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One that we heard way too much when it was out, but which we kind of love now! The album's part of H&O's great comeback years in the early 80s – a time when they were mixing their white boy soul with some nice 80s groove and electro touches, often going for a spare mix of groove and vocals that's really compelling. Includes the sublime "Maneater", everything that was right with pop in the 80s – plus "One On One", "Open All Night", "Crime Pays", "Go Solo", "Delayed Reaction", "At Tension", and "Italian Girls".

The brilliant bluesy side of Hendrix – great stuff recorded from '66-'70 – including his most blues based originals and incredible covers! Bluesy it is, but it's also Jimi – with the soaring, loose and massively influential lead guitar grooves and many of which went unreleased until the 90s – and remains among the most essential of posthumous Hendrix releases. Includes "Hear My Train A Comin'" (acoustic and electric versions), "Born Under A Bad Sign", "Catfish Blues", "Red House", "Voodoo Chile Blues", "Mannish Boy", "Once I Had A Woman", "Jam 292" and "Electric Church Red House".

Some of the best early heartbreaking country numbers you're likely to hear – the hugely underappreciated earlier records cut by singer Goldie Hill in the 50s – work the influenced some of the very best female honky tonk singers of 50s, 60s & 70s – but Goldie still doesn't get the credit she deserves for it! The tunes are full of heartbreak and sadness, par for the course for the much of the post Hank Williams singers of the scene, but it's done her with a sweet tenderness, and a perceptive truthfulness in her tone – it's impossible to imagine Loretta Lynn doing what she did in the 60s & 70s if Goldie didn't get there first! Titles include "Call Off The Wedding", "Don't Send No More Roses", "Waiting For A Letter", "I'm The Loneliest Gal In Town", "Fickle Heart", "Why Talk To My Heart", "I'm Yesterday's Girl", "Miss You So", "Please Don't Betray Me", "Young At Heart", "Say Big Boy", "Treat Me Kind" and "Why Don't You Let Me".

A wonderfully weird project from Alan Bishop – famous member of Sun City Girls, and also the man who's given us the Sublime Frequencies label! The sound here is a great mix of both of those worlds – some of the exotic tones that SF has explored in its groundbreaking global releases, mixed with some of the offbeat sounds we've always loved from Sun City Girls – yet somehow also fused at times into a catchy approach that's almost pop at points, then quickly offset by darker elements that are right around the corner. Filled with surprises – and titles include "Black Blood", "Death Zoo", "Summer Rain", "Dark Hall", "Hitman Boy", and "Dream Machine".

A great set from Rebbie Jackson – a batch of 80s groovers that's way different than work from siblings Michael or Janet – and done with a percolating sort of vibe that's quite different from some of the core projects of the rest of the Jacksons universe! Wayne Henderson handled most of the production for the set, and brings in a nice sense of class that pushes the work far from too-commercial soul – that strong balance that always makes his name on a record one key reason to check it out! There's still a bit of Jackson influence on the vocals – as Rebbie gets help from Michael, Tito, and Randy Jackson – alongside additional guest vocals from Gary Glenn, Patryce Banks, Maxie Anderson, and The Weather Girls. Titles include "Centipede", "Play Me", "Open Up To My Love", "Hey Boy", "Come Alive It's Saturday Night", "Ready for Love", and "A Fork In The Road". CD features bonus tracks "Eternal Love (single)", "I'm Just Gonna Love You", "Play Me (12" version)", "Play Me (12" inst)", "Come Alive It's Saturday Night (ext mix)", "Centipede (12" mix)", and "Centipede (12" inst)".

An overlooked bit of crossover funk from Chas Jankel – best known both as the musical force of Ian Dury & The Blockheads during the late 70s, and as the composer of "Ai No Corrida", which was covered more famously by Quincy Jones! This set's got a surprisingly great feel that's ripe for new discovery – a tightening up of the kinds of tunes that Jankel was doing with Dury (who still contributes lyrics but not vocals here), and a warmly gliding style that's halfway between the New York Ze Records mode of the time, and some of the growing wave of British imports. Titles include the great club track "Glad To Know You", plus "3,000,000 Synths", "Questionnaire", "109", "Now You're Dancing", "Boy", and "Magic Of Music".

An oft-overlooked gem from the JBs – their last album for People Records, and a stone funk classic that's every bit as essential as the others! The band is still in fine fine form – with none of the fast-funk or proto-disco of some later recordings – and they're working here in some really tight song formats that almost go back to the early days of the group's first few singles. The album's filled with great playing, wonderful grooves, and Fred Wesley's keen sense of humor – which sparks the whole set with a sense of warmth and creative play that show why the JBs are still the greatest funk band ever. Includes the excellent "Little Boy Black", which begins with some tasty James Brown vocals; the oft-sampled "Rockin' Funky Watergate"; plus "Step Child", "Makin Love", and "Rice & Ribs". Not as drawn out as Doing It To Death, but more complicated than Food For Thought, and still a totally essential bit of funk!

An oft-overlooked gem from the JBs – their last album for People Records, and a stone funk classic that's every bit as essential as the others! The band is still in fine fine form – with none of the fast-funk or proto-disco of some later recordings – and they're working here in some really tight song formats that almost go back to the early days of the group's first few singles. The album's filled with great playing, wonderful grooves, and Fred Wesley's keen sense of humor – which sparks the whole set with a sense of warmth and creative play that show why the JBs are still the greatest funk band ever. Includes the excellent "Little Boy Black", which begins with some tasty James Brown vocals; the oft-sampled "Rockin' Funky Watergate"; plus "Step Child", "Makin Love", and "Rice & Ribs". Not as drawn out as Doing It To Death, but more complicated than Food For Thought, and still a totally essential bit of funk!

Nice Quincy Jones soundtrack for the first "Mr. Tibbs" film. Roland Kirk's in the orchestra, and you can hear him nicely in a soul jazz groove on a number of tracks. Titles include "Whipping Boy", "Nitty Gritty Time", "Shag Bag, Hounds & Harvey", "Blood & Roots", and "It Sure Is Groovy". Ray Charles sings the title track, but that's a bit of a snooze. Sorry Ray!

A HUGE batch of samba-soul grooves from Seu Jorge! Jorge previously knocked around Brazil as a member of the late 90s pop group Farofa Carioca, but his first solo outing is a massive step forward into the upper echelon of the Brazilian scene! Like the best of his contemporaries, Jorge uses the rich history of samba and bossa as a springboard – but it's the pronounced contemporary qualities, such as production and mix work by Beastie Boy producer Mario Caldato – that push Carolina way over the top and make it much more than a genre exercise! The title track echoes the earlier work of Jorge Ben, who actually pens the reggae-inflected tune "Em Nagoya Eu Vi Eriko", and the tracks "Mangueira" and "O Samba Tai" have the classic samba groove and crisp background vocals that would sound right in place on Tom Ze's Se O Caso E Chorar. "Hagua" has a deep reggae thump, and nearly everything here has kind of a 70s soul feel thanks to some bright, almost Kool & The Gang-like horn arrangements! The group includes Azymuth drummer Mamao, Paulinho Black on bass, Banda Black Rio's William Magalhaes on keyboards, and Josimar Monteiro on violin. Another great new solo artist from Brazil, and one that we expect amazing things from in the years to come!

Another vicious set of hammering, lovable skronk from Last Exit – the mighty mid 80s free group that featured Sonny Sharrock, Peter Brotzman, Bill Laswell and Shannon Jackson! This should certainly not come as a surprise, but the sound is as muscular as can be without exploding all over the place. Each player brings their most hammering torrents. Brotzmann and Sharrock get to bring the noise, and a great sense of playfulness while Laswell and Jackson keep rhythmically sound. And boy, does Jackson hit those drums! Ouch! Tracks include the 18 minute "Hard School", "Brain Damage", "Taking A Beating", "Last Call" and "Dark Heart".

Ramsey and the classic trio with Eldee Young and Red Holt – grooving away on a pot luck batch of tunes that includes material from a wide wide variety of sources, all turned into soul jazz magic by the boys! Believe it or not, Ramsey takes tunes like "Andaluza", "Arrividerci Roma", "Loch Lomond", "Nature Boy", and "Sheandoah", and arranges them with a hiply swinging style that makes you forget what they ever sounded like in the first place. Throw in some originals – like "We Blue It Again", "Look A Here", and "Swamp Girl" – and you've got pretty nice batch of tracks!

C'mon, you can never have too much Love – particularly the beautiful, soulful voice of Darlene Love – and this fantastic compilation from Ace puts together a diverse set of singles from the 60s & 70s, a few rare demos, plus hard to find tunes from earlier and later years! Darlene had an incredibly wide ranging career, from girl group leader, to in demand session singer, to Broadway star, but this set is heavily steeped in the soaring, beautifully arranged solo soul singles and remarkably diverse stuff with her group The Blossoms – plus some really cool session tunes with Dick Dale, Hal Blaine and others. Gorgeous! Titles include "That's When The Tears Start", "So Much Love", "The Gospel Truth", "Good, Good Lovin'" and more with the Blossoms, solo tracks "Too Late To Say You're Sorry", "Ooh-Wee Baby", "Let Him Walk Away", "Mr Fix It" and more, "King Of The Surf Guitar" with Dick Dale & The Del Tones, "Drummer Boy Plays For Me" with Hal Blaine, and much more. 24 tracks in all.

