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Old School Hip Hop, Vol. 2 by Various Artists (CD - 09/11/2001)
 

Old School Hip Hop, Vol. 2 by Various Ar...

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Old School Hip Hop, Vol. 2 by Various Artists (CD - 09/11/2001)
"Old School Hip Hop, Vol. 2" (09/11/2001) R&B Various Artists, Thump Records

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R&B Christmas [BMG Special Products] by Various Artists (CD - 09/01/2005)
 

R&B Christmas [BMG Special Products]...

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R&B Christmas [BMG Special Products] by Various Artists (CD - 09/01/2005)
"R&B Christmas [BMG Special Products]" (09/01/2005) R&B Various Artists, BMG Special Products

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Tom Joyner Presents: Old School Mix by Various Artists (CD - 03/16/1999)
 

Tom Joyner Presents: Old School Mix by V...

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Tom Joyner Presents: Old School Mix by Various Artists (CD - 03/16/1999)
"Tom Joyner Presents: Old School Mix" (03/16/1999) R&B Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Liner Note Author: Tom Joyner. Photographer: Michael Ochs. Around 1994, urban contemporary DJ Tom Joyner hired Steve "Silk" Hurley to provide "old school mixes" for his popular Tom Joyner Morning Show; and by old school, he meant the classic soul, funk, and disco of the late '70s and early '80s. To be sure, Hurley was perfect for the job; he had played an indispensable role in house music, and his credentials as a mixmaster were undeniable. The type of mixing that Hurley has done on his show is what he does for Old School Mix, which spans 1976-1982 and boasts a non-stop mix of 18 major hits from that period. One gem segues right into another; just as Gwen McCrae's "Funky Sensation" is starting to fade out, Hurley comes right in with One Way's "Cutie Pie." And just as Peter Brown's "Dance With Me" is starting to end, Anita Ward's "Ring My Bell" makes its presence felt. The CD is full of gems that defined the disco era, such as Chic's "Le Freak," Sister Sledge's "He's the Greatest Dancer," and Foxy's "Get Off." But Joyner's mix has as much to do with hardcore funk and soul as it does with disco; Funkadelic's "One Nation Under a Groove," Slave's "Slide," and Zapp's "More Bounce to the Ounce" soared to number one or two on the R&B charts, but didn't fare nearly as well on the pop charts. In fact, Old School Mix is pretty much the type of soul/funk/disco blend you could have expected to hear on the mix shows that graced black radio in the late '70s and early '80s. Even if you're not familiar with Joyner's show and Hurley's contributions to it, this is a CD to savor. ~ Alex Henderson

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Funk Classics: The 80's by Various Artists (CD - 10/23/2001)
 

Funk Classics: The 80's by Various Artis...

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Funk Classics: The 80's by Various Artists (CD - 10/23/2001)
"Funk Classics: The 80's" (10/23/2001) R&B Various Artists, Universal Special ProductsBy the early '80s, R&B acts had to embrace more polished productions and synth-based grooves or face extinction. Without looking too hard for rare gems, Funk Classics: The 80's offers 12 of the better-known tracks from 1980-1988. What's here is really no big surprise: Rick James' "Super Freak," George Clinton's "Atomic Dog," and the Gap Band's "You Dropped a Bomb" all make an appearance. Their strength as a good flow makes up for their ubiquitous presence on sets of this nature. The Bar-Kays' "Freakshow on the Dancefloor," Skyy's "Call Me," and the always-fun "So Fine" from Howard Johnson work even better due to their lower profile. As the '80s were not a monolithic decade for R&B style-wise, neither is this set. The graceful post-disco of the Brothers Johnson's "Stomp!" just doesn't mesh with late-'80s tracks like E.U.'s "Da Butt" and Salt-n-Pepa's "Push It"; it doesn't really have to. Funk Classics: The 80's isn't meant to be an essential or comprehensive CD. This set does indeed deliver the hits, but there are not enough of them and the sequencing diminishes what little is here. ~ Jason Elias

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Soul Hits of the 80's [Sony Music Box Set] [Box] by Various Artists (CD - 02/17/2004)
 

Soul Hits of the 80's [Sony Music Box Se...

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Soul Hits of the 80's [Sony Music Box Set] [Box] by Various Artists (CD - 02/17/2004)
"Soul Hits of the 80's [Sony Music Box Set] [Box]" (02/17/2004) R&B Various Artists, Sony Music Distribution (USA)A budget three-CD set, Soul Hits of the 80's collects some of that awkward decade's soul moments from the Columbia/Sony catalog. Note the author's use of "moments" and the title's use of "hits," because they are, in fact, talking about the same songs. Not everything here was a hit, with some of the songs just squeaking into the Billboard Top 100; however, regardless of chart position, they do represent the era very well. There's a broad range of work here, from jazz crossovers like Stanley Jordan with "Heaven Sent You" and Grover Washington with "Summer Nights" to straight pop crossovers like Deniece Williams with "Let's Hear It for the Boy" and the classic and true hit "Easy Lover" by Philip Bailey and Phil Collins. Other actual chart-toppers here include "Juicy Fruit" by Mtume, Herbie Hancock with the seismic hit "Rockit," and one-hit wonder Johnny Kemp with "Just Got Paid." Luther Vandross, Teena Marie, Bill Withers, Babyface, and Regina Belle are a few of the others whose tracks pepper this 40-song (!) collection. It's not definitive, but does a fine job of representing just how broad soul music's reach had become in the '80s. ~ Wade Kergan

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Ethiopiques, Vol. 1: Golden Years of Modern Music by Various Artists (CD) [IMPORT - (not USA)]
 

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Ethiopiques, Vol. 1: Golden Years of Modern Music by Various Artists (CD) [IMPORT - (not USA)]
"Ethiopiques, Vol. 1: Golden Years of Modern Music" (02/03/1998) International Various Artists, Buda RecordsThis first volume of the Ethiopiques series just begins to show the scope of the golden age of Ethiopian music, loving assembled, remastered, and annotated. What's obvious is the influence of American soul and blues, the former quite apparent in the Memphis groove of Muluquen Mellese's "Wetetie Mare," with its smoking bassline. Mellese himself has a very androgynous voice, unlike Mahmoud Ahmed, one of the major early Ethiopian stars, whose 1975 tracks sound like Arthur Conley singing in Aramaic, with "Yeqer Memekatesh" a true undiscovered soul classic. The three instrumental pieces that punctuate the disc have a wonderful smoky sound, like late-night jazz played by Booker T. and the MGs. The 1969 cuts from Teshone Meteku could only have come from that decade, with "Yezemed Yebaed" eerily reminiscent of "Black Magic Woman" in everything but its guitar work. But the most revolutionary pieces are from Getatchew Kassa, whose reinterpretations of the revered traditional "Tezeta," in both slow and fast versions, go utterly against history, making the piece relevant for the young -- which, after all, is what rock, hip-hop, and every other movement have done. ~ Chris Nickson

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Tom Joyner Presents: The Old School Mix Returns by Various Artists (CD - 03/05/2002)
 

Tom Joyner Presents: The Old School Mix ...

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Tom Joyner Presents: The Old School Mix Returns by Various Artists (CD - 03/05/2002)
"Tom Joyner Presents: The Old School Mix Returns" (03/05/2002) R&B Various Artists, Rhino Records (USA)Compilation producer: Steve "Silk" Hurley/Barry Benson. Includes liner notes by Tom Joyner. Digitally remastered by Bob Fisher (Pacific Multimedia Corp). Audio Mixer: Steve "Silk" Hurley. Audio Remasterer: Bob Fisher . Liner Note Author: Tom Joyner. There's a few songs that aren't entirely familiar here, which is to the credit of the compilers, since without those, Tom Joyner Presents: The Old School Mix Returns would be nothing more than a stroll down an oldies radio station, albeit one with good taste. Of course, everybody should be aware that the word "mix" is not a synonym for "compilation" in this case. No, it means that all the songs are mixed into the next, with seamless segues that truly are a real bitch if you're just looking for a clean copy of the original hit. This approach does lend the album the feeling of a DJ spinning each song, which could be welcome according to the circumstance -- if you're throwing a party, it's acceptable, but as straight listening, it's a bit irritating. But, if you can ignore that, this is a collection with good taste and sharp sequencing, resulting in a party album that pretty much delivers. But it very well might not be good for anything but a party. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

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Old School Rap, Vol. 1-4 [Box Set] [Box] by Various Artists (CD - 06/06/2000)
 

Old School Rap, Vol. 1-4 [Box Set] [Box]...

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Old School Rap, Vol. 1-4 [Box Set] [Box] by Various Artists (CD - 06/06/2000)
"Old School Rap, Vol. 1-4 [Box Set] [Box]" (06/06/2000) R&B Various Artists, Thump RecordsThump Records' Old School Rap box set collects all four volumes of the label's hip-hop series. Classics like Doug E. Fresh's "La Di Da Di," Tone Loc's "Wild Thing," Young MC's "Bust a Move," Slick Rick's "Children's Story," Run DMC's "You Be Illin'," Grand Master Flash's "White Lines," and UTFO's "Roxanne Roxanne" highlight this collection of over 50 rap classics. The Beastie Boys, Kool Moe Dee, Kurtis Blow, Ice-T, Eric B. & Rakim, Boogie Down Productions, the Sugar Hill Gang, and many others represent rap's golden age on this worthwhile set. ~ Heather Phares

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Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album by Various Artists (CD - 10/15/2002)
 

Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album by V...

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Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album by Various Artists (CD - 10/15/2002)
"Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album" (10/15/2002) Easy Listening Various Artists, Decca (USA)Includes liner notes by Joseph S. Szurly. Personnel: Arthur Grumiaux (violin). Liner Note Author: Joseph S. Szurly. Directors: Georg Ratzinger; Uwe Christian Harrer; David Willcocks . Though it may not intend to, with its title The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album addresses one of the biggest paradoxes of the holiday season: ideally, it should be one of the most joyous and relaxing times of the year, but thanks to shopping for gifts, social obligations, and heightened expectations, too often the holidays become stressful instead of pleasant. This collection of soothing instrumental and choral holiday favorites aims to restore some serenity to the season, and on at least one level, it succeeds; the gentle renditions of "O Holy Night," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "The Christmas Waltz" have soft, lush arrangements that are definitely relaxing. However, the arrangements skirt dangerously close to the sappy, string-laden territory of Mantovani, 101 Strings, and countless other easy listening instrumentalists, and the cutesy harp, piano, and xylophone flourishes on many of the tracks threaten to push the album into kitsch. Of course, the Christmas albums by Mantovani, 101 Strings, and the like were hugely popular, and this album's nod to those sweetly bland holiday releases of the past could be intentional, adding to the built-in nostalgia that the season evokes. In some ways, the retro feeling of The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album is more refreshing -- and yes, relaxing -- than the new age-tinged holiday albums that may very likely sound nostalgic a few decades down the road. The purely choral selections are simpler and more dignified than most of the intstrumentals on the album, though a few of the orchestral tracks later in the album lose some of the more obvious easy listening tendencies. An ultra-traditional collection, The Ultimate Relaxation Christmas Album could be either stuffy or comforting, depending on your taste in holiday music and, quite possibly, how much eggnog you've had. ~ Heather Phares

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A Soulful Christmas, Vol. 2 by Various Artists (CD - 10/02/2001)
 

A Soulful Christmas, Vol. 2 by Various A...

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A Soulful Christmas, Vol. 2 by Various Artists (CD - 10/02/2001)
"A Soulful Christmas, Vol. 2" (10/02/2001) R&B Various Artists, Collectables RecordsA Soulful Christmas, Vol. 2: WMXD 92.3 FM Detroit Michigan collects 14 soul and urban holiday tunes, including Diana Ross & the Supremes' "My Favorite Things," Smokey Robinson & the Miracles' "Jingle Bells," Vanessa Williams' "Do You Hear What I Hear," and Boyz II Men's "Let It Snow." Instead of focusing on a particular era or sound, the compilation achieves a fairly even balance of contemporary and classic performances, mixing tracks like Marvin Gaye's "I Want to Come Home for Christmas" with Jeffrey Osborne's "Little Drummer Boy." Songs by the Four Tops, the Salsoul Orchestra, James Brown, and Johnny Gill help make this a festive and diverse mix of soulful Christmas music. ~ Heather Phares Soulful Christmas: WDAS 105.3 FM Philadelphia, Vol. 2 collects more R&B-inflected holiday favorites by Al Green, New Edition, Boyz II Men, Johnny Gill, and the Jackson 5. The Salsoul Orchestra's "Merry Christmas All" and Luther Vandross' "Every Year, Every Christmas" are among the album's highlights; tracks by Sounds of Blackness, James Brown, Kirk Franklin, and the Winans are also included on this festive, soulful Christmas collection. ~ Heather Phares

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Black Heart Retrospective by Various Artists/Suicide Girls (CD - 09/27/2005)
 

Black Heart Retrospective by Various Art...

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Black Heart Retrospective by Various Artists/Suicide Girls (CD - 09/27/2005)
"Black Heart Retrospective" (09/27/2005) Rock & Pop Various Artists, Epitaph Records (USA)Photographer: Missy Suicide. Compiled by Skinny Puppy's Dave Ogilvie under the banner of the Suicide Girls' goth/punk pin-up site, BLACK HEART RETROSPECTIVE features his band's chaotic, sample-heavy "VX Gas Attack," along with other vintage goth tunes. Aside from the rather inexplicable inclusion of a hip-hop track by Atmosphere, the set consists of potent, gloomy rock, with some selections geared towards the dance floor (Ministry's classic "Every Day Is Halloween," Killing Joke's surging "Love Like Blood," Nitzer Ebb's hyper-aggressive "Murderous") and others best suited for bedroom brooding (the Cure's "One Hundred Years," Bauhaus's "She's in Parties"). Those seeking a bit of post-1980s goth rock will find it in the form of Alkaline Trio's spot-on cover of Sisters of Mercy's "Lucretia My Reflection" and Nine Inch Nails' industrial-strength dose of darkness, "The Wretched."

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Old School Soul Party [Digipak] [3/1]
 

Old School Soul Party [Digipak] [3/1]

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Old School Soul Party [Digipak] [3/1]
"Old School Soul Party [Box]" (03/01/2005) R&B Various Artists, Shout! FactoryLiner Note Author: Steven Chean. Another entry in Shout! Factory's ongoing series of triple-CD box compilations promoted on PBS, this one is more cohesively presented. Sequenced to flow like a typical party, the discs of this predominantly '70s-era 58-track R&B collection are divided into three connected parts. Starting with the high-energy sounds of Wild Cherry's one-hit wonder "Play That Funky Music," disc one (subtitled "Kickin' It Off") continues with tough funk hits from Cameo, Rick James, Parliament, and James Brown. Mercifully dodging the disco bullet save for Donna Summer's "Last Dance," this nonstop funkathon platter is alone worth the price of admission. Adding different sounds such as the Undisputed Truth's slightly trippy "Smiling Faces Sometimes" and the Beginning of the End's tropical "Funky Nassau" successfully serves to shift the style but not the mood. Disc two ("Getting' into the Groove") lightens the groove moderately as melody and pop become more emphasized on Cheryl Lynn's "Got to Be Real," the Friends of Distinction's "Love or Let Me Be Lonely," Gene Chandler's "Groovy Situation," and Ashford & Simpson's "Solid." These are all well-chosen selections that were substantial hits, but not as ubiquitous as the Isley Brothers' "That Lady, Pts. 1-2," a tune that always seems to find its way onto '70s soul collections such as this. Disc three ("Dimmin' the Lights") moves into slow and sensual post-party fare with 19 quiet storm smooth jams from artists such as the Five Stairsteps ("O-o-h Child"), Minnie Riperton ("Lovin' You"),the Chi-Lites ("Have You Seen Her"), and Marvin Gaye ("Sexual Healing"). The schlock factor is obviously higher here, but all the songs are Top Ten R&B and/or pop hits and will spark instant recognition from those this box is intended for. The remastered sound is crisp and sparkling throughout, bringing out these oldies' subtleties -- especially with percussion -- that you might not have heard before. While not definitive, the set accomplishes its mission of replaying the soundtrack to a colorful late-'70s urban shindig. More than a haphazard collection of oldies, this conceptual box boasts a well-defined focus, a unique programming flow, and of course lots of soul. ~ Hal Horowitz

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Compare prices on Various artists in Music when you shop online at bizrate. Read reviews and buy Various artists from reputable merchants. Find great deals on Music gifts with our search engine. You can sort Various artists in Music by the lowest price or by stores -- even calculate tax and shipping costs. Comparison shop for Old School Hip Hop, Vol. 2 by Various Artists (CD - 09/11/2001) or Bad Azz [PA] by Various Artists/Lil' Boosie (CD - 10/24/2006).