quête:stax

Heavily influenced by Motown and Stax soul sounds, Version is the second studio album by British DJ
and producer Mark Ronson, a triple platinum success in the UK that is by far his most successful and
helped to win him the BRIT Award for Best British Male Solo Artist.
Released in April 2007, it is entirely comprised of carefully selected cover versions produced with an
impressive cast of collaborators (from Ol’ Dirty Bastard to Robbie Williams) that produced three top
ten hit singles: ‘Stop Me’ with Daniel Merriweather, ‘Oh My God’ with Lily Allen and the timeless
Valerie featuring Amy Winehouse.

The Best of Isaac Hayes versammelt 10 gefühlvolle Aufnahmen des unvergleichlichen Künstlers von Stax Records. Als Komponist, Produzent, Sänger und Multiinstrumentalist veränderte Isaac Hayes das Gesicht der Musik in den frühen 1970er Jahren und diese Sammlung ist die perfekte Einführung in seine Musik. Diese Sammlung ist die perfekte Einführung in seine Musik. Sie enthält das Oscar-prämierte „Theme From Shaft“ mit seinem unverwechselbaren Wah-Wah-Gitarren-Intro, „Walk on By“ und „Never Can Say Goodbye“, alle neu gemastert von Paul Blakemore

The wonderfully favourable response to our first CD and double vinyl volume of the original A and B sides of the singles of the late great Isaac Hayes – as originally released on Stax’ Enterprise subsidiary between 1969 and 1972 – has forced us to bring forward, this month, the release of “Hot Buttered Singles 2” to cater for what Ace is sure will be just as great a level of popular demand.

This volume picks up where “Hot Buttered Singles Vol 1” left off with Hayes’ final 45 of 1972, and carries his seven inch story through to 1976 – by which time Stax was defunct, and Hayes’ was on his own Hot Buttered Soul label via ABC Records. It features eight US R&B chart hits including the much sampled ‘Hung Up On My Baby’ and ‘Chocolate Chip’, Hayes’ biggest hit of this period ‘Joy’ and the ever-popular 1976 instrumental ‘Disco Connection’, which finally gave Hayes’ his second UK Top 20 hit after ‘Shaft’.

All tracks match the original single edits, and wherever possible are taken from digital transfers of the original Enterprise singles masters. Where the original 45s came in two parts, they also do so here. And where original singles masters no longer exist, as was the case for two tracks, Ace’s engineers have re-created them beat for beat from the longer album versions. (Have fun guessing which two they were…)

Pressed on clear vinyl. Comes with a printed inner sleeve featuring an exclusive note on Coldwater Stone's legacy. The Holy Grail of Soul Music collecting. Restored to its former glory the album finally gets the respect and reverence it deserves.

One of the most revered and sought-after rare soul albums of the seventies... Freddy Briggs (aka Coldwater Stone) is perhaps best known as the former husband and business partner of the soul songstress Kim Tolliver. However, that is doing him a great injustice. As a writer he penned "Strung Out Over You" for the Dells and Mavis Staples' first solo Stax single "You're Driving Me Into The Arms Of A Stranger". But best of all were his collaborations with long-time friend Darryl Carter for the legendary Margie Joseph. Despite carving a career primarily as a songwriter/ producer, and part-time Cleveland cabbie, Briggs was also an accomplished singer as is exemplified here with his 1973 near-mythical solo LP Defrost Me. This cult classic disappeared into obscurity over 50 years ago, largely due to the financial problems of the record label GSF.

Complete & Unbelievable: The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul was the soul legend's 1966 album (and the last issued in his lifetime). The original album features mostly covers on side one and original compositions by Redding on side two.

The album features musical assistance from Booker T. & the M.G.'s-organist Booker T. Jones, pianist/guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, drummer Al Jackson, Jr.-pianist Isaac Hayes, and the Memphis Horns, consisting of tenor saxophonist Joe Arnold, trumpeter Wayne Jackson, tenor saxophonist Andrew Love and baritone saxophonist Floyd Newman.

The Otis Redding Dictionary of Soul was released in October 1966 on the Stax label and peaked at No. 73 and at No. 5 on the Billboard 200 and the R&B LP charts respectively. The album produced two singles, "Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)" and "Try a Little Tenderness." In 2,000 it was voted No. 488 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1,000 Albums. In 2012, the album was ranked No. 254 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Cut at 45 RPM, pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in a tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jacket by Stoughton Printing.

Soul4Real returns to the south with a selection of eleven songs from Malaco, Muscle Shoals Sound Studios and Alarm Records.
There is no doubt that in the 1970s and 1980s, Malaco in Mississippi and Muscle Shoals Sound in Alabama were both highly significant in defining the southern soul sound. Malaco’s Studio had opened in 1967, while Muscle Shoals Sound Studio opened its doors for business in 1969, when four musicians left nearby Fame Studios to go it alone. Alarm Records, meanwhile, based in Shreveport, Louisiana, provides us with four of the tracks on this album.
Independent producers and major record companies sent their artists south to record, taking advantage of both Malaco and Muscle Shoals Sound’s talented array of musicians, writers and producers. Muscle Shoals Sound, in particular, started to receive artists from Atlantic Records from the get-go; R.B. Greaves, Baby Washington, Sam & Dave and Solomon Burke led the way, along with Scotland’s Lulu. The first relesase on their own record label was the timeless “It Hurts So Good” by Katie Love. Meanwhile, Stax (amongst others) sent some of their artists to record at both studios, and Malaco would also lease some of its own productions out to Atlantic. Alarm Records was a smaller set-up which also produced some wonderful records.
This album opens with the only female singer featured – Dorothy Moore. Her exquisite “Girl Overboard” has been justifiably popular on the soul scene for decades. The other ten tracks showcase an array of fine male singers, most of whom (Bobby Bland and King Floyd aside), sadly and perhaps unjustly, never really made the big time. It is the first showing on vinyl for three of the tracks here (previously having only been issued on CD), and Jimmy Jules’ reading of “Having A Little Talk With Love” has never appeared anywhere before. As always, sit back and savour the music!

First Word Records areproud to present a new double-AA sided collaboration from K S R and Konny Kon (Children of Zeus) - 'Part of the Plan / Faded from the Jump', available on 7" vinyl and digital.

Two of Manchester's finest r&b ambassadors, the duo team up for two tracks displaying very different styles of soul music.

'Part of the Plan' has a timeless classic feel, nodding back to the likes of Stax and Atlantic, akin to the contemporary sound of Daptone artists like Jalen Ngonda or Thee Sacred Souls. Waves crash on the dock of the bay, with [ K S R ]'s soulful tones and Konny's laidback production (accompanied by Son of Zeus, Tyler Daley on the backing vox).

'Faded from the Jump' is another three and a half minutes of bliss, taking on a sound that's more signature to the duo's previous work, individually and collectively, sitting somewhere between future r&b, neo-soul and classic Manny street soul. [ K S R ] again takes the lead on this smoothed-out cut, with Konny behind the boards on production.

