A huge collection of work from the second chapter in the career of long-running New Orleans soul singer Johnny Adams – work after his initial rise to fame on the SSS International label, from a time when he was working with producer Senator Jones, in a groove that nicely updated an older deep soul style! In later years, Adams would emerge as a more traditional artist, but here he's doing a great job of working with larger charts alongside his well-crafted vocals – in a style that's not unlike that used by Johnnie Taylor and Tyrone Davis in the late 70s too – a more sophisticated take on southern soul, and one that seems to push some of Adams' vocals even more than before! Most of the work was recorded at the Seasaint studios in the late 70s – and titles include "Nothing Takes The Place Of You", "After All The Good Is Gone", "Feel The Beat", "Chasing Rainbows", "It's Been So Long", "Think About You", "Your Love Is All I Need", "Baby Baby I Love You", "She's Only A Baby Herself", "Stay With Me & Stay In Love", "I Don't Want To Cry", and "Memories". 2CD set features 30 tracks in all – including the live cuts "Lost Mind", "Road Block", and "I Cover The Waterfront". CD

William Bell was one of the first great soul singers to record for the legendary Stax Records in Memphis – an artist who really helped set the tone for deep soul singles to come from the likes of Otis Redding and Johnnie Taylor – and one whose early work is still some of the best he ever gave us! This well-done package brings together all of Bell's first 14 singles for the label, both a-sides and b-sides – standing together as a testament to all the greatness the singer brought to the fray right from the start – as Stax not only found a way to record him so much differently than he would have been handled in other spots, but also matured along with Bell to keep on creating fresh magic as the 60s moved on! As always with Ace/Kent, the presentation is wonderful – a detailed set of notes that matches the wonderful set list – which includes "Formula Of Love", "Just As I Thought", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "I Told You So", "Don't Stop Now", "Crying All By Myself", "I'll Show You", "Monkeying Around", "Ain't Got No Girl", "Every Man Oughta Have A Woman", "Never Like This Before", "Marching Off To War", "Soldier's Goodbye", "One Plus One", "Eloise", "You're Such A Sweet Thing", "Don't Make Something Out Of Nothing", and his great farewell to Otis Redding, "Tribute To A King". CD

Four fantastic albums from Bobby Bland – all brought together in a single package for the first time! First up is Come Fly With Me – great work from Bobby Blue Bland – one of the few artists to rise up at the end of the 50s, and still find a way to chart their own path forward in soul with fresh material like this! Bobby's voice is still incredible here, and he works with production from Al Bell and Monk Higgins, the latter of whom arranged – in this cool style that's a bit like some of the territory that Tyrone Davis was taking on at Columbia Records during the second half of the 70s – fuller arrangements that bring some sophisticated soul touches to the music, but in ways that never lose the core of Bobby's genius! Titles include "Lady Lonely", "Night Games", "You Can Count On Me", "Love To See You Smile", "Come Fly With Me", and "To Be Friends". The next album is I Feel Good I Feel Fine – and Bobby Bland sounds pretty good too – thanks to arrangements from the great Monk Higgins, who does a perfect job of mixing Bland's trademark vocals with some sweet late 70s arrangements! The sound is upbeat, but never in a cliched disco mode – more in the territory that you'd hear Johnnie Taylor using over at Columbia Records – maybe a good comparison, given the Memphis roots that both artists shared – as both also evolved a lot to shift their sound with the changing modes of the time. And as with Johnnie, Bobby never loses the core that makes him great – as you'll hear on titles that include "Tit For Tat", "Soon As The Weather Breaks", "In His Eyes", "Someone To Belong To", "I Feel Good I Feel Fine", and "Little Mama". Sweet Vibrations is a real gem from the start of the 80s – arranged by Monk Higgins, who co-produced the set with Al Bell – a duo who'd already given Bobby some great records before, but who really knock it out of the park with this one. There's an extra-special quality going on here – maybe a slight reintroduction of blues roots, but still with a very contemporary spirit – set up to superb backings throughout. Titles include "Soul With A Flavor", "Hollywood Woman", "You'd Be A Millionaire", "Sweet Vibrator", "Special Kind Of Fool", and "A Real Woman Is What It Takes". Try Me I'm Real is record with a title that certainly fits the bill – as the amazing voice of Bobby Bland is as real here as it ever was, and blended with superbly soulful backings that take the singer's sound forward for a whole new generation! Some of Bobby's contemporaries were content to just stick in a straight blues mode – but Bland really grew and developed a lot as an artist, thanks in part to Monk Higgins and Al Bell – who are both at the production helm of the record, and balance the bluesy roots of Bobby with some richer soul backings that really knock the whole thing out of the park! We love Bobby Blue Bland during his early Duke Records years – but we love him equally as much for music like this, on titles that include "But I Do", "What A Difference A Day Makes", "Givin Up The Streets For Love", "A Song For You My Son", "Just You Just Me", and "Love Is Where It's At". (Blues, Soul) CD

