A great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "The Reel Of Time", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". Also features a great medley of "Something" and "Something You Got". LP, Vinyl record album

Smokey and the group do a great job on some lesser-known numbers – all presented with that wonderful warm polish that The Miracles brought to soul, a sound that's always great, even on a lesser-hit album like this! Titles include "Give Her Up", "Special Occasion", "Yester Love", "If You Can Want", "Just Losing You", "Much Better Off", and "You Only Build Me Up To Tear Me Down". LP, Vinyl record album

About as classic as you can get for late 60s Miracles! Smokey's vocals are in perfect form, and the group still has that 60s falsetto harmony sound, with lots of fragile bits and strong group backing. Includes the huge hit "Tears Of A Clown", plus a motherlode of great originals that make this a no-filler set! Titles include "The Soulful Shack", "My Love Is Your Love", "Don't Think It's Me", "I'm On The Outside (Looking In)", "More Love", and "It's A Good Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful little record – by a group who should have been much bigger than they were! Despite the fact that these guys are an obscure rock band with a silly name, the record's a perfect example of the subtly soulful work that was coming out of various west coast sources during the 70s – the kind of album-oriented work that yielded gems for play on underground FM radio, but which has been mostly lost to the shifting sands of time, save for some well-placed rescue in the reissue scene. The gem on this one is the smooth stepper "Fazon", but the album's got a few other nice ones too, with a jazzy tinge that's almost in debt to Mose Allison or Ben Sidran – that kind of cool blend of many elements with younger ideas that was bubbling up on the Bay Area scene. Titles include "Dancin Wizard", "Monkeys On the Moon", "Sneaky Smith", and "Astronaut Food". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic! This is Yma Sumac's rock album from the early 70's – and it's got a wild sound that's totally different from any of her work at Capitol! The record includes lots of electric instrumentation, and Yma's voice moves from the exotic to the psychedelic, as she sings along with some great organ/guitar small group backing produced by Les Baxter. Sounds weird at first, but it's great, and almost a bit funky! Titles include "Zebra", "El Condor Pasa", "Tree Of Life", "Flame Tree", "Looke Around", and "Let Me Hear You". LP, Vinyl record album

Features Derek Bailey on guitar, Jamaaladeen Tacuma on bass, and Calvin Weston on drums! CD

The near-complete work of one of the all-time great but overlooked groups of the UK scene of the late 60s – a group who jumped between a few different labels, mostly issued a handful of singles, yet managed to create a huge amount of magic at the time! You'll not find The Mirage in the history books, but they definitely gave the UK scene a few great singles, enough to get them onto the BBC – where a few of these tracks were recorded – and somehow managed to keep on working on great music, despite record label politics that would have buried most other acts of the generation. There's a tuneful approach to psych that begins some of the material, with maybe the odd freakbeat moment too – a quality that comes out even more strongly as the group morphs through a few later identities, including Yellow Pages, Portebello Explosion, and the really great Jawbone – the last of whom finally got a chance to record a full length album! The 3CD package divides up nicely – CD1 features singles and BBC tracks by The Mirage, plus a few by Portebello Explosion and Yellow Pages; CD2 features some stunning unheard outtakes that are maybe even more amazing than some Mirage singles; and CD3 features the full Jawbone album from 1970, a set that echoes some of the earlier moments, but with even sharper instrumentation and a nicely compressed sense of production. 3CD set features 60 tracks in all, and very detailed notes on the group and their music! CD

