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One of the greatest New York groups of the early 80s – and a key link in the post-disco, post-punk, and no wave scenes of the time! Konk had an incredible sound that featured a stripped down blend of bass, live percussion, and horns – all grooving together in a style that sat somewhere between Kid Creole and ACR – but without the kitsch of the former, or the darkness of the latter! The bass dominated on most tracks – rolling out amidst the drums and congas, and setting a pace that was picked up strongly by the group's tight work on horns. Most tracks are acoustic, save for the bass – and the vocals are kept at a minimum to allow for the strongest focus on the tunes rhythmic progressions! As usual, Soul Jazz have done a tremendous job of recounting the group's history in a wealth of notes, interviews, and photos – and this well-done package is the first ever proper reissue of the group's work! Titles include "Machina Jam", "Baby Dee", "Elephant", "Soka Loka Moki", "Love Attack", "Konk Party", and "Your Life". Plus, the set also features bonus tracks "Konk Party (DJ tools)" and "Baby Dee (live)".

The first full album recorded by A Certain Ratio – and a mad mix of styles that's immediately compelling! The group are a key link here in so many traditions – British punk, 70s funk, dub, and late prog – all coming together under the godlike production talents of Martin Hannett to make the album one of the gleaming jewels in the crown of the young Factory Records label. There's never been a record of such scattered, skittish darkness – and even though short songs like "The Fox", "Forced Laugh", "Felch", "My Spirit", and "Loss" are arresting, the whole thing's magnificently capped off by the extended percussion jam "Winter Hill" – a tune that sounds like a batucada group trying to drum their way across a post-apocalyptic landscape!

A pair of hard-wailing tenor albums on Verve – both of them great! Boss Tenors In Orbit is a studio album, but one that really has Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt recreating some of the bold energy of their live shows – coming across with a vibe that's much more Prestige Records than Verve, thanks to the presence of the Don Patterson trio on the set! Backing is by Don on Hammond, Paul Weeden on guitar, and Billy James on drums – a nicely loose combo that really lets the tenorists stretch out and show their stuff. The cuts are mostly standard material – "John Brown's Body", "Walkin", "Long Ago And Far Away" – but the twin-tenor sound is great, and Patterson's free organ lines riff away nicely! On Boss Tenors, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt go head to head in this classic album of tracks that perfectly captures the joy and fury of their live performances from years before! The record was cut in Chicago with a very hard rhythm section that includes John Houston on piano, Charles Williams on bass, and George Brown on drums – and it's way heavier than the usual Verve "meeting of the masters" session, and feels more like a record that should have been issued on Prestige or Argo. Both players are impeccable, and the solos stretch out for a long long very live time. Titles include "Blues Up & Down", "The One Before This", and "Counter Clockwise" – but these guys even groove amazingly on standards like "Autumn Leaves" and "No Greater Love".

Seminal early funk work from Roy Ayers! The record catches him at that perfect point when he was turning from a straight jazz player into a sinister force in 70s funk – and the group on the session includes super-hip soul jazz giants like Charles Tolliver, Sonny Fortune, and Harry Whitaker, running through short hip soul tracks that were very different than the style of music they were laying out on albums of their own. Roy's on organ, piano, vibes, and vocals – and he also handles the arrangements, with extra help on strings by William S Fischer, whose usual dark touches come across very well here. The album features some great soul covers – like "Ain't No Sunshine" and "Day Dreaming" – plus the original tracks "Cocoa Butter", "Rhythms of Your Mind", and "Red Black & Green".

These guys have a great old school sort of sound – Philly production by Bobby Eli, sweet female vocals from Cherry, and guest vocals from William Hart of The Delfonics, who really makes the tune sound wonderful! "No Answer" is back to Cherry in the lead – coming across with a blue-eyed soul vibe that takes us back to some of the best Brit divas of the late 60s!

The punk-metal crossover classic. Very nearly as deserving of watershed status as the unbridled Rock For Light set. Burning jams from top to bottom: "I Against I", "House Of Suffering", "Re-Ignition", "Secret 77", "Let Me Help", "She's Calling You", "Sacred Love", "Hired Gun" and "Return To Heaven".

Crackling with excitement – and the future of piano jazz! The Bad Plus are a totally tight trio that explore the realm of acoustic piano with the same depth and imagination that Medeski, Martin, & Wood once brought to the Hammond. The trio are clearly steeped in pop influences from the past 20 years – but manage to play together with the free-thinking complexity and rhythmic conviction of some of the best French and Japanese piano trios of the 70s. The set includes a few great covers that might otherwise sound gimmicky, but which come across amazing well – thanks to the group's depth and level of execution – plus some even better original tunes that we love especially much! Titles include "Big Eater", "Everywhere You Turn", "1972 Bronze Medalist", "Boo Wah", "Flim", "Silence Is The Question", "Heart Of Glass", and "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

Bessie Smith by LaVern Baker – a great blend of modes that really comes off great! Instead of sounding like a throwback blues album, the set comes across with a nice degree of contemporary class – thanks in part to a jazzy presentation that's a bit different than some of Baker's other music of the time – and which sports reeds from Sahib Shihab, tenor from Paul Quinichette, trumpet from Buck Clayton, and trombone from Jimmy Cleveland! Baker's voice is in fine form in this comfortable setting – and really works magic with tracks that include "After You've Gone", "Preaching The Blues", "Empty Bed Blues", "Back Water Blues", and "Gimme A Pigfoot".

Man, these guys really know how to groove – and even on a bigger label, with a more commercial image, they still manage to come up with a tight little set! There's a key ear for a bassline and beat that keeps The Bar-Kays standing stronger than most of their contemporaries – a sense of rhythm schooled in years of indie funk that comes through even on the mellower cuts here – which themselves show an even better side of the group in this generation, one that comes across great here on a few slower numbers that have a sweetly stepping groove. Titles include "Nightcruising", "Freaky Behavior", "Feels Like I'm Falling In Love", "Touch Tone", "Hit & Run", "Unforgettable Dream", "Traffic Jammer", and "Backseat Driver". CD also features a bonus single mix of "Hit & Run".

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 keyboards moving around beats in a really great way – and there's some acid electric touches that are subtle, but which bring a nice sort of retro energy to the set – some moogy brilliance that only gets better and better as the record moves on – almost with a Larry Heard feel in some of the best moments! Titles include "Let Go", "Backseat Lover", "Mind Forest", "Intersection", "All Over Me", "This", "Across The Room", and "Clouds".

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 keyboards moving around beats in a really great way – and there's some acid electric touches that are subtle, but which bring a nice sort of retro energy to the set – some moogy brilliance that only gets better and better as the record moves on – almost with a Larry Heard feel in some of the best moments! Titles include "Let Go", "Backseat Lover", "Mind Forest", "Intersection", "All Over Me", "This", "Across The Room", and "Clouds".

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 which is awash in dreamy soundscapes penned by Les himself! The orchestrations are large and bold throughout – mixing strings and woodwinds almost in a soundtrack-y mode – but always with the light sense of interplay that makes Baxter's work so great. Titles include "Monkey Dance Of Bali", "Pearls Of Ceylon", "Tahiti A Summer Night At Sea", "Hong Kong Cable Car", "Tramp Steamer To Singapore", "Harem Silks From Bombay", and "Sidewalk Cafes Of Saigon". The Sacred Idol is a real standout set from the end of Les Baxter's run at Capitol Records – originally scored for a film that was never released, but a great set of tracks that more than stands strongly on its own! The theme here is a Mexican/Latin American one – explored by Baxter with his trademark blend of larger orchestrations and lighter exotica touches – often swirling around in an extremely evocative mode that makes us wish the film had been issued to the public, and at a few key moments even hinting at the funkier modes that would follow on some of Les' later work for other labels. Titles include "Aqueducts", "Gardens Of The Moon", "Pyramid Of The Sun", "Temple Of Gold", and "Procession Of The Princes".

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be".

Big Boi's got plenty of help this time around – a huge array of guest talents that includes Sleepy Brown, Phantogram, TI, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Killer Mike, Bosko, and many others – but there's still a nicely unified feel to the set – a strength of vision that holds on even in the more commercially-tuned numbers, of which there are definitely a few that should push this one over the top! Titles include "Shoes For Running", "Apple Of My Eye", "CPU", "In The A", "The Thickets", "Lines", "Tremendous Damage", and "Descending".

