No comments about Sweet Talking Soul 1965-1990.

5 comments about Time Is Tight.

1. The Band does no wrong . they were /are the best .My question is why put inferior live tracks on here .. when so much is missing? ..Aw Mercy , Plum Nellie (one of the most greasy distorted organ grooves of all time)Studio version of Red Beans And Rice ,Booker-Loo, One Mint Julep from the 'And Now' collection (this CD is very highly priced on Amazon should you want it for your collection).a couple more...Foxy Lady , Born Under A Bad Sign ,from Soul Limbo album , and 'The Beat Goes On' from 'Doin Our Thing' which is also fetching astronomical prices as I write this .. I am just scratching the surface here ..I look forward to the day when we get a really well thought out collection put together by someone who cares about the MUSIC .I was at The Stax -Volt Show in Manchester U.K. in 67' So I know this music quite well .



2. If you're a serious Booker T & the MGs fan you'll probably want to get this set BUT, because of ONE HUGE FLAW, it stands FAR from being definitive; THE TITLE TRACK IS THE WRONG TAKE!!! I cannot imagine how this could have happened. (And I can scarcely believe that I don't see this glaring flaw mentioned in any of the other reviews!) The bass line ---arguably the most definitive element of the song--- is ENTIRELY DIFFERENT, which makes it interesting from an oddities/rarities perspective, but... "Time Is Tight" is one of my favorite cuts from this band and one of the main reasons I bought this set. I'm a professional bassist and it's one of the first songs I learned to play, one of the songs that played a significant role in my most formative years; I know it intimately. What a HUGE let-down it was when I discovered that the famous version of the song was not included and, after dropping fifty bucks, I still had to go out and buy "The Very Best Of..." to scratch the itch! And, while I'm a it... I have a compilation from the late '60s that has many cuts missing from this set. I'd much prefer to have some of those, rather than the 'live stuff. So, in summary; Hard-core fans only... Those willing to buy additional CDs to fill out the collection.



3. I had the Greatest Hits and Melting Pot albums way back when vinyl was king, and I decided to revisit the past and putchase this set as well as Melting Pot (the downloaded mp3's were just enough to get me hooked again). I wasn't disappointed. It's great from beginning to end, and the live version of Hang em High is fantastic. My only complaint is that the studio version of Time is Tight isn't the same one as on my old LP. No matter, it's all good. The book that comes with it is great for Booker T fanatics, packed with lots of history. A little pricey, but worth it



4. The greatest drummer who ever lived, Al Jackson, Jr., the coolest, most persuasive bass player in the world, Donald "Duck" Dunn, the absolute superior guitar playing of the one and only Steve Cropper, and the special genius of organ/piano man and all round musical prodigy, Booker T. Jones made up a virtual "dream team" of music. Besides laying down perfectly tight, unbelievably soulful backdrops for some of the greatest artists of the 20th century, they recorded some of the best music ever made and in instrumental form to boot. This is a great box set. You get the hits from "Green Onions" to "Hip Hug-Her" to "Hang 'Em High" to the amazing "Melting Pot". You get great rarities like "Hole In the Wall" (originally released in '65 under the moniker The Packers), and the beautiful, superb "Meditation" (a Booker T. Jones masterpiece, as brilliant as anything ever done from Mozart to McCartney). And you hear the band's versatility on their remarkable range of covers. I wouldn't do much editing; however, I would replace a good bit of the pre-Dunn era material, except a few, like the great "Soul Dressing", with later outings. And one could argue that the entire Melting Pot album, along with the entire McLemore Avenue album merit greatest hits status. Also, soul fans will no doubt cringe at the sound of Neil Young whining his way through the Cropper penned "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay". Why this was picked to finish the collection, still baffles me. All and all, though, a fine showcase for the greatest band of all time.



5. I have grown up listening to Booker T and the MG's. My brother brought back a huge stereo from Thailand in the 60's (Vietnam War) with a collection of awesome soul records including Booker T. The sound from that stereo and the soul music pumping out of those speakers were about as close to heaven as a 6 year old could get. In 1967 I became a gigantic Booker T and the MG's fan and have been ever since. I own all the originals on LP's and have since collected them all on CD's. I thought I had heard it all available from them but this box collection proved I hadn't. It spans many years and has B-Sides from 45's which I don't have and live cuts as well. The box set is the best start or compliment to your existing great Booker T and or Stax/Memphis Soul collection.

5 comments about Emperors of Soul.

1. Remember David, Eddie, Otis, Paul and Melvin? They're the Temptin' Temptations I grew up listening to. It was great traveling down memory lane while listening to songs I hadn't heard in a long time.
   
   I would highly recommend this 5-CD set to everyone that love both the "old" and the "new" Temptations.



2. Even if you do own all or most of this group's individual albums or cd's, this box set is still worth purchasing and having in your archives. The title of this box set definitely fits this group to a tee. They are indeed "The Emperors of Soul". They recorded songs that will stand the test of time. Their music is indelible and the songs still sound just as good today as they did some 30 and 40 years ago. If you are a real Temptation fan like myself, then it is imperative that you get this box set collection. You won't regret it!



3. The product is exquisitely packaged and arrived on time. Although some of my favorite songs e.g. Hurry Tomorrow and Ma were omitted, the collection was still treasurable.



