Early work by pianist Mel Powell, captured here in a variety of settings including trio, quintet, septet, and larger formations. CD

Early genius from the legendary pianist Hasaan – an artist most people know for his famous Atlantic album with Max Roach, but who steps out here in a set of earlier material that's completely amazing! The set begins with six trio tracks – performed in a group with Henry Grimes on bass and Kalil Madi on drums – a combo who carve out space that's completely their own, taking some of the 50s modern piano ideas of Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, but letting them loose with even more imagination – yet also avoiding any too-free modes as well. The balance is incredible – on all original titles that include "Viceroy", "Pay Not Play Not", "Off My Back Jack", "Almost Like Me", and "Dinka Street". Next are three long tracks that feature the vocals of Muriel Gilliam (aka Muriel Winston from her Strata East days), singing alongside Hasaan's piano on these really amazing takes on standards – stretched out, and given lots of sharp edges – on takes of "Embraceable You", "Stella By Starlight", and "Body & Soul". Last up are two very long solo tracks – stunningly imaginative versions of "After You've Gone" and "End Of A Love Affair". CD

Early genius from the legendary pianist Hasaan – an artist most people know for his famous Atlantic album with Max Roach, but who steps out here in a set of earlier material that's completely amazing! The set begins with six trio tracks – performed in a group with Henry Grimes on bass and Kalil Madi on drums – a combo who carve out space that's completely their own, taking some of the 50s modern piano ideas of Herbie Nichols and Thelonious Monk, but letting them loose with even more imagination – yet also avoiding any too-free modes as well. The balance is incredible – on all original titles that include "Viceroy", "Pay Not Play Not", "Off My Back Jack", "Almost Like Me", and "Dinka Street". Next are three long tracks that feature the vocals of Muriel Gilliam (aka Muriel Winston from her Strata East days), singing alongside Hasaan's piano on these really amazing takes on standards – stretched out, and given lots of sharp edges – on takes of "Embraceable You", "Stella By Starlight", and "Body & Soul". Last up are two very long solo tracks – stunningly imaginative versions of "After You've Gone" and "End Of A Love Affair". LP, Vinyl record album

A lean and spooky little set from the Rockers All Stars – put together with killer production from Augustus Pablo and Everton Da Silva! The vibe here is in the moodiest territory that Pablo might explore on albums under his own name – and although the father is providing help, it's clear that the group can make plenty of fantastic magic on their own! The set was mixed at King Tubby's and Harry J's – and although we're guessing the proceedings were laidback and casual, the record's gone on to become an underground dub classic over the years. Titles include "Hammer Dub", "Fire Dub", "Jah Dub", "Money Dub", "Static Dub", "Equal Rights Dub", and "Clean Sweep". LP, Vinyl record album

Louis Armstrong's opening night set at the first ever Monterey Jazz Festival – recordings now released for the first time ever – a walloping batch of trad jazz perfection from the inimitable Satchmo! The sound quality here is impeccable, and so are the players – including Trummy Young on trombone and vocals, Peanuts Hucko on clarinet, Mort Herbert on bass, Danny Barcelona on drums and occasion vocals from Velma Middleton. Loads of great tunes – with Louis rolling back and forth from avuncular vocals to his heavy trumpet. 18 tracks in all: Includes in intro by the Dizzy Gillespie, plus "When It's Sleepy Down South", "Blueberry Hill", "Tiger Rag", "Now You Has Jazz", "High Society Calypso", "Bucket's Got A Hole In It", "Autumn Leaves", "After You've Gone", "Stompin' At The Savoy", "Undecided", "When The Saints Go Marching In" and more. CD

A treasure trove of greatness from British folk rock legend John Renbourn – all of his late 60s solo work, done before moving on to greater fame in Pentangle! First up is There You Go – a rare one from singer Dorris Henderson and future Pentangle founder John Rensbourn! Florida born, LA raised singer Dorris Henderson moved to London in 1965 and was soon singing London's folk clubs, where she met Rensbourn. A solid mix of traditionals and then contemporary folk songs – stripped down and honest takes on "Saly Free And Easy", "Cotton Eyed Joe", "Mr Tamborine Man", "Going To Memphis", Something Lonesome", "Mist On The Mountain" and more. This edition includes bonus tracks from a rare 45 – "Hangman" and "Leaves That Are Green". Next is the self-titled John Renbourn from 1965 – a set that would not only establish John's legacy for years to come, but also have a very strong impact upon the role of the guitar on the British scene too! The album's definitely in a mode that owes something to an American folk legacy – but it also really breaks from the past with unusual phrasings and colorings in Renbourn's guitar – certainly with an ear towards ancient English modes, but also at once very fresh and contemporary – a strong precursor to the waves of new acoustic talents that would flow from the UK a few years later, but maybe even more revolutionary – given that John's mostly just working here with his guitar and voice. Bert Jansch adds guitar to a few tracks – and titles include "Song", "Down On The Barge", "Plainsong", "Judy", "Beth's Blues", "Blue Bones", "Train Tune", "Winter Is Gone", and "Noah & Rabbit". Bert & John is a hell of a collaboration between British legends Bert Jansch and John Renbourn – both working here together to completely redefine the sound of their music for the generation to come! This one album may well hold all the sense of subtle power and possibility that was about to flower in the Brit movement often known as "acid folk" – that reworking of older aesthetics with modern conceptions, and doing so mostly with their work on acoustic guitar – quite a feat, given the stripped-down instrumentation of the set! Bert sings a bit – in that incredible style of his – but the real attraction here is the guitar interplay, which is always fresh, never hokey, neither familiar American folk nor forced singer-songwriter backup material. Titles include a wonderful reworking of Charles Mingus' "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat" – plus "Red's Favourite", "Orlando", "Soho", "Piano Tune", "East Wind", "After The Dance", and "The Time Has Come". Another Monday is maybe the most obscure album in the collection – a set that is mostly instrumental, with some completely fantastic work by Renbourn on guitar – but which also features a bit of guest vocals from singer Jacqui McShee – whose warmer presence next to John really makes for a nice pairing. The album's as powerful as it is subtle, really beautiful in its sense of variety – with titles that include "Buffalo", "One For William", "Lost Lover Blues", "Another Monday", "Day At The Seaside", "Nobody's Fault But Mine", and "Waltz". Watch The Stars is another great collaboration with Dorris Henderson – an American singer, but one who moved to London in the 60s – where she cut this rare gem with guitarist John Renbourn! The album's got a righteous vibe that's hipper than the usual folk set – with some traditional tunes and some contemporary material – recorded with that amazing phrasing that made Renbourn's guitar so distinct right from the start, with lots of those jazzy currents we love so much – and which really fit the creative vocal approach of Henderson! Dorris also plays some autoharp, and there's a bit of bass in the backings – although overall the main focus here is on Renbourn's guitar and Henderson's vocals. Titles include "Come Up Horsey", "God Bless The Child", "Watch The Stars", "30 Days In Jail", "Mosaic Patterns", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", and "There's Anger In This Land". Sir John A Lot Of is perhaps one of the best-known albums from British guitar legend John Renbourn – as it was issued widely in the US, and kept in print for a surprisingly long time over the years! The approach here is slightly different than Renbourn's previous records – a bit in the image presented by the cover, although with maybe not as slavish a sound – as John just uses the whole thing to go a bit more ancient than before, in ways that echo the time travel that the whole British folk scene was taking as the 70s approached. The tunes are done in ways that are really beautiful – still lots of the incredible guitar work that made Renbourn such a standout on the scene – plus flute from jazzman Ray Warleigh, who's very different here than usual – and spare use of finger cymbals, African drums, and glockenspiel by Terry Cox. Titles include "Morgana", "Transfusion", "The Trees They Do Grow High", "Sweet Potato", "Seven Up", and "White Fishes". 6CD box features all records in original artwork sleeves, with a booklet of notes – and bonus tracks that include "Message To Pretty", "The Waggoner's Lad", "Lucky Thirteen", "Blues Run The Game", "The Wildest Pig In Captivity (alt)", "Can't Keep From Crying", "Transfusion (alt)", and "The Leaves Are Green". CD

