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It's taken us a bit longer than expected to get this second installment in Maxwell's Black Summers' Night series – but it's been well worth the wait, given the greater depth in the music! All that we love about Maxwell's previous records is alive and well here – but there's also kind of a sharper edge to the sound, too – these fuller bottom currents that almost seem to be adding a second sort of instrumental commentary, alongside the lyrical activity up top – all while the whole thing is wrapped together with that warm keyboard flow that first made Maxwell stand out so many years back! There's almost this double edge to the whole thing – rough with the smooth, or turmoil under peace – which gives the whole thing a lot more power than this sort of record from some of Maxwell's contemporaries. Score another win for the mighty one – on tracks that include "The Fall", "Lake By The Ocean", "Lost", "Gods", "Fingers Crossed", "Hostage", "1990x", and "All The Ways Love Can Feel". CD

An excellent bit of modern soul – a smooth seductive album that fits perfectly with an older mellow groove, but which also sparkles with the best recent efforts of the past decade. Maxwell's got a wonderful vocal style – reminding us a bit of classic Isley Brothers, Leon Ware, or O'Jays in a ballad mode – and it sits perfectly amidst warm jazzy arrangements by Musze, filled with all the subtle instrumental touches (keyboards, sax, and guitar) you'd find on a late album by Marvin Gaye, or some of the slow jams by the Isleys. The vibe is warm and acoustic, and the record's a wonderful return to a classic mellow midtempo soul style – and did quite well upon its initial release. Also interesting was the fact that the record was pressed up heavily on vinyl – something that was rare for a mainstream soul album at the time, and which was particularly ubiquitous in our hometown of Chicago, where DJs on the steppers scene were snatching up the record like hotcakes! Includes the titles "Ascension", "Whenever Wherever Whatever", "Lonely's The Only Company (parts 1 & 2)", "Reunion", and "Suitelady (The Proposal Jam)" – but the whole thing's great! CD

A massive return to form for Maxwell – his first album in many years, but definitely well worth the wait! The set's supposedly the start of a trilogy – but hell, we're more than happy to have it all on its own – a wonderful reminder of the deeply soulful sound that first made us fall in love with Maxwell's music many years back – at a time when few mainstream soul artists could hit such a classic vibe – equally amazing all these years later, as Maxwell's still doing it better than most! Tunes are beautifully-written – straightforward, without any gimmicks, and cascading in warm beats, laidback grooves, and those sweetly crackling vocals that make Maxwell a winner on both mellow and funky numbers. Titles include "Bad Habits", "Cold", "Pretty Wings", "Playing Possum", "Phoenix Rise", "Stop The World", and "Love You". CD

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Features Nighthawk on vocals and guitar – plus a bit of guest harmonica from Carey Bell! CD

Two CDs of live street recordings from Mike Shea's 1964 documentary And This Is Free – plus a 44 minute CD Bloomfield Interviews Night Hawk. CD

A tough title to live up to – but Raphael makes it happen! The album's as wonderful as you might think – all the deeply soulful styles Saadiq worked out with Tony Toni Tone, taken back through a historical range of soul music – firmly planted in a legacy that begins with Stevie Wonder, runs through Maxwell and D'Angelo, and which points the way towards the future of urban soul. Backings are very much in the beats-n-keyboards mode, but Raphael works out such a wide range of moods and modes that the album avoids any of the shortcomings of other albums in such a style. Includes guest performances by Angie Stone, Leslie Wilson, T-Boz, Calvin Richardson, and D'Angelo – and titles that include "Doing What I Can", "Be Here", "Still Pay", "You're The One That I Like", "Excuse Me", "Tick Tock", "People", "Faithful", "Make My Day", "Blind Man", "Different Times", "What's Life Like", and "Skyy, Can You Feel Me". CD

Pure brilliance from start to finish – especially the second side of the record, which has a continuous run of tunes that's very unique – and still completely sublime all these many years later! The album shows the fracturing ideas of the group, but crafted together with a unity you won't find on The White Album or Let It Be – still a way of making it all gel together beautifully, as the fab four stretch their wings to find new ways of being. Added instrumentation is used wonderfully – never overdone, but with orchestral passages that can really hammer home the best musical moments – and titles include "I Want You", "Because", "You Never Give Me Your Money", "Golden Slumbers", "The End", "Her Majesty", "Polythene Pam", and "Sun King". This very cool 2CD version features a new mix by Giles Martin and Sam Okell – and a huge amount of bonus alternate tracks – including "Come Together (take 5)", "Something (studio demo)", "Oh Darling (take 4)", "Maxwell's Silver Hammer (take 12)", "Golden Slumbers/Carry The Weight (takes 1, 2, & 3)", "Sun King (take 20", "I Want You (Trident recording session & reduction mix)", "Octopus' Garden (take 9", "Because (take 1 inst)", and "Mean Mr Mustard (take 20)". CD

One of the standout classics from BB King's legendary run at Kent – a classic album with a cool little cover to boot! Arrangements on the set are by Maxwell Davis – who has this great way of bringing out some of the jazzier currents in BB's music – almost the same Memphis blend that Bobby Blue Bland was using at the time – really showing a new level of sophistication added to the blues! BB's guitar and vocals are wonderful – with this bold, youthful power that's free from any cliche or easy modes – and titles include "Beautician Blues", "The Jungle", "5 Long Years", "Eyesight To The Blind", "Blue Shadows", "The Worst Thing In My Life", "Blues Stay Away", "Got Em Bad", and "It's A Mean World". CD

One of those records that kind of snuck under the radar at the time – but which has gone onto become a crucial part of soul music from the 90s, and a record that's one of the blueprints for the neo soul generation to come! Sweetback are a trio of musicians who provided important backing for Sade – the kind of warm, classic-styled soul grooves that made her a standout right from the start – and which also inspired a whole generation of musicians to leave behind some of the more electronic modes they were using in the 80s. The set really marks a shift back towards warmer, jazzier, more human sounds of soul music in the 90s – and in addition to great instrumentation by the core trio, the set also features some early vocals from Amel Larrieux, plus work from Maxwell too. Titles include "You Will Rise", "Au Naturel", "Walk Of Ju", "Softly Softly", and "Sensations". CD

Music from Dean Elliott & His Big Band, the Three Suns, Felix Slatkin, Bob Thompson, Les Baxter's Drums, Lenny Dee, Dave Harris & The Powerhouse Five, Russ Case, David Carroll, Alvino Rey, Robert Maxwell, and more. CD

Music by RL Burnside, James "Son" Thomas, Joe Willie Wilkins, Boogie Bill Webb, Clyde Maxwell, and Cornelius Bright with Jimmy Holmes. CD

Music from Little Brother Montgomery John Lee Granderson, Dr Isaiah Ross, Big Joe Williams, James Cotton, Maxwell Street Jimmy, James Cotton, Eddie Boyd, Son House, Rev Robert Wilkins, and more. CD

A soaring set from Leon Bridges – a full length second album that's every bit as classic as his debut, but in a completely different way! Where Coming Home was maybe Leon's answer to the generation of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke, Good Thing is more of a nod to the era of Maxwell and D'Angelo – but, as before, coming across with a vibe that's completely Bridges' own – this ebullient, bubblingly soulful quality that's completely sublime – and which has Leon's voice fitting perfectly with the mellow grooving beats, keyboards, and guitar. The singer's voice is maybe even better than before – sure to win over an even new wave of ears – and titles include "If It Feels Good Then It Must Be", "Bet Ain't Worth The Hand", "Bad Bad News", "Shy", "Beyond", "Forgive You", "Lions", "You Don't Know", and "Georgia To Texas". CD

An amazing debut from bassist Derrick Hodge – an artist we've loved for his work in the Robert Glaper Experiment, and his previous performances with Terence Blanchard, Common, and Maxwell! Hodge has a deep, round sound that really bridges different worlds of jazz and soul – and while his resume of previous work is very impressive, his sound here is something new altogether – a spacious groove that often puts the bass right out in front, sometimes loping gently alongside keyboards, sometimes finding this special space that's airy, yet never too ethereal – a really fresh, soulful sort of style! Hod plays a bit of keyboards on the record too – and other musicians include both Robert Glasper and James Poyser on keyboards, Chris Dave on drums and percussion, Keyon Harold on trumpet, and Common on guest vocals on one track. Titles include "Live Today", "Dances With Ancestors", "Anthem In 7", "Still The One", "The Real", and "Table Jawn". CD

Beats by LES, Chucky Thompson and Salaam Remi, with guests Olu Dara, Kelis, Ludacris, Doug E Fresh, Busta Rhymes, Maxwell, and others. Titles include "Nazareth Savage", "American Way", "These Are Out Heroes", "Disciple", 'Rest OF My Life", "Suicide bounce", "Streets Disciple", "Unauthorized Biography Of Rakim", "Remember The Times", "The Makings Of A Perfect B****", "Bridging The Gap" and 'War". CD

Not just Rock N Roll, but a classic collection of doo wop, R&B, and more – served up in a massive CD package that brings together all versions of this classic album on Crown Records! The original Rock N Roll Dance Party was a key collection in the late 50s – one that helped push the best R&B artists on the Modern/Kent label to a wider audience, thanks to a more mainstream cover. But as the 60s moved in, the title was re-vamped with new titles – and appeared in different versions that are finally getting sorted out and presented here. The CD features 26 tracks from all the albums – and even if you're not concerned with the discographical information, the whole thing still stands as a hard-rocking collection of grooves – as fresh today as it was nearly 50 years ago! Titles include "Cherry Pie" by Marvin & Johnny, "Don't Be Angry" by The Cadets, "Sunday Meetin Rock" by Johnny Allen, "All Night Long" by Joe Houston, "Dance With Me Henry" by Etta Jones, "Vido's Boogie" by Vido Musso, "Bye Bye Fare Thee Well" by Peppermint Harris, "Ay La Bah" by Dolly Cooper, "Cool Diggin" by Maxwell Davis, "I Want My Baby" by Jimmy Beasley, "Convicted" by Oscar McLollie, and "Have Mercy Miss Percy" by Long Tall Marvin. CD

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