One of the greatest albums ever from the legendary soul singer Curtis Mayfield – even though it's different than most of the rest as well! Curtis is captured here in a small club, with a tight band, spinning out these extended readings of some of his best tunes – both tracks he sang with The Impressions, and as a solo act – completely transformed here in the righteous energy of the setting! The vibe is similar to the classic Donny Hathaway Live album from the same time – save for the fact that this set is double-length, and maybe even more powerful as Curtis sings and plays guitar in a small group with additional guitar, bass, and drums – and some very hip percussion from Master Henry Gibson, of Pharoahs fame. Tracks include "We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue", "Stare and Stare", "Check Out Your Mind", "Stone Junkie", "I Plan To Stay A Believer", "If There's A Hell Below We're All Going To Go", "Mighty Mighty", and "The Makings Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing solo set from Curtis Mayfield – a record that not only foregrounds all the subtle politics he'd been forging in the Impressions during the 60s – but one that also really has Mayfield exploding as a force to be reckoned with in the studio! The album's a personal masterpiece – to the career of Curtis what the early solo albums of Issac Hayes were to his own genius – a bold, unfettered statement of pride and power – of the sort that would both make Mayfield and the Curtom Records label forces to be reckoned with in the 70s. Every cut is a classic – and titles include "Move On Up", "If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go", "Miss Black America", "Wild & Free", "Give It Up", "The Makings Of You", "The Other Side Of Town", and "We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing solo set from Curtis Mayfield – a record that not only foregrounds all the subtle politics he'd been forging in the Impressions during the 60s – but one that also really has Mayfield exploding as a force to be reckoned with in the studio! The album's a personal masterpiece – to the career of Curtis what the early solo albums of Issac Hayes were to his own genius – a bold, unfettered statement of pride and power – of the sort that would both make Mayfield and the Curtom Records label forces to be reckoned with in the 70s. Every cut is a classic – and titles include "Move On Up", "If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go", "Miss Black America", "Wild & Free", "Give It Up", "The Makings Of You", "The Other Side Of Town", and "We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A mindblowing solo set from Curtis Mayfield – a record that not only foregrounds all the subtle politics he'd been forging in the Impressions during the 60s – but one that also really has Mayfield exploding as a force to be reckoned with in the studio! The album's a personal masterpiece – to the career of Curtis what the early solo albums of Issac Hayes were to his own genius – a bold, unfettered statement of pride and power – of the sort that would both make Mayfield and the Curtom Records label forces to be reckoned with in the 70s. Every cut is a classic – and titles include "Move On Up", "If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go", "Miss Black America", "Wild & Free", "Give It Up", "The Makings Of You", "The Other Side Of Town", and "We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue". Extra tracks include demo versions of "Power to the People", "Underground", "Readings in Astrology", "Suffer", and the single version of "(Don't Worry) If There Is a Hell Below We're All Going To Go". CD

Seminal solo sounds from the great Curtis Mayfield – a perfect package that sums of everything that's great about his early years at Curtom Records! The music here is as revolutionary today as it was back in the early 70s – proud, righteous songs that are filled with power and politics, yet also have a deeply personal feel too – that unique Mayfield way of mixing social change with individual expressions – never summed up more beautifully than on the work in this set! The package features the classic solo debut Curtis, the legendary Superfly soundtrack, the completely great Roots album, the razor-sharp Back To The World, and the double-length gem Curtis/Live, filled with long tracks and unique acoustic instrumentation! CD

A mindblowing solo set from Curtis Mayfield – a record that not only foregrounds all the subtle politics he'd been forging in the Impressions during the 60s – but one that also really has Mayfield exploding as a force to be reckoned with in the studio! The album's a personal masterpiece – to the career of Curtis what the early solo albums of Issac Hayes were to his own genius – a bold, unfettered statement of pride and power – of the sort that would both make Mayfield and the Curtom Records label forces to be reckoned with in the 70s. Every cut is a classic – and titles include "Move On Up", "If There's a Hell Below We're All Gonna Go", "Miss Black America", "Wild & Free", "Give It Up", "The Makings Of You", "The Other Side Of Town", and "We the People Who Are Darker Than Blue". 2LP version has some great bonus tracks – including "Suffer", "Ghetto Child (demo)", "Underground (mono demo)", "Readings In Astrology (demo)", "Power To The People (mono demo)", "If There's A Hell Below (backing track)", "Makings Of You (backing track)", and "Miss Black America (demo)". LP, Vinyl record album

Two classics from Curtis' first solo album! "Hell Below" is here in a shorter single version – leaving off the intro, and beginning smack in the middle of the tight wah wah groove. "Makings Of You" is a mellow track with a floating and baroque quality – strings and soul coming together, almost in a Charles Stepney mode, with wonderful wonderful vocals from Curtis! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Mindblowing work from Roberta Flack – an album that should be in the collection of any fan of righteous soul music! Forget all the wimpier modes of Flack's later years – because here, the young Roberta is a vision of positive power and spiritual soul – a singer with roots in jazz, which helps to transform some of the album's very surprising song choices – and a depth and sensitivity that goes way past the usual female soul modes of the time. Donny Hathaway handled half the arrangements for the record – a perfect choice for Flack – and Deodato handles the other, with some large arrangements that still have just the right sort of gentleness to go with her voice. Titles include a version of "Reverend Lee", penned by Eugene Daniels – and the great "Gone Away", written by Curtis Mayfield, Leroy Hutson, and Hathaway – plus the tracks "Just Like A Woman", "Do What You Gotta Do", "Business Goes On As Usual", and "Until It's Time For You To Go". LP, Vinyl record album

20 smokin' reggae versions of Curtis Mayfield tunes. Jamaican versions of stateside soul has always been a favorite of ours, and this set is no slouch, paying tribute to Chicago soul star Mayfield. Versions galore, running the gamut from Derrick Morgan's "It's All Right" to Lloyd & Glen's "Keep On Pushing" to the Uniques "Gypsy Woman". Also includes Joe White "I'm So Proud", slim Smith "Closer together", Bob Marley & The Wailers "Long Long Winter"and "I Gotta Keep On Moving", the Chosen Few "Queen Majesty" and Marcia Griffiths "Gypsy Man". CD

18 classics – including "Kung Fu", "Do Do Wap Is Strong in Here", "Makings Of You", "If There's A Hell Down Below", "Superfly", "Pusherman", "So In Love", "Future Shock", and lots more! CD

Includes tracks by Laura Nyro, Santana, Billy Butler, Major Lance, Walter Jackson, the Opals, Al Kooper, Fishbone, and Queen Latifah. CD

51 tracks in all – including a dozen early numbers with The Impressions, plus loads of gems from his solo years on Curtom! CD

A rare cover of this hip Curtis Mayfield tune – served up in a slightly folksy style by the enigmatic Willie Wright! Back in the 60s, Willie recorded on the same Chicago scene as Terry Callier – and there's almost a Callier-like approach here – chunky congas on the bottom, jazzy flute in the middle, and some raspy lead vocals from Wright! The flipside's a funkier remix of the original by DJ Tibb with Brothermartin – with more beats and bass than before. 12-inch, Vinyl record

Includes tracks by Curtis Mayfield, Lloyd Price, James Bornw, Georgie Fame, Betty Everett, Lee Dorsey, Meters, Bobby Womack, Gene Chandler, Dells, Sugar Billy and more – 30 tracks in all! CD

American soul tunes, but served up Jamaican style – on cuts pulled from the classic years of the Studio One label – when the imprint was one of the hippest sources for rocksteady, ska, and early reggae! The package has a great range of tracks – both classics and rare numbers, and even a few unreleased tunes – all expertly chosen to show the way that the Jamaican scene kept on mirroring changes in American soul well into the 70s – served up here in killer covers of tracks originally done by Bill Withers, The Stylistics, Curtis Mayfield, Lee Dorsey, and others! Tracks include "Compared To What" by Jerry Jones, "Thinking" by Ken Boothe, "Don't Change" by Winston Francis, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by Tony Gregory, "Choice Of Colors" by The Heptones, "People Make The World Go Round" by Hortense Ellis, "Swing Easy" by Soul Vendors, "Westbound Train" by Jacob Miller, and "Fancy Pants" by Jackie Mittoo. CD

American soul tunes, but served up Jamaican style – on cuts pulled from the classic years of the Studio One label – when the imprint was one of the hippest sources for rocksteady, ska, and early reggae! The package has a great range of tracks – both classics and rare numbers, and even a few unreleased tunes – all expertly chosen to show the way that the Jamaican scene kept on mirroring changes in American soul well into the 70s – served up here in killer covers of tracks originally done by Bill Withers, The Stylistics, Curtis Mayfield, Lee Dorsey, and others! Tracks include "Compared To What" by Jerry Jones, "Thinking" by Ken Boothe, "Don't Change" by Winston Francis, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by Tony Gregory, "Choice Of Colors" by The Heptones, "People Make The World Go Round" by Hortense Ellis, "Swing Easy" by Soul Vendors, "Westbound Train" by Jacob Miller, and "Fancy Pants" by Jackie Mittoo. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic run of music from this wonderful soul singer – four full albums, lots of bonus tracks, and a full CD of remixes and other material too! First up is the 1976 album Loleatta – a real turning point for the great Loleatta Holloway – and a record that really finds a great way to unleash her vocals for the dancefloor! Loleatta got her start as more of a traditional deep soul diva – but here, she really takes off with a sweet Philly groove – thanks to production from Norman Harris, who creates these incredible rhythms that really push Holloway forward strongly! Gone are the sad tears of earlier weepies, and in their place is a strong sense of joy and power – Loleatta's very positive, very progressive, and very dedicated to standing her own ground! Includes the big single "Hit & Run", plus "Dreamin", "We're Getting Stronger", "Ripped Off", and versions of "That's How Heartaches Are Made" and Curtis Mayfield's "What Now". On Queen Of The Night, Loleatta Holloway's emerging as the queen of the disco – trading the southern soul of her early years for a more full-on club groove! Given the strength of her vocals, the approach works great – and if anything, the setting really helps Loleatta find an even better space than before – really taking off with soaring rhythms produced by the great Norman Harris – a sweet Philly sound that would make any singer sound great, but which is even better with Holloway's vocals over the top! Arrangers on the set include Harris, Jack Faith, George Bussey, and Arthur Jenkins – and titles include the classic "Catch Me On The Rebound", plus "I'm In Love", "Mama Don't Papa Won't", "Good Good Feeling", and "Two Sides To Every Story". The 1979 Loleatta Holloway album is a really classic set of dancefloor tracks from Loleatta Holloway – and a set that's got her fully stepping into the disco diva role, after starting out as more of a deep soul singer! Holloway's rich, full voice is perfect for the setting – a proud, confident lead that really soars out in the album's great arrangements – a nicely varied mix of Salsoul-styled club cuts, arranged by Bobby Womack, Floyd Smith, and Tom Washington. The different talents bring a nice range of approaches to the record, which further helps flesh out Loleatta's nicely maturing vocal style – and tunes include That's What You Said", "The Greatest Performance Of My Life", "All About The Paper", "Sweet Mother Of Mine", and "There Must Be A Reason". The Love Sensation album features landmark club grooves from the great Loleatta Holloway – and a record that definitely has her at the top of the disco game for the 70s! Holloway's working here with a nice variety of arrangers and producers – including Bobby Womack, Norman Harris, Dan Hartman, and Tom Washington – each of whom add some sweet little touches that let Holloway's vocals really take off, and find a space that's even more proud and powerful than ever before! Rhythms have an incessant Salsoul groove – that great approach that was often tightly funky at the core, and which really helped transform a key few singers like Holloway – taking them to the clubs, but without losing any of the depth of their roots. Key proof of this is the sublime leadoff track – "Love Sensation" – one of the greatest Salsoul tracks ever, and maybe one of the best female disco numbers too. The cut's a monster, one of the most anthemic dance tracks of all time – and it's followed by other good numbers that include "Two Became a Crowd", "My Way", and "Short End of the Stick". 5CD set features 28 bonus tracks – lots of rare mixes, edits, and other gems too! CD

A fantastic run of music from this wonderful soul singer – four full albums, lots of bonus tracks, and a full CD of remixes and other material too! First up is the 1976 album Loleatta – a real turning point for the great Loleatta Holloway – and a record that really finds a great way to unleash her vocals for the dancefloor! Loleatta got her start as more of a traditional deep soul diva – but here, she really takes off with a sweet Philly groove – thanks to production from Norman Harris, who creates these incredible rhythms that really push Holloway forward strongly! Gone are the sad tears of earlier weepies, and in their place is a strong sense of joy and power – Loleatta's very positive, very progressive, and very dedicated to standing her own ground! Includes the big single "Hit & Run", plus "Dreamin", "We're Getting Stronger", "Ripped Off", and versions of "That's How Heartaches Are Made" and Curtis Mayfield's "What Now". On Queen Of The Night, Loleatta Holloway's emerging as the queen of the disco – trading the southern soul of her early years for a more full-on club groove! Given the strength of her vocals, the approach works great – and if anything, the setting really helps Loleatta find an even better space than before – really taking off with soaring rhythms produced by the great Norman Harris – a sweet Philly sound that would make any singer sound great, but which is even better with Holloway's vocals over the top! Arrangers on the set include Harris, Jack Faith, George Bussey, and Arthur Jenkins – and titles include the classic "Catch Me On The Rebound", plus "I'm In Love", "Mama Don't Papa Won't", "Good Good Feeling", and "Two Sides To Every Story". The 1979 Loleatta Holloway album is a really classic set of dancefloor tracks from Loleatta Holloway – and a set that's got her fully stepping into the disco diva role, after starting out as more of a deep soul singer! Holloway's rich, full voice is perfect for the setting – a proud, confident lead that really soars out in the album's great arrangements – a nicely varied mix of Salsoul-styled club cuts, arranged by Bobby Womack, Floyd Smith, and Tom Washington. The different talents bring a nice range of approaches to the record, which further helps flesh out Loleatta's nicely maturing vocal style – and tunes include That's What You Said", "The Greatest Performance Of My Life", "All About The Paper", "Sweet Mother Of Mine", and "There Must Be A Reason". The Love Sensation album features landmark club grooves from the great Loleatta Holloway – and a record that definitely has her at the top of the disco game for the 70s! Holloway's working here with a nice variety of arrangers and producers – including Bobby Womack, Norman Harris, Dan Hartman, and Tom Washington – each of whom add some sweet little touches that let Holloway's vocals really take off, and find a space that's even more proud and powerful than ever before! Rhythms have an incessant Salsoul groove – that great approach that was often tightly funky at the core, and which really helped transform a key few singers like Holloway – taking them to the clubs, but without losing any of the depth of their roots. Key proof of this is the sublime leadoff track – "Love Sensation" – one of the greatest Salsoul tracks ever, and maybe one of the best female disco numbers too. The cut's a monster, one of the most anthemic dance tracks of all time – and it's followed by other good numbers that include "Two Became a Crowd", "My Way", and "Short End of the Stick". 5CD set features 28 bonus tracks – lots of rare mixes, edits, and other gems too! CD

Unbelievably burning!! If you were hip to the Soul Jazz Studio One Soul compilation, get ready for this – 18 soulful reggae jams, brought together by the folks at Blood & Fire and Honest Jon's. There's some choice covers here of classic soul and R&B hits from the 70s, with a number of nice renditions of Curtis Mayfield tunes, and even a few hot, hot originals, like Boris Gardner's "Ghetto Funk", which sounds like an organ-driven funky 45 off a Keb Darge set! Check out Carl Bradney's take on War's "Slipping Into Darkness" produced by Scratch Perry or Tinga Stewart's version of Timmy Thomas' classic "Why Can't We Live Together", with some nice echoplex drops on the organ & guitar in the extended groove section, and funky cowbells replacing the original beat box bubbling underneath. This one's gonna be locked to our turntables for months to come! LP, Vinyl record album

Includes tracks by Gil Scott-Heron, Curtis Mayfield, Ike & Tina Turner, Ohio Players, and more – 45 tracks over 3 discs! CD

Features work by James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, Curtis Mayfield, Kool & The Gang, Rufus, O'Jays, and others! CD

An insane collection of music – filled with rare tracks, classics, and unreleased material – one that brings together so many different modes of the mighty Aretha Franklin – all of them great! And sure, you definitely know Aretha's sound on Atlantic Records – but do you know every moment of genius she cut for the label? Because Franklin on Atlantic has a lot more to offer than the hits (although there's plenty of those here in this package too) – as she kept evolving her style over the course of the 70s – really coming up with some compelling, sophisticated modes that aren't always fully given their due! Albums here include early classics – like I Never Loved A Man, Aretha Arrives, Aretha Now, Lady Soul, and Soul 69 – but there's loads more gems, including This Girl's In Love With You, Aretha In Paris, Spirit In The Dark, Young Gifted & Black, Hey Now Hey (The Other Side Of The Sky), Let Me In Your Life, and the Sparkle soundtrack with Curtis Mayfield. The collection also features two massive live recordings – 2CDs of Live At The Filmore West, and OH Me Oh My Aretha Live In Philly 1972 – plus the 2CD version of Amazing Grace, with lots of bonus tracks. And the collection even features a rare 2CD set – Rare & Unreleased Recordings Fromn The Golden Reign Of The Queen Of Soul – a huge amount of obscure cuts, even if you already own some albums by Aretha. With 19CDs, all in original artwork, this is a hell of a collection for the price! CD

Music from Daryl Hall & John Oates, Chic, James Brown, Googie Rene Combo, Lulu, Sly & The Family Stone, Honeydrippers, Tom Scott, Tom Brock, Curtis Mayfield, Labi Siffre, Ike & Tina Turner, and more. CD

Music from Funkadelic, Rose Royce, Joe Tex, Curtis Mayfield, Sister Sledge, Detroit Emeralds, and more. CD

Features tracks by James Brown, Sly & The Family Stone, Staple Singers, Dramatics, War, Eddie Kendricks, The Family Vibes, JB, Curtis Mayfield, Lyn Collins, and others! CD

Thirteen tracks from Sounds Of Blackness, Sly And The Family Stone, Billy Paul, The Isley Brothers, The Island Inspirational All-Stars Aretha Franklin, The Impressions With Curtis Mayfield, Spearhead, The O'Jays, Fugees, Count Basie And His Orchestra, Nikki Giovanni, and Luther Vandross. CD

Music from Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Betty Evertt, Mr Fingers, Loose Ends, OV Wright, Chic, The Isley Brothers, Curtis Mayfield, and more. CD

Music from Isaac Hayes, Gladys Knight And The Pips, Melvin Van Peebles, Aretha Franklin, Four Tops, Michael Masser & Mandrill, George Benson, Curtis Mayfield, Joe Simon, The Mainstreeters, Bobby Womack & Peace, James Brown, Rose Royce, Marvin Gaye, and Willie Hutch. CD