Wonderful work from Ty Karim – an LA singer from the 60s, just waiting to be rediscovered! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", "Wear Your Natural Baby", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

A shameless dancefloor cash-in move – but a record that's still pretty darn great as well! You all know the big title cut "Ladies Night", so we won't bother to describe it – but we can say that the group wisely hooked up with Deodato, who produced, mixed, and even played keyboards on the album. Deodato keeps a nice jazzy punch in the tracks, while still moving towards the slickly produced funk sound that was the group's main approach at the time of the record. JT Taylor's on vocals, and the album's even got a few mellow cuts – like the crossover easy number "Too Hot" – amidst the midtempo 80s grooves that really step out and make the whole thing move. Other tracks include "Ladies Night", "Hangin Out", "Tonight's The Night", "If You Feel Like Dancin", and "Got You Into My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

Hard to believe that a preppie look could ever be associated with a soul singer, but by the time of this 1983, the preppie craze had spread so much that it actually provided Cheryl Lynn a nice way to update her style! There's nothing preppie about the music, though – and the record's a great batch of cuts that show how much Cheryl influenced the soul sound of the early 80s, especially at a time when Columbia was putting out so many strong R&B acts – stepping forth with a tight, mature groove that's totally wonderful – definitely a standard-setting sound that so many other female singers tried to match! Includes the cuts "Encore", "Fool A Fool", "Fix It", "Change The Channel", "Preppie", and "Life's Too Short". LP, Vinyl record album

Both of the rare albums on the tiny Tuba label, cut by jazz vibist Johnny Lytle in the 60s! The Loop is one of the coolest, grooviest albums ever from jazz vibist Johnny Lytle – a set that really leans into the impact that he was having with the soul instrumental crowd, and which serves up tunes in these short, tight grooves that show why Johnny was the king of the stepping dancefloor in the 60s! The set's still done with producer Orrin Keepnews, who'd handled Lytle's earlier jazz sides – but the tunes are shorter, and have the grooves punched up nicely – with plenty of cool Hammond work from organist Milt Harris, and tight drums from Peppy Hinnant – augment6ed with work from Willie Rodriguez on congas, and guest piano from Wynton Kelly on a few cuts! The whole thing's sweet and groovy, and the set features Johnny Lytle originals "Big Bill", "The Shyster", "Possum Grease", "The Man", "The Loop", and "Hot Sauce" – plus a cool cover of "Cristo Redentor". New & Groovy is one of Johnny Lytle's great recordings for the Tuba label, and probably one of the albums that shows his funky jazz vibes style at its best! The whole thing is very nicely stripped down - and the focus of the album is on down-and-dirty groovers, perfect for the jazzy stepper set that still digs Lytle loads! Lots of short groovy ditties on here which match Lytle's vibes and Milt Harris' organ. The group also includes Wynton Kelly on piano, George Duvivier on bass, Jimmy Cobb on drums, and Montego Joe on conga and percussion. Tracks include "The Snapper", "Selim", "The Pulpit", and "Screamin' Loud", "Too Close For Comfort" and more. (Jazz, Soul) CD

A fantastic musical gift from beyond – early 80s recordings by Prince, and the sort of work that might have been a huge revelation if it were issued during his too-short career! As the title implies, the set just features the man himself at the piano – singing and playing with a very intimate vibe – completely unlike any of his 80s material at all, even though some of the songs are the same! Prince is fantastic at the keys – really compelling and inspirational – with a sense of feeling that opens up some of his jazz chops in a way we never would have expected – and which is then matched by a more freewheeling sense of vocalization – with these fantastic inflections that leave us breathless, but again in a completely different way than his other music. The first half of the set features Prince flowing through songs that include "17 Days", "Purple Rain", "Mary Don't You Weep", "A Case Of You", "International Lover", "Wednesday", and "Strange Relationship" – and the second half features the songs "Why The Butterflies" and "Cold Coffee & Cocaine". CD

A fantastic musical gift from beyond – early 80s recordings by Prince, and the sort of work that might have been a huge revelation if it were issued during his too-short career! As the title implies, the set just features the man himself at the piano – singing and playing with a very intimate vibe – completely unlike any of his 80s material at all, even though some of the songs are the same! Prince is fantastic at the keys – really compelling and inspirational – with a sense of feeling that opens up some of his jazz chops in a way we never would have expected – and which is then matched by a more freewheeling sense of vocalization – with these fantastic inflections that leave us breathless, but again in a completely different way than his other music. The first half of the set features Prince flowing through songs that include "17 Days", "Purple Rain", "Mary Don't You Weep", "A Case Of You", "International Lover", "Wednesday", and "Strange Relationship" – and the second half features the songs "Why The Butterflies" and "Cold Coffee & Cocaine". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little set that brings together the short but fantastic legacy of Risco Connection – a late 70s project led by Studio One drummer Joe Isaacs, after moving from Kingston and setting up shop on the scene in Toronto! Joe calls on plenty of his older roots in early reggae, but also serves up cuts that have a strong nod towards contemporary club – slowing down the rhythms from the pace of disco, but also not really working in a reggae groove either – and instead coming up with a really unique hybrid of both – one that's peppered by vocals from a variety of different singers, often has nice keyboard touches in a moogy/spacey style, and which also features dubby reworkings of most of the tunes too! As usual, Strut do a great job of putting together the material with nicely detailed notes – and titles include two versions each of "It's My House", "Good Times", "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now", and "Sitting In The Park" – plus "I'm Caught Up", "Argument", "Stopping", "Bringing Out The Sunshine", "Risco Music", and "Reggae Music". CD

A great little set that brings together the short but fantastic legacy of Risco Connection – a late 70s project led by Studio One drummer Joe Isaacs, after moving from Kingston and setting up shop on the scene in Toronto! Joe calls on plenty of his older roots in early reggae, but also serves up cuts that have a strong nod towards contemporary club – slowing down the rhythms from the pace of disco, but also not really working in a reggae groove either – and instead coming up with a really unique hybrid of both – one that's peppered by vocals from a variety of different singers, often has nice keyboard touches in a moogy/spacey style, and which also features dubby reworkings of most of the tunes too! As usual, Strut do a great job of putting together the material with nicely detailed notes – and titles include two versions each of "It's My House", "Good Times", "Ain't No Stoppin Us Now", and "Sitting In The Park" – plus "I'm Caught Up", "Argument", "Stopping", "Bringing Out The Sunshine", "Risco Music", and "Reggae Music". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous collection of early work by The Spinners – their sublime second album for Motown, plus 13 additional bonus tracks, most of which appear here for the first time ever! The core of the set is the 2nd Time Around album – pre-Philly magic from The Spinners – a wonderful early album recorded for Motown – done with a heady Detroit sound that's quite different than their later work in the 70s! The album already has the group sounding amazing on the harmonic tip – definitely a cut above the groups that came before them – with that brilliant Spinners ability to harmonize heavily while still hitting a groove! Arrangements are by Paul Riser, Wade Marcus, and David Van DePitte – all of whom keep things full, but never overblown – presenting music with a perfect polish for the group, but in quite different ways than the later Philly groove. Titles include the classic original version of "It's a Shame", plus "My Lady Love", "Souly Ghost", "Ooh Child", "In My Diary", "My Whole World Ended", "I've Got To Find Myself A Brand New Baby", "Bad Bad Weather", and "Pay Them No Mind". But the bonus tracks are pretty amazing, too – really showcasing the group as they grew tremendously in a few short years – on gems that include "I Can't Let You Go", "Sunshine Train", "Mental Telepathy", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Why Don't You Try It", "Just A Little Part Of Your Life", "Sadder Words Were Never Spoken", "Don't Take Your Love Away I Can't Stand It", "Your Sweet Love Is All I Need", "Gonna Keep On Tryin Till I Win Your Love", and "When It Starts To Rain It Pours". CD

Excellent work from Starpoint – the kind of all-solid album that easily marks them as one of the most soulful groups of the boogie generation! There's a depth here that goes way beyond simple bass-heavy grooves for the dancefloor – a sound that picks a fair bit up from the Earth Wind & Fire groove of the early 70s, and manages to keep some jazzy touches and righteous undercurrents going on – even when the tunes themselves have simpler themes overall. Renee Diggs' lead vocals are especially wonderful – crackling with a warmth that's a nice change from the usual belting club diva mode of the period, and which ties together the rest of the group through the strength of her presence. Rhythms are nicely varied too – with some key ballads sitting nicely next to more uptempo numbers – making for a well-rounded album that's extremely well put together! Titles include "I Just Want To Be Your Lover", "For You", "Keep On It", "We're Into Love", "Starpoint's Here Tonight", and the excellent but too short "Interlude". CD

Excellent work from Starpoint – the kind of all-solid album that easily marks them as one of the most soulful groups of the boogie generation! There's a depth here that goes way beyond simple bass-heavy grooves for the dancefloor – a sound that picks a fair bit up from the Earth Wind & Fire groove of the early 70s, and manages to keep some jazzy touches and righteous undercurrents going on – even when the tunes themselves have simpler themes overall. Renee Diggs' lead vocals are especially wonderful – crackling with a warmth that's a nice change from the usual belting club diva mode of the period, and which ties together the rest of the group through the strength of her presence. Rhythms are nicely varied too – with some key ballads sitting nicely next to more uptempo numbers – making for a well-rounded album that's extremely well put together! Titles include "I Just Want To Be Your Lover", "For You", "Keep On It", "We're Into Love", "Starpoint's Here Tonight", and the excellent but too short "Interlude". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection of work from the great Howard Tate – a stunning soul singer who recorded mostly during an initial decade in the studio, then briefly returned to fame in the few short years before his death – always with a depth and vibrancy that set him apart right from the start! Tate was born in the south, but raised in Philly – and as such, has this unusual blend of deep soul vocals and more sophisticated modes – heard most famously in his early work with producer Jerry Ragovoy, but carried on strongly in his 70s records too – all of which are sampled here, in a collection that includes material from Howard's sessions for Verve, Atlantic, Epic, HT, and Turntable Records! CD features a massive 29 tracks in all – and titles include "My Soul's Got A Hole In It", "Shoot Em All Down", "Stop", "Strugglin", "Keep Cool", "She's A Burglar", "It's Too Late", "Can You Top This", "Brand New Me", "Get It While You Can", "The Bigger End", "Ain't Got Nobody To Give It To", "Half A Man", "You're Looking Good", "Question", "Have You Ever Had The Blues", and "Baby I Love You". CD

Doris Troy was one of the great female soul singers of the 60s – known for a famous single for Atlantic Records, and other great work too – reemerging here in a whole host of tracks from the late 70s, which have Doris singing with a style that's more mature than before! Most of the material here was recorded for the mostly-disco Midland label – a company who often had great grooves but weaker singers – a mistake that's nicely corrected here, as Troy's all-soul vocals really help the tunes soar over the top, pushing the uptempo grooves with a deeper current that's mighty nice! Titles include "Lyin Eyes (short version)", "You Got Me Baby (1979 disco version)", "Can't Hold On", "Another Look", "Give God Glory", "It's All In The Game (1979 disco version)", "Whatcha Gonna Do About It (1980 version)", "Smilin/Let Me Make Love To You", and "Another Look (12" version)". CD

An amazing musical discovery – the lost second album from 24 Carat Black – recorded right after the band's legendary debut for Stax Records, but unissued for over 30 years! All the righteous styles of the group's famous Ghetto Misfortune's Wealth classic are fully in place here – and if anything, the record has an even headier feel overall – really complicated sounds that are often deeply spiritual, but still have that snaking, bassline-driven, slow funk quality that we love in the group! The tunes each feel like mini-symphonies in soul – and although the themes center more around love than politics, they're done in a way that goes way past any sexy soul cliches of the time. The group is amazingly laidback – slow-stepping into each tune with a care and confidence that's amazing – and letting the cuts come into their own organically, but always with a mystical sense of order. Numero have done a wonderful job excavating this work – remastering the tapes for great sound, and telling the full story of the group and their too-short career. Titles include "The Best Of Good Love Gone", "I'll Never Let You Go", "Gone The Promises Of Yesterday", "I Begin To Weep", "I Want To Make Up", and "I Don't Love You". CD

A Chicago group who never hit the big time during their short run at the start of the 80s – but one who definitely know how to groove! There's a vibe here that really lives up to the "togetherness" in the group's name – a way of coming together with a tight, sharp sound throughout – but one that's never too slick, just surprisingly strong for such an underground funk group from the Windy City! And although the music is upbeat, the style is less disco than it is the kind of faster funk that percolated strongly in the underground scene in the pre-house years – almost more akin to some of the best indie club work coming out of the east coast, but with a very unique vibe too. As usual with Numero, the set does way more than just bring this lost music to light – it also tells the tale of the Universal Togetherness Band, and their never-flagging sense of energy and inspiration during their short but important run. Titles include "Ain't Gonna Cry", "Try Try Try", "My Sentiment", "Real Thrill", "Once In A Lifetime", "Call For Love", "I Want You", and "Taken By Love". CD

The funkiest record ever issued by this 70s group best known for clubbier work – a set that foregrounds the badass vocals of female singer Samaki, who kicks it nicely over a host of short tracks that mix political messages with a few personal themes! The whole thing's every bit as righteous as you might guess from the cover – with plenty of influences from bigger names on labels like Curtom or Westbound during the early 70s – but handled with a nice approach that's got some rough edges too! Titles include "Help The Poor", "Daddy Could Swear", "Ticket On The Ark", "Sayin It Doin It", and "I Got Stronger". CD

An excellent 2LP set that brings together 28 early 50s recordings by T-Bone Walker – crucial sides that link together jazz and blues traditions, with incredible work on guitar that would go onto influence both genres tremendously. The fact that Walker became a huge influence on soul jazz guitarists like Billy Butler, George Freeman, and Wild Bill Jennings is probably not lost on Blue Note – who included the set here as the only non-jazz set in their 2LP 70s reissue series. Titles include "Blue Mood", "Alimony Blues", "The Sun Went Down", "Cold Cold Feeling", "Strollin With Bones", "Street Walkin Woman", "You Don't Love Me", "Party Girl", "Life is Too Short", and "News For You Baby". (Blues, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Mad mad funk, and the fantastic second LP by the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band – the group that proved to everyone that LA could be just as funky as any other city in the 60s! The record draws strongly from the group's indie roots in the funky 45 scene – and the album's filled with short tracks that bump along in jagged rhythms, offbeat arrangements, and some slight touches of sweeter soul. Charles Wright is leading the group on vocals, and taking a stronger presence on these soul-based cuts – but as before, it's the strength of the overall group that really makes the album great – especially the bass work of Melvin Dunlap and the funky drums of James Gadson! Titles include some killer original tracks by the band – like "Do Your Thing", "Giggin' Down 103rd", "Phuncky Bill", "65 Bars & A Taste Of Soul", and "A Dance, A Kiss, & A Song" – plus great covers of "Something You Got", "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag", and "Knock On Wood". CD features 8 more bonus tracks too – including mono single takes on "65 Bars", "Do Your Thing", and "A Dance A Kiss & A Song" – and the previously unreleased tracks "Poverty Stricken Chicken", "Happy Feet", and "You've Lost That Lovin Feelin" – plus "Bottomless" and the long version of "Do Your Thing". CD

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

A beautiful collection of work by funky soul diva Spanky Wilson – a set that features her full Westbound album Specialty Of The House, plus a nice array of even harder-hitting singles! Spanky first rose to fame as a gritty singer mixing jazz and soul on a series of late 60s/early 70s sides with HB Barnum, but during her Westbound years she cleaned things up a bit – taking her already-rich vocals, and turning them towards fuller backings and more soaring soul that almost hit the heights of soul singers like Marlena Shaw or Motown artists of the time. Backings penned by David Van DePitte, Paul Riser, and others gave Wilson a nicely mature sound that was a good change from her aging style of previous years – but other singles still maintained a grittier, funkier groove too – allowing for a nice range of modes during these short years at Westbound Records. This CD's the first to give full due to these overlooked years in Spanky's career – and it breaks up the core album and intersperses some of the funkier singles, plus unreleased tracks – in a blend that sounds even better than the original records! 18 tracks in all – including the break classic "Kissing My Love", plus "Shake Your Head", "Non Stop Flight", "He Called Me Baby", "Easy Lover", "Spend The Night With Me", "Missing Pieces", "I Think I'm Gonna Cry", "Standing Room Only", "Love Song", "The Downer I Get", and "I'll Stake My Life On You Boy". CD

An excellent overview of the second half of the short run of the Ric & Ron labels – tiny imprints from New Orleans in the early years of soul music, but a crucial force in the development of the Crescent City sound! The work here is mostly from the early 60s, and really shows New Orleans soul coming into its own – finding a way to fuse together all the rich array of sounds, styles, and cultural influences that made the sound of the city so unique – with lots of romping rhythms, deeply soulful vocals, and some mad piano lines that really add that signature New Orleans touch! Nearly every cut here is a winner, and this Ace Records presentation of the label's legacy is easily the best treatment of Ric & Ron we've ever seen. The set features 24 tracks – including some rare and unissued numbers – and titles include "Send Me Your Picture" by Bobby Mitchell, "A Losing Battle" by Johnny Adams, "Unemployed" by Warren Lee, "Check Mr Popeye" by Eddie Bo, "Honest I Do" by Tommy Ridgley, "I Guess I Always Will" by Jimmy Easterling, "I Don't Talk Too Much" by Martha Carter, "The Git Back (part 1)" by Guitar Joe Morris, "Question Of Love (demo)" by Barbara Lynn, and "Carnival Time (demo)" by Al Johnson. CD

Killer soul from the 60s – a wonderfully rich array of hard soul grooves – all with a superb pedigree! The "At" here is short for "Atlantic" – as in Atlantic Records, the source of all the very groovy cuts on this set – as well as some from the early years of Stax Records too! But if you're thinking the collection's just another batch of overplayed Atlantic soul hits from the 60s, then think again – because the track selection is wonderful, and the compilation goes out of its way to pick lesser-known gems and rare singles – including some by artists we didn't even realize recorded for Atlantic! There's definitely a few familiar cuts on here, but there's lots more that were only briefly issued as 45s – as you'll hear on titles that include "Holding On With Both Hands" by Eddie Floyd, "Able Mable" by Mable John, "Walking Up A One Way Street" by Willie Tee, "At The Club" by The Drifters, "It Ain't What You Got" by Jimmy Hughes, "Help Me Get The Feeling" by Ray Sharpe, "Some Other Guy" by Richie Barrett, "I'm Gonna Run Away From You" by Tami Lynn, "Que Sera Sera" by The High Keys, "Keep Lookin" by Solomon Burke, and the amazing "Some Kind Of Wonderful" by Soul Brothers Six, a monster track that is worth the price of the CD alone! CD

A stunning array of rare soul from the Atlanta scene of the 70s – almost all of which appears here for the first time ever! The tracks were recorded for the great but short-lived family of labels that included GRC, Aware, and Hotlanta – but were never issued in the label back in the day, in part because of its need to close down quickly – no reflection at all on the quality of music, as the cuts here are superb throughout! Many of the numbers have that unique blend of Chicago talents and Atlanta roots that made the labels' recordings so unique – especially on this set, which is very heavy on mellower deep soul numbers that really transform the southern modes of years before, and push them into territory that's much more like laidback mellow soul from the east coast scene! The package has very detailed notes on all the cuts, and speculations on the cuts and their recording and release histories too – in a smoking set list that features 24 titles that include "Paper Man" by Alpaca Phase III, "Con Me" by Miss Louistine, "Love Making" by Jean Battle, "Keep On Walking" by The Steppers, "Is There Someone Else" by Deep Velvet, "When Will I Stop Loving You" by Lorraine Johnson, "Fight Fire With Fire" by King Hannibal, "I Need Me Some More Of You" by Dee Ervin, "My Peaceful Forest" by Dee Clark, "There'll Always Be Forever" by Lomita Johnson, "Loneliness Hurts Just A Little Bit" by Joe Graham, "Talk's Cheap" by The Surprise Sisters, and "Sure Could Do With Some You" by Shirlean Fant. CD

A wonderful look at the later years of Chicago soul – a collection that brings together work from Chi-Sound Records, the imprint formed by producer Carl Davis after years of working with Windy City artists on labels like Okeh and Brunswick! Both Davis and the Chicago scene were reaching a new level of sophistication by the time Chi-Sound got its start – and the label took a keen cue from the Philly scene, and had its artists move into a broader range of work than just chart-bound singles – much more adult-oriented material that reflected the maturity of the artists, and the growth of an older middle class market for contemporary soul. As you'll hear on this set, Davis had a great way with a smooth tune – taking many older artists and allowing them to either re-record classic hits, or move towards material they wouldn't have been allowed to touch in earlier years. And as before, Davis also had a good ear for up-and-comers too – and exposed a few key acts on Chi-Sound during the short time the imprint was around. Titles on Volume 2 include "Maybe I'm Mistaken" and "Come To My Party" by The Impressions, "Hot On A Thing" and "Oh Girl" by The Chi-Lites, "Does She Have A Friend" and "Tomorrow I May Not Feel The Same" by Gene Chandler, "Passionate Breezes" and "I Touched A Dream" by The Dells, "It's All Over" and "And If I Had" by Walter Jackson, "Especially For You" by Manchild, and "I Still Love You" by Windy City. CD

Not much of a cover photo, but one of the most amazing collections so far from the Numero Group – a richly archival project that finally brings to light the lost efforts of the short lived Tap Records label! Tap was the brainchild of Jeremiah Yisrael – an ambitious producer, and legendary perfectionist – so much so that he often put more effort into these indie productions than you'd find at bigger label projects of the time! Most material here dates from the years 1981 and 1982, and the music is a mix of club, modern soul, boogie, and a bit of hip hop – nearly all of which hardly got any exposure at the time. The booklet not only tells the tale of the label and Yisrael's career, but also Numero's efforts in resurrecting these lost tapes from a very moldy near-death experience – a narrative that's almost as exciting as the music in the package. And the package is pretty great too – not only because of the 24 page, full color booklet – but also because of the supplemental book that reproduces lost sheet music and studio notes from the Tap sessions. Amazing stuff throughout – well worthy of another deep bow for the Numero team – with a total of 14 tracks that include "Breakout" and "We've Had Enough" by Arnie Love & The Lovettes, "Invisible Wind" and "Guilty" by Jackie Stoudemire, "Missy Missy Dee" by Missy Dee & The Melody Crew, "So Nice" by Annette Denvil, "Rub A Dub Dub" by The Fabulous 3 MCs, "Don't Stop Dancin" and "Run Away Hide From Love" by Jackie Stoudemire, and "Breakout" by Magnetism. Also features two tracks from 1971 – "Does He Really Mean It" and "Love Which Way" by Bonnie Freeman. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

Not much of a cover photo, but one of the most amazing collections so far from the Numero Group – a richly archival project that finally brings to light the lost efforts of the short lived Tap Records label! Tap was the brainchild of Jeremiah Yisrael – an ambitious producer, and legendary perfectionist – so much so that he often put more effort into these indie productions than you'd find at bigger label projects of the time! Most material here dates from the years 1981 and 1982, and the music is a mix of club, modern soul, boogie, and a bit of hip hop – nearly all of which hardly got any exposure at the time. The booklet not only tells the tale of the label and Yisrael's career, but also Numero's efforts in resurrecting these lost tapes from a very moldy near-death experience – a narrative that's almost as exciting as the music in the package. And the package is pretty great too – not only because of the 24 page, full color booklet – but also because of the supplemental book that reproduces lost sheet music and studio notes from the Tap sessions. Amazing stuff throughout – well worthy of another deep bow for the Numero team – with a total of 14 tracks that include "Breakout" and "We've Had Enough" by Arnie Love & The Lovettes, "Invisible Wind" and "Guilty" by Jackie Stoudemire, "Missy Missy Dee" by Missy Dee & The Melody Crew, "So Nice" by Annette Denvil, "Rub A Dub Dub" by The Fabulous 3 MCs, "Don't Stop Dancin" and "Run Away Hide From Love" by Jackie Stoudemire, and "Breakout" by Magnetism. Also features two tracks from 1971 – "Does He Really Mean It" and "Love Which Way" by Bonnie Freeman. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A treasure trove of funk and soul from one heck of a great little label – Columbus, Ohio's short-lived Capsoul imprint – only around for 5 years in the 70s, but home to a great flurry of indie singles! We first caught onto the label's brilliance with their funky classics "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies and "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss – but as this set wonderfully demonstrates, the label's got a heck of a lot more to offer – and all of it great! The label's brilliance has been masterfully unearthed by the crate-digging team at Numero Records – who've brought together 19 of the best Capsoul singles in a beautiful package that really tells the story of the tiny imprint, getting at the details and struggles that faced independent soul in the marketplace of the 70s. Way more than just a set of old singles, the set's a rich document of indie soul in one of the near-forgotten corners of the Midwest – filled with great tunes that may well have you booking the next flight you can find to Columbus! Titles include "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss, "Pure Soul" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Without Love" by Ronnie Taylor, "You're All I Need To Make It" by Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum, & Durr, "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Too Far Gone" by Four Mints, "I Want To Be Ready" by Kook Blues, "Go On Fool" by Marion Black, and "Number One" by Bill Moss. Updated version features new mastering and additional notes – plus the bonus track "All I Need To Make It" by The Capsoul Group. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A treasure trove of funk and soul from one heck of a great little label – Columbus, Ohio's short-lived Capsoul imprint – only around for 5 years in the 70s, but home to a great flurry of indie singles! We first caught onto the label's brilliance with their funky classics "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies and "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss – but as this set wonderfully demonstrates, the label's got a heck of a lot more to offer – and all of it great! The label's brilliance has been masterfully unearthed by the crate-digging team at Numero Records – who've brought together 19 of the best Capsoul singles in a beautiful package that really tells the story of the tiny imprint, getting at the details and struggles that faced independent soul in the marketplace of the 70s. Way more than just a set of old singles, the set's a rich document of indie soul in one of the near-forgotten corners of the Midwest – filled with great tunes that may well have you booking the next flight you can find to Columbus! Titles include "Sock It To Em Soul Brother" by Bill Moss, "Pure Soul" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Without Love" by Ronnie Taylor, "You're All I Need To Make It" by Johnson, Hawkins, Tatum, & Durr, "Hot Grits" by Elijah & The Ebonies, "Too Far Gone" by Four Mints, "I Want To Be Ready" by Kook Blues, "Go On Fool" by Marion Black, and "Number One" by Bill Moss. Updated version features new mastering and additional notes – plus the bonus track "All I Need To Make It" by The Capsoul Group. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A great look at an obscure indie soul label from the Cleveland scene at the end of the 60s – and a company that's definitely a cut above, given that it released some early O'Jays singles in the years before their crossover fame in the 70s – and members of that group also wrote a fair bit of singles for the label too! Besides a tie to the O'Jays, the Saru label also had a tight, well-chosen roster – one that really helped make Cleveland a hotbed for sweet soul at the time – easily competing with the hippest singers and groups from Philly, New York, and New Jersey – thanks to a string of excellent 45s on both the Saru imprint, and related Horoscope Records! As usual with Numero, the whole package is filled with fantastic details and photos that are as compelling as the music itself – and as for the music, this time around the Numero folks really get to the heart of the matter with a non-stop array of excellent material – not unreleased tapes, but killer 45s that really show Saru as a hell of a great soul label during its short run of records. Titles include "For The Rest Of My Life" and "Tears Don't Care Who Cry" by The Out Of Sights, "I Believe" and "Are You Man Enough" by Sir Stanely, "Stand In For Love" and "Love's Needed" by Pandella Kelly, "Come Back Boy" and "The Last Time" by The Ba-Roz, "Bound" and "I Remember You" by Ponderosa Twins, "Just To Be With You" and "Got To Make It Right" by Elements, "Can't Make It Without You" by Michael Bell, "Got To Get My Broom Out" by David Peoples, "Just To Be With You" by Bobby Dukes, and "Now He's Home" and "Shattered Man" by The O'Jays. (Funky Compilations, Soul) CD

A great look at an obscure indie soul label from the Cleveland scene at the end of the 60s – and a company that's definitely a cut above, given that it released some early O'Jays singles in the years before their crossover fame in the 70s – and members of that group also wrote a fair bit of singles for the label too! Besides a tie to the O'Jays, the Saru label also had a tight, well-chosen roster – one that really helped make Cleveland a hotbed for sweet soul at the time – easily competing with the hippest singers and groups from Philly, New York, and New Jersey – thanks to a string of excellent 45s on both the Saru imprint, and related Horoscope Records! As usual with Numero, the whole package is filled with fantastic details and photos that are as compelling as the music itself – and as for the music, this time around the Numero folks really get to the heart of the matter with a non-stop array of excellent material – not unreleased tapes, but killer 45s that really show Saru as a hell of a great soul label during its short run of records. Titles include "For The Rest Of My Life" and "Tears Don't Care Who Cry" by The Out Of Sights, "I Believe" and "Are You Man Enough" by Sir Stanely, "Stand In For Love" and "Love's Needed" by Pandella Kelly, "Come Back Boy" and "The Last Time" by The Ba-Roz, "Bound" and "I Remember You" by Ponderosa Twins, "Just To Be With You" and "Got To Make It Right" by Elements, "Can't Make It Without You" by Michael Bell, "Got To Get My Broom Out" by David Peoples, "Just To Be With You" by Bobby Dukes, and "Now He's Home" and "Shattered Man" by The O'Jays. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Mid 60s magic from a record label that only lasted a few short years – yet one that's gone on to have as much prominence for real soul collectors as the music of Atlantic and Motown! Loma Records was a small offshoot of Warner Brothers on the west coast – yet one that worked far from the hit territory of its parent company, and instead captured all these wonderful groups and singers who might never have gotten exposure otherwise – a few of whom would go on to record later for bigger labels, but most of whom lost the chance for fame once Loma closed its doors! The quality of the music here is incredible – really top-shelf productions, at a level that rivals some of the best Detroit studios of the time, mixed with some of the cool class of Chicago soul as well – served up in a style that works equally well for vocal groups and solo singers. And while Loma recorded some deep soul cuts during this period, this set focuses on the more upbeat numbers – as you'd guess from the "Northern" in the title – served up in a collection that not only features rare singles, but also a few unissued tracks too! CD set features 25 tracks in all – and include "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "You Can't Outsmart A Woman" by Kell Osborne, "I'm Getting Weaker" by The Soul Shakers, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Bright Lights" by Delilah Kennebreuw, "Runnin Around" by Tony Amaro & The Chariots, "Baby Don't Look Down" by Billy Storm, "The Big Jerk (part 1)" by Clyde & Teh Blue Jays, "Better Think Of What You're Losing" by Tommy Starr, "The Man With The Golden Touch" by Charles Thomas, "Got A Thing Goin" by The Invincibles, "It's Your Love That I Need" by The Marvellos, "Just A Little Longer" by The Enchanters, "I'll Find A Way" by Bobby Reed, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Lester, "See The Silver Moon" by The Apollas, "Lies" by Bobby Freeman, and "If You Should See Her" by Ben Aiken. CD

A great little set of rare soul music – served up by the Cairo imprint of Mississippi Records – and done with a very similar approach to their other reissues of folk, blues, and world music! The set focuses in on rootsier sounds, especially from the 60s – with lots of deep soul gems from both big names and some more obscure artists – all packaged with a detailed booklet of notes, in the best Mississippi style! The style is almost as if Folkway Records put together their own soul collection, but with work from other labels – and titles include "In My Heart" by Barbara & The Browns, "Tired Of Being Your Fool" by Nelson Sanders, "It's Not That Easy" by Reuben Bell & The Casanovas, "Since You've Been Gone" by The Falcons, "Can't Stay Away (parts 1 & 2)" by Slim & Ann, "Don't Ever Leave Me" by Bob & Earl, "Go Now" by Bessie Banks, "I Keep Forgetting You Don't Love Me No More" by The Thornton Sisters, "Don't Mistreat Me" by The Queenettes, "Let Me Down Easy" by Betta LaVette, "Life Is Too Short" by Benny Spellman, "Lament" by Mamie Perry, "I'm Missing You" by Loretta Williams, and "Everybody Knows" by OV Wright. LP, Vinyl record album

Our favorite kind of funk is Super Funk – and this fab entry to the long-running series definitely keeps up the groove! As before, there's plenty of rare tracks here – most pulled from obscure singles of late 60s/early 70s vintage – and some even from rare studio tapes that were never issued at the time! Most tracks are short, with a nicely gritty groove – the kind of funky 45 madness that will always keep us digging for rare 7" singles – put together by the BGP crew with a real understanding of the groove! There's some especially nice female singers in the mix – almost creating a mini Sister Funk focus on the package – but there's also great guy singers and groups too. 20 tracks in all – with cuts that include "The Sneak" by The Douzer, "Queen Of Losers" by Eleanor Rigby, "Groovy Baby" by Kim Tamanga, "It's Mookie Time" by Cleveland Eaton & The Kats, "Party Time" by James Carpenter, "Moving Woman" by 87th Off Broadway, "Bad Bad Woman (part 1)" by Marie Franklin, "He Say She Say" by Chet Ivey, "Cold Sweat" by Julio Zavalla, "Shakin Up The Nation" by The Radiations, "One Sweet Song" by Gloria Lucas, and "I'm Moving Home" by Mary Alice McCall. (Funky Compilations, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

Includes selections by Dru Hill featuring Redman, Jay-Z featuring Amil, Wu Tang Clan, JA Rule, Slick Rick, Montell Jordan featuring Monifah and Flesh N Bone, Jon B, Terror Squad, Too Short, and others; plus the theme by Lalo Schifrin, and skits with Chris Tucker. (Hip Hop, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album