A big package of work – all the albums recorded by The Weather Girls, plus solo material and bonus tracks too! First up is Success – maybe the greatest moment ever from The Weather Girls – a long-running duo who started out as backing singers for Sylvester in the 70s, then recorded as Two Tons O Fun, and finally got the chance to cut this classic for a major label in the early 80s! Both Martha Wash and Izora Armstead are great singers – and work here with previous disco maestro Paul Jabara, who has a great way of shifting the groove to 80s club, while still allowing all the playful elements of the decade before! In a way, this was definitely one of those records that showed the world that in the right corners, disco wasn't dead – heard to best effect on the classic "It's Raining Men" – alongside other cuts that include "Success", "Hungry For Love", "Dear Santa", "Hope", and "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Out Of My Hair". Next is Big Girls Don't Cry – soaring vocals from The Weather Girls, set to bouncy grooves that are equal parts soul and pop! Martha Wash and Izora Armstead have mighty vocal chops throughout – that bold duo approach they first crafted as Two Tons O Fun, and pushed even more strongly as The Weather Girls – set here to keyboard-heavy backings from Leon Pendarvis, who knows just where to put the best hooks in the grooves! Titles include "Well A Wiggy", "Lock Me Up", "No One Can Love You More Than Me", "Big Girls Don't Cry", "You Can Do It", "Laughter In The Rain", and "March". Next is the self-titled Weather Girls album – the last album in the original run of The Weather Girls – and a set that's full of well-produced tracks from Reggie Lucas and Full Force, balanced out nicely as a way of pushing the duo's sound strongly past the disco years from which they emerged! Sylvester makes a guest appearance on the cut "Love's On The Way" – and other titles include "Why Can't We Show Our Love", "Burn Me", "Love You Like A Train", "Opposite Directions", "Something For Nothing", and "Land Of The Believer". Last up is a super-huge solo set from Martha Wash – made a number of years after her fame in The Weather Girls, and at a time when she had really emerged as an important voice in dance music after a big cut with C&C! By this point, Wash had plenty of recording experience under her belt – and she knocks it out of the park with vocals that are disco-trained, but much richer in soul content overall – certainly more so than some of her other contemporaries on the early 90s club scene. The album features help from a huge amount of studio talent, but it's clear that Wash is the shining star in the lead – really blowing away so much of the work from the "sound system with singer" generation of club – on cuts that include "Leave A Light On", "Give it To You", "Runaround", "Things We Do For Love", "So Whatcha Gonna Do", "Someone Who Believes In You", "Just Us", "Hold On", "When It's My Heart", and "Carry On". 4CD set features bonus tracks on every CD – 22 more bonus mixes and more! CD

A key moment of transition for Prince – a set that's got him toning down the longer-haired look of previous records, and going for the new wave sense of style that would help him cross into many audiences in years to come! Controversy still has Prince singing to the already-converted, but the record's full of moments of stardom to come – blending the open sexuality of his previous records with an even sharper sense of hook and tunefulness! There's a slight touch of politics here, hinted at by the cover – but the driving force is the desire of the man himself, as he performs and produces himself on titles that include "Controversy", "Jack U Off", "Do Me Baby", "Let's Work", "Annie Christian", "Ronnie Talk To Russia", and "Sexuality". LP, Vinyl record album

A key moment of transition for Prince – a set that's got him toning down the longer-haired look of previous records, and going for the new wave sense of style that would help him cross into many audiences in years to come! Controversy still has Prince singing to the already-converted, but the record's full of moments of stardom to come – blending the open sexuality of his previous records with an even sharper sense of hook and tunefulness! There's a slight touch of politics here, hinted at by the cover – but the driving force is the desire of the man himself, as he performs and produces himself on titles that include "Controversy", "Jack U Off", "Do Me Baby", "Let's Work", "Annie Christian", "Ronnie Talk To Russia", and "Sexuality". CD

A killer debut from Rasputin Stash – a funky group who work with all the long-haired inspiration you'd expect from their name! The groove is a mix of guitars and tight horns – undercut by the kind of heavy basslines that later made the group a good fit for Curtom Records, and lots of cool percussion touches that pepper the bottom of the rhythms nicely – with a pretty spontaneous feel! At times, there's almost a Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band vibe to the record, but mixed with some of the trippier influences of the Westbound crew – especially on the guitar – and like those artists, these guys have no trouble at all dipping into a touch of rock here and there to trip out their groove. Titles include "Mr Cool", "You Are My Flower", "Dookey Shoe", "I Want To Say You're Welcome", "Take Me On Back", and "Freaks Prayer". CD