The earliest days of cartoon advertising – loads of rare work from a time before the medium had been reduced to Big Boy hawking pancakes, and Batman selling Twinkies! The book offers up some incredible stuff we weren't aware of – images that go as far back as the 1870s, and up to the years of WWII – showing a rich array of cartoon and comic advertisments for a huge variety of products – all presented in beautiful full color images! The book provides a written history of the medium, supported by a few hundred examples – and with an oversized presentation, the whole thing's got the appeal of flipping through a pile of old copies of Life Magazine and Saturday Evening Post, looking for rare ads.

An excellent album from Carmen McRae – one of her hippest records ever, and a great set of vocal gems that often gets overlooked! Arrangements are by Benny Carter, Shorty Rogers, and Oliver Nelson – and the album's got a swinging groovy style that pushes Carmen past her straighter jazz vocal roots – into some hiply sophisticated territory that really shows her growing as a singer in the 60s. The album kicks off with an amazing reading of Tommy Wolf's "I'm Always Drunk In San Francisco", done by Carmen in a way that makes you know she owns the song – and then it moves through a compelling blend of compositions that includes "My Very Own Person", "Ask Any Woman", "Boy, Do I Have A Surprise For You", and "Elusive Butterfly".

Funky LP from Monk, with nice tight electric bass playing, and groovy arrangements by Wayne Henderson, who also produced the LP. The record's got a nice mix of soul instrumentals and jazzy bits, with a similar feel to some of the other stuff on the Chisa label at the time. Tracks include "Big Boy", "Your Love", "Bluesette", "It's Never Too Late", "My Cherie Amour", and "The Lady", which was arranged by Hugh Masekela.

The third album from the legendary Os Mutantes – part of the essential trio of sides released during the Tropicalia years! The record's got a sound that's tighter and a bit more straightforward than their previous efforts – stricter song formats, and styles that lean heavily on rockish guitars and organ. But as the odd cover images on the front and back will attest, the band is still in a very creatively arty mode here – still working strongly with arranger Rogerio Duprat, in a wash of sounds and moods that fold contemporary music back upon itself with plenty of odd twists, turns, and surprises! Titles include "Desculpe Babe", "Oh Mulher Infiel", "Quem Tem Medo De Brincar De Amor", "Hey Boy", "Haleluia", "Ave, Lucifer", and "Meu Refrigerador Nao Funciona".

Fuzzy and funky soul from Detroit! This LP compiles the group's first incredible album – Osmium – plus some other singles from the time. Parliament at this point are much closer to earlier Funkadelic than on their later work – rocking hard with a very guitar-heavy groove, sounding a lot more tripped out than when they're riding the mothership, and forming a key link between the Motown soul tradition and that of Detroit noise rockers like MC5 or The Stooges. Cuts include "Loose Booty", "Little Old Country Boy", "My Automobile", "Red Hot Mama", "Come In Out Of The Rain", and "I Call My Baby Pussycat". Very trippy, very acidy, and very very wild!

Beat jazz galore – a wonderful CD that features two of the best late 50s efforts in the genre! The first half of the set features work from poet Kenneth Patchen – very well set up with small combo backings from The Chamber Jazz Sextet – a combo that includes piano, bass, and drums – plus some especially wonderful horn work that snakes and twists together with the complexity of some of the best California jazz of the 50s! Patchen's voice is nicely restrained – never too over the top, with a darkly dipping quality that's quite striking – and his words are used perfectly to pepper the tunes, and never overwhelm them – a real synthesis of words and music that didn't always happen on records like this. Titles include "Murder Of Two Men By A Young Kid Wearing Lemon Colored Gloves", "State Of The Nation", "Lonesome Boy Blues", "I Went To The City", and "Do The Dead Know What Time It Is". Next up are some equally great shorter poems by City Lights impresario Lawrence Ferlinghetti – read in a slightly more serious mode, but one that still suits the setting well. Ferlinghetti titles include "Autobiography", "Junkman's Obbligato", and "The Statue Of St Francis" – and all the tracks are backed by obscure The Cellar Jazz Quintet – a group that features Bruce Lippincott on tenor, Dickie Mills on trumpet, Bill Weisjahns on piano, Jerry Goode or Bob Lewis on bass, and Sonny Wayne on drums.

One of Billy Paul's greatest albums ever – or perhaps the greatest! The record is an amazing blend of soul, jazz, and a soaring sense of spiritualism that's not only rare for Billy Paul – but which makes the record sound different than any other Philly International LP from the time! Billy's way more than a soul singer here – and working in a mode that's very high-concept, reaching towards the sky to bring a new maturity to the music that pushes way past his other pop and soul recordings in the 70s – almost with a consciousness of the spiritual jazz underground, but a bit more focused as well. You can hear this best on the classic track "East", a swirling long groover that takes an extended funky soul jazz journey – and other good cuts include "Jesus Boy (You Only Look Like A Man)", "Love Buddies", "I Wish It Were Yesterday", "Magic Carpet Ride", "This Is Your Life", and a nice cover of "Compared To What". CD features single versions of "Magic Carpet Ride", "Jesus Boy", and "This Is Your Life".

A pretty amazing, and too long overlooked set from Esther Phillips – here final album for Kudu – and a beautiful mix of soaring soul sounds from one the most unique, emotionally inflected and diverse soul vocalists of her era! Esther's in prime Kudu mode here – working with jazzy arrangements by David Matthews and Pee Wee Ellis, adding her unique, grit-inflected soul chanteuse vocals to a smoother mix of instrumention that creates a perfect counterpoint that took her way past her earlier work! There's also a couple of really sweet disco skewed numbers that work incredibly well – with spacier bits of synth and a dancefloor soul bed of percussion and rhythms – and in general, the arrangments are pretty great from track-to-track! Players include Randy Brecker and Mike Brecker on trumpet and tenor sax, Bray Miles on synthesizer, Bobby Lyle on clavinet, Eric Gale on guitar, Joe Fareel on tenor sax and alto flute, percussionist Ralph MacDonald and other excellent name musicians and others bring a grand sweep and sweeter intimacy when the mood requires. Titles include "Magic's In The Air", "A Beautiful Friendship", "Boy, I Really Tied One On", "Higher & Higher", and "All The Way Down".

Elvis Is Back – back from the Army, that is – pictured on the front cover in civvies, but on the back and inside in his military uniform! The package is a nice welcome home to the King – with lots of photos on the inside of the gatefold cover, and a set list that includes "Soldier Boy", "Reconsider Baby", "The Girl Of My Best Friend", "Thrill Of Your Love", "Such A Night", and "Dirty Dirty Feeling".

Plenty of rhythm here – tight small combo funk, or funky jazz if you prefer – played in a great no-nonsense style! The group's just guitar, bass, and drums – but they've got energy that's much more that of a funk combo than a jazz trio – thanks to arrangements from Japanese groovemeister Farah, who also produced the set! Lots of the tunes echo a sweet 70s style of funk, and the lean presentation makes the whole thing sound even better – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Real Love", "Boy You Knock Me Out", "Right Here", "Angel", "You Gotta Be", and "Summer Bunnies".

The Together sides of the Alone Together project from producer, beatmaker and instrumentalist Karriem Riggins – who's a brilliant jazz drummer, when that's what he wants to do – and he's also a beat-heavy hip hop production guru when duty calls! Together finds Karriem wearing his hip hop instrumentalist hat, and he wears it very well – in a way that reminds us a bit of fellow Detroit-raised maestro J Dilla. Karriem's pedigree as a live drummer informs his MPC 3000 experimentation very nicely, too – as he holds an insistent jazzy soul beat underneath boundless sampler atmosphere. In vinyl, the Alone Together project is released separately in halves – and Together titles include "Belle Isle Reprise", "Tom Toms", "Because", "Boy Is Doin It Right", "Back In Brazil", "Live At Berts", "Voyager 5000", "Matador", "Bring That Beat Back (Next Time)", "J Dilla The Greatest" and more.

Some of the best tunes cut in the 50s by Jimmie Rodgers – the rockabilly and folk/country cat Rodgers, not the vaunted Singing Brakeman of decades past – splitting the difference between hiccuping rockabilly hip shakers and soaring vocal pop! This self-titled debut LP has some fiery uptempo rhythm numbers but also some mellow ballads, folklore story songs, and others that find Jimmie singing out in a big way, a la Marty Robbins. Titles include "Women From Liberia", "Better Loved You'll Never Be", "Water Boy", "The Ballad Of Black Gold", "Hey Little Baby", "The Mating Call", "I'm Just A Country Boy", "Honeycomb" and more.

A double-length live set – with cuts that include "Sympathy For The Devil", "Around & Around", "Crackin Up", "Little Red Rooster", "It's Only Rock N Roll", "Mannish Boy", "Tumbling Dice", and "If You Can't Rock Me".

Not as freewheeling as some of Raymond Scott's earlier work, but still quite nice – a set that features added strings in the mix, but used with a sound that's every bit as wild and dynamic as some of Scot's small combo recordings! A few of the tunes are familiar Scott classics, others are a bit more obscure – and the arrangements are pure Raymond all the way through – light years away from conventional scores of the time, and produced with a sense of sound as weird as the music! Titles include "Toy Trumpet", "Boy Scout In Switzerland", "Twilight In Turkey", "Power House", and "In An 18th Century Drawing Room".

