... CD

Massive funk from the ADC Band – some lesser-known cats from the early 80s scene on Atlantic Records – but a group with a sense of soul and power that knocks over most of their contemporaries! For those who've ever doubted the influence of P-Funk on the rest of soul music, you only need look at a band like ADC – who've firmly adopted the slap-bass groove style of music, and perhaps polished it up a bit from the Parliament/Funkadelic sound of the late 70s. As with the P-Funk crew, too – ADC here sing on a number of familiar topics, as you'd guess from titles like "U Funk Ula", "Funk On Fire", "Roll With The Punches", "Girls", and "Give It Up". Fortunately, they do a pretty darn good job of it – and the record has a sound that's a lot more soulful than you'd expect, underpinned by a strong 80s groove. LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

About as funky as you can get for C & The Shells! "Good Morning Starshine" is the hit from Hair – but here, it's getting production from Jerry "Swamp Dogg" Williams Jr, which gives the tune a sound that's a lot rawer than you'd think, creating a cool rootsy soul edge. "On Our Way" has more of this rootsy sound, and is an original by Jerry. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Weird trippy soul from C & The Shells! Both songs have kind of an offbeat approach that really makes them great – sing-songy melodies, sung by a guy with a deep soul style, but set to some sweetly swaying arrangements that make them sparkle. "Fallen In Love" is especially great, with a hook that you'll love right away! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The height of French disco – a huge worldwide hit for Cerrone, a nutty bit of space disco that actually holds up pretty darn well over the years! The guy's not really a looker – and the strange "animal operation" cover almost makes this look like a prog rock album – which is where Cerrone probably got his inspiration for the incredible keyboard work on the set – but the record's a killer bit of club that went onto influence generations to come – and is arguably one of Cerrone's best moments ever! Includes the classic "Supernature", a catchy disco groover you'll recognize instantly – plus the tracks "Love Is Here", "Love Is The Answer", and "Sweet Drums". LP, Vinyl record album

Cerrone's second album – a swirling mix of disco beats and strings that follows very clearly on the spirit of his landmark first one! Like that album, this one's got a title track that runs well over 15 minutes long – building in a slowly dancing way that says everything about European disco styles that one track could ever hope to do! Other tunes on the album are shorter and tighter – with soulful vocals dancing in and out, and some nice keyboard work that makes the tunes sparkle with a sweet electric groove. Titles include "Take Me", "Time For Love", and "Cerrone's Paradise". LP, Vinyl record album

The fantastic first album by Cerrone – a landmark disco record that features the 16 minute long "Love In C Minor" – a swirling bit of strings, beats, and female voices – one of those tunes that forever went onto change the face of dance music in the 70s! Cerrone really set up a whole new blueprint for club here – stretching things out plenty, and layering in subtle time and chord shifts that expose the proggish influences that filtered into French club as the 70s wore on! The title track's got some nice keyboards by the great Alan Hawkshaw – who sounds even better on the album's cool disco version of "Black Is Black" and the tight snare-beat original, "Midnite Lady". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

2 mid 70s albums by Lou – recorded for the Cotillion label – and in a sweet mellow style that's a whole different sound than his Blue Note work! Lou's playing over some larger electric backings, mostly arranged by Mike Goldberg, with some nice electric piano touches that float underneath Lou's soulful alto solos on the tracks. The overall groove is more in an instrumental soul mode – and the CD includes a nice cover of Minnie Riperton's "Lovin' You", and the Isley's "For The Love Of You" – plus the cuts "Keep Your Woman", "Walkin Sally", "Maker's Dream", "Too Much To Explain", "Passion Fruit", "Comin Thru The Backdoor", and "Here's Lovin At You". CD

Detroit soul legend Dee Edwards gets a great chance at a comeback here – working in some of the more uptempo, clubby styles used by other artists on her scene at the time! Arrangements and production are by Floyd Jones, who does a nice job of mixing the modern disco touches of the backings with some of the more down-home qualities in Dee's vocals – a mix that almost comes across with the same blend as the work of Don Davis for other Detroit acts in the 70s. Titles include "Loving You Is All I Want To Do", "I Wanna Be Your Woman", "Don't Sit Down", "Heavy Love", "No Love No World", and "Put The World On Hold". LP, Vinyl record album

