A big crossover classic for the champions of the Minneapolis scene – their first for Sire and featuring some of the greatest rock songs of the 80s, be it college radio, mainstream or any thing – greatness period! The sound is a bit more polished than the Twin Tone years, but there's no scrubbing out the shambling attitude, and truth be told, the more soul-searching material here is some of the best stuff they'd ever record. Includes the all time classics "Left Of The Dial" and "Hold My Life", plus "Little Mascara, Lay It Down Clown", "I'll Buy", "Kiss Me On The Bus", "Waitress In The Sky", "Swingin Party", and "Here Comes A Regular". CD

A funky big band album, recorded by Thad Jones & Mel Lewis, with the great Joe Williams on vocals! The record is one of the most sought-after by the team – probably because it includes the hard breakbeat version of "Get Out of My Life Woman" that's been sampled often over the years. (Actually, hasn't every version of it been sampled by someone?) The other tracks are pretty funky, too, with nice soul groovers like "Night Time Is The Right Time", "Woman's Got Soul", and "How Sweet It Is". Players include Pepper Adams, Joe Farrell, Jerome Richardson, and Roland Hanna – and the Jones/Lewis group is at the height of its hipness here! CD

One of the hippest sets we've ever seen on Spanish Harlem – a collection that goes way past the Latin Soul hits, to dig deep in the uptown underground at the end of the 60s! The package is compiled with gems from the Fania catalog, but rally moves past the obvious – going for some of the more obscure artists who recorded singles for some of the smaller Fania-held labels – and often focusing on tunes that drew more from late 60s soul and funk than they did from any Latin rhythms of the time. The singers are especially wonderful – and often hit a vibe that's right up there with some of Joe Bataan's best of the period – richly soulful, but often deeply personal too – never as polished as chart soul, and often showing a grittier, more realistic style that's totally great – especially when mixed with instrumentation as tight as this! Titles include "Reflections Of My Life" by 125th Street Candy Store, "On Old Broadway" by 107th Street Stickball Team, "Don't Be Afraid" by Lebron Brothers, "Central Park" by Harvey Averne Dozen, "Heaven" by Tito Ramos, "Your Smile" by Parris, "Some Lonely Heart" by Ronnie Marks, "There's No Girl" by Olivieri, "Maria Maria" by King Nando, "Already Satisfied" by Tony Middleton & Bobby Matos, "Nitty Boo Boo" by The Nitty Sextette, "Lonely Has Been My Day" by Ralphie & The Latin Lovers, "I'm Gonna Leave You" by Russell Cohen & The New Yorkers, and "Ain't No Big Thing" by Ralfi Pagan. CD

The dark, innovative, head crushing classic by Cannibal Ox – perhaps the signature LP of fairly brief, but legendary Def Jux era! Vordul and Vast Aire from the Atoms Family crew twist metaphors and create dark visuals of NYC and outer space with ease on one of the most forward thinking hip hop albums in quite some time – produced by El-P, who we thought of at the time as the underrated MC and producer of underground faves Company Flow – long before he broke big with Run The Jewels! Tracks include "Atom" with Alaska and Cryptic from Atoms Fam, the single "Iron Galaxy", "Raspberry Fields", "Straight Off The D.I.C.", "Vein", "The F Word", "Stress Rap", "Battle For Asgard" with LIFE Long and C-Rayz Walz from Stronghold, "Painkillers", "Ridiculoid" with El-P, "Pigeon" and more. CD

A great burner from Diz – and one that features a large group, long tracks, and some stellar early work from Lalo Schifrin! Schifrin was in Diz's group at the time, playing piano and contributing fantastic Latin-tinged arrangements that gave the band a whole new life. Other players on this session include Candido, Leo Wright, Julius Watkins, and Willie Rodriguez – and the tracks include "Africana", "Blues", and "Panamerica". An incredible live set from Dizzy Gillespie – one that has him working in stunning big band mode, but with all the depth and agility of a small combo! The set features variations on a number of classic Gillespie themes – including "Kush", "Manteca", "Ool Ya Koo", and "Tunisian Fantasy (Night In Tunisia)" – recast with that ever-growing Latin influence that Dizzy was picking up in the 60s, supported strongly by the presence of a young Lalo Schifrin, who plays piano on the set. Horn players include Dizzy, Clark Terry, and Nick Travis on trumpets; Gunter Schuller and Jim Buffington on French Horns; Leo Wright on sax and flute; and Don Butterfield on tuba – supported by rhythm from Schifrin on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Charles Lumpkin on drums. Tunes are awash in soulful solos and deeply colored hues – and titles include "Manteca", "This Is The Way", "Kush", "Ool Ya Koo", and "Tunisian Fantasy". CD

