The Ebonys sing about life, and a host of other groovy topics too – in this lost soul treasure from the 70s! The set is one of only two albums ever cut by The Ebonys – a consistently great group from the 70s, as is testified by their constant popularity in our racks! The quartet has a 3 man/1 woman harmony sound that's very hip – often applied to righteous themes worked out in a heavy soul mode, and which sounds just as great on the ballads as it does dancefloor numbers. This second album's got an even sharper edge than their debut – thanks to production and arrangements from Tony Camillo – who gives the album some great undercurrents of funk, and a slightly righteous style that reminds us of some of Norman Whitfield's best studio work of the time. Vocals are wonderful – with really great harmonies that balance out beautifully – in ways that are much more unified than other girl/guy soul groups. Titles include "Neighborhood Gossip", "Mr Me, Mrs You", "One Thing On My Mind", "Sing About Life", and "A Love of Your Own". CD

Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the rhythms – that sweet groove that shows up in the best beach music classics – and which The Entertainers really have a lock on for this set! But there's also a warmer, more seductive feel going on too – a groove that fits in nicely with some of the early 80s modern soul work of the indie underground – and which helps get this album past any overdone cliches you might expect from the Carolinas – especially on some of the numbers that have a nicely compressed, almost poppish approach to the vocals. There's a depth here that makes the record way more than just a bunch of simple steppers for the dancefloor – and titles include "Hot On A Thang", "Pour Your Little Heart Out", "It's Not What You Got", "I'm Leavin", "In This Moment", "I Won't Cry Anymore", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Livin For The Summer", "Kidnapper", and "I'm In Love With You". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderfully groovy soul from The Entertainers – a group who's recording here strongly for the beach music scene in the Carolinas, but who have an appeal that's much more universal! The tunes are mostly in an upbeat, midtempo mode – with a gentle bounce and a nice sort of step in the rhythms – that sweet groove that shows up in the best beach music classics – and which The Entertainers really have a lock on for this set! But there's also a warmer, more seductive feel going on too – a groove that fits in nicely with some of the early 80s modern soul work of the indie underground – and which helps get this album past any overdone cliches you might expect from the Carolinas – especially on some of the numbers that have a nicely compressed, almost poppish approach to the vocals. There's a depth here that makes the record way more than just a bunch of simple steppers for the dancefloor – and titles include "Hot On A Thang", "Pour Your Little Heart Out", "It's Not What You Got", "I'm Leavin", "In This Moment", "I Won't Cry Anymore", "What Are We Gonna Do", "Livin For The Summer", "Kidnapper", and "I'm In Love With You". CD

A 70s indie club classic – and the only album we've ever seen from Maryann Farra & Satin Soul! The group have a sound that's equal parts Brunswick Chicago soul and New York early disco groove – a combination that's brought out even more by the production talents of disco maestro Tony Valor and Chi-soul genius Eugene Record! The tunes groove along in a really rich style of arrangement – often using sweeping strings over tighter rhythms – sometimes hitting the loping midtempo groove you'd expect from Brunswick records at the time, yet also going for some of the faster, freer rhythms that were cropping up on the east coast indies of the time. Some tracks have a tight dancefloor feel – like "Never Gonna Leave You", "Do Those Little Things", and "Just A Little Timing" – while others have a beautiful soul groove – like "You Got To Be The One" and "Living In The Footsteps of Another Girl" – which both have a sound that feels like it was lifted from a lost Barbara Acklin or Chi-Lites album! The set also includes a female soul remake of "Stoned Out Of My Mind" that's almost worth the price of the record alone! LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of tracks that shows an oft-hidden side of The Fatback Band – their talent for smooth, mellow numbers! Despite the fame of the group as a funky act and as dancefloor favorites, they could kick back and lay out a good ballad or a love song when they wanted to – something they did once or twice an album on their sides for the Spring label, from which the 10 tracks on the CD are pulled. The approach is a great one – as the group have a sweet sound that's perfect for mellow harmonies, drifting as effortlessly here as the band grooves on their funkier numbers. Titles include "Oh Girl", "She's My Shining Star", "I'm So In Love", "Please Stay", "I Found Lovin", "Sunshine Lady", "At Last", "Can't You See", "Is This The Future", and "Do It To Me Now". CD

Raising Hell indeed – as Fatback were really burning up the dancefloor by the time of this set, well earning the demonic sexy image on the cover! All the sharp funk elements of the group's roots are still in place, but they're also given more focus for the rising club scene of the east coast underground of the mid 70s – not in a slick disco way, but with a style that shows just how much the tight instrumentation of these earlier funk groups had an impact on the direction of soul in the late 70s! The set's brimming over with great funky disco numbers – and includes the group's two classics "Do The Bus Stop" and "Spanish Hustle" – plus the excellent numbers "Party Time", and "Groovy Kind Of Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Yum Yum indeed – because the groove on here is pretty darn tasty! Fatback are definitely shaking off the rougher edges of their funkiest years on this set, but the sound is still plenty great – a jamming dancefloor groove that's still filled with plenty of tight live instrumentation, all in a mode that's a lot more harder-hitting than most of the groups of the disco years! There's a bit more horns than before – showing a bit of a BT Express influence, it seems – but the rhythms are very firmly at the core, and have plenty of those rumbling basslines that first put the Fatback name on the map. Drums get nice and tight on some tracks too – making for some nicely breaking tracks on the record, almost in a street funk mode – and titles include "Put The Funk On You", "Let The Drums Speak", "Feed Me Your Love", "Trompin", "Boogie With Fatback", and "Gotta Learn How To Dance". LP, Vinyl record album

