A stunner of a record – the first-ever album by The JBs, never issued back in the day – and lost for years until it recently resurfaced on a test pressing! The set features a leaner, more stripped-down version of the group – one that features Bootsy Collins on bass, and which doesn't rely as much on the horns as it does some very upfront playing by the rhythm section – who really set fire to the extended instrumental solos on the album's very long tracks! Group members include Robert McCullough on tenor, St Clair Pickney on flute and baritone, Bobby Byrd on piano, Catfish Collins on guitar, and James Brown himself on organ – and the mighty Clyde Stubblefield handles drums, as well as Frank Kash Waddy. All tracks are very long – quite different than the shorter single-type cuts on Pass The Peas – and the record features the first recording of "The Grunt", plus the long jams "I'll Ze", "These Are The JBs (parts 1 & 2)", and "When You Feel It Grunt If You Can". CD

Chaka Khan steps off her smoother sets from the early 80s here – into a groove that's a bit chunkier, funkier, and with some key 80s groove touches! Arif Mardin's still in charge of the whole project here, but he's opened the door to a host of other producers to update Chaka's sound for the dancefloor – including John Robie, Russ Titelman, James Newton Howard, and others. The title hit – "I Feel For You" – is a vocoder bumping classic from back in the day – and other tracks include "Chinatown", "This Is My Night", "La Flamme", "My Love Is Alive", "Hold Her", "Through The Fire", and "Stronger Than Before". CD

Tight and soulful blues from Little Milton – just the sort of record that helped him cross over to bigger audiences back in the day, and a set that still sounds plenty great all these many years later! The set was done in Chicago – arranged by James Mack, with backing vocals from Kitty & The Haywoods – and the sound is a sweet west side mix of rootsy and soulful elements – a blend that shows the same growing sophistication of the Malaco scene at the time, at a level that moves nicely away from college circuit blues cliches of the 70s. Milton's vocals are wonderful – raspy and appealing with a Tyrone Davis-like charm – and titles include "Friend Of Mine", "Don't Turn Away", "You're Gonna Make Me Cry", "It's All Bad News", "Sundown", "Bring It On Back", and "Baby It Ain't No Way". (Blues, Soul) CD

A massive record – and an instant legend the day it was released! Masters At Work host the beautiful meeting of a host legendary artists – Roy Ayers, George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Jocelyn Brown, Vince Montana, and others – all united in a magical session that brings Latin firmly back to the dancefloor with the power and majesty of the best 70s recordings! The whole thing's amazing – a fantastic mix of Latin, funk, jazz, and house that's inspired a whole new generation of musicians – and which has still yet to be duplicated years later! Includes the massive remake of "I Am the Blackgold of the Sun", plus "Runaway", "Sweet Tears", and the great cover of Bob James' "Nautilus". (New Grooves, Soul) CD

One of the more righteous albums from the early years of Diana Ross' solo career – a set that really has her moving past the familiar Motown groove of previous years, into a vibe that really shows the label's new California influence! The tracks here often feature expansive arrangements that mix soul and larger orchestrations – arranged by Gene Page, James Carmichael, Gil Askey, and Michael Randall – all of whom preserve the class that Diana's always had in her music, while still also opening things up to some of the more thoughtful elements of 70s soul. The album includes a nice medley of Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus a version of "Imagine", and the tracks "Leave A Little Room", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "All Of My Life", and "Touch Me In The Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic document of the first-ever Ann Arbor Blues Festival – the start of a great event that would blossom into other styles of music in the 70s, but which stood as a strong blues-based event in its initial year of 1969! In some ways, the three day series of concerts is a roots answer to Woodstock – which took place just a few weeks before – as the festival featured a great scope of blues talents, from the rootsier sort of artists who were recording for labels like Folkways or Arhoolie, to some of the sharper modern talents rising to the top on Chess or Delmark! The package alone is almost worth the price of admission – beautiful photographs of the event, detailed notes, and the first-ever release of this music – which has sat in the vaults for decades, finally to see the light of day. Titles include "Dirty Mother For You" by Roosevelt Sykes, "So Glad You're Mine" by Arthur Big Boy Crudup, "Everybody Must Suffer/Stone Crazy" by Luther Allison & The Blue Nebulae, "Help Me" by Junior Wells, "I Wonder Why" by Jimmy Dawkins, "Too Much Alcohol" by JB Hutto & His Hawks, "So Many Roads So Many Trains" by Otis Rush, "Long Distance Call" by Muddy Waters, "Off The Wall" by James Cotton Band, "Juanita" by Big Joe Williams, "Jelly Jelly Blues" by Shirley Griffin, "I Feel So Good" by Magic Sam, "Call It Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker, "Death Letter Blues" by Son House, "Key To The Highway" by Sam Lay, and "Mojo Hand" by Lightnin Hopkins. (Blues, Soul) CD

A fantastic document of the first-ever Ann Arbor Blues Festival – the start of a great event that would blossom into other styles of music in the 70s, but which stood as a strong blues-based event in its initial year of 1969! In some ways, the three day series of concerts is a roots answer to Woodstock – which took place just a few weeks before – as the festival featured a great scope of blues talents, from the rootsier sort of artists who were recording for labels like Folkways or Arhoolie, to some of the sharper modern talents rising to the top on Chess or Delmark! The package alone is almost worth the price of admission – beautiful photographs of the event, detailed notes, and the first-ever release of this music – which has sat in the vaults for decades, finally to see the light of day. Titles on this second volume include "Long Distance Call" by Muddy Waters, "Off The Wall" by James Cotton Band, "Juanita" by Big Joe Williams, "Jelly Jelly Blues" by Shirley Griffin, "I Feel So Good" by Magic Sam, "Call It Stormy Monday" by T-Bone Walker, "Death Letter Blues" by Son House, "Key To The Highway" by Sam Lay, and "Mojo Hand" by Lightnin Hopkins. (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

