A wonderful package – a set that brings together two rare funk albums by Newban, an early version of Atlantic Starr – plus bonus tracks too! The first Newban record is one of the sweetest ensemble funk albums of the 70s – and a record that's gone on to become a classic, despite the fact that most people know little about the group! Newban have a sound that's almost a jazzier take on the Earth Wind & Fire groove of the time – a style that's warm and fluid, and which really gets past the cliches of other larger funk acts – and manages to find a space in sound that's all its own! There's lots of odd phrasings and chords on the set – creating these very blue passages even when the group's grooving in an uptempo mode – almost like the sense of sadness that creeps out from Stevie Wonder's work during his best early 70s years. The sound is totally unique, and uniquely wonderful – and the album includes the classic "Father Time", plus the cuts "Magic Lady", "Mellow Days, Easy Nights", "Fatback Sally", and "Hungry Grin". Newban 2 is every bit as great as the first album – if not better – with some excellent excellent lost material that's the kind of stuff that still keeps you diggin' for the hard ones. Includes the track "Greenburgh", with a tight funky intro and a smooth sweet soul groove, plus lots of other great cuts like "Free Your Mind", "Easin' Through", "Find a Place to Live", and "Rhythm & Rhyme". This deluxe package also features three rare bonus tracks – "Oh Wow", "Miracle Holiday", and "Bells" – tracks recorded before the first two albums! CD

A tightly funky set from The Temptations – a record that has the group still standing strong in the post-Norman Whitfield years – working here with producer Jeffrey Bowen in a groove that's almost got some P-Funk touches at times! Things are somewhat polished, but still in the best mainstream funk mode of the time – and in a way, the record's almost a blueprint for the style that so many California groups would pick up in the next few years – upbeat grooves, often driven with some heavy bass at the bottom, but still with enough room for well-crafted vocals on the top. Arrangements are by James Carmichael on most tracks – and the backing group includes Wah Wah Ragin and Eddie Hazel on guitar, both of whom get plenty of space to work out on the set. Tracks include the instrumental "Happy People" – plus "Glass House", "Shakey Ground", "The Prophet", "A Song For You", "Firefly", and "I'm A Bachelor". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner of a soundtrack from the maestro Barry White – his only entry into the blacksploitation film genre of the 70s, and a complete doozy throughout! For the album, Barry's stripped down the bigger space of his own records, and his Love Unlimited productions – into some shorter tracks that really focus on that blend of funk and strings that he could do so well – making for a batch of killer instrumentals that really offer up a special Barry White take on the funky film sound of the 70s! Love Unlimited also sing on two tracks – "Somebody Is Gonna Off The Man" and "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today _- but most of the record is instrumental, played by the Orchestra – and tracks include "Killer's Lullaby", "So Nice To Hear", "Killer Don't Do It", "Can't Seem To Find Him", "Alive & Well", "Theme From Together Brothers", "Do Drop In", and "Here Comes The Man". CD

