A soul record we'd put up there with some of our favorites produced in Chicago during the early 70s – a gospel album from Pastor TL Barrett, but one that's gone on to legendary status among funk and soul collectors over the years! Barrett works here with his Youth For Christ Choir, of Mt. Zion Baptist Church – a south side ensemble that's filled with genuine spirit and passion, aimed towards lofty ideals – but set up with some deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that keep things razor sharp throughout! The album was cut at the affordable Sound Market Studio – but behind the soaring, spirited lead and chorus vocal arrangements are players supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with other Chess players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch on the sessions too. Raw drums, grooving organ, and incredible bass lines lay the foundation, but it's the voices that really shine on this completely wonderful, totally essential set! Titles include "Like A Ship", "Wonderful", "It's Me O Lord", "Ever Since", "Nobody Knows", "Joyful Noice", "Medley/Dr. Watts Hymn & The Disciples Prayer" and "Blessed Quietness". LP, Vinyl record album

A tremendous package of work from this overlooked soul and gospel legend – four classic albums, plus other rare material too – all packaged with detailed notes in the wonderful Numero Group style! First up is Like A Ship Without A Sail – a gospel album from Pastor TL Barrett, but one that's gone on to legendary status among funk and soul collectors over the years! Barrett works here with his Youth For Christ Choir – a south side ensemble that's filled with genuine spirit and passion, aimed towards lofty ideals – but set up with some deep secular soul production touches and instrumentation that keep things razor sharp throughout! The album was supervised by Chess Records sax player and arranger Gene Barge – with other Chess players Richard Evans and Phil Upchurch on the sessions too – and the music is filled with raw drums, heavy bass, and lots of great organ lines! Next is Do Not Pass Me By Vol 1 – an album that's got a nice balance between intimate soul numbers and larger tracks that have the whole Mount Zion Baptist Church along for support! The set's definitely got the strongly soulful vibe of Barrett's Like A Ship album – a strong ear for the best secular elements of the time, which are used liberally in the instrumental backing – to really send home the message in the music! Most tunes really soft-pedal the religion, and instead go for an overall feel that really crosses over to regular soul music. Next is the great second volume of Do Not Pass Me By – like the first, the product of a wonderfully spiritual setting on Chicago's south side – music created in the church, but with all the same vibe as the hippest secular soul coming from the Windy City in the early 70s! The set does a great job of alternating strong lead singers with the rest of the group – a bit like Voices Of East Harlem, but with more of a larger ensemble feel – and there's some really wonderful moments on the record throughout – even a bit of funk amidst the more righteous soul-styled tunes. I Found The Answer is one of the biggest-circulating albums from this fantastic figure in Chicago gospel – a unique set done for the Gospel Truth subsidiary of Stax Records, but a set served up in the same blend of soul-based inspirations as some of TL Barrett's indie label releases back home in the Windy City! Plus, the package features a full album of Singles & Sermons – rare non-LP material by this seminal figure in both soul and spiritual music. CD

A rare early trio session from bassist Richard Evans – known much more famously for his late 60s soul and jazz arrangements at Chess! The set's not only unique for it's exposure of Evans as a jazz artist, but it also marks one of the first appearances of pianist Jack Wilson – still a part of the Chicago scene at the time of this album, but already playing with the fluid lyricism we love so much from his 60s LA recordings! Wilson's piano is a really key part of the record, and he works a groove that's simply sublime – filled with lots of flowing, gliding touches on the top of the keys, but also coming across with enough of a bottom to give the record plenty of soul! The drummer in the group is Robert Barry, another noteworthy south sider at the time – and titles include "Consu", "The Preacher", "Trees", "Vera", "Should I", and "Daybreak". Nice cover, too, with a young Evans sitting in front of a globe! LP, Vinyl record album

A damn funky little album – even if we can't read any of the titles or notes on the cover! The whole thing's completely in Japanese – leaving our English-skilled eyes at a loss – but our ears are more than happy with the sounds coming out of the disc – some incredible funk with a very majestic feel – almost an MPS-type big band funky record, but with these deep inflections of soul that really send the whole thing home! Arrangements are complicated, yet always forceful enough to keep on the groove – and the horns move from roles as tight punch upfront to softer colors in the background – really creating a dynamism in the instrumentation that keeps the whole thing very unique. The whole record works together as a single sonic piece – maybe even more so since we can't distill things down on the basis of language – and there's great funky bass, guitar, and keyboards mixed in with the larger set of horns! LP, Vinyl record album

A hard set of soul jazz grooves – recorded under the leadership of the great trombonist Benny Green, and one of his few albums not for Blue Note or Prestige! The sound is very much in the Prestige hardbop mode of the late 50s – and Green heads up a group that includes Gene Ammons and Frank Foster on tenor, Nat Adderley on cornet, Frank Wess on flute and tenor, and Tommy Flanagan on piano– a similar lineup, with a similar sound, to some of the albums recorded under Ammons' name as "blowing sessions". The cuts are long, with laid back laid out solos – and titles include "Jim Dog", "Going South", and "Little Ditty". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked late 70s moment from the great Garland Green – a set that's quite different than his earlier Chicago soul – thanks to production from Leon Haywood in a sweet west coast mode! The record's got an easygoing vibe that really fits the cover – a mix of mellow and midtempo tracks that Garland does especially well – plus a few groovers too. That deep, rich tone that Green brought to his music is perfect for the warmer touches that Leon creates in the backings – and the whole thing's almost got that mix of deep and modern soul than was brewing out of some of the hipper corners of the south at the time. Arrangements are by Haywood with Gene Page and Tony Coleman – and titles include "I've Quit Running the Streets", "Moody Woman", "Love Is What We Came Here For", "I Found Myself When I Lost You", "Lovin You Baby", "Let Me Be Your Pacifier", and "Let's Celebrate". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Don't Let Love Walk Out On Us", "Ask Me For What You Want", and "Shake Your Shaker (single version)". CD

A hip little album by Miriam Makeba – part South African soul, part New York hip, with arrangements that recall some of Makeba's later work, bits of Nina Simone, and touches of Uptown soul. Arrangements and backing are by Luchi De Jesus – and Sivuca's actually part of the backing, and you can hear him singing and playing accordion behind Makeba with that cool breezy sound of his. Titles include "Mr Man", "A Piece Of Ground", "Akana Nkomo", "West Wind", "Where Are You Going", and "My Love Is Young". LP, Vinyl record album

These guys just keep on digging and digging up more great soul music – and our record collections are certainly richer as a result! As with previous volumes, the focus here is on deep-burning, low-cooking tunes that are often heavily in the southern soul spectrum – the kind of tunes that lay hidden in the corners behind the bigger hits from labels like Atlantic or Stax, but which somehow strike a chord that's even richer, fuller, and less cliched than some of the overplayed styles of the genre. The set features 20 tracks in all – by the likes of Buddy Ace, Larry Davis, Richard Marks, Mavis Staples, Betty Harris and others. CD

