Anthony and crew were one of the few groups who actually got better when they moved from the raw indie scene to the slicker major label one – as you'll hear perfectly on this set of some of their best work for the Veep/DCP/United Artists label. Teddy Randazzo handled all the arrangments and production, and his breathy uptown style works perfectly with the band's soulful harmonies. Titles include "Hurt So Bad", "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)", "Our Song", "Get Out Of My Life", and "Going Out Of My Head". LP

Big blues from Little Milton, recorded with a mighty big sound as well – thanks to the cool criss-crossing of soul and blues that was going down at Chess Records in the 60s! Milton's got this raw, raspy style in his voice – a nasty edge that mixes perfectly with his own sharp guitar lines – and which gets an extra kick from the production and arrangements of Gene Barge, who still knows how to keep the core combo sound that makes the album cook! Sonny Thompson plays piano on most tracks, and Phil Upchurch adds in a second guitar at times – but the real star of the show is always Milton – shining more brightly here than on most of his later records! The album includes versions of "Please Please Please", "Have Mercy Baby", "Fever", "Sneakin Around", and "Reconsider Baby". (Blues, Soul) LP

Titles include "Slippin & Slidin", "Rip It Up", "Lucille", "Jenny Jenny", "Good Golly Miss Molly", "Long Tall Sally", and "Keep A Knockin". LP

A much rootsier set than some of Little Richard's other work for Reprise Records – a record that almost goes back to the old days, but via the hipper styles of the early 70s! HB Barnum arranged and produced the set, but the groove is less funkier than some of Barnum's other work of the time – a bit more rockish in some of the rhythms and instrumentation, which is no surprise considering the title – with a nod back towards late 50s modes, but in that new-roots way that Warner was hitting with other artists of the period. Richard's vocals hold up very well in the setting – and apart from the original tunes "Green Power" and "King Of Rock & Roll", the album features versions of "Midnight Special", "Dancing In The Street", "Brown Sugar", and "Born On The Bayou". LP

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A mindblowing set from Little Richard – a stunning comeback session from the start of the 70s – recorded at Muscle Shoals with a heavy funk component in the mix! Richard arranged and produced the record himself – and it's a beautiful illustration of his genius – hardly dimmed at this point in his career, and if anything, really redefined for a new generation – with some razor-sharp grooves that are perfect for his hard-wailing vocals! The title cut – "The Rill Thing" – is a monster 10 minute instrumental jam, with a heavy funk sound that you can't even begin to imagine – and the rest of the set is pretty amazing too, with tracks that include "Spreadin' Natta What's The Matter", "Freedom Blues", "Two Time Loser", "Somebody Saw You", "Lovesick Blues", and "Greenwood Mississippi". LP

A well-titled set – as the album features some of the best early sides that Little Walter recorded for Chess – records that went on to set a whole new standard both in blues vocals and harmonica! There's tightness here that's a bit different from some of the other Chess blues at the time – a quality that's almost a be pre-soul at moments, despite the obvious blues bent of the set. The album features some great liner notes from Studs Terkel – really getting at the scene of which Walter was a part – and titles include "My Babe", "Sad Hours", "Can't Hold Out Much Longer", "Blues With A Feeling", "Juke", "Mean Old World", "Blue Lights", "You Better Watch Yourself", and "Tell Me Mamma". CD features 3 bonus tracks – alternates of "Last Night", "Juke", and "Off The Wall". (Blues, Soul) LP

A comprehensive look at some great recordings from Little Walter – sides recorded for Chess Records from 1953 to 1963 – offering up a decade's worth of evolution in his style! But even at the start, Walter was better than most of his generation – a heck of a great harmonica player with a lean, clean sound that roared out with a nice sort of edge, and could almost be called a precursor to funk. His vocals are great too – bluesy, but with some slight gospel inflections too – a bit wider vocal range than some other bluesmen of the 50s, and almost a precursor to soul to come in the 60s. The album was done after Walter's untimely early death, and features some great notes on his career – plus titles that include "It Ain't Right", "Rocker", "Confessin The Blues", "I Got To Go", "Crazy Mixed Up World", "Temperature", "Crazy Legs", "Lights Out", "One More Chance With You", and "Rock Bottom". (Blues, Soul) LP

