631 Damn Sam The Miracle Man & The Soul congregation (Dizzare) every "hard soul" or "heavy funk" collector's dream come true finally! this ultra rare album featuring O.C. Tolbert + 5 bonus tracks including highly sought-after "I've got it" by O.C. Tolbert, please hear O.C. Tolbert's incredibly SOULFUL singings! deeeeep as hell! Give me another joint, Let me be your only an,L.A. 2000,Poor Mary,Smash,B.J.,Sonny B.,You gotta hold on me,Hard times,Lucky man,Got to be free,etc. (*****/*****)

632 James Van Buren / From the beginning (Van Buren) jazzy R&B singer/guitarist with a hint of blues in his voice, 12 songs selected from his first two albums in the '80s, laidback relaxed and swingin' with "mature" or "midnight" moods Would you believe,Wailing grey wall,Cheatin & lying,It's all over,It all depends on you,The things we need,Libra,Time with my baby,It's hard starting over,You'll fall in love again,etc. (*/*****)

633 Gladys Knight and The Pips / Neither one of us + All I need is time (Universal-Island) her best days in my opinion! all the tracks from her two '73 albums ("Neither one of us" and "All I need is time") plus 3 bonus (previously released in various anthologies, 21 songs with liner notes It's bad for me to see you(previously on "The best of Gladys Knight & The Pips:The anthology series"),It should have been me(previously on "Greatest hits"),I'm gonna make you love me(previously on "Motown sings Motown treasures"),It's gotta be that way,This child needs its father,Who is she,And this is love,Can't give it up no more,etc. (***/*****)

634 The Vee-Jay R&B rarities / Deeper (P-Vine) Japanese P-Vine done a fine job again! 25 obscure tracks from Vivian & Jimmy's Vee Jay catalogs with good sound quality, fine examples of "early to mid '60s" R&B from blues, doowap to early soul, sadly no English liner note or discographical data The Sheppards/Loving you,The 4 Tees/Like my baby,Little Clarence/Nightime,The Pearlettes/Every day,The Hollywood Flames/Letter to my love,Birdlegs & Pauline/Never be free,The Chanteurs/Grizzly bear,Bobby Jones/Sugar baby,unknown/Better luck next time,unknown/I'd choose you,etc. (****/*****)

635 The Vee-Jay R&B rarities / Move & groove (P-Vine) 25 more rarities from Vee Jay label in Chicago, various type of early '60s R&B from blues to early soul, good sound quality and Japanese-only liner notes are the same as above "Deeper" album, some previously unreleased The Dukays/Tango bop,The Honeybees/One girl one boy,Gil Hamilton/Move & groove,Nancy Love/As sure as I live and breathe,Nancy Love/Baby I'm not over you yet,Browley Guy/Do somethin' baby,3 Ribbons & A Beau/Sing a song,The Kool Gents/Baby I'm crazy,Barrett Strong/Take a journey,etc. (****/*****)

636 Oscar Tony Jr. / Guilty : A southern soul renaissance (Shout) the "straight" reissue (but with another jacket design) of his "Guilty of loving you" album for Bob Grady's BGR records in '81, up beat southern soul with a few slower pained ballads by this legendary down-on-his-knees preaching singer, informative liner notes by Clive Richardson Back in your arms,Something tells me,California girl,Keep love alive,If it ain't one thing it's another,She has the right,I'm sorry,The other woman,No more heartache,etc. (**/*****)

637 A fine time! / The south side of soul street (Sundazed) really the amazing overview of Minaret records' soul output! 18 tracks from deep deep soul ballads to heavy southern funk with detailed liner notes, includes three previously unreleased tracks, southern soul lover's MUST Doris Allen/A shell of a woman,Johnny Dynamite/Everybody's clown,The Double Soul/I can't use you,Gable Reed/Who's been warming my oven,John Hamilton & Doris Allen/Bright star,Genie Brooks/Helping hand,The Double Soul/Unfinished sympathy(prev. unreleased),etc. (*****/*****)

638 Big John Hamilton / How much can a man take (Sundazed) little is known untill now about him, but WHAT'S GREAT SINGER! various type of 18 songs from deep soul, blues'n soul to gritty funk selected from Minaret and SSS International labels, 2 previously unreleased tracks as a bonus, incredibly detailed liner notes by JeffJarema! How much can a man take,Pretty girls,The train,If you're looking for a fool,Before the next teardrop falls,I just want to thank you,Take this hurt off me,Lift me up,I'm getting it from her(prev. unreleased),Go ahead on (prev. unreleased),etc. (*****/*****)

639 Francine Reed / Blues collection (DM) the southern soul diva (Chicago-born and Phoenix-raised)! reissue of her first album named "I want you to love me" ('95) and second album "Can't make it on my own" ('96) on John Abby's Ichiban label, some guest singers like Lyle Lovett & Delbert McClinton, her best days? 24 songs in 2 CDs set Why I don't know,Crack the bone,What is that light?,Grady's song,For your precious love,Wild women,Love without mercy,You bug me,Not by man alone,Why does everything change,Wonderin',etc. (**/*****)

640 640 Magnetik soul volume 3 (Active Force) 13 more "modern soul" in-demanders from vaious obscure singles in the '80s, soulful lead singers with bouncing rhythms, my best favorite style of R&B music! French release The Pro-Fascination/Try love again,9th Creation/Mellow music,Mind & Matter/I'm under your spell,The Perfections/Can't this be real,Ron Henderson & The Choice of Colour/Gemini lady,The Fantastic Puzzles/Come back,Side Show/Sexy lady,Curtis/How can I tell her,etc. (****/*****)