Killer 70s work from Don Julian & The Larks – a soul trio from Los Angeles, with roots that go back to the early 60s – and one who've completely reinvented themselves for this rare album from the 70s! Don had done a bit of blacksploitation soundtrack work around the time, and that vibe really pervades this whole record – which has a heavy, funky vibe and a totally righteous approach – a quality that would easily put the whole thing on a par with some of the best Curtom Records sessions from Chicago! Yet the group also have a rawer sense of harmony that maybe feels a bit like work from an east coast indie too – as if you were mixing the work of an All-Platinum vocal group with Curtis Mayfield production – with results that are every bit as great as you could hope for. Titles include "Schoolin & Foolin", "Respect Yourself", "A Woman Ain't Nothing But A Stone Trip", "Super Slick", "Shorty The Pimp", and "Let's Stay Together". LP, Vinyl record album

Serving time has never been this groovy – thanks to a whole host of prison-themed tunes from the postwar years, presented here in a package that's especially strong on blues and R&B! Sure, most folks know "Folsom Prison Blues", but this package digs much deeper to come up with two dozen near-lost tracks that also echo the legacy of incarceration that frequently interacted with the music business during years when even the most minor infraction might get a singer or instrumentalist locked up. We're not saying that all these artists have experience behind bars, but the set does resonate strongly as a showcase of the too-common theme of jail and prison in American music. Titles include "Jailbird" by Smiley Lewis, "But Officer" by Sonny Knight, "Hey Mr Warden" by Danny Cobb, "Prisoner's Song" by Fats Domino, "Please Mr Jailer" by Wynona Carr, "Ball & Chain Blues" by Josh White, "Jail Bird" by El Pauling & Royal Abbit, "Prisoner's Plea" by Billy Boy Arnold, "Jailhouse Blues" by Ottille Patterson, "When I Leave These Prison Walls" by The Larks, and "I'm A Prisoner" by Eddie Boyd. (Rock, Soul) CD

With selections by Bobby Freeman, The Clovers, Fats Domino, The Rivingtons, Johnny Darrow, The Everglades, Robert Parker, Human Beinz, The Beach Boys, The Silhouettes, The Five Keys, The Roller, The Senors, Johnny Otis, and The Larks. (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A treasure trove of soul from LA's mighty Money Records – home to some of the best indie singles on the west coast at the end of the 60s! The work here really runs the gamut of hip styles from the time – and includes group soul, Northern groovers, and even a bit of funk too – packaged together beautifully by the folks at Kent Records, who make this third volume sparkle every bit as strongly as other volumes in their Money Records series! There's an equal mix of male and female singers on the set, and the package features not only rare 45s on Money and related labels, but also a few unissued cuts as well – making the whole thing essential to own, even if you've got a pile of rare Money singles at home. Titles include "Girl You're So Fine" by Bobby Angelle, "Give Back Your Lovin" by Don Trotter, "The Skate" by The Larks, "If She Wants To Go" by Choice Of Colors, "I'll Give My Love To You" by Eric Williams, "You Got Me Dizzy" by Bobby Angelle, "Don't Take My Mind" by Bettye Swann, "Put Your Weight On It (part 2)" by Filmore Street Soul Rebellions, "Doin The Thing" by Question Marks, "Open Up Your Eyes" by The M&Ms & The Peanuts, "Why'd You Put Me On" by Bobbi Row & The Englishmen, "Sad & Blue" by The Mysteries, "Speak To Me In Your Soulful Way" by Hank Jacobs & The TKOs, and even "Hard Times Are Coming" by an Unknown Duo! CD

Music from the Encores, the Dozier Boys, the Moonglows, the Quintones, the Four Tops, the Ravens, the Moonlighters, the Larks, The Clouds, the Zeniths, the Bayou Boys & more. CD

Music from James Brown, The Zombies, Lee Dorsey, Cher, Peter And Gordon, Jackie DeShannon, Cannibal And The Headhunters, Gary Lewis And The Playboys, The Larks, The Vogues, The Kinks,and more - 23 songs in all. (Rock, Soul) CD

Music from Sam & Dave, Tyrone Davis, the Drifters, the Dells, the Larks, the Impressions, Deon Jackson, Brook Benton, Al Wislon, Dobie Gray, Barbara Lewis, Jimmy Ruffin, and more – 36 tracks total. CD