Two great tracks from Dee Edwards – from a time when the Detroit singer was really getting a chance to shine! "Put The World On Hold" has a sweet lyric over a soaring groove – not entirely clubby, maybe more modern soul overall – with a slightly complex set of changes that really make the tune stand out! "Put Your Love On The Line" has a really cool funky vibe – upbeat club, but with an intensity to the instrumentation, which really seems to bring out the best in Dee's vocals! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A stellar solo set from John Edwards – one of the tightest talents of the southern scene in the mid 70s, and a singer who would later break big with The Spinners! This album's got a really unique vibe – with some slight tropical touches hinted at by the cover image – and some deeper production from David Porter down at the Malaco and Ardent Studios – which ensures that the deep soul component of the music still stays strong! The whole thing's unlike anything else we can think of – and is a definite bridge between 70s soul scenes at the time – echoes of folks like Al Green or Sam Dees, but a tighter approach at points too. Titles include "You, Trouble, & Me", "That's That", "The Key To My Life", and "Baby, Hold On To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Titles include "The Curse Of Baba Yaga", "The Old Castle", "Blues Variation", "Promenade", "The Sage", and "The Gnome". CD

... LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible bit of southern soul – and one of the few records ever by deep soul singer Lou Johnson! The masterpiece was recorded at the Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals, at a time when the outfit was at the height of its powers – capturing Lou with a sweet-burning style that matches (if not betters) the best by Otis Redding or James Carr from the same period. Each song is a treasure, handled by Lou as if it were his own, and transformed completely by the amazing setting of the recording. Titles include "Tears Tears Tears", "Don't Play That Song", "People In Love", "It's In The Wind", "Rock Me Baby", and "I Can't Change". CD

A great little comeback album from Margie Joseph – recorded in a style that's quite different than her 70s work for Atlantic Records, but still plenty darn great overall! As you might guess from the date, Margie's in more of an electric 80s mode here – working with supervision from Narada Michael Walden, in a groove that's not unlike his own work of the stretch – catchy, hook-heavy soul – but never in a way that's too commercial or cloying. Many of the rhythms are electric, but there's also some warmer instrumentation on the set too – and given the strength of Margie's vocals, she really holds her own in the setting. Titles include "Tell Me", "I Wants Mo Stuff", "Adonai", "Ready For The Night", "Take Me Away Tonight", "Midnight Lover", and "Is It Gonna Be Me & You". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the best of Stacy Lattisaw's early work for Cotillion – a great little record that shines equally on groovers and mellower cuts! Stacy's still got a keen ear for pop soul here, but she definitely takes things a bit deeper too – working through a great set of original tunes penned by Narada Michael Walden (mostly with Bunny Hull), and singing in a style that has sophistication beyond her young years, but which is also youthful and catchy on a few of the album's best cuts. Years later, we might bet that Stacy's regretting the shirt and hairstyle on the cover – but hearing the music, she's got plenty more to be proud of here! Titles include "Dynamite", "Jump To The Beat", "Let Me Be Your Angel", "My Love", "You Know I Like It", and "Don't You Want To Feel It". LP, Vinyl record album

His first album, and his best! After working as the silent talent on albums by David Bowie, Gregg Diamond, and others – Luther Vandross finally got the chance to cut an album on his own, and it's incredible! The record has a perfect sound – one that verges on disco, but never falls into any of its cliches; touches on mellow soul, but never gets too mellow; and which always goes for the best hook in a song, instead of resorting to trickery. The whole thing's pretty darn great – and the record includes "Funky Music (Is a Part of Me", a remake of the track "Fascination" that he cut with Bowie, plus the tunes "The 2nd Time Around", "Emotion Eyes", "This Strange Feeling", and "It's Good For The Soul (parts 1 & 2)". LP, Vinyl record album

Uptempo ensemble funk from Mass Production, very much in a post-EWF vein. The group does a good job of layering guitars, keys, horns and percussion together in a tight, bass heavy mode, we'd say our only wish is that they were a touch stronger in the vocal performances, which though nice enough, don't take the group to the next level. Includes "Sky High", "Groove Me", "Our Thought (Let The Music Take You Away)", "Just Wanna Make A Dream Come True" and "Slow Bump". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic collection of grooves from Mass Production – one of the best of the large funk ensembles to hit the mainstream at the end of the 70s – even though they didn't always get the success they deserved! That doesn't stop these guys from giving their all, though – super-sharp, super-tight instrumentation that comes down on the groove right from the get-go – and which moves with a fast funk energy that's a nice contrast to some of the stiffer, clunkier modes that were floating around at the time! These guys inherit the best impulses of Earth Wind & Fire and Kool & The Gang – and find a way to make their large lineup sound nice and lean, never too overcooked – with shifting vocals that really help keep things interesting throughout. The 3CD package features 45 tracks from their seven year stretch recording for Atlantic/Cotillion Records – and titles include "Sky High", "Groove Me", "Our Thought", "Bopp", "Turn Up The Music", "Diamond Chips", "Inner City", "Sun Dancer", "Victory 83", "Magic", "I Like To Dance", "Welcome To Our World", "Slow Bump", "Time Bomb", "Keep My Heart Together", "Cosmic Lust", "I Believe In Music", "Fun In The Sun", "Just Wanna Make A Dream Come True", "Firecracker", and "Eknuf (inst)". CD

Overlooked genius from The Dynamics – a Detroit soul group of the 60s, and one who never fully got the fame they deserved, had they gotten some sort of bigger exposure on Motown! Yet that's what also makes these guys great, too – as they've got that tight sound that the Motor City could do so well at the time, but a looseness too – a more fluid approach to their music that really makes things interesting here – as the group work through some wonderful material on rare late 60s singles for the RCA and Cotillion labels, as well as an obscure 1977 final single for Columbia! The package is a much-needed look at these overlooked moments from the group – and are a great complement to their few full length albums – bracketing the years before and afterwards, with a treasure trove of group soul material. Titles included "Lights Out", "Love Me", "Ain't No Love At All", "I Want To Thank You", "Murder In The First Degree", "We Found Love", "You Can Make It If You Try", "Ice Cream Song", "What Would I Do", "Ain't No Sun", and "I Need Your Love" LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Overlooked genius from The Dynamics – a Detroit soul group of the 60s, and one who never fully got the fame they deserved, had they gotten some sort of bigger exposure on Motown! Yet that's what also makes these guys great, too – as they've got that tight sound that the Motor City could do so well at the time, but a looseness too – a more fluid approach to their music that really makes things interesting here – as the group work through some wonderful material on rare late 60s singles for the RCA and Cotillion labels, as well as an obscure 1977 final single for Columbia! The package is a much-needed look at these overlooked moments from the group – and are a great complement to their few full length albums – bracketing the years before and afterwards, with a treasure trove of group soul material. Titles included "Lights Out", "Love Me", "Ain't No Love At All", "I Want To Thank You", "Too Proud To Change", "Murder In The First Degree", "We Found Love", "You Can Make It If You Try", "Ice Cream Love", "What Would I Do", "Ain't No Sun", "I Need Your Love", "The Girl's Got Soul", "Love Sick", and "Dum De Dum". CD

A windy city hero – the amazing Garland Green, a singer who makes us mighty proud we hail from Chicago! Garland's got an incredible style that few others can touch – partly schooled in the 60s iceman modes of Jerry Butler and Walter Jackson, with all the sophistication that might imply – but also often given a raspier twist, with slightly southern echoes that make Garland's music feel even more deeply personal! And while most folks know Green's big hits for the Uni label, this package shows a rich legacy that goes much father than that – work recorded for labels that include Cotillion, Spring, RCA, Ocean Front, and Revue – in addition to some key Uni tracks. This trans-label set really does a wonderful job of showing the full range of Garland's mighty talents – a sublime set of soul cuts that run from the start of the 70s right up to the early 80s modern years – packaged with detailed notes too. Titles include "Since You've Been Gone", "These Arms", "Just Loving You", "Just My Way Of Loving You", "He Didn't Know", "Don't Think That I'm A Violent Guy", "Love's Calling", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", "Sweet Loving Woman", "Ask Me What You Want", "You Played On A Player", "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", and "Sending My Best Wishes". CD

An obscure early set from Walter Bishop – recorded for the tiny Cotillion label in the mid 60s, and featuring a young Butch Warren on bass, and Jimmy Cobb on drums! The setting is simple and soulful – with Walter working through a batch of tunes that are mostly standards, but which include a few nice originals with a fresh approach. There's less of the freer soul that Bishop showed in his 70s work, but the set's still pretty darn nice – and titles include "Dottie's Theme", "Dinkum", "33rd Off 3rd", "Getting Off The Ground", and "Love For Sale". CD seems to have a number more tracks than the LP – a total of 16 in all! CD

Upbeat sounds from Muscle Shoals – music that's normally dubbed by the term of Northern Soul, but which was recorded in one of the best scenes in the American south! That confusion's easy to fix – as the "northern" in Northern Soul has always referred to the interest in a certain type of rhythm in the 60s UK scene up north – which means that the sounds can come from anywhere, especially a place that's as well-tuned to vintage soul styles as the legendary Fame studios! The tracks here were all recorded at Fame – handled by Rick Hall and his top-shelf lineup of studio musicians – and were issued on his own Fame label, and other imprints that include Atlantic, Bell, Cotillion, and a few others – appearing here alongside a number of tracks that weren't issued back in the day as well. The main thing to know is that the rhythms are upbeat and romping – and the singers are all pretty darn wonderful – as many are also known for famous deep soul recordings at fame. Titles include "A Stone Loser" by Ben & Spence, "I'm Qualified" by Otis Clay, "Love Is A Wonderful Thing" by Prince Phillip, "Ten Miles High" by David & The Giants, "Keep On Talkin" by James Barnett, "A World Of My Own" by Billy & Clyde, "It's Not Safe To Mess On Me" by George Jackson, "In The Heat Of Love" by Marjorie Ingram, "It Ain't What You Got" by Jimmy Hughes, "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman, "Your Love Lifted Me" by James Govan, and "Everytime" by Linda Carr. CD