Big Boi's got plenty of help this time around – a huge array of guest talents that includes Sleepy Brown, Phantogram, TI, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Killer Mike, Bosko, and many others – but there's still a nicely unified feel to the set – a strength of vision that holds on even in the more commercially-tuned numbers, of which there are definitely a few that should push this one over the top! Titles include "Shoes For Running", "Apple Of My Eye", "CPU", "In The A", "The Thickets", "Lines", "Tremendous Damage", and "Descending". Deluxe edition features 3 bonus songs!

The most fully-formed album from Nat Birchall so far – and one that has him definitely going into another dimension in jazz, thanks to a slightly expanded lineup! The shift here is almost that betweeen the 60s spiritual sounds on Impulse Records, and the label's groundbreaking material in the post-Coltrane years of the early 70s – a time when folks like Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown, Alice Coltrane, and others were really helping to redefine a sense of spiritualism in jazz – yet always at the best moments still hanging onto the core sense of individualism that first got the movement started in the 60s! Nat Birchall is at the head of the group – blowing fantastic lines on tenor and soprano sax – searching and righteous, but always with a sense of gentleness too – a really special blend that makes the album sparkle. Other players include Adam Fairhall on piano, Corcy Mwamba on vibes, and Rachael Gladwin on harp – and there's lots of nice percussion touches that are nestled in on the bottom. Birchall wrote all tracks – and titles include "Ancient World", "Dance Of The Mystic", "Radiant Will", "Peace In Ninevah", and "Sacred Dimension".

A pair of Italian comedy soundtracks – both put together with a very unique feel! The scores on both sets is by the trio of Franco Bixio, Fabio Frizzi, and Vince Tempera – well known from edgier work on other soundtracks – but coming across here with some really unusual elements – including some plunky rhythms on main themes, mixed with melancholy melodies – plus isolated instrumental passages that really run the gamut – clearly changing to fit the whimsy of different scenes. There's a huge amount of material in the set – 62 tracks between both soundtracks, most of them relatively short and playful – and the set also comes with a DVD that features interviews with the composers.

Classic work by one of our favorite pop singers ever – the full-voiced Cilla Black, a vocalist we'd trade for Petula Clark or Dusty Springfield in a minute! During the 60s, Cilla was working in a strongly Bacharach-influenced mode – a style that picked up a lot of uptown touches from the New York scene, but which infused them with the more belting mode of Brit female singers of the time. The result is an incredibly powerful approach to pop – one that showcases Cilla's incredible voice, but which also has her wrapped up in beautifully full arrangements, and rhythms that often have that slightly syncopated gentle groove that we love from Bacharach's work with pop singers. CD features 25 tracks in all – including 6 making their CD debut – titles that include "Yo Yo", "A Man & A Woman", "Anyone Who Had A Heart", "You're My World", "Love Letters", "One Little Voice", "Alfie", "Baby I'm Yours", "A Lover's Concerto", "Step Inside Love", "Liverpool Lullaby", "Forget Him", "Little Pleasure Acre", and "Rule Britannia".

A pair of soundtracks from Claude Bolling – both pretty darn great! La Gitane is a really fresh one from Claude – a score that echoes both his ear for acoustic swing of the 30s, and his blend of mixing jazz and classical modes – yet all the tracks somehow come across with a feel that's different than Bolling's usual bag – surprisingly spontaneous at times, especially on the numbers that feature acoustic guitar in the lead – and often filled with little twists and turns that you'd never find in Claude's non-soundtrack work. Titles include "Hubert Florence Et Elsa", "Hubert Et Mona", "Hold Up", "Poursuite", "Caramba", "Theme De Mona", and "Les Gitans". Le Leopard is of similar vintage, and shows a lot more of an 80s approach to instrumentation overall – bits of keyboards mixed in with evocative orchestrations – a blend of strings, horns, and electric modes – all done with a great deal of warmth and feeling. A few moments even veer a bit towards funk – or at least as close as you might come in a Bolling soundtrack – and titles include "Les Camions Moustiques", "Les Camions Monstres", "Le Lac De Feu", "Generique Fin", and "Pauline Et Nick Denver".

The second album from Brass Construction – heavy horns, basslines, and stellar dancefloor grooves – a stone classic! The first one was totally great, but they cast a wider stylistic claim on II – their trademark funky sound is still very firmly in place, but they bring more to the plate. The rhythms and percussion have a more globally steeped flare at points on the album, and there's a more smoldering, slightly mellower vibe on some tracks, without sacrificing the funk. The whole thing's fused together wonderfully – with the larger group moving with the energy a much smaller combo – and titles include "Sambo", "Screwed", "Get To The Point", "What's On Your Mind", and "Now Is Tomorrow".

One of Anthony Braxton's first great recordings with a larger group – a really impressive array of sounds and tones that takes his compositional experiments to the next level! Tunes here are all those complicated Braxton formulas from the 70s – carried out by a host of equally-imaginative players who include Dwight Andrews, Vinny Golia, JD Parran, Marty Erlich, and Ned Rothenberg on saxes and reeds; Kenny Wheeler, Leo Smith, and Michael Mossman on trumpets; Ray Anderson, George Lewis, and James King Roosa on trombones; Marilyn Crispell on piano, Bobby Naughton on vibes, James Emery on guitar, Bob Ostertag on synthesizer, Thurman Barker on percussion and marimba, and Braxton himself at the head of the ensemble! The electronics come across with some great tones that really link the freer reed moments – and the sound of the whole album is plenty powerful throughout.

Braxton and Ellington appear here as composers of the work, not as performers – but the spirit of both is alive and well in this performance, breaking out in complicated waves of sound that recall the earliest moments of the former, but which are also informed by the concepts of freedoms put forth by the latter! The performance features passages from Braxton's "Composition No 257" and Ellington's "Freedoms No 1, 4, & 6 From The Sacred Concert No 2" – performed by a sonically-conscious quartet that includes Roland Dahinden on trombone, Hildegard Kleeb on piano, Dimitris Polisoidis on violin, and Robert Holdrich on electronics – used here in a heavy, textural way that reminds us a bit of Braxton's own recordings in the format during the 70s! There's moments when the deeper electronic tones bubble forth with the trombone that are simply wonderful – creating soundshapes and tones that are worth the price of the record alone, slightly augmented by bits of piano and violin.

One of the youngest groups of the zydeco wave of the 70s – and one of the grooviest too! The group's got a solid swing and sense of soul that goes beyond most of their contemporaries – almost a deeper current of blues at most points, especially in the guitar – and even in some of the accordion, which can come across like a harmonica at points! Titles include "Mama", "La La Waltz", "Sugar Cane Patch", "Country Boy", "SB 5", and "SAM".

A great lost album from James Brown – and totally funky! The record's got a super-hip cover that shows James standing in a blue room with three fine foxy ladies, and the words "I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me" are emblazoned across the top – and the whole thing's as super funky as it looks! The record features many obscure King singles from the mid and late 60s, great little tunes that we always enjoy on funky 45s, and which are sewn together into one of the rawer James Brown LPs from the decade. James and the band are playing Vox instruments – as you can tell by the shameless ad on the back cover – and the record has a garagey funk sound that reminds us of the best Desco work by artists like Lee Fields & Joseph Henry. A prize in any funk collection – and with the cuts "The Soul Of JB", "I Can't Stand Myself When You Touch Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Get It Together (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky Soul #1", "Why Did You Take Your Love From Me", and "Baby Baby Baby Baby". Also features the funky hit "There Was A Time" – always a treat!

Quite obscure later work from Maxine – done in a style that's partly like her classic uptown soul work for Wand, but which also has some more down-home and rootsy moments – in an approach that was clearly intended to make her come across as more of a hard soul singer! Arrangements are by Bert De Coteaux, and all very strong throughout – with a level of quality that matches the Atlantic sort of session of this type, which was probably what Bert was aiming for! Titles include the single "We'll Cry Together", plus "Piece Of My Heart", "See & Don't See", "Reason To Believe", "You're The Reason I'm Leaving", and "Didn't You Know".

