A great collection of early material from Dave Bartholomew – a key figure in the early days of New Orleans soul! Dave blows trumpet, arrangements are by Wardell Quezerque, and the group features Bobby James on organ and Smokey Johnson on drums! LP, Vinyl record album

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(Funky 45's, Soul) 7-inch, Vinyl record

Fats Domino Swings – a total of 12 million records, according to the cover! We're not sure if that claim's accurate or not, but we can say that the album's got a million dollar sound, and is a perfect demonstration of the genius that made Domino unlike anyone else back in the day – a completely unique artist to rise from the New Orleans scene in the 50s, but one who's also steeped in all the musical roots of the city! Fats has a way of laying down on the piano that brings forward older riffing styles, but in a leaner level that sits brilliantly alongside his raspy, early soul vocals – and the tight, jaunty rhythms of the tunes – which again are kind of a compression of older Nola modes, in a way that so many others would copy over the years. The set features a mix of hits like "I'm Walkin" and "Blueberry Hill", and great lesser known numbers like "Going To The River", "I'm In Love Again", "Bo Weevil", and "Whole Lotta Loving". LP, Vinyl record album

15 songs. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

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Modern Records sessions by Jimmy Beasley – done for the famous LA label, but all recorded in Beasley's home town of New Orleans – with a very raw, early Crescent City vibe! Many of these cuts were done with the group of Dave Bartholomew at Cosimo's Studios – and they're filled with the kind of romping rhythms and piano lines that you'd know from some of Dave's bigger-name sessions with artists like Fats Domino or Smiley Lewis – yet Jimmy's approach here is nicely different, and far less familiar – almost jazzy at times, and with less of a need to "rock" than some of his contemporaries! That doesn't mean that these tracks don't groove with the New Orleans best – just that they've got some very cool, individual touches – and sophisticated shadings that we really appreciate. LP, Vinyl record album

Raw New Orleans soul from Overton "Smiley" Lewis – one of the city's big stars in the 50s R&B years, and a singer who arguably set the stage for later deep soul to come! A few years before, and Lewis might have been more of a blues singer – but here, he's working with some strong Nola piano lines and lightly loping rhythms – in a mode that's vaguely in the Fats Domino side of the universe, but a lot more raw and stripped-down too – from the performance to the production! Tracks include Smiley's classic "I Hear You Knocking", plus loads of other nice ones – including "Bumpity Bump", "Bells Are Ringing", "Blue Monday", "Lost Weekend", "Real Gone Lover", and "One Night". LP, Vinyl record album

Raw New Orleans soul from Overton "Smiley" Lewis – one of the city's big stars in the 50s R&B years, and a singer who arguably set the stage for later deep soul to come! A few years before, and Lewis might have been more of a blues singer – but here, he's working with some strong Nola piano lines and lightly loping rhythms – in a mode that's vaguely in the Fats Domino side of the universe, but a lot more raw and stripped-down too – from the performance to the production! Tracks include Smiley's classic "I Hear You Knocking", plus loads of other nice ones – including "Bumpity Bump", "Bells Are Ringing", "Blue Monday", "Lost Weekend", "Real Gone Lover", and "One Night". LP, Vinyl record album

With Gloria Lynne and Fats Domino. LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Little Richard, Dee Clark, Fats Domino, Bo Diddley, Lloyd Price, Chuck Berry, Big Al Downing, Otis Redding, Johnny Otis, LaVern Baker, Mister PT, and more CD

Music from Bo Diddley, The Platters, Ruth Brown And Her Rhythmakers, The Teenagers Featuring Frankie Lymon, The Ernie Freeman Combo, The Teen Queens, Howlin' Wolf, Bobby Mitchell, Ray Charles, The Moonglows, Little Richard And His Band, James Brown With The Famous Flames, Fats Domino, Clyde McPhatter, and more - 30 songs in all. CD

