A really well-done collection of work by Randy Crawford – one that not only gets at that unique place she holds in soul music, but also one that shows just how much she kept growing as the years went on! Randy's voice was maybe first exposed to folks for her famous work on The Crusaders' "Street Life" – but even before that, she was emerging as one of the elite in a new generation of sophisticated soul singers – equally well-skilled in jazzy expressions and soulful styles, and able to bring a new level of maturity to the music from the late 70s onwards! This great package traces Randy's growth as a solo artist over the course of many albums for Warner Brothers – and also includes some duets, live material, and compilation cuts – really getting at the importance she held in the field at the time. There's a whopping 57 tracks on 3CDs, complete with a big booklet of notes – and titles include "Don't Wanna Be Normal", "Blue Flame", "I Stand Accused", "Same Old Story", "Tender Falls The Rain", "Gonna Give Lovin A Try", "Ain't No Foolin", "Everything Must Change (live)", "Street Life (edit)", "When Your Life Was Low", "One Day I'll Fly Away", "Time For Love", "Your Precious Love (live with Al Jarreau)", "Windsong", "We Had A Love So Strong", "Imagine (live with Yellowjackets)", "All It Takes Is Love", "Single Woman Married Man", "Last Night At Danceland", "Just A Touch", "He Reminds Me", "Knockin On Heaven's Door", "Almaz", "I Let You Walk Away", "Bottom Line", "Cigarette In The Rain", and lots more! CD

Music from Chic, the Dooblie Brothers, Marcia Griffiths, Richie Valens, Snap, Gregory Abbott, the Honey Cone, the Stylistics, Kool & the Gang, Betty Wright, and more. CD

Cymande hit some well-deserved heights on this massive third album – working with a complicated groove that's even more compelling than their earlier albums – in a righteous blend of heavy bass and tripped-out guitars that's unlike anything else we've ever heard! The music's a unique blend of roots from Guyana coming into play with the changes of the 70s London scene – and the group have a way of reaching out past borders, past familiar styles, and making a whole new world of their own! Things are funky, but pretty darn dubby too – and the whole thing's got a sly sound that others have tried to copy over the years – but never done this well at all. Titles include the monster funk cut "Brothers On the Slide", a jaunty sample-laden groover – plus "Pon De Dungle", "Changes", "Sheshamani", and "Leavert". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite soul singers on the LA scene of the 60s – served up here in a complete run of his legendary singles for the Minit label! Jimmy Holiday never fully got his due back in the day – partly because he was a successful songwriter who was often working behind the scenes – but he's a hell of a singer with a style that's rooted in the south, but given some hipper, more sophisticated touches on the west coast – with almost the same mix of the rough and the smooth you'd find in the best Minit label recordings by the young Bobby Womack! Jimmy's very much his own man, though – a standout talent that really gets his due here in a mindblowing batch of music. The b-sides are every bit as wonderful as the a-sides – and given Holiday's knowledge of a tune from the ground up, he really has a great way of putting over the lyrics. The package features two duets with female singer Clydie King – "Ready Willing & Able" and "We Got A Good Thing Goin" – plus 24 more tracks that include "I'm In Love With You", "Baby I Love You", "Turning Point", "The Beauty Of A Girl In Love", "Spread Your Love", "Everything Is Love", "Yesterday Died", "A Man Ain't Nothin Without A Woman", "I'm Gonna Move To The City", "In The Eyes Of My Girl", "Everybody Needs Help", "Baby Boy's In Love",a nd "I Wanna Help Hurry My Brothers Home". CD

Funky soul from Witchita, Kansas – an unlikely locale, but home to some really great music – courtesy of the Smart brothers, and their ultra-hip club! This wonderful entry in the Eccentric Soul series from Numero really brings that lost scene to life – telling the tale of the brothers, their club, and some of the wickedly funky artists that graced their stage – a host of obscure groups, singers, and instrumentalists who really made Kansas cook, back in the day! The groove here is plenty darn hard – as raw as some of the best funky 45s you might find from points north, warmed up with occasional southern soul elements – and always produced with rough-and-ready vibe that gets to the heart of the grit right away. The set comes with a beautiful 28 page booklet – filled with vintage photos, in support of the Smart story, told by Dante Carfagna and Rob Sevier – but even without this added feature, the CD itself would be wonderful – essential listening for fans of all things funky! Titles include "Herbie's Bag" by John Smart's Band, "Mercy Baby" by Tim Jacob, "Dedicated To You" by Hard Road, "Let Me Be Your Christmas Toy" by Chocolate Snow, "Smart" by Smart Brothers, "I Was Made To Love Her" by Theron & Darrell, "I'm Not Ashamed" by Baby Neal & The Smart Brothers, "Everybody Needs Somebody" by LT & The Soulful Dynamics, "Don't Hate Let's Communicate" by Kenneth Carr with John Smart's Band, "It's Your Love" by Theron & Darrell, and "Let It Be" by Chocolate Snow. CD

A massive collection of work from these important years in music – and even if you don't know or care about Gary Crowley, who's pictured on the cover, you'll find plenty to love here if you dig UK sounds from the late 70s and early 80s! As indicated by the title, the set focuses on new wave and punk tracks – which also means that there's plenty of post-punk too – and the package does a really great job of offering up music that stands the test of time, even though much of it never got much play on American airwaves back in the day – music that really helped set the tone for a generation, and whose effects are still resonating all these many years later. As with volume one, the presentation is great – a very nice package, with detailed notes – and the 2LP version features 28 titles – with work by The Times, Shake, The Limps, Newtown Neurotics, The Slits, Gary Valentine, Basement 5, Dolly Mixture, Liquid Stone, The Subterraneans, Stiff Little Fingers, The Jam, Zounds, The Cure, The City Limits, Moving England, The Barracudas, Penetration, X-Ray Spex, The Limit, Magazine, Golinski Brothers, The Clash, and others. LP, Vinyl record album

The second killer set in this series – a wonderful blend of AOR hits and soulful singers – wrapped up in a stunning style that's a great subgenre in itself! Many of the tunes here are familiar, but served up in versions you might not know at all – done by soul artists who were clearly inspired by the warmer styles of mid 70s AOR, but who also bring the modes back to soul music, and really open up the tunes with fantastic vocals and mighty nice grooves! The set is particularly heavy on that late 70s/early 80s moment when things were really coming together in the modern soul scene – and the set features titles that include "Dedicate This Heart" by Dionne Warwick, "Dreams" by Richie Havens, "Monkey See Monkey Do" by Patti Labelle, "Euphrates" by Main Ingredient, "Sara Smile" by Impact, "Listen To The Music" by Isley Brothers, "Gringo" by Arnold McCuller, "What You Won't Do For Love" by Roy Ayers, "Tin Man" by John Edwards, "It's Too Late" by Billy Paul, and "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me" by Esther Phillips. CD

A rare bossa set from Argentina – but one that sparkles like some of the best MPB of the time! The lovely Maria De Fatima sings and plays guitar in a style that's not unlike Joyce – quite warm, and often a bit airy – gliding out beautifully over lightly dancing rhythms that draw on samba, bossa, and a bit of jazz! But there's also some more sophisticated phrasings here too – elements that clearly come from a love of 70s work by Caetano Veloso, Gilberto Gil, and their generation – served up subtly and simply by Maria in her music, with a really unique feel overall. Instrumentation is relatively light – again, a quality that reminds us of Joyce at her best – and backings include work from the Fattoruso brothers, who'd crafted some earlier bossa sets on their own! Titles include "Voce Sorrindo E Entregando", "Toda Menina Bahiana", "Coisas Estranhas", "Bahia Com H", "Tres Pontas", "Sao Joao Xango Menino", and "Cancombe Brasileiro Montevideano". LP, Vinyl record album

Heavy heavy funk from the Louisiana scene of the late 60s and 1970s – and a great collection that really gets past the dominance of the New Orleans sound! The set moves way past the Crescent City to uncover a wealth of great bits recorded in smaller studios located in Shreveport, Lake Charles, and a variety of tiny scenes in the southwest side of Louisiana – and the result is a great batch of tunes with a really gritty, down-n-dirty sound! There's a wealth of great funky styles in the set – including James Brown-inspired jammers, southern soul burners, and some other great modes that show that Louisiana's got a heck of a lot more to offer than just New Orleans funk. Titles include work from the Anla, Murco, Soul International, Goldband, and Tic Toc labels – a total of 22 cuts that include "Soul Time" by Ernest Thomas, "Soul Feeling (parts 1 & 2)" by Eddy G Giles, "Soul Brothers Testify (part 1)" by Chester Randles Soul Senders, "Soul Power" by Abraham & The Casanovas, "Put It On" by Count Rockin Sidney with The Dukes, "Fix It" by Clifton White & His Royal Knights, "Miss Hard To Get" by Dennis Landry, "No Sad Times" by Johnny Truit, "Black Water Gold" by African Music Machine, and "I Got A Groove" by JJ Callier. CD

Heavy heavy funk from the Louisiana scene of the late 60s and 1970s – and a great collection that really gets past the dominance of the New Orleans sound! The set moves way past the Crescent City to uncover a wealth of great bits recorded in smaller studios located in Shreveport, Lake Charles, and a variety of tiny scenes in the southwest side of Louisiana – and the result is a great batch of tunes with a really gritty, down-n-dirty sound! There's a wealth of great funky styles in the set – including James Brown-inspired jammers, southern soul burners, and some other great modes that show that Louisiana's got a heck of a lot more to offer than just New Orleans funk. Titles include work from the Anla, Murco, Soul International, Goldband, and Tic Toc labels – a total of 22 cuts that include "Soul Time" by Ernest Thomas, "Soul Feeling (parts 1 & 2)" by Eddy G Giles, "Soul Brothers Testify (part 1)" by Chester Randles Soul Senders, "Soul Power" by Abraham & The Casanovas, "Put It On" by Count Rockin Sidney with The Dukes, "Fix It" by Clifton White & His Royal Knights, "Miss Hard To Get" by Dennis Landry, "No Sad Times" by Johnny Truit, "Black Water Gold" by African Music Machine, and "I Got A Groove" by JJ Callier. LP, Vinyl record album

The second killer set in this series – a wonderful blend of AOR hits and soulful singers – wrapped up in a stunning style that's a great subgenre in itself! Many of the tunes here are familiar, but served up in versions you might not know at all – done by soul artists who were clearly inspired by the warmer styles of mid 70s AOR, but who also bring the modes back to soul music, and really open up the tunes with fantastic vocals and mighty nice grooves! The set is particularly heavy on that late 70s/early 80s moment when things were really coming together in the modern soul scene – and the set features titles that include "Dedicate This Heart" by Dionne Warwick, "Dreams" by Richie Havens, "Monkey See Monkey Do" by Patti Labelle, "Euphrates" by Main Ingredient, "Sara Smile" by Impact, "Listen To The Music" by Isley Brothers, "Gringo" by Arnold McCuller, "What You Won't Do For Love" by Roy Ayers, "Tin Man" by John Edwards, "It's Too Late" by Billy Paul, and "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me" by Esther Phillips. LP, Vinyl record album

Fred Frith is one of the most versatile improvisers in the world – and here, he does a great job of sliding in alongside the duo of Syunji Tsutaki in guitar and Eiichi Tsutaki on organ and drums – both players who are clearly honored to be in Frith's company! Unlike the pair's record with Lol Coxhill, this one is a lot more like the star in the lead – as Fred's playing an electric guitar with all the complicated sense of sound and tone that usually marks his music – as the two Tsutaki brothers try their best to keep up! The set features two long improvisations – both recorded live. LP, Vinyl record album

A massive collection of work from these important years in music – and even if you don't know or care about Gary Crowley, who's pictured on the cover, you'll find plenty to love here if you dig UK sounds from the late 70s and early 80s! As indicated by the title, the set focuses on new wave and punk tracks – which also means that there's plenty of post-punk too – and the package does a really great job of offering up music that stands the test of time, even though much of it never got much play on American airwaves back in the day – music that really helped set the tone for a generation, and whose effects are still resonating all these many years later. As with volume one, the presentation is great – a very nice package, with detailed notes – and the 4CD set features 77 titles – with work by The Times, Shake, The Limps, Newtown Neurotics, The Slits, Gary Valentine, Basement 5, Dolly Mixture, Liquid Stone, The Subterraneans, Stiff Little Fingers, The Jam, Zounds, The Cure, The City Limits, Moving England, The Barracudas, Penetration, X-Ray Spex, The Limit, Magazine, Golinski Brothers, The Clash, and others. CD

The great first album from the Yates family – a set that mixes family funk energy with bits of southern soul and club – in a really well-rounded groove that's way more than just a gimmicky brother and sisters set! The album was recorded both in Alabama and on the west coast – and there's a sound here that shows traces of both locales in the groove – the warmth of southern soul on the vocals, but a more modern, more sophisticated approach overall on the music – a style that's not really disco or club, but which has some of the best elements of styles that would flower more strongly in the 80s. Titles include "The World Makes The World What It Is", "Mama Said", "Stick In The Mud", "Just Can't Fight The Feeling", "I Could Love But One Boy", "What Goes Around Comes Around", and "Disco Drummer". LP, Vinyl record album

A great one by The Walker Brothers – recorded late in their career, when Scott Walker was really beginning to show signs of his later solo work, and starting to pen a few tunes of his own! The sound here is much deeper than the simple pop of the trio's earliest singles – and thanks to a number of original Scott Walker compositions, there's a range of themes here that's quite sophisticated, and an overall sound that's darker than standard 60s pop. Walker originals include "Genevieve" and "Orpheus" – which dovetail nicely into the style of Scott 1 or Scott 2. Other tracks include great covers of "Once Upon A Summertime", "I Will Wait For You", and "Just Say Goodbye" – plus "Everything Under The Sun", "It Makes No Difference Now", and "I Wanna Know". LP, Vinyl record album

A new album from the great Willie West – an artist we love for his rare vintage New Orleans work of the 60s and 70s – still sounding surprisingly wonderful all these many years later! Willie's vocals have this raspy, honest charm that's totally great – and like Lee Fields during his revival years, West gets superb backing from a small combo of younger players who really appreciate the best roots of the music – tight but unpretentious grooves that feel just like a vintage 45, and suit Willie West to a T! The style is less New Orleans than it is a more righteous, sophisticated version of funky soul – one with some nice dark corners that really raise our opinion of Willie's talents – again with the sort of deeper vibe we love in the recent work by Lee Fields. Titles include "Slow & Easy", "Cold In The Storm", "She's So Wise", "The Devil Gives Me Everything", "Getting Down", and "I'm Aware Of What You Want". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublimely satisfying work from Ashford & Simpson – a stone killer from the height of their late 70s glory days on Warner Brothers! The pair are working together wonderfully at this point – wrapped up in that blend of upbeat soul and righteous undercurrents that made them a real cut above in mainstream soul – getting great help from arrangers William Eaton, Paul Riser, and Al Gorgoni – all of whom know how to hit that perfect Ashford & Simpson balance between tightness, class, and soulful spontaneity! Backings are always filled with lots of jazzy touches, too – the kind of sophisticated soul elements other would cop from the pair in years to come – and titles include "Over & Over", "It's You", "If You're Lying", "Couldn't Get Enough", "Destiny", "So So Satisfied", and "Tried Tested & Found True". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublimely satisfying work from Ashford & Simpson – a stone killer from the height of their late 70s glory days on Warner Brothers! The pair are working together wonderfully at this point – wrapped up in that blend of upbeat soul and righteous undercurrents that made them a real cut above in mainstream soul – getting great help from arrangers William Eaton, Paul Riser, and Al Gorgoni – all of whom know how to hit that perfect Ashford & Simpson balance between tightness, class, and soulful spontaneity! Backings are always filled with lots of jazzy touches, too – the kind of sophisticated soul elements other would cop from the pair in years to come – and titles include "Over & Over", "It's You", "If You're Lying", "Couldn't Get Enough", "Destiny", "So So Satisfied", and "Tried Tested & Found True". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of wonderful albums from the great John Fahey – back to back on a single CD! First up is Rivers & Religion – a really unique album by John Fahey – issued during a short stretch of initial mainstream approval, and a brief time of recording for Warner Brothers! Some of the album's quite different than the spare, solo Fahey you might know – and mixes his legendary guitar work with more elaborate elements than usual – additional instrumentation that includes bass, banjo, clarinet, piano, trombone, and fiddle – but all used at a level that really supports John's presence, not occludes it. Other tracks return to spare acoustic steel string guitar – creating an evocative balance that's mighty nice. Titles include "Funeral Song For Mississippi John Hurt", "Texas & Pacific Blues", "Dixie Pig Bar B Q Blues", "Lord Have Mercy Song", and "Deep River". After The Ball is a set with a disco ball on the cover, but a record that fits right in with the best early 20th century aesthetic in the work of John Fahey – particularly his way of reiimagining older musical traditions! There's a bit of added instrumentation on the record – two tracks that have some slight trad jazz flourishes – but overall, the album's mostly a solo effort with loads of wonderful guitar work from John – still as creative and as complicated as in his best recordings for Takoma! Other added instrumentation sometimes expands the sound with mandolin or banjo, but again in very sensitive ways – and titles include "Bucktown Stomp", "Om Shanthi Norris", "Beverly", and "Horses". CD

The massive debut of reedman Ronnie Laws – a groundbreaking set of funky fusion tracks that set the standard for years to come! Ronnie's the kid brother of Hubert Laws – who was already having great fame at CTI – but here, the younger Laws works with producer Wayne Henderson – who was just getting his At Home Productions team off the ground, a force that was maybe only second to the Mizell Brothers when it came to soulful fusion in the 70s! The approach here is sharper, deeper, and edgier than some of Ronnie's later work – as complicated as it is funky, but always right on the money – and graced with some excellent keyboard work by other members of Henderson's Crusaders – including Wilton Felder on bass and Joe Sample on keyboards. The album includes the original, seminal version of the oft-recorded classic "Always There" – plus the deep mellow jam "Tidal Wave", which gained great fame as a hip hop sample – as well as "Momma", "Never Be The Same", "Why Do You Laugh At Me", "Nothing To Lose", and "Tell Me Something Good". LP, Vinyl record album