Includes selections by Dru Hill featuring Redman, Jay-Z featuring Amil, Wu Tang Clan, JA Rule, Slick Rick, Montell Jordan featuring Monifah and Flesh N Bone, Jon B, Terror Squad, Too Short, and others; plus the theme by Lalo Schifrin, and skits with Chris Tucker. (Hip Hop, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Nobody handled a fuzz guitar better than Dennis Coffey back in the early 70s – and this album's one of his masterpieces of funky instrumental work for the Sussex label – cuts that show just how much command Coffey had of the electric strings after a number of years working in both the studios and the clubs of the Detroit scene! Coffey's work here is between the genres in a really great way – heavier than soul instrumental material of a few years before, tighter than electric guitar jazz funk of the time, and with some of the understanding of new phrasing that the psych years brought in – all served up perfectly on a set of wicked cuts co-arranged with longtime musical partner Mike Theodore. Titles include the classics "Ride Sally Ride" and "Taurus" – the latter of which was his similar sounding follow-up to "Scorpio" and other titles include "Can You Feel it", "Midnight Blue", "Toast & Jam", "Man & Boy", "It's Too Late" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the less-remembered acts of the Solar Records west coast soul scene – but a great one too – and a group who step out beautifully on this killer set, thanks to great production help from The Whispers! Collage themselves have a tight, funky approach – heavy on basslines and keyboards, and almost setting the stage for Midnight Star – but they also have a nice sense of soul that The Whispers really bring out, especially on the mellower cuts, which may well be our favorites on the record. Titles include the wonderful slow stepper "Feelings" – a complete transformation of the hit to a slow jam soul classic – plus "Money In Your Pocket", "When You Smile", "Special Occasion", "Do You Like Our Music", and their cover of "Groovin". CD features bonus tracks "Groovin (single version)" and "Money In Your Pocket (single)". CD

A funky trip through the classic Warner Brothers recordings of P-Funk maestro Bootsy Collins! The set's a pretty great introduction to Bootsy's work, and includes some of his best numbers, plus a great set of notes that will really help you navigate his rich career. There's a total of 14 tracks, and titles include "Bootzilla", "Ahhh The Name Is Bootsy, Baby", "Stretchin Out (In A Rubber Band)", "Hollywood Squares", "Jam Fan (Hot)", "Vanish In Our Sleep", "Can't Stay Away", "I'd Rather Be With You", and a live version of "Psychoticbumpschool". CD

A cracklingly sharp bit of 80s pop from Company B – a trio of female singers who get some great help throughout from legendary Miami club producer Ish – an artist you might know for his famous contributions to Foxy, Oxo, and a range of other earlier projects! Ish has definitely updated his groove from the TK disco years – going more for a Miami club vibe from the hi energy years – lots of fast beats and catchy keyboards next to the vocals of the trio, who often trade leads throughout the set. Titles include the big hit "Fascinated", plus "Full Circle", "Jam On Me", "Signed In Your Book Of Love", "Perfect Lover", "Spin Me Round", and "Infatuate Me". CD features bonus tracks – "Full Circle (club)", "Perfect Lover (vocal club)", "Fascinated (club)", "Full Circle (sax & dog house mix)", and "Signed In Your Book Of Love (street mix)". CD

One of the few albums ever cut by the brothers Conway – working here in Atlanta with a mix of 80s styles and older modes! Titles include "Por-Sha", "I Can't Fight It", "Why You Wanna Do Me Like You Do", "BOC", "If You Love Me", and "Ohio Jam" – a jam of Ohio Players tracks! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album of mellow soul tracks! The record is Lou Courtney's masterpiece – and it's a jam-packed set filled with great tracks that rank right up there with classic 70s work by artists like Marvin Gaye, Leroy Hutson, or Leon Ware! Leon Pendarvis handled most of the arrangements – and the record's got a wonderfully full soul sound – with a mix of moody keyboard-driven groovers and ballads – all topped by excellent vocals from Lou, miles ahead of any work he did in the early days! The best thing, though, is the songwriting, as these tracks rank right up there with the best underground mellow soul we can think of – sophisticated yet not soppy, filled with soulful lyrics about love and losing it, never giving into cliches of other soul from the time. A real dream of an album – and filled with great tracks like "I Will If You Will", "I'm In Need Of Love", "Just To Let Him Break Your Heart", "Somebody New Is Loving On You", and "The Common Broken Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