A deep dive into the vaults of the legendary Stax Records – the Memphis label who helped usher in a whole new sound in soul music during the 60s, and was still going strong in the early part of the 70s! In the final years, Stax was hitting big with a number of stars, but also recording a bit more than they got the chance to issue at the time – all top-quality work, often with the key songwriters and studio talent behind the hits – some of which was lost to the sands of time, due to financial troubles in the label's last few years. Yet those rare gems live again here – as Ace/Kent do a superb job of dipping into the legacy of rare and unreleased material from this period – a good deal of which shows Stax moving the bar even further, by advancing the styles of southern soul with newly sophisticated modes. If you know the last few Soul Children records on Stax, you'll get the vibe here – spun out on a great run of 20 tracks that include "I'm Too Old To Play" by Jimmy Hughes, "How Can I Win Your Love" by Eddie Floyd, "I'm Tired" by Mavis Staples, "Come Get From Me (parts 1 & 2)" by David Porter, "You Need Love" by Chuck Brooks, "Ain't No Way" by Shirley Brown, "Did You Hear Yourself (part 1)" by Randy Brown & Company, "Ain't Nobody Like My Baby" by Lee Sain, "I'll Do Anything For Your Love (single edit)" by William Bell, "Standing In The Safety Zone" by Soul Children, "We've Got Love On Our Side" by Bettye Crutcher, "Guilty Of Loving You" by Veda Brown, "Let's Make A Deal" by Frederick Knight, and "A Smile Can't Hide A Broken Heart" by Ollie & The Nightingales. CD

A host of southern soul tracks – all presented here in versions that have never been issued before – as they're all the original takes of the tunes that were first tone for Ace Records of Mississippi! You'll recognize a few of these tunes, which sound different in the earlier takes – and there's also plenty of other more obscure numbers you won't know at all – served up in modes that bridge the New Orleans soul and deeper Mississippi music that Ace did so well at the end of the 50s. CD features 24 tracks in all – and titles include "I Was Wrong" by Roland Cook, "Can't Let You Go" by Albert Scott, "Heaven Came Down" by Calvin Spears, "Mr Blues" by Joe & Ann, "I Know" by Bobby Marchan, "Blessed Are These Tears" by Joe Tex, "Gee Baby" by Joe & Ann, "Yes I Got You" by Chuck Carbo, "Honey Honey" by The Supremes, "Teenage Rock" by Little Booker, and "My Love Is Strong" by Earl King. CD

A huge package of work from a time when the Jewel/Paula label was a strong force in underground soul – an imprint whose home base was down in Louisiana, but who also had a reach that went up to the Windy City as well! The material here is on the deeper side of the spectrum – some New Orleans modes mixed with other southern soul styles – often recorded with nicely earthy production that really makes the singers come across at their best! Titles include "I Can't Stand To See You Go" by Joe Valentine, "Messed Around & Fell In Love" by Ricky Allen, "Nothing Takes The Place Of You" by Toussaint McCall, "What Is Love" by Jimmy Dobbins, "Cover Me" by Ted Taylor, I Want Everyone To Know" by Fontella Bass, "My Baby's Gone" by Wallace Brothers, "You've Got Me Tamed" by Clay Hammond, "Loosen These Pains & Let Me Go" by Albert Washington, "We Got A Good Thing Going" by Roscoe Robinson, and "Sweet Little Woman" by McKindley Sandifer. CD

The second album by The Black Crowes – and as the title suggests, they take a somewhat deeper step with the southern rock swagger, though still proudly wearing the influence of their Brit heroes on their sleeves! There weren't a ton of prominent neo-classic rock bands making such big waves, circa '92 and the Crowes well earned it – good songs with irresistible choruses, a real love for gritty soul in the vocals, and a fleshed out sound thanks the the addition of a full time keyboardist. Includes "Sting Me", "Remedy", "Thorn In My Pride", "Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye", "Hotel Illness", "Black Moon Creeping", "No Speak No Slave", "My Morning Song" and "Time Will Tell". Cassette

Otis Redding Sings Soul – plenty of truth in that – but on this sweet little set, he somehow does it even better than before! The album's got a tightness that's totally great – but it's light years from the smoother soul of Motown, and still has plenty of the gritty Memphis edges that helped Otis rise to the top in the 60s – that burning-under sort of groove that pushes up from the earth along with his vocals, and gives the album a push that most other singers never got! Redding's vocals are as perfect as usual – deeply personal, and free from cliche – even from all of those laid down by Otis' copycats of the time. Titles are a near-perfect mix of numbers too – and include the raw groovers "Respect", "Shake", and "Satisfaction", then hits a wonderfully warm soulful ballad style the classic "I've Been Loving You Too Long", and really sparkles on southern soul tributes like "You Don't Miss Your Water" and "Down In The Valley". Very solid stuff all the way through – and one of the best-conceived albums of his career! CD

A really unusual set of 70s grooves from the African scene – tracks that almost seem to be out of time, as many of them have electric touches and driving rhythms that sometimes feel as if they are laying the groundwork for clubbier styles in years to come! Yet these also aren't synth-heavy tracks, as in the South African pop to come in the mid 80s – as they're filled with plenty of live instrumentation, soulful vocals, and basslines and drum parts that really keep things gritty! Many of the cuts have unusual production elements and spacey instrumental touches – almost as if you're listening to a P&P take on the styles of West Africa at the time – on titles that include "Jungle Magic" by Benis Cletin, "I Got To Make It" by Joe Kemfa, "Save Me" by Blo, "10 Years In Love" by Danny Offia & The Friks, "Boys & Girls" by Joe Moks, "BMS Bowl" by Goldfinger Doe & BMS, and "Girls For Sale" by Felix Labarty. CD

A really unusual set of 70s grooves from the African scene – tracks that almost seem to be out of time, as many of them have electric touches and driving rhythms that sometimes feel as if they are laying the groundwork for clubbier styles in years to come! Yet these also aren't synth-heavy tracks, as in the South African pop to come in the mid 80s – as they're filled with plenty of live instrumentation, soulful vocals, and basslines and drum parts that really keep things gritty! Many of the cuts have unusual production elements and spacey instrumental touches – almost as if you're listening to a P&P take on the styles of West Africa at the time – on titles that include "Jungle Magic" by Benis Cletin, "I Got To Make It" by Joe Kemfa, "Save Me" by Blo, "10 Years In Love" by Danny Offia & The Friks, "Boys & Girls" by Joe Moks, "BMS Bowl" by Goldfinger Doe & BMS, and "Girls For Sale" by Felix Labarty. LP, Vinyl record album

Incredible deep soul – and a wealth of tracks you've probably never heard before! Sure, the King label's best known for it's work in 50s R&B and 60s James Brown soul – but this 24 tracks set shows that King (and related labels) were still working hard in the late 60s and early 70s to come up with the best of the southern soul underground – a massive batch of lesser-known artists who were burning the soul light bright. The quality of the work here is fantastic – as great as the best on Stax at the time, and then some – as the tunes really glisten with a newness and freshness that keeps us going through the set list again and again. Titles include "Precious Minutes" by Elaine Armstrong, "Beggin Just Ain't My Bag" by Dan Brantley, "Money Can't Buy True Love" by James Duncan, "One Woman" by Pat Lundy, "Darling Darling I Love You" by Johnny Soul, "Everywhere I Go" by Bobby & The Expressions, "Never Let A Love Grow Cold" by Allison, "Lost My Faith In You" by Charles Vickers, "I'm A Fool In Love" by LH & The Memphis Sounds, "All Woman" by Dottie Clark, "She Wrote It I Read It" by Junior McCants, and "Counting Teardrops" by James K-Nine. CD

If you don't know the music of Brief Encounter, prepare for a revelation – as the group were relatively obscure, even back in their prime – but managed to cut some of the hippest soul records that were ever issued on the Carolina scene! Brief Encounter aren't southern soul or combo funk – although they can handle the best elements of both modes – and instead, they've got this wonderfully wide-ranging sound that allows them to embrace so many rich styles at once – equally great on a ballad as on a groover, and as vocally sensitive as they are musically intense. The group only issued one full album back in the day – reissued successfully over the years – but this package brings together all their rare singles, including one from the early Sounds Of Soul incarnation of the group. Titles include "Where Will I Go", "Get A Good Feeling", "In A Very Special Way", "Human", "Total Satisfaction", "I'm So In Love With You", "We're Going To Make It", "I Want You So Much", "I'm Crazy About You", and "What About Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A deep deep deep collection of work from Arthur Conley – one that really shows the true spectrum of his mighty soul talents – and which goes way past his few overplayed hits of the 60s! The focus here is on slow-burners and mellow groovers – tunes that really bring out the depth of Conley's southern soul vocals – a richness that's right up there with his one-time mentor Otis Redding, recorded brilliantly at the legendary Fame studios! The label-spanning collection brings together material for the Atlantic, Fame, Jotis, Ru-Jac, and Capricorn labels – and has the usual top-shelf Ace Records presentation of detailed notes with vintage photos and label scans as well. Titles include "Let's Go Steady", "God Bless", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", "There's A Place For Us", "Take Me", "Where You Lead Me", "Stop Knocking", "I Want Your Love", "Otis Sleep On", "Put Our Love Together", "Let Nothing Separate", and "Walking On Eggs". CD

An obscure set from Mary Wells – easily her rarest album, and one of her best too! The set was produced by Cecil and Mary Womack, who also wrote a lot of songs for the record – and they've got Mary working in a deeper soul mode than before, hitting a style that's got that Womack sparkle and southern soul depth. Arrangements are by Horace Ott – and titles include "Woman In Love", "The Doctor", "Soul Train", "Make Me Yours", "Can't Get Away From Your Love", and "Don't Look Back". LP, Vinyl record album

The birth of Miami soul, and a beautifully done document of the rare Deep City label – home to Willie Clarke, Clarence Reid, and Betty Wright in the years before Alston and TK Records! Way before Miami soul started cracking the charts at the start of the 70s, Deep City was already putting the best parts in place – working with a tight roster of artists and an equally tight in-house band that rose from the ranks of Florida A&M's Marching 100 band – razor-sharp instrumentalists who helped forge a groove worthy to rival the sounds of Memphis, Muscle Shoals, and even the best of Detroit at the time – given that some of the work here has a much sweeter soul sound than other 60s southern soul. As usual, the Numero team have done an incredible job with the package – pulling out rare photos, personal stories, and just the right amount of information to breathe new life into the Deep City label and help it live anew. CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Paralyzed" and "Good Lovin" by Betty Wright, "Am I A Good Man" by Them Two, "Someone To Fulfill My Needs" and "I Love You Baby" by The Moovers, "I Am Controlled By Your Love" and "Willing & Able" by Helene Smith, "Good Thing (part 1)" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "It's My Baby" and "The Upset" by Paul Kelly, and "Stay Away From My Johnny" by Freda Gray & The Rocketeers. CD

A deep dive into the vaults of the legendary Stax Records – the Memphis label who helped usher in a whole new sound in soul music during the 60s, and was still going strong in the early part of the 70s! In the final years, Stax was hitting big with a number of stars, but also recording a bit more than they got the chance to issue at the time – all top-quality work, often with the key songwriters and studio talent behind the hits – some of which was lost to the sands of time, due to financial troubles in the label's last few years. Yet those rare gems live again here – as Ace/Kent do a superb job of dipping into the legacy of rare and unreleased material from this period – a good deal of which shows Stax moving the bar even further, by advancing the styles of southern soul with newly sophisticated modes. If you know the last few Soul Children records on Stax, you'll get the vibe here – spun out on a great run of 20 tracks that include "I'm Too Old To Play" by Jimmy Hughes, "How Can I Win Your Love" by Eddie Floyd, "I'm Tired" by Mavis Staples, "Come Get From Me (parts 1 & 2)" by David Porter, "You Need Love" by Chuck Brooks, "Ain't No Way" by Shirley Brown, "Did You Hear Yourself (part 1)" by Randy Brown & Company, "Ain't Nobody Like My Baby" by Lee Sain, "I'll Do Anything For Your Love (single edit)" by William Bell, "Standing In The Safety Zone" by Soul Children, "We've Got Love On Our Side" by Bettye Crutcher, "Guilty Of Loving You" by Veda Brown, "Let's Make A Deal" by Frederick Knight, and "A Smile Can't Hide A Broken Heart" by Ollie & The Nightingales. CD

Really great work from the Kent/Modern family of labels on the LA scene of the 60s – a company that initially broke big during the postwar years of R&B, but continued to record a huge amount of wonderful artists as the years went on! Because of their ties to R&B in the previous decade, Kent also had a great ear for the deeper side of soul music – so there's plenty of tracks on this set that may well have come from Memphis, Muscle Shoals, or other points south – mixed in with others that have a cool Cali vibe, including a few great early funk tracks, and some crossover gospel gems! The collection is the sort that Ace does the best – and is filled with rare singles, unreleased tracks, and other gems – all supported by very detailed notes. Titles include "At Last" by Jimmy bee, "Where She Att" by ZZ Hill, "Like I Do" by Bobby John, "Don't Believe Him" by Stacy Johnson, "Mighty Clouds Of Joy" by BPS Revolution, "Nobody But Me" by The Other Brothers, "Ghetto Child" by Johnny Copeland & His Soul Agents, "What Is This World Coming To" by Charles Taylor, "Jodine" by Earl Foster, "It's Getting Late" by Al King, "Whole World Down On You" by Larry Davis, "The Good Side Of My Girl" by Clay Hammond, "I'll Be Standing By" by Chuck Walker & The VIPs, "You're Still My Baby" by Venetta Fields, and "Rock Me Baby" by Millie Foster. CD

An incredible collection of southern soul – and actually way more than the usual CD compilation, and almost instead a time machine back to the glory days of the genre! The set comes in a heavy slipcase, with a huge booklet of notes – not just track-by-track stories on all the 75 songs in the package, but also beautiful vintage images of the southern scene from which these deep soul tracks come – great photographs that are a great accompaniment to the often-narrative tracks in the set. The music is a mix of tracks from southern soul giants, and some key lesser-known acts – and as you'd expect from Kent, the whole thing goes way past the hits – and features plenty of obscure numbers too. Titles include "A Sad Sad Song" by Charles Crawford, "Mary Jane" by Bobby Rush, "If Loving You Is A Crime" by Lee Moses, "Go On Fool (ext)" by Marion Black, "Someone To Take Your Place" by Bill Locke, "I Got Everything I Need" by Eddie Floyd, "I've Got Memories (demo)" by Melvin Carter, "Give Me Back The Man I Love" by Barbara West, "Somebody Done Gone Took My Baby & Gone" by Joey Gilmore, "Depend On Me" by Steve Dixon, "Going Back Home" by Ground Hog, "Just A Touch Of Your Hand" by Al Gardner, "Sure As Sin" by Jeanie Greene, and "Please Don't Desert Me Baby" by Gloria Walker & The Chevelles. CD

A slice of soul you might never expect – early work from the De-Lite label, a company better-known for their famous club hits of the late 70s – but starting out here with an amazing array of deep soul 45s! The music is a wonderful contrast to the disco and club of the label's fame – and showcases an immediate commitment to singers who could really knock it out of the park – with vocals that rival the sounds coming from southern labels like Stax, or some of the more famous productions on Atlantic – which is a huge surprise if you only know the De-Lite recordings by Kool & The Gang or The Kay-Gees! 25 tracks in all – all super-rare – and titles include "Keep Away" by The Appointments, "Look What You Done For Me" by Contributors Of Soul, "Oh Girl" by Johnny Washington, "Need You Girl" by Fred Cole, "I Wish It Would Rain" by Beverly Hammonds, "Say So" by La Jay Alexander, "Everlasting Love" by Johnny Washington, "I Saw You There" by The Appointments, "I Smell Trouble" by Johnny De'Vigne, "I'll Always Love You" by Felton Burks, "Send Her Back" by Sammy Taylor, "When A Woman Loves A Man" by Jean Battle, "Tender Loving Care" by Joe Kennedy, and "I Got To Get Close To You" by Yvonne Daniels. CD

Fantastic funky soul from a very mysterious figure – Georgia's Nathan Bartell, a singer with a deep soul style, and an under-exposed legacy that mostly involves a few indie label singles, and countless work in the smaller clubs of his state! The blend of music here is a bit different than most collections of this nature – as Nathan's work spans both the hard-hitting funky 45 world of the 70s, and the emerging groove styles of the 80s – which means that the record begins with the kind of funky material you'd guess from other southern singles of the time, then moves into midtempo modern soul that's more in the territory of Leon Ware! The mix of modes is a great testament to the under-recognized strengths of Bartell – an artist who kept on growing, even if the rest of the world wasn't paying attention at the time. Titles include "I Feel It Coming", "Top Going Down Bottom Going Up", "Moving On", "Some One Like You", "Ooh Baby I Love You", "Mystery Lady", "I Want Your Love", "See Me Cry", "If I Could Win Your Love", and "Jody & John". CD

A killer bit of female soul by a very short-lived group – one with a great sound that comes out of some real criss-crossing of styles – some deep soul currents, but some hipper modern soul touches at the top! The set was produced by Brad Shapiro, and has a good blend of his modern and southern styles of the mid 70s – similar to his work with Candi Staton – but it also features some impeccable arrangements from David Van DePitte, who gives the record a sweeping, swaying feel that buoys the vocals up on some really soulful backings. Titles include a great version of "How Long", plus the tracks "Mr Mystery", "You Accuse Me", "Rhythm Of Love", "One Woman's Trash", and "I Can't Weigh My Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A great full length collection of work by Memphis singer Barbara Brown – a vocalist who appeared both as a solo act, and with her sisters – on a variety of singles for labels like Cadet, Atlantic, Tower, and MGM in the late 60s and early 70s! Barbara's got a deep, rich voice that's clearly schooled in gospel, but pointed towards more secular ends – an approach that's very much in keeping with the best late 60s wave of soul from Atlantic Records, and which is carried off here with a sharpness and precision that's simply mindblowing! Why Brown never scored bigger is a real mystery to us, because these tunes come off like the cream of the crop of southern soul at the end of the 60s – not just obscurities for obscurity sake, but some of the highest level of soul a female soul singer could hope for at the time! Titles include "Can't Find No Happiness", "Plenty Of Room", "A Great Big Thing", "Things Have Gone To Pieces", "Man Around The House", "Play Thing", "I'm Gonna Start A War", "I Don't Want To Have To Wait", "It Hurts Me So Much", "Got To Be Somebody", "There's A Look On Your Face", and "If I Can't Run To You I'll Crawl". LP, Vinyl record album

A beautiful collection of work from the legendary James Carr – a singer that those in the know place at the same level as Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, or any of the deep soul greats of the 60s! Like Otis, James recorded heavily on the Memphis scene at the time – not for Stax or Atlantic, but for the smaller Goldwax label – who really hit magic with the sounds you'll hear on this set – a perfect blend of the richness of James' voice with the kind of slow-burning soul sounds that the scene was really hitting during its golden years! The songwriters alone here are enough to sell the set to any fan of classic southern soul – as tunes include contributions from Chips Moman, Dan Penn, Quinton Claunch, William Bell, and Spooner Oldham – writers who maybe never had a better interpreter of their work than Carr – who knocks it out of the park here on tunes that include "Dark End Of The Street", "You've Got My Mind Messed Up", "I'm A Fool For You", "A Lucky Loser", "Let's Face Facts", "Your Love Made A U Turn", "Freedom Train", "Pouring Water On A Drowning Man", "You Hurt So Good", "Love Attack", and "A Man Needs A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A lost Ohio soul treasure – the initial effort by a singer with a hell of a voice, but one who languished in obscurity after the poor response to this debut LP! Barbara Howard really knocks it out of the park here – singing like a deep soul diva with a hell of a lot of power and focus – but also moving effortlessly through material from a variety of modes, often given a bit of a jazzy twist in the backings – almost as if Howard's trying to be the southern soul answer to Nancy Wilson on Capitol Records! There's maybe a Spanky Wilson vibe to the whole thing – with a similar punch in the arrangements – and titles include "The Man Above", "Save Your Love For Me", "Light My Fire", "My Song", "I Need You", "Welcome Home", "You've Made Me So Very Happy", and "For Once In My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

The tremendous debut of the great Millie Jackson – a new standard-setting deep soul record for the 70s, and one that's quite different than some of Jackson's work from later years! The record's got a heartbreaking southern female soul approach – similar to work by underground favorites like Ann Sexton, Doris Duke, or Shirley Brown – and even though the arrangements are done north of the Mason/Dixon line (in New York by Bert DeCoteaux, and in DC by Tony Camillo), the record feels like it was lifted off the pressing plant in Muscle Shoals or Jackson! Titles include "I Ain't Giving Up", "I Miss You Baby", "Ask Me What You Want", "My Man, A Sweet Man", "I Just Can't Stand It", and "Strange Things". LP, Vinyl record album

The stunning debut as a solo act for Durand Jones – a set that's even deeper and more powerful than his work with The Indications, at a level that shows that Jones is a soul singer with a hell of a lot of potential, and not just another voice working in a funk band! There's plenty of deep soul styles going on here – tunes that are more laidback and slow-stepping than before, so that Jones can really unfurl his vocal majesty, and create a sound that provides a fresh new chapter in the legacy of southern soul – not a retro rehash of modes from Stax or Atlantic, but a real 21st Century take on the territory! Titles include "See It Through", "I Want You", "Lord Have Mercy", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Letter To My 17 Year Old Self", "Sadie", "Wait Til I Get Over", "Gerri Marie", and "That Feeling". CD

The stunning debut as a solo act for Durand Jones – a set that's even deeper and more powerful than his work with The Indications, at a level that shows that Jones is a soul singer with a hell of a lot of potential, and not just another voice working in a funk band! There's plenty of deep soul styles going on here – tunes that are more laidback and slow-stepping than before, so that Jones can really unfurl his vocal majesty, and create a sound that provides a fresh new chapter in the legacy of southern soul – not a retro rehash of modes from Stax or Atlantic, but a real 21st Century take on the territory! Titles include "See It Through", "I Want You", "Lord Have Mercy", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Letter To My 17 Year Old Self", "Sadie", "Wait Til I Get Over", "Gerri Marie", and "That Feeling". LP, Vinyl record album

Little Milton's always been as much of a soul singer as a bluesman – and this overlooked gem from the 70s has him hitting equally well on both fronts! The set's a great precursor to Milton's 80s revival on Malaco – but has the singer working in Chicago, with these deep soul arrangements by James Mack – who also brings in the excellent Kitty & The Haywoods for backing vocals! Little Milton's not trying too hard to overstate himself – and some cuts have this laidback, slow-burning feel that's nicely southern soul – mixed with a few funky moments that are equally nice. Titles include "Just One Step", "Me For You You For Me", "Loving You (Is The Best Thing To Happen To Me)", and "My Thing Is You". CD

The best work ever recorded by Freddie North – one of the most sophisticated singers on the southern scene at the end of the 60s – and an artist who really helped move deep soul past some of the more overdone cliches! The presentation and arrangements here are wonderful – beautifully suited to Freddie's deep-toned vocals, in a way that makes him one of the coolest, classiest singers of the southern scene at the time – yet also one who's still able to reach down to deeper roots to inflect his lyrics with just the right sort of force. The balance is wonderful – and almost makes North feel like some sort of southern soul counterpart to Chicago singers like Walter Jackson or Jerry Butler – and the set brings together work from his one full album for the Abet label, plus some other singles, and a few previously unreleased tracks too – 23 titles that include "Cuss The Wind", "Gotta Go Get Your Mommy", "From The Blind Side", "I Loved Another Woman", "Sun Comes Up", "I Have A Dream", "Oh Lord What Are You Doing To Me", "Til I Get It Right", "Lovin On Back Streets", "Taking Her Love Ain't Gonna Be Easy", and "Thank That Woman". CD

There's nothing blues-like about this great little cut from 1979 – one that has Warren Raye singing deep soul vocals over a slow-stepping groove with some warm modern soul production – very much in that warmer shift in southern soul that was taking place on labels like Malaco in the latter half of the 70s – a quality that's carried through on the flipside – an excellent cut that wasn't even issued back in the day! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A tremendous little album from Jimmy Ruffin – as "ruff" as the title implies, with a much deeper groove than you might find from other Motown releases at the time! The style here is really wonderful – rich, heartfelt vocals from Jimmy that easily match the best of the Detroit underground of the time – a style that's a bit like Darrell Banks or JJ Barnes, with echoes of the southern sound of the 60s – but produced to perfection with all the best that Motown could muster! Jimmy gets lots of heavy help from Norman Whitfield – who produced about half the tracks on the set, and gives Ruffin a sound that's somewhere between his righteous soul with the Temptations, and the best Motown grooves of his earlier work for the label. Other production is by Brian Holland & Lamont Dozier, William Weatherspoon & James Dean, and Richard Morris – all of whom follow Whitfield's lead nicely – and although the album's got few runaway hits, it's a rock-solid effort throughout – just the kind of album that makes us love the Motown full-length scene even more than the label's singles! Titles include "Lonely Lonely Man Am I", "It's Wonderful (To Be Loved By You)", "Don't Let Him Take Your Love From Me", "Everybody Needs Love", "Sad & Lonesome Feeling", "Love Gives Love Takes Away", and "Farewell Is A Lonely Sound". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous early work from the great Candi Staton – coming across here as much more of a deep soul singer than on her later club and disco tracks – thanks to rock-solid production from Muscle Shoals legend Rick Hall – probably the best producer ever to work with Candi's voice! The style's a bit smoother than on some of Candi's first few recordings – but still very much in a deep soul mode, with a sophisticated approach to southern soul that's really outta site – and which has Staton really evolving past earlier southern soul styles, bridging worlds in the same way that Millie Jackson was beginning to do with some of her excellent 70s material too! Tracks include "Do It In The Name Of Love", "The Best Thing You Ever Had", "The Thanks I Get For Loving You", "I'll Drop Everything & Come Running", and "Wanted Lover". LP, Vinyl record album

