A classic set from Jessie Green – the singer's biggest album ever, and a great blend of 70s soul with deeper Caribbean roots! Jessie hails from Jamaica, and got his start in reggae – but by the time of this record, he was reaching out with a wider, global sort of style – one that has island rhythms bubbling amidst warmer modern soul arrangements – all in a blend that's completely sublime, and which has some of the same tight-grooving appeal as the best Miami soul of the TK Records scene! The set features the classic "Nice & Slow" – a tune that's more midtempo than you'd guess from the title – and lots of other great tracks that include "Don't Do it", "Will You Won't You", "Come With Me", "Flip", "You Came You Saw You Conquered", and "123 Let's Go". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, and the hopes and dreams of the lead characters – all of which made for some really well-rounded music, of the sort you'd find on some of the other great Fantasy Records soundtracks of the time, especially the classic Cornbread Earl & Me score. Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin put together the whole thing, and the album's a mix of hip instrumental tracks with some other vocal ones – a really nice range that draws from singers like Betty Everett, Rodger Collins, and JJ Malone – and jazz players like Sonny Stitt and John Hunt (plus organ from Merl Saunders on one cut.) Titles include "BJ's Step", "Black Girl", "Sister", "Earl (Still A Pearl)", "Mothers Day Song", "Power", "Get Me To The Bridge", "Chock-lite Puddin", and "Black Girl Cue". CD

An overlooked funky classic! Although it's easy to pass off this album as a cheapo follow-up record to Roundtree's fame in the Shaft movies – it's actually a pretty groovy soul record, with production by Eugene McDaniels, and arrangements by Leon Pendarvis and McDaniels – with an overall feel that's similar to some of McDaniels' off-beat soul work of the same time. Includes the cool cut "Street Brother", plus other nice ones like "Sagittarian Lady", "Gets Hard Sometimes", "Peace In the Morning", and "Tree Of Life". And sure, Roundtree's not the best singer – but with great writing and production – and players like Billy Harper, Sonny Fortune, and Hubert Laws – who cares how he sings? LP, Vinyl record album

A killer little soundtrack – and one that's quite different than the usual blacksploitation set, but still pretty funky overall! The film Black Girl was a surprisingly sensitive movie directed by Ossie Davis in the early 70s – not as much about action as it was about the everyday life, and the hopes and dreams of the lead characters – all of which made for some really well-rounded music, of the sort you'd find on some of the other great Fantasy Records soundtracks of the time, especially the classic Cornbread Earl & Me score. Ed Bogas and Ray Shanklin put together the whole thing, and the album's a mix of hip instrumental tracks with some other vocal ones – a really nice range that draws from singers like Betty Everett, Rodger Collins, and JJ Malone – and jazz players like Sonny Stitt and John Hunt (plus organ from Merl Saunders on one cut.) Titles include "BJ's Step", "Black Girl", "Sister", "Earl (Still A Pearl)", "Mothers Day Song", "Power", "Get Me To The Bridge", "Chock-lite Puddin", and "Black Girl Cue". CD

One of the more obscure Roberta Flack albums from the classic years – but maybe not as obscure as the movie for which it was created – as the strength of the record has helped the album circulate a lot longer than the film stayed on the screens – to the point where it's a great chapter of Roberta's rich career, and one that goes way past the hits! Flack produced the whole set herself – and there's a nice mix of modes going on here, including some jazzier bits that get to showcase keyboards nicely – played both by Flack and by Barry Miles. Peabo Bryson sings on one track, and Luther Vandross helped Flack with the vocal arrangements – on titles that include "Love Always Commands", "Lovin You Is Such An Easy Thing To Do", "Rollin On", "Qual E Malindrinho", and "Hittin Me Where It Hurts". CD

One of the more obscure Roberta Flack albums from the classic years – but maybe not as obscure as the movie for which it was created – as the strength of the record has helped the album circulate a lot longer than the film stayed on the screens – to the point where it's a great chapter of Roberta's rich career, and one that goes way past the hits! Flack produced the whole set herself – and there's a nice mix of modes going on here, including some jazzier bits that get to showcase keyboards nicely – played both by Flack and by Barry Miles. Peabo Bryson sings on one track, and Luther Vandross helped Flack with the vocal arrangements – on titles that include "Love Always Commands", "Lovin You Is Such An Easy Thing To Do", "Rollin On", "Qual E Malindrinho", and "Hittin Me Where It Hurts". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest moments ever from Willie Hutch – and one of the greatest blacksploitation soundtracks too! Willie really knocks it out of the park with this one – and sounds funkier and heavier than on all of his other studio albums – with a deep sound that really matches the legendary spirit of the film – which itself was one of the more gritty, down to earth movies of the genre! The film's virtually a handbook for junior grade hoods – one that had surprising pull over the years, especially with the first wave of 90s gangsta hip hop – and the record's filled with classics that have gotten plenty of play over the years because of that influence, but which sound even better here in their original context. Titles include "Brothers Gonna Work It Out", "Vampin", "Mack Man", "I Choose You", "Theme Of The Mack", "Mack's Stroll/The Getaway", and "Slick". CD

One of the most fantastic soundtracks of the 70s – and maybe even of all time – thanks to a non-stop blast of insane styles and grooves – all quite different than other blacksploitation records of the time! For this, his masterpiece film, Melvin Van Peebles composed a non-stop collage of crazy sounds and funky jams, played by himself and a very young Earth, Wind, & Fire – then pasted together in a pastiche of music, dialogue, and sound effects that serve as an audio document of the film! If you've ever seen the movie – and even if you haven't – you'll find that the soundtrack works as a 40 minute version of the film, shifting back and forth with a loose narrative progression. Of course, the real appeal is the funky music – and you'll hear more than enough of that on tracks like "Sweetback's Theme", "Hoppin John", "Come On Fee", and "Sweetback Getting it Uptight". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent double-length live set from Gil Scott Heron – recorded right in the middle of his classic years on Arista Records, and with an extended groove that shows just how great he could be in a concert setting! Many of these tracks are quite long, with both instrumental solos and a more freewheeling vibe from Gil – who seems to put even more power into the sorts of messages that always make his music so wonderful. The group features flute from Vernon James and tenor from Ron Holloway – and Gil himself plays plenty of great keyboards, including Fender Rhodes – which brings a very fluid vibe to his vocal presentation. Tracks include "We Almost Lost Detroit", "B Movie", "Better Days Ahead", "Washington DC", "Shut Em Down", "Winter In America", "Angola Louisiana", "Johannesburg", and a great 15 minute take on "The Bottle". CD