RUN'S LOSSLESS LIBRARY

Bobby Jones - Comin Back Hard
Featuring The Mannish Boys
BLUES | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 276MB | 41:40
Delta Groove 2009

01. She's the One
02. Two Headed Woman
03. I Must Be Crazy
04. Come in out of the Rain
05. Get It Over Baby
06. I Don't Know
07. Tired of Your Jive
08. Cry for Me Baby
09. Three Handed Woman
10. Mystery Train
11. How Long Will It Last

Since singing with the legendary group the Aces, Louisiana native Bobby Jones has since been a virtual unknown nationally up until 2007, though he's been fairly active in his second home of Chicago. When he was "discovered" languishing in obscurity by Leon Blue and the Delta Grooves label, they finally offered him an opportunity to record. It's a good thing that everyone gets to hear what a fine, skilled, and strong vocalist he is. The richness of his solid, soul-sending voice is, in many ways, beyond compare, both in a retro and contemporary vein. Frankly, there are few singers who can match what he is putting down on this, his way-overdue debut as a leader. Backed by the rising star blues band the Mannish Boys and accompanied by a treasure trove of all-stars, Jones slashes his way through a set of blues classics, current-day funky tunes, two originals from bandmembers, and two from Ike Turner. Classic tracks include Junior Parker's rocker "Mystery Train" with vocalist Finis Tasby and harmonica by Randy Chortkoff on the side, the lesser-known Hank Ballard sub-hit "She's the One," and Johnnie Pate's great swing shuffle "Tired of Your Jive" done in the tough and disgusted B.B. King tradition. George Allen wrote "I Don't Know," while Jones slows the pace alongside the boogie piano of Fred Kaplan, and takes Mel London's "Cry for Me Baby" out for an upbeat spin, extolling his virtues. Jones is so superlative and commanding here, he carries all of these songs no matter the backup group of soloists, but he really shines on Willie Dixon's "Two Headed Woman," a shuffle with the twangy guitar of the Mannish Boys' Paris Slim, and tears up the swinger "Three Handed Woman" (right-handed, left-handed, and underhanded) with help from harmonica player Lynwood Slim and a keen eye for what goes down on the sly. Kid Ramos plays excellent lead guitar on five tracks, and Junior Watson joins in on two more. This is a great party album, easily apropo for your next get together, as it was for all of the great blues musicians who convened for the love of Bobby Jones, to create a treasure finally uncovered, shined up, and proudly placed on display. ~ Michael G. Nastos, All Music Guide

Bobby Jones - Vocals
Richard Innes - Drums
Kid Ramos - Guitar
Tom Leavey - Bass
Finis Tasby - Vocals
Junior Watson - Guitar
Lynwood Slim - Harmonica
Ronnie James Weber - Bass
Fred Kapla - Piano, Organ
Franck Goldwasser - Guitar
Randy Chortkoff - Harmonica
David Woodford - Tenor Saxophone

Terminator X - Valley of the Jeep Beets
HIP HOP | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 352MB | 46:48
Columbia 1991

01. Vendetta...the Big Getback
02. Buck Whylin
03. Homey Don't Play Dat
04. Juvenile Delinquintz
05. The Blues
06. Back to the Scene of the Bass
07. Can't Take My Style
08. Wanna be Dancin
09. DJ is the Selector
10. Run That Go-Power Thang
11. No Further
12. High Priest of Turbulence
13. Ain't Got Nuttin

For hardcore Public Enemy fans, the release of Terminator X's debut solo album, Terminator X & the Valley of the Jeep Beets, in 1991 was a major event. Terminator X, of course, is best-known for his work as Public Enemy's DJ; his cutting and scratching added a lot to five-star albums like Fear of a Black Planet and It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back, and he has a well-deserved reputation for being one of hip-hop's most creative turntable manipulators. When you're talking about great hip-hop DJs, Terminator's name deserves to be mentioned along with the likes of Grandmaster Flash, Jam Master Jay, Cut Creator, and the seminal Kool DJ Herc. Not surprisingly, Public Enemy's influence is quite strong on this album, and yet Terminator X & the Valley of the Jeep Beets is hardly a carbon copy of PE's releases. Public Enemy leader Chuck D has a cameo on "Buck Whylin'," but ultimately this album is about Terminator's skills as a DJ/producer. Various rappers are featured -- including Juvenile Delinquintz, Andreas 13, the Interrogators, and the controversial Sister Souljah -- and the album detours into R&B singing when Section 8 is employed on "No Further." Overall, the raps are decent without being remarkable; most of the rapping isn't on a par with what Chuck D and Flavor Flav gave us on PE gems like "Fight the Power" and "Don't Believe the Hype." Terminator's turntable skills are what, more than anything, make this CD worth the price of admission. Even if a particular rap is merely adequate, Terminator maintains one's attention with his consistently imaginative deejaying. Not perfect but generally enjoyable, Terminator X & the Valley of the Jeep Beets is worth checking out if you're an admirer of his work with Public Enemy. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide

Terminator X
Sister Souljah
Andreas 13
Chuck D
Celo
Spacey B
Section 8
Dubmaster
Groovy Loo
Interrogators
Bonnie N Clyde
Juvenlie Delinquintz

Biz Markie - Diabolical: Biz's Greatest Hits
HIP HOP | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 311MB | 48:03
Cold Chillin 2009

01. Make The Music With Your Mouth Biz
02. Nobody Beats The Biz
03. Biz Is Goin Off
04. Vapors
05. Just A Friend
06. I Hear Music
07. Spring Again
08. What Come Around Goes Around
09. I'm The Biz Markie
10. Let Me Turn You On

