... LP, Vinyl record album

The last 2 albums that the Impressions ever cut for ABC during the 60s, both of them pretty darn nice! The Fabulous Impressions has a vibe that's way more than you'd expect from the group's supper club style on the cover – as the record features a great set of original Curtis Mayfield compositions, sung by the group in great form, with arrangements by the total genius Johnny Pate! The record is filled with haunting soul tracks like "Isle Of Sirens", "Aware Of Love", "It's All Over", "Love's A Comin", "You Ought To Be In Heaven", and "She Don't Love Me" – all written by Curtis, and all proof that he's always been one of the best soul songwriters! A nice little gem that often gets lost in the band's catalog – but one to seek out, even if you're a bit nervous about a record with "fabulous" in the title! We're A Winner is a whole new level of pride and power for The Impressions – as you might guess from the bold statement of the title track! It may seem hard to believe from the perspective of the 21st Century, but back in the mid 60s, a message like "We're A Winner" was quite a strong one – a new anthem of righteous identity that was one of the first truly political statements from a young Curtis Mayfield, and a great precursor of the genius to come in the 70s! But even at this early state, there's still plenty of genius going on – not just in Mayfield's sublime songwriting, but also in the harmonies of the group, and the beautiful treatment they get in the studio from arranger Johnny Pate. The album's one of their key classics from the ABC years – and titles include "We're A Winner", "Moonlight Shadows", "Nothing Can Stop Me", "I'm Gettin Ready", "Let Me Tell The World", and "Little Brown Boy". CD

A great little album by The Impressions – possibly their best of the 70s! The record's got a very solid harmony soul approach, and Lowrell Simon wrote and produced a number of tracks with Rich Tufo – giving the album the same sweet sexy sound that he brought to his best solo records, and his late work with The Lost Generation! The best example of this is the fantastic soul cut "We Go Back A Ways", a sweet mellow groover in the Leroy Hutson vein, and one of their standout cuts in the post-Curtis days. Ed Townsend worked on a number of other cuts, too, and he brings a real tightness to the songwriting – especially on the cuts "Guess What I Got", "Try Me (One More Time)", and "I'm A Changed Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic soul from the Chicago scene of the 60s – the legendary first ABC album by Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions! Although the group first broke big on Vee Jay Records, it was at ABC that their genius really took flight – tightening up the harmonies of the earlier singles, and hitting a mode that was a lot more soul than the doo wop of their roots! The sound here is a great bridge between the two eras of the group's career – and a number of the best tracks here are done in a mellow, gentle sort of way that relies heavily on the harmonies – crackling out with beautifully human sounds throughout. Nearly every tune is an original by Curtis Mayfield – and there's not a spot of filler on the album! Titles include "Minstrel & Queen", "Gypsy Woman", "Never Let Me Go", "It's All Right", "Sad Sad Girl & Boy", "Little Young Lover", "Can't You See", and "I Need Your Love". Nice cover, too – with Curtis smiling the biggest ol' bucktoothed smile you'll ever see! LP, Vinyl record album

2 early gems from The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Impressions – fantastic soul from the Chicago scene of the 60s – the legendary first ABC album by Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions! Although the group first broke big on Vee Jay Records, it was at ABC that their genius really took flight – tightening up the harmonies of the earlier singles, and hitting a mode that was a lot more soul than the doo wop of their roots! The sound here is a great bridge between the two eras of the group's career – and a number of the best tracks here are done in a mellow, gentle sort of way that relies heavily on the harmonies – crackling out with beautifully human sounds throughout. Nearly every tune is an original by Curtis Mayfield – and there's not a spot of filler on the album! Titles include "Minstrel & Queen", "Gypsy Woman", "Never Let Me Go", "Sad Sad Girl & Boy", "Little Young Lover", "Can't You See", and "I Need Your Love". Nice cover, too – with Curtis smiling the biggest ol' bucktoothed smile you'll ever see! Never-Ending Impressions is a major winner from The Impressions! Virtually all of their material for ABC was excellent – and this LP is no exception, as it's got loads of original Curtis Mayfield compositions, and plenty of great arrangements by Chicago soul legend Johnny Pate. The group is extremely soulful at this point – and they sound great on just about every cut. Titles include "Ten To One", "I'm So Proud", "Sister Love", "Little Boy Blue", "Girl You Don't Know Me", "I Gotta Keep Movin", and "A Woman Who Loves Me". CD

