... CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A South African jazz set from the 70s, but one with a very different vibe than most – stretched out nicely in ways that really let the tunes find their way! The group here is led by alto saxophonist H Sithole, but even more important is the work of a young Bekhi Mseleku – an artist we love for later recordings, who really adds a lot to the sound here on Hammond and electric piano – working in these long-spun lines that dance around the bass, guitar, and drums – while brothers open up on solos too – S Sithole on tenor and baritone, and D Sithole on trumpet. Titles include "Way Back Fifties", "Together", and "Can You Feel It". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

A nicely complicated little record – and one of the funkiest albums on the legendary Invictus label! The 8th Day group was a loosely-conceived batch of Detroit soul talents designed to cash in on a concept of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team – and they weren't just a studio project, as they included some wonderful talents that could make some great music when they wanted to! One of these was the amazing Detroit organist Lyman Woodard – who contributed the fantastic track "Cheba" to the album, an incredible organ groover that's unlike anything you've ever heard, rolling on with this pinched Hammond sound over congas, all-instrumental, and completely seductive! Another was Melvin Davis, who had recorded the song "Good Book" as a solo artist – but which was released here as if it was by the group. There's also a great guitarist in the group – unnamed due to the lack of liner notes – but who really shines on the funky tracks "Anythang", "Rocks In My Head", and "Heaven Is There To Guide Us", all with a fuzzed-out Detroit 70s groove! CD features the bonus tracks "Just As Long (single)", "I'm Worried (single)", "It's Instrumental To Be Free", and "You Made Me Over". CD

One of two albums the Emotions cut for Stax/Volt – both much rootsier than their later hit recordings at Columbia, with a raw soul groove that reaches back to the girls' roots as an indie soul act. This one's got arrangements by Isaac Hayes that work perfectly for the record – tight, deep, and soulful, with a real no-nonsense approach that opens up the vocals and sets up plenty of tasty hooks. Features the organ-heavy "So I Can Love You", the slightly-funky "Got To Be The Man", and the tracks "Going On Strike", "I Found My Man", and "The Best Part Of A Love Affair". But the best track is "I Like It" – which has this amazing intro that begins with a tight drumbreak, rolling over some descending basslines, then vamping into some horn flourishes before the vocals come in! LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Don't be put off by the Al Hirschfeld image on the front of this one – because the record's a nicely laidback effort that gets way past the show biz cover! The sound here is extremely spare – and Ella's singing with only the piano of Andre Previn for accompaniment – possibly the first time she ever worked this way, in a manner that has all the intimacy of a late nite, small club performance. The tunes are all Gershwin numbers, but presented in ways that differ greatly from Ella's Verve Songbook reading of them a few decades before – and titles include "A Foggy Day", "Nice Work If You Can Get", "They Can't Take That Away From Me", "Let's Call The Whole Thing Off", and "But Not For Me". CD

Features Bruce Fowler on trombone, with Walt Fowler on trumpet, Steve Fowler on flute and alto sax, Suzette Moriarty on french horn, Phil Teele on bass trombone, and others. CD

The start of a very successful run for Gloria Gaynor – a seminal bit of crossover 70s soul – one that perfectly linked the dancefloor with the airwaves, and managed to take on more than a few living rooms as well! Gloria's not entirely in full blown disco-diva mode yet, and works here with a soaring Philly-styled groove – of the sort you'd hear with groups like First Choice or Three Degrees – almost grounded a bit in earlier female soul, especially in the vocals and overall changes in the grooves – yet sparkled up plenty with some fuller, richer 70s arrangements. Those are handled by Norman Harris and Harold Wheeler – who do plenty to warm up the production by Meco – and the set includes the stunning 6 minute version of Gloria's big hit "Never Can Say Goodbye", plus "All I Need Is Your Sweet Lovin", "We Belong Together", "Real Good People", "Honey Bee", and "Reach Out I'll Be There". CD features lots of bonus tracks, too – "Honeybee (Columbia single version)", "Honey Bee (MGM single version)", "All It Took Boy Was Losing You", "Come Tonight", "Never Can Say Goodbye (single version)", "Reach Out I'll Be There (single version)", and "We Just Can't Make It". CD

