... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A stone stellar batch of tracks from the mighty Chi-Lites – and a record that really shows why the group were such a standout at the time! There's a freshness here that few other groups could ever hope to match – lots of new material, penned by group leader Eugene Record – and these wicked arrangements by Record and Sonny Sanders – often put together with this gentle undercurrent of funk that kicks things along from the bottom, yet still saves plenty of space up top for the group's sublime harmonies! The approach is quite different than modes that east coast vocal groups were using at the time – and even different than Detroit, too – a really sophisticated blend of styles that shows the Windy City soul scene at its best. The whole thing's great – no filler at all – and titles include "Give It Away", "I Like Your Lovin", "Are You My Woman?", "Let Me Be The Man My Daddy Was", and "You're No Longer A Part Of My Heart". CD

26 songs from the Chi-Lites the Chanteurs, the Presidents, the Hi-Lites, and Marshall & the Chi-Lites. CD

A great collection of tracks that features many hard to find tracks from the early days, before the band broke super-huge with "Oh Girl". That one's included on this album, as are the cuts "A Lonely Man", "Let Me Be The Man My Daddy Was", "Love Uprising", "24 Hours Of Sadness", "Give It Away", "Living In the Footsteps Of Another Man", "Coldest Days Of My Life (parts 1 & 2)", "Have You Seen Her", and "We Are Neighbors". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful beautiful work from The Chi-Lites – and a record that we might even say tops the best of their late Brunswick book! Despite the move from that label to Mercury, the group have a sound here that's still wonderfully fragile and harmony-focused – especially on the mellower cuts, which crackle with a sense of humanity that so many other harmony groups were losing at the time. But even the more upbeat tunes are great too – rolling along on some spacious arrangements by Tom Tom Washington, and showing that Chicago could come up with grooves to rival the sound of Philly! Titles include the great ballad "Love Can Be Hazardous", the Sam Dees number "Vanishing Love", and the titles "Don't Blame The World", "Message To The World", "Let Your Love Fall Like Rain", and "I Turn Away". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest records ever from The Chi-Lites – thanks to the "Oh Girl" title hit that's referenced on the cover! But apart from that ballad classic, the record's actually got a heck of a lot more to offer – some incredible harmony soul tracks that show that even during their hit years, The Chi-Lites were one of those groups who could still stay true to their roots – and still come up with amazing tunes again and again! Mainman Eugene Record is at the helm producing and writing most of the tunes on the set – and some of the best numbers have that little gentle groove that was the best Chi-soul contribution to the sound of the 70s – that lilt or bounce from the 60s, turned towards slightly more sophisticated modes for the new generation. Titles include "Being In Love", "Love Is", "Coldest Days Of My Life", "Living In the Footsteps Of Another Man", "Ain't Too Much Of Nothing", and "A Lonely Man" – and a cover of "Inner City Blues". CD also features the bonus track "The Coldest Days Of My Life (part 1)". CD

Seminal work from one of the 70s greatest groups! The band had always been great at love songs and uptempo numbers – but this record has them moving into more righteous area, picking up on some of the more socially conscious soul of their generation that had been working its way up the charts. The album features excellent production by Chi-Lite Eugene Record, who also wrote a lot of the material – plus arrangements by Tom Tom and Sonny Sanders. Great stuff all around, with the righteous social tunes "(For God's Sake) Give More Power to The People", "Trouble's A Comin", and "We Are Neighbors" – plus classic love songs "Have You Seen Her" and "Love Uprising", which are still kind of the band's strongest point. Loads more great stuff on this one, the album that helped the second wave of Chicago soul break out into the international market! LP, Vinyl record album

Stunning work from one of the greatest vocal groups ever – the mighty mighty Chi-Lites! The group had an amazing run at Brunswick records during the late 60s and early 70s – recording single after single that not only helped redefine the sound of group soul for a new generation, but which also broke down previously held conceptions of sweet soul! Their harmonies were always perfect, the tunes usually had a sweet little groove at the bottom, and the topics of the tracks had a deeper approach to the material than some of the groups that came before them – really hitting a heartbreaking level on the best of their best love tunes, and sounding equally heartfelt even on the lesser-known numbers! This excellent 19 track set pushes past the simple hits, and also includes some of our favorite album tracks – making for a brilliantly-selected collection that also comes with some great notes! Titles include "I Like Your Loving", "Twenty Four Hours Of Sadness", "Give It Away", "You Don't Have To Go", "Too Good To Be Forgotten", "Homely Girl", "Letter To Myself", "We Need Order", "The Coldest Days Of My Life", "Give More Power To The People", "Toby", "There Will Never Be Any Peace", and "Let Me Be The Man My Daddy Was". CD

Issued in 1983, but a good look back at the classic Brunswick years of this massive soul group from Chicago! The Chi-Lites are one of the best harmony acts ever to come out of the Windy City – and while at the Brunswick label during the late 60s and early 70s, leader Eugene Record forged a sound that became a virtual blueprint for the Chicago group sound of the next decade to come. The harmonies are impeccable on the record – as you probably know if you've already heard hits like "Have You Seen Her", "(For God's Sake) Give More Power To The People", "Lonely Man", "Oh Girl", "The Coldest Days Of My Life", "A Letter To Myself", and "Homely Girl". LP, Vinyl record album

Nothing half about The Chi-Lites at all – as the group were always tremendous during their famous run at Brunswick Records – able to come across perfectly on mellow ballads and more upbeat numbers! This set is a wonderful illustration of the really unique Chicago-based approach that the group and the label brought forth at the time – a complexity without showing off too much, a sense of humanity without too much weakness, and a way of sending home lyrics in group form that have a sense of individuality that's often greater than any single singer! Arrangements are wonderful – often headed by group member Eugene Record – and the set's full of classic cuts that include "Half A Love", "Here I Am", "Living In The Footsteps Of Another Man", "When Temptation Comes", "Go Away Dream", and "Ain't Too Much Of Nothin". CD features three bonus tracks – "The Devil Is Doing His Work", "You Don't Have To Go", and "You Don't Have To Go (edit)". CD

... CD

A fantastic record from the great Delroy Wilson – a set that's dubby at the core, but also has a righteous sense of soul too – almost a Jamaican extension of the hippest styles of early 70s American soul! Delroy's vocals are wonderful – very powerful, even without trying too much – and set up amidst some great production from Bunny Lee that really makes the whole thing shine like a slow-burning dark star – a perfect vibe that's laidback, but never lazy – and a great change from some of the more polished early 80s Jamaican soul. Titles include a great remake of the Chi-Lites "Go Away Dream" – plus "No More Heartaches", "Spit In The Sky", "When She Was My Girl", "I Can't Take You Back", "I Can't Fight It Anymore", "Won't You Come Home", and "Silhouette Silhouette". LP, Vinyl record album

Looking for an introduction to Chicago soul? This is it! The set's a totally cool 3CD package, bound up in book-like format with great notes on the artists and songs, and a list of 64 tracks that give you a really great overview of the excellent soul that came out of Chicago during the 60s and 70s. Most of the tracks on the set were issued on the Brunswick label, and others are from the Dakar and Chi-Sound imprints. Titles include "Love Grows Better" by Billy Butler, "Someone Else's Arms" by Channel 3, "Touching In The Dark" by Walter Jackson, "Love Uprising" by Mister T, "You Brought Out The Good In Me" by Otis Leavill, "You Babe" by Dana Valery, "Baby Jane" by Otis Clay, "Getting Nowehere Fast" by Floyd Smith, "24 Hours Of Sadness" by The Chi-Lites, "I'm In Danger" by The Visitors, "It's All Over Between Us" by Lee Charles, "Keep Your Chin Up" by Jackie Ross – and a huuuuuge amount of tracks by other artists, with an excellent variety throughout! CD

Ten tracks from the Chi-Lites, Aretha Franklin, Sister Sledge, Patrick Rushen, Tyrone Davis, KC & the Sunshine Band, War, the Spinners, and Otis Redding. CD

Music from The Chi-Lites, Bobby Bland, Klymaxx, The Commodores, Four Tops, Rose Royce, Smokey Robinson, Quincy Jones, Rufus, William Bell, Friends Of Distinction, and more – 17 tracks total. CD

Tracks inlcude "Love Train" by The O'Jays, "Soul Makossa" by Manu Dibango, "Stoned Out of My Mind" by The Chi-Lites, "Theme from Cleopatra Jones" by Mainstreeters & Joe Simon, "Love I Lost, Pt. 1" by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, "Show and Tell" by Al Wilson, "Boogie Down" by Eddie Kendricks, "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang, "T.S.O.P. (The Sound of Philadelphia)" by MFSB & The Three Degrees, "Lookin' for a Love" by Bobby Womack, "Just Don't Want to Be Lonely" by The Main Ingredient, and "Be Thankful for What You Got" by William DeVaughn . CD

Classic cuts from the TK Records stable of Miami disco from the 70s – all of which are served up here on 7" single mixes, a fair bit of which appear here on CD for the first time ever! TK is maybe best known for it's long-spun club cuts that were a perfect fit for the budding 12" format in the mid 70s – but the label also turned out plenty of cuts with a tight, catchy groove that was perfect for a funky 45 – which might have been why TK was one of the few labels to rule both on the radio and on the dancefloors back in the day! Japanese DJ T Groove takes us through 20 TK singles here – with tracks that include "Return Of Vader" by AD, "Macho" by Celi Bee & The Buzzy Bunch, "Higher" by Chi-Lites, "Star Cruiser" by Gregg Diamond, "Moon Ride" by Universal Love, "Let's Dance" by Wild Honey, "Have A Good Day (part 1)" by Gail Eason, "Music (voc)" by Montreal Sound, "I'm Gonna Dance" by Asha Puthli, "Dancin In My Feet" by Laura Taylor, "Holding Back" by Gregg Diamond, "At Midnight" by T Connection, "If There's Love" by Amant, "Spank" by Jimmy Bo Horne, and "The Break (short)" by Kat Mandu. CD