These guys are definitely Latin Freaks – of the sort who like to mix heavy percussion with some clubbier instrumentation – all at a level that would make 70s salsa disco giants like Joe Bataan or Eddie Drennon mighty proud! This Italian group have a great way with the music, and have really crafted something wonderful and amazing – a full, rich sound that draws from the sharpness of salsa instrumentation, yet which has more focused grooves for the dancefloor – tight horns on top, nice percussion on the bottom, and sweet keyboards and basslines right down the middle! There's vocals on the set from a few female singers – and the great Joe Bataan joins the group on the title "Can't Help Foolin" – next to other cuts that include "Juanita Shing A Ling", "Divine Dance", "Boogie With Your Baby", "Little Black Woman", "Latin Freak", and "Tiene O Tempo". LP, Vinyl record album

The start of a very successful run for Gloria Gaynor – a seminal bit of crossover 70s soul – one that perfectly linked the dancefloor with the airwaves, and managed to take on more than a few living rooms as well! Gloria's not entirely in full blown disco-diva mode yet, and works here with a soaring Philly-styled groove – of the sort you'd hear with groups like First Choice or Three Degrees – almost grounded a bit in earlier female soul, especially in the vocals and overall changes in the grooves – yet sparkled up plenty with some fuller, richer 70s arrangements. Those are handled by Norman Harris and Harold Wheeler – who do plenty to warm up the production by Meco – and the set includes the stunning 6 minute version of Gloria's big hit "Never Can Say Goodbye", plus "All I Need Is Your Sweet Lovin", "We Belong Together", "Real Good People", "Honey Bee", and "Reach Out I'll Be There". LP, Vinyl record album

We're not sure we've ever seen many computers at the disco – but after hearing this sweet little set from the 80s, we're tempted to bring our laptops along the next time we go clubbing! The tracks are all spare instrumentals with an electro soul core – tunes that are upbeat and rhythmic enough to warrant the "disco" in the title – but which also feature mostly electronic elements, beats, and keyboards – cooked up in a sound library studio, far from the dancefloor – as almost a clearer, starker take on the cosmic vibe of the Italian scene of the time. The set features eight instrumentals – numbered "Disco 1", "Disco 2", "Disco 3", and so on. LP, Vinyl record album

Not just disco nights, but some great mellow moments too – a wonderfully well-rounded classic from this great quartet – as tight and groovy as it is cool and classy! By the time of this debut, the group had already had plenty of 70s soul experience as The Rhythm Makers – a previous name for the lineup, and a combo with a great reputation for dancefloor grooves that were tight, but never too uptight – kind of the best funky soul styles of the time! This album definitely continues that tradition, with a sound that's leaner than most mainstream disco of the time – and really well put-together, in a way that also has them slowing down to hit some great ballads and mellower steppers too. The album features the massive disco title cut – "Disco Nights" – and a beautiful reworking of Billy Stewart's classic "I Do Love You" – with a sound that's faithful to the original, but a sweet stepping groove that's made it a favorite for years! Other cuts include "Boogie Oogie Oogie", "Spirit", "Make My Dreams A Reality", "It's Your Love", "I Do Love You", and "Wonderful". LP, Vinyl record album

Possibly the best album ever by this excellent Brazilian percussive combo! The record begins the groove where the group's other albums started – by taking hard batucada rhythms, and tight samba grooves – but it also adds in a bit tighter production, and shows a marked commitment to hitting the same sort of dancefloor groove that you'd expect from other work on Far Out. Wilson Das Neves and Robertinho Silva are at the head of the percussion team – and tracks include "Roda Baiana", "Bo", "Batucumba", "Taruma", "Berimbal Capoeira", and "Read Between The Lines". CD

Heavenly soul from the start of the 80s – a sweet little indie set that's done as a tribute to Minnie Riperton and Kenneth Armstrong! The overall format doesn't have that much to do with Minnie, but the record's still pretty darn great – and the style is a mix of modern, mellow, and boogie – all served up with a real sense of earnestness that matches the cover of the album, and which makes the record stand strongly next to some of the bigger releases of the time. A number of tracks feature vocals by the lovely Pamela Morrison, and the group hails from the Oakland scene of the time – working here under the direction of Barbara J Trotter, who also wrote a good number of the titles on the set too. Titles include the dancefloor jammer "Sho Nuf Funky Beat", plus "We're Together Again", "I See Heaven", "Satisfaction To The Bone Nitty Gritty Naked Bone", "I'm A Lady", "Rapping With My Subconscious Mind", and "We're Together Again". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent early work from Al Hudson – a soulful talent who stood his own in the late 70s, forging an up-tempo funk sound that lived long past disco, and which was sort of a platform for groups of the 80s to build a new dancefloor sound. Hudson relied heavily on bass-y funk to hit his groove, but he also gave strong focus to the good singers who worked with his groups – adding in good ballads that act as a showcase to members like bassist Kevin McCord, who sings some great vocals on this set. The album kicks off with the up-tempo groover "Spread Love", an anthemic dancefloor tune that almost points the way towards soulful house, and it's got some other nice cuts, like the ballads "Lost Inside Of You" and "Love Me Forever", plus the funky numbers "How Do You Do", and "Dance, Get Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Janet's massive follow up to Rhythm Nation 1814 and it's a triumph, too – delivering on all the strengths of other peak era efforts and slyly working in some stylistic detours along the way – asserting herself here as strongly as ever! Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis once again show why they're among the most heralded pop soul producers of the era, from beats driven dancefloor jams to sexy club soul to tender ballads, but make no mistakes, this is Janet's show – this one's official title is Janet, period after all – with badass spoken interludes, vocals that soar in range of styles and an all around assertive vibe that's strong to this day. Includes "That's The Way Love Goes", "You Want This", "If", "This Time", "Throb", "What'll I Do", "Funky Big Band", "Where Are You Now", "Any Time, Any Place", "Because Of Love", "Again" and more. 2CD version features lots of bonus material – including "One More Chance", "70s Love Groove", "And On & On", "You Want This", "Where Are You Now", "Because Of Love", and "That's The Way Love Goes (CJ R&B 7" mix)". CD

A solid 80s set from France Joli – recorded after her initial wave of disco fame on the Canadian scene – but still with a nice sort of dancefloor groove, thanks to help from Giorgio Moroder's musical partner Pete Bellotte! The style here is kind of an 80s take on the Moroder groove of the late 70s – lots of keyboards over dancefloor rhythms – but forged with a bit more of an ear for the hooks, too – the kind of crossover styles that might well help Joli reach an even wider audience – especially with that slinky 80s sweater and eye makeup on the cover! Titles include "Walking Into A Heartache", "Nasty Love", "Dumb Blonde", "Girl In the 80s", and "Mad About The Boy". CD features bonus tracks too – "Girl In The 80s (dance mix)", "Blue Eyed Technology (dance mix)", and "Blue Eyed Technology (7" single)". CD

A bouncy little set from France Joli – moving quite far here from her initial disco groove, and getting some nice 80s groove elements from producer George Duke! Joli's definitely going for a crossover approach here – especially given the hook-heavy sound of some of the best tunes – numbers that have enough of a bounce to work on the dancefloor, but memorable moments that might work on radio as well. France also brings in some ballads, too – but given her resume, she's definitely best suited for groovers. Titles include "Does He Dance", "Give Me Your Love", "Party Lights", "Love Always Finds A Way", "In The Darkness", and "Attitude". CD features 2 bonus tracks – Shep Pettibone remixes of "Does He Dance" – one a dance mix, another a dub! CD

Classic 70s work from KC & The Sunshine Band – a record that's not as hit-heavy as previous efforts, but still a plenty great set that's filled with catchy dancefloor funk! KC's clearly feeling the heat of the disco fire he helped to ignite a few years before – and there's definitely an ear hear towards tracks that would boom out nicely on a heavier sound system – kind of a deepening of the sometimes bargain basement production the group got on earlier TK records. That approach doesn't dampen the groove, though, and there's still a nice mix here of soul, funk, club, and tropical modes – sometimes a bit off the mark, but still a heck of a lot better than most of the group's contemporaries! Titles include a remake of "It's The Same Old Song", plus "Who Do Ya Love", "How About A Little Love", "Sho-Nuff'" and "Come To My Island". LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Kid Creole & The Coconuts – a mad mix of grooves with a very unique style! The album follows August Darnell's pattern of blending 20s retro styles with early 80s dancefloor trends, touched with elements of the exotic – in keeping with the record's title – but the set's also filled with tunes that show that Kid Creole had a more soulful side, with a lot more to offer than just a novelty act. Titles include "With A Girl Like Mimi", "Table Manners", "Dear Addy", "In The Jungle", "Going Places", "I Stand Accused", "Latin Music", and "Musica Americana". LP, Vinyl record album

Ha! This one really takes us back! The set was a massive breakthrough for August Darnell – one of his biggest hits since his day with Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band, with an equally appealing approach to the dancefloor. Tracks mix early 80s New York club styles with Darnell's mad retro/exotic take on the world – coming out with a sound that's slightly hokey, but equally catchy! Includes the hits "Annie (I'm Not Your Daddy)", "I'm A Wonderful Thing Baby", and "Stool Pigeon" – plus the cuts "Imitation", "I'm Corrupt", "No Fish Today", and "Loving You Made A Fool Out Of Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A soulful dance album from the legendary King Britt – released on the house groove heavy Nervous label! Britt's always been one of the most diversely adaptable artists/producers and also one of the most reverently soulful dance music trailblazers out there and Intricate Beauty is as it's titled – with sultry, sweetly soulful club grooves and more globally influenced beats alike. It's dancefloor geared from front to back, with a soulful beat and lilting keys and atmospherics bringing the beauty along with some lovely guest singers – including Rucyl Mills, Astrid Suryanto, Kim English, Lady Alma and others. The the numbers flow one to the next in a continuous groove, demonstrating King Britt's skills as a DJ as well as material demonstrates his club groove production prowess. Include "Love What You Have " (main mix) feat Rucyl Mills, "Now" (main mix) feat Astrid Suryanto, "Nightlife" (King Britt mix) by with Kim English, "Try Love" (main mix) feat Lady Alma, "Blackhand Side", "Peak Inside", "Inner Self", "The Intricate Beauty" (main mix) feat Ryat and more. CD

Sweet 80s sounds from the legendary Kool & The Gang – one of the key classics from the second chapter of the group – when their lineup and sound were a lot leaner than before, and they managed to cross over big to a much wider audience than before! The upbeat cuts show that the group were still kings of the funky dancefloor – and the mellower ones are equally great too – showing a rising ballad style that proved to be the group's big crossover card at the time – a way of putting over a laidback track, but with plenty of soul. This approach is heard to great effect on the album's great single "Cherish" – and other tracks include "Bad Woman", "Surrender", "Emergency", "Misled", "Fresh", and "You Are The One". LP, Vinyl record album

A relatively mellow vocal outing from Ithamara Koorax – a voice that was introduced to us from her appearances on some groovy Brazilian dancefloor tunes, including some of those from Dom Um Romao's albums! The style here is quite different – very laidback, and in the ballad mode you'd expect from the "love" in the title. Instrumentation is a blend of mellow Brazilian and American jazz styles – with work by Jose Roberto Bertrami, Dom Um Romao, Luiz Bonfa, and Nelson Angelo – on titles that include "I Loved You", "Love Dance", "La Puerta", "Man Alone", "Amparo", and "Someday". CD

A long-overdue album from saxophonist Bukky Leo – a player with roots in 70s Ethiopia, and a range of experiences that also includes key recordings in the early British acid jazz scene! Bukky's got a resume that includes work with Fela and Tony Allen – and he's working here in a mode that's very similar to recent work by the latter – an updated version of older Afro Funk styles, augmented slightly by additional keyboards and a warmer, more dancefloor-styled groove – but a core sound that's highly rhythmic, very acoustic, and filled with great work on guitar, sax, and flute! Bukky's also singing a fair bit on the record too – calling out the lyrics with a raspy warmth that's a lot more personal than some of Tony Allen's more abstract vocalizations on recent work – and the record's got a really focused feel that makes it one of the best takes on Afro Funk we've heard in a good number of years! Titles include "Ake Bo Je", "Times Like These", "Dreamer", "Dem Go Shout", "Secular Society", "His Majesty", "The Vision", and "Why Can't We Live Together". CD

