Massive work from one of the funkiest drummers of all time – the legendary Bernard Pretty Purdie, stepping out here in a batch of instrumentals that may well be his greatest album ever! Bernard's drums are right up front in the mix – leading off all tunes with a full, funky, echoey sort of approach that's unlike anything else we can think of – and certainly different from any other late 60s albums of this type! The production is totally great – and has a way of pulling out some of the weirdest aspects of the music – which itself features guitar from Billy Butler and Eric Gale, bass from Bob Bushnell, tenor and flute from Seldon Powell, and organ and piano from Richard Tee – who also handled all the arrangements on the set! The centerpiece is the hit single "Funky Donkey", but just about every track's a groover in its own way – and titles include "Soul Drums", "Bill's Groove", "Jimmy's Back", "Testifyin", "Modern Jive", "Blow Your Lid", "Bee N Tee", and "Soul Bossa Nova". This new edition includes 8 bonus tracks, with a couple rare 45 tracks and more that have never been released – all soulful & funky – well paired with the Soul Drums album! Bonus tracks are in stereo, and include "Alexander's Rag Time Band", "Genuine John", "Soul Clappin", "If You Never Cried", "Stop" and "Time Is Tight". Also comes with a nice booklet with new liner notes, and choice quotes from Purdie's peers and those he influenced, from Galt MacDermot to Large Professor. (Jazz, Soul) CD

Classic funkiness from Sly & The Family Stone – an album that really pushed them to the top of their game, and exploded on the late 60s scene like a righteous funky bomb! The title cut's a mega-hit that you'll recognize right away – but the whole album's great, and is filled with the simple, joyous energy that made Sly's groove one of the freshest of his generation – and which helped foist all the great work going on in the 60s underground firmly into the light of a much wider mainstream audience. The messages are subtle here, but the group are already doing their part to change the world bit by bit – and the funky rhythms at the bottom assure that they'll be doing it ass by ass on the dancefloor! Titles include "Dance to The Music", "Ride The Rhythm", "Higher", "Don't Burn Baby", and the 12 minute "Dance To The Medley", with the groovy "Music Lover" passage! CD also features 6 bonus tracks, 4 previously unreleased – titles that include "Soul Clappin", "We Love All", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Never Do Your Woman Wrong (inst)", and "Higher (unissued single version)". CD

The complete Warner Brothers recordings of Sly Stone – and a much-needed look at an oft-ignored side of his career! The set features the full tracks from the albums Back On The Right Track and Ain't But The One Way – as well as 5 previously unissued demos, which have a rough and ready feel that almost makes them the best of the bunch! The work on the albums is surprisingly great – not classic early Sly, but with this warmly compressed groove that extends his sound nicely – and which has a really great mainstream funk appeal. Sly's using the studio as an instrument more than ever before – getting some great sounds out of the way he brings the vocals, drums, and guitars all together in the mix – and reinventing himself a bit, without losing his groove. Titles include "The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)", "Shine It On", "It Takes All Kinds", "Who's To Say", "Sheer Energy", "LOVINU", "One Way", "High, Y'All", "Ha Ha Hee Hee", "You Really Got Me", "Sylvester", "You're The One (inst demo)", "In Other Words (demo)", "Hand Of Love (demo)", and "Get Back (backing track takes 2 & 3)". CD

One of those great rare gospel albums from the modern soul generation – a time when the music had some of its strongest secular styles in the grooves – so much so, you might be hard-pressed to imagine these guys singing in a church! In fact, most of these tracks would be right at home in the clubs – as Soul Liberation have this upbeat modern soul approach that's wonderfully groovy – and which is made even better by their righteous lyrics – which often soft-pedal the religious message, but still use its current to give the music a strong sense of spirit – which is then matched by the equally uplifting sense of groove! Titles include "Send Me", "Heavenly Places", "Put On The Whole Armor", "Who Are You", "It Won't Go Away", and "Touch Me Again". CD

T-Connection are definitely on fire with this smoking little set – a killer batch of late 70s club, done with almost equal parts funk, soul, and disco! As with their debut, the group here are right on the money instrumentally – playing with a dexterity that few other large funk groups could match this well – especially blistering on some of the album's longer tracks too. There's also a great sense of balance to the record too – a ballad, some midtempo numbers, and a more well-rounded feel that also shows the group going for a wider palette of sounds than just their usual grooves. But as always, the upbeat club tracks are the best – and titles include "Lady Of The Night", "On Fire", "Cush", "Groove To Get Down", and "Let Yourself Go". CD

Lillo Thomas has a mighty nice vocal style here – one that's a bit high in the spectrum, and which works perfectly with the sweet keyboards in the grooves! Thomas takes the lyrics right up to the top of the mix – and floats them way high above the basslines, but still in a way that snaps along with the 80s groove that drives most of the numbers a great blend that's served up by Paul Lawrence – who handles the keys, production, and songwriting – really making for a tight package overall! Lillo's got the chops to challenge the bigger chart names in 80s soul, yet keeps things a bit more relaxed too. Titles include "Your Love's Got A Hold On Me", "Holding On", "Show Me", "Settle Down", "All Of You", and "My Girl". CD

Luther Vandross at the top of his game – sitting right at the height of that crossover space in soul he virtually owned back in the mid 80s! The work here is certainly more commercial than Vandross albums of the past, but the soul is no less deep – thanks to Luther's amazing vocal approach, which is as powerful as ever, and set up in lean arrangements that are as slimmed-down as his own image on the cover. Marcus Miller's the co-producer who helps Vandross find his groove on the set – and there's definitely a sound here that reminds us of Miller's own work of the time. Titles include "Give Me The Reason", "So Amazing", "I Gave It Up", "Stop To Love", "See Me", "There's Nothing Better Than Love", "I Really Didn't Mean It", and "Anyone Who Had A Heart". CD

Heavy soul from the great Spanky Wilson – an album that explodes with energy right from the start – in a groove that definitely lives up to the title! Spanky's got a great mix of funk and class on this set – a punch in the rhythms at points, yet also a poise in the way she delivers the lyrics – a blend that's a bit like Marlena Shaw in her earlier years – and set to some killer arrangements from the great HB Barnum! Barnum gives the record all the cool punch of his great 60s work with Lou Rawls – and nearly all the material was written by the obscure Howlett Smith – an excellent lost writer who had a real talent for coming up with cool little soul songs that rise above the usual bag of his generation. This material works great for Spanky, and together, the pair, along with Barnum, cook up a unique lost soul treat! Titles include "Apartment 101", "On The Morning After", "The Other Girl", "You're Gonna Miss Me", "Love Has Me By The Hand", and "Mighty Great Feeling". CD

