Badbadnotgood have always been pretty damn great, actually – and never better than on album IV – a remarkable step forward for the group! As ever, they take inspiration from some of the best prog, jazz, funk (and proggy jazz funk...they blend) of the 70s and beyond, but weave it into fairly distinctive and genuinely fun modern sound. It's built to last, too –we're sure be able to come back to their work in a couple decades and it'll still work! IV finds them with the confidence to trade in some fairly subtle, smoothed out moments between to more boisterous ones, and they're more dexterous in the instrumentation – especially in the horns, keys and percussion – but some great vibes, strings, flute and more when the mood calls. Includes the great vocal track "Time Moves Slow" with Sam Herring of Future Islands, "And That, Too", "Lavender", "IV", "Chompy's Paradise", "Structure No. 3", "Cashmere", "Hyssops Of Love" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

From the female singer in the obscure group Chapter 8, Anita went onto become one of the biggest selling soul music acts during the 80s – and this album's her first effort as a solo act. The record's a smooth sophisticated batch of soul tunes, with lots of nice jazzy touches, and a classy sound that was quite refreshing in the face of some of the overly-synthesized soul work of the time. Patrick Moten produced and wrote most of the cuts – but it's Anita's deep vocals that make the record work so well. Titles include "You're The Best Thing Yet", "Feel The Need", "No More Tears", "Will You Be Mine", and "Do You Believe Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Gato Barbieri's later recordings – but don't hold that against it! The set's a smoother effort than most of Gato's earlier work, but it's also still pretty darn soulful – done in a way that allows plenty of space for his raspy reed work on tenor to flow over the top of larger arrangements that have a nice electric touch. Players include Eric Gale and Joe Beck on guitars, Don Grolnick on keyboards, and Mtume and Ralph MacDonald on percussion – both of whom give the tunes a nice earthy undercurrent when needed. And while we might be put off by the larger, more heavily-arranged sound – Gato himself is still in charge of the charts, and keeps things nicely focused in a soulfully expressive way! Titles include "Firelies", "Fiesta", "Europa", "Don't Cry Rochelle", "Behind The Rain", "Los Desperados", and "I Want You". LP, Vinyl record album

A sweet set of soundtrack funk – from a film named after one of our favorite streets in Chicago! Although the record's got an approach that's perhaps a bit tighter and smoother than anything going down on Stony in the late 70s, it does manage to share a good deal of styles with the Chi-soul scene of the time – thanks to work on the record from Chicagoans Gene Barge, Sonny Seals, and Tennyson Stephens! Many of the tracks on the set have a bad-walking soul approach – one that's kind of a mixture of funky and bluesy – and these are laid out next to some jazzier instrumentals that we like most of all – tunes that have a great funky soundtrack feel, but with a bit more fusion touches than usual, probably because of the work of David Matthews. Titles include "Percy Fired", "Party Lights", "High Speed Posters", "Back To Business", "Chase The Train", "Gangster City", "Dream Ride", and "Peace Of Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic classic from Latin percussion legend Ray Barretto – one of his most sophisticated albums of the 70s, and a set that's different than some of his later salsa hits! The album mixes together rootsy percussion and smoother jazzy arrangements – in a manner that keeps things fresh at all points, and which shifts the focus nicely from track to track – creating a really rich sound that's almost unlike anything else he ever recorded! Luiz Cruz plays excellent electric piano, and Adalberto Santiago is on lead vocals on a few tracks – and titles include the extended version of "Cocinando", used as the theme in Our Latin Thing – plus the cuts "Que Viva La Musica", "El Tiempo Lo Dira", "Bruca Manigua", and "Alafia Cumaye". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little record from the days before George Benson had totally hit his smooth jazz sound of the 70s, and was being pushed by Columbia as a hard wailing soul jazz leader! The record features his classic quartet with Lonnie Smith on organ – grooving away hard hard hard, sometimes even harder than George! Benson's fresh off his work with the Jack McDuff quartet, and his style's nice and lean, with some good riffs, and a very tight approach to the strings. Titles include "The Cooker", "Benny's Back", "Bossa Rocka", and "Benson's Rider". LP, Vinyl record album

Yipes! This one made everyone a bucket of money – especially Quincy Jones, whose new Qwest imprint the record was one of the first to grace. George has come a long way from his roots with Jack McDuff here – but in a way that kind of has us impressed, as he's grooving away slickly on guitar, laying down some smooth vocals that we never would have imagined from his mid 60s recordings. Includes the massive hit "Give Me The Night", a cover of "Moody's Mood", and the tracks "Star Of A Story (X)", "Midnight Love Affair", "What's On Your Mind", and "Dinorah, Dinorah". The sound of a million supermarkets and elevators during the 80s! LP, Vinyl record album

Cool Cotillion work from Brook Benton – southern soul mixed with smoother, sophisticated moments – and a perfect realization of the sound that Benton was going for in the 60s! There's a bit less country here than before – although Brook also still has one foot in his roots, too – and the overall approach has mellower soul touches that are great – keyboards, guitar, and electric bass that roll along gently next to Benton's wonderful vocals. The album was recorded at Criteria Studios, and up north in New York – and titles include "Movin Day", "Sidewalks Of Chicago", "She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye", "Poor Make Believer", and "Shoes". LP, Vinyl record album

