, and "Stay With Me Baby" by BW & The Next Edition. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A great set of groovers from the Cameo/Parkway label – a company that gave the world the biggest twist record of the 60s, but which also was perfectly poised to deliver all sorts of other upbeat tracks as well! The label was in Philly – a huge dance town in the early days of soul and rock – and the set list here is filled with the kind of cuts that were Philadelphia's answer to the rising sound of Motown – the roots of the Northern Soul sound that would be followed by soul collectors for decades! These aren't novelty hits, but upbeat cuts that groove plenty – most by soul artists, a few by pop singers – but all given the kind of tight instrumentation and strong studio handling that made the Philly scene such a standout. 22 tracks in all – including "Shimmy Shimmy" and "The Wah Watusi" by The Orlons, "Bristol Stomp" and "You Can't Sit Down" by the Dovells, "Mashed Potato Time" and "Do The Bird" by Dee Dee Sharp, "The 81" by Candy & The Kisses, "The Mash" by Tony Young & The Hippies, "Mexican Hat Rock" by The Applejacks, "Baby Do The Frog" by The Dardenelles, "The Swim (part 1)" by The Marlins, "Slow Twistin" by Chubby Checker & Dee Dee Sharp, "The Third House" by Bobby Rydell, "When You Dance" by The Turbans, "Everybody South Street" by The Taffys, "The Popeye Waddle" by Don Covay, and yes, "The Twist" by Chubby Checker. LP, Vinyl record album