One of the coolest, grooviest albums ever from jazz vibist Johnny Lytle – a set that really leans into the impact that he was having with the soul instrumental crowd, and which serves up tunes in these short, tight grooves that show why Johnny was the king of the stepping dancefloor in the 60s! The set's still done with producer Orrin Keepnews, who'd handled Lytle's earlier jazz sides – but the tunes are shorter, and have the grooves punched up nicely – with plenty of cool Hammond work from organist Milt Harris, and tight drums from Peppy Hinnant – augment6ed with work from Willie Rodriguez on congas, and guest piano from Wynton Kelly on a few cuts! The whole thing's sweet and groovy, and the set features Johnny Lytle originals "Big Bill", "The Shyster", "Possum Grease", "The Man", "The Loop", and "Hot Sauce" – plus a cool cover of "Cristo Redentor". LP, Vinyl record album

There's nothing pop about this record – as the set's an obscure 80s digital date, recorded at Aquarius Studios, issued on a tiny American label, and a great reminder that there were still plenty of homegrown sounds during these years of big reggae success – as long as you knew where to look! Hugh Maddo takes things nice and easy, as do the rhythms – so that there's no too-full dancehall rhythms for the dancefloor, and instead this vibe that recalls much more of the 70s spirit of Kingston, especially work from the smaller labels. Titles include "Give Me The Sensie", "Everywhere You Go In This World", "Take Bribe", "Budget", "Baby Don't Go", "Country Girl", "Pop Style", and "Jah Jah". LP, Vinyl record album

An album that definitely lives up to its title – but which also offers a lot more than you might expect – way more than just a few cash-in dancefloor tunes! True, the whole thing's pretty lively – and titles include the group's seminal version of "Dancing In The Street" – still the only version you'll really ever need, despite years and years of countless covers that always fall short of the mark. But the set's also got a wonderful range that really displays the lead power of Martha Reeves – hewn tightly to the supporting Vandellas backups – and filled with a rich sense of feeling on titles that include the classic "Nowhere To Run", plus other Motown goodies like "Hitch Hike", "Mickey's Monkey", and "The Jerk". 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

2 later albums from Curtis Mayfield – both recorded in the post-Curtom years! We Come In Peace is a set that originally got small indie circulation, yet one that shows that Curtis was still going strong into the 80s! Half the set echoes the upbeat dancefloor modes of the late Curtom years – the club-oriented groovers that Mayfield picked up during the disco years, but still managed to deliver with a surprising degree of soul, thanks to his classic vocals. Other tunes have a bit more of an 80s groove at points, but still a lot more warmth than chart soul of the time – minimal beats and keys, and rhythm that's never too stiff. The set's got a few gentler moments too – like the great "Baby It's You", and the cuts "This Love Is True" and "Everybody Needs A Friend" – both of which continue the warmer side of Mayfield's late 70s years. The set also features a remake of "We Got To Have Peace", and the cuts "Body Guard", "We Come In Peace", and "Breakin In The Streets". Take It To The Streets is later mellow magic from Curtis Mayfield – a set that has something of a quiet storm feel at times, which is a surprisingly great setting for Curtis' famous voice! The album's got a relatively laidback feel – never trying too hard for a hit, or to keep up with commercial soul of the time – and instead, Curtis just slides nicely into some sweetly stepping grooves that really bring out some of the best gentler sides of his groove. A few cuts get a bit uptempo, but never in a cloying way – almost with more of an early 80s club vibe at times – and titles include "Homeless", "Got To Be Real", "Do Be Down", "I Mo Git U", "Sucka", and "He's A Fly Guy". CD

Endearing pop soul from Marilyn & Billy! This warm, friendly self-titled third album –since we're all friends by now, it's first names only, thank you very much – is sweet as can be, though relatively underappreciated all these years later! This one's co-produced by Billy and Steve Cropper, with an ear for the late 70s dancefloor soul revolution that was happening all around them – but they wisely stay true to their hook-heavy tunefulness and sunny co-lead vocal style. It's also notable for featuring the original version of "Saving All My Love For You" – which would become a megahit for Whitney Houston – but not for another 7 years! Titles include "Shine On Silver Moon", "So Many Things For Free", "You Got The Love", "I Got The Words, You Got The Music", "Stay With Me", "I Got Love For You", "Saving All My Love For You", "Carry Me" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Groundbreaking work, and a killer piece of Philly groove! MFSB were a large conglomeration of studio players who graced some of the first big Philly hits in the 70s, and here they break out on their own in a remarkable set of pre-disco tunes that form the blueprint for the rest of the 70s dancefloor action. The set pulls tracks from most of the band's best albums of the 70s – mixing uptempo numbers with other cuts that have a surprisingly sly approach to jazzy soul. Includes the classic "TSOP", which was also the theme to Soul Train, plus a great version of "Cheaper To Keep Her", the very familiar "Love Is The Message", "Zach's Fanfare", "Freddie's Dead", "Philadelphia Freedom", "Sexy", "Poinciana", "My Mood", and "TLC". 16 cuts in all! CD

Killer stuff from this legendary Philly soul instrumental combo – with funky soul horns, unstoppable dancefloor ready rhythms and those soul-stirring strings – and right up there with their best ever! Bobby Martin arranged almost every track – and the record's a great example of the kind of lean and mean Philly groove that he had going at the time, a sound that was hard to beat, and hard to copy without sounding silly and overblown. Top shelf soul instrumentals from Philly International in the mid 70s – what more could we ask for? Includes classics like "K-Jee", "MFSB", "TLC" and "Let's Go Disco" – plus the equally great "Sexy", "Love Has No Time Or Place" and "My Mood". LP, Vinyl record album