A mysterious bit of group soul from the 70s scene – a record that's full of original material, and delivered in a style that's very much like the best New Jersey and Philly indie sides from the start of the decade! By that, we mean that the group's a little rough around the edges – and we mean that in the best way possible, because the set eschews some of the more commercial styles that were coming up in the big disco year of 1976 – and instead goes for a stripped-down sort of vibe that really lets all the charm of the vocals come through! And although you might guess that the title track is a remake of a tune by the Chi-Lites – it's not, and that cut and most of the others are originals done for the album – titles that include "Like I Do", "Rich Man Alone", "I'm Gonna Be A Star", "When I Met You At The Circus", "Patience", "The Outsider", and "Stone Out Of Your Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

A mysterious bit of group soul from the 70s scene – a record that's full of original material, and delivered in a style that's very much like the best New Jersey and Philly indie sides from the start of the decade! By that, we mean that the group's a little rough around the edges – and we mean that in the best way possible, because the set eschews some of the more commercial styles that were coming up in the big disco year of 1976 – and instead goes for a stripped-down sort of vibe that really lets all the charm of the vocals come through! And although you might guess that the title track is a remake of a tune by the Chi-Lites – it's not, and that cut and most of the others are originals done for the album – titles that include "Like I Do", "Rich Man Alone", "I'm Gonna Be A Star", "When I Met You At The Circus", "Patience", "The Outsider", and "Stone Out Of Your Mind". CD

Chicago modern soul LP from the early 80's, recorded for Jerry Butler's Fountain label. The group were one of the few last links in the Chicago soul scene at the time – and they've got a good harmony sound that hearkens back to mid 70s work by groups like The Chi-Lites or Windy City. Most tracks are in the midtempo range, with a fair bit of synthesizer and keyboard work – but the vocals are still the strongest part of the record, and they're allowed to shine nicely. Cuts include "You Make It Happen", "Keys To The City", "Strong On You", "Rock Me Gently – Heavy Love", "When You Stop To Think", and "Don't Be Selfish". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Jimmy Thomas, Brighter Side Of Darkness, Spinners, Harold Melvin & The Bluenotes, Barry White, Johnnie Taylor, Isley Brothers, Aretha Franklin, The Chi-Lites, and Billy Preston. CD

Music from Bill Withers, Al Green, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, the Chi-Lites, Joe Tex, Billy Paul, James Brown, Joe Simon, and Curtis Mayfield. CD

The legendary Gilles Peterson turns his magical ears to the catalog of Brunswick Records – and comes up with some of the label's hippest tunes of the 60s and 70s! Brunswick is best known for its famous soul hits of the late 60s and early 70s, but Peterson goes much deeper to come up with overlooked gems that are then laid out in a way that really makes them resonate strongly together – at a level that really illustrates the unified groove of the label! Brunswick often worked with a tight array of producers, arrangers, and session players – and Peterson finds key links between these tunes, often in surprising places – which makes the collection a real delight once you start stepping through it. Titles include "Keep On Dancing" by Bohannon, "Inner City Blues" by The Chi-Lites, "Harlem" by Willie Henderson, "This Is The Lost Generation" by The Lost Generation, "Ain't No Sunshine" by Gregory James Edition, "Light My Fire" by Jackie Wilson, "Disco Boogie" by Total Eclipse, "Will I Find Love" by Gene Chandler, "This Love Is Real" by Dana Valery, and "Go With Love" by Barbara Acklin. CD

Includes 61 tracks by Jackie Wilson, the Artistics, Young-Holt Trio, Gene Chandler, Tyrone Davis, The Chi-Lites, Vaughan Mason, Willie Henderson, Lost Generation, and Erma Franklin. CD

An incredibly rich collection of work from the legendary Brunswick and Dakar Records labels – and one of the first to really get at the labels' rich legacy of 7" singles that were never issued on any sort of full length albums! The Brunswick sound was a powerhouse in the late 60s and early 70s – a force that saw big records from The Chi-Lites, Jackie Wilson, Artistics, and others – yet the company also recorded a heck of a lot more music too – all of which was every bit as great as the hits, from the grooves at the bottom, to the tight arrangements in the middle, and the fantastic range of vocals on the top! This series finally gets at digging into all the many artists who never issued full albums on Brunswick or Dakar Records – and this first volume features 24 tracks that include "One Two Three Hamilton Street" by The Equations, "The Sweetest Thing" by Channel 3, "Stay With Me Baby" by BW & The Next Edition, "Where Our Love Has Gone" by Ronnie LaShannon, "Soul Strut" by Floyd Smith, "Let's TCB" by Richard Parker, "Contract On Your Love" by Chuck Bernard, "Funky Fatso" by The Aqua Sonics, "Dynamite" by John Freeman, "Forever & A Day" by Wales Wallace, "Turn Me Loose" by Donnie Vann, "You're My Sweet" by The Realistics, and "Falling In Love" by The Complaments. CD

