"21st Century Soul"

The masterpiece compilation released by Talkin' Loud in 1997, showcasing the cutting-edge future soul music featuring the classics such as the legendary collaboration by 4Hero and Ursula Rucker, Courtney Pine featuring the modern jazz diva, Cassandra Wilson, etc. Even after more than 10 years from the release, it still sounds so fresh, so soulful, so futuristic, just as the title means.

Tracklisting:

1. Robertinho Silva "Falange Dos Tambores"
2. 4Hero "Loveless"
3. Nuyorican Soul "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun"
4. Jeffrey Darnell "Living On The Edge"
5. Roni Size / Reprazent "Digital"
6. Courtney Pine "Don't 'Xplain (Lo End Ride) (Feat. Cassandra Wilson)"
7. Nicolette "No Government (Alec Empire Mix)"
8. DJ Krust "Future Unknown"
9. Cleveland Watkiss "Kamikaze"
10. U.F.O. "His Name Is…"
11. Clarke-Boland Big Band "Sakara"

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"Stand Up And Be Counted: Soul, Funk And Jazz From A Revolutionary Era"

As you see, the compilation of the black power soul, funk and jazz. So powerful. So black.

Tracklisting:

1. The Flames "Stand Up And Be Counted"
2. Gil Scott-Heron "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised"
3. The Impressions "Mighty Mighty (Spade And Whitey)"
4. Billy Paul "East"
5. Mike James Kirkland "Hang On In There"
6. Esther Marrow "Things Ain't Right"
7. James Brown "Say It Loud-I'm Black And I'm Proud (Parts 1 & 2)"
8. The Last Poets "When The Revolution Comes"
9. Pace-Setters "Push On Jessie Jackson"
10. Archie Shepp "Blues For Brother George Jackson"
11. Eddie Kandricks" My People... Hold On"
12. The Pharaohs "Freedom Road"
13. Kain "Loose Here"
14. Nina Simone "I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel To Be Free"

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"Soul Power: Funky Kingston 2"

Following to the last entry, more funky vibes from Kingston in the golden era, featuring the tracks from Trojan by The Chosen Few, Bunny Scott & Lee Perry etc. So funky.

Tracklisting:

1. Shark Wilson & The Basement Heaters "Make It Reggae"
2. The Chosen Few "Funky Buttercup"
3. Nicky Thomas "Soul Power"
4. The Cimarons "Wicky Wacky"
5. Horace Faith "Spinning Wheel"
6. James Brown "Do It"
7. Jamaica Jam "Sticky Fingers"
8. Annetta Jackson "Meditation"
9. The Chequers "Get Up, Stand Up"
10. Mike Dorane & The Cimarons "Penguin Funk"
11. Zap Pow "Funking Skank"
12. Tinga Stewart "The Message"
13. Bunny Scott & Lee Perry "Kinky Fly"
14. The Studio Sound "Give Me Some More"
15. The Aquarians "Medusa Parts 1 & 2"
16. Hopeton Lewis "Express Yourself"
17. Alton Ellis "It's Your Thing"
18. Matumbi "(I Can't Get Enough Of That) Reggae Stuff"
19. Greyhound "The Change"
20. The Chosen Few "Shaft"

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"Funky Kingston: Reggae Dance Floor Grooves 1968-74"

The funky vibes from Kingston in the golden era, featuring the tracks from Trojan by Bob Marley And The Wailers, Lee 'Scratch' Perry And The Upsetters, The Chosen Few etc. So funky.

Tracklisting:

1. Toots And The Maytals "Funky Kingston"
2. Zap Pow "Soul Revival"
3. Tomorrow's Children "Sister Big Stuff"
4. The Chosen Few "Reggae Stuff (Funky Stuff)"
5. Lloyd Charmers & The Hippy Boys "Look-Ka-Py-Py"
6. The Jay Boys "Splendour Splash"
7. The Pioneers "Na Na, Hey Hey (Kiss Him Goodbye)"
8. Ken Boothe "Is It Because I'm Black"
9. Phyllis Dillon "Woman Of The Ghetto"
10. Lee 'Scratch' Perry And The Upsetters "Jungle Lion"
11. A Darker Shade Of Black "Ball Of Confusion"
12. Carl Dawkins & The Wailers "Cloud Nine"
13. The Pioneers "Papa Was A Rolling Stone"
14. Tomorrow's Children "War"
15. Lloyd Parks "Stop The War Now"
16. Bob Marley And The Wailers "Soul Almighty"
17. Lloyd Charmers "Shaft"
18. Lloyd Williams "Funky Beat"
19. The Chosen Few "Do Your Thing"
20. "Toots And The Maytals "Funky Funky"

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"Tropicália (Ou Panis Et Circencis)"

The soundtrack album for the cultural movement of music, art, poetry, fashion, etc. in Brazil in 1960s, featuring Gilberto Gil, Caetano Veloso, Nara Leão, Gal Costa and Os Mutantes. Released in 1968. Radically experimental. So tropical.

Tracklisting:

1. GILBERTO GIL "Miserere nóbis"
2. CAETANO VELOSO "Coração materno"
3. OS MUTANTES "Panis et circenses"
4. NARA LEÃO "Lindonéia"
5. GILBERTO GIL, CAETANO VELOSO, GAL COSTA & OS MUTANTES "Parque industrial"
6. GILBERTO GIL "Geléia geral"
7. GAL COSTA & CAETANO VELOSO "Baby"
8. CAETANO VELOSO & GILBERTO GIL "Três caravelas (Las Tres Carabelas)"
9. CAETANO VELOSO "Enquanto seu lobo não vem"
10. GAL COSTA "Mamãe, coragem"
11. GILBERTO GIL "Bat macumba"
12. CAETANO VELOSO, GILBERTO GIL, GAL COSTA & OS MUTANTES "Hino ao Senhor do Bonfim"

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"Detroit Beatdown"

One of the best machine groove music compilations so far, dedicated to the people in Detroit of past, present and future. Released in 2002. Dope, electric and yet soulful. Nice artwork, too.

Tracklisting (Disc 1):

1. MALIK ALSTON "Butterfly"
2. ALTON MILLER "Tulum"
3. THEO PARRISH "Falling Up"
4. RICK WILHITE "Ruby Night"
5. NORM TALLEY "Exodus"
6. MIKE CLARK "The Creeper"
7. NORM TALLEY "Change"
8. MIKE CLARK "Let Your Love"
9. DARREN ABRAMS "Loose Piano"

Tracklisting (Disc 2):

1. DELANO SMITH "Metropolis"
2. EDDIE FOWLKES "Brotheman"
3. L. A. WILLIAMS "Velvet Musac"
4. EDDIE FOWLKES "Powerquest"
5. DWAYNE JENSEN "My People"

> LIS TEN:

THE AMADOU PROJECT "mAster-Wel Presents The Price of Freedom"

Presented by the jazz legend, Weldon Irvine a. k. a. Master-Wel, to respond to the shooting of Amadou Diallo, the album is consisted of 24 tracks of deep, soulful jazz / hip hop / funk by the artists such as Mos Def, Q-tip, Talib Kweli, Don Blackman, Rha-Goddess etc. and, of cource, Weldon himself. Released in 1999. The artwork cover is kinda ..., though, the sound is dope enough.

Weldon Irvine (1943-2002) - R. I. P.

Tracklisting:

1. RICH MEDIHA, RHA-GODDESS, DON BLACKMAN, CARLA COOK, WELDON IRVINE, KADIADOU DIALLO "Amadou"
2. MOS DEF & TALIB KWELI "Hip Hop Speaks"
3. BLACK STAR & Q-TIP "Make It All Better"
4. L.G., MASTE-WEL, MR. LIVE, MUMS THE SCHEMER DON BLACKMAN, DANNY WALSH "Prankster Gangster [Re-mix]"
5. REVEREND WOODSON HOPEWELL "Prayer for Peace"
6. JAMES MTUMES, JUDGE BOB PICKETT, CHARLES W. ETHERIDGE "A Plan Don't Get Up"
7. FUTURE HEADS (PUNCHANELLO & TODD B.) "No Laughing Matter"
8. FUTURE HEADS (PUNCHANELLO, MASTER-WEL, C-O, CARLA COOK, DEAN BROWN, DAVID LEE JONES) "Break Bread"
9. DON BLACKMAN Solo Piano "Hollow Points"
10. JAMES MTUMES, WELDON IRVINE "Beyond Belief"
11. WELDON IRVINE (Dramatic recitation by JACKIE ALEXANDER) "Said & Done"
12. WELDON IRVINE (Sung by CARLA COOK) "Pressure-Pain-And-Me"
13. RHA-GODDESS "Unify"
14. JOSELYN MIRABAL "Love Supreme"
15. WELDON IRVINE - DON BLACKMAN Piano Duet "Blues For Amadou"
16. WELDON IRVINE (Dramatic recitation by MUMS THE SCHEMER) "My DNA's OK"
17. MASTER-WEL "Descended From Kings"
18. SISTER NZINGA "Motha Goddess"
19. SOUL KID CLICK (STORM & G-CLEF) "You & I-Verse"
20. WELDON IRVINE (Dramatic recitation by RAMEESHA PERRY) "Destiny's Finger"
21. TREE "Black Male"
22. MUMS THE SCHEMER "Sun Drops"
23. NGOMA "Tears For Amadou"
24. DON BLACKMAN Solo Piano "Amadou's Journey"

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"Message from the Tribe"

An anthology of the best underground jazz from Detroit, Tribe Records 1972-1977. So deep, so spiritual and yet, so funky.

Tracklisting:

1. DAVID DURRAH "Space 2"
2. PHIL RANELIN & TRIBE "Vibes From The Tribe"
3. PHIL RANELIN & TRIBE "Sounds From The Village"
4. DOUG HAMMOND "Moves"
5. TRIBE "Beneficent"
6. TRIBE "What We Need"
7. MARCUS BELGRAVE "Space Oddysey"
8. PHIL RANELIN & TRIBE "For The Children"
9. THE MIXED BAG "La Margarita"
10. DOUG HAMMOND"Wake Up Brothers"
11. WENDELL HARRISON "Tons And Tons Of B.S"

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"Black Rio - Brazil Soul Power 1971-1980"

Dug and compiled by DJ Cliffy, "Black Rio" shows the unkown Brazilian rare groove, or in other words, 'soul brasileiro', in 70s. No further explanation is necessary. The treasure box full of the fresh Brazilian groove. Released by Strut in 2002.

Tracklisting:

1. GANG DO TAGARELA "Melô da Tagarela (Rapper's Delight)"
2. COPA 7 "Copa 7 No Samba"
3. GRUPO AREMBEPE "Iaia"
4. UNIÃNO BLACK "Black Rio"
5. MIGUEL DE DEUS "Cinco Anos"
6. JORGE BEN "Comanche"
7. TRIO MOCOTÓ "Nago"
8. BANDA BLACK RIO "Gafiera Universal"
9. TONI TORNADO "Podes Crer, Amizade"
10. EKLIPSE SOUL "Psicose"
11. MANITO "Na Baixa Da Sapateiro"
12. ORLANDIVO "Onde Anda O Meu Amor"
13. DOM SALVADO E ABOLIÇÃO "Som, Sangue E Raça"
14. ANTONIO CARLOS E JOCAFI "Kabaluere"
15. ORQUESTRA E CÕRO "Kriola"
16. GERSON KING COMBO "Uma Chance"

> LISTEN:

"BLACK JAZZ For Café Après-Midi"

Selected tracks of the one of the best spiritual jazz labels in 70s, Black Jazz Records, compiled for 'Café Après-Midi' series, which is very successful in Japan for its great sense in selecting fine tracks. The music on the disc is still fresh and dope, and also it's yet kinda lovely.

Featuring the cover versions of Stevie Wonder's "You Are the Sunshine of My Life", "My Cherie Amour" and the jazz classic, "Naima".

Tracklisting:

1. KELLEE PATTERSON "Be All Your Own" (from "Maiden Voyage")
2. WALTER BISHOP JR "Coral Keys" (from "Coral Keys")
3. HENRY FRANKLIN "Little Miss Laurie" (from"The Skipper")
4. GENE RUSSELL "Black Orchid" (from "New Direction")
5. CALVIN KEYS "Gee-Gee" (from "Shawn-Neeq")
6. DOUG CARN "Mighty Mighty" (from "Adams Apple")
7. WALTER BISHOP JR "Blue Bossa" (from "Keeper of My Soul")
8. GENE RUSSELL "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" (from "Talk to My Lady")
9. RUDOLPH JOHNSON "The Water Bearer" (from "The Second Coming")
10. DOUG CARN "Revelation" (from "Revelation")
11. HENRY FRANKLIN "Soft Spirit" (from "The Skipper At Home)
12. AWAKENING "Brand New Felling" (from"Hear, Seanse And Feel")
13. GENE RUSSELL "My Cherie Amour" (from "New Direction")
14. CALVIN KEYS "Shawn-Neeq" (from "Shawn-Neeq")
15. WALTER BISHOP JR "Waltz for Zweetie" (from""Coral Keys")
16. DOUG CARN "Naima" (from "Revelation")
    

> LISTEN: