A really cool collection of car-themed tunes – not 60s hot rod numbers, but mostly 50s tracks from those years when the automobile was really beginning to dominate American culture – and served as the inspiration for car-based cuts in a variety of different styles! A good number of the cuts here are 50s rockers, including some wild novelty-oriented numbers – but there's also country tracks, vocal tunes, and plenty more too – served up in a really well-done assortment of 33 songs that goes way past the familiar material you might find on a collection like this! As always, Bear Family have done a really great job – with presentation, notes, track selection, and more – on titles that include "Freeway USA" by The Bonnevilles, "Stop Jivin Start Drivin" by Bert Keyes, "Cruisin Central" by Faron Warmer, "Keep A Driving" by Chuck Willis, "Flat Tire" by The Del Vikings, "Wow Man" by Bobby Jackson, "The Drive In" by The Aquatones, "Get Out Of The Car" by The Lancers, "Cruisin" by Bucky & The Premieres, "Hey Little Car Hop" by George Weston, and "Big Green Car" by Jimmy Carroll. CD

Upbeat sounds from Muscle Shoals – music that's normally dubbed by the term of Northern Soul, but which was recorded in one of the best scenes in the American south! That confusion's easy to fix – as the "northern" in Northern Soul has always referred to the interest in a certain type of rhythm in the 60s UK scene up north – which means that the sounds can come from anywhere, especially a place that's as well-tuned to vintage soul styles as the legendary Fame studios! The tracks here were all recorded at Fame – handled by Rick Hall and his top-shelf lineup of studio musicians – and were issued on his own Fame label, and other imprints that include Atlantic, Bell, Cotillion, and a few others – appearing here alongside a number of tracks that weren't issued back in the day as well. The main thing to know is that the rhythms are upbeat and romping – and the singers are all pretty darn wonderful – as many are also known for famous deep soul recordings at fame. Titles include "A Stone Loser" by Ben & Spence, "I'm Qualified" by Otis Clay, "Love Is A Wonderful Thing" by Prince Phillip, "Ten Miles High" by David & The Giants, "Keep On Talkin" by James Barnett, "A World Of My Own" by Billy & Clyde, "It's Not Safe To Mess On Me" by George Jackson, "In The Heat Of Love" by Marjorie Ingram, "It Ain't What You Got" by Jimmy Hughes, "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman, "Your Love Lifted Me" by James Govan, and "Everytime" by Linda Carr. CD

A love letter to the legendary Fame Records – filled with unissued tracks and rare gems from the vaults! Fame was one of the great ones back in the day – the driving force behind Muscle Shoals soul music, and a company that helped really redefine the sound of the music in the 60s – thanks to incredible production, and a tight cast of studio musicians who knocked it out of the park on nearly every session! 21 of the set's 24 tracks have never been issued before – and, even more compelling, none were featured on the similar 7" box set from Ace – making the package a treasure trove of music, even for the serious soul collector. Titles include "Tell It Like It Is" by Big Ben Atkins, "Almost Persuaded" by Jackie, "You're So Fine" by James Barnett, "I Do" by June Conquest, "Your Helping Hand" by Otis Clay, "In The Heat Of Love" by Marjorie Ingram, "Steal Away 67" by Jimmy Hughes, "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy" by Ralph Soul Jackson, "Let's Do It Over" by Travis Wammack, "For You" by George Jackson, "Baby Come Back" by Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces, "Keep On Talking" by Prince Phillip, "It Ain't No Harm" by George Byrd & The Dominoes, "Blind Can't See" by Richard Earl & The Corvettes, and "I Need Someone" by The Entertainers. 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

Some of Gerry's earliest work on record – originally issued on 10" LPs for Prestige, collected together for the first time on one CD! The first 8 tracks feature Gerry working with the Chubby Jackson Big Band – an all-star ensemble that includes Zoot Sims, Georgie Auld, Howard McGhee, and JJ Johnson – on tracks that include "Flying The Coop", "New York", "Hot Dog", and "Why Not". The next 7 tracks feature Gerry's own group – an ensemble that features Nick Travis on trumpet, Allen Eager on tenor, and George Wallington on piano – on all original Mulligan titles that include "Ide's Side", "Bweebida Bobbida", "Kaper", and "Funhouse". The last 3 tracks on the set are bonus numbers from World Pacific trio sides with Chico Hamilton and Red Mitchell – and include "Godchild", "S'Wonderful", and "Get Happy". CD