3 remixes of this slow jam off the classic first LP, by Erick Sermon and a couple by DJ Premier. (Neo Soul, Soul) 12-inch, Vinyl record

2 beautiful later albums from Deodato – back to back on one CD! Knights Of Fantasy is smoth and jazzy – done in an LA late 70s style that's kind of like work by Joe Sample or The Crusaders, but a bit more R&B oriented, and with a deeper soul style overall! You can definitely hear Deodato's growing taste for modern soul here – especially on the seminal club jammer "Whistle Bump", which is a tight keyboard-driven groove, with some sweeping strings underneath wah wah guitar. The cut's the real standout on the album – although there's a few other nice moments, like "Space Dust" and "Lovely Lady", which has a great mellow Bob James-ish sound. Night Cruiser is a key record in Deodato's move from funky jazz in the 70s to modern soul in the 80s – and one that showcases the best of his talents in both genres! The approach here is more tightly arranged and produced than that of his earlier CTI sides – but in a mode that's still plenty nice to our ears – as Deodato's uncanny sense of rhythm and timing is still very firmly in place, making the set way way more than just a smooth jazz album – and pushing it strongly into the realm of soulful spacey fusion! There's some really great tracks on the set – like the amazing "Skatin", a sweet keyboard number that's a perfect roller skating jam (in case you couldn't guess from the title) – plus "Love Magic", "Uncle Funk", "East Side Strut", and "Night Cruiser". 11 tracks in all! (Jazz, Soul) CD

A pair of early 80s gems from this Brazilian keyboard legend – back to back on a single CD! Night Cruiser is a key record in Deodato's move from funky jazz in the 70s to modern soul in the 80s – and one that showcases the best of his talents in both genres! The approach here is more tightly arranged and produced than that of his earlier CTI sides – but in a mode that's still plenty nice to our ears – as Deodato's uncanny sense of rhythm and timing is still very firmly in place, making the set way way more than just a smooth jazz album – and pushing it strongly into the realm of soulful spacey fusion! There's some really great tracks on the set – like the amazing "Skatin", a sweet keyboard number that's a perfect roller skating jam (in case you couldn't guess from the title) – plus "Love Magic", "Uncle Funk", "East Side Strut", and "Night Cruiser". Happy Hour is a classic from Deodato's soul-based years with a nice little R&B-inspired groove! Happy Hour was done at a time when Deodato was really getting into a lot of modern soul production and arranging work with other groups – and here, he tries his hand wonderfully at the style himself – transforming his 70s jazz funk groove into a tightly snapping 80s soul approach! Most tracks on the set feature vocals – by singers who include Kelly Barretto, Eban Kelly, and Candi Staton – but the instrumentation behind them is still plenty jazzy too, thanks to some nice work by Deodato on Fender Rhodes, mini moog, Arp, and other keyboards. Titles include "I Never Get Enough", "Keep On Movin", "Happy Hour", "Just This One Night", "Tears Of A Clown", "Sweet Magic", and "Keep It In The Family". CD features two bonus tracks – "Uncle Funk (7" mix)" and "Keep On Movin (7" mix)". (Jazz, Soul) CD

Two Capitol classics from the great Gene Dunlap – back to back on a single CD! First up is It's Just The Way I Feel – a classic soulful fusion album recorded and released during the crucial years of the "Capitol Rare" sound! Gene Dunlap is a jazz drummer at heart – but he's got a flair for the modern soul song – and in the same style as Norman Connors or Harvey Mason before him, he manages to put together a strong record of grooves and ballads from behind the kit! The strongest point of the record is work by The Ridgeways, a female soul trio who sing on the best tracks, giving them a smooth Jones Girls-ish kind of sound. The album includes two modern soul classics – "Before You Break My Heart" and "It's Just the Way I Feel" – plus "Love Dancin", "Rock Radio", "I Got You", and "Surest Things Can Change". Party In Me is wonderful work from Gene Dunlap – a jazzy soul drummer, and also a maestro with a killer ear for a modern soul groove! The album's got a mix of grooves and sophistication that are a bit like the best early 80s material from Roy Ayers – never chartbound, and never too commercial – but nice and tight, and really well put together! The instrumentation has plenty of jazzy 80s groove touches – especially in the keyboards – and Dunlap does a nice job of balancing up beat tracks with the mellow moments we love so much in his work. Vocals are from a variety of singers – including the great Ethel Beatty, who'd sung with Roy Ayers – plus Phillippe Wynne, Pam Lawson, and Gene himself – and titles include "Something Inside My Head", "Something Special", "Corner Pocket", "There Will Never Be Another (Like You)", "Party In Me", "Jam City", and "This One's On Me". CD