A pretty nice little 2LP set – put together in the early 70s, and featuring material that Walter recorded for Chess during the 60s. As the title would imply, there's a lot of harmonica on the album – but Walter's vocals should also be given their due, as they're a bit more in the soul mode than some of his Chicago blues contemporaries. Titles include "Last Night", "My Babe", "Sad Hours", "Blues With Feeling", "Off The Wall", "Juke", "Mean Old World", "I Got To Go", "Shake Dancer", "Thunderbird", "Ah'W Baby", "Too Late", "Boom Boom Out Go The Lights", "You Better Watch Yourself", and "Blue Lights". (Blues, Soul) LP

An excellent album of bluesy soul by Little Johnny Taylor – not to be confused with Johnnie Taylor, who later sang for Stax! This Johnny's got a style that's a bit bluesier, set up here in some nice larger arrangements that make the album feel like some of Bobby Blue Bland's best work for Duke back at the same time. Johnny's voice is incredible – much better than on his later records – and titles include "You're The One", "As Quick As I Can", "She Tried To Understand", "You Gotta Go On", "Part Time Love", and "Stay Sweet". LP

Classic heartbreaking soul from Brenda Holloway – one of the weepiest early records on Motown, as you might guess from the title! The style here is almost more New York uptown than Detroit at times – a fair bit like Maxine Brown with its mix of strength and fragility on the vocals, and scored by the Davis/Gordon team with a subtle sense of drama. Strings step in on most numbers, but never in a sleepy way – and there's plenty of nicely stepping tunes here that maintain a good sense of Motown rhythm, even in mellower moments. Titles include "Sad Song", "I've Been Good To You", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "Too Proud To Cry", "A Favor For A Girl", "Suddenly", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Can I". LP

Baaad bluesy work from Little Milton – one of his killers for Stax, and a record that's equally heavy on the soul tip too! There's a strong Memphis vibe going on here – thanks to arrangements from James Mitchell, and backings from the Memphis Horns – who really do a good job of filling in the sound, to take things past the straighter blues mode of Milton's guitar. The vocals are great – raspy, and almost southern soul more than blues – and titles include "You're No Good", "Woman Across The River", "Behind Closed Doors", "Worried Dreamer", and "Hard Luck Blues". (Blues, Soul) LP

One of the funkiest albums ever cut by Little Milton – done at the end of the 60s with some hard Chicago soul arrangements from Gene Barge, and an overall style that mixes electric blues with some of the hard soul coming from the city's west side scene at the time! The album's much more of a soul album than a blues one – especially in comparison to some of Milton's other work – and titles include "Twenty Three Hours", "Just A Little Bit", "I Can't Quit You Baby", "I'll Always Love You", "Did You Ever Love A Woman", "Spring", "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "You're The One". (Blues, Soul) LP

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Tasty batch of funky blues tracks from Sonny – an artist who we normally don't like that much, but who sounds very sweet here, thanks to tight arrangements by The Bar-Kays, who back him up on the session! The record is a great mix of funky blues and Memphis soul – and includes the massive funky breakbeat track "Memphis B-K", plus "You Got A Good Thing", "They Want Money", and "Hung Up". (Blues, Soul) LP

Amazing sounds from one of the all-time greats – the legendary Little Willie John – not only a key inspiration to James Brown, but one of the formative forces in soul music at the start of the 60s! The material here was cut by King Records at the height of its R&B years, but it also stretches forth towards something new, too – a deeper, more expressive sound that really blows us out of the water, even all these decades later – vocals that are incredible, and virtually a blueprint for the style that would come to be known as deep soul in later years. The package features 17 tracks in all – all gems from those years before Little Willie John was incarcerated – titles that include "Home At Last", "All Around The World", "Need Your Love So Bad", "Sleep", "Walk Slow", "Spring Fever", "Leave My Kitten Alone", "Let Them Talk", "Tell It Like It Is", "Talk To Me", "Letter From My Darling", "Heartbreak", "Do Something For Me", and his famous version of "Fever". LP

A really nice batch of early 80s soul from Loose Ends – one of the best-remembered groups who were making strong soul music in Britain in the period – but who actually recorded this excellent first album at Philadelphia's Alpha Studios! Making the record in Philly was a wise decision – the sounds range from classic-level slow jams, to solid modern soul, to touches of electro – plus some more dancefloor-oriented groovers – coming across like work of deft scene veterans rather than a full length debut for the group! The songs were written by the band who, at that time, included Jane Eugene, Carl McIntosh and Steve Nichol – and titles include "Hangin On A String", "Choose Me", "Music Takes Me Higher", "Dial 999", "Tell Me What You Want", "A Little Spice", "So Much Love", and "Let's Rock". LP

