A Certain Ratio —
Sextet ... CD Factory/Mute, 1982. New Copy ...
$13.9914.98
Quite possibly the funkiest album ever by the groundbreaking British group A Certain Ratio – filled with lots of heavy post-disco bass and percussion, all rattling away with the energy of some of the best work on Ze Records a the time! The group's dark moody feel is still largely in place, ... (Rock, Soul)read moreCD
Aaron Abernathy —
Epilogue ... CD Aaron Abernathy, 2019. New Copy ...
$12.9913.98
The deepest, most personal album to date from Aaron Abernathy – and that's saying a lot, given how much we loved his previous two records! As you might guess from the title, the set's a capper to his debut trilogy – but it also seems to begin more chapters than it ends – really ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
An excellent second album by Barbara Acklin – and a perfect demonstration of her really unique Chicago soul talents! Acklin's really at the cusp of two generations here – at one level still with some of the sweetness of the earlier style of 60s girl soul, but at another full of the ... read moreCD
Beautiful, beautiful Chicago soul from one of the women who did it best – the always-amazing Barbara Acklin, a singer who managed to mix the raw and the smooth in a really unique way! The record's a mix of some sweet originals, plus covers that Barbara handles with her usual poise and class ... read moreCD
A special collection of work from this very soulful Japanese singer – one that brings together some of the best cuts from her classic albums, but with some new touches on mastering under the direction of the GRP label! Yasuko's great all the way through – singing in English, but often ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
(Part of the Adlib Presents Victor Japanese Fusion series – Includes obi!)
Yasuko Agawa —
Sweet Menu ... CD Victor/Beatball (Korea), 1979. New Copy ...
$19.99
Yasuko's on the menu, and she's as sweet as can be on this late 70s set – an album that's even more soul-based than some of her previous efforts! The grooves are nicely upbeat here – hitting a style that's certainly club, but which also has a bit of a funky fusion too – thanks to ... (Vocalists, Soul)read moreCD
Alfonzo's kicking back on the cover – posing a bit like Michael Jackson on the cover of Thriller – a record that's maybe a pretty good comparison for the sound of this rare set too! The tunes are upbeat, catchy, and perfectly fit for the lightly crackling style of Alfonzo's vocals ... read moreCD
Gerald Alston —
Gerald Alston ... CD Motown/Universal (Japan), 1988. New Copy ...
$9.99
Brilliant solo work from Gerald Alston – the first album issued under his own name, after a strong legacy of work with The Manhattans! Alston's vocals are wonderful here – beautifully crafted, with a sense of maturity and feeling that most of his younger soul contemporaries couldn't ... read moreCD
Wild & beautiful! This album's impossible to describe accurately, and it's the only record we've ever seen by the enigmatic Latin-tinged duo Alzo & Udine! The groove has a tight jangly feel, with nice lows, very catchy hooks, and amazing vocals from Alzo & Udine that kind of feel like ... read moreCD
An album that begins with an amazing break – and then rolls into a great batch of fuzzy guitar grooves! The set is one of the odder albums to be issued by Chess Records during its funk years – as American Gypsy were a Dutch band, recording in Holland, and the record was only licensed ... read moreCD
One of the greatest female soul records ever to come from Chicago – a killer set of work from the legendary Ruby Andrews! Ruby's a hell of a talent that should have been huge at a national level – possessed with a deep soul style that matched the best from Betty Lavette or Mavis ... read moreCD
2 rare albums by this great Chicago soul group! The Artistics were one of the city's first big soul groups after the Impressions, and they honed their skills on the Okeh label, then moved over to Brunswick for some bigger hits. This nice set brings together 2 of their rare Brunswick albums – ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Cesar Ascarrunz —
Cesar 830 ... CD Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1975. Used ...
