Soul — Recently Added

Fantastic work from Millie Jackson – a singer so great, it's hard to say that even 21 tracks could make up her "best"! Jackson first emerged at the start of the 70s as a really fresh voice in southern soul – one that was partly tied to the heartbreaking style of the decade ... CD

The great Sylvia Robinson hit the charts in the 70s with a huge crossover hit – but somehow, this album from the time has always been one of her trickiest to find – a complete gem through and through, done with a slinky, sexy style that's completely outta sight! Robinson's maybe best ... LP, Vinyl record album

A really fantastic album from Prince – recorded in 2010, and unreleased at the time – but clearly one of the greatest things he gave us in the final decade of his life! This isn't uncooked demo material, or under-thought studio tracks – and instead, the whole thing is a fully-form ... LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most unique soundtracks of the blacksploitation generation – but maybe that's also because the film Lord Shango was also somewhat different than most – a hipper, more creative movie that took on a number of themes, which are all echoed by Howard Roberts in his music! This ... 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 ... LP, Vinyl record album

A spectacular soul album from Holland – but one that's got a much more American groove than some other overseas records of its type! The cuts all feel as if they could have been lifted from indie sides of the east coast scene of the early 70s – and Billy shines beautifully both on the ... LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic record from Prince – a double-length set that came out at a time when the purple one was brimming over with energy and new ideas – and a step slightly in the direction of more socially conscious material! Everything that was great about Prince before the record is ... CD

A completely obscure disco session from the New York scene of the 70s, and a great one too – long, well-crafted tracks that clearly draw inspiration from both the work of Salsoul Orchestra and MFSB – and which have a sound that's every bit as great as work from those two famous groups! ... LP, Vinyl record album

Blue Feather may look a bit hokey on the cover, but they sound really wonderful on the record – a sweet, smooth, funky group who were one of the best on the scene in the early 80s! The vibe here is a lot like the best Brit funk of the period – all these riffing guitars, warm keyboards, ... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A soul record, but one with a fair bit of "something else" going on as well – and a set that was originally only issued on cassette, which might be why it was missed the first time around! Antonio L Newton, aka Tony Newton, has a long legacy in soul music – including work ... LP, Vinyl record album

A long-overdue fifth entry in this amazing series – and like the previous volumes, a double-length set of rare material from the Motown vaults! 20 of the 43 tracks on the set are previously unreleased – and all of the material here goes way past the hits – to really show the full ... CD

The Vietnam war was tough on most folks in the US – but it's no secret that it was especially tough on black Americans – who were often given little choice and little chance to get out of the callup to the military action – which left a huge impression on their community for years ... CD

Two rare tracks recorded in New Orleans in the late 70s – both appearing here for the first time ever! "Freaky With You" is an extended ensemble funk number – riffing guitar with the groove, monstrous bass driving the train, and lots of offbeat vocals on the lyrics – ... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A masterpiece of freeform funk from Mandrill – New York group at the start of the 70s, but one who work here with the best longform jamming styles of the Bay Area scene! The combo draw equal influence from jazz, funk, soul, and Latin – using all elements in a unique hybrid that's all ... CD

The stunning second album from Mary J Blige – a record that showed that both the singer and her new form of soul music were around to stay! Production is from Sean Combs and Chucky Thompson – very heavy on beats borrowed from the underground, but nicely tuned to the mainstream – ... LP, Vinyl record album

Jay King's had quite a career in soul music – some of it back in the 80s, through his work with Club Nouveau – and lots of it behind the scenes, as a writer, producer, and greater creative force in the business! Yet standing up front here on his own, Jay's maybe in his greatest ... CD

Wonderful work from Pockets – a group who started out more in a jazzy mode, but who here have emerged as a fully-formed, soaringly soulful group that's a perfect fit for the Kalmiba Productions style of the late 70s! As you probably know, Kalimba's the production arm of the Earth Wind & ... CD

A lost 80s soul gem – the first album from Keith Patrick, issued during the later run of the Omni label – and a set that stands strongly next to some of that imprint's records by Royce Royce and Jean Carne! Like their albums, this set's got that smooth Omni mix of modern soul and quiet ... CD

A fantastic bit of modern soul from Norman Connors – proof that he was still growing and changing as an artist, continuing to push his groove into whole new areas as the 70s progressed. The record takes the smooth jazzy sound of the earlier Buddah sides, sharpens it into a more sophisticated ... CD

Stirring sounds from the start of the 60s – all pulled from that magical moment when soul was first coming into place – brought together out of different strands of grooves that were rumbling around in the 50s! The set mixes R&B, vocal group, and even a bit of pop – but all ... CD

Pure magic from the height of Roy Ayers' classic 70s run on Polydor – a record that's filled with warm, jazzy grooves – all served up in that unique style that Roy was forging at the time! The album perfectly balances dancefloor tracks with mellower numbers – stepping out one ... CD

A killer blend of soul and funk from Pockets – a group with a very jazzy pedigree in their roots, but who stretch forth here with some great studio help from the Kalimba Productions team of the Earth Wind & Fire empire! The groove is very much in the best 70s EWF mode – tight, but ... CD

Maybe the greatest record we've ever heard from Beggar & Co – a set that sparkles strongly from a host of excellent guest work – not just from Incognito, but also from some key American musicians as well! The groove is tighter than ever – and very much in the 70s-inspired ... CD

A new album by Leon Ware – and a real departure from his earlier work in the 70s! The album has Leon emerging as a jazz vocalist – singing in a sweet and intimate style that's still very much in the mode of his best work, but working through a host of standards like "Invitation&quo ... CD

A legendary record – and one that's well worth all the anticipation it's gotten over the years! The set features rare, previously unreleased material done by Funkadelic during their classic years at Westbound Records – some songs, and some studio jams – of the sort the group were ... LP, Vinyl record album

The breakout record from Lizzo – a set that's even more musically striking than its instantly-iconic cover image! The record bristles with an energized take on contemporary R&B, mixed with just the right dose of hip hop – and although Missy Elliott guests on one track, Lizzo's ... LP, Vinyl record album

Marvin's definitely in the groove on this set – cooking on all burners with a host of late 60s Motown hits – bad-stepping his way towards some of the more mature moments to come in the 70s! The album's probably best remembered for the cut "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" ... LP, Vinyl record album

A real sleeper, pure modern soul and disco niceness wrapped up in an unassuming package! Butler's name may be on the lesser known list of Jamaican keyboardists, and even lesser known on the sweet soul scene, but this amazing set from '78 should go a long way towards correcting that! Butler takes ... CD

A really legendary group from the underground 70s scene in Chicago – one who've got all the chops and capabilities of the bigger groups of the time, but who never fully got their due – maybe in part because of the racy image on the album's cover! The group are a sharp funky ensemble ... LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece of spacey soul by the great Asha Puthli – a really unique 70s singer who has this incredible vocal range, and a great way of using it amidst slinkily soulful tracks – a bit like Minnie Riperton, or maybe like some of the Sylvia Striplin work with Roy Ayers! The sound here ... CD