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Mindblowing music from The Association – a heady double-length package that features every single the group ever cut for the Valiant and Warner Brothers label – which together make for an amazing evolution in sound! Although best remembered for their few soft rock hits, The Association were a hell of a group who never stopped growing back in the 60s – from sublime folksy harmonies at the start, to more complicated baroque pop as years went on, to some psych elements, and even a return to rootsier sounds they never had in the first place – always delivered with qualities that were head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – and perfectly put together in the best LA studio styles, with help from giants like Curt Boettcher, Gary Paxton, Bones Howe, and others. The group also became quite skilled in the studio themselves – as you'll hear in the book's copious notes and comments from members themselves – all a perfect package for a set that features 37 mighty tunes that include "Six Man Band", "Goodbye Columbus", "Like Always", "No Fair At All", "Standing Still", "Pandora's Golden Heebie Jeebies", "Looking Glass", "Birthday Morning", "Makes Me Cry", "PF Sloan", "Just About The Same", "Traveler's Guide", "I Am Up For Europe", "Hear In Here",a nd "Forty Times" – not to mention some bigger hits! CD

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George Duke at the end of the century – still going strong with the wonderful mix of jazz, funk, and soul that he pioneered in the 70s – a style that really grows and shifts in mighty nice way over the course of the material in the set! Duke moved from Epic to Elektra and Warner during the time of these tracks – and while some of the material has George picking up more 80s-styled keyboard elements and rhythms, the set also progresses towards other material that's maybe even more back to basics in a jazz sort of way – first electric, then more acoustic – but with some nice variations that show that Duke, one of the real pioneers, was still doing a lot more with soulful jazz than most of his contemporaries! You'll definitely find a few vocal cuts here – George always had a great ear for a singer – and throughout, the man's skills on the keyboard continue to be strong – especially tilted towards that nice sense of space that Duke picked up after his jamming years in the mid 70s. As with other titles on the Soulmusic label, the choice of cuts is great – really focusing on the kind of special album tracks that show a deeper side of the artist than the singles – with a total of 45 tracks that include "Mystery Eyes", "Say Hello", "The Touch", "From Dusk To Dawn", "It's Our World", "So I'll Pretend", "Montreux Nights", "Love Can Be So Cold", "No Rhyme No Reason", "6 O'Clock", "Fame", "560 SL", "Rise Up", "Guilty", "I Surrender", "Thief In The Night", "The Times We've Known", "All About You", "If You Will", "She's Amazing", "Thinin About You", "Fill The Need", and "Never Be Another". CD

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The complete Warner Brothers recordings of Sly Stone – and a much-needed look at an oft-ignored side of his career! The set features the full tracks from the albums Back On The Right Track and Ain't But The One Way – as well as 5 previously unissued demos, which have a rough and ready feel that almost makes them the best of the bunch! The work on the albums is surprisingly great – not classic early Sly, but with this warmly compressed groove that extends his sound nicely – and which has a really great mainstream funk appeal. Sly's using the studio as an instrument more than ever before – getting some great sounds out of the way he brings the vocals, drums, and guitars all together in the mix – and reinventing himself a bit, without losing his groove. Titles include "The Same Thing (Makes You Laugh, Makes You Cry)", "Shine It On", "It Takes All Kinds", "Who's To Say", "Sheer Energy", "LOVINU", "One Way", "High, Y'All", "Ha Ha Hee Hee", "You Really Got Me", "Sylvester", "You're The One (inst demo)", "In Other Words (demo)", "Hand Of Love (demo)", and "Get Back (backing track takes 2 & 3)". CD

