A treasure trove of rare soul from Detroit – rare material from the hands of producer/guitarist Dave Hamilton, a good deal of which was never issued back in the 60s! As you may know from Dave's own recently reissued work, the Hamilton sound is nice and hard – a version of Detroit soul that's got a bit more beat on the bottom than the better known Motown groove – and which was a perfect setting for some of the excellent lesser-known singers that Dave chose to record. Few of the artists here ever broke big on their own, but that doesn't stop the work from being totally great – and the 25 track set is overflowing with great work that shows a whole new side of the almost-infinite Detroit scene of the late 60s. Some material was issued on 45s for the TCB, Topper, and Palmer labels – but much more of the work here is previously unissued in any form – and totally great all the way through! Titles include "Challenge My Love" by Tobi Lark, "The Two Of Us" by Danny Cobus, "Who Are You Trying To Fool" and "One Way Street" by Little Ann, "You Got Me Turned Around" and "That's Enough" by OC Tolbert, "I'll Give You My Love" by Sue Ann Jones, "We're In Love" by The Additions, "Ain't That Groovy" by The Dave Hamilton Band, "All I Want Is You" by JT Rhythm, "Tears Running & Falling From My Eyes" by James Lately, and "My Sweet Baby" by The Mark-Keys. CD

One of the most important indie labels of the postwar years – heard here in a flurry of great tracks that really show them at their finest! This excellent double-length set brings together magical moments from a time when the Flair imprint was really hitting on all burners – recording key vocal, instrumental, blues, and doo wop tracks that would go onto have a huge impact on generations to come – mixed here with a host of titles that haven't been on CD before! The package digs deeper than any look at Flair we've ever seen – and that's saying a lot, given that Ace Records was already giving the label their due a few decades before – and all the new material sits strongly next to classics that make the 50 track collection one of the best R&B collections from the 78rpm era that we've heard in a long long time. Titles include "She Wants To Rock" and "Getting High" by The Flairs, "Loosely" and "Cuban Get Away" by Ike Turner, "Chop House" by Blinky Allen, "Quit Hangin Around Me" by Saunders King, "Early In The Morning" and "Can't Stop Lovin" by Elmore James, "Hello Baby" and "Baby Beat It" by Big Duke, "Midnight Hours Journey" by Johnny Ace, "Night Howler" by Billy Gale, "You Better Hold Me" by James Reed, "I've Got The Feeling" by Baby Parham, "This Time It's Real" by Ricky & Jennell, "Send Him Back" by Shirley Gunter, "An Angel Cried" by Anna Marie, "Blue Mambo" by Bobby Rey, and "Love Me Love Me Love Me" by The Chimes. CD

A really wonderful entry in this excellent series – one that initially helped identify a really special strand in postwar music – then continue to provide rare and unique examples with new volumes like this! The music isn't really mambo or Latin at all – but the rhythms here are more sophisticated and modern than more blues-oriented work of the time – and pulled from a fantastic moment when things were really mixing up in the new indie recording scene of the postwar years! Bits of jazz, early soul, and other touches make these tunes really shine – all lively numbers that include both group material and solo singers too – in a killer set list that includes "Wanda" by The Heartbreakers, "You're So Good Looking" by Otis Smith, "Heartaches & Troubles" by Mr Bo, "Song Of Sadar" by Lawrence Peel & The Filatones, "Buddha's Boogie" by Dukes Of Rhythm, "Calvalry" by Marie Knight & Sister Rosetta Tharpe, "Evil One" by The Dundees, "Love For Sale" by Helene Polite, "Oscalypso" by Oscar Pettiford, "Mambo Blues" by Effie Smith, "Big Mary's" by Titus Turner, "Caldonia" by Monchito, "Ali Baba's Boogie" by Preston Love, "Canveral Rock" by The Blasts, "I Want You To Be My Baby Mambo" by The Royals, "Girl Of My Dream" by Frank Butler, and "My Beat Is 125th Street" by Eunice Davis. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A really wonderful entry in this excellent series – one that initially helped identify a really special strand in postwar music – then continue to provide rare and unique examples with new volumes like this! The music isn't really mambo or Latin at all – but the rhythms here are more sophisticated and modern than more blues-oriented work of the time – and pulled from a fantastic moment when things were really mixing up in the new indie recording scene of the postwar years! Bits of jazz, early soul, and other touches make these tunes really shine – all lively numbers that include both group material and solo singers too – in a killer set list that includes "Wanda" by The Heartbreakers, "You're So Good Looking" by Otis Smith, "Heartaches & Troubles" by Mr Bo, "Song Of Sadar" by Lawrence Peel & The Filatones, "Buddha's Boogie" by Dukes Of Rhythm, "Calvalry" by Marie Knight & Sister Rosetta Tharpe, "Evil One" by The Dundees, "Love For Sale" by Helene Polite, "Oscalypso" by Oscar Pettiford, "Mambo Blues" by Effie Smith, "Big Mary's" by Titus Turner, "Caldonia" by Monchito, "Ali Baba's Boogie" by Preston Love, "Canveral Rock" by The Blasts, "I Want You To Be My Baby Mambo" by The Royals, "Girl Of My Dream" by Frank Butler, and "My Beat Is 125th Street" by Eunice Davis. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A soaring set from the later years of Detroit funk powerhouse Westbound Records – a record that has the label moving into clubbier territory, but with all the sharpness they brought to their earlier releases! Detroit producers Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey are at the helm of the record – and although the set has disco elements that include chorus vocals and upbeat rhythms, the approach is maybe more in a fast funk style than more commercial work of the time – which keeps things nice and lean throughout, at a level that's similar to early work from T Connection and some of the hipper groups of their scene! Both Motown legend Earl Van Dyke and Dennis Coffey play on the album – and tracks include "We Got Our Own Thing", "Free To Be Me", "Get A Groove In Order To Move", and "Sure Can't Go To The Moon". CD

