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A really great self-titled set from Emitt Rhodes – a compelling California singer who hardly ever gets his due! The music's a wonderful mix of California late 60s singer/songwriter modes and bits of Beatles-esque production – a blend that makes for a fuller feel than usual for a record... read more

Although Buddy's always been a bit laughable, he was always trying to keep his bag moving, and his band of the late 60s included some pretty darn nice players. The group on this session includes Ernie Watts and Bobby Shew, and the band wails hard and fast in a live setting with lots of tight... read more

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One of Lionel Richie's biggest records ever! Titles include "Can't Slow Down", "All Night Long", "Penny Lover", "The Only One", "Running With The Night", "Hello", "The Groove", "Love Will Find A Way" and "Stuck On... read more

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Lionel's third album for Motown – one in a string of massive hits that forever changed the sound of 80s soul! The smooth mellow lover is still firmly in place – taking a few chances on the set, but still sounding best on the romantic numbers. Titles include "Love Will Conquer... read more

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Nice 17 track compilation of Minnie's classic work for Capitol! The selection is excellent, and the CD features most of the stuff you'd ever want to have by her, including "Perfect Angel", "Memory Lane", "Lovin You", "Stick Together", "Inside My... read more

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A stunning debut from Maria Rita – the daughter of Elis Regina and Cesar Camargo Mariano, a team responsible for some of the greatest music in Brazil during the 70s! Maria has a sad and sweet voice – a lot like her mother's, and recorded here in a setting that includes light jazz,... read more

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A a great little set from Ismael Rivera on Tico! Ismael heads up this tight group that offers perfect backing to his soaring soulful vocals. The whole thing's got really nice percussive groove set up by the timbales, congas and bongo – one that propels the soaring vocals with the tightest... read more

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An obscure set from Max Roach – but right up there with his best work of the late 50s on Mercury and other labels! The album features the "award winning" drummer in a quintet with Booker Little on trumpet, Ray Draper on tuba, George Coleman on tenor, and Art Davis on bass – a... read more

Eric Roberson is back – and all we can say is "Damn"! Eric's better than ever – working here with a power and confidence that surpasses even his previous records – and if you know how much we loved those, you know that's saying a lot! That undeniable flow is still... read more

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A very mellow overview of Smokey's later solo work – the post-Quiet Storm period, when he was easily slipping from classic soul into adult contemporary territory – and really crossing over big at the time! And while we could probably say that most of this stuff is far watered down from... read more

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A kung fu cover and a dramatic sound to match – a really standout effort from the La Consagracion combo of singer Chino Rodriguez! The style here is New York salsa with plenty of heavy piano – all in supported of a well-arranged horn section that features equal parts tenor, trumpet,... read more

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A fantastic little album of Latin Soul – a perfect example of why Pete was known as the "King Of The Boogaloo" during the 60s! The group's having a non-stop party on the album – breaking it hard with heavy piano lines, rumbling bass underneath the grooves, tight timbales, and... read more

A killer album by the self-appointed King Of The Boogaloo! Pete's late 60s sides for Alegre are some really incredible records – and this album's one of the best of the bunch, stuffed with tight groovy tracks that really have the whole band going to town! Percussion steps around piano, bass... read more

One of the rarest albums by Pete Rodriguez – and key set of music well deserving of the title Latin Soul Man! The album catches Pete at the end of his Latin Soul years – still working in a very catchy blend of boogaloo material, but also stepping into the transitional salsa sounds of... read more

Tito gets in on the Charanga craze of the early 60s – and like everything he does, the album's handled strongly, although perhaps not at the top level of its field. Back cover has dance steps illustrated – and tracks include "El Panuelo", "El Latigo", "Oiganlo&q... read more

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Arrangements by Rene Hernandez and Raymond Santos – on titles that include "Bilongo", "Se Va El Manguero", "Carnaval En Caracas", "Modulando", and "Buscando La Melodia".... read more

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Hard to go wrong with a Stones classic like this one – a record that really has the group hitting their late 60s stride, and coming across with a depth and power that really goes beyond their earlier releases! There's a sinister quality to the record right from the start – thanks to... read more

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A beautiful soundtrack to the dark British comedy of the same name – starring a young Michael Caine! You might expect it to be a bit schmaltzy, but it's pure jazz all the way through, and features strong inside playing by Rollins over lively orchestrations by Oliver Nelson – filled... read more

A crucially important record in Sonny Rollins' career – one that had him breaking out of the straight bop sound, and emerging as a major power on the tenor sax – one with limitless creative power! The set features Rollins working with only drum and bass accompaniment – played by... read more

One of Sonny Rollins' classic sides for Blue Note from the 50s – all of which are excellent! For the set, Sonny's working in a relatively free quartet format, with Wynton Kelly on piano, and rhythm from the team of Doug Watkins and Philly Joe Jones. Overall, the session's got a bit more of... read more

One of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever! The set is a legendary batch of trio tracks that feature Sonny working in a format that is incredibly free for the time, and which show him as more of a modernist than a bopper – although his solos are still pretty darn fantastic from a bop... read more

One of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever! The set is a legendary batch of trio tracks that feature Sonny working in a format that is incredibly free for the time, and which show him as more of a modernist than a bopper – although his solos are still pretty darn fantastic from a bop... read more

A rare volume of one of the greatest Sonny Rollins records ever! The set is a legendary batch of trio tracks that feature Sonny working in a format that is incredibly free for the time, and which show him as more of a modernist than a bopper – although his solos are still pretty darn... read more

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One of Sonny's brilliant west coast sessions for Contemporary – records that shouldn't sparkle as much as they do, but which actually stand with his best work of the 50s! Sonny's blowing in front of a session of "leaders" that includes Hampton Hawes, Barney Kessel, Leroy Vinnegar,... read more

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The rarest of all the Sonny Rollins Blue Note sessions – and possibly the best! The record captures Rollins at a key turning point – emerging from his firey bop years, moving into a much more complicated, introspective tenor style that was a perfect showcase for his developing genius... read more

A groundbreaking album from Sonny Rollins, largely for the extended track "Tenor Madness", which runs on for 13 minutes, and features him and Coltrane blowing head to head – redefining the sound of the tenor sax in jazz through the course of that amazing track! Backing is by the... read more

One of Sonny Rollins' sweetest electric sessions from the 70s – a date that features Patrice Rushen handling some keyboards, and Lee Ritenour on guitar – but Sonny blowing solid, soulful tenor all the way through! The setting is the sort that might initially turn off fans of Rollins'... read more

A classic set that brings the east coast tenor of Sonny Rollins into contact with a west coast rhythm section of Ray Brown and Shelly Manne! Despite Rollins' silly look on the cover, and the album's overall "western" theme, the session's a brilliant one – right up there with Sonny's... read more

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You know, the live record, unheard of for a hip hop group, but this is the Roots. With "The Next Movement", "Proceed", "Mellow My Man", "Love Of My Life" with Common, "The Ultimate", "Adrenaline", "Essaywhuman?!?!", "Silent... read more

A landmark effort from the Legendary Roots Crew – one that a lot of folks hail as their greatest album – and there's a strong case to be made for that! Jazzy soul backdrops and lyrics that both personally and culturally reflective – and it's also the best produced Roots album to... read more

Hip hop's reigning kings of longevity The Roots deliver another great album with Undun – we'd have to think it's entirely uncompromising and they're doing exactly what they want to do on this album – if you thought their day (eh, latenight) job would would bring their album work into... read more

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Diana Ross gets some great assistance on this set – the club classic team of Ashford & Simpson, who help give Diana a groove that's very much like their own great work of the time! Tunes are long and clubby, but never throwaway pop disco – and with Ashford & Simpson at the helm... read more

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It's a bold thing to call a debut album "new voice" – but Kendra Ross more than lives up to that promise with this tasty little set – a fresh, no-nonsense batch of contemporary soul tracks that should certainly put Kendra on the map! Kendra's collaborated with others in the... read more

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Includes three works – Mendelssohn's "A Midsummer Night's Dream (incidental music) Op 61", Rossini's "Overture Semiramide", and Brahms' "Symphony No 2 In C Major Op 73".... read more

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The band may be riding in a carriage on the cover, but there's nothing old-timey about this set – as the record represents some of the best modern jazz on the Danish scene at the start of the 60s! The album's a rare gem from drummer Bjarne Rostvold – one of the key exponents of his... read more

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