Tremendous early work from the great Candi Staton – coming across here as much more of a deep soul singer than on her later club and disco tracks – thanks to rock-solid production from Muscle Shoals legend Rick Hall – probably the best producer ever to work with Candi's voice! The style's a bit smoother than on some of Candi's first few recordings – but still very much in a deep soul mode, with a sophisticated approach to southern soul that's really outta site – and which has Staton really evolving past earlier southern soul styles, bridging worlds in the same way that Millie Jackson was beginning to do with some of her excellent 70s material too! Tracks include "Do It In The Name Of Love", "The Best Thing You Ever Had", "The Thanks I Get For Loving You", "I'll Drop Everything & Come Running", and "Wanted Lover". CD

Incredible work from Spencer Wiggins – a late 60s Memphis singer who travelled in the same circles as James Carr, Percy Sledge, and Otis Redding, but who hardly ever got his due – despite talents that were clearly equal to his contemporaries! This beautifully-done set brings together 14 tracks that Wiggins recorded for Goldwax Records in the late 60s – a label that was also home to Carr's best work, and who does an equally great job with Spencer's deep-burning vocals on these sides. Many of the tracks on the set were written by the cream of the crop of southern soul writers at the time – George Jackson, Quinton Claunch, Isaac Hayes, and others – and backings are often spare and subtle, really letting Wiggins' vocals take center stage! Titles include "I'm A Poor Man's Son", "Lonely Man", "Sweet Sixteen", "He's Too Old", "Anything You Do Is Alright", "I Never Loved A Woman The Way I Love You", "Old Friend", "Up Tight Good Woman", "Take Me Just As I Am", "Once In A While", "The Power of A Woman", "I'll Be True To You", and "Lover's Crime". LP, Vinyl record album

A deep soul classic from Betty Wright – one of her earliest albums of the 70s, and a Miami soul landmark that was one of the greatest female southern soul records of the time! Although Betty was well known for her earlier hit "Clean Up Woman", she didn't give into that fame – and keeps things mighty real on this set by working in a slow-burning deep soul mode. The vibe is nice and laidback, with plenty of mellow keyboard touches, subdued horn passages, and round, full sound served up to perfection by producers Clarence Reid and Willie Clarke. Titles include "Sweet Wonder", "Gimme Back My Man", "Who'll Be the Fool", "If You Think You've Got Soul", "It's Hard to Stop", and "The Experts". CD

The deepest sound of the legendary TK Records label in the 70s – music that shows the way the company was really helping to transform the sound of southern soul in the decade, and also open the door to a whole new range of styles too! The tracks here definitely have a mellow groove, but they're never sleepy – just set apart from the more disco-oriented hits on TK, thanks to a sophisticated approach to instrumentation and arrangements – at a level that still makes most of these cuts stand head and shoulder above mainstream soul of the time! You'll know a few artists from earlier, straighter material – and will discover a number of other rarer, much more obscure TK talents – in a great set list that includes "Confusion" by Leno Phillips, "Keep Her Happy" by Phillip Wright, "I Got Bills To Pay" by Johnny K, "Thousand Years" by Brand New, "If You Want My Love" by Jimmy Bo Horne, "You Can Be A Lady" by JP Robinson, "Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do" by Betty Wright, "Sleep On Dream On" by Raphael Munnings, "Tears Of The World" by Robert Moore, "The Silence That You Keep" by Milton Wright, "You Knock Me Out" by Wildflower, and "Love Insurance" by Gwen McCrae. CD

Funky sounds from the Harlem scene – an incredibly rich collection of work from the Rojac and Tayster labels – a set so massive, it's like finding a box of rare funky 45s and deep soul singles in the back of some old record store! The package offers up way more work than we might have expected from our knowledge of a few key funk classics from the labels – a treasure trove of under-discovered gems from the grittiest years of the New York scene – most of them cut in the pre-disco years, with raw edges that almost feel more like southern soul and funk than other work from the Big Apple! This overstuffed set also comes with a sweet booklet of notes – really telling the tale of the labels and related enterprises – plus 44 tracks that include "Where Were You" by Kim Tolliver, "Meet Me Halfway" by Lillie Bryant, "Old Love Never Dies" by Big Maybelle, "Something Special About My Baby" by Clarence Reid, "I Love My Baby" by International GTOs, "No Better For Ya" by Jo Armstead, Love Love Love" by Chuck Flamingo, "Christmas In Vietnam" by Private Charles Bowens & The Gentlemen From Tigerland, "Everybody's Going Wild" by Curtis Lee & The KCPs, "Lovin Lies" by Third Guitar, "This & That" by Jo Armstead, "Don't Lose Your Groove" by Lavell Hardy, "Nwanne Nwanne Nwanne" by Aleke Kanonu & Tolbert The Miracle Man, "Lucky Man" by Damn Sam The Miracle Man, "Baby Don't Cry" by Third Guitar, and "Whip Ya" by Chuck A Luck & The Lovemen Ltd. CD

Rare and previously unreleased magic from the Memphis soul scene of the late 60s & early 70s – the third release in Kent's compilation series of gems from the Sounds Of Memphis and XL labels – possibly the rarest collection to date! The numbers here have a proudly southern soul groove at the core, but there's a breadth of styles and deep well of talent at play and this set really gets at the heart of it. Many of the tracks here are on par with the best known southern soul of the era and are as effective as the biggest hits – and we're hearing most of it for the first time! Soulful numbers from singers and groups alike – great stuff by The Minits, George Jackson, The Ovations, Erma Shaw, Willie Walker and many more. We keep thinking that the vaults will empty out, but Kent keeps digging more Sounds Of Memphis treasures – here's hoping it continues! 22 tracks in all: "If You Never See Me" and "Run Around" by Willie Walker, "Hook Line & Sinker" and "Lover Boy" by The Minits, "How Can I Get Next To You" (alternate vocal) and "Love Trying To Come" by George Jackson, "You're Slipping Away" and "Take A Look At Yourself" by Dan Greer, "Guessing Game" by Jimi Hall, "The Plumber" by The Ovations and more. CD

Given that Atlantic's big claim to fame with Aretha was that they took her from being a supper club jazz singer and made her a hard soul act, we've always been a bit surprised at the way they chose to hook her up with some Bacharach tunes after her first few sides – giving her a classier uptown sound to mix with the deeper southern style that broke her out big. This album's a great example of how Aretha can mix the two styles – as it features the title rendition of "This Girl's In Love With You", and great versions of "Dark End Of The Street" and "Sit Down & Cry", and the sublime "Call Me", which is a perfect blend of the two styles in one song. And oddly, the "classier" material was recorded down in Miami, Atlantic's new home for soul in the south. LP, Vinyl record album

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! LP, Vinyl record album

A lost treasure from the Swamp Dogg universe of the early 60s – and one of the first albums to ever feature the vocals of Charlie Whitehead too! Charlie works here as a Swamp Dogg protege – and Swamp arranged, produced, and wrote most of the tracks on the record – with that great deep soul style of his own early gems! The vibe here is more straight ahead, with less of the gimmicks or jokes of Swamp's music – but we mean that in a good way, as Charlie really shines as a singer of southern soul – working here in the Capricorn studios down in Macon. At times, the set has a lot more overt politicism than your average southern soul album from the time – especially on tracks like "Call Me N_gger" and "The Freedom Under Certain Konditions Marching Band" – and oher tracks include "I Dig Black Girls", "Who Do They Think They Are?", and "Sweet Bird Of Success". CD

A label-spanning collection that definitely offers up the best of this wonderful soul singer – plus loads of lesser-known gems as well! Bettye Swann may never have truly hit the big time in the late 60s – at least not in comparison to a contemporary like Aretha Franklin – but she was a hell of a deep soul singer who always gave her best, and who got set up with an excellent range of sessions on labels that include Fame, Atlantic, Capitol, and Money Records – all of which are featured here! Swann's got this badass way of putting over a lyric when she wants to – the deep soul grit that came from her time in the indie market – but she also grew to a new level of sophistication in the 70s, and moved past any of the southern soul cliches that so many artists were still clinging to – to emerge with a righteous power that's summed up in the cool cover image here! The set features a few new mixes of tracks from Bettye's Money label sessions – plus lots more tracks too – a total of 24 that include "Traces", "Then You Can Tell Me Goodbye", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Make Me Yours", "Our Love", "Don't Wait Too Long", "When The Game Is Played On You", "Kiss My Love Goodbye", "Time To Say Goodbye", "I'm Just Living A Lie", "Tell It Like It Is", "All The Way In Our All The Way Out", "Closed For The Season", and "I Think I'm Falling In Love". CD

Blue belles with attitude, and plenty of soul as well – a sweet collection of west coast female R&B from the postwar years – put together with the usual top-shelf standard we expect from Ace Records! And although R&B, the tunes here almost have an early soul sound at points – deep, heartfelt vocals that definitely lay the groundwork for southern soul and other styles to come in the 60s. All the work here comes from the vaults of Modern/RPM Records – and in addition to some key sides from the late 40s and 1950s, the package also features some unreleased treasures that easily stand head-to-head with the commercially released tracks on the set. The CD features 28 tracks in all – 23 on this format for the first time ever – and as usual with Ace, the booklet's a wealth of information, label scans, and vintage photos. Titles include "Mr T 99" by Del Graham, "Two Years Of Torture" by Edna Broughton, "I Ain't In The Mood" by Helen Humes, "I'm Tellin You Baby" by The Nic Nacs, "That's Fat Jack" by Jimmy Lee & Artis, "Nightmare Blues"by Mari Jones, "Be Bop Boogie" by Effie Smith, "Lonely Girl" by Cordella De Milo, "Mean Ole Gal" by Esther Jones with Johnny Otis, and "Vivianne's Boogie" by Vivianne Green. CD

With that whip in her hand, we're not gonna argue with Fontella Bass about her New Look in the photo – and we can definitely say that the whole classic album definitely lives up to her hip, powerful stance on the cover! Fontella's a singer who started in gospel, later sung jazz, but who really comes into her stride here – mixing St Louis roots with Chicago 60s soul in a completely sublime batch of tracks all the way through! To most folks, Fontella's remembered for a few reasons – her Aretha Franklin-styled hit "Rescue Me" (often mistaken for Aretha herself), or the fact that she married Art Ensemble member Lester Bowie. But back at the start, Fontella was a heck of a great little soul singer – capable of a wide variety of modes, all of which are included here! Some tracks are as sophisticated and classy as Marlena Shaw at the time, others are downright rootsy – with more of a deep soul southern mode – and in addition to the seminal hit "Rescue Me", other titles include "Come & Get These Memories", "Soul Of The Man", "Oh No Not My Baby", "How Glad I Am", "Our Day Will Come", and "I'm A Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

A great deep soul tune from James! The track's a holiday number – and the sweet little baby boy is ol' JC himself – but with James singing the vocals, the whole thing sounds like some great southern soul number, with Christmas only a deep memory away. Nice and slow and soulful – with strings and piano backing up the vocals. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Deep deep deep soul from The Knight Brothers – a wonderful duo who cut some fantastic sides for Chess Records in the 60s! The Brothers originally hailed from Washington DC, and came to Chicago by way of New York – somehow managing to pick up all the best bits of these geographic influences in the meantime! At one level, the Knights have a sound that's got lots of touches of southern soul – a pre-Sam & Dave approach to vocals that usually has one singer out front, and the other egging him on. But as they grew – and for a brief while adapted into the vocal group The Carltons – they also started to harmonize a lot more, and moved into a realm that was a lot like The Impressions at their best – sweet harmonies sung with a lot of depth, and often done with a heartbreaking quality that was really wonderful! This Japanese-only album is the closest thing the group ever came to having a full length set on Chess. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the few full albums ever issued by McKinley Mitchell – a deep soul singer with an equal amount of blues in his approach – and this great raspy approach to a lyric that's somewhere in between ZZ Hill and Bobby Blue Bland! The date of the album is 1978, but the whole thing has a vibe that could be years earlier – a really classic southern soul approach, with backings by a sweet studio combo that's clearly getting some great directly from James Stroud, who also helped with production. Things are nicely laidback and under-polished – and Mitchell's wonderful voice really gets to shine on tracks that include "Open House At My House", "You're So Fine", "The Town I Live In", "You Know I've Tried", "Run To Love", "Dream Lover", "End Of The Rainbow", and "Follow The Wind". LP, Vinyl record album

Pick any 10 words out of any Outkast album description on our pages at random, and you'll see how dearly we've loved these boys throughout the years – but truth be told, deep down we didn't think that they would be able to pull off the double album/solo album project(s). We were seriously wrong – Speakerboxxx/Love Below is HUGE in every way, and both halves are great all the way through! If you were worried Big Boi's Speakerboxxx half would be lazy southern hip hop without Andre's freaky presence throughout, you can put those fears to rest right now. Speakerboxxx is a deeply soulful electro hopping pounder from front to back – every bit as innovative as Andre's half! Tracks include "Ghettomusick" (which features one of just two appearances by A3000 on the whole disc), "Bowtie" with Sleepy Brown, "Bust" with Killer Mike, "Church", "Tomb Of The Boom" with Konkrete, Big Gipp and Ludacris, "Flip Flop" with Jay-Z, "The Way You Move" and more. A lot of press has been given to the assumption that Andre 3000 has largely forsaken hip hop on his half (The Love Below) and has instead dived head first into cosmic future funk. Well, the rumors are true. There's lots of straight up jazz piano and horn bits on the Love Below, with Andre's half serious, half tongue-in-cheek romantic soul cabaret croon way over the top. It's steeped in the classic Outkast party vibe, but with lots of Sign Of The Times-era Prince (complete with androgynous distorted vocals), Parliament and Cameo thrown into the mix. Sick, energetic genius! Tracks include the deliriously great "Hey Ya!" single, "She Lives In My Lap", "Love Hater", "Happy Valentine's Day", "Roses", "Good Day, Good Sir", "Behold A Lady", "Pink And Blue", "Spread", "Dracula's Lady" with Kelis, and more. Who the hell knows what they can possibly do to surprise us after this – but wherever Andre 3000 and Big Boi go from here, they each have yet another classic in the discography! CD