A groundbreaking record – and one that set a whole new standard for guitar funk in the 70s! By the time of this set, Dennis Coffey had been playing, arranging, and producing all over the Detroit soul scene for many years – so it wasn't like he really needed a hit to get paid or anything – but the record forever marked him as a guitar player to be reckoned with, and is a perfect showcase for Coffey's fuzzed-out funky style – instantly recognizable and still extremely popular today! The album contains the monster breakbeat cut "Scorpio" – kind of a seminal text of hip hop – plus plenty of other groovers like "Getting It On", "Garden Of The Moon", "Big City Funk", and "Sad Angel". CD

A groundbreaking record – and one that set a whole new standard for guitar funk in the 70s! By the time of this set, Dennis Coffey had been playing, arranging, and producing all over the Detroit soul scene for many years – so it wasn't like he really needed a hit to get paid or anything – but the record forever marked him as a guitar player to be reckoned with, and is a perfect showcase for Coffey's fuzzed-out funky style – instantly recognizable and still extremely popular today! The album contains the monster breakbeat cut "Scorpio" – kind of a seminal text of hip hop – plus plenty of other groovers like "Getting It On", "Garden Of The Moon", "Big City Funk", and "Sad Angel". LP, Vinyl record album

A groundbreaking record – and one that set a whole new standard for guitar funk in the 70s! By the time of this set, Dennis Coffey had been playing, arranging, and producing all over the Detroit soul scene for many years – so it wasn't like he really needed a hit to get paid or anything – but the record forever marked him as a guitar player to be reckoned with, and is a perfect showcase for Coffey's fuzzed-out funky style – instantly recognizable and still extremely popular today! The album contains the monster breakbeat cut "Scorpio" – kind of a seminal text of hip hop – plus plenty of other groovers like "Getting It On", "Garden Of The Moon", "Big City Funk", and "Sad Angel". CD

A cracklingly sharp bit of 80s pop from Company B – a trio of female singers who get some great help throughout from legendary Miami club producer Ish – an artist you might know for his famous contributions to Foxy, Oxo, and a range of other earlier projects! Ish has definitely updated his groove from the TK disco years – going more for a Miami club vibe from the hi energy years – lots of fast beats and catchy keyboards next to the vocals of the trio, who often trade leads throughout the set. Titles include the big hit "Fascinated", plus "Full Circle", "Jam On Me", "Signed In Your Book Of Love", "Perfect Lover", "Spin Me Round", and "Infatuate Me". CD features bonus tracks – "Full Circle (club)", "Perfect Lover (vocal club)", "Fascinated (club)", "Full Circle (sax & dog house mix)", and "Signed In Your Book Of Love (street mix)". CD

The continuing lost legacy of Patrick Cowley – the San Francisco 80s club maestro who made some famous records with Sylvester – but who also did a huge amount of underground sounds for porno films at the time! This set digs deep into that legacy – by featuring music that Cowley did for the 1982 film Afternooners, as well as a few other tracks from the time – material that's a great 80s extrapolation of the sorts of slinky funk you'd know from 70s porn! The sounds here are heavy on beats and keyboards – a much more slowed-down take on territory that Cowley explored on his club singles of the period – and the basslines are plenty heavy, and very seductive – as you might imagine, given the images they were used with on the screen. We should tell you that the package does include a few nude images inside – so be warned if you're offended by that sort of thing. Titles include "Love Come Set Me Free", "Big Shot", "Surfside Sex", "Hot Beach", "The Runner", "One Hot Afternoon", "Leather Bound", and "Bore & Stroke". (Soundtracks, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A dream of a record from Crown Heights Affair – the group's classic first set, and maybe as fine a batch of early club work you could ever hope to find! Like so many of the east coast acts at the start of the disco generation, these guys are a well-trained funk ensemble, playing at a faster clip for the new dancefloor sound – which means that at the core, they've still got some fantastic instrumentation – and a groove that rivals their bigger contemporaries, like Kool & The Gang, Fatback, or BT Express! The drums are fantastic, the basslines nice and subtle, the horns used with some real grace – and there's also some really cool moog solos on the best numbers – which really makes the album a treat. Titles include both disco and vocal versions of their hit "Dreaming A Dream" – plus the tracks "I Am Me", "You Smiled", "Foxy", "I Am Me", "Feeling Tall", "Every Beat Of My Heart", "Na Na Hey Hey", and "Picture Show". LP, Vinyl record album

A dream of a record from Crown Heights Affair – the group's classic first set, and maybe as fine a batch of early club work you could ever hope to find! Like so many of the east coast acts at the start of the disco generation, these guys are a well-trained funk ensemble, playing at a faster clip for the new dancefloor sound – which means that at the core, they've still got some fantastic instrumentation – and a groove that rivals their bigger contemporaries, like Kool & The Gang, Fatback, or BT Express! The drums are fantastic, the basslines nice and subtle, the horns used with some real grace – and there's also some really cool moog solos on the best numbers – which really makes the album a treat. Titles include both disco and vocal versions of their hit "Dreaming A Dream" – plus the tracks "I Am Me", "You Smiled", "Foxy", "I Am Me", "Feeling Tall", "Every Beat Of My Heart", "Na Na Hey Hey", and "Picture Show". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Lamont Dozier's biggest albums of the 70s – a sweet debut for Warner Brothers, but one that still keeps all the best elements of his ABC albums firmly intact! Arrangements are still by Lamont and McKinley Jackson – who really know how to help Dozier find that tightness brewed up in the Detroit scene, while also pushing things further with some upbeat grooves that really find new territory too! Dozier's vocals are great – that slightly less than perfect style that always makes his work sound so personal and meaningful next to some of his slicker 70s contemporaries – a really appealing style that always has his 70s records at the top of our listening stack. Titles include "Joy", "Groovin On a Natural High", "Right There", "With A Little Bit Of Mending (We Could Be As Good As New)", "Ain't Never Loved Nobody", and a great remake of "It's the Same Old Song". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue look at the mighty mid 60s work of The Falcons – a group who are usually only covered during their early doo wop years, but who went onto do some tremendous group soul as well! The work here features many of the group's excellent recordings for the Big Wheel label with vocalist Sonny Munro in the lead – a really great singer who more than carries on the strong traditions started in the group by earlier singers who include Eddie Floyd and Wilson Pickett! The Big Wheel work is really great – often a bit Northern and upbeat, but with a very deep vocal style overall that's totally great. Added to the set is some additional material that Sonny Munro cut in later years – showing him to be an equally great solo act, working in some more sophisticated modern soul modes – briefly recording for Epic in the 70s, but represented here on some previously unissued tracks from the time. CD also features two tremendous Falcons-backed cuts on Big Wheel with singer Sandy Hollis in the lead – "I'm Tempted" and "Tables Will Turn" – plus the cuts "Good Good Feeling", "Standing On Guard", "Love You Like You Never Been Loved", "I Can't Help It", "Love Love Love", "In Time For The Blues", and "Standing On Guard" by The Falcons – as well as "Don't Leave Me Alone", "On The Other Side Of Pride", "Why Do I Let You Do The Things You Do", and "I'm Tired Of Being Your Play Thing" by Sonny Munro. CD

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

A groovy little live album from The 5th Dimension – not nearly as smoothly polished as their studio albums, in a way that really makes the set stand out nicely! The vocals are still completely top-shelf – a heavenly sound that's hard to believe comes from five mere mortals – but the musical backings are a bit more rough-edged and soul-based – a harder groove than the group gets on their full albums, in a way that provides a great contrast to the harmonies on the lyrics! There's also a great sense of "liveness" to the set – patter from the group before the tunes, and some upbeat medleys of some of their bigger hits – strung together in ways that are a lot nicer than just simple live remakes of familiar songs. Titles include "I Just Want To Be Your Friend", "Eli's Coming", "Never My Love", "Shake Your Tambourine", "Ode To Billie Joe", "I Want To Take You Higher", and two longer medleys of hits! LP, Vinyl record album

A rare batch of funky soul on the notorious Guinness label – the same company that gave the world the two fantastic albums by Newban – and somehow also managed to issue this gem of a set too! The vibe is similar to Newban – well-crafted upbeat soul that isn't really disco, but isn't hard funk either – instead this really unique hybrid of modes that moves along at a mighty nice clip – while tight, fast guitar really carves out most of the groove – but is matched by some great basslines and drums, and topped by horns that really warm things up alongside the vocals! There's a soaring, positive vibe to the whole record – energy that really belies the fact that the set hardly got any circulation at the time – almost as if the group were poising themselves to be huge. Titles include "Love Love Love", "Hold On", "Can You Feel It", "All In Time", "Fine Lady", and "Smoke Up". CD

The only full length album cut by singer Taana Gardner – quite a surprise, given how much impact she had on the clubs with her 12" singles at the start of the 80s! The album's got Gardner as a much richer singer than you might expect – able to lay back on a mellow track as well as step out on a groover – always with that higher range of vocals that really made her a standout at the time, but in ways that are never gimmicky or poppy at all. And in fact, there's a lot more depth to the record than you'd guess from the dated exercise cover image – a classic soul approach that's also quite a surprise for the mostly disco West End label too. Tracks are all nice and long – and backings are by Sunship, with Bernard Wright on Fender Rhodes. Titles include "Work That Body", "We Got To Work It Out", "When You Touch Me", "Paradise Express", and "Just Be A Friend". CD features the previously unreleased "That's The Word (12" club)", plus "Heartbeat (12" club)", "Heartbeat (12" party)", "No Frills (12" club)", and "No Frills (12" party)". CD

