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

Australian version with different remixes, the Jackson 5's I Want You Back remized by Suffa, Gladys Knight & The Pips' I Heard It Through The Grapevine (The Randy Watson Experience Sympathy), the Temptations Papa Was A Rollin' Stone (DJ Jazzy Jeff And Pete Kuzma Solefumix), Undisputed Truth Smiling Faces Sometimes (Katalysremix), Marvin Gaye Let's Get It On (Da Producers MPG Groove Mix), Stevie Wonder Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours) (DJ Smash Esstential Funk Mix), Jackson 5 ABC (Salaam Remi Krunk-A-Delic Party Mi), Rare Earth I Just Want To Celebrate (Mocean Worker Remix), the Supremes My World Is Empty Without You (Tranzition Remix), the Temptations Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me) (Easy Mo Bee Remix), Rick James Mary Jane (DJ Green Lantern Evil Geniuremix), Eddie Kendricks Keep On Truckin' (DJ Spinna Remix), Smokey Robinson & The Miracles Tears Of A Clown (Hotsnaremix) & Edwin Starr War (Danelsan Ichiban Remix.) CD

Features music from Steve Wonder, the Temptations, the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, the Elgins, Jimmy Ruffin, the Miracles, the Four Tops, Kim Weston, Frank Wilson, and more. CD

A wonder batch of rare Motown material from Detroit singer Marv Johnson – a vocalist who started out working for Berry Gordy in the late 50s, recording the some of the first material to be released on the Tamla Motown label, and recorded all of the terrific material on this set for Motown from the mid 60s to the start of the 70s! Johnson didn't find his way into the historical canon the way many of the great solo singers and groups he helped pave the way for, but he's no less worthy! This set from Kent UK includes all the tracks from the I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose LP plus previously unreleased numbers numbers and rare mono single mixes – really beautiful stuff and a vital rediscovery of Marv's overlooked work at Motown! Titles include "I'll Pick A Rose For My Rose", "I'm Not A Plaything", "Why Do You Want To Let Me Go", "Bad Girl", "I Miss You Baby (How I Miss You)", the previously unreleased gems "There Goes A Lonely Man", "Understanding", "Farewell Is A Lonely Sound" and more, plus mono versions of several album tracks. 26 tracks in all! CD

Music from Frank Wilson, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, Brenda Holloway, the Temptations, the Spinners, Barbara McNair, David Ruffin, Tommy Good, the Originals, and more. CD

A collection of 50 #1 hits on Motown by artists that include Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, The Miracles, Stevie Wonder, Thelma Houston, Diana Ross & The Supremes, Edwin Starr, The Marvelettes, Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell, The Jackson 5, Eddie Kendrics, Mary Wells, Junior Walker & The All Stars, Four Tops, The Temptations, Commodores, and Gladys Knight & The Pips. LP, Vinyl record album

The legendary unreleased Motown recordings by The Contours – material that should have been issued as a full length LP in 1964 – but all but a couple tunes have languished in the vaults until now! The group simply kills on on these dancefloor ready stormers, with raucous, charismatic lead vocals and tight harmony backup – on a set of numbers that were no doubt ready and set to slay live audiences. We're sure The Contours were unbeatable live, but these recordings really should have made it out at the time. Better late than never, to say the very least! Includes the 60s singles "Can You Do It" and "Can You Jerk Like Me", plus the unreleased "Do The See Saw", "Foot Stomping Time", "Party Groove", "Okey Dokey", "Love Is Uncertain", "Wanted", "Boy Meets Girl", "You Hurt Me So", "Throw You Out Of My Mind", "Giant Steps", "Let's Do The Uncle Willie", "Tonight", "Nobody Fine As Dinah", "Somebody's Daughter Outta", "Let's Do The Uncle Willie" and more. 26 tracks in all! 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 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