One of the most unique albums to ever come out of the Miami soul scene of the 70s – a sublime set of work that we'd easily rank right up there with the best material of the time from Donny Hathaway or Stevie Wonder! Milton Wright has a really jazzy groove to his music – and he mixes his own acoustic guitar lines with warm keyboards and unusual rhythms that often have a bit of synth or moog – never too much, and almost more of a Mizell-like touch, but a bit more understated overall! The cuts are wonderfully written – quite righteous, almost with a Terry Callier sort of sensitivity – and Milton's vocals more than have the chops to live up to the heady batch of artists we're comparing him to in these notes. The sound is amazing throughout – one of those soul records that feels like nothing else you've ever heard, but which you can't live without once you've heard it! Titles include "Friends & Buddies", "Keep It Up", "Brothers & Sisters", "Get No Lovin' Tonight", "Po Man", "Black Man", and "Silence That You Keep". CD

Damn funky work from the west coast scene of the late 60s and early 70s – just the kind of tracks to dispel the idea that too much sun or cannabis might have left the Cali scene a bit weak! Instead, these cuts are right on the money, stone funky throughout, and light years from any sort of California connotations you may have – no west coast jazz, smooth AOR, or breezy Bay Area – and much more of the grit and groove that was brewing up on funky 45s from all points east! Drums are heavy, guitars are sharp, and vocals are super-righteous – filled with the kind of messages that you could only get across on the sort of small label releases that make up most of this set – and which also include a few unreleased tracks appearing here for the first time ever. As usual with BGP, the package is as superb as the music – great sound, detailed notes, and a wonderful track selection that includes "Earthquake" by Rulie Garcia, "Hang Up (part 1)" by Warm Excursion, "Pickin Cotton" by Johnny Talbot & De-Thangs, "If She Wants To Go" by Choice Of Colors, "Just Ain't My Day" by The Entertainers IV, "The Git Down (parts 1 & 2)" by Little Johnny Hamilton & The Soul Pack, "Strike" by Union, "I'm Gonna Speak Out" by Eddie Horan, "The Man" by Jesse & Anita, "Check Me Out" by Little Denise, "The Sneak" by The Douzer, "You Don't Know The Damage You've Done" by Vernon Green & The Medallions, and "Tuned In Turned On" by Alvin Robinson. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

The night time's always the right time – at least when we've got music this great to see us into the small hours of the evening! The set's overflowing in warm 80s groove – some upbeat, some a bit more midtempo – all balanced on beats, basslines, and keyboards – but with a sense of soul on the vocals that really makes the whole thing come together! Some of these tracks were big back in the day, others are album tracks that fit perfectly in this blend of songs – a set of 13 titles that includes "Don't Give Up On Your Dream" by Lew Kirton, "You Are My Life" by Webster Lewis, "Sweet Lady" by Manhattan Rhythm, "I Get Romantic" by Booker Newbury III, "Can You Picture This" by The Keepers, "Just Can't Fight The Feeling" by YBS, "What's On Your Mind" by Janet Rene, "April Lady" by Wax, "Try A Piece Of My Love" by Clarence Carter, "Lost In Your Love" by Ritchie Family, "If You Were Mine" by Cheryl Lynn, and "Private Love Affair" by E'Lan. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A wicked reinvention of the sound of Bo Diddley – a set that electrifies his groove even more than before – and takes him into the same mix of funk and blues that Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf were exploring at the time! This album's right up there with the two Cadet/Chess classics by both of those artists – and is possibly even more messed-up too – with lots of jagged edges that push past the usual Bo Diddley groove – even though that classic sense of rhythm is still at the core to drive things along! We don't know who's playing drums, but they've got a nice heavy handed approach that makes these tracks really boom – and the set's in a massively funky style that's taken far too many years to be acknowledged for in the mainstream! Lots of nice ones, including "Shut Up Woman", "Funky Fly", "Power House", "Black Soul", "Elephant Man", and "I've Got A Feeling". (Blues, Soul) CD

Lost funky work from one of the soulful sisters of Aretha Franklin! Erma's got a hard-hitting style that's right up there with Aretha's best for Atlantic – and on this album, she's working in Chicago with Johnny Pate, Sonny Sanders, and Willie Henderson – for a harder-hitting sound than her famous sis, really in the groove with the best of Brunswick from the late 60s! There's as much funk on the record as there is the deep soul you'd expect from the Franklin family, and Erma's vocals are incredible – equally at home with the original tracks on the record, as well as some late 60s hits that are nicely soulized by the boys in the band! Titles include "Hold On I'm Coming", "Baby I Love You", "Light My Fire", "You've Been Cancelled", "Can't See My Way", and "Gotta Find Me A Lover". CD features five bonus tracks – including "Whispers", "It Could've Been Me", "I Just Don't Need You", "Higher & Higher", and "I Get The Sweetest Feelin". CD

A super-huge album from Quincy Jones – a record that's almost like Quincy's trying to show the whole younger generation that an older master like himself can still deliver the goods! The set was delivered right after Quincy helped out Michael Jackson on Off The Wall – and while it's got a few of the soulful touches of that set, it's also marked more deeply by the kind of work that Jones was turning out in the 70s – nicely focused with soulful vocals on most cuts, including some especially nice work from Patti Austin – a singer whose sophisticated style works perfectly for Quincy's groove. Titles include the killer "Ai No Corrida", plus "Razzamatazz", "Just Once", "Something Special", "Turn On The Action", "The Dude", "Betcha Wouldn't Hurt Me", "Velas", and "One Hundred Ways". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A massive collection of work from Lakeside – one of the leading lights of the Solar Records label in the early 80s, and one of the label's key groups in helping to redefine funk in the decade! Lakeside take the large ensemble funk format of the late 70s, and give it a leaner, cleaner groove – really winnowing things down so that everything's right on the money, and the grooves come out great – while still also holding on to enough soul music energy in the vocals, songwriting, and presentation to set themselves apart from some of the more facile groove groups of the time. This 3CD set features 42 killers from Lakeside's glory days, pulled from their full range of recordings for Solar – titles that include "Rough Rider", "One Minute After Midnight", "Fantastic Voyage", "From 9:00 Until", "I Need You", "Strung Out", "Your Wish Is My Command", "The Urban Man", "Back Together Again", "We Want You", "Raid", "Turn The Music Up", "Real Love", "Untouchable", "Show You The Way", "Tinse Town Theory", "Money", "Party Patrol", "Still Feeling Good", "Bullseye", "U Got It Goin On", "All For You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "If You Like Our Music", "I Can't Get You Out Of My Head", "Shot Of Love", and "Your Love Is On The One". CD