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

Mighty sounds from a legendary Detroit soul producer – the great Dave Hamilton, a talent who issued a number of key singles back in the day, but who's left behind an even larger legacy of excellent unreleased work! This collection draws from both sides of that spectrum – and features upbeat Northern Soul gems that were issued on small labels like Topper and Demo-Ristic – mixed with other tracks that lay in Dave's vaults until their discovery at some point in the 90s! Together, the tracks are a wonderful illustration of the deep deep trove of material that lurked in the Detroit scene far in the shadows of Motown – artists who were eclipsed by the big names at the time, but who sound mighty darn fresh all these many years later. Titles include "What Should I Do", and "Who Are You Trying To Fool" by Little Ann, "Sweep It Out The Shed" and "Challenge My Love" by Tobi Lark, "Love Friends & Money" by James Lately, "You Won't Miss The Water" by Chico & Buddy, "Talkin About My Baby" by Dottie & Millie, "You Got Me Turned Around" by OC Tolbert, "Shoop Doop" by Dave Hamilton, and "You Did" by Priscilla Page & Rony Darrell. LP, Vinyl record album

Killer soul from the Forte label of Kansas City – a tiny imprint, but a really great one too – and a company with an especially strong ear for the funkier side of the spectrum! This Numero set really gets back to the greatness that first made us fall in love with their collections in the first place – and brings together a really wonderful batch of rare singles that work perfectly as a whole album – no filler, no trans-genre stepping, and just a rock-solid batch of soul cuts that you'd have to dig deep in the American underground to find this strongly! The package is wonderful – plenty of notes, photos, and the usual Numero sense of history – but even without all that, the music is more than enough – a smoking pile of singles that includes "Whtever You Do" by Gene Williams, "I'm Gonna Get Your Thing" by Lee Harris, "Baby Your Love Is Amazing" by The Four Darlings, "I'll Never Be Satisfied" by Tony Ashley & The Delicates, "Baby Be Good" by The Rayons, "With Fun In My Life" by James Whitney, "Reaching For Our Star" by Sharon Revoal, "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear" by Marva Whitney, and "Cry Night & Day" by The Fantasticks. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A love letter to the legendary Fame Records – filled with unissued tracks and rare gems from the vaults! Fame was one of the great ones back in the day – the driving force behind Muscle Shoals soul music, and a company that helped really redefine the sound of the music in the 60s – thanks to incredible production, and a tight cast of studio musicians who knocked it out of the park on nearly every session! 21 of the set's 24 tracks have never been issued before – and, even more compelling, none were featured on the similar 7" box set from Ace – making the package a treasure trove of music, even for the serious soul collector. Titles include "Tell It Like It Is" by Big Ben Atkins, "Almost Persuaded" by Jackie, "You're So Fine" by James Barnett, "I Do" by June Conquest, "Your Helping Hand" by Otis Clay, "In The Heat Of Love" by Marjorie Ingram, "Steal Away 67" by Jimmy Hughes, "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy" by Ralph Soul Jackson, "Let's Do It Over" by Travis Wammack, "For You" by George Jackson, "Baby Come Back" by Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces, "Keep On Talking" by Prince Phillip, "It Ain't No Harm" by George Byrd & The Dominoes, "Blind Can't See" by Richard Earl & The Corvettes, and "I Need Someone" by The Entertainers. CD

Essential funk in a single set – three killer albums from James Brown's legendary backing group! First up is Food For Thought – the classic first album by The JBs – James Brown's Fred Wesley-led backing band, and the force behind most of his greatest records of the early 70s! The band are incredible at this point – sharper, harder, and funkier than just about any other combo around – and that includes all the thousands of groups in the funky 45 underground who were always trying to copy their sound, but never got things this right! Not only are the rhythms the stuff of legend – but the use of the instruments is far far above the norm – as can be heard on the mindblowing "The Grunt", which was sampled heavily by Public Enemy to great fame – and which features a saxophone solo that sounds more like a whistling tea kettle! The set collects some of the group's best early singles, and includes all of the short little funky cuts that made them a legend right out of the box – "Pass the Peas", "The Grunt", "These Are The JBs", "Hot Pants Road", "Wine Spot", "To My Brother", "Blessed Blackness", "Theme From King Heroin", "Escapism (parts 1 & 2), and "Gimme Some More" – all together here in one tight little album of massive funky hard beats and breaks! Doing It To Death is an incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter segues between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker". Last up is Damn Right I Am Somebody – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. The grooves then kick in – with the same heavy funk as on earlier records, but also a nice nod towards experimental production – from strange fade ups and fade downs, to stark time and rhythm changes, and even bits of electronics used to create some very cool moments in the grooves! The whole thing's as dead funky as can be, and is stuffed with insane classics like "Blow Your Head", "Same Beat", "Damn Right I am Somebody", "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'", and a great cover of Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love to Ball"! CD

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

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

It's the mid 70s, and The Miracles have been deserted by Smokey – but fortunately the group was extremely well trained in the harmony department, and this album's just about as good as anything they did with him on Motown! The record's got an excellent smooth harmony soul style – and reminds us a lot of some of the Philly albums coming out at the same time. Arrangements are handled by James Carmichael, Freddie Perren, and Willie Hutch – and the record's filled with slinky smooth soul grooves like "Do It Baby", "You Are Love", "What Is A Heart Good For", and "Give Me Just Another Day", one of a few great cuts on the record written by Leon Ware! LP, Vinyl record album

