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Revolutionary work from one of the most important talents you never heard of -- 2 jazz/world classics from the amazing Ahmed Abdul-Malik! The CD begins with The Music Of Ahmed Abdul Malik from 1961 -- a record that has the bassist working in a very sophisticated cross-cultural mode -- pulling... read more

A tremendous debut from Ace Spectrum -- a harmony quartet who never cracked the charts as much as some of their east coast contemporaries, but who were every bit as great as the bigger names on the east coast scene! The album's got a soaring sound that's strongly influenced by Philly, but recorded... read more

A masterpiece of east coast harmony soul -- and worth it for the title cut alone! Ace Spectrum are always pretty great, but on this album, they really bust out of the box with some of the most wonderful harmonies they've ever recorded -- set to impeccable arrangements by Patrick Adams, who hits... read more

The second chapter in a mighty 70s trilogy from Ace Spectrum -- a killer set recorded for Atlantic Records, and easily some of the best group soul issued by the label in the decade! Ace Spectrum change things up a bit here from the obvious -- hitting a variety of modes that move between tightness... read more

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Beatiful soul from one of Chicago's greatest female soul artists! Barbara Acklin was not only a great singer, but she also wrote an incredible batch of tracks during her years at the Brunswick label -- most of which were sung by her, and some of which became huge hits for other artists. This set... read more

An obscure soul group, but a great one -- equally at home with a fragile harmony tune as they were with more uptempo groovers for the dancefloor! This one and only album from Act One is a perfect illustration of the best two sides of the east coast indie soul scene of the early 70s -- because some... read more

Rare rocksteady from Glen Adams and Val Bennett -- a beautiful and soulful vocal and instrumental rhythm rediscovered by Pressure Sounds! "She's So Fine" has a raw, moving Bunny Lee production at the core, but it's the vocals from Glen Adams that really push it into sublime territory --... read more

One of Cannonball Adderley's late funky sessions for Fantasy -- and a record that still features some mighty heavy production from David Axelrod! The album's got that core groove that Axe and Cannon first crafted together at Capitol in the 60s -- but the sound here has some definite 70s touches... read more

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame -- working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother... read more

A tremendous combination of Latin roots and contemporary grooves -- the mixing of the Puerto Rican scene with a definite influence from West London -- resulting here in a really righteous batch of tracks! The set's the brainchild of Afronaut, and features a bit of his own work, plus contributions... read more

Titles include "Love Is A Gamble", "You Are My Trophy", "That's The Way It Is", "Somebody Messed Up (parts 1 & 2)", and "Drifting Apart".... read more

Toshiko Akioshi makes a trip back to the Japanese jazz scene in the early 60s -- for this great little session that has her meeting up with "old pals" from previous years -- including Sadao Watanabe on alto sax, Akira Miyazawa on tenor, and Hideo Shiraki on drums! The reunion is a really... read more

A very different album than usual from Jan Akkerman -- but in a really nice way! The album's not nearly as guitar-heavy and rock-leaning as some of Jan's other sets from the 70s -- and has a bubbling sort of soul-based finish, one that's arranged by Akkerman with some help from Mike Gibbs -- and... read more

One of the funkiest soundtracks we've ever heard from Alessandro Alessandroni -- a set that clearly shows he'd been listening to the score for Shaft, as well as a host of 70s sound library music too! There's lots of great Italian cop/crime grooves on the set -- done at an understated level that's... read more

A long-overdue session of ballads from modern tenor giant Eric Alexander -- a player we've always loved for his soaring, leaping lines on soul jazz sets -- but who also has just the right tone to carry off an album of mellow tunes and ballads! Alexander's tone reminds us a lot of the Sonny Rollins... read more

Pure brilliance from tenor giant Eric Alexander -- one of the few modern players we'd put on a par with our favorites from older years! Alexander's got a depth of tone and sense of poise that's simply wonderful on the set -- one that's never staid, but which continues to grow beautifully over the... read more

Live Monty Alexander set from the mid 70s, featuring his groovy group with Ernest Ranglin on guitar, Eberhard Weber on bass, and Kenny Clare on drums. The bass playing's especially good, and there's lots of nice round funky moments in some of the best tracks. Titles include "Feel Like Making... read more

A beautiful later set from Lorez Alexandria -- produced by Houston Person, and put together with a sensitivity that really stands out! Although Lorez always sparkles on tunes that swing, she really rises to the occasion even more here on the ballads -- really gentle tunes that are taken in a... read more

Always-great work from singer Lorez Alexandria -- still sounding wonderful, even at this late date! Her presentation's a bit earthier than before, but no less poised than on earlier sessions -- with the same sense of space and timing that's always made her one of our favorite jazz singers! And as... read more

The second album by this excellent all-female San Francisco jazz combo -- a live date that's even more cooking than their debut! As before, there's a sweetly breezy style to the record -- that hip SF sound of the 70s -- with echoes of Braziliana and soul amidst the group's jazzier leanings -- all... read more

A cool little book that brings together years and years of Miles Davis news, interviews, and features from Downbeat Magazine -- a collection that distills Davis appearances in the magazine from the 40s through the 90s, saving you a heck of a lot of work looking up the articles on their own! The... read more

A guide to essential Old School Rap & Hip Hop from team at the indespensible All Music Guide -- featuring more than 500 music reviews of important records by Grandmaster Flash, Run-DMC, NWA, Beastie Boys, LL Cool J, Public Enemy and so much more -- plus reviews on soul and funk LPs that were... read more

The massive All Music Guide To Rock -- The Definitive Guide To Rock, Pop And Soul (3rd Edition) -- featuring reviews of thousands and thousands albums as rated and reviewed by the exceptional All Music Guide writers! The book is an encyclopedia of pop music from the 50s to the early 00s -- and an... read more

One of the few great Christmas jazz albums recorded in recent years -- one with a classic sound that takes us back to 60s holiday jazz from Blue Note and Prestige! Harry Allen's working here in a no-nonsense mode with organ, guitar, and drums backing him up -- a lean and clean sound that really... read more

A beautiful mix of gospelly soul and heavy Memphis production -- and the kind of heavy soul album that made Rance Allen one of Stax's best new artists during the 70s! David Porter produced and arranged, and the album has some great electric keyboard work by Rance that provides a perfect... read more

A return to Stax by Rance Allen -- his first album for the label after a stellar set for Capitol, and a much smoother set than before! Rance has learned from his work with Larry Mizell on Capitol, and is using a warmer glide on his tracks on this set -- arrangements mostly done by producer Henry... read more

An amazing array of Afro Funk from the legendary Tony Allen -- 4 of his greatest albums ever, packaged together in a single set! The work here was all recorded hot on the heels of Tony's key years with Fela Kuti -- and shares a very similar approach to the groove -- long, stretched out passages... read more

Trumpety genius from Herb Alpert -- a cut that gave him one massive hit to close out the 70s, and a tune that crossed over big into clubs, radio, and plenty of shag-carpeted rec rooms too! And hey, it worked for BIG, right?... read more

Amazing work by a group that you've probably never heard of! The Ambassadors are an incredible Philly soul harmony group -- of the sort that never made it out of the city in the pre-Philly International years, but who had a polish and quality that was every bit as great as bigger-name acts from... read more

Vintage piano work from some boogie woogie giants -- most of it cut before there was even a Delmark Records to issue the material! A good deal of these sides were cut in Chicago in 1939 -- a point when older styles of piano were coalescing into the tightly vamping, highly rhythmic mode that was... read more

Gene Ammons gets the Cannonball Adderley treatment -- as he blows funky solos over an album arranged and conducted by David Axelrod! Brasswind has a larger, fuller funky sound than some of his earlier work for Prestige -- and it works very well! The overall sound's a bit smoother, but Axelrod's... read more

A more laidback set than usual from Ammons' early 70s stretch on Prestige -- but a record that nicely gets back to that big-toned tenor sound he used often on ballads from earlier years! The combo mixes both electric piano and organ -- the former from Hank Jones, the latter from Ernie Hayes -- and... read more

Although late in the Prestige jazz funk years, and not in the small combo mode of some of Ammons' best early 70s sides, this is still an excellent batch of tracks -- thanks to hip arrangements from Bill (William S?) Fisher! The format's almost in a Kudu/CTI mode, as larger arrangements envelope... read more

Great boogie from Amuzement Park -- a group that should have lasted longer than they did! "Groove Your Blues Away" is a snapping little jammer that builds up wonderfully -- bass hooking you in, snippets of horn adding soul, and ensemble vocals that really send the tune over the top! A... read more

Haunting vocal work from the republic of Georgia -- choral recordings that remind us a lot of the famous Bulgarian voices sides that circulated decades back -- but with a male-based membership that makes for a deeper sound overall! The CD's one of the first in a line of new ethnographic recordings... read more

Anti Pop Consortium is back after a lengthy hiatus -- and it's a blast -- laser cauterized funk beats, squealing synth funk, and innovative rhymes from Beans, Blaize, Hi Priest and Sayyid! The crew is in a unique position for this comeback record, in that they can pick up pretty close to where... read more

First, we'll confess, we've been in love with the Aqua Teens since first stumbling upon it, bleary-eyed, on latenight cable tee vee a bunch of years ago. OK, with that said, take with however many grains of salt our word that this is the absolute funniest comedy Christmas album we've heard in... read more

High-stepping disco from Arpeggio -- an album of longer tracks with a really soaring feel! The groove here is tight, but never schmaltzy -- with arrangements and production by Simon Soussan, and an overall feel that's more powerfully driven by the instrumentation in the set than the group's sweet... read more

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago -- and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer -- and plays with a creative tightness that you'll... read more

Probably the greatest album ever by the Art Ensemble of Chicago -- and also one of their rarest! The album was cut for Pathe Marconi in Paris in 1970, and was the soundtrack to a film that was as obscure as the album. The group's never been finer -- and plays with a creative tightness that you'll... read more

The long unseen film Les Stances A Sophie -- the reason for the Art Ensemble Of Chicago's avant garde classic soundtrack that's one of our favorite albums of all time -- and a worthwhile film that's been lost for nearly 40 years! Les Stances A Sophie is kind of a post French New Wave era film with... read more

By this point, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson are firmly holding the foreground as artists in their own right after many years of acting as songwriters for other soul and R&B hitmakers, and this self produced album continues in their tradition of sophisticated soul and rich balladry. With a... read more

Excellent work from Ashford & Simpson -- with some modern soul groovers that are among the best they ever did! The album includes their original reading of "Top Of The Stairs", a great sexy soul duet that was later done by Collins & Collins -- and it's also got a fantastic... read more

Funky African work from Fred Fisher -- a Nigerian trombonist who crafted his own unique groove at the end of the 70s! Fred both sings and plays trombone -- the latter with a Fred Wesley-like soulfulness -- and his rhythms here are really wide-ranging, and embrace a host of new styles coming into... read more

The old school Attica, with a sound that mixed Nu Soul, Nu Jazz, hip hop, breakbeat and even a bit of jungle into a Headz-y downtempo brew. Some of the best the "trip hop" scene had to offer.... read more

A Brian Auger double-header -- two great albums back to back in a single set! First up is Definitely What -- Brian Auger's first album away from singer Julie Driscoll -- and a landmark batch of funky organ work that made big waves in both the rock and jazz worlds at the time! Auger's really... read more

A sweet little album of funky instrumental guitar! The record's one of the most obscure on the Westbound label -- and it features guitar player Donald Austin going to town on 13 short little cuts with a tripped-out funky groove -- sometimes fuzzy, usually funky, and always with that heavier kind... read more

Sublime mid 70s work from The Average White Band -- and a record that really has the group deepening their groove a bit -- moving past the heavier funk of their roots, into some mellower grooves that are totally great! There's a great undercurrent of jazz in some of the playing here -- a real... read more

Seminal early funk work from Roy Ayers! The record catches him at that perfect point when he was turning from a straight jazz player into a sinister force in 70s funk -- and the group on the session includes super-hip soul jazz giants like Charles Tolliver, Sonny Fortune, and Harry Whitaker,... read more

Doobie-doo doobie-doo! One of the catchiest Roy Ayers dancefloor tracks ever -- a bassy bumping thumper that wonderfully skirts the line between clubby and funky! The track's got female vocals singing along with the hook -- all in a mode that's quite similar to the most uptempo work by Ramp --... read more

Second LP from Nas's rhyming partner, from the days before Jay Z decided to take QB down a notch. Pretty much overlooked but not a bad effort, and nearly as dope as his first album. Includes "I'm Known", "How Ya Livin", "The Payback", "Pieces Of A (Black)... read more

Excellent bit of west coast Latin fusion -- featuring an all star band that includes such massive talents as Pete Escovedo, George Muribus, Paul Jackson, Lenny White, Coke Escovedo, and Victor Pantoja. The groove is nice and smooth, with a Bay Area early 70s sound on the production tip -- and in a... read more

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career -- a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah -- and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her... read more

Not one filler track on this strong debut LP from one of the dopest female MC's in a while. And without the soft porn gimmicks MC's too often use to get over. Tracks include "True Honey Buns", "I Confess", "Word Play", "UKNOWHOWWEDU", "3 Tha Hard... read more

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Balkan Beats galore -- a sweet set of remixes handled by Nickodemus, Dub Gabriel, and others -- all in a mode that follows strongly in the spirit and strengths of the originals! As with the core BBB grooves, the rhythms here are pretty contemporary, but the instrumentation carries echoes of older... read more

Nothing but good, and it's all pretty darn great -- an amazing array of wonderful music from the mighty Hank Ballard! The set starts with Hank's key early years with The Midnighters -- at a time when the group were cutting some mighty raunchy R&B -- then it moves up to Ballard's surprisingly... read more

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One of the best instrumental records to come out of Memphis, and a real kicker by the funky band that went down with Otis Redding in the tragic plane crash in 1968! The leadoff track is the group's amazing hit "Soul Finger", a stormin' instrumental with a wailing brassy sound that... read more

Searing live work from Gato Barbieri -- a brilliant little album that follows on the spirit of his other Latin America sessions for Impulse! The format here is similar to those studio outings -- an organic blend of percussion, keyboards, and sax -- all bubbling together in a highly rhythmic mode... read more

Amazing work from Gato Barbieri's legendary exploration of Latin American sounds for Impulse Records -- a set that's heavy on Cuban influences, thanks to arrangements from the mighty Chico O'Farrill! The sound is sublime -- a bit fuller than some of Gato's other albums in the run, but never with... read more

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A great Ray Barretto album from 1972 -- one that beautifully showcases the master percussionist as he effortlessly shifts between Latin soul and 70's salsa styles! The group's nice and lean -- with Adalberto Santiago on vocals, Papy Roman on trumpet, Louis Cruz on piano, and the great Andy... read more

Two of Ray Barretto's earliest albums, both recorded for the Riverside label at the start of his career! Latino has an approach to Latin jazz that's certainly informed by the charanga sound of the New York scene in the early 60s -- but one that's also opened up a bit more to new ideas -- bits of... read more

Sublime 70s work from Kenny Barron -- a record that really has him stretching out strongly from his roots in the 60s, and sounding almost even more inventive than on some of his later material as well! Kenny's playing a fair bit of keyboards on the set -- showing a wonderful sensitivity for... read more

Early soul jazz brilliance from a young Gary Bartz -- music that pre-dates his Ntu Troup, and his work with Larry Mizell! Libra is fantastic early work from Gary -- and probably his rarest record ever! The album was cut at a time when the young Bartz was first coming to prominence in the hip... read more

A key early pairing of saxophonist Gary Bartz and producer Larry Mizell -- working here together before their more famous collaboration on Capitol Records, in a sound that's even more freewheeling and open-ended! Bartz still has a bit of an edge in his horn here -- the style laid down heavily on... read more

Classic Chicago soul from this hard hitting diva who predated Aretha Franklin's Atlantic soul sides by a few years, and who sang with as much fire and fury as the Atlantic soul sister. This early LP is a great set of hard soul tracks with razor sharp Chess production, and a strong batch of tracks... read more

A rare 1970 set from Italian tenorist Gianni Basso -- a set that's easily one of the greatest examples of his talents we've ever heard! Basso's tone on tenor is amazing -- blown with a sense of freedom that's breathtaking, with odd phrasings and voicings that are extremely personal -- almost in... read more

Stunning soul from the great Joe Bataan -- a really groundbreaking mix of modes that's right up there with the best of the Spanish Harlem scene of the late 60s! The album is Joe Bataan's debut for the Fania Records label -- and the start of an incendiary run of Latin classics that forever changed... read more

A landmark album from Joe Bataan -- so great, that it made the entire record company change its name! The record has Joe really bursting out after his seminal Latin Soul work of the late 60s -- blending Latin rhythms and American soul into a whole new style of music -- one that Joe called "Sal... read more

Fantastic funkiness! Although Les Baxter's best known for his easy listening work in the late 50's/early 60's, this 1969 biker flick soundtrack is a motherlode of funky funky tracks, and a veritable cornucopia of breakbeats! Highlights include the classics "Hogin' Machine" and "Hot... read more

The last true classic from the masters of the 80s groove genre -- a post-Capitol effort for Elektra, but one that's still awash in great keyboards and snapping electro beats! Some of the jazzier sound from the past is gone here, but in its place is a leaner, cleaner sound that's still a fair bit... read more

Includes Boogie Down Productions' amazing "Essays On BDP-ism" that was never released on another LP or single. Supposedly one of the last songs produced by Scott La Rock that was left off Criminal Minded. With 9 other tracks including Run-DMC "Raising Hell", Kool Moe Dee "... read more

A harmony heaven way to enjoy the Holiday! The group's version of Christmas has to be one of the best-ever recorded in rock and roll -- and given the undercurrent of sadness that was coming forth in their non-Holiday hits of the period, the style here is perfect to fit the melancholy mood of the... read more

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Late 90s Beasties remixes featuring Prince Paul's take on "Root Down", Ad Rock's remix of "Countdown" and the drum & base remix of "Intergalactic" -- plus "Smoke The Pipe" and"Scratching Battle".... read more

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Funky breaks and loops -- reportedly put together by Madlib, which is no surprise to us, as the flavor of the single is very much in the vein of the recent Yesterday's New Quintet album! Like that one, this set is very much in a classic jazz funk mode -- with bits of 70s electric CTI-type grooves... read more

A platter of Madlib beats -- the first in a series of instrumental hip hop from 'Lib's Beat Konducta (formerly Beat Conductor) moniker! Madlib's production work has always had a filmic groove, and this set collects and assembles the most cinematic of said beats into an (unsurprisingly) incredible... read more

Madlib returns as Beat Konducta for the second volume of his Movie Scenes program -- a straight up aural film festival on wax -- and perhaps the most hotly anticipated sequel since Return Of The King! There's really no going wrong with Movie Scenes. Madlib's beats on both volumes are short, and... read more

Hazy beatcraft steeped in Indian soundtrack style funk, strings and percussion from the indefatigable Madlib -- Volume 3 in the increasingly adventurous and conceptual outings of the Beat Konducta! This time out Madlib, er, Beat Konducta is conducting beats, strings & things from India and/or... read more

The long awaited sides C & D in Madlib's incredible blend of Bombay soundtrack-styled funk, blunted Eastern beats, and all round stunning Middle Eastern accented hip hop instros! This time out Madlib, er, Beat Konducta is conducting beats, strings & things from India and/or otherwise East... read more

A mad funky suite from the Beat Konducta -- Vol 5 in the evolving, unpredictable series of deep, crackling beatcraft -- this one a tribute to Dilla! Dil Cosby Suite is as solid as any of the volumes to date, compellingly funky and in more of Madlib's heady hip hop mode than some of the more... read more

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A lost classic of the spiritual soulful Detroit/Tribe jazz scene! Initially issued on the Gem Eye label in 1974, in a pressing of only 1000, the record's done nothing but increase in legend since -- and for good reason too! The groove picks up in the same domain as the better Art Ensemble Of... read more

A lost classic of the spiritual soulful Detroit/Tribe jazz scene! Initially issued on the Gem Eye label in 1974, in a pressing of only 1000, the record's done nothing but increase in legend since -- and for good reason too! The groove picks up in the same domain as the better Art Ensemble Of... read more

A magical assortment of music from Archie Bell & The Drells -- the legendary Texas funk who first got on a Philly groove with early help from the team of Gamble & Huff on Atlantic -- here returning the favor with 3 really wonderful albums done for the pair's Philly International label! If... read more

A second chapter for boy band 80s soul! After Bobby Brown set off on his own, the remaining three members of New Edition decided to remain a group and give it a go, and far from being a sad collection of the leftover members, their debut album was actually one of many successful New Jack Swing... read more

A beautiful bit of 70's grooviness from one of our favorite Italian composers! This set brings together 2 extremely rare soundtracks by the great Alberto Baldan Bembo, and they're both a fantastic mix of Fender Rhodes piano, vibes, wah wah guitar, and stunningly sensuous orchestrations. All of... read more

A samba soul masterpiece from Jorge Ben -- one of the most brilliant records to come out the fertile late 60s Brazilian scene -- and an incredible album that works with the psychedelic flourishes of Ben's contemporaries and a deeper undercurrent of soul & funk! This is one of the most amazing... read more

One of the grooviest records ever from Brit Easy maestro Brian Bennett -- a late 60s set that definitely lives up to its London Noise promise! Instrumentation here includes organ and piano from Alan Hawkshaw and Jim Sullivan -- plus some great guitar from Richie Tattersall, whose chromatic lines... read more

A sweet swinging Christmas from the legendary Tony Bennett -- a set that features some wonderful backing from the Count Basie Big Band, which includes a core quartet with Monty Alexander on piano! There's a really old school Holiday feel here -- the kind of Christmas record that could have been... read more

A sweet swinging Christmas from the legendary Tony Bennett -- a set that features some wonderful backing from the Count Basie Big Band, which includes a core quartet with Monty Alexander on piano! There's a really old school Holiday feel here -- the kind of Christmas record that could have been... read more

A young Tony Bennett, smiling warmly in the studio -- almost signaling the change in style he was hitting at the time of this 1959 recording session! The image has Bennett next to sheet music for "Smile", which he'd record famously for Columbia -- and the photo is printed digitally on... read more

A great early CTI session by George Benson, and one of the most stripped-down, straight-ahead funky records he did for the label! There's a version of "So What" on here that completely cuts down the version that Ronnie Jordan released a few years ago, with a nice funky groove and a good... read more

A sweet 70s collection of late 60s work from George Benson -- tracks recorded in 1968 for Verve, originally from the albums Giblet Gravy and Goodies! The set list here really does a great job of picking out the best numbers -- the kind of clean, lean tunes that were pushing Benson from his soul... read more