With Danny Barber on trumpet, Larry Novak on Fender Rhodes, Ernie Denov on guitar, and Roger Pemberton on soprano sax; with arrangements by Roy Vombrack, Hoyt Jones, Mitch Hennes, and Bill Porter. LP, Vinyl record album

70s compilation that includes music from "Jubilee" and career highlights featuring Mary Martin, Danny Kaye, and Ethel Merman. LP, Vinyl record album

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... LP, Vinyl record album

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 heck of a step forward for Gregory Porter – and we're stunned to say that, because he's already had so many great steps forward in his career! Gregory's already been a hell of a singer for years – we've loved him since the very first note he ever recorded – but with a record like this, he continues to rise into the stratosphere of a rare few singers who can transcend both their roots and their genres – with the kind of trans-generational music that will have folks listening to this set for decades – and around the world, in so many different ways! The All Rise in the title is very fitting – as this is definitely a set to lift up the world – with titles that include "Mr Holland", "Concorde", "Dad Gone Thing", "Revival", "Merchants Of Paradise", "Long List Of Troubles", "Everything You Touch Is Gold", "Merry Go Round", "Thank You", and "Phoenix". Deluxe edition features a great book-style package – and the bonus tracks "Real Truth" and "You Can Join My Band". CD

Wonderful work from Gregory Porter – easily one of the best new jazz singers to emerge in the past decade or so, and one whose approach is soulful enough to rival the greats of the 70s! There's echoes here of Bill Withers, Gil Scott-Heron, and Al Jarreau – and like all those artists, Gregory's a singer who really moves past simple styles and generic conventions – into a mode that's vivid and rich right from the start, and defiitely his own territory – a world of sound that's a delight to experience! Most backings are straight jazzy, but inflected with some soul modes – and the album's even better and more incredible than Porter's debut for Motema. Titles include "On My Way To Harlem", "When Did You Learn", "Mother's Song", "Imitation Of Life", "Our Love", "Be Good", and "Painted On Canvas". CD

Wonderful work from Gregory Porter – easily one of the best new jazz singers to emerge in the past decade or so, and one whose approach is soulful enough to rival the greats of the 70s! There's echoes here of Bill Withers, Gil Scott-Heron, and Al Jarreau – and like all those artists, Gregory's a singer who really moves past simple styles and generic conventions – into a mode that's vivid and rich right from the start, and defiitely his own territory – a world of sound that's a delight to experience! Most backings are straight jazzy, but inflected with some soul modes – and the album's even better and more incredible than Porter's debut for Motema. Titles include "On My Way To Harlem", "When Did You Learn", "Mother's Song", "Imitation Of Life", "Our Love", "Be Good", and "Painted On Canvas". CD

The magnificent voice of Gregory Porter is a wonderful fit for the Holiday season – full of feeling, and coming across with a sense of honest, human emotion that really makes the music come alive! Gregory's definitely in more of the soul side of his spectrum than the jazz of his roots – but he delivers things with a mature, sophisticated vibe that's balanced nicely between the two at most moments – with a sense of care that makes most of the album resonate with Christmas classics from artists like Donny Hathaway, Bill Withers, and Luther! Titles include the great "Everything's Not Lost", plus "Purple Snowflakes", "Christmas Waltz", "Someday At Christmas", "Christmas Wish", "Do You Hear What I Hear", and "Heart For Christmas". CD

The magnificent voice of Gregory Porter is a wonderful fit for the Holiday season – full of feeling, and coming across with a sense of honest, human emotion that really makes the music come alive! Gregory's definitely in more of the soul side of his spectrum than the jazz of his roots – but he delivers things with a mature, sophisticated vibe that's balanced nicely between the two at most moments – with a sense of care that makes most of the album resonate with Christmas classics from artists like Donny Hathaway, Bill Withers, and Luther! Titles include the great "Everything's Not Lost", plus "Purple Snowflakes", "Christmas Waltz", "Someday At Christmas", "Christmas Wish", "Do You Hear What I Hear", and "Heart For Christmas". LP, Vinyl record album