2 early gems from The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! First up is the self-titled Impressions – fantastic soul from the Chicago scene of the 60s – the legendary first ABC album by Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions! Although the group first broke big on Vee Jay Records, it was at ABC that their genius really took flight – tightening up the harmonies of the earlier singles, and hitting a mode that was a lot more soul than the doo wop of their roots! The sound here is a great bridge between the two eras of the group's career – and a number of the best tracks here are done in a mellow, gentle sort of way that relies heavily on the harmonies – crackling out with beautifully human sounds throughout. Nearly every tune is an original by Curtis Mayfield – and there's not a spot of filler on the album! Titles include "Minstrel & Queen", "Gypsy Woman", "Never Let Me Go", "Sad Sad Girl & Boy", "Little Young Lover", "Can't You See", and "I Need Your Love". Nice cover, too – with Curtis smiling the biggest ol' bucktoothed smile you'll ever see! Never-Ending Impressions is a major winner from The Impressions! Virtually all of their material for ABC was excellent – and this LP is no exception, as it's got loads of original Curtis Mayfield compositions, and plenty of great arrangements by Chicago soul legend Johnny Pate. The group is extremely soulful at this point – and they sound great on just about every cut. Titles include "Ten To One", "I'm So Proud", "Sister Love", "Little Boy Blue", "Girl You Don't Know Me", "I Gotta Keep Movin", and "A Woman Who Loves Me". CD

... CD

There's no need for The Impressions to push from behind – because with a record like this, they're very firmly in the driver's seat! The album's a treasure through and through – one of the greatest documents of 60s soul from the Chicago scene – filled with sublime original compositions by a young Curtis Mayfield, set to great arrangements from the legendary Johnny Pate! The sound here is immaculate – a groove that's slightly stepping, gently lilting – just enough to get things moving, but with plenty of care not to smother the fragile harmonies of the group. And as on other of the best ABC albums by The Impressions, there's not a hint of filler here – just one great track after another, with titles that include "Amen", "I Made A Mistake", "Don't Let It Hide", "Keep On Pushing", "Somebody Help Me", "Long Long Winter", and "I've Been Trying". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of 60s classics by the mighty Impressions – back to back on a single CD! On Keep On Pushing, there's no need for The Impressions to push from behind – because with a record like this, they're very firmly in the driver's seat! The album's a treasure through and through – one of the greatest documents of 60s soul from the Chicago scene – filled with sublime original compositions by a young Curtis Mayfield, set to great arrangements from the legendary Johnny Pate! The sound here is immaculate – a groove that's slightly stepping, gently lilting – just enough to get things moving, but with plenty of care not to smother the fragile harmonies of the group. And as on other of the best ABC albums by The Impressions, there's not a hint of filler here – just one great track after another, with titles that include "Amen", "I Made A Mistake", "Don't Let It Hide", "Keep On Pushing", "Somebody Help Me", "Long Long Winter", and "I've Been Trying". People Get Ready is one of the greatest albums ever from The Impressions – and a set that takes their work to a whole new level, by bringing in an even more righteous sound! The core elements of the group's 60s genius are all in place here – compositions from Curtis Mayfield, arrangements from Johnny Pate, and sublime harmonies from the group. But there's also something extra too – a new level of consciousness that's creeping into the music, hinting at the more righteous subject matter of later years – but with a much more subtle approach. All tracks are great – and titles include "See the Real Me", "Woman's Got Soul", "We're In Love", "Can't Work No Longer", and "Emotions". CD