A great little album of tracks by one of the 70s greatest soul groups – featuring material from mostly their late 70s years at Columbia, plus a few other ringers thrown into mix it up a bit. Features the slow jam classic "After The Love Is Gone", the disco groover "Boogie Wonderland" (cut with The Emotions), the spiritual "Serpentine Fire" and "Love's Holiday", the funky "Let's Groove", and a classic remake of Curtis Mayfield's "Mighty Mighty". 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

Man, it must have been something to hear this record blasting out of a boombox back in the old days – especially if it was the magenta-hued one on the cover! The groove here is strong and loud – plenty of bass and beats at the bottom, and even a few surprising early electro touches that really stand out and make the album something special. And as with other records from this time, Fatback also show their ballad skills on one number – "Come & Get the Love" – but it's the more jamming tracks we really love, and they include "Street Band", "Hot Box", "Love Spell", "Gotta Get My Hands On Some Money", and the fat 80s jam "Backstrokin". LP, Vinyl record album

A spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"! CD

A trio of funky classics from Faze-O – collected here with bonus tracks too! First up is their debut, Riding High – a spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"! The second album is a definite Good Thang from Faze-O – easily the masters of snakey funk at the end of the 70s! The set's got loads of great elements that echo the group's Riding High debut – a groove that never goes too far over the top, and which kicks back at a pace that so many others would copy a few years later – a vibe that's a bit Ohio, a bit Cali, yet crafted here with a vision that's totally unique to the band! Horns are a bit heavier than before, but there's still plenty of great keyboards too – and the vocals definitely recognize that they're the second star of the record, and usually defer to the rhythms on most numbers. Tracks include "Good Thang", "Party Time", "Space People", "Who Loves You", and "Funky Lady". Breakin The Funk is wicked funk from Faze-O – a group who seem even tighter than before on this smoking album – yet still hold onto all the laidback modes that made them so great in the first place! There's a lean quality here that really prefaces the direction so many funk acts would take a few years later – a way of compressing everything down on the rhythm, to get past some of the excesses of too-large funk groups, or some of the overblown qualities of the disco generation! Faze-O were definitely out front with this approach, and continue to craft it strongly here – and the album's got a few great mellow tracks too – a great illustration of the claim made in the liner notes – that "Faze-O music is carefully built in panels of melodic phases, to sensuously put you in a funky but heavenly mood of time and rhythm." Titles include "See You Through The Night", "I'm Thankful", "I Still Love You", "Let's Rock", and "Ya Ba Da Ba Duzie". Features bonus tracks – 7" single mixes of "Riding High", "Breakin The Funk", "Good Thang", and "Who Loves You". CD

Really mindblowing work from Fela – a seminal 70s set that may well open up even more than any other album from the time – as the leader and Africa 70 stretch out on a single track that takes up the entire record! "Confusion" is almost proggish at the start – with a long passage that just features drums from Tony Allen and some really offbeat electric piano from Fela – slowly building up a groove out of the darkness, then letting the rest of the group come into the mix – all at a level that definitely sets the tune on fire for the righteous politics of the lyrics! The whole thing's no sloppy, over-extended jam – and instead, the record's a great demonstration of the care and craft that Fela brought to his musical vision at the time. The Gentleman LP is represented here by 3 songs – "Gentleman", "Igbe (Shit)", and "Fe Fe Naa Efe" – all of which are brimming with angry energy, and a heavy brassy overdrive! Loads of African funk grooves, packed onto one superbly done CD! (Global Grooves, Soul) CD

A brilliant album from Fela – and one that shows him really coming into his own, with that tremendous new sound that would go onto influence decades of musicians! The title track – "Roforofo Fight" – is a side-long jam that instantly sets a new standard for African funk – skittish drums, a sweet keyboard line that snakily sets the groove, and a wonderful long alto solo that's got even more raspy soul than Fela's vocals! Those vocals are sometimes more broken up, verbally – and have an instrumental quality at the start – then lay into the lyrics later, with some great supporting backup. The flipside features the side-long "Go Slow" – a tune that layers and layers sounds as it moves on – from an initial thin keyboard line, to a rumbling bassy blend that has lots of room for the horns and vocals! (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The classic sound of Funkadelic, reworked by a key selection of contemporary talents from the Detroit scene – but never in a way that wrecks the originals at all! Unlike other remix projects, which might break up the music to a point that you can hardly recognize the original grooves – this set does a wonderful job of maintaining all the integrity of the famous funky recordings by the group, while also letting some artists from the group's hometown also include a few of their own contributions too – all in ways that really expand the original vision of the music, while keeping things in a funky soul vein all the way through! Given all the greateness of Detroit grooves in recent years – from that city's very fertile underground of producers and musicians – the sound here is still even more amazing than we expected, and the album's a very fitting one to be issued on the Westbound label. The set's double-length, and for good reason too – and titles include "Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix)", "Sexy Ways (Recloose disco flip)", "Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman rmx)", "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix)", "Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version)", "Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay voc mix)", "Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix)", "Be My Beach (Mophono & Tom Thump)", "Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit)", "Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler @Ya mix)", "Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit)", "Looking Back At You (Ectomorph stripped & dubbed)", and "Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T Dancer rmx)". CD

The classic sound of Funkadelic, reworked by a key selection of contemporary talents from the Detroit scene – but never in a way that wrecks the originals at all! Unlike other remix projects, which might break up the music to a point that you can hardly recognize the original grooves – this set does a wonderful job of maintaining all the integrity of the famous funky recordings by the group, while also letting some artists from the group's hometown also include a few of their own contributions too – all in ways that really expand the original vision of the music, while keeping things in a funky soul vein all the way through! Given all the greateness of Detroit grooves in recent years – from that city's very fertile underground of producers and musicians – the sound here is still even more amazing than we expected, and the album's a very fitting one to be issued on the Westbound label. The set's double-length, and for good reason too – and titles include "Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix)", "Sexy Ways (Recloose disco flip)", "Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman rmx)", "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix)", "Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version)", "Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay voc mix)", "Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix)", "Be My Beach (Mophono & Tom Thump)", "Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit)", "Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler @Ya mix)", "Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit)", "Looking Back At You (Ectomorph stripped & dubbed)", and "Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T Dancer rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

A tasty little album from Funkadelic – one that has Bootsy Collins joining the group, and really hitting the unique approach that would become the definitive P-Funk groove! And although tracks are shorter and even more focused, there's still a fair bit of guitar in the set – keeping the trademark Funkadelic sound in place, to set them aside from from the growing horn-heavy Parliament groove. Yet in both groups' work at the time, there's a growing emphasis on the rhythms at the bottom – a pulling up of the basslines in a way that was no doubt influenced by Bootsy's presence, and which would have a key influence on the sound of funk for years to come! Includes the massively infectious funk track "Get Off Your Ass and Jam", plus "Let's Take It To The Stage", "Be My Beach", "Baby I Owe You Something Good", "The Song Is Familiar", "No Head No Backstage Pass", "Atmosphere", "Stuffs & Things", and "Better By the Pound". CD

One of the crowning moments of genius from the great George Clinton – a record that has Funkadelic really finding their groove, in the same way that Parliament were helping push underground funk into both the clubs and the mainstream – while also showing that the P-Funk empire can jam better than just about anyone else! The whole thing is hitting on all burners throughout – with an impeccable sense of instrumentation, balanced with an easygoing attitude that makes the whole thing seem effortless – especially compared to other funk ensembles who were picking up the speed a bit too much in the disco generation. The centerpiece of the album is the classic "One Nation Under A Groove" – a monster cut with a hook that won't quit, spun out here in a great extended version – followed by other classics that include "Into You", "Grooveallegiance", and "Cholly". Plus, this CD reissue also includes the bonus cuts from the original 45rpm ep that came with the album – including "Maggot Brain (live)" and "Doodoo Chasers". CD

