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

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". Plus the CD reissue includes two bonus tracks – a live version of "Superfly" from 1973 and the single version of "Mighty Mighty (Spade and Whitey)"! CD

A real dancefloor set from Curtis – recorded with some sweet Philly production from the likes of Norman Harris and Bunny Sigler – in the sweeping, soaring, strings-heavy mode of the Philly disco records of the time! And yes, this isn't classic Curtis from the righteous years – but the surprising thing is how well his voice really holds up in the tracks – coming through with a strength that's fresh and surprising, given some of his disco contemporaries, and sounding pretty darn nice overall, thanks to some tight arrangements by the likes of Fred Wesley, Norman Harris, and Gil Askey. Linda Clifford does a duet with Curtis on "Between You Baby & Me", and the other cuts include "Victory", "Tell Me Tell Me", "You're So Good To Me", "You Better Stop", and "Over The Hump". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive package of greatness – the first four solo albums from Chicago soul genius Curtis Mayfield! First up is Curtis – 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". Roots is one of our favorite Curtis Mayfield albums ever – a massive early 70s effort that's filled with wonderful songs all the way through, and quite possibly one of the most perfect realization of the righteous vibe of the early 70s Curtom years! Curtis is in fine form throughout – as a singer, composer, and producer – but he's also got some excellent Chicago soul help from arrangers Riley Hampton and Johnny Pate – both key talents on the 60s Windy City scene, still able to come up with a deeply soulful groove here – and both able to blend together strings and funk in the way that Curtis was going for at the time. Titles include the massive "We Got to Have Peace" – a tune that never gets old – plus "Underground", "Keep On Keepin On", "Now You're Gone", "Get Down", "Love To Keep You In Mind", and "Beautiful Brother of Mine". Back To The World is 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". Sweet Exorcist is a wonderfully wicked album from Curtis Mayfield – one that's not nearly as famous as his Superfly set, but which is every bit as great! The groove here is lean, mean, and totally righteous – a bit more stripped-down than some of the rumbling funk of other Curtom efforts, and served up with a fluid groove that makes the album a killer from start to finish! As with Superfly, there's a nice blend here between uptight funky tracks and some more laidback soul – showcasing both sides of the Curtis Mayfield sound of the 70s – the brash society-changing soul, and the mellower, more fragile voice that first came to prominence in The Impressions. Titles alone tell you the vibe of the record – and they include "Ain't Got Time", "To Be Invisible", "Kung Fu", "Suffer", "Power to the People", and "Make Me Believe In You". All albums newly remastered – in sleeves with the original artwork too! CD

A massive package of greatness – the first four solo albums from Chicago soul genius Curtis Mayfield! First up is Curtis – 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". Roots is one of our favorite Curtis Mayfield albums ever – a massive early 70s effort that's filled with wonderful songs all the way through, and quite possibly one of the most perfect realization of the righteous vibe of the early 70s Curtom years! Curtis is in fine form throughout – as a singer, composer, and producer – but he's also got some excellent Chicago soul help from arrangers Riley Hampton and Johnny Pate – both key talents on the 60s Windy City scene, still able to come up with a deeply soulful groove here – and both able to blend together strings and funk in the way that Curtis was going for at the time. Titles include the massive "We Got to Have Peace" – a tune that never gets old – plus "Underground", "Keep On Keepin On", "Now You're Gone", "Get Down", "Love To Keep You In Mind", and "Beautiful Brother of Mine". Back To The World is 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". Sweet Exorcist is a wonderfully wicked album from Curtis Mayfield – one that's not nearly as famous as his Superfly set, but which is every bit as great! The groove here is lean, mean, and totally righteous – a bit more stripped-down than some of the rumbling funk of other Curtom efforts, and served up with a fluid groove that makes the album a killer from start to finish! As with Superfly, there's a nice blend here between uptight funky tracks and some more laidback soul – showcasing both sides of the Curtis Mayfield sound of the 70s – the brash society-changing soul, and the mellower, more fragile voice that first came to prominence in The Impressions. Titles alone tell you the vibe of the record – and they include "Ain't Got Time", "To Be Invisible", "Kung Fu", "Suffer", "Power to the People", and "Make Me Believe In You". All albums newly remastered – in sleeves with the original artwork too! LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite Curtis Mayfield albums ever – a massive early 70s effort that's filled with wonderful songs all the way through, and quite possibly one of the most perfect realization of the righteous vibe of the early 70s Curtom years! Curtis is in fine form throughout – as a singer, composer, and producer – but he's also got some excellent Chicago soul help from arrangers Riley Hampton and Johnny Pate – both key talents on the 60s Windy City scene, still able to come up with a deeply soulful groove here – and both able to blend together strings and funk in the way that Curtis was going for at the time. Titles include the massive "We Got to Have Peace" – a tune that never gets old – plus "Underground", "Keep On Keepin On", "Now You're Gone", "Get Down", "Love To Keep You In Mind", and "Beautiful Brother of Mine". CD

One of our favorite Curtis Mayfield albums ever – a massive early 70s effort that's filled with wonderful songs all the way through, and quite possibly one of the most perfect realization of the righteous vibe of the early 70s Curtom years! Curtis is in fine form throughout – as a singer, composer, and producer – but he's also got some excellent Chicago soul help from arrangers Riley Hampton and Johnny Pate – both key talents on the 60s Windy City scene, still able to come up with a deeply soulful groove here – and both able to blend together strings and funk in the way that Curtis was going for at the time. Titles include the massive "We Got to Have Peace" – a tune that never gets old – plus "Underground", "Keep On Keepin On", "Now You're Gone", "Get Down", "Love To Keep You In Mind", and "Beautiful Brother of Mine". Plus four bonus cuts – "Underground (demo)", "Get Down (single version)", "We Got to Have Peace (single version)", and "Beautiful Brother of Mine (single version)"! CD

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

Former Impressions singer Ralph Johnson heads up this Chicago soul quartet from the 70's, and the album shares the production talents of Jerry Butler, Bunny Sigler, Rich Tufo, Lowrell Simon, and Eugene McDaniels. The sound is a mix of mid 70's Curtom funk and Chicago soul vocal stylings, and the track list includes "If You're In Need", "Is It Really You", "Keep On Playing the Music", "Fill You Up", and "All Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A very strange release on Curtom – and we're not sure if we should call it a rock album or a soul album! Bobby Whiteside produced and arranged, and he's got sort of a 70's AM radio sound, with lots of pop harmonies, and catchy overproduced hooks. Titles include "Pen Of A Poet", "Vallery", "Easy With You", "Up On Living", "Piano Man", and "Footprints". For Curtom completists only, and definitely not another Superfly or Hutson II! LP, Vinyl record album

The standout classic from Curtom disco diva Linda Clifford – and an album that showed that Chicago could rival Philly in the clubby groove department! Linda has a proud presence that really matches that of her better-known sisters in the City Of Brotherly Love – and she's singing here with a strong sense of personality that really sets the album apart from other female disco albums of the era. One of the greatest examples of this is her stunning "Runaway Love" – which has a bad-rapping, almost Marlena Shaw-esque monologue in the middle – but other tracks are equally nice, and include "Gypsy Lady", "If My Friends Could See Me Now", "Broadway Gypsy Lady", "You Are You Are", and "I Feel Like Falling In Love Again". Arrangements are by Gil Askey – who also produced the set in collaboration with Curtis Mayfield! LP, Vinyl record album