... 78 RPM, Vinyl record

A record with a gimmicky title and cover, but a real overlooked gem from mid 70s ABC Records – handled with sublime care in the studio from producer Gary Katz, engineer Roger Nichols, and a host of session players who worked on some of the Steely Dan records of the time! Yet Dirk Hamilton's approach here is quite different than some of the smoother projects of the period – as the singer's got a nice sort of rasp to his style that would have been right at home in a redneck rock mode, but which really sounds even better, and a lot more unique here – alongside these perfect instrumental flourishes that underscore his vocals in just the right way – never overwhelming them, but giving them the sort of direction that really knocks the record out of the park. All tunes are originals, and really beautifully penned in this sophisticated, post-Dylan mode – on titles that include "She Don't Squash Bugs", "Little Big Time Man", "Wasn't That One Night Good", "The Sweet Forever", "Waterfall", and "When She Kiss Ya Like She Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge collection of work from the duo of Eddie Hardin and Pete York – both musicians who started out in the Spencer Davis Group, then went on to a surprisingly strong legacy of their own! Eddie plays piano and organ, and also sings – and Pete's a drummer who can come on strong when needed, but also lay back and let Eddie take the lead too – and the pair work here in a set of tracks that sometimes pushes forward the energy of their earlier group, but in ways that are both fiercer at times, and more sensitive at others. Yet other moments really show a developing sense of songwriting – that move of British soulfulness of the 60s into more individual territory in the sophisticated 70s. The box is overflowing with little-heard music from the pair – as it includes the full albums Tomorrow Today, World's Smallest Big Band, Hardin & York Live, For The World, and Hardin & York With Charlie McCracken – and also includes a full live set recorded at The Marquee in 1971, a 1969 Radio Session, a BBC In Concert set from 1972, outtakes from the Tomorrow Today album, and other rare radio and live material too. 63 tracks in all, very detailed notes – and a long-overdue tribute to the pair! CD

Ron Haynes on trumpet and flugelhorn. CD

The first-ever CD issue of a range of material from this ultra-hip group – all tracks that originally appeared on vinyl-only releases, now making their CD debut in an overstuffed collection that features 24 tracks in all! The vibe here is great – that Karl Hector & The Malcouns mix of deep funk instrumentation and various global elements – almost an imagined version of 70s sounds from Africa and the Mid East, but served up with the sensibilities of a deep funk combo – which is what they are, given that the group is just the Whitefield Brothers and Poets Of Rhythm, working here under another one of their many names! Yet the instrumentation is quite different than those other acts, too – much more rootsy and filled with a lot of organic percussion and other global elements – as you'll hear on titles that include "Shangold", "Leealah", "Roads Of Otumpa", "Tamanrasset", "JB Rip", "Irtijal", "The Cave", "Orange", "Transition X", "Medium Rare (part 1)", "Beyond Squares", and "Coomassi". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A wild one from the heady days of Leary's greatness – and a really odd record that's made even more mysterious by the lack of liner notes! Side one features an extended jamming guitar track – "Live & Let Live" – often funky in parts, and with Leary speaking from time to time, in a mode that fades down the music while the knowledge is delivered, then goes back to jamming. Side two features two similar tracks – "You Can Be Anyone This Time Around" and "What Do You Turn On When You Turn On" – again with trippy jamming music in the background, and Tim laying down some almost-spooky spoken bits over the top! CD

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Insanely great sounds from the legendary Tim Maia – easily the most soulful singer in 70s Brazil, and an artist with a heck of a strong ear for funk, too! The music here is an incredible hybrid of American soul and Brazilian elements – especially since some lyrics are in English – and the grooves are often mixed together in a sound that's nice and fuzzy around the edges, with some slight psychedelic elements that makes the cuts a perfect fit for this Luaka Bop series! Yet Tim Maia's hardly a guy who can easily fit into any easy slot or series – because as you'll hear on this set, he's got a vibe that's all his own – a really wonderful approach that's different even from some of his hippest contemporaries in Brazil – and which has gone onto have influence on countless other generations of singers and musicians – including his nephew Ed Motta. The package is great – a real visual tribute to the sounds within – and titles include "Que Beleza", "Ela Partiu", "Do Leme Ao Pontal", "Brother Father Mother Sister", "Quer Queira Quer Nao Queira", "Let's Have A Ball Tonight", "I Don't Care", "The Dance Is Over", "Rational Culture", "You Don't Know What I Know", and "Nobody Can Live Forever". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

