NYC soul, with at least two killers — Don’t You Care, and Never Did I Stop Loving You. BGP has unearthed some rarities; and some great photos.

The Clarks’ fourth, pivotal album for Westbound’s Sound Of Gospel label, from 1979, hustling them firmly towards the dancefloor. Traditional soul-based gospel like My Cup Runneth Over alongside disco-influenced gems like My Life Is Complete With Jesus and ‘Everything Is Gonna Be Alright.

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.

From 1974, featuring knockout rare groove like I Don’t Need Nobody Else and What Do You Want Me To Do.
Limber, feeling and introspective, with full horns and strings setting fine songs and frankly soulful singing.
Lou came through in Detroit as a writer and producer with Barbara Lewis, before signing in his own right to Epic, via the Rags label run by legendary producer Jerry Ragovoy. Hereafter he was briefly a member of The Fifth Dimension.
One of the greatest of all modern soul albums.

Almost preposterous, this beautiful snapshot of a US expat community fetched up in Dimona, Israel, in the second half of the seventies, holding faith with its love of Chicago soul and spiritual jazz.

The South Londoners’ amazing 1972 LP debut, including Caribbean-funk classics Bra and The Message, the deep Santana vibes of Dove, the playful grounation of Folk Song…

This time coupled with an unedited version of his crossover modern dancer It’s No Mistake.

Hip dance sides and Lowrider ballads from Darrow’s Chicago years.
From his career-opening smash The Pain Gets A Little Deeper, via Northern dancefloor classics like My Young Misery, Infatuation and Gotta Draw The Line, and ballads like Sitting There That Night and My Judgement Day, through to the new social consciousness of Now Is The Time For Love, recorded in 1971 for his step-dad Johnnie Haygood’s Genna label.

Lovely new soul from Demae (aka Bubblerap, from hip hop crew Hawk House), with contributions from Fatima, Joe Armon-Jones, Ego Ella May and Nala Sinephro.
Fresh, personable and honest in the great tradition of London street soul, suffused with Dilla, Flying Lotus and the new UK jazz scene, this is warmly recommended. Check it out.