A really cool Canadian group from the 60s – an all-native lineup of members from the Tsimshian Nation – but working here in a raw garagey style that's totally great! The drums are lean and powerful, guitar follows suit, and vocals often have a surprisingly charming quality – tuneful, and harmonized with a nice sort of sweetness at times. The group famously recorded on Wisconsin's powerhouse Cuca label, home to some great raw singles back in the day – and this set brings together their rare 45 for that label, plus rare demos and unissued material – in their first-ever full length set, with titles that include "Don't Let It Bother You", "Do Lord", "I Won't Be Around", "The Sun Is Shining", "Ebony Eyes", "You Don't Need Me Anymore", "Don't You Leave Me Behind", "I Shouldn't Have Did What I Done", and "I Need Your Lovin". LP, Vinyl record album

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A very different album than usual for the Prelude label – not nearly as New York as some of their other albums, and produced by Stax Records legend David Porter in Memphis and Malaco! Also, the record has a lot less of a disco vibe than other Prelude albums – still a bit clubby in points, but with more of a focus on the harmony vocals of the group – with some especially nice mellow moments! Titles include "On Fire", "Party (parts 1 & 2)", "I Know I Didn't Do You Wrong", "Leaving Me", and "Live While You Can". LP, Vinyl record album

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24 tracks from Lionel Richie, Stephanie Mills, Freddie Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Teddy Pendergrass, The Dramatics, Klymaxx, Rene & Angela, The Dells, Al Green, Peabo Bryson, Bobby Womack, The Isley Brothers, The New Birth, and more. CD

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A wealth of rare funky 45 and album cuts – served up here in a selection that really lives up to the "rare soul" promise of the title! Some of these cuts are rare groove classics from back in the day – the big years when UK DJs first started playing older 70s cuts – and some of them are numbers that have been discovered in more recent years, showing that the field for rare soul collectors is always wide open, if you know where to dig! Titles include "Smooth Sailing" by Three Shades Of Soul, "Look What You've Done For Me" by Al Jarreau, "Every Day's A New Day" by Teresa Graves, "Take My Best Shot" by Liberation, "Be Your Man" by The Harmonics, "If We Don't" by 94 East with Prince, "You Put A Hurtin On Me" by Mary Mundy, "I'm Walking Away" by Gene Townsel, "I'm Crazy About You" by Brief Encounter, and "I Love You Pretty Baby" by Touch Of Class. LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet electric funk from trumpeter Donald Byrd – one of his first forays into an electric mode, and done in a style that's very different than his better-known soul fusion of the mid 70s! Before Byrd hooked up with Larry Mizell and started recording his smooth fusion grooves on records like Blackbyrd and Street Lady – he recorded this gem, kind of a "lost" album that has Donald working in an open-ended electric sound – one that's clearly inspired by the experiments of Miles Davis, but which has a generally funkier feel overall! The tracks are very long – with lots of spiraling keyboard and trumpet solos – and the hip players on the set include Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, David T Walker on guitar, Harold Land on tenor, and Joe Sample on organ – a very cool combo that's got a cross between The Crusaders and the Hutcherson/Land quintet! We love the tracks on this set – especially "The Emperor" and "The Little Rasti", which are both over 15 minutes long, and have a haunting spacey sound that's a departure from Donald's usual work! LP, Vinyl record album

Not the same Candido that you might know from Salsoul Records or 50s Latin fame – and instead a younger percussionist who cut this legendary album for Joe Bataan's Ghetto Records label! The set's got a rootsy vibe that's mighty nice – right up there with the best of the Fania salsa scene at the start of the 70s – and Candido plays timbales in a group that also features two trumpets, tenor, and trombone – plus lots more piano, bass, and percussion! You might have heard Candido's percussion in the groups of Ricardo Ray or Randy Carlos, but here he's a hell of a leader on his own – on titles that include the mellow soul "Baby Doll", the jazzy "Something Smooth", and the cuts "Palos De Fuego", "Bochinches", "El Lobo", and "Mi Ritmo Cubano". LP, Vinyl record album

Later work from Otis Clay, but also one of his greatest albums ever! The record features him with some fuller arrangements than usual – in less of a bluesy mode than during the Hi years, with a smooth sound that really brings out a whole new side of his style. The set was recorded in Chicago for the Japanese market – and the arrangements are by Benjamin Wright, Bill McFarland, and Clay himself. Includes the massive groover "The Only Way Is Up", an anthemic modern dancefloor number that later yielded a bit hit for Yazz – plus the tracks "Cheatin In The Next Room", "All I Need Is You", "Special Kind Of Love", "Messin With My Mind", "Turn Back The Hands Of Time", and "Check It Out". LP, Vinyl record album

Great early work from Albert Collins – the kind of mean, lean music that Collins specialized in before his later years of cliche – served up here in a style that's almost more funk than blues overall! The tracks are all instrumentals, with lots of raw guitar and soulful saxophone – coming across with a rootsy feel that's much more in the mode of work on a soul-based indie than you'd expect from the usual slicker sides on Blue Thumb – hardly smooth LA, and instead almost a funky 45 vibe overall! The titles give a good example of the stripped-down sound of the tunes – and they include "Kool Aide", "Thaw Out", "Hot N Cold", "Frosty", "Tremble", and "Icy Blue". LP, Vinyl record album

Wicked early funk from The Commodores – a group that spent so much time on pop ballads in later years, it's hard to believe they could be this sharp and hard-edged! There's plenty of that bass-heavy style that would later dominate many Motown combos at the end of the 70s – but the group's really in control of the groove on this one, without any of the cliches that such bassery could lead them into – and production is nicely restrained, so that the whole thing has the loose, live feel of some of the best ensemble funk of the time – even some of the gems from the underground. Lionel Ritchie contributed one nice smooth soul number, "This Is Your Life", and the rest of the album includes "Let's Do It Right", "Wide Open", "The Bump", "Look What You've Done To Me", and the funk classic "Slippery When Wet". LP, Vinyl record album

An overlooked gem from Chick Corea – recorded in the early 80s, but with a sweet electric groove that takes us back to his best from a decade before! Chick plays Fender Rhodes and other keyboards – and works here with a group that has a nice sort of angular edge – none of the too-smooth moments that were sometimes showing up in Corea's other early 80s work, and instead some of the driving, soulful undercurrents that really sparkled in the Return To Forever years. The Fender Rhodes sounds great – clear and clean, just like back in the old days – and the group features reeds from Steve Kujala, bass from Carlos Benavent, drums from Tom Brechtlein, and hip percussion from Don Alias. Titles include "Twang", "Quintet #3", "Waltze", "Again & Again", and "Diddle Diddle". LP, Vinyl record album

One of Hank Crawford's first big records of the 70s – a really great set that helps him shake off some of his stock modes of the 60s and find a very different groove! A big part of the album is arranger Don Sebesky, who gives Hank a backdrop that's sophisticated and smooth, yet still pretty soulful in all the right places – a style that's almost a bit like mainstream soundtrack work of the time, but a bit more jazz focused overall. Hank's solos are right out front on most tracks – blown with that nicely pinched tone that made him a standout back in the day – and other players include Richard Tee on both organ and piano, as well as Idris Muhammad and Bernard Purdie on drums. Titles include "Uncle Funky", "Imagine", "The Sun Died", "Brian's Song", and "Ham", which was arranged by Pee Wee Ellis. LP, Vinyl record album

What a voice on this guy! Without a doubt, Martinho Da Vila is one of our favorite 70s samba singers – and he sounds wonderful on this obscure mid 70s set! The arrangements are tight and percussive – not as smooth as you'd expect from the date – and Da Vila's vocals are rootsy enough to match the soul of the percussion on the set with ease. Titles include "Joao E Jose", "Claustrofobia", "Choro Chorao", "Quem Me Dera", "Coisa Louca", "Historia Da Liberdade No Brasil", and "Ai Que Saudade Que Eu Tenho". LP, Vinyl record album

A record that was an instant classic from the moment it was first released – and a set that's still pretty darn pleasing all these many years later! At a time when mainstream soul was often too smooth or too poppy, D'Angelo came along and not only found a way to return the music to the years of its power with singers like Al Green or Marvin Gaye – but also managed to bring in some of the best hip hop elements of his generation too, at a level that was far more successful than most other blends that had been tried before! Production is nice and lean, and super-crispy – at a level that so many folks are still copying all these years later – and the set's full of classics that include "Cruisin", "When We Get By", "Smooth", "Me & Those Dreamin Eyes Of Mine", "Brown Sugar", "Alright", and "Jonz In My Bonz". LP, Vinyl record album

Smooth soul from Cliff Dawson – a singer as classy as his look on the cover, and definitely a cut above most of the mainstream soul artists of his time! The album's an overlooked gem that's very nicely put together – well recorded, arranged with a subtle flair, and usually done with a warmer sound than you might guess for the vintage of the set – almost like some late 70s underground modern soul set, which is saying plenty to ears like ours! Thor Baldursson did most of the arrangements, but in ways that are much more restrained than his disco years – and titles include "It's Not Me You Love", "Waiting For Your Love", "Betcha Didn't Know", "I Can Love You Better", "Ocean Green Eyes", and "Never Say I Do". CD

A stone pop soul winner from DeBarge – the kind of record that made the group a heck of a lot of money back in the 80s, and which sounds surprisingly great to our ears today! The record features lots of electro arrangements – fuzzy keyboards and bass pedals grooving around in a way that's got traces of "street" electro, mixed with some super-smooth LA production, and used brilliantly by the group in a family-based pop harmony way that stretches back to some of the great 70s groups of the same style – like The Sylvers or the Stairsteps. A heck of a lot nicer than we remember, and pretty great all the way through – with tracks that include "I Like It", "I'll Never Fall In Love Again", "All This Love", "I'm In Love With You", "Can't Stop", "It's Getting Stronger", and "Life Begins With You". CD

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

A whopping collection of the Dells' classic work – featuring tunes pulled from their years at Vee Jay, Chess, Chi-Sound, and Mercury! The package starts way back in the 50s, and traces the group through their groundbreaking 60s soul sides, their sublime baroque 70s numbers, and their later smooth modern tracks – and as you listen to this stuff, you'll be stunned to hear how great the group remained through all of that time! The early tracks are straight doo wop, with simple production; later work has the great Charles Stepney crafting some majestic Cadet/Concept arrangements; and even the modern stuff has a well-constructed smooth groove. Through it all, though, the real strength is the group's vocals – still wonderful even in the album's one more recent number, "A Heart Is A House For Love". Titles include "I Can Sing A Rainbow/Love Is Blue", "Always Together", "Give Your Baby A Standing Ovation", "I Miss You", "Slow Motion", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "The Glory Ove Love", "Long Lonely Nights", "Dreams Of Contentment", "The Bossa Nova Bird", "Oh What A Night" (in 2 versions), "Stay In My Corner (in 3 versions)", and "Does Anybody Know I'm Here". CD

Smooth jazzy work from Deodato – a record that takes off from his electric keyboard work of the early 70s, and shows his growing interest in modern soul and R&B a the time! Deodato's still a few years way from some of his famous soul production work, but he's already got a great ear for a groove – and works in a style that's tight, but never too slick – the best Joe Sample or Crusaders territory, but even more groove oriented too. You can definitely hear Deodato's growing taste for modern soul here – especially on the seminal club jammer "Whistle Bump", which is a tight keyboard-driven groove, with some sweeping strings underneath wah wah guitar. The cut's the real standout on the album – although there's a few other nice moments, like "Space Dust" and "Lovely Lady", which has a great mellow Bob James-ish sound. LP, Vinyl record album

A pair of early 80s gems from this Brazilian keyboard legend – back to back on a single CD! Night Cruiser is a key record in Deodato's move from funky jazz in the 70s to modern soul in the 80s – and one that showcases the best of his talents in both genres! The approach here is more tightly arranged and produced than that of his earlier CTI sides – but in a mode that's still plenty nice to our ears – as Deodato's uncanny sense of rhythm and timing is still very firmly in place, making the set way way more than just a smooth jazz album – and pushing it strongly into the realm of soulful spacey fusion! There's some really great tracks on the set – like the amazing "Skatin", a sweet keyboard number that's a perfect roller skating jam (in case you couldn't guess from the title) – plus "Love Magic", "Uncle Funk", "East Side Strut", and "Night Cruiser". Happy Hour is a classic from Deodato's soul-based years with a nice little R&B-inspired groove! Happy Hour was done at a time when Deodato was really getting into a lot of modern soul production and arranging work with other groups – and here, he tries his hand wonderfully at the style himself – transforming his 70s jazz funk groove into a tightly snapping 80s soul approach! Most tracks on the set feature vocals – by singers who include Kelly Barretto, Eban Kelly, and Candi Staton – but the instrumentation behind them is still plenty jazzy too, thanks to some nice work by Deodato on Fender Rhodes, mini moog, Arp, and other keyboards. Titles include "I Never Get Enough", "Keep On Movin", "Happy Hour", "Just This One Night", "Tears Of A Clown", "Sweet Magic", and "Keep It In The Family". CD features two bonus tracks – "Uncle Funk (7" mix)" and "Keep On Movin (7" mix)". CD

One of the rarest soul records on Brunswick! This one was cut during the mid 70s – when the label was really having some rough times financially, but also was cutting some of its most groundbreaking soul work. The Directions are a tight harmony quintet – equipped, it appears, with their own band (The Directions Band) who give the group a nice rough soul sound. The vocal cuts on the record have sort of a Philly harmony style – with many uptempo numbers that are sort of a rougher version of work by Blue Magic or The Spinners. The instrumental tracks are smooth funk – with lots of tight keyboard work over heavy riffing and vamping, mostly in an uptempo vein. Titles include "Too Many Secrets", "Soup Line", "I Want To Be Your Special Man", "If You Ever", "We Need Love", and "I Love You So". CD

DJ Jazzy Jeff returns – with a top shelf roster or MCs doing justice to his Philly soul reared, bedrock beatcraft – including Big Daddy Kane, Method Man, Rhymefest, Jean Grae, Kardinall Offishall, CL Smooth, Pos of De La Soul and more – underground spitters and mic icons alike! We don't know if Jazz tailors his beats for the chosen MCs – or if he seeks out the appropriate MCs for his ready-made material – but whatever his methods, they're still working well. Return Of The Magnificent is a standard bearing effort! Titles include "Hip Hop" feat Twone Gabz, "Let Me Hear U Clap" feat Pos from De La Soul, "Run That Back" feat Eshon Burgundy & Black Ice, "Jeff N Fess" feat Rhymefest, "Practice" feat J Live, "Supa Jean" feat Jean Grae, "The Garden" feat Big Daddy Kane, "Hold It Down" feat Method Man, "My Soul Ain't For Sale" feat Raheem DeVaugh, "Cone On feat Dave Ghetto, "Brand New Funk 2K7" feat Peedi Peedi and more1 LP, Vinyl record album

12 tracks in all, including "I'm All That", "Summertime", "The Things That U Do", "This Boy Is Smooth", "Ring My Bell", "A Dog Is A Dog", "caught In The Middle (Love & Life)", "Trapped On The Dance Floor", "Who Stole The DJ", "You Saw My Blinker", "Dumb Dancin'" and 'Summertime (Reprise)". Cassette

Although not as instantly captivating as their work for Stax, this set for ABC is still a pretty darn great group soul album! The group haven't lost their touch vocally – and Ron Banks and LJ Reynolds are still incredible singers that push smooth soul to a whole new level. The album includes the sublime "Do What You Wanna Do", one of the best male soul slow jams of the 70s – plus the cuts "Jane", "Stop Your Weeping", "Why Do You Want To Do Me Wrong", and "California Sunshine". LP, Vinyl record album

A really wonderful set of Brazilian vocal tunes – sung by Pamela Driggs in a warm and jazzy mode that recalls some of the greats of the 70s! Production is spare and smooth, but never too smooth – and Pamela sings in a mix of English and Portuguese, scatting and tripping easily between the grooves. Titles include "Agua De Beber", "Take Five", "Batucada Surgiu", "Noites No Rio", "Leiloca", "Nature's Beauty", "Vivo Sonhando", and "Itacuruca". CD

Two Capitol classics from the great Gene Dunlap – back to back on a single CD! First up is It's Just The Way I Feel – a classic soulful fusion album recorded and released during the crucial years of the "Capitol Rare" sound! Gene Dunlap is a jazz drummer at heart – but he's got a flair for the modern soul song – and in the same style as Norman Connors or Harvey Mason before him, he manages to put together a strong record of grooves and ballads from behind the kit! The strongest point of the record is work by The Ridgeways, a female soul trio who sing on the best tracks, giving them a smooth Jones Girls-ish kind of sound. The album includes two modern soul classics – "Before You Break My Heart" and "It's Just the Way I Feel" – plus "Love Dancin", "Rock Radio", "I Got You", and "Surest Things Can Change". Party In Me is wonderful work from Gene Dunlap – a jazzy soul drummer, and also a maestro with a killer ear for a modern soul groove! The album's got a mix of grooves and sophistication that are a bit like the best early 80s material from Roy Ayers – never chartbound, and never too commercial – but nice and tight, and really well put together! The instrumentation has plenty of jazzy 80s groove touches – especially in the keyboards – and Dunlap does a nice job of balancing up beat tracks with the mellow moments we love so much in his work. Vocals are from a variety of singers – including the great Ethel Beatty, who'd sung with Roy Ayers – plus Phillippe Wynne, Pam Lawson, and Gene himself – and titles include "Something Inside My Head", "Something Special", "Corner Pocket", "There Will Never Be Another (Like You)", "Party In Me", "Jam City", and "This One's On Me". CD

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Spiritual, soulful, and oh, so beautiful! This record captures Earth Wind & Fire at a perfect transition moment – when they've still got some of their avant jazz roots, but are leaning towards the smooth soulful funk sound that put them on the charts a few years later. The whole thing's a wonderful mix of spiritualism and funky jazz – and it includes their massive cover of "Mighty Mighty", plus a lot of tracks with cool instrumentation, like "Kalimba Story", "Drum Song", and "Caribou". Great jazzy groovers, all of them! LP, Vinyl record album

Spiritual, soulful, and oh, so beautiful! This record captures Earth Wind & Fire at a perfect transition moment – when they've still got some of their avant jazz roots, but are leaning towards the smooth soulful funk sound that put them on the charts a few years later. The whole thing's a wonderful mix of spiritualism and funky jazz – and it includes their massive cover of "Mighty Mighty", plus a lot of tracks with cool instrumentation, like "Kalimba Story", "Drum Song", and "Caribou". Great jazzy groovers, all of them! Contains 4 previously unissued tracks – "Ain't No Harm To Moan", "Step's Tune", "Dreams", and "Fair But So Uncool (Walkin In N'Awlins mix)". CD

A pair of classics from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on a single CD! First up is Spirit – a big hit for the group – and a great album of smooth funky soul! Spirit is a perfect example of the way that Earth Wind & Fire could tighten things up, yet still keep them real – holding onto the deeply spiritual side that first made them great – but also focusing their energy towards a wider audience that showed their influence for years! Of course, with Charles Stepney helping out on production, it's hard to miss – and he's one of the few cats who could handle a blend like this so well. The compression in the band's playing is impeccable – with just the right mix of spacey spiritualism, sophisticated jazzy playing, and a straight ahead love of the soulful hook. Includes the instrumentals "Biyo" and "Departure", plus the vocal tracks "Earth Wind & Fire","Burnin Bush", "Spirit", "Imagination", and "Getaway", all produced to perfection by Maurice White and Charles Stepney! That's The Way Of The World may be Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul, and Afrocentric jazz – all expertly handled by the great Charles Stepney, who still has the same rich talent for blending styles that he had while working at Chess/Cadet during the glory days of the late 60s. Some of these songs have been played to death (and covered so much) over the years that it's often easy to forget what a crowning moment this was for former underground soul heroes Earth, Wind & Fire – but we'll never cease to be amazed at the power of their mid-70s work, and this album's the best of the best. Titles include "Shining Star", "That's The Way Of The World", "Reasons", "Africano", "See The Light", and "Happy Feelin". CD

One of the last great soul albums on the Westbound label – the Detroit funk powerhouse known for famous records by Funkadelic, The Counts, and the Detroit Emeralds! Eramus Hall have a vague P-Funk connection – and according to legend, the band were given their name by George Clinton, who had seen a building in Chicago named Eramus Hall – but the sound is a lot smoother than any of the P-Funk projects of the time, and the group's strongest point is their smooth soul groove, augmented by a tight jazz funk style on the best cuts. In a way, they're sort of like a morphed version of late Parliament – with a funk sound that's nicely compressed, but still a lot more true than any of the countless other bands on the market who were aping P-Funk at the time. Highlights include the groovers "Your Love Is My Desire" and "She Shined A Light", both with nice sample moments – and other tracks include "Stuck In The Mudd", "Funk Permit", and "Think Positively". CD

One of the last great soul albums on the Westbound label – the Detroit funk powerhouse known for famous records by Funkadelic, The Counts, and the Detroit Emeralds! Eramus Hall have a vague P-Funk connection – and according to legend, the band were given their name by George Clinton, who had seen a building in Chicago named Eramus Hall – but the sound is a lot smoother than any of the P-Funk projects of the time, and the group's strongest point is their smooth soul groove, augmented by a tight jazz funk style on the best cuts. In a way, they're sort of like a morphed version of late Parliament – with a funk sound that's nicely compressed, but still a lot more true than any of the countless other bands on the market who were aping P-Funk at the time. Highlights include the groovers "Your Love Is My Desire" and "She Shined A Light", both with nice sample moments – and other tracks include "Stuck In The Mudd", "Funk Permit", and "Think Positively". LP, Vinyl record album

A great bit of soulful fusion from drummer Peter Erskine – one of the few albums he made as a leader of this nature, even though his playing graced lots of other wonderful records at the time! The approach here is tight, but never too much so – smooth, but never slick – a warmly electric groove that's really a lot more in a mid-70s sort of style than you'd expect from the early 80s date of the album. Other players here are all well-suited for the set – and include Randy Brecker on trumpet, Michael Brecker on tenor, Bob Mintzer on tenor, Don Grolnick on electric piano, Eddie Gomez on bass, Don Alias on percussion, and Mike Mainieri on vibes – and titles include "Leroy Street", "In Statu Nascendi", "All's Well That Ends", "My Ship", and "ESP". CD

A great set of tracks that shows an oft-hidden side of The Fatback Band – their talent for smooth, mellow numbers! Despite the fame of the group as a funky act and as dancefloor favorites, they could kick back and lay out a good ballad or a love song when they wanted to – something they did once or twice an album on their sides for the Spring label, from which the 10 tracks on the CD are pulled. The approach is a great one – as the group have a sweet sound that's perfect for mellow harmonies, drifting as effortlessly here as the band grooves on their funkier numbers. Titles include "Oh Girl", "She's My Shining Star", "I'm So In Love", "Please Stay", "I Found Lovin", "Sunshine Lady", "At Last", "Can't You See", "Is This The Future", and "Do It To Me Now". CD

A pair of albums from saxophonist Wilton Felder – back to back on a single CD! We All Have A Star offers up solo sounds from Crusaders reedman Wilton Felder – a really great set that's very much in the best vibe of his larger group at the time – yet one that also offers up a stronger focus on Wilton's sublime solo work on tenor! The album's got plenty of Crusaders help on board – given that Stix Hooper and Joe Sample produced the set along with Wilton – and the vibe's a wonderful blend of electric backings, with especially great keyboard lines, and Felder's well-phrased saxophone lines over the top! A few cuts feature vocals – sung by Angela Bryant or Debbie Demoia Ross – and titles include "We All Have A Star", "I Know Who I Am", "The Cycles Of Time", "Why Believe", "Ride On", and "You & Me & Ecstasy". Inherit The Wind is one of the best Crusaders-related solo projects – a soulful bit of fusion from saxophonist Wilton Felder, co-produced with his fellow Crusaders! The album's got the best sunny finish of the group's late 70s albums – traces of Latin, funk, and soul bubbling through a warm jazzy mix – staying soulful all the way through, and coming up with a sound that's smooth, but never sleepy. The blueprint for a million other records – none of which ever sounded this good! Titles include "Insight", "LA Light", "Until The Morning Comes", "Someday We'll All Be Free", and "Inherit The Wind". CD

Maynard really grooves it up on this one – playing with a group that's even larger than some of his early 70s funk sessions, in a style that's got traces of disco and R&B-styled fusion! The set was arranged, conducted, and produced by Jay Chataway – who's going for a nice smooth mode on most of the cuts, almost in the slick manner of some late 70s cop show soundtrack. Tracks are a bit longer than usual, with more room for the groove, and titles include the originals "Oasis" and "El Vuelvo", a surprisingly nice disco take on "Maria", and the cuts "Airegin" and "Star Wars". CD

A surprise hit for Richard Dimples Fields – and one of those albums that seems to turn up in just about every collection of records from the 80s! Although Fields first got his start turning out self-produced soul albums, and you'd expect him to sound a lot slicker here, recording for MCA's Boardwalk imprint, the record's still got a nice down-home feel that almost makes it feel like an indie soul record, despite the fact that Richard is going for a smooth modern sound on most cuts. Our standout favorite is the classic "She's Got Papers On Me", Richard's entry into the Barbara Mason/Shirley Brown song cycle ("you got my man", "he's your man, but he's my lover", etc) – one that takes the view of the man, but which has a sassy female monologue coming in at the end, telling him off! Other tracks include "I Like Your Lovin", "Let Me Take You In My Arms Tonight", "Let The Lady Dance", "In The Still Of the Night", "I've Got To Learn To Say No", and "Don't Ever Take Your Love". CD

A fantastic batch of keyboard tracks! Xaver Fischer plays like one of the funky fusion greats of the 70s – somewhere between Gene Harris, Ronnie Foster, and Johnny Hammond – working the electric piano and assorted keys to come up with a smooth spacey sound that reminds us of the classic days of Blue Note funk or Fantasy Records fusion! This album's a stripped-down affair that features only bass and drums behind Fischer's keys – plus a female vocal one track – which makes for a super-soulful sound that's really solid all the way through! Titles include "Bass of Space", "Venus", "Krakatu", "Babylon", "Gargamel", and "Palenque". CD

Seminal pre-Verve work by Ella Fitzgerald – a variety of early singles from the late 40s and early 50s, collected together in one full album by Decca! Even at this point in her career, the Fitzgerald magic is firmly in place – sensitively taking on familiar lyrics on some tunes, scatting breezily on others – all with a lot more jazz in the mix than her contemporaries, but not nearly as much pyrotechnics as the bebop-era vocalese crowd. Backings are by Sy Oliver on many numbers, by small groups on others – and a few tracks feature backing vocals by the Ray Charles singers. Titles include "Lullaby Of Birdland", "Rough Ridin", "Smooth Sailing", "Later", "Ella Hums The Blues", "How High The Moon", "Air Mail Special", and "Flying Home". CD

A great set from Ella Fitzgerald – recorded at Carnegie Hall during a stretch when Fitzgerald was hitting new worldwide fame, and singing a lot of groovy contemporary tunes – but done here in a very old school style that hearkens back to Ella's earliest days in the jazz world! The orchestra here is that of Chick Webb, directed by Eddie Barefield – who brings a vintage swing to the music that's mighty nice, and free from some of the more modern modes of some of Fitzgerald's studio work of the time. The live setting allows for Ella to open up nicely on some tunes – especially some of the medley numbers, which may well be some of the most entertaining on the record. Ella sings with some backing from Ellis Larkins on piano on a few numbers – and a few other tracks are instrumental, with work by Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Lockjaw Davis on tenor, and Al Grey on trombone. Titles include "Stardust", "Some Of These Days", "I've Gotta Be Me", "C Jam Blues", "Smooth Sailing", "Indian Summer", and "Lemon Drop". CD

Smooth stepping grooves from The Floaters – still very much in the nicely compressed mode of their more famous debut, and getting some nice production help here from Eugene McDaniels! There's a righteous punch to the record that really shows the influence of McDaniels – a way of keeping things hip, even when hovering near the mainstream – and although the groovers are great, we actually think that the best cuts are the mellow ones – tunes that move in a lightly gliding, almost spacey way – one that has the group's voices crackling nicely with an honest approach that we really love! There's a warmth to these tunes that's undeniable – and titles include "Levitation", "Woman Love/You Are My Lady", "Brand New Lite", "Made Up My Mind", "The Best Of Our Love", "Go Down To The Disco", and "Sweet Lady September". LP, Vinyl record album

Sweet smooth funk from David Fostex – a set that's heavy both on 80s boogie modes, and some of the "yacht soul" elements referenced by the title – but which also has a very unique spin of its own! The lineup here is large, although given the names of some of the musicians, that might also be an in-joke – as we're not sure that Herbie Handjob actually played Rhodes on the set – yet despite any question about the origins of the sound, the result is nice and tight – a great contemporary take on classic modes, with a few wisecracks mixed in alongside the soulful vocals. Titles include "Lost My Keys", "Butt Dial", "Glasses For The Masses", "Should Have Washed My Hands", "Livin The Stream", and "What's That Smell Barry Manilow". LP, Vinyl record album

Gang Starr at pretty close to peak level here on 1994's Hard To Earn – and rather than continue to ride the waves they made on the previous couple classic albums, Guru sharpens the lyrical tone just a bit – spitting some more incisive rhymes over apporpriately gritty soul jazz beats from Primo. Tracks include the classic "DWYCK" featuring Nice & Smooth – which is just about our favorite Gang Starr track ever, to be honest – plus "Speak Ya Clout" featuring Jeru and Lil Dap, "Mass Appeal", "Code Of The Streets", "Brainstorm", "Tonz O Gunz", "Suckas Need Bodyguards", "Blowin Up The Spot", "Mostly Tha Voice", "F.A.L.A.", "Now You're Mine", "Comin For Datazz", "Aiight Chill...", "The Planet", and more. LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing record that stunned the world almost as much as Marvin's previous effort, What's Going On. Like that one, this album's an amazingly unified batch of tracks – with a visionary message about sex and love that is as honest and bracing as the politics and social commentary of his previous record. The record shows a sexy side of Marvin that would stun fans of his 60s work – very adult, very warm, and very preoccupied with desire and love. In a way, this sort of full-on love fest was a big payoff for all the folks who'd hung onto his simpler expressions of affection in the earlier years – sort of like getting let into the bedroom after spending years on the front porch! The record was produced by both Marvin and Ed Townsend – and the arrangements by David Van DePitte, Rene Hall, and Gene Page are smooth and seductive all the way through. Includes slow jam classics like "You Sure Love To Ball", "Distant Lover", and "Let's Get It On" – plus "Come Get To This", "Just to Keep You Satisfied", and "If I Should Die Tonight". LP, Vinyl record album

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

One of the few cases in the history of pop music where the record is worth all the hype! Marvin blew everyone's mind when he unleashed this amazing suite of political soul tunes – not only just because he'd moved past the simple love songs of earlier years, but also because he was working with an amazingly complicated approach to soul music, one that would touch the work of others for years to come. David Van DePitte arranged and conducted the whole album – with soaring orchestrations mixed with smooth modern soul, in a style that reminds us a lot of the work of Charles Stepney at Cadet, who'd been doing this sort of thing for years but with less success. In the hands of Marvin Gaye, though, the material has an amazing quality – and all the disparate elements of the album are fused together in one powerful message by Marvin's incredible voice. One that we never tire of, and a record to be listened to all the way through every time. Titles include "What's Goin On", "Save The Children", "Flyin High (In The Friendly Sky)", "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". This fantastic 50th Anniversary version features new mastering by Kevin Gray from the original master tapes, an essay by Hanif Abdurraqib, and a full record of bonus material that includes "What's Going On (stripped)", "What's Going On (rhythm & strings inst)", "What's Going On (mix 1 with no strings or horns)", "Symphony (demo version)", and original mono single mixes of "What's Going On", "God Is Love", "Mercy Mercy Me", "Sad Tomorrows", "Inner City Blues", and "Wholy Holy". LP, Vinyl record album

A legendary record from one of the most unique Latin groups of their time! In an early 70s world where many Latin combos were going for class and poise, the Ghetto Brothers moved in another direction entirely – working here with a fair bit of electric guitar alongside more familiar Latin rhythms – all to push along some wonderfully soulful vocals! The record's got a very different feel than most east coast Latin work of the time – one that's a bit like some of the Chicano soul of the west coast, but not nearly as smooth, and with a definite nod towards both funk and singer/songwriter work of the mainstream! The guitar's really upfront in the mix – riffing off at the start of most tracks – and the vocals have a slightly sweet quality, supported by harmonies from the rest of the group at times – making for a wicked blend of modes that's extremely compelling. A record that's as filled with soul and feeling as it is with hard-edge groovers – featuring titles that include "You Say You Are My Friend", "Ghetto Brothers Power", "I Saw A Tear", "Girl From The Mountain", "There Is Something In My Hearth", "Got This Happy Feeling", and "Viva Puerto Rico Libre". LP, Vinyl record album

An amazing album produced and arranged by legendary Philly mastermind Larry Gold – the cello player/writer/arranger for MFSB – and a key player in the best Philly soul of the last several decades! Don Cello & Friends features Gold as Don Cello – and the friends include Black Thought of the Roots, McFadden & Whitehead, Carol Riddick, Gerald Levert, Kindred The Family Soul, Jaguar Wright, Bunny Sigler and others. The goal for the set was not only to celebrate the depth and rich history of Philly soul with a variety of vocalists, but to draw a direct parallel with the best of today's scene. It succeeds at both masterfully. Gold's production and arranging is lush and sparkling – and the vocalists bring the very best of their games. Black Thought's rhymes on the lead off remake of "No Stoppin'", with McFadden & Whitehead, sets the stage perfectly – think the Roots on Curtom, and that's about half the picture! Much of the album carries more of a classic soul sheen – smooth and sparkling, with just enough grit for a nice edge! In the liner notes, Gold explains that he loves songs from "Gamble, Huff to Timbaland" – and this album is the perfect sonic encapsulation of that aesthetic! Possibly the best album yet with the relatively fledgling Beat Generation imprint – and a great signpost for the future of underground soul! 12 tracks including "Loving You" with Carol Riddick, "Dance" with Gerald Levert, "And I Hope" featuring Floetry, "Travelin'" with Kameelah Waheed, ""All That You Are" featuring Kindred, "Nothin'" with Jaguar Wright, "Just A Dream" with Erro, "Everybody" with Cristal Oliver, "Can I" with Bunny Sigler, and Larry Gold's "Outro". CD

A cool sextet session from Benny Goodman – one that recalls the best fluid groove of his late 30s small combo sides! The setting here is live, but the recording features excellent sound – all to capture a mix of Benny's clarinet, Zoot Sims' tenor, Bill McGuffie's piano, Bucky Pizzarelli's guitar, and some especially nice vibes from Peter Appleyard – ringing out to really color the sound of the entire record. There's a leanness here that gets past any hoke that you might expect – and the presence of such good musicians in the small combo means that the record offers plenty more than Goodman's already great solo work. Titles include "Where Or When", "I Want To Be Happy", "A Smooth One", "Shine", "Flying Home", "I've Found A New Baby", "The Sheik Of Araby", and "Too Close For Comfort". LP, Vinyl record album

Al Green, 1973 – what could be better? The king of Memphis soul is at the height of his powers here – working in a setting that yielded less chart hits than some of his other albums for Hi Records, but which is still as sublime as the rest – thanks to an undeniable studio magic guided by Willie Mitchell! The sound is full, but never slick or smooth – and Al's vocals are tremendous throughout (but honestly, did you expect anything less?) Titles include "Call Me (Come Back Home)", "Here I Am (Come & Take Me)", "Funny How Time Slips Away", and the beautiful "Have You Been Making Out OK?" LP, Vinyl record album

A stunner! Al Green returns to the glorious, exuberant soul brilliance of the Hi Records years for his Blue Note debut – an amazing return to form that we could kick ourselves for not anticipating! Al Green asserted long, long ago that he had no intention of ever making another secular soul album – and God bless Rev. Green for turning around on that. Of course we wouldn't try to tell you that anything on I Can't Stop is as revelatory as "I'm Still In Love With You" or "Let's Stay Together", but a lot of it comes pretty damn close, believe or not. Al's voice has held up almost unbelievably well over the years, having picked up just enough rough edges to make Willie Mitchell's wonderfully tight, smooth and heavy Memphis soul arrangements that much more striking, but still hitting those knee-shaking high notes and that famous vibrato. And yes, you read the previous sentence correctly – the legendary Willie Mitchell's back in Al's corner for the set – and his horn-drenched Memphis sound is as big and beautiful as ever. If projects like this are going to characterize how Blue Note is going to spend all of that Norah Jones money, we should nominate that girl for president next time. Let's hope Al and Willie live up to the title and keep on going after this one. Another classic from one of the greatest artist/producer teams in the history of modern music! 12 tracks in all, including "I Can't Stop", "Play To Win", "Rainin' In My Heart", "You", "Not Tonight", "Million To One", "Too Many" and more. CD

A record that has Dave Grusin elevating a bit more into the jazz/soul mainstream – as the set has the keyboardist working with a few more crossover modes than before, but all in a way that seems to demonstrate his many years in various kinds of music! The album was a key entry in the new sound of fusion during the mid 80s – maybe a bit sharper than later smooth jazz, but with efforts from some leading lights of that generation to come – including David Sanborn and Marcus Miller. Phoebe Snow sings a bit on the record – which might provide her with one of her more exciting settings in years – and titles include "Power Wave", "Thankful N Thoughtful", "Night Lines", "Tick Tock", "Bossa Baroque", and "Secret Place". LP, Vinyl record album

Dave Grusin's definitely out of the shadows here – after years of session work, soundtrack music, and other arrangements – finally beginning to shine in the limelight as a jazz musician on his own! The set's got a nice sort of vibe – not the too-smooth later sound of the GRP label, and instead this nice balance of electric keyboards and acoustic piano – delivered with help from key contemporaries who include Lee Ritenour on guitar and Steve Gadd on drums! Production is nicely understated – and titles include the mellow stepper "Serengeti Walk", plus "Last Train To Paradiso", "She Could Be Mine", "Crystal Morning", "Hokkaido", and "Sweetwater Nights". LP, Vinyl record album

One more amazing chapter in the mighty development of drummer Chico Hamilton – a killer 70s session for Blue Note – and a record that goes way beyond his earlier experiments of the 50s, modal grooves of the 60s, and funk work for the Flying Dutchman label! The style here is fusion, but way fresher than the usual type – neither jamming rock-styled, nor mellow and smooth – and instead always tickled by Hamilton's sense of a unique rhythm, and his continued great ear for inventive use of reeds – in this case handled by Arthur Blythe on alto and Arnie Lawrence on soprano and tenor sax. The set's also got Steve Turre on bass and trombone, and both Barry Finnerty and Joe Beck on electric guitars – but the real genius is Chico himself, who handled arrangements and wrote most of the album's great tracks. Titles include the exotic number "Abdullah & Abraham" – plus "Andy's Walk", "Peregrinations", "It's About That Time", "Sweet Dreams", "On & Off", "Little Lisa", and "Space For Stacy". CD

Richie Havens is way past the folksy mode of his roots by this point – working in a set of smooth arrangements by William Smitty Smith and Booker T – a style that mixes electric touches with Havens' still-raspy vocals, an approach that's a bit like that used on some of Bill Withers Columbia Records, put possibly even a bit more mainstream here. The real issue almost seems to be the choice of songs – as the record features covers that occasionally seem a bit ill-placed, but which come off as nice oddities at the best moments – like Richie's versions of "Do It Again" and "Long Train Running". Other titles include "We Can't Hide It Anymore", "I Was Educated By Myself", "Daughter Of The Night", and "If Not For You". LP, Vinyl record album