Classic work from the legendary P&P Records label – created by one of the "P" talents who gave them their name – studio genius Patrick Adams, who mostly works here on his own under the name of Cloud One! Adams already had great success working with east coast soul groups in the first half of the 70s – and as Cloud One, he really finds his way around the more cutting-edge styles of the time – mixing bits of funk with bits of disco, and often adding in these cool electronic elements that really helped define the P&P sound! Many cuts have cool moogy keyboards, and some spacey elements along the edges – done with a lot more soul than some of the Euro space disco recordings of the same time – with much more of a tie to the New York underground that was Adams' main milieu. Titles include the classics "Spaced Out" and "Atmosphere Strut" – plus "Jump Jump Jump", "Stomp Your Feet & Dance", "Disco Juice", "Don't Let My Rainbow Pass Me By", "Patty Duke", "Happy Music", "Doin It All Night", and "Flyin High". CD

A jazzy combo with a heart of soul – and a group who may well be one of our favorite funk groups from the 70s! Pleasure has an amazing way of being tight, yet never slick or commercial – a sound that's right on the money, but far from the mainstream too – which has kept them at the top of the stacks for crate-diggers and rare groove collectors for years! This sweet double-length package is a very well-chosen set of their gems for Fantasy records, and a few later tracks for RCA – a really expansive look at all that's great about the group – with classics mixed with overlooked album cuts and some great funky numbers you might have missed otherwise. Nearly everything Pleasure ever cut is fantastic, but this set is even more fantastic than the rest – and features 25 titles that include "Bouncy Lady", "Dust Yourself Off", "Joyous", "Ghettos Of The Mind", "Only You", "Sassafras Girl", "Glide", "Farewell Goodbye", "Special Things", "Thoughts Of Old Flames", "Give It Up", "Sending My Love", "Stone Love", "Glide (special disco rmx)", "Space Is The Place", "Living Without You", "Let's Dance", and a previously unreleased "Foxy Lady (disco version)". CD

A great groovy take on the sound of the legendary Hi Records – the Memphis soul powerhouse that gave us so many wonderful records in the 70s! The sound of Hi here is a bit different than you may know from the hits – as the label is seen through the great filter of the Free Soul series – which focuses on mellow groovers and midtempo tracks that have a bright, bubbly approach to soul – all work that still has all the deep soul roots of Hi at its best, but which also features rhythms and grooves that are less familiar in the label's catalog! There's some very choice singles here, next to overlooked album cuts by artists who got to issue full length sets for Hi – and as always with Free Soul, you get plenty of music for your money. Titles include "Little Things" by Phillip Mitchell, "Got To Find My Baby" by James Gadson, "Roots Of Love" by Quiet Elegance, "Too Much Mystery" by Otis Clay, "Look At The Boy" by Jean Plum, "I Don't Do Windows" by OV Wright, "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright" by Willie Mitchell & Don Bryant, "Somebody's On Your Case" by Ann Peebles, "Save The Last Dance For Me" by Henry She, "Let Them Know You Care" by George Jackson, and "I'm So Thankful" by Al Perkins. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Funky soul from one of the less-discovered scenes in the south – the hotbed of small labels that were making some mighty great grooves in Atlanta during the 70s! The Peachtree city isn't nearly as well-cited as a soul music source in comparison to places like Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and even Miami – but back in the mid 70s, there was something really special going on – and for a strong moment, a few different labels really gave the city some great music! Much of the work here represents the changing character of Atlanta itself – deep soul vocals that were forged in a longer southern tradition, mixed with well-crafted grooves that show all the modern elements coming into play as the city grew and matured. Most of this work has a pre-disco vibe – with rhythms that are similar to the early work of Fatback or Kool & The Gang – with the difference that the singers in the lead are all pretty darn great on their own. BGP did an excellent job of choosing the tracks for the set, and the notes, as always, are great – and the package features 22 titles that include "Let's Dance" by Family Plann, "Seeds Of Life" by East LA Car Pool, "Down At The Disco" by Maggabrain, "Ain't It Funky" by Johnny Jacobs, "The Bump" by Floyd Smith, "Help Me (parts 1 & 2)" by Archie Russell, "I Don't Know What It Is But It Sure Is Funky" by Ripple, "Funk Pump" by The Counts, "Claim Jumpin" by Bill Brandon, "Checkmate" by The Ebony Godfather, "Shouldn't I Be Given The Right To Be Wrong" by Joe Hinton, "Husband In Law" by CL Blast, "Only A Fool" by Loleatta Holloway, "When I Build My World" by Jimmy Lewis, and "Complain To The Clouds" by Deep Velvet. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Excellent work from this smooth Chicago vocal group! The album may well be the best the group ever recorded – and it features some stellar ballad work produced with a nice spacey tone, almost in a Rose Royce mellow mode – by Jerry Butler's Fountain Productions team and by Clarence Johnson, who brought the group up from the beginning! The real strength of the album, though, is the group's vocals – wonderfully harmonious, but with a rougher edge and a deeper soul than many other 70s groups of the same type. The album includes the massive semi-hit "Guess Who's Back In Town" – plus other good ballads like "How Do You Think You're Gonna Find Love", "Let's Work It Out", and "Distant Melody". The album also features some uptempo numbers – and other tracks include "Run & Tell That", "Dance A Thon", and "No Limit". CD

