All Categories — All Formats  

Wonderful work from a player who never ceases to please us! Even at this early point in his career, Jimmy Heath had a soulful hipness that you'd be hard pressed to find in another musician – working with a vision of soul jazz that most other players wouldn't hip to until the 70s. Jimmy wrote most of the tracks on the set, and arranged the album with a style that's as strikingly modern as it is in the pocket and grooving – played superbly by a combo that include Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Julius Watkins on French Horn, Cedar Walton on piano, Percy Heath on bass, and Albert Heath on drums. Tracks include "Funny Time", "Down Shift", "The Quota", and "Bells & Horns".

A beautiful early 70s psych folk set from the angelic vocal and songwriting duo of Pat Gefell and Jo D Andrews – their Refuge album for Ovation in 1973 – highlighted by their gorgeous vocals, but committed with lovely, lightly soaring arrangements! Save for a solid cover of the Elton John/Bernie Taupin penned "Sixty Years On", Gefell and Andrews wrote the songs here, and it's remarkably strong stuff! The duo vocals and harmonies are especially sweet. The Chicago-based production wisely leaves ample space in the arrangements for them to sort of loosely, emotively embellish with their voices – with string arrangements by co-producer George Andrews and an impressive roster of session players including bassist Phil Upchurch, drummer Don Simmons and percussionist Bobby Christian. Includes "Jenny", "Voice In The Wind", "To A Flame", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", "Refuge", "Song For Craig", "A Light Is Shining", "Feel The Spirit" and more. Heavy vinyl and cover – and features a great insert with notes!

Post-Labelle solo work from Nona Hendryx – and a set that very much shows that she's the one who brought all the raw funky power to the group! Unlike Patti Labelle's work from the same time, which was getting smoother and classier, Nona's work here is almost in the vein of rock music – working the lead guitar hard in a style that's a bit Betty Davis, but more crossover too – in ways that helped Hendryx gain a huge audience for her groove in the 70s! The core group is super-tight, and also helps Nona with all the arrangements too – a nicely unified set that includes a version of Russ Ballard's "Winning", plus "Everybody Wants To Be Somebody", "Once Again", "Problem", "Will You Be There?", "Leaving Here Today", and "Take A Chance".

Heady sounds from Karthala 72 – a group with a very vintage sound – one that rings out with plenty of offbeat funky elements, African percussion, and maybe even a sense of bassline borrowed from Colombian music! The group have a wonderful criss-crossing of styles – and this full length set mixes electric and acoustic elements brilliantly – almost with a Konono approach at times, but with a groove that's much more expansive overall! The liner notes try to bill the record as an obscurity from the past, but it's our guess that these guys are contemporary – which is even more reason to love them. Titles include "Delores", "Diable Du Feu", "Marche De La Mort", "Bahari Farasi", "Armour Sombre", "Trop Fort", and "Le Vieux Chien Marcel".

A hit set from the end of the 80s – one that showed Patti still going strong in her third decade in soul music! The set's got a style that's decidedly more modern than some of the classic work we know from Patti – but her vocals are still very strongly in place, and if anything, the overall presentation of the album has her strutting her stuff as a diva even more strongly than before. Titles include "Yo Mister", "I Can't Complain", "If You Asked Me To", "I'm Scared Of You", "Can't Bring Me Down", "Need A Little Faith", and "I Can Fly".

A great little record – not only for the early trumpet work of Ira Sullivan, but also for the presence of tenorist Nicky Hill – an under-recorded legend from the Chicago scene of the 50s! The set features Sullivan in extremely tight bop formation – working on longer tracks that represent some of his greatest work on record – studio sides, but done with the sense of on-the-fly imagination of his landmark live dates. Hill's a great partner on this date – a player whose edge and timing really makes things bristle, and a reminder that Chicago had a lot of great jazz to offer the world back in the day! Rhythm is by Jodie Christian on piano, Victor Sproles on bass, and Wilbur Campbell on drums – and titles include "Nicky's Tune #3", "Wilbur's Tune", "My Secret Love", "When Sunny Gets Blue", and "Nicky's Tune #2".

Ahh, the dancefloor soul perfection of the beautiful Donna Summer – and classic late 70s production by Giorgio Morodor and Pete Bellotte – songs that are played often, even to this day, but will never be played out! Was this the one that coined the phrase "shipped gold, returned platinum?" We can't remember, but whatever the case, it's one of those sets that used to be ubiquitous, but which now we can hardly ever find in good shape! Includes shorter mixes of "Love To Love You Baby" and "I Feel Love" – plus the hits for the album "On The Radio" and "Enough Is Enough". Other cuts include "Last Dance", "Hot Stuff", "Bad Girls", and a shortened version of "MacArthur Park".

The title's quite right on this one – because the group's heavy on dub, but also uses trombones as well – all in a mode that sometimes recalls the classic sound of Kingston, yet which also has some deep funk elements as well! Twin trombones stretch out beautifully – often quite rhythmic in their approach, and intertwined with tight basslines, echoey drums, and sweet guitar riffs too – and titles include "Trio Tro Tro", "Public Option (Prince Polo dub)", "Q Street (Subatomic Sound System rmx)", "Washingtonian", "Neolithic", and "We Will Begin Again (DJ Trainwreck rmx)".

A heavy helping of Ethiopian grooves – pulled from the later volumes of the legendary Ethiopiques series, and served up here on a unique vinyl collection! The tunes are a nice mix of some of the best Ethio styles of the early 70s – and include a few standout funky numbers, plus some equally great tunes that mix jazzy styles with lots of exotic twists and turns! And there's something about the vinyl presentation that makes the music feel a bit different than on CD – a bit more urgent, perhaps – and with a crispness to the sound that's mighty nice. Titles include "Bey Lesenabetesh" by Getatchew Kassa, "Wefe Yelala" by Damtew Ayele, "Ber Anbar Seberelewo" by Tamrat Molla & Venus Band, "Lebene Sheweshew" by Samuel Beley, "Assiyo Belleme" by Mulatu, and "Yekermo Sew" by Sefou Yohannes.

Another astounding set of heavy vibrations from Soul Jazz in there ongoing series of collections focusing on great Jamaican music! This bouncing set takes a long, deep look at Dancehall culture, and accompanies a great book by Beth Lesser! While dance halls have existed in Jamaican music for years, the focus here is Dancehall with a capital D, from the early 80s on, when Jamaican music took a turn away from the heavier, sufferer's themes of the Roots era and became more interested in rocking good times! This set is filled with certified classics, guaranteed to ram the dance and capture the heavyweight title in any soundclash, all bouncing numbers from the pre-digital era through more stripped down Casio-driven treasures. 17 tracks in all, including "Bam Bam" by Yellowman, "Pumpkin Belly" by Tenor Saw, "Cu-Oonuh" by Reggie Stepper, "Agony" by Pinchers, "Diseases" by Michigan & Smiley, "Cool Out Son" by Junior Murvin, "Entertainment" by Triston Palma, "Arleen" by General Echo, "Here I Come" by Barrington Levy, "Chop Chop" by Cutty Ranks, "M16" by Lone Ranger, "Trash & Ready" by Super Cat, and "Soon Forward" by Gregory Isaacs.

The oft-covered Bob Dylan songbook never sounds so soulful – classic interpretations of Dylan's canon from a great, far reaching roster of black artists – from the the ever-stirring Staple Singers, southern soul heroes Howard Tate and OV Wright, charismatic country soul from Brook Benton, great gender role perspective flipped versions by Nina Simone and Patti LaBelle, a funky tamborine take by Con Funk Shun and much more! It’s another excellent entry in the Songwriter Series from Ace Records, extra excellent in that it takes an obvious hero of 60s Songwriter – and actually pulls together songs that'll take you by surprise for their depth – whether you treasure Dylan, deep 60s & 70s solo & group R&B, funk, folk soul...or all of the above! Includes "Blowin In The Wind" by OV Wright, "Girl From The North Country" by Howard Tate, "The Man In Me" by The Persuations, "Lay lady Lay" by The Isley Brothers, "Emotionally Yours" by The O'Jays, "All Along The Watchtower" by Bobby Womack, "Maggie's Farm" by Soloman Burke, "Mr. Tamborine Man" by Con Funk Shun and more. 20 tracks in all.

A double disc set of mighty, mighty rockers and steppers rhythms, blessed by the vocals of the top artists of reggae's golden age, the mid 70s. 29 tracks in all, and though many of them are classic numbers, there's not as much overlap between this set and other collections out there, as is so often the case with Jamaican compilations these days. Includes Observer All Stars "African Language", and "Time Version", Dennis Brown & Ranking Buckers "Tenement Yard/Landlord (ext mix)", Leroy Smart "We Want To Go Home", Johnny Clarke "African Roots", Ronnie Davis "Jah Jah Jehoviah", King Tubby & The Aggrovators "Jah Jah Version", Leroy Smart & I Roy "Jah Is My Light/Wicked Eat Dirt (ext mix)", Johnny Clarke "Blood Dunza", Horace Andy & Sticks "Zion Gate (ext mix)", the Rockstones "Oh Jah Man", Johnny Clarke & U Roy "Every Knee Shall Bow (ext mix)", Cornell Campbell "Follow Instruction", Reggae George "Trodding Along", plus many, many more!