A set of incredible records from Charles Mingus – all presented together in one mighty nice package! First up is Mingus Moves – a fantastic fresh new chapter in the career of Charles Mingus – a set that features the addition of two key players who would really shape his sound in the 70s – Don Pullen on piano and George Adams on tenor, both completely wonderful here! The group also features excellent trumpet from Roland Hampton, a player we don't know from many other settings – and the set also features some really nice vocal work from Honi Gordon and Doug Hammond. Titles include "Canon", "Moves", "Wee", "Flowers For A Lady", "Opus 3", and "Newcomer". CD also features bonus tracks – "Big Alice" and "The Call". Changes is key 70s work from Charles Mingus – an album that was recorded over the course of three days of creative activity at the end of 1974, but somehow split into two different albums under the Changes name! The lineup here is prime 70s Mingus – George Adams on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Don Pullen on piano – young players who really give a fresh voice to Mingus' musical ideas, and help him find this beautiful late life sense of color, tone, and timing that's completely sublime! Titles on this second volume include "Sue's Changes", "Devil Blues", "Remember Rockefeller At Attica", "Free Cell Block F Tis Nazi USA", "Black Bats & Poles", "For Harry Carney", and "Duke Ellington's Sound Of Love" – which features a guest appearance by Marcus Belgrave on trumpet and Jackie Paris on vocals. On 3 Or 4 Shades Of Blues, Charles Mingus is returning to the soulful gospel-influenced mode he swung big in the early 60s! The record's something of a later predecessor of the classics Blues & Roots for Atlantic and Mingus (x5) for Impulse – and the style is slightly less dramatic, but still quite steeped in soulful explorations that feature plenty of notes from the bluer side of the spectrum! Players include George Coleman and Ricky Ford on tenor, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Larry Coryell on guitar – and titles include new takes on "Better Git Hit In Your Soul" and "Goodbye Porkpie Hat" – plus"Nobody Knows", "Noddin Ya Head Blues", and "Three Or Four Shades Of Blues". Next is Cumbia & Jazz Fusion – one of the most enigmatic albums that Charles Mingus ever recorded – especially in his later years! The set features two very long tracks done by Mingus for use in a film about cocaine traffic between New York and Columbia – but considering the nature of the music, and the freely exploratory style, both numbers here stand very well on their own! Although touched with some of the Latin influences you might expect from the title, the sounds are often darker and more brooding than, say, the Mingus style on the classic Tijuana Moods set. And instead, there's a very serious soundtrack-like vibe going on through most of the set – larger jazz orchestrations used to beautifully underscore subtle themes, and breakout solo moments from players who include Mauricio Smith on flute, Paul Jeffrey on tenor sax, Jack Walrath on trumpet, and Jimmy Knepper on trombone. The album also features a fair bit of added percussion – and features two long tracks, "Cumbia & Jazz Fusion" and "Music For Todo Modo". Me Myself An Eye is complicated later work from Charles Mingus – a great illustration of the way his power to command a large ensemble never wavered as the years went on! The album features two different large groups of players – filled with modernists young and old – including Ricky Ford, George Coleman, and Michael Brecker on tenors; Ronni Cuber and Pepper Adams on baritone; Randy Brecker and Jack Walrath on trumpets; Lee Konitz on alto, Larry Coryell on guitar, Slide Hampton on trombone, and Eddie Gomez on bass. Side one features the 30 minute track "Three Worlds Of Drums", and side two contains a remake of "Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting", plus "Devil Woman" and "Carolyn Keki Mingus". Something Like A Bird is one of the last albums Charles Mingus ever gave us – before departing this planet way way too soon! The set shows the increasing sophistication of Mingus' music in these later years – a mode that almost echoes the path that Duke Ellington would take in his final decade – a move towards some larger-form material that still holds onto all the raw energy of the early days, but finds a way to not only bridge larger musical ideas – but musical generations as well! As part of this, the set's got a wonderful lineup – with Lee Konitz on alto, Pepper Adams on baritone sax, George Coleman on tenor, Eddie Gomez on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – and titles include the long title track, "Something Like A Bird", split up over 2 sides of the LP, plus "Farewell Farwell". CD

2 great albums by drummer Grassella Oliphant recorded for Atlantic in the mid 60s – back to back on a single CD! 1965's Grass Roots is a moody set of tracks played by a small group that includes Harold Ousley on tenor and Bobby Hutcherson on vibes. Ousley's sound is amazing, and he hits these wonderful moments on some of the solos that will just blow you away. He almost never gets his due on wax, and this record is certainly one of his finest moments. Hutcherson's pretty darn great, too, and lays out some haunting lines on the vibes that match his best Blue Note playing. Titles include lots of originals by Ousley, including "Haitian Lady", "Mrs. O", "The Descendant", and "One For The Masses". Nice stuff, and one that hardly ever turns up! Grass Is Greener is a nice lost bit of funky soul jazz from the obscure drummer! The album's a stone groove, very much in the Blue Note mid 60s mode – and it features Big John Patton, Grant Green, and Harold Ousley. Includes the great groovers by Patton & Green, "The Yodel" and "Soul Woman", a nice cover of "Cantaloupe Woman", and a killer breakbeat version of "Get Out of My Life Woman", with very hard drums at the beginning! Very groovy and funky, in a way that's similar to some of John Patton's best work on Blue Note for the time. CD

A very strong album by the one-and-only Prince – maybe the catchiest, most rewarding full length by the royal one since the Revolution days! Musicology is most notable for the undeniable exuberance and joy that vibrates from the speakers, track after track. Prince seems to be having fun on this one, and as much as we admired the freaky prog funk of his previous album The Rainbow Children (even if it was pretty damn puzzling), it's great to have these big, Revolution style funk rock party numbers back in the cannon. All praise aside, we have to admit we're just a little bit baffled by the relentless hype and fawning, over-baked love this album has gotten in mainstream publications, but our beef is with toothless entertainment "journalists" and "critics", not with Prince. Highly recommended! Tracks include "Musicology", "A Million Days", "Life O' The Party" ,"Call My Name", "Cinnamon Girl" (not the Neil Young song), "What Do U Want Me 2 Do?", "On The Couch" and more. CD

An amazing set of music – two rare albums from Ohio funk legend Lou Ragland, plus bonus tracks, and a whole set of unreleased sessions too – a huge amount of new music, even if you've got some of the previous reissues! First up is the legendary Hot Chocolate album – one of the greatest lost funk records of all time! The group is not the British pop band, but an Ohio funk group led by the great guitarist Lou Ragland. The album's originally from Canada, which makes it super rare – and these guys are funky funky funky, and kick some major booty with a heavy guitar sound that's just great! Some of the cuts are instrumental, and some of them have some excellent soul vocals that are produced with a nice deep sound that's brought out nicely by the excellent quality of the reissue. The record's got a bit of Sly Stone, a bit of Grant Green, and a bit of Mike James Kirkland – with a tasty raw indie soul vibe – and the original album was only pressed up at 500 copies. Titles include "So Dam Funky", "Ain't That A Groove", "Sexy Moods Of Your Mind", "Messin With Sly", and "What You Want To Do" – plus 8 more tracks from the same vintage – "Good For The Gander" by Hot Chocolate, "I Travel Alone" and Big Wheel" by Lou Ragland, "Red Robin" and "I've Got Something Going On" by Volcanic Eruption, and "I Can't Take It" and "What The Doctor Prescribed" by Lou Ragland & Hot Chocolate. Next is The Conveyor – the second album from Lou Ragland, stepping out here in a great set of mellow soul tracks! The album's quite different from the heavy funk of the Hot Chocolate album – more of a message-oriented approach to soul, in the vein of similar 70s indie work by Mike James Kirkland. The arrangements are also bigger – not smooth, but ambitious, in a style that perfectly matches the higher vision Lou's going for in tracks like "Understand Each Other", "What Should I Do?", "The Next World", and "It's Got To Change". Conveyor also comes with bonus tracks too – "Tend To Your Business" by Wildfire, plus "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" and "I Didn't Mean To Leave You" by Lou Ragland. And last up is an incredible batch of unreleased material – maybe the biggest and best so far from Ragland – tracks that have this really ambitious quality that mixes soul, funk, and larger orchestrations – especially some light strings, which really expand the sound, and push the music into this righteous territory that reminds us a lot of the creative experiments in Chicago during the Cadet/Concept years! Lou's vocals are great, and the message is totally righteous – and even though the tape quality is slightly aged, the soulful vibe really comes through – on cuts that include "Understand Each Other", "It Ain't My Fault", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "Spend My Life Loving You", "Until I Met You", and "Brother Louie". Lovingly packaged by Numero – with a huge booklet of photos and history – and cool mini-LP sleeves too! CD

A big crossover classic for the champions of the Minneapolis scene! Titles include "Left Of The Dial", "Little Mascara", "Hold My Life", "I'll Buy", "Kiss Me On The Bus", "Waitress In The Sky", "Swingin Party", and "Here Comes A Regular". Includes 6 bonus tracks. CD

One of the classics, and an album that's filled with a sense of majesty and power that will knock you dead – despite the stupid cover of Stevie sitting on a hill, playing in the dirt! By this point, Stevie knows he's on top of the world – and he's honing the sophisticated experiments of the previous few albums into a tightly woven pop sound that would pay Motown a huge dividend for letting him take chances with his music! Includes the big hits "You Are The Sunshine Of My Life" and "Superstition", plus the amazing mellow synthesizer classic "You've Got It Bad Girl" and the fuzzy funky "Maybe Your Baby". Great stuff, and one that won't let you down! CD

Music from Wynonie Harris, The Dominoes, Louis Jordan, Paul Williams, Jackie Brenston & His Delta Kings, Lloyd Price, Big Mama Thornton, Amos Milburn, The Clovers, Fats Domino, Guitar Slim, Clyde McPhatter & The Drifters, Bill Haley & The Comets, The Five Keys, Muddy Waters, Joe Turner, The Robins, Faye Adams, Gene & Eunice, Ruth Brown, Ray Charles, and The Orioles. CD

Excellent! An astounding 4CD set covering 15 years worth of fine Jamaican music, stopping at all the relevant points for novices, but digging deeply enough to unearth some nice hard to get bits for the initiated. The first disc in the set, Train To Skaville, represents an 8 year block during the formative years of the 60s, starting out with some Mento cuts, then a couple of nice Jamaican R& B numbers on through a nice batch of Ska. Disc 2, Do The Reggay, focus on the transition to Rocksteady and early reggae from 1968 to 1970, as the tempos started to get a little more laidback, and the dawn of the 70s gets highlighted with disc 3, Black & White: Reggae Rising. Disc 4, The Time Has Come, brings it all together collecting a tremendous batch of roots rock. 90 tracks in all, the set includes Derrick Morgan "Fat Man", Stranger Cole "Rough & Tough", Don Drummond & Tommy McCook "Music Is My Occupation", Roland Alphonso & The Soul Brothers "Phoenix City", Desmond Dekker & The Aces "Rudy Got Soul", Keith & Tex "Stop That Train", Toots & The Maytals "Do The Reggay", Lee Perry People Funny Boy", the Untouchables "Tighten Up", the Pioneers "Longshot Kick The Bucket", Gregory Isaacs "Don't Let Me Suffer", Harry J Allstars "The Liquidator", Niney "Blood & Fire", Ken Parker "Groovin Out On Life", Bob Marley & The Wailers "Small Axe", Horace Andy "I Fell Good All Over", Junior Byles "A Place Called Africa", Zap Pow "This Is Reggae Music", Slim Smith "The Time Has Come", Big Youth "S90 Skank", Burning Spear "Marcus Garvey", and way too many more to list here! CD

