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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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Old School Love Songs, Vol. 5 by Various Artists (CD - 07/13/1999)
 

Old School Love Songs, Vol. 5 by Various...

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Old School Love Songs, Vol. 5 by Various Artists (CD - 07/13/1999)
"Old School Love Songs, Vol. 5" (07/13/1999) R&B Various Artists, Thump RecordsThump's many variations on their Old School series haven't been immune to overlap, and the Love Songs volumes have hardly been an exception. Even so, there's enough variation throughout to keep them from being nothing more than recycled matter -- and quite a lot of ground is covered, with three decades of R&B taken into consideration. Thump especially remains a great resource for those who don't want to replace all of their single-artist LPs. The fifth volume of Old School Love Songs features the Emotions' "Best of My Love," the O'Jays' "Back Stabbers," MFSB's "Love Is the Message," Deniece Williams' "It's Gonna Take a Miracle," L.T.D.'s "(Every Time I Turn Around) Back in Love," and the Three Degrees' "When Will I See You Again." ~ Andy Kellman

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In The House Of Love: Dimitri From Paris
 

In The House Of Love: Dimitri From Paris

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In The House Of Love: Dimitri From Paris
"In the House of Love" (02/10/2006) R&B Various Artists, Defected (UK)In the House of Love is nothing if not admirable, another extensive undertaking from Dimitri from Paris that involves two mixed discs and a bonus disc containing track-in-whole selections from the mixes. Most of the selections have been re-edited by Dimitri, which adds another dimension to the presentation; it's apparent that this is a labor of love that wasn't slapped together. On the other hand, there's a lot to digest and it's not as if one hasn't been reminded several times that Dimitri digs deeper than most other DJs (for better or worse) and can put classics in a new context. True to form, he reaches back to the disco era and is remarkably inclusive with all the eras and movements that have taken place in house music, all the way up through 2005, and the mixing is extremely fluid (again, for better or worse). Even when the tracks aren't memorable, they do tend to be well crafted and lavishly musical. Four Flights' "All I Want Is You," a super-scarce track produced by Dunn Pearson, Jr., provides the greatest surprise; apparently released on Greg Carmichael's Almeria label in 1978, it's a sweet love song done Philly style, a nod to Philadelphia International's proto-disco hits. Other highlights include Robin Beck's "Sweet Talk" (which is blended beautifully into Change's "The Glow of Love"), Black Box's version of Earth, Wind & Fire's "Fantasy," and a great 2004 update of Cerrone's "Hooked on You" (featuring the always great Jocelyn Brown). Dimitri's fans will be left happy. The sum is, however, a little less than the whole of the parts. ~ Andy Kellman

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$12
Definitive Collection by Stevie Wonder (CD - 10/29/2002)
 

Definitive Collection by Stevie Wonder (...

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Definitive Collection by Stevie Wonder (CD - 10/29/2002)
"Definitive Collection" (10/29/2002) R&B Wonder, Stevie, Motown RecordsPersonnel includes: Stevie Wonder (vocals, various instruments); Luther Vandross (vocals); Malcolm Cecil, Robert Margouleff (programming); Gloria Barley, Lani Groves, Jim Gilstrap, The Jackson 5 (background vocals). Producers include: Berry Gordy, Henry Cosby, Clarence Paul, Stevie Wonder, William "Mickey" Stevenson. Compilation producers: Harry Weinger, Jeff Moskow. Recorded between 1963 & 1985. Includes liner notes by Scott Regan. Personnel: Stevie Wonder (vocals, harmonica, piano, keyboards, programming); Malcolm Cecil, Robert Margouleff (Moog synthesizer, programming); Charles Brewer, John Fischbach (programming); Gloria Barley, Jim Gilstrap, Lani Groves (background vocals). Liner Note Authors: Scott Regen; Harry Weinger; Scott Regan. Arrangers: Clarence Paul; Stevie Wonder. Missing in action for much of the 1990s, Stevie Wonder is a living legend whose consistent creative output is sorely missed. THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION provides a snapshot overview of Wonder's stellar legacy starting back in 1963 as a teen musical prodigy with the exuberant "Fingertips Part 2." This jubilant tune, showcasing Wonder's much-touted facility on the chromatic harmonica, is a powerful harbinger of things to come. Along the way are classics that find this Michigan native going from being a one-man Motown hit machine to a young artist whose vision eschewed singles-based sensibilities for album-long artistic statements. Wonder's '60s gems include "I Was Made to Love Her," "For Once in My Life," and "Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours." Of course, his '70s work is just as stunning, particularly socially conscious numbers like "Higher Ground" and "Living for the City." Equally stellar if less political are this legend's tributes to Duke Ellington ("Sir Duke"), Bob Marley ("Master Blaster [Jammin']"), and Caribbean music in general ("Boogie on Reggae Woman"). THE DEFINITIVE COLLECTION is an excellent primer for both die-hard fan and passing admirer of Stevie Wonder's genius.

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Yaho by Hakim (CD - 12/05/2000)
 

Yaho by Hakim (CD - 12/05/2000)

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Yaho by Hakim (CD - 12/05/2000)
"Yaho" (12/05/2000) R&B Hakim, Mondo MelodiaPersonnel includes: Hakim (vocals); Pino, Tarek Hamouda, Mohamed Mabrouk, Tim Wheelan (guitar); Hessein Saber (oud); Yehia El Mougi, Mohamed Abdel Aziz, Hani Farahat (violin); Mahmoud Osman, Emah Taha (cello); Farouk Mohamed Hassan, Ahmed Abdel Fattah (accordion); Mohamed Yousef (saxophone); Sami El Babli (trumpet); Hamid El Shaeri, Tarek Matkour (keyboards); Hamid Mantu (drums); Khaled Rico, Said El Artist, Ahmed El Ayedi (percussion); Magdy El Boutghdady Group, Said El Artist Group, Yehia El Mougi Group. Producers include: Trans-Global Underground, Sodi. Engineers include: Sameh El Mazni, Ahmed Gouda, Amir. Personnel: Hakim (vocals); Hani Farahat, Medhat Abdel Samie (violin); Hamid Mantu (drums); Said El Artist (percussion). Photographer: Antoine Le Grand . Publisher: Hakim. Arranger: Ashraf Abdou. Egyptian superstar Hakim's U.S. debut transcends its homeland roots by enlisting Trans-Global Underground to remix several of its key tracks. Yaho never quite sheds the usual world trappings (foreign instrumentation, anomalous verbal inflections, non-English lyrics), but its willingness to pump up the volume in surprising places keeps it from sinking into globetrotting heaviness. ~ Michael Gallucci

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A Night at the Booty Bar [PA] * by Disco D (CD - 04/22/2003)
 

A Night at the Booty Bar [PA] * by Disco...

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A Night at the Booty Bar [PA] * by Disco D (CD - 04/22/2003)
"A Night at the Booty Bar [PA] *" (04/22/2003) R&B Disco D, Tommy BoyThis is a continuous in-the-mix CD compiled and mixed by DJ Disco D. Audio Mixer: Disco D. Audio Remixer: Disco D. Photographer: Kareem Black.

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The Ultimate Hits of the 90s by Various Artists (CD - 03/14/2006)
 

The Ultimate Hits of the 90s by Various ...

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The Ultimate Hits of the 90s by Various Artists (CD - 03/14/2006)
"The Ultimate Hits of the 90s" (03/14/2006) R&B Various Artists, Collectables RecordsThe compilers of hits collections tend to lean toward hyperbole in their titles, when they don't fall right over into lying. So, perhaps we shouldn't be too hard on a pleasant-enough budget-priced album called The Ultimate Hits of the 90s, even though, to be strictly accurate, it would have to be called something like "A Bunch of Miscellaneous Hits from the early '90s." All but one of the 18 tracks was a Top Ten hit, the exception being Marcia Griffiths' terrific reggae update "Electric Boogie," which was only a minor chart entry. If we were to judge the first half of the '90s in pop music by this collection, we would have to say that, while some entertaining music was being made, things were in a rut. The closest the collection comes to touching on the alternative rock revolution that dominated the period is the Spin Doctors' "Two Princes," which is not all that close, actually. The closest it comes to the rap/hip-hop style that constituted some of the most provocative music of the period is Tag Team's "Whoomp! (There It Is)," which seems even more of a novelty than it did before. But Martha Wash remains thrilling on C+C Music Factory's "Gonna Make You Sweat"; Alannah Myles' "Black Velvet" still sounds like the start of a brilliant career in rock, even if it didn't happen; and Luther Vandross' "Power of Love/Love Power" is still one of the highlights in a brilliant career, the very consistency of which causes him to be underrated. And if you were just starting to listen to pop music in the early '90s, there are probably a couple of other songs here that coincided with events in your life, memories of which can be triggered by hearing them again. It's never too early to be nostalgic. ~ William Ruhlmann

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R&B, Hip Hop & Rap Music calling your name? Find all of the top Music gear that you want at BizRate. Compare prices from top brands like as well as . Browse ratings from merchants that sell R&B, Hip Hop & Rap Music and other Music. Narrow your choices down by price range, brand, merchant, and more. Find the product that's right for you: Old School Soul Party [Digipak] [3/1] - Relapse [Clean] by Eminem (CD - 05/19/2009).