Beautiful female soul from The Minits – a three piece group that recorded just a few singles for the the Sounds Of Memphis label – with a dozen great songs pulled together for this excellent compilation from Kent UK, many of which were never issued before now! Ultimately, there were far too few female soul stars coming out of Memphis with popularity anywhere near the levels of the male stars, and fewer still on labels other than Stax or Hi – and the dozen tracks here make a very strong case for The Minits, who should have busted out hugely. The set is light on ballads and skews towards dancefloor ready rhythms and pop soul of the best kind, with genuine soul! It includes their great Sounds Of Memphis singles and several tracks that were left in the vaults and only recently discovered. Titles include "Lover Boy", "Still A Part Of Me", "Last Mile Of The Way", "Pullin'", "Natural Reaction", "If You Don't Like My Apples (Don't Shake The Tree)", "Follow Your Heart" and more. CD

A classic set of 70s crossover deep soul – recorded in the mode of similar work by Betty Wright or Laura Lee, and done with a similar mix of raw southern vocals and tighter production! About half the work was handled by the team of Dave Crawford and Brad Shapiro – working in the Criteria Studios in Miami to give Jackie a sound that's similar to Shapiro's work with Millie Jackson. The other half was produced in Philly, by the Young Professionals team of LeBaron Taylor, Tony Bell, and Phil Hurt – who give Jackie a warm, gliding, sweet 70s Philly groove! And although you might think that this Philly/Miami split would make for a mixed bag of tunes, the album's surprisingly unified – and in a way, does plenty to link together the growing dancefloor scenes in both cities. Titles include "Willpower", "Both Ends Against The Middle", "Time", "Something In A Look", "Clean Up Your Own Yard", "If", and "Darling Baby". LP, Vinyl record album

A real stormer from Melba Moore – brilliantly-arranged dancefloor soul with beautiful lead vocals by Melba – on one of her best records of the 70s! Melba is straight-up amazing here, bringing genuine soul to feverish dancefloor gems and otherwise soaring numbers. This Is It was produced and arranged by Van McCoy, who was at the peak of his disco-era popularity at the time. We'd call this work here on Melba's record a creative peak for Van – even though if it didn't break Melba out in a big way commercially at the time. It includes the McCoy-penned should-be classic "This Is It", plus "Free", "Stay A While", a sweet cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Make Me Believe In You", "Lean On Me" (one of the greater showpieces for Melba's incredible voice), "Blood Red Roses", "Brand New" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

Lovely work from Clara Moreno – a set that's much more laidback than some of her earlier dancefloor work, and one that's filled with bossa instrumentation throughout! Joyce co-produced the set, and you can really hear some of her acoustic soul in the music – a warm blend of snapping percussion, skipping guitar lines, and occasional bits of keyboards and horns – used in ways that still really let Moreno stay in the lead, captivating our ears with her wonderful vocals! Clara's style has a breathy undercurrent, which is a nice change from some of the too-polished contemporary bossa sets – and guests on the record include Orlandivo on vocals and Joao Donato on piano – both folks we'd welcome on any album. Titles include "Mestico", "Bebete", "Balanco Zona Sul", "Bruxaria", "Brincando De Samba", "Jeito Bom De Sofrer", "Samba De Negro", and "Uala Ualala". CD

Arrangements and production by Michael Zager, in that pop dancefloor style that was making him a rich man at the time! Titles include "Holiday", "Run To Me", "Lonely Days", "Massachusetts", and "To Love Somebody". LP, Vinyl record album

Easily the greatest album that vocalist Mark Murphy has recorded in years – and a surprising departure from a lot of his recent work! Murphy did the album in collaboration with German trumpeter Til Bronner – a player we mostly know for his own smoothly soulful, and often-grooving albums. Yet here, Bronner's got both himself and Murphy working in a lush mode that recalls the spirit of 60s sessions arranged by Claus Ogerman or Don Sebesky – Bronner on trumpet with a core jazz group, augmented by larger orchestrations on most tracks – and recorded in a spaciously sublime way that often has Murphy's vocals hanging beautifully in mid-air! There's a breathtaking depth to the album that gets past some of the simple tracks and over-tread territory of other recent Murphy albums – almost as if the album's the "classic" that Mark never got to record back in the day, but which is finally coming out now, 50 years into his career in music! A real contrast to the recent Mark Murphy dancefloor work – such as his vocals with Five Corners Quintet – and featuring the originals "I Know You From Somewhere" and "Our Game" – plus standards "It Never Entered My Mind", "I'm Through With Love", "When I Fall In Love/My One & Only Love", and "Love Is Here To Stay". Japanese pressing features the bonus track "Detour Ahead". CD

A massive record – and an instant legend the day it was released! Masters At Work host the beautiful meeting of a host legendary artists – Roy Ayers, George Benson, Eddie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Jocelyn Brown, Vince Montana, and others – all united in a magical session that brings Latin firmly back to the dancefloor with the power and majesty of the best 70s recordings! The whole thing's amazing – a fantastic mix of Latin, funk, jazz, and house that's inspired a whole new generation of musicians – and which has still yet to be duplicated years later! Includes the massive remake of "I Am the Blackgold of the Sun", plus "Runaway", "Sweet Tears", and the great cover of Bob James' "Nautilus". CD

