Good news galore from the great Sam Cooke – maybe THE album in which he fully shows off his unique contribution to soul music in the 60s – that mix of raw and sweet, easygoing and progressive – a mode that had a huge impact at the time, and went onto become a strong influence for years to come! Key proof of this approach is the landmark track "A Change is Gonna Come" – a slyly righteous track that became a huge Civil Rights anthem and has continued to have social power for many years. And even the more mundane titles have a fresh approach too – like the hit "Another Saturday Night", and a host of other gems that include "Home", "No Second Time", "The Riddle Song", "Good Times", "Meet Me At Mary's Place", and "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day". LP, Vinyl record album

Some of the earliest work ever done by the young Sam Cooke – served up here in a really special package! LP1 features early gospel recordings with The Soul Stirrers – a group that featured Cooke in the lead before he went solo – with titles that include "Mean Old World", "Touch The Hem Of His Garment", "Any Day Now", "Peace In The Valley", "Were You There", and "Jesus Gave Me Water". LP2 features the famous Shrine Auditorium Concert by the group from 1955 – with the cuts "I Have A Friend Above All Others", "Be With Jesus", and "Nearer To Thee". LP3 features early demo tracks by Sam – titles that include "Lovable", "I Don't Want To Cry", "Forever", "Happy In Love", "That's All I Need To Know", and "I Need You Now". LP, Vinyl record album

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A classic set of soulful vocals – one in which Sam Cooke sings hits of the 50s (as you'd guess from the title) – but not necessarily his own hits, more a selection of work by other artists – all given a really unique spin by Sam! And while other soul artists occasionally faltered with this sort of crossover project, the set only seems to help Cooke hit new heights – a mature sort of sound that really unlocks the whole power of his amazing voice – one that's got power not just on the soul and gospel fronts, but towards more sophisticated jazz and vocal ends too! Arrangements are by Glenn Osser, and the album's got a sweet approach that makes the tunes sound fresh again – as Sam lends his lovely vocals to tracks that include "Hey There", "Mona Lisa", "You You You", "The Great Pretender", and "Secret Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Loads of classic material from Sam Cooke's years on RCA – including the full albums Night Beat and Live At The Harlem Square Club! CD

Wonderful mellow work from Sam Cooke – and a set that's recorded with a sound that's very much in keeping with the "night beat" that you might expect from the title! In fact, there's not so much a "beat" as a simple easy groove – a gentle sort of "night" feeling, with some piano in the lead on many tracks, and backing by a larger group conducted by Rene Hall – a great setting that lets Cooke hit some of his most soulful moments on record from the time! The album includes many lesser-known Cooke performances – including "Trouble Blues", "You Gotta Move", "Fool's Paradise", "Lost & Lookin", and "Mean Old World". CD

A massive collection of work by the great Sam Cooke – featuring 30 tunes in all, and spanning the range of his full career – from his early roots in gospel music, to the incredibly powerful soul tunes he cut shortly before his untimely death. The set's got most everything you'd ever want to hear if you're looking for an overview of Sam's work – with titles that include "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Another Saturday Night", "Good Times", "Having A Party", "Sugar Dumpling", "Ain't That Good News", "Nothing Can Change This Love", "Little Red Rooster", "I'll Come Running Back To You", "What A Wonderful World", "Cupid", "Chain Gang", "Summertime", and "Only Sixteen". CD

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Released shortly after Sam's death, this is a beautiful batch of ballad tracks to remember how sweet his voice was. The production's a bit pop, but Sam's singing is as heavenly as ever. Titles include "When A Boy Falls In Love", "Try A Little Love", "Bridge Of Tears", "Almost In Your Arms", "You Send Me", and "I Fall In Love Every Day". LP, Vinyl record album

A nice little compilation that brings together both sides of Sam Cooke's early work – his gospel recordings with the Soul Stirrers, and his secular soul from a few years later. The package is a great overview of Sam's best recordings in both worlds – with one side of gospel, one side of soul, and a 12 track selection that includes "Lovable", "Forever", "That's All I Need To Know", "Happy In Love", "I'll Come Running Back To You", "Were You There", and "The Last Mile Of The Way". LP, Vinyl record album

A posthumous collection of material that Sam recorded for RCA before his untimely death – not really a greatest hits collection, but a lot better than the usual "house cleaning" type of record that gets issued in this sort of situation! Arrangements are by Stan Applebaum, Jimmie Haskell, and Rene Hall – and titles include "Feel It", "One More Time", "Soothe Me", "I'm Gonna Forget About You", "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More", "Sugar Dumpling", and "Wonderful World". CD

Early spiritual work from the great Sam Cooke! It's a well-known fact that before Sam Cooke went into soul music, he was cutting some incredible work with the Soul Stirrers gospel quintet – work that was every bit as soulful and sexy as his pop hits, perhaps more so, given the supposedly restrained nature of the setting. This album brings together some very nice numbers from Sam's days with the group – a 12 track selection that includes the titles "I'm So Happy", "That's Heaven To Me", "Mean Old World", "Joy Joy To My Soul", "All Right Now", and "Lord, Remember Me". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic – not just from Sam Cooke, but in the genre of "best of" records too! The set's overflowing with classic singles from the legendary soul singers – almost the perfect record to start with if you've ever wanted to sample Sam's genius – that amazing voice, intimate sense of presentation, and undeniably mature, masculine sound that forever changed the face of soul music! Every track's a winner – and titles include "Only Sixteen", "You Send Me", "Cupid", "Chain Gang", "Having A Party", "Twistin The Night Away", "Wonderful World", "Summertime", "Everybody Loves To Cha Cha", "For Sentimental Reasons", "Sad Mood", and "Bring It On Home To Me". LP, Vinyl record album

Not a live tour album from Sam Cooke – but a globally-themed batch of tunes that really helps show off his range as a singer! The set features tunes with titles that evoke a rich landscape of settings from around the world – and offer Sam a nice chance to change things up a bit from the usual – moving more into a mature vocal mode that's different than his more familiar soul singles! Glen Osser handled the arrangements, and the approach is similar to Sam's Hits Of The 50s record – in that it showcases a wider range of material that points the way to the huge pop potential Cooke could have had, if he hadn't left this planet so quickly. Titles include "Galway Bay", "London By Night", "Bali Hai", "Far Away Places", "The Coffee Song", "Arrivederci Roma", and "Jamaica Farewell". LP, Vinyl record album

A posthumous collection of material that Sam recorded for RCA before his untimely death – not really a greatest hits collection, but a lot better than the usual "house cleaning" type of record that gets issued in this sort of situation. 11 tracks in all, including "Blowin' In The Wind", "(Somebody) Ease My Troublin' Mind", "Nobody Knows You When You're Down & Out", "Danny Boy", "The Great Pretender", "Send Me Some Lovin'", "I Ain't Gonna Cheat On You No More", "Falling In Love", "Tain't Nobody's Business If I Do", "Willow Weep For Me" and "Try A Little Love". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic live album – one of the first in soul music, and a beautiful set of smooth soul tunes from Sam Cooke! Sam's singing at the high-end nitespot The Copacabana – and like many live sets performed there, this one's tailored a bit to the classy crowd at the show – but that doesn't stop him from using his voice to perfection, sweetly crafting beautiful lines on a batch of standards given the soul treatment, plus a few of Sam's own hits. And sure, it's easy to criticize this album after the release of the Live At The Harlem Square album in the mid 80s – which was recorded a year earlier, but rejected by RCA in favor of this album's crossover potential – but keep in mind that for most folks who didn't grow up with the hindsight of reissues, this album was all they had, and it still had quite an impact in the soul market. Titles include "The Best Things In Life Are Free", "Try A Little Tenderness", "If I Had A Hammer", "Twistin The Night Away", "You Send Me", and "This Little Light Of Mine". LP, Vinyl record album

Collection of Sam Cooke's wonderful soul for RCA, compiled just after his untimely death. The set's divided into more uptempo numbers on the first side, and Sam's great ballads on the flip, all with his rich voice ringing clearly on top. Features "Shake", "Yeah Man", 'Win Your Love For Me", "It's Got The Whole World Shakin", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "I'm Just A Country Boy" and "Ease My Troublin Mind". LP, Vinyl record album

Good news galore from the great Sam Cooke – maybe THE album in which he fully shows off his unique contribution to soul music in the 60s – that mix of raw and sweet, easygoing and progressive – a mode that had a huge impact at the time, and went onto become a strong influence for years to come! Key proof of this approach is the landmark track "A Change is Gonna Come" – a slyly righteous track that became a huge Civil Rights anthem and has continued to have social power for many years. And even the more mundane titles have a fresh approach too – like the hit "Another Saturday Night", and a host of other gems that include "Home", "No Second Time", "The Riddle Song", "Good Times", "Meet Me At Mary's Place", and "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day". LP, Vinyl record album

22 tracks total including "You Send Me", "Sad Mood", "Twistin' The Night Away", "You Were Made For Me", "Somebody Have Mercy", "Little Red Rooster", and "Bring It On Home To Me". CD

Sam's greatest hits from the RCA years – including "Twistin The Night Away", "Having A Party", "Good Times", "Another Saturday Night", "Cupid", "Wonderful World", "When A Boy Falls In Love", "Only 16", "Chain Gang", "You Send Me", "That's Where It's At", "Bring It On Home To Me", and "A Change Is Gonna Come" – 28 tracks in all! CD

The last album ever recorded by LA vocalist Jesse Belvin – a stupendous session that showed where he might have headed, if not for the tragic auto accident that took his voice from us far too soon! The album has Jesse moving from the smooth R&B of earlier albums into a more sophisticated style that's a bit like that of Nat King Cole, but which is done here with traces of Sam Cooke as well. Orchestrations are by Marty Paich, who's great at both the swinging and mellow tunes – and titles include "Imagination", "I'll Buy You A Star", "Let There Be Love", "Blues In The Night", "It's All Right With Me", and "The Best Is Yet To Come". LP, Vinyl record album

An album with a very classic look on the cover – and an equally classic sound to match – one that takes us back to some of the hippest, coolest work by early 60s singers like Sam Cooke or Marvin Gaye! Both artists are a good comparison here, as Leon Bridges is unabashedly in the same territory – cool, classy, yet undeniably soulful – at this level that never has to overstate itself, or try too hard to reach for facile funky parts, or any kind of party-moving sort of vibe. Leon's vocals are wonderful – clearly born to sing music this great – and the backings are a nice change from the usual retro soul modes, and instead have this deep soul vibe that's perfectly captured in a Texas small studio setting. Titles include "Better Man", "Brown Skin Girl", "Lisa Sawyer", "Pull Away", "Flower", and "Twistin & Groovin". LP, Vinyl record album

A classic collection of work from Ken Parker – maybe not the biggest name in Jamaican music, but a singer who really struck gold with this collection of cuts recorded for Treasure Isle! The original album came out in the mid 70s, but the music's got more of the rocksteady groove you'd expect from the label – a slower-stepping midtempo mode that really lets Ken open up with his amazing vocals – a soulful style that we'd rank right up there with classic work by Sam Cooke, or early Marvin Gaye at Motown – but set here to a very different sort of early reggae rhythms! Titles include "Jimmy Brown", "Mother's Eyes", "I Can't Hide", "Sincerely", "I Should Have Known", "True True True", and "I Catch Myself Crying". CD features a massive related 21 bonus cuts – Ken Parker tunes that include "Guilty Inside" and "Grooving In Style" – plus lots more cuts recorded for Treasure Isle by Hopeton Lewis, including some duets with Phyllis Dillon and Dennis Alcapone! CD

22 tracks from Sam Cooke, Ricky Valance, Lesley Gore, The Ad-Libs, Gene McDaniels, The Searchers, The Easybeats, The Ronettes, The Monkees, Darlene Love, The Raindrops, and more! CD

Jesse was one of the greats – and he would have been as huge as Sam Cooke, Nat King Cole, or Ray Charles, had he not died a tragic early death in the late 50s. This album collects some of his great polished R&B tracks from the early and mid 50s, recorded in LA, and a perfect progression from the postwar styles laid down by Nat Cole and Charles Brown. Titles include "Girl of My Dreams", "My Desire", "I'm In Love", "I'll Mess You Up", and "Once Upon A Time". LP, Vinyl record album

A soaring set from Leon Bridges – a full length second album that's every bit as classic as his debut, but in a completely different way! Where Coming Home was maybe Leon's answer to the generation of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke, Good Thing is more of a nod to the era of Maxwell and D'Angelo – but, as before, coming across with a vibe that's completely Bridges' own – this ebullient, bubblingly soulful quality that's completely sublime – and which has Leon's voice fitting perfectly with the mellow grooving beats, keyboards, and guitar. The singer's voice is maybe even better than before – sure to win over an even new wave of ears – and titles include "If It Feels Good Then It Must Be", "Bet Ain't Worth The Hand", "Bad Bad News", "Shy", "Beyond", "Forgive You", "Lions", "You Don't Know", and "Georgia To Texas". LP, Vinyl record album

A stone classic from Cecil and Linda Womack – and an album that may well have given the duo their biggest hit in the title track! Cecil is the brother of Bobby Womack – a former member of his Valentinos group too – and Linda is the daughter of Sam Cooke – so you can bet that both singers have plenty of chops to make the album come off right, even as they find a really special space of their own! At some level, the music echoes Bobby's blend of deeper soul vocals with warmer backings – but at others, the duo take off from an Ashford & Simpson mode to find their own sort of special way of coming together, with elements that are unabashedly crossover at times – and avoid lots of the too-familiar soul duo modes of the period. Titles include "Love Wars", "Express Myself", "Baby I'm Scared Of You", "TKO", "Good Times", and "APB". CD

One of the earliest albums on Motown – and the only one ever cut by Eddie Holland! Eddie's best known as a producer, arranger, and songwriter – part of the holy Holland-Dozier-Holland trinity – but back in his early days, he was a soulful tenor, with a sound and style that was a bit like Jackie Wilson or Sam Cooke. This album's a pretty decent batch of tunes with an early Motown feel – cut during the early 60s, with that perfect bridge between R&B and soul. Eddie produced along with William Stevenson – and titles include "Take A Chance On Me", "If Cleopatra Took A Chance", "Last Night I Had A Vision", "What About Me", and "Jamie", which was a relatively big single. The original album's expanded here by a huge number of bonus singles – for a set list of 31 tracks that includes "Magic Mirror", "Come On Home", "A Little Bit Of Lovin", "Brenda", "Baby Shake", "Welcome Back", and "Everybody's Going". CD

A great little soul album from singer Jimmy Jones – a sweetly voice crooner who bridges the gap between rougher soul artists, and the smoother sounds of singers like Sam Cooke and Jessie Belvin. The album's his only one from the time – and it features the single "Handy Man", plus "For You", "Ready For Love", "My Precious Angel", "Good Timin", "A Wondrous Place", "Never Had it So Good", and "I Just Go For You". LP, Vinyl record album

A great little groover from Cliff Nobles! Sure, "Switch It On" has the same horn riff as his hit "The Horse" – but it's also got this sinister choppy guitar that really wails away a lot, the drums are nice and loud, and the overall track is a lot funkier than most of his other work! The flip is a decent swing-soul number – done in a Sam Cooke-ish kind of way. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Caribbean styles hit the American scene – then get transformed into something completely different in this huge collection of recordings that span styles that include jazz, Latin, R&B, soul, and blues! In some cases, the Caribbean element comes through in the song structure – which might be lifted directly, then reworked for an American audience. But at other times, the influence is more in the rhythms or instrumentation – used as inspiration to then create something new – a bit in the way that American soul would provide the inspiration for reggae in the 60s. The package has the usual fantastic Fremeaux presentation – with a big booklet of historical notes, in both French and English, to support 66 titles that include "Jamaica Farewell" by Sam Cooke, "Salty Fish Aki Rice" by Ruth Wallis, "Bajan Girl" by Lionel Belasco, "Sly Mongoose" by Sam Manning, "El Gallero" by Dioris Valladares & Angel Viloria, "El Mambo Diablo" by Tito Puente, "Hey Little Girl" by Professor Longhair, "Un Poco Loco" by Bud Powell, "Chee Koo Baby" by Lloyd Price, "Shrinking Up Fast" by Camille Howard, "Ojai" by Joe Lutcher, "Salee Dame" by Albert Nicholas & Baby Dodds, "Inside" by Hector The Ram, "Run Come See Jerusalem"b y Stan Wilson, "I Learn A Merengue" by Robert Mitchum, "Afro Blue" by Cal Tjader, "La Maricutana" by Damiron & Chapuseaux, "Magical Joe" by Herb Jeffries, "Begin The Beguine" by Charlie Parker, "Make It Do" by Slim Gaillard, "Guitarambo" by Mickey Baker, and "Don't Touch Me Nylon" by The Charmer (aka Louis Farrakhan). CD

A rich tapestry of work from one of the greatest talents in the LA music business of the 60s – the mighty Lou Adler, a man who really learned how to make records from the ground up! Adler wrote, produced, and presented a tremendous amount of important work for some key years in both rock and soul music – starting with A&R duties at smaller indie labels, stints with some of the bigger companies, a great run at Dunhill, and his own important Ode Records too – all chapters of his career that are captured here in a 25 track set that's filled with notes and photos. Adler may often be thought of more as a businessman than a creator, but this set definitely shows that other side of his talents – and really does a great of of tracing the developments that helped Lou get the kind of ear that then helped up launch the careers of so many others. The range of work here is really surprising – and titles include "Wonderful World" by Sam Cooke, "Baby Talk" by Jan & Dean, "Bim Bam" by Sam Butera & The Witnesses, "Stoney End" by The Blossoms, "Gimme Shelter" by Merry Clayton, "Snow Queen" by The City, "Eve Of Destruction" by Barry McGuire, "Alley Oop" by Dante & The Evergreens, "Goodnight Sweetheart Goodnight" by The Untouchables, "The Times They Are A-Changin" by Brothers & Sisters Of Los Angeles, "Earache My Eye" by Cheech & Chong, "I Got A Line On You" by Spirit, "It's Too Late" by Carole King, "San Francisco" by Scott McKenzie, and "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" by Peggy Lipton. CD

A massive amount of early work by The Animals – brought together in one overstuffed package with some unreleased tracks as well! The group here have a great rough sound – much more bluesy than in later years, which turns out to be a perfect setting for the young Eric Burdon – whose vocals soar out wonderfully over a mix of original tunes and remakes of American classics by folks like Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke, Bo Diddley, and others! Producer Mickie Most really knows how to keep the right sort of edge on the tunes – lots of raw power in the instrumentation, especially the Hammond and guitar – and a stark, dark quality to Eric's vocals that went onto become the stuff of legend. Package features 40 tracks in all – with titles that include "I Believe To My Soul", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Club A Go Go", "For Miss Caulker", "Feel", "Boom Boom", "Don't Want Much", "It's My Life", "House Of The Rising Sun", "We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place", and "I'm Gonna Change The World". CD

Excellent work from Jesse Belvin – a vastly underrated smooth soul singer, one who forms a crucial link between Nat King Cole and Sam Cooke, and who would have been as big as either of them, had he not died a tragic early death. Titles include "My Last Goodbye", "Guess Who", "Secret Love", "Love Is Here To Stay", "Funny", and "My Last Goodbye". LP, Vinyl record album

The last album ever recorded by LA vocalist Jesse Belvin – a stupendous session that showed where he might have headed, if not for the tragic auto accident that took his voice from us far too soon! The album has Jesse moving from the smooth R&B of earlier albums into a more sophisticated style that's a bit like that of Nat King Cole, but which is done here with traces of Sam Cooke as well. Orchestrations are by Marty Paich, who's great at both the swinging and mellow tunes – and titles include "Imagination", "I'll Buy You A Star", "Let There Be Love", "Blues In The Night", "It's All Right With Me", and "The Best Is Yet To Come". CD