Four classics from this legendary Motown group – including 2 albums on CD for the first time ever! First up is What Love Has Joined Together – excellent work by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – recorded with a super-heavy vibe that's very different than his sweeter 60s work! The record has an amazingly large conception of arrangements – mostly handled by Smokey, and done in a complicated baroque harmony style that points forward towards his later Quiet Storm sound – but which isn't as laidback and compressed. Most tracks are covers, but they're redone fantastically – with better vocals than you could imagine – and titles include "What Love Has Joined Together", "My Cherie Amour", "If This World Were Mine", "This Guy's In Love", and "And I Love Her". Pocket Full Of Miracles is a great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "The Reel Of Time", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". Also features a great medley of "Something" and "Something You Got". One Dozen Roses is an early 70s set from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – and a set that mixes great new material with a few older gems from the previous decade too! The new cuts are fantastic – and have Smokey and the group continuing that mellower, more laidback harmony style that really knocks it out of the park – almost as if The Miracles were trying to challenge some of the younger sweet soul acts who were coming onto the scene. Titles include the older cuts "Tears Of A Clown" and "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game" – plus "I Don't Blame You At All", "That Girl", "I Love You Dear", "No Wonder Love's A Wonder", and "When Sundown Comes". Flying High Together is excellent 70s work by Smokey and crew – sort of their way of showing the emerging east coast vocal stars how much talent they still had! The record has a sweet, slightly modern sound – with an approach that hints at Smokey's later Quiet Storm sound, but maybe a bit more laidback overall – set up with really great arrangements from both David Van De Pitte and HB Barnum. Titles include a killer reading of Stevie Wonder's "We Had A Love So Strong", plus "Got To Be There", "You Ain't Livin 'Till You're Lovin", "Flying High Together", "It Will Be Alright", and a cover of "Betcha By Golly Wow". CD features bonus tracks "You've Got Me Looking Through The Eyes Of Love" and "Paper People". CD

... CD

No Mirage here – as the album's got a presence that's impossible to deny – a solid, soulful uttering from this key Chicago combo of the 70s! The group's led by reedman Ari Brown – better known for his later avant work – and they've got a wicked blend of keyboards and horns with lots of complicated touches, played out over funky rhythms that are completely mindblowing! The great Ken Chaney plays keyboards, and in addition to Brown's reeds, the set also features trumpet from Frank Gordon, trombone from Steve Galloway, and bass from Rufus Reid – plus cool percussion from Arlington Davis and Drasheer Khalid. Most cuts are instrumental, and recorded beautifully – but one number, "The Ultimate Frontier", also features vocals from Anita Jefferies. Other cuts include "Slinky", "Mirage", "Just a Little Peace", and "March On". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty cool early tribute album to the young Jackie Chan! LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Features Hutcherson on vibes, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums! CD

A stone Motown classic – and a tune that really set the 60s "go go" soul groove on fire! But even better is the sweet b-side – the majestic "Choosey Beggar", a great ballad track with incredible lead vocals from Smokey! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Reissue of a 60s album that compiles earlier 78rpm recordings by one of Brazil's first true international stars! Titles include "Adeus Batucada", "Polichenelo", "Voltei Pro Morro", "Uva De Caminhao", "Rescenseamento", "O Samba E O Tango", "Cabaret No Morro", and "Minha Terra Tem Palmeiras". CD

Titles include "Viejo Carrusel", "La Ultima Copa", "Anuque Me Maten", "Isaciable", "Copas Y Amigos", and "Rebeldia". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous album from Laura Nyro – a real return to the soulful style of her roots, thanks to help from Labelle on backing vocals, and the team of Gamble & Huff on production! If Nyro only ever gave the world this record, that would more than be enough – because the whole thing's an incredibly hip blend of her own great songwriting and some of the more righteous strands of American soul music at the time. Most of the tracks are older soul numbers – some done relatively straight, others done with the more personal, contemplative style you'd expect from Nyro during these years. And decades before Amy Winehouse or Joss Stone started hitting territory like this, Nyro proved that a set of soul tracks like this could come off well, if handled with the right talent! Titles include "The Bells", "I Met Him On A Sunday", "Spanish Harlem", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "Desiree", "The Wind", "Nowhere To Run", and "It's Gonna Take A Miracle". CD features 4 bonus tracks too – "A Natural Woman", "Ooh Child", "Up On The Roof", and "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

