Soul/Funk

Artist Dionne Warwick
Title Walk on By:The Best Of
Label Warners
Twenty two track best of by soul diva Dionne Warwick. Includes ’Walk on By’, ’Do You Know the Way to San Jose’, ’Anyone Who Had a Heart, and ’Alfie’. Nice stuff.

Artist Wendy Rene
Title After Laughter Comes Tears
Label Light In The Attic
Wendy Rene isn’t a name that comes up much when people talk about soul legends. Never famous, and active for only four short years, her legacy is in the archives with hundreds of other obscure soul acts of the early ’60s. Listening to After Laughter Comes Tears, it’s mind-boggling that the amount of talent and raw soul put forth by Rene failed to register with audiences of her day or be rediscovered earlier along the line. Sure, in 1994 Wu-Tang Clan built a track on their classic debut 36 Chambers on samples from the spooky organ-led tune that this collection takes its name from, and several years later Alicia Keys borrowed heavily from the same song with her composition "Where Do We Go from Here." DJs and collectors have paid top dollar for her increasingly impossible-to-find singles, but on a broader scale, Wendy Rene has gone largely unrecognized.

Artist Andre Williams
Title Aphrodisiac
Label Vampi
With a mind-boggling 50-year career in the music business, 70-year old Andre Williams is showing no signs of slowing down. The original rapper and R&B performer returns to his soulful roots on “Aphrodisiac,” enlisting the ‘Diplomats of Solid Sound’ as his backing band on this diverse an adventurous offering. Hints of blues, rock, R&B, rap and soul fill the grooves of this release that flows seamlessly from start to finish. Andre’s voice never sounded better as he tackles topics ranging from alcoholism (I’m Not Worthy), Hurricane Katrina (Thee Sisters), rejection (I Can See), and love (Do You Remember). But it’s also a fun, masterfully produced album that will transfix both past Andre fans and new listeners. Recorded in Iowa City, this is the real Andre…the real deal…from the ‘Black Godfather.’

Artist Andre Williams
Title Movin On With
Label Vampi
A Detroit legend who worked for Tamla Mowtown and with artistssuch as Mary Wells, Stevie Wonder, Funkadelic and Ike & Tina Turner and was known as Mr. Rhythm!  More recently has collaborated with Canadian surf guitar heroes, The Sadies as well as Jack White. This is the definitive anthology with his best raw r&b, soul and funk cuts. 

Artist Stevie Wonder
Title Innervisons
Label MOTOWN

Artist Stevie Wonder
Title Journey Through The Secret Life of Plants
Label MOTOWN

Artist Stevie Wonder
Title Music of My Mind
Label MOTOWN

Artist Stevie Wonder
Title Songs In The Key Of Life
Label MOTOWN

Artist Stevie Wonder
Title Talking Book
Label MOTOWN
1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life
2. Maybe Your Baby
3. You & I
4. Tuesday Heartbreak
5. Youve Got It Bad Girl
6. Superstition
7. Big Brother
8. Blame It On The Sun
9. Lookin’ For Another Pure Love
10. I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)