Early King Records material by Champion Jack Dupree – a hell of a pianist, and a heck of a great singer too – working almost as a raconteur on some of the best songs on this collection! The music has deep roots in New Orleans, where Jack must have really honed his piano skills – but there's also a more northern, more urban presentation of the music on these cuts – a strong current of wit that comes in the way that Jack puts over a tune, and a great mix of jazzy phrasing in both his piano and the electric guitar that sometimes provides strong accompaniment. Jack's vocals are almost more commentary than traditional lyrics – often with an undercurrent of raunch – and titles include "That's My Pa", "Failing Health Blues", "Big Leg Emma's", "Two Below Zero", "Camille", "Me & My Mule", "She Cooks Me Cabbage", and "Silent Partner". (Blues, Soul) CD

Completely sublime work from Beverly Glenn Copeland – a really unique artist who's almost a genre unto herself – and who sings here in a mix of folk, jazz, and soul – maybe resonant with work at the time by Terry Callier or Nina Simone, but every bit as individual as the best from those two giants too! The performance was recorded by CBC at a key moment in Beverly's career – after a time she'd spent on the scene in Montreal, really soaking up different influences and exploring musical pathways away from her American roots – to a point where she emerges here as a very righteous, yet very personal singer – clearly not immediately interested in chart success, even though she's got the power of a young Roberta Flack. Titles include "Northwind", "Swords Of Gold", "Don't Despair", "Nothing Beautiful", "Song From Beads", "Untitled", "Interval", "Reflections", and "Durocher". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Rare Canadian funk from the 70s – played by a hip little group who've also got a jazzy flavor too! The Sidewinders are a bit like American ensemble funk acts of the time – in that they can have an upbeat, tight approach to the groove when they want – but they also have a great ear for some gentler moments too, and sparkle almost even more on some of the ballad numbers on the set. Even the fuller groovers have some great standout elements – including sax bits that soar nicely out of the larger horn section – and overall, the album's got a great sense of character and personality, and is far more than just a few cats from up north trying to copy an American groove. Titles include "I Like Your Stuff", "A Voyage", "I Like To Dance", "Time For Loving", "Flat Foot Hustlin", "Can't You Feel The Fire", and "Gift To The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's gotta be one of the most righteous school band records ever – way more than just a bunch of students doing big band numbers, and instead a killer batch of spiritual jazz numbers, directed by the legendary Alvin Batiste! The record's one of a rare few 70s sets of this nature – one that shows a group of younger musicians really reaching out for bold new sounds – every bit as complex and soulful as work on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz, with a fiery power that signals a new generation of the jazz underground! And while Batiste is at the head of the group, there's plenty of other great younger players too – including Henry Butler on piano, Henry Scott on flute, Kirk Ford on tenor, Reginald Houston on baritone, Raymond Deggs on trumpet, Julius Farmer on bass, and Herman Jackson on drums! Side one features burning ensemble numbers that include "Music Came", "Tunjii", "Straight Life", and "North American Idiosyncrasy" – and side two features early material by the Henry Butler Trio, on titles that include "So What", "In My Solitude", and "Milestones". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Killer keyboards from the legendary George Duke – and one of his most righteous albums for the MPS label! The album's a spectacular set that showcases both sides of Duke's genius at the time – his spacey, soulful approach to a laidback tune – and his more jamming styles on the harder cuts! Instrumentation is somewhat spare – just keyboards and piano from George, who also sings a bit – plus Ndugu Chancler on drums and John Heard on bass – both playing with a freely creative energy that's definitely motivated by Duke. There's a beautiful mix of electricity and acoustic warmth on the set – never too forced, and clearly an inspiration for countless players in years to come – maybe even more so than Herbie Hancock's work of the time. Drums are great too – and snap tightly for plenty of nice breaks on the set – which are in turn augmented by mellower keys from Duke, who also sings with a sweetly electric soul style. Titles include "Capricorn", "The Opening", "Psychosomatic Dung", "North Beach", "Faces In Reflection", "Maria Tres Filhos", and "Da Somba". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A set that's gotta be one of the most righteous school band records ever – way more than just a bunch of students doing big band numbers, and instead a killer batch of spiritual jazz numbers, directed by the legendary Alvin Batiste! The record's one of a rare few 70s sets of this nature – one that shows a group of younger musicians really reaching out for bold new sounds – every bit as complex and soulful as work on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz, with a fiery power that signals a new generation of the jazz underground! And while Batiste is at the head of the group, there's plenty of other great younger players too – including Henry Butler on piano, Henry Scott on flute, Kirk Ford on tenor, Reginald Houston on baritone, Raymond Deggs on trumpet, Julius Farmer on bass, and Herman Jackson on drums! Side one features burning ensemble numbers that include "Music Came", "Tunjii", "Straight Life", and "North American Idiosyncrasy" – and side two features early material by the Henry Butler Trio, on titles that include "So What", "In My Solitude", and "Milestones". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic showcase for the Chicago-raised Otis Spann – a musician who'd already had plenty of recordings under his belt by the time of this session, but definitely gets a different sort of exposure here – thanks to the unique presentation of the Candid Records label! Candid mostly recorded modern jazz, and had a very open ear to getting the best out of their musicians – which they definitely do here with Spann's piano, set up in spare duo formation next to the guitar of the equally great and important Robert Lockwood. Both players sing on the record, alternating vocals from track to track in a set of all-original material – with titles that include "Worried Life Blues", "Great Northern Stomp", "Otis In The Dark", "The Hard Way", "Take A Little Walk With Me", and "Beat Up Team". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A massive third helping of rare Motown soul – filled with just as many obscure moments and unreleased gems as the previous two volumes! Even if you're a Motown completist enough to buy those giant Complete Singles volumes, you'll still find plenty here to love – because this UK-only series really digs deep into the Motown vaults, and proves that there's a tremendous amount of great music that never saw the light of day back in the 60s! The overall style is strongly in the Northern Soul mode – no surprise, given the British origin of the set – but even with that tight focus, the range of music here is really wonderful, and includes a great amount of work by lesser stars in the Motown galaxy. All tracks are presented with full notes on the original recording date – and the 2CD package features a whopping 43 tracks that include "You're Walking Out With My Heart" by Brenda Holloway, "This Love Will Never Die" by The Miracles, "At The Go Go" by Stevie Wonder, "I'm In Love Again" by Shorty Long, "Easier Said Than Done" by Dennis Edwards, "Never Give You Up" by Blinky & Edwin Starr, "A Chance With You" by Marvin Gaye, "Watch Your Step" by Mike Varo, "Come Back My Love" by The Temptations, "Too Young Too Long" by Carolyn Crawford, "SOS Girl In Distress" by Marv Johnson, "Thief Of Love" by Oma Page, "Loving You" by Fantastic Four, "Just Too Much" by The Monitors, "Little Girls Grow Up" by The Marvelettes, "Don't Stop Loving Me" by Ivy Jo, "Soldier Of Love" by The Four Tops, "I'm Here Now That You Need Me" by JJ Barnes, "Beware Of A Stranger" by Rita Wright, "Cindy" by Bobby Taylor, and "Too Late I Learned" by The Spinners. CD

