One of Esther's strong winners for Kudu – a record that takes her soulful style of earlier years, and wraps it around some sly 70s funky arrangements! Ex-James Brown hornman Pee Wee Ellis arranged the album, and gave Esther a nice little dose of funk that really helped her groove – getting out of the sad bag of her Atlantic recordings, and sounding hipper than anyone would have expected! The record features the great slow funk groover "Black Eyed Blues" – and other tracks include "I've Only Known A Stranger", "You Could Have Had Me, Baby", and "Too Many Roads". CD also features the bonus track "Tangle In Your Lifeline", previously unissued! CD

A sweet groover from Esther Phillips – done in a style that's much more club-oriented than before, but which we find ourselves liking quite a lot! Given that Esther had explored other modes quite thoroughly on other 60s and 70s sessions, the change here is actually a nice one – and the overall presentation is handled with a good sense of class and poise by Harvey Mason, who produced the session, and gives the record a sound that's hip enough to make it work. Esther sound especially great on the album's sweet stepper "Bedtime Stories", but other cuts are nice too – and titles include "Our Day Will Come", "Oo Oop Oo Oop", "Love Makes A Woman", "Mr Melody", and "I'll Close My Eyes". LP, Vinyl record album

A collection of tracks that Esther recorded for Atlantic between the years 1964 and 1970, many of which continue the feeling of the Country Side album. Titles include "Hello Walls", "Double Crossing Blues", "I'm In Love", "Catch Me I'm Fallin", "All God Has Is Us", "Woman Will Do No Wrong", and "Crazy Love". CD

Pivotal work from Esther Phillips – and maybe for 60s female soul as well – as the set has the once-raw singer really taking a hip, sophisticated twist – using some jazzy backings to really up her game, and find a whole new level of expression! Her version of the Beatles title track is amazing, and she sings it with a fragility and sensitivity that Lennon and McCartney could only dream of. There's loads of other great cuts on here too – like "If You Love Me, Really Love Me", "Too Soon To Know", and "Make Believe Dreams" – and the arrangements are by Ray Ellis and Mort Garson. LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from a fantastic time in the career of singer Esther Phillips – a point when she brought her soulful style to the CTI/Kudu Records label – and cut some of the best material of her career! Esther had already been making records for quite some time before these sides – early R&B work as Little Esther Phillips in the 50s, and 60s soul for Atlantic – but the sweet electric funk of Kudu really helped her find a fresh new groove – one that matched the freedoms she was finding with her vocals, but in a way that still let her keep that sharp edge that was always her trademark in soul! The blend of modes here is incredible – unlike anyone before or since – to a point where Esther might well have been the funky jazz generation's version of Billie Holiday. The music is wonderful, too – with arrangements from top-shelf jazz and funk musicians who include Pee Wee Ellis, Joe Beck, David Matthews, and Don Sebesky – all of whom use instrumentation from other hip players working for CTI at the time. 16 cuts total including "Such A Night", "Alone Again (Naturally)", "Performance", "From A Whisper To A Scream", "Black-Eyed Blues", "One Night Affair", "Disposable Society", and the previously unreleased "Mr. Bojangles". CD

One of Esther Phillips' biggest comeback albums from the 70s – a classic set that takes her deeply soulful vocal approach, and sets it to some sweet jazz funk backings – served up by guitarist Joe Beck, who almost gets equal credit on the album cover! The rest of the lineup is equally great – with alto from David Sanborn, more horns from The Brecker Brothers, and even a bit of work from Steve Khan – all fusion superstars in their own right, but who never eclipse Esther's lead. Titles include a good version of Grover Washington's "Mr Magic" – with the same funky undercurrent as the original – plus the tracks "One Night Affair", "I Can Stand A Little Rain", "Hurtin House", "Turn Around Look At Me", and a semi-hit version of "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes". LP, Vinyl record album

The cover might be a bit "on the nose" – but the album itself has some really nice tracks, thanks in part to production and arrangements by Pee Wee Ellis, who always managed to get the best out of Esther during the 70s! The groove's got a lot top shelf clubby soul and easygoing funky swagger – and Esther sounds great out front! Tracks include "Into The Mystic", "Love Addict", "If I Loved You", "In A Soft & Subtle Way", "My Prayer", and "Somewhere Along The Line". LP, Vinyl record album