An obscure reissue that collects some of the best work by James Brown soul sister Vicki Anderson – a heck of a great vocalist, and right up there with Lyn Collins and Marva Whitney for sheer raw soul power! Vicki's work was actually some of the funkiest and most righteous to come out of the James Brown camp at the end of the 60s – and the tracks on this set really show her working at full steam – and includes some all-out groovers that have had a long life in recent years, thanks to a strong sample history. Titles include "Message From The Soul Sisters", "I'll Work It Out", "Sound Funky", "In The Land Of Milk & Honey", "You're Welcome Stop On By", "Super Good", and "Answer To Mother Popcorn". CD also follows with 10 more tracks from Lyn Collins – super-heavy soul with a strong funky undercurrent – mostly material issued on People Records with backings by the JBs! Titles include "Rock Me Again & Again & Again", "You Can't Love Me If You Don't Respect Me", "Think", "Mama Feelgood", "We Want To Party Party Party", "Take Me Just As I Am", and "Mr Big Stuff". CD

Brian Auger's first album away from singer Julie Driscoll – and a landmark batch of funky organ work that made big waves in both the rock and jazz worlds at the time! Auger's really stretching out here – getting past the simple R&B of his roots, and going into a bubbling funky style that's clearly touched by chromatic inspirations from Wes Montgomery and Jimmy Smith – both of whom are referenced by some of the song structures on the set. The album's filled with killer organ-based instrumentals – some lean and stripped down, others full and rich – and all of them coming across with a richly soulful sound that you'd hardly expect from a member of the British rock scene! Titles include "Day In The Life", "Red Beans & Rice", "Definitely What!", and his classic "Bumpin' On Sunset". Great stuff, and the kind of Brian Auger material that will convince you of his talents! Includes the bonus track : "What You Gonna Do?". CD

One of the few albums ever cut by Les DeMerle, one of the hippest drummers of his time – made legendary thanks to legions of samplers and beatheads in the 90s! This is certainly one of Les' best ever efforts – a tight batch of funky big band tracks, with lots of nice grooves, and a very hip lineup that includes Frank Foster, Joe Beck, Chris Woods, Arnie Lawrence, and Charles Sullivan – all coming together in some great tunes that have very unusual rhythms, and a great format that puts the drums in line with the hip playing in the reed section! The album includes Les' famous version of "A Day in the Life", which begins with a monster funky intro – plus the cuts "Fusion – Pro & Con", "Underground", "Deflections 1, 2, 3, & 4", and "Aquarius". CD

We've loved the music of Lee Fields for many many years – but these days, he seems to be sounding even better than ever – taking all of his decades of experience in soul music, and blending his deep soul roots with an even more mature, open sort of style! And even though Lee's early work was great, we never would have imagined the greatness he can hit with a record like this – a set that draws on so many currents of classic soul, but finds a way to make a statement that's totally personal, totally original, and totally out of sight all the way through! Fields has a fantastic raspy vocal style, but he never just lets that stand as his calling card – because he's really bringing new inflections, new inspirations to the music – all while working with superb backing from Leon Michels and The Expressions. If you can imagine Hi Records mixed with James Brown mixed with New Jersey soul mixed with Daptone mixed with The Impressions – then you've only got part of the multi-faceted genius of this set. Titles include "Two Faces", "You're What's Needed In My Life", "Love Prisoner", "Will I Get Off Easy", "It Rains Love", "Love Is The Answer", "A Promise Is A Promise", and "Blessed With The Best". CD features the bonus track "Don't Give Up". CD

16 tracks of Eddie's classic Stax sides, with a range of material that runs from 60s through 70s. A handful of big hits, and a big batch of lesser known, but still great Memphis soul from Floyd. Includes "I've Never Found A Girl (To Love Me Like You Do)", "Bring It Home To Me", "Check Me Out", "Soul Street", "I've Got To Have Your Love", "Blood Is Thicker Than Water", "Don't Tell Your Mama", "Why Is The Wine Sweeter (On The Other Side)", "California Girl", "My Girl", "The Best Years Of My Life", and "Yum Yum Yum (I Want Some)". CD

An early 90s effort from Houston gangsta rap pioneers The Geto Boys! This one features Big Mike in the place of recently departed MC Willie D, and while earlier Geto Boys records might've set the expections bar pretty high for this one live up to, it holds up pretty strongly. After all these years, it's one we've never been able to keep in the racks for very long – clearly it's legacy is pretty sound! Titles include "Street Life", "Murder Avenue", "Six Feet Deep", "No Nuts No Glory", "Crooked Officer", and "GETO". CD

Includes the hit "Waterloo" – plus "Smoke Along The Track", "Life To Go", "Run", "The Carpet On The Floor", and "Uncle Sam & Big John Bull". CD

Titles include "Big Shot", "Zanzibar", "Rosalinda's Eyes", "Half A Mile Away", "Until The Night", "Honesty", and the huge hit "My Life". CD

