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VA - Seven Heven - Perfect Little Slices Of Soul, Funk And Funky Jazz From The 21st Century (2011)

Posted By: Rtax
VA - Seven Heven - Perfect Little Slices Of Soul, Funk And Funky Jazz From The 21st Century (2011)

VA - Seven Heven - Perfect Little Slices Of Soul, Funk And Funky Jazz From The 21st Century (2011)
XLD Rip | FLAC (tracks, cue, log) - 515 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 188 MB
1:19:01 | Jazz-Funk, Soul, Funk | Label: BBE

A brilliant concept from BBE - compiling the best modern funk rather than delving deep into increasingly bare archives. Mark Webster has come up trumps with this 20-track set featuring all manner of funky business from Sasso, Smith & Mudd and The James Taylor Quartet. Fans of the old-school will love Kova & Miles' soulful nu-jazz version of The Meters classic "Handclappin' Song" and Speedometer's take on Eddie Bo's "Love And A Friend", while psych-rock fans should make a beeline for The Chiswick Reach All-Stars' excellent "Nutsin". With more covers, such as Sunlightsquare Latin Combo's excellent version of "I Believe In Miracles" included, this is simply a must for funk fans.

Taj Mahal - Like Never Before (1991)

Posted By: Designol
Taj Mahal - Like Never Before (1991)

Taj Mahal - Like Never Before (1991)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 327 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 138 Mb | Scans ~ 68 Mb
Label: Private Music | # 261 679 | Time: 00:47:19
Contemporary Blues, Rhythm & Blues, Jazz-Blues, Country-Blues

This record was originally released in 1991 after Taj had taken a break for a number of side projects including children's records. He was obviously refreshed - the record is full of new ideas and incorporates new production techniques, check out the lovely song "Every wind in the river" and also the scratching and rap stylings of "Squat that rabbit". A bit radical for blues but both work very well. Taj revists the song "Giant step" and also takes the traditional blues "Blues with a feeling" to New Orleans, with an added dash of steel guitar (!?!). Guests include banjo player David Johnson, guitarist David Lindley, Andy Kravitz and Bill Summers and the backing band sound great throughout. This is a really good, imaginative record that saw Taj coming back to form and his next couple of records in the 90s were even better.

Van Morrison - Back On Top (1999) Expanded Remastered Reissue 2008

Posted By: Designol
Van Morrison - Back On Top (1999) Expanded Remastered Reissue 2008

Van Morrison - Back On Top (1999) Expanded Remastered Reissue 2008
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 411 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 143 Mb | Scans ~ 179 Mb
Label: Exile, Polydor | # 5305453 | Time: 01:02:32
Genre: Blues, Blues-Rock, Rhythm & Blues, Blue-Eyed Soul

Back on Top is the twenty-seventh studio album by Northern Irish singer/songwriter Van Morrison. It was released in 1999 by Point Blank. This album marks a slight return to the forms of music he is most known for: blues and R&B. Upon the album's release, Rolling Stone reviewed it as "one Monet and nine Norman Rockwells", the "Monet" being "When the Leaves Come Falling Down" which it called a masterpiece. The 29 January 2008 reissued and remastered version of the album contains two bonus tracks: an alternative take of "Philosopher's Stone" and a new arrangement of Fats Domino's song, "Valley of Tears".

Otis Redding - The Very Best of Otis Redding (1992)

Posted By: gribovar
Otis Redding - The Very Best of Otis Redding (1992)

Otis Redding - The Very Best of Otis Redding (1992)
EAC Rip | WavPack (image+.cue+log) - 179 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps (LAME 3.93) - 105 MB | Covers - 114 MB
Genre: Soul, R&B | RAR 3% Rec. | Label: Atlantic/Rhino (R2 71147)

The Very Best of Otis Redding wasn't the first Otis Redding compilation but it is the best of the single-disc collections, distilling the high points across his career (up thru the posthumous hits "(Sitting' On) The Dock of the Bay" and the heartbreaking "I've Got Dreams to Remember") in 16 tracks, every one a musical milestone and a soul music high-point of one kind or another. Although aimed at the casual listener and the neophyte fan, there are some astonishing realizations to be had in listening to this disc and looking at the chart placements of the early sides, and realizing just how uniform his musical influence is - "These Arms of Mine" and, especially, "Pain In My Heart," from 1962 and 1963, respectively, sold only a fraction of what his later singles did, yet they've been covered by so many artists since, that they're as familiar as any of the other, bigger hits on this disc…