The standout classic from Curtom disco diva Linda Clifford – and an album that showed that Chicago could rival Philly in the clubby groove department! Linda has a proud presence that really matches that of her better-known sisters in the City Of Brotherly Love – and she's singing here with a strong sense of personality that really sets the album apart from other female disco albums of the era. One of the greatest examples of this is her stunning "Runaway Love" – which has a bad-rapping, almost Marlena Shaw-esque monologue in the middle – but other tracks are equally nice, and include "Gypsy Lady", "If My Friends Could See Me Now", "Broadway Gypsy Lady", "You Are You Are", and "I Feel Like Falling In Love Again". Arrangements are by Gil Askey – who also produced the set in collaboration with Curtis Mayfield! CD features the bonus tracks "Runaway Love (12" mix)", "Gypsy Lady (12" mix)", and "If My Friends Could See Me Now (12" mix)". CD

One of our favorite soul albums ever – a complete masterpiece from the mighty Leroy Hutson, easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s! The album's got a warmth that's amazing, yet also still manages to groove all the way through – hitting a subtle, almost mellow vibe that's like Marvin Gaye or Roy Ayers at their best – but somehow even better because the album's a lot less familiar than their work, and has a freshness that grabs us again and again over the years! Hutson arranged and produced the whole set himself – and the scope of his talents in the studio is amazing – tight on the rhythms, but broadly expansive on the other instrumentation – with a mix of intimacy and class that few other records from the 70s could ever hope to match. Perfect all the way through, and filled with genius cuts that include "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "I Think I'm Falling In Love", "Love to Hold You Close", "Flying High", "I Do I Do Want To Make Love To You", "Blackberry Jam", and "Sofunkstication". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive tribute to one of our favorite soul singers of all time – one of the hippest cats of the 70s, and an artist that we never tire of hearing! Leroy Hutson got his start working with Chicago soul legends Donny Hathaway and Curtis Mayfield, but he quickly became a strong force on his own – a singer with an incredible voice, an arranger with a fantastic vision, and a producer who was able to create sounds in the studio that were as sophisticated as they were soulful! In that respect, Leroy is right up there with Roy Ayers for the "whole package" of greatness – and like Roy, he can also be funky and open up a groove, while still bringing plenty to play on a mellow cut too – something that few other artists can do this well. And although we grew up in Chicago, it wasn't until 80s UK rare groove interest in Hutson that we really learned of his genius – which makes it all the more fitting that this UK set does such a great job of presenting his music. The set features 19 stellar tracks in all – with titles that include "Positive Forces", "Lucky Fellow", "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "Love The Feeling", "Love Oh Love", "Think I'm Falling In Love", "Right Or Wrong", "Closer To The Source", "Cool Out", "All Because Of You (single version)", "Never Know What You Can Do", "Love The Feeling", "So In Love With You", "Lover's Holiday", "Get To This", and "Time Brings On A Change". CD

A killer early album by the great Leroy Hutson – the first set that has him stepping out as a true soul genius for the 70s! Hutson had originally been a later member of The Impressions – replacing Curtis Mayfield briefly after he'd gone solo – but he also had spent a fair bit of time working around the Chicago soul studio scene of the late 60s and early 70s, lending his talents to other singers – and this album is kind of a "bustin' out of the studio" album in it's presentation of Hutson's material. The record features a number of great sweet soul cuts – like "Ella Weez" and "Can't Say Enough About Mom" – mixed with nice funky tracks, like "The Ghetto '74", which is a remake of "The Ghetto", a tune that Hutson wrote with Donny Hathaway. The record's a prime example of the genius of Chicago soul in the 70s – with great arrangements that have a lot of space for Leroy's singing, yet still come down hard and nasty in parts, like some of the funkier stuff on Curtom. LP, Vinyl record album

The Impressions are wearing their politics much more on their sleeve at this point – what with a cover that shows them standing in the rubble of the ghetto, and a title that is both a bold proclamation of ownership, and a sad comment on the state of affairs. Curtis Mayfield's pen is in perfect form here, and the group hits that perfect mix of sweet soul and politics that make these late 60s efforts some of their (and Curtis') strongest work. Their harmonies far surpass the earlier years, which still kind of make us wish that Curtis hadn't gone solo, because we just love the sound of his sweet raspy voice next to the deeper style of Fred Cash. The set's filled with great cuts like "This Is My Country", "Loves Happening", "Fool For You", and "Stay Close To Me". 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

One of our favorite Curtis Mayfield albums ever – a massive early 70s effort that's filled with wonderful songs all the way through, and quite possibly one of the most perfect realization of the righteous vibe of the early 70s Curtom years! Curtis is in fine form throughout – as a singer, composer, and producer – but he's also got some excellent Chicago soul help from arrangers Riley Hampton and Johnny Pate – both key talents on the 60s Windy City scene, still able to come up with a deeply soulful groove here – and both able to blend together strings and funk in the way that Curtis was going for at the time. Titles include the massive "We Got to Have Peace" – a tune that never gets old – plus "Underground", "Keep On Keepin On", "Now You're Gone", "Get Down", "Love To Keep You In Mind", and "Beautiful Brother of Mine". This copy doesn't have the calendar attached to the cover, but it's an original vinyl pressing, in great shape. 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

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

Fantastic! The lost link in the Chicago soul scene of the 60s was Baby Huey – and he was a pretty darn big link too, if you've ever seen him in pictures! Weighing in at about 300 pounds, Baby Huey was sort of a rockin' soul star who played clubs on both sides of the city, to audiences of all types – working in a party-styled blend of funk, rock, and soul that was one of the most powerful grooves going down in the Windy City at the time! Huey sadly passed away at a very young age, leaving only this full album as his legacy – a great batch of hard-hitting soul tracks that are among some of the funkiest work ever recorded for the legendary Curtom label! The set includes Huey's classic version of "Mighty, Mighty", a club favorite from the live shows – plus the excellent Curtis Mayfield tune "Hard Times", famous as an oft-used sample track! Other titles include "A Change Is Going To Come", "California Dreamin", "Running", and "Mama Get Yourself Together". LP, Vinyl record album

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

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

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

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

A wonderfully wicked album from Curtis Mayfield – one that's not nearly as famous as his Superfly set, but which is every bit as great! The groove here is lean, mean, and totally righteous – a bit more stripped-down than some of the rumbling funk of other Curtom efforts, and served up with a fluid groove that makes the album a killer from start to finish! As with Superfly, there's a nice blend here between uptight funky tracks and some more laidback soul – showcasing both sides of the Curtis Mayfield sound of the 70s – the brash society-changing soul, and the mellower, more fragile voice that first came to prominence in The Impressions. Titles alone tell you the vibe of the record – and they include "Ain't Got Time", "To Be Invisible", "Kung Fu", "Suffer", "Power to the People", and "Make Me Believe In You". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite soul albums ever – a complete masterpiece from the mighty Leroy Hutson, easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s! The album's got a warmth that's amazing, yet also still manages to groove all the way through – hitting a subtle, almost mellow vibe that's like Marvin Gaye or Roy Ayers at their best – but somehow even better because the album's a lot less familiar than their work, and has a freshness that grabs us again and again over the years! Hutson arranged and produced the whole set himself – and the scope of his talents in the studio is amazing – tight on the rhythms, but broadly expansive on the other instrumentation – with a mix of intimacy and class that few other records from the 70s could ever hope to match. Perfect all the way through, and filled with genius cuts that include "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "I Think I'm Falling In Love", "Love to Hold You Close", "Flying High", "I Do I Do Want To Make Love To You", "Blackberry Jam", and "Sofunkstication". CD features 2 bonus tracks – the previously unreleased "Positive Forces", plus "Blackberry Jam (single edit)". CD

