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An amazing little record from Joe Byrd – an artist with roots in serious music, but who's serving things up here with a wild hippie aesthetic that makes the whole thing come across more like a "happening" than the usual sort of studio album – but in ways that also echo an earlier generation of Americanist composition too. The process of the record mimics some of Byrd's famous work in New York – and has a very collaborative feel overall, with elements of electronics, acoustics, and vocals coming together beautifully! There's some great tabla, harpsichord, moog, and organ on the record – plus more serious woodwinds and brass – and vocals from Victoria Bond, Susan De Lange, Christie Thompson, and Ernie Anderson – plus Joe himself. Titles include "Kalyani", "Moonsong Pelog", "You Can't Ever Come Down", "Gospel Music", "Nightmare Train", "Leisure World", and "The Elephant At The Door".

Stone cooking hardbop – done with all the sharp edges of a New York session, even though the material was recorded live in Rio! The setting is an unusual one – a State Department tour of American jazz musicians – but a lineup that moves way past some of the overly-mainstream "ambassadors" out there – given that the players include Kenny Dorham on trumpet, Zoot Sims and Al Cohn on tenors, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Herbie Mann on flute, and even Ahmed Abdul-Malik on oud! Tracks are nice and long – very much in a jam session mode on the best numbers, but mixed with some well-played mellower moments too – and titles include "Wee Dot", "Red Door", "Autumn Leaves", and the haunting original "Ismaaa", which has a great Eastern feel, thanks to the oud!

Cultural historian Alice Echols explores the massive shifts in American culture during and as impacted by the disco era – not only in fashion and record sales – but the racial, sexual and behavioral landscape at large! Echols is a biographer and historian, but she's also former disco deejay, with insights both academic and deeper felt. The book is smartly and exaustively researched, but is more importantly accessibly readable. Hardcover, 338 pages.

Lots of classic Gene Kelly material here!

Lightnin Hopkins at his best – a set that rings out with all his bold electric tones on the guitar, yet which also has the moody, stripped-down feel of a blues recording from a few decades before! The electricity really does a lot to deepen the tone – both in the echo from Hopkins' guitar, and in the way his vocals stretch out in the same space! There's no other backing at all – which makes for a moody feel, and a quality that lives up to the "folk" in the title – yet Lightnin also gives the whole thing a crackling sort of energy that's also very much in the best postwar blues mode. Titles include "Sick Feelin Blues", "Blues For My Cookie", "My Baby's Gone", "Lightnin's Special", "Nothin But The Blues", and "Don't Think Cause You're Pretty".

Just the kind of cool high-concept work we love from A&M Records – an all-star project with performances by Jessi Colter, Eric Clapton, Bernie Leadon, Waylon Jennings, and others!

A great illustration of the genius of Carmen McRae in the 70s – a record that easily shows why Carmen was hipper than most of her contemporaries from two decades before! The set has the vocalist somehow managing to still stick in a straight jazz style, without going for cheaper soul routines – yet also opening up with more of a sense of mature presence that showed the sophistication of the times – a killer blend that really makes the album a gem from these 70s years! The live setting features Carmen working through a mixture of new and old material in some really unique variations – working with a small group that includes Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet and Marshall Otwell on keyboards, carving out some space with a really wonderfully confident feel. Titles include "Paint Your Pretty Picture", "On A Clear Day", "On Green Dolphin Street", "Time After Time", "Miss Otis Regrets", and "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco".

A great illustration of the genius of Carmen McRae in the 70s – a record that easily shows why Carmen was hipper than most of her contemporaries from two decades before! The set has the vocalist somehow managing to still stick in a straight jazz style, without going for cheaper soul routines – yet also opening up with more of a sense of mature presence that showed the sophistication of the times – a killer blend that really makes the album a gem from these 70s years! The live setting features Carmen working through a mixture of new and old material in some really unique variations – working with a small group that includes Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet and Marshall Otwell on keyboards, carving out some space with a really wonderfully confident feel. Titles include "Star Eyes", "Dindi", "A Beautiful Friendship", "Never Let Me Go", "No More Blues", "The Folks Who Live On The Hill", and "Only Women Bleed".

Quite an unusual album from Helen Merrill – but a set that also shows that quite early on, she was a singer with a keen ear for working on larger concepts too! Merrill first rose to fame as a cool-voiced singer in the 50s, but she does a surprisingly great job here with country tunes as well – sung not exactly in a western mode, but more in a jazz-based style, with arrangements from Chuck Sagle, who really helps find a creative new setting for the songs! Given that most of the themes are pretty universal, they translate well to this new approach – and Merrill really opens up on the record, in ways she'd later do on other creative sessions like this overseas. Tracks include "Maybe Tomorrow", "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry", "Heart Full Of Love", "Cold Cold Heart", "Any Time", and "You Win Again".

A brilliantly evocative album from Pat Metheny – one that's got a quietly epic feel, as Pat and group soar out across the American landscape in a set of tunes that subtly explore space and sound while still remaining wonderfully fluid. There's nothing forced here, and nothing too slick – just a magical blend of acoustic and electric sounds, touched with those mystical notes that seem to flow effortlessly from the hands of keyboardist Lyle Mays. Titles include "The Epic", "American Garage", "Cross The Heartland", "Airstream", and "The Search".

A second return to the American studios – with arrangements by Al Capps – and titles that include "The Singer", "The Loving Song", "Dandelion", "Like A Main Theme", "Just Another Face", and "Dance Over The Water".

Stanley Myers could always do a pretty great job with a soundtrack when he wanted to – and this little gem is a perfect example of his talent! The album mixes dramatic themes with groovier numbers – the best of which use electric bass at the bottom of larger orchestrations to create a slow, syncopated groove that's more than a bit funky – at times, almost in a Serge Gainsbourg/French pop sort of way. The album includes the vocal number "A Quiet Place", sung by the American Breed, plus the tracks "St Matthew Fashion", "The Fifth Victim", "Kate Comes On", "Alpert Memorial", "Kate's Place", "Nail Him", and "The Last Act".

The first few notes of this one are enough to send chills down our spine – slow stepping bass pedal lines that slide into some cool vocoded choruses – very electric and very downtempo, and surprisingly hip given the catchy crossover feel of the tune! The American mix has a bit more percussion and sparkly keys – fuller overall, which is why we're sticking with the Dutch one!

A surprisingly nice little set from Clark Terry – featuring arrangements by Oliver Nelson, and a pretty nice little group that includes Budd Johnson on tenor and Eddie Costa on vibes and piano. The material appears to be lifted from the musical All American – by the team of Charles Strouse & Lee Adams – although the notes, and certainly not the title, don't do much to indicate this. The best part of the set is Nelson – who manages to, here as always, take any sort of material and give it a really strong swingin – bouncing it up with a lot of soul, and creating plenty of space for some strong breakout solos. Titles include "What A Country", "Same Language", "The Fight Song", "Nightlife", and "It's Fun To Think".

The first album from The Kevin Toney 3 – headed by the piano player and one-time leader of the legendary Blackbyrds – and it's a nicely melodic set of soulful trio jazz! There's a warm, affectionate vibe throughout, and it's played by skillful veterans with genuine passion. Toney composed, produced and arranged in collaboration with bassist Michael Bradford, and the trio is completed by the great drummer Chris Coleman. They're working with a range moods that roll from smoothly measured to charged and anthemic. Solid stuff! Includes "New American Suite", "Love Is All We Need", the slow-building standout "A Soulful Union", "Spacious Skies", "Cyberia", "The Entertainer", "E Pluribus Unum", "In God We Trust" and "Family Times – Getting Happy".

A tight collection of uptempo funk and disco-driven soul tunes – with a selection that goes way past the usual dancefloor favorites! We're not sure how to read the title (which seems to have some sort of "inside take" on black culture in America) so we'll write that off to the overzealous imagination of the British compilers of the set – but we will say that the package includes some great numbers that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, including a few previously unissued tunes by artists on the Westbound label! The groove is upbeat on most tracks, with plenty of jazzy flourishes and a soulful approach to disco. Titles include "Disco Booty" by Melvin Sparks, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" by Sylvester, "Free Man" by South Shore Commission, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Latin Disco" by The Counts, "Alvin Stone (The Birth & Death Of A Gangster)" by Fantastic Four, "Moon Trek" by Mike Theodore, "Sadie" by Joe Bataan, "Sure Can't Go To The Moon" by CJ & Co, and "The Magic Man" by King Errison.

Beautiful field recordings of American folk, blues, gospel, and more – the epic, truly wonderful Art Of Field Recording Vol 2 – collected by Art Rosenbaum in the Harry Smith tradition! It's impossible to get around the Harry Smith comparison for a box of treasures like this, but it's especially apt, given that must be one of the best of it's kind since the 90s reissues of Smith's Anthology Of American Folk Music. Rosenbaum has been recording traditional music from the south and around the US for half century himself – and Volume 2 if what we can only hope will be an ongoing series captures spirituals, gospel, blues, bluegrass, fiddle tunes, vocal tunes, guitar tunes, lonely homespun balladry, and lots more – much of it from the 60s, 70s & 80s and some earlier and more recent recordings. It couldn't be more exciting that the traditions of non-professional, home based American folk music have survived all this time, and it's just as wonderful that Rosenbaum has been there to document it. More than 100 songs on 4 CDs, with a thick, beautiful, well researched and illustrated book – with notes on each of the tracks, and tons of photographs. Essential!!!

Late 70s recordings from rural Florida – but a wealth of music that feels like it could come from decades before – all packaged with a 24 page insert booklet that rivals – if not betters some of our favorite records on Folkways and other major players in the field recordings genre! The volume's a wonderful illustration of the continued local nature of American music – sounds that are deeply rooted to a time and place, and only brought to our ears by the hard work of ethnographers willing to spend time in the field with recording technology. Usually, such sounds can be presented in oblique packages, or circulated amongst collectors almost by accident – but a set like this really gives the music a new sort of focus – by offering up not only two LPs' worth of beautiful recordings, but also adding in a huge book's worth of notes on the artists, their local scenes, and the music within. The 2LP package has 26 tracks on 2LPs – with material by Johnny Brown, Richard Williams, Ella Mae Wilson, Willie Gillard, Emmett Murray, Moses Williams, and others.

Gloriously soulful and passionate postwar gospel – one of the best ever compilations on the Tompkins Square label – shining a powerful light on rare African American church recordings, street corner sermon style numbers, choir backed testifying soul & blues, and straight up wonderful spiritual soul music all the way! The tunes range from the mid-to-late 1940s through the 1970s for the most part, with a few later recordings – and part of what's so inspiring about it is the disregard of formality to the program. It has crackly field recordings of congregations, reverends and choirs, back porch gospel blues, and more polished, but no less passionate recordings – the common thread being the raw, honest devotion and deeply felt soulfulness of it. Hats off to producer, compiler Mike McGonigal for putting together such an excellent set, and for his concise, but well done notes on each track, and to Tompkins Square for continuing to raise the bar! 80 tracks on 3 discs: "Peace In The Valley" by Rev Lonnie Farris, "Rock And Roll Sermon" by Elder Beck, "So Glad" by Rev Robert Ballinger, "Wasn't That A Mystery" by Madison County Senior Center Singers, "The Wicked Shall Cease From Troubling" by Nathaniel Rivers, "Jesus' Blood" by Golden Stars Of Greenwood, SC, "God's Mighty Hand" by Rev Utah Smith, "Fire Shed In My Bones" by Boyd Rivers, "Power Is In The Heart OF Man" by Brother & Sister W B Grate, "You Ought To Been There" by The BC Harmonizers, "Go Devil Go" by Madam Ira May Littlejohn and more.

The first-ever tribute to the legendary American Studios – the late 60s Memphis powerhouse that was as important to the sound of the south as Fame, Stax, and Hi Records! American did work for a number of different labels, and had their own brief imprint as well – and like their better-known contemporaries, they had a core house band who could provide killer backup to just about anyone – as you'll hear from the great range of music in this collection! Like Fame, who started in soul and picked up a lot of rock business as the 60s moved on, American had a great way of crossing barriers between music – and really helping unite the sounds of the time through their legendary production work and super-sensitive instrumentation. The CD's an accompaniment to the similarly-titled book by Roben Jones, but comes with almost enough great notes to make for a book itself – and titles include "Nine Pound Steel" by Joe Simon, "You've Got My Mind Messed Up" by James Carr, "I'm In Love" by Wilson Pickett, "More Than I Can Stand" by Bobby Womack, "Let's Do It Over" by LC Cooke, "Suspicious Minds" by Mark James, "Born A Woman" by Sandy Posey, "The Letter" by The Box Tops, "Shake A Tail Feather" by James & Bobby Purify, "Son Of A Preacher Man" by Dusty Springfield, "Skinny Legs & All" by Joe Tex, "Funky Street" by Arthur Conley, and "Suzy Do It Better Than You" by Clay Hammond.

Amazing sounds from the hinterland of gospel music – tracks pulled from vintage 45s issued by tiny local labels – often featuring artists who never cut a full album of work on their own! The tunes are nice and tight, and packed with plenty of soul – echoing some of the secular sounds of the time, which no doubt was something of the agenda for issuing the music on a 7" single – although other numbers are definitely gospel, and evoke more of a sermon-like approach! The package features an insert with notes on the music, and a nice hand-assembled cover – and titles include "He Got His Eyes On You" by Brother Sidney Harris, "Jesus Is Living Today" by Linston Triplett, "I Heard A Prayer (parts 1 & 2)" by Elijah Thurston, "He Will Fix It" by Sam Williams, "All Wrap Up In One" by Otis Wright, and "Send The Holy Ghost" by Brother Clark & His Trio.

Rootsy folk and early country music – pulled from a host of pre-war 78s, and served up in one mighty nice package from the folks at Mississippi Records! The set's a real treasure – filled with darkness and a sharp edge that you might not expect from tunes of this vintage – almost bluesy at points, and quite different than some of the overdone tropes of the time! Most numbers are surprisingly clear – done with a crisp style that makes the acoustic instrumentation and spare vocals come through brilliantly – on titles that include "Reuben Oh Reuben" by Emry Arthur, "Louise Collins" by John Hurt, "Adieu False Heart" by Arthur Smith Trio, "Dark Holler Blues" by Clarence Ashley, "Molly Man" by Moses Mason, "Lulu Wall" by Bascom Lamar Lunsford, and "A Short Life Of Trouble" by Buell Kazee.

An amazing little set – one that shines a brilliant light on music made in America by immigrants from the dissolved Ottoman Empire – all cuts recorded in New York in the teens and twenties, but with a feel that's definitely got an other-worldly feel! The sounds are very exotic right from the start – unusual percussion, string inflections, and offbeat vocals – a melange of Middle Eastern modes brought together by the expansive power of the Ottoman cultural melting pot – then re-sifted by the cultural shakeup of New York! Turkish elements collide with Greek, Syrian, and other regional styles – and instrumentation is heavy on oud and violin, both played with very melancholy tones that possibly indicate a longing for the homeland. Spare percussion figures in often too – and the tracks are a mix of vocal and instrumental numbers – working together surprisingly well, despite the range of artists and nationalities. Compiled by Ian Nagoski, who also wrote the excellent notes and worked on the sound restoration!

An amazing little set – one that shines a brilliant light on music made in America by immigrants from the dissolved Ottoman Empire – all cuts recorded in New York in the teens and twenties, but with a feel that's definitely got an other-worldly feel! The sounds are very exotic right from the start – unusual percussion, string inflections, and offbeat vocals – a melange of Middle Eastern modes brought together by the expansive power of the Ottoman cultural melting pot – then re-sifted by the cultural shakeup of New York! Turkish elements collide with Greek, Syrian, and other regional styles – and instrumentation is heavy on oud and violin, both played with very melancholy tones that possibly indicate a longing for the homeland. Spare percussion figures in often too – and the tracks are a mix of vocal and instrumental numbers – working together surprisingly well, despite the range of artists and nationalities. Compiled by Ian Nagoski, who also wrote the excellent notes and worked on the sound restoration!

Not the Caravan group of Brit jazz rock fame, but a later Thai combo – working here in sharp protest of American military action in Southeast Asia during the 70s! The set's got a really unique regional flavor – a folksy blend of acoustic instruments and voices that often has guitar coming into play with violin, mouth organ, and flute – all to provide a hypnotic backdrop for the Thai language lyrics of protest! The album's got a compelling quality that goes way beyond the boundaries of language – possibly a bit more restrained than American protest records of the time, but still bold enough to get plenty of copies of the record (and the master tapes) destroyed by the repressive government of the time. Titles include "Up Raising", "Dangerous American Words", "Mr Kaum", "Come Together", "Common Please", and "Letter From Farmer".

An unusual later album from Dexter Gordon – and one of his few sessions ever with Hammond organ! Shirley Scott handles the keys of the B-3 – and the group also features Grover Washington Jr on soprano sax, Kirk Lightsey on piano, and Eddie Gladden on drums. Titles include "Besame Mucho", "Skylark", "Sticky Wicket", and "For Soul Sister" – plus an interview with Dex!

Not the Caravan group of Brit jazz rock fame, but a later Thai combo – working here in sharp protest of American military action in Southeast Asia during the 70s! The set's got a really unique regional flavor – a folksy blend of acoustic instruments and voices that often has guitar coming into play with violin, mouth organ, and flute – all to provide a hypnotic backdrop for the Thai language lyrics of protest! The album's got a compelling quality that goes way beyond the boundaries of language – possibly a bit more restrained than American protest records of the time, but still bold enough to get plenty of copies of the record (and the master tapes) destroyed by the repressive government of the time. Titles include "Up Raising", "Dangerous American Words", "Mr Kaum", "Come Together", "Common Please", and "Letter From Farmer".

Tasty small group work from Groove – with Mr Holmes himself on organ, and the great Larry Willis on electric piano – coming up with a twin electric organ/piano sound that's similar to the one that Groove used on his Comin On Home LP for Blue Note. The difference here is that things aren't as funky as on the Blue Note record – more in the style of the mellow soul of some of the other Groove Merchant albums, with a sweet use of percussion and guitar next to the keys – in a nice laidback kind of groove! Titles are mostly covers – like "St Thomas", "American Pie", and "Who Can I Turn To" – but the lineup also includes two Holmes originals, "Catherine" and the jazzy "Fingers", which is a nice little cut!

A well-titled Jazz Organ Summit – given that the players here include Lonnie Smith, Johnny Hammond Smith, Charles Earland, and Jimmy McGriff! Most of the players work solo – each getting a track or two on their own, before coming together for a great jam session at the end – and there's a core group of accompanists who include Jim Rotundi on trumpet, Mike Allemana on guitar, and Terry Morrisette on drums – plus other contributions from Eric Alexander on tenor and Greg Rockingham on drums. Titles include Lonnie Smith on "Cherokee", Johnny Hammond Smith on "The Masquerade Is Over" and "Summertime", Charles Earland on "I Love You More Today Than Yesterday", Jimmy McGriff on "Gospel Slo Blues" and "Groovin Blues" – and the whole group of organists come together on "Summit Intro/Summit Theme/Outro".

Titles include "Box Of Rain", "Candyman", "Operator", "Sugar Magnolia", and "Truckin".

Titles include the classics "American Woman", "No Time", and "No Sugar Tonight" – plus "Humpty's Blues", "Proper Stranger", and "When Friends Fall Out".

A brilliantly evocative album from Pat Metheny – one that's got a quietly epic feel, as Pat and group soar out across the American landscape in a set of tunes that subtly explore space and sound while still remaining wonderfully fluid. There's nothing forced here, and nothing too slick – just a magical blend of acoustic and electric sounds, touched with those mystical notes that seem to flow effortlessly from the hands of keyboardist Lyle Mays. Titles include "The Epic", "American Garage", "Cross The Heartland", "Airstream", and "The Search".

A tight collection of uptempo funk and disco-driven soul tunes – with a selection that goes way past the usual dancefloor favorites! We're not sure how to read the title (which seems to have some sort of "inside take" on black culture in America) so we'll write that off to the overzealous imagination of the British compilers of the set – but we will say that the package includes some great numbers that we wouldn't have thought of otherwise, including a few previously unissued tunes by artists on the Westbound label! The groove is upbeat on most tracks, with plenty of jazzy flourishes and a soulful approach to disco. Titles include "Disco Booty" by Melvin Sparks, "Love Don't Come Easy" by New Jersey Connection, "I Need Somebody To Love Tonight" by Sylvester, "Free Man" by South Shore Commission, "Everything's Gonna Be Alright" by The Clark Sisters, "Latin Disco" by The Counts, "Alvin Stone (The Birth & Death Of A Gangster)" by Fantastic Four, "Moon Trek" by Mike Theodore, "Sadie" by Joe Bataan, "Sure Can't Go To The Moon" by CJ & Co, and "The Magic Man" by King Errison.

An amazing little set – one that shines a brilliant light on music made in America by immigrants from the dissolved Ottoman Empire – all cuts recorded in New York in the teens and twenties, but with a feel that's definitely got an other-worldly feel! The sounds are very exotic right from the start – unusual percussion, string inflections, and offbeat vocals – a melange of Middle Eastern modes brought together by the expansive power of the Ottoman cultural melting pot – then re-sifted by the cultural shakeup of New York! Turkish elements collide with Greek, Syrian, and other regional styles – and instrumentation is heavy on oud and violin, both played with very melancholy tones that possibly indicate a longing for the homeland. Spare percussion figures in often too – and the tracks are a mix of vocal and instrumental numbers – working together surprisingly well, despite the range of artists and nationalities. Compiled by Ian Nagoski, who also wrote the excellent notes and worked on the sound restoration!

A pair of overlooked gems from trumpeter Clark Terry – back to back on a single CD! On Everything's Mellow, things are mellow indeed – and that fact makes the record one of Terry's greatest from the 60s! The obscure session features Clark blowing in the laidback style of Prestige's Moodsville imprint – almost a swing-based, Verve-styled mode that makes for some really great tunes. Terry plays both trumpet and flugelhorn on the session – working through really restrained readings of tunes that include "The Simple Waltz", "Out In The Cold Again", "Among My Souvenirs", and "In The Alley" – and the rest of the players on the session include Junior Mance on piano, Joe Benjamin on bass, and Charlie Persip on drums. All American is a surprisingly nice little set from Clark Terry – featuring arrangements by Oliver Nelson, and a pretty nice little group that includes Budd Johnson on tenor and Eddie Costa on vibes and piano. The material appears to be lifted from the musical All American – by the team of Charles Strouse & Lee Adams – although the notes, and certainly not the title, don't do much to indicate this. The best part of the set is Nelson – who manages to, here as always, take any sort of material and give it a really strong swingin – bouncing it up with a lot of soul, and creating plenty of space for some strong breakout solos. Titles include "What A Country", "Same Language", "The Fight Song", "Nightlife", and "It's Fun To Think".

The 6th in the great Imaginational Anthem series from Tompkins Square – which explores the great solo American folk guitar traditions of the past century to today – and this one goes back the furthest yet! Features beautiful surviving recordings from as far back as the 1920s and 1930s by Sylvester Weaver, Riley Puckett, Davy Miller, Sam McGee, Lemuel Turner, Bayless Rose and more. 14 in all: "Guitar Rag" by Sylverster Weaver, "Darkey's Wail" by Riley Puckett, "Frisco Blues" by Bayless Rose, "Jailhouse Rag" by Davy Miller, "Tramp Waltz" by Lemuel Turner, "Jamestown Exhibition" by Bayless Rose and more.

Two very groovy 60s soundtracks – back to back, and both appearing on CD for the first time ever! First up is Divorce American Style – a nice little soundtrack written by Dave Grusin for this dark and depressing 60s comedy that starred Dick Van Dyke and Debbie Reynolds! Grusin's score is extremely well-written – as great on the mellow and sad moments as it is on the more upbeat ones – almost going into Neal Hefti territory with its rich array of blue notes and understated jazzy phrasing – really great sounds from the budding young jazz talent! And sure, there's still a few nice groovers on the set that have a kitschy 60s feel – it wouldn't be a Dick Van Dyke film without them – and titles include "The Other Woman", "Before The Storm", "The Judgement", "Sudden Bachelor Blues", "Financial Counterpoint", "Tacos Por Uno Por Favor Jose", "The Scheme", "Sunday Fathers", and "Social Suburbia". Art Of Love is one of Cy Coleman's best records from the 60s – a swinging little soundtrack that's awash in all his best jazzy tendencies – the modes first honed up at the Playboy Penthouse, and expanded even more on a range of 60s scores! The film's a bit forgotten – a goofy 60s comedy starring Dick Van Dyke, James Garner, Elke Sommer, and Angie Dickenson – but the music lives on wonderfully, and has a jazzy flourish with a bit of kitsch – somewhere in the Mancini style of the 60s, but with some wonderful floating piano lines by Cy himself! Orchestrations are by Bob Bain and Russ Garcia – both very groovy talents – and titles include "Nikki", "Parisian Women", "So Long Baby", "Kick Off Your Shoes", and "Inspector Revisited".

One of the most vital singer-songwriter packages we've seen in years – the stunning original trio of albums by Mickey Newbury from 1969-1973, dubbed his American Trilogy – plus the bonus 4th disc of even rarer tracks and unreleased material! Newbury was in the upper tier of brilliant and successful songwriters of his era straddling the lines of country, rock and folk, yet rendering genres moot with his adventurous craft. He wrote songs that were recorded by by a wide variety of artists – from Roger Miller to Eddy Arnold to Andy Williams – and well beyond. His own recordings are something else entirely – lonely, haunting and achingly beautiful. We can hear the influences of in admirers from the best writing of Kris Kristofferson and up to Will Oldham – both of whom are professed admirers. First up is 1969's Looks Like Rain, just a beautiful, loose around the edges, yet oddly imaculate at the same time. The set includes '69's Looks Like Rain, '71's 'Frisco Mabel Joy, '73's Heaven Help The Child and the rarities disc Better Days with demos and unreleased material from throughout the period. The 4CD set also includes a nice booklet with writings from Chris Campion, Ben Fong-Torres and Kris Kristofferson's original liner notes for Looks Like Rain.

A great issue of Oxford American – truly "The Southern Magazine Of Good Writing" – with thoughtful and personal Points South pieces on Kris Kristofferson, Alan Lomax's Ballads, Blues & Bluegrass documentary, Tenessee Williams and the art of screaming, "Stella!" – plus great features on the what prison life does to a man, what remains of past hopes for a black utopia on Warren County, North Carolina, hunting "Hogzilla", some beautiful Texas Gulf Coast photographs by J Henry Fair, an short story by Jamie Quatro and more.

An excellent double-header – and a very cool collection that brings together two different scores for the film Una Su 13 – one used in the Italian release, the other for the American version! Carlo Rustichelli handled the Italian tracks – and he brings his great legacy of comedic scoring strongly into play – using some romping rhythms, playful horn passages, and a few modder moments to really keep things moving – with some especially nice use of vocals from I Cantori Moderni on a few of the standout groovers! The American release is even better – scored by Stelvio Cipriani and David Whitaker, who bring in way more music than before – and hit lots of cool 60s mod and fuzz modes! There's definitely a freakbeat element to many tracks here – a bouncing, jerking set of rhythms that are mighty nice – given lots of sweet organ and guitar lines to really underscore the 60s elements in the music – offset by a few lighter Italian touches that still sound mighty nice! There's a whopping 36 tracks on the American version – plus another 13 tracks from the Italian one – making the set a treasure trove of under-discovered musical gems!

A set that's gotta be one of the most righteous school band records ever – way more than just a bunch of students doing big band numbers, and instead a killer batch of spiritual jazz numbers, directed by the legendary Alvin Batiste! The record's one of a rare few 70s sets of this nature – one that shows a group of younger musicians really reaching out for bold new sounds – every bit as complex and soulful as work on labels like Strata East or Black Jazz, with a firey power that signals a new generation of the jazz underground! And while Batiste is at the head of the group, there's plenty of other great younger players too – including Henry Butler on piano, Henry Scott on flute, Kirk Ford on tenor, Reginald Houston on baritone, Raymond Deggs on trumpet, Julius Farmer on bass, and Herman Jackson on drums! Side one features burning ensemble numbers that include "Music Came", "Tunjii", "Straight Life", and "North American Idiosyncrasy" – and side two features early material by the Henry Butler Trio, on titles that include "So What", "In My Solitude", and "Milestones".

Rare hillbilly gospel, bluegrass and Good Word treasures in other styles from the 30s onward to around the mid 70s (though skewing largely to the period between) – great stuff from a couple recognizable acts and many more that are fresh to our eyes and years! Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies features both fun and more profoundly righteous numbers alike by The Delmore Brothers, Rev Harold Smith, Curt & Faye Bartmess, Blue Sky Boys and many more. Includes "Dust On The Bible" by The Blue Sky Boys, "Where The Soul Of Man Never Dies" by The Anglin Twins, "No Drunkard Can Enter There" by The Delmore Brothers, "Joy Bells In My Soul" by Charlie Monroe's Boys", "I Want To Rest" by Brother Claude Ely, "Electricity" by Jimmy Murphy, "Set Your Watch" by Curt & Faye Bartmess, "Crying Holy Unto The Lord" by Martha Carson and more.

A hip little look at Lee Dorsey's best music of the late 60s and 1970s – and a set that features some really great surprises! The core of the collection is some of Lee's funky work recorded with Allen Toussaint on production, and the Meters helping out in the backing – the kind of gritty New Orleans grooves that forever made Lee one of the leading lights of the Crescent City scene. Later tracks are a bit more polished, but pretty great too – numbers that show an evolution of the original Dorsey groove, often still in the hands of Toussaint. CD features 16 tracks in all – including the great "Radio Commercials", which features 2 numbers recorded for Coke – plus "My Babe", "What Am I Living For", "Sneakin Sally Through The Alley", "Night People", "Behind The 8 Ball", "Great Googa Mooga", "Ya Ya", "You Better Tell Her", "Lonleyology", "Yes We Can", and live versions of "Ride Your Pony", "Lottie Mo", and "Working In The Coal Mine".

One of the finest moments ever from The Flamin Groovies – a set that's awash in 50s rock and roll influences, yet filtered through the heady late 60s San Francisco scene – making for a mix that's completely compelling throughout, and unlike anything else we can think of! The Groovies might initially seem like retro-rockers, yet they've got this sharp edge that makes their music more of a commentary on rock and roll, and its roots as well – uttered beautifully at a time when so many others were falling into excess, but also done without any of the "roots" cliches that others were embracing in a much clunkier way! It's hard to sum up adequately, but the record's almost a leap forward from Gene Vincent over 60s psyche – but on its way to the rough edges embraced by the UK punk scene in years to come – kind of that odd space that the Modern Lovers hit with their Kim Fowley recordings, but much more rocking overall. Most numbers are originals from vocalist Roy Loney – and titles include "Comin After Me", "Headin For The Texas Border", "Second Cousin", "Childhood's End", "Jailbait", and "She's Falling Apart".

A triumphant little soundtrack to the second Dr Phibes film – one that's arguably more expansive and redemptive than the first, with less of the dark-edged horror touches! The style here is relatively orchestral, but drops down to contemplative moments from time to time – sparer passages that usually focus on a single instrument and theme, almost in a way that reminds us of some of the Italian soundtrack modes from the time. The overall length of the tunes is quite short – and the CD features a whopping 29 numbers, most of which are less than 2 minutes in length. But together, these shorter tracks work beautifully as a "suite" – stretching out and shifting nicely through the whole soundtrack, in a way that's far less kitschy and a lot more sophisticated than you'd expect! Titles include "Inscripto", "Serpentes", "In Catacumbas", "Apere Gregem", "Decorans Sepulcrum", "Tutus Est?", "Phibes Restimulatus", and "Nox Mala Bakeri".

Overlooked 70s genius from The Impressions – 2 killer albums back to back on a single CD! Loving Power is later Curtom work from the group – but still plenty darn nice, with a super-dope vocal harmony approach on the best tracks! The title cut is worth the price of admission alone – as it's a slow-stepping harmony tune that really burns with a sweet mellow feel – sung to perfection by a quartet lineup that includes younger singers Ralph Johnson and Reggie Torian working with older Impressions Fred Cash and Sam Gooden. Chuck Jackson and Marvin Yancy had a good hand in much of the record – bringing it into the warm, sophisti-soul style they were using at the time – and arrangements include some great work by Richard Evans and Rich Tufo. Titles include "Loving Power", "If You Have To Ask", "Sunshine", and "I Can't Wait To See You". It's About Time is The Impressions first album for Cotillion, cut after a great 70s run on Curtom – but one that's done with a sound that still carries on the groove nicely! The more righteous tones of the earlier work are shaken loose a bit, to be replaced by a fuller approach to the music built from arrangements by HB Barnum, Gene Page, and Gil Askey – a bit more LA than Chicago, but with a soaringly soulful quality that almost recalls the sound of The Spinners during their best Philly years. As with that work, the harmonies here are all right on the money, and get plenty of space to sparkle amidst the full strings and tight rhythms – and new group member Nate Evans really brings a deep sense of soul to the group's work. Many tunes were written by the team of Mervin Seals and Melvin Steals – and titles include "I'm A Fool For Love", "Same Old Heartaches", "This Time", "Stardust", "I Need You", and "What Might Have Been".

Native Soul is Peter Brainin, Noah Haidu, Marcus McLaurine and Steve Johns.

A funky treasure – finally unleashed! Bucktown was one of the best of the mid 70s indie blacksploitation films – thanks to some great starring work from Fred Williamson and Pam Grier – but for years, the soundtrack's never been available as an individual release. Now, this tasty heavy-vinyl set makes all the film's wonderful grooves finally available – presented in a great style that includes all the shorter moodier bits, the fuller longer funky tracks, and even a bit of sound effects and dialogue! The music was penned and conducted by Johnny Pate – of Shaft In Africa and Brother On The Run fame – and the tunes are a great blend of funky soundtrack styles that include full on big band, sparer snapping instrumentals, and even a few nice tunes with great use of moog! Titles include "Chase", "Stepping", "Bar Fly", "Check In", "Freeze", "Love Theme", "Call It In", "Sneaking It In", and "Spin".

A world's worth of guitar instrumentals from Santo & Johnny!

A rich document of the talents of Huey Piano Smith – a set that not only features some of his classic work for Ace Records in the US, but which also includes some key performances on other folks' records too! Huey's piano is at the forefront of most of the tracks here, even when the vocals aren't his own – and the set's awash in hard-grooving early New Orleans soul – very heavy on the sort of triplet piano lines that drove that city's sound! Titles include "She's Coming Home" by Curley Moore, "It Was A Thrill" by Pearl Edwards, "Somehwere" by Benny Spellman & Gerri Hall, "Ending Of Love" by Norman Williams, "Chittlins" by Jesse Thomas, "Blow Wind Blow" by Junior Gordon", "Walking Down The Street" by The Bobbetts, "Barbara" by The Clowns, and "Rockin Pneumonia & The Boogie Woogie Flu" and "Don't You Just Know It" by Huey Piano Smith & The Clowns.

Very groovy work from Jennie Smith – a singer known for her work on the Tonight Show, but who sounds even hipper here! Mort Garson handled the backings, and they've got lots of the playful touches that you'd hear on his groovier 60s instrumental work – mixed with some of the watery strings used on mellower dates – both a perfect match for Smith's vocals, in ways that help take her out of the straighter style she was using in the late 50s. There's kind of a hip 60s "adult" feel to the record – quite different than the more sentimental modes of RCA a few years before – and Smith turns out to be a wonderful singer in such a setting. Titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Fly Me To The Moon", "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Let's Face The Music & Dance", "My Man", and "Nice & Easy".

Pretty amazing music from new immigrants to the US – a range of different sounds from Eastern European cultures, reworked here for recordings on American 78s! The music has echoes of Jewish styles, and bits of early polka – although polka itself as a genre wouldn't emerge until years later, as these various cultures tried to find a common ground in the mainstream. Most of the recordings are relatively rootsy – and feel more like ethnographic sounds captured in the old world – and the LP comes with a really great booklet of notes, with way more detail than usual for Mississippi! 16 tracks in all – with work by Edward Mika, Wladyslaw Polak, Stanislaw Mermel, Orkiestra Majkuta, and others.

Two early 70s gems from The Impressions – back to back on a single CD! Preacher Man is heavy soul from the early 70s version of the group – put together with all the same depth as Curtis Mayfield's work of the time! This time around, Rich Tufo is at the helm on production and arrangements – but he continues to wave the Curtom flag high with some wonderfully put-together backings that mix swirling strings and heavy funk, all in support of some very message-oriented lyrics! Tufo also penned most of the tracks on the set, and has a great ear for bringing the new politics of the 70s into play with the sweeter soul harmonies of the group's earlier years – still carried strong by original group members Sam Gooden and Fred Cash. Titles include "Find The Way", "Preacher Man", "What It Is", "Simple Message", "Thin Line", and "Color Us All Gray (I'm Lost)". Finally Got Myself Together is a great little album by The Impressions – possibly their best of the 70s! The record's got a very solid harmony soul approach, and Lowrell Simon wrote and produced a number of tracks with Rich Tufo – giving the album the same sweet sexy sound that he brought to his best solo records, and his late work with The Lost Generation! The best example of this is the fantastic soul cut "We Go Back A Ways", a sweet mellow groover in the Leroy Hutson vein, and one of their standout cuts in the post-Curtis days. Ed Townsend worked on a number of other cuts, too, and he brings a real tightness to the songwriting – especially on the cuts "Guess What I Got", "Try Me (One More Time)", and "I'm A Changed Man".

Very groovy work from Jennie Smith – a singer known for her work on the Tonight Show, but who sounds even hipper here! Mort Garson handled the backings, and they've got lots of the playful touches that you'd hear on his groovier 60s instrumental work – mixed with some of the watery strings used on mellower dates – both a perfect match for Smith's vocals, in ways that help take her out of the straighter style she was using in the late 50s. There's kind of a hip 60s "adult" feel to the record – quite different than the more sentimental modes of RCA a few years before – and Smith turns out to be a wonderful singer in such a setting. Titles include "Gravy Waltz", "Fly Me To The Moon", "This Could Be The Start Of Something", "Let's Face The Music & Dance", "My Man", and "Nice & Easy". CD features the bonus track "As I Love You".

The one and only album ever cut by The Winstons – an obscure mixed-race soul combo who had roots in Otis Redding's touring band, and who hit big with a soul Grammy in 1969 for the title track to this one, "Color Him Father". The cut's an amazing document of its time, a sweet little story-song about a boy who's lost his dad in the war (Vietnam?), and who grows to love the new guy that his mom is dating. Sounds sappy, but it's one of the most compelling soul singles of the 60s – and is always a treat to hear. The other big cut on the record is the classic breakbeat track "Amen Brother", which is an instrumental reading of the gospel standard, done in a fast-funk style that's been sampled for years – both by hip hoppers and by drum n bass producers! Other tracks include "The Chokin Kind", "The Greatest Love", "Everyday People", and "Only The Strong Survive". This LP has 2 bonus tracks – "Love Of The Common People" and "Say Goodbye To Daddy".

Some of our favorite albums ever from pianist Muhal Richard Abrams – an amazing run of eight records for the Black Saint/Soul Note label – rich in fresh colors, tones, and new musical ideas! There's a sensitivity to some of these records that you don't always get with Abrams – a personal feeling that brings in a much-needed warmth to his complex compositional forms – often in collaboration with other players on the Chicago scene, but also with a wider range of avant players, especially from New York – where Abrams would have a great influence in the 80s. The lineup of musicians here is wonderful – a virtual who's-who of the jazz left at the time, at least from an American perspective – with performances from George Lewis, Roscoe Mitchell, Amina Myers, Thurman Barker, Baikida Carroll, Andrew Cyrille, Craig Harris, Stanton Davis, Marty Erlich, Dick Griffin, Cecil Bridgewater, Fred Hopkins, Dierdre Murray, and so many others. The set features 8 full albums, each in a tiny LP-styled sleeve – and titles include Siphumonesty, Mama & Daddy, Blues Forever, Rejoicing With The Light, View From Within, Hearinga Suite, Blu Blu Blu, and Think All Focus One.

Excellent analogue electronics by this groovy modern combo! The record reminds us of some of our favorite late 60s compilations of tracks from the obscure electronic music centers of American universities – with loads of bubbling, fuzzing, and repetitive wave forms. Tracks include "Inevitable Fast Access", "Aphine Repetition", "A Very Uncomfortable Status", and "Meetings In Compact Boxes".

Bossa madness – and a really hard to find pressing of this album! Cannonball Adderley recorded this nice little groover in 1962, when American musicans were just getting on the bossa tip, and still keeping things pretty authentic. The record was cut in New York with Sergio Mendes' early Bossa Rio group – the legendary Brazilian jazz ensemble that featured Paulo Moura, Dom Um Romao, and Durval Ferreira. The mixture of tight bossa rhythms and Cannon's soulful sax is totally great – and it's only because the Riverside label was folding at the time that the record never got bigger fame. Includes the cuts "Joyce's Samba", "Clouds", "Minha Saudade", "Corcovado", "Batida Diferentes", and "Sambops".

A great overview of exotic music in all its forms – not just the familiar American variant of the postwar years, but also a strong look at Italian exotica too! The book was originally penned in Italian, and has a good ear for the kind of unusual soundtrack and sound library material that always get us going – but also brings those recordings into context with larger strands of exotica, both vocal and instrumental. There's plenty here to please soundtrack, jazz, and vocal fans too – and the book even features some listening suggestions at the end. 361 pages, softcover.

One of Airto's greatest records ever – a really hard hitting batch of tracks that mix sharp-edged fusion lines with some earthier Brazilian percussion touches – all in a way that nicely steps off of Airto's first few American releases, and warms the groove up with a nice dose of California soul! Flora Purim joins in here on both vocals and percussion – and the rest of the group features Hugo Fattoruso on keyboards and harmonica, Jorgte Fattoruso on drums, and David Amaro on both electric and acoustic guitars – shifting nicely between both instruments in a way that further underscores the blended vibe of the record! Most of these tracks are Airto classics – like "Tombo in 7/4", "San Francisco River", "Romance Of Death", "Ringers", and "Wind Chant" – and the record has a very sweet CTI production style, but is still rough enough around the edges to keep things nice and real!

Bossa guitar, dreamy orchestrations, and a wonderful American take on the Brazilian sound of the 60s – served up with sparkling Capitol Records production in a set that's easily one of the greatest by guitarist Laurindo Almeida! Almeida's guitar is matched here with some lightly jazzy backings from Lex De Azevedo – slightly pop, but always groovy – and with a gentle sound that matches bossa roots with some of the more complicated modes from 60s soundtrack years – served up in sweeping strings, moody woodwinds, and some nicely isolated notes from Almedia's acoustic guitar. Titles include "A Man & A Woman", done very nicely, plus "Mas Que Nada", "Soft Mood", "Bluesette", "Call Me", and "Going Out Of My Head".

A holy grail of 70s African Funk – and not just for the unusual look of the cover! The set's a really unique one – almost rootsier than most of the better-known Ghanian grooves of the time, but funkier too – with a brilliant blend of raw percussion, quirky basslines, and some smoking horn parts that are a lot more American soul and funk than the usual 70s African groove! The whole thing's stunning all the way through – a record that totally informs an understanding of its generation, yet in ways that no other record can touch. Wonderful all the way through, with not a bit of filler – and all cuts are right on the money for any fan of African funk! Titles include "Toffie", "Fa No Dem Ara", "This Hustling World", "Kwaakwaa", and "Akoko Ba".

A holy grail of 70s African Funk – and not just for the unusual look of the cover! The set's a really unique one – almost rootsier than most of the better-known Ghanian grooves of the time, but funkier too – with a brilliant blend of raw percussion, quirky basslines, and some smoking horn parts that are a lot more American soul and funk than the usual 70s African groove! The whole thing's stunning all the way through – a record that totally informs an understanding of its generation, yet in ways that no other record can touch. Wonderful all the way through, with not a bit of filler – and all cuts are right on the money for any fan of African funk! Titles include "Toffie", "Fa No Dem Ara", "This Hustling World", "Kwaakwaa", and "Akoko Ba".

The debut album from Pier Angeli – equally known for her acting ability as well as her singing – and working here in a swinging late 50s American take on the sound of Italian pop! Pier was married to singer Vic Damone, and while his style's perhaps a bit fuller and more emotive than hers, there's a good degree of comparison – as Pier's working here to please the imagined Italy of the American audiences in the years when things settled down after World War 2 – singing in Italian throughout to a nice set of backings from Hugo & Luigi. Most of the album's in a lush, romantic mode that's in keeping with other Roulette vocal sessions of the late 50s – save for the fact that the language is Italian, not English! Titles include "Volare", "Anema E Core", "Nu Quarto E Luna", "Torero", "Arrividerci Roma", and "Suvenir D'Italie".

A massive amount of early work by The Animals – brought together in one overstuffed package with some unreleased tracks as well! The group here have a great rough sound – much more bluesy than in later years, which turns out to be a perfect setting for the young Eric Burdon – whose vocals soar out wonderfully over a mix of original tunes and remakes of American classics by folks like Ray Charles, John Lee Hooker, Sam Cooke, Bo Diddley, and others! Producer Mickie Most really knows how to keep the right sort of edge on the tunes – lots of raw power in the instrumentation, especially the Hammond and guitar – and a stark, dark quality to Eric's vocals that went onto become the stuff of legend. Package features 40 tracks in all – with titles that include "I Believe To My Soul", "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", "Club A Go Go", "For Miss Caulker", "Feel", "Boom Boom", "Don't Want Much", "It's My Life", "House Of The Rising Sun", "We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place", and "I'm Gonna Change The World".

A classic live date from Satchmo – and expanded to include the complete performances on that legendary night at Boston's Symphony Hall – for the first time ever! Recorded in November of 1947 and originally released in '51, it's never before been issued with both the first and second sets that night. There's also a number of great tunes here that were released before in edited versions, but fully presented here. It's such wonderful stuff – both as a top-shelf document of this period of American jazz – and as a brilliant example of Satcho's charming stage presence. His trumpet and solo vocals are well captured, and you can here up humming along on the instrumentals, too. The players at this point who are All Stars, indeed, include Jack Teagarden on vocals and trombone, Barney Bigard on clarinet, Dick Cary on piano, Arvell Shaw on bass, and Sid Catlett on drums – plus some great vocals by Velma Middleton. 29 songs on 2CDs – in a hardback package with a great booklet – and featuring "When It's Sleepy Time Down South", "Stars Fell On Alabama", "Body And Soul", "Steak Face", "Back O'Town Blues", "St James Infirmary", "Mop Mop", "Jack Armstrong Blues", "That's My Desire", "C Jam Blues", "Baby Won't You Please Come Home", "Mahogany Hall Stomp" and more – many previously unreleased!

A contemporary set, but one that sparkles with all the best brilliance of the 70s scene in Brazil – and that includes such heady company as Marcos Valle, Azymuth, and Joao Donato! As with all those artists at the time, Lucas Arruda has a groove that's strongly based on Fender Rhodes – warm keys that are underscored with some great acoustic percussion that gives the whole thing an earthy core at the bottom, and a vibe that's quite different than any American fusion of the time! The music is completely sublime throughout – very jazzy in its inflections, but also with a more freewheeling approach – as you'd hear on classic keys from Jose Roberto Bertrami. The set's got a bit of vocals, but really focuses on the keyboards – and titles include "Physis", "Rio Afternoon", "Batuque", "Alma Nova", "Sambadi", "Carnival", and a sweet cover of "Who's That Lady".

A contemporary set, but one that sparkles with all the best brilliance of the 70s scene in Brazil – and that includes such heady company as Marcos Valle, Azymuth, and Joao Donato! As with all those artists at the time, Lucas Arruda has a groove that's strongly based on Fender Rhodes – warm keys that are underscored with some great acoustic percussion that gives the whole thing an earthy core at the bottom, and a vibe that's quite different than any American fusion of the time! The music is completely sublime throughout – very jazzy in its inflections, but also with a more freewheeling approach – as you'd hear on classic keys from Jose Roberto Bertrami. The set's got a bit of vocals, but really focuses on the keyboards – and titles include "Physis", "Rio Afternoon", "Batuque", "Alma Nova", "Sambadi", "Carnival", and a sweet cover of "Who's That Lady".

The collected work of a mighty trippy group from the Indian scene – a psychedelic combo who worked in the 70s, but who had the same sort of edge you'd hear from the American and British scenes of the late 60s! In truth, there's a fair bit of Anglo influence going on in the music – not just in the English language lyrics, but also in the way the guitars come together with stretched-out, soaring brilliance – flying eight miles high to the sky in a heady brew of freak and fuzz – and turning this approach to some surprising soundtrack numbers too! Production is perfect for the band's vibe – often spacing things out in a really cool way – with some slightly primitive modes that also remind us of the South American psych scene of a few years before. Now Again did a brilliant job with the package – bringing together a host of the group's best tracks from the mid 70s, and a bonus 20 page booklet with full notes on the group, and some very cool photos and ephemera. The whole thing even features a few unreleased numbers – and titles include "Obsession 77", "Sunshine Day", "Butterfly Version 1", "Theme From The Godfather", "Theme From The Fox", "Windmills Of Your Mind", "Booboo Lullaby", "Man You're Not Number One", "Travel On", "Gesthemene", and "Foxy Lady".

The third album from Brian Auger & The Trinity – and the first to feature the group recording without vocals from Julie Driscoll! The sound here is just as soulful as before – a tight take on American soul jazz and funky soul of the 60s – pushed along by Auger's mighty work on the Hammond organ, and featuring (this time around) some male lead vocals, which seem to give the album an even deeper feel than earlier work! Auger's included some great covers of American tunes like "I Want To Take You Higher", "Listen Here", and "Maiden Voyage" – all redone with some great Brit beat group touches – and the album also features a great take on Faure's "Pavane", and Auger's own "Just You Just Me".

An Italian film set in the US – also released under the title Black Is Beautiful, with some sweet funky sounds to match! Half the record's got the usual bag from Luiz Bacalov – numbers that echo his Italian soundtrack roots, especially the comedic side – but these cuts are mixed with sharper, funkier numbers that clearly represent some of the American scenes of action – all scored nicely in a way that's not exactly blacksploitation funk, but which has some of the best Italian sound library grooves in place! The set features 24 tracks from the film – and also features some sweet harmonica lines from Franco De Gemini!