An incredibly rich collection of work from the legendary Brunswick and Dakar Records labels – and one of the first to really get at the labels' rich legacy of 7" singles that were never issued on any sort of full length albums! The Brunswick sound was a powerhouse in the late 60s and early 70s – a force that saw big records from The Chi-Lites, Jackie Wilson, Artistics, and others – yet the company also recorded a heck of a lot more music too – all of which was every bit as great as the hits, from the grooves at the bottom, to the tight arrangements in the middle, and the fantastic range of vocals on the top! This series finally gets at digging into all the many artists who never issued full albums on Brunswick or Dakar Records – and this second volume features 26 tracks that include "Love Grows Bitter" by Billy Butler, "I'm In Danger" by The Visitors, "Love Ain't Nothin But Pain" by Marvin Smith, "One More Time" by Benny Scott, "I'm So Glad" by Herb Johnson & The Impacts, "TCB" by Billy Jackson, "The Chase Is On" by Johnny Howard, "There Oughta Be A Law" by Alvin Valentine, "Darling You Don't Send Me No More" by Ronnie Mitchell, "You Don't Want Me Any More" by Shirley Karol, "Just Be For Real" by Johnny Moore, and "Take A Little Louder" by Wales Wallace. CD

An incredibly rich collection of work from the legendary Brunswick and Dakar Records labels – and one of the first to really get at the labels' rich legacy of 7" singles that were never issued on any sort of full length albums! The Brunswick sound was a powerhouse in the late 60s and early 70s – a force that saw big records from The Chi-Lites, Jackie Wilson, Artistics, and others – yet the company also recorded a heck of a lot more music too – all of which was every bit as great as the hits, from the grooves at the bottom, to the tight arrangements in the middle, and the fantastic range of vocals on the top! This series finally gets at digging into all the many artists who never issued full albums on Brunswick or Dakar Records – and this third volume features 28 tracks that include "The Great Pretender" by Linda Hopkins, "Somebody I Know" by Wales Wallace, "Your Love Controls My World" by Johnny Williams, "Little Bitty Pretty One" by Frankie Coe, "What Kind Of Girl" by Demetriss Tapp, "Don't Take It Out On This World" by Adam's Apples, "Hey Mama" by The Admirations, "Suddenly" by Tony Drake, "Can't Stop Loving You" by Otis Leavill, "You Have No Time To Lose" by The Four Pennies, "I Can't Help Myself" by Chuck Carter, "Nobody Can Love You" by Leroy Taylor, and "It's All Over Between Us" by Lee Charles. CD

Music from The Chi-Lites, Bobby Bland, Gladys Knight And The Pips, The Spinners, Marvin Gaye, Luther Ingram, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Brian McKnight, Rose Royce, Dionne Warwick, and more. CD

DJ Muro mixes it up with the catalog of legendary soul label Brunswick Records – really digging deep into output of the mighty imprint – to come up with a wicked pastiche of funky tunes that includes bits of 40 tracks in all! The mix is more complicated than some of Muro's other outings – and while he still leaves in the best core of each tune, he also weaves them together in a wonderful way that draws definite strands together in Brunswick production, instrumentation, and songwriting – a wonderful tribute to the Chicago soul genius that flourished on the label at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s. The package features way too many snippets to mention here – but includes work from Ginji James, The Lost Generation, Tyron Davis, Bohannon, Lost Generation, Gregory James Edition, Fred Hughes, The Chi-Lites, Erma Franklin, The Eliminators, Exit 9, Gene Chandler, The Directions, Barbara Acklin, Young Holt Unlimited, and many more! CD

That's the classy Chi-Lites on the cover, but the set features music from a nice array of deep soul talents of the 70s – pulled together from a mix of tracks from labels that include Hi Records, Brunswick, TK, and Invictus! As you'd guess from the title, the set focuses on male singers only – both groups and individuals – and the package has a good mix of southern styles and a few bits from up north – mostly from the earlier part of the 70s. Tracks include "Under My Wings" by Smith Connection, "Sweet Surrender" by Ollie Nightingale, "Star Bright Star Lite" by Syl Johnson, "Let Me Back In" by Tyrone Davis, "Don't Leave Me Starvin For Your Love (part 1)" by Lamont Dozier, "I Can't Do Enough For You Baby" by Tommy Tate, "I Don't Do Windows" by OV Wright, "Higher & Higher" by Jackie Wilson, "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" by Gil Scott Heron, "Take Me To The River" by Al Green, and "Living In The Footsteps Of Another Man" by The Chi-Lites. CD

