After initially releasing a terrible box set of Gaye's work, Motown more than made up for it with this package. It's a wonderfully chosen collection of hits and rare cuts that not only catches a dizzying array of great music, but also does what only the best box sets do: casts new light and perspective on the man's music.

Motown's vaults are voluminous but they didn't just load up these four discs with extraneous cuts; they pulled some great, genuinely hard-to-find tracks, some legendary never-before-released songs (esp. the famous "Vulnerable" recordings, which have since been released on their own), and the very best of the album cuts. They gave proper respect to the forgotten masterpiece "Here, My Dear." Perhaps most impressively, they worked out the legal issues with Columbia so that "Sexual Healing" and "Rockin' After Midnight" could be included, which is essential to making this a truly comprehensive collection. They even included two legendary live TV moments: Gaye's take on the Star Spangled Banner (still talked about by everyone who saw it at the 1983 NBA All Star game) and his duet with Gladys Knight on "Grapevine."

Simply put, they captured all the hits and some great hard-to-find moments and put them all together in one very well presented package. (Compare that to their recent Stevie Wonder box, which has tons of terrific, well-known tracks but nothing new or rare.) This box set was assembled with the utmost love and respect. He deserves it and his fans deserve it.

Marvin Gaye is as popular today as he ever was. He music is (unfortunately) constantly being decimated at the hands of "artists" who are in search of creativity while destroying the integrity of an original masterpeice. As a remedy, this box set is sure bring back many a pleasant memory and help curious youngsters view what their parents and a new generation has known for years: Marvin Gaye's music is eternal and without equal. The four discs span his early music career to his puppy-love duets, followed by his artistic rebirth in the 70s, up to his untimely death in 1984 (at the hands of his father.) "Let's Get It On," "What's Going On," Inner City Blues," "I Want You," and other classics never sounded better, since each song is in it's album entirety. Previously unreleased gems such as "Piece of Clay" and "The Lords Prayer" are sure to give the new Marvin Gaye listener a better insight to the man behind the myth. Gaye's art imitates his life throughout the set, sharing with us his pleasure and pain, his happiness & sorrow, all the while creating our own memories. Marvin Gaye's music truly deserves to be preserved, and this set so far has done the best job at doing so. Forget Elvis: Marvin Gaye lives now and forever. His music is a testament to the human spirit. God Bless him! -

The Master 1961-1984 documents Marvin's entire career. The package has 4 discs that are mastered greatly, a book with rare pictures, songs, discography, singles, and a long essay. It has a great design. It has 90 tracks with a bonus track from the 1976 I Want You sessions. This package is filled with Marvin's career as a singer, writer, a somewhat actor.

Marvin Gaye is the gold standard by which all other soul singers are measured. Considering you get 4 CDs crammed full of quality material, without alternate takes to pad them out, this box set is a terrific value.

The first two discs cover the long string of "designed for radio" hits, they are an absolute joy. Songs like, Ain't No Mountain, That's The Way Love Is, If I Could Build My Whole World Around You, etc. are so deeply ingrained into pop culture it's hard to imagine life without them. Whether upbeat or in a ballad, Gaye's voice, passion, and meticulous delivery are irresistible.

The second half of Gaye's career is also well represented, from What's Going On through Let's Get It On and After The Dance. Truly wonderful standouts include live versions of Distant Lover and a rendition of Grapevine featuring Gladys Knight and the Pips.

The only negative is the wretched packaging, a minor complaint that does not interfere with this superb box set. There are many Gaye retrospectives, but this is the only one that really does him justice. Buy it and you will enjoy it for years to come.

The best box sets provide listeners with the chance to hear not only the greatest hits by a favorite artist, but also to expose fans to rare sides and quality "from the vaults" tracks. This collection fits right within that category. Its got "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" and "What's Going On?," but you would expect that from any Marvin Gaye collection. What makes this box set a buy are obscure tracks like "I'm Going Home," "Together We Stand (Divided We Fall)," "Checking Out (Double Clutch)," and "Piece of Clay." The latter track obviously so impressed the producers of the movie, Phenomenon, that it was included in that movie's soundtrack. Also included in this collection are Marvin Gaye's rendition of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" WITH Gladys Knight & the Pips and a haunting recitation of "The Lord's Prayer." With so much of Marvin Gaye's music being a reflection of his own life, this is more than just a music collection, at times you feel like you're reading a personal diary. One particular song that comes to mind is "Anger." Although it was a single from his HERE, MY DEAR divorce album, it could just as well be about Marvin's stormy (and ultimately tragic) relationship with his father. Very powerful.