A brilliant early set from Honey Cone – and a perfect illustration of the way the trio really moved past simple girl group modes of the 60s! There's a bold, proud, righteous tone to the record right from the start – thanks to these soaringly soulful vocals from the girls, and these fuzzy arrangements from Tony Camillo – who seems to borrow a bit from the more righteous modes of Norman Whitfield at Motown, then give things a bit more of a girl soul twist! The combination is amazing, and the album's rock-solid all the way through – filled with great original tunes that really keep a unified feel throughout – and titles include "Are You Man Enough", "Take Me With You", "Girls It Ain't Easy", "While You're Out Looking For Sugar", "The Feeling's Gone", "Sunday Morning People", and "Take My Love". CD features a bonus 7" mix of "While You're Out Looking For Sugar". CD

A rootsy cover, and some rootsy blues to match – a fairly stripped down session from John Lee Hooker –- and one that mostly just features vocals and guitar, plus some occasional added guitar and piano! Most of the recordings here are from the early 50s, pulled together in a full LP at the end of that decade – and they represent the formative roots of the Chess Records sound – a key bridge between Chicago blues and work from earlier scenes. Titles include "Ramblin By Myself", "Ground Hog Blues", "Women & Money", "High Priced Woman", "Sugar Mama", "Walkin The Boogie", "Love Blues", and "Union Station Blues". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

There's no suffering here – as the record's a real delight, and one of the more unique sessions in the career of the great John Lee Hooker! The record was done for Impulse Records, mostly known for its jazz recordings at the time – and the session has the vocals and guitar of John Lee next to a trio of more jazz-based players, one that features Barry Galbraith on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Panama Francis on drums – who somehow do a fantastic job of backing Hooker up! The set has a beautiful recording quality – very crisp and clear, yet never polished – and the work of the other players is incredible, as they really move into John Lee's mode, and somehow have him shining even more strongly than on some of his other albums from the time. This isn't a folk blues set done by a jazz label – and instead, the best of Impulse is used to give Hooker a fantastic showcase – on titles that include "Bottle Up & Go", "Sugar Mama", "Decoration Day", "You're Wrong", and a good cover of "Money". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

There's no suffering here – as the record's a real delight, and one of the more unique sessions in the career of the great John Lee Hooker! The record was done for Impulse Records, mostly known for its jazz recordings at the time – and the session has the vocals and guitar of John Lee next to a trio of more jazz-based players, one that features Barry Galbraith on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Panama Francis on drums – who somehow do a fantastic job of backing Hooker up! The set has a beautiful recording quality – very crisp and clear, yet never polished – and the work of the other players is incredible, as they really move into John Lee's mode, and somehow have him shining even more strongly than on some of his other albums from the time. This isn't a folk blues set done by a jazz label – and instead, the best of Impulse is used to give Hooker a fantastic showcase – on titles that include "Bottle Up & Go", "Sugar Mama", "Decoration Day", "You're Wrong", and a good cover of "Money". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

There's no suffering here – as the record's a real delight, and one of the more unique sessions in the career of the great John Lee Hooker! The record was done for Impulse Records, mostly known for its jazz recordings at the time – and the session has the vocals and guitar of John Lee next to a trio of more jazz-based players, one that features Barry Galbraith on guitar, Milt Hinton on bass, and Panama Francis on drums – who somehow do a fantastic job of backing Hooker up! The set has a beautiful recording quality – very crisp and clear, yet never polished – and the work of the other players is incredible, as they really move into John Lee's mode, and somehow have him shining even more strongly than on some of his other albums from the time. This isn't a folk blues set done by a jazz label – and instead, the best of Impulse is used to give Hooker a fantastic showcase – on titles that include "Bottle Up & Go", "Sugar Mama", "Decoration Day", "You're Wrong", and a good cover of "Money". (Blues, Soul) CD

With 43 tracks including "Big Mama Jump", "LA Blues", "Katie May", "Thinkin & Worryin", "Sugar On My Mind", "Moon Rise Blues", "Howling Wolf", and "See See Rider". (Blues, Soul) CD

Strutting guitars, stomping rhythms, and a great mix of glam and soul – the trademark groove of the UK's classic Hot Chocolate! The album's filled with great tunes that resonate with their trademark compressed sound – vocals wrapped on guitars and set to sweetly stepping rhythms – all produced to perfection by the mighty Mickie Most, with a sound that so many other current groups try to go for, but can never reach this right! Errol Brown's on lead vocals, and wrote a good deal of the tunes – and titles include "Heaven Is In The Back Seat Of My Cadillac", "Living On A Shoe String", "Sugar Daddy", "Man To Man", "You Could've Been A Lady", "Seventeen Years Of Age", and "Sex Appeal". LP, Vinyl record album

A really well done collection of work recorded by Howlin Wolf for Chess – put together in the early 70s, but featuring sides from the 50s and 60s. The album's got a good set of notes by Pete Welding, and tracks that include "Down In The Bottom", "Forty Four', "My Country Sugar Mama", "Spoonful", "Red Rooster", "Moanin For My Baby", "I Asked For Water", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Who's Been Talkin", "Built For Comfort", "Ooh Baby Hold Me", "Baby How Long", "Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy", and "Killing Floor". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A really well done collection of work recorded by Howlin Wolf for Chess – put together in the early 70s, but featuring sides from the 50s and 60s. The album's got a good set of notes by Pete Welding, and tracks that include "Down In The Bottom", "Forty Four', "My Country Sugar Mama", "Spoonful", "Red Rooster", "Moanin For My Baby", "I Asked For Water", "Wang Dang Doodle", "Who's Been Talkin", "Built For Comfort", "Ooh Baby Hold Me", "Baby How Long", "Three Hundred Pounds Of Joy", and "Killing Floor". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The rare second album from Clydie King – recorded at a time when she was lending her backing vocals to artists like The Rolling Stones, Steely Dan, and Humble Pie – but a set that firmly puts Clydie in the lead! King's got an amazing style of singing – deep and raspy at one moment, with key southern soul roots – yet also totally tight and together, too – with a focus that really shines on the album's more upbeat tracks – groovers that almost have an east coast club vibe at times, quite similar to material that Clydie recorded with the group Brown Sugar! Titles include "Rushing To Meet You", "Loving You Is So Easy", "Steal Your Love Away", "Punish Me", "Our Love Is Special", and "Morning Sun". CD