$8.99
Lost Latin funk from the Bay Area scene of the 70s – and an album that may well blow away better-known work by groups like Malo, Azteca, or El Chicano! The album's near-perfect right from the start – and brings in plenty of New York elements to the groove, thanks to the inclusion of a ... (Latin, Soul)read moreCD
Incredible work from the amazing Dorothy Ashby – a brilliant set of funky and spiritual tunes, set to full backings from Chicago soul arranger Richard Evans! This album is easily one of Ashby's greatest, and it's dedicated to the writings of Omar Khayyam – one of the forces guiding ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
(SHM-CD pressing! Part of the Diggin Universal Music – supervised by DJ Muro.)
Ashford & Simpson —
High Rise ... CD Capitol (Japan), 1983. New Copy ...
$9.99
Always-great work from the team of Ashford & Simpson – the kind of a record that has them at the top of their game, even though they'd changed their overall sound over the years! The vibe here is more in an 80s groove mode than some of the duo's Warner albums, but they've still got an ... read moreCD
Ashford & Simpson may have gotten their start at Motown, but they really found their groove at Warner Brothers – as you'll hear on this massive collection of tracks from their landmark late 70s years at the label! Even many decades later, the strength of this music is undeniable – ... read moreCD
Ashford & Simpson —
Street Opera ... CD Capitol (Japan), 1982. New Copy ...
$9.99
Dang, these guys could never miss! Even in later years, Ashford and Simpson were still going strong – working here in a wonderfully mellow style that's as soulful for the moment as their mid 70s groovers were for that time. The album's got a sweet modern style that's pretty much in the ... read moreCD
A mid 80s classic from Atlantic Starr – at the height of their catchy commercial fame – bouncing along with rhythms that crossover nicely to the mainstream, yet still keep a bit of their previous funky edge intact! The groove here is almost in the style that Atlantic Starr inspired in ... read moreCD
(Out of print, includes obi.)
Atlantic Starr —
Radiant ... CD A&M (Japan), 1980. New Copy ...
$13.99
Radiant grooves indeed from Atlantic Starr – a group who really make things sparkle throughout this magnificent set! The group are at the height of their powers here – skirting a perfect line between mainstream soul and upbeat club – never falling too much into one style or the ... read moreCD
Atlantic Starr definitely get straight to the point on this set – bursting out strongly with an upbeat groove from the very first note – all produced to perfection by maestro Bobby Eli, in the same manner as some of his other great late 70s work for other artists! The group's a big one ... read moreCD
Some of the greatest club tunes ever cut for the UK scene – a sublime album of jazzy spacey instrumentals by the legendary Atmosfear! The group were almost a UK equivalent of the sounds coming out of New York from the P&P camp at the end of the 70s – as they worked in the shadows ... read moreCD
The first chapter in the career of the Average White Band, Show Your Hand, was originally issued in the US as Put It Where You Want It. Average White Band are most clearly associated with Atlantic Records during the 70s – and that label's genius move to record white soul acts for the ... read moreCD
What can we say? This is one of the greatest soul soundtracks ever! In a market that was dominated by the big-selling Shaft and Superfly albums, Roy slipped in this masterful blend of jazzy vibes and wah wah funk that's easily one of the best-composed records of the blacksploitation genre! The ... read moreCD
Polygram's totally cool 2 CD anthology of some of Roy's best work for the label, featuring tracks that run from the early 70's through the early 80's, with such stellar cuts as "We Live In Brooklyn Baby", "Coffy is The Color", "Pretty Brown Skin", "Africa, Center ... read moreCD
Funky genius from Roy Ayers – a killer collection of his more uptempo moments from the Polydor years – pulled from a range of albums throughout the 70s, and featuring Roy at his funkiest for the clubs! The mix of modes here is really great – with jazzy vibes, electric keys, and ... read moreCD
Roy Ayers in a seductive mid 80s mode – his first for Columbia – and a record with some incredibly nice moments that blow away most of his contemporaries! The synth soul and drum machine era might seem like an odd fit for Roy's jazzy vibes, but it actually works really well here! You ... read moreCD
An archetypal album by Roy – and one that really shows him at the turning point! Gone are the trippier jazz funk moments of earlier albums – and in their place are some tight grooves and wonderfully spacey soul. Roy hits the dancefloor with one of his first uptempo funk numbers "B ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Roy Ayers —
Naste ... CD Groovetown/RCA, 1995. Used ...
