The Art Ensemble at the height of their powers – really letting loose on the Parisian scene of the late 60s, where they found a great audience for all the new ideas they'd been brewing up back home! The album's definitely one that has the group's unique ethos coming into focus – that sense of spontaneous collective creativity spawned by their AACM contemporaries, but delivered with the special sort of playful energy of the group – as they effortlessly shift instruments, switch modes, and find a way to resonate wonderfully as a group without sacrificing their individual voices! Everyone plays percussion and other instruments – with Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell on reeds, Lester Bowie on trumpet, and Malachi Favors on bass – on titles that include "Song For Charles", "Ericka", "A Jackson In Your House", and "Get In Line". CD

The Art Ensemble at the height of their powers – really letting loose on the Parisian scene of the late 60s, where they found a great audience for all the new ideas they'd been brewing up back home! The album's definitely one that has the group's unique ethos coming into focus – that sense of spontaneous collective creativity spawned by their AACM contemporaries, but delivered with the special sort of playful energy of the group – as they effortlessly shift instruments, switch modes, and find a way to resonate wonderfully as a group without sacrificing their individual voices! Everyone plays percussion and other instruments – with Joseph Jarman and Roscoe Mitchell on reeds, Lester Bowie on trumpet, and Malachi Favors on bass – on titles that include "Song For Charles", "Ericka", "A Jackson In Your House", and "Get In Line". LP, Vinyl record album

A soulful classic from Chicago! "Move Your Body" is a wonderful house tune – one with a warmer groove than usual, and vocals that really drive the track in a great way. Mixed by Chicago legend Ron Hardy, this track needs no introduction around these parts, and we'd be surprised if it did elsewhere! 12-inch, Vinyl record

... LP, Vinyl record album

An undisputed Chi House classic! The hard drums and bubbly electronics of this one make it a killer, and leave it sounding even fresher today than when it first came out. Lead vocals by Keith Nunnally are extremely soulful – with a great sound that gives the cut a lot more bottom than some of the other, flatter Chicago cuts from the time. Served up on 4 long mixes, too! 12-inch, Vinyl record

Searing grooves from 70s Ghana – a set of tracks from the glory days of the Essiebons record label, mixed with a number of killers that weren't issued at the time! The music burns with a fire right from the start – and the package includes a fair number of really funky nuggets that not only stand side by side next to American 70s soul, but which also show the world that with cuts like these, the best of Ghana could easily rival their better-known contemporaries on the Lagos scene! The collection is wonderful – the Analog Africa label at its best, brimming over with gems that include "Dee Mmaa Pe" by Joe Meah, "Africa" by Seaboy, "Yeaba" by CK Mann & His Carousel 7, "Shakabula" by Santrofi Ansa", "Say The Truth" by Ernest Honny, "Wonnim A Bisa" by Black Masters Band, "Egye Tu Gbe" by Sawaaba Band, and "Medley" by Nyame Bekyere. LP, Vinyl record album

Not really the house of ages – given that most of these cuts are so rare, they're only making their first appearance here – but a great little collection that reminds us that there's still so much to discover in the funky underground of the last few years of the 20th Century! Jeremy Newell really knocks it out of the park with this one – and comes up with a deep, soulful collection of house tracks from the farthest reaches of the scene – either work that only appeared on very obscure singles, or didn't even make it past tape back in the day – leaping forth here with a wickedly groovy sound that's more than worth the wait. Titles include "Take Me Higher" by Jimi Polo, "I Promise (more beats for passion mix)" by Mark Rogers, "Keep On Pressing (KOT orig mix)" by Sean Grant, "More I Get" by Teleport feat Russell Patterson, "Yo Razor" by Arts & Craft with Razor Cain, "Don't Run Away" by Soul Dhamma, "When I See You (tight voc)" by Frank Youngwerth with Ernie, "Freak It (Tony Humprhies inst mix)" by Johanna, "Mainline (Roger S Ego trip mix)" by Tribal House, "We Can Make It (unreleased dub)" by UBQ Project, and "Deeper (Benji Candelario's deeper than deep unreleased mix)" by Susan Clark. CD

