(Blues, Soul) CD

A very hip collection of work from the great Joe Turner – material that hasn't been easily issued elsewhere, and which fills in a key chapter of Joe's career! CD1 features vintage material, and is heavy on work from the postwar years, but before Turner rose to a second wave of fame on Atlantic Records – raw tracks recorded for labels that include Freedom and Stag, often with a style that's heavy on the jazzy arrangements that other jump blues artists were using at the time. CD2 features a variety of live recordings – from 1955, 1969, 1971, and 1985 – showing how strongly Turner held onto both his vocal powers over the years, and his ability to command a concert audience. Vintage cuts include "Still In The Dark", "Adam Bit The Apple", "Just A Travelin Man", "Jumpin At The Jubilee", "Around The Clock (part 1)", "Wine O Baby Boogie", "Christmas Date Boogie", and "Baby Won't You Marry Me". Live tracks include "Call The Plumber", "Chicken & The Hawk", "Honey Hush", "Mad Blues", "Chains Of Love", "Cherry Red", "Low Down Dog", and "Flip Flop & Fly". (Blues, Soul) CD

2 massive Isaac Hayes soundtracks in one set – both from the magical cinematic year of 1974! Truck Turner is a hard and heavy soundtrack that we like even more than his classic work on Shaft! Unlike Shaft, Ike actually starred in the film Truck Turner – which may be one reason why he brought his full game to the table for the record – and scored a batch of badass tunes that still stand with some of the best funky soundtrack work of the 70s! The rhythm's especially hard on the best cuts – really crackling with a lot of intensity, and a stark, hard funky sound that's made the record a favorite of beatheads for years! Ike kicks it hard on cuts like "Pursuit Of The Pimpmobile", "House Full Of Girls", "Drinking", "Give It To Me", "Now We're One", "Breakthrough", "House of Beauty", and the massive title cut "Truck Turner". Tough Guys is deeper and more complicated than the groove of Shaft and Truck Turner, and filled with some great tunes that glow with color, life, and imagination – showing an Isaac Hayes that almost seems to be moving beyond the usual blackploitation groove! The album sports 2 really classic tunes – the title theme "Tough Guys", and the classic "Hung Up On My Baby" – both of which have a solidly funky feel that will more than please the usual soundtrack beathead crowd. But overall, the other tunes twist and turn in a delightful mix of modes – expanding on the soulful territory Ike first explored in his original soundtracks, and offering up a great range of moods and emotion. The album's got some especially great chromatic guitar work – and other titles include "Joe Bell", "Randolph & Dearborn", "Buns O Plenty", "Run Fay Run", and "Red Rooster". CD

A great look at the lesser-known side of the Harlem soul empire of producer Bobby Robinson – best known for his work on the Fire and Fury labels, but also heard here on a host of rare singles for Enjoy, Vest, and other smaller imprints! There's plenty of records here that mark Robinson as having a key ear for funk way before most other talents on the scene – and there's plenty of tracks here that take conventional soul artists and set them up in a nicely gritty mode – perfect for the format of a 45rpm 7" single – especially on some of the cuts here that spill out over both sides of the wax! The set features 28 tracks in all – many of which we've not seen on other collections – and titles include "Baby Baby I Love You" by The Hootenaires, "Ain't Nobody's Business" by Mary B, "Don't Make Me Cry" by Ti Mattison, "Count The Tears" by Jimmy Armstrong, "Memphis" by The Dan Dees, "My Darkest Hour" by Titus Turner, "Talk To Me Baby" by Joe Haywood, "Soul Express (parts 1 & 2)" by The Ramrods, "Hot Potato (parts 1 & 2)" by The Rinkydinks, "The Squeeze (parts 1 & 2)" by Horace Coopoer & Band, "Bank Of Love" by Janet Calloway, "Just A Little Bit Of True Love" by Betty Boothe, "What Ya Gonna Do" by Noble Watts & June Bateman, and "Dig Yourself" by Les Cooper & The Soul Rockers. CD

Featuring artists Elmore Jones, Buddy Guy, T Bone Walker, Joe Turner, Tampa red and others. 25 tracks total! (Blues, Soul) CD

