RUN'S LOSSLESS LIBRARY

Howlin Wolf - Two For One
BLUES | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 323MB | 65:55
Chess 1958/1962

1. Shake For Me
2. The Red Rooster
3. You'll Be Mine
4. Who's Been Talkin
5. Wang Dang Doodle
6. Little Baby
7. Spoonful
8. Goin Down Slow
9. Down in the Bottom
10. Back Door Man
11. Howlin for My Baby
12. Tell Me
13. Moanin at Midnight
14. How Many More Years
15. Smokestack Lightnin
16. Baby How Long
17. No Place to Go
18. All Night Boogie
19. Evil
20. I'm Leavin You
21. Moanin for My Baby
22. I Asked for Water
23. Forty Four
24. Somebody in My Home

Howlin' Wolf's first and second Chess albums are essential listening of the highest order. They were compiled -- as were all early blues albums -- from various single sessions (not necessarily a bad thing, either), and blues fans will probably debate endlessly about which of the two albums is the perfect introduction to his music. But this CD reissue renders all arguments moot, as both album appear on one disc, making this a true best buy. Wolf's debut opus -- curiously tacked on here after his second album -- features all of his early hits ("How Many More Years," "Moanin' at Midnight," "Smokestack Lightning," "Forty Four," "Evil," and "I Asked for Water [She Gave Me Gasoline]"), and is a pretty potent collection in its own right. But it is the follow-up (always referred to as "the rocking chair album" because of Don Bronstein's distinctive cover art) where the equally potent teaming of Willie Dixon and Wolf produced one Chicago blues classic ("Spoonful," "The Red Rooster," "Back Door Man," "Wang Dang Doodle") after another. It's also with this marvelous batch of sides that one can clearly hear lead guitarist Hubert Sumlin coming into his own as a blues picking legend. The number of blues acolytes, both black and white, who wore the grooves down to mush learning the songs and guitar licks off these two albums would fill a book all by itself. If you have to narrow it down to just one Howlin' Wolf purchase for the collection, this would be the one to have and undoubtedly the place to start. This and The Best of Muddy Waters are the essential building blocks of any Chicago blues collection. And seldom does the music come with this much personality and brute force. ~ Cub Koda, All Music Guide

Howlin Wolf - Guitar, Harmonica, Vocals
Willie Dixon - Bass, Vocals
Hubert Sumlin - Guitar
Sam Lay - Drums
Henry Gray - Piano
Johnny Jones - Piano
Ike Turner - Piano
Otis Spann - Piano
Jimmy Rogers - Guitar
Fred Below - Drums
Lee Cooper - Guitar
Willie Johnson - Guitar
L.D. McGhee - Guitar
Earl Phillips - Drums
Smokey Smothers - Guitar
Willie Steel - Drums
Jody Williams - Guitar
Hosea Lee - Piano
S.P. Leary - Drums
Abe Locke - Tenor Saxophone
Adolph Dockins - Tenor Saxophone

Lee Fields - Faithful Man
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 256MB | 37:45
Truth & Soul 2012

01. Faithful Man
02. I Still Got It
03. You're The Kind Of Girl
04. Still Hanging On
05. Intermission
06. Wish You Were Here
07. Who Do You Love
08. Moonlight Mile
09. It's All Over
10. Walk On Thru That Door

Since the late sixties Lee Fields has amassed a prolific catalog and has played and toured with such legends as Kool and the Gang, Sammy Gordon and the Hip-Huggers, O.V Wright, and many more. With a career spanning 43 years, it’s mind-blowing that the music he’s making today with Brooklyn’s Truth & Soul Records is the best of his career. While drawing comparisons to The Moments, The Delfonics, The Stylistics, and—of course—James Brown, Faithful Man is able to create a space of it’s own due to the group’s desire to interpret and further the formulas of good soul music rather then imitate them. Chalk that up to Truth & Soul producers and co-owners Jeff Silverman and Leon Michels. These are the same individuals that co-wrote, produced, and played on Aloe Blacc’s global smash I Need A Dollar, and have provided the back drop for records by Adele, GhostfaceKillah, and Jay-Z to name a few. “The older Fields becomes, the closer he gets to perfecting the sound of soul” said DJ Oliver Wang about Fields in an NPR feature. Faithful Man is the next step towards perfection. A step that will find Lee Fields & The Expressions finally being bestowed the contemporary soul music crown.

Curtis Mayfield - Curtis [Deluxe]
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 503MB | 77:52
Curtom 1970

01. If There's a Hell Below
02. The Other Side of Town)
03. The Makings of You
04. We the People
05. Move on Up
06. Miss Black America
07. Wild and Free
08. Give It Up
09. Power to the People
10. Underground
11. Ghetto Child
12. Readings in Astrology
13. Suffer
14. Miss Black America
15. The Makings of You [Take 32]
16. If There's a Hell Below [takes 1 & 2]
17. If There's a Hell Below [edit]

The first solo album by the former leader of the Impressions, Curtis represented a musical apotheosis for Curtis Mayfield -- indeed, it was practically the "Sgt. Pepper's" album of '70s soul, helping with its content and its success to open the whole genre to much bigger, richer musical canvases than artists had previously worked with. All of Mayfield's years of experience of life, music, and people were pulled together into a rich, powerful, topical musical statement that reflected not only the most up-to-date soul sounds of its period, finely produced by Mayfield himself, and the immediacy of the times and their political and social concerns, but also embraced the most elegant R&B sounds out of the past. As a producer, Mayfield embraced the most progressive soul sounds of the era, stretching them out compellingly on numbers like "Move on Up," but also drew on orchestral sounds (especially harps), to achieve some striking musical timbres (check out "Wild and Free"), and wove all of these influences, plus the topical nature of the songs, into a neat, amazingly lean whole. There was only one hit single off of this record, "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Down Below We're All Going to Go," which made number three, but the album as a whole was a single entity and really had to be heard that way. In the fall of 2000, Rhino Records reissued Curtis with upgraded sound and nine bonus tracks that extended its running time to over 70 minutes. All but one are demos, including "Miss Black America" and "The Making of You," but mostly consist of tracks that he completed for subsequent albums; they're fascinating to hear, representing very different, much more jagged and stripped-down sounds. The upgraded CD concludes with the single version of "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below We're All Going to Go." ~ Bruce Eder, All Music Guide