A classic boogie groover from the early 80s – the one and only album from Gemini, and one of the few albums issued on the tiny M&M label! Although an indie effort, the album's got a tightness that matches the best 80s groove on bigger labels from the time – especially the excellent work coming out of Capitol, which would be a good match for the upbeat rhythms and well-crafted grooves going on here. Production is right on the money – very together without sounding slick – and the album's got a wonderfully soulful charm, served up by two male vocalists who sound great on both the upbeat and mellower tunes in the set. Titles include "Everytime I See A Pretty Lady", "You've Got Something Special", "Ain't No Love", "My Love For You Keeps On Growing", "The Power Of Your Love", and the great mellow soul ballad "I Don't Want To Lose You". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavenly soul from the start of the 80s – a sweet little indie set that's done as a tribute to Minnie Riperton and Kenneth Armstrong! The overall format doesn't have that much to do with Minnie, but the record's still pretty darn great – and the style is a mix of modern, mellow, and boogie – all served up with a real sense of earnestness that matches the cover of the album, and which makes the record stand strongly next to some of the bigger releases of the time. A number of tracks feature vocals by the lovely Pamela Morrison, and the group hails from the Oakland scene of the time – working here under the direction of Barbara J Trotter, who also wrote a good number of the titles on the set too. Titles include the dancefloor jammer "Sho Nuf Funky Beat", plus "We're Together Again", "I See Heaven", "Satisfaction To The Bone Nitty Gritty Naked Bone", "I'm A Lady", "Rapping With My Subconscious Mind", and "We're Together Again". LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s classic from Howard Hewett – just the kind of set that made the singer one of the freshest voices in soul at the time! Hewett's vocals are lean and right on the money – perfectly suited to fit the 80s groove mode of the backings – especially the bubbly, bouncy kind of cuts that were always Howard's catchiest numbers – and which, honestly, should have had him crossing over much bigger at the time! Beats and keyboards glide along nicely throughout – and titles include "Stay", "Say Amen", "I Got 2 Go", "Last Forever", "I Commit To Love", "Love Don't Wanna Wait", and "Let's Try It All Over Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Two wonderful albums from Loleatta Holloway – both a strong full-length document of her early genius in the Atlanta studios! First up is the Loleatta album from 1973 – and if you only know Loleatta Holloway as a disco singer, you'll be really amazed at this debut album – because Loleatta emerges first as deep soul singer with a strong southern vibe – very much in the mode the Atlanta scene did best, before picking up the pace a bit more as the 70s moved on! There's a mellow, blue sort of vibe to the record – but still plenty of that pride and power that made Holloway an equally great singer on an upbeat tune – served up here on tunes by Sam Dees, Ashford & Simpson, and other hip songwriters of the period – set to strong arrangements by Mike Terry, who does a great job of bringing out the lady at her best. Titles include "We Did It", "Mother Of Shame", "Only A Fool", "So Can I", "Our Love", and "Love Woke Me Up". Cry To Me is a wonderful album of southern soul from Loleatta Holloway! The record was her last in the deep soul mode – and it's a gem that should have made her as big as her later disco records – a really well-crafted extension of styles that Stax and Atlantic had done in the 60s, but given a smoother, more sophisticated vibe for the 70s! The record was produced by Floyd Smith, and it's got some of the most sophisticated production we've heard on a southern diva album from the 70s – with instrumentation that still boggles us with its brilliance. Case in point is the amazing cut "Cry To Me", which has these insane banks of "weeping" guitar that send chills down our spine! The cut was written by Sam Dees, who also penned some other fine material for the album – and titles include "I Know Where You're Coming From", "Just Be True To Me", "Something About The Way I Feel", and a cover of Ruby Andrews' "Casanova". CD

The album that may well have forever put Miki Howard on the map – and a great match of her old school vocals with some of the more contemporary soul modes that were bubbling big at the time! Beats are used a bit more strongly than before – never too much, or in a way that's clunkily chartbound – but maybe with that same sort of bottom-up push that worked so well for Sybil, and which is balanced out by Howard with some warmer, mellower moments that keep her strongly in the classic soul firmament! Titles include "Until You Come Back To Me", "I'll Be Your Shoulder", "Love Under New Management", "Love Me All Over", "Mister", "Ain't Nuthin In The World", and "If You Still Love Her". CD

Early crossover work as a solo act from James Ingram – and a set that features some stellar production from Quincy Jones! The album's one of the best of Q's pop-styled efforts of the time – and although it played big at the time, it's got a sound that's much better than we remember, especially on the more upbeat numbers – rock-solid vocals from Ingram, sung with a youthful quality that's nicely shies away from some of his more clunky commercial modes. Titles include the big hit "Yah Mo B There", plus "She Loves Me", "Try Your Love Again", "Party Animal", "Whatever We Imagine", "One More Rhythm", and "There's No Easy Way". LP, Vinyl record album

Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. CD

Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. 2CD version features lots of bonus material – including "One More Chance", "70s Love Groove", "And On & On", "You Want This", "Where Are You Now", "Because Of Love", and "That's The Way Love Goes (CJ R&B 7" mix)". CD

An overlooked gem from Rick James' classic early run for Motown – a set that maybe didn't chart as big as some of his other records for the label, but which stands strongly today as a well-crafted batch of mellow funky soul! James has a bit less of the bass-heavy riffs here than you'd expect – and instead, the record has kind of a laidback, almost dreamy feel at times – still upbeat, but with the kind of relaxed, glowing vibe you'd be more likely to find from Teena Marie around this point – a really nice contrast with the more familiar hit sounds you'd know from Rick! We actually really like these mellower groovers – which are almost like some of Johnny Watson's Caribbean-tinged grooves – and the production augments the tunes with a bit of sound effects, which really furthers the paradise garden feel of the tunes. Titles include "Mary Go Round", "Summer Love", "Big Time", "Don't Give Up On Love", "Getting It On In The Sunshine", and "Island Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Rick James' classic early run for Motown – a set that maybe didn't chart as big as some of his other records for the label, but which stands strongly today as a well-crafted batch of mellow funky soul! James has a bit less of the bass-heavy riffs here than you'd expect – and instead, the record has kind of a laidback, almost dreamy feel at times – still upbeat, but with the kind of relaxed, glowing vibe you'd be more likely to find from Teena Marie around this point – a really nice contrast with the more familiar hit sounds you'd know from Rick! We actually really like these mellower groovers – which are almost like some of Johnny Watson's Caribbean-tinged grooves – and the production augments the tunes with a bit of sound effects, which really furthers the paradise garden feel of the tunes. Titles include "Mary Go Round", "Summer Love", "Big Time", "Don't Give Up On Love", "Getting It On In The Sunshine", and "Island Lady". CD features a previously unreleased demo of "Gypsy Girl", and a previously unreleased extended version of "Big Time". CD

The long-anticipated second album from Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings is a stunner – undoubtedly stronger than the group's fantastic debut – and a record that not only transcends the late model funk revival genre, but stands on footing as solid as the best hard funky soul of the late 60s and early 70s! If you're expecting a rehash of the heavy funk jams that burned on the Dap Dippin' album you won't be disappointed, but get ready for a deep, natural (hence the title) soulfulness that not only caught us off guard, but really forms the big, hard-beating heart of the album. The frothing, frenetic funk is as tight as ever, and in spots just as furious, but the attention to songcraft this time out is just as searing and indelible. The eight piece Dap Kings continue to be the best band in the land – with El Michels on baritone sax, Neal Sugarman on tenor, Homer Steinweiss on drums, not-so-secret weapon Bosco Mann on bass, vibes and piano. Guest appearances include fellow Daptone powerhouse vocalist Lee Fields on the the duet "Stranded In Your Love", and strings courtesy of the Bushwick Philharmonic, but make no mistake, this is the band's album. Amazing stuff from in indispensable group – an album that'll keep spinning in our circles for as many years as the great albums by the gritty soul forefathers do! Tracks include "How Do I Let A Good Man Down?", "Natural Born Lover", "My Man Is A Mean Man", a soulful reading of Woodie Guthrie's "This Land Is Your Land", "Your Thing Is A Drag", "Fish In A Dish" and "All Over Again". (Deep Funk, Soul) CD

A much needed look at one of the most enigmatic figures in 70s funk – an offbeat character who was always up to something different and unique! Walter "Junie" Morrison had the great honor of being a member of both of Westbound's biggest collectives (although not necessarily at the same time) – the hard funky Ohio Players, and the cosmic brotherhood of Funkadelic/Parliament! During the mid-70s, though, Junie embarked upon a solo career, and cut a few wild LPs for the label which mixed funk, soul, and even some strange rock-oriented leanings. The resulting recordings were some of the more messed-up that Westbound ever issued, with moments that are delightfully funky, and others that are downright silly. This sweet 20 track compilation brings together most of the best moments of Junie's Westbound Years, and includes cuts like "Johnny Carson Samba", "Walt's Third Trip", "Tight Rope", "Cookies Will Get You", "Super J", "Super Groupie", and the great "Granny's Funky Rolls Royce", featuring the Funky Granny from "Funky Worm"! CD

Wonderful work from Ty Karim – a singer who definitely lives up to the "soul goddess" promised in the title! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record – further illuminated in the detailed notes from Ady Croasdell. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Lightin Up", "I Ain't Lying", "You Just Don't Know", "Natural Do", "I'm Leavin You", "All In Vain", "After Your Love Has Gone", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong". CD