2 classics from Smokey Robinson – back to back on one CD! Both albums feature the group grooving in that hard mid 60s "go go" mode – with insanely wonderful lead vocals by Smokey, on a lot of tracks that are less familiar than the big hits, but still really really wonderful. Backing by the group is great, too – and the overall sound is extremely sweet harmony soul, with a perfect Motown set of arrangements behind the band. Titles include "Can You Love A Poor Boy", "Tracks Of My Tears", "Going To A Go Go", "Ooo Baby Baby", "Chosey Beggar", "Let Me Have Some", "A Fork In The Road", "My Girl Has Gone", "My Baby Changes Like The Weather", "From Head To Toe", "Baby Baby", "I'm The One You Need", "Save Me", "Oh Be My Love", and "Swept For You Baby". Plus, this set includes 3 bonus tracks – the stereo mix of "It's Fantastic", the previously unissued "Goin Out Of My Head", and a live version of "A Fork In The Road". CD

Like the sticker on the cover says – 2 record album, 22 hit songs! This one's got just about all you'd need from the early days of Smokey & The Miracles – perfect falsetto harmony soul that shaped a generation of singers, and which was some of Motown's greatest work in the early days. Titles include "Got A Job", "I Need A Change", "Who's Lovin You", "Would I Love You", "Mickey's Monkey", "Shop Around", "(I Need Some) Money", "Bad Girl", "I Cry", "Way Over There", "I Love Your BAby", "What's Good About Goodbye", "A Love She Can Count On", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "I Like It Like That", "That's What Love Is Made Of", and "I Gotta Dance To Keep From Crying". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster set of work by one of the greatest harmony groups ever! Smokey was one of the first singers to bring sweetness into soul – and his work with The Miracles for Motown is the stuff of legend. This 52-track, 2CD set brings together a huge amount of the group's best work – a fantastic introduction to their music, packaged with a very well-detailed booklet that has an essay on the music and rare photos! Titles include "Point It Out", "More Love", "I Second That Emotion", "Going To A Go Go", "Chosey Beggar", "Satisfaction", "When Sundown Comes", "Got A Job", "Bad Girl", "Way Over There", "Who's Loving You", "Shop Around", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "My Girl Has Gone", "I Can't Stand To See You Cry", "Tears Of A Clown", and lots lots more! CD

Includes 25 tracks! CD

Excellent work by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – recorded with a super-heavy vibe that's very different than his sweeter 60s work! The record has an amazingly large conception of arrangements – mostly handled by Smokey, and done in a complicated baroque harmony style that points forward towards his later Quiet Storm sound – but which isn't as laidback and compressed. Most tracks are covers, but they're redone fantastically – with better vocals than you could imagine – and titles include "What Love Has Joined Together", "My Cherie Amour", "If This World Were Mine", "This Guy's In Love", and "And I Love Her". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent compilation of the early solo tracks recorded by this beautiful vocalist from The Zombies. The tracks are culled from his first 3 records – One Year, Ennismore, and Journey – all of which are pretty darn tough to find on wax! If you don't know this stuff, it's some of the most godlike pop ever created in the world, and it mixes Colin's heavenly voice with swirling strings and haunting arrangements that are a perfect extension from the late Zombies material. Titles include "I Don't Believe In Miracles", "Wonderful", "Say You Don't Mind", "Misty Roses", "Though You Are Far Away", "Let Me Come Closer To You", "How Could We Dare To Be Wrong", and "Caroline Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

James D-Train Williams' first album for a major label – and a really great follow-up to the indie success of his initial recordings for Prelude Records! The style here is very similar to the clubby grooves of D-Train's earlier sides – thanks to strong keyboards, production, and songwriting help from Hubert Eaves – the jazzy talent who helped give Williams' his trademark sound! Instrumentation veers slightly more towards mainstream 80s soul at times, but the Eaves' sound is still very firmly in place here – and titles include the groovers "Oh How I Love You (Girl)", "Misunderstanding", and "Let Me Love You" – plus "You Are Everything", "I Got Your Number", "Stand Up & Fight", and "Miracle Of The Heart". CD features some great bonus tracks – "Oh How I Love You (12" mix)", "You Are Everything (acapella)", "Misunderstanding (12" mix)", "Misunderstanding (acapella & house dub)", "Let Me Love You (12" mix)", and "Let Me Love You (dub)". CD

Ellery Eskelin on tenor saxophone, Susan Alcorn on pedal steel guitar, and Michael Formanek on double bass. CD

Art Farmer on flugelhorn and Clifford Jordan on tenor sax – with Fred Hersch on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Akira Tana on drums. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Features Hutcherson on vibes, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Peter Washington on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums! CD

Joe Locke on vibraphone, David Hazeltine on piano, Essiet Essiet on bass, and Billy Drummond on drums. CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible work from Smokey Robinson & The Miracles – a set that's not only one of the first great records on Motown, but a set that also really links the label to the vocal scene in the rest of the country too! Although the record features a few hits, the overall presentation is nicely free of the Motown mode that would later become quite standard – and many tracks have this very relaxed, unadorned approach that's a lot more like the group soul coming from small labels in New York, Philly, and Chicago! The group harmonize with even more soul and feeling than any of their Motown contemporaries – and the presence of Claudette Rogers gives the group a high tenor voice that really creates some amazing vocal interplay. The whole thing's stunning – a record that will really revise any simple thoughts you might have about Smokey and the group – and titles include "Shop Around", "Cause I Love You", "Don't Leave Me", "Your Love", "Depend On Me", and "Heart Like Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

Two post-Motown albums from The Miracles – back to back on a single CD! On Love Crazy, The Miracles move to Columbia Records – and pick up a whole new groove in the process – a much richer sound than previous records on Motown, with a soaring style that really works great for the harmonies! Billy Griffin's vocals are really coming into their own – as is his songwriting, too – evidenced by some of the more complicated elements in the mix, and the blend of full arrangements and tight rhythms that almost have a Philly feel overall! The change is a great one for the group – and not only helps them beat some of their best late Motown moments, but also points the way towards a heck of a lot of 80s soul too. Titles include "Too Young", "The Bird Must Fly Away", "Love Crazy", "Spy For Brotherhood", "A Better Way To Life", "Women", and the Isley-like "I Can Touch The Sky". The self-titled Miracles set is an overlooked groover from The Miracles – a late 70s set for Columbia Records, and one that's got a sparkling sound throughout! The album really has the group hitting some great modern soul modes for the set – arrangements by David Foster that push them forward even more, and which work equally well on the uptempo tunes as they do on the few mellower numbers too. The style is lush, but never overdone – just right for the vocal interplay of the group, with a quality that's a bit like late 70s Jacksons – but better. Titles include "Love Doctor", "I Can't Stand It", "Hot Dance", "Mean Machine", "Sad Rain", "Reach For The Sky", and "The Magic Of Your Eyes". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

Ismael Miranda is standing proud at the start of the 80s with this great little set – bringing some new boldness into his work, and recording in the expanded salsa sound of Fania at the time! The record augments basic salsa backings with some larger orchestrations on a number of tunes – in a way that was being used with Willie Colon and others at the label – but instead of softening Miranda's sound, the approach seems to push him on a bit more – buoying his vocals up on a batch of well-penned arrangements from Luis Cruz, Luis Garcia, Ray Santos, Louie Ramirez, and others. Titles include "Rebeca", "Galera Tres", "Para Ismael Rivera", "Espiritu En Flor", "Mi Decision", and "Yo No Me Vuelvo A Enamorar". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A tremendous album from Laura Nyro – a real return to the soulful style of her roots, thanks to help from Labelle on backing vocals, and the team of Gamble & Huff on production! If Nyro only ever gave the world this record, that would more than be enough – because the whole thing's an incredibly hip blend of her own great songwriting and some of the more righteous strands of American soul music at the time. Most of the tracks are older soul numbers – some done relatively straight, others done with the more personal, contemplative style you'd expect from Nyro during these years. And decades before Amy Winehouse or Joss Stone started hitting territory like this, Nyro proved that a set of soul tracks like this could come off well, if handled with the right talent! Titles include "The Bells", "I Met Him On A Sunday", "Spanish Harlem", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "Desiree", "The Wind", "Nowhere To Run", and "It's Gonna Take A Miracle". CD

... CD

Includes 97 tracks! CD

45 tracks on 2 CDs!! CD

3LPs – and a heck of a lot of wonderful tracks from The Miracles! Titles include "Ooo Baby Baby", "My Girl Has Gone", "That's What Love Is Made Of", "I've Been Good To You", "Got A Job", "Bad Girl", "Baby Baby Don't Cry", "Abraham, Martin, & John", "I Second That Emotion", "Doggone Right", "Here I Go Again", "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Tears Of A Clown", "I Can't Stand To See You Cry", "Satisfaction", "Special Occasion", "Choosey Beggar", "I Like It Like That", "A Love She Can Count On", and "You've Really Got A Hold Of Me". LP, Vinyl record album

2 classics from Smokey Robinson – back to back on one CD! CD

A great one by The Miracles! Smokey and the group are clearly pushing the envelope here – stretching out for a deeper harmony sound, moving towards some of the smoother styles they'd use a bit more in the 70s. The result is a slightly-confused album, but one with some really interesting material that gives the group a chance to experiment more with their vocal phrasing. Includes the heavy soul number "Flower Girl", plus the tracks "Who's Gonna Take The Blame", "Darling Dear", "Wishful Thinking", "Point It Out", and "Don't Take It So Hard". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing evolution in sound – a set that brings together the shifting styles of Deniece Williams during her Columbia years – a stretch when she started out as a righteous-voiced singer with an almost Minnie Riperton-like sound, then moved into much more chart-topping territory for the early 80s! Throughout it all, though, Williams' vocals remained top-shelf – trained not only through years of gospel singing, but also through an early music career that had her recording indie singles in Chicago, and working as a backup singer for Stevie Wonder. The package does a good job of bringing together most of Williams' significant cuts from the Columbia years – 16 tracks that include "Free", "I Found Love", "Cause You Love Me Baby", "That's What Friends Are For", "God Is Amazing", "Baby Baby My Love's All For You", "When Love Comes Calling", "If You Don't Believe", "Silly", "It's Gonna Take A Miracle", "Waiting", "Do What You Feel", "Black Butterfly", "Too Much Too Little Too Late", and "Let's Hear It For The Boy". CD

A classic early set from The Yellowjackets – just the kind of record that made them a mainstream fusion leader in the 80s! The style here takes off from 70s electric jazz with a bit more polish – not really smooth jazz, but a tight fusion of keyboards and guitars that are nicely undercut with deeper reed solos. The keyboards definitely have an 80s vibe – not the Fender Rhodes of a generation before – but that was also a big part of the group's sound at the time. Titles include "Claire's Song", "Top Secret", "I Got Rhythm", "Nimbus", "Elamar", and "Man In The Moon". CD

Features songs by GQ, Ashford & Simpson, War, Grace Jones, SOS Band, Blondie, Thelma Houston, and others. CD

Music from The O'Jays, Tony Orlando & Dawn, Looking Glass, The Sweet, Mac Davis, John Denver, Albert Hammond, Melanie, Redbone, The Main Ingredient, Vanity Fare, Johnny Nash, Paul Revere & The Raiders, and more. CD

No Mirage here – as the album's got a presence that's impossible to deny – a solid, soulful uttering from this key Chicago combo of the 70s! The group's led by reedman Ari Brown – better known for his later avant work – and they've got a wicked blend of keyboards and horns with lots of complicated touches, played out over funky rhythms that are completely mindblowing! The great Ken Chaney plays keyboards, and in addition to Brown's reeds, the set also features trumpet from Frank Gordon, trombone from Steve Galloway, and bass from Rufus Reid – plus cool percussion from Arlington Davis and Drasheer Khalid. Most cuts are instrumental, and recorded beautifully – but one number, "The Ultimate Frontier", also features vocals from Anita Jefferies. Other cuts include "Slinky", "Mirage", "Just a Little Peace", and "March On". CD

Giovanni Mirabassi on piano, Gianluca Renzi on double bass, and Leon Parker on drums. CD