Three wonderful albums from this legendary Brazilian singer – all presented in a single set! First up is Nothing Will Be As It Was Tomorrow – a record that's quite different from Flora's earlier work, but in a way that we find very compelling! The record was produced by Leon Ndugu Chancler, and it's got a smooth fusion sound that's kind of in a southern California R&B mode, played by a huge range of excellent Brazilian and west coast talents that include Patrice Rushen, Dorothy Ashby, Fred Jackson, Raul De Souza, Toninho Horta, and Airto. While this sound overwhelms the core of Flora's usual Brazilian jazz approach, it also expands some of the tracks to a great groove – with Flora's vocals on top, stretching out in a whole new way! Includes a great English language version of the Milton Nascimento classic "Nada Sera Como Antes", plus the cuts "You Love Me Only", "I'm Coming For Your Love", "Corre Nina", "Angels", "Bridges", and "Fairy Tale Song". Every Day Every Night is a beautifully soulful record from Flora Purim – still awash with touches from her Brazilian roots, but also done with a great 70s LA sound! Airto's helping Flora out on production, but the real hero here is Michel Colombier – who handles most of the arrangements and wrote a good deal of the tunes with Purim and Airto – mixing his own expansive studio talents with their organically-forged groove, in a way that makes the record a real standout from the California fusion scene of the 70s! Players include Randy Brecker, Lee Ritenour, George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Harvey Mason, and other jazz heavyweights – and titles include "The Hope", "I Just Don't Know", "In Brasil", "Blues Ballad", "Why I'm Alone", "Walking Away", and "Samba Michel". Carry On is one of Flora Purim's more R&B-sounding albums from the 70s, produced by George Duke with an appreciation for Flora's Brazilian jazz roots, but with a smoother sound that's in keeping with Duke's own work of the time! The combination is pretty sweet – a professional culmination of the mixture of fusion and Brazilian jazz that had been happening in the San Francisco scene during most of the 70s, and featuring many of the musicians who had helped make that groove so strong. Players include Airto, Sheila Escovedo, Joe Farrell, Ronnie Foster, Bobby Lyle, and Larry Williams – and tracks include "Niura Is Coming Back", "From The Lonely Afternoon", "Freeway Jam", "Beijo Partido", "Corine", and "Love Lock". Includes bonus tracks too – "Tango Blues" and "Sad Song". CD

Genius early work from Candi Staton – one of her first few gems recorded at Fame Studios with producer Rick Hall – and a set that packs the punch of some of the best female soul of the time! The groove here is stripped-down, raw, and ready – at a level that even Aretha Franklin's classic work for Atlantic in the late 60s couldn't even match. And unlike Aretha, Candi's work here is largely undiscovered – not nearly as filled with cliched, and stepping out nicely on a fresh set of tracks written by George Jackson, Clarence Carter, and others – all sung by Staton in a heartbreaking voice that should have been one of the biggest forces in 70s soul. Titles include "Evidence", "Get It When I Want It", "Another Man's Woman, Another Woman's Man", "I'm Just A Prisoner", and "I'd Rather Be An Old Man's Sweetheart". LP, Vinyl record album

Classic sounds from one of the coolest labels and studios in southern soul – the mighty Fame, which was to Muscle Shoals what Stax was to Memphis – especially at the time of these mid 60s recordings! Like Stax, Fame was an indie with a strong ear to the ground – and was able to pull together some incredible talent for its in-house roster – really strong songwriters, and session musicians who went on to become the stuff of legends – very different than the slicker cats on the coast, and instead some really dedicated young players who forever helped change the sound of soul in the 60s! Because of the core collection of talent at Fame, and the strength of its leader and producer Rick Hall, there's a really unified vibe to this material, even though the singers in the lead are always different – as were the labels that originally released some of this material. Leave it up to Ace Records to pull all the best bits together, and also give us the wonderful story behind the Muscle Shoals scene – on titles that include "Fortune Teller" by The Del-Rays, "I Can't Stop" by Arthur Conley, "It Tears Me Up" by James Barnett, "Feed The Flame" by Billy Young, Take Me Just As I Am" by Dan Penn, "Hi Heel Sneakers" by Jimmy Hughes, "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman, "That Kind Of Lovin" by Otis Clay, "Don't Make Me Hate Loving You" by Jeanie Greene, "Back In Your Arms" by George Jackson, "Thread The Needle" by Clarence Carter, "You Really Know How To Hurt A Guy" by Ralph Soul Jackson, "Long Ago" by Ben & Spence, "Keep On Talking" by James Barnett, "Come On Home" by Herman Moore, "Almost Persuaded" by June Conquest, "Wish You Didn't Have To Go" by Spooner & The Spoons, "I Worship The Ground You Walk On" by Jimmy Hughes, "A Piece Of My Heart" by Art Freeman, and "Blind Can't See" by Richard Earl & The Corvettes. CD

