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Massive keyboard work from Ronnie Foster – one of his sweet funky 70s sets for Blue Note – and a killer all the way through! Ronnie plays a host of cool keys – Hammond, clavinet, and moog – and he's working here with tight production from George Benson, who really helps find a new soulful edge for Foster's music – plus great horns from Alfred Ellis, who helps bring a bit of his James Brown influence into the mix! Some of the best cuts feel like blacksploitation funk – with Foster taking long solos over some great instrumental grooves – often with the same offbeat twists and turns, and cool colors he brought to his Two Headed Freap album. Titles include "On The Avenue", "To See A Smile", "First Light", "Serenade To A Rock", and a nice version of Stevie Wonder's "Golden Lady".

Nice set that takes the 2 Wardell Gray Memorial LPs, and adds a few bonus tracks and a good set of liner notes. The material is classic LA bebop, and hardly needs an introduction. Gray plays with a number of different groups, and players like Sonny Clark, Frank Morgan, Hampton Hawes, Sonny Criss, and Al Haig. Titles include "Blue Gray", "Grayhound", "Twisted", "Move", and "Paul's Cause".

An overlooked groover from Gloria Gaynor – warm, wonderful, and filled with some great Philly touches! Sure, the record's got a Park Avenue address, but it's also got some great arrangements from Norman Harris, Jack Faith, and Ron Kersey – all of whom bring in a bit more warmth than on other Gaynor records, and wrap up her vocals in a sweetly gliding sound! This approach is heard to classic effect on the sublime "This Love Affair" – worth the price of the record alone – but it also keeps on going nicely through a set list that includes "Part Time Love", "For The First Time In My Life", "You're All I Need To Get By", "After The Lovin", and "Kidnapped".

A long-overdue tribute to the legendary Moondog – one of the true visionaries of American music in the 20th Century! Moondog got his starts as a blind musician working the streets of New York at the end of the 40s, but he did so (as you'll note on the cover photo) with a range of unusual instruments of his own invention, and in a minimal, rhythmic style that linked together primitivism with higher musical ideals. Moondog's often been called "the father of minimalism" – and while his experiments of the 50s prefaced the work of Steve Reich, Terry Riley, and others, his work was also much more personal, and had an earthy intensity that's still tremendously powerful even decades later! This collection is one of the first to dip into the earliest of Moondog's recordings – his recordings for the Mars, SRC, Brunswick, and Moondog labels – which are presented here alongside selected tracks from his albums for Epic and Prestige, also of similar vintage. Nearly all the tracks here offer a very primitive blend of percussion that's sometimes mixed with unusual woodwind or stringed instruments – nearly all of Moondog's own invention – and the package also features some great notes on his long career, plus some photos that are as gripping as the music itself! Titles include "Down Is Up", "Big Cat", "Bumbo", "Rimshot", "Rabbit Hop", "Instrumental Round", "Be A Hobo", "Dog Trot", "Oasis", "2 W 46th Street", and "Why Spend The Dark Night With You".

The Beatles had Abbey Road – and Booker T & The MGs had McLemore Ave, the main street running outside the Stax studios, and a fitting title for the album that has them playing tunes from The Beatles' incredible Abbey Road album. If you've ever thought that Abbey Road was a soft-rock lowpoint in the Beatles' career, consider how many soul and jazz artists either covered the whole album, performed songs from it, or referenced it in their album covers. This little gem is proof that the compositions already had a life of their own within a short time of the release of the record – as Book and crew take the Beatles' tunes to whole new heights, working them together into a complicated batch of grooves that really pushes past their earlier work on Stax. Who knows, perhaps The Beatles were just the kick that Book needed – we can't ever tell the whole story, but we can say that the record marks a strong turning point for the group, and is well worth having for a variety of reasons. Titles include "The End", "You Never Give Me Your Money", "Because", "I Want You/She's So Heavy", and "Polythene Pam".

An album led by pianist Aaron Diehl – but a set that also features some especially great vibes from Warren Wolf – one of our favorite players on the instrument in the past decade or so! Wolf's tones ring out beautifully – with that richness he really brings to his own albums, and hasn't spared a bit with Diehl – a style that really has great ways of expanding out Aaron's initial impulses on piano, and giving the record a lyrical quality that almost takes us back to 60s collaborations between Jack Wilson and Roy Ayers! Other quartet members include David Wong on bass and Rodney Green on drums – and titles include "Generation Y", "The Cylinder", "Stop & Go", "Single Petal Of A Rose", and "Blue Nude".

Tia Fuller's always a player who really grabs our ears – and an artist who always manages to work with a surprising degree of depth, despite the sometimes sexy look of her album covers! Take this set – which has kind of a "smooth jazz" look on the front, but burns with intensity right from the start – a soaring, righteous style that's right up there with the most soulful indie jazz around – served up by Fuller on alto, soprano sax, and flute – in a hip combo that features Shamie Royston on Fender Rhodes, Mimi Jones on bass, and Rudy Royston on drums. The set boasts a bit of guest work – Terry Lyne Carrington on three tracks, John Patitucci on six, and Dianne Reeves on one – but the real star here is definitely Fuller – a wonderfully soulful talent, especially on the alto – and a heck of a great leader too. Titles include "Ralphie's Groove", "Body & Soul", "Lil Les", "Angelic Warrior", "Tailor Made", "Core Of Me", and "Simpli-City".

A great record with a really great little lineup – rock-solid players who come together wonderfully under the vision of the leader! Christian McBride's really found a way to focus his energy in recent years – and this quintet set is great proof of that – a refining of all the ideas he put forth a decade or more ago, but delivered with a lot more punch here – partly due to the album's well-chosen lineup as well. In addition to Christian on bass, the set's got stellar vibes from Warren Wolf – a player we always love – plus alto from Steve Wilson, piano from Peter Martin, and drums from Carl Allen – all working together on a set of tracks that are mostly original – and which have a soulful sparkle that really stands out. Titles include "Listen To The Heroes Cry", "Ms Angelou", "Gang Gang", "Unusual Suspects", "The Movement Revisited", and "New Hope's Angel".

A well-titled set from Art Blakey – considering the hard-driving sound of the group! The album's one of the best from that unusual year of 1957 – almost a "lost" year for Art, when he was working away from Blue Note with a very different lineup of the Jazz Messengers than on his famous sessions for that label! The players here are all great – and include Johnny Griffin on tenor, Bill Hardman on trumpet, Junior Mance on piano, and Spanky DeBrest on bass – all working with a style that's a bit loose and open, allowing plenty of space for solos! Griffin's horn has all the sharp edges you'd expect, and Hardman's great too – and Blakey himself seems to sit back a bit more than usual in his chair, letting the soloists lead the tracks, instead of kicking things into gear from the drums. Titles include "Deo X", "Sweet Sakeena", "Late Spring", "Krafty", and "For Miles & Miles".

Rahsaan Patterson's soulful vibe travels to heretofore unexplored areas – a remarkable new step from one of our favorite voices of the neo soul generation – one that continues to challange and move forward with winning results! Bleuphoria is the spaciest work yet from Patterson – material that carries some proud 80s club funk influences – but he's pulling that style into his own groove – charismatic vocals, memorable hooks and otherwise exceptional songwriting, some heart-felt balladry and timeless midtempo soul groovers. We've dug Rahsaan's work since the 90s and it's a thrill to be able to count on him to deliver the goods each time out. Includes "I Only Have Eyes For You", "Ghost", "Crazy (Baby)", "Easier Said Than Done", "Miss You", "Goodbye", "Bleuphoria", "Makin Love", "Insomonia", "6 AM" and more. 12 tracks in all.

A sublime debut from the up-and-coming Cecile McLorin Salvant – a fresh new jazz singer with really rich roots – and a vocalist who's equally at home with both contemporary styles, and modes from the earliest years of jazz! There's a really complex approach to this record – both stylistically and referentially – and Salvant wants to show right from the start that she's a force to be reckoned with – a singer who can resonate with the best of the contemporary jazz underground, yet one who's got a special attention to creative roots as well. The tunes are a really surprising blend of well-chosen nuggets and a few original numbers – and Cecile gets some killer backing from a creative quartet that features Aaron Diehl on piano and Rodney Whitaker on bass. Cecile's got a sound that's right up there with the best work by Dee Dee Bridgewater or Carmen Lundy in recent years – yet an approach that's definitely all her own as well! Titles include "Baby Have Pity On Me", "Woman Child", "Nobody", "Le Front Cache Sur Tes Genoux", "You Bring Out The Savage In Me", and "Deep Dark Blue".

A monster from start to finish – not only the greatest album from War, but maybe one of the greatest mainstream funk albums of all time! The set's got a really unique groove – one that so many others tried to copy, but which was forged here first – in a wicked LA blend of Chicano funk, heavy organ lines, and soulful singing that sews the whole thing together perfectly. Just about every cut is upbeat and funky – rolling along at that low-rider pace that was War's lasting contribution to funk music – and the album features the huge hits "World Is A Ghetto" and "Cisco Kid", two of the brightest spots on radio funk from the 70s – plus classics like "Four Cornered Room", "City Country City", "Where Was You At", and "Beetles In The Bog". Features great bonus tracks too – previously unreleased "Ghetto Jam" numbers that are even more open and freewheeling than cuts on the album – titles that include "Freight Train Jam", "58 Blues", "War Is Coming (blues version)", and a sweet rehearsal take of "The World Is A Ghetto".

