... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Incredible early work from Brenda & The Tabulations – one of the best male/female soul groups of their era, yet one that's often sadly overlooked! This album will more than display why the group are so great – as they have a unique quality that's soft and sweet, yet also deeply soulful at the same time – making full use of the lead vocals of Brenda Payton, but supporting them with some rich male harmony backings from the rest of the Tabulations. And although the one gal, three guy format is one used by Ruby & The Romantics and Gladys Knight & The Pips, Brenda's take on the format is quite different – more like female soul outright, with some guy soul touches – and often done in a heartbreaking east coast harmony mode! Titles include the group's big early hit "Dry Your Eyes", plus other good originals like "The Wash", "Just Once in a Lifetime", and "Hey Boy". Also with "Stay Together Young Lovers", and "Who's Lovin You" – plus a wonderful remake of "God Only Knows". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two tasty early tracks from Brenda & The Tabulations. "And My Heart Sang" is a sweet little harmony track, with some nice low notes from the boys behind her, and Brenda's lovely voice floating over the top. "Lies" is more uptempo, with a driving feel, and a strong little soul hook in a Detroit mode. 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Genius, pure genius – and the kind of female soul tune we'll never tire of! From the first note, the track oozes sadness – really blue in its approach, setting the scene perfectly for Brenda's great interpretation of Van McCoy's lyric. The hook's incredible – the kind that would grab you even coming out of the muddiest AM radio! The flip's nice too – a bit more upbeat, but with a similar approach. 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Classic heartbreaking soul from Brenda Holloway – one of the weepiest early records on Motown, as you might guess from the title! The style here is almost more New York uptown than Detroit at times – a fair bit like Maxine Brown with its mix of strength and fragility on the vocals, and scored by the Davis/Gordon team with a subtle sense of drama. Strings step in on most numbers, but never in a sleepy way – and there's plenty of nicely stepping tunes here that maintain a good sense of Motown rhythm, even in mellower moments. Titles include "Sad Song", "I've Been Good To You", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "Too Proud To Cry", "A Favor For A Girl", "Suddenly", "You Can Depend On Me", and "Can I". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A lost gospel treasure from this obscure Mississippi group – cut in the mid 70s, but with a stripped-down sound that's completely timeless overall! The Staples Jr Singers certainly have picked up some of the more righteous currents of mainstream soul and funk at the time – echoed both in their tremendous phrasing on the lyrics, and on some of the album's used of raw guitar licks next to their words – but the stripped-down vibe gives the record a feel that's almost more 60s deep soul overall – as befits their southern roots, and the album's issue on a small indie label! There's also maybe a bit less "church" on the record than the usual gospel outing of the time – more overall messages about love, unity, and feeling – which also gives the whole thing a very transcendent quality. Titles include "On My Journey Home", "When Do We Get Paid", "I'm Looking For A Man", "I Know You're Going To Miss Me", "Trouble Of The World", "I Got A New Home", and "I Feel Good". LP, Vinyl record album

Very righteous work from The Exciters – best known for their girl group recordings in the 60s, but recording here in a very heavy sort of 70s mode – strongly in keeping with the "Black Beauty" in the title! Arrangements and production on the set are by Herb Rooney – who takes the girls into territory that's much more deep soul than before, a space that really works wonders with the already-tremendous lead vocals of Brenda Reid. It's almost like the group were hanging back for years, waiting for the 70s to break before they could really show the hipper undercurrents that always set them apart from the rest of the groups in the 60s, but which were always eclipsed by their hits and sweeter material. Most titles are originals, and tunes include "Leaving Him Tomorrow", "Don't It Make You Just Feel Good", "Learning How To Fly", "I Can't Give In", and "Life Love & Peace". LP, Vinyl record album

Horace Silver's last record for Blue Note – and an amazing end to his decades of work for the legendary label! The set's a perfect summation of all the new directions that Horace took in the 70s – new territory that's deeply spiritual, and undeniably righteous – yet which also has a fully focused approach too – one that's showcased here wonderfully in an expansive suite of tracks with a really positive message! The "strings" in the title isn't really accurate – as the set's more of a large arrangement session that feels Strata East spiritual – done in collaboration with Wade Marcus, but with jazzier, more acoustic tones than most of Marcus' other music. In addition to Silver's piano, key core players include Tom Harrell on flugelhorn, Larry Schneider on tenor and soprano sax, Ron Carter on bass, and Al Foster on drums – who play beautifully together, with a very fluid vibe. The set also features some key vocal passages at points – sung by Brenda Alford, Chapman Roberts, Carol Lynn Maillard, and a young Gregory Hines – on titles that include "The Soul & Its Expression", "Self Portrait No 1", "The Conscious & Its Desire For Change", "Inner Feelings", "Expansion", and "The Creator Guides Us". LP, Vinyl record album

The landmark debut of 2Pac – hard rhymes and gritty production laying the bedrock for an iconic legacy! 2Pac's voice is front and center throughout, nothing tentative about the rhymes or delivery, and true to legend, every word feels honest and real, whether you're comfortable with it or not. Classic! Tracks include "Young Black Male", "Trapped", "Soulja's Story", "I Don't Give a F**k", "Violent", "Words Of Wisdom", "Something Wicked...", "Crooked A** N**a", "If My Homie Calls", "Brenda's Got A Baby", "Tha Lunatic", "Rebel Of The Underground", and "Part Time Mutha". LP, Vinyl record album

Early solo work – with titles that include "The Man Who Invented Himself", "Brenda's Iron Sledge", "Do Policemen Sing", "The Lizard", "Acid Bird", "Meat", "Out Of The Picture", "Love", "City Of Shame", and "I Watch The Cars". LP, Vinyl record album

With classics by The Miracles, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, Mary Wells, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Brenda Holloway, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Four Tops, The Temptations, Jimmy Ruffin, Jr Walker & The All Stars, The Originals, Commodores, Smokey Robinson, Rick James, Dazz Band, Jermaine Jackson, and Lionel Richie. LP, Vinyl record album

With selections by Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Temptations, Brenda Holloway, Four Tops, Mary Wells, The Contours, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, and Barrett Strong. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic explosion of funk, soul, and club – put together at a level that may well even top the first Supafunkanova collection! As before, the cuts here are all super-rare and obscure – but all kick heavy ass when it comes to tight rhythms and catchy clubby grooves – never straight disco or mainstream boogie – but borrowing plenty from the mainstream to turn out cuts with a really raw, underground vibe! There's a slight touch of hip hop in the mix – more that old school skating mode – and the whole thing definitely shows Joey's decades in cutting great cuts for the dancefloor – and his big love of the best groups from the hinterlands. 2LP set features the titles "Drive Me Insane" by Airplay, "Betcha Got A Dude On The Side" by Star Quality & Class, "Cool Out" by Magnum Force, "Spunk In The Funk" by Blue Denim Band, "Walk" by Sam Culley Band, "Sound Reason (Joey Negro edit)" by Splash, "Making Love Will Keep You Fit" by Brenda Harris, "Let's Get High" by Nice & Tight Band, "Easton Assassin" by Sunburst Band, and "Super Stimulus" by Stimulus. LP, Vinyl record album

We don't know much about this guy, but this is a pretty sweet little set – a mixture of mainstream MPB and more soulful touches – all put together with some especially warm arrangements from Lincoln Olivetti! At some level, we'd almost be tempted to call this a set of Brazilian soul – especially due to the great use of keyboards, mellow grooves, and warm vocals on the record – but the overall style is a bit more mainstream, and gets slightly poppy at times too – a bit in a Free Soul sort of groove! Titles include "Num Paraiso", "Brenda", "Pensando Nela", "Renascendo Em Mim", "Saber Viver", "Nao Quero Mais", "Curtindo O Silencio", and "Menina Mulher". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue return for Khari and Jiva – the kind of pairing that first won us over to neo soul many years back – and sounding equally wonderful here! The album begins with a reworking of the James Mason classic "Good Thing" – and it only gets better and better from there – moving through the positive, sophisticated sort of music that Jiva gave us right from the start – that farther side of the contemporary soul spectrum where people are still making thoughtful, well-crafted sounds! The set includes vocals from Brenda Nicole Moorer, Cleveland Jones, Linsdey Webster, and Lizz Wright – and titles include James Mason tunes "Good Thing" and "Sweet Power Your Embrace" – plus "Show Me The Way", "Heaven's Design", "North Node", "Hard Times", "Capricorn City", and "Warm Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of some of Freddie Hubbard's great early to mid 60s output for Blue Note, compiled and released in 1975 during a time when a number of his LPs were no longer available (not unlike these days . . .). While Freddie would cut great sides throughout his career, some of his fieriest playing was during this time, and he's joined by a batch of greats who are definitely there to deliver the message too, including James Spaulding, Hank Mobley, Wayne Shorter, McCoy Tyner, Philly Joe Jones and ELvin Jones, amongst others (these tunes were pulled from the Crisis, Breaking Point and Hub Cap sessions). 13 tracks in all: "Crisis", "I Wish I Knew", "Hub Cap", "Luana", "Weaver Of Dreams", "Blue Frenzy", "Jodo", "Cry Me Not", "One Mint Julep", "Mirrors", "Breaking Point", "Blue For Brenda" and "All Or Nothing At All". LP, Vinyl record album

About as archetypal as you can get for a Christmas collection – but isn't that what the holiday's all about? The album's filled with classics from years back – including "Rockin Around The Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee, "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms, "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" by Spike Jones, "Do You Hear What I Hear" by Bing Crosby, "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" by Gene Autry, and "Santa Baby" by Eartha Kitt. LP, Vinyl record album

A whole host of classic rock and roll Christmas tunes – plus a few great doo wop numbers as well – all brought together in a single package with a great sort of late 50s vibe! Titles include "I'm Gonna Lasso Santa Claus" and "Rockin Around The Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee, "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" by Pat Boone, "Merry Christmas Baby" and "Run Rudolph Run" by Chuck Berry, "Hey Santa Claus" by The Moonglows, "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" by Jimmy Charles, "Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer" by The Cadillacs, "Jingle Bell Rock" by Bobby Helms, "Frosty The Snowman" by Jan & Dean, "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" by Patti Page, and "White Christmas" by The Drifters. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderfully obscure set of jazzy soul from keyboardist Billy Foster – a musician who's been making waves on the scene in Gary, Indiana for many decades – but has never fully gotten his due! This project captures a younger Billy – working in a soul-based mode that blends vocals with his own work on a variety of keyboards and acoustic piano – maybe an indie take on modes that artists like Rodney Foster or Bobby Lyle were exploring on the bigger labels at the time, but with a lot more charm. Vocals are by Glenda Eskew and Brenda Marshall McClure – and titles include the instrumental "City Lights", which has a nicely pronounced guitar solo by Henry Johnson – plus the tracks "As A Matter Of Fact", "Night Music", "I Need Your Love", and "It All Depends On You". LP, Vinyl record album

A bit late in Rodney's classic years for Columbia, but still pretty darn nice – although certainly much more of a soul album than before! A fair number of the tracks here have standout lyrics – sung by Brenda Russell, Philip Ingram, Frank Musker, and even Franklin himself – but the keyboards still dominate pretty strongly, and include the mix of electric and acoustic modes that always made Rodney's albums nice. The keys show a definite influence of 80s technology, as does the production – which is shared by Franklin and Michel Colombier – and titles include "Motion", "Broken Wings", "It Takes Two", "My Wish", "The Eagle & The Condor", and "Look What's Showing Through". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-done little collection – one that's maybe a second look at the Prix Label, covered by Numero Group in a previous collection – but which revisits the tapes and brings back a number of alternate recordings from the vaults of the label! The title's a reference to the cut "You & Me" by Penny & The Quarters – a heartbreaking soul track that was initially lost to time, until Numero manages to place it on a Ryan Gosling film – which gave that cut some very long legs, and opened the door here to some equally wonderful and obscure soul tracks – a lineup that includes "You Are Giving Me Some Other Love" and "I Cried A Tear" by Penny & The Quarters, "Don't Take Your Love From Me" by Eddie Ray & Joe King, "Since I Fell For You" by Brenda Walker, "All In The Past" by Eddie Ray, "You Are Mine" by Jay Robinson, "Will I Ever" by Jay Robinson with Penny & The Quarters, "I'm A Stranger" by Joe King, and "Untitled Studio Moves" by Harmonic Sounds Band – plus the famous "You & Me" by Penny & The Quarters. LP, Vinyl record album

This one was kind of Motown's answer to the Wattstax albums – a double live set, recorded in Chicago during the Push Expo, headed by Jesse Jackson. The tracks here are more of a mixed bag than some of those on the deeper soul Wattstax albums, but there are some nice moments overall, buried in the large mix of music and artists – many of whom didn't normally record for Motown. The tunes are familiar, but they're presented here in some nicely different live takes. Titles include "Lean On Me" by Bill Withers, "Country Preacher" by Cannonball Adderley, "This Child Of Mine" by Zulema, "Everybody Plays The Fool" by Main Ingredient, "Give Me Your Love" by Curtis Mayfield, "I've Gotta Be Me" by Sammy Davis Jr, "I Wanna Be Where You Are" by The Jackson 5, "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye, "Close To You" by Jerry Butler & Brenda Lee Eager, "On A Clear Day/Killer Joe" by Roberta Flack & Quincy Jones, and "Sunshine" by The O'Jays. Also features some dialogue by Jesse Jackson. LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A stunning tribute to the great Alan Lomax – the legendary musicologist, historian, and recording engineer who captured so many wonderful American sounds in the 20th Century! Lomax's work has been crucial to both the Library Of Congress and Smithsonian/Folkways Records – yet there's also a fair bit that has never seen the light of day before – amazing recordings that make up a surprisingly large part of this box set – which compiles work in many different styles recorded by Alan in the field – blues, folk, gospel, and global modes, plus compelling regional genres – all presented here in a special 6LP set. The box features 55 never-issued tracks, and lots more great ones too – with music by Shirley Collins, Fiddlin Joe Martin, Compagna Sacco, Calvin Frazier, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jelly Roll Morton, Ernest Williams, Neal Morris, Skip James, Son House, Elmer Barton, Brendan Behan, George Sea Island Singers, Big Bill Broonzy, Elizabeth Austin, Jean Ritchie, Bascomb Lamar Lunsford, Bessie Jones, Duke Of Iron, Charles Barnett, and many others. The box features a nice booklet of notes, too – and some rare photos from the archive! LP, Vinyl record album