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One of the hippest groups of the Nigerian scene of the 70s – presented here in two classic albums, back to back on a single CD! Chapter One is a landmark set of African grooves – very unusual in both conception and execution – with a feel that's unlike anything we can think of! There's definitely a rock influence in the set, but the music isn't rock at all – it's a very dark, almost dubby groove at points – and a bit more straightforwardly funk at others – almost a post-colonial style that clearly comes from a London influence, given to the group by a previous association with Ginger Baker. Rhythms are quite tight, and the bass is as strong as the drums – mixed up nicely with riffing guitar, and moody vocals that color the whole thing nicely. Titles include "Preacherman", "Time To Face The Sun", "We Are Out Together", "Chant To Mother Earth", "Miss Sagitt", "Beware", and "We Gonna Have A Party". Phase II is a critical next step for the group – music that's even deeper than before, but a bit funkier too! There's clearly some touches here of other African funk of the time – especially in the way the guitar parts groove with the rhythms – although those heavy Blo basslines from before are still nicely in place, as are some of the fuzzier production elements too. Titles include "Whole Lot Of Sh*t", "Atide", "Blo", "It's Gonna Be A Good Day", "Native Doctor", and "Don't Take Her Away From Me".

A 70s Afro Funk classic from Blo – really trippy grooves from this legendary Nigerian trio – and arguably their greatest album ever! Rhythms here are tremendous – not the usual sort of Afro style, and instead tightly focused at the roots, and coming off with this blistering blend that really drives the tunes strongly – jamming, but without ever jamming too much – kind of a steady fire that really sounds great underneath the vocals! The core elements of the trio are augmented by keyboards from Joni Haastrum and Segun Bucknor – each important Afro Funk players in their own right, who both really help add a nice sort of psych element alongside the skittish grooving of the guitar, bass, and drums. Titles include "Blo", "It's Gonna Be A Good Day", "Native Doctor", "Do It You'll Like It", "Atide", and "Whole Lot Of Sh*t".

Collected work by Blo – a hip Nigerian funk ensemble from the mid 70s! The group have a more complicated sound than some of their contemporaries – adding in dubbier stylings and bits of psychedelic guitar to the more common Afro-Funk percussion – in a mode that almost sounds like it's got traces of Can or other proggish groups, as you might hear on some of Tony Allen's more recent work, or on some of the early 70s Brit post-colonial crossover bands, like Assagai or Cymande. It all makes for a very interesting sound – marking the group as one of the most unique of their generation! Titles include "Blo", "It's Gonna Be A Good Day", "Number One", "Trace of Suicide", "Atide", "Don't Take Her Away From Me", and "Miss Sagit".

6 tracks off the LP in edited radio playable versions: "Here We Come", "Letha Brains Blo", "Sean Price", "Soldiers Gone Psyco", "Prowl" & "Grate Unknown".

A blistering set of Afro-Funk from the 70s – the debut of Ofege, a band of high school students at the time! There's a really trippy sound to the set, as the guitars figure strongly in the groove, and are often recorded with some slightly psychedelic touches – similar to Blo or some of the other headier groups of this generation. Wah wah lines often mix in with straighter fuzzed-out solos – all driven strongly together by quick-snapping drums – and vocals are by a young-voiced singer who brings some sweet soul touches to the English-language lyrics – a nice contrast to the heavier sounds of the guitars! Titles include "Nobody Fails", "It's Not Easy", "Ofege", "You Say No", "Lead Me On", and "Try & Love".

Includes the best of the early Heltah Skeltah singles and the rest is still up there with the best the Boot Camp Clique has to offer. With "Lefleur Leflah Eshkoshkha" featuring OGC, "Operation Lockdown", "Clans Posses Crews & Cliques", "Letha Brains Blo", "Therapy", "Understand" and 10 more!.

A tremendous step forward for the young Muhal Richard Abrams – a set that still shows his early roots in the AACM, but which also blossoms with some of his more serious compositional efforts to come! There's a sensitivity here that really stands out – even among Abrams' contemporaries – a striving for a wider range of expression – some as bold as before, some much more deeply personal and intimate. The tracks feature a shifting array of players – working alongside Abrams piano, and building up the sound in a number of different ways. Players include Wallace McMillan on flute and sax, Edwin Daugherty on sax, Richard Brown on sax, Emanuel Cranshaw on vibes, Rufus Reid on bass, and Steve McCall and Wilbur Campbell on drums. Ella Jackson provides vocals on "How Are You?" – and other titles include "Ballad For New Souls", "Things To Come From Those Now Gone", "In Retrospect", "Ballad For Old Souls", "1 & 4 Plus 2 & 7", and "March Of The Transients".

