The Nina Simone Collection

Dean Rudland compiles a selection of 70s Funk for Back Beats. Nina Simone, Jimmy Castor, Shuggie Otis, Sly & The Family Stone and many more feature. Amazon Review by Donald E. Gilliland: If you can get past the stupid album title and the tacky cover photo, you will find the music on this compilation to be very good, over 65 minutes of fine funky soul tunes from 1968 to 1974. The closest thing to a hit on this collection is perhaps "Sing A Simple Song" by Sly & the Family Stone, but even without a bunch of hits the material on here is very high in quality, which one would expect from a volume in this dependable "Backbeats" series of collection. Even amongst the recognizable names such as Nina Simone, Esther Phillips, M.F.S.B., Shuggie Otis, and Al Kooper we are treated to some very tasty funk-infused material. I also love "Watts Breakaway" by Johnny Otis, "It's Just Begun" by Jimmy Castor (which sounds like it could be an early Earth, Wind & Fire track!),"It's Alright" by the legendary Bobby Rush, and "Afro Strut" by the Nite-Liters. Even more obscure artists such as Shay Holiday, Casey Jones, Jesse Gresham, and Kim Melvin turn out some cool songs. And I can't forget the drum work-out by Bernard Purdie on "Soul Drums". Feel the beat indeed! I have enjoyed almost all of the volumes in the "Breakbeats" series, and this is one of the better ones. Too bad about that horrible cover and the album title! But ignore all that and just listen to the music; there's plenty of truly great songs on here, ones that will surely please fans of early 1970s soul and funk.

This 60 track collection is a wonderful review of jazz singing styles and a chance to hear both the most well known "names" along with the jazz singers that fans would travel miles to see and hear. The earliest recordings comes from the Second World War era and it will not surprise you to know that it is the band and voice of Cab Calloway CD1/16 & CD3/10. Louis Jordan offers one of his well known numbers CD2/18 & CD3/6.

Rare collection of the greatest female voices of blues and jazz in their popular hits, remastered from the authentic recordings of 40's and 50's. From the Proper-RETRO archives enjoy blues legends like Memphis Minnie and Bessie Smith, but also superb jazz ladies like Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington and Nina Simone in a "blues" mood. Another 'must have' collector's gem in excellent quality and full scans.

A bumper 80 track, 4CD collection of the most iconic names and most beloved tracks of all time, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, Nina Simone, Bobby Darin, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr, Andy Williams, Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, and many more. The tracks themselves capture a magic period of mid-century glamour and sophistication.

A collection of 68 very beautiful love ballads from a time span of 40 years. More than 4 hours with a nostalgic parade of timeless songs about love. Enjoy in the same delightful collection, legends like Perry Como, Andy Williams, Elvis Presley and Nina Simone, together with today's idols like Alicia Keys, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Britney Spears, singing that the heartwarming feeling of love remains the same across ages. Let the Power of Love do its miracle.