A weird idea for a collection, but a great one too – a set that brings together a batch of train-themed tunes from the 60s, and uses the transportation narrative as a way to unlock ideas of personal freedom and social change! The "train" here isn't just a gimmick – and instead focuses on the way that the mode of transportation helped open up new ideas and new vistas in the postwar years – a way of getting out, and getting past – served up here in a range of soul, blues, and other styles too! The set's got 25 tracks in all, put together with the usual top-shelf Ace Records approach – and titles include "Freedom Riders" by Harold Jackson, "Steam" by Caroline Day, "Number 9 Train" by Tarheel Slim, "Hurry Hurry Choo Choo" by Sharon Tandy, "Memphis Train" by Rufus Thomas, "Won't Be Long" by Dusty Springfield, "The Downbound Train" by Chuck Berry, "Train To Skaville" by The Ethiopians, "Go Go Train" by Jackie Pain, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "This Train" by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, "Up The Line" by Little Walter, "Death Train Blues" by Daddy Long Legs, "Stop That Train" by Keith & Tex, "Country Line Special" by Cyril Davies, and "Big Train" by Bobby Wayne. CD

Sun Ra, Parliament, and other soul and jazz acts famously took us into space back in the day – and in the wake of their journeys, countless other artists elected to take the trip too – soaring to the cosmos on a blend of beats, basslines, keyboards, and vocals – all elements that are given an especially electro-tuned vibe in this great second volume of the series! The space age journeys are maybe more akin to the world of Newcleus than Earth Wind & Fire – lots of processing on the vocals, sweet riffing on the keyboards, and basslines that are tightly tied to the rhythms of the grooves – served up here in a way that references sounds of the street, west coast funk, and even earlier hip hop – all brought together in a very well-chosen array of tracks! As always with Soul Jazz, the presentation is as great as the music within – a set list that includes "More Ounce Rap" by Bobby Deemo, "Master Groove (inst)" by Chance, "Shine Your Light" by The Grainers, "Get Right" by Mid City Crew, "Summer Times" by Frank James & Shadow, "Year 2001 Boogie" by Rich Cason & The Galactic Orchestra, "Smurf Trek" by Chapter Three, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "Breakdance" by Command Performance, and "Computer Pop" by Maggotron. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Way way way more than the usual Northern Soul compilation – an all-winning batch of rare soul tracks that go a lot deeper than usual – all hand-picked by the expert soul crew at Grapevine Records! The set does swing with the kind of upbeat and uptempo soul tracks that you'd expect from a Northern set – but the vocals are also harder, and the soul runs deeper – making for the kind of collection that could be equally appreciated by fans of southern and deep soul as well! A number of the tracks have a nice rootsy quality that really focuses on the vocals – letting the singers come out full strength, and dominate the set with some wonderfully heartfelt lyrics. Titles include "Think It Over" by The Chesterfields, "Cheatin Kind" by Don Gardner, "Hold Me In Your Arms" by Eddie Holman, "Ever Again" by Bernie Williams, "You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing" by John Bowie, "Seven Day Lover" by James Fountain, "Thank You Baby" by Matt Brown, "Nothing's Too Good For My Baby" by The Springers, and "Hey You Don't Fight It" by The Montclairs. 24 tracks – and a heck of a great deal for this much greatness! CD

One of the most enduring albums on the Prelude label, and a great bit of modern soul by James "D-Train" Williams. Hubert Eaves produced the album, and he added lots of tasty electro keyboards to the set, played with his usual jazzy touches and a nice flourish that gives Williams' voice a strong kick on the best cuts. Sparklingly sophisticated – and proof that the indie labels could still churn out quality soul as well as they could disco! Includes the cuts "You're The One For Me", "D Train Theme", "Walk On By", "Lucky Day", and "Love Vibration". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter segues between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker". CD

An incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter seques between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary album from the great Eddie Kendricks – a set that not only has the singer soaring on the kind of sublime old school vocal numbers he always did so well – but one that also has Eddie stepping out into some great dancefloor modes that would have a huge impact for years to come! Kendricks really scores big with the classic "Keep On Truckin" – a tune that's virtually the blueprint for boogie, and which is echoed here by a few other great numbers that really stand out – tunes that preface disco to come, but which also still bear a very strong link to the richest styles of Motown soul! Northern soul legend Frank Wilson had a great hand in the record – penning some of the best cuts, co-producing with Leonard Caston, and handling arrangements with Caston and James Carmichael – and in addition to "Keep On Truckin", other titles include "Darling Come Back Home", "Not On The Outside", "Any Day Now", "Where Do You Go (Baby)", "Each Day I Cry A Little", and "Only Room For Two". LP, Vinyl record album

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

A bigger step into a piano led jazzy style from Allen Toussaint – grooving in a timeless Crescent City influenced sound – a wonderful record, one we'll go back to for years to come! Allen's been a huge part of the New Orleans musical landscape for many, many years, and it's not a stretch to imagine he's had the laidback, but evocative jazz of the territory in his blood for just as long – so it's a wonder that he hasn't made a record like this before now. There's nothing cliche or cheesy in Allen's work here, which has kind of an after hours vibe that suits it well, and he's put together an outstanding group of players. Marc Ribot is on guitar, Don Byron on clarinet, Nicholas Payton on trumpet, David Piltch on upright bass, Jay Bellarose on drums, and guests Joshua Redman on tenor sax and Brad Mehldau on piano. Titles include "Egyptian Fantasy", "Dear Old Southland", "St James Infirmary", "Singin' The Blues", "Winin' The Blues", West End Blues", "Blue Drag", "Bright Mississippi", "Day Dream", "Solitude" and more. CD

Soul singer Ruby Johnson never recorded a full album back in the day – and this set nicely corrects that fact, by bringing together some of her rare singles as a wonderful ten track album! Ruby's got a richness that's in the best southern soul mode of the time – a voice that would fit easily right next to the best Chess material by Etta James, but occasionally giving a slight uptown pitch in the backings – maybe a bit like Maxine Brown at moments too! Yet whatever the case, Johnson's a wonderfully expressive singer – and really knocks it out of the park on this set of heartbreaking gems – titles that include "No No No", "If I Ever Needed Love", "It's Not That Easy", "I'll Run Your Heart Away", "Let Me Apologize", "I'd Better Check Myself", "Come To Me My Darling", and "How Strong Is My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Chaka Khan steps off her smoother sets from the early 80s here – into a groove that's a bit chunkier, funkier, and with some key 80s groove touches! Arif Mardin's still in charge of the whole project here, but he's opened the door to a host of other producers to update Chaka's sound for the dancefloor – including John Robie, Russ Titelman, James Newton Howard, and others. The title hit – "I Feel For You" – is a vocoder bumping classic from back in the day – and other tracks include "Chinatown", "This Is My Night", "La Flamme", "My Love Is Alive", "Hold Her", "Through The Fire", and "Stronger Than Before". LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Like Brothers", and "Find Yourself". This CD reissue also features some bonus tracks that weren't on the original album – including "Thanks Dad", "Get Down Baby", and "I'm A Young Man". 14 tracks in all! CD

An undisputed funk classic – even back in the days before anyone ever said the phrase "funk classic"! This album must have been deleted the day it came out – because even though it's attained legendary proportions with groovers worldwide, it's always been hard to find – even back in the 70s! But unlike so many other "rare-but-not great" funk albums, this one's a killer – with a hard funky wah wah sound that we'd rank up there with James Brown's best work on Polydor from the early 70s, and which should have made Joe a millionaire, not a lost legend of soul music. The band is sharp as a knife – with hard drums, tight bass, and some simply amazing guitar riffing. But the best part is Joe – as his vocals are hard and emotional, with just the right touches of righteousness to carry off the album's political messages, but not too much as to spoil the party that the band's having in the background! Every single track is a winner, and if we were ever to make a list of the top five funk albums to own, this one would be on it! Titles include "The Way They Do My Life", "I Got So Much Trouble On My Mind", "The Trouble With Trouble", "Give Me Back My Freedom", "Live Now Brothers", and "Find Yourself". This version is overflowing with bonus tracks – 9 more than the original album, pulled from singles on GSF and Mercury – with titles that include "How High", "Let Me Be What I Am", "You Know It's True", "I'm A Young Man", "Get Down Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "No", "This Girl Of Mine", "I'm Gonna Get You", and "Thanks Dad (parts 1 & 2)". 18 tracks on the CD. CD

One of the more righteous albums from the early years of Diana Ross' solo career – a set that really has her moving past the familiar Motown groove of previous years, into a vibe that really shows the label's new California influence! The tracks here often feature expansive arrangements that mix soul and larger orchestrations – arranged by Gene Page, James Carmichael, Gil Askey, and Michael Randall – all of whom preserve the class that Diana's always had in her music, while still also opening things up to some of the more thoughtful elements of 70s soul. The album includes a nice medley of Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus a version of "Imagine", and the tracks "Leave A Little Room", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "All Of My Life", and "Touch Me In The Morning". CD

A well-rounded set from Rick James' Stone City Band – a set that's got some mellower moments than most of Rick's own work from the time – but in a nice way that really offsets the group's tendency towards bassier funk! Lead vocalist Levi Ruffin stretches out nicely on a few more laidback cuts – not the most classic soul of his time, but with sensitivity that's greater than his handling of the simpler lyrics on the groovers here. Ruffin composed two of these ballads – "Feel Good Bout Yourself" and "Lovin You Is Easy" – and other tracks include "Tin Soldier", "Keep Love Happy", "Ganja", "Freaky", and a cover of The Kinks' "All Day & All Of The Night". LP, Vinyl record album

Talk about standing in the shadows of Motown! This set's a whole batch of really rare tracks from the Detroit scene of the late 60s – some of which were only issued on tiny labels, and lots more of which appear here for the first time ever – all from the mighty deep vaults of soul producer Dave Hamilton! Dave's a lost legend from the Motor City – a cat who captured talent that was every bit as good as that appearing on bigger indies – like Westbound, Groovesville, or Ric Tic – but who also recorded more gems than he could issue back in the day – which is what makes his music so ripe for discovery all these many years later. The set's overflowing with cuts that rival some of the best Northern Soul singles of the period, and also includes some cool steppers that show the way that Dave could guess where Detroit sounds would go in the 70s – all with a quality and production level that's way more than you'd expect from Hamilton's tiny studio. CD features 24 tracks in all – lots never issued – and titles include "Happiness Is Here" by Tobi Lark, "Lean Lanky Daddy" by Little Ann, "Heavenly Thing" by The Mark-Keys, "You Did" by Priscilla Page, "What Should I Do" by Little Ann, "Blue Funk" by Dave Hamilton, "Talking Bout Love" by Tobi Lark, "Your Love Is What I Want" by The Ravins, "Just A Mistake" by The Ebonettes, "That's All She Wrote" by Gil Billingsley, "Love Friends & Money" by James Lately, "Sweep It Out In The Shed" by Tobi Lark, "I'm Pretending" by Priscilla Page, "Nothing In This World" by Dottie & Millie, "You Won't Miss The Water" by Chico & Buddy, and "Marriage Is Only A State Of Mind" by James Carpenter. CD

