A stone cooker from Jr Walker – the kind of hard-driving soul that made his 60s Motown work a key link between the Detroit sound of the time, and R&B sounds of earlier years! Jr's soulful sax is right up in the mix on most numbers – and the overall sound is nicely freewheeling and almost spontaneous – almost a Motown studio jam at times, with vocals and instruments dancing together in joyous formation! Most tracks are instrumentals, but many also have some sort of vocal chorus – and titles include "Anyway You Wanta", "Pucker Up Buttercup", "Twist Lackawanna", "San Ho Zay", "Money", "Last Call", "Ame Cherie", "Mutiny", and "Road Runner". LP, Vinyl record album

These guys definitely live up to the "jam" in the name of their band – but not in the same way as 21st Century groups using the jam band name! Instead, the sound here is bass-heavy funk – a mode that's probably a bit inspired by P-Funk, but often faster and more frenetic – kind of a rougher-edged version of some of the Ohio funk acts that really rose to prominence at the end of the 70s. Charles Davis is the maestro on bass – and he never pushes things too far, nor pops the strings too much – and instead just uses his strings to really vamp the whole group from the bottom on up, setting the scene for lots of tasty interplay on horns, guitar, and keyboards – amidst a flurry of vocals by members of the group. Titles include "Chazz Jazz", "Midnight Stroker", "Instrument Soul", "Bolo", "Living In Style", "The Funky Get Down", "Can't Hide The Funk", and "Who Want To Fall In Love". CD features 2 bonus tracks – "Can't You Ride The Western Funk" and "Whip That Mini Skirt". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of Verve Classics – back to back on this UK album from the 70s! First up is Jazz Giants 56 – a timeless ensemble session from Verve Records! The feel here is almost in jam session mode, but perhaps a bit tighter – a group of all-star players from the mid-50s, with Lester Young on tenor, Roy Eldridge on trumpet, Vic Dickenson on trombone, Teddy Wilson on piano, and Freddie Green on guitar – a nice mix of generations and styles that really helps open up the sound of the record. Tracks are nice and long, taken in that open, solo-conscious Verve mode – and tunes include "I Guess I'll Have To Change My Plan", "This Year's Kisses", "You Can Depend On Me", and "I Didn't Know What Time It Was". Next is Pres & Teddy – a classic session of mellow magic from tenorist Lester Young and pianist Teddy Wilson – both giants of jazz from an earlier generation, but maybe sounding even better here in a sublime Verve Records setting from the 50s! Young's tenor fronts the trio of Wilson – with Gene Ramey on bass and Joe Jones on drums – a somewhat unassuming group, which means that Lester's power really holds sway throughout – these magical solos that so easygoing they almost seem effortless – but which are filled with soul and imagination. Titles include "Love Me Or Leave Me", "All Of Me", "Prisoner Of Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-done look at a genre that kind of snuck in under the wire – music that carries some late traces of electro, touched with underground club styles, but also delivered in a way that's plenty darn catchy, with a great ear for a hook and a groovy sort of sing-song lyric! The music is heavy on beats, basslines, and keyboards – all bursting out with plenty of energy – maybe a brightened up take on street soul from the early 80s, but usually with a younger female singer, which helps the music bubble along in a really great way! The package is new territory for Ace Records, but they've done a great job of bringing together both key cuts and overlooked gems – all hand-picked by Bob Stanley, with a set list that includes "Two Of Hearts (12" version)" by Stacey Q, "Don't Be Shy (radio voc)" by Janelle, "Lover Girl" by Meg, "Let's Go (radio)" by Nocera, "Funky Little Beat" by Connie, "When I Hear Music" by Debbie Deb, "I Wonder If I Take You Home" by Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam with Full Force, "Together Forever (radio)" by Lisette Melendez, "Dreamin" by Will To Power, "Take Me In Your Arms" by Lil Suzy, "Thief Of Hearts" by Cynthia, "Fascinated (12" version)" by Company B, and "Baby Talk" by Alisha. LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible collection – and one that fills in a crucially under-documented side of the New York dancefloor generation – the wealth of special mixes and edits that were made for that city's important DJs for their own use in clubs! The package sorts through a mountain of never-issued acetates, and goes way past conventional disco or rare club collections – to showcase the special mixing talents these DJs brought to their re-presentation of the material – which was usually done on tape, then pressed onto acetate discs for their own private use! Those rare treasures are brought forth here – in a beautiful package that's also overflowing with fantastic notes that finally give this lost history its due – all handled by Al Kent – who's a hell of a mixer himself, as well as an underground club historian. Vinyl part 2 features five full records – all with lots of space for the tracks to stretch out – and titles include "My Number's Up (Tee Scott rmx)" by The Salsoul Orchestra, "The Love Bug Done Bit Me Again (David Todd rmx)" by Skyliners, "LA Sunshine (Robert Ouimet rmx)" by Aura, "Love Has Come My Way (Jim Burgess rmx)" by Tony Valor Sound Orchestra, "Handsome Ma (Bobby DJ Guttadoro rmx)" by Sparkle Tuhran & Friends, "Love Thang (Tee Scott rmx)" by First Choice, "Burn Me Up (Jellybean Benitez edit)" by Kay Gees, "Love Is The Message (Tee Scott rmx)" by Brooklyn Express, "Changes (Jellybean Benitez rmx)" by Chain Reaction, "J'Ouvert (Frank Sestito rmx)" by John Gibbs & The Jam Band, "By The Way You Dance (Bobby DJ Guttadaro rmx)" by Bunny Sigler, "It's Good For The Soul (Walter Gibbons disco madness version)" by Salsoul Orchestra, and "It's A Better Than Good Time (Walter Gibbons rmx)" by Gladys Knight & The Pips. LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent box set that brings together all of the material recorded at the unique Newport Festival in 1972 – the historic shift to New York City after the previous year's effort in Rhode Island was shut down by demonstrators! The package features a whopping 6 albums in all – 4 of which are Jam session volumes, with material from players who include Charles Mingus, Jimmy Owens, Charles McPherson, Buddy Tate, Big Black, Milt Jackson, Max Roach, Jaki Byard, Nat Adderley, Art Blakey, Dexter Gordon, and many others – all playing long, open, live tracks. LP 5 features "The Jimmy Smith Jam" – a very jamming set of work by Smith, with help from Kenny Burrell on guitar and Zoot Sims on tenor. LP 6 is "The Soul Sessions" – featuring soul material from Roberta Flack, Curtis Mayfield, Les McCann, and Herbie Mann. LP, Vinyl record album

Nobody handled a fuzz guitar better than Dennis Coffey back in the early 70s – and this album's one of his masterpieces of funky instrumental work for the Sussex label – cuts that show just how much command Coffey had of the electric strings after a number of years working in both the studios and the clubs of the Detroit scene! Coffey's work here is between the genres in a really great way – heavier than soul instrumental material of a few years before, tighter than electric guitar jazz funk of the time, and with some of the understanding of new phrasing that the psych years brought in – all served up perfectly on a set of wicked cuts co-arranged with longtime musical partner Mike Theodore. Titles include the classics "Ride Sally Ride" and "Taurus" – the latter of which was his similar sounding follow-up to "Scorpio" and other titles include "Can You Feel it", "Midnight Blue", "Toast & Jam", "Man & Boy", "It's Too Late" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water". LP, Vinyl record album

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)". LP, Vinyl record album

Long tracks and plenty of room to move around – a perfect setting for the classic sound of the Red Garland Trio on Prestige! Despite the title, the album's not so much groovy as it is lyrically beautiful and filled with sensitivity – a key bridge between piano players of the mainstream in the years before Garland, and some of the bigger, bolder names that would rise up during the 60s soul jazz years. Rhythm is by Paul Chambers on bass and Art Taylor on drums – and the longer tracks give Chambers plenty of room to express his unique talents on the bass. Titles include "Gone Again", "Hey Now", "Will You Still Be Mine", "What Can I Say Dear", and "C-Jam Blues". LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic record from vibist Khan Jamal – a musician who sometimes plays in a more intimate setting, but who here rises with a great sense of righteous power, in just the sort of group that can help him find new energy and soul in his music! The lineup is wonderful – with both alto and flute from Byard Lancaster, percussion from Omar Hill, piano from Bernard Sammul, bass from Reggie Curry, and drums from Dwight James – plus a bit of work from Sunny Murray on drums and Clifton Burton on harmonica on one track – all players who really hit that perfect Philly mix of spiritual jazz and soul, avant freedom and greater group focus! Jamal plays a bit of marimba next to his vibes – and all titles are nice and long originals, done for the date – including "The Known Unknown", "The Angry Young Men", "Nubian Queen", "Infinity", and "Lovely Afternoon". LP, Vinyl record album

The thing to do – is jam! Blue's sounding wonderful in this classic set for Blue Note – one of his best small group albums – recorded with a sound that's solidly in keeping with his lyrically melodic work in the Horace Silver group! The quintet features Chick Corea on piano – sounding incredibly subtle, and making us wish he'd recorded more sides like this – plus Junior Cook on tenor, nicely matching Blue as he did on so many albums from the time – and bass by Gene Taylor and drums by Al Foster. Titles include the hit soul jazzer "Fungii Mama", plus more introspective numbers like "Mona's Mood", "Chick's Tune", "Step Lightly", and "The Thing To Do". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic-styled soul from Musiq Soulchild – his debut set for Def Soul, and the start of a great run of mellow grooves! As you might guess from the compressed wording of the title, the tunes here have a great set of flow – a laidback, kicked-back sort of sound that's not nearly as full-on or swaggering as other male soul of the time. Musiq's even more relaxed than D'Angelo here – and the tunes are awash in warm keyboard lines and mellow bubbling beats – all with plenty of room for Musiq to stretch out in some sweeeeeet vocal lines. Titles include "Speechless", "You & Me", "Just Friends (Sunny)", "Girl Next Door", "Mary Go Round", "Love", "Poparatzi", and "You Be Alright". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet and righteous 70s soul groover – the one and only album from the team of Freddie and Debra Thompson, a musical duo who really make things happen on their own! The set's a combination of jazzy disco tunes and sweeter, mellower soul numbers – with Freddie working lots of fast licks on trumpet and guitar, while trading off lead vocals with Debra. There's a great underground club approach to most of the tracks – kind of that post-Mizell Brothers style that was filtering around through the indie scene at lot at the end of the 70s. Great work overall, made even the more so through some honest indie production – with titles that include "Sweet Jazz Music", "Jam On", "Interlude", "Steady", "Sweet Music", and "Outside". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the two 80s masterpieces by this amazing Minneapolis group, before Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis left to change the face of commercial R&B! This first album and it's follow-up remain as a couple of the more enduring moments of slick, stylish American pop soul, and represent just a huge part of what we still love about the 80s! Titles include "Get It Up", "Girl", After Hi School", "The Stick", "Oh Baby" and the 10 minute jam "Cool", one of our fave cuts of the early 80s. "I'm cooler than Santa Claus, baby. . ." LP, Vinyl record album

