Pure genius from Curtis Mayfield – and a record that's got all the righteousness and political power you might guess from the cover! The album burns with a sense of empowerment that's every bit the best strength of Curtom in the 70s – a sublime blend of heavy soul, funky undercurrents, and far-reaching arrangements that still always manage to groove! And Curtis' vocals are great too – echoing out with a newfound presence that far surpasses the raspy quality of his early work with The Impressions. Arrangements are by Rich Tufo, production is by Mayfield, and titles include "Future Song" (aka "Future Shock"), "Keep on Trippin", "Can't Say Nothin", "Back To The The World", and "Right On For The Darkness". 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

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

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Curtis Mayfield's lasting classic – and an album that the world will remember forever! Apart from being his hugely successful entry into the blacksploitation soundtrack field, this album's also a monster set of grooves that includes some of Curtis' funkiest work ever – a record that works as well as a 70s soul album as it does a hip action film score! The track list alone reads as a who's who of 70s funk – filled with gems that include "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Little Child Runnin' Wild", "Give Me Your Love", and "Superfly" – and the rest of the set is equally great, essential listening throughout! LP, Vinyl record album

A great album by Curtis Mayfield – filled with some excellent lesser-known gems! There's No Place Like America was Curtis' scathing testament to the State Of The Union – and it's got a hip political tone that's right up there with the best of his early 70s songwriting – perhaps even more so, as the message is a bit subtler than on other albums, and laid out in this stoner mellow funk vein that's very tasty throughout, and which makes for an extremely unified album! The album includes a version of the cut "Hard Times", which was done earlier by Baby Huey, plus "Blue Monday People", "Love To The People", and "When Seasons Change". Also includes the great sweet love song, "So In Love"! LP, Vinyl record album

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

One of our favorite albums ever from The Staple Singers – and that's really saying a lot, as they cut a huge amount of really great records! The album's an unusual collaboration between the group and Curtis Mayfield – one that forges the great vocal styles they were developing at Stax Records with some of the hip soundtrack modes that Curtis had created for Superfly – a blend that's served up perfectly in the best style of Mayfield's legendary Curtom Records! The Staples sound maybe even more righteous in the setting – with great grooves that are hip and funky at times, deeply soulful at others – arranged by Gil Askey and Rich Tufo in the same manner as Curtis' work from the time. Includes the hit title cut "Let's Do It Again", plus other nice ones like "After Sex", "Chase", "Big Mac", and "Funky Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Curtis Mayfield's lasting classic – and an album that the world will remember forever! Apart from being his hugely successful entry into the blacksploitation soundtrack field, this album's also a monster set of grooves that includes some of Curtis' funkiest work ever – a record that works as well as a 70s soul album as it does a hip action film score! The track list alone reads as a who's who of 70s funk – filled with gems that include "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Little Child Runnin' Wild", "Give Me Your Love", and "Superfly" – and the rest of the set is equally great, essential listening throughout! 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

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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". CD

Curtis Mayfield, and a heck of a lot of greatness from the Chicago scene of the early 70s – music that comes from a rare TV special that also features guest appearances from Leroy Hutson, Jerry Butler, and Gene Chandler! Don't confuse this one with the 2LP Curtis Live set issued around the same time – as this record's got a tighter, fuller sound overall – a great illustration of Mayfield's growing fame as a solo act – although a set that's also generous enough to also feature appearances from both the new version of The Impressions, plus the original trio lineup too! Titles include "Superfly", "Love Oh Love", "Preacher Man", "For Once In My Life", and "I'm So Proud". LP, Vinyl record album

A clubbier album than usual from Curtis Mayfield – a mid 70s attempt to move onto the dancefloor, but a set that's still got the undeniable Mayfield charm! Half the tracks here were done in collaboration with disco maestro Gil Askey – and these numbers are longer tracks that soar and sway on waves of rhythms and subtle strings – all in a mode that's clearly going for a Philly-styled groove, and which manages to come pretty close in the end! The second half of the album, though, is quite different – mellower numbers that follow through on some of the more personal soul styles that Curtis was laying down on other Curtom albums from the time – a great blend of gentle rhythms, warm instrumentation, and those always-sweet Mayfield vocals – a sound that almost reminds us of some of the best mellow soul of the time from labelmate Leroy Hutson. Clubby tracks include "Do It All Night", "No Goodbyes", and "Party Party" – and mellow tracks include "Keeps Me Loving You", "In Love In Love In Love", and "You Are You Are". LP, Vinyl record album

A great album that's often overlooked amidst the flurry of early 70's releases on Curtom, but which stands as one of Mayfield's greatest from the 70s! In fact, we'd say that the album's one that we enjoy putting on more than most – because the songs are less familiar, and not nearly as played-out as some of Curtis' bigger hits. The production style's still the same – with plenty of rumbling funky soul, arranged by Rich Tufo in that classic Curtom mode – and you can't beat Curtis' vocals on songs like "Mother's Son", "Love Me (Right In The Pocket)", "A Prayer", and "Ain't No Love Lost". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little live set from Curtis Mayfield – recorded in Europe in 1987, but with a sound that's pretty darn great – much more lean than a studio session, and with a spontaneous vibe that really does great things with the material! The music is played by a small jazzy combo that includes Master Henry Gibson on congas – and while the use of more modern keyboards make the set sound different than Curtis' classic Live album, the overall quality of the work is higher than you'd expect from the date. Titles include "We Gotta Have Peace", "Move On Up", "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Ice 9", "Back To The World", and "When Seasons Change". 13 cuts in all! CD

Great post-Curtom work from Curtis Mayfield – a set recorded in LA, not Chicago – with the mighty Gene Page at the helm! The style here isn't that different from the later Curtom years – more in the side of love and life than some of the more righteous themes of Curtis' earlier solo records – and Page proves to be a surprisingly good choice for the album, as he really hits the right sort of groove to keep Mayfield on track. There's a few faster tunes here, but most of the work is in a mellow or midtempo mode – just the right pace for Curtis' maturing vocals. Titles include "Come Free Your People", "Love Is The Place", "Babydoll", "She Don't Let Nobody", "Just Ease My Mind", and "You Mean Everything To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

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 completely great Roots album, the razor-sharp Back To The World and follow up Sweet Exorcist, and the double-length gem Curtis/Live, filled with long tracks and unique acoustic instrumentation! CD

A great little record – despite the fact that the album was one of the factors that buried the Curtom record label! After the success of Superfly, the company thought another Curtis Mayfield soundtrack would be a sure million-seller – and really went to town on the record. Well, the movie flopped, and history proved them wrong – but the record itself is still totally great, a seminal piece of Curtis soundtrack material from his golden decade! Includes the killer track "Do Do Wap is Strong in Here", a Curtis Mayfield cut on a par with Superfly (and one in which he actually cusses!), plus the tracks "Back Against The Wall", "Father Confessor", "Another Fool In Love", "Break It Down", and "Short Eyes/Freak Freak Free Free Free". LP, Vinyl record album

Curtis Mayfield's lasting classic – and an album that the world will remember forever! Apart from being his hugely successful entry into the blacksploitation soundtrack field, this album's also a monster set of grooves that includes some of Curtis' funkiest work ever – a record that works as well as a 70s soul album as it does a hip action film score! The track list alone reads as a who's who of 70s funk – filled with gems that include "Pusherman", "Freddie's Dead", "Little Child Runnin' Wild", "Give Me Your Love", and "Superfly" – and the rest of the set is equally great, essential listening throughout! Plus 2 bonus tracks, the single mix of "Freddie's Dead" and "Superfly". CD

A trio of great albums from Babe Ruth – plus bonus tracks too! First up is First Base – the debut of a group so great and so groovy, they ended up having a huge influence on the early sound of hip hop – thanks to a wonderfully funky sound at the core of their progressive rock groove! Babe Ruth have this rhythmic impulse that's really amazing – a way of working bass, drums, and percussion together with qualities that go way past just prog rock noodling – and have this focus that really fits the lead vocals and guitar of Alan Shacklock, who also handled all the arrangements for this mighty debut too! Titles include their classic cut "The Mexican" – a famous sample cut from way back, with nice use of acoustic guitar and a Morricone riff too – plus versions of Zappa's "King Kong" and Jesse Winchester's "Black Dog" – and the originals "Wells Fargo", "The Runaways", and "Joker". Next is Amar Caballero, an album with a horse on the cover, and a sound that's maybe even more soulful than the first mighty outing by Babe Ruth – quite a lot, given the strength of that debut! Female singer Jenny Haan seems to have an even greater presence here – working some nice currents of color through the group's great ability to riff, groove, and sometimes step into more acoustic modes – all while holding onto one of the hippest currents going in the Harvest Records scene – and one of the most unique as well! There's plenty of surprises throughout – and in addition to great cuts like "Broken Cloud", "Gimme Some Leg", "We Are Holding On", "Amar Caballo", and "Doctor Love" – the group also turn in a nicely offbeat remake of "Cool Jerk" too! Last up is the self-titled Babe Ruth, a set that really stands as a testament to their many musical influences! There's few groups who could ever hope to wrap together influences from Stax Records, Ennio Morricone, and Curtis Mayfield – and whole the whole thing could ever turn out well – but the mighty Babe Ruth do exactly that, and still find time for some of their own unique grooves as well! The group are every bit as groovy here as on their previous records – mixing fuzzy guitars, well-crafted rhythms, and a nicely compressed version of prog into an amazingly fresh sound that still delights all these many years later – thanks to well-crafted vocals from Jenny Haan, and sharp arrangements from Alan Shacklock, whose guitars and sense of wit really keeps the whole thing moving nicely. Shacklock penned most of the original tunes here – like "Dancer", "Somebody's Nobody", "Jack O'Lantern", and "The Dutchess Of Orleans" – and the group also turn in nice remakes of "Fistful Of Dollars", "We The People Who Are Darker Than Blue", and "Private Number". 3CD set features bonus tracks – "Wells Fargo (single)", "Theme From A Few Dollars More", "Ain't That Livin", "If Heaven's On Beauty's Side", and "Private Number (single)" – plus a big booklet of notes. CD

Stunning soul from the great Joe Bataan – a really groundbreaking mix of modes that's right up there with the best of the Spanish Harlem scene of the late 60s! The album is Joe Bataan's debut for the Fania Records label – and the start of an incendiary run of Latin classics that forever changed the face of the New York scene – a mindblowing mix of Latin rhythms and soul-based inspiration, served up in a mix of English and Spanish language lyrics! The title track is a sublime cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Gypsy Woman" – one that's even more heartbreaking than the original – and other titles include "Ordinary Guy", Sugar Guaguanco", "So Fine", "Fuego", and the groovy "Chickie's Trombone" – a tight little jammer that shows that Joe's group also drew plenty of inspiration from the descarga scene too. LP, Vinyl record album

A record that's not only a landmark in Jamaican music – but also a set that was to reggae what Curtis Mayfield's Superfly was to 70s soul! In other words, the set not only raised the bar for all the competition, it also ended up in a lot more record collections than most of them too – maybe in part because it was a soundtrack, as was Superfly – but also because it has this global power that makes it a defining album of the genre! Jimmy Cliff is obviously the mainman here, but there's help from other key players in the growing reggae scene – and titles include Jimmy's classic "You Can Get It If You Really Want", in two versions – plus two takes on "The Harder They Come", "Many Rivers To Cross", and "Sitting In Limbo" – plus "Sweet & Dandy" and "Pressure Drop" by The Maytals, "007" by Desmond Dekker, "Johnny Too Bad" by The Slicers, "Draw Your Brakes" by Scotty, and "Rivers Of Babylon" by The Melodians. LP, Vinyl record album

A never-heard soundtrack for a never-seen film – and a record that's every bit as funky as better-known sets from the blacksploitation era! Final Solution were a small time group from Chicago's west side in the 70s, but on this wicked little soundtrack they sparkle just as brightly as Isaac Hayes, Willie Hutch, Curtis Mayfield, or any of our favorite soundtrack soul artists from the time – working in a really righteous approach to soul with lots of heavy rhythms on the bottom and rumbling bass in the mix – so that even when the tunes are mellow, there's still a bold, brash sort of power to the set! The vocals are mostly delivered in harmony style, again with a nice edge – a bit like The Impressions work on Three The Hard Way, but with more of an indie soul feel overall, given the production circumstances. Once again, our hats are off to Numero for unearthing this gem – and as usual, the full tale of the group, the movie, and the music is told at length in the accompanying 16 page booklet! Titles include "Brotherman", "Never Coming Back Again", "I Don't Care", "Girl In My Life", "Gotta Get Through To You", "One Day", "I'm Ready For Love", "Theme From Brotherman", "No Place To Run", and "We Can Work It Out". CD