Kanye's tightest, most heavily synth soaked set yet – and possibly the best – a leap ahead for his evolving sound! Graduation gleams and shines more than it bounces on the bottom end, and if his LP titles to date overtly suggest that this caps off a trilogy – it really goes beyond the title – it's POST Graduation! By the end of Late Registration Kanye was dabbling in hip hop symphonies (for the better) with a few too many skits, but this one's all laser beam efficiency with a human heartbeat. Kanye's moved on, well past our expectations anyway, and he better not call the next one Class Reunion. A bunch of these cuts could rule several radio formats, and they sound great in the headphones, too. To tell the truth, any modern hip hop record with a big fat (and surely expensive) Steely Dan sample is going get an automatic recommendation from us, but Graduation works for us for many more reasons than that alone. Well done, Kanye! "Good Morning", "Champion", the Daft Punk-ed hit "Stronger", "I Wonder", "Good Life", "Can't Tell Me Me Nothing", "Barry Bonds" with Lil Wayne, "Drunk And Hot Girls" with Mos Def, "Flashing Lights" with Dwele, "Everything I Am" with DJ Premier, "Homecoming" and "Big Brother". CD

Killer Peggy Lee on Capitol Records – 2 very groovy albums on a single CD! Then Was Then is a sublime mid 60s effort that has Peggy working with arrangers Sid Feller, Billy May, and Cy Coleman – all of whom continue in the same groovy territory Lee hit at the time with Jack Marshall – a blend of romping rhythms, swinging jazz, and some slightly soulful touches that really come off well! The song selection is especially great – as it features some really unusual numbers that get past overdone standards, and some of the too-heard tunes from Peggy's Capitol years. Titles include "I Go To Sleep", "Then Was Then", "Seventh Son", "They Say", "Trapped In The Web Of Love", "Losers Weepers", "Shadow Of Your Smile", and "Leave It To Love". Bridge Over Troubled Water is wonderful work from Peggy Lee's newly mature years on Capitol Records – a set that follows from some of the hipper arranging and songwriting styles she was working with at the end of the 60s! Peggy's badass 60s self is even more pronounced here – as she's a forthright, adult singer on most of the tunes – workign with subjects she might not have touched at all a decade before – all with some great help on arrangements from the mighty Mike Melvoin. A few tunes are older, but most are relatively contemporary for the time of the album's release – and titles include "Something Strange", "You'll Remember Me", "He Used Me", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Always Something There To Remind Me", and "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?" CD features 3 bonus tracks – "Maybe This Summer", "Stop Living In The Past", and "This Could Be The Start Of Something Big". CD

A beautifully-toned set from guitarist Joe Pass – and a great demonstration of why he was recorded so heavily by Pablo Records during his later years! Joe's sound here is clear and clean, but richly chromatic too – a wellspring of full feelings, but with a great degree of subtlety too – a big change from the way so many other guitarists were playing at the start of the 80s. The trio here features Niels Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass and Martin Drew on drums – and titles include "Robbins Nest", "Lush Life", "A Foxy Chick & A Cool Cat", "Night & Day", "Love For Sale", "Speak Low", and "Everything I Love". CD

Snarky Puppy find a whole new global current here – coming together in a style that mixes their usual soulful funk with a range of interesting percussion elements – in styles that sometimes remind us of our favorite creative sounds from the Brazilian or Afro Funk instrumental scene, but with a much groovier vibe overall! Half the instrumentation hits that usual Snarky groove – warm keyboards, tight horns, and sharp rhythms – but other elements inflect some cool tones and fresh feelings – as the group work in an all-instrumental format, and really allow their creative side to sparkle! It's great to see these guys break down the boundaries a bit – and the record's one of their freshest in a while – with titles that include "Tarova", "Palermo", "Big Ugly", "Beep Box", "Go", "The Simple Life", and "Semente". CD

About as classic as you can get for The Spinners – and one of the group's marvelous 70s collaborations with the mighty Thom Bell! Before hooking up with Philly, The Spinners were already a wonderful vocal group – but here, in the hands of Bell, they hit a sound that's completely sublime – a mix of well-crafted harmonies and well-directed backings – soaring one minute, gently fragile the next – all delivered with the same sort of charm that you might expect from Blue Magic or The Stylistics at their best. Like those groups, The Spinners here manage a depth that goes way beyond simple hitmaking soul – as you'll hear on the album's wonderful assortment of tracks that include "Mighty Love", "He'll Never Love You Like I Do", "Love Don't Love Nobody", "Ain't No Price On Happiness", "Since I Been Gone", and "I'm Glad You Walked Into My Life". CD also features 4 bonus tracks – "I Wish I Could Sleep", "I Just Gotta Make It Happen", "Mr Big Man", and "You Sure Are Nasty". CD

Tremendous work from a singer who's hardly ever gotten her due – the great Bettye Swann, an artist who mostly recorded in less-than-hit territory in the 60s and 70s – but who turned out some wonderful work that really stands the test of time! The cuts here are all from Bettye's earliest stretch in the studio – sides cut for LA's Money Records which make strong use of her deep soul inflections, but also have this poise and polish you might not expect – almost uptown soul at times, given the quality that went into the arrangements and production, which wasn't always the case with the Money label. In fact, there's some killer gems on here that might easily rival the best Motown female soul of the time – especially their solo acts – while others would have been right at home in the Atlantic Records stable, too. CD features a few big hits – like "Don't Wait To Long" and "Make Me Yours" – plus lots more rare singles and album tracks, and even some unissued takes too! Other titles include "I Will Not Cry", "What Is My Life Coming To", "Our Love", "Don't Look Back", "The Dance Is Over", "What Can It Be", "Don't Wait Too Long", and "The Heartache Is Gone". CD