A key moment in the career of Esther Phillips – and a record that really has her shaking off the rougher bluesy styles of the earlier years, and pointing the way towards strong jazz success in the 70s! The album's definitely burnin, but with a sophisticated vibe too – as Esther works with backing from a small combo that includes Jack Wilson on piano, Richard Tee on organ, Chuck Rainey on bass, and Cornell Dupree on guitar – a lineup that almost hits the same vibe as her later work on CTI/Kudu – and which brings out a new depth in Esther's vocals that's simply amazing! There's a heartbreaking quality to most of the numbers – a mix of roots and class, depth and poise – all served up in a style that's unlike any other singer before or since. Titles include "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream", "And I Love Him", "Shangri-La", "I'm Getting Long Alright", and "Please Send Me Someone To Love". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite-ever albums from Esther Phillips – an album that really helped her transform her sound for the 70s! The approach here is a lot more jazzy than before – served up with a good dose of funk, thanks to arrangements from Pee Wee Ellis – fresh from his work with James Brown, but even more electrically-oriented here! The groove is great – and the album's one of the best Kudu sides from the early 70s – a perfect blend of soul, jazz, and funk – all wrapped up with a new level of sophistication that benefits all parties involved. Other players include Richard Tee on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, Bernard Purdie on drums, Airto on percussion, and Hank Crawford on alto sax. Titles include an incredible cover of Gil Scott Heron's "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", plus "From A Whisper To A Scream", "Till My Back Ain't Got No Bone", "Your Love Is So Doggone Good", Scarred Knees", and "Baby, I'm For Real". LP, Vinyl record album

One of our favorite-ever albums from Esther Phillips – an album that really helped her transform her sound for the 70s! The approach here is a lot more jazzy than before – served up with a good dose of funk, thanks to arrangements from Pee Wee Ellis – fresh from his work with James Brown, but even more electrically-oriented here! The groove is great – and the album's one of the best Kudu sides from the early 70s – a perfect blend of soul, jazz, and funk – all wrapped up with a new level of sophistication that benefits all parties involved. Other players include Richard Tee on keyboards, Eric Gale on guitar, Bernard Purdie on drums, Airto on percussion, and Hank Crawford on alto sax. Titles include an incredible cover of Gil Scott Heron's "Home Is Where The Hatred Is", plus "From A Whisper To A Scream", "Till My Back Ain't Got No Bone", "Your Love Is So Doggone Good", Scarred Knees", and "Baby, I'm For Real". CD includes four previously unissued tracks, "How Blue Can You Get", "Brother Brother", "Don't Run & Hide", and "A Beautiful Friendship". CD

Not a live album – as you might think from the title – but a tight batch of tunes that shows the full funk and soul talents of the legendary Esther Phillips! The album's got a nicely dark undercurrent at times – a sound that's not as smooth as some of Esther's other Kudu albums from the 70s, with bits of R&B bubbling underneath the more contemporary arrangements. Backings are penned by Pee Wee Ellis and Gary King – and players include Bob James and Richard Tee on keyboards, Hubert Laws on flute, and Bernard Purdie and Steve Gadd on drums – the latter of whom provides a sublime beat on the album's standout funky number "Disposable Society" – one of those great little groovers that never did anything for Esther at the time of its release, but which has really gotten rediscovered in recent years! Other tracks include "Doing Our Thing", "Living Alone", "Can't Trust Your Neighbor With Your Baby", and "I Feel The Same". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Esther Phillips' biggest comeback albums from the 70s – a classic set that takes her deeply soulful vocal approach, and sets it to some sweet jazz funk backings – served up by guitarist Joe Beck, who almost gets equal credit on the album cover! The rest of the lineup is equally great – with alto from David Sanborn, more horns from The Brecker Brothers, and even a bit of work from Steve Khan – all fusion superstars in their own right, but who never eclipse Esther's lead. Titles include a good version of Grover Washington's "Mr Magic" – with the same funky undercurrent as the original – plus the tracks "One Night Affair", "I Can Stand A Little Rain", "Hurtin House", "Turn Around Look At Me", and a semi-hit version of "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes". CD

One of Esther Phillips' biggest comeback albums from the 70s – a classic set that takes her deeply soulful vocal approach, and sets it to some sweet jazz funk backings – served up by guitarist Joe Beck, who almost gets equal credit on the album cover! The rest of the lineup is equally great – with alto from David Sanborn, more horns from The Brecker Brothers, and even a bit of work from Steve Khan – all fusion superstars in their own right, but who never eclipse Esther's lead. Titles include a good version of Grover Washington's "Mr Magic" – with the same funky undercurrent as the original – plus the tracks "One Night Affair", "I Can Stand A Little Rain", "Hurtin House", "Turn Around Look At Me", and a semi-hit version of "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes". CD reissue also features the 45 version of "What A Diff'rence A Day Makes". CD

A stellar collection of country soul by many of the greatest voices of any strain of soul music – Solomon Burke, Esther Phillips, Al Green, Bettye Swann, Percy Sledge, Little Milton, Candi Stanton and many more! A healthy portion of the material comes from the late 60s and early 70s – recordings that bring a depth of genuine soul to songs written or popularized by artists more often associated with the country charts. That said, it's soul music all the way – showing both the dexterity of these great soul singers and the adaptability of the such great songs. Includes "Detroit City" by Arthur Alexander, "He'll Have To Go" by Solomon Burke, "Take Time To Know Her" by Percy Sledge, "I Saw Me" by Esther Phillips, "Hangin' On" by Ann Peebles, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" by Al Green, "Behind Closed Doors" by Little Milton, "Set Me Free" by Clarence Carter, "Yours, Love" by Joe Simon, "She Even Woke Me Up To Say Goodbye" by Brook Benton and more. CD

A nice selection of late 60s soul and R&B titles off the Atlantic roster: Aretha Franklin "I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You)", Wilson Pickett "Land Of 1000 Dances", Joe Tex "Hold What You've Got", Arthur Conley "Sweet Soul Music", Esther Phillips "Release Me", the Capitols "Cool Jerk", Percy Sledge "When A Man Loves A Woman", Solomon Burke "If You Need Me", Ray Charles "What'd I Say", Don Covay "Mercy, Mercy", Ben E King "Spanish Harlem" and the Drifters "On Broadway". LP, Vinyl record album

A great mix of funky jazz, jazzy funk, and funky soul – all pulled from the Atlantic catalog of the 60s, and including some very tasty numbers that were only ever issued as funky 45s! The set's one of the nicest in the great Mod Jazz series on Ace, and it's the only one to feature Atlantic material, which rarely ever gets the same funky treatment as other labels from the 60s. Titles include "The Sidewinder" by Tamiko Jones & Herbie Mann, "Do It To Death" by Jackie Ivory, "Jet Set" by Dave Pike, "Fever" by Esther Phillips, "Jam Up Twist" by Tommy Ridgely, "Sticks & Stones (part 1)" by Gene Ludwig, "Bloodshot" by Hubert Laws, "Sombrero Sam" by Charles Lloyd, "The Foolkiller" by Mose Allison, "One Note Samba" by MJQ & Laurindo Almeida, "It's A Funky Thing – Right On (part 1)" by Herbie Mann, "Watermelon Man Ska" by Byron Lee & The Dragonaires, "Trese Lobos" by Mark III Trio, "You're The Boss" by LaVern Baker & Jimmy Ricks, "Burnin Coal" by Les McCann, and "Twist City" by Matthew Gee & Johnny Griffin. 26 cuts in all – and like finding a jukebox that's lain dormant in a jazz lounge for 30 years! CD

An interesting early album from Betty Carter – less jazz than some of her later work, but with a bit more of an edge than some of her ABC recordings. The album's got sort of an arranged sophisticated jazz style – in the mode of 60s work by Esther Phillips or Dinah Washington – and Betty handles some wonderful material with a dark edge, like "Two Cigarettes In The Dark", "Nothing More To Look Forward To", "Round Midnight", "I Wonder", "Who What Why Where When", and "The Good Life", all done in a sorrow-drenched style that's incredibly compelling, and a very different side to Betty's career. An album you'll be hard-pressed to find on vinyl – and nicely repacked for CD with 2 bonus cuts: "One Note Samba" and "Shine On Harvest Moon". CD

One of the more soulful albums ever cut by Japanese vocalist Mieko Hirota – a set that mixes her warmly raspy style with some equally warm electric backings – all with a vibe that's a bit like Esther Phillips' albums for Kudu Records! Arrangements are by Hiromasa Suzuki and Kiyoshi Sugano – and Suzuki plays keyboards on all cuts, while Sugano brings in a few guitar solos too – amidst other jazz-based instrumentation that's warmed up by some larger strings, used at just the right, light level! Lyrics are in English – and titles include "Soul Lady", "If You Touch Me Baby", "I'm Blind To All But You", "Love Won't Let Me Wait", "They Say It's Wonderful", "Loving You Was Like A Party", and "Love For Sale". LP, Vinyl record album

A real standout 70s set from Nina Simone – a one-off date for CTI Records, done with a sound that's different than her earlier work for RCA, Philips, and Colpix! The groove here is often as soul-based as it is vocal jazz – thanks to arrangements from David Matthews, who brings a similar sound here to his other work with Esther Phillips in the decade – another older singer who'd hit some very hip territory at the time. The groove here is very much like Phillips' best for Kudu – smooth and soulful, but in ways that still retain all the rasp and character of the lead vocals. Titles include a sublime reading of Randy Newman's excellent "Baltimore", plus "The Family", "My Father", "Music For Lovers", "Rich Girl", and "Balm In Gilead". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from Sippie Wallace, Jimmy Witherspoon, LaVern Baker, Mama Yancey, Joe Turner, Lil Green, Ruth Baker, Percy Mayfield, Ted Taylor, Esther Phillips, Otis Clay, Rufus Thomas, and more. CD

Way more than just classic disco – hardly the hits package you might expect, and a really well-chosen batch of grooves that gets right down to the music that really mattered on the dancefloor back in the day! As you'd hear in the best clubs of the late 70s, the grooves here come from a range of different sources – funky jazz, clubby soul, crossover club, and more – tracks from both big labels and small, laid out back to back at a level that really recreates the excitement of a hip disco back in the day – not in a live mix, so you can enjoy each song on its own, but still in a way that makes you feel like there's a legendary DJ guiding the grooves. Titles include "Love Magic" by John Davis & Monster Orchestra, "Thanks For Loving Me" by Double Discovery, "Do Your Dance" by Rose Royce, "Keep On Dancin" by Gary's Gang, "Counting On Love" by Peter Jacques Band, "Gone Gone Gone" by Johnny Mathis, "What A Difference A Day Makes" by Esther Phillips, "Makes You Blind (re-edit)" by Glitter Band, "Just A Groove" by Glen Adams Affair, "Livin Up To Love" by Companion, "Twilight Zone/Twilight Tone" by Manhattan Transfer, "Turn The Music Up" by Players Association, "It Burns Me Up" by Change, "Could Heaven Ever Be Like This" by Idris Muhammad, "Lady Bug (disco mix)" by Bumblebee Unlimited, "Bama Boogie Woogie" by Cleveland Eaton, "Can't Live Without Your Love" by Tamiko Jones, "Dancin" by Grey & Hanks, and "Cherchez La Femme/Se Si Bon" by Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band. 2CD set comes in a cool 7" package – with 24 tracks in all! CD

Music from Frankie Lymon, Dee Clark, Esther Phillips, the Chantels, Rosco Goron, Otis Redding, the Coasters, Flares, Gladys Knight, the Five Satins, Slim Harpo, Jerry Butler, and more – 22 tracks total. CD

A lost 70s session from this R&B legend – a singer best known for her famous 50s recordings for Atlantic Records – but one who sounds equally great here, although in a completely different way! At some level, Ruth Brown here has matured in the same way that Esther Phillips had from her early days – leaning into jazz a bit more, and working on some more subtle elements in her vocal approach. This session features Ruth with Richard Tee on organ, David Spinoza on guitar, and Bernard Purdie on drums – and it includes a number of nice mellow tracks like "Walk A Mile", "Hurry Change", "All Around The World", and "Snap Your Fingers". LP, Vinyl record album

Music from the Drifters, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Barbara Lewis, Doris Troy, Chris Kenner, Esther Phillips, Joe Tex, Willie Tee, Barbara Lewis, and more. CD