London's always been one of the hippest cities in the world – but back during the postwar years, there was an especially wonderful outpouring of music on the scene – a rich array of new sounds and styles pulled from around the globe – as so many residents from crumbling British empire came to live in the UK! Musicians and listeners arrived in London with plenty of cultural baggage on hand – influences from the Caribbean, West Africa, and India too – plus other smaller scenes that once fell under the British banner, all now the fuel for the cultural fire that was happening in England! The title here tells plenty about the music being made in this newly-formed scene – bits of African highlife, Jamaican calypso, American jazz, Cuban Latin, and more – all filtered into the modernism of the 50s, and given a new twist that was decidedly urban as well. The package may well be the most impressive so far in this legendary series – and is certainly the one that moves the farthest past any sort of easy expectations or cultural conventions. Titles include "Women Police In England" by Mighty Terror, "My Sorrow" by West African Swing Stars, "Cricket Umpires" by Lord Kitchener, "Jordhu" by Caribbean Swing Band, "Trumpet Highlife" by Shake Keane, "Calypso Mambo" by George Browne, "Cuban Nightingale" by Buddy Pipp's Highlifers, "Kitch" by The Quavers, "Tabu" by Mona Baptiste, "King Jimmy Foo Foo" by Tejan Sie with The West African Rhythm Brothers, "The Escape" by Dizzy Reece, "Mambo Contempo" by Ginger Johnson, "Life In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Sway" by Buddy Pipp's Highlifers, "Song Of Joy" by Rupert Nurse's Calypso Band, "Joe Louis Calypso" by Lord Beginner, "Uncle Joe" by Fitzroy Coleman Quintet, "Me Donkey Want Water" by Tony Johnson, "Belly Lick" by Eric Hayden, "Nigeria Odowoyin" by West African Rhythm Brothers, and "Football Calypso" by King Timothy.

8 sultry slow jams from the Philly International catalog: "If Only You Knew" by Patti Labelle, "Let Me Make Love To You" by the O'Jays, "Close The Door" and "Love TKO" by Teddy Pendergrass, "I Just Love The Man" by the Jones Girls, "You're The Reason Why" by the Ebonys, "Be For Real" by Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes and "Find Me A Girl" by the Jacksons.

Atlantic soul live – recorded in a great grassroots setting! The performance comes from the Uptown Theater in Philly – as important to that city as The Apollo was to New York – and features a host of key Atlantic Records talents from the 60s, really hitting some hard and heavy notes in the live setting – with a bit of MC introduction at the start from Jimmy Bishop! There's a few great surprises here – artists you don't normally associate with Atlantic – and titles include "Mixed Up Shook Up Girl" by Patty & The Emblems, "Can't You Hear The Beat" by The Carltons, "My Girl Sloopy" and "The Watusi" by The Vibrations – plus "Under The Boardwalk" and "On Broadway" by The Drifters, "Down The Aisle" by Patti LaBelle & The Bluebells, and "I'm Gonna Cry" and "If You Need Me" by Wilson Pickett.

Blood & Fire dips into their excellent catalog of fine, fine reggae and pulls together an outstanding little compilation of some of the best tracks from the catalog! This nicely priced set focuses on vocal numbers, all voiced by top notch artists, showcasing the breadth of great music cut during the golden era of Jamaican music that makes up the body and soul of Blood & Fire's dynamite releases! 18 tracks in all, including "Fire Fe The Vatican" by Max Romeo, "Storm" by Gregory Isaacs, "Children Of Jah" by the Chantells, "Problems" by Horace Andy, "Rent Man" by Black Uhuru, "Chant Down Babylon" by Sylford Walker, 'Go Down In Silence" by Prince Alla, "Man Next Door" byDennis Brown, "Fight It To The Top" by Michael Prophet, "Every Knee Shal Bow" by Johnny Clarke, "At The Feast" by the Congos, "Yes Yes Yes" by Errol Holt, "Jah Jah The Conqueror" by Linval Thompson, "Give Jah Praise" by WIlli Williams, "Deliver Me From My Enemies" by Yabby You, "Judgement Time" by Junior Ross & The Spear, "Bandulu" by Cornell Campbell and "Remember Me" by Junior Byles & Rupert Reid.

A cool collection of cookers from the legendary Studio One Records – pulled together here in a collection that bears the Ironsides name of one of its sub-labels, as a great indication of some of the obscure tracks included within! The collection features loads of gems from the earliest years of Studio One – a mix of rocksteady and early reggae cuts that have that wonderfully rootsy feel that was the label's calling card – a way of laying down instrumentation and vocals with a bottom-heavy sound that filters everything together beautifully – and comes out with a wickedly seductive groove. The set's overflowing with cuts we'd never heard before – and titles include "Three Mile Skank" by Lone Ranger, "Rasta Don't Stop No One" by The Stingers, "Nanny's Corner" by Don Drummond, "Danger In Your Eyes" by The Paragons, "Mother & Child" by Fabian Cooke, "Mark My Word" by Marcia Griffiths, "Another Night" by The Soul Sister, "I'm still Waiting" by Cornel Campbell, and "Jamrec Dub" by Pablove Black.

A great batch of early 70s grooves from Thailand – all produced by Theppabutr Satirodchompu – and it's one of the best compilations of Thai music we've ever stocked! By focusing on the work of one legendary producer – over the span of just a few years – the set has nicely cohesive vibe. That said, it's a quite expansive sound! Revolving vocals and melodies make it as hypnotic as can be –- and the instrumentation is fantastic. Raw drums, bells and other hand percussion lie underneath bursts of horns, woozy organs and other textures. It's beautifully put together by the Zudrangma label and compiler Maft Sai – with a thick booklet and top-notch sound. Titles include "Lam Yao Salab Teoy", "Siang Toey Jak Jai", "Lam Pleanr Caroen Jit", "Keun Pen Ken Faai" and more by Banyen Rakkaaen, "Lam Plearn Kiew Bao", "Lam Plearn Ha Fan" and more by Chanpen Sirithep, "Lam Plearn Sam Jang Wa" by Sumalee Pongkate, "Tid Kiew Tiew Krung" by Porn Tawan, "Hug Al Bor" by Roeid Petchsiam and more. 17 tracks in all.

A strange, eerie psychedelia and prog steeped soundtrack to the Jean Rollins French vampire film Le Frisson Des Vampires – played by the group Acanthus – a great little set of evocative, stripped down macabre instrumentals and trippy bits of dialogue! Finders Keepers describes the sound by comparing it to lynchpin combos of early prog as affected by "a 1000 year old acid infused blood transfusion", and guess what – that's perfect! Guitar melodies spun very loosely and eerily rolling along with improved bits and creepy sound sound effects – but it never veers into shlocky horror movie music, it's psych-steeped instrumental rock, played in a spooky style. The music is great, and the bits of dialogue (in English) is totally priceless! Includes Funerailles Des Vampires", "Le Frisson Des Vampires", "La Chateau", "Wedding Party (Angoisse Temporelle)", "Occupied Clock", "Who Are You?", "Blood-Cups", "Isabelles Demise", "Night Excursion", "Isa's Ceremony", "Flightless Bird", "The Shiver Of The Vampires", "Envol Vers La Folie" and more. 27 tracks in all – the entire, previously unreleased soundtrack!

Another platter of tasty beats in the tradition of the funky drummer series of break records Ubiquity put out a few years back. Just drums, raw and crisp, and ready for battling, looping or whatever you need. These aren't looped bits from famous breaks or some fool with a drum machine in his bedroom, but fresh new beats recorded by an actual drummer, fills and all! They're conveniently labelled with BPMs, and there's a variety of snare, kick and cymbal tones used throughout. Names like "Premier Funk", "Steve Mack Queen" and "Fat Foot" give you an idea what we're talking about.

The complete recordings from Albert Ayler's 1966 ESP set at Slugs Nightclub – located in his home turf of the East Village, a very fervent setting for avant jazz at the time! The material has a feel that's a lot like Ayler's studio recordings for ESP, but the tracks are longer overall, and feature a bit more interplay between the group members at times – individual solo space that's occasionally a bit more pronounced, running back into some tighter energies from the rest of the group. Ayler's blowing with a lineup that includes his brother Donald Ayler on trumpet, Lewis Worrell on bass, Michel Sampson on violin, and a very young Ronald Shannon Jackson on drums and percussion. This expanded version features better sound and more tracks than previous versions – plus a great cover image too! Titles include "Truth Is Marching On", "Bells", "Ghosts", "Initiation", and "Our Prayer".