[ K S R ] hails from Moss Side and has been steadily building a strong rep for himself over the past few years with a slew of releases, including an EP and several singles via First Word. He was named "R&B act to watch" by Complex, and hand-picked by Mahalia to perform an event she curated personally at London's Jazz Cafe. He's toured with artists including Pip Millet, Etta Bond, Mica Miller & The Mouse Outfit, and also collaborated with various d&b artists, such as Zero T, Lenzman, Searchlight and Makoto. Music aside, [ K S R ] has also been creative ambassador for New Balance, Foot Locker, Nike, Size? and Manchester United.

Konny Kon is best known for being one half of hip hop soul duo, Children of Zeus. With performances for Colors and Soulection, and support from peers Jazzy Jeff, Jazzie B, Loose Ends & countless others, Children of Zeus have released two highly-acclaimed albums and two EPs on Worldwide Award winning-label, First Word. Additionally to writing, performing and producing, Konny is a formidable DJ, hosting a popular monthly show on NTS Radio, and performing at numerous events; most recently supporting Mercury Award-winner's Ezra Collective at every date on their European tour, culminating in a show with Children of Zeus at Wembley Arena, London.

Both artists have had wide support across the board from numerous tastemakers, including 1Xtra, BBC Radio 1, BBC 6 Music, Rinse, Represent, Unity, Mixmag, Notion, Hypebeast and tons more. The duo have previously collaborated on 'All on You' (from the CoZ album 'Travel Light') and single 'CGWY' (from [ K S R ]'s EP 'Peace + Harmony').

This single showcases the vocals of [ K S R ] and the production of Konny Kon to a degree that exudes pure quality and class, exemplifying the power of modern British soul music.

'Part of the Plan / Faded from the Jump' is released on 7" vinyl and digital, 22nd November 2024.

Sechzehn Jahre sind zwar vergangen, seit Isaac Hayes im Alter von nur 65 Jahren viel zu früh verstarb, aber er bleibt einer der beliebtesten und kultigsten Singer/Songwriter/Arrangeure in der Geschichte der Soul-Musik. Die Alben, die Hayes für Stax' Enterprise-Label produzierte, bleiben der Maßstab in Sachen "Symphonic Soul" und klingen auch heute noch genauso atemberaubend brillant wie damals, als sie neu veröffentlicht wurden. Hayes gehörte nicht nur zu einer kleinen Gruppe von Künstlern, die das Wachstum des Soul-Album-Marktes ('Hot Buttered Soul') vorangetrieben haben, sondern war auch ein durchweg erfolgreicher Single-Künstler, der zwischen 1969 und 1976 sechzehn aufeinanderfolgende Singles in den R&B-Charts platzierte - die meisten davon schafften es auch in die Pop-Szene. Die größten Hits wurden bereits früher in Anthologien zusammengestellt, aber 'Hot Buttered Singles' ist die Compilation, die die A- und B-Seiten aller 45er von Hayes aus der "Yellow Stax"-Ära in chronologischer Reihenfolge und in ihren Original-Singleversionen präsentiert. Einige davon sind zuvor noch nie auf CD erschienen. Viele dieser famosen Soul-Tracks gehören zu seinen beliebtesten Aufnahmen, die auch das Soul- und Pop-Radio revolutionierten, darunter das mit Wah-Wah-Intro befeuerte 'Theme From Shaft', 'The Look Of Love', 'Never Can Say Goodbye', 'Walk On By' oder 'By The Time I Get To Phoenix' aus der Feder von Jimmy Webb.
Ausführlich kommentiert und schön illustriert im Booklet und auf CD sowie Doppelvinyl erhältlich!
Die Fortsetzung der Isaac Hayes' Single-Geschichte bis 1977 mit allen frühen Singles auf Ikes eigenem HBS-Label erscheint 2025.

Johnnie Taylor war ein amerikanischer Künstler und Songschreiber, der eine Vielzahl von Genres (u. a.
Blues, R&B und Soul) vertrat. Erste Erfolge feierte er bei Stax Records mit den R&B-Hits „Who’s Making
Love“, „Jody’s Got Your Girl and Gone“ und „I Believe in You (You Believe In Me)“. Er wurde für drei
Grammy-Preise nominiert und 2022 in die Blues Hall of Fame aufgenommen.

‘I Got What You Need’ is the statement from a troubadour coming into town to inform and entertain the people. Bearing songs of soul searching, of spiritual uplift, of tunes to groove to. Equipped with a powerful voice and stinging guitar the troubadour lays down his marker and backs up the statement. Two Times UK Blues Award winner Mississippi MacDonald has it all to play that troubadour as he presents his third album on APM Records. The gravelly Gospel tones on If I Could Only Hear My Mother Pray Again, and the imploring emotion on Your Dreams have MacDonald stretching out vocally. The former song in turn also showcasing another tour de force from regular backing vocalist Lucy Randall. Two self-penned instrumentals pay tribute; 3.35AM, to one of MacDonald’s prime influences Freddie King, and Soul City One to the in-house studio sound of Stax / MacDonald continues to be an excellent interpreter of southern soul and two more songs from the stable of Memphis studio and publishing house Ecko in Hard Luck and Trouble and the title track prove this. So too the band’s take on the R&B classic We’re Gonna Make It which in MacDonald’s hands really swings. Sinking is an epic ballad in which to lose yourself completely. The album is rich in variety, vibe and soulful energy. It’s MacDonald’s Blues and a whole lot more. MacDonald is a guest artist with the ‘Take Me To The River All Stars’, performing on stage at Red Rooster, filmed in session with Eric Gales and Jools Holland, and is filmed again at Royal Studios in Memphis on October 1st. MacDonald and band will perform at the UK Blues Challenge on October 8th, MacDonald is special guest of Visit Mississippi in Liverpool on October 18th when they unveil the first ever Blues Trail marker outside The Cavern. MacDonald will perform with Clarksdale veteran Super Chikan. International PR agent Blind Raccoon has been engaged to promote the new album. Last album ‘Heavy State Loving Blues’ was no. 1 on Roots Music Radio Contemporary Blues, no.1 on the IBBA chart for albums of the year 2023, and top 50 on the US Apple iTunes Blues chart, plus plays and a session on BBC Radio 2 Blues Show (Cerys Mathews). Live shows running up to end of March 2025. A singer/ songwriter from London who speaks quietly but makes music with real gravitas. A rising star since winning Traditional Blues Artist Of The Year and Acoustic Act of the Year at the 2024 UK Blues Awards. MacDonald has released two previous albums on APM Records. ‘Heavy State Loving Blues’ in 2023, and ‘Do Right Say Right’ in 2021- selected as a top 10 Blues album of the year in MOJO.

Repress!

Randy Brown is from Memphis, Tennessee who recorded a body of work on the late 70's and early 80's as a solo artist having left The Newcomers. His soul albums for Parachute, Chocolate City and Stax are highly regarded and sought after. Furthermore his debut single “I’m Always In the Mood” has become a modern soul dancefloor classic, but extremely rare... selling for £200.

