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, this set also features a whole bonus LP – one that brings together extra tracks, unreleased cuts, alternate versions, instrumental versions, and even some cool radio promotional spots – with the "Check Out Your Mind" instrumental studio jam, the full-length version of the instrumental "Junkie Chase", the demo version of "Ghetto Child", and lots more! LP, Vinyl record album

Heavenly soul – and the second album by this fantastic Chicago soul harmony group! The record has stellar production by Leroy Hutson and Rich Tufo, and Hutson wrote a lot of the tracks. One of the best records ever to come out of the Curtom studios, and (dare we say it!) even better than the group's first one. In a market that was dominated by east coast falsetto groups, the Natural Four emerged with kind of a super-dope style that was part Curtom righteousness, part Brunswick vocal harmony, and righteous 70s soul songwriting. And as proof of this style, the album's got loads of great tracks like "While You're Away", "Count on Me", "Heaven Right Here On Earth", and "Love's So Wonderful". 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

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

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 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

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

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

The title cut to Fred's super-rare album on Curtom – an excellent groover, with an approach to funk that's very much in keeping with his work with the Horny Horns! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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". This CD reissue includes some extra tracks – for a total of 11 titles in all – and it makes this very rare LP finally available at a nice low price! Just one more reason to shop these UK reissues at Dusty Groove! CD

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

Excellent stuff! "Don't Change Your Love" may well be the best cut that the Five Stairsteps ever cut! The track's got excellent production by Curtis Mayfield – who gives the number a tasty break right at the beginning, a sure treasure for sample hounds. You'll recognize the track from frequent usage – most famously by Naughty By Nature for "Hip Hop Hooray"! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Pure genius from the great Leroy Hutson – a set that's maybe got a funkier feel than some of his previous albums – and all of the completely charming vocals that we've always loved from Leroy over the years! There's plenty of messages in the grooves – and in a way, at this point in his career, Hutson may be doing more to carry the Curtom Records sound forward than the leader of the label himself – given that Curtis Mayfield was maybe starting to stumble slightly in the second half of the 70s. The funky numbers are all filled with complicated jazzy elements – showing a further development of Hutson's songwriting, with help on arrangements from Richard Evans – and titles include the fantastic "You Never Know What You Can Do", plus "Lover's Holiday", "Butterfat", ""Don't Let It Get Next To You", "Feel The Spirit", and "It's The Music". LP, Vinyl record album

Righteous late 60s soul from The Impressions – the group's last album with Curtis Mayfield in the lineup! The sound here follows heavily from the Young Mods and This Is My Country years – a heavier take on the trio's soul stylings than their work over at ABC in the mid 60s – pushed into more heady political territory, yet still informed with an unmatched approach to harmony soul. Arrangements are by Riley Hampton and Gary Slabo, and they've got some great psychedelic soul touches that are a perfect precursor to Curtis Mayfield's solo work to follow on Curtom – a great groove that steps out wonderfully with an undercurrent of funk in the mix. Henry Gibson plays some great congas on the set – again hinting at the Mayfield sound to come – and titles include "Check Out Your Mind", "Madam Mary", "We Must Be In Love", "Only You", "Say You Love Me", "Turn On To Me", "Do You Wanna Win", and "You're Really Something Sadie". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly our favorite-ever album by the Impressions! The record is a key transitional one – and it has them opening up the politics that were often hidden by spiritual metaphors on earlier ABC albums, into a righteous soul groove that hints a lot at the overblown direction Curtis Mayfield would take in the 70s, yet which still retains all the tightness of the group's earlier work. Nearly every single cut's a classic – and the group outdid themselves vocally, especially Curtis, who always makes our heart break on this one! Donny Hathaway and Johnny Pate handled the arrangements, and tracks include "Choice Of Colors", "The Girl I Find", "Mighty Mighty (Spade & Whitey)", "Soulful Love", and "Seven Years". 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". 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