A tremendous step forward for the young Muhal Richard Abrams – a set that still shows his early roots in the AACM, but which also blossoms with some of his more serious compositional efforts to come! There's a sensitivity here that really stands out – even among Abrams' contemporaries – a striving for a wider range of expression – some as bold as before, some much more deeply personal and intimate. The tracks feature a shifting array of players – working alongside Abrams piano, and building up the sound in a number of different ways. Players include Wallace McMillan on flute and sax, Edwin Daugherty on sax, Richard Brown on sax, Emanuel Cranshaw on vibes, Rufus Reid on bass, and Steve McCall and Wilbur Campbell on drums. Ella Jackson provides vocals on "How Are You?" – and other titles include "Ballad For New Souls", "Things To Come From Those Now Gone", "In Retrospect", "Ballad For Old Souls", "1 & 4 Plus 2 & 7", and "March Of The Transients".

Pepper Adams never fails to blow us away in a small group setting – and here, on a killer quartet date from the early 80s, he really wins us over all over again! The album's one of those great ones from Adams – in which he's really let loose to open up and blow some extended, imaginative solos – the kind of open-ended baritone sax romps that few (if any) other players could do this well! The rhythm section kicks with just the right sort of energy for the tunes – Jimmy Rowles on piano, George Mraz on bass, and Billy Hart on drums – and titles include "Trentino", "Urban Dreams", "Three Little Words", "Dexter Rides Again", and "Time Is On My Hands".

Excellent analogue electronics by this groovy modern combo! The record reminds us of some of our favorite late 60s compilations of tracks from the obscure electronic music centers of American universities – with loads of bubbling, fuzzing, and repetitive wave forms. Tracks include "Inevitable Fast Access", "Aphine Repetition", "A Very Uncomfortable Status", and "Meetings In Compact Boxes".

A strong showcase for young Nat Adderley's talents on cornet – and an album that's got a different feel that his work with his more famous brother's combo at the same time! The style here is simple – Nat blowing with 2 different quartets – one with Joe Zawinul on piano, Sam Jones on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums (all from Cannonball's group) – the other with the rhythm section of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums. Despite's Nat's reputation as a gutbuckety soul jazz player, he actually gets in some nicely lyrical licks in this set – blowing in a soulful modern style that almost recalls the work of Carmell Jones at times! Titles include "Chloe", "Images", "Scotch & Water", and "Naturally".

Aerosmith's second album – and a prime slab of badass mid 70s rock – coming close to, maybe even equalling Toys In The Attic as ultimate Aerosmith badassery! It's got a tighter, puncier sound their debut – courtesy producer Jack Douglas – who would continue to produce Aerosmith in their pre-blowout 70s best. It opens on with one of their staples, "Same Old Song And Dance" and other tracks include their kickass cover of "Train Kept A Rollin'", plus "Lord Of The Thighs", "Spaced", "Woman Of The World" and "Pandora's Box".

This is the Aesop album on MUSH records before he got signed to Def Jux. It is a piece of raw, dark, poetic artistry that describes his hometown of NYC and the trials and tribulations in it beautifully. This album is a little rougher and his lyrical style is just a little more advanced on his later work, but all the same, it deserves massive praise here. Tracks include "Commencement At The Obedience Academy", "Drawbridge", "Big Bang", "Garbage", "Basic Cable", "I'll Be OK", "Attention Span", "Spare A Match", "Breakfast With Blockhead", "Fascination", "Skip Town", "How To Be A Carpenter", "The Mayor And The Crook", "Prosperity", and more. 2012 reissue of the out of print, dawn of the 00s classic.

This is the Aesop album on MUSH records before he got signed to Def Jux. It is a piece of raw, dark, poetic artistry that describes his hometown of NYC and the trials and tribulations in it beautifully. This album is a little rougher and his lyrical style is just a little more advanced on his later work, but all the same, it gets massive praise here. Tracks include "Commencement At The Obedience Academy", "Drawbridge", "Big Bang", "Garbage", "Basic Cable", "I'll Be OK", "Attention Span", "Spare A Match", "Breakfast With Blockhead", "Fascination", "Skip Town", "How To Be A Carpenter", "The Mayor And The Crook", "Prosperity", and more.