Equally anthemic on the dancefloor is “Love is All We Need”, astonishingly never previously available on 7” single until now.

Absolute quality from 1978, a golden era of soul.

Back to Back captures the instrumental aspect of the ’67 Stax-Volt European tour (“Volt” is the name of Stax’s subsidiary label). Immediately apparent is that the live versions of these songs are played much faster than the recorded ones. Exuberant? Definitely! These folks were racing across unfamiliar cultures and landscapes, reimagining their place in this world, looking down at the clouds for the first time. The pace was faster because their lives were — quickly — getting so much larger. In these recordings, you can hear all of that emotional exhilaration, all of that savoring of personal respect, that thrill of the new. Many of these songs were several years old, but they shine on Back to Back like they’re being performed for the first time. Over and over, you hear the musicians throwing in something extra, curlicues and tangents that express their excitement.

Die niederländische Gospel-Soul-Sensation Michelle David & The True-tones feiert eine triumphale Rückkehr nach ihrem 2022er Werk "Truth & Soul", das von BBC Radio 6 zu einem der Alben des Jahres gekürt wurde. Mittelpunkt der Combo ist die ehemalige New Yorker Kirchenchorsängerin Michelle David, bekannt durch erfolgreiche Musicals/Shows (Mama, The Sound Of Motown, Glory Of Gospel, Mahalia) und als Backgroundsängerin (Diana Ross, Michael Bolton). Auf dem live im Studio aufgenommenen Album "Brothers & Sisters" gelingt es der Band wieder meisterhaft, die rohe, dynamische Energie und die gefühlvolle Atmosphäre ihrer Live-Auftritte im Studio einzufangen, wo sie mit peppigen Grooves, kraftvollen Vocals und starken Melodien, inspiriert von altem Gospel über Curtis Mayfield und Bobby Womack bis zu Klassikern des renommierten Stax-Labels, das Publikum in den Bann ziehen.

Over 14 days at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles, Nikka created Pebble to a Pearl- a quintessential collection of soul, blues, funk & pop infused tracks.

Originally recorded and produced by Justin Stanley (James Lidell, Beck), the album was released on Stax Records in 2008.

This timely Deluxe Anniversary Edition features new feel-good funk track ‘Soulsucka’ and will be released alongside Costa's new album 'Dirty Disco' coming June 2024.

Still just 19-years-old, Toby Lee is already a three-time winner of Young Blues Artist of the Year at the UK Blues Awards - yet the virtuoso guitarist is only getting started. Praised as a remarkable talent by the likes of Jools Holland and Joe Bonamassa, 2024 represents a big breakthrough year as Toby releases his first album of all-original material ‘House On Fire’ on October 4th via 100% Records. As you’d expect from someone that The Times hailed as, “One of the best guitarists in Britain,” his six-string talents dazzle throughout with a rich tapestry of scorching leads, evocative melodies and swaggering grooves. Yet his vocals have come on leaps-and-bounds, his maturity and emotional expression providing a voice strong enough to front a band regardless of his guitar skills. His songs and stylistic scope have expanded too, with a set that moves seemingly effortlessly between classic blues jams, punchy hard rock, intimate acoustic moments and a modernist approach to classic soul and Stax-style R&B. It’s all played with a winning combination of youthful abandon and undeniable accomplishment. Toby Lee’s talents have been recognised by an array of legends. When he was 10, a get well soon video that he made for BB King went viral, leading to an invitation from the blues legend’s family to play at his club in Memphis, while the late Bernie Marsden was an early mentor and champion. He subsequently shared the stage with the likes of Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, Slash, Billy Gibbons and Peter Frampton, while enjoying other high profile moments, such as starring in a West End production of ‘School of Rock’, performing with McFly on ‘Tonight at the London Palladium’ and featuring in ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’. Toby has now exceeded 500 million views on social media. His ability has been recognised with numerous endorsements. He has been a Gibson artist since the age of 10, and a recent highlight came when he helped launch Gibson’s custom Jeff Beck ‘YardBurst’ 1959 Les Paul Standard alongside fellow guests including Jimmy Page, Johnny Depp and Graham Coxon. Blackstar Amplification issued his own signature amp, the St James Toby Lee 50 6L6 head and cab, and he is also endorsed by D’Addario Strings.

Still just 19-years-old, Toby Lee is already a three-time winner of Young Blues Artist of the Year at the UK Blues Awards - yet the virtuoso guitarist is only getting started. Praised as a remarkable talent by the likes of Jools Holland and Joe Bonamassa, 2024 represents a big breakthrough year as Toby releases his first album of all-original material ‘House On Fire’ on October 4th via 100% Records. As you’d expect from someone that The Times hailed as, “One of the best guitarists in Britain,” his six-string talents dazzle throughout with a rich tapestry of scorching leads, evocative melodies and swaggering grooves. Yet his vocals have come on leaps-and-bounds, his maturity and emotional expression providing a voice strong enough to front a band regardless of his guitar skills. His songs and stylistic scope have expanded too, with a set that moves seemingly effortlessly between classic blues jams, punchy hard rock, intimate acoustic moments and a modernist approach to classic soul and Stax-style R&B. It’s all played with a winning combination of youthful abandon and undeniable accomplishment. Toby Lee’s talents have been recognised by an array of legends. When he was 10, a get well soon video that he made for BB King went viral, leading to an invitation from the blues legend’s family to play at his club in Memphis, while the late Bernie Marsden was an early mentor and champion. He subsequently shared the stage with the likes of Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, Slash, Billy Gibbons and Peter Frampton, while enjoying other high profile moments, such as starring in a West End production of ‘School of Rock’, performing with McFly on ‘Tonight at the London Palladium’ and featuring in ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’. Toby has now exceeded 500 million views on social media. His ability has been recognised with numerous endorsements. He has been a Gibson artist since the age of 10, and a recent highlight came when he helped launch Gibson’s custom Jeff Beck ‘YardBurst’ 1959 Les Paul Standard alongside fellow guests including Jimmy Page, Johnny Depp and Graham Coxon. Blackstar Amplification issued his own signature amp, the St James Toby Lee 50 6L6 head and cab, and he is also endorsed by D’Addario Strings.

Though she was Stax Records' Queen of Soul (and Otis Redding was her king), there was much more to Carla Thomas. In 1967, even while being promoted by the name of her most recent album, The Queen Alone, she was expanding her sound, developing a cabaret act that showcased a mix of genres and styles and that was built around her beautiful voice. She was exploring new vistas when these two sides were recorded.
Isaac Hayes wrote "Loneliness". Carla's suave delivery evokes Diana Ross, and the shiny brass horns call out a Burt Bacharach arrangement as much as Stax. This is Carla with a nice polish on the groove.
Labelmate and friend Deanie Parker wrote "If It's Not Asking Too Much". A sparer presentation, the organ drives the tango rhythm and also—a second keyboard, I think—swells behind Carla, everything entwining and deepening the song's brooding tone. This is the kind of side that can both start your night or finish it.
Carla Thomas has got it all.