A sublime compilation of sweet modern soul – put together by the soul geniuses at Expansion, with all the classic sound of their famous Soul Chasers comps from a few years back! The set's a wonderful blend of rare tunes from the 70s mixed with recent gems that have a really classic sound – and if you've been following some of the great releases on the Expansion label over the past few years, you'll know just what to expect from the set. Titles include "Lead Me On" by Gwen McCrae, "Make It Last" by Edee, "Try My Side Of Love" by The Chi-Lites, "Every Fella's Girl" by Leon Dubouse, "All For Love" by Derick Hughes, "Bed You Down" by Kashif, "I'm So In Love With You" by Wizdom, "I Need Your Love" by The Patterson Twins, "Let Me Make Love To You" by Gene Chandler, "Baby Baby Don't Waste My Time" by Gladys Knight, "I Don't Want To Pay The Price Of Losing You" by The Manhattans, and "I Can Deal With That" by Dee Edwards. CD

The only full length album ever cut by this amazing Chicago girl group! The Lovelites first broke onto the charts with their stunning track "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad" – a sad slow tune about teen pregnancy, sung in a strange otherworldly style that's also quite soulful – with a catchy hook and a way of referring to the problem at hand that's vague, and makes for a strange approach to the material. That track, and the others on the set, are very different than the usual girl trio material – rougher, more honest, with a quality that's emotive, yet not overly drippy. Part of the thanks for this goes to arranger Johnny Cameron, who handled the tracks on the set – but a lot of the credit should also go to lead singer Patty Hamilton, who co-wrote some of the tracks, and who has a fantastic way of putting over the songs. Titles include "This Love is Real", "Certain Kind Of Lover", "Who You Gonna Hurt Now", "Shy Boy", "I've Got Love", "Gotta Let You Go", "Oh My Love", and "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad". LP, Vinyl record album

The only full length album ever cut by this amazing Chicago girl group! The Lovelites first broke onto the charts with their stunning track "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad" – a sad slow tune about teen pregnancy, sung in a strange otherworldly style that's also quite soulful – with a catchy hook and a way of referring to the problem at hand that's vague, and makes for a strange approach to the material. That track, and the others on the set, are very different than the usual girl trio material – rougher, more honest, with a quality that's emotive, yet not overly drippy. Part of the thanks for this goes to arranger Johnny Cameron, who handled the tracks on the set – but a lot of the credit should also go to lead singer Patty Hamilton, who co-wrote some of the tracks, and who has a fantastic way of putting over the songs. Titles include "This Love is Real", "Certain Kind Of Lover", "Who You Gonna Hurt Now", "Shy Boy", "I've Got Love", "Gotta Let You Go", "Oh My Love", and "How Can I Tell My Mom & Dad". CD

The fourth fantastic chapter in this wonderful trip through the 60s – headed up by author Jon Savage, as a great soundtrack to his documents of the time! If you know Savage at all, you'll know to expect something different and fresh – an unusual take on the period, and one that goes way past the chart hits and overplayed oldies – to instead uncover currents of cultural activity at a much deeper level! And sure, there's a number of familiar songs here – but they're mixed with lesser-known gems, and presented in this great double-length package that features 48 tracks in all – all with notes from Savage himself. Titles include "Talkin About The Good Times" by Pretty Things, "Eastern Organ" by Brother Dan All Stars, "Hard To Handle" by Otis Redding, "Freedom Train" by James Carr, "Say It Loud (part 1)" by James Brown, "Omnibus" by The Move, "Sunshine Help Me" by Spooky Tooth, "Everydays" by Buffalo Springfield", "How Does It Feel To Feel" by The Creation, "Dear Delilah" by Grapefruit, "Machines" by Lothar & The Hand People, "Tomorrow Street Puzzle" by Fairport Convention, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit, "Kick Out The Jams (preview pressing)" by MC5, "World In A Jug" by Canned Heat, "Classical Gas" by Mason Williams, "Honey Chile" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, "Danse A La Musique" by The French Fries, "Israelites" by Desmond Dekker, and "Why Does It Feel So Right" by The Shades Of Jade. CD

An excellent live performance from the 80s – recorded during a time when the Arkestra was extremely tight, and really beginning to break big with audiences like the enthusiastic one heard at this festival in Athens! Sun Ra and the group are at the height of their powers here – really commanding the set with tremendous presence – and effortlessly shifting between free improvisations, straighter tunes, and some especially rhythmic numbers that are almost worth the price of admission alone! Players include Marshall Allen, John Gilmore, Danny Ray, and James Jacson – and 2CD set features the entire Praxis performance in one package – with 20 titles that include "Nuclear War", "Children Of The Sun", "Yeah Man", "Untitled Improvisation", "Mack The Knife", "Big John's Special", "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", "They'll Come Back", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Theme Of The Stargazers/Satellites Are Spinning", and "Carefree (Egyptian Fantasy)". CD