A killer little set that's as heavy as it sounds from the title – a wealth of rare material pulled from the studio of Detroit producer Dave Hamilton – a good deal of it previously unreleased! Hearing this set is like finding a pile of rare 45s stuffed in the back corner of a long-lost record shop – because although much of the work was never issued, it crackles with the intensity of the best funky 45s – lots of funky drums, offbeat guitar, and raspy soul vocals – produced with a real edge to all the work, so that all of the hardest elements of the tunes really come through in the mix! The work that was issued here came out on the TCB, Tayster, and New Day labels – and although the artists are often not well known, the work's got a really unified feel – thanks to the funky vision of Dave Hamilton. CD features 20 tracks in all – including "Brand New Girl (part 1)", "You're Wasting My Time (parts 1 & 2)", and "I Got Some (parts 1 & 2)" by Billy Garner; "The Grown Folks Thing" by OC Tolbert, "Party Time" by James Carpenter, "Going To The Moon" by Dave Hamilton, "Funky Trip" by Johnny Walker, "The Devil Is Gonna Get You" by The Future Kind, "Just A Mistake" by The Barrino Brothers, "Hunchin" by Gip Roberts, "Bump With Me" by The Webb People, "Sweet Thing (part 1)" by Bobby Dee, and "Can You Dig It" by Chico & Buddy. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Sun Ra, Parliament, and other soul and jazz acts famously took us into space back in the day – and in the wake of their journeys, countless other artists elected to take the trip too – soaring to the cosmos on a blend of beats, basslines, keyboards, and vocals – all elements that are given an especially electro-tuned vibe in this great second volume of the series! The space age journeys are maybe more akin to the world of Newcleus than Earth Wind & Fire – lots of processing on the vocals, sweet riffing on the keyboards, and basslines that are tightly tied to the rhythms of the grooves – served up here in a way that references sounds of the street, west coast funk, and even earlier hip hop – all brought together in a very well-chosen array of tracks! As always with Soul Jazz, the presentation is as great as the music within – a set list that includes "More Ounce Rap" by Bobby Deemo, "Master Groove (inst)" by Chance, "Shine Your Light" by The Grainers, "Get Right" by Mid City Crew, "Summer Times" by Frank James & Shadow, "Year 2001 Boogie" by Rich Cason & The Galactic Orchestra, "Smurf Trek" by Chapter Three, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "Breakdance" by Command Performance, and "Computer Pop" by Maggotron. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

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

After Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker came head to head with James Brown in the mid 70s, they broke off and formed the Horny Horns contingent – a tight funky backing section that's featured on a number of late 70s funk sessions, and which also recorded some extremely nice numbers on their own! This first album has the group working with George Clinton and Bootsy, who was a friend of Fred and Maceo from the old days – and who could really use the tight playing of some James Brown-trained musicians to smooth out their groove. This album was the group's first – and it's still their best – forging a massive new funk sound with the best elements of the old JBs fused through Clinton and Bootsy's P-Funk filter. Includes the monster funk cut "Fourplay" – a standout classic that features a funky break, hard solos, and all the other elements you'd need to make a great funky instrumental. Other tracks include "Between The Sheets", "Peace Fugue", and a version of "Up For The Down Stroke". CD

Funky funky California – and a great set of rare grooves from the 70s! The folks at Luv N Haight records are up to their old tricks – digging through the crates for the kind of hard-to-find funky tracks that first gave birth to the fame of the Ubiquity label. The set traces a sound that barely shows up in the history books – the harder funky sound of California in the 70s, a scene that was mostly underground, and which stood in stark contrast to the smoother sounds coming out on major labels at the time. A few of the artists on the set might be familiar through other Luv N Haight reissues, and there's others here that we've never heard at all – grooving in hard and heavy styles that spread across the Sunshine State from East LA to Funky Frisco to Oaktown – a total of 14 tracks that include "Freaky To You" by Sweet Stuff, "Losing You" by Cordial, "Love & Affection" by Ike White, "Freedom Time" by Linda Tillery, "Patience" by Rokk, "Party Time" by Roy Porter, "Carnaval" by Oquesta Esencia, "Wobble Cha" by Cool Benny, "Feelin Alright" by West Coast Revival, "Where Do We Go From Here" by Cool Sounds, "Hang On In There" by Mike James Kirkland, "Daydreamer" by Adele Sebastian, and "A Real Thing" by Sons & Daughters Of Life. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

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

Hard and heavy Memphis soul from Don Bryant – a great singer who recorded for Hi Records in its early years, but who was never as well-remembered as Al Green or Ann Peebles, because the label wasn't cutting full LPs on many of its soul acts in the 60s. Don's got a rough style that's part Memphis, part New Orleans, with nice bluesy touches, and a slightly rough style that reminds us of James Carr or other singers on the Goldwax label. The set's got a total of 15 tracks in all – all recorded between 1964 and 1969 – with titles that include "I'll Go Crazy", "Doing The Mustang", "What Are You Doing To My World", "There Is Something On Your Mind (part 1)", "The Call Of Distress", "Is That Asking Too Much", "Clear Days & Stormy Nights", and "Can't Hide The Hurt". CD