Mellow, magical, and moody – a sublime set from the great Jack Sheldon – working both as a vocalist and jazz trumpeter! Sheldon first cut his teeth as part of the west coast scene of the 50s – but by the time of this sweet little record, he'd elevated himself into a unique space that made him a regular fixture on TV during the 60s and 70s – always entertaining, and with a vocal style that was as raspy and rough as his trumpet solos were cool! This set for Dot is Jack's second for the label – and it's a great mix of styles all handled by Don Sebesky. Sebesky scores some tunes that focus on Jack's trumpet – with breathy solos that drift across some sweet 60s easy arrangements – offset by others that feature Sheldon's growling vocals, rumbling along in a jagged, jaunty sort of mode. The whole thing's filled with lots of groovy 60s touches – of the sort you'd expect much more from a record on A&M than on Dot. Titles include "The Boy's Got Soul", "Happy Together/Honey Pie", "Afterthoughts", "Meet A Cheetah", "I Think He's Hiding", and "Shangri-La".

The second great set from The Specials – music once billed as "revival ska" – but which has arguably gone onto have a bigger impact than the first wave of the genre! There's a rough edged quality to the music that's totally great – a rude boy aesthetic filtered through the post-punk generation – perfect for the spare, earthy Two Tone production – and just right for a post-colonial London, looking for new ways to express itself! The studio work is as great as the core grooves from the band – lots of odd echoes and cool effects – kind of a Brit take on Kingston dub, served up beautifully to abstract the tunes. So many others ruined this approach in later years with weaker work – but here's a chance to hear it perfectly in an original conception! Titles include "International Jet Set", "Enjoy Yourself", "Stereotypes", "Holiday Fortnight", and "I Can't Stand It".

The title's a bit of a joke, given the cover image – but it's also no lie either, as The Staple Singers are definitely swinging here – taking their gospel roots into a whole new direction in righteous soul, one that countless other acts would copy at the time! The music here is upbeat, romping, and often slightly psychedelic in inspiration – traces of Sly Stone or Norman Whitfield in the rhythms, and a nicely rumbling groove that features contributions from The Bar-Kays at a few key points. Instrumentation is heavy, but never too much to to overwhelm the vocals – and titles include the hit "Heavy Makes You Happy (Sha-Na-Boom-Boom)", plus "What's Your Thing", "Almost", "How Do You Move A Mountain", "Little Boy", "I Like The Things About You", "I'm A Lover", "Give A Hand Take A Hand", and "You're Gonna Make Me Cry".

Billy Stewart was one of the greatest soul singers ever to record for Chess (even though he wasn't from Chicago), and although his work for the label stretched from the early to the late 60's, he's not nearly as well-remembered as he should be. This set aims to correct that, and features 20 great tracks of some of the most unusual soul you'll ever hear. You may already know Billy's voice from his amazing crossover version of "Summertime" (which still shows up on oldies stations), but that's only the beginning of the way this stuff grooves, as the arrangements are fantastic, and have a tight punch and loping groove that will knock you off your feet. Tracks include the classic "Sitting In the Park" (later covered by GQ), "Cross My Heart", "Secret Love", "Tell Me The Truth", "Strange Feeling", "Fat Boy", and the nice version of "Every Day I Have the Blues", which begins with some tight funky drums. Great stuff throughout, and one of the truly unique voices in soul music!

Not as great as some of her earlier records for the Vibration/All Platinum label – but still with some nice moments, thanks largely to the strange sexiness that is Sylvia! The record definitely has more of a disco sound than earlier albums – which doesn't sound too bad with Sylvia's slinky breathy vocals. Includes the goofy tribute to Kojak, "The Lollipop Man", plus "Lay it On Me", "Stop (Boy)", "Queen Bee", and a remake of "Love Is Strange".

Funky disco sound is right – as P&P were one of the greatest club labels of the late 70s! The label was run by Peter Brown and Patrick Adams – both inventive producers who'd made their mark at other labels over the years, and who had an insane talent for cooking up unusual ways to put over a groove. They mixed together soul, funk, disco, and occasional touches of electronics to create a wild groove that was always fresh, and which pushed way past the simple club grooves of some of the contemporaries. Their work at P&P (and related imprints) was perhaps too groundbreaking to hit as big on the charts as other larger disco acts – but from the get-go, they'd always had a strong underground following, and are claimed as an enormous influence on both house music and modern dance alike. Work on the label's been cropping up on reissue singles for a number of years, but this is the first time anyone's done a proper job of putting together work from P&P – and given that the set's of British origin, you can bet that the quality and packaging are super-high, not to mention the selection! There's a total of 13 cuts in all – including "Flying High" and "Patty Duke" by Cloud One, "Johnson Jumpin" by Johnson Products, "Dance Freak" by Chain Reaction, "African Rock" by Licky, "Feel The Spirit" by Foster Jackson, "NY Applejack" by Scott Davis, "Got To Have Your Love" by Clyde Alexander, and "Get Down Boy" by Paper Doll.

Heartbreaking soul from King Records – a really great side of the label's output – but one that hardly ever gets its due, given the King reputation for blues and funk! The work here is wonderful, though – every bit on a par with the best ballad soul and tear-swept tunes from the east coast indie scene of the 60s – served up with lots of slow-moving instrumentation, deep harmony vocals, and production that really seems to increase the melancholy of the music! A few names here are ones you'd not normally associate with the style, and others are great discoveries from the rich catalog of King Records – a much-needed package that's filled with rare gems! Titles include "Have No Fear" by Ricky Lyons, "Why" by James Duncan, "I Need You" by The Snapshots, "Tell the Whole World" by June Sims, "Too Much For Me To Bear" by Barbara Burton & The Messengers, "Here Comes The Hurt" by Hank Ballard, "Buddy Boy" by Charles Spurling, "Your Love Was Good For Me" by Marva Whitney, "Fran" by Thomas Bailey, "My Pillow Stays Wet" by James Duncan & The Duncan Trio, "My New Love" by Lynn Davis, and "A City Called Loneliville" by Dee Dee, Joseph, & David.

Wild sounds from the early years of rock and roll – a heady brew of guitar-heavy instrumentals, soulful stompers, and more – all pulled from the hinterland of the rare 45 underground! The tunes here go way past familiar oldies – and even past the sorts of sounds that usually show up on surf compilations – because, as he does with funk records, Keb Darge has a great ear for the unusual – the sorts of odd platters that have always show up in his best record digging and DJ gigs – laid out perfectly here in a really overstuffed collection! Keb turns in nice notes on each track – and titles include "Honey Bun" by Larry Donn, "Ghost Train" by The Swanks, "I Don't Wanna Leave" by Deacon & The Rock & Rollers, "Gorilla" by The Shandells, "She's The One That Got It" by Allen Page, "Madness" by Rhythm Rockers, "Woodpecker Rock" by The Braves, "Let's Dance" by The Excels, "Bad Bad Boy" by Bobby Lollar, and "Lobo Jones" by Jackie Gotroe.

The heaviest side of the Chicago soul scene of the 60s – served up in a massive batch of rare tracks from the indie label underground! The collection is a great tribute to the depth of the Windy City scene back in the day – the huge range of local artists who were working hard to keep Chicago grooving – often with a style that was nice and gritty, with a bit less polish than work from Detroit – but with an equal sort of punch on the dancefloor! All tunes here are upbeat and grooving – and the range of artists is wonderfully representative, and includes a few rare tracks from singers who'd crack later fame on bigger labels. Titles include "I Can't Forget" by Bull & The Matadors, "I'm A Big Man" by Big Daddy Rogers, "Swing Your Love My Way" by No No Starr, "Disillusioned" by Marvin L Sims, "Check Her Out" by The Idols, "Spring Song" by The Accents, "All The Way" by The Danderliers, "Lovely Ladies" by Jimmy Hughes, "All Of My Life" by The Ringleaders, "I'm A Good Guy" by The CODs, "A Lonely Boy" by Lee Wilson, and "Speed Up" by Betty Moorer.

One of the deepest-digging entries in the Super Funk series so far – a blistering batch of underground singles that serve up some of the roughest funk of their generation! We'll be honest in saying that we'd only heard a few of the tracks here before – and our hats are off to BGP for taking this already-great series and making it go even deeper – far past familiar funk classics that usually get showcased on the label, and much more into the realm of the crate-digging underground, or the ebay-rarity stratosphere! A handful of cuts here are previously unreleased – never even issued on wax back in the day – and the rest are all pretty darn hard to find too, and all plenty darn great from a musical perspective. The package features a whopping 21 tracks in all – including a rare 1970 funky remake of "Twine Time" by Alvin Cash, plus "Home Brew" by Miles Grayson, "Just Sitting" by Smithstonian, "Can't Get Enough" by 87th Off Broadway, "Hi Off Life" by Eternal Flames, "Give Me Another Chance" by The Uniques, "Hold On" by Lorenzo Holden, "Free The Soul Man" by La May & Company, "Little Boy Blue" by The Phillips Brothers, "You'd Be Good For Me" by Jeanette Jones, "Who Done It? Who Drained The Pool?" by Big Daddy Green, "Low Rider (Deuce & A Quarter)" by Smokey Wilson, "Can't Buy Soul" by Hebrew Rogers, "Shake A Leg" by Jackie Wilson, "Face To Face" by The Explosions, and "Turn Around & Go" by Lee Bernard.

Includes tracks by Luke Jordan, Blind Willie McTell, Sonny Boy Williamson, Elijah Jones, Clifford Gibson, James Rachel, the Memphis Jug Band, Joe Williams, Cannons's Jug Stompers, and Walter Davis.