A later gem from Bobby Blue Bland – done in a smooth style that fits the later approach of the Malaco label, but with a vocal style that hasn't dimmed a bit over the years! Bobby's still got that incredible rasp in his voice – that approach that easily made him one of the most soulful bluesmen of his generation – with a sense of sophistication and understanding of the music that holds true throughout the entire record. The vibe's a bit like some of Bland's late work for ABC – and titles include "Members Only", "In The Ghetto", "Heart Open Again", "I Need Your Love So Bad", "Straight From The Shoulder", and "Sweet Woman's Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that still has Colin Blunstone sounding surprisingly strong a few albums into his solo career – maybe a bit mellower, and with a bit less edge than at the start – but still very able to find the best way to put his amazing vocals to work! The backings are smooth, but not too AOR – just this kind of laidback, lightly tippling style that mostly has Blunstone moving at midtempo modes that let the lyrics resonate strongly in the spaciousness of his voice. Light strings are used at times, which is always a nice touch with Colin's voice – and many of the tracks on the album are originals by Blunstone – including "I'll Never Forget You", "Who's That Knocking", "Lovelight", "Ain't It Funny", "Photograph", "Touch & Go", and "You Are The Way For Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A crowning classic from maestro Waltel Branco – a Brazilian talent who could be smooth and sophisticated, but also pretty darn funky too – especially on this famous album from this 70s! The set takes off in a large ensemble vein of Brazilian grooves from a few years before – kind of more of a kick to the Blue Brazil/Odeon generation, as Branco works with a large string and horn section, but also ensures lots of tightness in the rhythms, and sweet electric touches on keyboards. There's a bit of Brazilian percussion at times – which let you know you're not in familiar CTI territory – and as with so many other great Brazilian albums of the time, the production is superb – really different than on American records of this nature. Titles include "Lady Samba", "Jael", "Satiricon", "Walking", "Luar Do SErgao", "Petit Fils", and "Zoraia". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic set that goes "slam" from the very first note – and which helped to set the pace for countless ensemble funk acts to come! Brass Construction had a wonderful sound that was the best-realized version of the east coast indie club combos of the mid 70s – funky at the bottom, but polished at the top, in a style that was equally appreciated by fans of disco and more classic funky soul! The "brass" in their title was certainly strongly supported – as the group used a brace of horns on the top of the mix, smoothly gliding over the choppier rhythms at the bottom. And while there's certainly some vocals on the set, they often take second stage to the tight instrumentation of the group! The set includes the classic "Movin" – virtually a blueprint for mainstream funk at the time – plus the tracks "Changin", "Love", "Talkin", "Dance", and "Peekin". LP, Vinyl record album

Completely sublime! Shuggie Otis first wrote and recorded "Strawberry Letter 23", but it took The Brothers Johnson, and some smooth Quincy Jones production to make it a hit! The track loses none of it's original trippy soul in this version – and if anything, the better vocals really take it over the top! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Completely sublime! Shuggie Otis first wrote and recorded "Strawberry Letter 23", but it took The Brothers Johnson, and some smooth Quincy Jones production to make it a hit! The track loses none of it's original trippy soul in this version – and if anything, the better vocals really take it over the top! 12-inch, Vinyl record

A key bit of jazz funk from trumpeter Tom Browne – still grooving strong here, with a sublime mix of modern soul, funky jazz, and some of the 80s groove touches that showed up on the best GRP titles from the time! The album's got a smooth compressed groove – kind of post-Donald Byrd, with Tom taking solos over the top of most tracks, and occasional vocals , wither from a backing group, or an assortment of different lead singers. Players on the set include Bernard Wright, Dave Grusin, Bobby Broom, and Marcus Miller – and tracks include "I Know", "Midnight Interlude", "Let's Dance", "Night Wind", "Making Plans", "Thighs Hihg", and "Magic". LP, Vinyl record album

An 80s classic from guitarist Hiram Bullock – a fusion set with a lot more smooth edges than the gritty surface of Hiram's well-played guitar on the cover! The set's quite polished, but still pretty great – never too overdone, and still based mostly around instrumentation by a core combo on most tunes. Hiram plays guitars, both electric and acoustic, as well as keyboards – and also sings a bit on about half the tracks in the set. Other players include Will Lee on bass, Kenny Kirkland and Cliff Carter on keyboards, and Charley Drayton on drums – and titles include "Funk Broadway", "Say Goodnight Gracie", "Until I Do", "Window Shoppin", "Really Wish I Could Love You", and "Mad Dog Daze". LP, Vinyl record album

Not the same Candido that you might know from Salsoul Records or 50s Latin fame – and instead a younger percussionist who cut this legendary album for Joe Bataan's Ghetto Records label! The set's got a rootsy vibe that's mighty nice – right up there with the best of the Fania salsa scene at the start of the 70s – and Candido plays timbales in a group that also features two trumpets, tenor, and trombone – plus lots more piano, bass, and percussion! You might have heard Candido's percussion in the groups of Ricardo Ray or Randy Carlos, but here he's a hell of a leader on his own – on titles that include the mellow soul "Baby Doll", the jazzy "Something Smooth", and the cuts "Palos De Fuego", "Bochinches", "El Lobo", and "Mi Ritmo Cubano". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic work from one of Brazil's greatest soul singers of the 70s – an album of rich feeling that's a wonderful bridge between American soul music and some of the sophisticated song stylings of the MPB generation! Cassiano's somewhere in the territory of contemporary Tim Maia – but is a bit smoother and more sophisticated – more of a mature soul mode next to Maia's rougher funk – served up here with impeccable arrangements that really draw from all the best changes in Brazilian music during the early 70s. The album includes the funky "Central Do Brasil", the extended midtempo groover "Onda", the semi-hit "Hoje E Natal", and the cuts "De Bar Em Bar", "Ana", "A Lua E Eu", and "Salve Essa Flor". LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary Gene Chandler gets down, and gets down good – in this classic late 70s set of clubby numbers and upbeat groovers! The set's one of the best moments on the Chi-Soul series from producer Carl Davis – and features a nicely evolved version of earlier Chicago soul modes from Tom Tom 84 and Sonny Sanders – both of whom push an older Brunswick style into some smoother, more sophisticated modern soul territory! Chandler's vocals are wonderful, as always – and have a catchy snapping feel on the groovers, mixed with surprisingly deep soul on the few mellower moments. Titles include a remake of "Please Sunrise", plus "I'm The Travelin Kind", "Get Down", "Tomorrow I May Not Feel The Same", "Greatest Love Ever Known", and "What Now". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from Otis Clay, but also one of his greatest albums ever! The record features him with some fuller arrangements than usual – in less of a bluesy mode than during the Hi years, with a smooth sound that really brings out a whole new side of his style. The set was recorded in Chicago for the Japanese market – and the arrangements are by Benjamin Wright, Bill McFarland, and Clay himself. Includes the massive groover "The Only Way Is Up", an anthemic modern dancefloor number that later yielded a bit hit for Yazz – plus the tracks "Cheatin In The Next Room", "All I Need Is You", "Special Kind Of Love", "Messin With My Mind", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", and "Check It Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Albert Collins – the kind of mean, lean music that Collins specialized in before his later years of cliche – served up here in a style that's almost more funk than blues overall! The tracks are all instrumentals, with lots of raw guitar and soulful saxophone – coming across with a rootsy feel that's much more in the mode of work on a soul-based indie than you'd expect from the usual slicker sides on Blue Thumb – hardly smooth LA, and instead almost a funky 45 vibe overall! The titles give a good example of the stripped-down sound of the tunes – and they include "Kool Aide", "Thaw Out", "Hot N Cold", "Frosty", "Tremble", and "Icy Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked early funk from The Commodores – a group that spent so much time on pop ballads in later years, it's hard to believe they could be this sharp and hard-edged! There's plenty of that bass-heavy style that would later dominate many Motown combos at the end of the 70s – but the group's really in control of the groove on this one, without any of the cliches that such bassery could lead them into – and production is nicely restrained, so that the whole thing has the loose, live feel of some of the best ensemble funk of the time – even some of the gems from the underground. Lionel Ritchie contributed one nice smooth soul number, "This Is Your Life", and the rest of the album includes "Let's Do It Right", "Wide Open", "The Bump", "Look What You've Done To Me", and the funk classic "Slippery When Wet". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Chick Corea – recorded in the early 80s, but with a sweet electric groove that takes us back to his best from a decade before! Chick plays Fender Rhodes and other keyboards – and works here with a group that has a nice sort of angular edge – none of the too-smooth moments that were sometimes showing up in Corea's other early 80s work, and instead some of the driving, soulful undercurrents that really sparkled in the Return To Forever years. The Fender Rhodes sounds great – clear and clean, just like back in the old days – and the group features reeds from Steve Kujala, bass from Carlos Benavent, drums from Tom Brechtlein, and hip percussion from Don Alias. Titles include "Twang", "Quintet #3", "Waltze", "Again & Again", and "Diddle Diddle". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Hank Crawford's first big records of the 70s – a really great set that helps him shake off some of his stock modes of the 60s and find a very different groove! A big part of the album is arranger Don Sebesky, who gives Hank a backdrop that's sophisticated and smooth, yet still pretty soulful in all the right places – a style that's almost a bit like mainstream soundtrack work of the time, but a bit more jazz focused overall. Hank's solos are right out front on most tracks – blown with that nicely pinched tone that made him a standout back in the day – and other players include Richard Tee on both organ and piano, as well as Idris Muhammad and Bernard Purdie on drums. Titles include "Uncle Funky", "Imagine", "The Sun Died", "Brian's Song", and "Ham", which was arranged by Pee Wee Ellis. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that was an instant classic from the moment it was first released – and a set that's still pretty darn pleasing all these many years later! At a time when mainstream soul was often too smooth or too poppy, D'Angelo came along and not only found a way to return the music to the years of its power with singers like Al Green or Marvin Gaye – but also managed to bring in some of the best hip hop elements of his generation too, at a level that was far more successful than most other blends that had been tried before! Production is nice and lean, and super-crispy – at a level that so many folks are still copying all these years later – and the set's full of classics that include "Cruisin", "When We Get By", "Smooth", "Me & Those Dreamin Eyes Of Mine", "Brown Sugar", "Alright", and "Jonz In My Bonz". LP, Vinyl record album

A later effort from the Dells, cut around the time ABC was having some great luck with the Detroit soul of The Dramatics – and also recorded in Detroit, with production work by the likes of Al Perkins, Rudy Robinson, and Calvin Carter, the Dells' old boss at Vee Jay. The tunes have a smoother approach than the group's work at Chess/Cadet – but their vocals are still top notch, with that raspy soul quality that has made them sound consistently strong over the years, no matter what the setting. Includes "Face To Face", "Thought I Could", "Face To Face", "Hooked On Loving You", "Love Me", "Wrapped Up Tight", and "Changed Man". Lots of nice ballads! LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth jazzy work from Deodato – a record that takes off from his electric keyboard work of the early 70s, and shows his growing interest in modern soul and R&B a the time! Deodato's still a few years way from some of his famous soul production work, but he's already got a great ear for a groove – and works in a style that's tight, but never too slick – the best Joe Sample or Crusaders territory, but even more groove oriented too. You can definitely hear Deodato's growing taste for modern soul here – especially on the seminal club jammer "Whistle Bump", which is a tight keyboard-driven groove, with some sweeping strings underneath wah wah guitar. The cut's the real standout on the album – although there's a few other nice moments, like "Space Dust" and "Lovely Lady", which has a great mellow Bob James-ish sound. LP, Vinyl record album

DJ Jazzy Jeff returns – with a top shelf roster or MCs doing justice to his Philly soul reared, bedrock beatcraft – including Big Daddy Kane, Method Man, Rhymefest, Jean Grae, Kardinall Offishall, CL Smooth, Pos of De La Soul and more – underground spitters and mic icons alike! We don't know if Jazz tailors his beats for the chosen MCs – or if he seeks out the appropriate MCs for his ready-made material – but whatever his methods, they're still working well. Return Of The Magnificent is a standard bearing effort! Titles include "Hip Hop" feat Twone Gabz, "Let Me Hear U Clap" feat Pos from De La Soul, "Run That Back" feat Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice, "Jeff N Fess" feat Rhymefest, "Practice" feat J Live, "Supa Jean" feat Jean Grae, "The Garden" feat Big Daddy Kane, "Hold It Down" feat Method Man, "My Soul Ain't For Sale" feat Raheem DeVaugh, "Cone On feat Dave Ghetto, "Brand New Funk 2K7" feat Peedi Peedi and more1 LP, Vinyl record album

