Soul For Real were relatively young when they served up this debut on Uptown Records – but they've got a vocal warmth that comes across with a well-crafted sort of maturity, given some nice hip hop currents in the rhythms from co-producer Heavy D! The record's one of those perfect 90s blend of soul and pop, with influences from hip hop used in a gentle way – never trying to change the world, or force anything into the mix that doesn't fit – but unifying scenes and styles in a mighty nice way. Titles include "I Wanna Be Your Friend", "Every Little Thing I Do", "Candy Rain", "All In My Mind", "I Don't Know", "Spend The Night", and a great remake of "Ain't No Sunshine". CD

The hippest side of Cannonball Adderley at the end of the 60s – that loose, soulful vibe he was serving up on some of his coolest records for Capitol at the time – stretched out here over some very long tracks recorded live in France! The year alone marks the record as a great one – as Cannon in 1969 could do no wrong – and he's working here with his crack quintet that includes Nat Adderley on cornet, Victor Gaskin on bass, and Roy McCurdy on drums – plus the mighty Joe Zawinul on both acoustic and electric piano – really finding his groove here, with that incredible sense of chunky rhythm that really seemed to set Cannonball and Nat on fire! There's a much darker edge to the music than on some of Adderley's more popular Capitol albums of the late 60s – a great reminder that in a live setting, this group can bring together all sorts of surprises. Titles include "Why Am I Treated So Bad", "The Scavenger", "Experience In E", "Blue No Boogie", "Walk Tall", "Come Sunday", "Work Song", and "Manha De Carnaval". CD

Incredible work from one of the greatest living soul singers – the best album in years from Carleen Anderson, and a record that really lives up to the promise that gripped us when we first heard her with the Young Disciples! Anderson's the daughter of James Brown diva Vicki Anderson – and with a pedigree like that, she's got a lot to live up to. But with a record like this, she more than lives up to her heritage – and in fact even surpasses it – by going farther than Vicki ever did! The arrangements have a great feel that mix the folksy qualities of some of her recent work with the more straightforward groove of earlier sets – and Carleen's vocals still have that wonderfully rich feel that belies her gospel roots, yet come across with a leaner, smoother style more tuned towards the grooves of the set. Titles include "A Different Me", "Gotta Believe In The Future", "Whose Business", "Careful", "Parting The Waters", "My Door Is Open", "Just Like Me", and a remake of "Wanna Be Where You Are", done as a duet with Paul Weller! CD

Soaring organ work from Brian Auger's Oblivion Express – and arguably the greatest album he ever cut with this post-Trinity group! The sound here is clean and lean – with Brian himself on a mix of organ, piano, and moog – really hitting a nice jazz funk mode that drops some of the bluesier touches of earlier years, and goes for a 70s-styled sound that we really like a lot – and which even makes us like the vocals a bit more than usual! Backings are mostly spare bass, drums, and percussion – and the set's got a great remake of "Inner City Blues", plus the spacey original "Light On The Path", a nice cover of "Compared To What", plus "Whenever You're Ready" and "Voices Of Other Times". LP, Vinyl record album

Really hard-jamming work from keyboardist Brian Auger – the first of a 2-part live set from the US, and easily some of his greatest work on record! The tracks are all very long and stretched out here – an extrapolation of the territory Auger was already exploring on studio sides, taken into even more cosmic realms through the lively nature of the set. As with other records from the time, Alex Lighterwood sings on some cuts – but the real highlight is the keyboard work of Auger – served up on both organ and electric piano, and hitting a great blend of funk, fusion, and keyboard soul! Titles include a really great funky remake of "Bumpin On Sunset", the original break track "Don't Look Away", and the tunes "Truth", and "Beginning Again". CD

Five incredible albums from the legendary Roy Ayers – all presented in a single set! First up is Tear To A Smile – one of the best early soul albums by Roy Ayers! Roy's working here with Dee Dee Bridgewater, Edwin Birdsong, William Allen, Harry Whitaker, and other hip players – a perfect crew to forge Roy's unique blend of jazz and soul. This is perhaps the first record to really have Roy stretching out in this mode – moving more fully away from funky jazz, into a ream of vocal tracks that would make him one of the most unique artists of the 70s. This mid 70s period of Roy's career was remarkably fertile, creatively as well as for sheer productivity – and Tears To A Smile is one of them that shows some the most artistic growth, and also a deeper sense of soul! Features righteous cuts like "2000 Black", "Ebony Blaze", "Time & Space", and "A Tear To A Smile" – plus the mellow "Magic Lady", and a great remake of Earth Wind & Fire's "That's The Way Of The World". Next is Mystic Voyage – an archetypal album by Roy – and one that really shows him at the turning point! Gone are the trippier jazz funk moments of earlier albums – and in their place are some tight grooves and wonderfully spacey soul. Roy hits the dancefloor with one of his first uptempo funk numbers "Brother Green", a catchy groover with lots of clavinet, and the massive "Life Is Just A Moment", a storming 2-part number that rolls along with a pounding almost house-like groove. "Mystic Voyage" shows the sweet jazzy side of Roy – as it's a vibes-heavy instrumental with a light stepping groove, perfect for the mellow direction he'd take on other records. The album also features some great off-beat funk numbers that recall earlier albums – including the break-heavy "Spirit Of Doo Doo", plus "Funky Motion" and "The Black Five". Everybody Loves The Sunshine is one of Roy Ayers' biggest albums ever – and also one of his deepest, too! The whole thing's an incredible album of mellow jazzy soul – and it shows Roy at the crossroads, perfecting his earlier funk style with a sweet mellow R&B edge, getting a bit slicker, but still staying on the righteous path, and opening up a whole new bag in soul music. There's a wonderful electric vibe running through the record – not just from Roy's vibes, but from the Fender Rhodes and Arp work by Phillip Woo – and the amazing energy of the rest of the group too. Features the landmark title cut – "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", one of those tunes that becomes more and more of a classic each year – plus spiritual numbers like "Third Eye" , "Keep on Walking", and "The Golden Rod". Vibrations is fantastic – a set that tightens up the groove from previous Polydor productions, yet still keeps all the soul intact! The record picks up the style begun with the Mystic Voyage album, and pushes it to some slightly tighter territory – a more focused Roy Ayers sound that's totally great, and which makes the album sparkle wonderfully throughout! All aspects of Roy's talents are perfectly balanced here – his warm vocals and jazzy vibes, his uptempo grooves and mellower rhythms – played to perfection by a hip lineup of players that includes Philip Woo on electric piano, Justo Almario on tenor sax, and Steve Cobb on drums. Edwin Birdsong guests a bit on the record – bringing in a nice edge to a few tunes – the album's got a really unique dark undercurrent, even in smoother moments – that subtle Roy Ayers' approach that's always made him one of our all-time favorite artists. Titles include the wonderful jazz-tinged "Searching", a great midtempo stepper that we really love; the funky break track "The Memory", a righteous number that feels like work from earlier records; the clubby classic "One Sweet Love to Remember"; and the sweet instrumental "Vibrations", which has a mellow kickback feel! Other tunes include "Higher", "Domelo (Give It To Me)", "Baby I Need Your Love", and "Better Days". Last up is Lifeline – a sublime blend of mellow numbers and some of his more club-oriented grooves of the time – all wrapped together with a genius that we can only describe as Ayers-like! The album's a beautiful example of the balance that Roy was striking in his work at the time – because alongside some of the more upbeat, catchy numbers, there's other tracks that are a fair bit more laidback, and almost abstract at times – a wonderful extrapolation of that sensitive Ayers blend of jazz and soul, with key emphasis on the vibes and keyboards. Titles include the massive groover "Running Away" – which you'll recognize from a key sample history over the years – and club cuts "Cincinnati Growl", "Fruit", "Sanctified Feeling", and "Stranded In The Jungle" – plus the more laidback cuts "Gotta Find A Lover", "I Still Love You", "Lifeline", and "This Side Of Sunshine". Also features bonus tracks – "Evolution (7" mix)", "Domelo (7" mix)", and "Running Away (12" long version)". CD

An early album as a leader from the great Roy Ayers – a set that captures the vibes man at a time when he'd been working on the west coast soul jazz scene, and was stepping into even greater fame in the group of Herbie Mann! Yet this set is definitely Roy's own – kind of an introduction to the more righteous sounds he'd pursue in the 70s, set up in an instrumental mode with great help from Herbie Hancock on piano, Gary Bartz on alto, Charles Tolliver on trumpet, and Hubert Laws on flute – all ultra-hip players who really bring a lot to the record! And despite the colorful cover, and its reference of a pop hit, there's a much deeper vibe going on here – on titles that include a great version of Jobim's "Wave" – done like we've never heard it before – plus the original cuts "What The People Say", "Lil's Paradise", and "A Rose For Cindy". CD

Maybe the greatest record we've heard so far from saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin – and that's really saying a lot, as we've loved all of her other albums too! The album's a live one, and it's way more than a reimagining of her Phoenix record – as there's a soaring, vibrant, spontaneous energy to the whole thing right from from the start – a soulful spirit that even exceeds Lakecia's other performances, with a collaborative vibe that includes fantastic work from Elias Bailey on bass, Zaccai Curtis on piano, and EJ Strickland on drums – a trio who really drive the record with modal energy – plus contributions from John Scofield on guitar, Randy Brecker on trumpet, and Melodie Bey on vocals. Titles include "Amerikkan Skin", "Peace Is Possible", "Trane", "My Favorite Things", "Spirit", "New Mornings", and "Let Go". CD

A great collection of lesser-known gems from Chuck Berry – four albums from his post-Chess time at Mercury Records – where he was really cutting some unusual material! First up is Chuck Berry In Memphis – a funky little record from Chuck Berry – one that has him picking up a bit of Memphis soul, but in ways that are nicely different from the sound of Stax and Hi Records! Berry's guitar work still gets plenty of play, but there's also a nice current of deep soul in the overall arrangements – moving him more from the rocking style of the Chess years, and more towards a southern soul scene, and with some surprisingly bluesy currents too. Titles include "Check Me Out", "Bring Another Drink", "Back To Memphis", "I Do Really Love You", "Goodnight Well It's Time To Go", and "My Heart Will Always Belong To You". Next is Live At The Fillmore – a set that stands as a strong tribute to the way the early work of Chuck Berry continued to influence a generation of rockers well through the 60s! Berry's the frontman, and gets plenty of chance to sing and sear on guitar – and the backing band is actually the combo of a young Steve Miller – soon to explode in fame of his own, but here very respectful to Chuck! Wally Heider recorded the set – and it's definitely one of the headier Chuck Berry moments of the 60s – but mostly because the live setting allows things to get a bit looser, and even grittier. Miller plays guitar, and Jim Peterman turns in lots of great work on organ and electric piano – and titles include "Flying Home", "Good Morning Little Schoolgirl", "CC Rider", "Feelin It", "Wee Baby Blues", "Hoochie Coochie Man", and "Driftin Blues". Next is From St Louie To Frisco – a real back-to-basics record from Chuck Berry – produced by the man himself, with a lean, stripped-down vibe that almost goes back to his earlier work at Chess Records! There's definitely a few 60s soul currents in the mix, but in the best way possible – helping Berry mature his sound a bit, but without turning it towards any easy crossover gimmicks – which means that there's still a lot of bluesy elements at the core, and Chuck's charms really come through on both his vocals and guitar. Titles include "Louie To Frisco", "Ma Dear", "The Love I Lost", "Rock Cradle Rock", "Misery", and "I Can't Believe". Last up is Concert Be Goode – a real cooker for Mercury! Side one has Berry working in a cool hybrid of blues and soul, but with some very weird production – handled by Chuck himself, with almost a nod towards the way that the younger generation was messing up electric blues a bit with their rock experiments. Chuck uses a bit of unusual echo here and there, but still nicely avoids any cliched attempts to cash in with a rock blues mode – and then on side two, he really gets crazy – by offering up a side-long song that runs for over 18 minutes in length – the mighty "Concerto In B Goode", which is one hell of a guitar-heavy jam! Other shorter titles include "Good Looking Woman", "It's Too Dark In There", "Put Her Down", and "My Woman". CD

Sweet slices of work from a hell of a jazz festival – the 1963 Antibes performances, served up here in some incredibly hip material! The set begins with early work from pianist Dollar Brand – whose trio sounds moody and amazing on "Antibes Jam", then gets joined the great vocalist Sathima Bea Benjamin on a version of "Prelude To A Kiss". Next up is the soulful sound of tenorist Klaus Doldinger, whose group includes Ingfried Hoffmann on piano – on a sensitive reading of "Like Someone In Love", which really shows off Klaus' under-recorded ballad style. The great trombonist Eje Thelin follows – leading a quintet with Ulf Andersson on tenor and Lars Joesten on piano – on the very long "Antibes Jam". A Polish group follows with another long track – a sharp-edged take on "Well You Needn't", led by tenorist Jan Wroblewski in a quartet with Wojciech Karolak on piano. Last up is singer Sarah Vaughan – working with the Kirk Stewart Trio – on the titles "I Can't Give You Anything But Love", "Tenderly", "A Taste Of Honey", and "Bill Bailey". CD

A stunning record that takes us back to the glory days of cosmic sounds at the start of the century – that moment when new ideas seem to be constantly exploding from the London scene in a flurry of classic records that really enriched our lives! That spirit is recaptured here beautifully under the guidance of producer Mark De Clive-Lowe, who's working here with an all-star lineup of talents from the glory days – Domu, Paul Randolph, Bembe Segue, Vanessa Freeman, and others – really updating an older broken beat vibe with richer currents of jazz and soul that show just how much all artists have evolved over the years! Titles on this first volume include "Anybody Out There", "Little Did I Know (inst)", "Find The Beauty", "I See You (inst)", "Little Did I Know (Domu's keep bouncin mix)", "Together (inst)", and "Working On it (inst)". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning record that takes us back to the glory days of cosmic sounds at the start of the century – that moment when new ideas seem to be constantly exploding from the London scene in a flurry of classic records that really enriched our lives! That spirit is recaptured here beautifully under the guidance of producer Mark De Clive-Lowe, who's working here with an all-star lineup of talents from the glory days – Kaidi Tatham, Bembe Segue, Vanessa Freeman, and others – really updating an older broken beat vibe with richer currents of jazz and soul that show just how much all artists have evolved over the years! Titles on this second volume include "Never Gonna Leave", "Anybody Out There (inst)", "Technicolor Sunrise", "Anybody Out There (Mr Scruff rmx)", and "Together (G&D Boccaccio rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

A stunning record that takes us back to the glory days of cosmic sounds at the start of the century – that moment when new ideas seem to be constantly exploding from the London scene in a flurry of classic records that really enriched our lives! That spirit is recaptured here beautifully under the guidance of producer Mark De Clive-Lowe, who's working here with an all-star lineup of talents from the glory days – Paul Randolph, Rich Medina, Vanessa Freeman, and others – really updating an older broken beat vibe with richer currents of jazz and soul that show just how much all artists have evolved over the years! Titles on this third volume include "I See You", "Little Did I Know", "Technicolor Sunshine (inst)", "Never Gonna Leave (Alex Attias rmx)", and "Working On It (LTJ Xperience rmx)". LP, Vinyl record album

Amazing sounds from drummer Roy Brooks – very spiritual work that's quite a change from his straighter soul jazz of the 60s! The album's right up there with Roy's better-known (though still rare) live performance at Town Hall – or his classic Free Slave session – and like those records, this one explodes with a raw power that's really amazing – heavy drums from Brooks, driving a collective of righteous musicians that really stretch out in the free space of the recording! The clineup shifts a bit from track to track, but there's a cohesive spirit to the record that comes from Brooks' bold spirit – a joyous, soulful, post-Coltrane sort of energy – let loose in the lead, to guide the talents of players who include John Stubblefield on tenor, Sonny Fortune on alto, Olu Dara and Cecil Bridgewater on trumpets, Hamiet Bluiett on baritone sax, Joe Bonner on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Eddie Jefferson makes an appearance on two tracks – singing much hipper than on any of his better-known recordings of the period – and titles include "The Last Prophet", "M'Jumbe", "Eboness", "The Smart Set", and "Eboness (Kwanza)". LP, Vinyl record album

A strongly positive set of tracks from Cornell CC Carter – a rising talent from the Bay Area scene, and one who's really knocks it out of the park with this set! There's a really classic vibe to the record – not in a retro soul mode, or any attempt to fake authenticity – as Cornell's got an easygoing groove that's very much his own, bubbling up with warmth and energy that maybe rivals some of our favorite UK soul singers of the past decade or so – with a vibrancy that reminds us that if you know where to look, contemporary soul is alive and well! Titles include "Change", "It's So Nice (KZO mix)", "Let It Go", "Never Gonna Waste It", "Easy To Love", "Everyday", "Holding Back", "I Can't Find A Way", and "Come Get To This". CD features two bonus tracks – "Everyday (KC mix)" and "Holding Back (ext version)". CD

A strongly positive set of tracks from Cornell CC Carter – a rising talent from the Bay Area scene, and one who's really knocks it out of the park with this set! There's a really classic vibe to the record – not in a retro soul mode, or any attempt to fake authenticity – as Cornell's got an easygoing groove that's very much his own, bubbling up with warmth and energy that maybe rivals some of our favorite UK soul singers of the past decade or so – with a vibrancy that reminds us that if you know where to look, contemporary soul is alive and well! Titles include "Change", "It's So Nice (KZO mix)", "Let It Go", "Never Gonna Waste It", "Easy To Love", "Everyday", "Holding Back", "I Can't Find A Way", and "Come Get To This". CD features two bonus tracks – "Everyday (KC mix)" and "Holding Back (ext version)". LP, Vinyl record album

A wonderful set, one that's even better than you might expect – and a record that really marks the shift in Mark De Clive-Lowe from club music to jazz – a format that he carries off beautifully here in the company of some very like-minded musicians! The setting is a live one – and the double-length set builds with the kind of organic energy that really lives up to the legacy of Pharoah Sanders, especially his Impulse Records material – but also has a quality that's nicely individual, too – so that the tunes aren't just aping an older spiritual jazz sound, but instead showing how its legacy has really transformed creation on the contemporary LA scene! The group is small, and in addition to work from Mark on piano, Fender Rhodes, and live effects, the set also features Teodross Avery on tenor, Corbin Jones on bass, Tommaso Cappellato on drums, and the great Carlos Nino on percussion – plus excellent vocals from Dwight Trible on a number of titles too. Tracks include "Elevation", "Colors", "You've Got To Have Freedom", "Upper Egypt", "Love Is Everywhere", "Mansions World", "Memories Of Lee Morgan", "Greeting To Saud", and "The Creator Has A Master Plan". LP, Vinyl record album

A huge selection of work from Double Exposure – maybe our favorite group on the legendary Salsoul label from the 70s! The set features three full albums, plus lots of bonus tracks – and the first set is Ten Percent – a wonderful album and one of those underground classics that seems to show up in everyone's record collection, even though it was never a huge chart hit. Double Exposure are part of the "second wave" of East Coast vocal groups – and like their contemporaries, they mix the sweet harmony soul tradition of earlier years with the burgeoning clubby sound that was coming out of Philly. The set's produced by the Baker/Harris/Young team – who also play on the album along with the rest of the Sigma Sound crew – and the songs feature some stunning anthemic club numbers, plus a few surprisingly sweet harmony tunes. Includes their huge cut "Ten Percent", the amazing positivist groover "Everyman" – and the cuts "My Love Is Free", "Gonna Give My Love Away", and "Just Can't Say Hello". Next is Fourplay – sublime work from one of our favorite groups ever on Salsoul Records – the amazing harmony quartet Double Exposure – soaring out here in a set of Philly gems produced by Norman Harris! The album's got a wonderful sound right from the start – rich in rhythms, yet also soaring on harmonies that few other Philly acts could even touch – especially at this point in the 70s, when the group sound seemed to be waning a bit on other fronts. In a way, Double Exposure really carry on the best tradition of the east coast scene with a set like this – pushing things forward with rolling grooves for the clubs, yet also showing that they still can have a special way with a ballad too – a blend that's maybe only matched by Teddy Pendergrass-era work by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes. Titles include "Newsy Neighbors", "Perfect Lover", "There's Something Missing", "Handy Man", and "Why Do You Have to Leave". The last full album is Locker Room – a record with a bouncy groove that's topped by the quartet's wonderfully warm harmonies – easily some of the best from the disco generation, served up in a careful classy style that makes them a perfect heir to some of the initial harmony grooves from the east coast scene of the early 70s! Norman Harris here handles production with associates Bruce Hawes, Ron Kersey, and Ron Baker – all of whom ensure just the right blend of Philly poise and soulful swing – and titles include "Can We Be In Love", "(Where Have You Been) All My Life", "I've Got The Hots For Ya", "I Wish That I Could Make Love To You", and "Why Do We Have To Go Our Separate Ways". 4CD set features 24 bonus tracks too – all the rare 12" and 7" mixes of cuts from the Salsoul period – plus other rarities and remixes too, even some great later remixes by folks like Frankie Knuckles, Masters At Work, and Joey Negro! CD

Two sublime early tracks from pianist George Duke – both from his first MPS album, never issued in the US! "My Soul" has this great rolling groove, with congas from Armando Peraza giving things a nice Latin vibe – as George plays both piano and Fender Rhodes together, for a very warm sound! "Au Right" has lots more great Rhodes – a killer solo that bumps along beautifully over funky drums! 7-inch, Vinyl record

The debut album from Five Special – a wonderful group who push an older harmony soul style firmly into the 80s groove generation! Decked out in skinny ties, suspenders, and soft linen jackets, Five Special manage to keep the vocals sweet while picking up the groove – working with producer Ron Banks to come up with a warm style that has some great touches of jazz at the bottom – a really sophisticated groove that holds up beautifully throughout, with almost a legacy of Philly group soul from the 70s, or some of the hipper Detroit productions too. Titles include "Do It Baby", "It's A Wonderful Day", "Why Leave Us Alone", "It's Such A Groove", "Baby", and "You're Something Special". CD

Greg Foat has given us lots of wonderful records over the years, but this set may well be one of his best – a fantastic collaboration with Finnish reedman Eero Koivistoinen – a legendary player from the 70s who really brings a hell of a lot to the set! Eero's solos have this extended, soulful approach that's almost like Eddie Harris at his best on Atlantic Records – yet also tinged with some of the occasional modern moments that Koivistoinen is best known for – a blend that's completely sublime, and which also seems to really push Greg Foat to new levels on his keyboards as well! The whole thing is wonderful – a lean set that's a real keyboard/saxophone stunner – and even hipper than CTI material from back in the day! Titles include "The Sandpiper", "Feathers", "After All Is Said & Done", "Riding The Breeze", "Inconsequential Narrative", and "A Prayer For Love". LP, Vinyl record album