A really great collection – five full albums from keyboard giant Patrice Rushen, plus bonus tracks too! First up is Patrice – her first album for Elektra, and a stunning blend of funky jazz and soul! The record really has Patrice stepping out from her earlier years at Prestige – working in some surprisingly great vocals next to tight lines on Fender Rhodes, synth, and clavinet, handled with a smooth and soulful quality that's wonderful all the way through – a blend of soul and jazz that few other players could do this well – no matter how many others tried to copy her style over the years! Rhythms are as hard and heavy as on the Prestige years, and the keyboards have a great sort of focus too – just the right mix of jazz to offset the vocals – which themselves are a wonderful discovery. The whole album's a gem – and tracks include the great funky classic "Hang It Up", plus "Changes (In Your Life)", "When I Found You", "Play", "Didn't You Know?", and "Music Of The Earth". Pizzazz is one of the records that not only helped break her out of the jazz funk ghetto, and right into the mainstream – but a set that also had a pretty profound influence on the progression of soul in the early 80s! Rushen sings as well as plays keyboards – and really pushes the use of jazzy elements that would take R&B to the next level – almost inventing the 80s groove sound in the process! The whole thing's a totally sweet mix of funk and soul, tightened up to get everything in the door at the same time – and titles include "Givin It Up Is Givin Up", "Call On Me", "Haven't You Heard", and "Let The Music Take Me". Posh is an all-out, all-access affair – a great way for anyone to get into the grooves of the mighty Patrice Rushen! Patrice is at the height of her powers here – equally magic on keyboards and vocals, and coming up with groove after groove in a sublime blend of 70s jazz funk and Minnie Riperton-esque soul! The whole album's a winner – real magic that never gets old, and the kind of LP that makes you understand why you'll find Patrice's records in just about any soul collection from the time! Tracks include "I Need Your Love", "Time Will Tell", "The Dream", "Never Gonna Give You Up", and "Don't Blame Me". Straight From The Heart is one of those albums that completely cemented her standing in the world of jazz, funk, and soul – and a wonderful summation of everything she'd done in the years before! The young Patrice was already a breakout keyboardist on the west coast scene of the mid 70s – turning out great work on her own, and adding her talents to plenty of others – but here, she emerges as a soaring soul star in her own right – a talent who's really worked her way up, with a quality level that's head and shoulders above most of her peers! Rushen produced the set with Charles Mims, and there's a righteous blend of jazz and soul that's at the level of Minnie Riperton, so that even the catchiest cuts come off with a sense of sophistication and warmth that's so different than so much other 80s soul and fusion. Titles include the classic "Forget Me Nots", plus "Number One", "I Was Tired Of Being Alone", "Where There Is Love", "Breakout", "If Only", and "Remind Me". The album Now is a masterpiece of 80s groove with lots of jazzy touches! The keyboard sound has evolved a bit here – compressed with more electronic percussion than on Patrice's earlier records, but still done with a degree of soul that sets it apart from work by most of her contemporaries – and the music has this warm flow that really sets Rushen apart from the rest – a sublime mix of soul, funk, and fusion that holds together perfectly throughout! Titles include "Gotta Find It", "Gone With The Night", "My Love's Not Going Anywhere", "High In Me", "To Each His Own", "Heartache Heartbreak", and "Feels So Real". 5CD set features bonus tracks from original 12" singles – and other remixes too! CD

An amazing slice of music from the legendary David Axelrod – quite different than his better-known sides for Capitol and Reprise Records – and plenty darn funky overall! Axelrod is at his studio best here – stepping off the funky jazz modes he produced for Cannonball Adderley, and taking a shot at that territory on his own! In a reversal of modes, Cannonball actually handles the production – with help from Jimmy Bowen – which leaves Axelrod alone to compose, arrange, and direct the group on the set. The album's got a fair bit of electricity in the mix – heavy keyboards from Joe Sample, and some really fuzzy guitars – plus lots of choppy reed work from Joe Sample and Ernie Watts, all wrapped up with some monstrously funky drums from Ndugu Chancler. There's a very bottom-heavy groove to the record – one that makes for a few completely amazing breaks, and a very funky sound overall – and Axelrod does an amazing job of controlling the players here – so that nobody jams too much, and the grooves are always right on the money! The whole thing's great – a sublime symphony of instrumental funk all the way through – and titles include "Reverie", "Miles Away", "Go For It", "Ken Russell", "1000 Rads", and "One". First time ever on CD – a seminal reissue from Dusty Groove! (Jazz, Soul) CD

Here's where things really started getting interesting for James Brown! The album was issued right around the same time as James' single "Out Of Sight" on Smash – and like that track, "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" was one of the first to use that "instruments on the beat" style of funk that would dominate all of James' work in years to come – that amazing groove that completely turned soul music on its ear – and paved the way for generations to come! The result is a startling sound that forever changed the face of groove – and you'll hear it nicely placed on this album, along with great cuts like "Cross Firing", "Mashed Potatoes USA", "Doin The Limbo", and "Love Don't Love Nobody". CD

The legendary debut of Bobby Caldwell – a blue-eyed soul singer who borrowed just the right amounts from AOR and R&B! Bobby's got a voice that's really great, and wrapped up warmly amidst keyboards and larger arrangements that all come across with a very cool compressed style – almost as if Caldwell discovered that midtempo and mellow style on some of the Earth Wind & Fire albums from a few years before, and used it as inspiration to craft a classic groove that's very much his own! The set features Bobby's huge classic "What You Won't Do For Love" – but the whole album's great, and other titles include "Special To Me", "Can't Say Goodbye", "My Flame", "Love Won't Wait", "Come To Me", "Down For The Third Time", "Take Me Back To Then" and "Kalimba Song", another nod to Maurice White and crew, to be sure! Also includes a bonus track – the TK version of "Can't Say Goodbye". CD

Funky funky Hammond – a rare late 60s album from organist Bill Doggett, done with some help from James Brown – and a set that's unlike anything Doggett ever recorded before – or since! There's a blasting groove to the record right from the start – thanks to help from The James Brown Band on the leadoff cut – but even when they drop out, and Doggett's combo goes out on their own, the sound is still amazing – tight, soulful, and very much in a funky 45 style all the way through! Drums are hard, the organ is nice and fluid, and the sound is prime late 60s instrumental funk – a groove that Doggett never managed to reach again, which makes this record a real standout treasure. The album includes the legendary funky break cuts "Honky Tonk" and "Honky Tonk Popcorn", plus lots of other nice groovers, like "A Doozy", "Mad", "Slippin In", and "Corner Pocket". CD features great notes, and more bonus tracks that include "Sassy B", "Before Lunch", "Short Stack", "Wet & Satisfied", "Some Kind Of Head", and "For Once In My Life". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A crowning moment from the Chicago scene of the late 70s – the second Mercury album from Heaven & Earth, and a stunner all the way through! The set's an undisputed groover right from the start – thanks to the massive arrangements from the great Floyd Morris – an artist who did some excellent work in the Chicago indie soul scene in the 60s, including some classic funky 45s – and whose work here definitely gives Heaven & Earth a sharper edge than most other acts of their type at the time! You can definitely hear Floyd's touch in the funky bottom of the two-part classic "I Feel A Groove Under My Feet", and in the riffing guitar of "Poetry In A Box" – and the group also show their warmer, mellower side nicely on cuts like "Let's Get It Together", "I'm In Love With Your Lady", "I Only Have Eyes For You", and "Whole Lot Of Love" – nice warm numbers with great harmonies and gentle stepping grooves! CD