Although not as instantly captivating as their work for Stax, this set for ABC is still a pretty darn great group soul album! The group haven't lost their touch vocally – and Ron Banks and LJ Reynolds are still incredible singers that push smooth soul to a whole new level. The album includes the sublime "Do What You Wanna Do", one of the best male soul slow jams of the 70s – plus the cuts "Jane", "Stop Your Weeping", "Why Do You Want To Do Me Wrong", and "California Sunshine". LP, Vinyl record album

A gem of a record from vocalist Urszula Dudziak – the closest she ever came to doing a "straight" set of vocals, but still one that lives up to her unique style! The album was produced by Michal Urbaniak with a sweet electric vibe – never too smooth or overproduced, but with just enough American jazz funk to set things right – and make for some wonderful instrumentation that helps Urszula breathe new life into some older tunes! A few tracks on here are originals – like "Midnight Rain", "People Say", and "Cuckoo's Nest" – and the rest are wonderfully reworked versions of older tracks like "Lover", "Night In Tunisia", and "Bluesette". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of the last great soul albums on the Westbound label – the Detroit funk powerhouse known for famous records by Funkadelic, The Counts, and the Detroit Emeralds! Eramus Hall have a vague P-Funk connection – and according to legend, the band were given their name by George Clinton, who had seen a building in Chicago named Eramus Hall – but the sound is a lot smoother than any of the P-Funk projects of the time, and the group's strongest point is their smooth soul groove, augmented by a tight jazz funk style on the best cuts. In a way, they're sort of like a morphed version of late Parliament – with a funk sound that's nicely compressed, but still a lot more true than any of the countless other bands on the market who were aping P-Funk at the time. Highlights include the groovers "Your Love Is My Desire" and "She Shined A Light", both with nice sample moments – and other tracks include "Stuck In The Mudd", "Funk Permit", and "Think Positively". LP, Vinyl record album

A strong move into disco by First Choice – the group whose earlier Philly work had an undeniable impact on the genre! The sound here is smoother and more mature than the group's first few albums – a bit more in the fuller mode of the disco years, less pop overall – and done with some stone Philly production by Norman Harris and Stan Watson – and loads of great arrangements by Harris, Bobby Eli, and Vince Montana. Wonderful work all the way through – with none of the disco filler of other groups' albums from the time – and a deeply-crafted vocal sound that belies the trio's strong history in soul! Tracks include "Ain't He Bad", "Gotta Get Away (From You Baby)", "Yes, Maybe No", "I Got A Feeling", "Don't Fake It", and "Let Him Go". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth stepping grooves from The Floaters – still very much in the nicely compressed mode of their more famous debut, and getting some nice production help here from Eugene McDaniels! There's a righteous punch to the record that really shows the influence of McDaniels – a way of keeping things hip, even when hovering near the mainstream – and although the groovers are great, we actually think that the best cuts are the mellow ones – tunes that move in a lightly gliding, almost spacey way – one that has the group's voices crackling nicely with an honest approach that we really love! There's a warmth to these tunes that's undeniable – and titles include "Levitation", "Woman Love/You Are My Lady", "Brand New Lite", "Made Up My Mind", "The Best Of Our Love", "Go Down To The Disco", and "Sweet Lady September". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet smooth funk from David Fostex – a set that's heavy both on 80s boogie modes, and some of the "yacht soul" elements referenced by the title – but which also has a very unique spin of its own! The lineup here is large, although given the names of some of the musicians, that might also be an in-joke – as we're not sure that Herbie Handjob actually played Rhodes on the set – yet despite any question about the origins of the sound, the result is nice and tight – a great contemporary take on classic modes, with a few wisecracks mixed in alongside the soulful vocals. Titles include "Lost My Keys", "Butt Dial", "Glasses For The Masses", "Should Have Washed My Hands", "Livin The Stream", and "What's That Smell Barry Manilow". LP, Vinyl record album

Gang Starr at pretty close to peak level here on 1994's Hard To Earn – and rather than continue to ride the waves they made on the previous couple classic albums, Guru sharpens the lyrical tone just a bit – spitting some more incisive rhymes over apporpriately gritty soul jazz beats from Primo. Tracks include the classic "DWYCK" featuring Nice & Smooth – which is just about our favorite Gang Starr track ever, to be honest – plus "Speak Ya Clout" featuring Jeru and Lil Dap, "Mass Appeal", "Code Of The Streets", "Brainstorm", "Tonz O Gunz", "Suckas Need Bodyguards", "Blowin Up The Spot", "Mostly Tha Voice", "F.A.L.A.", "Now You're Mine", "Comin For Datazz", "Aiight Chill...", "The Planet", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks – with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous record. The record shows a sexy side of Marvin that would stun fans of his 60s work – very adult, very warm, and very preoccupied with desire and love. In a way, this sort of full-on love fest was a big payoff for all the folks who'd hung onto his simpler expressions of affection in the earlier years – sort of like getting let into the bedroom after spending years on the front porch! The record was produced by both Marvin and Ed Townsend – and the arrangements by David Van DePitte, Rene Hall, and Gene Page are smooth and seductive all the way through. Includes slow jam classics like "You Sure Love To Ball", "Distant Lover", and "Let's Get It On" – plus "Come Get To This", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", and "If I Should Die Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". This fantastic 50th Anniversary version features new mastering by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, an essay by Hanif Abdurraqib, and a full record of bonus material that includes "What's Going On (stripped)", "What's Going On (rhythm & strings inst)", "What's Going On (mix 1 with no strings or horns)", "Symphony (demo version)", and original mono single mixes of "What's Going On", "God Is Love", "Mercy Mercy Me", "Sad Tomorrows", "Inner City Blues", and "Wholy Holy". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". LP, Vinyl record album

A cool sextet session from Benny Goodman – one that recalls the best fluid groove of his late 30s small combo sides! The setting here is live, but the recording features excellent sound – all to capture a mix of Benny's clarinet, Zoot Sims' tenor, Bill McGuffie's piano, Bucky Pizzarelli's guitar, and some especially nice vibes from Peter Appleyard – ringing out to really color the sound of the entire record. There's a leanness here that gets past any hoke that you might expect – and the presence of such good musicians in the small combo means that the record offers plenty more than Goodman's already great solo work. Titles include "Where Or When", "I Want To Be Happy", "A Smooth One", "Shine", "Flying Home", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Sheik Of Araby", and "Too Close For Comfort". LP, Vinyl record album

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" LP, Vinyl record album

Grant's First Stand – and a mighty one at that! The set was recorded when Green was a guitarist fresh on the scene – showing up in New York from St Louis, where he'd been discovered by Lou Donaldson and brought to Blue Note with great acclaim! For this first date, Green's heard in really stripped-down company – just Hammond from Baby Face Willette and drums from Ben Dixon – a spare trio setting that makes for a madly cooking little record, and one without some of the smoother edges of Greens' later years! The set's as raw and soulful as Willette's own Blue Note classics – and is very much in the side of the spectrum that Donaldson was bringing to the label at a time – a much-needed dose of new energy from the Prestige Records side of the tracks. Every track's a winner – and titles include "Blues For Willarene", "Baby's Minor Lope", "Miss Ann's Tempo", and "A Wee Bit O Green". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that has Dave Grusin elevating a bit more into the jazz/soul mainstream – as the set has the keyboardist working with a few more crossover modes than before, but all in a way that seems to demonstrate his many years in various kinds of music! The album was a key entry in the new sound of fusion during the mid 80s – maybe a bit sharper than later smooth jazz, but with efforts from some leading lights of that generation to come – including David Sanborn and Marcus Miller. Phoebe Snow sings a bit on the record – which might provide her with one of her more exciting settings in years – and titles include "Power Wave", "Thankful N Thoughtful", "Night Lines", "Tick Tock", "Bossa Baroque", and "Secret Place". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Grusin's definitely out of the shadows here – after years of session work, soundtrack music, and other arrangements – finally beginning to shine in the limelight as a jazz musician on his own! The set's got a nice sort of vibe – not the too-smooth later sound of the GRP label, and instead this nice balance of electric keyboards and acoustic piano – delivered with help from key contemporaries who include Lee Ritenour on guitar and Steve Gadd on drums! Production is nicely understated – and titles include the mellow stepper "Serengeti Walk", plus "Last Train To Paradiso", "She Could Be Mine", "Crystal Morning", "Hokkaido", and "Sweetwater Nights". LP, Vinyl record album

A slightly unusual set by legendary jazz vocalist Johnny Hartman from the mid 70s. These sessions have him singing with smooth larger arrangements by Fred Norman – in a style that's verging on adult vocals, but has enough of a jazz swing to still please our ears – and some interesting titles that include "Suzanne", "When", "Starting Now", "That's What Makes A House A Home", "Ornery Little Critter", "I've Only Myself To Blame", "If I Could Only See You Again" and "Hello Mrs Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

Richie Havens is way past the folksy mode of his roots by this point – working in a set of smooth arrangements by William Smitty Smith and Booker T – a style that mixes electric touches with Havens' still-raspy vocals, an approach that's a bit like that used on some of Bill Withers Columbia Records, put possibly even a bit more mainstream here. The real issue almost seems to be the choice of songs – as the record features covers that occasionally seem a bit ill-placed, but which come off as nice oddities at the best moments – like Richie's versions of "Do It Again" and "Long Train Running". Other titles include "We Can't Hide It Anymore", "I Was Educated By Myself", "Daughter Of The Night", and "If Not For You". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent work from this smooth Chicago vocal group! The album may well be the best the group ever recorded – and it features some stellar ballad work produced with a nice spacey tone, almost in a Rose Royce mellow mode – by Jerry Butler's Fountain Productions team and by Clarence Johnson, who brought the group up from the beginning! The real strength of the album, though, is the group's vocals – wonderfully harmonious, but with a rougher edge and a deeper soul than many other 70s groups of the same type. The album includes the massive semi-hit "Guess Who's Back In Town" – plus other good ballads like "How Do You Think You're Gonna Find Love", "Let's Work It Out", and "Distant Melody". The album also features some uptempo numbers – and other tracks include "Run & Tell That", "Dance A Thon", and "No Limit". LP, Vinyl record album

Post-Labelle solo work from Nona Hendryx – and a set that very much shows that she's the one who brought all the raw funky power to the group! Unlike Patti Labelle's work from the same time, which was getting smoother and classier, Nona's work here is almost in the vein of rock music – working the lead guitar hard in a style that's a bit Betty Davis, but more crossover too – in ways that helped Hendryx gain a huge audience for her groove in the 70s! The core group is super-tight, and also helps Nona with all the arrangements too – a nicely unified set that includes a version of Russ Ballard's "Winning", plus "Everybody Wants To Be Somebody", "Once Again", "Problem", "Will You Be There?", "Leaving Here Today", and "Take A Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too far over the top – catchy, compelling numbers that played well all over the world of pop – but which still hang onto just a little part of his soul roots too! That balance is a key factor to the success of this set – a record that helped re-ignite interest in Jackson's music, and introduce him to a whole new generation – while still keeping most of the older fans plenty pleased too. Titles include "Just Good Friends", "Smooth Criminal", "Bad", "Another Part Of Me", "Man In The Mirror", and "Speed Demon". LP, Vinyl record album

Millie Jackson's feelin bitchy – and letting a whole new side of her talents show! After the sweet southern soul sound of her early recordings, the Jackson style takes a sharp shift here – letting a bitchier side show up more strongly, and really setting the tone for the next great chapter of her music! Some of the set still features the older style production work by Brad Shapiro – but that's also pushed out by a smoother more modern soul feel on most of the record – one that has Millie emerging with a lot more pride, presence, and power than ever – all-woman, and all in control! Titles include the 10 minute Latimore cut "All The Way Lover", which has a great monologue that would even make Latimore blush – plus the tracks "A Little Taste Of Outside Love", "Feelin Like A Woman", "Angel In Your Arms", and the great "If You're Not Back In Love By Monday". LP, Vinyl record album

