Universal/Edsel (UK), Late 60s. New Copy 3CD
A stunning collection of work from Kiki Dee – a British singer that most folks only discovered in the US in the mid 70s, thanks to a duet with Elton John – but one who gave her homeland some fantastic music in the 60s! The set's the first to fully dip into this part of Kiki's career, ...
Baby Grand/Everland (Austria), 1971. New Copy (reissue)
Sweet jazzy soul from Terea – a group who never cracked the big time, but who work here with a vibe that's almost like 70s Rufus at their best! The instrumentation is wonderful – warm, but funky – just the right balance to set the scene perfectly for the lead vocals by Sharon ...
Evergreen/High Jazz (Switzerland), 1975. New Copy (reissue)
A fantastic mix of 70s soul and gospel – served up here by keyboardist Norman Weeks, who heads up a really strong group of singers on the set as well! Weeks plays Fender Rhodes, piano organ, and a range of other keyboards – and different singers take the lead on each track, including ...
AVI/Past Due, 1979. New Copy (reissue)
The second smoking album from Captain Sky – a Windy City funk legend, and one who's cut from some of the same cloth as Bootsy Collins or Rick James! Like both of those artists, the Captain's a pretty imposing figure, with a bit of future flash to his looks – and while he uses lots of ...
Malaco/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1980. New Copy
A southern funky nugget from Sho-Nuff – issued at an early 80s point when the Malaco label was open to other modes besides just blues and deep soul! The record's got a tight clubby crackle that feels like something from the New York indie scene of the time – a lean groove that's very ...
Fame/Kent (UK), Mid 60s. New Copy
Classic sounds from one of the coolest labels and studios in southern soul – the mighty Fame, which was to Muscle Shoals what Stax was to Memphis – especially at the time of these mid 60s recordings! Like Stax, Fame was an indie with a strong ear to the ground – and was able to ...
Fraternity/Pyramid Disco, 1979. New Copy (pic cover, reissue)
New mixes of two classic club tracks from DC LaRue – but mostly done in ways that completely change up the groove! "Face Of Love" is handled in versions by Johnny Juice, DJ Spinna, and Mell Starr – and Mell and Spinna keep the more classic vibe, but work out some very ...
Numero, 1979. New Copy
Looks like a 12" single, but the set's actually fantastic full album of rare funky soul – the only set ever cut by this obscure southern combo from Birmingham – a group who seem to share the best mix of club and funk styles you'd find on the Atlanta scene of the late 70s! By that, ...
Prestige/Craft, 1964. New Copy 2LP Gatefold (reissue)
Terry Callier's first album – recorded in 1964 when he was a wee teen hanging around Chicago's folk scene! As the title indicates, the album's definitely got a folk-styled sound – but also as the "new" implies, it's got a sound all it's own, fresh and free – and that ...
Epic, 1979. New Copy (reissue)
Michael, if only you'd stayed at this level! This 1979 solo album by Michael is a killer batch of soul grooves – one of his best moments ever, and a crowning cap to a stellar 70s run – both as a younger solo act, and with the whole Jackson family! Quincy Jones produced, and the album's ...
Warner, 1980. New Copy (reissue)
Early work from Prince – really his first full fledged masterpiece! Prince ushered the 80s in with a mix of recognizable influences, but filtered through his unique sensibility – taking taught a funk sound, layered vocals, crisp rhythms, ultra catchy songs and that unbridled, ...
We Produce/Stax, 1972. New Copy (reissue)
An underground set from early 70s Stax Records – the only set cut back in the day by Ernie Hines – a really great singer who works here with a blend of southern soul and sweet harmony modes! The album's got a pretty laidback vibe, which is great – almost in the same space as The ...
Tuff City/Funky Delicacies, Early 70s. New Copy
An essential bit of funkiness from this obscure New Orleans funk combo! The Gaturs' frontman was keyboardist Willie Tee – who went on to greater fame as a jazz and session player – but we like him best at this early point, when he was wailing away on organ in a tight choppy small group ...
Paisley Park/Warner, 1987. New Copy 2LP (reissue)
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 ...
Sony/Legacy, 2002. New Copy 2LP Gatefold
A really fantastic live moment from Prince – a set that's even groovier and funkier than the standard One Nite Alone material – as the tracks here are nice and long, feature guest work from Musiq and George Clinton, and really feature Prince jamming with a group that features Maceo ...
Motown, 1972. New Copy 2LP Gatefold
A mindblowing collection of work from Marvin Gaye – tracks recorded in the space right after What's Going On – many of which were never issued at the time! All this incredible material from 1972 has been brought together to create a stunning double-length album – one that ...
Enterprise/Craft, 1971. New Copy
Probably the best-remembered solo album from David Porter – one half of the famous Hayes/Porter team that ruled Stax Records in the 60s, although not as successful as an artist on his own as Isaac Hayes! Porter's style is a lot more adventurous – and this album's a wonderful ...
Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), Early 70s. New Copy 3 CDs
Gil Scott-Heron at his early best and most revolutionary – circa Small Talk At 125th And Lenox, Pieces Of Man and Free Will, plus a host of rare and unreleased material – the complete Flying Dutchman Masters in a masterfully compiled anthology! Rather than simply collecting the ...
Now Again, Early 70s. New Copy 2LP
A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that ...
People/Get On Down, 1974. New Copy (reissue)
An oft-overlooked gem from the JBs – their last album for People Records, and a stone funk classic that's every bit as essential as the others! The band is still in fine fine form – with none of the fast-funk or proto-disco of some later recordings – and they're working here in ...
Now Again, 1970. New Copy
A stunner of a record – the first-ever album by The JBs, never issued back in the day – and lost for years until it recently resurfaced on a test pressing! The set features a leaner, more stripped-down version of the group – one that features Bootsy Collins on bass, and which ...
Now Again, Late 60s/Early 70s. New Copy CD & Book
An artist you might not know at all – but one you'll be digging plenty after hearing this wonderful set! Richard Marks is a guitarist and singer with a very funky, very gritty sound – really right up there with the best of the funky 45 underground of the time – which makes this ...
Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1971. New Copy
Our favorite-ever album from Gil Scott-Heron – and a set that we'd easily rank as one of our favorite soul records of the 70s! The mix of modes is mindblowing right from the start – as Gil's poetry comes into play with his growing talents as a singer, and his warm sensibility for jazz ...
Fantasy/BGP (UK), 1976. New Copy
Quite possibly the funkiest album ever from Pleasure – and that's saying a heck of a lot! The album grooves from the very first note – and moves through some of the group's tightest, most rock-solid numbers – all of which use their trademark blend of funky and soul, but which ...
Fantasy/BGP (UK), 1977. New Copy
Joyous grooves indeed – the second album by this legendary 70s jazzy soul outfit – and a landmark album in the Fantasy Records Bay Area funk mode! The record will forever be remembered for the cut "Joyous" – a monster groover with a killer hook, strong funky playing, ...
Lu Lu/Now Again, 1976. New Copy Gatefold
One of the heaviest funk records ever to come out of Indy in the 70s – a super-dope batch of ensemble grooving with plenty of odd twists and turns! At one level, the group work in a familiar Earth Wind & Fire-styled vibe – mixing heavy bass, funky rhythms, and lots of great horns ...
Tay-Ster/Traffic, 1969. New Copy
Don't get this set mixed up with Clarence Reid's album of a similar name on Alston/Atco – as this rare date for the Tayster label is quite different – although it still shares the famous title track! Reid's in perfect rough-edged form here – almost more strongly southern soul ...
Lightin/Now Again, 1975. New Copy 2CD
One of the strangest covers we've seen in years – and a perfect fit for this obscure session of unusual grooves! Drummer Bubbha Thomas is working here in a mode that's kind of an electrified 70s take on the Texas showband style of earlier years – a mode that has the core funky combo ...
RCA/P&C, 1970. New Copy
Way more than just another soul group – as The New Birth are almost big enough to be their own sort of soul music village – complete with different neighborhoods along the way! Vocals are handled by the combined groups of The Mint Juleps and Now Sound – gals and guys that soar ...
HDM, Late 70s. New Copy
A heavy groover from Black Ice – an old school harmony act at the core, but working here in a sweet clubby mode for the 70s! The approach is quite similar to the best group soul coming from Philly at the time – with some wicked upbeat numbers that step along beautifully – not ...