Great solo work from Jerry Corbetta – an artist who first rose to fame in the long-haired Sugarloaf group at the start of the 70s – but who here steps out as a sweet AOR act on his own, from the other side of the decade! Steve Barri produced the set, and gives it some soulful currents that really work well with Jerry's vocals – a mode that's smooth, but never too polished – which really makes for a great change for Corbetta – and a perfect showcase for his surprisingly well-written songs! We're not sure how long Jerry continued in this vein, but this album's a gem from the farther reaches of 70s AOR – and titles include "Free Man", "If I Never Had Your Love", "Sensitive Soul", "Between A Rock & A Hard Place", and "I Wish That I Was Making Love To You Tonight" – plus a nice remake of "Green Eyed Lady"! (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Essential New Orleans piano from Professor Longhair – an artist who was neither a professor, nor a man with much hair! The chrome-domed pianist had a huge influence on the sound of New Orleans R&B and soul to come – as he played in a triplet-heavy way that was rooted in blues, but provided a key link to the rhythms that would dominate Crescent City music in following decades. This album features original Atlantic sides cut in New Orleans in 1949 and 1953 – about as classic as you can get for Longhair, with tunes that include "Tipitina", "Hey Now Baby", "In The Night", "Ball The Wall", "Who's Been Fooling You", "She Walks Right In", and "Willie Mae". CD

Nice collection of rootsy New Orleans music with a dozen tacks in all, including Professor Longhair "Go To The Mardi Gras" and "Big Chief (parts 1 & 2)", Al Johnson "Carnival Time", the Hawketts "Mardio Gras Mambo", the Wild Magnolias "Handa Wanda (parts 1 & 2)", "New Suit" and "(Big Chief Like Plenty Of) Fire Water", Stop, Inc "Second Line (parts 1 & 2) and Earl King "Street Paradise". CD

Fantastic work from this mighty figure in New Orleans music – loads of Atlantic Records classics, mixed with other material too – and even some early R&B material when the Professor recorded under the name of Roy Byrd! All that, and a great booklet of notes. CD

Essential New Orleans piano from Professor Longhair – an artist who was neither a professor, nor a man with much hair! The chrome-domed pianist had a huge influence on the sound of New Orleans R&B and soul to come – as he played in a triplet-heavy way that was rooted in blues, but provided a key link to the rhythms that would dominate Crescent City music in following decades. This album features original Atlantic sides cut in New Orleans in 1949 and 1953 – about as classic as you can get for Longhair, with tunes that include "Tipitina", "Hey Now Baby", "In The Night", "Ball To The Wall", "Who's Been Fooling You", "She Walks Right In", and "Willie Mae". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the funkiest album ever from Detroit guitar genius Dennis Coffey – a set that takes off nicely from his early funky 45s, but which also delivers the goods in a longer-form mode that's completely outta sight! We love Coffey's later albums on Sussex Records, but the vibe here is even more raw – a core combo with Lyman Woodard playing some amazing lines on organ, with just bass and drums for support – letting both of the players really stretch out and do their thing! The drums are great, very funky throughout, with plenty of breaks – and titles include some great Galt MacDermot grooves like "Let The Sunshine In", "Sodomy", and "Aquarius" – plus other excellent covers and originals, like "Hair & Grits", "Hey Jude", "Do Your Thang", "Iceberg's Thang", "It's Your Thang", and "Electric Thang". CD

A stone burner from 100 Proof Aged In Soul – a group who really take off with this tight second record! The album's a classic from the days when soul music ruled AM radio on both sides of the tracks – and the rest of the album is equally great – packing that tight post-Motown punch that made the Hot Wax label one of the best proponents of Detroit soul in the 70s! Arrangements are by a huge amount of early 70s heavyweights – McKinley Jackson, Paul Riser, and HB Barnum – and the set was produced by General Johnson and Greg Perry, in a style that soars along with the Chairmen Of The Board albums of the time. Titles include "Words", "I Don't Care If I Never Get Over You", "Everything Good Is Bad", "Ghetto Girl", "Nothing Sweeter Than Love", and "Don't You Wake Me". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "I'd Rather Fight Than Switch", "If I Could See The Light In The Window (version 2)", "My Piece Of The Rock (vocal)", "My Piece Of The Rock (inst)", and "I'm Mad As Hell (parts 1 & 2)". CD