Repress!

Die 12" Version des Jazz-Funk-Disco-Klassikers "To Prove My Love" (1978) des Sängers, Songschreibers und Gitarristen Ned Doheny aus Los Angeles erscheint hier erstmals auf 7" Vinyl, produziert von Steve Cropper von der Stax Records-Hausband Booker T & The MGs.

Delvon Lamarr Organ Trio—or as it is sometimes referred to, DLO3—specialize in the lost art of “feel good music.” The ingredients of this intoxicating cocktail include a big helping of the 1960s organ jazz stylings of Jimmy Smith and Baby Face Willette; a pinch of the snappy soul strut of Booker T. The M.G.’s and The Meters; and sprinkles Motown, Stax Records, blues, and cosmic Jimi Hendrix-style guitar. It’s a soul-jazz concoction that goes straight to your heart and head makes your body break out in a sweat.

The band features organist Delvon Lamarr, a self-taught virtuosic musician, with perfect pitch who taught himself jazz and has effortlessly been able to play a multitude of instruments. On guitar is the dynamo Jimmy James who eases through Steve Cropper-style chanking guitar, volcanic acid-rock freak-out lead playing, and slinky Grant Green style jazz. From Reno, Nevada is drummer Dan Weiss (also of the powerhouse soul and funk collective The Sextones). Dan’s smoldering pocket-groove drumming locks in the trio’s explosive chemistry.

Founded by Lamarr’s wife and manager Amy Novo, the trio started from humble beginnings in 2015, but since then has released two Billboard charting albums and toured the world to sold out venues. The trio returns now with their second studio album, I Told You So, with even heavier grooves and more confidence. It may have been several years since their most recent studio effort, but they haven’t missed a beat.

Bomp Records of Burbank, California was likely the most significant American independent record label of the 1970s. In 1979 Voxx was founded as a subsidiary of Bomp as a specialty label for '60s-styled garage and psychedelic inspired music and was home to the debut album of the Pandoras. The Pandoras really got started back in 1982 when triple threat Paula Pierce (guitar, vocals AND songwriter) met singer and guitarist Debbie Mendoza at Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga, one of those dozens of small communities that make up the greater Los Angeles area. According to stories told around the campfire, Paula had posted an advertisement on the bulletin board inside the college's cafeteria. The ad was both simple and direct: Wanted: female musician to jam with. As legend has it, the ad also stressed a keen interest in 60's garage punk music. Debbie answered Paula's ad, and soon the two girls were bringing guitars to school and holding impromptu jam sessions between classes. A little later that year, Paula brought in Gwynne Kahn on keyboards and second guitar, and Debbie convinced drummer Casey Gomez to join. People who were around at the time pinpoint December 1982 as the official beginning of the Pandoras as a band. The Pandoras didn't waste any time getting down to business. They started gigging regularly, and their repertoire of tasty garage nuggets expanded substantially, fueled both by Paula's talented songwriting and also no doubt by her relationship with Unclaimed frontman Shelley Ganz and his extensive knowledge of obscure 60's gems. The Pandoras unleashed their first recordings on the world in 1983 with the "I'm Here, I'm Gone" EP on Moxie records. It was a meaty slab of girls in the garage punk rock, and while maybe not as polished as subsequent efforts, it clearly showed off the talent of the band. Greg Shaw had been alerted to the band a few months earlier, and always one to know a good thing when he heard it, he quickly signed them. "It's About Time" saw the light of the day in 1984 on Voxx Records and became one of the first and best efforts of authentic 1960's-styled garage punk to emerge from the revival scene. It was pure garage gold! Today, 40 years after its original release date, we are thrilled to reissue this essential '80s garage punk gem as part of a series of releases celebrating Bomp! 50th anniversary. Our issue includes 3 bonus tracks and liner notes by Gravedigger V's John Hanrattie. "Paula Pierce refused to play it cute. On The Pandoras' debut album she out-snarled, out-screamed, out-fuzzed and out araged the male-dominated competition-like a well-aimed go-go boot to the jugular." - Mike Stax, Ugly Things Magazine "As good a '60s punk record as any contemporary combo is likely to make." - Trouser Press

Diese 2-LP-Highlight-Kollektion von Songs aus der umfassenden Memphis- Sammlung enthält neu abgemischte Versionen ausgewählter Aufnahmen, pur und ohne Overdubs. Dieses 2LP-Set führt den Hörer durch die vielen Aufnahmen, die Elvis während seiner Zeit in Memphis gemacht hat. Es versammelt Songs, die bei SUN Records, American Studio und Stax Sessions aufgenommen wurden, seine Show in seiner Heimatstadt 1974 und seine letzten Aufnahmen in Graceland.

Collection of songs taken from the comprehensive "Memphis" release featuring newly mixed versions of select recordings, pure and without overdubs. Taking listeners through the many recordings Elvis had done while in Memphis, this set collects songs recorded at SUN Records, American Studio and Stax sessions, his 1974 hometown show and his last recordings in Graceland. Double Black LP Vinyl & Deluxe x5 CD Box-set formats.

Two times UK Blues Award winner second album for APM Records released on CD. HSLB carries the narrative of a bluesman upto no good who when his world falls apart, admits what he’s done and atones. Produced by Phil Dearing (Eliza Carthy, Gretchen Peters, Lauran Cantrell). Features special guest Vaneese Thomas (daughter of Rufus and sister to Carla Thomas). Radio for HSLB : no.1 IBBA radio chart two months running , Top 50 iTunes Blues album chart (US) / no.3 Roots Music Report Blues Album (Global)/ no.1 Roots Music Report Blues song ‘Blind Leading The Blind’ (Global) / Top10 Living Blues radio chart (US) / Top 20 National College Radio (US), airplay on 50 stations (US) / airplay in Netherlands, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Croatia, France, Italy, Germany, Israel Press for HSLB : Blues In Britain front cover, reviews Blues Matters, Blues in Britain, Rock & Reel, Living Blues (US), Blues Blast (US), Charlotte Blues Society (US), Blues Roadhouse (US), Big City R&B (US) Bluestown (NL) “Mississippi MacDonald riffs like a fabulous Albert King circa his Stax days”. • Mississippi MacDonald is playing: Love Fields Stage-Glastonbury, Linton Blues Festival, Dereham Blues Festival, Brightlingsea Festival, Over The Hill Festival, Mississippi MacDonald won Traditional Blues Artist of the Year 2024 and Acoustic Blues Artist of the Year 2024 at the UK Blues Awards in April. HSLB Nominated for UK Blues album of the year

Burning Hell was recorded in 1959 in Detroit, MI, but wasn't released until 1964. Even then, it was only available in the U.K.. This 180-gram vinyl pressing marks the first official single LP worldwide release the album has seen. Pressed at QRP as part of the Bluesville Records / Acoustic Sounds series, the album features Hooker solo as he plays originals and classics. AllMusic states that, on this album, "Hooker shows himself to be an excellent interpreter who could have held his own with Delta bluesmen of any era."