While many of the singers who hit big with Coxsone Dodd would later go on to embrace Rastafari and become part of the roots scene, Ken Boothe remained outside of that, though he continued to score hits and cut wonderful sides with his smooth soul approach, that reminds us of a more raw Jamaican take on Sam Cooke. This excellent collection pairs Boothe's rich vocals with superb production from Dodd and the Studio One crew, for 16 sweet grooves, including "Tomorrow", "You're On My Mind", "Without Love", "Moving Away", "Lonely Tear Drops", "You're No Good (aka Crying Over You)", "Live Good", "The Train Is Coming", "Danger Zone", "I'm A Fool", "Lonely Teardrops" and "Whiney Whiney". CD

A soaring set from Leon Bridges – a full length second album that's every bit as classic as his debut, but in a completely different way! Where Coming Home was maybe Leon's answer to the generation of Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke, Good Thing is more of a nod to the era of Maxwell and D'Angelo – but, as before, coming across with a vibe that's completely Bridges' own – this ebullient, bubblingly soulful quality that's completely sublime – and which has Leon's voice fitting perfectly with the mellow grooving beats, keyboards, and guitar. The singer's voice is maybe even better than before – sure to win over an even new wave of ears – and titles include "If It Feels Good Then It Must Be", "Bet Ain't Worth The Hand", "Bad Bad News", "Shy", "Beyond", "Forgive You", "Lions", "You Don't Know", and "Georgia To Texas". CD

Powerhouse nusoul chanteuse Leela James recruits an all star slate of guests behind the boards for her Warner Bros debut – but it's the specter of soul greats such as Chaka Kahn, Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Betty Davis, and Ike-era Tina Turner that really inform the sound! Leela has the grittiest female voice to arrive in the modern mainstream since Macy Gray, but unlike Macy, the grit is applied in the heavy delivery – she's a real shouter, and the grittier and moodier arrangements on the set often put in the realm of D'Angelo's Voodoo! Kanye West and Raphael Saadiq are among the guests. Tracks include "Music", "Good Time", "Ghetto", "Soul Food", "Rain", "When You Love Somebody", "Don't Speak", "It's Alright", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "Long Time Coming" and more! CD

2 incredible records by David Newman – back to back as a single CD set! Bigger & Better is one of the best David Newman albums for Atlantic from the 60s – and one that breaks past the R&B-influenced formula of earlier albums! This one features some great arrangements by William Fischer, the cool wild-card arranger who was to late 60s Atlantic what David Axelrod was to Capitol at the same time. Fischer's touch isn't exactly funky – but it's certainly far-reaching, as he sets up David's funky tenor and flute in some very hip arrangements that mix together horns, strings, and soul production, in a mode that provides some of the best backings that Newman's ever had to solo over – a favor he returns admirably in his playing on the album! Includes the cool psychedelic number "The Thirteenth Floor", Eddie Harris-ish readings of "And I Love Her" and "Yesterday", and versions of Sam Cooke's "Ain't That Good News" and "A Change Is Gonna Come". Many Facets is equally brilliant – and follows in a similar mode. Newman's playing here with a really far-reaching groove that's miles ahead of his initial work for Atlantic – really stretching out at the end of the 60s, in an array of well-chosen influences. The record features a great little funky remake of Calvin Arnold's classic funky 45 "A Funky Way To Treat Somebody", plus some really beautiful tunes in a Coltrane-esque mode, with arrangements by William Fischer – spinning out in modal and exotic tones that we never would have expected. Titles include "Children Of Abraham" and "Chained No More", and they both feature Newman playing freer than you've ever heard him! CD

These guys always loved Sam Cooke – but you can definitely hear it on this single! Lead singer Louis Williams is in a very Cooke-like mode on the slow tune "Wonderful To Be In Love". The track's great – with a killer melody and hook – and it's very very much like stuff that Sam was recording right near the end. "Dance Party" is upbeat and rocking – a lot like Cooke's uptempo groovers, but with kind of a rougher sound overall. 7-inch, Vinyl record

Great old school sounds from Quincy Jones – the kind of smoking big band album we'd know from his early years on ABC or Mercury Records! The Q's done many great things in the years since those albums – including great work in the soul music and soundtrack fields – but it's great to know he can still turn out a jazz cooker like this when he wants – thanks in part to great help as a co-leader from reedman Sammy Nestico! The horns are totally tight – that great old Quincy way of coming on strong, then letting individual voices break out of the pack – and players include Ernie Watts, Gerald Albright, and Gary Foster on saxes; Oscar Brashear and Wane Bergeron on trumpets; George Bohannon and Bill Watrous on trombones – all great players who really make the record kick. The set also features guest solo work by Hubert Laws on flute, and Kirk Whalum on tenor and soprano sax – and Emil Richards even turns in a bit of vibes, too. Titles include "Grace", "Jelly Roll", "The Joy Of Cookin", "Ya Gotta Try Harder", "Lisett", and "No Time Like The Present". CD

One of our favorite 70s soul records ever – and a totally unique set as well! To our ears, Samuel Jonathan Johnson belongs in the company of Roy Ayers, Norman Connors, and other spiritual soul heavyweights – even though he only ever cut this one album for Columbia Records back in 1978! The set's got a really visionary feel – keyboards that compare with the best mellow soul lines of Donny Hathaway, and a vocal style that's got some of the range of Ronnie McNeir, mixed with a more human approach to the lyrics that makes the whole thing wonderfully personal, too. There's lots of jazzy elements on the Fender Rhodes lines – which bubble beautifully on the mellow moments, and step out boldly on the album's few groovers – making for a richness that goes way beyond the vocals, and which puts Johnson in the company of DJ Rogers or Webster Lewis. Forgive us if we keep name-dropping like that – but the set's a stunning treasure from an artist who should have gotten the same sort of recognition as all the best soul talents of the 70s. The title track – "My Music" – has an amazing bit of bubbling synth intro (and outro), cool spacey vocals by Sam, and a mellow, but tight groove that sounds a bit like something that Roy Ayers might have cooked up – and it leads off an incredible album of other titles that include "Sweet Love", "Just Us", "You", "Reason For The Reason", "Because I Love You", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", "Yesterdays & Tomorrow", and "Thank You Mother Dear". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent early album by organ player Billy Larkin, and his first version of the Delegates, which included drummer Mel Brown. As an added bonus, the great tenor player Clifford Scott joins them on most of the tracks here, and the recording is one of his best sessions away from Bill Dogget. The tracks are short, hard, and very in-the-pocket – like the tracks on the group's Pigmy album, which is also from the same time. This is the kind of stuff that was played to death over and over on south side jukeboxes in the 60's. Check out cuts like "Sticky Wicket", "Transfusion", and "The Cooker", and it's easy to see why! LP, Vinyl record album

Killer California sounds from the 60s – all served up by studio wizard Gary Usher – a legendary talent who worked in the same generation as Brian Wilson and Phil Spector, but never got as much time in the spotlight! That was all OK with Gary, though – as he spent endless hours creating wonderfully groovy records – including some key cuts by big names, overlooked gems from the Sunshine generation, and a few that were completely cooked up in the studio by acts who never existed in the real world at all! The sound here is fantastic – really unified, and one of the richest tapestries of SoCal studio genius we've ever heard – all put together with detailed notes that finally tell the whole story behind Usher's work and so many of these tracks. 24 titles in all – with tracks that include "Same Girl" by The Neptunes, "My World Fell Down" by Sagittarius, "Go Go Getter" by Keith Green, "So You Say You Lost Your Baby" by Gene Clark, "School Is A Gas" by The Wheel Men", "Sunstroke" by Chad & Jeremy, "I Don't Wanna Say Goodnight" by The Forte Four, "Happy In Hollywood" by California, "It's A Happening Thing" by The Peanut Butter Conspiracy, "Codine" by Sean & The Brandywines, "You Ain't Going Nowhere" by The Byrds, "Just One More Chance" by The Hondells, "Baby What I Mean" by Spiral Starecase, and "Take My Hand" by Sons Of Adam. CD

The bugged sci fi maestro MF Doom's mid 00s masterpiece – and a straight up tie with Madvilliany for the championship title of best Doom-related LP since his immortal debut! As you'd guess from the title, this album has a running theme with food, each title funnier than the last, but stays fresh throughout the 15 tracks thanks to tight production, masterfully spliced samples, and a verbal flow that's cooked and spiced to some kind of freakish perfection. The great "Hoe Cakes" single gets served early in set, and it sets the tone for a truly strong album. "Boss like King Koopa. . .". Includes "Beef Rap", "Potholderz" with Count Bass D, "One Beer" produced by Madlib, "Poo Poo Platter", "Fillet-O-Rapper", "Gumbo", "Fig Leaf Bi Carbonate", "Kon Queso" produced by PNS, "Vomitspit", "Kookies" and more. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the coolest collections ever put out by The Numero Group – and that's saying a lot, given the hipness of the label! Downriver Revival chronicles the story of a unique studio in Michigan – Double U Sound, a custom recording spot that captured a wonderful range of soul, funk, gospel, and other sounds from the local community – beautifully presented here in a full CD, plus a bonus DVD that features the near-complete 200 song archive of the studio! The DVD's really unique – so we'll talk about it first: Done with an interactive menu that lets you literally comb through the boxes of tapes in the Double U vault – selecting each reel recorded by the studio, and sampling the rich array of wonderful sounds from this untapped Michigan scene – a huge amount of music, far more than you'd ever find on a CD compilation. The DVD also features a documentary on the studio and Downriver Revial project – and that alone would be worth the price of admission – but the CD then features 24 key numbers pulled from the vaults – tracks that were either issued on rare 45s, or never issued at all – and which represent a wonderful array of soulful sounds that definitely lives up to the Numero standard! Titles include "There's A Light" by Shirley Ann Lee, "Take Care Of Us" by The Revelations, "Untitled Jam" by Bobby Cook & The Explosions, "Foot Stumping (alt)" by Organics, "While You Were Gone" by Combinations, "Heaven" by Deliverance Echoes, "Untitled" by Burgess Band, "Round N Round" by Junior Mays Group, and "Walk With Me" by Calvin Cooke. CD

One of THE spoken word classics of the 70s funk years – an amazing album based around the poetry of Camille Yarbrough – set to some amazing funky backings! The sound here is incredibly righteous – almost a more sophisticated version of Betty Davis – done with a stark, spare groove that makes the bass bits and drums really come out in the mix! Camille's got a heck of a lot of personal vision, and really works the album together as a whole – making for a set that's far more than just "poetry plus music" – and instead an audio tapestry with an incredibly deep sound! Includes a heavy rap on the streets that culminates in the great "Little Sally the Super Sex Star" – plus the classic "Take Yo Praise", which was sampled famously by Fatboy Slim – and the cuts "Can I Get A Witness" and "All Hid". CD

One of THE spoken word classics of the 70s funk years – an amazing album based around the poetry of Camille Yarbrough – set to some amazing funky backings! The sound here is incredibly righteous – almost a more sophisticated version of Betty Davis – done with a stark, spare groove that makes the bass bits and drums really come out in the mix! Camille's got a heck of a lot of personal vision, and really works the album together as a whole – making for a set that's far more than just "poetry plus music" – and instead an audio tapestry with an incredibly deep sound! Includes a heavy rap on the streets that culminates in the great "Little Sally the Super Sex Star" – plus the classic "Take Yo Praise", which was sampled famously by Fatboy Slim – and the cuts "Can I Get A Witness" and "All Hid". LP, Vinyl record album

George Benson's first LP for Columbia – a hard, heavy, soul jazz slammer that bears no resemblance to his overproduced work of the 70s! The album's a real cooker – recorded hot on the heels of Benson's classic work on Prestige with the Jack McDuff group, and sounding a lot like McDuff's hard wailing organ jazz of the same time. George is working with a group that features a young Lonnie Smith on organ, plus Blue Mitchell on trumpet, Ronnie Cuber on sax, and Charlie Persip on drums – all tightly coming together, and jamming hard on the album's short cooking tracks. Tracks include "Clockwise", "Jaguar", "Hello Birdie", and "Bullfight". Plus, the CD adds five bonus tracks, including "Sideman", "Minor Chant", and the previously unreleased "J.H. Bossa Nova" and "Clockwise (Alternate Take)". CD

A nice live cooker from Wild Bill Davis! This album was recorded at Grace's Little Belmont, a club in Atlantic City in 1967, a place where organist Davis had played almost every summer for over twenty years. He is joined by Clayton Robert Brown on tenor sax, James "Dickie" Thompson on guitar and Robert Joseph Durham on drums. Some of the tracks are Davis or Davis and Bob Brown originals and they include "Let It Be", "Adoration", and "Up Top". Other songs are "Manha de Carnaval" from Black Orpheus, "Jive Samba", "Soft Winds", "Little Tracy", "Straight No Chaser", and "Cute" among others. LP, Vinyl record album

Plenty of action from El Gran Combo – a cooker that has their tight group formation at the top of its 70s powers! Rafael Ithier's piano really sets the tone for most tunes – straightforward and grooving, but often with some hints of darkness – odd little tones that turn compelling musical phrases underneath the lead vocals of Andy Montanez – working here without any other singer in the lead, but getting a bit of chorus help at times. Instrumentation includes two saxes, two trumpets, and trombone – and titles include "Guaguanco Del Gran Combo", "Tasca Tasca", "El Pin Pin", "Dama Dama", "La Coronela", "Hojas Blancas", and "Guasamba". LP, Vinyl record album

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa". LP, Vinyl record album

Two organ/sax cookers back to back – both featuring Don Patterson and Sonny Stitt! First up is the wonderful album Brothers 4 – a mighty pairing of organist Patterson and saxman Stitt – one of Don's grooviest late 60s outings, thanks to an excellent sound from all players involved! Stitt plays Varitone sax on the date, which gives his horn a cool electric feel that really sounds wonderful next to Don's work on Hammond – and Grant Green's also in the group, serving up some great single-line solos that are almost more in his early 60s style than his Blue Note work from this same period. The group's rounded out by Don's regular drummer Billy James – a wonderful player with a great ear for unusual rhythms! Tracks are nice and long – and titles include "Walk On By", "Creepin Home", and "Brothers 4". Donny Brook is a massively funky new groove from organist Don Patterson – done with a sound that's a great link between his early soul jazz years and the funkier Prestige sound to come! The group here is a rock-solid quartet – Sonny Stitt on Varitone tenor, plus a bit of alto sax – as well as Grant Green on guitar and Billy James on drums. The rhythms are great – often with a slight undercurrent of funk in the mix – and Grant lets loose beautifully on his guitar with that soaring, skipping sort of groove he picked up nicely near the end of the 60s. Patterson's Hammond is sgreat as always, and all tracks are nice and long – with plenty of solo room for everyone! Titles include "Mud Turtle", "Good Bait", "St Thomas", "Starry Night", and "Donny Brook". CD

The debut of U-Roy, and an album that paves the way for countless wonderful sounds to come! The album's an early one in the toasting approach – and has U-Roy calling out the tunes in this echoey style that's wonderful – somehow more urgent than reggae records of just a few years before, and almost dismantling the tunes as he works alongside them! Rhythms are cooked up by Duke Reid – and the album's the stuff that put both him, and the role of the DJ in reggae firmly on the map! Titles include "Your Ace From Space", "On The Beach", "Version Galore", "True Confession", "Tide Is High", "Things You Love", "The Same Song", "Happy Go Lucky Girl", "Rock Away", "Wear You To The Ball", "Don't Stay Away", and "Hot Pop". Amazing 2CD edition – with 30 more bonus tracks including "Honey Come Forward", "Treasure Isle Skank", "Peace & Love", "My Girl", "Super Boss", "Do Re Mi", "Ain't That Loving You (alt)", "Nehru", "True True", "Drive Her Home (part 2)", "Way Back Home", "Tom Drunk", "Words Of Wisdom", and "Everybody Bawling". CD

The best work yet from Kansas City groover Miles Bonny – smoldering, modern hip hop soul from a singer and a roster of collaborators and labelmates who started good – and get better and better with each new thing we hear! It's slow cooked material for the most part, but it pulls you right in – with elements that remind us of some of the most pivotal figures of the hip hop soul set – crackling, splintering beats and hazy soul vocals – with some breezier bits of keys and other elements. Includes "Lumberjack Soul", "Still Miles", "5 O'Clock Suff", "J Birly", "Clap Clap", "Nothing But You", "A Song For Miles", "Learning To Fly", "Same Dream Again", "Breakfast" feat Fleur Earth, "Desperado" and "Nests". 16 tracks on the CD. CD

Fierce funky grooves from the legendary Nico Gomez – a set cooked up in Europe, but heavy with influences from the other side of the Atlantic – from Havana all the way up to New York! There's definitely a Latin groove to the record – one that's similar to other Gomez productions – but there's also lots of heavy funk at the bottom – with basslines that drive most numbers along boldly, really raw percussion played with a nice sense of spontaneity, and these super-tight keyboards and guitars that you might find in American funk! The mix of modes is very much in the best spirit of contemporary groups like Chakachas or Lafayette Afro Rock Band – and titles include "Caballo Negro", "Lupita", "Baila Chibiquiban", "Pa! Pa! Pa! Pa!", "One Note Samba", "Cuba Libre", and "El Condor Pasa". LP, Vinyl record album

A real cooker – and a stone soulful set that works some real magic at so many levels! First off, the record brings together two of the hottest talents on the west coast scene of the 60s – pianist Les McCann, and the firey young Jazz Crusaders – who are really burning here with a tightness and sense of energy that's amazing. But more than that, the record also features Les hitting some keys alongside his usual piano – both electric piano and Hammond, which come off here with a great sound – especially alongside Joe Sample's additional work on acoustic piano and organ. Horn solos are great – with tight work from Wilton Felder on tenor and Wayne Henderson on trombone – and titles include "Big City", "Spanish Castles", "Damascus", "Blues For Yna Yna", "This Here", and "All Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

A tight little cooker, and a set that also features work from a young Pacheco too! Titles include a nice take on "Mambo Inn" – plus "Oye Mama", "Nicolasa", "Cero Codazos", "Cha Cha Rene", and "Sambia". LP, Vinyl record album

George E Lewis and Ralph Eppel on trombone, Coat Cooke on alto and baritone saxophone, clarinet, and flute, Saul Berson on alto saxophone, clarinet, and flute, Bruce Freedman on soprano saxophone, Graham Ord on tenor and alto saxophone, flute and piccolo flute, John Korsrud on trumpet, Rob Blakeslee on trumpet and flugelhorn, Brad Muirhead on bass trombone and tuba, Peggy Lee on cello, Clyde Reed on contrabass, Ron Samworth on guitar and electronics, Paul Blaney on ontrabass and bass, Dylan van der Schyff on percussion, Paul Plimley on piano, and vocals from Kate Hammett-Vaughan. CD

Early greatness from Wes Montgomery – a real cooker that features the great Mel Rhyne on organ, coming out of the same Indy hub as Wes – plus Jimmy Cobb on drums! The bass-less trio format burns nicely throughout – coming across with a bit more soul jazz burn than on Wes' later sides, that small combo that came from Montgomery's earlier roots. Titles include couple of Montgomery originals – "The Trick Bag" and "Fried Pies" – plus the tunes "Besame Mucho", "Dearly Beloved", "Days Of Wine & Roses", "Canadian Sunset", "The Breeze & I", and "For Heaven's Sake". This is a repackaged version of the Boss Guitar LP, issued when Riverside was briefly owned by ABC, in the late 60s. LP, Vinyl record album