Two Latin funk classics – back to back in a single set! First up is the self-titled Azteca album – a crowning moment for the west coast Latin scene in the 70s – a wonderful Bay Area set that brings together some of the best talents working on that scene at the time! The set's got a great blend of modes – Latin soul, touches of funk, and plenty of the jazzy inflections you'd expect from a lineup that includes Coke Escovedo on timbales, Paul Jackson on bass, Lenny White on drums, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, Tom Harrell on trumpet, and Victor Pantoja on congas! Vocals are by Pete Escovedo – who brings in a heady soulful sound to the set – and the vibe is a bit like work by Malo or El Chicano, but even more jazz-based overall! Titles include "Peace Everybody", "Empty Prophet", "Can't Take The Funk Out Of Me", "Azteca", "Ah! Ah!", and "Mamita Linda". Next is Pyramid Of The Moon – a really special record from a really special group – one of two sublime 70s gems from Azteca – a wicked blend of jazz, funk, Latin, and soul – all put together by a young Coke Escovedo! Coke's ostensibly the leader of the group, but there's also a richly collaborative feel going on – a style that brings together jazz players like Tom Harrell on trumpet, Mel Martin on saxes, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, and Flip Nunez on organ – and Latin players like Victor Pantoja on congas, Coke Escovedo on timbales, and Pete Escovedo on added percussion. In fact, the set's a key early example of the strength of the Escovedo family – and like their best later efforts, the set really stretches out and pushes the boundaries of conventional genres. There's also some great guest work from Lenny White on drums, Mike Nock on keyboards, and Neal Schon on guitars – and vocals are by a range of singers who really keep things fresh. Titles include "Red Onions", "Mazatlan", "Whatcha Gonna Do", "Mexicana, Mexicana", and "Love Is A Stranger". CD

Jorge Dalto sounds plenty great here – in a Japanese-only session produced by bassist Teruo Nakamura, with a groove that's similar to his own work of the time! Dalto's keyboards are lean and clean throughout – often a bit of acoustic piano mixed in with electric, making for a warmly soulful sound that's like some of the best American fusion sessions of the time – no surprise, really, given that Jorge's compatriots on the date include George Benson on guitar, Bob Mintzer on reeds, Dave Valentin on flute, Anthony Jackson on bass, and Steve Gadd on drums. There's a gentle groove to most numbers – especially the cuts that have a bit of Latin percussion – and titles include "Song For Adela", "Winds Of Love", "Pina Colada", "Manteca", and "Nightline". CD

Von Freeman and Chico Freeman on saxophone, George Cables on piano, Santi DeBriano on bass, and Gene Jackson on drums. CD

A legendary album – and for good reason too – a set that's as mysterious as it is funky, and a record that's stayed at the top of our crates for years! The album features a really unusual collective of musicians, pulled together under the guidance of producer Paul Winley – a group that features George Benson on guitar, Dave Baby Cortez on organ, Willis Jackson on tenor sax, and Earl Williams on some massively funky drums! The music's a mix of funky jazz and gritty soul – put together with some really weird studio touches – including an uncredited male voice that comes in and out of the tracks, bad-rapping along with some very hip commentary. Ann Winley sings the female vocals on the set – often egged on by the dude – but the real charm of the record lies at the bottom – the wicked drums, funky basslines, and choppy instrumental bits that have gotten the set sampled plenty over the years. Titles include the classic "Smokin Cheeba Cheeba" alone, the groovy "Finger In It", a great breakbeat version of "Ain't No Sunshine" with a tenor solo by Willis Jackson, and the slow bluesy talking cut "Fed Up", a baaaad rap about a couple splitting up – done here in both vocal and instrumental versions. LP, Vinyl record album

Paul brings in the big guns with Ringo Starr, Michael Jackson, Stanley Clarke, and Andy McKay, with production by Sir George Martin! LP, Vinyl record album

The last album ever from the amazing Minnie Riperton – and one of her greatest records as well! The album was sadly issued after Minnie's untimely early passing from this planet – but it's a heavenly batch of tunes that definitely shows that her love of music lives forever – thanks not only to a strong talent for songwriting and sublime production from husband Richard Rudolph – but also some important help from a variety of all-star guests who are all brought together out of deep affection for Minnie. George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Roberta Flack, Patrice Rushen, Peabo Bryson and others all make key appearances here – working with arrangements from Johnny Pate, and vocals the Minnie recorded for the record before its completion. Titles include the perennial favorite "Here We Go" – easily one of Minnie's greatest tunes ever – plus "I'm In Love Again", "You Take My Breath Away", "Strange Affair", "Island In The Sun", and " The Song Of Life (La-La-La)". LP, Vinyl record album

A killer early Ace/Kent compilation, put together for the UK 6T's soul club – with work from Candy & The Kisses, Lee Charles, Chuck Jackson, George Tindley, Diane Lewis, Brenton Wood, Jack Montgomery, Honey Bees, Nella Dodds, Johnny Copeland, Big Maybelle, The Esquires, and The Moods! LP, Vinyl record album

