The third album from Black Heat – and quite possibly the funkiest of the bunch – thanks to an even tighter sound than before, and lots of emphasis on the bottom of the groove! The group's got a few more members than before, but their sound is somehow even leaner – a really tight approach to ensemble funk that really sits proudly with the best of the Kool & The Gang/Fatback generation – with some sweet Afro-inspired touches as well! The organ on the set is especially nice – played by Johnell Grey, and bubbling up nicely underneath the horns – and the drums from Esco Cromer have a wicked kick too, even on some of the album's mellower cuts. Titles include the killer break cut "Zimba Ku", plus "Questions & Conclusions", "Love", "Prince Duval", "Feel Like A Child", "Keep On Runnin", and a nice funky version of "Drive My Car". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from the 60s LA scene – and the first-ever album by a group who would dominate the west coast groove of the time! This first outing by the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band takes off nicely from the group's funky 45 years – using larger arrangements to expand upon their hard and heavy groove, in a style that almost has some funky soundtrack touches at times! Fred Smith produced and is directing the group – and tracks are short, sweet, and filled with groovy touches! Titles include "Spreadin Honey", "Fried Okra", "Soul Concerto", "Watts Happening", "103rd Street Theme", "Whole Hog Or Nothing At All", "Brown Sugar", and "A Little Class & A Little Trash". Great trippy cover too – and an endorsement from Bill Cosby on the back! LP, Vinyl record album

An unusual bit of club from Lee Garrett – a singer who's got a relatively rootsy sound overall, but who's working here with a set of smooth and and jazzy backings! Arrangements on the set are by Tom Sellers, who plays piano at the hed of a combo that includes Dave Grusin on synth, Tom Scott on saxes, Ernie Watts on flute and alto, George Bohannon on trombone, Lee Ritenour on guitar, and Harvey Mason on drums – all top-shelf fusion players who help bring a bit of polish to the set, in stark contrast to Lee's rougher vocals. The approach is almost a bit like some of Swamp Dogg's work for the clubs at the time – and titles include "How Can I Be A Man", "Heart Be Still", "You're My Everything", "Sad Sad Story", and "Stop That Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Thelma's best known for her grooves from earlier years, she still sounds plenty darn great on this sweet set from the mid 80s – a bouncy, buoyant batch of tunes that updates the rhythms a bit, but still serves up plenty of her classic-styled vocals! Backings are heavy on beats and keys, and with production by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, Monte Moir, Glen Ballard, and Dennis Lambert, there's a definite electro pop sensibility bubbling through many of the tunes – a style that's often forceful, even when subtle – slightly stiff on the rhythms, but in ways that make Thelma's warm vocals sound even more powerful. Titles include "I Guess It Must Be Love", "Fantasy & Heartbreak", "I'd Rather Spend The Bad Times With You", "Shake You", "Generate Love", and "Love Is A Dangerous Game". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer set from those magical 70s years when Quincy Jones was effortlessly blending jazz, soul, and contemporary R&B – all to come up with a genre that's almost completely his own! In the early 70s, Quincy Jones surrounded himself with some of the best young soul and jazz talent he could find, plus a few older pros – and the result was a great series of albums that spanned genres and created a whole new approach to modern R&B. This gem of an album was put together with a young Leon Ware and an older Ray Brown – and it features some killer mellow soul tracks that rank with Quincy's best work – with especially strong contributions from Ware, who'd yet to really shine on his own! Titles include the sublime version of "If I Ever Lose This Heaven", plus "Body Heat", "Soul Saga", "Everything Must Change", "One Track Mind", and "Along Came Betty". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully romping grooves from one of Motown's first great groups – a stunning set of tracks that really put The Vandellas on the map! The title cut's one of those stormers that played for years on both sides of the Atlantic – and was a key inspiration to the UK soul scene too – but the whole album's mighty nice too, and has this mix of full soul backings and clearly classy vocals that never lets up for a minute. The trio can really take on a great range of material – from Detroit floorfillers to some more uptown cuts, but still done with a nice Holland-Dozier Motown punch. In addition to "Heat Wave", other cuts include "Mocking Bird", "My Boyfriend's Back", "Just One Look", "Hello Stranger", "Hey There Lonely Boy", and "Then He Kissed Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Masterful funky soul jazz from the mid 70s – and one of the best solo albums recorded by Headhunter Bill Summers – a sunny batch of Bay Area funk that really grooves with the best of Fantasy Records from the time! The set was produced by Skip Scarborough, and has that great bubbling, stepping, soulful groove that was Scarborough's best contribution to jazz funk – a trademark groove that was every bit as important to the 70s as the work of Bob James or Larry Mizell! Summers' work on congas and percussion is excellent and the players are totally top shelf – the core group features drums by Alphonse Mouzon, bass by Paul Jackson, and keyboards by Scarborough – and vocalists on the set include Dianne Reeves, Mikki Morris, and Charles Meeks. Titles include "Drum Suite", "Come Into My Life", "People Know", "Just A Matter Of Time", "No One", "Check It Out", and "Que Sabroso". LP, Vinyl record album

A now-legendary compilation – an early effort to reissue funk on the Stones Throw label – and a set that virtually gave birth to all the fantastic projects they've done under the Now Again banner over the years! Compiler Egon has gone through a range of rare singles, masters, and demos – and has come up with tunes that burn with a brightness that's undeniable. The grooves are all on the harder end of the James Brown Funky People side of the spectrum – and the whole thing is a massive dig into the funky 45 underground – featuring a few groups who rose to new fame over the years, thanks to the legendary status of this project! Titles include "Don't Go" by Aristocrats Organization, "Loaded To The Gills (edit)" by Michael Liggins & The Supersouls, "Mr Chicken (alternate)" by The Soul Seven, "Slipping Into Darkness" by Dayton Sidewinders, "James Brown Medley" by The Apollo Commanders, "Scorpio" by Kashmere Stage Band, "Sad Chicken" by Leroy & The Drivers, "Street Scene" by Leon Mitchinson, "Free Your Mind" by Amnesty, "The Thing" by Carleen & The Groovers, "Go For Yourself (edit)" by Kenny Smith & The Loveliters, and "The Stretch (edit)" by Detroit Sex Machines. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections from Musique, Stone City Band, Saturday Night Band, T-Connection, Foxy, Chanson, Peter Brown, Michel Zager, USA European Connection, John Davis & The Monster Orchestra, Dan Hartman, and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The third album by the Chicago Gangsters – recorded after they began working out of their native Ohio, and not the Chicago studio scene, hence the dropping of "Chicago" from their name! The record has the band moving into a smooth funky modern soul style – with some good harmony vocals, and lots of very nice production with a slinky sexy style. The record includes the band's great "Wop That Wandy", a nice track with a cool funk groove that mixes 2 guys shooting the breeze, with sweet soulful vocals by a female singer on the chorus. Other nice cuts include "Smoke", "Chuga Chuga", and "Sunshine Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet Lucy, and mighty groovy – a wonderful album from Raul De Souza, cut during the height of his fame on the California scene! Like Raul's other work for Capitol, this record really sparkles from tight help from George Duke – who handles production, and some of the arrangements – and really helps De Souza find a tight jazzy groove! The instrumentation is a bit leaner than some of Raul's other records of this nature, which is a nice thing – as you get to hear plenty of keyboards from Patrice Rushen, Fender Rhodes from Dawilli Gonga, trumpet from Freddie Hubbard, and percussion from Airto. There's a bit of chorus vocals at times, but the main focus is on Raul's trombone solos – and cuts include of Joao Donato's "Banana Tree", plus "Sweet Lucy", "New Love", "Wild & Shy", "Bottom Heat", "Wires", and "At Will". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early work from Al Hudson – a soulful talent who stood his own in the late 70s, forging an up-tempo funk sound that lived long past disco, and which was sort of a platform for groups of the 80s to build a new dancefloor sound. Hudson relied heavily on bass-y funk to hit his groove, but he also gave strong focus to the good singers who worked with his groups – adding in good ballads that act as a showcase to members like bassist Kevin McCord, who sings some great vocals on this set. The album kicks off with the up-tempo groover "Spread Love", an anthemic dancefloor tune that almost points the way towards soulful house, and it's got some other nice cuts, like the ballads "Lost Inside Of You" and "Love Me Forever", plus the funky numbers "How Do You Do", and "Dance, Get Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic 70s work from KC & The Sunshine Band – a record that's not as hit-heavy as previous efforts, but still a plenty great set that's filled with catchy dancefloor funk! KC's clearly feeling the heat of the disco fire he helped to ignite a few years before – and there's definitely an ear hear towards tracks that would boom out nicely on a heavier sound system – kind of a deepening of the sometimes bargain basement production the group got on earlier TK records. That approach doesn't dampen the groove, though, and there's still a nice mix here of soul, funk, club, and tropical modes – sometimes a bit off the mark, but still a heck of a lot better than most of the group's contemporaries! Titles include a remake of "It's The Same Old Song", plus "Who Do Ya Love", "How About A Little Love", "Sho-Nuff'" and "Come To My Island". LP, Vinyl record album

What can we say? All the best-remembered club tracks by one of the world's most unique soul artists. We're much more partial to these soulful club cuts than his later hi-energy singles, though each side is mixed into a medley, with the first side featuring "Do You Wanna Funk", "Dance (Disco Heat)" and "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)", and the second featuring "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight", "Stars Intro", "Can't Stop Dancing" and "Stars". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of instrumentals either recorded for Motown by groups like the San Remo Golden Strings, the Crusaders or Junior Walker, or the instrumental backing tracks used by their vocalists, released here on their short lived Natural Resources subsidiary. 9 tracks in all: "Hungry For Love" and "Festival time" by the San Remo Golden Strings, "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and "Cleo's Back" by Junior Walker, 'Rapid Fire" by the Commodores, "Papa Was A rolling Stone" by the Temptations, "Way Back Home" by the Crusaders, "Erucu" by Jermaine Jackson and "Get Ready" by Rare Earth. LP, Vinyl record album

From the female singer in the obscure group Chapter 8, Anita went onto become one of the biggest selling soul music acts during the 80s – and this album's her first effort as a solo act. The record's a smooth sophisticated batch of soul tunes, with lots of nice jazzy touches, and a classy sound that was quite refreshing in the face of some of the overly-synthesized soul work of the time. Patrick Moten produced and wrote most of the cuts – but it's Anita's deep vocals that make the record work so well. Titles include "You're The Best Thing Yet", "Feel The Need", "No More Tears", "Will You Be Mine", and "Do You Believe Me". LP, Vinyl record album

No opera here – but a really unique early live show by The Pointer Sisters, one that shows the Bay Area quartet to be one of the most diverse soul acts of their generation! The double-length set features the girls singing a mix of older jazz tunes and a few newer tracks – scatting in vocalese one minute, and singing straighter soul the next – all with larger group backing from an orchestra directed by Tom Salisbury. There's a real "show" feeling to the album – as it was recorded even with the group's introduction on stage, as well as plenty of crowd response and an overall format that gets at the highly-entertaining mode of the Pointers in their early years. Titles include "Yes We Can Can", "Jada", "Black Coffee", "Cloudburst", "Let It Be Me", "Hands Up/Wang Dang Doodle", "Steam Heat", "Fairytale", "Shaky Flat Blues", "Love In Them There Hills", and "Salt Peanuts". LP, Vinyl record album

Martha and the girls' entry into Motown's well-done series of 70s multi-LP collections – this one only a double-length set, but still filled with plenty of great bits by the group! The set features a solid decade's worth of work – material from the trio's 1962 start at Motown, up to some of their even better albums for the label in the early 70s. Titles include "Bless You", "Honey Love", "Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things", "My Baby Loves Me", "Honey Chile", "Jimmy Mack", "I Promise To Wait My Love", "Benjamin", "Tear It On Down", "In & Out Of My Life", "Live Wire", "Wild One", "Motoring", "Nowhere To Run", "Quicksand", "Love Is Like A Heat Wave", and "I'll Have To Let Him Go". LP, Vinyl record album

A definite masterjam from Chaka Khan and Rufus – one of the group's last key efforts together – produced to perfection by the mighty Quincy Jones! Chaka's vocals are sublime right from the start – taking on the soaring majesty she'd use on her initial solo recordings – and the group's tighter than ever – really hitting the right mix of jazzy funk and soul to make the whole thing come together perfectly. Greatness like this only gets better with years – and this sweet little album is more than proof of that fact! Tracks include a version of "Body Heat", plus "Heaven Bound", "Live In Me", "Any Love", "Do You Love What You Feel", and "What Am I Missing". LP, Vinyl record album

The funky percussionist from The Headhunters – funking in a smooth mode with a summery Bay Area groove behind him. Tracks have lead vocals by Lori Ham and Calvin Tillery – and although the work isn't some of the best funk produced from the Fantasy Records scene of the mid/late 70s, the overall sound is pretty strong, and the album's got more than a few nice numbers. Titles include "Walking On Sunshine", "Dancing Lady", "Feel The Heat", "Samba De Oakland", "Musicland", and "You've Got Me Lovin Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Forget the "hustle" and "bump" in the title – as the set's not a disco cash-in set by the Godfather – and instead is an overlooked funky gem from the 70s! The set still follows strongly in the best modes of the early 70s – with that sharp JB-styled groove underneath – and in a way, the record's bit like Breaking Bread was to that group's great run – maybe a bit more focused, and slightly more upbeat – but still with a righteous approach to funk overall! David Matthews conducts, and players include Fred Wesley on trombone, Maceo Parker on alto, St Clair Pickney on tenor, and both Charles Sherrell and Leon Pendarvis on clavinet – and a few tracks are remakes of older numbers, nestled next to some newer gems. The set features the standout funky cuts "Your Love", which has a great break at the beginning, and "Superbad Superslick" – and other titles include "Hustle", "Turn On The Heat & Build Some Fire", "Calm & Cool", and a remake of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from bassist Paul Jackson – best known for his work in Herbie Hancock's Headhunters group – getting a rare chance to shine as a leader on his own, in a session that was originally only issued in Japan! Jackson is in prime Headhunters territory here, but also brings a spirit of his own – working with a wonderful lineup that includes Herbie Hancock on piano and keyboards, Ray Obiedo on guitar, Bennie Maupin on saxes, Webster Lewis on organ and keyboards, and Alphonse Mouzon on drums – all players who really help knock the record out of the park! The tracks are nice and long, and mix funk with more spiritual currents – with occasional vocals from Jackson that come as a nice surprise. Titles include the killer "Funk Times Three", which starts with a massive drum break – "Tiptoe Thru The Ghetto", "Burning In The Heat (Of Your Love)", and "Black Octopus". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

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

Titles include "Come & Get These Memories", "Love Is Like A Heat Wave", "Dancing In The Street", "Love Makes Me Do Foolish Things", "Nowhere To Run", and "A Love Like Yours". LP, Vinyl record album

An enduring classic from James Brown – quite possibly the strongest of his late 70s albums, and a record that nicely balances the harder funk of the early part of the decade with a more sophisticated style that almost gets slightly jazzy at times! The vocals are planted strongly at the top of most tunes – really calling out the shots and directing the rhythms – even though they seem tight enough to keep snapping along on their own – and also noteworthy are some of the mellower numbers on the set, which are almost more compelling than some of the groovers! Titles include "Bodyheat", "What The World Needs Now", "Don't Tell It", "Kiss In 77", "Woman", "Wake Up And Give", and "I'm Satisfied". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work by The Heath Brothers – a lot slicker and smoother than their earlier album for Strata East, but still filled with a soulful jazzy approach that befits their rich talents! By the point of this set, Jimmy Heath, once a rougher talent on the tenor, had emerged as one of the smooth soul maestros on the instrument – ranking next to Grover Washington Jr and Stanley Turrentine for a mellifluous sound and well-timed approach to the solo. Heath's written some great tracks here that are underpinned nicely by brother Percy's strong work on bass – still acoustic amidst some added electric instrumentation on some of the tracks. Titles include "Passion Flower", "Move to The Groove", "Feelin Dealin", "Project S", "The Voice Of The American Saxophone (from Afro American Suite of Evolution)", and "A Time & A Place (There's)". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A killer album of crossover soul from the mid 70s – one that dropped like a bomb when it hit, and gave this UK group a number of big hits in America! Keyboardist Rod Temperton wrote all the tracks on the album – and he's got keen talent for both funky numbers and ballads. If soul stations played album side specials the way that classic rock stations do, side one would be in heavy rotation – as it kicks off with the funky title cut, rolls into the hit "Boogie Nights", cuts to the sample classic "Ain't No Half Steppin" (forever made famous by Big Daddy Kane), and steps into the moody ballad "Always & Forever". It's hard to beat that lineup, but side two does a pretty good job – and includes a similar mix of titles like "Super Soul Sister", "All You Do Is Dial", and "Sho'nuff Must Be Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings – and soul music too! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – the sort of show that really set his fans on fire – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone", "Think", "Night Train", and the massive medley featuring "Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from Otis Clay, but also one of his greatest albums ever! The record features him with some fuller arrangements than usual – in less of a bluesy mode than during the Hi years, with a smooth sound that really brings out a whole new side of his style. The set was recorded in Chicago for the Japanese market – and the arrangements are by Benjamin Wright, Bill McFarland, and Clay himself. Includes the massive groover "The Only Way Is Up", an anthemic modern dancefloor number that later yielded a bit hit for Yazz – plus the tracks "Cheatin In The Next Room", "All I Need Is You", "Special Kind Of Love", "Messin With My Mind", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", and "Check It Out". LP, Vinyl record album

A double album from Roberta & Peabo – with some nicely recorded tracks from a gig at The Holiday Star Theater in Merrillville, IN (not too far south of Chicago) in the dawn of the 80s – and some tight studio material, too! It's got a some terrific live versions of some of the biggest hits from both singers – plus their great duets. Titles include "Don't Make Me Wait Too Long", a nice version of "Back Together Again" – which was originally done by Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway, "Killing Me Softly", "God Don't Like Ugly", "Feel The Fire", and "Only Heaven Can Wait/You Are My Heaven". 14 tracks on 2LPs. LP, Vinyl record album

Nifty 2LP set that brings together a motherlode of the Impressions' best material from their ABC years – plus some of Jerry Butler's nice solo material for Mercury from the same time, and a few Curtis cuts from the early 70s. Too much to mention here, but titles include "Keep On Pushin", "Gypsy Woman", "Need To Belong To Someone", "Woman's Got Soul", "Amen", "You've Been Cheatin", "Mr. Dream Merchant", "We're A Winner", "Moody Woman", and "Only The Strong Survive". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great back to basics set from Denise LaSalle – returning to her deep soul roots after some bigger, clubbier records for major labels! There's a nicely down-home vibe to the record – the start of LaSalle's presence on the bluesier underground of the aging chitlin circuit – but still not as fully bluesy as she's be a few years later. The album draws a bit from Miami soul modes of the previous decade, but also really lets that Malaco approach grow into its own with a strong singer like Denise – finding new confidence as the label was fast becoming one of the last soul labels left in America! Latimore does a great guest appearance on the title cut "Right Place Right Time" – and other tracks include "Bump & Grind", "Good Man Gone Bad", "He's Not Available", "Why Does It Feel So Right", "Love School", and "Your Husband Is Cheating On Us". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album that mixes funky music and comedy routines by Pigmeat! The set features 2 great funky 45 tracks – the hilarious "My Wife I Ain't Seen Her", plus a remake of "Open The Door Richard", done with some heavy Gene Barge backings. The album also features longer routines without music – "How To Make Love" and "The Bachelor Apartment" – recorded live at the Regal Theater. (Comedy, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A sharp UK version – with tracks that include "Wild One", "Nowhere To Run", "Heatwave", "Dancing In The Streets", "My Baby Loves Me", "Come & Get These Memories", "You've Been In Love Too Long", "A Love Like Yours", and "In My Lonely Room". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best-ever albums by the Supremes – and filled with stone classics, to boot! As the title states, Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard team up with Holland Dozier Holland – and they really to create the sound that would put them and Motown on the map. A couple of the biggest hits are laid down, but album also features tracks that are arguably even better to hear these days – as they spin out that quintessential Motown sound but aren't hampered by the ubiquity of the oldies radio staples! Titles include "You Keep Me Hanging On", "Love Is Here And Now You're Gone", "I Guess I'll Always Love You", "I'll Turn To Stone", "It's The Same Old Song", "Love Is In Our Hearts", 'There's No Stopping Us Now" and "Love Is Like A Heatwave". LP, Vinyl record album

