Before becoming a bandleader, pianist/organist/composer Lonnie Liston Smith made essential contributions to important recordings by Roland Kirk, Pharoah Sanders, Gato Barbieri, and Miles Davis. After founding the Cosmic Echoes, he issued six influential electric albums for Flying Dutchman between 1973 and 1977 – including Astral Traveling and Visions of a New World – that established him as a jazz-funk innovator. Between 1978 and 1980, his four Columbia outings – including Exotic Mysteries and Love Is the Answer – consciously stitched together funk, disco, and smooth jazz. After a spiritual awakening, Smith spent the next two decades recording for Dr. Jazz and Startrak Records, through 1998's Transformation. Following that, he turned to session work for 25 years. He started recording under his own name again with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Adrian Younge on 2023's Lonnie Liston Smith JID017.

The tragic death of 31-year-old Minnie Riperton in 1979 silenced one of soul music's most unique and unforgettable voices. Blessed with an angelic five-octave vocal range, she scored her greatest commercial success with the chart-topping pop ballad "Lovin' You." Riperton was born in Chicago on November 8, 1947. As a youth she studied music, drama, and dance at the city's Abraham Lincoln Center and later contemplated a career in opera. Her pop career began in 1961 when she joined a local group called the Gems, signing to the famed Chess label to release a handful of singles as well as lend backing vocals to acts including Fontella Bass, the Dells, and Etta James. After graduating high school, Riperton went to work at Chess as a receptionist. Following the Gems' dissolution, she also signed with the label as a solo act, releasing a single, "Lonely Girl," under the alias Andrea Davis.

Tabu Productions was an American record label founded by Clarence Avant in 1975. It focused on R&B and funk.

Baker's Holiday is an album of songs associated with Billie Holiday by trumpeter/vocalist Chet Baker which was recorded in 1965 and released on the Limelight label.

British rock group, formed by Phil Bates in 1976. Recorded an album, "Find The Lady", for United Artists. Trickster signed to Jet Records when Don Arden became their manager. They went on tour as ELO's support act on their legendary "Out Of The Blue" tour in 1978. Recorded a second album, "Back To Zero", with a different line up in 1979. The single "I'm Satisfied" enjoyed some chart success. Their next single "Tomorrow Belongs To Me" got extensive airplay in the USA, but did not do very well in the charts. The group was not satisfied with their record company, but Jet Records wouldn't let them out of their contract. Their European tours with Boston and John Miles and their British tour with Violinski led to interest from other major labels and the band almost signed to RCA before they finally decided to split in 1980.

TRICKSTER was founded in Birmingham, UK around 1976 by singer Phil Bates who previously played in Kwil and other local acts (He would release the terrific album 'Power' with the band Atlantic in the '90s).

Boys Will Be Boys is the debut record from the group Rabbitt, the South African rock quartet led by Trevor Rabin. It was released in 1975 on Jo'Burg Records in South Africa, and promptly went gold faster than any other disc released in the country. The band would go on to win the Sarie Award (South Africa's equivalent to the Grammy) for "Best Contemporary Pop".

Excellent Underrated AOR album from English Songwriter / Musician Adrian Gurvitz, Released in 1979 on JET label.

An artist whose music is at once timeless yet utterly of its time, Gregory Porter solidifies his standing as his generation’s most soulful jazz singer-songwriter with the May 6 release of Take Me to the Alley, the much-anticipated follow-up to his million-selling Grammy-winning 2013 Blue Note debut Liquid Spirit. The album pre-order has launched today along with the release of two singles—“Holding On” and “Don’t Lose Your Steam”.

Compilation CD from Japan, features Artists signed to CBS / Sony around the late 80s, released to promote the artists featured album releases, some very obscure and mixed artist compilation.

Stay with Me is the second album by American singer Regina Belle, released on August 22, 1989, by Columbia Records. It peaked at number 63 on the US Billboard 200 and number one on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. It includes the hit singles "All I Want Is Forever" (featuring James "J.T." Taylor), "Baby Come to Me" (an R&B No. 1), "Make It Like It Was" (another R&B No. 1) and "What Goes Around". "Good Lovin'" was released as a single in the UK, where it reached number 73 in the UK Singles Chart. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA on January 22, 1990.

Like the epochal Police & Thieves by Junior Murvin, which also originated at Lee "Scratch" Perry's Black Ark Studio and thus shares with this album Perry's trademark dark, swampy ambience, War ina Babylon is something of a mountain on the reggae landscape. But what makes it so remarkable is not just the consistently high quality of the music indeed, by 1976 one had come to expect nothing but the finest and heaviest grooves from Perry and his studio band, the Upsetters rather, it's the fact that Max Romeo had proved to be such a convincing singer of cultural (or "conscious") reggae after several years of raking it in as a purveyor of the most abject slackness. (His "Wet Dream" had been a huge hit in England several years earlier, and had been followed by such other delicacies as "Wine Her Goosie" and "Pussy Watch Man.") But there's no denying the authority of his admonishing voice here, and the title track (which describes the violent mood during Jamaica's 1972 general election) has remained a standard for decades. Other highlights include "One Step Forward" and "Smile Out a Style." Essential to any reggae collection.

An incredible batch of Brazilian fusion – cut by keyboardist Manfredo Fest, and one of the few records he ever waxed in the US during the 70s! The record mixes Fest's soaring Brazilian groove with a tight soulful set of arrangements by Jerry Peters – a bit club-oriented, with a similar sound to some of the other records on the Tabu label at the time, but always sensitive to Fest's playing and writing – especially his Brazilian roots! The record features wonderful vocals by Roberta Davis – a very soulful singer who had a hip wordless style that was similar to Tania Maria's at the time – breezy, scatting, and very nice. Her work really makes the record sparkle, working perfectly with Fest's jazzy electric keyboards in a perfect way!

Beyoncé Platinum Edition Box Set is a 2 CD/2 DVD limited edition package that includes two new songs, "7/11" and "Ring Off," plus four new and unreleased remixes with some superstar collaborators. The original, critically acclaimed self-titled visual album, featuring 14 songs and 17 videos, is also included. The special edition box set features a live performance DVD that chronicles the year-long 'Mrs. Carter Show World Tour,' a mini version of the official 2015 Beyoncé calendar, and more. MORE audio CD with two new songs and four unreleased remixes with collaborations from Kanye West, Nicki Minaj, Mr. Vegas and Pharrell Williams.