A 2CD sampler that features some of the greatest moments of the famous 70s jazz funk label CTI! The well-chosen set features 19 tracks in all – and the groove ranges from laidback and soulful, to fast and funky fusion, with work from a really wide range of players, including some that will surprise you with the sounds they make on the set! Titles include "Don't Mess With Mr T" by Stanley Turrentine, "Also Sprach Zarathustra (2001)" by Deodato, "Take Ten" by Paul Desmond, "La Cuna" by Ray Barretto, "Jaws" by Lalo Schifrin, "We're In Love" by Patti Austin, "Sunflower" by Milt Jackson, "My Latin Brother" by George Benson, "Ponteio" by Astrud Gilberto, "Blue Selah" by Johnny Hammond, "Mr Blues" by Hank Crawford, "California Dreamin" by George Benson, "Do It Again" by Deodato, "Home Is Where The Hatred Is" by Esther Phillips, and "People Make The World Go Round" by Milt Jackson. CD

Features work by George Benson, Deodato, Freddie Hubbard, Hubert Laws, Ron Carter, Joe Farrell, Esther Phillips, Johnny Hammond, and Hank Crawford. CD

A killer batch of breaks from the same folks who gave us the Tribe Vibes and Pete's Treats sets! As with those, this compilation is based around tracks sampled by a famous hip hop act – Mobb Deep to be exact, running through tunes used for classics like "Shook Ones", "GOD Part III", "Street Life", "Temperature's Rising", and lots more! There's a total of 26 tracks on 2LPs – with a range of great 70s titles that includes "Tony's Theme (part 2)" by Giorgio Moroder, "I'm Gonna Love You" by The Rascals, "The Windmills Of Your Mind" by Jose Feliciano, "I Remember I Made You Cry" by The Headhunters, "Ironside" by Quincy Jones, "Love & Happiness" by Al Green, "That's All Right With Me" by Esther Phillips, "You Are My Starship" by Norman Connors, "I'm Tired Of Giving" by The Spinners, "Body Heat" by Quincy Jones, and "Thackeray Meets Faculty" by R Grainger. LP, Vinyl record album

It's Wu-Tang's world, and we just live in it – as we're reminded again by this great series of older funky cuts sampled by the group! As with other volumes, most of these numbers emerged at some point or another in Wu-Tang and related productions – but this set presents the full original songs, unmixed – a pretty damn great blend of 70s funky soul on its own, even if you've never had an ear for hip hop! Artists are a great mix of soul stars and underground legends – and titles include "What The World Needs Now" by Carla Thomas, "I Get High" by Freda Payne, "Get Myself High" by The Dynamics, "That's All Right With Me" by Esther Phillips, "Intimate Friends" by Eddie Kendricks, "Ain't Got The Love Of One Girl" by The Ambassadors, "Girls Can't Do What The Guys Do" by Betty Wright, "Our Generation" by Ernie Hines, "I'm Your Mechanical Man" by Jerry Butler, "Have Mercy On Me" by East St Louis Gospelettes, "Here I Go Again" by Jean Plum, "Let's Do It Again" by Staple Singers, "Only One Can Win" by The Sylvers, "Don't Make The Good Girls Go Bad" by Della Humphrey, "Dead" by Carolyn Sullivan, "Trouble" by Brenton Wood, "Float On (single edit)" by Floaters, "I Wish You Were Here" by Al Green, and "A Good Man Is Gone" by Monk Higgins & Alex Brown. LP, Vinyl record album

The second killer set in this series – a wonderful blend of AOR hits and soulful singers – wrapped up in a stunning style that's a great subgenre in itself! Many of the tunes here are familiar, but served up in versions you might not know at all – done by soul artists who were clearly inspired by the warmer styles of mid 70s AOR, but who also bring the modes back to soul music, and really open up the tunes with fantastic vocals and mighty nice grooves! The set is particularly heavy on that late 70s/early 80s moment when things were really coming together in the modern soul scene – and the set features titles that include "Dedicate This Heart" by Dionne Warwick, "Dreams" by Richie Havens, "Monkey See Monkey Do" by Patti Labelle, "Euphrates" by Main Ingredient, "Sara Smile" by Impact, "Listen To The Music" by Isley Brothers, "Gringo" by Arnold McCuller, "What You Won't Do For Love" by Roy Ayers, "Tin Man" by John Edwards, "It's Too Late" by Billy Paul, and "I Hope You'll Be Very Unhappy Without Me" by Esther Phillips. CD