Like finding a time machine – one that takes you back to the glory days of the New York club scene at the end of the 70s! Much has been written about Larry Levan – the genius DJ behind the Paradise Garage, and a leading force in club music who pulled the genre from the ashes of disco cliches and cold pre-programmed throwaway tracks. Levan not only had an ear for picking the most soulful tunes of the underground, buy he also had an extremely good talent for putting tracks together – a talent that got him plenty of work as a remixer in the early 80s, but which is also heard here exactly as you'd have heard it at the Paradise Garage back in 1979! The set is a magical document – a live mix performed by Levan at the Paradise, recorded with excellent sound, and spread over 2 CDs! Levan comes up with killer groovers we've never heard, and other monsters that we'd forgotten about, and which sound even better in this stunning mix of music. Titles include "It's Magic" by Damon Harris, "Put Your Body In It" by Stephanie Mills, "By The Way You Dance" by Bunny Sigler, "Right In The Socket" by Shalamar, "Here We Go Again" by Peoples Choice, "Bad Mouthin" by Motown Sounds, "Let Yourself Go" by The Supremes, "Angel In My Pocket" by Change, "Smack Dab In The Middle" by Janice McClain, "Sun Sun Sun" by Jacki, and "Erucu" by Jermain Jackson". 20 tracks in all – and all expertly mixed! (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

The title says "soul standards", but the music here is anything but – not familiar hits or well-worn classics, but instead a great array of lesser-known gems from the TK Records powerhouse of Florida soul! The music here really spans the spectrum of the excellent work that TK was doing at the time – and moves between southern soul, a bit of funk, and some of the more modern elements that TK was hitting at the time – bringing a new sort of sophistication to the southern scene. There's a few familiar cuts here, mixed with a lot more rare gems – and titles include "Jazz Freak" by Paulette Reaves, "You're The Song I've Always Wanted To Sing" by Timmy Thomas, "Gettin With My Baby" by Leon Debouse, "You Made Me Want To Dance" by Irene Reid, "Love The Way You Love Me" by Eddie Horan, "How Long" by Brandye, "Caught In The Act" by Facts Of Life, "Puttin It Down To You" by Jackie Moore, "You Can't See For Lookin" by Betty Wright, "Living For Today" by Jimmy Briscoe & The Beavers "Rock" by The JBs, "Best Part Of A Man" by Wilson Pickett, and "Let's Straighten It Out" by Latimore. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A glittering collection of groovy soulful gems – 31 tracks by the legendary Fatback – featuring work from the group's first few years as a funk band through their 70s transformation into one of the tightest club acts around! The package features work from the group's earliest years on Perception Records, a few from their brief stint on Event, and lots more from the Spring label – and the set goes for all the group's tastiest cuts, and includes a massive amount of dancefloor grooves – making for an instant party the moment you get it out of the box! Funky all around – with tracks that include "Spanish Hustle", "I Found Loving", "Backstrokin", "I Like Girls", "King Tim III (Personality Jock)", "Double Dutch", "Keep On Steppin", "The Girl Is Fine (So Fine)", "Take It Any Way You Want It", "Wicki Wacky", "Soul March", "Is This The Future", "Feed Me Your Love", "Nija Walk", "Dance Girl", and "Let's Do It Again". CD

A pair of gems from The Players Association – back to back on a single CD! First up is the fantastic first album from The Players Association – a group who may well have gotten their name for the great jazzy musicians in their lineup! Players Association are best known for their disco grooves, but they've got a core sense of instrumentation that's really a cut above – with strong leadership from jazzman Chris Hills – who plays drums, guitar, and keyboards – and other players who include Joe Farrell on tenor and flute, Bob Mover on alto and soprano, Jon Faddis on trumpet, and Mike Mandell on keyboards! Ray Mantilla and Buddy Williams add in some great percussion to the mix – which furthers the spontaneous, jazzy vibe of some of the tunes – and titles includes the funky cut "I Like It", which has a nice break in the beginning, plus the tracks "Let's Groove", "Hustlin", "Moon In Pisces", and a sweet cover of "For The Love Of You". Turn The Music Up is wonderful work from The Players Association – a group who were equal parts jazz funk and equal parts 70s club – with a vibe that's maybe like The Blackbyrds or other Fantasy Records acts at their best! The mighty Chris Hills is at the helm – and the record is overflowing with top-shelf talent from the jazz side of the spectrum – work by Bob Berg on tenor, Tom Harrell on trumpet, and Bob Mover on alto – all with room to solo, and really helping bring a musical maturity to the record that other disco records never seem to have! Titles include "Everybody Dance", "Ride The Groove", "The Closer I Get To You", and "I Wish". CD

Sublime jazzy soul from Pleasure – one of the greatest groups of the west coast scene of the 70s – and a key force in defining the Fantasy Records groove of the time! Pleasure have a sound that's head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – especially groups on major labels who tried for this sort of blend, but never made it come off that right – usually too smooth or too commercial. The mighty Wayne Henderson is a key factor in their sound – as he produced some of the best tracks with that well-balanced groove he brought to his best work under At-Home Productions umbrella. CD features 14 titles that include "Ghettos Of The Mind", "Future Now", "The Real Thing", "Let's Dance", "Foxy Lady", "Yearnin' Burnin", "Take A Chance", "Joyous", "Sassafras Girl", and 3 mixes of "Glide". CD