Easily our favorite album ever by Ann Peebles – not just for the beathead title track, but also because it seems to be the one record where she brings a bit something extra to the studio! The sound is certainly in the classic Hi Records mode here – thanks to production by Willie Mitchell – but there's also a deeper groove overall, a stronger burning bottom, and an all-soul sound to most tracks that goes way beyond simple cliches of southern soul. Ann's vocals are tremendous throughout – sometimes sweet, sometimes mean – and titles include the sublime "I Can't Stand The Rain", plus "Run Run Run", "One Way Street", "You Keep Me Hangin On", and "If We Can't Trust Each Other". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Jeannie Reynolds – and her lasting contribution to underground soul! Jeannie's vocals are nice and deep – with hints of southern diva phrasing, filtered through some of the tighter soul styles coming out of Chicago and other points north at the time! Detroit talents LJ Reynolds, Tony Hester, and Don Davis produce – save for one song by Michael Henderson – and the big highlight is the slow groover "The Fruit Song", a sly seductive stepper of a track, with rolling congas, sweeping strings, and a very catchy hook from Jeannie. That number runs for about 7 minutes long – and the album also includes a number of nice shorter cuts, like "I've Still Got My Pride", "The Feelin' Ain't There", and "You Want To Get Your Hands On A Woman" – all wonderful numbers that will have you loving Jeannie as one of your favorite new discoveries in 70s soul! LP, Vinyl record album

One of the deepest soul records ever issued by Chess Records – and the album wasn't even done in Chicago! The album's the only full effort issued under the name of Kim Tolliver – a singer who'd worked previously for Fantasy as Kimberley Briggs – and it's a sublime effort from Tolliver and husband Fred Briggs, who'd worked together previously on work for Stax by Margie Joseph! The style here is quite unique – a mix of Kim's southern soul-styled vocals with some fuller, richer touches – almost in the same way that Gloria Scott comes across on her classic album with Barry White – but a bit more rough around the edges overall. The production is amazing – with a great sense of space and style – and some key use of echo that really underscores the emotion of the tunes. A good part of the album was recorded in Miami – with echoes of the TK modes of the time – but other recording was also done in Cleveland, which might account for the more unique aspects of the set. Regardless of location, though, the album's a tremendously individual effort – a bold, raw statement from Tolliver – filled with emotion that few of her contemporaries could match, and free of any crossover soul cliches that were really bogging down other artists at the time. Most tracks here are original – as original in conception as the sound of the record – and titles include "The Other Side Of Town", "The Way He Used To", "She Don't Know You Like I Do", "Takin A Woman's Stand", "I'm Losing The Feeling", "Learn To Get Along Without You", and "I Need You/Drop Whatever You're Doing". CD

A huge collection of work from the second chapter in the career of long-running New Orleans soul singer Johnny Adams – work after his initial rise to fame on the SSS International label, from a time when he was working with producer Senator Jones, in a groove that nicely updated an older deep soul style! In later years, Adams would emerge as a more traditional artist, but here he's doing a great job of working with larger charts alongside his well-crafted vocals – in a style that's not unlike that used by Johnnie Taylor and Tyrone Davis in the late 70s too – a more sophisticated take on southern soul, and one that seems to push some of Adams' vocals even more than before! Most of the work was recorded at the Seasaint studios in the late 70s – and titles include "Nothing Takes The Place Of You", "After All The Good Is Gone", "Feel The Beat", "Chasing Rainbows", "It's Been So Long", "Think About You", "Your Love Is All I Need", "Baby Baby I Love You", "She's Only A Baby Herself", "Stay With Me & Stay In Love", "I Don't Want To Cry", and "Memories". 2CD set features 30 tracks in all – including the live cuts "Lost Mind", "Road Block", and "I Cover The Waterfront". CD

The great thing about Lee Fields is that he just keeps on giving – giving us the sort of deep soul music that first caught our ears back when he was recording in near obscurity for a small southern label – and which has finally gotten the attention it deserves in recent decades! Lee's got the ability to sing at the level of an Otis Redding or James Carr, but without sounding like he's trying to copy the classics – and for good reason too, as Lee is the classic – maybe a bit younger than Redding and Carr, but not by much – and more than able to take southern soul strongly into the contemporary generation, with slow-burning genius on titles that include "Ordinary Lives", "Sentimental Fool", "The Door", "Forever", "Two Jobs", "Without A Heart", "Your Face Before My Eyes", and "Extraordinary Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Two wonderful albums from Loleatta Holloway – both a strong full-length document of her early genius in the Atlanta studios! First up is the Loleatta album from 1973 – and if you only know Loleatta Holloway as a disco singer, you'll be really amazed at this debut album – because Loleatta emerges first as deep soul singer with a strong southern vibe – very much in the mode the Atlanta scene did best, before picking up the pace a bit more as the 70s moved on! There's a mellow, blue sort of vibe to the record – but still plenty of that pride and power that made Holloway an equally great singer on an upbeat tune – served up here on tunes by Sam Dees, Ashford & Simpson, and other hip songwriters of the period – set to strong arrangements by Mike Terry, who does a great job of bringing out the lady at her best. Titles include "We Did It", "Mother Of Shame", "Only A Fool", "So Can I", "Our Love", and "Love Woke Me Up". Cry To Me is a wonderful album of southern soul from Loleatta Holloway! The record was her last in the deep soul mode – and it's a gem that should have made her as big as her later disco records – a really well-crafted extension of styles that Stax and Atlantic had done in the 60s, but given a smoother, more sophisticated vibe for the 70s! The record was produced by Floyd Smith, and it's got some of the most sophisticated production we've heard on a southern diva album from the 70s – with instrumentation that still boggles us with its brilliance. Case in point is the amazing cut "Cry To Me", which has these insane banks of "weeping" guitar that send chills down our spine! The cut was written by Sam Dees, who also penned some other fine material for the album – and titles include "I Know Where You're Coming From", "Just Be True To Me", "Something About The Way I Feel", and a cover of Ruby Andrews' "Casanova". CD