Spanky Wilson & The Quantic Soul Orchestra - I'm Thankful (2006)

Posted By: Designol
Spanky Wilson & The Quantic Soul Orchestra - I'm Thankful (2006)

Spanky Wilson & The Quantic Soul Orchestra - I'm Thankful (2006)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 218 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 85 Mb | Scans included
Genre: Deep Funk, Soul | Label: Tru Thoughts | # TRUCD109 | Time: 00:35:55

It was much to soul singer Spanky Wilson's surprise – she didn't realize she had had such an impact – when British multi-instrumentalist/producer Will Holland contacted her in her Los Angeles home in 2004, professing his love of her music and wondering if she'd collaborate with him. Still, she agreed to go the studio, and together they did two songs, "Don't Joke with a Hungry Man" and "When You're Through," for Holland's solo project, Quantic, on the album Mishaps Happening. That collaboration worked out so well that they decided to make an entire record together, this time with Holland's full band, the Quantic Soul Orchestra. Wilson's lovely voice is the centerpiece of I'm Thankful, and it does show a bit of its age, but only in the best of ways, deepening it and giving it an added measure of credibility and authenticity while still preserving its expressiveness and strength.

Laura Nyro & Labelle - Gonna Take a Miracle (1971)

Posted By: Designol
Laura Nyro & Labelle - Gonna Take a Miracle (1971)

Laura Nyro & Labelle - Gonna Take a Miracle (1971)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 188 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 84 Mb | Scans included
R&B, Soul, Soft Rock | Label: Columbia | # CK 30987 | Time: 00:33:17

Gonna Take a Miracle is the fifth album by New York City-born singer, songwriter and pianist Laura Nyro, with assistance by vocal trio Labelle. It was released on Columbia Records in November 1971, one year after its predecessor, Christmas and the Beads of Sweat. The album is Nyro's only all-covers album, and she interprets mainly 1950s and 1960s soul and R&B standards, using Labelle as a traditional back-up vocal group. In 2005, music magazine The Word voted Gonna Take a Miracle among the 60 Best Underrated Albums of All Time.

Herbie Hancock - Possibilities (2005)

Posted By: Designol
Herbie Hancock - Possibilities (2005)

Herbie Hancock - Possibilities (2005)
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 335 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 135 Mb | Scans ~ 161 Mb
Label: Hancock Music/Hear Music/Vector/Warner | # 50-51011-0111-2-2 | 00:58:32
Genre: Jazz-Pop, Jazz-Funk, Soul-Jazz, Vocal Jazz, R&B

Possibilities is a Herbie Hancock adventure record. This ten-cut smorgasbord features the ever restless pianist, composer, and arranger in the company of literally dozens of artists, from pop singers like Christina Aguilera, Sting, and Annie Lennox to rock legends such as Santana and Paul Simon to relative newcomers like John Mayer, Jonny Lang, and Joss Stone, as well as some renowned international performers, such as Angélique Kidjo and Raul Midón in a wide range of songs, styles, and moods. Hancock cut the record in studios all over the world, all the collaborations were done face to face, not long distance. Session musicians here include everyone from Stevie Wonder (who plays the harmonica solo on the cover of his tune "I Just Called to Say I Love You"), to Santana to Cyro Baptista, Willie Weeks, John Pattitucci, Steven Jordan, and Gina Gershon (the actress)! The standout cuts are the sensual read of Leon Russell's "A Song for You," sung by Aguilera, Simon's jazzed-up revisioning of his "I Do It for Your Love," and Lennox's read of "Hush, Hush, Hush," written by Paula Cole (whatever happened to her?).

The Marvelettes - Forever More: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 2 (Remastered) (2011)

Posted By: Rtax
The Marvelettes - Forever More: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 2 (Remastered) (2011)

The Marvelettes - Forever More: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 2 (Remastered) (2011)
XLD Rip | FLAC (tracks, log) - 1.7 GB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 721 MB
5:11:35 | Scans Included | Rhythm & Blues, Soul | Label: Hip-O Select

The Marvelettes Forever More: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 2 The final albums in a storied career, plus 25 unreleased tracks! When, in 1961, the Marvelettes climbed to the top of the national pop charts with their first single, "Please Mr. Postman," they brought Motown with them, helping to establish the little label from Detroit. That first phase of the group's career was thoroughly chronicled in Forever: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 1, a 3-CD limited edition set that brought together the group's first six albums and every stray single, B-side and rarity from the early era. Now, on the 50th anniversary of "Please Mr. Postman" becoming Motown's first No. 1 hit, comes Forever More: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 2. The 4-CD set, with 108 songs, collects the group's highly sought-after, final four albums, originally released 1967-1970.

The Marvelettes - Forever: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 1 (Remastered) (2009)

Posted By: Rtax
The Marvelettes - Forever: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 1 (Remastered) (2009)

The Marvelettes - Forever: The Complete Motown Albums Vol. 1 (Remastered) (2009)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks, cue, log) - 893 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 515 MB
3:44:57 | Rhythm & Blues, Soul | Label: Hip-O Select

Hip-O Select's 2009 triple-disc set Forever: The Complete Motown Albums, Vol. 1 rounds up all the LPs the Marvelettes released between 1961 and 1963 – 1961's Please Mr. Postman, The Marvelettes Sing, and Playboy both released in 1962, 1963's The Marvelous Marvelettes, and On Stage: Recorded Live – plus the stereo version of 1966's Greatest Hits and a bunch of mono singles and rarities. The Vol. 1 in the set signals that the Marvelettes had a second run at Motown later in the decade, highlighted by the this "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" and "My Baby Must Be a Magician," but this has everything from the band's prime period, running from 1961 to 1965, the time when they rivaled the Supremes as the greatest girl group Motown had to offer.

VA - Respect: A Century of Women in Music (Remastered) (1999)

Posted By: Rtax
VA - Respect: A Century of Women in Music (Remastered) (1999)

VA - Respect: A Century of Women in Music (Remastered) (1999)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks, cue, log) - 1.9 GB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 892 MB
6:28:33 | Jazz, Rock, Latin, Funk, Soul, Blues, Non-Music, Pop, Folk, Country, Stage & Screen | Label: Rhino Entertainment Company

Rhino's five-disc box set Respect: A Century of Women in Music was surely assembled with the best of intentions, but it doesn't quite work. First of all, any collection that focuses solely on "the female contribution" comes off as a little condescending, no matter how good the intentions are. Still, the concept has enough weight to make for at least an interesting listen. However, any compilation that spans nearly 100 years and every conceivable popular musical genre is bound not only to be incomplete, but too sweeping to be totally effective. The scope is impressive, as are the featured artists – think of any major female musician and they're likely to be here, unless it's Joni Mitchell (Kim Gordon and Kim Deal are also missing, as are several other similarly minded post-punk rockers and various pop and folk singer/songwriters, but no omission is as shocking as Mitchell's) – but the overall effect is somewhat bewildering.

VA - Philly Freedom (70s Dance Floor Anthems From The City Of Brotherly Love) (2010)

Posted By: Rtax
VA - Philly Freedom (70s Dance Floor Anthems From The City Of Brotherly Love) (2010)

VA - Philly Freedom (70s Dance Floor Anthems From The City Of Brotherly Love) (2010)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks, cue, log, booklet) - 587 MB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 187 MB
1:20:07 | Soul, Funk, Disco | Label: Harmless

Way more than just the usual Philly grooves – much less the American radio hits that always show up on sets like this, and instead a beautiful batch of soaring east coast soul tracks – just the sort of Philly soul that's played big on dancefloors for decades over in the UK! Some of the artists here are ones you'll know, but are usually represented by some more obscure cuts – mixed together with a few familiar numbers that have become classics over the past few decades, thanks to strong revival in the hands of global DJs! Titles include "Let's Clean Up The Ghetto" by The Philadelphia International All Stars, "Smarty Pants" by First Choice, "Trusting Heart" by The Trammps, "I Trust You" by Billy Paul, "Strut Your Funky Stuff" by Frantique, "Party Time Man" by The Futures, "I Told You So" by The Delfonics, "This Time Baby" by The O'Jays, "Can't Believe That You Love Me" by Bunny Sigler, and "Nobody Could Ever Take Your Place" by Dee Dee Sharp.