A dream of a set from the folks at Numero Group – a special package that digs through all their many collections and archive projects, and comes up with some of the funkiest cuts in the bunch! Unlike some of their other compilations, this one focuses on the groove first – and the groove is nice and funky, hard and gritty, and feels like you're sitting next to the turntable, playing a stack of rare funk 45s, one after the other! Titles include "Function Underground" by We The People, "Jungle" by Young Senators, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Iron Leg" by Mickey & The Soul Generation, "Get It Right" by Soul President, "First Thing I Do In The Morning" by Joyce Williams, "Party Time" by Black Soul Express, "Money Won't Save You" by Boscoe, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by Robert Moore, "You Made Me Suffer" by Andrew Brown, and "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Music from the Drifters, Jack Scott, the Pentagons, Jackie Wilson, Fats Domino, the Jive Five, the Impalas, the Cadillacs, the Del Vikings, the Channels, the Harptones, and more – 24 tracks in all. CD

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Music from Dave Bartholomew, Smiley Lewis, Fats Domino, the Spiders, Little Richard, Bobby Marchan, Bobby Charles, Paul Gayten, Lee Allen, Eddie Bo, Paul Gayten, Art Neville, Frankie Ford, Professor Longhair, Joe Jones, and more. CD

With selections by Fats Domino, Dave Bartholomew, Smiley Lewis, Smilin' Joe, Archibald, Earl King, Huey Smith & The Clowns, Ford Eaglin, Joe Houston, and Big Jay McNeely. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Bobby Freeman, The Clovers, Fats Domino, The Rivingtons, Johnny Darrow, The Everglades, Robert Parker, Human Beinz, The Beach Boys, The Silhouettes, The Five Keys, The Roller, The Senors, Johnny Otis, and The Larks. (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Wynonie Harris, Dinah Washington, Memphis Slim, Fats Domino, Muddy Waters, Ruth Brown, Johnny Ace, Jesse Belvin, Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, and more – 75 tracks total. CD

Music from Carl Perkins, Fats Domino, the Five Satins, Shirley & Lee, the Teen Queens, Chuck Berry, the Platters, Little Richard, the Cadets, Sonny James, Little Willie John, Ivory Joe Hunter & more. (Rock, Soul) CD

Includes tracks by Jerry Lee Lewis, The Dell-Vikings, Fats Domino, The Tune Weavers, Chuck Willis, LaVern Baker, Buddy Holly, The Diamonds, and more! (Rock, Soul) CD

Music from Barry Mann, Gary "U.S." Bonds, Fats Domino, The Everly Brothers, The Chantels, The String-A-Longs, The Shirelles, The Coasters, The Jarmels, The Impressions, and more - 22 tracks in all. (Rock, Soul) CD

Music from Wynonie Harris, The Dominoes, Louis Jordan, Paul Williams, Jackie Brenston & His Delta Kings, Lloyd Price, Big Mama Thornton, Amos Milburn, The Clovers, Fats Domino, Guitar Slim, Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, Bill Haley & The Comets, The Five Keys, Muddy Waters, Joe Turner, The Robins, Faye Adams, Gene & Eunice, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, and The Orioles. CD

Includes music by Big Mama Thornton, Sam Cooke, The Drifters, Fats Domino, Little Richard, The Platters, Ernie Freeman, Lavern Baker, The Coasters, Clyde McPHatter, and more – 50 tracks total. CD

Some of the heaviest cuts from the Numero Records catalog – brought together here on a cool compilation that follows the format of some of the Wu-Tang/Shaolin funk collections! The music is way more than break-oriented funk – as some of these tracks are deep soul numbers, but have this sock-solid energy at the core that really makes them powerful – every bit as hard-hitting as more overstated funk, and often with a subtle, sinister energy that really makes the songs sound wonderful together here as a whole! And despite the lack of the usual voluminous Numero Group notes and story behind the music, these tunes more than stand together on their own – telling their own rich story in soul, through tracks that include "Like A Ship" by TL Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Never Walk Out On You" by Mitch Mitchell & Gene King, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "Am I A Good Man" by Them Two, "This Time" by Family Connection, "I Need Your Love" by Skim Mahoaney & The Casuals, "Is There Any Love" by Trevor Dandy, "Dirt & Grime" by Father's Children, and "Ladies & Wonderful Girls" by Majestic Arrows. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – and one of the real high points in the career of trumpeter Donald Byrd! The album's the third one he cut with producer/arranger Larry Mizell – and of all Byrd's work with Mizell, this one's the funkiest, the tightest, the most soulful, and the most perfectly realized vision of the soaring sound the duo were aiming for! Every track is a winner – and the album glides along with a slippery sinewy groove, never pausing for a weak moment or a misplaced note, shimmering with pride in its own genius. Byrd's trumpet soars over the top, banking gracefully over waves of funky drums, spacey keyboards, and extremely well-placed vocals – all brought together perfectly by Mizell, with a tightly fused style that few people have ever been able to match in the studio since! Tracks include "Change (Makes You Want To Hustle)", "Dominoes", "Wind Parade", "Places & Spaces", and "Night Whistler". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Well, these are Clyde's greatest hits – but all of them were originally recorded for Atlantic or King (with the Drifters and the Dominoes), and this Mercury album features all new versions recorded during the early 60s. Still, Clyde's still in pretty nice form, and the new versions have a slightly more sophisticated sound that still works nicely. Titles include "The Bells", "Lover Please", "Money Honey", "Ta Ta", "Such A Night", "Little Bitty Pretty One", and "Sixty Minute Man". LP, Vinyl record album

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... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Features work by Jack Dupree, Earl Bostic, Roy Brown, Annisteen Allen, Lonnie Johnson, Tiny Bradshaw, and The Dominoes. LP, Vinyl record album

22 songs from Bill Doggett Combo, the Flamingos, Joe Lutcher, Tiny Bradshaw, Wynonie Harris, Earl Bostic, Joe Lutcher, Roy Brown, Little Esther, the Dominos, Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson and more. CD

With selections by The Showmen, The O'Kaysions, Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters, The Tams, Leon Haywood, The Drifters, Willie Tee, The Astors, Brenton Wood, The Globetrotters, The Swingin' Medallions, The Dominoes, Darrell Banks, Arthur Alexander, Jackie Moore, Deon Jackson, Jackie Wilson, JJ Jackson, Bruce Channel, The Embers, Archie Bell & The Drells, and The Platters. LP, Vinyl record album

Raw, raunchy sounds – all pulled together from a time before soul and rock even existed! Most of the work here is from the classic catalog of King Records – a killer imprint in the postwar R&B market, and a company who wasn't afraid to do what it took to make a knockout record! In the case of these tracks, the singers often hit some fairly suggestive material – often hidden in early 50s innuendo, but barely so – with a vibe that's often nastier than even the most hardcore rockabilly sounds to come! The music here has its roots in blues, but is inflected with plenty of jazz, and the presence of the singers often point the way towards soul music – especially the James Brown crowd that would later rise at the same label. Titles on this volume include "Sexy Ways" by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, "Lolly Pop Mama" by Wynonie Harris, "I Want A Bowlegged Woman" by Bull Moose Jackson, "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" by Billy Ward & The Dominoes, "Will You Be Mine" by The Swallows, "Leave My Kitten Alone" by Little Willie John, "Sixy Minute Man" by Billy Ward & The Dominoes, and "Lovin Machine" by Wynonie Harris. CD

A great follow-up to the first set in this series – a dozen classic dancefloor tunes, running the gamut from funky fusion to jazzy soul to 80s groove! The vibe here is definitely somewhere in the Larry Mizell/Capitol Rare mode – with a real focus on the kind of smooth groovers that really helped set the pace as the disco era drew to a close. Titles include "Always There" by Ronnie Laws, "Dominoes" by Donald Byrd, "Promise Me" by Dayton, "Music Is My Sanctuary" by Gary Bartz, "Parisienne Girl" by Incognito, "Mr Magician" by Mystic Merlin, "Groove On" by Willie Beaver Hale, "Do Me Baby" by Mel'isa Morgan, "Doin Alright" by O'Bryan, "Too Many Games" by Maze, and "Prance On" by Eddie Henderson. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Pure greatness from one of the first key labels on the Jamaican scene – the mighty Treasure Isle, a hotbed of new innovation during the ska generation! The set features work from Justin Hinds & The Dominoes, The Skatalites, Baba Brooks, Monty Morris, Stranger & Patsy, and Owen & Leon. (Reggae, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album