2 great Curtis Mayfield albums on one CD! These first few solo albums of his are landmarks, not only of Chicago soul, but of 70's soul in general. Roots is a huge treat – and one of the best Curtis Mayfield albums you can find! There's a perfect mix of heartbreaking vocals, political messages, and tight funky grooves. Includes the tracks "We Got to Have Peace", "Underground", and "Beautiful Brother of Mine" – but the whole thing's great! Sweet Exorcist is nice, too – with lots of Curtis' trademark hard funk tracks with a political edge. Tracks include "Kung Fu", "Suffer", "Power to the People", the righteous "To Be Invisible", and the title cut, which sounds a lot like the tracks from Superfly! 2CDs, with 14 cuts in all! 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

Some heavy work from the 5 Stairsteps – rumbling along here with a tight Curtom groove! "Madam Mary" is a Curtis Mayfield tune that's arranged here by Donny Hathaway in a super-dope soundtracky approach – making it one of the group's more righteous tunes of the time! "Little Boy Blue" is another Curtis tune, again arranged by Donny, and showing a side of the group that sounds a lot like mid 60s Impressions! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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 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

A breezy, hypnotic soul number from Spacek's Space Shift LP – produced by J Dilla! "Dollar" has one foot forward in a future groove – with a real hypnotic swirl of the sound – but also roots in the Curtom era, especially given Spacek's vocals. Nice! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Killer late 70s work from Aretha Franklin – and a set that features production by Curtis Mayfield, in a style that's quite similar to his work with the lady on the Sparkle soundtrack! Aretha somehow sounds deeper here in Curtis' company than on some of her other 70s recordings – and there's a definite Curtom bent to the entire production, given that Rich Tufo handles all the arrangements, and backings feature instrumentation from both him and Mayfield. The album's nicely restrained at most points – never reaching too far to fall into cliche – and Franklin's vocals are as great as ever. Titles are almost all originals by Curtis – and tunes include "Lady Lady", "Almighty Fire", "I Needed You Baby", "Close To You", "No Matter Who You Love", and "I'm Your Speed". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing work from Chicago soul legend Leroy Hutson – a rare session for Elektra, issued after his classic 70s sides on Curtom! The album's one of a few modern soul gems issued by Elektra at a time when they were one of the leading lights in soul – and like the Leon Ware albums from the label at the same point, Hutson's set is a top-shelf set all the way through – easily some of the most mature, sophisticated work of its generation! Leroy steps off the sweetness of his Curtom work wonderfully here – expanding into themes that are almost a bit more adult, and which are carried off in a wonderful blend of smooth soul backings that are never too slick or commercial. Hutson's got a great way of being gentle without getting soppy – of being intimate without embarrassing himself – always striking a careful balance that few other singers could match – except possibly Roy Ayers on his mellow soul work of the late 70s. The whole album's great – one of those albums that should have been huge, and which was probably buried by poor distribution more than anything else. Titles include the nice groover "Classy Lady", plus "She's Got It", "Nobody But You", "Paradise", "Nice & Easy", "You Make It Happen", and "Stay At It". CD

LaRombe Baker hails from Philly, but he's best known for his late 70s work on the LA scene – a place where he was continually bubbling under, but never fully got the chance he deserved! Hearing this set, it's clear that LaRombe was one of the great almost-rans of his generation – an artist with the chops to record great soul material without the supervision of any major label or big producer – yet one without the savvy to get such music into the hands of a force that would give it the place it deserved! According to the notes, Baker came to close to working with Motown, Solar, and Curtom – but maybe the fact that those labels passed on tracks as great as these is what makes them so special – a beautifully balanced album of boogie numbers and mellow soul tracks – well-written, beautifully arranged, and topped with great vocals from the man himself. The set's one to put next to your gems from Leon Ware and Ronnie McNeir from back in the day – and titles include "It's All In Your Mind", "Sweet Sensation", "Spread My Wings", "In The Light", "U R The 1", "The Ultimate", and an alternate take of his one issued single "You're The Best". LP, Vinyl record album

An unreleased live set from Rare Earth – done on stage in the Windy City in the mid 70s, and with a raw vibe that's maybe even more funky than some of their studio albums from the time! Instrumentation is nice and lean – with heavy drums and bass, and some great fuzz on the guitar that almost gives them a psychedelic soul style at points – as if Norman Whitfield were up there on stage, conducting the whole proceedings! Another great element is the strong use of percussion and congas – which create this Curtom sense of righteousness, and underscore the spontaneity of the live performance – on titles that include "Hey Big Brother", "Big John Is My Name", "Born To Wander", "Get Ready", "I Just Want To Celebrate", and a great two-part take on "I Know I'm Losing You". CD

A killer debut from Rasputin Stash – a funky group who work with all the long-haired inspiration you'd expect from their name! The groove is a mix of guitars and tight horns – undercut by the kind of heavy basslines that later made the group a good fit for Curtom Records, and lots of cool percussion touches that pepper the bottom of the rhythms nicely – with a pretty spontaneous feel! At times, there's almost a Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band vibe to the record, but mixed with some of the trippier influences of the Westbound crew – especially on the guitar – and like those artists, these guys have no trouble at all dipping into a touch of rock here and there to trip out their groove. Titles include "Mr Cool", "You Are My Flower", "Dookey Shoe", "I Want To Say You're Welcome", "Take Me On Back", and "Freaks Prayer". LP, Vinyl record album

Two very nice, very heavy soul cuts! "Give Me Some Sugar" is a sweet mellow ballad, with Duke singing high lead vocals, with backing by a group on the choruses. He's got a nice soul sound, and the cut's a simple one, but has a really great raw harmony sound. The flipside's even nuttier – and features some guys begging a pusher for a dime (not a dime bag!) That one's got heavy rumbling production, sort of in the Curtom mode, but more primitive. 7-inch, Vinyl record

One of the best cuts ever from this amazing soul group! "Giving Love" is a totally catchy groover written by Leroy Hutson with the group – and it's got super-dope Curtom production that takes the cut from being a simple soul track into a strident righteous soul number. The harmonies are perfect – as are the vocals on "New Vibrations", another Leroy Hutson tune on the flip! 7-inch, Vinyl record

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 bold step forward for the deep funk groove of Timmion Records – way more than just a "funk band meets diva" set, and instead a fully-formed soul record that's one of the greatest indies we've heard in years! Nicole Willis has already won our hearts with earlier records, but here she's working with the Soul Investigators to carve out an album of classic brilliance – a 70s-styled set that would easily stand alongside the best from King, Brunswick, or Curtom from years back. And in fact, the Curtom reference is especially strong on the few tracks that feature added strings – used here in a really righteous way that push the sound past simple funky combo backings, and into a rolling, soaring mode that would have made Curtis Mayfield proud! But if you're a fan of harder funk, don't worry at all – because there's plenty of tunes here that maintain a rougher funky 45 groove – mixed in alongside the more ambitious numbers to make for an instant classic of an album. Production is by the enigmatic Didier, backings are by the tremendous Soul Investigators, and even Jimi Tenor gets in a bit of organ and vocals on the set! Titles include "If This Ain't Love", "Keep Reachin Up", "Feeling Free", "Blues Downtown", "My Four Leaf Clover", "A Perfect Kind Of Love", "No One's Gonna Love You", "Holdin On", "Invisible Man", and "Soul Investigators Theme". CD

The last full-length project recorded by The Bastards Of Soul before the too-early passing of lead singer Chadwick Murray – a hell of a soul vocalist, and one who seems poised to rise to the top of his generation with work like this! The album's way more than just a funk group with a singer in the lead – as there's a sense of sophistication to the production and presentation that really tops the group's previous work – this air of righteousness and majesty that almost takes us back to Curtom Records in the 70s, but which also has a lean, contemporary vibe too – light use of strings and backing vocals next to the core funky instrumentation of the group, and Chadwick's great vocals. That classic/contemporary balance is right up there with the best work by Adrian Younge – and titles include "Corners", "American Scheme", "Never Coming Back", "Girl's No Good", "Glass Of Ashes", "Come Around", and "Daybreak". LP, Vinyl record album

The second smoking album from Captain Sky – a Windy City funk legend, and one who's cut from some of the same cloth as Bootsy Collins or Rick James! Like both of those artists, the Captain's a pretty imposing figure, with a bit of future flash to his looks – and while he uses lots of the basslines that might tie him to Bootsy and the P-Funk universe, he's also got a groove that mixes in some of the more sophisticated modes you'd know from the Chicago scene at the time! There's almost a late Curtom feel to the record – tight funk, a bit faster than early in the decade, but still not really disco – and with some mellow midtempo tracks that balance things out beautifully – and really show Sky evolving past the style of his first record. Tracks include "Moonchild", "Fearless", "Cream & Sugar", "Rebirth", "Hero", "Double You SKY", and "Ker-Runch". CD

A classic 70s soul soundtrack – and a dream of a combination! Curtis Mayfield wrote the soundtrack and produced the album – and the result is a killer batch of 70s soul tracks that matches Aretha's strong vocals with the hip Curtom sound of Chicago! Aretha was still doing pretty well at this point, but the album really gave her a push – and the super-hip setting let her record some of her best work of the 70s. If you own only one Aretha Franklin album from the 70s, it should probably be this one – as the mixture of soul, funk, and soundtrack grooves is great, and a refreshing change from some of the cliches that could show up on other records. Features the sublime "Something He Can Feel", plus "Loving You Baby", "Look Into Your Heart", "Sparkle", and Jump". CD

LaRombe Baker hails from Philly, but he's best known for his late 70s work on the LA scene – a place where he was continually bubbling under, but never fully got the chance he deserved! Hearing this set, it's clear that LaRombe was one of the great almost-rans of his generation – an artist with the chops to record great soul material without the supervision of any major label or big producer – yet one without the savvy to get such music into the hands of a force that would give it the place it deserved! According to the notes, Baker came to close to working with Motown, Solar, and Curtom – but maybe the fact that those labels passed on tracks as great as these is what makes them so special – a beautifully balanced album of boogie numbers and mellow soul tracks – well-written, beautifully arranged, and topped with great vocals from the man himself. The set's one to put next to your gems from Leon Ware and Ronnie McNeir from back in the day – and titles include "It's All In Your Mind", "Sweet Sensation", "Spread My Wings", "In The Light", "U R The 1", "The Ultimate", and an alternate take of his one issued single "You're The Best". CD

Curtis Mayfield's still very firmly on track with this set – recording in his new hometown of Atlanta, but also working with Chicago talents like Rich Tufo and Morris Jennings – all in a warm mellow groove that's totally great! The style's a bit more contemporary than the Curtom years, but never too much so – and there's more than enough warmth in the instrumentation to match Mayfield's still-great vocals on the lyrics. The tunes are decidedly less political – more about love and romance – but that's ok with us, because they're the sort of themes that Curtis first started with back in the early years of his career. Titles include "Summer Hot", "Still Within Your Heart", "Hey Baby", "Nobody But You", and "If You Need Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer debut from Rasputin Stash – a funky group who work with all the long-haired inspiration you'd expect from their name! The groove is a mix of guitars and tight horns – undercut by the kind of heavy basslines that later made the group a good fit for Curtom Records, and lots of cool percussion touches that pepper the bottom of the rhythms nicely – with a pretty spontaneous feel! At times, there's almost a Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band vibe to the record, but mixed with some of the trippier influences of the Westbound crew – especially on the guitar – and like those artists, these guys have no trouble at all dipping into a touch of rock here and there to trip out their groove. Titles include "Mr Cool", "You Are My Flower", "Dookey Shoe", "I Want To Say You're Welcome", "Take Me On Back", and "Freaks Prayer". LP, Vinyl record album

The Staple Singers and Curtis Mayfield – working together here in a very Curtom groove! This great little set picks off where the group's work on the Let's Do It Again soundtrack left off – taking The Staples far past their Memphis sound of the Stax years, into a hipper, more adult kind of mode – one that has plenty of modern soul and light funk touches. Arrangements are by Curtom maestro Rich Tufo, and the album's got some very full backings that seem to urge the group's vocals on even more than ever. Titles include "Making Love", "Pass It On", "Love Me Love Me Love Me", "Sweeter Than The Sweet", "The Real Thing Inside Of Me", and "Precious Precious". LP, Vinyl record album