One of the strongest chapters in the career of 60s soulman Chuck Jackson – his brief stint with the Motown label, served up here in a package that includes 3 albums' worth of material, plus assorted rare and unreleased tracks as well! Although Chuck only worked with Motown for a few short years, his time at the label marked a big shift in his work – a move away from the more staid "Iceman" soul of the Wand recordings, and into a sound that was deeper, more expressive, and nicely mature as well. There's a growing southern soul sensibility to many of these tracks – as Chuck seems to be taking a cue from some of the better singers of the late 60s, and deepening his sound with influences brought north from Memphis and Muscle Shoals. The core sound's still prime Motown, though – with top-shelf arrangements and productions – and in a way, these recordings mark the link between Memphis and Detroit that would be explored a lot more heavily in key 70s recordings by Don Davis and other producers who skirted between the two cities' scenes. CD features the complete tracks from the albums Chuck Jackson Arrives, Going Back To Jackson, and Teardrops Fallin On My Heart – plus a whopping 11 bonus tracks! Titles include "Let Somebody Love Me", "The Man In You", "Girls Girls Girls", "Where You Gonna Run To Now", "We'll Find A Way", "I'd Still Love You", "No More Water In The Well", "Honey Come Back", "You Keep Running Away", "Have You Heard About The Fool", "That's Me Lovin You", "Pet Names", "It Must Be Love Baby", "Without Your Love", "Helpless", and "Pinpoint It Down". 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

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

An incredible treasure trove of Motown soul – more recordings than we could have imagined by the legendary Velvelettes! The group were one of Motown's first girl groups in the early days – and although they never broke as big as The Supremes or Vandellas, they've got a great sound that's almost a rougher take on the female sound of Detroit at the time. The Velvelettes are best remembered by a few key singles, but as this set shows, the girls recorded an incredible amount of music for Motown – working surprisingly often in the studios during the mid 60s, on a large number of tracks that have never been released! This extremely well-done collection features a whopping 48 titles in all – including 5 numbers from a rare live show from 1964, 4 rare French singles, and a huge batch of previously unissued tunes, alternate mixes, and obscure singles! Titles include "Selfish Lover", "Should I Tell Them", "Needle In A Haystack", "Let You Live A Little Bit Longer (alternate)", "I'm The Exception To The Rule", "Why Must You Go", "The Boy From Crosstown (alternate)", "He's The One", "Ain't No Place Like Motown", "Your Heart Belongs To Me", "Seasons Greetings From Motown 1966", "The Monkey Time", and "Le Hokey Pokey". CD