Killer work by this fab Chicago soul group – a bunch of young kids, ala The Jackson Five, with sweet soul sound that actually predates the work of Jermaine and Michael and Tito, and which paved the way for countless 70s groups to come! The Five Stairsteps were first discovered by Curtis Mayfield – who wrote and produced a number of tracks on the set – but they had a strength of their own (thanks in part to a young Keni Burke, who was in the group), and continued to grow over the years, changing their sound to fit their expanding ages, and the changing material they needed to cope with the growth in soul in the early 70s. The set's filled with classics – including the super-huge hit "Ooh Child", plus "The Girl I Love", "Behind Curtains", "Come Back", "World Of Fantasy", "You Waited Too Long", "We Must Be in Love", "Oooh, Baby Baby", "Don't Waste Your Time", "Something's Missing", and the break-heavy "Don't Change Your Love". CD

Massively beautiful work from the great Donny Hathaway! After two studio albums that had firmly put him on the map as one of the 70s best soul talents, Atco had the genius to have Donny record this live album before very enthusiastic crowds in Hollywood and New York. The result is one of the best soul albums ever – one that shows a totally different side of Donny, and which has him jamming with a smaller, hipper, jazz-oriented group in long versions of some of his best tracks. Features a massive 12 minute version of "The Ghetto", which has loads of excellent instrumental breakdowns, a 13 minute version of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", a superior version of the track "Little Ghetto Boy", which was only ever on a soundtrack, and covers of "What's Going On" and "Jealous Guy" that really transform them from the original versions. Very similar to the classic Curtis Mayfield 2LP live set on Curtom – and with a similar "Chicago studio soulster goes jazzy and intimate" feel. LP, Vinyl record album

The second album of Brit Invasion greatness from The Hollies – the reworked US version of their album Hollies that came out in the UK – armed with more original material than their earlier LP, but the group's skillful way with songs penned by others – including Curtis Mayfield & Roy Orbison as great as any of their peers! From raw rockers with impeccable harmonies, to very well done R&B styled numbers, it all sounds great! Titles include "I'm Alive", "Very Last Day", "Down The Line", "Lawdy Miss Clawdy", "Too Many People" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

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". 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

Original best of collection issued by ABC at the time when the group was still riding high on their label! The album contains 11 classic tracks – all penned by Curtis Mayfield, with great Chisoul arrangements by Johnny Pate. Cuts include "Too Slow", "I Loved & Lost", "You've Been Cheating", "I've Been Trying", "We're Rolling On", "We're A Winner", and "This Must End". Never gets old! LP, Vinyl record album

The last 2 albums that the Impressions ever cut for ABC during the 60s, both of them pretty darn nice! The Fabulous Impressions has a vibe that's way more than you'd expect from the group's supper club style on the cover – as the record features a great set of original Curtis Mayfield compositions, sung by the group in great form, with arrangements by the total genius Johnny Pate! The record is filled with haunting soul tracks like "Isle Of Sirens", "Aware Of Love", "It's All Over", "Love's A Comin", "You Ought To Be In Heaven", and "She Don't Love Me" – all written by Curtis, and all proof that he's always been one of the best soul songwriters! A nice little gem that often gets lost in the band's catalog – but one to seek out, even if you're a bit nervous about a record with "fabulous" in the title! We're A Winner is a whole new level of pride and power for The Impressions – as you might guess from the bold statement of the title track! It may seem hard to believe from the perspective of the 21st Century, but back in the mid 60s, a message like "We're A Winner" was quite a strong one – a new anthem of righteous identity that was one of the first truly political statements from a young Curtis Mayfield, and a great precursor of the genius to come in the 70s! But even at this early state, there's still plenty of genius going on – not just in Mayfield's sublime songwriting, but also in the harmonies of the group, and the beautiful treatment they get in the studio from arranger Johnny Pate. The album's one of their key classics from the ABC years – and titles include "We're A Winner", "Moonlight Shadows", "Nothing Can Stop Me", "I'm Gettin Ready", "Let Me Tell The World", and "Little Brown Boy". CD

A pair of 60s classics by the mighty Impressions – back to back on a single CD! On Keep On Pushing, there's no need for The Impressions to push from behind – because with a record like this, they're very firmly in the driver's seat! The album's a treasure through and through – one of the greatest documents of 60s soul from the Chicago scene – filled with sublime original compositions by a young Curtis Mayfield, set to great arrangements from the legendary Johnny Pate! The sound here is immaculate – a groove that's slightly stepping, gently lilting – just enough to get things moving, but with plenty of care not to smother the fragile harmonies of the group. And as on other of the best ABC albums by The Impressions, there's not a hint of filler here – just one great track after another, with titles that include "Amen", "I Made A Mistake", "Don't Let It Hide", "Keep On Pushing", "Somebody Help Me", "Long Long Winter", and "I've Been Trying". People Get Ready is one of the greatest albums ever from The Impressions – and a set that takes their work to a whole new level, by bringing in an even more righteous sound! The core elements of the group's 60s genius are all in place here – compositions from Curtis Mayfield, arrangements from Johnny Pate, and sublime harmonies from the group. But there's also something extra too – a new level of consciousness that's creeping into the music, hinting at the more righteous subject matter of later years – but with a much more subtle approach. All tracks are great – and titles include "See the Real Me", "Woman's Got Soul", "We're In Love", "Can't Work No Longer", and "Emotions". CD

2 classic albums from the ABC Records years of The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! One By One is classic 60s Impressions material, with the legendary lineup firmly in place, and the great Johnny Pate handling all arrangements – really giving them that sense of righteous power that pushed their music past a lot of the previous group soul sounds of the Chicago scene – with a sophistication in both the instrumentation and harmonies that's completely sublime! The album mixes Curtis Mayfield compositions – like "Lonely Man", "Just One Kiss From You", "Falling In Love With You" – with special Impressions' takes on tunes that include "My Prayer", "Without A Song", "Answer Me, My Love", "I Want To Be With You", and "Nature Boy", which the group does incredibly well. Proof that the Impressions could shine, whatever the setting! Riding High is a record in which the title and cover say it all – because The Impressions are at the top of their game – riding high on a tremendous wave of soul, and soaring forth with a sense of pride and power few other groups could match! Maestro Johnny Pate is on board to handle the arrangements and production – and he helps Curtis Mayfield and the group reach a sound that's sophisticated throughout, but still retains a deeply personal sensibility. The harmonies are tremendous – never too sweet or too smooth, and always with that slightly fragile quality that made The Impressions one of the most human soul groups of their era. Nearly all the tunes are originals from Curtis – and titles include "Riding High", "Too Slow", "Man's Temptation", "I'm A Telling You", and "I Need To Belong To Someone". CD

The only full-length collection of early Impressions work for Vee Jay – mostly singles recorded in the late 50s for the label, brought together as a "with Jerry Butler" album during the early 60s! The set's not only Impressions numbers, but also features a few of Jerry's early solo tracks – still very much under the sway of his years in the group, with the Impressions often as backup vocals – and also featuring a fair bit of original tunes by Curtis Mayfield! Apart from big hits, there's some nice obscure numbers like "At The County Fair", "Lovers Lane", "Believe In Me", "Senorita I Love You", "Let Me Know", and "Young Lover" – plus more familiar tracks that include "The Gift Of Love" and "For Your Precious Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Four classic albums from this hip British soul group – issued here in a single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is New Religion – a record that was also released in America by Atlantic Records. Although they were a UK soul act, Jimmy James and The Vagabonds were a perfect match for the Atlantic soul stable of the 60s. The group had a smooth group style that was partly uptown, partly northern soul – as clearly illustrated in this album, which is divided up into a "mood red: you feel like leaping" side, and a "mood blue: you feel like digging deeper" side. The band chose some good material that really helps them maintain a solid socking soul sound – including "The Entertainer" and "Ain't Love Good, Ain't Love Proud" by Tony Clarke, "Ain't No Big Thing" and "I'm Just A Fool For You Girl" by Gerald Sims, and "Little Boy Blue" and "People Get Ready" by Curtis Mayfield. Also features "Come To Me Softly", a sweet dreamy ballad by Jimmy, and kind of a bit crossover hit for the boys. London Swings is two-sided monster – as the album was originally split with work from the Alan Bown Set too! Here, the CD features just the live material from the soul group – a smoking performance from Jimmy James & The Vagabonds – one that goes way past the sweetness of their hits, and which has a crowd-pleasing, party-hearty approach to soul that's really great! Jimmy and the group serve up versions of "Sock It To Em JB", "That Driving Beat", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "You Don't Know Like I Know", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". This Is Jimmy James & The Vagabonds is a record that featured some crossover tracks with New Religion – but the set here just features the exclusive cuts – including "I Feel Alright", "I Can't Get Back Home To My Baby", "Never Like This Before", "I Don't Wanna Cry", and "You Showed Me The Way". Open Up Your Soul is a record with a really wonderful sound – the deeply soulful vocals of Jimmy James & The Vagabonds, mixed with rich arrangements handled by Nicky Welsh, and produced to perfection by Brit maestro John Schroeder! The record's got the sophistication of some of the Richard Evans productions over at Chess/Cadet at the same time – and, no surprise, the group lead off with a great cover of The Dells "Wear It On Our Face" – then roll into cuts that include "Cry Like A Baby", "Good Day Sunshine", "Four Walls", "Everybody Loves A Winner", "If You're Gonna Love Me", and "Open Up Your Soul". CD also features 7 more bonus tracks from singles – including "Why", "Bumper To Bumper", "Close The Door", "Give Us A Light", "I Wanna Be your Everything", "Hungry For Love", and "Don't Know What I'm Gonna Do". CD

