An overlooked score from the great Roy Budd – one that we're not sure ever made it to vinyl back in the day – and which is presented here in a nicely expanded version! The music has that tense quality that made the non-groovy cuts from Budd's Get Carter score so great – and which was followed in some of his other early 70s soundtracks – which, like the music here, really shows a maturation away from the straighter jazz of Roy's roots – but still features the occasional piano solo (including electric) to remind us that he's a performer as much as a composer. There's a darkly moody vibe to many numbers – this current of sadness that's really beautiful, and which flowers often in a subtle way – on titles that include "Change Of Plan", "The Journey Continues", "Opening", "In The Woods", "Peeping Robin", "Mingle With Me", "Swept Up In Memories", "In The Office", and "Bossa Nova". CD features the bonus tracks "Pipe Tobacco", "You Can Never Trust A Friend", and "Demo Jingle". CD

Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd – sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s – and feature Bobby working in that incredibly tight, incredibly fast-grooving mode he first forged with James – heard to best effect on some key live recordings, and served up here in some equally great studio sides that feature help from Fred Wesley and Brown. A few other cuts keep the funky fire burning with some surprisingly nice Miami touches – with Clarence Reid on production, but Bobby more than strongly in the mix on some great vocals. There also appears to be a few tracks from later years – featuring Byrd with singers Vicki Anderson and Martha High, plus a group that also includes Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley – and 2 more that are later live numbers. The set features 11 tracks in all, and is a great counterpart to Bobby's one and only album for the King label – with tracks that include "Never Get Enough", "Hang It Up", "Back From The Dead", "The Way To Get Down", "Feel Good Friday", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Let Me Know", and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind". CD

Bobby Byrd recorded some killer work with James Brown back at the end of the 60s, but hardly got the chance to record much once the 70s moved on – until this killer full length set that has Bobby's vocals backed by the genius of the Soul Society combo! There's a really old school vibe to the whole set – strongly inspired by the James Brown sound of the late 60s, but also filtered through the new changes that the UK scene was bringing in during the generation of Brand New Heavies – a plenty that's great for Bobby, and has a whole back to basics vibe that really sounds wonderful, and reminds us that old funky legends never die – they just don't get the attention they deserve! The set features guest vocals from Vicki Anderson and Carleen Anderson – two generations of female funk – and titles include "Back From The Dead", "Never Get Enough", "I'm On The Move", "Sayin It & Doin It Is Two Different Things", "The Way To Get Down", and "Sunshine". CD

Hey, don't hold Wayne Cochran's hair against him – because he's one massively soulful dude, despite a high white pompadour – and really knew how to rock the clubs back in the 60s! Cochran's a really unique figure – working with a look that was whiter-than-white, but coming across with a groove that was right up there in the best funky soul mode of the time! Wayne played for the same sort of crowds that went to see Baby Huey & The Babysitters – blending together soul and R&B influences with a really party-oriented groove laid down by his legendary CC Riders backup group – and crossing countless borders along the way, all in pursuit of a socking soul sound! This wonderful set is the best we've ever seen on his music – and features tracks pulled from his sessions for King, Chess, and Mercury – plus a full never-issued live album for King, titled The Wayne Cochran Show. There's more than a few covers here of other 60s soul tunes, but Wayne somehow manages to make most of them sound even better than the originals – bringing in funky arrangements that weren't even used on the hits, and making us wish we'd had a chance to catch his cooking show back in the day. 38 tracks in all – with titles that include "Dance To The Music", "Hold On I'm Coming", "Fa Fa Fa Fa Fa (Sad Song)", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Hard To Handle", "Chopper 70", "Everybody", "Let Me Come With You", "My Machine", "Get Ready", "Which One Should I Choose", "I'm In Trouble", "The Peak Of Love", "Somebody Please", "I'm Leaving It Up To You", and "Big City Woman". CD

Some of the most cooking work of the 70s from Dexter Gordon – and that's saying a lot, given all his overseas sessions and late-life work for Columbia Records! The format here is different than both of those, though – in that it's both a sharp hardbop set, with a real back-to-basics vibe – but also one that has much more of an overall group feel, instead of some of the longer-form solo vehicles that Gordon recorded for Steeplechase Records. There's definitely a blowing session vibe – tracks are long, and there's multiple soloists who each get extended time in the spotlight – but there's also a careful sense of structure, brought to the record no doubt by producer Don Schlitten – who'd handled classic dates in the past for Prestige. The group features both Gordon and Al Cohn on tenors, Blue Mitchell and Sam Noto on trumpets, Barry Harris on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums – a hell of a lineup that really makes magic on "Lady Bird", "How Deep Is The Ocean", "True Blue", "On The Trail", "Allen's Alley", and "Silver Blue". CD

Baba Commandant serves up a wonderful blend here – tight Afro Funk mixed with rootsier elements from mandingue – all at a level that really makes the album stand out from the pack! There's some especially great performances on ngoni and balafon, both instruments that get some key placement on the album's leaner tracks – which have the fuller sound of the driving numbers step back slightly, but all without ever losing the groove! The recording quality is great – never too polished, and the music is put forth in a way that makes the whole thing feel like some under-discovered nugget from years past – with titles that include "Wariko", "Semayala", "Afro Mandingo", "Serejugu", and "Chasser Les Sachets". CD

Fuzzy psychedelia from Milwaukee combo The Corporation – their rare second & third LPs Get On Our Swing and Hassels In My Mind, both from 1970 – back to back on CD! Get On Our Swing is a mixes some buzzing guitar and heavy drums with some off kilter elements like flute, organ & piano – and some pretty groovy lead and harmony vocals. Titles include "You Make Me Feel Good", "Sitting By The Sea", "Heard The News", "I Do Love Her", "Yes I Know", "Get On My Swing" and "Walking Along". Hassels In My Mind is a bit of a wilder, with longer tunes and some additional instrumentation including trumpet on at least one track, and more of a frenzied feel We don't know what's up with the spelling of hassles, or hassels, but it's a groovy record! Tracks include ""Hassels In My Mind", "My Child, He Walks Alone", "Sky Faces", "Changes" and "Books On A Shelf". Both LPs are on the shorter side making for the perfect pair up on CD! CD

A pair of mod classics from The Creation – back to back in a single package! First up is We Are Paintermen – a gem of a record from one of the coolest UK groups of the 60s – served up here in a German release that maybe gives The Creation one of their most vibrant covers ever! Despite the European issue of the material, the tracks here are all Brit brilliance from the group and producer Shel Talmy – served up in their incredible blend of mod grooves, garagey rawness, and early psych production – sharp and tight at the same time, and years ahead of its time! Titles include "Can I Join Your Band", "Making Time", "Tom Tom", "Biff Bang Pow", "Painterman", and "Nightmares" – plus covers of "Cool Jerk", "Hey Joe", and "Like A Rolling Stone". Next is How Does It Feel To Feel – genius work from The Creation at their best – tunes that really get at that special sort of something that set the group apart from so many others in the late 60s scene – a kind of compression of mod, garage, and psych elements into these short little tracks that still have all of their brilliance after so many years! The intensity here is maybe right up there with the early Who at their best – and the album brings together Shel Talmy-produced tracks that were originally issued as singles on the Decca, Polydor, and Hit-ton labels. Titles include "Uncle Bert", "Midway Down", "Girls Are Naked", "Sweet Helen", "Ostrich Man", "Life Is Just Beginning", "I Am The Walker", "For All That I Am", and "How Does It Feel To Feel" in both US and UK versions! CD

A lost album from 70s funk diva Betty Davis – and one that's every bit as essential as her music released back in the day! The set was recorded hot on the heels of Betty's classic Nasty Gal album – but it's got a groove that's almost more in the territory of her first two records on the Just Sunshine label – very hard, heavy, freaky, and fuzzy – with lots of sharp-edged guitar licks wrapped up around Davis' badass vocals – which have just as much attitude as ever! It's not clear why the album never saw the light of day back in the 70s, but it's an essential follow-up to Davis key classics – undeniably funky music by one of the most unique figures ever in soul – the kind of set that would have been a bomb, had it dropped in the 70s – and which will have an even greater impact when let loose in the 21st Century. Titles include "Stars Starve You Know", "Bottom Of The Barrel", "Crashin From Passion", "Whorey Angel", "It's So Good", "Is It Love Or Desire", "Bar Hoppin", and "Let's Get Personal". CD

A really fantastic album from the Dedicated Men Of Zion – a contemporary gospel group, but one who work here with small combo backings that take us back to some of our favorite records of the early 70s – a tremendous blend of spiritual message and very down-to-earth arrangements! The quartet have some fantastic harmonies throughout, and get support from the Sacred Soul Sound Section – a funk combo who use plenty of organ and riffing guitar, which gives the heavenly vocals a nice degree of humanity – on titles that include "The Devil Don't Like It", "Lord Hold My Hand", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "I'm Going Home", "Up Above My Head", "I'm A Soldier In God's Army", and "One River To Cross". CD

Sublime soul through and through – 2 classics from The Delfonics, back to back on a single CD! First up is self-titled record The Delfonics – the third album in an amazing early run from The Delfonics – the kind of work that set a whole new standard for group soul in the 70s! A number of the tracks here had already risen to fame before the album's release as singles – and these are mixed with some additional tracks that are woven together in a near-perfect symphony of sound! The mighty Thom Bell arranged most of the numbers here – save for 2 by Anthony Dorsey – and the group's heavenly harmonies are in amazing form on both mellow ballads and a few more righteous numbers. Titles include "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", "Funny Feeling", "Over & Over", "Baby I Love You", "When You Get Right Down To It", "Delfonics Theme", "Trying To Make A Fool Of Me", "I Gave To You", "Down Is Up Up Is Down", and "Think About Me". Tell Me This Is A Dream has The Delfonics just getting better and better! The longer the group recorded, the more they picked up this strange spacey quality that pushed them past some of their contemporaries of the early 70s. And on an album like this, they prove that they're way more than just Thom Bell puppets by showing that they have a rich talent for a wide variety of complicated arrangements that really push the vocal group sound of the 70s. They take many stylistic risks, coming up with really sinister new harmonies, and always managing to stay clear of the cliches that buried some of their mates on the charts. Bell still arranges some of the material, but the record also features work by Norman Harris and Caldwell MacMillan, who did the real genius work on the record. This masterpiece includes the sublime "Hey, Love", plus "Walk Right Up to the Sun", "I'm A Man", "Too Late", "Love You Till I Die", "Looking for a Girl", and "Round & Round". CD

