Al Green

For soul music lovers, this four-disc, 75-song set of Al Green’s recordings for Hi Records between 1967 and 1977 is a treasure trove of the finest soul ever to roll out of Memphis, Tenn. Green is most remembered for such smooth, romantic hits as “I’m Still in Love with You” and “Let’s Stay Together” that allow his amazingly supple falsetto to wrap around the gorgeously sparse arrangements of Willie Mitchell and the Hi Rhythm Section. But Green could also be a rough-edged soul shouter on a par with Otis Redding, as demonstrated by his singing on “Driving Wheel” in this set. In “Love and Happiness,” written with guitarist Mabon Hodges, Green infuses soul with the blues in a song that also has one of the finest horn arrangements in the set. From gritty rhythm and blues to the highest gospel, Al Green’s music is the honest expression of one man’s soul. And he’s got plenty of it to share.