A tremendous record from one of the hippest soul singers ever – and an album that has Gil Scott-Heron really pushing forward after his initial classics for the Flying Dutchman label! There's less spoken material here and more sung passages – as Gil's really discovering his confidence as a singer, moving effortlessly between jazz and soul – and getting superb accompaniment from Brian Jackson, who plays both acoustic and electric piano next to Gil's electric. Backings are spare – just bass and drums – and it's no surprise that the album was released on the legendary Strata East label, as it rivals the rest on that imprint for righteous spiritual power! Titles include Gil's classic "The Bottle" – which went on to become a huge hit in many versions – plus the beautiful "Your Daddy Loves You", heard here in the original version – and the tunes "Peace Go With You Brother", "Back Home", "Rivers Of My Fathers", and "A Very Precious Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous record from one of the hippest soul singers ever – and an album that has Gil Scott-Heron really pushing forward after his initial classics for the Flying Dutchman label! There's less spoken material here and more sung passages – as Gil's really discovering his confidence as a singer, moving effortlessly between jazz and soul – and getting superb accompaniment from Brian Jackson, who plays both acoustic and electric piano next to Gil's electric. Backings are spare – just bass and drums – and it's no surprise that the album was released on the legendary Strata East label, as it rivals the rest on that imprint for righteous spiritual power! Titles include Gil's classic "The Bottle" – which went on to become a huge hit in many versions – plus the beautiful "Your Daddy Loves You", heard here in the original version – and the tunes "Peace Go With You Brother", "Back Home", "Rivers Of My Fathers", and "A Very Precious Time". CD

A tremendous record from one of the hippest soul singers ever – and an album that has Gil Scott-Heron really pushing forward after his initial classics for the Flying Dutchman label! There's less spoken material here and more sung passages – as Gil's really discovering his confidence as a singer, moving effortlessly between jazz and soul – and getting superb accompaniment from Brian Jackson, who plays both acoustic and electric piano next to Gil's electric. Backings are spare – just bass and drums – and it's no surprise that the album was released on the legendary Strata East label, as it rivals the rest on that imprint for righteous spiritual power! Titles include Gil's classic "The Bottle" – which went on to become a huge hit in many versions – plus the beautiful "Your Daddy Loves You", heard here in the original version – and the tunes "Peace Go With You Brother", "Back Home", "Rivers Of My Fathers", and "A Very Precious Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous record from one of the hippest soul singers ever – and an album that has Gil Scott-Heron really pushing forward after his initial classics for the Flying Dutchman label! There's less spoken material here and more sung passages – as Gil's really discovering his confidence as a singer, moving effortlessly between jazz and soul – and getting superb accompaniment from Brian Jackson, who plays both acoustic and electric piano next to Gil's electric. Backings are spare – just bass and drums – and it's no surprise that the album was released on the legendary Strata East label, as it rivals the rest on that imprint for righteous spiritual power! Titles include Gil's classic "The Bottle" – which went on to become a huge hit in many versions – plus the beautiful "Your Daddy Loves You", heard here in the original version – and the tunes "Peace Go With You Brother", "Back Home", "Rivers Of My Fathers", and "A Very Precious Time". Plus, this US reissue has 4 bonus cuts, including live versions of "Winter In America", "Your Daddy Loves You", and "The Bottle/Guan Guanco" – and an alternate take of "Song For Bobby Smith". CD

A great little album by Jerry – recorded during a period where he was using his fame (and cash!) to showcase younger talents in soul music. In this case, the younger talents include Terry Callier – who contributed two songs to this album, including his semi-hit "Ordinary Joe", which Jerry does in a nice groovy style. Other tracks include "You & Me", "Real Good Man", "Life's Unfortunate Sons", "No Money Down", and "Winter Of A Loving Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful post-Atlantic album from Nikki Giovanni – much more intimate and personal than her better known work, with only Nikki's voice throughout the album – heard on a number of shorter poems! At some level, Giovanni seems to have left behind the more righteous themes of before, and is going for a mode here that's a bit more everyday – but still touched with the deeper reflections that make her so great. The titles of the poems tell enough about the subject matter – and they include "Parent's Never Understand", "Mommie's Daddies", "Ego Tripping", "James Shell's Snowball Stand", "Knoxville Tennessee", "Winter Poem", "The Drum", and "Kidnap Poem". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of 60s classics by the mighty Impressions – back to back on a single CD! On Keep On Pushing, there's no need for The Impressions to push from behind – because with a record like this, they're very firmly in the driver's seat! The album's a treasure through and through – one of the greatest documents of 60s soul from the Chicago scene – filled with sublime original compositions by a young Curtis Mayfield, set to great arrangements from the legendary Johnny Pate! The sound here is immaculate – a groove that's slightly stepping, gently lilting – just enough to get things moving, but with plenty of care not to smother the fragile harmonies of the group. And as on other of the best ABC albums by The Impressions, there's not a hint of filler here – just one great track after another, with titles that include "Amen", "I Made A Mistake", "Don't Let It Hide", "Keep On Pushing", "Somebody Help Me", "Long Long Winter", and "I've Been Trying". People Get Ready is one of the greatest albums ever from The Impressions – and a set that takes their work to a whole new level, by bringing in an even more righteous sound! The core elements of the group's 60s genius are all in place here – compositions from Curtis Mayfield, arrangements from Johnny Pate, and sublime harmonies from the group. But there's also something extra too – a new level of consciousness that's creeping into the music, hinting at the more righteous subject matter of later years – but with a much more subtle approach. All tracks are great – and titles include "See the Real Me", "Woman's Got Soul", "We're In Love", "Can't Work No Longer", and "Emotions". CD

An excellent double-length live set from Gil Scott Heron – recorded right in the middle of his classic years on Arista Records, and with an extended groove that shows just how great he could be in a concert setting! Many of these tracks are quite long, with both instrumental solos and a more freewheeling vibe from Gil – who seems to put even more power into the sorts of messages that always make his music so wonderful. The group features flute from Vernon James and tenor from Ron Holloway – and Gil himself plays plenty of great keyboards, including Fender Rhodes – which brings a very fluid vibe to his vocal presentation. Tracks include "We Almost Lost Detroit", "B Movie", "Better Days Ahead", "Washington DC", "Shut Em Down", "Winter In America", "Angola Louisiana", "Johannesburg", and a great 15 minute take on "The Bottle". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the best tracks ever from the pair of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – some of most righteous, authoritative and thematically heavy soul music ever created – compiled in one incredible set! Messianic, emotive vocals from Gil and stunningly restrained, magical soul jazz arrangements from Brian – words can't express how dynamic these tunes are! Great stuff from classic LPs such as Winter In America, It's Your World, First Minute Of A New Day, Secrets and more! 15 tracks in all: "The Bottle", "It's Your World", "Johannesburg", "Winter In America", "The Liberation (Red, Black & Green)", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Live)", "We Almost Lost Detroit", "Angel Dust", "Show Bizness", "Madison Avenue", "Shut 'Em Down", "Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams)". LP, Vinyl record album

Gil Scott Heron's first album for Arista – very much in the mellow soul jazz work of his legendary album on Strata East! The record features some wonderfully moody jazz backing that really marks a shift in Gil's style – never going too far over the top, but hitting a sweet groove that really lets him open up as a singer even more than before! There's plenty of warm electric piano on the album, couched in those wonderfully soulful phrases that Gil and Brian Jackson could cook up so effortlessly at the time – and tracks include the fantastic cut "Winter In America", plus "The Liberation Song", "Ain't No Such Thing As Superman" and "Western Sunrise". LP, Vinyl record album

There's no need for The Impressions to push from behind – because with a record like this, they're very firmly in the driver's seat! The album's a treasure through and through – one of the greatest documents of 60s soul from the Chicago scene – filled with sublime original compositions by a young Curtis Mayfield, set to great arrangements from the legendary Johnny Pate! The sound here is immaculate – a groove that's slightly stepping, gently lilting – just enough to get things moving, but with plenty of care not to smother the fragile harmonies of the group. And as on other of the best ABC albums by The Impressions, there's not a hint of filler here – just one great track after another, with titles that include "Amen", "I Made A Mistake", "Don't Let It Hide", "Keep On Pushing", "Somebody Help Me", "Long Long Winter", and "I've Been Trying". LP, Vinyl record album

Way more than just a "boogie" album – as you might think from the title – and much more a hard-hitting batch of funky tunes, mixed with some even cooler laidback numbers! The album follows heavily off the style of Wild & Peaceful – mixing together the group's older crack rhythms with some newer, hipper, jazzier inflections – making for an incredibly powerful sound that really opens them up. Titles include the massively funky "Jungle Jazz" – a jazzy follow up to "Jungle Boogie" – plus some spiritual numbers that have a cosmic soul jazzy feel, like the tracks "Cosmic Energy", "Ancestral Ceremony", and "Winter Sadness". The whole thing's great – and other titles include "Mother Earth", "Caribbean Festival", and "Ride The Rhythm". CD

Heavy, soul-baring lyricism delivered with spiritual resonance and wise authority by Gil Scott-Heron – his first album shot in far too many years, and a direct hit – essential listening for longtime listeners and neophytes alike and a well worthy entry in a legendary career! Scott-Heron is documenting his world as profoundly and poetically as ever here, and the production is built with spare, haunting beats and atmospheric bits of strings, guitar, keys, loose atmospherics and hazy electronics – loosely framing his voice and giving it all the room in needs to carry the mood. Gil sings and speaks with equal authority throughout, and you can hear the years in his voice like never before, giving him the worn edges of the old soul he always evoked. This is a record we're proud to put among his treasured recordings of the 70s and early 80s. Titles include "On Coming From A Broken Home" (Parts 1 & 2), "Your Soul And Mine", "I'll Take Care Of You", "Where Did The Night Go", "Running", "The Crutch" and more, including several interludes that are pretty amazing – captures of conversation that show Gil nearly as charismatic and poetic in "off" moments as he is recording a song. Also includes 2 covers, "Me And The Devil" (the Robert Johnson song) and the title track, Smog/Bill Callahan's "I'm New Here", given a whole new life. Expanded anniversary version also features some great material recorded at the same time – the titles "Handsome Johnny", "My Cloud", "Piano Player", "King Henry IV", "Jazz", and 2010 live studio takes of "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", "Is That Jazz", and "Winter In America". CD

A seminal bit of pre-electro crossover – featuring the cold hard vocals of Alison Moyet, and also Vince Clark of Erasure. Some very tasty keyboard work! Includes the post-disco club smashes "Don't Go" and "Situation", plus "Goodbye Seventies", "Winter Kills", "Midnight", "In My Room", and "Bad Connection". (Rock, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album

A mellow soul classic from Chicago – and one of the last great records to come out of the city's hip 70s soul scene! We know very little about Crystal Winds – save for this excellent record, one of the few titles issued on the short-lived Cash Ear label, a south-side imprint in the tradition of 70s powerhouse labels like Curtom or Chi-Sound. The work's got a wonderfully polished feel – lots of jazzy harmonies on the vocals, and a smooth midtempo groove that reminds us of some of the best work on Fantasy Records, especially those handled by Wayne Henderson and At Home Productions. Includes a great jazzy stepper called "Signs of Winter's Time", plus other great tracks like "So Sad", "Love Ain't Easy", and "It's A Wondrous Thing". CD

The clubby jazz funk debut of Freeez – plus the Anti-Freeez remix album from a couple years later – issued together along with even more bonus material in this great 2CD set! Dancefloor ready live band grooving is the warmly beating heart of the Freeez sound at this early point – with heated drums and killer basslines driving it – clearly influenced by late 70s international club sounds, but with this great, tight energy and dexterous musicianship that could only come from a real, functioning, true band. Nice stuff! Disc One includes the original album & remixes: "Mariposa (Butterfly)", "Caribbean Winter", "Easy On The Onions", "Sunset", "Flying High", "Roller Chase", "First Love" and more from the original, plus bonus tracks including "Ainti-Freeez (Set Me Free) – Disco Version", "Fly By Night", "Flying High (12" Remix)" and more. Disc Two includes early singles, demos, instrumentals and the complete Anti-Freeez remix album from 1984 – with "Keep In Touch", "Hot Footing It", "Stay", "Roller Chase (1984 Remix)", "Alone (1984 Remix)", "One To One (1984 Remix)", "Caribbean Winter (1984 Remix)", "Say You Will Be My Lover (Previously Unreleased Demo)" and more. 30 tracks on 2CDs. CD

Giacomo Gates affectionately and effectively steers the work of the toughest and most sharply unique songwriters of our time and into straight-forward jazz vocal territory – and it's works really well! The backing is done by a stripped down combo who lay down guitar, bass, drums and piano – with sax and flute on a couple. Gates' husky baritone is well suited to the material and the it's well chosen set list, which includes "Show Bizness", "Lady Day And John Coletrane", "Winter In America", "Is That Jazz", "New York City", "It's Your World", "Madison Avenue" and "Legend In His Own Mind". 10 tracks in all. (Vocalists, Soul) CD

A fantastic selection of work from one of the hippest girl groups of the 70s – the mighty Love Unlimited trio, three singers who all worked under the genius of Barry White in his prime! Unlike other girl trios of the time, who often used an older soul mode refitted with disco grooves – sometimes acting more like a chorus than a lead act – Love Unlimited always brought their full vocal strengths to play, and do a fantastic job here working in modes that rival some of the best male harmony groups of the early 70s – especially the sweet soul groups from New Jersey, New York, and Philly. And yes, Barry does kick up the groove a bit at times, but even then things are usually more in a midtempo mode, not a disco one – which makes for tremendous sounds throughout. This is the first-ever proper collection of the girls' singles from the early 70s – and titles include "Oh Love Well We Finally Made It", "Fragile Handle With Care", "Are You Sure", "I Should Have Known", "Is It Really True Boy Is It Me", "Walkin In The Rain With The One I Love", "Under The Influence Of Love", "It May Be Winter Outside", "I Love You So Never Gonna Let You Go", "I Belong To You", "So Nice To Hear", "People Of Tomorrow Are The Children Of Today", and "Share A Little Love In Your Hear LP, Vinyl record album

Great stuff from the girls who first put Barry White on the map! The record is the group's second – and by this point, Barry had developed that tight snapping drum sound that made his orchestral albums work so well. You'll hear it to good effect on most songs on the LP, which have a great groove that's in the best Barry White mode of the 70s – but which kind of dominates the girls' vocals a bit. Not that anyone should complain that much, as it's the overall package that's always made Barry's albums sound so great – but we do wonder how the group felt when they had to sit out the first track, which was the instrumental "Love's Theme", a song that went onto become Barry's biggest song ever, and which probably sold the album a lot more than the vocal tracks. Still, you can hardly detect a note of disharmony – and the album soars from track to track, through titles like "Under The Influence Of Love", "Say It Again", "Yes, We Finally Made It", and "It May Be Winter Outside". LP, Vinyl record album

An oft-overlooked jazzy gem from Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – and a beautifully swinging session that has Gil toning it down a bit, and working into a nicely musical groove that gets past the heavy politics of earlier years! The record's a great showcase for the more upbeat side of Gil's talents – and what it lacks in righteousness, it more than makes up for in a warmly flowing and very soulful vibe! The band's in great form – laying down tight warm jazzy riffs that provide some of the best backing for Gil's voice we've heard since Winter In America – and titles include the wonderfully catchy "Racetrack In France", plus "Hello Sunday Hello Road", "Under The Hammer", and "We Almost Lost Detroit". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent double-length live set from Gil Scott Heron – recorded right in the middle of his classic years on Arista Records, and with an extended groove that shows just how great he could be in a concert setting! Many of these tracks are quite long, with both instrumental solos and a more freewheeling vibe from Gil – who seems to put even more power into the sorts of messages that always make his music so wonderful. The group features flute from Vernon James and tenor from Ron Holloway – and Gil himself plays plenty of great keyboards, including Fender Rhodes – which brings a very fluid vibe to his vocal presentation. Tracks include "We Almost Lost Detroit", "B Movie", "Better Days Ahead", "Washington DC", "Shut Em Down", "Winter In America", "Angola Louisiana", "Johannesburg", and a great 15 minute take on "The Bottle". CD

Donna Summer also covers spring, autumn and winter here – on an incredibly groovy disco concept album – gorgeously sung by Donna Summer and produced to perfection by Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte! It's got 4 long, seasonally-titled tunes and a reprise – with "Spring Affair", "Summer Fever", "Autumn Changes" and "Winter Melody" – and the numbers groove appropriately! The spring groover is breezy, summer's is nice and steamy, the dancefloor grooves shift and phase for autumn, and winter is cool and delicate. One of the finer album-oriented disco releases of the period! LP, Vinyl record album

"Soul" is right – and "excellent" is also! Timi Yuro's early 60s work is fantastic – and is part diva bluesy soul, ala Etta James or Lorez Alexandria, and part country soul, ala Ray Charles or Brook Benton. Her voice is incredible, with a clear tone, yet heartbreaking edge – and this album features great arrangements by Belford Hendricks, backed by the Lois Winter Singers. Titles include "Once In A While", "Stardust", "There Goes My Heart", "If I Had You", and "Somewhere Along The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A seasonal classic from the legendary Stax Records – a set of all instrumental Holiday tunes, played by Booker T & The MGs! The album was recorded at the height of the group's early fame – and features a simple, straightforward groove that features plenty of Hammond from Booker T – plus tight grooves from Steve Cropper on guitar, Donald Duck Dunn on bass, and Al Jackson on drums – all of whom cook up some Memphis soul instrumental takes on seasonal favorites – in a mode that easily makes the record one of the hippest Christmas sides from the time! The whole thing's great – almost like a lost Booker T album overall – and titles include "Blue Christmas", "We Three Kings", "Winter Wonderland", "Silver Bells", and "Merry Christmas Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautifully smooth soul from Robert Winters & Fall – a great mix of 80s groove and modern mellow – handled with lots of warm touches that make Winters' vocals come off wonderfully! The feel here is a bit like some of the smoother sets from DJ Rogers – as Winters' voice has a deeply soulful quality, but is also set up in some tighter arrangements that seem to take it even farther – augmented by some nice jazzy work on keyboards from time to time, and set up in larger backings from Gene Page. Titles include "Face The Magic", "Touched By You", "Magic Man", "Watchin' You", and "How Can Love Be Wrong". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "Ruler of My Heart", "Two Winters Long", "It's Raining", and of course, all the hits – 23 tracks total. CD

One of Bill Withers' greatest albums of the 70s – a set that has hip stepping off the acoustic sound of his Sussex records, into a warm and jazzy style that we like every bit as much as his earlier work! The album's got a wonderfully sophisticated jazzy vibe, and includes the excellent cut "Lovely Day" – a perfect midtempo track with some great electric keyboards behind Bill's raspy soulful voice, and a great hook on the chorus! Paul Riser handled a lot of the arrangements – and other titles include "Wintertime", "It Ain't Because Of Me Baby", "I Want To Spend The Night", and "Then You Smile At Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of many volumes in Charly's great series of reissue compilations exploring the huge independent urban soul legacy of the 60's – covering ground from east to (mid)west! This set, like the others, has a huge amount of hard to get 45-only tracks, and features tracks originally issued on labels like SSS International, Mellow, Vee jay,. Sound Stage 7, Diamond and USA. 16 numbers in all, including "You'll Always Be In Style" by Sidney Barnes, "Now I'm In Love With You" by Marvin L Sims, "I Won't Stop To Cry" by Stormy, "I Don't Want To Hurt Nobody" by Ruby Winters, "Why Don't You Write" by Lee Bates, "I Can't Be Your Part Time Baby" by Gwen Davis, "Just Like A Yo Yo" by Ruby Winters, "My Love Is Gone" by the Shadows, "I Better Run" by Barrett Strong, "My Man Don't think I Know" by Gwen Davis, and "But I Couldn't" by Willie Harper. LP, Vinyl record album

One of a handful of righteous classics issued on Motown's Black Forum imprint in the early 70s – and a set that's maybe even more righteous than the rest – as it features a whole host of message-oriented tracks put together by the poet Amiri Baraka! The set was recorded live at the Apollo – and features both artists who have become legends in African American expression, and others who've not gotten their due over the years, but who are preserved wonderfully here in the setting of the performance – which bristles with a raw energy that's very different than some of the more good time records recorded at the legendary venue the decade before. Titles include "Black Is" and "What's Happening To The Heroes" by Kali, "A Folk Fable For My People" by Johari Amini, "Boppin" by David Henderson, "The Poet The Dreamer" and "Brothers The Struggle Must Go On" by Norman Jordan, "Notes From A Guerilla Diary" by Aski Mohammad Toure, "See Her Image In The River" by the Original Last Poets, "Pimp's Last Mack" by Stanley Crouch, "One Thousand Nine Hundred & Sixty Eight Winters" by Jackie Early, "Hip Men" by Amus Moore, and "Holy Days by Larry Neal. (Spoken Word, Soul) LP, Vinyl record album