Between his various standards albums of the '90s and the heavily collaborational Anutha Zone from 1998, by the end of the millennium it'd been nearly a decade since Dr. John's last record of straight-ahead New Orleans R&B. Creole Moon rectifies that situation nicely - it's "a personal interpretation of New Orleans" (as he says in the liner notes), and these 14 vignettes of New Orleans life are soaked in Crescent City soul. Creole Moon is also a return to the sound of his classic mid-'70s records (Dr. John's Gumbo, In the Right Place), right from the spidery electric piano and testifying back-up vocals on the opener "You Swore." Most of his band, the Lower 9-11 Musician Vocaleers, have been playing with him for close to 20 years, and provide solid accompaniment…

Although Idris Muhammad was employed as a sideman on his share of soul-jazz sessions in the '70s, the drummer hasn't been terribly visible as a leader. So it came as a pleasant surprise when, in 1993, he sat in the driver's seat for My Turn, a decent collection of jazz-pop, soul-jazz, and R&B employing such big names as Grover Washington, Jr. (tenor and soprano sax), Randy Brecker (trumpeter and flügelhorn), Hiram Bullock (electric guitar), and Bob James (electric keyboards). Not unlike the type of project Muhammad would have gone for in the '70s, My Turn is far from straight-ahead hard bop but isn't a so-called "elevator jazz" date either. R&B, pop, and funk considerations are emphasized, but not at the expense of improvisational freedom. Washington and Brecker get in some inspired solos on tunes ranging from pianist Neal Creqe's funky "Dracula" to Washington's congenial "Happenstance," and Muhammad does a nice job combining pop and soul's accessibility with jazz's spontaneity. Those who like their crossover meaty instead of fluffy should enjoy this CD.

2014 remastered and expanded two CD edition of her 1988 album originally a UK-only release that marked Zadora's return to the pop/dance fold after achieving credibility with her readings of R&B standards. The Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis' production is slick at times but the songs are well-crafted. Up-tempo numbers comprise with the understated 'Still Remembered' and pulsating 'Dance Out of My Head' making the strongest impressions. However, it's the ballads that Zadora is most comfortable with, and the standout is 'Since I've Been Lovin' You.' a calming number built simply on keyboard layering's and Zadora's vocal, it exemplifies her penchant for subtle R&B styling's and strays from the massive production of several other cuts. 'Silence' is a close match, demonstrating her proficiency in the soprano range. The track listing is evenly split between energetic dance-pop numbers and sullen R&B ballads. From the kinetic, catchy 'Laughin' at You' to the pensive, romantic 'Since I've Been Lovin' You,' this set effectively captures many moods in one listen. The bonus disc includes rare tracks and remixes.

54 tracks, 3 CD nostalgic collection to bring back fond memories from the golden decade of the seventies. Features Manhattan Transfer, Leo Sayer, Donna Summer, ELO, Kiki Dee, 10CC, Cliff Richard, Minnie Riperton, Andrew Gold, Demis Roussos, Boz Scaggs, Eric Carmen, Crystal Gayle, Sally Oldfield, Tina Charles, David Soul, Art Garfunkel & many more.

Besides recording several respected EPs for Chain Reaction under the confusingly titled production concern known as Various Artists, Berlin's Torsten Pröfrock co-owns (with Sasha Brauer) Din Records, home to releases by excellent, respected producers Monolake, Pole, and Arovane. Pröfrock entered the Berlin electronics scene first by shopping at the Berlin record store Hard Wax while working toward his economics degree. By 1994, he worked at Hard Wax as well, growing closer to the store's base for legendary productions on the Basic Channel/Chain Reaction family of labels. Pröfrock also began producing and released his first Various Artists project, 1995's 1-7, on Chain Reaction. (He also recorded two singles for the label as Resilient and Erosion.) The continuation piece 8, 8.5, 9 appeared on England's Fat Cat label in 1997, highlighting the producer's subtle ambient sense and reliance on a restrictive frequency range – all middles, no highs or lows. Later that year, Chain Reaction compiled his work on the Decay Product compilation, and Fat Cat expanded 8, 8.5, 9 to an EP for Profrock's second CD release.

Back to Black is the second and final studio album by English singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse, released on 27 October 2006 by Island Records. The album spawned five singles: "Rehab", "You Know I'm No Good", "Back to Black", "Tears Dry on Their Own" and "Love Is a Losing Game". Back to Black was acclaimed by music critics, who praised Salaam Remi and Mark Ronson's production, as well as Winehouse's songwriting and emotive singing style. At the 50th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony, Back to Black won Best Pop Vocal Album and was also nominated for Album of the Year. At the same ceremony, Winehouse won four additional awards meaning that she ties with five other artists as the second-most awarded female in a single ceremony. The album was also nominated at the 2007 Brit Awards for MasterCard British Album and was shortlisted for the 2007 Mercury Prize. Back to Black sold 3.58 million copies in the UK alone, becoming the UK's second best-selling album of the 21st century. Worldwide, the album has sold over 12 million copies.

b. Eddy Conrad, 1959, Gary, Indiana, USA. Conrad grew up in Indiana obsessed by the sound of Isaac Hayes’ ‘Theme From Shaft’. The first record he ever purchased, Conrad would spend his pocket money continually attending reruns of the film at local cinemas. ‘As a kid you always have heroes but with John Shaft [the film’s protagonist] it was serious. He had that certain macho feeling that every kid wishes he had too.’ In 1985 he fulfilled a long-held ambition by re-recording the track, which became a number 13 UK chart hit. It might well have charted higher had another version of ‘Theme From Shaft’ by Van Twist not been released at the same time. Afterwards, however, Conrad and his band disappeared from view completely.

Respected musician and producer Rupert Hine has sold many millions of records, particularly for his work on several Tina Turner titles and with 80's band The Fixx. Quantum Jump was an attempt to mix jazz rock influences (Weather Report, Miles Davis) and early 70's funk (Kool And The Gang, Tower Of Power) with an English song writing sensibility. Originally released on the Electric label in 1976, it contains all 11 of the cuts that first appeared on it, plus five bonus tracks.

In January of 1973 Little Richard went to Muscle Shoals to record an album’s worth of material on the heels of his successful releases for Reprise Records. Unfortunately, the material was only ever released in the US in 1973 on United Records and then again in France in 1975 on Musidisc. The album hasn’t been reissued properly on its own since, making this special pressing, available first on Record Store Day, the first appearance of this material since the ‘70s! Included among the tracks are Little Richard’s covers of “Chain Of Fools” and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay,” plus fresh takes on songs he cut during his tenure at Reprise, “Greenwood, Mississippi” (from 1970’s The Rill Thing) and “In The Name” (from 1971’s King Of Rock And Roll and 2020’s Southern Child).

All four of Janet Jackson's albums released during the 2000s debuted near or at the top of the Billboard 200, as ensured by a legion of devotees. They lacked the staying power of the Control-to-Velvet Rope run, however, and quickly slipped out of view. Jackson left two labels during the decade and dealt with personal matters that included the death of brother Michael. Seven years after Discipline, Jackson returns recharged, and on a BMG-supported label she established, with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – the demigods central to her best work – as well as a small crew of additional associates, as her collaborators. The three singles that immediately preceded Unbreakable were clearly chosen for their range.

In a society defined by our greatest and worst moments, out of chaos comes Letters from a Black Widow – a definitive statement of perseverance and liberation from Grammy-winning singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Judith Hill. The album’s 12 songs masterfully reveal themes she’d explored only in therapy and nightmares. Stories of resistance, hard-won clarity and redemption are delivered through an unshakable soul, funk and blues foundation that resonates with a defiant, beautiful power.

Dr. John finally struck paydirt here and was certainly In the Right Place. With the hit single "Right Place Wrong Time" bounding up the charts, this fine collection saw many unaware listeners being initiated into New Orleans-style rock. Also including Allen Toussaint's "Life," and a funky little number entitled "Traveling Mood," which shows off the good doctor's fine piano styling, and with able help from the Meters as backup group, In the Right Place is still a fine collection to own.

A much-needed look at an overlooked side of the genius of Quincy Jones – not his jazz work, not his productions for famous soul artists, but instead his huge legacy of soundtrack material – a part of Q's career that really took off in the 60s! By the time he started working in films, Jones had already had a decade under his belt as one of the hippest arrangers, leaders, and composers in jazz – and the film business really respected those talents, and allowed Quincy to bring some really fresh styles into play – modes that really opened up the vibe of American cinema, and also paved the way for the funky styles of the 70s! As that decade approached, Jones left behind the cinema to take on some more higher-profile records of his own – but all the charms of those great albums can be found here at their roots – in this stunning collection of soundtrack material, some of which has never been on CD. The package is way more than just a sampler – and includes an album's worth of material from the films The Pawnbroker, Slender Thread, Mirage, The Deadly Affair, In The Heat Of The Night, In Cold Blood, Walk Don't Run, The Italian Job, Lost Man, and John & Mary – plus two versions of the love theme from The Getaway, and a bonus CD with 18 tracks – titled Q's highlights, and featuring tracks from his Mercury records – plus more by Billy Preston, Arthur Prysock, Bill Cosby, Shirley Horn, Letta Mbulu, Toots Thielemans, and others. Even features the "Sanford & Son" and "Ironside" themes!

The funk was first felt half a century ago. Bursting out of the kaleidoscope of late-sixties America, its spirit was so irrepressible, its joy so irresistible, that it transformed pop music and the world. This album is a celebration of that endless future. Of dance music with real drums, real horns, real whoops, real yelps. This is for everyone ready to feel the rhythm, feel the spirit, feel the noise, feel the funk.

Part of a eight-album Donna Summer SHM-CD cardboard sleeve reissue series featuring albums "Love To Love You Baby", "A Love Trilogy", "Four Seasons Of Love", "Remember Yesterday", "Once Upon a Time", "Live And More", "Bad Girls", and "On The Radio".