The first volume was a must, and on we go, from Hayes’ final 45 of 1972 through to 1976 — by which time Stax was defunct, and he was on his own Hot Buttered Soul label via ABC Records.
Including eight US R&B chart hits including the much-sampled Hung Up On My Baby and Chocolate Chip, Hayes’ biggest hit of this period Joy, and the ever-popular 1976 instrumental Disco Connection, which finally gave Hayes’ his second UK Top 20 hit after Shaft.

‘This fifth LP in the series opens with a banger: Street Dance by Bonnie Jean, in the style of Shirley Ellis’ The Nitty Gritty, with Darlene Love & The Blossoms clearly audible on background vocals. The Hollywood-based Doré imprint is also the source of You Really Never Know Till It’s Over by The Vel-Vetts, One Way Street by The Swans, a soulful update of The Teddy Bears’ To Know Him Is To Love Him by the Darlings, and He’s Groovy — featuring lead vocals by Sheilah Page, formerly of groups such as the Bermudas, Becky & The Lollipops, The Majorettes, Joanne & the Triangles and Beverly & the Motor Scooters — by The Front Page & Her.
‘Other highlights include The Sweethearts’ Supremes-influenced No More Tears, the sophisticated slowie Lonely Girl by The Lovettes (that’s them on the front sleeve), My Heart Tells Me So by The Del-Phis (an early incarnation of Martha & The Vandellas), Brenda Holloway’s lovely pre-Motown Constant Love, and the Fran-Cettes’ terrific interpretation of Heart For Sale.’

Music by Freddie Perren and Fonce Mizell; songs performed by Edwin Starr.
With Easin’ In.

Leroy Burgess & The Fantastic Aleem Brothers.

Twenty-five tracks drawn from the golden era of Motown, 1961-1968: fifteen of them never released before.
Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, Marv Johnson, The Temptations and The Four Tops will be familiar names, though the recordings here are rare; The Hit Pack, The Serenaders and Gino Parks will maybe ring a bell; Michael Thomas and Johnny Earl will require this introduction.

Vintage funk and sweet soul by children, drawn from obscure 45s — fresh and irresistible, praps our favrit Numero so far.

This guitarist was a long-time mainstay of the B.B. King band.
His one single for Kent Records came in 1973, in its last days.
The A-side is a driving James Brown-style funk dancer, with tumbling horns; featuring Johnny Adams. That’s organist Earl Foster igniting the flip.