The first of six "comeback" albums that this great Chicago soul singer cut during his second wave of recording during the late 70s! Walter had originally done some amazing work with the great Carl Davis at the Okeh label during the mid 60s – and this album marks a return to their collaboration – this time at Davis' own Chi-Sound subsidiary of 20th Century Records. Jackson here takes all the smooth sophistication of his early days, and transforms himself into an adult singer of soul songs – taking a route similar to that travelled by singers like Jerry Butler or Lou Rawls at the same time. Like Rawls, the style doesn't always work – but when it does, it's great. Titles include "Love Is Lovelier", "Words", "Too Shy To Say", "Please Pardon Me (You Remind Me Of A Friend)", "Love Woke Me Up This Morning", and a remake of "Welcome Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet smooth soul from Walter Jackson – recording here in his later years, with a style that's a lot more modern than his classic 60s recordings for Okeh, but still surprisingly nice, and a great evolution of his "Iceman" soul sound! The set features Eugene Record's great title cut, "Tell Me Where It Hurts", plus a version of Stevie Wonder's "If It's Magic", a remake of "At Last" – and the tunes "What If I Walked Out On You", "When I See You", and "Living Without You". LP, Vinyl record album

Heads or tails, it's a winner every time – as the record's one of the last clear moments of genius from keyboardist Bob James in the 70s! The sound here is stepping out a bit more from Bob's earlier sides on CTI, but there's still plenty of great keyboard work to make the album worth seeking out – as well as that unusual James approach to rhythm, which often makes tunes come across with lots of angular moments and darker corners, no matter how smooth the overall production might sound. Other players here include Richard Tee, Ralph MacDonald, Randy Brecker, Alphonso Johnson, and Steve Gadd – and titles include the seminal break track "Night Crawler", plus "Heads", "We're All Alone", "I'm In You", and "One Loving Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A monster – and quite possibly one of the greatest Fender Rhodes albums of all time! Bob James is really at the height of his powers here – stepping out with a sound that's a lot smoother than some of his earlier work, yet in a groove that's never too slick or too overproduced – as happened with some of his later records on the Tappan Zee imprint. Here, James is still a master of space and sound – using the Fender Rhodes with bell-like tones to craft some key grooves that are still having an amazing impact today, more than 30 years after the album was initially recorded! There's a darkness here that we totally love – and tracks include the legendary "Take Me To The Mardi Gras", which has been sampled by Run DMC and loads of others – plus"The Golden Apple", "I Feel A Song", "You're As Right As Rain", "Farandole", and "Dream Journey". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that makes us go "wow" all over again at the mighty talents of Bob James – because even this late in life, he's clearly open to new ideas and pushing the boundaries – which he really does here in collaboration with younger musician Sam Franz! In the way that Bob's CTI albums were a landmark electric jazz effort for the 70s – this set's maybe one for the 21st Century, with a vibe that's shows the passage of time in so many different ways! This isn't fusion, smooth jazz, or traditional jazz at all – yet Bob's got some great moments on keyboards throughout, in different sonic settings from Franz, merging together in ways that make it difficult to figure out who's doing what. Titles include "Brew This Again & Again", "This Theme Needs A Movie", "Polar Tangents", "Starless Vault Of Heaven", "See Ya", and "Atsuko's Arcade". 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

A Pablo Records release – but featuring material that was originally destined for Verve Records in the 50s – a rare performance in Japan by the Jazz At The Philharmonic! The double-length set is overflowing with goodness, all recorded in the open-ended, warm-hearted style that Norman Granz brought to these classic performances! The album starts with an extended set by the JATP All-Stars – a group that features Roy Eldridge and Charlie Shavers on trumpets, Willie Smith and Benny Carter on alto, Bill Harris on trombone, and Ben Webster and Flip Philips on tenors – with rhythm from the combo of Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and JC Heard on drums. JATP titles include a "Ballad Medley", "Tokyo Blues", and "Cotton Tail". The set then features six more tracks by the Oscar Peterson Trio – including "Sushi Blues" and "Up" – and another four by the Gene Krupa Trio – including "Don't Be That Way", and "Cocktails For Two". The set then ends with a long set by Ella Fitzgerald with a quartet – on titles that include "Smooth Sailin", "How High The Moon", "Body & Soul", "Lady Be Good", and "My Funny Valentine" – plus a reading of "Perdido" with the whole JATP group. LP, Vinyl record album

A great album of smooth jazzy numbers recorded for CTI – with a nice luster that actually makes the album a lot more compelling than some of JJ and Kai's other work together. The album features some great big band arrangements of strong material, including Edu Lobo's "Casa Forte" and Jobim's "Mojave", both of which are done in a great little groove. Other tracks include "Betwixt & Between", "Don't Go Love, Don't Go", "Smoky", "Wichita Lineman", and "Willie, Come Home". LP, Vinyl record album

Early Detroit soul – the second LP by the great Marv Johnson, one of the first talents to be supervised by a young Berry Gordy! In fact, it could be said that everything Berry put into his work with Marv led to the formation of Motown – as Marv's mixture of smooth vocals and swinging soul really prefaces a lot of the work to come out of the motor city during the 60s, no surprise, since he's got some of the Motown crew writing songs for him! Includes "Baby Baby", "River Of Tears", "This Heart Of Mine", "Ain't Gonna Be That Way", "I Love The Way You Love", "When You've Lost Your Love", "Easier Said (Than Done)", 'All The Love I've Got" and "Let Me Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

A different sound than usual for Syl Johnson – but a record that still has loads of those amazing vocals we love from Syl! The style's mostly modern soul – with a tightness that's different from the grit of earlier Johnson albums – that mode in which other singers of the time were tightening up their bag too. The approach works especially well on the midtempo groovers – which have the bite of Johnson's vocals providing a great contrast tot he smoother grooves of the instrumentation – in ways that really deepen the feel of the tunes, but in ways that are very different than classic work from Syl. Titles include "Mystery Lady", "Blue Water", "Who's Gonna Love You", "You're The Star Of The Show", "Gimme Little Sign", and a 9 minute "Otis Redding Medley". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that really helped push guitarist Ronny Jordan over the top – a set that took that sharp, clean sound that made him the 90s heir to the funky Grant Green sound – and updated it nicely with some help from DJ Krush! The record is one of the most successful blends of jazz and hip hop from the time – one of the few that really gets things right, and which knows when to lean into soul as well – and is maybe a key part of an early legacy that would later flourish in Blue Note projects from artists like Madlib and Robert Glasper! Titles include the killer "The Jackal (the illest mix)", which has Dana Bryant delivering a very hip spoken part – plus "S**t Goes Down (but I phunked up mix)", "Love I Never Had It So Good", "Season For Change (dawn of the season mix)", "Bad Brother (how ya like my wheel mix)", and a great remake of "So What (tuff n smooth mix)". LP, Vinyl record album