An obscure session from Plas Johnson – recording here away from Capitol, under another name, quite possibly for contractual reasons! The album's got the gentle groove of Plas' best records of the time – deep deep tenor sax solos, recorded in a moody, echoey, late nite setting – all augmented by small combo instrumentation that includes vibes by Emil Richards, bass by Jimmy Bond, and organ by Bert Kendrix. Titles include "Summit Ridge Drive", "Beecher's Bossa Nova", "May Cees Blues", "The Spirited Gim Blues", and "Sax Fifth Avenue".

A legendary album of Memphis soul – and a full length set that helped redefine the sound of instrumental music in the 60s! The record's a monumental follow-up to Booker T & The MGs' huge hit single "Green Onions" – an extremely seductive organ-based instrumental that the band cooked up while just messing around in the studio – and it's filled with other organ-heavy grooves played by this tight Memphis quartet – a group who were just starting out at this point, but already had a sound that's unlike anyone else! The work of Booker T is especially nice – Hammond with a bit more punch than other combos of this nature – backed by some wicked guitar from Steve Cropper, bass from Lewis Steinberg, and drums from Al Jackson. The set features a nice mix of covers and original tunes – with titles that include "Green Onions", "I Got A Woman", "Twist & Shout", "Lonely Avenue", "Comin Home Baby", "Mo Onions", "Behave Yourself", and "Rinky Dink". CD features two bonus live tracks from 1965 – versions of "Green Onions" and "Can't Sit Down".

A beautiful tribute to the genius of trombonist/arranger Melba Liston – and a set that doesn't just copy her music, but really opens up a whole new spirit from its inspiration! Reedman Geof Bradfield composed all the tracks in the set, and puts things together with a spirit that's not unlike some of Melba's best arrangements for middle-sized groups – that way she had of making things tight, and rhythmically soulful – yet still allowing plenty of room for improvisation and individuality amidst the fuller picture of the tunes. Bradfield gets in plenty of great moments on tenor, soprano sax, and bass clarinet – and the rest of the group features Victor Garcia on trumpet and flugelhorn, Joel Adams on trombone, Jeff Parker on guitar, Ryan Cohan on piano, Clark Sommers on bass, and George Fludas on drums. Titles include "Central Avenue", "Dizzy Gillespie", "Detroit/Kingston", "Randy Weston", and "Homecoming" – and the set ends with vocals by Maggie Burrell on the tune "Let Me Not Lose My Dream".

Landmark work by one of the greatest jazz outfits of the early 60s! Art Farmer and Benny Golson were both known as well-composed players during the 50s – strongly soulful, but often with a fine sense of arrangement that usually tended towards the lyrical side of things. With this group, though, they turned that approach towards a heavier sounding style of jazz – tightly stepping soul jazz, in the manner that was being explored at the time by Cannonball Adderley, Art Blakey, and others – presented by Farmer and Golson with a bit more groove and a wonderful kick at the bottom! This album's the first the group cut together – and apart from trumpet by Farmer and tenor by Golson, it also features Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Addison Farmer (brother of Art) on bass, and Lex Humphries on drums. Includes the massive original recording of "Killer Joe", which went onto become one of the most recorded jazz standards ever, plus the tracks "Blues March", "Mox Nix", "Park Avenue Petite", and "I Remember Clifford". Perfect tone, perfect groove, and a perfect sound all the way through!

An unlikely contender to the throne of king of electro, this early 80s effort from Eddie Grant helps to prop him up there quite nicely. Heavy synth driven grooves bubble along nicely with that crisp Linn Drum sound, and though this album benefited from some wider pop appeal, there's more than a bit of Eddie's reggae side showing through too! Includes the massive "Electric Avenue", plus "Killer On The Rampage" and "Latin Love Affair", 10 tracks in all.

Includes the tracks "Twelfth Street Rag", "On The Sunny Side Of The Street", "Jack The Bellboy", and "Central Avenue Breakdown".

Obscure organ jazz record by the player who's probably best known to people from the good records he made with Willis Jackson on Prestige. This set's a nice stripped down set of tracks, with Ivory on organ, Paul Renfro on tenor, and Bill Nicks on drums. Good spare organ and tenor lines, with a mix of originals and jazz standards. Tracks include "The Monkey Woman", "Thank Heaven", "Do It To Death", "So What", and "Lonely Avenue".

Bold, angular work from an ultra-hip trio – one with reedman Joe Lovano, bassist Anthony Cox, and drummer Ed Blackwell – all working in open, highly rhythmic space that recalls some of Blackwell's best experiments from years past! Lovano's got more than enough edge to make the record work – hitting this key point in his career with a tone that's fluidly progressive on tenor sax, as well as soprano and alto clarinet – and as you might guess from Blackwell's legacy, there's plenty of inventive drum work that really helps flesh out the sound of the trio. Titles include "Sounds Of Joy", "Ettenro", "This One's For Lacy", "Cedar Avenue Blues", and "Strength & Courage".

Sweet guitar lines from Dom Minasi – a player who knows how to hit just the right sort of fluid vibe for this session! The album's got Dom soloing strongly over arrangements from Roger Kellaway, Byron Olson, and Bernard Ighner – all of whom bring some strong charts to the session, and give Minasi plenty of strong tones and colors to work with. The style shifts a bit throughout the record, but things are quite unified overall, with lots of compelling original tunes – and titles include "Moroccan Copper", "RK Bossa", "You've Been Away Too Long", "Sometime Boogie", "Bitzy", "Free", and "Theme From Prisoner Of Second Avenue".

In case you don't recognize him from his beard on the cover, Sam Samudio is Sam The Sham – of Sam The Sham & The Pharoahs fame – stepping out here in a badass mix of rock and soul, all served up in a heady brew that's more early 70s Capricorn than straight Atlantic Records! The album was recorded at Criteria Studios with the Dixie Flyers, The Memphis Horns, and The Sweet Inspirations backing Sam up – but the overall sound is much more of a rootsy rock one than the soul you might expect from the setting. But that's actually ok with us, given the soul in Sam's earlier work – as coming out with a rocking mode is actually much more of a departure in some ways. Tracks include "Goin Upstairs", "Sweet Release", "Lonely Avenue", "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield", "Homework", and "Relativity". Real Gone CD version includes a bonus cover of "Me And Bobby McGee".

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous acoustic moments are replaced with more electric instrumentation overall, but never in a way that seeks to dampen Gil's message, nor push him into easy commercial territory. Instead, the tighter rhythms seem to really hammer home some of the lyrics – most famously in "Angel Dust", which almost touched a wider audience than the drug itself – and equally nicely on cuts that include "Cane", "Angola,Louisiana", "Show Bizness", "Better Days Ahead", and "Madison Avenue".

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous acoustic moments are replaced with more electric instrumentation overall, but never in a way that seeks to dampen Gil's message, nor push him into easy commercial territory. Instead, the tighter rhythms seem to really hammer home some of the lyrics – most famously in "Angel Dust", which almost touched a wider audience than the drug itself – and equally nicely on cuts that include "Cane", "Angola Louisiana", "Show Bizness", "Better Days Ahead", and "Madison Avenue".

Some of the best tracks ever from the pair of Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson – some of most righteous, authoritative and thematically heavy soul music ever created – compiled in one incredible set! Messianic, emotive vocals from Gil and stunningly restrained, magical soul jazz arrangements from Brian – words can't express how dynamic these tunes are! Great stuff from classic LPs such as Winter In America, It's Your World, First Minute Of A New Day, Secrets and more! 15 tracks in all: "The Bottle", "It's Your World", "Johannesburg", "Winter In America", "The Liberation (Red, Black & Green)", "Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Live)", "We Almost Lost Detroit", "Angel Dust", "Show Bizness", "Madison Avenue", "Shut 'Em Down", "Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams)".

A rawer, edgier Tom Waits starts to emerge on Blue Valentine – he's still the booze and smoke-stained ballad singer, but he's got a buzzing, electric edge and some bruised rhythms to match! Really great stuff from Waits as he was nearing the end of his excellent run on Asylum. Includes "Somewhere", "Red Shoes By The Drug Store", "Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis", "Romeo Is Bleeding", "Whistling Past The Graveyard", "Kentucky Avenue", "Blue Valentines" and more.

A long-overdue reissue – both of Cedar Walton's fusion albums for Columbia – back to back on a single CD! Animation is one of Cedar Walton's mid 70s funky jazz efforts – acoustic keys often traded for electric piano, grooving with a funky bigger band, almost in a Ramsey Lewis mode – a really great shift that makes the record a nice change from the usual Walton groove! Cedar's a lot busier on the keys than Ramsey was at the time, though – not as kicked-back Fender Rhodes as he is keeping up a tight and soulful fusion groove. The approach is quite different from Walton's other albums of earlier years, but actually works quite well – and the album's a tasty set of smoother soul and funk-infused numbers, with a hint of Brazilian touches as well! Tracks include "Another Star", "Charmed Circle", "Jacob's Ladder", "Precious Mountain", "If It Could Happen", and "Ala Eduardo". Soundscapes is brilliant work from Cedar Walton – a wonderful bit of soulful fusion from the crucially overlooked late 70s years of Columbia Jazz. The album's got a blend of soul and jazz that's similar to work at the time by Bobby Hutcherson or Freddie Hubbard – occasional vocals, larger lusher production, and a style that was really well suited to bringing together the best of fusion and soul, without resorting to tricks or gimmicks. The album's filled with really wonderful cuts that are completely unlike most of Walton's other work – and which show him to be an amazing talent in the soul end of the spectrum, not just in the soul jazz one that we're used to. Tunes are wonderful, arrangements are brilliant – and the album manages to be smooth without losing any depth. Titles include the great groover "Latin America", plus "Warm To The Touch", "NPS", "Sixth Avenue", and "Naturally".

Rare material from Indianapolis vibesman Billy Wooten – previously unreleased tracks that start with his years in The Wooden Glass, then stretch out into even more obscure territory! The first 3 tracks on the set are all live jams with plenty of heavy vibes from Billy – tracks that have that chilled out, slow funk approach that's made Wooten a big artist with the Stones Throw generation. Other tracks feature Wooten in a number of different modes – working in a small combo mode with guitar on some tracks, jazzing it up with Oliver Nelson Jr on another, and moving back to heavier funk on the last 3 numbers – live trio numbers that feature some great work on organ from Caesar Frazier! Titles include "Let's Stay Together", "You Are Everything", "Crown Royale", "Summerlight", "Never Too Late", "Feel So Good", "Jammin With The Boys", and "On The Avenue".

Deep deep soul – from an almost unlikely source! In the early 60s, the Old Town label was mostly known as the home to some top-shelf R&B, pop-oriented doo wop, and classier vocals – but as the decade rolled on, Old Town started to move into styles that included a fair bit of harder deep soul, and which included a fair number of tunes the label purchased from other sources in the south! This side of Old Town has often been under-acknowledged next to the company's more famous doo wop output – but it's wonderfully brought back to light here, through a wonderful set of notes and fantastic track selection that easily makes the set one of the best deep soul CDs we've heard in a while! Some of the work here is by artists who sung more famously for other labels, but who come off especially nicely here – and other tracks are by virtual unknowns who were lost to the shifting fates of the record business, given Old Town's decline at the time. But whatever the case, the collection's an excellent one – filled with 24 deep soul tracks that include "I Won't Give Up My Man" and "Never Leave Me" by Thelma Jones, "I Got The Right" and "Stop" by Lester Young, "Nobody Knows" by The Flambeaus, "Sugar" by Bobby & Betty Lou, "She's A Woman" by Jesse Gee, "It Ain't Right" by Roscoe & Barbara, "Heartbreak Avenue" by Bobby Long & The Dealers, "Crazy Little Girl" and "I'll Never Forget You" by Donald Height, "I'm Sorry For You" by Frank Howard & The Commanders, and "Just Loving You" by Irene Reid.

Rhythmic and exotic grooves from the classic Atlantic Records catalog – most of them based around modal progressions and jazz waltz styles, which means that the set dances in a lively way through just about every track! Most of the tunes are pulled from rare 60s sessions – sparkling as a set of overlooked album tracks brought together through a compelling rhythmic pulse. The groove is more sophisticated than your average funky jazz compilation – sweeping, majestic, and pretty darn soulful! Titles include "The Fakir" by Duke Pearson, "Turkish Mambo" by Lennie Tristano, "Ad Infinitum" by Art Farmer, "Woodward Avenue" by Yusef Lateef, "Little Bit" by Eddie Harris, "Let Thy People Go" by Max Roach, "Elephant Walk" by Ted Curson, and "Juba Juba" by Yusef Lateef.

An overdue look at the Irish contributions to the post-punk years – music that's often overlooked in comparison with sounds from London – and Northern scenes like Manchester or Sheffield – but which, arguably, has even more power in the end! The music here really holds onto the best initial burst of energy from the Brit Isles underground – the kinds of sounds that you'd be likely to hear on Rough Trade or Factory a few years before – but which, by the time of this set, were quickly fading in favor of more polished crossover material. Leave it to the Irish to keep things going – and serve up some brilliant home-grown sounds filled with skittish guitars, rough electronics, urgent vocalizations, and sharp stark rhythms – mostly issued on small label vinyl and tape releases at the time. The package really opens up these overlooked years – with great cuts that include "Avenue B" by Major Thinkers, "Accentuate" by SM Corporation, "Play Safe" by Chant Chant Chant, "Just Friends" by Dogmatic Element, "High Cost Of Living" by The Threat, "Last Days" by PH, "Eighties Rampwalk" by Operating Theatre, and "Twenty Tens" by Virgin Prunes.

Grooviness from Herbie! The Inspiration I Feel is a pretty nice little set – more in a R&Bish mode, as Herbie plays groovy 60s interpretations of tunes by Ray Charles, Henry Glover, and other R&B songwriters. Titles include "Lonely Avenue", "I Got A Woman", "Drown In My Own Tears", and "Georgia On My Mind".

Soulful brilliance from Woody Shaw – a searing live set that matches the power of earlier classics like Moontrane and Blackstone Legacy! The album's got Woody working with a heck of a great group – Carter Jefferson on tenor and soprano sax, Onaje Allan Gumbs on piano, Clint Houston on bass, and Victor Lewis on drums – all of whom come together with just the right mix of earthy grooving and spiritual searching that puts Woody in his best light. Jefferson is especially great – as it's his soaring work on reeds that really give the album a sense of spirit – but credit should also be giving to the well-knit rhythm team, whose ability to push out in flowing lines of power really raises the energy of the performance. Titles include "Stepping Stone", "In A Capricornian Way", "Seventh Avenue", and "Theme For Maxine". CD features 3 bonus tracks, 2 unissued – "Blues For Ball", "All Things Being Equal Are Not", and "Escape Velocity".

Titles include "Angelsea", "Boy With A Moon & Star On His Head", "18th Avenue", "Freezing Steel", and "O Caritas".

An incredible record – far greater than we even expected! The setup is simple: King Britt and his crew remix the tapes from 2001's experimental jazz jam session by a trio of fellow Philadelphians – drummer Ahmir Thompson (The Roots), jazz bassist Christian McBride, and keyboardist Uri Caine. Britt's really blown his top here – taking the original album (great in its own right), and turning it into a set of cosmic grooves that bear almost no relation to the initial work, yet still keep its soulful heart. The depth of the project is stunning – way more than just simple remix tricks, and a whole new level of expression that shows why Philly is fast becoming the music capitol of the 21st Century. Includes work by Rob Yancey, Charlie Dark, Phillip Charles, Oba Funke, Vikter Duplaix, The Randy Weston Experience, DJ Ghe, and Britt himself – with titles that include "South Street", "Paul Edwards The Orange Line (lle lfe)", "(Re)Moved (Oba Funke Far Re-Moved dub)", "Diamond Street", "Philadelphia Experiment (rmx)", "Delaware Avenue", "Miles Hit (Rob Life mix)", "Broad & Cecil B Moore", "Brown Street", and "Groover The III (the theme to massagejawn.com)".

A tribute to Ray Charles, but played by a hard-swinging, and mighty soulful ensemble – one that features Eric Alexander on tenor and Mike LeDonne on Hammond B-3! Both players really give the album a nice bite – and hearing Alexander next to LeDonnne's organ, we're reminded of Eric's early gems with Charles Earland – that deep tenor vibe he first learned when coming up on the south side of Chicago – a quality that almost makes Rotondi sound even deeper than usual too! There's no hoke here – no overdone, overwrought Brother Ray modes – just solid, soulful swinging based around a set of tunes that Charles once made his own – but which these cats definitely take into new territory themselves. The group also features Joe Farnsworth on drums and Peter Bernstein on guitar – and titles include "Brother Ray", "What'd I Say", "One Mint Julep", "Cry Me A River", and "Lonely Avenue".

A key crossover set from Gil Scott-Heron – still every bit as political as his earlier work, but with a stronger sense of soul as well! The great Brian Jackson is firmly in tow here – bringing warm keyboards and a nice little groove to most of the tracks – and the previous acoustic moments are replaced with more electric instrumentation overall, but never in a way that seeks to dampen Gil's message, nor push him into easy commercial territory. Instead, the tighter rhythms seem to really hammer home some of the lyrics – most famously in "Angel Dust", which almost touched a wider audience than the drug itself – and equally nicely on cuts that include "Cane", "Angola Louisiana", "Show Bizness", "Better Days Ahead", and "Madison Avenue".

A real treasure, and a record that may well be our favorite Jimmy Smith album for Verve – a masterful meeting of his smoking Hammond work with some swingingly sophisticated arrangements by Oliver Nelson and Claus Ogerman! Both Nelson and Ogerman bring a fuller spectrum of horn work to the album than heard on other Smith sides of the time – using an almost orchestral approach to the backings, one that pushes Jimmy even further into the stratosphere as he solos madly on the organ! But don't think that the larger backings are clunky at all – because they're not – and there's a surprisingly deep soul to all the proceedings on the album, making it one of the tightest, grooviest, and deeply soulful records that Jimmy cut after leaving Blue Note! The LP includes two very long cuts – killer versions of "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolf" and "Slaughter On 10th Avenue" – plus shorter takes on "Bluesette", "Women Of The World", and "Wives & Lovers" that are all plenty amazing too!

Fuzzed out psychedelia mined mostly from obscure 60s 45s from around the US – rumbling rhythms, buzzing guitars, wailing organs and tripped out vocals from groups like The Shag, The Rogues, The Regiment, The Keggs, The Alarm Clocks and many more! Most of the acts are total obscurities, and the set is a fitting testimony to the psyche era garage rock genius that was bursting at the seams all over the States in the 60s. Most are short, fiery blasts that combine the raw intensity of garage rock with the trippiness of psychedelia. Totally great stuff! "Dinah Wants Religion" by The Fabs, "I Must Run" by Phil & The Frantics, "My Confusion" by The Elite, "Who Do You Love?" by The Preachers, "Blue Avenue" by Kindred Spirit and lots more!