First New Orleans, then Houston, now Baton Rouge – leave it to the folks at Tuff City to make any southern city funky funky funky! The album actually only features work by 4 artists – but all of them are pretty darn great, the kind of obscure funky acts that first put us in business years back! The groove is hard and heavy – quite a different slice of LA than the New Orleans groove – with lots more hard drums and rumbling bass, and an overall sound that's very much in the east coast indie funk sound of the early 70s. And honestly, this is one of the freshest and strongest compilations that Tuff City ever put out – filled with great tracks that include "Joy & Affection", "Funky Black Man", and "Hogwash" by Earnest Jackson; "I Never Found A Girl" by Underground Express; "That's Henry", "Mississippi Mud", and "Angela" by Black Blood & The Chocolate Pickles; and "Ooh Wee Baby I Love You", "What The Deal Is", and "Groove Making" by George Perkins. LP, Vinyl record album

Soulful wonderfulness from the vaults of Atlantic Records – a really hip collection of tracks that includes some excellent numbers that were only issued by the label as singles! The set goes way way past the usual run of 60s Atlantic soul – and shows the real depth of work that the label was working at at the time, moving way past easy hit material and recording some great lesser-known singers who still stand as some of the best examples of the southern soul sound that the label was forging. The whole collection is almost worth it alone for "That's How It Feels" by The Soul Clan – a special group that was a onetime meeting of Solomon Burke, Don Covay, Joe Tex, Ben E King, and Arthur Conley – some of Atlantic's biggest male singers at the time! Other titles include "You Are Too Much For The Human Heart" by Herman Hitson, "Can't Live Without You" by Soul Brothers Six, "I'll Put It To You" by James Carr, "Time To Say Goodbye" by Bettye Swann, "Cheer Up" by Rudy Mockabee, "Message To My Woman" by Walter Rhodes, "Leave You In The Arms Of Your Other Man" by Roscoe Robinson, "I've Loved You For So Long" by Rudy Lewis, "Ad For Love" by Lee Jackson, "Feed The Flame" by Ted Taylor, and "George Jackson" by JP Robinson. CD

A crowning moment for the west coast Latin scene in the 70s – a wonderful Bay Area set that brings together some of the best talents working on that scene at the time! The set's got a great blend of modes – Latin soul, touches of funk, and plenty of the jazzy inflections you'd expect from a lineup that includes Coke Escovedo on timbales, Paul Jackson on bass, Lenny White on drums, George Muribus on Fender Rhodes, Tom Harrell on trumpet, and Victor Pantoja on congas! Vocals are by Pete Escovedo – who brings in a heady soulful sound to the set – and the vibe is a bit like work by Malo or El Chicano, but even more jazz-based overall! Titles include "Peace Everybody", "Empty Prophet", "Can't Take The Funk Out Of Me", "Azteca", "Ah! Ah!", and "Mamita Linda". LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of classic albums from Clarence Carter – back to back, and with bonus tracks too! Testifyin is excellent early work from Clarence Carter – recording here with production and arrangements by Rick Hall – in that sweet Muscle Shoals style that never sounded better than it did with Clarence! Carter had a way of working with Hall that was really beyond some of the cliches that crept into the scene at the time – a blend of bluesier roots and leaner soul that was totally great – and which was always touched by Clarence's keen sense of wit and personality! The record's got a slightly funky sound in parts – especially on the great cut "Snatching It Back" – and the rest of the titles are all killer southern soul material, with classics that include "Making Love (At The Dark End Of The Street)", "Soul Deep", "Doin' Our Thing", "I Smell a Rat", and "I Can't Do Without You". Patches is the album that very firmly put Clarence Carter on the mainstream soul map – thanks to his brilliant version of the title tune! By the time of this set, Carter was already one hell of a soul singer – and really brought amazing sounds to play with classic production from Rick Hall and the Fame Studios gang. But when he pointed those talents towards the country soul story "Patches", he really found his groove – mixing southern roots from both sides of the fence into one really unique groove – and following it up with a host of other well-chosen tunes that really helped establish Carter's unique place in music. George Jackson co-wrote a number of the best tunes – a few with Clarence – and titles include "Patches", "I'm Just A Prisoner", "Till I Can't Take It Anymore", "Changes", "Say Man", "Willie & Laura Mae Jones", "CC Blues", and "Getting the Bills (But No Merchandise)". CD features three bonus tracks – on CD for the first time ever – "Say A Little Prayer", "Johnny Poverty", and "I Found What I Wanted". CD

A timelessly soulful session by drummer Louis Hayes – one with a feel that sums up much of the 70s underground soul jazz scene, but which also has roots that stretch back to Hayes' time with Horace Silver in the 60s! The ensemble's a sextet, playing with Silver-esque overtones – and featuring Eddie Allen on trumpet, Gerald Hayes on alto, Javon Jackson on tenor, Ronnie Matthews on piano, and Clint Houston on bass. Matthews' piano lines are especially strong – really setting up and leading the group through a great set of lesser-known numbers that roll and groove with a really righteous sound. Titles include a great reading of George Cables' "Quiet Fire", plus "Honey Dip", "Lament For Love", "The Walk", "New Endings", and"Spur Of The Moment". CD

