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The Essential Sly & the Family Stone does what a double-CD best-of/career overview should do: it packs a lot of career highlights into a two-disc set for listeners who want more than the basic greatest hits, but don't want every last album. Of course, all of those greatest hits are here, including a few from 1970 that didn't make it onto album releases at the time. As you'd expect, the fattest slice comes from Sly & the Family Stone's late-'60s/early-'70s peak: in fact, most of the tracks from the Stand! and There's a Riot Goin' On albums are here. The fun extras come in the not-too-well-known tracks from pre-Stand! albums and Fresh (which is actually amply represented, with six cuts). This doesn't quite deserve the highest rating, as the post-There's a Riot Goin' On material doesn't keep up the momentum of the rest of the set. Small Talk and Sly Stone's 1975 solo effort, High on You, are wisely lightly plucked, though at least the hits from those albums are the three cuts selected. This deserves better annotation than the cursory liner notes, but otherwise it's an excellent summary of a major rock and soul band.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
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Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1967 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1967 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1968. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1968 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1968 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1968 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1968 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1968 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1969. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - W. Hughes, Composer - W. Hughes, Lyricist - R. Anthony, Composer - R. Anthony, Lyricist - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - E. Franklin, Composer - E. Franklin, Lyricist - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - R. Wilson, Composer - R. Wilson, Lyricist - B. Scott, Lyricist - B. Scott, Composer - M. Luther, Composer - M. Luther, Lyricist - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1969 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Slyvester Stewart, Composer - Slyvester Stewart, Lyricist - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1969. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Released 1969 Sony Music Entertainment Inc.
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Slyvester Stewart, Composer - Slyvester Stewart, Lyricist - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally Recorded 1969. All rights reserved by SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Slyvester Stewart, Composer - Slyvester Stewart, Lyricist - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1969. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Vocal - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Vocal - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Vocal - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1969. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1969. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1969. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) Originally released 1969. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
DISC 2
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Larry Graham, Bass - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Greg Errico, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
Originally released 1971. All rights reserved by Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1973 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1973 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1973 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1973 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1973 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1973 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1974 SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1974 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Cynthia Robinson, Trumpet - Jerry Martini, Saxophone - Sly & The Family Stone, Performer - Freddie Stone, Vocal - Freddie Stone, Guitar - S. Stewart, Composer - S. Stewart, Lyricist - Rosie Stone, Keyboards - Rusty Allen, Bass - Andy Newmark, Drums - Sly Stone, Producer - Sly Stone, Vocal - Sly Stone, Guitar - Sly Stone, Keyboards -
(P) 1975 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
The Essential Sly & the Family Stone does what a double-CD best-of/career overview should do: it packs a lot of career highlights into a two-disc set for listeners who want more than the basic greatest hits, but don't want every last album. Of course, all of those greatest hits are here, including a few from 1970 that didn't make it onto album releases at the time. As you'd expect, the fattest slice comes from Sly & the Family Stone's late-'60s/early-'70s peak: in fact, most of the tracks from the Stand! and There's a Riot Goin' On albums are here. The fun extras come in the not-too-well-known tracks from pre-Stand! albums and Fresh (which is actually amply represented, with six cuts). This doesn't quite deserve the highest rating, as the post-There's a Riot Goin' On material doesn't keep up the momentum of the rest of the set. Small Talk and Sly Stone's 1975 solo effort, High on You, are wisely lightly plucked, though at least the hits from those albums are the three cuts selected. This deserves better annotation than the cursory liner notes, but otherwise it's an excellent summary of a major rock and soul band.
© Richie Unterberger /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 35 track(s)
- Total length: 02:04:37
- Main artists: Sly & The Family Stone
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Epic - Legacy
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B Funk
This compilation (P) 2003 Sony Music Entertainment
Improve album information
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