Three full albums from heavy rocker Bob "Catfish" Hodge – a great underground talent on the Detroit scene of the late 60s and early 70s – and one who recorded for the same Westbound label as Funkadelic! Hodge shares a lot with some of the best Detroit talents of the time – namely a real genre-crossing sound that's very color blind – one that mixes in equal parts blues, rock, and soul – and which sometimes hits some funkier edges too – no surprise, given the Westbound recording style at the time. The guitar is great – often fuzzy, but never too freaky – and nicely focused on the rhythms on most tunes, until it takes off in some sweetly expressive solos. Hodge's vocals have a nice degree of grit, and a quality that's a bit like Dr John – in which he's referencing older modes and styles, but manages to come off without any hoke at all. The 2CD set features all three albums recorded for the Westbound/Eastbound label – Soap Operas, Dinosaurs & Alleycats, and Boogie Man Gonna Get Ya – plus b-sides and a few unreleased tracks too. Titles include "Train To Detroit", "Boogie Man", "Different Strokes", "Ghetto", "Hungry Love", "Big Boss Man", "Oscar Teo", "For Free", "Des Woman", "Sweet Cocaine", and "We Got Love In Our House". CD

Some of the deepest soul to ever come from a Detroit label – a great run of singles cut by Denise LaSalle for the Westbound label – all of them pretty darn wonderful! Denise has roots that start in Mississippi, and she spent plenty of time in Chicago – so by the time she hit Westbound, she had a great interstate approach that really pulled some great styles together! In a way, these sides were crucial in helping push southern soul forward in the 70s – not just in the production, which was tight, but never too smooth – and which helped give her bluesy inflections a hip, modern sort of mode – one that was often well-suited to the subtle gender politics of the tracks too. Ace did a great job with this smoking set – and not only includes all the key singles, both a-sides and b-sides – but even throws in some great notes, and a few rare radio spots too! Titles include "Do Me Right", "Man Sized Job", "Trapped By A Thing Called Love", "Keep It Coming", "Here I Am Again", "My Brand On You", "What Am I Doing Wrong", "Don't Nobody Live Here", and "Your Man & Your Best Friend". CD

A massive celebration of the legendary Westbound Records – a Detroit record label started at the end of the 60s, and one that took the Motor City into much heavier territory than Motown! Westbound was the initial home of both Funkadelic and Ohio Players – and the imprint had a great ear for the kind of deeper, funkier side of the soul music spectrum – both with big groups like the two we just mentioned, and with a host of lesser-known singers and combos too! This package brings together two dozen key singles on Westbound – but not the giant hits, and instead the kind of songs that illustrate that key special touch that really set the company apart from the rest – even as the 70s moved on, and elements of club music started coming into their groove. Titles include "I Love You" by The Motivations, "A Letter From Vietnam" by Emanuel Lansky, "Everything Is Going To Be Alright" by Bill Moss & The Celestials, "Ain't No Telling" by Houston Outlaws, "Yes I'm In Love" by Unique Blend, "Why Not Start All Over Again" by The Counts, "I've Changed" by The Magictones, "I'll Bet You" by Funkadelic, "Music Man (part 1)" by Pleasure Web, "Get Up Off My Mind" by Denise LaSalle, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Devil's Gun" by CJ & Co, "Get Ya Some" by Melvin Sparks, "Alvin Stone" by Fantastic Four, "If You Love Him" by Junie, "Calling Planet Earth" by Dennis Coffey, "Crazy Legs" by Donald Austin, and "Funky Worm" by The Ohio Players. CD

A massive celebration of the legendary Westbound Records – a Detroit record label started at the end of the 60s, and one that took the Motor City into much heavier territory than Motown! Westbound was the initial home of both Funkadelic and Ohio Players – and the imprint had a great ear for the kind of deeper, funkier side of the soul music spectrum – both with big groups like the two we just mentioned, and with a host of lesser-known singers and combos too! This package brings together two dozen key singles on Westbound – but not the giant hits, and instead the kind of songs that illustrate that key special touch that really set the company apart from the rest – even as the 70s moved on, and elements of club music started coming into their groove. Titles include "I Love You" by The Motivations, "A Letter From Vietnam" by Emanuel Lansky, "Everything Is Going To Be Alright" by Bill Moss & The Celestials, "Ain't No Telling" by Houston Outlaws, "Yes I'm In Love" by Unique Blend, "Why Not Start All Over Again" by The Counts, "I've Changed" by The Magictones, "I'll Bet You" by Funkadelic, "Music Man (part 1)" by Pleasure Web, "Get Up Off My Mind" by Denise LaSalle, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Devil's Gun" by CJ & Co, "Get Ya Some" by Melvin Sparks, "Alvin Stone" by Fantastic Four, "If You Love Him" by Junie, "Calling Planet Earth" by Dennis Coffey, "Crazy Legs" by Donald Austin, and "Funky Worm" by The Ohio Players. CD

Deep deep funk from the legendary Westbound label – the important early home to Ohio Players and Funkadelic, but also host to some other great funky groups too! In keeping with the name, the cuts here focus on the kind of Westbound tracks that have great drum breaks in their groove – or which stand out as great selections for sampling, too – but all presented with the same sort of care, research, and attention to detail that the Ace label brings to all of their famous soul collections! In other words, the whole thing's got all the sharp edges and funky beats as one of those dodgy sample collections – but the sound is better, the tracks are legit, and the whole thing features detailed notes as well. Titles include "Kissing My Love" by Spanky Wilson, "Funky Worm" by Ohio Players, "Suzie Thundertussy" by Junie, "You & Your Folks Me & My Folks" by Funkadelic, "Music Man (part 2)" by Pleasure Web, "Back From The Dead" by King Errisson, "You're Gettin A Little Too Smart" by The Detroit Emeralds, "Pack Of Lies" by The Counts, "Funk It Down" by Caesar Frazier, "Good Old Music" by Mgictones, "The Fuz & Da Boog" by Fuzzy Haskins, "Heartbreaker Of The Year" by Denise LaSalle, "Does He Treat You Better" by Unique Blend, "Baby Let Me Take You In My Arms" by Detroit Emeralds, "Mixed Up Moods & Attitudes (Tom Moulton mix)" by Fantastic Four, "Tightrope (single mix)" by Junie, and "I'll Bet You" by Funkadelic. LP, Vinyl record album

It's hard to sum up the genius of the Ohio Players at Westbound Records in words – but this set does a pretty good job of doing the whole thing with music! The group are at their trippy, early best here – much more funk and soul than on their initial psych debut, yet still not as smooth or clubby as in their later years – coming across with a badass righteous vibe that takes full advantage of the unique Detroit spirit of Westbound Records – best known as the initial home of Funkdelic. The Ohio Players are maybe not as tripped-out as that group, but maybe not that far away either – and come across beautifully here on a stunning back of 15 tracks that includes "Funky Worm", "Varee Is Love", "Walt's First Trip", "Food Stamps", "Laid It", "Singing In The Morning", "Ecstasy", "Climax", "Pain", "Sleep Talk", and "Player's Balling". CD

Rare tracks from one of the greatest soul labels ever – Detroit's legendary Westbound Records, the famous home of Funkadelic – but a source for countless many more grooves! This set features really rare singles and unreleased tracks from Westbound – a flurry of great soul tracks that's surprised even our Westbound-raised ears – with tracks that run from righteous soul to heavy funk, to great group harmonies, and more! There's nary a big name in the set – and instead, the whole thing really focuses on the hinterland of the Westbound scene – including some especially rare gems that were issued as singles by the even-smaller Eastbound label, who did some wonderfully groovy work in the early 70s. Titles include "Admit Your Love Is Gone" by Damon Shawn, "Old Fashioned Woman" by Unique Blend, "I'm Falling In Love" by Fantastic Four, "Tender Moments" by AC Tilmon & Denise LaSalle, "I Love You" by The Motivations, "More Love" by Emanuel Laskey, "What Am I Gonna Do" by Houston Outlaws, "I Don't Know How" by The Superlatives, "Trying Real Hard" by The Magictones, "You Can't Take This Love For You From Me" by Bob & Harold, "I'm Loving You You're Leaving Me" by The Magictones, "Does He Treat You Better" by Unique Blend, and "Rosetta Stone" by AC Tilmon & Detroit Emeralds. CD

Certainly not one of Dennis total classics – but with some nice moments of funky guitar that make the record worth having. Coffey's playing is great, as usual, and it's set here amidst some larger electric arrangements that have a nice mid 70s groove to them. You won't find the killer sharp-edged sound of the first two albums, but you'll still get some good grooves, all touched by Coffey's mad approach to the guitar. Titles include "Finger Lickin Good", "I've Got A Real Good Feeling", "Fame", "Live Wire", and "Wild Child". LP, Vinyl record album

An insane classic from one of the wildest funk bands ever! According to reports, George Clinton and the band cut this set in a marathon 48-hour stretch in the studio – working like mad all night and day long, after dropping a motherlode of some mighty fine acid! We don't know if that story's entirely true, but the music on the album certainly backs it up – as it's some of the band's freest, most open-ended, most heavy-jamming work ever recorded! Guitars dominate over funky bass and drums – and the whole thing's an amazing blend of music, swirled together into a non-stop psychedelic party that includes P-Funk gems like "Funky Dollar Bill", "Free Your Mind", "Eulogy and Light", and "I Wanna Know If It's Good To You". LP, Vinyl record album

An insane classic from one of the wildest funk bands ever! According to reports, George Clinton and the band cut this set in a marathon 48-hour stretch in the studio – working like mad all night and day long, after dropping a motherlode of some mighty fine acid! We don't know if that story's entirely true, but the music on the album certainly backs it up – as it's some of the band's freest, most open-ended, most heavy-jamming work ever recorded! Guitars dominate over funky bass and drums – and the whole thing's an amazing blend of music, swirled together into a non-stop psychedelic party that includes P-Funk gems like "Funky Dollar Bill", "Free Your Mind", "Eulogy and Light", and "I Wanna Know If It's Good To You". CD

The classic sound of Funkadelic, reworked by a key selection of contemporary talents from the Detroit scene – but never in a way that wrecks the originals at all! Unlike other remix projects, which might break up the music to a point that you can hardly recognize the original grooves – this set does a wonderful job of maintaining all the integrity of the famous funky recordings by the group, while also letting some artists from the group's hometown also include a few of their own contributions too – all in ways that really expand the original vision of the music, while keeping things in a funky soul vein all the way through! Given all the greateness of Detroit grooves in recent years – from that city's very fertile underground of producers and musicians – the sound here is still even more amazing than we expected, and the album's a very fitting one to be issued on the Westbound label. The set's double-length, and for good reason too – and titles include "Music 4 My Mother (Underground Resistance mix)", "Sexy Ways (Recloose disco flip)", "Get Your Ass Off & Jam (Marcellus Pittman rmx)", "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure (Alton Miller mix)", "Super Stupid (Dirtbombs version)", "Music For My Mother (Andres Wo Ahh Ay voc mix)", "Cosmic Slop (Moodymann mix)", "Be My Beach (Mophono & Tom Thump)", "Let's Make It Last (Kenny Dixon Jr edit)", "Let's Take It To The Stage (Amp Fiddler @Ya mix)", "Undisco Kidd (Gay Marvine edit)", "Looking Back At You (Ectomorph stripped & dubbed)", and "Standing On The Verge (Anthony Shake Shakir & T Dancer rmx)". CD

A tasty little album from Funkadelic – one that has Bootsy Collins joining the group, and really hitting the unique approach that would become the definitive P-Funk groove! And although tracks are shorter and even more focused, there's still a fair bit of guitar in the set – keeping the trademark Funkadelic sound in place, to set them aside from from the growing horn-heavy Parliament groove. Yet in both groups' work at the time, there's a growing emphasis on the rhythms at the bottom – a pulling up of the basslines in a way that was no doubt influenced by Bootsy's presence, and which would have a key influence on the sound of funk for years to come! Includes the massively infectious funk track "Get Off Your Ass and Jam", plus "Let's Take It To The Stage", "Be My Beach", "Baby I Owe You Something Good", "The Song Is Familiar", "No Head No Backstage Pass", "Atmosphere", "Stuffs & Things", and "Better By the Pound". LP, Vinyl record album

A great goofy single from Junie Morrison, featuring the classic "buy this record" sample, which is spoken by a squeaky voiced alien to the same "granny" voice from the "Funky Worm" single. "Super J" is more stoner funk than the a-side, but it's not that bad, either. 7-inch, Vinyl record

A great early single from Denise! Willie Mitchell produced "Trapped" – and the cut's got a slow vamping groove that's as great as anything Ann Peebles ever cut. Great hook, excellent vocals, and really focused early work from this excellent singer! 7-inch, Vinyl record

Great gatefold compilation of their funky Westbound tracks, with such faves as "Pain", "Walt's First Trip", "Funky Worm", "Varee is Love", "Climax", and more. Slightly different track listing than the "Best of the Early Years" comp, and with a cover that has the bald model in a noose. LP, Vinyl record album

Mindblowing funk from The Ohio Players – the group's debut album for Westbound Records, and a landmark batch of tracks that never gets old! The sound here really has the group stretching out a lot – working on tunes that are extended, but never as overindulgent as their labelmates Funkadelic – always keeping to a groove that's focused, yet also free to explore its bad self in the new freedoms of the 70s. There's a strong undercurrent of funky jazz running through the set – mixing great riffing alongside the tight rhythms and tripped-out vocals – all brought together with that deep deep deep production sound that Westbound gave the world as its own legacy in the wake of Norman Whitfield's experiments at Motown. Titles include the wonderfully jamming "Players Balling", and the funky numbers "Reds" and "Singing In The Morning" – plus more soulful tracks "I Wanna Hear From You" and "Never Had A Dream". LP, Vinyl record album

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". LP, Vinyl record album

... 7-inch, Vinyl record

A pair of overlooked albums from saxophonist Houston Person – both recorded for Detroit's Westbound label, and presented back to back on a single CD! First up is Houston Person 75 – sweet sweet grooves from the legendary Houston Person – a set that blends his soulful tenor with some fuller backdrops than Houston used at Prestige Records – in a vibe that's somewhere between that earlier work and the style of CTI/Kudu Records! The best cuts almost have a funky soundtrack vibe – with arrangements by Ed Nuccilli and Jimmy Roach that spin out with full, rich charts – as Person's tenor carves out some meaningful solos – a bit like some of the Stanley Turrentine work of the period. The album features a number of original tunes, and sports a strongly soulful vibe throughout – on titles that include "What It Is", "Shotgun", "500 Gin Rummy", "All In Love Is Fair", "Funky Sunday Afternoon", and "A Touch Of Bad Stuff". Get Outa My Way is filled with very groovy grooves from tenorist Houston Person – a set that has him picking up a bit of a dancefloor vibe at times, as chorus vocals are mixed in to support his own strong solos in the lead! The set's got a nice warm glow overall – arrangements from Jimmy Roach that are clubby at times, but never in a too-disco style – and maybe more in the mode of some of the Kudu Records material from the period. Houston's horn is great, as always – and hits some nice moments on tracks that include "Disco Sax", "Spread It", "Forever In Love", "For The Love Of You", "Ain't Nothin But A Funky Song", and "Soul Samba". CD

An obscure roots rock set on the Detroit soul powerhouse Westbound Records – and a set that features production and arrangements from Dennis Coffey and Mike Theodore, and some guitar work by Coffey too! LP, Vinyl record album

Two rare tracks – back to back on a sweet 45! Denise & Abe duet together on "Ain't That Lovin" – a tune that almost has a Norman Whitfield sort of current at the bottom – which gives the whole thing a vibe that's even hipper than the usual sould duo mode! Southern soul legend Arthur Alexander makes a surprising appearance on "You Better Listen To Me" – a nice cut that mixes his deep soul vocals with some sweet uptown soul production – almost like a Scepter/Wand sort of cut! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A true pleasure indeed – easily one of the greatest records ever by the Ohio Players, and a perfect summation of all things great in their groove! The album's a landmark effort – even for the heady days of the early 70s – as the Players manage to bring together a fair bit of jazz with their famous guitar-driven funk – all in a blend that's a lot more sophisticated than most other funk combos of the time, from the rhythms at the bottom to the instrumentation on the top! There's a darkness here that's undeniable – but the album's also not just a head trip into the fuzziest reaches of the studio – as the jazzier inflections help illuminate the farthest corners, and really bring the whole album back to focus with a wonderfully redemptive groove! Psychedelic elements are still all over the place, but also used sparingly enough to be most effective – a brilliant balance that few groups of this type were ever able to muster. Titles include the classic "Funky Worm", with the wild moogy bit that's been sampled loads of times over the years by a gazillion hip hoppers – plus loads of other nice ones, like the slow bonking funker "Pride & Vanity", the wild "Walt's First Trip", and the groovy "Laid It" – as well as "Pleasure", "Paint Me", "Our Love Has Died", and "Walked Away From You". CD features amazing sound and a whopping 7 bonus tracks – including "Ruffell Foot", "What It Is", "Rooster Poot", "Gone Forever", "Dimensions In Time", and "Introducing The Players". CD

A killer cut! The Clark Sisters were mostly a gospel-oriented group, but they cut this amazing groover during the early 80s, and it's got a semi-secular sound that launched them into the mainstream soul world for a while. The cut's got a great stepping groove, a very catchy hook in the chorus, and a nice nice soulful sound. 12-inch, Vinyl record

A long-overdue look at the amazing Clark Sisters – a fantastic gospel group, and one with a vocal depth that we'd put right up there next to any of our favorite soul acts of the time! The Clarks are maybe best known for their landmark track "You Brought The Sunshine" – a completely righteous blend of gospel, soul, and disco that crossed over very big back in the day – but the group have an endless amount of great music to offer, a great deal of which is brought together in this wonderful set! The sisters always kept a strong ear towards the secular soul styles of their day – but they also always pushed things with the sort of amazing vocal interplay that used to only be the territory of male gospel groups in earlier decades – fantastic harmonies, soaring leads, and really great group formation. And if you're not a completely huge fan of gospel, don't worry – because the message here is often a more general one of positivity, which really lifts up the spirit of the tunes in a universal way. Titles include "You Brought The Sunshine (single edit)", "Everything Is Gonna Be Alright", "He Keeps Me Company", "Patience", "I'm Going To Have Just What I Want", "Power", "Overdose Of The Holy Ghost", "My Mind Is Made Up", "Nothing To Lose All To Gain", "No Other Name", "Keep On Looking Up", and "I Found What I'm Looking For". CD

One of our favorite early Funkadelic albums – and a real turning point for the group! Gone are the trippier guitar solos of earlier days, and in their place is a tighter approach to funk – one that has the band grooving hard and soulfully on shorter tracks that perfect the dark vision hinted at in the Maggot Brain years! The tunes are shorter, funkier, and catchier – and the vocals are especially great – so much so than on the title cut "Cosmic Slop" has harmonies so great you'd swear you were listening to late-Motown Temptations! Other tracks continue with a great soul-based focus, and include "You Can't Miss What You Can't Measure", "Nappy Dugout", "No Compute", and "Can't Stand the Strain" – and the record is packaged in a mind-blowing wraparound cover by Pedro Bell, the first of many the band would use! LP, Vinyl record album

A heavy best-of from Funkadelic – one that covers the full range of their classic sounds – from the trippy fuzz of the early days to the tighter funk of stardom years! The package has a power that's undeniable – a really massive batch of music that forever changed the face of funk – arguably the best that George Clinton ever had to offer, especially when you realize that Funkadelic was definitely the farthest-reaching of his many musical projects! Most cuts here are in shorter single versions – but there's a few LP-length jams – and titles include "Undisco Kidd", "Maggot Brain", "Cosmic Slop", "Standing On The Verge Of Getting It On", "Sexy Ways", "Better By The Pound", "One Nation Under A Groove (part 1)", "Whatever Makes My Baby Feel Good", "A Joyful Process", "Loose Booty", "I Wanna Know If It's Good To You", "I'll Bet You", "Red Hot Mama", "Comin Round The Mountain", and "I Got A Thing You Got A Thing Everybody Got A Thing". LP, Vinyl record album