A really wonderful collection from a time when the Italian scene was really on fire – getting past some of the more standard modes of Italo Disco of the 80s, and really stepping forward with some of the most soulful, uplifting sounds of house music! Given the way the earlier Italian work influenced the grooves in Chicago and New York clubs, the cultural exchange makes even more sense going the other way around – and the well-chosen cuts on this set represent the cream of the crop from this moment – really well-conceived, well-produced cuts that have a surprisingly soulful vibe throughout. Titles include the previously unreleased cuts "London (orig mix)" by Ricky Montanari & Davide Ruberto, and "Melt The Sun" by Ivan Iacobucci – plus "Let's Face The Music" by Night Communication, "Switch Back" by Green Baize, "Get Up" by Mental Detector, "So In Love With You (club)" by Sound Set, "Make My Move (Tira dub)" by Workin Happily, "Give You Myself (Ethos Mama dub)" by Sima, and "In Total Darkness (irregular dub)" by More Heavy Soul. LP, Vinyl record album

... CD

Nice work from the moment when acid house was beginning to show up on the Chicago scene! We can pretty much let the track listing do the talking on this nice compilation: Loleatta Holloway "So Sweet" produced by Farley Jackmaster Funk, Peter Black "I Can't Stop", Frankie Hollywood & Ricky D "Feel The Fire", Chip E "If Only You Knew", Fingers, Inc. "You're Mine", Full House "Communicate", Nightstar "Body Groove (Get In The Groove)" and Frankie Knuckles' "You Can't Hide". LP, Vinyl record album

Includes "Holy Smoke & Gee Whiz", "Let Me Know", "Thinking Of You", "Top Notch", "Let's Get Down", "Lovin You", "Don't Fall In Love", and "Still A Man". Excellent harmonies, and a warm classic soul sound! CD

Livin' the "Bon Bon Vie", with this classic uptempo groover from T.S. Monk! You'd hardly guess that this guy was Thelonious Monk's son – but who cares about his roots when the album grooves so hard? This Monk plays drums, not piano, but the best tracks on the record have a tight keyboard funky soul sound that's virtually a blueprint for 80s groove – lots of jazzy elements that warm things up nicely, and a catchy rhythmic pulse that never quits! The standout cut is the classic "Bon Bon Vie", a dancefloor groover that will never die, and a huge sample for Public Enemy – but the album also includes many other great cuts, like "House Of Music", "Hot Night In The City", and "Last Of The Wicked Romancers". LP, Vinyl record album

A really unusual set of 70s grooves from the African scene – tracks that almost seem to be out of time, as many of them have electric touches and driving rhythms that sometimes feel as if they are laying the groundwork for clubbier styles in years to come! Yet these also aren't synth-heavy tracks, as in the South African pop to come in the mid 80s – as they're filled with plenty of live instrumentation, soulful vocals, and basslines and drum parts that really keep things gritty! Many of the cuts have unusual production elements and spacey instrumental touches – almost as if you're listening to a P&P take on the styles of West Africa at the time – on titles that include "Jungle Magic" by Benis Cletin, "I Got To Make It" by Joe Kemfa, "Save Me" by Blo, "10 Years In Love" by Danny Offia & The Friks, "Boys & Girls" by Joe Moks, "BMS Bowl" by Goldfinger Doe & BMS, and "Girls For Sale" by Felix Labarty. CD

