After two LPs with little or no energy, Sade demonstrated some intensity and fire on her third release. Whether that was just an attempt to change the pace a bit or a genuine new direction, she had more animation in her delivery on such songs as "Haunt Me," "Give It Up," and the hit "Paradise." Not that she was suddenly singing in a soulful or bluesy manner; rather, Sade's dry and introspective tone now had a little more edge, and the lyrics were ironic as well as reflective…

"I Miss You" (later reissued as "Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes") is the debut album released by Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes on the Philadelphia International record label in August 1972. It was produced by Kenneth Gamble & Leon Huff. The album title was changed from "I Miss You" to "Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes" and given a new cover after the success of the single "If You Don't Know Me by Now". The group's roster for this album is Lloyd Parks, Teddy Pendergrass, Harold Melvin, Lawrence Brown and Bernie Wilson. The album was arranged by Bobby Martin, Norman Harris and Thom Bell. The single "I Miss You" was featured in the film Dead Presidents.

The magical union between The Stylistics and producer/writer Thom Bell ended with this album, but the legacy had included a string of fabulous hit singles and arguably the greatest "sweet" soul productions of all time. Russell Tompkins, Jr. was in his prime as a lead vocalist, and while this album didn't have any blockbusters like its predecessors, it still had plenty of exquisitely sung, nicely harmonized ballads and love tunes.

Bobby Womack first came to prominence in the in the 1950s as part of The Womack Brothers, a gospel group that was comprised of siblings Cecil, Harry, Curtis and Friendly. Impressed with the group, Sam Cooke encouraged them to come to Los Angeles where he signed them to his SAR label. Making the transition from gospel to R&B, they recorded as The Valentinos, ultimately hitting with “Lookin’ For A Love” and “It’s All Over Now.” The latter song which was written by Bobby and Shirley Womack was soon covered by the Rolling Stones and became the group’s very first 1 hit. Bobby’s relationship with the Stones continues to this day. As Bobby’s solo career evolved, he became the standard bearer for contemporary soul music, with such hits as “That’s The Way I Feel About ‘Cha” and “Woman’s Gotta Have It.” He wrote the title theme for the film Across 110th Street which went on to be used in both Quentin Tarantino’s Jackie Brown as well as in the recent American Gangster.A new career pinnacle was achieved in the 1980s with the release of the albums THE POET and THE POET II. These evocative records yielded numerous hits including “Where Do We Go From Here,” “Secrets,” “It Takes A Lot of Strength To Say Goodbye,” “Love Has Finally Come At Last,” “Tell Me Why” “If You Think You’re Lonely Now,” and others. “If You Think You’re Lonely Now” was the basis for Mariah Carey’s 1 hit “We Belong Together.” Womack has also recorded Snoop Dogg, Rod Stewart, Gorillaz and a host of other top names.Exactly one month after celebrating his 65th birthday, the legendary Bobby Womack was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He was the first Cleveland native to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as an individual performer. The event was a true homecoming for this brilliant singer/songwriter/guitarist.“This is just the greatest, I’m extremely happy. My very first thought was – I wish I could call Sam Cooke and share this moment with him. This is just about as exciting to me as being able to see Barack Obama become the first Black President of the United States of America! It proves that, if you’re blessed to be able to wait on what’s important to you, a lot of things will change in life. Being able to work, perform and make people happy is where it’s at. I haven’t been home in almost 30 years, so having this happen in my hometown is really icing on the cake,” Womack remarked after he heard the good news. “I’m looking forward to going home.

"I'm The One" is an album by Roberta Flack released in May 1982 which reached #59 on the album chart in Billboard whose R&B album chart afforded the album a #16 peak. The Burt Bacharach/Carole Bayer Sager-produced "Making Love", which appeared in the film of the same name and in the spring of 1982 had afforded Flack her final solo Top 40 hit (#13 on the Billboard Hot 100), was included on the I'm the One album along with eight new tracks co-produced by William Eaton, Ralph MacDonald, William Salter and Flack herself. The track "I'm the One," given parallel single release with the album, peaked at #42 on the Hot 100 where it marked Flack's final solo appearance, although she'd return to the Hot 100 in 1983 with the duets "Tonight, I Celebrate My Love" (#16) and "You're Looking Like Love to Me" (#58) (both with Peabo Bryson) and again in 1991 with "Set the Night to Music" (with Maxi Priest/ #6). A third single from the I'm the One album: "In the Name of Love", reached #24 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.

The Spinners were the greatest soul group of the early '70s, creating a body of work that defined the lush, seductive sound of Philly soul. Ironically, the band's roots lay in Detroit, where they formed as a doo wop group during the late '50s. Collection includes: 'Pick Of The Litter' (1975); Dancin' And Lovin' (1979); 2LP-in-1CD 'From Here To Eternally' (1979)+ 'Love Trippin' (1980); 2LP-in-1CD 'Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow' (1977) + 'Labor Of Love' (1981).

Barry White turned into such iconic figure that it’s odd to hear his beginnings on his 1973 debut I’ve Got So Much to Give. In a sense, his sound is fully formed – there’s no mistaking his velvet baritone or his lush, string-draped surrounding, particularly on the album’s closing “I’m Gonna Love You Just a Little More, Baby,” a song so seductive it set the pace for the rest of his career. Still, behind that creamy drapery it’s possible to hear a strong debt to Isaac Hayes throughout I’ve Got So Much to Give, particularly when the whole affair opens a slow, steady, eight-minute crawl through “Standing in the Shadows of Love” that strips all the bounciness out of the Supremes original, just like how all of Hayes reworkings of ‘60s pop hits turned the hit versions inside out on Hot Buttered Soul. Barry may be following in Isaac’s footsteps, but he winds up on his own path, one that isn’t quite as ambitious, one that is fairly hellbent on romance to the exclusion of everything else.

Al Green's 5th, 6th, 7th & 8th albums on 2 CD's, the second of three mid-priced sets that encompass all 12 of his studio albums for Hi Records. Originally issued between 1972 and 1974, these albums include the Top 5 hits 'You Ought To Be With Me', 'Call Me', 'Here I Am (Come And Take Me)', 'Livin' For You', 'Let's Ger Married' plus 'Sha-La-La (Make Me Happy)', 'L-O-V-E (Love)', 'Oh Me', as well as the classic tracks 'Take Me To The River', 'Funny How Time Slips Away' and many more.

A super-sizing of this long-running but under-publicized group's productive years – from 1970 to 1979 – on Roulette, Philadelphia International, Epic, and Ariola Records. Only diehards will miss earlier (excluded) sides from 1965 to 1969 on Swan, ABC, Warner Bros., Metromedia, and Neptune. This set beams up their hits: "TSOP," "When Will I See You Again," "Maybe," "Dirty Old Man," "Long Lost Lover," etc, and spans to include scorching renditions of New York City's "I'm Doing Fine Now," Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On," and Aretha Franklin's "Do Right Woman, Do Right Man." Essential for girl group fans, and a good buy for casual fans.

"Open Up Your Love" is an album by The Whispers. Released in 1977, this album reached #23 on the Billboard Soul Albums chart. This was their last album on Don Cornelius's Soul Train Records before transitioning over to manager Dick Griffey's Solar Records. The single "I'm Gonna Make You My Wife" was featured in the motion picture "Waiting to Exhale", but did not appear on the soundtrack.

On par with the most treasured concert albums of the 60s and 70s, Bill Withers’ transformative Live at Carnegie Hall is a forgotten classic—an easygoing portrait of a down-home soul artist coming into his own in front of an audience eager to share every moment of his brilliance. Soothing with subtlety, charming with calmness, and healing with a vocal timbre as relaxing as his grooves, Withers uses the stage to expand the range of favorites and engage in dialog with the crowd. Distinguished with sonics that restore the performances’ balance and improve the soundstaging, this reissue takes you inside the venue. Moreover, aspects that really make this concert document unique—the energetic crowd, Withers and his band’s willingness to extend arrangements, and the undeniable communicative bond between the performer and his fans—are brought into fuller relief. While most live albums give you the sense of what transpired, Mobile Fidelity’s reissue allows it to seem that what you’re hearing and sensing is happening right now, in the moment.

Al Green's first four albums on 2 CDs, the first of three mid-priced sets that will encompass all twelve of his studio albums for Hi Records. Originally issued between 1969 and 1972, these albums Include the hits 'I Can't Get Next To You', 'Tired Of Being Alone', 'Let's Stay Together', 'Look What You Done For Me' and 'I'm Still In Love With You', as well as the classic tracks 'How Can You Mend A Broken Heart', 'Love And Happiness', 'Simply Beautiful' and many more. Authoritatively annotated by Tony Rounce, the forty-track package includes three bonus non-album b-sides, featuring Green's amazing reading of The Beatles 'I Want To Hold Your Hand'.

"Smokey" is the debut studio album by American soul singer, songwriter, and producer Smokey Robinson. It was released on June 19, 1973, by Tamla Records and was Robinson's first solo record after his departure from The Miracles. The album featured the single "Sweet Harmony", which was his tribute to his former singing partners in the Miracles: Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore and Ronnie White. "Smokey" was arranged by Dave Blumberg, Gene Page and Willie Hutch. It also featured the song "Baby Come Close", his first solo hit single, and the single "Just My Soul Responding", a protest song dealing with ghetto life in America, and the plight of the American Indian. "Smokey" peaked at #70 on the Billboard albums chart, on which it spent 19 weeks.

"Quiet Fire" is the 3rd studio album by American singer-songwriter Roberta Flack, released in November 1971 by Atlantic Records. It was recorded at Atlantic Recording Studios, Regent Studios, and The Hit Factory in New York City. The album peaked at #18 on the Billboard Top LPs & Tape, and its single "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow" charted at #76 on the Hot 100.

"Diamond Life" is the debut studio album by English band Sade. It was first released in the United Kingdom on 16 July 1984 by Epic Records and in the United States on 27 February 1985 by Portrait Records. After studying fashion design, and later modelling, Sade Adu began backup singing with British band Pride. During this time Adu and three of the original members of "Pride" Paul Anthony Cook, Paul Denman and Stuart Matthewman left the group to form their own band called Sade. Following various demos and performances, Sade received interest from record labels and later signed to Epic.