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A late 70s dancefloor soul set from Mascara – an album and group that's notable for a number of reasons – most importantly for being a pre-solo star showcase for the great Luther Vandross! Mascara is an interesting international joint effort – with instrumental tracks recorded in... read more

A decade's worth of magic from the mighty Hugh Masekela – a sweet little set that brings together some of his most groovy tracks of the late 60s and early 70s – in a collection that's overflowing with goodness! Hugh's got a style here that's unlike anyone else – an approach that's... read more

Sweet South African soul from Hugh Masekela – a set that shows that Hugh's greatness certainly hasn't dimmed with time! There's a warm, captivating sound to the record that draws us in right away – a maturity to Masekela's approach – a depth that not only stretches back to his... read more

The sensuous soul gem from Barbara Mason – a sweetly soulful groover all the way – one of her strongest albums of the 70s! Give Me Your Love earns our love from the open second, and it features the great title hit, a reworking of Curtis Mayfield's "Give Me Your Love",... read more

A pivotal album for Barbara Mason – one in which she takes the little girl soul sound of earlier albums, and turns it into a sophisticated range of emotions that foreshadows later Philly work by singers like Jean Carn and Phyllis Hyman! Despite the Philly arrangements by Ronnie Baker, Norman... read more

We'll be honest, we like Barbara Mason more as an adult artist than we do as a younger one – especially the way she sounds on sets like this! The album's got a great gentle groove at times – Butch Ingram production that brings in modern, mature elements – but also somehow unlocks... read more

One of the best solo records from Harvey Mason – best known as the drummer on some really monster 70s funky fusion sessions (such as Johnny Hammond's Gears album) – but a surprisingly well-rounded R&B artist overall! As with Norman Connors, another fusion drummer gone soul star,... read more

One of our favorite albums ever – and every track is a masterpiece! The album was originally cut for the tiny Chiaroscuro label in 1977 – and it's got a sound that's unlike anything else we can think of – soaring, soulful, jazzy, and righteous – wrapped up in a blend that's... read more

Weird and wild work from producer/performer Jean-Pierre Massiera – the force behind Les Maledictus Sound, and an even crazier talent on his own! The tracks on this first volume are completely over the top – a psychotic, psychedelic blend of fuzzy guitars, rough percussion, spare... read more

A Sunshine Pop treasure – and a record that perfectly straddles a few different strands of late 60s pop! The quintet have fabulous harmonies – of the sort rooted in The Four Freshmen, and given a sunny finish by The Beach Boys – but they also move here in a way that prefaces soft... read more

A record of pure genius and one of the greatest albums ever to come out of the British jazz rock scene – in an expanded 2CD package – with BBC and Peel Sessions, plus previously unreleased studio material! Matching Mole was a bit of a supergroup at the time – one that featured... read more

Fantastic work from this legendary British prog/jazz/rock group that featured Robert Wyatt and Phil Miller – with a full CD of bonus material! Little Red Record was originally one of the only two they ever cut, and it sounds like a mix between Wyatt-era Soft Machine material, and some of... read more

Two gems from Johnny Mathis' mid 60s years at Mercury Records – one classic album, and another previously unreleased session! First up is Love Is Everything – an album that's got Johnny working with arranger Glenn Osser – who always seemed to set the right tone to unlock the best... read more

A pair of gems from Johnny Mathis' years at Mercury Records – back to back on a single CD! First up is So Nice, an album that definitely lives up to its title – with a sound that extends strongly from the lushness of Mathis' early 60s recordings, but which also has a bit of a nod to... read more

A sweet 80s set from Johnny Mathis – one of those great later albums when he brought a good deal of soul into the mix! The feel here is almost more modern R&B than the vocal jazz mode that first brought Johnny fame – and it turns out that the Mathis mode is wonderful for such a... read more

Two Johnny Mathis gems from his years at Mercury Records – back to back on a single CD! Sweetheart Tree is a unique album – in that it represents some unusual London sessions from Johnny Mathis – material recorded in the UK with different arrangers than usual – including... read more

A pair of Mercury Records albums from Johnny Mathis – on CD for the first time ever! Tender Is The Night is tremendous work from Johnny's short years on Mercury – a set that has the singer hitting a new level of maturity in his music – thanks in part to arrangements from Don... read more

A pair of Mercury Records albums from Johnny Mathis – back to back on a single CD! First up is This Is Love – a record that really sparkles, thanks to backings from Allyn Ferguson, done in that perfect mix of soft strings and shimmering brass that seems to work best for the vocals of... read more

The one and only album from Detroit underground legend Ronn Matlock – but a modern soul classic through and through! By the time of this late 70s set, Matlock had spent nearly a decade working under Motor Town legends like Norman Whitfield and the Holland-Dozier-Holland team – and he... read more

A really nice set from Ian Matthews – who cut his teeth a few years earlier with Fairport Convention – and gets a little help here from fellow Fairporters Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson. Ian's warmth in the vocal department really glows here – and the sound overall brings in... read more

One of the 2 terrific records ex-Fairport Convention singer-songwriter Ian Matthews cut for the Vertigo label in the early 70s – built around Matthews wonderful vocals and acoustic guitars, but with a tighter rhythmic backdrop the the typical post folk trope! The key here is warmth –... read more

A compelling combination of Brazilian forro and jazz, with a touch of American roots thrown in for good measure – all served up in a style that's pretty darn unique! Bold accordion lines are at the lead on most numbers – much more Brazilian than any sort of US or European use of the... read more

A pair of funky jazz sets from Bennie Maupin – '77's Slow Traffic To The Right and '78's Moonscapes – together in a single set! Slow Traffic To The Right is Maupin's first LP for Mercury, and a great bit of spiritual funky jazz that recalls a lot of the sound of his work with The... read more

Very groovy work from Paul Mauriat – quite different than his hit albums of the 60s, with lots of cool electronic touches and kind of a spacey feel overall! The set definitely plays on its Chromatic title, with tunes that each have kind of a different color to their sound – sometimes... read more

Two groovy sets from Paul Mauriat – both recorded in the magic year of 1966! More Mauriat really has Paul opening up with some hipper 60s sounds than usual – taking on a whole bunch of American pop tunes of the time, and retuning a French orchestral approach towards leaner, meaner... read more

Two albums recorded a bit later than the initial 60s hit run for easy maestro Paul Mauriat – both with a more pronounced approach to the groove! Overseas Call was recorded in New York, and has Mauriat bringing in plenty of disco elements throughout – using soaring strings with tighter... read more

A great album that's often overlooked amidst the flurry of early 70s releases on Curtom, but which stands as one of Mayfield's greatest from the 70s! In fact, we'd say that the album's one that we enjoy putting on more than most – because the songs are less familiar, and not nearly as played-... read more

Seminal solo sounds from the great Curtis Mayfield – a perfect package that sums of everything that's great about his early years at Curtom Records! The music here is as revolutionary today as it was back in the early 70s – proud, righteous songs that are filled with power and politics... read more

Curtis Mayfield's lasting classic – and an album that the world will remember forever! Apart from being his hugely successful entry into the blacksploitation soundtrack field, this album's also a monster set of grooves that includes some of Curtis' funkiest work ever – a record that... read more

A smashing 2CD set – one that features two very compelling albums from the lovely Maysa! First up is a self-titled album from 1964 – one of Maysa's first efforts ever, and done in the sweet style of the legendary Elenco label! The set's a live one, and features light bossa... read more

The emotions may be intense, but they're never overdone – thanks to the great standards set by the legendary Ensaio TV show – easily one of the best ways to hear a Brazilian artist up close! The set's from the 70s, a time when Maysa wasn't recording as much as during her 60s fame... read more

One of the most striking records so far from the mighty Rob Mazurek – a set that makes us more than glad we've been following his musical journey for the past two decades! The set's got a nicely compressed feel – one that takes some of the looser energy that's been bubbling up in... read more

One of the hippest albums ever cut by Letta Mbulu – a perfect mix of her Soweto roots and the funky styles of her adopted California home! The album's the only one that Mbulu ever recorded for Fantasy Records – and the style brings together those great sing-song vocal modes perfected... read more

Glittering sunshine pop throughout! MC Squared has a name that may sound like a weak late 80s crossover rapper, but the group's a killer harmony act from late 60s Reprise Records – produced to perfection by Lenny Waronoker, and given the same mix of tight studio and hip undercurrents that... read more

A great record with a really great little lineup – rock-solid players who come together wonderfully under the vision of the leader! Christian McBride's really found a way to focus his energy in recent years – and this quintet set is great proof of that – a refining of all the... read more

70s country genius from CW McCall – the man who took the trucker style to a whole new level! Trucker country had been around for at least a decade before CW cracked the charts – mostly tracks about the hard life, lost loves, and weary eyes of the truck driver in the US. But McCall... read more

An amazing collection of work from Toussaint McCall – a set that finally gives this classic soul singer his due! McCall stands as one of the best southern soul singers of his time – and one who's often painfully overshadowed by the better known singers on Atlantic and the larger labels.... read more

A very hip record of vocal tracks – done in the same sort of spiritual soul style that Les introduced on Roberta Flack's first album, and which was also showing up on some of Donny Hathaway's work for Atlantic. While the record is not on of McCann's funkiest, it more than makes up for that... read more

A pretty great set from Les McCann – and quite a bit different than some of his other work of the time! This one's sub-billed as "the ballad style of Les McCann" – but it features Les playing these laidback, mellow numbers that are way different than most jazz ballads of the... read more

A full blown duets album by Bonnie Prince Billy and Dawn McCarthy of Faun Fables –co-headlining a straight-up beautiful set of tunes once sung by The Everly Brothers! They're not going for the hits here, rather taking on some of the more unusual Everly originals and covers – which... read more

An early moment of genius from post-Beatles Paul McCartney – a solo set that's wonderfully diverse throughout – filled with the kinds of cool little twists and turns we loved in his late Beatles records, and in his 70s killers with Wings! There's a newly-emerging sweetness going on... read more

A classic set of soul jazz from Chicago – a rare indie date recorded in the early 80s, but with a tight and swinging feel that's more 70s jazz funk than you might think! Corky's on Yamaha keyboards, and he's backed by a hip group of Chicago players that includes Curtis Prince on drums, Artee... read more

A heck of a lot of music for one mighty nice price – a fan-selected collection of the best tracks from Frank McComb, packaged here with a bonus disc of rare material too! Frank's always been very plugged in to his followers – and for this collection, he went to his audience and asked... read more

A sweet slice of work from Frank McComb – and a wonderful example of the warmth and soulful energy he brings to his live performances! The album captures Frank in front of a very appreciative hometown audience in Atlanta – mixing his amazing vocals and sweet keyboard lines beautifully... read more

A brilliant setting for the soulful Frank McComb – a stretched out live performance that unlocks a whole new side of Frank's talents, and makes us love him even more than before! The tunes are very laidback – and McComb accompanies himself on Fender Rhodes and acoustic piano with an... read more

A beautiful debut from Frank McComb – a singer we've really grown to love and know well from his indie releases of the 21st Century, but who surprisingly got his start on a major label! The album's near perfect all the way through – as wonderful a mellow soul document as you could hope... read more

A slim little package, but a record that's overflowing with soul – one of the best full sets to date from the mighty Frank McComb – one of our favorite contemporary soul singers of the past few decades! Frank's got a joyous, soulful flow that's somewhere in a space between the 70s work... read more

Incredible work from neo soul maestro Frank McComb – the kind of a record that will have you saying "dang, what's that classic jam" – and then being amazed that it's a brand new set from Frank! The record surpasses even the quality of Frank's amazing album The Truth –... read more

Mindblowing work from the mighty Frank McComb – an all-instrumental set, but one that's every bit as soulful as his vocal outings! As you might guess from the title, Frank's paying tribute to some of the greats from years past – and as you'd think from the electric piano on the cover,... read more

A striking little set from vibesman Freddie McCoy – not just for the cool superhero image on the front cover, but also for the tight grooves underneath! The album's one of McCoy's most unified for Prestige – as all tracks feature a core quartet with Freddie on vibes, Charlie Wilson on... read more

A Miami soul classic from the 70s – and a legendary pairing of George and Gwen McCrae – with results that soar past the individual work by the pair! Gwen's vocals are killer – deep, soulful, and still with the bite of her own TK albums – and the grooves here echo a bit more... read more

The Diamond Touch here is from Gregg Diamond – who brings a real Bionic Boogie feel to this album for George McCrae – a sound that shifts slightly from the Miami soul approach of earlier records, moving George up to New York for the session, and coming up with a strong disco groove... read more

A warm soul classic from the great George McCrae – his first album after cracking big with Rock Your Baby – and a surprisingly deep effort that goes past the obvious cash-in TK mode of the time! KC & The Sunshine Band back up George on most of the record, and the album's got that... read more

An underground gem from Gwen McCrae – and the record that first set the tone for her dancefloor classics for Atlantic in the 80s! The album has Gwen shaking off some of the southern soul of her roots – stretching the genre out to hit notes that are much more in tune with modern soul of... read more

An underground gem from Gwen McCrae – and the record that first set the tone for her dancefloor classics for Atlantic in the 80s! The album has Gwen shaking off some of the southern soul of her roots – stretching the genre out to hit notes that are much more in tune with modern soul of... read more

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... read more

An incredible step forward for 60s soul singer Gene McDaniels – so much so, that most folks hearing this album can't believe he's the same guy who recorded for Liberty Records a few years before! The album's incredibly righteous right from the start – and has a genre-busting quality... read more

A sweet Atlantic soul groover from Brother Jack McDuff – and a set that has him tightening up his Hammond sound from his earlier years at Prestige Records! The tunes here are short and punched-up – almost instrumental soul numbers in their construction, but still filled with plenty of... read more

Tight funky instrumentals from Brother Jack McDuff – an Atlantic groover that's probably closer to his late 60s gems for Cadet Records than it is his earlier work for Prestige! The solos are shorter, but they're packed nicely around the rhythms – played by a combo that features a young... read more

A monster record by Brother Jack McDuff, and one of his best-ever – in our humble opinion! At first glance, the album appears to be just a bunch of jazz covers of standards and pop tracks – like "Tobacco Road", "Shadow Of Your Smile", "This Bitter Earth",... read more

2 of the greatest albums ever by Jack McDuff – back to back on one CD! Soulful Drums of Joe Dukes was originally issued under the name of McDuff's famous mid-60s funky drummer, Joe Dukes – but it's actually a McDuff session, recorded with the classic quartet lineup that includes Red... read more

An unusual little soundtrack to this obscure pre-Roots film about slavery – handled with some very nice touches from Gary McFarland, Bobby Scott, and Grady Tate! The music is penned by Scott, and is mostly in that hip blend of jazz and soul roots that he was using on some of his own 60s... read more

A holy grail, and one of the only records ever cut by Donna McGhee – an incredibly soulful club singer who worked with both Patrick Adams and Roy Ayers! This album's her legendary side for the team of Adams and Greg Carmichael – and it's got a sweet and mellow groove that's unlike... read more

Howard McGhee and his trumpet team up with pianist Phineas Newborn, bassist Leroy Vinnegar and Shelley Manne on drums for this great early 60s session. The record features the McGhee original "Demon Chase" and two Teddy Edwards songs, "Sunset Eyes" and his salute to McGhee... read more

Amazing sounds from the legendary Chris McGregor – a rare set of solo piano performances that shows a whole new side of his genius! The music here is still steeped in South African roots, yet has a style that's a bit more personal and intimate than some of Chris' better-known recordings with... read more

Amazing music from Chris McGregor and his legendary Brotherhood Of Breath ensemble – easily one of the most exciting forces in British jazz in the 70s, and one fo the few who was still sounding their best in the latter half of the decade! McGregor's got as much bite and burn here as with his... read more

Smooth sailing with the legendary Freddie McGregor – and a pretty sweet late career cruise with a Jamaican musical legend! Breezy, easygoing and the right mix of contemporary and classic craft. Includes "Move Up Jamaica", a sweetly grooving Caribbean cover of The Beatles classic... read more

One of the most spiritual albums to come from the young AACM movement in Chicago – a session that's somewhat equal in expression to some of the best post-Coltrane work on Impulse Records! Maurice McIntyre plays here with a sound that's already fully formed – an approach to the tenor... read more

Rare treats from the late 70s Black Ark archive – the Lee Scratch Perry-produced recordings of soulful singer Candy McKenzie! These numbers were recorded in 1977 when Scratch and Black Ark studios were in peak form – and sure enough, the production and musicianship is top notch and... read more

An overlooked gem! During the mid 70s, Jackie McLean cut a few fantastic records that had a very spiritual vibe, and which added in a lot more soul than in previous sessions from the 60s. Part of the strength of these recordings – including this one – is the other musicians in the... read more

A real mind-trip – and an incredible document of the times – not just ideas floating around in the late 60s, but also new ways of making records too! The album is loosely based around ideas and writings from The Medium Is The Massage – McLuhan's important 1967 book, co-written... read more

A beautiful title, and a record that really lives up to it too – filled with evocative piano lines from Murray McNabb – a really great player with a strong sense of flow! The session's an overlooked one – finally out now – and it's got the feel of some lost classic from the... read more

The amazing debut of Ronnie McNeir – a 70s soul maestro we'd rank right up there with Donny Hathaway, Leroy Hutson, or Leon Ware – but one who's possibly even more impressive, given that he cut this record when he was only 22 years old! The album's quite heavy on keyboards –... read more

Extraordinary work from one of the true giants of the American scene – a mindblowing set of mostly solo sounds from reedman Joe McPhee – also working here on flugelhorn and a bit of percussion as well! The set begins with the incredible "Glasses" – a piece that appears... read more

Searing early work from Joe McPhee – quite possibly his hardest-hitting recording of the 70s, even if the material wasn't properly issued until 25 years later! The performance was done for radio station WBAI in New York – and it features McPhee, Clifford Thornton, and Byron Morris... read more

A partial tribute to the music of Max Roach – particularly that crucial moment of righteous Civil Rights energy during his Freedom Now period – handled here with great sensitivity by the trio of Joe McPhee on tenor, soprano sax, and clarinet, Lisle Ellis on bass, and Paul Plimley on... read more

A beautiful set of tributes to the legendary Albert Ayler – presented here in a series of improvisations from different assemblages of players – some solo, some duo, and some in larger groups – all working together in a legacy of sound that really takes off from the amazing tones... read more

A really beautiful batch of tracks from Charles McPherson – with a late 60s approach to soul jazz that reminds us of some of the work by Sonny Criss on Prestige, or of some of Cedar Walton's sessions from the same time. McPherson's moved way past his earlier bop roots here – stretching... read more

A great illustration of the genius of Carmen McRae in the 70s – a record that easily shows why Carmen was hipper than most of her contemporaries from two decades before! The set has the vocalist somehow managing to still stick in a straight jazz style, without going for cheaper soul routines... read more

A great illustration of the genius of Carmen McRae in the 70s – a record that easily shows why Carmen was hipper than most of her contemporaries from two decades before! The set has the vocalist somehow managing to still stick in a straight jazz style, without going for cheaper soul routines... read more

Carmen McRae really opens up on this sweet 70s set for Blue Note – expanding past the traditional jazz of her roots, and even some of the groovier work of her Atlantic years – into a sweeping, contemporary sound that's all adult, all the way! The vibe is great – in the same... read more

Carmen McRae really opens up on this sweet 70s set for Blue Note – expanding past the traditional jazz of her roots, and even some of the groovier work of her Atlantic years – into a sweeping, contemporary sound that's all adult, all the way! The vibe is great – in the same... read more

An excellent album from Carmen McRae – one of her hippest records ever, and a great set of vocal gems that often gets overlooked! Arrangements are by Benny Carter, Shorty Rogers, and Oliver Nelson – and the album's got a swinging groovy style that pushes Carmen past her straighter jazz... read more

One of Carmen McRae's great 60s albums for Atlantic Records – a set that's still strongly jazz-based overall, but which seems to have an extra dose of soul at the bottom! The approach is a bit like the best late 60s sides by Nancy Wilson or Marlena Shaw – rooted in jazz, but hipper... read more

A 70s album, but one that features very early sides from Atlantic Records – raw acoustic blues from Willie McTell, recorded on a 12 string guitar down in Atlanta! The album's not just a great example of McTell at his best – witty vocals, and really sharp lines on the acoustic guitar... read more

A cool contemporary set from Brazil – one that's got a great mix of folksy roots and inventive production – the latter of which comes from some great help in the studio by Kassin! Kassin co-produced the recorded with singer Vitor Patalano – whom himself already has a pretty... read more

What? This is John Medeski? Hard to believe – as the album sounds unlike most other work the keyboardist has ever recorded – especially the sides cut with his famous trio of the past 20 years! The album's a wonderfully moody little set – spare and solo, played on an older-style... read more

A pair of classics from the great Bill Medley – pulled from his key early years on his own! Bill Medley 100% a surprisingly wonderful little record – and a real testament to the blue-eyed soul of Medley! The set's a solo outing that has Bill stepping away from his fame as a Righteous... read more

A contemporary riff on benchmark 70s soul jazz and funky fusion from French producer Medline – who reimagines classics by Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and others! It's good, solid stuff – reinterpreting the material in a way that's very mindful of its... read more

Imagine if the Ventures were actually aliens – and you've only got part of the picture on this one! Mad studio genius Joe Meek composed and conceived this incredible 60s session of strange space-age instrumentals – one that mixes instrumental surf-flavored guitars with crazy sound... read more

Funky sitar work – but recorded in pre-revolution Iran – a really amazing blends of scenes and sounds from the legendary Abbas Mehrpouya! Abbas' music has hardly been heard outside of his own nation – especially given the cultural crackdown of the past 30 years – and this... read more

The second Stax album from Mel & Tim – and even better than the first! Although the pair are probably best known for their soaring soul singles at the end of the 60s, by the time of this 1973 record, they'd matured wonderfully – hitting some deeper, more heartfelt modes that are... read more

Ahhh, good ol' Mel & Tim – possibly our favorite soul duo ever, and a really dynamic pair that carve some great new territory away from the path set by Sam & Dave! The album's a bit of a comeback for the duo, as you'd guess from the title – even though it was only recorded a... read more

An amazing score to an overlooked Mr Tibbs film – Gil Melle's mighty music for The Organization, a soundtrack that we might like even better than some of Quincy Jones' funk for Sidney Poitier! Melle got his start in modern jazz during the 50s, but by the time of this 1971 movie, he was a... read more

A genius group from the glory days of the New York avant scene of the 70s – yet one who haven't been nearly as well-documented as some of their contemporaries! The lineup here is legendary – a quintet with Charles Brackeen on tenor, flute, and soprano sax, Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet,... read more

Classic Philly soul from Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes – a killer batch of studio tracks, despite the live image of the group on the cover! The album's got a slightly more expansive feel than some of the other Teddy Pendergrass-era albums by The Blue Notes – almost a mini-symphony... read more

A pair of killers from this legendary group! High On Music is one of the funkiest albums ever from The Memphis Horns – that super-tight instrumental combo headed by Andrew Love on tenor and Wayne Jackson on trumpet! Both players had years in the Memphis soul scene under their belt by the... read more

A mindblower from Menagerie – yet another deep musical chapter in the rich career of Lance Ferguson – an artist we loved for his early club work, then dug as a funk maestro with The Bamboos, now able to hit spiritual jazz sounds with this wonderful new group! The set's got a feel that's... read more

Sublime work from one of the coolest funky combos around – a group who aren't content to just hit the same funky styles as other outfits – and one who really stretch strongly in their pursuit of new sounds! The set's definitely funky – especially on the drums – but there's... read more

Great grooves from Sergio Mendes – a contemporary reworking of his older Brazilian rhythms, very much in the best spirit of his other recent records! There's a warm blend of jazzy instrumentation, Brazilian percussion, and well-crafted beats on the set – all to set the stage for great... read more