A great companion to all the full length albums from the mighty Gregory Porter – as this special set brings together his side projects, appearances with other artists, and remixes as well! We love Porter's own records – and honestly feel that he's one of the freshest jazz vocal talents to come along in years – but he's also great when working in new formats too, and really brings his a-game to just about any other setting he approaches! Most of the music here is still in the jazz-based style of Porter's other records, but a few tracks are a bit more groove-heavy too – yet never in a way that's disrespectful of the vocals, or Gregory's core contributions. Titles include "About The Children" and "Be My Monster Love" done with David Murray, "Moanin (radio)" with Paul Zauner's Blue Brass, "Issues Of Life", "She's Gone", and "Just In Time" with Zbonics, "Song Of The Wind" by M1/Brian Jackson – plus remixes that include "1960 What (Opolopo kick & bass rerub)" and "She Danced Across The Floor (Automart rmx)". CD

Gregory Porter arrives on Blue Note Records – and the result is Porter's most fully-formed set so far – just the kind of album that will push him firmly into the limelight – a place that we've felt he's deserved for quite a few years! Porter's a hell of a singer, and a hell of a songwriter too – and although his roots are in jazz, he's got a rare ability to step between genres with plenty of soul – a special space that belongs to a very rare few – like Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, or Gil Scott-Heron! Gregory's voice is amazing, his lyrics are both personal and pointed – and he does so much here with so little, the album should be handed out to the hundreds of mis-directed vocalists who think that a few extra tweaks in the studio is all they really need. Most numbers just feature small combo backing, with wonderfully warm piano from Chip Crawford – and the whole thing's got a timeless feel that makes us think this is the beginning of a rich new season for Porter. Titles include "Free", "Water Under Bridges", "Lonesome Lover", "Liquid Spirit", "No Love Dying", "Brown Grass", "When Love Was King", and "Wind Song". CD

Gregory Porter arrives on Blue Note Records – and the result is Porter's most fully-formed set so far – just the kind of album that will push him firmly into the limelight – a place that we've felt he's deserved for quite a few years! Porter's a hell of a singer, and a hell of a songwriter too – and although his roots are in jazz, he's got a rare ability to step between genres with plenty of soul – a special space that belongs to a very rare few – like Nina Simone, Bill Withers, Roberta Flack, or Gil Scott-Heron! Gregory's voice is amazing, his lyrics are both personal and pointed – and he does so much here with so little, the album should be handed out to the hundreds of mis-directed vocalists who think that a few extra tweaks in the studio is all they really need. Most numbers just feature small combo backing, with wonderfully warm piano from Chip Crawford – and the whole thing's got a timeless feel that makes us think this is the beginning of a rich new season for Porter. Titles include "Free", "Water Under Bridges", "Lonesome Lover", "Liquid Spirit", "No Love Dying", "Brown Grass", "When Love Was King", and "Wind Song". This great 3LP deluxe version features special guest bonus tracks on the fifth side – Water Under The Bridge" with Laura Mvula, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" with Jamie Cullum and "Grandma's Hands" with Ben L'Oncle Soul – plus Rainer & Grimm, Claptone, 20syl, St Germain and Knuckle G remixes on the sixth side! LP, Vinyl record album

The great Gregory Porter in a very different setting than usual – working here with larger backings from an entire orchestra, as part of the album's tribute to Nat King Cole during his glory days at Capitol Records! The style here isn't the King Cole Trio vibe of the mid 40s, but instead that lush, larger approach of the 50s – when Nat took his jazz roots and transformed them into something even more sophisticated and powerful, at a level that also helped raise both his profile and that of many of his contemporaries – opening the door for generations of musical growth to come. Porter pays back that monumental favor – by turning his amazing vocals loose on a host of standards from the Nat Cole songbook – with core backing by a quartet that features Christian Sands on piano, Reuben Rogers on bass, and Ulysses Owens on drums – plus a bit of guest trumpet from Terence Blanchard. Arrangements and orchestrations are by Vince Mendoza – and titles include "Smile", "Nature Boy", "Love", "Quizas Quizas Quizas", "Mona Lisa", "When Love Was King", "Miss Otis Regrets", "The Christmas Song", "I Wonder Who My Daddy Is", and "Pick Yourself Up". A great special edition – in a hardcover book-like package, with pages of notes inside – and bonus tracks "But Beautiful", "Sweet Lorraine", and "For All We Know". CD