Great 80s work from guitarist Calvin Keys – material that's different than his earlier sides for the Black Jazz label – and which shows Calvin really changing up his sound for the following decade! There's a slightly more inside feel to the recording, but the set's still dripping with soul – warm rhythms that provide a perfect foil for Calvin's open lines on guitar, played with even more deftness than we remember. Other elements include keyboards, percussion, and vocals on one track from Maxayn Lewis, who also sings a bit of backup too – and titles include the smooth groovers "Dantu" and "Love In Your Eyes", plus "Full Court Press", "Growing Pains", and "Bus Scene". LP, Vinyl record album

A tight date from 1977, and one that follows nicely in the spirit of King's later Stax sides, but with a slightly smoother groove. There's a bit of the Detroit 70s mode going on in the set – that rough-and-smooth quality that you'd find on a Don Davis production, which proves to be a wonderful blend for King's music, especially on some of the album's funkier numbers. Titles include "Chump Change", "You Upset Me Babe", "Let Me Rock You", "Boot Lace", "Love Mechanic", "Call My Job", and "Good Time Charlie". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most tightly-produced of BB King's albums for MCA, but a set that's still filled with undeniable charm – and which really shows King more than able to step up to some well-deserved superstardom! There's a bit of an LA finish to the backings, but things are never too smooth – and BB's vocals and guitar both really shine in this setting – with inflections and edges that are just wonderful throughout! The balance is great – that rare ability that MCA had to serve up such records at the time – and titles include "A World Full Of Strangers", "Midnight Believer", "Never Make A Move Too Soon", "Hold On", "I Just Can't Leave Your Love Alone", and "When It All Comes Down". LP, Vinyl record album

A smooth set from reedman John Klemmer, but a pretty darn soulful one too – and a great illustration of the way that Klemmer could still hold onto his roots a lot more strongly than some of his contemporaries! The backings are gentle and fusiony – often with some great keyboard work from Russell Ferrante – and Klemmer soars out wonderfully in the lead – with a depth of tone and creativity of solos that goes far beyond anything that might have been needed for the date – a real "something extra" that shows that John's still got all the deep elements of his Impulse years in place. Tracks include "Finesse", "Man & Woman", "Sometimes", "Heart", "Sun, Moon And The Stars", and "Beloved". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful early work from John Klemmer – one of the most under-rated talents of his generation, and a great player who frequently gets overlooked because of his later, smoother work. This album is Klemmer's first – recorded with a soulful Chicago tenor sound, touched with some of the freedoms of the late 60s Cadet Records scene. The approach is a bit like Eddie Harris at his best – with Klemmer rolling out soulful, stretched out notes over backing by a Harris-inspired rhythm section that includes Melvin Jackson on bass, Wilbur Cambell on drums, and Jodie Christian on piano. The groove is very solid, very in the pocket – and Klemmer blows in a tradition that includes Frank Strozier and Eric Alexander – 2 other players who've made a strong contribution to the Chicago scene. Titles include "My Blues", "Will N Jug", "Passion Food", "Stand In the Sun", and "Later With Them Woes". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest power pop albums ever recorded – a blistering batch of tight little rocking tunes that took pop music back to basics at the end of the 70s! The group have an almost Beatles-esque flair for the short catchy tune – but have also pumped up things nicely with a smoothly compressed 70s approach to production. There's an urgency to the work that seems to drive the whole thing with an uptight adolescent sense of horniness – a strange force that kicks most tunes into ultradrive by tapping into a virtually limitless source of energy! Titles include the mega-hit "My Sharona", plus "Heartbeat", "Lucinda", "Frustrated", "Good Girls Don't", "Selfish", "O Tara", and "Maybe Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

Patti's first solo album – recorded after splitting with the group Labelle, moving into a more sophisticated Diva soul mode that kept her strong for years to come! The album's pretty great, stepping out into the solo soul realm with terrific footing – and the best tunes have a smoothed out modern approach that's actually quite refreshing – and a bit better than some of the work by Labelle in the late years! 9 tracks in all, including "Dan Swit Me", "You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover", "I Think About You" and "Do I Stand A Chance". LP, Vinyl record album

A slice of genius from Michel Legrand – one of his brilliant late 60s soundtracks, not as well remembered as, but cut during the same period as The Thomas Crown Affair. The soundtrack is probably best remembered for the incredible theme "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" – sung here in 2 versions by Michael Dees, and also served up in a nice instrumental take as well. But overall, the whole record is pretty darn great – not as out and out groovy as some of Legrand's other work, but with a great mix of moody, jazzy, and atmospheric – handled with some really great instrumental touches that are all Legrand, all the way! Titles include "Smooth Sailing", "Collage", "Diamonds Are Forever", "Floating Time", "Hurry Up N Hurry Down", and "Whistle While You Swing". LP, Vinyl record album

70s soul from Brazil – and a tremendously strong effort from the legendary Tim Maia! This record was Tim's first after an initial run on Polydor – and it shows Maia tightening up his groove even more, but still avoiding the slicker sounds of later years. There's a really focused sound here that's totally great – one that shows that Maia's work was hardly just some happy cross-cultural accident, and instead the careful work of an artist who was out to challenge the best American soul acts of the time! There's a warm little groove to most of the tracks – tripping along lightly in the vein of some of our favorite US mellow soul from the mid 70s – an approach that's mostly soul, but with some funky undercurrents – and often smooth, but never cloying or overly commercial. Titles include "Ride Twist & Roll", "Flores Belas", "Let It All Hang Out", "Sem Voce", "E Necessario", "Leva O Meu Blue", "Pense Menos", and "Musica Para Betinha". LP, Vinyl record album

Saxophonist Mike Makhalemele is in great company here – blowing these long, soulful lines in a combo that has plenty of mellow grooves – keyboards from Jabu Nkosi and bass from Sipho Gumede – both players who really know how to lay back, open up a groove, and let Mike do all the rest with his horn! The approach is a more stripped-down take on American soul fusion styles of the time – never too smooth or commercial, and definitely with some elements of older South African jazz in the mix, although in subtle ways. The main focus is on the tenor, which is great – on titles that include "My Thing", "15th Avenue", "Peace Train", "End Of The Road", and "Going West". LP, Vinyl record album

The debut album from pianist Junior Mance – a session that showcases some of the harder, more soulful modes he'd soon bring to his great run of records in the 60s, but one that also has some of the more easygoing modes of 50s Verve Records too! Junior's got some surprisingly lyrical touches at times – still using plenty of hard left hand movement on the rhythms, which are augmented by Ray Brown on bass and Lex Humphries on drums – but also moving fluidly on the higher side of the keyboard too, crafting all these beautiful melodies that resonate with effortless ease! There's maybe less space between the notes than on some of Mance's work a few years later, and it's also clear that even at this young age, he's already a hell of a pianist, with a very individual touch. Titles include "Jubilation", "A Smooth One", "Miss Jackie's Delight", "Small Fry", "Love For Sale", and "Junior's Tune". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Henry Mancini's grooviest LPs from the 70s – a mixture of tight large arrangements with a smooth funky edge, similar to some of his best soundtrack work at the time! The rhythm section is great – with Harvey Mason on drums and Joe Sample on keyboards, and guitar by David T Walker and Dennis Budimir – and the album also features some cool solos on instruments like African finger piano and piccolo trumpet. The whole thing bounces along with a majestic approach that's very full and complicated – yet also tight and funky! Lots of nice groovy tunes – and titles include "Sun Goddess", "Symphonic Soul", "Soul Saga", "African Symphony", "Slow Hot Wind", and "Satin Soul". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from Maneige – a French Canadian group who work in an instrumental mode that's partly jazz, and partly prog – but very much their own sort of vibe! The group had already cut some other excellent records before this one, and they're razor-sharp throughout – tight, but never in any sort of smooth fusion way – in part because the music has a great sense of humanity, which comes especially from the flute and alto work of Alain Bergeron, whose solos really hang in the special space that the group created. There's both a drummer and percussionist on the set – next to piano, guitars, and bass – and those added elements really help give the music an organic quality, and offset the electric instrumentation. Titles include "Bagdad", "Celebration", "La Noce", "Miro Vibro", "Troizix", and "L'Envol Des Singes Latins". LP, Vinyl record album

Stellar Manhattans from the start of the 80s – and proof that the group could still hold strong, even at a point when soul music was really changing up around them! The sound is somewhat smoother than before, but never in a throwaway style – and as you might guess from the title, the record's a mostly-mellow affair that really hones in on the great ballad style that the group had perfected during their time at Columbia! The vocals are superb – not nearly as fragile as in the early days, but really still filled with a great sense of warmth and humanity – the group really maturing into a special space of their own. Arrangements are by James Mack, Benjamin Wright, Bert DeCoteux, and others – and titles include the hit "Shining Star", plus "It's Not The Same", "Just As Long As I Have You", "If My Heart Could Speak", "One Life To Life", "The Closer You Are", and "Girl Of My Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from The Manhattans – still going strong long into the 70s with a classic harmony approach! The title tune sets the whole album up perfectly – and is the kind of a sad, slow ballad that the group was always perfect at – a number that grabs you with a compelling title, and follows up with a sublime lyric that holds on for the entire track! The rest of the set follows in a similar sweet ballad mode – served up with impeccable Bobby Martin production that's smooth, yet still lets the vocals come to the forefront in a classic harmony mode. Titles include "There's No Good In Goodbye", "Share My Life", "Am I Losing You", "Happiness", "You're My Life", "Goodbye Is The Saddest Word", "Everybody Has A Dream", and "Movin". LP, Vinyl record album

Mellow magic from Johnny Mathis – a late 70s set that updates his older style for a crossover audience in adult contemporary! The style is smooth and polished, but never so much so that Johnny's amazing voice can't shine through – thanks to soulful arrangements from Gene Page, who'd done plenty of work with hipper soul artists in the 70s – and Deniece Williams makes a great guest appearance on a number of tracks – really bringing Mathis into that duet style that would hit even bigger for the singer in the 80s. Titles include "If You Believe", "To Much Too Little Too Late", "How Deep Is Your Love", "It Was Almost Like A Song", and "Till Love Touches Your Life". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the slickest of Dave Matthews' funk records from the 70s – but still pretty darn nice! Matthews was the mainman behind the legendary funk group The Grodeck Whipperjenny, and a key arranger in James Brown's sound of the Polydor years – but by this time, he moved into smoother club-type jazz, of the sort he'd penned for Idris Muhammad and other artists on the Kudu label. However, Matthews' always had a talent for the funky groove – and even these otherwise pop disco numbers shine with a musical intensity that surprises us – especially at moments like the funky drumbreak on "You Keep Me Hanging On", the freaky moog on "Shoogie Wanna Boogie", the funky bass solo on "California Dreaming", and the excellent keyboard work on "Gotta Be Where You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

The first album from the team of Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr – and a set that's arguably even more soulful than their work together in The 5th Dimension! The pair are lucky to have Groovesville soul maestro Don Davis at the helm – helping them hit a more mature, more contemporary sound that mixes equal parts club rhythms with some of the smoother styles of the late 5th Dimension years. McCoo's vocals are especially wonderful – classy, but always quite heartfelt – at a level that almost comes across like some of the best Philly International vocalists of the same period – especially on the soaring disco numbers! Titles include "You Can't Change My Heart", "You Don't Have To Be A Star", "We've Got To Get It On Again", "Easy Way Out", "My Love For You", and "I Hope We Get To Love In Time". LP, Vinyl record album