An unusual Japanese book on the music of the genius German group Can – one that's half history, half discography – including a fair bit of listings for later projects and related works by members of the group! If you can't read Japanese, there's not much for you in the first half of the book – save for a lot of great black and white photos – but the second half begins a disc guide section, with listings first for all the Can albums, then with sections on records from Irmin Schmidt, Holger Czukay, Jaki Leibezeit, Michael Karoli, Damo Suzuki, Malcolm Mooney, Rosko Gee, Reebop Kwaku Baah, and a bonus disc guide of 100 related releases! Every record has the title in English or German, with label, release date, and titles in English – plus a longer review in Japanese. Book is 230 pages, softcover, with mostly black and white images, and a few in color. Book

A great album of mellow soul tracks from Curtis Mayfield – laidback, slinky, and almost to his earlier work what Let's Get It On was to the early 70s career of Marvin Gaye! The album's got a warm, soulful vibe that's totally great – not as all-out funky or politically righteous as before, and instead more deeply personal, and almost intimate at times – in a way that really lets Curtis open up with those fragile and heartbreaking vocals that made his 60s work so great. The restraint here is totally great – another mid 70s masterpiece from arranger Rich Tufo – and at times, Mayfield hits a similar mode to some of Leroy Hutson's best Curtom work from the time! Titles include "Just Want To Be With You", "All Night Long", "When We're Alone", "I'm Gonna Win Your Love", "Sparkle", "Never Say You Can't Survive", and "Show Me Love". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The title's a reference to a famous antacid commercial in the early 70s – but from the cover, it's obvious that Rudy Ray Moore wants you to think of it in a much nastier way! Given the sounds on the wax, it's easy to do – as the set's one of Moore's best from a time when he was the king of the party record – able to tell dirtier jokes than even most comics in the club – with very upfront, sexual-heavy dialogue – backed by some tightly soulful instrumentation! The music makes the whole thing groove nicely, even though it's a bit more buried in the mix than on some of Rudy's other records – which leaves the man himself screaming it strongly out front. A few tracks have guest vocals by Lady Reed – and titles include "That's My Watch", "The Marines", "Hit Her With A Rock Long D*ck", "As Much Ass", "Everybody Kneelin Ain't Prayin", "Sell It Girls", and "Dangerous Dan". CD

The rare lost legacy of the Music Makers Band – a funky group from Georgia who are best known under their previous incarnation as The Mighty Chevelles – who cut the superb Black Gold album the year before! The work here was never issued at the time, but represents some well-done sessions at the legendary Capricorn Studios – the group even sharper than before, and mixing in some clubby elements with their funk – but all without ever losing the edge that made them great in the first place! Kenny Dope remastered all the work here from the original multi-track masters – and each tune is presented in a well-crafted vocal version, and the set also features instrumentals, plus some extended mixes by Kenny as well. Titles include "That Look In Your Eyes", "You Can Be", "Lady In My Dream", "Shake Your Booty", "Let Me Start Lovin You", "We're The Band", and "That True Love Of Mine". CD

The rare lost legacy of the Music Makers Band – a funky group from Georgia who are best known under their previous incarnation as The Mighty Chevelles – who cut the superb Black Gold album the year before! The work here was never issued at the time, but represents some well-done sessions at the legendary Capricorn Studios – the group even sharper than before, and mixing in some clubby elements with their funk – but all without ever losing the edge that made them great in the first place! Kenny Dope remastered all the work here from the original multi-track masters – and each tune is presented in a well-crafted vocal version, and the set also features instrumentals, plus some extended mixes by Kenny as well. Titles include "That Look In Your Eyes", "You Can Be", "Lady In My Dream", "Shake Your Booty", "Let Me Start Lovin You", "We're The Band", and "That True Love Of Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

