Dee Dee's come a long way from "The Mashed Potato Time" here – emerging as a full-blown modern soul artist, with the same sort of sophisticated twist as other Philly girl singers, like Jean Carn or The Jones Girls. The title cut is a great remake of Terry Callier's "What Color Is Love" – and other tracks include "Hang Your Portrait", "I Believe In Love", "Just As Long As I Know You're Mine", and "Tryin To Get The Feeling Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Soul Survivors, The Intruders, Archie Bell & The Drells, Jerry Butler, The O'Jays, The Intruders, Dusty Springfield, Wilson Pickett, Billy Paul, Bunny Sigler, Laura Nyro & LaBelle, Joe Simon, Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes, The Ebonys, and more. CD

Music from Soul Survivors, The Intruders, Archie Bell & The Drells, Jerry Butler, The O'Jays, The Intruders, Dusty Springfield, Wilson Pickett, Billy Paul, Bunny Sigler, Laura Nyro & LaBelle, Joe Simon, Harold Melvin And The Blue Notes, The Ebonys, and more. CD

... CD

One of a few rare albums recorded as a leader from bassist Cleveland Eaton – a player who first rose to fame with Maurice White in the second Ramsey Lewis trio – and one who gave the world some amazingly hip records on the Black Jazz label in the 70s! This set is a unique effort for the label of Philly soul team of Gamble & Huff – yet the set was recorded in Chicago, and has a wickedly funky vibe that's very much like the coolest Chess/Cadet material of the period – nice fuzzy touches around the edges, and some righteous soul currents too! There's plenty of great Chicago players on the session – Odell Brown on Fender Rhodes, Artee Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on drums – on titles that include "Keep It Funky", "Slipping Into Darkness", "Here Comes Funky Lou", "Day Dreaming", "Ah Movin On", and a nice cover of "People Make The World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early album from this great Philly soul group, featuring some of their best sides from the 60s, and lots of tracks that weren't released as singles! The band includes Vince Montana on vibes, Norman Harris and Bobby Eli on guitar, Leon Huff on piano, and Lenny Pakula on organ – and the track list includes "Best Days Of My Life", "I Didn't Know", "Let Me In Your Mind", "This Is My Love Song", and "Brand New Me". Great great great soul stuff, with a good group, excellent arrangements, and tight early Philly soul songwriting! LP, Vinyl record album

One of a few rare albums recorded as a leader from bassist Cleveland Eaton – a player who first rose to fame with Maurice White in the second Ramsey Lewis trio – and one who gave the world some amazingly hip records on the Black Jazz label in the 70s! This set is a unique effort for the label of Philly soul team of Gamble & Huff – yet the set was recorded in Chicago, and has a wickedly funky vibe that's very much like the coolest Chess/Cadet material of the period – nice fuzzy touches around the edges, and some righteous soul currents too! There's plenty of great Chicago players on the session – Odell Brown on Fender Rhodes, Artee Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on drums – on titles that include "Keep It Funky", "Slipping Into Darkness", "Here Comes Funky Lou", "Day Dreaming", "Ah Movin On", and a nice cover of "People Make The World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic stuff from this great Philly group! "Cowboys To Girls" is probably the group's biggest track from the old days – with a loping hook that's as sweet as it is catchy! "Turn The Hands Of Time" is wonderful too – with a strident driving groove, punctuated with vibes, and featuring some incredible harmonies that really send the message of the cut! Bobby Martin arranged both cuts – and did a fantastic job! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A classic – and one that we pull out every year on Mother's Day! Goofy, but fantastic – and with a compelling vocal that always gets us hooked. One of those songs that shouldn't be so great, but year after year, we still love hearing it! Plus, the part 2 has a great spoken bit! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Seminal work by one of our favorite soul singers of all time! Jerry first came to fame with The Impressions and on his own in the early 60s – singing dark moody easy tunes that well earned him the nickname of "Iceman". In the late 60s, though, he moved onto Mercury where he broke through even bigger with some excellent early production by Gamble & Huff, which took Jerry to a whole new level, and which gave his work a swinging soul groove that worked great with his vocals. This set compiles some of the best moments of the Mercury years – including "Never Give You Up", "Lost", "Moody Woman", "Mr Dream Merchant", "Hey Western Union Man", and "Only The Strong Survive". LP, Vinyl record album