Wonderful work from Ty Karim – an LA singer from the 60s, just waiting to be rediscovered! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Wear Your Natural Baby", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent collection of rare work from the legendary BB King – a selection of 25 tracks from the vaults of RPM and Kent Records, 23 of which appear here for the first time ever! Some cuts are alternates, some are different versions of other recordings – and all are pretty darn wonderful – that sharp-edged BB King sound right at the start, before the famous Memphis powerhouse was recording for bigger labels in a more commercial setting! Lots of these cuts have a jazzy backing alongside BB's sweet guitar and raspy vocals – a mode that's similar to the mix of bigger band and bluesy elements you'd get on early work from Bobby Blue Bland – that great Memphis mix of modes that always makes us love this stretch in King's career so much. Titles include unusual versions of "Sweet Little Angel", "Catfish Blues", "Early In The Morning", "I Wonder Why", "Goin Down Slow", "Whole Lotta Meat", "Loving You In Vain", "Long Nights", "The Woman I Love", "Soul Beat", "Don't You Want A Man Like Me", "Be Careful With A Fool", and "Whole Lot Of Lovin". (Blues, Soul) CD

Evelyn King's still gliding high here – working with that upbeat, catchy style that really helped her hit big during the early 80s – a perfect fit for the hook-heavy sound of her vocals! The mode's a bit like Denise Williams at the time, although maybe a bit less commercial – and King brings in a host of different producers to help give different shape to different tracks in the set – almost in a way that tries to reach out towards a number of (then) contemporary soul modes – some mellow, some upbeat and grooving. Titles include "I'm So Romantic", "Till Midnight", "Out Of Control", "Just For The Night", "Heartbreaker", and "Talking In My Sleep". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 80s sounds from the legendary Kool & The Gang – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package of work from the mighty Kool & The Gang – 6 full albums from the 80s, served up here in a 3CD set! First up is Ladies Night – a shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". The next album is Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight". As One is solid 80s grooving from Kool & The Gang – a group who inspired so many others in the early 80s soul generation, but who could still do it better than most of the rest! The style here is tight and smooth, but never too slick – and Deodato's giving the group some really great production for the album – helping them to focus their energy and soar soulfully, but without resorting to any stiff gimmicks or cliches! There's a great groove running through most of the numbers here – a confident quality that's never too commercial, and which bubbles along nicely throughout. Titles include "Street Kids", "Big Fun", "As One", "Hi De Hi Hi De Ho", "Let's Go Dancin", and "Pretty Baby". In The Heart is a sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". Last up is Emergency – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". CD

It takes a record like this one to remind us just what a magical crossover time the post-disco, post-punk days of the early 80s could be! Take two white guys from Denmark – Tim Stahl and John Guldberg – give them a drum machine and some funky beats, and out comes the breakdance classic "White Horse", which was one of the more sinister dancefloor numbers of its time. Sure, it's super-kitschy, but it hit pop-and-break crowd bigtime, and had kids from The Bronx to Bed-Stuy ripping up linoleum everywhere, and dragging it out into busy sidewalks where they could block off traffic! The other tracks on the album aren't as great, but ok electro pop – and titles include "Sunshine Reggae", "Elevator Boy", "Slowmotion Girl", and "Walking In The Sunshine". LP, Vinyl record album

You just have to love that one breath of fresh air on the pop charts at any given point – and John Legend is profoundly worthy of it! John has a feel for classic soul – strings and horns filter in with his own piano playing and emotive vocals – but the production approach is firmly contemporary. The beats are born of hip hop, and some big names from the game drop in, but this feels like John's album all the way. Very, very promising stuff – there's no one else quite like John Legend on the charts, so let's keep him there! Tracks include "Let's Get Lifted", "Used To Love U", "She Don't Have To Know", "Number One" with Kanye West, "I Can Change" with Snoop, "So High", "Refuge (When It's Cold Outside)" and more. (Neo Soul, Soul) CD

A pretty sweet soul group from the mid 80s scene – one that's been a bit overlooked over the years, but who have a sound that's right up there with the best of their big name contemporaries! At some points, these guys have a way of harmonizing along with electro funk that reminds us a lot of The Jacksons during the 80s – and we mean that in the best way possible – and other cuts almost seem to borrow a bit of inspiration from the Paisley Park generation, especially in the way there's a nicely chunky vibe to the funk! There's even some occasional electro soul touches – either in the keyboards, or in rare spots in the beats – and the whole thing's the kind of album that's got plenty to offer for any fan of funky 80s soul. Titles include "She's Stacked", "Split Personality", "Reconsider", "Rainy Night", "Head On Collision", "Private Spot", "I Love You So", and "Can't Let Go". CD

A great look at the post-Motown work of Teena Marie – her 80s years on Epic Records, a time when she was charting big with a wonderfully seductive approach to soul! Marie's definitely in charge of her groove here – writing, arranging, and producing most of the work on the set – making her as much of a studio whiz as a female soul singer, a rare distinction in her field – and another layer of Teena's talents that always helped set her apart from the rest. The vibe here is a bit different than the Motown years – a bit more beats and 80s keyboards – and we especially love the mellower cuts, which gave Marie some great quiet storm play back in the day. Titles include "My Dear Mr Gaye", "Just Us Two", "Ooo La La La (12" version)", "Sugar Shack (ext club)", "If I Were A Bell", "Stop The World", "Fix It (12" version)", "Stop The World", "Shadow Boxing", and "Casanova Brown". CD