Music from the Ink Brothers, the Mills Brothers, the Red Caps, the Toppers, the Basin Street Boys, the Ravens, the Orioles, the Robins, the Larks, the Mello Moods, the Five Keys, the Swallows, and more – 100 tracks total! CD

An amazing collection of obscure 45 material and rare album tracks from the archives of the legendary Money/Cash labels! Money Records was a huge beacon for somewhat rough-edged driving soul, when it found its niche on the LA scene in the early 60s. Amazing artists that never fully got their due – stars like Bettye Swann, the Larks (aka Pretenders), the Question Marks, King Solomon, Sonny Herman, and tons of others – many with roots in late 50s doo wop and r&b, recorded endearingly rawer singles for the label in the 60s, and stayed as it progressed into more of a smooth, slightly more polished and groovy sound in the early 70s. 24 tracks – most of which are pretty darn hard to track down on vinyl! Includes "Too Much For You" by Bobby Angelle, "What About Me" by Sonny Herman, "Temptation Walk" by the Larks, "Separation" by King Solomon, "You Gave Me Love" by Bettye Swann, "Baby" by Ted "Soul" Hawkins, "Lil' Valley" by M&M and the Peanuts, "Dancing With My Baby" by the T-K-O's, and tons more. Includes an excellent booklet with great photos, bios, and notes on the production and arrangements! CD

Includes 30 songs by the Larks, Pyramiders, Tommy Cullins, Joe Musengale, Ralph Jerome, the Tone Blenders, Etta & Amelia, Ray Williams & the Mastertones, the Sandettes, and more! CD

A long-overdue look at the amazing Clark Sisters – a fantastic gospel group, and one with a vocal depth that we'd put right up there next to any of our favorite soul acts of the time! The Clarks are maybe best known for their landmark track "You Brought The Sunshine" – a completely righteous blend of gospel, soul, and disco that crossed over very big back in the day – but the group have an endless amount of great music to offer, a great deal of which is brought together in this wonderful set! The sisters always kept a strong ear towards the secular soul styles of their day – but they also always pushed things with the sort of amazing vocal interplay that used to only be the territory of male gospel groups in earlier decades – fantastic harmonies, soaring leads, and really great group formation. And if you're not a completely huge fan of gospel, don't worry – because the message here is often a more general one of positivity, which really lifts up the spirit of the tunes in a universal way. Titles include "You Brought The Sunshine (single edit)", "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright", "He Keeps Me Company", "Patience", "I'm Going To Have Just What I Want", "Power", "Overdose Of The Holy Ghost", "My Mind Is Made Up", "Nothing To Lose All To Gain", "No Other Name", "Keep On Looking Up", and "I Found What I'm Looking For". (Gospel, Soul) CD

Two cool UK albums from Otis Spann – back to back on a single set! First up is the album Blues Of Otis Spann – a rare UK session, and one that's sometimes got even more grit than some of his hometown recordings back in Chicago! The vibe is very lean and laidback – an early Mike Vernon production, with work from Muddy Waters on guitar – working here under the nom-du-date of "Brother" – in a quartet that just has Ransom Knowling on bass and Little Willie Smith on guitar, and plenty of killer piano and vocals from Otis! Spann seems to have even more bite here than usual – and titles include "Sarah Street", "T 99", "I Came From Clarksdale", "Rock Me Mama", "Natural Days", and "Jangleboogie". Cracked Spanner Head is a record that builds on the sound of the obscure Blues Of Otis Spann album from 1964 – using the performances from that record, but mixed differently, with different songs at times, and added work on tenor, baritone, and trumpet brought into the lineup! The vibe is great – Otis Spann with a bit more punch than usual, and maybe some slight currents of funk – on titles that include "Crack Your Head", "Iced Nehi", "Lucky So & So", "Dollar Twenty Five", "Sometimes I Wonder", and "Mr Highway Man". CD features four bonus tracks – "Pretty Girls Everywhere", "Country Boy", "My Home In The Delta", and "You're Gonna Need My Help". (Blues, Soul) CD