Sweet smooth and funky work from Eddie Henderson – a nice move from his more righteous work of the mid 70s, into an R&B-tinged sound that would take him far in years to come! The sound is surprisingly great, and still pretty darn righteous – thanks to some great production by Skip Drinkwater – working with Eddie in the same funky fusion mode as on his records with Bobbi Humphrey from the same time. There's a warm compressed groove to the session that's really great – and Eddie's working with a top-shelf batch of players that include Patrice Rushen, Paul Jackson, Julian Priester, and George Cables. Titles include "Movin On", "Say You Will", "Source", "Open Eyes", and "Beyond Forever". CD

One of the most sophisticated albums that Bobby Hutcherson recorded with reedman Harold Land – a very hip session that features the arrangements of piano player Todd Cochran – also known as Bayete for a pair of early 70s albums on Prestige! The sound here is more farther-reaching than before for the team of Hutcherson and Land – a deepening of the soulful spirits first cooked up on their earlier collaborations, stretched out to farther-reaching territory in the hands of Cochran's arrangements and compositions. The group's got a full sound too – with trumpet and flugelhorn from Oscar Brashear, trombone from George Bohannon, and added reeds from players who include Ernie Watts, Fred Jackson, and Charles Owens. Harold Land plays tenor and flute, Hutcherson vibes and marimba, and Cochran is on acoustic piano throughout – but the record also features some electric keys from William Henderson. Titles include the 3 part suite "At The Source", plus "Many Thousands Gone", "Clockwork Of The Spirits", and "Mtume". CD also features 3 great bonus tracks – the funky 17 minute "Hey Harold", plus "Jonathan" and "Togo Land". CD

This set is divided into three parts – new songs recorded with a vocal group called Wattsline, the Award Winning Jones and the Grammy Winning Jones. The personnel involved with all of these songs is huge and they include George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Billy Preston, The Johnson Brothers, Toots Thielemans, Stevie Wonder, Billy Cobham, Grady Tate, Milt Jackson and many, many others. Tracks include "I Heard That!", "What Good Is A Song", "There's A Train Leavin", "Superstition", "Summer In The City", "Body Heat", "Killer Joe", "Theme From The Anderson Tapes" and "Walking In Space". CD

Wilson Pickett at Fame Studios – an unbeatable mix that yields up one of his greatest albums ever! All the best elements of Pickett's strength at Atlantic Records are firmly in place here – hard, raw vocals at the front, supported by funky accompaniment from Fame Studios regulars, plus a bit of vocals from The Sweet Inspirations – all tied together by near-perfect production from the legendary Rick Hall! But best of all, the tracks here are all winners through and through – mostly penned by the cream of the crop of southern-tinged soulsters of the time – including George Jackson, Bobby Womack, Raymond Moore, and the team of Isaac Hayes & David Porter. Of course, Lennon & McCartney contributed the title track "Hey Jude" – which Wilson redoes here with the same soulful inflection that Ike & Tina were bringing to some of the 60s rock cannon at the end of the decade – and other titles include "Save Me", "My Own Style Of Loving", "Toe Hold", "People Make The World", "A Man & A Half", and "Sit Down & Talk This Over". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic of spiritual, soulful jazz – and one of Archie Shepp's greatest albums! The set was recorded in New York after a few free and festive years in Paris, and it's an amazing about-face that has Archie stepping into a world of righteous, full-on, political, and funky themes – the likes of which are far more outspoken than any of his previous recordings. The group on the set is quite a large one – hip New York underground players, a small string ensemble, and even a few singers – like soul diva Joshie Armstead and vocalist Joe Lee Wilson. Overall, the sound's somewhere in the same place as the Art Ensemble of Chicago's amazing Les Stances A Sophie – in that the record comes from a free jazz tradition, but moves into a more rhythmic focus in order to communicate its message. The added vocals and recitations are wonderful – very moving, and much less hippy-dippy than on other Shepp records of the time – and the whole thing holds together with a unique sound and substance that's made it a treasure that holds up again and again. A true gem, and one we'll never part with! Tracks include "Quiet Dawn", "Goodbye Sweet Pops", "Steam (parts 1 & 2)", "Attica Blues", "Blues For Brother George Jackson", and "Ballad For A Child". LP, Vinyl record album