A really well-titled little record – as the sound here is quite unique, and often has the musicians creating these little bridges between each other's space! David Ake wrote all the tunes, and put them together with this angular, blocky sort of feel – lots of sound shapes at the core, which are then whipped into more rhythmic passages by the group – and bridged by some creative work on the front end – a horn section that includes Ralph Alessi on trumpet, Ravi Coltrane on tenor, and Peter Epstein on alto! The rhythm pulsates in ways that provide just the right landscape for the whole thing to hold together – thanks to work from Scott Colley on bass and Mark Ferber on drums – and titles include "Sonomads", "Story Table", "We Do", "Year In Review", and "Open/Balance".

An obscure Afro Funk combo from the early 70s – produced by Ronnie Lane of The Faces, who may very well have been inspired by Ginger Baker's love of the style! The record's got some pretty heavy guitar work, and there's lots of funky rock running through the grooves – so those African-inspired rhythms are touched by more than a bit of heavy tripped out electric fuzz. Titles include "Wajo", "Awade", "Happy Song", "Psychedelic Baby", "Midnight Lady", "Blow", and "Confusion".

One of the earliest albums ever from Anna Maria Alberghetti – and a set that still really shows the singer's strong Italian roots! The style here is a mix of later vocal modes and earlier operatic ones – and Anna Maria definitely shows off her well-documented range throughout – really running up and down the scale with a skill that few other singers of her time could match! Backings frequently echo those Neopolitan elements that were big in postwar pop – and lyrics are mostly in English, but feature a few Italian songs as well. Titles include "Sleep My Baby", "The Blonde Girl In The Gondola", "Theme & Variations", "The Song From Desiree", and "Estrellita".

Another dope Chicago underground cut from All Natural (MC Capital D and DJ Tone B Nimble), the follow up to the "Writers Block/50 Year" single. In "Phantoms of the Opera", All Natural are on a mission to take out "phantom" MC's. "Thinkin Cap" was produced by No I.D., the producer for Com Sense.

A wonderful tribute to Tony Allen's landmark Black Voices album – re-presented here with the full original record, plus a host of bonus cuts too! The core record is amazing – a set that really re-introduced Allen to the world, after falling into a bit of obscurity in the 80s years after he broke with Fela Kuti – the start of a rich new chapter in his career that's continued to burn strongly for the past decade or so! The album still holds up wonderfully – as Allen's still swinging hard, in a heavy afro funk groove that sounds a lot like his 70s work – with great electric keyboards, tight guitars, and some very nice flanged-out vocals. The drumming is nice and tight – but with a freer edge that mixes elements from the older work with a dubby spacey approach that recalls rhythms of groups like Can or Cymande! Titles include "Asiko", "Get Together", "Black Voices", "The Same Blood", and "Ariya Psyche (Juju mix)". CD also features 5 more tracks – titled Black Voices Revisited – including different versions of "Asiko" and "The Same Blood" – plus "Ariya", "Get Together (with Mudbone Cooper)", and "Black Voices (with Clip Payne)".

Amazing work by a group that you've probably never heard of! The Ambassadors are an incredible Philly soul harmony group – of the sort that never made it out of the city in the pre-Philly International years, but who had a polish and quality that was every bit as great as bigger-name acts from Chicago or New York. The harmonies on the record are mindblowing – the kind of raw and sweet at the same time that was the Philly calling card on the group soul scene – and arrangements are by a young Bobby Martin, with help from Philly studio legends like Vince Montana, Norman Harris, Leon Huff, and Bobby Eli. Tracks include "I Really Love You", "I Dig You Baby", "AWOL", "Storm Warning", and "If I'm All You Got". 3 bonus cuts, too!

A stone classic from Gene Ammons – and a record that introduced his talents to a whole new audience in the 60s! The album's a more laidback one than some of Jug's more hard-blown honkers – as you might guess from his hit rendition of the ballad in the title – and the instrumentation here varies between organ from Johnny Hammond Smith and piano from Mal Waldron – making for a nice tapestry of dark-tinged, late nite moods. Other players include Frank Wess on tenor and flute, and Art Taylor or Ed Thigpen on drums. Titles include the classic "Angel Eyes", plus "You Go To My Head" and "It's The Talk Of The Town" – and slightly more groovin numbers like "Getting Around" and "Water Jug".