4. If you are a fan of the Temptations, and as well as everyone should be, then this is the only set you need. With around 110 songs that they recorded through theyears digitally remastered on 5 CD's, you get almost every song they every had. Not to mention the highly detailed case and accompanying book with biographies, background information, albums, songs and their highest spot reached on the top #100 and tons of interesting stories and facts about the group, tons of pictures, oh yeah did I mention the tons of great songs that come along with the package that they released throught he years. A must have set for true fans!!



5. I bought this a few years ago for my mother as a Christmas present and she still plays it every so often to this day! Its basically every hit this legendary group ever made by the original members!
   
   I know $75 dollars seems a lot of money but trust me on this, you won't miss it once you start playing these CD's! Get it today!

5 comments about Immortal Soul of Al Green.

1. I cannot well afford to get all of Al Green's Hi albums, however, this compilation helps me to grasp Hi sound's essence "Groove and be simple", as well as Al's seductive voice. It has a good design like your favorite book which you read so again and again that its jacket has worn out, and you can enjoy it like such. When you buy a new one, you should not misunderstand it as a used one. But one thing I dare to complain about the binding is its rubber holders which keep 4 CDs fastening tightly. For fear I should not break them down, I put CDs on the holders not so deeply.



2. The omission of "For The Good Times" fosters my belief that most people who ultimately decide the song titles on an R&B compilation or major Soul artist box set are unqualified to do so. A weaker cover version of a "Rock" hit is more important in their eyes which tells me those individuals are Rock music fans as opposed to Soul. How about one of these so-called big white bread companies FOR ONCE hiring the right person to pick which tracks should be on an R&B or major Soul artist compilation. As a LONG TIME veteran of R&B Radio for many years, I know what I`m talking about."For The Good Times" was my MOST requested Al Green song in all the years on the air in several R&B radio outlets throughout the Southeast.



3. I bought and had to return this box twice. In both, all the CDs were scratched. A factory defect? Quality control slippage? Or, as I'm beginning to suspect, some genius at the record company had pushed to the extreme the idea of giving the box a feel of something old and well-worn? This is the case of the box package, with its false-old presentation of a shelf-worn book. Ok, why not. But to actually factory-scratch the disks to make them "used" - that's beyond me!
   A pity then, seeing that it's a great and very comprehensive collection, not that far from a "Complete Al Green on Hi".



4. Although this set is wonderful, it's still missing some essential tracks..."Feels Like Summer" comes to mind. Buy the original LPs.



5. Al Green really deserved a box set like this for a long time. He's had an unprecedented amount of hits and quality songs, even before he ventured into his Gammy winning gospel days. I could never find a greatest hits collection that had everything I wanted, so I ended up having to buy several and still fell short. I cannot think of another Box set that I've seen that is as complete as this one.
   
   My only complaint is that they try to fit his songs into "Sex", "Love", "Salvation" & "Soul". You couldn't really break all of his songs down like this, so they end up making odd pairings like "God Is Standing By" on the Sex disc. They should have done a better job at matching the themed discs or just not worried about naming them at all. But, the booklet is pretty extensive and the packaging is done really nicely. Even better is the quality of the recordings, which sound better than ever! This alone should be enough for the die-hard fan to get this.
   
   Nothing is missing from this collection; the songs are in their complete original form (no short single versions of "Let's Stay Together" or "Beware"). The only track I can remotely think of that I'd like to be on here is "Free At Last" and I'm sure huge Al Green fans might have one obscure favorite that don't show up here. But, it doesn't get better than this. If you enjoy Al Green & love soul music, making the big step now to get the box set is defiantly worth it. Even with all of his albums and greatest hits that I already have, this is STILL worth owning. For a fan of Al Green, soul music or any music this is an excellent gift.

5 comments about Atlantic Rhythm & Blues 1947-1974.

1. This is as good as music gets. The first CD is an introductory one, with some dated material, but once you get beyond the 40's, every song is a winner. This contains several Greatest Hits sets all in one place. Just brilliant stuff, to which I'd give my highest recommendation.



2. This is an excellent product for anyone who cherishes the
   old times when you had to SING a SONG not just repeating
   one verse over and over. There are some good hard to find
   songs that many of us had probably forgotten until they
   start to play and then they do bring back memories. An
   excellent gift for anyone over 50 years of age. Old
   enough to appreciate good music.