Jon Lucien - Rashida (1973) Remastered Reissue 2011

Posted By: Designol
Jon Lucien - Rashida (1973) Remastered Reissue 2011

Jon Lucien - Rashida (1973) Remastered Reissue 2011
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 329 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 148 Mb | Scans included
Soul, Vocal Jazz, Vocal Pop | Label: Big Break | # CDBBR 0032 | 00:47:12

Like Lucien's first effort (1970's I Am Now), Rashida didn't set the world on fire commercially speaking, but it solidified Lucien's status as a purveyor of intelligent romantic ballads and poetic if not gushy lyrics. Even to fans of jazz/R&B/pop, Lucien is a love or hate proposition, and Rashida was the effort that all but etched his persona in stone. Produced by Shep Meyers and Larry Rosen, Rashida, displays Lucien's soothing baritone and romantic nature with much aplomb. As the arranger here, he also shows an immense capacity for melodies. Although this album has a few clunky but danceable tracks, at this point Lucien was much better at handling the ballads. "Kuenda," a mellow, wordless vocal, sets the stage for the album's ambience; "Would You Believe in Me" benefits from Lucien's relentless poesy and a strong idiosyncratic horn arrangement. To a listener, Lucien no doubt might seem like an odd bird, (having a track called "Satan" doesn't help), but often when the arrangements and Lucien's vocals are in sync, he is simply one of the most focused and emotional balladeers to even step in front of a microphone.

VA - Now Dance The 80s (2023)

Posted By: Rtax
VA - Now Dance The 80s (2023)

VA - Now Dance The 80s (2023)
EAC Rip | FLAC (tracks, cue, log) - 2.2 GB | MP3 CBR 320 kbps - 701 MB
5:05:07 | Vocal, Synth-pop, Soul, Pop Rock, Dance-pop | Label: Sony Music

In 1985, NOW Music released ‘NOW Dance: The 12” Mixes’, a 20-track compilation that included the extended or remix versions of some of the biggest recent hits and popular club tracks. This was followed a year later by a second 20-track volume, and in 1989, a third… NOW Music proudly present ‘NOW Dance – The 80s’; a selection of 48 tracks that appeared on those three original ‘NOW Dance’ albums - all in their 12”, extended or remixed versions.

Shemekia Copeland - Talking To Strangers (2002)

Posted By: Designol
Shemekia Copeland - Talking To Strangers (2002)

Shemekia Copeland - Talking To Strangers (2002)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue&Log) ~ 401 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 137 Mb | Scans ~ 42 Mb
Modern Electric Blues, Soul-Blues, R&B | Label: Alligator | # ALCD 4887 | Time: 00:59:45

This disc, which has Dr. John at the controls as a producer, brings together a mix that brings out the best for all those concerned and involved with this project. There is no weakness here, it is a straight-ahead use of all the strengths of Shemekia Copeland, daughter of Johnny Copeland. The songs were well selected to effectively show off all her potency as a vocalist. There are some many good writers that are also players on this disc that the tunes fit like gloves. There are strong contributions by John "Fingers" Hahn, Mac Rebennack, and Shemekia Copeland herself. The tunes, varied in style, are all based in the deep blues, and were selected for their capability to push her vocal talents to constant new personal pinnacles. She keeps it interesting by varying the pace and on "The Push I Need," she sounds right at home singing this funky tune as a duet with Dr. John. She stays with the good Dr. through the tune as if she were doing this everyday. Then she turns around and seems just as comfortable singing "Happy Valentine's Day," as a slow bluesy torch-burner, with minimal accompaniment.

VA - Boss Soul: The Genius Of Barry White (1997)

Posted By: Rtax
VA - Boss Soul: The Genius Of Barry White (1997)

VA - Boss Soul: The Genius Of Barry White (1997)
XLD Rip | FLAC (tracks, cue, log) - 184 MB
43:46 | Soul | Label: Del-Fi Records

Boss Soul: The Genius of Barry White Review by Richie Unterberger
In 1966-67, long before he attained seventies superstardom as a growling bedroom funkster, Barry White gained valuable experience as an A&R man for the Del-Fi label in Los Angeles. This compilation has 16 tracks that he was involved with as producer, engineer, songwriter, and/or session musician, the results appearing on Del-Fi's Bronco and Mustang subsidiaries; note, however, that only five of the cuts are by White himself (including one instrumental and a pre-Del Fi 1965 single released under the pseudonym of Lee Barry). At this time, White was very much under the spell of Motown both as producer and songwriter (he wrote or co-wrote all but two of these tunes). The material, whether by White or other Mustang/Bronco artists Felice Taylor, Viola Wills, and Johnny Wyatt, consists for the most part of very derivative, but nonetheless enjoyable and professional, Motown variations. Felice Taylor's "It May Be Winter Outside," a #42 pop hit in 1966, is the most accurate mid-'60s Supremes imitation bar none, both for Taylor's uncanny Diana Ross-like vocals and the dead-on Motownesque arrangement.