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Classic level greatness from Bobby Bare – with the complete The Real Thing and I Hate Goodbyes/Ride Me Down Easy records from 1970 and 1973 – plus a smattering of some his best ever recordings as bonus tracks! At his peak – and we consider this to be peak material – Bobby... read more

A smoker of a swing session from tenorist Eddie Barefield – one of the few records he ever cut as a leader! Barefield's tenor has a rich legacy that goes back to famous 30s work with Bennie Moten, Cab Calloway, and Fletcher Henderson – and had a longtime friendship with Ben Webster,... read more

Rare late 60s work from the big band of trombonist Mike Barone – a player best known for his work in the Trombones Unlimited group, but who had an even more far-reaching sound with this ensemble! The material here is quite modern at times – charts that are filled with complicated... read more

A stone classic from this famous Chicago spiritual leader of the 70s – and an album that's got a nice balance between intimate soul numbers and larger tracks that have the whole Mount Zion Baptist Church along for support! The set's definitely got the strongly soulful vibe of Barrett's Like... read more

A soul record we'd put up there with some of our favorite ones that the city of Chicago produced in the early 70s – and it's literally a soul record – a beautiful gospel set by Pastor TL Barrett & The Youth For Christ Choir, of Mt. Zion Baptist Church, on the city's south side! ... read more

Susan Barrett sings about love's varied moods – and gets some pretty great help here from Kenyon Hopkins – an arranger who's got plenty of great moods of his own! Barrett's vocals have this deep-ranged style that's less swinging than you might expect for a singer working with Hopkins... read more

A sublime second solo effort from Syd Barrett – and maybe his most perfectly-formed album ever! There's a sinister balance to the record right from the start – a gentle approach to the offbeat themes that is almost more unsettling than if the matter was undertaken more forcefully... read more

The brilliant full exposure of the voice that was always buried in the larger sounds of Pink Floyd – a definite madcap romp from the amazing Syd Barrett – and a record that still sounds as captivatingly chilling all these many decades later! There's a stripping-down here that's really... read more

A Syd Barrett treasure trove – and an essential compilation of unreleased work that's a much-needed companion to Barrett's classic albums for EMI! The material here is all from the years 1968 to 1970 – tracks recorded before, during, and around the sessions that later became The Madcap... read more

Fantastic stuff from Ray Barretto – and one of his most sophisticated albums of the 70s! The album mixes together rootsy percussion and smoother jazzy arrangements – in a manner that keeps things fresh at all points, and which shifts the focus nicely from track to track –... read more

The only album ever by The Barrino Brothers – a stellar early 70s harmony group, and one who could sing with the best of the east coast scene of the time! The whole set's got a feel that's very much in the best mode of groups like The Modulations, Soul Generation, and even The O'Jays –... read more

A beautiful later session from Bill Barron – one that has him playing both tenor and soprano sax, in a group with brother Kenny on piano, Ray Drummond on bass, and Ben Riley on drums. The feel here is quite different than Barron's earlier groundbreaking work – but equally wonderful in... read more

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Keith Barrow's first album of secular soul – a soaring set of vocals that really shows off his gospel roots! The record's produced by Bobby Eli with a bit of a Philly soul touch, but in ways that go quite past the conventional modes of the time – kind of offbeat at points, with a... read more

A sprawling anthology of 60s and 70s Joe Barry recordings – a performer who was instrumental, early on, in putting Louisiana on the map for R&B-indebted rockers – even if he never busted out in a big way nationwide! This great 2CD set from Ace sure makes a great case for Mr. Barry.... read more

A really wonderful later score from John Barry – and key proof of the maturity he really hit in his music during the 80s! There's a style here that goes way beyond most of his soundtracks of the 60s – and even of the 70s – a depth of feeling and jazzy approach that's almost like... read more

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Really early sounds from the great John Barry – a huge amount of tracks recorded with his combo for the Drumbeat TV show in the UK! The program had a strong focus on the emerging rock and roll sounds of the late 50s – and the John Barry Seven were a perfect group to provide musical... read more

Not just a great album for the piano of Bruce Barth – but also for the vibes of Steve Nelson, whose tones are a perfect fit for Barth right from the very first note of the set! The pair ring out beautifully, righteously, soulfully throughout – leaping forward in tones that are fresh,... read more

Bruce Barth is a pianist who always knows how to open up and run – making him an excellent choice for the Smalls Live series – easily some of the best-recorded live jazz CDs in recent years! Barth's touch on the keys is amazing – very fluid, and a mixture of sharp tones and... read more

Amazing, simply amazing! The record is one of the first that Gary Bartz ever cut – done during a time when he'd been working with Max Roach and a super-hip group of younger soul jazz players who would go onto shape the sound of the 70s. Bartz leads a group that includes Stanley Cowell on... read more

One of the albums that forever put Gary Bartz on the map – a righteous blend of jazz, funk, and spiritual elements – and one of the key early 70s sessions with his NTU Troop! The album moves way past Gary's early style, and heads into territory not charted before – filled with... read more

Really wonderful stuff – and one of Gary Bartz's greatest albums ever! This double-length live set was recorded around the time of his NTU Troup albums for Milestone – but it's a bit more straightforward than those sides, going back towards a searching soul jazz sound, with some slight... read more

A landmark set of recordings – both of Gary Bartz's Harlem Bush Music albums, back to back on one CD! After a few years as a modern-tinged soul jazz saxophonist, Bartz broke strongly into the 70s with this pair of sessions – working in a mode that brought together rhythmic percussion,... read more

A tremendous tribute to the tenor talents of Paul Bascomb – pulled together here from rare 78rpm sides for United Records – including more than a few that were never issued at the time! Bascomb's got a rich and soulful tone – easily one of the best of the postwar generation, even... read more

Titles include "Promises", "From Now On", "Freeze Thaw", "How Dare You", "Astrud", and "Miles Away".... read more

Beautifully percolated grooves from Basic Soul Unit – spare and electronic, yet still surprisingly soulful too – almost like some of the gentler sounds that came around in the second generation of Chicago house, but informed by a 21st Century soul vibe as well! Most numbers have... read more

Count Basie goes pop, and the results are mighty nice – a hard-swinging take on familiar tunes from the 60s, but all re-tooled the jazzy Basie way! The vibe here is right up there with the best Neal Hefti moments with the group – and although the arrangements are by Billy Byers, they've... read more

We totally dig Basie's work from the mid 60s! He was working with Quincy Jones at the time – and Quince laid down some very soulful arrangements that used the best jazz elements of the Basie group to turn out some great pop instrumental tracks with a very groovy sound. This album's a... read more

An amazing little record – with results that are even greater than the sum of its parts! As you'd guess from the title, Count Basie takes on the 60s sounds of The Beatles – but he's doing so with arrangements from the great Chico O'Farrill – who really keeps things interesting... read more

Very righteous work from Fontella Bass – an album done after her time at Chess Records, and after her work in Paris with the Art Ensemble Of Chicago – in a heartfelt, southern soul mode that's totally great! Fontella's back working with producer Oliver Sain, who first brought her fame... read more

2 early gems from Shirley Bassey – both albums recorded before her worldwide "Goldfinger" fame, in a mode that's got a lusher, more serious feel! Shirley features arrangements by Geoff Love, and Let's Face The Music has Nelson Riddle at the head of the orchestra – and both of... read more

Joe Bataan is alive and well – and to our ears, the king of Latin Soul is sounding better than he has in decades! This tasty little set really takes us back to Joe's classic work for Fania – but it's also got a slightly different twist – one that shows a new younger appreciation... read more

Joe Bataan working in a pronounced dancefloor soul mode! While the legendary Bataan was no stranger to the fusion of Latin, soul and funk, this some of the most club soul oriented sounds from Joe we've ever heard – and the sessions are seeing official release for the first time ever! The... read more

One of the best later albums from Joe Bataan – a really wonderful little set that takes off strongly from the salsoul experiments he first began on the Afrofilipino album! The album's got a great blend of clubby rhythms and Latin soul touches – all arranged by Marty Sheller, and... read more

A great live date from Batacumbele – a double-length album that really lets the group open up, stretch out, and do their thing! Given that Batacumbele's all about complicating the percussion patterns of their rhythms, the album's live, extended jams are perfect for demonstrating their best... read more

Crucial work from Moreno Batamba – a set that brings together his Sister Pili album with a few bonus tracks as well! The core record is a cracker from 1983 – a set that shows the farther-reaching style in East African music at the time, yet without any too-commercial styles at all... read more

Pure tromboneliness from Conrad Bauer – a really compelling solo set that's recorded live, but which also seems to have his horn folding back upon itself at times too! There doesn't seem to be any overdubbing at play (although we can't be sure, because our German's not good enough to read... read more

Bold sounds from this German quartet – a group who certainly deliver one of the most striking avant jazz sessions on the legendary Amiga label! The set's got a free frenzy that's right up there with the 70s best from FMP – played by musicians who often made key appearances on that... read more

Quite an unusual soundtrack from Les Baxter – not just because it's a rare one done for an early 60s horror film, but also because this presentation of the music features a handful of very long songs – rather than the usual shorter film score numbers! In a way, the music works like one... read more

The spookier side of Les Baxter – an amazing soundtrack penned for the film debut of director Mario Bava! The film was somewhat notorious in the US, but was actually from Italy – and it's got a quality that's darker than even the darkest of the Italian horror classics of the time... read more

A terrifying comedy score from Les Baxter – one penned for a mid 60s film that starred Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, and Boris Karloff! Baxter's music has just the right twist to fit the title – and really matches the tongue-in-cheek images on the screen – the right sort of drama... read more

2 rare slices of exotica by Les Baxter – back to back on one CD! The first half of the set features material from the album Ports Of Pleasure – a dreamy exploration of south sea ideals that's got a more lightly drifting quality than some of Baxter's more percussive exotica albums, and... read more

Fantastic funkiness! Although Les Baxter's best known for his easy listening work in the late 50s/early 60s, this 1969 biker flick soundtrack is a motherlode of funky funky tracks, and a veritable cornucopia of breakbeats. The drums are nice and hard, and there's plenty of fuzzy guitars to give a... read more

One of the rarest Les Baxter albums – and one of the best! The theme is undersea exotic – and Les uses a swirling mix of strings, piano, organ, flute, and electronics to create a haunting sound that makes you feel like you've discovered some hidden grotto under the sea, filled with... read more

Eerie early 60s material from Les Baxter – his soundtrack work for Roger Corman's American International feature The Man With X-Ray Eyes – plus Corman's Morella entry in the Poe-themed anthology Tales Of Terror! The Man With X-Ray Eyes is one of those groovy soundtracks where the mood... read more

Genius work from Les Baxter – two of his best albums for Capitol, back to back on one CD! Ritual Of The Savage is one of those must-have albums from the 50s – a super-huge record upon its initial release, and an album that pushed the genre of exotica far further than most others at the... read more

One of the rarest albums by Les Baxter – and one of the best! The record features an excellent batch of "space exotica" tracks, set amidst some very lively arrangements, all packaged in one of the greatest album covers of the 50s! Les' writing and leading are as excellent as... read more

An earlier classic from The Beach Boys – and easily one of their best records from the prime sun and surf era for the group – with rave up rockers and some sweet ballads! So much as been written about the foreboding behind-the-scenes circumstances in Beach Boys lore, even during these... read more

A really cool little album from the Beach Boys – a set that definitely takes its "party" title seriously, in a way that has the group singing in a somewhat live and spontaneous manner! There's sort of a "live in studio" feel here – with production that's less... read more

"Little Deuce Coupe" makes a second appearance on a Beach Boys album – this time around as a leadoff track to show the group's versatility on the hot rod market! Despite the change from surf themes, though, the music here is magically the same – sublime Wilson family... read more

One of the greatest records of all time – and don't you forget it! Despite the countless lines of type that have been written about this record, nothing does it full justice like an all-through listen – something we're reminded of every time we put this one on the turntable, which is a... read more

The Beach Boys' installment in Capitol's hot rod-themed Shut Down series – the first edition of which was devoted to a host of different artists! It's clear that even in this setting, The Beach Boys have way more to offer than just a few gimmicky car songs – as the record offers some... read more

My God – they finally did it! After all these years of hearing about the legendary Smile album from The Beach Boys – hearing snippets on other albums, studio bonus tracks, re-recordings, and all the other sources they've dangled in front of us for decades – Capitol's finally gone... read more

The slimmed-down, single LP effort that Capitol issued after the collapse of the legendary Smile album – and a pretty sublime set nonetheless! Sure, some might argue that you can't enjoy Brian Wilson's genius until you've listened to 20 bootlegs of the sessions with dozens of takes on the... read more

A mixed bag record, but with some really wonderful moments – and essential listening as a lead-up to the Pet Sounds album to follow! There's a mix of styles here – some rough rocking numbers that are a bit stiff, mixed with some really amazing tunes that get at Brian Wilson's new... read more

A record with "surf" in the title, but one that's light years from the earlier Beach Boys albums of the 60s! This set is a wonderfully mature effort – hardly surf music at all, and one that moves nicely in the same territory as Sunflower and 20/20! Some of the tunes are... read more

Sweet and dreamy early work from The Beach Boys – an album that has their mellow harmonies taking shape wonderfully – as heard famously on the title track! That sublime gem begins the great little set– a record that has a few hits and some even better obscure numbers – the... read more

Early work from The Beach Boys, but Brian Wilson's genius is already starting to show – tucked in between some more obviously poppy numbers that first put the group on the map! The album obviously features the big title hit, but there's some other great gems here that are much lesser known... read more

A surprisingly great comeback for The Beach Boys – working here with Brian Wilson at the production helm, in a mode that really recalls the glory of the group's post-Pet Sounds years! We'll be honest that we were initially cringing at the title – and expected the worst – but... read more

A pre-Pet Sounds moment of genius from The Beach Boys – a record with some surprisingly wonderful songs tucked in amongst more familiar rockers! There's a growing brilliance here that's clearly evident in Brian Wilson's production, the tunes tender themes, and the complicated harmonics used... read more

Hip hop lifers and genre-defiant pop art blenders The Beastie Boys deliver the Hot Sauce – either their 8th or 9th album in 25 years, depending on how you count the Mix Up instrumentals set – and it sounds to us like a return to the good times hip hop funk style-hopping that the Boys... read more

The game-changing Def Jam classic from the mid 80s – and still possibly the greatest album by the Beastie Boys – even though they'd grow up a whole lot after this! The Beasties later distanced themselves from much of the attitude of this album, and you can't fault the Boys for maturing.... read more

A hip little set from The Beat Boys – an Argetine group working in late 60s Brazil, supposedly with a bit of an influence on the sound of Tropicalia! The sound here is a bit straighter than the work of Caetano Veloso or Os Mutantes – a bit in the Jovem Guarda sound of more mainstream... read more

A really bold step forward for this cool Chilean combo of the late 60s – a set that still has all the raw garagey energy of their previous work, yet which also has them taking a lot more chances in the studio too! The album has this great core sound that's heavy in twang and fuzz – yet... read more

Two disco killers – together in one single set, with bonus tracks too! First up is Beautiful Bend – a classic album of stripped-down disco grooves – featuring spacey keyboard work from Boris Midney, and lots of heavy congas by Larry Washington! The real focus here is the... read more

Soulful vocals, synths and orchestral pop from Beauty Room on Far Out! Beauty Room features joint production and songwriting by singer Jinadu and synths maestro Kirk Degiorgio – the latter a Far Out veteran at this point, and an artist whose creative evolution has been a joy to follow! They... read more

Great contemporary sounds from Brazil – a collaboration between Nina Becker and Marcelo Callado – done with a really playfully creative feel! Nina's sung recently with Orquesta Imperial, and Marcelo's the drummer in Caetano Veloso's recent group – and the record definitely has... read more

Overlooked later work from trumpeter Harry Beckett – material that really sparkles with a lot of warmth and imagination, and which is pulled together from a collection of different sessions in the late 80s and early 90s! The package features Beckett in a number of settings – including... read more

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Maybe the greatest record we've ever heard from Beggar & Co – a set that sparkles strongly from a host of excellent guest work – not just from Incognito, but also from some key American musicians as well! The groove is tighter than ever – and very much in the 70s-inspired... read more

A massive collection of work from Beggars Opera – Vertigo Records giants who work here with a heck of a lot of great work on organ! The set features a fair bit of music from each of the group's four albums – Act One, Waters Of Change, Pathfinder, and Get Your Dog Off Me – plus... read more

A monster bit of funk that's unlike anything else we can think of! Beginning Of The End hailed from The Bahamas, but don't hold that against them – because instead of being a Caribbean cliche, they took the best part of the island rhythms, and used them to forge an incredible approach to... read more

A jazzy soul stunner Pete Belasco – the singer, producer and sole performer on his completely great third album – possibly the best we've heard from him to date! Pete's first album for Verve Forecast was a really strong effort, steeped in emotionally rich, though laidback soul with... read more

Fantastic work from Archie Bell & The Drells – an important record that bridges their earlier and later sounds! It's a key transitional album for the crew – as most of the album's in the harder rawer Texas funk groove of earlier year, but some of it features newer production by... read more

A stormer from Archie Bell & The Drells – one of our favorite soul albums ever, and a masterpiece of mid-tempo soul! Archie Bell & The Drells sound amazing here – light years from the rougher funk of their earlier years, yet still with a groove that's undeniable – an... read more

An incredible bit of southern funk – the first landmark LP by Archie Bell & The Drells, and the first big burst of energy from the Texas scene of the 60s! The album's incredible – with Archie up front on rough-hewn vocals, the band grooving in a mad tangle of guitar, bass, and... read more

A wonderful set by the enigmatic Charles Bell – a 60s modernist, but one with a great sense of soul! The album definitely lives up to its title, and has a fresh approach to the medium – a style that has some of the Modern Jazz Quartet influence in its structure, yet which also shares... read more

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Wonderful early work from Madeline Bell – a great singer with a sound that's equal parts American soul and British 60s female pop! The recordings on the set are from Madeline's earliest years in the UK – long before she achieved greater fame on crossover rock recordings, at a time when... read more

Socking soul from the 60s – a record with American roots and a very groovy British sound! The set was the second full length album from Madeline Bell – an American singer transplanted to the mod UK scene of the 60s, where she really flourished in a rich career of hit singles, endless... read more

Stunning sounds from Beady Belle – one of the greatest albums we've heard from the group in years – and that's saying a heck of a lot! Beady Belle are as soulful as ever, but also have a new sort of crackle too – a bit more clavinet mixed in with their Fender Rhodes, and this... read more

A sweet debut from soul singer Regina Belle – a nice dose of class and sophistication in the world of mid 80s R&B! Regina's got a well-developed style right from the start – the kind of poise that you might hear from someone like Phyllis Hyman, especially on the mellower cuts... read more

One of the coolest albums we've ever heard from trumpeter Stephane Belmondo – a mighty tribute to the great Donny Hathaway – based around a mix of Hathaway's famous tunes and Belmondo's original tracks – and featuring a bit of guest work on vocals from Gregory Porter and Sandra... read more

Wild! Another beautiful release in the Easy Tempo series of lost Italian music from the late 60's and early 70's. This one's a haunting moody set of tracks that mix percussion, electric bass, organ, and a wordless female voice in a haunting soundscape of sexy tracks with a totally unique feel. ... read more

Funky, soulful, and totally wonderful – a wicked late 70s live set from Jorge Ben – and one of his few post-Philips albums that really holds the energy from earlier years! The date's a live one, and the group grooves in a style that's got plenty of Africa Brasil touches – mixed... read more

A sweet little album from Jorge Ben – an 80s groover with a sound that's a bit of a change from his 70s classics! The backings show Ben picking up some modern soul elements from the US scene of the time – but these are also mixed with some rougher, rhythmic styles that are definitely... read more

Amazing stuff from Jorge Ben – and the record that pushed him over the top! The album's a masterpiece of funky Brazilian soul – and it includes the huge hit "Taj Mahal", which still sounds great, even after all these years! Other great cuts include "Fio Maravilha",... read more

A seminal set from Jorge Ben – one that mixes samba soul with more baroque arrangements from the legendary Arthur Verocai! The record's got a different feel than some of Jorge's other work – almost a wider vision of music that ties his usual funky style to some of the more ambitious... read more

Late 70s funky soul from Jorge Ben – not as totally all-out funky as his classic work from earlier in the decade, but still pretty darn nice! The tracks bounce along with a tight samba soul approach that's built very much on Jorge's earlier experiments – handled with a bit more modern... read more

An amazing collection – every single Jorge Ben album recorded for Philips – one hell of a massive legacy in music, packaged here with a bonus CD of rare material too! The albums in the collection are the stuff of legend – amazing discs that forever changed the face of Brazilian... read more

A nice one from Jorge! The record's one of his best from the 70s – and it's got a groove that's somewhere between "Taj Mahal" and "Africa Brasil". Jorge's guitar work is nice and tight, and his vocals are, as always, extremely captivating. The tracks are short, choppy,... read more

Great guitar and bass interplay – between Roni Ben-Hur and Santi Debriano – plus some light and lively rhythms from percussionist Duduka Da Fonseca! The set's a jazz album, but has the up-close and personal instrumental feel of a Brazilian session – not just because of some... read more

A brilliant mix of live funk and lead MC work from Bnegao – and just the sort of unique criss-crossing of styles we'd never see up here in the US! The album's not really a hip hop record – despite the lead raps of Bnegao – and instead, it's kind of a funk record with spoken... read more

Less a real album of French pop vocals than it is a sexy bit of cheesecake desgined to play with the American market. Vicki sings in English and French, but she's a lot better in French, which is the lesser-used language on the album. Most songs alternate between the two – and titles... read more

A much more solidly American album than some of Vicki Benet's other efforts of the time – which were usually more French-styled than this one! This time around, Vicki's got a great breathy style that's right up there with Julie London on Liberty – a late 50s sexiness that perfectly... read more

That's retox, not detox – a set of funky instrumentals from saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin, who's also got some great vocalists along for the ride! This is the first we've heard of Benjamin – and she's definitely a fully-formed talent right from the start – not just on her work on... read more

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Bassist Max Bennett displays a wonderful ear for unique phrasing and compelling small combo leadership on this set – working with a group that includes Carl Fontana on trombone, Charlie Mariano on alto, Nick Travis on trumpet, and Mel Lewis on drums! The style is a bit in the east coast... read more

An expanded edition of an earlier 10" LP – featuring a group led by bassist Max Bennett, one that includes Charlie Mariano on alto, Stan Levy on drums, Claude Williamson on piano, and Frank Rosolino on trombone! Helen Carr makes a vocal appearance on a track or two, and the album's got... read more