Bold, boozy work from Carmen McRae – a wonderfully mature album from that great time when her style was equal parts jazz and soul – put together here by arranger/producer Arif Mardin, a perfect choice for the record! There's a care to the overall presentation not heard in some of McRae's albums from a few years before – not just jazz vocals with a backing group, but a really rich presentation of some hip, modern, all-adult material that somehow sounds even better in Carmen's hands than anyone else. Titles include the sublime title tune "Just A Little Lovin" – plus"Goodbye Joe", "I Love The Life I Live", "Carry That Weight", "Something", "I Want You", "More Today Than Yesterday", and "Didn't We". (Vocalists, Soul) LP

A classic set of gritty soul, and a great concept for a record – get all the people recording for your label with the last name of "Taylor", and put out a record called Super Taylors! The set actually has a number of numbers with Johnny and Ted singing together – in a strange male duet style that's different than the Sam & Dave mode that was often used by other pairs at the time – more of a dual-bluesy kind of style that's quite unique, and mighty nice. There's some nice tracks on the set that really get at the Ronn deep soul style of the time – and some numbers feature the singers solo, some in duet. Titles include "Gonna Find Me A New Love", "Cry It Out Baby", "Funky Ghetto", "Make Love To Me Baby", "When Are You Coming Home", "Walking The Floor", and "Honey Lou". LP

We couldn't think up a better title to describe the way that Joe Tex approached soul music in the 60s – giving 110% to his music, working like a dog to climb the ranks that were already filled with other budding soul stars! This album's a perfect example of Joe at his best – nearly all original tunes recorded in close collaboration with producer Buddy Killen, whose unique talents really brought out the best in Joe's honest apporach to soul music. The album includes the studio version of the classic groover "Papa Was Too", and loads of other classics like "SYSLJFM (The Letter Song)", "I've Got To Do A Little Bit Better", "Half A Mind", "I Believe I'm Gonna Make It", "Watch The One (That Brings The Bad News)', and "A Woman Sees A Hard Time (When Her Man Is Gone)". LP

Released shortly after Sam's death, this is a beautiful batch of ballad tracks to remember how sweet his voice was. The production's a bit pop, but Sam's singing is as heavenly as ever. Titles include "When A Boy Falls In Love", "Try A Little Love", "Bridge Of Tears", "Almost In Your Arms", "You Send Me", and "I Fall In Love Every Day". LP

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Wonderful work from Little Anthony – and a great update to his smooth 60s harmony sound with The Imperials! Anthony wisely employs the use of two of 70s top harmony arrangers on the album – using Thom Bell on one side, and Teddy Randazzo on the other – both of whom really help take the group to a whole new level! The Thom Bell material fits perfectly with his work with The Stylistics from the same time, and the cuts have a wonderfully mellow east coast harmony style that's quite different than Anthony's earlier work. Teddy Randazzo does a pretty nice job, too – but with a fuller sound too, almost in a Manhattans mode that makes for a nice change from the previous fragility of Anthony's vocals. Titles include "I Don't Have Time To Worry", "That's What Love is All About", "I'm Falling In Love with You", "Heartache Never Entered My Mind", and "The Loneliest House on the Block". LP

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Two rare slices of work from Little Richard – both from more unusual periods in his career! The set begins with some early 60s tracks from a time when Richard wasn't with any big label, and was doing some tracks on his own – four titles that he licensed to Atlantic Records for issue on 7" singles – none of which did well, which makes these some of his most obscure tracks of the 60s! The rest of the work here is from Little Richard's great comeback stretch on Warner Brothers – best known for three great funky albums with production from Bumps Blackwell – and presented here with single versions of those album tracks, plus one non-LP release too! Titles include "Hole In The Wall", "Travelin Shoes", "It Is No Secret", "Freedom Blues", "Greenwood Mississippi", "Shake A Hand", "Money Is", "Nuki Suki", "Dancing In The Street", "Green Power", and "Somebody Saw You". LP

Cool LP that brings together Duke singles by Bobby Blue Bland and Junior Parker, in a "double feature" set that devotes a side apiece to material by each of them. The sound is hard bluesy soul, with tracks like "Next Time You See Me", "Wondering", "It's My Life, Baby", "I Smell Trouble", and "Farther Up The Road". (Blues, Soul) LP

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Quite possibly the greatest full length set ever recorded by vocalist Little Johnny Taylor – a solid set all the way through, mostly recorded at Muscle Shoals with a groove that's a bit tighter than other sessions at the time from Ronn Records! Johnny's got a groove here that's bluesy, but also filled with a good deal of soul – on one hand speaking with a down home frankness about relationships and life, but also doing so with a bit of poise, and an approach that's never too narcissistically self-indulgent. Miles Grayson arranged and produced the album, and tracks include a two-part version of "Everybody Knows About My Good Thing", plus "It's My Fault Darling", "Sweet Soul Woman", "How Are You Fixed For Love", and "Baby Get Hip To Yourself". LP

An amazing early record from Stevie Wonder – the kind of set that shows what raw power and starmanship he had even at a wee wee age! The set was recorded live, in a style that lets Stevie really open up on the full range of his talents – including harmonica, bongos, and drums – as well as vocals, which are a bit fragile and unformed, but still pretty great. There's an undeniable magic to the whole thing that really knocks us flat – and which couldn't have been caught better by Motown if they tried, making the album a key live recording for its time! The album includes a monster 7 minute version of "Fingertips", which was issued as a hit 2-part single – plus the groovy "Soul Bongo", the track "La La La La La", and a few nice Ray Charles covers like "Hallelujah I Love Her So" and "Drown In My Own Tears", showing Stevie still under the shadow of uncle Ray. LP

Early work from The O'Jays – done before their huge rise to fame in the early 70s on Philadelphia International, but issued in a super-pimp cover that has a image of all these hot chicks with guns, standing in a very blacksploitation pose! Clearly, this was an issue that was put on the markets to cash in on the group's early 70s fame – but the record contains mostly material from the late 60s early 70s indie years, most issued as singles, with production by Bobby Massey and HB Barnum – and a rawer sound that really highlights their great vocal interplay. The work's actually pretty great, despite the cheap trick of the cover – and the album includes lots of nice numbers like "Little Brother", "Now He's Home", "Gotta Get My Broom Out", "Never Gonna Say Goodbye", and "Peace". LP

Stomping organ instrumentals from Dave Baby Cortez – a great little batch of work for the Clock label at the end of the 50s and start of the 60s, all of which helped to really find a place for the organ in American pop and soul! Cortez brought a style to the instrument that was as wild as some of the guitarists and saxophonists of his time – a mode that wasn't really jazz, was a bit R&B, and which helped give the organ a much leaner sound than some of its "skating rink" uses in pop during the decade before. Dave's clean style is a great fit for the jaunty, leaping rhythms of these tunes – with a dozen numbers in all, and titles that include "Piano Shuffle", "The Happy Organ", "Catnip", "Mardi Gras", "The Whistling Organ", "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie", "Red Sails In The Sunset", and "Hurricane". LP

A great little album cut by Randy during the height of her career! She'd just broken big with her vocals on "Street Life" by the Crusaders – and although that track's not on here, the Crusaders team of Wilton Felder, Stix Hooper, and Joe Sample produced the album, and have given it a very similar sound to that track. There's a few weak moments where Randy's singing in a mellower style that lets her voice wobble a bit too much – but the stronger tracks have a good jazz funk groove, and these include "Blue Flame", "Last Night At Danceland", and "My Heart Is Not As Young As It Used To Be". LP

A dark little groover from the later days of disco – key crossover work from Cory Daye, and a great bridge between a number of different club camps at the time! There's clearly a mainstream diva influence going on here, but the overall quality of the music is a lot more complicated and hipper – with some of the jazzier and retro-tropical flourishes of the Ze Records scene, plus a bit of moodier electrics on the great hit "Green Light" – a chanting, catchy number that crossed over big. Other titles include "Single Again", "Be Bop Betty", "Pow Wow", "Keep The Ball Rollin", and "Rainy Day Boy". LP

Forget Dionne Warwick, and think Burt Bacharach – because on this sublime little set, The Dells are singing some of Burt's greatest tunes ever – all set to impeccable arrangements by the legendary Charles Stepney! The album's more wonderful than you might even expect – a true high point in the career of all parties involved – and a tremendous recasting of Bacharach's original brilliance – taking his key compositions into the most sophisticated styles of the Chicago soul scene in the 70s! There's a sense of timing and phrasing here that's quite unique – hardly simple covers of Dionne Warwick's approach to these hits – and Stepney's backings feature his own Fender Rhodes, guitar from Phil Upchurch, percussion from members of The Pharoahs, and some fuller horns, harp, and strings. The Dells are equally great too – and serve up some of the best vocals of their career – really magnificent harmonies, and soaring solo parts that seem to even go beyond their best-known hits. Titles include "Walk On By", "Trains & Boats & Planes", "I Say A Little Prayer", "Wives & Lovers", "Close To You", "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Raindrops Keep Fallin On My Head", and "A House Is Not A Home". LP