The only album ever issued by Matadi – a hip French group from those key post-colonial years on the Parisian scene, and one who serve up this wonderful blend of late 70s club and West African roots! The style is almost a few years ahead of its time – especially when compared to some of the groups who would break big on that early 80s moment of global circulation of new Afro-styled sounds – especially when some of the keyboards almost seem to hint at electro styles from years to come! Yet the overall approach is nice and warm, very 70s funky on most tracks – upbeat, and laced with guitar solos from Sammy Massamba, who put the whole thing together – on titles that include "Afro", "My Own Style", "Lode", "Viva Afrika", "Bola Bola", and "Timawok". (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A great album that's often overlooked amidst the flurry of early 70's releases on Curtom, but which stands as one of Mayfield's greatest from the 70s! In fact, we'd say that the album's one that we enjoy putting on more than most – because the songs are less familiar, and not nearly as played-out as some of Curtis' bigger hits. The production style's still the same – with plenty of rumbling funky soul, arranged by Rich Tufo in that classic Curtom mode – and you can't beat Curtis' vocals on songs like "Mother's Son", "Love Me (Right In The Pocket)", "A Prayer", and "Ain't No Love Lost". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster album that's gone onto influence a generation – but which was barely recognized at the time! Singer Eugene McDaniels had scored big with some pop hits in the 60s under the name Gene McDaniels – but here, he steps out in a righteous batch of offbeat funk tunes – filled with politics, offbeat rhythms, and some very weird instrumentation. The whole thing's awash in moody, jazzy changes – of the style that showed up often in samples by Tribe Called Quest, Beastie Boys, and other artists who drew keen inspiration from this record. Titles include the massive "Jagger the Dagger" – plus "The Lord Is Back", "Lovin Man", "Headless Heroes", "Freedom Death Dance", and "Supermarket Blues". CD

Not really the Collectors Item promised by the title – but an excellent collection of work from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, pulled from their earliest albums for Philly International! The set's worth it for two tracks alone – "I Miss You" and "Be For Real" – both from the first album, and both masterpieces of slow drawn-out, monologue-centered soul – the sort that Teddy Pendergrass did with the group, at a level that was way beyond other harmony soul on the east coast at the time! Other tracks are good too, and offer up the group in some upbeat, grooving modes that are equally wonderful – thanks to vocals from Teddy P! Other titles include "If You Don't Know Me By Now", "Where Are All My Friends", "Bad Luck", "The Love I Lost", and "Wake Up Everybody". LP, Vinyl record album

A package that definitely lives up to the title – as it presents the hardest-wailing work recorded by Memphis Slim in the postwar years – including plenty of cuts that were a huge influence on early rock and roll, and many that have him in more of an R&B mode than usua! Slim's records weren't always upbeat, but the cuts in this set definitely are – and include some killer cuts with his Houserockers group, and work from a young guitarist Matt Murphy too! As always with Bear Family, the presentation is wonderful – not just well-chosen cuts, but a great package overall – featuring 29 titles that include "Rockin The House", "Memphis Slim USA", "Pacemaker Boogie", "Wish Me Well", "Big Bertha", "Old Taylor", "Harlem Bound", "Back Alley", "Tia Juana", "She's Allright", and "Gotta Find My Baby". (Blues, Soul) CD

A little bit funk, a little bit soul – Mickey Murray was one of the underrated talents working in the SSS label during the company's glory years, and had a sock-hard southern soul style that was really outta site! Mickey first hit big with the tune "Shout Bamalama" – originally recorded by Otis Redding in his earliest years in the studio, but pushed to much bigger fame by Mickey with his classic late 60s recording. This tasty little set is done in a great mix of upbeat sockin-soul and mellower southern burners – all carried off with a depth and level of quality that should have made Mickey a bigger star at the time! Titles include the massively funky "Hit Record", plus "How many Breaks Can One Heart Take", "Got You On My Mind", and the eerie "Lonely Room". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from the O'Jays – presented here in a multi-channel SACD! First up is Ship Ahoy – a pivotal album from The O'Jays – and an undeniable Philly classic! The record was the third the group cut for the Philadelphia International label – but it was really the first one that pushed their strong righteous soul agenda, sort of a mix of message-oriented lyrics and heavy soul (ala The Temptations), fused with the warmer more sophisticated styles of the Philly sound! The blend is perfect – and has a way of getting the message from the underground right into the living room – and a bit onto the charts as well! From the image on the cover – which features the group in a slave ship setting – to politics of tracks like "Don't Call Me Brother", "For The Love Of Money", "Put Your Hands Together", and "This Air That I Breathe", the record's an extremely unified effort – kind of to the O'Jays what What's Going On was to Marvin Gaye. Other titles include "You Got Your Hooks In Me", "Now That We Found Love", and "People Keep Tellin Me". Message In The Music is one of those records that really took Philly soul to the next level back in the 70s – a set that works amazing magic with the already-great harmonies of the O'Jays – pointing them even more strongly towards groove-heavy territory, while still keeping all the fragile, personal qualities of their earlier work! The title cut is a righteous anthem that never gets old – a perfect blend of subtle politics and homegrown soul – all polished to perfection in the Philly studios. And the rest of the record is equally mindblowing – a set where even the ballads have as much power as the upbeat numbers – as you'll hear in the lineup of tracks that includes "Message In The Music", "Darlin, Darlin, Baby", "A Prayer", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Let Life Flow", and "Paradise". Live In London is a seminal album in the development of Philadelphia International – who seemed to be taking a cue from Motown and Stax in the 60s, by bringing their biggest act to a European audience! The set features the O'Jays working as beautifully in a live setting as they had in the Sigma Sound studios – singing to arrangements by Dennis Williams, but still getting enough production by Bobby Martin to keep the sound in line with their better known studio work from the time. There's a bit of a deeper soul sound overall here – especially on the vocals, which crackle nicely with a live sense of spontaneity. Titles include "Back Stabbers", "Sunshine", "Love Train", "When The World Is A Peace", and "Put Your Hands Together" – plus a few vocal introductions! CD