Stunning live recordings from Albert Ayler's European tour of late 1966 – during a peak creative period for Ayler – while working with an incredible group! This excellent CD captures them in Stockholm for Swedish radio on November 10, 1966 – followed by an equally well documented set in Berlin from one week prior. The performances themselves are energetic throughout, and in turns elegiac, playful and all-out intense! It's awe-inspiring material with emotional depth – that facet enhanced a bit by the presence of a violin – by Dutch player Michel Samson, who is great here. Donald Ayler's trumpet communicates brilliantly with the violin and William Folwell's double bass. Beaver Harris holds it down on drums, while Ayler blazes away in the leader, taking the group into unpredictable movements. Greatness! Includes "Truth Is Marching In", "Omega (Is The Alpha)", "Our Prayer – Bells" and "Infinite Spirit – Japan" from Stockholm, juxtaposed with differing performances of those titles in Berlin, plus the riveting closer "Ghosts – Bells", also from Berlin.

Stunning – simply stunning! This new album by Scandinavian group Beady Belle is the first to really unlock their full potential – and offers a haunting blend of jazz, electronics, and other elements that make for a record beyond description. Beady has a style that's impossible to peg right away – but one listen to this set, and you'll be pulled into a strange world of sound, one that will restore your faith in modern music! Lyrics are in English, and titles include "Hindsight", "Big Balloon", "One & Only", "Shadow", "On The Ground", "April Fool", "Bella", and "Wounded Pride".

Stunning sounds from Beady Belle – one of the greatest albums we've heard from the group in years – and that's saying a heck of a lot! Beady Belle are as soulful as ever, but also have a new sort of crackle too – a bit more clavinet mixed in with their Fender Rhodes, and this cool moogy way of laying down a groove that at times is almost a 21st Century version of Shuggie Otis during his Inspiration Information years! The lovely vocals of Beate Lech still keep a great degree of humanity in the music – with these beautifully personal lyrics that have always made the group one of the warmest of all their contemporaries on the Scandia scene – sung this time with a maturity that could well get these guys the much-needed audience they've always deserved on this side of the Atlantic. A gem through and through – with titles that include "Saved", "Party Pooper", "Song For Irie", "Faith", "Circlet", "So Far So Good", "My Name On The World", and "Poppy Burt-Jones".

Stunning sounds from Beady Belle – one of the greatest albums we've heard from the group in years – and that's saying a heck of a lot! Beady Belle are as soulful as ever, but also have a new sort of crackle too – a bit more clavinet mixed in with their Fender Rhodes, and this cool moogy way of laying down a groove that at times is almost a 21st Century version of Shuggie Otis during his Inspiration Information years! The lovely vocals of Beate Lech still keep a great degree of humanity in the music – with these beautifully personal lyrics that have always made the group one of the warmest of all their contemporaries on the Scandia scene – sung this time with a maturity that could well get these guys the much-needed audience they've always deserved on this side of the Atlantic. A gem through and through – with titles that include "Saved", "Party Pooper", "Song For Irie", "Faith", "Circlet", "So Far So Good", "My Name On The World", and "Poppy Burt-Jones".

All By Myself is Regina Belle's debut, a nice mix of dancefloor soul and ballads. The blend of period production touches – keys & synths, in particular – with live instrumentation is excellent, in part thanks to great studio players like Dexter Wansel and Pablo Batista – but mostly because of some solid songs and Regina's soaring vocals! Titles include "Show Me The Way", "Intimate Relations", "Gotta Give It Up", "So Many Tears", "Please Be Mine" and more.

Straight, strong, and soulful sounds from guitarist Kenny Burrell – quite possibly one of his best albums of the 60s, thanks to a really well-focused sound throughout! The groove here is nice and tight – a cooking little rhythm section that features Richard Wyands on piano, Martin Rivera on bass, and Oliver Jackson on drums – snapping away on the kit on some of the best tracks, and really helping Burrell to hit this groove that's mighty nice! Kenny seems to have a bit more bite than usual too – and even the laidback tunes have plenty going on to keep our ears happy. Titles include "La Petite Mambo", "Suzy", "The Tender Gender", "Girl Talk", "Isabella", "If Someone Had Told Me", and "Hot Bossa".

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".

This record released just after Trout Mask Replica found the Captain and the boys at the height of their powers. The addition of Ed Marimba on marimba and percussion gives the group an extra rhythmic complexity even while the bands strips it down and gets to the point. Tracks include "Lick My Decals Off Baby", "I Love You, You Big Dummy", "Bellerin' Plain", "Petrified Forest", and "The Smithsonian Institute Blues (Or The Big Dig)". Possibly their finest moment.

Important 70s work from Don Cherry – one of the first albums to bring his overseas experiments to a larger US audience! The set builds nicely off of styles that Don forged earlier in France and Scandinavia – a freer style of music than his work with Ornette Coleman, and a richly organic groove that builds up strongly from the bottom, often with elements of world music settled in alongside the jazz – but there's also some funkier moments here too, a bit like the Brown Rice album, but looser overall! The groups on most numbers are relatively large and spiritual – almost like Alice Coltrane at times, but a bit more electric and funky at others – and players include Collin Walcott on sitar, Michael Brecker on saxes, Cliff Carter on keyboards, Lenny White and Tony Williams on drums, Lois Colin on harp, and Raphael Cruz on percussion. Cherry himself plays conch shells, bells, and flute in addition to his usual trumpet – and he even sings a bit on a few numbers, in a soulful, scatting sort of groove. Narada Michael Walden produced, and the whole set's got a very righteous feel – with tracks that include "Universal Mother", "Buddah's Blues", "Eagle Eye", "Mahakali", "Karmapa Chenno", "Surrender Rose", and "Journey Of Milarepa".

One of the all-time classic Blue Note albums – from the hip looking cover, right down to the excellent hardbop in the grooves! Pianist Sonny Clark leads an incredible lineup that includes Art Farmer on trumpet, Jackie McLean on alto, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all coming together with some magic in the studio, crafting a sound that forever put Blue Note on the map! Tracks are long, open-ended, and almost effortlessly soulful – and titles include Clark's classics "Cool Struttin" and "Blue Minor", plus versions of "Sippin At Bells" and "Deep Night".

Groovy girl pop from late 60s France – a treasure trove of under-discovered numbers from the lovely Clothilde! Clothilde's from the same vintage as France Gall and Francoise Hardy – but she's got a style that's a bit sweeter vocally, yet still set to the mod-styled backings that really make 60s French pop so great! Tunes are plenty groovy, with a few trippy touches from time to time – and most numbers have a bouncy groove that really keeps things interesting – especially when odd instrumentation creeps into the mix – like bits of musical saw, oddball percussion, and bells and whistles! Titles include "Fallait Pas Ecraser Lau Queue Du Chat", "La Chanson Bete Et Mechante", "Le Boa", " "Saperlipopette", "102-103", "La Ballade Du Bossu", "A Ora Sos'e", and "Qualcosa Che Non Va".

Complex rhythms from reedman Steve Coleman – as you might guess from the title, or from some of the other excellent work by his Five Elements group! The bass and drums are definitely at the core of the set – handled by Anthony Tidd and Sean Rickman, respectively – but the alto of Coleman and trumpet of Jonathan Finlayson also have plenty of rhythmic qualities – arcing, dipping, and turning together with effortless ease – in a way that takes us back to some of the new rhythmic energy of the New York scene of the 80s. Guitarist Miles Okazaki acts as the fifth element on about half the album's tracks – and titles include "Cardiovascular", "Limbic Cry", "Sinews", "Cerebellum Lean", and "Adrenal Got Ghost".

Scratch & sniff cover! Taking the "Funk" to a literal level!

A wonderful overview of soundtrack work from some of Francois Truffaut's greatest films – all scored by Georges Delerue, a composer who Truffaut felt was his greatest collaborator! Delerue's genius with Truffaut is a little hard to sum up in words – because, like the films, the music has a kind of subtle magic that isn't exactly earth-shattering – but which somehow manages to find a space quietly close to the heart, and then work in beautiful and gentle ways. The recordings begin with early Truffaut classics like Tirez Sur Le Pianiste and Jules Et Jim, and work their way through 60s and 70s gems that include La Peau Douce, L'Amour A Vingt Ans, Un Belle Fille Comme Moi, and Les Deux Anglaises Et Le Continent. The set's capped off by music from some of Truffaut's early 80s standout films – including Le Dernier Metro and Vivement Dimanche – and as usual for this series, there's a great set of notes to accompany the huge amount of music on the disc!

One of the jazzier Italian soundtracks by Giorgio Gaslini that we've heard in a while – his work for 1970's La Pacifista – along with some more subtly dramatic material, too! Half of the numbers on the original soundtrack are credited to the Giorgio Gaslini Quartet – with some tense piano-based jazzy movements – and it's really strong stuff! In between those are some more delicate, moody bits. This Quartet CD edition is expanded to include 12 bonus tracks – with 22 in all! Includes "Richiamo", "Bells-Dialogue", "Ballata Del Ritorno", "Beat Song", "Siamo Fratelli", "L'Idea", "Canto Di Anarchici Incatenati", "Lapacifista (Finale)" and many more.

One of LA's best arrangers cooks up a very cool batch of instrumental cuts to honor the surfing crowd – and it totally transcends the genre! It evokes the mood and the style nicely, but it's not run of the mill surf music at all – but more of a 60s LA studio instrumentals celebration with a larger sense of arrangements, and some groovy guitar solos by a young Glen Campbell. Kind of close to a mid-period Beach Boys sense of arrangements-meet-surf sounds, and a nice Capitol sound to it. Titles include "Murphy's Grey Wet Suit", "Quigg Rides Again", "Surfing Baja", "Goofy-Foot Glen, "Come September", "End Of The World", "Easy Surf" and more.

It's the end of the 70s, and the Isleys are still going strong – keeping it real by dropping some of the fake funk of a few years before, and going for a smooth soul sound that would be one of their biggest strengths during the early 80s. This sound can be heard to perfection on the tracks "Say You Will" and "Here We Go Again", both wonderful numbers that have this strident groove that's part "Harvest For The World", part compressed guitars and keyboards working in a smooth wall of sound. Those two alone are more than worth the price of the record, and other titles include "Pass It On", "Go All The Way", and "The Belly Dancer" – all done in the Isleys' trademarked "part 1 & 2" style!

Jellyfish take off from the Beach Boys' Stack O Tracks concept of an instrumental record – and offer up no-vocal versions of the albums Bellybutton and Spilt Milk! These aren't "stripped off" versions of the records – but complete instrumental readings of the music, recorded at the same time as the original records – issued here for the first time ever! Jellyfish's pair of early 90s albums are almost defiantly in the way they ignore the era's alt-rock boom in favor of classic psych and power pop – which is something they earned our respect for, both then and now – and you get to hear just how intricately-layered their sound is here on the instrumentals. It has the feel of late 60s and 70s rock film scores in a way – and it's really cool stuff – truly worthwhile to have sans vocals! 22 tracks on 2CDs: Bellybutton titles include "The Man I Used To Be", "That Is Why", "I Wanna Stay Home", "She Still Loves Him", "Now She Knows She's Wrong", "Bedspring Kiss", "Calling Sarah" and more – and Spilt Milk titles include "Hush", "Joining A Fan Club", "New Mistake", "The Ghost At Number One", "Too Much, Too Little, Too Late", "Brighter Day".

An odd little album from tenorist Clifford Jordan – but a great one too, given the unique format! As the title implies, Cliff pays tribute to Leadbelly – handling a host of Huddie Ledbetter originals, but in a style that's kind of 60s soul jazz, with a bit of blues as well – one of those unusual criss-crossings of styles that you'd get on some of the Atlantic jazz sessions of the 60s. Jordan's tenor is firmly in the lead on all numbers – and other players include Roy Burrowes on trumpet, Cedar Walton on piano, Julian Priester on trombone, and Chuck Wayne on banjo instead of his usual guitar! Two tracks feature vocals by Sandra Douglass – and titles include "Dick's Holler", "Silver City Bound", "Black Girl", "De Gray Goose", "Yellow Gal", and "Black Betty".

Seminal 80s work from Kleeer – a really wonderful record with a sound that's a heck of a lot more soulful than some of the group's contemporaries! A lot of the credit here goes to singer/songwriter Woody Cunningham – whose lead vocals really give the album a wonderfully solid feel, and push Kleeer away from the cliches of the keyboard-heavy generation – into a mode that sports tight lyrics, heartfelt leads, and a well-rounded sound that mixes equal parts ballads and groovers. Isabelle Coles makes a great guest appearance on the spacey "Sippin & Kissin", and other tracks include "Running Back To You", "Hypnotized", "License To Dream", and "Say You Love Me".

A great look at the Decca years of Peggy Lee – a time when the singer was working away from Capitol Records – where she'd initially begun in the 40s, and would return to great fame in the 60s! Peggy's sides at Decca are often quite unique – rooted in the older style of jazz vocals of her early years, yet often open to great experimentation in the rhythms, phrasing, production, and instrumentation! While never totally over the top, there's a sense of creativity to these tracks that's quite marked – a willingness to go beyond simple pop, and really try something new at times. The CD features 27 titles at all, all of the albums Black Coffee and Songs In An Intimate Style, plus other singles as well – including a number of tracks never available on CD! Titles include "Johnny Guitar", "Summer Vacation", "How Strange", "Be Anything", "River River", "Moon Flowers", "Who's Gonna Pay The Check", "This Is A Very Special Day", "That's What A Woman Is For", "Sisters", "Lover", "Let Me Go Lover", "Where Can I Go Without You", and "Ring Those Christmas Bells".

Prime early electro hip hop genius from Mantronix – and a set that includes tight singles, 12" mixes and some classic production work for T La Rock, Just Ice and more – 2CDs that cover the vital mid 80s period! Here are those classic early hits with the booming 808 and all the trademark elements – heavy bass, handclaps, high hats, vocoder vox and party rap. Vinyl version features 13 tracks on 2LPs: "Bassline", "Needle To The Groove (12" Version)", "Fresh is The Word (12" Version)" and "We Control The Dice" by Mantronix proper, plus "Turbo Charged" and "Cold Getting Dumb" (parts I and II) by Just Ice, "Breaking Bells" (12" and dub versions) by T La Rock and "Johnny The Fox" by Tricky Tee.

On flexidisc recording made from an old Edison cylinder!!

A tremendous double-length set by this hip group of legendary players – a quartet lineup that features trumpeter Roy Campbell, reedman Daniel Carter, bassist William Parker, and drummer Hamid Drake – all working together in sounds that definitely reach some other dimensions in music! The format is very loose and open-ended – perfect for the loft jazz-styled improvisations from the combo – working here in a very friendly, supportive setting in front of a Parisian audience – who clearly inspire the musicians to new heights. Some tracks are quite long, but stand as bold statements throughout – and others are a bit shorter, and nicely compact. Titles include "Other Dimensional Space Travelers Hip Bop", "Blues Configuration", "Slam Me Down", "Blues For Baghdad", "Desert Dance", "Suite For Miles Davis", and "James Brown Ascension".

2LP promo-only instrumental version of this classic from Outkast & Organized Noise! Instrumentals of all the cuts are here, 16 tracks in all: "2 Dope Boyz In A Cadillac", "Atliens", "Wheelz Of Steel", "Jazzy Belle", "Elevators", "Ova Da Wudz", "Babylon", "Wailin", "Mainstream", "Decatur Psalm", "Millennium", "ET", "Growing Old" and "Elevators (ONP89 mix)".

An amazing amount of greatness from the legendary Ann Peebles – easily one of the most important southern female soul singers of the 70s! Peebles was a seminal force on the Memphis soul scene, especially in the early part of the decade – working famously here for Hi Records, with lots of help from studio genius Willie Mitchell. Ann's work for Hi was second only to labelmate Al Green – and like Green, she worked in a similar slow-burning style that set a whole new sound for southern soul – one that updated an older Memphis mode into a more sophisticated, more adult groove that made tremendous use of Peebles' magnificent vocals! This 44 track package features some of the best tunes from those years – a great overview that includes "I Can't Let You Go", "I Can't Stand The Rain", "Do I Need You", "Put Yourself In My Place", "Part Time Love", "I Pity The Fool", "Breaking Up Somebody's Home", "I'll Get Along", "Generation Gap Between Us", "Heartaches", "If You Got The Time", "Mon Belle Amour", "Waiting", "Good Day For Lovin", "Beware", "Dr Love Power", and "Come To Mama".

Unheard Piano Overlord material – the hypnotic piano & Rhodes-spun recordings of Guillermo Scott Herren – the visionary mind behind Prefuse 73 and Savath Y Savalas! Piano Overlord arguably finds Herren at his loosest – though Aninha Mission has plenty of the moody, hazy beats that Herren works so well with in other guises. Speaking of beats, John McEntire plays drums on the record, which also features some additional percussion by David Perez and production by Elvin Estela and Carlos Nino. Titles include "Conception", "Reception", "I Moved Here", "Somewhere South", "Better Things", "Eygtology", "Untitled" featuring vocals by Cibelle, "En Sveno", "Aninha" and more.

Brooklyn boogaloo from Spanglish Fly – a joyous couple of numbers for their second funky 45 for Electric Cowbell – recorded at Truth & Soul! "Me Gusta Mi Bicicleta" – kind of a Latin party soul love letter to urban cyclists! Female lead vocals and chorus backup with killer percussion and cool horn arrangements. The groove changes halfway through, too – it's almost modern boogaloo suite unto itself. "The Po-Po" is another winner – sirens sound out of horns and percussion and some playful back & forth vox. We sure love what we've heard from this combo thus far!

Modern funky Latin Soul from Spanglish Fly! "Think" is a cover of the old school R&B staple best remembered for the killer James Brown version from the early 60s – masterfully remodeled here as a fresh live Latin Soul with vocals by Erica Ramos and a great mix of Latin percussion and horns. "Let My People Bugalu" on the flip is just as great, a lively boogaloo from the NYC combo.

Damn great work from Allen Toussaint – a record that was cut at a time when he'd really made his way into the mainstream of American music, yet could still come across with a hard New Orleans groove! The title cut, "Southern Nights", is a perfect illustration of this fact – as it was written by Toussaint, but became a big hit for Glen Campbell, who recorded a very soppy version of the number. Yet here, Allen turns it into a weird trippy tune – produced with great Sansu production, and backing by New Orleans legends like Leo Nocentelli, George Porter, and Art Neville – all of whom help the tune bristle with new energy, and a really sinister groove. The rest of the record continues in a similar vein – with a spacey LA mellow sound that actually works great for Toussaint's vocals, and gives them a wild flanged-out sound that's pretty amazing – and downright spooky at points! Titles include "Southern Nights", "Basic Lady", "Last Train", "Worldwide", "You Will Not Lose", "When The Party's Over", and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do".

This one's a kistchy comedy period piece – but the music is all-60s, all the way! The score was written by the great Armando Trovajoli – and he had no qualms about using as much Hammond organ, electric guitar, and other 60s easy psyche elements in this film about a visit by Beelzebub to ancient Rome. The music is performed by I Marc 4, and many of the tracks have groovy vocal refrains or choruses, giving the songs a hip go-go swinging sound! Great stuff all around, and the reissue comes with a gazillion extra tracks! Titles include "Legati Pacis", "Maddalena", "Adramelek", "Il Filo Dei Giorni", ""L'Attesa", "Moto Perpetuo", and "Quant'e Bella Giovinezza".

The soundtrack to the excellent Dub Echoes documentary and a wild trip across the landscape of dub, both new and old! Syncopated rhythms, deep, dark bass, and cosmic reverb and echo abound on this fine set that connects the modern dubstep scene with heavyweight Jamaican originators of the sound. While it would take a massive box set to cover even a portion of the music featured in the film, the selector's at Soul Jazz of kept this set nicely concise, tight and right all the way through! 17 numbers in all, including "Witness (One Hope) (Walworth road rockers dub)" by Root sManuva, "Sega Beats" by Disrupt, "Forever More" by Dub Syndicate, "Psalms Of Drums" and "Ruffer Version" by King Tubby, "Sine Of The Dub" by Kode9 & The Space Ape, "Rootsman" by U Roy & Francois Kevorkian, "King In My Empire" by Rhythm & Sound with Cornell Campbell, "Deb Dub" by Digital Dubs Vs Dubiterian, "Congo Man Chant" by the Congos and "Rejoicing Skank" by the Upsetters.

One of our favorite volumes in the London Is The Place For Me collection – and a brilliant batch of work that criss-crosses West African, West Indian, and postwar jazz styles! Most of the recordings here were done under the leadership of Ambrose Adekoya Campbell – a transplant to London from Lagos in the postwar year, and an artist who had a huge influence on the changing rhythms of his scene. Campbell mixed styles of his roots with those of the larger London community around him – in a way that let in more Latin and Caribbean influences to more traditional African styles – often using guitar in a high-life styled way, but also bringing in some key jazz phrasings as well. As usual with Honest Jons' reissues, the notes are quite detailed, but ultimately a bit unspecific about the actual recordings in the set – although we can say that Campbell's on nearly all of these, and they were all done as 50s 78rpm singles for the Melodisc label. Titles include "We Have It In Africa", "Iku Koni Payin", "I Am A Stranger", "Lagos Mambo", "Ela Da Awa", "and "Calabar-O" by West African Rhythm Brothers; "The Wind In A Frolic" and "Unity" by Nigerian Union Rhythm Group; "Ibikunle Alakija" by Ayinde Bakare & His Meranda Orchestra; and "Late Ojo Davies" and "Geneva Conference" by West African Rhythm Stars.

London's always been one of the hippest cities in the world – but back during the postwar years, there was an especially wonderful outpouring of music on the scene – a rich array of new sounds and styles pulled from around the globe – as so many residents from crumbling British empire came to live in the UK! Musicians and listeners arrived in London with plenty of cultural baggage on hand – influences from the Caribbean, West Africa, and India too – plus other smaller scenes that once fell under the British banner, all now the fuel for the cultural fire that was happening in England! The title here tells plenty about the music being made in this newly-formed scene – bits of African highlife, Jamaican calypso, American jazz, Cuban Latin, and more – all filtered into the modernism of the 50s, and given a new twist that was decidedly urban as well. The package may well be the most impressive so far in this legendary series – and is certainly the one that moves the farthest past any sort of easy expectations or cultural conventions. Titles include "The Escape" by Dizzy Reece, "Mambo Contempo" by Ginger Johnson, "Life In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Sway" by Buddy Pipp's Highlifers, "Song Of Joy" by Rupert Nurse's Calypso Band, "Joe Louis Calypso" by Lord Beginner, "Uncle Joe" by Fitzroy Coleman Quintet, "Me Donkey Want Water" by Tony Johnson, "Belly Lick" by Eric Hayden, "Nigeria Odowoyin" by West African Rhythm Brothers, and "Football Calypso" by King Timothy.

Features tracks by R Kelly, Aaliyah, Tevin Campbell, Souls Of Michief & others.

Contemporary sounds from Kenya, but music with a very timeless feel – recorded live at different locations in Mukungi village, and often just featuring spare instrumentation and a bit of voice! The quality of the work goes way beyond other ethnographic recordings – as the sound quality is impeccable, and really brings out a lot of the unusual sounds in these styles – music that mixes elements from a range of percussion instruments, plus metal rings, hand claps, bells, oboe, rattles, and more – even some bottle tops, a metal tray, and the bung'o horn! The vocals are often relatively rootsy, and some tracks are all instrumental – and the package is as compelling a contemporary collection as some of the Honest Jons sets of work from much older years. Titles include "Bamba", "Bung'O", "Ndema", "Dena", "Mambodze", "Matatizo", "Pepo Mlume", "Chela", and "Gaserego".

An incredible follow up to the first New Orleans Funk compilation on Soul Jazz – even harder-hitting than the first, and filled with funky rare gems! This set took nearly a decade to follow the first, but it's been well worth the wait – and the crew at Soul Jazz have clearly used all that time to dig way past the obvious on the New Orleans scene, and come up with a really incredible batch of all-funky cuts all the way through! Even if you've got a dozen other New Orleans funk collections in your collection, you'll find plenty here to win you over – as the package goes out of its way to pull cuts from rare singles and under-reissued material – then wraps the whole thing up with the usual extra-thorough Soul Jazz approach to liner notes and details. And while some of the names are familiar here, they're nicely interspersed with lesser-known folks who keep things fresh – making for a winning lineup that really sets a new standard for this sort of set. Titles include "The Twitch" by Danny White, "Street Parade" by Earl King, "Four Corners" by Lee Dorsey, "Hot Tamales" by The Prime Mates, "Tequila" by Allen Toussaint, "Right Place Wrong Time" by Ray J, "Gossip" by Cyril Neville, "Hold On Help Is On The Way" by G Davis & R Tyler, "Funky Belly" by Warren Lee, "I'm Mr Big Stuff" by Jimmy Hicks, "The Rubber Band" by Eddie Bo, "12 Red Roses" by Betty Harris, "What Do You See In Her" by Inell Young, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by Bonnie & Sheila, "Yeah You're Right You Know You're Right" by The Gaturs, "The Tap" by Porgy Jones, and "Bo Diddley" by Art Neville.

A bunch of classic tunes that inspired – and were covered by punk rock founders The Ramones – with some that you'd expect and many more that might surprise you! If you're a fan of The Ramones, you know that they were students of rock and pop history. They really had an ear for the most irresistibly catchy songs, with the rawest underbellies. This set has feral tunes by The Stooges, The Seeds and The Trashmen – along with classic Phil Spector productions, some of the greatest surf pop and much more – all of which were covered by The Ramones at one point or another – and all of it great! Includes "Let's Dance" by Chris Montez, "California Sun" by The Rivieras, "Do You Want To Dance" by The Beach Boys, "Surfin Bird" by The Trashmen, "Baby, I Love You" by The Ronettes, "My Back Pages" by The Byrds, "Can't Seem To Make You Mind" by The Seeds, "7 And 7 Is" by Love, "I Don't Wanna Grow Up" by Tom Waits, "What A Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong, "Little Bit O' Soul" by Music Explosion and more. 24 in all.

A legendary set of sound library grooves – and actually one of the first to kick off the genre! The package brings together rare tracks from the small Italian Octopus label – not nearly as well-known as De Wolfe, KPM, or other sound library giants – but an equally great source of rare funky jazz cuts that were never issued to the public at the time – recorded as part of the huge wave of studio activity in Italy during the 60s and 70s! Given that the set was collected by Schema, you can bet that the tracks are right on the money – and titles include "Curly" by Stellio Subelli, "Sculturea Beat" by Angelo Baroncini, "Diacromeico" by Sandro Brugnolini, "Games" by Pasquale Castiglione, "First Black" by Mario Molino, "Maze" by Roberto Conrado, and "Verso L'Infinito" by Alessandro Alessondroni.

Insanely wonderful grooves from lost Italian sources! Like the other two volumes in this series, this third entry in the Stroboscopia set is a must-have if you dig 60s Hammond organ groovers, 70s keyboard funk tracks, and any sort of tune that has a slightly offbeat edge. The set list features 20 tracks in all – all instrumentals with the kind of funky and groovy sound that you'd expect to find on jazz albums by more famous funk artists, but which are equally great in this nicely packaged compilation! Titles include "Carter", "Joy Bells", "The Taste Of Repeat", "Asfalto", "Smooth & Manly", "Supermarket", "A Little Sad", and "Malcontento Popolare" – and artists include Rino De Filippi, Giuliano Sorgini, Puccio Roelens, Alessandro Alessandroni, and Mirot Lash. One of the best sets on Plastic we've heard in years!

Another chapter in the Studio One story, as told by the top notch selectors at Soul Jazz, and as with the earlier editions in their Studio One series, this one's another mighty batch of Jamaican rhythm and blues. Like so many other Coxsone Dodd productions, you can hear the foundations of many future generations of Jamaican music running through these titles, 17 jaunty ska numbers laced with jazz inflected solos laid down by Tommy McCook, Roland Alphonso, Jackie Mittoo and the Skatalites, or harmonized vocals courtesy the Ethiopians, Maytals and others. As you've come to expect, this is an ace package with excellent notes and archival photos, loaded down with classic performances and hard to get nuggets, too! With Jackie Mittoo's "El Bang Bang", Ken Boothe & Stranger Cole "Arte Bella", The Wailers "Put It On", The Skatalites "Addis Ababa" and "Exodus", Joe Higgs "I'm The Song My Enemies Sing", Delroy Wilson "I Want Justice", Tommy McCook "Sampson" and "Freedom Sounds", The Maytals "Marching On", Don Drummond "Don Cosmic", Andy & Joey "You're Wondering Now" and more!

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.

One of the cookingest funky compilations we've ever carried – a monster batch of 10 funky Hammond organ tracks, all pretty darn obscure! The set was done under the supervision of New York Funk 45 DJ Mr Fine Wine – and features a stunning batch of tunes that are all plenty darn hard to find – and filled with heavy drums, roaring basslines, and super-smoking work on keyboards! Plus, unlike lots of other dodgy sets on the market, the whole thing's totally legit – and very well researched and thought out. Titles include "Cool Dad" by Ross Carnegie, "The Hatch" by The TMGs, "Every Time part 2" by Buddy McKnight, "Soul Power" by Jimmy Willis, "Foot Stumping" by The Organics, "Put Your Weight On It part 1" by The Filmore St Soul Rebellions, "Shimmy" by Toussaint McCall, and "Don't Give A Damn" by King Cain/Silvertone Band. Great!

An excellent little collection – one that shows that the Chicago-based United Records label cut vocal work to match the best New York indies in the 50s! The tunes here are mostly jazz, but have some of the harder edges that you'd guess from United's R&B work too – and the singers are all wonderfully top-shelf – a fair bit of names you might not know at all, which makes the package a real revelation to our ears – mixed with rare recordings by a few others, including the first sides ever from Della Reese! Backings are great – tight and jazzy, often with a strong element of bop – and titles include "Never To Cry Again" and "Fallen" by Bixie Crawford, "Until I Fell For You" by Vanita Smythe, "I Can't Forget" and "Somebody Will Understand" by Terry Timmons, "How Deep Is The Ocean" and "A Fool Was I" by Helen Fox with Jimmy Coe, "Mays' Haze" and "Old Mill Stream" by Betty Mays with JJ Johnson & Kai Winding, "Please Wait For Me" by Debbie Andrews, and "Yes Indeed" and "Blue & Orange Birds & Silver Bells" by Della Reese with Jimmy Hamilton.

Brilliant work from composer/arranger/creator Joshua Abrams – one of the most creative figures to come out of the Chicago scene in the past couple decades – no hyperbole necessary! On Represencing he's largely working with the guimbri – the North African traditional string instrument – as well organ, harps, bells and more. The guimbri gives the record an earthy, traditional base, but the incredible ensemble and all around creative spirit at play gives this such and incredible spirit! It's among his best records to date – and the players include Chad Taylor on drums and gong, Nicole Mitchell on flute, Michael Zerang on tambourine, Jeff Parker and Emmett Kelly on guitars, Tomeka Reid on cello, David Boykin on tenor sax, Jason Stein on bass clarinet and others. Titles include "San Anto", "Reprehensing", "Moon Hunger", "Sound Talisman", "Sungazer", "The BA", "Enter Mountain Amulet" and "Cloud Walking".

A double treasure from Billy Bang – two late 70s vintage performances in a single package! First up is Black Man's Blues – a really amazing performance from Bang, cut during some of his most creative years on the New York loft jazz scene, at a time when Billy was carving out a rich new space for his instrument in jazz – and helping move forward a very creative generation of musicians as well! The lineup here includes Bilal Abdur Rahman on tenor and soprano sax, William Parker on bass, Rashid Bakr on drums – along with Bang's violin, bells, shaker, and percussion. But almost even more compelling are a few spoken passages from Billy – extremely proud, righteous words, spoken with assurance that really sends them home – and which helps the album stand out strongly in the genre of jazz and spoken word. Not all tracks feature spoken bits, but when they appear, they're great – and titles include "Ganges/Enchantment/Tapestry", "Albert Ayler/Know Your Enemy", and "Black Man's Blues". New York Collage is a radio performance from 1978 – one that has a beautifully focused feel, even on some very long tracks – thanks to a bold musical vision from Bang, who's at his lean best here – able to reach for high concepts, without ever getting bogged down in them. Players include Bilal Abdur Rahaman and Henry Warner on saxes, William Parker on bass, Khuwana Fuller on congas, and Rashid Bakr on drums – and titles include "Subhanallah", "Illustration", "For Josie", and "Nobody Hear The Music The Same Way".

Searing samba soul from Jorge Ben – one of his best-remembered albums of the 70s, and for good reason too! The album's got a slightly fuller feel than some of Ben's other work of the time – never slick, but with backings balanced nicely against his own raspy vocals and acoustic guitar – sweetening things up with a bit of the strings you'd find on Forca Bruta, but with a hint of the soul to come on Africa Brasil! The balance is great – thanks to arrangers Osmar Milito, Darcy De Paulo, and Hugo Bellard – and as usual, Jorge's vocals are the main attraction – dipping, turning, and rising with this really unique, personal feel – Ben-like brilliance at its brightest. The whole thing's wonderful – a key gem from the Philips years – and titles include "Cinco Minutos", "Zumbi", "Brother", "Os Alquimistas Estao Chegando Os Alquimistas", "Errare Humanum Est", "Menina Muler Da Pele Preta", "Hermes Tri", and "O Namorado Da Viuva".

A wonderful record from Khari of Jiva – a set that's as warmly beautiful as you'd expect from the cover! Khari's got all the sweet, soulful touches we love in his music with Jiva – and the set's also got the Brazilian jazz elements that you'd expect from the Antonio Carlos Jobim homage on the cover – particularly the CTI-era Jobim, as there's some wonderful production to the set – and a vibe that's jazzier overall, and more sophisticated than even the great grooves of Jiva! Khari's got plenty of great guests, too – including India Arie, Russell Gunn, Monday Michiru, Sabrina Malheiros, and Incognito – all a perfect choice for the warm, sunny groove of the set! The whole thing's wonderful – maybe even the best thing so far from Khari – and titles include "Clementine Sun", "Coolamon Waltz", "Never In Your Sun", "Belle Of Byron Bay", "The Dove", "Ninos", "How Can We Go Wrong", and "Major Bossa".

A dark little soundtrack that we'd pitch right up there with The Wicker Man or Rosemary's Baby – and one with a sound that's somewhere in between those two classics! The work was penned for an obscure early 70s film in the Czech new wave – and features music that's sometimes a bit folksy, sometimes a bit spiritualist – served up in a blend of light orchestrations, occasional choral passages, and eerie isolated instruments that include flute, harpsichord, organ, and bells! There's a darkly brooding quality that really reminds us of Komeda's last great moments for Polanski – but the overall sound is a bit freer, and more illustrative as well – little snippets of poetry in sound, created with a feel that's as evocative as the images they were designed to accompany. CD features 23 tracks in all – titles that include "The Magic Yard", "Talk With Grandmother", "The Letter", "The Sermon", "Sacrifice", "Questions & Answers", "Homeless", "Puppets", "In Flames", "Brother & Sister", "Forgiveness", and "And The Last".

Some of Serge Gainsbourg's first recordings – a mixture of left bank chic, jazzy rhythms, and some of the strangest songwriting to grace the Parisian scene! All titles feature great backings by Alain Goraguer, Serge's longtime musical partner, who brings in some wonderful elements to the songs – embellishing them with cool vibes, offbeat piano, snapping snare drum, and bubbling bass to match the oddly-crafted lyrics of the tunes. Titles include "Ronsard 58", "Ce Mortel Ennui", "Le Poinconneur Des Lilas", "Douze Belles Dans La Peau", "Charleston Des Demanageurs De Piano", and "L'Alcool".

A tasty Latin-tinged set by Bobby Hutcherson – one that recalls his classic Montara album for Blue Note, but handled here with perhaps a bit less electricity overall! Hutcherson's got a wonderful way with colors and tones on the set – extremely evocative, and bursting out with a sunny, soulful energy that really stands out, even from his other records of the time. The group's a strong west coast Latin one – with Francisco Aguabella on congas and Roger Glenn on percussion and flute – and Bobby gets some strong help in the front line from James Spaulding, who plays flute exclusively on the session. Tracks are long, and done with a breezy and open groove – and titles include "Pomponio", "Yelapa", "Poema Para Ravel", "Tin Tin Deo", "Beep D Bop", and "Both Worlds".

A promising EP from the team of tight west coast playmakers MED & Blu – with Madlib holding down the production – and released y MED's own Bang Ya Head label! It's one of those situations in which somewhat divergent styles meld brilliantly – with MED's no nonsense rhyme style, the always creative Blu right there with him, and Madlib delivering jazz funk backdrop and inventive beats. Guests on the EP include Black Spade and Jimetta Rose – plus one remixed track that's produced by Georgia Anne Muldrow. Includes "Burgundy Whip" with Jimetta Rose (plus instrumental and acapella versions), "Belly Full" with Black Spade (plus instrumental and acapella) and Georgia Anne Muldrow's Gee-Mix of "This Is Your Life" (plus instrumental).

Early 60s ska from Derrick Morgan – a pioneer and perfector of the form – prime recordings from the early-to-mid 60s! Some of the best of these are produced by Derrick himself, with a healthy batch of Duke Reid productions, plus a couple of CS Dodd productions backed by The Blues Blenders. 16 tracks: "Greatest Thing", "Ain't That A Shame", "Joy Bells", "Let The Good Times Roll" and "National Dance" with Patsy, "Let Me Go", "Oh Shirley", "Little Black Girl", "Wallflower" with Naomi and more.

A great batch of prime ska from Derrick Morgan – most of it culled from the early-to-mid 60s heyday of the sound – slower shuffling tempos for a sweet R&B-laced style of classic ska – with Derrick's soulful voice the best part of all! Legendary ska first wavers are on the instrumentation – Mittoo, Drummond, Brevett, Drumbago, Alphonso, Campbell and more – with 21 tracks in all: "Sweeter Than Honey", "You'll Never Know", "The Moon", "Johnny Grave", "Dinner For Two", "We Are Suffering", "Cool Off Rudie", "Take It Easy", "Cool Off Rudie", "Tears On My Pillow", "No More", "I'm Gonna Leave You" and more. CD bonus track: "Telephone".

Late 60s reggae from Derrick Morgan – largely covering period at the end of the decade, which found Derrick thriving in the post-ska and post rocksteady landscape – making hits, starting dance crazes and bring a depth of soul the the reggae scene! This compilation has hits like "Moon Hop", transcendent covers like "Stand By Me", "Don’t' Play That Song" and "Seven Letters" and much more. 24 tracks in all: "Belly Woman", "First Taste of Love", "What A Thing", "Night At The Hop", "Return Of Jack Slade", "How Can I Forget", "I Love You", "Hard Time", "Come What May", "Give Me Back", "One Morning In May", "Derrick Top Of The Pop Vs 2" and much more.

A nice one from Italian soundtrack great Piero Piccioni – his work for the mid 70s film Tutto A Posto E Niente In Ordine – one that travels through a number of modes! There's a bit of jazz funk, more laidback numbers with easygoing horn, strings and piano arrangements and others with more stripped down grit! There's quite a bit of funk to be found throughout, especially in the drums, yet it's a fairly sprawling set that works in a number of the styles – all areas in which Piccioni excels! 28 tracks in all: "Traffic Boom", "La Ragazza Nella Vetrina", "Palazzo Del Ghiaccio", "La Bella Signira", "Adelina", "Tema Citta", "Sante Mariuccia Tango", "Per Le Strade", "Calzer Sul Palchetto" and many more.

Deep deep deep soul from Bobby Powell – featuring tracks from his late 60s years at the Jewel and Whit labels, all cut in a super-tuff backwoods Louisiana style! The material shows Bobby at his best – stepping out in a rough vocal mode that's backed up by some raw arrangements that keep proceedings at a pretty rootsy level. A few cuts hit kind of a 70s funk groove, but overall, the main feel of the set is steeped in southern soul and R&B influences. 30 tracks in all – the best set of this material we've ever seen – with tracks that include "Question 71", "Our Love", "Cry To Me", "Hold My Hand", "Have A Heart", "Funky Broadway 69", "Into My Own Thing", "I Care", "I'm Not Going To Cry Over Spilt Milk", "The Bells", "Stay In Bed", "I'm Gonna Leave You", "Done Got Over", and "That Little Girl Of Mine".

The classic agit-rap-rock debut of Rage Against The Machine – with the most fiery political lyricism and imagery of any massively popular record of its time – and as great of a pairing of revolutionary rap and heavy guitars as there ever was! It's hard to imagine now, but there were very few straight up rap rock bands before Rage Against The Machine. Hard rock breaks were ample, of course, but straight up rap rock bands were pretty scarce, pre-Rage. Rage Against The Machine's pop culture revolution was as massive as the social and political revolution that their songs called for! Includes "Bombtrack", "Killing In The Name", "Take The Power Back", "Settle For Nothing", "Bullet In The Head", "Know Your Enemy", "Wake Up", "Fistful Of Steel", "Township Rebellion" and "Freedom".

Very soulful jazz from Avery Sharpe – who plays acoustic and electric bass on the set – on the bassist and composer's wonderful tribute to and African American abolitionist and women's rights advocate Sojourner Truth! The record is an effective tribute to the brave woman it's named after, and it's also an enlightening one – but it's also a remarkably timeless jazz album by Avery, who has played in bands with some of greatest living legends over the years, as well as writing and recording great work of his own! Onaje Allan Gumbs is on piano, Craig Handy on saxes, Yoron Israel on drums and Duane Eubanks on trumpet. Includes "Isabella's Awakening", "Bomefree", "Ain't I Woman?", "Truth Be Told" and more, a nice version of "Motherless Child" with vocals by Jeri Brown, "Virtuous She Is" and more.

They say slavic, we say funky – a wicked brassy groove that never lets up through throughout "Jackson" – with bumping horns on the bottom, blasting horns on the top, and a chunky rhythm that would be right at home in the ninth ward! "Gangsta" has a very similar groove – wonderfully tight horns, and a rhythmic punch that opens up to some creative flourishes right in the middle!

A surprisingly great tribute to the vocal sounds of Chet Baker – served up by the lovely Luciana Souza, an artist we usually know from more Brazilian-styled sessions! Luciana's really got an ear for Chet's phrasing – that very blue, melancholy way of turning over a tune – often suffused with Baker's own hardship at the time of recording – somehow magically evoked here by Souza, but with phrasing that's all her own! At times, she almost even seems to echo the later broken-mouth years of Chet's singing – yet with slightly clearer interpretation – and the set features some wonderfully warm instrumentation from Larry Koonse on guitar, David Pitch on bass, and Jay Bellerose on drums and percussion. Titles include "Forgetful", "The Thrill Is Gone", "The Touch Of Your Lips", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", and "I Get Along Without You Very Well".

A hearty collection of The Originator at his most influential – the mighty mid 70s period when he was defining the DJ landscape of Kingston and beyond! U-Roy toasts or otherwise reworks Delroy Wilson, Cornell Campbell, Johnny Clarke and many more – on cuts produced for the most party by Bunny Lee in the heart of the 70s. Includes "Call On Me", "You Never Get Away", "Every Knee Shall Bow", "Gorgon Wise", "Hold On", "Joyful Locks', "Cool Down Your Temper", "Stick Together", "King Of The Road", "Creation Rebel". CD has 2 bonus tracks: "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and "I Shall Not Remove".

An amazing set of modern jazz – penned by Italian film composer Piero Umiliani, but also played by a very hip group headed by a young Gato Barbieri! Although Gato's probably best known for his late 60s appearances on the American scene, and his 70s dates for Impulse and Flying Dutchman – his earlier work in Italy is all pretty darn great, and this set shows the budding modernist to be in very strong company with a lineup that includes Enrico Rava on trumpet and Franco D'Andrea on piano, plus bass and drums. Side one of the record features full orchestrations by Umiliani – still plenty jazzy, with some great horn passages and cool use of vibes. Then side two features Umiliani's music played by the small group with Gato in the lead – a really great mix of modes that make the soundtrack a real standout, both in the Italian jazz and film scenes of the 60s. Titles include "Jazz Alla Vivaldi", "Ballata Della Bassa Padana", "Brass Fugato", "Una Bella Grinta", "Lontananza", "Sequenze Autostrata", "Free Theme", and "Hammond Blues"

Vintage dancehall sounds from the early 80s! Listen Up! Original Dancehall puts together some classic dancehall numbers from the earlier part of the 80s – before the digital beat started to really take a stronger hold at around the midpoint of the decade – and it features cuts by Don Carlos, Cornell Campbell, Johnny Clarke, Dennis Brown, Linval Thompson and many more. 14 tracks on the vinyl version: including "Laser Beam" by Don Carlos, "Love Trap" by Cornell Campbell, "Tribal War" by Ronnie Davis, "Prophecy" by Neville Brown, "Satisfaction" by Johnny Clarke, "Mr Babylon" by Robert French", "King Of The Arena" by Johnny Clarke, "Mr Landlord" by Micheal Palmer, "Time And Place" by Dennis Brown and more.

Rare rock from the Golden Triangle scene of Southeast TX in the late 60s and early 70s – a well-curated overview of the stylistically sprawling material being cut at Mickey Rouse's Lowland Recording Studio in Beaumont! Texas rock of the late 60s and early 70s justifiably brings to mind acts like The 13th Floor Elevators and The Bubble Puppy – tripped out psychedelia in other words, but Texas is huge, and there was a heck of a lot more going on than just the best remembered cult favorites. The music coming out of just the Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Texas "triangle" chronicled here was incredibly diverse. It includes proto TX boogie rock that's a clear precursor to early ZZ Top, harmony flavored numbers that sound closer to Cali than they do The Lone Star State, one track that somehow fuses CS&N with The Beatles and does so with prominent cowbell in the mix (and it's good!!!), punchy psych grit, and swaggering country rock with some twang in the strings that feels a bit more profoundly Texan. You don't need our word that The Numero Group has devoted some serious attention to detail – with a large booklet of notes, photos and histories, plus the impressive Lost In The Golden Triangle "family tree" of the regional musicians involved – as if discovering these long buried regional relics wasn't impressive enough already. Beautiful! 28 tracks on the 2LP version...6 more than on the CD! "Trash One" by the Lowland Studio Band, "Live My Life Today" by Insight Out, "Simple House" by Mother Lion, "Love Of The Morning" by Circus, "Take A Look At Your Friends" by Next Exit, "You Know I Love You" by Roy Briggs & Alton Tew, "Calling Me Home (Demo)" by Donald Thomas and more, plus the LP only tracks "Lizard" by Lowland Studio Band, "Let Me Listen" by Sage, "Groundhog Day" by Boot Hill and more.

A P&P funky disco "best of" Michael Campbell – featuring standout stormers by his groups High Fidelity and High Voltage – plus a couple of Campbell's best productions for others! The heart of this tight compilation are the monster club cuts by the High. . . .groups – High Fidelity, High Voltage and Michael Campbell & High Volt – all heavily percussive jams that'll shake dance floors for as long as DJs play them – and we'd recommend forever for that! It kicks off with the 11-minute "Rock, Spank, Freak" by High Voltage and the nearly 7-minute "We Are Making Music (Part 1)" by Michael Campbell & High Volt – and includes "Life Time", "Dedicated", "Love Champ", "From Us To You", "Destiny" and "Magic Carpet" by High Fidelity. Last, but not least – instrumental versions of "Going To A Disco To-Night" by Little Scotty and "Dance To The Beat Freakout" by Wayne Ford. It's not a mix set, either – it's got 10 full length versions from P&P – and 68 minutes of club-scorching genius!

A solid Jamaican music compilation hand-picked by the folks at Miss Lily's in NYC – with Sizzla, Busy Signal, Vybz Kartel, Tanya Stevens, Buju Banton & Wayne Wonder, Mr Vegas, Gappy Ranks and more! Includes "Just One Of Those Days" by Sizzla, "Mus Come A Road" by Mr Vegas, "Pumpkin Belly" by Gappy Ranks, "Original Dancehall" by Tarrus Riley, "Bonafide Love" by Buju Banton & Wayne Wonder, "Hold You (Hold Yuh)" by Gyptain, "A So Mi Tan" by Konshens, "Guh Down" by Lil Rick, "It's A Pity" by Tanya Stephens, "One More Night" by Busy Signal and more.

An incredible follow up to the first New Orleans Funk compilation on Soul Jazz – even harder-hitting than the first, and filled with funky rare gems! This set took nearly a decade to follow the first, but it's been well worth the wait – and the crew at Soul Jazz have clearly used all that time to dig way past the obvious on the New Orleans scene, and come up with a really incredible batch of all-funky cuts all the way through! Even if you've got a dozen other New Orleans funk collections in your collection, you'll find plenty here to win you over – as the package goes out of its way to pull cuts from rare singles and under-reissued material – then wraps the whole thing up with the usual extra-thorough Soul Jazz approach to liner notes and details. And while some of the names are familiar here, they're nicely interspersed with lesser-known folks who keep things fresh – making for a winning lineup that really sets a new standard for this sort of set. Titles include "The Twitch" by Danny White, "Street Parade" by Earl King, "Four Corners" by Lee Dorsey, "Hot Tamales" by The Prime Mates, "Tequila" by Allen Toussaint, "Right Place Wrong Time" by Ray J, "Gossip" by Cyril Neville, "Hold On Help Is On The Way" by G Davis & R Tyler, "Funky Belly" by Warren Lee, "I'm Mr Big Stuff" by Jimmy Hicks, "The Rubber Band" by Eddie Bo, "12 Red Roses" by Betty Harris, "What Do You See In Her" by Inell Young, "You Keep Me Hanging On" by Bonnie & Sheila, "Yeah You're Right You Know You're Right" by The Gaturs, "The Tap" by Porgy Jones, and "Bo Diddley" by Art Neville.

Solid!! 19 burning shots of prototypical island jams! The sounds of Studio One have been passed down from generation to generation of musicians, even being sampled by some of today's digital producers, and recut in version after version, and with their series of Studio One reissues, Soul Jazz illustrates why. Coxsonne Dodd was not only a genius producer of rhythms, but assembled some of the finest musicians not just on the island, but anywhere in the world to cut these mighty tracks, including the Skatalites "Coconut Rock", Cedric Im Brooks "Mun-Dun-Gu", Tommy McCook "Shocker's Rock", Jackie Mittoo & Ernest Ranglin "Jerico Skank", Karl Bryan & Teh Afrokats "Money Generator", Lester Sterling "Afrikaan Beat", Sound Dimension "Heavy Rock", Sugar Belly "In Cold Blood", Soul Bros "Bugaloo", Vin Gordon 'Red Blood", Pablove Black "Push Pull" and Karl Bryan & Count Ossie "Black Up".

Dark tales from the mid-century American scene – a host of rare blues, folk, and country numbers that went onto become inspiration for a host of rockers in later years! The package is put together with a Mojo stamp of approval – and features the original recordings of tunes that are key roots for Bob Dylan, Led Zepplin, Ry Cooder, Johnny Cash, and others – some classics, others a fair bit more obscure – and brought together here with thoughtful notes by Dave Henderson of Mojo. Titles include "Cast Iron Arm" by Peanuts Wilson, "Vigilante Man" by Woody Guthrie, "Dying Crapshooter's Blues"by Blind Willie McTell, "John Hardy Was A Deperate Little Man" by The Carter Family, "Stack O Lee" by Mississippi John Hurt, "Banks Of The Ohio" by Bascom Lamar Lunsford, "Pretty Polly" by Dock Boggs, "Jesse James" by Almeda Riddle, "Prison Cell Blues" by Leroy Carr, "The Gallis Pole" by Leadbelly, "Ornie Wise" by GB Grayson, and "Miss Otis Regrets" by Ethel Waters.

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

A wonderful title for this album of understated brilliance – a strong early 90s offering from Walton's Eastern Rebellion group, done in a mode that's very similar to their initial Timeless recordings of the 70s! The quartet this time around features Walton's piano alongside the drums of co-founder Billy Higgins – plus bass by David Williams, and tenor by Ralph Moore, fresh off of some excellent work as a leader for the Landmark label in the late 80s. The tracks are all long and inventive – soulbop at its best, with titles that include "Roni's Decision", "In The Kitchen", "Dear Ruth", "Simple Pleasure", and "Sixth Avenue".