Storming old school R&B, simmering southern soul, stirring gospel soul, and some tender balladry – prime ingredients of some of the best material ever recorded by the incalculably iconic Aretha Franklin! This great collection of tracks cut in the 50s & 60s for Atlantic, Duke, Coral, Scepter, Savoy, Roulette, Mercury and other labels is easily imaginable as the source of inspiration and influence of the Queen Of Soul. Includes tracks by pivotal singers and soul stars, and some lesser known (but hardly lesser in quality) numbers – each and every one top notch and worthy of any conscientious collector of prime soul, and most importantly, it all works well together in the set, sequenced thoughtfully with a deep depth of styles. 24 tracks in all: "Respect" by Otis Redding, "The House That Jack Built" by Thelma Jones, "Sit Down And Cry" by Jean Walls, "Soulville" by Dinah Washington, "Try A Little Tenderness" by Little Miss Cornshucks, "Prove It" by Mary Wheeler, "Let Me Me In your Life" by Bill Withers, The Day Is Past And Gone" by Clara Wind and much more – with notes on each track in the nicely done booklet. CD

Two great, classic reggae EPs on one CD – both impossible to find on vinyl! One of the best things about these Wackie's sessions with Horace Andy is that in addition to singing, he often contributed guitar and bass to the backing tracks alongside the Wackie's all stars, which was seldom heard on his Jamaican sides. His sweet falsetto sounds great – light and bright over super heavy but spare Wackie's rhythms which are suppled here in dub versions too. Naggo Morris is no slouch either, his richer, deeper voice a nice contrast to Andy. Andy voices "Prophesy" and "My Heart Is Gone" and Naggo voices "Come On And Tell Me" and "You Rest On My Mind". Mini Showcase is a sweet EP produced by Sugar Minott and Lloyd Bullwackie Barnes, with Wayne Jarrett's nice alto riding over some tremendous Wackie's rhythms. Four great tracks, three with dubs and one with Jarrett chatting inna DJ style: "You & I", "Live It Up", "Truly" and "Live & Love". CD

A really special set of soul tracks – and one that's got a vibe that's maybe even different from the previous two Manhattan Soul collections! This package is filled with the kind of overlooked gems that sometimes get lost because people are a bit too focused in their record-collecting tastes – mellow cuts that are still a bit funky, deep soul from up-north sources, and even some group numbers that are neither upbeat and Northern, nor slow enough to be mellow harmonies. Instead, these cuts together really defy the rules – showing that in the deeper corners of the New York underground, there were always great new ideas going on – not work that was trying to challenge the stars at Atlantic, or the Brill Building best – but instead very happy to just do their own thing, in some very groovy ways. The work comes from the Wand, Scepter, and Musicor family of labels – better-known for big hits, but also very dedicated to cool indie singles that only seem to be getting their due in more recent years. CD features 24 tracks in all – and titles include "Giving Up" by Junior Lewis, "Now That You're Gone" by Sonny Turner & Sound Limited, "Open Up Your Heart" by Dan & The Cleancuts, "Every Little Bit Helps" by Helen Henry, "Two Stupid Feet" by The Shirelles, "The Same Old Song" by The Dinos, "Nobody Made You Love Me" by The Charts, "Fun City Woman" by Ann Bailey, "The Landlord" by The Tabs, "Does Love Believe In Me" by Melba Moore, "Mr Schemer" by Brenton Wood, "You Picked Me" by The Soldier Boys, and "Never In My Life" by Lee Moses. CD

