A funky classic from the team of Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson – both at the top of their game here, and effortlessly mixing together jazz, funk, and soul! The record really seems to embrace the best of both artists' styles – some of the bassy groovers that Wayne did so well himself, and while producing for other artists – and those snakey, soulful numbers that we love so much in the late 70s work from Roy Ayers – ultra-sophisticated, but still plenty darn grooving – and some of the most sensual soul you'll ever hope to hear. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Weekend Lover", "Thank You Thank You", "Can You Dance", "It Ain't Your Sign It's Your Mind", "You Make Me Feel Like Rockin With Ya", "Have Your Way", and "Million Dollar Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Talk about a meeting of the minds – a pair of ultra-amazing classics from the team of Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – back to back in a single set! At the time of Step Into Our Life, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a smooth soulful style that was pushing the genre onto whole new levels, while still keeping firm roots in jazz – a rare blend that few other artists could handle this well! This initial debut from the pair seems to be much more dominated by the spirit of Roy Ayers' work at the time – particularly the mellow jazzed up work he was laying down on albums like Vibrations and You Send Me – a wicked sound that's rooted in modern soul modes, but filled with plenty of warm jazz elements too. The album's got wonderful vibes and electric piano from Roy – and tracks include "Step Into Our Life", "Lovers Should Always Be Together", "No Deposit No Return", "Ooh Baby", and "For Real". Prime Time is a funky classic from the team of Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson – both at the top of their game here, and effortlessly mixing together jazz, funk, and soul! The record really seems to embrace the best of both artists' styles – some of the bassy groovers that Wayne did so well himself, and while producing for other artists – and those snakey, soulful numbers that we love so much in the late 70s work from Roy Ayers – ultra-sophisticated, but still plenty darn grooving – and some of the most sensual soul you'll ever hope to hear. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Weekend Lover", "Thank You Thank You", "Can You Dance", "It Ain't Your Sign It's Your Mind", "You Make Me Feel Like Rockin With Ya", "Have Your Way", and "Million Dollar Baby". CD

The first album by Gregg Diamond's Bionic Boogie group – and a cooker of a set that follows strongly from Gregg's previous Hot Butterfly gem! Luther Vandross isn't on board this time around, but the overall groove is still totally great – upbeat, soaring, and put together with a jazzy undercurrent that really keeps things interesting – far more so than most other mainstream disco sets of the time! Brad Baker – of B Baker Chocolate Company – handled the arrangements – and the grooves spin out nicely from Diamond's keyboards, and a tight mix of strings and jazzy horns. Vocals are from the soulful trio of Gwen Guthrie, Ullanda McCullough, and Zachary Sanders – and titles include "Dance Little Dreamer", "Risky Changes", "Boogie Boo", "We Must Believe In Music", "Feel Like Dancing", and "Don't Lose The Number". LP, Vinyl record album

A dancefloor classic! The album's the second by Gregg Diamond's Bionic Boogie, and head and shoulders above the rest – a sublime blend of soul and club that's hardly been matched again! Diamond manages to make things groove, but never loses sight of the soulful styles that make the record so great – and works here with key contributions from a young Luther Vandross, who gives the album some of the same strong vocal arrangements he brought to his own first two albums on Atlantic! Luther sings lead on the album's legendary track "Hot Butterfly", and works in a group with Cissy Houston on other tracks – sweetly soaring with vocals that go far beyond most disco efforts of the time. Simply sublime, and with classics that include "Hot Butterfly", "Paradise", "Cream (Always Rises To The Top)", "Chains", and "When The Sh*t Hits The Fan (Rocket Pocket)". LP, Vinyl record album

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Not a classic from the early years of James Brown – but a later greatest hits package that's gone onto have legendary status – given all the key cuts it includes! Most numbers here are the shorter single versions – and together, they pack a hell of a punch – showing an especially strong focus on the best soul and funk years of the legendary Godfather Of Soul! Titles include "I Got You", "Sex Machine (part 1)", "I Got The Feelin", "Mother Popcorn (part 1)", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag (part 1)", "Think", "Get Up Offa That Thing", "Hot Pants (part 1)", "Superbad (parts 1 & 2)", "Papa Don't Take No Mess (part 1)", "Payback", "Get On The Good Foot", and more! CD

Features 50 tracks on two CDs – including "Think", "Try Me", "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's, Man's World", "Prisoner Of Love", "Say It Loud - I'm Black And I'm Proud, Pt 1", "Ain't It Funky Now, Pt 1", "Super Bad, Pt 1", and "There It Is, Pt 1" – plus 8 cuts by Fred Wesley & The JBs! CD

James Brown gets even better than before – working here in the setting of a blacksploitation soundtracks – which makes the album a doubly funky outing from the 70s! James is a master throughout – beating Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield at their own games – as he works with super-tight work from the JBs, plus a bit of vocals from Lyn Collins – all in a massive batch of tracks that further expand his funky palette! Unlike other blacksploitation soundtracks, which usually have one or two key funky tunes, this one's almost entirely overflowing with gems – including Lyn Collins on a version of "Mama Feelgood" that's worth the price of the record alone! The whole thing's great, though – and titles include the classic "Down & Out in New York City", plus "Blind Man Can See It", "Sportin' Life", "The Boss", "Dirty Harri", and "Chase". LP, Vinyl record album

An enduring classic from James Brown – quite possibly the strongest of his late 70s albums, and a record that nicely balances the harder funk of the early part of the decade with a more sophisticated style that almost gets slightly jazzy at times! The vocals are planted strongly at the top of most tunes – really calling out the shots and directing the rhythms – even though they seem tight enough to keep snapping along on their own – and also noteworthy are some of the mellower numbers on the set, which are almost more compelling than some of the groovers! Titles include "Bodyheat", "What The World Needs Now", "Don't Tell It", "Kiss In 77", "Woman", "Wake Up And Give", and "I'm Satisfied". CD

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Although James' early 70's ouvre is often cited as his best funky stuff, he made some darn nice tracks at the end of the 70's, as this swell 2CD set hopes to prove! The package compiles some of the best work that James did during the disco era – and although a few of the tracks have an obvious nod to the club dancefloors, most of the material is dead-on funk, with the classic Godfather sound. Titles include "Bodyheat", "Your Love", "Sex Machine" (the 12 minute version from 1977), "For Goodness Sakes, Take A Look At Those Cakes", "Spank", "Nature", "Rapp Payback", and "Bring It On, Bring It On". Some nice unreleased material, good notes, and even a few 12" single mixes! 23 tracks in all – and a great batch of material! CD

Forget the "hustle" and "bump" in the title – as the set's not a disco cash-in set by the Godfather – and instead is an overlooked funky gem from the 70s! The set still follows strongly in the best modes of the early 70s – with that sharp JB-styled groove underneath – and in a way, the record's bit like Breaking Bread was to that group's great run – maybe a bit more focused, and slightly more upbeat – but still with a righteous approach to funk overall! David Matthews conducts, and players include Fred Wesley on trombone, Maceo Parker on alto, St Clair Pickney on tenor, and both Charles Sherrell and Leon Pendarvis on clavinet – and a few tracks are remakes of older numbers, nestled next to some newer gems. The set features the standout funky cuts "Your Love", which has a great break at the beginning, and "Superbad Superslick" – and other titles include "Hustle", "Turn On The Heat & Build Some Fire", "Calm & Cool", and a remake of "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from James' late 60s period – the time when he was working with the Pee Wee Ellis/Maceo James Brown Band, and developing some of his most crucial conceptions of funkiness. The 2 CD set is filled with nice extra bits – like extended versions of tracks you might already know, alternate takes, and even a few unreleased live performances. Titles include "I Got The Feelin", "There Was A Time", "Funky Drummer", "She's The One", "You Got To Have A Mother For Me", "Licking Stick", "Let A Man Come In & Do The Popcorn", "It's A New Day", "I Can't Stand Myself (When You Touch Me)", and "Get It Together (parts 1 & 2)". Niceness! CD

Here you go! Killer material from James' first version of The JBs – starring Bootsy Collins, Bobby Byrd, and Jabo Starks. Includes the 9 minute version of "Super Bad", an unreleased live version of "There Was A Time (I Got To Move)", the 12 minute version of "Soul Power", the 14 minute version of "Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothin", the 10 minute version of "Sex Machine", and even a cool Public Service Announcement that has James rapping on Drug Abuse! Plus, there's some nice notes, with full session information and rare photos! CD

James Brown screams at the beginning of the record – "I'm Back! I'm Back!" – which is his proclamation that he was ready to take on a whole new generation of funk music – grooving with a new sound that was guaranteed to hit as big as it did in earlier years! The approach is a bit more uptempo than previous albums, but still never at all in a disco/club mode – and James really does strike a strong new chord with the groove here – stretching things out and cooking things up nicely. Rhythms are still quite sharp, although possibly not as dynamic as before – and titles include the great title medley of "Get Up Offa That Thing/Release The Pressure", plus "This Feeling", "Home Again", "I Refuse To Lose", and "Can't Take It With You". CD

A killer double-length album from James Brown – a smoking set that stands strongly right next to similar packages like Get On The Good Foot and Payback! The album's a bit different than the latter, in that the tracks are mostly shorter, and there's some mellower cuts too – but they also work together like some sort of cool stack of funky 45s, which then ends in the massive track that ends the record – a killer 13 minute take on "Papa Don't Take No Mess", every bit as anything from the JBs own albums. And Fred Wesley and the rest of the group are backing up James – on other titles that include "My Thang", "Coldblooded", "I can't Stand It 76", "Please Please Please", "Sayin & Doin It", "Don't Tell A Lie About Me", "Sometime", "Hell", and "A Man Has To Go Back To The Crossroads". CD

A killer double-length album from James Brown – a smoking set that stands strongly right next to similar packages like Get On The Good Foot and Payback! The album's a bit different than the latter, in that the tracks are mostly shorter, and there's some mellower cuts too – but they also work together like some sort of cool stack of funky 45s, which then ends in the massive track that ends the record – a killer 13 minute take on "Papa Don't Take No Mess", every bit as anything from the JBs own albums. And Fred Wesley and the rest of the group are backing up James – on other titles that include "My Thang", "Coldblooded", "I can't Stand It 76", "Please Please Please", "Sayin & Doin It", "Don't Tell A Lie About Me", "Sometime", "Hell", and "A Man Has To Go Back To The Crossroads". CD

