King Khan & the Shrines (2013) -Idle No More

Artist:  King Khan & the Shrines 
Albums:  Idle No More
Release date: 2013
Quality: mp3 CBR 320
Size: 94 MB  

“Six years in the making since the release of the band’s last album What Is?!, Idle No More is full of sweat-drenched, ass-shaking, groovy, psyched-out numbers complete with rip-roaring horn lines, southern-fried guitar riffs, and lysergic melodies. Imagine Roky Erickson backed by the Sun Ra Arkestra or Wilson Pickett and The Velvet Underground, or picture the love child of Anubis and Kali. King Khan & The Shrines are more than a psychedelic soul band with a spectacle of a stage show—they are a cult musical phenomenon and simply one of the most entertaining groups the world has seen and heard since the days of Ike & Tina.”  ©

Various Artists -The In-Kraut:Hip Shaking Grooves Made In Germany 1966-1974 Vol.1-3

Artist:  various

Albums: The In-Kraut: Hip Shaking Grooves Made In Germany 1966-1974 Vol.1-3

Released:  2005 / 2006 / 2008

Quality: mp3 CBR 192 / 320

Size:  79+140+144 MB

”Marina Records proudly presents The In-Kraut - handpicked soul, beat, now sound, mod and soundtrack gems from Germany -- all recorded between 1966 and 1974. Among them many Kraut-pleasin' obscurities and long-forgotten nuggets that appear now for the very first time on CD. While the musical climate in Germany of the late '60s and early '70s was clearly dominated by horrible Schlagers, nevertheless, records of outstanding class were cut with Teutonic precision….  The guys behind these productions were usually slick jazz players and studio musicians from the tightest orchestras of the country. Somehow these middle-aged men knew how to move the Kraut and adapt their skills to the swinging sixties.

©

 

Various Artists (2006 / 2010) -Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal / Born Again Funk

Artist: various
Album: Good God! A Gospel Funk Hymnal / Good God! Born Again Funk
Released: 2006 / 2010
Quality: mp3 CBR 256 / 320
Size: 110 / 123 MB

“I am not religious. Not even a little. So when I listen to gospel music, there is naturally a gap between me and the people singing. But to be irreligious is not necessarily to be without a spiritual side, and music has always been my connection to it. I don't pretend to have answers-- for all I know, the intangible effects of music could be 100% chemistry or the handiwork of an involved god-- but I do know that music has strange powers. It can lift you up, if not to Heaven, then at least out of a funk; it can access places and emotions that you don't get to in daily conversation, regardless of what the singer is actually saying. It can be hopeful without saying anything hopeful, sad without saying anything sad, joyful without saying a word.” ~ Read full review at Pitchfork

Shirley Scott (1991) -Great Scott!

Artist: : Shirley Scott
Album: Great Scott!
Released: 1991
Quality: mp3 CBR 320
Size: 124 MB

”An admirer of the seminal Jimmy Smith, Shirley Scott has been one of the organ's most appealing representatives since the late '50s. Scott, a very melodic and accessible player, started out on piano and played trumpet in high school before taking up the Hammond B-3 and enjoying national recognition in the late '50s with her superb Prestige dates with tenor sax great Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis. Especially popular was their 1958 hit "In the Kitchen." Her reputation was cemented during the '60s on several superb, soulful organ/soul-jazz dates where she demonstrated an aggressive, highly rhythmic attack blending intricate bebop harmonies with bluesy melodies and a gospel influence, punctuating everything with great use of the bass pedals. Scott married soul-jazz tenor man Stanley Turrentine, with whom she often recorded in the '60s. The Scott/Turrentine union lasted until the early '70s, and their musical collaborations in the '60s were among the finest in the field. Scott wasn't as visible the following decade, when the popularity of organ combos decreased and labels were more interested in fusion and pop-jazz (though she did record some albums for Chess/Cadet and Strata East). But organists regained their popularity in the late '80s, which found her recording for Muse. Though known primarily for her organ playing, Scott is also a superb pianist -- in the 1990s, she played piano exclusively on some trio recordings for Candid, and embraced the instrument consistently in Philly jazz venues in the early part of the decade. At the end of the '90s, Scott's heart was damaged by the diet drug combination, fen-phen, leading to her declining health. In 2000 she was awarded $8 million in a lawsuit against the manufacturers of the drug. On March 10, 2002 she died of heart failure at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia.”~ by Alex Henderson©

Andre Williams & The New Orleans Hellhounds (2008) -Can You Deal With It

Artist: : Andre Williams
Album: Can You Deal With it?
Released: 2008
Quality: mp3 CBR 320
Size: 80 MB

”In 1998, at the age of 62, Andre Williams launched a new career as the Dirtiest Old Man in Rock & Roll with the gloriously lewd album Silky, and ten years later Williams just keeps getting dirtier, and just as importantly he seems to be having even more fun with it as he follows the good groove into his eighth decade. Many years of hard living are clearly audible in Williams' voice on the album Can You Deal with It?, which pairs him up with a band of ragged but right R&B mavens called the New Orleans Hellhounds, but if his instrument is a bit rough around the edges, the spirit is not just willing but raring to go, and this set manages to fuse the crazed, hallucinogenic rent-party vibe of Silky and The Black Godfather with full-strength soul and old-school funk backdrops that bring Williams' music of the '60s and '70s into the present day. Williams has made plenty of albums that are louder and crazier, but it's been a long time since he grooved as hard as he does on "Your Woman" and "If You Leave Me," and the rowdy country-soul vibe of "Pray for You Daughter" and "Rosalie" sounds downright playful, a quality that hasn't always been at the forefront of Mr. Rhythm's work. "Never Had a Problem" blatantly borrows its hook from "Should I Stay or Should I Go," but it manages to rock even harder than the Clash's variation on this theme, and "Can't Take 'Em Off" would make the ideal theme song for some particularly kinky and imaginative exotic dancer. The band (which includes whacked-out keyboard genius Mr. Quintron) grooves with gusto on these sessions, but it's Andre Williams who really brings this show to life, and whether he's moaning, laughing, scolding, or pleading, he's the raunchiest senior citizen on the face of the Earth and he's inviting you to one wild party on Can You Deal with It? The AARP ain't got nothin' on this man.” ~ by Mark Deming, allmusic.com

Natahaniel Mayer (2004) -I Just Want To Be Held

Artist: Nathaniel Mayer
Album: I Just Want To Be Held
Released: 2004
Quality: mp3 CBR 320
Size: 85 MB

”Although this soul shouter had a few hits in the early to mid-'60s (including the near classic "Village of Love"), it took nearly 40 years for Nathaniel Mayer to release his first album in 2004. While he's probably lost a few steps along the way, this is an explosive release that sounds as powerful in 2004 as it would have in 1964. With a searing, gritty voice somewhere between James Brown and Mitch Ryder and a terrific band that churns out tough garage R&B, this could have been recorded decades before it was released. That's a compliment of course, since there just aren't many contemporary soul discs that attack with this yard dog-styled intensity. Equally impressive is that all but three songs are original, written in the vein of classic Muscle Shoals-era Wilson Pickett without a hint of pretension or sense that Mayer is trying to emulate a long-gone style. There's a loose, natural swing to the music when the band, complete with snappy Farfisa organ and occasional horns, works a sizzling, unstoppable groove along with the singer. "You Gotta Work," "From Now On," "What's Your Name" -- just drop in anywhere and the churning funk-dance rhythms slice like the hardest-edged Southern R&B. A blistering, grinding version of John Lennon's "I Found Out" might seem like an unusual tune to cover, but it's one that the Beatle probably would have approved of due to the raw emotion Mayer finds in the lyrics. Just in case you think he's not as lip-snarling as he used to be, check out the lascivious, self-explanatory "Stick It or Lick It." Only the gutsy '50s ballad "You Are the One" interrupts the pace, but that proves Mayer is just as passionate on the occasional slow dance number as on the unhinged tracks that dominate the disc. At a brisk 35 minutes it's almost over too quickly, but hopefully listeners won't have to wait another four decades for its follow-up..”~ Hal Horowitz, allmusic.com

Bettye LaVette (2010) -Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook

Artist: Bettye LaVette
Albums: Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook
Released: 2010
Quality: mp3 CBR 320
Size: 184 MB

At first glance, Bettye LaVette’s new album Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook, would appear to be just another collection of song covers. But “interpretations” is the key word here, because LaVette, a Detroit soul veteran and a contemporary of more famous peers like Aretha Franklin and Smokey Robinson, is no run-of-the-mill singer, and she takes these classic British Invasion tracks and gives them new dimension, making them in every sense and nuance her own. That’s not an easy task, since every one of these tracks is a well-known song, seemingly immutable in the original version, but amazingly, LaVette steals each and every one of them. John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s “The Word,” which leads things off, for instance, becomes the gospel stomper the Beatles always intended it to be, while Ringo Starr’s “It Don’t Come Easy” becomes a swampy, haunting, and profoundly wise blues song in LaVette’s capable hands. And she’s not afraid to make changes to these classics, either, updating the Rolling Stones’ “Salt of the Earth” to include references to the HIV epidemic. She rearranges things in song after song here, moving choruses, swapping out verses, all in the name of claiming the song and placing it in new emotional territory. The idea for this album came after she performed the Who’s “Love Reign O’Er Me” in 2008 at the Kennedy Center Honors ceremony for the band, and her version that night (it is included here as an extended bonus track) is nothing less than stunning, pulling a depth of emotion from the song that the Who could only dream of, as fine as the band’s original version was. Now in her mid-sixties, LaVette is singing better than ever, and if she isn’t a household name, she ought to be. This is a remarkable album because this lady is a remarkable singer -- that’s the bottom line. ~ Steve Leggett, All Music Guide.

Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators (2006) -Keep Reachin' Up

Artist: Nicole Willis & The Soul Investigators
Album: Keep Reachin’ Up
Released: 2006
Quality: mp3 CBR 320
Size: 93 MB

" After a pair of essentially modern-styled R&B outings, the Brooklyn-born, Europe-based vocalist Nicole Willis struck out in a new direction on her third full-length, teaming up with Finnish funk combo the Soul Investigators in 2005 for a hearty take on '60s and '70s stylings which, by accident or design, fit right in with the vintage soul resurgence that was then getting underway. Relative to other diva-led throwback acts such as Sharon Jones and Amy Winehouse, Willis and her cohorts come off as especially convincing revivalists (or especially deceptive simulators), despite seeming comparably laid-back about taking an authentically "retro" approach, or at least about sticking to one particular type of soul. Stylistically, they trend toward the more polished, pop-oriented Northern Soul end of things, occasionally using strings in place of horns and generally keeping things up and peppy, on stomping highlights like "If This Ain't Love," "Invisible Man" (which features girl group-styled falsetto backups sung by noted dance producers Maurice Fulton and Jimi Tenor, who's also Willis' husband) and "My Four Leaf Clover," which nods specifically and delightfully to early Motown and to Martha & the Vandellas in particular. Opener "Feeling Free," which boasts the album's most uplifting and irresistible chorus hook, sports a similarly chunky early-'60s backbeat wrapped in a lavish arrangement of strings, bongos, and palm-muted guitar that suggests more of an early-'70s, Philly International vibe, whereas the slightly groovier "A Perfect Kind of Love" lays on the Stax-style horn parts and chicken shack organ. The detours into harder-headed funk ("Holdin' On" and the title track) and smoky balladry ("Blues Downtown" and "No One's Gonna Love You") are somewhat less effective: despite some compelling and atmospheric playing from the Investigators, Willis' voice isn't quite richly textured enough to be as effortlessly authoritative here as it is on the more melodic, poppier material. Still, these tracks are far from serious missteps, and they do add some well-intentioned variety to an album that, on the whole, stands as one of the finer soul full-lengths of the decade." by K. Ross Hoffman, AMG

Lizz Wright (2010) -Fellowship

Artist: Lizz Wright
Albums: Fellowship
Released: 2010
Quality: mp3 VBR ~200
Size: 78 MB

The 12-track gospel-tinged record features a number of traditional songs long held sacred by Wright alongside originals by guest performers Angelique Kidjo, Me'Shell Ndegéocello, Joan as Policewoman and social activist and songwriter Dr. Bernice Reagon, among others. Produced by Brian Bacchus, Fellowship is the follow-up to Wright's 2008 record The Orchard, which "CBS News Sunday Morning" declared "one of the best albums of the year" while the Los Angeles Times called it "a creative breakthrough for Wright, whose smoldering, sensual voice now has a vision to go with it." Fellowship continues Wright's celebrated collaboration with acclaimed singer-songwriter Toshi Reagon, who co-produced the new album and wrote/performed on a number of tracks on Wright's previous release. The record features several traditional songs that Wright grew up with in church including "Amazing Grace," "Sweeping Through the City," and a gospel medley featuring "I've Got a Feeling" and "Power Lord." Wright also covers a number of songs by noted writers including "Presence of the Lord" by Eric Clapton and "In From the Storm" by Jimi Hendrix. Dr. Bernice Reagon performs on two tracks, including "I Remember, I Believe" which she composed. ~ www.amazon.com.

Dave Davani (2002) -Fused! The Swinging Soul Sound Of Dave Davani

Artist: Dave Davani
Albums: Fused! The Swinging Soul Sound Of Dave Davani
Released: 2002
Quality: mp3 CBR 224
Size: 108 MB

In the 1960s, Dave Davani was a leading purveyor of British Hammond organ-dominated soul-jazz, a genre far less prevalent in the U.K. than it was in America. Though his combos recorded only one album, 1965's Fused!, and a few singles, he played solid and swinging music in this style, somewhat in the mold of Americans like Big John Patton and Jimmy Smith, though at times a little more R&B- and soul-oriented. His use of the Hammond in particular expands his appeal a little beyond jazz listeners to fans of British Swinging London sounds, particularly those of jazzy R&B acts like Georgie Fame and Brian Auger, though unlike Fame, Davani stuck almost exclusively to instrumentals.~ Richie Unterberger

Ebony Rhythm Band (2004) -Soul Heart Transplant: The Lamp Sessions

Artist: Ebony Rhythm Band
Album: Soul Heart Transplant: The Lamp Sessions
Release Date: 2004
Quality: mp3 CBR 192
Size: 64 MB



Tracklist:
1 Soul Heart Transplant
2 Light My Fire
3 Ode To Billy Joe
4 Vanilla Fudge
5 Drugs Ain't Cool
6 Get Yourself Together (Smiling Phases/Sunshine Of Your Love Medley)
7 The Thought Of Losing Your Love (Written By The Vanguards)
8 Can I Call You Baby (Written By The Pearls)
9 Fool Am I (Written By The Montiques)
10 It's To Late For Love (Written By The Vanguards)
11 Light My Fire (Alternate)