Soul legend Sam Cooke left our planet all too soon – but during his short time in the business, and during the height of his fame, he managed to start his own record company too – a really groundbreaking imprint that issued some great singles of his own, and helped to showcase a small group of well-chosen artists that Cooke really got behind! The date range here is a bit longer than the actual recording history of SAR – as Sam died in 1964, and was overseeing most of the artistic and creative direction of the label – along with help from partner JW Alexander – and the material here showcases both sides of Cooke's legacy, both secular and spiritual – with a focus on some great soul singers and groups, and a bit of gospel music too. The collection is nicely tight – not as wide-ranging as bigger label compilations, in part because of the elite group of artists who recorded for SAR – which makes for a sharp lineup of tracks, from artists who include Johnnie Taylor, The Valentinos, The Womack Brothers, Soul Stirrers, The Simms Twins, Billy Preston, Johnnie Morisette, RH Harris & His Gospel Paraders, and Sam Cooke himself! LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from this massively overlooked 70s soul singer! The set's one of a rare few albums cut by Sidney Joe Qualls – a fantastic talent who's probably better known for his work behind the scenes, and as a songwriter, than he is as a voice on his own. The session is produced with a style that kind of mixes Brunswick Chicago soul with rootsier southern elements – stepping proud in the 70s territory of Johnnie Taylor or Tyrone Davis, but sounding way way better here, and with a much more independent vibe. Plus, the album boasts some incredible material – original tunes written by the likes of Sam Dees, Clifford Davis, George Davis, and others. Titles include "Shut Your Mouth", "Run To Me", "I Enjoy Loving You", "Please Help Me", "Can't Get Enough of Your Love", and "The Next Time I Fall in Love". CD

Think you know the sound of Atlantic Records in the 60s? Think again – because this stunning series opens the vault to a huge amount of rare treasures from the legendary label! The package is amazing – and offers up rare tracks that were mostly only issued by Atlantic on singles – including some on the other imprints associated with the company – some by names we never even knew recorded for the label, others by bigger names, but represented here by obscure material that goes way past their hits – and which is ultra cool because of that. There's also a fair bit more deep soul than you might expect from the usual Atlantic mix – tremendous vocals, and often in less hit-heavy modes – which makes the whole thing a great revelation – and just one more reason to bow down and give even more expect to one of the key companies who helped soul music find a home in the 60s. Plus – as if that's not enough – the whole thing comes in a very cool 7" gatefold package – which emphasizes the from-singles nature of the collection. Volume 3 is overflowing with amazing sounds from the heart of the 60s – rare 45rpm tracks by Atlantic stars, Stax artists, and a few lesser-knowns too. Titles include "Hello Stranger" by The Capitols, "Help Me (parts 1 & 2)" by Ray Sharpe, "Long Distance Love" by Ted Taylor, "Lonely Soldier" by Mike Williams, "How Can You Babysit A Man" by Ned Towns, "Keep Looking" by Solomon Bourke, "I'm Sorry" by Fred Lowrey, "Please Uncle Sam" by The Charmels, "Share What You Got" by William Bell, "Reputation" by The Four Shells, "Me & My Baby" by Mary Wells, "Got No One" by The Delcardos, "Weak Spot" by Ruby Johnson, "Good Love Bad Love" by Eddie Floyd, "Bingo" by Ned Towns, "I Had A Dream" by Johnny Taylor, "I Can't Take It" by Ray Sharpe, "You Can't Love Them All" by The Drifters, "Believe It Or Not" by Rex Garvin & The Mighty Cravers, "Patch My Heart" by The Mad Lads, "She's The One I Love" by The Delcardos, "Find Me Somebody" by Bobby Womack, "Hello Stranger" by The Capitols, "So Much Love" by Ben E King, "Help The Bear" by Ted Taylor, and "I Feel A Sin Coming On" by Solomon Burke. CD

Southern soul galore – a wonderful range of tracks that are done in that best deep soul mode that borrowed heavily from country music – but also really transformed things to fit their own righteous needs! Make no mistake, the collection is all soul music all the way through – but the songs also echo some of the more heartbreaking themes and local needs you'd find in country music – and also use some isolated elements in the instrumentation and production too! The best way to think of the package is as a collection of southern soul, but one that shows a surprising lack of color barrier when it comes to musical styles – and as always with Ace/Kent, the notes and overall conception of the whole thing is really wonderful. 24 tracks in all – including "Easy Loving" by Bo Kirkland & Ruth Davis, "Big Blue Diamonds" by Little Johnny Taylor, "I Hang My Head & Cry" by Arthur Alexander, "True Love Travels On A Gravel Road" by Percy Sledge, "Touch Your Woman" by Margie Joseph, "Who Will The Next Fool Be" by Bobby Bland, "Stand By Your Man" by The Mirettes, "Till I Get It Right" by Bettye Swann, "Another Man's Woman Another Woman's Man" by Laura Lee, and "Jambalaya" by Ralph Soul Jackson. CD

Music from Carla Thomas, Rufus Thomas, William Bell, the Mad Lads, Sam & Dave, Otis Redding, the Premiers, the Astors, Booker T & The MG's, Johnnie Taylor, and more – 27 tracks total. CD

Includes music from the Mad Lads, William Bell, Albert King, Eddie Floyd, Rufus Thomas, Ruby Johnson, Johnnie Taylor, Booker T, and more – 25 tracks in all! CD

Sam Dees is a hell of a singer, and he's a hell of a songwriter too – one who's worked not just with the southern soul stars of his roots, but also a much wider range of soul talents too! This wonderful collection really gets at the strength of Dees' amazing ability to pen a special soul tune – as it features work from a surprisingly huge array of talents from all sides of the soul spectrum – including a fair bit of vocalists we never knew worked with Sam's material. We love Dees' own records to death – and have enjoyed many of his demo recordings over the years, too – but a set like this really shows the important influence he had on soul music in the 70s – the way he touched so many folks, and helped them out with his meaningful lyrics. The set features great notes on Sam and his contribution – and 22 tracks that include "Where Did We Go Wrong" by LTD, "Vanishing Love (UK rmx)" by The Chi-Lites, "Girl Overboard" by Dorothy Moore, "So Your Love Finally Ran Out" by Les McCann, "Run To Me" by Sidney Joe Qualls, "Save The Overtime" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Seconds Of Your Love" by Johnnie Taylor, "One In A Million You" by Larry Graham, "Spoiled By Your Love" by Anita Ward, "What A Way To Put It" by The Temptations, "Good Guys Don't Always Win" by Ray Crumley, and "My World" by Sam Dees himself! CD

A second set of material issued in celebration of the legendary Wattstax concert by Stax Records in LA in 1972 – and a set that mostly features material from the famous show at the Los Angeles Coliseum, but also includes some sly studio material that was pumped up with applause to fit nicely into the mix! Richard Pryor acts as the MC – although his tracks weren't recorded at the actual concert – and as with the original album, there's a mixture of some self-contained "show" passages here, plus individual songs by other artists too! David Porter delivers a mighty batch of tracks that include "Reach Out & Touch", "Ain't That Loving You", and "Can't See You When I Want To" – followed by a Johnnie Taylor show that includes "Steal Away", "Stop Doggin Me", and "Jody's Got Your Girl & Gone". Other live material includes work by Rance Allen Group, Kim Weston, Jimmy Jones, and The Golden 13 – augmented by additional cuts from The Emotions, Mel & Tim, and Little Milton too! LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent 60s work from Little Milton – one of the few Chicago bluesmen of the 60s we actually dig! Milton always had a good deal of soul in his blues, and on these standout 60s tracks he really takes off – bridging worlds nicely, and crossing over to audiences who were digging sounds from Tyrone Davis and Johnnie Taylor at the same time. A fair bit of the tracks here have a nice funky undercurrent, and production was handled by Gene Barge, Billie Davis, and Calvin Carter – all with strong Chi-soul pedigrees. Titles include "Just A Little Bit", "I Play Dirty", "I Feel So Bad", "Grits Ain't Groceries", and "We're Gonna Make It". (Blues, Soul) CD

A late 70s gem from Tyrone's years on Columbia Records – one that shows both sides of his talents for the label! The set starts out with an extended clubby groover called "Get On Up (Disco)" – a bumping sort of number that's clearly trying to push him into Johnnie Taylor territory, and which comes off surprisingly well. But even better are the rest of the tracks on the set – which update Tyrone's older Brunswick sound with a smoother, more sophisticated sort of style – still recorded in Chicago, and with some southern soul traces – but usually done in a warmer midtempo groove, with excellent lead vocals and great backing from The Haywood Sisters. Titles include "It's You It's You", "Bunky", "All I Ever Need", "I Can't Go On This Way", and "Can't Help But Say". LP, Vinyl record album

5CDs, and a set that's overflowing with classic tracks from the legendary Stax Records – with an especially heavy emphasis on the label's genius moments from 1968 to the mid 70s! There's way too much here to list, but some of the more unusual tracks include "What A Man" by Linda Lyndell, "Gettin Funky Round Here" by Black Nasty, "Funky Robot (part 1)" by Rufus Thomas, "Circuit's Overloaded" by Inez Foxx, "Gettin Funky Round Here" by Black Nasty, "Sweetback's Theme" by Melvin Van Peebles, "Help" by David Porter, "Starting All Over Again" by Mel & Tim, "I Could Never Be President" by Johnnie Taylor, "How Can I Be A Witness" by RB Hudmon, "What Goes Around Must Come Around" by Sons Of Slum, "Harlem Heaven" by Rance Allen, "Mother's Day" by 24 Carat Black, "Bump & Boogie (part 1)" by The Wrecking Crew, "Chains Of Love" by Jimmy Hughes, "Itch & Scratch (part 1)" by Rufus Thomas, "What's Usual Ain't Natural" by Eric Mercury, "Lovin You Lovin Me" by Sandra Wright, "What Do You See In Her" by Hot Sauce, "The Creeper Returns" by Little Sonny, and "It's Worth A Whippin" by Shirley Brown. 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

The funkiest side of Stax Records – a treasure trove of funky nuggets, all hand-picked by RZA! As the title implies, these are some of the grooves that became the building blocks of the Wu-Tang sound – but even without that pedigree, these tracks are more than great enough on their own – a wonderful mix of album cuts and rare singles – some you'll recognize from famous hip hop samples, some you'll discover here for the first time ever! The triple-length package is overflowing with greatness – and titles include "I Could Never Be Happy" and "I Like It" by The Emotions, "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by The Mad Lads and another "I Forgot To Be Your Lover" by William Bell, "Children Don't Get Weary" by Judy Clay, "All It Takes Is You & Me" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Poverty's Paradise" by 24 Carat Black, "I'll Play The Blues For You" by Albert King, "Why Marry" by The Sweet Inspirations, "Steal Away" by Johnnie Taylor, "Hang On Sloopy" by David Porter, "Ike's Mood 1" by Isaac Hayes, "In The Rain" by The Dramatics, "Don't Take My Kindness For Weakness" by The Soul Children, "Packed & Took My Mind" by Little Milton, "Sing A Simple Song" by Booker T & The MGs, "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over" by David Porter, "LA Jazz Song" by Booker T & The MGs, "Walk On By" by Isaac Hayes, and "Keep The Faith" by Mel & Tim. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A 2CD half-century mile marker set for Stax Records – one of the most vital and popular southern soul labels ever – as if you needed us to tell you that! The set features a selection of many of the most popular and most culturally important singles from the early 60s and on through the mid 70s – in a nice little box package and a thick booklet of essays, notes and photos! 50 tracks on 2CDs: "Gee Whiz (Look In His Eyes)", "Last Night" by Mar-Kays, "You Don't Miss Your Water" by William Bell, "Candy" by The Astors, "Let Me Be Good To You" by Carla Thomas, "Soul Finger" by The Bar-Kays, "I Got A Sure Thing" by Ollie & The Nightingales, "What A Man" by Linda Lyndell, "Who's Making Love" by Johnny Taylor, "Time Is Tight" by Booker T & The MGs, "So I Can Love You" by The Emotions, "Mr Big Stuff" by Jean Knight, "Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes, "In The Rain" by The Dramatics, "If You're Ready (Come Go With Me)" by The Staple Singers, "Woman To Woman" by Shirley Brown and much more! CD