Gregory Porter live at London's Royal Albert Hall – backed not only by his excellent core band, but also the 60+ piece London Studio Orchestra – really pulling off a masterstroke in the way he can bring out all the lush promise of the orchestral setting while staying rooted in intimate soul! Credit conductor and arranger Vince Mendoza for the subtle finesse of the orchestra – never getting too big and lush for the sake of bigness – but it's the warmth of Gregory Porter's voice at the center that gives this such a real vibe, steering free of nostalgia on songs from his Nat King Cole & Me project while bringing grander instrumentation, but no less intimate of a vibe to songs from Porter's own songbook. Includes "Mona Lisa", "Don't Lose Your Steam", "Hey Laura", "Smile", "In Heaven", "The Lonely One", "Ballerina", "Miss Otis Regrets", "Quizas, Quizas, Quizas", "Nature Boy", "But Beautiful", "Ballerina", "For All We Know", "When Love Was King", "I Wonder Who My Daddy Is" and more. and more. 19 tracks on the CD – and it comes with the DVD of the performance, too! CD

The greatness of Gregory Porter continues to grow and grow – as the vocalist keeps moving past the straighter jazz of his roots, into a role as one of the greatest soul singers of the 21st Century! Porter's got a depth and maturity that few folks have had in recent years – especially in the realm of male vocals – very much that manner of important 70s singers like Bill Withers, Billy Paul, or Al Jarreau – who were schooled in jazz, but worked more in soulful styles that gave them a wider reach, and helped them to find a very personal voice in the process! We'd easily place Gregory in that legacy – one that he's definitely earned by this point – and he sounds arguably even better here than on his debut for Blue Note – working with arrangements from co-producer Kamau Kenyatta, who mixes in just the right current of jazz to keep things on track with the energy we first loved in Porter's first records – while still really letting his new energy open up and soar. Titles include "Holding On", "Insanity", "Don't Lose Your Steam", "Daydream", "Don't Be A Fool", "More Than A Woman", and "French African Queen". Also features different versions of two songs, with guest appearances – "Holding On" with Kem, and "Insanity" with Lalah Hathaway. CD

The greatness of Gregory Porter continues to grow and grow – as the vocalist keeps moving past the straighter jazz of his roots, into a role as one of the greatest soul singers of the 21st Century! Porter's got a depth and maturity that few folks have had in recent years – especially in the realm of male vocals – very much that manner of important 70s singers like Bill Withers, Billy Paul, or Al Jarreau – who were schooled in jazz, but worked more in soulful styles that gave them a wider reach, and helped them to find a very personal voice in the process! We'd easily place Gregory in that legacy – one that he's definitely earned by this point – and he sounds arguably even better here than on his debut for Blue Note – working with arrangements from co-producer Kamau Kenyatta, who mixes in just the right current of jazz to keep things on track with the energy we first loved in Porter's first records – while still really letting his new energy open up and soar. Titles include "Holding On", "Insanity", "Don't Lose Your Steam", "Daydream", "Don't Be A Fool", "More Than A Woman", and "French African Queen". Also features different versions of two songs, with guest appearances – "Holding On" with Kem, and "Insanity" with Lalah Hathaway. CD

Gregory Porter is a really hip singer – the type that only comes around once in a blue moon! Like Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, or Kurt Elling – all perfect references for Porter's style – Greg has a wonderful way of coming up with his own lyrics for a tune – making him way more than just a singer of standards, and instead a richly expressive voice that has every bit to offer as you might get from a jazz instrumentalist! The arrangements are great, too – handled by Porter with help from pianist Chip Crawford and producer Kamau Kenyatta – bold, soulful, and soaring on the best tracks – all in beautiful declaration of Gregory's rich power and presence. Titles include a great version of Wayne Shorter's "Black Nile", and the original tracks "1960 What", "Lonely One", "Water", "Pretty", "Illusion", and "Magic Cup". CD

Gregory Porter is a really hip singer – the type that only comes around once in a blue moon! Like Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, or Kurt Elling – all perfect references for Porter's style – Greg has a wonderful way of coming up with his own lyrics for a tune – making him way more than just a singer of standards, and instead a richly expressive voice that has every bit to offer as you might get from a jazz instrumentalist! The arrangements are great, too – handled by Porter with help from pianist Chip Crawford and producer Kamau Kenyatta – bold, soulful, and soaring on the best tracks – all in beautiful declaration of Gregory's rich power and presence. Titles include a great version of Wayne Shorter's "Black Nile", and the original tracks "1960 What", "Lonely One", "Water", "Pretty", "Illusion", and "Magic Cup". CD

Gregory Porter is a really hip singer – the type that only comes around once in a blue moon! Like Jon Hendricks, Mark Murphy, or Kurt Elling – all perfect references for Porter's style – Greg has a wonderful way of coming up with his own lyrics for a tune – making him way more than just a singer of standards, and instead a richly expressive voice that has every bit to offer as you might get from a jazz instrumentalist! The arrangements are great, too – handled by Porter with help from pianist Chip Crawford and producer Kamau Kenyatta – bold, soulful, and soaring on the best tracks – all in beautiful declaration of Gregory's rich power and presence. Titles include a great version of Wayne Shorter's "Black Nile", and the original tracks "1960 What", "Lonely One", "Water", "Pretty", "Illusion", and "Magic Cup". LP, Vinyl record album

Larry Porter on piano, Johannes Fink on double bass, and Oliver Steidle on drums. CD

Lewis Porter on solo piano. CD

With John Funkhouser on bass and Bertram Lehmann on drums. CD

With John Funkhouser on bass and Bertram Lehmann on drums. CD

The last album ever recorded by funky drummer Roy Porter – and a really unique set that seeks to combine his older grooves from the 70s with contemporary elements from the 90s hip hop scene! The approach is a lot better than you might expect, and has lots of the best true school elements firmly in place – no surprise, given that most of the tracks are built from Porter's complicated rhythms and sophisticated electric grooves, pulled almost straight from his original albums – with rhymes added by Houston Blue, Ded To The World, and Big Born. Plus, the set's also got some instrumental numbers that hold very strongly in the old Roy Porter mode – killer cuts "Slaughterhouse", "Wave", "Dopetifvity", and "Mr RP & Me" – next to vocal cuts that include "Generation", "Slaughterhouse", and "Mysticali Fix". LP, Vinyl record album

A crazy bit of funk from drummer Roy Porter – a player who first rose to fame during the LA bop years of the late 40s, but who sounds even hipper here in the 70s! The album's got a madly skittish approach to funk – one that's highly rhythmic, but often in unconventional ways – somewhat similar to Redd Holt's excellent albums for the Paula label. Roy plays drums, percussion, and sings a bit – and the grooves run from break-heavy instrumentals to even cooler numbers that bring in more of a sense of flow and soul – really opening things up beyond any simple 70s jazz funk cliches, and hitting some really wicked new territory! Instrumentation includes plenty of great horns, electric piano, guitar, and even a bit of Arp – all used in really inventive and creative ways. Titles include the classic crate-digging favorites "Panama" and "Party Time", plus a vocal version of "Jessica", a cover of Jobim's "Waver-ing", and another nice original called "Funny Feelin'"! Tremendous stuff all the way through – and comes with a very cool 7" single – with the rare vocal version of "Panama", and a DJ Muro edit of the track too! LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful mix of soul jazz, funky rhythms, and even more experimental moments – a truly tremendous effort from LA drummer Roy Porter, and the first set issued under the name of his Sound Machine group! The groove here is really unconventional – filled with unusual timings, phrasings, and changes that push it way beyond more familiar jazz funk of Prestige, Fantasy, or CTI – yet still all very much in the pocket, with a righteously soulful vibe that's incredible! The cover's inspired by Roy's son's love of motocross – and one number even features a bit of motorcycle sound effects along with the grooves! The rest of the tracks are heavier on the horns, and feature some wonderful arrangements that are filled with soul and style – always a bit edgey, and never too slick or straightforward. Titles include the classics "Funky Twitch" and "Hip City", plus "Drums for Daryl", "Ooh-La-La", and the legendary "Jessica", a really beautiful number! Comes with a great bonus 45 – the Kenny Dope remix of "Jessica", and a vocal version of the same tune! LP, Vinyl record album