A killer classic from Jimmy Bo Horne – one of the sharpest male singers to work for the TK family of labels in the late 70s – and one who could really summarize all the greatness of Miami soul with a record like this! The album's got all the funky fullness of some of the larger TK groups of the time, but also has a key focus in Jimmy's vocals – not the deepest of deep soul, but strong enough to really provide just the right edge to the tunes – often with production that spaces out the sides of his vocals in kind of a KC sort of style! No surprise, KC produced the record himself – almost using Horne as a way to deepen his groove, with great vocals on titles that include "Get Happy", "Gimme Some", "Let Me (Let Me Be Your Lover)", "Don't Worry About It", "Dance Across The Floor", and "I Wanna Go Home With You." CD

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

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too! CD

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label – and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove – sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind of sound you'd expect from Westbound in the early 70s! Austin's guitar is very much in the mode of Eddie Fisher, Eddie Senay, or other kicked-back jazz funk players from his generation – an approach that's probably got a bit of Hendrix somewhere back in the mix, but which is more focused on the tighter side of the funk and soul instrumental spectrum! The album's like finding a stash of rare funky 45s – loads of great short tracks with titles that include "Sex Plot", "Crazy Legs", "You Want It, You Got It", "Side Saddle", "Nanzee", "Pea Shooter", "Do Me Right", and "Shake Your Head". CD

A rare chapter of James Brown's career – material recorded for producer Henry Stone in the early 90s – at a time when James himself was without a major record contract! Most of these tracks were recorded by Stone, but unissued for years – which is a bit of a surprise, as the overall quality is quite good – very much in the modern funk mode that Brown was forging back in the 80s! And sure, the work here isn't in the same mode as Brown's classics on King or Polydor, but the sound is still pretty great – with beats and instrumentation that are relatively modern, but an overall groove that's quite tight and right, and plenty of room for James' incredible vocals in the lead! Most tracks feature Brown as the lead singer, but there's also a few with vocals by Venisha Brown or Yamma Brown – and one track has James singing a duet with Bobby Byrd! Titles include "Becha Bottom Dollar", "Funk On Ahh Roll", "Respect Me", "God Is Good", "Peace In The World", "I Wanna Be Loved On The 1", "Motivation (rmx)", "Say It Again", and "I Got To Feel It". CD

The third album in an amazing early run from The Delfonics – the kind of work that set a whole new standard for group soul in the 70s! A number of the tracks here had already risen to fame before the album's release as singles – and these are mixed with some additional tracks that are woven together in a near-perfect symphony of sound! The mighty Thom Bell arranged most of the numbers here – save for 2 by Anthony Dorsey – and the group's heavenly harmonies are in amazing form on both mellow ballads and a few more righteous numbers. Titles include "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", "Funny Feeling", "Over & Over", "Baby I Love You", "When You Get Right Down To It", "Delfonics Theme", "Trying To Make A Fool Of Me", "I Gave To You", "Down Is Up Up Is Down", and "Think About Me". CD

KC & The Sunshine Band may have been a chart-topping act during the disco generation, but the Florida funky group have a heck of a lot more to offer than just their hits – as you'll hear in this massive and well-done collection that features 55 tracks in all! The group were formed in the heady early 70s years of Miami funk – and brought together some of the best tropical and soul elements that were brewing in that city at the time – all with a lean vibe that mixed live percussion with riffing guitars, sharp horns, and a completely infectious groove – often topped with catchy lyrics that really went right to the point. This big 3CD set features the group's best work for TK Records, plus other material done for Epic and Jay Boy too – with titles that include "Sound Your Funky Horn", "Why Don't We Get Together", "I Get Lifted", "So Glad", "Come To My Island", "I Betcha Didn't Know That", "Stand Up", "Love Me", "Summer Nights", "I'm A Pushover", "That's The Way I Like It", "Do You Wanna Party", "I Will Love You Tomorrow", "Sho Nuff", "I'm Your Boogie Man", and lots lots more – including some rare mixes too! CD

A funky soul band with a bit of a clubby groove – and one that features some great male harmony vocals behind lead singer Jann Harrison! Harrison's got a very light style of singing – almost soprano at points, which makes the male voices especially welcome – as they help ground the grooves much more deeply down towards the basslines that are such a strong part of the album. The set's got a really classic De-Lite Records feel from the 70s – a groove that's right up there with the Kay-Gees at their best – with riffing guitar, bumping bass, smooth keyboards, and tight horns over the top. Titles include "Gotta Get A High", "Shake Your Body", "Try To Find A Way", "Never Gonna Let You Go", "Sexy Lady", and both vocal and instrumental versions of "Melodies". CD also features bonus 12" mixes of "Melodies" and "Shake Your Body". CD

Four early 80s classics from Johnny Mathis – presented here in a single 2CD package! Different Kinda Different is a tremendous start to the 80s for Johnny Mathis – and a set that really continues that strong shift into soul-based territory he begun in the 70s! Gene Page handles a lot of the arrangements here, and gives the whole thing that strong blend of strings and soul that he worked on other 70s classics for different artists – a perfect approach for that magnificent Mathis voice, especially when the tunes have a bit of a groove! Two of the best numbers here – "Different Kind Of Different" and "I'll Do It All For You" – are duets with Paulette McWilliams, who'd recorded on her own, but who really seems to hit her stride with Johnny, and in a way that's different than any of his other soul partners in duets. Other titles include "Never Givin Up On You", "With You I'm Born Again", "I Will Survive", "The Lights Of Rio", and "Love Without Words". Friends In Love is mature 80s work from Johnny Mathis – a set that features two duets with Dionne Warwick, plus some other nice material that shows that Johnny wasn't going to be left behind in the shadows of his older work! At some level, the approach of the 80s, and the rise of a new sort of adult contemporary scene, really helped Mathis find a new audience – especially when teaming with Dionne, who was also having a rebirth at the time! Titles include the classic duet title cut "Friends In Love", and another duet on "Got You Where I Want You" – plus other titles that include "What Do You Do With The Love", "When The Lovin Goes Out Of The Lovin", "I Remember You & Me", and "Somethin's Goin On". Special Part Of Me is a sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a setting – rich and full of feeling, and arguably better than some of his younger contemporaries on the charts! The ballads are beautiful, but there's also a few surprising midtempo numbers – and titles include a sublime remake of "Love Won't Let Me Wait", done with Deniece Williams – plus "Love Never Felt So Good", "Simple", "Priceless", "One Love", "Right Here & Now", and "Lead Me To Your Love" – plus "You're A Special Part Of Me", a duet with Angie Bofill. Live is a later live album from Johnny Mathis, and one that brings together classics, newer cuts, and a few titles he'd never sang before – all served up with a sound that shows the continuing strengths of the legendary singer! There's a variety of arrangers used on the set – including Gene Page and Michel Colombier – and titles include "Orange Colored Sky", "When A Child Is Born", "Begin The Beguine", "I Believe In Love", "Fly Away", "99 Miles From LA", and "A Certain Smile". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

