Saturn, 1963. New Copy (reissue)
Mindblowing music from Sun Ra & The Arkestra – sounds recorded during the same marathon session that gave the world the records Other Planes Of There, When Sun Comes Out, and When Angels Speak Of Love – but titles that are much more obscure overall! The initial release of the
... (Jazz)
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Flying Dutchman/BGP (UK), 1975. New Copy
Lost Latin funk from the Bay Area scene of the 70s – and an album that may well blow away better-known work by groups like Malo, Azteca, or El Chicano! The album's near-perfect right from the start – and brings in plenty of New York elements to the groove, thanks to the inclusion of a
... (Latin)
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CBS/Purpose, 1982. New Copy
A killer late set by Bloodstone – one that holds on to all the excellent harmonies they brought to their 70s work, but which pushes their groove forward in a whole new direction! There's a warm modern glow to the set – one that works perfectly with the vocals – and the quintet
... (Soul)
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Alston/Henry Stone, 1976. New Copy
Funky big band work from Bill Pursell – a set that's got some of the disco charm you'd expect from the image on the cover – but one that also has some other jazzy elements too! There's not really a Nashville sound to the record – at least not in country music terms – and if
... (Soul)
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Atlantic (Japan), 1982. New Copy
A stone killer from Gwen McCrae – a set that's light years past the deep soul of Gwen's Miami roots – and which is given a tight, modern spin by the great Webster Lewis! Lewis produced, and plays plenty of keyboards here – and his fusion-inspired groove really helps unlock a
... (Soul)
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No Business (Lithuania), 2013. New Copy
Dark sounds from three very well-matched players – recording here at Barry Guy's Maya Recordings Festival – which makes for a very comfortable setting! The tracks are all quite long, and feature some of the most abstract sounds we've heard from the players in years – almost more
... (Jazz)
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Blue Note (Japan), 1973. New Copy
Plenty of sass, and plenty of soul – a great mix of modes from the mighty Lou Donaldson! The set has Lou expanding his sound a bit from the harder funk of Blue Note dates from a few years before – working with arranger George Butler, who gives the record a cool electric vibe –
... (Jazz)
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Invictus/Ultra Vybe (Japan), 1977. New Copy
One of the funkiest groups on the Invictus label – a tight combo who've got some wonderful energy throughout! The group may well be the same combo that recorded earlier as the Port Authority Band for the US Navy (we've never been sure of that) – and this album's definitely got the same
... (Soul)
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Now Again/Stones Throw, 2013. New Copy
If this is reality, lead us onward – as the set is a mindblowing batch of trippy psych-funk from The Heliocentrics – even more offbeat and experimental than before, in ways that make the combo the true heirs to the legacy first begun by Stark Reality! The album's definitely funky at
... (Deep Funk)
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Orbitone/Secret Stash, 1973. New Copy (reissue)
Early work from a group who later grew into the famous Ikenga Super Stars Of Africa – recording here in London with a great raw sound – and an unusual mix of modes that's part Afro Funk, part something else entirely! The set's got that unique post-colonial vibe of some of the other
... (Global Grooves)
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Gordy (Japan), 1982. New Copy
An all-star effort from The Temptations – and a well-titled set that has the group brimming over with classic vocal talent! The group's expanded to a seven-piece outfit for the album – with Eddie Kendricks and David Ruffin back in the fold, singing alongside Dennis Edwards, Otis
... (Soul)
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Snapper (UK), Early 60s. New Copy
A stunning look at a legendary London club of the 60s – presented here in a really well-done book-style package – with a CD that's brimming over with the American soul that made it groove so great back in the day! The set does a great job of showing the roots both of Northern soul, and
... (Soul)
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Galaxy (Japan), 1979. New Copy
Tremendous work from Johnny Griffin – one of those players whose talents never dimmed at all – and who's blowing here with all the same sharp intensity he first brought to his initial work in the 50s! The date's a tight acoustic session – with Johnny's bold tenor firmly in the
... (Jazz)
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Sahel Sounds, Mid 90s. New Copy
Indian music with a Nigerian twist – heard here in a set of recordings from the Hausa cinematic scene! At first listen, you can hear the Bollywood influence right away – both in the rhythms of the tunes, which have that festive, bouncing quality of an Indian film music number –
... (Global Grooves)
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Music Box (France), 1970/1978. New Copy
A pair of soundtracks from legendary composer Georges Delerue – beautiful work for Bernardo Bertolucci's Le Conformiste (Il Conformista) from 1970 – and the lesser-remembered, but again quite beautiful La Petite Fille En Velours Bleu from 1978! Le Conformiste has a few modes, ranging
... (Soundtracks)
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Corbett vs. Dempsey, 2013. New Copy
Amazing images from the universe of Sun Ra – a mixture of rare photographs and mural images painted by Aye Aton – sometime percussionist with the Arkestra, and a heck of a great painter too! The book begins with these stunning full color photographs of Ra on the set of Space Is The
... (Books)
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Music Box (France), 1978/1982. New Copy
2 rare soundtracks by French composer Eric Demarsan – 1978's Attention Les Enfants Regardent and 1983's L'Indiscretion – back-to-back! Attention Les Enfants Regardent kicks off with an ethereal choir overture, and from there rolls out some laidback, but moody tracks that steadily build
... (Soundtracks)
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Wide Hive, 2013. New Copy
Larry Coryell gets a definite lift here from the album's tight combo – a trio of players who really help Coryell hit some of the funky heights of many years past! Larry's lost none of the fuzz since his late 60s sides for Vanguard – and he works here with tight bass, drums, and Hammond
... (Jazz)
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Mootrey's, Early 70s. New Copy
Sweet Hammond grooves and deep soul vocals from Wayne Carter – an artist rooted in jazz, but who plays here in a solid funky 45 vibe! The album features a half dozen rare tracks recorded by Carter in western Illinois – gritty little numbers that never even made it to the Chicago scene
... (Soul)
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Secretly Canadian, 2013. New Copy
Diplo's back as Major Lazer – which is now a full-fledged all star project – and still steeped in big, boundary-busting, floor-shaking dancehall influences – with appearances by Santigold, Bruno Mars, Vybes Kartel, Amber from Dirty Projectors, Elephant Man, Wyclef, Shaggy, Opal,
... (New Grooves)
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