]Diabolical: The Biz's Greatest Hits boils Biz Markie's run as one of the golden age of rap's unsung heroes down to the ten most essential tracks Biz recorded. The big hit "Just a Friend" is the song casual hip-hop fans will know, but listeners will also find a bunch of hilarious and funky tracks featuring Biz's rubbery flow and witty production work. Any hip-hop collection without "Nobody Beats the Biz,""Vapors," or "Make the Music with Your Mouth Biz" is severely lacking and can be remedied by picking up this collection -- or the 12-song collection Ultimate Diabolical that was released in 2007. Either one will do. ~ Tim Sendra, All Music Guide

Biz Markie - Vocals, Mixing
Marley Marl - Mixing
TJ Swann - Vocals
Cutmaster Cool V - Mixing

Robert Cray - Cookin in Mobile
BLUES | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 486MB | 75:04
Vanguard 2010

01. Our Last Time
02. Anytime
03. Love 2009
04. Right Next Door
05. Chicken In the Kitchen
06. Sitting On Top of the World
07. One In the Middle
08. Lotta Lovin’
09. Smoking Gun
10. I Can't Fail
11. That's What Keeps Me Rockin
12. Time Makes Two

Robert Cray is a dependable, professional performer who has been criticized for being too reserved on-stage. He loosens his tie on this set though, recorded at a single show in February 2010. The veteran frontman tears into his staccato guitar solos with gusto here, extending the tunes and singing with a rawness often lacking in his studio work. His band also pushes harder, especially longtime keyboardist/songwriter Jim Pugh, whose featured solos match Cray's own intensity and are spotlighted throughout. This is soul-bluesman Cray's third live release in four years (2010's Authorized Bootleg dated back to a 1987 show), but the only one that includes a full concert DVD -- adding two more cuts, "Phone Booth" and "Twenty" -- along with the audio. He has only recorded one studio disc in that time, four selections from which are reprised. Only a few songs will be familiar to anyone but hardcore fans, including spirited workouts on '80s hits "Smoking Gun" and "Right Next Door," along with "Our Last Time," the latter two already included on 2006's Live from Across the Pond. Two other tracks also appear on that previous double concert CD, which raises the question of why, with as many albums as Cray has accumulated, he couldn't dig back and find different material. A cover of "Sitting on Top of the World" is dirtier than you'd expect, and in general the sweat flows when the guitarist pushes his R&B deeper into the blues as his band grinds into a groove often absent from his more polished catalog. He pulls out guitar effects that creatively double-track his solo on "Lotta Lovin'," another ballad that sounds far more heartbroken and personal here than on 2003's Time Will Tell, where it first appeared. Cray's vocal howls and grunts as he tears into tight, energized guitar solos show that he's been captured on an inspired night, even on "Smoking Gun," a tune he's been playing nightly for over two decades. It makes for a surprisingly tough and uncompromising performance that shows Robert Cray in a different light than many would have expected based solely on his impressive if somewhat similar-sounding and often sterile albums. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide

Robert Cray - Guitar, Vocals
Jim Pugh - Keyboards
Tony Braunagel - Drums
Richard Cousins - Bass

Muddy Waters - Electric Mud
BLUES | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 261MB | 36:57
Cadet 1968

1. I Just Want to Make Love to You
2. (I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man
3. Let's Spend the Night Together
4. She's Alright
5. Mannish Boy
6. Herbert Harper's Free Press News
7. Tom Cat
8. The Same Thing

In an attempt to make Muddy more sellable to his newly found white audience, Chess lumbered him with Hendrix-influenced psychedelic blues arrangements for Electric Mud. Commercially, actually, the results weren't bad; Marshall Chess claims it sold between 150,000 and 200,000 copies. Musically, it was as ill-advised as putting Dustin Hoffman into a Star Wars epic. Guitarists Pete Cosey and Phil Upchurch are very talented players, but Muddy's brand of down-home electric blues suffered greatly at the hands of extended fuzzy solos. Muddy and band overhaul classics like "I Just Want to Make Love to You" and "Hoochie Coochie Man," and do a ludicrous cover of "Let's Spend the Night Together"; wah-wah guitars and occasional wailing soprano sax bounce around like loose basketballs. It's a classically wrongheaded, crass update of the blues for a modern audience. The 1996 CD reissue adds interesting historical liner notes. ~ Richie Unterberger, All Music Guide

Muddy Waters - Guitar, Vocals
Phil Upchurch - Guitar
Pete Cosey - Guitar
Charles Stepney - Organ
Roland Faulkner - Guitar
Morris Jennings - Drums
Louis Satterfield - Bass
Gene Barge - Tenor Saxophone

Preservation Hall Jazz Band - That's It!
ORLEANS JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 240MB | 37:41
Legacy 2013

01. That's It!
02. Dear Lord
03. Come with Me
04. Sugar Plum
05. Rattlin Bones
06. I Think I Love You
07. August Nights
08. Halfway Right, Halfway Wrong
09. Yellow Moon
10. The Darker it Gets
11. Emmalena's Lullaby

Preservation Hall Jazz Band's 2013 album, That's It!, is the first album of all-original material in their 50-year career. Certainly, the storied ensemble has performed original songs by its various members over the years, but the group has never released an album made up solely of new compositions. In that sense, the album fits in with Preservation Hall Jazz Band's recent creative direction that found them collaborating with artists from other genres, including 2010's Preservation: An Album to Benefit Preservation Hall & the Preservation Hall Music Outreach Program and 2011's jazz-meets-bluegrass experiment American Legacies, featuring the Del McCoury Band. Some of this newfound creativity is surely due in large part to bassist and tuba player Ben Jaffe having taken over as Preservation Hall's director, a legacy passed down to him by his parents, who co-founded the institution. Under his creative direction, Preservation Hall has flourished as a vital part of New Orleans culture. Produced by Jaffe along with My Morning Jacket's Jim James, That's It! celebrates this culture with a batch of brand-new songs that, while hewing closely to the swinging blues and gospel-oriented traditions of New Orleans jazz, never feel stodgy or revivalist. These are freewheeling, organic productions that make the most of the group's mix of older and younger musicians. Along with new songs by Jaffe, clarinetist/vocalist Charlie Gabriel, pianist Rickie Monie, and saxophonist/vocalist Clint Maedgen, the album also features songs co-written by several pop artists, including the legendary Paul Williams and Semisonic's Dan Wilson. All of which helps to make That's It! a vibrant, engaging work and one of Preservation Hall's best albums. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide

Ben Jaffe - String Bass, Tuba
Mark Braud - Trumpet
Joe Lastie - Drums
Rickie Monie - Piano
Ronell Johnson - Piano, Tuba
Freddie Lonzo - Trombone, Vocals
Clint Maedgen - Saxophone, Vocals
Charlie Gabriel - Clarinet, Saxophone

Manhattan Transfer - Spirit of St Louis
VOCALESE | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 368MB | 46:21
Atlantic 2000

01. Stompin at Mahogany Hall
02. The Blues Are Brewin
03. Sugar
04. A Kiss to Build a Dream On
05. Old Man Mose
06. Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?
07. Gone Fishin
08. Nothing Could Be Better
09. Blue Again
10. When You Wish upon a Star

You always look for new things from the Manhattan Transfer, and after a couple of releases that weren't too innovative, followed by a three-year gap, suddenly they come out with a really peculiar-sounding, refreshingly weird observance of the Louis Armstrong centennial. It sounds as if they had spent those three years racking their brains trying to come up with a totally different studio sound that's neither nostalgic nor modern. Which is exactly what they've done; the sound is compressed to evoke that of an ancient 78 rpm disc but not any 78 you'll ever encounter, whether by Louis or anyone. You hear all kinds of odd things bumping around in the back like loose parts in a machine, strange electronic treatments of the voices, an accordion wailing through many of the tracks, Delta blues guitar, Cajun, and rock & roll, and even more modern styles (with members of k.d. lang's band and Los Lobos's Steve Berlin joining in). The A&R guys probably would have killed to make this CD an exercise in reverent nostalgia -- "Do You Know What It Means to Miss Orleans" is the closest thing to it -- but a track like "A Kiss to Build a Dream On" with its touch of hip-hop in the rhythm, electronically limited guitar, and strings doesn't sound nostalgic in the least. "Gone Fishin'" is an affectionate, extended Alan Paul/Tim Hauser takeoff on the easygoing rapport between Armstrong and Bing Crosby on their duet version, wisely leaving the funny topical references to the original. "Nothing Could Be Hotter Than That" has some trademark Cheryl Bentyne high-wire vocalese. And to end the album, a normally warm and cozy tune like "When You Wish Upon a Star" opens and closes with a spacy electronic arrangement, with harmonies that thankfully undercut the sweetness, transforming the tune. Louis Armstrong wouldn't have recognized this "tribute," but his younger self probably would have hailed the Transfer's renewed moxie and experimental spirit. ~ Richard S. Ginell, All Music Guide

Janis Siegel - Vocals
Tim Hauser - Vocals
Alan Paul - Vocals
Corey Allen - Vocals
Abe Laboriel - Drums
Steve Berlin - Saxophone
Plas Johnson - Saxophone
Chris Bruce - Guitar
Jon Hassell - Trumpet
Greg Leisz - Guitar, Pedal Steel
Jon Clarke - Clarinet, Saxophone
Teddy Borowiecki - Accordion, Organ
Patrick Warren - Chamberlin, Marxophone

Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | CUE | PNG | 232MB | 41:26
Atlantic 1967

01. Respect
02. Drown in My Own Tears
03. I Never Loved a Man
04. Soul Serenade
05. Don't Let Me Lose This Dream
06. Baby, Baby, Baby
07. Dr. Feelgood
08. Good Times
09. Do Right Woman
10. Save Me
11. A Change Is Gonna Come
12. Respect [Stereo Version]
13. I Never Loved a Man[Stereo Version]
14. Do Right Woman [Stereo Version]

While the inclusion of "Respect" -- one of the truly seminal singles in pop history -- is in and of itself sufficient to earn I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You classic status, Aretha Franklin's Atlantic label debut is an indisputable masterpiece from start to finish. Much of the credit is due to producer Jerry Wexler, who finally unleashed the soulful intensity so long kept under wraps during her Columbia tenure; assembling a crack Muscle Shoals backing band along with an abundance of impeccable material, Wexler creates the ideal setting to allow Aretha to ascend to the throne of Queen of Soul, and she responds with the strongest performances of her career. While the brilliant title track remains the album's other best-known song, each cut on I Never Loved a Man is touched by greatness; covers of Ray Charles'"Drown in My Own Tears" and Sam Cooke's "Good Times" and "A Change Is Gonna Come" are on par with the original recordings, while Aretha's own contributions -- "Don't Let Me Lose This Dream,""Baby, Baby, Baby,""Save Me," and "Dr. Feelgood (Love Is a Serious Business)" -- are perfectly at home in such lofty company. A soul landmark. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide

Aretha Franklin - Piano, Vocals
Carolyn Franklin - Vocals
Jimmy Johnson - Guitar
Gene Chrisman - Drums
Tommy Cogbill - Bass
Chips Moman - Guitar
Dewey Oldham - Keyboards
King Curtis - Tenor Saxophone
Melvin Lastie - Cornet, Trumpet
Charles Chalmers - Tenor Saxophone
Willie Bridges - Baritone Saxophone

Earth, Wind & Fire - The Need of Love
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVER | 195MB | 31:49
Warner Brothers 1971

01. Energy
02. Beauty
03. I Can Feel It In My Bones
04. I Think About Lovin You
05. Everything Is Everything

At this point the band was Maurice and Verdine White with Wade Flemons and Sherry Scott (vocals), Don Whitehead (piano), Michael Beal (guitar), Yackov Ben Israel (percussion), Chet Washington (sax) and Alex Thomas (trombone). Like the previous record, there are some atmospheric jams ("Energy," with a spacey spoken invocation), and this time the arrangements are more sophisticated ("Everything Is Everything"; "Beauty," with spiffy vocal harmonies). On the other hand, there's nothing as invigorating as "Fan The Fire," let alone the classic songs the next incarnation of the band would soon come up with. Scott contributes one ordinary soul ballad, "I Think About Lovin' You"; the bulk of the disc is by White, Flemons and Whitehead. Produced by Joe Wissert. --David Bertrand Wilson, WARR.org

Maurice White - Drums, Kalimba, Vocals
Don Whitehead - Piano, Vocals
Oscar Brashear - Trumpet
Wade Flemons - Vocals
Sherry Scott - Vocals
Verdine White - Bass
Alexander Thomas - Trombone
Michael Beal - Guitar, Harmonica
Chet Washington - Tenor Saxophone
Yackov Ben Israel - Congas, Percussion

Abbey Lincoln - Abbey Sings Abbey
VOCAL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 369MB | 59:42
Verve 2007

01. Blue Monk
02. Throw It Away
03. And It's Supposed to Be Love
04. Should've Been
05. The World Is Falling Down
06. Bird Alone
07. Down Here Below
08. TheMusic Is the Magic
09. Learning How to Listen
10. The Merry Dancer
11. Love Has Gone Away
12. Being Me

Vocalist Abbey Lincoln's voice is the sound of the earth yearning for your soul. She is lust turned to wisdom. She is diva turned to soothsayer. In her mid-seventies at the time of this recording, Lincoln is the embodiment of a life lived as a performer and lover and now a storyteller through song. Abbey Sings Abbey finds the songstress revisiting a number of her own compositions from past albums. And while she remains a pre-eminent jazz singer, here she has surrounded herself with an eclectic and organic small group that imbues these tracks with a soft country-blues meets klezmer sound that rubs elegantly against Lincoln's burnished vocals. This is a beautifully raw and intimate album full of lament and the faint perfume of romance. As she sings on "Should've Been,""It's the sound of sorry/Looking yonder with regret. Sorry 'cause of what you got/And what you didn't get." These are enigmatic torch songs and playful blues, dark elegies and poignant ballads all featuring Lincoln's own devastatingly precise lyrics and melodies that hint at not just death and regret, but also a lingering passion for life. ~ Matt Collar, All Music Guide

Abbey Lincoln - Vocals
Shawn Pelton - Drums
Dave Eggar - Cello
Scott Colley - Bass
Gil Goldstein - Accordion
Larry Campbell - Guitar, Mandolin

Sandra St. Victor - Mack Diva Saves The World
SOUL+FUNK | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 447MB | 60:05
Warner Brothers 1996

01. Intro Skit
02. Mack Diva
03. Chocolate
04. Rise
05. Don't Bring Me Down
06. Knocked Up And Locked Down
07. MPH!
08. MPH!
09. Since You Been Gone
10. Come Over
11. Wet
12. Lonely In A Crowded Room
13. Can't Live Without You

With her debut album Mack Diva Saves the World, Sandra St. Victor covers the same ground that she did with the Family Stand -- her former bandmate V. Jeffrey Smith even appears on three tracks -- but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. St. Victor has a smooth, powerful voice that can enliven even the mediocre tracks, which there are a handful of here. However, there are more than enough songs that cross classic soul with hip-hop sensibilities, and those are the cuts that make Mack Diva Saves the World an album worth returning to. ~ Leo Stanley, All Music Guide

Sandra St. Victor - Vocals
V. Jeffrey Smith - Keyboards
Charles Alexander - Flute
Bob Robinson - Keyboards
Robert Palmer - Guitar
Booker King - Bass
Joe Belmaati - Bass
Freddie Cash - Bass
Michael Ciro - Guitar
Tim Kelly - Keyboards
Tue Roh - Fender Rhodes
William Duvall - Guitar
Fred King - Fender Rhodes
Howard McCrary - Keyboards
Mark Batson - Guitar, Organ, Piano

Buddy Guy - Rhythm & Blues
BLUES | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 591MB | 80:41
RCA 2013

DISC 1: RHYTHM:
01. Best in Town
02. Justifyin'
03. I Go by Feel
04. Messin' with the Kid
05. What's Up with That Woman
06. One Day Away
07. Well I Done Got Over It
08. What You Gonna Do About Me
09. The Devil's Daughter
10. Whiskey Ghost
11. Rhythm Inner Groove