A really fantastic album from James Brown – and an unusual one, too – as it was only ever issued overseas back in the early 70s! The album's got a title that's similar to one of James' Christmas albums, but it's a completely different record – kind of a condensation of some of his best funky moments from the start of the 70s – with a track list that's overflowing with hard funk killers! A good number of the tracks here are two-parters – showing Brown and the group stretching out in the way that the JBs would take even further in years to come – working through "Make It Funky (parts 1 & 2)", "My Part/Make It Funky (parts 3 & 4)", "I'm A Greedy Man (parts 1 & 2)", and "Hey America (parts 1 & 2)". The set also features the socking classic "Soul Power" – plus "Let It Be Me", "I Cried", and a 1967 live Apollo version of "Kansas City" – plus takes on "Let It Be Me" and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" that later had applause added on the Super Bad album. CD

One of the lesser-known albums from the mid 70's, and one that includes a mix of remakes of old stuff, and some faster tracks that seem to be aimed at the dancefloor. Dave Matthews arranged a number of tracks, including "Hot", "So Long", and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons". James did the rest, including "Future Shock Of The World", "Woman", "Most Of All", and "Goodnight My Love". Not his greatest – but also with some pretty decent funky moments that aren't too fast! LP, Vinyl record album

Massive – and one of the best James Brown compilations ever, filled with rare and unreleased material! This completely essential set features tracks pulled from James' best years ever – the mighty early 70s, when he was working with the JBs, and laying down tracks that would forever change the face of funk! The tunes on the album are right up there with the best work on classic albums like The Payback, Doin It To Death, Hot Pants, and any of the other killer Polydor funk albums by James – and most of them were pulled from sessions for those records, and brought together in this format for the first time in the late 80s. The centerpiece of the set is a 9 minute version of "Funky Drummer", and other highlights include new versions of "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose (remix)", "Soul Power (mono re-edit)", and "Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothin (remix)". The set's also got bonus beats of "Funky Drummer", a long single take of "Hot Pants (She Got To Use What She Got To Get What She Wants)" (8:42 minutes long!), and the nice rare track "I Got To Move" – previously unreleased, and nice and long! CD

Uptempo funky James from the end of the 70s – aimed at the discos, but with that funky sound of earlier days still pretty much in place! In other words, there's plenty of funky instrumentation in the cuts – a bit faster than in earlier years, but still quite nice – plus occasional flourishes of strings, to give the cuts a bit more of a disco approach. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings – and soul music too! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – the sort of show that really set his fans on fire – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone", "Think", "Night Train", and the massive medley featuring "Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen". CD

A landmark album that forever changed the face of live recordings – and soul music too! As has been told and retold often, King records not only had the genius idea of bringing recording equipment into the Apollo Theater to catch James in a smoking live setting – the sort of show that really set his fans on fire – but they also went out of their way to record and re-record the audience, creating a wonderful interplay on the record between James and the crowd. The result is the stuff of legend – and the record's filled with loads of nice tracks like "I'll Go Crazy", "Try Me", "I Don't Mind", "Lost Someone", "Think", "Night Train", and the massive medley featuring "Please Please Please/You've Got The Power/I Found Someone/Why Do You Do Me/I Want You So Bad/I Love You Yes I Do/Strange Things Happen". This newly remastered edition features five bonus tracks/single mixes of original LP tracks! CD

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James Brown's great second album recorded live at the Apollo Theater in Harlem – a set we like even better than the first famous volume – because it's much more stretched-out, harder-hitting, and full of fire! You'd be hard pressed to find a better example of Brown's showmanship on record – as James urges the band through these triple-time takes on some of his classics, and turns in some amazing work in the process! The set includes a killer long version of "There Was A Time" – almost the blueprint of the James Brown funk sound to come – and other titles include "Bring It Up", "Let Yourself Go", and a wonderful duet version of "Think" – plus "Prisoner Of Love", "Out Of Sight", "Try Me", "It's A Man's, Man's, Man's World", "Lost Someone","Thanks", "Cold Sweat", "I Feel Alright", and "Please, Please, Please". Features 30 minutes of extra material, with remixed tracks, set in the original running order, and lots of great notes! CD

A lost treasure from James Brown & The JBs – a vintage live performance from the early 70s, and one that captures the group at the height of their powers! The format here is very similar to the excellent Revolution Of The Mind set – a totally funky, totally righteous live performance that has James and the group even more energized than in the studio – working with the kind of razor-sharp intensity that made them a legendary funk act – leaping from tune to tune with nary a break at all! Bobby Byrd acts as the MC, and joins James for a bit of vocals – and the group at this point still includes Bootsy Collins on bass, plus loads of great guitar from Catfish Collins, and Fred Wesley on trombone and Jabo Starks on drums. Dave Matthews handled some of the arrangements – and titles include "Soul Power", "Sex Machine", "Bewildered", "It's A New Day", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Brother Rapp", "Super Bad", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag/I Got You/I Got The Feelin". CD

Killer 2 CD set that focuses on the funky sound of James from the 70s – and which includes great material that was never issued at the time, alternate funky takes, rare singles, and other great bits! There's a wealth of incredible material on here that makes the set essential – even if you have James' full albums from the time, because there's so many other extra bits that weren't included on those! The extra goodies include "Down & Out In New York City" (with a spoken intro), "Coldblooded" (undubbed version), "Mind Power" (alternate take), "Hot Pants Finale" (live), "Don't Tell It", "World Of Soul", "I Can't Stand It '76", "Turn On The Heat & Build Some Fire", "Problems", "I Got A Bag Of My Own", "I Got Ants In My Pants", "King Heroin", "Make It Funky (parts 1 thorugh 4)", "Escape-Ism", "Don't Tell It", "My Thang", "Funky President", and "Make It Good To Yourself" (interlude). Great notes, loads of other great tracks, and a total of 26 cuts make this a monster value! CD

One of the greatest albums ever from James Brown – even if it wasn't issued during his classic run of funk records in the early 70s! Yet the material here is all from that time – recorded by Polydor when James and the JBs were completely kicking ass in the studio – turning out these monstrous longform funk jams that often gave up too much material to fit on all of his albums – which makes this package an overdue dip into the vaults to rescue some of those treasures! The package first saw the light of day in 1988 – at a time when the genius of James was being rediscovered by younger hip hoppers and DJs – and the set is a love letter to all that James had to offer that scene – with gems that include the lost soul classic "She's The One", a duet with Bobby Byrd called "Since You Been Gone", a live version of "There It Is", an untitled instrumental and another instrumental one called "Funk Bomb" – plus a huge long 9 minute version of the great "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" from Slaughter's Big Ripoff, and the cuts "Say It Loud & Live", and "Baby Here I Come". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from James Brown – even if it wasn't issued during his classic run of funk records in the early 70s! Yet the material here is all from that time – recorded by Polydor when James and the JBs were completely kicking ass in the studio – turning out these monstrous longform funk jams that often gave up too much material to fit on all of his albums – which makes this package an overdue dip into the vaults to rescue some of those treasures! The package first saw the light of day in 1988 – at a time when the genius of James was being rediscovered by younger hip hoppers and DJs – and the set is a love letter to all that James had to offer that scene – with gems that include the lost soul classic "She's The One", a duet with Bobby Byrd called "Since You Been Gone", a live version of "There It Is", an untitled instrumental and another instrumental one called "Funk Bomb" – plus a huge long 9 minute version of the great "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" from Slaughter's Big Ripoff, and the cuts "Say It Loud & Live", and "Baby Here I Come". CD

One of the greatest albums ever from James Brown – even if it wasn't issued during his classic run of funk records in the early 70s! Yet the material here is all from that time – recorded by Polydor when James and the JBs were completely kicking ass in the studio – turning out these monstrous longform funk jams that often gave up too much material to fit on all of his albums – which makes this package an overdue dip into the vaults to rescue some of those treasures! The package first saw the light of day in 1988 – at a time when the genius of James was being rediscovered by younger hip hoppers and DJs – and the set is a love letter to all that James had to offer that scene – with gems that include the lost soul classic "She's The One", a duet with Bobby Byrd called "Since You Been Gone", a live version of "There It Is", an untitled instrumental and another instrumental one called "Funk Bomb" – plus a huge long 9 minute version of the great "People Get Up & Drive Your Funky Soul" from Slaughter's Big Ripoff, and the cuts "Say It Loud & Live", and "Baby Here I Come". Plus, this expanded version also features a 7 minute version of "I Got Ants In My Pants", the track "You've Changed", and a 12 minute alternate mix of "Bodyheat". CD

A masterpiece of funky soul – and one of the greatest albums of the early 70s! It all comes together on this one – funk, soul, politics, and production – and the record is still one of the clearest examples of James Brown's genius that you'll ever find! Recorded during the same sessions as the JBs album Damn Right I Am Somebody – Payback has the group backing James with amazing intensity, playing on and on for very long stretches, improvising jams that perfectly match the vocals, which are often as improvised as the music. The most famous example of this style at work is "The Payback", which begins with a simple head arrangement, then has James riffing off on politics and power, letting the band come in at just the right moment, dropping solos that are still some of the best ever recorded on a funk album. The rest of the album's equally great, and even though most tracks run close to 10 minutes, and the album's a 2LP set, most of the material stays fresher than any 3 minute funk record we've ever heard. Some tracks are separated by these cool voices that rise up as seques – and titles include "Stone To The Bone", "Mind Power", "Take Some Leave Some", and "Shoot Your Shot". CD

A masterpiece of funky soul – and one of the greatest albums of the early 70s! It all comes together on this one – funk, soul, politics, and production – and the record is still one of the clearest examples of James Brown's genius that you'll ever find! Recorded during the same sessions as the JBs album Damn Right I Am Somebody – Payback has the group backing James with amazing intensity, playing on and on for very long stretches, improvising jams that perfectly match the vocals, which are often as improvised as the music. The most famous example of this style at work is "The Payback", which begins with a simple head arrangement, then has James riffing off on politics and power, letting the band come in at just the right moment, dropping solos that are still some of the best ever recorded on a funk album. The rest of the album's equally great, and even though most tracks run close to 10 minutes, and the album's a 2LP set, most of the material stays fresher than any 3 minute funk record we've ever heard. Some tracks are separated by these cool voices that rise up as seques – and titles include "Stone To The Bone", "Mind Power", "Take Some Leave Some", and "Shoot Your Shot". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible early album from James Brown – featuring 16 raw R&B tracks culled from his early years at King – and virtually the blueprint for so many other great things to follow! "Please Please Please" was James' first big hit – and as you probably already know, it's got a sheer raw unbridled screaming sound that forever changed the face of soul music. The rest of the album's in a similar mode – and has plenty of great numbers that evoke a similar sound, including the obvious follow-up "No, No, No, No", plus "That's When I Lost My Heart", "Chonnie On Chon", "Hold My Baby's Hand", and "Tell Me What I Did Wrong". CD