Electric 70s work from Freddie – not exactly funky, but with a nice chunky bottom that makes the record stand out a bit from the pack of blues work at the time. Titles include "Sugar Sweet", "She's A Burglar", "Pulp Wood", "My Credit Didn't Go Through", "Only Getting Second Best", "Texas Flyer", and "Pack It Up". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A posthumous collection of work from Freddie King – material recorded in a variety of different sources, but all of it with Freddie's well-honed guitar sound in the lead! Some tracks were done down at Criteria Studios in Miami, and have a warmly southern sort of glow – others were done in the UK with Mike Vernon with a bit more of a rockish feel, and a few more were done for radio, with a slightly rougher edge than the rest. Titles include "Pack It Up", "Shake Your Bootie", "Tain't Nobody's Bizness If I Do", "Woman Across The Bridge", "Sweet Home Chicago", "Sugar Sweet", "TV Mama", "Gambling Woman Blues", and "Farther Up The Road." (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A hell of a live set from Sonny Knight & The Lakers – a record that's twice as long as the group's studio session, and maybe twice as smoking as well! Sonny's an older soul singer from years back, but he's never sounded better than working here with funky backings from The Lakers – a combo who've fused a style with the singer that few other groups can match – one of those rare cases where an older artist can find a really fresh breath of life while still moving forward, and where the younger talents seem to really hit a level of mature focus in the presence of the older artist. The recording quality is great – very sharp and on point – at a level that captures all the spontaneous energy of the group as they really stretch out and do their thing! Some tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Juicy Lucy", "Get Up And Dance", "Through With You", "Sonny's Boogaloo", "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", "Day Tripper", "Baby Baby Baby", "It's You For Me", "Sock A Poo Poo", "When You're Gone", "Cave Man", "I'm Still Here" (parts 1 & 2), "Sugar Man", and "Hey Girl". (Deep Funk, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Near-perfect work from Barbara Lewis – one of our favorite female talents of the 60s – and an artist whose blend of soul and sophistication went onto influence a huge generation of singers in years to come! The album's a key collaboration with Detroit producer Ollie McLaughlin – who keeps things in a different mode from the usual Motor City style – balancing out the rhythms a bit more, going for some great mellow and midtempo numbers that really help unlock the best qualities in Barbara's amazing voice! She's got a style that's high, yet never "little girl" – as might be said of some of her contemporaries – and this approach is heard to great effect on the album's two classics "Baby I'm Yours" and "Hello Stranger". But like all McLaughlin work of the time, the whole thing's wonderful – not a bit of filler at all – and other cuts include "Snap Your Fingers", "Someday We're Gonna Be Lovers Again", "My Heart Went Do Da Dat", "Come Home", and "Think A Little Sugar". LP, Vinyl record album

A much rootsier set than some of Little Richard's other work for Reprise Records – a record that almost goes back to the old days, but via the hipper styles of the early 70s! HB Barnum arranged and produced the set, but the groove is less funkier than some of Barnum's other work of the time – a bit more rockish in some of the rhythms and instrumentation, which is no surprise considering the title – with a nod back towards late 50s modes, but in that new-roots way that Warner was hitting with other artists of the period. Richard's vocals hold up very well in the setting – and apart from the original tunes "Green Power" and "King Of Rock & Roll", the album features versions of "Midnight Special", "Dancing In The Street", "Brown Sugar", and "Born On The Bayou". CD

A much rootsier set than some of Little Richard's other work for Reprise Records – a record that almost goes back to the old days, but via the hipper styles of the early 70s! HB Barnum arranged and produced the set, but the groove is less funkier than some of Barnum's other work of the time – a bit more rockish in some of the rhythms and instrumentation, which is no surprise considering the title – with a nod back towards late 50s modes, but in that new-roots way that Warner was hitting with other artists of the period. Richard's vocals hold up very well in the setting – and apart from the original tunes "Green Power" and "King Of Rock & Roll", the album features versions of "Midnight Special", "Dancing In The Street", "Brown Sugar", and "Born On The Bayou". LP, Vinyl record album

A diverse batch of rare soul singles by singer and guitar player Barbara Lynn – the complete Tribe, Jet Stream, Copywrite and Starflight singles – wonderful stuff cut from the mid 60s to late 70s! All of these labels are parts of the empire South Texas musical force Huey P Meaux – and Barbara delivers beautiful throughout the years with material the evolved with the times. It ranges from classic level mid 60s stripped-down guitar, bass, drums & handclap- backed soul tunes, to more horn heavy uptempo numbers, to mellow funk, bluesier soul and a bit of disco as the years went by. This set focuses on the Meaux material, but Barbara also cut some incredible material for Atlantic during this period – and a couple of stellar singles from that run are included, too. Includes "I'm A Good Woman", "Running Back", "Until I'm Free", "Club A Go-Go", "Movin' On A Groove", "Disco Music", "Take Your Time", "Sugar Coating Love", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Call My Bluff Baby", "Takin' His Love Away (Ain't Gonna Be Easy)", "You Better Quit It", "You Finally Got Your Good Thing Back" and more. 24 tracks in all. CD

The never-before released full album from keyboardist Manzel Bush – the legendary 70s funk figure well-remembered for his classic break tracks! As a whole, the album's a masterpiece of spacey keyboards and funky drums – funkier than just about any other record we can think of from the late 70s! The set was put together by Manzel in collaboration with Kenny Dope, and many of the tracks feature new mixes by Kenny & The Undercover Brother – done in such a way that really respects the original grooves of the tunes, and which only sweetens them a bit in the right places, or brings out the funky drums even more. Every cut is a stone monster – and the quality of the set is amazing – with obscure cuts that sound every bit as wonderful as the more famous sample tracks like "Space Funk" or "Midnight Theme". 13 tracks in all, with titles that include "Jump Street", "Sugar Dreams", "Long Way Home", "Just For You", "It's Over Now", "The Party", "Vera Cruz", "Space Funk", "Midnight Theme", and "Evil Wicked Mean & Nasty". CD

A great look at the post-Motown work of Teena Marie – her 80s years on Epic Records, a time when she was charting big with a wonderfully seductive approach to soul! Marie's definitely in charge of her groove here – writing, arranging, and producing most of the work on the set – making her as much of a studio whiz as a female soul singer, a rare distinction in her field – and another layer of Teena's talents that always helped set her apart from the rest. The vibe here is a bit different than the Motown years – a bit more beats and 80s keyboards – and we especially love the mellower cuts, which gave Marie some great quiet storm play back in the day. Titles include "My Dear Mr Gaye", "Just Us Two", "Ooo La La La (12" version)", "Sugar Shack (ext club)", "If I Were A Bell", "Stop The World", "Fix It (12" version)", "Stop The World", "Shadow Boxing", and "Casanova Brown". CD

Janelle Monae took a bit of a rest between this album and her last – but given the results, it feels like she's really recharged her groove in that surprisingly long stretch! Not that Janelle needed recharging at all – but there's something here that sets the record apart from earlier chapters in her career – and not in a commercial way, or something that feels like a sidestep – maybe just a bit like Sade after the first few records – able to space out her creative activity, and always keep us wanting more! There's maybe a more down to earth approach here than before – but at a level that makes the whole thing feel more heavenly overall – and Monae works with guests who include Sister Nancy, Seun Kuti, and Grace Jones – on titles that include "The Rush", "The French 75", "Float", "Black Sugar Beach", "Phenomenal", "Ooh La La", "Lipstick Lover", "Paid In Pleasure", "A Dry Red", and "Only Have Eyes 42". (Neo Soul, Soul) CD

Janelle Monae took a bit of a rest between this album and her last – but given the results, it feels like she's really recharged her groove in that surprisingly long stretch! Not that Janelle needed recharging at all – but there's something here that sets the record apart from earlier chapters in her career – and not in a commercial way, or something that feels like a sidestep – maybe just a bit like Sade after the first few records – able to space out her creative activity, and always keep us wanting more! There's maybe a more down to earth approach here than before – but at a level that makes the whole thing feel more heavenly overall – and Monae works with guests who include Sister Nancy, Seun Kuti, and Grace Jones – on titles that include "The Rush", "The French 75", "Float", "Black Sugar Beach", "Phenomenal", "Ooh La La", "Lipstick Lover", "Paid In Pleasure", "A Dry Red", and "Only Have Eyes 42". (Neo Soul, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A massive crossover from Johnny Nash – a record that gave the 70s the chart-topping title hit, and which helped Johnny mix his Caribbean roots with contemporary soul! The set's a huge change from the sometimes-faltering styles Nash had tried in the 60s – often a bit more mainstream than he was able to do well, which is why the deeply personal approach of this album's such a striking contrast. Nash arranged and produced himself, and really hits a vibe here that stands out even from his other 70s recordings – beautifully balanced, on titles that include "Comma Comma", "Guava Jelly", "Stir It Up", "I Can See Clearly Now", "We're All Alike", "How Good It Is", "Cream Puff", and "You Poured Sugar On Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A great batch of boogie from One Way – one of the few late 70s funky combos who were especially well suited to make the transition to 80s groove! The sound here is more electric and keyboard-heavy than previous One Way records – but the group's trademark soul-heavy approach to groove is still firmly in placed – and Al Hudson's vocals are matched by some equally great work from Kevin McCord, who's really helping the group find a deeper soul sound on the mellower tracks. Titles include "Shine On Me", "So Afraid It's Over", "Didn't You Know It", "Sugar Rock", "Together Forever", "Let's Get Together", and "Bring It Down" CD

The fantastic debut of The Pointer Sisters – 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". CD

The fantastic debut of The Pointer Sisters – 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". LP, Vinyl record album

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

There's many facets of Roger – and they're all pretty darn funky! From this vantage point, all we can think of is that Roger Troutman must have had some sort of crystal ball to see into the hip hop sampling future – either that, or he was busy cooking up west coast gangster funk drones in some secret So Cal laboratory! Whatever the case, though, the record's a classic in the Troutman/Zapp catalog – and features a sparkling west coast take on electro – offered up with lots of popping basslines, snapping electric kickdrums, and a truckfull of vocoder! There's also some pretty nice guitar in the mix – especially on the good jazzy groover "Chunk Of Sugar", which sounds like it's from a completely different record. Other tracks include "Maxx Axe", "Do It Roger", "So Ruff, So Tuff", and "Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Tamla and Motown singles of The Satintones – the soul, R&B & popular music juggernaut's first male vocal group – and a treasure trove of rare post doo wop from the end of the 50s/beginning of the 60s! It's fascinating for the history herein – the group is hugely under-anthologized in a world of myriad Motown compilations – which is a real shame, as you'll hear in this sweet set – with numbers that rely on the doo wop influences as well as tunes more devoted to lead vocals – with a slew of early Berry Gordy productions and compositions. The set includes the then legally challenged Shirelles knockoff/answer song "Tomorrow and Always" plus "Motor City", "Going To The Hop", "Sugar Daddy", "A Love That Can Never Be", "Foot Stomping Time", My Kind Of Love", "Boogie Woogie Heart", "Because I Love You", "You Can't Beat My Lovin" and many more. 26 tracks in all. CD

An obscure bit of disco from the UK – possibly put together by Brit Easy man Roland Shaw – mostly pretty sleepy, but with a few nice numbers that have kind of a smooth and easy feel to them. There's a few female vocals floating in and out of the mix, but mostly on the campier numbers that are kind of throwaway material. The best cuts are the mellow "Discover Me", and the funky "Bubbling Brown Sugar". LP, Vinyl record album

3 great Nina records collected together in one package! Emergency Ward is a great little album cut by Nina Simone during the time she was working with Weldon Irvine. The record features 4 long tracks, all cut live in concert, and with large arrangements done by Weldon, and lots of improvising on lyrics by Nina Simone. Includes a haunting version of "My Sweet Lord", the classic "Poppies", and a great poem/song called "Today Is A Killer". It Is Finished was the kind of record that once made purists turn up their noses, but which is now being rediscovered as a unique jazz/soul crossover album, filled with loads of nice moments! The instrumentation's pretty darn interesting – and includes sitar, harp, Spanish guitar, and other odd percussion instruments. Includes Nina's nice version of "Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter", plus "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "Dambala", "Obeah Woman", and "The Pusher". Black Gold was one of the excellent LPs she cut with the Stroud Productions imprint during the early 70s. The style here is even hipper than her late 60s work on Philips – with a mixture of open-ended jazz and soul that's best summed up in the album's extended reading of "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair", and a great version of "To Be Young Gifted & Black", which was written by Weldon Irvine, who's probably playing piano here with Nina. 18 tracks on 2 CDs! (Vocalists, Soul) CD

A cool 80s set from Nina Simone – recorded live in spare trio formation, with a sound that's a lot more old school than you might guess from the date! Nina's piano has this nicely broken-down quality – almost a raspy edge that complements her unique vocals nicely, and quite different than some of the keyboards that might have been used on such a set at the time. The rhythms are often a bit laidback too – played by Arthur Adams on guitar and electric bass, and Cornell McFadden on drums – usually in ways that let Simone's piano take the lead strongly. Nina really seems to find a new sort of life in the setting – getting past some of the more comfortable styles she'd found by this point, and rediscovering the edge that first made her so great back in the 60s. Titles include "Just Like A Woman", "Be My Husband", "Balm In Gilead", "Stars", "Baltimore", "If You Knew/Let It Be Me", "Fodder On My Wings", and "Sugar In My Bowl". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

5 classic albums from Nina Simone – packaged together in one sweet little set! First up is Nuff Said – a great little album from Nina – mostly recorded live at the Westbury Music Fair, with a hip mix of jazz, soul, and folk that's stretched out in a slightly informal setting that always brings out the best of Nina's vocals! Tracks include "The Backlash Blues", "Please Read Me", "Sunday In Savannah", "Why? (The King Of Love Is Dead)", and the nice jazzer "In The Morning". Plus, the album also includes one straight soul number – "Do What You Gotta Do", with some great arrangements by Horace Ott. Next is To Love Somebody – one of Nina's greatest records – recorded with her cool combo that included Weldon Irvine! Weldon's on organ on the set, and he co-wrote the two-part track "Revolution" with Simone, one of the album's strongest numbers! That track is set amidst covers of other hip 60s material, including "Turn Turn Turn", "To Love Somebody", "I Can't See Nobody", and "Just Like Tom Thumb's Blues" – all done with a freely righteous style that has Nina cutting loose at the end of the 60s! Black Gold is a real classic from Nina, one of the excellent sets she cut with the Stroud Productions imprint during the early 70s! The style here is even hipper than her late 60s work on Philips – with a mixture of open-ended jazz and soul that's best summed up in the album's extended reading of "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair", and a great version of "To Be Young Gifted & Black", which was written by Weldon Irvine, who's probably playing piano here with Nina. It Is Finished is the kind of record that once made purists turn up their noses, but which is now being rediscovered as a unique jazz/soul crossover album, filled with loads of nice moments! The instrumentation's pretty darn interesting – and includes sitar, harp, Spanish guitar, and other odd percussion instruments. Includes Nina's nice version of "Funkier Than a Mosquito's Tweeter", plus "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "Dambala", "Obeah Woman", and "The Pusher". Nina Simone & Piano is a strong back to basics session for Nina, one that featured her piano and vocals only, a very spare approach that was markedly different from her work a few years previously for other labels. Nina's tone on the piano is incredible – and she's working with some striking modern jazz changes that offset the folksiness of her vocals in a fantastic way, creating a sound that's a lot fuller than you'd expect! Titles include "Seems I'm Never Tired Lovin You", "Compensation", "Everyone's Gone To The Moon", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", "The Desperate Ones", "The Human Touch", and "Another Spring". (Vocalists, Soul) CD

Nina's not just singing the blues here – she's completely reinventing the sound of the format – by drawing on a long tradition of vocal expression, and infusing it with the hipper, more personally exploratory mode she forged in the 60s! The album's got a subtle brilliance that means that it's sometimes overlooked next to her more forceful work of the time – but it's every bit essential Simone as some of her other key sides of the decade. The group is a small combo featuring Eric Gale, Bernard Purdie, Buddy Lucas, and Ernest Hayes – and titles include "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "Do I Move You?", "In The Dark", "Real Real", and "Backlash Blues". (Vocalists, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Nina pays tribute to an assortment of modern poets – Bob Dylan and George Harrison, as well as herself! The album collects tunes from some of Nina's other RCA albums – and features arrangements by Nina, Harold Wheeler, and Weldon Irvine – of tracks that include "I Shall Be Released", "Just Like A Woman", "To Be Young Gifted and Black", "Here Comes the Sun", and "I Want a Little Sugar in my Bowl". (Vocalists, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the first-ever album to be issued under the name of the great Charles Stepney – even though the artist/musician/producer/songwriter had a huge role in the careers of Chicago contemporaries like Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, and Earth Wind & Fire! This set brings together recordings that Stepney made on his own, often in his home studio – many of which are songs that never saw the light of day on some of his bigger-name projects, next to others that feature melodies you might recognize, but done in these sweet jazzy instrumentals that are totally great! Most of the set features Charles on a variety of keyboards Rhodes, piano, and even some cool moogy bits – plus some vibes from time to time – often set to spare early electric drum machine rhythms – in a style that makes you feel like you've stumbled upon Timmy Thomas doing an all instrumental jam session in the early 70s. Given that Stepney first got his start as a jazz musician – playing piano and vibes on some great early 60s sessions – the keyboard work is superb, and the record stands as a completely different testament to his genius – with titles that include "Funky Sci Fi", "Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Daddy's Diddies", "Rubie Charles", "Notes From Dad", "Black Bold", "Gimme Some Sugar", "No Credit For This", "Imagination", "Look B4U Leap", "Mini Mugg", "Denim Groove", and "That's The Way Of The World". CD

Maybe the first-ever album to be issued under the name of the great Charles Stepney – even though the artist/musician/producer/songwriter had a huge role in the careers of Chicago contemporaries like Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, and Earth Wind & Fire! This set brings together recordings that Stepney made on his own, often in his home studio – many of which are songs that never saw the light of day on some of his bigger-name projects, next to others that feature melodies you might recognize, but done in these sweet jazzy instrumentals that are totally great! Most of the set features Charles on a variety of keyboards Rhodes, piano, and even some cool moogy bits – plus some vibes from time to time – often set to spare early electric drum machine rhythms – in a style that makes you feel like you've stumbled upon Timmy Thomas doing an all instrumental jam session in the early 70s. Given that Stepney first got his start as a jazz musician – playing piano and vibes on some great early 60s sessions – the keyboard work is superb, and the record stands as a completely different testament to his genius – with titles that include "Funky Sci Fi", "Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Daddy's Diddies", "Rubie Charles", "Notes From Dad", "Black Bold", "Gimme Some Sugar", "No Credit For This", "Imagination", "Look B4U Leap", "Mini Mugg", "Denim Groove", and "That's The Way Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Maybe the first-ever album to be issued under the name of the great Charles Stepney – even though the artist/musician/producer/songwriter had a huge role in the careers of Chicago contemporaries like Minnie Riperton, Ramsey Lewis, and Earth Wind & Fire! This set brings together recordings that Stepney made on his own, often in his home studio – many of which are songs that never saw the light of day on some of his bigger-name projects, next to others that feature melodies you might recognize, but done in these sweet jazzy instrumentals that are totally great! Most of the set features Charles on a variety of keyboards Rhodes, piano, and even some cool moogy bits – plus some vibes from time to time – often set to spare early electric drum machine rhythms – in a style that makes you feel like you've stumbled upon Timmy Thomas doing an all instrumental jam session in the early 70s. Given that Stepney first got his start as a jazz musician – playing piano and vibes on some great early 60s sessions – the keyboard work is superb, and the record stands as a completely different testament to his genius – with titles that include "Funky Sci Fi", "Gotta Dig It To Dig It", "Daddy's Diddies", "Rubie Charles", "Notes From Dad", "Black Bold", "Gimme Some Sugar", "No Credit For This", "Imagination", "Look B4U Leap", "Mini Mugg", "Denim Groove", and "That's The Way Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful stuff from Sylvia Robinson – the singer who scored big as a youngster in the Mickey & Sylvia group, and who later became the den mother of hip hop with her Sugar Hill label. This set was recorded during the time that Sylvia had a very successful run with her New Jersey group of soul labels like All Platinum and Stang – and it's a monument to her breathy sexy style, and is probably one of the raunchiest records to hit the top of the charts in the early 70s. The hit single "Pillow Talk" was bedroom fodder for couples all over the world – but the whole record's pretty darn nice, and equally sexy! Features the great "Didn't I", a slinky groover with a good sample riff – plus "Give It Up In Vain", "Had Any Lately", and "My Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

Timmy Thomas live, in front of a massive crowd in Johannesburg – really grooving with enthusiasm that's captured beautifully in the recording! The set's a great reminder that Timmy had lots of power away from the studio – that he wasn't just drum machine bits and disco riffs, and could more than hold his own like some of the bigger soul singers of his day. Thomas has a great presence on the stage, introducing the tunes – and his vocals are quite possibly even more powerful here than on any of his studio work too! Titles include a great version of "Why Can't We Live Together" – plus "Touch To Touch", "Rainbow Power", "Drown In My Own Tears", "Sweet Brown Sugar", and "Sipho Mazibuko (La La La)". CD

One of the biggest albums of Muddy Waters' career – a key crossover effort that has Waters as the "father" working with "sons" Paul Butterfield and Michael Bloomfield! The style here is still quite rootsy overall – and the double-length session features one album recorded in the studio, and a second done live at the Super Cosmic Joy-Scout Jamboree – key evidence of the growing hippie audience for blues like this! The core group features Waters on vocals with Otis Spann on piano, Mike Bloomfield on guitar, Paul Butterfield on harmonica, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Sam Lay on drums – and guest players include Phil Upchurch on bass and Buddy Miles on drums – each on one number. Titles include "All Aboard", "Mean Disposition", "Forty Days & Forty Nights", "Sugar Sweet", "Twenty Four Hours", "I'm Ready", "Walkin Thru The Park", "Got My Mojo Working (parts 1 & 2)", "The Same Thing", "Baby Please Don't Go", and "Honey Bee". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Not the folk festival you might expect – especially given that the blues here are electric – and a set that was recorded at a small Chicago club, not some stuffy outdoor concert on the east coast! The album's an early powerhouse meeting of the best Chess blues talents at the time – a date that features Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Howlin Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, and Willie Dixon in varying settings – mostly getting center spotlight as a solo act with the same backing combo, but also coming together as well at one point too. The whole thing's great – a gritty live record of electric Chicago blues in the 60s – with a strong sense of liveness that really recreates the small club feel! Titles include "Wee Wee Baby", "Sitting & Thinking", "Worried Blues", "Sugar Mama", "Bring It On Home", "Got My Mojo Working", "May I Have A Talk With You", and "19 Years Old". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from the 60s LA scene – and the first-ever album by a group who would dominate the west coast groove of the time! This first outing by the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band takes off nicely from the group's funky 45 years – using larger arrangements to expand upon their hard and heavy groove, in a style that almost has some funky soundtrack touches at times! Fred Smith produced and is directing the group – and tracks are short, sweet, and filled with groovy touches! Titles include "Spreadin Honey", "Fried Okra", "Soul Concerto", "Watts Happening", "103rd Street Theme", "Whole Hog Or Nothing At All", "Brown Sugar", and "A Little Class & A Little Trash". Great trippy cover too – and an endorsement from Bill Cosby on the back! LP, Vinyl record album

The complete Monument recordings of southern soul-tinged swamp rock trailblazer Tony Joe White – in a wonderful box set from the deep catalog explorers at Rhino Handmade! Swamp Rock contains everything from the Black & White, Continued and Tony Joe LPs – with dozens of previously unreleased work from the era. Unlike the most famous dude we can think of who wears the swamp rock genre tag, Tony Joe White really was reared in the swamp country of Louisiana – and genuineness shows on these fine recordings! His vocals here have a bit of that laconic storyteller vibe of a Bobby Bare type character – but the production and arrangements have a real feel for the Stax and Muscle Shoals sounds. It's a blend of styles that's quite unique – and well worth rediscovery! Includes all the tracks from Tony Joe's 3 LPs for Monument plus a swampful of great bonus numbers from those sessions and more – a whopping 81 tracks on four CDs! Disc one includes the Black & White LP and much more: "Willie And Laura Mae Jones", "Soul Francisco", "Whompt Out On You", "Wichita Lineman" and more. Disc 2 features the Continued LP and more: "Elements And Things", "Woodpecker", "Old Man Willis", "Woman With Soul" and much more. Disc 3 includes the Tony Joe LP tracks and more: "Stud-Spider", "Widow Wimberly", "Save Your Sugar For Me", "Hard To Handle" and more. Disc 4 includes a slew of previously unreleased material cut at Barclay Studios in Paris, plus live work from Tony Joe at the Isle Of Wight: titles include "Mississippi Delta", "Chain Of Blues", "Ballad Of Hollis Brown" and more from the Barclay sessions, plus "Boom Boom", "I Want You", "Groupy Girl" and more from Isle Of Wight. (Rock, Soul) CD

A funky soul double-header – one that features live material both by Osaka Monaurail and the legendary Marva Whitney! The set starts out with a few tracks by OM – playing in that razor-sharp, James Brown-inspired groove that we love so much – easily the greatest contemporary JB-driven funk we can think of! Singer Ryo Nakata throws in a bit of vocals over the group's instrumental grooves – but then steps aside so that Marva Whitney can take center stage for the remaining three-fourths of the album – singing with the same raw fury as on her recent studio set with Osaka Monaurail! The sound here is incredible – easily some of the best funk-revival work we can think of, and the sort of record that should make Marva plenty proud after all these years. Titles include "New New Type Thing", "Evil", "I Made A Mistake", "It's My Thing", "Your Love Was Good For Me", "Things Got To Get Better", "What Do I Have To Do", and "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear". CD

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

An essential collection of work from one of the hippest funk groups of the 70s – the mysterious Wood Brass & Steel, who also participated in the legendary Skullsnaps record! The first part of the set features an unreleased album that the group recorded for the All-Platinum label in 1973 – music that's hard and funky, but which also shows a strong current of jazz as well – the kind of material that has the group very much in the best Earth Wind & Fire territory of the period, with a sense of righteous perfection that should have made them huge – had the album not stayed in the vaults! The set includes their fantastic "Hey What's That You Say" – which was later reworked as "It's A New Day" for the Skullsnaps album – plus a few more cuts that later appeared on the Brother To Brother debut album – titles that include "Trespassing", "Let's Take A Stroll", "Jermilah", "If He Can Do It She Can Do It", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "A Love Of My Own". Next is the self-titled Wood Brass & Steel album – a legendary bit of east coast funk from the 70s – by a group who'd go on to have a huge influence both in the worlds of hip hop and house! Wood Brass & Steel feature two key players who later became part of the Sugarhill Records house band, and later the On-U Sound collective – Doug Wimbush and Skip McDonald – but the set's got a much fuller, more soulful vibe than work from those later projects – nice use of horns, as hinted at in the title – but not in a way that make these guys a brassy funk band either! Instead, there's a smooth groove throughout – one that comes up from the rhythms first, with a wonderful quality that's years ahead of its time – never disco, but not afraid of some faster rhythms that point the way towards underground club to come. The whole thing's the kind of funky lost gem that makes us happy to do what we do – and it's had long life over the past few decades, thanks to the rich variety of tunes on the set. Titles include the classic cut "Funkanova", an uptempo jazzy instrumental that continued to be a club favorite throughout the house years – plus loads of other good cuts, too, like "WBS Theme", "Welcome To The Party", "Same Ol Me", "Working On A Dream", and a version of "Always There". Hard & Heavy is the incredibly rare second album from Wood Brass & Steel – the mighty funk group we've loved for years for their landmark debut from the mid 70s! This sophomore set is from a few years later, and has the group honing their groove even more – working with these righteous currents in their music that expand the sound into territory that's almost a bit like Roy Ayers at times! As with Ayers, the vocals are often layered into the rhythms – sometimes sung by group members with this soulfully flowing current that has a subtle, sublime sort of vibe – and which works perfectly for the message in the music. Tunes are often in the faster side of midtempo – but never conventional club or disco at all – and there's this really special quality to the whole record, one that even tops the unique vibe of their first album. The original album was very briefly issued by Sugar Hill, during a time when the label was mostly doing hip hop – and is impossibly hard to find in the original pressing. Titles include "Open Up Your Heart", "Be Yourself", "Long Live Music", "Space Walk", "Fly With Music", "Superstar", and "Are You Busy". CD

Music from Sugar Pie DeSanto, the Contours, the Velvelettes, Fontella Bass & Bobby McClure, Jimmy Castor, Junior Walker, Shorty Long, Charlie Rich, Dean & Jean, James Brown, Laura Lee, and more. CD

Remember Beach music? Once upon a time we might have argued that was a more contemporary term for an older genre, like northern soul, but this mighty fine collection from the late 60s on Atlantic shows you the sound's been around for quite some time! A great soundtrack for the beach from the Carolina scene – sweetly loping grooves that got heavy play at summer resorts on the southern shores of the Atlantic! While not all the groups originated in the south, the music's gained a special place in the hearts of folks in the Carolinas, who've come to consider the music their own because of it's slightly stepping beat and gentle kind of groove! A dozen numbers in all, including "One Mint Julep" by the Clovers, "Searchin" and "Zing Went The tings Of My Heart" by the Coasters, "Think A Little Sugar" by Barbara Lewis, "CC Rider" by Chuck Willis, "Money Honey" and "Honey Love" by Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, "Walking Up A One way Street" and "Thank You John" by Willie Tee,"There Goes My Baby" by the Drifters, "Just One Look" by Doris Troy and "Drinkin' Wine Spo Dee O Dee" by Stick McGhee. LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic female funk – a set of grooves that's way more natural than you might guess from the beehive in the title – the harder sound of 60s soul and early 70s funk – all pulled together from a host of rare 7" singles from back in the day! The set's got Numero breaking past the range of a single label or local scene – to pull together the best bits from all over, as a massive collection of all-female funky grooves! Titles include "You Got Me Under Your Spell" by Mae Young, "Good Things' by Pearl Dowell, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear" by Marva Whitney, "Hot Pats (part 1)" by The 20th Century, "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "Save The Children" by Lolla Collins, "Come Back Boy" by The Ba-Roz, "Second Avenue" by Sonics Band, and the Chicago classic "I'm A Streaker Baby" by Arelean Brown. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic female funk – a set of grooves that's way more natural than you might guess from the beehive in the title – the harder sound of 60s soul and early 70s funk – all pulled together from a host of rare 7" singles from back in the day! The set's got Numero breaking past the range of a single label or local scene – to pull together the best bits from all over, as a massive collection of all-female funky grooves! Titles include "You Got Me Under Your Spell" by Mae Young, "Good Things' by Pearl Dowell, "Watch The Dog That Bring The Bone" by Sandy Gaye, "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear" by Marva Whitney, "Hot Pats (part 1)" by The 20th Century, "I'm Not Ready For Love" by Promise, "Save The Children" by Lolla Collins, "Come Back Boy" by The Ba-Roz, "Second Avenue" by Sonics Band, and the Chicago classic "I'm A Streaker Baby" by Arelean Brown. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

The Detroit soul scene at the start of the 60s – music from a time before Motown was dominating the city's reputation, and a whole host of other great labels brought the motor city sound to the masses! The work here is quite a surprise if you're only thinking in terms of Northern Soul and some of the more uptempo Detroit groovers – as the work here burns on so many different levels – often with a style that reflects some of the nascent soul coming out of Chicago on labels like Chess and Vee Jay, the latter of whom is featured here amidst a range of other imprints that include Wand, Atlantic, Scepter, Time, Old Town, and Brent – all of whom released some of these early Detroit soul tracks as singles back in the day. In true Ace/Kent fashion, the set also features a few unreleased gems, plus a wonderful set of notes on the city's soul scene – alongside tracks that include "Nosey Folk" by The Del-Phis, "Answer Me" by Vivian Collins, "Can't We Get Together" by Harry Reid, "Here I Am" by Betty Lavette, "Shakin Fit" by The Pyramids, "That's No Way To Spend My Time" by The Pen Ettes, "Wedding Bells" by Melvin Davis, "You Lied" by Marva Josie, "Think A Little Sugar" by Barbara Lewis, "Just One More Time" by JJ Barnes, "My Letter" by Priscilla Page, "I Know How It Feels" by Laura Johnson, "I'm A Lonely Guy" by Timmy Shaw & The Sternphones, "Come Back To Me" by La Wanda William, "I Cried For My Last Time" by The Sonnettes, and "Tears Running & Falling From My Eyes" by James Lately. CD

Incredible sounds from the Chess Records catalog – not the blues that you might know the label for, but a huge range of funk, soul, and jazz tracks from the headiest years of the 60s and 70s – a time when the Chicago scene was really turning out some incredible musical hybrids! As you'd guess from the title, all the cuts here have had a new life in recent years – thanks to samples by hip hop artists or other producers – but the original grooves are even better than the tracks that used them, and come together here to make one of the most mindblowing collections of Chess material we've ever heard! The package is nicely heavy on sounds from the Cadet/Concept years of the label – with more than a few contributions from producers Charles Stepney and Richard Evans – and the package features 42 wonderful tracks – including "Fonky Thang Diamon Ring" by The Dells, "Windmills Of Your Mind" by Dorothy Ashby, "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun" by Rotary Connection, "Jelly Jam" by Jack McDuff, "The Getaway" by Alvin Cash, "In My Body's House" by Gene Chandler, "Cross Country" by Archie Whitewater, "Memory Band" by Rotary Connection, "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Jimmy Ponder, "Inside Out" by American Gypsy, "Go Go Power" by Sugar Pie DeSanto, "Shake It Up" by The Vibrations, "Up Above The Rock" by Ray Bryant, "Bad Moon Rising" by Bo Diddley, "Shoo Be Doo Be Doo Be Do Da Day" by Eddie Fisher, "Humpin Bumpin & Thumpin" by Andre Williams, "Who Got The Number" by Pigmeat Markham, "Walk On By" by Jo Ann Garrett, "Chocolate Candy" by Soulful Strings, "Got To Get Your Own (7" version)" by Reuben Wilson, "Hanky's Panky (7" version)" by Shirley Scott, "Liberation Conversation" by Marlena Shaw, "Look Of Love" by Monk Higgins, and "Think About It" by Odell Brown & The Organizers. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

With music from Buster Brown, Jimmy Jones, Dee Clark, Ray Bryant, Irma Thomas, Etta James, Bobby Marchan, The Shirelles, Marv Johnson, Gary U.S. Bonds, Sugar Pie DeSanto, and many more – 31 tracks in all! CD

Sublime female soul from one of the hippest labels we can think of – a company who was always taking a chance, always trying something new, and always willing to give exposure to some great new artists! This cool collection is definitely the best side of Brunswick Records on the Chicago scene – as it features a few better-known singers, mixed with lots more artists who never issued a full album for the label – but who cut some wonderful singles that are even better than some of the imprint's bigger hits! There's a stunning array of greatness here – from sweet soul numbers that lope along in a warm groove, to badass tracks that have a funkier vibe – all handled by the usual top-shelf talents that made bigger Brunswick artists so strong. Titles include "My Baby's Gone Away" by Shirley Karol, "Walk On My Side" by Jackie Ross, "Caution" by September, "Love Is" by The Promises, "Where Do You Go" by Lyn Roman, "Raining Teardrops" by The Demures, "It Hurts To See You Happy" by Sylvia St Claire, "What Kind Of Girl" by Demetriss Trapp, "What Did I Do" by The Sweethearts, "Memories & A Broken Heart" by Linda Hopkins, "The One Who Really Loves You" by Sugar Pie De Santo, "Love Had To Be You" by Jean Shy, "That's What You Are To Me" by Tracie Robbins, "The 3rd Movement" by Sunni Nash, and "Higher & Higher" by Erma Franklin. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Way more than just a "cellarful" of Motown – a wealth of great tracks, all of which are previously unreleased! This incredible 2CD set is a landmark in the history of both Motown and Northern Soul – as it brings together 40 tracks that were recorded in the glory days of the Detroit scene, but never issued at the time. A number of cuts on the set have risen to fame over the years as bootlegs floating around the UK club scene, and they're issued properly here for the first time ever, along side other lost gems that will soon become new classics to a generation of soul fans – all wrapped up in one great package filled with notes on the music, and listing the origins of the tunes! Titles include "My Sugar Baby" by Frank Wilson, "Baby A Go Go" by Barbara McNair, "How Can I" by Brenda Holloway, "He Was Really Sayin Somethin" by Earl Van Dyke, "Until You Came Along" by Carolyn Crawford, "Before It's Over" by Sammy Ward, "Long Gone Lover" by Velvelettes, "If You Ever Get Your Hands On Me" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Lucky Lucky Me" by Jimmy Ruffin, "I Wish I Liked You" by Marvin Gaye, "You Made Me Feel Like" by Syreeta, "Don't Let Me Down" by Kim Weston, "Don't Put Off Till Tomorrow What You Can Do Today" by The Monitors, and "It Must Be Love Baby" by Chuck Jackson & Yvonne Fair. Lots lots more, and filled with wonderful tunes! CD

Hard and heavy female soul from the mighty Chess Records – and a selection of tracks that features plenty of funk in the mix too! The sisters on this set are not of the sobbing kind – as the package goes for a proud-stepping approach to soul that puts the ladies in charge right from the very first note – backing their deeply soulful vocals with a righteous set of backings, and really upping the power of tunes with some sock-solid production all the way through! Most of the tunes are from the late 60s, when Chess was bringing a good deal of funk into the mix – and plenty are from rare singles that haven't been reissued for years! 20 tracks in all, and part of this great Mojo Chess series – with titles that include "Dirty Man" by Laura Lee, "Git Out" by Mitty Collier, "Liberation Conversation" by Marlena Shaw, "Take Me For A Little While" by Jackie Ross, "Don't Mess With The Messer" by Koko Taylor, "In Orbit" by Joy Lovejoy, "Cheater Man" by Irma Thomas, "Sally Go Round The Roses" by The Jaynettes, "California Soul" by Marlena Shaw, "My Babe" by Mitty Collier, "I Surrender" by Fontella Bass, and "I Don't Wanna Fuss" by Sugar Pie Desanto. CD

An incredible look at an obscure Detroit soul label – a tiny little company, but home to some really great funk and soul! The Big Mack label ran somewhat sporadically through the 60s and into the early 70s – but during that time, it managed to cut some incredible tunes with a really unique feel – work that had a rougher edge than most of the Detroit soul on the bigger labels and indies – often with an earthy quality that's miles and miles from Motown! Label owner Ed McCoy had a great ear for male singers, instrumental combos, and vocal groups – but as the 60s rolled on, he also picked up a few hip female acts as well – and throughout the whole stretch, he had a way of producing a tune that we can only describe best as slightly messed up – a sound that's often slightly tripped up, oddly spacious, and which makes the elements of the music fall into each other with a crashingly intense kind of sound! Far from being a mess, this approach only seems to cook things up more – giving an edge to tracks that might have sounded more lackluster with conventional production – and further electrifying these obscure utterings from the Detroit underground. As with other Numero collections, the work here is wonderfully worth discovering – and presented with full notes, photos, and a history of the label. CD features 19 tracks that include "Bui Bui" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "Get It Right" by Soul President, "Crooked Woman" by Edd Henry, "Fever" by Essence, "If You Feel It" by Ms Tyree Sugar Jones, "The Feeling Is Mutual" by Manhattens, "I See Her Pretty Face" by The Grand Prix's, "Let's Give Our Love A Try" by Mae Young, "I'll Be On My Way" by Bob & Fred, "Mini Skirt" by The Sleepwalkers, "Monkey Time Shine" by L Hollis & The Mackadoos, "The Man Puts Sugar In My Soul" by Mae Young, "You Drive Me Crazy" by The Grand Prix's, "Got To Have It" by Soul President, and "Your Replacement Is Here" by Edd Henry. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Killer soul from the Forte label of Kansas City – a tiny imprint, but a really great one too – and a company with an especially strong ear for the funkier side of the spectrum! This Numero set really gets back to the greatness that first made us fall in love with their collections in the first place – and brings together a really wonderful batch of rare singles that work perfectly as a whole album – no filler, no trans-genre stepping, and just a rock-solid batch of soul cuts that you'd have to dig deep in the American underground to find this strongly! The package is wonderful – plenty of notes, photos, and the usual Numero sense of history – but even without all that, the music is more than enough – a smoking pile of singles that includes "Whtever You Do" by Gene Williams, "I'm Gonna Get Your Thing" by Lee Harris, "Baby Your Love Is Amazing" by The Four Darlings, "I'll Never Be Satisfied" by Tony Ashley & The Delicates, "Baby Be Good" by The Rayons, "With Fun In My Life" by James Whitney, "Reaching For Our Star" by Sharon Revoal, "Daddy Don't Know About Sugar Bear" by Marva Whitney, and "Cry Night & Day" by The Fantasticks. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Stormin soul – and a killer set of upbeat 60s numbers! The package was put together for the UK mod scene, but it's a great batch of American tracks from the classic years of soul – not really Northern, not really southern – but kind of a hard-swinging approach to the music that makes for a really lively package overall! The set's got 20 tracks in all, all thumpin, bumpin, and gruntin-type numbers – with titles that include "Do The Whoo Pee" by Sugar Pie Desanto, "Lay This Burden Down" by Mary Love, "Make Me Yours" by Bettye Swann, "I Keep Forgetting" by Chuck Jackson, "I've Got Papers On You Baby" by BB King, "Hole in The Wall" by George Stone, "Have Love Will Travel" by Richard Berry & The Pharoahs, "Keep My Woman Home" by Danny White, "Mama Julie" by Terry & Jerry, and "I Got A Woman" by Billy Hawks. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A great entry in this series that not only always delivers the goods, but does so at a price that's a hell of a great bargain for all the excellent music involved! Expansion Records brings together a handful of titles from their own releases in recent years, plus other neo soul gems from the global underground – both American and British artists, some better-known names, some great up-and-comers waiting to be discovered – all of which makes for a package that packs plenty of punch! Most tracks appear here on CD for the first time ever – and the 3CD set features 35 titles that include "I'd Rather Be In Love With You (the sax way)" by Sheree Brown, "Intoxicated Love" by Castella, "If You Wanna Know What's Missing" by Julian Jonah with Dutch Robinson, "Think About" by Sugar & Heath, "Soul N'Samba" by Tyrone Lee, "Baby Let's Go (soul mix)" by Narada Michael Walden, "Step With Me" by Victor Haynes, "I Love Me Too" by Carol Riddick, "Do You Remember" by Steven Thad, "I Found Love" by Rose Spearman & Soul City Connection, "Harvest For The World" by Patrice Isley, "Keep On Giving (rmx)" by Shaila Prospere, "Smooth" by Con Funk Shun, "Elementary" by Robert Imtume Owens, "Sometimes" by Brian Power with Cornell CC Carter, "Right The Wrong" by Natasha Watts, and "Could It Really Be" by Mike Lindup with Tony Momrelle. (Neo Soul, Soul) CD

Fantastic soul from Mainstream Records – an imprint that's normally best-known for their work in the field of jazz, but a label that also cut some killer soul singles in the early 70s! Mainstream soul artists almost never got a chance to record a full-length album – so over the years, this soul legacy has been somewhat lost in the shifting sands of time (and shifting piles of funky 45s) – which makes this collection a much-needed resurrection of that material – especially when given the ultra-hip, extra-level presentation of the Kent label! The CD features 23 great tunes from these years – some of them in the modern soul mode promised in the title, lots more in kind of a hip funky soul approach – very early 70s New York, with righteous themes mixed with more familiar soul styles – all set to impeccable instrumentation. Titles include "Oh My Love" by Almeta Latimore, "Come Back With Your Love (part 1)" by Special Delivery, "Grass Ain't Greener" by Charles Beverly, "Love Bug" by Sugar Billy, "You'll Do It" by Calvin Arnold, "I'll Never Trust Love Again" by McArthur, "You've Got A Lot To Give" by Chocolate Syrup, "I'll Never Be The Same (part 1)" by Chapter Three, "I've Been Trying To Love You" by Lenny McDaniel & The Last Nikle, "Slow Down World" by Charles Colbert, "Everyone Has Someone" by Linda Perry, "Your Love Is Like A Rising Sun" by Steptones, "Let Her Know" by Bobby Earl Williams, "Please Don't Set Me Free" by Jeany Reynolds, and "Today Or Never" by Eleventh Commandment. CD

The not so Guilty Secrets Of Northern Soul on Ace – uptempo, dancefloor ready singles compiled by Ace – leftfield stormers from pop, rock and blue-eyed soul and otherwise uncommon resources that meet the exciting, floor-shaking criteria! It's cool stuff all the way, with recognizable names and lesser knowns – singles by Judy Harris, The Rumblers, The Seeds with Sky Saxon, The Spyders, Garland Green, Jay & The Americans and many more! 24 tracks in all: "Don't Stop Lookin'", "You Touched Me" by Judy Harris, "Ten Miles High' by David & The Giants, "Keeps On Burning" by The Burning Bush, "You Sexy Sugar Plum (But I Like It)" by Rodger Collins, "Bumpin' And Stompin'" by Garland Green, "Elusive" by Babe Ruth, "I Can Take Care Of Myself" by The Spyders, "Walk Tall (Like A Man)" by by 2 Of Clubs, "Livin' Above Your Head" by Jay & The Americans and more. CD

The roots of British mod, served up here in a fantastic package that's overflowing with soulful, jazzy, and groovy gems that we might never have heard otherwise! The big British Invasion love of American sounds is no secret to anyone – but the cuts here are all from a moment before on the London scene, and represent some really wonderful experiments in ways of mixing together elements of jazz, soul, and blues – and coming up with something really fresh and unique! Tracks are a great mix of instrumental and vocal modes – and as usual with Ace, they're supported by detailed notes that really open up our understanding of both the music, and this point in time. Titles include "Danger Man" by Red Price Combo, "A New Kind Of Lovin" by Eden Kane, "Christine" by Miss X, "Sugar Baby (parts 1 & 2)" by Jimmy Powell, "When You Walked Out" by Alex Murray, "Chicago Calling" by Cyril Davies & His Rhythm & Blues All Stars, "King Of Kings" by Jimmy Cliff, "It Ain't Necessarily So" by Duffy Power, "Gurney Slade" by Max Harris, "Moanin" by Lynn Cornell, "I'm Just A Baby" by Louis Cordet, "Orange Street" by The Blue Flames, "Strawberry Fair" by Anthony Newley, "Sounds Like Locomotion" by Sounds Inc, and "Air Travel" by Chris Farlowe. (Rock, Soul) CD

The roots of British mod, served up here in a fantastic package that's overflowing with soulful, jazzy, and groovy gems that we might never have heard otherwise! The big British Invasion love of American sounds is no secret to anyone – but the cuts here are all from a moment before on the London scene, and represent some really wonderful experiments in ways of mixing together elements of jazz, soul, and blues – and coming up with something really fresh and unique! Tracks are a great mix of instrumental and vocal modes – and as usual with Ace, they're supported by detailed notes that really open up our understanding of both the music, and this point in time. Titles include "Danger Man" by Red Price Combo, "A New Kind Of Lovin" by Eden Kane, "Christine" by Miss X, "Sugar Baby (parts 1 & 2)" by Jimmy Powell, "When You Walked Out" by Alex Murray, "Chicago Calling" by Cyril Davies & His Rhythm & Blues All Stars, "King Of Kings" by Jimmy Cliff, "It Ain't Necessarily So" by Duffy Power, "Gurney Slade" by Max Harris, "Moanin" by Lynn Cornell, "I'm Just A Baby" by Louis Cordet, "Orange Street" by The Blue Flames, "Strawberry Fair" by Anthony Newley, "Sounds Like Locomotion" by Sounds Inc, and "Air Travel" by Chris Farlowe. (Rock, Soul) CD

An amazing compilation – a decade in the making, and filled with wonderful grooves – most of which have never appeared on CD or LP reissues! The set's based around the groundbreaking series of Soul Cal 12" reissues put together by Stones Throw about a decade ago – wonderful records that unearthed rare grooves that fall beautifully in a space between funk and club – almost all originally issued on tiny little labels from all over the US, but working together to create a rich vibe in the set. Titles include "Ecology" by Anubis, "You Can Be A Star" by Luther Davis, "Don't Get Discouraged" by UPC All Stars, "Things Cannot Stop Forever" by Stanton Davis, "Free Your Mind" by Record Player, "Get Down" by Freedom Express, "Keep Running Away" by Clifford Nyren, "Love Is" by Leon Mitchison & The Eastex Freeway Band, "What It Takes To Live" by Key & Cleary, "I'm Gonna Miss You Girl" by Ellis & Cephas, "It's A Bad Feeling" by Mixed Sugar, and "Put A Smile On Time" by Rhythm Machine. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing compilation – a decade in the making, and filled with wonderful grooves – most of which have never appeared on CD or LP reissues! And while the music itself is already wonderful, the package also includes an amazing 80 page book, too – a rich research project that digs deep into the American underground of the 70s – and features a wealth of photos, images, and historical details on music that never got it's due back in the day! The set's based around the groundbreaking series of Soul Cal 12" reissues put together by Stones Throw about a decade ago – wonderful records that unearthed rare grooves that fall beautifully in a space between funk and club – almost all originally issued on tiny little labels from all over the US, but working together to create a rich vibe in the set. Given the book, there's a Numero-like heft to the whole thing – although the range of grooves is even greater than one of their collections – and titles include "Ecology" by Anubis, "You Can Be A Star" by Luther Davis, "Don't Get Discouraged" by UPC All Stars, "Things Cannot Stop Forever" by Stanton Davis, "Free Your Mind" by Record Player, "Get Down" by Freedom Express, "Keep Running Away" by Clifford Nyren, "Love Is" by Leon Mitchison & The Eastex Freeway Band, "What It Takes To Live" by Key & Cleary, "I'm Gonna Miss You Girl" by Ellis & Cephas, "It's A Bad Feeling" by Mixed Sugar, and "Put A Smile On Time" by Rhythm Machine. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Music from Etta James, Sugar Pie DeSanto, Betty Everett, Little Milton, Bo Diddley, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy, Dr. Feelgood & The Interns, Dave "Baby" Cortez, Billy Stewart, and more – 60 tracks in all. CD

A great entry in this wonderful series – a set that's full of rare 7" singles from the late 60s and early 70s, but with a vibe that's very different than other collections of this nature! As with previous volumes, the sound is warm and uplifting – not heavy funk or deep soul, but tunes that soar and glide on soulful energy – showcasing a few early modern soul elements that were years ahead of their time, and often using just the right sort of production and arrangements to really expand the sound of a singer or harmony vocal group! The whole thing's wonderful – fantastic rare soul listening all the way through – and titles include "Can't Forget About You Baby" by Marian Love, "I Believe In Miracles" by Mark Capanni, "Standing In The Way" by Charles Williams, "The Game Is Over" by Brown Sugar, "Too Late" by Tavares, "Get Involved" by George Soule, "My Heart Is Closed For The Season" by Bettye Swann, "How Can I Go On Without You" by Corey Blake, "Reason To Survive" by Rance Allen Group, "You Had It Made" by Freddie Terrell & Blue Rhythm Band, and "Oh Mama" by CM Lord. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A great entry in this wonderful series – a set that's full of rare 7" singles from the late 60s and early 70s, but with a vibe that's very different than other collections of this nature! As with previous volumes, the sound is warm and uplifting – not heavy funk or deep soul, but tunes that soar and glide on soulful energy – showcasing a few early modern soul elements that were years ahead of their time, and often using just the right sort of production and arrangements to really expand the sound of a singer or harmony vocal group! The whole thing's wonderful – fantastic rare soul listening all the way through – and titles include "Standing In The Way" by Charles Williams, "Reason To Survive" by Rance Allen Group, "Consider The Source" by Leon Haywood, "Oh Mama" by CM Lord, "Thank You Girl For Loving Me" by Enchantment, "The Game Is Over" by Brown Sugar, "Get Involved" by George Soule, "Too Late"b y Tavares, and "My Heart Is Closed For The Season" by Bettye Swann. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album