A tremendous turning point in the career of James Brown – and an album that points the way strongly to the even deeper funk of the 70s! The album's a hard-wailing batch of instrumental tracks played by the legendary James Brown Band of the late 60s – the pre-JBs ensemble that's gone onto have possibly even more funky influence than the Godfather's combo in the 70s! James plays organ on the set – and supposedly a bit of guitar and drums (according to the notes) – but one of the main stars here is Pee Wee Ellis, whose alto lines really cook up some of the best tracks strongly. Yet possibly even more amazing is the overall rhythmic conception – tight, focused, and always on the money – snapping with a sharpness that's mindblowing even all these many years later – a whole new dimension in funky expression, hardly ever matched since! Titles include "Soul Pride (parts 1 & 2)", "The Chicken", "Sudsy", "The Popcorn", "In The Middle (parts 1 & 2)", "The Chase", and "A New Shift". LP, Vinyl record album

Janet Jackson's not straying too far from the past, but she's also really emerging here as an artist with more strength and maturity than anyone might have guessed in the decade before! Janet's still recording with help from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, but both they and she have really found a way to reach out and embrace all the best changes in R&B that have happened during the 90s – and used them to make sure that nobody's going to mistake Jackson for just Michael's sister who got lucky with a few hits! There's plenty of great surprises, interludes, and guest stars – all of which make the longer space of the record really hold up – and titles include "Got Til It's Gone", "Velvet Rope", "Empty", "What About", "Can't Be Stopped", "I Get Lonely", "Rope Burn", "Together Again", "Free Xone", "Go Deep", and "My Need". CD

Bettye Lavette on Verve Records – a move that also signals a shift in her music too – in a way that we can really approve! Bettye's getting some richer care in the backings – more of a classic soul approach, in terms of warmth – never trying too hard to cast the singer in modes that might be a bit forced, and instead almost echoing a Muscle Shoals sort of vibe at times – which leaves Lavette to provide more than plenty of edge to the music with her vocals! All of the tunes here are Bob Dylan covers, but are wonderfully transformed – and even the presence of guest stars like Keith Richards or Trombone Shorty can't get in the way of the lady and her message. Titles include "Emotionally Yours", "Going Going Gone", "Seeing The Real You At Last", "Don't Fall Apart On Me Tonight", "Things Have Changed", and "Ain't Talkin". CD

We couldn't think up a better title to describe the way that Joe Tex approached soul music in the 60s – giving 110% to his music, working like a dog to climb the ranks that were already filled with other budding soul stars! This album's a perfect example of Joe at his best – nearly all original tunes recorded in close collaboration with producer Buddy Killen, whose unique talents really brought out the best in Joe's honest apporach to soul music. The album includes the studio version of the classic groover "Papa Was Too", and loads of other classics like "SYSLJFM (The Letter Song)", "I've Got To Do A Little Bit Better", "Half A Mind", "I Believe I'm Gonna Make It", "Watch The One (That Brings The Bad News)', and "A Woman Sees A Hard Time (When Her Man Is Gone)". LP, Vinyl record album

A surprisingly nice set from Irma Thomas – recorded in a spare and stripped down way, but without any of the "too earnest" cliches that can sometimes mar other recent albums by classic soul stars! The feel here is almost gentle and easygoing at times – still in the powerful New Orleans-influenced mode of Thomas' roots, but never too forced or overdone – just rolling out with a warmth and confidence that shows that Irma doesn't have anything to prove to anyone! Production is by Scott Billington, who's worked with Thomas before – but he somehow seems to have gotten it more right here than before – and titles include "Stone Survivor", "Soul Of A Man", "Another Lonely Heart", "In The Middle Of It All", "Flowers", "I Count The Tears", "Shelter In The Rain", "Another Man Done Gone", and "Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor". CD