A greatest hits two-fer – made even greater with the addition of 27 bonus tracks! First up is Invictus' Greatest Hits – heavy soul from the house of Holland-Dozier-Holland – some of the best bits from their Invictus powerhouse label of the early 70s – definitely a scene-setting imprint at the time! Invictus had some of the deepest grooves ever recorded by the trio – heavy, rumbling bottom sounds – soaring vocal passages – and production that took the Motown lessons of the late 60s to a whole new level. The package is overflowing with gems – and titles include "Crumbs Off The Table" by The Glass House, "Band Of Gold" and "Bring The Boys Home" by Freda Payne, "Give Me Just A Little More Time" and "Everything's Tuesday" by The Chairmen Of The Board, "You've Got To Crawl" and "She's Not Just Another Woman" by The 8th Day, and "I Had It All" by The Barrino Brothers. Hot Wax Greatest Hits is a great collection of some of the best numbers from the Hot Wax label of the early 70s – second generation Detroit soul that really set the standard for the 70s! The tunes here were massive back in the day – blasting out of juke boxes, car radios, and a fair bit of home stereos too – all for good reason, given the care and balance the Holland-Dozier-Holland team brought to their work in the studio, and their ears for selecting singers to handle the work. Titles include "Want Ads" and "Stick Up" by Honey Cone, "Somebody's Been Sleepin" and "Too Many Cooks" by 100 Proof Aged In Soul, "Westbound #9" and "Mind Body & Soul" by Flaming Ember, "Woman's Love Rights" by Laura Lee "Women's Love Rights", and "Frightened Girl" by Silent Majority. 2CD set also features 27 bonus tracks that include "Somebody's Gonna Hurt You" by Lee Charles, "Colors Of My Love" by The Silent Majority, "Love Machine" by The Politicians, "Touch Me" by Eloise Laws, "Hey There Lonely Girl" by Ty Hunter, "Wanting You" by Earl English, "That's Love" by The Hi-Lites, "Can't Get Enough Of You" by Tyrone Edwards, "I Need It Just As Bad As You" by Laura Lee, "VIP" by Scherrie Payne, "Guess I'm Gonna Cry" by New York Port Authority, "Something New About You" by Silent Majority, and "You Too Me From A World Outside" by Lee Charles. CD

Another chapter in the Studio One story, as told by the top notch selectors at Soul Jazz, and as with the earlier editions in their Studio One series, this one's another mighty batch of Jamaican rhythm and blues. Like so many other Coxsone Dodd productions, you can hear the foundations of many future generations of Jamaican music running through these titles, 17 jaunty ska numbers laced with jazz inflected solos laid down by Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, Jackie Mittoo and the Skatalites, or harmonized vocals courtesy the Ethiopians, Maytals and others. As you've come to expect, this is an ace package with excellent notes and archival photos, loaded down with classic performances and hard to get nuggets, too! With Jackie Mittoo's "El Bang Bang", Ken Boothe & Stranger Cole "Arte Bella", The Wailers "Put It On", The Skatalites "Addis Ababa" and "Exodus", Joe Higgs "I'm The Song My Enemies Sing", Delroy Wilson "I Want Justice", Tommy McCook "Sampson" and "Freedom Sounds", The Maytals "Marching On", Don Drummond "Don Cosmic", Andy & Joey "You're Wondering Now" and more! LP, Vinyl record album

The early 60s roots of the Studio One sound – tight Jamaican R&B, nascent ska and killer tunes galore – on one of the greatest Soul Jazz forays into the Studio One archives in years! All of the tracks on Studio One Jump Up were recorded in the first half of the 60s, and the majority in the first couple years of the decade – and it's a wonderful blend of American rhythm & blues-influenced, though distinctly Jamaican music – it really is the birth of reggae to come. Incredible early recordings by soon-to-be Jamaican musical lynchpins including the Skatalites, formative work by Derrick Harriott, Bob Marley, Derrick Morgan, Lord Creator and more! Includes "Mr. Landlord" by Basil Gabbidon, "Wigger We Shuffle" by Derrick Morgan, "Wicked And Dreadful" by Neville Esson, "Rhythm Of The Blues" by Lord Creator, "Hip Rub" by The Jivin Juniors, "Walk All Over" by Owen Gray", "Heaven And Earth" by Don Drummond & Roland Alphonso, "Go Jimmy Go" by a very young Bob Marley & The Wailers, "The Slider" by Clue J And The Blues Blasters and more. 20 tracks in all. CD