The complete recordings of a wonderful soul singer who never fully got her due – Detroit diva Carol Anderson, best known for a few tracks that broke big on the UK Northern scene – but finally presented here with the full scope of her work in one set! Carol had a great approach that was very much in keeping with changes in the Detroit sound of the 70s – vocals that often shared a sense of personal, heartfelt delivery with southern soul of the period – but a tighter, more swinging approach to instrumentation that was still keeping up the Detroit groove of earlier years. The tunes here nicely skirt a distance between Memphis and Motortown – delivered with a rich, expansive heart that should have made Carol a bigger singer than she was a the time. A few of the tracks on the set are nice dancefloor groovers – both in an older style of Northern soul, and in a late 70s/early 80s boogie-styled groove – and as usual, the folks at Grapevine have done a tremendous job with the notes! CD features every single track ever recorded by Carol – 17 titles that include "Sad Girl", "You Boy", "We've Got Enough", "You've Got It Coming", "Party People", "Holding On", "Taking My Mind Off Love", "You Want It", "Ain't Giving Up", "Tomorrow Is Not A Promise", "Come On Over Tonight", and "Master Plan".

The Beasties' masterpiece – and one of the original nightmares for sampling opponents everywhere – the cut & paste hip hop classic Paul's Boutique! The Dust Brothers unapologetic way of weaving very famous samples with soul, funk and film score obscurities would steal the show if not for the infectious, boisterous rhymes of the Beastie Boys – they couldn't possibly have cared less about alienating the massive frat boy fan base built with License To Ill, and it's a joy to behold. It's one of those mindblowing pop transformations on par with the Beatles (who the Beasties and Dust Brothers were so brazen to sample several times on this album) and the Beach Boys on the pop maturation scale from earlier hits to later artistry – even if the wild lyrics and deft back & forth rhymes by the Beasties are the antithesis of maturity. From classic rock dinosaurs to soul and disco classics, from the Jaws score to "Dueling Banjos", it all finds it's way into the beatcraft – and both mainstream pop and underground hip hop are better now because of this record. Tracks include "Hey Ladies", "Shake Your Rump", "High Plains Drifter", "Shadrach", "Johnny Ryall", "Eggman", "Car Thief", "What Comes Around", the "B-Boy Bouillabaisse" suite and more.

Benson plays his guitar and also sings on some of these tracks. He is joined by Phil Upchurch on rhythm guitar, Ronnie Foster on electric piano & mini-moog, Jorge Dalto on clavinet & acoustic piano, Stanley Banks on bass, Harvey Mason on drums and Ralph MacDonald. Claus Ogerman arranged and conducted the orchestra. Tracks include "Nature Boy", Foster's "The Wind & I", "The World Is A Ghetto", "Gonna Love You More", Donny Hathaway's "Valdez In The Country", and "Everything Must Happen".

Titles include "Mr Soul", "Sad Memory", "Hung Upside Down", "Good Time Boy", "Rock & Roll Woman", "Broken Arrow", "A Child's Claim To Fame", and "Expecting To Fly".

A great overseas meeting of two American traditionalists – a mid 60s date that has trumpeter Buck Clayton working in a relaxed studio setting with tenorist Hal Singer! Buck and Hal both come from an earlier period in jazz, but find some great appreciation for their enduring talents in Paris – and the session's the kind of respectful, open-ended date that either of them would hardly have gotten a chance to cut back in the US at the time! Other players on the date include Joe Turner on piano, Mickey Baker on guitar, Wallace Bishop on drums, and Roland Lobliegois on bass. Titles include "Boo Boo", "Groovy Sunday", "I Can't Think", "Juggi Buggi", "Just You Just Me", "One For Bonnie", "Pat's Party", and "Blue Boy". CD also features 2 previously unreleased titles – "Rosetta" and "These Foolish Things".

Modal Coltrane at its finest – a record that almost returns the great one to the territory explored at the end of his years at Atlantic Records, but which still incorporates all of the new ideas learned afterwards! The album's actually one of the straightest that John Coltrane cut after 1964 – and it features 4 long, beautiful tracks that soar with rhythms from McCoy Tyner, Jimmy Garrison, and Elvin Jones – topped with searing, searching work on tenor and soprano sax from Coltrane! Titles include one of the greatest readings of "Chim Chim Cheree" we've ever heard – a version that remakes the tune almost as a part 2 of "My Favorite Things" – and other titles include "Song of Praise", the classic "Nature Boy" and "Brazilia".

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more.

The first post-Tommy Boy De La Soul album – and it's a winner! We've been on board with De La throughout their long career – anyone with open ears must know that even their spottiest records (and this is NOT one of those) feature at least a handful of treasure tracks. Grind Date is easily the best later De La Soul album, and brevity is as key to the album as the group's proven longevity. 12 tracks, 49 minutes, no skits. Two songs in you'll find the stellar "Verbal Clap", one of J Dilla's finest productions ever, with precise on beat rhymes by De La. Other highlights include "He Comes" with Ghostface, a soulful track that would sound just as great on Ghost's Supreme Clientele. Is Grind Date the new sound for the mid 00s? Will it blaze trails and be co-opted by the next hot producers? Are the lyrics as solid as they could be? Probably not in each scenario, but that's not the point – these guys are consummate musicians, molding their rhyme schemes to the tracks with focus and precision. Most critics will say this is De La's best album since Stakes Is High. We'll say it's better! Featuring production by Dave West, J Dilla, Madlib and 9th Wonder – plus guest appearances by Yummy, Ghostface, Carl Thomas, MF Doom, Common and others. Other tracks include "The Future", "Much More" feat Yummy, "The Grind Date", "Shopping Bags", "Days Of Our Lives" with Common, "Come On Down", "Rock Co. Kane Flow" featuring MF Doom and more.

One of the trippiest kids films ever made – a 70s animated feature narrated by Ringo Starr, and featuring music by Harry Nilsson! The film tells the story of Oblio, a round-headed boy living in the land of "point" – where everything is pointy, and everybody has a point on their head! Oblio gets banished to the Pointless Forest, a wild landscape that's right out of Yellow Submarine – and has lots of crazy and weird encounters along his voyage of self-discovery. And yeah, it sounds corny – but thanks to the presentation, it's pretty great – and the biggest treat of all is Nilsson's songs, which include the semi-hit "Me & My Arrow"! Also contains four bonus features not on previous releases – "Who Is Harry Nilsson", "Making The Point", "Pitching The Point", and "Legacy Of The Point".

Marvin Gaye shows another wonderful side of his talents in the early Motown years – a classy, crooing approach that was perfect for this tribute to Nat King Cole! There's a great mix of jazz and soul going on here that's a bit different than some of Marvin's other Motown work of the 60s – and although some tracks are quite Cole-like at times, with a surprisingly accurate approximation of Nat's style – there's plenty others that almost seem to point towards the growing sophistication in Gaye's style that would emerge more strongly at the end of the 60s. Titles include "Straighten Up & Fly Right", "Nature Boy", "Unforgettable", "Send For Me", and a pretty great reading of "Calypso Blues", with a nice stepping groove!

About as pure as you can get for John Lee Hooker – a classic set of cuts for Chess, recorded with a feel that's almost folksy at times! The guitar has a raw edge that goes way back to the delta – and the overall approach is much more gritty than even some of Hooker's labelmates at the time – a really classic vibe that's supported in the liner notes by Studs Terkel! Titles include "The Journey", "Hey Baby", "Mad Man Blues", "Worried Life Blues", "Apologize", "Lonely Boy Boogie", and "Just Me & My Telephone".

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

Titles include "Talking Of The End", "Cosmic Boy", "Adam & Eve", and "Here Till Here Is There".

The 30-piece Jazz Jamaica All Stars big band – featuring a sprawling lineup of younger and older British jazz musicians under led by double bassist Gary Crosby! Here they seek to creative a balance between Caribbean music and classic American jazz and big band – and they pull it off quite well! The group includes vocalist Juliet Roberts, guitarist Alan Weekes, pianist Alex Wilson, alto sax player Soweto Kinch, tenor Denys Baptiste and many more – an army of trumpets, trombones and sax, sweet vibes, percussion and rhythm. The 2001 recordings are released on vinyl here for the first time ever! Includes "Balls Of Fire", "My Boy Lollipop", "Again", "Footprints", "Liquidator" and "Medley: (Love Theme From) The Godfather/Al Capone".

Probably the biggest album ever from the brother/sister team of Katreese and Jerry Barnes – working here as Juicy, in a sweet smooth 80s groove style that's mighty nice! Deodato produced the album, and it's similar to some of the other soul material he was handling in the 80s – slick and sparkling, but with a sweet jazzy touch that keeps things a lot more real than on other soul albums from the time. The Barnes siblings handle all vocals and instruments – and the record has a sweet poppy duet style that's perhaps a bit dated, but also kind of due for a revival. Features the group's great slow jam hit "Sugar Free", with lots of excellent bass pedal jamming – plus "Stay With Me", "Slow Dancing", "It Takes Two", and "Nobody But You". CD features some nice 12" bonus tracks – including "Sugar Free (Deo/super dance mix)", "Nobody But You (Deo rmx)", "Bad Boy (dub)", "Sugar Free (Deo/radio rmx)", and "Nobody But You (Deo dub)".

The Roots Of Dub from The Dub Master – the one-and-only King Tubby. That's pretty much all you need to hear to know that this album rumbles with floor shaking bass, thunderous reverb drops and chattering echo, nicing up the heavy duty rhythms laid down by the Aggrovators. Hail to the King! Includes "Natty Dub", "Dub Magnificent", "A First Class Dub", "the Stepping Dub", "Rude Boy Dub", "Dub You Can Feel" and "Dread Locks Dub".

One of the coolest jazz vocal albums you'll ever find! Frank Minion sings this suite of tracks billed as an "Introduction To Black Opium Street", and he puts the music together with little recitations in between the tracks, so that the whole thing sounds like one of the great Langston Hughes jazz albums from the same period. Minion's singing voice is in the same rich-toned tradition as singers like Johnny Hartman, but his speaking voice is raw and very soulful – and he gets more than able backing by a great set of players that includes Tommy Flanagan on piano, Roland Alexander on tenor and flute, Dannie Richmond on drums, and Paul Chambers on bass. The whole album sounds more like a rare session on Candid than it does the usual stuff on Bethlehem – and it's a surprisingly hip album that still holds up well over the years! Titles include "Oddsville USA", "Bongo Blues", "Autobiography Of A Musician", "Watermelon", "Flamenco Sketches", "Laughing Boy", and "Later".

Some of the smokingest material ever recorded by British tenor player Dick Morrissey – and that's saying a hell of a lot, given the strength of his other albums! The date's got the same Storm Warning in the title as one of Dick's studio classics – but the record's something else entirely – a very open-ended live date, recorded a few years later – with loads of room for Morrissey to really open up and blow – showing off that amazing sense of tone and timing in ways that have us loving his music more than ever! The rhythm group is a key part of the success of the record – and features Harry South on piano, Phil Bates on bass, and the amazing Phil Seamen on drums – on long tracks that include "Altoitis", "Get Out Of The Country", "Sonny Boy", and "Storm Warning".

An excellent set that brings together Fats Navarro's recordings for Savoy – late 40s sides that were always poorly packaged and annotated on record, which are compiled here wonderfully, with great notes, and a few unissued tracks! Players include Leo Parker, Kenny Dorham, Sonny Stitt, Ernie Henry, Tadd Dameron, Kenny Clarke, Art Blakey, and Charlie Rouse – and the set's got a huge amount of titles, including "Boppin A Riff", "Fat Boy", "Everything's Cool", "Webb City", "Fracture", "Calling Dr Jazz", "Red Pepper", "Spinal", "Fat Girl", "Ice Freezes Red", "A Bebop Carol", and "The Tadd Walk".

An album of dance-oriented tracks by The Miracles – recorded to cash in on the big early success of their hit "Mickey's Monkey"! The set leaps and jumps with the same sort of energy as that great track – a side of The Miracles' talents that's a bit more upbeat than usual. And while we miss the ballads and mellower cuts that we love from the group in their early years, we really love the full-on Holland & Dozier production – which pushes the tunes along strongly with a real wall of sound! Titles include "Mickey's Monkey", "Dance What You Wanna", "The Wah-Watusi", "Dancin Holiday", "Land Of 1000 Dances", "Do You Love Me", and "The Groovey Thing". Away We A Go Go is a fantastic album from Smokey and the crew! The record features insanely wonderful lead vocals by Smokey, on a lot of tracks that are less familiar than the big hits – but still really really wonderful. Backing by the group is great, too – and the overall sound is extremely sweet harmony soul, with a perfect Motown set of arrangements behind the band. Titles include "Can You Love A Poor Boy", "Baby Baby", "I'm The One You Need", "Save Me", "Oh Be My Love", and "Swept For You Baby".

A big one for Norman Whitfield – who found in Rose Royce what he'd been lacking for years: a hit group ready to handle a number of styles, all well, and all with an adventurous style that would break them past the legions of lackluster funky soul groups of the late 70s. The record blends the band's more famous funky styles with smoother jazzy soul that's almost in a Minnie Riperton mode – and which is made even more so by the sweet lead vocals of Rose Norwalt. She's heard to best effect on the cuts "Wishing On A Star" and "Ooh Boy" – and other funkier numbers include "Do Your Dance", "Funk Factory", and "It Makes You Feel Like Dancing", which are all filled with great keyboards and nice spacey grooves.

Pretty weird stuff from Shel Silverstein – best known for "A Boy Named Sue" and his trippy songs for kids, but working here in kind of a stoned-out, post-beatnik folksy mode. The songs all have Shel's wild wit and biting humor – and although many just feature Shel on vocals and guitar, there's kind of a hipster jazz feel to the way in which he carries them off. Wild, gruff and amazing! Titles include "Bury Me In My Shades", "Never Bite A Married Woman In The Thigh", The Unicorn", "It Does Not Pay To Be Hip", "The Slitheree-Dee", "Beans Taste Fine", "25 Minutes To Go", "Have Another Espresso".

Top shelf southern soul from a great singer – a deep collection of singles by Charles Smith – who had a regional hit with "My Great Loss (Ashes To Ashes)" back in the day, and it's really everyone's great loss that he's not more widely regarded decades later! Smith recorded that great single and a handful of others for the Seventy Seven label in the early 70s, and without national distribution, it was tough to break Smith out bigger, but boy did he ever deliver well enough to deserve more! He really shines on the ballads, imbuing those with such a genuine depth of emotion, and his naturally expressive voice really brings out the best elements of some great songs. It's tried and true southern soul, very much in the spirit of other Muscle Shoals recordings of the time, along with Memphis and other cities. Smith was produced by Dewey Vandiver and many of the recordings were done at Quad City Sound, along with Fame and Muscle Shoals Sound. This excellent Soulscape CD collects the tracks from those singles, other recordings that weren't released at the time, plus a few alternate versions. Other tracks include, "Glad To Home", "I'm Useless", "Pull Me Out Of The Water", "Full Time Fool" (plus alternate version), "Two Pillows", "Walk Slow", "Reach That Mountain", "I Want To Love You", "It's Getting Harder To Get By" (plus alternate version), "Why Can't I Cry" (plus an alternate version), "The Only Time You Say You Love Me" and more. 19 tracks in all.

The second great set from The Specials – music once billed as "revival ska" – but which has arguably gone onto have a bigger impact than the first wave of the genre! There's a rough edged quality to the music that's totally great – a rude boy aesthetic filtered through the post-punk generation – perfect for the spare, earthy Two Tone production – and just right for a post-colonial London, looking for new ways to express itself! The studio work is as great as the core grooves from the band – lots of odd echoes and cool effects – kind of a Brit take on Kingston dub, served up beautifully to abstract the tunes. So many others ruined this approach in later years with weaker work – but here's a chance to hear it perfectly in an original conception! Titles include "International Jet Set", "Enjoy Yourself", "Stereotypes", "Holiday Fortnight", and "I Can't Stand It".

Beautifully moody work from singer Milli Vernon – a rare Storyville session from the mid 50s, cut with a relaxed, late nite feel – and backing from a small combo that includes Ruby Braff on trumpet, Jimmy Raney on guitar, and Dave McKenna on piano! The sound is very much in keeping with some of the better-known Storyville sessions of the period – done at a level that was quite similar to being in a small club in the wee hours, hearing a jazz singer open up in a relatively unfettered setting. Vernon's got a style that's somewhat mature and adult, but never too stodgy – and titles include "Moon Ray", "My Ship", "Spring Is Here", "Weep For The Boy", "This Year's Kisses", and "I Don't Know What Kind Of Blues I've Got".

Two dozen tracks from the great Jackie Wilson, documenting some of his finest work for the Brunswick imprint,spanning nearly two decades! Includes "Reet Petite", "To Be Loved", "Lonely Teardrops", "That's Why I Love You So)", "I'll Be Satisfied", "Talk That Talk", "Baby Workout", "Please Tell Me Why", "Doggin' Around","Passin' Through", "A Woman, A Lover, A Friend", "You Don't Know What It Means", "Night", "The Tear Of The Year", "You Better Know It", "I Just Can't Help It", "I'm Comin' On Back To You","Danny Boy", "Am I The Man", "Whispers (Gettin' Louder)", "Your Love Keeps Lifting Me (Higher & Higher)", "No Pity (In The Naked City)", "She's All Right" and "You Got Me Walking".

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 Fuel CD edition has 4 bonus tracks: "Love Of The Common People", "Wheel Of Fortune", "Say Goodbye To Daddy" and "Mama's Song"

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".

One of the greatest soul groups from the UK in the 80s – a real bright spot in the years before Soul II Soul and the rise of acid jazz – and a set we'd rank right up there with Sade's best work of the time! Working Week have a very jazzy sound at their core – acoustic rhythms, and a strong commitment to jazz at the core – no surprise, given that two of the group's three members were previously involved with Weekend! The third member is the lovely Juliette Roberts – easily one of the best Brit soul singers of the time – and an artist who really helps push some of the more American influences in the group's music – while still giving the whole thing a bit of a London sparkle, too. The mix is sublime, and the whole album's great – full of classic cuts that include "Autumn Boy", "No Cure No Pay", "Sweet Nothing", "Who's Fooling Who", "Thought I'd Never See You Again", and "Venceremos". Amazing reissue – with a full bonus CD, and a whopping 15 extra tracks! Working Week were early proponents of really reworking tunes for singles, especially with jazzy elements – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Veceremos (jazz dance special 12")", "Afoche", "Storm Of Light (inst)", "Bottom End", "Stella Marina (main mix)", "Inner City Blues (urbane guerilla mix)", "Who's Fooling Who (dance version)", "Venceremos (7" bossa version)", "Stella Marina (full rap)", "Pepe's Samba (live)", and "Murphy's Law (live)".

Early 80s greatness from Bernard Wright – the benchmark Nard from '81 and his Funky Beat from '83 – in a single set! Nard is a masterpiece of smooth jazzy funk – and super-hip session headed up by the young keyboardist! Wright's working here with an insider crowd of jazz funk players that includes Bobby Broom, Dave Grusin, Marcus Miller, and Don Blackman, whose funky style is very similar to Wright's. The record sort of picks up the groove where some of the Fantasy Records sessions of the 70s left off – mixing together jazz and soul into a captivating blend that's made even better by Dave Grusin's tight production. Includes Don Blackman's sample classic "Haboglabotribin", a nice version of Weldon Irvine's "Music Is The Key", and the cuts"Just Chillin' Out", "Master Rocker", and "Bread Sandwiches". Funky Beat is his second album – an 80s groove electro classic that's quite different than his first LP! It takes Bernard firmly into a b-boy jazz mode – working keyboards, bass, and drum programs into a groove that's farther reaching and more soulful than anything that Herbie Hancock was doing at the time. And as with his first album, Bernard's got plenty of great help on this one – as the record features work by Weldon Irvine, Lenny White, Dave Grusin, and others. The album includes some great Weldon Irvine compositions – like a remake of "Mr Clean", and the sweet vocal numbers "Won't You Let Me Love You" and "Keep On Doing That Right Thing", both of them warm wonderful tunes that stand with the best work on the album! Also includes a straight jazz version of "Joy Spring", and the breakin' tracks "Funky Beat", "Get Your Lover Back", "Video Generation", and "Move Your Body".

A great-looking bossa compilation – with loads of fun moments! The set features a super-groovy assortment of tunes that mixes together famous bossa groovers with some other more obscure numbers – and the overall feel of the whole thing is very much in a tight jazzy mode, with a strong 60s drive to it. Titles include "Bossa Nova (I Say)" by Bobby MacKay, "Samba De Uma Nota So" by Coral De Ouro Preto, "Boy From Ipanema" by Sarah Vaughan, "Samba Ninternacional" by Os Farroupilhas, "Telefone" by Walter Wanderley, "Menino Travesso" by Edison Machando, "Reza" by Paul Winter, "O Pato" by Pedrinho Mattar, "Mas Que Nada" by Tamba Trio, and "Upa Neguinho" by Edu Lobo". 22 tracks in all!

Amazing treasures from the legendary Fame Records – 5 unique 7" singles, packaged together in an old magnetic tape-style box, which indicates how deep they had to dig in the vaults to get these gems! There's a great mix of southern soul and nascent rock here – and titles include "Slippin Around With You" and "I Can't Get You Out Of My Mind" by Art Freeman, "I Hope They Get Their Eyes Full" by Boy, "The Girl That Radiates That Charm" and "Hot Toddy" by Jimmy Ray Hunter & The Del Rays, "You Might As Well Forget Him" by Jimmy Hughes, and "Keep On Talking" and "Take A Good Look" by James Barnett.

Quite possibly one of the greatest funk compilations ever – and we're not just saying that because we're from the Midwest! The genius compilers at Jazzman spent years scouring the smaller cities of the American hinterlands – tracking down obscure musicians, long-lost labels, and nearly-gone master tapes – all to bring together 23 bits of rare funk that bristle with the same energy and excitement as the day they were first recorded! The package is incredible – not only filled with incredible tunes that somehow manage to push the boundaries and redefine our understanding of classic funk from the time, but also doing so in a package that's filled with liner notes that offer more information on the artists than probably their own mothers know! Plus, the set's also got some previously unissued numbers as well – making it a must-have for any funk fan, even if you've somehow managed to track down original copies of some of these choice bits! Titles include "Whip It" by The New Establishment In Soul, "Let's Do It Today (full version)" by The Us, "Pushin To The Top" by Markus Kelly & The Impassions, "Sissy Walk" by Billy Ball & The Upsetters, "Tell Her" by Fred Williams & The Jewels Band, "The Hatch" by The TMGs, "Boots Groove" by The Soul Tornados, "Po Boy's Dream" by Illinois Connection, "It's Not You For Me (live)" by Billy Joe Holloman, "Funky In Here" by Dayton Sidewinders, "Master Groove" by Henry Peters & The Imperials, and "A Day In The Life" by Chocolate Snow.

A simply groooooovy collection of rare bossa tunes! The set goes farther than the first volume in the series – dipping into a wide range of material that includes Brazilian albums from the 60s, but also some more obscure American and European sources, which gives the set a slightly expanded groove that's very fresh! Titles include "A Child Runs Free" by Fred Johnson, "Tudo Que Voce Podia Ser" by Quarteto Em Cy, "Ye Me Le" by The Gimmicks, "Tudo De Voce" by Wilson Simonal, "Fio Maravilha" by Tania Maria, "Mad About The Boy" by Cybil Shepard, "Zozoi" by France Gall & Cesar Camargo Mariano, "A Vontade Mesmo" by Raulzinho, "Freio Aerodinamico" by Os Tres Morais, "Mar Azul" by Som Imaginario, "Bahia Bossa Nova" by Bernard Lubat, "Vai Vai" by Jean Pierre Sabar, "Spooky" by Som Tes, and "Chove Chuva" by Nelsinho.

A treasure trove of Tennessee soul – a package that brings together two classic compilations on Charly Records, along with a host of rare bonus tracks too! The original release of Music City Soul and SSS Soul Survey were not only the kind of sets that first got Charly recognition as a key label for reissuing soul – but they also drew much-needed focus to the efforts of the Nashville labels working at the end of the 60s – surprising powerhouses for soul music, even though much of their efforts failed to chart at the time! As you'll hear in this set, labels like SSS International, Silver Fox, and Minaret were filled with deep soul gems – the kind of music you'd normally expect to hear from Memphis or Muscle Shoals – but which was coming out in droves from Music City during a brief musical moment at the end of the 60s. The 2CD set features a whopping 50 tracks in all – with titles that include "Baby You Got It" by Clarence Murray, "The Game Of Love" by Willie Hobbs, "I Have No One" by Big John Hamilton, "Action Speaks Louder Than Words" by Reuben Bell, "Soul Ranger" by Clifford Curry, "The Night The Angels Cried" by Johnny Dynamite, "Natural Soul Brother" by Danny White, "Shell Of A Woman" by Doris Allen, "Sundy Morning Coming Down" by Hank Ballard, "I Almost Called Your Name" by Johnny Soul, "Soulshake" by Peggy Scott & Jo Jo Benson, "Medley Of Soul" by Big Al Downing, "My Train's Coming In" by Betty Lavette, "All Night Long" by T Bone Walker, "My Ancestors" by Willie Charles Gray, and "The Pleasure Of My Woman" by Georgie Boy.

Amazing work from one of Chicago's best indie labels of the 60s – a wealth of wonderful soul that easily ranks with some of the best work at Chess or Vee Jay at the time! USA's a label that's also known for work in the rock and blues field, but the company had a marvelous ear for soul back in the day – and was often able to grab key Windy City talents before they broke big – or others who were already great, but finally found the right sort of treatment they needed at USA – a care with production and presentation that often rivals some of the beautiful presentation that Curtis Mayfield was bringing to his Impressions recordings or work with other artists – lots of deep soul roots, but also the tightness and sophistication that made Chicago so great at the time. The package features 36 rock-solid tracks – and titles include "Hot Spring Water" by Billy The Kid Emerson, "Come On In" by Detroit Jr, "A Lonely Boy" by Lee Wilson, "Step It Up" by Al Perkins, "I'll Wait For You" by LC Cooke, "No Appreciation" by Tut Sutton, "Taunting Love" by Frankie Newsom, "Just Being Careful" by Baby Huey & The Baby Sitters, "What You Don't Know" by Oscar & Anita, "Sweet Little Woman" by McKinley Sandifer, and "You Gotta Pay Dues" by Chris Campbell.

A gem of a record from Nat Adderley – filled with short soulful groovers, and done with an upbeat vibe that rivals some of Cannonball's best of the 60s! Joe Zawinul handled the arrangements, so there's definitely a strong influence here from the Cannon group – and although the players shift a bit throughout the course of the set, there's a really unified feel – thanks to a top-shelf lineup that includes Seldon Powell on tenor and flute, Ernie Royal on trumpet, Benny Powell on bass trombone, and Willie Bobo on percussion! The set features all original material by Nat – with older gems and new favorites that include "Little Boy With The Sad Eyes", "Never Say Yes, "Jive Samba", "Stony Island", "Junkanoo", and "Work Song".

Mirror Man is an all time Beefheart classic – fleshed out and made even more necessary in its late 90s release as Mirror Man Sessions! The long tracks find the band stretching out from their bluesy roots into the outer limits on the 4 main Mirror Man numbers "Tarotplane", "25th Century Quaker", "Mirror Man" and "Kandy Korn" – expansive, rugged blues skronk jams that are a simply a must! The sessions also produced tracks that were later issued on the Safe As Milk compilation, but really need to be experienced in context, as it is here. Other tracks include "Safe As Milk (Take 12)", "Beatle Bones & Smokin' Stones" and "Gimme Dat Harp Boy".

Another one of the greatest mid 60s Columbia albums by Cash, with a proper CD release! Orange Blossom Special is probably the most successful of Johnny's LPs in which he balances the profound influence of Bob Dylan with his own rough hewn style for something wholly unique. Cash covers 3 of Dylan's tunes on Orange Blossom, "It Ain't Me Babe", "Mama, You've Been On My Mind", and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright". Other tracks include "You Wild Colorado", "When It's Springtime In Alaska", "Amen", and "Danny Boy". This remastered set includes 3 bonus tracks that were never issued in the US, but can (and should!) also be found on Bear Family's amazing Man In Black: 1963-1969 box set. Those include "Engine 143", "(I'm Proud) The Baby Is Mine", and another version of "Mama, You've Been On My Mind", this one featuring Mariachi horns in the tradition of "Ring Of Fire".

Recent grooves, but often done with a richly classic feel – one that recalls the waning years of the Chicago Soul scene at the start of the 80s! The package is an effort from the re-activated Chi-Sound label – and it takes up where Carl Davis modern soul imprint left off – a smooth, mellow approach to contemporary R&B that's served up with plenty of class, and pointed directly at the new wave of dancefloor steppers in Chicago! Vocals here are by a variety of different singers, but there's a unified feel to most of the music – an approach that stays mostly in the mellower side of the spectrum, but still maintains a good sense of groove – one that comes from gently stepping beats, warm keyboard parts, and some slight jazzy touches to class things up a bit. Titles include "Soul" by Barry J, "Steppin All Over The World" by Gold Boy, "1st Fruit" by Stephen Dawson, "Steppin Into Darkness" by Paris, "Hang Time" by Kozii, "Better Step Up "by Theresa Davis, "High Steppin" by Sherry Scott, and "Time & Time Again" by Nicole Steel. DVD is an older instructional DVD on stepping – with the original 8 count instructional video from 1999, plus more!

Gritty underground hip hop from Lil Fame & Termanology – working to together as Fizzyology! Fizzyology the album has production by Lil Fame (as Fizzy Womack), DJ Premier , Alchemist, Statik Selektah and J-Waxx – and appearances by Busta Rhymes, Freeway, Bun B and others. Strong stuff – with tracks that roll from tense and ominous to raw funk – and with sharp rhymes all the way. Includes "After Midnight", "Fizzyology", "Hustler's Ringtone" feat Bun B, "From The Streets" feat Freeway, "Play Dirty" feat Busta Rhymes & Styles P, "It's Easy", "Too Tough For TV", "Pray For Me" feat Kira, "Lil Ghetto Boy" feat Lee Wilson and more.

Massively beautiful work from the great Donny Hathaway! After two studio albums that had firmly put him on the map as one of the 70s best soul talents, Atco had the genius to have Donny record this live album before very enthusiastic crowds in Hollywood and New York. The result is one of the best soul albums ever – one that shows a totally different side of Donny, and which has him jamming with a smaller, hipper, jazz-oriented group in long versions of some of his best tracks. Features a massive 12 minute version of "The Ghetto", which has loads of excellent instrumental breakdowns, a 13 minute version of "Voices Inside (Everything Is Everything)", a superior version of the track "Little Ghetto Boy", which was only ever on a soundtrack, and covers of "What's Going On" and "Jealous Guy" that really transform them from the original versions. Very similar to the classic Curtis Mayfield 2LP live set on Curtom – and with a similar "Chicago studio soulster goes jazzy and intimate" feel.

Soulful hip hop soundscapes from Parisian beatmaker and producer Hazel – nice stuff with the beats and bass nice and prominent in the mix – with spacier, more atmospheric elements floating over that solid backdrop. The instrumental atmosphere carries the vibe, but there's a couple tracks with vocals by Drake and Slakah – and the titles include "Lightmares", "Lunchpack McQuack", "Share" feat Drake & Slakah, "3AM", "My Show", "Ninety Eight", "Piano Boy", "The Walk", "Eyes In", "The Mint", "Situation", "The Run", "Can't Get You", "Stevie", "Bosquito", "Love Letters", "Carriacou" and more.

Way more than just an anthology of drums – as the record's a special document of the rich growth in Japanese jazz at the end of the 60s – and features great work from a whole host of key players on the Tokyo scene – not just drummers, but some amazing reed players too! The package is more of a special LP than a collection of other work – and it offers up a searing array of soul jazz styles from this very fervent period of work – music that easily rivals the most compelling jazz from the US at the time – particularly work on late 60s Blue Note! The set begins with "Gingerbread Boy", the Jimmy Heath tune, played by drummer Motohiko Hino with Takao Uematsu on tenor and Kosuke Mine on alto; next is "350 Trip" from drummer Masahiko Togashi, with Hiroshi Suzuki on trombone, Terumasa Hino on trumpet, and Sadao Watanabe on alto sax; "The Time Machine" and "Free Spirits" feature George Otsuka on drums with Hidehiko Matsumoto on tenor; Takeshi Inomata drums on "Sam Sack", done with vibes from Seiji Hiraoka; "All Blues" features Inomata with his Westliners group; and "Suzu No Uta" and "Passion" feature Togashi on drums with a group co-led by trombonist Hiroshi Suzuki.

Early work by Bob James – recorded way before he became one of the funky talents of the 70s, when he was a budding young modernist on the New York scene, with clear influences from the work of Paul Bley. This set is a trio recording – and it features James playing with Barre Phillips on bass and Robert Pozar on drums. Phillips' work is especially amazing, as he gets sounds out of the bass that are just incredible – working the whole instrument into wild tones and sounds that far surpass conventional work on the strings. The whole session's amazingly dark – and it makes us love James' funky work even more to know that he started out this way! Titles include "Explosions", "An On", "Wolfman", and "Peasant Boy".

Electronic sounds, but pretty darn catchy too – and not nearly as dark as you might guess from the title! The duo have a sound that's wonderfully perky at points – not poppy, but all-abristle with some cool analogue elements that crackle nicely next to the catchy vocals, and sweetly snapping beats – a quality that partly echoes some of the bigger names of the French scene of the time, but which also reflects more of the great evolution going on in the British electronic world as well. Titles include "Jungle Hurt", "TV Night", "Paris Tokyo", "Disco Rough", "Boy Be My Toy", and "Responds-Moi".

An unusual record that's had folks puzzling for decades – but one that's also kept their interest too, thanks to the quality of the music on the set! The record's got an unusual gimmick – in that it promises to feature all-star players encumbered by record contracts with other labels – listed as possibilities on the back that include Howrad McGhee, Wardell Gray, Teddy Edwards, Charlie Parker, and others. Yet it's our guess that this might be a pretty obscure lineup, but a great one too – and most numbers are live recordings, done with a hell of a lot of bop fire – quite possibly pulled from that late 40s stretch when Crown/Modern Records was doing a great job of capturing some of the early bop in LA! There's more than a few trumpets at times – and we're guessing one might be McGhee – and given their penchant for recording Vido Musso and Wardell Gray, it's quite possible both of these players are in the mix too. Yet despite the lack of real data on the players, the whole thing's a musical treasure with plenty of soulful bop on offer. Titles include "Ben's Mood", "Steady Teddy", "Deep Purple", "Big Boy (parts 1 & 2)", "Why Not", and "Stompin".

Sweet pop and soft rock from one of the greatest songwriting teams ever! Roger Nichols and Paul Williams may not be as familiar to you as Bacharach & David – or at least not as familiar as Paul Williams himself – but during the late 60s and early 70s, the pair emerged from the A&M studios as one of the greatest forces in LA songwriting! Both Nichols and Williams were hipper than the usual talents, and Nichols himself had recorded one of the greatest albums ever issued on A&M – and together, the pair managed to write some of the grooviest tunes ever to crack the mainstream as the 60s wore into the 70s. The songs here are touched with a great blend of California sun, hippie optimism, and love-burned realism – presented in a great array by a variety of pop and easy artists, making the set one of the greatest tributes to Nichols and Williams you could ever hope to hear! Titles include "The Drifter" by Heidi Bruhl, "Always You" by The Sundowners, "I Won't Last A Day Without You" by Paul Mauriat, "Someday Man" by The Casuals, "I Never Had It So Good" by Dobie Gray, "To Put Up With You" by The Sandpipers, "Talk It Over In The Morning" by Engelbert Humperdink, "Love So Fine" by Don Costa, "I Kept On Loving You" by Heaven Bound, "When Love Is Near" by The Original Caste, "Rainbow Connection" by Willie Nelson, and "No Love Today" by Michelle Phillips – plus "Travelling Boy" and "Rainy Days & Mondays" by Paul Williams, and "Let's Ride" and "The Drifter" by Roger Nichols.

The album that made Billy Ocean a superstar for a little while, one that had a HUGE couple of years on the charts, even longer service as a snapshot of its era, and is now one that we can look at freshly and appreciate for all of the unstoppably catchy pop soul craft that made it so massive in the first place! Billy's earlier Caribbean inflected pop and R&B was good stuff that deserved a bigger audience and boy did it ever find him with the mid 80s hits "Caribbean Queen", the killer ballad "Suddenly" and the crazy fun "Loverboy". Other tracks include "Mystery Lady", "Lucky Man", "Dancefloor" and "If I Should Lose You". This Cherry Pop UK edition has 4 bonus tracks: extended versions of "Caribbean Queen", "Lucky Man", "Mystery Lady" and "Loverboy".

A fitting title to this one – as it virtually describes the standard that the blues business was operating on during the early 70s – as artists came out of the shadows and found big audiences on college campuses, rock clubs, and other crossover scenes! The concept is carried to the Nth degree on the cover – which has a front image of a young Asian boy eating a big watermelon, Sambo-style – and the back cover features notes that say things like "Chinese kids like watermelon, Irish like bagels, black people like Jewish rye, and today everybody loves the Blues." Fortunately, this comic packaging doesn't affect the album too much – as Junior's still in the fine form he was at the end of the 60s, cruising between blues and soul, with a slight touch of jazz, in a unique way that sounds better to our ears than the work of most of his contemporaries. Titles include "Five Long Years", "That's Alright", "Way Back Home", "Man Or Mouse", and "I Like Your Style".

Heavy dubs from a fairly unsung producer Phil Pratt – a set recorded at Channel One at the end of the 70s/start of the 80s –backed by the mighty rhythms of Sly & Robbie and other key figures in some of the greatest Jamaican music! This is some of the most adventurous dub we can think of from that time, yet it doesn't go too far off the experimental deep end – with acres of infectious echo and some tripped out atmosherics. Ron Brian is on guitar, Bobby Kalphat & Ansel Collins on keys, Tommy McCook & Herman Marquis on horns. Includes "Dial-M-For Murder", "Danger UBX", "Stinger", "Beware Of This Rass Dub", "Chase A Crooked Shadow", "Don't Watch My Size", "Walking Razor", "Wonder Woman Dub", "Bad Boy Dub" and "Jam Up".

Classic work from the legendary Alexander Robotnick – an artist who not only scored big on European dancefloors in the early 80s – but one whose electronic grooves also went onto really shape the sound of house music here in the US! Although a few of Robotnick's tunes were issued over here on an EP, this full length set was a European-only release – and offers up even more of him to love! "Problemes D'Amour" is the real winner here, and probably most well known cut – a classic blend of beatbox and keys, all percolating together with a "wikky wikky" magic that still really sends us, with nice vocoded vocals, too! The rest of the set's nothing to dismiss either, and includes "Computer Sourire", "Dance Boy Dance", "Hola Macci Kola", "Ce N'Est Q'Un Debut", and "Afrikan Kola".

An amazing batch of sophisticated soul tracks – and a favorite with the righteous groove scene! On the surface, the record's a combination of jazz and soul tracks in the same mode that you'd find on some of Nancy Wilson's albums for Capitol during the same time – but digging deeper, you'll find an undercurrent of politics, feminism, and social commentary delivered with surprising intensity. Marlena Shaw's voice is generally sweet, but she's set up in some extremely powerful arrangements by Richard Evans and Charles Stepney that recast even the simplest phrase into a whole new setting of strength and pride – and Bobby Miller of Dells fame also helped make the record what it is, and helped write some of the best songs on the record. The set includes Marlena's classic original reading of "Woman Of The Ghetto", which has been sampled by just about everyone, plus "California Soul", which has a nice hard break, and the tunes "Liberation Conversation", "Where Can I Go?", and the original version of "Go Away Little Boy" – as sweet a statement of womanhood if there ever was one!

One of the first European recordings from Sahib Shihab – a classic set that's the start of an amazing 60s run on the continent! Shihab here is quite different than his American dates of the 50s – bolder, and blowing with a really open, fluid sort of groove that marks a great development in his sound – using baritone sax, soprano, and flute – a range of instruments that really creates a wide range of feeling in the set! The performance is a live one, and the group is great too – with Allen Botschinsky on flugelhorn, Ole Molin on guitar, Niles Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and both Alex Riel and Bjarne Rostvold on drums. Rhythms are a key part of the set – really free and open, setting the scene for Sahib's modal genius to come – and titles include "47th Blues", "Billy Boy", and the 3-part track "Conversations". CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Charade", "Not Yet", and "Someday My Prince Will Come".

Beautiful early work from vocalist Carol Sloane – material recorded with a very groovy guitar-based group, in the years before her better-known sides on Columbia Records! The style here is quite intimate – as Sloane's mostly singing in a small combo with guitar from either Chuck Wayne or Bucky Pizzarelli, both players with an open-toned sort of sound that really helps color in the vocals nicely. Marky Markowitz plays a bit of trumpet, but usually in a laidback way – and as on the album Hush-A-Bye, these sides were originally recorded by Larry Elgart, but never issued at the time! The material's making a first appearance here on the CD, augmented with one track that features Elgart's full orchestra – and titles include "Bewitched", "I've Got The World On A String", "Honeysuckle Rose", "Mood Indigo", "Walkin", "You Stepped Out Of A Dream", "Danny Boy", and "What's New".

Early work from vocalist Sylvia Syms – all of it pretty darn great! The tracks here feature Sylvia in 2 different settings – one with larger arrangements from Johnny Richards, and soloists who include Kai Winding on trombone, Don Elliott on vibes, and Al Cohn on tenor – the other with smaller backing from the Barbara Carroll Trio, a nicely mellow combo with pianist Carroll providing some nicely sensitive colors. Both settings are great – and Syms steps out here without any of the hoke that we sometimes fear in her other records – in a mode that's quite personal, and very much in the spirit of her best contemporaries in 50s vocal jazz. Titles include "Paradise", "Comes Love", "Imagination", "Can't You Just See Yourself", "Love Walked In", "Lonely Woman", "Tea For Two", and "I Want A Little Boy".

A brilliant testament to the songwriting genius of Scott Walker – and an incredibly haunting batch of original tunes, filled with images of lonely madness and unactualized emotion, all sung by one of the greatest voices of the century! The album's not a record to be taken lightly – as the Scott Walker approach to music is really over the top here – almost mini-movies in sound, pasted from scenes both epic and private – all held together by an impeccable set of arrangements! The style beautifully links Walker's older pop persona with the growing sophistication in European pop – especially from the French – and with a record like this, Scott easily matches the genius of Brel, Brassens, and Gainsbourg. All titles are originals – and titles include "Rhymes Of Goodbye", "The Old Man's Back Again", "Hero Of The War", "Boy Child", "Seventh Seal", and "On Your Own Again".

A set recorded as part of Andrew White's One Step series – but one that also has a different feel than some of the others – as it features some shorter tunes that have a bit more straightforward approach than some of his other work! The group on the album features Blackbyrds Keith Killgo on drums and Kevin Toney on piano, plus excellent bass work by the great Steve Novosel – whose round warm tones really make the album groove! Side one features sweet takes on Coltrane tunes "Naima" and "Central Park West" – plus "What's New", "Mahogany", and "Rim Shot". Side two stretches out with the classic "Big Nick" – then offers White's own "Theme Signature" and "Superfly Disco Boy".

Vintage ska with stellar roster of prime era players in the early-to-mid 60s scene – led by The Skatalites and featuring production by King Edwards – with numbers by Otis Alphonso, Lord Briscoe, Baba Brooks, Hersans Combo, Cosmo & Denzil, Drumbago and more! The mighty Skatalites kick off both sides, beginning with the classic title track – and the set goes pretty deep here into the King Edwards vaults – and features material that's tends to get overlooked in ska overviews. 14 tracks in all: including "Spree Boy" by The Skatalites, Don't Be Ashamed" by Otis Alphonso, "Sweet Day" by Archibald Trott, "Cool Breeze" by Raymond Harper, "Strong Man's Weed" by Baba Brooks, "You've Been Drunk" by Drumbago, "Golden Way" by Hersans Combo and more.

Massive funk from CTI – some of the label's grooviest, jazziest, most soulful gems from the 70s – all hand-picked by the folks at Wax Poetics Japan! There's some familiar tracks here, and some lesser-known nuggets too – and the set is one of the grooviest CTI collections we've ever heard – filled with just the right sort of sounds to show the label's genius in its best light – including some tracks from related imprints Kudu and Salvation, too! Don't let the "dance" in the title put you off – because this isn't dance music, just tight funky jazz of the best 70s variety – as you'll hear on cuts that include "Baretta's Theme" by Ron Carter, "Macumba" by Lalo Schifrin, "Stanley's Tune" by Airto, "Star Borne" by Johnny Hammond, "Nights In White Satin" by Deodato, "Hard To Face The Music" by Idris Muhammad, "Corazon" by Hank Crawford, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by David Matthews, "Boy I Really Tied One On" by Esther Phillips, and "Sugar Free" by Hank Crawford.

Excellent Italian synth from the mid 80s – work that's much more spare and darker than other European work of the time! The approach here is almost more in a late 70s Sheffield mode than you'd guess from the date – lots of moody keyboard parts, stark drum machine lines, and vocals that, when they do appear, are distorted or processed into a much darker sound! The package is a real discovery to our ears – especially given that most of the Italian work hitting our shores at the time of these recordings was in a brighter, dance-based mode – which makes most of these tracks sound completely fresh today. Titles include "Story Of The Death Boy" by Xno, "A Mortal Song In A Beautiful Sunday" by Vena, "Vulcani" by Carmody, "On The Dancefloor" by Janitor Of Lunacy, "Veiled Lady" by Monuments, "Identity (deep version)" by Lisfrank, and "Wake Up" by Chromagain.

A massive triple-pack of funky 45s – one that features six seminal tracks from the New Orleans scene of the 60s – all wrapped up with some great Jazzman notes on the music as well! The grooves here are gritty right from the get-go – no surprise, since the legendary Eddie Bo had a hand in a few of the tunes here – and his spirit really seems to infuse all the other numbers as well! Titles include Eddie's "From This Day On", a duet with Inez Cheatham on "Lover & A Friend", the full unreleased version of Roger & The Gypsies' "Pass The Hatchet" – and the cuts "Little Boy Blue" by Little Buck, "The Good Got To Suffer For The Bad" by Pat Brown, and "Something Out Of Nothing" by Lenny McDaniel & The New Era.