Killer stuff – as Jerry's getting the full early Philly treatment here, with arrangements by Thom Bell, Bobby Martin, and Roland Chambers, and production by a young Gamble and Huff! The sound isn't nearly as icy as the old Vee Jay days – but that's fine with us, as Jerry is nice and soulful on tracks like "Moody Woman", "When You're Alone", "I Forgot To Remember", "Brand New Me", "What's The Use Of Breaking Up", and "Walking Around In Teardroops". Nice cover, too – with Jerry standing in a pile of fake diamonds! LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful uptown soul from Jerry – with pre Gamble-Huff arrangements by Jo Renzetti and Jimmy Wisner. The tracks do a great job of maintaining the perfect Iceman sound from Jerry's late Vee Jay years, yet also hint nicely at the direction to come. Titles include "You Walked Into My Life", "I'm Gonna Make You Love Me", "Some Kind Of Magic", "The Way Of Love", and "Why Did I Lose You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". CD

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet studio scene working with Ramsey Lewis – and as proof of those roots, the record contains work by loads of key Chicago players – including Ari Brown on tenor, Odell Brown on keyboards and Hammond, Duke Payne on tenor and flute, and Morris Jennings on percussion! There's a wicked groove on most cuts, and the set was also recorded at the Chess studios – which furthers the Chicago vibe – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Chi-town Theme", "Keena", "Moe Let's Have A Party", "Kaiser 405", "All Your Lover, All Day, All Night", and "Hamburg 302". CD

Two nice hard-to-find sides by this great Philly soul group. "You're the Reason Why" is a great mixed male/female group cut, with a sweet soul tempo and a male vocal lead. "Sexy Ways" is uptempo with a rolling Gamble/Huff style – rougher and funkier than usual, in kind of a late 60s Philly groove! 7-inch, Vinyl record

An amazing album produced and arranged by legendary Philly mastermind Larry Gold – the cello player/writer/arranger for MFSB – and a key player in the best Philly soul of the last several decades! Don Cello & Friends features Gold as Don Cello – and the friends include Black Thought of the Roots, McFadden & Whitehead, Carol Riddick, Gerald Levert, Kindred The Family Soul, Jaguar Wright, Bunny Sigler and others. The goal for the set was not only to celebrate the depth and rich history of Philly soul with a variety of vocalists, but to draw a direct parallel with the best of today's scene. It succeeds at both masterfully. Gold's production and arranging is lush and sparkling – and the vocalists bring the very best of their games. Black Thought's rhymes on the lead off remake of "No Stoppin'", with McFadden & Whitehead, sets the stage perfectly – think the Roots on Curtom, and that's about half the picture! Much of the album carries more of a classic soul sheen – smooth and sparkling, with just enough grit for a nice edge! In the liner notes, Gold explains that he loves songs from "Gamble, Huff to Timbaland" – and this album is the perfect sonic encapsulation of that aesthetic! Possibly the best album yet with the relatively fledgling Beat Generation imprint – and a great signpost for the future of underground soul! 12 tracks including "Loving You" with Carol Riddick, "Dance" with Gerald Levert, "And I Hope" featuring Floetry, "Travelin'" with Kameelah Waheed, ""All That You Are" featuring Kindred, "Nothin'" with Jaguar Wright, "Just A Dream" with Erro, "Everybody" with Cristal Oliver, "Can I" with Bunny Sigler, and Larry Gold's "Outro". CD

Lovely 60s girl pop from Lesley Gore – the sweet, soaring, brightly sunny Magic Colors album – released in full for the first time ever – and with a huge assortment of bonus tracks, too! Magic Colors should have come out on Mercury in 1967, but it wasn't to be. Well, better late than never, right? It's fluffy, but fun – with sweet vocals by Leslie and with arrangements by Bob Crewe, Jack Nitzsche, Gamble & Huff, Thom Bell and others. The album tracks include "It's A Happening World", "Magic Colors", "Brink Of Disaster", "I'm Fallin' Down", "To Sir With Love" and more. Includes a whopping 15 bonus singles: "Summer And Sandy", "Small Talk", "I Can't Make It Without You", "Summer Symphony", "One By One", "Wedding Bell Blues" and more. 25 tracks in all! CD