Back in the 70s, legendary Chicago soul producer Clarence Johnson handled killer groups like Heaven & Earth, The Lovelites, and others – and now he's returned in the 90s with a brand-new modern soul combo called C-nario. The band has a style that mixes classic soul with modern production, and this first e.p. is a nice batch of stripped down tracks with a smooth mellow feel. The centerpiece is a remake of "What's Going On", done in two versions (one with a rap, one without). The real highlight, though, is the cut "Phone First", a nice one that's getting a fair bit of play at local steppers sets these days. Other cuts include "You Gonna Make Me Love Somebody Else II" and "Body Fusion IV". CD

The rich 70s legacy of the Lovelites – a Chicago trio who first sprang onto the soul with some wonderfully fragile work when they were young, and who continued to record some really great music – even though they never fully got their due at the time! The music here was all done after the girls got their one shot at an LP on the Uni label – and the set features rare work for a variety of different labels, all issued only as 7" singles – plus a few tracks that were never released at the time. All the strength of their early vocals is still in place here, but guided by a sense of maturity that makes the music even more powerful – and which seems to indicate that the trio have already lived a lot of life in the time since their first records – all of which they bring to play in the music. Most tracks have a groovy vibe – midtempo and mellow, but with a gentle groove too – one that brings out the best in lead singer Patti Hamilton, in a set of 16 tracks that includes "My Conscience", "Love So Strong", "Got To Be There", "Oh What A Day", "Get It Off My Conscience", "My Baby Loves Me", "Bumpy Road Ahead", "Man In My Life", "Love Is Pretty", "I'm The One You Need", "Come & Get It", and "Cravin For Your Love". CD

The rich 70s legacy of the Lovelites – a Chicago trio who first sprang onto the soul with some wonderfully fragile work when they were young, and who continued to record some really great music – even though they never fully got their due at the time! The music here was all done after the girls got their one shot at an LP on the Uni label – and the set features rare work for a variety of different labels, all issued only as 7" singles – plus a few tracks that were never released at the time. All the strength of their early vocals is still in place here, but guided by a sense of maturity that makes the music even more powerful – and which seems to indicate that the trio have already lived a lot of life in the time since their first records – all of which they bring to play in the music. Most tracks have a groovy vibe – midtempo and mellow, but with a gentle groove too – one that brings out the best in lead singer Patti Hamilton, in a set of 16 tracks that includes "My Conscience", "Love So Strong", "Got To Be There", "Oh What A Day", "Get It Off My Conscience", "My Baby Loves Me", "Bumpy Road Ahead", "Man In My Life", "Love Is Pretty", "I'm The One You Need", "Come & Get It", and "Cravin For Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A much-needed look at one of the hippest Italian labels ever – the legendary Horo Records, home to some of the most groundbreaking jazz in Europe during the 70s! Horo's never reissued their work – at least not yet – so this collection makes the first time that most of these cuts are showing up again since the 70s – an essential batch of work that not only features important material from Italian players, but also includes some sublime cuts from American artists as well! Horo picked up the torch of avant and spiritual sides after the BYG and MPS labels stopped recording as much of that material in the mid 70s – and as you'll hear on this package, the music is really mindblowing – especially given that Gilles Peterson has gone through the catalog, to come up with some of the grooviest numbers from the label – modal dancers, soaring spiritual jazz cuts, and amazing moments we're plenty happy to have out again. Titles include "Caravan" by Piero Umiliani, "Nuraghi" by Santucci Scoppa, "Big Bang" by Kenny Clarke, "Tropical" by Irio De Paula, "I'm So High (Paolo Scotti re-edit)" by Roy Haynes, "Moon Dance" by Steve Grossman, "The Satellites" by Sun Ra, "Costa Bruciata" by Stafford James, "Pastoral" by Giancarlo Barigozzi, "Polychrome" by Enrico Pieranunzi, "Blue Generation" by Oscar Valdambrini & Dino Piana, and "Chiaroscuro" by Martin Joseph. CD

The first-ever group-spanning collection of work from the family of Slave – the late 70s funk powerhouse that was also linked to the group's Aurra and Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame! The package is heavy on work from Slave – that bass-heavy group who really revolutionized the sound of funk in the late 70s – creating a lean groove that was tight and right on the money, and providing a perfect platform for so many new artists to leap off into the 80s! The group also boasted members Steve Washington and Steve Arrington – the former of whom would launch Aurra, a great funk group famous for their Salsoul Records material – the latter of whom was lead singer Steve Arrington, who'd enjoy a great run under his own name in the 80s! This package brings together a massive amount of greatness from everyone involved – Aurra tracks that include "Are You Single", "Checking You Out", "Make Up Your Mind", "Such A Feeling", and "In The Mood To Groove"; Steve Arrington cuts "You Meet My Approval", "Weak At The Knees", "Feel So Real", and "Dancin In The Key Of Life"; and Slave cuts that include "Slide", "Screw Your Wig On Tite", "Are You Ready For Love", "Stellar Fungk", "Feel My Love", "Shine", "Funky Lady", "Snap Shot", "Party Lites", "Life Can Be Happy", "Great American Funk Song", "Stone Jam", "Sizzlin Hot", "Watching You", "Son Of Slide", "Party Hardy", and "Drac Is Back". 44 cuts in all! CD

