Originally out on the TK imprint Gospel Roots in 1978. We included the curtain-raiser Elijah Rock on our overview of the label, Christians Catch Hell.
Outstanding.

Private-press gospel boogie from Michigan band Cash Money, featuring full brass and vocal harmony. Plus some ace, synthy, slap-bass, choral gospel soul from Ricky Womack in 1990, in the tradition of the great DJ Rogers.

If you get just one Ray Charles to start with, we’d recommend this, gathering together his bluesier cuts for the label, at the end of his stay.
The almighty, pitch-dark I Believe To My Soul is here, for example. Everybody needs a copy handy for emergencies.
‘Last night you were dreaming and I heard you say “Oh, Johnny”, when you know my name is Ray. That’s why I believe right now (I believe, yes, I believe), I say I believe right now (I believe, yes, I believe), well, I believe to my soul now… You’re tryin’ to make a fool of me. (I believe it).’

A second volume of ‘the best and rarest Chicago blues of the early postwar era.’ Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Sunnyland Slim, Floyd Jones, Snoooky Pryor, Roosevelt Sykes… all present and correct.
You need it for Johnny Shines’ Living In The White House, about setting society to rights, over the rocking saxophone of J.T. Brown. ‘I want to live in paradise, make servants out of kings and queens / Now don’t shake me please darlin / This is one time I want to finish my dream.’

Utterly magnificent, sublimely soulful survey of the Gospel Roots label, subsidiary of the mighty TK Records at the height of the Miami Sound.
A&R was co-ordinated by Gospel legends Ira Tucker — from the Dixie Hummingbirds — and Ralph Bass, veteran producer with Savoy, King and Chess. The label was run by Timmy Thomas, who had recently smashed with Why Can’t We Live Together, for another TK spin-off, Glades. Operations were overseen by Henry Stone himself, unlikely King of Disco, who had recorded a young Ray Charles, and pushed forward James Brown. They drew in artists from all over the US, from St. Louis, Columbus, Memphis, Brooklyn, Cabrini Green in Chicago: unknowns like Camille Doughty, reluctant to jeopardise her job at GM (‘Generous Motors’) in Detroit, and huge-sellers like the revered Brooklyn All Stars, who started out on Peacock in 1958.
Choral belters, deep ballads, harmony quartets, epic city-blues, gritty funk, powerhouse female soul… Killer-diller Philly like a scorching version of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes’ Wake Up Everybody; and Jean Austin’s raw Spirit Free, co-written by Ronnie Dyson, produced by Jesse James at Future Gold. Chicago Sound like The Fantastic Family Aires — named after the family’s furniture store on North Cicero, but reminiscent of the Staple Singers at their best — through to the full-blown glory of The Fountain Of Life Joy Choir, led by Marvin Yancy from The Independents, and featuring Natalie Cole… Singers like Versie Mae Gibson, from the Jordans, by rights up there with Irma, Etta and Ree… Bangers 100%-guaranteed to find their way into Theo Parrish sets; and mortal delirium for the prissiest of soul and gospel purists.
Beautifully presented… the LPs with a 12”-square, full-colour, sixteen-page album of photos and original artwork, the CD with a forty-page booklet — and truly outstanding notes, including insightful new interviews across the board; mastered at Abbey Road.
Dread and civitas, grit and transcendence.

Sisters Jacky, Denise, Dorinda, Karen and Elbernita Clark debuted in the early 1970s on their uncle Bill Moss’ Bilesse label. Bill and their mother Mattie had both recorded for Detroit’’s Westbound, at the time riding high with the Detroit Emeralds, Denise LaSalle and co; so the Clarks’ classy blend of gospel, Aretha, jazz and Motown was right at home on Westbound’s new Sound Of Gospel subsidiary.
Kicking off with their humungous gospel-disco smash You Brought The Sunshine, here is a harvesting of the highlights of four Clark Sisters’ LPs, and a handful from solo albums by the group’s leader Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark.

The Clarks’ fourth, pivotal album for Westbound’s Sound Of Gospel label, from 1979, hustling them firmly towards the dancefloor. Traditional soul-based gospel like My Cup Runneth Over alongside disco-influenced gems like My Life Is Complete With Jesus and ‘Everything Is Gonna Be Alright.

Following Alan Lomax, Daptone placed a small local ad, asking singers to show at Mt Marian Church a certain Saturday. This marvellous record of acappella gospel is the result, including everyone who showed up.

Sparkling, uproarious ragtime and blues — randy, porno and ooh-er — with Sidney Bechet, Bessie Smith and Jelly Roll Morton.
Lucille “got-fat-from-fuckin” Bogan is the filthiest of the lot: “I got nipples on my titties, big as the end of my thumb, I got somethin’ between my legs’ll make a dead man come.”

More compelling salvage from his 1970s period with Clinton Moon’s Showtime Productions, debuting the ballads We’ve Got To Get It Together and Child’s Play, the social protest of Today Is A New Day and Singing In Poverty, and dancefloor action like Total Love, A Case Of The Boogie and the sensual Gimme A Little Action — besides top-notch alternate mixes, like So Tied Up and What’s It Gonna Be from The Show Must Go On, and new versions of Alpaca Phase Three’s Someone To Run To, featuring a previously unheard SD rap, and Touch Me With Your Love, adding more than a minute…

Almighty God himself, with two prime Checkers, and five extras. Have Guitar is just awesome stuff. You don’t know diddley if you don’t know Diddley.

Rocking Fat Man Imperials, obscure but genius.