A brilliant mix of Afro and deep funk styles – the kind of grooves you'd get if Fela Kuti hung out with The Meters in the late 60s! Budos Band recall the genius of 90s deep funk combo The Daktaris – and have a similar love of older African rhythms touched by a newer indie funk sound – a complexity in the group's well-arranged horn parts, but a simplicity to their rhythms that makes the album cook like some of our favorite classics from years back. Sax and trumpet lines are mixed nicely with heavy percussion and a fair bit of organ at the bottom – creating a murky groove that has a bit of New Orleans in the mix, but also has most of the instruments stepping along with the rhythm – in a very cool take on the Africa 70 sound. Tracks are all instrumental, and all incredible – and the record's one of the freshest we've heard from the deep funk underground in years – a second-generation set that gets way past simple copycat funk and into its own unique groove! Titles include "Budos Theme", "Ghost Walk", "King Charles", "Eastbound", "Across The Atlantic", "Up From The South", "TIBWF", and "Monkey See Monkey Do".

Get ready to discover a true soul genius – the vastly under-known Richard Caiton, an excellent sweet soul singer who hailed from the New Orleans scene of the 60s! Unlike some of his more famous Crescent City contemporaries, who sung in a chunkier funkier style, Caiton's got a mellow soul approach that's much more in keeping with east coast work of the same period. His voice has a sweetly crackling style that we really love – never too sweet, but with an honest and personal approach that brings some nice fragile touches to his music. This collection of work is the first time Caiton's genius has ever been properly brought to light, as most of his tunes were issued on smaller labels, only as singles – leaving it to the genius compilers at Grapevine to bring together all of these great rare tracks from the late 60s and early 70s. 20 tracks in all, with titles that include "I Like To Get Near You", "Take A Hold Brother & Sister", "Superman", "Got To Get Across To You", "I See Love Girl In Your Eyes", "I Gotcha My Love", "Forgive Me Baby", "Reflections", "Our Love Is True", "I'm Not The Other Man", and "What's Wrong Baby".

Massive work from Calibro 35 – a group we've been digging on obscure overseas releases – stepping out here on their first American record, and easily their funkiest album to date! The sound is wonderful – still filled with the older Italian soundtrack references that got the group's music going in the first place – but also driven by a much tighter sound at the bottom, especially on the drums – which really drive the tunes strongly! Other instrumentation includes loads of keyboards – especially clavinet-type riffs that fit the group's 70s cop/crime mode perfectly – and titles include "Uh Ah Brrr", "Thank You & Goodbye", "New Delhi Deli", "New York New York", "Italian Band From BBQ", "Rain On Concrete", and "A Massacre At Dawn".

A cool little set from pianist Barbara Carroll – a player who got her start in the New York scene of the 50s, and served up some excellent work in later years – but who also comes across surprisingly well in this overlooked 70s session for Blue Note! The album's not nearly as electric as others on the label at the time – and instead, Carroll really demonstrates her warm touch on acoustic piano – working with just a bit of bass from Chuck Domanico and drums from Colin Bailey – but often driving the rhythms herself, with her own fluid work on piano! The set also features guest guitar from Dennis Budimir on one track – and titles include "Baubles Bangles & Beads", "Blues For Artie", "At Seventeen", "In Some Other World", and "It Never Entered My Mind".

A mixture of folksy and jazzy vocals from singer Susan Carter – part of the Laurel Canyon scene of the late 60s! Although Susan was one of the "Ladies Of The Canyon", she's got a sound here that's much more wider-ranging than that of Joni Mitchell – a unique mixture of jazz and rock influences that come across with a different sound on nearly every track on the set. The arranger for the album is Dick Halligan, who we've never heard of before – but who should get a lot of credit for the way that he mixes together odd phrasings and timings to match the shifting styles of Susan's vocals. Titles include "I'm So Tired", "I Need A Good Man Bad", "Medley For Billie Holiday", "Bluebird", and "Jam Session".

Razor-sharp funk from The Chapparals – an Atlanta group from the 70s, and one with a great balance of ensemble grooving and deeper soul roots! There was really something special in the Atlanta scene at the time – an approach to large group funk that was different than most northern scenes, and which could still come across with a lean sort of energy, even when hitting tight on the money for the dancefloor! These guys are a perfect summation of that groove – and the album's a blistering blend of bassy rhythms and tight instrumentation – including some mighty sweet keyboards that snake wonderfully alongside the guitar and horns, sometimes with some wild moogy touches that are almost P&P funk. The whole thing's great – one of those albums that's rare, but mighty satisfying too – and titles include "Juicy Fruit", "Shake Your Head (parts 1 & 2)", "Stop Cheating On My Lady", "Country Girl", "Hittin It", "Jam Around The World", and "The Brew".

Nothing Fragile here – as Cherrelle comes across with plenty of power on this debut LP – thanks to sharp production from Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis on some of the best cuts, and an overall groove that's right on the best side of early 80s soul! The Jam/Lewis tracks are heavy on keyboards and beats – but still have a nicely early, un-commercial sort of sound overall – never too poppy, and more in an indie soul club sort of groove. Other production is by Michael Everitt Dunlap and Isaac Suthers – who bring in some slightly softer sounds that show off Cherrelle's more sensitive ballad side. Titles include the hit "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" – plus "When You Look In My Eyes", "I Need You Now", "Who's It Gonna Be", "Like I Will", "Fragile Handle With Care", and "Stay With Me". Great reissue – with a book-like cover, lots of notes, and bonus tracks that include "Like I Will (Tokyo mix)", "Fragile Handle With Care", "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (edit)", "I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (special rmx)", and "When You Look In My Eyes (special version)".

A pretty sweet set of retro futurist synth from Chrome Canyon – which is essentially the solo project of Morgan Z and guests – and a mix of late 70s Krautrock-era synthy bombast and early 80s electro soundtracky styles! Overall, it's got sort of a Euro disco-tinged soundtrack vibe – think Giorgio Moroder, Wendy Carlos and 80s soundtrack-era Tangerine Dream – along with more starkly minimal tones and key, though used to maximum effect! There's also some twists and turns – like the cosmic post-fusion sax on the title track, bits of guitar, drums and other instrumentation. It's a very well structured batch of instrumentals – with a focused, song-based approach – as opposed to looser synthy experimentation. A leftfied win for Stones Throw! Includes "Beginnings", "Pluze", "Legends", "Branches", "Elemental Themes", "Cave Of Light", "Generations", "Chasing The Dead", "Sacred Mountain", "Signs From An Old World", "Carfire On The Highway" and more.

A classic full-length album from The Coasters – one of the few the group ever cut for Atlantic Records – and a perfect illustration of everything that made them so great! Almost every cut here was penned by the team of Jerry Lieber & Mike Stoller – who were also working with the group in the studio, and giving this amazingly pyrotechnic approach to group harmony – one that moved way past the simple street corner modes of a few years before, and which brought all sorts of sinister and sharp changes to their music! The vocals come across with plenty of soul, and also a huge amount of dexterity and wit as well – so much so that just about nobody else could make these tunes shine so well as The Coasters on these vintage recordings. Titles include "Young Blood", "Searchin", "Lola", "I Must Be Dreamin", "One Kiss Led To Another", "Riot In Cell Block # 9", "Framed", "Smokey Joe's Cafe", "Turtle Dovin'", "Framed", and "Down In Mexico".

Two cool tributes to Cleopatra – each of them different, and each of them mighty nice! Jamie Coe comes across with a finger-snapping sort of jazzy groove – upbeat and swinging, and a perfect setting for his echoey vocals – which almost have a Bobby Darin sort of vibe as he grooves along the tune! The Precisions' tune is much more soulful – exotic-styled harmonies given a sweet organ undercurrent – with almost Salah Ragab-like lines that hold up the ancient Egypt theme!

A great 80s groove single, with a slightly more mainstream soul approach than we'd expect from Began Cekic, but without sacrficing any club appeal!

A fantastic bit of modern soul from Norman Connors – proof that he was still growing and changing as an artist, continuing to push his groove into whole new areas as the 70s progressed. The record takes the smooth jazzy sound of the earlier Buddah sides, sharpens it into a more sophisticated modern soul style, fused with a bit of a quiet storm vocal approach, to create a wonderfully mature album of silky soul tracks. Part of the strength comes from the vocalists – who include Eleanor Mills and Jean Carn – and Norman also does a bit of singing on the record, and comes across surprisingly well. Tracks include "Stella", "This Is Your Life", "Wouldn't You Like To See", "Butterfly", "Captain Connors", and a wonderful jazzy soul reworking of "The Creator Has A Master Plan".

A fantastic bit of modern soul from Norman Connors – proof that he was still growing and changing as an artist, continuing to push his groove into whole new areas as the 70s progressed. The record takes the smooth jazzy sound of the earlier Buddah sides, sharpens it into a more sophisticated modern soul style, fused with a bit of a quiet storm vocal approach, to create a wonderfully mature album of silky soul tracks. Part of the strength comes from the vocalists – who include Eleanor Mills and Jean Carn – and Norman also does a bit of singing on the record, and comes across surprisingly well. Tracks include "Stella", "This Is Your Life", "Wouldn't You Like To See", "Butterfly", "Captain Connors", and a wonderful jazzy soul reworking of "The Creator Has A Master Plan".

A pair of overlooked gems from 70s singer/songwriter Marty Cooper – an artist who definitely leans towards the country side of the spectrum, but also comes across with more of a mellow rock feel too! A Minute Of Your Time is a 1972 set for the Barnaby label – one that beautifully mixes Cooper's raspy vocals with tunes that run from country twang to jazzier lines – especially on the tunes that feature sweet electric piano, and a bit less acoustic guitar. There's a knowing wink to some of these tunes – almost an echo of Lee Hazlewood, although Marty's a lot more sincere – and titles include "The Indiana Girl", "I Wrote A Song", "Mama Was A Cowgirl", "Cowboys & Daddies", and "To Say Goodbye To Anne". If You Were A Singer is a German-only album from the end of the 70s – but one that has Marty Cooper still working in the best mellow modes of his earlier work – kind of a commentary on country music and country ideals, nestled in a style that's real enough to have appeal to the mainstream it's commenting on. Titles include "Wine Wine Wine", "Stephen", "Like A Gypsy", "A Second Hand Song", and "Ten Dollar Room". CD features one bonus track – the previously unissued "The Biplane Evermore".

The drums are definitely exciting here – really tight rhythms that drive most of these cuts into a funky frenzy – even if the groove is more based on American soul of the late 60s than the African rock promised in the title! Most of the tunes are covers, but remade here as really hip instrumentals – often with bold work from the Count on his drum kit – which then sets fire to the larger group's blend of tight horns and electric rhythmic instrumentation – all coming across with that perfect cusp of the 70s Japanese jazz sound we love so much! Most tracks are shortish, and very groovy – and titles include "The Cat", "Touch Me", "Amen", "Soul Limbo", "Hold Tight", "Otis Sleep On", "Sidewinder", "Going Up The Country", and "Windy".

What's in the groove is plenty of funk – served up in an overstuffed package that includes all the tracks from The Counts' 2 albums on Aware, plus a few more bonus numbers! The best work here is from the mighty Love Sign album – quite possibly the most righteous work ever from The Counts, a move away from the heavier funk of their Westbound years, and a shift into some great jazz-based material! The vibe here draws heavily on the electric keyboard scene of the early 70s – with echoes of Lonnie Liston Smith's spaciness that trip through some of the album's best longer numbers – mixed with the harder grooves that The Counts first cut on their legendary singles in Detroit! Next up is work from the Funk Pump album – a record that's similar to Love Sign, but a bit more reigned-in, both in style and length of the tunes. There's a tight, bad-walking feel to most of the cuts on the set – one that almost comes across with a blacksploitation groove – especially as the album's basslines are all laid out in a hard-stepping groove, and topped off by plenty of wicked guitar work. Most cuts have vocals, and the lyrics have a Fatback-like love of the catchy chorus and funk-heavy theme! CD features 20 tracks that include the previously unissued "Chicken Pox" and "Counts Say Goodbye" – plus "The Munchies", "Count's Blues", "Jazzman", "Tecalli", "Flies Over Watermelon", "At The Fair", "I'm The Music", "Short Cut", "Sacrifice", "Love Sign", "Just You Just Me", "Funk", "Funk Pump", "Since We Said Goodbye", and "Dedicated Man".

A cool step sideways for the great Don Covay – a set that still holds onto all the soul of his earlier work for Atlantic – but one that also has Don hitting a rootsier, bluesier mode too! The combo's definitely a blues group at their core, but apart from some harmonica and a bit more twang in the guitar, they come across more like a rough soul combo behind Covay's lead – a quality that comes through especially strong on some of the points where the drums step out a bit more than usual. Our hat's off to Don for making this move – as the record really shows a whole new side of his vocal talents, and has a deeper vibe than he'd go for in his later crossover soul of the 70s. Titles include "Homemade Love", "Steady Roller", "Four Women", "Mad Dog Blues", and "Shut Your Mouth".

A massive set from Nigeria's CS Crew – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The bass is super-heavy on these grooves – way more so than on other Afro Funk records of the time, and in ways that easily match, if not beat, the early best by Fatback Band and Kool & The Gang – grooves that have amazing dexterity that few others could match, yet which always come through right on the money every time! The bass dips, turns, soars, and drops magically on each number – setting things up strongly for the group's riffing guitar, sweet keyboard lines (including a big of moog!), and few horn moments – which themselves often come across more like an American group than a Nigerian one. Vocals have this rough approach – often part of the rhythm more than anything else – and titles include "Love Is Peace", "Freaky Funkyfied Fix", "Bread Power", "Doin The Good Thing", "I've Found Love", "Last Day", and "Dig In With Time".

A massive set from Nigeria's CS Crew – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! The bass is super-heavy on these grooves – way more so than on other Afro Funk records of the time, and in ways that easily match, if not beat, the early best by Fatback Band and Kool & The Gang – grooves that have amazing dexterity that few others could match, yet which always come through right on the money every time! The bass dips, turns, soars, and drops magically on each number – setting things up strongly for the group's riffing guitar, sweet keyboard lines (including a big of moog!), and few horn moments – which themselves often come across more like an American group than a Nigerian one. Vocals have this rough approach – often part of the rhythm more than anything else – and titles include "Love Is Peace", "Freaky Funkyfied Fix", "Bread Power", "Doin The Good Thing", "I've Found Love", "Last Day", and "Dig In With Time".

Anthony David's one of those cats that just keeps getting better and better – taking an already-great sound, and finding a way to dig deeper to the core with each new record – and serve things up with a freshness that always keeps us wanting more! This time around, Anthony's working with a core combo called The Do Gooders – a lineup that almost brings more of an old school soul feel than before – one that has David's vocals coming across with a proud, vibrant feel that only gets stronger as the album moves on – as if he knows he's coming up with a contemporary classic in the process! Titles include "Love Out Loud", "Can't Look Down", "So Jaded", "Livin It Up", "Official", "Sweet Pain", and "A Way For Me".

A pretty rare one – and one of the best albums that Eddie Lockjaw Davis ever recorded! The album takes Eddie's usual trio with Shirley Scott on organ, and adds in some extra bongos and conga – by Luiz Perez and Ray Barretto, respectively – to create a Latinized version of soul jazz, with a very nice swing! The album grooves well on nearly every track – almost in the mode of Eddie's classic Afro-Jaws album – and the setting really brings out the best in his tenor work, cutting across lines in a way that almost hearkens back to his R&B days. Titles include "Dobbin The Redd Foxx", "Last Train From Overbrook", "Fast Spiral", "Dancero", and "That Old Black Magic".

A pair of soundtracks from legendary composer Georges Delerue – beautiful work for Bernardo Bertolucci's Le Conformiste (Il Conformista) from 1970 – and the lesser-remembered, but again quite beautiful La Petite Fille En Velours Bleu from 1978! Le Conformiste has a few modes, ranging from sparely stirring winds and strings, to eerie bits of keyboards to old school waltzy backdrops and back. The mix of gentle sounds and tenser moments is very compelling! Titles include "Generique Debut", "Hotel Palais D'Orsay", "OK Bull", "Fiacre", "Il Conformista", "Anna, Ester Et Marcello","Valzer Del Conformista", "Gravita' Estrema", "Tango Di Rabbia" and many more. La Petite Fille En Velours Bleu has a smaller scale vibe, but it's ultimately nearly as great – with some lovely strings and breezy goodness to spare. Titles include "Theme De Laura", "La Deposition", "Danse Des Nostalgiques", "Mike", "L'Accident", "Le Bar Des Allies", "La Petite Fille En Velours Bleu" and more. 29 tracks in all.

A cool jazz classic from altoist Paul Desmond and guitarist Jim Hall! The album was recorded under Desmond's name, but Hall's the guitarist throughout, and his playing lends an indescribably wonderful edge to the set, making the album a real team effort! Unlike other RCA sides by Hall and Desmond, this one features the pair with larger string backings by Bob Prince, which create a dreamy pillow for alto and guitar to solo across. Titles include the Desmond originals "Late Lament" and "Desmond Blue" – plus "Ill Wind", "My Funny Valentine", and "Like Someone In Love".

An incredible full album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! The group's a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky!

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 4LP box set edition is amazing – coming in a beautiful hand-pulled silkscreen box – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes an oversized booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence.

The remarkable story behind one greatest and most successful soul albums of all time – Aretha Franklin's I Never Loved A Man The Way I Love You – the deepest account on the making of the album we've ever come across! Author Matt Doblin tells the story with loads of fresh interviews, including producer Jerry Wexler, some of the Muscle Shoals session players and others in Aretha's crew of musician, providing a rich backstory on a monumental moment in modern music. Paperback, 256 pages.

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 of a cutting-edge jazzman – blowing a variety of reeds, including flute, tenor, alto, and soprano saxes (sometimes simultaneously!) – with only just bass and drums to back him up! Yet as with most of Bob's other recordings from the time, there's a wonderful sense of rhythm to these cuts – never too free, and always with an inherent groove that hangs somewhere between the modal and the harmelodic. The drummer on all cuts is Denis Smith, and bassists include Barry Guy, Jeff Clyne, and Marc Meggido – on tracks that include "Bamboo Blaze", "Spooks", "Living It Up In Rio", "Desert Waltz", "Circus", "Moonstruck", and "Ghosts In Space".

An underappreciated soul set from George Duke for Epic – his Rendezvous from '84 – an engagement worth keeping! Given the mid 80s release date, you might be expecting a whole lot of programming and drum machine action – there's a bit of it, but this is a really lively set with some great musicianship across the board – and the songs are pretty strong, too. Duke produced, sings and handles an array of instrumentation from keys to synths and programming, with Stanley Clarke, Paulinho Da Costa, Ernie Watts, Oscar Castro Neves and other great players in the mix. Titles include "Got To Get Back To Love", "Take It On", "She Can Wait Forever", "Stay Awhile", "Thinking Of You" (with some nice extended string arrangements), "Secret Rendezvous", and "Ipanema Lady"

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 previous recordings for Motown – and proof that he was really trying to stretch out towards new audiences at the time! Artie Butler handled the backings, and he uses a groove that's pretty full, but never overwhelming – more ebullient soul than some of Eckstine's more familiar jazz – with backing vocals and bright horns, yet still plenty of space for Billy to do his thing. The best numbers have Eckstine coming across with the 70s cool of Grady Tate on his vocal sides – and titles include "Thank You For The Moment", "A Song For You", "A Man Who Sings", "Today Was Tomorrow Yesterday", "I Believe In Music", and "Living Like A Gypsy". If She Walked Into My Life is extremely compelling stuff – and you've really got to give Billy credit for reinventing himself like this! The album features Billy's deep deep voice amidst arrangements by Artie Butler, Jimmy Jones, Mike Melvoin, and Billy Byers – sort of a blend of Grady Tate sophisti-jazz, and Scott Walker baroque, with a moody mellow sound that would make either of them proud. Titles include "The Taste Of My Tears", "I Am Yours", "Maybe This Time", "The Very Thought Of You", and "All In Love Is Fair".

A famous performance from the 80s – but one that's done in a really rootsy mode – just vocals and guitar from the four artists in the title – presented as an exploration of folksy styles from the northeast of Brazil! Yet given the setting, and the relatively creative style of all the singers, the overall presentation is way more than just simple rehashing of folkloric modes – and instead often comes across with dark overtones, and some surprisingly modern inflections – a bit like the way that Geraldo Vandre was adapting his style in the late 60s. Titles include "Violeiro", "Matanca", "Cantiga De Amigo", "Ai Deu Saudade", "Desafio Do Auto Da Catingueira", "Ai Que Saudade De Oce", and "Kukuaya".

A famous performance from the 80s – but one that's done in a really rootsy mode – just vocals and guitar from the four artists in the title – presented as an exploration of folksy styles from the northeast of Brazil! Yet given the setting, and the relatively creative style of all the singers, the overall presentation is way more than just simple rehashing of folkloric modes – and instead often comes across with dark overtones, and some surprisingly modern inflections – a bit like the way that Geraldo Vandre was adapting his style in the late 60s. Titles include "Era Casa Era Jardim/Veja Margarida", "Sabor Colorido/Moca Bonita", "Estampas Eucalol", "Cantiga De Amigo", "Saga De Sivirinin", and "Arrumacao".

A rare early trio session from bassist Richard Evans – known much more famously for his late 60s soul and jazz arrangements at Chess! The set's not only unique for it's exposure of Evans as a jazz artist, but it also marks one of the first appearances of pianist Jack Wilson – still a part of the Chicago scene at the time of this album, but already playing with the fluid lyricism we love so much from his 60s LA recordings! Wilson's piano is a really key part of the record, and he works a groove that's simply sublime – filled with lots of flowing, gliding touches on the top of the keys, but also coming across with enough of a bottom to give the record plenty of soul! The drummer in the group is Robert Barry, another noteworthy south sider at the time – and titles include "Consu", "The Preacher", "Trees", "Vera", "Should I", and "Daybreak". Nice cover, too, with a young Evans sitting in front of a globe!

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek".

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek".

Incredible stuff – a never-issued funky soul record from the 70s – but one that you'll proudly stack next to your rare classics from Ramp, 24-Carat Black, and James Mason! Like work by all three of those acts, this early set by Father's Children is massive righteous – filled with deep soul and strong social messages, while also coming across with a hell of a groove, too – thanks to some wickedly funky backings, and production that keeps the whole thing burning along beautifully! The set is amazing – quite different than the later Mercury Records album by the band – and more like the kind of record you'd expect to hear from Curtom or early 70s Stax – a perfect choice for the folks at Numero to bring to light after all these years – and another reason why their efforts are always worth checking out. As usual for the label, there's a full set of notes and photos that tell the story of the group and this lost treasure – but even if it came out with no artwork at all, the music would still have us raving – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Universal Train", "Everybody's Got A Problem", "Linda", "Dirt & Grime", "Who's Gonna Save The World", and "Kohoutek".

A soul set from Spain – a really sweet debut from Veronica Ferreiro, a singer with depth to rival the best of the American underground! There's a surprisingly non-commercial feel to the music – nicely laidback production, and strong traces of jazz that really make the backings sparkle – and match the great range that Veronica brings to her music – making for a blend that's a lot like some of our favorite Neo Soul albums from the early years of the genre in the US! Lyrics are partly Spanish, partly English – and on the latter, Ferreiro comes across with a sensitive quality that could well have her reaching a wider audience over the next few years. Titles include "Floating Lovers", "Non Quero Crer", "Riverside", "Laio", and "Please Don't Fall In Love".

Classic duets between Ella & Louis – done in a sweet mode that only could have been handled by Verve in the 50s! Backings are in a nice small combo mode, and Ella and Louis carry most of the set with their great vocal interplay – warm, personal, and pretty darn charming – in a mode that should be hokey, but comes across great! Oscar Peterson's group provides backing – with Ray Brown on bass and Herb Ellis on guitar – and titles include "Love Is Here To Stay", "I Won't Dance", "The Nearness Of You", "Cheek To Cheek", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Can't We Be Friends", and "A Foggy Day".

A gem of a record from the same Pernambuco early 70s scene that gave us Lula Cortes, Ze Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo, and Alceu Valenca! This obscure little set has lots of the earthier tones that showed up in work by the above artists – a style that mixes folksy touches with bits of psychedelia – kind of a north east answer to the growing sound from the Minas Geraes generation around Milton Nascimento. Many of the tunes here are fairly mellow – building slowly with an honest, earthy integrity – and mostly relying on acoustic instrumentation to carry the gentle poetry of the lyrics, but still coming across with enough of an edge to appeal to fans of stronger South American rock. Titles include "Canto Funebre", "O Tempo", "Noite", "Desespero", "Cancao De Outono", "Do Amigo", and "Romance Da Lua Lua".

A beautifully trippy album from the Danish scene of the late 60s – one that's as playful and psychedelic as you might guess from the cover! The tunes are all originals, and all sung in English – and have this great mix of jangle-pop and pop-psych elements that's totally great – clearly inspired by The Beatles in the post-Rubber Soul years, but also coming across with a more personal sort of charm as well – with styles that echo some of the best Hollies material of the period. Some tunes have great baroque backings, others are nice and stripped-down – and the whole thing's the sort of heavy winner that would have made much bigger waves had it gotten issued here in the US. Titles include "Hey Mr Flowerman", "Trusting Mr Jones", "In Every Hand", "Mrs O'Grady", "Nevertheless", "Little Mr So & So", and 'Hush". CD features two bonus tracks from singles – "You Ain't Going Nowhere" and "Open The Door Homer".

Funky and free-thinking fusion from the Texas scene of the mid 70s – a great indie album by a group who travelled in the same territory as the soul combo Starcrost! Although American, the work here has some great qualities that remind us of some of the best European fusion from the same time – a sense of soaring, stretching energy – and one that never resorts to too much jamming to carry across its message, and which juxtaposes heavier rhythms with some gentler tunes that really allow the horn parts some wonderful moments! Instrumentation include soprano sax, tenor, trumpet, electric and acoustic piano, and a fair bit of percussion too – all recorded with a great sense of warmth, almost in the mode of some of the best Fantasy Records 70s sessions! Titles include "Jig", "Halyards", "Cumulo Nimbus", "47 Tears", "March Of The Goober Woobers", and "Weedhopper"

One of the few straight rock records ever issued on the mostly-folk Monitor Records label – a great 60s outing from Freeborne, a group with a sound that's as tripped-out as you might expect from the cover! Instrumentation is heavy on organ and guitars, both acoustic and electric, but there's also some cool percussion too – and interesting use of recorders, in a way that comes across with an ocarina-like charm! Vocals are somewhat soft, but have a dark undercurrent – and there's a really great folk-into-psyche sort of feel to the whole thing. Titles include "Images", "Land Of Diana", "But I Must Return To Frenzy", "Inside People", "Yellow Sky", "Peak Impressions & Thoughts", and "Visions Of My Own".

Two incredibly groovy records that will completely redefine your expectations for religious music – both put together by the Rev Nick Freund! Montgomery Chapel is an incredibly dark album that's way more acid folk than anything else – recorded by a group named The Search Party, and served up with spare acoustic guitar, trippy electric, and this etherel organ that really makes the whole thing feel like an acid trip right from the start – as do the lyrics, which are often sung by a female singer who sounds like Grace Slick really trying to push even farther past the darkness of "White Rabbit"! A few tunes are upbeat, but most are very slow and sad – almost Wicker Man in mood – with titles that include "The News Is You", "All But This", "Renee Child", "Speak To Me", "When He Calls", and "The Decidedly Short Epic Of Mr Alvira". The second album is titled after a creepy line from the Bible – Each One Heard In His Own Language About The Marvels Of God – quoted later by Aphrodite's Child on their 666 album, and presented here at the start of the record by the St Pius X Seminary Choir, in ways that oddly have the same sort of eerie undercurrents! The set's more of a straight vocal affair, but with plenty of folksy undertones – and there's also an undeniable sense of darkness that completely undercuts any brighter spirit of faith. Titles include "Who is This Man", "Get Together", "Come Children Hear Me", and "Mass For The Secular City". 2CD set features great notes, in the usual Lion style – plus a dozen more bonus tracks too!

The last album to some from the brilliant team of Peter Howell and John Ferdinando – the partners behind the Ithaca and Agincourt albums – coming across here with one of their greatest sets ever! The music here is a bit more focused and polished than before – taking the best folk and psychedelic elements, and folding them together in a sweet sound that's almost Sunshine Pop – but which is obviously a few years later than the rest of the genre! The vocals often have a slight harmony approach, and there's a strong rhythmic undercurrent to many numbers – not really funky, but a lot more grooving than you might expect – again, a quality that we really appreciate in Sunshine Pop! Titles include "Memories", "Lonely Road", "You Need Friends", "Tale Of Your Life", "In The Morning", "Come Inside", "Take A Walk", and "Once In A Winter Town".

Deep deep sounds from this hip Japanese drummer – a set that features a fusion-styled mix of keyboards and sax, but one that comes across with a gentle feel that's light years from conventional fusion! The balance is perfect throughout – kind of a spacey, soulful vibe – stretching out beautifully, yet never getting overindulgent – no jamming modes at all, and really a great ear for the space between the notes that keeps the whole thing on a open-handed level. One track goes slightly out, but in a way that balances the others nicely – and players include Tomoki Takahasi on tenor and soprano sax and Toshiyuki Daitoku on keyboards. Titles include "June Rain", "Burning Cloud", "Moki", "Racco", and "Cum Cum".

2 incredible soundtracks from Serge Gainsbourg – both of them from his best period of work! Cannabis is a tremendously funky set of tunes – and some real standout soundtrack material from the legendary Serge Gainsbourg! Serge is working here with some great help from Jean-Claude Vannier – the guiding force behind Melody Nelson – and Vannier brings some great grooves to the record, really going for those sexy riffs and breaks that make us love Gainsbourg's music so much! There's a bit of vocals, but the main focus is on the instrumentation – which shifts nicely from track to track, taking the themes in some very nice directions – all of them definitely up to the sexy standard of Serge. The score to Ce Sacre Grand Pere is included here as bonus work – and features tracks written by both Serge and Michel Colombier. The overall feel is more orchestral and traditionally soundtrack-styled, but there are a few really sly funky tracks that offer up Serge at his sexy best! The set's got 21 tracks in all, and titles include "Cannabis", "Jane Dans La Nuit", "Danger", "Avant De Mourir", "Cannabis-bis", "Piege", "I Want To Feel Crazy", "Le Deuxieme Homme", "Champetre Et Pop 1", "Nous Les Jericho", and "L'Herbe Tendre".

2 incredible soundtracks from Serge Gainsbourg – both of them from his best period of work! Cannabis is a tremendously funky set of tunes – and some real standout soundtrack material from the legendary Serge Gainsbourg! Serge is working here with some great help from Jean-Claude Vannier – the guiding force behind Melody Nelson – and Vannier brings some great grooves to the record, really going for those sexy riffs and breaks that make us love Gainsbourg's music so much! There's a bit of vocals, but the main focus is on the instrumentation – which shifts nicely from track to track, taking the themes in some very nice directions – all of them definitely up to the sexy standard of Serge. The score to Ce Sacre Grand Pere is included here as bonus work – and features tracks written by both Serge and Michel Colombier. The overall feel is more orchestral and traditionally soundtrack-styled, but there are a few really sly funky tracks that offer up Serge at his sexy best! The set's got 21 tracks in all, and titles include "Cannabis", "Jane Dans La Nuit", "Danger", "Avant De Mourir", "Cannabis-bis", "Piege", "I Want To Feel Crazy", "Le Deuxieme Homme", "Champetre Et Pop 1", "Nous Les Jericho", and "L'Herbe Tendre".

Marvin Gaye's last album for Motown – and a wonderful cap to a great run of sexy soul for the 70s – filled with great mellow grooves that rival the genius of his earlier work in the decade! There's a glowing, slow-burning feel to some of the best numbers here – a vibe that's right out of the I Want You era, with touches of Let's Get It On too. But there's also a slightly more mature approach too – a bit more cautious, even when confident – no doubt informed by the struggles of his Here My Dear album, which also echoes somewhat in this set. The record's more proof that even when not coming across with a classic hit, Marvin's still very much at the top of his game – an artist that stands head and shoulders above his contemporaries – with none of the too-commercial or too-dated modes that held other folks back! Titles include "Life Is For Learning", "Praise", "Funk Me", "Far Cry", "Love Party", and "Love Me Now Or Love Me Later".

A great little album of short groovy cuts from Dizzy – and actually quite hard to find on vinyl! Despite a title that sounds a bit flowery, the grooves are nice and hard – and Dizzy's playing here with a combo that includes James Moody, Kenny Barron, Billy Butler, and Candido. The sound isn't as funky as the records that Dizzy would later cut for Perception, but it's getting pretty close at times – especially on the tunes that have a nice Latin soul feel. Titles include "Summer Samba", "Bang Bang", "Mas Que Nada", "Tequila", "Winter Samba", and "Get That Money Blues".

One of the first contemporary soundtracks on the mostly-vintage Death Waltz label – and a great record that really lives up to the same style as horror scores of yore! The music is mostly spare, but plenty dark – a definite death waltz of subtle sounds brewed together carefully – so that the initial approach is somewhat subtle, but the whole thing comes across with a really eerie edge once it gets going! Justin Greaves is best known for his work in a variety of contemporary bands – but here, he's completely different – and a master of the subtle, simple statement – on tracks that include "The Hit", "The Telling", "The Whistler", "Business Is Good", "Losing (spooky version)", and "My Enemies I Fear Not But Protect Me From My Friends".

One of the first contemporary soundtracks on the mostly-vintage Death Waltz label – and a great record that really lives up to the same style as horror scores of yore! The music is mostly spare, but plenty dark – a definite death waltz of subtle sounds brewed together carefully – so that the initial approach is somewhat subtle, but the whole thing comes across with a really eerie edge once it gets going! Justin Greaves is best known for his work in a variety of contemporary bands – but here, he's completely different – and a master of the subtle, simple statement – on tracks that include "The Hit", "The Telling", "The Whistler", "Business Is Good", "Losing (spooky version)", and "My Enemies I Fear Not But Protect Me From My Friends".

A beautifully tuneful record from Narada Burton Greene – maybe more so than any of his other albums – at least that we can remember! The set's a solo outing, and it's definitely got some of the modern elements that have always made Greene's music so wonderful – but it's also got this brilliant ear for little turns of a tune – one that's handled especially well on the right end of the keyboard, where Burton's got these tones ringing out beautifully, in haunting melodies we really love. And if you're fans of his older music, you've still got plenty to dig here – because the complexity of the keyboard work is rock solid throughout – as you'll hear on tunes that include "Acrturus", "Skumpy", "Bubba Meisa Drama", "Longing", "Moldavian Blues", and "Time Remembered".

An excellent trippy soundtrack – to a film we'd love to see, and which starred Charles Aznavour, Ringo Starr, John Astin, James Coburn, John Huston, Richard Burton, and Marlon Brando! The crazy outing is accompanied by a great Dave Grusin score that includes lots and lots of heavy guitars – quite different from his usual bag, and a nice fit with the few vocal numbers in the film – some standout rock titles that go along nicely with Dave's sweet instrumental grooves! Includes "Rock Me" and "Magic Carpet Ride" by Steppenwolf, "Child Of The Universe" by The Byrds, and the excellent Grusin instrumentals "Marlon & His Sacred Bird", "Constant Journey", "Spec Ra Tac Para Comm", and "Opening Night By Surgery".

Once again the GZA shines as the true Genius of the Wu Tang Clan. He continues to move in a more straight ahead rhyme direction, but there's still some nice metaphorical, numerological and knowledge dropping moments sprinkled in between the all-up-in-your-face Wu attitude alongside his acronym rhyme style, over crisp Wu beats. 14 tracks, without any skits to waste your time, unless you count the obligatory intro, including "Did Ya Say That", "Silent", "Knock, Knock", "Animal Planet", "Fam (Members Only)", "Legend Of The Liquid Sword", "Luminal", "Sparring Minds", "Rough Cut"and "Uncut Material".

A pair of killers from keyboardist Gene Harris – both recorded for Blue Note, and back to back on a single CD! First up is Gene Harris/The 3 Sounds – the last Three Sounds album for Blue Note – and the funkiest too – thanks to lots more electrification than usual, and some killer arrangements from the mighty Monk Higgins! Monk's really at the top of his game here – going past even his great previous work for the group, and working with a tight, sharp edge that recalls his funky 45 brilliance of the 60s – yet tuned a bit more towards the electric Cali jazz of early 70s Blue Note! Gene Harris plays loads of funky piano lines – and in addition to the trio's core electric bass and drums, the set also features some added work on percussion from Paul Humphrey – who really brings in a kick – plus added guitar, congas, and even a bit of Hammond from Higgins too! Some cuts even have a bit of vocals too – sung in this offbeat way that's a wild approach to soul. There's some killer breaks on the set – including the massive "Put On Train" and "What's The Answer" – but the whole set smokes, and other cuts include "I'm Leaving", "You Got To Play The Game", "Your Love Is Just Too Much", "Did You Think", "Hey Girl", and a mad version of "Eleanor Rigby". On the second album – Gene Harris Of The Three Sounds – Gene really steps into the solo spotlight – moving away from his work with the Three Sounds trio, and headed into even more righteous territory – as you might guess from the trippy image on the cover! The set features Harris mostly on acoustic piano, but amidst larger arrangements from Wade Marcus that really round things out with a warm, soulful edge – mixing guitar from Sam Brown and Cornell Dupree with Gene's lines on piano – and giving things an extra kick at the bottom with drums from Freddie Waits, and percussion from Johnny Rodriguez and Omar Clay. The record echoes Harris' older roots at some points, yet comes across with a richer 70s vibe too – a hip 70s style that's strongly due to the contributions of Marcus' arrangements. Tracks include a great remake of "Listen Here", which begins with a great funky break; a sweet steppers version of "Killer Joe"; and the tracks "Lean On Me", "Day In The Life Of A Fool", "Django", "Emily", and "C Jam Blues".

Don't hold the "disco" in the title against Isaac – because the album's still a pretty nice one, and by no means a cheap sell-out affair! The set was recorded in Memphis, with backings by the classic Movement combo – and although the tunes do have a "sweetened" sound that's clearly aimed at the clubs, there's actually some great instrumentation on the set that goes way past stock disco riffing – and which comes across almost like a funky cop show soundtrack. In case we haven't mentioned it yet, the album's all instrumental too – with Ike leading the Movement group, but not singing on any of the album's tracks. Without vocals, there's plenty of space for the horns to work some interesting bits into the mix – alongside funky riffing on guitar and keys, and some nice use of acoustic percussion. Ike plays a bit of sweet keys on the set, and titles include "Disco Connection", "St Thomas Square", "First Day Of Forever", "Disco Shuffle", "Choppers", "After Five", and "Aruba".

Proof that this Smalls Live series really brings out the best in most players – as pianist Kevin Hays grabs our ears here more than ever! The set's got an open, spontaneous energy – lots of really long tracks from Hays and his trio of Doug Weiss on bass and Bill Stewart on drums. Yet there's also a great focus, too – and you can almost hear Hays mapping out his rich territory long in advance – moving across the keys of the piano with some warm, soulful undercurrents – and some surprisingly gutbuckety points mixed in with his more lyrical elements, too – showing there's always room for plenty of twists and turns in a setting like this. Tracks include "The Anniversary Waltz", "Loving You", "Sco More Blues", "Ludus Tonalis", "The Dreamer", and "Cheryl".

A heady power trio, with a sound that's a lot more heavy than you'd guess from the cover! These guys come across looking like they might be a soft rock harmony group, but instead they wail away beautifully with a pre-metal sort of sound – lots of full, fierce rhythms and fuzzed-up guitar – very lean and mean, and quite uncharacteristic for the RCA label at the time. Solos are especially burning – right up there with Sabbath at the time – and believe it or not, the guys actually do harmonize a bit on the lyrics too! Titles include "Lazy Woman", "Mystery Rider", "Fifteen", "All I Need", "Promotion Man", and "Bells".

A really lovely performance from Olivia and Francis Hime – and one of the most intimate we've ever heard from the pair, too! Olivia sings with just piano accompaniment from Francis – in a way that still has all the majesty of the latter's full arrangements, yet which comes across in this subtle, spare way that's mighty nice – especially when Francis joins Olivia a bit on vocals, too! The format really allows a strong showcase of the maturing talents of both artists – the kind of masterful performance we might have heard from MPB legends a few decades back – on titles that include "Canta Maria", "Minas Geraes", "Saudade De Amar", "Versos Soltos No Mar", "Cancao De Pedroca", "Eu Nao Existo Sem Voce", "Trocando Em Miudos", and "Risque".

A really lovely performance from Olivia and Francis Hime – and one of the most intimate we've ever heard from the pair, too! Olivia sings with just piano accompaniment from Francis – in a way that still has all the majesty of the latter's full arrangements, yet which comes across in this subtle, spare way that's mighty nice – especially when Francis joins Olivia a bit on vocals, too! The format really allows a strong showcase of the maturing talents of both artists – the kind of masterful performance we might have heard from MPB legends a few decades back – on titles that include "Canta Maria", "Minas Geraes", "Saudade De Amar", "Versos Soltos No Mar", "Cancao De Pedroca", "Eu Nao Existo Sem Voce", "Trocando Em Miudos", and "Risque". DVD features bonus tracks and "making of" material too!

Amazing sounds from Roscoe Holcomb – a set recorded in the mid 70s, but one with a timeless quality that belies Holcomb's deep roots in eastern Kentucky! All tunes feature just a bit of guitar or banjo, and Holcomb's incredible vocals – inflected with a life's worth of rich experience into a mode that's almost more blues than folk at points – a key illustration of the way the genres can blur across cultural lines, if you know where to look. Titles include "Motherless Children", "Train That Carried My Girl From Town", "Frankie & Johnny", "In London City", "Walk Around My Bedside", and "The Village Churchyard".

Amazing sounds from The Hollies – a smoking selection of rare recordings for the BBC – overflowing with goodness, and a much-needed addition to their fab 60s catalog! We really love the sound of The Hollies in the studio – but the amazing thing here is that these live, spontaneous radio recordings are equally great – handled with that well-honed sound that few of their contemporaries could touch – a beautiful blend of jangle pop, harmony vocals, and just the right sort of rough edges to really make the whole thing come across beautifully! Tracks are pulled from programs that include Saturday Club, Delaney's Delight, Top Gear, and This Must Be The Place – and the set features a whopping 32 tracks that include "The Games We Play", "I'm Alive", "Look Through Any Window", "Jennifer Eccles", "Here I Go Again", "Wings", "Shake", "Wishyouawish", "Step Inside", "Hard Hard Year", "Charlie & Fred", "Nobody", "She Said Yeah", "Too Many People", and "So Lonely".

A cover record – but a great one! Unlike some of the Pickwick knock-off albums from the time, this blacksploitation effort by Cecil Holmes is top-shelf all the way – as Cecil's one of the best funky bandleaders of the early 70s. The large group on the album features funky keyboards by Pat Rebillot, plus plenty of wah wah guitar, and enough strings to make the album rank up there with the soundtrack feel of the day. Includes versions of "Superfly", "Slaughter", "Freddie's Dead", "Across 110th Street", "2001", and "Trouble Man". Some nice grooves, and a few nice samples, too!

Stunning Miami grooves from the legendary Jimmy Bo Horne – one of the key figures in the southern club scene of the 70s! Jimmy's got a groove that's very much his own on the set – a snapping, almost clapping sort of rhythm picked up from the George McCrae and KC camps at TK Records – but one that's honed into a tighter, smoother, almost sexier sort of approach overall. This sound's heard to best effect on Jimmy's super-huge hit "Dance Across The Floor" – but it's also pretty well adapted to just about any number, and kept Mr Horne going strong through the biggest years of the TK Miami scene. The set features a total of 19 tracks in all – including "Dance Across The Floor", "Get Happy", "Gimme Some (part 1)", "Spank (1980 rmx)", "Ask The Birds And The Bees", "Goin' Home For Love", "Rocket In The Pocket", "You Get Me Hot", "Music To Make Love By", "Don't Worry About It", and "I Get Lifted".

A monster! Foxy Brown is Willie Hutch's magnificent soundtrack for Foxy Brown – a Pam Grier blacksploitation film from the early 70s – and it's pure genius all the way through, a record filled with some of the best funky soundtrack cuts of the era! Willie's got a real Curtis Mayfield sound here – with a dope mixture of full orchestrations and heavy funk, guitar riffing away as drums snap tightly across the album's best rhythms! Includes the classic funky numbers "Ain't That Mellow Mellow" and "Give Me Some of that Good Old Love" – plus "Whatever You Do", "Foxy Lady", "You Sure Know How To Love Your Man", "Theme Of Foxy Brown", "Out There", and "Chase".

Rare work by the late Phyllis Hyman – a killer collection of obscure sides from some of the best projects of her career, plus some additional titles that have never been issued before! In a world of endless "best of" collections of Phyllis' work, this set is a real gem – a package that truly understands the beauty of her music, and offers up obscure tracks to please longtime fans, but with a quality level that's equally great as – if not better than – any of her well-known studio LPs! The album's a dream come true to our ears – smooth, jazzy, sophisticated soul – sung by Phyllis in a timeless style, with help from a host of great jazz artists. Unreleased titles include "If You Ever Change Your Mind", "Hottest Love Around", "Don't Tell Me Tell Her (new version)", "Do You Love Him (fast version)", and "In Between The Heartaches" – and other tracks include "Love Surrounds Us Everywhere", "I'll Be Around", and "In Search Of My Heart", all with McCoy Tyner; "Sacred Kind Of Love", with Grover Washington; "Springs Arrival" with Jon Lucien; and "Everything I Have Is Good", with Pharoah Sanders & Norman Connors. The set's completed by tracks that include "Sleep On It", "Magic Mona", "Soon Come Again (extended)", and "Be One" – all from hard to find non-LP sources!

It always feels like we're waiting a long time for a new record from Hypnotic Brass Ensemble – but it's always well worth the wait! This time around, they've found a way to focus their energies even more than before – still sticking strongly in the horn-heavy groove that we love, but also opening things up a bit more on the rhythm tip, too – and going for production that, if anything, makes them sound even more earnest, honest, and spontaneous than before! The record really preserves the live energy that makes the group so compelling – that razor sharp criss-crossing of jazz traditions and styles – steeped in a Chicago legacy that includes Sun Ra and Phil Cohran, but coming across with a hell of a lot more groove than either of them too. Titles include "Touch The Sky", "Kryptonite", "Pluto", "Black Boy", "World Champions", and "Starfighter".

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 with a post-colonial vibe that's mighty nice! Jabula have a sound that's a bit like Osibisa – heavy in African roots, but also trained a bit more towards a 70s soul audience as well – with some very tight arrangements that really help focus their energy strongly – and make the album a surprisingly great debut! Most cuts have female vocals in the lead – but the instrumentation is also pretty great too – with some killer reed work from Dudu Pukwana, and lots of warm keyboards too. Titles include the great instrumentals "Naledi", a snaking funky track with a great soprano sax solo, and "Let Us Be Free", which is kind of an Afro-descarga number, with lots of guitar – and other cuts include "Thandi", "Jabula Happiness", "Listen To Me Crying", and "Our Fathers". Thunder Into Our Hearts is a great second set from Jabula – and a record that seems to push the jazzy component of their sound even further than before! The ensemble has really wonderful rhythms – great bass and percussion that get nice and funky at times, and which are often mixed with some really sweet keyboard parts. But the horns also have a great UK jazz approach too – reeds from Dudu Pukwana, trombone from Nick Evans, and even (supposedly) a bit of trumpet from Mongezi Feza – all of whom really help give the music a complex, modern vibe that goes way beyond other Afro-styled groups of this nature. Tunes are a mix of vocals and instrumentals – and titles include "Soweto My Love", "Tears Of Africa", "Thunder Into Our Hearts", "Harvest (part 2)", and "Journey To Africa".

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 – blending Chicago soul with more adult-styled orchestrations from Riley Hampton – at a level that has Jackson sitting beautifully across a number of different modes at once – still appealing to the kids with the uptown groovers on the set, but also reaching to an older crowd with the beautiful ballads and heartbreaking love songs. The sound is incredible – easily one of the most fully realized full-length soul records on the Okeh label – and titles include "What Would You Do", "There Goes That Song Again", "I Don't Want To Suffer", "That's What Mama Say", and "It's All Over". CD adds in 10 more bonus tracks – most of which are previously unissued – making for an amazing collection that's one of the first time that Jackson's work at Okeh is finally getting its due! Bonus titles include "The Heartbreak Road", "Anything Can Happen", "Blue Rose", "Starting Tomorrow", "Don't Play With Love", "It's Hard To Believe", "You Gotta Give", and "Tell The World".