An excellent bit of funky soul! Thomas East has a super-dope style that reminds us a lot of the Detroit funk of Westbound – with a slow rolling rhythm track, hard clavinet solos, and a fuzzy funky soulful sound that can't be beat! A nice chugger – with a part 2 that's just as good as part 1! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A stunner of a funk album – a must-have for any fan of all things funky! This is the one-and-only record cut by the Fabulous Counts, a version of the Counts before they recorded for Westbound – and nearly every cut is a funky 45-type gem! The group's got a hard and heavy sound that mixed conga grooving at the bottom, guitar jamming in the middle, and lots of funky horns over the top – and the instrumental sound of the record is a non-stop funky party all the way through – all top-shelf material all the way through, with a sound that few other combos can match! The title track is an awesome groover – and the record features lots of other nice ones, like "Dirty Red", "Who's Making Love", "Girl From Kenya', "The Other Thing", "Scrambled Eggs", and "The Bite". CD

Tracks include "Black Stars", "Bucket List", "Driving Westbound", "Skyline", and "U.S.S. Rent-A-Car". CD

If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too. CD

A funky tribute to all the "Super Groupies" who were helping out the 70s music scene – maybe the closest thing that Junie Morrisson every came to a tribute album – and a set that's got all the same wonderful complexity of his other solo albums on Westbound! As with those records, there's a pre-Prince approach to funk that draws heavily from Ohio Players and P-Funk elements – but which really gets a sharper, more sinister focus with Junie in the lead – at a level of soulful stardom that could have made him another Bootsy Collins, if folks were ever smart enough to figure out what he was doing at the time! Titles include the funky classic "Suzie Thundertussy" – plus "Super Groupie", "Surrender", "Junie III", "What Am I Gonna Do", "Stone Face Joe", "Suzie", and "If You Love Him". LP, Vinyl record album

Brilliant soul from the Detroit underground of the late 60s – a full set of work by vocalist Little Ann, issued here for the first time ever! You might recognize Ann's name from her appearance on a few of the Ace/Kent Records issues of material by Detroit producer Dave Hamilton over the years – and the work here all comes from those classic collaborations with Hamilton – trapped on tape for many years, always contemplated as a possible Little Ann album – but only issued in full all these many years later! The groove here is as offbeat as some of Dave's other great work – not nearly as tight, or uptight, as Motown music – and instead, done with a sly undercurrent of darkness on most numbers, even the mellower ones – almost that earliest mix of Detroit styles that you get on pre-fame singles from Westbound Records artists. Ann's vocals are nice and lean, and slide right into the mix with ease – heartfelt enough to grab us right away, yet without any obvious cliches as well. Titles include "What Should I Do", "Deep Shadows", "Possession", "Who Are You Trying To Fool", "Sweep It Out In The Shed", "The Smile On Your Face", and "I Got To Have You". Note that the record was mostly issued in a different form by Timmion Records – as the record Deep Shadows – save for the mixes of "What Should I Do" and "I Got To Have You" – both of which are unissued mixes that appear here for the first time. CD

Brilliant soul from the Detroit underground of the late 60s – a full set of work by vocalist Little Ann, issued here for the first time ever! You might recognize Ann's name from her appearance on a few of the Ace/Kent Records issues of material by Detroit producer Dave Hamilton over the years – and the work here all comes from those classic collaborations with Hamilton – trapped on tape for many years, always contemplated as a possible Little Ann album – but only issued in full all these many years later! The groove here is as offbeat as some of Dave's other great work – not nearly as tight, or uptight, as Motown music – and instead, done with a sly undercurrent of darkness on most numbers, even the mellower ones – almost that earliest mix of Detroit styles that you get on pre-fame singles from Westbound Records artists. Ann's vocals are nice and lean, and slide right into the mix with ease – heartfelt enough to grab us right away, yet without any obvious cliches as well. Titles include "What Should I Do", "Deep Shadows", "Possession", "Who Are You Trying To Fool", "Sweep It Out In The Shed", "The Smile On Your Face", and "I Got To Have You". Note that the record was mostly issued in a different form by Timmion Records – as the record Deep Shadows – save for the mixes of "What Should I Do" and "I Got To Have You" – both of which are unissued mixes that appear here for the first time. LP, Vinyl record album

Fuzzy funk from some of the all-time greats – one of the key Westbound Records classics from the mighty Ohio Players! This album's got the Players working at their all-time best – a bit jazzy, with a more sophisticated undercurrent than some of their contemporaries – a righteous vibe that's light years ahead of the 45 crowd – with plenty of space on the album to try out a wide variety of ideas in their music! Junie Morrison did the arrangements for the record, and the album's a great blend of light and dark moments throughout – sometimes a sweet vocal, sometimes a heavy piano line – all wrapped up with a sense of focus, but still enough freedom to let the group do their thing! Features the incredible title cut "Ecstasy", the great instrumental "Not So Sad And Lonely", and the tracks "Do You Feel It", "Black Cat", "Sleep Talk", "Food Stamps Y'All", and "Short Change". LP, Vinyl record album

A well-titled set – as it's the mid 70s, and the Ohio Players were certainly turning out a lot of gold! Their move to Mercury Records from the smaller indie Westbound was a real winning move – as it gave them a smoother soul feel that only expanded their groove, not restricted it! This tasty "best of" set features most of their top work from those years – with killer tunes that include "Love Rollercoaster", "Fire", "Skin Tight", "Who'd She Coo", "Feel The Beat", "I Want To Be Free", "Fopp", "Far East Mississippi", "Only A Child Can Love", "Jive Turkey (part 1)", and the great "Sweet Sticky Thing"! CD

A heck of a great little guitar funk album – a rare early 70s session from the groovy Eddy Senay – an artist that we'd rank right up there with bigger names like Phil Upchurch, David T Walker, Dennis Coffey, or Eddie Fisher at the same time! Fisher's maybe the best comparison here – especially his second album for Cadet – as the style here is clearly born in jazz, but taken through lots of soul and funk territory – so that the instrumental tunes are maybe even heavier on groove than solo space – although Senay manages to deliver plenty with his fuzzy tone on the strings! Eddie's got roots in Detroit, and there's almost some Westbound Records elements taking place here at times – as the set was recorded in the Motor City with help from Johnny Clapton and Thomas Hale on tenor, Rudy Robinson on keyboards, Gordon Camp on trumpet, and some especially great work from Eddie Bongo Brown on congas – whose groove really adds a deeper layer to the tunes. Titles include great remakes of Donny Hathaway's "Zambezi" and Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" – plus "Jubo", "Hot Thang", "Message of Love", and "Down Home". LP, Vinyl record album

If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at the core, but it's also filled with loads of amazing sounds – instruments tuned weirdly, played weirdly, and produced weirdly – so that over the heavy drums, there's often lots of freaky, fuzzy bits and tripped-out sounds – in ways that make the record feel like some lost acid trip outtakes from the Westbound studios of the early 70s – or like some obscure funk band that dropped acid at Andy Warhol's loft! The packaging offers up a visual example of what your ears will be going through when you tune into the music – and titles include "Mysterious Ways", "Collateral Damage", "Black Sky", "Calabash", "Path Of The Black Sun", "Mr Owusu I Presume", "Eastern Begena", and loads of cool interlude tracks too. CD

Excellent heavy funk from Stax! Black Nasty were one of the heaviest groups on the label – with a rock-solid guitar-based groove that went even farther than the Bar-Kays, who were no slouch in the guitar department themselves! The grooves are all slow to midtempo, with the band coming down hard on the downbeats, jamming away in a style that sounds more like heavy Detroit Westbound than sweetly soulful Memphis. Most all cuts have vocals – sung in a shouting style by the band that works well with the tripped-out hooks of the songs. This was the only album the band ever cut, but it's become a fast favorite among those who like their funk raw. Tracks include "We're Doin Our Thing", "Rushin Sea", "Booger The Hooker", "Black Nasty Boogie", "Nasty Soul", and "Getting Funky Round Here". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the hippest records ever to come out of Chicago – the sole recording by Boscoe, a group who was even more obscure and experimental than contemporaries like The Pharoahs or Artistic Heritage Ensemble! Like those groups, Boscoe has a very unique, very visionary approach – one that's not content just to echo the standard post-Coltrane modes that other spiritual jazz groups around the country were hitting – but which instead moves into territory that touches on the darker sides of funk, soul, and spoken word of the time – all with a message that's incredibly powerful, and conception that's wonderfully fresh throughout! The group's lineup features tenor, trumpet, trombone, guitar, bass, and drums – but they way they're put together is often far different than other funky combos – and it's clear that the group had as much of a sensibility about the overall sound of their record as they did their freer grooves. At times, there's a righteousness here that recalls the best of the early Westbound Records scene from Detroit – but there's an even higher agenda too, which is more in keeping with the spiritual aspriations of their Chicago contemporaries, and which really show up in the lyrics. The whole album's a masterpiece from start to finish – unlike anything that we can think of, still ripe for rediscovery today, and just the kind of set that makes us prouder than ever of our Chicago heritage! Titles include "We Ain't Free", "Money Won't Save You", "Now and Den", "He Keeps You", "I'm What You Need", and "Writin' On The Wall". LP, Vinyl record album

One of the biggest albums ever for Ohio Players – a set that took their earlier funk sound and targeted firmly at the mainstream with a lean, mean groove that a million other groups copied at the time! There's still plenty of the soul of the early years in the group's approach here – and sometimes, the mellower tracks show a wonderful talent for harmonies coming even more fully to the top. But the real appeal of the record has always been the bold, bassy grooves that hit strongly just as ensemble funk was exploding in the mainstream during the early years of disco – making plenty of space for the Players and their contemporaries to grab up new audiences who never would have touched a record like this five years before! There's plenty of grit in the grooves on the best numbers – a style that's maybe not as dirty as on Westbound, but still more than enough to make any real funk fan proud. Titles include "Fire", "Together", "Together/Feelings", "It's All Over", "Runnin' From the Devil", "Smoke", "What The Hell", and "I Want To Be Free". CD

Two groovers from Westbound Records club act CJ & Co – both produced by the team of Mike Theodore and Dennis Coffey! "Rainmaker" is upbeat and funky – with strings soaring along with the horns – all matched by the group's great vocal interplay, which is as sharp here as their usually-great instrumentation! "Let Them Talk" is great – and an even more unique side of the group – a gentler groover with a wonderful lead vocal – sweet soul, but groovy too! 7-inch, Vinyl record

A rare funky cut from the studios of Detroit wizard Dave Hamilton – a two-part monster that deals with the evils of drugs – and which has an almost Westbound Records-like mix of soulful vocals, fuzzy guitars, and heavy funk! The production is amazing – almost beating George Clinton at his own game, thanks to heavy fuzz and echo! 7-inch, Vinyl record

An obscure bit of heavy soul – and the only vocal album on the jazz-based Eastbound imprint of Detroit's legendary Westbound Records! Albert's a blues artist, and sings in a soulful electric style that's similar to some of the Stax work of Albert King – but which has a bit more of a funk twist to it. Albert's vocals are definitely in the bluesy mode, but the backing is more in a Memphis soul style, with hints of Stax production styles in the mix, and lots of swirling organ underneath the vocals, in that Hi Records mode from the early 70s. Titles include "You're Messing Up My Mind", "Mischievous", "Feel The Need", "I Can't Stand It No More", "No Matter What The Cost Might Be", and "My Mother's Prayer". A pretty solid soul album all the way through – with a strong deep soul feel that's different than the usual Westbound/Eastbound bag! LP, Vinyl record album