Gene Ammons has some pretty hip friends here – a roster of talent that includes guest appearances by hornmen Cannonball Adderley, Dexter Gordon, and Nat Adderley on one long jam number – plus Hampton Hawes on electric piano on the entire set! The work's done in a laidback, long-blowing way – more the Gene Ammons of earlier live dates than the revived funk hero of the early 70s Prestige years – but thanks to some nicely spacious keyboards from Hawes, the record's got a more modern sound than you might expect, and is a good bridge between 60s and 70s soul jazz modes. Titles include "New Sonny's Blues", "Treux Blue", "Sophisticated Lady", and "Yardbird Suite". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful album of mellow soul tracks! The record is Lou Courtney's masterpiece – and it's a jam-packed set filled with great tracks that rank right up there with classic 70s work by artists like Marvin Gaye, Leroy Hutson, or Leon Ware! Leon Pendarvis handled most of the arrangements – and the record's got a wonderfully full soul sound – with a mix of moody keyboard-driven groovers and ballads – all topped by excellent vocals from Lou, miles ahead of any work he did in the early days! The best thing, though, is the songwriting, as these tracks rank right up there with the best underground mellow soul we can think of – sophisticated yet not soppy, filled with soulful lyrics about love and losing it, never giving into cliches of other soul from the time. A real dream of an album – and filled with great tracks like "I Will If You Will", "I'm In Need Of Love", "Just To Let Him Break Your Heart", "Somebody New Is Loving On You", and "The Common Broken Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of Bobbi Humphrey's greatest work of the post-Blue Note years – an album that's filled with soulful fusion tunes throughout, all with a great focus on her funky flute! Bobbi also sings a bit on the set, but in a way that's pretty darn great – wonderfully sweet at times, with a bit of an influence from Minnie Riperton that really warms up the set. Arrangements are by Cleveland Eaton, with a bit of help from Art Jenkins – and production is by Ralph MacDonald, who clearly has a great ear for the blend of jazz and soul that Bobbi's going for on the set. And although Larry Mizell's not on board, some of the cuts here still have that stepping/sliding sort of groove from Bobby's Mizell-produced Blue Note years – a really wonderful sound that's a perfect showcase for her uniquely jazzy talents on the flute! Tracks include "Freestyle", "Home Made Jam", "Sunset Burgundy", "Good Times", "My Destiny", "I Could Love You More", and "If You Want It". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite soul albums ever – a complete masterpiece from the mighty Leroy Hutson, easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s! The album's got a warmth that's amazing, yet also still manages to groove all the way through – hitting a subtle, almost mellow vibe that's like Marvin Gaye or Roy Ayers at their best – but somehow even better because the album's a lot less familiar than their work, and has a freshness that grabs us again and again over the years! Hutson arranged and produced the whole set himself – and the scope of his talents in the studio is amazing – tight on the rhythms, but broadly expansive on the other instrumentation – with a mix of intimacy and class that few other records from the 70s could ever hope to match. Perfect all the way through, and filled with genius cuts that include "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "I Think I'm Falling In Love", "Love to Hold You Close", "Flying High", "I Do I Do Want To Make Love To You", "Blackberry Jam", and "Sofunkstication". LP, Vinyl record album

The Isley Brothers in prime 70s mode here – hitting a warm and wonderful blend of soul and funk throughout – always delivered with that sweet talent for smooth understatement that makes them so great! The costumes on the front cover may be freaky, but the grooves are nicely restrained – and by this point in the decade, the brothers have definitely learned that their strongest suit is often their mellow one – tracks that groove, but often in more subtle ways! Titles include the massive slow jam track "Groove With You", plus "Take Me To The Next Phase (parts 1 & 2)", "Love Fever (parts 1 & 2)", "Fun & Games", "Ain't Givin Up No Love", and "Coolin Me Out (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

Warmly soulful work from west coast producer Jamma-Dee – an artist who's worked with both hip hop vocalists and soul singers – with a special sort of balance that really comes through on this set! Dee clearly loves the sound of the 80s, and the record's got plenty of basslines, keyboards, and beats from the boogie generation – but filtered through a leaner hip hop sensibility, then warmed up a bit with sunnier soul from the contemporary LA scene – so that the blend is very much his own, and wonderfully unified throughout the full length set – even with guests as diverse as Sarah Jewel, Mndsgn, Koreatown Oddity, Swarvy, and Craig T Cooper. Titles include "Jamma's Jam", "Spellbound", "Joy", "It Takes A Freak", "Saturday", "Baad", "Every Morning", "Silly", "UR", "Take Me Home", and "Opening Gates". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly tasty album of funky rock tracks – and the only one that we've ever seen from this obscure Bay Area group! The record's mostly sought-after for the funky cut "Can I Dedicate" – a 9 minute instrumental jam that starts with a great piano-heavy break, and rolls into great drums and fuzzy guitar. But the other tracks are all pretty great too – almost in the mode of some of the work on the San Francisco label at the time, with a genre-blending approach that mixes together rock, soul, and funk! Titles include "No More Tears", "The Bells", "Kali Yuga-Loo", "Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead", "I Can't Please You", and "Don't Lose Control". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant early sounds from Jimmy Jam – rare late 70s material that has a very different sound than his slicker 80s work with Terry Lewis! The style here is a wonderful blend of sweet soul and righteous jazzy funk – a lot warmer than Jimmy's later beat-heavy style – and served up with loads of sweet keyboards alongside the soaring harmony vocals! Jimmy himself plays Fender Rhodes, clavinet, and other keys – but what we really love about the record is the vocals – these harmonies that are as fragile as New Jersey soul from the early part of the decade, but often turned towards more complicated cuts that have lots of jazzy riffing in the rhythms! The work's never been issued before, and is one of the greatest discoveries we've heard so far from the Numero Group – that's really saying a lot, given all their other releases. The vibe is almost like the Moments or Whatnauts recording for Black Jazz records – and titles include "I Don't Know Why", "My Love Is Like A Fire", "The Wonder Of It All", "No One Else Can Do It To Me Baby", "Virgin Lady", and "When You're Touching Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Wail Moody, indeed – a killer set from the 50s that really shows the strong development of James Moody after the initial bebop years – already growing into one of the most forward-thinking jazzman of his generation! The group here is a bit larger than before – a septet, put together with both a mix of modern arrangements and some of the more freewheeling styles of a bop jam session – a great testament to Moody's growing ability as a leader. The lineup is a bit unusual, but in a good way – with work from Pee Wee Moore on baritone, Dave Burns on trumpet, Jimmy Boyd on piano, and William Shepherd on trombone – plus John Latham on bass and Clarence Johnson on drums – and the groove is open – informed by bop, but with a lot of early soul jazz in the mix, too – especially in the ensemble phrasing. Side one features the side-long jammer "Wail Moody Wail" – and other titles include "The Golden Touch", "The Donkey Serenade", and "Moody's Blue Again". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic Blue Note album – with one of the label's most compelling cover images ever! The "three" in this case refers to pianist Horace Parlan, bassist George Tucker, and drummer Al Harewood – all of whom jam nicely on this classic soul trio album from Blue Note! The record was the inspiration for the name of the 90s Blue Note remix group US3, but the groove on this one is much more straight ahead – as Parlan and crew were the house rhythm team at Minton's Playhouse in Harlem, and had developed a great talent for a wide range of soul jazz and hardbop styles through playing with a variety of different players night after night. Titles include Parlan's own "Us Three", "Return Engagement", and "Wadin" – plus versions of "Walkin" and "Come Rain Or Come Shine". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer bit of Latin funk from the west coast scene of the 70s – the only album we've ever seen from Sapo, but a set that almost blows away the efforts of bigger groups like Malo or El Chicano! There's a bit more funk in the mix here than in some of the group's contemporaries – a leaner, more soulful sound that's totally great – and topped with these cool compressed vocals from singer Richard Bean, who's got a very distinctive approach! The rhythms are wonderful – and the album explodes with great tracks that combine equal parts Latin, funk, and soul – all in a way that really lives up to the best promise of such a combination – and never falls too heavily on one or the other side of the fence. Titles include the killer break track "Been Had", the slamming electric jam "Ritmo Del Corazon", the fast modal groover "It's The Music", and the massive "Sapo's Montuno", with some very lively solos! Other cuts include "Nina", "Get It On", and "Can't Make It". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer from Shadow – a modern soul trio who are perhaps best remembered for the work they did with Leon Ware, but who sound pretty darn wonderful here on their own! The record's got a nice sense of groove, but also goes for that perfect midtempo balance that we love in the great run of soul titles from Elektra at this point – never trying too hard to fill in a club space in the post-disco years, and always moving towards the right sort of warmer sounds that keep things real. There's a nice focus to the songs throughout – almost tighter and sharper than the group's other work – and tracks include the mellow "No Better Love" and "Say It Again", both with a nice cold slow jam kind of groove – plus "Get It", "Love Lite", and "I Need Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Skool Boyz are a lot better than you might guess from their dated 80s spelling – a surprisingly tight little trio, bouncing along with lots of riffing rhythms and sweet keyboard lines, but also keeping things pretty solid with a good mix of ballads alongside the groovers! One of the group members is Stanton Sheppard, and Bill Bunky Sheppard's listed as the executive producer – so we're guessing there's some sort of connection to the earlier years of the Chicago soul scene here – and there's definitely a solid approach to the record that's way more than the commercial pop you might expect from other groups with "boys" in their name. Titles include "Jam Beneath The Groove", "Can We Do It Again" (which has little bit of rapping), "You Can Get Down", "This Feeling Must Be Real", "I Ain't Gonna Go Searching", and "You Took The Best Part Of Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Say what you want, we love this album! When it came out, we were such big Jam fans that we could never forgive Paul Weller – but now, nearly 20 years later, we're stunned at how great some of the soul songs on the album are. Sure, you've got to throw away about half the tracks – because they're silly early 80s bad funk numbers – but the remaining half is way more soulful than you'd remember, with a sweet, sincere, compressed sound that's made all the better by jazzy touches from Mick Talbot and Steve White. Includes the classics "My Ever Changing Moods", "You're The Best Thing", "Blue Cafe", "Paris Match", and "Dropping Bombs On The White House". This is the original UK version of the album issued in the US as My Ever Changing Moods. LP, Vinyl record album

The groundbreaking first album from The Time – a set that very firmly put the Minneapolis soul scene on the map, served up by a lineup that was maybe even more of a supergroup than Prince's band at the time! And while most folks credit Prince with helping The Time get their start, these guys already have plenty of fantastic power of their own – no surprise, given that this early version of the group still featured Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, before they went off to become production giants on their own – plus wicked guitar from Jesse Johnson, and beautifully dynamic vocals from the great Morris Day! Titles include "Get It Up", "Girl", After Hi School", "The Stick", "Oh Baby", and the 10 minute jam "Cool", one of our favorite cuts of the early 80s! Great 2LP pressing – with bonus single cuts that include "Cool (parts 1 & 2)", "After Hi School (single edit)", "The Stick (single edit)", and "Get It Up (single edit)". LP, Vinyl record album

The first solo album by Charles Wright – and a really mindblowing set that shows that he was the key psychedelic force in the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band! The set's got a much more stoner funk approach than ever before – one that's clearly fascinated with the bassy "rhythm" of the title, but which also has Wright really leaning into some soulful lyrics that represent the "poetry" of the set. A few of the cuts on the album go for quite a long stretch – especially the messed-up jam "Soul Train", which is almost a Funkadelic number, and the really crazy "Run Jody Run", a 13 minute jam filled with heavy guitars, soulful horns, and some mad shouted lyrics by Charles! Other tracks are mixture of soul and funk, and titles include "Girl Don't Let Me Down", "Just Free Your Mind", "Good Things", and a trippy cover of "Here Comes The Sun". LP, Vinyl record album

The genius sound of the TK Records label, taken to a whole new level – as some of the coolest club classics from that legendary Miami label are served up here in a host of new edits by contemporary talents! The sound is great – all the funk and soul of the originals, but kicked up a bit here and there on the rhythms – and often edited in ways that the grooves are really expanded too! Titles include "Spank (Dimitri From Paris Classic Re-Edit)" by Jimmy Bo Horne , "Ghetto Music" by Ted Taylor, "I'm Your Boogie Man (Todd Terje edit)" and "I Get Lifted (Todd Terje edit)" by KC & The Sunshine Band, "Do What You Wanna Do (Kon's Keep It Moving Mix)" by T-Connection, "Why Can't We Live Together (Late Nite Tuff Guy No More War Rework)" by Timmy Thomas, "Move Me Baby (Danny Krivit edit)" by Gwen McCrae, and "Jam On The Groove (Danny Krivit Edit)" by Ralph MacDonald. LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album of tracks by one of the 70s greatest soul groups – featuring material from mostly their late 70s years at Columbia, plus a few other ringers thrown into mix it up a bit. Features the slow jam classic "After The Love Is Gone", the disco groover "Boogie Wonderland" (cut with The Emotions), the spiritual "Serpentine Fire" and "Love's Holiday", the funky "Let's Groove", and a classic remake of Curtis Mayfield's "Mighty Mighty". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Funk Inc's greatest albums – and a really tight batch of funky tunes given some stellar production by David Axelrod! The band's a bit tighter than on earlier releases – leaving behind the hard jazz-jam sound for a more together soul-oriented one, heard to best effect on the album's enduring classic, "Goodbye, So Long" – a rolling funky tune that features vocals on the chorus, and an unbelievably catchy instrumental sound that you might recognize instantly from its use as a sample over the years. The rest of the record's just as great – and the band runs through The Meters' classic "Message From The Meters", Barry White's funky "I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More Babe", and a great rendition of the electric jazz classic "The Hill Where The Lord Hides". LP, Vinyl record album

Larry Graham hits the slow jam generation – stepping aside from his funkier groove for this classic album – a record that gave the world a huge crossover cut in the title track! The main focus here is on Larry's vocals, not his basswork – and he does a surprisingly good job as a modern soul male vocalist on the set – one who's a bit more fragile and human at points than some of his contemporaries – still somewhat smooth, but not always as polished. Titles include the megahit "One In A Million You", plus "There's Something About You", "Forever Yours", "When We Get Married", "I Just Can't Stop Dancing", "I'm So Glad It's Summer Again", and "Sunshine Love & Music". LP, Vinyl record album

The one that put Janet over the top – and a record that also set the standard for so much more soul music to come – thanks to the production efforts of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis! Jam and Lewis had been doing some great work for other artists in the years before this set – and here, they bring an extra special sort of punch to the music – almost a sense of "blast" in the rhythms, which makes the rising talents of the young Janet sound even better than they would have otherwise – creating a style that's badass, but also perfect for the crossover fame that this classic album attained! The set's overflowing with classics – and titles include "Control", "Nasty", "What Have You Done For Me Lately", "The Pleasure Principle", "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive", "You Can Be Mine", "When I Think Of You", and "Funny How Time Flies". LP, Vinyl record album

A crowning moment in New Jack Swing – a perfect step forward for Janet Jackson, as she continues to work with the duo of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with a vibe that was setting the scene for the rest of mainstream soul at the time! Titles include "Escapade", "Miss You Much", "Rhythm Nation", "Alright", "Love Will Never Do (Without You)", "Black Cat" and "Come Back To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Solid 80s grooving soul from Howard Johnson – a singer who'd worked often with other, bigger artists – but who only cut a handful of albums under his own name. The set's got a lot of production help from Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, who make their presence known in the record's electrified bass and keys approach – but it's Johnson's strong presence as a lead singer that really holds the set together – a sweet little groover! Titles include "So Tuff", "Knees", "Stand Up", "Outta My Head", "Older Girl", "Show Me How", and "You've Got A Lot To Learn". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool combo from the Carolina scene – headed up by singer/guitarist Jimmy Person, and working here in a mode that's a lot tighter and groovier than most other soul acts of the period! The group played local bars and restaurants – indicated by a reproduction of one of their older ads – but they've got a sharp, professional quality that's really great – classy, but never commercial – tight, but never uptight – just really sharp instrumentation from a quintet lineup that includes keyboards, bass, drums, and more guitar. All tracks are originals, and have a deeper quality of jazz at some points, more forward funk at others – on numbers that include "Take It To The Bank", "Baby That's The Way I Feel", "Have A Little Faith In Me", "Don't Cop No Attitude", "If I Could Make You Understand", and "E-Jam Sammich". LP, Vinyl record album

Jeffrey Osborne's really emerging strongly here in the mellow soul mode – especially on the album's two great ballad cuts, "Concentrate On You" and "We Both Deserve Each Other", both of which are smooth mellow steppers with a modern soul approach that's slightly less overblown than Osborne's 80s work. Bobby Martin produced, and tracks include "Holding On", "Jam", "Don't Stop Loving Me Now", and "Let's All Live & Give Together". LP, Vinyl record album

A free jazz jam from the Nostalgia 77 Octet – easily their most far-reaching work to date, and only available on a limited edition vinyl EP! "The Impossible Equation" has the group stretching out in a side-long jam of space jazz proportions – building very slowly with a style that's even more sonically focused than their previous efforts – sounding nicely tripped up, but still a bit funky at the bottom, thanks to a bassline that steps strongly along underneath some of the more psychedelic solos! Instrumentation is mostly acoustic, as with other Octet records – but the production makes for some especially spacey sounds. The flipside features a great version of "Desert Fairy Princess" – done in a really righteous 70s soul jazz mode – plus the shorter "Well Being I", which is a bit outside! LP, Vinyl record album

A mega-hit from Peaches & Herb – best known for the crossover classic "Reunited", but equally great for a host of modern soul groovers! The duo first achieved fame at the end of the 60s – through a set of key pop soul tracks that had a warm and sweet finish. Here, though, the pair are stepping out with a bit more of an Ashford & Simpson vibe – more mature and groove-oriented – and getting some great help on production and arrangement from Freddie Perren. Titles include, of course, "Reunited" – plus "Shake Your Groove Thing", "We've Got Love", "Love It Up Tonight", "Easy As Pie", "Four's A Traffic Jam", and "All Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the key classics from the Jimmy Smith years at Blue Note Records – a really groundbreaking time for the Hammond organ in jazz, as Jimmy helped take it from backrooms in bars to center stage of jazz with a record like this! The album's about as iconic as you can get for Jimmy at the label – from the fantastic cover image, to the well-crafted tunes – many of which are shorter than some of Smith's earlier jam session-styled work, and help forge a bridge between soul jazz and the emerging soul instrumental sound of the early 60s. The album features some excellent work from the obscure Percy France on tenor on most of the tracks – a player we only know from a handful of dates – next to other quartet members who include Kenny Burrell on guitar and Donald Bailey on drums. Titles include "Sugar Hill", "I Got A Woman", "Motoring Along", "Gracie", and "Messin Around". LP, Vinyl record album

The mighty SOS Band, still grooving hard well into the 80s – and still showing the world that their sound is way tighter than any of their many imitators! The style here is updated a bit from the group's first few records – given a sharper punch and polish by the Jimmy Jam/Terry Lewis team – yet the record's still got a depth that goes way past some of the more commercial soul the duo had been working on at the time – a great evolution of an older funk style into a sweet, lean sound for the latter half of the 80s! Keyboards soar over bouncy basslines – and the trademark mix of male and female vocals really works well on the album's hook-heavy cuts. Tracks include "Borrowed Love", "The Finest", "Do You Still Want To", "Sands Of Time", "Even When You Sleep", "Nothing But The Best", "No Lies", and "Two Time Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange one for Sonny Stitt – but also a real gem! The album has Sonny, who'd been working for the Roost/Roulette label, coming together with other jazz players in the same boat, plus Latin musicians who were recording for the related Tico label. Moishe Levy never made such a good talent judgement as he did with this session – which features an all-star Latin jazz jam that includes the likes of Ray Barretto, Joe Cuba, Junior Mance, Les Spann, Billy Taylor, Wild Bill Davis, Barry Galbraith, Walter Perkins, and Tito Puente. The organ of Davis is a particularly great touch – odd for a Latin session, but creating a cool groove on the best tracks, and a nice way to touch back with a soul jazz sound. Stitt's tone is right out front, and never sounded better – making us wish he'd recorded a few more albums in this manner! Titles include "Duketation", "Twana", "Icey Stone", "Let My People Split", "Samba De Orfeo", "Liberian Love Song", and "Handkerchief Head". Very hip stuff – and organized by Henry Glover, which might be part of the explanation for that! LP, Vinyl record album

Pure greatness from post-Jam Paul Weller – still in a very classic sort of jazzy soul mode here in the early days of Style Council! Titles include "Money Go Round", "Long Hot Summer", "Speak Like A Child", "Headstart For Happiness", and "The Paris Match". LP, Vinyl record album

Say what you want, we love this album! When it came out, we were such big Jam fans that we could never forgive Paul Weller – but now, nearly 20 years later, we're stunned at how great some of the soul songs on the album are. Sure, you've got to throw away about half the tracks – because they're silly early 80s bad funk numbers – but the remaining half is way more soulful than you'd remember, with a sweet, sincere, compressed sound that's made all the better by jazzy touches from Mick Talbot and Steve White. Includes the classics "My Ever Changing Moods", "You're The Best Thing", "Blue Cafe", "Paris Match", and "A Solid Bond In Your Heart". LP, Vinyl record album

Free and easy grooves from the great Phil Upchurch – a set that has the guitarist evolving more strongly into the world of fusion, after beginning his career with instrumental soul, shifting to heavier funk, and continuing to really open up his jazz chops as the years went by! Here, Phil's playing with a great lineup that includes plenty of soulful tenor from Eddie Harris, billed as having a "saxophone attachment" – which might be an update of his earlier Varitone sound – plus lots of nice work on keyboards from Russ Ferrante, and bass from Phil's son too. The great Harvey Mason sets the groove on drums – and titles include "Groovin Slow", "Midnite Blue", "Free & Easy", "Reunion", "Moment's Notice", and a nice take on "People Make The World Go Round". LP, Vinyl record album

A winning batch of modern soul from Yarbrough & Peoples – synthy duet soul, bits of funk, and some sweety sultry groovers, too! Y&P do their thing in a number of modes, and that fairly expansive approach to the 80s R&B sound really sets them apart from many of their peers. On one level, the synths and period production touches are kind of slick, but there's enough of a bubbling funky underbelly to give it some grit. Alisa Peoples can deliver a sultry coo or powerhouse lead with equal success, and Calvin Yarbrough is a charismatic partner. "Don't Waste Your Time", "I'm Ready To Jam", "I'll Be There", "I Only Love You", "Be A Winner", "The Power", "Who Said That", "I Gave My All (To You)" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A sprawling triple length set from Young Jeezy – his first for Def Jam, and a set that was delivered at that moment when it seemed like the southern scene could just spin out material like this with effortless ease! Jeezy's position amidst boxes of money on the cover will give you an idea of some of the vibes on the set – definitely the sort that showed that the rapper was one of the bolder youngsters from the Atlanta scene! The set has features from TI, Mannie Fresh, Young Buck, and Lil Will – and titles include "Go Crazy", "Standing Ovation", "Let's Get It/Sky's The Limit", "My Hood", "Bottom Of The Map", "Bang", "Soul Survivor" and "Tear It Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic collection of work from a real golden age in hip hop – a period that you'll probably guess from the image of the Native Tongues posse on the front – served up here in a compilation that brings together classics from De La Soul, The Jungle Brothers, Monie Love, and many others! The set list is superb – and while most of the tracks are well-remembered gems, and not the kind of rare cuts we usually hear from Ace Records – taken together, they're a tremendous reminder of a time when hip hop really came alive – bursting with wit, wisdom, and a whole new sense of musical imagination! As usual with Ace, the liner notes and other details are great – making this way more than just a slap-dash mix of hits – and titles include "You're Not Coming Home (Mase's funkay recall mix)" by Groove Garden, "Age Ain't Nothin But A #" by Chi Ali, "Bonita Applebum" by Tribe Called Quest, "Sunshine Men" by Freestyle Fellowship, "Peachfuzz" by KMD, "K Sera Sera" by Justin Warfield, "It's A Shame" by Monie Love, "Doin Our Own Dang" by Jungle Brothers, "OPP" by Naughty By Nature, "Doowutchyalike" by Digital Underground, "A Roller Skating Jam Named Saturdays" by De La Soul, "The Choice Is Yours" by Black Sheep, "All For One" by Brand Nubian, "My Definition Of A Boombastic Jazz Style" by Dream Warriors, "Mama Gave Birth To The Soul Children" by Queen Latifah with De La Soul, "Where I'm From" by Digable Planets, and "We Run Things (It's Like Dat)" by Da Bush Babees. LP features two bonus tracks – "Case Of The PTA" by Leaders Of The New School and "What's Up Doc (K-Cut's fat trac rmx)" by Fu Schnickens. LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool package, and one that goes past the easy old school hits from the early years of hip hop – and which instead brings together all these unusual strands of sound that really show how creative things were, right at the start! There's a number of tracks here that are a great surprise – nuggets we loved back in the day, and which spring to live here amidst other well-chosen tracks – all served up with the usual super-great notes and overall presentation we love from the Soul Jazz label. Many tracks have great basslines or boogie-styled grooves – from that moment when hip hop, funk, and soul were maybe more strong bedfellows than they would be a few years later – and themes are a nice mix of politics and partying, on titles that include "Get Live 83" by Carver Area High School Seniors, "Super Rock Body Shock" by Eye Beta Rock, "Street Talk" by Funky Constellation, "Do You Like That Funky Beat" by Kool Kyle The Starchild, "Jam To Remember" by Just Four, "Eei Eei O" by Silver Star, "Real Rocking Groove" by Chapter III, "To The Beat Y'All" by Sangrita, "Rappin & Rockin The House" by Funky Four Plus One More, "Do It Any Way You Wanna" by Mike T, and "Girls Of The World" by The Just Four. LP, Vinyl record album

Not the first album from Janet Jackson, but definitely the one that put her over the top – and a record that also set the standard for so much more soul music to come – thanks to the production efforts of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis! Jam and Lewis had been doing some great work for other artists in the years before this set – and here, they bring an extra special sort of punch to the music – almost a sense of "blast" in the rhythms, which makes the rising talents of the young Janet sound even better than they would have otherwise – creating a style that's badass, but also perfect for the crossover fame that this classic album attained! The set's overflowing with classics – and titles include "Control", "Nasty", "What Have You Done For Me Lately", "The Pleasure Principle", "He Doesn't Know I'm Alive", "You Can Be Mine", "When I Think Of You", and "Funny How Time Flies". LP, Vinyl record album

Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A crowning moment in New Jack Swing – or New Jill Swing, as it were – a perfect step forward for Janet Jackson, as she continues to work with the duo of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, with a vibe that was setting the scene for the rest of mainstream soul at the time! The album's got a larger overall feel than her previous set – partly because it makes use of the expanded CD recording style to add in interludes that link the tracks, and create a great flow through the record – while the lady herself still soars through plenty of catchy cuts that would win her some big hits! Titles include "Escapade", "Miss You Much", "Rhythm Nation", "Alright", "Love Will Never Do (Without You)", "Black Cat" and "Come Back To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Solid-sending soul jazz from the great Willis Jackson! The album features Gator blowing in a group that includes Jack McDuff and Wild Bill Jennings on all cuts – plus bass by either Milt Hinton or Wendell Marshall, drums by Bill Elliott or Al Johnson, and some tasty added conga by Buck Clarke on a few cuts! The album's got a tight, yet laidback feel to – perfect kickback jam session material, in that classic Prestige soul jazz mode. Titles include "Contrasts", "Cookin Sherry", "Mellow Blues", and "Sportin". LP, Vinyl record album

The first really major album from Rare Earth – issued on their own self-named subsidiary of Motown! The set's a perfect blend of the rich undercurrents of the heady Detroit scene of the late 60s – at one level a tripped-out rock record with styles that almost hint at MC5, at another level a batch of blue-eyed funky soul, with keen appreciation for the grooves coming out of the headier end of the Motor City indie spectrum! There's lots of tripped-out guitar work on the set – reminiscent of contemporary work by Dennis Coffey and George Clinton – mixed with a Mitch Ryder, R&B-inspired vocal style that actually comes across pretty darn well. Added to this is the group's flat-out ability to jam – showcased best in the side-long title cut "Get Ready" – a massive jammer which runs for nearly 22 minutes, and takes up all of side two! Other tracks include "Train To Nowhere", "Magic Key", "Tobacco Road", and "In Bed". LP, Vinyl record album

Don't be put off by the "twist" in the title – as this is a killer collection of R&B work from Atlantic Records – with some rare soul singles too! The cover claims that this album contains "the 16 best twist numbers by the world's most authentic performers" – and titles include "How Many Times" by Solomon Burke, "Rock & Roll Machine" by Tee Tucker, "Jam Up Twist" by Tommy Ridgely, "Mr Lee" by The Bobbettes, "I Want To Know" by Lloyd Sims, "Twist & Shout" by the Top Notes, "Do The Hully Gully" by King Coleman, "Bootie Green" by the Clovers, and "Jim Dandy" by LaVern Baker. LP, Vinyl record album

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. LP, Vinyl record album

Really mindblowing work from Jose James – an artist we loved right from his very first record, but one who has us completely over the top with this record – a set that may well push James from the soul underground into firmly classic territory – the sort of space that will have the record standing strong with soul classics from decades back, and for a long time to come! Jose's tremendous vocally, but there's also an extra-special spirit to some of these tunes – one that's still very strongly in the hands of the man himself, even though James opens the door for plenty of guests – a lineup that includes Ledisi, Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah, Aloe Blacc, Lizz Wright, Eric Truffaz, and others – not the kind of guests who overwhelm and take a too-strong turn in the spotlight, but the right sort of addition to the core sound. Titles include a surprisingly great remake of "Just The Way You Are" – plus "Turn Me Up", "I Need Your Love", "Saint James", "Take Me Home", "Oracle", "Feels So Good", "I Found A Love", and "You Know What I Do". LP, Vinyl record album

Seminal work from one of the hippest jazz singers ever – a session that showed the world that Eddie Jefferson was firmly back in business during the 60s! The set's got a really rollicking feel, and a bit more influence from soul than the bop of Eddie's roots – with elements of gospel and R&B filtering into the mix from time to time, alongside some of the more sophisticated jazz styles we've always loved in Jefferson's vocals. The group features some great tenor work from James Moody – one of Eddie's frequent musical partners – plus Dave Burns on trumpet, Barry Harris on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Bill English on drums. Titles include "Now's The Time", "So What", "Psychedelic Sally", "Filthy McNasty", "Oh Gee", and "See If You Can Git To That" – plus a very cool spoken introduction by Ed Williams! LP, Vinyl record album