Very early work from the Jamaican scene – a set that includes cuts by artists who'd later record classic tracks in the rocksteady years, but who here are working in a much different mode! The title is plenty apt, but only gets at part of the sound – as this isn't straight doo wop as you'd know from the American scene, but instead some early group harmony – of the sort that would flourish even more strongly on famous Jamaican trio recordings of the late 60s – handled here with much more stripped-down instrumentation, and a shifting set of rhythms that mixes US influences with other more Caribbean modes. Titles include "Muriel" by Alton & Eddie, "Dearest Darling" by Jiving Juniors, "Til The End Of Time" by Chuck & Dobby, "Dearest Beverly" by Jimmy Cliff, "Heavenly Angel" by Laurel Aitken, "Do You Know" by Owen & Millie, "I'm Going Back" by The Charmers, "Diamonds & Pearls" by Dobby Dobson, and "Album Of Memory" by The Mellowlarks. (Reggae, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A classic 60s album by the Four Tops – really one of their better efforts of the period – a record that finds the group working some soulful magic on a couple of their best known tunes, as well as adding a dose of deeper emotion to some hit songs of the time! Like other Motown success stories from that time, this set features some pop tunes and standard chart material, done by the group in their inimitable harmony style – with a few hits like "Reach Out, I'll Be There" and "7 Rooms Of Gloom" – plus wonderful interpretations of songs like "Walk Away Renee", "Last Train To Clarksville", and "I'm A Believer". Also includes "What Else Is There To Do", "Bernadette", and "Standing In The Shadows Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from the Co-Hearts, the Crescendos, the Angels, the Del-Vettes, the Sharmettes, the Supremes, the Carmelettes, the Vows, the Deltairs, the Mudlarks, the Tranells, and more – 25 tracks in all. CD

With selections by Pearl & The Deltars, The Topps, The Charts, The Channels, The Du Mauriers, The Du-Droppers, The Federals, The Logics, The Empires, The Scarlets, The Skylarks, The Sequins, and Jackie & The Starlites. LP, Vinyl record album

Very early work from the Jamaican scene – a set that includes cuts by artists who'd later record classic tracks in the rocksteady years, but who here are working in a much different mode! The title is plenty apt, but only gets at part of the sound – as this isn't straight doo wop as you'd know from the American scene, but instead some early group harmony – of the sort that would flourish even more strongly on famous Jamaican trio recordings of the late 60s – handled here with much more stripped-down instrumentation, and a shifting set of rhythms that mixes US influences with other more Caribbean modes. Titles include "Muriel" by Alton & Eddie, "Dearest Darling" by Jiving Juniors, "Til The End Of Time" by Chuck & Dobby, "Dearest Beverly" by Jimmy Cliff, "Heavenly Angel" by Laurel Aitken, "Do You Know" by Owen & Millie, "I'm Going Back" by The Charmers, "Diamonds & Pearls" by Dobby Dobson, "Album Of Memory" by The Mellowlarks, "Have Faith In Me" by Jiving Juniors, "Now You Want To Cry" by Prince Buster & The Charmers, "I Love My Teacher" by Chuck & Dobby, "Call Your Name Forever" by The Blues Busters, "I Love You Forever" by The Echoes Celestials, "Hear My Cry" by Wilfred Jackie Edwards, "Guilty Convict" by Rupert Edwards, "Julie" by The Moonlighters, "Worried Over You" by Keith & Enid, "My Heaven" by Alton & Eddie, "Sweet As An Angel" by Jiving Juniors, "First Time We Met" by Annette & Shenley, "Dream Girl" by Ricketts & Rowe, "Don't You Know" by The Moonlighters, "I'll Always Call Your Name" by Belltones, "Never Go Away" by Wilfred Jackie Edwards, "Change Of Mind" by Higgs & Wilson, and "I've Done You Wrong" by The Blues Busters. (Reggae, Soul) CD

Music from The Five Satins, The Roulettes, The Scarlets, The Spaniels, The Starlarks, The Vocaleers, The Veltones, Lewis Lymon & The Teenchords, The Kings, The Kodaks, and more. CD

A classic 60s album by the Four Tops – really one of their better efforts of the period – a record that finds the group working some soulful magic on a couple of their best known tunes, as well as adding a dose of deeper emotion to some hit songs of the time! Like other Motown success stories from that time, this set features some pop tunes and standard chart material, done by the group in their inimitable harmony style – with a few hits like "Reach Out, I'll Be There" and "7 Rooms Of Gloom" – plus wonderful interpretations of songs like "Walk Away Renee", "Last Train To Clarksville", and "I'm A Believer". Also includes "What Else Is There To Do", "Bernadette", and "Standing In The Shadows Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by The Five Satins, Kodaks, Baltineers, Continentals, Videos, Cherokees, Capris, Charts, El Dorados, Sonny Gordon & The Angels, Silhouettes, Spaniels, Scarlets, and Skylarks. LP, Vinyl record album