The record that forever put Prince on the map – a legendary set that took him from being an under-appreciated soul singer to a lasting pop music legend! Prince had been around for a few years before 1999 – but the double-length set was the first to really win over the masses to his genius – and still stands as one of the most perfect blends of soul, funk, and pop that we can ever think of – especially since the man himself pretty much put the whole thing together on his own! The set begins with the classic singles "Little Red Corvette" and "1999" – then soars into lots more gems that include "Let's Pretend We're Married", "Lady Cab Driver", "All The Critics Love U In New York", "International Lover", "DMSR", and "Delirious". A massive box set – with 5 full CDs and a DVD too! CD2 is a collection of rare promo mixes and b-sides – with titles that include "1999 (7" mono promo only edit)", "Free (promo only edit)", "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore", "Lady Cab Driver (7" edit)", "Little Red Corvette (dance rmx promo-only edit)", "Horny Toad", "Automatic (video version)", "Let's Pretend We're Married (video)", "Irresistible Bitch", "Let's Pretend We're Married (7" mono promo only edit)", and "DMSR (edit)". CD3 and CD4 each feature rare tracks from the vault – all but one of which are unissued – titles that include "Purple Music", "Yah You Know", "If It'll Make U Happy", "Colleen", "Bold Generation", "Turn It Up", "Feel U Up", "Money Don't Grown On Trees", "Vagina", "Rearrange", "Teacher Teacher", "Don't Let Him Fool Ya", "Do Yourself A Favor", and "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got" – plus a tour demo medley, "Lady Cab Driver/I Wanna Be Your Lover/Head/Little Red Corvette". CD5 features a show recorded live in Detroit on November 30, 1982 – with 12 tracks in all. DVD features a Live In Houston performance from December 29, 1982 – with 12 more tracks, including a rare "piano improvisation". CD

A refresher collection of prime Prince – the biggest hits from the Warner and Paisley Park eras – including the long versions of the some of the best 80s and early 90s cuts! The first disc is a straight up greatest hits collection, starting with "I Wanna Be Your Lover" from the self titled LP and ending with "My Name Is Prince from the "Love Symbol" album – and includes many of the biggest hits in between! Other tracks include "Uptown", "Controversy", "1999", "Delirious", "When Doves Cry", "Purple Rain", "Sign O' The Times", "Gett Off", "Nothing Compares 2 U", and more. Disc 2 includes 11 remixes and/or alternate versions of other essential hits that do not appear on the first CD – including the longer original 12" versions, and similarly extended numbers – carrying everything great about the album versions, and giving you more! Tracks include "Let's Go Crazy (special dance mix)", "Little Red Corvette (dance remix)", "Pop Life (fresh dance mix)", "Rasperry Beret (12" version)", "U Got The Look (long look)", "Theives In The Temple (remix)" and "Cream (NPG mix)". 28 tracks on 2CDs! CD

This great little series gets even better – as it breaks past the early 80s focus of previous volumes, to include some great 70s gems as well! As before, the focus is less disco than you'd expect – more uptempo soul, which includes some 70s mellow movers and early 80s boogie tracks – all brought together with a great ear for a mostly under-discovered cut! The package features 20 tunes in all – and titles include "Don't You Wanna Make Love" by Carl Carlton, "Do You Really Love Me" by Bryan Loren, "Let's Start The Dance (rmx)" by Bohannon with Perri Johnson, "Friends" by Shalamar, "Keep On Doin Whatcha Doin (12" long version)" by Ty Karim & George Griffin, "Don't Stop" by Asso, "Taj Mahal" by Paulina DaCosta, "Wet My Whistle" by Midnight Star, "Pack Up Your Things & Get Out Of My Life" by TC Curtis, "Way Out" by Dynasty, "Dreamin" by Loleatta Holloway, "Let Love Shine" by Skyy, "Now I'm Fine" by Grey & Hanks, "Make It Up To Me In Love" by Odia Coates, "Half The Day's Gone" by Kenny Lynch, "Stand Up" by Delegation, and "Single Handed" by Haywoode. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Disco funk and plenty more – all from this long-running series that only seems to dig deeper and deeper as time goes on! This time around, nearly all the cuts are ones you won't find elsewhere, especially on CD – with that special sort of 80s bent that the series always has, which means that you'll find as much boogie on the set as you will later disco rarities – served up in a batch of tracks that includes "Your Love Keeps Taking Me Higher" by E'Lan, "Let Me Be The One (dance mix)" by Mint, "Sure Ain't News" by Systematic, "Real Love" by The Prajekt, "Are You Lonely" by Randy Brown, "Tomorrow Night" by Angel, "24 Hour Love Affair" by David St George, "Right Or Wrong" by First Light, "Get Into Love Groove" by Bridget Cooper, "Caught In The Middle" by James Cobbin & Prime Cut, "Playtoy (long mix)" by Carmin, "Get Away" by FLOS, and "Cyanide Love" by Carol Shinnete with The Concrete Band. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Classic cuts from the TK Records stable of Miami disco from the 70s – all of which are served up here on 7" single mixes, a fair bit of which appear here on CD for the first time ever! TK is maybe best known for it's long-spun club cuts that were a perfect fit for the budding 12" format in the mid 70s – but the label also turned out plenty of cuts with a tight, catchy groove that was perfect for a funky 45 – which might have been why TK was one of the few labels to rule both on the radio and on the dancefloors back in the day! Japanese DJ T Groove takes us through 20 TK singles here – with tracks that include "Return Of Vader" by AD, "Macho" by Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch, "Higher" by Chi-Lites, "Star Cruiser" by Gregg Diamond, "Moon Ride" by Universal Love, "Let's Dance" by Wild Honey, "Have A Good Day (part 1)" by Gail Eason, "Music (voc)" by Montreal Sound, "I'm Gonna Dance" by Asha Puthli, "Dancin In My Feet" by Laura Taylor, "Holding Back" by Gregg Diamond, "At Midnight" by T Connection, "If There's Love" by Amant, "Spank" by Jimmy Bo Horne, and "The Break (short)" by Kat Mandu. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

2 killers from The Bar-Kays – a heavy funk spectacular all the way through! First up is Gotta Groove – amazing work from the new version of The Bar-Kays – a group who reformed to become a combo as heavy as any of the best funky groups from Detroit, LA, or New York at the time! There's a style here that's a sweet Memphis distillation of ideas bubbling under in music by Sly Stone, Funkadelic, and others – taken to new territory here by a group that was already steeped in 60s soul instrumental sounds! The cuts show a great ear for simple hooks and playful instrumental twists and turns – still with a bit of the trumpet used on Bar-Kays work of the past, but more in a groove that lets the guitar step out nicely with psychedelic soul undercurrents! Tracks include "In The Hole", "Funky Thang", "Grab This Thing", "Street Walker", "Humpin", and "Don't Stop Dancing To The Music (parts 1 & 2)". Black Rock is an album that's every bit as great as the title might imply – heavy guitar-based funk from the second version of The Bar-Kays – one that uses the new instrumental focus to push a groove that's much more black rock than before! There's still a bit of trumpet from the past, but the sound here is much heavier on the bottom – and really fuzzes up the guitar nicely at times to create a hipper sort of soul instrumental vibe! The rhythms are quite hip too – with echoes of the experiments in soul going on at Stax in the work of Isaac Hayes and others – and the album's miles away from the work that the group was laying down a few years before! Definitely one of the hardest-hitting Stax albums of the early 70s – and filled with great tracks like "You Don't Know Like I Know", "Dance To The Music", "Piece Of Your Peace", "Montego Bay", and "Baby I Love You". CD

A key moment in electronic music in the US – the early Detroit experiments of Cybotron! The group were the duo of Juan Atkins and Rick Davis – working in early 80s Detroit, in a sound that would later transform into the more familiar techno groove – but which here is a strange blend of styles that includes bits of Kraftwerk, hip hop, electro, and post-disco club! The overall vibe is pretty spacey – with sci-fi themes that run through most of the tracks, echoed by odd production techniques that repeat the best elements over and over, and maintain a dark, spare style that was clearly the blueprint for midwest house grooves in years to come. And if you've ever been wowed by the darker sounds of Chicago house in the mid 80s, you'll really be stunned by the level of work from these guys – as Cybotron seem to preface just about all the post-industrial themes that would show up later on Trax – but come at things from a very different perspective. And added into the whole uniqueness of the work is the fact that these recordings originally were issued by Fantasy Records – so had a west coast life of their own, on a label that hardly had any other relation to Detroit at the time! The set features a total of 13 tracks that includes a few remixes – and titles include "Clear", "Cosmic Cars (Detroit Style)", "Alleys Of Your Mind", "R-(", "Let's Go", "Techno City", "Industrial Lies", "El Salvador", "Cosmic Raindance", "Cosmic Cars (house mix)", and "R-9 (inst)". CD

A massive package of work from the mighty Kool & The Gang – 6 full albums from the 80s, served up here in a 3CD set! First up is Ladies Night – a shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". The next album is Something Special indeed – as the album was one of the biggest hits for Kool & The Gang, and showed that the group still had plenty of energy left to groove into the 80s! The record features production work by Brazilian music maestro Eumir Deodato – who by this point had become a sweet and smooth talent with a real flair for putting over a modern soul groove! Deodato's approach is really great – smooth, yet soulful, without any tricks or gimmicks – and a real appreciation for lead vocals and a catchy little hook! The album features the group's party classic "Get Down On It", plus "Steppin Out", "No Show", "Pass It On", "Be My Lady", "Take My Heart", and "Good Time Tonight". As One is solid 80s grooving from Kool & The Gang – a group who inspired so many others in the early 80s soul generation, but who could still do it better than most of the rest! The style here is tight and smooth, but never too slick – and Deodato's giving the group some really great production for the album – helping them to focus their energy and soar soulfully, but without resorting to any stiff gimmicks or cliches! There's a great groove running through most of the numbers here – a confident quality that's never too commercial, and which bubbles along nicely throughout. Titles include "Street Kids", "Big Fun", "As One", "Hi De Hi Hi De Ho", "Let's Go Dancin", and "Pretty Baby". In The Heart is a sweet set that's part of a big early 80s run from Kool & The Gang – a time that saw the funk legends really hitting the mainstream, and winning over a huge new audience in the process! Given that the Gang virtually invented ensemble funk at the start of the 70s, they're perfectly poised here to move into modes that so many of their younger competition were trying – but never did so well – that blend of 80s elements and more sharply-fused funk instrumentation, all honed down into a tightly snapping groove. The real surprise, though, is the group's growing ability for ballads – which put records like this into hands of folks who never would have dug their funk a few years before. And while we might have had a few problems with that shift at the time, the passage of years has got the whole thing sounding pretty darn great to our ears – especially in comparison to so much weaker work from the time. Titles include "In The Heart", "Joanna", "Tonight", "Straight Ahead", "September Love", "You Can Do It", and "Home Is Where The Heart Is". Last up is Emergency – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". CD

