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One of the wildest albums by the funky conga player. The title track, "Lion Walk" runs through all of side one, and has a weird, tripped-out sloppy funk feel, with guitar and sax solos over Big Black's moody congas. Side two has three long songs, with a groove that's not as good, but still pretty dark and moody: "Tell Me, Do Your Conscience Bother You", "Love, Sweet Like Sugar Cane" and "Come On Down To The Beach".

Sweet mid-60s sides from Ben Webster – recorded late in his career, but with that wonderful world-weary tone he was sporting at the time! The set features a few different groups – one a quartet with Kenny Drew on piano – another a larger group with Danish reedmen.

One of the greatest long-form albums from the Clarke Boland Big Band – a sophisticated suite that not only shows off the writing ability of Francy Boland, but also demonstrates the group's ability to swing like a mofo, even when things are serious! The album's a jazz suite written by Boland, and dedicated to the great prisons of England – where Johnny Griffin was once kept "At Her Majesty's Pleasure", due to non-payment of some income tax. The experience of Griffin led Boland to explore the idea of the British penal system with a number of powerful emotional themes, and the result of this writing is one of the CBBB's best albums of the late 60s – filled with rich colors and tones that go far beyond the earlier modes of the group, but without some of the too-complicated elements that sometimes show up in later suites. A good part of the album's success comes from the strength of the soloists – players who include Johnny Griffin and Ronnie Scott on tenor, Tony Coe on clarinet, Sahib Shihab on flute and soprano, Kenny Wheeler and Benny Bailey on trumpets, and Ake Persson and Nat Peck on trombones. Titles include "Pentonville", "Wormwood Scrubs", "Doing Time", "Broadmoor", and "Going Straight".

One of the first great European statements from tenorist Dexter Gordon – a 1967 live recording that really lets Dexter stretch out, and show an even deeper side of his talents than on his 60s albums for Blue Note! The rhythm section here is rock solid – Kenny Drew on piano, Neils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – a unit that still retains the sharpness of the Blue Note dates, but also has the energy to "go long" as Gordon pushes a few of the numbers on the set well past the ten minute mark. Gordon's solos are wonderfully imaginative and expressive – and titles include "Devilette", "For All We Know", "Doxy", and "Sonnymoon For Two". Material previously issued on LP under the title Montmartre Collection Vol 1.

Great overseas material – recorded early in Griffin's great run at the Cafe Montmartre – with Kenny Drew on piano, Neils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Heath on drums. Titles include "Wee", "You Leave Me Breathless", "Leave Me Alone Blues", and "Old Folks".

One of the first great European statements from tenorist Dexter Gordon – a 1967 live recording that really lets Dexter stretch out, and show an even deeper side of his talents than on his 60s albums for Blue Note! The rhythm section here is rock solid – Kenny Drew on piano, Neils Henning Orsted Pedersen on bass, and Albert Tootie Heath on drums – a unit that still retains the sharpness of the Blue Note dates, but also has the energy to "go long" as Gordon pushes a few of the numbers on the set well past the ten minute mark. Gordon's solos are wonderfully imaginative and expressive – and titles include "Devilette", "For All We Know", "Doxy", and "Sonnymoon For Two". Material previously issued on LP under the title Montmartre Collection Vol 1.

Overlooked genius from Hampton Hawes – one of a number of excellent albums made during a late 60s stint on the European scene – and a set that really has Hamp pushing forward from his previous albums in the US! The tracks are wonderfully fluid – set fire with that Hawes style that was already magical at the start, but which really seemed to find a new sort of energy overseas – possibly here because of the excellent rhythms from Jimmy Woode on bass and Art Taylor on drums – also two players who were really coming into their own at the time. Hampton's got this great blend of lyricism and soulful swing – one that feels a bit like some of the MPS projects that Woode was recording at the time with other players, and which makes the album a real treasure in Hawes' catalog. Every cut save one is an original – and titles include "Sonora", "Blues Enough", "Black Forest", "Spanish Steps", and "Dangerous". CD features 5 bonus tracks – including "Blues For Bud", "Children's Play", "They Say It's Wonderful", and alternate takes of "Black Forest" and "Spanish Steps".