Curtis Mayfield - Bass, Vocals
Henry Gibson - Congas, Bongos
Phil Upchurch - Guitar
Lenny Druss - Flute
Don Simmons - Drums
John Howell - Trumpet
Ron Kolber - Saxophone
Robert Lewis - Trumpet
Lorin Binford - Trombone
Clifford Davis - Saxophone

George Duke - Reach For It
JAZZ+FUNK | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 317MB | 46:42
Epic 1977

01. The Beginning
02. Lemme At It
03. Hot Fire
04. Reach For It
05. Just For You
06. Ómi
07. Searchin My Mind
08. Watch Out Baby!
09. Diamonds
10. The End

By 1977, the jazz content of George Duke's albums had decreased considerably, and soul and funk had become his main priorities. Reach for It has more to offer from an R&B standpoint than a jazz standpoint, though the fusion it does contain is first rate -- including the Latin-influenced "Hot Fire" and "Lemme at It" (an aggressive gem that's in a class with some of the keyboardist/pianist's best work with the Billy Cobham/Duke Band). Reach's heavy R&B content resulted in Duke facing the same accusation as George Benson, Patrice Rushen and other improvisers who moved away from jazz in the '70s -- that he was a sellout. But none of this CD's R&B content comes across as contrived or formulaic. In fact, Duke is downright inspired on the haunting "Just for You" and the Parliament-influenced title song. Even so, it's always regrettable when a gifted improviser pretty much abandons jazz -- and Duke is a prime example. It should be stressed that the high rating awarded this CD is primarily from an R&B standpoint -- and that those strictly interested in hearing Duke playing jazz would be better off investing in earlier efforts like Faces in Reflection. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

George Duke - Piano, Synthesizer, Vocals
Stanley Clarke - Bass
Michael Sembello - Guitar
Raul de Souza - Trombone
Manolo Badrena - Bongos, Congas
Charles Johnson - Guitar, Vocals
Byron Miller - Bass, Keyboards
Ndugu Chancler - Drums, Timbales, Tom-Tom, Vocals

much love and appreciation to Blaq for the post

Al Green - I Can't Stop
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 457MB | 53:31
Blue Note 2003

01. I Can't Stop
02. Play to Win
03. Rainin in My Heart
04. I've Been Waitin on You
05. You
06. Not Tonight
07. Million to One
08. My Problem Is You
09. I'd Still Choose You
10. I've Been Thinkin Bout You
11. I'd Write a Letter
12. Too Many

Thomas Wolfe may have said you can't go home again, but he was wrong. People go home again all the time. Usually when they do they find that it just isn't the same. When musicians attempt to go back home, it usually turns out to be a pale imitation at best and a disaster at worst. On his 2003 album, I Can't Stop, Al Green attempts to go back home. The album was recorded at the Hi studios with old cohort Willie Mitchell behind the boards and helping write the songs, with members of the Hi session crew providing the music (right down to the same female backup singers). I Can't Stop is certainly no disaster; it is a well-made, funky, fun record that proves two things -- the Hi sound lives and Al Green still has it ("it" being all the things that made him so great in the '70s, things like charisma, style, and that amazing voice). He whoops and hollers his way through I Can't Stop like a man committed, fully alive, and excited by the chance to get old-school funky. That joy translates to the listener; it is hard to stop smiling and bopping along as the album plays. When Green lets loose with his trademark falsetto burst, it's like the last 30 years never happened. As for the sound of the record, it is awesome to hear the Hi sound as played by the real-deal guys who built it in the first place. Expecting the record to sound exactly like a Hi record from the early '70s is unrealistic and the recording process reflects the technology of the age with a clean, well-separated sound. The drums are far too loud and processed, with the cymbals too high in the mix. Still, the combination of Green's voice and the replica Hi sound will raise goosebumps, but not throughout the whole record as some of the songs are kind of weak ("Play to Win" is a standard modern blues shuffle and "My Problem Is You" is a pretty corny Vegas-styled big-band ballad). When the songs are strong, like the thrilling album opener "I Can't Stop," the funky "You," the hard-rocking "I've Been Thinkin' Bout You," the almost perfect "Million to One," and the weepy ballad "Not Tonight" (which comes complete with classic Hi organ swoops), this record is as good as could be hoped for. Green has brought it all back home with style, class, and -- most of all -- total commitment. For that Willie Mitchell deserves a world of credit. He and Green make a perfect team; listeners can only hope they stay together. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide

Al Green - Vocals
Willie Mitchell - Wurlitzer
Lester Snell - Fender, Piano
Steve Potts - Conga, Drums
Robert Claybourne - Organ
Teenie Hodges - Guitar
Jack Hale - Trombone
Scott Thompson - Trumpet
Andrew Love - Tenor Saxophone
Jim Spake - Baritone Saxophone
Lannie McMillian - Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Sade - Love Deluxe
VOCAL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 295MB | 45:59
Epic 1992

1. No Ordinary Love
2. Feel No Pain
3. I Couldn't Love You More
4. Like a Tattoo
5. Kiss of Life
6. Cherish the Day
7. Pearls
8. Bullet Proof Soul
9. Mermaid

Sade's fourth album, Love Deluxe, included the hit "No Ordinary Love" and marked a return to the detached cool jazz backing and even icier vocals that made her debut album a sensation. Although Sade's style is more suggestive than hypnotic and her production and arrangements are in an urbane mode rather than a jazz one, she maintained her popularity among the fusion and urban contemporary audiences. This release also includes "Mermaid," "Pearls," and "Feel No Pain." ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide

Sade Adu - Vocals
Andrew Hale - Keyboards
Anthony Pleeth - Cello
Paul S. Denman - Bass
Leroy Osbourne - Vocals
Martin Ditcham - Drums, Percussion
Stuart Matthewman - Guitar, Saxophone

Stevie Wonder - Signed/Sealed/Delivered
MOTOWN | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 273MB | 36:22
Motown 1970

01. Never Had a Dream Come True
02. We Can Work It Out
03. Signed, Sealed, Delivered
04. Heaven Help Us All
05. You Can't Judge a Book
06. Sugar
07. Don't Wonder Why
08. Anything You Want Me to Do
09. Can't Let My Heaven Walk Away
10. Joy
11. I Gotta Have a Song
12. Something to Say

This shows Stevie starting to ditch the (Motown) house rules, ditch the fads, and do his own thing - he often prevailed over the half-dozen producers who handled half the tracks (Leonard Caston does unfortunately get his way on the tacky "Don't Wonder Why"). Even "Sugar" has a huge drum kick that only Stevie could've engineered. A mature album loaded with ideas, don't ignore it just because of the tacky cover art and the lousy outing that preceded it. And after getting pushed out of the way on the last album, Stevie helped write seven of the 12 songs - but not "Joy" and the infectious Top 10 single "Heaven Help Us All." Also an amazing commercial effort, with four Top 40 hits. --James Alroy, WARR.org

Stevie Wonder - Harmonica, Keyboards, Vocals
James Jamerson - Bass
Funk Brothers - Instrumentation

Reggie Workman - Synthesis
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 304MB | 63:22
Leo 1986

01. Jus' Ole Mae
02. Ogun's Ardor
03. Martyrs Hymn
04. Earthly Garden
05. Chant
06. Synaps II
07. Fábula

The recordings on Synthesis were a live date in 1986 where Workman was performing with reedman Oliver Lake, pianist Marilyn Crispell, and drummer Andrew Cyrille. At this time, Crispell was still very much a part of the Anthony Braxton Quartet, and her playing here reveals that influence: many of her solos incorporate long phrases from his compositions. As a quartet, this band has some interesting things to say. There is fire in the group interplay andLake's playing in particular is very inspired. But there are some weak links in the chain, and unfortunately the weakest is Workman himself. This is difficult to say about a musician of his caliber, but as a leader here, he is far behind his band members to pick up the intuitive cues they set out, sometimes especially for him to follow. Perhaps it was a bad night, perhaps there was something wrong with the acoustics in the room, but as Crispell opens her heart into the mix where it is greeted warmly by Lake and Cyrille, Workman is dragging, playing through cues and line changes we have heard from him many, many times before. His playing is flat and unimaginative. It is a blessing, however, to have the remaining trio -- Crispell in particular -- work ever harder to make the proceedings come off as well as they do. It becomes ever clearer as the set goes on that Lake is listening to Crispell for rhythmic cues and key changes; she is playing both parts and does so without sacrificing anything. Her soloing on this night was particularly lyrical and full of a kind of space she doesn't often express. Lake's flute improvising here moves his own experience of the instrument into new realms as he counters both Cyrille's percussion and the melodic invention of Crispell's harmonic palette. This is a good album that could have been a great one with another bassist, as hard as it is to say, but at least Workman gets considerable credit for putting this ensemble together. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Reggie Workman - Bass
Don Byron - Clarinet
Oliver Lake - Reeds
Marilyn Crispell - Piano
Andrew Cyrille - Drums
Jeanne Lee - Vocals
Michele Navazio - Guitar
Gerry Hemingway - Percussion

Greg Osby - St. Louis Shoes
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 405MB | 52:28
Blue Note 2003

1. East St. Louis Toodle-Oo
2. Shaw Nuff
3. Light Blue
4. Whirlwind Soldier
5. Summertime
6. Milton on Ebony
7. The Single Petal of a Rose
8. Bernie's Tune
9. St. Louis Blues

Saxophonist Greg Osby attacks a varied mix of jazz standards on St. Louis Shoes with results that sound both well within the "tradition" and utterly modern. Reminiscent of midcareer Wynton Marsalis, Osby seems to want to mix the Cotton Club-style swing of Duke Ellington with the angular bebop and calculated arrhythmia of Thelonious Monk. Backed by a stellar ensemble including trumpeter Nicholas Payton, bassist Robert Hurst, pianist Harold O'Neil, and drummer Rodney Green, Osby crafts interesting arrangements of songs including the barely recognizable Gershwin chestnut "Summertime" and the Dizzy Gillespie classic "Shaw 'Nuff" that are both harmonically challenging and rhythmically unique. Check out the quirky and angular Raymond Scott meets Monk written solo that Osby and Payton play in the middle of Ellington's "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo." Payton's playing seems more Marsalis-like than ever, featuring lots of off-kilter diminished lines, growls, and a general adventurousness that's lacking in too many young jazz musicians. Osby himself has never sounded more in charge of his abilities and even though this is by comparison one of his more conventional outings, he nonetheless achieves a level of creative individuality few of his contemporaries can match. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide

Greg Osby - Alto Saxophone
Rodney Green - Drums
Robert Hurst - Bass
Harold O'Neal - Piano
Nicholas Payton - Flugelhorn, Trumpet

Kermit Ruffins - Happy Talk
NORLEANS | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVER | 397MB | 62:24
Basin Street 2010

01. Panama
02. Hey Look Me Over
03. Ain't That Good News
04. La Vie En Rose
05. Happy Talk
06. If I Only Had A Brain
07. High Hopes
08. I Got A Treme Woman
09. Shine
10. Sugar
11. More Today Than Yesterday
12. New Orleans (My Home Town)

It's no secret that New Orleans is a melting pot, a nexus that mixed African, Cuban, Native American, and European music to create a distinctive rhythm and attitude that can be found nowhere else in the U.S. New Orleans is the only city in American with a distinctive sound, and while you may not be able to describe it, you know it when you hear it. Even in a city known for musicians with a unique take on things, bandleader and trumpet player Kermit Ruffins stands out for his wide-ranging stylistic approach. Happy Talk tackles everything from low-down blues to Dixieland, with Ruffins well-known panache. "If I Only Had a Brain," from The Wizard of Oz, is given a Latin tinge by Herlin Riley's inventive percussion work. Ruffins sings the lyric simply, then gives the band plenty of room to explored the tune's changes with fine solos from Ruffins, Riley, trombonist Corey Henry, and pianist Matt Lemmler. Ruffins swings through "Happy Talk," an optimistic love song from South Pacific, delivers a jumpin' jivey version of "Hey Look Me Over" from Lucille Ball's Wildcat, and plays Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" in a slow, mournful tempo that intensifies the song's feeling of hopeless love. His expressive vocal wrings every bit of emotion out of each word with a measured delivery that stretches every breath almost to its breaking point. Ruffins also contributes two original tunes. "New Orleans (My Home Town)" is a slow blues featuring Ruffins' smoky, muted trumpet and playful vocal, Lemmler's late-night piano, and Daryll McCoy's Memphis-style guitar fills, while "I Got a Tremé Woman" is a rousing jump blues with an exuberant, barely contained energy that features the trombone of Henry and David Pulphus' inventive acoustic bass. Ruffins has been getting a lot of exposure on the HBO series Tremé, and although he's been touring more, he still holds down his weekly gig at Vaughan's Lounge, just as he's done for the past 17 years. ~ J.Poet, All Music Guide

Kermit Ruffins - Trumpet, Vocals
Matt Lemmler - Piano
David Pulphus - Bass
Herlin Riley - Drums
Daryll McCoy - Guitar
Bobby Campo - Trumpet
Jimmy Weber - Trumpet
Corey Henry - Trombone
Micahel White - Clarinet
Mark Mullins - Trombone
Percy Williams - Percussion
Eric Traub - Tenor Saxophone
Mike Jenner - Tenor Saxophone
Ray Moore - Baritone Saxophone

Nancy Wilson - Turned To Blue
VOCAL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 289MB | 52:08
Manchester Craftsmen's Guild 2006

01. This Is All I Ask
02. Take Love Easy
03. Turned to Blue
04. Knitting Class
05. Be My Love
06. Taking a Chance on Love
07. Just Once
08. These Golden Years
09. I Don't Remember Ever Growing Up
10. Old Folks
11. I'll Be Seeing You

On Nancy Wilson's previous album, 2004's R.S.V.P., the legendary vocalist teamed up with a given instrumentalist on each track. She must have liked the formula, because she's done it again on Turned to Blue. Here the oft-honored jazz singer leaves room in each number -- save for the title track, a Maya Angelou poem set to music and arranged by Jay Ashby -- for a different soloist, bringing in such heavyweights as Hubert Laws on flute, saxists Jimmy Heath, Andy Snitzer, Bob Mintzer (who appears to be summoning Stan Getz on the opening number, Gordon Jenkins' "This Is All I Ask"), James Moody and Tom Scott, pianist Dr. Billy Taylor, and steel pans player Andy Narrell, among others. Working with configurations ranging from classic big band (Duke Ellington's "Take Love Easy") to trio-plus-guest-soloist ("Knitting Class"), Wilson applies her seasoned but still flexible pipes to material both old and new, straddling the fence between adult contemporary/pop and the more demanding jazz of her earlier career. Heavy on the ballads, and confined nearly exclusively to love songs, Turned to Blue finds Nancy Wilson right where she ought to be nearly half a century into her recording career. ~ Jeff Tamarkin, All Music Guide

Nancy Wilson - Vocals
Billy Taylor - Piano
Sean Jones - Trumpet
Rufus Reid - Bass
Kip Reed - Bass
Alon Yavnai - Piano
Terry Clarke - Drums
John Clayton - Bass
Roy McCurdy - Drums
Hubert Laws - Flute
Nilson Matta - Bass
Andy Narrell - Steel Pan
Dave Samuels - Vibraphone
James Moody - Saxophone
Tom Scott - Tenor Saxophone
Portinho - Percussion, Drums
Jimmy Heath - Tenor Saxophone

MFSB - Gamble & Huff Orchestra/Mysteries of the World
INSTRUMENTAL | DOULBLE ALBUM | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 598MB | 78:22
Philadelphia International 1978/1980

01. Dance with Me Tonight
02. To Be In Love
03. Let's Party Down
04. Wishing on a Star
05. Use Ta Be My Guy
06. The Way I Feel Today
07. It is Something I Said
08. Redwood Beach
09. Manhattan Skyline
10. Mysteries Of The World
11. Tell Me Why
12. Metamorphosis
13. Fortune Teller
14. Old San Juan
15. Thank You Miss Scott
16. In The Shadow