A huge amount of 12" singles, stuffed into one mighty nice 4CD set – maybe not the greatest of all time, but still pretty darn wonderful overall! The set does an especially great job of looking at a late 70s moment when some of the hipper soul artists were able to get the extra space of a 12" single to really open up their sound – grooves that move past the shorter space of a 7", and really do plenty in the process – often in ways that are much more interesting than some of the overplayed disco of the time. There's 43 long grooves on the set – all 12" singles – and titles include "Space Age" by Jimmy Castor, "You Are A Star" by Aquarian Dream, "Flashlight" by Parliament, "Good Times" by Chic, "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure, "I Should've Loved Ya" by Narada Michael Walden, "Fantastic Voyage" by Lakeside, "You're My Occupation (ext)" by Chaz Jankel, "Expansions" by Lonnie Liston Smith, "And The Beat Goes On" by the Whispers, "You Got The Floor" by Arthur Adams, "Do It Any Way You Wanna (Tom Moulton mix)" by People's Choice, "Do What You Wanna Do" by T-Connection, "Twilight (inst)" by Maze, "You + Me + Love" by Undisputed Truth, "More Bounce To The Ounce (parts 1 & 2)" by Zapp, "Now That We Found Love (disco mix)" by Third World, "Hi Tension" by Hi Tension, "Dancing In Outer Space" by Atmosfear, "Money's Too Tight To Mention" by Valentine Brothers, "Searching" by Change, and "Running Away" by Roy Ayers. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A definite good thang from Faze-O – easily the masters of snakey funk at the end of the 70s! The set's got loads of great elements that echo the group's Riding High debut – a groove that never goes too far over the top, and which kicks back at a pace that so many others would copy a few years later – a vibe that's a bit Ohio, a bit Cali, yet crafted here with a vision that's totally unique to the band! Horns are a bit heavier than before, but there's still plenty of great keyboards too – and the vocals definitely recognize that they're the second star of the record, and usually defer to the rhythms on most numbers. Tracks include "Good Thang", "Party Time", "Space People", "Who Loves You", and "Funky Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of funky classics from Faze-O – collected here with bonus tracks too! First up is their debut, Riding High – a spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"! The second album is a definite Good Thang from Faze-O – easily the masters of snakey funk at the end of the 70s! The set's got loads of great elements that echo the group's Riding High debut – a groove that never goes too far over the top, and which kicks back at a pace that so many others would copy a few years later – a vibe that's a bit Ohio, a bit Cali, yet crafted here with a vision that's totally unique to the band! Horns are a bit heavier than before, but there's still plenty of great keyboards too – and the vocals definitely recognize that they're the second star of the record, and usually defer to the rhythms on most numbers. Tracks include "Good Thang", "Party Time", "Space People", "Who Loves You", and "Funky Lady". Breakin The Funk is wicked funk from Faze-O – a group who seem even tighter than before on this smoking album – yet still hold onto all the laidback modes that made them so great in the first place! There's a lean quality here that really prefaces the direction so many funk acts would take a few years later – a way of compressing everything down on the rhythm, to get past some of the excesses of too-large funk groups, or some of the overblown qualities of the disco generation! Faze-O were definitely out front with this approach, and continue to craft it strongly here – and the album's got a few great mellow tracks too – a great illustration of the claim made in the liner notes – that "Faze-O music is carefully built in panels of melodic phases, to sensuously put you in a funky but heavenly mood of time and rhythm." Titles include "See You Through The Night", "I'm Thankful", "I Still Love You", "Let's Rock", and "Ya Ba Da Ba Duzie". Features bonus tracks – 7" single mixes of "Riding High", "Breakin The Funk", "Good Thang", and "Who Loves You". CD

Killer work from Betty Davis – one of the most impressive female funk talents ever! If you ever needed a definition of funk, this record may well be it – snapping drums, sharp-edged guitars, and sex-filled basslines that slink and slide all over the bottom of the grooves – a perfect setting for Betty's incredible vocals – which themselves have a smokey, raspy quality that's completely unique! At times, Davis is almost speaking, but at others she's practically screaming – belting out the lyrics in a way that makes you feel like you're sharing some space with her at the end of the bar as she gets more and more wound up about issues and people who are on her mind. And as if the vocals weren't enough, the backings are incredible too – filled with drum breaks and basslines that few other albums can match – all wrapped around badass tunes that include "Shoo-B-Doop & Cop Him", "He Was A Big Freak", "70's Blues", "Git In There", "Special People", "Don't Call Her No Tramp", and "Your Mama Wants Ya Back". LP, Vinyl record album

The final album in the too-short legacy left behind by the legendary Aaliyah – a singer who was taken from us all too soon! As with Sade, there was always a bit of a gap between Aaliyah's albums – and that space really shows just how much she'd grown musically in just a few short years – here really stepping past her teenaged debut, and maturing into the sort of female force that would have dominated R&B for years to come! That maturity really comes through in some of the album's more neo soul-styled moments – part of that growing generation that the singer helped foster – and in addition to production from Timbaland, the set's got even deeper work from Seats and Rapture, and Bud'da. The confidence within must have been a great message to R Kelly that strong people can grow past his influence easily – expressed on tunes that include "What If", "Try Again", "Read Between The Line", "U Got Nerve", "I Refuse", "It's Whatever", "We Need A Resolution", "Never No More", and "More Than A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge collection of work from funk and soul legend Jimmy Castor – an artist who cut a big number of incredible records for a variety of different labels – almost all of which are in this set! In truth, Jimmy's got a huge legacy in soul that goes back to early years in vocal groups – but this set picks up with his late 60s Latin soul material, then rolls into his famous funk work for RCA and Atlantic Records in the 70s, and continues with great club tracks from the following decade! There's a massive 45 tracks on the 3CD set – a fitting tribute to Castor's never-ending genius – and titles include "Hey Leroy", "It's Just Begun", "Soul Serenade", "Luther The Anthropoid", "Bertha Butt Boogie", "Troglodyte", "It's Just Begun", "Southern Fried Frijoles", "Daniel", "Tribute To Jimi", "LTD", "Psych", "You Better Be Good", "Hallucinations", "Love Train", "One Precious Word", "The Everything Man", "Dracula (part 1)", "The Return Of Leroy (part 1)", "I Just Wanna Stop", "Party People", "Need Your Lovin", "E Man Par Tay", "Space Age (12" mix)", "Super Love", "Bom Bom", "Supersound", "Don't Do That", "King Kong", and lots more! CD

Killer work from Betty Davis – one of the most impressive female funk talents ever! If you ever needed a definition of funk, this record may well be it – snapping drums, sharp-edged guitars, and sex-filled basslines that slink and slide all over the bottom of the grooves – a perfect setting for Betty's incredible vocals – which themselves have a smokey, raspy quality that's completely unique! At times, Davis is almost speaking, but at others she's practically screaming – belting out the lyrics in a way that makes you feel like you're sharing some space with her at the end of the bar as she gets more and more wound up about issues and people who are on her mind. And as if the vocals weren't enough, the backings are incredible too – filled with drum breaks and basslines that few other albums can match – all wrapped around badass tunes that include "Shoo-B-Doop & Cop Him", "He Was A Big Freak", "70's Blues", "Git In There", "Special People", "Don't Call Her No Tramp", and "Your Mama Wants Ya Back". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer work from Betty Davis – one of the most impressive female funk talents ever! If you ever needed a definition of funk, this record may well be it – snapping drums, sharp-edged guitars, and sex-filled basslines that slink and slide all over the bottom of the grooves – a perfect setting for Betty's incredible vocals – which themselves have a smokey, raspy quality that's completely unique! At times, Davis is almost speaking, but at others she's practically screaming – belting out the lyrics in a way that makes you feel like you're sharing some space with her at the end of the bar as she gets more and more wound up about issues and people who are on her mind. And as if the vocals weren't enough, the backings are incredible too – filled with drum breaks and basslines that few other albums can match – all wrapped around badass tunes that include "Shoo-B-Doop & Cop Him", "He Was A Big Freak", "70's Blues", "Git In There", "Special People", "Don't Call Her No Tramp", and "Your Mama Wants Ya Back". Expanded CD features new remastering, a deluxe 32 page booklet, and 4 previously unreleased bonus tracks that include Record Plant rough mixes of "70s Blues", "Git In There", "He Was A Big Freak", and "Don't Call Her No Tramp". CD

Killer work from Betty Davis – one of the most impressive female funk talents ever! If you ever needed a definition of funk, this record may well be it – snapping drums, sharp-edged guitars, and sex-filled basslines that slink and slide all over the bottom of the grooves – a perfect setting for Betty's incredible vocals – which themselves have a smokey, raspy quality that's completely unique! At times, Davis is almost speaking, but at others she's practically screaming – belting out the lyrics in a way that makes you feel like you're sharing some space with her at the end of the bar as she gets more and more wound up about issues and people who are on her mind. And as if the vocals weren't enough, the backings are incredible too – filled with drum breaks and basslines that few other albums can match – all wrapped around badass tunes that include "Shoo-B-Doop & Cop Him", "He Was A Big Freak", "70's Blues", "Git In There", "Special People", "Don't Call Her No Tramp", and "Your Mama Wants Ya Back". Expanded CD features new remastering, a deluxe booklet, and 4 previously unreleased bonus tracks that include Record Plant rough mixes of "70s Blues", "Git In There", "He Was A Big Freak", and "Don't Call Her No Tramp". CD

Heavy soul by one of the funkiest groups of all time – New Orleans mighty Meters, a group who forever set a new standard with the classic singles featured in this package! The Meters are an instrumental group at their core – with a moody blend of heady basslines, bubbling organ, and scratchy guitar – made famous by their early singles on the Josie label, then taken to new heights as they moved to Warner/Reprise in the 70s, and came up with some even more complicated grooves! And while the group's albums are all great, it's definitely their singles that put the money where their funk is – creating these cool, compact, mostly-instrumental modes that pack a hell of a lot of punch in just a short space. The collection features 40 of these massive numbers – titles that include "Joog", "Sassy Lady", "No More Okey", "Trick Bag", "Mister Moon", "Find Yourself", "Chug Chug Chug (parts 1 & 2)", "The Flower", "Smiling", "Do The Dirt", "Africa", "People Say", "Running Fast (long version)", "Disco Is The Thing Today", "Hey Pocky A Way", "Stretch Your Rubber Band", "This Is My Last Affair", "Chicken Strut", "Sophisticated Cissy", "Cissy Strut", "Here Comes The Meter Man", "Ease Back", "Ann", "Dry Spell", "Little Old Money Maker", "Hey Last Minute", and "The World Is A Little Bit Under The Weather Doodle Oop". LP, Vinyl record album