Sweet funky Q for the 70s – easily one of the coolest albums ever from Quincy Jones! The album's got a very heavy electric vibe – one that's kind of a laidback take on the styles that Jones was forging in some of his 70s soundtrack work – served up with massive work on the keyboards from Dave Grusin and Bob James, the latter of whom brings some of his own CTI vibe strongly into play! The basslines are great too – often dipping, stepping, and turning wonderfully – keeping things laidback and mellow, but always making for some sort of a groove, even on the slower tracks too. There's just a bit of vocals on the record – handled by Valerie Simpson on two tracks, and Quincy on another – but the main focus here is on the instrumentation, which is completely sublime. Titles include Quincy's great remake of "Summer In The City", an oft-sought sample track – plus versions of "Superstition", "Daydreaming", and "You've Got It Bad Girl" – and the great originals "Chump Change", "Love Theme From The Getaway", "Eyes Of Love", and "Sanford & Son Theme". (Jazz, Soul) CD

Sweet funky Q for the 70s – easily one of the coolest albums ever from Quincy Jones! The album's got a very heavy electric vibe – one that's kind of a laidback take on the styles that Jones was forging in some of his 70s soundtrack work – served up with massive work on the keyboards from Dave Grusin and Bob James, the latter of whom brings some of his own CTI vibe strongly into play! The basslines are great too – often dipping, stepping, and turning wonderfully – keeping things laidback and mellow, but always making for some sort of a groove, even on the slower tracks too. There's just a bit of vocals on the record – handled by Valerie Simpson on two tracks, and Quincy on another – but the main focus here is on the instrumentation, which is completely sublime. Titles include Quincy's great remake of "Summer In The City", an oft-sought sample track – plus versions of "Superstition", "Daydreaming", and "You've Got It Bad Girl" – and the great originals "Chump Change", "Love Theme From The Getaway", "Eyes Of Love", and "Sanford & Son Theme". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best solo records from Harvey Mason – best known as the drummer on some really monster 70s funky fusion sessions (such as Johnny Hammond's Gears album) – but a surprisingly well-rounded R&B artist overall! As with Norman Connors, another fusion drummer gone soul star, Harvey's working here in a style that mixes jazz influences with modern soul – grooving things for a more mainstream audience, but still keeping things real underneath. The record's filled with guest appearances by fusion greats – like Bob James, David Spinozza, Richard Tee, Lee Ritenour, and others – and Jim Gilstrap sings vocals on a cut or two. Titles include "The Race", "Groovin You", "Wave", "We Can", and "Here Today, Gone Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent double-length live set from Gil Scott Heron – recorded right in the middle of his classic years on Arista Records, and with an extended groove that shows just how great he could be in a concert setting! Many of these tracks are quite long, with both instrumental solos and a more freewheeling vibe from Gil – who seems to put even more power into the sorts of messages that always make his music so wonderful. The group features flute from Vernon James and tenor from Ron Holloway – and Gil himself plays plenty of great keyboards, including Fender Rhodes – which brings a very fluid vibe to his vocal presentation. Tracks include "We Almost Lost Detroit", "B Movie", "Better Days Ahead", "Washington DC", "Shut Em Down", "Winter In America", "Angola Louisiana", "Johannesburg", and a great 15 minute take on "The Bottle". CD

After Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker came head to head with James Brown in the mid 70s, they broke off and formed the Horny Horns contingent – a tight funky backing section that's featured on a number of late 70s funk sessions, and which also recorded some extremely nice numbers on their own! This first album has the group working with George Clinton and Bootsy, who was a friend of Fred and Maceo from the old days – and who could really use the tight playing of some James Brown-trained musicians to smooth out their groove. This album was the group's first – and it's still their best – forging a massive new funk sound with the best elements of the old JBs fused through Clinton and Bootsy's P-Funk filter. Includes the monster funk cut "Fourplay" – a standout classic that features a funky break, hard solos, and all the other elements you'd need to make a great funky instrumental. Other tracks include "Between The Sheets", "Peace Fugue", and a version of "Up For The Down Stroke". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic blend of two funky styles – that of the James Brown group of the early 70s, and the always mighty P-Funk nation of the late 70s! After Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker came head to head with James Brown in the mid 70s, they broke off and formed the Horny Horns contingent – a tight funky backing section that's featured on a number of late 70s funk sessions, and which also recorded some extremely nice numbers on their own! This first album has the group working with George Clinton and Bootsy, who was a friend of Fred and Maceo from the old days – and who could really use the tight playing of some James Brown-trained musicians to smooth out their groove. This album was the group's first – and it's still their best – forging a massive new funk sound with the best elements of the old JBs fused through Clinton and Bootsy's P-Funk filter. Includes the monster funk cut "Fourplay" – a standout classic that features a funky break, hard solos, and all the other elements you'd need to make a great funky instrumental. Other tracks include "Between The Sheets", "Peace Fugue", and a version of "Up For The Down Stroke". LP, Vinyl record album