Pure gold from the second chapter of Stax Records – that wonderful time when the label parted company from Atlantic Records, and started making even more righteous music than before! And although many of these numbers had some sort of chart presence – hence the "gold" in the title – they still pack a punch that holds up wonderfully all these many years later, that trademark blend of deep soul and funky touches that Stax really perfected at the time. Titles include "Soul Limbo" by Booker T & The MGs, "Private Number" by Judy Clay & William Bell, "Respect Yourself" by The Staple Singers, "Son Of Shaft" by The Bar Kays, "I'll Take You There" by The Staple Singers, "Starting All Over Again" by Mel & Tim, "I'll Be The Other Woman" by The Soul Children, "Woman To Woman" by Shirley Brown, "Theme From Shaft" by Isaac Hayes, "Do The Push & Pull (part 1)" by Rufus Thomas, and "Who's Making Love" by Johnnie Taylor. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A killer classic from grooveman Don Downing – the kind of indie disco record that really broke big in the 70s – but which hardly ever got the longer-term fame it deserved! The grooves here are straight and simple – the best early east coast club modes of the mid 70s – more tight funk than commercial disco, especially when topped by some of the deeper soul moments of Don Downing – who can come across like Johnny Taylor on his Columbia cuts in a similar setting! Backings are great – handled by studio giants like Pat Rebillot on keyboards, Bad Bascomb on bass, and Jimmy Maelen on congas – and titles include "Dream World", "Sugar & Spice", "Doctor Boogie", "Love Doctor", and "Half Past Love". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's no lie – as this sweet little set features 101 Northern Soul classics – a treasure trove of upbeat soul from the 60s – with lots of rare cuts, obscure groovers, and the kinds of tracks that always got more play on UK dancefloors than back home here in the US! For the price, the set is a hell of a collection – and features killer classics from labels that include Motown, Chess, Philips, MGM, and other vintage imprints – with a nice degree of overlooked cuts that have only been discovered by the northern scene in more recent years. Titles include "Til You Were Gone" by Frank Wilson, "Love Love Love" by Bobby Hebb, "Stop Her On Sight" by Edwin Starr, "What More Could A Boy Ask For" by The Spinners, "Can't Satisfy" by The Impressions, "I'm The One Who Loves You" by Darrell Banks, "Why Am I Lovin You" by Debbie Dean, "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "I Got A Feelin" by Barbara Randolph, "Heaven Must Have Sent You" by The Elgins, "Dr Love" by Bobby Sheen, "Trampoline" by Spencer Davis Group, "Nothing Left To Give" by Thelma Houston, "Baby I Miss You" by Tommy Good, "I've Been Blessed" by Bobby Taylor, "Look What You Done Boy" by The Lollipops, "Friday Night" by Johnny Taylor, "Baby I Love You" by Howard Tate, "Helpless" by Kim Weston, "Moody woman" by Jerry Butler, "There's A Ghost In My House" by R Dean Taylor, "Ordinary Joe" by Terry Callier, "Wade In The Water" by Marlena Shaw, "Drop In The Bucket" by Mary Wells, "Baby A Go Go" by Barbara McNair, "Love's Gone Bad" by Chris Clark, "Run For Cover" by The Dells, "Battened Ships" by Odyssey, "Nothing But A Heartache" by The Flirtations, "Sure Is A Lotta Woman" by The Isley Brothers, and "Keep On Lovin Me" by Francis Nero. CD

A dozen tracks from the Emotions, O'Jay's, Cheryl Lynn, Wild Cherry, Tavares, Three Degrees, Heatwave, Lou Rawls, MFSB, and Johnnie Taylor. CD

Music from Lionel Richie, Aretha Franklin, DeBarge, Natalie Cole, the New Birth, George Benson, Raydio, GQ, Johnnie Taylor, Smokey Robinson, SWV, and more – 24 tracks in all. CD

Includes 18 tracks by Teddy Pendergrass, Lou Rawls, Minnie Riperton, Tyrone Davis, Johnnie Taylor, Luther Ingram, Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Gladys Knight, The Chi-Lites and more! CD

Boogie, electro, and 80s groove – all sorted out nicely in this killer collection of ultra-rare cuts! As with previous volumes, this edition of Nighttime Lovers shows a side of the 80s that hardly got any play at the time – the more underground work by lesser-known artists, much of which was issued on the bigger labels, but failed to crack the charts! You'll recognize a few familiar names here, but even those are represented by under-discovered corners of their work – and in true early 80s spirit, most tracks here are heavy on beats and keyboards – yet still leave plenty of room for real soul vocals. Titles include "So Delicious" by Point 3 FM, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Streetlife, "Never Gonna Give You Up (12" version)" by Gwendolyn Lassic, "Make It Easy" by Cross-Phyre with Demetrius, "You're My Doll Baby" by Norfolk, "Special Part Of Me (12" version)" by Charles Blackman, "The Same For Me" by California Executives with Ronald Dudley, "Magic Touch" by Gang's Back, "Love I Thought I Never Would Find Love" by James Govan, "Seconds Of Your Love" by Johnny Taylor, and "I Got My Game Plan Working Baby" by Arlene Bailey. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

An overlooked gem from the great ZZ Hill – a set that has the singer making a brief appearance on Columbia Records, and working with the mighty Bert DeCoteaux in the process! Bert brings this full, rich style to bear alongside ZZ's vocals – an approach that's still quite respectful to Hill's deep soul roots, but which also creates this whole new setting for his voice – a bit like the shift that Tyrone Davis and Johnnie Taylor were making at Columbia at the time – and with similar great results! The choice of material is great – as the record features songs penned by indie soul great Jimmy Lewis, Fredrick Knight, Harvey Scales, and ZZ himself – and titles include "Let's Make A Deal", "Message To The Ladies", "Universal Love", and "Near But Yet So Far". LP, Vinyl record album

The influence of Sam Cooke runs deep in American soul music – not just because Sam was one of the first great soul singers of the 60s, but also because he had a really special way of putting over a message of hope and pride! This wonderful collection really shows that influence at its best – spun out over a host of great singles, most of which were issued in the years after Cooke's untimely early death – with music that doesn't just copycat Sam's style, but embraces his inner fire, and relights the torch for a generation to come! Some tracks are covers, some are real reworkings of Cooke tunes, and others almost stand as memorial tributes to the great one – on titles that include "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day" by Johnnie Taylor, "Shake" by Otis Redding, "Cupid" by RB Greaves, "I'm Gonna Forget About You" by Bobby Womack, "Pow You're In Love" by The Falcons, "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Brenton Wood, "The Smile" by The Simms Twins, "Ain't That Good News" by The Supremes, "Soothe Me" by Sam & Dave, "Wonderful World" by Johnny Nash, "The Sound Of My Man" by Theola Kilgore, "Bring It On Home To Me" by Eddie Floyd, and "Meet Me At The Twistin Place" by Johnnie Morisette. CD

A second set of material issued in celebration of the legendary Wattstax concert by Stax Records in LA in 1972 – and a set that mostly features material from the famous show at the Los Angeles Coliseum, but also includes some sly studio material that was pumped up with applause to fit nicely into the mix! Richard Pryor acts as the MC – although his tracks weren't recorded at the actual concert – and as with the original album, there's a mixture of some self-contained "show" passages here, plus individual songs by other artists too! David Porter delivers a mighty batch of tracks that include "Reach Out & Touch", "Ain't That Loving You", and "Can't See You When I Want To" – followed by a Johnnie Taylor show that includes "Steal Away", "Stop Doggin Me", and "Jody's Got Your Girl & Gone". Other live material includes work by Rance Allen Group, Kim Weston, Jimmy Jones, and The Golden 13 – augmented by additional cuts from The Emotions, Mel & Tim, and Little Milton too! LP, Vinyl record album

An insane package – one that features the material from the 6CD Complete Concert Wattstax set, plus 5 more CDs from Summit Club Recordings in 1972, plus one more CD of additional material too! First up are 6 CDs that feature a stunning presentation of the legendary Wattstax concert – that huge moment of pride and power when the folks at Stax Records filled up the Los Angeles Coliseum with one of the most memorable shows of the 70s! The meeting of talents here is the stuff of legend – and this great package brings together the complete show in running order – really building up excitement as the concert progresses – with different acts each bringing their own sort of fire to the stage, culminating in a fantastic long finale by Isaac Hayes! The presentation is different than the two double albums that Stax issued back in the 70s – and this expanded package features a number of unreleased tracks in place of material the label later added – such as work from Richard Pryor and The Emotions. There's a whole instrumental section at the start, and more spoken links between some parts – and new material includes unissued work from Kim Weston, Freddie Robinson, Ernie Hines, Eric Mercury, Tommy Tate, Billy Eckstine, and Isaac Hayes – in addition to famous performances by The Soul Children, Jesse Jackson, Rufus Thomas, Albert King, Carla Thomas, William Bell, The Bar Kays, David Porter, The Temprees, Eddie Floyd, and David Porter – plus plenty more from Isaac Hayes too! Great package – with a full color book with new notes and essays, and plenty more too. The Summit Club material follows on five more CDs – material that was partly issued on some other reissues by individual artists, but augmented here with a wealth of unreleased material too! There's a a full show of work from Johnnie Taylor and Rufus Thomas – the latter of whom even does some comedy bits – plus some extra funky performances from The Sons Of Slum, heavy blues from Little Milton, great soul from The Emotions, and a huge amount of never-issued work from the great duo Mel & Tim – arguably better here than on their Stax studio sessions. CD12 features additional recordings that were layered into some of the LP releases issued under the Wattstax name – 15 more tracks that include titles by The Emotions, Isaac Hayes, The Dramatics, Staple Singers, and Eddie Floyd – plus some comedy routines by Richard Pryor. CD