Diviniti sings on both cuts here – adding in some mighty soulful vocals! "Shine" is a great clubby groover from a few years back – and definitely showcases the warmer side of dancefloor work that Shuya Okino has been bringing to the world since his days in Kyoto Jazz Massive – a wonderfully uplifting tune! The flipside's a great take on Shuya's excellent "Sun Will Rise" anthem – again with excellent vocals from Diviniti! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Amazing vocal work from The Olympics – a great little group who bridged the gap between doo wop and 60s soul – and who had a pyrotechnic style that only The Coasters could match! Like The Coasters, The Olympics often mixed in a good deal of humor with their tunes – not only in the subject matter, which often included topics from the lower end of the mid century cultural spectrum, but also in the way they delivered the tunes – which was always lively and exuberant! This quality made for some nice little groovers in the group's repertoire too – tunes that rock and roll with an early approach to upbeat 60s soul, and which has made some of their numbers perennial dancefloor favorites. Titles include "Little Pedro", "Dodge City", "Private Eye", "Big Boy Pete", "Big Chief Little Puss", "Stay Away From Joe", and "Baby Hully Gully"; plus bonus tracks not included in the original issue. LP, Vinyl record album

Osunlade's always had a sound that's deep, but this time around his entire approach seems even deeper than ever – maybe because this lavish package is as much a visual treat as it is an audio one! The set's as much of a book as it is a record – a heavy, hardcover package that has beautiful images on each page, writings too – all in tribute to the Orishas who've become a continuing inspiration for Osunlade – and helped move his music away from just simple dancefloor fare! And yet the tracks groove nicely, too – all in that deepest of house modes that the man's been giving us for many years – woven from strands of different cultural inspiration, and given a contemporary soulful spin – mostly from Osunlade himself on live drums, moog, Fender Rhodes, theremin, and other instrumentation – as well as vocals, and some guest help from Gabriele Poso, Oveous Maximus, Chateau Flight, and Tanya Blount. Titles include "No Way", "Pheramones", "Ser Al Santismo", "A Day Without", "Yeku Yeku", "Man O Wirdz", "Trinity Ov Me", "Idiosyncracy", and "Walkin In Paris". LP, Vinyl record album

As perfect a summation of the Teddy Pendergrass genius as you'll ever hope to find – a magnificent maturation of that incredible sound he first forged with Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, set forth in even more confident, sophisticated soul territory! As with the Melvin albums, there's a nice mix here of sultry ballads and groovers – the latter of which are changing with the Philly modes of the time, but still very much at the top of their game – light years from clunky commercial work, or easy dancefloor fodder. The album's stunner is "Love TKO" – a killer mellow soul track that's not only one of Teddy's best, but which has enjoyed recent popularity due to a heavy bit of sampling by hip hoppers – but the whole thing's great, and other titles include "Take Me In Your Arms Tonight", "Let Me Love You", "Girl You Know", "Is It Still Good To Ya", "I Just Called To Say", and "Can't We Try". LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty amazing set from Esther Phillips – her final album for Kudu – and a beautiful mix of soaring soul sounds from one the most unique, emotionally-inflected soul vocalists of her era! Esther's in prime Kudu mode here – working with jazzy arrangements by David Matthews and Pee Wee Ellis, adding her unique, grit-inflected soul chanteuse vocals to a smoother mix of instrumentation that creates a perfect counterpoint that took her way past her earlier work! There's also a couple of really sweet disco skewed numbers that work incredibly well – with spacier bits of synth and a dancefloor soul bed of percussion and rhythms – and in general, the arrangements are pretty great from track-to-track! Players include Randy Brecker and Mike Brecker on trumpet and tenor sax, Bray Miles on synthesizer, Bobby Lyle on clavinet, Eric Gale on guitar, Joe Farrell on tenor sax and alto flute, percussionist Ralph MacDonald and other excellent name musicians and others bring a grand sweep and sweeter intimacy when the mood requires. Titles include "Magic's In The Air", "A Beautiful Friendship", "Boy I Really Tied One On", "Higher & Higher", and "All The Way Down". LP, Vinyl record album

Funky madness from the legendary Rhythm Makers – a dancefloor combo with a really incredible groove! The group has an approach that's a lot like Kool & The Gang at their best, or like some of the best mid 70s albums by the Kay Gees or Fatback – lots of bass at the bottom, very tight vamping by the band, and a wikki-wikki funky sound that's totally great! Many of the tracks on the set make good use of moog or keyboards – never too much, but just the right dose to spook things up a bit – and although many of the cuts have vocals, the overall focus is still in the instrumentation – which always comes across pretty darn great, and which is played with incredible precision throughout! The combo later morphed into GQ, but they've got a much rawer sound here – and titles include "Can You Feel It (parts 1 & 2)", "You Better Believe It", "Soul On Your Side", "Zone", "Funk N You", and "Street Dreamin". CD features an insane number of bonus tracks – 10 in all – with the unreleased cuts "Position", "Wonderful", and "Lover's Lane" – plus "Can You Feel It (orig special disco 12")", "You're Never Too Old (single)", "Prime Cut (single)", "Touch (single)", and "How Much I Love You (single)". CD

Smokey's Family Robinson finds Smokey exploring rather than simply setting out to continue riding the waves made by Quiet Storm. There's bits of dancefloor funk, pared down keyboard soul, spacey jams and a sweet ballad or two – all with Smokey's soul strirring vocals in peak form. Titles include "When You Came", "Get Out Of Town", "So In Love", "Open", "Castles Made Of Sand" and more LP, Vinyl record album

A record so big they dropped the "Ross" from Diana's name – just to show how large the lady was living at the end of the 70s! The album was a key set in the solo years of Diana's career – a back to basics dancefloor effort done with impeccable production by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers – often in that tightly snapping mode that made Chic so great, a sound that really breathed new life into Ross' sound at the time! Roger's fast-riffing guitar touches cook the album up beautifully – pushing a catchy pop groove into the massive hits "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out" – both numbers that have aged surprisingly well over the years. Other tracks include "Tenderness", "My Old Piano", "Now That You're Gone", "Friend To Friend", and "Give Up". CD

