Jhonny "Guitar" Watson

"Reinvention" could just as easily have been Johnny "Guitar" Watson's middle name. The multi-talented performer parlayed his stunning guitar skills into a vaunted reputation as one of the hottest blues axemen on the West Coast during the 1950s. But that admirable trait wasn't paying the bills as the 1970s rolled in. So he totally changed his image to that of a pimp-styled funkster, enjoying more popularity than ever before for his down-and-dirty R&B smashes "A Real Mother for Ya" and "Superman Lover."

Watson's roots resided within the fertile blues scene of Houston. As a teen, he played with fellow Texas future greats Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland. But he left Houston for Los Angeles when he was only 15 years old. Back then, Watson's main instrument was piano; that's what he played with Chuck Higgins' band when the saxist cut "Motorhead Baby" for Combo in 1952 (Watson also handled vocal duties).

He was listed as Young John Watson when he signed with Federal in 1953. His first sides for the King subsidiary found him still tinkling the ivories, but by 1954, when he dreamed up the absolutely astonishing instrumental "Space Guitar," the youth had switched over to guitar. "Space Guitar" ranks with the greatest achievements of its era -- Watson's blistering rapid-fire attack, done without the aid of a pick, presages futuristic effects that rock guitarists still hadn't mastered another 15 years down the line.

Watson moved over to the Bihari Brothers' RPM label in 1955 and waxed some of the toughest upbeat blues of their time frame (usually under saxist Maxwell Davis's supervision). "Hot Little Mama," "Too Tired," and "Oh Baby" scorched the strings with their blazing attack; "Someone Cares for Me" was a churchy Ray Charles-styled slow-dragger, and "Three Hours Past Midnight" cut bone-deep with its outrageous guitar work and laid-back vocal (Watson's cool phrasing as a singer was scarcely less distinctive than his playing). He scored his first hit in 1955 for RPM with a note-perfect cover of New Orleanian Earl King's two-chord swamp ballad "Those Lonely Lonely Nights."

Though he cut a demo version of the tune while at RPM, Watson's first released version of "Gangster of Love" emerged in 1957 on Keen. Singles for Class ("One Kiss"), Goth, Arvee (the rocking introduction "Johnny Guitar"), and Escort preceded a hookup with Johnny Otis at King during the early '60s. He recut "Gangster" for King, reaching a few more listeners this time, and dented the R&B charts again in 1962 with his impassioned, violin-enriched blues ballad "Cuttin' In."

Never content to remain in one stylistic bag for long, Watson landed at Chess just long enough to cut a jazz album in 1964 that placed him back behind the 88s. Along with longtime pal Larry Williams, Watson rocked England in 1965 (their dynamic repartee was captured for posterity by British Decca). Their partnership lasted stateside through several singles and an LP for OKeh; among their achievements as a duo was the first vocal hit on "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" in 1967 (predating the Buckinghams by a few months).

Little had been heard of this musical chameleon before he returned decked out in funk threads during the mid-'70s. He hit with "I Don't Want to Be a Lone Ranger" for Fantasy before putting together an incredible run at DJM Records paced by "A Real Mother for Ya" in 1977 and an updated "Gangster of Love" the next year.

After a typically clever "Strike on Computers" nicked the R&B lists in 1984, Watson again seemed to fall off the planet. But counting this remarkable performer out was always a mistake. Bow Wow, his 1994 album for Al Bell's Bellmark logo, returned him to prominence and earned a Grammy nomination for best contemporary blues album, even though its contents were pure old-school funk. Sadly, in the midst of a truly heartwarming comeback campaign, Watson passed away while touring Japan in 1996.



Johnny Guitar Watson - Ain´t that a bitch (1976)

01 - I Need It
02 - I Want To Ta-Ta You Baby
03 - Superman Lover
04 - Ain't That A Bitch
05 - Since I Met You Baby
06 - We're No Exception
07 - Won't You Forgive Me Baby

the link:
http://www.shareonall.com/Johnny_Guitar_Watson_-_Aint_that_a_bitch_qsel_zip.htm




Johnny Guitar Watson - A real mother for ya (1977)

01 - A Real Mother For Ya
02 - Nothing left To Be Desired
03 - Your Love Is My Love
04 - The Real Deal
05 - Tarzan
06 - I Wanna Thank You
07 - Lover Jones

the link:
http://www.shareonall.com/Johnny_Guitar_Watson_-_A_real_mother_for_ya_gjyp_zip.htm



Johnny Guitar Watson - Funk beyond the call of duty (1977)

01 - Funk Beyond The Call Of Duty
02 - It's About The Dollar Bill
03 - Give Me My Love
04 - It's A Damn Shame
05 - I'm Gonna Get You Baby
06 - Barn Door
07 - Love That Will Not Die

the link:
http://www.shareonall.com/Johnny_Guitar_Watson_-_Funk_beyond_the_call_of_duty_uhdt_zip.htm



Johnny Guitar Watson - Giant (1978)

01 - Miss Frisco (Queen Of The Disco)
02 - Tu Jours Amour
03 - Gangster Of Love
04 - Guitar Disco
05 - Wrapped In Black Mink
06 - You Can Stay But The Noise Must Go
07 - Baby Face (She Said Do Do Do Do)

http://www.shareonall.com/Johnny_Guitar_Watson_-_Giant_racq_zip.htm


Johnny Guitar Watson - Strike on Computers (1984)

01 - You do me bad so good
02 - Boogie down party down
03 - Scratching -85-
04 - Let´s get together
05 - Strike on computers
06 - Byrd ball train
07 - Statue of liberty
08 - Please send me someone to love

the link:
http://www.shareonall.com/Johnny_Guitar_Watson_-_Strike_on_Computers_uboa_zip.htm


Johnny Guitar Watson - Live in Panama City (1990)

1 - A real mother for ya
2 - A real mother for ya-1
3 - Ain´t that a bitch
4 - Gangster of love
5 - I wanna tata you baby
6 - Nothing left do be desired
7 - Party!
8 - Party!-1
9 - Strike on computers
10 - Superman lover
11 - Three hours past midnight

http://www.shareonall.com/Johnny_Guitar_Watson_-_Live_in_Panama_City_1990_bsxp_zip.htm


Johnny Guitar Watson - Bow wow (1994)

1- Bow Wow
2 - Doing Wrong Woman
3 - Hook Me Up
4 - I Dont Think So
5 - It Takes 2
6 - Johnny G is Back
7 - My Funk
8 - Never Too Late
9 - Time Change
10 - What's Up With You

http://www.shareonall.com/Johnny_Guitar_Watson_-_Bow_wow_mttz_zip.htm

Johnny Guitar Watson - The very best of (does it matter?)

01 - Gangster of love
02 - Booty ooty
03 - Ain't that a bitch
04 - Love jones
05 - What the hell is this
06 - It's about the Dollar Bill
07 - Ain't movin'
08 - I need it
09 - A real mother for ya
10 - Strung out

http://www.shareonall.com/Johnny_Guitar_Watson_-_The_very_best_of_bujj_zip.htm

there are a few albums missing according to the AMG roster, but they are from his pre funk era, and primarily blues albums.
i am trying to locate those, but it is proving hard.

his blues stuff is well worth the listen if you feel like it.


and here is the "Essensial Johnny Watson" all from his blues era.

01 Hot Little Mama
02 I Love To Love You
03 Too Tired
04 Dont't Touch Me
05 Those Lonely Lonely Nights
06 Someone Cares For Me
07 Oh Baby
08 Give A Little
10 Ruben
11 Love Me Baby
12 She Moves Me
13 Love Bandit (Gangster Of Love)
14 My Baby And Me
15 In The Middle Of The Night
16 Deana Baby (Master)
16 Ruben
17 Three Hours Past Midnight
22 Three Hours Past Midnight pt 2

the link:
http://rs383.rapidshare.com/files/124594720/Essential_Johnny_Guitar_Watson.zip

for his discography on AMG:
http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:azfexqtgld0e~T2

The Apples

The Apples are a 9 piece Funk, Jazz, and Scratch collective. Hailing from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa, this collective has almost as many damn members as the Budos Band. I’m not saying that in a bad way either, the more the merrier. The band is made up of Arthur Krasnobaev (Trumpet), Yaron Ouzana (Trombone), Oleg Nayman (Tenor & Soprano Saxophones) Yuval Tabachnik (Baritone Saxophone), Shai Ran (Acoustic Bass), Yonadav Halevy (Drums), DJ Todres(Turntables), Schoolmaster (Turntables) and MixMonster (Sound Console & Live Effects). This conglomeration got it’s beginnings at the Rubin Academy in Jerusalem. Most members are accomplished Jazz, Funk, and Fusion artists in their own right, shining brightly in places like Montreaux, and also playing Israeli Jazz festivals with national musicians. While, not all members are from Israel (Krasnobaev and Nayman are from the Ukraine), it’s this exact kind of band that I definitely applaud here. The Funk and Soul can be heard everywhere in the world. Music sees no color or nationality. If only the world were the same way. Putting down their spontaneous creations since 2003’s Mitz, and 2005’s Attention (where they released their first 7″ on Freestyle called, surprise, “Attention!”). Their sound is quite unique, and they do so without the presence of a guitar or keyboard player, using both turntablists to improvise and also take the place of the aforementioned instruments. According to their bio they they “throw anything from Ray Charles samples to traditional Jewish Kleizmer melodies” into their sets.

After delighting sold out crowds in the U.K., Belgium and their nativ Israel, The Apples finally deliver their highly anticipated debut album for Freestyle Records. Since the very first release on Freestyle Records (the highly charged "Attention!" taken from the bands debut album of the same name) interest has grown and grown in this fresh and unique band. Consisting of 9 members (including 2 DJ`s!), the same band are a mixing pot of funk, hip hop, big band jazz, rock and turntablism - all deliverd in their energetic and off-kilter style. Just check Youtube for examples of their incendiary performances. Last year saw the release of their cover version of Rage Against The Machines "Killing In The Name Of", which gained plays across the globe support from DJ´s such as Annie Mac, Zane Lowe, A Skills and Mr Scruff. To date, it is the largest selling single on the label showing that demand for the band is at an all time high. This demand is sure to rocket even further with the release of "Buzzin`About" - 12 tracks packed with fresh ideas, dazzling showmanship, unique musicality and more sweat-inducing funk than you can shake stick at.

Check their sound on Myspace!

You can buy 'em here!

Discography - Lp's
Mitz (2003) - Bombaklaat Records
Attention! (2005) - Freestyle Records
Buzzin' About (2008) - Freestyle Records

Mitz (2003)

Tracklist:

01) ... The journey continues - (5:19)
02) Ze ra'ayon toy - (5:01)
03) Artour de force - (5:06)
04) Freak Afrique - (7:33)
05) Benzedrine - (6:39)
06) 30 shekel - (6:30)
07) Breath (feat. Mc Goga) - (5:40)
08) Jewfro - (5:41)09) Everybody - (8:27)
10) Keep the faith - (9:30)

Here you go
http://rapidshare.com/files/137475579/The_Apples.zip.html

Attention! (2005)

Tracklist:

01) Chemical sniffer - (4:54)
02) Attention - (3:34)
03) Bulgarians - (5:09)
04) Elias - (4:23)
05) Thirst - (4:10)
06) Shakin' - (5:08)
07) Kidney stone - (5:35)
08) Natri ba makom - (3:58)
09) Woo - (6:39)

Here you go

http://rapidshare.com/files/50649899/THE_APPLES_-__Attention.zip

Buzzin`About (2008)

Tracklist:

01) Stack It Up! - (3:33)

02) Run This Town - (5:51)

03) Debil`s Dream - (4:53)

04) The Bell Step - (4:10)

05) Run Shai Ran - (1:30)

06) Lou-E-Zee-YANAA - (5:55)

07) Kol Hayom Bahalal - (3:47)

08) Number Two - (3:55)

09) Up-Skirt - (4:54)

10) Yablaki - (5:39)

11) Buzzin` About - (4:32)

12) Killing - (4:23)

Here you go

http://rapidshare.com/files/125244393/The_Ap_-_Buzz_2008.rar.html

Groove Keep Us Young
Enjoy!

Boogaloo

yet another introductory post, this time about BOOGALLO.

Wiki says that "Boogaloo or Bugalu (shing-a-ling, popcorn music) is a genre of Latin music and dance that was very popular in the United States in the late 1960s. Boogaloo originated in New York City among teenage Cubans and Puerto Ricans. The style was a fusion of popular African American R&B, rock and roll and soul with mambo and son montuno."

Starting out as a youth "counter revolution" kind of music, it was scorned at first by the older latin artists (like Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, etc). Those young "punks" played not the "sophisticated, intelligent music they should" but DANCE MUSIC.
Slowly they gained momentum, and around '66 there was a slew of mainstream hits such as “Bang, Bang”, “ Pete’s Boogalu” and “I Like it Like That”.

Major boogaloo bandleaders included Joe Cuba, Ricardo Ray, Pete Rodriguez and Johnny Colon. During its heyday nearly every major Latin band recorded boogaloos including Ray Barretto, El Gran Combo and even Eddie Palmieri, one of the styles most visible opponents.

Unlike the archtypical salsa, there was no structured dance style or patterns associated with Boogalu. It tended to be a freestyle dance without a closed embrace where partners often faced each other and created spontaneous innovative steps in response to the music much like other popular dances of the 60's.

There are many excuses as to why Boogaloo died out, some claim it was a combined "establishment" disliking of the genre, some say it was just a fad. The truth is that Boogaloo hasnt really died.
it was sent into the rear as salsa and other lighter latin styles took over.
but you might recall Burger King's ad that used in the late 90's, as well as the incredible sample (more like ripoff) by christina Aguilera "Aint no other man"
dont worry, you have here the original hook, hidden.

these 4 compilations will give you a nice basis in boogaloo, so get them, blast them up, and enjoy your summer!

BOOGALOO!!!

tracklist:
01 - tnt boys - musica del ama
02 - ray & his court - de eso nada monada
03 - lebron brother - boogaloo lebron
04 - willie bobo - shing a ling baby
05 - tito puente - safari
06 - king errison - alone
07 - monguo santamaria - forked tongue
08 - agua bella - headstrong
09 - latin soul rock all stars - smoke
10 - azuquita - california
11 - katunga - bailando despacito
12 - jose angual & carlos patato valdez - masacote
13 - el chicano - viva tirado

the link:
http://www.shareonall.com/boogaloo_eute_zip.htm



El Barrio - The Bad Boogaloo (Nu Yorican Sounds 1960-1970)

Tracklist:
01. La Lupe - Fever
02. Joe Cuba Sextet - Gimme Some Love
03. Lenni Sesar - Morris Park
04. Ralph Robles - Come & Get It
05. Bobby Valentín - Bad Breath
06. Ray Barretto - Mercy Mercy Baby
07. Eddie Palmieri - Aye Que Rico
08. Joey Pastrana - King Of Latin Soul
09. Dave Cortez With The Moon People - Happy Soul With A Hook
10. King Nando - Mama's Girl
11. George Guzman - Marilu
12. Vladimir And His Orchestra - Baby Boo Boogaloo
13. The Latinaires - Camel Walk
14. Ray Rodriguez & His Orchestra - Jumpin With Symphony Sid
15. Johnny Colon - What You Mean
16.Johnny Ventura - Guajira Con Soul


the link:
http://www.shareonall.com/El_Barrio_The_Bad_Boogaloo_Nu_Yorican_Sounds_1960-1970_spxs_zip.htm



Nu Yorika Roots

Tracklist:
01 ray barretto - together
02 tito puente - oye como va
03 tito rodriguez - descarga cachao
04 ray barretto - acid
05 harvey averne - the word
06 joe cuba - el pito
07 mongo santamaria - druma kuyi
08 machito - tanga
09 eddie palmieri - my spiritual indian
10 arsenio rodriguez - se formo el bochinche
11 tito puente - tito on timbales
12 tito rodriguez - mama guela


the link:
http://www.shareonall.com/va_-_nu_yorica_roots_ukie_zip.htm





yo! latin hot funk from el barrio (2002)
Tracklist:
01 Jimmy Sabater - Yroco (2:48)
02 Joe Bataan - I'm Satisfied (3:33)
03 Mongo Santamaria - Sing A Simple Song (3:30)
04 Tito Puente - 110th Street And 5th Avenue (2:42)
05 Cortijo & His Time Machine - La Verdad (5:37)
06 La Crema De New York - The Cisco Kid (4:07)
07 Monguito Santamaria - You Need Help (2:23)
08 Bobby Valentin - Yo (3:29)
09 Eddie Palmieri - Somebody's Son (10:08)
10 Bobby Matos - Return To Spanish Harlem (2:25)
11 Pete Rodriguez - Besito Con Mozancha (5:30)
12 Latin Blues Band - Lay An Oz On Me Baby (3:26)
13 Louie Ramirez - The New Breed (4:56)
14 Roberto Roena Y Su Apollo Sound - Ponte Duro (9:31)

the link:
http://www.shareonall.com/yo_latin_hot_funk_from_el_barrio_2002_lczh_zip.htm

---------------------------------
learn more at the wiki page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boogaloo
or here for a short article: http://www.salsacrazy.com/salsaroots/boogalu.htm

***i know i did not include all the covers. i am in the process of finding and posting them.
if you have them, feel free to link them in the comments.

Cookin On 3 Burners

Baked, Broiled and Fried (Freestyle 2007)

"Cookin` On 3 Burners" are Australia`s foremost organ trio - joining the dots between funk, soul, boogaloo & jazz. Long time partners Lance Ferguson (guitar), Ivan Khatchoyan (drums) and Jack Mason (organ) have taken their home brew of soulful Hammond get down everywhere from festivals to after hours bars and clubs. Whith their releases receiving acclaim from international DJ`s, critics and fans alike, "Cookin` on 3 Burners" continue to deliver upfront musical dishes with a down home flavour... fresh sounds to make you shake your peas and gravy. After a number of Melbourne residencies and a self released 7", the group came to local prominence with the "Cressy St Breakdown" 12" released on Knowfoowl thru USA`s Groove Distribution. This was followed by the re-release of "Gravel Rash" through the UK`s Freestyle label and than a follow up 7" "Keb`s Bucket" (an ode to the Scottish DJ`s legendary pee bucket he needs when he plays for many hours). The group have continued to play across Sydney and Melbourne over the last 12 months, with hihlight gigs including the support for Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings 06 Sydney show, support for Breakestra`s Music Man Miles DJ show in Melbourn and a mammoth 3 gigs in under 24 hours over the 07 ANZAC day holiday in Sydney.

Check their sound on Myspace!

Tracklist:

1.) Kebs Bucket - (3:31)

2.) Cook it - (3:50)

3.) Baked Broiled and Fried - (3:59)

4.) Mango Skin - (4:12)

5.) Cressy St. Breakdown - (4:18)

6.) Settle the Score - (4:06)

7.) Feel Good Inc - (4:35)

8.) The Burners Jam - (2:48)

9.) Gravel Rash - (3:22)

10.) Redback - (3:23)

11.) Cane Toad - (3:41)

12.) Tuesday Night Sleuth - (3:41)

13.) Pie Warmer - (3:30)

Link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/49385310/1_Cookin_on_3_Burners_Broiled_and_Fried.rar

You can buy it here!

Ike Turner & The Kings Of Rhythm

A Black Man`s Soul (Pompeii Records 1969)

First released in 1969, "A Black Man`s Soul" captured Ike Turner & His Kings Of Rhythm at their funkiest. Armed with songs written by Turner, his St. Louis colleague Oliver Sain and more, Ike & His Kings combined R&B with funk, rock and gospel to create an album that shows off the wide spectrum of black music. This release contains some of the finest and most sought-after examples of Ike Turner`s funk artistry, including Grammy-nominated "Thinking Black" and DJ breakbeat jewel "Funky Mule". 1969 was a banner year for Ike & The Kings of Rhythm, as well as for Tina Turner. At the Grammy Awards, "Thinking Black" was nominated in the category of Best R&B Instrumental while Tina made the list of nominees for Best Female R&B Singer. Included are all tracks from the original 1969 release, plus unreleased bonus tracks that offer a fine meal to any aficionado or an in-depth primer to those just discovering the globally reaching genius, funk, and soul of Ike Turner.

Tracklist:

1.) Thinking Black - (2:41)

2.) Black Beauty - (2:28)

3.) Ghetto Funk - (2:31)

4.) Black`s Ally - (2:44)

5.) Black Angel - (3:14)

6.) Getting Nasty - (3:08)

7.) Funky Mule - (3:23)

8.) Philly Dog - (2:24)

9.) Scotty Souling - (2:59)

10.) Up Hard - (2:41)

11.) Nuttin` Up - (2:27)

12.) Freedom Sound - (2:38)

Link:

http://sharebee.com/d723b1ee

found on : http://letsgogetit.blogspot.com

You can buy it here!

The Herbaliser

Same As It Never Was (K7 2008)

The Herbaliser are all about moving forward, onwards and upwards. Bonding over a shared love of jazz, funk, rare groove and hip hop in the early 1990s, West London duo Jake Wherry and Ollie Teeba have evolved with each chapter in their 15-year story. First it was instrumental beats, breaks and samples. Then they added guest rappers and vocalists. Later, as international festival favourits, their line-up swelled into a mini-orchestra with lush arranges to match. On their latest album, Same As It Was, The Helbaliser hit a dazzling new peak. With a new label, a new main vocalist, and a new focus on soulful songwriting, this is their richest and most diverse record so far. A timless modern soul record, it should appeal not just to specialist fans but also to a new generation seduced by the knowing pop-soul nostalgia of Amy Winehouse or Mark Ronson. Glossy and gritty, organic and eclectic, Same As I Never Was builds on the band`s hip hop roots with jazz, pop and instrumental soundtrack influences...

Check their sound on Myspace!

Tracklist:

1.) Same As It Never Was - (3.39)

2.) On Your Knees (feat. Jessica Darling) - (4:12)

3.) Just Won`t Stop (feat. Yungun aka. Essa) - (3:24)

4.) The Next Stop - (5:33)

5.) Can`t Help This Feeling (feat. Jessica Darling) - (3:22)

6.) Amores Bongo - (4:10)

7.) Street Karma (A Cautionary Tale) (feat. Jean Grae) - (3:39)

8.) You`re Not All That (feat. Jessica Darling) - (4:53)

9.) Blackwater Drive - (4:57)

10.) Game Set and Match (feat. More Or Les) - (4:14)

11.) Clap Your Hands (feat. Jessica Darling) - (3:18)

12.) Stranded on Earth (feat. Jessica Darling) - (6:44)

Link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/122174371/herbalisersameasitneverwas.rar

You can buy it here!

Northern Soul

Northern Soul!

i have been into Northern soul for a while now, and i do think this is a HIGHLY UNDERRATED field.
so what does a warrior of soul do?
go on a crusade of course!
so here i am assembling my troops :D

first off, WHAT IS NORTHERN SOUL?
Northern soul is the term used in the United Kingdom for a type of mid-tempo and uptempo heavy-beat soul music (of mainly African American origin) that was popularized in Northern England in the mid 1970s.
Northern soul dancing was usually athletic, resembling the later dance styles of disco and break dancing, Featuring spins, flips, and backdrops. Think of this as very early breakdancing?
The athletic dancing can be attributed, although not solely so, to the fact that this was an amphetamine driven sub-culture. Northern Soul boys and girls were often whizzing their tits off. Northern Soul nights in the whole of the south of England are regularly referred to having had problems with drugs such as speed, uppers, downers and so on.
The white powder, often spread on the dancefloor, WAS NOT what you naughty guys and dolls think.it was TALCUM POWDER, aimed at aiding the slide and shuffle of the dancing.

Secondly, WHO DID NORTHERN SOUL?
the easy answer would be - look in the tracklisting, silly!
but ill just namedrop a few classic hits:
ann sexton - you've been gone too long (covered EXQUISITLY by Frank Popp Ensemble a few years back{get a vid sample of it here), linda jones - you hit me like tnt (killer vid - me, if i were ontarian), Chuck Wood - Seven Days Too Long, Frank Wilson - Do I Love You, Gloria Jones - Tainted Love (yes. it is THE OG song), the supremes - he's all i got, and many more.

what a friend of mine mentioned, and i failed to emphasize, is that "The tunes that rock(ed) the Northern Soul world were typically those rejected for mainstream US release by the likes of Motown. This is either because they were too soulful for an increasingly funk friendly market in the US (it took the UK purists to hold onto and treasure that classic old soul) and/or because they were considered to be unmarketable (see next point)." (thanks Jules)

As you probably know, labels like Motown and others operated a kind of 'studio and band for hire' policy. This meant that anyone with a song, who thought they were good enough, could hire both studio and band and cut a record. This is how many of the Northern Soul anthems came about, which makes the genre such a crate diggers paradise. The folk who stepped into these studios were typically poor, black, automotive factory workers in places like Detroit and Chicago, who had a dream that they'd make it big and escape their drab existence. Needless to say, many of these guys didn't have the looks or glam that gals like Diana Ross did. So, even if the records were good, they didn't fit the slick, pretty, 'looks heavy' Motown marketing approach and were discarded, only for some UK soul nerds to discover in a lonely crate many years later. (thanks again, J)

The first nightclub that effectively defined the northern soul sound was Manchester's Twisted Wheel Club. Other early clubs were the The Mojo in Sheffield, The Catacombs in Wolverhampton, Golden Torch in Stoke, Room at the Top in Wigan, the Wigan Casino, the Blackpool Mecca and Va Va's in Bolton.


what makes this music so wonderful, is, and i quote from that paper i added - "dancing was a spiritual connection with the music, not trying to establish a relationship with a woman:
It can be a personal experience that’s just between you and the music and it has nothing to do with anybody else. And I think that [being told] “I’m sorry, but I can’t speak to you because I’ve got to go and dance”—is because it’s the personal thing. I want to dance. And I want to dance to the sound of that music. And that music has got me dancing and I just want to be alone with that music, with that record, with that dance. And I don’t want to share it with anybody else. I want to share my dance with the music….There’s just such a strong bond, there’s such a strong feeling, there’s such intensity” - now, if only my ex would be able to understand this....

major labels to released this kind of music were: Motown, Okeh, Stax and many more.

this is a GREAT article on NORTHERN SOUL.
LINKED HERE
or if you want it in DOC format

and now we begin:
i thought long and hard what to post in such a massive, introductory post, and finally settled on a series of genre compilations.
there are hundreds of albums to choose from, as well as a gazzilion 45s (most of which i will never see).
i will, if asked, post more of these, but i feel you first need to get your "feet wet" as it were.
there might (probably are) double tracks, bad tunes, horrible sounding horrors and even the odd ballad.
fear not, for salvation is at hand!

what i CAN do is recommend you check out you local scene for such nights and go there.
Satisfaction is GUARANTEED.

EDITED TO ADD THIS MARVELOUS VIDEO COMMENTED BY ANONYMOUS.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbEuq54FcBg
26 minutes of great info into the Northern Soul thing.
THANKS!

thought about adding more text but
I’m sorry, but I can’t speak to you because I’ve got to go and dance!!!!!


Big In Wigan - 20 Northern Mammoths From The Wheel To Keele
link: http://www.shareonall.com/Big_In_Wigan-20_Northern_Mammoths_From_The_Wheel_To_Keele_tsok_zip.htm

tracklist:
01 - Gypsies - It's A Woman's World (You'd Better Believe It) (2.35)
02 - Leon Haywood - Baby Reconsider (2.35)
03 - Percy Wiggins - That's Loving You (2.10)
04 - JJ Barnes - Sweet Sherry (2.36)
05 - Pretenders - I Wanna Be (Your Everything) (2.44)
06 - William Bell - Happy (2.31)
07 - Millie Jackson - My Man, A Sweet Man (2.31)
08 - Lovettes - Little Miss Soul (2.16)
09 - Bobby Freeman - I'll Never Fall In Love Again (2.33)
10 - Mickey Lee Lane - Hey Sah-Lo-Ney (2.25)
11 - Bobby Patterson - Till You Give In (1.54)
12 - Jean Wells - with my love & what you've got (2.23)
13 - Loleatta Holloway - Mother Of Shame (2.40)
14 - Skip Mahoaney & The Casuals - Running Away From Love (4.51)
15 - Flower Shoppe - You've Come A Long Way Baby (2.30)
16 - John Edwards - Ain't That Good Enough (2.10)
17 - Mary Love - You Turned My Bitter Into Sweet (2.22)
18 - Lorraine & The Delights - Baby I Need You (1.57)
19 - Mel Williams - Can It Be Me (2.42)
20 - Showmen - Our Love Will Grow (2.30)


cooler shakers! 30 Northern Soul Floorstompers
link:
http://www.shareonall.com/cooler_shakers_30_northern_soul_floorstompers_1997_eeaf_zip.htm

tracklist:
01 - sam dees - lonely for you baby
02 - gene chandler - nothing can stop me
03 - betty everett - getting mighty crowded
04 - the valentines - breakaway
05 - don thomas - come on train
06 - the ad libs - nothing worse than being alone
07 - sidney barnes - i hurt on the other side
08 - little richie - just another heartache
09 - fred hughes - don't let me down
10 - the inspirations - touch me, hold me, kiss me
11 - roscoe robinson - that's enough
12 - ann sexton - you've been gone too long
13 - van mccoy - sweet and easy
14 - the falcons - i'm a fool i must love you
15 - sam fletcher - i'd think it over twice
16 - jack montgommery - dearly beloved
17 - marie knight - that's no way to treat a girl
18 - the ivorys - please stay
19 - linda jones - you hit me like tnt
20 - stanley mitchell - get it baby
21 - the ohio players - love slipped through my fingers
22 - gladys knight & the pips - stop and get a hold
23 - the showmen - the wrong girl
24 - maxine brown - one in a million
25 - billy thompson - black eyed girl
26 - dee clark - that's my girl
27 - the masquaraders - do you love me baby
28 - porgy & the monarchs - that girl
29 - johnny maestro - i'm stepping out of the picture
30 - Jimmy Radcliffe - Long After Tonight Is All Over



soul class '66
link:
http://www.shareonall.com/kent_011_soul_class_66_twpw_zip.htm

01 steinways - you've been leading me on
02 connie questel - give up girl
03 patti austin - take your time
04 carl carlton - i can feel it
05 garland green - girl i love you
06 shepards - little girl lost
07 marvelows - do it
08 prince arthur - walkin' uptown
09 crampton sisters - baby baby
10 florence ballard - love ain't love
11 orlons - once upon a time
12 jack montgomery - baby baby take a chance on me
13 sam & bill - i'll try
14 bobby bland - gotta get to know you
15 ortheia barnes - i've never loved nobody (like i love
16 ruby & the romantics - i'll cry alone


Northern Soul Masterpieces

link:
http://www.shareonall.com/northern_soul_masterpieces_llpl_zip.htm

Tracklisting:
01- I'll Do Anything - Doris Troy
02- What Can I Do - Billy Prophet
03- Stolen Hours - Patrice Holloway
04- If You Ask Me - Jerry Williams
05- The Casualeers - Dance Dance Dance
06- J D Martin - By Yourself
07- Alexander Patton - A Little Loving Sometimes
08- Cindy Scott - I Love You Baby
09- Garnet Mimms - Looking For You
10- The Invitations - What's Wrong With Me Baby
11- Lenny Curtis - Nothing Can Help You Now
12- Bobby Paris - I Walked Away
13- Chuck Wood - Seven Days Too Long
14- Teddy Randazzo - You Don't Need A Heart
15- Gene Mcdaniels - Walk With A Winner
16- Ray Pollard - The Drifter
17- Kenny Lynch - Movin' Away
18- Long After Tonight Is All Over - Irma Thomas
19- I'm On My Way - Dean Parrish
20- It'll Never Be Over For Me - Timi Yuro

Okeh A Northern Soul Obsession Vol.1

link:
http://www.shareonall.com/okeh_records_-_a_northern_soul_obsession_vol.1_acuq_zip.htm
Tracklisting:
1 - A Quitter Never Wins - Larry Williams & Johnny W
2 -Bring It Back Home - Chymes
3 - Call Me Tomorrow - Major Harris
4 - Come Back - Ken Williams
5 - Gone But Not Forgotten - Johnny Robinson
6 - Gonna Get Along Without You Now - Vibrations
7 - He Who Picks a Rose - Carstairs
8 - I Don't Want to Discuss It - Little Richard
9 - I Still Love You - Seven Souls
10 - I Wish I Had Known - Sandra Phillips
11 - I'm Coming to Your Rescue - Triumphs
12 - I'm So Afraid - Opals
13 - My Heart Is Hurtin' - Billy Butler & the Chanter
14 - Sombody's Always Trying - Ted Taylor
15 - The Hurt - Jimmy Church
16 - This Heart of Mine - Artistics
17 - What's the Use of Me Trying - Tangeers
18 - You Don't Want Me No More - Major Lance
19 - You're Gonna Make Me Fall in Love - Sandi Sheldo


This is northern soul!
a collection of 24 tamla motown northern soul, vol. 1

link:
http://www.shareonall.com/this_is_northern_soul_a_collection_of_24_tamla_motown_northern_soul_vol._1_wpje_zip.htm

Tracklisting:
01 - brenda holloway - think it over
02 - frank wilson - do i love you
03 - marvin gaye - this love starved heart of mine (it's killing me)
04 - linda griner - goodybe cruel love
05 - the monitors - share a little love with me
06 - the temptations - forever in my heart
07 - kim weston - i'm still loving you
08 - the supremes - he's all i got
09 - gladys knight & the pips - just walk in my shoes
10 - frances nero - keep on loving me
11 - the monitors - crying in the night
12 - kim weston - you hit me (where it hurts)
13 - the andantes - like a nightmare
14 - kim weston - a thrill a moment
15 - the marvelettes - i'll keep holding on
16 - the temptations - truly yours
17 - brenda holloway - when i'm gone
18 - the contours - just a little misunderstanding
19 - gladys knight & the pips - no one could love you more
20 - virgil henry - you ain't saying nothing
21 - the originals - goodnight irene
22 - the temptations - i gotta find a way (to get you back)
23 - the spinners - what more could a boy ask for
24 - gladys knight & the pips - it's never too late for you and me


*PS - if the track lists seem erratic, its because they are.
those are compilation gathered from years of colecting and gathering.
not all are up to par with modern standards of naming, etc....

Baby Charles

This is unashamed, retro, feel good, funky music. Baby Charles hail from Brighton & with this debut have produced one of the best deep funk albums of recent times. Fronted by soul diva Dionne Charles the band have created an album full of killer grooves. Baby Charles are a special band. Their funky music is simultaneously tight but loose, heavy but soulful and dirty… yet beautiful.

Fronted by soul sensation Dionne Charles; the guitar, bass, keys, drums, flute, sax and trombone lay down the deeply funky tunes. Inspired by the late-sixties sounds from the likes of The J.B.s and The Meters, Baby Charles knows how to deliver the soulful goods. This band knows how to play a fine repertoire of songs, ranging from covers of old soul-funk classics to other more obscure grooves. They also have their own material, including the three 45s: 'No Controlling Me', 'Back of My Hand' and 'I Bet You Look Good on the Dance Floor', released in 2006, 2007 and 2008 respectively.

Baby Charles - Baby Charles (2008)

A killer full length debut from Baby Charles -- one of the most soulful deep funk combos we've heard in a long time! The group have been bubbling under for a few years with a handful of singles, but this set really shows the full range of their powers -- and comes off like some lost indie soul set from years back! Dionne Charles is a heck of a great lead singer -- belting out the tunes here with enough raw power to match any of the other current deep funk divas on the scene -- and the rest of the group is plenty tight with their rhythms -- knowing just when to come on hard, and when to kick back a bit.

Well, my humble opinion is that this album is a delight to behold!
don't miss it.

Tracklist

01 Treading Water
02 Invisible
03 Comin' From A Higher Place
04 Life's Begun
05 No Controlling Me
06 Hard Man To Please
07 Step On
08 Indecision
09 I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
10 Back Of My Hand
11 This Time
12 The Sphinx

Here you can watch an info+music video

... you like 'em ?

Here you go

http://www.shareonall.com/Baby_Charles_-_Baby_Charles_2008_qeif_rar.htm

SAMPLED!

prepare to be awed!
we all know that hiphop is all about sampling (ok, maybe not all, but it does use many samples).
this series of compilations is all about rediscovey of those "lost" gems, that have been used by modern artists, and thus made a great hit.
the first track, on volume 1 begins with Labbi Sifre's I Got the blues... which has that bassline eminem used to great effect. Want to know where that reggae break in Prodigy's "Out of Space" came from? It's here (Max Romeo and the Upsetters's "Chase the Devil"). Care to have someone show you where Fatboy Slim lifted the surf-guitar hop "Rockafeller Skank" from? Here, too (The Just Brothers' "Sliced Tomatoes").
this is choc full of hits, old and new, most of which are still great.
the styles they chose for the tracks (otherwise for the natural - it was sampled in a hit track) are mostly funk and soul, with a very large share of disco tunes thrown in.
each is a double CD set, so this is really an 8 cd set, with each one holding more than 18 tracks!
thats almost 150 tunes.....
and they all "rock" one way or another.





sampled 1:
or buy it here:

Disc: 1
1. I Got The... - Labi Siffre
2. It's Ecstasy When You Lay Down Next to Me - Barry White
3. Love Is You - Carol Williams
4. Let Me Be Your Lover - Jimmy "Bo" Horne
5. Let Me Down Easy - Rare Pleasure, Face
6. Fate - Chaka Khan
7. Everyman - Double Exposure
8. Reach Up - Toney Lee
9. Candy - Cameo
10. Superfreak - Rick James
11. Why? - Carly Simon
12. Heartbeat [Party Version] - Taana Gardner
13. Think (About It) - Lyn Collins,
14. Funky Drummer - James Brown
15. Love Love's to Love - Lulu
16. Beat Goes On - Buddy Rich
17. I Can't Go for That (No Can Do) - Hall & Oates
18. Keep on Jumpin' - Musique
19. Buddy X - Neneh Cherry
20. Josephine - Chris Rea

Disc: 2
1. Who Is He and What Is He to You? - Creative Source
2. Jim on the Move - Lalo Schifrin
3. Chase the Devil - Max Romeo
4. Celebration Suite -Airto Moreira
5. Bolivar - Basement Jaxx,
6. Expansions - Lonnie Liston Smith
7. Smokey Joe's La La - Googie Rene
8. Beat Girl - Fatboy Slim
9. Soul Bossa Nova [Original Mix] - Quincy Jones
10. Magic Number - Bob Dorough
11. Cantaloupe Island - Herbie Hancock
12. Woman of the Ghetto - Marlena Shaw
13. Stratus - Billy Cobham
14. We Are Neighbors - The Chi-Lites
15. What You Won't Do for Love - Bill Caldwell
16. Soup for One - Chic
17. Glow of Love - Change
18. Everybody's Gotta Learn Sometime - Claude
19. Old Cape Cod - Patti Page
20. Trouble So Hard - Vera Hall




sampled 2
buy it here:

Disc: 1
1. Ma Quale Idea - Pino D'angio
2. Ready or Not Here I Come (Can't Hide From Love) - The Delfonics
3. Sun Is Shining - Bob Marley
4. We Are Neighbors - The Chi-Lites
5. Far Beyond - Locksmith
6. Dance With You - Carrie Lucas
7. You See the Trouble With Me - Barry White
8. Wear It Out - Stargard
9. Touch and Go - Ecstasy, Passion & Pain
10. You Can't Hide from Yourself - Teddy Pendergrass
11. There but for the Grace of God Go I - Machine
12. Let's All Chant - Michael Zager Band
13. All This Love That I'm Giving - Gwen McCrae
14. Lookin' Up for You - Michael Wycoff
15. Josephine - Chris Rea
16. Brothers Gonna Work It Out - Blake Baxter
17. Chant Number No. 1 (Don't Need This Pressure On) - Spandau Ballet
18. Life in a Northern Town - The Dream Academy

Disc: 2
1. Jim on the Move - Lalo Schifrin
2. From Here to Eternity - Engelbert Humperdinck
3. I Can't Write Left Handed - Bill Withers
4. E.V.A. - Jean-Jacques Perrey
5. Smokey Joe's la La - Googie Rene
6. Burning Spear
7. It's a Shame - The Detroit Spinners
8. Wicky Wacky - The Fatback Band
9. Stop the Rain - The Average White Band
10. Message - Cymande
11. Summer Madness - Kool & the Gang
12. Shoo-Be-Doo-Be-Doo-Da-Day - Michael Jackson
13. Sookie, Sookie - Grant Green
14. P Funk (Wants to Get Funked Up) - Parliament
15. Sometimes - Bessie Jones
16. For a Few Dollars More - Ennio Morricone
17. Golden Girl - John Barry




sampled 3
buy it here:

Disc: 1
1. Right on for the Darkness - Curtis Mayfield
2. Inside My Love - Minnie Riperton
3. California Soul - Marlena Shaw
4. (Let Me) Let Me Be Your Lover - Jimmy "Bo" Horne
5. Strategy - Archie Bell & the Drells
6. Baby Let Me Take You (In My Arms) - The Detroit Emeralds
7. Cola Bottle Baby - Edwin Birdsong
8. Heartbeat - Taana Gardner
9. Love Hangover - Diana Ross
10. Back Stabbers - The O'Jays
11. My First Mistake - The Chi-Lites
12. Everyman - Double Exposure
13. Evil Vibrations - Mighty Ryeders
14. Funky President (People It's Bad) - James Brown
15. Summer in the City - Quincy Jones
16. Tahitian Sunset - Bert Kaempfert
17. Daydream - Gunter Kallmann Chorus,
18. Danube Incident - Lalo Schifrin
19. Ashes, the Rain and I - The James Gang

Disc: 2
1. Edge - David McCallum
2. Apache - the shadows
3. Love Love's to Love - Lulu
4. Unhooked Generation - Freda Payne
5. Dance Across the Floor - Jimmy "Bo" Horne
6. Funky Worm - The Ohio Players
7. Deep Gully - Outlaw Blues Band
8. Goof Humor Man - Blue Mitchell
9. Inside Out - American Gypsy
10. Get Up - Vernon Burch
11. I Love You More - George Duke
12. You Can't Do It Alone - Chic
13. You Showed Me - The Turtles
14. Let It All Hang Out - Hombres
15. Merengue - Bolivar
16. Beat Girl - John Barry
17. Harlem Shuffle - Bob & Earl
18. I Can't Stand the Rain - Ann Peebles
19. My Way of Life - Bert Kaempfert
20. Any Other Name - Thomas Newman
21. I Won't Hold You Back - Toto



sampled 4:
buy it here:

Disc: 1
1. He's Gonna Step on You Again - John Kongos
2. Woman to Woman - Joe Cocker
3. Into My Own Thing - Sly & the Family Stone
4. I Just Want to Celebrate - Rare Earth
5. Chicago Bus Stop (Ooh I Love It) - The Salsoul Orchestra
6. Satin Soul - Love Unlimited Orchestra
7. Family Tree - Family Tree
8. I Love You More and More - Family Tree
9. I Likes to Do It - People's Choice
10. You Did It - Ann Robinson
11. Hot Pants Road - The J.B.'s
12. I Forgot to Be Your Lover - William Bell
13. Misty Blue - Dorothy Moore
14. Aht Uh Mi Hed - Shuggie Otis
15. Supernatural Thing - Ben E. King
16. Boss - James Brown
17. Express Yourself - Charles Wright
18. What I Am - Edie Brickell
19. Everybody's Talkin' - Harry Nilsson
20. Viva Tirado - El Chicano
21. Human Abstract - David Axelrod

Disc: 2
1. Blue on Blue - Gals & Pals
2. Whole Lotta Love - Ike & Tina Turner
3. Rags and Old Iron - Nina Simone
4. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - Marvin Gaye
5. Wiggle Waggle - Herbie Hancock
6. Let's Do the Latin Hustle - Klaus Wunderlich
7. Higher Ground - ???
8. Light My Fire - Shirley Bassey
9. Shack Up, Pt. 1 - Banbarra
10. Haven't You Heard - Patrice Rushen
11. All Night Long - The Mary Jane Girls
12. Risin' to the Top - Keni Burke
13. Westchester Lady - Bob James
14. Shifting Gears - Johnny Hammond
15. What a Man - Linda Lyndell
16. I'm a Good Woman - Barbara Lynn
17. House of Mirrors - David McCallum
18. Holy Thursday - David Axelrod
19. Drumbeat - ???

seems i forgot? to put the links in a clear and visible place.
i stand corrected.
here you are :D

Vol 1 http://www.shareonall.com/Sampled_Vol.1_heas_zip.htm

Vol 2 http://www.shareonall.com/Sampled_Vol.2_yyom_zip.htm

Vol 3 http://www.shareonall.com/Sampled_Vol.3_gttx_zip.htm

Vol 4 http://www.shareonall.com/Sampled_Vol.4_vfci_zip.htm

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

By the sound of them, you would think Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings started making funk-threaded soul music together in the 1960s. Few devotedly retro acts are as convincing. Few singers as skilled as Sharon Jones at stuffing notes with ache and meaning might be willing to invest in a sound so fully occupied by the likes of Bettye LaVette and Tina Turner in the Ike years, too. But what Jones brings to the funkified table has legs of its own -- eight of them, to be exact -- and they belong to Binky Griptite, Bugaloo Velez, Homer Steinweiss, and Dave Guy -- her Dap-Kings.

Jones, like James Brown, was born in Augusta, GA; there she sang in her church choir, and from fellow parishioners picked up the kind of back-patting she needed to convince her to go mainstream. As a teenager, she moved with her family to Brooklyn, where she immersed herself in 1970s disco and funk with an eye toward cutting a record of her own. Instead, studios came calling and with them steady work -- by her twenties, Jones was turning in backup vocals for gospel, soul, disco and blues artists, most of it uncredited. In the '80s, however, Jones' sound was deemed unfashionable, and instead of pushing ahead with her soul diva's dream she went back to church singing. She also took a job as a corrections officer at New York's Rykers Island.

It wouldn't be until 1996 that Desco Records would rediscover Jones' sweat-basted, lived-in talent. With that label's house band, the Soul Providers, Jones released several singles in the late '90s; their warmth and genuineness propelled the act across the Atlantic, and Jones picked up a moniker -- the queen of funk -- that stuck. Jones released her first full-length with the Dap-Kings, Dap Dippin' with Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, after signing with Daptone Records in 2002. Years of touring behind it, as well as cutting singles with other artists (including Greyboy) ensued. In 2005, Jones reteamed with the Dap-Kings for the winking groovefest that is Naturally. With it, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings proved that, no matter how late in the game, they are hell-bent on breathing life back into boiled-down funk and soul.

Dap Dippin (Daptone 2002)

It's hard to believe that Sharon Jones' debut LP is a product of the year 2002, for several reasons. Given the excellent singles she recorded for Desco beginning in the late '90s, it seems like she would have gotten the opportunity for a full-length sooner; plus, her brand of raw, heavy, hard-driving funk is such a throwback to the '70s, and she pulls it off so well, that you wonder how she could have escaped that decade without at least a few rare, classic 45s (in the vein of labelmate Lee Fields). It's not hard to believe she once made her living as a prison guard, based on the tough-as-nails, no-nonsense performances she belts out on Dap Dippin' With Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, the first full-length release on Desco's descendant, Dap-Tone. Backed by the Dap-Tone house band (a conglomeration of studio pros with connections reaching back to the Desco orbit), Jones delivers a storming set of tunes that would have sounded perfectly at home on the James Brown's Original Funky Divas compilation. The style and quality are pretty consistent all the way through, but it's hard not to single out the nearly unrecognizable cover of Janet Jackson's "What Have You Done for Me Lately," which is transformed into a churning blast of funk full of biting guitars (and nary a synth or drum machine in sight). Other highlights include the chunky leadoff track, "Got a Thing on My Mind," the would-be dance-craze "The Dap Dip," the slow-burning "Make It Good to Me," and the trials-and-tribulations tale "Ain't It Hard." Plus, label head Gabriel Roth throws in his usual "authentic" trappings -- the fake live introduction running down Jones' "hits," the intentionally dated copy on the back cover -- that make the whole package even more fun. All in all, a terrific debut.

1. introduction
2. Got A Thing On My Mind
3. What Have You Done For Me Lately?
4. The Dap Dip
5. Give Me A Chance
6. Got To Be The Way It Is
7. Make It Good To Me
8. Ain't It Hard
9. Pick It Up, Lay It In The Cut
10. Casella Walk

http://rapidshare.com/files/50471257/DB1103-DapKings.rar

found on : http://deaconblues1103soul.blogspot.com

Naturally (Daptone 2005)

In a desert of computerized over-produced faux-R&B, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ "Naturally" is a cool glass of water for anyone thirsty for Real Soul and Funk Music. On this, their sophomore release on Brooklyn’s own independent Daptone Records, they have succeeded in transcending the boundaries of time to bring us face to face with the naked body of vintage Soul.

From the first track, a funk-infused shuffle, the Dap-Kings carve a deep and heavy groove which only gets deeper and heavier as the needle cuts further into the flesh of the album. Through ten solid tracks, ‘Naturally’ explores the many moods and tempos of a group that is quickly earning a reputation as one of the hottest live acts across the nation, stretching their versatility to map out the full panorama of the idiom in which they so effortlessly reside. They are able to bring us back to 1970 not with the usual bell-bottomed conventions and wah-wah clichés employed by so many retro-funk wannabe’s, but by reaching back to the original source of all that good music: sincerity, integrity, melody, and an unwavering loyalty to rhythm.

In arrangements punctuated by bold horns and tastefully accented with piano, vibes, and strings, the Dap-Kings road-tight rhythm section expertly frames the skeleton of a classic Soul album, breathing life into a body of songs penned exclusively for Sharon Jones’ unique voice. In turn, she masterfully and instinctively reaches beyond the basic melodies into her gospel-soaked roots to pour every drop of herself into each note that passes her lips, elevating the music from craft to art. With every moan she reminds us that before Whitney, Mariah, and Jay-Z, there was Tina, Aretha, and J.B.

Whether it’s the hard-hitting funk of ‘My Man Is A Mean Man’ you crave or the transporting balladeering of ‘Stranded’ or ‘All Over Again’, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings’ ‘Naturally’ is destined to occupy a permanent space in your heart and in your record collection.

1. How Do I Let A Good Man Down?
2. Natural Born Lover
3. Stranded In Your Love
4. My Man Is A Mean Man
5. You're Gonna Get It
6. How Long Do I Have To Wait For You
7. This Land Is Your Land
8. Your Thing Is A Drag
9. Fish In My Dish
10. All Over Again


http://rapidshare.com/files/55179922/DB1103-SharonJNat.rar

also found on : http://deaconblues1103soul.blogspot.com

100 Days, 100 Nights (Daptone 2007)

After the often upbeat, always exciting sounds of 2005's Naturally, the band's next outing comes off as a slightly more tempered affair. The title track opens with an indefatigable statement of purpose, dropping into a late-stage, sub-halftime groove so Jones can fully "take [her] time" lamenting her missing man. Elsewhere, her voice effortless treads the heights and depths of its range with timeless aplomb. At times, these tracks court the uninspired flavor of the wholly derivative, but in all, 100 Days, 100 Nights makes for a very welcome addition to any avid listener's contemporary soul music library.

01. 100 Days, 100 Nights
02. Nobody's Baby
03. Tell Me
04. Be Easy
05. When the Other Foot Drops, Uncle
06. Let Them Knock
07. Something's Changed
08. Humble Me
09. Keep On Looking
10. Answer Me

http://rapidshare.com/files/60224321/SJ_DK_100_2007.rar

found on :http://letsgogetit.blogspot.com