Two early albums from this legendary group – back to back in a single set! First up is the self-titled Pointer Sisters – the group's debut, and an album that's a lot deeper than most of their crossover pop from years to come! At the time of the album's release, the trio were a badass group of female singers on the Bay Area scene – out to redefine the role of the girl group in soul – working not only with righteous power that was a real change from modes of the 60s – but also this trans-temporal quality that had them reaching back with ease for references from decades past, which also includes a surprising amount of jazz! The highlight here is the group's classic funky break version of Allen Toussaint's "Yes We Can Can" – and other titles include "Naked Food", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Sugar", "Pains & Tears", "Jada", "River Boulevard", and "Cloudburst". That's A Plenty is a wonderfully retro-styled set from the Pointer Sisters – one that has the group singing in a variety of older jazz modes, but which also mixes in a nice dose of heavy funk as well! The format's an odd one, but very typical of the group's genre-blending style – of the sort that first got them noticed strongly in the early 70s, then helped them bridge out to a wide variety of audiences later in the decade. Styles include bop, swing, and even a bit of trad jazz – plus some bluesier funk on the best numbers – and the album features an incredible 8 minute version of "Love In Them There Hills", done in a sweet 70s electric style! Other tracks include "Grinning In Your Face", "Little Pony", "Fairytale", "Black Coffee", "Shaky Flat Blues", and "That's A Plenty/Surfeit USA". CD

Although Irene Reid later went on to make some recordings that had her in a more rootsy setting, this nice set from the mid 60's features her deep soul voice amidst classy jazz-based arrangements by Oliver Nelson. The record's got the feel of one of Nancy Wilson's classics for Capitol, with a mix of standards and pop material like "When Did You Leave Heaven", "Save Your Love For Me", "Who Can I Turn To", and "They All Say I'm The Biggest Fool". LP, Vinyl record album

Music beyond description – a unique blend of disco, funk, avant garde, and dub – the wonderful world of the late Arthur Russell! Russell was a bass player by trade, but he was schooled in both classical and Eastern music forms – and brought an incredibly fresh vision to his work in New York in the late 70s and early 80s. To some, Russell was a groundbreaking disco pioneer – with an offbeat production style and unique conception of rhythm. To others, Russell was a performance artist and avant garde musician – working in circles that included Phillip Glass, David Byrne, and Robert Wilson. This mix of modes was very much a part of the post-disco, post-punk sound of New York at the time – and nobody summarized it (or allowed it!) better than Russell himself. This excellent set from Soul Jazz is one of the first to truly give him his due – and it brings together a large amount of his disco-related projects, plus a few more introspective numbers cut under his own name. The sound is incredible – unlike anything you could categorize – especially on the Russell-titled numbers – and as always with Soul Jazz, the whole thing's beautifully packaged, with rich notes on the music and the person behind it! Titles include "Go Bang (Francois K mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Wax The Van" by Lola, "Is It All Over My Face (Larry Levan mix)" by Loose Joints, "In The Cornbelt (Larry Levan mix)" by Dinosaur L, "Pop Your Funk" by Loose Joints, "Schoolbell/Treehouse (Walter Gibbons mix)" by Indian Ocean, and "Let's Go Swimming (Walter Gibbons mix)", "A Little Lost", "In The Light Of The Miracle", and "Keeping Up" by Arthur Russell himself! (Rock, Soul) CD

A landmark record – not only in the career of Grady Tate, but in the realm of adult vocals as well! Grady's incredible here – cool, classy, and amazingly stepping from the role of being a simple jazz drummer, into a world of sophisticated vocals that really caught the world by surprise. The backings are lush, but light – as cooly poised as Grady's own vocals, and still able to hit the right amounts of soulfulness to make the tunes come across with a sound that was quite different than the usual adult pop record of the time. The whole thing's an amazing mix of jazz, soul, and vocals – set to arrangements by Gary McFarland and Mike Abene, and supported by wonderful backings from Jerome Richradson. Includes the sublime "Sack Full Of Dreams", a swirling track that sounds a lot like Scott Walker to us – plus Grady's classic reading of "Windmills Of Your Mine", and the tunes "TNT", "Would You Believe", "All Around The World", and "A Little At A Time". ! (Vocalists, Soul) CD

A landmark record – not only in the career of Grady Tate, but in the realm of adult vocals as well! Grady's incredible here – cool, classy, and amazingly stepping from the role of being a simple jazz drummer, into a world of sophisticated vocals that really caught the world by surprise. The backings are lush, but light – as cooly poised as Grady's own vocals, and still able to hit the right amounts of soulfulness to make the tunes come across with a sound that was quite different than the usual adult pop record of the time. The whole thing's an amazing mix of jazz, soul, and vocals – set to arrangements by Gary McFarland and Mike Abene, and supported by wonderful backings from Jerome Richradson. Includes the sublime "Sack Full Of Dreams", a swirling track that sounds a lot like Scott Walker to us – plus Grady's classic reading of "Windmills Of Your Mine", and the tunes "TNT", "Would You Believe", "All Around The World", and "A Little At A Time". ! (Vocalists, Soul) CD

A trio of mid 80s albums from Narada Michael Walden – all together in one 2CD set! First up is Looking At You Looking At Me – an album with plenty of beats– so much so you might forget that Narada Michael Walden first rose to fame as a drummer – but all the electricity is fine with us, given the 80s groove sound of the set! There's a nice sense of energy that informs most of the tracks – a somewhat funky undercurrent that almost shows traces of the Minneapolis influence on soul at the time, but without a too-Prince sort of sound overall. There's also a few key ballads too – some gentler cuts that round out the set nicely, and which showcase the increasing confidence Walden's had with his vocals over the years. Titles include "Reach Out", "Looking At You Looking At Me", "Burning Up", "Shake It Off", "Dream Maker", and "Tina". Nature Of Things is a highly electric set from Narada Michael Walden – a mid 80s effort that's filled with catchy little tunes! The style's certainly more mainstream than we might have guessed, given Walden's early career – but it's still much better than most of the pop of its generation – thanks to Michael's strong jazz pedigree, which does seem to inform some of his arrangements and instrumental choices on the album. Most of the percussion is in the form of beats, but Walden's also credited with playing drums (roto-toms, perhaps?) – and in addition to his own lead vocals, the set also features work by Patti Austin and Marth Wash. Titles include "Live It Up", "Nature Of Things", "High Above The Clouds", "Gimme Gimme Gimme", "Suspicion", and "Dancin On Main Street". Divine Emotion is sweet 80s soul from Narada Michael Walden – a set that has the singer/drummer very confidently in the tight R&B territory that served him so well during the decade! As with previous records, there's a fair bit of 80s electronic elements in the mix – bursting, bubbling, and exploding with a joyful groove that really fits Walden's spirit – and serves to emphasize his ever-growing talent for penning at catchy tune! Titles include "Wild Thing", "Explosion", "Jam The Night", "Divine Emotions", "Can't Get You Outta My Head", "That's The Way I Feel About Cha", and "Certain Kind Of Lover". CD

Sweet 80s soul from Dionne Warwick – an album that features a fair bit of production work from Barry Gibb – and a sometime sound that definitely shows his presence! The style here is smoother than Dionne in earlier years – with a nice undercurrent of jazz in the instrumentation, one that helps keep things hipper than you might expect – and which avoids a lot of the cliches of early 80s pop soul that might muck things up. Gibb's touch helps things glide nicely at times – a bit of that soulful Bee Gees flourish – and tracks include "Heartbreaker", "It Makes No Difference", "Take The Short Way Home", "Just One More Night", "You Are My Love", and "Our Day Will Come". LP, Vinyl record album

A funky fusion classic from guitarist Wah Wah Watson – his only album as a leader, despite countless appearances as a sideman on 70s soul, jazz, and pop sessions! The album's got a really wonderful sort of west coast groove – one that takes bits of spacey fusion, bassy funk, and mellower soul – and wraps them up with a fresh and imaginative approach, not to mention plenty of wah wah work on guitar! Players on the set are a superstar array of the best talents in Watson's field – and include Bennie Maupin, Herbie Hancock, Dave Grusin, Joe Sample, and The Waters, who sing vocals on a few cuts. The set includes the killer instrumental "Bubbles", one of our favorite mellow grooves ever – plus the tracks "Goo Goo Wah Wah", "My Love For You Comes & Goes", "Good Friends", "Love Ain't Somethin", and "Sunset Boulevard". CD