Way more than just an album with Gene Ammons as a leader – and instead, a set that truly earns the "all stars" listed on the cover – thanks to a great array of supporting players, and a very loose, open-ended jam session style that lets everyone get in plenty of solo space! Ammons' tenor is tremendous, but he's also a great collaborator here, too – working with Idrees Suliman on trumpet, Pepper Adams on baritone, Mal Waldron on piano, Art Taylor on drums, Doug Watkins on bass, and Ray Barretto on conga – in a mode that's maybe slightly tighter than some of the blowing sessions Prestige was doing at the time, but which still has that key longform creative energy that made the hardbop generation so great. Titles include "Blue Gene", "Scamperin", "Blue Greens n Beans", and "Hip Tip" – and all tracks are long, with plenty of focus on solos!

Dang! Poor Gene Ammons kept getting stuck with albums that had titles which referenced his prison time! Fortunately, the quality of this one's good enough to live past the stupid name – and the record has Gene blowing with a larger group of west coast soul jazz players, arranged by Bobby Bryant, in the style of big band funk he was using on his own work. More than a few nice moments arise – especially on the cuts "Crazy Mary", "Fru Fru", and "Jaggin".

One of Ammons' classic blowing sessions for Prestige, with an all-star lineup that includes Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Mal Waldron, and Kenny Burrell. The group plays together on 4 long tracks, and in a tight hardbop vein, with long soulful solos from every player. Titles include "Pint Size", "King Size", and "Funky".

More proof that the Prestige blowing session style worked perfectly for Gene Ammons – as he's right at home on the album's long relaxed tracks, cut in the company of expert players like Art Farmer, Jackie McLean, Duke Jordan, and Art Taylor. Candido's also along for most of the ride, giving the record a nice kick – and the set list includes four long tracks, "Madhouse", "Happy Blues", "The Great Lie", and "Can't We Be Friends".

Not to be confused with the Jammin' With Gene LP, this set was later reissued as The Twister. Classic blowing session material from Jug – with 4 long tracks that are all a superb example of how great Prestige could be when they wanted to! The group is filled with great players – Jackie McLean, Mal Waldron, Idrees Sulieman, and Kenny Burrell – and the band plays with a free easy groove that produces some beautiful solos, especially from Jug! Titles include "Cattin", "The Twister", "Four", and "Pennies From Heaven".

Beautiful beautiful work from tenorist Gene Ammons – and an album that really demonstrates that during the 60s, one of Ammons' strongest suits was his work with a mellow tune or ballad! The tracks here are wonderfully laidback, but never sleepy – very soulful, and solidly put together in that Ammons-made gentle-blown way – using just a few notes to send the message out with a powerful punch, without ever overdoing things the way that a few of his tenor contemporaries might be tempted to do! The group's a great fit too – with the lovely Patti Brown on piano, plus bass from George Duvivier and bass from Ed Shaughnessy – and titles include "Two Different Worlds", "Skylark", "Three Little Words", "Street Of Dreams", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To".

A pair of soulful gems from tenorist Gene Ammons – back to back on a single CD! The Soulful Moods is beautiful beautiful work from tenorist Gene Ammons – and an album that really demonstrates that during the 60s, one of Ammons' strongest suits was his work with a mellow tune or ballad! The tracks here are wonderfully laidback, but never sleepy – very soulful, and solidly put together in that Ammons-made gentle-blown way – using just a few notes to send the message out with a powerful punch, without ever overdoing things the way that a few of his tenor contemporaries might be tempted to do! The group's a great fit too – with the lovely Patti Brown on piano, plus bass from George Duvivier and bass from Ed Shaughnessy – and titles include "Two Different Worlds", "Skylark", "Three Little Words", "Street Of Dreams", and "You'd Be So Nice To Come Home To". The second album is Nice & Cool, but not in a west coast way – and instead a set that's got Gene Ammons working some wonderfully soulful magic on a set of gentle ballads! The set's got a brilliant late nite sort of feel – one of those tenor albums that seems to sound even better in the space past midnight – as the warm glow from Ammons' horn seems to sparkle even more strongly in the dark – standing out with that stark, spare approach that always makes his ballad work so special – and unlike just about anyone else. The group here is nice and cool too – with Richard Wyands on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and JC Heard on drums – and titles include "Someone To Watch Over Me", "I Remember You", "Willow Weep For Me", and "Till There Was You".

A great little session by Jug – cut after the late 50s blowing session years, and with a much tighter sound that's very much in the pocket! The record features two groups – one with Walter Bishop, Art Davis, and Art Taylor; the other with Patti Brown, George Duvivier, and Taylor – and both groups are backed by Ray Baretto, for a tight rolling groove. Most titles are standards or loosely composed lines, but Jug's tenor is in great form – and the setting features some wonderfully economic playing. Tracks include "Up Tight", "Jug's Blue Blues", "Lester Leaps In", and "The 5 O'Clock Whistle".