A great lost record from Clarence Reid – one of the most multi-talented artists on his scene, stepping out here with the depth and sensitivity of some of his best southern soul contemporaries of the 70s! Despite the fact that at the time of the record, Reid was simultaneously recording as the goofy raunch-soul act Blowfly, the cover of this set features him sitting alone at a grand piano, looking all sensitive and serious – like he's Billy Joel or somebody! The style of the album, fortunately, doesn't match the cheesy singer/songwriter presentation – and it's a strong batch of Miami soul tracks that roll along with the classic TK groove of the mid 70s, yet without any of the too-pop or disco modes that were holding back some other artists. Reid's vocals are more heartfelt than ever – really soaring out at a level that almost matches Latimore – and all tunes were written by him, with a bit of help from Steve Alaimo, who also produces the record. Tracks include "The Best Part Of A Man", "The Only Time She Loves Me", "Caution! Love Ahead", "Down Where The Love Is", "Nappy-Haired Cowboy", and "Sleep With Me". Hmmm...kind of sounds like a Blowfly album after all! CD

Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! Tracks include "Lowe Groovin", "Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere", & "Applejack" by Joe Morris, "That Old Black Magic", "Annie Laurie", & "Midnight Special" by Tiny Grimes, "Cole Slaw", by Frank Cully, "So Long", "I'll Get Along Somehow", "Daddy Daddy", & "5-10-15 Hours" by Ruth Brown, "One Monkey Don't Stop No Show" & "Drinkin Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee" by Stick Mcghee, "The Chill Is On", "Chains Of Love", & "Sweet Sixteen" by Joe Turner, "Hey Little Girl" & "Mardi Gras In New Orleans" by Professor Longhair, "Fool Fool Fool" & "One Mint Julep" by the Clovers, and "The Midnight Hour" by Ray Charles. LP, Vinyl record album

2 early Capitol classics by Lou Rawls – back to back on one CD, and perfectly paired throughout! Black and Blues is quite possibly the first truly great Lou Rawls album for Capitol – an all-out swinging jazz session done with arrangements by Onzy Matthews, in a mode that firmly helped put the Lou Rawls sound on the map! The tracks are mostly older numbers from a long lineage of blues and R&B – but with hipper 60s touches by Matthews in the backings, Lou really swings the work into a whole new territory – moving older, clunky compositions into more adult, more mature modes that aren't nearly as sad or downtrodden as their roots! Titles include "I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water", "Roll Em Pete", "Kansas City", "World Of Trouble", "Trouble In Mind", "Strange Fruit", and "Six Cold Feet Of Ground". Tobacco Road was a real breakthrough for Lou – a set that again paired him with arranger Onzy Matthews, and which even more deeply explored the unique space between jazz, soul, and the blues that became Rawls' prime territory back in the 60s! Matthews' backings are hip and jazzy throughout – filled with bold horn touches from players that include Lou Blackburn, Curtis Amy, Sonny Criss, and even Horace Tapscott – who's playing trombone here instead of his more familiar piano. Ray Crawford's guitar underscores a good number of the tracks here with that clean, lean, single-note style of his – but Lou is the clear star throughout with his deeply-voiced lyrics of older familiar tunes. Titles include his landmark reworking of "Tobacco Road", plus "Summertime", "Stormy Weather", "Rocking Chair", "Ol Man River", "St Louis Blues", and "Sentimental Journey". CD also features 2 bonus tracks – "When It's Sleepy Time Down South" and the previously unissued "Gloomy Sunday". CD

Fantastic stuff – incredibly hard and incredibly funky, and a masterpiece all the way through! Long before there was any talk of gangster rap, Jalal of the Last Poets recorded this album of gamblin', pimpin', and hard double dealin'. It's a fantastic album-long ride through the dark side of the black underworld, and is the aural equivalent of a blacksploitation flick. Kool & The Gang provided the music – and Jalal tells the whole story throughout, in the same hard rappin' style he used with the Last Poets! The record's an undisputed classic, and includes the sample classic "Sport", plus loads of other righteous funky cuts like "Spoon", "Grit's Den", and "Sentenced To The Chair"! LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary first album by Larry Graham and Graham Central Station – Larry's bold move away from Sly & The Family Stone, and the beginning of a new dynasty in mainstream funk! Larry's bass work really drives the set along – pushing the riffing guitars over the top of the heavy drums in a style that's tight, but never too "easy" – still with enough of the raw energy of his roots, despite the later crossover fame of the set. All tracks are Graham originals – except for a version of Al Green's "It Ain't No Fun To Me" – and titles include "Tell Me What It Is", "Ghetto", "Can You Handle It?", "Hair", "We Be's Gettin' Down", and "People". CD

The legendary first album by Larry Graham and Graham Central Station – Larry's bold move away from Sly & The Family Stone, and the beginning of a new dynasty in mainstream funk! Larry's bass work really drives the set along – pushing the riffing guitars over the top of the heavy drums in a style that's tight, but never too "easy" – still with enough of the raw energy of his roots, despite the later crossover fame of the set. All tracks are Graham originals – except for a version of Al Green's "It Ain't No Fun To Me" – and titles include "Tell Me What It Is", "Ghetto", "Can You Handle It?", "Hair", "We Be's Gettin' Down", and "People". LP, Vinyl record album

A key force in the development of New Orleans soul – the homegrown Ric & Ron Records label – home to some of the best early productions from the Crescent City! The roster of talent here is really amazing – a host of artists who'd go onto develop the New Orleans style even more strongly in the 60s, mixed with some lesser-knowns who really sparkle in this setting – sharp, tight, damn soulful singles that are all delivered without any overproduction, and nicely free of all those cliches that would later overwhelm music from the Big Easy. The rhythms alone are worth the price of the record – hard-romping piano, bass, and drums that really set an instrumental fire right from the start – then pave the way for searing lead performances from the singers and instrumental stars. The set's the best we've ever seen of these early days of the label – and features 24 tracks that include "Tell It Like It Is" by Eddie Bo, "Easy Rockin" by Eddie Lang, "I Love You Still" by Joe Jones, "Come On" by Johnny Adams, "Don't Lie To Me" by Mercy Adams, "Don't Mess With My Man" by Irma Thomas, "Carnival Time" by Al Johnson, "Nobody Knows" by Martha Carter, "All Nite Long (parts 1 & 2)" by Robert Parker, "Cuttin Out" by Professor Longhair, "Let's Get It" by Edgar Blanchard, and "Rocket To The Moon" by Chris Kenner. CD

The Vietnam war was tough on most folks in the US – but it's no secret that it was especially tough on black Americans – who were often given little choice and little chance to get out of the callup to the military action – which left a huge impression on their community for years to come! This package documents the affect of Vietnam in soul music – in ways that are both direct and more subtle, as the package blends together a number of tracks that you likely don't know at all, and others that you might have missed as being critical of the war – as there's more subtle messaging going on, a lesson that was learned during the Civil Rights era, when a mellower lyric might get more mainstream circulation – as a call to action that a change was going to come. The quality of cuts here is wonderful – as well-selected as some of the Ace/Kent collections of rare soul music on small labels – and there's definitely a few here that we're hearing for the first time, alongside other numbers that really sound great in the setting. Titles include "Fighting For My Baby" by Donald Jenkins, "Lonely Soldier" by William Bell, "Letter To A Buddie" by Joe Medwick, "I Want To Come Home For Christmas" by Marvin Gaye, "My Ship Is Coming In Tomorrow" by The Pace Setters, "Johnny" by King Hannibal, "Going On Strike" by The Emotions, "Uncle Sam" by Jimmy Hughes, "My Soldier Boy Is Coming Home" by The Shirelles, "Glad To Be Home" by Charles Smith & Jeff Cooper, "The War Is Over My Brother" by The Sensational Saints, "Home To Stay" by RB Greaves, "Stop The War" by The Impressions, "Wish You Were Here With Me" by The Fawns, "VC Blues" by Allen Orange, "Promise That You'll Wait" by Michael Lizzmore, "Men Are Getting Scarce" by Chairmen Of The Board, and "Leave Him Alone" by Stu Gardner. CD

Titles include "Red Beans", "Willie Fugal's Blues", "Crawfish Fiesta", "It's My Fault Darling", and "Her Mind Is Gone". CD

Features Clarence 'Gatemouth' Brown on guitar. CD