Excellent early work by Leon Haywood – recorded way back in the mid 60s, when he was knocking around the LA indie scene with a very soulful groove! Back in those years, Leon wasn't singing as much, just playing piano and organ in a mixture of soul and jazz instrumental modes – all hard-stepping with a very strong northern soul groove, and some of the heaviest production ever to come out of the west coast in the 60s! The whole album's a killer – extremely grooving, and with a blend of styles that keeps things fresh all the way through. Titles include "Ray's Theme", "Soul Cargo", "Fat Fish", "The Sidewinder", "Spice Of The Blues", "River's Invitation", and "The Preacher". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from one of the smokinest soul labels of the west coast scene of the 60s – mighty Mirwood Records, a company that's kept the Northern Soul scene humming for decades! Mirwood wasn't one of the biggest, or most chart-topping labels – but the company came up with some incredible work in the uptempo mode that's really held strongly over the years. The label boasted some great singers with a straightforward, no-nonsense approach – often working with tight rhythms and rolling piano lines to send the tunes home with a solid sort of punch! This special vinyl-only set features some of the most crackling cuts from the Mirwood catalog – 14 titles that include "Do The Temptation Walk" by Jackie Lee, "That Beatin Rhythm" by Richard Temple, "My Little Girl" by The Bob & Earl Band, "I Wanna Do Everything For You Baby" by The Mirettes, "I Can't Get Away" by Bobby Garrett, "Is She In Your Town" by Curtis Lee, "Mine Exclusively" by The Olympics, "Where There's A Will" by Jimmy Thomas, "I Can't Stop You" by The Performers, "Stubborn Heart" by The Sheppards, and "Don't Pretend" by The Belles. LP, Vinyl record album

The not so Guilty Secrets Of Northern Soul on Ace – uptempo, dancefloor ready singles compiled by Ace – leftfield stormers from pop, rock and blue-eyed soul and otherwise uncommon resources that meet the exciting, floor-shaking criteria! It's cool stuff all the way, with recognizable names and lesser knowns – singles by Judy Harris, The Rumblers, The Seeds with Sky Saxon, The Spyders, Garland Green, Jay & The Americans and many more! 24 tracks in all: "Don't Stop Lookin'", "You Touched Me" by Judy Harris, "Ten Miles High' by David & The Giants, "Keeps On Burning" by The Burning Bush, "You Sexy Sugar Plum (But I Like It)" by Rodger Collins, "Bumpin' And Stompin'" by Garland Green, "Elusive" by Babe Ruth, "I Can Take Care Of Myself" by The Spyders, "Walk Tall (Like A Man)" by by 2 Of Clubs, "Livin' Above Your Head" by Jay & The Americans and more. CD

Upbeat stormers from the legendary Chess Records – a collection of 20 tracks from the 60s that bristle and burn with the best energy of a Northern Soul dancefloor! The package really spans the genius of Chess at the time – running through soul, jazz, blues, and gospel in search of a groove – going past the bigger hits to feature some great lesser-known gems, including a few singles from tinier Chess-related labels! There's plenty of Chicago and Detroit 60s grooves running through the set – mixed with other great bits that pick up the sound nicely, and stretch out with some really unusual touches! Titles include "Hold On" by The Radiants, "It Ain't Necessary" by Mamie Galore, "Ordinary Joe" by Terry Callier, "Leave It In The Hands Of Love" by Fontella Bass, "Landslide" by Tony Clarke, "Sweeter Than The Day Before" by The Valentinos, "More & More" by Little Milton, "More Love That's What We Need" by The Gospel Classics, "I Can't Help Myself" by The Gems, "Wade In The Water" by Ramsey Lewis, "Boogaloo Baby" by Tommy & Cleve, "Make Sure" by The Dells, and "Peak Of Love" by Bobby McClure. CD

A great entry in this really wonderful series – one that's shifted a lot over the years, and in the best way possible! "Classiest" may be a tough word to peg down – but here, it refers to tracks that are well-done, and completely put-together – yet which have the kind of groove you'd expect from vintage Northern Soul of the 60s! There's a Motown influence felt throughout, but many tunes are nicely varied – a spectrum of acts from different US scenes, and a mix of arranging styles that match the well-penned songs – all handled in the usual Ace/Kent tradition, which means you'll find lots of rare singles, some unissued tracks, and great sound and notes throughout. Titles include "I Need Your Love" by Brothers Of Soul, "Girl Come On Home" by Major Lance, "I've Got To Come In" by Jean Battle, "So Glad" by The Lyrics, "Ready Or Not Here I Come" by Carolyn Crawford, "The Intruder" by Melvin Hicks & The Versatiles, "She's Supreme" by The Lovers, "I Wish I Knew" by Joe Buckner & Major IV, "I'll Fly To Your Open Arms" by The Family Brick, "Soul Kind Of Love" by The Hesitations, and "I Need A True Love" by Ray Gant & The Arabian Knights. CD