The sensuous soul gem from Barbara Mason – a sweetly soulful groover all the way – and one of her strongest records! Give Me Your Love gets our love for a bunch of reasons, but especially for the title track – which is reworking of Curtis Mayfield's "Give Me Your Love" – which is arranged by Curtis himself. Vince Montana does most of the other arrangements, and you can see traces of Barbara's move into clubland later in the decade – but this one's more about lush, deeply soulful sounds. Leon Huff is on piano and keys, the tunes have incredible backing vocals with Barbara Ingram, Bunny Sigler, Kenny Gamble and others in the chorus – but this is Barbara's show all the way – emoting soulful magic out front! Titles include "Let Me In Your Life", "Bed and Board", "Who Will You Hurt Next", and "You Can Be With the One You Don't Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A key moment for the Philly soul scene of the 70s – and the first album to feature the MFSB backing group as a solo act on their own! The ensemble were responsible for key sounds on countless soul singles of the time – yet also find a way to soar beautifully on their own – in a sweet instrumental groove that matches the strength of Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra, and which was definitely a key inspiration for the sound of the Salsoul Orchestra! There's definitely a bit of early disco in the mix, but the style's more uptempo east coast overall – that pre-disco groove that was going down in the clubs – with larger strings added to a core group of funky rhythm players. Gamble & Huff production make the whole thing sparkle, and arrangements are by Vince Montana, Bobby Martin, and Jack Faith – on titles that include "Love Is The Message", "Cheaper To Keep Her", "TSOP", "Zack's Fanfare", "Touch Me In The Morning", and "My One & Only Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A very big crossover moment for the Philly sound, and one of the biggest hits by the studio combo that drove the big Gamble/Huff hits of the 70s! The record's a great batch of smooth Philly instrumentals – not really disco, although the tracks certainly crossed over there – more uptempo soul, with the same bouncy sound heard on the vocal hits of the label – a majestic Philly International groove, carefully classy, but still damn soulful too! Includes lots of familiar cuts – like "Zach's Fanfare", "Get Down With The Philly Sound", "Brothers & Sisters", and "South Philly". LP, Vinyl record album

This is the second version of an album that was first pressed under the title Back On Top – repackaged here with a slicker cover during the early 70s, to cash in on the fame that the O'Jays were having at Phily International. Although the group's Philly recordings are always touted as some of their best work, we love this early material produced by George Kerr – with a sound that's very similar to classic New Jersey groups like The Moments and The Whatnauts (and which also features a few songs that were covered by those groups, too). The band have heavenly harmonies that are more fragile than on their tightly-sewn Gamble/Huff work, with some elements of the deeper soul that was on some of their earlier recordings. For some reason, the album links together the tracks with a fake "audience" sound, as if it's a live album – which it really isn't. We can forgive the producers at Bell for that, though – because the tracks are so great! Includes the single "I'll Be Sweeter Tomorrow", plus "I'm So Glad I Found You", "Look Over Your Shoulder", "Going Going Gone", and "I Dig Your Act". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of wonderful albums from The Whispers – with a bit of bonus tracks too! First up is One For The Money – one of our favorite Whispers albums of the 70s – thanks to wonderful work from Philly soul maestro Norman Harris! Harris produced the record, and also played guitar on the set – giving the group this Sigma Sound-styled backdrop that almost puts the west coast harmony quintet in the territory of Gamble & Huff's work for Philly International! There's plenty of grooves on the set, but also plenty of deeper soul elements too – balanced beautifully with a richness that makes this Whispers album every bit as rewarding as work by some of their east coast contemporaries. Tracks include the sublime mellow cut "Living Together (In Sin)" – plus "One For The Money", "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are", "Sounds Like A Love Song", and "In My Heart". On Open Up Your Love, The Whispers are really riding high on the Soul Train – perfectly set up with production help from the team of Don Cornelius and Dick Griffey – who really help the group make the best of their harmonies, both on mellow cuts and upbeat groovers! The latter cuts are what The Whispers are sometimes remembered most for at this time in their career – but we really love the more laidback cuts too – as they seem to have an even more magical approach, with this floating style that really does wonders for the vocals. Titles include "Open Up Your Love", "You Are Number One", "I'm Gonna Make You My Wife", "Love Is A Dream", "I Fell In Love Last Night", and "Chocolate Girl". Headlights is sublime stuff from The Whispers – a record that features some wonderfully easy-drifting harmony vocals, put together in a careful way that preserves the smooth mellow tip that always made the group sound best! There's a maturity to the record that takes the quintet far past their early harmony soul roots, and even past some of the more clubby styles they were using during the 70s – almost the mix of sophistication that some of the hipper groups at Philly International would reach during the same stretch. The set's definitely got a few groovers, but the mellower steppers are the most wonderful – including the fantastic cut "(Olivia) Lost and Turned Out", a sweet little groover with a hook that's undeniably catchy. Other tracks include "The Planets Of Life", "Disco Melody", "Children Of Tomorrow", "All The Way", and "You're A Special Part Of My Life". CD features bonus tracks – "Sounds Like A Love Song (7" version)" and "You're Only As Good As You Think You Are (7" version)". CD

2 great tunes from Johnny Williams – an obscure Tyrone Davis-like singer who recorded briefly for Gamble & Huff at the beginning of the 70s, but never cut a full LP. Johnny's got a great voice – a bit rough, but matched here with smooth arrangements, in a style that's almost a 70s approach to the same kind of style that Gamble & Huff were using in the 60s with Jerry Butler. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A killer collection of 70s soul – and one that focuses on the incredible scene that was going on in New Jersey at the time! The state was very adjacent to Philly – both geographically, and in style, with a great blend of harmony soul and upbeat grooves – but there's also a special kind of indie vibe going on in the music too – some rougher edges than Gamble & Huff might have used, and production modes that really bring out the honest, human qualities in the music! The NJ scene at this time is one of our go-to spots for 70s soul – and if you're not hip, this collection will definitely open your ears to the greatness that was going on. This volume divides into two batches of tracks, each by legendary producers on the scene – one side of work by Paul Kyser, the other by George Kerr – with cuts that include "Puzzle Man" by Norma Jenkins, "Look Over Your Shoulder" by The Escorts, "Breakin Up A Happy Home" by Barbara Jean English, "Come On Get Dancing" by Pride Of The Ghetto, "She Comes Up" by Storm, "One More Time Y'All" by The Nu-Sound Express, "I Need Your Love" by The Dynamic Beltones, and "That's The Way It's Got To Be" by Soul Generation. LP, Vinyl record album

Glorious girl group pop, solo and group soul singles from the heart of the 60s – beautiful stuff that might have made a splash in their time, but didn't enter the eternal pop culture canon like some of the bigger hits of the day – and we couldn't be happier to have them in our lives all these years later! Where The Girls Are 8 features tunes by The Blossoms, The Orlons, The Sherrys, Dee Dee Sharp, The Four Havens, The Del-Phis, The Bonnetts, The Darlenes, The Pussycats and more – with absolute top shelf craft behind them – but as grand as the productions are and as legendary as the songwriters are – and we're talking about Lou Alder, Ashford & Simpson, Lee Hazlewood, Gamble & Huff and others behind the scenes – nothing outshines the lovely ladies' voices! Includes "Cry Like A Baby" by The Blossoms, "Comin' Home Baby" by Dee Dee Sharp, "Baby It Hurts" by Kelly Garrett, "Stand By Me" by Little Eva, "My Little Baby" by The Witches, "You Don't Have A Heart" by The Bunnies, "I Ain't Comin' Back" by The Orlons, "Come On And Ska" by The Pussycats, "Let's Be Sweethearts" by The Cinnamon Angels and more. 25 tracks in all. CD

An incredible run of music from one of the grooviest soul groups of all time – a combo who started out down in the Texas scene with some very upbeat dancing soul singles in the 60s, who then moved to work in the Philly studios in the 70s, where they really opened up their groove! The set features work from both the group's early albums for Atlantic Records and their great second chapter at Philadelphia International – quite a career, given that they recorded for two of the greatest soul labels of the 60s and 70s – in a massive batch of work that's included here, with bonus material too! The Atlantic work starts out nice and raw, and pretty funky too – then gets warmed up in the best way possible as the label has them working with Gamble & Huff, before then leaving to record for the Philly duo's own International label in the 70s. The huge box features the full albums Tighten Up, I Can't Stop Dancing, There's Gonna Be A Showdown, Dance Your Troubles Away, Where Will You Go When The Party's Over, Hard Not To Like It, and Strategy – and CD5 is a full set of bonus tracks, with titles that include "Dog Eat Dog", "Deal With Him", "A World Without Music", "Love At First Sight", "Archie's In Love", "Wrap It Up", "I Wish", "Get It From The Bottom", "Old People", "Let The World Know You Got Soul", and "I Can't Face You Baby". Box features 79 tracks in all – and a big booklet of notes! CD

Although Archie Bell & The Drells had recorded earlier with Gamble & Huff on Atlantic, this is their first album for the team's own label – and it's a killer! In a way, Archie and group were sort of responsible for getting Gamble & Huff their own famous imprint in the first place – because their work with the team on Atlantic yielded some instant hits that really pointed the way towards the hit Gamble & Huff style of the 70s, and that sound is brought up-to-date nicely on this LP. The record really retains the strong vocal sound of earlier years – and has some of the best harmonies the band ever recorded, very much in the mode of The O'Jays or Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. McFadden & Whitehead and Bunny Sigler wrote most of the material, backing is by the Instant Funk group, and the Gamble & Huff team handled production on all cuts. Titles include "Let's Groove", "I Won't Leave You Honey, Never", "Let's Groove", "The Soul City Walk", "Dance Your Troubles Away", and "I Love You (But You Don't Even Know It)". LP, Vinyl record album

This famous pair in a late 60s date – with help from Panama Francis on drums, Ray Johnson on electric piano, and Jimmy Bond on bass – all of whom give things a bit more of a kick than usual for Brownie & Sonny! Titles include "Life Is A Gamble", "Long Way From Home", "Rock Island Line", "Big Question", and "Don't Mistreat Me". LP, Vinyl record album

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

An amazing bit of jazz funk from Johnny Hammond – and one of his greatest LPs! This is the first album that Johnny recorded with Larry Mizell, cut right before the pair of them went onto do the landmark Gears album. While this one never became as famous as Gears, it's got some fantastic moments that are every bit as great – a perfect blend of Mizell's spacey fusion and Hammond's fiercely soulful soloing, with lots of great jazzy changes to keep the pace fresh throughout. Includes the great spacey jazz cuts "Star Borne" and "Yesterday Was Cool", the latter of which is an excellent piece of work by Larry Mizell – plus the cuts "Back To The Projects", "Gambler's Life", "Rhodesian Thoroughfare", and "Virgo Lady". Plus, the CD features 4 bonus tracks that represent some of Johnny's best work for the Kudu label – including "Rock Steady", "Higher Ground", "Breakout", and "Who Is Sylvia". CD

An amazing bit of jazz funk from Johnny Hammond – and one of his greatest LPs! This is the first album that Johnny recorded with Larry Mizell, cut right before the pair of them went onto do the landmark Gears album. While this one never became as famous as Gears, it's got some fantastic moments that are every bit as great – a perfect blend of Mizell's spacey fusion and Hammond's fiercely soulful soloing, with lots of great jazzy changes to keep the pace fresh throughout. Includes the great spacey jazz cuts "Star Borne" and "Yesterday Was Cool", the latter of which is an excellent piece of work by Larry Mizell – plus the cuts "Back To The Projects", "Gambler's Life", "Rhodesian Thoroughfare", and "Virgo Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Super-heavy live work from the Baker Gurvitz Army – stepping out here with even more power than on some of their studio material of the time! The drums of Ginger Baker are worth the price of admission alone, but all aspects of the performance here are top shelf – the vocals of Steve Parsons have a great range, and soar nicely in harmonies with other members from time to time – often given an extra glide from the keyboard work of Peter Lemer. The set features seven tracks from a live performance at Reading in 1975 – long takes of "Freedom", "Memory Lane", "Wotever It Is", and "The Gambler" – plus four more bonus tracks, recorded the same year at the Victoria Theater in London! CD

A real 60s killer from Lightnin Hopkins – the kind of set that showed that even when just working alone, he could carry the force of a much bigger group! Hopkins plays guitar here with just a bit of rhythm at points – a drummer who kicks things up on a few cuts – and he's got a confidence and presence that makes you think that he's fronting a trio or quartet, with deliver that's bold and full of spirit, and guitar work on an acoustic that's clearly informed by all the new experiments on electric – yet served up with equal power! There's some great electric work at points too – and titles include the two part instrumental "Move On Out", plus "Back Door Friend", "Fishing Clothes", "Gamblers Blues", "Found My Baby Crying", "Wig Wearing Woman", "Lonesome Dog Blues", and "Last Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from Chip Taylor – a very hip cat who was raised in New York, wrote a number of big pop hits in the 60s, but was always much more comfortable with country music in the end! The album's not straight country – but instead that perfect blend of rock roots and Nashville inspiration that was bubbling up in the American underground in the wake of the Byrds and Burrito Brothers – tried by many, but delivered by only a rare few like Chip at a level this good! The tunes are great – very thoughtful songwriting that puts Taylor on a par with Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson – and the backup group features some great steel guitar from Pete Drake, who really helps set the mood. Titles include "I Read It In Rolling Stone", "Son Of A Rotten Gambler", "The Real Thing", "101 In Cashbox", "Last Chance", and "I Wasn't Born In Tennessee". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Grace Jones – still riding high on a disco wave here, but also finding her own space and sound too! The mighty Tom Moulton produced, ensuring some great sound for the set – and arrangements are by Thor Baldursson and John Davis, both of whom bring in nice sense of fullness, but never smother Grace too much – a key factor, given that her vocal approach is often a bit more restrained than some of the other disco divas of the time. There's less covers here than before, and Grace herself even penned some of the tunes. Titles include "Suffer", "Sinning", "Saved", "Atlantic City Gambler", "On Your Knees", and "Don't Mess With The Messer". LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of Merle Hagard classics – including "Kentucky Gambler", "Daddy Frank", "Okie From Muskogee", "Uncle Lem", "Swinging Doors", "Mama Tried", "The Fightin Side Of Me", "Silver Wings", "Sing Me Back Home", "Sing A Sad Song", "Branded Man", "Working Man Blues", and "I Take A Lot Of Pride In What I Am". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set from this legendary Detroit festival – a mighty assemblage of roots and jazz performers that was put together by John Sinclair! The event was legendary at the time – and has lived on strongly via this great recording by Atlantic – one that really gets at the special fire of all the performers, and their very enthusiastic welcome by the audience too! Most of the material here is blues – but the set features a key track from Sun Ra & His Solar Myth Arkestra – a performance of "Live Is Splendid" from the Space Is The Place Suite. Other tracks include "I Walk On Gilded Splinters" by Dr John, "Road Runner" by Jr Walker, "Wang Dang Doodle" by Koko Taylor, "Gambler's Blues" by Otis Rush, "Ain't That Loving You" by Bobby Blue Bland, "Honey Bee" by Muddy Waters, "Form Kinetic" by CJQ, "Dust My Broom" by Johnny Shines, and "Goin Down" by Freddie King. LP, Vinyl record album

The unreleased third album from T2 – tracks recorded at the start of the 70s, but never issued at the time – and every bit as great as previous rare work from the British trio! There's a really open feel to these tracks – a style that's got heavy bass that you'd find in the growing hard rock scene of the period, but a languid quality to the vocals and some of the guitars – almost a hanging trace of psych that's a nice contrast to the boldness on the bottom – and which gives the record a feel that's a lot more personal than you might expect. These guys are totally great – no posturing, no overdone noodling, and really just all the right energy in all the right places – a record that really should have gone places, had it been released. Titles include "And Time", "Seventy Two", "The Clown", "The Gambler", "Into The Red", "Questions & Answers", "Looking Back", and "Closing Your Eyes". CD

A pretty much flawless collection of tunes from Townes Van Zandt's most loved album from the late 60s to late 70s – a different tracklist from earlier Best Ofs, and a set that really does serve up a treasure trove of achingly beautiful songs! Includes some of the best material from Our Mother The Mountain, his self-titled LP, High, Low And In Between, Delta Mama Blues, Flyin' Shoes, Delta Momma Blues, the earlier records in that run long beloved, the later just as great if not oft-mentioned or the songs as oft-covered, with 16 great songs on 2LPs: "For The Sake Of The Song", "Pancho & Lefty", "To Live Is To Fly", "I'll Be Here In The Morning", "St John The Gambler", "Black Widow Blues", "Tower Song", "Tecumseh Valley", "Lungs", "Rex's Blues" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An absolute treasure trove of rare soul singles from Pied Piper Productions – a mid 60s Detroit soul operation that features Funk Brothers Jack Ashford, Joe Hunter, and Mike Terry – laying down sounds that rival the best Motown groovers of the period! The work is amazing throughout – soul cuts heavily focused on the groove and amazing lead vocals – recorded in ways that are similar to the best of Detroit at the time, but with some rawer aspects too – which makes for a massive package of Northern Soul gems! The package features both solo singers and great groups too – artists who include Lorraine Chandler, The Hesitations, September Jones, The Cavaliers, Willie Kendrick, Nancy Wilcox, and – heard here on rare singles and LP tracks that were originally released on labels like Karate, Kapp, Ruby and Giant – plus a number of recently unearthed titles that are seeing release for the first time ever! The set features 24 tracks in all, and the usual superb Kent notes and packaging – with titles that include "I Can't Hold On" by Lorraine Chandler, "Stuttering Sam" by September Jones, "Gambler's Blues" by Nancy Wilcox, "This Heart Is Lonely" by Rose Batiste, "Just Can't Leave You" by Tony Hesher, "Could It Be" by Micki Farrow, "I Fell In Love (Can't Help It)" by Freddy Butler, "He'll Be Leaving You" by The Pied Piper Players, "If Only You Knew" by Mike & Ray, "Time Changes Things" by Willie Kendrick, and "Lonely Too Long" by The Sandpipers. CD

Oh for the glory days of the 7" single – that magical late 50s/early 60s time when it seemed like there was an endless supply of weird and wonderful records all the time – and at prices that allowed them to circulate easily, even if they weren't big hits! (And why are 7" singles so expensive these days?) The package is a fantastic testament to that wonderful musical moment – when you might stumble across a backroom jukebox, stuffed with overlooked gems – just waiting for you to discover them, and get them blasting out of the bassy speaker with the drop of your dime. Few folks know this generation better than Lux and Ivy of The Cramps – a pair who were record collectors before they even made a single of their own – and the set features a stunning 50 rare nuggets – with titles that include "The Mash" by Bud Spudd & The Sprouts, "No Time" by The Titans, "Purr Kitty Purr" by Sid King & The Five Strings, "Time Machine" by The Gamblers, "Little Bitty Girl" by The Memories, "The Little Martian" by Jan Amber, "The Last Meal" by Hurricane Harry, "Hello Schoolteacher" by The 4 After 5s, "Peach Fuzz" by Bob Taylor, "Zindy Lou" by The Mariners, "My Memories Of You" by Yolanda & The Natural, "Wolf Call" by Mark Anthony, "Nameless" by Bob Strauss, "Heartbeat" by The Threeteens, "I Dreamed I Was Elvis" by Sonny Cole & The Rhythm Roamers, "Mental Cruelty" by Larry & Dixie Davis, and "Bodacious" by The US Rockets. CD

A hell of a tribute to the songwriting genius of Dolly Parton – a side of her talents that's sometimes obscured by her incredible voice and overwhelming personality! Yet right from the start, long before she was a superstar, Dolly was as much a writer in country music as she was a singer of songs – and her early records are filled with gems that opened up a whole new space for the female voice not just in country music, but in other styles too – as testified by the mix of soul, rock, and other modes that appear on this set! Dolly kicks off the collection with one of her hits – but the package then spans decades to bring together a range of really wonderful readings of songs from the pen of Parton – all accompanied by detailed notes on every selection in the set. Titles include "I Will Always Love You" by Linda Ronstadt, "Two Doors Down" by Zella Lahr, "In The Good Old Days" by The Everly Brothers, "Here I Am" by Percy Sledge, "Nickels & Dimes" by Buck Owens, "I Loved So Fast & Hard" by Porter Wagoner, "There'll Always Be Music" by Tina Turner, "My Tennessee Mountain Home" by Maria Muldaur, "Little Sparrow" by Bettye Lavette, "Put It Off Until Tomorrow" by Bill Phillips, "Most Of All Why" by Holly Dunn, "I'm In No Condition" by Hank Williams Jr, "Touch Your Woman" by Margie Joseph, "Kentucky Gambler" by Merle Haggard, "Coat Of Many Colors" by Emmylou Harris, "Don't Let It Trouble Your Mind" by Rhiannon Giddens, and "Love Is Like A Butterfly" by Nana Mouskouri. CD