The long-overdue return of a southern soul legend – as the great Willie Hightower returns to the Muscle Shoals scene that gave him some of his best music of the 60s! Hearing the sound of the record, it's as if nothing's changed at all – and we mean that in the best way possible – as Willie's vocals are still wonderful, and the backing has that right mode of easygoing soul to really let the singer flow – which he does wonderfully under the production guidance of equal southern soul legend Quinton Claunch, with backing from all star players who include Travis Wammack on guitar and Clayton Ivey on Hammond. The whole thing's better than you might even expect – like lost tapes from the mid 70s, with a warm glow that shows Willie in perfect for all the way through! Titles include "Everybody Wants My Girl", "No Gettin Over Me", "You Can't Love", "I Found You", "Raining All The Time", "Somewhere Dry", "Tired Of Losing You", and "Easy Loving". CD

Joe Bataan working in a pronounced dancefloor soul mode! While the legendary Bataan was no stranger to the fusion of Latin, soul and funk, this some of the most club soul oriented sounds from Joe we've ever heard – and the sessions are seeing official release for the first time ever! The recording feature players who worked on Joe's stellar Afrofilipino and features a backdrop of wonderful Afro and Latin percussion and rhythms with the best sounds of the NYC dancefloor soul in the mix – with uptempo and midtempo vocal numbers flirting with disco and modern soul very nicely – with solid lead vocals and groovy female backup! Most tunes bring a bit of harp into the mix for a little more of a soar that plays off the percussion in really cool way. Titles include "Sadie", "When We Get Married", "My Cloud", "I Need Love", a take on the Isaac Hayes "Theme From The Men", "Let Me Kove You", "My Opera" and "I Do Love You". (Latin, Soul) CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

A rare set from the Chicago scene of the early 70s – put together by a group who are the "American family" promised in the title, but who have a lot more to offer than just the kiddie soul of the time! The members of the group have a nice range of ages and styles – which maybe makes the music come across with the depth of groups like Voices of East Harlem or The Stairsteps – more mature, sometimes righteous currents that are a real surprise – and captured here with instrumentation that's a nicely lean take on east coast styles of the time – that grittier approach that always made records on the Perception label so great! Titles include two nice cuts by Patrick Adams – "Loneliest Girl In Town" and "Find the One Who Loves You", plus others by the producer James L Porter – "Oh Yes I Do" and "Time For a Change" – and the titles "Next Time I'll Be Good", "I Can't Get No Higher", "I Can't Wait", and "Take My Love Don't Set Me Free". CD features four bonus tracks – "Here's Some Dances", "Will You Still Be Mine", "Let's Sign A Peace Treaty", and "Looking For A Brand New Game". CD

Hard-romping soul from the great Shirley Ellis – a singer most folks know for a single crossover hit – but an artist who's got a hell of a lot more to offer than just that novelty number! This excellent package is a long-overdue look at one of the queens of raw soul in the 60s – a singer who could belt it out with a hell of an edge, even when the music was moving at a mighty fast clip – which it does often here, as Shirley works with superb guidance from arranger Lincoln Chase – whose ears for a groove are outstanding at this point in his career! The package brings together early singles for the Congress label, plus even more obscure work a few years later for Columbia Records – and as always with Ace, the whole presentation is wonderful – light years away from just a simple greatest hits or public domain package. Titles include "The Nitty Gritty", "Bring It On Home To Me", "Get Out", "Takin Care Of Business", "The Clapping Song", "Sugar Let's Shing A Ling", "Back Track", "Yes I'm Ready", "Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife", "You Better Be Good World", "Ka Ta Ga Ta Boom Beat", "The Name Game", "I Never Will Forget", "Such A Night", "That's What The Nitty Gritty Is", and "One Sour Note". CD

A double length collection of Sly's classic work for Epic – featuring the best of the old days, when he was really into a groove! 20 titles: "Dance To The Music", "Everyday People", "Sing A Simple Song", "Don't Call Me N!gger, Whitey", "Stand!", "I Want To Take You Higher", "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)", "Babies Makin Babies", "Family Affair", "Everybody Is A Star", "M'Lady", "Life", "Fun", "You Can Make It If You Try", "Hot Fun In the Summertime", "Runnin' Away", "(You Caught Me) Smilin'", "Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa", "If You Want Me To Stay" and "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)". CD

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 2CD box set edition is amazing – coming in a heavy-duty box with each disc in an oversized gatefold style sleeve – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes a nice booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence. CD