One of the smaller labels to get featured on this excellent series of rockabilly gems – and a collection that also shows that the music could quickly take off in points that were far from Tennessee and other southern scenes! All the cuts here are from the catalog of the tiny Crest Records label in LA – and they've all got the kind of hard-edged, raw-ripping quality that we love on other volumes in this legendary series – one that's been a constantly rewarding one over the years, and a great antidote to all the dodgy, poorly-done CDs that usually focus on music like this! There's a few names here who broke big later on other labels, and the set also maybe has a bit of Bakersfield influence – but of the pre-country, hillbilly boogie variety – on a set of 32 titles that include "IOU" by Jack Lewis, "Let's Coast Awhile" by Bo Davis, "Stack A Records" by Tom Tall & His Tom Kats, "Do I" by Bill Great Dane, "What I Like Most Of All" by Don Thomson & The Desert Stars, "Can You Bop" by Tom Wilson, "Spotlight" by Frank & Ernie, "The Grave" by Tony Casanova, "Ummm Kiss Me Goodnight" by Buddy Love, "Night Shift" by Norm Skyler, and 'You Bet Your Little Life" by Marty Cooper. CD

Sublime vocal work from the lovely Chris Connor – a collection of her key mid 50s recordings for Bethlehem Records, all tracks that really helped redefine the sound of the voice in jazz at the time! Before working at Bethlehem, Chris was mostly known as the singer in the big bands of Stan Kenton and Claude Thornhill – but on these recordings, the label wisely set her up in small group format – giving Connor a newly sensitive setting that produced tracks that are still some of her greatest ever! Backings are by the Ellis Larkin Trio, The Vinnie Burke Quartet, and the Ralph Sharon Group – and the CD features 21 tracks that include "All About Ronnie", "Lush Life", "Why Shouldn't I", "Ridin High", "All This & Heaven Too", "Fly Me To The Moon", "Trouble Is A Man", "Stella By Starlight", "He's Coming Home", "Goodbye", and "A Cottage For Sale". CD

A great burner from Diz – and one that features a large group, long tracks, and some stellar early work from Lalo Schifrin! Schifrin was in Diz's group at the time, playing piano and contributing fantastic Latin-tinged arrangements that gave the band a whole new life. Other players on this session include Candido, Leo Wright, Julius Watkins, and Willie Rodriguez – and the tracks include "Africana", "Blues", and "Panamerica". An incredible live set from Dizzy Gillespie – one that has him working in stunning big band mode, but with all the depth and agility of a small combo! The set features variations on a number of classic Gillespie themes – including "Kush", "Manteca", "Ool Ya Koo", and "Tunisian Fantasy (Night In Tunisia)" – recast with that ever-growing Latin influence that Dizzy was picking up in the 60s, supported strongly by the presence of a young Lalo Schifrin, who plays piano on the set. Horn players include Dizzy, Clark Terry, and Nick Travis on trumpets; Gunter Schuller and Jim Buffington on French Horns; Leo Wright on sax and flute; and Don Butterfield on tuba – supported by rhythm from Schifrin on piano, Art Davis on bass, and Charles Lumpkin on drums. Tunes are awash in soulful solos and deeply colored hues – and titles include "Manteca", "This Is The Way", "Kush", "Ool Ya Koo", and "Tunisian Fantasy". CD

One of the most compelling larger projects put together by Merle Haggard during his "concepts" years at Capitol Records – a double-length set that has the country legend dipping into the spiritual side of the spectrum, with key recordings at a number of different locations! The album features work recorded at the chapel at San Quentin Prison, at the Big Creek Baptist Church in Tennessee, a Rescue Mission in Nashville, and at the Assembly Of God Tabernacle back in California – all of which make for a nicely varied expression of the way that country music comes into play with spiritual themes, along with help from famous guests The Carter Family, and some vocals from Bonnie Owens too! The Strangers provide the backings, and although there's some spoken bits from time to time, the clear appeal of the record is Merle's great vocals as he takes on tunes that include "The Family Bible", "Guide Me Lord", "Life's Railway To Heaven", "Steal Away", "On The Jericho Road", "Precious Memories", "Turn Your Radio On", "Where Could I Go", "If We Never Meet Again", and "I Saw The Light". CD

A great little look at Michel Legrand's years with RCA Records – a time when the famous French soundtrack composer was returning to some of his roots in jazz, and also providing backdrops for some singers as well! The scope of work here is really great – from hard-swinging big band material to smaller combo jazz, to vocal numbers that really show the warmth and feeling of Legrand's lyrics as well as his music. Most of the work here has been out of print for years, even on CD, and the package does a great job of mixing up the modes with a sense of fullness that goes even beyond the regular albums. Titles include "What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life" and "Sweet Gingerbread Man" with Jack Jones, "I Will Wait For You" and "One At A Time" with Lena Horne, and "The Windmills Of Your Mind", "Snowbird Serenade", "The Summer Knows", "Watch What Happens", "The Saddest Thing Of All", and "Splittons" as jazz numbers by Legrand. CD

