Guardian Music — A towering example of Paul MacInnes' abilities, the pick of this week looks at beginnings with distinct elements and main riffsIf there is any one quality I have brought to the game of Readers Recommend since becoming its steward, it's the following:... more info

All About Jazz — Two discs feature the artists' greatest love songs, just in time for Christmas,New Year's Eve, and Valentine's Day! LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Concord Music Group's For Lovers series will continue on December 22, 2009 with CDs from both Ray Charles an... more info

MVSW — Here’s the Old School for the week: Geto Boys ~ “Mind Playing Tricks On Me” dirty version: This year Halloween fell on a weekend Me and Geto Boyz are trick-or-treating Geto Boys classic from 1991. Such a great song for Halloween. Samples: Isa... more info

Here Comes The Flood — Star & Micey are a Memphis band that sound like vintage folk soul group of the early Seventies. Geoff Smith had written a song about his ex (called Micey), ran into Joshua Cosby and the seeds for a band were sown. They became a trio after enlisting... more info

!tashed — Mayer Hawthorne has such a smooth, soulful voice, and it is no surprise given that he counts Isaac Hayes, Leroy Hutson, Mike Terry, and Barry White among his influences. Few expect such heartfelt sentiment to come from a ‘29-year-old white kid’ f... more info

All About Jazz — Pivotal 1971 soundtrack was one of soul music’s best sellers of all time and earned Isaac Hayes a Grammy, Oscar and Golden Globe. LOS ANGELES, Calif. — In 1971, the song was everywhere. “Who is the man who would risk his neck for... more info

All About Jazz — Al Bell, who led Stax Records in Memphis during the labels 1960s and 70s heyday, has returned to the city as chairman of the Memphis Music Foundation to resuscitate its entertainment stature. AS the peacock-blue Cadillac with the gold trim and fur... more info

Stereogum — Los Angeles-via-Ann Arbor singer/DJ/producer/multi-instrumentalist Mayer Hawthorne basically does everything on A Strange Arrangement, his debut full-length for Stones Throw. He has a sort of throwback Detroit soul sound and cites Isaac Hayes, Curtis... more info

Soul Sides — get down: Black Moses Forever more info

Soul Sides — Jackson 5: Walk On ByFrom Goin' Back to Indiana (Motown, 1972) Public Enemy: By the Time I Get To ArizonaFrom Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black (Def Jam, 1991)Mandrill: Two Sisters of MysteryFrom Just Outside of Town CD (LP version) (Polydor, 1... more info