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A never-heard album from this excellent Detroit vocal group – recorded for Motown at the end of the 60s, but appearing here for the first time ever – and compiled with lots of bonus tracks from the vaults! The Fantastic Four never hit the bigger heights of some of the big Motown male groups of the 60s – but in some way, especially at this time in the label's history, they were a much more cohesive, organic ensemble – one that's a bit like The Originals in their strong commitment to great harmonies, and ability to always hold onto their own sort of personality, even amidst the larger Motown production machine. As with most great "lost" projects, we're not sure why this record never saw the light of day – because every aspect is great, from the vocals down through the arrangements and instrumentation – and although a few shorter singles came out over the years the rest of the set is wonderful – and matched here by another 13 rare bonus tracks, including many other unreleased singles! Titles include "A Little Too Much", "We Can Work It Out", "Take Him Back If It Makes You Happy", "You Turn Me Around", "I Feel Like I'm Falling In Love Again", "How Big Is Your Heart", "It Keeps Raining Down Tears", "In A Bad Way", "Fan The Flame", "I Shall Not Be Moved", "Double Cross", and "Loving You Is Hurting Me". CD

A stompin set of rare Motown tracks – brought together beautifully as part of this UK Soul Satisfaction series! We're not sure what they mean by the "soft centered soul" in the title, but the tunes here do have a warm and fuzzy sound – as catchy as any other Motown groovers, but perhaps with a slightly deeper emotive quality, one that makes for an extra-soulful batch of tunes! Tracks include "Til You Were Gone" by Frank Wilson, "Midnight Johnny" by Liz Lands, "All For You" by Earl Van Dyke, "There's A Better Way" by Jermaine Jackson, "When I Had Your Love" by Marvin Gaye, "Tea House In Chinatown" by The Four Tops, "Don't Be Too Long" by Chris Clark, "It's You That I Need" by The Temptations, "Love Feels Like Fire" by The Four Tops, "Questions" by David Ruffin", "What Am I Gonna Do Without You" by Chuck Jackson, and "Girl You Need A Change Of Mind" by Eddie Kendricks. CD

A fresh twist on a classic – as vintage Motown recordings are presented here with added orchestrations – all done at a level that lifts the soul singles up with even more majesty than before! A few of these cuts also feature added new vocals from British soul singers, but overall the approach takes the original Motown singers in the lead, then works with the Royal Philharmonic to bring in these larger arrangements that are different than the sound of Detroit back in the day – but which certainly get the spirit of the music right! New vocals include "What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted" by Jimmy Ruffin with Mica Paris, and "Abraham Martin & John" by Marvin Gaye with Beverley Knight – and other tunes include "Just My Imagination", and "My Girl" by The Temptations, "I'll Be There" by The Jackson 5, "Dancing In The Street" by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, "Reach Out I'll Be There" by Four Tops, "Heard It Through The Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye, and "I Hear A Symphony" by The Supremes. CD

A treasure trove of rare Motown from some of legendary label's most classic acts – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Four Tops, Brenda Holloway, Martha & The Vandellas, The Supremes, The Originals, Bobby Taylor, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye & The Jackson 5 – prime vintage late 60s to early 70s recordings that have barely if ever seen light of day! Motown recording artists put a lot of work into the recording side of their artistry back in the day, so there was a lot classic level material that didn't come out right away, some finding release on later compilations or on box sets, some STILL just now seeing release. Half of this dozen song collection have never come out in any form until now – including "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" by The Originals and stereo mixes of "For Once In My Life" by Diana Ross & The Supremes, "Pretty Little Brown Skin Girl" by The Temptations and "Touched By Love" by Bobby Taylor and more – plus the rarities "You're Walking Out With My Heart" by Brenda Holloway, "Which Way Is The Sky" by the Four Tops, "Let's Have A Party" by the J5, "The Boy From Crosstown" (Version 1) by The Marvelettes and more. LP, Vinyl record album

A huge amount of rare material from one of the coolest, classiest singers to work for Motown Records in the 60s – the wonderful Brenda Holloway, who may well be represented here by as much unreleased material as the label ever issued by her back in the day! Holloway's got a style that's a bit different than some of her labelmates – sometimes a bit more adult, sometimes a bit more suited to tunes with jazzy currents – although still served up with all the soulful richness you'd expect from Motown! Some of the tracks here have surfaced as digital downloads, in this era when the Motown vaults have been opened up wider than before – and some are making their debut here, in a 2CD collection that's overflowing with wonderful material that really reshapes the role of the singer at the label. Titles include "The Star", "I'm Spellbound", "Can't Hold The Feeling Back", "Girl On the Run", "Deep Freeze", "Don't Compare Me With Her", "What Have I Don't To Myself", "The Land Of Make Believe", "I'm The Exception To The Rule", "Lucky My Boy", "I Don't Want Anybody Perfect", "Today I Sing The Blues", "Strange Things", "This Time Last Summer", "I'm Giving Up", "The Lonely Heart & Lonely Eyes Of Lonely Me", "Without Love You Lose A Good Feelin", and "I Still Get Butterflies". 33 tracks in all! CD

The first Motown full length record by the Spinners – Original Spinners from '67 – followed by an impeccably well-chosen collection of bonus material! It's excellent stuff – an overlooked album with some very hard to find Motown work by this early version of the legendary Spinners – with lead vocals by Bobby Smith and Edgar Edwards. The tracks have a mixture of sweet and raw harmonies – crafted with an elegantly soulful sound that would later take the group way over the top during the 70s, and which here sounds sublime next to some of the group's Motown contemporaries! The first 12 tracks on this excellent Kent compilation are the Original Spinners tracklist – including "Sweet Thing", "I Cross My Heart", "I'll Always Love You", "Truly Yours", "Like A Good Man Should", "For All We Know", "How Can I", "It Hurts To Be In Love", "Nobody Else But You", "Where Is That Girl", "Tomorrow May Never Come" and "That's What Girls Are Made For". Most of the 14 bonus tracks are previously unreleased masters – revelatory stuff from earlier in the 60s – formative, yet beautifully realized recordings with productions by Harvey Fuqua and Ivy Joe Hunter! Titles include "Darling", "Words Can't Describe", "12 O'Clock", "Just Another Guy", "We're Gonna Be More More Than Friends" and more. CD

Northern soul from the source – over two dozen 60s soul stompers from Motown Records – most of them the kind of underground grooves that have always been prized on the Northern scene! The work here moves past obvious Motown hits, and really shows the kind of hard-burning stormers that set fire to the British all night dance scene in the 60s – music that moved the mods, then continued to help redefine our understanding of soul for decades to come! The set's a treasure trove of gems – some of which would cost you a pretty penny as original singles – and titles include "For The Love Of Mike" by Patrice Holloway, "You Can Do It" by Kim Weston, "Crying In The Night" by The Monitors, "Baby Come Home To Me" by Shorty Long, "Sure Is A Lotta Woman" by The Isley Brothers, "You're Gonna Love My Baby" by Barbara McNair, "I've Been Blessed" by Bobby Taylor, "Look What You Done Boy" by The Lollipops, "I Miss You Baby" by Marv Johnson, and "Keep On Loving Me" by Frances Nero. CD

Just when you think you know everything there is to know about Motown, here comes a set to open your ears and blow your mind all over again! The set unearths a huge amount of rare work by The Contours – the rollicking group who gave Motown a sweet album and handful of singles in the 60s, but who also recorded a lot of other work that was never issued at the time – including a sweet array of tracks that feature a young Dennis Edwards as their lead vocalist! Edwards is best known for his work in the Temptations – but these tracks predate that time, when Dennis was brought in to give fresh focus to the ailing Contours – and lent his strong lead vocals to their massively grooving sound. The package features a whopping 26 tracks – 14 issued here for the first time ever, and a lot more pulled from only collections of rare Motown releases – and titles include "Determination", "I'll Turn To Stone", "I Like Everything About You", "Can't Do Without Your Love", "Come See About Me", "I Grow Deeper In Love Every Day", "Our Last Rendezvous", "Which Way To My Baby", "Need Your Lovin", "What's So Good About Goodbye", "Sunny", and "I'm Here Now That You Need Me". CD

A real lost gem from Motown – and a whole lot more! Greetings! We're The Monitors is the only full album ever cut by The Monitors – a 3-man, 1-woman vocal group who were in a popular Motown mixed harmonies mode. The quartet had a wonderfully strong vocal presence – blasting away at most tracks with a strength that groups like The Miracles or Gladys Knight & The Pips could never match – and like those groups, they bridge that key period between late doo wop-oriented harmonies, and tighter 60s group soul. The LP brings together singles the Monitors cut for Motown during the previous few years, but it also works extremely well as a unified album – and it's a refreshing change from some of the oft-heard Motown material. Titles include "Greetings (This Is Uncle Sam)", "Number One In Your Heart", "Bring Back The Love", "Step By Step (Hand In Hand)", and "Baby Make Your Own Sweet Music". This incredible anthologogy from Kent starts off with that album and includes 12 unissued tracks – a whole album's worth – plus 2 B-Sides. Unissued tracks include "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" , "The Letter", "Poor Side Of Town", "Anything", "Guilty" and more. 26 tracks in all! CD

Female Motown, way past the hits – a wonderful selection of rare cuts from the 60s, including a dozen previously unissued tracks! The collection is a real discovery, even for Motown fans – and the set is filled with gems that go way past the obvious – some real Detroit soul treasures that make the whole thing a delight! Lots of the work is from that key early Motown stretch, when the label was really coming into its own, but still trying out a lot of new ideas too – and as such, were really willing to move past some obvious hit modes of the time. And make no mistake – these cuts aren't leftovers, or half-baked – as all of them have top-shelf production and arrangements – further proof that the Motown approach never dimmed at all. Titles include "Do You Know What I'm Talkin About" by LaBrenda Ben, "Don't Turn Your Back On Me" by Brenda Holloway, "Build Him Up" by Martha & The Vandellas, "Like A Nightmare" by The Andantes, "Dance Yeah Dance" by Thelma Brown, "When Somebody Loves You" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "My Black Belt" by Hattie Littles, "It's Too Soon To Know" by Kim Weston, "I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" by Liz Lands, "If Wishes Came True" by Anita Knorl, and "So Let Them Laugh At Me" by Linda Griner. CD

Wonderful stuff – and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here – suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch out!) Although the album was thought of as a no-brainer quickie at the time – and predicted to fail so that Anna wouldn't get any cash from it – the record is an extremely well-crafted one, filled with extremely personal songs that also have a warm soulful finish, in the style of Marvin's work on the LP I Want You (which is kind of a nice bookend to this one – as it was an extended love poem to the young girlfriend that caused him to split up with Anna!) Hard and soulful, the record's a searing testimony to the relationship between Marvin and Anna, and a painful document of the troubles between them – set to some mellow grooves that are easily some of Marvin's greatest of the 70s! The set's filled with great "lost" Marvin Gay songs, too – like "Sparrow", "When Did You Stop Loving Me", "Anger", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You", and "Time to Get it Together". LP, Vinyl record album

Wonderful stuff – and one of our favorite-ever Marvin Gaye albums! This is the legendary two-record set that Marvin wrote and recorded as an alimony payment to his ex-wife Anna Gordy (the story's pretty long, and we won't get into it here – suffice it to say that when stars get a divorce, watch out!) Although the album was thought of as a no-brainer quickie at the time – and predicted to fail so that Anna wouldn't get any cash from it – the record is an extremely well-crafted one, filled with extremely personal songs that also have a warm soulful finish, in the style of Marvin's work on the LP I Want You (which is kind of a nice bookend to this one – as it was an extended love poem to the young girlfriend that caused him to split up with Anna!) Hard and soulful, the record's a searing testimony to the relationship between Marvin and Anna, and a painful document of the troubles between them – set to some mellow grooves that are easily some of Marvin's greatest of the 70s! The set's filled with great "lost" Marvin Gay songs, too – like "Sparrow", "When Did You Stop Loving Me", "Anger", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You", and "Time to Get it Together". Expanded CD features the famous 12" instrumental version of "A Funky Space Reincarnation" – plus a full set of 12 bonus alternate mixes produced by the likes of Mocean Worker, Easy Mo Bee, Leon Ware, Marcus Miller, Prince Paul, Bootsy Collins, Slaam Remi, and The Randy Watson Experience – including "Anger (alt extended)", "Here My Dear (alt mix)", "Time To Get It Together (alt extended mix)", "Falling In Love Again (alt version)", "I Met A Little Girl (alt version)", "Sparrow (alt version)", and "Anna's Song (inst – alt version)". CD

Features loads of greatness from Marvin's years at Motown – including some rare singles and a few unreleased tracks! This is the first time the world heard the funky "Checking Out (Double Clutch)" – alongside other rare cuts that icnlude "I Can't Help Falling For You", "What Do You Want With Him", "Couldn't Ask For More", "Without You", "Together We Stand", "Piece Of Clay", and "It's Got To Be Love". Also includes "You're The Man (parts 1 & 2)" – which was never on an album! CD

Marvin Marvin Marvin – just when we thought you couldn't impress us any more, you took it to the next level! Trouble Man is a heck of a wonderful surprise from an artist that most folks really only knew as a singer – a fantastically funky blacksploitation soundtrack, conceived and composed by Marvin himself – and served up with some occasional vocals that work beautifully with the album's cool instrumental grooves! The set's easily one of Gaye's most righteous records ever – almost a second chapter to What's Going On, but more instrumental – and like that classic set, it really shows the whole new range of vision that Marvin was able to work in the studio. Gaye gets a bit of arranging help on some tracks from Gene Page and JJ Johnson – and the album's filled with great cuts – including the landmark "T Plays It Cool", plus other gems like "Don't Mess With Mister T", "Main Theme From Trouble Man", "The Break In", and "T Stands For Trouble". Very funky, very sophisticated, and very soulful! CD

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". CD

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A nice record pairing the vocal stylings of Thelma Houston and Jerry Butler. Butler and Hal Davis take partial credit for production and tracks include the Bee-Gee's "Love So Right", "Only The Beginning", Stevie Wonder's "Joy Inside My Tears", "Let's Get Together", "It's A Lifetime Thing", and "I Love You Through Windows". LP, Vinyl record album

A very strange little album – one that features material recorded by Michael Jackson for Motown in the early 70s, remixed with new instrumental backings to cash in on his fame in the mid 80s! Given that the work is early, the vocals are great – very much in the best Jackson 5 mode of the time – but the odd thing is the way that the new backings give the tunes all a bit more of a modern touch – by lining up keyboards and a bit of electric percussion next to the warmer older Motown arrangements. The approach oddly isn't bad, and there's a few nicely compelling tunes here – tracks that we certainly love a lot more than the place Michael went a few years after 1984. Titles include "Melodie", "You've Really Got A Hold On Me", "Don't Let It Get You Down", "Girl You're So Together", "Farewell My Summer Love", "Call On Me", and "To Make My Father Proud". LP, Vinyl record album

A great entry in the world of Jackson 5 remix material – a hip set of Japanese work put together by Hiroshi Fujiwara & KUDO – with a nicely different vibe than previous efforts of this nature! The remixes have a slightly dubby quality, but are mostly focused around the familiar structure of the original tunes – nicely using mellow basslines and laidback Jamaican rhythms to add some really fresh flavors to the work of the Jacksons – in ways that are quite different than some of the other, more energetic remixes out there at the moment. Includes remixes of "We've Got A Good Thing Going", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "Happy", "Love Song", "I Want You Back", "With A Child's Heart", "I'll Be There", and "All I Do Is Think Of You". LP, Vinyl record album

A great reworking of this already-reworked package – one that takes the Jackson 5 and Michael Jackson remixes from the Japanese collection, and offers them up in even more wildly remixed takes! As you'd guess from the title, there's plenty of dubby production used on the set – not in a way that pushes the Jacksons material into Jamaican territory – but which instead flavors the warmth of Motown with occasional bass, drum, and guitar parts that feel as if they've been lifted from classic Kingston recordings. HF and KUDO handle all the mixes here – and titles include fresh dub mixes of "Love Song", "I'll Be There", "I Want You Back", "With A Child's Heart", "Never Can Say Goodbye", "We've Got A Good Thing Going", "All I Do Is Think Of You", "La La Means I Love You", "It's Great To Be Here", "Happy", and "Never Can Say Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

A massive single from the Jackson 5 – one of their best ever! "ABC" is a rollicking soul groover – piano, drums, and the boys all kicking it up with magic that they hardly ever duplicated again! "The Young Folks" is pretty nice too – a loping track with a slightly righteous feel – almost a message cut, but a bit too sweet for that! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Magnificent material from the Jackson 5 – a set that really has them moving into a whole new mature style in their music – taking on bigger themes and wider grooves, and really finding a fresh new voice in the process! There's a bit of funk in the mix, a bit of early club, and some cool baroque production modes that really move past straight Motown hit styles – heard to greatest effect on the album's wonderful opener – "I Am Love". The set also features the classic pre-disco "Dancing Machine", a perennial favorite – and the cuts "The Mirrors Of My Mind", "Whatever You Got I Want", "She's A Rhythm Child", "If I Don't Love You This Way", and "What You Don't Know". CD

The Jacksons definitely get it together here – and pick up a tight funky groove that's mighty nice! The album has them really moving past the usual structure of their early Motown hits – and at points, the record almost hints at the direction they'd take after leaving the label – especially on the dancefloor numbers that really drive the set! Titles include the perennial fave "Dancing Machine", the extended groover "Hum Along & Dance", and the cuts "Get It Together", "Don't Say Goodbye", and "Mama I Gotta Brand New Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

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The Jacksons' third album for Motown – and definitely one that has the quintet moving full steam ahead! There's a sense of perfection here right from the get-go – that really put-together quality the boys hit with their second album, thanks to great studio help from The Corporation and Hal Davis! Michael's vocals are beautiful, but so are the rest of the bros' – and titles include their sweet, sweet rendition of "I'll Be There", plus the groovy "Goin Back To Indiana", and other nice ones like "Mama's Pearl", "Darling Dear", "Can I See You In the Morning", and a tight version of "Ready Or Not (Here I Come)". LP, Vinyl record album

A really great record from Jonah – recorded for Motown, and with a very different feel than some of his other work! The arrangements on the set are not credited, but they've got a groovy little swing that's perfect for Jonah's lightly bubbling trumpet solos – dancing along with a dirty edge that's freed from the hoke of earlier records. Tunes are quite nice too – and include a mixture of originals and Motown numbers, such as "California Soul", "Jonah's Ark", "Falling In Love For The First Time", "Don't Mess With Bill", "Fingertips (part 2)", "Uptight", and "Is This The Kind Of Life You Lead". Strings, grooves, trumpet, and a touch of voices – all very classy and swinging! LP, Vinyl record album

The second album from Kem – in case you couldn't guess from the title – and even deeper than the first! As before, Kem keeps the whole thing true to himself – by writing and producing every track on the record, and working in a spare and soulful groove that draws a clear lineage back to the older soul artists who've inspired his music. There's a simplicity here that's really refreshing, and a male vocal mode that's warmly relaxed, yet never in a cliched "sexy" sort of way. No surprise that Kem's burning things up these days – as you'll hear on tracks that include "Find Your Way", "Into You", "Without You", "Set You Free", "I'm In Love", and "You Might Win". CD

Smooth mellow grooves, in the style that Eddie pioneered, and which he still did better than most. The album's a great batch of tracks with production by Leonard Caston, who also produced some of Eddie's earlier works, and the set's pretty darn great all the way through. With the cuts "Something Shady", "You Got It", "Intimate Friends", "Diamond Girl", and "California Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

Although Malcolm X, John Kennedy, and other 60s heroes were always unfortunately being bootlegged, and served up in weak packages, Dr. King was fortunate enough to get representation from Motown, who did a great job putting together his albums of speeches with clarity and quality. This one from 1963 features moments from the March On Washington, with speeches by King, Whitney Young, and Roy Wilkins. Also features Liz Lands singing "We Shall Overcome". LP, Vinyl record album

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A bit of a change from previous Ozone albums – a set that still has plenty of bass at the bottom, but also a fair bit of keyboards as well – stretching out nicely over the top, almost with a bit of an electro pop feel at points! The keys really make for a catchy sort of edge – not just the usual bassy soul from Rick James-era Motown, but a slightly more complicated vibe that's really trying for something new at times. The set also features a few mellower ballads that are surprisingly great – sensitive moments we wouldn't have guessed from the group – and titles include "You Don't Want My Love", "I Can't Wait", "Glasses", "Strutt My Thang", and "Don't Leave Me Now". CD

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A great Motown set from the 70s – a record that grooves with the new styles the label was exploring at the time, yet still has a rock-solid quality that links back to its 60s heritage too! The main strength here comes from Bonnie Pointer – whose vocals have an instantly classic sound that really fits the grooves – but the record also has killer help from top to bottom, too – including production from Berry Gordy and Jefrey Bowen, songs penned by Bowen, Smokey Robinson, Angelo Bond, Lamont Dozier, and Truman Thomas, and top-shelf help from California Motown studio giants. Titles include "When I'm Gone", "Free Me From My Freedom/Tie Me To A Tree", "Heaven Must Have Sent You", "Ah Shoot", "I Wanna Make It", and "My Everything". LP, Vinyl record album

The Flavor Flav Meets Spike Lee version is a 4-minute skit where, of course, Flavor Flav meets Spike Lee in Brooklyn on his way to the studio. 12-inch, Vinyl record

The second album by this obscure rock group who briefly recorded for Motown – and a really great record with some wonderful moments! Puzzle have some nice jazzy touches on their best numbers – slightly funky, and slightly in the jazz-rock mode of groups that were coming out of the UK during the early 70s. The album's got a killer track called "State Of Mind" which has wonderfully jazzy edges, a nice organ solo, and a warm and loping groove that makes it worth the price of the album alone –a nd other track shave some good fusiony touches, the laidback "Haiku", and the choppy funky cut "Now That You Love Me". Other tracks include "Prelude", "A Moment's Rest", and "NYC". LP, Vinyl record album

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One of Lionel Richie's biggest records ever! Titles include "Can't Slow Down", "All Night Long", "Penny Lover", "The Only One", "Running With The Night", "Hello", "The Groove", "Love Will Find A Way" and "Stuck On You". LP, Vinyl record album

Lionel's third album for Motown – one in a string of massive hits that forever changed the sound of 80s soul! The smooth mellow lover is still firmly in place – taking a few chances on the set, but still sounding best on the romantic numbers. Titles include "Love Will Conquer All", "Se La", "Don't Stop", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "Tonight Will Be Alright", and "Say You Say Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Lionel's first solo album after leaving the Commodores – and a solid bit of mellow soul that forever merged the genres of soul music and adult contemporary! Titles include "Serves You Right", "My Love", "Tell Me", "You Are", "Truly", "Just Put Some Love In Your Heart", and "Wandering Stranger". LP, Vinyl record album

Excellent mid 70s work from Smokey, recorded right before his landmark Quiet Storm album, and in a smooth sophisticated style that showed that he was definitely on the right track after splitting from the Miracles! The sound here is totally great – a new level of sophistication for Robinson, and proof that he was one of the key folks who would take soul music to new levels in the 70s! The record includes the excellent "Virgin Man", a loping midtempo track that's not only a great stepper, but also a famous sample riff. Other tracks include "I Am I Am", "Fulfill Your Need", "Just Passing Through", "The Love Between Me & My Kids", and "It's Her Turn To Live". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

An overlooked gem from Diana Ross – a set that's got a great mix of smooth grooves and tight soul numbers – all handled by 70s superproducer Richard Perry – and set to arrangements from Gene Page! Ross has this confident way of serving up the vocals, but an approach that's not nearly as diva-centric as some of her other work of the period – this almost relaxed style at times, which is even more captivating than usual, and some of her most compelling material on record from the time. The title track "Baby It's Me" actually is a pretty funky number – almost in the funky Pointer Sisters mode – with heavy bass popping a break on the intro, and some nice Hotel Sheet work by Jack Ashford – and other titles include "Too Shy To Say", "You Got It", "Getting Ready For Love", "Top Of The World", "All Night Lover", and "The Same Love That Made Me Laugh". LP, Vinyl record album

The title track to Diana Ross' classic album with Ashford & Simpson. The single's backed by a track produced by Hal Davis, lifted from the Thank God It's Friday soundtrack. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A landmark record for Diana – her first solo effort after leaving the Supremes, and a well-conceived batch of tracks produced by Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson! The album's got a warm, mature approach that really separates the work from Diana's earlier girl group past – as Ashford & Simpson take her into territory that hints at many of the musical changes to come, but which still has a freshness that breathes new life into Ross' vocal approach. Includes the super-bit hit version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", plus the tunes "Reach Out & Touch Somebody's Hand", "Now That There's You", "You're All I Need To Get By", "These Things Will Keep Me Loving You", "Dark Side Of The World", and "Where There Was Darkness". LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic early demonstration of the solo powers of Diana Ross – a live date from Vegas, and one that has her commanding the stage not just as a singer of soul music, but as a female star ready to rival the talents of any of her contemporaries in the mainstream! Ross shines here with a brilliant brightness right from the start – working with a large ensemble that echoes all her best Motown roots, but which also pushes things out in fuller, more vibrant modes too – as Diana runs through tracks that include old soul favorites, jazz standards, and even some surprising choices from the charts – at a level that's filled with poise, class, and soul throughout. Titles include a great "Supremes Medley", plus "Don't Rain On My Parade", "Corner Of The Sky", "I Love You Porgy", "My Man", "The Lady Is A Tramp", "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", and a "Lady Sings The Blues Medley" with titles from the Billie Holiday songbook. LP, Vinyl record album

On the one hand, our jazz snob side wonders why Diana Ross would be picked to star as Billie Holiday, but on the other, it makes perfect sense, as this soundtrack to the film was made during the early 70s, when she was at the top of her career, and one of the highest profile female soul singers. And she acquits herself quite well, with a solid performance that's more than respectable, helped along the way by sympathetic orchestral arrangements from Benny Golson and Oliver Nelson. While we may not turn to this recording over any of Billie's originals, it's a pretty remarkable turning point for Diana, establishing her "diva" status and helping to launch her solo career to new heights. 34 numbers in all, though many of them are dialogue or musical bits lifted from the film. Includes "All Of Me", "the Man I Love", "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "Fine & Mellow", "You've Changed", "My Man", "Strange Fruit" and "God Bless The Child". LP, Vinyl record album

Fully mature work from Diana Ross – a set that really breaks free from the styles of her roots, and which has her emerging as a full-formed solo act on her own! There's a range of modes here that's quite surprising – strong, sophisticated ballads at the core, but also echoes of jazz, country, and even a bit of rock influences as well – showing Diana's increasing desire to broaden her musical reach, and coming off surprisingly well, without any of the mis-steps you might expect. Backings are often full, but usually focused too – arranged by Bob Gaudio, Gene Page, Tom Baird, Michael O'Martian, and others. Tracks include the funky favorite "I Heard A Love Song", plus "Stone Liberty", "No One's Gonna Be A Fool Forever", "Sleepin", "You", "Turn Around", and "Love Me". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the more righteous albums from the early years of Diana Ross' solo career – a set that really has her moving past the familiar Motown groove of previous years, into a vibe that really shows the label's new California influence! The tracks here often feature expansive arrangements that mix soul and larger orchestrations – arranged by Gene Page, James Carmichael, Gil Askey, and Michael Randall – all of whom preserve the class that Diana's always had in her music, while still also opening things up to some of the more thoughtful elements of 70s soul. The album includes a nice medley of Oscar Brown Jr's "Brown Baby" and Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children", plus a version of "Imagine", and the tracks "Leave A Little Room", "I Won't Last A Day Without You", "All Of My Life", and "Touch Me In The Morning". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

The final live performance of Diana Ross with The Supremes – with titles that include "TCB", "It's Alright With Me", "The Impossible Dream", "Someday We'll Be Together", and "Love Child" – as well as some spoken bits from Diana, and a few nice medley tracks too! LP, Vinyl record album

A great little album from Diana Ross – maybe one of her lesser-known efforts with The Supremes, and a set that really points the way towards the solo years to come! One of the reasons for that is that the set really just features Diana out in the lead, with different backing singers behind – all the great songs from the show, but recast with these sophisticated soul arrangements by Gil Askey – very groovy, very Motown, but also with a lot stronger focus on Ross upfront than usual! In a way, the shift is a fantastic nod to Diana's growing role as a star – really claiming her as the black Streisand, a position that she's clearly confident with, and maybe even beats Barbara on the vocal tip too. Titles include "Funny Girl", "The Music That Makes Me Dance", "Don't Rain On My Parade", "People", "Cornet Man", "His Love Makes Me Beautiful", "Sadie Sadie", and "I'm The Greatest Star" – the last of which would make a nice theme song for Diana's 70s years! This expanded version not only marks the first time the record has been on CD – it also features both the stereo and the mono mixes of the record – plus the original recording of the album, with Mary Wilson and Cindy Birdsong – the real Supremes recording of the set! There's also five more bonus tracks – "Cornet Man (alt)", "His Love Makes Me Beautiful (alt)", "Sadie Sadie (alt)", "I'm The Greatest Star (live TCB outtake)", and "My Man (live)". CD

It's the third volume, but there's still plenty of hits left – thanks to the legendary 60s run of Diana Ross & The Supremes at Motown! Arrangers include Henry Cosby, Paul Riser, and Wade Marcus – and most of the tracks are from the later years of the original trio – with titles that include "Reflections", "Love Child", "The Happening", "I'm Livin In Shame", "No Matter What Sign You Are", "The Composer", "Forever Came Today", and "Love Is Here & Now You're Gone". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... 7-inch, Vinyl record