We've loved the music of Lee Fields for many many years – but these days, he seems to be sounding even better than ever – taking all of his decades of experience in soul music, and blending his deep soul roots with an even more mature, open sort of style! And even though Lee's early work was great, we never would have imagined the greatness he can hit with a record like this – a set that draws on so many currents of classic soul, but finds a way to make a statement that's totally personal, totally original, and totally out of sight all the way through! Fields has a fantastic raspy vocal style, but he never just lets that stand as his calling card – because he's really bringing new inflections, new inspirations to the music – all while working with superb backing from Leon Michels and The Expressions. If you can imagine Hi Records mixed with James Brown mixed with New Jersey soul mixed with Daptone mixed with The Impressions – then you've only got part of the multi-faceted genius of this set. Titles include "Two Faces", "You're What's Needed In My Life", "Love Prisoner", "Will I Get Off Easy", "It Rains Love", "Love Is The Answer", "A Promise Is A Promise", and "Blessed With The Best". (Deep Funk, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of Aretha Franklin's undisputed classics from her late 60s run on Atlantic Records – a seminal session that furthered her deep soul agenda with key backings from Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd – both of whom handle the mix of rawness and polish that made Aretha so great at the time! The Sweet Inspirations provide sublime backing vocals behind Franklin's maturing delivery of the lyrics – and the music is by an all-star group of players that includes Spooner Oldham, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Johnson, King Curtis, Tommy Cogbill, Roger Hawkins, and even Eric Clapton – clearly the cream of the crop, more than willing to be part of such an amazing set! Cuts include "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", "Chain Of Fools", "Money Won't Change You", "Come Back Baby", and "Ain't No Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic 70s soul soundtrack – and a dream of a combination! Curtis Mayfield wrote the soundtrack and produced the album – and the result is a killer batch of 70s soul tracks that matches Aretha's strong vocals with the hip Curtom sound of Chicago! Aretha was still doing pretty well at this point, but the album really gave her a push – and the super-hip setting let her record some of her best work of the 70s. If you own only one Aretha Franklin album from the 70s, it should probably be this one – as the mixture of soul, funk, and soundtrack grooves is great, and a refreshing change from some of the cliches that could show up on other records. Features the sublime "Something He Can Feel", plus "Loving You Baby", "Look Into Your Heart", "Sparkle", and Jump". LP, Vinyl record album

That's Andre Gibson sitting at an electric piano on the cover – an image that will give you very much an idea of the record – as the music here is more personal and intimate than previous recordings by the Universal Togetherness Band – and tracks that actually seem to show a lot more depth and soul overall! The mixture of Gibson's voice and Rhodes is like hearing some demo material from the Donny Hathaway side of the spectrum – definitely more 70s-styled than you'd guess from the date range in the title, but a bit more gritty overall – and mostly with electric piano and vocals, on all numbers, with occasional added instrumentation thrown in from time to time. Titles include "Bring Me Home", "Love Changes Life's Changes", "All My Pals", "Thankful For You", "Say I Will", "Stuck On A Thrill", "Don't It Feel Good", "I Wanna Take You Away", "Breakaway", and "I'm Falling". LP, Vinyl record album

A really seminal set from the legendary Richie Havens – one that perfectly illustrates his famous blend of folk, rock, and soul – on a set of tunes that have continued to inspire listeners for many years to come! The record's a great bridge between the 60s and 70s – showing some of the hipper modes of the east coast folk scene as it moved way past traditional styles in the latter half of the 60s – and prefacing some of the use of acoustic instrumentation that would later come in soul music – in the work of artists like Bill Withers. Tracks are mostly originals, and feature a wonderful blend of acoustic and electric guitar, piano, and plenty of rootsy percussion that really sends the whole thing home – and titles include "Here Comes The Sun", "Some Will Wait", "Patient Lady", "Missing Train", and "End Of The Seasons". LP, Vinyl record album

Really mindblowing music from Lonnie Holley – not the first album from this important visual artist, but maybe the one where he'll be firmly established as an equally important recording force too! There's a genre-less quality going on here – as Holley provides this mystic blend of roots from jazz, gospel, blues, and even serious compositional music – yet refined into a sense that's all his own, with that deeply personal force that we love in his paintings. At times, there's almost a dreamlike quality to the way the elements progress – such that even the presence of contributors like Moor Mother or Michael Stipe seem to float into the mix of the music presented by Lonnie – woven into this complex tapestry that seems to join past and present with a view towards a more promising future. Titles include "Kindness Will Follow Your Tears", "Earth Will Be There", "I Am Part Of The Wonder", "Future Children", "None Of Us Have But A Little While", "If We Get Lost They Will Find Us", and "Better Get The Crop In Soon". (Vocalists, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic! This is the kind of soul that we still collect vinyl for! Freddie Hughes is one of the great lost voices of the 60s, and this sparkling album of soulful tunes is a real gem! He's not the same singer as the Freddie Hughes from Chicago – and he hailed from San Francisco, a very unlikely source for such great soul music. The session was recorded with Lonnie Hewitt (Cal Tjader's funky piano player) in SF – but it's got that perfect New York Wand/Scepter "deep soul meets uptown" sound. The tracks are mostly written by Hughes or Hewitt – and they are all pretty amazing, filled with hooks that just don't quit, and some heartbreaking verses that match the work of writers like Curtis Mayfield or Garland Green. Titles include "Send My Baby Back", "He's No Good", "Tonight I'm Gonna See My Baby", and "I Gotta Keep My Bluff In". LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". (Jazz, Soul) CD

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". (Jazz, Soul) CD

Heavy funk from a hip Japanese combo – one that features lots of drums and percussion from leader Akira Ishikawa, plus plenty of guitar, keyboards, and hard-riffing horns! Akira's taking most of his cues here from American funk of the early 70s – work by Incredible Bongo Band, BT Express, and others – but he often serves up the music with a fair bit of conga work at the front of the arrangements, in a way that takes familiar tunes and gives them a much rootsier, earthier kind of groove! The approach is unique, but totally great – and the album's a funk album unlike anything else we can think of – quite unusual even for the experimental Japanese scene of the time. Titles include "Bongo Rock", "Pick Up The Pieces", "Do It Til You're Satisfied", "I've Got To Use My Imagination", "Let's Start", "Love Is The Answer", and "Boogie On Reggae Woman". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A real landmark from soul singer Chuck Jackson – part of a unique wave of male vocalists who really took the music to new heights in the 60s! Jackson's got this way of balancing heartbreaking emotion with masculine control – summed up perfectly in the album's title track, then carried forth in a set of other blue-tinged numbers that strike an equal balance! The approach is similar to the best work by Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson – with a similar blend of deep range and sophisticated ideals – and titles include "I Don't Want To Cry", "I Wake Up Crying", "A Man Ain't Supposed To Cry", "Tears On My Pillow", "I Cried For You", "Lonely Teardrops", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", and "In Between Tears" – plus more songs about crying, believe it or not! LP, Vinyl record album

Chuck Jackson may be Mr Everything in the title – but there's one thing he does especially well on this classic 60s album – deliver a rock-solid sort of heartbreaking soul – the sort that few others could touch at the time! Jackson often doesn't get his due in the history books these days – but records like these were landmark moments of pride, power, and open male emotion – of the sort that went onto inform generations of soul music to come – and help future artists find their way, guided by the emotional frankness of Jackson's approach! Backings are carefully balanced – tight, but never too polished to overwhelm Chuck's vocals – which soar out with a raw power that blows away Sam Cooke or some of Jackson's other contemporaries. Titles include "D-5", "I Need You", "Human", "I'm Your Man", "Tears Of Joy", and "Somebody New". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal sounds from Elmore James – a classic album that brings together material recorded in California, New Orleans, and Chicago – all with an amazing focus on Elmore's stunning talents on electric guitar! The music here mixes sides that have tight band backing with some smaller combo work – but throughout, James is the king – playing with a bold sense of tone, and singing with a voice to match – in a style that helped completely redefine the sound of blues music during these key electric years. Elmore is sublime throughout – and titles include "Dark & Dreary", "Dust My Blues", "Sunnyland", "Standing At The Crossroads", "Happy Home", "Blues Before Sunrise", "I Was A Fool", and "Mean & Evil". Includes 2 bonus tracks, too – "Wild About You Baby" and "Hand In Hand". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing step forward for the young Etta James – a singer who was delivering a raw, shouting form of R&B just a few years before – but who here ascends into soul music heaven with her famous work on the album! The title cut is the stuff of legend – played and played, again and again over the years – but the whole record's wonderful, and handled with this new level of soul sophistication by arranger Riley Hampton – the great Chicago talent who'd reach similar heights in his charts for singers that include Lorez Alexandria and Walter Jackson. Hampton's dark use of strings brings out a whole new side of James' brilliance – a quality that raised Etta James up out of the R&B ghetto, and forever put her into the legions of legendary 60s soul stars! Titles include the perennial classic "At Last", plus "All I Could Do Was Cry", "Tough Mary", "Sunday Kind Of Love", "Anything To Say You're Mine", and "Trust In Me". Includes 4 bonus tracks – "My Heart Cries", "Spoonful", "It's A Crying Shame", and "If I Can't Have You". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – a landmark piece of funk that nobody should be without, funk fan or not! The album is the second to feature James Brown's famous backing combo of the early 70s – and unlike their first one, which was really more of a collection of singles, this album has the group playing hard, long, and loud, in the free funk improvisational mode that was James' real contribution to the music at the time. The tracks are all incredibly long, with James at the forefront, egging the band on with shouts and comments – but also letting them open up large instrumentally, playing in a mode that's as much jazz as it is funky soul. The whole thing's peppered with some nice shorter seques between tracks – but the long cuts are the winners, and are some of the best funk ever recorded! Titles include "Mo Peas", "Doing It To Death", "La Di Da La Di Day", "You Can Have Watergate, Just Gimme Some Bucks & I'll Be Straight", and "Sucker". LP, Vinyl record album

The first Atlantic album from Margie Joseph – a great second generation southern soul singer who really helped the label find a new sound in the 70s! Margie got her start on Stax, but she sounds even better here – a bit more mature, slightly more urban, and backed with a bad-walking set of arrangements by Arif Mardin that help pull her out of the country into a wider 70s soul mainstream. There's still plenty of rootsy touches on the set, and the blend is one that's similar to that of Aretha Franklin's work of the time – one that echoes older southern styles, but brings them up to date nicely with some more sophisticated touches. Titles include "Make Me Believe You'll Stay", "Turn Around & Love You", "Let's Go Somewhere & Love", "You Better Know It", "I'll Take Care Of You", and "I'm So Glad I'm Your Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive exploration of the music of Kashmere Stage Band – the legendary Texas funk combo whose work barely got any circulation at the time – but who've become minor stars, thanks to the efforts of Stones Throw and Wax Poetics! The set goes even deeper than any of the previous vinyl reissues of work by the group – and features some previously unreleased tracks, and alternate takes on their funkiest numbers! The Kashmere groove is incredible – blasting horns, scratchy guitars, and funky drums – all wrapped super-tight around a range of original material and some more familiar numbers – all recast here in super-heavy funk mode! Titles include "All Praises", "Thank You", "Scorpio (extended)", "Headwiggle", "Do You Dig It Man", "Getting It Out Of My System", "Zero Point (parts 1 & 2)", "Boss City", "Burning Spear", "Take Five", and "Keep Doing It". LP, Vinyl record album

The definitely got the title right here – as BB King is plenty great, and already a powerhouse in these early years of his career! King sprung forth from the Memphis scene almost fully-formed – and in addition to his famous guitar work, he was also a hell of a singer who could bring a new sort of soulful presence to blues music – able to croon with the charm of a jazz singer in the right moments, join with a doo wop group at others, yet come on with the power of a bluesman whenever he stepped in front of the mic! This great album has BB in all these modes – recorded with brilliantly bold sound – and titles include "I Had A Woman", "Sweet Sixteen", "Someday Baby", "I'm Gonna Quit My Baby", and "I Was Blind". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic live stuff from the classic early period of Kool & the Gang! The set swings mightily with a sound that's hardly matched on some of their studio albums, and the band proves that their tightness isn't just a batch of studio tricks as they blow away the crowd at the Sex Machine night club. There's lots of great live jamming here, and some of their best early cuts like "Let The Music Take Your Mind", "Who's Gonna Take The Weight", "Funky Man", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost chapter in the career of Darlene Love – a soul singer who's maybe known best for her early work with Phil Spector in The Crystals – but who ended up with a long legacy in music, which is partly added to by this collection! The core of the set features some mid 60s recordings that Love made as the lead singer in The Blossoms – a great west coast female soul trio, represented here by a number of excellent singles for Reprise Records – including "That's When The Tears Start", "Good Good Lovin", "My Love Come Home", "Lover Boy", "Deep Into My Heart", and "Let Your Love Shine On Me". Those cuts are followed by two solo efforts for Reprise by Darlene – "Too Late To Say You're Sorry" and "If" – then preceded by a few other unusual sessions, including the track "TV Commercials" with guitarist Barney Kessel, and two Lee Hazlewood-related projects on "What Are We Gonna Do In 64" and "3625 Groovy Street", both issued under the name of The Wildcats. The set ends with a few cuts from later years – that time when Darlene was getting attention from a whole new generation – on the tracks "River Deep Mountain High", "He's Sure The Boy I Love", and two versions of "Mr Fix It". LP, Vinyl record album

The incredible first album by Tim Maia – Brazil's greatest soul star in the 70s, and for good reason too – given that Tim was one of the few who could match the depth of American soul and funk at the time! Yet the music here is way more than just a Brazilian version of American soul – as Tim brings in some rootsier elements from local musical styles, and even some of the trippier elements that were running through Brazilian music in the wake of Tropicalia – all to make for this heady brew of sounds that's completely unique, and completely wonderful all the way through! There's plenty of tracks here that would fit well alongside both familiar soul, and the modes of funky artists like Marcos Valle at the time – and the set also features work on guitar and backup vocals by Cassiano, who'd soon go onto become a Brazilian soul star on his own. Titles include the break-heavy "Padre Cicero" and "Voce Fingiu" – plus "Tributo A Booker Pittman", "Cristina No 2", "Jurema", "Flamengo", "Corone Antonio Bento", and "Primavera". (Brazil, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A great step forward for the legendary Tim Maia – working here in a style that's even tighter and more sophisticated than before – yet still equally filled with funk and soul! The arrangements are a bit bigger than before, and the production a bit more professional – but that change only brings Tim into even more heavenly soul territory – with a mix of grooves and strings that lays somewhere between the best early 70s work on labels like Curtom or Motown! Tim's got a new sense of majesty on the album – and also sings in English in a few spots – at a level that makes us wonder why he was never able to crack the American soul market at the time. An essential record from the man who brought American soul music to Brazil – with tracks that include "Over Again", "New Love", "O Balanco", "Reu Confesso", "Preciso Ser Amado", "Amores", and "Do Your Thing Behave Yourself". (Brazil, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Completely killer work from Frankie Beverly & Maze – captured here at the height of their power, with that amazing blend of Frankie's lead vocals and the group's tight instrumentation – all at a level that so many others tried to copy, but never got this right! The sense of unity in the title really comes through in the music – a proud, progressive approach to contemporary R&B that always made Maze one of the more positive acts of their time – even if the message was played in a more subtle way than earlier groups in the 70s. At some level, Maze are picking up the torch that Earth Wind & Fire were dropping a bit by this point – but with an even more charismatic singer in the lead – and just the right blend of acoustic and electric elements in the instrumentation. The whole thing's wonderful – and titles include "I Wanna Thank You", "Love Is The Key", "We Are One", "Right On Time", "Never Let You Down", and "Metropolis". LP, Vinyl record album

The last train to skaville, and a record that should be the first in line when you're digging for rare instrumental ska – as the collection offers up a mix of the mighty Hammond skills of Jackie Mittoo and the searing rhythms of the Soul Brothers – who also serve up great solos on tenor, trumpet, and trombone! This isn't the sleepy ska of the revival years – and is instead the kind of hard-burning music that was strongly inspired by American instrumental soul in the late 60s, and really made waves on both the scenes in London and Kingston! All cuts are from the original run of gems from Studio One – and titles include "Voodoo Moon", "Ska Shuffle", "Dr Ring Ding", "Got My Boogaloo", "Home Made", "Hot & Cold", "One Stop", "James Bond", and "Mr Flint". (Reggae, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Mad funk from Ethiopia – classic work by the legendary Mulatu, one of Africa's heaviest artists of the 70s! Mulatu's been kind of a beathead secret for years – as most of his exotic grooves were never issued properly outside of Africa, and have only been the province of collectors who had the money and cash to get their hands on the work. The music's got a strange, other-worldly feel – a mix of bass-heavy dubby rhythms and spaced-out jazzy solos played on saxophone and electric piano – all coming together in a unique style that will blow your mind! The LP is the first-ever proper vinyl reissue of Mulatu's work – and collects together the best tracks from the recent Ethiopiques CD series, 9 titles that include "Yekatit", "Nesanet", "Sabye", "Ykermo Sew", "Asmarina", "Gubelye", "Dewel", and "Ene Alantchi Alnorem". (Global Grooves, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from The Ohio Players – the only live performance ever issued by the group, and a set that captures them right at the height of their mid 70s fame! The sound here is every bit as tight as on their classic studio albums for Mercury Records, but the music has a lot more bite, too – a sharpness that really comes through in the live setting, where the bass, drums, and other instruments come across with a raw power that's really incredible – a great reminder that groups like this could do everything they did, long before ever walking into a studio. Titles include "Alone", "Who'd She Coo", "Love Rollercoaster", "Skin Tight/Fopp", "Drum Solo", "Sweet Sticky Thing", and "Fire (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest voices ever in soul music – served up here in a stunning set of new mixes by the legendary John Morales – king of the edit, with a talent that goes way back to the best modes of the early club scene in NYC – and an equally great ability to find all the best bits in a cut and make them even better! In other words, these aren't the kind of remixes that seek to bludgeon an original track to death in service of putting the remixer in the spotlight – and instead, Morales has a superb way of helping Teddy Pendergrass shine even more than ever – letting the vocals soar over majestic Philly soul grooves – on tracks that are both from the Pendergrass years in Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and some of Teddy's later solo cuts too. Titles include Morales mixes of "The More I Get The More I Want", "The Love I Lost", "Come Go With Me", "Don't Leave Me This Way", "Only You", "Now Is The Time To Do It", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "If You Know Like I Know", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", "Is There A Place For Me", "Where Are All My Friends", and "If You Don't Know Me By Now". 2CD set features 18 tracks in all – 6 more than the vinyl version! CD

One of the greatest voices ever in soul music – served up here in a stunning set of new mixes by the legendary John Morales – king of the edit, with a talent that goes way back to the best modes of the early club scene in NYC – and an equally great ability to find all the best bits in a cut and make them even better! In other words, these aren't the kind of remixes that seek to bludgeon an original track to death in service of putting the remixer in the spotlight – and instead, Morales has a superb way of helping Teddy Pendergrass shine even more than ever – letting the vocals soar over majestic Philly soul grooves – on tracks that are both from the Pendergrass years in Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and some of Teddy's later solo cuts too. Titles include Morales mixes of "The More I Get The More I Want", "The Love I Lost", "Come Go With Me", "Don't Leave Me This Way", "Only You", "Now Is The Time To Do It", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "If You Know Like I Know", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", "Is There A Place For Me", "Where Are All My Friends", and "If You Don't Know Me By Now". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous discovery in soul music – previously unreleased demos from the legendary Dan Penn – one of the key songwriters in the Fame Studios/Muscle Shoals scene of the 60s! Dan's tunes had an undeniable impact on southern soul for decades to come – yet Penn hardly issued any singles himself – just sang on these in-house recordings as a way of demonstrating the strength of his songs! Yet Penn's vocals are amazing – as raspy and soulful as any of the big names who recorded his work – and backed here by superb Fame support by the core combo of Spooner Oldham on piano and organ, Jimmy Johnson on guitar, and Roger Hawkins on drums. Oldham co-wrote most of the tunes with Penn, and really gives them a slow-burning, all-soul feel with his keyboard lines – and although demo recordings, the production here is every bit as great as commercially-released material from Fame – making the collection sparkle like the lost album (or albums!) that Dan Penn never had at the time. Titles include "Keep On Talking", "Feed The Flame", "Strangest Feeling", "I Do", "It Tears Me Up", "Uptight Good Woman", "Far From The Maddening Crowd", "The Puppet", "Long Ago", "Slippin Around With You", and "Do Something". LP, Vinyl record album

A late bit of new jack from Jeff Redd – a singer who later rose to greater fame behind the scenes in the music biz, but who's great here as a lead artist on his own! The tunes are full of the catchy hooks and beats that mark the best new jack work of the time – and as with some of the best album-length efforts, Redd balances out the upbeat numbers with some great laidback tracks that update an 80s quiet storm mode in a really great way! Titles include "Sex Ain't The Only Thing", "Show You", "You Called Told Me", "Dreamer", "Take It Off", "Let's Spend The Night", and "Why". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a very fitting title – as the whole set is practically a dictionary of soul music, for anyone who needs an understanding of the genre! The cover alone tells you that the set is something special – and the sounds within are even better – classic Otis Redding on Stax Records, at a time when he'd already gotten his initial groove going, and was really pushing into that later, more sophisticated style that had him crossing boundaries and opening up the music for a whole new generation! Key proof of this is his remake of "Try A Little Tenderness" – a standard that had been knocking around for years, but which is exploded with a whole new emotion in Otis' version – as are tunes like "Day Tripper" and "Tennessee Waltz", with results that are maybe not as completely sublime – but which still illustrate the way that Redding was reaching way beyond the indie soul scene with his appeal. But even better are the cuts intrinsic to the album – beautiful originals that include "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)", "My Lover's Prayer", "Ton Of Joy", "I'm Sick Y'All", and "She Put The Hurt On Me" – which really demonstrate Redding's growing strengths as a songwriter. LP, Vinyl record album

Lionel's first solo album after leaving the Commodores – and a solid bit of mellow soul that forever merged the genres of soul music and adult contemporary! Titles include "Serves You Right", "My Love", "Tell Me", "You Are", "Truly", "Just Put Some Love In Your Heart", and "Wandering Stranger". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful spacey soul and righteous rock/soul grooves from one of the most enigmatic groups ever to come out of the Chicago soul scene! The drummer really kicks it on this one – and more than a few cuts have a nice backbeat to them, and the record probably has a bit more of a rock feel than some of the group's other work. But that doesn't stop this one from still being completely wonderful – and Minnie Riperton gives up some of the best vocals of her young career, set to airy spacey production by the great Charles Stepney. Tracks include "Love Me Now", "Merry Prankster", "Lonely Summer", "Amuse", "Want You To Know", "Country Things", "Living Alone", and "We Will Be Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Only the third album from RuPaul, and the living legend is ready to take on Christmas – maybe an example of the way that the singer would come to dominate popular culture in the coming century! The set was mostly recorded in RuPaul's living room, but has a surprisingly vibrant vibe – lean rhythms and instrumentation, but plenty groovy with a house-inspired vibe that's very much like the singer's non-seasonal music – as are the lyrics, as RuPaul camps things up nicely, by throwing in all sorts of variations on traditional Holiday lyrics! Tunes include "All I Want For Christmas", "With Bells On", "All Alone On Christmas", "Christmas Train", "Santa Baby", "Funky Christmas", "Here Comes Santa Claus", and "You're A Mean One Mr Grinch". (Holiday Music, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A really incredible mix of reggae and soul – a set released in the early 90s, but which was recorded in the years before – as a long-running collaboration between singer Devon Russell and guitarist/producer Earl Chinna Smith! Russell's got a sweetly crackling vocal style that really lives up to the honesty of Curtis Mayfield's music, but with a spirit that's definitely all his own – and which, with the reggae-styled backings, make the whole thing way more than just a cover album of old Curtom tunes. Instead, the album maybe stands as a testament to the power of the message in Mayfield's music to transcend time and space – served up on tunes that include "Keep On Moving", "Move On Up", "The Makings Of You", "Love To The People", "Wild & Free", and "Give Me Your Love". Features bonus tracks – "Choice Of Colors" and "Falling In Love With You". (Reggae, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Sade's last LP from the early 90s before she went into her brief recording and performing hiatus. Like the preceding records, the approach is heavy on the jazz side of things, with a crisp, spare touch on the production and a wonderfully soulful feel to the songwriting. At this point she no longer had to work to break into the charts, but that didn't stop her and her band from coming up with a great batch of material that managed to be easily accessible without losing any of the sublime grace that set her apart. Includes "No Ordinary Love", "Cherish The Day", "Feel No Pain", "I Couldn't Love You More", "Like A Tattoo", "Kiss Of Life", "Pearls", "Bullet Proof Soul" and "Mermaid". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic live album from Nina Simone – recorded at the Newport Jazz Festival in 1966, and delivered with that hard-burning energy that always makes Nina's concert performances so mindblowing! There's a lean, mean groove to the record – sharply soulful piano from Simone, and backing from a group that includes some exceptional work on drums from Robert Hamilton – a player who really helps kick up the rhythms at times – while Nina delivers these searing lyrics that definitely showcase the more righteous, political side of her spectrum! The set's a great addition to the Philips material from this period – and titles include a killer version of "Mississippi Goddam", plus "You've Got To Learn", "Blues For Mama", "Be My Husband", "Music For Lovers", and "I Loves You Porgy". (Vocalists, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary Jamaican group finally get their time in the spotlight – as Sound Dimension backed up plenty of artists in the glory days of Studio One – singers who include Alton Ellis, The Heptones, Horace Andy, and dozens of others – while also getting the chance to cut some killer instrumental work on their own! The lineup is the stuff of legends – Ernest Ranglin on guitar, Jackie Mittoo on Hammond, Cedric Brooks on reeds, and Vin Gordon on trombone – plus other musicians who really help keep things soulful throughout, and make the music here a blinding set of instrumentals from the late ska years into early reggae rhythms! Titles include "Soul Shake", "The Thing", "Holy Moses", "Hail Don D", "Full Up", "Love Land", "Bitter Blood", "Baby Face", and "Man Pon Spot". (Reggae, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A rich legacy of soul from a Virginia singer of the 70s – one who recorded most of these sides for the tiny Shiptown label, in a wonderful mix of deep soul and more sophisticated styles – all brought together here to make for a long-overdue full length collection of Barbara Stant's music! As with most Numero collections, even though some of the tracks saw the light of day on 7" singles, they're still pretty darn obscure – which makes the package a real window into an overlooked singer with a voice that rings out loud and proud throughout – great on the mellow cuts, and gritty on the funkier numbers – served up here on titles that include "That Man Of Mine", "I'm Going To Outfit You Baby", "My Mind Holds On To Yesterday", "I Found Me A Real Man", "Unsatisfied Woman", "He's Still Your Man", "Baby I Love You", "Shadow Of Your Footsteps", and "Hung On". LP, Vinyl record album

A real breakout album for Edwin Starr – and the kind of full-on set that really helped give his music a bold new focus! Starr had already scored nicely on some playful tracks from the Motor City scene of the late 60s – but here, he emerges as a singer with a lot more depth than before – not only on the righteous tunes, like the classic title track – but also on some of the warmer ones too, which showcase a new adult style of singing we might not have expected a few years before! Unlike other Motown efforts of this level, there doesn't seem to be any core arranger and producer – which means that Edwin himself did an even greater job of pulling the whole thing together – a great run of tracks that includes the classic "War (What Is It Good For)", a killer version of "California Soul", one of the best Motown-penned tracks from the time – and the tracks "Time", "I Just Wanted To Cry", "All Around The World", "At Last I Found A Love", "I Can't Replace My Old Love", and "She Should Have Been Home". LP, Vinyl record album

A Bad Boy classic from the 90s – the tight debut of Total, a trio who were one of the strongest proponents of hip hop-influenced soul at the time! There's plenty of production talents on hand to keep the sharp edges in the music running strong – including Sean Puffy Combs, Raphael Saadiq, Chucky Thompson, and Pharrell – and the strong mix of funky samples, beats, and cut-up arrangements really help kick a lot of life into the grooves – as do some key guest appearances from Notorious BIG and Da Brat! Titles include "No One Else", "Kissin You", "Do You Know", "Someone Like You", "Can't You See", "Do You Think About Us", "Tell Me", Don't Ever Change", "Love Is All We Need", "Tell Me", "When Boy Meets Girl", and "Spend Some Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster from start to finish – not only the greatest album from War, but maybe one of the greatest mainstream funk albums of all time! The set's got a really unique groove – one that so many others tried to copy, but which was forged here first – in a wicked LA blend of Chicano funk, heavy organ lines, and soulful singing that sews the whole thing together perfectly. Just about every cut is upbeat and funky – rolling along at that low-rider pace that was War's lasting contribution to funk music – and the album features the huge hits "World Is A Ghetto" and "Cisco Kid", two of the brightest spots on radio funk from the 70s – plus classics like "Four Cornered Room", "City Country City", "Where Was You At", and "Beetles In The Bog". Plus, this box set features an insane amount of extra material – bonus tracks that include "This Is My Song Milton James", "Lee's Latin Jam", "LA Sunshine (original jam)", "War Is Coming (original jam)", and "Lonnie's Wednesday Night Jam" – plus 6 more "making of" sides of wax that feature all sorts of session performances of key tunes! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the stranger chapters of the Holland-Dozier-Holland story of the early 70s – and one of the coolest, too! Warlock are a jazzy rock combo with plenty of soul – a bit like a twisted version of Blood Sweat & Tears, but with all the sinister energy you'd guess from the image on the cover! Most of the numbers have a nasty scratchy sort of vocal – almost Alice Cooper-ish, in keeping with the Warlock name of the group – but a few others get a bit more soulful and funky, belying the HDH connection of the group – sometimes even showing a righteous jazzy vibe, as kind of an odd echo of the Detroit Tribe Records scene. The best tracks have some jazzy phrasing in the mix, and let the guitars go off to the side – and titles include "Love Girl", "You've Been My Rock", "So Can Woman", "Thrills Of Love", and the 14 minute jammer "As You Die/Music Box", which almost has a Colosseum build to it! (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A really great collection of work from De-Lite Records – one that goes way way past the bigger hits on the label from Kool & The Gang and the Kay-Gees! Instead, this one really digs deep – and comes up with rare 45s for a host of artists that we didn't even know recorded for De-Lite – obscure but great material that shows just how tied to the east coast scene the label was before it starting hitting the charts and the clubs! There's lots here you'll be hard-pressed to track down otherwise – and titles include "The Story Of Our Love" and "It Really Hurts Me Girl" by The Carstairs, "Super Soul Music" and "I Got To Get Close To You" by Yvonne Daniels, "Darling Baby" and "I Wish It Would Rain" by Beverly Hammonds, "I Need You" and "I'll Always Love You" by Felton Burks, "I Smell Trouble" by Johnny De'Vigne, "Love Making" and "When A Woman Loves A Man" by Jean Battle, and "I Saw You There" and "Keep Away" by The Appointments. LP, Vinyl record album

These guys just keep on digging and digging up more great soul music – and our record collections are certainly richer as a result! As with previous volumes, the focus here is on deep-burning, low-cooking tunes that are often heavily in the southern soul spectrum – the kind of tunes that lay hidden in the corners behind the bigger hits from labels like Atlantic or Stax, but which somehow strike a chord that's even richer, fuller, and less cliched than some of the overplayed styles of the genre. The set features 20 tracks in all – by the likes of Buddy Ace, Larry Davis, Richard Marks, Mavis Staples, Betty Harris and others. CD

A European disco world that's ripe for rediscovery – one that's much more obscure than better-known club work from Germany, France, and Italy – but which may well be even groovier than the work from those three scenes! The package is a great complement to some of the funk and jazz sets on the Sdban label – and like those, it really digs deep – to uncover a vast array of music from the small nation – which was clearly a hotbed of groovy activity in the 70s, at a level that none of us realized at the time! The tunes here mix together funk and pop, soul and disco – all in ways that criss-cross strongly with more familiar modes of the period – but often have an offbeat quality, and sometimes a surprising sense of humor that comes through in the mostly English lyrics in the lead. Part 1 of the vinyl series features 16 tracks – and titles include "Ethereo Disco" by R Roland, "King Kong" by Carl Watson, "Baby Won't You Turn Me On" by Charles Watson, "Sexy" by Lovedream, "La Gomme" by L2, "Cool & Get Up" by Quartz, "I'm Free" by Steve, "Groovin To The Music" by Flame, "Queen To The Pharoah" by Marianne, "Feel So Glad" by Dan Davis, "Ivro De Vie" by Kevin Moraine, "Be My Love Tonight" by CC Band, "Strange How You Move" by Venus, and "Bubblegum" by Bubble. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Numero's Eccentric Soul series focuses on a well-named label – the tiny Shoestring company, who must have operated on a shoestring budget – given that most of its work hardly made it out of the Southern Illinois scene in which they worked! Yet the label's home of Alton, Illinois was also not far from St Louis – and these tracks have a tighter, urban vibe than you might expect – some surprising boogie groovers in the mix, and sharp arrangements and a well put-together groove on most of these cuts that's very different than the usual sort of soul music you might expect from a tiny label. Part of that's the date – a number of these tracks come together from the post-disco years, and have a well-crafted 80s vibe – in a set list that includes the tracks "Let Yourself Go" and "I Need You So" by Jimmie Green, "You're All The Woman I Need" and "Disco Fever" by Howard Neal, "We've Got It Made" by The James Family, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "You Keep Holding Back On Love" by Carletta Sue, and "Dance" by Jimmie Green. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A double-length collection of work from two obscure Atlanta soul labels – the Tragar and Note imprints, both run by local producer Jesse Jones! Back in the day, Atlanta wasn't nearly as big of an outlet for soul records as it's become in recent years – so Jones' labels were key in showcasing under-exposed local talent in the city, a range of soul groups, solo singers, and funk combos – all produced here with a really fresh sound! Nearly every track here is super-obscure – and there's few southern soul cliches to get in the way of the music – no overdone blues, no Hotlanta disco, no Muscle Shoals copies – just honest-to-goodness indie soul at its best – full of life, vitality, and personality – all presented with the usual deep-digging Numero look at the artists in the notes. The package is one of the biggest Numero collections so far – and really tells the tale of this crucially overlooked scene – a key link between more familiar southern styles and rising Northern modes, all with a personality of its own. Titles include "All Because of You" and "Down In The Country" by Tee Fletcher, "The Hump" and "Tipping Strings" by The Knights, "Somebody Got A Help Me" and "Love is So Mean" by Richard Cook, "Ain't That Sharp" by Young Divines, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Messing Around" by Bobby Owens & The Diplomats, "Shake Daddy Shake" and "Try" by Eula Cooper, "Tumbling Down" by Langston & French, "You Got A Spell On Me" by Bill Wright, "Now That I'm Wise" by Nathan Wilkes, and "Nitecap" by L Daniels. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Classic soul, with a slight touch of funk – all served up in a limited vinyl-only package that really does justice to the longstanding legacy of the Free Soul series from Japan! The tunes here are upbeat, soaring, and very much on the positive side of soul music from back in the day – and although most of these tracks are more obscure than the big hits of the 70s, they've achieved greater fame over the decades – thanks in part to use as samples, and through great collections like this one! Titles on this volume include "We've Only Just Begun" by Frank Cunimondo Trio with Lynn Marino, "Don't You Care" by Alice Clarke, "Misdemeanor" by Foster Sylvers, "We've Gotta Find A Way Back To Love" by Freda Payne, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Reid Inc, "You Light Up My Life" by Judy Roberts, "I Think I'll Call It Morning" by Gil Scott Heron, "Girl Overboard" by Dorothy Moore, "Love Each Other" by Leon Thomas, "Run Away" by Salsoul Orchestra with Loleatta Holloway, and "Am I The Same Girl" by Barbara Acklin. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Classic soul, with a slight touch of funk – all served up in a limited vinyl-only package that really does justice to the longstanding legacy of the Free Soul series from Japan! The tunes here are upbeat, soaring, and very much on the positive side of soul music from back in the day – and although most of these tracks are more obscure than the big hits of the 70s, they've achieved greater fame over the decades – thanks in part to use as samples, and through great collections like this one! Titles on this second volume include "My Baby's Got ESP" by Four Below Zero, "Jolie" by Latimore, "Ain't It Good Feeling Good" by Eloise Laws, "Changin" by Sharon Ridley, "Let Your Love Rain Down On Me" by Jewell Bass, "Queen Of My Soul" by Average White Band, "Party Down (part 1)" by Little Beaver, "You've Got To Be The One" by Maryann Farra & Satin Soul, "Love Land" by The Lost Generation, and "My Baby Just Cares For Me" by Nina Simone. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Jackson 5, move over – because the folks at Numero Records have uncovered a whole host of rare kid soul acts from the 70s – most of them a fair bit funkier than their Motown contemporaries! The tracks here all clearly follow the lead started by Michael and his brothers at the end of the 60s – but the music is way more than just a simple copycat of Jackson modes – as each of these artists have a really individual approach, and a heck of a lot of personality in their music – despite their youthful years. In true Numero fashion, most of the cuts here are from tiny little labels – issued only as singles back in the day, but produced with a great deal of enthusiasm for the music – and a confident, competent sound that's quite striking, given the age of the performers. The package comes with complete notes on the music – opening up a whole world of lesser-known kid soul acts – and titles include the amazing "Trust Your Child" by Patrizia & Jimmy, plus "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "One Is Enough For One" by Jack & the Mods, "Now That School Is Through" by Cindy & The Playmates, "Jersey Slide (part 1)" by 3 Stars, "You Are My Dream" by 3 Simmons, "Can't Let You Break My Heart" by Quantrells, "If You're Looking For Love" by Triads, "Yellow Ribbons" by Atons, "Sweet Pea" by Altyrone Deno Brown, "Time After Time" by Step By Step, "Time" by Otis The 3rd, and "Little Girl" by Michael Washington. LP also contains a bonus track – part 2 of "Trust Your Child" by Patrizia & Jimmy! (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A lost side of work from 70s funk powerhouse Mainstream Records – a company best known for its jazz albums of the early 70s, but one that also cut some great soul and club material too! Most of the work here came out only as singles, and wasn't nearly as well-circulated as the albums on Mainstream – and much of it was much more underground too, from a time when funk groups were picking up the pace a bit for the new styles of dance on the scene – yet still nicely far from the more slickly produced disco that would top the charts at the end of the 70s! Most tracks appear here on vinyl for the first time since the 70s – and titles include the unissued "Disco Man (parts 1 & 2)" by Three Ounces Of Love – plus "Get Down Get Down" by South Side Coalition, "Music Is Fun To Me" by The Grand Jury, "We've Got To Get Together" by Chocolate Syrup, "Gonna Have A Good Time" by Crystal Image, "Nothing Between Us" by Electric Ladies, "Whatever's Your Sign You've Got To Be Mine" by Prophecy, "Hundred Pounds Of Pain" by Lenny Welch, and "No Rebate On Love" by The Dramatics. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Gary, Indiana is maybe best known as the hometown of the Jackson 5 – but the city also had plenty of other soul singers back in the day – as you'll discover on this really well-done collection of tracks! The set's titled after the Chicago Skyway, a huge industrial structure that links the south side of the Windy City with Gary – and that link is a key one, as many of the artists here have a resonance with Chicago soul too – working with qualities that are often a bit more sophisticated than usual, and not as directly aimed at the charts or the dancefloor – a really special breed of soul music that makes for a wonderfully rich collection! As usual with Numero, the package is as great as the track list – and titles include "Trouble" by General Lee & Lost Weekend, "Sweet Jo-Ann" by El Anthony, "Main Squeeze" by Nate Evans, "So I Can Make This Change" by The Krash Band, "Bridge Of Love" by Lost Weekend, "Give Your Love To Me" by Wilton Crump, "Don't Be Afraid" by Sky's The Limit, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "You Just Be You" by Into New Dimensions, "I Need Your Love" by Billy Foster, "Pleasure" by General Lee, "Night Music" by Billy Foster, "The Look On Your Face" by Nate Evans & Mean Green, and "We've Been In Love Too Long" by El Anthony. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collection of work from one of the greatest soul labels ever – a tiny Alabama imprint that helped bring the Muscle Shoals sound to the masses – thanks to the work of producer Rick Hall, and his crack band of session players! The music here set a whole new standard for soul in the south – and really helped bridge older 50s modes and the new wave of more expressive, more sophisticated singers – served up here in a special vinyl-only package that mixes big Fame classics with some real gems that never got their due back in the day – and even come cuts that appear here on vinyl for the first time ever! Titles include "She Ain't Gonna Do Right" by Clarence Carter, "Fortune Teller" by The Del-Rays, "That Kind Of Lovin" by Otis Clay, "Back In Your Arms" by George Jackson, "Feed The Flame" by Billy Young, "Almost Persuaded" by June Conquest, "A Piece of My Heart" by Art Freeman, "I Worship The Ground You Walk On" by Jimmy Hughes, "Blind Can't See" by Richard Earl & The Corvettes, "Come On Home" by Hrman Moore, "I'm Gonna Forget About You" by Arthur Conley, "Long Ago" by Ben & Spence, "Take Me Just As I Am" by Dan Penn, and "Don't Make Me Hate Loving You" by Jeanie Greene. LP, Vinyl record album

The genius sound of the TK Records label, taken to a whole new level – as some of the coolest club classics from that legendary Miami label are served up here in a host of new edits by contemporary talents! The sound is great – all the funk and soul of the originals, but kicked up a bit here and there on the rhythms – and often edited in ways that the grooves are really expanded too! Titles include "Spank (Dimitri From Paris Classic Re-Edit)" by Jimmy Bo Horne , "Ghetto Music" by Ted Taylor, "I'm Your Boogie Man (Todd Terje edit)" and "I Get Lifted (Todd Terje edit)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Do What You Wanna Do (Kon's Keep It Moving Mix)" by T-Connection, "Why Can't We Live Together (Late Nite Tuff Guy No More War Rework)" by Timmy Thomas, "Move Me Baby (Danny Krivit edit)" by Gwen McCrae, and "Jam On The Groove (Danny Krivit Edit)" by Ralph MacDonald. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album