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Great electronics from the Indian scene of the 80s – music that's a lot warmer and more evocative than you might guess from the "robotic" in the title – thanks to plenty of roots in the Kollywood soundtrack scene! The instrumentation is often spare, but still echoes the... read more

Great electronics from the Indian scene of the 80s – music that's a lot warmer and more evocative than you might guess from the "robotic" in the title – thanks to plenty of roots in the Kollywood soundtrack scene! The instrumentation is often spare, but still echoes the... read more

An amazing set that documents the early years of the Zamrock scene – the funk and psych informed Afro Rock pioneered by vocalist and African guitar legend Rikki Ililonga and his group Musi-O-Tunya in Zambia from 1973 to 1976 – and compiled beautifully in this great set from Now... read more

One of the most roosty albums on Blue Note – and a fairly straight session of African percussion tracks by Solomon Ilori and his Afro Drum Ensemble! Unlike similar albums by Art Blakey, this one lacks any strong sort of jazz component – and really just features fairly straight African... read more

Great long piano grooves from the trio of Masaru Imada – augmented here with additional instrumentation as well! Masaru alone is already great – a Japanese pianist with a strong sense of rhythm – those rolling lines we love in his trio dates from the 70s, usually with a nice dose... read more

Twin pianos here – the acoustic of Masaru Imada, and the mixed acoustic and electric of Kenji Kohsei – working here together to co-lead a quartet in a sublime session from the 70s! Imadu's a really great player, with a wonderful sense of blocking out a tune – moving slowly at... read more

80s harmony soul from Imagination – a group who always managed to sound pretty great, despite the silly costumes they chose for their album covers! The general groove here is mostly in a catchy midtempo mode – with lots of snapping basslines and synth percussion, nicely offset by the... read more

Excellent work from Jorginho Do Imperio – a lesser-known sambista from 70s Brazil, but one who really shines brightly on this rare little set! There's a beautifully stripped-down feel to the whole thing – just Jorginho's rich vocals in the lead, and loads of lively instrumental work on... read more

Two of the fantastic ABC albums by the Impressions, with not a bit of filler, and 24 excellent songs from the years 1963 and 1964. Beautiful early Chicago soul that ranges from fragile ballads to swingin' party cuts. Tracks include "You've Come Home", "It's All Right", "Sa... read more

One of the greatest albums ever from The Impressions – and a set that takes their work to a whole new level, by bringing in an even more righteous sound! The core elements of the group's 60s genius are all in place here – compositions from Curtis Mayfield, arrangements from Johnny Pate... read more

Two early 70s gems from The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! Preacher Man is heavy soul from the early 70s version of the group – put together with all the same depth as Curtis Mayfield's work of the time! This time around, Rich Tufo is at the helm on production and... read more

Incredible work from one of the hippest groups in the contemporary underground – Detroit's In The Tradition, a combo with a righteous sound that takes us back to the 70s days of Strata East and Tribe Records! This double-length set is a bold step forward for the group – as some tracks... read more

Not the disco promised in the title – but a sweet batch of funky tracks from Japanese reedman Jiro Inagaki – easily one of his hippest albums of the 70s! Rhythms are super-tight – very much in the best mid 70s space of Fatback Band or Kool & The Gang – and carried off... read more

Heavy funk from Japan's Soul Media combo – and one of the group's great 70s outings with the engimatic Sammy on vocals! Sammy's got this raw, raspy style that might owe a bit to Janis Joplin at times – but also nods strongly to the work of the American underground at others –... read more

Soulful, not surreal – a sublime set of sounds from Incognito – one of the few groups who could ever stay this great for so long! The record's overflowing with everything we love about Incognito – that warm blend of soul, jazz, and funk – trained in the best 70s elements at... read more

Brilliant work from this band we've been digging for years – but who never seem to get their due on the global scene, because most of their music comes out in expensive limited packages like this one! But take it from us, the price is well worth it – because Indigo Jam Unit serve up a... read more

Some of the coolest work we've ever heard from Chicago flautist Nicole Mitchell – a really wonderful record that shows the full spectrum of her talents! The set's recorded with a trio that includes Hamid Drake on percussion and Harrison Bankhead on bass and cello – both players who can... read more

A sublime second chapter in the career of Memphis soul singer Luther Ingram – one of the greatest talents of his generation, represented here by some of his best work ever! Ingram first got his start doing rougher, more fragile soul tunes – but by the time of these 70s recordings, he'd... read more

A treasure trove of overlooked Memphis soul – the earliest work of the legendary Luther Ingram – brought together here properly for the first time ever! Although Ingram's probably best known for his mega-huge hits in the early 70s, he really sounds amazing here in the early days –... read more

Tight hip hop from the superhero team of Inspectah Deck with 7L & Esoteric – mostly produced by 7L, with a most welcome guest producer in the legendary DJ Premier – and it's a strong statement from the underappreciated Wu Tang gamer and the ever-creative DJ 7L! On the production... read more

Maybe the third great Philly studio group of the 70s – after MFSB and Salsoul Orchestra – a killer combo who provided backing grooves to plenty of great club tracks over the years – and who step out strongly here on their own debut album! Bunny Sigler helps give the album a sharp... read more

A record that really lives up to its title, given the sweet Philly grooves of the set – a real surprise, given that the album was recorded in Germany! The session's a rare studio project in the early years of the German disco scene – and comes off with the best soulful styles that were... read more

A wonderfully weird project from Alan Bishop – famous member of Sun City Girls, and also the man who's given us the Sublime Frequencies label! The sound here is a great mix of both of those worlds – some of the exotic tones that SF has explored in its groundbreaking global releases,... read more

A great little album from talented tenorist Jon Irabagon – served up with a cover that's sort of a parody of a hip hop record – but delivered with a bold musical sound that's right up there with Jon's work in Mostly Other People Do The Killing! The tenor's really out front in most... read more

Weldon Irvine meets Strata East – and the result is one of the keyboardist's funkiest albums ever! The set's more jazz-based than the soul/funk outings Weldon cut for RCA and his own label – with great focus on Weldon's lines on clavinet and Fender Rhodes – supported by sweet... read more

Massively funky work from the mighty Weldon Irvine – sublimely cosmic and filled with soul throughout! The vibe here is a bit more focused than on some of Weldon's earlier albums – a moody blend of electric keys, heavy percussion, and some slight bits of jazzy solo work by trumpeters... read more

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and... read more

A huge musical treasure – a full unreleased album by Weldon Irvine, plus a bonus video as well! The music is from the stage play Young Gifted & Broke – a short-lived production by Weldon, and one that's done with some of the same hip modes he was bringing to his own music of the... read more

The first solo album from folk-country singer and songwriter Catherine Irwin in a decade – and as much as we wish she'd put one out every year, we'll take what we can get – especially if the occasional record is as moving and beautiful as Little Heater! If you don't know this already,... read more

The drum method here is pretty darn funky – as Akira Ishikawa works with backing from a groovy big band – all at a level that's somewhere between funky MPS and some of the jazz rock coming out of the US at the time! The tunes are all instrumental, but borrow plenty of songs from... read more

A groovy little record from the Count Buffalos group – an ensemble we know mostly for their heavier funk of the early 70s and late 60s – but who here step out in a clubbier mode with some sweet touches of disco! The group's still a jazz one at its core – but they've also added in... read more

2 Isley Brothers gems from 2 different eras – back-to-back on a single CD! 1969's It's Our Thing is a stone classic – the album that kicked off their successful T-Neck label, and established that mighty Isleys sound that would have such a huge influence in the 70s! It's filled with... read more

The Isley Brothers on Motown – a really key step forward for the group, who find a whole new level of soul with help from the Holland Dozier Holland team! There's a warmth here missing from previous Isleys material – that rough edge that was more part of their rocking years, softened a... read more

A key album in the Isley Brothers "extended funk" mode of the 70s – a style in which the group approached nearly every tune by adding in a "part 2" in order to stretch out the groove! The style here is bass-heavy funk, but less of the sort that other groups were using at... read more

Great recent work from legendary bassist Chuck Israels – a player known for his famous work with Bill Evans, but a musician who's just kept on growing over the years! This set's got a great 50s modern jazz vibe – bass by Israels and guitar from co-leader Axel Hagen – in a setting... read more

A late 80s session from pianist Fumio Itabashi – but one that's arguably even more open and expressive than any of his work from the 70s! The album's a trio date, but it's often got a very loose feel – so that the percussion and bass are used in ways that go way beyond rhythm –... read more

Really beautiful little songs by Charles Ives – a great illustration of some of the more charming corners of his compositional catalog! The work here is all adapted by Sebastian Gottschinck – who conducts the small chamber ensemble on the session, which also steps out on a few... read more

A glorious send off from J Dilla – with some of the most soulful productions Dilla's ever laid down – and appearances by Common, D'Angelo, Pharoahe Monch, Madlib, MED, Black Thought and others! It's impossible to listen to The Shining without considering the sad circumstances... read more

Dilla beats and an allstar roster of guest Detroit MCs – and a strong debut full length from Ruff Draft Records! Posthumous releases by favorite departed figures can be a dicey proposition – and much to our relief, Rebirth Of Detroit delivers – with both high quality beats &... read more

The first record we've heard from this Japanese collective in many years – and a set that definitely marks a real maturation in their music! The album was inspired by the tragic events of the 2011 nuclear catastrophe in Japan – and shows a decidedly deeper side of J's Bee's music... read more

Two killers from Jabula – overlooked Afro soul albums from the 70s! The set mixes up the track list a bit, but still comprises both full albums from the group – the first of which is the self-titled Jabula. Jabula is South African soul, but recorded in the UK – coming across... read more

A pretty compelling little quartet – a jazz combo from Zimbabwe, and one who play with a lot of spiritual jazz overtones – yet also throw in some occasional vocals in English! Instrumentation is pretty unique – like some of the hipper experiments on Strata East in the 70s –... read more

A sweet 70s set from Jackie & Roy – just the kind of record that shows that their genius kept on growing and growing as the years went on! The album's a nice change from the fuller, freer sound of the pair's earlier 70s sides on CTI – but it's also not the straighter jazz of the... read more

Great stuff from one of our favorite soul vocalists of the 60s! We love Deon Jackson – we love his sweetly honest vocal style, we love his songs, and we love the great production he gets from the legendary Ollie McLaughlin! This album is the only one he ever cut – and it's a... read more

One of the greatest new male soul voices of the 80s – served up here in a beautiful batch of ballads, love songs, and mellow cuts! Freddie Jackson could number plenty of groovers amongst his hits, but he also always seemed most at home with a ballad – where the complexities of his... read more

What the what?!? Soul sides so great they'll blow your mind – even though none of them have ever been issued before! George Jackson is one of the great lost talents of southern soul – an artist who often stayed in the background, lending his talents to others in the studio, or as a... read more

Damn! The first volume in this series of rarities cut by George Jackson for Fame Studios really blew our minds around here – and Kent has gone and somehow topped it with Volume 2! Let The Best Man Win features 2 dozen songs, most of which are originals by Fame staff writer Jackson –... read more

Bold 80s soul from Jermaine Jackson – a set that's heavy on beats and keyboards, but which still leaves enough space for his gentler-toned vocals! The upbeat tracks here sometimes get a bit dramatic, which makes us like the ballads more – sweeter-styled numbers that are much better... read more

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too... read more

The third great album in the trilogy that includes Off The Wall and Thriller – and a set that still has Michael Jackson running strong at the height of his solo powers! Quincy Jones is still at the helm, and Michael more than proves that he can still come up with a pop tune without going too... read more

Seminal 70s southern soul from Millie Jackson – a record that's head and shoulders above most of what she recorded in later years! Before she got all naughty and raunchy, Millie Jackson was one of the best female soul singers to come out of the south – and this album's a work of... read more

Millie Jackson's feelin bitchy – and letting a whole new side of her talents show! After the sweet southern soul sound of her early recordings, the Jackson style takes a sharp shift here – letting a bitchier side show up more strongly, and really setting the tone for the next great... read more

An excellent early album from Millie Jackson – recorded in a southern soul style in New York and Muscle Shoals, but a lot hipper than most of the rest of the female soul that was coming out of the south at the time. For one thing, Millie was a bad mamma singer – rapping hard and... read more

Ahhh . . . Great stuff! This Millie Jackson's tremendous debut album – and the work here is completely different from later records that have her more in a bitchy mode! Here, Millie's a heartbroken southern diva – right in the vein of Ann Sexton, Doris Duke, or Shirley Brown –... read more

A side of Millie Jackson that we really really love – her ballads and mellow tracks – a style that Millie did unlike anyone else back in the day! Jackson's sometimes best remembered for her sassier side, but we love it when she kicks back and moves slowly into a groove – drawing... read more

A sweet larger group session from vibist Milt Jackson – proof that he was really trying to stretch his wings, and get into new things during the 60s! The set's got Milt working with some great help from Tadd Dameron and Ernie Wilkins on larger group arrangements – nicely swinging... read more

A great statement from vibist Milt Jackson – one of his key solo sessions in a great 60s run of recordings away from the Modern Jazz Quartet! Like the classics that followed this one, the vibe is much more soulful than any of Milt's records with the MJQ – kind of an extension of the... read more

A wonderful little record – a real standout in both the careers of Milt Jackson and Coleman Hawkins! The album captures Hawk during his great later years – that time when his sound was even more soulful and inventive than ever – with lots of odd modern undercurrents that really... read more

One of the great jazz sessions that Ray Charles cut towards the end of his years at Atlantic Records – a surprisingly great little album with vibist Milt Jackson! The set really shows a side of Milt that didn't always surface in the Modern Jazz Quartet – and Charles is surprisingly... read more

The return of a legend – or maybe more accurately, the first time this legend's ever really gotten his due! Ralph Jackson's been working in the Alabama soul underground for decades – yet this smoking album may well be the first time he's ever really gotten out front, and able to do his... read more

A smoking second album from Rebbie Jackson – a set that has Rebbie working with strong production help from two of the bigger aspects of the Columbia Records soul family in the 80s – Tito Jackson and Reggie Lucas, who each handle a handful of songs along with David Conley and Howie Rice.... read more

60s Chicago soul doesn't get any better than this – a sublime debut from the legendary Walter Jackson – done in a smoothly sophisticated style that set a whole new standard for the genre! The record steps off nicely from some of the earliest work by Jerry Butler and The Impressions... read more

Pivotal singles from the amazing Wanda Jackson – one of the greatest female rock and country voices from the 50s onward – who mixes a cutesy coo and a feral growl for a sound that was pretty much unprecedented at the time! The material bridges proto rock and country music in a way that... read more

Pure genius – like just about every other early Motown album by the Jackson 5! The vocals are sublime – almost even more perfect than on the first few records – and the group have some great help in the studio from arrangers like The Corporation, Willie Hutch, Johnny Bristol, and... read more

The cover's a bit gimmicky, but the album's a stone classic – a wicked later Motown moment from the Jackson 5 – and one that has them working with the super-grooving team of Holland-Dozier-Holland! Brian Holland handles production work for the team, and although his touches only appear... read more

An amazing bit of soul – and one of the rarest funk records of the 70s! This masterpiece was recorded by The Jackson Sisters, a semi-gospelly soul group that has a sound that's a bit like The Voices of East Harlem, but that's a lot harder, and that has a deeper soul sound overall! At times,... read more

Illinois Jacquet's gutsy tenor sound is restrained a bit in this beautiful set of Cole Porter ballads, played with accompaniment by a small orchestra of woodwinds and strings – but the sound is great throughout, thanks to some wonderfully deep tones and great production! Benny Golson and Tom... read more

One of the greatest small group sessions of the 50s by tenorist Illinois Jacquet – and a record that really lets you hear his development as a musician at the time! Jacquet was always a standout on his instrument – especially in some of the larger group recordings that won him acclaim... read more

The often cinematic sounds of Jaga Jazzist, given an extra orchestral sweep – working beautifully well with the Britten Sinfonia chamber orchestra! It's a match made in jazzy, proggy, soundtracky heaven. Jaga Jazzist has a sprawling sound even at their core – with soul jazz, prog and... read more

They're not kidding about the title of this one – because the group are definitely a bunch of hotheads on the bongos – playing percussion at a pace that's pretty darn quick, while also throwing in some cool Casio keyboard lines too – all to create a groove that's earthy, rootsy,... read more

The final proper album by The Jam! The Gift is a far more diversely soul-steeped set of tunes than anything they'd done up to this point – and in hindsight, it feels more like a starting point for Paul Weller's career to come than a final album for The Jam! While they're working more soul... read more

Acoustic sounds from two players who made their mark during the fusion generation – and a wonderful illustration that at their core, both Bob James and David Sanborn are pretty darn great jazz musicians! The album's got a laidback vibe that's wonderful – these flowing lines on acoustic... read more

An excellent Chess session by Etta, with hard Chicago soul production by Monk Higgins and Ralph Bass – and the kind of searing vocals that always made Etta a treat, whether rocking or mellow! The album's got some wonderful hard soul tracks, of the style that Etta could really cut loose with... read more

A later chapter in the career of soul singer Etta James – six full albums, plus a bonus disc of live material too! The set represents most of Etta's work from recent years – a series of albums done for the Private Music label – in styles that range a bit more than before, yet... read more

One of the few funky late Chess gems for Etta James – recorded during the period when the company was owned by the All Platinum family of labels in New Jersey – with incredible vocals by Etta! Most of the record was cut in NJ, and features Etta's bluesy style meeting some nice funky... read more

Classic Etta for Chess, yet largely overlooked In her canon! This is really strongly produced stuff – it's got its sweet moments, but there's plenty of heft and grit, too! It's the kind of material that works really well with her deep, soulful voice – and the female backing vocal... read more

Queen of Soul is right! Heck, on these early albums, Etta practically invented soul – or at least invented a deep soul style of singing that would be taken up by countless other female singers during the 60s, but rarely matched with this kind of brilliance. Straight up beatiful stuff! The... read more

A far-reaching set of hard-to-find 60s & 70s recordings by the great Etta James for Chess/Cadet – ranging from vibrant funk to slow cooking R&B, stripped down brassy blues and string accented jazzy numbers – diverse stuff held together by all around impeccable craft and the flat... read more

An incredible collection of work from Jesse James – a soul singer who's hardly ever gotten his due on the reissue market – until the release of this sweet little collection! Jesse's probably best known to our ears for his sublime album for 20th Century in the late 60s, and for a... read more

A brilliant second set from Jose James – and that's saying a lot, given that his debut was already a classic in our book! The sound here is a little more full, and a little more confident – a magical blend of James' raspy vocals with some jazz and funk-inflected rhythms – never... read more

A great new chapter in the career of Jose James – and a record that really seems to take his already-amazing vocals to a whole new level! In a relatively short career, Jose's already been turning a lot of heads with his work on other projects, his jazz-based recordings, and his debut for... read more

One of the all-time great Rick James albums – a return to funkier sounds for Rick that worked both artistically and commercially – and actually got over far better than his more blatant attempts at crossover material on other records! The mix here is perfect – a true summation of... read more

Rick James is massively throwing down on this classic set – tight, right, and on the money all the way through – in that trademark groove that so many others would try to cop, but never get this right! The album bristles with energy right from the start – lots of bass at the... read more

The group's first full length album – and a classic batch of soulful funky tunes, handled with the charm and care that would make Jamiroquai one of the best new soul acts to come out of the UK during the 90s. Think Brand New Heavies meets Stevie Wonder meets Steely Dan, and you'll get only... read more

A killer of an album from Jamiroquai – the first time we really sat up and took notice, and said "hey, these guys are onto something good!" The record's pretty darn great all the way through – a warm batch of tunes that starts with a classic 70s mode that's part Stevie Wonder... read more

A mindblower from Jamiroquai – the album that really broke them out of the box, thanks to an increasingly complicated sense of rhythm! For the set, Jay and the group pulled up some of the more dynamic sounds from the London underground, and wove them together with their increasingly great... read more

A standout early classic from Jan & Dean – and the record that really helped make them as much of a studio force as The Beach Boys! Jan arranged and produced the entire set – and he definitely gives Brian Wilson a run for his money – coming up with cool charts, sharp... read more

Incredible vocals from Jan & Dean – a set that really has the duo taking off wonderfully – with soaring harmonies that are even better than before! The pair were already great from the start, but their singing really hits the limit here – often working with a bit less... read more

A goofy title track, and a groovy little album from Jan & Dean – a set that has them settling nicely into their role as one of the most playful pairs in west coast pop – with a heck of a lot more staying power than some of their more surf-washed contemporaries! The album's got a... read more

The title track is one of the biggest hits ever from Jan & Dean – but the album's filled with other groovy numbers that really stretch out past familiar territory – including a number of other "city-based" tracks, all given the sweet Jan & Dean touch! The duo are... read more

Really dark work from composer Pierre Jansen – a CD that collects tracks written for the films of Claude Chabrol, a range of 60s and early 70s French thrillers with a moody, pessimistic feel. Most tracks have off-kilter orchestrations with occasional evocative solo instrument passages –... read more

The incredible drums and Rhodes-heavy jazz dance album from composer Thom Janusz – made in collaboration with NYC dancer, choreographer and company leader Ronn Forella – possibly the funkest, best and hardest-to-find album ever released by the Hoctor label! Ostensibly a hip 70s dance... read more

One of the first-ever recordings of the Chicago AACM scene – and an early set that has Joseph Jarman recording as a leader before founding the groundbreaking Art Ensemble Of Chicago. The group features some seminal Chicago players who are only now getting the credit they deserve in the... read more

Maurice Jarre's wonderfuls core for Topaz – one of the last great films from Alfred Hitchcock! The music is quite a change from some of the more bracing sounds you'd normally associate with classic Hitchcock – as Jarre comes up with this light and lovely theme that's interwoven through... read more

Rare music composed by Maurice Jarre – done relatively early in his career of work for feature films, but also some of his best! The album features new recordings of music from four early 60s movies – Pleins Feux Sur L'Assassin, Les Dimanches De Ville D'Avray, Judex, and Les Animaux... read more

One of the greatest records we've heard from Al Jarreau in years – a set that features his incredible vocals backed by the Metropol Orkest – a large ensemble who help the legendary singer find a whole new sort of groove! The bold backings are really wonderful – full and flowing,... read more

A very unusual record – one that has Keith Jarrett playing some solo organ – and a baroque organ at that – but in ways that are quite different than you might expect! The sounds here are amazing – almost noisy at points, as Jarrett really works the instrument in an... read more

A rare slice of ECM Records from the 70s – a previously-unreleased live performance – featuring some of the label's most influential talents of the time! The core energy here comes from the piano of Keith Jarrett and reeds of Jan Garbarek – both musicians whose instruments shaped... read more

A killer set of R&B-loving rock & roll instros from Peter Jay & The Jaywalkers! The Jaywalkers arrived at the tail end of the greatest wave of popularity for this kinda instrumental combo – but there unique combo! Rumbing rhythms, searing guitars and honking horns –... read more

The first of BBE's forays into current hip hop – and a wonderful debut in the series! The album started as a breakbeat project from Detroit's Jay Dee, but soon morphed into a full-on hip hop album – complete with real instrumentation on Fender Rhodes, trumpet, keyboards, and drums,... read more