A pair of 60s classics by the mighty Impressions – back to back on a single CD! On Keep On Pushing, there's no need for The Impressions to push from behind – because with a record like this, they're very firmly in the driver's seat! The album's a treasure through and through – one of the greatest documents of 60s soul from the Chicago scene – filled with sublime original compositions by a young Curtis Mayfield, set to great arrangements from the legendary Johnny Pate! The sound here is immaculate – a groove that's slightly stepping, gently lilting – just enough to get things moving, but with plenty of care not to smother the fragile harmonies of the group. And as on other of the best ABC albums by The Impressions, there's not a hint of filler here – just one great track after another, with titles that include "Amen", "I Made A Mistake", "Don't Let It Hide", "Keep On Pushing", "Somebody Help Me", "Long Long Winter", and "I've Been Trying". People Get Ready is one of the greatest albums ever from The Impressions – and a set that takes their work to a whole new level, by bringing in an even more righteous sound! The core elements of the group's 60s genius are all in place here – compositions from Curtis Mayfield, arrangements from Johnny Pate, and sublime harmonies from the group. But there's also something extra too – a new level of consciousness that's creeping into the music, hinting at the more righteous subject matter of later years – but with a much more subtle approach. All tracks are great – and titles include "See the Real Me", "Woman's Got Soul", "We're In Love", "Can't Work No Longer", and "Emotions". CD

Classic 60s Impressions material, with the legendary lineup firmly in place, and the great Johnny Pate handling all arrangements – really giving them that sense of righteous power that pushed their music past a lot of the previous group soul sounds of the Chicago scene – with a sophistication in both the instrumentation and harmonies that's completely sublime! The album mixes Curtis Mayfield compositions – like "Lonely Man", "Just One Kiss From You", "Falling In Love With You" – with special Impressions' takes on tunes that include "My Prayer", "Without A Song", "Answer Me, of that the Impressions could shine, whatever the setting! LP, Vinyl record album

2 classic albums from the ABC Records years of The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! One By One is classic 60s Impressions material, with the legendary lineup firmly in place, and the great Johnny Pate handling all arrangements – really giving them that sense of righteous power that pushed their music past a lot of the previous group soul sounds of the Chicago scene – with a sophistication in both the instrumentation and harmonies that's completely sublime! The album mixes Curtis Mayfield compositions – like "Lonely Man", "Just One Kiss From You", "Falling In Love With You" – with special Impressions' takes on tunes that include "My Prayer", "Without A Song", "Answer Me, My Love", "I Want To Be With You", and "Nature Boy", which the group does incredibly well. Proof that the Impressions could shine, whatever the setting! Riding High is a record in which the title and cover say it all – because The Impressions are at the top of their game – riding high on a tremendous wave of soul, and soaring forth with a sense of pride and power few other groups could match! Maestro Johnny Pate is on board to handle the arrangements and production – and he helps Curtis Mayfield and the group reach a sound that's sophisticated throughout, but still retains a deeply personal sensibility. The harmonies are tremendous – never too sweet or too smooth, and always with that slightly fragile quality that made The Impressions one of the most human soul groups of their era. Nearly all the tunes are originals from Curtis – and titles include "Riding High", "Too Slow", "Man's Temptation", "I'm A Telling You", and "I Need To Belong To Someone". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from The Impressions – and a set that takes their work to a whole new level, by bringing in an even more righteous sound! The core elements of the group's 60s genius are all in place here – compositions from Curtis Mayfield, arrangements from Johnny Pate, and sublime harmonies from the group. But there's also something extra too – a new level of consciousness that's creeping into the music, hinting at the more righteous subject matter of later years – but with a much more subtle approach. All tracks are great – and titles include "See the Real Me", "Woman's Got Soul", "We're In Love", "Can't Work No Longer", and "Emotions". LP, Vinyl record album

The Impressions are wearing their politics much more on their sleeve at this point – what with a cover that shows them standing in the rubble of the ghetto, and a title that is both a bold proclamation of ownership, and a sad comment on the state of affairs. Curtis Mayfield's pen is in perfect form here, and the group hits that perfect mix of sweet soul and politics that make these late 60s efforts some of their (and Curtis') strongest work. Their harmonies far surpass the earlier years, which still kind of make us wish that Curtis hadn't gone solo, because we just love the sound of his sweet raspy voice next to the deeper style of Fred Cash. The set's filled with great cuts like "This Is My Country", "Loves Happening", "Fool For You", and "Stay Close To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing work by The Impressions – a double-length set that's totally great! First up is the soundtrack for the Fred Williamson/Jim Brown/Jim Kelly action flick Three The Hard Way – not only a great soundtrack, but one of the best 70s albums by The Impressions! The set was written, arranged, and produced by the Curtom super-team of Rich Tufo and Lowrell Simon – and it's got a super-dope feel that reminds us of the work by Natural Four from the same time, with sweet harmonies over funky backings, in a hip 70s groove that's totally great! All cuts are vocal, but they have plenty of funky moments – and in a way, the whole album's as great as the lead track, which is normally the best one in a blacksploitation soundtrack like this. In other words, if you dig hit soundtrack theme songs like "Across 110th Street" or "Theme from Cleopatra Jones", you'll dig this entire album! Tracks include the great "Having A Ball", plus "Make A Resolution", "Something's Mighty Mighty Wrong", and "Three The Hard Way (Chase & Theme)". First Impressions is hardly the first album by The Impressions, despite the title – but a wonderful batch of modern soul tunes that proves that the group could groove long after Curtis Mayfield was gone! As with other Curtom gems from the 70s, the album has the group working with some really top-shelf help in the studio – production from Ed Townsend, who does a really great job of making the harmonies sparkle with a rich quality that really stands out – a mode that returns the group to the mellow brilliance of their 60s recordings, but still keeps some of the maturity they picked up along the way. Townsend also wrote most of the tracks on the set, with a confident male soul style that's not unlike the best love-heavy territory that Marvin Gaye was exploring at the time – a perfect fit for the newly-refined vocals of the mid 70s quartet lineup that included original members Sam Gooden and Fred Cash, plus Ralph Johnson and Reggie Toran. Titles include the sublime "Groove", which has a nice two-step feel, and "Sooner Or Later", which is a nice mellow cut with an undercurrent of funk – and other tracks include "Old Before My Time", "Same Thing It Took", "I'm So Glad", and "How High Is High". CD

A new level of pride and power for The Impressions – as you might guess from the bold statement of the title track! It may seem hard to believe from the perspective of the 21st Century, but back in the mid 60s, a message like "We're A Winner" was quite a strong one – a new anthem of righteous identity that was one of the first truly political statements from a young Curtis Mayfield, and a great precursor of the genius to come in the 70s! But even at this early state, there's still plenty of genius going on – not just in Mayfield's sublime songwriting, but also in the harmonies of the group, and the beautiful treatment they get in the studio from arranger Johnny Pate. The album's one of their key classics from the ABC years – and titles include "We're A Winner", "Moonlight Shadows", "Nothing Can Stop Me", "I'm Gettin Ready", "Let Me Tell The World", and "Little Brown Boy". 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 pretty cool compilation – one that features great grooves from Buddah records, packaged in a sweet dial-style cover – with inside information on the label and its staff too! Features work by The Impressions, 5 Stairsteps & Cubie, Elephants Memory, 1910 Fruitgum Company, Barry Boldberg, Smoke Ring, US 69, Loving Spoonful, Ohio Express, The Road, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

Includes the songs "Gypsy Woman", "It's All Right", "I'm So Proud", "Keep On Pushing", "Amen", "People Get Ready", "Woman's Got Soul", "We're A Winner", "Choice Of Colors", "Freddie's Dead", and "Superfly". CD

One of the many obscure albums of material by The Ohio Players – material that was recorded in the late 60's by Capitol, but frequently repackaged and retitled in the early 70's to cash in on the big hit status of the band. The band has elements of their funky 70s style on Westbound – but also sounds a bit rougher, with arrangements and playing that have a hard edge, and a slight southern touch. There's a lot of originals, like "A Thing Called Love", "Tell Me Why", "It's A Cryin Shame", and "Trespassin". Also includes the weird version of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" that was played at Judy Garland's funeral! LP, Vinyl record album

Roy Ayers in a very Afro-styled mode – working here on his own after a famous collaboration with Fela Kuti – in a set that's filled with the same sort of hard-driving Afro-Funk grooves that you'd find in Fela's classic recordings! The songs are shorter than Fela's, and with more of Roy's usual smooth jazzy production style – but the overall influence is very much in the Afro-Funk vein, and the album's sort of a "part 2" to the Music Of Many Colors set that was cut a few years before. William Allen worked on the record with Roy – playing choppy Afro-Funk bass, and arranging and producing a lot of the material with Roy and Jaymz Bedford – and the record also features a host of extra percussion players, as well as some vocals by the lovely Sylvia Striplin. Includes the great groover "Africa, Center Of The World", plus "The River Niger", and a great remake of "Third Eye", which was on Everybody Loves The Sunshine, but is redone here with a heavier sound! Other tracks include "There's A Masterplan", "I'll Just Keep Trying", and "Destination Motherland". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the lesser-known albums from the mid 70's, and one that includes a mix of remakes of old stuff, and some faster tracks that seem to be aimed at the dancefloor. Dave Matthews arranged a number of tracks, including "Hot", "So Long", and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons". James did the rest, including "Future Shock Of The World", "Woman", "Most Of All", and "Goodnight My Love". Not his greatest – but also with some pretty decent funky moments that aren't too fast! LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Okeh label recordings of Billy Butler – Jerry Butler's lesser-known brother, but an even more grooving artist on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s! Billy's work at Okeh is easily some of the best of the all-great imprint – tracks that step, slide, and groove along in a flurry of tight-edged Chi-soul rhythms – nearly all of which are produced by the legendary Carl Davis, with arrangements from Johnny Pate and Riley Hampton! Billy's in the lead on vocals, but nearly all numbers have a strong harmony soul component too – support from The Four Enchanters or Chanters – in a mode that echoes The Impressions' style of the time somewhat, but which also carries more of the Butler-family emotive quality, thanks to the stronger lead. This is the first time all this material has ever been brought together so well – and the package features great notes and a number of previously unissued titles as well – including some rare versions and instrumentals that are sure to get some play from Northern Soul listeners. Titles include "Found True Love", "Lady Love", "Gotta Get Away", "Can't Live Without Her", "Right Track", "Boston Monkey", "Does It Matter", "Fighting A Losing Battle", "To Be Or Not To Be", "Singing The Blues", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry". CD

Seminal work by one of our favorite soul singers of all time! Jerry first came to fame with The Impressions and on his own in the early 60s – singing dark moody easy tunes that well earned him the nickname of "Iceman". In the late 60s, though, he moved onto Mercury where he broke through even bigger with some excellent early production by Gamble & Huff, which took Jerry to a whole new level, and which gave his work a swinging soul groove that worked great with his vocals. This set compiles some of the best moments of the Mercury years – including "Never Give You Up", "Lost", "Moody Woman", "Mr Dream Merchant", "Hey Western Union Man", and "Only The Strong Survive". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic Vee Jay work by Jerry Butler – one of his later albums for the label, but featuring a number of early tracks written with Curtis Mayfield! Includes the classic early Impressions-type duet "He Will Break Your Heart" – plus the cuts "Thanks To You", "I Found A Love", "Butterfly", "Sweet Was The Wine", and "The Gift Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic work by Chicago Iceman soulster Jerry Butler! Jerry's moving past the harmony formula of his earlier years with The Impressions, into a sophisticated style that would forever change the sound of male vocal soul. Jerry's a wonder with this material – delivering heartfelt tearjerkers in a mature style that had hardly ever been explored in the R&B market, yet still swinging with a good raw quality wherever the nature of the material called for it. Titles include "How Beautifully You Lie", "Such A Feeling", "Isle Of Sirens", "You Can Run But You Can't Hide", "Make It Easy On Yourself", "Message To Martha", "You Can Run (But You Can't Hide)", "Giving Up On Love", and "Whatever You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

Massively funky work from Cameo – a set that's right in the middle of their classic early run – and still quite strong on the bass-heavy grooves the group helped inspire in countless legions of imitators! The tightness of the set is incredible – moving at a pace that's simply mindblowing, especially in a pre-sampling, pre-programming world – proof that spontaneous work by a group like this could still blow away any commercial crap! There's a few mellower moments too – always a side of the group that we love – and titles include "Use It Or Lose It", "Freaky Dancin", "I Like It", "Knights By Nights", "I'll Always Stay", "The Sound Table", and "Don't Be So Cool". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid 70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD also features 5 bonus tracks – "Shining Star (future star)", "All About Love (first impressions)", "Happy Feelin (anatomy of a groove)", "Caribou Chaser (jazzy jam)", and "That's The Way Of The World (Latin expedition)". CD

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid 70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD also features 5 bonus tracks – "Shining Star (future star)", "All About Love (first impressions)", "Happy Feelin (anatomy of a groove)", "Caribou Chaser (jazzy jam)", and "That's The Way Of The World (Latin expedition)". CD

(Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

We've loved the music of Lee Fields for many many years – but these days, he seems to be sounding even better than ever – taking all of his decades of experience in soul music, and blending his deep soul roots with an even more mature, open sort of style! And even though Lee's early work was great, we never would have imagined the greatness he can hit with a record like this – a set that draws on so many currents of classic soul, but finds a way to make a statement that's totally personal, totally original, and totally out of sight all the way through! Fields has a fantastic raspy vocal style, but he never just lets that stand as his calling card – because he's really bringing new inflections, new inspirations to the music – all while working with superb backing from Leon Michels and The Expressions. If you can imagine Hi Records mixed with James Brown mixed with New Jersey soul mixed with Daptone mixed with The Impressions – then you've only got part of the multi-faceted genius of this set. Titles include "Two Faces", "You're What's Needed In My Life", "Love Prisoner", "Will I Get Off Easy", "It Rains Love", "Love Is The Answer", "A Promise Is A Promise", and "Blessed With The Best". CD features the bonus track "Don't Give Up". (Deep Funk, Soul) CD

We've loved the music of Lee Fields for many many years – but these days, he seems to be sounding even better than ever – taking all of his decades of experience in soul music, and blending his deep soul roots with an even more mature, open sort of style! And even though Lee's early work was great, we never would have imagined the greatness he can hit with a record like this – a set that draws on so many currents of classic soul, but finds a way to make a statement that's totally personal, totally original, and totally out of sight all the way through! Fields has a fantastic raspy vocal style, but he never just lets that stand as his calling card – because he's really bringing new inflections, new inspirations to the music – all while working with superb backing from Leon Michels and The Expressions. If you can imagine Hi Records mixed with James Brown mixed with New Jersey soul mixed with Daptone mixed with The Impressions – then you've only got part of the multi-faceted genius of this set. Titles include "Two Faces", "You're What's Needed In My Life", "Love Prisoner", "Will I Get Off Easy", "It Rains Love", "Love Is The Answer", "A Promise Is A Promise", and "Blessed With The Best". (Deep Funk, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem – and as usual, the full tale of the group, the movie, and the music is told at length in the accompanying 16 page booklet! Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", "Theme From Brotherman", "No Place To Run", and "We Can Work It Out". CD

Four albums from this wonderful group – all presented here with great sonic quality too! First up is Grazin – the debut album from Friends Of Distinction – a very groovy LA harmony vocal group who really transcended the worlds of pop and soul! The quartet were originally part of the earlier Rex Middleton's Hi Fi group – which split into both Friends Of Distinction, and 5th Dimension – and like that other, slightly more famous group, FoD have a soaring approach that really reflects their years in music, tuned towards a groovier late 60s style! The record sports their hit vocal version of Hugh Masekela's "Grazing In The Grass", with the great "I can dig it" line, plus an excellent reading of a lost cut by funky drummer Roy Porter, entitled "Lonesome Mood" – next to other great titles that include "Sweet Young Thing Like You", "Peaceful", "Baby I Could Be So Good At Loving You", "Eli's Coming", and "Going In Circles". Real Friends is a stone early winner from The Friends Of Distinction – featuring a great set of pop soul tunes that really let the group shine in the harmony department! Vocal arrangements are by Jerry Peters – who really pushes the structure of the vocals, taking the singing to a level only hinted at on the group's previous album, combining 60s pop harmony with uptown soul production, given a bit of a smooth 70s touch. Titles include the hit "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely", plus "Any Way You Want Me", "Crazy Mary", "Long Time Comin My Way", "Just a Little Lovin", "It Don't Matter to Me", and "My Mind Is A Camera". Next is Highly Distinct – beautiful baroque soul from LA! The Friends of Distinction were always best known for their big hit version of "Grazing In the Grass" (not on this LP), but they were a pretty progressive soul group, and they spent a lot of time in the studio coming up with cool new ways to present their vocal style. This album includes a very cool "psyche" cut-up track called "Impressions", and it's two minutes worth of tape experiments that might have been lifted from The White Album. The cut then runs right into a great batch of groovy pop soul tracks, like "It's Just A Game Love", "Workin On A Groovy Thing", "It's Sunday", and "Let Yourself Go". Whatever is filled with some nice little groovers from the enigmatic Friends Of Distinction – and a record recorded right after their big "Grazin In The Grass" fame. The album features lots of cool arrangements from Jerry Peters – whose handling of the group pushed them past a simple pop-soul vocal combo into the realm of the more far-reaching soul acts of their time. Most tracks have vocal solos on the main parts – mostly by Barbara Love or Floyd Butler – and tracks include "You and I", "People Talkin & Sayin Nothin", "Bring Us A Better Day", "Great Day", and "Check It Out". 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

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

A huge 80s moment for the Isley Brothers empire – a set that has Ernie and Marvin Isley stepping away from the main group with Chris Jasper – to reinvent their sound for the 80s! The record still has all the slinky soul and upbeat funk of the Isley material from the late 70s – but also pushes the groove in a slightly different way – often using leaner arrangements that are focused on beats, basslines, and keyboards – which only seem to make the warm vocals of the trio sound even more seductive in the end! There's that subtle sense of majesty that the group always had in their music at their height – an influence that might well come from the presence of Jasper – and the album's noteworthy for the wonderful "Caravan Of Love", a soulful spiritual tune that's kind of to 80s soul what The Impressions "People Get Ready" was to 60s soul! The album's got a good mellow harmony sound, and other titles include "Liberation", "I Can Hardly Wait", "Insatiable Woman", and "If You Believe In Love". LP, Vinyl record album

60s Chicago soul doesn't get any better than this – a sublime debut from the legendary Walter Jackson – done in a smoothly sophisticated style that set a whole new standard for the genre! The record steps off nicely from some of the earliest work by Jerry Butler and The Impressions – blending Chicago soul with more adult-styled orchestrations from Riley Hampton – at a level that has Jackson sitting beautifully across a number of different modes at once – still appealing to the kids with the uptown groovers on the set, but also reaching to an older crowd with the beautiful ballads and heartbreaking love songs. The sound is incredible – easily one of the most fully realized full-length soul records on the Okeh label – and titles include "What Would You Do", "There Goes That Song Again", "I Don't Want To Suffer", "That's What Mama Say", and "It's All Over". CD adds in 10 more bonus tracks – most of which are previously unissued – making for an amazing collection that's one of the first time that Jackson's work at Okeh is finally getting its due! Bonus titles include "The Heartbreak Road", "Anything Can Happen", "Blue Rose", "Starting Tomorrow", "Don't Play With Love", "It's Hard To Believe", "You Gotta Give", and "Tell The World". CD