Earl McGrath looks pretty darn cool on the cover, and from all reports he was a pretty darn cool guy in the 70s too – head of Rolling Stones Records, and friend and confidant to some very hip folks in the music industry! After Earl passed, a closet full of unreleased tapes was discovered at his home – really wonderful material by artists big and small, brought together here in a treasure trove of tracks that give us a whole different look at the 70s! Given the obscurity, most titles are demo recordings with lean instrumentation – but that quality makes the work by big stars even more interesting, and really delivers the best work of the special singer/songwriters that McGrath would always champion. Titles include "Cocaine Cowboy" and "Gonna California" by Terry Allen, "California" by Mark Rodney, "Baby Come Closer" and "Dry In The Sun" by Hall & Oates, "Funky But Chic" by David Johansen, "Tension" by Jim Carroll, "Oh La La" by Shadow, "Christopher" by Michael McCarty, "Holy Commotion" by Paul Potash, "Sail Away" by Jabor, "Invisible Lady" by Johnny Angel, "Where Have All The Flowers Gone" by Blood Brothers Six, and "Salt Showers" by Len & Betsy Green. LP, Vinyl record album

The movie "Soul In The Hole" may have come and gone without anyone paying too much attention, but the soundtrack is dooope, with a lot of tracks that are unavailable anywhere but on this LP. We're not sure how Loud did it, but instead of MC's supplying throwaway tracks, they gave up some of their best material. Includes Common "High Expectations", Organized Konfusion "Late Night Action", OC "Your Life", Mobb Deep "Rare Species", Dead Prez "The Game of Life", MOP "Ride", Brand Nubian "A Child is Born", Wu All Stars "Soul In The Hole" Xzibit "Los Angeles Times", Wu-Tang Clan "Diesel", Sauce Money "Against The Grain", Cocoa Bros "Won On Won", Darc Mind "Visions of Blur" and Dwellas "Main Aim". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent compilation that's very much in the spirit of the 100% Dynamite sets on Soul Jazz! This time, Soul Jazz dig through the vaults of the legendary Studio One catalog – some of the most important reggae and rocksteady ever recorded, virtually all of it produced under the tutelage of Clement "Coxone" Dodd. Much of this material has been floating around over the years, but we'd be hard pressed to think of a better collection of it – especially when considering the excellent fidelity of the set, which is way better than an of Dodd's own reissues of the material. Plus, the folks at Soul Jazz have gone out of their way to put together the tracks as an extremely well-thought out introduction to the music, not just a scattered batch of tunes that happened to be available. The set also includes a recent interview with Clement Dodd, plus loads of great rocksteady and early reggae tracks. Titles include "Surfin" by Ernest Ranglin, "Real Rock" by Sound Dimension, "Feel Like Jumping" by Marcia Griffiths, "Greedy G" by Brentford All Stars, "Village Soul" by Lennie Hibbert, "Ethiopia" by Cedric Brooks, "Crabwalking" by Prince Jazzbo, "Hot Milk" by Jackie Mittoo, "Badder Dan Dem" by Lone Ranger, and "Bobby Bobylon" by Freddy McGregor. CD

A collection of earlier work by Aretha Franklin – issued by Chess after her fame on Atlantic, but featuring tunes cut when a younger woman, working with famous father Reverend CL Franklin! Given that CL was one of the biggest stars of Chess' gospel recordings, there was plenty of material recorded back in the day – and Aretha's heard here on some great live tunes that mostly just feature piano backings. Nice raw energy here – 9 tracks in all, including 'Precious Lord", "You Grow No Closer", "The Day Is Past And Gone" and "He Will Wash You White As Snow". LP, Vinyl record album

An assortment of tracks from those years when a lovely face on the cinema screen might also lead some work in the recording studio too – served up here in a mix of tracks from female singers you'll know as jazz artists, plus others you'll remember as movie stars too! The sounds are all lovely, certainly deserving of the pin-up promise in the title – and this volume features 20 tracks that include "Why Try To Change Me Now" by Connie Stevens, "Teach Me Tiger" by April Stevens, "Hit The Road To Dreamland" by Betty Hutton, "Let's Do It" by Jayne Mansfield, "The Thrill Is Gone" by Mitzi Gaynor, "Oh Oh Cheri" by Francoise Hardy, "I Used To Be Color Blind" by Ginger Rogers, "Am I That Easy To Forget" by Debbie Reynolds, and "The Party's Over" by Judy Holliday. LP, Vinyl record album

A really ear-opening set – one that introduces us to a world we'd never have heard otherwise – filled with music that's maybe even groovier and more evocative than we could imagine! There's loads of very trippy styles going on here – almost as if the whole Mongolian scene had gone psychedelic during the 60s – later than the rest of the world, and with a different flavor that mixes regional elements with cool guitar lines, fuzzy production, and all sorts of rock psych elements from the 60s that are pulled back out, and reformed in weird ways for these tunes! In fact, the sound's so unique, we're not sure it's even real – but we can hardly let that get in the way of us enjoying gems that include "Western Mongolian Folkmix", "You Got So Big My Son", "The Blue Comb", "Listen Up Galaxy", "Music Magic", "Starsong", "Young Couple", "Circle Dance", and "Beauty". CD

A really ear-opening set – one that introduces us to a world we'd never have heard otherwise – filled with music that's maybe even groovier and more evocative than we could imagine! There's loads of very trippy styles going on here – almost as if the whole Mongolian scene had gone psychedelic during the 60s – later than the rest of the world, and with a different flavor that mixes regional elements with cool guitar lines, fuzzy production, and all sorts of rock psych elements from the 60s that are pulled back out, and reformed in weird ways for these tunes! In fact, the sound's so unique, we're not sure it's even real – but we can hardly let that get in the way of us enjoying gems that include "Western Mongolian Folkmix", "You Got So Big My Son", "The Blue Comb", "Listen Up Galaxy", "Music Magic", "Starsong", "Young Couple", "Circle Dance", and "Beauty". LP, Vinyl record album

A mighty big collection of cuts from the legendary Sylvester – not the first music the Bay Area legend ever put on record, but the kind of tracks that really established his genius working as a key bridge between so many strands of life and music in the 70s! The package features key club tracks that made Sylvester a huge force in both the mainstream and underground disco scenes, most with other soul tracks that show just what a strong vocalist he was in just about any setting – served up here in a 26 track package that mixes album tracks, rare mixes, and important singles. Titles include "Down Down Down (12" mix)", "Over & Over (12" mix)", "Tipsong", "I Been Down", "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight", "I Who Have Nothing (12" short disco)", "Was It Something That I Said", "Stars (12" disco version)", "Can't Stop Dancing", "Sell My Soul (12" disco version)", "You Are My Friend", "Fever", "Change Up", "Dance Disco Heat (12" disco)", "Loving Grows Up Slow", "Thinking Right", "In My Fantasy", and "Could It Be Magic/A Song For You". CD

Fantastic work from Delta 5 – one of our favorite groups from the UK post-punk years, and a group whose funky, dubby approach to punk rivals the best work by groups like The Slits or Gang Of Four! Like both groups, they have smart songs with interesting lyrics – but focused down right into the groove, with lots of heavy interplay between bass and guitar – captured with a razor-sharp sound, and that inherent sense of darkness we love in so many productions from the time! Female singer Ros Allen is in the lead, really belting out the tunes with a great sort of edge – and the set includes the group's three rare singles on Rough Trade, plus BBC sessions and live material – making for an overdue full length collection from these years. Titles include their classic "Mind Your Own Business" – plus "Now That You've Gone", "Try", "Colour", "Make Up", "Triangle", "Innocenti", "Train Song", "Anticipation", "Final Scene", "Shadow", "Circuit", and "Journey". LP, Vinyl record album