A funky treasure from the 70s – a record that hardly made waves at the time, but which has lived on strongly for years – thanks to a great sample history and key interest from generations of groove diggers! Mighty Ryeders have a sound that's clearly influenced by Earth Wind & Fire – funk with a good dose of jazz, often done with some righteous undercurrents in the lyrics – but their groove is also a bit more rough-edged too, sharing some funky 45-levels of excitement, and showing a great ear for sharply jazzy changes! This last aspect has really helped the group's sound stay fresh over the years – and the album's a treasure trove of killer cuts – from the famous "Evil Vibrations", right on down through other gems like "The Mighty Ryeders", "Let There Be Peace", "Lovely", "Help Us Spread The Message", "Fly Away With Me", "Sar Children", and "I've Really Got The Feeling". CD

A well-circulated solo set from Junie Morrison – by now working very far from the P-Funk empire, and with a groove that fits in nicely with the sound of 80s soul! The album's heavy on basslines, beats, and keyboards – very much an 80s funk evolution from Junie's 70s roots – with the man himself serving up lead vocals that have a light vibe that's very much in an electro-ready sort of style! A few cuts have more pronounced guitar solos, but with the fuzz trimmed to slide in nicely with the more electronic elements in the mix – that compact 80s mode in which everything comes on right down on top of each other in the mix! Titlesinclude "Tease Me", "Stick It In", "Break 6", "Here With You Tonight", "Show Me Yours", "Gyrate", "Driving In A Porsche", and "Techno Freqs". CD features bonus tracks – "Tease Me (Arthur Baker long mix)", "Tease Me (Arthur Baker short)", "Tease Me (Arthur Baker dub)", "Techno Freqs (UK single)", "Techo Freqs (12" rmx)", and "T-Frequan (dub)". CD

A trio of classic albums from The Muscle Shoals Horns – with bonus tracks too! First up is Born To Get Down, by a group who were definitely born to get down – as they'd proved before on countless funk and soul sessions in the south – and as they prove once again with this masterful album on their own! The style here is surprisingly well-formed – not just horn players getting to shine in the lead, but a soul group with a tightness that matches some of the hippest, most sophisticated groups of the time – working here with really well-crafted rhythms that often hit an excellent midtempo groove, and avoid any disco-era cliches. Muscle Shoals legend Barry Beckett helps the group out on keyboards, arrangements, and production – and trumpeter Harrison Calloway turns out to be a surprisingly great singer in the lead. Titles include "Born To Get Down", which has a nice keyboard break in the middle, plus "Bump De Bump Yo Boogie", "Give It To Me", "Open Up Your Heart", "Where I'm Coming From", and "Break Down". Doin It To The Bone is a killer album from the Muscle Shoals Horns – and way more than just a set of studio players stepping out for some time in the spotlight! Sure, the MSH had worked on hundreds of sessions by this point – but there's also a sense of ownership and leadership they never had before – a real sense of trying something fresh, and really making the album all their own! To that respect, they certainly use their horns – but also work in plenty of vocals, too – and definitely emphasize the rhythms, which often have this cool compressed vibe that's very much in the best Earth Wind & Fire style – especially on the midtempo numbers that really make the album a killer. Production is by Barry Beckett, who goes for a nicely modern soul approach – and of all the horns, Harrison Calloway is probably the lead talent here – handling most of the arrangements, songwriting, and vocals. Titles include "What's Goin Down", "Dance To The Music", "I Just Wanna Turn You On", "Addicted To Your Love", "Beware Of The Rip Off", and "Keep On Playing That Funky Music". Last up is Shine On – an early 80s set from the mighty Muscle Shoals Horns, but one that cooks every bit as much as their funk classics from the 70s! At some level, this album may well be the group's funkiest – but in a style that's got some of the best 80s qualities in the grooves – the kind of tight basslines and sweet keyboard lines that marked some of the best work of the time – mixed with the group's sublime horn lines, which provide these jazzy inflections that really warm things up in a brilliant way! Most of the rhythms are nicely right in the middle – neither too uptempo, nor too head-noddy – and the whole thing's a really overlooked gem that's a standout funky set from the time. Titles include "Celebrate Recreate Participate", "She Was Once My Woman", "Shoalin", "More Than Ever Now", and "Don't Bust Yo Bubbles". 2CD set features bonus tracks – 7" mixes of "Born To Get Down", "Bump De Bump Yo Boodie", "Where I'm Coming From", and "She Was Once My Woman" – plus "I Just Wanna Turn You On (12" mix)". CD

The first ever career-spanning look at the music of legendary vocalist Asha Puthli – a singer who's maybe best known for her 70s club work on the European scene, but who also has a much wider range of expression – which you'll discover here! There's definitely some of the soul-based work that's made Asha a favorite with the rare groove scene over the years – but the set also includes early work with rock bands, and even a few experimental jazz numbers that predate her recordings for the discos! The double-length set is a delight throughout – a package that's really opened our eyes to sides of Asha's music we never knew – and titles include performances with Ornette Coleman on "What Reason Could I Give" and "All My Life", work with Charlie Mariano on "Mirror", vocals with The Surfers on "Sound Of Silence" and "Sunny", and with The Savages on "Pain" – plus solo tracks that include "Lies", "Right Down Here", "We're Gonna Bury The Rock", "Mister Moonlight", "1001 Nights Of Love (reprise)", "Music Machine", "Peek A Boo Boogie", "Devil Is Loose", "Space Talk", "I'm Gonna Dance", and "One Night Affair". CD

Funky madness from the legendary Rhythm Makers – a dancefloor combo with a really incredible groove! The group has an approach that's a lot like Kool & The Gang at their best, or like some of the best mid 70s albums by the Kay Gees or Fatback – lots of bass at the bottom, very tight vamping by the band, and a wikki-wikki funky sound that's totally great! Many of the tracks on the set make good use of moog or keyboards – never too much, but just the right dose to spook things up a bit – and although many of the cuts have vocals, the overall focus is still in the instrumentation – which always comes across pretty darn great, and which is played with incredible precision throughout! The combo later morphed into GQ, but they've got a much rawer sound here – and titles include "Can You Feel It (parts 1 & 2)", "You Better Believe It", "Soul On Your Side", "Zone", "Funk N You", and "Street Dreamin". CD features an insane number of bonus tracks – 10 in all – with the unreleased cuts "Position", "Wonderful", and "Lover's Lane" – plus "Can You Feel It (orig special disco 12")", "You're Never Too Old (single)", "Prime Cut (single)", "Touch (single)", and "How Much I Love You (single)". CD

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause". 2019 CD version includes the bonus tracks "Can't Get Away", "Street Boy" and "I'll Slip Away". CD

OV Wright at the end of the 70s – working live in front of a very enthusiastic Japanese crowd, and in a groove that's right up their with his best work from earlier in the decade! In fact, there's a rawness here that you won't always find on Wright's other records – great live backing from a cool combo of American players, really rich in Memphis soul elements – and served up with funky touches that really work wonders with OV's presentation of the music. So instead of being a throw-off record for the overseas market, the set's instead a key piece of Wright's catalog at the time – seminal work that really stands strongly next to his studio classics. Titles include "Precious Precious", "I'd Rather Be Blind Crippled & Crazy", "Love & Happiness", "Eight Men & Four Women", "Into Something", and a great long "Medley" track. CD

Funky soul from Witchita, Kansas – an unlikely locale, but home to some really great music – courtesy of the Smart brothers, and their ultra-hip club! This wonderful entry in the Eccentric Soul series from Numero really brings that lost scene to life – telling the tale of the brothers, their club, and some of the wickedly funky artists that graced their stage – a host of obscure groups, singers, and instrumentalists who really made Kansas cook, back in the day! The groove here is plenty darn hard – as raw as some of the best funky 45s you might find from points north, warmed up with occasional southern soul elements – and always produced with rough-and-ready vibe that gets to the heart of the grit right away. The set comes with a beautiful 28 page booklet – filled with vintage photos, in support of the Smart story, told by Dante Carfagna and Rob Sevier – but even without this added feature, the CD itself would be wonderful – essential listening for fans of all things funky! Titles include "Herbie's Bag" by John Smart's Band, "Mercy Baby" by Tim Jacob, "Dedicated To You" by Hard Road, "Let Me Be Your Christmas Toy" by Chocolate Snow, "Smart" by Smart Brothers, "I Was Made To Love Her" by Theron & Darrell, "I'm Not Ashamed" by Baby Neal & The Smart Brothers, "Everybody Needs Somebody" by LT & The Soulful Dynamics, "Don't Hate Let's Communicate" by Kenneth Carr with John Smart's Band, "It's Your Love" by Theron & Darrell, and "Let It Be" by Chocolate Snow. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

The birth of Miami soul, and a beautifully done document of the rare Deep City label – home to Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, and Betty Wright in the years before Alston and TK Records! Way before Miami soul started cracking the charts at the start of the 70s, Deep City was already putting the best parts in place – working with a tight roster of artists and an equally tight in-house band that rose from the ranks of Florida A&M's Marching 100 band – razor-sharp instrumentalists who helped forge a groove worthy to rival the sounds of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and even the best of Detroit at the time – given that some of the work here has a much sweeter soul sound than other 60s southern soul. As usual, the Numero team have done an incredible job with the package – pulling out rare photos, personal stories, and just the right amount of information to breathe new life into the Deep City label and help it live anew. CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Paralyzed" and "Good Lovin" by Betty Wright, "Am I A Good Man" by Them Two, "Someone To Fulfill My Needs" and "I Love You Baby" by The Moovers, "I Am Controlled By Your Love" and "Willing & Able" by Helene Smith, "Good Thing (part 1)" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "It's My Baby" and "The Upset" by Paul Kelly, and "Stay Away From My Johnny" by Freda Gray & The Rocketeers. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Sun Ra, Parliament, and other soul and jazz acts famously took us into space back in the day – and in the wake of their journeys, countless other artists elected to take the trip too – soaring to the cosmos on a blend of beats, basslines, keyboards, and vocals – all elements that are given an especially electro-tuned vibe in this great second volume of the series! The space age journeys are maybe more akin to the world of Newcleus than Earth Wind & Fire – lots of processing on the vocals, sweet riffing on the keyboards, and basslines that are tightly tied to the rhythms of the grooves – served up here in a way that references sounds of the street, west coast funk, and even earlier hip hop – all brought together in a very well-chosen array of tracks! As always with Soul Jazz, the presentation is as great as the music within – a set list that includes "More Ounce Rap" by Bobby Deemo, "Master Groove (inst)" by Chance, "Shine Your Light" by The Grainers, "Get Right" by Mid City Crew, "Summer Times" by Frank James & Shadow, "Year 2001 Boogie" by Rich Cason & The Galactic Orchestra, "Smurf Trek" by Chapter Three, "Let's Ride" by Junei, "Breakdance" by Command Performance, and "Computer Pop" by Maggotron. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too! CD

Stunning harmony soul from the Jamaican scene – served up here by The Chosen Few, a group we'd rank right up there with some of the best American harmony soul acts from the Philly and New Jersey scenes at the start of the 70s! The rhythms, as you might guess, have a bit more reggae influence in the mix – but the vocal leads and harmonies resonate strongly with classic material by The Stylistics, Delfonics, and other key groups of the generation – plus Miracles material from the generation before! The package brings together some of the rare 7" single releases by the group, all with much better sound than original Jamaican pressings – and titles include "Make Way For The Young Folks", "Queen Majesty", "Hide & Seek", "My Thing", "Everybody Plays The Fool", "Tears Of A Clown", "Second That Emotion", "I Love The Way You Love (part 1)", "Children Of The Night", and "Reggae Stuff". (Reggae, Soul) CD

Great early work from Lowell Fulson – tracks recorded in the 50s for Chess Records – all in Chicago, and a fair bit more obscure than some of Lowell's better-known sides from the 60s! There's still a nicely gritty groove going on here – a style that's rooted in blues, but which often comes across with some of those more sly, more wicked moments that have always made Fulson one of our favorites – almost a slightly jazz or funk undercurrent at points, and a bit different than the regular Chess groove. Titles include "Do Me Right", "Trouble Trouble", "Hung Down Head", "Tollin Bells", "Low Society", "Check Yourself", "That's All Right", and "I Want To Know". (Blues, Soul) CD

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". This stunning version adds in some killer bonus tracks – 6 never-heard cuts from the Milestone vaults, including "Song For My Family", "Funky Native", "Detroit Rainbow", "Can't We Smile (alt)", and slow and fast versions of "A Child's Love". (Jazz, Soul) CD

Fantastic solo work from Fuzzy Haskins – a key early member of the George Clinton P-Funk empire – breaking out here on his own with a fresh new take on the Parliafunkadelicment groove! The work here is pulled from two albums and other recordings (some unissued) that Fuzzy did for the Westbound label – home to his initial work with Funkadelic, and a very respectful spot to launch his solo career – which takes of in similar late 70s funk territory to some of his former associates, especially Bootsy Collins – but with a vibe that's definitely his own! Some of these tracks were ones that Fuzzy had written years ago, but held back from Funkadelic sessions – and they're performed here with help from familiar Detroit funk giants – including Bootsy on bass, Bernie Worrell on keyboards, and Donald Austin on guitar. Titles include "Gettin It Off", "Thangs We Used To Do", "Not Yet (12" version)", "This Situation Called Love", "Silent Day", "Gimme Back", "Cookie Jar (alt version)", "Mr Junk Man", "I Think I Got My Thang Together (12" version)", "Right Back Where I Started From", "The Fuz & Da Boog", "Sinderilla", "I Can See Myself In You", and "Silent Day". CD

Sweet electric magic from Ramsey Lewis – four 70s albums in a single collection! First up is Don't It Feel Good – massive keyboard work from the great Ramsey Lewis – easily one of his best records ever, thanks to some spaciously funky production by Charles Stepney! Stepney plays keyboards here along with Ramsey, and the twin-keys approach makes for a sound that's extra-special – one that sums up all the earlier soulful creativity of both artists in their late 60s Cadet Records years, and hones it down to an even sweeter groove for the 70s! A number of tracks have some sort of vocal component, but usually in a chorus mode that soon drops out when the keyboards hit home – and the record features a few great short "interlude" tracks that are almost as great as the longer numbers! Titles include the classic "Juaacklyn", a cover of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way Of The World", and the tracks "I Dig You", "Fish Bite", "Don't It Feel Good", "Something About You", and "Can't Function". Salongo is a tremendous little record, and one of the funky 70s sets that Ramsey Lewis recorded with Earth Wind & Fire! Well, not Earth Wind & Fire entirely – but the Kalimba Productions team of Maurice White and Charles Stepney that gave the group its sound – plus a nice sprinkling of other players that were often associated with sessions by the group! Ramsey's own combo here includes Steve Cobb on drums and vocals, and Derf Reklaw on reeds and vocals as well – and the overall sound has bits of African and Brazilian influences, worked into a soulful fusion groove that sounds a lot like the instrumental backings EWF were using at the time. Titles include "Brazilica", "Slick", "Rubato", "Salongo", and "Seventh Fold". Tequila Mockingbird is an overlooked gem from the Columbia Records years, filled with loads of great grooves, and some pretty mighty keyboards! Part of the record has Ramsey working with Larry Dunn of Kalimba Productions – getting plenty of the Earth Wind & Fire groove that made so much of his Columbia sessions sparkle – while the rest of the set has the great Bert DeCoteaux handling things, and giving Lewis just the right mix of sophistication and soul he was using with other Columbia acts at the time. The album's a perfect example of the way that Ramsey stepped way ahead of the pack during this time in his career – using keyboards and grooves together in ways that so many artists today are still trying to match – but never hit it this right! Titles include "Camino El Bueno", "Caring For You", "Intimacy", "That Ole Bach Music", "Skippin", "Tequila Mockingbird", and "Wandering Rose" – that cool cut by Neal Creque! Love Notes is a great little album of mid 70s funk from Ramsey Lewis – very much in the mode of his Earth, Wind, & Fire related work – no surprise, since the album's dedicated to Charles Stepney, whose influence was such a key part of the sound of the group, and of some of Ramsey's other Kalimba-produced albums from a few years before! Ramsey plays Fender Rhodes, mini moog, and Arp – and he gets help on keyboards from Stevie Wonder and Derf Reklaw, who also plays saxes and percussion on the set. Features versions of Wonder's "Love Notes" and "Spring High", plus Reklaw's "Chili Today Hot Tamale", "Shining", and "Stash Dash". (Jazz, Soul) CD

Sweet electric magic from Ramsey Lewis – four 70s albums in a single collection! First up is Don't It Feel Good – massive keyboard work from the great Ramsey Lewis – easily one of his best records ever, thanks to some spaciously funky production by Charles Stepney! Stepney plays keyboards here along with Ramsey, and the twin-keys approach makes for a sound that's extra-special – one that sums up all the earlier soulful creativity of both artists in their late 60s Cadet Records years, and hones it down to an even sweeter groove for the 70s! A number of tracks have some sort of vocal component, but usually in a chorus mode that soon drops out when the keyboards hit home – and the record features a few great short "interlude" tracks that are almost as great as the longer numbers! Titles include the classic "Juaacklyn", a cover of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way Of The World", and the tracks "I Dig You", "Fish Bite", "Don't It Feel Good", "Something About You", and "Can't Function". Salongo is a tremendous little record, and one of the funky 70s sets that Ramsey Lewis recorded with Earth Wind & Fire! Well, not Earth Wind & Fire entirely – but the Kalimba Productions team of Maurice White and Charles Stepney that gave the group its sound – plus a nice sprinkling of other players that were often associated with sessions by the group! Ramsey's own combo here includes Steve Cobb on drums and vocals, and Derf Reklaw on reeds and vocals as well – and the overall sound has bits of African and Brazilian influences, worked into a soulful fusion groove that sounds a lot like the instrumental backings EWF were using at the time. Titles include "Brazilica", "Slick", "Rubato", "Salongo", and "Seventh Fold". Tequila Mockingbird is an overlooked gem from the Columbia Records years, filled with loads of great grooves, and some pretty mighty keyboards! Part of the record has Ramsey working with Larry Dunn of Kalimba Productions – getting plenty of the Earth Wind & Fire groove that made so much of his Columbia sessions sparkle – while the rest of the set has the great Bert DeCoteaux handling things, and giving Lewis just the right mix of sophistication and soul he was using with other Columbia acts at the time. The album's a perfect example of the way that Ramsey stepped way ahead of the pack during this time in his career – using keyboards and grooves together in ways that so many artists today are still trying to match – but never hit it this right! Titles include "Camino El Bueno", "Caring For You", "Intimacy", "That Ole Bach Music", "Skippin", "Tequila Mockingbird", and "Wandering Rose" – that cool cut by Neal Creque! Love Notes is a great little album of mid 70s funk from Ramsey Lewis – very much in the mode of his Earth, Wind, & Fire related work – no surprise, since the album's dedicated to Charles Stepney, whose influence was such a key part of the sound of the group, and of some of Ramsey's other Kalimba-produced albums from a few years before! Ramsey plays Fender Rhodes, mini moog, and Arp – and he gets help on keyboards from Stevie Wonder and Derf Reklaw, who also plays saxes and percussion on the set. Features versions of Wonder's "Love Notes" and "Spring High", plus Reklaw's "Chili Today Hot Tamale", "Shining", and "Stash Dash". (Jazz, Soul) CD

A funky treasure from the 70s – a record that hardly made waves at the time, but which has lived on strongly for years – thanks to a great sample history and key interest from generations of groove diggers! Mighty Ryeders have a sound that's clearly influenced by Earth Wind & Fire – funk with a good dose of jazz, often done with some righteous undercurrents in the lyrics – but their groove is also a bit more rough-edged too, sharing some funky 45-levels of excitement, and showing a great ear for sharply jazzy changes! This last aspect has really helped the group's sound stay fresh over the years – and the album's a treasure trove of killer cuts – from the famous "Evil Vibrations", right on down through other gems like "The Mighty Ryeders", "Let There Be Peace", "Lovely", "Help Us Spread The Message", "Fly Away With Me", "Sar Children", and "I've Really Got The Feeling". CD

An amazing second set from Sixto Rodriguez – recorded in the legendary Landsdowne Studios in London, with a groove that's a great extension from his debut! All of Rodriguez's best elements are in place here – his folksy guitar, personal lyrical style, and surprisingly biting approach to a variety of topics – and the London setting provides him with an even more sophisticated backdrop than before, one that creates a rich palette of sounds that takes the music in some really wonderful directions! There's a bit of strings at times, but most instrumentation is by a small combo – which includes Chris Spedding on guitar and Tony Carr on percussion – so that Rodriguez's vocals and guitar are really right up front in the mix, recorded with a brilliant balance between sharpness and compassion. Titles include "Climb Up On My Music", "Silver Words", "Heikki's Suburbia Bus Tour", "I Think Of You", "To Whom It May Concern", "Halfway Up The Stairs", and "Cause". CD

Sweet 70s grooves, and a few key contemporary cuts too – a really wonderful set that's full of overlooked modern soul gems and a great mix of mellow groovers! The package really serves up some of our favorite sounds from the 70s – tracks that are upbeat, yet never uptempo – and find a way of stepping along a midtempo groove that leaves plenty of room for the vocalist to really soar in the lead – hitting these rich, righteous lines that sparkle strongly throughout! The set list is superb, and features even a few surprises to our ears long-trained on modern soul – and tracks include "There I Go" by The Notations, "I Hate Hate" by Razzy, "Pour Your Little Heart Out" by The Drifters, "Daylight" by Bobby Womack, "Got To Find Ms Right" by Buddy Miles, "Tripping Out (Featurecast 2013 re-edit)" by Curtis Mayfield, "What Do You See In Her" by Inell Young, "You Made A Believer Out Of Me" by Betty Lavette, "This Side Of Heaven" by Gavin Christopher, "Spoiled Like A Baby" by Mystique, "If You Really Need A Friend" by Bobby Foster, "Smoothie Pie" by Sky Hi, and "I Don't Know" by Glen Anthony Henry. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

One of the coolest club records ever cut – and one with a great gimmick too! That gimmick is the "hotel sheet" – an instrument created by percussionist Jack Ashford, which is a light piece of metal that's snapped back and worth to create these cool wibbly, wobbly waves of sound – almost like a moog at times, which gives some of these tracks a bit of a P&P Records vibe! Ashford was a member of The Funk Brothers – and a percussionist on countless classic Motown sessions – but this album was recorded in LA with a sweet electric groove, and a mix of strings and funk that almost rivals Jack's only other full album – a rare blacksploitation soundtrack. The set features full arrangements from Paul Riser, orchestrations from Gordon Staples, and the whole thing was recorded at the Marvin Gaye studios – which you can almost hear in Ashford's surprisingly great vocals. The title cut "Hotel Sheet" has this wonderful popping moogy sound that's very nice – and other tracks include "Funky Disco Party", "Shar", "Hi Mom, Hi Al", and "Get Right On Top". CD

No splashdown here – as Breakwater are every bit as soaringly soulful as they were on their debut set! The groove here is that perfect blend of jazz and soul that only a few groups in the 70s really got right – maybe Pleasure, or The Blackbyrds – and most certainly Breakwater, who were one of the reigning champions of the scene! Rhythms are often upbeat, but not in a disco or club-oriented way – and the instrumentation is tight, but never slick or smooth – always nicely funky with a nice little crackle, even on the mellow cuts – in a way that's opened up this album to new audiences for many years. This set's got a nice bit of moog that wasn't on the group's first – used almost in Mizell-like to further enhance the sound – and titles include the classics "Say You Love Me Girl", "Let Love In", "Time", and "The One In My Dreams". Great stuff, and with a really beautiful vibe! CD

Wicked early funk from The Commodores – a group that spent so much time on pop ballads in later years, it's hard to believe they could be this sharp and hard-edged! There's plenty of that bass-heavy style that would later dominate many Motown combos at the end of the 70s – but the group's really in control of the groove on this one, without any of the cliches that such bassery could lead them into – and production is nicely restrained, so that the whole thing has the loose, live feel of some of the best ensemble funk of the time – even some of the gems from the underground. Lionel Ritchie contributed one nice smooth soul number, "This Is Your Life", and the rest of the album includes "Let's Do It Right", "Wide Open", "The Bump", "Look What You've Done To Me", and the funk classic "Slippery When Wet". CD

Sublime soul through and through – 2 classics from The Delfonics, back to back on a single CD! First up is self-titled record The Delfonics – the third album in an amazing early run from The Delfonics – the kind of work that set a whole new standard for group soul in the 70s! A number of the tracks here had already risen to fame before the album's release as singles – and these are mixed with some additional tracks that are woven together in a near-perfect symphony of sound! The mighty Thom Bell arranged most of the numbers here – save for 2 by Anthony Dorsey – and the group's heavenly harmonies are in amazing form on both mellow ballads and a few more righteous numbers. Titles include "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", "Funny Feeling", "Over & Over", "Baby I Love You", "When You Get Right Down To It", "Delfonics Theme", "Trying To Make A Fool Of Me", "I Gave To You", "Down Is Up Up Is Down", and "Think About Me". Tell Me This Is A Dream has The Delfonics just getting better and better! The longer the group recorded, the more they picked up this strange spacey quality that pushed them past some of their contemporaries of the early 70s. And on an album like this, they prove that they're way more than just Thom Bell puppets by showing that they have a rich talent for a wide variety of complicated arrangements that really push the vocal group sound of the 70s. They take many stylistic risks, coming up with really sinister new harmonies, and always managing to stay clear of the cliches that buried some of their mates on the charts. Bell still arranges some of the material, but the record also features work by Norman Harris and Caldwell MacMillan, who did the real genius work on the record. This masterpiece includes the sublime "Hey, Love", plus "Walk Right Up to the Sun", "I'm A Man", "Too Late", "Love You Till I Die", "Looking for a Girl", and "Round & Round". CD

Brilliant soul from the Detroit underground of the late 60s – a full set of work by vocalist Little Ann, issued here for the first time ever! You might recognize Ann's name from her appearance on a few of the Ace/Kent Records issues of material by Detroit producer Dave Hamilton over the years – and the work here all comes from those classic collaborations with Hamilton – trapped on tape for many years, always contemplated as a possible Little Ann album – but only issued in full all these many years later! The groove here is as offbeat as some of Dave's other great work – not nearly as tight, or uptight, as Motown music – and instead, done with a sly undercurrent of darkness on most numbers, even the mellower ones – almost that earliest mix of Detroit styles that you get on pre-fame singles from Westbound Records artists. Ann's vocals are nice and lean, and slide right into the mix with ease – heartfelt enough to grab us right away, yet without any obvious cliches as well. Titles include "What Should I Do", "Who Are You Trying To Fool", "The Smile On Your Face", "Stand Together", "I'm Doin All Right", "Lost A Lover", "That's All I want From You", and "I Got To Have You" – plus the unissued versions "Possession (master edit)", "Deep Shadows (multi mix)", and "Sweet It Out In The Shed (master tape)". PLUS – this CD features 9 more instrumental versions of the tunes by the Dave Hamilton Band – most issued here for the first time ever – plus three more alternates of album tracks! CD

Excellent solo work by Lowrell Simon – once a singer with Lost Generation, but opening up a whole new style of Chicago soul here on his own! The album's a tasty batch of smooth soul tracks with a midtempo club groove – not disco, but with the kind of large production and loping groove that you'd find in a good Barry White album – hitting all the right mellow funky moments at once! The prime example of this is the killer "Mellow Mellow Right On" – offered up here in two long parts that take up most of side two of the original album. Other nice ones include a version of Lowrell's "Overdose Of Love", plus the tracks "Out Of Breath", "You're Playing Dirty" and "Smooth & Wild". CD