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". 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

Two post-CTI gems from Deodato – back to back on a single CD! Whirlwinds is sweet keyboard soul from Deodato – a set that steps off nicely from the strengths of his big hits on CTI, hitting a similarly flowing groove that's really great! The instrumentation here is a bit more expanded than before, but never in a way that buries the keyboards – and Deodato's right out front on a range of electric keys that get some great support from John Tropea's finely-honed work on guitar! Titles include "Havana Strut", "Whirlwinds", "West 42nd Street", and a nice cover of Steely Dan's "Do It Again". And heck, even the album's version of Glen Miller's "Moonlight Serenade" manages to come off like a funk tune! Artistry is a live set from Deodato – but one that's very much in the mode of his best CTI studio sessions – with soaring, over the top keyboard work that's totally great – backed by some tightly compressed guitar, bass, and drums, with just enough funk in the mix to keep things interesting! As with other Deodato records from the time, there's a mix of moods here that comes together nicely – a range that goes past his easy hits, and shows Deodato to be one of the hippest, most soulful keyboard talents of his generation. Titles include a great version of "Super Strut" that grooves for over 8 minutes, and which has some firey guitar that really competes with Deodato's work on the keys – and other tracks include "Farewell To A Friend", "Pavane For A Dead Princess", "Rio Sangre", and "Jivin". CD

A rare set from vibist Walt Dickerson – one of the most compelling jazz musicians to ever lay hold of a set of vibes! The album was originally issued as a Japanese-only session by the Why Not label in the mid 70s, and it features Dickerson playing on 5 tunes that have a slightly different feel than a lot of his other work from the time. First up is "Sky", which features some electric bass work by Jamaaladeen Tacuma, which makes for a more full-on sound than you usually get with Dickerson. Next up is "Awareness", an extremely haunting solo track that features this incredible tone on the vibes. The last three tunes feature a trio with Wilbur Ware on bass and Edgar Leon Bateman on drums – and Ware's bass work brings out a swing in Dickerson's vibes that we rarely ever hear. Titles include "Key Of Wisdom", "Yesterdays", and "I Love You". Essential work for any fan of this enigmatic vibist – and great to have back out again! CD

The great CD release of two previous albums from this hip contemporary combo – two vinyl albums back to back on a single CD! Both albums have a fantastic blend of jazz, contemporary soul, and hip hop – served up by a group who can really get the sound right – Terrace Martin on keyboards and alto, Robert Glasper on keyboards, Kamasi Washington on tenor, and 9th Wonder on beats! Vocals on most tracks are by Phoelix, who really helps give the instrumentation some focus – yet the jazz component of the record is never buried under the lyrics, as the players get plenty of space to do their thing – with a vibe that's a bit like some of Glasper's Black Radio project, yet given much more the kind of cool Crenshaw vibe that we've loved in Martin's previous records. All four artists are credited with songwriting and production and you can really hear that balance in the sound – on tracks that include "Love You Bad", "Sleepless Nights", "The Mighty Tree", "Freeze Tag", "Luv U", "Sleepless Nights", and "From My Heart & Soul". The Dessert album offers up a reworked version of the core record – with titles that are partly remixes, partly reworks – with guest appearances from Snoop Dog, Cordae, Herbie Hancock, Reuben Vincent, and others! CD

A rare Japanese-only album from this 70s AOR legend – a set issued after Ned Doheny's big album for Columbia Records, but a set that feels as if it came just a few years after! During a generation where most folks were relying on streamlined production and instrumentation, Doheny still crafts things here with a really warm feel that works beautifully with his well-penned tunes, and his special approach to blue-eyed soul – easygoing Cali-style at its best, served up on a set of all-original material! Titles include "Love's A Heartache", "Back To The World", "Til Kingdom Come", "Follow Your Heart", "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me", "Heartbreak In The Making", and "Life After Romance". CD features five bonus tracks – including acoustic versions of "Get It Up For Love", "If You Should Fall", "Postcards From Hollywood", and "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me" – plus "Whatcha Gonna Do For Me (TV mix)". CD

A pair of spiritual soul classics – the rare early Warner Brothers albums from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! Earth, Wind & Fire's first album was recorded at a time when the group recently had ties to the Chicago soul and jazz scenes, and a range of experience that ran the gamut from work with Sun Ra, the Artistic Heritage Ensemble, The Pharoahs, Ramsey Lewis, and countless other influential groups. Headed up by Maurice White on drums and percussion, the group forged an amazing blend of all these influences, creating a future soul sound that pushed black music to the next level – taking a wealth of previously underground modes of expression, and fusing them into a soaring sound that would soon put them at the top of the charts. This album's a lot looser and freer than their Columbia albums – with plenty of raw funk and some nice off-beat jazz soling. Includes the classic break track "C'Mon Children", plus "Fan The Fire", "Bad Tune", and "Moment Of Truth". Need Of Love is one of the two early Earth Wind & Fire LPs recorded for Warner – and the one that shows their amazing roots in the avant-garde jazz scene in Chicago! At the forefront, the record's a righteous soul album with an ensemble funk sound – but deeper in, there's a lot of jazz-based playing, and a number of moments that almost get "out" in the solos! Surely this one couldn't have been made without the spiritual advancements in jazz made by the AACM – and EWF couldn't have helped rubbing shoulders with those players, considering that they all often gigged together in the Chicago studio scene, and that they'd also shared some time together in groups like The Pharoahs and Phil Cohran's Artistic Heritage Ensemble. Titles include "Energy", "Beauty", and a nice remake of Donny Hathaway's "Everything is Everything". CD

One of the few albums we've ever seen by keyboardist Hubert Eaves – a great player whose work crops up on some of our favorite 70s soul jazz and jazz funk sides, but who rarely got a chance to lead his own group! Fortunately, he did get the chance to cut this one – as the session's a real doozy – sweet mellow fusion, handled very soulfully, with a kicked-back feel that's right up there with the most righteous soulful fusion of the time. Players include Mtume, John Lee, Reggie Lucas, Malachi Thompson, and Rene McLean – and Cheryl Alexander sings vocals on the track "Under Standing". A great blend of laidback funk and soulful grooves – in the manner of Bobby Lyle at his best – and titles include "Slow Down", "Painful Pleasure", "Call To Awareness", and "Flead Dancing". CD

Hard-romping soul from the great Shirley Ellis – a singer most folks know for a single crossover hit – but an artist who's got a hell of a lot more to offer than just that novelty number! This excellent package is a long-overdue look at one of the queens of raw soul in the 60s – a singer who could belt it out with a hell of an edge, even when the music was moving at a mighty fast clip – which it does often here, as Shirley works with superb guidance from arranger Lincoln Chase – whose ears for a groove are outstanding at this point in his career! The package brings together early singles for the Congress label, plus even more obscure work a few years later for Columbia Records – and as always with Ace, the whole presentation is wonderful – light years away from just a simple greatest hits or public domain package. Titles include "The Nitty Gritty", "Bring It On Home To Me", "Get Out", "Takin Care Of Business", "The Clapping Song", "Sugar Let's Shing A Ling", "Back Track", "Yes I'm Ready", "Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife", "You Better Be Good World", "Ka Ta Ga Ta Boom Beat", "The Name Game", "I Never Will Forget", "Such A Night", "That's What The Nitty Gritty Is", and "One Sour Note". CD

Rare 70s funky soul from The Equatics – just the kind of record that keeps us digging and still excited after all these years – resurrected by the like minded diggers at Now Again! You know the kind of album we're talking about, the ones you come across with enigmatic cover art, no names on the back you recognize or even anything indicating where or when it's from. Then you take a spin and it's the real thing from the get go! The production is nice and raw but not ragged, and a funky vibe that groups today emulate but just can't recapture. This set's mid 70s R&B, mostly instrumental but with a few vocal numbers, all nicely done up in a very groovy, funky fashion. There's a couple of nice covers, like their Isaac Hayes-ish take on "Walk On By" and a nice rendition of "Ain't No Sunshine", but the rest of the set's mostly originals, like "Merry-Go-Round" and some nice raggedy instrumentals like "What They Doin?", "Santana" done up in parts 1 and 2 (maybe on a 45 somewhere. . .), "Cisco Fare" and the jazzy "The Touch Of You". Amazing! CD

A nice little package, one that brings together three American releases of music by London's legendary Georgie Fame! First up is the classic Yeh Yeh – a brilliant mix of jazz, soul, and R&B – all filtered through a mod sort of London freshness, as early proof that the city could always take some great things from our own musical roots, and feed it back to us with a whole new flavor! Georgie Fame's no copycat here, though – and the sound is instantly Fame-like – a style that's really not the sort that any Americans were doing at the time, and certainly never this well. Hard-burning Hammond colors most of the tunes here – played with a tightly vamping quality – but it's Georgie's charmingly crackling vocals that really win us over! Titles include "Gimme That Wine", "Pink Champagne", "Monkeying Around", "I Love The Life I Live", "Point Of No Return", "Preach & Teach", "Get On The Right Track Baby", and the hit "Yeh Yeh". Next is Get Away – a great little album from Georgie Fame – with a hard raw soul sound that shows what a big crossover potential he had with the UK soul market – so much so that this batch of material was issued in the US as well! The album's got some wonderful arrangements – quite raw, with some nice organ, and plenty of heavy vocals from Georgie in a strong blue eyed soul mode. Titles include "Sitting In The Park", "Get Away", "Sweet Thing", "Ride Your Pony", "The In Crowd", "Last Night", and "Music Talk". Hall Of Fame is a bit of a best-of – a record that features some singles, and some album tracks – the latter of which aren't included here, as they'd be duplicated. The remaining material is Fame at his raw early best – working in a great soulful style, with plenty of jazzy charms – on cuts that include "Outrage", "Lil Darlin", "Sunny", "In The Meantime", "Something", "Do Re Mi", and Fame's own "Like We Used To Be". CD also features 9 more bonus tracks, some live recordings – titles that include "Bend A Little", "Telegram", "It Ain't Right", "Don't Make Promises", "Many Happy Returns", "I'm In Love With You", "Shop Around", "Green Onions", and "Do The Dog". CD

A trio of funky classics from Faze-O – collected here with bonus tracks too! First up is their debut, Riding High – a spacey soul classic – with a sound that never gets old! Faze-O will be forever remembered for their massive cut "Riding High", the leadoff on this album – a stretched out slow funk jam that has amazing keyboards, floating guitars, and a super-dope groove that's stayed fresh from the moment it was first set to wax back in 1977! This album's the group's first, and best – and it's a really wonderful record that blends together funky fusion and heavy soul – filled with killer cuts arranged by the Ohio Players, and with lots of great keyboards by the group! Includes, of course, the massive cut "Riding High" – plus "Toe Jam" and "Funky Reputation"! The second album is a definite Good Thang from Faze-O – easily the masters of snakey funk at the end of the 70s! The set's got loads of great elements that echo the group's Riding High debut – a groove that never goes too far over the top, and which kicks back at a pace that so many others would copy a few years later – a vibe that's a bit Ohio, a bit Cali, yet crafted here with a vision that's totally unique to the band! Horns are a bit heavier than before, but there's still plenty of great keyboards too – and the vocals definitely recognize that they're the second star of the record, and usually defer to the rhythms on most numbers. Tracks include "Good Thang", "Party Time", "Space People", "Who Loves You", and "Funky Lady". Breakin The Funk is wicked funk from Faze-O – a group who seem even tighter than before on this smoking album – yet still hold onto all the laidback modes that made them so great in the first place! There's a lean quality here that really prefaces the direction so many funk acts would take a few years later – a way of compressing everything down on the rhythm, to get past some of the excesses of too-large funk groups, or some of the overblown qualities of the disco generation! Faze-O were definitely out front with this approach, and continue to craft it strongly here – and the album's got a few great mellow tracks too – a great illustration of the claim made in the liner notes – that "Faze-O music is carefully built in panels of melodic phases, to sensuously put you in a funky but heavenly mood of time and rhythm." Titles include "See You Through The Night", "I'm Thankful", "I Still Love You", "Let's Rock", and "Ya Ba Da Ba Duzie". Features bonus tracks – 7" single mixes of "Riding High", "Breakin The Funk", "Good Thang", and "Who Loves You". CD

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem – and as usual, the full tale of the group, the movie, and the music is told at length in the accompanying 16 page booklet! Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", "Theme From Brotherman", "No Place To Run", and "We Can Work It Out". CD

The title certainly gets it right – as the album's one of the funkiest ever from guitarist George Freeman, and one of the few to really hit that messed-up groove he was working in the clubs before his mid 70s retreat to Chicago! The style here is often all over the map – a mix of soul jazz and funkier numbers, but often served up with less of the direction than you'd get on Prestige, and even less of that on Groove Merchant – more in a raw small combo mode, with Freeman's guitar hitting plenty of raspy notes and weird solo excursions that keep even the mellower tunes exciting! The record features 2 different groups – one with John Young on piano, the other with Bobby Blevins on organ – and brother Von Freeman plays tenor sax on the whole set, although not nearly in the spotlight as George! (Definitely in keeping with something that Von told George many years back – quoted to us by George – "When you've got your own album, make sure that people know that you're the star!") Titles include "New Improved Funk", "Daffy", "Happy Fingers", "Confirmed Truth", "Guitar Lover Man", and "Big Finish". CD

One of THE all time classics of funky blues – a record built around Lowell's huge single "Tramp" – a massive tune that spawned a whole generation of answer tunes! "Tramp" kicks off the set with a stone break that's worth the price of the album – then Lowell slides into some tunes that have a bit more of a conventional bluesy approach, mixed with a few other nice cuts that get a bit funky too! A rough-edged classic that really stands out – and which has made Fulsom one of the better-collected bluesmen of the beathead crowd. In addition to "Tramp", other tracks include "Two Way Wishin", "Back Door Key", "Year Of 29", "Pico", "Goin' Home", and "Black Nights". Includes 2 bonus tracks – "Tramp (take 1)" and "Year Of 29 (alt take)". CD

The classic sound of Funkadelic, reworked by a key selection of contemporary talents from the Detroit scene – but never in a way that wrecks the originals at all! Unlike other remix projects, which might break up the music to a point that you can hardly recognize the original grooves – this set does a wonderful job of maintaining all the integrity of the famous funky recordings by the group, while also letting some artists from the group's hometown also include a few of their own contributions too – all in ways that really expand the original vision of the music, while keeping things in a funky soul vein all the way through! Given all the greateness of Detroit grooves in recent years – from that city's very fertile underground of producers and musicians – the sound here is still even more amazing than we expected, and the album's a very fitting one to be issued on the Westbound label. The set's double-length, and for good reason too – and titles include "Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix)", "Sexy Ways (Recloose disco flip)", "Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman rmx)", "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix)", "Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version)", "Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay voc mix)", "Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix)", "Be My Beach (Mophono & Tom Thump)", "Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit)", "Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler @Ya mix)", "Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit)", "Looking Back At You (Ectomorph stripped & dubbed)", and "Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T Dancer rmx)". CD

A trio of albums from The Grass Roots – plus lots of bonus tracks too! First up is Leaving It All Behind – a really great shift for the Grass Roots – a set that has the group sounding more confident before, and maybe a bit more soulful too – really coming at things with this nice sense of punch both in the lead vocals, and the way the overall groove drives the set! The arrangements are superb – handled by Sid Feller and Jimmie Haskell – and we can especially hear the talents of the latter, in the way that Jimmie can take simple elements and make them sound groovy – but all in a very unassuming way. Titles include "Out Of This World", "I'm Lovin For You Girl", "Wait A Million Years", "Take Him While You Can", "Walking Through The Country", and "Truck Drivin Man". Move Along is a record with a big, bold sound – lots of soulful arrangements from Jimmie Haskell, full of horns and driven by great basslines – all of which really pushes the dynamic energy of the group! The Grass Roots look a bit more mature on the cover, and that comes through in their vocals too – some raspier charms that really reflect the passage of years, and enforce a bit more feeling in the lyrics – giving a heft to the album that's an unexpected surprise, especially if you only know their earlier hits. Titles include "Move Along", "Two Divided By Love", "Monday Love", "One Word", "Runnin Just To Get Her Home Again", and "Anyway The Wind Blows". Alotta Mileage is a 70s standout from The Grass Roots! Back in the 60s, the Grass Roots already had this tight, compressed energy that was totally great – a quality that also makes their 70s work like this so wonderful too! There's a focus here that's totally great – horns informed by earlier soul music styles, and vocals that borrow a bit too – upbeat and bubbling, but with maybe a nicely mature vibe too – still hook-heavy, but slightly different than the earlier hits – on titles that include "Just A Little Tear", "Pick Up Your Feet", "Where There's Smoke There's Fire", "Ballad Of Billy Joe", "We Almost Made It Together", "Ain't No Way To Go Home", and "Claudia". 2CD set features 14 more bonus tracks – including "Temptation Eyes", "Sooner Or Later", "Bella Linda (single version)", "Get It Together", "Baby Hold On", "I'd Wait A Million Years (single version)", "We Can't Dance To Your Music", and "I Can Turn Off The Rain". CD

A pair of charmers from legendary producer Lloyd Charmers – served up here with lots of bonus tracks too! First up is the classic Sweet Bitter Love from Marcia Griffiths – a set that helped cement her reputation as one of the most soulful female singers in Jamaican music at the time – and one that really helps bridge worlds by serving up some great reggae-styled takes on American soul music! Marcia serves up sublime takes on tunes by Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Roberta Flack, and others – completely reworked by Charmers' instrumentation – which also includes some wonderful keyboards! Titles include "Play Me", "Gypsy Man", "Sweet Bitter Love", "Green Grasshopper", "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely", and "Everything I Own". Far & Distant features wicked guitar work from Willie Lindo – spun out here over an all-instrumental set that almost feels more like Jamaican records of the late 60s than you'd guess from the mid 70s date of the album! The grooves are definitely more 70s – certainly with a strong reggae current – but the spare, stripped-down manner of presentation takes us back more to some of the instrumental rocksteady records – especially in the way the production allows for lots of focus on the core musician – which means you really get to hear all the wicked, trippy currents of Lindo's instrument – used in a heady style that almost makes him come across like the Phil Upchurch of the Jamaican scene! Lloyd Charmers produced, and also plays piano and organ – and titles include "Drum Song", "Darker Shade Of Black", "Midnight train To Georgia", "Samba Pati", "Chopper", "Hear I Am Baby", "Charmers Mood", "Mystic Mood", "Breezing", and "Holly Holy". 2CD edition features 20 more bonus tracks – 17 of which are new to CD – a full alternate mix of the Marcia Griffiths album, the tune "Midnight & You" by Willie Lindo, and more Lloyd Charmer productions from rare 7" singles – work by Big Youth, Drifting Blenders, Bob Andy, BB Seaton, Errol Thomas, and others. CD

Two rare 60s soul albums – back to back on a single CD! First up is Soul Superman by The Hesitations – a wonderful album of rare Detroit soul – and quite possibly the best full length set ever recorded by this sublime 60s harmony group! There's a really righteous approach to most of the material – a deeper sound than you might expect from the group's more formal look on the cover – and the set was put together by Jack Ashford and the Pied Piper team – who give the record this great "in the shadows of Motown" vibe – that farther side of the Detroit scene, but with a quality that's top shelf all the way through! The vocal range of the group is fantastic – and not only that, there's a heck of a lot of great writing on the set – what we can tell, nearly every number is exclusive to this set. Titles include "Soul Superman", "You'll Never Know", "She Won't Come Back", "Soul Kind Of Love", "I'll Be Right There", "Wait A Minute", and "I'm Not Build That Way". Next is With A Dab Of Soul – the only full length record cut by Freddy Butler, a heck of a great singer with a really unique voice! Freddy hails from Detroit, and like the best of Detroit singers of the 60s – such as JJ Barnes or Darrell Banks – he's got a style that's got some rootsy touches, especially on the vocals, mixed with production that's tight and focused – which really gives the album a lot of swing! Instrumentation includes some nice use of vibes and piano – no surprise, since Jack Ashford and the Pied Piper team handled the recording – and the album also features some great early compositions by Nick Ashford. Titles include "This Thing", "You'd Better Get Hip Girl", "Never Let Love Go", and "I Fell In Love". CD

