Following the release of Where It All Begins, her sixth album, as well as subsequent appearances on recordings by a few other artists, Lalah Hathaway received some long overdue recognition. A live recording with Snarky Puppy -- a stupefying update of Brenda Russell's "It's Something," a song she previously covered on her 1990 debut -- won the 2014 Grammy for Best R&B Performance. The following year, due to her lead on Robert Glasper Experiment's interpretation of Stevie Wonder's "Jesus Children of America," she accepted a Grammy for Best Traditional R&B Performance. The second award could not have been too dusty on April 21, 2015, the night Hathaway and her band played West Hollywood's Troubadour, where her father Donny recorded his 1972-released set of the same title. (Clever touch: copies of the albums can be placed beside one another to make it appear as if two generations of soul royalty are singing to one another.) Like her father's album, Lalah's includes a performance of "Little Ghetto Boy," and the faithful version here opens a set that easily bounces from point to point in her discography. Among the standouts are the consecutive "Baby Don't Cry" and "I'm Coming Back," both originally recorded for Lalah Hathaway, and an 11-minute version of Luther Vandross' "Forever, for Always, for Love" that best displays the increased depth and richness of Hathaway's voice. The singer also does well by Anita Baker with a fine version of the Top Five R&B classic "Angel," a song she has performed both for and with Baker. Topped off with a pair of new, high-quality studio cuts that help fill the compact disc edition to capacity, this is essential for Hathaway fans.

Jamesetta Hawkins, known professionally as Etta James, was an American singer who performed in various genres, including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz and gospel.

Neo-soul man Raphael Saadiq made a name for himself in the early 90s as one-third of the R&B/dance trio Tony! Toni! Tone!. It was a momentous time for him and his love for hip-hop and soul carried him to superstardom.

The four CDs in this Rhino Handmade set -- available only over the Internet unfortunately -- contains the complete concerts of Aretha Franklin and King Curtis'stand at the Fillmore West in March of 1971 (not February as identified on the original LPs). Franklin's performances at the Fillmore were her first, and producer Jerry Wexler came up with the idea of using studio players in lieu of her regular band. Franklin had worked with Curtis previously in the studio and the players he brought to the table included Cornell Dupree, drummer Bernard Purdie, Pancho Morales on congas, bassist Jerry Jemmont, and electric pianist Truman Thomas. In addition, the band enlisted Billy Preston to play organ and also enlisted the aid of the Memphis Horns. In other words, this was a group that could actually push the Queen of Soul out onto a ledge and was a match for her vocal power. The Mermphis Horns introduced the shows each night and then brought Curtis and his band out for an opening set. And from night one, as compiled and heard on his Live at Fillmore West album, these sets were smoking, in the pocket, and greasy, with highlights like "Whole Lotta Love," "Them Changes," "Whiter Shade of Pale," and a burning cover of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered (I'm Yours)."When Franklin does walk onto the stage, she struts and goes into high gear with"Respect."Her performance on that opening night includes amazing renditions of"Spirit in the Dark"(with Ray Charles guesting),"Bridge Over Troubled Water,""Love the One You're With"(also with Charles), and"Dr. Feelgood."The original album is augmented with tunes that didn't make the cut, including the oft-bootlegged "Call Me." In listening to these shows, what is striking is realizing that the majority of the Live at Fillmore West LP was taken from the last night of performances. The previous two evenings here then are startling in contrast, often in intensity and sometimes in sheer grit. The opening night's read of"Bridge Over Troubled Water"is superior to either of the others, though sonically it's a bit thinner. Another gem is the version of Bobby Bland's"Share Your Love With Me."That was left off the original album. In all there are 42 unreleased performances! In addition to wonderful between-song banter and inside jokes, the true flow of the shows, the enthusiasm of the audiences, and raw, in-your-face performances put this set in a league of its own. There are also a few decent photographs and an authoritative yet friendly liner essay by British critic David Nathan. This is a limited edition and most likely won't be on the Rhino Handmade shelves long. Aural history can be dry at times and of interest to those who have a penchant for such things. Aretha Franklin and King Curtis'Don't Fight the Feeling is as saucy as it gets.

The Fatback Band is an American funk and disco band that was popular in the 1970s and 1980s. The Fatback Band is most known for their R&B hits, " Spanish Hustle", "I Like Girls", "Gotta Get My Hands on Some", "Backstrokin'" and "I Found Lovin'".

Ohio Players were an American funk band, most popular in the 1970s. They are best known for their songs "Fire" and "Love Rollercoaster"; as well as for their erotic album covers that featured nude or nearly nude women. Many of the women were models featured in Playboy

Mayer Hawthorne (Aquarius) and Jake One (Taurus) – they are descendants of the one- word moniker family of funk, where you will find groups such as Chic, Shalamar, Plush & Zapp.
The Tuxedo collaboration began with an exchange of mixtapes back in 2006. The fruits of a long-standing kinship were three tracks that mysteriously showed up on Internet doorsteps nearly two years ago. In between personal projects, these three tracks became a full album’s worth of Tuxedo. The album was mixed by original disco don dada John Morales at his home studio in South Plainfield, New Jersey. “I flew out there,” Mayer says. “His wife made me spaghetti and everything.”
The duo is excited to release the upcoming album on Stones Throw Records, which also marks Mayer's return to the label since his debut release of A Strange Arrangement in 2009. Until then, stay classy.

One of the few really fantastic albums to come out of the Miami scene of the seventies!
The great Little Beaver lays down some righteous guitar and heavy vocals over a cool spare backing groove on cuts like "I Can Dig It Baby", "Money Vibrations", "Let The Good Times Roll", and "Party Down (parts 1 & 2)". The sound is sort of a mix between Shuggie Otis' Inspiration Information LP and heavier funk outings, and the record's a classic bit of southern 70s funk.
Everybody liked Little Beaver; he played guitar on TK sessions for Betty Wright, Lattimore, Timmy Thomas, and others, so owner Henry Stone threw him a bone every now and then and let him record under his name. He never came up with enough quality material to fill an album, but that didn't stop TK Records from issuing Little Beaver LPs. Party Down features both sides of Little Beaver's finest recording, the jazzy "Party Down"; the melodic, lilting winner features his articulate lead guitar and sweet chord progressions. Only "Get Into the Party Life" is comparable; it too has jazzy overtones but is not as compelling.
"Let's Stick Together" and "I Can Dig It Baby are also great funky tunes.

Allen Toussaint was an American musician, songwriter, arranger and record producer, who was an influential figure in New Orleans rhythm and blues from the 1950s to the end of the century, described as "one of popular music's great backroom figures".

受吉米亨德里克斯、SLY家族以及米尔斯戴维斯影响的一个节兹乐（JAZZ）融合一些放基乐（FUNKY）和R&B的乐队。最早由Donald Byrd于1974年创立。
这张better days于1980年发行，其中非常非常骚的一首"What We Have Is Right“助其斩获比尔博得R&B榜单的第38位。非常非常酷的！很养生

2007 reissue of ''Fever'' originally released in 1984. 8 tracks. PTG label.

24 bit remastered reissue of 1974 soundtrack packaged in a digipak with original sleeve. 17 tracks. 2002.

Benjamin Clementine, a Londoner of Ghanaian descent, left the city for Paris at age 20. He spent two years busking and living rough in the city of lights before being spotted in the metro and subsequently signed by Parisian label Behind. Now 24 years old, the singer songwriter has seen success after success. In June he released his EP Cornerstone and earlier this month a new version with acoustic sessions was released in collaboration with the French online music service Deezer.
The original EP comprises three songs, two of which are performed acoustically on the Deezer sessions EP (‘London’ and ‘I Won’t Complain’) in addition to ‘Quiver a Little’. The EP’s titular song ‘Cornerstone’ provides an arresting introduction to the soulful and raw voice of the young singer. The simple piano complements Clementine’s varying tones, ranging from smooth and treacle-like, to gruff and breathy. Every note and every lyric is weighted in his unadulterated, emotional style.
I Won’t Complain’ reveals a strikingly sombre style, accompanied by a gut-wrenching piano ballad melody. The verses are tranquil but slowly build until the choruses when Clementine lets rip his growling battle cries, "but I won’t complain, no I won’t complain", showing striking similarities to the mastery of Ray Charles. The final song of the original EP, ‘London’, is liltingly poetic, mounting and descending in energy; it is guaranteed to keep any audience hanging on every note and word.
The two acoustic songs included in the Deezer sessions edition highlight how this young singer is best in concert. He sings with even more abandon, letting loose more trills and breathy notes. The deep, roundness of his vocals brings to mind Nina Simone. Indeed, his voice has a certain unusual quality that separates him from most contemporary singers. The newly introduced song, ‘Quiver A Little’, combines slam-like whispering with bold, soulful notes. The song shows a distinctly jazz edge, creating a sound that is far and beyond any current pop music sound.
Clementine has an album set to release in 2014, and he will be performing in the UK in the coming months both as a supporting act for Woodkid and as a headline act. He also performed last week on Later with Jools Holland. His performance is captivating, pure, with painful emotion shining through his voice and his expression. Listen to the performance, his EP and let yourself be shaken and seduced by his towering talent.

2015年水星音乐奖 Mercury Prize 获得者。
“Very little about Clementine is predictable, all of it is worth watching” – The Observer
“Sombre piano balladry that goes straight for the gut” - DIY
“Nina Simone’s brother steps into an elegant French café, sits down at the piano and tears open a vein” – Rolling Stone
“An extraordinary new musical talent. Incredible” - The Evening Standard
He's been popular in Paris for a while, but is only very recently garnering similar attention in his home nation. The press release explains his Hollywood-worthy tale:
"Benjamin Clementine has packed a lot into his 25 years: heartbreak, homelessness, reinvention, before reaching cult status in Paris and returning home in unlikely circumstances. Raised in Edmonton, his household was a strictly religious one, where children were barred from the living room unless it was a weekend dinner ("my parents, even though they were quite devilish, acted like Christians, and we weren't allowed to play anything other than gospel music”)."
The North London singer-songwriter, inspired by those formative restrictions, classical radio and the Anthony and The Johnsons, has also announced a headline date at the Barbican on 1 April to support the release of his debut.
At Least For Now is due for release via Virgin EMI on 23 March.