Obscure Holiday work from James Brown – not the oft-compiled tracks from his late 60s years at King Records, but some later numbers that show that Brown could still turn out one heck of a Christmas tune! James' vocals are at their older best – still surprisingly powerful, and able to serve up a seasonal message with a lot more soul than just about anyone else we can think of – and even when the backings are a bit contemporary, the tunes take on a more classic soul feel once the Godfather comes into the mix! Titles include "God Gave Me This", "Reindeer On The Rooftop", "Funky Christmas", "Clean For Christmas", "Mom & Dad", "Not Just Another Holiday", and "Christmas Is For Everyone". (Holiday Music, Soul) CD

Chunky funky soul from the great Lee Dorsey – a motherlode of his best work from the late 60s – groundbreaking New Orleans soul, most of which was produced with a heavy edge by Allen Toussaint! The set kicks off with 2 early R&B-ish numbers – "Ya Ya" and "Do Re Me" – but then rolls into a track list of 16 more cuts of funky 60s soul – including "My Old Car", "Ride Your Pony", "Holy Cow", "Sneakin Sally Through The Alley", "Night People", "Everything I Do Gohn Be Funky", "Get Out of My Life Woman", and "Working in the Coal Mine". CD

16 classic tracks from The Meters – all pulled from their late 60s years on Josie Records! CD

With 19 tracks including "Chicken Strut", "Sophisticated Cissy", "Ease Back", "Dry Spell", "Yeah Your Right", "Pungee", and "Message From The Meters". CD

Excellent work from the second half of Aaron Neville's career – when he was recording in a more modern style for the Sansu team of Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn. Funk fans will dig the classic "Hercules", as well as the dark ballad "Make Me Strong", which has a great piano/drum intro. Other titles include "Wild Flower", "Speak To Me", "She's On My Mind", "Mojo Hannah", "Been So Wrong", "The Greatest Love", "All These Things", and "Struttin On Sunday". There's a few cheesy spots, but with 18 tracks and a low price, there's more than enough nice bits! CD

With 20 tracks including "I Believe In You", "Walkin In The Sun", "Out Of Left Field", "Good Love", "When A Man Loves A Woman", "You Send Me", and "It Tears Me Up". CD

Seminal soul from one of Chicago's greatest labels in the 60s – the One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus imprints, plus tracks from related Toddlin Town too – home to some of the best indie work at the time! The quality here is right up there with the best you'd hear from Chess, Okeh, or Brunswick in the 60s – no surprise, since the pair of labels shared lots of similar talents with the bigger companies – as well as session men, songwriters, and producers too! The full scope of Chicago soul is really covered here – upbeat groovers for the dancefloor, heartfelt ballads with great harmonies, and some of the harder-edged bluesy numbers that really helped put One-Der-Ful on the map! There's also some key early examples of funk – proof that in the 60s, Chicago was one of the hippest scenes in the world – and the set comes with 2 CDs, nestled in a hardback booklet of notes and photos – with a whopping 50 tracks in all. Titles include "Tired Of Being Lonely" by The Sharpees, "Without You" by The Ulti-Mations, "That's How It Is" by Otis Clay, "Keep On Dancin" by Alvin Cash, "The Funky Judge" by Bull & The Matadors, "I Get A Groove" by Thomas East & The Fabulous Playboys, "Damper Down" by Bobby Davis, "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell, "Come Back Home" by Beny Turner, "Master Key" by Harold Burrage, "If I Could Live My Life All Over" by Dorothy Prince, "You Told A Lie" by Johnny Sayles, "New Girl" by The Accents, and "Don't You Worry" by Joe & Mack. CD

20 songs. CD

... CD

The story of one of the most legendary soul clubs in the UK – home to the great wave of Northern Soul enthusiasm that burst big in the 60s – plus a fair bit of hanky panky as well! This collection shows a decidedly raw side of the club's roots – American soul from the 60s, plus a fair bit of R&B as well – a groove that's rougher than you might find on other Northern Soul collections – which often tend towards some of the tighter Detroit productions of the period. The CD features a whopping 28 tracks in all – with lots of tracks from Chicago and the Motor City – and titles include "Road Runner" by Bo Diddley, "Good Times" by Gene Chandler, "Turn On Your Lovelight" by Bobby Blue Bland, "Do The 45" by The Sharpees, "Get Down With It" by Bobby Marchan, "I Spy For The FBI" by Jamo Thomas, "And Get Away" by The Esquires, "I Can't See Your Love" by The Ballads, "Searchin" by Alvin Robinson, and "You Shot Me Through The Grease" by Alvin Cash. CD