A great little set from T-Bone – recorded at the end of the 60s, with a lineup that includes other blues musicians like Joe Turner, Otis Spann, and George Harmonica Smith, plus jazz funk players like Paul Humphrey and Ernie Watts! The vibe is very laidback – and most tracks on the album stretch out in an extended free-form style that's quite unusual compared to T-Bone's other records. As usual, his guitar and vocals are very soulful – and titles include "Paris Blues", "Blues Jam", and "Jot's Blues". A real gem on Flying Dutchman/Bluestime. (Blues, Soul) CD

An amazing collection – a wealth of rare R&B from the 50s years of Okeh Records – most of it only ever on 78s before, issued here in a really wonderful package! The set includes rare work from Andre Williams, Pearl Traylor, Red Rodney, Lloyd Fatman, The Shufflers, Larry Darnell, Sammy Cotton, Cliff King Solomon, Chuck Willis, Jumpin Joe Williams, Titus Turner, The Treneirs, Chris Powell, and many others! Loads of tracks – 78 cuts in all – some previously unissued, too! CD

Music from Joe Turner, Helen Humes, Louis Jordan, Count Basie, Miss Rhapsody, Louis Jordan, Lil Green, Erskine Hawkins, Cecil Gant, Hot Lips Page, and more - fifty songs in all. CD

A great look at the lesser-known side of the Harlem soul empire of producer Bobby Robinson – best known for his work on the Fire and Fury labels, but also heard here on a host of rare singles for Enjoy, Vest, and other smaller imprints! There's plenty of records here that mark Robinson as having a key ear for funk way before most other talents on the scene – and there's plenty of tracks here that take conventional soul artists and set them up in a nicely gritty mode – perfect for the format of a 45rpm 7" single – especially on some of the cuts here that spill out over both sides of the wax! The set features 28 tracks in all – many of which we've not seen on other collections – and titles include "Baby Baby I Love You" by The Hootenaires, "Ain't Nobody's Business" by Mary B, "Don't Make Me Cry" by Ti Mattison, "Count The Tears" by Jimmy Armstrong, "Memphis" by The Dan Dees, "My Darkest Hour" by Titus Turner, "Talk To Me Baby" by Joe Haywood, "Soul Express (parts 1 & 2)" by The Ramrods, "Hot Potato (parts 1 & 2)" by The Rinkydinks, "The Squeeze (parts 1 & 2)" by Horace Coopoer & Band, "Bank Of Love" by Janet Calloway, "Just A Little Bit Of True Love" by Betty Boothe, "What Ya Gonna Do" by Noble Watts & June Bateman, and "Dig Yourself" by Les Cooper & The Soul Rockers. CD

A treasure trove of rare postwar blues from the west coast – material cut for Dootsie Williams, best known as the head of the seminal Dootone label in LA! The set offers both tracks from Dootone and Williams' rarer imprint Blue – the latter of which existed from the late 40s into the early 50s, and featured a fair bit of excellent material done in the more laidback bluesy mode of LA after the war – styles popularized by Charles Brown, Cecil Gant, and others – echoed strongly in many of the performances here. As the set rolls on into the later 50s, some of the tracks pick up a bit more of an R&B sound – but the work is still relatively unified here, thanks to a good focus on the more blues-based work on Dootone. 30 tracks in all, plus some really great notes – all at the usual high Ace level! Titles include "Rent Day" by Stormy Herman, "Richmond Blues" by Betty Hall Jones, "West Coast Baby" by Johnny Taylor & His Mellow 5, "I Got A Country Girl" by Bobby Nunn, "Everybody's Jumpin Tonight" by Dootsie Williams & His Rhythm Kings with Joe Turner, "You'd Better Come Home Baby" by Violet Hall, "The Hole In The Wall" by Cleo Brown, "Are You Ready To Go Steady" by Paul Monday, and "Katy Lee" by Fats Gaines. CD

Original versions of songs that Elvis made famous. Music from Big Mama Thorton, Carl Perkins, Smiley Lewis, the Spiders, the Orioles, Chuck Willis, Joe Turner, Willie & Ruth, the Fellows, the Drifters, and more – 29 songs in all. (Rock, Soul) CD