Killer 70s work from Don Julian & The Larks – a soul trio from Los Angeles, with roots that go back to the early 60s – and one who've completely reinvented themselves for this rare album from the 70s! Don had done a bit of blacksploitation soundtrack work around the time, and that vibe really pervades this whole record – which has a heavy, funky vibe and a totally righteous approach – a quality that would easily put the whole thing on a par with some of the best Curtom Records sessions from Chicago! Yet the group also have a rawer sense of harmony that maybe feels a bit like work from an east coast indie too – as if you were mixing the work of an All-Platinum vocal group with Curtis Mayfield production – with results that are every bit as great as you could hope for. Titles include "Schoolin & Foolin", "Respect Yourself", "A Woman Ain't Nothing But A Stone Trip", "Super Slick", "Shorty The Pimp", and "Let's Stay Together". LP, Vinyl record album

By the time she reached the Buddah label, Gladys Knight had already recorded for many years and other labels, but that didn't stop her and The Pips from having an extremely successful run during their stay there – as is evidenced by the great selection of hits on this set! The album includes the super-huge "Midnight Train To Georgia" and "Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me", plus the sophisticated soul reworking of "Try To Remember" mixed with "The Way We Were". Also includes 2 nice Curtis Mayfield cuts – "Make Yours A Happy Home" and "On & On"! LP, Vinyl record album

A great combo, in a really great setting – the trio of organist Delvon Lamarr, captured in a sweet live radio performance! The tunes are long and open – very much in the group's killer blend of soul jazz and deep funk – with plenty of room for Delvon to soar out on the keys of the Hammond, and remind us again what a massive younger talent he is on the instrument! If you like the group's funky 45s, you'll find yourself really loving this live set – and the whole thing's only got us eager to keep on following the great growth of this group. Titles include a sweet remake of the Curtis Mayfield tune "Move On Up" – plus "Concussion", "I Don't Want To Play That", "Tacoma Block Party", "South Leo St Stomp", and "Memphis". LP, Vinyl record album

This is the stuff that the Chicago soul scene cut its teeth on in the 60s! Curtis Mayfield wrote a big batch of these tracks, Carl Davis produced, and the Major lays them down with a groove groove groove! Titles include "Monkey Time", "Come See", "Um, Um, Um, Um, Um", "The Matador", "Ain't It A Shame", "Girls", "Sweet Music", and "Gotta Get Away". LP, Vinyl record album

A UK-only set – featuring killer work from one of the best 60s soul talents of the Windy City! Major Lance was one of Chicago's first big soul stars – crossing over big on the charts with huge hits for the Okeh label during the early and mid 60s – thanks to some great tunes penned by Curtis Mayfield, and stellar production from the legendary Carl Davis! In a way, Lance's sound was a key culmination of the modes that had been bubbling under in the hometown indies like Vee Jay and Chess – taken slightly to the next level, and brought more into the mainstream by Okeh. Many of the arrangements here are by the massive Johnnie Pate – who gives the record the same sort of brilliance as the best 60s Impressions work on ABC – and the titles include "Um Um Um Um Um Um", "The Monkey Time", "Rhythm", "Hey Little Girl", "The Matador", "Pride & Joy", "Sweet Music", "It Ain't No Use", "I'm The One", "Gotta Right To Cry", and "Please Don't Say No More". LP, Vinyl record album