Anthology celebrating a half century of VP Records and Randy's Record Mart – a 2 CD treasure trove steeped heavily in 60s & 70s material – plus a bonus DVD! Randy's opened up in 1958, and this little record retailer in Kingston went on to become the mighty VP Records – featuring a wide range of excellent material – with tracks by Lord Creator, Alton Ellis, Skatalites, Ethiopians, Junior Byles, Lloyd Parks, Black Uhuru, Big Youth, and many many more! 50 tracks on 2CDs: "Independent Jamaica" and more by Lord Creator, "Let Me Dream" by Alton & Eddie, "Since You're Gone" by Roy & Paulette, "Malcon X" by Skatalites, "Machine Shop" by Don Drummend, "True Man" by Ethiopians, "Java" by Augustus Pablo, "Hospital Trolley" by I-Roy, "Don't Go" by Horace Andy, "Created By The Father" by Errol Dunkley, "Fattie Bum Bum" by Carl Malcolm and much more! DVD includes a 40 minute documentary. CD

To say this one's been a long time coming would be an understatement! This awesome set features a 4 hour (!) DVD, loaded with rare footage of the Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo and Ernest Ranglin, plus in-depth interviews with Dodd and a whole host of artists that had worked their way through the Studio One stable throughout the years. Then there's the 16 track CD – a fitting complement to the film and next worthy installment in the fine series of compilations of Studio One material that Soul Jazz has undertaken, this time spanning all the genres that Studio One would cover, including ska, rocksteady, roots and dancehall, including Theo Beckford "Easy Snapping", The Skatalites "Guns Of Navarone", Delroy Wilson "Dancing Mood", The Heptones "Baby", Alton Ellis "I'm Still In Love With You", Tommy McCook "Tunnel One", Sugar Minott "Jah Jah Children", The Dub Specialist "Banana Walk", Dennis Alcapone "Run Run", The Lone Ranger "Love Bump" and Jackie Mittoo "Freak Out". And if that weren't enough, there's the 100 page booklet, loaded with photos and a complete history of the label, making this choice set one of the nicest packages we've come across in a long, long time! CD

The first-ever group-spanning collection of work from the family of Slave – the late 70s funk powerhouse that was also linked to the group's Aurra and Steve Arrington's Hall Of Fame! The package is heavy on work from Slave – that bass-heavy group who really revolutionized the sound of funk in the late 70s – creating a lean groove that was tight and right on the money, and providing a perfect platform for so many new artists to leap off into the 80s! The group also boasted members Steve Washington and Steve Arrington – the former of whom would launch Aurra, a great funk group famous for their Salsoul Records material – the latter of whom was lead singer Steve Arrington, who'd enjoy a great run under his own name in the 80s! This package brings together a massive amount of greatness from everyone involved – Aurra tracks that include "Are You Single", "Checking You Out", "Make Up Your Mind", "Such A Feeling", and "In The Mood To Groove"; Steve Arrington cuts "You Meet My Approval", "Weak At The Knees", "Feel So Real", and "Dancin In The Key Of Life"; and Slave cuts that include "Slide", "Screw Your Wig On Tite", "Are You Ready For Love", "Stellar Fungk", "Feel My Love", "Shine", "Funky Lady", "Snap Shot", "Party Lites", "Life Can Be Happy", "Great American Funk Song", "Stone Jam", "Sizzlin Hot", "Watching You", "Son Of Slide", "Party Hardy", and "Drac Is Back". 44 cuts in all! CD

To say this one's been a long time coming would be an understatement! This awesome set features a 4 hour (!) DVD, loaded with rare footage of the Skatalites, Jackie Mittoo and Ernest Ranglin, plus in-depth interviews with Dodd and a whole host of artists that had worked their way through the Studio One stable throughout the years. Then there's the 16 tracks over 2 LPs – a fitting complement to the film and next worthy installment in the fine series of compilations of Studio One material that Soul Jazz has undertaken, this time spanning all the genres that Studio One would cover, including ska, rocksteady, roots and dancehall, including Theo Beckford "Easy Snapping", The Skatalites "Guns Of Navarone", Delroy Wilson "Dancing Mood", The Heptones "Baby", Alton Ellis "I'm Still In Love With You", Tommy McCook "Tunnel One", Sugar Minott "Jah Jah Children", The Dub Specialist "Banana Walk", Dennis Alcapone "Run Run", The Lone Ranger "Love Bump" and Jackie Mittoo "Freak Out". And if that weren't enough, there's the 100 page booklet, loaded with photos and a complete history of the label, making this choice set one of the nicest packages we've come across in a long, long time! LP, Vinyl record album