A really unusual set of 70s grooves from the African scene – tracks that almost seem to be out of time, as many of them have electric touches and driving rhythms that sometimes feel as if they are laying the groundwork for clubbier styles in years to come! Yet these also aren't synth-heavy tracks, as in the South African pop to come in the mid 80s – as they're filled with plenty of live instrumentation, soulful vocals, and basslines and drum parts that really keep things gritty! Many of the cuts have unusual production elements and spacey instrumental touches – almost as if you're listening to a P&P take on the styles of West Africa at the time – on titles that include "Jungle Magic" by Benis Cletin, "I Got To Make It" by Joe Kemfa, "Save Me" by Blo, "10 Years In Love" by Danny Offia & The Friks, "Boys & Girls" by Joe Moks, "BMS Bowl" by Goldfinger Doe & BMS, and "Girls For Sale" by Felix Labarty. LP, Vinyl record album

Extended long play club versions of 12 tracks by Black Box, Soul II Soul, Cece Peniston, Snap, Technotronic, Cathy Dennis, Crystal Waters, Lidell Townsell, Lil' Louis, Sybil, Gwen Guthrie, and Joyce Sims. CD

Tracks from Chez Damier, Deep Sensation, Global Communication, DiY, Motorbass, Pepe Bradock, Alex Gopher, Circulation, and Larry Heard. CD

A surprising jazz funk stunner from drummer Idris Muhammad – part of his great second chapter of work for CTI in the 70s! Idris is working here in a style that's very different than his heavy-footed funky work on Prestige and Blue Note – and while it's easy to criticize him for not keeping the same old breakbeat funk style, it's also important to give him a lot of credit for pushing his vision way past the simple stock style of the earlier days! The record's a very nice set of complicated jazzy grooves – some a bit clubby, but many very nice, and with the kind of sophisticated funk arrangements that were on the best Kudu records. No surprise that Dave Matthews is putting together most of the cuts, save for one excellent groove that's arranged by Tom Harrell. Players include Fred Wesley, Ronnie Cuber, Eric Gale, and Wilbur Bascomb – and titles include "Baia", "Sudan", "Hey Pocky A Way", "Theme For New York City", which is based on the same Chopin haunting tune as Serge Gainsbourg's "Jane B"! LP, Vinyl record album

A classic compilation from the Chicago scene – one that stood as one of the key full-length releases of house music that was bubbling under in the Windy City – important at the time, as most other albums of house music were from overseas labels issuing Chicago recordings! As you'd guess from the title, Mickey Oliver's at the helm throughout – producing the work with a nicely soulful quality – one that takes things a bit past some of the starker, colder modes that sometimes showed up on Trax Records – and which really illustrates that great second chapter as Chicago house was maturing a bit. The beats are nice and crispy throughout, the keyboards get cool and moody – and titles include "I Can't Stop For You" by Pierre's Fantasy Club, "Take It To The Top" by Joe Magic, "House Rights" by Phortune, "Suavesito" by Ralphi Rosario, "I Want Your Love" by Jamie, "Lost Me Boy" by Mickey Oliver with Dari Mor, and "Anticipate" and "I Need A Beat" by Mickey Oliver. CD featuers bonus tracks – "Anticipate (12" rmx)" by Mickey Oliver and "I Need A Beat (12" mix)" by Ralph Rosario. CD

Spare duets between Charlie Haden and Hampton Hawes – just bass and piano, with nothing else to hold them up – presented here as a wonderful illustration of the mature, sophisticated talents both artists had developed by the 70s! Hawes had really learned how to spin out a special kind of longform magic as the 60s turned into the new decade – and here, it's great to hear that approach without any drum in the group at all – as the tracks are long and wonderfully introspective, and offer up some beautifully moody work from Haden on bass. Titles include "As Long As There's Music", "This Is Called Love", "Hello Goodbye", "Irene", and "Rain Forest". LP, Vinyl record album