Two tasty cuts by one of Chicago's best vocal groups ever! Both tracks were written by Leroy Hutson – and "Can This Be Real" was one of the group's bigger hits! Heavenly soul, and produced with a great sound. 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The long-overdue release of an album that should have been a Neo Soul classic! The team of Otis Cooper and Shugg David recorded this gem of a set back in the mid 90s along with help from longtime friend and producer Raphael Saadiq – but due to shifting priorities at the major label, the set was shelved and is only now finally seeing the light of day! Despite the wait, though, the album bristles with electricity and has a totally fresh sound – bubbling over with the warmth and soul of the best Saadiq production work of the time, and hitting a vibe that's almost in the same mode as his own recent Ray Ray recordings. But even more charming are the talents of Otis & Shugg – two down-to-earth vocalists who work in a style that's nicely free of cliche, and which really shows them setting a tone that would be followed by many other make singers in the Neo Soul years to come. Titles include "Right On Track", "Fantasy", "If You Want It", "My First Mistake", "Round & Round", "Indiana", "This Is My Phone Call", and "Something Inside Of Me". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A classic batch of Bay Area Brazilian grooves – recorded in the sweet breezy electric style of the Fantasy studios, and featuring the vocals of the lovely Flora Purim in the lead! The session's got a great mix of Brazilian and American fusion players – including Airto (of course!), Ron Carter, George Duke, Egberto Gismonti, Alphonso Johnson, Robertinho Silva, Hermeto Pascoal, and Ndugu Leon Chancler. Pascoal's reed work is a very nice treat, especially over the warm keyboards of George Duke. Purim's voice is as wonderful as ever, and the album's got lots of nice numbers, like "Ina's Song", "Andei (I Walked)", "Time's Lie", and "Open Your Eyes You Can Fly". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album by this loose assemblage of musicians and studio talents organized by DJ and keyboardist Chris Bangs. The record's got the same classic Acid Jazz sound as the first one, with lots of warm acoustic jazz soloing mixed in with more modern instrumentation, and it's also got guests like Camille Hinds on vocals, and Mick Talbot on keyboards. Tracks include "Modal" (new jazz edit), "Give It All U Got", "Make Me Say It Again Girl", "Roaring Fast", "Long Way From Me", and "Sim Ting". Some nice moments on the Fender Rhodes. CD

One of the rarest 70s albums in the Sun Ra catalog – and one of the most unique, too – given that the format here is a piano trio, of the style often used by other jazz musicians – but completely transformed here in the hands of Ra! The music is sometimes straight, but always with angles – taking off nicely from the Horo Records mode right before – and delivered by Ra with this new sense of confidence and historical imagination on the keys of the piano – with great support from Richard Williams on bass and Luqman Ali on drums. There's no spacey production or weird instrumentation – but still, as with the Horo and Improvising Artists material, Sun Ra shows us what a tremendous jazz musician he can be in a more familiar setting – a great snap back to all those who ever might have called him a pretender. Titles include "Blythe Spirit Dance", "Tenderness", "Days Of Happiness", and "Magic City Blue". CD

One of Lionel Richie's biggest records ever! Titles include "Can't Slow Down", "All Night Long", "Penny Lover", "The Only One", "Running With The Night", "Hello", "The Groove", "Love Will Find A Way" and "Stuck On You". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A tremendous pairing of guitarists – both musicians who first helped change the sound of the instrument in jazz during the 70s, and who somehow come together here at a level that not only brings out the best in both, but also seems to evolve the music too! Scofield and Metheny are masters of color and tone – and together they create these amazing lines together – really the best that both of them had to offer, and maybe a bit more – as both musicians use electric and acoustic, and are given superb accompaniment by Bill Stewart on drums and Steve Swallow on acoustic and electric bass. Titles include "Message To My Friend", "No Way Jose", "I Can See Your House From Here", "The Red One", "One Way To Be", "You Speak My Language", and "SCO". CD

A tremendous pairing of guitarists – both musicians who first helped change the sound of the instrument in jazz during the 70s, and who somehow come together here at a level that not only brings out the best in both, but also seems to evolve the music too! Scofield and Metheny are masters of color and tone – and together they create these amazing lines together – really the best that both of them had to offer, and maybe a bit more – as both musicians use electric and acoustic, and are given superb accompaniment by Bill Stewart on drums and Steve Swallow on acoustic and electric bass. Titles include "Message To My Friend", "No Way Jose", "I Can See Your House From Here", "The Red One", "One Way To Be", "You Speak My Language", and "SCO". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Incredible work from a group who've definitely earned their name! Naming a group SOUL might be suicide for a band that can't carry off the groove – but these guys are funky monsters, with a real talent for a hard heavy sound that was rarely matched by other combos. The band have a great drummer, with a good talent for the funky break, but also a jazzy flourish that works well on SOUL's mellower numbers – and apart from the usual bass and guitar riffing, the album also features some great funky flute, in a mode that's similar to some of Jeremy Steig's excellent early work. Some tracks have vocals and some have instrumentals – but the whole album's great, and is an undisputed funky classic. Titles include "Can You Feel It", "Do What Ever You Want To Do", "Peace Of Mind", "Love, Peace & Power", and "My Cherie Amour". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Wonderful! "It's A Shame" is one of the Spinners' best cuts! It's got a totally groovy hook, great strident arrangements, and a harmony soul feel that goes waaaay over the top! Tough to find on vinyl, too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The first album from Steely Dan, and already a leading light in the world of 70s rock! The album's got a bit less of the polish of later years, but is still filled with gems – the kind of tunes that nobody ever seemed to pen before, and which few other groups could match later – despite the countless legions who tried! There's less jazz too, but the guitars are all nice and strong – that sharp Skunk Baxter edge that helped get the group firmly onto the charts right away. Titles include "Do It Again", "Dirty Work", "Kings", "Midnite Cruiser", "Only A Fool Would Say That", "Reelin' In The Years", "Fire In The Hole", "Brooklyn (Owes The Charmer Under Me)", "Change Of The Guard", and "Turn That Heartbeat Over Again". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Sonny Stitt in a sweet electric funk mode – working here in a style that's almost more CTI/Kudu than the usual Cadet Records groove! Arrangements are by James Brown heavyweight Pee Wee Ellis – who also plays some moog on the set – and other players include Wilbur Bascomb on bass, Bernard Purdie on drums, and Patti Brown on electric piano! Titles include the classic "Slick Eddie", plus "Bachianas Brasilieras/Funky Interlude", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Spanish Harlem", and "Ocho Rios". LP, Vinyl record album

Featuring Smoothe Da Hustler and DV Alias Khrist. 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

The deepest work to date from Vibration Black Finger – a group headed up by UK drummer Lascelle Gordon, and who effortlessly mix together acoustic jazz elements and other sonic elements – very much in the best spirit of some of their contemporaries on the London scene! Gordon's drums and percussion are at the core of each number – but the instrumentation shifts a fair bit as the set goes on – with flute, piano, keyboards, reeds, and bass from a variety of different guests – including Nat Birchall on tenor and Julie Kjaer on alto and flute! There's a few vocal moments – courtesy of the great Maggie Nicols and Ebony Rose – but most of the set is instrumental, and titles include "Soul Fire", "Only In A Dream", "Persia & Cornelius", "Twelve Wire Byrd", "Gutkind's Dream", "Can't You See What I'm Trying To Say", "Acting For Liberation", and "Empty Streets". CD

The deepest work to date from Vibration Black Finger – a group headed up by UK drummer Lascelle Gordon, and who effortlessly mix together acoustic jazz elements and other sonic elements – very much in the best spirit of some of their contemporaries on the London scene! Gordon's drums and percussion are at the core of each number – but the instrumentation shifts a fair bit as the set goes on – with flute, piano, keyboards, reeds, and bass from a variety of different guests – including Nat Birchall on tenor and Julie Kjaer on alto and flute! There's a few vocal moments – courtesy of the great Maggie Nicols and Ebony Rose – but most of the set is instrumental, and titles include "Soul Fire", "Only In A Dream", "Persia & Cornelius", "Twelve Wire Byrd", "Gutkind's Dream", "Can't You See What I'm Trying To Say", "Acting For Liberation", and "Empty Streets". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

Two wonderfully long-flowing tracks from this hip British group – very spiritual and slow-building, with energy that's very much in the best Alice Coltrane mode of the Impulse Records years! Tony Burkill is on tenor, and has this great mellow-burning approach – perfect for the slow-stepping modal groove that's delivered on piano, guitar, bass, and drums! Added horns, voice, harmonium, and other touches come in from time to time – but they never get in the way of the gentle majesty of the instrumentation at the core – the kind of music you'd want playing as you were going to meet the dawn at the start of a very righteous day. Titles include "Dawn" and "Dusk" – but both are very dawn-worthy! CD

Two wonderfully long-flowing tracks from this hip British group – very spiritual and slow-building, with energy that's very much in the best Alice Coltrane mode of the Impulse Records years! Tony Burkill is on tenor, and has this great mellow-burning approach – perfect for the slow-stepping modal groove that's delivered on piano, guitar, bass, and drums! Added horns, voice, harmonium, and other touches come in from time to time – but they never get in the way of the gentle majesty of the instrumentation at the core – the kind of music you'd want playing as you were going to meet the dawn at the start of a very righteous day. Titles include "Dawn" and "Dusk" – but both are very dawn-worthy! LP, Vinyl record album

A special vinyl sampler from Frank Zappa – intended to point the way towards the big run of releases that would soon come on CD under the same title! The set brings together some of the best of that enterprise – and features live performances from 1969 through 1984 – all mastered by Bernie Grundman, with sound that really made most of the Zappa bootlegs on the market obsolete! Titles include "The Florida Airport Tape", "Sharleena", "Nanook Rubs It", "The Evil Prince", "You Call That Music", "King Kong", "Dickie's Such An Asshole", "Cosmic Debris", "Montana", "The Torture Never Stops", and "Plastic People". New version remastered again by Bernie Grundman! LP, Vinyl record album

A soaring blend of rare club tracks from the glory days of the American disco underground – music that was cut in the deep shadows of the mainstream market at the time, and which has gone on to have a lot longer staying power too! The cuts here are all from very obscure releases on tiny labels around the country – most so small, the records were issued on 7" singles, not the usual 12" club DJ release – which has made them even more overlooked in the passing decades, given that so many collectors of this sort of music are digging for the larger format! Yet interest in rare club from the pre-house years has never been stronger – and a set like this is a great way to glimpse a scene that was out of reach even to most folks who were around at the time – a smoking set of 17 groovers that include "Can You Dig It" by Teakwood, "Bay Trippin" by Parnassus, "Come Along With Me & Party" by Monofide, "I Wanna Dance" by Compton Hodge, "Feel In" by The Unit III, "My Woman My Woman" by Joshua Jackson, "She's The One" by Nature, "Bronco Queen" by Van Buren, and "Sport City Rock" by Earl Turner. CD

Deep Jamaican sounds from the 70s – all work produced by the legendary Sonia Pottinger, and which shows that her talents for roots music were every bit as great as her work with earlier styles too! With Pottinger, the key is almost less what she does in the studio than what she does with her ear – as her ability to identify key talent at the right moment is something that really graces most of her recordings – definitely the case here, in an overstuffed 2CD set that features rare singles from the High Note label, most appearing on CD for the first time ever, 8 of which are previously unissued! As with other releases on the Doctor Bird label, the choice of cuts are as great as the overall presentation – which includes very detailed notes – to support a set list of 35 tracks that includes "Winey Winey (12" version)" by The Kingstonians, "King Of Kings" by Mind Body & Soul, "Babylon A Run Come" by The Mellows, "Sufferer's Child" by Delroy Denton & The Silvertones, "Lonesome I" by The Roots Defenders, "Trouble & Strife" by The Africans, "Whole Lot Of Feeling (12" version)" by Justin Hinds & The Dominoes, "See It Deh (12" version)" by Enos McLeod, "World World" by Joseph Burke & Tribute, and "Love & Inity" by Ras Miller. CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

Classic B-More house! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

Features Kenny Drew on piano, Jimmy Woode on bass, and Oliver Jackson on drums! CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The start of a very successful run for Gloria Gaynor – a seminal bit of crossover 70s soul – one that perfectly linked the dancefloor with the airwaves, and managed to take on more than a few living rooms as well! Gloria's not entirely in full blown disco-diva mode yet, and works here with a soaring Philly-styled groove – of the sort you'd hear with groups like First Choice or Three Degrees – almost grounded a bit in earlier female soul, especially in the vocals and overall changes in the grooves – yet sparkled up plenty with some fuller, richer 70s arrangements. Those are handled by Norman Harris and Harold Wheeler – who do plenty to warm up the production by Meco – and the set includes the stunning 6 minute version of Gloria's big hit "Never Can Say Goodbye", plus "All I Need Is Your Sweet Lovin", "We Belong Together", "Real Good People", "Honey Bee", and "Reach Out I'll Be There". LP, Vinyl record album

Harry "Sweets" Edison and Philip Harper on trumpet, Justin Robinson on alto saxophone, Walter Blanding Jr on tenor saxophone, Jimmy McGriff on organ, Ray Gallon on piano, Harry Anderson on bass, and Winard Harper on drums, with Ernie Andrews on vocals. CD