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"The Very Best of Aaron Neville" (01/11/2000) R&B Neville, Aaron, A&M Records (USA)Pesonnel includes: Aaron Neville, Linda Ronstadt (vocals); Jason Neville (rap vocals); Rob Wasserman (bass); The Neville Brothers, Bob Seger, Dr. John. Includes liner notes by Paul Grein. Digitally remastered by Erick Labson (1999, MCA Music Media Studios).

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"The Genius Anthology [Digipak]" (03/08/2005) R&B Charles, Ray, Master ClassicsPersonnel: Ray Charles (vocals, piano); Earl Brown (vocals, alto saxophone); The Raelettes (vocals); Eddie Lang, Oscar Moore, Gossie D. McKee, Mitchell Webb, Louis Speiginer (guitar); Marshal Royal (alto saxophone); Jack McVea, Stanley Turrentine (tenor saxophone); Charles Walter (baritone saxophone); John Buckner, Julius Brooks (trumpet); Johnny Miller, Billy Hadnott, Edgar Willis, Ralph Hamilton, Milton S. Garred (bass instrument); Connie Kay, Milt Turner, Clifton Pitts (drums); Mongo Santamaria (percussion). Recording information: Los Angeles, California; New York, New York; Seattle, Washington (1949 - 1959). Ensemble: The Maxin Trio. Ray Charles created such a huge body of innovative, genre-blending work over his 50-plus-year career that it is easy to forget about his earliest recordings. THE GENIUS ANTHOLOGY collects 20 tracks from the legendary performer's first ten years (1949-1959). Charles originally modeled his singing and playing style on Nat "King" Cole, and songs like "A Sentimental Blues" and "Don't Put All Your Dreams in One Basket" are smooth, nightclub ballads on the order of Cole. Accompanied by stand-up bass and mellow electric guitar (adding horns for some tunes, including "Late in the Evening Blues"), Charles croons softly in a way that seems restrained and tame compared to his material in the later '50s. However, as early as 1951's "Kissa Me Baby," the raw, soulful vocal delivery that would become Charles's trademark is already in evidence. The songs begin to swing harder, and Charles's approach to phrasing and timbre loosen up considerably, incorporating gospel inflections and an improvisational flair. The punchy, bopping "Heartbreaker" shows the artist moving into his mature style, while the set's last four tracks--taken from 1958 and 1959--are classic, indispensable Charles. The wildly exuberant "What'd I Say" (Charles's watershed single and still one of his finest moments) is an appropriate ending to this dynamic, satisfying portrait of an artist discovering his voice and style.

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"All-Time Greatest Hits (Flashback)" (2000) R&B Drifters (The), Flashback RecordsThe Drifters: Johnny Moore , Ben E. King (vocals). Recording information: 1953 - 1966.

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"Hand on the Torch" (11/16/1993) R&B US3, Blue Note Records (USA)US3: Mel Simpson (keyboards, programming); Geoff Wilkinson (samples, scratches, programming). Additional personnel: Rahsaan, Kobie Powell, Tukka Yoot (rap vocals); Tony Remy (guitar); Ed Jones (soprano & tenor saxophones); Steve Williamson (soprano saxophone); Mike Smith (tenor saxophone); Gerard Presencer (trumpet); Dennis Rollins (trombone); Matthew Cooper (piano); Marie Harper (background vocals). Recorded at Flame Studios, London, England. Contains 16 samples, including "Crisis" (as performed by Art Blakey), "Steppin' Into Tomorrow" (as performed by Donald Byrd), "Goin' Down South" (as performed by Bobby Hutcherson) and "Straight No Chaser" (as performed by Thelonious Monk). HAND ON THE TORCH combines samples of 1960's Blue Note jazz/funk grooves with 1990's production and live musicians. Samples of music by Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, John Patton, Donald Byrd and Grant Green are interspersed throughout this release.

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"Genius Loves Company [Digipak]" (08/31/2004) R&B Charles, Ray, Concord Records (USA)This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. Personnel include: Ray Charles (vocals, piano); B.B. King, Willie Nelson (vocals, guitar); Bonnie Raitt (vocals, slide guitar); Norah Jones (vocals, piano); Michael McDonald (vocals, keyboards); Diana Krall, Elton John, James Taylor , Johnny Mathis, Van Morrison, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight (vocals); Danny Jacob, George Marinelli, Jeff Mironov, Michael Landau, Michael Thompson , George Doering, Charles Fearing, Irv Kramer (guitar); Randy Waldman (piano, keyboards); Alan Pasqua (piano); Billy Preston (Hammond b-3 organ); Michael Beardon (keyboards); David Hayes, Abraham Laboriel, Trey Henry, Tom Fowler (bass guitar); James Gadson, Jim Keltner, Ray Brinker, Shawn Pelton (drums); Bashiri Johnson (percussion). Recording information: 2003. Though Ray Charles, one of the greatest singers of the 20th century, was never in need of vocal assistance, he was no stranger to duets either (one of his finest records is a duet album with Betty Carter). For as much of a musical giant as he was, Brother Ray knew how to share the spotlight, as evidenced by GENIUS LOVES COMPANY, his final project before his 2004 passing. In keeping with the eclectic nature of Charles's artistry, he partners with a wide assortment of performers here. Charles is joined by Elton John on a soulful exploration of the latter's "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word," and sidles up next to Willie Nelson for a haunting version of the Frank Sinatra hit "It Was a Very Good Year," made all the more poignant in retrospect by its posthumous nature. Of course, it's not all bittersweet melancholy; Charles teams with Van Morrison for a jubilant soul/gospel reading of Van's MOONDANCE tune "Crazy Love," and the duet with James Taylor on the upbeat "Sweet Potato Pie" is probably the sassiest, perkiest thing in which Taylor's ever been involved. GENIUS LOVES COMPANY is a swan song that fittingly finds the titular genius surrounded by friends from varied musical worlds, all of whom he's touched with his rare gift.

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"Yellow Moon" (03/14/1989) R&B Neville Brothers (The), A&M Records (USA)

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"Jazz Moods: Hot" (04/19/2005) R&B Phillips, Esther, Legacy RecordingsEsther Phillips moved around from label to label and from style to style throughout most of the 1950s and '60s. After signing with the Kudu label in the early '70s, Phillips released three albums that are among the finest in her catalogue. Jazzy, funky R&B arrangements complete with horns, light strings, and Fender Rhodes, and smoothly grooving rhythm sections provide context for Phillip's distinctive vocals, which sound both thin and rich, smooth and gritty at once. The Phillips entry in the JAZZ MOODS series collects the best tracks from the singer's Kudu output. From the smoldering cover of Eddie Floyd's "'Til My Back Ain't Got No Bone" to the drowsy blues of Duke Ellington's "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good," Phillips is in fine voice here, and the musicians on hand lend superb support. Her disco-inflected version of "What a Difference a Day Makes" turns Dinah Washington's version on its head, her rendition of "Use Me" smoothes out the slinky funk of Bill Withers's original, and her impassioned interpretation of Gil Scott-Heron's "Home Is Where the Hatred Is" is near-perfect. These recordings are classic early-'70s soul: sophisticated, earthy, and as compelling today as when they were released.

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"Emergency on Planet Earth" (08/10/1993) R&B Jamiroquai, Columbia (USA)Personnel: Jay Kay (vocals); Glenn Nightingale, Gavin Dodds, Simon Bartholomew (guitar); Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra (strings); Mike Smith, Gary Barnacie (flute, saxophone); Wallis Buchanan (didjeridoo); John Thirkell (trumpet); Richard Edwards (trombone); Toby Smith (keyboards); Stuart Zender, Andrew Levy (bass); Nick Van Gelder (drums); Kofi Kari Kari, Maurizio (percussion); D.J. Zire (DJ); Linda Lewis, Vanessa Simon (background vocals). Includes liner notes by Jay Kay. Jamiroquai's debut brings together a utopian worldview, funky '70s R&B influences and the liberated sensibility of England's burgeoning acid-jazz movement. The band, led by singer Jason "Jay" Kay, rides a funky groove while spreading a message of peace, love and environmental conscientiousness. The results of this meeting of heart and head range from Brazilian-flavored instrumentals like "Music Of The Mind" to to songs like "If I Like It, I Do It," on which yesterday's jazzy soul is spun around on today's hip-hoppy turntables. Jamiroquai also flexes its improvisational muscle on two songs that clock in at over eight minutes. On "Blow Your Mind," Kay scats like George Benson, and the band captures the funky flow of "Summer Madness"-era Kool & The Gang. "Revolution 1993" is a 10-minute vamp on self-determination, featuring an Afro-Caribbean rhythm, Herbie Mann-inspired flute, a raging Moog synthesizer and the darting strings of the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra.

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"Golden Classics" (03/14/2006) R&B Dorsey, Lee, Collectables RecordsIncludes liner notes by Mark Marymont.

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"20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of the Neville Brothers" (06/08/2004) R&B Neville Brothers (The), ChroniclesLiner Note Author: Bill Dahl. Art, Aaron, Charles, and Cyril Neville, the Big Easy's indispensable musical family, have been going strong as a group since the late 1970s (and individually since the '50s and '60s). The band's output is notoriously wide-ranging and eclectic, often encompassing soul, rock, country, funk, and traditional New Orleans festival music, sometimes all at once. This 12-track BEST OF is a taste of the Neville Brothers' aesthetic, and includes some of their finest studio moments. The disc begins with three songs from the Nevilles' '81 classic FIYO ON THE BAYOU-- the relentlessly funky title track, the instantly recognizable "Brother John/Iko Iko" (one of New Orleans's unofficial theme songs), and an updated take on the Meters' "Hey Pocky Way." (Art and Cyril were both members of the Meters in the '60s and '70s.) A handful of additional covers, including Steve Miller's "Fly Like an Eagle" and Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" (on which Aaron's gorgeous, angelic tenor soars), are peppered in among originals. Sophisticated, celebratory, and soulful, the Nevilles Brothers' music is unique, and this compilation is a fine introduction.

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"The Very Best of the Meters" (06/10/1997) R&B Meters (The), Rhino Records (USA)The Meters: Leo Nocentelli (guitar); Art Neville (keyboards); George Porter, Jr. (bass); Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste (drums). Producers include: Allen Toussaint. Recorded between 1969 and 1976. Includes liner notes by Don Snowden. In the late '60s, New Orleans' The Meters became one of the main purveyors of the gritty, urban funk that would come to dominate 1970's black music. After working together as a session band, guitarist Leo Nocentelli, bassist George Porter Jr., drummer Zigaboo Modeliste and keyboardist Art Neville began to release soulful, instrumental party records in the marketable mould of Booker T. and the MG's. But The Meters' catchy, wicked licks, fiery rhythmic interplay and general hard-hitting pulse gave birth to an utterly new, influential sound. Though the band would go on to refine their sound on Reprise discs such as REJUVENATION and CABBAGE ALLEY, their earliest releases are no less compelling. THE VERY BEST OF compiles some of the band's most irresistible jams from 1968 to 1976, a period which saw the creation of such classics as "Cissy Strut," "Look-Ka Py Py," both included here. The primitive production only enhances the rhythm section's in-the-pocket punch, and Art Neville's swirling organ. This is a funk blueprint--tight, rhythmic, straight-up good time music in the finest New Orleans tradition.

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"Memorial Album" (10/17/1990) R&B Ace, Johnny (50's), MCA Records (USA)Includes liner notes by Dzondria Laisac. This tribute to the influential (ask Paul Simon, who memorialized him in "The Late, Great Johnny Ace") R&B balladeer was originally released in 1957, three years after he (allegedly) accidentally killed himself playing Russian Roulette. It's an improvement on the abbreviated eight-song 10-inch LP version that came out in 1955, but sadly, it doesn't collect all of Ace's recordings (he had three other singles) and it stints on the harder, rock & roll numbers that appeared on his b-sides. Nevertheless, this is a fine introduction to a seminal artist, and it proves that there was more to him--a lot more--than his best-known hit, the often-covered "Pledging My Love."

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"Rockin' in Rhythm: The Best of Ruth Brown" (06/18/1996) R&B Brown, Ruth, Rhino Records (USA)Personnel includes: Ruth Brown, Clyde McPhatter (vocals); Howard Biggs (conductor); King Curtis (saxophone); Joe Bushkin (piano); Budd Johnson's Orchestra, Eddie Condon's N.B.C. Television Orchestra. Producers: Ahmet Ertegun, Herb Abramson, Jerry Wexler, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller. Compilation producers: James Austin, Peter Grendysa. Recorded in New York City, New York between May 25, 1949 and March 7, 1959; Los Angeles, California on March 2, 1956; and live at Herndon Stadium, Atlanta, Georgia in May 1959. Includes liner notes by Peter A. Grendysa. ROCKIN' IN RHYTHM: THE BEST OF RUTH BROWN is an excellent one-CD overview of Brown's work for Atlantic Records between 1949 and 1959. Not all the hits are here, of course; Brown had so many that Atlantic was often referred to as "The House that Ruth Built." What you'll find on ROCKIN' IN RHYTHM, however, is indisputably choice Brown, including such signature tunes as "Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean" and "5-10-15 Hours." You'll also find two fascinating, previously unreleased live tracks from an Atlanta show in '59. The sound on these recordings is surprisingly good. It's so well recorded, in fact, that you'll quickly be able to single out the band member playing on "Oh What a Dream" under the influence of controlled substances. Anyone with an appetite for yet more Brown is advised to check out the two-CD MISS RHYTHM: GREATEST HITS AND MORE.

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"The Meters" (11/23/1999) R&B Meters (The), Sundazed Music Inc.Producers: Allen Toussaint, Marshall Sehorn. Initially created to be the house band for Allen Toussaint and Marhsall Sehonr's Sansu Enterprises, the Meters started out backing such famous names as Lee Dorsey and Betty Harris. Led by organist Art Neville, the quartet was rounded out by jazz-influenced guitarist Leo Nocentelli along with the bubbling rhythm section of bassist George Porter, Jr. and drummer Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste. Booker T. & The MGs may have been the most obvious influence, but the Meters differentiated themselves by injecting a healthy dose of New Orleans funk into their sound. Led by Neville's fat-sounding organ, the Meters quickly scored hits with the sinewy "Cissy Strut" and the more languid "Sophisticated Cissy." Simplicity is the hallmark of this impressive debut and nuance is paramount, whether it's Nocentelli's lazy riffs echoing throughout "Ease Back" or Modeliste unobtrusively riding his hi-hat along the perimeter of the Memphis-fried "6V6 La." Not unlike the MGs, the Meters were masters of interpretation. The band here moves easily from a chugging reading of Sly Stone's "Sing a Simple Song," to kicking back on a smoky version of the Classics IV's "Stormy," to gently delivering the previously unreleased nugget "The Look of Love."

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"Creole Moon" (10/09/2001) R&B John, Dr., Blue Note Records (USA)Personnel includes: Dr. John (vocals, piano, Hammond B-3 organ, programming); Renard Poche (guitar, background vocals); Sonny Landreth (slide guitar); Michael Doucet (fiddle); Charley Miller (flute, trumpet); Theodore Arthur, Jr. (soprano & alto saxophone); Eric Traub (tenor saxophone); Alonzo Bowens (baritone saxophone); Kevin Louis (trumpet); David Barad (bass, background vocals); Herman "Roscoe" Ernest III (drums, percussion, background vocals). Recorded at Dockside Studios, Maurice, Louisiana. Includes liner notes by Dr. John. CREOLE MOON was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Blues Album. Following a string of albums that found Dr. John variously saluting Duke Ellington, tackling standards, and surrounding himself with British rock stars, the Crescent City king got back to home truths with CREOLE MOON. Throughout the album, Dr. John and his Big Easy compatriots serve up the kind of greasy, groove-heavy New Orleans-style R&B that first made the artist formerly known as Mac Rebbenack a success in the 1970s. Everyone from slide guitar hero Sonny Landreth to James Brown cohort Fred Wesley pops up to add bluesy grit and/or funky drive, but the steamy, percolating feel perpetuated throughout CREOLE MOON ultimately evokes the undiluted essence of Dr. John.

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"The Great Johnny Adams Blues Album" (10/11/2005) R&B Adams, Johnny, Rounder RecordsPersonnel: Johnny Adams (vocals); Duke Robillard, Walter "Wolfman" Washington (guitar); Alvin "Red" Tyler, Eric Traub (tenor saxophone); BIll Samuel (baritone saxophone); Terry Tullos, Charlie Miller (trumpet); Craig Wroten (piano, organ); Dr. John, Jon Cleary, Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack (piano); James Singleton (acoustic bass); David Barard, Darrel Francis (bass guitar); Johnny Vidacovich, Herman Ernest III (drums); Wilbert Arnold (bass drum); George Jackson (congas); Donald Harrison JR., Dr. Lonnie Smith, George Porter Jr.. Known primarily as an R&B singer, the late Johnny Adams possessed a deep, emotive voice that was also well suited to more traditional blues. This 2005 Rounder collection presents 12 blues-tinged tracks culled from Adams's 1980s and '90s albums for the label. In addition to being backed by top-notch session players, Adams is joined on a few tunes by fellow New Orleans native Dr. John, who contributes his typically slinky piano lines.

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"Adventures in Black Sunshine" (08/10/2004) R&B Incognito, NaradaIncognito: Imaani, Maysa, Tyrone Henry, Tony Mormelle (vocals); Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick (guitar, background vocals); Andy Ross (flute, saxophone); Dominic Glover (trumpet, flugelhorn); Nicol Thompson (trombone); Matt Cooper (piano, electric piano, keyboards, synthesizer); Ski Oakenful (piano, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, synthesizer, kalimba, programming); Julian Crampton, Neville Malcolm (bass guitar); Richard Bailey (drums); Thomas Dyani (percussion).

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"Outta Here" (07/16/2002) R&B Lettuce, Velour Recordings (USA)Lettuce: Ryan Zoidis, Sam Kininger (tenor saxophone); Jeff Bhasker (keyboards); Eric Krasno, Adam Smirnoff (guitar); Erick Coomes (bass); Adam Deitch (drums). Additional personnel: Tonni Smith (vocals); Fred Wesley, Brett Sroka (trombone); Neal Evans (Hammond B-3 organ); John Scofield (guitar); Atticus Cole (percussion). Recorded at Chung King Studios; The Bowery Ballroom, New York, New York.