... 12-inch, Vinyl record

A great way to dip into the Chicago sound of the 80s! The package features an all-classic 12 track selection of singles that virtually defines the house sound that was coming out of the windy city back in the day – a mix of hard-thumping grooves, soulful vocals, and spare keyboard work that forever changed the face of dance music! Tracks include "Love Can't Turn Around" by Farley Jackmaster Funk, "Move Your Body" by Marshall Jefferson, "Your Love" by Frankie Knuckles, "Can You Feel It" by Mr Fingers, "You Used To Hold Me" by Ralphi Rosario, "Baby Wants To Ride" by Frankie Knuckles with Jamie Principle, "Promised Land" by Joe Smooth, "Bring Down The Walls" by Robert Owens, "Do It Properly" by Adonis, "Can't Get Enough" by Liz Torres, and "Pump Up London" by Mr Lee. CD

The Attack are one of those bands from the key psych years of the UK scene who never fully got their due – a combo who got a big label contract, and recorded in ways that really perfected their sound – yet also sidelined before most of their music had a chance to find the audience it deserved! There's plenty of fuzz, rawness, and driving energy here – almost modes of Creation turned to headier territory, but on short tunes that pack plenty of punch with a mighty nice bite! The set brings together material that might have become a full length set – titles that include "Magic In The Air", "Feel Like Flying", "Freedom For You", "Too Old", and "Go Your Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A really cool project, and one that's even cooler than you might guess from the title – as the graphic novel is a very well-done exploration of key strands of electronic music – starting with the early years, moving through disco, Chicago House, Detroit Techno, and beyond – all with individual chapters that really do a great job of telling the story! At some level, the book is a bit like the hip hop history of Ed Piskor, but there's a different approach to storytelling too – as the scenes are interwoven with more personal, reflective elements – almost a Harvey Pekar quality at times, which really makes the narrative come alive. The artwork is great – mostly black and white, but with some color as things move to the 21st Century – and we're really pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable the book is, and especially proud of the way it handles Chicago. Harcover edition is 239 pages, with images throughout – and a smaller text section at the end. Book

A great return to recording for Son House – a musician who'd stopped playing the guitar in the postwar years, but rose again to fame during the great folk blues revival of the 60s! The style here is every bit as classic as some of Son's earliest music – just recorded a lot better, too – with beautiful focus on the subtle inflections he brings to the strings of his acoustic guitar, and vocals that ring out a lot stronger than they might have on a 78. Titles include "John The Revelator", "Empire State Express", "Preachin Blues", "Sundown", and "Grinnin In Your Face". CD

Amazing music from one of the greatest reed players ever – complete with a hefty booklet too! CD

Don't be put off by the title, because this is hardly the sort of ballet you might see at the opera house – and instead features some of the best early modern jazz work from the great Krzysztof Komeda. The title track is the ultimate recording of one of the most ambitious works ever composed by Komeda – as the "Ballet Etudes" suite was originally composed for the 1962 Jazz Jamboree festival, but this later recording is even better than the original – a side-long piece that opens up with wonderful complexity, yet never fails to swing. The track's a wonderfully haunting work – sort of like some of Mingus' larger concept pieces of the late 50s, built around a specific project, a jazz ballet, but also working perfectly as a showcase for the rich solo talents of the members of the group – who include Allan Botschinsky on trumpet and Jan Wroblewski on tenor! Wroblewski returns on the second half – which features long readings of the Komeda originals "Alea" and "Crazy Girl" – the latter of which may get its best performance ever here, thanks to bold rhythms from Roman Dylag on bass and Rune Carlsson on drums. LP, Vinyl record album

The secret history of Chicago house music – a side of the scene that's even more obscure than its many rare records or long-departed clubs! The book is a fantastic follow up to the first volume – and like that one, features rare flyers, posters, and ads for some of the underground Chicago house music events and venues – some of them legitimate entertainment venues, but others more obscure hole-in-the-wall places – including some churches that were surprising hosts to house music events back in the day! The book has no text, but features full color reproductions of dozens of flyers and posters – most of them very detailed and vibrant, with loads of information on obscure artists, DJs, and other forces helping to make house music happen – often emblazoned with addresses that will come as a real surprise if you only know the Chicago of the 21st Century! A beautiful book – and one that makes us proud to call Chicago our home. Book

Henry Mancini's second album of stuff for the Peter Gunn TV show, and arguably better than the first one! The album's straight-ahead crime jazz – performed by a great set of players that includes Plas Johnson, Shelly Manne, Ted Nash, Paul Horn, and other west coasters. Tracks include "My Manne Shelly", "Timothy", "Goofin At The Coffee House", "Odd Ball", "Walkin' Bass", and "Spook!". LP, Vinyl record album

A very clubby set from the Johannesburg scene at the start of the 90s – four longer tracks that really showcase that moment when house music influences were running through more mainstream R&B – all at a level that's richer and more soulful than some of the synth-heavy work of the decade before! The basslines are great – really grooving in that garage style that was big in the NYC clubs at the time – warming up the tunes in mighty nice ways, and making for some very seductive rhythms! Titles include the super-catchy title cut "Big World", plus "Unity", "Rebatla Muzik", and "Qinisela". LP, Vinyl record album

Libras take note! This record is for you, with a book on your star sign, plus lots of music to accompany your reading. Tracks include "A Man and A Woman", "I Say a Little Prayer", and "Love Theme from 'Elvira Madigan'", a keen fave with all the Libras we know. LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful batch of instrumentals from the legendary Raymond Scott – and a set that features some of Scott's most wonderful compositions ever! These numbers all date from the 30s, and were originally released as 78s on the Master Records label – but this later Columbia package really brings the sounds together wonderfully, and gives Scott a long-overdue showcase as one of the budding modernists of the pre-war years – a composer who could match swing and whimsy, exoticism and jazz, playfulness and poise – all without every losing his beat! The instrumental is wonderful, the arrangements inventive, and the whole thing's got the same sort of audio appeal as an old Warner Brothers cartoon. Titles include "Twilight In Turkey", "The Penguin", "The Toy Trumpet", "Powerhouse", "New Years Eve In A Haunted House", "War Dance For Wooden Indians", "Peter Tambourine", and "At An Arabian House Party". CD

A real turning point for Sparks – a set that has the duo of Russell and Ron Mael finding a whole new focus for their music on the UK scene! The style is a bit glammy at times – not in the execution, so much as the production – which has a great way of compressing the vocals up against the guitars – while still keeping all the sharpness of the group's earlier music, which is a key component in pushing forward the subtle wit of the tunes! There's also a slight warble to both the vocals and some of the melodies – which might sit nicely next to early Roxy Music in listening spirit, even though Sparks themselves are very much their own thing. Titles include "Here In Heaven", "This Town Ain't Big Enough For Both Of Us", "Amateur Hour", "Equator", "Complaints", "Thank God It's Not Christmas", and "Talent Is An Asset". 2LP pressing features some great bonus tracks – demos from 1973 that include "When I Take The Field ON Friday", "Windy Day", "Marry Me", "My Brains & Her Looks", "A More Constructive Use Of Leisure", "Barbecutie", and "Alabamy Right". LP, Vinyl record album

Important 70s work from the greta La Monte Young – a set that takes off strongly on his exploration of tones and sonic waves – heard here in two very unique settings! Side one features a quartet – with Young on voice and sine wave generator, alongside Jon Hassell on trumpet, Garrett List on trombone, and Marian Zazeela on voice – all elements that are fused togther beautifully in these slow-moving waves of sound – rising and falling with the kind of organic tonalit that Hassell later explored in his own music, but in a more dynamic way. Side two features Young solo, but working with three different sine waves – which are set up in one of La Monte's drift studies – a progression of sound with very subtle shifts – almost constant in quality from the outside, but with a slow-moving drift that's very hypnotic, and which lives up to the dreamlike promise of the title. CD

