Five Carat Soul

Another quality funk/soul collection in the 'Manifesto Of Groove' series on the choice-selectin' Brown Sugar label, mining treats from the Prestige, Stax, Milestone labels and plenty more. From jazz to soul to funk and blaxploitation, this collection is loaded with prime cuts, and focuses on the blueprint of today's hip hop grooves. Featuring Gil Scott-Heron, Herbie Hancock, Donald Byrd, The Headhunters, Gene Ammons, Johnny Hammond, 24-Carat Black, Lightnin' Rod, and more.

An exuberant mid-'70s funk group, Graham Central Station made some fine singles for Warner Bros. Former Sly & the Family Stone bassist Larry Graham renamed Hot Chocolate (not the British group) Graham Central Station after he moved from producing the group to playing with it. The group included Graham, guitarist David Vega, keyboardists Robert Sam and Hershall Kennedy, percussionist Patrice Banks, and drummer Willie Sparks. They utilized the identical funk cum rock and soul formula of Sly, though in not quite as imaginative a fashion. Their debut single, Can You Handle It, reached number nine on the R&B charts, and they landed a number one record in 1975 with Your Love. They recorded as Graham Central Station from 1974 to 1977, then as Larry Graham & Graham Central Station in 1978, and during their final year were called Larry Graham with Graham Central Station.

Five African-American kids from the Midwest, managed by their father, vault to stardom with hit after hit. Nope, it's not the Jacksons-it's the Five Stairsteps! Here are 17 of their best: 11 hits plus B-sides including O-o-h Child; World of Fantasy; Come Back; Something's Missing; Baby Make Me Feel So Good; We Must Be in Love , and more.

Trumpeter Blue Mitchell made his name when he was a member of the Horace Silver Quintet, who were at the vanguard of the soul jazz movement in the late 50s-early 60s and recorded several best-selling albums for Blue Note: Finger Poppin', Blowin' The Blues Away and The Tokyo Blues. When the Quintet disbanded, Mitchell formed his own combo and signed to Blue Note direct. Over the next five years he made eight albums including The Thing To Do and Down With It! which continued to define soulful jazz. He championed young talent, employing drummer Al Foster and pianist Chick Corea. In the early 70s he signed to Bob Shad's Mainstream Records at a point where he was a successful session player, utilised by John Mayall and Ray Charles, among others. This, his debut album as solo artist, is a magnificent, largely acoustic, session unusual for this period. Its five tracks of swinging soul jazz, include Mi Hermano, a big club spin for Gilles Peterson.

3CD set. Monumental 60-track collection features Marvin Gaye, Chic, Anita Ward, Stevie Wonder, The O'Jays, The Commodores, Candi Staton, James Brown, Kool & The Gang, Rose Royce, Earth Wind & Fire, The Isley Brothers, Curtis Mayfield, Al Green, Shuggie Otis and others!

Two Classic Edwin Starr Albums, from 1968 and 1969, Released on One CD. All Tracks have Been Remastered and Packaging Includes a Full Color Slipcase, Rare Photos, Track Annotations, Release Info and Original LP Artwork.