Killer early soul by Leroy Hutson – and a record that really shows him opening up as a vocalist and songwriter! Leroy's got a sound here that's pivotal in terms of Chicago soul – still some of the down-to-earth vibes of the city's indie scene in the 60s, but with that growing sense of maturity that he, Curtis Mayfield, Donny Hathaway, Maurice White, and Charles Stepney were all bringing to the scene! The tunes are mostly short and focused – still not in the complexity of the Hutson and Hutson II albums, but handled with every bit of care and class by the man himself. Titles include the wonderful soul classic "So In Love With You", a sweet mellow ballad that's extremely catchy, plus the moog-based funky instrumental "Gettin It On", a totally great number that often gets overlooked – and the cuts "Love Oh Love", "As Long As There's Love Around", and "Time Brings On A Change". CD features bonus tracks – mono single versions of "Love Oh Love", "When You Smile", and "So In Love With You". CD

A great little set from Leroy Hutson – proof that he was still going strong through all his years at Curtom! The vibe here is a bit different than his first few records, and you might be suspicious with Leroy wearing a disco shirt on the front – but the sound is wonderful, and only shows Hutson blossoming into a more sophisticated singer, songwriter, and producer – one with a great ear for the careful balance needed for the modern soul generation! The shift is a bit like Roy Ayers on his late 70s work for Polydor – and Hutson is definitely on a par with Ayers in our book – we'd always put the two side by side for the strength of their work in the 70s. Seminal tracks include "So Nice" and "Right or Wrong" – both of which are amongst some of his best work ever – and other tracks include "Unforgettable", "Funk In My Life", and "Lonely Without You". CD features bonus tracks – "Now That I Found You", "Love You Down", and "So Nice (unreleased extended version)". CD

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

One of our favorite soul albums ever – a complete masterpiece from the mighty Leroy Hutson, easily one of the greatest soul singers of the 70s! The album's got a warmth that's amazing, yet also still manages to groove all the way through – hitting a subtle, almost mellow vibe that's like Marvin Gaye or Roy Ayers at their best – but somehow even better because the album's a lot less familiar than their work, and has a freshness that grabs us again and again over the years! Hutson arranged and produced the whole set himself – and the scope of his talents in the studio is amazing – tight on the rhythms, but broadly expansive on the other instrumentation – with a mix of intimacy and class that few other records from the 70s could ever hope to match. Perfect all the way through, and filled with genius cuts that include "Don't It Make You Feel Good", "I Think I'm Falling In Love", "Love to Hold You Close", "Flying High", "I Do I Do Want To Make Love To You", "Blackberry Jam", and "Sofunkstication". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic funk from Sons Of Slum – a 70s Chicago combo with a sound that's as heavy as their name! You might know the group from some killer singles they cut for Stax in the early 70s – but this set features unreleased material from later in the decade, showing an even cooler band than on those earlier records! Instrumentally, these guys have the tightness of the young Earth Wind & Fire, maybe mixed with some of the righteous currents of 24 Carat Black – and the vocals are often sung in this style that has edgey harmonies that remind us of The Notations, especially when they hit their more sinister style at Curtom. The whole thing's tremendous – one of those funk records that should have been issued back in the day, and which would have been on collector and DJ lists for decades if that was the case – which makes it a hell of a discovery all these many years later. Titles include "Show Me Tell Me", "Spirit", "Save The Children", "Music Is The Message", "Funky Music (parts 1 & 2)", "Breakout", "Running", and "Get Your Thing Together". LP, Vinyl record album

A masterpiece of sweet group soul! This was the first secular record cut by The Voices Of East Harlem – a group who'd had an earlier gospel-tinged album on Elektra, but who are soaring out here in a brilliant mix of righteous mainstream soul styles – courtesy of the Curtom power team of Rich Tufo, Leroy Hutson, and Curtis Mayfield! The album's an unusual non-Curtom effort by the Hutson and Curtom – who collaborated in producing the record with Tufo, who himself did most of the arrangements with Hutson – in a mode that's wonderfully in the same spirit as Leroy's seminal work for Curtom in the mid 70s. There's a depth here that makes the album one of our favorite-ever soul records from the 70s – brilliant not just for the overall sound, but also for the pointed lyrics and really personal feel of the songs. Lead vocals shift between the different tunes – but are mostly handled by Gerri Griffin and Monica Burress, with warm support by the rest of the group. Titles include "Giving Love", "Cashing In", "Could This Be Love", "New Vibrations", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprising to form for the legendary Leroy Hutson – one of our favorite singers of all time from the Chicago soul scene – still sounding mighty strong here, many years after his initial records for Curtom in the 70s! The vibe is a bit different, in that Leroy's taking on some tunes by other artists, mixed in with some cuts of his own – in a mid that's kind of an update of the sophisticated soul he served up back in the day – and which also features some instrumentals that show off Hutson's continued skills as an arranger! In fact, about two thirds of the record is instrumental, with keyboards instead of Hutson's vocals – and grooves that might be right at home for the Chicago's steppers scene of the 90s. Production and instrumentation are definitely more contemporary, but at a level that maybe makes the whole thing feel like an indie record that Leroy might have created 20 years before – not a 21st Century soul release – and titles include "Suite Surrender", "Evening In San Juan", "The Ghetto", "Somewhere In The Night", "Starlite", "Wish You Were", "Time Out", and "The Way You Say". LP, Vinyl record album

A great step forward for the legendary Tim Maia – working here in a style that's even tighter and more sophisticated than before – yet still equally filled with funk and soul! The arrangements are a bit bigger than before, and the production a bit more professional – but that change only brings Tim into even more heavenly soul territory – with a mix of grooves and strings that lays somewhere between the best early 70s work on labels like Curtom or Motown! Tim's got a new sense of majesty on the album – and also sings in English in a few spots – at a level that makes us wonder why he was never able to crack the American soul market at the time. An essential record from the man who brought American soul music to Brazil – with tracks that include "Over Again", "New Love", "O Balanco", "Reu Confesso", "Preciso Ser Amado", "Amores", and "Do Your Thing Behave Yourself". CD

A great step forward for the legendary Tim Maia – working here in a style that's even tighter and more sophisticated than before – yet still equally filled with funk and soul! The arrangements are a bit bigger than before, and the production a bit more professional – but that change only brings Tim into even more heavenly soul territory – with a mix of grooves and strings that lays somewhere between the best early 70s work on labels like Curtom or Motown! Tim's got a new sense of majesty on the album – and also sings in English in a few spots – at a level that makes us wonder why he was never able to crack the American soul market at the time. An essential record from the man who brought American soul music to Brazil – with tracks that include "Over Again", "New Love", "O Balanco", "Reu Confesso", "Preciso Ser Amado", "Amores", and "Do Your Thing Behave Yourself". LP, Vinyl record album

Fantastic music from 9th Creation – an album that was recorded in the early 80s, but never issued at the time – which is a heck of a shame, as it's some of the best work we've ever heard from the group! The album's got a great blend of funk and soul – with a deepening of both the vocal and instrumental arrangements, at a level that really keeps things interesting throughout – and which unlocks these righteous elements in the music that we totally love! There's a fair bit of uptempo tracks, but these are mixed with great mellower moments too – with a vibe that's maybe a bit like the last few Leroy Hutson albums on Curtom – which is mighty fine praise from us. The notes indicate that only cassette copies were made of the sessions, but Past Due have done a wonderful job of bringing the music back to life with surprisingly strong fidelity – and titles include "More & More", "Always Be Lovers", "Let It Shine", "Beautiful Lady", "Music Is My Pen & Paper", and "A Step Ahead". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard music from the legendary Rasputin's Stash – a funk group who recorded famously on Atlantic and Curtom in the early 70s, then created this gem of an album that appears here for the first time ever! The quality of the work is fantastic, and even seems better than their Curtom album – as they're still as gritty and funk as before, but have this more complex sense of interplay – both in their instrumentation, and in their vocals, which are filled with all these cool harmonic twists and turns – as if The Notations had teamed up with Curtis Mayfield, to create one of the greatest Chicago funk albums of all time! The group produced the whole thing themselves – and although this one never made it to the history book, it's going right to the top of our list of 70s funk classics. Titles include "Make Up Your Mind", "Tarantula", "Children Of The Lord", "Cool When You Don't Know It", "Paradise", "You've Got To Face It", and "TLC". LP, Vinyl record album

Never-heard music from the legendary Rasputin's Stash – a funk group who recorded famously on Atlantic and Curtom in the early 70s, then created this gem of an album that appears here for the first time ever! The quality of the work is fantastic, and even seems better than their Curtom album – as they're still as gritty and funk as before, but have this more complex sense of interplay – both in their instrumentation, and in their vocals, which are filled with all these cool harmonic twists and turns – as if The Notations had teamed up with Curtis Mayfield, to create one of the greatest Chicago funk albums of all time! The group produced the whole thing themselves – and although this one never made it to the history book, it's going right to the top of our list of 70s funk classics. Titles include "Make Up Your Mind", "Tarantula", "Children Of The Lord", "Cool When You Don't Know It", "Paradise", "You've Got To Face It", and "TLC". CD features bonus tracks "Sex Freak" and "Booty March". CD

Amazing work from The Voices Of East Harlem – a group with roots in gospel, but working here in a wonderfully soaring secular soul style – complete with arrangements and production from the legendary Leroy Hutson! The style here is similar to some of Leroy's best work, and that of his contemporaries on Curtom – a sound that's righteous and often funky, but able to hit some sweeter, warmer notes as well. Individual voices step out from the larger ensemble and take key leads on some tracks – and the overall style is simply mindblowing, at a level that makes us easily rank this as one of our favorite soul albums of all time! A must-have album, and one we've treasured for years – with tracks that include "Just Got To Be Myself", "So Rare", "March Across This Land", "Amazing Love", "Take A Stand", and "Can You Feel It". LP, Vinyl record album

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 brilliant full length debut of Kings Go Forth – a set we'd been eagerly anticipating after hearing their first few fantastic singles! The group hail from Milwaukee, an unlikely spot for a combo this hip – and they've got a sound that's smoking 70s soul all the way through – not just the deep funk you might hear from other groups working today, but a deeper soul spectrum that brings in bits of Curtom, New Jersey soul, Philly Northern, and a handful of other great 70s soul moments we totally love! As longtime fans of classic soul, we're pretty picky about the contemporary stuff that we rate – so take it from us, when we give these guys a 10 out of 10, we definitely mean it – and they've definitely done what it takes to earn our respect with a record like this. Vocals are wonderful – harmonized like some group soul 45 on most of the best cuts – and titles include "Fight With Love", "You're The One", "I Don't Love You No More", "One Day", "Paradise Lost", "Don't Take My Shadow", and "1000 Songs". CD

A masterpiece of sweet group soul! This was the first secular record cut by The Voices Of East Harlem – a group who'd had an earlier gospel-tinged album on Elektra, but who are soaring out here in a brilliant mix of righteous mainstream soul styles – courtesy of the Curtom power team of Rich Tufo, Leroy Hutson, and Curtis Mayfield! The album's an unusual non-Curtom effort by the Hutson and Curtom – who collaborated in producing the record with Tufo, who himself did most of the arrangements with Hutson – in a mode that's wonderfully in the same spirit as Leroy's seminal work for Curtom in the mid 70s. There's a depth here that makes the album one of our favorite-ever soul records from the 70s – brilliant not just for the overall sound, but also for the pointed lyrics and really personal feel of the songs. Lead vocals shift between the different tunes – but are mostly handled by Gerri Griffin and Monica Burress, with warm support by the rest of the group. Titles include "Giving Love", "Cashing In", "Could This Be Love", "New Vibrations", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". LP, Vinyl record album