A funky treasure trove from Apple & The Three Oranges – a group we hardly know at all, but who really blow us away with the cuts on this collection! The groove is plenty hard right from the get-go – the best of the funky 45 underground of the early 70s – which means that there's more 60s rawness on the record than you'd get from bigger-label funk at the time – as Ed "Apple" Nelson still works here with a mostly underground vibe! Ed plays drums – which are mighty hard on most numbers – and his vocals have this offbeat, off-kilter, over the top quality that almost reminds us a bit of the Hank Ballard/James Brown recordings for late 60s King – particularly in the way that Nelson's completely unbridled with his energy. The whole thing's great – one of the best funky collections we've heard in years – and presented with a rich amount of notes and historical information too. Titles include "Free & Easy (parts 1 & 2)", "Moon Light", "Curse Upon The World", "What Goes Around Comes Around", "Down Home Publicity", "True Love Will Never Die", "Gotta Stand For Something (parts 1 & 2)", and "I'll Give You A Ring". CD features a massive 52 page booklet, too!

Not Afrobeat, but Astrobeat – a unique hybrid of older funk modes and contemporary cosmic touches – all served up beautifully by Ariya! The album definitely echoes older modes from the Ethiopian scene of the 70s – particularly the chugging rhythms and tightly vamping instrumentation that you might know from the work of Fela or Tony Allen – but there's also some more 21st Century elements on the keyboards, which have a crackling bit of electricity that goes beyond the usual electric piano used back in the day – and which really helps give the record a different feel. Don't get us wrong – because nothing here is too slick, overproduced, or remix-heavy – the music is definitely Afro Funk at the core, just inflected in some really sweet ways – and served up mostly instrumental, on cuts that include "Blood In The Water", "Turncoat", "Future Ancestors", "New Frontiers", "Towards Other Worlds", and "Old Ground".

Why these guys never got over bigger is beyond us! Between A Rock And A Hard Place is filled with dope rhymes, timeless beats, and a mellow, tuneful vibe that's as strong as just about anything we can think of from that fertile early-to-mid 80s scene. Titles include "Lower Da Boom", "Cummin' Thru Ya F**kin Block" feat Redman, "Drama", "Dynamite Soul", "C'Mon Wit Da Git Down" (plus the remix feat Busta Rhymes), "What Goes On?", and "Wrong Side Of Da Tracks". A couple of bonus tracks on this 2013 CD version: "Dynamic Soul II (Lip Service Remix)" feat Mad Skillz and "It's Gettin Hot (Remix)".

A totally wild little record – and one of the most unique jazz collections we've ever heard – or seen! The original package of the record is a 5LP presentation of music that brings together four of the most important French piano talents of the postwar years – Georges Arvanitas, Michel Graillier, Maurice Vander, and Rene Urtreger – interlocking together to provide a "puzzle" of sound that really encompasses all that's great about the French jazz scene! Each player gets one full record to themselves, then on the fifth album, they come together on one recording – working with larger arrangements by Ivan Julien, and a sound that's really mindblowing. Individual highlights include Georges Arvanitas playing a bit of organ on his record, Rene Urtreger getting a bit of guitar help from Marius Lorenzini on his, and Maurice Vander playing both electric and acoustic, with vibes from Bernard Lubat. The whole thing's great – and a treasure from the amazing Saravah label! Amazing package, too – with the 5-fold design of the original, housing three full CDs!

No Mirage here – as the album's got a presence that's impossible to deny – a solid, soulful uttering from this key Chicago combo of the 70s! The group's led by reedman Ari Brown – better known for his later avant work – and they've got a wicked blend of keyboards and horns with lots of complicated touches, played out over funky rhythms that are completely mindblowing! The great Ken Chaney plays keyboards, and in addition to Brown's reeds, the set also features trumpet from Frank Gordon, trombone from Steve Galloway, and bass from Rufus Reid – plus cool percussion from Arlington Davis and Drasheer Khalid. Most cuts are instrumental, and recorded beautifully – but one number, "The Ultimate Frontier", also features vocals from Anita Jefferies. Other cuts include "Slinky", "Mirage", "Just a Little Peace", and "March On".

One of the greatest and most historically important compilations ever put together by our friends at Light In The Attic – the first ever (!!!) anthology devoted to Stax sax great Charles "Packy" Axton! Packy was a founding member of the Mar-Keys and a cat who played with the best of them – Steve Cropper, Booker T, Teenie Hodges, Donald "Duck" Dunn and many more – all of whom can be heard on this mindblowing set of benchmark vocal and instrumental singles from the mid 60s – truly the blueprint material for the great Stax and all around Memphis soul to come! It features singles cut for labels such as USA, Bar, Hollywood and Pure Soul – soul/R&B vocal numbers and proto-funky instrumentals. Amazing, amazing stuff recorded at Royal and Ardent Studios with some of the greatest soul music players to ever come together – so highly recommended! Includes "Holiday Cheer", "Bullseye", "Hung Over", "I'll Always Love" and "Late Late Party" by The Martinis, "No Ending" and "No Love Have I" by Stacy Lane, "House Full Of Rooms", "Out Of Control" and "I'm A Fool (In Love)" by LH & The Memphis Sounds, "Stone Fox", "Hip Pocket" and "Greasy Pumpkin" by The Pac-Keys, and "Hole In The Wall" by The Packers. 17 tracks in all – treated beautifully by team LITA – with a thick booklet of notes (by Andria Lisle) and full of vintage photos of the players, shots of the inner labels of the original singles, details for each track and more.

Roy Ayers in a seductive mid 80s mode – his first for Columbia – and a record with some incredibly nice moments that blow away most of his contemporaries! The synth soul and drum machine era might seem like an odd fit for Roy's jazzy vibes, but it actually works really well here! You could argue that few players with a such profound jazz funk pedigree could pull off an 80s modern sound so succussfully – and we'd argue that Roy Ayers is indeed one of the few! If synths and programmed drums aren't your thing, this record is actually more heavily-weighted with laidback jazzy soul, with plenty of vibes and the usual warm sexy vocals from Roy. Includes the funky classic "Poo Poo La La", which has a great little monologue in it – plus "I Can't Help It", "Compadre", "Sexy, Sexy, Sexy", and "Love Is In The Feel". This 2012 FTG CD includes 3 bonus tracks: "In The Dark (7" Version)", "Poo Poo La La (Edit)" and "Love Is In The Feel (7" Version)".

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".

Quite possibly the greatest moment ever for Burt Bacharach – and that's saying a heck of a lot, considering the greatness of all of his work! The record's a slightly-overlooked gem from Burt's 70s years – a record that steps off the compressed sophistication of his best 60s work for A&M, but pushes things slightly into even more adult territory – a space that's beyond simple instrumental pop, and which features complicated rhythms, amazing songwriting, and a batch of tunes so great, you'll be coming back to this one for years to come! The record leads off with the sublime "Something Big", a building vocal number that always sends chills down our spine – then follows with the skittish rhythm of "Monterey Peninsula", almost drum and bass at times! Even the mellower tracks are great – somewhat soulful, and always touched with unusual phrasings, timings, or jazzy changes that are simply mindblowing. Other tracks include "The Balance of Nature", "Lost Horizon", "Walk The Way You Talk", "Reflections", "Long Ago Tomorrow", and "I Might Frighten Her Away".

The Beach Boys – day by day, year by year, presented in a very compelling diary format that really gets past some of the overblown mythos about the group! Author Badman goes for a "just the facts" sort of approach – and lists key days in the group's career from the 60s onward – with most of the details given to important stretches before 1970, but some key information from later decades too. Each entry is dated, with specific information on what the Beach Boys were involved in on that day – recording, rehearsing, touring, etc – with a surprising amount of vintage photos and other bits to support the text. Perhaps most compelling is the book's frequent use of Musicians Union sheets for recording sessions – listing session players and their details (including, oddly, social security numbers!) – which really helps illuminate the way that the records were being made. 399 pages, softcover, with black and white images.

Badu is back with some of the deepest, funkiest and best music of her career – a mindblowing treatise for a New Amerykah – and what we'll consider an instant classic whether the world at large catches on or not! Erykah steps up this time with a set that balances the wilder impulses of her criminally underappreciated Worldwide Underground and more of a hip hop based, righteously grooving style – but still bursts with a freshness that's unrivaled to say the least. From free spirited soul, to sparse hip hop funk this record is both blunt and beautiful – with a slow-building emotional resonance that'll reach the most jaded souls. Modern soul music of the first order that gives us goosebumps from the first spin to the last beat! The album kicks off with Erykah riffing on and remixing Ramp's "American Promise" as an intro – and it just gets deeper from there. