A comprehensive retrospective of Baltimore’s influential mid-1960s to early-1970s label, Chariot Records. What’s Happening!!: The Chariot Records Story features the complete Chariot discography on 2 CDs and digital formats for the first time, including five previously unissued tracks.

“My origin story as a songwriter and artist set the context for the catharsis I experienced while making new avatar. I wrote my very first songs in a punk house. The indie scene I was part of provided me with an outlet for genre-defying experiments that illuminated intersections I was hearing in my head. We didn’t spend tons of time on songs cuz the kids in that scene didn’t care about nailing it. It was (lowkey) about messing up, giving 0 fucks and dismantling the need to be perfect in the first place. It took the pressure off and allowed my first vision of myself to blossom. I used a similar approach with this body of work - moving through with a lot of intention while capturing the freedom and spontaneity that inspired my inception as an artist. What you’re getting with this album is another facet of my world expressed with a new level of conviction, sometimes in the form of love+devotion and other times in the form of rage.” - Kelela

In the Hour of Chaos is less a third “solo record” and more a mixtape to a musical yet to be written. The album comes at a time when connection is needed more than ever. A generative connector and community leader Allison Russell, alongside production team dim star, cast a creative circle of collaborators to bring the songs to life, emerging from honest, raw dialogues between friends, lovers, chosen family, humans. The new record features Norah Jones, Joy Oladokun, Kara Jackson, Denitia, Ruby Amanfu, Devon Gilfillian, Kashus Culpepper, Brittney Spencer, Sara Watkins, Kyshona, Julie Williams, Chibueze Ihuoma and Ahya Simone.

Donny Hathaway's first studio album Everything Is Everything is a significant work in the realm of soul and R&B music, released in 1970. It marked an important point in Hathaway's career and showcased his exceptional talent as a singer, songwriter, and pianist.

The Andalusian singer’s debut brushes electronic beats and R&B melodies over a flamenco canvas. It is a masterful meditation on ancestral struggle that looks back to find a way forward.

Hailing from Leicester, now living in London Sekou is a rising star. At 16, he gained recognition after posting soulful renditions online, leading to his discovery. Growing up in the church, Sekou developed a deep appreciation for Gospel music, and his powerful vocal ability is rooted in this foundation.

Recognized as one of Canada’s greatest voices, Molly Johnson announces her new album Talk To Me. The 10-track project combines music from Johnson’s recent All I See and Long Time Running EPs with four new recordings, including lead single “Holiday” further showcasing her unmistakable voice and continued artistic evolution. Across the album, Johnson collaborates with artists from across generations of Canadian music, including JUNO Award-winning rapper Haviah Mighty, rising producer and artist CUBE, and Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo. The result is a deeply collaborative body of work that blends soul, jazz, R&B, and rock through Johnson’s singular artistic lens.

After the temporary collapse of the Time, Morris Day went into the recording studio for his first solo excursion. While the trademarked Minneapolis pop-funk sound still remains at the forefront of each composition, the absence of the magic is extremely noticeable in the production booth. That aside, The Color of Success offers to fans what Day does best, funky but accessible dance-pop music in the vein of many of his Minneapolis contemporaries. While the album runs a little bit on the short side, there is no filler and it is surprisingly consistent from start to finish. Fans of Day's work with the Time will enjoy this record, but first-time listeners would be better-served checking out his earlier work first.

2x Grammy Award -nominated duo The War and Treaty take a bold step into a new chapter with their hugely anticipated fifth studio album The Story of Michael and Tanya. The characteristically electric project exemplifies the duo's ever-evolving creative growth making it abundantly clear that a vibrant new energy now guides The War and Treaty, driven by honest and unique conversational perspectives.

Singer, songwriter, humanitarian, activist, poet, philosopher, artist… as the music legend Labi Siffre releases his first album of new music in 28 years, Demon are celebrating where it all began with this 3CD set from his first days as a hitmaker.

Saturday Night, Sunday Morning is a double album from PJ Morton that consists of both an R&B/Soul and a gospel album respectively. Throughout history artists have been made to choose one or the other. Winning Grammys in R&B, Gospel and even Album of the Year, PJ has been an artist that has been able to live comfortably in multiple genres whether it's his work as an R&B/Soul artist, his writing and production in gospel music or his work as a member of Maroon 5. This album celebrates all those sides of his journey in one place. There's the Saturday Night side and the Sunday Morning side.

Tipitina's Record Club proudly presents rare, previously unreleased studio and live concert tracks from 1973-74 that capture the music of The Wild Magnolias Mardi Gras Indians with Willie Tee and The New Orleans Project at the height of their powers.

Ray Charles' 1959 album What'd I Say popularized Charles' first Top 10 hit, "What I'd Say" and became his first gold-selling record. The tune was written on the fly by the American singer, songwriter, pianist and composer during a 1958 live show.

Female R&B singers were expected to be forceful, big-voiced divas (like Aretha Franklin) or come-hither seductresses (like Diana Ross), but, as AllMusic says, Roberta Flack had her own unique approach. Flack's voice is vast, deep, and stately — where some singers confuse frenzy with passion, she is confident, majestic, and unhurried, intense in a profound yet reserved manner.

Michigan Band EJ & the Echoes: Rediscovering a Soul Legacy. The story of EJ & the Echoes represents a remarkable chapter in Michigan's music history and the early American soul scene. Its origins date back to the late 1950s, when Everett J. "EJ" Gronda was already active as a young musician. While studying at Central Michigan University in the early 1960s, he met the talented vocalist Manuel "Manny" Holcolm. Together with other musicians, they formed vocal groups that soon performed throughout the state and even recorded near Detroit's legendary Motown studios.