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

The fourth fantastic chapter in this wonderful trip through the 60s – headed up by author Jon Savage, as a great soundtrack to his documents of the time! If you know Savage at all, you'll know to expect something different and fresh – an unusual take on the period, and one that goes way past the chart hits and overplayed oldies – to instead uncover currents of cultural activity at a much deeper level! And sure, there's a number of familiar songs here – but they're mixed with lesser-known gems, and presented in this great double-length package that features 48 tracks in all – all with notes from Savage himself. Titles include "Talkin About The Good Times" by Pretty Things, "Eastern Organ" by Brother Dan All Stars, "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "Say It Loud (part 1)" by James Brown, "Omnibus" by The Move, "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth, "Everydays" by Buffalo Springfield", "How Does It Feel To Feel" by The Creation, "Dear Delilah" by Grapefruit, "Machines" by Lothar & The Hand People, "Tomorrow Street Puzzle" by Fairport Convention, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit, "Kick Out The Jams (preview pressing)" by MC5, "World In A Jug" by Canned Heat, "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, and "Why Does It Feel So Right" by The Shades Of Jade. (Rock, Soul) CD

An insanely fantastic look at the strong legacy of gospel music from Savoy Records – a company who were initially a powerhouse in the fields of jazz and R&B, but who moved into the gospel world and dominated that market for decades! Savoy is a bit like Chess Records – a company who really learned how to record blues singers and soulful styles from the secular world, then used that same ability to work some real magic on songs from the more spiritual side of the spectrum – an approach that really made for top-shelf music, even as the decades moved on! Savoy's gospel legacy has always been a bit underground – not nearly as reissued for larger audiences as their jazz and blues material – but this collection does a great job of correcting that lack, by presenting their music in a wonderful format – all in a mix of rare cuts and classics from the gospel underground. Savoy kept going strong into the 80s, in a mix of styles that includes some funk and boogie – served up here on 17 tracks by artists that include Solomon Burke, Genobia Jeter, World Wonders, Edith Moreno, Glenn Jones & The Modulations, Hollywood Stars, James Cleveland, Holy Lights Of Baltimore, Sensational Williams Brothers, Gospelaires Of Dayton, Helen Hollins Singers, Edith Moreno, and The 4th Of May. (Gospel, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Sophisticated soul from William Salter – a lost treasure from the Ralph MacDonald camp at the end of the 70s, and a vocalist that we only know from this one obscure album! MacDonald produced the set with William Eaton – who also did the arrangements, as he did on some of Ralph's own work – and Salter sings lead in a style that's part modern soul, part adult – working with some nice jazzy touches on the best cuts. The album's got work from jazzers like Bob James, Eddie Daniels, and Jon Faddis – plus backup vocals from Patti Austin and Valerie Simpson – and the best tracks groove along at midtempo pace with a sunny kind of finish. There's a few clunkers on here, but the good cuts more than make up for them – and titles include "You Got Style", "It Is So Beautiful To Be", "Three Days Of Flowers", "Lena", and "When You Smile" – a nice jazzy stepping tune! LP, Vinyl record album

The fourth fantastic chapter in this wonderful trip through the 60s – headed up by author Jon Savage, as a great soundtrack to his documents of the time! If you know Savage at all, you'll know to expect something different and fresh – an unusual take on the period, and one that goes way past the chart hits and overplayed oldies – to instead uncover currents of cultural activity at a much deeper level! And sure, there's a number of familiar songs here – but they're mixed with lesser-known gems, and presented in this great double-length package that features 48 tracks in all – all with notes from Savage himself. Titles include "Talkin About The Good Times" by Pretty Things, "Eastern Organ" by Brother Dan All Stars, "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "Say It Loud (part 1)" by James Brown, "Omnibus" by The Move, "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth, "Everydays" by Buffalo Springfield", "How Does It Feel To Feel" by The Creation, "Dear Delilah" by Grapefruit, "Machines" by Lothar & The Hand People, "Tomorrow Street Puzzle" by Fairport Convention, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit, "Kick Out The Jams (preview pressing)" by MC5, "World In A Jug" by Canned Heat, "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, and "Why Does It Feel So Right" by The Shades Of Jade. (Rock, Soul) CD

Not really blues, but not really soul either – a wonderful mix of modes that's come to be known as the popcorn sound of the early 60s! The style's hardly "pop" at all – and instead, these tunes are plenty gritty throughout – more like numbers you'd hear blasting out of a backroom jukebox, or on the decks of some deep soul DJ dedicated to serving up a rough-edged groove! Lots of these numbers might be called post-R&B – as they still have some of the styles of the 50s, mixed with the tighter punch of the newborn soul sound – and the set's a wonderful illustration of this magical moment in music, finally getting some credit after all these years. CD features loads of tracks we'd never heard before – and titles include "Don't Knock It" by Sinner Strong, "You Lied" by Marva Josie, "Mr Lonely" by Freddie North, "When You See Me Hurt" by Carl Lester & The Show Stoppers, "Well I Done Got Over It" by Bobby Mitchell, "I'm Comin Home" by Bobby John, "I Ain't Talkin" by Pat Hunt, "This Little Lester" by James Wayne, "Why Oh Why" by Austin Taylor, "Rockin Bed" by Valerie Carr, and "I'm Hurted" by Mamie Perry. CD

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

A beautiful post-Atlantic album from Nikki Giovanni – much more intimate and personal than her better known work, with only Nikki's voice throughout the album – heard on a number of shorter poems! At some level, Giovanni seems to have left behind the more righteous themes of before, and is going for a mode here that's a bit more everyday – but still touched with the deeper reflections that make her so great. The titles of the poems tell enough about the subject matter – and they include "Parent's Never Understand", "Mommie's Daddies", "Ego Tripping", "James Shell's Snowball Stand", "Knoxville Tennessee", "Winter Poem", "The Drum", and "Kidnap Poem". LP, Vinyl record album