Upbeat soul from Millie Jackson – a massive batch of tunes that work perfectly for the dancefloor, but which still retain all the grittier edges of her best early years! Although Millie's probably best known for her weepy ballads of the 70s, she also pioneered a more upbeat style of southern soul too – a nicely grooving approach to the music that was almost the southern equivalent of grooves from Philly and New York at the time. The style's a great one for Jackson's bold, proud lyrical style – and this wonderful set really shows the best bad-stepping side of Millie's talents in the 70s. Most cuts are pulled from her years on the Spring label during the decade, and the set features a few rare versions and edits that make the package essential, even if you've got all the individual LPs! 22 tracks in all – including "If That Don't Turn You On", "All I Want Is A Fighting Chance", "House For Sale", "Somethin Bout Cha", "You Can't Stand The Thought Of Another Man Loving Me", "Love Doctor", "Put Something Down On It", "A Little Taste Of Outside Love", "Ask Me What You Want", "I Miss You Baby", "Letter Full Of Tears", "Fancy This", "Rising Cost Of Love", and "You Can't Turn Me Off In The Middle Of Turning Me On". CD

A massive batch of work from Johnny Johnson & The Bandwagon – their full 1968 album for Epic, plus a wealth of rare singles as well! Johnny & The Bandwagon were one of those US groups that was arguably a lot more popular overseas – especially on the British scene, where their uptempo, hard-grooving style was perfect for the Northern Soul dancefloors! Their sound is wonderful – a bit different than the usual US hit group of the time, with drums that really romp on the bottom of most numbers – spurring further dynamic vocals from Johnny and the group – a soaring, upbeat approach to soul music that's almost more motivational now than ever before. As always with Ace Records, you can expect a hell of a lot here – full notes on the Bandwagon phenomenon overseas, and a whopping batch of 24 tracks that also includes rare material recorded for Bell. Titles include "Breakin Down The Walls Of Heartache", "On The Day We Fall In Love", "I Ain't Lyin", "You", "Girl From Harlem", "Don't Let It In", "People Got To Be Free", "When Love Has Gone Away", "Let's Hang On", "Sweet Inspiration", "Music To My Heart", "High & Dry", "In The Bad Bad Old Days", and "Sally Put Your Red Shoes On". CD

A great discovery in the lost catalog of Arthur Russell – material from the same mid 80s stretch as his excellent World Of Echo album, and done with a very similar sound! Most of the instrumentation here is spare drum programs, keyboards, and processed cello – all handled by Russell, who also vocalizes slightly, often in a processed way as well – so that there's a particularly electric feel to the tunes, which goes along with the skittishly funky rhythms! Most tracks here are in an upbeat mode – partly post-disco dancefloor funk, but also a bit more experimental at times – and in a way, this record may be the strongest one to link together the two sides of Russell's career in both the galleries and the clubs. Titles include "Springfield", "See My Brother He's Jumping Out (Let's Go Swimming #1)", "Corn #3", "Hiding Your Present From You", "You Have Did The Right Thing When You Put That Skylight In", and "Springfield (DFA rmx)". (Rock, Soul) CD

James Brown going strong into the 90s – and almost hitting a mode that's a bit like some of his first few records of the 80s! James is firmly at the helm here – producing, arranging, and writing most numbers – and while the sound is definitely more contemporary than on his classics, there's also still a definite Godfather-ness that always shines through. Most of the upbeat numbers have that peppy, bouncy sort of vibe that James was laying down on his bigger post-disco groovers – and a few other tracks hit a mellower, bluesier mode that's in keeping with his image on the cover. Titles include "Dance Dance Dance To The Funk", "Teardrops On Your Letter", "Later For Dancing", "Standing On Higher Ground", "Show Me", "Move On", and "It's Time To Love". CD

An overstuffed collection of greatness from Con Funk Shun – key tracks from the group's mighty run on Mercury Records – where they took a homegrown funk style, and sharpened it to a razor-sharp point! The tunes here are a mix of bassy bottom groovers and some of the group's mellower steppers – a really nice balance that spins out over the course of 17 tracks, with a good range of work from the late 70s and early 80s. Tracks include "Ffun", "Love's Train", "Chase Me", "Too Tight", "Ms Got The Body", "Baby I'm Hooked (Right Into Your Love)", "Straight From The Heart", "Love On Your Mind", "Got To Be Enough", "Ms Got The Body", "By Your Side", "Juicy", "So Easy", and "Shake Me & Dance With Me". CD

The clubby jazz funk debut of Freeez – plus the Anti-Freeez remix album from a couple years later – issued together along with even more bonus material in this great 2CD set! Dancefloor ready live band grooving is the warmly beating heart of the Freeez sound at this early point – with heated drums and killer basslines driving it – clearly influenced by late 70s international club sounds, but with this great, tight energy and dexterous musicianship that could only come from a real, functioning, true band. Nice stuff! Disc One includes the original album & remixes: "Mariposa (Butterfly)", "Caribbean Winter", "Easy On The Onions", "Sunset", "Flying High", "Roller Chase", "First Love" and more from the original, plus bonus tracks including "Ainti-Freeez (Set Me Free) – Disco Version", "Fly By Night", "Flying High (12" Remix)" and more. Disc Two includes early singles, demos, instrumentals and the complete Anti-Freeez remix album from 1984 – with "Keep In Touch", "Hot Footing It", "Stay", "Roller Chase (1984 Remix)", "Alone (1984 Remix)", "One To One (1984 Remix)", "Caribbean Winter (1984 Remix)", "Say You Will Be My Lover (Previously Unreleased Demo)" and more. 30 tracks on 2CDs. CD

