R&B / Soul

When you think of R&B in the 21^st century, romance, sex, love, and Tank instantly come to mind. With vocal fireworks lit enough to heat up any bedroom and an instantly recognizable presence, the nine-time GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum singer, producer, actor, comedian, and R&B Money label founder has defined two decades of the genre with one seminal record after another. Along the way, he has gathered hundreds of millions of streams, picked up platinum plaques, and sold out shows around the world. However, he leaves the game with one more magnum opus, delivering his tenth and final full-length offering, R&B Money [R&B Money/Atlantic Records], in 2022.

 

“For me, I’ve adjusted and lived through the changes with R&B,” he explains. “R&B is back in an amazing place. There are so many R&B artists who have incredible careers. The title R&B Money speaks to how lucrative the R&B business is and how expensive the music is. However, relationships and love are expensive in terms of how much you have to emotionally and spiritually invest. The investment is worth it though. R&B is about relationships. Nothing gives you the blues like a relationship when it goes wrong. Nothing gets you more excited than a relationship when it goes right. It’s never changed for me. I’m still making R&B.”

 

Throughout 2021, he assembled what would become R&B Money as his most ambitious body of work yet. “I’ve got more songs than ever,” he says. “I wanted to give it all I’ve got. For the first half of the album, it’s a vibe. You’re either making up or making out. There’s a song for any groove you’re in. It’s a ride, so pack a lunch.”

Best New Artist GRAMMY nominee and critically acclaimed band Tank and The Bangas return with their third studio album, Red Balloon. Red Balloon was born out of a pandemic-ordered break from the band’s rigorous touring schedule. The hiatus gave the band space to grow, allowing them to reunite as a more unified group. This new work pushes the band to a new level, shedding light on their unique observations and reflecting on the ills of America while also celebrating the beauty of Black life.

Following a record-breaking debut, Ella Mai brings us her highly anticipated sophomore album, Heart On My Sleeve. With the physical available upon immediate release on May 6, 2022, fans can experience the thrill of running to the store to grab the CD and press play on their favorite R&B songstress.

Love & Algorhythms is an interstellar synthesis of astral Soul, R&B, and sci-fi Funk. Working with producer Paul Butler (The Bees, Micheal Kiwanuka, Caroline Rose, Hurray for the Riff Raff), Seratones have taken the invitation to knock at the door of the cosmos. A.J. Haynes’s voice dances with soul-stirring devotion at the altar of Black Feminisms: weaving the words Toni Cade Bambara, Octavia Butler’s Xenogenesis multiverse, echoes of bell hooks, and Audre Lorde’s Power of the Erotic. With drummer Jesse Gabriel’s machine-like precision and the transcendental touches from guitarist Travis Stewart, the album oscillates between Alice Coltrane-inspired bliss & Giorgio Moroder’s ecstatic release. Each song hovers and pulsates in the wide, dark matter—constellations guiding a journey through the subtle body, the vast fullness of the human experience and the irresistible potential of liberation.

The Ohio Players came into musical prominence in the 1970's as pioneers of street funk and underground R&B. After signing with Mercury Records in 1974 the Ohio Players landed three consecutive platinum albums with Skin Tight, Fire and Honey. Seen as their commercial breakthrough, Skin Tight boasts a fuller production and more prominent horns as exemplified on the hit title cut and fellow single "Jive Turkey." One of the finest albums from one of the greatest funk/R&B bands that ever was reissued here on gatefold colored 180g vinyl LP by Friday Music.

Robert Glasper’s highly anticipated third installment to the Black Radio album series. Black Radio III, much like both of its predecessors, is a cultural moment that celebrates black love and resilience, features an eclectic group of talented collaborators, and is composed by Glasper who the New York Times proclaims is “probably the most prominent jazz musician of his generation”. An innovative and essential addition to Glasper’s seminal Black Radio series. Limited Edition Indie Exclusive Chartreuse 2 LP.

Stro Elliot (of The Roots) puts his spin on ten James Brown classics. The remixes draw upon a variety of inspirations, from Afro-Beat to electronica.

Following up their 2019 full-length album All The Way This. All The Way That., Freekbass & The Bump Assembly continue to push the limits of their "funk forward" style in Krameria. Recorded just a few months before quarantine at Color Red Studios in Denver, CO, the album's themes present an uncanny timely nature delving into themes of tenacity, escaping one's thoughts, fantasy, and more. With Eddie Roberts tracking and producing the album, you'll find classic production tones mixed with Freekbass' future funk and signature thumping style in a delightful concoction that's suited for many musical tastes.

Big Crown Records is proud to present Piece of Me, the sophomore full length offering from Lady Wray. This is something of a homecoming for Nicole. Where her 2016 solo debut Queen Alone leaned more towards Soul and R&B with tinges of hip-hop, this record changes the mixture. It's still R&B with the textures of analog Soul, but there is a heavy Hip Hop influence that brings the sum of Nicole's career together in a new sound that will dene her future. Boom-bap drums and chunky bass lines are front-and-center creating a perfect head-nodding backdrop for Lady Wray to take on the good, the bad, the difficult, and the joyful on her most personal collection of songs to date.

The title track, "Piece of Me," which has already become a classic since it's 2019 release is about the people in your life who need more than you are willing to give. This tune and the B side of the 7” “Come On In” were the first songs put to tape for this album and they were recorded with Nicole sitting in a chair 8 months pregnant with her daughter. Her voice is so powerful, so raw, so thorough on these initial songs—it's wild to think that they were recorded this way. And even wilder to know that she knocked them all out in one take.Long time collaborator and producer Leon Michels keeps the musical backing restrained and expertly executed, setting up Lady Wray for the full spotlight and setting the tone for the rest of the album.

While the upbeat energies of “Under The Sun” and “Through It All” are sure to become hits that reconnect Lady Wray with her 90s R&B fanbase, “Where Were You” offers a behind the scenes look at what those days of stardom in her youth were really like. Nicole takes on the racial tension in America with her poetic and powerful “Beauty In The Fire” and leans heavy into her faith and church upbringing on the showstopper, “Thank You”. She gushes about the profound love she’s come to know for her daughter on “Melody” and celebrates life’s ups and downs on “Joy & Pain”. In 2021 it is rare to hear a varied yet cohesive album with no “skippers”, but that is what you have herein spades. The tried and true chemistry between Lady Wray and Leon Michels has undeniably found a higher level and this album stands as a testament to conviction and dedication for all of us to enjoy and be inspired by.

With this in mind, when talking about this record, for Lady Wray, it's about a larger purpose. "My goal is always to help and to heal people with singing," she explains. "Part of that is to try and bring back real music, real singing, so people can feel something again." Now, she's not dissing anyone here, to be clear. It's just that Lady Wray cannot sing without tapping into something deeper, searching for that shared compassion between all of us. Perhaps it comes from her church upbringing, or maybe from her years of trials and tribulations in the music industry. Either way, Lady Wray is looking to bring that "Good Sound" back and the good feelings that come with it. She calls it "those inner hands," and she always means to stir them up, grabbing your attention from within.

The 5^th Dimension’s “Greatest Hits On Earth” is being issued, featuring 11 of their most beloved hits including “Last Night I Didn’t Get To Sleep At all,” “Aquarius/Let The Sunshine In,” “One Less Bell To Answer” and more!

A brand new album of brand-new songs from the No. 1 R&B Group of All Time, The Temptations. Features tracks written and produced by Narada Michael Walden, the young hip-hop producer K. Sparks, longtime group member Ron Tyson, founding member Otis Williams, and the equally legendary Smokey Robinson, whose classic songs launched the group’s original hit streak. The new album release will coincide with Otis Williams’s 80^thbirthday, and the Broadway return (and road show edition) of the hit musical, Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations.

$ (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) is the soundtrack to the 1971 movie of the same name. The soundtrack was composed and produced by Jazz legend Quincy Jones and includes performances from Roberta Flack, Little Richard and Doug Kershaw. This version will be the first repressing since 2002, and will be pressed the color of money on mint green vinyl. SIDE A 01 Money Is (feat. Little Richard) 02 Snow Creatures 03 Rubber Ducky 04 Redeye Runnin' Train (feat. Doug Kershaw) 05 Shady Lady 06 Money Runner 07 When You're Smiling (The Whole World Smiles with You) [feat. Roberta Flack with the Don Elliott Voic SIDE B 01 Do It - To It! (feat. Little Richard) 02 Candy Man 03 Passin' the Buck 04 Kitty with the Bent Frame 05 Brooks' 50c Tour (Main Title Collage) [feat. Little Richard and Roberta Flack]

This release is a special one; a moment where the two halves of the Mr Bongo record label unite, our heritage re-issues and our contemporary artists roster. Minoru Muraoka's 'The Positive and the Negative' is a firm favourite at Mr Bongo. It sees a master of the shakuhachi, a traditional bamboo Japanese flute, flex his prodigious skill resulting in a unique mix of breakbeat jazz and Japanese folkloric music. 'The Positive and the Negative' featured on the 1970 'Bamboo' album, which Mr Bongo reissued in 2019. Heralded by DJ Shadow, Cut Chemist, Egon, and many others. The record's cult status had us thinking how could we pay further homage to a sublime track such as this. The opportunity came to us in an email from Melbourne's Surprise Chef with a link to the fabulous reinterpretation of the track which they had just recorded. Forged in their signature sound, "The Chef" have made 'The Positive and the Negative' their own whilst simultaneously treating the original with utmost respect. The shakuhachi and koto have been replaced by synths and guitars, but the breakbeat psychedelic vein flows richly through both instruments The 7" vinyl format was the right fit for this release, so the original Minoru Muraoka recording which clocks in over nine minutes has been edited into a 7" version to accompany Surprise Chef's new take.

Otis Ray Redding, Jr. (September 9, 1941 - December 10, 1967) was an American singer-songwriter, record producer, arranger, and talent scout. He is considered one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul and rhythm and blues. His singing style was powerfully influential among soul artists of 1960s and helped exemplify the Stax sound. Redding quit school at age 15 to support his family, working with Little Richard's backing band, the Upsetters, and also performing at talent shows for prize money. Redding received many posthumous accolades, including the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He received the honorific nickname King of Soul. In addition to ''(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay,'' ''Respect'' and ''Try a Little Tenderness'' are among his best-known songs. SIDE A 01 These Arms of Mine (2020 Remaster) 02 Pain in My Heart (2020 Remaster) 03 Stand by Me (2020 Remaster) 04 Mr. Pitiful (2020 Remaster) 05 That's How Strong My Love Is (2020 Remaster) 06 I've Been Loving You Too Long (To Stop Now) [2020 Remaster] 07 Respect (2020 Remaster) 08 My Girl (2020 Remaster) SIDE B 01 I Can't Turn You Loose (2020 Remaster) 02 Satisfaction (2020 Remaster) 03 Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa-Fa (Sad Song) [2020 Remaster] 04 Try a Little Tenderness (2020 Remaster) 05 Shake (2020 Remaster) 06 (Sittin' on) The Dock of the Bay [2020 Remaster] 07 Hard to Handle (2020 Remaster II) 08 I've Got Dreams to Remember (2020 Remaster II)

180 gram audiophile vinyl. Seventh studio album by the Queen of Soul. Recorded live at New York's Columbia Studios and produced by Clyde Otis. Featuring "Misty", "If I Had a Hammer", "There Is No Greater Love" and many more. Limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on purple coloured vinyl. The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin released her seventh studio album Yeah!!! in 1965. The album was recorded live at New York's Columbia Studios and produced by Clyde Otis. Yeah!!! features "Misty", "If I Had a Hammer" and "There Is No Greater Love" amongst others.

180 gram audiophile vinyl. Fifth studio album by the Queen of Soul. Recorded at New York's Columbia Studios and produced by Robert Mersey. Featuring "What a Diff'rence a Day Made", "Unforgettable", "This Bitter Earth" & "Cold, Cold Heart". Limited edition of 2000 individually numbered copies on crystal clear vinyl. Dinah Washington has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s". The jazz vocalist passed away in December 1963 at the age of 39. Just a few months after, in February 1964, Aretha Franklin released her fifth studio album Unforgettable - A Tribute to Dinah Washington.

The 1976 Warner Bros Motion Picture “Sparkle” features a soundtrack created by two Soul giants – Aretha and Curtis. Whilst the movie stars - Irene Cara and Lonette McKee (primarily) - sang the songs on the film, “Sparkle (Music From The Warner Bros. Motion Picture)'' features the Queen of Soul herself 'Aretha Franklin', accompanied by composer and producer Curtis Mayfield recorded at his Curtom studio in Chicago. It will be pressed on LP - for the first time since its original release in 1976 - on a Crystal Clear vinyl. SIDE A 01 Sparkle 02 Something He Can Feel 03 Hooked on Your Love 04 Look into Your Heart SIDE B 01 I Get High 02 Jump To It 03 Loving You Baby 04 Rock with Me

Limited clear vinyl LP pressing. Exclusive pressing on clear vinyl of this holy grail of European progressive jazz-funk featuring players from Marc Moulin's Placebo/Sam Suffy, and El Chicles/Nico Gomez crew... or as someone says on Discogs: 'HOLY GRAIL! A Funk Jazzy classic record. Deep groove with a deep bass and powerful horns. Excellent from start to finish. KILLER!!!' If you prefer a more restrained description, there is also this: 'New pressing of the highly sought-after and very expensive Belgian jazz-funk-rock LP from 1972. Featuring members of Marc Moulin's Placebo and Sam Suffy line-ups.' All of this leads us to the same conclusion - this is an album well worth investigating if you like funky grooves

Japanese-only pressing features 2021 remastering. Ultra-Vybe.

Memphis, Tennessee: large urban metropolis on the Mississippi River, home to such legendary record labels as Sun, Stax, Hi Records and... Home Of The Blues! On two single high-quality 25cm LPs, Bear Family Recordsr presents an overview of the creative years of this underrated label that released great rhythm 'n' blues, soul, blues and rock 'n' roll throughout the early 1960s. Volume 2 with a focus on the label's rhythm 'n' blues and soul sides. This LP delivers rare tunes that are hard to find on the original format, recordings by Jimmy Dotson, Willie Cobbs, Ed Pauling and the '5' Royales, among others. The 12-page colored folder includes extensive liner notes by Chicago music expert Bill Dahl, with photos from the label archives. Memphis-based Home of the Blues Records cooked up more than it's share of blistering singles during it's all-too-brief early '60s lifespan. Headed by Ruben Cherry (owner of a famous record store of the same handle on Beale Street where Elvis and Johnny Cash shopped) and his aunt, Celia G. Camp, HOTB specialized in tough, horn-driven Memphis R&B tightly arranged by it's house bandleader, trumpeter Willie Mitchell. It's talent roster was split between veteran stars (Roy Brown, The '5' Royales) and big-voiced obscurities that included New Orleans emigre Dave Dixon and Charles James, whose infectious rendition of One Mint Julep for HOTB's affiliated Zab logo is one of the myriad highlights of Bear Family's 10-inch vinyl LP 'Soul House.' The '5"'Royales' Catch That Teardrop and Willie Cobbs' original You Don't Love Me (later revived by The Allman Brothers) are here as well, along with hard-to-find gems by Jimmy Dotson, Billy Adams, and Bill Yates. The instrumental title track is a dazzling showcase for Royales guitarist Lowman Pauling's slashing fretwork

There’s A Riot Goin’ On, Sly And The Family Stone’s influential masterpiece of darkly psychedelic funk turns 50 in 2021 and to celebrate, there will be a new limited edition version on red vinyl. The album marked a shift in the band’s tone, striking a more political and militant vibe while showing Sly Stone’s disillusionment with the promise of the 60s. At the same time, it was also a big commercial success, hitting #1 on the album charts while the single “Family Affair” topped the singles charts. Its influence rang throughout the 70s as all of the funk innovators took their cues from this seminal album, and its songs became a favorite for hip hop artist mining sampling gold decades later. It came in at #81 on Rolling Stone’s  Greatest Albums Of All Time and besides “Family Affair,” the album features the tracks “Just Like A Baby” and “Africa Talks To You (“Asphalt Jungle”).”

Deluxe edition. Love Always Wins is the sixth studio album by Kem. It was originally released by Motown Records in August 2020, his first full-length project in six years.

If your circle of friends includes any guitar players, take this little test. Ask them if they are familiar with Eddie Hazel's Game, Dames and Guitar Thangs. Chances are their eyes will widen, followed by an exclamation something like 'I thought I was the only one who knew about that record!' Indeed, knowledge of this relatively obscure album is something of a secret handshake among axe men, because the guitar work on it is flat-out incredible. But then, you had to be a bad mutha to be in a band with George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, Bernie Worrell and the rest of the Parliament/Funkadelic mothership, and that's where a 17 year-old Eddie Hazel found himself in 1967, as the new guitar player in the Parliaments. Over the next ten years, Hazel would become an instrumental mainstay in PFunk, most notably on Fender Strat showcases like 'Maggot Brain' and 'Dollar Bill,' which he co-wrote. By the time he recorded this album in 1977, however, Hazel was out of the band, beset by personal problems that led to his premature demise in 1992 and which also explain at least in part why this album never reached commercial lift-off. All of the aforementioned PFunk notables are here, along with the Brides of Funkenstein on vocals, but this is Eddie's show, as he let's loose with one coruscating, psychedelic funk lead after another over a mixture of George Clinton-penned originals and covers of 'California Dreamin' and 'I Want You (She's So Heavy).' And now you can get Game in two different ways: on CD with liner notes by former Minister of Information for PFunk, Tom Vickers, or on LP in an electric blue vinyl edition!