DISC 2: BLUES:
01. Meet Me in Chicago
02. Too Damn Bad
03. Evil Twin
04. I Could Die Happy
05. Never Gonna Change
06. All That Makes Me Happy Is the Blues
07. My Mama Loved Me
08. Jr.) Blues Don't Care
09. I Came Up Hard
10. Poison Ivy

A great open secret of the last act of Buddy Guy's career is that nearly every album he's made in the new millennium is a concept album of sorts, ranging from the gnarled modern Delta blues of Sweet Tea and the acoustic Blues Singer to the pseudo-autobiography of 2010's Living Proof. Rhythm & Blues trumps them all in size and concept: it's a double-disc set divided into one disc of "Rhythm" (aka soul) and one disc of "Blues" (aka blues of the Chicago variety). Several stars come out to help Guy along, top-lined by three-fifths of Aerosmith on "Evil Twin" and Kid Rock on, naturally, "Messin' with the Kid." The former arrives on "Blues" and the latter on "Rhythm," which suggests how fluid the lines are between the two discs. But it's also generally true that the "Rhythm" disc is big, bold, and brassy in a way Buddy rarely is; often, it's much closer to the late, great Bobby "Blue" Bland, albeit a hyper-charged, over-scaled version of soul-blues. Guy has rarely attempted this kind of horn-driven, soulful blues and it's fun to hear him tackle such sounds as he wrestles the rhythms while spitting out gonzo, gnarly guitar runs. Better still, he finds a place to settle down within the slinky grooves of "I Go By Feel" and the Keith Urban duet "One Day Away," which are not only the two greatest surprises in tone, but also the two songs that sink their hooks in deep. That's not always the case here, at least for the originals, particularly on the "Blues" disc which either trades in pastiche ("Meet Me in Chicago,""All That Makes Me Happy Is the Blues") or function as simple showcases for Guy's guitar. If this package can sometimes feel a little too pat, put the blame on producer Tom Hambridge, who also helmed Skin Deep and Living Proof and now has a track record of pushing Guy just enough to form a narrative but not enough to break him out of the box. Buddy himself remains a bit of a live wire, his voice sounding younger than Steven Tyler's and his guitar continuing to be a muscled monster that steamrollers everything surrounding it. That continued potency is reason enough to give Rhythm & Blues a spin. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Buddy Guy - Stratocaster, Guitar, Vocals
Rob McNelley - Slide Guitar
Michael Rhodes - Bass
Tommy Macdonald - Bass
Tom Hambridge - Drums
Beth Hart - Vocals
Joe Perry - Guitar
Kid Rock - Vocals
Charles Rose - Trombone
Steven Tyler - Vocals
David Grissom - Guitar
Steven Herrman - Trumpet
Gary Clark - Guitar, Vocals
Keith Urban - Guitar, Vocals
Jim Horn - Baritone Saxophone
Reese Wynans - Hammond, Wurlitzer
Harvey Thompson - Tenor Saxophone
Kevin McKendree - Hammond, Wurlitzer

Booker T - Sound The Alarm
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 362MB | 47:32
STAX 2013

01. Sound the Alarm
02. All Over the Place
03. Fun
04. Broken Heart
05. Feel Good
06. Gently
07. Austin City Blues
08. Can't Wait
09. 66 Impala
10. Watch You Sleeping
11. Your Love Is No Love
12. Father Son Blues

Booker T. Jones has certainly put his mark on modern pop music. As part of the legendary group Booker T. & the MG's, Memphis' first integrated band, and the house band at Stax Records in the 1960s, he pretty much was in at the ground floor of the invention of soul, backing classic soul hits by Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, William Bell, and many others, as well as generating iconic instrumental hits from the era like "Green Onions,""Time Is Tight," and numerous others with the MG's. Jones left Stax as the 1970s hit and the label was essentially falling apart, and he's drifted from label to label ever since, his legacy secure as the dominant Hammond B-3 organ player of his generation (apart from Jimmy Smith, of course). Sound the Alarm is Jones' tenth solo album since leaving Stax, and it returns him to the label, now owned by Concord Records, a dozen years and change into the 21st century. Homecomings are nice, and it makes for a nice press hook for this outing, but anyone expecting some vintage-styled Memphis soul here is going to be disappointed, because there isn't much of it. Jones, who wrote or co-wrote every song on the album, has brought in several guests to help him out, and while it isn't exactly a duets album, it's pretty close, and the focus is hardly on Jones and his playing. There are a couple of nice urban R&B love ballads like "Broken Heart," which features Jay James on vocals, and "Your Love Is No Love," done with the group Vintage Trouble and spotlighting Ty Taylor on vocals, but most of the other tracks with lead vocals have little real impact or presence. The best tracks here by far are the handful of instrumentals, including the soul-jazz-like "Feel Good," the funky and bluesy "Austin City Blues" with Gary Clark, Jr. on guitar, and the set closer, "Father Son Blues," which features Ted Jones on guitar. There's nothing wrong with trying to get a more contemporary sound and feel (the album was co-produced by Jones and brothers Bobby Ross and Issiah "IZ" Avila), of course, but when you're Booker T. Jones, maybe you shouldn't worry about that. After all, the funky soul groove template that Jones helped create in Memphis some 40-plus years ago never really goes out of style. One wishes there were more of that here. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide

Booker T - Hammond, Bass, Piano, Vocals
Richard Danielson - Drums
Gordon Campbell - Drums
Raphael Saadiq - Guitar
Nate Watts - Bass
Nalle Colt - Guitar
Rick Barrio - Bass
Leon Silva - Saxophone
Rashawn Ross - Trumpet
Wesley Smith - Saxophone
Kevin Williams - Trombone

