A fantastic funky combo from the mid 70s African scene – one who worked previously with Geraldo Pino, and who definitely show some traces of his own great work too – but who also have a madly great groove that's all their own! Freedom Family are definitely on the funkier side of the 70s Afro spectrum – and like Pino, clearly draw lots of inspiration from the best American funk acts of the late 60s and early 70s – so much so that we'd definitely say that this album works equally well as a straight funk album as it does a testament to the greatness of Afro Funk at the time! Most lyrics are in English, and the group use lots of Hammond, riffing guitars, heavy drums, and tight horns – served up in a mighty lean blend, with a great funky 45 style of production. Tracks include "Lala Li", "Good Times", "Life", "Ayentsoo", "The Last Thing", and "Yensuro". LP, Vinyl record album

Two Philly classics from the O'Jays – back to back on a single CD! Survival is filled with heady sounds from The O'Jays – a set that continues the more righteous side of the style they developed on early 70s Philadelphia International – a great mix of modes that sometimes has the trio sharing some of the political spirit of The Temptations with Norman Whitfield, and sometimes has the group really shining on the kind of heartbreaking ballads that are perfect for the maturing harmony style they were hitting – a mode that was light years past the group's sound just a few years before! The message cuts are mostly upbeat and grooving, and are balanced nicely with the ballads – on titles that include "Survival", "Let Me Make Love To You", "What Am I Waiting For", "Give The People What They Want", "Rich Get Richer", and "Never Break Us Up". Family Reunion is a record with a great sense of righteousness and groove – the key mix that made the O'Jays so great back in the day – and which really helped put the Philly International enterprise on the map! The album's miles from the group's simple harmony soul roots – even though those were pretty darn great – and it blends together soaring backings with a sweet Gamble/Huff finish, and really makes some magic in the way the whole thing comes off. Titles include the great mellow ballad "Stairway To Heaven", the party groovers "Livin For The Weekend" and "I Love Music" – and the cuts "Unity", "You & Me", and "She's Only A Woman". CD

The Ritchie Family do their best to remain relevant after the glory days of commercial disco – and succeed strongly on I'll Do My Best – thanks to the sweetly soulful trio vocals and a nicely updated dancefloor soul sound! The songs are great, and groove on just long enough – each track running 4 to 5 minutes – with beautiful vocals by the ladies, and arrangements built on tight rhythms, funky bass and horns! Fonzi Thornton co-produced the vocal tracks – and the titles include "I'll Do My Best (For You Baby)", "This Love's On Me", "One And Only", "You Can Always Count On Me", "Walk With Me", "Alright On The Night", "Walk With Me", "Tonight I Need To Have Your Love", "and "You've Got Me Dancing". CD

Possibly the greatest moment ever from Sister Sledge – a set that has the Philly quartet teaming with the Chic team of Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards! Rodgers' guitar brings in a hell of a groove to the record – that choppy, skittish sound that made Chic such a favorite at the time – which makes for a surprisingly great combination with the sweeter vocals of the group. There's a definite sense of groove going on here – heard most famously in the huge hits "We Are Family" and "He's The Greatest Dancer" – and continuing strongly through other numbers like "Thinking Of You", "Easier To Love", "One More Time", and "Lost In Music". Plus the CD includes 4 bonus cuts – "We Are Family (Sure Is Pure rmx)", "We Are Family (Steve Anderson DMC rmx)", "Lost In Music (Sure Is Pure rmx)", "Lost In Music (1984 Edwards & Rodgers rmx)". CD

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". CD

Sly's leaping into the air on the cover of this one – and for good reason too, given the overall groove of the set! The album's a bit more stripped-down and upbeat than the previous few – almost more of a return to the simple funky style of the first albums, but with a slightly more electric sound than before – especially in the keyboards, which almost slide into the mix here with a Stevie Wonder-like quality. The electricity bubbles and brews wonderfully at the bottom of the rhythms – charging things up a bit, but still hanging back with a super-cool, laidback quality that few other groups could muster! There's a great sense of balance here that's brilliant – and which makes the album one of Sly's undisputed masterpieces from the Columbia years. Titles include the incredible "If You Want Me To Stay" – one of our favorite Sly Stone cuts ever – plus "Keep on Dancin", "Babies Making Babies", "Que Sera Sera", "If It Were Left Up To Me", "In Time", and "Let Me Have It All". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Spirit – and a standout powerhouse of late 60s rock! The combo have a great way of hitting a groove without losing their cool – as heard on the classic "I Got A Line On You", which leads off the set – and unlike most of their contemporaries, who could be too bluesy for their own good, or too indulgent to keep a good hook going, Spirit here really know how to dip around all the best bits of the late 60s underground, and bring them into tighter focus for deeper penetration into the mainstream. The sound is driven strongly by drums from Ed Cassidy and guitar from Randy California – but the record's also got some nicely sweeter moments too, bits of jazz that slide into a few of the best tracks to complicate the vibe. Titles include "I Got A Line On You", "It Shall Be", "Poor Richard", "Drunkard", "Silky Sam", "Jewish", "Dream Within A Dream", and "She Smiles". LP, Vinyl record album

A great sense of righteousness and groove – the key mix that made the O'Jays so great back in the day – and which really helped put the Philly International enterprise on the map! The album's miles from the group's simple harmony soul roots – even though those were pretty darn great – and it blends together soaring backings with a sweet Gamble/Huff finish, and really makes some magic in the way the whole thing comes off. Titles include the great mellow ballad "Stairway To Heaven", the party groovers "Livin For The Weekend" and "I Love Music" – and the cuts "Unity", "You & Me", and "She's Only A Woman". CD

A pair of early 80s gems from this Brazilian keyboard legend – back to back on a single CD! Night Cruiser is a key record in Deodato's move from funky jazz in the 70s to modern soul in the 80s – and one that showcases the best of his talents in both genres! The approach here is more tightly arranged and produced than that of his earlier CTI sides – but in a mode that's still plenty nice to our ears – as Deodato's uncanny sense of rhythm and timing is still very firmly in place, making the set way way more than just a smooth jazz album – and pushing it strongly into the realm of soulful spacey fusion! There's some really great tracks on the set – like the amazing "Skatin", a sweet keyboard number that's a perfect roller skating jam (in case you couldn't guess from the title) – plus "Love Magic", "Uncle Funk", "East Side Strut", and "Night Cruiser". Happy Hour is a classic from Deodato's soul-based years with a nice little R&B-inspired groove! Happy Hour was done at a time when Deodato was really getting into a lot of modern soul production and arranging work with other groups – and here, he tries his hand wonderfully at the style himself – transforming his 70s jazz funk groove into a tightly snapping 80s soul approach! Most tracks on the set feature vocals – by singers who include Kelly Barretto, Eban Kelly, and Candi Staton – but the instrumentation behind them is still plenty jazzy too, thanks to some nice work by Deodato on Fender Rhodes, mini moog, Arp, and other keyboards. Titles include "I Never Get Enough", "Keep On Movin", "Happy Hour", "Just This One Night", "Tears Of A Clown", "Sweet Magic", and "Keep It In The Family". CD features two bonus tracks – "Uncle Funk (7" mix)" and "Keep On Movin (7" mix)". CD

Fantastic sounds from the Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra – a group with family ties to Azymuth and Incognito, and who work here in the best blend of Brazilian and soulful elements that might imply! The ensemble is a crowning achievement for the Far Out label – a summation of all the great work they've done from the London scene, including their reintroduction of key Brazilian musicians of the 70s – all soaring to the skies here, with a richly collaborative energy! The group features lots of keyboards from Jose Roberto Bertrami, guitars from Alex Malheiros, and keyboards and rhythms from Daniel Maunick – plus great contributions from many others, including some help from the legendary Arthur Verocai. Most tunes groove in a mighty nice way – not vintage disco, but a soaring, righteous 21st Century version of club – on tunes that include "Step Into My Life", "Flying High", "Black Sun", "The Two Of Us", "Walking Bass", "Give It To Me", and "Where Do We Go From Here". CD also features bonus instrumentals of most songs on the album! CD

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". This stunning version adds in some killer bonus tracks – 6 never-heard cuts from the Milestone vaults, including "Song For My Family", "Funky Native", "Detroit Rainbow", "Can't We Smile (alt)", and slow and fast versions of "A Child's Love". CD

The Ingram Family tighten things up nicely with this follow-up to their first funky album – and they get a slicker sound that points the way towards their excellent modern soul sides of the 80s. Tracks are written by James, William, Butch, and John – and although the album was excecutive produced by the H(ugo) & L(uigi) Records team, the Ingrams handled most of the production and arrangements, and give the record a much more sophisticated sound than other work on the label. Filled with loads of great moments that bridge the gap between 70s harmony soul and modern 80s groove. Titles include the moogy space soul classic "I Don't Want To Be Alone", plus "Mi Sabrina Tequana", "I Just Wanna Testify", "Music Has The Power", "Get Your Stuff Off", and "That's All". LP, Vinyl record album

A great later effort from the 5 Stairsteps family – a later offshoot of the initial enterprise, still working here under the production helm of father Clarence Burke! Keni Burke's a member of the group, and the work here has a very similar groove to his own RCA material of the time – offset with some warmer elements that also echo the previous Stairsteps records on Warner, especially given that a number of the cuts have group vocals. Keni's bass does a nice job of kicking in the grooves, and the album's got a nicely warm sound for the time – almost more late 70s group funk than early 80s boogie. Titles include the sweet harmony track called "Along The Way" – plus "Party Time", "Circles", "Rated X", "Really Wanna See You", and "Same Thing". CD

One of the few funky late Chess gems for Etta James – recorded during the period when the company was owned by the All Platinum family of labels in New Jersey – with incredible vocals by Etta! Most of the record was cut in NJ, and features Etta's bluesy style meeting some nice funky arrangements by Mike Terry – plus a couple of tracks cut in Hollywood that fit right in stylistically. One of those is the strong opener "Woman (Shake Your Booty)" – with production credited to Etta – and other tracks include "Groove Me", "A Love Vibration","Only A Fool", "Jump Into Love", "Ain't No Pity In the Naked City" and a great version of Randy Newman's "Leave Your Hat On". This first ever CD version from Kent UK has 10 bonus tracks – featuring even more overlooked Chess recordings from the early-to-mid 70s – including a cover of "You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling", "Down So Low", "Feeling Uneasy", Power Play", "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield", "Lovin' Arms" and more. CD

An overlooked gem from the years when most of the rest of the world had forgotten about the JBs – but Fred Wesley and the group were still going strong! The set's a great meeting of two funky generations – the classic James Brown funk of the late 60s and early 70s, and some of the revival modes that sprung up on the London scene at the end of the 80s – heard to best effect here in the way the album was recorded – with core horns from Wesley on trombone, Maceo Parker on alto sax, and Pee Wee Ellis on tenor – plus added London grooves in a real Brand New Heavies mode! The groove is nice and hard, and the album's way more of a classic-styled funk outing than most of the other JBs-revival titles from the same stretch – thanks to rock-solid production from the Soulciety family too. Noel McKoy, Jay Ella Ruth, and other Brit funk talents help out on the set – and titles include "What Goes Around", "Chillin With Fred", "Picture On The Wall", "Homeboy", "Push", and "I Like It Like That". CD

A great bit of island funk from one of the grooviest artists to record for the TK family of labels in the 70s! Titles include "Fire Keep On Burning", "Get On Down", "That Funky Groove", "Move & Groove", and "Baboo". CD

A great bit of island funk from one of the grooviest artists to record for the TK family of labels in the 70s! Titles include "Fire Keep On Burning", "Get On Down", "That Funky Groove", "Move & Groove", and "Baboo". LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue look at the mini-soul empire of Leo Gooden – an tiny little enclave in East St Louis that was making some mighty hip music in the early 60s! Gooden wore many hats at the time – politician, club owner, and local businessman – but he also put together his own band and record label, and worked in a very hip mix of R&B and 60s soul jazz modes! Through his nightclub, The Blue Note, Gooden came into contact with a variety of great musicians, both national and local – and he brought their inspiration to play on sessions recorded here for his LG family of labels – issued on a handful of singles and two rare LPs. Although rough-edged at times, these tracks have a really great sound – kind of a grittier take on the Prestige Records groove of the 60s – helped out by musicians who include Oliver Nelson and Hamiet Bluiett – and singers who include Albert King and Charles Drain. The package is a bit loose on discographical details, but definitely includes all the best moments from these mighty years on the East St Louis scene – and the full story in the notes more than helps to fill in the gaps in Gooden's compelling tale. The titles by Leo's Five – Gooden's group – are all hip jazz instrumentals, often with a strong mix of Hammond, guitar, and tenor – and these titles include "Hold It", "Sunrise Serenade", "Something You Got", "Tippin", "Johnnie Come Marching Home (Country Style)", "Minor Over Matter", "Mop Water", "Fredrick's Dream", and "Cookin With Chezie Mae". Other cuts include "COD" and "Worsome Baby" by Albert King, "So Glad" and "Stop & Think About It Baby" by Charles Drain, "Winkee Do" and "Ugly Ugly" by Leo Gooden, and "Let's Do The Cat" by Jamie Ross. CD

One of the most righteous albums ever from jazz vibes legend Johnny Lytle – a soaring, spacious set that's almost to Lytle's career what Gears was to Johnny Hammond's! Of course, Lytle's groove here is different – no Mizell production, and a mellower feel overall – but the unbridled space of 70s Milestone is definitely a key influence here – and Johnny stretches out here like never before! The players are all pretty hip – and include Daahoud Hadi (aka Butch Cornell) on electric piano and organ, Marvin Cabell on flute and tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Betty Glamann on harp, and Jozell Carter on drums – all perfect mates here for Johnny's spiritual exploration of sound with his vibes – in ways that are almost more amazing than work from Bobby Hutcherson or Roy Ayers at the time! Titles include an amazing original called "Libra", plus "Tawhid", "Where Is The Love", "Family", and a version of "People Make the World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 70s funk from the great Herbie Mann – a tight small combo set done with plenty of electric touches! Side one, the "up side", features a core combo that's really great – Pat Rebillot on organ and electric piano, David Spinozza on guitar, Jerry Jemmott on bass, Reggie Ferguson on drums, and Ralph MacDonald on percussion – and the tunes themselves are a nice mix of covers that come off nicely in this instrumental mode. Side two is billed as the "down side", but is still pretty funky at points – arrangements are a bit fuller, but have a nice soundtrack kind of groove. Pat Rebillot's on keyboards again, and also did some of the arrangements. Titles include "Turtle Bay", "Do It Again", "Happier Than The Morning Sun", "Family Affair", "Reverend Lee", and "Never Ending Song Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible lost slice of music from the young Bob Marley – an unissued set of recordings done at the Capitol Studios in LA, at a time when the Wailers were just beginning to rise in global power! The session came at an unusual moment for the group – they had come to the US to tour with Sly & The Family Stone, and were fired because the audiences were not yet ready for their groove – leaving the group a bit astray in California. But an opportunity arose to record at Capitol, a performance that was also filmed – and the result is this amazing set of tracks that captures Bob and the group at a level that's even different than their massive Island Records sets to come. There's a current of funk running through a number of these tracks, and a lean groove that's wonderfully soul-drenched throughout – not just in Marley's vocals, but in the overall performance of the rest – a tight sextet that includes Peter Tosh, Joe Higgs, Aston Barrett, Carlton Barrett, and Earl Lindo. Titles include "Rastaman Chant", "Midnight Ravers", "Put It On", "Stop That Train", "Get Up Stand Up", "You Can't Blame The Youth", "Slave Driver", "Duppy Conqueror", and "Burnin & Lootin". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of albums from the great David Murray! Ming is beautifully arranged work from David Murray – an important early large group recording, one that really helped point the way to some of his later genius! The session features Murray leading an all-star octet that includes Henry Threadgill on alto, Olu Dara on trumpet, Butch Morris on cornet, George Lewis on trombone, Anthony Davis on piano, Wilbur Morris on bass, and Steve McCall on percussion. Tracks are a very hip set of original compositions that display an incredible range of soulful feeling and expression – and which open a door to a whole new chapter of Murray's career. Titles include "Ming", "Dewey's Circle", "Jasvan", "The Fast Life", and "The Hill". Sacred Ground is a beautifully spiritual set that really reminds us of the promise we first heard in his music decades ago! Murray's working here with a lean, soulful ensemble that includes Lafayette Gilchrist on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums – all in a groove that has plenty of sharp edges, but which is also nicely inside – very focused, and with a sense of depth that's really wonderful! All tracks are originals by Murray – penned with the sensitivity of an older soul jazz recording – and two numbers feature lyrics by Ishmael Reed, sung by Cassandra Wilson on guest vocals. Titles include "Sacred Ground", "Transitions", "Family Reunion", "The Prophet Of Doom", "Believe In Love", and "Banished". Lucky Four is a gentler set than some of David Murray's other US dates from the time – but in a really great way that nicely gets at the more sensitive side of his work on tenor and bass clarinet! There's a bit of a hardbop groove to the album, but also a bit more freedom too – a style that never goes that far out, but which reminds us through subtle cues that most of these players have a longer legacy in more avant-oriented work. The group features Dave Burrell on piano, Wilbur Morris on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums – and Burrell especially echoes a range of influences here – almost pulling from older eras of jazz in the way that Jaki Byard used to – an approach that's often echoed by Murray in his horn. Titles include "Valley Talk", "Chazz", "As I Woke", "Abel's Blissed Out Blues", "Sharing", and "As I Woke". CD

Fantastic solo work from Smokey Robinson – recorded a few years before his monumental Quiet Storm album, but with a very similar high level of quality! Willie Hutch co-produced the album with Smokey, and working with arrangements by Hutch and Gene Page, they transform Smokey's sound into a sophisticated 70s modern one, adding in slight touches of funk, and complicated backings that really let him open up as a singer, both vocally and emotionally. The whole thing's got a wonderful mellow soul groove, and titles include "Wanna Know My Mind", "Baby Come Close", "The Family Song", "Just My Soul Responding", "Holly", "A Silent Partner In A Three-Way Love Affair", and "Will You Love Me Tomorrow?" LP, Vinyl record album

The long-awaited "real" second album from Jill Scott – finally out 4 years after her massive debut! Fortunately, the passage of time has done nothing to dampen Jill's genius – and the sound, style, and overall quality of this set is every bit as great as we could have hoped. The production is a bit fuller at times, but never cloying or overly mainstream – and still very much in the lean, mean, stripped-down Philly groove that Jill brought to the masses with incredible force. Jill's got help from a host of great Philly talents too – including Andre Harris, Jazzy Jeff, and Larry Gold – all of whom work with Jill in a sinister blend of beats, keys, strings, and soul! Titles include "I'm Not Afraid", "The Fact Is", "Bedda At Home", "Cross My Mind", "Family Reunion", "Can't Explain", "Not Like Crazy", "Rasool", and "My Petition". CD

A pair of classic albums from The Undisputed Truth! First up is Method To The Madness – a gem from the second chapter of the group – that time when they stepped away from Motown, and followed producer/creator Norman Whitfield to his own label in California! The shift of record companies also marks a cool shift in styles too – an approach that still has all the bold, bassy elements you'd know from the earlier hits – but one that also has some fuller, more cosmic elements too! The set begins with a weird electronic spoken number that's almost experimental – then brings up the bass for a bit of heavy funk, while also using electric elements in a way that really points the way to sounds that other big funk groups would cop at the start of the 80s – but which really sound fresh here. Titles include "Sunshine", "Take A Vacation From Life (And Visit Your Dreams)", "Life Ain't So Easy", "You + Me = Love", "Cosmic Contact", "Hole In The Wall", and "Let's Go Down To The Disco". Smokin has them still going strong with Whitfield, in a groove that's every bit as wonderful as their early years! There's a killer mix of funk and deeper soul here that few other acts could handle this well – a way of hitting the flashy funk of Sly & The Family Stone or Graham Central Station – but also not falling into any showbiz traps, either – in a mode that really his the group not only respecting the role of each member, but also working together in a very cohesive way on the album. The result is a great little set that balances funky grooves with some excellent cosmic soul cuts – supported by great session work from giants like Wah Wah Watson, Walt Downing, and Jack Ashford. Titles include "Show Time", "Space Machine", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Misunderstood", "Sandman", "Atomic Funk", and "Talkin To The Wind". CD

Numero's Eccentric Soul series focuses on a well-named label – the tiny Shoestring company, who must have operated on a shoestring budget – given that most of its work hardly made it out of the Southern Illinois scene in which they worked! Yet the label's home of Alton, Illinois was also not far from St Louis – and these tracks have a tighter, urban vibe than you might expect – some surprising boogie groovers in the mix, and sharp arrangements and a well put-together groove on most of these cuts that's very different than the usual sort of soul music you might expect from a tiny label. Part of that's the date – a number of these tracks come together from the post-disco years, and have a well-crafted 80s vibe – in a set list that includes the tracks "Let Yourself Go" and "I Need You So" by Jimmie Green, "You're All The Woman I Need" and "Disco Fever" by Howard Neal, "We've Got It Made" by The James Family, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "You Keep Holding Back On Love" by Carletta Sue, and "Dance" by Jimmie Green. LP, Vinyl record album

Numero's Eccentric Soul series focuses on a well-named label – the tiny Shoestring company, who must have operated on a shoestring budget – given that most of its work hardly made it out of the Southern Illinois scene in which they worked! Yet the label's home of Alton, Illinois was also not far from St Louis – and these tracks have a tighter, urban vibe than you might expect – some surprising boogie groovers in the mix, and sharp arrangements and a well put-together groove on most of these cuts that's very different than the usual sort of soul music you might expect from a tiny label. Part of that's the date – a number of these tracks come together from the post-disco years, and have a well-crafted 80s vibe – in a set list that includes the tracks "Let Yourself Go" and "I Need You So" by Jimmie Green, "You're All The Woman I Need" and "Disco Fever" by Howard Neal, "We've Got It Made" by The James Family, "You & Me" by Pete & Cheez, "You Keep Holding Back On Love" by Carletta Sue, and "Dance" by Jimmie Green. LP, Vinyl record album

The night time's always the right time – at least when we've got music this great to see us into the small hours of the evening! The set's overflowing in warm 80s groove – some upbeat, some a bit more midtempo – all balanced on beats, basslines, and keyboards – but with a sense of soul on the vocals that really makes the whole thing come together! Some of these tracks were big back in the day, others are album tracks that fit perfectly in this blend of songs – a set of 13 titles that includes "Don't Give Up On Your Dream" by Lew Kirton, "You Are My Life" by Webster Lewis, "Sweet Lady" by Manhattan Rhythm, "I Get Romantic" by Booker Newbury III, "Can You Picture This" by The Keepers, "Just Can't Fight The Feeling" by YBS, "What's On Your Mind" by Janet Rene, "April Lady" by Wax, "Try A Piece Of My Love" by Clarence Carter, "Lost In Your Love" by Ritchie Family, "If You Were Mine" by Cheryl Lynn, and "Private Love Affair" by E'Lan. CD

The fingersnap here is the key – as all the cuts here have a nicely romping kind of groove – a sweet sense of rhythm that's bound to get your toes tapping as much as your fingers are snapping – thanks to a nice sense of space between the notes! The music is from a variety of different genres – late 50s/early 60s country, pop, jazz, and R&B – all brought together here with the usual great Bear Family sense of an inventive tracklist, and definite panache for putting together a collection! The set features 31 tracks in all – and titles include "Tremblin" by Byrdie Green, "Love Charms" by Sanford Clark, "Lookout Mountain" by Chuck Miller, "Walk With Me Lord" by Ruth Brown, "King Of The Road" by Roger Miller, "My Nerves" by Little Willie John, "Coal Miner" by Nappy Brown, "Fever" by Peggy Lee, "Tale Of Woe" by Wynonie Harris, "Hawk" by Bill Haley & The Comets, "Jack That Cat Was Clean" by Dr Horse, "Chills & Fever" by Ronnie Love, "Sixteen Tons" by Jimmy Dean, "Tiny Tim" by LaVern Baker, "Satan Is Her Name' by Steve King & The Echelons, and "Heartbeat" by The Collins Kids. CD

The cover image should give you a great idea of what you're in for here – rare soul from the funky 45 underground of the late 60s/early 70s generation – presented in a wonderful selection of hand-picked cuts! Most of these numbers were recently reissued as limited run 7" singles by Acid Jazz and partner label Miles Away – but those singles, already expensive at the time, are mostly out of print and fetching money as if they were vintage releases – which makes this full-length set as much of a economic treasure as it is a musical one – a chance to enjoy these gems without breaking the bank! Titles include "Family Tree" by Family Tree with Sharon Brown, "We Got Good Lovin" by The Fantastics, "Time Is Long" by Rick Hickman, "Dancing Close" by Rita Joyce, "When You Lose Your Groove" by The Tom Emmanuel & Ron Experience, "Thank You Lord" by Lamont Butler, "Two Can Make It Together" by Tony & Tandy with Fleur De Lys, "This is The Beginning" by Leon's Creation, "Gonna Find A True Love" by Patterson Twins, and "One More Chance Lord" by Delores Fuller. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet 80s grooving from one of Salsoul's best acts of the post-disco years – a group with a groove that comes up right from the bottom, thanks to a great ear for a funky bassline! The sound is nice and lean – but all still mighty live, with a lot of spontaneous energy in the instrumentation – and none of the too-programmed rhythms that could hurt a project like this! Steve Washington plays bass, arranges, produces, and heads up the conceptual side of things – and vocals alternate between male and female leads in a really great way – creating this warm, almost family-like approach to the sound. The whole thing's wonderful – tight and soulful, in a mode that should have made these guys climb higher on the charts – and titles include "Are You Single", "Forever", "Send Your Love", "Living Too Fast", and "Keep Doing It". LP, Vinyl record album

The always entertaining Sauter - Finegan Orchestra presents us with a percussion-oriented record that lapses into slightly "experimental" moments. One of the tracks, "The Minute," is a poem read by Ruth Yorke while the musicians provide some mood music. Each song gets its own unique description on the back cover. Titles include "A Chinese Painting," "Kinetic Energy," "World Without Time," "The Stone Age," and "The Jukes Family Takes A Holiday." LP, Vinyl record album

A crisp, but funky set from Sister Sledge – produced by Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards of Chic, who also lead the studio band – tight funky soul grooves all the way! After the dizzying heights of We Are Family, there might have been nowhere to go but down commercially, but Love Somebody Today sounds great to our ears. It's really all about an in the pocket groove this time out, without any pop disco cliches but with the same exuberant charms and killer group vocals – and loads of funky dancefloor soul. Sweet! Titles include "Got To Love Somebody", "You Looked Around", "I'm A Good Girl", "Easy Street", "Reach Your Peak", "Pretty Baby", "How To Love" and "Let's Go On Vacation". LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible funk from an almost-unlikely source – the legendary P&P family of record labels, mostly known for their groundbreaking disco work – but also home to some excellent funky tracks in the late 70s! Given that most of the focus on P&P reissues has often been on the label's club tracks, nearly all the tunes on this CD are reissued here for the first time – offering a completely fresh look at the sound of P&P – making the collection a totally essential set, and long overdue! Many of the tracks are instrumental, and have touches that clearly mark them as coming from the hands of Peter Brown or Patrick Adams – nice spacey bits in the keyboards, wickedly snapping rhythms at the bottom, and an overall sense of groove that's always yearning for something new. Titles include "I've Been Working" by Wild Honey, "Hooker (parts 1 & 2)" by Peter Brown, "I'm Gonna Fool" by Ella Hamilton, "Do The Funky Donkey" by Otis Turner, "Hitch Hike One More Time" by King David, "Long Time Ago" by Smokey Brooks, "New York Apple Jack" by Scott Davis & The Movements, "Solid Funk" by Flame & The Sons Of Darkness, and "Determination" by Eddie Owen. CD

For volume 2 of this great series, the folks at BBE got Jasper the Vinyl Junkie to compile a mass of grooves with a hard James Brown drumbreak sound, and a real JB's feel. Some of these are from more recent years – like "Cut Me Loose" by Push, "Tribute to JB Family" by The Last Minister, and "P.O.W.E.R." by Hip Hop Traxx – and some of these are old – like "Zambezi" by Charles Kynard, "Soul Power '74 (remix)" by Maceo & The Macs, and "Got to Get Back to Louisiana" by Elmer & Brenda Parker. They're all stone cold funky, though, and have a hard drum funk groove with a good dancefloor feel. Another nice mix of music that we wouldn't have thought of – from the good folks at BBE! CD

A sweet funky set from the New Jersey 70s soul empire of the Stang/Turbo/All-Platinum family of labels – the kind of record that came out with little fanfare at the time, but which has a razor sharp groove all the way through! The set features plenty of wonderful work on keyboards – clavinet, organ, moog, and Arp – mixed with really sharp basslines that snap along nicely, and really tuck the tunes into the groove – as vocals from various group members trade places in the best funk ensemble mode! There's plenty of nice nuggets on this set – like the super-catchy "Chance With You", the moogy "Phattenin", and the warmly mellow "Visions" – next to other tracks that include "Groovy Day", "Take My Love", "Leavin Me", and "Let Your Mind Be Free". CD

Lost funky work from one of the soulful sisters of Aretha Franklin! Erma's got a hard-hitting style that's right up there with Aretha's best for Atlantic – and on this album, she's working in Chicago with Johnny Pate, Sonny Sanders, and Willie Henderson – for a harder-hitting sound than her famous sis, really in the groove with the best of Brunswick from the late 60s! There's as much funk on the record as there is the deep soul you'd expect from the Franklin family, and Erma's vocals are incredible – equally at home with the original tracks on the record, as well as some late 60s hits that are nicely soulized by the boys in the band! Titles include "Hold On I'm Coming", "Baby I Love You", "Light My Fire", "You've Been Cancelled", "Can't See My Way", and "Gotta Find Me A Lover". CD features five bonus tracks – including "Whispers", "It Could've Been Me", "I Just Don't Need You", "Higher & Higher", and "I Get The Sweetest Feelin". CD

Bill Frisell goes to Nashville – and finds a whole new outlet for his tremendous talents on guitar! The record's definitely got some of the elements you'd expect – some dobro from Jerry Douglas on another of tracks – plus bits of banjo, mandolin, and even some harmonica – but the whole thing is often in a very Frisell-familiar mode, with a sense of color, space and sound – just given a bit of a Nashville pitch! Robin Holcomb sings on three of the album's 14 tracks – and titles include "Family", "Pipe Down", "Go Jake", "One Of These Days", "Brother", "Mr Memory", "Gimme A Holler", "Shucks", and "The End Of The World". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite albums of all time – and a record that just gets better and better the more we listen to it – and we've listened to it for years! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". This stunning version adds in some killer bonus tracks – 6 never-heard cuts from the Milestone vaults, including "Song For My Family", "Funky Native", "Detroit Rainbow", "Can't We Smile (alt)", and slow and fast versions of "A Child's Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer classic from Jimmy Bo Horne – one of the sharpest male singers to work for the TK family of labels in the late 70s – and one who could really summarize all the greatness of Miami soul with a record like this! The album's got all the funky fullness of some of the larger TK groups of the time, but also has a key focus in Jimmy's vocals – not the deepest of deep soul, but strong enough to really provide just the right edge to the tunes – often with production that spaces out the sides of his vocals in kind of a KC sort of style! No surprise, KC produced the record himself – almost using Horne as a way to deepen his groove, with great vocals on titles that include "Get Happy", "Gimme Some", "Let Me (Let Me Be Your Lover)", "Don't Worry About It", "Dance Across The Floor", and "I Wanna Go Home With You." CD

A rock-solid record – kind of a later version of the Five Stairsteps, heard here in groove that's much more grown up! The album's got a feel that really shows the evolution of the Burke family – way past their kiddie soul roots, and even some of their offshoot projects of the 70s – into a style that's pretty complex at times, and which really shows a mature approach to rhythms. The vibe is hard to describe accurately – because while there are some clubby elements, the overall sound is deeper and more complicated too – showing some of the quirkier elements of the Island Records contemporaries alongside which the group were placed for this debut. The feel is quite different than the second album from the group – which is much more straight ahead – and titles include "9 Times Out Of Ten", "Full Moon", "All Night Thing", "Rent Strike", and "Love Can't Come/Love Has Come". LP, Vinyl record album

This 1979 solo album by Michael is a killer batch of soul grooves – one of his best moments ever, and a crowning cap to a stellar 70s run – both as a younger solo act, and with the whole Jackson family! Quincy Jones produced, and the album's got a funky undercurrent that's really stunning – clubby, yet plenty darn soulful, with a wickedly sly groove that others would try to copy for years, but never fully match. Titles include seminal groovers like "Rock With You", "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", "Working Day And Night", "Girlfriend", "Off The Wall", "Burn This Disco Out" and more. Amazing amazing amazing work from the to-be-coronated King Of Pop! LP, Vinyl record album

Rare funky work from Bob Marley & The Wailers – tracks that are more of a studio jam than a typical recording – and which were done before a famous performance that the group played at the Matrix club in San Francisco! There's a lean, snakey groove to all these cuts – heavy on basslines from Family Man Barrett, whose work really sets the tone for the tunes – while Bob and Peter Tosh trade guitar lines, Carlton Barrett holds things down on drums, and Earl Lindo spices things up with some sweet organ work! Titles include "Kinky Reggae", "Stir It Up", "No More Trouble", "Rastaman Chant", "Slave Driver", "Put It Up", "Stop That Train", and "Duppy Conquer". LP, Vinyl record album

The group billed as "The Mitchells" is an unusual "family" projects put together by Leonard Feather – featuring Whitey Mitchell on bass, Blue Mitchell on trumpet, and Red Mitchell on both bass and piano – none of them related, but coming together here because they all share a last name! Whitey directs the music on the record, and is really the boss of the set – and other players include Frank Rehak on trombone, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, and Andre Previn on piano – working together in a tightly-focused way that carries some of the hallmarks of some of Adams' other albums of the period. Titles include the originals "Three Cheers", "Blues For Brian", "Get Those Elephants Outta Here", and "Monster Rally". LP, Vinyl record album

A groovy groovy treasure! The work of The Swingle Singers is well known to any fan of 60s French tunes – as their groundbreaking approach to vocalese had a huge influence on other pop, easy, and soundtrack work of the time. This nicely-done set features jazz scat versions of tunes by all three members of the Bach family, Handel, and Vivaldi – with tracks that include "Air", "Badinerie", "Gigue", "Prelude No 7", "Solfeggietto", "Allegro", and "Preambule". LP, Vinyl record album

The Undisputed Truth are still going very strong at the end of the 70s – working with original producer Norman Whitfield, in a groove that's every bit as wonderful as their early years! There's a killer mix of funk and deeper soul here that few other acts could handle this well – a way of hitting the flashy funk of Sly & The Family Stone or Graham Central Station – but also not falling into any showbiz traps, either – in a mode that really his the group not only respecting the role of each member, but also working together in a very cohesive way on the album. The result is a great little set that balances funky grooves with some excellent cosmic soul cuts – supported by great session work from giants like Wah Wah Watson, Walt Downing, and Jack Ashford. A few cool keyboard lines further cement the sound of the record – and titles include "Show Time", "Space Machine", "I Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", "Misunderstood", "Sandman", "Atomic Funk", and "Talkin To The Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

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

Nice mix with tracks from Roy Ayers, Groove Armada, The Wiseguys, Mantronix, The Family Stand, Soul II Soul, Loose Ends, Blondie, Jurassic 5, Les Rythmes Digitales, Cassius, Masters At Work, Desmond Dekker, and much more. CD

More of what you buy Blue Note for – funky jazz tunes with a kick! This set pulls together 13 cuts from the label's classic late 60s/early 70s years – a time that was once lost to the sands of time, thanks to snobbery against use of electric instrumentation on the label, but which is now being rediscovered again, thanks to hip hoppers, the acid jazz crowd, and groovers worldwide! This great package features plenty of rare numbers that best sum up the funky side of Blue Note – including "Who Dun It" by Blue Mitchell, "Down Home Funk" by Groove Holmes, "Tic Tac Toe" by Candido, "Cissy Strut" by John Patton, "Ease Back" by Grant Green, "Bambu" by Reuben Wilson, "Family Affair" by Bobby Hutcherson, "Don't Knock My Love" by Ronnie Foster, "I Don't Want Nobody To Give Me Nothin" by Grant Green, "Cantaloupe Woman" by Grant Green, "If There's A Hell Below" by Lou Donaldson, and "Hunk O Funk" by Jack McDuff. CD

The complete Okeh label recordings of Billy Butler – Jerry Butler's lesser-known brother, but an even more grooving artist on the Chicago soul scene of the 60s! Billy's work at Okeh is easily some of the best of the all-great imprint – tracks that step, slide, and groove along in a flurry of tight-edged Chi-soul rhythms – nearly all of which are produced by the legendary Carl Davis, with arrangements from Johnny Pate and Riley Hampton! Billy's in the lead on vocals, but nearly all numbers have a strong harmony soul component too – support from The Four Enchanters or Chanters – in a mode that echoes The Impressions' style of the time somewhat, but which also carries more of the Butler-family emotive quality, thanks to the stronger lead. This is the first time all this material has ever been brought together so well – and the package features great notes and a number of previously unissued titles as well – including some rare versions and instrumentals that are sure to get some play from Northern Soul listeners. Titles include "Found True Love", "Lady Love", "Gotta Get Away", "Can't Live Without Her", "Right Track", "Boston Monkey", "Does It Matter", "Fighting A Losing Battle", "To Be Or Not To Be", "Singing The Blues", and "You're Gonna Be Sorry". CD

A group who have plenty of the funk that you might guess from their name, but one who can also do a great job with a mellower cut too – as you'll hear in this wonderful collection of their too-short legacy on record! The group were formed in Harlem during the early 70s, and had a run that never really cracked the charts at the time – yet which rivaled some of the hippest work of their generation – every bit as sharp a funk group as Kool & The Gang, and able to shift into other vocal modes with the dexterity of The New Birth – both great references for the sounds on this set! All the work was originally issued on the group's own label, and is presented here as a full collection for the first time ever – with cuts that include "Breezies", "Ready Made Family", "Funk Power", "The Whole Groove", "Moving World", "The Whole Thing", and "Before The Next Teardrop Falls". CD

Very groovy work from the Four King Cousins – a sweet quartet of lovely voices peeled off of the larger King Family ensemble, singing here in a spare and syncopated groove with lots of late 60s Capitol touches! Maestro Lex De Azevedo produced, arranged, and conducted – and the album's got a really unified sound that links together harmonies from Sunshine Pop and a bit of the loping styles that were showing up in mainstream easy at the time – a sublime blend of vocals and lightly snapping rhythms that's totally outta site! All tracks are covers, but done in really wonderful versions – and tunes include the great Roger Nichols track "I Fell", plus "Love So Fine", "God Only Knows", "California Nights", "This Girl's In Love With You", and "I Wanna Be Free". CD

A great later effort from the 5 Stairsteps family – a later offshoot of the initial enterprise, still working here under the production helm of father Clarence Burke! Keni Burke's a member of the group, and the work here has a very similar groove to his own RCA material of the time – offset with some warmer elements that also echo the previous Stairsteps records on Warner, especially given that a number of the cuts have group vocals. Keni's bass does a nice job of kicking in the grooves, and the album's got a nicely warm sound for the time – almost more late 70s group funk than early 80s boogie. Titles include the sweet harmony track called "Along The Way" – plus "Party Time", "Circles", "Rated X", "Really Wanna See You", and "Same Thing". CD also features bonus track "Rated X (edited version)". CD

Michael, if only you'd stayed at this level! This 1979 solo album by Michael is a killer batch of soul grooves – one of best moments ever, and a crowning cap to a stellar 70s run – both as a younger solo act, and with the whole Jackson family! Quincy Jones produced, and the album's got a funky undercurrent that's really stunning – clubby, yet plenty darn soulful, with a wickedly sly groove that others would try to copy for years, but never fully match. Titles include seminal groovers like "Rock With You", "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough", "Working Day And Night", "Girlfriend", "Off The Wall", "Burn This Disco Out" and more. Amazing amazing amazing work from the to-be-coronated King Of Pop! CD features some cool bonus tracks – voice-overs from Quincy Jones, plus interview bits, and demos of "Don't Stop Til You Get Enough" and "Workin Day & Night". CD

An overlooked gem from the years when most of the rest of the world had forgotten about the JBs – but Fred Wesley and the group were still going strong! The set's a great meeting of two funky generations – the classic James Brown funk of the late 60s and early 70s, and some of the revival modes that sprung up on the London scene at the end of the 80s – heard to best effect here in the way the album was recorded – with core horns from Wesley on trombone, Maceo Parker on alto sax, and Pee Wee Ellis on tenor – plus added London grooves in a real Brand New Heavies mode! The groove is nice and hard, and the album's way more of a classic-styled funk outing than most of the other JBs-revival titles from the same stretch – thanks to rock-solid production from the Soulciety family too. Noel McKoy, Jay Ella Ruth, and other Brit funk talents help out on the set – and titles include "What Goes Around", "Chillin With Fred", "Picture On The Wall", "Homeboy", "Push", and "I Like It Like That". CD

A deeply personal project by William Parker in honor of his own Uncle Joe and Aunt Lee – his Bronx dwelling family, paid tribute to with an excellent, timeless soul jazz organ set – we should all by so treasured by uber-talented, passionate kin! Parker holds down the on bass with stellar Cooper-Moore organ grooves, Darryl Foster on tenor and Gerald Cleaver on drums. Titles include "Uncle Joe's Spirit House", "Jacques Groove, "Ennio's Tag", "Document For LJ", "The Struggle", "Oasis" and more. CD

Rare funk from the East Bay scene of the early 70s – every bit as heavy and hard-hitting as grooves from Sly Stone on the other side of the water at the time! Two Things In One may not be a household name, but they groove as hard as any of the best big funk acts of the early 70s – awash in the free-thinking, open spirits of the Family Stone generation – and graced with a nice dose of spiritualism in the vocals – almost a dash of Stevie Wonder that helps deepen these tunes way more than you'd expect! Production is nice and raw – honed at Oakland's Music City studios – and the album's like finding a whole pile of funky 45s you never even knew about – with a nice diversity in grooves throughout, but a tight cohesive style overall. Titles include "Stop Telling Me", "Snag Nasty", "Silly Song", "Let's Get It Together", "Overdoes Of Your Love", "You're No Good", and "Together Forever". CD

A stunning collection of deep house tracks – with a classic sound all around, and a very soulful groove that never lets up! Dr Bob Jones and Lofty put this one together, and the set features tracks from their own work with East West Connection, plus some of the best modern house groups in the business. Lots of jazzy acoustic touches, and titles include "Feel It (East West feel mix)", "The More I Get, The More I Want (Teddy's house groove)", and "East West (club)" by East West Connection; "Fiesta De Disfraces (all the way live mix 98 edit)" by H Man, "Ivory (Tyler's Tireless mix)" by Star Child, "Soothe Your Soul" by DSL, "After Ours (Restless Soul samba Phreek mix)" by Restless Soul with Nathan Haines, "Suspicious (piano mix)" by Ten City, "Live Cantina" by No Tenshun, and "Hustler (orig)" by Factory Family. CD

A great entry in this really wonderful series – one that's shifted a lot over the years, and in the best way possible! "Classiest" may be a tough word to peg down – but here, it refers to tracks that are well-done, and completely put-together – yet which have the kind of groove you'd expect from vintage Northern Soul of the 60s! There's a Motown influence felt throughout, but many tunes are nicely varied – a spectrum of acts from different US scenes, and a mix of arranging styles that match the well-penned songs – all handled in the usual Ace/Kent tradition, which means you'll find lots of rare singles, some unissued tracks, and great sound and notes throughout. Titles include "I Need Your Love" by Brothers Of Soul, "Girl Come On Home" by Major Lance, "I've Got To Come In" by Jean Battle, "So Glad" by The Lyrics, "Ready Or Not Here I Come" by Carolyn Crawford, "The Intruder" by Melvin Hicks & The Versatiles, "She's Supreme" by The Lovers, "I Wish I Knew" by Joe Buckner & Major IV, "I'll Fly To Your Open Arms" by The Family Brick, "Soul Kind Of Love" by The Hesitations, and "I Need A True Love" by Ray Gant & The Arabian Knights. CD

A whole host of genre-breaking tracks from Texas impresario Augie Meyers – both an artist in the underground country rock scene, and the creative force behind the TRC label, which is showcased here in a variety of different recordings! If you know some of the important criss-crossing styles that were taking place in Austin during the mid 70s, you'll get some of the vibe here – but Augie hails from San Antonio, where the groove has maybe even more border-styled influences – served up here in a variety of tracks that really work together with a unified vibe. As always with Bear Family, the package and notes are great, and really help get at the special side of the music – presented here on 26 tracks that include "Country Groove" and "Henrietta" by Doug Sahm, "Domingo" by Denny Ezba, "Mezcal Road" by El Molino, "Meet Me In Seguin" and "Where I Belong" by Carol Meyer & The Western Head Band, "Boogie Woogie Country Girl" by Wild Man Ray Liberto, "Dynamite Woman" by Sir Douglas Quintet, "Faded Love" by Brother Al Stricklin, and the tunes "Deed To Texas", "High Texas Rider", "Sun Shines Down On Me In Texas", "Just Because", "Wedding Bells", and "Why Don't We Make Love Like We Used To" by Augie Meyers. CD

A strong step forward from Breakestra – really moving out of the deep funk underground here, but never losing the groove that got them there in the first place! The set's got a depth that goes beyond most of the group's other work – way more than just a funky cover band sort of feel, and instead a really unified approach to grooving that lets in space for stronger influences from a range of older styles of music. Mainman Miles really surprises us on vocals, coming off here with a wonderful blue-eyed approach to funk that takes us back to key rock/soul crossover moments of the late 60s – but with none of the overdone hype of that generation, and more of a funky 45 groove overall! Drums are razor-sharp and super-tight throughout – still giving most of the album a deep funk approach – and titles include "Gotta Let Me Know", "Stand Up", "Hiding", "Burgundy Blues", "You Don't Need A Dance", "At The End Of The Day", "The Getting To It", "Show & Prove", "Keep On Playin", "Recognize", "Hit Tha Flo", "Family Rap", and "How Do You Really Feel". CD

Early work from Gwen Guthrie – produced by Sly & Robbie, but with a sweet modern soul sound that's got a lot less of their influence than you'd guess! The sound is much more New York than Jamaica – and that's probably due to some great instrumental backing on keyboards by the likes of Harry Whitaker, Bernie Worrell, and Wally Badarou – all massive talents that bring a nice sweet jazzy sound to the best cuts on the record. There's a definite 80s sing-song groove going on – in that not-yet-top-of-the-charts soul sound that you'd hear on the better small urban stations at the time – moving back and forth nicely, in a strong link between the mainstream and the underground clubs! Tracks include "Hopscotch", "Seventh Heaven", "Oh What A Life", "Younger Than Me", and a nice cover of Sly Stone's "Family Affair". CD features 3 bonus tracks too – "Padlock (Larry Levan special mix)", "Hopscotch (Larry Levan rmx inst)", and "Peanut Butter (Larry Levan special mix)". CD

Righteous sounds from Rita Marley – a set that's one of her best-remembered albums, and done in a well-crafted style that definitely lives up to the Marley family name! The set was recorded at Tuff Gong, with a lean quality and laidback groove that lets Rita really step out front on vocals – and titles include "A Jah Jah", "That's The Way", "Good Morning Jah", "Easy Sailing", "One Draw", "Who Feels It Knows It", "Thank You", and "Play Play". LP, Vinyl record album

A macho disco classic from the TK Records family of labels – in case you couldn't guess from the image on the cover! The drums are more pounding here than on the typical clubby record of the time – especially on the title track – and there's this nicely funky groove at most points, a full-on forceful style that makes no bones about where the music is headed – and which gets things going long before the vocals come into the mix! Those are sung by Karen Silver – who never tries to compete with the rhythms, but just finds a nice way to slide along with the groove. Titles include "I'm A Man", "I Can't Get Over You", "Melody Of Love", "Good Times", and "Make Time For Love". CD features the bonus track "I'm A Man (7" version)". CD

Great work by one of the funkiest disco bands of the late 70s! T Connection were always a step above most of their contemporaries, especially some of the weaker pop disco acts on the TK family of labels – which was the group's home during these years. They brought a really solid conception to all of their work in the early days – and this record's a great mix of soul and funk club tracks, done with a precision that almost approaches Earth Wind & Fire in the mid 70s – razor-sharp, and right on the money throughout! Vocals are tasty, there's lots of nice guitar work, and the production has a modern sound that points ahead to the 80s groove years. Tracks include "Totally Connected", "Let's Do It Today", "Choosing", "That's Love", and "Ecstasy". CD

A great assortment of rare grooves from the 70s – most of them cuts that fall nicely in the space between early disco and uptempo soul – working together here in a batch of tracks that includes a fair bit of selections from the TK Records family of labels, plus some other 70s indies as well! Soul is every bit as important as the groove on most of these cuts – and you'll recognize some older singers making the 70s scene, amidst some others who only cut a few records during the decade – in a lineup that features 18 tracks in all, with titles that include "Try To Hold On" by Bobby Moore, "We Got Love On Our Side" by Silver Blue, "I Got It (part 1)" by New York Port Authority, "Discomania" by The Lovers, "Bumpin Bus Stop" by Thunder & Lightnin, "Be Real" by Tomorrow's Edition, "Love Chant (part 1)" by Eli's Second Coming, "Disco Man" by Three Ounces Of Love, "Back From The Dead" by Bobby Byrd, "I Don't Know If I Can Make It (part 1)" by Dawson Smith, and "Baia" by Alice Street Gang. CD