All Categories — CDs  

One of the more far out-sounding records we've heard on Far Out Records – a wild one from Rio's Dos Cafundos! It's a sometimes funky, sometimes noisy, but always evolving sound – with raw tropical funk mixed with diverse strains of noise rock and jazz, a la Zorn and Zappa. It's never... read more

Sublime work from one of our favorite groups ever on Salsoul Records – the amazing harmony quartet Double Expsoure – soaring out here in a set of Philly gems produced by Norman Harris! The album's got a wonderful sound right from the start – rich in rhythms, yet also soaring on... read more

One of the hottest locker rooms in town – thanks to sublime Salsoul grooves from the always-great Double Exposure! The album's got a bouncy groove that's topped by the quartet's wonderfully warm harmonies – easily some of the best from the disco generation, served up in a careful... read more

A wonderful album – one of those underground classics that seems to show up in everyone's record collection, even though it was never a huge chart hit. Double Exposure are part of the "second wave" of East Coast vocal groups – and like their contemporaries, they mix the sweet... read more

A pair of great albums from Dave Douglas – laid out here in a single package! Magic Triangle is a killer set from the Dave Douglas Quartet – a very unified sound from the lineup that features Douglas on trumpet, Chris Potter on tenor, James Genus on bass, and Ben Perowsky on drums! ... read more

One of the best albums we've heard in years from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a really in the pocket session that's filled with rhythmic intensity, and some of the boldest music we've heard from Dave in years! There's plenty of edges to the set – especially the trumpet of Douglas and tenor... read more

Quite a compelling project from trumpeter Dave Douglas – a record that has him working strongly with singer/guitarist Aoife O'Donovan, whose presence really helps transform the sound of the set! Aoife's got a folksy touch on her vocals, and colors things in with some great earthy tones that... read more

Bassist Dezron Douglas can be one hell of a leader – especially when he's working with a group and setting as great as this! The album's got that solid punch we love in the Smalls Live series – a way of allowing players to really open up and be themselves, yet also find a cohesiveness... read more

A rare bit of indie jazz from the Bay Area scene of the 80s – but put together with a groove that's much more 70s overall! The group's headed by trumpeter Larry Douglas, and has a soaring, soulful groove that definitely owes a lot to the spiritual sound on labels like Strata East or Black... read more

An early recording by the great Malian singer Na Hawa Doumbia – made in Abidjan, Ivory Coast in 1982 – which finds her backed by guitar, keyboards and raw drums that starkly frame her voice in a great way! It's that voice that really carries this recording – it's piercing,... read more

A very open-minded album from the great Bob Downes – one that features some tight Brit jazz riffing all the way through – played by a group that features Bob on sax and flute, Chris Spedding and Ray Russell on guitars, and Harry Miller on bass! Downes sings a bit, and Robert Cockburn... read more

Amazing work from British reedman Bob Downes – a host of previously-unissued 70s recordings, all of them trio numbers with a wonderfully stripped-down feel! Downes is possibly best known for his larger group experiments of the Open Music years – but here, he comes across as much more... read more

More amazing work from the legendary Bob Downes – the British reedman/arranger/composer who's getting really rediscovered these days – represented here in a host of previously unissued tracks! Bob put together the package from his vaults, and we've got to say that the music here is... read more

Two albums in one package – both of them featuring excellent work from groundbreaking British reedman Bob Downes! Mixed Bag is nothing like you might expect from its title – because while the set does feature a variety of different sessions from Downes, it's also got a very unified... read more

A brilliant 70s session from UK reedman Bob Downes – one of his most compelling records ever, even if it wasn't widely issued at the time! The set's based on Downes' impressions of New York in the 70s – and it's got a really expansive vibe – surprising undercurrents of funk on... read more

Early jazz rock from Bob Downes Open Music – composed and arranged by Downes and not a far cry stylistically as the Electric City LP that came out just a bit earlier – a mix of charged, drum heavy movements and airier flute led tapestries! The mood shifting dynamic makes the record... read more

A clunky title, a so-so cover, a later recording date – and yet, the record's wonderful overall – a surprisingly funky effort from British reedman Bob Downes! The album is Bob's tribute to funky sounds oif the 60s and 70s – and although it includes a few tracks penned by Downes... read more

American sounds, but forged in Sweden – a surprisingly great batch of work from expatriate Jack Downing – including some rare singles, previously unreleased tunes, and even some live material too! Downing clearly picks up some of the folk rock styles of the post-Dylan generation –... read more

Definitely a classique set from Will Downing – soul that's both classic and classy, beautifully put together by a real master of the genre! We dig this set even more than some of Will's better-known records from back in the day – and the whole thing's got a smooth, soulful balance that'... read more

A sterling set from the great Will Downing – and a record that definitely has the master at the top of his game throughout! The package features some songs from his recent trilogy of EP releases – Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow – but also includes five new songs too – and... read more

The warm soul sound of today – courtesy of the legendary Will Downing! The set's the second in Downing's trilogy of soulful expression EPs, and it's got a wicked sound that's even better than the Yesterday volume – all original tunes by Will, co-written with Chris "Big Dog"... read more

Will Downing, the next chapter – quite possibly the greatest entry in his trilogy of Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow albums – and filled with fresh grooves that really let Will take off strongly! The vocals are sublime (could we expect anything less from Downing?) – and the... read more

A massive album by Lamont Dozier – probably his best ever! Every cut's a winner, and the LP shines with a sharpness and tightness that's missing from some of Lamont's other LPs from the 70s. The songwriting is impeccable – and as the album progresses, you get that eerie "deja... read more

A sweet mellow groover from the mighty Lamont Dozier – a set that's not nearly as well known as his earlier work of the 70s, but one that has the Motown man still riding strong! In contrast to the fuller, clubbier grooves of Dozier's ABC work, most of the tunes here are a bit more laidback... read more

A pair of albums from one of the most creative club acts of the 70s – the mighty Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – back-to-back! Before starting his Kid Creole & the Coconuts combo, August Darnell worked to great fame with Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – kind of a... read more

One of the coolest club combos of the 70s – the mighty Dr Buzzard's Original Savannah Band – a group with a sound that's a lot tighter than their name! The group's probably best known for giving exposure to August Darnell in his pre-Kid Creole years – but they've also got a sound... read more

The best record in years – maybe decades – from the legendary Dr John – and a set that stands up strongly next to the messed-up Crescent City vibe of his 70s classics! Big thanks are due to Black Keys' guitarist Dan Auerbach – who produced and supervised the whole recording... read more

Genius from the mind of Kool Keith aka Big Willie Smith aka Poppa Large aka Dr. Octagon. Since his days with Ultramagnetics, no one has mastered the abstract lyrical style like Kool Keith, self-proclaimed inventor of all rhyme styles. 20 tracks, with dope atmospheric features by the Automator and... read more

The very first recordings of Chicago bluesman Tail Dragger – recorded back in the early 80s, with that great rootsy sound that city's scene still had at the time! You can definitely hear a bit of polish since the early electric days, but overall the sound is nice and raw – and a great... read more

Really righteous work from the Chicago scene – a very hip album that features some especially nice guest work on flute from Nicole Mitchell! The group is headed up by percussionist Hamid Drake, who really sounds great here – almost more relaxed and organic in his handling of drums and... read more

Nick Drake's second album, and a fantastic batch of jazz-tinged folksy tracks that's virtually unlike anything else ever done on this planet! The compositions are amazing, and Drake's execution of the material is masterfully produced by Joe Boyd, who brings out all the rich tonal qualities of the... read more

The Dramatics hit an 80s groove mood here – and as on their clubbier sides from the end of the 70s, the vocals are still wonderful – and more than anything, the set's a strong soul-based set that still has the group at the top of their game! Ballads actually sparkle the best here... read more

One of the excellent recordings made by The Dramatics at ABC – great group soul gems that are sometimes overlooked because they didn't yield as many hits as earlier sets – but which are stellar records nonetheless! This one's got all the right elements firmly in place – killer... read more

Excellent middle period work by the Dramatics – recorded after their years at Stax, with a slightly smoother groove, and featuring some great tunes that really sparkle! By this point, the group were hitting a Detroit modern mode – with less of the rough edges of the Stax work, which... read more

A fantastic album by The Dramatics – with a harder funkier sound than you'll find on most of their other records of the time – a gritty gem from the group's early years, and a record that really deserves its placement on the Stax label! The record has the group moving into a post-Tempta... read more

An amazing document from Tomkins Square – and a set that goes even beyond the usual high level of some of the other releases from the label! The set's a beautiful archival project – one that seeks to resurrect the rare music of Arizona Dranes – a gospel pianist and vocalist who... read more

A range of rare recordings from singer Doris Drew – a vocalist we only know from one full album, but who also made some of these appearances as a guest on other instrumental dates! Doris has a great approach – one that's slightly warmer than the ice blondes of the west coast scene of... read more

Familiar numbers – but done quite nicely, thanks to the warm early talents of Kenny Drew! The style here is a bit more lyrically evocative than some of the other Riverside piano work of the time – less modern-tinged, but still in a really expressive way that unlocks new corners of... read more

Seminal work from the post-Clyde McPhatter version of The Drifters – a sublime batch of singles that really showcase all that's great from the second chapter of the group! The set's way more than a "best of" – as it was the only full album to feature most of these cuts –... read more

A wonderful album of hip jazzy vocals from Urszula Dudziak – an amazing singer who was sort of Poland's version of Flora Purim! Like Flora, Urszula had a fierce scatting and riffing style that broke way past the work of earlier female jazz singers – and she always applied this style to... read more

The soundtracks to 2 of Jean Luc-Godard's greatest films – back to back on one CD! The score to Pierrot Le Feu features 9 tracks in all – 3 of which are vocal numbers by Anna Karina, who starred in the film, and who delivers the vocals with a decadently deadpan style that fits... read more

A wonderful album from George Duke – and one of our favorite records from his legendary years at Columbia! George Duke's always had plenty of Brazilian elements in his music – but this album really brings them all together – offering up a perfect blend of Duke's keyboards and... read more

A sweet bit of modern funk from George Duke – working here in a mode that's definitely tighter and more soul-based than his trippier albums of the early 70s – but also in a groove that's pretty darn sweet! George wonderfully blends together his jazz roots and some of the wider soul... read more

Sweet keyboards and lots of funky grooves – one of the best of George Duke's seminal albums for MPS – and a record that captures him at a key middle point in his growth! The sound here is tighter than the trippier records of before, but also never too smooth or commercial – still... read more

A funky concept album from George Duke! Guardians Of The Light is a full-on "musical fantasy" – with the story line laid out in the liner notes, yet still a bit difficult to follow – but we can't fault him for that when it's done in his masterful R&B-fusion-funk approach!... read more

A late 70s classic from jazzy funk master George Duke! Master Of The Game is an excellent mix of jazz, smooth soul, and Latin riffing – really a perfect blend of styles that shows not only how far George's sound had progressed throughout the 70s, it also charts the development of the... read more

An amazing package of work from George Duke – 6 of his legendary fusion albums for MPS Records, including the never-reissued double-length set Solus/The Inner Source! That incredible album is worth the price of the package alone – as it begins with some sublime trio work from Duke,... read more

... read more

... read more

Music for the last feature film of Jacques Tati – the mad mad Trafic, matched here by a wonderful soundtrack by Charles Dumont! After the dark modernism of Playtime, Tati let loose a bit more for Trafic – and the score matches the film's sometimes silly approach with some very groovy... read more

A playful score by George Duning for Who's Got The Action? – an early 60s gambling farce starring Dean Martin and Lana Turner! Duning manages to cover quite a bit of stylistic territory here – from Dixieland, to Spanish dance to Japanese strings – and a whole lot of good-natured,... read more

A strange film, but a great soundtrack! George Duning came up with an excellent batch of jazzy tracks for the film – and most of them swing hard and tightly, with strong jazzy solos, in a manner that's similar to some of Henry Mancini's best scores of the late 50s. A number of tracks have... read more

Two different Jimmy Stewart comedy soundtracks from the 60s – both of them nice! First up is Dear Brigitte – an overlooked 1965 score by George Duning – done with a mix of the playful modes you'd expect from the story, and some of those great deeper dramatic touches that Duning... read more

An amazing rare chapter of the late 60s Tropicalia saga – from the genius composer responsible for some of the most pivotal arrangements of the era! Rogerio Duprat's talent grew as a cellist with some of the most respected symphony orchestras of Brazil before he went into soundtrack work... read more

A heavy record with a heavy pedigree – a smoking set of funky instrumentals, all recorded directly to tape! The trio has a hard-burning sound that takes us back to the Prestige records jazz funk sound of the early 70s – the sort of groove you might have heard from Leon Spencer or... read more

Somali sounds from the late 80s – a wonderful set of grooves from the Dur Dur Band – originally issued only on cassette, and lovingly restored here on some more enduring formats! The style is pretty darn funky – maybe some of the latest Afro Funk grooves we've heard from the... read more

Solid team-up/all star effort produced in full by the mighty Alchemist – with a core lineup of Tristate, Planet Asia & Killer Ben – and guest appearances by Prodigy, Evidence, Chace Infinite, Phil Da Agony and others. Includes "DRDC Theme", "Fish Meat" feat... read more

As you might imagine, we're huge fans of any artist with Dusty in their name – but these guys have a really special sound we've been digging since their start! The record may well be the best we've heard so far from this cool German project – one rooted in the core contributions of... read more

The best in years from Dwele – who honestly has yet to really make any kind of a creative misstep – and Greater Than One is one of his greatest records to date! Detroit singer and producer Dwele has long balanced a love for classic soul of the Donny Hathaway school with contemporary,... read more

... read more

A pivotal moment for Bob Dylan – and maybe one of THE albums of the 60s! The newly-electrified Dylan really takes off here – putting more punch and bit into his already-strong lyrical approach – and twisting things in amazing ways that still leave us breathless all these many... read more

Bob Dylan and his great band whip up a moody, yet darkly humorous Tempest – and while the overall greatness of his records came down just notch or two after Love And Theft – this one goes the other way and comes pretty damn close to his late-era peaks! Lyrically, it's definitely better... read more

A great lost bit of mid 70s Motown – a pair of should-be classic albums by Dynamic Superiors – in a single set! Dynamic Superiors were a great harmony group with an east coast sound – quite different from the usual Motown combo in that their vocals were often allowed very free... read more

Sweet group soul from The Dynamic Superiors – one of the few late 70s comers who still held onto that great falsetto lead that was big in the earlier part of the decade! The album does a great job of mixing funky numbers with sweeter, mellower cuts – in ways that also kind of bridge... read more

An overlooked treasure from the Atlantic vaults – the first album by The Dynamics, and arguably a much greater record than the group's better-known set from the 70s! The Dynamics were a Detroit group from the late 60s, with that heavy harmony sound that was becoming a standard for the city's... read more

A bit sweet soul, a bit funky – and a real indie soul classic from the early 70s! The album's the second from The Dynamics – a group from Detroit, but one who work here with a style that's much more in the east coast mode of the All Platinum/Stang generation! The production is nice... read more

A pair of overlooked gems from Ronnie Dyson – both of which show there's way more to love than just his early hits! On Love In All Flavors, Ronnie's older than during his falsetto soul early years – and he's working here with some impeccably mature Chicago soul arrangements by Gene... read more

Ronnie Dyson's standout set from the start of his career – a beautiful batch of Philly soul tunes that get some key help from the team of Thom Bell and Linda Creed! Bell produced and arranged part of the set – with other help coming from Stan Vincent and Billy Jackson – all of... read more

Magnificent! Charles Earland may well be our favorite-ever jazz organist – and after you hear this set, he'll probably be yours too! Charles really didn't emerge as a name until the beginning of the 70s – and although that decade did some nasty stuff to some of the 60s best organ... read more

A great set that brings together 2 live albums from organist Charles Earland! Live At The Lighthouse is a real killer – with that tight jazzy groove that Earland had on his first few albums for Prestige, a mix of jazz funk and soul jazz, handled with an incredible touch on the organ! The... read more

Stellar grooves from Charles Earland – a great mix of jazz, soul, and funk – put together in a way that's quite different from his previous records on Prestige or Mercury Records! The sound here is tight 80s soul – put together by Tom Tom Washington, who gives the whole thing a... read more

A great little groover from keyboardist Charles Earland – and an album that definitely lives up to its title! There's plenty of street sounds going on here – lots of modern R&B modes that echo the changing styles of early 80s soul music, especially on the east coast! And as part... read more

Charles Earland – really stretching things out, and sounding great in the process! The album's an important one, as it shows that Earland wasn't just a funky Hammond player leading a small group – but a visionary player who could put together a session with a larger, cosmic concept. ... read more

... read more

The title's no joke, as Earth Wind & Fire are definitely part of the electric universe of early 80s Columbia Records – the galaxy that also includes Herbie Hancock during his electro years! As a result, there's a lot more keyboards and electric rhythms in the set than before – a... read more

Great stuff! Although a live album, Gratitude is one of Earth Wind & Fire's greatest from the mid 70s – a very tight batch of grooves that proves that Maurice White & Co. could play just as well on stage as they could in the studio – and the noise of the crowd going wild is... read more

Two classics from Earth Wind & Fire – back to back on one CD! Last Days & Time is Earth Wind & Fire's first album for Columbia Records – the start of a really legendary run during the 70s! The sound here is a bit tighter than their first two for Warner Brothers – a... read more

Spiritual, soulful, and oh, so beautiful! This record captures Earth Wind & Fire at a perfect transition moment – when they've still got some of their avant jazz roots, but are leaning towards the smooth soulful funk sound that put them on the charts a few years later. The whole thing's... read more

Amazing! Earth Wind & Fire's ultimate moment of the 70s – and a perfect blending of all their influences that stands as a lasting tribute to their super-huge effect on soul music! The record features all aspects of the band coming into perfect cohesion – bassy funk, mellow soul,... read more

Proof that the US Army had plenty going on during the 70s – as you'll hear from this killer set of military-produced grooves from East Of Underground! The set goes way past the previous East Of Underground reissue – to feature work by the groups Soap, Black Seeds, and Sound Trek –... read more

The "Angels" in the title are Hells Angels – as this is a pretty rough looking biker flick, pictured in a nice on the road image on the front cover! The music is actually a pretty diverse mix of rock songs by some lesser-known acts – the majority by hard-grooving group... read more

A killer batch of work from Eastside Connection – one of the hippest soul groups on the LA scene of the 70s, and a key link to that city's older tradition of Latino soul! Eastside Connection have a sound that's a bit more smooth and aimed at the clubs than earlier LA groups of their type... read more

Easy Star All-Stars up the ante on their reggae covers series here – taking on Thriller – and doing so with respect and real soul! We love us a good tribute album when we hear one – and all the more if it would be a mere novelty record in the wrong hands – but warmly... read more

One of the most electric albums on the legendary Black Jazz label – a hip set of funky fusion tracks from bassist Cleveland Eaton, with a vibe that's similar to his album for the Gamble label, and his funky 45 work with The Kats! The record's a good extension of Eaton's roots in the Cadet... read more

Heavy funk from the Indy scene of the late 60s – the lost album by one of the funkiest combos in the Midwest! Ebony Rhythm Band have an incredible sound that seems to take the heavy bottom of New Orleans Funk and merge it with the trippier elements of Detroit psychedelic soul – no... read more

The Ebonys sing about life, and a host of other groovy topics too – in this lost soul treasure from the 70s! The set is one of only two albums ever cut by The Ebonys – a consistently great group from the 70s, as is testified by their constant popularity in our racks! The quartet has a... read more

2 early 70s sessions from Billy Eckstine – both recorded for Stax Records! First up is Senior Soul – a well-titled set not only given Billy's age, but also because of the surprisingly soulful undercurrent to the record – an extension into the genre even greater than Eckstine's... read more

A very groovy take on the work of Jimmy Webb – a sweet instrumental set from German maestro Kurt Edelhagen – featuring a host of hip jazz players from around the European scene, and some great arrangements by Quincy Jones! The tunes are all hits by Jimmy – but they're redone... read more

Beautiful reeds throughout – a sensitive yet striking mix of flutes and clarinet – the former played by Michel Edelin, the latter by Jacques Di Donato, who also handles a bit of soprano sax as well! The instruments often fold over each other nicely as the tunes begin – fluttering... read more

Solid work from one of the longest running players in the game – the mighty Edo G! Longtime hip hop fans surely know Edo's name, but his longevity and consistently strong output make him one of hip hop's more unsung careerists. Intelligence & Ingorance features production by Oh No,... read more

The Temptations' former lead singer's first solo record with a huge 80s groove album, especially considering the mighty title track – the duet with Siedah Garrett and it's sly reggae influenced bassline and crisp popping beat. This is one of those records we appreciate a lot more with the... read more

A stellar solo set from John Edwards – one of the tightest talents of the southern scene in the mid 70s, and a singer who would later break big with The Spinners! This album's got a really unique vibe – with some slight tropical touches hinted at by the cover image – and some... read more

Excellent set of LA hardbop tracks by the great tenor player Teddy Edwards, with a group that includes Joe Castro, Leroy Vinnegar, and Billy Higgins. Edwards' tone is fantastic, and the tracks give him a chance to show off his soloing talent in a way that he didn't always reach on other recordings.... read more

Two tenor greats pay tribute to a host of other tenor greats – but with results that are quite different than you might expect! The album's hardly the type that just revisits familiar cliches from tenor giants of years past – and instead, the team of Houston Person and Teddy Edwards... read more

A huge collection of work from the great Tommy Edwards – a set that features four full albums' worth of material, and which stands as a rich testament of Edwards' contributions to American music at the end of the 50s! Tommy has a unique approach on these tracks – a style that's rooted... read more

Super-rare Ghanaian funk from Edzayawa – one of the most unique and insistently appealing Afro Rock albums we've heard in years – with a hypnotic groove all its own! The album shares some of the same influences and instrumentation as many other groups from the time, but, there's really... read more

Amazing sounds from the Swedish scene of the 60s – a record that's archly modern, yet soaringly soulful too – a really wonderful combination of modes in the hands of pianist Berndt Egerbladh! The title's a bit strange – as Berndt's hardly the kind of guy that would make us laugh,... read more

The first album by 8th Day – a record with a bit of a complicated pedigree, but a massive amount of 70s Detroit soul as well! The set was supposedly compiled to cash in on the group's hit single "She's Not Just Another Woman" – reportedly recorded by 100 Proof Aged In Soul,... read more

A nicely complicated little record – and one of the funkiest albums on the legendary Invictus label! The 8th Day group was a loosely-conceived batch of Detroit soul talents designed to cash in on a concept of the Holland-Dozier-Holland team – and they weren't just a studio project, as... read more

A legendary project from Roy Ayers – and a record that's almost as in-demand as his classic Ramp album! The Eighties Ladies were a hip vocal quartet, with the soulful Sylvia Striplin on lead – and they work here in a mix of perfect Ayers-styled grooves – often using female... read more