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

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

Vintage blues from Atlantic Records, with a good dose of soul and R&B too – 83 tracks in all! Music from Blind Willie McTell, Johnh Lee Hooker, Stick McGhee, Chuck Norris, BB King, Albert King, Jimmy Yancey, Jack Dupree, Joe Turner, Li; Green, Otis Clay, ZZ Hill, Koko Taylor, Otis Rush & more. (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The best look at Chicago's legendary Twinight label that we've ever seen – a massive 2CD set that goes way past the obvious hits, and really digs into the heart and soul of this unique little record company! Twinight is best known as the home of Syl Johnson during his legendary run of funky soul singles at the end of the 60s – but the company was also home to a lot of other great talent during the same stretch – harmony vocal groups, sweet soul singers, funky combos, and more – all of which you'll hear in this incredible little set! (And in fact, the set does such a great job of presenting the other artists on Twinight, that it leaves out Syl Johnson entirely – so the package is a 100% non-Syl set – which is ok with us, because you can always get Johnson's work on other reissues.) The Numero Group have really outdone themselves this time around – using their careful ear to pull out the best lost bits from Twinight, remastered here with wonderful sound – and a brilliant 32 page booklet that tells the story of the label, and also includes loads of vintage photos. The set's a must-have for any fan of quality funk or soul – and the package includes a whopping 40 titles that include "Goin Man Huntin" by Jo Ann Garrett, "I've Made Up My Mind" by Josephine Taylor, "A New Day" by The Notations, "Nevermore" by Renaldo Domino, "Yesterday's Mistakes" by Jimmy Jones, "I'll Always Love You" by Velma Perkins, "Life Walked Out" by Mist, "Put Out The Fire by Mystiques, "You & Me Baby" by Kaldirons, "Rosemarie" by Dynamic Tints, "Remind Me" by Schiller Street Gang, "Is It Meant To Be" by Krystal Generation, "Pardon My Innocent Heart" by Nate Evans, "Package Of Love (part 1)" by Dynamic Tints, "The Devastator" by Stormy, "Mama" by Annette Poindexter, "Pass It On (part 1)" by Pipes Of Peace, "My Sunshine Girl" by Radiants, "Let Me Come Within" by Renaldo Domino, "Soul Strokes" by Sidney Pinchback, and "Can You Find Me Love" by Harrison & The Majestic Kind. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A slice of soul you might never expect – early work from the De-Lite label, a company better-known for their famous club hits of the late 70s – but starting out here with an amazing array of deep soul 45s! The music is a wonderful contrast to the disco and club of the label's fame – and showcases an immediate commitment to singers who could really knock it out of the park – with vocals that rival the sounds coming from southern labels like Stax, or some of the more famous productions on Atlantic – which is a huge surprise if you only know the De-Lite recordings by Kool & The Gang or The Kay-Gees! 25 tracks in all – all super-rare – and titles include "Keep Away" by The Appointments, "Look What You Done For Me" by Contributors Of Soul, "Oh Girl" by Johnny Washington, "Need You Girl" by Fred Cole, "I Wish It Would Rain" by Beverly Hammonds, "Say So" by La Jay Alexander, "Everlasting Love" by Johnny Washington, "I Saw You There" by The Appointments, "I Smell Trouble" by Johnny De'Vigne, "I'll Always Love You" by Felton Burks, "Send Her Back" by Sammy Taylor, "When A Woman Loves A Man" by Jean Battle, "Tender Loving Care" by Joe Kennedy, and "I Got To Get Close To You" by Yvonne Daniels. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A treasure trove of funk and soul from one heck of a great little label – Columbus, Ohio's short-lived Capsoul imprint – only around for 5 years in the 70s, but home to a great flurry of indie singles! We first caught onto the label's brilliance with their funky classics "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies and "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss – but as this set wonderfully demonstrates, the label's got a heck of a lot more to offer – and all of it great! The label's brilliance has been masterfully unearthed by the crate-digging team at Numero Records – who've brought together 19 of the best Capsoul singles in a beautiful package that really tells the story of the tiny imprint, getting at the details and struggles that faced independent soul in the marketplace of the 70s. Way more than just a set of old singles, the set's a rich document of indie soul in one of the near-forgotten corners of the Midwest – filled with great tunes that may well have you booking the next flight you can find to Columbus! Titles include "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss, "Pure Soul" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Without Love" by Ronnie Taylor, "You're All I Need To Make It" by Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum, & Durr, "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Too Far Gone" by Four Mints, "I Want To Be Ready" by Kook Blues, "Go On Fool" by Marion Black, and "Number One" by Bill Moss. Updated version features new mastering and additional notes – plus the bonus track "All I Need To Make It" by The Capsoul Group. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Think you've heard everything on Motown? Think again – because this sweet little set is filled with unissued 60s recordings by some of the best male singers on the label! The collection is a soul fan's dream come true – as the music here represents some real lost corners of Motown, with sounds that span almost the full stretch of the 60s – and really show the label's greatness at work – because if most of these tracks were recorded by other labels, they would have been pushed as potential hits! There's great work from artists who were just starting out, surprising moments from big names at the time, and a few entries we wouldn't have guessed without looking at the notes – and titles include "Headin North" by Shorty Long, "Only On The Weekend" by The Headliners, "Satisfaction Is Guaranteed" by Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, "Safety Zone" by Marv Johnson, "Hold On To Me" by The Spinners, "Show Me You Can Dance" by The Hit Pack, "Tell Me How To Forget A True Love" by Johnny Bristol, "Mojo Hannah (studio)" by Marvin Gaye, "I Wanted To Cry" by Bruce Channel, "I'm Gonna Make It To The Top" by Freddie Gorman, "This Ole Heart" by The Quails, "The Night We Called It A Day" by The Four Tops, and "Just Your Love" by Ivy Jo. CD

A sweet little dip into the catalog of the LA-based Kent/Modern label – the legendary imprint that started in the R&B years, and stayed strong in the soul generation – providing inspiration and a name for the Kent branch of UK-based Ace records, home to some of the best reissues in the Dusty Groove catalog! And while Kent issued some great material back in the day, they also recorded a fair bit of work that never hit the pressing plants – some of which is on this collection, which mixes unreleased numbers with rare singles from back in the day! The set features 28 sublime numbers – a mixture of sweet soul, hard soul, group harmony, and a bit of funk – rare tunes all of them, most never issued on any full length albums. Titles include "I Got Love" by The Other Brothers, "I've Got To Win Your Love For Me" by The Sims Twins, "Baby You're Alive" by The Styles, "The Hunch" by Gene Taylor, "Come Back Baby" by Tami Young, "I'm Gonna Be Sweeter" by Clay Hammond, "You've Got It" by Johnny Williams, "Gimme Some Of Your Lovin" by Arthur Adams, "I Dig It The Most" by Jackie Day, "Down In The City" by The Marvellos, "Make A Little Love" by Lowell Fulsom, "New Lease On Life" by The Universals, "The Sun Don't Shine Every Day" by The Saints, and "That's A Rockin Good Way" by Vernon & Jewel. CD

Music from The Downbeats, The Scamps, The Dappers, Four Dukes, Ted Taylor, Buddy Ace, The Clefs, Chester McDowall, Junior Ryder, Johnny Otis Orchestra, Kenneth Deal, Sonny Woods And His Downbeats, Buddy Ace, and more - 26 tracks in all. CD

A treasure trove of funk and soul from one heck of a great little label – Columbus, Ohio's short-lived Capsoul imprint – only around for 5 years in the 70s, but home to a great flurry of indie singles! We first caught onto the label's brilliance with their funky classics "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies and "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss – but as this set wonderfully demonstrates, the label's got a heck of a lot more to offer – and all of it great! The label's brilliance has been masterfully unearthed by the crate-digging team at Numero Records – who've brought together 19 of the best Capsoul singles in a beautiful package that really tells the story of the tiny imprint, getting at the details and struggles that faced independent soul in the marketplace of the 70s. Way more than just a set of old singles, the set's a rich document of indie soul in one of the near-forgotten corners of the Midwest – filled with great tunes that may well have you booking the next flight you can find to Columbus! Titles include "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss, "Pure Soul" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Without Love" by Ronnie Taylor, "You're All I Need To Make It" by Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum, & Durr, "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Too Far Gone" by Four Mints, "I Want To Be Ready" by Kook Blues, "Go On Fool" by Marion Black, and "Number One" by Bill Moss. Updated version features new mastering and additional notes – plus the bonus track "All I Need To Make It" by The Capsoul Group. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD