Sly & Family Stone - Essential Sly & Family Stone

Long before Michael Jackson and Prince became superstars by fusing rhythmic soul with rock's sense of scale and ambition, a former Northern California deejay and producer named Sylvester Stewart took the vaunted musical utopianism of the '60s and forged it into the cross-cultural, ass-shaking, genre-bending groove monster that was Sly and the Family Stone. James Brown may have invented funk, but S&TFS masterfully tooled and supercharged it into mass-acceptance. No mere greatest hits collection--though they're all here in digitally remastered glory--this 35-track, double-disc anthology delves deeper into the handful of seminal albums the band produced before its leaders' long, troubling slide into drug abuse and oblivion. Given the chronological development, there's a sense here that Stewart/Stone's problems paralleled the increasingly militant and hard-edged stance his band took on albums like the uncompromising classics There's a Riot Going On and Family Affair. Propelled by Larry Graham's locomotive bass lines and accented by rousing horns, Sly and company swooped from the heights of 1969's hit-laden "Stand" towards a darker and more unsettling decade ahead. Few bands have soared higher--or fallen as far. --Jerry McCulley Amazon.com

Great compilation

Any fan of music will like what they put together here. They certainly don't make band like this anymore. Corporate rock and rap has taken over the industry.

Matt Zarnstorff April 12, 2008

Essential for any soul/funk collection

Recommended set for those who are just starting on Sly Stone. It's a great mix of his most accessible tunes with his most socially important work. Remastered sound really makes a difference. February 27, 2008

Cornerstone of 70s Soul/Funk music... A must-have for collectors!

No complete story of American Black Music, can be written without recognizing the contribution of Sly & The Family Stone to Soul and Funk.

Wanna know why? Just listen to "Everyday People", "Thank You Falletin Be Mice Elf Agin", or the superhit "Family Affair". All three -and much more- are included in this double CD album.

Considering the low recording standards at the beginnings of the 1970s, Epic Records has made a fair job in remastering all the best hits of S&TFS to issue this "Essential" collection. February 19, 2008

sly the best

excellent sound all te big hits are here recommend this cd to anyone who likes funky music December 21, 2007

My Jam

This is great, I have been trying to find Loose Booty, for quite a while. You know how growing up some songs seem to stick with you, when you get older, you inquire about the song, and people look at you like, she has to be making this one up. Thanks Amazon.com October 9, 2007

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