An essential bit of funky breaks! This long out of print 12" single features 4 of the funkiest tracks by drummer Roy Porter – lifted off of his rare mid 70s LPs, and reissued briefly on this single by Luv N Haight back when the label was just starting off. The tracks have some monster drum breaks! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Heavy funk from the great Roy Porter – one of his most break-heavy tracks ever! "Party Time" has a wicked start that DJs have been digging for years – and the whole tune's this wibbly wobbly funky gem – with sweet Fender Rhodes, this cool chorus, and a skittish groove that never lets up! DJ Spinna does a great job on his own edit – really loving the break, and lifting up the Rhodes in a way that makes the whole thing sound even funkier! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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

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A great concept album from Skid Row Joe! Titles include "Wino", "Daddy & The Wine", "She Burnt The Little Roadside Tavern Down", "One Dime For Wine", and "Bottle Bottle". LP, Vinyl record album

Two classic country narrative LPs from the unapologetic showman and honky tonk kingpin Porter Wagoner – the adultery themed Cold Hard Facts Of Life and the behind bars concept album Soul Of A Convict – back to back with rare bonus tracks! Cold Hard Facts Of Life is peak Porter, balancing a core of rugged honky tonk with lush arrangements better than anyone in the business (then or now) and with songs that teeter on the edge of nudge & wink hokum without losing the sincerity. Titles include "First Miss Jones", "Words And Music", "Cold Hard Facts Of Life", "Tragic Romance", "Julie" and more. Soul Of A Convict And Other Great Prison Songs, also from 1967, takes the trademark Wagoner approach to the jailhouse, with Porter doing justice to Cash and Hag classics, and other great tunes, including "Boston Jail", "Convict And The Rose", "I'm Just Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail", "Green Green Grass Of Home", "Soul Of A Convict" and more. This great Omni edition includes 6 bonus tracks including "I Lived So Fast And Hard", "House Of Shame" and more. CD

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The most left-of-center collection of cuts from rhinestone studded honky tonk purist Porter Wagoner – some of the darkest and strangest tunes pulled from his most adventurous RCA LPs! Porter is eternally true to a genuine honky tonk aesthetic – but his arrangements are never predictable – bringing in some chilling strings and a backing vocal wail, walloping drums and wacka wacka electric guitars chugging underneath the steel. This is his most lyrically troubled batch of tunes from the era, but they're often done with a wink and a nod that lets you know he's just telling a story (or is he?) – not unlike Lee Hazlewood. Oddball country groove from a character that should be as fondly regarded as his more scenester friendly peers! 29 tracks in all: "Out Of The Silence (Came A Song)", "The Rubber Room", "Cassie", "Bones", "Lonelyville", "First Mrs Jones", "The Cold Hard Facts Of Life", "Shopworn", "Julie", "Carroll County Accident", "Wino", "He's Alone Again Tonight", "My Last Two Tens", "The Party" featuring Dolly Parton, "Moments Of Meditation" and more. CD

Worth it alone for the tremendous title track – a real turning point in the career of the great Porter Wagoner! LP, Vinyl record album

Two sweet duet LPs from Porter Wagoner & Dolly Partner – '69's Always, Always and 71's Two Of Kind – back-to-back on this great CD! Porter & Dolly were one of the great teams of the era – with Porter's unrivaled flash and showmanship going down extremely well with Dolly's quivering vocals and far more earnest presence than the Dolly of the decades to come! Always, Always kicks off with the totally great rave up "Milwaukee, Here I Come" – and segues nicely into classic honky tonk duets mode, the polished Nashville Sound, and oddball Porter recitations! Other tracks include "Yours Love", "Malena", "Why Don't You Haul Off And Love Me", "Always, Always" and more. The Two Of A Kind LPs travels in the same trajectory with equal appeal – with the tracks "Oh, The Pain Of Loving You", "Possum Holler", "The Flame", "The Fighting Kind", "Two Of A Kind", "There'll Be Love" and more! CD

The title is maybe a bit un-prophetic – given that a few years later, Porter Wagoner and Dolly Parton would hardly be together – but the record's a great one from that wonderful stretch when the pair could really make magic singing together on record! The tunes are all original numbers – some by Dolly, some by Porter – new material that makes the album every bit as strong as solo efforts by either singer, and which show that these RCA duo sessions weren't just filler material in the catalog! Titles include "Love's All Over", "Take Away", "Lost Forever In Your Kiss", "Looking Down", "Poor Folks Town", "Ten Four Over & Out", and "You & Me Her & Him". LP, Vinyl record album

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Collection of live performances from Dee Dee Bridgewater, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Parker, Ella Fitzgerald, Stan Getz, Shirley Horn, JJ Johnson, Sarah Vaughan, Art Tatum, Clifford Brown, and Sarah Vaughan. CD

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Music from Vince Giordano & the Nighthawks, Artie Shaw & his Orchestra, Lennie Hayton & his Orchestra, Sonny Rollins, Shorty Rogers & his Giants, Frank Sinatra, Irving Aaronson & his Commanders, Roy Rogers, Dinah Shore, Manny Albam & his Orchestra, Ray Noble & his Orchestra, Lennie Hayton & his Orchestra, Leo Reisman & his Orchestra, Paul Desmond, Tommy Dorsey & his Orchestra, Leo Reisman & his Orchestra, Perez Prado & his Orchestra, and Esquivel & his Orchestra. CD

With music from Zoot Sims, Gil Evans, Milt Jackson, Joe Pass, Cal Tjader, Bill Evans, Art Tatum, Gene Ammons, and more. CD

Tracks by Neneh Cherry, The Neville Brothers, Debbie Harry, David Byre, Tom Waits, U2, Les Negresses Vertes, Erasure, Jungle Brothers, Jimmy Somerville, Jody Watley and more. Cassette

That's a young Isaac Hayes on the cover, sitting at the piano next to David Porter – his key songwriting partner at Stax Records in the 60s – at a time before both artists had gone onto their own solo recordings for the label! The Hayes/Porter team gave Stax some of their best songs during the second half of the 60s – often numbers that have a hip, hard-grooving style that really pushed the boundaries of Memphis soul – and as you'll hear here, the duo's work was not just recorded for their main label, but also handled by a wealth of other artists too – mostly soul singers of the late 60s, but also featured here on a few later tracks as well. Those later cuts are ever bit as soulful as the 60s material that makes up most of the collection – and the package also features some unissued numbers too –served up here in a list of 24 titles that include "Can't Trust Your Neighbor" by Freddie King, "60 Minutes Of Your Love" by Homer Banks, "I'll Understand" by Edwin Starr & Blinky, "Left Over Love" by Ruby Johnson, "Hold On I'm Coming" by The Righteous Brothers, "You Got Me Hummin" by The Hassles, "I'm Dedicating My Life" by Danny White, "Love Is After Me" by Charlie Rich, "Your Good Thing" by Mable John, "You Don't Know Like I Know" by Keith Powell & Billie Davis, "Wrap It Up" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Baby" by Rachel Sweet, "As Long As I've Got You" by The Emotions, "I Take What I Want" by The Bishops, "The Sweeter He Is (parts 1 & 2)" by Soul Children, and an unreleased alternate of "Toe Hold" by Johnnie Taylor. CD

Four albums from this wonderful group – all presented here with great sonic quality too! First up is Grazin – the debut album from Friends Of Distinction – a very groovy LA harmony vocal group who really transcended the worlds of pop and soul! The quartet were originally part of the earlier Rex Middleton's Hi Fi group – which split into both Friends Of Distinction, and 5th Dimension – and like that other, slightly more famous group, FoD have a soaring approach that really reflects their years in music, tuned towards a groovier late 60s style! The record sports their hit vocal version of Hugh Masekela's "Grazing In The Grass", with the great "I can dig it" line, plus an excellent reading of a lost cut by funky drummer Roy Porter, entitled "Lonesome Mood" – next to other great titles that include "Sweet Young Thing Like You", "Peaceful", "Baby I Could Be So Good At Loving You", "Eli's Coming", and "Going In Circles". Real Friends is a stone early winner from The Friends Of Distinction – featuring a great set of pop soul tunes that really let the group shine in the harmony department! Vocal arrangements are by Jerry Peters – who really pushes the structure of the vocals, taking the singing to a level only hinted at on the group's previous album, combining 60s pop harmony with uptown soul production, given a bit of a smooth 70s touch. Titles include the hit "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely", plus "Any Way You Want Me", "Crazy Mary", "Long Time Comin My Way", "Just a Little Lovin", "It Don't Matter to Me", and "My Mind Is A Camera". Next is Highly Distinct – beautiful baroque soul from LA! The Friends of Distinction were always best known for their big hit version of "Grazing In the Grass" (not on this LP), but they were a pretty progressive soul group, and they spent a lot of time in the studio coming up with cool new ways to present their vocal style. This album includes a very cool "psyche" cut-up track called "Impressions", and it's two minutes worth of tape experiments that might have been lifted from The White Album. The cut then runs right into a great batch of groovy pop soul tracks, like "It's Just A Game Love", "Workin On A Groovy Thing", "It's Sunday", and "Let Yourself Go". Whatever is filled with some nice little groovers from the enigmatic Friends Of Distinction – and a record recorded right after their big "Grazin In The Grass" fame. The album features lots of cool arrangements from Jerry Peters – whose handling of the group pushed them past a simple pop-soul vocal combo into the realm of the more far-reaching soul acts of their time. Most tracks have vocal solos on the main parts – mostly by Barbara Love or Floyd Butler – and tracks include "You and I", "People Talkin & Sayin Nothin", "Bring Us A Better Day", "Great Day", and "Check It Out". CD

Maybe the most righteous music we've ever heard from keyboardist Robert Glasper – and that's saying a heck of a lot, given his legacy of albums over the years! This project feels different than the previous Black Radio releases by Glasper – different than his initial blending of jazz modes and contemporary soul – and maybe more strongly driven by mission and purpose, with a quality that really comes through right from the very first note! Glasper's piano and keyboards still have that strong sense of shape we love so much – but they're maybe more heady and serious, and really set a fantastic tone for the album's many contributions from important voices like Esperanza Spaulding, BJ The Chicago Kid, Amir Sulaiman, Lalah Hathaway, Common, Posdnuos, Q Tip, Gregory Porter, Ledisi, HER, and others – a lineup who really elevate the already-sublime tone of the record. We've always found inspiration in the music of Robert Glasper – but it's also an amazing thing to see him rise to an almost statesman-like position with a project like this – on titles that include "Black Superhero", "Shine", "Why We Speak", "Better Than I Imagined", "Everybody Love", "It Don't Matter", "Heaven's Here", "Forever", and a surprisingly strong cover of "Everybody Wants To Rule The World". LP, Vinyl record album

Drummer Emanuel Harrold is way more than just a musician on the set – and the record is way more than jazz as well – as Emanuel works with some great guests throughout, and turns the whole thing into a record that's more like some soul-styled soundsystem overall! There's definitely plenty of jazzy moments on the set – nice work on flute, alto, Fender Rhodes, and guitar – but the singers who appear on different cuts really help shape the sound of the record in great ways – given a lot of freedom by Harrold to do their things, at a level that's very different than just a vocalist joining in on a jazz session. Gregory Porter gives us one of his best songs in years – the wonderful "I Think" – and singers on other cuts include Shareef Keyes on "See", Crystal Ransom on "Brighter Day", Saunders Sermons on "Good Word", and Malcolm Jamal Warner on "We Da People" – and other cuts include "Shine Light" and "Fight Harder" – the last of which features trumpet from Keyon Harrold. CD

Drummer Emanuel Harrold is way more than just a musician on the set – and the record is way more than jazz as well – as Emanuel works with some great guests throughout, and turns the whole thing into a record that's more like some soul-styled soundsystem overall! There's definitely plenty of jazzy moments on the set – nice work on flute, alto, Fender Rhodes, and guitar – but the singers who appear on different cuts really help shape the sound of the record in great ways – given a lot of freedom by Harrold to do their things, at a level that's very different than just a vocalist joining in on a jazz session. Gregory Porter gives us one of his best songs in years – the wonderful "I Think" – and singers on other cuts include Shareef Keyes on "See", Crystal Ransom on "Brighter Day", Saunders Sermons on "Good Word", and Malcolm Jamal Warner on "We Da People" – and other cuts include "Shine Light" and "Fight Harder" – the last of which features trumpet from Keyon Harrold. LP, Vinyl record album

Ike's comeback LP from the mid 90s, and his last studio album! In an almost complete return to form, he gets together with his old running mates from Stax, including David Porter, and serves up a wonderful album of silky smooth, string-laden soul that stands tight next to his mid 70s classics! Includes "Ike's Plea", "Life's Mood", "Fragile", "Life's Mood II", "Summer In The City", "Let Me Love You", "I'll Do Anything (To Turn You On)", "Thanks To The Fool", "Branded", "Soulsville" and "Hyperbolicsyllabicsesquedalymistic". CD

The "man" is at the top of his powers here – as the set pulls together an insanely great run of music from Isaac Hayes' first years as a solo act – coming on strong with a new sort of sophisticated soul sound that would transform a generation! Hayes had already hit big in the 60s working with writer David Porter – as the force behind some of Stax Records' fiercest, funkiest acts of the time – but as the 70s approached, he broke off as a magnificent artist on his own – full of righteous power, pride, and new ideas for soul music. This collection brings together some of Isaac Hayes' best work for the Stax/Enterprise label – with an especially strong focus on the kind of jams that have held up well for a 21st Century audience – including titles that have either been sampled by hip hoppers, or which represent some of Ike's strongest funkier tunes from the time. Titles include "Part Time Love", "Theme From The Men", "Ike's Rap 2", "Joy", "I Can't Turn Around", "Chocolate Chip", "Feel Like Makin Love", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Walk On By", "Ike's Rap 1", "Good Love", "Rolling Down A Mountainside", and "Theme From Shaft". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album that Jimmy Heath ever gave the world – and a record that makes us miss him even more – as the whole thing takes Heath back to that spectacular mix of solo expressionist, thoughtful composer, and sensitive arranger territory of his best early years! And if you want proof of Jimmy's warm, open spirit – the set begins with a one minute bowed bass solo before Heath's horn even comes into play – then works sublime magic on a number of original numbers, and a few well-chosen classics – all put together by Jimmy as a "ballads" album, but in a way that's hugely different from some of the more facile songbook sessions of over-recorded standards. Instead, the Heath arrangements throughout are wonderfully fresh, and have a soulful quality that really blows us away – more than even on some of his other late records, which is what makes this final session so bittersweet. The core group features Kenny Barron on piano, Monte Croft on vibes, Russell Malone on guitar, and Lewis Nash on drums – and the set features vocals from Gregory Porter on one track, and Cecile McLorin Salvant on another – and Wynton Marsalis blows a trumpet solo on a third track. Titles include "Ballad From Upper Neighbors Suiter", "Left Alone", "Inside Your Heart", "La Mesha", "Con Alma", "Fasion Or Passion", and "Don't Explain". LP, Vinyl record album

An assortment of tracks from Groove's later years on Muse Records – a great time when he dropped the electronics of some of his 70s sessions, and moved back to the small combo soul jazz grooving mode that first got him started in the jazz business! The tracks are all relatively long, and featuring an assortment of well-chosen players that include Idris Muhammad, Houston Person, Cecil Bridgewater, Jimmy Ponder, and Buddy Caldwell – all nicely recapturing the Prestige Records spirit, thanks to production work by Bob Porter and Houston Person. 10 tracks in all – including "Where Or When", "Groove's Groove", "My One & Only Love", "Stella By Starlight", "Broadway", and "Hackensack". CD

This was Jackie & Roy's first album for Columbia and it mainly consists of some familiar tunes by the likes of Ira & George Gershwin, Rodgers & Hart and Cole Porter with a Roy Kral original thrown in. The tracks include "Chicago", "Fun Life", "Mountain Greenery", Kral's "Wingin' With The Wind", "Cheek To Cheek", and "They Can't Take That Away From Me". Jackie & Roy are accompanied by some well known musicians such as Barney Kessel on guitar, Larry Bunker on vibraphone, Anthony Ortega on alto sax and flute and Kral plays the piano. LP, Vinyl record album