Rare Soul & R&b Masters

Soul singer Betty Harris – mainly known for her Jubilee and Sansu recordings – was born in 1939 in Orlando, Florida. As a teenager she worked as a mate for Big Maybelle who encouraged her to start singing. First recording was released in 1962, her major hit was a cover of Solomon Burke’s “Cry To Me” in 1963. Taken at a slower pace, Harris’ rendition turned the song into a Billboard Hot 100 number 23 hit and soon became a deep soul classic. A total of three further singles including a reissue of “Cry to Me” were released on Jubilee with “His Kiss”, which was released on January 4, 1964, another deep soul ballad, reaching the lower part of the Billboard Pop and R&B charts. In 1964, Betty Harris switched record labels to Sansu, a New Orleans label, where she was produced by Allen Toussaint. Her recordings with Sansu produced ten singles and Toussaint raw yet sophisticated Southern soul arrangements behind Harris’ rich, distinctive vocal, are considered prime specimens of the classic soul era. Soul Perfection, originally licensed on UK label Action in 1969 , was in fact a collection of her previous works on Sansu, a rare groove affair rapidly in demand between a crowd of obsessive fans all over the world. Harris retired from performing in 1970 to raise a family and made an occasional return in 2007 with the album Intuition.

Soul singer Betty Harris – mainly known for her Jubilee and Sansu recordings – was born in 1939 in Orlando, Florida. As a teenager she worked as a mate for Big Maybelle who encouraged her to start singing. First recording was released in 1962, her major hit was a cover of Solomon Burke’s “Cry To Me” in 1963. Taken at a slower pace, Harris’ rendition turned the song into a Billboard Hot 100 number 23 hit and soon became a deep soul classic. A total of three further singles including a reissue of “Cry to Me” were released on Jubilee with “His Kiss”, which was released on January 4, 1964, another deep soul ballad, reaching the lower part of the Billboard Pop and R&B charts. In 1964, Betty Harris switched record labels to Sansu, a New Orleans label, where she was produced by Allen Toussaint. Her recordings with Sansu produced ten singles and Toussaint raw yet sophisticated Southern soul arrangements behind Harris’ rich, distinctive vocal, are considered prime specimens of the classic soul era. Soul Perfection, originally licensed on UK label Action in 1969 , was in fact a collection of her previous works on Sansu, a rare groove affair rapidly in demand between a crowd of obsessive fans all over the world. Harris retired from performing in 1970 to raise a family and made an occasional return in 2007 with the album Intuition.

"Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings" is an 87-track, four-disc box set that covers Aretha Franklin's Atlantic career, spanning from 1967's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" to 1976's "Something He Can Feel". Over the course of the set, all of Aretha's best-known songs, including all of her Top Ten pop and R&B singles, are included. For fans who only know the singles, the set is primarily notable for the wealth of album tracks and forgotten singles that are included, which nearly equal the hits in terms of quality. Stopping just short of her move to disco, "The Queen of Soul" just misses being a totally comprehensive collection, but it remains definitive – it may miss some of her later hits, but every one of her greatest tracks is in the box. The Queen of Soul is one the cornerstones of any soul collection.

"Queen of Soul: The Atlantic Recordings" is an 87-track, four-disc box set that covers Aretha Franklin's Atlantic career, spanning from 1967's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)" to 1976's "Something He Can Feel". Over the course of the set, all of Aretha's best-known songs, including all of her Top Ten pop and R&B singles, are included. For fans who only know the singles, the set is primarily notable for the wealth of album tracks and forgotten singles that are included, which nearly equal the hits in terms of quality. Stopping just short of her move to disco, "The Queen of Soul" just misses being a totally comprehensive collection, but it remains definitive – it may miss some of her later hits, but every one of her greatest tracks is in the box. The Queen of Soul is one the cornerstones of any soul collection.

20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: Motown 70's, Vol. 2 collects a dozen more of Motown's most distinctive tracks from the '70s, including the Temptations' "Ball of Confusion," Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," Gladys Knight & the Pips' "If I Were Your Woman," and the Spinners' "It's a Shame." Songs by the Supremes, the Commodores, and Rare Earth round out this collection, which may be too obvious for Motown diehards; however, it's still a solid choice for someone who wants the label's biggest hits in one convenient package.

This new release delves deep into the unique melting pot sound of reggae, funk and dub created throughout the 1970s at the Studio One music lab situated at 13 Brentford Road, Kingston, where the intense experiments and collaborations of crack musicians, singers, DJs and engineers under the guidance of producer Clement 'Coxsone' Dodd produced the most forward-thinking music ever to come out of Jamaica.

Jazz Funk Soul is the Smooth Jazz super group featuring 3 of the most important hit makers on the scene today: Jeff Lorber, Everett Harp and Chuck Loeb. As artists and producers they are responsible for selling millions of albums and scoring close to 50 #1 Smooth Jazz radio hits! As a touring ensemble, they are wowing audiences from coast to coast. Jazz Funk Soul is overflowing with soaring saxophone solos, brilliant guitar riffs, super funky piano riffs and incredibly compelling melodies. Highlights include the soon to be hit single, In the Moment, the sensuous Loeb original Feel Me, the high spirited romp All Over , and much more!