A record so big they dropped the "Ross" from Diana's name – just to show how large the lady was living at the end of the 70s! The album was a key set in the solo years of Diana's career – a back to basics dancefloor effort done with impeccable production by Bernard Edwards and Nile Rogers – often in that tightly snapping mode that made Chic so great, a sound that really breathed new life into Ross' sound at the time! Roger's fast-riffing guitar touches cook the album up beautifully – pushing a catchy pop groove into the massive hits "Upside Down" and "I'm Coming Out" – both numbers that have aged surprisingly well over the years. Other tracks include "Tenderness", "My Old Piano", "Now That You're Gone", "Friend To Friend", and "Give Up". LP, Vinyl record album

A damn great soul album! Sure, the record was a crossover classic that got played to death back in the 80s – but give it a listen now, and you'll be stunned to hear how fresh it sounds, and how much it reminds you of all the British soul acts that sprung up in the years after it was released. We're not saying that Sade had a direct influence on groups like Soul To Soul or Brand New Heavies – but this album's strong commitment to acoustic musical styles and real jazz playing made it a real standout in the often-tinny world of 80s chart soul, and a harbinger of the later return to warm soul styles that would be spurred on by other groups from the UK. Plus, Sade's vocals are incredibly well-wrought, and are the perfect vehicle to deliver songs like "Frankie's First Affair", "Hang On To Your Love", "Your Love Is King", and the seminal 80s slacker dancefloor anthem, "When Am I Going To Make A Living". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal bit of crossover disco from the mid 70s – and a record that broke big on its title reworking of The Animals' earlier hit! Leroy Gomez heads the group on vocals and alto sax – and brings a slight Latin flourish to the album – mixing strings with some brassier "Spanish" horns and acoustic guitars – used here in a way that predates the Gypsy Kings' move onto the dancefloor many years later. Side one is taken up completely by an extended reading of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" – which runs into the "Esmeralda Suite", really just an extension of the first number. Side two continues the "oldies" mode of the first with a cover of "Gloria" – then rolls into the original tunes "You're My Everything" and "Black Pot". LP, Vinyl record album

A seminal bit of crossover disco from the mid 70s – and a record that broke big on its title reworking of The Animals' earlier hit! Leroy Gomez heads the group on vocals and alto sax – and brings a slight Latin flourish to the album – mixing strings with some brassier "Spanish" horns and acoustic guitars – used here in a way that predates the Gypsy Kings' move onto the dancefloor many years later. Side one is taken up completely by an extended reading of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" – which runs into the "Esmeralda Suite", really just an extension of the first number. Side two continues the "oldies" mode of the first with a cover of "Gloria" – then rolls into the original tunes "You're My Everything" and "Black Pot". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautifully done look at the music of Harvey Scales – a damn funky cat from the Milwaukee scene, finally getting his due! The package is overflowing with groovers – hard funky 45 cuts that Scales recorded for the Magic Touch label – mostly in the late 60s and start of the 70s – wrapped up here in a lavish booklet that's filled with well-researched notes, and vintage photos – a set that really sets a whole new standard for the Tuff City label! Scales' groove is one that we've always loved on 45 – a dancefloor-directed version of soul that falls somewhere in a space between Archie Bell & The Drells and Dyke & The Blazers – but with a heavier sound overall. Yet having all these cuts together in one place seems to give them even more intensity than before – a powerhouse package of 20 rare tracks that run the gamut from upbeat soul to heavy funk to a few early disco numbers as well. Titles include "Love-It is", "Broadway Freeze", "Get Down", "The Yolk", "The Funky Yolk", "Get Down 1970", "Funky Football", "Trying To Survive", "Bump Your Thang", "Groove On Sexy Lady", "Rock The World", "Welcome Home", "The Sound Of Soul", "Too Good To Be True", and "Love Is A Gas". Beautifully done package – with an almost Numero-like feel inside the booklet! CD

Sho-Nuff deepens their sound nicely for this second set for Malaco Records – still sticking in the lean club funk sound of their debut for the label – but also reaching a bit more on the lyrics and vocals too! Ballads show up a bit more than before, and almost evoke an old school group soul approach that's quite a surprise – especially when the higher-voiced lead mixes in with the deeper harmonies – creating some nice mellow moments that really stand out! There's still plenty of groovers – the kind of dancefloor numbers the group first started cutting for Stax in the 70s – and titles include "You Got Me Workin", "Queen Of The Night", "Don't Be Lonely", "Don't Use Me Up", "Sho-Nuff Groove", and "Choosin You". CD

A smash hit from Silver Convention – thanks to the dark pop disco hit "Get Up & Boogie", the leadoff tune on this surprisingly strong set! The strength of the album really comes from the masterful blend of strings, beats, and piano from arranger/producer/keyboardist Silvester Levay – who manages to keep a lot of space in the grooves, and create a sense of darkness in places you wouldn't expect – almost a coldness that predates the European dancefloor sound of the 80s, and warmed up nicely by the trio of ladies singing lead vocals. Titles include "Get Up & Boogie", "Play Me Like A Yo Yo", "No No Joe", "Old Wine In New Bottles", "Thank You Mr DJ", and "You Turned Me On By You Can't Turn Me Off". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little set for Sister Sledge – their first post Nile Rodgers album of the 80s – with production this time out by Narada Michael Walden – with a crisp, uptempo vibe the does a great job of balancing the righteous post disco club groove with the sing-a-long chorus vocals and catchier compositions that made the Sisters famous! Narada doesn't stray too far from the Chic-styled sound of the previous couple of records – with some really catchy songs that hint at the cleaner pop sound of later records with retaining the dancefloor groove. Sweet stuff from Sister Sledge! The sequencing of the record is top notch, each track floating into the next, with the tunes "All American Girls", "He's Just A Runaway", "If You Really Want Me", "Next Time You'll Know", "Happy Feeling", "Ooh, You Caught My Heart", "Make A Move", "Don't You Let Me Lose It", "Mais Makes Me Feel Good" and "I Don't Want To Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