One of the crowning achievements of Alexander O'Neal – a set that uses cool little intro tracks to help structure the standout songs on the set – giving the whole thing a much more well-conceived approach than other mainstream soul albums of the time! Some of the cuts draw from O'Neal's own life and experience, and that feel is definitely augmented by the spontaneous, conversational feel of the intros and links – a really nice contrast to the wonderfully tight R&B production from the superteam of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis! Of course, lots of these tracks also struck big as singles for Alexander – proof that the cuts are more than strong enough to stand on their own – yet taken over the course of the whole album, with all the extra bits, the whole thing really sounds great. Titles include "Hearsay", "The Lovers", "Fake", "Criticize", "Never Knew Love Like This", "To Make You Love Me", "Crying Overtime", and "Sunshine". CD

Before they hit the big smooth Philly sound of the seventies, The Three Degrees cut these rawer girl group soul sides for the Swan label. This stuff's really hard to find on wax, and this CD compiles the complete recordings of the group, plus some of the solo stuff by Sheila Ferguson. Cuts include "Gotta Draw The Line", "Gee Baby", "I'm Gonna Need You", "I'll Weep For You", "Love Of My Life", "Drivin' Me Mad", and "Look In My Eyes". 26 tracks in all! CD

Sarah Vaughan takes on the work of Duke Ellington – almost presented here in a style that's similar to some of the Songbook albums on Verve from the 50s! Billy Byers handles most of the arrangements here – especially on the larger group numbers – but some tracks are also in a small combo mode, and are often the most interesting, because Sarah opens up with a looser feel than on some of the more "respectful" big group tracks. Titles on this first volume include "In A Sentimental Mood", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", "I'm Just A Lucky So & So", "Solitude", "Day Dream", "Lush Life", "All Too Soon", and "In A Mellow Tone". CD

This is it! A pretty darn complete document of one of the greatest soul labels of all time – put together in a wonderful box with a book on the label that's almost as great as the music on the 9CDs in the set! This one established a new standard for box sets when it was issued in 1991, and it was the first time you could really get a clear picture of the great work of Stax without spending a lifetime tracking down obscure singles. A portion of this work will be familiar to you – as it includes classic tunes by the likes of Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd, The Bar-Kays, Booker T & The MGs, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, William Bell, and others – but there's also a wealth of amazing soul by artists who recorded for Stax and Volt, yet never made it big on the charts, and never cut full albums for the label. Just a small amount of these folks include The Memphis Nomads, Jeanne & The Darlings, Derek Martin, Barbara & The Browns, Eddie Jefferson, The Tonettes, Macy Skipper, The Premiers, Sir Isaac & The Do-Dads, Ruby Johnson, Bobby Wilson, Eddie Purrell, Sir Mack Rice, and many others. A lifetime of listening in one box – and an essential set if you dig 60s soul! This is the nicely compact jewel case version – 9CDs in a box that's roughly 6" square. CD

Seminal soul from one of Chicago's greatest labels in the 60s – the One-Der-Ful/Mar-V-Lus imprints, plus tracks from related Toddlin Town too – home to some of the best indie work at the time! The quality here is right up there with the best you'd hear from Chess, Okeh, or Brunswick in the 60s – no surprise, since the pair of labels shared lots of similar talents with the bigger companies – as well as session men, songwriters, and producers too! The full scope of Chicago soul is really covered here – upbeat groovers for the dancefloor, heartfelt ballads with great harmonies, and some of the harder-edged bluesy numbers that really helped put One-Der-Ful on the map! There's also some key early examples of funk – proof that in the 60s, Chicago was one of the hippest scenes in the world – and the set comes with 2 CDs, nestled in a hardback booklet of notes and photos – with a whopping 50 tracks in all. Titles include "Tired Of Being Lonely" by The Sharpees, "Without You" by The Ulti-Mations, "That's How It Is" by Otis Clay, "Keep On Dancin" by Alvin Cash, "The Funky Judge" by Bull & The Matadors, "I Get A Groove" by Thomas East & The Fabulous Playboys, "Damper Down" by Bobby Davis, "The Town I Live In" by McKinley Mitchell, "Come Back Home" by Beny Turner, "Master Key" by Harold Burrage, "If I Could Live My Life All Over" by Dorothy Prince, "You Told A Lie" by Johnny Sayles, "New Girl" by The Accents, and "Don't You Worry" by Joe & Mack. CD

A rare set from Billie Holiday – recorded live at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 1958, with surprisingly great sound throughout – especially given that the session wasn't initially done for a bigger label! There's a nicely mature feel to the set throughout – that added sophistication and sadness that Billie was bringing to her vocals in the last few years of her life, at a level that makes us wish she hadn't left us so early. Backing is small combo – with a core trio of Mal Waldron on piano, Eddie Khan on bass, and Dick Berk on drums – plus guest performances from Benny Carter on alto, Gerry Mulligan on baritone, and Buddy DeFranco on clarinet. Titles include "God Bless The Child", "Willow Weep For Me", "Them There Eyes", "Billie's Blues", "Oh What A Little Moonlight Can Do", "Travlin Light", "Lover Come Back To Me", and "When Your Lover Has Gone". CD

Always-great work from Eric Alexander – one of our favorite tenor players of the modern age, and a talent who gets better and better with each album! This one features Eric working with pianist Harold Mabern – in a wonderful union that's been forged over the course of a number of records, and which seems to be one of the greatest things that's happened to either player. Mabern lays out loads of wonderful modal lines in the set – keeping a rhythmic pulse that stretches out Alexander's solos in sweeping brilliance on the upbeat tracks, holding them back with gentle soul on the mellower ones. The rest of the group is completed by Ron Carter on bass and Joe Farnsworth on drums – and titles include "Nemesis", "I Can Dream, Can't I?", "Nightlife In Tokyo", "Cold Smoke", "Island", and "Big RC". CD

Some of the most important work ever recorded by Randy Weston – 5 early albums that really pushed the boundaries of modern jazz! First up on the set is Little Niles – a fantastic set that features some of Weston's best early compositions – angular and Monk-ish numbers, but with a profound influence from African rhythms. Next up is Live At The Five Spot – a really compelling live set that features Randy working out Little Niles-ish numbers with a live group that includes Kenny Dorham and Coleman Hawkins. After that is Piano A La Mode – a sublimely simple album of mellow piano tracks – followed by a series of previously unissued tracks done with a quartet that includes Roy Haynes, Cecil Payne, and Ron Carter. Following that are some of Randy's most Afro-centric albums – very unique for the time, and equally powerful today – the records Uhuru Afrika and Highlife – both of which feature larger groups working through some distinctly African ideas in jazz. Nearly every record features arrangements by Melba Liston – and if you've ever wondered where to start with Randy, this is it – because the set encapsulates nearly all of the biggest contributions he ever made to jazz! 40 titles in all – with tunes that include "Little Niles", "Nice Ice", "Earth Birth", "Gingerbread", "Saucer Eyes", "204", "CB Blues", "Where", "Fe Double U Blues", "African Lady", "Bantu", "Kucheza Blues", "Blues To Africa", and "Congolese Children". CD

Just the first album from pianist Sean Mason, but a set that already feels like an effort from a much more mature musician – a set of original music that's overflowing with the kind of life and color that you'd be more likely to hear on some of the bigger-name efforts on this label associated with Jazz At Lincoln Center! It's pretty daring to begin your recorded career with an extended original suite – but Mason's clearly got the strengths to pull it off, and gets some especially great help from Chris Lewis on tenor and Tony Glausi on trumpet, both players who can wrap around each other and somehow create a sound that's even greater than the sum of its parts! The group also features Felix Moseholm on bass and Domo Branch on drums – and titles include "Final Voyage", "Lullaby", "Closure", "Kid", "Lavender", "Silky M", and "One United". CD

Iggy Pop's mid-to-late 70s era working David Bowie as a co-writer, producer and incredible creative foil – in a 7CD box set! It includes Iggy's first 2 and to this day all-time great solo albums The Idiot and Lust For Life, neither of which seem to have aged a day since 1977, a full CD of alternate mixes and out-takes, the original classic live album TV Eye – 1977 that compiled soundboard recordings from the '77 tour – and perhaps this box set's deepest dug treasure trove – 3CDs of complete sets from that same 1977 tour at London's Rainbow Theatre, The Agora in Cleveland, and at Mantra Studios in Chicago! While the Idiot and Lust Of Life showed Iggy to be a lot more versatile of a front man and songwriter to anyone who might not have seen past the manic firebrand howling out front for The Stooges, his live material from that era is pretty amazing too, embracing the Stooges catalog with some of the more innovative style of his early solo albums –bigger arrangements, woozy keyboards and soulful back up singers among them without sacrificing any of the...well, we gotta say it...any of the raw power. Nearly as ferocious as ever but with a real sense of style and craft – and there's a wealth of it collected here for the first time ever. Also includes a 40-page hardback book! CD

A wonderful tribute to Suba – the underground electronician who's had such a strong effect on the sound of Brazilian grooves over the past decade or so. Suba's lifetime journey – from Yugoslavia, to Paris, to Brazil – left him with a wealth of cultural influences, and at the time of his early death in 1999, he was just beginning to realize his full potential. You'll get a good idea of how much he had to offer on this album – which brings together the 2 surviving tracks from his last album with a host of other collaborations, and "tribute" tracks recorded for him by other artists. The groove is light and breezy – better than most other recent projects of this nature – and titles include "Voce Gosta mix" by Phil Asher, "Nightly Sins" by Joao Parahyba, "Tantos Desejos mix" by Modern Quartet & Cibelle, "Segredo Remake" by Boyz From Brazil, "Felicidade Mix" by Buscemi, "Sereia, Amor D'Agua' by Cibelle, "Future Primitivo 1, 2, & 3" by Suba & Joao Parahyba, "Lagoa Pinheiros" by Suba & Marina Lima, and "Samba Do Gringo Paulista" by Bigga Bush. CD

2 early 60s sessions by tenorist Sal Nistico – a great player who spent most of his life in bigger bands, but who also knew how to shine on small group settings like these! They sure got the title right on the CD, as Sal's playing tenor in groups that feature many heavyweights, and soul jazz heavyweights too, we might add! Players on the albums include Nat Adderley, Barry Harris, Sam Jones, Bob Cranshaw, and Walter Perkins – all of whom make Sal cook a lot more than usual, and who give the set an early 60s soul jazz groove that was typical of the best work coming out on the Jazzland label at the time. The set features 13 tracks from both albums – with titles that include "Shoutin", "Mamblue", "Seconds Anyone", "Cheryl", "Ariescene", "Comin On Up", "Down", and "Samicotico". CD omits the track "Just Friends", due to space limitations. CD