6 Motown albums from Jr Walker & The All Stars – all long overdue for reissue! First up is A Gasssss – a gas of a record from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that has the magical Johnny Bristol producing – giving the group this really warm, soaring sound that's totally great! Walker still serves up plenty of strong tenor solos, but there's also some vocal currents in the mix – strong leads at times, but also some nice backups too – all of which really helps to keep things soaring! Titles a nice mix of Motown covers and original material – and titles include "I Was Made To Love Her", "Do You See My Love", "And When I Die", "Honey Come Back", "Holly Holy", "Riding High On Love", "At A Saturday Matinee", and "Groove & Move". Next up is Rainbow Funk – a record that definitely has Jr Walker & The All Stars picking up a bit of funk – but in a groove that still mixes things with that warmly soulful glow the group had right from the start! The basslines are definitely up a bit from before – although not rumbling in Norman Whitfield territory – and the sax solos get a bit more space to stretch out and bite on the longer numbers, but often with a bit of backing vocals to warm things up around the edges! Jr is great all the way through – Motown's very strong answer to King Curtis – and titles include "Right On Brothers & Sisters", "Way Back Home", "Feeling Alright", "Psychedelic Shack", "Pieces Of A Man", and "Teach Them To Pray". Moody Jr is a sweet early 70s groover from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that reunites the group with producer Johnny Bristol, who always has a great way of helping them set fire to their sound! Walker and company may have shot from the gate with a mix of R&B tenor and Motown soul – but the sound here is much more in the latter, more matured mode of the label – with strong deep soul lyrics on a number of cuts, which are balanced out nicely by Bristol's fuller production. There's plenty of sax solos too, of course – and titles include "Way Back Home", "Bristol's Way", "Don't Blame The Children", "Me & My Family", "Still Water Medley", and "Groove Thang". Peace & Understanding is a record that has Jr Walker and the group stepping out with some of the righteous touches promised in the title – partly in the choice of songs on the set, which are all nicely tucked into that strong mix of deep soul vocals and saxophone lines that had become the Jr Walker groove! The set features work from a number of different arrangers – all the hipper side of Motown in the early 70s, as the list includes, Willie Hutch, Gene Page, and James Carmichael – and tunes include two great originals, one by Hutch, one by Leon Ware. Tracks include "It's Alright Do What You Gotta Do", "Soul Clappin'", "Gimme that Beat (parts 1 & 2)", "It's Too Late", and "Peace & Understanding Is Hard To Find". The self-titled Jr Walker & The All Stars album is maybe the rarest in the bunch – an obscure UK-only record from 1974, and one that has the group's usual approach warmed up by some more ambitious arrangements – a bit like the direction some of the vocal acts of the 70s were taking at the time! The production on most of the set is by Clarence Paul – and there's mostly a focus on the saxophone, not any vocals at all – which makes the set feel a bit like some of the Willis Jackson or Lou Donaldson work for Atlantic around the same time – or maybe even a bit like Hank Crawford on Kudu. Titles include "Boogie Down", "All In Love Is Fair", "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life", "Break Down & Sing", and "Dancin Like They Do On Soul Train". Hot Shot is a mid-70s stormer from Jr Walker & The All Stars – a set that glides along on a fuller set of backdrops than before, with Holland-Dozier-Holland production from Brian Holland returning to Motown – but in a hip 70s style that has strings and funk dancing along in a great way beneath the strong sax solos in the lead! There's a bit of vocals on the record, but the real strength lies in the instrumentation – especially some of the weirder, fuzzier guitar lines and keyboards. Titles include "Why Can't We Be Lovers", "Hot Shot", "Probe Your Mind", "I Need You Right Now", and "You Ain't No Ordinary Woman". CD

Music from the Originals, Jimmy Ruffin, Dave Ruffin, Rare Earth, Edwin Starr, the Elgins, Brenda Holloway, the Velvelettes, the Isley Brothers, Shorty Long, Kim Weston, Undisputed Truth, Eddie Holland, and more. CD

A motherlode of Northern Soul work – all compiled by Dave Godin, the man who first coined the name for the genre! As you'll guess by the title, all the tracks on the set are from the Motown label – no surprise, as the Detroit powerhouse was a huge influence on the British scene of the 60s, thanks to a lot of help from Godin, whose work really allowed Motown to gain a foothold in the UK. The groove here is all uptempo, all driving – that jumpy approach to soul music that always played big on the Northern dancefloors – and the 2CD brings together all of the 48 tracks that were previously issued on 2 individual volumes. Titles include "Do I Love You" by Frank Wilson, "Keep On Lovin Me" by Frances Nero, "Goodbye Cruel World" by Linda Griner, "Share A Little Love With Me" by The Monitors, "This Love Starved Heart Of Mine" by Marvin Gaye, "You Hit Me" by Kim Weston, "Just Walk In My Shoes" by Gladys Knight & the Pips, "What More Could A Boy Ask For" by The Spinners, "Goodnight Irene" by The Originals, "When I'm Gone" by Brenda Holloway, "Nightmare" by Andantes, "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by The Contours, "I'll Always Love You" by The Spinners, "I Gotta Let You Go" by Jimmy Ruffin, "Lonely Lonely Girl Am I" by The Velvelettes, "Just Ain't Enough Love" by Eddie Holland, "Suspicion" by The Originals, "My Weakness Is You" by Jr Walker, "Lonely Lover" by The Four Tops, "My Smile Is Just A Frown Turned Upside Down" by Carolyn Crawford, "Two Can Have A Party" by Tammi Terrell, "Baby Hit & Run" by The Contours, "When I Feel The Need" by Marvin Gaye, "I Gotta Let You Go" by Jimmy Ruffin, and "Baby Come Home to Me" by Shorty Long. CD

A fantastic collection of work from Sondra "Blinky" Williams – a hell of a soul singer who recorded a fair bit for Motown Records at the end of the 60s and start of the 70s – but an artist whose music ended up mostly spending the next few decades in the label's vaults! Yet Blinky never let the lack of success stop her from giving her best – as she's a fantastic vocalist, and one with an expressive range that easily matches some of the Motown greats of her generation – a list that would include Martha Reeves or Gladys Knight – but who also has these deeper, more righteous currents that make her a perfect singer for a Motown move into the 70s! Blinky only saw one full album issued at the time – a duo with Edwin Starr titled Just The Two Of Us – but this package features a fully conceived, yet never-released album – plus other singles, unissued tracks, live material, and lots more – a wealth of fully-cooked, powerfully-produced singles that finally give the singer her due. The whole thing is an amazing Motown discovery – 46 tracks in all, 28 of which appear here for the first time ever – with titles that include "Don't Leave Your Baby", "Heart Full Of Soul", "How Can I Go On", "Inside", "I'll Make It Up To You", "One Half Of Love", "Shine On Me", "For Once In My Life", "I Wouldn't Change The Man He Is", "I Can't Turn You Loose", "People Make The World Go Round", "T'Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "I've Gotta Get You Back", "Mr Soul Brother", "You're The Loser Now", "One Half Of Love", and lots lots more. CD

A stunning selection of female soul from Motown – all of it rare, and much of it previously unreleased! The set is a great reminder not only of how much we still have to learn about the biggest soul label in the motor city – but also of the exceptional quality that Motown brought to their recordings – so much so that even long-unissued tracks like these can easily stand with the biggest hits from other 60s soul labels! The package is wonderful if you dig female soul – and maybe even if you just like vintage soul in general – and in addition to rare cuts by big Motown names, you'll also hear some lesser-knowns that show the way the company was always trying to reach out for new talent in the fertile world of Detroit music. As usual, Ace has provided very detailed notes that offer as much history as information on the music – and the CD features 24 titles that include "It's Been A Long Time Happenin" by Rita Wright, "There Are Things" by Ann Bogan, "It's Crazy Baby" by Liz Lands, "Baby I've Got It" by Brenda Holloway, "Honey Don't Leave Me" by The Lewis Sisters, "It's All Right" by LaBrenda Ben, "When Someone's Good To You" by Oma Page, "In My Heart I Know It's Right" by Gladys Knight & The Pips, "Sweet Talkin Guy" by The Marvelettes, "Cookie Boy" by Thelma Brown, "I Up & Think Of You" by Kim Weston, "There Was" by The Lollipops, "Keep Away" by Little Lisa, "Playboy (first version)" by The Marvelettes, "I Know You Don't Love Me No More (orig mix)" by Yvonne Fair, "In Your Heart" by Patrice Holloway, "You've Got Possibilities" by Barbara McNair, and "Bad News" by LaBrenda Ben. CD

A great little package of clubby soul from Motown – four 12" singles in a box! Though the label wasn't particularly known as a home to disco, they weren't allergic to it either, and fielded their share of nice club friendly tracks throughout the late 70s, and even on through the 80s, though this set features some great highlights from 1978 and 1979. Five tracks are spread out across four 12" singles, with a handful of instrumental flip sides, too, and the numbers include both the vocal and instrumental takes of Rick James' "Bustin' Out", vocal and instrumental takes of High Inergy's "Shoulda Gone Dancin'", vocal and instrumental takes of Billy Preston & Syreeta's "Go For It", and "I Just Keep Thinking About You Baby" and "Get Up For Love" by Tata Vega. LP, Vinyl record album

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! LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A mindblowing collection of work from Marvin Gaye – tracks recorded in the space right after What's Going On – many of which were never issued at the time! All this incredible material from 1972 has been brought together to create a stunning double-length album – one that features a few tracks that only ever saw issue as 45s back in the day, others that only later turned up as bonus tracks on CDs or box sets, and still others that appear here for the first time ever – all to show the incredible talents that Marvin was working with during this incredibly fruitful time in his career! Much of the material has the same righteous, socially-conscious spirit as What's Going On – and, if anything, the whole set provides a much-needed missing link between that album and the more sensual territory of Let's Get It On. There's definitely some of the spirit of that later album in place here too, as well as the instrumental complexity that Gaye would display on his soundtrack for Trouble Man – and the set even features a few Christmas tunes too. Titles include two versions of "You're The Man" – a killer 45 cut that we've loved for years – plus "Piece Of Clay", "I'm Gonna Give You Respect", "Try It You'll Like It", "You Are That Special One", "We Can Make It Baby", "My Last Chance", "Symphony", "I'd Give My Life For You", "Woman Of The World", "The World Is Rated X", "Where Are We Going", "I Want To Come Home For Christmas", "I'm Going Home (Move)", and the killer "Checking Out (Double Clutch)" – one of the funkiest tunes that Marvin ever recorded! LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

A monster! Foxy Brown is Willie Hutch's magnificent soundtrack for Foxy Brown – a Pam Grier blacksploitation film from the early 70s – and it's pure genius all the way through, a record filled with some of the best funky soundtrack cuts of the era! Willie's got a real Curtis Mayfield sound here – with a dope mixture of full orchestrations and heavy funk, guitar riffing away as drums snap tightly across the album's best rhythms! Includes the classic funky numbers "Ain't That Mellow Mellow" and "Give Me Some of that Good Old Love" – plus "Whatever You Do", "Foxy Lady", "You Sure Know How To Love Your Man", "Theme Of Foxy Brown", "Out There", and "Chase". LP, Vinyl record album

Michael's on lead vocals here – in a set of tracks that's all from the early 70s, when he was starting to break away from The Jackson Five, but was still mostly recording with them. 10 tracks in all: "Ben", "Got To Be There", "One Day In Your Life", "I Wanna Be Where You Are", "Rockin Robin", "We're Almost There", "With A Child's Heart", "Happy (Love theme from Lady Sings The Blues)", "Morning Glow" and "Music & Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Rick James' first LP for Motown subsidiary Gordy – an effort that was to provide the blueprint for his later success! James' trademark pop bass funk style is fully formed on this one already, and though we may once have thought little of the slick production and style, looking back this stuff has a good bit more substance than some of the other commercial R & B of the day! "Mary Jane" & "You & I" were the 2 big hits of this album, which also includes "Be My Lady", "Hollywood" & "Sexy Lady". CD

A rare set from legendary deep soul diva Betty Lavette – recorded as a one-off for Motown in the early 80s, but done in a deep soul style that has plenty of 70s touches! The feel here is almost in the Malaco mode – southern soul, but with some more sophisticated modern touches – an approach which takes Betty's great vocals and makes them come across with a warm, sensuous glow that's really great. And if you've got any doubts about the date of the record, or the label it's on, shelve them now – because this is a great record with plenty of wonderful mellow soul numbers that display a whole new side of Betty's talents – every bit as great as her earlier work for rootsier labels, and proof that she was always a shining star in the deep soul scene, no matter what the setting! Titles include "I Like It Like That", "Tell Me A Lie", "Right In The Middle", "Either Way We Lose", "Suspicions", and "Before I Knew Your Name". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

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

A nice little follow-up to Billy Preston & Syreeta's work on the Fast Break soundtrack – and a record that's one of the few key sides to carry the older Motown duet soul mode firmly into the 80s! There's a great sense of balance here – one that uses Syreeta's sweeter vocal approach to lift up Billy's sometimes rougher sound. And arrangements and production by Ollie Brown ensure that the whole album's got a nice modern feel overall – a style that's got elements of boogie running through most of the numbers, but still with enough room for some of the mellower tracks that make the most of the duet setting. Titles include "Just For You", "Searchin", "Someone Special", "Love", "One More Try", "Hey You", and "A New Way To Say I Love You". CD features lots of bonus tracks too – including "With You I'm Born Again (7" single)", "With You I'm Born Again (inst)", "Go For It (12" single)", "It Will Come In Time (7" single)", "Please Stay (7" single)", and "One More Time For Love (7" single)". CD

Featuring Eddie and Gerald Levert. 12-inch, Vinyl record

The classic soundtrack to Spike Lee's Do The Right Thing – lead, of course, by Public Enemy's "Fight The Power" – and beyond that is a pretty wonderful, and not always as intense cross-section of some of the finer urban soul and New Jack Swing, circa '89, breezy vocal-centric R&B, a touch of Latin and Afro-Carribbean pop. The Bed-Stuy melting pot bubbles over to tragic consequences in the film, but the diverse soundtrack is plenty harmonious, and sounds fresh to this day. Includes "My Fantasy" by Teddy Riley featuring Guy, "Never Explain Love" by Al Jarreau, "Party Hearty" by EU, "Tu Y Yo" by Ruben Blades, "Can't Stand It" by Steel Pulse and "Don't Shoot Me" by Take 6. LP, Vinyl record album

A stone smoker from Rare Earth – recorded a a time when they were able to easily handle a groove made up of equal parts funk, rock, and soul! The vibe here is almost like War at times – not for the LA touches in the mix, but for the heady and heavy way these guys roll forward – pulling together all the best elements of the underground at the time, and bringing them into their own smoky groove. Instrumentation is wonderful – and some of the cuts have a really great jamming sort of feel – especially the 11 minute reading of "(I Know) I'm Losing You" – originally done by the Temptations, and produced by Norman Whitfield for the album! Other titles include "Long Time Leavin", "Satisfaction Guaranteed", "Nice Place To Visit", "No 1 Man", and a sweet version of "Eleanor Rigby". LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

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 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

... CD

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

A great early solo set from Diana Ross – a record that still has some great echoes of her work with The Supremes, but an even bolder frontline approach on vocals! Most tracks here still have other female voices backing Ross up – some un-credited Supremes-esque vocals that really help sweeten up the record, and make for a great transition from the earlier years. Production is by Hal Davis and Deke Richards of The Corporation – both of whom start pushing in some more sophisticated elements to the sound – lilting rhythms and soaring strings, but always used in moderation – so that most of the tunes still have that sweetly stepping groove that was associated with Ross' best work of the late 60s. There's some really great songs on the set – including the excellent title track "Everything Is Everything", which has a bouncing little hook, and the wonderful "Doobedood'ndoobe", an original by Deke Richards with a nice set of changes! Other titles include "I Love You", "How About You", "My Place", "Ain't No Sad Song", and "Baby It's Love". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

... CD

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

Diana and the ladies recorded live at London's Talk Of The Town nitespot – with arrangements conducted by Jimmy Garrett, and a set of tracks that includes a number of medleys of standards and late 60s pop tunes. Titles include "Mame", "Reflections", "In & Out Of Love", "Without A Song", "Baby Love", "Come See About Me", "Michelle", "You Keep Me Hangin On", "The Lady Is a Tramp", and "The Happening". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

A great lost slice of late 60s Motown – the recordings made by The Supremes and The Temptations together – a marvelous pairing of two of the label's finest groups, in a style that often created some very memorable moments! Some of the work on the 2 disc set was recorded for TV, and some of it as regular studio work – and the full contents of 2 albums are presented here, Diana Ross & The Supremes Join The Temptations and Together – along with a wealth of alternate mixes and previously unreleased tracks as well! Rare tracks include "Amen", "If You Should Walk Away", "A House Is Not A Home", "Got To Get You Into My Life", and "You Gave Me Something" – and regular tracks include "Not Now I'll Tell You Later", "I Second That Emotion", "This Guy's In Love With You", "Funky Broadway", "A Place In The Sun", "The Weight", "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow", and "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You". 38 tracks in all – with some tunes presented in longer versions than on the original records! CD

A surprisingly great album from these two former member of The Supremes – Scherrie Payne & Susaye Greene-Brown – put together with production help from Eugene McDaniels, who really helps give the whole thing a hipper spin than some of the girls' more famous work from before! There's a slight Minnie Riperton touch to the vocals a times – a really great sense of range – and the best tracks have a warm modern soul vibe that really lets the girls move forward strongly, especially at the few points when there's an undercurrent of funk. The material's arranged by Alan Silvestri, Odell Brown, and Leon Pendarvis – and the whole thing's definitely not the usual 70s bag from Motown. Titles include "You've Been Good To Me", "Luvbug", "I Found Another Love", and "Leaving Me Was The Best Thing You've Ever Done". CD