A wonderful early album from soul singer Al Wilson – a well-crafted mix of modes that really stands out in late 60s pop – and which showed that Al was quite different than most of his contemporaries! The album's got some very hip production by Johnny Rivers – who was really stretching out his own sound at the time – and arrangements are by Gene Page and Marty Paich, who create a sublime blend of jazz, soul, and strings – plus a slight undercurrent of more righteous modes from the late 60s post-folk underground! In addition to straighter soul, Wilson sings a mix of hip contemporary compositions by Fred Neil, Jimmy Webb, and others – showing a depth of sound that's really wonderful. Instrumentation's by a small combo that includes Hal Blaine on drums, Larry Knechtel on keyboards, and some especially great flute from Jim Horn – whose sound here really brings some dark moments to the record. Titles include a classic version of Oscar Brown Jr's "The Snake" – which has gone onto become something of a dancefloor stormer over the years – plus the cuts "Shake Me Wake Me", "I Stand Accused", "Who Could Be Lovin You", "Brother Where Are You", "Summer Rain", "Do What You Gotta Do", and a groovy cover of Fred Neil's "The Dolphins". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete early recordings of Al Wilson – a set that features one full album, plus 11 more bonus tracks! At the core of the set is Searching For The Dolphins – a wonderful early album from soul singer Al – a well-crafted mix of modes that really stands out in late 60s pop – and which showed that Wilson was quite different than most of his contemporaries! The album's got some very hip production by Johnny Rivers – who was really stretching out his own sound at the time – and arrangements are by Gene Page and Marty Paich, who create a sublime blend of jazz, soul, and strings – plus a slight undercurrent of more righteous modes from the late 60s post-folk underground! In addition to straighter soul, Wilson sings a mix of hip contemporary compositions by Fred Neil, Jimmy Webb, and others – showing a depth of sound that's really wonderful. Instrumentation's by a small combo that includes Hal Blain on drums, Larry Knechtel on keyboards, and some especially great flute from Jim Horn – whose sound here really brings some dark moments to the record. Titles include a classic version of Oscar Brown Jr's "The Snake" – which has gone onto become something of a dancefloor stormer over the years – plus the cuts "Shake Me Wake Me", "I Stand Accused", "Who Could Be Lovin You", "Brother Where Are You", "Summer Rain", "Do What You Gotta Do", and a groovy cover of Fred Neil's "The Dolphins". Added to the core album are 11 more bonus tracks – most of which have an even more soul-based sound overall – some of which were issued on the Bell and Carousel labels. Titles include "When You Love", "Now I Know What Love Is", "Mississippi Woman", "Sugar Cane Girl", "You Do The Right Things", "Bachelor Man", and "Falling In Love With You". CD

Smooth pop soul tunes by Tony Wilson – not the famous avant jazz drummer, but the ex lead singer from Hot Chocolate, the hit British group of the mid 70s. The best cuts have that flanged out vocal style of Tony's that we like so much, and even though arrangements are nothing special, the album's pleasant enough overall. Titles include "Try Love", "Give Your Lady What She Wants", "Lay Next To You", "Fool Around", "Africa", and "New Orleans Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A European disco world that's ripe for rediscovery – one that's much more obscure than better-known club work from Germany, France, and Italy – but which may well be even groovier than the work from those three scenes! The package is a great complement to some of the funk and jazz sets on the Sdban label – and like those, it really digs deep – to uncover a vast array of music from the small nation – which was clearly a hotbed of groovy activity in the 70s, at a level that none of us realized at the time! The tunes here mix together funk and pop, soul and disco – all in ways that criss-cross strongly with more familiar modes of the period – but often have an offbeat quality, and sometimes a surprising sense of humor that comes through in the mostly English lyrics in the lead. 2CD set features 30 tracks – and titles include "Ethereo Disco" by R Roland, "King Kong" by Carl Watson, "Baby Won't You Turn Me On" by Charles Watson, "Sexy" by Lovedream, "La Gomme" by L2, "Cool & Get Up" by Quartz, "I'm Free" by Steve, "Groovin To The Music" by Flame, "Queen To The Pharoah" by Marianne, "Feel So Glad" by Dan Davis, "Ivro De Vie" by Kevin Moraine, "Be My Love Tonight" by CC Band, "Strange How You Move" by Venus, and "Bubblegum" by Bubble. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

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

Raw, raunchy sounds – all pulled together from a time before soul and rock even existed! Most of the work here is from the classic catalog of King Records – a killer imprint in the postwar R&B market, and a company who wasn't afraid to do what it took to make a knockout record! In the case of these tracks, the singers often hit some fairly suggestive material – often hidden in early 50s innuendo, but barely so – with a vibe that's often nastier than even the most hardcore rockabilly sounds to come! The music here has its roots in blues, but is inflected with plenty of jazz, and the presence of the singers often point the way towards soul music – especially the James Brown crowd that would later rise at the same label. Titles on this volume include "Sexy Ways" by Hank Ballard & The Midnighters, "Lolly Pop Mama" by Wynonie Harris, "I Want A Bowlegged Woman" by Bull Moose Jackson, "You Can't Keep A Good Man Down" by Billy Ward & The Dominoes, "Will You Be Mine" by The Swallows, "Leave My Kitten Alone" by Little Willie John, "Sixy Minute Man" by Billy Ward & The Dominoes, and "Lovin Machine" by Wynonie Harris. 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

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) LP, Vinyl record album

Probably the most successful album the Mizell Brothers ever produced, and a fine set of uptempo groovers from this female soul duet! There's some nice jazzy moments underneath the catchy lyrics, and in a way, the album's style is sort of a blueprint for the sound that would emerge over the next few at Capitol Records, where some incredible albums of modern soul would be recorded. And sure, at one level the group's hit "Boogie Oogie Oogie" is a bit of throwaway pop disco – but there's plenty of other great moments that show the group as a more sophisticated soul outfit, including "This Love Of Ours", "Sky High", and "If We Loved". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the best ever records from Twennynine – produced and arranged by Lenny White & Larry Dunn– jazzy modern soul at it's dawn of the decade finest! Twennynine With Lenny White is way at the front of the pack of a lot of the 80s groove elements to follow in its wake – with popping basslines, heavy bass pedals, compressed guitar riffs and a really insistent overall groove! The record's got a pretty straight R&B feel, but thanks to White's nice production, there's a lot of good fusion elements in the mix – which raises the album a step above, and makes it groove nicely. The group features keyboards by Skip Anderson, doing a great job stepping in for Don Blackman, with lead vocals by Tanya Willoughby, synths by Larry Dunn, percussion by Paulinho De Costa, guitar by Eddie Martinez, bass by Barry Johnson and others. Titles include "My Melody", "Kid Stuff", "Fancy Dancer", "Slip Away", "We Had To Break Away", and "Love & Be Loved". LP, Vinyl record album

A really standout bit of blue-eyed soul from Gino Vannelli – the kind of record that shouldn't be so great, but really holds up well over the years! The style is tight and studio-oriented – somewhere in the mode of Bobby Caldwell and some of Gino's other cross-over contemporaries – but the album avoids most adult contemporary cliches, and keeps things sounding pretty real overall with some good studio backing, and a sense of jazz amidst the tightness – a bit like Steely Dan, but more poppish. Titles include "The River Must Flow", "I Just Wanna Stop", "Love & Emotion", "Feel Like Flying", "Brother To Brother", "Wheels Of Life", "The Evil Eye", and "People I Belong To". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge run of music from the legendary Dionne Warwick – all of it very different than her early work with Burt Bacharach, and brought together as a strong testament to her ability to change and grow over the years! Although Dionne started as a sweeter singer in the 60s, and had a few great Warner Brothers moments during the 70s – she really reemerged strongly on Arista at the end of that decade – thanks to strong help from a label that really knew what to do with a top-shelf female singer, and help them move past some of the pop and disco pitfalls that brought down some of their contemporaries in the decade! Warwick really returned to the American consciousness with these records, then kept on growing and maturing – really able to shift through a range of styles as the 80s moved into the 90s, even ending up with a bit of jazz in the mix – as you'll hear on this long run of records. The box set features twelve full albums, a great value for the price – records that include Dionne, No Night So Long, Hot Live & Otherwise, Friends In Love, Heartbreaker, How Many Times Can We Say Goodbye, Finder Of Lost Loves, Friends, Reservations For Two, Sings Cole Porter, Friends Can Be Lovers, and Aquarela Do Brasil. CD

These guys definitely live up to the "jam" in the name of their band – but not in the same way as 21st Century groups using the jam band name! Instead, the sound here is bass-heavy funk – a mode that's probably a bit inspired by P-Funk, but often faster and more frenetic – kind of a rougher-edged version of some of the Ohio funk acts that really rose to prominence at the end of the 70s. Charles Davis is the maestro on bass – and he never pushes things too far, nor pops the strings too much – and instead just uses his strings to really vamp the whole group from the bottom on up, setting the scene for lots of tasty interplay on horns, guitar, and keyboards – amidst a flurry of vocals by members of the group. Titles include "Chazz Jazz", "Midnight Stroker", "Instrument Soul", "Bolo", "Living In Style", "The Funky Get Down", "Can't Hide The Funk", and "Who Want To Fall In Love". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Can't You Ride The Western Funk" and "Whip That Mini Skirt". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful little album from Jackie Wilson – one that helped him redefine his sound and save his career! Jackie's earlier work for Brunswick was a mish-mash of styles that ranged from raw R&B to smooth supper-club jazz to silly novelty numbers, all of which had gotten pretty stale by the mid 60s. Elsewhere at Brunswick, though, things were really popping during the time – as Carl Davis was turning the label's Chicago offices into a hotbed of soul, forged in the newer hipper styles of the Chisoul scene. Davis got Wilson into the Chicago scene for this album – had him working with arranger Sonny Sanders and director Gerald Sims – to create a wonderful batch of strident soul tunes that perfectly embody the loping Chisoul groove that was Davis' real legacy in soul music during the 60s. The prime example of this is the title cut "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher & Higher" – which became a runaway hit that put Wilson back on the map I the soul business. The rest of the album's just as great, though, and includes loads of solid numbers like "Soulville", "I've Lost You", "Those Heartaches", and "I'm The One To Do It". CD

2 Nancy Wilson Capitol sets from 1966 – back to back on one CD! From Broadway With Love is Broadway material – but given the Nancy Wilson twist – and sung in a mode that's a lot more soulful than other records of its type! Nancy's at her strong early Capitol best here – working with arranger Sid Feller in a set of tunes that get some nice syncopation and jazzy inflections from Sid – pushing them past their showier roots, and into leaner territory that really matches the class of the Nancy Wilson voice! And although they all came from musicals, most titles have had their own life as standards and pop songs – making the record less of a dip into Broadway than just a continuation of modes that Wilson was already exploring at Capitol in the 60s. Titles include "I've Got Your Number", "He Loves Me", "Here's That Rainy Day", "Hey There", "Makin Whoopee", and "Young & Foolish". Tender Loving Care has Nancy singing with arranger Billy May – who comes across here with a bit more sensitivity than usual for his Capitol work, especially given the 60s time of the recording! Sometimes, May is using full strings as a broad pillow of sound for Nancy's vocals – but other times, he strips things down and goes for a livelier, jazzier approach that's even better – one that helps give the familiar tunes a new lease on life in the hip Wilson style of the 60s. Titles include "As You Desire Me", "Like Someone In Love", "Don't Go To Strangers", "Tender Loving Care", "Love-Wise", "Try A Little Tenderness", and "Close Your Eyes". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

2 key albums in the early career of Nancy Wilson – back to back on one CD! For Hollywood My Way, Wilson turns her wonderfully sophisticated vocal style towards a batch of hits from Hollywood films of the 40s, 50s, and 60s – arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones, in that classy blend of jazz and soul that suited Wilson so well in the 60s! The style is really a cut above the usual – handled with great poise by Nancy throughout, but also done in a mode that's relaxed enough to get past some of the stodgier sounds of records like this. The mellower tunes are actually some of the best here – personal, reflective, and echoing the "Guess Who I Saw Today" sound of Wilson in the 60s. Titles include "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To", "Almost In Your Arms", "When Did You Leave Heaven?", "My Shining Hour", "Days Of Wine & Roses", and "Wild Is The Wind". Broadway My Way is also arranged and conducted by Jimmy Jones – and as usual with Wilson in this sort of setting, the material is really transformed by her presentation – taken way past its roots in popular shows of the time. Titles include "Loads Of Love", "My Ship", "Getting To Know You", "Tonight", "You Can Have Him", and "I Believe In You". 24 tracks in all. (Vocalists, Soul) CD