The only compilation of 60s female soul trio The Apollas we've ever seen – beautiful tunes with sweet and soulful vocals, big emotions and excellent arrangements – fantastic stuff from the trio, earlier material recorded as The Lovejoys and solo numbers by singer Leola Jiles! We'd love to say we've been fortunate enough to have heard more than a handful of the great Loma and Warner 45s, but that isn't the case – so this compilation from Kent as rewarding for us as just about anything they've put together in recent years – which is really saying something! A number of the tracks are should-be anthems that really allow the girls to sing big – backed by brass and tight arrangements to suit. That said, they're diverse talents, and there's some sweeter girl group styled tunes here that come across just as strongly. Glorious! Titles include "You're Absolutely Right", "Who Would Want Me Now", "Jive Cat", "See The Silver Moon", "Pretty Red Balloons", "I'm Under The Influence Of Love", "Baby I'll Come", "My Soul Concerto" and more from The Apollas proper, plus "He Ain't No Angel" and "Wait 'Round The Corner" by The Lovejoys, "I've Got So Used To Loving You" and "Why I Was Born" by Leola Jiles and more. 25 tracks in all. CD

This one's on Warner Brothers, but don't let the "major label" tag scare you away – because it's actually a wealth of obscure and rare soul singles! The set pulls together uptempo 60s soul numbers from Warner and related labels – including some of the smaller imprints that were essentially working as independent labels in the 60s, digging through the best of the underground scene in hopes of turning up a new chart star. And while those chart-bound experiments didn't always yield great sales, they sure led to a heck of a lot of great music – wonderful soul tunes handled with incredible polish and professionalism! This 24 track set is a great dip into the wealth of lost recordings handled by labels like this, and include some lesser-known tracks by bigger artists recording in odd settings, plus plenty of work by obscure singers and groups who should have been huge. Titles include "You Hit Me" by Alice Clark, "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" by Lou Ragland, "Sufferin City" by Johnny Copeland, "I Love Her So Much It Hurts Me" by David & Ruben, "Think It Over" by The Harvey Averne Dozen, "Satisfied" by Ben Aikin, "I Remember The Feeling" by Barbara Lewis, "Go For Yourself" by Larry Laster, "How Can You Say That Ain't Love" by The Patterson Singers, "Get Ready" by Ella Fitzgerald, "My Heart Needs A Break" by Linda Jones, "Twilight Zone" by The Astors, "That's When The Tears Start" by The Blossoms, and "I'm Gonna Run Away From You" by Tami Lynn. CD

Sockin soul and groovy grooves – a stunning collection of lost treasures from the late 60s and early 70s! Nearly all of the numbers were pulled from the catalogs of Warner Brothers or Atlantic Records – and the myriad of small sub-labels and imprints that they both had going on at the time. Because these goodies were put out by the majors, they're in some way a lot more obscure than similar titles on smaller labels – because to Warner, records like these were simply an afterthought – and often got lost in the shifting sands of time and corporate planning. That doesn't stop them from being great, though – because the work on here is all top shelf – done by the best arrangers and studio players the companies had working for them, and sung by a host of great singers who shoulda been huge! There's a total of 26 tracks on the set – with tunes that include "Somethings Burning" by The Marvellos, "Just Can't Live My Life" by Linda Jones, "Mr Creator" by The Apollas, "Here I Go Again" by Archie Bell & The Drells, "Fireman" by Vala Reegan & The Valarons, "Lil Ole Man" by Bill Cosby, "Stirrin Up Some Soul" by The Marketts, "Thank You Baby For Loving Me" by Soul Brother Six, "Yes To The Lord" by The Stovall Sisters, "Keep Me In Suspense" by Mary Wells, "Bar B Q" by Wendy Rene, "That's What You Do To Me" by Don Jackson, and "Where Did I Go Wrong" by The Embers. CD

The third great installment in the After Hours series – one of the best collections of Northern Soul we've heard in years! The genius of the set is that it moves past the smaller indie labels – and really gets at some of the treasures that have been hidden in the catalogs of the major labels from the 60s – tunes that are great, but which were often eclipsed by the bigger hits of the time, and not pushed nearly as heavily as the work might have been, had it come out on a smaller label. As with previous volumes, the set's overflowing with gems from the depths of the Atlantic and Warner catalogs – a total of 29 numbers that includes a wide range of folks that you might never have guessed recorded for the companies – plus other singles by familiar names, represented here by some of their more obscure numbers! The groove is hard upbeat soul all the way through – and titles include "Last Minute Miracle" by Linda Jones, "Mean It Baby" by Carl Hall, "Happiest Girl In The World" by Plus 4, "My Love Is Getting Stronger" by Cliff Nobles, "I Want It Back" by The Voice Box, "Hang My Head & Cry" by The Big Guys, "We Need To Be Loved" by Teen Turbans, "Tell Me Why" by Life, "Contact" by Three Degrees, "Frantic Escape" by Innocent Bystanders, "West 4th Street" by Valerie & Bobby Capers, and "Call On Me" by The Dynells. CD

One of the best compilations of 70s soul you'll ever buy – a treasure trove of tracks from mid 70s Atlantic and Warner Brothers Records – all recorded in the mighty soul capitol of Philly! The set does a great job of combining hit singles with a load of lesser-known Philly gems – tunes recorded as singles or obscure album tracks by artists who were working in the same Sigma scene as the bigger acts on Atlantic, but who never managed to crack the charts as much. The whole thing's great – a smooth-grooving midtempo batch of tracks that never fails to please – and honestly, if we had to dig through thousands of old records to produce such a set, we're not sure we could do a better job! Titles include "One More Time" by Dianne Steinberg, "Let's Get Together Now" by The Aristocrats, "Love Won't Let Me Wait" and "Loving You Is Mellow" by Major Harris, "Kiss My Love Goodbye" by Bettye Swann, "Welcome To The Club" by Blue Magic, "That's Where I'm Coming From" by True Reflection, "Save Your Love For Me" by Vivian Reed, "You Call Me Back" by Clyde Brown, ""I Got A Feeling" by First Choice, "Gonna Make You Mine" by Anglo Saxon Brown, "Got To Get You Together Now" by Sons Of Robin Stone, "Can We Come Together" by The Trammps, and "Once You Hit The Road" by Dionne Warwick. CD

One of the coolest little sets of funky grooves we've seen from a major label in a long time – but considering that most of the work comes from the hipper early years of the Warner/Reprise label, the quality is no surprise at all! The set focuses on the genre-blending work coming out of both LA and San Francisco at the cusp of the 70s – a time when barriers were really breaking down for fresh, young groups – and a variety of music exploded onto the scene with little regard for previous categories and classifications! The tunes here might mostly be called work from the "rock" side of the spectrum – but all the groups involved have clearly been listening to a lot of funk, soul, and Latin – and a few of the artists on the set charted equally on both sides of the musical fence at the time. There's some really great numbers on the set that have lain buried for years in full length AOR sets and underground FM classics – and the overall presentation of the material is really great, with some well-done notes that fully illustrate the depth of the work. Titles include "Hold On I'm Coming" by Fred Ramirez, "Tuane" by Hammer, "Oye Mama (45 edit)" by Malo, "Valdez In The Country" by Cold Blood, "Flute Thing (45 edit)" by Seatrain, "Only So Much Oil In The Ground" by Tower Of Power, "Vehicle" by Ides of March, "Girl Of The Seasons" by Bamboo, "Moondance" by Show Of Hands, "Ebony Jam" by Tower Of Power, "In The Name Of Love" by Kenny Rankin, "Love'll Get You High" by Jo Mama, and "Cosmic Sea" by Mystic Moods. CD

Here's a picnic we'd love to partake of – a wonderfully trippy set of jazz grooves from the heyday of the Atlantic and Warner funk years! The set pulls together a wealth of obscure numbers from older albums and singles – going for tunes that have a slightly psychedelic approach to the music, building on groovy soul jazz by adding in some of the weirder, wilder instrumentation that started to creep up in the late 60s. The result is really great stuff – tunes that start to groove towards 70s funk, but which also have an expansive consciousness of their own – taking earlier riffs by Cannonball and Herbie, and blowing them up a lot more with some really freewheeling performances! Titles include "The Ringer" and "Stoned Soul Picnic" by Roy Ayers, "Las Vegas Tango" by Gary Burton, "Stuff" by Chris Towns & The Townsmen, "Pharoah's Gold" by David Newman, "Universal Mother" by Don Cherry, "Stoned Soul" by Artie Christopher, "That Mellow Feeling" by Junior Mance, "Doin What I Wanna" by Clarence Wheeler & The Enforcers, "Cantaloupe Island" by Nat Adderley, "Us" by Les McCann, and "Shop Talk" by Cold Blood. CD

Really wonderful work from one of our favorite groups on late 60s Warner Brothers – the mighty Beau Brummels, a group who were already years ahead of their time, and who also evolved strongly during the short span of time covered on this album! As you'd guess from the title, the collection features all sorts of great tracks that never appeared on the group's classic albums for Warner – spanning the psychedelic folk of their early years on the label, to the rich country-inspired sounds of their last – and also including a few solo tunes from singer Sal Valentino too! These aren't just throwaway cuts or covers, as many of them are originals – mostly penned by the great Ron Elliott – titles that include "I'm A Sleeper", "Cherokee Girl", "Long Walking Down To Misery", "Lift Me", "Lower Level", "Two Days Til Tomorrow", "She Reigns", and "Fine With Me". Also features nice remakes of "One Too Many Mornings" and "Don't Make Promises" – and Sal Valentino cuts "A Song For Rochelle", "Silkie", "Alligator Man", and "Friends & Lovers". LP, Vinyl record album

Essential set that brings together all of Herbie's key transitional recordings for Warner Brothers! Herbie started his years for the label playing in a more straight-ahead funky style – with perennial sample fave recordings like "Wiggle Waggle", "Fat Mama", and "Tell Me A Bedtime Story". Soon, however, he moved into more spacey territory – of the sort that he would later examine fully on his Columbia recordings of the early 70s. Tracks in this vein include "Sleeping Giant", "Water Torture", and "Wandering Spirit Song". The whole set features 3 full albums – Fat Mama, Crossings, and Mwandishi – and it's a great 2CD set filled with hard to find jazz funk classics! CD

A massive package of funky music – and maybe one that no home should be without – as the set includes all the classic Josie Records and Warner Brothers albums by legendary New Orleans funk group The Meters – plus a fair bit of bonus tracks too! The Josie albums are incredible – a lean, powerful blend of funky drums, bass, guitar, and organ – almost the New Orleans answer to Booker T & The MGs, but with a sound that's far funkier overall – and which continues to bring new ears to the magic of The Meters as the years go by! Their Warner work is a bit fuller – as the group were part of a big wave of Nola talent to get the nod from LA – which means that The Meters were able to add in vocals, experiment with arrangements, use additional instrumentation – yet all without ever losing that core groove that made them so great! This package is the first time all the records have been brought together, and many are presented here in the "expanded edition" versions with bonus tracks – which makes for a whopping 116 titles on 6CDs – bonus tracks, plus the full albums The Meters, Look Ka Py Py, Struttin, Cabbage Alley, Rejuvenation, Fire On The Bayou, Trick Bag, and New Directions – plus some singles too! CD

Brazilian grooves all over the place – and a wonderful assortment of tunes from the Warner, Atlantic, and Elektra vaults of the 60s and 70s! The set list goes way past the pop-bossa numbers that you might think from the cover, which is a cop from an old Atlantic compilation of the 60s – and includes some lesser-known tracks cooked up in Brazil during the 70s, as well as some of their American counterparts. Titles include "Celebration Suite" by Airto, "Jive Samba" by Jon Hendricks, "Eu Bebo Sim" by Osmar Milito, "Mr Funky Samba" by Banda Black Rio, "From The Lonely Afternoon" by Flora Purim, "Mas Que Nada" by Ella Fitzgerald, "Upa Neguinho (live)" by Elis Regina, "Tim Tim Por Tim Tim" by Joao Gilberto, "Crickets Sing For Anamaria (inst)" by Marcos Valle, "Manha De Carnival" by Louie Ramirez, "Barsanova Brown" by Eddie Cano, "Batuque" by Marcos Valle, and "Maria Fumaca" by Banda Black Rio. CD

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A folk rock set from Eric Anderson, recorded with a bit more bite than some of his earlier work – on titles that include "Foolish Like The Flowers", "For What Was Gained", "Good To Be With You", "Avalanche", "Think About It", "So Hard To Fall", and "It's Comin & It Won't Be Long". LP, Vinyl record album

A great return to form for Laurie Anderson – a set that's much more in the territory of her early recordings than some of her more song-based tracks – with a great blend of spoken and sung vocals, set amidst wonderful production from Brian Eno – a musical partner who makes the whole thing come across with a really heavenly vibe! We're almost in United States territory here – as Laurie's clearly back to thinking of herself as an artist first, and a songsmith second – although there are some pretty sweet tunes on the record, including one really beautiful duet with Lou Reed, which almost breaks our heart now. Titles include "Beautiful Pea Green Boat", "Love Among The Sailors", "World Without End", "Bright Red", "Muddy River", "Same Time Tomorrow", "Tightrope", "Speechless", and "The Puppet Motel". LP, Vinyl record album

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Near-perfect work from Ashford & Simpson – really grooving in full powerhouse mode here, and never missing a beat! By all rights, the team should have run out of steam by this point, but the album's another winner from their sublime Warner years – caught in a unique space between chart soul, ensemble funk, and disco – taking all the best elements of each, and really sending the whole thing home with some incredible vocals and impeccable production and arrangements! Titles include "Rushing To", "Love Don't Make It Right", "We'll Meet Again", "Get Out Your Handkerchief", and "I Ain't Asking For Your Love". LP, Vinyl record album

Sublimely satisfying work from Ashford & Simpson – a stone killer from the height of their late 70s glory days on Warner Brothers! The pair are working together wonderfully at this point – wrapped up in that blend of upbeat soul and righteous undercurrents that made them a real cut above in mainstream soul – getting great help from arrangers William Eaton, Paul Riser, and Al Gorgoni – all of whom know how to hit that perfect Ashford & Simpson balance between tightness, class, and soulful spontaneity! Backings are always filled with lots of jazzy touches, too – the kind of sophisticated soul elements other would cop from the pair in years to come – and titles include "Over & Over", "It's You", "If You're Lying", "Couldn't Get Enough", "Destiny", "So So Satisfied", and "Tried Tested & Found True". LP, Vinyl record album

The first full length album recorded by the legendary Association – a classic bit of Sunshine Pop that would forever change the sound of the 60s! Although familiar, the album's got an amazing depth that still never fails to surprise today – odd production twists and turns, courtesy of a young Curt Boettcher; personally youthful harmonies that slip as often as they soar; and just the right touches of flower power to move the group away from their folkie roots into the new sun of a changing decade! The hits "Along Comes Mary" and "Cherish" are almost worth the price of admission – but lesser-known cuts are even better, and show a wealth of great work penned by members of the group! Other titles include "Standing Still", "Message Of Our Love", "Changes", "I'll Be Your Man", "Blistered", "Round Again", "Remember" and "Enter The Young". This deluxe edition from Now Sounds UK is the mono version, expanded with 12 bonus tracks! Includes a cover of Dylan's "One Too Many Mornings", "Forty Times" (both non album 45s) plus alternate 45 mixes and instrumental versions of album tracks and more! CD

A hell of a debut from The B-52s – and a record that's become surprisingly timeless over the years, despite a retro-styled approach by the group! These guys aren't the silly group of later years here – and instead, they've got this moody darkness that's wonderful – a re-envisioned postwar America, one in which the neuroses are all on the outside – served up with instrumentation that's stark, but incredibly tight – snapping drums, riffing guitar, and these great organ lines that sound beautiful next to the vocals of Fred and the girls. The set gave the group their perennial hit "Rock Lobster" – but taken as a whole, it's an incredibly different landscape – as you'll discover on tracks that include "Planet Claire", "52 Girls", "Dance This Mess Around", "Lava", "There's A Moon In The Sky (Called The Moon)", "Hero Worship", "6060-842" and "Downtown". LP, Vinyl record album

A real shift for the B-52s – a record that's got quite a different sound than the group's first two full albums, and which really shows them as having a more diverse approach than might have been expected! The key change here is David Byrne – who's on the record as both a producer and performer, and who also opens the door to some percussion and horn players too – making for a sound that's a bit fuller, but in a subtle way – with a bit less of the retro guitar and keyboards that the group had at their start! The instrumental shift actually seems to work wonders for the vocals of Fred Schneider, who really pops out of the mix when he sings – and although the set's only an EP, it works well to focus in on this new sort of sound. Titles include "Loveland", "Mesopotamia", "Deep Sleep", "Throw That Beat In The Garbage Can", "Nip It In The Bud", and "Cake". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most iconic rock and roll shows of all time – the late 70s farewell to The Band – and quite famously, much more final concert by an esteemed band, it's actually a rock, pop, folk, blues and soul summit that features The Band as the house band. This landmark document of the event has always been one of rock's more opulent releases – but this 4CD box set edition nearly doubles the original 1978 release – including more tracks with Muddy Waters, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Dr. John – plus other previously unreleased Band-only tunes, rehearsal pieces and more. The last version of the Last Waltz you'll ever need! (Probably. . .right?) 54 tracks on 4CDs: "The From The Last Waltz", "Up On Cripple Creek", "The Shape I'm In", "Down In South New Orleans" with Bobby Charles, "Forever Young" with Bob Dylan, "I Shall Be Released (Finale)", "Rag Mama Rag", "Further Up The Road" with Eric Clapton, "Dry Your Eyes" with Eric Clapton, "Evangeline" with Emmylou Harris, "The Weight" with The Staples", "Caravan" with Van Morrison, "King Harvest (Has Surely Come)", "Shadows And Light" with Joni Mitchell, "This Wheel's On Fire", "Caldonia" with Muddy Waters and much more! CD

A tremendous album from The Beau Brummels – one of the lesser-remembered groups from the late 60s Warner hipster heyday! At some level, the group's a folk-rock outfit – with the left-of-center feel of some of Fred Neil's best work for Capitol, and a similar blend of east coast honesty and west coast mind expansion. The format here is remarkably simple, but handled with some nice touches by producer Lenny Waronker, who really brings a lot more out of the band than on their earlier indie recordings. Titles include "Are You Happy", "The Wolf Of Velvet Fortune", "The Keeper Of Time", "Only Dreaming Now", "Magic Hollow", "Painter Of Women", and "Triangle". LP, Vinyl record album

A higher concept album than usual for the team of Beaver & Krause – a record that still features plenty of cool moog and electronics by the pair, but which also has them teamed up with arranger Jimmie Haskell in a set of tunes that mixes older themes with original numbers! A fair bit of tracks here have vocals – either by Krause, or by female vocalists Cris Williamson, Adrienne Anderson, or Elisabeth Wilson – plus the "celestial choir" on a few tracks. There's a hearkening back here that's a bit confused at some moments – mixing Scott Joplin with the then-common apology to Native American mode – but things sound best on the original numbers, which have picked up a groove a bit more than before, and even have some nice warmer tones we really like. Titles include the spacey spinner "Between The Sun & The Rain", plus "Loves Of Col Evol", "Sweet Williams", "Bluebird Canyon Stomp", "Looking Back Now", "Child Of Morning Sun", and "All Good Men". LP, Vinyl record album

A trio of classics from this electronic duo – all brought together in a single set! First up is In A Wild Sanctuary – one of the best records ever from Beaver and Krause – largely because there's not so much noodling! This one features the pair on moog and organ, with help from Dave Grusin on piano, Milt Holland on percussion, Howard Roberts on guitar, and Bud Shank on reeds. The sound isn't jazz at all – but more a mix of spacey grooves and bubbling bits, with much more of a song-like structure than on other records. There's a few nice cuts here that almost hit a groove, and even when they don't, they still have a nice stripped down moogy sound that's very pleasing. Titles include "Spaced", "Salute To The Vanishing Bald Eagle", "People's Park", "Walking Green Algae Blues", and "Another Part Of Time". Gandharva is a cool mixture of rock and electronics – a perfect example of the Beaver & Krause team at their best! The ensemble on this one is bigger than usual, and the players includes jazz musicians like Mike Bloomfield, Gerry Mulligan, and Howard Roberts – but Beaver & Krause still play a lot of moog, though, and the songs are pretty groovy – although a little short. Side 2 was recorded at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Titles include "Soft/White", "Walkin By The River", "Walkin", "Nine Moons In Alaska", "Bright Shadows", and "Short Film For David". All Good Men is a higher concept album than usual for the team of Beaver & Krause – a record that still features plenty of cool moog and electronics by the pair, but which also has them teamed up with arranger Jimmie Haskell in a set of tunes that mixes older themes with original numbers! A fair bit of tracks here have vocals – either by Krause, or by female vocalists Cris Williamson, Adrienne Anderson, or Elisabeth Wilson – plus the "celestial choir" on a few tracks. There's a hearkening back here that's a bit confused at some moments – mixing Scott Joplin with the then-common apology to Native American mode – but things sound best on the original numbers, which have picked up a groove a bit more than before, and even have some nice warmer tones we really like. Titles include the spacey spinner "Between The Sun & The Rain", plus "Loves Of Col Evol", "Sweet Williams", "Bluebird Canyon Stomp", "Looking Back Now", "Child Of Morning Sun", and "All Good Men". CD

Two great albums from Belchior! The 1974 album features arrangements and music are handled by Marcus Vinicius – who uses quick-stepping samba elements on some of the best tracks, mixed with more modern funky styles in this really great way – which creates even more magic with the hauntingly poetic structures of Belchior's lyrics. Much rootsier than some of his later work, with a groove that almost feels like samba soul at times! The second album features arrangements mostly by Palhina and Robson Jorge – but also by Gilberto Gil on one track! CD

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Titles include "Beyond The Sea", "No One Emotion", "Please Don't Walk Away", "New Day", "Hold Me", "Stand Up", and "You Are The Love Of My Life". LP, Vinyl record album

A super huge hit for George Benson – and the record that took him from being a funky jazz guitarist into an R&B superstar – opening up sides of his talent that first emerged on his 50s R&B recordings as Little George Benson, but taken here into some very hip 70s territory! The album features George both playing and singing over arrangements by Claus Ogerman – some of Ogerman's best of the 70s, work that mixes together his trademark pillow of sound with a slightly funky bounce that's perfect for Benson's groove. The result is incredible – and the album is filled with loads of great songs – including George's excellent version of Bobby Womack's "Breezin", the hit version of "This Masquerade", and the cuts "So This Is Love", "Six To Four", and "Affirmation". CD

A super huge hit for George Benson – and the record that took him from being a funky jazz guitarist into an R&B superstar – opening up sides of his talent that first emerged on his 50s R&B recordings as Little George Benson, but taken here into some very hip 70s territory! The album features George both playing and singing over arrangements by Claus Ogerman – some of Ogerman's best of the 70s, work that mixes together his trademark pillow of sound with a slightly funky bounce that's perfect for Benson's groove. The result is incredible – and the album is filled with loads of great songs – including George's excellent version of Bobby Womack's "Breezin", the hit version of "This Masquerade", and the cuts "So This Is Love", "Six To Four", and "Affirmation". LP, Vinyl record album

Yipes! This one made everyone a bucket of money – especially Quincy Jones, whose new Qwest imprint the record was one of the first to grace. George has come a long way from his roots with Jack McDuff here – but in a way that kind of has us impressed, as he's grooving away slickly on guitar, laying down some smooth vocals that we never would have imagined from his mid 60s recordings. Includes the massive hit "Give Me The Night", a cover of "Moody's Mood", and the tracks "Star Of A Story (X)", "Midnight Love Affair", "What's On Your Mind", and "Dinorah, Dinorah". The sound of a million supermarkets and elevators during the 80s! LP, Vinyl record album

Benson plays his guitar and also sings on some of these tracks, joined by Phil Upchurch on rhythm guitar, Ronnie Foster on electric piano & mini-moog, Jorge Dalto on clavinet & acoustic piano, Stanley Banks on bass, Harvey Mason on drums and Ralph MacDonald on percussion. Claus Ogerman arranged and conducted the orchestra. Titles include "Nature Boy", Foster's "The Wind & I", "The World Is A Ghetto", "Gonna Love You More", Donny Hathaway's "Valdez In The Country", and "Everything Must Happen". LP, Vinyl record album