The hands of Webster Lewis are on a classic Fender Rhodes on the cover – and you'll hear plenty of that instrument on this collection, along with all the other many keyboards that Lewis can handle so well! Webster started out as a straighter jazzman in his early years, but by the time of these tracks he was at the top of his game in the world of soulful fusion – picking up a torch first lit by Herbie Hancock and Ramsey Lewis, and blending it with more influences from soul music too – which means that in addition to great keyboard solos from Lewis, you'll also hear wonderful vocals on most of these cuts – a key element that really helped Webster cross over into so many worlds at the time. As with work from the same period by Patrice Rushen, there's a sublime blend going on here – one that still sounds tremendous all these many years later, and which is presented with a great selection of cuts – including the rare "Japanese Umbrella" and "Boston" – plus "El Bobo", "Barbara Ann", "Hideaway", "Give Me Some Emotion", "Dancer", "Do It With Style", "Let Me Be The One", "Touch My Love", "Reach Out", "Love Won't Harm No One", and "There's A Happy Feeling". CD

2 albums by the great Eugene McDaniels – back to back on one CD! Headless Heroes is a holy grail for funk collectors – and one that we can't believe got reissued! The record is a monstrously moody LP of jazzy changes and groovy vocals with the classic "Jagger the Dagger", which was sampled to great fame by Tribe Called Quest. The title track was used by the Beasties, and lord knows all of you are looking for more. The rest of this is as groovy as those tracks, with lots of nice moody bits and very righteous lyrics. Other titles include "Supermarket Blues", "Freedom Death Dance", "The Parasite", and "Lovin' Man". Outlaw is a mix of rock and soul that features a strong political message that's probably best embodied in the statment on the back that reads "Under conditions of national emergency, like now, there are only two kinds of people – those who work for freedom, and those who do not: the good guys vs the bad guys". The sound of the record is similar to McDaniels' classic Headless Heroes album (recorded after this one), with jazzy backing, and righteous vocals by the man. Titles include "Love Letter To America", "Black Boy", "Outlaw", and "Sagittarius Red". CD

Wonderful work from the later years of Brunswick Records – a time when the company briefly re-emerged as a surprising force on the hipper dancefloors of the time – thanks to a great run of funky club, soulful disco, and seminal boogie tracks! Brunswick didn't issue many albums at the time – and they were quite far from their hit years of the early 70s – but their 12" output from the period is wonderful, and way more than just the usual throwaway work for the discos – done with a real sense of quality, and a devotion to both funk and soul undercurrents that really keep things strong. Titles on this great 3rd volume include "Don't Say Goodnight" and "Love Me Today" by First Love, instrumental and vocal versions of "I Wanna Boogie With You" by Charlie Singleton & Stargasm, "Jammin Big Guitar" and "Rockin Big Guitar" by Vaughan Mason, vocal and instrumental versions of "Word Up" by Legacy, vocal and instrumental versions of "Gimme The Funk" by Charade, "Rock The House (parts 1 & 2)" by Elite, and the fantastic groover "You Are The One" by AM/FM. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

An excellent companion to the legendary first Disco Spectrum set – and like the first, this one's a stunning batch of rare club tracks, expertly selected by Joey Negro! This one's even more soulful than the first set – and is more a great set of rare club and dancefloor tracks, than it is a straight bunch of disco tunes. Nearly every cut's a winner, and there's loads of excellent vocals, and plenty of nice jazzy playing in the mix. This 2CD version features a total of 22 cuts, all unmixed – including "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" by Love Symphony Orchestra, "Spread Love" by Al Hudson & The Partners, "Making Love" by Sammy Gordon & The Hip Huggers, "Welcome To The Disco" by Air Power, "Phoenix" by Aquarian Dream, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Louie Ramirez, "I'll Keep A Light In My Window" by NYCC, "Music Is My Way Of Life" by Patti Labelle, "Don't Let This Rainbow Pass Me By" by Cloud One, "Get Another Love" by Chantal Curtis, "Evening Of Love" by Main Ingredient, "Hooked On Your Love" by Fantastic Aleems, "Hooked On You" by Cerrone, and "Give Me Some Action" by Queen Samantha. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A really unusual record for the Malaco label – and one that represents a time when the Mississippi deep soul powerhouse was coming to terms with some of the dancefloor changes of the time! Frederick Knight produced – and side one has him giving James Bradley a few surprising club cuts that almost feel more like Miami groovers of the time – balanced out nicely with some slower-steppers on side two, which really seem perfect for Bradley's mix of soul and sophistication! These cuts are wonderful – really overlooked gems that often sound little like Malaco work, and maybe more like some of the modern soul moments on labels like Capitol or Arista at the time. Titles include "Wrapped Up In Your Love", "I'm In Too Deep", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Knowing You're My Everything", "Never Too Far Away", and "Let's Do It Together". CD

Sublime second generation soul from Brenda & The Tabulations – a sweet set of Philly grooves, recorded at Sigma sound with help from Norman Harris, Bobby Eli, and John Davis! The album's every bit as groove-heavy as you'd expect from work by those dancefloor heavyweights – and the record's a great change from the earlier style of Brenda and the group – more positive and progressive, yet still with a few of the fragile ballads that first got them noticed! There's a great sense of class and poise to the record – a progression from the early years that's similar to that which many other Philly artists experienced with Gamble & Huff – almost more surprising here, given that sometimes a Casablanca record didn't come out with the same sort of care. Titles include "Superstar", "Home To Myself", "I Keep Coming Back For More", "Let's Go All The Way Down", "Leave Me Alone", and "Everybody's Fool". CD also features a bonus 12" mix of "Let's Go All The Way Down" – and an excellent Reel Music job of mastering and liner notes! CD

Slightly later than some of Isaac Hayes' biggest Stax albums – but a great little record that's filled with some excellent smooth soul material! The record shows Hayes really trying to push his style to new levels, and it's got a sophistication that you don't hear on earlier albums – a sound that hints at the Polydor years, but without as much of a disco influence. Ike's also dropped his thing of doing a lot of soul covers of pop tracks – which means that the record's got a lot more original material, served up with a new sort of focus on songwriting! Titles include "Chocolate Chip", a perennial fave on the dancefloor, in both vocal and instrumental versions – plus "I Can't Turn Around", "Come Live With Me", and "Body Language". CD

One of the last great records by Johnny Guitar Watson – and an album that's got some wonderfully subdued moments, which is a real relief after some of the too-funky bits on some of his other sets from the late 70s! Johnny returns to the tight soul of the mid 70s Fantasy LPs – still keeping the guitar up in the mix, but also really focusing on his wonderfully compressed style of vocals – a slightly tripped out mode that dances along beautifully with the guitar – ta-ta-ing us to some great mellow grooves, and really letting Watson's personality shine! Titles include "Love Jones", "Asante Sana", "Lone Ranger", and "Children of the Universe". CD

Underground club from the New York scene of the 80s – a mix of late disco, early hip hop, and some prime boogie groovers! The tracks are relatively long – mostly pulled from 12" singles – and there's a nicely eclectic mix of tunes here, really showing the scope of styles that played on the 80s dancefloors in the Big Apple – the kind of creative cuts that never charted big, but had plenty of impact back in the day. Titles include "Somebody's Loving You" by Klassique, "Let's Do It" by Convertion, "Rapper's Revenge" by Mike Gee, "On The One" by Lukk, "Hold On" by Kremecicle, "Just How Sweet Is Your Love" by Rhyze, "This Beat Is Mine" by Vicky D, "Main Thing" by Shot, "Please Don't Break My Heart" by The Affair, and "Share The Night" by World Premier. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Wonderful work from the later years of Brunswick Records – a time when the company briefly re-emerged as a surprising force on the hipper dancefloors of the time – thanks to a great run of funky club, soulful disco, and seminal boogie tracks! Brunswick didn't issue many albums at the time – and they were quite far from their hit years of the early 70s – but their 12" output from the period is wonderful, and way more than just the usual throwaway work for the discos – done with a real sense of quality, and a devotion to both funk and soul undercurrents that really keep things strong. Volume 2 has tracks that are even more obscure than volume 1 – with titles that include vocal and instrumental versions of "Stay Away From Me" by Satin Dream, vocal and instrumental versions of "The Big Throwdown" by South Bronx, "Never Take Your Love" and "Can't Let Go" by Parris, "I'm So Glad I Got You" and "Another Time Another Place" by Persuaders, and the tracks "Got To Be Free", "Strut Your Stuff", "Waiting For Your Love", and "I Like What You're Doing To Me" by Young & Company. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A massive batch of mixes from dancefloor maestro John Luongo – a set that's heavy on cuts from the 80s in many styles, and which has some other surprises in the mix as well! Luongo was one of those talents who did a great job of bringing underground dancefloor modes to a more mainstream audience – and he finds grooves in cuts that might not normally have gotten such strong club treatment on their own, or in the hands of another remix talent! This 2LP set features some of the best work that Luongo did back in the day – titles that include "The Best (ext mighty mix)" by Tina Turner, "Suspicious Minds (suspicious mix)" by Fine Young Cannibals, "The Chinese Way (New York rmx)" by Level 42, "Out In The Night (12" version)" by Serge Ponsar, "Give It Up (12" version)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Missing You (ext version)" by John Waite, "Eyes Without A Face (full length version)" by Billy Idol, "Look Of Love (part 3 – dance version)" by ABC, "Fade To Grey (US 12" version)" by Visage, "Blind Vision (ext version)" by Blancmange, "Shy Boy (US ext version)" by Bananarama, "Tarzan Boy (ext dance version)" by Baltimora, "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)" by Dan Hartman with Loleatta Holloway, "You Stepped Into My Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Melba Moore, and "Music Is My Way Of Life (John Luongo rmx)" by Patti Labelle – plus more from Soft Cell, Bill Nelson, Sharon Ridley, Fantasy, Material, Cabaret Voltaire, Cher, ZZ Top, Gonzalez, Marlena Shaw, Jackie Moore, and others. 4CD set features 43 tracks in all – and includes a 32 page booklet, with rare photos, track annotations, and an essay on Luongo's music! (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Music from the Vels, the Veletones, the Jivers, the Four Tunes, the V8's, the Elegants, the Orients, the Chestnuts, the Willows, the Cadillacs, the Volumes, and more – 30 tracks total. 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