Important 70s work from the greta La Monte Young – a set that takes off strongly on his exploration of tones and sonic waves – heard here in two very unique settings! Side one features a quartet – with Young on voice and sine wave generator, alongside Jon Hassell on trumpet, Garrett List on trombone, and Marian Zazeela on voice – all elements that are fused togther beautifully in these slow-moving waves of sound – rising and falling with the kind of organic tonalit that Hassell later explored in his own music, but in a more dynamic way. Side two features Young solo, but working with three different sine waves – which are set up in one of La Monte's drift studies – a progression of sound with very subtle shifts – almost constant in quality from the outside, but with a slow-moving drift that's very hypnotic, and which lives up to the dreamlike promise of the title. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest European jazz guitarists – heard here in some of his grooviest work of the 60s – an amazing batch of material recorded for the art house films of director Hansjurgen Pohland! Zoller already had a modern tone by the time of these recordings – a sublime sound on the guitar that rivaled that of Billy Bauer with the Lee Konitz group of the 50s, but which was also freer, and open to rich new ideas too – especially from a rhythmic and tonal standpoint, which always keeps Zoller's work compelling! Attila's way more than just another jazzy player on the instrument – and film material like this really lets him stretch his imagination – and unlock a whole whose of tones and colors that are quite imagistic in nature. Most tracks are played by a small combo led by Zoller – often working in front of the screen as images passed by – scenes from films that include Katz Und Maus, Tamara, and The Bread Of Our Early Years. This set marks the first release of the material actually recorded for those films on record – and titles include "Family Bricks", "Pilenz", "Road Song", "Minesweeper", "Cold Fusion", "Adam's Apple", "Hedwig's Departure", "Mousetip Strut", and "Mahlke". CD

The music of Roscoe Mitchell, served up here in a really amazing setting – all solo vibes, handled by Jason Adasiewicz, in a style that's very different than Roscoe's original versions of these tunes! If you've ever heard Adasiewicz solo, you'll already dig what's going on here – work on vibes that's deeply resonant, warmly chromatic, and full of some of the most human, honest, open expressions we've ever heard on the instrument! Jason's always been part of the avant underground in Chicago, but he's also a very spiritual player too – a quality that really comes out in a setting like this – as he unlocks very different currents in tunes that Mitchell originally presented on his own albums, or with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago. The whole thing is wonderfully hypnotic throughout – and titles include "Congliptious", "Old", "Carefree", "The Waltz", "Toro/Jo Jar", "The Key", "A Jackson In Your House", and "Daddy Rollin Stone". CD

A great return to recording for Son House – a musician who'd stopped playing the guitar in the postwar years, but rose again to fame during the great folk blues revival of the 60s! The style here is every bit as classic as some of Son's earliest music – just recorded a lot better, too – with beautiful focus on the subtle inflections he brings to the strings of his acoustic guitar, and vocals that ring out a lot stronger than they might have on a 78. Titles include "John The Revelator", "Empire State Express", "Preachin Blues", "Sundown", and "Grinnin In Your Face". LP, Vinyl record album

A great return to recording for Son House – a musician who'd stopped playing the guitar in the postwar years, but rose again to fame during the great folk blues revival of the 60s! The style here is every bit as classic as some of Son's earliest music – just recorded a lot better, too – with beautiful focus on the subtle inflections he brings to the strings of his acoustic guitar, and vocals that ring out a lot stronger than they might have on a 78. Titles include "John The Revelator", "Empire State Express", "Preachin Blues", "Sundown", and "Grinnin In Your Face". LP, Vinyl record album

An essential look at the key years of the Chicago house scene – the time when the city's musicians were carving out a whole new space in sound! Although early house first began as an extension of some of the later modes of disco and 80s club, influences from European post-punk and post-disco work soon crept into the mix, and pushed the Chicago artists to work in a darker, edgier sound that was completely unique! The work from this period is filled with stark, spare electronics – not the cheesy kind that showed up often in New York electro records, but intense analogue bits that had a really dark, dystopic space age sort of quality – laid out over harsh beats and bass, and often presented with no additional vocals at all. For the collection, Soul Jazz do a great job of picking out the best of the early acid house scene in Chicago (the key recordings before the term got picked up overseas, and used to make some very dodgy dance music at the end of the 80s) – and then they go on to pull together some of the best strands of the house revival in Chicago in the early 90s, including key work from the Cajual label. 2 CD set features 17 tracks in all – including "This Is Acid" by Maurice, "Do You Want To Percolate" by The Sweat Boyz, "Beyond The Clouds" by Mr Fingers, "Go Wild Rhythm Track" by Virgo, "Acid Crash" by Tyree, "Dum Dum (part 2)" by Fresh, "Acid Bass" by Roy Davis Jr, "Phuture Jacks" by Phuture, "I've Lost Control" by Sleezy D, "Take Me Higher" by Virgo Four, "Acid Over" by Tyree, "Box Energy" by DJ Pierre, "Video Clash" by Lil Louis, "Explorer" by Green Velvet, "Like This" by Two Of A Kind, "Acid Tracks" by Phuture, and "Downfall" by Armando. CD

A great look at the huge influence on 60s soul from Burt Bacharach – a rich legacy that goes way beyond the big hits from Dionne Warwick, to include a wealth of work from artists you might not expect! Back in the early days, Burt was the tall white guy running around the Brill Building – where he made key connections to a range of different artists, and was able to already hit the ground running – with a huge legacy that would go onto inform soul singers for years to come! In fact, we'd almost say that Bacharach's music sounds even better in the hands of these singers than in more mainstream pop artists – and although a few of these cuts are well-known hits, you'll find plenty more great ones here to discover. Titles include "Alfie" by The Delfonics, "Reach Out For Me" by Willie Tee, "Message To Martha" by Jerry Butler, "Long After Tonight Is All Over" by Irma Thomas, "Another Tear Falls" by Marv Johnson, "Walk On By" by Gloria Gaynor, "Anyone Who Had A Heart" by The Orlons, "The Look Of Love" by Nina Simone, "Forgotten Man" by Gene McDaniels, "A House is Not A Home" by Mavis Staples, "Don't Make Me Over" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "This Empty Place" by Cissy Houston, and "My Little Red Book" by Tony Middleton with Bacharach himself! CD

Some folks might associate Philadelphia soul with the famous Gamble & Huff productions of the 70s disco years – but the city was already overflowing with great music in the years before Philadelphia International – as you'll hear in this totally groovy set! Philly was making as much great soul music in the 60s as Detroit, Chicago, and New York – thanks to an earlier musical framework that was set up by the city's big pop hits of the late 50s – which provided plenty of labels, studios, and other facilities for Philly's ever-growing array of soul talents, too – so much so that by the end of the 60s, the city was turning into a destination for singers outside of town – almost as much of a musical magnet as studios in Memphis or Muscle Shoals! This set does a great job of bringing together both aspects of that scene – wonderful homegrown talent, mixed with outsiders to really took off in the new Philly sound of the 60s – a joyous, positive, upbeat approach that worked wonderfully well for a variety of artists. Titles include "Your Fool Still Loves You" by Oscar Weathers, "It's All Over But The Shouting" by George Tindley, "You've Been Untrue" by The Delfonics, "Ain't Nothing But A House Party" by The Show Stoppers, "Peace To You Brother" by Lou Johnson, "Christine" by Executive Suite, "Help Me" by Honey & The Bees, "You Got What I Need" by Freddie Scott, "Rainmaker" by The Moods, "Keep On Striving" by Moses Smith, "That's The Price You Have To Pay" by Brenda & The Tabulations, "What You Gave Up" by The Continental 4, "Every Day Is A Holiday" by The Intruders, "Standing In The Darkness" by The Ethics, and "Girl You're Too Young" by Len Barry. CD