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

One of the great overlooked funk bands of the late 70s Virginia scene – a tight little combo with a warm style that's just right for the dancefloor! The VA groove of the time was a different take on the styles being used up north in Philly and New York – as the groups were often more traditionally funk-based, especially in their instrumentation – but played in a mode that was upbeat and soaring, perfectly suited for the disco-era dancefloor, yet handled with the sincerity of an indie soul group. Shake communicate a heck of a lot in their music – moving through some great original tunes written by producer Lenis Guess, done with some nicely personal touches that maintain the indie spirit of the set, even though the group's overall sound is tightly professional. Titles include "Shake", "Lost In Space", "Try My Love Tonight", "Two People Working Together", "Music Is The Only Way I Can Communicate", "Goodbye My Love Goodbye", and "Misery's Chant/I Was In Love With You". CD

A tightly funky set from The Temptations – a record that has the group still standing strong in the post-Norman Whitfield years – working here with producer Jeffrey Bowen in a groove that's almost got some P-Funk touches at times! Things are somewhat polished, but still in the best mainstream funk mode of the time – and in a way, the record's almost a blueprint for the style that so many California groups would pick up in the next few years – upbeat grooves, often driven with some heavy bass at the bottom, but still with enough room for well-crafted vocals on the top. Arrangements are by James Carmichael on most tracks – and the backing group includes Wah Wah Ragin and Eddie Hazel on guitar, both of whom get plenty of space to work out on the set. Tracks include the instrumental "Happy People" – plus "Glass House", "Shakey Ground", "The Prophet", "A Song For You", "Firefly", and "I'm A Bachelor". CD

An incredible record – and one of the real high points in the career of trumpeter Donald Byrd! The album's the third one he cut with producer/arranger Larry Mizell – and of all Byrd's work with Mizell, this one's the funkiest, the tightest, the most soulful, and the most perfectly realized vision of the soaring sound the duo were aiming for! Every track is a winner – and the album glides along with a slippery sinewy groove, never pausing for a weak moment or a misplaced note, shimmering with pride in its own genius. Byrd's trumpet soars over the top, banking gracefully over waves of funky drums, spacey keyboards, and extremely well-placed vocals – all brought together perfectly by Mizell, with a tightly fused style that few people have ever been able to match in the studio since! Tracks include "Change (Makes You Want To Hustle)", "Dominoes", "Wind Parade", "Places & Spaces", and "Night Whistler". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – and one of the real high points in the career of trumpeter Donald Byrd! The album's the third one he cut with producer/arranger Larry Mizell – and of all Byrd's work with Mizell, this one's the funkiest, the tightest, the most soulful, and the most perfectly realized vision of the soaring sound the duo were aiming for! Every track is a winner – and the album glides along with a slippery sinewy groove, never pausing for a weak moment or a misplaced note, shimmering with pride in its own genius. Byrd's trumpet soars over the top, banking gracefully over waves of funky drums, spacey keyboards, and extremely well-placed vocals – all brought together perfectly by Mizell, with a tightly fused style that few people have ever been able to match in the studio since! Tracks include "Change (Makes You Want To Hustle)", "Dominoes", "Wind Parade", "Places & Spaces", and "Night Whistler". (Jazz, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Here's where it all happens – the huge culmination of all the years of heavy funk and psychedelic soul created by George Clinton and the P-Funk empire – fused into an amazingly tight groove that helped win over much bigger audiences than ever before! The album title and cover are very fitting – as George Clinton launches the mothership, forges his classic space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act – all with grooves that are still some of the tightest, sharpest funk you'll ever hear – all these many decades later. The instrumentation is razor-sharp – played by giants like Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell – and the lyrics still have all the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – tied together wonderfully to make a very unified album, and one that's full of classics too! Titles include "Mothership Connection (Star Child)", "Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples", "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo". CD

Here's where it all happens – the huge culmination of all the years of heavy funk and psychedelic soul created by George Clinton and the P-Funk empire – fused into an amazingly tight groove that helped win over much bigger audiences than ever before! The album title and cover are very fitting – as George Clinton launches the mothership, forges his classic space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act – all with grooves that are still some of the tightest, sharpest funk you'll ever hear – all these many decades later. The instrumentation is razor-sharp – played by giants like Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell – and the lyrics still have all the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – tied together wonderfully to make a very unified album, and one that's full of classics too! Titles include "Mothership Connection (Star Child)", "Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples", "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo". CD features a bonus version of "Star Child", a promo radio version! CD

Although these days, Parliament's best remembered for their classic studio albums, back in the 70s, the real P-Funk experience was the incredible live shows served up by George Clinton and the group! George, Bootsy, and the rest were undeniably at the top of their game at the time – rolling into cities and taking them by storm with their space-themed sets, wild costumes, and intense ability to jam live with a force that even blew away their records! This double live set is a great document of the P-Funk sound of the time – and features some great tunes from mid 70s Parliament, served up in modes that range from straight to very long and drawn out. Titles include "Give Up The Funk", "Get Off Your Ass & Jam", "Night Of The Thumpasorous Peoples", "Let's Take It To The Stage", and "Gamin' On Ya!" – all done with the sort of live jamming feel that made their shows go on forever and groove all night long. CD

Here's where it all happens – the huge culmination of all the years of heavy funk and psychedelic soul created by George Clinton and the P-Funk empire – fused into an amazingly tight groove that helped win over much bigger audiences than ever before! The album title and cover are very fitting – as George Clinton launches the mothership, forges his classic space-funk image, and blows the P-Funk empire into an arena-filling mega-star act – all with grooves that are still some of the tightest, sharpest funk you'll ever hear – all these many decades later. The instrumentation is razor-sharp – played by giants like Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell – and the lyrics still have all the edginess and naughtiness of the earlier years – tied together wonderfully to make a very unified album, and one that's full of classics too! Titles include "Mothership Connection (Star Child)", "Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples", "P-Funk (Wants To Get Funked Up)", "Handcuffs", "Give Up The Funk (Tear The Roof Off The Sucker)", and "Unfunky Ufo". LP, Vinyl record album

Although these days, Parliament's best remembered for their classic studio albums, back in the 70s, the real P-Funk experience was the incredible live shows served up by George Clinton and the group! George, Bootsy, and the rest were undeniably at the top of their game at the time – rolling into cities and taking them by storm with their space-themed sets, wild costumes, and intense ability to jam live with a force that even blew away their records! This double live set is a great document of the P-Funk sound of the time – and features some great tunes from mid 70s Parliament, served up in modes that range from straight to very long and drawn out. Titles include "Give Up The Funk", "Get Off Your Ass & Jam", "Night Of The Thumpasorous Peoples", "Let's Take It To The Stage", and "Gamin' On Ya!" – all done with the sort of live jamming feel that made their shows go on forever and groove all night long. LP, Vinyl record album

A great chapter in the career of trumpeter Donald Byrd – his post-Blue Note work with the group 125th Street NYC – which is kind of a second chapter to the jazzy fusion style he developed at the start of the 70s! This time around, there's an equal emphasis on soul and jazz – often with some strong vocals in the lead, but also plenty of room for Donald to stretch out and serve up the kind of perfect solos he worked out with the Mizell Brothers in the years before – modes that are continued here with some great guest help from singers and musicians who include Syreeta, Isaac Hayes, Jim Gilstrap, Wah Wah Watson, and Greg Phillinganes! If you like Donald Byrd albums like Places & Spaces or Stepping Into Tomorrow, you'll find that the sound here is a continuation of that mode – taken into the leaner funk territory that would come to play in the 80s. 2CD set features almost all the best tracks from those years, including some single mixes too – and titles include "Thank You For Funking Up My Life (12" disco version)", "Marilyn", "Butterfly", "Gold The Moon White The Sun", "Sexy Dancer", "Love Has Come Around", "Loving You", "Love For Sale", "Star Trippin", "I Love You", "Midnight", "Your Love Is My Ecstasy", "Have You Heard The News", "People Suppose To Be Free", "Morning", "I'm Coming Home", "Sunning In Your Love Shine", "Everyday", "Falling", "So Much In Love", and "Forbidden Love". (Jazz, Soul) CD