A sharp early 60s session from the Duke Ellington group – one that seems to draw strongly on the best late 50s work for Columbia Records, but which also seems to add in an extra crackle too! The tunes are relatively short, but the group pack plenty of punch in the small space – especially on the more rhythmic numbers, which almost seem to borrow a bit from Basie's bag – yet with more of the sophistication you'd expect on the Ellington horns. The work of Aaron Bell on bass and Sam Woodyard on drums is especially strong on this session – but there's loads of great interplay from reedmen who include Johnny Hodges, Jimmy Hamilton, Russel Procope, Harry Carney, and Paul Gonsalves – plus trumpet from Bill Berry, Cat Anderson, Roy Burrowes, and Harold Baker. Titles include "Taffy Twist", "Flirtbird", "Smada", "What Am I Here For", "Boo Dah", "Black & Tan Fantasy", and "I'm Gonna Go Fishin".

Feircely rocking work from Jerusalem – a little-known band who cut this great debut for Deram in 1972! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits".

Pre-metal, post-psych, and an incredible batch of hard rock gems from Warpig – an obscure Canadian combo at the start of the 70s – but one who work here at a level that easily matches the best from early Deep Purple or Black Sabbath! Like both of those groups, there's a driving, intense feel to Warpig's music – fuzz borrowed from psych, but really focused in a forward-moving action – spurred on even more strongly by the driving drums and brooding basslines – which all serve to really shade the whole record in a hell of a lot of darkness, right from the start! This is no one-off, obscure-for-obscure-sakes sort of record – as the set's got the power to please even the most suspicious hard rock fan of the time – a flurry of great numbers that includes Flaggi", "Tough Nuts", "Advance Am", "Rockstar", and "Sunflight". Includes great notes too!

Sublime soulful sax from Grover Washington – the man who virtually reinvented the sound of the instrument for a decade! The package here brings together some of the coolest cuts from Grover's years on Kudu Records – a place that really helped him hone his sound after initial recordings in the soul jazz underground – coming up with a compressed style that worked perfectly alongside keyboards and Hammond – played here by players who include Dave Grusin, Bob James, and Richard Tee! Tracks are often long and have a snakey vibe that's always funky, but a bit more too – that special blend that was Grover's imprint at the time – and which resonates a lot stronger here than on any later work. The package is overflowing with gems – including "Loran's Dance", "The Sea Lion", "Earth Tones", "Masterpiece", "Black Frost", "Ain't No Sunshine/Theme From Man & Boy", "All The King's Horses", and "Inner City Blues".

A wonderful snapshot of the late 60s/early 70s underground rock scene in Vancouver! The original album was put together as a benefit for the Cool Aid House – a shelter for homeless youth in Vancouver, and no doubt a haven for hippie culture at the time. The album was and is a vital document of the scene – touching on the freedom-seeking vibe of the time in the lyricism, but free of hippie rock cliché –it's great stuff! Sunny and loose harmonies, deft acoustic and electric instrumentation, creative and inviting music from Spring, Route Nine, Mock Duck, Papa Bear's Medicine Show, Black Snake, Mock Duck and others. Includes "Girl Of The Night Suite" by Route Nine, "The Reason" and "Catfish" by Black Snake, "Do Re Me" by Mock Duck, "Gardens And Flowers" by Hydro Electric Streetcar and more. This beautiful joint effort reissue from Light In The Attic and Lion includes a bonus second LP of material! 9 on LP2: "Borrowed Song" by Mock Duck, "Wordplay" by Spring, "Carousel" by Black Snake, "The Planet Man" by Greydon Moore and Leo Jung and more.