One of the crowning moments of genius from the great George Clinton – a record that has Funkadelic really finding their groove, in the same way that Parliament were helping push underground funk into both the clubs and the mainstream – while also showing that the P-Funk empire can jam better than just about anyone else! The whole thing is hitting on all burners throughout – with an impeccable sense of instrumentation, balanced with an easygoing attitude that makes the whole thing seem effortless – especially compared to other funk ensembles who were picking up the speed a bit too much in the disco generation. The centerpiece of the album is the classic "One Nation Under A Groove" – a monster cut with a hook that won't quit, spun out here in a great extended version – followed by other classics that include "Into You", "Grooveallegiance", and "Cholly". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the crowning moments of genius from the great George Clinton – a record that has Funkadelic really finding their groove, in the same way that Parliament were helping push underground funk into both the clubs and the mainstream – while also showing that the P-Funk empire can jam better than just about anyone else! The whole thing is hitting on all burners throughout – with an impeccable sense of instrumentation, balanced with an easygoing attitude that makes the whole thing seem effortless – especially compared to other funk ensembles who were picking up the speed a bit too much in the disco generation. The centerpiece of the album is the classic "One Nation Under A Groove" – a monster cut with a hook that won't quit, spun out here in a great extended version – followed by other classics that include "Into You", "Grooveallegiance", and "Cholly". Also comes with a bonus 12" single that features the tracks "One Nation Under A Groove (disco mix)", "Maggot Brain/Chant", "Lunchmeataphobia", and "PE Squad/Doo Doo Chasers". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the crowning moments of genius from the great George Clinton – a record that has Funkadelic really finding their groove, in the same way that Parliament were helping push underground funk into both the clubs and the mainstream – while also showing that the P-Funk empire can jam better than just about anyone else! The whole thing is hitting on all burners throughout – with an impeccable sense of instrumentation, balanced with an easygoing attitude that makes the whole thing seem effortless – especially compared to other funk ensembles who were picking up the speed a bit too much in the disco generation. The centerpiece of the album is the classic "One Nation Under A Groove" – a monster cut with a hook that won't quit, spun out here in a great extended version – followed by other classics that include "Into You", "Grooveallegiance", and "Cholly". Features bonus tracks – "Maggot Brain/Chant", "Lunchmeataphobia", and "PE Squad/Doo Doo Chasers". CD

The Gap Band are definitely Jammin on this sweet little set from the early 80s – hitting that fierce funk mode they do so well, with lots of snapping lines at the bottom of the rhythms! The style is trademark Gap all the way through – a percolated approach to funk that's tight, but never too slick – in a groove that's different than some of their other mainstream counterparts at the time – hard to describe accurately, but almost with a touch of jazz in the mix! Charlie Wilson handles most of the lead vocals, with support from brothers Robert and Ronnie – and Ronnie produced most of the set. Titles include "Where Are We Going", "Shake A Leg", "Jam The Motha", "Someday", "You're Something Special", "I'm Ready", "You're My Everything", "Smile", and "Jammin In America". CD also features the bonus track "Party Train (special dance mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks – with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous record. The record shows a sexy side of Marvin that would stun fans of his 60s work – very adult, very warm, and very preoccupied with desire and love. In a way, this sort of full-on love fest was a big payoff for all the folks who'd hung onto his simpler expressions of affection in the earlier years – sort of like getting let into the bedroom after spending years on the front porch! The record was produced by both Marvin and Ed Townsend – and the arrangements by David Van DePitte, Rene Hall, and Gene Page are smooth and seductive all the way through. Includes slow jam classics like "You Sure Love To Ball", "Distant Lover", and "Let's Get It On" – plus "Come Get To This", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", and "If I Should Die Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "My Radio Sure Sounds Good To Me", "Hair", "We've Been Waiting", "Can You Handle It", "Sooner or Later", "The Jam", "It's Alright", and "Now D U Wanta Dance". CD

Teddy Riley's second LP with Guy, one of many groups he held the helm for, laying down the blueprint for New Jack Swing, the sound that would rule modern chart soul for years. Like some of the other music of that era, this LP sounds a lot better to us now than it did then, when we had to act all hard and pump NWA from our jeeps. 12 tracks in all, including "Wanna Get With U", "Teddy's Jam 2", "Let's Chill", "D-O-G Me Out", "The Future" and "Let's Stay Together". (Cassettes, Soul) Cassette

A stone cold classic from Teddy Riley! Forget what you might think about the cliches of New Jack Swing, because this record is a landmark of modern soul, one of the freshest R&B albums from the 80s, and it still sounds great today. After starting things out with Wrecks N Effect, Riley moved over to Guy – who really made his hip-hop heavy New Jack sound work great, because they had much better vocal chops than earlier groups, and they could fuse a tight harmony to the funky sound in style that not only got them loads of airplay (and record sales!), but which inspired a whole generation of American soul. This first album's their best, and it includes lots of nice smooth jammers – like "Spend The Night", "Piece of My Love", "Teddy's Jam", "Groove Me", and "Goodbye Love". CD

A nice change in sound for Debbie Harry – thanks to Chic production from Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards – who really help the solo singer find a groove that's quite different than her work in Blondie! The style's a mixture of the funky club that Chic did so well, with elements that lean a bit more towards an early 80s rockish dancefloor – almost with a vibe that echoes some of the UK imports trickling over to these shores at the time, but with a definite New York vibe underneath! The setting gives Harry's vocals a great way to hit a more playful nature – that sound that was creeping in a bit in Blondie, but which some folks thought was wrong for the group – and Chris Stein is still on hand to bring in some street-sensitive riffing guitar. Titles include "Backfired", "Military Rap", "Oasis", "Surrender", "Chrome", "Jump Jump", and "The Jam Was Moving". (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest songs ever from Issac Hayes – presented here in the non-stop, 33 minute jam session that gave the world the shorter single! The whole thing is amazing – and even more of a chance to see Hayes' genius in the studio than some of his full albums – as Ike conducts the core Bar-Kays group, and some additional strings and vocals – through passages that are tight and funky one minute, then freaky and fuzzy the next – with lots of cool time changes, instrumental shifts, and other sweet styles that make the whole thing feel more like an extended funk symphony than just a single song! This is the first time this full performance has ever been released – and the single features both parts, plus a bonus "rhythm section mix". Also comes with a cool booklet of notes! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest sounds ever from Issac Hayes – presented here in the non-stop, 33 minute jam session that gave the world the shorter single! The whole thing is amazing – and even more of a chance to see Hayes' genius in the studio than some of his full albums – as Ike conducts the core Bar-Kays group, and some additional strings and vocals – through passages that are tight and funky one minute, then freaky and fuzzy the next – with lots of cool time changes, instrumental shifts, and other sweet styles that make the whole thing feel more like an extended funk symphony than just a single song! This is the first time this full performance has ever been released – and the single features both parts, plus a bonus "rhythm section mix". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic pairing of soulful talents – the legendary John Lee Hooker on the mighty Stax Records – in a set that's a real standout in the career of both! The vibe here is different than the usual sound of Stax – not a Memphis-ized John Lee Hooker, but instead the kind of stripped-down session that the singer had done for other labels in his early years – given a very faithful presentation here by producer Henry Stone (who himself might well be the third important force at work on the set!) Tracks are mostly short – apart from one eight minute jam – and Hooker's got that raw, raspy bite that still makes him one of the all-time greats. Titles include "Teachin' The Blues", "Goin To Louisiana","I Need You", "My Love Comes Down For You", "Please Don't Go", "I Just Don't Know", "Slow & Easy", "Two White Horses", "Feel So Bad", and "Grinder Man". (Blues, Soul) 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

Some of Bobbi Humphrey's greatest work of the post-Blue Note years – an album that's filled with soulful fusion tunes throughout, all with a great focus on her funky flute! Bobbi also sings a bit on the set, but in a way that's pretty darn great – wonderfully sweet at times, with a bit of an influence from Minnie Riperton that really warms up the set. Arrangements are by Cleveland Eaton, with a bit of help from Art Jenkins – and production is by Ralph MacDonald, who clearly has a great ear for the blend of jazz and soul that Bobbi's going for on the set. And although Larry Mizell's not on board, some of the cuts here still have that stepping/sliding sort of groove from Bobby's Mizell-produced Blue Note years – a really wonderful sound that's a perfect showcase for her uniquely jazzy talents on the flute! Tracks include "Freestyle", "Home Made Jam", "Sunset Burgundy", "Good Times", "My Destiny", "I Could Love You More", and "If You Want It". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite soul albums ever – a complete masterpiece from the mighty Leroy Hutson, easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s! The album's got a warmth that's amazing, yet also still manages to groove all the way through – hitting a subtle, almost mellow vibe that's like Marvin Gaye or Roy Ayers at their best – but somehow even better because the album's a lot less familiar than their work, and has a freshness that grabs us again and again over the years! Hutson arranged and produced the whole set himself – and the scope of his talents in the studio is amazing – tight on the rhythms, but broadly expansive on the other instrumentation – with a mix of intimacy and class that few other records from the 70s could ever hope to match. Perfect all the way through, and filled with genius cuts that include "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "I Think I'm Falling In Love", "Love to Hold You Close", "Flying High", "I Do I Do Want To Make Love To You", "Blackberry Jam", and "Sofunkstication". LP, Vinyl record album

Here's the side of 70s Isleys that we like the best – the mellow side! This tasty little collection features some hits by the group, but the best part about it is that it's got a focus on some of the more soulful ballads and laidback material, with less of the harder funky stuff. Tunes include such slow jam classics as "For The Love Of You (parts 1 & 2)", "Summer Breeze", "You Are Love", "Harvest For The World", "Hello It's Me", "That Lady (parts 1 & 2)", and "Hope You Feel Better Love (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

The Isley Brothers in prime 70s mode here – hitting a warm and wonderful blend of soul and funk throughout – always delivered with that sweet talent for smooth understatement that makes them so great! The costumes on the front cover may be freaky, but the grooves are nicely restrained – and by this point in the decade, the brothers have definitely learned that their strongest suit is often their mellow one – tracks that groove, but often in more subtle ways! Titles include the massive slow jam track "Groove With You", plus "Take Me To The Next Phase (parts 1 & 2)", "Love Fever (parts 1 & 2)", "Fun & Games", "Ain't Givin Up No Love", and "Coolin Me Out (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

The one that put Janet over the top – and a record that also set the standard for so much more soul music to come – thanks to the production efforts of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis! Jam and Lewis had been doing some great work for other artists in the years before this set – and here, they bring an extra special sort of punch to the music – almost a sense of "blast" in the rhythms, which makes the rising talents of the young Janet sound even better than they would have otherwise – creating a style that's badass, but also perfect for the crossover fame that this classic album attained! The set's overflowing with classics – and titles include "Control", "Nasty", "What Have You Done For Me Lately", "The Pleasure Principle", "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive", "You Can Be Mine", "When I Think Of You", and "Funny How Time Flies". LP, Vinyl record album

Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. 2CD version features lots of bonus material – including "One More Chance", "70s Love Groove", "And On & On", "You Want This", "Where Are You Now", "Because Of Love", and "That's The Way Love Goes (CJ R&B 7" mix)". CD

One of those records that we remember dismissing at the time – but honestly, it really lives up to repeated listenings in later years! Sure, Michael Jackson's no longer working with Quincy Jones – and instead goes for Teddy Riley and some other (then) contemporary producers – but that all makes for a very solid 90s crossover vibe – perfect for radio play a the time, not to mention heavy video rotation too – and definitely still another jewel in the crown of the King of Pop! Titles include "Remember The Time", "Why You Wanna Trip On Me", "In The Closet", "Jam", "Dangerous", "Gone Too Soon", "Will You Be There", "Black Or White", "She Drives Me Wild", and "Can't Let Her Get Away". CD