Standout Memphis soul from the great Spencer Wiggins! "Old Friend" has a mixture of bluesy soul and Stax-like balladeering – a bit like Otis Redding, with the approach of labelmate James Carr. "Walking Out" is more uptempo and vamping – a catchy little number by George Jackson. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Think you know the sound of Atlantic Records in the 60s? Think again – because this stunning series opens the vault to a huge amount of rare treasures from the legendary label! The package is amazing – and offers up rare tracks that were mostly only issued by Atlantic on singles – including some on the other imprints associated with the company – some by names we never even knew recorded for the label, others by bigger names, but represented here by obscure material that goes way past their hits – and which is ultra cool because of that. There's also a fair bit more deep soul than you might expect from the usual Atlantic mix – tremendous vocals, and often in less hit-heavy modes – which makes the whole thing a great revelation – and just one more reason to bow down and give even more expect to one of the key companies who helped soul music find a home in the 60s. Plus – as if that's not enough – the whole thing comes in a very cool 7" gatefold package – which emphasizes the from-singles nature of the collection. This volume features a whopping 50 tracks – with titles that include "King Of Love" by The Admirals, "Let Our Love Go On" by Music City Soul Brothers, "More Of The Jerk" by Bobby Harris, "Free For All" by The Barracudas, "Can't See You When I Want To" by David Porter, "Sweet Thing" by Gorgeous George, "Peepin" by Solomon Burke, "Ad For Love" by Lee Jackson, "The Record" by Ben E King, "Give You What I Got" by Wendy Rene, "Thank You John" by Willie Tee, "My Lover" by Barbara & The Browns, "It's Just A Matter Of Time" by Merle Spears, "Fancy Free" by Mary Wells, "You Make A Strong Girl Weak" by The Premiers, "Don't Stop Now" by William Bell, "Let's Go Get Stoned" by The Coasters, "Thank You For Helping Me See The Light" by Ted Taylor, "Just One More Day" by Otis Redding, "Do The Duck" by The Autographs, "Boss" by King Curtis, "Try Me Again" by Ted Taylor, "Every Night I See Your Face" by The Music City Soul Brothers, "I Don't Want Trouble" by Barbara & The Browns, "Keep Your Mouth Shut" by Lee Jackson, "It's Nice To Know You" by Rosetta Johnson, and "Dedicated To You" by Willie Tee. CD

Genius work from one of the greatest Southern Soul studios ever – Muscle Shoals' legendary Fame Studios – the start of a huge wave of great music in the 60s, and a genre-changing sound that's still going strong today! The package is the best we've ever seen to look at Fame – not just a killer selection of the studio's music – 75 tracks that bring together rare singles, hits, and some lesser-known gems – but also a beautiful hardcover book, filled with pages and pages of great notes, vintage images, and more – really telling the unique take of Fame, producer Rick Hall, and all the mighty talents who helped make Muscle Shoals one of the most important sites for soul music in the 60s and 70s. Titles include "Ten Miles High" by David & The Giants, "Search Your Heart" by George Jackson, "Let Them Talk" by Dan Penn, "Two In The Morning" by Spooner's Crowd, "Lady In The Rain" by Lowell Fulson, "Wanted Lover" by James Govan, "Grits & Gravy" by The Fame Gang, "Get Involved" by George Soule, "What Color Is Love" by Roscoe Robinson, "Laugh It Off" by The Tams, "Thief In The Night" by Ben & Spence, "Take Me Just As I Am" by Mitty Collier, "I'm Just A Prisoner" by Candi Staton, "Thread The Needle" by Clarence & Calvin, and "Slippin Around With You" by Art Freeman. CD

Deep Soul Brothers from one of the greatest deep soul labels of all time – the mighty Hi Records, home to Al Green, Ann Peebles, and a host of other lesser-known, but equally great talents! This set focuses on the male soul side of Hi's output – bringing together 26 tracks by singers and groups who recorded for Hi, but never cracked the charts as much as Al or Ann. There's a some numbers on here by artists that issued full albums by Hi, but almost an equal amount for those who only cut singles for the imprint – including some of the great southern groups that never got the same kind of focus as the single artists acts of the time. The set's got 26 tracks in all, with tunes that include "I Wanna Share Everything" by Teacher's Edition, "I'm Gonna Wait" by George Jackson, "It's All Over" by Billy Davis, "Hey Little Girl" by Norm West, "I'll Go Crazy" by Don Bryant, "Hitch Hike To Heartbreak Road" by Bobo Mr Soul, "I'll Still Be Loving You" by Ebony Web, "The Very First Time" by Lyndon, "Love Makes The World Go Round" by Willie Walker, "Forgive This Foolish Man" by Gene Anderson, "Turning Over The Ground" by Philip Mitchell, "Without You" by OV Wright, "Was It Something I Said" by Bobby McClure, "Wake Up Fool" by The Masqueraders, "Slidin In & Out" by The Memphians, and "What Made You Change Your Mind" by Eddie McGee. CD

First New Orleans, then Houston, now Baton Rouge – leave it to the folks at Tuff City to make any southern city funky funky funky! The album actually only features work by 4 artists – but all of them are pretty darn great, the kind of obscure funky acts that first put us in business years back! The groove is hard and heavy – quite a different slice of LA than the New Orleans groove – with lots more hard drums and rumbling bass, and an overall sound that's very much in the east coast indie funk sound of the early 70s. And honestly, this is one of the freshest and strongest compilations that Tuff City ever put out – filled with great tracks that include "Joy & Affection", "Funky Black Man", and "Hogwash" by Earnest Jackson; "I Never Found A Girl" by Underground Express; "That's Henry", "Mississippi Mud", and "Angela" by Black Blood & The Chocolate Pickles; and "Ooh Wee Baby I Love You", "What The Deal Is", and "Groove Making" by George Perkins. LP, Vinyl record album