The first two volumes in this legendary series – back to back in one set! Volume 1 is an amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader. Volume 2 compiles the stylistically varied music coming from the emergent West Indian and African communities of 50s and 60s London – far more than just the topical, and often quite whimsical calypso tunes of the era! Calypso is well represented, but the set includes strains of jazz, percussive instrumentals that veer towards native Trinidad and Nigeria, and loads of Caribbean grooves! It's all exceptionally bright – with some lovingly, and knowingly, naive vocals that are as sweet as they are wise. A truly wonderful compilation. Essential! 20 tracks in all: "Calypso Be" by Young Tiger, "Yolanda" by Ambrose Campbell, "Calypso Blues" by Mona Baptiste, "My Wife's Nightie" by Lord Kitchener, "Ominara" by West African Rhythm Brothers, "Gerrard Street" by King Timothy, "ET Mensah's Rolling Ball" by West African Swing Stars, "West Indian Drums" by Russ Henderson, "Gbonimawo" by Rans Boi's Ghana Highlife Band and more!

Lee Perry's monster dub records – Super Ape and Return Of The Super Ape – in a 2CD set with bonus tracks! Super Ape is an essential dub album, rendering Scratch's dense, multi-layered Black Ark rhythms in all their raw glory, with toasts and vocal snippets darting in and out of the dubs courtesy Prince Jazzbo, the Heptones, Dillinger and Scratch himself. Includes "Zion's Blood", "Croaking Lizard", "Dread Lion", "Patience", "Dub Along", "Black Vest", "Underground", "Curly Dub" "Three In One", "Super Ape" and more. Return Of The Super Ape is instrumental, but not strictly dub, and some cuts do have Perry's vocals on top. Slow rolling and a bit murky, yet infused with Perry's unique vision. Includes "Bird In Hand", "Psyche And Trim", "Huzza A Haha", "High Rankin Sammy" and many more. Each CD has a slew of bonus tracks – 11 in all: "When Jah Come", "From Creation", "Sufferer's Time (extended version)", "Party Time Parts 1 & 2" and more.

The mothership has landed! While attempting to make a definitive compilation of all of Scratch's productions would take well more than 3 CDs, this set does a fine job of touching on important highlights and unearthing a few hidden gems, from the fertile Black Ark period. 55 tracks in all, with a fat 52 page book with extensive notes and loads of great photos, we'll let the exhaustive track list speak for itself: Max Romeo "One Step Forward", "War In A Babylon", "Chase The Devil" and "Norman", Devon Irons "Vampire", the Heptones "Sufferer's Time", "Mr. President" with Jah Lion, "Why Must I (version)" with Lee Perry and "Make Up Your Mind", Junior Dread "Sufferer's Heights", The Congos "Don't Blame On I", "Feast Of The Passover" and "CongoMan", The Meditations "Much Smarter", "Life Is Not Easy", and "No Peace", Junior Murvin "Tedious", 'police & Thieves", "Bad Weed" and "Roots Train" with Dillinger, Mikey Dread "Dread At The Mantrols", Errol Walker "In These Times", "John Public" and "John Public (version)" with Enos Barnes, Glen DaCosta "Magic Touch", Jah Lion "Soldier & Police War", Raphael Green & Doctor Alimantado "Rasta Train", Augustus Pablo "Vibrate On", The Upsetter Review with Junior Murvin "Closer Together", Keith Rowe "Groovy Situation", George Faith "To Be A Lover (Have Some Mercy)", Lee Perry "Dub Revolution Pt. 1", "Dreadlocks In Moonlight", "Soul Fire", "Curly Locks" and 'Roast Fish & Cornbread" and The Upsetters "One Step Dub", "Vamp A Dub", "Sufferer's Dub", "Much Smarter Dub", "Life Is Not Easy Dub", "Revelation Dub", "In These Times Dub", "Grumblin' Dub", "No Peace Dub", "Party Time pt. 2", "Vibrator", "Bird In Hand", "Dyon Anasawa" featuring Full Experience, "Rastaman Shuffle", "Groovy Dub" and "Corn Fish Dub".

