Too easily dismissed as little more than a one-hit wonder, Billy Paul was, in fact, one of the most gifted and affecting talents to grace the Philadelphia International stable -- the recipient of some of the Gamble & Huff team's most lush and sophisticated productions. His deeply soulful voice bridged the gap between jazz and soul, textured in equal measure by street-smart swagger and touching vulnerability. Me and Mrs. Jones: The Best of Billy Paul goes far beyond the classic title track...   [ read more ]

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CD $21.83

Being jazzy and actually being jazz are two different things. James Moody, McCoy Tyner, and Sonny Rollins are hardcore jazz musicians; Sting, Anita Baker, Erykah Badu, and Sade are jazzy but aren't actually jazz. And just as Sting brings jazz overtones to pop/rock and Badu represents the jazzier side of neo-soul, Billy Paul Williams shows how nicely jazz influences can work in an electronica setting. Anyone who describes Miles to Go as hardcore jazz is being misleading; jaz...   [ read more ]

CD $12.33