Pure genius from The Dells – one of the few older vocal groups who could really change and evolve their sound – not by losing anything from their roots, and instead getting better and better with each new release! This set's a perfect example of why The Dells were the pinnacle of sophisticated group soul at the start of the 70s – as they still have all the dynamics of their roots, with a tremendous blend of individual voices and range – but they also work with very hip arrangements and production, courtesy of the amazing Charles Stepney – who allows them to sound funky, righteous, and completely sublime! The mix of message and meaning is wonderful throughout – the record's as much a mature statement of pride as the best coming from Philly International at the time – and titles include "Ain't No Sunshine", "Closer", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "Stand Up And Show The World", "Soul Strollin", "Glory Of Love", and "Love Can Make It Easier". LP, Vinyl record album

Modern electric blues from Chicago, featuring Mighty Joe on guitar and vocals, plus backing by a tight rocking band. There's some electric keyboards in the group, which gives it less of a rootsy sound than you'd expect – but the album's still pretty spare. Titles include "Takes Money", "Mean Hitchhiker", "I Give", "Love Bone", and "Take My Advice (She Likes The Blues & BBQ)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest albums ever made by Willie Dixon as a leader – a really cooking set done after years backing other folks up in the Chess Records studio – and a date recorded for the Chicago-based Ovation Records label, who really let Willie do his thing! Given that Dixon plays bass, there's some great currents of funk in here – and the grooves are nice and raw, thanks to tight drums from Clifton James, and instrumentation from Buster Benton on guitar, Lafayette Leake on piano, and Carrie Bell on harmonica! There's a gritty electric groove throughout – and titles include "Hold Me Baby", "Moon Cat", "Pretty Baby", "Shakin The Shack", "What Happened To My Blues", "Uh Huh Baby", and "Put It All In There". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A great mix of mellow soul and sweet disco – and a lost treasure from the 70s Twin Cities soul scene! There's a groove here that almost sounds like east coast group soul in the early pre-mainstream disco years – hitting some uptempo tunes for the clubs, but also kicking back into some mellower harmony tracks that are equally great. The production and arrangements are all totally top shelf – thanks to help from sound library studio maestro Herb Pilhofer – and the group's got a solid sound that easily matches bigger groups of the time! Titles include "Sweet Lady", "City Slicker", "A New Day", "Call On Me", "My Story", "Love Me Or Leave Me", "In The City", and "I Need You". LP, Vinyl record album

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

A collection of tracks recorded during the late 60s and early 70s – when the Dells were at their peak, recording at Cadet with arrangers and producers like Charles Stepney, Bobby Miller, and Don Davis. Titles include "Love Is Blue (I Can Sing A Rainbow)", "There Is", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "The Love We Had Stays On My Mind", and "My Pretending Days Are Over". 11 tracks in all. LP, Vinyl record album

K-tel style compilation with a note in the corner of the sleeve that says "As Seen On TV", with a bunch of short versions of hot soul tunes that were making the rounds every Saturday afternoon on Soul Train. Nothing hard to find here, but a nice piece of the past loaded with familiar but still great tracks, 20 of them in all,and a great cover with photos of Don Cornelius and a number of the artists from their appearances on the show. With Barbara Mason "Give Me Your Love", James Brown "Good Foot", Curtis Mayfield "Super Fly", Archie Bell& The Drells "Dance To your Music", The O'Jays "Back Stabbers", Cymande "The Message", Timmy Thomas "Why Can't We Live Together", Dennis Coffey "Scorpio", Al Green "Guilty", Brighter Side Of Darkness "Love Jones" and The Dells "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", plus a bunch more. . . LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool 2LP, Japanese-only pressing of Musical Menu – one that features lots of bonus material, and a different set list than the original album! There's lots of great arrangements here from Charles Stepney, who makes the whole thing a real Cadet studios masterpiece! The sound's a bit like some of the Rotary Connection albums put together under Stepney's supervision – but given that the group is the Dells, the vocals are much much better, with a much stronger soul component – and fused with some incredible musical arrangements! Titles include "If You Don't Move I'll Fall", "You Don't Care", "Stand Up & Show The World", "Always Together", "Hallways Of My Mind", "Does Anybody Know I'm Here", "Don't Make Me A Storyteller", "I Hear Voices", "I Wish It Was Me You Loved", "Strung Out Over You", "I Miss You", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", and "Good Bye Mary Anne". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost early chapter in the career of Roberta Flack – material recorded during the sessions for her legendary First Take album, but unissued at the time – and presented here with an amazing demonstration of the depth of her young talents! All the genius of First Take is in place here – that groundbreaking territory between jazz and soul that set Roberta apart from the pack, right from the start – but there's also a wider range of currents going on – maybe some more jazz-based numbers, mixed with other soul-referenced titles too – a wider span that furthers the role that Flack plays as a bridge between the 60s innovations of Nina Simone and a host of others to follow. The group is just a trio – Flack on piano with Marshall Hawkins on bass and Bernard Sweetney on drums – but the tunes have a very wide-open vibe that's very visionary, and every bit as great as Roberta's debut! Titles include a stunning version of "Afro Blue", plus "It's Way Past Suppertime", "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Groove Me", "To Sir With Love", "The Song Is Love", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out", "The House Song", and "Hush A Bye". LP, Vinyl record album

Northern Soul from a surprising source – and a killer batch of rare material from the mighty Memphis powerhouse of soul! Goldwax is probably best known for its deep soul work – most famously with James Carr – but in the mid 60s, the label cut some killer groovers that really match the vibe that was coming out of Detroit or Philly at the time – upbeat, uptempo singles that bristle with energy, yet also have some of the deeper tones you might expect from the label! Some tunes have a bit of a Memphis sound – depending on the singer – but the rhythms and production mostly recall modes from up north, and offer up a really surprising new chapter of this label that already won our deep respect many years ago. The folks at Kent have put together the package with some really wonderful notes – and the CD features two dozen numbers that will really open up your ears – tracks that include "Let's Talk It Over" by Spencer Wiggins, "Call On Me" by Percy Milem, "They Say" by The Ovations, "So Hard To Get Along" by The Lyrics, "What'Cha Gonna Do" by Phillip & The Faithfuls, "You Gotta Have Soul" by George Jackson, "A Man Is A Mean Thing" by Barbara Perry, "The Well's Gone Dry" by Dorothy Williams, "That's What I Want To Know" by James Carr, "I Slipped A Little" by Percy Milem, "Now Girl" by The Lyrics, "It's My Life" by Timmy Thomas, "Qualifications" by The Ovations, "To Me It's Storming" by George & Greer, "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More" by Wee Willie Walker, and "If You Love Her" by Phillip & The Faithfuls. CD

Bluesy sounds, with plenty of soul – a really special mix of modes that follows strongly in the spirit of Kent Records' other "new breed" compilations! The music here isn't really R&B, but it isn't 60s soul either – and instead has a cool mix of soulful rhythms with ruffer touches on the vocals, sax lines, and guitar – the kind of sounds we've always dug from King Records in their heyday, but which are pulled here from a variety of different labels! Most numbers are obscure indie singles from the first half of the 60s – and as usual with Kent, they're compiled with top-notch sound, and stellar notes that really illuminate the material – in a manner that's way better than those public domain sets on the market these days. Titles include "The Twitch" by Danny White, "Cruel World" by Roosevelt Powers, "Lucky Girl" by Joan Duvalle, "Breaking Hearts" by Varetta & The Thomases, "Let Me Know" by Robbie Lee, "Playboy" by Billy Ray, "Real Real Love" by Ray Agee, "What Did I Do Wrong" by The Ovations, "I Can't Even Enjoy My Home" by Big Charley & The Domans, "Something Funny Is Going On" by Bertha Tillman, and "Bossman" by Deane Hawley. CD

Rare and previously unreleased magic from the Memphis soul scene of the late 60s & early 70s – the third release in Kent's compilation series of gems from the Sounds Of Memphis and XL labels – possibly the rarest collection to date! The numbers here have a proudly southern soul groove at the core, but there's a breadth of styles and deep well of talent at play and this set really gets at the heart of it. Many of the tracks here are on par with the best known southern soul of the era and are as effective as the biggest hits – and we're hearing most of it for the first time! Soulful numbers from singers and groups alike – great stuff by The Minits, George Jackson, The Ovations, Erma Shaw, Willie Walker and many more. We keep thinking that the vaults will empty out, but Kent keeps digging more Sounds Of Memphis treasures – here's hoping it continues! 22 tracks in all: "If You Never See Me" and "Run Around" by Willie Walker, "Hook Line & Sinker" and "Lover Boy" by The Minits, "How Can I Get Next To You" (alternate vocal) and "Love Trying To Come" by George Jackson, "You're Slipping Away" and "Take A Look At Yourself" by Dan Greer, "Guessing Game" by Jimi Hall, "The Plumber" by The Ovations and more. CD

Includes 30 tracks from the Suburbans, Precisions, Freddy & Claire, The Accents, The C-Notes, The Fabulous Blends, The Ovations, David Gates, The Swinging Hearts, Nicky St, Clair, The Domineers, and more! CD

Pure greatness from one of the first key labels on the Jamaican scene – the mighty Treasure Isle, a hotbed of new innovation during the ska generation! The set features work from Justin Hinds & The Dominoes, The Skatalites, Baba Brooks, Monty Morris, Stranger & Patsy, and Owen & Leon. (Reggae, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s soul classic from Kashif – an artist who really helped transform R&B at the time, all without the benefit of a last name! The album's completely arranged and produced by Kashif himself – cementing the reputation he'd begun working behind other artists in the earlier part of the decade before going onto greater fame as a solo act on his own – a rock-solid approach to soul music that bristles with the best innovations of the 80s soul generation. Most tunes are heavy on beats, but use them in just the right ways – and keyboards provide a good amount of the rest of the instrumentation, but fleshed out strongly so that they work well next to the vocals. Tunes are a nicely balanced blend of mature male soul and some slightly catchier groovers – and titles include "Botha Botha", "Dancing In The Dark", "Movie Song", "Say You Love Me", "Stay The Night", and "Condition Of The Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

The title's got it right – because the Man is definitely back, although in a completely different way than before! Barry White works here in a setting that's nice and lean – those soul changes that came about during them more electric 80s years, but also given that start-of-90s spin that had a deeper sense of soul returning to the music – thanks to innovations by Soul II Soul, Terry Riley, and other groundbreaking talents! There's a vibe that definitely resonates with the younger R&B generation of the time – funky, but in a completely different way than 70s Barry White – and the singer's vocals fit tremendously well amidst the very catchy grooves. Tracks include "Super Lover", "Don't Let Go", "Love's Interlude/Good Night My Love", "I Wanna Do It Good To Ya", "It's Getting Harder All The Time", and "Responsible". LP, Vinyl record album

27 songs from the Ocapellos, the Chanellors, the Dynamics, the Ambassadors, the Hi-Fives, the Royal Teens, the Four Winds, the Ovations, the Avons, the Duprees, and more. CD

27 songs from the Four Graduates, the Vibes ,the Monotones, Ritchie Dennis, the Royal Teens, the Brooks Four, the Shirelles, the Ovations, the V Eights, the Companions, and more. CD

Legendary work from Goldwax Records – pulled from a stretch when the Memphis imprint was really going strong! By the time of these tracks, Goldwax was really coming into their own – picking up some of the best soul currents of the Memphis scene – and rivaling the Stax/Volt powerhouse in terms of quality – especially on the deep soul tracks that Goldwax seemed to do better than anyone else! This 2CD package is a wonderful overview of these golden years for the label – and it features every single single, both a and b-sides intact – presented with detailed notes on each release. Some of the work is the stuff of Memphis soul legend – mixed in with some more unusual, lesser-known bits from the scene – including a few rock, blues, and country numbers as well. 54 tracks in all – with titles that include "Anything You Do Is Alright" by Spencer Wiggins, "Don't You Believe Him" by Ivory Joe Hunter, "Cry Me A Hand Full" by The Terrys, "Say You Need It" by Barbara Perry, "Lovable Girl" by James Carr, "When You Look In The Mirror" by Eddie Jefferson, "What Time Ye Got" by Gene Bowlegs Miller, "Little Things" by Jeannie Newman, "Forgetting You" by James Carr, "Hello Daughter" by Leroy Daniel, "I Can't Forget You" by The Yo Yos, "Good Times" by George & Greer, "Walking Out On You" by Spencer Wiggins, "Qualifications" by The Ovations, "Liquid Mood" by Timmy Thomas, "Call On Me" by Percy Milem, "Me & My Imagination" by The Ovations, and "The Wife Of The Life Of The Party" by Kathy Davis. CD