$3.99
A live set by Roy – and pretty darn nice! The album was recorded live at London's Ronnie Scotts in 1990 – but given that Roy was playing for a British crowd that was keen on his classic work of the 70s, the set's got a very 70s-styled feel – and really takes us back to the glory ... read moreCD
It's like a dream come true – 13 previously unissued recordings by Roy Ayers, all from the height of his glory years on Polydor! Roy's work from this time is some of our favorite ever – a burning blend of jazz, soul, and funk – handled with impeccable charm, and a level of soul ... read moreCD
Roy Ayers in a tight mid 80s funk mode – commanding a modern vibe really well, especially with his vibes so prominent in the sound! Although the sound's a step or two more modern than the Polydor years, Roy still sounds great – and he grooves nicely on this batch of tracks that mix ... read moreCD
Talk about a meeting of the minds – a pair of ultra-amazing classics from the team of Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – back to back in a single set! At the time of Step Into Our Life, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a ... read moreCD
A tough record to peg – but a great one too! Wally Badarou plays a range of spacey keyboards that include synclavier, mini moog, and prophet 5 – all over some beats that are a mix of electro and Carribean rhythms – in a style that's part jazzy, part new agey, and part 80s groove! ... read moreCD
A millennial classic from Erykah Badu – a set that came along right as the current century was starting up, to show a soulful path that would keep things strong for many years to come! The album grabbed a bigger audience than Erykah's first, but still kept things strong – really ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
(Motown pressing – note that the track list varies from what is printed on the back or in the booklet, and does not include "Props To A Lonely People" – correct sequence is printed on the CD. Punch through barcode.)
Anita Baker —
Songstress ... CD Beverly Glen/Elektra, 1983. Used ...
$1.99
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 ... read moreCD
Bessie Smith by LaVern Baker – a great blend of modes that really comes off great! Instead of sounding like a throwback blues album, the set comes across with a nice degree of contemporary class – thanks in part to a jazzy presentation that's a bit different than some of Baker's other ... read moreCD
Plenty of fire here – a killer batch of R&B classics from the 50s, all sung by the pre-soul powerhouse Lavern Baker! Baker's material was some of the best Atlantic Records cut back in the day – the kind of genre-defining singles that forever changed the sound of the female voice in ... read moreCD
A lost classic in the funky poetry mode of the 70s – and right up there with the best work from the time by the Last Poets, Jim Ingram, or Gil Scott Heron! Bama's got a rough-edged voice that works very well with the funkier backings of the set – handled by a team that includes Bernard ... read moreCD
An excellent album by one of the greatest Brazilian funk bands ever – a wonderful blend of funk, jazz, and soul – and a set that rivals any of the best work coming from the US at the time! These guys are right on the money right from the start – moving through sharp changes with ... (Brazil, Soul)read moreCD
One of the original Dramatics, singer Ron Banks strikes out here on his own – a slept on gem from the early 80s! The set's in a similar modern soul mode to LJ Reynolds, who also worked with him in the group, and was having a bit of a solo career of his own at the time. It's got sort of a D-T ... read moreCD
Bar-Kays —
Injoy ... CD Mercury (Japan), 1979. New Copy ...
$9.99
Later Bar-Kays at their best – still plenty funky, but also working in a smoothly soulful style that became the group's trademark sound at Mercury! The album's got a real bass-heavy appeal from the start – working in a mode that shares a lot with Cameo, The Gap Band, and some of the ... read moreCD
Tightly grooving work from The Bar-Kays – a set that's light years away from the sound of their Memphis roots, but still plenty darn funky overall! The album's got a tight bass-heavy approach to the music – the well-forged ensemble sound that graced the later years of the Bar-Kays' ... read moreCD
A fantastic bit of jazz funk fusion – and one of the landmark 70s albums produced by Larry Mizell! This is Gary Bartz's second (and most amazing) collaboration with Larry Mizell – a studio genius who could focus on the best talent of a jazz artist, then expand it using additional ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
Seminal work from the lovely Basia – and an album that's a wonderful hybrid of jazz, soul, and pop – all put together at a level that really goes beyond most of her contemporaries! There's a vibe here that's almost like Swing Out Sister at their best – catchy, but never cloying ... read moreCD
One of the rarest funky records of all time – the hard-to-find second album by Beginning Of The End! This West Indian combo hit it big with their first album on Alston, but this second set, for some strange reason, never really got distributed – which is a damn shame, because it's ... read moreCD
A monster bit of funk that's unlike anything else we can think of! Beginning Of The End hailed from The Bahamas, but don't hold that against them – because instead of being a Caribbean cliche, they took the best part of the island rhythms, and used them to forge an incredible approach to ... read moreCD
Although Archie Bell & The Drells had recorded earlier with Gamble & Huff on Atlantic, this is their first album for the team's own label – and it's a killer! In a way, Archie and group were sort of responsible for getting Gamble & Huff their own famous imprint in the first place ... read moreCD
Late 60s magic from William Bell – two tremendous albums on a single CD! Wow is a record that definitely earns the "wow" in its title – as it makes us sit up and take new notice of William Bell's talents! Although Bell's best known for his earliest Memphis hits, he really ... read moreCD
A great collection of work from Regina Belle – one that features a number of remixes, singles, and collaborations – as well as the album tracks that made her one of the most rock-solid female soul singers at the end of the 80s! At some level, Regina's a singer from another time – ... read moreCD
Ben & The Platano Group —
Paris Soul ... CD Barclay/Dare Dare (France), 1971. Used ...
$6.99
A rare groove from 70s France – the legendary Paris Soul album from this totally cooking combo! Despite their European origins, the group have a strong American approach – a groove that's heavy on bass and congas at the bottom, with almost the same Latin funk touches you might find in ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
(Out of print.)
George Benson —
Pacific Fire ... CD CTI/King (Japan), 1975. New Copy ...
$13.99
Unusual work from the great George Benson – a wonderful session that was recorded by CTI during George's classic years for the label – but issued only briefly a number of years later, and slightly lost amongst the rest of his catalog! The material's great, though – and has George ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
(Part of the CTI 50th Anniversary Special Collection!)
JP Bimeni & The Black Belts —
Free Me ... CD Tucxone (Spain), 2018. New Copy ...
$12.9913.98
Really wonderful work from JP Bimeni – a hell of a soul singer, even without such a tight band backing him up – a new talent to our ears, but one who could have easily held his own on the Memphis or Muscle Shoals scenes of the 60s! JP's way more than just another singer with a funky ... (Deep Funk, Soul)read moreCD
Epic harmony soul by this excellent sweet soul group! Black Ivory were just kids when they recorded these two albums – but they had a sophistication that pushed them way past any of their contemporaries on the east coast scene. The band were lucky to have the talents of the great Patrick ... read moreCD
Heavy duty fuzzy soul from Black Merda (aka Mer-Da) – the massive Black Merda and Long Burn The Fire LPs back-to-back on one CD! The Black Merda album has a distinct batch of influences that run from Funkadelic, to Hendrix, to Chicago electric blues – but since the recording (from ... read moreCD
Two of the later Blackbyrds LPs on one CD! Action is a great little sleeper from the Blackbyrds – a record that never gets as much due as their earlier records that have a hard funky feel, but offer instead a tasty batch of smoother jazz funk numbers that show the group still continuing to ... read moreCD
Sublime funk by one of the greatest combos of the 70s – the mighty mighty Blackbyrds, a group who first came to prominence under the guidance of Donald Byrd, but quickly showed they had plenty to offer on their own! Back in the day, the sound of The Blackbyrds was really the sound of Fantasy ... read moreCD
While house has traditionally been a music of the 12" format, this long player from New Jersey's Blaze shows that the best of the genre can drop a solid modern soul set as good as any out there. 8 smooth club tracks, some with a nice jazzy tinge, others with a strong soulful vibe whether in ... (New Grooves, Soul)read moreCD
Mary J Blige broke through well over a decade ago, but Breakthrough is an apt title for her eighth album – as it not only busts up the morass of mid 00s urban radio fodder – it also breaks through MJB's own creative doldrums – adding up her best work in years! It's certainly not ... read moreCD
Blood Orange —
Negro Swan ... CD Domino, 2018. New Copy ...
$12.9913.98
The cover of this album by Blood Orange – aka Devonte Hynes – might imply a sort of weary bleakness – but given the quality of the music, the whole thing can't help but elevate our spirits – even if Hynes is digging even deeper than usual with his subject matter! The songs ... (Neo Soul, Soul)read moreCD
A stone classic from Blood Sweat & Tears – and a record that went onto have a tremendous impact in jazz, rock, funk, and soul! The group's format is plenty darn famous – adding a lot of horns to hip riffing grooves – but despite countless plays on oldies stations over the ... (Rock, Soul)read moreCD
Excellent stuff – and one of the funkiest albums ever cut by Blow Fly! This is his second LP – and it's a funky recounting of a successful tour around the US, with Blow telling the story of the trip, as the mood and groove changes from track to track, as the story moves from city to ... read moreCD
Stunning soul from one of the best-ever Philly groups! Blue Magic had a perfect sound – mixing harmonies together in a heavenly blend, either on mellow ballads and love songs, or on uptempo groovers that made them a big hit on the dancefloor. This set of 20 tracks includes a huge amount of ... read moreCD
(Out of print, please note that the booklet is wrinkled from some water damage.)
A pair of soulful gems! Angie is Angela Bofill's sublime first album – a mixture of jazzy soul and soulful jazz, all put together with a sound that's really a cut above most of her contemporaries! As with Jean Carn or Phyllis Hyman, there's a sophistication to Angela's sound here that ... read moreCD
(Hybrid Super Audio CD pressing – also works on standard CD players!)
The first full length collection we've ever seen to focus on the soulful gospel work of Harold Boggs – one of the greatest male lead singers of the pre-soul generation! Right from the start, Boggs was a hell of a singer, and a great songwriter too – and he first entered the business ... (Gospel, Soul)read moreCD
Hamilton Bohannon was completely unique in the world of soul and funk. He had a tight uptempo style that was sort of pre-disco and club oriented, yet which also had lots of choppy elements that made the groove a lot different than other artists of his time. Hard to pin down, but this selection of ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Booker T & The MGs —
Hip Hug-Her ... CD Stax/Rhino, 1967. Used ...
$6.99
Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky with this one – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – but the grooves are even better than before, ... read moreCD
One of the greatest albums ever from Booker T & The MGs – and very different than their early work! The record has Book & Co taking off with a stretched-out jazzy sound – carving expanded grooves that are filled with sweet organ solos, choppy guitar riffs, and some incredibly ... read moreCD
Booker T Jones —
Runaway ... CD MCA, 1989. Used ...
$6.99
A tremendous little album from Brainstorm – funky and clubby at the same time – yet delivered with this righteous energy that few of their contemporaries could ever hope to match! There's a perfect melding of modes going on here that may well rival Earth Wind & Fire at their best ... read moreCD
Incredible southern soul work from Bill Brandon – a wealth of rare singles from the years before his better-known album on Prelude – all handled by landmark producers Sam Dees, Spooner Oldham, and Quin Ivy! With help like that in the studio, you can imagine that these singles are just ... read moreCD
A landmark set from a group who only ever gave the world two albums – but who've gone on to have a huge influence over the years! This initial offering from Breakwater is a masterful blend of jazzy fusion and mellower soul – a sound sifted together so perfectly, it really tops the rest ... read moreCD
No splashdown here – as Breakwater are every bit as soaringly soulful as they were on their debut set! The groove here is that perfect blend of jazz and soul that only a few groups in the 70s really got right – maybe Pleasure, or The Blackbyrds – and most certainly Breakwater, ... read moreCD
(Out of print.)
Brecker Brothers —
Back To Back ... CD Arista/BMG (Germany), 1976. Used ...
$11.99
Soulful fusion from The Brecker Brothers – a set that's one of their standout efforts from the 70s – and a record that went onto influence a whole generation of jazz musicians too! The album features the twin horns of Randy & Michael Brecker, along with alto by David Sanborn, ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
The start of a legendary run from superjazz brothers Randy and Michael Brecker – trumpeter and tenorist, respectively – already players who'd worked on a hell of a lot of previous sessions, both as a pair and on their own – finally stepping here into some well-deserved fame in the ... (Jazz, Soul)read moreCD
The first solo album from Johnny Bristol – a genius soul talent who did a bunch of great work for Motown as a writer and arranger, breaking out here on his own! Like so many other behind-the-scenes talents from the late 60s, Johnny turned out to be an excellent soul artist in his own right ... read moreCD
The debut album from Robert Brookins – an artist who first made waves in the group Afterbach, and who also had close ties to the Earth Wind & Fire galaxy in the 80s! This set's got a tightness that definitely belies Robert's years working in the studio for other artists – but the ... read moreCD
Brothers Johnson —
Blam ... CD A&M/Universal (Japan), 1978. New Copy ...
$13.99
Blam is right – an all-out batch of funky tracks from The Brothers Johnson – captured here right in the middle of their classic period with Quincy Jones! The Q's at the helm on production for the set, and the record's a great extension of their earlier efforts with the man – but ... read moreCD
Blam is right – an all-out batch of funky tracks from The Brothers Johnson – captured here right in the middle of their classic period with Quincy Jones! The Q's at the helm on production for the set, and the record's a great extension of their earlier efforts with the man – but ... read moreCD
An all-star soul affair produced by Quincy Jones, and featuring the talents of studio greats like Harvey Mason, Billy Cobham, Toots Thielmans, Dave Grusin, Lee Ritenour, and many others – not to mention the Brothers themselves! We'll be honest, though, in saying that we really think it's the ... read moreCD
Jazzy funk and soul from the mighty Brothers Johnson – nearly all of it produced by Quincy Jones, with that sweet sweet touch that Quincy was bringing to his best work of the time! Quincy first introduced the Brothers on his massive Mellow Madness album – then went onto produce a ... read moreCD
Charles Hilton Brown —
Owed To Myself ... CD Schema (Italy), 1974. New Copy ...
$10.99
A swirling blend of soul, funk, and jazzy grooves – and a super-rare album that we've never seen in the original! Supposedly, backing on the record is by the British Afro-Funk group Assagai – which sounds right to us, because there's a nice rolling conga groove on many of the tracks. ... read moreCD
James Brown —
Bodyheat ... CD Polydor (Japan), 1976. New Copy ...
$13.99
An enduring classic from James Brown – quite possibly the strongest of his late 70s albums, and a record that nicely balances the harder funk of the early part of the decade with a more sophisticated style that almost gets slightly jazzy at times! The vocals are planted strongly at the top ... read moreCD
(Part of the Rare Groove Funk 1000 Best Collection!)
A bit of a comeback for James Brown – a mid 80s outing recorded with Dan Hartman, who gives the record a "contemporary" sound that's definitely a great way to slide James in with the younger crowd at the time! The style's still funky, but has more street soul elements too – ... read moreCD
A bit of a comeback for James Brown – a mid 80s outing recorded with Dan Hartman, who gives the record a "contemporary" sound that's definitely a great way to slide James in with the younger crowd at the time! The style's still funky, but has more street soul elements too – ... read moreCD
James Brown really opens up on this early 70s classic – really showing the world the amazing groove he was crafting with his band – who were let loose to jam in the studio, spinning out some really long grooves – which were then cut down to make this sweet little record! The ... read moreCD