3. As I have waited many years to purchase this set, I have sampled it from the LP version that it was molded from. First released on CD in the early 80's there were two prior version that were released on LP. The first was started in the mid 60's and was released in the original mono versions for the first few volumes. It was then re-released in the 70's as two volume gatefold albums, also grouped in the first box set that the 8 CD set is modled after. The tracks have remained basically the same over the several releases with the final 8 CD set incorporating all the revisions. The quality of the recordings have been maintained throughout the entire collection without the tinkering that sometimes happens in the process of re-mastering. As I own several of the original recordings from the early 50's, in both the 78 and 45 rpm pressings, along with various reel and cassette releases. The sessions are the correct versions, as were made famous from their era. The history of these selections have maintained their importance in the soundtrack of the American Entertainment with their inclusion in some of the greatest box office releases in the past 4 decades. A little of the Atlantic history can be seen in the movie "Ray", as it was included in the bio of the most well know R & B artist of our lifetime. In addition, the r & r movies made in the early fifties featured the music of the Atlantic Black artist as featured in the first several disc of the collection. Dirty Dancing featured Soloman Burkes "Cry to Me", and many other tracks have been included in major movies over the decades. Every where you turn these tracks are a part of your history. To have them all in this one collection to enjoy endlessly, anytime you wish is worth the cost, whatever price you have to pay. If you were to download each track at .99 each you would pay well over two hundred dollars to burn all of these to CD yourself and you would not have the history that is included in this package. Although I sound like one of the TV ads, I just enjoy this music, I have grown up with it over the last 50 years and I feel it should be a part of any music collection as a part of the American R & B section. Buy it, listen, listen again and you will be overcome with the music, history and all that it has become.



4. Looked at this CD for years without buying - When I finally did, well worth the purchase - The sound quality is great and the music is without peer - Don't wait, buy!!!



5. This is probably the most extensive collection ever of the Atlantic RNb/Soul sound. Many of these records are real old, almost Smithsonian old but great to relive the history of RnB. Of course the 50s, 60s, and 70s soul classics are all in there. One surprising note is the variance in sound quality. Some of the songs from the 50s are cleaner than the ones from the early 70s. Maybe some were mixed for AM radio while others were not. Some of the master tapes may have also deteriorated. This is a must have for the RnB collector.

5 comments about Fill Your Head: The Studio Albums 1969-1974.

1. There's a lot on offer here, so let's get straight to the details (all release dates are USA)...
   
   Disc 1 (77:45 minutes):
   Tracks 1 to 6 are the debut album "Get Ready" issued August 1969 on Rare Earth RS-507
   (Tracks 7 to 15 are BONUS single versions from the various 5 studio albums)
   Track 7 is "Generation (Light Up The Sky)" which is the A side of Rare Earth 5010 issued November 1969 - also on the O.S.T. to the film "Generation"
   Track 8 is "Get Ready" the 7" single edit issued April 1970 on Rare Earth 5012
   (the single edit is 2:50 minutes long, while the full album version takes up all of Side 2 at 21:35 minutes)
   Track 9 is "(I Know) I'm Losing You" - the 7" single edit issued July 1970 on Rare Earth 5017 (the single edit is 3:42 minutes long, while the full "Ecology" album version is 10:52 minutes)
   Track 10 is "When Joanie Smiles" the non-album B-side to "(I Know) I'm Losing You"
   Track 11 is "Here Comes The Night" which is the non-album B-side of "Born To Wander" (from "Ecology") issued January 1971 on Rare Earth 5021
   Track 12 is "Hey Big Brother" is a non-album A-side issued November 1971 on Rare Earth 5038
   Track 13 is "Love Shines Down" the non-album B-side to "Good Time Sally" (on "Willie Remembers") issued October 1972 on Rare Earth 5048
   Track 14 is "Chained" which is a non-album A-side issued May 1974 on Rare Earth 5057
   Track 15 is "Fresh From The Can" is the non-album B-side of "Chained"
   
   Disc 2 (73:40 minutes)
   Tracks 1 to 7 are their 2nd album "Ecology" issued June 1970 on Rare Earth RS-514
   Tracks 8 to 15 are their 3rd studio album "One World" issued June 1971 on Rare Earth RS-520
   
   Disc 3 (77:30 minutes):
   Tracks 1 to 8 are their 4th studio album "Willie Remembers" issued October 1972 on Rare Earth R-5431
   Tracks 9 to 13 are their 5th studio album "Ma" issued May 1973 on Rare Earth R-5461
   (both "Willie Remembers" and "One World" make their CD debut on this 3CD set, while the live double "Rare Earth In Concert" issued on R 534 in 1971 isn't featured at all)
   
   Their first album "Get Ready" came in a rounded top sleeve in the USA (rather like a gravestone head or a Zippo lighter) and it is this that is imitated in the shaped packaging. The lid has the words "LIMITED EDITION" embossed in gold on the rear (3000 or so copies worldwide) and inside is a concertina effect card sleeve, which depicts all 5 albums covers front and rear when fully folded out. The 3 discs themselves sport the distinctive red Rare Earth logo on each, while the 32-page booklet even pictures the Tamla Motown special offers inner bags that came with some early 1970s albums! There's an essay by noted writer SCOTT SCHNIDER on the group - all album artwork featured again in full colour - session details, discography info - all of it very tasteful done - pretty much as you would expect from this top notch reissue label. Against it - I'd say that the packaging is a card sleeve and therefore too prone to crushing - it would have been better in a book form - like the Jimmy Cliff and Muddy Waters sets.
   
   But as ever with HIP-O SELECT the goodies come with the SOUND. Remastered from the Motown Archive tapes by SETH FOSTER at Universal Mastering Studio East - the sound is full, detailed and wonderfully clean. I would say though that the first Disc is slightly hissy in places - especially on the debut "Get Ready", but once you get into Disc 2 and 3, "Long Time Leavin'" and "If I Die", it's so much better. One reviewer has expressed extreme disappointment with the sound, but I don't hear that. I would say though that the song quality does taper off as you get to the end, but with 43-tracks in all - I can't help but think that fans of the band, Tamla lovers and soul-rock junkies everywhere - will absolutely eat up this set.
   
   A cross between Rock and Soul, RARE EARTH were difficult to categorize - a sort of rockier version of The Temptations meets the funkiness of Blood Sweat & Tears meets The Undisputed Truth's social documenting of urban America - a lethal combination if ever there was one!
   
   Unfairly dismissed at the time (especially in Europe), hopefully this 3CD box set will make people reassess.
   
   In their ongoing trawl through the Motown archives - and despite reservations about packaging, content and sound - in my mind, this is yet another superb HIP-O SELECT reissue. Dedicated fans will have to have it - casual buyers, however, should stick to the "Best Of".
   
   PS: the review title is a lyric from the funky "Hey Big Brother"



2. You've got to be kidding here - $75 for three discs and a paper book? GET REAL. This is perhaps the most overpriced and unoriginal box set of all time. Save yourself the agony of defeat and buy the albums individually.



3. FILL YOUR HEAD is a welcome box set documenting a popular yet underrated rock band of the early 70s. The packaging includes foldout artwork of the five albums represented ("Get Ready", "Ecology", "One World", "Willie Remembers" and "Ma")and a booklet featuring quotes from the band members.
   
   Unfortunately, Rare Earth was more of a singles band, and while some album cuts are good here and there, alot of the songs (especially those written by the band members) range from okay to just plain weak. The best albums here are ECOLOGY (a top-20 pop album) and the Norman Whitfield produced MA. GET READY is essentially a one-song album (and that song is 21 and a half minutes long), while WILLIE REMEMBERS finds the band contributing more of its own material with ho-hum results. Buy this box set for historical purchases and rip yourself two good cds of their five top-40 hits and the MA album.



4. As regards the price of this set: I assume Motown had something to do with that. As an example, check out the $120+/- for the 6 CD Singles boxes. Berry Gordy was never known for his generosity. Just be glad you never worked for him. He screwed many of those people.



5. For 25+ years, Rare Earth fans have been subjected to a slew of CD catalog reissues, bootlegs and compilations, all featuring a wide variance of mastering quality, and none delivering either a complete or satisfying picture of the band. Therefore, the announcement of this box set by Hip-O Select was a fortuitous portent: We, the long-suffering, would FINALLY have the five primary Motown studio albums (Get Ready, Ecology, One World, Willie Remembers & Ma, plus singles and rare tracks) in remastered matched audio. That Hip-O has developed a decent rep for reissues made the imminent release even more welcome.
   
   Unfortunately, in just about every department, this set falls depressingly short.
   
   First, and most importantly, the audio. I have always used the excellent 2001 Millennium Collection remastered compilation CD (the only one to include "Get Ready", "Ma", "(I Know) I'm Losing You" & "What'd I Say", in their original, full-length-jam LP versions) as a comparison disc. However, A/B'ing against that disc, it was immediately obvious the Hip-O versions were mastered without regard to the dynamic range of the original material. This is most apparent in the long version of "Get Ready": On the Millennium CD, all the instruments are perfectly balanced, with none being dominant, and Pete Rivera's kick drum providing a great bottom.
   
   On the Hip-O, the drums are buried, the kick is muffled, and the individual instruments have been magnified in volume. Accordingly, the previously slight, artificial echo added in the studio to simulate a live performance is also increased, but to the point of annoyance: "Get Ready" now sounds like it was engineered by the Tidy Bowl Man.
   
   Superior audio versions of Rare Earth material are not limited to the Millennium CD: "Tobacco Road", and 13 other tracks, appear in much better clarity on the 1998 The Very Best Of (unfortunately, now OOP, but available used). Incredibly, even Motown's own Ma entire CD, released in 1994, sounds better; with modern digital mastering, how do you miss not improving on a near-15-year-old target? In fact, the mastering on this set is suspiciously identical to the 2004 The Collection compilation (which I don't recommend), but that disc has no production credits for confirmation.
   
   (Although I have referred to my A/B set-up in previous Amazon reviews, I should reiterate: My comparisons are made on two Sony XA7 transports running simultaneously into a Camelot Uther DAC via matched-length Acoustic Zen coax cables and monitored thru Sennheiser 590's.)
   
   Then there's the set itself, made entirely from cardboard and paper. It probably made for a cool-sounding concept during a design meeting, but in execution, popping the shrinkwrap on this set is like scraping the pancake makeup off a 50-year-old drag queen; it isn't pretty.
   
   The exterior "box" is just a flimsy-and-I-mean-flimsy (remember cardboard CD long-boxes? Even thinner) two-piece sleeve. The removable cardboard inner section containing the discs is a single-piece, five-part, multi-fold affair, each section replicating the original front and rear LP artwork. However, the sections don't really line up straight when folded. Also, as the insert is accordion-like, it naturally wants to un-compress, so each end pressure-rubs against the inside of the box when removed/reinserted. The resultant friction on the art (the front of the "Get Ready" LP & the rear of "Ma) obviously didn't occur to the two credited designers; mine's already showing minor wear, and I've barely touched it. All of the exact same album art is unnecessarily repeated in the booklet, a blatant padding of an otherwise emaciated document, which only additionally delivers a five-page essay, one non-album archival photo, and each LP's inner sleeve art.
   
   I'm all for "eco-friendly packaging", but this set just screams "CHEAP!", and is the antithesis of its exorbitant cost: a $60 list price (Hip-O-direct, Amazon is even higher) for three discs, cardboard, a meager booklet and sub-par remastering? I'm sorry, but I own 100+ box sets, and I can't think of one which is such a low-grade production at this price point (the equally-shoddy Beatles "Capitol Years" boxes are within $10, but they both had better sound, far more robust booklets, four discs each, and, let me think... oh yeah, THE BEATLES). Also, Rare Earth did a lot of television during its heyday, so would have an added DVD with those performances been that hard to license/assemble/include at this cost?
   
   Unfortunately, this will probably be the last word for Rare Earth aficionados, and it's a limited edition to boot. If you've ever wanted the complete primary repertoire, this will probably be the only way you'll ever get it... You almost HAVE to buy the bloody thing. Or, you could compromise and opt for the afore-mentioned The Millennium Collection, The Very Best Of & Ma titles, then assemble your own anthology, like I did: Ultimately, less satisfying in total content, but you get the core, essential tracks in both original LP length, superior sound, and with far less wallet-stress. To be honest, on this entire 43-track set, I only found seven additional songs I would listen to with any regularity, but none which I would consider essential.
   
   You really have to hope other reissue houses aren't taking a page from Hip-O's book on this one, as it establishes a new low on the expectations scale. Indeed, I have a hard time reconciling this release being produced by the same outfit who birthed the amazing Complete Motown Singles series. One could observe there's a 40% street-price delta between this set and any one of the Motown volumes (I've puckered up for all ten released to date), but that percentage is certainly not representative of the dichotomy in the quality or content received when both are purchased. Quite simply, Hip-O's $59.99 list price for this Rare Earth Set just sucks. IMHO, and comparing it to all my other box sets, for what you get, anything north of a $35 list (not street) is sheer highway robbery.
   
   When this set was first announced, I moved all of my Rare Earth CD's to the "sell" shelf, then eagerly, impulsively and idiotically ordered it direct from Hip-O (and paying shipping, which would have been free thru Amazon), rather than wait the extra two weeks for it to debut here. However, as I glower at it sitting here in front of me, I inhabit the same frame of mind when handing over my credit card for an expensive meal I didn't enjoy: Extreme, disappointed annoyance. I have since restored the older CD's to my collection, and the "Millennium" disc will remain my primary source disc. This set? I'll hang on to it for a year after it's OOP, then sell it for big bucks on eBay to some poor sod who hasn't read this review, will never know the difference and will be SO HAPPY he finally found one which had only been played once... well, actually, because I sooooo couldn't believe what I was hearing that I had paid list price for (plus shipping!), I had to "audio-pinch" myself and play it twice, just to be sure. Yep, unfortunately, I was right the first time.
   
   Hip-O, you blew this one and you broke my heart. Hopefully, it's not an omen of all things Hip-O to come.

5 comments about The Funk Box.

1. This is what's missing from most of todays sterilized corporate driven music. Its fun. Its on the edge. Its raw. But its addictively fun. You can hear James Brown directing the band in the middle of the songs with his usuall flare. You can hear musicians trying different riffs. You can be sure most tracks were recorded with a full band playing at once, getting into and changing their own groove. You can't help but move to the great baseline and rythyms. Its got that special electricity that you just don't find in most modern music. Great Great collection.



2. This set is a must have for any fan of the most underappreciated genre of music around: funk. It is old school to the core, covering the evolution of the music we know and love. And for you new school, hip-hop kids: give a listen to this set and tell me you don't recognize the hook from just about every song in this set. That's right, most of the catchy baselines from hip-hop tunes have been hijacked from old school funk. If you don't believe me give it a listen...you will be amazed.
   
   Either way...buy this set, it well worth the price of admission.



3. OH MY GOD! OOOHHH MMMMMYYYYY GAAAAAWWWWWDDDD! This set is so hip it hurts. It puts the fun in funky. It does it to death, and if it don't make you move, you're dead. The selections are right on and far out, brother, and the package and annotations are solid, Jackson! Just feel the velveteen and the rubber comb on the cover. This is the real deal, hipper than hip, the best mix of old school funk I have ever heard. Word!



4. You guys I wonder why you didn't mention Cameo as a funk legend and one of funkiest song that ever made by themselves
   Oh yeah here is an extended version of 'I just want to be' which was never released , I suppose, perhaps you can hear it on their 12'' collection. The latter sounds still amazing to me and I'd like to know how they made the unbelievable, thumping bass line which can make you deaf!and of course 'Shake Your Pants' and 'Rigor Mortis' also deserve a place on this great box set.

   Moreover all the funk masters are here with us. From Rick James to Bros. Johnson this cd shows how to rock the house.




5. They included the track ''The message'' which was a hit for Cymande in 1973. This is a great box set for the intermediate Funk lover. It offers some stuff that is unkwown to the non- DJ public. And one of these bands is CYMANDE. However the FUNKiest of their catalog are not included here. On a newly released album Cymande ''The Soul of Rasta'' all of their funk driven tracks are included.

   Featuring:
   ''Brother's on the Slide'', ''Bra'', ''FUG'', ''Genevieve'' and the mesmorizing ''DOVE'' which flows over 10 minutes. This is an essential CD for any fan of Funk and soul. These original funky rastafarian brothers all hailing from the West Indies created the most amazing and invigorating fusion of funk and african reggae ever heard. Most famously sampled by the Fugees, De La Soul ,EPMD and many others. Cymande is one of the most sampled bands in Hip Hop ever. However, no longer is this band hip hop's little secret. This album allows new listeners to hear the great original tracks in a re mastered format. Featuring ''Brother's on the Slide'' and ''Listen''. This is an anthology of their most memorable material from the original 3 LPs recorded the between 1972-1974 in London, UK. Its unfortunate that their amazing musicianship was too unique for the period. Yet today people are rediscovering and grooving to these hidden jewels. Dive in and feel the Funk! Also

5 comments about Doughboys, Playboys and Cowboys: The Golden Years of Western Swing.

1. IF SOMEBODY PUT TOGETHER THIS COMPILATION OF SONGS FOR A MASTER'S THESIS ON THE HISTORY OF WESTERN SWING MUSIC, THEY COULDN'T HAVE DONE A BETTER JOB THAN THIS. THIS IS A FOUR CD BOX SET WITH INFORMATIVE BOOKLETS IN EACH CD WITH LOTS OF PICTURES AND BIOGRAPHICAL INFO. ADMITTEDEDLY, THE EARLIEST STUFF DOESN'T QUITE "SWING" AS MUCH AS THE LATER RECORDINGS, BUT THE MUSIC IS STILL GREAT AND IT IS INTERESTING TO HEAR HOW THE MUSIC EVOLVES OVER TIME. A BARGAIN PRICE, I HAVE A FEW BOX SETS IN THIS SERIES (THE PROPPER LABEL) AND THEY ARE ALL FANTASTIC PRODUCTIONS AND VALUES. WHAT OFTEN GETS OVERLOOKED AS THAT WESTERN SWING IN MANY WAYS WAS A PRECURSOR TO ROCK AND ROLL, ALONG WITH R&B "JUMP BLUES" (AT LEAST TO MY EARS, ANYWAY).



2. Western swing fans will be dancing in the streets over this brilliant box set. It features 99 cuts dating from 1932 through the late 40's. They run chronologically and features all the great architects of western swing: Milton Brown & his musical Brownies, Bob Wills & his Texas Playboys, Light Crust Doughboys etc. Even if you're not a fan of country music, you may enjoy this one. It is genuine feel-good, stomping music with honkytonk pianos, fiddles, drums, guitars and even saxes. This is without a doubt the best buy for any fan of this genre. It is timeless fun! Crank it all the way up, pop open a cold one and all of sudden it's 1938 and you're in a Dallas honky tonk. By the way, the liner notes in the booklet are outstanding with dates, pixs, stories. Most interesting was that the Crystal Springs Ramblers from Ft. Worth were a favorite of Bonnie and Clyde's at a popular dance hall down there. Great job by Proper Records!



3. I read some of the other reviews and I can apperciate a lot what other folks are saying. I really agree with the one who said that todays Country Music makes them sick. What in the name of God does a naked Faith Hill rolling around a bed under the sheets singing some half baked so called Modern Country have to do with the music that I was raised on and grown to love. As the Great Bill Monroe stated "That junk ain't part of nothing",(I saw that on a FH video that was being played on cabel TV). What a moral let down, instead of appearing as one of our Country Stars she looks a lot more like a B-girl- that's where we are today. I said all that to say this: If you love WesternSwing like I do then you will love this set - it really has a lot of good stuff and takes you back to the days of Bob, Milton,Tommy,Leon, Spade and many other outstanding Western Swing artists. This set was a real welcome to my Swing Collection.
   Keep in mind that this music ain't for everybody.If you like spending time listening to the likes of a feuding Toby with the Dixie Chicks then this real Roots Music ain't for you. But if you would be willing to sell your top coon hound to get the money to get tickets to see "Asleep at the Wheel" then you might be a fan that can apperciate what was started by Bob & Milton way down in Texas back in the early 30's.
   While I type this review I'm listening to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys perform "Faded Love" on my computer so I'll cut it short. Buy this set - at this price you can't afford not too. While you are at it do what I did and get the "Proper Records - Bob Wills/Take Me Back To Tulsa" also - you will be Blessed !
   "ENJOY" Joe Kopeck / Parkville,MD.



4. This 4 volume box set by Proper is a fantastic overview of that great American musical art form Western Swing.
   It's not country, it's not cowboy, it's not swing, it's just great toe-tapping fun music!
   The songs in this album are presented in chronological order thus allowing the listener to experience the growth and progression of this great music.
   The songs are remastered originals and the sound quality is first rate.
   There's also a booklet containing liner notes about all the artists and a discography.
   I own several box sets by Proper and every single one is a bargain, well worth far more than the asking price.



5. My first exposure to Western swing was the first Asleep At The Wheel Bob Wills tribute CD, and I have been hooked ever since. However, up until I bought this collection, I have only heard Bob Wills. I was pleased to buy this in a local branch of Half Price Books. In addition to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, it also has selections from Milton Brown, Patsy Montana, the Light Crust Doughboys, Spade Cooley - just to name a few. This vibrant blend of cowboy/fiddle music and black blues/swing has yet to wander far from my CD player!

3 comments about Invictus Soul Box Set.

1. Being born and raised in Detroit and had so much access to great music this collection was long overdue. Holland/Dozier/Holland had a dispute with Berry Gordy and left to form the Invictus label and put out quite a few Detroit radio classics and great album tracks from Frida Payne, The Chairman of the Board featuring General Johnson who had a hit in the 60's with the Shoman called "It Will Stand", Honey Cone, Laura Lee and many more. Side One is filled with chart hits, Side 2 and 3 with hidden gems that if you're from the Motor City you'll just love. Reminds me of great soul stations like WCHB, WJLB, and WGPR. Detroiters go for it!!



2. Lot of late 60' early 70's soul sounds on this three disc gem. Look at the price. Enticing isn't it ? Great stuff at a great bargain. Mixture of what soul was like at that time , a little Motown a little Stax , and a whole lot of talent !



3. The Invictus Soul Box Set is the best compilation I own (and I have over 2500 CDs and more MP3s). There is not a single weak track. While the Motown sound is still strong, new 1970's styles have been grafted on. This unique sound is somewhere between the driving I'll Be There (Four Tops) and The Payback (James Brown). Every song features an excellent rhythm section (probably borrowed from Berry Gordy), interesting lyrics and dynamic performance.
   
   This set prompted me to get Chairmen of the Board Finder's Keeper Invictus Anthology, Holland Dozier Holland Why Can't We Be Lovers Invictus Sessions, Freda Payne Unhooked Generation Complete Invictus Sessions and The Politicians' Psycha Soul Funkadelic CDs.
   
   Get it while you can. This one's a keeper!
   
   [DW]

5 comments about The 35th Anniversary Collection.

1. Simply Stated... Smokey Robinson and the Miracles give you all there is to give and more! Kudos the Smokey's former wife Claudette who sings on a couple of songs and that brave soul Billy Griffin (Do it Baby, Love Machine)who followed Smokey! I'm truly a Miracles fan and I loved the musical journey! My favorites are Ooh Baby Baby, Special Occasion, Fork in the Road, and The Track of my Tears!
   As usual, we all will have a couple b-side hits that don't make the "cut" such as: Much Better Off and Give Her Up" which you can find on the Special Occasion album, but overall just a must! As my niece, Mia would say, you will experience "Tears of Clown" if you don't spend a little extra and put this in your archives of Musicology! ps Play often!OOOOOOOOOH Baby Baby!



2. First let me start by saying I purchased this Boxed Set years ago because I have been a fan of Smokey and the Miracles from back in the day.. I purchased it again because sometimes when company came over a friend expressed interest in purchasing this item. Several times they mentioned it to me so I decided to purchase it for them as a gift.
   
   Personally I thought a lot of the songs were put on the disc to take up space, and other songs were left off that should have been included.
   
   I was surprised to hear so many songs in mono when I know there are stereo versions. What was that about?
   
   Overall, I was disappointed with the Boxed Set. I just wanted all of them in one place because all the ones that I like I already had.
   
   For a person who really doesn't know Smokey and Miracles music, this is an OK place to start. I just think the group could have been presented better.



3. 
   Let's see here...the Supremes are in...the Temptations are in...the Four Tops..the Jackson Five ...even Martha and the Vandellas are in , but the MIRACLES...MOTOWN'S FIRST GROUP... THE GROUP WHO'S HITS BUILT THE LABEL... THE GROUP THAT LAUNCHED A RECORDING EMPIRE...THE GROUP WHO'S SONGS HAVE BEEN RECORDED BY ARTIST AFTER ARTIST FROM THE BEATLES ,TO THE STONES ,TO ARETHA FRANKLIN,TO EDDIE MONEY, TO LINDA RONSTADT,TO KIM CARNES,TO JOHNNY RIVERS, THE CAPTAIN AND TENNILLE AND A HOST OF OTHERS... THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT GROUP IN THE COMPANY'S HISTORY...THE ONE THAT HAD THE LABEL'S FIRST MILLION-SELLER...THE GROUP WITH OVER 50 CHART HITS...DOESN'T MERIT INDUCTION INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME ? While at the SAME TIME , groups with NOWHERE NEAR the number of hits...NOWHERE NEAR AS INFLUENTIAL... AND NOWHERE NEAR AS GOOD continue to be inducted year after year ??!!... WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE ?? WHAT'S WRONG ? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG... THE CAPTION RIGHT NEXT TO THIS PICTURE !! IT SAYS "THE 35 TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION"...BY SMOKEY ROBINSON !!! NOT BY THE MIRACLES... NOT EVEN BY SMOKEY ROBINSON AND THE MIRACLES... BUT BY JUST "SMOKEY ROBINSON " AND THEREIN LIES THE PROBLEM !!! Throughout the history of this legendary group, the MIRACLES have NEVER ...but NEVER received their rightful due AS A GROUP...it has always been only about SMOKEY !!! but,as any insider will tell you ...AND AS SMOKEY HIMSELF WILL TELL YOU... the MIRACLES HAVE NEVER BEEN JUST A ONE MAN SHOW !! they were ALL talented songwriters, singers , and producers ...ALL OF THEM have had a share in writing their many hits...(if you don't believe it,just read the writing credits on the labels},not to mention the hits of almost EVERY OTHER EARLY ARTIST ON THE MOTOWN LABEL... MARY WELLS, THE TEMPTATIONS, MARVIN GAYE ... YOU NAME IT !! BUT NOT ALL OF THEM SHARE THE CREDIT ... TO THIS DAY, DISC JOCKEYS ALL OVER THIS COUNTRY , AFTER PLAYING OLD MIRACLES RECORDS ...WILL ANNOUNCE " THAT WAS BY SMOKEY ROBINSON ! " LIKE THE MIRACLES DIDN'T... OR NEVER EXISTED....DO THEY DO THIS TO THE SUPREMES..? NO !! they still call them the SUPREMES ! RARELY DO DEE JAYS SAY "DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES" even though MOTOWN ACTUALLY CHANGED THE GROUP'S NAME MANY YEARS AGO!! AND NEVER, BUT EVER ...DO THEY JUST SAY "DIANA ROSS". the MIRACLES' album "GOING TO A GO GO, WHEN RELEASED IN 1965, OUT CHARTED AND OUT SOLD CONTEMPORARY RELEASES BY THE TEMPTATIONS AND THE SUPREMES... EVENTUALLY REACHNG THE TOP 10 ON THE BILLBOARD POP ALBUM CHART.QUITE AN ACCOMPLISHMENT!! AND YES...IT WAS A GROUP ACCOMPLISHMENT !! BESIDES,LOOK AT THE TOPS, TEMPS AND SUPREMES...in the 1960's.. HOW MANY OF THEIR OWN HITS (OR ANYONE ELSES) did THEY WRITE?..BUT THEY'RE IN THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME AND THE MIRACLES ARE NOT ?? And for those who argue that SMOKEY was the group's only talented songwriter, I say " what about "LOVE MACHINE" ?(WRITTEN BY MIRACLES PETE MOORE AND BILLY GRIFFIN {SMOKEY'S REPLACEMENT} , a MULTI-MILLION SELLING NUMBER 1 POP SMASH...THE BIGGEST HIT THE GROUP EVER HAD..WHERE was SMOKEY when THAT one was written ? (not even in the group any more ).There's no question that SMOKEY is one of the greatest songwriters of ALL TIME!! But to only credit him and completely ignore the rest of the MIRACLES is definitely UNFAIR .THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL INSTANCES WHERE SOLO STARS HAVE BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE ROCK HALL OF FAME ... WHILE THE GROUPS THEY WERE ASSOCIATED WITH WERE ALSO INDUCTED ...MICHAEL JACKSON WAS INDUCTED AS A SOLO STAR...BUT HIS GROUP, HIS BROTHERS , THE JACKSON FIVE, WERE INDUCTED TOO !! CURTIS MAYFIELD WAS INDUCTED AS A SOLO...BUT HIS GROUP, THE IMPRESSIONS, (INCLUDING ORIGINAL LEAD SINGER JERRY BUTLER ) WERE ALSO INDUCTED ...EACH INDIVDUAL BEATLE - AS WELL AS THE GROUP ITSELF..ARE IN THE HALL... SO , ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME .... DO THE RIGHT THING . YOU'VE INDUCTED SMOKEY AS A SOLO... NOW PLEASE... INDUCT BOBBY ROGERS, WARREN "PETE" MOORE , THE LATE RONNIE WHITE ...CLAUDETTE ROGERS ROBINSON... MARV TARPLIN....BILLY GRIFFIN... AND WILLIAM "SMOKEY" ROBINSON ... AS A GROUP..INTO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME ...IT'S LONG PAST TIME...AND THEY CERTAINLY DO DESERVE IT !! IT'S TIME THE MIRACLES ...THE GROUP...RECIEVE THE CREDIT THEY DESERVE !!



4. There's a lot to be happy about on this box set but sadly there are a few negatives. There are some weak songs and it is my understanding that a few songs were left off that might have been better choices. The live songs are very weak. Since I am only a casual fan I'm not familiar with the songs that were left off. But they would have been nice to have instead of the weaker choices.
   
   Fortunately, the positives outweigh the negatives and this is still a good purchase (as long as you are aware of the negatives listed above). The first disc does a great job of showing Smokey and the Miracles as they went from unknowns trying to prove themselves to accomplished performers. It also shows Smokey's growth as a writer of monster hits.
   
   The 4th disc is incredible as it shows Smokey's solo career. You cannot beat any set that includes 'Crusin' and 'Being with you'.
   
   It's still a good purchase.



5. BEWARE!!! More than half of the songs in this boxed set are in mono-and many of these songs are available in stereo. I cannot for the life of me figure out why anyone would think that collectors would be happy with mono versions when stereo versions are available. Also, even though this is a boxed set it does not include all charted hits which is unforgiveable since so many of the titles included did not even chart!! The sound quality is fine but that is not the only factor to consider when rating a recording. I am very glad that I bought this set used because it is certainly not worth the new price.