Released in 1999, MFSB & Gamble Huff Orchestra/Mysteries of the World contains two complete albums -- MFSB & Gamble Huff Orchestra (1978, originally released on Philadelphia International) and Mysteries of the World (1980, originally released on Philadelphia International) -- by MFSB on one compact disc. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

Dexter Wansel - Keyboards, Synthesizer
Dennis Harris - Guitar
Thom Bell - Piano
Larry Moore - Bass
Lenny Pakula - Organ
Don Renaldo - Violin
John R. Faith - Flute
Anthony Bell - Guitar
Derrick Graves - Bass
Steve Green - Bass
Barbara Ingram - Vocals
Carla Benson - Vocals
Evette Benton - Vocals
Alfonso Carey - Bass
Joel Bryant - Keyboards
James Smith - Guitar
Leon Huff - Keyboards
Bob Malach - Saxophone
Larry McKenna - Saxophone
David Cruse - Percussion
Miguel Fuentes - Percussion
Leroy Bell - Guitar, Percussion
Casey James - Percussion, Synthesizer

Fantasia - Fantasia
R&B | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 419MB | 52:52
J Records 2006

01. Hood Boy
02. When I See U
03. I Nominate U
04. Baby Makin Hips
05. Not the Way I Do
06. Only One U
07. I Feel Beautiful
08. I'm Not That Type
09. Uneligible
10. Two Weeks Notice
11. Surrender U
12. Bore Me
13. Sunshine
14. Bump What Your Friends Say

Fantasia Barrino's first album, Free Yourself, wasn't exactly a flop but it wasn't a hit, either. It debuted in the Top Ten and had four singles in the Billboard R&B charts, which is far from a disaster but it was a disappointment by American Idol standards, particularly for a vocalist who was considered by many viewers, as well as judge Simon Cowell, the most talented singer to yet appear on the show. Talented Fantasia certainly was, but talent can be hard to sell, and Fantasia's problem boiled down to this: she had enough raw vocal power to draw comparisons to such classic soul divas as Aretha Franklin, which is what appealed to the legions of middle-America fans of the show, but that's not a style that has much to do with contemporary R&B, so she was given a modern makeover on Free Yourself. It was a cautious one, though, leaving remnants of her Idol persona -- most evident on a reprise of her show-stopping interpretation of Gershwin's "Summertime" -- surrounded by hip-hop-inflected urban soul like the single "Baby Mama," which was precisely the kind of thing that made fans of "Summertime" recoil. And recoil they did. They wound up avoiding the album, and "Baby Mama" didn't win enough converts to make up for the Idol audience's absence, so Fantasia and company took the only logical step for her eponymous sophomore album: they made it strictly R&B.

Since it adheres to just one style of music, Fantasia is a more consistent album than her debut; it has a sense of purpose and it takes greater risks in the production, two things which make it a bolder, better album than Free Yourself. Fantasia is a hard R&B album through and through, a distinction made clear by the album-opening "Hood Boy," a dynamite single built on a blaring Supremes sample and featuring a rap from Big Boi that sets the tone for the rest of the record. Like Destiny's Child in Soldier, Fantasia is celebrating thugs, and with the day-glo Supremes sample skipping and stuttering in circles, "Hood Boy" sounds not unlike an updated version of Ike & Tina, as Fantasia desperately pledges her devotion to strong men. It's inspired in concept and delivery, as Barrino puts her all into it and it works: with this one track, she sheds her AmIdol past and remakes herself into a vibrant, vital diva. Even when things slow down for the ballads Fantasia never sounds schlocky; the songs sound made for DJs and clubs, which is why the album is at its best when it sticks close to that updated '70s soul feel, as on "Baby Makin' Hips" which doesn't hit as hard as "Hood Boy" but it's equally alluring in its cool reserve. So, the sound is right on Fantasia, as is Barrino's performance: she delivers on the promise she displayed on the show, sounding like a full-throttle powerhouse on the faster songs and smoldering on the slower ones. That leaves the only problem of the record: the songs aren't all that great. There are exceptions -- the previously mentioned "Hood Boy" and "Baby Makin' Hips," of course, but also a handful of others, such as the slow-burning "Two Weeks Notice," co-written by Missy Elliott -- but this is a record that rides on its sound, whether it's coming from Fantasia or from the producers, who always present her at her best. This is enough to make Fantasia better as an album and statement of purpose than Free Yourself, but no matter how good tracks like "Uneligible" sound -- and with its fuzz-toned instrumental breaks and skeletal beats, the track does sound pretty great -- it's hard not to wish that there were hooks as memorable as the production. That said, Fantasia does its job: it may not be perfect, but it fully breaks Barrino free of her American Idol persona, giving her a sound and style that she can build a career upon. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Black Ivory - Black Ivory/Hangin Heavy
SOUL+DISCO | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 533MB | 77:17
Buddah 1976/1979

01. Dance
02. White Wind
03. Making Love In My Mind
04. Mandy/Could This Be Magic
05. Walking Downtown
06. Longer Ride
07. You Mean Everything To Me
08. Can't You See
09. Big Apple Rock
10. Get Down
11. Peace & Harmony
12. Mainline
13. Rest Inside My Love
14. Hustlin
15. You Turned My Whole World Around

Two club corkers by Black Ivory – back to back on a single CD! The self-titled Black Ivory album is a pivotal set for the group – released at a time when Black Ivory, like so many other east coast vocal groups, was making the transition away from an older sweet soul style to a more sophisticated club vocal sound. The group's producing themselves here – and we're guessing that most of the real work is being done by Leroy Burgess, although Patrick Adams still appears to be working with the group on the string and horn arrangements – giving things just the right sort of underground disco twist to make things groove! The record includes the great club track "Walking Downtown (Saturday Night)", a longtime fave around Chicago – plus "White Wind", "Making Love In My Mind", "Could This Be Magic", "Longer Ride", and "Can't You See". Hangin Heavy is filled with killer grooves from Black Ivory – a trio who've really come a long way here since their roots – stepping out with proud, soulful tones that are a perfect fit for the upbeat grooves of the set! There's still a touch of fragile harmonies at times – but overall, the group have a much more mature, adult vibe – set to tight late 70s club arrangements from Patrick Adams and Leroy Burgess – both of whom stay far away from any mainstream disco cliches, and really hit a sweet underground vibe for the set! Titles include the classic club track "Mainline", plus "Peace & Harmony", "Get Down (Comin' Down)", "You Turned My Whole World Around", and "Rest Inside My Love". © 1996-2012, Dusty Groove, Inc.

Leroy Burgess - Keyboards, Clavinet
Russell Patterson - Vocals
Stuart Bascombe - Vocals
Ivory Coast - Brass
L. Mike Conner - Drums
James Calloway - Bass
Larry Hackney - Guitar
William Dogan - Guitar
Jimmy Young - Drums
Bob Babbitt - Bass
Craig Snyder - Guitar
Lance Quinn - Guitar
Diane Ransom - Vocals
Donald Pinkney - Percussion
Jo-Jo Smith - Percussion
Gregory McCray - Piano, Clavinet

Ziggy Marley - Conscious Party
REGGAE | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 354MB | 46:28
Virgin 1988

01. Conscious Party
02. Lee and Molly
03. Tomorrow People
04. New Love
05. Tumblin' Down
06. We a Guh Some Weh
07. Who a Say
08. Have You Ever Been to Hell
09. We Propose
10. What's True
11. Dreams of Home

The Melody Makers' breakout album, and why is clear from the opening notes of the title track which kicks off the set. Producers Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth, of Talking Heads fame, gloss the record with a perfect electro-sheen, helping shine the pop edges to a sharp gleam, while still emphasizing the dance beats. The Melody Makers add the magic; veterans now after two previous albums, they've honed their sound to a fine edge. They still mix styles -- party music, cultural songs, and rootsy numbers -- but the production with its keyboard heavy emphasis and digitized beats makes the stylistic shifts less startling than in the past. A song like "New Love," a hybrid of emotional ballad, deep roots, and synthi-dance, shows how cleverly the band have become at combining seemingly opposing elements. "Have You Ever Been to Hell" is equally intriguing, with its bouncy upbeat melody, surrounded by ever more sinister effects, surely the aural illustration of how the road to hell is paved with good intentions. "Lee and Molly" is masterful dubby roots on the theme of love gone very wrong, while "Dreams of Home" is a sublime repatriation song, which blends African harmonies and rhythms to a wistful, emotive ballad. Every single track has something equally exciting to offer. And the Melody Makers are now proving that they really can be all things to all people. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide

Ziggy Marley - Guitar, Vocals
Stephen Marley - Keyboards
Sharon Pendergast - Vocals
Cedella Marley - Vocals
Rita Marley - Vocals
Mulu Gessessee - Guitar
Dereje Mekohnen - Keyboards
Zeleke Gessessee - Bass
Gary Pozner - Keyboards
Melaku Retta - Hammond
Keith Richards - Guitar
Mark Roule - Tambourine
Franklyn Waul - Keyboards
Jerry Harrison - Hammond
Raphael W'Mariam - Drums, Timbales
Chinna Smith - Guitar, Tenor Saxophone
Lenny Pickett - Clarinet, Piccolo, Saxophone
Asrat Aemro Selassie - Conga, Bongos, Vibraslap

Al Green - Still In Love With You
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 215MB | 35:30
Hi 1972

1. I'm Still in Love with You
2. I'm Glad You're Mine
3. Love and Happiness
4. What a Wonderful Thing Love Is
5. Simply Beautiful
6. Oh, Pretty Woman
7. For the Good Times
8. Look What You Done for Me
9. One of These Good Old Days

I'm Still in Love With You shares many surface similarities with its predecessor, Let's Stay Together; from Al Green and Willie Mitchell's distinctive, sexy style to the pacing and song selection. Despite those shared traits, I'm Still in Love With You distinguishes itself with its suave, romantic tone and its subtly ambitious choice of material. Green began exploring country music with this album by performing a startling version of Kris Kristofferson's "For the Good Times," as well as a wonderful, slow reinterpretation of Roy Orbison's "Oh Pretty Woman." And the soul numbers are more complex than they would appear -- listen to how the beat falls together at the beginning of "Love and Happiness," or the sly melody of the title track. There isn't a wasted track on I'm Still in Love With You, and in many ways it rivals its follow-up, Call Me, as Green's masterpiece. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Al Green - Vocals
Charles Hodges - Organ, Piano
Al Jackson - Drums
Leroy Hodges - Bass
Mabon Hodges - Guitar
Howard Grimes - Drums
Sandra Chalmers - Vocals
Jack Hale - Trombone
Wayne Jackson - Trumpet
Ed Logan - Tenor Saxophone
Andrew Love - Tenor Saxophone

Al Green - Lay It Down
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 384MB | 44:38
Blue Note 2008

01. Lay It Down
02. Just for Me
03. You've Got the Love I Need
04. No One Like You
05. What More Do You Want from Me
06. Take Your Time
07. Too Much
08. Stay with Me (By the Sea)
09. All I Need
10. I'm Wild About You
11. Standing in the Rain

The big question that greets listeners encountering Al Green's third Blue Note album, Lay It Down, is: what happens when you put that amazing soul-drenched voice in the hands of hip-hop producers Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson of the Roots and James Poyser, and add a slew of superstar guests? Answer: a killer Al Green soul album. Thompson and Poyser weren't interested in straying far from the classic sound Green and producer Willie Mitchell created at Hi Records in the 1970s, but they did want to place it in a more contemporary -- albeit analog -- setting. Green cut his previous offerings for the label -- 2003's I Can't Stop and 2005's Everything's OK -- with Mitchell, and the results were good, not great, albums because Green's sound was simply re-created nostalgically. Even though Thompson and Poyser have been very creative here with their nuanced percussive, textural, and dynamic touches, Lay It Down is more of a classic-sounding Green record than either of its predecessors. The producers are at the core of a studio band (on drums and various analog keyboards, respectively) that also includes Mighty Clouds of Joy guitarist Chalmers "Spanky" Alford (in whose memory the album is dedicated), bassist Adam Blackstone (Jill Scott), and the Dap-Kings Horns. There are some beautifully arranged strings by Larry Gold in places as well. Lay It Down is a slow-burning, solid groover of a soul record; its dynamics and textures shift subtly and purposely to keep Green's voice at the center of its sound. The opening title track hosts one of two spots by Anthony Hamilton. Green and Hamilton are all silky and sweet on the refrain, but Green's delivery on the verses moves toward his grittier side. The strings offer a deeply emotional resonance without going over the top. Poyser's B-3 accents Blackstone's bassline and Thompson keeps time on the bass drum and hi-hat alone. Alford's guitar fills come from the well of the Delta blues. It's a deeply moving exercise in restraint as force. Hamilton also duets with Green on the funkier "You've Got the Love I Need." It's one of two overtly sensual tunes on the set, with horns moving out of the intro and into a striking transcendent verse. The bass and drum groove is infectious, the horn section punches it up, and Alford's jazzy guitar solo puts it over the top. "Take Your Time" is a duet with Corinne Bailey Rae. The melody and arrangement walk the tightrope between classic soul and late doo wop balladry. The rhythm section and horns dress the lines in a slow, low, humid groove, while Poyser's keys and Alford's fingerpicked electric wrap themselves around each verse as the strings pillow the singers' voices softly and silkily. John Legend duets with Green on "Stay with Me (By the Sea)." Its "la-la-la" vocal intro sets the pace for a swaying, tender, babymaker ballad. Thompson's backbeat creates a mellow, understated, steamy funk groove. The near cooing, seductive pleas from the singers rise to meet the bubbling bassline and horns. Star power aside (all of it welcome and worthy), Green still sounds best when he's on his own. The open-throated midtempo ballad "No One Like You," with gorgeous backing vocals by Jaguar Wright and Mercedes Martinez, and the closer, an Otis Redding-esque uptempo burner called "Standing in the Rain," are cases in point. If there is a flaw on the set, it's that individual tracks don't assert themselves immediately. Green, Poyser, and Thompson were going for immediacy and feel: nine of the album's 11 cuts had basic tracks done in their first session. They achieved their goal and then some. The album feels of such an atmospheric piece and is so present that it initially comes off as a whole. That said, there is no better place to spend 45 minutes than in Lay It Down's dreamy, sensual, gritty, and tender sound world. Al Green's continued vitality and creativity are gifts to us all. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

Al Green - Vocals
Adam Blackstone - Bass
Randy Bowland - Guitar
Anthony Hamilton - Vocals
John Legend - Vocals
Corinne Bailey Rae - Vocals
Jaguar Wright - Vocals
Spanky Alford - Guitar
Questlove Thompson - Drums
James Poyser - Piano, Hammond, Fender, Wurlitzer

Trombone Shorty - For True
FUNK | WAVPACK | CUE | LOG | PNG | 345MB | 44:46
Verve Forecast 2011

01. Buckjump
02. Encore
03. For True
04. Do to Me
05. Lagniappe, Pt. 1
06. The Craziest Things
07. Dumaine St
08. Mrs. Orleans
09. Nervis
10. Roses
11. Big 12
12. UNC
13. Then There Was You
14. Lagniappe, Pt. 2

New Orleans' Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews knows the music biz inside out. Hounded for years by friends and music business types to jump into the game, he understood the lessons of his lineage elders: too many had been been ripped off and discarded. He took his time, assembling, rehearsing, and touring Orleans Avenue, a band steeped in brass band history, jazz improv, funk, soul, rock, and hip hop. He finally signed to Verve Forecast and released Backatown in April of 2010. Entering at number one on the jazz charts, it stayed there for nine straight weeks, and was in the Top Ten for over six months. For True hits while Backatown is climbing again. Chock-full of cameos -- in the manner of modern hip-hop recordings -- it is an extension of Backatown but not necessarily in sound. It's perhaps crisper in production, but the musical diversity more than compensates. In addition to trombone, Shorty plays trumpet, organ, piano, drums, synths, and, of course, sings. Orleans Avenue colors the rest. They are tighter, even more confident, and perhaps even more adventurous here. Though Shorty handles some tracks playing all the instruments himself, or with a guest or two, OA bear the lion's share with gravitas. “Buckjump” is the first clue that this is part two -- it could have been the closing track on Backatown. The Rebirth Brass Band guest and play a big funky horn chart as Shorty's big trombone solo greases the skids. NOLA's Weebie chants in tandem with the break-heavy rhythm track. "Encore" (written with Motown's Lamont Dozier) showcases some of Shorty's B-3 and soulful vocal skills, as Warren Haynes lends his trademark guitar sound. The title track, one of the album's brief musical interludes, features Shorty's solo with a killer trumpet break. “Do to Me” has a melody constructed around Shorty's smoking bone solo and a knife-edged guitar solo from Jeff Beck. "The Craziest Things" and "Dumaine Street" showcase Shorty's and Orleans Avenue's collective ability to create locking, complementary grooves; they play funky second-line rhythms countered by a jazz horn chart and improv in an R&B tune on the former, and a marching stepper on the latter. Ivan and Cyril Neville help with some fine vocal work on "Nervis," and Ledisi's stellar performance on the swinging rhythm & blues “Then There Was You” shines. Quite surprisingly, so does Kid Rock's rap on "Mrs. Orleans." The cut "Big 12," with producer Ben Ellman on blues harmonica, is titled for Shorty's older brother James' nickname, it kicks with big bass drums, hi-hat, and snares, locked on horns, rock guitar vamps, and a dubwise bassline. Ultimately, comparing For True to Backatown is pointless: they are of a piece. While you may prefer one over the other, they are, in essence, two parts of a compelling and dynamic musical aesthetic that is firmly in and of the 21st century, as they look back at history and forward to create it. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide

George Duke - I Love The Blues
FUSION | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 268MB | 41:13
MPS 1975

01. Chariot
02. Look Into Her Eyes
03. Sister Serene
04. That's What She Said
05. Mashavu
06. Rokkinrowl
07. Prepare Yourself
08. Giantchild Within Us
09. Someday
10. I Love The Blues

The list of heavyweights who join George Duke on 1975's I Love the Blues: She Heard My Cry is impressive — some of the participants include Johnny "Guitar" Watson, singer Flora Purim, percussionist Airto Moreira, guitarist Lee Ritenour, drummer Leon "Ndugu" Chancler, and guitarist George Johnson (of Brothers Johnson fame). With such a cast, one would expect this 1975 LP to be outstanding, which it isn't. But it's a respectable effort that thrives on diversity. The highlights of this album range from decent fusion instrumentals, like "That's What She Said," "Giant Child Within Us-Ego," and "Sister Serene," to the mellow soul ballad "Someday" and the Jimi Hendrix-like heavy metal/hard rock offering "Rokkinrowl," which finds Duke singing lead and contains some of Ritenour's more forceful playing. Meanwhile, Duke and Watson perform a vocal duet on the title song, which is the only 12-bar blues number on the album. In 1975, some jazz fans wished that the artist would stick to instrumental fusion and stay away from R&B and rock singing, but, in fact, it was jazz that Duke would eventually move away from. I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry isn't recommended to those who only want to hear Duke as an instrumentalist, although it's enjoyable if you like hearing some rock, soul, and blues singing along with your fusion. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

George Duke - Arp, Moog, Fender, Clavinet, Vocals
Ndugu Chancler - Roto Toms, Drums
Tom Fowler - Bass
George Johnson - Guitar
Emil Richards - Marimba
Lee Ritenour - Guitar
Byron Miller - Bass
Flora Purim - Vocals
Daryl Stuermer - Guitar
Bruce Fowler - Trombone
Airto - Percussion
Ruth Underwood - Marimba, Gong
John Wittenberg - Violin, Vocals

Sade - Soldier of Love
VOCAL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 407MB | 41:58
RCA 2010

01. The Moon and the Sky
02. Soldier of Love
03. Morning Bird
04. Babyfather
05. Long Hard Road
06. Be That Easy
07. Bring Me Home
08. In Another Time
09. Skin
10. The Safest Place

Sade’s longest absence yet did not prevent their return from being an event. It at least seemed eventful whenever “Soldier of Love,” released to radio a couple months prior to the album of the same title, was heard over the airwaves. Even with its brilliantly placed lyrical allusions to hip-hop past and present and its mature sound, the single stuck out on stations aimed at teens and twentysomethings, as well as points on the dial that court an older audience. It was the most musical and organic, while also the most dramatic yet least bombastic, song in rotation. Crisp snare rolls, cold guitar stabs, and at least a dozen other elements were deployed with tremendous economy, suspensefully ricocheting off one another as Sade Adu rewrote “Love Is a Battlefield” with scarred, assured defiance. While the song was an indication of its parent album’s reliance upon organic instrumentation — the band’s use of synthesized textures and programming is greatly diminished — it merely hinted at the dark, even fatalist, depth of heartache conveyed throughout the set. On “Bring Me Home,” Adu is content in resignation (“Send me to slaughter/Lay me on the railway line”), while on “The Moon and the Sky,” she projects a bruised and angered bewilderment (“You lay me down and left me for the lions”). The focus at least switches temporarily to a loved one on “In Another Time,” in what resembles a love letter to (what is likely) a young daughter mistreated by members of both sexes (“Their whispers are hailstones in your face”; “Soon they’ll mean nothing to you”). Although the bleakness is tempered with themes of survival and recovery, and (just) one song that is truly sweet (“Babyfather”), a fair portion of the album’s lyrical content comes off as drained-sounding, only echoed with vanilla arrangements that are merely functional, restrained to a fault, greatly outstripped by “Soldier of Love.” Lacking rhythmic hypnotism and relatable most to those who are experiencing solitude created by romantic desertion, this is not your mother's Sade album. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Sade Adu - Vocals, Guitar
Stuart Matthewman - Saxophone
Andrew Hale - Keyboards
Paul S. Denman - Bass
Martin Ditcham - Drums
Noel Langley - Trumpet
Peter Lewinson - Drums
Ian Burdge - Cello
Tony Momrelle - Vocals
Sophie Muller - Ukulele
Gordon Matthewman - Trumpet

Article 4

Article 3

Article 2

Article 1

Article 0

Article 1

Article 0

Article 0

Article 2

Article 1

Article 0

Article 0

Article 1

Article 0

Article 3

Article 2

Article 1

Article 0

Article 9

Article 8