Comprehensive 3 LP set that covers the full range of Mingus' great recordings for Atlantic, including stuff from many hard to find albums that you won't find easily on LP. The track list is virtually a catalog of his greatest recordings, with 18 tracks in all: "Pithecanthropus Erectus", "Profile Of Jackie", "Haitian Fight Song", "Reincarnation Of A Lovebird", 'Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", "Cryin' Blues", "Devil Woman", "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Passions Of A Woman Loved", "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love", "Better Git Hit In Your Sould", "Tonight At Noon", "Sue's Changes", "Canon", "Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi USA", "Goodbye, Porkpie Hat", "Passions Of A Man" and the spoken word number "Mingus On Mingus" which is Mingus himself looking back on his career. Well done liner notes, too, in a nice tri-fold gatefold package. LP, Vinyl record album

A crossover classic from the late 70s – a record that was born in the clubs, but bred in the mainstream – and the start of a very good relationship between Odyssey and RCA! The album will forever be known for its classic cut "Native New Yorker" – a seminal groover that balances disco rhythms with mainstream 70s soul – but overall, the record's got even more to offer than that gem – including some surprisingly well-done mellower cuts that really make great use of the vocals of Lillian and Louise Lopez. Production is by Sandy Linzer and Charles Calello – the latter of whom is clearly right at home with the groovers – and in addition to "Native New Yorker", other cuts include "Ever Lovin Sam", "You Keep Me Dancin", "Thank You God For One More Day", "Weekend Lover", "Easy Come Easy Go", and "Golden Hands". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring Italian disco from the end of the 70s – a set arranged and conducted by Rudy Trevisi, with superb polished production from Jacques Fred Petrus! The style here is very commercial, but still pretty great – long tunes that spin out with gimmicks that might appeal to a crossover club scene – including catchy pop vocals that might have you humming some of these tunes more than others as you're riding home in a cab from Studio 54! Titles include a cover of "White Room", plus "Just Take My Body", "Thank You Baby", and "Can You Stop Woman". LP, Vinyl record album

... LP, Vinyl record album

Great work from one of the tightest acts of 60s soul – the always-energetic Sam & Dave, working here with an excellent batch of tracks by Isaac Hayes & David Porter! Sam & Dave had made records before this period – but the cuts here are all from the years when they were recording with Stax Records – really burning things up, thanks to the great material that was often both penned and produced by Hayes and Porter, and always given a sharp Memphis groove that took the already-great dynamics of the pair and knocked it out of the park! At the time of these recordings, Sam & Dave were so hot that James Brown refused to have them open for him – as they'd completely exhaust the energy of the crowd – and you'll be able to hear why, on titles that include "Hold On I'm Comin", "May I Baby", "Soul Man", "I Thank You", "You Don't Know Like I Know", "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby", "You Got Me Hummin", and "Wrap It Up". CD

A smash hit from Silver Convention – thanks to the dark pop disco hit "Get Up & Boogie", the leadoff tune on this surprisingly strong set! The strength of the album really comes from the masterful blend of strings, beats, and piano from arranger/producer/keyboardist Silvester Levay – who manages to keep a lot of space in the grooves, and create a sense of darkness in places you wouldn't expect – almost a coldness that predates the European dancefloor sound of the 80s, and warmed up nicely by the trio of ladies singing lead vocals. Titles include "Get Up & Boogie", "Play Me Like A Yo Yo", "No No Joe", "Old Wine In New Bottles", "Thank You Mr DJ", and "You Turned Me On By You Can't Turn Me Off". LP, Vinyl record album

A double length collection of Sly's classic work for Epic – featuring the best of the old days, when he was really into a groove! 20 titles: "Dance To The Music", "Everyday People", "Sing A Simple Song", "Don't Call Me N!gger, Whitey", "Stand!", "I Want To Take You Higher", "Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)", "Babies Makin Babies", "Family Affair", "Everybody Is A Star", "M'Lady", "Life", "Fun", "You Can Make It If You Try", "Hot Fun In the Summertime", "Runnin' Away", "(You Caught Me) Smilin'", "Thank You For Talkin' To Me Africa", "If You Want Me To Stay" and "Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)". CD

Almost a "greatest hits" of greatest hits albums – one of those collections that almost sold more copies than all the full albums by the artist – forever earning Sly & The Family Stone a place in record collections around the globe! All the hits are here, laid out back to back in all their righteous goodness – never a single spot of filler, and all-classics, all the way through! Titles include "Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin", "Life", "Everyday People", "I Want To Take You Higher", "Everybody Is A Star", "Dance To The Music", "Hot Fun In The Summertime", and "Sing A Simple Song". All funky – all classic! LP, Vinyl record album

A landmark album in a landmark package – a set that takes this gem from Sly & The Family Stone, presses it up on a special hi-fidelity gold CD, then cradles the whole thing in special box with a heavy hardcover book with lots of new notes – and a fabric American flag sewn right onto the cover! The album's a wonderful moment Sly and crew – moving way past the straight funk approach of earlier records, into a complicated crossover soul style that's filled with warmth and righteousness! Despite the political tone implied by the "riot" in the title and the co-option of the American flag on the cover, the album's strongest suit is its warmth and personal soul message – sometimes filled with politics, sure, but always sounding like a sexy love song, no matter how hard it tries to get righteous! The flow is wonderful throughout – a very well-thought out album that shows that Sly was singing way past the singles scene – and the record's filled with great cuts like "Family Affair", "Luv N Haight", "Brave & Strong", "You Caught Me Smilin", and "Thank You For Talkin To Me Africa". Also features "There's A Riot Going On" – which runs for "0:00" minutes! The whole thing's completely sublime already – but in this special box, it's really something else. CD

A fantastic live performance from Soft Machine – done early in their career, and with a vibe that's maybe a bit different than some of the later, longer, more freewheeling concerts that have circulated on the market! Robert Wyatt's presence in the group is still very strong here, both on drums and vocals – and the record's got some shorter songs, but which still come across with all the power you'd expect from the trio of Wyatt, Mike Ratledge, and Hugh Hopper! Titles include "Dada Was Here", "Have You Ever Been Green", "Pig", "Fire Engine Passing With Bells Clanging", "Thank You Pierrot Lunaire", "As Long As He Lies Perfectly Still", and "10:30 Returns To The Bedroom". CD

Kaidi Tatham takes on some of the best cuts from the Reel People label and makes them even better – adding all sorts of the jazzy keyboard work you might guess from the cover image, and definitely moving them into the territory of clubby fusion too! Almost all the cuts have a soulful singer in the lead – still kept to the forefront, as Tatham strips out some of the older elements, cleans up the cuts, and adds in lots of his own keyboards and rhythms – plus fresh bass and percussion too – all to really transform the tunes! Titles include Kaidi Tatham reworks of cuts that include "Pedigree" by Daz I Kue with Hadiya George, "All Of My Life" by Sebb Junior with Paula, "On The Road" by The Realm x Atjazz x Kelli Sae, "Fly" by Tony Momrelle, "I Want To Thank You" by Reel People with Mica Paris, "Don't Give Up" by Aaries, "Losin My Head" by Monkey Brothers with Shaun Escoffery, and "Save A Lil Love" by Reel People with Eric Roberson. LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most amazing jazz vocalists of our generation returns here with an incredible group – a majestic combo to match all the spiritual inclinations in his music – with work from Kamasi Washington on tenor, Mark De Clive-Lowe on piano, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on viola, and both Carlos Nino and Derf Reklaw on percussion! Dwight Trible on his own is already more than enough to get us to run out and buy a record – but here, the combination of his unique voice with these musicians makes for an album that's an instant masterpiece – and one that even has lots of new colors and styles compared to some of Dwight's previous work! Songs include numbers by older west coast spiritual jazz heavyweights – like Horace Tapscott, Linda Hill, Nate Morgan, James Leary, and Jesse Sharps – mixed with some of Trible's own songs, and versions of work by Carmen Lundy, Oscar Brown Jr, and Donny Hathaway. From top to bottom, start to stop, the album's a treasure – with tracks that include "It's All About Love", "Thank You Master", "Song For My Mother", "Brother Where Are You", "Some Other Time", "These Things You Are To Me", "Desert Fairy Princess", and "Mothership". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most deeply soulful sets we've ever heard from singer Lizz Wright – a record that has an even more acoustic feel than before, which really opens up the sound nicely! Given the depth of Wright's vocals, this shift is a really great move – one that lets her really stand out front of the backings and push things strongly with her well-noted dynamic range. Instrumentation is usually acoustic guitar, percussion, and a bit of piano – and although there's also some keyboards listed in the lineup, these are definitely kept on the back-burner to preserve the acoustic soul of the set. Titles include "Another Angel", "Hey Mann", "I Idolize You", "My Heart", "Coming Home", "Thank You", "Song For Mia", and "Strange". CD

An early 80s gospel cooker from a group who really live up to their name – young singers from the Portland scene, recorded here during a very uplifting performance at a high school! The rhythms are very driving – funky gospel at its best, with a very romping vibe that has both the larger ensemble and the key soloists really stepping up and knocking it out of the park – setting a fire in the music that goes way past just standard spiritual modes, with a very universal appeal to all fans of soulful styles! Titles include "Be Grateful", "Expressions", "Lord Don't Move That Mountain", "Worship The Lord", "Thank You Lord", "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power", and "I Need To Pray". LP, Vinyl record album

Remember Beach music? Once upon a time we might have argued that was a more contemporary term for an older genre, like northern soul, but this mighty fine collection from the late 60s on Atlantic shows you the sound's been around for quite some time! A great soundtrack for the beach from the Carolina scene – sweetly loping grooves that got heavy play at summer resorts on the southern shores of the Atlantic! While not all the groups originated in the south, the music's gained a special place in the hearts of folks in the Carolinas, who've come to consider the music their own because of it's slightly stepping beat and gentle kind of groove! A dozen numbers in all, including "One Mint Julep" by the Clovers, "Searchin" and "Zing Went The tings Of My Heart" by the Coasters, "Think A Little Sugar" by Barbara Lewis, "CC Rider" by Chuck Willis, "Money Honey" and "Honey Love" by Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, "Walking Up A One way Street" and "Thank You John" by Willie Tee,"There Goes My Baby" by the Drifters, "Just One Look" by Doris Troy and "Drinkin' Wine Spo Dee O Dee" by Stick McGhee. LP, Vinyl record album

Loads of killers that played big in the Carolina scene – including "Te Ta Te Ta Ta" by Ernie K Doe, "Across The Street" by Lenny O'Henry, "Fat Boy" by Billy Stewart, "39 21 46" by Showmen, "Thank You John" by Willie Tee, "Quiet Place" by Garnett Mims, "You Keep Telling Me Yes" by Cannonball, "Would You Believe" by Tempests, "Ms Grace" by Tymes, "Shaggin" by Band Of Oz, "Hey Hey Baby" by Swinging Medallions, and "Summertime's Callin Me" by Catalinas. LP, Vinyl record album

An essential chapter of Miami soul – even if most of the work is appearing here for the first time ever! The set is a magnificent companion to Numero's Deep City collection of pre-TK Miami soul – but it's put together in such a way that it's almost a beautiful introduction to the south Florida sound on its own – served up in a batch of rare, unreleased tracks! The music is every bit as wonderful as you'd expect – Miami soul recorded at a time before cliches had started to hit that scene – and when the best artists down south were strongly resonating ideas from Memphis and Muscle Shoals with other elements borrowed from northern groups both funky and mellow. But even above the 20 great tracks on the CD, the package is amazing too – filled with notes on each group, a special appendix on Miami soul, a rare indie label discography, and a wealth of great images and photos – all layered lovingly into a full-color, 32 page booklet! Numero have really outdone themselves with this one – and the collection is way more than a part 2 to their previous package – more of a brilliant set of soul tunes on its own, complete with a booklet that's as beautiful as the music. Titles include "One Little Piece" by The Rollers, "Don't Be Surprised" by Lynn Williams, "No Way Out" by Clarence Reid, "What's In The Lovin" by Helene Smith, "Mr Lucky" by Betty Wright, "There Goes My Baby" by James Knight & The Butlers, "Do What You're Doin" by The Rising Sun, "Do Your Stuff" by Perk Badger, "Masterpiece" by Deep City Band, "Nasty Dog (part 2)" by The Nasty Dog Catchers, "Thank You Baby" by Betty Wright, "Your Love Won't Let Me Leave You" by Snoopy Dean, "The Pot Can't Talk About The Kettle" by Helene Smith, "Show Me What You Got" by Frank Williams & The Rocketeers, "Don't Be A Fool" by Clarence Reid, and "Knockin At The Wrong Door" by The Rollers. CD

That's the great Grant Green on the cover – a hint that you're in for an all-masters set of funky guitar here – in a selection that's put together by the folks at Japan's Guitar Magazine! The package features 2CDs, and Grant gets one whole disc to himself – as the collection mixes together a fair bit of gems from the early 70s years when jazz guitar was finding much funkier currents, thanks to shifts that were taking place in the world of soul music – inspirations from the world of funky 45s, but taken to jazz territory with much longer grooves and extended solos! Tracks include "Brown Bag" and "No Way" by Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones, "Bowlegs" and "Sister Janie" by Funk Inc, "Giblet Gravy" by George Benson, "Bambu" by Reuben Wilson, "Thank You" by Melvin Sparks, "Chunk A Funk" by Mel Brown, and "The Soul Roll" by Billy Butler – plus Grant Green cuts that include "Jan Jan", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Windjammer", "Sookie Sookie", "The Final Come Down", and "Hurt So Bad". CD

The cover image should give you a great idea of what you're in for here – rare soul from the funky 45 underground of the late 60s/early 70s generation – presented in a wonderful selection of hand-picked cuts! Most of these numbers were recently reissued as limited run 7" singles by Acid Jazz and partner label Miles Away – but those singles, already expensive at the time, are mostly out of print and fetching money as if they were vintage releases – which makes this full-length set as much of a economic treasure as it is a musical one – a chance to enjoy these gems without breaking the bank! Titles include "Family Tree" by Family Tree with Sharon Brown, "We Got Good Lovin" by The Fantastics, "Time Is Long" by Rick Hickman, "Dancing Close" by Rita Joyce, "When You Lose Your Groove" by The Tom Emmanuel & Ron Experience, "Thank You Lord" by Lamont Butler, "Two Can Make It Together" by Tony & Tandy with Fleur De Lys, "This is The Beginning" by Leon's Creation, "Gonna Find A True Love" by Patterson Twins, and "One More Chance Lord" by Delores Fuller. LP, Vinyl record album

A fantastic album by The Dramatics – with a harder funkier sound than you'll find on most of their other records of the time – a gritty gem from the group's early years, and a record that really deserves its placement on the Stax label! The record has the group moving into a post-Temptations style of righteous soul – grooving hard with a really heavy bottom on funky numbers like "Get Up and Get Down" and "Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get", and even dropping a bit of a drug reference on the cut "Marry Don't Cha Wanna" – one of those messed-up lyric numbers we'd expect from a Latin Soul group! But the album's also got a sweet side too – as it features the amazing ballad cut "In The Rain", which has some of the most amazing production you'll ever find on the Stax label – harmony work that rivals the greatness of the east coast scene of the time. Other tracks include "Gimme Some", "Thank You For Your Love", and "Hot Pants In The Summertime". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most fantastic albums by the JBs – a masterpiece of funky jamming, tight instrumentation, and that free yet tight style of the James Brown 70s years! The tracks are longer than on some of the earlier singles – especially the 8 minute jammer "(It's Not The Express) It's the JBs Monourail", an answer to BT Express' theme song, and a fantastic cut that's held up through so many years and so many scenes! Another great jammer is the group's version of "Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself", which runs for nearly 10 minutes – plus spacey funk tracks "Transmogrification" and "Taurus, Aires, & Leo", and the tighter jammer "Soul Funky Train", which returns to the group's funky 45 mode. Fantastic all around – and the kind of record you'll be playing for your grandkids! CD

A great set by this American organist – famous for her French recordings, of which this is one of the best! Rhoda's working here in a live setting – in a trio with Joe Thomas on tenor and flute, and Cornelius Kranenberg on drums – and the tracks have a much harder groove than work on some of her studio albums from the time, much more in the heavy soul jazz mode that she and Joe were using on their American recordings in the early 60s, with the benefit of longer space on the tracks (this was originally a double LP), giving Rhoda and Joe plenty of room to solo! Titles include "Bluesette", "Ain't No Use", "Lil Darlin", "Ca Va Mieux", "Equinox", and a funky remake of "Thank You For Lettin Me Be Myself", the Sly Stone classic! CD

A wonderful album from Sly and crew – moving way past the straight funk approach of earlier records, into a complicated crossover soul style that's filled with warmth and righteousness! Despite the political tone implied by the "riot" in the title and the co-option of the American flag on the cover, the album's strongest suit is its warmth and personal soul message – sometimes filled with politics, sure, but always sounding like a sexy love song, no matter how hard it tries to get righteous! The flow is wonderful throughout – a very well-thought out album that shows that Sly was singing way past the singles scene – and the record's filled with great cuts like "Family Affair", "Luv N Haight", "Brave & Strong", "You Caught Me Smilin", and "Thank You For Talkin To Me Africa". Also features "There's A Riot Going On" – which runs for "0:00" minutes! CD features 4 bonus tracks – including "My Gorilla Is My Butler (inst)", "Do You Know What (inst)", "That's Pretty Clean (inst)", and "Runnin Away (single)". CD

Livingston Taylor's not hiding his relation to brother James Taylor here – at least not in his style, which is strongly Taylor-like, but not nearly as filled with cliche! The songs are short, simple, and nicely personal – a bit folksy at moments, and at their best when sung with some jazzier phrasing on acoustic guitar. Liv's voice has a nicely light feel – beautifully lilting across the top of the tunes – and titles include "Hush A Bye", "Sit On Back", "Doctor Man", "Thank You Song", "Good Friends", and "Carolina Day". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most amazing jazz vocalists of our generation returns here with an incredible group – a majestic combo to match all the spiritual inclinations in his music – with work from Kamasi Washington on tenor, Mark De Clive-Lowe on piano, Miguel Atwood Ferguson on viola, and both Carlos Nino and Derf Reklaw on percussion! Dwight Trible on his own is already more than enough to get us to run out and buy a record – but here, the combination of his unique voice with these musicians makes for an album that's an instant masterpiece – and one that even has lots of new colors and styles compared to some of Dwight's previous work! Songs include numbers by older west coast spiritual jazz heavyweights – like Horace Tapscott, Linda Hill, Nate Morgan, James Leary, and Jesse Sharps – mixed with some of Trible's own songs, and versions of work by Carmen Lundy, Oscar Brown Jr, and Donny Hathaway. From top to bottom, start to stop, the album's a treasure – with tracks that include "It's All About Love", "Thank You Master", "Song For My Mother", "Brother Where Are You", "Some Other Time", "These Things You Are To Me", "Desert Fairy Princess", and "Mothership". CD

Way way way more than the usual Northern Soul compilation – an all-winning batch of rare soul tracks that go a lot deeper than usual – all hand-picked by the expert soul crew at Grapevine Records! The set does swing with the kind of upbeat and uptempo soul tracks that you'd expect from a Northern set – but the vocals are also harder, and the soul runs deeper – making for the kind of collection that could be equally appreciated by fans of southern and deep soul as well! A number of the tracks have a nice rootsy quality that really focuses on the vocals – letting the singers come out full strength, and dominate the set with some wonderfully heartfelt lyrics. Titles include "Think It Over" by The Chesterfields, "Cheatin Kind" by Don Gardner, "Hold Me In Your Arms" by Eddie Holman, "Ever Again" by Bernie Williams, "You're Gonna Miss A Good Thing" by John Bowie, "Seven Day Lover" by James Fountain, "Thank You Baby" by Matt Brown, "Nothing's Too Good For My Baby" by The Springers, and "Hey You Don't Fight It" by The Montclairs. 24 tracks – and a heck of a great deal for this much greatness! CD

Titles include "Roll Over Beethoven", "Thank You Girl", "She Loves You", "I'll Get You", and "I Call Your Name". LP, Vinyl record album

A famous pairing of talents from the early 60s – Columbia Records giants Dave Brubeck and Tony Bennett, both recorded at a time when that label was at the forefront of jazz in the US – joined up for a special performance at the end of the set! The special performance was done at the Kennedy-era White House – and features an initial instrumental set from the Dave Brubeck Quartet – with completely amazing alto from Paul Desmond, especially on the album's long reading of "Nomad" – one of our favorite overlooked tunes by the the group at the time – plus versions of "Take Five", "Castillian Blues", and "Thank You". Tony Bennett then takes the stage with backings by the Ralph Sharon trio – on titles that include "Make Someone Happy", "One For My Baby", "I Left My Heart In San Francisco", and "Just In Time". But the real highlight of the set is when Bennett sings with backings from the Dave Brubeck Trio – in a mode that's both different from Tony's work with Bill Evans or Basie, and from Brubeck's work with singers like Jimmy Rushing or Carmen McRae! Titles from the Brubeck/Bennett lineup include "That Old Black Magic", "There Will Never Be Another You", "Lullaby Of Broadway", and "Chicago". CD

One of the indie soul killers of the early 80s – one of the few early albums cut for Prelude by James "D Train" Williams, one of the best male vocalists of his time! All the tracks were produced and arranged by keyboardist Hubert Eaves – and that aspect is one of the main reasons for the quality of the album, as Eaves brings a strong jazzy sensibility to the grooves, and works with Williams in a truly collaborative way that was unusual for the time. Tracks include "You're The Reason", "Something's On Your Mind", "I Treasure Your Pleasure", "Thank You", and "I'll Do Anything". LP, Vinyl record album

Soaring grooves and mellow moments – a perfect blend of 70s soul styles, summed up here beautifully by Enchantment! The album's one of the group's greatest – and certainly one that's been very well-remembered around these parts – thanks to some rock-solid arrangements from Johnny Allen, who almost brings an indie soul vibe to the whole set – while still putting the whole thing together at a totally top-shelf level too! The harmonies are wonderful – especially on the ballads, like "Gloria" and "Sunshine" – and other tracks include "Sexy Lady", "Come On & Ride", "Thank You Girl For Loving Me", and "Dance To The Music". CD features 7 more bonus tracks – "Hold On (original 12" disco version)" – plus original single versions of "Call On Me", "Come On & Ride", "Hold On", "Gloria", "Dance To The Music", and "Sunshine". CD

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". LP, Vinyl record album

A glorious send off from J Dilla – with some of the most soulful productions Dilla's ever laid down – and appearances by Common, D'Angelo, Pharoahe Monch, Madlib, MED, Black Thought and others! It's impossible to listen to The Shining without considering the sad circumstances surrounding its release, and all too easy to over praise, but this record is filled timelessly inventive production – and passionate rhymes from the honored guests. A lot of the more leftfield, abstract touches that create most of the character on the Donuts LP are really on the outskirts of the sound here – a much richer, deeper, funky drum influenced batch of sounds. We're speechless. There's one more official posthumous LP in the can, and thank goodness for that. Tracks include in-your-f**kin' face intro "Geek Down" with Busta Rhymes, "E=MC2" feat Common, "Love Jones", "Love" feat Pharoahe Monch, "Baby" feat Madlib & Guilty Simpson, "So Far To Go" feat Common & D'Angelo (come back D', the world needs you), "Jungle Love" feat MED & Guilty Simpson, "Dime Piece (Remix)" feat Dwele, "Love Movin'" feat Black Thought and "Won't Do". LP, Vinyl record album

A black tie affair, but a set that's still got all the great vocal touches of The Manhattans firmly in place – thanks to careful Chicago production from Leo Graham and arranger James Mack! The set's smooth, but never in a sloppily commercial way – and instead, the pair find a way to continue to elevate The Manhattans way past their roots – that rich new territory they plumbed while working at Columbia Records, on albums like this which really helped the older vocal group tradition find a new groove for the 80s. Mellow moments mix nicely with a few midtempo groovers – and titles include "Just One Moment Away", "You Stand Out", "Let Your Love Come Down", "Honey Honey", "I Wanta Thank You", "Deep Water", and "When I Leave Tomorrow". LP, Vinyl record album

Quite a crazy little record from Charles Mingus – a record that fits nicely in his legacy of other recordings for Atlantic, but which has a very different approach! On this set, Mingus plays piano, and even sings a bit – using this messed-up take on blues roots, but filtered through a hipper modern jazz filter, and with a bit of a political bent too – almost as if he were trying to break out of the avant jazz ghetto, and reach a larger audience with his message and music! The group is an all-star lineup with Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and both Booker Ervin and Roland Kirk on reeds – the latter of whom might be a good comparison in spirit, especially for some of the genre-crossing things he did on Atlantic during the late 60s. Titles include the classic "Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me" – plus "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Devil Woman", and "Passions Of A Man". CD

Comprehensive set that covers the full range of Mingus' great recordings for Atlantic, including stuff from many hard to find albums that you won't find easily on LP. The track list is virtually a catalog of his greatest recordings, 6CDs worth of tracks including: "Pithecanthropus Erectus", "Profile Of Jackie", "Haitian Fight Song", "Reincarnation Of A Lovebird", 'Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", "Cryin' Blues", "Devil Woman", "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Passions Of A Woman Loved", "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love", "Better Git Hit In Your Sould", "Tonight At Noon", "Sue's Changes", "Canon", "Free Cell Block F, 'Tis Nazi USA", "Goodbye, Porkpie Hat", "Passions Of A Man" and the spoken word number "Mingus On Mingus" which is Mingus himself looking back on his career. Well done liner notes, too, in a nice tri-fold gatefold package. CD

Almost a "greatest hits" of greatest hits albums – one of those collections that almost sold more copies than all the full albums by the artist – forever earning Sly & The Family Stone a place in record collections around the globe! All the hits are here, laid out back to back in all their righteous goodness – never a single spot of filler, and all-classics, all the way through! Titles include "Thank You Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin", "Life", "Everyday People", "I Want To Take You Higher", "Everybody Is A Star", "Dance To The Music", "Hot Fun In The Summertime", and "Sing A Simple Song". All funky – all classic! CD

The stellar Immediate Records anthology of some of best early era Small Faces work – assembled hastily after Steve Marriott ditched the group following Ogden's Nut Gone Flake – and really a strong document of the great Brit r&b-reared rockers gone psychedelic! This era of Small Faces work has always had a spotty record of availability in the CD era – and it's great to see this one that's completely true to the original 2LP version! Tracks include "Here Come The Nice", "The Autumn Stone", "All Or Nothing", "Call It Something Nice", "Sha La La La Lee", "Rollin' Over" (live), "Every Little Bit Hurts" (live), "Tin Soldier", "Itchypoo Park", "Wham Bam Thank You Mam" and more. CD

Johnny Guitar Watson at the top of his game – working here in a sublime mix of funk, blues, and soul – all crafted into a groove that was uniquely Watson's own! Johnny may have started the 70s in relative obscurity – down from some hit work in the 50s and 60s – but by the time of this set, he was back on top, and working in a confident groove that few others from his older era could ever hope to achieve! There's a youthful sense of sex and soul that run through the entire set – an effortlessly slinky groove that never goes too over the top in the funk department, and which makes just the right use of electric instrumentation and tripped-out production, but never gets too wrapped up in either – and often comes off with some great jazzy touches as well. Titles include the anthemic "Real Mother For Ya", plus "Your Love Is My Love", "The Real Deal", "Tarzan", "I Wanna Thank You", and "Lover Jones". LP, Vinyl record album

A great set of Stevie's best tracks for Motown! 3 LPs deep, with 40 tracks in all, mostly from the late 60s, with a handful of numbers from the early 70s, including a few goodies that are getting tougher to find on wax. Includes "Hey Love", "Angie Girl", "Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday", "Down To Earth", "I'd Cry", "Fingertips (part 2)", "Castles In The Sand", "Uptight (Everything's Alright)", "Nothing's Too Good For My Baby", "You Met Your Match", "Never Had A Dream Come True", "My Cherie Amour", "Never Dreamed You'd Leave In Summer", "If You Really Love me", "Something Out Of The Blue", "Do Yourself A Favor", "I'd Be Fool Right Now", "Thank You Love", "Ain't That Asking For Trouble", "A Place In The Sun" and loads more! LP, Vinyl record album

Damn funky gospel soul – the sort you'd hardly expect from spiritual folks like these, but which flourished strongly alongside more standard church-related work in the 70s! The package is a stunning follow up to Numero's first Good God volume – and really digs even deeper than that great set – pulling out a mad flurry of rare funky 45s that easily match any hip secular soul at the time, at least in the spirit of the groove! The lyrics are definitely on the righteous tip, but never too much so – and the earthly rhythms at the bottom of most tracks is more than enough to help pitch the grooves strongly towards anyone who's never even set foot inside of a church. As usual, Numero do an excellent job with the notes and details on all cuts – showing they really put a hell of a lot of thought into the collection – and titles include "I Know I've Been Changed" by Victory Travelers, "Pray A Little Longer" by Lucy Sister Soul Rogers, "Packing A Grip" by Golden Echoes, "Like A Ship" by Pastor TL Barrett & The Youth For Christ, "Been Trying" by Chicago Travelers, "The Same Thing It Took" by Inspirational Gospel Singers, "Somebody Watching You" by Sacred Four, "Peter & John" by Andrew Wartts & The Gospel Storytellers, "I Thank You Lord" by Little Chris & The Righteous Singers, and "Share Your Love" by Sensational Five Singing Sons. LP, Vinyl record album

A great collection of rare gospel tracks from the postwar years – done with the same thoughtful choice of cuts that Mississippi has been bringing to its compilations of soul and blues, but with a leaner approach overall! The collection digs deeper than the big names of the time, and has a strong focus on the kinds of group harmonies that were also having a big impact on soul music – heard especially well in some of the smaller groupings here. Titles include "Love Hides All Faults" by The Holy Light Jrs, "Beams Of Heaven" by Church Of To-Morrow, "Lord You Are My Burden Brother" by The Hubbard Heavyweight Gospel Singers, "When The Gates Swing Open" by Joyful Souls Of Dallas, "Trouble Of The World" by Soul Revivals, and "I Thank the Lord" by Dynamic True Tones. LP, Vinyl record album

Soul and gospel, gospel and soul – a beautiful marriage in music that's summed up perfectly in this sweet little set! It's no secret that gospel music had plenty of influence on soul back in the early days – but as the genre went on, soul ended up throwing a mighty sound back at gospel too – so that by the late 60s, both musics were pretty well tied together in styles, themes, and spirit! This collection digs even deeper than the already-great first volume from Soul Jazz – and brings together a wide range of work that illustrates the powerful effect that soul had on gospel back in the late 60s and 1970s – righteous lessons learned from the secular side of the spectrum, folded back to make the spiritual even hipper than before! As always with Soul Jazz, plenty of care went into the set – and the music is provided with an extremely thoughtful track list that goes way past the obvious – as well as a good set of notes to back up the choices. Plus, the tunes here are often quite funky – almost making the package a "gospel funk" collection! 20 tracks in all – including "We Should All Thank The Lord" by The Lovers Of God, "I'll Keep A Light In My Window" by NYCC, "Why Am I Treated So Bad" by Sweet Inspirations, "Let Him Come In" by Howard Lemon Singers, "Keep Trying" by Mildred Clark, "Dead End Street" by Clara Ward, "Since I've Been Born Again" by Martha Bass, "You'd Better Get A Move On" by Louise McCord, "Do Your Thing" by Marion Gaines Singers, "Praise His Name" by The Stovall Singers, "Let Them Talk" by Meditation Singers, "When Will It End" by The Sensational Cymbals, and "After The Rain" by Pastor TL Barrett. CD

An amazing set of tracks from one of our favorite artists ever – a whopping 33 track, 2CD compilation of some of the best of Roy's work for Polydor! Given the title, you can expect a very hip bent to the tracks picked for the set – lots of righteous politics and hip cultural themes bubbling underneath the funky and jazzy grooves that were Roy's forte during the 70s. And while we treasure just about every single track that Roy recorded for Polydor (re-release all the albums – please!), we also have to say that we probably couldn't have come up with a better 33 tracks if we'd picked them ourselves! Titles include "The Old One Two", "Life Is Just A Moment (part 2)", "The Memory", "Hey Uh What You Say Come On", "Running Away", "Searching", "We Live In Brooklyn Baby", "Coffy Is The Color", "Sweet Tears", "Red Black & Green", "No Deposits No Return", "The Third Eye", "Sweet Tears (disco)", "Africa Center Of The World", "Our Time Is Coming", "Destination Motherland", "Fever", "What You Won't Do For Love", "Thank You Thank You", "Can't You See Me (12" mix)", "Baby You Give Me A Feeling", "Everybody Loves The Sunshine", and "Love From The Sun". CD

Talk about a meeting of the minds – a pair of ultra-amazing classics from the team of Roy Ayers & Wayne Henderson – back to back in a single set! At the time of Step Into Our Life, Henderson & Ayers were probably the biggest names in the jazz funk business – both with a smooth soulful style that was pushing the genre onto whole new levels, while still keeping firm roots in jazz – a rare blend that few other artists could handle this well! This initial debut from the pair seems to be much more dominated by the spirit of Roy Ayers' work at the time – particularly the mellow jazzed up work he was laying down on albums like Vibrations and You Send Me – a wicked sound that's rooted in modern soul modes, but filled with plenty of warm jazz elements too. The album's got wonderful vibes and electric piano from Roy – and tracks include "Step Into Our Life", "Lovers Should Always Be Together", "No Deposit No Return", "Ooh Baby", and "For Real". Prime Time is a funky classic from the team of Roy Ayers and Wayne Henderson – both at the top of their game here, and effortlessly mixing together jazz, funk, and soul! The record really seems to embrace the best of both artists' styles – some of the bassy groovers that Wayne did so well himself, and while producing for other artists – and those snakey, soulful numbers that we love so much in the late 70s work from Roy Ayers – ultra-sophisticated, but still plenty darn grooving – and some of the most sensual soul you'll ever hope to hear. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Weekend Lover", "Thank You Thank You", "Can You Dance", "It Ain't Your Sign It's Your Mind", "You Make Me Feel Like Rockin With Ya", "Have Your Way", and "Million Dollar Baby". CD

An important collection of rare tracks from The Beatles – very different than the US version with the same title – with titles that include a different version of "Across The Universe", the rare "Bad Boy", and the obscure b-sides "This Boy", "Thank You Girl", "The Inner Light", "Rain", "I'm Down", "You Know My Name", and "Yes It Is". LP, Vinyl record album

More of a journey than just a straight record – as this incredible 3CD set brings together all the recordings that went into Big Star's amazing Third (or 3rd if you please) – one of the best one-time lost rock albums of the 70s! How this could have ever been thought of as anything less than essential is a mystery – and the 3 discs here really show the amazing work that went into recording the whole thing There's this weary quality to the vocals and songwriting of Alex Chilton that's sublime – paired with a raw, rocking underbelly – and finished with strings, horns and other Memphis-y accents. You could think that it all sounds like an ill fit – but no, it's glorious! Titles on the core album include "Stroke It Noel", their great cover of the Velvets "Femme Fatale", "Thank You Friends", "Jesus Christ", "Holocaust", "Blue Moon", and "Take Care". But the package goes way past that – to feature the core album in 20 master tracks (more than the original) – plus 24 more tracks that are "demos to sessions to roughs" – and 25 more tracks that are "roughs to mixes". You'll hear lots of songs change along the way – and the whole thing comes in a book-style package, with detailed notes from both the original session participants, and artists influenced by the group! CD

Why thank you – we will! Kenny does too, as he grooves nicely and gently over arrangements by Richard Evans, perfectly crafted in that soul jazz mode of his 60s work for Chess – not Kenny's most challenging format, to be sure, but proof that he often works better in a more structured environment than a freer one. Titles include "Away In A Manger", "My Favorite Things", "Little Drummer Boy", "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas", "Merry Christmas Baby", and "Go Where I Send Thee". CD

Leave it to Chic to come up with a fancy title for their greatest hits collection! English would have been enough, thank you – but with all that choppy guitar riffing, we can excuse the pretention. Includes "Good Times", "Le Freak", "Dance, Dance, Dance", and a few other nice ones. LP, Vinyl record album

The US debut from Japanese pop genius Keigo Oyamada aka Cornelius! The set is a fabulous ride that careens in and out of all the various corners of Cornelius's imagination, bouncing from sunny pop moments to bursts of garagey then back to some sweet easy passages! 13 numbers in all, including "The Micro Disneycal World Tour","New Music Machine", "Count Five Or Six", "Magoo Opening", "Star Fruits Surf Rider", "Chapter 8 - Seashore & Horizon", "Freefall", "God OnlyKnows", "Thank You For The Music" and "Fantasma". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the greatest records ever recorded by pianist Stanley Cowell – a leading light on the legendary Strata East label! The album's one of Cowell's most searching, spiritual sets ever – and one of his few to feature a larger ensemble, working with all the righteous currents of the best Strata East years! The group shifts a bit from track to track, giving things a nice sense of variety – and players include Marion Brown on wooden flute, Jimmy Heath on alto and flute, Nadi Quamar on percussion, and Bill Lee on bass – and the set also features some vocals from Charles Fowlkes and Glenda Barnes. Cowell plays some mbira on the classic "Travelin' Man", a beautifully mellow number done with thumb piano and vocals, almost in a Heath Brothers Strata mode – and other tracks include "Lullabye", "Thank You My People", "Trying To Find A Way", and "The Gehmbhre". LP, Vinyl record album

A big move to Mercury for the Dells, after a pretty successful run at Cadet in the late 60s and early 70s – but the group's still in fine form vocal-wise, and on many of these they're still working with the great Don Davis, who gave the band a strong 70s soul groove, similar to his work with The Dramatics. Charles Stepney produced the great "Love Is Missing From Our Lives", which features guest work by The Dramatics, and a great sound that's very much in the classic 70s group tradition. Other nice cuts include "Overnight", "We Got To Get Our Thing Together", "Thank God You're My Lady", and a version of Terry Callier's "You Don't Care". LP, Vinyl record album

Great work by one of the most unusual girl groups of the 60s! The Dixie Cups hailed from New Orleans – and as such, had a sound that was rougher and choppier than some of the other female trios from the north, especially the sweeter ones in LA. The group were discovered and produced by Joe Jones, a Crescent City soul star in his own right – and under Joe's guidance, they created a style that was steeped in the bubbling soul of the New Orleans scene, yet also had the kind of girl group sensibilities that would help them reach wider audiences across the US. This 18 track set is the best reissue we've ever seen of their material from the time – and features all of their recordings for the Red Bird label, produced by Lieber & Stoller, with arrangements by Joe Jones, Wardell Quezerque, and Mike Stoller. Titles include "Iko Iko", "People Say", "Little Bell", "Gee Baby Gee", "Another Boy Like Mine", "Chapel Of Love", "Girls Can Tell", "All Grown Up", and "Thank You Mama Thank You Papa". CD

2 early 70s sessions from Billy Eckstine – both recorded for Stax Records! First up is Senior Soul – a well-titled set not only given Billy's age, but also because of the surprisingly soulful undercurrent to the record – an extension into the genre even greater than Eckstine's previous recordings for Motown – and proof that he was really trying to stretch out towards new audiences at the time! Artie Butler handled the backings, and he uses a groove that's pretty full, but never overwhelming – more ebullient soul than some of Eckstine's more familiar jazz – with backing vocals and bright horns, yet still plenty of space for Billy to do his thing. The best numbers have Eckstine coming across with the 70s cool of Grady Tate on his vocal sides – and titles include "Thank You For The Moment", "A Song For You", "A Man Who Sings", "Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday", "I Believe In Music", and "Living Like A Gypsy". If She Walked Into My Life is extremely compelling stuff – and you've really got to give Billy credit for reinventing himself like this! The album features Billy's deep deep voice amidst arrangements by Artie Butler, Jimmy Jones, Mike Melvoin, and Billy Byers – sort of a blend of Grady Tate sophisti-jazz, and Scott Walker baroque, with a moody mellow sound that would make either of them proud. Titles include "The Taste Of My Tears", "I Am Yours", "Maybe This Time", "The Very Thought Of You", and "All In Love Is Fair". CD

Top Soul indeed, as Fusion is a hip Chilean funk band from the early 70s – one who take plenty of influence from American grooves, but also bring in their own soulful elements as well! The sound here is somewhere between Kool & The Gang and Banda Black Rio – with quite a bit of the blend of the latter, especially in the way more local percussion riffs fill out grooves that have a solid grounding in American funk! Instrumentation listed is tenor, guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums – but there's clearly a lot more horns too, as well as some very hip percussion – played in ways that are almost more Brazilian than straight Latin – with a really fluid sensibility that jams nicely with the grooves. There's a slight bit of vocals on the record, but most of the album is instrumental – and titles include versions of Sly Stone's "Thank You" and The Crusaders "Way Back Home" – plus "Dedos", "Balada De Matias", "Dee Blooz", "Para Toda La Gente", "Pulsearas", and "Lamentation". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". LP, Vinyl record album

Landmark stuff, and a beautiful album that mixes soulful tracks with Donny's nascent jazz sensibility! The set's a key chapter in the history of soul music – a record that has Donny emerging from shadows of the Chicago studio scene to become one of the most promising soul artists of the 70s. The album was recorded in Chicago, with a host of great players that had been gigging for years in the Chess studios – and the record is the rich culmination of talents that had been brewing in the Windy City for years. Includes the monster hit "The Ghetto" – one of Donny's best-known tracks and a rollicking funky number – in a full extended version with a good instrumental breakdown. Also features a remake of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", which shows Donny's strong ties to the Earth, Wind, & Fire organization – plus moody spiritual numbers like "I Believe To My Soul", "Thank You Master", and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black". One CD bonus cut, "A Dream", is previously unissued. Great notes, too! CD

One of Milt Jackson's best albums from the 60s – and one we love because it's got a lot more of a soul jazz feel than others! Of course, you've got to thank the rest of the group for that – because with players like Jimmy Heath, Jimmy Owens, Cedar Walton, Mickey Roker, and Walter Booker, Milt couldn't help being a little bit soulful. Tracks are short, tight, and Milt's vibes ring out in a soulful, almost Roy Ayers-ish jazzy way. Titles include "Some Kinda Waltz", "Bring It Home", "Whale Pool", "Tears Of Joy", and "One Step Down". LP, Vinyl record album

An incredible record – and the reason to buy rare soul vinyl! This is the kind of balls-out, once-in-a-thousand soul album that you'll dig through racks for years to find – totally solid, no filler, all top-shelf material sung by an amazing under-acknowledged artist with an incredible voice! Jesse hails from the Bay Area, and he's got a style that's unlike anyone else we can think of – partly southern party (ala The Tams), partly Chicago male (ala Garland Green or Gene Chandler), and partly New York uptown (ala Chuck Jackson or Tommy Hunt). But that mix doesn't even begin to describe Jesse's talents – as the record is a killer batch of original tunes, all linked together with some "live" audience noise, with vocals by Jesse that will have you coming back again and again to the record. Truly one of the real gems in our soul collection – a record that we own not just for one track, but for the amazing standout performance that sets it apart from a thousand other albums! Titles include "Green Power", "Thank You Darlin", "Facts Of Life 68", "Believe In Me Baby (parts 1 & 2)", "Bring My Baby Back", and "I'll Always Love You". LP, Vinyl record album

Frankie Beverly and crew can't miss at this point – and as usual, these 2 albums by Maze stands head and shoulders above most of its soul contemporaries from the time. The overall feel is nice and warm, with plenty of focus on Frankie's sweet smooth vocals – and the band grooves behind him in a slightly jazzy style that must have sounded like an instant classic at the time! There's a total of 16 tracks on 2 CDs, and titles include "Too Many Games", "Back In Stride", "Magic", "I Want To Feel I'm Wanted", "Reachin Down Inside", "I Wanna Thank You", "Love Is The Key", "We Are One", "Right On Time", "Never Let You Down", and "Metropolis" – plus "Twilight", which was only ever available as a 12" single b-side! CD

Quite a crazy little record from Charles Mingus – a record that fits nicely in his legacy of other recordings for Atlantic, but which has a very different approach! On this set, Mingus plays piano, and even sings a bit – using this messed-up take on blues roots, but filtered through a hipper modern jazz filter, and with a bit of a political bent too – almost as if he were trying to break out of the avant jazz ghetto, and reach a larger audience with his message and music! The group is an all-star lineup with Jimmy Knepper on trombone, and both Booker Ervin and Roland Kirk on reeds – the latter of whom might be a good comparison in spirit, especially for some of the genre-crossing things he did on Atlantic during the late 60s. Titles include the classic "Oh Lord Don't Let Them Drop That Atomic Bomb On Me" – plus "Wham Bam Thank You Ma'am", "Devil Woman", and "Passions Of A Man". LP, Vinyl record album

Groove-happy soul – a 14 track collection that brings together some of the best dancefloor numbers from Al Hudson's group One Way, plus a few solo tunes by one of its best singers, Alicia Myers! Hudson had a unique style that wasn't really disco, wasn't really funk – but took elements of both to craft a modern soul style that worked very well on the dancefloor, and which still holds up in many scenes today. The package includes One Way hits "Cutie Pie", "Lady You Are", "Pop It (single version)", "Push (single version)", "Mr Groove", "Something In The Past", "You Better Quit", and "You Can Do It" – plus Alicia Myers tunes "You Get The Best From Me", "I Want To Thank You", "Appreciation", and "If You Play Your Cards Right". CD

Great great work by The Paupers – essentially a 60s folk rock combo, but one with a really groovy sound! The group come up with loads of great guitar interplay on the session – jangling acoustic and electric together in a style that comes up with some nice hippie and eastern edges – and which means that even on the vocal tracks, the album's got an instrumental charm that kind of links it to some of the hipper rock/jazz crossover projects on labels like Verve and Impulse at the time. Most tracks do have vocals, in a style that ranges from Sunshine Pop to folksy – and the whole album's pretty darn great, filled with tracks that include "Let Me Be", "Magic People", "It's Your Mind", "Black Thank You Package", "Simple Deed", and "Tudor Impressions". This edition includes 2 bonus tracks: "Like You, Like Me" and "Sooner Than Soon". CD

The super-tight second set from French disco act Queen Samantha – a few female singers working with some excellent rhythm players – all on the kind of long-spun grooves that represent the late 70s Euro club scene at its best! All tracks really take time to build – and there's lots of conga work down in there next to the drums and basslines – peppered with plenty of riffing guitar, and served up in a way so that the vocals are more the icing on the cake than the core energy of the album! Titles include "Take A Chance", "Sweet San Francisco", "So Far Away", "What's In Your Mind", "Thank You For Your Love", and "The Look Of Love". CD features the bonus tracks "Sweet San Francisco (French album version)" and "Take A Chance (French album version)". CD

Truly amazing work from Bridget St John – an artist who's unlike anyone else we can think of – and who belongs in that rare stratosphere of completely distinct talents at the end of the 60s – a space that might include Nico, Nick Drake, or Bill Fay! Like all those three, St John is clearly a product of her time, and does have some musical relations to the world of folk, rock, and singer/songwriters – but her end result is so distinct, so unique, she's practically a genre unto herself – and a small one overall, given how few records she released! This set brings a focus on the best tracks from those albums – with one full disc of the best tracks from her studio albums – then adds in an even bigger disc of rare material, which includes early demos, BBC performances, other TV moments, rare tracks, and even a few duets with Michael Chapman. The second disc also has a few brief interview snippets – and Bridget's spoken voice is as lovely as her singing – and titles include "Lazarus", "Downderry Daze", "Ask Me No Questions", "Hello Again", "Thank You For", "The River", "Silver Coin", "Fly High", "It Seems Very Strange", "Suzanne", "There's A Place I Know", "Nice", and lots lots more! CD