A famous 70s session from the great Muddy Waters – one that has him heading over to London, and rubbing shoulders in the studio with some key musicians whose work he'd helped inspire! Chess Records first tried this mode out with Howlin Wolf in 1970 – but the Waters session is maybe even more cohesive and uplifting – thanks in part to Muddy's ability to really reach out and welcome in fans and supporters from the outside! There's still some Chicago help at the core, thanks to a young Carey Bell on harmonica – working here alongside UK rock superstars who include Rory Gallagher on guitar, Rick Grech on bass, and Steve Winwood on piano and organ – plus some work on organ from Georgie Fame (billed as Georgie Fortune), and guest vocals from the great Rosetta Hightower. Back in Chicago, Johnny Pate added a few touches with his arrangements – and titles include "Key To The Highway", "Walkin Blues", "I Don't Know Why", "Sad Sad Day", "Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man When I'm Gone", "Blind Man Blues", and "Young Fashioned Ways". LP, Vinyl record album

A big comeback moment for Peter Green – really shining here as a lead act, at a time when his old group Fleetwood Mac had gone in a completely different direction! The guitar wizard is still amazing – and there's a shifting style from track to track, which includes a few instrumentals – making the album partly a great showcase for Green's always-inventive work on guitar, but also one for his surprisingly nice vocals too! The album marked a real return to the limelight for Green, and the first push to give him the sort of solo career he deserved for years to come – and it features help from Peter Bardens of Camel on some keyboards, and Snowy White on second guitar, sometimes sharing lead space on the record. Titles include "Tribal Dance", "In The Skies", "A Fool No More", "Proud Pinto", "Just For You", "Funky Chunk", "Apostle", "Seven Stars", and "Slabo Day". LP, Vinyl record album

The lovely and soulful Hadda Brooks was one of the great talents on the LA scene of the postwar years – a vocalist and pianist with a style that blended blues and jazz, in a manner that was like some of her male counterparts on the scene at the time, such as Nat King Cole or Charles Brown. Brooks' fame in the city was great, and even led to a few famous film appearances – but the sophistication of her work often kept it from cracking the charts as strongly as other R&B stars at the time. This excellent album is really the only one she ever issued – a strong set of tunes recorded for Crown/Modern in the 50s. Titles include "My Ideal", "Take Me", "The Thrill Is Gone", "How Do You Speak To An Angel", "My Romance", and "Dream". CD

Raw New Orleans soul from Overton "Smiley" Lewis – one of the city's big stars in the 50s R&B years, and a singer who arguably set the stage for later deep soul to come! A few years before, and Lewis might have been more of a blues singer – but here, he's working with some strong Nola piano lines and lightly loping rhythms – in a mode that's vaguely in the Fats Domino side of the universe, but a lot more raw and stripped-down too – from the performance to the production! Tracks include Smiley's classic "I Hear You Knocking", plus loads of other nice ones – including "Bumpity Bump", "Bells Are Ringing", "Blue Monday", "Lost Weekend", "Real Gone Lover", and "One Night". LP, Vinyl record album

Raw New Orleans soul from Overton "Smiley" Lewis – one of the city's big stars in the 50s R&B years, and a singer who arguably set the stage for later deep soul to come! A few years before, and Lewis might have been more of a blues singer – but here, he's working with some strong Nola piano lines and lightly loping rhythms – in a mode that's vaguely in the Fats Domino side of the universe, but a lot more raw and stripped-down too – from the performance to the production! Tracks include Smiley's classic "I Hear You Knocking", plus loads of other nice ones – including "Bumpity Bump", "Bells Are Ringing", "Blue Monday", "Lost Weekend", "Real Gone Lover", and "One Night". LP, Vinyl record album

A dreamy set of vocal work from Queen Latifah – a set that not only draws on her recent recasting as a jazz-based singer, but which also shows a bit more of a straighter soul approach as well! The style here is a bit less traditionally torchy than other Latifah efforts of this sort – which is a good thing, as it shows the Queen not just content to copy classic modes – and trying a bit harder to find her own musical voice away from hip hop. Arrangements are by John Clayton and Jerry Hey, and titles include "Poetry Man", "Quiet Nights Of Quiet Stars", "Don't Cry Baby", "I Love Being Here With You", "I'm Gonna Live Till I Die", "I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl", "I'm Not In Love", "Gone Away", and "How Long". CD