Music by Jimmy Witherspoon, Lloyd Glenn, Big Joe Turner, Johnny Otis, Lowell Fulson, Charles Brown, Jimmy McCracklin, the Nightengale Jubalaires, and Dusty Brooks – 24 tracks total. (Blues, Soul) CD

A really well-done collection – one that spans key postwar years of R&B, then moves through doo wop into the seminal sounds of 60s soul – almost all from Atlantic Records! Music from Illinois Jacquet, Lionel Hampton, the Ravens, Mabel Scott, Big Jay McNeely, Percy Mayfield, the Five Keys, Lloyd Price, Ruth Brown, Big Joe Turner, the Chords, Johnny Ace, Ray Charles, James Brown & much more. CD

Music from Bill Haley and the Comets, the Moonglows, Cadiallacs, Bo Diddley, Joe Turner, Smiley Lewis, Clyde McPhatter and the Drifters, Johnny Ace, Chuck Berry, the Penguins, Ruth Brown, and more – 22 tracks in all! (Rock, Soul) CD

Music from Wynonie Harris, The Dominoes, Louis Jordan, Paul Williams, Jackie Brenston & His Delta Kings, Lloyd Price, Big Mama Thornton, Amos Milburn, The Clovers, Fats Domino, Guitar Slim, Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, Bill Haley & The Comets, The Five Keys, Muddy Waters, Joe Turner, The Robins, Faye Adams, Gene & Eunice, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, and The Orioles. CD

Music from Tiny Grimes, Joe Morris, Frank Culley, Ruth Brown, Professor Longhair, Harry Van Walls, the Clovers, Joe Turner, the Cardinals, Ray Charles and Willis Jackson. CD

Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! 28 tracks in all, including "Ruby Baby" and "Fools Fall In Love" by the Drifters,"In paradise" by the Cookies, "The Chicken & The Hawk" by Joe Turner, "Devil Or Angel" by the Clovers, "Drown In My Own Tears" and "Lonely Avenue" by Ray Charles, "Jim Dandy" by LaVern Baker, 'Down In Mexico", "Searchin'" and "Yakety Yak" by the Coasters, "Treasure Of Love" by Clyde McPhatter, "Since I Met You Baby" by Ivory Joe Hunter, "Lucky Lips" by Ruth Brown, "Midnight Special Train" by Joe Turner, "Cc Rider" and "Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes" by Chuck Willis and "Mr Lee" by the Bobbettes. CD

Seminal soul from one of Chicago's greatest labels in the 60s – the One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus imprints, plus tracks from related Toddlin Town too – home to some of the best indie work at the time! The quality here is right up there with the best you'd hear from Chess, Okeh, or Brunswick in the 60s – no surprise, since the pair of labels shared lots of similar talents with the bigger companies – as well as session men, songwriters, and producers too! The full scope of Chicago soul is really covered here – upbeat groovers for the dancefloor, heartfelt ballads with great harmonies, and some of the harder-edged bluesy numbers that really helped put One-Der-Ful on the map! There's also some key early examples of funk – proof that in the 60s, Chicago was one of the hippest scenes in the world – and the set comes with 2 CDs, nestled in a hardback booklet of notes and photos – with a whopping 50 tracks in all. Titles include "Tired Of Being Lonely" by The Sharpees, "Without You" by The Ulti-Mations, "That's How It Is" by Otis Clay, "Keep On Dancin" by Alvin Cash, "The Funky Judge" by Bull & The Matadors, "I Get A Groove" by Thomas East & The Fabulous Playboys, "Damper Down" by Bobby Davis, "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell, "Come Back Home" by Beny Turner, "Master Key" by Harold Burrage, "If I Could Live My Life All Over" by Dorothy Prince, "You Told A Lie" by Johnny Sayles, "New Girl" by The Accents, and "Don't You Worry" by Joe & Mack. CD

Includes tracks from the Carter Brothers, Frank Frost, Elmore James, George "Wild Child" Butler, Big Joe Turner, Willie Dixon, and more. (Blues, Soul) CD

Music from Buster Benton, Buddy Guy, Otis Rush, Lightnin' Hopkins, Ike Turner, Willie Dixon, Little Joe Blue, Lowell Fulson, John Lee Hooker, Magic Sam, and Earl Hooker. (Blues, Soul) CD