A killer collection, and a very unique look at the legendary Hi Records – one that goes way past the big hits on the label, and which features the rare singles and unusual cuts that remind us what an important player Hi was on the Memphis scene during the Stax generation! The package features over 75 minutes of music, hand-selected by Japanese DJ/collector Daisuke Kuroda – a 25 track set that features rare singles by Veneice, Africano, Majik, Bobby McClure, George Jackson, Phillip Michell, Jean Plum, Iota, Odyssey, Larry Gordon, and Donna Rhodes – plus more by Al Green, Syl Johnson, OV Wright, Willie Mitchell, and Ann Peebles – including one track that has both Ann and Don Bryant! LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning collection of work from the legendary Impulse Records catalog – a double-length set that focuses on the most spiritual side of the label! Red, green, and black are often used together as the colors of righteousness – but the orange and black of Impulse has stood strong as the standard for hip, forward-thinking jazz for decades – especially given the label's legacy of late 60s/early 70s material that's featured here strongly! A different title for the set might be "John Coltrane & His Children" – as the set begins with a key work from Trane, then moves into all these other tracks that showcase the opening spiritual side of jazz as the 60s moved on. Titles include "Sister Mamie" by Yusef Lateef, "Just Us Blues" by Elvin Jones/Jimmy Garrison Sextet, "Garvey's Ghost" by Max Roach, "The Creator Has A Master Plan (edit)" by Pharoah Sanders, "The Rights Of All" by Oliver Nelson, "Freedom Dance" by Shirley Scott, "We Shall Overcome" by Charlie Haden, "Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe" by Albert Ayler, "Lament" by Michael White, "Imani" by Dewey Redman, "Awakening" by Ahmad Jamal, "Blues For Brother George Jackson" by Archie Shepp, "Bismillahi Rrahmani Rrahim" by Marion Brown, "Blue Nile" by Alice Coltrane", and the cuts "Africa", "Alabama", "Reverend King", and "Up Gainst The Wall" by John Coltrane himself. LP, Vinyl record album

Stormin soul – and a killer set of upbeat 60s numbers! The package was put together for the UK mod scene, but it's a great batch of American tracks from the classic years of soul – not really Northern, not really southern – but kind of a hard-swinging approach to the music that makes for a really lively package overall! The set's got 20 tracks in all, all thumpin, bumpin, and gruntin-type numbers – with titles that include "Do The Whoo Pee" by Sugar Pie Desanto, "Lay This Burden Down" by Mary Love, "Make Me Yours" by Bettye Swann, "I Keep Forgetting" by Chuck Jackson, "I've Got Papers On You Baby" by BB King, "Hole in The Wall" by George Stone, "Have Love Will Travel" by Richard Berry & The Pharoahs, "Keep My Woman Home" by Danny White, "Mama Julie" by Terry & Jerry, and "I Got A Woman" by Billy Hawks. LP, Vinyl record album

Classic jazz for the 21st century – a treasure trove of tunes from Verve Records, all remixed for the modern dancefloor! The set's the second in Verve's Remixed series – and unlike the first, which focused mostly on vocal numbers, this one throws in some instrumental killers that are among some of our favorite in the catalog! The overall groove is much more expanded from the first session – way past the standard of floating vocals, keys, and beats – into a realm of abstract jazz that really gets at the heart of the project! 14 tracks in all – with "Manteca" by Dizzy Gillespie remixed by Funky Lowlives, "Here's That Rainy Day" by Astrud Gilberto remixed by Koop, "Naima's Love Song" by Betty Carter remixed by DJ Spinna, "Fried Neckbones & Some Home Fries" by Willie Bobo remixed by Dan The Automator, "Soul Sauce" by Cal Tjader remixed by Fila Brasillia, "Do What You Wanna" by Ramsey Lewis remixed by Mr Scruff, "Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair" by Nina Simone remixed by Jaffa, "Mama" by Hugh Masekela remixed by Metro Area, "Whatever Lola Wants" by Sarah Vaughan remixed by Gotan Project, "Blues For Brother George Jackson" by Archie Shepp remixed by Mondo Grosso, and "Brother Where Are You" by Oscar Brown Jr remixed by Matthew Herbert. CD

Accompanied by Ellis Larkins on piano, George Benson on guitar, Major Holley on bass, Oliver Jackson on drums, and Buddy Tate on clarinet and tenor sax. LP, Vinyl record album

This set is divided into three parts – new songs recorded with a vocal group called Wattsline, the Award Winning Jones and the Grammy Winning Jones. The personnel involved with all of these songs is huge and they include George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Billy Preston, The Johnson Brothers, Toots Thielemans, Stevie Wonder, Billy Cobham, Grady Tate, Milt Jackson and many, many others. Tracks include "I Heard That!", "What Good Is A Song", "There's A Train Leavin", "Superstition", "Summer In The City", "Body Heat", "Killer Joe", "Theme From The Anderson Tapes" and "Walking In Space". LP, Vinyl record album

A very groovy selection of tracks from the New York scene of the 60s – mostly tunes pulled from the Prestige and Milestone labels, and a mixture of soul jazz, modal jazz, and early funky jazz! There's a nicely gritty feel to the set – artists trying to really find a new way to express themselves, but always in a soulful style – not avant garde, but pushing forward with fresh rhythms, inventive instrumentation, and some mighty nice soulos throughout! The package features 13 tracks in all – with plenty rare numbers – and titles that include "Cantaloupe Woman" by George Braith, "The Village Caller" by Johnny Lytle, "Ca'Purange (Jungle Soul)" by Gene Ammons, "Love Theme From Spartacus" by Yusef Lateef, "Brother John" by Cannonball Adderley, "Muscle Soul" by Phil Upchurch, "Eastern Blues" by Gary Bartz, and the completely fantastic "Nuther'n Like Thuther'n" by Willis Jackson – worth the price of the CD alone! CD

Rare gems from the Memphis scene of the late 60s & early 70s – Kent UK's second volume in the XL & Sounds Of Memphis Story series – tunes that are diverse, trailblazing, and definitely deserving of some late love! The purpose of the series is to celebrate many the fantastic soul singles released by Sounds Of Memphis and XL in the huge shadow cast by the Stax family of labels – and it's success on that front and more. This second volume is just as great as the first in its display of the far-reaching sounds of Memphis soul at the time – from rollicking, rock & soul groovers with chugging guitar and gritty vocals, to mellowed out, melancholy soul with tight, yet rich vocal and instrumental arrangements – but it one-ups the first with its inclusion of never before released tunes, several of which should be classics! Great stuff from George Jackson,The Ovations, The Minits, Ann Hodge and many more! Titles include "All In My Mind" by George Jackson, "Play The Game" by Vision, "Got To Get Home" by Art Jerry Miller, "Gotta Move On (To My Destiny)" by The Ovations, "Today, Tomorrow And You" by Everyday People, "So Much Love To This" by The Sweeteens, "Teardrops" by William Bollinger, "I'll Love Only You" by Willie Cobbs and more. 22 tracks in all. CD

Heavy funk, deep soul, and lots lots more – an amazing testament to the songwriting skills of New Orleans legend Allen Toussaint! Allen was a heck of a singer on his own – but he also worked plenty behind the scenes in the 60s and 70s – lending his tunes to many others, and producing a good number of recordings as well – some of the best of which are featured in this sweet little set! The package features two dozen smoking tunes from the pen of Toussaint – songs that are heavy on influences from New Orleans soul and funk – already sounding great in the hands of other soul singers in the collection, and really helping transform the style of other artists in ways you might not expect. The whole thing's got the same righteous vibe as Allen's best records from the 70s – and titles include "I'll Be Rolling" by Millie Jackson, "Hercules" by Boz Scaggs, "Occapella" by Lee Dorsey, "Get Out Of My Life Woman" by Solomon Burke, "Sweet Touch Of Love" by Irma Thomas, "Sneakin Sally Thru The Alley" by Robert Palmer, "What Do You Want The Girl To Do" by Lowell George, "Shoo Rah" by Frankie Miller, "Fortune Teller" by Benny Spellman, "Freedom For The Stallion" by Bill Medley, "Whoever's Thrilling You" by ZZ Hill, "Tampin" by The Rhine Oaks, "A Certain Girl" by Warren Zevon, and even "Southern Nights" by Glen Campell. CD

Music from Ray Barretto, Esther Phillips, Fuse One, Stanley Turrentine, Astrud Gilberto, George Benson, Idris Muhammad, Hank Crawford, Johnny Hammond, Seawind, Milt Jackson, and more - 18 songs in all. CD

The blueprint for a great set of future jazz – 14 original tunes that all got redone in the Verve Remixed 2 set! Verve has done a great job with the set – pulling together some excellent grooves from the 50s and 60s, served up at a price that's almost as cheap as a fancy cup of coffee! The set's stuffed with groovy vocal, Latin, and soul jazz numbers – with titles that include "Mama" by Hugh Masekela, "Manteca" by Dizzy Gillespie, "Sinnerman" by Nina Simone, "Do What You Wanna" by Ramsey Lewis, "Brother Where Are You" by Oscar Brown Jr, "Here's That Rainy Day" by Astrud Gilberto, "Naima's Love Song" by Betty Carter, "Fried Neck Bones & Some Home Fries" by Willie Bobo, "Blues For Brother George Jackson" by Archie Shepp, "Soul Sauce" by Cal Tjader, and "Slap That Bass" by Ella Fitzgerald. CD