A long-overdue tribute to the fantastic soul trio of Pat Hodges, Denita James, and Jessica Smith – a group who were often joined by a young Carolyn Crawford, to cut some fantastic singles back in the 70s! The group is wonderfully dynamic – as if everybody could be a soaring soulful lead – which gives the girls this sound that's way more than just the usual slice of female group soul from the time – something you'd know if you were lucky enough to score one of their rare 45s! And while the group did get the chance to cut a few albums, their best moments were often on 7" singles – which lead here to a whole other host of unissued tracks that sits nicely with cuts they released on labels like Pride and Mpingo. We've been huge fans of the group for decades, and have always treasured their singles – but here, we're discovering even more greatness than we knew existed – as the set features 13 tracks that were never issued back in the day, joining up with another 8 to make a glorious set list that includes "Wishful Thining", "Nobody", "In My Fantasy", "Write Me A Letter", "Let's Pick Up The Pieces", "Again", "Baby My Love Is Showing", "Let It Out Let It In", "I'm A Woman Who Loves You", "Ain't That Right", "If You wanna Love Me", and "It Cracks Me Up". CD

About as classic as you can get for the legendary John Lee Hooker – a set of recordings from his early postwar years that perfectly define the special touch and electric genius of his music! The sound here is often as spare as rural acoustic blues from years back – but Hooker's using an electric instrument with a nice current of fuzz, which almost acts like a louder, fuller chorus behind his vocals – often hinting at feedback possibilities, which creates this hypnotic quality to the music – whether or not John's grooving high, or stepping low! And the vocals are something equally wonderful, too – sung and hum at the same time, in that classic Hooker way – again a huge influence on so many others to come. Japanese CD features 24 tracks in all! CD

An unusual British jazz group gets even more unusual – with a sound that's even more mindblowing than some of their better-known records! The combo's headed by pianist John Mayer, who cut two fantastic Indo Jazz Fusions with reedman Joe Harriott in the late 60s – working here on an unreleased studio session from a few years later – with stunning guest work on harmonica from the great Larry Adler! At the core are the familiar Indo Jazz Fusions sounds – reeds from Stan Sulzmann on alto and flute, plus sitar from Clem Alford, guitar from Jim Moyes, bass from Jeff Clyne, drums from John Marshall, and tablas from Krishav Sathe – players who continue that jazz-meets-Indian spirit at the start of the set – then step back slightly on the Eastern tip from track two onwards – as Adler comes in with these amazingly eerie harmonica lines – a very strange but compelling blend with the energy of the rest of the group, and quite different than any of Larry's better-known recordings from earlier years. Once things get going, the mix of harmonica and Indian modes really steps up – a really cool mix, with lots of modal energy – on titles that include "Raga Malika", "Serenade", "Raga Megha", "Summertime", and "Sarabande". CD

Damn! The first volume in this series of rarities cut by George Jackson for Fame Studios really blew our minds around here – and Kent has gone and somehow topped it with Volume 2! Let The Best Man Win features 2 dozen songs, most of which are originals by Fame staff writer Jackson – and not one of these was officially released back in the day. A bunch were cut to demo the songs for prospective artists, but it's truly hard to imagine anyone bettering these versions – not even Candi Staton or Wilson Pickett! The backing is top notch, too – with that unshakable Fame southern soul rhythm that's just raw enough – and each track feels fully-formed – not at all like a demo! As essential a trip into the Fame archives as any we've had to date! Includes "Mini Skirt Mini", "Get It When I Want It", "Forbidden Love", "Save Me", "Let The Best Man Win", "Soul Lovin'", "I'm Livin' Good", "Your Love Lifted Me", "You Got A Lot To Like", "Ain't That Some Good Lovin'L, "The Darkest Hour Is Before The Dawn" and many more. CD

Four classic albums from this hip British soul group – issued here in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is New Religion – a record that was also released in America by Atlantic Records. Although they were a UK soul act, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds were a perfect match for the Atlantic soul stable of the 60s. The group had a smooth group style that was partly uptown, partly northern soul – as clearly illustrated in this album, which is divided up into a "mood red: you feel like leaping" side, and a "mood blue: you feel like digging deeper" side. The band chose some good material that really helps them maintain a solid socking soul sound – including "The Entertainer" and "Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud" by Tony Clarke, "Ain't No Big Thing" and "I'm Just A Fool For You Girl" by Gerald Sims, and "Little Boy Blue" and "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield. Also features "Come To Me Softly", a sweet dreamy ballad by Jimmy, and kind of a bit crossover hit for the boys. London Swings is two-sided monster – as the album was originally split with work from the Alan Bown Set too! Here, the CD features just the live material from the soul group – a smoking performance from Jimmy James & The Vagabonds – one that goes way past the sweetness of their hits, and which has a crowd-pleasing, party-hearty approach to soul that's really great! Jimmy and the group serve up versions of "Sock It To Em JB", "That Driving Beat", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "You Don't Know Like I Know", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". This Is Jimmy James & The Vagabonds is a record that featured some crossover tracks with New Religion – but the set here just features the exclusive cuts – including "I Feel Alright", "I Can't Get Back Home To My Baby", "Never Like This Before", "I Don't Wanna Cry", and "You Showed Me The Way". Open Up Your Soul is a record with a really wonderful sound – the deeply soulful vocals of Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, mixed with rich arrangements handled by Nicky Welsh, and produced to perfection by Brit maestro John Schroeder! The record's got the sophistication of some of the Richard Evans productions over at Chess/Cadet at the same time – and, no surprise, the group lead off with a great cover of The Dells "Wear It On Our Face" – then roll into cuts that include "Cry Like A Baby", "Good Day Sunshine", "Four Walls", "Everybody Loves A Winner", "If You're Gonna Love Me", and "Open Up Your Soul". CD also features 7 more bonus tracks from singles – including "Why", "Bumper To Bumper", "Close The Door", "Give Us A Light", "I Wanna Be your Everything", "Hungry For Love", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". CD

A classic run of records from Waylon Jennings – brought together in a single package! First up is Lonesome Onry & Mean – a pivotal album for Waylon Jennings – the record where he really found the new direction that would finally get him the fame he deserved – delivered in a way that's free from all the later cliches, and which also ties Waylon pretty strongly to the hipper currents of the underground – especially that point where singer/songwriter genius intersected with country! The production is his own, and vastly different than the late 60s records – even though we love those to death too – and that magical Jennings vocal approach does fantastic things to tunes by Steve Young, Mickey Newbury, Kris Kristofferson, and others! Titles include the fantastic "Lonesome Onry & Mean", plus "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues", "Freedom To Stay", "Lay It Down", "You Can Have Her", "Pretend I Never Happened", "San Francisco Mabel Joy", "Sandy Sends Her Best", and a great take on "Me &Bobby McGee". Honky Tonk Heroes is genius material from Waylon Jennings – one of those career-defining records from the early 70s that completely put him on top, and heralded a whole new generation in country music! The set's maybe equally noteworthy as a showcase for the up-and-coming Billy Joe Shaver, who wrote much of the songs on the record – and it's also a great showcase for the important production talents of Tompall Glaser, who really gets the spirit of the music right! Titles include great versions of "Honky Tonk Heroes", "Old Five & Dimers Like Me", "Ride Me Down Easy", "Black Rose", "Willy The Wandering Gypsy & Me", "Omaha", and "Ain't No God In Mexico". This Time is one of those Waylon Jennings records from a time when he could do no wrong – fighting the stronger powers at RCA to really find his voice – recording at the studio of Tompall Glaser, with great production help from Willie Nelson – who was enjoying his own transformation at the time too! As with the previous two gems from this period, the choice of material and presentation is great – songs by Willie, JJ Cale, and Billy Joe Shavers – in a set of titles that include "Heaven Or Hell", "It's Not Supposed To Be That Way", "This Time", "Pick Up The Tempo", "If You Could Touch Her At All", "Walkin", "Slow Rollin Low", "Louisiana Woman", and "Slow Movin Outlaw". Ramblin Man is Waylon Jennings at peak mid 70s perfection! Ramblin' Man fits in stylistically with the gruff honky tonk hero mode he first fully realized a couple albums earlier, but he's still fiercely blazing trails here, pairing his gruff lead vocals with sweeter female harmonies on some tracks, changing the groove from laidback swagger to fast-paced honky tonk, working in some tender ballads with the gruffer numbers...Waylon at his best. Starts up with the eternal title track and equally classic "Rainy Day Woman" and hardly lets up in greatness from there, with "Cloudy Days", "The Hunger", "It'll Be Her", a great cover of the Allman Brothers' "Midnight Rider", "Memories Of You And Me", "Amanda" and more. Features bonus tracks too – "Laid Back Country Picker", "The Last One To Leave Seattle", "Big Big Love", "Got A Lot Going For Me", "The Last Letter", and "The One I Sing My Love Songs To". CD

Plenty cool sounds from Joyce – a lady who's always been the definition of the world used in the title – thanks to her totally unique, totally wonderful style! The album's one of a number of recent gems that have Joyce really going back to basics – hitting that soaring blend of vocals and acoustic guitar that first made her 70s recordings so great, cut here with small combo instrumentation that includes Tutty Moreno on drums and Helio Alves on piano. But the real charm, as always, comes from Joyce – the way she works her voice, plays her guitar, and ties the two of them together in a manner that's unlike anyone else – a sound inspired by bossa, inflected by jazz, but totally her own throughout. Familiar tunes get completely remade with the approach – as you'll hear on the set – which includes these sublime Joyced-up versions of "Cool", "Let's Do It", "Love For Sale", "Fever", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Invitation", and "Moon River" – all sounding very unique, and plenty darn cool! CD

Wonderful work from Ty Karim – a singer who definitely lives up to the "soul goddess" promised in the title! Ty might not be the biggest name in California soul, but she's a hell of a great talent here – starting out in the 60s with upbeat Northern Soul groovers – then moving into the 70s with material that's even deeper, and a bit more sophisticated – laidback numbers that really show a maturation in style, and which are filled with wonderful twists and turns! Ty's vocals have a burning quality that's quite surprising, given her kittenish look on the cover – and as the themes get hotter, her singing gets even more righteous – making the whole package a really wonderful journey in soul. And although most of these numbers were issued (or recorded, but unissued) by tiny indie labels, they often have a very full, spacious approach to production – one that's really trying to hit the heights of Detroit or New York at the time. A good number of these cuts weren't issued at the time, and together with the rare singles, they really go a long way towards filling in the gaps in Ty's too-short career on record – further illuminated in the detailed notes from Ady Croasdell. Titles include "Lighten Up Baby", "Help Me Get That Feeling Back Again", "Only A Fool", "All At Once", "Lightin Up", "I Ain't Lying", "You Just Don't Know", "Natural Do", "I'm Leavin You", "All In Vain", "After Your Love Has Gone", "Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight", and "Don't Make Me Do Wrong". CD

Mad funky soul from King Hannibal – a down and dirty singer from the Atlanta scene of the 70s! The notes on the back say "He's black, he's proud, he's arrogant – the combination is powerful" – and we've gotta say that we agree with that assessment, because King really grabs his groove from the very first note on the set! Backings are hard and funky – lots of fuzzy guitar work from Herman Hitson and Lee Moses – and the tunes come across with a gritty mode that sometimes rolls into mellower southern soul styles, but still never lose their edge. Bits of politics creep into the lyrics nicely, but never get in the way of the groove – and tracks include a long version of Hannibal's classic "Hymn No 5", plus "Party Life", "I Got That Will", "The Truth Shall Make You Free", "Wake Up", "Black Girl", and "It's What You Do". CD

A massive collection of work from Lakeside – one of the leading lights of the Solar Records label in the early 80s, and one of the label's key groups in helping to redefine funk in the decade! Lakeside take the large ensemble funk format of the late 70s, and give it a leaner, cleaner groove – really winnowing things down so that everything's right on the money, and the grooves come out great – while still also holding on to enough soul music energy in the vocals, songwriting, and presentation to set themselves apart from some of the more facile groove groups of the time. This 3CD set features 42 killers from Lakeside's glory days, pulled from their full range of recordings for Solar – titles that include "Rough Rider", "One Minute After Midnight", "Fantastic Voyage", "From 9:00 Until", "I Need You", "Strung Out", "Your Wish Is My Command", "The Urban Man", "Back Together Again", "We Want You", "Raid", "Turn The Music Up", "Real Love", "Untouchable", "Show You The Way", "Tinse Town Theory", "Money", "Party Patrol", "Still Feeling Good", "Bullseye", "U Got It Goin On", "All For You", "I Want To Hold Your Hand", "If You Like Our Music", "I Can't Get You Out Of My Head", "Shot Of Love", and "Your Love Is On The One". CD

A standout set from keyboardist Neil Larsen – a record that crossed over big back in the 70s, and which still sounds pretty darn great in the 21st Century! Larsen's keys here are kind of a more mainstream take on territory Bob James was exploring a few years before – arguably hipper at this point that some of James' own recordings, and recorded in a relatively lean setting with guitar, bass, drums, and percussion – plus a bit of tenor or trumpet from time to time. The keyboards glide along gently on the spacey numbers, and get a bit more bite on some of the funkier ones – always with a good sense of space that means that Neil's never jamming too much, or getting in the way of his groove. Titles include the classic "Sudden Samba" – plus "Jungle Fever", "Red Desert", "Emerald City", "Last Tango In Paris", "Windsong", and "Promenade". CD

Beautiful brown-eyed soul from the Ohio scene of the 70s – just the sort of record you might have expected to hear from East LA or Spanish Harlem back in the day – but even more amazing to come from Cleveland! The group are a Latin combo at the core, but they've soaked up plenty of soul influences from the late 60s and early 70s – bringing in bits of harmony soul, funk, and other hip touches to really expand their groove – in ways that are similar to the changes Joe Bataan and his contemporaries were going through at the time! There's a few funky instrumentals that get nicely tripped out, offset with some wonderful mellow soul numbers, and a few straighter Latin bits – all of which show a really amazing range for the group. As usual, Numero does a great job of bringing their whole story to light through the great notes – but even without them, we're plenty happy with the music on the set! Titles include "Loving You", "To Be Sure", "Here We Go Again", "Cold Wine", "Trivialities", "Just Call Me", and "Listen People". CD

A righteous set of lovers rock from the Love Joys – a female duo, as you might guess from the cover – but one who work here with a wonderfully deep sound! This isn't the crossover material you might hear from other artists of this nature – as there's a very tough-edged presentation to the whole thing – echoey, dubby rhythms recorded at Wackies, with some especially splashy drums next to the nodding basslines – allowing lots of space that has the vocals echoing out in space as they trade back and forth – in a way that's quite different from more familiar harmony modes. Titles include "Stranger Get Up", "All I Can Say", "Watch Them", "How Long", "Love Is Not A Game", "Jah Light", "Studio Man", "Wherever Jah Send Me", and "Are You ready". CD

Two unusual Herbie Mann albums – back to back in a single set! The first Reggae album has a surprisingly strong mix of 70s modes – as the funky flute of Herbie Mann takes on some of the nascent reggae grooves of the time – with results that are a lot nicer than you might expect! There's some core rhythms on the record from Tommy McCook, but Herbie's regular keyboardist Pat Rebillot also adds in some surprisingly nice lines too – making the whole thing way more than just another session cut down in Kingston. One real surprise is a very extended take on "My Girl", which runs for over 18 minutes and takes up all of side two – and other cuts include "Rivers Of Babylon", "Swinging Shepherd Blues", and "Ob La Di". Reggae II is a lesser-known follow-up to Herbie Mann's first album of reggae-styled instrumental grooves – and one that's every bit as sweet as the first! Like that record, the approach here is one that has Mann working with Kingston-bred rhythms from a lineup that includes Winston Wright on organ, Jackie Jackson bass, and Michael Richard on drums – mixed with tenor from Tommy McCook and trumpet from Bobby Ellis – then given a slight fusion vibe from Mann's frequent 70s musical partner Pat Rebillot on a variety of keyboards! Herbie's flute snakes into the groove in this warm, easygoing way – very open in tone, and a surprisingly good fit for an instrument that isn't often used in such a setting. Titles include "Down On The Corner", "Cecilia", "I Know", "Stoned By You", "Bend Down Low", and "So Get It While You Can". CD

A great set of early-to-mid 60s soul sides from Bobby Marchan – recorded at Stax, Fame and American Studios – singles released on Dial, Cameo and Volt back in the day and put together beautifully by Kent UK! Marchan is beloved for a slew of more rockin' rhythm & blues he cut from the mid-to-late 50s, but his 60s work is underappreciated – and we can't think of any good reason for that to be the case! His voice is just incredible throughout, on numbers that are natural next soulful step from the rhythm & blues years to others that are clear precursor to more famous southern soul to come later in the decade. Includes "Funny Style", "Just Be Yourself", "You Won't Do Right", "Hooked", "What Can I Do" (Pts 1 & 2), "You Better Hold On", "Sad Sack", "Help Yourself", "Don't Worry About It", "Get Down With It" and more. CD

A killer set from Master's Apprentices – one of those obscure groups from the start of the 70s who managed to get top-shelf treatment in the studio, and used it to create a mini-masterpiece like this! The group were no strangers to recording by the time of the set – they'd had a hit back home in Australia in the late 60s, and a few other albums under their belt – so it's clear that they knew what they really wanted to get out of their chance to record at Abbey Road, by making a record that's got all these great sonic elements that don't just come from the instrumentation and vocals – but from the way the whole thing is put together! Vocals are flanged out nicely next to the guitars – almost with a quality like The Move, but maybe a bit more hard-rocking at times – and often very tuneful too, such that there's enough gems on the record that the whole thing really should have been a hit and continuing classic from the period. Titles include "The Lesson So Listen", "Answer Lies Beyond", "Beneath The Sun", "Games We Play", "Melodies Of St Kilda", and "Southern Cross". CD

A pair of later Maze albums – back to back in a single set, and with bonus tracks too! First up is Silky Soul – a late 80s album, but one that has the smooth soul genius very much at the top of his game! Frankie's work from the 70s inspired countless imitators in the next decade – but after so many other male singers trying to cop his game, Beverly can still do it better than the rest – with this easygoing, effortless style that's never commercial or cheesy – and which continues to raise the bar for sophisticated soul! Grooves are mostly in that perfect midtempo stepping style that seems to work best for Frankie – and the overall instrumentation and production are far more timeless than some of the other big records of the period – with a style that places the set very strongly in the best Maze tradition. Titles include "Can't Get Over You", "Silky Soul", "Just Us", "Love's On The Run", "Mandela", and "Songs Of Love". CD features bonus tracks – "Africa", "Mandela (radio edit)", and "Love's On The Run (rmx)". Next up is Back To Basics – a really well-titled set from Frankie Beverly & Maze – as the album takes the group right back to the mellow-stepping sound that first made them great back in the 70s! Production's a bit more updated, but still very laidback – and there's a smoothly-grooving glow to the record we totally love – a perfect format for Frankie's always-amazing vocals, updated just slightly for the 90s. The production values are never too polished, and the songwriting is still great – on titles that include "Love Is", "the Morning After", "Laid Back Girl", 'What Goes Up", "In Time", "All Night Long", "Don't Wanna Lose Your Love", and "Twilight". CD features bonus tracks – "Laid Back Girl (edit)", "What Goes Up (radio)", and "What Goes Up (smooth mix)". CD

Twin organs back to back – and a heck of a hard-wailing set from Groove Holmes and Jimmy McGriff! The album cooks from the very first note – and features long tunes that open up with the same sort of solo-heavy approach that you'd get on Holmes' Prestige albums of the 60s – very stretched out, in a way that offers the keyboardists no cover at all, and forces them to keep thinking on their feet to come up with great notes! Bernard Purdie plays some nicely tight drums on the set, and guitar is by George Freeman and O'Donel Levy – both of whom add some nice superdope touches to the set! A winner all the way through, with great solos – and titles that include "Licks A Plenty", "The Squirrel", and "Finger Lickin' Good". CD

A pair of great records from the production hands of Prince Jammy – back to back on a single CD! First up is Bitter Sweet – one of those key records that helped Sugar Minott earn the sweet reputation that really echoed his name – as the set's got these easygoing grooves that are perfect for his warmly crackling vocals – richly expressive, but without every sounding overdone – all set up in these great instrumental elements produced and arranged by Prince Jammy! The groove is different than some of the sharper modes that were creeping in during the digital generation – very casual, with a quality that has the easygoing vocals from Minott stepping out nicely on cuts that include "I'm Not For Sale", "Give The People", "Never Too Young", "Be Careful", "Right Track", "Can't Get Over", "Save The Children", and "This World". Reggae On Broadway is a gem from Johnny Osbourne – hardly the kind of album with polish and glam that you'd expect from a Broadway title, and instead this mellow, laidback session that really showcases the genius of Prince Jammy in the studio! Given the date of the recording, things could be a lot more commercial, or a lot cleaner in a digital way – but Jammy keeps the proceedings casual and cool, which lets those magnificent vocals of Osbourne flow out in a really great way. Titles include "Let Me Your Chopper", "Live Right", "Folly Ranking", "Water Pumping", "Reggae On Broadway", "Mr Walker", "Sing Along", and "Can't Leave Jah". Great Doctor Bird package – excellent sound, and very detailed notes! CD

Harmony soul heaven – and the only full album from The Montclairs! The group were a sublime vocal group from the 70s – one with a sound to rival The Whatnauts or The Moments, but which also had a bit more of the super-dope touches you'd expect from their look on the cover of the record – a bit like Soul Generation at their best! The sound is sweet, but with an edge – and a young Phil Perry wrote most of the tracks on the record, with a really unique feel that goes beyond simple cliches from the better-known groups of the genre. Oliver Sain produced, and although the record came out on Jewel, it's got much more of a New Jersey feel than other work on the label. Titles include "Dreaming's Out Of Season", "Grand Finale", "Just Can't Get Away", "Prelude to a Heartbreak", "Do I Stand a Chance", and "Unwanted Love". CD features 9 more bonus tracks from singles – including "Make Up For Lost Time", "I Need You More Than Ever", "Hung Up On Your Love", "I'm Calling You", "Dawn Of My Life", "Out My Back Door", and "Ease The Pain". CD

Quite possibly THE mother of all funky soundtracks – the legendary score to Rudy Ray Moore's classic first Dolemite film! The record's been referenced for years, and all the hype is totally right – because the whole thing's overflowing with funky tracks both vocal and instrumental – cut with a sound that's as gritty and badass as the movie itself! The Soul Rebellion Orchestra provided the wicked instrumental grooves for the set – and vocalists include Mary Love and Ben Taylor – and the pacing of the whole record almost makes it come across like a mini-movie in sound! You'll find enough samples on here to cut a lifetime's worth of hip hop LPs, and the funky tracks will have you coming back to the record again and again! Tracks include "The Queen", "The Rumble", "Mayor Get Away", "The Jive Jungle", "Creeper", and "Ghetto Expressions". CD

The best work ever recorded by Freddie North – one of the most sophisticated singers on the southern scene at the end of the 60s – and an artist who really helped move deep soul past some of the more overdone cliches! The presentation and arrangements here are wonderful – beautifully suited to Freddie's deep-toned vocals, in a way that makes him one of the coolest, classiest singers of the southern scene at the time – yet also one who's still able to reach down to deeper roots to inflect his lyrics with just the right sort of force. The balance is wonderful – and almost makes North feel like some sort of southern soul counterpart to Chicago singers like Walter Jackson or Jerry Butler – and the set brings together work from his one full album for the Abet label, plus some other singles, and a few previously unreleased tracks too – 23 titles that include "Cuss The Wind", "Gotta Go Get Your Mommy", "From The Blind Side", "I Loved Another Woman", "Sun Comes Up", "I Have A Dream", "Oh Lord What Are You Doing To Me", "Til I Get It Right", "Lovin On Back Streets", "Taking Her Love Ain't Gonna Be Easy", and "Thank That Woman". CD

2 Ohio Players classics – back to back on one CD! Skin Tight is the band's first album for Mercury – and although one might have the temptation to say that the label cut down the radical funk sound of the trippy Westbound years, the move also taught the band to sharpen up their act, and get out of the repetitive sloppy groove into which they'd been lapsing during the past few years. The record's a lot smoother than earlier work – with a polished funky sound that would soon push the band right up there with Earth Wind & Fire at the top of the soul charts. And although there's familiar funky numbers like "Skin Tight", "Jive Turkey", and "Streakin Cheek To Cheek" – the best moment on the entire album is the wonderful spacey soul number "Heaven Must be Like This", a seven minute mellow groover that's got a sophisticated jazzy soul style, with voices and piano soaring into the heavens, in a way that always still sends chills down our spine! That cut shows the band's tremendous growth – and it's one of their best-ever! Fire is one of the biggest albums ever for Ohio Players – a set that took their earlier funk sound and targeted firmly at the mainstream with a lean, mean groove that a million other groups copied at the time! There's still plenty of the soul of the early years in the group's approach here – and sometimes, the mellower tracks show a wonderful talent for harmonies coming even more fully to the top. But the real appeal of the record has always been the bold, bassy grooves that hit strongly just as ensemble funk was exploding in the mainstream during the early years of disco – making plenty of space for the Players and their contemporaries to grab up new audiences who never would have touched a record like this five years before! There's plenty of grit in the grooves on the best numbers – a style that's maybe not as dirty as on Westbound, but still more than enough to make any real funk fan proud. Titles include "Fire", "Together", "Together/Feelings", "It's All Over", "Runnin' From the Devil", "Smoke", "What The Hell", and "I Want To Be Free". CD

A pivotal album for Jeffrey Osborne – and a record that showed the world that he could stand proudly on his own away from his old group LTD! The album was actually his second solo outing, but the first to really gel together in that hit-making blend of ballads and catchy mid-tempo pop tunes – a crossover sound that put Osborne firmly on top at the time. As with Osborne's previous set, George Duke is at the production helm, keeping things in a lightly jazzy 80s soul mode. Titles include "Don't You Get So Mad", "We're Going All The Way", "Stay With Me Tonight", "Plane Love", "Greatest Love Affair", "Other Side Of The Coin", "When Are You Comin Back", and "Forever Mine". CD

One of the greatest voices ever in soul music – served up here in a stunning set of new mixes by the legendary John Morales – king of the edit, with a talent that goes way back to the best modes of the early club scene in NYC – and an equally great ability to find all the best bits in a cut and make them even better! In other words, these aren't the kind of remixes that seek to bludgeon an original track to death in service of putting the remixer in the spotlight – and instead, Morales has a superb way of helping Teddy Pendergrass shine even more than ever – letting the vocals soar over majestic Philly soul grooves – on tracks that are both from the Pendergrass years in Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, and some of Teddy's later solo cuts too. Titles include Morales mixes of "The More I Get The More I Want", "The Love I Lost", "Come Go With Me", "Don't Leave Me This Way", "Only You", "Now Is The Time To Do It", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "If You Know Like I Know", "You Can't Hide From Yourself", "Is There A Place For Me", "Where Are All My Friends", and "If You Don't Know Me By Now". 2CD set features 18 tracks in all – 6 more than the vinyl version! CD

A definite real thing from the mighty David Porter – one of his killer solo albums for Stax Records, after splitting his partnership with Isaac Hayes at the end of the 60s – and a record that really matches some of Ike's classic solo sets for sheer ambition and power! Porter's approach is a bit more earthy – almost some deeper soul currents in the music, set alongside fuller arrangements that bring in some gentle funk currents at the bottom, and a complicated instrumental approach that still stays plenty soulful, while stunning us with a level of complexity. Like Hayes, Porter talks a bit along with his vocals – and Ike helps out on one track, but clearly lets David give the album most of his own flavor. Titles include a long version of "Hang On Sloopy", one that goes on for over 11 minutes, and with a soul sound that's very different than the original – and other tracks include "I Don't Wanna Cry", "Ooo Wee Girl", "Thirty Days", "Grocery Man", and "Too Real To Live A Lie". CD features three rare, originally unissued bonus tracks too – "Come Get From Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Gotta Get Over The Hump", and "Somebody's Trying To Ride Piggy Back". CD

A killer group from the contemporary Cali scene – recorded in LA with a nicely lean, stripped-down sound – a smaller version of trombonist Ryan Porter's West Coast Get Down, and one that features excellent work on tenor from Kamasi Washington too! The album's nicely different than most of Porter and Washington's larger concept work – maybe a more back to basics jazz session – performed with work from Jumane Smith on trumpet, Brandon Coleman on piano and keyboards, Miles Mosley on basses, and Tony Austin on drums – all great players who work with the leader in a style that's soulful and righteous, but nicely straightforward too! Titles include "Madiba", "The Psalmnist", "Anaya", "Carriacou", "Oscalypso", and "Mesophere". CD

The massive second album by PE – and the one where where the hit their full creative stride, and their politics and philosphy hit at full force – moving Public Enemy from an imposing threat to both the hip hop and pop music status quo to a straight up cultural phenomenon! There's little we can add to canon of critical regard this unimpeachable classic – just know that it's as essential as any hip hop album of the era. Includes "Bring The Noise", "Don't Believe The Hype", "Prophets Of Rage" and "Rebel Without A Pause", "Cold Lampin With Flavor", "Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic", "Louder Than A Bomb", "Caught, Can We Get A Witness", "She Watch Channel Zero", "Night Of The Living Baseheads", "Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos", "Prophets For Right To Fight" and more. CD

An obscure set from the Detroit scene of the early 80s – a jazz record, but one with a nice current of soul – thanks to work on both bass and vocals from Reginald "ShooBeeDoo" Fields! Wendell Harrison recorded the record, and also plays tenor on the record – but the set's very different than most of his music, both of the 70s and 80s – because Fields has an offbeat style that's very much his own, and which really seems to tie the rest of the musicians on the record to his sharp energy on the bass! That instrument is used in both acoustic and electric modes – and things sometimes get loose, open, and slightly free – then balanced out with straighter, more soulful passages. In addition to tenor from Harrison, the set also features Billy McCoy on electric piano, Tani Tabal on tablas and drums, and Allen Barns on additional tenor. Pamela Wise sings on "Ancient Egyptian Rhythms" – and other titles include "The Wagon Walk", "The Morning Sun", "Reminiscing", and "Shoo Will Be Back In Due Time". CD

A pair of early albums from soul singer Rockie Robbins – back to back on a single CD! First up is his self-titled record from 1979 – a really nice album of smooth soul tracks – the first set by singer Rockie Robbins, and a masterful effort from the Chicago soul production team of Richard Evans and Johnnie Pate! Evans and Pate handle the work with their best care of the 70s – fitting the tunes to the modern soul style demanded by the material, but also keeping things real at every level, and throwing in that nice little Chicago swing that always makes their best work bounce! Titles include "I Can Hardly Wait", "If I Ever Lose You", "When I Think Of You", "I Love You Only", "Be Ever Wonderful", and "Don't Deny Me". Next is You & Me – great work from the wonderful Rockie Robbins – a smooth soul singer who cut some great sides at the start of the 80s, but who hardly ever gets his due! Bobby Martin's working with Rockie on this effort – giving the set that warmly gliding mode that made Martin's productions some of the best in late 70s mainstream soul – a sound that's clearly informed by Philly, but which also has room for mellower, and more sophisticated modes as well. Tracks include a number of Sam Dees compositions – "Hang Tough", "After Loving You", "Girl I'm Gonna Get Ya", and "For The Sake Of A Memory" – plus the tracks "Together", "Point Of View", "Lost In Love Again", and "I Never Knew". CD

A garagey group from the North Carolina scene of the 60s, but one who've also got this really tuneful vibe as well – almost a sort of Brit Invasion inspiration mixed with the rougher edges in their music! The group harmonize in a way that's clearly got some Beatles inspiration, but the production of this unissued material is very different than any sort of George Martin session in the studio – with plenty of echo and even a bit of distortion from time to time, which really offsets the sweetness in the vocals! The set features their original Wal-Mor 45 – the only two tracks that were ever issued back in the day – plus eight more unissued titles – tunes that include "Try Not To Cry", "Ticky Tacky", "Don't Be Surprised", "Get Out Of That Rut", "I Walk The Line", "Blue Blue World", and "The Shortest Road To You". CD

The complete Warner Brothers recordings of Sly Stone – and a much-needed look at an oft-ignored side of his career! The set features the full tracks from the albums Back On The Right Track and Ain't But The One Way – as well as 5 previously unissued demos, which have a rough and ready feel that almost makes them the best of the bunch! The work on the albums is surprisingly great – not classic early Sly, but with this warmly compressed groove that extends his sound nicely – and which has a really great mainstream funk appeal. Sly's using the studio as an instrument more than ever before – getting some great sounds out of the way he brings the vocals, drums, and guitars all together in the mix – and reinventing himself a bit, without losing his groove. Titles include "The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)", "Shine It On", "It Takes All Kinds", "Who's To Say", "Sheer Energy", "LOVINU", "One Way", "High, Y'All", "Ha Ha Hee Hee", "You Really Got Me", "Sylvester", "You're The One (inst demo)", "In Other Words (demo)", "Hand Of Love (demo)", and "Get Back (backing track takes 2 & 3)". CD

Stringbean may look a bit silly on the cover, but he's a dead serious banjo player – one of the greats of his generation, and an artist who's sometimes overlooked on his instrument, because of a penchant for humor in his live performances! And although some of the songs here have a bit of wit at the start, once things get going, Stringbean's in that great mix of old time styles that the Starday Records label was hitting hard in the 60s – one of the few strong outlets for more country-flavored work on banjo, at a time when so many of the folk revival kids wanted things steered a bit more their way! Needless to say, you probably never would have caught Stringbean headlining a club in the Village – but that difference is what makes a record like this so great to discover – as you'll hear on titles that include "Birdie", "Don't Bob Your Hair Girls", "Herdin Cattle", "Keep My Skillet Good & Greasy", "Give Me Back My Five Dollars", and "Wake Up Little Betty". CD

Few folks get a classic groove as right as T-Groove – and here, he's working with the George Kano Experience for an even more classic vibe – this wonderful blend of soul, jazz, funk, and boogie – all put together with the best sort of 80s groove production! The album's got a wonderfully understated vibe – so much so, the whole thing almost feels like the kind of lost major label production from back in the day – the sort of the set that was cut with top-shelf talents in the studio, then under-promoted by the record company – only to be discovered years later by rare groove hounds like us! Yet it's contemporary, and hopefully will get the attention it deserves – overflowing with great tracks that include a clubby remake of Herbie Hancock's "Cantaloupe Island", topped with the lyrics penned by Mark Murphy in the 70s – plus tracks that include "Shallow Naked Love", "Timeless Groove", "Haven", "Do It Baby", and "Secret Lover". CD

One of the greatest British groups of the 70s – presented here in all their glory – a huge package that includes all their full length albums in one set, plus rare bonus material too! The music here runs from the original quartet lineup through the time when Kevin Godley and Lol Creme stepped out – and 10CC still continued their genius approach to recording, with some of the most inventive studio work of their generation – and unusual, hook-heavy tunes that made for record after record that were full of sonic surprises! The set features all the albums – 10CC, Sheet Music, Original Soundtrack, How Dare You, Deceptive Bends, Live & Let Live, Bloody Tourists, Look Here, Ten Out Of 10, Windows In The Jungle, and Meanwhile – and also comes with 2 extra CDs of rare material – titled Bits We Missed – with 33 more tracks that include "Run Away", "Bee In My Bonnet", "Waterfall", "18 Carat Man Of Means", "Channel Swimmer", "Good News", "Hot To Trot", "Get It While You Can", "I'm So Laid Back I'm Laid Out", "Nothing Can Move Me", "Tomorrow's World Today", "Only Child", and "Don't Squeeze Me Like Toothpaste". CD

A contemporary group, but one who bring out a classic Cali soul vibe – particularly that sound that played very well in East LA back in the day – when mellow sweet soul was the biggest thing on the scene! The sound here is wonderful – fragile but strong at the same time – and served up by a group who are larger than a small combo, but who never get in each others' way at all – so that the tunes have all the heartbreaking sense of space that you'll fine in a classic sweet soul single! Yet there's often a nice little groove, too – a slow funk touch that's brought to the record by drummer Joseph Quinones, who's also the producer – and clearly lets his drums help guide the more fragile side of the proceedings. Titles include "Talking Back", "Like I Can Give", "Keep On Calling", "What's His Name", "Hold On", "It's Such A Shame", "Give It Up You Fool", and "Can't Do That To Her". CD

A really great set from Today – a group with a very old school sense of soul harmony, in a way that elevates the record past some of the thinner mainstream work of the time! The group definitely revel in the beaty, bassy rhythms of the new jack generation – but really come together strongly on the vocal tip, with a range that soars nicely along the scale, and really has the lyrics trading back and forth together in a great way – often really enhancing the hooks of the songs. Titles include a remix of their soundtrack cut "Why You Get Funky On Me" – plus "I Wanna Come Back Home", "Every Little Thing About You", "Let Me Know", "Self Centered", "Gonna Make You Mine", "My Happiness", "No Need To Worry", and "I Got The Feeling". CD features the bonus track "Why You Get Funky On Me (orig mix)". CD

A lost harmony soul classic from the east coast scene of the 70s – a set that was recorded in the shadow of work by bigger groups, like the Moments or Stylistics, and which has a similarly sort of sublime sound! There's a nice edge to the album – like some of the George Kerr productions on Stang/All-Platinum – as producer Bruce M Clarke really lets the vocals shine through on most tracks – just updating a 60s sweet soul mode with the right sort of hip 70s elements, but all while never getting in the way of the harmonies! With that approach, we'd maybe rank this one right up there with the classic album by Soul Generation – especially given the badass sort of vibe on the funky numbers. Titles include "At Last It's Over", "Giving Up", "God & You", "All Good Things Can't Last", "Booking Up", "Moving Down The Line", "Gotta Get You Back", and "Your Love Comes Slower Than Never". Bonus tracks include "What Is Love" and "Am I Ever Gonna See My Baby Again" by Marion Butler, "Another Man's Woman" and "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "God & You" by Loreli, and "Everybody's Got A Good Thing" by Loreli with Empress Kilpatrick. CD

A pair of late Ike & Tina albums in a single package! Workin' Together is a pivotal album – one that has them still retaining some of the earthiness of earlier years, yet also honing their groove for the crossover audience that was digging them big at the end of the 60s! The best results of this shift is the increasing funk component in their music – a move away from R&B into a tighter 60s groove, one that often featured very strong guitar parts in its best incarnation. The set includes the classic "Funkier Than A Mosquito's Tweeter", plus "Ooh Poo Pah Doo", "Let It Be", "Goodbye So Long", "You Can Have It", "The Way You Love Me", "Get Back", and "Workin Together". Let Me Touch Your Mind is a fairly loose set of diverse material from the tumultuous duo, from the tender, lovely chorus backed and string accented grit of the title track to more stripped down, kinda country funk accented number. Includes "Annie Had A Baby", "Don't Believe Her", "Early One Morning", "Up On The Roof", "Heaven Help Us All" and more. CD

A pair of late Motown albums from Undisputed Truth – both issued here back to back, as they originally appeared for the label! First up is Cosmic Truth – a fantastic 70s album from Undisputed Truth – and the first to fully feature the new version of the lineup, after the Magictones had been recruited to form the second version of the group! The sound here is even funkier and more guitar-based than before – a fully-realized take on the Norman Whitfield modes that had been brewing up since his late 60s work with The Temptations – almost as tripped-out at times as early 70s Funkadelic – as if Undisputed Truth were being put forth as a Detroit challenge to the George Clinton universe! Production and arrangements are great – very far-reaching at times, with some bigger ideas in the mix – although all the tight funky soul elements that always made these guys so great. Titles include "1990", "Squeeze Me Tease Me", "Earthquake Snake", "Spaced Out", "Lil Red Ridin Hood", "Got To Get Me Some Lovin", and the great cut "UFO's". Higher Than High is a great later Motown effort from the Undisputed Truth – working in a groove that's a bit tighter and more upbeat than before, but still plenty darn great! Norman Whitfield is still very firmly in charge of the group's sound on the record – arranging, producing, and writing most of the cuts on the album – and he's doing a great job of keeping his sound fresh here – not just sticking in the bass-heavy styles of previous years, and instead moving into some fresher territory that has the group continuing to grow nicely. In a way, the whole thing's almost a precursor for the grooves to come on Norman's own Whitfield label – a great batch of well-crafted titles that include "Overload", "Higher Than High", "Poontang", "I Saw YOu When You Met Her", "Help Yourself (second version)", "I'm In The Red Zone", "Boogie Bump Boogie", and "Ma". CD

Killer trio material from drummer Daniel Villarreal – a lean, clean record that's a really great showcase for all three players involved! The music's got a vibe that's more live and spontaneous than some other efforts on the International Anthem label, and a sound that's almost funky at times – as Daniel's snapping drums get plenty of encouragement from the basses of Anna Butterss, which really sets fire to the guitar of Jeff Parker! Parker's back here at a level that we haven't heard on record in awhile, and the record seems to resonate with all his long experience with a variety of players – while also standing as a showcase for his ability to really deliver some warmly chromatic tones on the guitar. Titles include "Things Can Be Calm", "Daytime Nighttime", "Salute", "Sunset Cliffs", "Republic", "Chicali Outpost", and "Bring It". CD

The full early work of UK pop singer Kim Wilde – a big force on both sides of the Atlantic for a few short years, and part of a great wave of catchy girl-fronted music in the generation that also included Blondie and the Go-Gos! Kim's got her own special twist on the sound – one that also draws from some of the UK pop of the period, but which also never moves into too much synth or electro pop – and instead takes all the best upbeat, live energy of the early new wave years – and maybe gives it a more straightforward spin, in a way that helped Wilde get plenty of play on the charts! This nicely-done set features all three albums for the RAK label – Kim Wilde, Select, and Catch As Catch Can – plus bonus tracks that include "Boys", "He Will be There", "Child Come Away", "Just Another Guy", "Watching For Shapes", "Rain On", and "Back Seat Drive". CD4 features lots more bonus tracks too – special disco mixes that include "Kids In America (Luke Mornay rmx)", "Chequered Love (Matt Pop ext)", "Water On Glass (Project K soundtrack)", "Cambodia (Matt Pop ext)", "View From A Bridge (Project K soundtrack)", and "Take Me Tonight (Luke Mornay profondo giallo mix)". CD

Two classic Lloyd Charmers productions – back to back on CD, with lots of bonus tracks too! Delroy Wilson steps up strongly with Sarge – a set that's got an unassuming cover and a very deep vibe – this mellow groove that always seems to work great with Delroy's style – and lets him really push over the top with all sorts of warmly crackling energy, stretching things more than some of his contemporaries who were maybe just content to kick back in the rhythm. The set's definitely one to remind you that Wilson was one of the more soulful Jamaican singers of his time – and titles include "My Conversation", "I'm Still Waiting", "My Cecilia", "Ain't That Loving You", "Everybody Needs Love", "Got A Date", and "The Last Thing On My Mind". On Boothe Unlimited, the great Ken Boothe is featured strongly on vocals, but the set also features a fair bit of instrumentals too – that balance between soulful lyrics and dubby instrumentals that you'd usually find on a 7" single, carried out here as a showcase for some stunning production from the great Lloyd Charmers! Titles include "Ain't No Sunshine", "Look What You've Done For Me", "You've Broken The Guitar", "Out Of Love", "Missing You", "To Get Rhythm", and "Second Chance". CD features 13 tracks on CD for the first time ever – and also includes 12 bonus tracks, all discomixes of titles on the albums! CD

The Detroit soul scene at the start of the 60s – music from a time before Motown was dominating the city's reputation, and a whole host of other great labels brought the motor city sound to the masses! The work here is quite a surprise if you're only thinking in terms of Northern Soul and some of the more uptempo Detroit groovers – as the work here burns on so many different levels – often with a style that reflects some of the nascent soul coming out of Chicago on labels like Chess and Vee Jay, the latter of whom is featured here amidst a range of other imprints that include Wand, Atlantic, Scepter, Time, Old Town, and Brent – all of whom released some of these early Detroit soul tracks as singles back in the day. In true Ace/Kent fashion, the set also features a few unreleased gems, plus a wonderful set of notes on the city's soul scene – alongside tracks that include "Nosey Folk" by The Del-Phis, "Answer Me" by Vivian Collins, "Can't We Get Together" by Harry Reid, "Here I Am" by Betty Lavette, "Shakin Fit" by The Pyramids, "That's No Way To Spend My Time" by The Pen Ettes, "Wedding Bells" by Melvin Davis, "You Lied" by Marva Josie, "Think A Little Sugar" by Barbara Lewis, "Just One More Time" by JJ Barnes, "My Letter" by Priscilla Page, "I Know How It Feels" by Laura Johnson, "I'm A Lonely Guy" by Timmy Shaw & The Sternphones, "Come Back To Me" by La Wanda William, "I Cried For My Last Time" by The Sonnettes, and "Tears Running & Falling From My Eyes" by James Lately. CD

A really rare side of the legendary De-Lite Records – served up here in a range of obscure 45s before the company exploded into bigger fame with the success of Kool & The Gang! The work here puts De-Lite right on the same level as important indies on the east coast at the turn of the 70s – and shows an especially strong ability to capture the best group styles of the period – from the sublime harmony styles being crafted in New Jersey and Philly, to some of the growing funky styles in the pre-disco years! The set's a much-needed look at this early part of the label – and also features titles on the related Red Coach label too – in a wonderful package of 25 tracks that includes "I'll Never Let You Get Away" by Universal Mind, "So Long Sweet Little Girl" by Reggie Saddler Revue, "I'm At The Breaking Point" by The Trumains, "Girl (part 1)" by Philadelphia Ambassadors, "Gotta Let Some Sunshine Into My Life" by The Exceptionals, "I'll Always Love You" by The New Cymbals, "So Fine" by The Fiestas, "The Story Of Our Love" by The Carstairs, "Love You Can't Shake It" by Reggie Saddler & The Jammers, "Nothing In The World" by The Electras, "Back On The Road Again" by Richmond International, and "Love Foundation" by Electrified Action. CD

Not much of a cover or title, but a pretty great little set – and one that features a fair bit of lesser-known gems from years back, despite its claim of classics! The tracks here are all at the higher end of the disco rhythmic spectrum – mostly quite upbeat, with soaring strings and tight instrumental flourishes – very much in the spirit of Paul Sabu, who produced some of the cuts on the set – or some of the bigger hits on TK Records from the time. Titles include "If You Could Read My Mind" by Viola Wills, "I'm Here & I'm Hot" by Vicki Sue Robinson, "Superman" by Celi Bee, "Love Rush" by Ann-Margret, "Do Your Best" by Carl Hahn, "Gimme Back My Love Affair" by Sister Power, "We're Gonna Rock" by Sabu, "Disco Dancin" by Rice & Beans Orchestra, "Magnifique" by Magnifique, and "Don't You Want My Love" by Debbie Jacobs. CD

A soaring batch of disco gems, club cuts, and undiscovered nuggets – all pulled together to make a set that's even better than the first entry in this Disco Wonderland series! DJ Andy Smith and associates bring together a great array of fresh tracks from back in the day – not massive disco hits, but also not the kind of rare gems that maybe never made the cut for a good reason – and instead, the tracks here work together perfectly, and even get a few special mixes along the way by Smith and the crew, which includes a few contemporary cuts that fit perfectly next to the vintage material. Titles include "Get Up & Dance (Bad Bikini re-edit)" by Disco Circus, "You're The Best" by The Emotions, "Heaven" by The Gibson Brothers, "Dreamin" by Greg Henderson, "You Don't Know (Crissy Kybosh rmx)" by Serious Intention, "For The Love Of Money" by Armada Orchestra, "You & I" by Ronnie Jones, "Sweet Dynamite" by Claudja Barry, "Dance Freak" by Chain Reaction, "Night Of My Life" by Full Intention & Nick Reach Up with Jazz Morley, "I'm In Love" by Cela, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "Lost Without You (Andy Smith re-edit)" by Will Sessions & Amp Fiddler, and "Ghetto Disco" by Ted Taylor. 2CD version features one CD of the songs mix, another unmixed! CD

One of the most important indie labels of the postwar years – heard here in a flurry of great tracks that really show them at their finest! This excellent double-length set brings together magical moments from a time when the Flair imprint was really hitting on all burners – recording key vocal, instrumental, blues, and doo wop tracks that would go onto have a huge impact on generations to come – mixed here with a host of titles that haven't been on CD before! The package digs deeper than any look at Flair we've ever seen – and that's saying a lot, given that Ace Records was already giving the label their due a few decades before – and all the new material sits strongly next to classics that make the 50 track collection one of the best R&B collections from the 78rpm era that we've heard in a long long time. Titles include "She Wants To Rock" and "Getting High" by The Flairs, "Loosely" and "Cuban Get Away" by Ike Turner, "Chop House" by Blinky Allen, "Quit Hangin Around Me" by Saunders King, "Early In The Morning" and "Can't Stop Lovin" by Elmore James, "Hello Baby" and "Baby Beat It" by Big Duke, "Midnight Hours Journey" by Johnny Ace, "Night Howler" by Billy Gale, "You Better Hold Me" by James Reed, "I've Got The Feeling" by Baby Parham, "This Time It's Real" by Ricky & Jennell, "Send Him Back" by Shirley Gunter, "An Angel Cried" by Anna Marie, "Blue Mambo" by Bobby Rey, and "Love Me Love Me Love Me" by The Chimes. CD