An amazing double-live album that's to concert records what James Brown's Payback was to the sound of studio funk! Like that classic, this is a double-length 2LP set that really has James and the JBs stretching out and doing their thing – working here in a setting that's supposed to be the "part 3" to the famous Live At The Apollo albums – but with a vibe that really shows the different spirit of the Godfather in the 70s! The JBs are wonderful – really showing their chops here, in a way that maybe even blows the tightness of the previous James Brown Band to pieces – as the long tracks allow for plenty of solos, rhythm changes, and monstrous moments of soul from James. Brown also opens up with some cool bad-rapping moments, too – and titles include "It's A New Day So Let A Man Come In & Do The Popcorn", "Get Up Get Into It Get Involved", "Super Bad", "Sex Machine", "Escape-Ism", "Make It Funky", "Hot Pants", "Soul Power", and "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose". CD

An amazing double-live album that's to concert records what James Brown's Payback was to the sound of studio funk! Like that classic, this is a double-length 2LP set that really has James and the JBs stretching out and doing their thing – working here in a setting that's supposed to be the "part 3" to the famous Live At The Apollo albums – but with a vibe that really shows the different spirit of the Godfather in the 70s! The JBs are wonderful – really showing their chops here, in a way that maybe even blows the tightness of the previous James Brown Band to pieces – as the long tracks allow for plenty of solos, rhythm changes, and monstrous moments of soul from James. Brown also opens up with some cool bad-rapping moments, too – and titles include "It's A New Day So Let A Man Come In & Do The Popcorn", "Get Up Get Into It Get Involved", "Super Bad", "Sex Machine", "Escape-Ism", "Make It Funky", "Hot Pants", "Soul Power", and "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose". CD

An amazing double-live album that's to concert records what James Brown's Payback was to the sound of studio funk! Like that classic, this is a double-length 2LP set that really has James and the JBs stretching out and doing their thing – working here in a setting that's supposed to be the "part 3" to the famous Live At The Apollo albums – but with a vibe that really shows the different spirit of the Godfather in the 70s! The JBs are wonderful – really showing their chops here, in a way that maybe even blows the tightness of the previous James Brown Band to pieces – as the long tracks allow for plenty of solos, rhythm changes, and monstrous moments of soul from James. Brown also opens up with some cool bad-rapping moments, too – and titles include "It's A New Day So Let A Man Come In & Do The Popcorn", "Get Up Get Into It Get Involved", "Super Bad", "Sex Machine", "Escape-Ism", "Make It Funky", "Hot Pants", "Soul Power", and "Give It Up Or Turn It Loose". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of 60s work by James – one that goes way past the hits, to show the birth of the funky style that would forever be James' calling card in the 70s! The package starts in the earlier King R&B years – with tracks that are hard and soulful, yet which also have a unique approach to rhythm that was the beginning of Brown's experiments in funk. As the set moves on, it runs through an assortment of 60s hard soul styles – with touches of soul jazz, sock-boogaloo, and more – all coming together to serve up a great portrait of James' early genius! The package has a number of wonderful vocal cuts, some instrumental bits, and even some rare studio dialogue – and it features tracks pulled from a number of rare singles and long out of print LPs, complete with a killer booklet too! Titles include "Baby You're Right", "Doodle Bee", "This Old Heart", "I'll Never Never Let You Go", "I Cried", "I Don't Care", "Shout & Shimmy", "Mashed Potatoes USA", "Maybe The Last Time", "Oh Baby Don't You Weep (parts 1 & 2)", "Just You & Me Darling", "And I Do Just What I Want", "Hold It", "Begging Begging", "That Dood It", and "Chonnie On Chon". 43 tracks in all! CD

A great collection of 60s work by James – one that goes way past the hits, to show the birth of the funky style that would forever be James' calling card in the 70s! The package starts in the earlier King R&B years – with tracks that are hard and soulful, yet which also have a unique approach to rhythm that was the beginning of Brown's experiments in funk. As the set moves on, it runs through an assortment of 60s hard soul styles – with touches of soul jazz, sock-boogaloo, and more – all coming together to serve up a great portrait of James' early genius! The package has a number of wonderful vocal cuts, some instrumental bits, and even some rare studio dialogue – and it features tracks pulled from a number of rare singles and long out of print LPs, complete with a killer booklet too! Titles include "Fine Old FoxySelf", "Doodle Bug", "This Old Heart", "You've Got The Power", "I Want You So Bad", "I Don't Care", "Shout & Shimmy", "Mashed Potatoes USA", "Maybe The Last Time", "Oh Baby Don't You Weep (parts 1 & 2)", "Just Won't Do Right", "And I Do Just What I Want", "Hold It", "Begging Begging", "That Dood It", and "Chonnie On Chon". 32 tracks in all! LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing James Brown live set from the crucial year of 1968 – the show that marked the debut of "Say It Loud I'm Black & I'm Proud" – a cut that would become an anthem for much of America in the years to come! The feel here is somewhat similar to Brown's famous Boston show of the same year – a mix of blistering uptempo funk tracks, played by the band at a clip that's even faster than their studio sides, mixed with a few more stripped-down, personal cuts that feature James getting a bit more intimate with the audience. The production quality of the set is wonderful – and it leaves in all the hip spoken bits between tracks, really preserving the liveness of the concert, and packaging the whole thing with some great notes and photos too! Titles include "I Guess I'll Have To Cry Cry Cry", "Say It Loud", "If I Ruled The World", "There Was A Time", "Maybe The Last Time", "I Got The Feeling", "Cold Sweat", "Please Please Please", "Tighten Up", "Licking Stick", and lots more! CD