A big one for Billy Ocean – a set that's got some catchy beats on the bottom and plenty of sweetly crafted vocals over the top! The style's smooth, but never too much so – thanks to a nicely percolated sense of rhythm on most of the numbers – and in a way, the record represents a nice transition for Billy – a set that pushes him even further past his Caribbean roots into the mainstream of American soul. There's a bit of a quiet storm vibe on here, but one that's never too heavy or forced – and titles include "Love Zone", "Without You", "There'll Be Sad Songs", "Bitter Sweet", "It's Never Too Late To Try", "Showdown", "Promise Me", and "Love Is Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from The Ohio Players – a set that's famous not just for its sexy cover, but for the way the group managed to set a whole new standard for mainstream funk at the time! The group started out in the farther reaches of the Midwest underground, and previously had brought some nice psychedelic elements to their music – which here are more focused and folded into a sound that's wonderfully tight, yet still filled with plenty of imagination – a sense of funk that would be beaten down into a more formulaic mode by groups in years to come, but which here is still wonderfully fresh! Most folks go for their big hit "Love Rollercoaster", but we've always been partial to the smooth, mellow funky track "Sweet Sticky Thing", served up here in the cool long version, which has a groove that builds and builds – a completely sublime journey in sound! The whole album's great, though – and other cuts include "Honey", "Fopp", "Let's Love", "Ain't Givin' Up No Ground" and "Alone". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing vocal work from The Olympics – a great little group who bridged the gap between doo wop and 60s soul – and who had a pyrotechnic style that only The Coasters could match! Like The Coasters, The Olympics often mixed in a good deal of humor with their tunes – not only in the subject matter, which often included topics from the lower end of the mid century cultural spectrum, but also in the way they delivered the tunes – which was always lively and exuberant! This quality made for some nice little groovers in the group's repertoire too – tunes that rock and roll with an early approach to upbeat 60s soul, and which has made some of their numbers perennial dancefloor favorites. Titles include "Little Pedro", "Dodge City", "Private Eye", "Big Boy Pete", "Big Chief Little Puss", "Stay Away From Joe", and "Baby Hully Gully"; plus bonus tracks not included in the original issue. LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of Aloha Soul from Phase 7 – a Hawaiian group who are right on the money from the very first note, and continue throughout with a wonderfully warm sound! The record's a bit upbeat, but not really clubby – more in the kind of sunny free soul vibe that we love from some of the best island soul groups of the time – delivered with a style that's upfront and unadorned, maybe a more honest take on some of the Cali soul that was coming out of the bigger studios on the west coast in the late 70s. The album's rock-solid throughout – crafted more as a whole set than going for a few singles – and titles include "Could It Be Love", "Chotto Matte Kudasai", "Playtime", "Slip Away", "You & Me", "So Good To Be In Love", and "Love Lifted Me". CD

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

Quite possibly the rarest album from Pucho & The Latin Soul brothers – and also one of the greatest, too – thanks to a wonderfully soulful vibe overall, and some wicked vocals from the great Jackie Soul! Arrangements are a bit bigger than some of their previous dates, but nicely offbeat too – put together by Bill Fisher, and featuring loads of great keyboards and organ from Neal Creque! The sound's got less horns than beofre, but the heavy percussion, keyboards, and vocals more than offset that loss – and make for one of the most unique Pucho albums ever! Titles include "Swamp People", "Left In the Cold", "Big Stick", "Cold Shoulder", and a very groovy version of "Sunny"! (Latin, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal set from Vicki Sue Robinson – arguably her biggest album ever, thanks to the leadoff hit "Turn The Beat Around"! That groove really sets the tone for the rest of the record – a tight blend of disco rhythms and crossover soul – all delivered by Vicki with a focused, no-nonsense quality that's helped the record stay strong over the years! The instrumentation's kind of a New York summation of Philly modes – a bit of soaring strings, organic percussion, wah wah guitar, and whatever else a great groove might need – mostly arranged by Warren Schatz, but with some help from George Andrews and Bhen Lanzaroni too. Revelation sing a bit of background vocals on the record – and titles include "When You're Lovin Me", "Act Of Mercy", "Wonderland Of Love", "Lack Of Respect", and "Never Gonna Let You Go". CD features bonus tracks – "Turn The Beat Around (7" edit)" and "Turn The Beat Around (radio edit)". CD