An incredible addition to the rich legacy of Stax Records – a collection of rare tracks, almost all of which appear here for the first time ever – a set that represents recordings done by all the great songwriters who were working for Stax at the time, most of whom were also recording artists on the label! Given that fact, these aren't scratchy recordings performed by hacks who can't sing – as almost all the material features the sort of top-shelf vocalists who made Stax such a deep soul powerhouse in the 60s and 70s – represented here in a style that shows just how much freedom of creative expression the label allowed its best – very different than the way some of the bigger companies would just cram a song down a quickly-booked session in the studio! Plus, these demo tracks are done in a variety of modes – some with very stripped-down instrumentation, some with fuller groups – and together, they offer a key look at the creative process at Stax – one that's very different than the iconic sound of productions in their Memphis studio, and which really shows an even deeper range of expression through the variety of approaches. This LP version features tracks that later became hits in the finished versions – titles that include "A Woman's Love" by Carla Thomas, "634-5789" by Eddie Floyd, "If Loving You Is Wrong" by Homer Banks, "I Got To Be Myself" by Carl Smith, "I'll Be Your Shelter" by Homer Banks, "I've Got No Time To Lose" by Deanie Parker, "I'll Be The Other Woman" by Shelbra Bennett, "Respect Yourself" by Mack Rice, "Woman To Woman" by Henderson Thigpen, and "We Can Love" by Eddie Floyd. (Soul, Funky Compilations) LP, Vinyl record album

One of the most compelling compilations we've heard in ages – a set of tunes by and about Muhammad Ali! It's no secret that back in the day, Ali was way more than just a boxer – he was an international celebrity whose pride and power were a symbol for millions worldwide. At the height of his glory, not only did Ali himself record a number of albums, but he was also graced with countless tribute songs – not only from American artists, but British, Brazilian, and African as well! This festive little set brings together 22 of those great recordings, including a few about boxing in general – with genres that include soul, reggae, and Brazilian grooves – as well as some very catchy novelty numbers that defy classification! Titles include "The People's Choice" and "I'm The Greatest" by Ali himself – plus "8ieme Round" by Trio Madjesi, "Cassius Marcellus Clay" by Jorge Ben, "Muhammad Ali" by Sir Mack Rice, "Muhammad Ali" by Dennis Alcapone, "The Louisville Lip" by Eddie Curtis, "Rumble In The Jungle" by Don Covay, "Foreman Vs Frazier" by Big Youth, "Try It Again" by Joe Frazier, and "Ali Shuffle" by JW Grasshopper & The Butterfly. LP, Vinyl record album

A mountain of funk from one of the greatest soul labels of all time! Stax is known round the world over for their soulful work – by singers like Otis Redding or Carla Thomas, and instrumental tunes by Booker T & The MGs – but the label was also quite a funky powerhouse – especially as the 60s drew to a close, and the management of the company got a lot hipper, and a heck of a lot more musically open-minded! This killer batch of tracks features 21 numbers from those days – including many obscure and funky tunes that only ever came out on singles, or which were recorded by artists that never made it as big as Stax stars from earlier years. The result of all that obscurity is an extremely fresh selection of tracks – plenty of down-n-dirty funky 45 numbers, played by hip Memphis combos, and featuring some really deep soul vocals. Titles include "Dark Skin Woman" by Sir Mack Rice, "Ain't No Sin" by John Kasandra, "Bump & Boogie" by The Wrecking Crew, "Shame On The Family Name" by Calvin Scott, "Cool Strut" by Bernie Hayes, "Bump Mean" by Sir Mack Rice, "Soul Machine" by Reggie Milner, "How Can You Mistreat The One You Love" by Katie Love, "Cold Blooded" by The Bar Kays, "Do The Side Saddle" by Rufus Thomas, "Stay Away From That Monkey" by Jimmy McCracklin, "Them Hot Pants" by Lee Sain, "Devil In A Man" by Stu Gardner, "Circuits Overloaded" by Inez Foxx, "From Toys To Boys" by The Emotions, "Got It Together (parts 1 & 2)" by Rudy Robinson & The Hungry Five, and "Crosscut Saw" by Albert King. LP, Vinyl record album

The 4th entry in the amazing London Is The Place For Me – a collection of incredible work from the postwar, post-colonial years in the UK! As with other volumes, there's an array of Caribbean and African influences at work here – often highly rhythmic and performed with lots of percussion, but also served up in ways that has the original modes coming into contact with more contemporary UK styles! Most of the work here was recorded in London, but overflowing with global styles that include mentos, high life, calypso, Latin, and even a bit of jazz – played by an array of artists who all found new means of expression in the capital. Titles include "Mambo Indio" by Shake Keane, "Alphonso In Town" by Lord Kitchener, "Give Her The No 1" by Eric Hayden, "Khauleza" by Dorothy Masuka, "Chicken & Rice" by Young Tiger, "Egyptian Bint Al Cha Cha" by Ginger Johnson, "Don't You Go Away" by Cab Kaye, "Highlife Piccadilly" by The African Messengers, "Darling Don't Say No" by Nat Akins, "African Jazz Cha Cha" by Ginger Johnson, "Piccadilly Folk" by Lord Kitchener, and "Ilu Oyinbo Dara" by Victor Coker. (Global Grooves, Funky Compilations) LP, Vinyl record album

A very cool assortment of contemporary groups from the Polish scene – served up here in a package that's different than some of the more avant Polish material that seems to get wider circulation – and delivered with a richness that's sure to have us looking for more work from each of the groups in the set! At some level, the material here echoes recent London jazz traditions – as the work often mixes in some electric elements with acoustic instrumentation – never overly mixed or processed, and balanced by some straighter jazz contributions on a few tracks as well – all of which makes for a very vivid palette of sounds, and a surprising amount of richness from these under-discovered acts. Titles include "We Know You" by Rejoin, "Scand" by Quietet, "Thinium" by Immortal Onion, "Pizza" by Klawo, "Triceradiplodocus" by Twoosty Mayonez, and "Koziolek" by Kosmos. (Jazz, Funky Compilations) LP, Vinyl record album

A pretty interesting slice of Chicago in the mid 70s – featuring a host of acts that never made it at all! The concept of the album was a contest by radio station WKQX to showcase a host of original groups from Chicago – and out of 1900 tapes submitted, 11 different groups were chosen to record for the album. To our ears, the best act on the set are the funk group The New Earth Rhythm Band – who submitted the tasty ensemble number "Pork Butts" – an obscure bit of jazzy funk that's certainly worth the price of the record alone. Most of the other work is in the rock vein – both hard and soft – by artists that include Tetra, Vesuvious, Teaser, Street Kids, and Ashcraft. LP, Vinyl record album