New releases last two weeks: Funk/Reissues

Review: Chicago-born singer James "Baby Huey" Ramey's only full-length album, released posthumously in 1971, remains one of the sharpest hidden gems of psychedelic soul. Produced and completed by Curtis Mayfield after Huey's untimely death at age 26, the record bursts with raw, genre-melting powerifrom the explosive groove of 'Hard Times', famously sampled by A Tribe Called Quest and Ice Cube, to the deeply soulful covers of Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Going To Come' and The Mamas & the Papas' 'California Dreaming'. Cuts like 'Mama Get Yourself Together' and 'Running' showcase Huey's towering voice, mixing gospel intensity with an almost proto-rap directness. Newly remastered from the original tapes by Chris Bellman, this reissue, pressed onto heavyweight vinyl, gives deserved clarity and warmth to Huey's powerful, forward-thinking music, reaffirming his lasting influence across hip-hop, funk, and soul.