Charlie Wilson - Just Charlie
R&B | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 282MB | 38:38
JIVE 2010

01. My Girl Is A Dime
02. You Are
03. I Wanna Be Your Man
04. Never Got Enough
05. Once And Forever
06. Life Of The Party
07. I Can't Let Go
08. Crying For You
09. Where Would I Be
10. Lotto

On Charlie Wilson‘s 2010 release, Just Charlie, the former Gap Band singer sticks with the high-quality “grown folks” R&B material that put his previous two albums in the Top Ten of Billboard 200 album chart. Besides whittling the number of special guests down from three to one, casual fans will have problems telling this one from his previous release, but these ten smooth cuts go down easy and give no sign the formula has stopped working. “My Girl is a Dime” is filled with enough pride and passion, “Lotto” feels like it’s delivered from the center of the romance winner’s circle, and Charlie’s cover of Zapp’s slow funk favorite “I Wanna Be Your Man” is highly desirable and well inspired as it turns into a duet with Fantasia. “You Are” is the grand romance ballad and key track, while everything else is as comfortable, coolly sexy, and warm as fans desire. Maybe the album naming scheme -- Charlie, Last Name Wilson, Uncle Charlie, Just Charlie -- could be reconsidered, but otherwise, this is Wilson the way you want him. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide

Charlie Wilson - Vocals
Marlon McClain - Guitar

Insomniax - Musician

Erick Walls - Guitar
Fantasia - Vocals
Wayne Wallace - Trombone
Curt Ingram - French Horn
Peter Escovedo - Percussion
Brinson Poythress - Guitar
Mary Fettig - Alto Saxophone
Lance Tolbert - Bass, Keyboards
Wirlie Morris - Bass, Keyboards
Louis Fasman - Flugelhorn, Trumpet

Muddy Waters - The Anthology: 1947-1972
COMPILATION | BLUES | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVER | 641MB | 147:47
MCA 2001

1-01. Gypsy Woman

1-02. I Can't Be Satisfied

1-03. I Feel Like Going Home

1-04. Train Fare Home Blues

1-05. Mean Red Spider

1-06. Standin Here Tremblin

1-07. You Gonna Need My Help

1-08. Little Geneva

1-09. Rollin'& Tumblin' Part 1

1-10. Rollin' Stone

1-11. Walkin' Blues

1-12. Louisiana Blues

1-13. Long Distance Call

1-14. Honey Bee

1-15. Country Boy

1-16. She Moves Me

1-17. Still A Fool

1-18. Stuff You Gotta Watch

1-19. Who's Gonna Be Your Sweet Man When I'm Gone?

1-20. Standin' Around Cryin

1-21. Baby Please Don't Go

1-22. Hoochie Coochie Man

1-23. I Just Want To Make Love To You

1-24. I'm Ready

1-25. Young Fashioned Ways

1-26. I Want To Be Loved

2-01. My Eyes (Keep Me In Trouble)
2-02. Mannish Boy
2-03. Sugar Sweet
2-04. Trouble No More
2-05. Forty Days And Forty Nights
2-06. Just To Be With You
2-07. Don't Go No Farther
2-08. Diamonds At Your Feet
2-09. I Love The Life I Live, I Live The Life I Love
2-10. Got My Mojo Working
2-11. Rock Me
2-12. Look What You've Done
2-13. She's Nineteen Years Old
2-14. Close To You
2-15. Walking Thru The Park
2-16. Take The Bitter With The Sweet
2-17. I Feel So Good (Live)
2-18. You Shook Me
2-19. My Home Is In The Delta
2-20. Good Morning Little School Girl
2-21. The Same Thing
2-22. You Can't Lose What You Ain't Never Had
2-23. All Aboard (Fathers & Sons)
2-24. Can't Get No Grindin

There have been countless collections of Muddy Waters' classic Chess material released over the years, but Chess began to whittle down the domestic catalog toward the late '90s. The triple-disc Chess box remained in print, but they added two single-disc collections that each covered a specific period in Waters' career at Chess. Then, in 2001, MCA/Chess released The Anthology, a double-disc set that essentially contained much of those two single-disc collections, with several extra tracks, remastering and new liner notes. This still didn't correct the lack of a concise, single-disc overview with all the hits -- something that Muddy, Chuck Berry, and Howlin' Wolf all desperately need -- but if you're going to be buying two discs to get the full Muddy Waters story, you should get this instead of two separate discs, since it's simply easier. Besides this, even if it does contain a bunch of familiar material, it also contains some of the greatest music of the 20th century, and if you're not going to get the box but still want a comprehensive Muddy set, this is it. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Muddy Waters - Guitar, Vocals
Little Walter - Harmonica
Junior Wells - Harmonica
Otis Spann - Piano
Buddy Guy - Guitar
Willie Dixon - Bass
Sunnyland Slim - Piano
Luther Tucker - Guitar
Phil Upchurch - Bass
Fred Below - Drums
Francis Clay - Drums
Sam Lay - Drums
Elgin Evans - Drums
Leroy Foster - Guitar
Pat Hare - Guitar
Jimmy Rogers - Guitar
Earl Hooker - Guitar
Clifton James - Drums
Fred Robinson - Guitar
Lafayette Leake - Piano
Jeffrey Carp - Harmonica
Andrew Stephenson - Bass
James Cotton - Harmonica
A.C. Reed - Tenor Saxophone

Earth Wind & Fire - The Promise
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 436MB | 56:59
Kalimba 2003

01. All In the Way
02. Betcha
03. Wiggle
04. Why?
05. Wonderland
06. Where Do We Go from Here?
07. Freedom
08. Hold Me
09. Never
10. Prelude
11. All About Love
12. Suppose You Like Me
13. The Promise
14. Love's Patience/She Waits
15. The Promise (Continued)
16. Let Me Love You
17. Dirty

A certain reverence needs to be paid toward a group that can manage to still produce interesting, soulful music well into a third decade. Earth, Wind & Fire has endured practically everything a music group can experience and still remain true to the very essence of what made it popular. However, those expecting a knockout traditional Earth, Wind & Fire record will be slightly disappointed with The Promise. Though the magic of Philip Bailey and Maurice White's instantly recognizable vocals is still potent, there are a few things that Earth, Wind & Fire fanatics will immediately notice are different. The use of drum machines as opposed to a live drummer on the majority of the record takes some of the energy and magic out of the delivery, especially when revisiting classic moments of the group's career. Unnecessary interludes also serve more as distractions than interesting segues, and take away what little cohesiveness The Promise holds. Individually, the songs are still well-produced and hold up on their own -- and all would be considered suitable for a smooth jazz/adult R&B setting. Overall, The Promise still retains many of the qualities that endeared fans to Earth, Wind & Fire so many years ago -- it's extremely soulful and soothing, and the loyalists will eat this release up (especially with the renditions of older songs). ~ Rob Theakston, All Music Guide

Maurice White - Vocals, Kalimba
Verdine White - Bass
Philip Bailey - Vocals
Ralph Johnson - Percussion

Bob Robinson - Piano, Guitar

Tom Mgrdichian - Keyboards
John Paris - Drums
Greg Moore - Guitar
Tim Kelley - Keyboards
Reggie Young - Trombone
Darrell Crooks - Guitar
Gary Grant - Trumpet
Jerry Hey - Trumpet
Andy Martin - Trombone
Wanda Vaughn - Vocals
Wayne Vaughn - Drums
Eric Walls - Guitar
Wayne Linsey - Keyboards
Gregory Curtis - Keyboards
Gary Bias - Flute, Saxophone
Robert Brookins - Keyboards
Tollak Ollestad - Harmonica
Raymond Crossley - Keyboards
Paulinho Da Costa - Percussion
Ray Brown - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Daniel de los Reyes - Percussion
Alexander Dutkewych - Guitar, Harp
Michael Stewart - Trumpet, Flugelhorn

Leela James - My Soul
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 315MB | 39:50
Stax 2010

01. I Ain't New to This
02. So Cold
03. The Fact Is
04. I Want It All
05. Party All Night
06. Mr. Incredible Ms. Unforgettable
07. Tell Me You Love Me
08. Let It Roll
09. Supa Luva
10. If It's Wrong
11. It's Over

Let’s Do It Again, a covers album released on an independent label in 2009, fared significantly better on the charts than Leela James' 2005 debut, a major-label release. One could interpret this irony as a case of a major mishandling an artist, but it’s just as likely that it took a few years for word about James to spread. She’s one of those R&B singers whose ‘70s-throwback voice belies her birth year (1983), built more for a steady career and a slowly developing fan base than overnight platinum success. Now on Stax, longtime home of Mavis Staples (one of her most evident inspirations), James finds herself in an ideal setting. My Soul is James' best yet in every way. It does not feature quite as many big-name collaborators or eye-popping elements as her debut, but the material is stronger, more balanced between vintage and contemporary sounds, and James sounds more comfortable in her voice. Just as important is that she is coming into her own as a songwriter; four of the songs were written entirely by her, and they are among the album’s most affecting moments, ranging from the yearning, dropped-guard “So Cold,” to the forceful “I Want It All,” to the carefree “Let It Roll.” Do make sure you stay until the end, through the steamy “Supa Luva” and “If It’s Wrong,” as well as the deadly “It’s Over” (“That’s why I changed the locks on my door, ‘cause love don’t live here no more”). ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Leela James - Vocals
Spanky McCurdy - Drums
Dwayne Moore - Bass
Smurf Smith - Keyboards
Mark Bowers - Bass, Guitar
Milton Fletcher - Keyboards

The "B-Dub" Horns:
Ben Wendel - Tenor Saxophone
Bud Wales - Tenor Saxophone
Brenda Walkin - Tenor Saxophone
Barry Wilson - Baritone Saxophone

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Leela James - Let's Do It Again
SOUL | FLAC | CUE | LOG | PNG | 394MB | 56:08
Shanachie 2009

01. Clean Up Woman
02. Miss You
03. It's a Man's Man's Man's World
04. Baby I'm Scared of You
05. You Know How to Love Me
06. I Want to Know What Love Is
07. Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out
08. I Try
09. I'd Rather Be with You
10. Simply Beautiful
11. Let's Do It Again

For adult contemporary R&B fans, it was disheartening that a vocalist as talented as Leela James went almost four years before releasing a follow-up to her flawed but promising debut. Coming into her second album with the knowledge that it is part of the Shanachie label's extensive series of all-covers sets, predominantly the province of artists twice James' age who are on album number ten or 20 instead of two, gauging the level of expectations is tricky. On one hand, it is frustrating that James' second album, after all this time, contains no original songs; on the other, it should be a loose, no-fuss affair, less measured than A Change Is Gonna Come and more like James' well-regarded live show. The latter, thankfully, is very much true. James' selections are mostly inspired, containing some natural (if obvious) material -- like the album's bookends, Betty Wright's "Clean Up Woman" and the Staple Singers'"Let's Do It Again" -- and some others that are bound to raise some eyebrows, just from seeing the titles. Womack & Womack's gently swinging "Baby I'm Scared of You" is a highlight, despite the absence of a sparring partner, which lends it a tone that is more serious than the Womacks' typically playful original. Phyllis Hyman's "You Know How to Love Me," perhaps the boldest inclusion (written and recorded when Mtume/Lucas and Hyman were at the peak of their powers), gets a faithful look, proving that James should do free-spirited and uptempo material more often. "I'd Rather Be with You" (Bootsy's Rubber Band) could use more sleaze and Bobby Womack's "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out" lacks some necessary unease, and it would have been a nice twist for James to tackle something from the last 25 years, but overall, Let's Do It Again is one of Shanachie's best all-covers discs. May James find a support system that allows her to record albums of new material every other year (or so) from here on out. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide

Leela James - Vocals
Christopher Sabb - Bass
Rudy Bird - Percussion
Steve White - Drums
Ricardo Ramos - Guitar
Roland Barber - Trombone
Teodross Avery - Saxophone
Kenyatta Beasley - Trumpet
Ralph Kearns - Keyboards, Vocals

SUPPORT THE REAL ARTISTS!!

Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Super Sonic-Jazz
JAZZ | FLAC | CUE | LOG | COVERS | 161MB | 49:30
Saturn 1957

01. India
02. Sunology
03. Advice To Medics
04. Super Blonde
05. Soft Talk
06. Sunology Part II
07. Kingdom Of Not
08. Portrait Of The Living Sky
09. Blues At Midnight
10. El Is A Sound Of Joy
11. Springtime In Chicago
12. Medicine For A Nightmare

Sun Ra had only been heading his Arkestra for a couple of years when they recorded the 12 songs featured on this 1956 session. But while the arrangements, ensemble work, and solos are not as ambitious, expansive, or free-wheeling as they became on later outings, the groundwork was laid on such cuts as "India,""Sunology," and one of the first versions of "Blues at Midnight." Ra's band already had the essential swinging quality and first-class soloists, and he had gradually challenged them with compositions that did not rely on conventional hard bop riffs, chord changes, and structure but demanded a personalized approach and understanding of sound and rhythm far beyond standard thinking. You can hear in Ra's solos and those of John Gilmore, Pat Patrick, Charles Davis, and others an emerging freedom and looseness which would explode in the future. [The CD was also released with a bonus track, "Sunology, Pt. 2."] ~ Ron Wynn, All Music Guide

Sun Ra - Piano
Julian Priester - Trombone
Bass – Victor Sproles
Robert Barry - Drums
Art Hoyle - Trumpet
William Cochran - Drums
Wilburn Green - Electric Bass
James Scales - Alto Saxophone
John Gilmore - Tenor Saxophone
Jim Herndon - Timpani, Timbales
Charles Davis - Baritone Saxophone
Pat Patrick - Alto, Baritone Saxophone

Graham Central Station - Release Yourself
FUNK | FLAC | CUE | LOG | 300DPI | 236MB | 37:32
Warner Brothers 1974

1. G.C.S.
2. Release Yourself
3. Got To Go Through It To Get It
4. I Believe In You
5. 'Tis Your Kind Of Music
6. Hey Mr. Writer
7. Feel The Need
8. Today

Slicker and less original than their debut album, as Graham runs his formula of superficially engaging riffs (title track) and feel-good catchphrases ("Got To Go Through It To Get To It") into the ground. Even the funkiest tracks ("I Believe In You," recently a concert staple of the Artist Formerly Known As Prince) suffer from the too-smooth production (which is credited to God). But he doesn't have the subtlety or melodicism to really pull off smooth soul, making this a rather disapppointing listen. Still, his lively good humor and virtuosity keep things from getting too terrible. Again, Graham plays many of the tracks, backed by the same basic band as the previous release. --David Bertrand Wilson, WARR.org

Larry Graham - Bass, Guitar, Arp, Vocals
Choclet - Drum Machine, Vocals
Hershall Happiness - Clavinet
Robert Sam - Organ
"Wild" Willie - Drums
Dynamite Vega - Guitar
Greg Adams - Trumpet
Mic Gillette - Trombone
Lenny Pickett - Saxophone
Stephen Kupka - Saxophone
Emilio Castillo - Saxophone

Bobby Jones - Comin Back Hard (2009)

Terminator X - Valley of the Jeep Beets (1991)

Biz Markie - Diabolical: Biz's Greatest Hits (2009)

Robert Cray - Cookin in Mobile (2010)

Muddy Waters - Electric Mud (1968)

Preservation Hall Jazz Band - That's It! (2013)

Manhattan Transfer - Spirit of St Louis (2000)

Aretha Franklin - I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You (1967)

Earth, Wind & Fire - The Need of Love (1971)

Abbey Lincoln - Abbey Sings Abbey (2007)

Sandra St. Victor - Mack Diva Saves The World

Buddy Guy - Rhythm & Blues (2013)

Booker T - Sound The Alarm (2013)

Charlie Wilson - Just Charlie (2010)

Muddy Waters - The Anthology: 1947-1972 (2001)

Earth Wind & Fire - The Promise (2003)

Leela James - My Soul (2010)

Leela James - Let's Do It Again (2009)

Sun Ra & His Arkestra - Super Sonic-Jazz (1957)

Graham Central Station - Release Yourself (1974)