Great work from this blue-eyed soul group of the 70s – one who've been picked and kept alive by some key underground scenes over the years – like the Northern Soul world of the UK, and the beach music scene in the Carolinas! The group here have some key jazz contributions from Mike Melvoin on piano, Dennis Budimir on guitar, and Tom Scott on tenor – and as with their first record, there's a nice current of soul running through the music – a way of using soulful elements in subtle ways, which is really the appeal of these guys – as they really know how to slide in with a compelling style and a warm vocal approach! Titles include "Get It Up For Love", "I Can't Stop This Love Song", "When You Get Right Down To It", "Who's Foolin' Who", and "Magical Lady". CD features four bonus tracks, all singles – "Skysurf", "Can't Let You Down", "Gemini Lady", and "Love Connection". CD

The Detroit soul scene at the start of the 60s – music from a time before Motown was dominating the city's reputation, and a whole host of other great labels brought the motor city sound to the masses! The work here is quite a surprise if you're only thinking in terms of Northern Soul and some of the more uptempo Detroit groovers – as the work here burns on so many different levels – often with a style that reflects some of the nascent soul coming out of Chicago on labels like Chess and Vee Jay, the latter of whom is featured here amidst a range of other imprints that include Wand, Atlantic, Scepter, Time, Old Town, and Brent – all of whom released some of these early Detroit soul tracks as singles back in the day. In true Ace/Kent fashion, the set also features a few unreleased gems, plus a wonderful set of notes on the city's soul scene – alongside tracks that include "Nosey Folk" by The Del-Phis, "Answer Me" by Vivian Collins, "Can't We Get Together" by Harry Reid, "Here I Am" by Betty Lavette, "Shakin Fit" by The Pyramids, "That's No Way To Spend My Time" by The Pen Ettes, "Wedding Bells" by Melvin Davis, "You Lied" by Marva Josie, "Think A Little Sugar" by Barbara Lewis, "Just One More Time" by JJ Barnes, "My Letter" by Priscilla Page, "I Know How It Feels" by Laura Johnson, "I'm A Lonely Guy" by Timmy Shaw & The Sternphones, "Come Back To Me" by La Wanda William, "I Cried For My Last Time" by The Sonnettes, and "Tears Running & Falling From My Eyes" by James Lately. CD

An essential chapter of Miami soul – even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul – but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own – served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect – Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene – and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. But even above the 20 great tracks on the CD, the package is amazing too – filled with notes on each group, a special appendix on Miami soul, a rare indie label discography, and a wealth of great images and photos – all layered lovingly into a full-color, 32 page booklet! Numero have really outdone themselves with this one – and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package – more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A whole host of rare cuts from the original Kent Records label in LA – the 60s follow-up to the famous Crown/Modern/RPM imprint of the postwar years – a set of labels that gave the world plenty of amazing R&B tracks in the 50s! Here, Kent is going more for a 60s groove overall, but with qualities that still echo the nice edge of their older material – all in a package that pays tribute to a famous collection of Kent songs done by Ace Records forty years before – the start of a long love affair that's had Ace issuing plenty of tracks that never saw the light of day back in the 50s and 60s! That's definitely the case here – as rare cuts stand next to others making their vinyl debut – on a soaring soul lineup that includes "I Got Love" by The Other Brothers, "Long As I Got My Baby" by Jackie Day, "Down In The City" by The Marvellos, "The Sun Don't Shine Everyday" by The Saints, "I've Got To Win Your Love For Me" by The Simms Twins, "Stand Up Straight & Tall" by Jackie Shane, "Walk The Chalk Line" by Aaron Collins & The Teen Queens, "I'm Tired" by Billy Watkins, "That's It" by ZZ Hill, "Tobacco Road North" by Tommy Youngblood, and "I Was Born To Love You" by Johnny Copeland. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest Northern Soul albums ever – completely great all the way through, and filled with songs that have been burning up dancefloors for years! The vocals are incredible – soaring harmonies that hold together perfectly, even when the grooves are hard and heavy – and the instrumentation is great too – handled by the Pied Piper team, who were kind of a Motown offshoot that featured Jack Ashford on vibes and percussion, Dave Hamilton and Ray Monette on guitar, and Joe Hunter on piano. Hunter and Ashford handled the arrangements – with a pitch-perfect sound that's completely sublime – sweet and grooving at the same time, and put together with the same kind of care you'd find at Motown – but with all the harder-edge qualities that always made indie work from Detroit so great. Every cut is a winner, and the set is the only full album ever done by the group – with cuts that include "Egyptian Love", "Till The End Of Time", "Since I Found My Baby", "Sweetest One", "Unlucky Sun", "I'll Never Forget You", "Do The Pied Piper", and "I'm With You All The Way". Great reissue – fully remastered from the original tapes – with new liner notes too! CD

Killer work from one of the smokinest soul labels of the west coast scene of the 60s – mighty Mirwood Records, a company that's kept the Northern Soul scene humming for decades! Mirwood wasn't one of the biggest, or most chart-topping labels – but the company came up with some incredible work in the uptempo mode that's really held strongly over the years. The label boasted some great singers with a straightforward, no-nonsense approach – often working with tight rhythms and rolling piano lines to send the tunes home with a solid sort of punch! This set features 24 classics from the glory days of Mirwood – all lovingly presented with great notes in the usual high Kent/Ace standard. Titles include "Your Kind Ain't No Good" by The Mirettes, "Stubborn Heart" by The Sheppards, "Baby Your Time Is My Time" by Bob & Earl, "Oh My Darlin" by Jackie Lee, "Set Me Free" by The Performers, "Words Can't Explain" by The Belles, "Where There's A Will" by Jimmy Thomas, "The Same Old Thing" by The Olympics, "Keep It Coming" by Bobby Garrett, "Just Tryin To Please You" by Jimmy Thomas, "Is She In Your Town" by Curtis Lee, and "Lost" by The Darlettes. CD

An absolute treasure trove of rare soul singles from Pied Piper Productions – a mid 60s Detroit soul operation that features Funk Brothers Jack Ashford, Joe Hunter, and Mike Terry – laying down sounds that rival the best Motown groovers of the period! The work is amazing throughout – soul cuts heavily focused on the groove and amazing lead vocals – recorded in ways that are similar to the best of Detroit at the time, but with some rawer aspects too – which makes for a massive package of Northern Soul gems! The package features both solo singers and great groups too – artists who include Lorraine Chandler, The Hesitations, September Jones, The Cavaliers, Willie Kendrick, Nancy Wilcox, and – heard here on rare singles and LP tracks that were originally released on labels like Karate, Kapp, Ruby and Giant – plus a number of recently unearthed titles that are seeing release for the first time ever! The set features 24 tracks in all, and the usual superb Kent notes and packaging – with titles that include "I Can't Hold On" by Lorraine Chandler, "Stuttering Sam" by September Jones, "Gambler's Blues" by Nancy Wilcox, "This Heart Is Lonely" by Rose Batiste, "Just Can't Leave You" by Tony Hesher, "Could It Be" by Micki Farrow, "I Fell In Love (Can't Help It)" by Freddy Butler, "He'll Be Leaving You" by The Pied Piper Players, "If Only You Knew" by Mike & Ray, "Time Changes Things" by Willie Kendrick, and "Lonely Too Long" by The Sandpipers. CD