A nice little collection of Bo Diddley's earlier work for Chess – put together in the early 70s, when Bo was in his Black Gladiator phase, as pictured on the cover – but featuring the rawer, rougher grooves of his initial recordings in the late 50s and early 60s! The Bo Diddley groove hardly needs an introduction from us – and the 24 tracks on the set are a perfect illustration of his blinding mix of fast rhythms, choppy guitar, and comical vocals – a sound that made Bo's work some of the most striking R&B of the time! Titles include "I'm Man", "Pretty Thing", "Before You Accuse Me", "Who Do You Love", "Hey Bo Diddley", "Say Man", "I'm Looking For A Woman", "Road Runner", "Cops & Robbers", "Story Of Bo Diddley", and "Hush Your Mouth". (Blues, Soul) LP

Earlier Stax work recorded by The Emotions, not issued at the time and packaged together into a pretty great album during the time of the girls' bigger fame on Columbia! The work here is surprisingly great – not really filler at all, and in a style that's almost hipper than any of the material that appeared on the trio's two full albums for the label. There's a definite 70s current running through most of the tracks – soul that's less sweet and more sophisticated than other older sides, and which really shows that the leap from Stax to Columbia wasn't a very big one at all. Titles include a great version of "Put A Little Love Away", plus "Shouting Out Love", "Anyway You Look At It", "Ain't No Sunshine", "Running Back & Forth", and "Baby I'm Through". LP

Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the rhythms – that sweet groove that shows up in the best beach music classics – and which The Entertainers really have a lock on for this set! But there's also a warmer, more seductive feel going on too – a groove that fits in nicely with some of the early 80s modern soul work of the indie underground – and which helps get this album past any overdone cliches you might expect from the Carolinas – especially on some of the numbers that have a nicely compressed, almost poppish approach to the vocals. There's a depth here that makes the record way more than just a bunch of simple steppers for the dancefloor – and titles include "Hot On A Thang", "Pour Your Little Heart Out", "It's Not What You Got", "I'm Leavin", "In This Moment", "I Won't Cry Anymore", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Livin For The Summer", "Kidnapper", and "I'm In Love With You". LP

A 70s indie club classic – and the only album we've ever seen from Maryann Farra & Satin Soul! The group have a sound that's equal parts Brunswick Chicago soul and New York early disco groove – a combination that's brought out even more by the production talents of disco maestro Tony Valor and Chi-soul genius Eugene Record! The tunes groove along in a really rich style of arrangement – often using sweeping strings over tighter rhythms – sometimes hitting the loping midtempo groove you'd expect from Brunswick records at the time, yet also going for some of the faster, freer rhythms that were cropping up on the east coast indies of the time. Some tracks have a tight dancefloor feel – like "Never Gonna Leave You", "Do Those Little Things", and "Just A Little Timing" – while others have a beautiful soul groove – like "You Got To Be The One" and "Living In The Footsteps of Another Girl" – which both have a sound that feels like it was lifted from a lost Barbara Acklin or Chi-Lites album! The set also includes a female soul remake of "Stoned Out Of My Mind" that's almost worth the price of the record alone! LP

A groovy record from Jose – with his best kind of crossover feel! It's an unusual title – one that refers to the first track on the record, recorded by Jose Feliciano at age 10 – and the rest of the material included, done when Jose was 23 years old. It's a mixture of American soul, Latin roots, and Jose's own unique touches – that Feliciano blend of well-played acoustic guitar and super-sensitive vocals – all produced with a slightly airy feel that only adds to the mood of the tracks. Titles include "First Of May", "Windmills Of Your Mind", "Little Red Rooster", "Miss Otis Regrets", "She's A Woman", and "I've Gotta Get A Message To You". (Rock, Soul) LP

A fantastic blend of gospel and modern soul – and a set that definitely hangs more towards the latter, given the superb backings on the set! The great Horace Ott produced, after years in the secular soul world – and he definitely gives the tremendous voice of Shirley Finney the kind of soaring energy that really pushes her over the top – in a mix of modes that includes some great clubby numbers that have Shirley very much in the same territory as the Clark Sisters at the same time! Titles include "Give Your Best To The Master", "God Is Real", "Go On There's Something Telling Me To Go On", "Pray Again", "Lead Me Guide Me", and "Lovely Day Just A Little Talk With Jesus". (Gospel, Soul) LP

The late 60s comeback album for the Fireballs and vocalist Jimmy Gilmer – a record that found the driving early rock rhythms fitting in very well with the light sunshine and psychedelic pop of the late 60s! The sound on this record has little in common with the early rock instrumentals that the Fireballs made their name burning through. This set is more of a catchy jangly sunshine rock record, with the tight Fireball rhythm section, plus some Stax-influenced horns, easy garage organ and keys, and groovy vocals by Gilmer. Tracks include "3 Minutes' Time", "Ain't That Rain", "Where Can We Be Found?", "Bottle Of Wine", "Mason Street", "Groovy Motions", "Goin' Away", "Barbara White", "A Girl As Perfect As You" and more. (Rock, Soul) LP

Righteous soul from late 60s Chicago – a killer collection of early singles from the great Darrow Fletcher – only a youngster at the time, but already working at a level that's as strong as most of his older contemporaries! Darrow's got this soaring voice that really sends us every time we hear him sing – a style that's possibly a bit like Jackie Wilson, but both deeper and lighter at the same time – very unique, especially in these early years – and perfect for helping Fletcher stand out from the pack! The grooves here are nice and deep – socking hard in the best Chi-town styles of the time, with the sort of punch you'd get on the best One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus recordings – with arrangements by Mike Terry, Phil Wright, Burgess Gardner, and others. Tracks were originally issued on a variety of labels – Groovy, Jacklyn, and Genna – and titles include "The Pain Gets A Little Deeper", "Hope For Love", "No Limit", "Now Is The Time For Love (part 1)", "My Judgement Day", "Little Girl", "What Have I Got Now", "What Good Am I Without You", "That Certain Little Something", and "Gotta Draw The Line". LP

One of the last albums the Four Tops ever issued on Motown – but also one of the best, and a set that really has the group taking off in a strong new direction for the 70s! Frank Wilson's at the production helm, and the set has all these cool little twists and turns that work perfectly with the magnificent harmonies of Levi Stubbs and the group – a mode that draws on all their vocal highlights from older years, but also refits them with a more spacious, more mature sort of sound! The approach is different than that used with the Temptations at the same time – less political, but still flowing with plenty of new ideas – handled by arrangers Jerry Long, Jimmy Roach, and David Van DePitte. The title cut – "Still Waters (Run Deep)" – is a perfect example of this – as the tune's got weirdly wonderful production, almost as watery as the cover image, and a bit of moog buried in there – which comes forward even more on the reprise of the song at the end of the record. Other titles include "Love Is The Answer", "Reflections", "I Wish I Were Your Mirror", "Bring Me Together", "LA (My Town)", and "Everybody's Talkin". LP

Despite the title, this isn't really Aretha's greatest hits – as it includes no numbers from the Atlantic years – but it is a pretty good selection of Aretha's earlier work for Columbia, and features some real gems that should have been bigger hits than they were. Titles include "Runnin Out Of Fools", "Try A Little Tenderness", "Sweet Bitter Love", "Today I Sing The Blues", "Without The One You Love", and the sweet sample cut "One Step Ahead". LP

A sweet overview of the early years of Aretha Franklin's career – her formative days at Columbia Records, when she was working in a variety of styles before heading over to bigger fame at Atlantic! Even at this early stage, Aretha's one hell of a singer – and, despite what folks who listen to Jerry Wexler might say, this early Columbia work is pretty darn amazing throughout – steeped in a number of different modes, with bits of jazz, R&B, and early soul sewn together beautifully throughout. The double-length set is filled with key early moments from Aretha – and titles include "Don't Cry Baby", "Lee Cross", "Skylark", "One Step Ahead", "Evil Gal Blues", "Take A Look", "Runnin Out Of Fools", "People", "Try A Little Tenderness", and "Take It Like You Give It". LP

A completely cooking little live set from Aretha Franklin – and a crowning moment not just in her career, but for Atlantic Records soul in general! Aretha's working here before a very enthusiastic crossover crowd at the Fillmore West in San Francisco – getting tight backing from the combo of King Curtis (Memphis Horns, Billy Preston, and Pretty Purdie in tow!) – and hitting a groove that's often rawer, grittier, and more deep-soul tuned than some of her studio sides from the time! The recording quality is totally great – and goes out of its way to preserve the presence of the audience, and showcase Aretha's own interaction and strong sense of personality. Ray Charles makes a surprising guest appearance on one track, but the whole show is really Franklin's own – a majestic little live date that features the tunes "Spirit In The Dark", "Respect", "Make It With You", "Don't Play That Song", "Dr Feelgood", and "Love The One You're With". LP

Mellow sexy Aretha – with warm arrangements by Arif Mardin, and plenty of nice electric piano by the great Richard Tee. Includes a great version of Stevie Wonder's "I Love Every Little Thing About You", plus the tracks "You Move Me", "You'll Never Get To Heaven", "Don't Go Breaking My Heart", "Without Love", and "All Of These Things". LP

A hip little live date from Aretha Franklin – one that's got a very jazzy feel, and some great small combo backings! The album's almost a distillation of the jazzy styles on Aretha's first albums for Columbia – taken into even leaner territory here, in ways that really set Franklin loose on vocals – making for some of her most forceful moments on record at the time. The quartet features pianist Teddy Harris, who steps back on a few tunes to let Franklin take over the piano – and titles include "Once In A Lifetime", "Love For Sale", "Impossible", "Today I Love Everybody", and "Without The One You Love". LP

A great little record from Aretha – and on that always seems to get overlooked! The album's arranged by Gene Page, and it's got a sweet slightly funky electric side that opens up a whole new side of Aretha's style. Includes the nice groover "Mr DJ (5 For The DJ)", plus the cuts "It Only Happens When I Look At You", "Without You", "The Sha-La Bandit", "You",a nd "Walk Softly". LP

Titles include "Do Ya Wanna Go Dancin", "Rock Around The Clock", "Let's Make Love Tonight", "Round & Round & Round", "Spirits", "The Little Rock Dancer From Dallas", "Dance With Me", and "Midnight Fever." LP

The moods of Marvin Gaye are many, even at this early point in his career – as the set has the young Marvin really taking off strongly – hitting hard on classic Motown groovers, but also showing a sensitive side at times too! The album kicks off with some killer rhythms on cuts like "I'll Be Doggone", "Little Darling", and "Take This Heart Of Mine" – really setting the stage for a batch of cuts that makes the album one of Gaye's strongest from the early years, thanks to some bold song writing from Smokey Robinson and other mighty Motown talents. Other cuts include the classic "Ain't That Peculiar", and side two slows things down a bit, showing mellow moods on cuts like "Night Life", "You're The One For Me", "I Worry Bout You", and "One For My Baby". LP

A mighty deep dig into the overlooked soul scene in Virginia – put together by the same folks who gave us the fantastic Raw Soul/Ol Virginia Soul compilations a number of years back! The set focuses on the special studio productions of Lenis Guess – head of LGA Records, and a strong force in the underground scene in Norfolk – a city east of Richmond, and one that had its own great little soul scene for a number of years too! Some of the material here was issued on very small run 7" singles – but a number of others also never saw the light of day back in the 70s, yet are killers that resonate equally well with the singles – raw soul with a nicely gritty vibe, and some slight traces of the more upbeat modes that were hitting VA at the time. Titles include "Keep My Company With You" and "You Don't Believe I Love You" by Deltones Ltd, "Your Love Gave Me Peace Of Mind" by 35th Street Gang, "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "How Long Have I Been A Fool" by Jato Vondel, "Don't Wake Me Up" by Jack & The Mods, "No Steps Away" by Lenis Guess & The Royal Robins, "Home Ain't Home" and "Find Yourself Another Baby" by The Symbolics, and "Sentimental Love (inst)" by Little Wink & Eddie's 25th Century Band. LP

Gwen Guthrie's first album for Island Records – a unique little soul set from the early 80s, recorded in Nassau with backing from Sly & Robbie – in a groove that's totally great! The rhythms here are really at the heart of the set – not in a way that eclipses Gwen's vocals, but which does plenty to make the record stand out from the pack at the time – in a groove that's partly clubby, mostly soulful, and which has some key elements from its Nassau connection! Other players on the date include Wally Badarou on keyboards and Sticky Thompson on percussion – and titles include "Peek A Boo", "Your Turn To Burn", "God Don't Like Ugly", "Dance Fever", "Getting Hot", "Your Turn To Burn", and "For You". LP

Heavenly soul from the start of the 80s – a sweet little indie set that's done as a tribute to Minnie Riperton and Kenneth Armstrong! The overall format doesn't have that much to do with Minnie, but the record's still pretty darn great – and the style is a mix of modern, mellow, and boogie – all served up with a real sense of earnestness that matches the cover of the album, and which makes the record stand strongly next to some of the bigger releases of the time. A number of tracks feature vocals by the lovely Pamela Morrison, and the group hails from the Oakland scene of the time – working here under the direction of Barbara J Trotter, who also wrote a good number of the titles on the set too. Titles include the dancefloor jammer "Sho Nuf Funky Beat", plus "We're Together Again", "I See Heaven", "Satisfaction To The Bone Nitty Gritty Naked Bone", "I'm A Lady", "Rapping With My Subconscious Mind", and "We're Together Again". LP

A solo set from Michele Hendricks – possibly best known for her work with Hendricks & Co, a vocal group with her famous father Jon – but still sounding pretty great here on her own! The set's a simple, soulful outing – one that has Hendricks singing in some deep-toned vocals that are full of feeling – in small group settings with players who include either Ralph Moore or Stan Getz on tenor, Ray Drummond or Anthony Jackson on bass, and Marvin Smitty Smith on drums. Moore's horn is especially nice – really deepening the feeling of the cut's he's on – and titles include a great version of "I Feel The Earth Move", plus "O Pato", "Dream A Little Dream", "Say When", "Old Devil Moon", and "Letter To Joe". (Vocalists, Soul) LP

Early recordings by John Lee Hooker and his Coast To Coast Blues Band – recorded in Detroit in the late 40s through the early 50s. The Coast To Coast Blues Band may be a little misleading in the title, as the recordings find Hooker with only the sparest accompaniment on bass, drums, and guitar if any accompaniment at all – but it's the good kind of misleading, because you don't want anything getting in the way of the foot stomping, soulful blues vibe of John Lee Hooker on these early cuts! Anytime-Anytime-Anywhere is filled with that spare, intimate John Lee Hooker blues sound that came to represent so much of the the inner city gin joints of the era – on titles that include "Come Back Baby", "Forgive Me", "Street Is Filled With Women", "Moon Is Rising", "Turnin' Gray Blues", "Lord Taketh My Baby Away", "Throw This Old Dog A Bone", and "Welfare Blues". (Blues, Soul) LP

A much earlier set of tracks than the first volume of Real Folk Blues from Howlin Wolf – mostly material recorded in the mid 50s, both in Chicago and Memphis – all with a really nitty gritty sort of feel! There's a rough and rootsy mode going on here – one that has Wolf's raspy vocals right up front in the lead, often supported by just a bit of electric guitar to emphasize the more sinister notes in the tunes. All tracks are originals by Wolf (aka Chester Burnett) – and titles include "Just My Kind", "I've Got A Woman", "Work For Your Money", "I'll Be Around", "You Can't be Beat", "You Gonna Wreck My Life", "I Love My Baby", "Neighbors", "I'm The Wolf", "Rocking Daddy", "Who Will Be Next?", and "I Have A Little Girl". (Blues, Soul) LP

An obscure little funky group from Flint, Michigan, one with a tight ensemble sound that's very much in the Earth Wind & Fire mode – complete with a really great horn section, plenty of bass-heavy grooves a the bottom, and a relatively spiritual feel that comes through strongly on the best tracks! There's a slight jazzy finish to some of the cuts too, a deeper sound that makes Hunt's Determination stand out strongly from their contemporaries – even some of the better-known groups of the time. And although indie, there's a real polish to the whole record – a well-conceived sound that comes off beautifully from start to finish, and which has always made this one a standout for collectors! Titles include "Loneliness", "Danceland", "Problems", "Number One Lady", "I Got My Nut", and "Where The Funk Comes From". LP

A great little set from Leroy Hutson – proof that he was still going strong through all his years at Curtom! The vibe here is a bit different than his first few records, and you might be suspicious with Leroy wearing a disco shirt on the front – but the sound is wonderful, and only shows Hutson blossoming into a more sophisticated singer, songwriter, and producer – one with a great ear for the careful balance needed for the modern soul generation! The shift is a bit like Roy Ayers on his late 70s work for Polydor – and Hutson is definitely on a par with Ayers in our book – we'd always put the two side by side for the strength of their work in the 70s. Seminal tracks include "So Nice" and "Right or Wrong" – both of which are amongst some of his best work ever – and other tracks include "Unforgettable", "Funk In My Life", and "Lonely Without You". LP