Craft Recordings, in partnership with Acoustic Sounds, is releasing Burning Hell as part of the Bluesville Series. Bluesville is a brand-new hub for all things blues, including vinyl reissues, curated playlists, and more! Inspired by the original label imprint established under Prestige Records in 1959, the Bluesville Series will highlight the many trailblazing musicians who contributed to the rich tradition of the blues, including titles from legendary artists on labels such as Vee-Jay, Riverside, Vanguard, Stax, and Rounder Records.

The albums in the Bluesville Series are pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings and feature all-analog (AAA) mastering by Grammy-nominated engineer Matthew Lutthans at The Mastering Lab at Blue Heaven Studios, plus a tip-on jacket and obi strip with notes written by Grammy-winning producer, writer and musician Scott Billington.

MERMAID'S TAILS ist ein kraftvoller Mid-Tempo-Track mit Deep-Soul-Flavour, Psyche-Einflüssen und einem starken Hip-Hop-Feeling. Der Song führt die Hörer durch die verträumten Sehnsüchte der perfekten Liebe. Die Melodie und der Text sind sowohl poetisch als auch trivial. Der Track verschmilzt Fantasie und Realität in einer Psyche Soul Stimmung. Der Bass ist schwer und tief, das Schlagzeug klingt wie ein Hip Hop Sample, während das Rhodes und die Gitarren satt sind. Zusammen mit dem Fuzz-Gegengesang und den Flötenimprovisationen bilden sie die perfekte Musik zu Rachel Yarabous intensiver und doch sehr sanfter Stimme.

KICK OFF THE ROAD ist ein Uptempo-Song mit bluesigen Strophen, einem starken, treibenden Beat und einem schweren, stampfenden Bass.
Sie führen uns zum funkigen Refrain voller Orgelschläge und Drum-Breaks. Das Stax-Feeling der Band vermischt sich mit den Einflüssen von James Brown bis zur Bridge, die den Song in eine erhabene, psychedelische Klammer treibt. In diesem Song singt Rachel Yarabou die Geschichte eines Mädchens, das seinen eigenen Weg gehen will und es vorzieht, die Straße zu verlassen, bis sie am Ziel ist. Christelle Amoussou, die Songwriterin der Band, schenkt uns eine weitere Soul-Hymne für die Freiheit und die Emanzipation der Frau.

Die Loons aus Südkalifornien spielen seit mehr als 25 Jahren ihre ganz eigene Art von psychedelischem Garage- und Freakbeat. Mit ,Memories Have Faces" haben sie ihr bisher eindrucksvollstes Werk geschaffen, zusammen mit einer klasse Version von ,Cries from the Midnight Circus" von den Pretty Things. Gegründet in San Diego, haben The Loons fünf Alben und eine Reihe von Singles aufgenommen und veröffentlicht und sind in mehr Städten auf der ganzen Welt aufgetreten, als sie zählen können. Sie haben mit Ikonen der 60er Jahre wie Glenn Ross Campbell von The Misunderstood, Dick Taylor von The Pretty Things, Randy Holden von The Sons of Adam und Blue Cheer und Michael Stuart-Ware von Love zusammengearbeitet. Mike Stax, der auch die Zeitschrift Ugly Things herausgibt, ist der Leadsänger. Anja Stax spielt Bass und singt Backing Vocals. Marc Schroeder und Chris Marsteller spielen Gitarren, und Chris Cancelliere sitzt am Schlagzeug. Mike Stax war bereits ein Veteran in mehreren anderen Bands aus San Diego, darunter The Crawdaddys und The Tell-Tale Hearts, als er 1997 die Loons gründete. Ebbot Lundberg von The Soundtrack of Our Lives produzierte das Debütalbum der Gruppe, ,Love's Dead Leaves", das 1998 bei Get Hip Records erschien. "A perfect pairing of Love-influenced garage-psych and British underground in the mould of the Pretty Things played with preternatural style and ability." - Shindig Magazine "Fantastically talented - as a group and individually, they've worked so hard at their passion _ It has been one of the highlights of my life to have been involved with them." - Glenn Ross Campbell, the Misunderstood

Limitierte farbige Splatter Vinyl-LP! Die Loons aus Südkalifornien spielen seit mehr als 25 Jahren ihre ganz eigene Art von psychedelischem Garage- und Freakbeat. Mit ,Memories Have Faces" haben sie ihr bisher eindrucksvollstes Werk geschaffen, zusammen mit einer klasse Version von ,Cries from the Midnight Circus" von den Pretty Things. Gegründet in San Diego, haben The Loons fünf Alben und eine Reihe von Singles aufgenommen und veröffentlicht und sind in mehr Städten auf der ganzen Welt aufgetreten, als sie zählen können. Sie haben mit Ikonen der 60er Jahre wie Glenn Ross Campbell von The Misunderstood, Dick Taylor von The Pretty Things, Randy Holden von The Sons of Adam und Blue Cheer und Michael Stuart-Ware von Love zusammengearbeitet. Mike Stax, der auch die Zeitschrift Ugly Things herausgibt, ist der Leadsänger. Anja Stax spielt Bass und singt Backing Vocals. Marc Schroeder und Chris Marsteller spielen Gitarren, und Chris Cancelliere sitzt am Schlagzeug. Mike Stax war bereits ein Veteran in mehreren anderen Bands aus San Diego, darunter The Crawdaddys und The Tell-Tale Hearts, als er 1997 die Loons gründete. Ebbot Lundberg von The Soundtrack of Our Lives produzierte das Debütalbum der Gruppe, ,Love's Dead Leaves", das 1998 bei Get Hip Records erschien. "A perfect pairing of Love-influenced garage-psych and British underground in the mould of the Pretty Things played with preternatural style and ability." - Shindig Magazine "Fantastically talented - as a group and individually, they've worked so hard at their passion _ It has been one of the highlights of my life to have been involved with them." - Glenn Ross Campbell, the Misunderstood

From the bouncy, catchy acts at Motown (like The Temptations, The Marvelettes, and Stevie Wonder), to the horn-driven, gritty soul of Stax/Volt (such as Otis Redding and Booker T. & The MG’s), there was much diversity within classic soul. This essential LP edition contains 25 of the most legendary original songs of the idiom. If you’re looking for a way to start a soul music collection on vinyl, this would be a fantastic set to begin with. Here you can find the most influential artists, from the genre’s inception in the 1950s until 1962. The track listing covers the period when R&B was giving way to soul music. It includes smashes and classic soul anthems by such celebrated figures as Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Ike & Tina Turner, Ben E. King, and Marvin Gaye, to name a few. The underlying virtues of the R&B/soul music exposed here are represented by a direct emotional delivery, a pride and artistic integrity, and a feeling within the music which transmits itself to the listener. You can call it soul or R&B, it can be more or less intense, lively or educational, but it has to have those ingredients to truly succeed. From the explosion and growth of American soul, and its lasting impact upon the U.S. charts since then, this defining era is still regarded as one of history’s greatest musical movements. All of this remastered material represents a formidable slice of American popular culture, allowing listeners to experience some of the finest and most emblematic tunes of the soul genre.