Load sof early classics – "Twenty Five Miles", "War", "Running Back & Forth", "I'm Still A Strugglin Masn", "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On", "There You Go", and his blacksploitation classic "Ain't It Hell Up In Harlem". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent blacksploitation soundtrack – and every bit as funky as any of Willie Hutch's work for other Motown soundtracks at the time! Larry Mizell and Dennis Coffey help out on the instrumentation – giving the album an extra funky instrumental edge, one that takes it way past Edwin Starr's other work – and the tracks are a nice mix of vocals and instrumentals. Titles include "Ain't It Hell Up In Harlem", "Airport Chase", and the massive "Easin' In", a stone sample classic! LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

2 odder Supremes albums on one CD! A Bit Of Liverpool is a strange set in which The Supremes strangely sing hits of the British Invasion – like "How Do You Do It", "You Can't Do That", "House Of The Rising Sun", and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" – nearly all of which are done in fairly rock-heavy versions that sound nothing like the group's bigger soul hits of the time. It's hard to imagine that such an album would appeal to either the group's regular fans or those who liked true British rock, but perhaps that's also why the record features a version of The Contours "Do You Love Me" and The Miracles' "You've Really Got A Hold Of Me" who are also listed in the notes as being part of the "male group" phenomenon that is really what the Brit invasion was about. TCB is a soundtrack to a film that starred the group, with some guest appearances by The Temptations – in Motown-show versions of tracks that often feature the singers lapsing into medleys of other tunes, or doing some popular hits of the day. Titles include "Respect", "Somewhere", "Stop In The Name Of Love", "TCB", "For Once In My Life", "Hello Young Lovers", "I Hear A Symphony", and "The Impossible Dream". CD

Overlooked greatness from the late 60s years of The Supremes! Cream Of The Crop may not have been a huge hit for The Supremes, but the record has the group handling a variety of interesting work – mostly done in modes that bring the best Motown styles of the 60s into closer contact with the label's more expansive sound to come in the 70s! There's a really nice balance here, handled by a cream of the crop set of arrangers that includes Wade Marcus, David Van DePitte, and Paul Riser – on titles that include "Someday We'll Be Together", "You Gave Me Love", "Can't You See It's Me", "Young Folks", "The Beginning Of The End", "Till Johnny Comes", and "Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever". LP, Vinyl record album

Symphonic soul from The Supremes – a set that still has the trio working with the legendary Holland-Dozier-Holland team, but with a full set of orchestral backings that help them hit even more class and sophistication than before! The ballads have these really lush arrangements – never too pop, but swelling with strings that lift up the young voice of Diana Ross in a really regal way – with a style that helps transform familiar numbers from other singers, and really make them some proud musical statements of her own. These arrangements hang on through most of the record, but are often augmented by these cool vibes that bring in a slight jazzy undercurrent – and titles include the classic "I Hear A Symphony" – plus "Stranger In Paradise", "Unchained Melody", "Without A Song", "A Lover's Concerto", "My World Is Empty Without You", and "He's All I Got". LP, Vinyl record album

A strange twist for the girls – not really because the material's country, but because the tunes selected are the kind of country tunes that would often be done in kind of a deep soul mode. There's still a sparkling quality on the album – and the girls' approach to the tunes is less Ivory Joe Hunter country soul than it is Brook Benton uptown style. Still, it's quite a different album for the Supremes – and surprisingly nice! Titles include "Funny How Time Slips Away", "My Heart Can't Take it No More", "Tears In Vain", "Sunset", "You Need Me", and "It Makes No Difference Now". LP, Vinyl record album

2 killers by The Temptations! Psychedelic Shack is a Motown classic – with a deep heavy soul sound that mixed in loads of psychedelic elements in a rolling righteous groove that was perfect for the political tenor of the times. The formula worked extremely well for The Temps, and shifted them from being just a regular Motown vocal group into a super soul power that shaped soul music heavily in the next few years. Includes the classic "Psychedelic Shack", plus "Friendship Train", "Take A Stroll Thru Your Mind", "Hum Along And Dance", and "It's Summer". All Directions is pretty darn great, too – with less of a coherent sound, but plenty of great tracks – including "Love Woke Me Up This Morning", "Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On", "Papa Was A Rollin Stone", and "Mother Nature". CD

Classic early Temptations – a wonderful little record produced by Smokey Robinson with a sweet group finish! The harmonies are impeccable, and the sound is perfect Motown – tight and classy, but with enough rough edges to keep things soulful at the best parts – and there's a romping sort of groove to many tracks, almost making the album sort of a mini-Motown dance party of sorts! Titles include "Just Another Lonely Night", "The Girl's Alright With Me", "Don't Look Back", "Since I Lost My Baby", "Everybody Needs Love", "My Baby", "You've Got To Earn It", and "Born To Love You". CD

The first three albums by Undisputed Truth – finally on CD, with bonus tracks too! First up is the amazing debut of Undisputed Truth – one of the coolest new Motown groups of the 70s – and one of the few that really continued the experimental legacy of the label in the late 60s! As with the Temptations during their psychedelic years, Undisputed Truth are handled by superproducer Norman Whitfield – who does a fantastic job of mixing deeper ideas and righteous themes with some of the soaring soul that was the Motown stock in trade – a wonderful blend that made these guys one of the best groups poised to push the label into the new decade! Titles include the huge hit "Smiling Faces Sometimes", plus lots of covers of cool tracks like "California Soul", "Like A Rolling Stone", "Ball Of Confusion", and "You Got The Love I Need". Law Of The Land is an unstoppable groove from The Undisputed Truth – a group who worked with Norman Whitfield in the same psychedelic soul territory as The Temptations – and who arguably got the sound across even better than them! This set's not as much of a bit hit as the group's other records from the time – but that makes it sound even fresher and more fierce – loads of those hard-rolling basslines you'd expect from Whitfield's production – and some soaring arrangements from Paul Riser and David Van DePitte, both of whom give the album a sense of majesty to match its inherent righteousness. Titles include "Law of The Land" and "Mama I Got A Brand New Thing" – plus covers of Temps tunes "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Just My Imagination" – and other covers that include "Love & Happiness", "If I Die", "Feelin' Alright", and "Killing Me Softly", done in the full soul mode of the group. Down To Earth features Undisputed Truth at the height of their powers – still working in the psychedelic soul style they forged with Norman Whitfield at the end of the 60s – but with a groove that's tighter and sharper than ever before! We might well call the record the funkiest the group ever cut – as Whitfield's production really brings the rhythms into strong focus, while still letting the righteous message in the lyrics shine through in the group's strong sense of interplay – that back/forth between male and female vocals that really helps the group create a sense of social conversation. Titles include the Whitfield originals "Help Yourself", "Big John Is My Name", "Save My Love For A Rainy Day", and "Law Of The Land" – but the best tracks might be their covers, like "Love & Happiness" and "Our Day Will Come", both totally remade here into great new versions! CD features 6 more bonus tracks – including "Let's Go Back To Day One" and "Gonna Keep On Tryin Till I Win Your Love" – plus single edits of "What's Going On", "What It Is", "You Make Your Own Heaven & Hell", and "Law Of The Land". CD

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

15 track set that includes "There He Goes", "Lonely Lonely Girl", "He Was Really Saying Something", "Think Of The Times", "Should I Tell Him", "Throw A Farewell", "A Bird In The Hand", "That's The Reason Why", "I Know His Name", and "I'm So Glad It's Twilight Time". CD

Jr. Walker's deep soulful tenor graced many a Motown hit back in the 60s – including the dozen featured on this tasty "best of" compilation, put together back in 1968, from singles that were issued earlier in the decade. Includes the huge hit "Shotgun", plus "Home Cookin", "Road Runner", "Hip City", "Shake & Fingerpop", "Shoot Your Shot", and a version of "Money". LP, Vinyl record album