8 tracks from the New Jersey Drive Soundtrack including a couple not available elsewhere. Tracks include OC & Organized Konfusion "You Won't Go Far", Mad Lion "Own Destiny", Jeru "Invasion", Black Moon & Smiff-N-Wessun "Headz Ain't Ready", Biz Markie "Nobody Beats the Biz", Naughty By Nature "Connections", E. Bros "Funky Piano", Funkmaster Flex & Big Kap "Flip Squad's in the House."

Essential! The mighty debut album from African disciples Culture pairing up with the Mighty Two, Joe Gibbs and Errol Thompson is one of the landmark sets of roots reggae, a defining moment of the genre dropped during the year when two sevens clashed. And though the apocalypse didn't rain down from the skies in '77, this album was certainly a world-changing event, one of the finest moments in Kingston's rich musical history! Gibbs provides the trio with a set of uplifting rhythms over which to harmonize, and Culture comes correct on every track, combining a tightly harmonized approach with a rawer, rootsier sound. 10 tracks in all, including "I'm Alone In The Wilderness", "Pirate Days", "Two Sevens Clash", "Caling Rastafari", "I'm Not Ashamed", 'Get Ready To Ride The Lion To Zion", "Black Starliner Must Come", "Jah Pretty Face", 'See Them A Come" and "Natty Dread Taking Over".

An amazing collection – and one that really helped completely revise our understanding of Caribbean music! The collection features a fair bit of artists with roots in the West Indies, but who made a huge impact on London's postwar immigrant population – the new rise of non-native residents who were swelling the ranks of the city in the years after the way – bringing with them new cultures, new sounds, and new traditions – with all the requisite ideas and politics that might imply! The work here often has a subtle social agenda – working through themes important to these new Londoners, yet still echoing modes of the homeland as well – often with great musical backings that's heavy on percussion, jazzy instrumentation, and very upbeat rhythms. Titles include "London Is The Place For Me" by Lord Kitchener, "I Was There" by Young Tiger, "Some Girl Something" by The Lion, "No Carnival In Britain" by Mighty Terror, "Jamaica Hurricane" by Lord Beginner, "Birth Of Ghana" by Lord Kitchener, "Victory Test Match" by Lord Beginner, "Spanish Calypso" by The Lion, "Bulldog Don't Bite Me" by Timothy, "My Landlady" by Lord Kitchener, "If You're Not White You're Black" by Lord Kitchener, and "Aguiti" by Lord Invader.

Feircely rocking work from Jerusalem – a little-known band who cut this great debut for Deram in 1972! The group have a really heavy Black Sabbath sort of sound – with excellent lead guitars from Bob Cooke, and a sinister sound that has the grooves really dipping down into the depths, pushed even further by evil-edged vocals from singer Lynden Williams. The album's got the raw power of Sabbath's best work – and the whole thing's a killer record that should have been an instant classic. Titles include "Midnight Steamer", "Frustration", "Hooded Eagle", "Primitive Man", "She Came Like A Bat Out Of Hell", and "When The Wolf Sits".

One of our top 10 dub albums of all time! This album bridges the gap between the the low-fi, down and dirty excursions of the 70's dub era, and the later high tech dub revolution brought on by On-U, Mad Professor and Jah Shaka. The rhythms here are all first rate, drawn mostly from their Chill Out LP with a few from Red, fueled by Sly and Robbie and a cast of regulars from the Island/Mango stable. Sly & Robbie also handle the production duties, and there's no shortage of fat grooves and unrelenting rhythms, then taken to the next level with deep space echo drops and 21st century sound effects and tape edits. Includes "Ion Storm", "Big Spliff", "Boof'N'Baff'N'Biff", "Puffed Out" and "Android Rebellion". This CD reissue's been newly remastered, with 3 additional dubs as bonus tracks: "Cool Off", "Destination Unknown" and "Fire & Brimstone".

A wonderful gem from Leon Dubouse – a singer whose voice is definitely the fine instrument promised in the title! The set's obscure, but put together with a really top-shelf approach – a mellow groove that's often a bit funky, too – even when warmly gliding on Leon's soulful vocals! The style's a lot like the best early Leroy Hutson work on Curtom – and Leon's voice has a very similar appeal, too – but the style's nicely farther-ranging too – a few familiar modes, and some other nice twists and turns that show that the instrumentation is mighty fine too. Arrangements were done by Clay Cropper, Mike Lewis, Roger Hattfield, and Norman Lotterer – and titles include "What Do We Do About Our Love", "Black Stallion", "Fast Food Chain", "It's True It's You", "In The Neighborhood", and "Every Fellas Girl".

A beautiful record of light, lyrical piano jazz – and one of the best-selling jazz albums ever on Fantasy Records! Vince Guaraldi started the set as a tribute to the film Black Orpheus – and some of the album features his nice renditions of Jobim/Bonfa tunes like "Manha De Carnaval" and "Samba De Orpheus". However, Guaraldi also managed to pen his own amazing track – "Cast Your Fate To The Wind" – a lyrical romping piano instrumental that went onto become a huge charting instrumental hit during the 60s. The track's been heard a million times over the years, but it's still pretty darn great – and it's surrounded in a nice set with other tunes that have the same feel – including "O Nosso Amour", "Alma-Ville", "Since I Fell For You", and "Moon River".

Although Lionel Hampton's always best remembered for his storming swing days in the early 40s, we love him on records like this one – an easy open-ended straight jazz session from the 50s, with lots of room for soloing in a much more jazz-oriented vein than you'll hear on Hamp's early records. The group's a small all-star combo that features Roy Brown, Buddy Rich, and Oscar Peterson next to Hamp's vibes – and the set list includes long takes of "Midnight Sun", "That Old Black Magic", and "Blues For Norman".

Sure, you've heard it a million times – but it's still a fantastic soundtrack! Mancini's whimsical scoring was a perfect touch for this classic Peter Sellers film – and it's made even better by the LA group of musicians who play the music, including Plas Johnson, Pete Jolly, Shelly Manne, Jack Sheldon, and Larry Bunker. The "Pink Panther Theme" should be familiar enough to you, but there's loads of other nice numbers – like "Something For Sellers", "Piano & Strings", "The Village Inn", "The Tiber Tiwst", and "Cortina". Lots of jaunty jazz numbers – with clever breakaway solos in the Mancini mode!

Two groovy sets from Paul Mauriat – both recorded in the magic year of 1966! More Mauriat really has Paul opening up with some hipper 60s sounds than usual – taking on a whole bunch of American pop tunes of the time, and retuning a French orchestral approach towards leaner, meaner modes – almost a soulful strings sort of vibe at times – although at others, definitely scored by Mauriat with the kind of French soundtrack styles we love in his music – especially in his great use of electric harpsichord on many of the tunes! Titles include "Bang Bang", "Black Is Black", "Sunny", "Guantanamera", "Lara's Theme", and "Reach Out I'll Be There". Prestige De Paris returns Mauriat to the songs of his homeland – classic French tunes from the more romantic previous generation – often done here with full strings and a relatively florid approach that's a bit different than some or Paul's worldwide hits. Titles include "Sous Le Ponts De Paris", "La Mer", "Moulin Rouge", "Les Feuilles Mortes", "La Seine", and "Fascination".

A fantastic record from one of the greatest underground jazz groups of the 70s! Oneness of Juju are perhaps best known for the heavy funk of their first album, African Rhythms – but we're actually partial to this second album – a warmly spiritual batch of soul jazz tracks, and a set that's filled with life, emotion, and wonderful instrumentation throughout! The group are a bit more relaxed overall – easing into things, but in a way that really builds up as the album moves on – as they layer together heavy percussion, sweet keyboards, and lots of great sax solos from Plunky Nakabinde – plus wonderfully warm vocals that add a soulful edge the group never had before, but which still is very jazzy – and not like the funky club of later years. The whole thing's wonderfully cohesive, and a treasure throughout – and titles include the warm vocal number "River Luvrite", to the harder hitting "Space Jungle Funk", and other gems like "Soul Love Now", "Follow Me", "The Connection", and "Love's Messenger". CD features lots of bonus tracks – "Love's Messenger (inst)", "Bootsie's Lament", "African Rhythm's Chant", "Make A New Start", "Nat's Rebellion", and "African Rhythms (45 version)".

The complete Public Enemy Def Jam collection on vinyl – Yo! Bum Rush The Show, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, Fear Of A Black Planet, Apocalypse '91. . .The Enemy Strikes Black, Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age and the He Got Game soundtrack – that's 6 albums on 9 pieces of vinyl in a heavy-duty box! Put together to commemorate PE's 25th Anniversary, it's really beautifully done. Little more needs to be said about PE's late 80s/early 90s golden age of classic records – all of which are included here, of course – but the one-time panned later Def Jam recordings are pretty damn great, too – and you also get those here – and on vinyl, they way always sounded best! Everything Public Enemy Def Jam studio release from 1987 to 1998 is here.

An incredible set from Sun Ra – straighter than most of his 70s work, and a brilliant showcase for the tenor of John Gilmore! The group's just a quartet – with Ra on keyboards, Michael Ray on trumpet, and Luqman Ali on drums – on titles that include "Along The Tiber", "Rebellion", "The Mistery Of Being", "One Day In Rome", and "Springtime & Summer Idyll".

Krondon, Phil the Agony, and Mitchy Slick are back as Strong Arm Steady, with close cohort Xzibit rhyming on a track – with loads of allstar support from Planet Asia, Chamillionaire, Madlib, Dilated Peoples, Talib Kweli, Juvenile and more! Tracks include "The Movement" feat Planet Asia, "U Ain't Me" with Chamillionaire, Ras Kass & Xzibit, "Co-Operation" feat Dilated Peoples, "Clean Up" with Saukrates & Black Thought, plus production by Madlib, "Streetlights" with Talib Kweli, "Dirty Dirty" feat Juvenile and more. 15 tracks in all.

Blue Note Now – and Blue Note Then – a cool little set that mixes contemporary grooves from the Blue Note catalog with some of the older gems that made the label great back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s! In truth, some of the contemporary cuts go back more than a few years – but come together nicely on CD1, to show the way the label's really grown in the past decade or two – moving into great soulful territory with tracks like "Little B's Poem" by Quasimode, "Freedom Dance" by Lionel Loueke, "It's All Over Your Body" by Jose James, "Black Radio" by Robert Glasper Experiment, "Soin Something" by Soulive, and "Time After Time" by Cassandra Wilson. CD2 features loads of older killers – including "Feel Like Makin Love" by Marlena Shaw, "Harlem River Drive" by Bobbi Humphrey, "Kathy" by Horace Silver, "Adams Apple" by Wayne Shorter, "Afrodisia" by Kenny Dorham, "Black Byrd" by Donald Byrd, and "Speedball" by Lee Morgan.

RCA compilation featuring work by Esquivel, Perez Prado, Tito Puente, Xavier Cugat, and Russ Garcia. We're not sure if this stuff is exclusive to this album, but it's a great compilation anyway. Tracks include "Tampico" and "Sand In MY Shoes" by Tito Puente, "Night Music Must Fall" and "Oye Negra" by Xavier Cugat, "Guaglione" and "You're Driving Me Crazy" by Perez Prado, "Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" and "Adios" by Esquivel, "Carioca" and "Baia" by Russ Garcia, "I've Got The World On A String" and "I Can't Believe That You're In Love With Me" by Luis Arcaraz

Back to back gems from Martin Denny – two albums on a single CD! Taste Of Honey is a great later moment from Martin Denny – a set that gave him a big 60s hit in a sweet version of "Taste of Honey"! Denny approaches the tune with all the great mellow moods that Bobby Scott intended – none of the too-fast styles of Hirt, and instead the slow-moving rhythms that work perfectly for the blue undercurrents on the piano. Other tunes follow in a similarly nice blend – still a bit exotic, but almost showing more of a vibes/piano/percussion mix that seems to be borrowed from George Shearing or Cal Tjader – one that we approve of highly! Titles include "Route 66", "Exodus", "I'm In A Dancing Mood", "Black Orchid", "Take Five", and "Taste Of Honey". The second albums is a sweet follow up to Martin Denny's Taste Of Honey album – one that's got a great blend of piano, vibes, and percussion – all used in a way that's almost more jazz-like than some of Denny's earlier work! The formula works great to transform a host of 50s and 60s tunes – and titles include "Volare", "Cool", "Bijou", "Harlem Nocturne", "Satin Doll", "Anniversary Song", "Like Young", "Blue Carousel", and "Theme From The Manchurian Candidate".

Funky, righteous, and mighty nice – one of the best tunes ever from Ernie Hines! "Our Generation" has a sharp political message, and this great funky riff in the rhythms – one that's touched by a bit of Stax styles in the Memphis guitar and horns – but which also has a deeper darkness than the usual groove from the label! "Rock Creek Park" is a tune we could hear a million times over, and never tire of – a sublime funky line from The Blackbyrds – with a bassline at the start that gives way to moogy magic and these super-sexy vocals!

Astral soul, spacey hip hop and funked out grooves from Ms One & The Gang – aka Georgia Anne Muldrow and a stellar roster of guests, as well as alter egos and pseudonyms for both Georgia and fellow traveler Dudley Perkins – including Stacey Epps, Black Milk & Big Pooh, Ms One (Georgia), Eagle Nebula (Georgia & Dudley) and more! Georgia Anne Muldrow produces the set, which works well for a unique, cohesive flow – and also shows her depth in the production realm as well as anything she's done – from hazy, laidback funk, to more of a P-Funk inspired propulsive chunky vibe, to some straight up cracking soul beat hip hop. A funky interstellar ride – and one of her better projects to date! Titles include "Return", "Mr President", "To Dance" and more by Georgia Anne Muldrow, "Motivation" by Stacy Epps, "Dearest Daddy" by Ms Dezy, "Magic Walk" by Mortonette Stephens, "Million Man" by Maryetta Moore, "2 MC" by Black Milk & Big Pooh, "Drunken" by D-Moe & Declaime and more. 21 tracks in all!

A sweet groover from the Italian scene of the 70s – music that's got a lush feel, but a funky one too – a great mix of strings and electric instrumentation that rivals the best cop/crime work of the time – yet also has a nice sexy feel too! There's almost a blacksploitation vibe to the record at times – and although some instruments solo at points, the real groove lies in the tight vamping of the orchestra – which hits all the right notes to really send the whole thing soaring – often with a nice use of tone and color too! Titles include "Flying High", "Fearing Much", "Going Home", "Running Fast", "Walking In The Dark", and "Feeling Tense".

The fantastic first album by Cerrone – a landmark disco record that features the 16 minute long "Love In C Minor" – a swirling bit of strings, beats, and female voices – one of those tunes that forever went onto change the face of dance music in the 70s! Cerrone really set up a whole new blueprint for club here – stretching things out plenty, and layering in subtle time and chord shifts that expose the proggish influences that filtered into French club as the 70s wore on! The title track's got some nice keyboards by the great Alan Hawkshaw – who sounds even better on the album's cool disco version of "Black Is Black" and the tight snare-beat original, "Midnite Lady".

Beautiful work from the legendary late 60s run of British pianist Michael Garrick – and a fascinating session that shows the full depth of his talents! A few of the tracks on the set are in a septet mode – with Garrick leading a group that includes Ian Carr on trumpet, Joe Harriott on alto, Don Rendell on soprano sax, and Tony Coe on tenor – all shading in some beautiful tones on the straight numbers "Good Times" and "Webster's Mood" – and really going to town on the modal number "Ursula", a rolling groover that's simply fantastic! 2 other tracks – "Jazz For Five" and "Jazz Nativity" – have the group joined by poet John Smith, who's recitation beautifully matches the horn work of Coe and Harriott. Remaining tracks are even more unusual – and feature Garrick in trio formation on either celeste or harpsichord – really hitting beautiful notes that have a slightly exotic feel, on titles that include "What Are Little Girls", "Spiders", "Black Marigolds", and "Carolling".

One of the hippest albums ever cut by Lionel Hampton – a badass batch of 70s funk tunes, recorded with arrangements from the Chicago powerhouse team at Brunswick Records! Lionel's vibes are mixed with tight drums, sweet bass, and some very soulful arrangements that make even the mellower tracks feel like they've been lifted from some lost blacksploitation soundtrack. Includes great versions of 2 Willie Henderson tunes – "Off Into A Black Thing" and "Funky Chicken", both of which sound even better than the originals with the vibes in place – plus the tracks "Easy", "Shut Your Mouth", "I Found Sunshine", and "One Man Band".

A groovy dream come true – the complete studio recordings of German bandleader Peter Herbolzheimer – easily one of the funkiest European talents of the 70s! Although Herbolzheimer's got a clunky name, his sound is incredibly fluid and tight – a large group approach to funk that rivals some of the best American work of his time – including classics from Lalo Schifrin, Johnny Pate, and other key maestros of the blacksploitation era. Peter's got a way of taking a large group of players and really making them groove – a sound that's kind of an electrified extension of the styles first laid out at MPS by the Clarke-Boland Big Band, but served up with a hipper, funkier 70s approach to rhythm. Like the CBBB, Herbholzheimer's groups often feature American players – such as Art Farmer on trumpet or Herb Geller on saxes – alongside more familiar MPS talents like Dusko Goykovich on trumpet, Dieter Reith on organ, Ferdinand Povel on flute, Jiggs Whigham on trombone, and Sigi Schwab on guitar – joined by the legendary Sabu Martinez on a few of the best sessions here! The 4CD set is a massive discovery in music – as it features not only Herbholzheimer's Rhythm & Brass albums for MPS and Polydor, but also records under the group names Certain Lions & Tigers and The Galactic Light Orchestra. The package features a whopping 8 albums in all – Soul Condor, Time Travellers Galaxis, Waitaminute, Wide Open, Hip Walk, Touchdown, and I Hear Voices – most of which have never been reissued before – a whopping 61 long funky jazz tracks!

Perhaps THE greatest Quincy Jones album of the 60s – a hard-swinging batch of big band bossa tunes – and one of the greatest American takes on the bossa sound ever! Quincy really brings a lot of soul to the set – syncopating the bottom end of the tunes to really bring out the rhythms, and working with a jazzy flourish of horns that creates all these quick and clever little turns in the tunes! The sound's been heard most famously on the incredible track "Soul Bossa Nova" – an original by Quincy for the set, which has gone onto much greater fame through its use in the film Austin Powers, and a bazillion TV commercials! But the whole album's great too – and other tracks include "Serenata", "Lalo Bossa Nova", "Boogie Bossa Nova", and "Chega De Saudade".

2 of the funkiest tracks ever from this legendary group! "Ghetto: Misfortune's Wealth" is the title track to the group's album of the same name – and it's got a slow, sinister bass/keys riff that you'll recognize instantly from a million samples! The original tune still sounds better than any of the copies – and it somehow comes off better on 45 than on the full LP! The flipside features the longer, more open-ended jazzy groover "24 Carat Black Theme" – another killer funky number, with a wonderfully spacey groove!

One of the hippest albums ever cut by Lionel Hampton – a badass batch of 70s funk tunes, recorded with arrangements from the Chicago powerhouse team at Brunswick Records! Lionel's vibes are mixed with tight drums, sweet bass, and some very soulful arrangements that make even the mellower tracks feel like they've been lifted from some lost blacksploitation soundtrack. Includes great versions of 2 Willie Henderson tunes – "Off Into A Black Thing" and "Funky Chicken", both of which sound even better than the originals with the vibes in place – plus the tracks "Easy", "Shut Your Mouth", "I Found Sunshine", and "One Man Band".

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".

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.