2 swingers from Nancy – 2 of her first albums, back to back on one CD! Both sides feature jazzy arrangements from Billy May – backings that put Nancy in prime vocal mode, with less of the pop soul touches of her late 60s work – and more of the strong Capitol singer mode that May forged with Sinatra and other big acts during the 50s. Nancy, as always, really shines in the setting – working wonderfully through a mixture of older standards and some fresher tunes – on a set of 24 titles that include "Something Happens To Me", "He's My Guy", "I Wish You Love", "Teach Me Tonight", "Night Mist", "You Leave Me Breathless", "On The Street Where You Live", "If It's The Last Thing I Do", and her sublime reading of "Guess Who I Saw Today". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

There's plenty of popping here – great little grooves, recorded with the jazzy finish that makes the 70s material of Tatsuro Yamashita so great! The vibe here has all the warmth and sophisticated groove of Fantasy Records in the late 70s – maybe a bit of Wayne Henderson/At Home influence in the way that jazzy elements are used next to soulful vocals from Tatsuro – and presented in a way that's never too overdone, too polished, or commercial. Yet the set, which is a live one, also has all the careful precision of Yamashita's studio work – that quality that also marks the 70s live work of Earth Wind & Fire, who are every bit as great on stage as behind the glass. Titles include "Hey There Lonely Girl", "Space Crush", "Windy Lady", "Paper Doll", "Candy", "Marie", "Circus Town", and "Solid Slider". (Japanese, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet masterpiece of 70s AOR from Japan – served up by Tatsuro Yamashita, who was easily one of the most soulful male singers on the scene in the years before city pop! The record's got a jazzy vibe that's great, and which really fits the R&B-inspired midtempo rhythms – almost as if Wayne Henderson had a hand in putting the whole thing together, similar to some of his late 70s productions for Fantasy Records – but with some occasional 80s touches that also hint at changes to come in the next decade. Vocals are all in Japanese, but the record's got a very universal appeal – and titles include "Rainy Walk", "Funky Flushin", "Hot Shot", "Touch Me Lightly", "Yellow Cab", "Nightwing", and "Full Moon". (Japanese, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly nice set of soulful pop from mid 70s Japan – very much in the best Free Soul mode that's been championed in recent years! The album's got a nice jazzy style at its core – with arrangements that make the best of the fusion players working in the studio, and a compressed approach to Tatsuro's vocals that really make them mix sweetly with the grooves – and almost make you forget that he's singing in Japanese! The album's got one massive jazzy break track called "Dancer", but the whole thing's pretty nice overall – and cuts include "Solid Slider", "Candy", and "Love Space" – plus other tunes that are listed in Japanese. (Japanese, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The first ever compilation of the best music made for MoWest – the eclectic, but still soulful cuts made when Berry Gordy Jr. relocated from Motown to the west coast in the early 70s – releasing cool and sometimes strange music with a soul background, yet toasted by LA sunshine! The MoWest subsidiary lasted just a few years, and gets overlooked in the canonization of Motown at it's most classic and revolutionary – but the legacy is pretty incredible. Funk, sunshine rock and soul fused adventurously by a stunningly diverse roster – late period Frankie Vallie & The Four Seasons (who's comp-opening track is a slept on sunshine pop-soul classic), breezy-jazzy-soul from Odyssey, the sister funk of Sisters Love, a stunning solo left turn from Spinners singer GC Cameron and more great stuff from Syreeta, The Commodores, Suzee Ikeda, Thelma Houston and others. We've been dying for a well selected MoWest comp like this for years, and Light In The Attic stepped to the plate and knock it right out of the park. The songs choices are great, the notes are great. . .everything about it is a win. Essential! Includes "You're A Song (That I Can't Sing)" and "The Night" by Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, "Our Lives Are Shaped By What We Love" and "Broken Road" by Odyssey, "Don't You Be Worried" by The Commodores, "A Heart Is A House" Nu Page, "I Ain't Going Nowhere" by Thelma Houston, "I Can't Give Back The Love I Feel For You" by Suzee Ikeda, "You've Got To Make The Choice" and "Give Me Your Love" by The Sisters Love and more. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD