The Story of My LIfe stands out among latter-day Irma Thomas albums not only because she gives a consistently excellent performance, but because the record boasts three new songs from Dan Penn, who wrote some of the greatest soul songs of the '60s. While his new songs ("Hold Me While I Cry," "I Count the Teardrops," "I Won't Cry for You") aren't quite as strong as his best, they are nevertheless wonderful contemporary soul numbers, and they help make the record, the remainder of which is comprised of covers and slightly weaker new numbers, one of Thomas' best latter-day albums.

Center Of The Heart is the highly anticipated follow-up to Najee's much loved Poetry In Motion which was #1 on the Billboard chart and #1 at smooth jazz radio!! As the title implies, the album represents Najee's exploration into the world of sensuality and romance, interspersed with some fantastic spirited grooves that have made him a favorite the world over! Highlights include Najee's brilliant interpretations of Maxwell's "Sumthin' Sumthin'" and the Dionne Warwick classic "Al?e," "Better," a romantic collaboration with Kenny Lattimore, the spirited "Bella Vista" and much more!!

Volume #7 and 8 in this amazing series of slow grinding R&B/Soul/Exotica tunes as they are being played in a club in Melbourne/Australia. Around midnight on the last Saturday of every month, an assemblage of juiceheads, grifters, kittens, dandies and derelicts gather in a dimly-lit, smoke-filled room and dance together real slow. These are some of the records we dance to… Thanks to all the flute players and backing singers of yore for flavouring these old records up just like we like them. –Stag-O-Lee Records

Released at the same time as Dayton/Cutie Pie, this two-for-one release from the U.K.-based Expansion label combines the third and fourth albums from Dayton: Hot Fun (Liberty, 1982) and Feel the Music (Capitol, 1983). Perhaps due in part to switching between labels that weren't among the best outlets for R&B, the group never gained much commercial traction, but they recorded a considerable amount of excellent sophisticated funk. Much of it can be heard here, including the standouts "We Can't Miss," "Meet the Man," "Out Tonight," and "The Sound of Music" - the last of which stands up to anything driven by Leon Sylvers III (Shalamar, the Whispers, Dynasty) or Jacques Fred Petrus (Change, High Fashion, the B.B. & Q. Band).

The untitled 14th studio album by American recording artist Prince, and second (and final) to feature his backing band The New Power Generation, was released on October 13, 1992 by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The title of the album is an unpronounceable symbol as depicted in its cover art, which Prince adopted as his stage name in 1993. As the symbol was copyrighted under the title "Love Symbol #2", the album is commonly referred to as the Love Symbol Album, Symbol Album, or simply Symbol. The album contains elements of musical styles including funk, R&B, hip hop, jazz, reggae, and synthpop. The album was originally conceived as a "fantasy rock soap opera" with various spoken segues throughout. It has sold over five million copies worldwide.

"Soul Syndrome" is the 50th studio album by American musician James Brown. The album was released in 1980, by TK Records. By 1980 James Brown was slightly adrift. His 1979 album, The Original Disco Man, failed to light a commercial fire, and its follow-up, People, seemed to fly into the cut-out bins. Brown cut his losses and left Polydor his home for over a decade for one album for Henry Stone's T.K. While this doesn't have Brown bubbling over with innovation, he still provided a more substantial alternative to disco.

The soundtrack to a smoky late night bar in Chicago, or a hot Sunday afternoon down at the Popcorn. If you feel the cold sweat of soul, and the cool chills of haunted crooners singing out their final swansong, or the sinful shakes of R&B in it's twilight years, then you have a bad case of Slow Grind Fever! This is a collection of haunting, hungry, heartbroken humdingers full of swing, sway and sleaze. With obscure B-sides sitting next to some of these great artists' last outings on wax. –Stag-O-Lee Records

The Summer Collection is a compilation album by Donna Summer released in 1985 by Mercury Records. Summer had made her name during the era of disco music in the 1970s when she was signed to Casablanca Records. In 1980, she signed to Geffen Records but her success there was not what it had been on Casablanca. In the early 1980s, Casablanca was bought out entirely by Polygram Records, and Summer had returned to them for one studio album. Mercury, another division of Polygram and a sister company to Casablanca, released that album entitled She Works Hard for the Money in 1983. It also released this compilation album in 1985, containing seven of her original disco hits from Casablanca, plus three songs from the aforementioned Mercury Records album.

Funk'n'stein is an 8 piece funk group made out of nationally known and respected musicians who use their uncompromising groove to get their message through. With songs about love, making a change, the need for peace, and funky beats they sweep you into the twirling soul and groove hurricane they bring to the stage. After performing on every club and festival in their home land they have released their debut album in 2006 and started touring internationally. Even though they are an English singing funk band, living in Israel, they were accepted by radio stations and had numerous TV appearances, growing a strong fan base in Israel and around the globe. With their 2nd album out, they are determined to bring their love and music to whoever needs it.

Dance! is a 1993 compilation of of what was modern day dance music in 1983, or at least modern within a ten year period. This was released by EMI Music Brasil.

A new day for Candi Stanton – kicking off the 80s with a tighter grooving modern soul sound – and she nails it! Of course, Candi started as a sweet southern soul singer, hit big with her LA single "Young Hearts Run Free", and is here reinventing herself as a sophisticated modern diva. Includes some uptempo material – which she'd cut more of later on for dance labels – but she'seven better on the mellower tracks, especially the spacey "Halfway To Heaven", and the moody "Living Inside Me". Other tracks include "Looking For Love", "It's Real", and a remake of "The Hunter Gets Captured By The Game".

Following up her standards-focused 2017 debut A Social Call, Dallas-born, New York-based singer Jazzmeia Horn offers mainly originals on Love and Liberation, boldly stepping ahead as an artist. Along with her deep and effortless vocal expression and turn-on-a-dime scat solos, she proves herself an engaging writer with a lot to say at any tempo or feel. The breakneck bebop number “Searchin’” and the luxuriant ballad “Legs and Arms” are among the highlights. Pianist Victor Gould, bassist Ben Williams, and drummer Jamison Ross provide stellar backing, with Ross delivering strong vocals in tandem with Horn on the George Duke/Rachelle Ferrell cover “Reflections of My Heart” (and the intriguing spoken-word “Only You,” which directly precedes it). Tenor saxophonist Stacy Dillard and trumpeter Josh Evans add spice along the way, while pianist Sullivan Fortner, brimming with old-school stylistic wisdom, lends his brilliant touch on four tracks.

The soundtrack to a smoky late night bar in Chicago, or a hot Sunday afternoon down at the Popcorn. If you feel the cold sweat of soul, and the cool chills of haunted crooners singing out their final swansong, or the sinful shakes of R&B in it's twilight years, then you have a bad case of Slow Grind Fever! This is a collection of haunting, hungry, heartbroken humdingers full of swing, sway and sleaze. With obscure B-sides sitting next to some of these great artists' last outings on wax. –Stag-O-Lee Records

Debut studio album by Great Aretha Franklin, Released in 1956 by JVB/Battle Records. The album was recorded live when Franklin was aged 14 at New Bethel Baptist Church, the church of her father Reverend C. L. Franklin. The album was originally issued on JVB LP 100 and Battle LP 6105. It is always known on Checker Records as Checker LPS-10009. Songs of Faith has been reissued many times under various names. It is known also as The Gospel Soul of Aretha Franklin, Aretha's Gospel, Precious Lord, You Grow Closer, Never Grow Old, and The First Album.

Recorded live at the New Daisy Theater with Bland's regular working road band, this captures him in fine form, bringing together old favorites with some other numbers for a heady blend. When called for, the old Joe Scott heavy horn-laden arrangements are summoned up on tunes like "St. James Infirmary," "Farther on Up the Road," "That's the Way Love Is," "I Pity the Fool," and "I'll Take Care of You" with consummate ease. But even more telling is how effortlessly and seamlessly material like Buddy Ace's "Love of Mine," "Members Only," "Soon as the Weather Breaks," and Bill Withers' "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Get Your Money Where You Spend Your Time" meshes with the old standbys. A lengthy slow blues medley brings guest appearances from Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Rush on "Stormy Monday," but the real star here is Bland himself. He's in good voice and good humor, and this makes a fine addition to his stack of latter-day recordings.