Culled from the rich history of the Atlantic records label, and lovingly put together with great notes and everything! 28 tracks in all, including "Ruby Baby" and "Fools Fall In Love" by the Drifters,"In paradise" by the Cookies, "The Chicken & The Hawk" by Joe Turner, "Devil Or Angel" by the Clovers, "Drown In My Own Tears" and "Lonely Avenue" by Ray Charles, "Jim Dandy" by LaVern Baker, 'Down In Mexico", "Searchin'" and "Yakety Yak" by the Coasters, "Treasure Of Love" by Clyde McPhatter, "Since I Met You Baby" by Ivory Joe Hunter, "Lucky Lips" by Ruth Brown, "Midnight Special Train" by Joe Turner, "Cc Rider" and "Hang Up My Rock & Roll Shoes" by Chuck Willis and "Mr Lee" by the Bobbettes.

A great little discovery from the 60s – work from a teeny tiny Canadian label, but all of it pretty darn great! Not many groups recorded for the Gaeity Records label, but they all seem to be pretty well skilled at picking up on the best elements of 60s psyche pop and garage – all delivered here with a simple but effective groove that's almost a bridge between the LA and Chicago scenes of the mid 60s. CD features 24 tracks in all – broken into sections group by group – and titles include "World Of Dreams" and "Only In America" by The Plague, "Lies" and "Nature's Love" by Solid Reputation, "So Much In Love With You" and "My Time Is Comin" by The Checkerlads, "If You Can Dig It" and "Ode To A Cucumber, A Berry, & A Flower" by The Dewline, "Lexington Avenue" by Farmer John, "Yours Until Tomorrow" and "That's The Tune" by Flying Colours, "To Be Back Home" and "I Brought My Love With Me" by NRG/Merriday Park, and "Baby Get Out" and "Set Me Free" by Portland Street South.

An overdue look at the Irish contributions to the post-punk years – music that's often overlooked in comparison with sounds from London – and Northern scenes like Manchester or Sheffield – but which, arguably, has even more power in the end! The music here really holds onto the best initial burst of energy from the Brit Isles underground – the kinds of sounds that you'd be likely to hear on Rough Trade or Factory a few years before – but which, by the time of this set, were quickly fading in favor of more polished crossover material. Leave it to the Irish to keep things going – and serve up some brilliant home-grown sounds filled with skittish guitars, rough electronics, urgent vocalizations, and sharp stark rhythms – mostly issued on small label vinyl and tape releases at the time. The package really opens up these overlooked years – with great cuts that include "Avenue B" by Major Thinkers, "Accentuate" by SM Corporation, "Play Safe" by Chant Chant Chant, "Just Friends" by Dogmatic Element, "High Cost Of Living" by The Threat, "Last Days" by PH, "Eighties Rampwalk" by Operating Theatre, and "Twenty Tens" by Virgin Prunes.

Sure, it's not classic funky Average White Band, but the album's a great one that showcases the group's best second suit – their smooth compressed late 70s soul sound – a great evolution of their earlier groove, and one that showed them as a great mainstream soul act! The tunes are a bit mellower overall, but still have a lot of crackle and warmth – and Hamish Stuart's lost none of his vocal charm, and in fact may even sound better in a more laidback, less funky heavy setting! With the great break track "Stop The Rain" – and the cuts "When Will You Be Mine", "Please Don't Fall In Love", "Walk On By", "Feel No Fret", "Atlantic Avenue", "Ace Of Hearts", "Too Late To Cry" and "Fire Burning".

Titles include "Quicksand", "Tears Tears Tears", "I'm Coming Home", "Pretty Girls", "Boomerang", and "Madison Avenue".

One of Houston Person's first forays into the jazz funk sound that other Prestige Records players were picking up at the time – a sweet little set with some nicely extended tunes! The groove here is a bit harder than some of Person's previous soul jazz sets – with some tightly snapping drums from Frankie Jones, augmented on rhythm both by the Fender bass of Bob Bushnell, and some added congas from Buddy Caldwell – both of whom help make for a very fluid groove. Other players include Billy Butler on guitar and Sonny Phillips on Hammond – and the tunes have a nicely snaking sort of feel – not the break-heavy funk of an Idris Muhammad-driven set, but a groove that's still plenty darn soulful and with some nicely funky undercurrents. Titles include a sweet version of "Cissy Strut", plus "On The Avenue", "The Pulpit", "For Your Love", and "Wadin".

A pretty great turn for bassist Ingebrigt Haker Flaten – working here with a cool combo that includes some key players from Chicago – but in a groove that seems pretty new for everyone involved! Flaten plays electric bass in addition to acoustic – and at times, there's almost a fusion-like intensity to the music – not fusion exactly, but electrified improvisation, yet still with a sense of melody too – so that everything comes together in ways we really didn't expect. Jeff Parker's guitar is a key part of the record – and definitely shapes the sound here – and other players include Dave Rempis on alto and baritone sax, Jason Adasiewicz on vibes, and Frank Rosaly on drums. Titles include "Wells", "Irrational Ceremony", "Virgoan Ways", and "Rosewood Avenue".

A bit of a leftfield project for Diana Krall – one that has kind of a 20s Vaudeville-styled theme – done with a stripped down, sting-buzzing sound, produced by T Bone Burnett! We dig this one a lot – and while it's sung, played and performed in a way that's reminiscent of the era, it's got a fresh and contemporary feel. The always great guitarist Marc Ribot's angular take on the spirit of the songs is an integral part of the sound, as is T Bone's skewed view of Americana – but it's Diana's show, and she's wonderful! It takes a special voice to come across as subtle and understated as she does here, though still carrying the tunes in an elegant way. More stylistic detours like this, please! Includes "We Just Couldn't Say Goodbye", "There Ain't No Sweet Man That's Worth The Salt Of My Tears", "Just Like A Butterfly That's Caught In The Rain", "Glad Rag Doll", "Let It Rain", "Lonely Avenue", "Wide River To Cross", "When The Curtain Comes Down" and more.

A masterful reissue of the classic '64 7-inch EP by The Rolling Stones – reissued for the first time in its original format since 1964! Includes "If You Need Me", "Empty Heart", "2120 South Michigan Avenue" and "Around And Around".

One of the greatest in Scientist's early 80s run of essential dub records! In The Kingdom Of Dub find's Scientist working his dub alchemy on a dozen Roy Cousins productions laid down by Sly & Robbie, Santa & Flabba, Ranchie McLean,Pablo Black and Skully. It's an excellent set of deep space dubs – and all the more exciting, given the too rarely heard source rhythms! Includes "18 Drumalie Avenue Dub", "14 Grass Quit Glade Dub", "Chariot Dub", "Thunder & Lightning Dub", "Disciple Dub", "Burning Sun Dub", "Next Door Dub", "11 Guava Road Dub", "Jurusalem Dub" and more.

A stunning mix of talents that brings the heavenly piano and guitar of Antonio Carlos Jobim into play with the lush, but light arrangements of Claus Ogerman – a swirling mix of post-bossa loveliness that redefines Jobim's sound, and opens up new avenues for exploration in sound! The production is amazing – pillowy-soft, but with a complex depth that's hardly been matched again – and although Jobim's the main player, other great musicians include Dom Um Romao, Claudio Slon, Jerome Richardson, Ron Carter, and others. Tracks include "Wave", "Mojave", "Lamento", "Batidinha", "The Red Blouse", "Antiguq", and the groovy "Captain Bacardi". Beautiful all the way through!

A stunning mix of talents that brings the heavenly piano and guitar of Antonio Carlos Jobim into play with the lush, but light arrangements of Claus Ogerman – a swirling mix of post-bossa loveliness that redefines Jobim's sound, and opens up new avenues for exploration in sound! The production is amazing – pillowy-soft, but with a complex depth that's hardly been matched again – and although Jobim's the main player, other great musicians include Dom Um Romao, Claudio Slon, Jerome Richardson, Ron Carter, and others. Tracks include "Wave", "Mojave", "Lamento", "Batidinha", "The Red Blouse", "Antiguq", and the groovy "Captain Bacardi". Beautiful all the way through!

A great collection of modern soulful tunes – pulled together by the 2000 Black label, an imprint which takes its name from the famous Roy Ayers tune of the same name! Choosing Roy as a reference point would be a difficult thing to live up to for most other labels – but the 2000 Black posse do a damn good job of living up to Roy's legacy here, taking the positive spiritualism that infused his classic work, and using it to inform a whole new set of experiments in modern music. Roy's present on a remake of "2000 Black" done with MM Black, and the set is rounded out by 11 more like minded numbers: "Brand New Day" by Pavel Kostiuk, "Future Past" & "Space Junky" by Nubian Mindz, "Into The Now" by Seiji, "Terah" by Nu Era, "Sunnin" by Catalyst, "Groovesome" by Domu, "Nu Way" by Kuni, "Avenues" by Titonton, "Diamondstone" by Somatik and "The Mind" by Da One Way featuring Bembe Segue.

A recent tribute to Albert Ayler – but one that's performed by some of his immediate musical heirs of the 70s! The performance picks up nicely where Ayler left off – and although some of the tunes are famous Ayler numbers, the overall style is almost a loft jazz extrapolation of Albert's ideals – deconstructing them a bit from their original intensity, and allowing new avenues of sound to open up in the process! Tracks are quite long, and build with a beautifully organic sensibility – and Campbell's great work on trumpet is mixed with McPhee's tenor and pocket trumpet – in a group that also features William Parker on bass and Warren Smith on drums and percussion. Titles include "Prophet John", "Universal Indians", "Music Is The Healing Force Of The Universe", "Muntu", "Obama Victory Shoutout", and "Truth Is Marching In".