Sister Sledge finally takes over the production booth for 82's Sisters LP – and while their commercial peak had long passed, their uptempo, catchy post disco groove is in still in fine form! The Sisters take some risky moves towards straight up funk and early rap on the lead track "Super Bad Sisters" – and endearingly handle both tasks – and then roll out some sophisticated string-laden bits, neon dancefloor grooves, and winning slow jams later on in the set. One of the most diverse batches of tunes from Sister Sledge, with some real gems! Other tracks include "My Guy", "Lightfootin'", "My Special Way", "Everybody's Friend", "All The Man I Need", "Jacki's Theme – There's No Stopping Us" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

The near-complete Salsoul recordings of Skyy – the funky club combo headed by Randy Muller after his work with BT Express and Brass Construction! With Skyy, Muller honed his groove even more than before – creating a really tight focus on bass-heavy bottoms, and focusing all instruments in the group into a solidly soaring sound that showed that funk was alive and well on the dancefloor – even well into the disco years! This massively overstuffed 4CD package features all the titles from Skyy's 7 albums from Salsoul – plus bonus tracks from 12" singles too! Set features great notes, and the full albums Skyy, Skyyway, Skyyport, Skylline, Skyyjammer, Skyllight, and Inner City – and bonus cuts include "First Time Around (12" version)", "Skyyzoo (12" version)", "Let's Celebrate (12" version)", "Call Me (7" version)", "Bad Boy (12" version)", and "Because Of You (JM after session M&M mix)". CD

Classic funkiness from Sly & The Family Stone – an album that really pushed them to the top of their game, and exploded on the late 60s scene like a righteous funky bomb! The title cut's a mega-hit that you'll recognize right away – but the whole album's great, and is filled with the simple, joyous energy that made Sly's groove one of the freshest of his generation – and which helped foist all the great work going on in the 60s underground firmly into the light of a much wider mainstream audience. The messages are subtle here, but the group are already doing their part to change the world bit by bit – and the funky rhythms at the bottom assure that they'll be doing it ass by ass on the dancefloor! Titles include "Dance to The Music", "Ride The Rhythm", "Higher", "Don't Burn Baby", and the 12 minute "Dance To The Medley", with the groovy "Music Lover" passage! CD also features 6 bonus tracks, 4 previously unreleased – titles that include "Soul Clappin", "We Love All", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "Never Do Your Woman Wrong (inst)", and "Higher (unissued single version)". CD

Lonnie Liston Smith grooves it hard here with his Cosmic Echoes group – mixing in a stronger dose of soul than ever before, yet still giving tracks a righteous feel overall! The approach here is a bit like that of Roy Ayers work from the 70s – still jazzy at its core and conception, but often featuring vocals to deliver a wider message for the tunes – plus some nicely snapping rhythms that are enough to get a fe cuts good play on the dancefloor! The record's still got plenty of great mellow tracks too, though – the kind of floating spacey numbers that Smith virtually invented during the 70s, and which stand here as a more strongly jazz-voiced contrast to some of the soul tunes in the set. Donald Smith and Dave Hubbard are still working here with Lonnie to give the work a really solid sound, and tracks include groovers like "Get Down Everybody", "Peace & Love", and "Beautiful Woman" – mixed with spacier fusion numbers like "Quiet Dawn", "Golden Dreams", and "Goddess Of Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the most celebrated album ever from keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith – a groove-heavy classic that's burned up many a dancefloor in its day, yet also a record that features some great mellow moments as well! The title track "Expansions" is virtually a blueprint for the migration of the cosmic jazz sound onto the dancefloor – a tune that's as funky as it is righteous – but other cuts on the album slow down the pace a bit too, and show off the mellower, more introspectively spiritual side that's always made Lonnie way more than just a funky jazz artist. Easily the best place to start in the all-great Lonnie Liston Smith catalog – and featuring tracks that include "Expansions", "Summer Days", "Desert Nights", "Shadows", "My Love", "Peace", and "Voodoo Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite possibly the most celebrated album ever from keyboardist Lonnie Liston Smith – a groove-heavy classic that's burned up many a dancefloor in its day, yet also a record that features some great mellow moments as well! The title track "Expansions" is virtually a blueprint for the migration of the cosmic jazz sound onto the dancefloor – a tune that's as funky as it is righteous – but other cuts on the album slow down the pace a bit too, and show off the mellower, more introspectively spiritual side that's always made Lonnie way more than just a funky jazz artist. Easily the best place to start in the all-great Lonnie Liston Smith catalog – and featuring tracks that include "Expansions", "Summer Days", "Desert Nights", "Shadows", "My Love", "Peace", and "Voodoo Woman". CD

A nice late 70s album you might have passed over because of the terrible cover art. "Party Freaks, Come On" was Ron Louis Smith's big dancefloor hit from the late 70's, and it's got a nice uptempo Miami funk groove to it – sort of like the stuff by Jimmy Bo Horne, or other artists from the era. The rest of the set's mostly similar uptempo funk, but there's a couple of nice, crisply produced modern soul numbers in the vein of the Natural High compilations, like "Come On And Do It" and "Love Talk". Also includes "The Worm", "Make Me Know It", "We Like To Party" and "You're My Everything". CD

A sweet second set from Touch Of Class – a group who broke big in the indie underground of the 70s with their debut – and who still continue here in a great blend of upbeat rhythms and richer soul styles! Some numbers are clearly aimed at the dancefloor – as on their debut – but these guys can also slide into a mellower number with a laidback harmony vibe – a blend that's rooted in some of the younger east coast group modes of the early 70s, but which is taken here to some slightly more mature territory by the trio. Gerald and Pete Jackson of the group handled the arrangements – in a way that's nice and fresh – and a good change from some of the more "packaged" approaches on other albums of this nature. Titles include "Let Yourself Go", "You Took The Sunshine", "I Need Action", "I Found My Rainbow", and "You've Got My Soul". LP, Vinyl record album