An R&B band formed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, in 1961. The members were lead vocalist and guitarist Harvey Scales (b. 1941, Arkansas, USA), Monny Smith, Bill Purtie, Rudy Jacobs, Al Vance, Bill Stonewall and Ray Armstead. Superstar James Brown was sweeping the charts in the late 60s with his new kind of hard soul called ‘funk’, and under his influence, Harvey Scales And The Seven Sounds, like numerous other groups at that time, made their presence felt recording new funk sounds. The group’s one hit, ‘Get Down’ (number 32 R&B, 1967), was recorded on Lenny LeCour’s Magic Touch label. The b-side, ‘Love-itis’, was later recorded by the rock group J. Geils Band. After signing with Chess Records, Scales and his group had a regional hit with the LeCour-produced ‘The Yolk’ in 1969. Later, under the aegis of Detroit producer Don Davis, the group recorded for Stax Records with little success. In 1976, for southern soul hit-maker Johnnie Taylor, Scales co-wrote the massive hit ‘Disco Lady’. That success secured Scales a recording contract with Casablanca, with whom the artist released two albums. Scales was still recording in the early 90s.

Analogue Productions (Atlantic 75 Series) Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of Atlantic Records! 180-gram 45 RPM double LP Mastered by Bernie Grundman from the original analog tape Contains Otis Redding's posthumous hit "Sittin' On the Dock Of the Bay" Appeared on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, rated 161/500! Pressed at Quality Record Pressings Gatefold old-style "tip-on" jacket by Stoughton Printing Hybrid Mono SACD Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman The guts of the story are this: While on tour with the Bar-Kays in August 1967, Otis Redding's popularity was rising, and he was inundated with fans at his hotel in downtown San Francisco. Looking for a retreat, he accepted rock concert impresario Bill Graham's offer to stay at his houseboat at Waldo Point in Sausalito, California. Inspired, Redding started writing the lines, "Sittin' in the morning sun, I'll be sittin' when the evening comes" and the first verse of a song, under the abbreviated title "Dock of the Bay." He had completed his famed performance at the Monterey Pop Festival just weeks earlier. While touring in support of the albums King & Queen (a collaboration with female vocalist Carla Thomas) and Live in Europe, he continued to scribble lines of the song on napkins and hotel paper. In November of that year, he joined producer and esteemed soul guitarist Steve Cropper at the Stax recording studio in Memphis, Tennessee, to record the song. Cropper remembers: "Otis was one of those the kind of guy who had 100 ideas. ... He had been in San Francisco doing The Fillmore. And the story that I got he was renting boathouse or stayed at a boathouse or something and that's where he got the idea of the ships coming in the bay there. And that's about all he had: 'I watch the ships come in and I watch them roll away again.' I just took that... and I finished the lyrics. If you listen to the songs I collaborated with Otis, most of the lyrics are about him. ... Otis didn't really write about himself but I did. Songs like 'Mr. Pitiful,' 'Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song)'; they were about Otis and Otis' life. 'Dock of the Bay' was exactly that: 'I left my home in Georgia, headed for the Frisco Bay' was all about him going out to San Francisco to perform." Redding and Cropper completed the song in Memphis on Dec 7, 1967 with tragedy, unknowingly, looming. Just two days later Redding lost his life on a routine commute to a performance when the small plane he was in crashed. The other victims of the disaster were four members of the Bar-Kays — guitarist Jimmy King, tenor saxophonist Phalon Jones, organist Ronnie Caldwell, and drummer Carl Cunningham; their valet, Matthew Kelly and pilot Fraser. Cropper and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn completed the music and melancholic lyrics of "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay' which was taken from the sessions — Redding's final recorded work. Cropper added the distinct sound of seagulls and waves crashing to the background. This is what Redding had wanted to hear on the track according to Cropper who remembered Redding recalling the sounds he heard when he wrote the song on the houseboat. One of the most influential soul singers of the 1960s, Redding exemplified to many listeners the power of Southern "deep soul" — hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, and an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads. At the time of his tragic death he was 26. ‘(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay’ was released just a month following Redding’s death and became his only ever single to reach number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in January 1968. The album, which shared the song's title, became his largest-selling to date, peaking at No. 4 on the pop albums chart. "Dock of the Bay" was popular in countries across the world and became Redding's most successful record, selling more than 4 million copies worldwide. The song went on to win two Grammy Awards: Best R&B Song and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. With the album, Redding confirmed himself as a talent lost far too soon. All the hallmarks of a top-notch Analogue Productions reissue are here for you to savor: Mastered directly from the original master tape by Bernie Grundman and cut at 45 RPM. Pressed on 180-gram vinyl at Quality Record Pressings, and housed in tip-on old style gatefold double pocket jackets with film lamination by Stoughton Printing.

This is the first album of Mickey Stevenson’s Venture material. ‘Funky Way’ was the label’s first release and a hit in 1967, despite limited airplay due to having the word “funky” in the title. It went on to become an early funk classic, covered by Rufus Thomas for Stax, Tommy Strand for Fame, Jimmy Bee for Kent, Ray Johnson and others.











[i] 09 Tryin' To Fly My Kite [In Rainy Weather]

It would be difficult to find a band that is more self-aware than longtime touring band Lucero. Since forming in Memphis in the late 90's, Lucero’s base musical hallmarks have remained similar to the band’s initial sound established with their first record The Attic Tapes. In the history of their expansive discography, Lucero has evolved and embraced everything from southern rock to Stax-inspired Memphis soul, whilst simultaneously maintaining their distinctive sonic foundations. Years later, dedicated fans of the group still flock to hear the band's punchy driving rhythms, punk-rooted guitar licks, and Iyrics that evoke the whiskey drenched sentimentality of Americana singer-songwriters. For their twelfth record, Should've Learned by Now, Lucero drew on a lot of work from their past. Literally. By adapting songs and guitar parts that had been left over from the group’s previous two albums, Lucero was able to construct one of its most comprehensive works to date. “I had a particular sound | was looking for on each record and there was no room for any goofy tock & roll or cute witticisms or even simply upbeat songs.” Said primary lyricist and frontman, Ben Nichols. “But now finally, it was time to revisit all of that stuff and get it out in the world, That's how we got to the appropriately for-us titled album Should've Learned by Now. The album is basically about how we know we are fuckups and I guess we are ok with that.” Produced by Grammy Award-winning engineer, Matt Ross-Spang, the album is a punchy, rock and roll record that utilizes the more mature production stylings the group developed over time, and combines it with the first-person introspectiveness that the band is known and loved for. From its original Ben Nichols-designed cover art to its credits, the album is a reflection of a band that knows itself, Should've Learned by Now bridges the gap musically between “old Lucero” and “new Lucero” in a manner which affixes the band’s position as the perfect intersection of punk initiative with hard-earned artistry. It's an album that recognizes the past in its sound and content, but leaves the door wide open to the future and for the lessons still in store

Detroit music legend, Marcus Malone and Dan Smith of The Noisettes reveal their awesome new collaborative long player, ‘Interstate 75’, on Ramrock Red Records, loaded with 60’s style Rhythm and Blues, old school Soul and back to the future Funk. Across the album there’s 10 incredible songs loaded with finger snapping beats, hip swaying grooves, infectious brass and raw, soul-drenched vocals, all written and performed with the highest level of musicianship. From the empowering opening track, ‘Ain’t No Telling’ to the groovilicious album title ‘Interstate 75’, and the irresistibly funky ‘Other Side Of The River’, this stunning set of work joins the musical dots between 60’s Stax, Motown and Cadet, along with early 70’s Funk of Sly and The Family Stone and Eugene McDaniels, creating an instantaneous authentic classic vibe.

“I’ve got a future Blues classic on my hands with an indefinable time scale – it could’ve been recorded in the mid 70’s and feels like an instant crate diggers delight!” – Jo Wallace (Ramrock Records)

The debut album of soul singer, Maiiah is also the third full-length by Hamburg collective, Angels of Libra, following on from the success of their collaboration with Irish singer, Nathan Johnston.

Maiiah is a singer with roots in the Balkans but residing in Düsseldorf, the city of the legendary Unique Club and the label of the same name. Soul left its mark on her early on, and when she met Hamburg producer, musician and composer Dennis Rux (Hamburg Spinners/Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Studios) during the pandemic, the two realized they shared a similar musical vision. Their common love of soul music and old rhythm & blues brought them together, and they started recording music together in Hamburg with the Angels of Libra. Lo and behold, their first single together "Obey" got into rotation at tastemaker station Radioeins and confirmed them as a winning team.



Following in the footsteps of many a classic soul tune, second single, "No No No (I'm So Broke)" is a social critique and commentary. In it Maiiah literally wears her heart on her sleeve, as she sings about the back- breaking job she was working at the time and the poor earnings as a hotel service employee.



But naturally life has more to offer than just work and so a large part of the songs on this record revolve around love. Maiiah gives her own spin to the classic "I'm A Good Woman", which the spirited singer has performed live many times. The story goes that the late DJ and Unique Records label owner Henry Storch sent Maiiah the original song by Barbara Lynn to comfort her after a heavy heartbreak. The song thus holds a very important place in Maiiah's heart, and it was released as the third advance single, recorded during her tour with Nathan Johnston at Bekegg Studios in Rastede, Lower Saxony.



With Dennis Rux at her side and the powerful arrangements of the Angels of Libra, Maiiah has found the right partners for her personal debut. On "Kava" & "Plenty of Life", Hamburg's jack-of-all-trades Carsten Meyer aka Erobique is featured as a guest on the keyboards, so here the rhythm section of the Hamburg Spinners comes together again. The love for old soul, rhythm & blues and the analog sound of the sixties is also fully expressed on this album. The longings and deep feelings in Maiiah's lyrics are carefully picked up musically, whether as a classic R&B song as in "Please Come Home" or in boogaloo party mode as in the Croatian-sung "Kava", the fourth single. "Plenty of Life" is a song for self-cheering and a call to open up to the beautiful sides of life despite all adversity. In "I wanna go", on the other hand, Maiiah longs for her Croatian homeland. The crowning finale of the album is the intense "Infinity" about life's phases and the recurring ups and downs as the essence of human existence.



The ingredients of Maiiah and the Angels of Libra's recipe are authentic lyrics, to the point arrangements, tight horns, rousing background vocals and the spirit of the golden age of soul music, as it was shaped by labels like Motown and Stax. Recorded in part with original equipment from the 50s. Producer Dennis Rux says, "We wanted to create a record that people would go dance to at the Komet" (a neighborhood club on St. Pauli in Hamburg, the band's second home). The joint album combines the Hamburg soul of the Angels of Libra with the passion of Maiiah, who can fully live out her temperament on the mic.

On his third voyage as Skyway Man, artist + producer James Wallace is still seeking answers beyond the stars and still coming back with more questions in the form of ten brilliant songs. On its surface, 'Flight of the Long Distance Healer' registers as another concept album replete with aliens and alternative philosophy, but this time around, Wallace coats the glass with a vital layer of self-reflection. Like a West Coast Dr. John—but more preoccupied with flying saucers than voodoo dolls—Skyway Man is in the business of opening new aural worlds, cracking open reality just enough to get the message through. 'Flight of the Long Distance Healer' sparkles and blinks, whispers and moans—hugely enjoyable music rendered in imaginative and gleaming style. There are hints of the polyrhythmic cinematic sensibility from Wallace’s contributions to the Joe Pera television series, rhythms of the Stax-inspired Spacebomb house band, and ripples of the current East Bay scene outside San Francisco. In a real showcase for the extended Skyway Man family, Wallace has coaxed personal and masterful performances from the likes of Erin Rae, Vetiver’s Andy Cabic, pedal steel wizard Spencer Cullum, Kelly McFarling, and more. Cooking up genres in such a way as to keep their nutrients intact; he packs prog, blues, glam rock, acid folk, swamp boogie, and future folk into a beautiful Martian bouillon.

Get Up! ist ein moderner Blues-Klassiker in der großen, aber allzu seltenen Tradition der Zusammenarbeit von Künstlern auf einem ganzen Album. Harpers zwölftes Studioalbum, das 2013 bei Stax Records erschienen ist, vereint Gospel, Roots, Country und R&B. Die fließende Chemie zwischen den beiden Künstlern trägt dazu bei, dass sich sein vielschichtiges Werk wie nie zuvor entfaltet. Harper, Musselwhite und die Band (Gitarrist Jason Mozersky, Bassist Jesse Ingalls und Schlagzeuger Jordan Richardson) spielen diesen intensiven und emotionalen Song-Zyklus mit sparsamer Härte.

Get Up! wurde von Harper produziert, wobei der Tontechniker Sheldon Gomberg, die Bandmitglieder und der GRAMMY©-prämierte Roots Musikproduzent Chris Goldsmith als Co-Produzenten fungierten. Das Album erreichte Platz 27 der Billboard 200 Charts und debütierte auf Platz 1 der Blues-Album-Charts. Das Album wurde mit einem GRAMMY© für das beste Blues-Album ausgezeichnet und ”You Found Another Lover (I Lost Another Friend)” wurde mit Gold zertifiziert.

Das Album erscheint als Vinyl.

Produced by legendary rock historian and Bomp! Label founder GREG SHAW, the Los Angeles all-female combo delivers a neo-60's garage punk classic.

"Paula Pierce refused to play it cute. On the Pandoras' debut album she outsnarled, out- screamed, out- fuzzed and out araged the male- dominated competition--like a well-aimed go-go boot to the jugular." - Mike Stax

Johnnie Taylor was an accomplished soul artist despite having little instrumental skill and he rarely wrote any of his own material. He was known variously as the ‘Blues Wailer’ and the ‘Philosopher Of Soul’ and recorded over 30 albums and 120 singles throughout a career that cemented his status as one of the leading male soul vocalists during the late sixties and throughout the seventies.

He started his recording career mid-50s with the doo-wop group The Five Echoes and gospel groups The Highway Q.C.’s and then in 1957, The Soul Stirrers, replacing Sam Cooke who had left the group for a solo career. Taylor followed that path a few years later signing for Cooke’s SAR label. and had a minor hit in 1962 with “Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day”.

in 1964 he moved to Stax Records where he started as a blues artist enjoying many fruitful years, most notably with “Who’s Making Love” selling more than a million copies. Following the unfortunate demise of Stax in 1976 he moved to Columbia Records where he went platinum with the hit “Disco Lady” (ironically not a disco track at all) and the album from which it came ‘Eargasm’ (1976) was a commercial peak he would never scale again. However, he continued with many collectable releases before moving to Beverly Glen Music in the early eighties and then Malaco Records in 1984, where his style became the more soul-blues based sound that was synonymous with the label. He remained with them until he died of a heart attack in Dallas aged 66 in 2000.

“Let’s Get Back On” Track comes from the CD ‘Gotta Get The Groove Back’ (1999) produced (and co-written with Charlie Brooks) by Frederick Knight, who also used the same backing track some 7 years later with his production of the David Sea track “Stay In My Arms” which was a modern soul favourite and will help to register the significance of this earlier production. It is now available as a vinyl release for the first time. It was taken from his final album although Malaco released ‘There’s No Good In Goodbye’ posthumously in 2003.
Robert Calvin Brooks, known professionally as Bobby “Blue” Bland spent his early career in Memphis, developing a sound that mixed gospel with blues and R&B and was known as the ‘Lion Of The Blues ‘and the ‘Sinatra Of The Blues’. His father abandoned the family not long after his birth and he acquired his name from his stepfather, Leroy Bland. His formative musical years were centered around the Beale Street scene and he was scouted by Ike Turner for Modern Records.

His progress was interrupted by a two year stint in the US Army and when he returned to Memphis he signed for Duke Records, run by Don Robey. Bland was illiterate and Robey helped him sign his contract which only gave him half a cent per record sold instead of the industry standard of 2 cents. He had his first hit in 1957 and continued a successful run of R&B chart entries without breaking through into the mainstream markets and was ranked number 13 of the all time chart-topping artists in Joel Whitburn’s “Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-1995”.

Duke Records sold out to ABC and with them he managed to return to the R&B charts but he still couldn’t succeed in the pop charts. In 1985 Bland signed for Malaco who were specialists in the Southern black music sound and he recorded many albums and toured for them, frequently with B.B. King, and was inducted into the ‘Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame’ in 1992.

Whilst “Heart Open Up Again” was a vinyl release in 1985 it was not chosen to be the single release from the Tommy Couch & Wolf Stephenson produced album Members Only (1985). This beautiful ballad, penned by George Jackson/Robert Miller/Michael Wooten, was never before released as a single and is a fabulous pairing with the topside – two of the best from two of the all-time greats.

Guitar Legend! Songwriting Legend! Producer Legend! Blues Brother & Stax Legend!

Like the first words of a book, the opening notes of an album can make you lean in. Sometimes it’s like meeting a stranger who later becomes a lifelong friend, or on rare occasions, a spouse. Please drop your stylus on this record and say hello to your new best friend. Hear the confidence, hear the tone, feel the vibe.
—Robert Gordon (from his liner notes)

As a founding member of Stax house band Booker T. & The M.G.’s, Steve Cropper was involved in some of the most important music of the 1960s as a player, songwriter, and producer. The following decade introduced him to a new group of fans as guitarist for The Blues Brothers, appearing on both their records and film. A two-time Grammy® winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, Cropper has been an integral thread in the cloth of American music, writing, playing and producing into the 21st century to this very day.

In 1969, Cropper released his first solo album, producing and arranging its eleven tracks himself. His backing band? While there is no actual record of who played on the album itself, Grammy® winner Robert Gordon’s liner notes point to his fellow M.G.’s, Buddy Miles, Jim Keltner, the Bar-Kay’s James Alexander, and more as candidates. From original tracks to its well-known covers (including The Beatles classic the release shares its name with), it is a tour de force of pure Memphis rock and soul.

The core eleven tracks now appear again on an all-analog cut, new pressing of the LP as With A Little Help From My Friends returns for a new generation to experience. The CD version contains a whopping eight bonus tracks, including four tracks not included on the original release and alternate versions of four that do. Add in Robert Gordon’s notes and this release is as much a history lesson as it is a timepiece of pure musical magic.

Carole Kings klassisches Weihnachtsalbum "A Holiday Carole" erschien 2011. Die 12 Songs des von ihrer Tochter Louise Goffin produzierten Albums vereinen kunstvoll das Spirituelle und das Weltliche mit einer bunten Mischung aus Christmas-Klassikern und neu geschriebenen Songs. Goffin hat drei Titel des Albums mitgeschrieben, darunter "Christmas in Paradise", bei dem sie mit den Grammy-Preisträgern George Noriega und Jodi Marr zusammengearbeitet hat, die erhabene Goffin/Marr-Komposition "Christmas In The Air" und das tief bewegende "New Year's Day", das sie gemeinsam mit dem renommierten Songschreiber Guy Chambers geschrieben hat. "Als erfahrene Produzentin", erinnert sich King, "war Louises erste Frage an mich als Künstlerin: 'Welche Songs magst du?'" Nachdem sie eine Liste ihrer Favoriten zusammengestellt hatte, machte sich Goffin auf die Suche nach ungewöhnlicheren Stücken und stieß dabei auf Stücke wie den Stax-Klassiker Every Day Will Be Like A Holiday" von William Bell & Booker T. Jones. King drückt der Musik ihren eigenen, unverwechselbaren Stempel auf und verleiht ihr ein weihnachtliches Flair. Für King ist der emotionale Höhepunkt des Albums zweifellos "Chanukah Prayer". "Louise hatte die brillante Idee, das Chanukka-Gebet zu nehmen, das ich von meinen Eltern gelernt habe und sie von ihren Eltern, und zwar über Generationen hinweg", erklärt sie. "Sie sagte: 'Ich möchte dich aufnehmen, wie du das singst, und ich werde einen Song darum herum komponieren.'" Das Ergebnis ist ein warmes, von Jazz geprägtes Stück, das drei Generationen gesanglich vereint: King, ihre Tochter und ihren Enkelsohn.