Stellar Manhattans from the start of the 80s – and proof that the group could still hold strong, even at a point when soul music was really changing up around them! The sound is somewhat smoother than before, but never in a throwaway style – and as you might guess from the title, the record's a mostly-mellow affair that really hones in on the great ballad style that the group had perfected during their time at Columbia! The vocals are superb – not nearly as fragile as in the early days, but really still filled with a great sense of warmth and humanity – the group really maturing into a special space of their own. Arrangements are by James Mack, Benjamin Wright, Bert DeCoteux, and others – and titles include the hit "Shining Star", plus "It's Not The Same", "Just As Long As I Have You", "If My Heart Could Speak", "One Life To Life", "The Closer You Are", and "Girl Of My Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A rich collection of Muddy Waters' famous work for Chess Records – put together in the 70s, but featuring tracks from his earliest days in the studio, up through the key electric years of the 60s! The package pulls together some real gems – including work with Little Walter and James Cotton on harmonica, and Otis Spann on piano – and the album's also got some nice historical notes that document the original recordings. Titles include "Crawlin Kingsnake", "County Jail", "They Call Me Muddy Waters", "Find Yourself Another Fool", "Kinfolk's Blues", "Making Friends", "Blind Man", "Howling Wolf", "Two Steps Forward", and "Bird Nest On The Ground". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Deep soul from the glory days of the Memphis scene – not the better-known work recorded at Stax, but material from the smaller American Sound Studio – a new game in town during the late 60s, and a place that forged it's very own legacy in Memphis music! American recorded a variety of styles – a bit like Muscle Shoals – but this collection not only focuses most strongly on the soul music cut at the studios, but also work by "The Memphis Boys" – the superb in-house session group that included top-shelf talents like Reggie Young and Tommy Cogbill on guitar, Bobby Emmons on keyboards, and Chips Moman at the head of the group. The great Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham also did plenty of work for American – on material that was issued on a variety of labels – Atlantic, Cameo, Bell, Sound Stage 7, Smash, and others – all collected here with a deep set of notes that really gets at the special vibe going down at American. Titles include "Burning Fire" by Arthur Conley, "Someone To Take Your Place" by Bobby Marchan, "I Don't Want To Have To Wait" by James & Bobby Purify, "Ain't That True Love" by Oscar Toney Jr, "There's A Heartbreak Somewhere" by Roscoe Shelton, "Comin To Bring You Some Soul" by Sam Baker, "It Ain't Fair" by Ben E King, "Don't Take Your Love" by The Blossoms, "So Much Love" by Dusty Springfield, "Broadway Walk" by Bobby Womack, "Holdin On" by Jerry Lee Lewis, and "On The Other Side" by Lee Jones & The Sounds Of Soul. CD

Genius work from one of the greatest Southern Soul studios ever – Muscle Shoals' legendary Fame Studios – the start of a huge wave of great music in the 60s, and a genre-changing sound that's still going strong today! The package is the best we've ever seen to look at Fame – not just a killer selection of the studio's music – 75 tracks that bring together rare singles, hits, and some lesser-known gems – but also a beautiful hardcover book, filled with pages and pages of great notes, vintage images, and more – really telling the unique take of Fame, producer Rick Hall, and all the mighty talents who helped make Muscle Shoals one of the most important sites for soul music in the 60s and 70s. Titles include "Ten Miles High" by David & The Giants, "Search Your Heart" by George Jackson, "Let Them Talk" by Dan Penn, "Two In The Morning" by Spooner's Crowd, "Lady In The Rain" by Lowell Fulson, "Wanted Lover" by James Govan, "Grits & Gravy" by The Fame Gang, "Get Involved" by George Soule, "What Color Is Love" by Roscoe Robinson, "Laugh It Off" by The Tams, "Thief In The Night" by Ben & Spence, "Take Me Just As I Am" by Mitty Collier, "I'm Just A Prisoner" by Candi Staton, "Thread The Needle" by Clarence & Calvin, and "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A great collection of rare and unreleased New Orleans funk – from the golden days of the genre – and with work by some of the best producers in the Crescent City! Very hard and heavy funk, with choppy riffs and hard drums – plus, there's even a few cuts with nice electronics. Legendary cuts by Eddie Bo, The Gaturs, Louisiana Homegrown, Chuck Cornish, Sonny James and more. Includes the tracks "Chiller" by Louisiana Homegrown, "Soul Power" by Walter Washington and the Soul Powers, "Ali, Funky Thing" by Chuck Cornish, "Lighten Up" by Sonny Jones, and "I'm Mr. Big Stuff" by Jimmy Hicks. Plus, the LP also features two different mixes of Eddie Bo classics "Hook & Sling" (a much longer version) and "If It's Good To Ya, It's Good For Ya" (done here in a 5 minute version.) (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

K-tel style compilation with a note in the corner of the sleeve that says "As Seen On TV", with a bunch of short versions of hot soul tunes that were making the rounds every Saturday afternoon on Soul Train. Nothing hard to find here, but a nice piece of the past loaded with familiar but still great tracks, 20 of them in all,and a great cover with photos of Don Cornelius and a number of the artists from their appearances on the show. With Barbara Mason "Give Me Your Love", James Brown "Good Foot", Curtis Mayfield "Super Fly", Archie Bell& The Drells "Dance To your Music", The O'Jays "Back Stabbers", Cymande "The Message", Timmy Thomas "Why Can't We Live Together", Dennis Coffey "Scorpio", Al Green "Guilty", Brighter Side Of Darkness "Love Jones" and The Dells "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", plus a bunch more. . . LP, Vinyl record album