James Brown cooking it live – recorded (as the cover says) "at home in Augusta, Georgia with his bad self"! The groove here is a nice extension of earlier Apollo modes – one that shows the increasing funkiness of the James Brown Band, captured with a raw power that few other groups could match – in a style that really paves the way for the James Brown/JBs sound of the 70s – with long tracks, and some killer fast versions of some of the best funky cuts from the late King Records years! The set includes a smoking 10 minute version of "Sex Machine" –plus other groovers like "I Got the Feeling", "Mother Popcorn", "Licking Stick", and a great version of "I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary bit of fuzzy funk from James Brown – an important collaboration with the mighty Dave Matthews, who brings a more tripped-out feel to the record than some of James' other King sessions of the time! Matthews adds in lots of psych-influenced guitar – used very different than the scratching riffs of the other JB material of the late 60s – in ways that almost make the record a second chapter to Dave's Grodeck Whipperjenny album – a gritty blend of funk, soul, and psych – all with some nice touches by the James Brown Band! All tracks are co-written by Brown and Matthews, and all are instrumental – and titles include "Can Mind", "Don't Mind", "Bob Scoward", and "Just Enough Room for Storage". CD

Second volume of this excellent early 70's compilation. It contains some of James' best funky singles from his late King and early Polydor years, and a record that features a lot of cuts that didn't necessarily show up on LP that easily. Includes such massive groovers as "Talking Loud & Saying Nothing Part 1 & 2", "King Heroin", "Think", "I'm A Greedy Man", "There It is Part 1", "I Got Ants In My Pants", "Honky Tonk Part 1" and "I Got A Bag Of My Own". LP, Vinyl record album

72 tracks – and a fantastic overview of the music of James Brown – from the gritty R&B years to his classic moments of 60s soul, to his mindblowing 70s funk and beyond! CD

One of James Brown's earliest full albums for King Records – and a set that kicks off with his monstrous reworkin of the tune "Think" – originally recorded by the Five Royales, but recast here by James as the blueprint for all the funky goodness in years to come! That track really sets the scene for the record – and James follows up with some other harder, sharp-edged tunes – offset by a few more deep-burning mellower soul tracks. Other titles include "You've Got The Power", "If You Want Me", "So Long", "Baby, You're Right", "I'll Go Crazy", "Good Good Lovin", and "I Know It's True". Reissued with the great original cover, too! CD

A big standout set for vocalist Bobby Caldwell – a record that has him moving to Polydor and working in a style that's even tighter and more sophisticated than before! In a way, the record's still very much in the 70s AOR mode that made Caldwell's first few records so great – but Bobby's also trying to stretch out a bit more here with some of his phrasings, and almost seems to be reaching towards the solo sound of Donald Fagan. As always, there's plenty of catchy little gems tucked beneath the covers of the record – and help from George "Chocolate" Perry helps keep the soulful side of Bobby's work intact. Titles include "Catwalk", "Words", "Sunny Hills", "All Of My Love", and "You Belong to Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A mad mix of Latin and funky rhythms – a 70s classic from the Belgian group Chakachas! The album's best known for its title hit "Jungle Fever" – an insane cut that features heavy drums, choppy guitar, and a stop/start action that's peppered with sounds of female pleasure! The track was a worldwide hit, and continues to be a funky classic today – thanks to a heavy sample history, and a life in playlists worldwide – but the rest of the album's pretty darn great too, and even weirder. Some tracks mix easy Euro grooving with heavy conga, others have kind of an LA Chicano funk approach, and still others throw in some mad horns to complicate matters with nice jazzy riffing. Really great throughout – and maybe one of the best funky albums to ever come out on a major label! Titles include "Jungle Fever", "El Canyon Rojo", "Chica Chica Bau Bau", "Eso Es El Amor", "Ay Mulata", "Cha Ka Cha", "Latin Can Can", and "Yo Soy Cubano". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Titles include "Land Of The Dreamer", "Serious Love", "Let's Apologize", "You're The Only Woman I Need", and "Goin To The Bank". CD

Titles include "Land Of The Dreamer", "Serious Love", "Let's Apologize", "You're The Only Woman I Need", and "Goin To The Bank". LP, Vinyl record album

(Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Production by Nile Rodgers, Shep Pettibone, & Dancin' Danny D. (Cassettes, Soul) Cassette

Production by Nile Rodgers, Shep Pettibone, & Dancin' Danny D. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked groover from Gloria Gaynor – warm, wonderful, and filled with some great Philly touches! Sure, the record's got a Park Avenue address, but it's also got some great arrangements from Norman Harris, Jack Faith, and Ron Kersey – all of whom bring in a bit more warmth than on other Gaynor records, and wrap up her vocals in a sweetly gliding sound! This approach is heard to classic effect on the sublime "This Love Affair" – worth the price of the record alone – but it also keeps on going nicely through a set list that includes "Part Time Love", "For The First Time In My Life", "You're All I Need To Get By", "After The Lovin", and "Kidnapped". LP, Vinyl record album

A great meeting of 70s disco talents here – as both Gregg Diamond and Joe Beck both work with Gloria Gaynor on this sweet little set – with an approach that makes for some of her nicest music of the time! Diamond's tunes have a definite Bionic Boogie feel – sharp-edged, but never too commercial, and with a nicely thoughtful approach to the rhythms overall – especially when they step along in a sweet midtempo groove! Beck's style is a bit more full, and almost in a Kudu Records mode – that style used a bit by Esther Phillips when she was picking up speed more in the 70s – a diva mode that's equally great for Gloria's magnificent vocals. Titles include "Why Should I Pay", "As Time Goes By", "Most Of All", "We Can Start All Over Again", "So Much Love", "This Side Of The Pain", and "Sweet Sweet Melody". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "I Will Survive", "Never Can Say Goodbye", and loads of other classics! CD

THE lasting classic from Gloria Gaynor – the record that contains her tremendous hit "I Will Survive", and a great batch of disco grooves overall! The album's got a simple, honest sort of approach, despite its release in an era of overblown dancefloor sets – and arranger Freddie Perren does a great job of balancing all the elements here – hitting strong on the rhythms, but mixing in bits of strings from Gene Page and others – all in a sound that's round, warm, and surprisingly soulful, despite the big crossover fame of the hit on the record. In addition to a nice long take of "I Will Survive", other tracks include "Anybody Wanna Party?", "Please, Be There", "I Said Yes", and "You Can Exit". (Soul, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The genius of Richie Havens at this point is beyond compare – a unique take on the dying folk sound of the 60s, one that infused it with a deeper sense of soul that helped it get new legs in the Woodstock generation – yet which is also heard here before any of the post-hippie cliches that would bog down some of Richie's later work. There's an earnestness to this music that's also touched with a good degree of worldly sense – a notion that the world was changing, but one person at a time, and mostly through the gentle efforts and honest efforts of souls like Richie. This LP features 11 tracks in all – with titles that include "High Flyin' Bird", "San Francisco Bay Blues", "Just Like A Woman", "Sandy", "Three Day Eternity", "Follow", and "Handsome Johny". CD

Wonderful later work from Isaac Hayes – a gem from his Polydor years that has a good mix of mellow cuts and more upbeat numbers! The record has 3 long "quiet storm" tracks that take off on Ike's earlier expanded ballad style (forged on tracks like "Walk On By") – turned into late 70s late night jams with lots of stretched out production, breathy vocals, and seductive instrumentation. The best of these is "What Does It Take", which has a nice hook, and the other two are "Someone Who Will Take The Place Of You" and "A Few More Kisses To Go". Other tracks are a bit more upbeat – but Ike does a wonderful job with groovers at this point of his career – really finding a new outlet for his amazing vocals! Remaining titles include the club classic "Don't Let Go" and "Fever". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Isaac Hayes albums from the post-Stax years – a wonderful late 70s set that has the man returning strongly to the mellow roots of his early solo years! Ike sounded great on his disco tracks at the time – but we really love his mature, laidback way of laying down a tune on this sweet set – mostly longer numbers that feature lots of the spoken, soulful passages that Hayes delivered on his first few albums of the 70s. The record does have two great groovers – a remake of "Shaft" – called "Shaft II" – one that really follows the format of the original, but extends the length of the tune significantly, throwing in lots of instrumental fills for the disco crowds – and the quirky "Zeke The Freak". But the mellower cuts are our favorites here – and include "Believe In Me", "Just The Way You Are", "If We Ever Needed Peace", and "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest records ever from Akira Ishikawa and his Count Buffalos band – a hip little groover that stands head to head with some of the best funky jazz from the US and Europe of the time! Despite Akira's earthy look on the cover, the record's got a relatively electric feel overall – thanks to some sweet electric piano from Hiromasa Suzuki and organ from Norio Maeda – both of whom work together on most numbers, with a great sense of flow between the keyboards! The rhythms have some Latin and African percussion added on the bottom, which gives the grooves a nicely chunky feel – and some cuts have some sharp-edged tenor solos from Takeru Muraoka, who further deepens the soul of the set. The album's a really tremendous one through and through – as righteous as a lost American funky fusion set from the early 70s – and titles include "African Deer", "Sunrise", "Sandstorm", "Blue Soul", "Bakishinba", and "Mirage". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the funkiest records ever from Akira Ishikawa and his Count Buffalos band – a hip little groover that stands head to head with some of the best funky jazz from the US and Europe of the time! Despite Akira's earthy look on the cover, the record's got a relatively electric feel overall – thanks to some sweet electric piano from Hiromasa Suzuki and organ from Norio Maeda – both of whom work together on most numbers, with a great sense of flow between the keyboards! The rhythms have some Latin and African percussion added on the bottom, which gives the grooves a nicely chunky feel – and some cuts have some sharp-edged tenor solos from Takeru Muraoka, who further deepens the soul of the set. The album's a really tremendous one through and through – as righteous as a lost American funky fusion set from the early 70s – and titles include "African Deer", "Sunrise", "Sandstorm", "Blue Soul", "Bakishinba", and "Mirage". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic update of earlier soul duo modes – served up here by two of the most badass soul singers of the 70s! The album's got the smooth flow of Isaac Hayes' late 70s work – a bit of clubby rhythms at times, some soaring orchestrations at others – all in a mode that opens up into tunes that allow plenty of vocal interplay between Millie and Ike – who beautifully balance their deep soul roots and growing shift into modern soul modes. Brad Shapiro and Millie produced – giving the album some of the flavors of Jackson's late 70s work on Spring – but the Isaac Hayes presence really makes the record his own, too – as if we could imagine anything less! Titles include "Sweet Music, Soft Lights, & You", "Do You Wanna Make Love", "If I Had My Way", "Love Changes", and "You Needed Me". CD

A fantastic update of earlier soul duo modes – served up here by two of the most badass soul singers of the 70s! The album's got the smooth flow of Isaac Hayes' late 70s work – a bit of clubby rhythms at times, some soaring orchestrations at others – all in a mode that opens up into tunes that allow plenty of vocal interplay between Millie and Ike – who beautifully balance their deep soul roots and growing shift into modern soul modes. Brad Shapiro and Millie produced – giving the album some of the flavors of Jackson's late 70s work on Spring – but the Isaac Hayes presence really makes the record his own, too – as if we could imagine anything less! Titles include "Sweet Music, Soft Lights, & You", "Do You Wanna Make Love", "If I Had My Way", "Love Changes", and "You Needed Me". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible album – quite possibly our favorite record by the JBs, ever! The set starts with a wonderful conversational bit – rapping and musing on the idea of "Damn Right, I Am Somebody" – showing the group in a political and righteous mode for the first time ever. The grooves then kick in – with the same heavy funk as on earlier records, but also a nice nod towards experimental production – from strange fade ups and fade downs, to stark time and rhythm changes, and even bits of electronics used to create some very cool moments in the grooves! The whole thing's as dead funky as can be, and is stuffed with insane classics like "Blow Your Head", "Same Beat", "Damn Right I am Somebody", "I'm Payin' Taxes, What am I Buyin'", and a great cover of Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love to Ball"! CD

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 segues 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". CD

A killer 2CD set of funky grooves by one of the best backing bands ever! The JBs were James Brown's legendary combo during his monster funk years of the early 70s – and this well-selected compilation brings together 30 rare tracks from their best years! The set's got a great set of notes – and it stretches beyond work by the JBs alone to include cuts from other groupings of the band, like Maceo & The Macks, The Last Word, The First Family, and The New JBs. Titles include "Rockin Funky Watergate", "Keep On Bumpin Before You Give Out Of Gas", "Soul Power 74", "My Brother (parts 1 & 2)", "The Grunt (parts 1 & 2)", "Dirty Harri", "More Peas", "Watermelon Man", "Givin Up Food For Funk (parts 1 & 2)", "JB Shout", "Blessed Blackness", "Same Beat (parts 1, 2, & 3)", and "Gimme Some More (Very Live)". Nice nice nice – and with a fair number of non-LP tracks! CD

One of the most fantastic albums by the JBs – a masterpiece of funky jamming, tight instrumentation, and that free yet tight style of the James Brown 70s years! The tracks are longer than on some of the earlier singles – especially the 8 minute jammer "(It's Not The Express) It's the JBs Monourail", an answer to BT Express' theme song, and a fantastic cut that's held up through so many years and so many scenes! Another great jammer is the group's version of "Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself", which runs for nearly 10 minutes – plus spacey funk tracks "Transmogrification" and "Taurus, Aires, & Leo", and the tighter jammer "Soul Funky Train", which returns to the group's funky 45 mode. Fantastic all around – and the kind of record you'll be playing for your grandkids! CD

A different groove than usual from The JBs – but still pretty darn nice, and way better than just about all the other funky combos on the market! It's the late 70s, and James Brown's head is a bit addled – he thinks he's the guy who invented disco, and he starts turning his extended funky sound towards the clubs. By this point, Fred and Maceo had left him, so he's working here with a new version of the JBs, one that still includes Jimmy Nolan on guitar and Sinclair Pickney on sax – and although the new band's not the same as the old, they're a surprisingly good funk band nonetheless, and the album's still more of a funk album than you'd guess from the title. In fact, if the record didn't have JBs in the title, most folks would probably thing it was some great lost band! Lots of uptempo funk tracks, similar to those on James' albums from the time – and Martha & The Lazers sing vocals on a few tracks. Titles include "JBs Disco", "Night Train Disco", "A Little Bit Of Disco", and "Soul Of The Disco". CD

A lost bit of European funk from the JJ Band – a Belgian combo from the start of the 70s, and one with shared members of the more famous Euro funk groups Chakachas and El Chicles! As with those groups, the style here is nicely offbeat – elements learned from American soul and jazz, but reworked into a cool groove that's not afraid to borrow bits from the UK beat group scene – all wrapped together with soaring horns, funky drums, and plenty of riffing guitar to hold the whole thing together! Vocals are in English throughout – maybe no surprise, as some of the cuts are covers of big Anglo hits, mixed with great original tracks by the group – in a lineup that includes "Love In Them There Hills", "Now I've Found Out", "Leaving You", "Norwegian Wood", "Bip Bip", "To Love Somebody", and "We've Been So Happy/Into A World". CD features bonus tracks "Cousins Jack" and "Nicky's At The PC". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

... CD

... LP, Vinyl record album