Her 1969 masterpiece, resting the psych-rock of Rotary Connection in favour of Ramsey Lewis’ set-up with Maurice White and Phil Upchurch, in pursuit of the Dionne Warwick / Bacharach & David sound. Of course the kicker is Charles Stepney’s production, peaking in the divine opener, Les Fleurs.

What a great record. Soaring early-eighties soul from Bill Withers’ spar — original, loose-limbed and funky, full of emotional intelligence and good vibes. Includes Love’s Too Hot To Hide, two-step heaven.

His ambitious 1974 breakthrough as leader, superbly mixing funk and jazz improvisation on a major-label recording budget, with strong political and spiritual themes, even a nod to the Duke.

From 1972, taking time out from the Nina Simone band to cut this funky Black-Jazz-style set for his own label, with Horace Silver’s ‘personal seal of approval’. Includes Mr. Clean and Sister Sanctified.

Thornton’s BYG album Ketchaoua: the leader on cornet and percussion, with Grachan Moncur on trombone, Archie Shepp on soprano sax, Arthur Jones on alto, Bob Guerin and Earl Freeman on bass, Sunny Murray on drums, and Dave Burrell on piano.
Plus Arthur Jones’ own Scorpio album, also for BYG in 1969: an excellent, unsung set, new-thing but rooted, with shades of Ornette and ESP, Johnny Hodges and Sonny Rollins.

Consummate jazz-funk and two-step soul from their time with Wayne Henderson’s At Home, in 1975-76. Stone classic vocal takes on Ronnie Laws’ Always There and the Crusaders’ Keep That Same Old Feeling, through sublime mid-tempo harmonising like She’s A Lady, to jiggy jiggy murder like S.O.S. (which with sth assistance of gospel diva Helen Baylor trumps even Esther Phillips’ ace version).

‘Classic Vinyl’ series.