Reviewing Ellis Taylor’s Kansas City imprint — from prime Marva Whitney all the way through to Sharon Revoal’s ace, slinky, early-eighties disco-funk.

‘Operating in the farthest margins of L.A.’s cutthroat music business from 1961-1991, Mel Alexander’s Consolidated Productions was among the longest running Black-owned independent record conglomerates of the 20th century. Disentangling a web of imprints — including Ajax, Angel Town, Car-A-Mel, Emanuel, and Kris — this first volume gathers 28 smouldering R&B cuts by the likes of Lee Harvey, B .B. Carter, Marilyn Calloway, the Del Reys, the Deb Tones, the De Velles, Gene Russell ’s Trio, Jimmy ‘Preacher’ Ellis, and Ty Karim.’
Presented with customary class and attentiveness by Numero.

Thirty-four sides originally released by Jesse Jones’ twin labels out of Atlanta, between 1968-1977. Southern to Northern, classic R&B to modern soul, dancers to romancers.

‘The twentieth volume of our flagship series has all the boxes checked: gun-toting record producers, child stars, rip-offs, ‘The World’s Greatest Bail Bondsman’, soaring falsettos, and a dwindling rust-belt cityscape offering mere glimpses of hope before the record industry escaped for the coasts. Helmed by the O’Jays Bobby Massey, Saru was a creative vortex pulling into Cleveland the best talent in Cuyahoga County — the Out of Sights, the Elements, Pandella Kelly, David Peoples, Sir Stanley, the Ponderosa Twins + 1, Ba-Roz, Bobby Dukes and — of course — The O’Jays.’

‘From a humble storefront studio located in a shoeshine parlor on Norfolk, Virginia’s Church Street, Noah Biggs built a world. Hustler by day, gambler by night, the always-in-a-suit Biggs took a gaggle of off-brand singers and combined his connections and charisma to forge timeless soul music during a period of deep upheaval. Compiled here are 25 of Shiptown’s most compelling sides recorded between 1965-1977, spread across 2 LPs, from the likes of Ida Sands, The Soul Duo, The Anglos, Dream Team, The Grooms, Positive Sounds, Barbara Stant, Wilson Williams, Art Ensley, and yes, Flip Flop Stevens.’

Twenty-six shots of late-night R&B out of Jim Kirchstein’s Cuca studio, in the late sixties.
Originally released via minuscule pressings into the Wisconsin wilderness, tracing the paths across the hinterlands of Highway 12 between the Chicago, Milwaukee and Rockford soul scenes.
The likes of Harvey Scales, Betty Moorer, The Twiliters, Birdlegs & Pauline, The Esquires, Artie & The Pharaohs… in another gem-studded chapter of the alternate history of soul music.

‘The first LP compilation of songs by the great Eddie and Ernie!  The duo produced tons of great singles throughout the 60s and early 70s. This LP features a couple of dance numbers, but mostly slow dramatic soul ballads reminiscent of the best moments of more well-known acts like Sam & Dave and Otis Redding.  Some pretty eerie soaring vocals and existential lyrics of the highest order.’

Blimey.
The legendary flamenco singer Manuel Mancheño Peña — aka El Turronero, The Nougat — full throttle over a flanged, action-packed disco-funk bassline, metronomic beats. soaring and layered female backing vocals, intergalactic synth sounds and stirring strings. The flip is looser, groovier, and warmer, with still funkier bass, spiralling seventies synths, sweaty drums, and exotic touches.
DJ Harvey specials.

Cold-sweat compounds of art-funk, baglama high-life, horrorama, yacht.

Paradigmatic late-sixties, early-seventies Philly soul, recorded at Sigma Sound, with Thom Bell, Norman Harris, Earl Young, and full crew. Neglected but wonderful stuff.