More hit magic from the Brothers Johnson – still working with Quincy Jones at this point, and virtually setting up the blueprint for jazzy soul in the 80s! Backings are by an all-star team, and Rod Temperton's helping out Quincy with arrangements – going for that snapping groove approach he worked to best effect with Heatwave. The sound is tight, but never too slick – and The Brothers keep a nice funky undercurrent on the bottom of most tracks. Titles include "Smilin On Ya", "You Make Me Wanna Wiggle", "Light Up The Night", "Stomp", "This Had To Be", and "Closer To The One You Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent set by BB King – one of his best from the 60s, and a smoking live set recorded at Chicago's legendary Regal Theatre! The enthusiasm at the venue shows that BB's Memphis-honed style is a perfect fit for the electrified Chicago sound of the 60s – and the recording really brings out some wonderful responses from the audience – making the record a blues equivalent of James Brown's famous Live At The Apollo set! The record features introductions by Chicago DJs Pervis Spann and E Rodney Jones – and tracks include "Every Day", "Please Love Me", "Worry Worry", "Woke Up This Morning", "Help The Poor", and "You Upset Me Baby". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Not the Golden Girls of senior TV fame – but a trio of lovely ladies operating under the Silver Convention banner – really soaring here alongside warm disco arrangements from maestro Silvester Levay! There's maybe a bit more warmth here than some of the previous Silver Convention records – more New York vibe in the mix, which is a good thing – as Levay gets away from some of the stiffer European modes, and finds just the right setting for the trio of Penny McLean, Ramona Wolf, and Rhonda Heath. Backings include keyboards from Levay, guitar from Sigi Schawb, and "The Fantastic Strings Of Fritz Sonnleitner" – and titles include "Save Me 77", "Wolfchild", "Telegram", "Summer Nights", "Voodoo Woman", "Ain't It Like A Hollowood Movie", and "Hotshot". LP, Vinyl record album

A unique concert album from Dionne Warwick – proof that her talents weren't always restricted to Burt Bacharach arrangements in the studio! The setting is the classy Olympia Theater in Paris, and the style is a bit more open than on Dionne's studio albums – with less material by Bacharach & David than before, and a wider range of tunes that not only includes a few songs sung in French, but also a duet with Parisian popper Sacha Distel! The audience is oddly mic'ed up very high in the mix at times – crashing into the start of most tunes with the ferocity of radio static or a swarm of bees – but Warwick quickly takes over with her own vocals once the songs get going. Titles include "I Love Paris", "C'Est Si Bon", "Walk On By", "You'll Never Get To Heaven", "O Yeah Yeah Yeah", "The Good Life", "La Vie En Rose", and "What'd I Say". LP, Vinyl record album

Fairly decent jazz session, and one in which Ray plays alto sax and electric piano, along with his usual acoustic piano. Milt Jackson is on vibes, of course, and the rest of the group includes Kenny Burrell, Percy Heath, and Art Taylor. Titles include "Soul Meeting", "X Ray Blues", "Blue Genius", and "Bags Of Blues". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A classic album of all-out soul from Herbie Hancock – done in close collaboration with Rod Temperton of Heatwave – in a jazzy-styled version of that group's own great groove! Temperton handled arrangements and a lot of songwriting, and most cuts have lead vocals from Wayne Anthony – who does a nice job with the lyrics, but still leaves Herbie some space for keyboard solos too – in a groove that's a fair bit warmer than some of the other keyboard-heavy soul records of the time. Production is by Narada Michael Walden, Herbie, and Jay Graydon – and titles include the jazzy stepping gem "Getting To The Good Part", plus "Lite Me Up", "The Bomb", "Can't Hide Your Love", "The Fun Tracks", and "Motor Mouth". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from Jimmy Reed – and one of the first few albums on the Vee Jay label! The sound is spare, rootsy, and bluesy – the kind of tunes that made Jimmy an instant favorite, and which were a key force in the Chicago blues sound of the 50s. The set features material recorded for Vee Jay in 1958 and 1957, with Jimmy on vocals, acoustic guitar, and harmonica. Benchmark late 50s Chicago blues! Titles include "Honest, I Do", "You Got Me Dizzy", "Can't Stand To See You Go", "Boogie In The Dark", "You Got Me Crying", "Little Rain", "Roll & Rhumba", his classic "Ain't That Lovin' You Baby" and more. (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of Bill Withers' greatest albums of the 70s – a set that has hip stepping off the acoustic sound of his Sussex records, into a warm and jazzy style that we like every bit as much as his earlier work! The album's got a wonderfully sophisticated jazzy vibe, and includes the excellent cut "Lovely Day" – a perfect midtempo track with some great electric keyboards behind Bill's raspy soulful voice, and a great hook on the chorus! Paul Riser handled a lot of the arrangements – and other titles include "Wintertime", "It Ain't Because Of Me Baby", "I Want To Spend The Night", and "Then You Smile At Me". LP, Vinyl record album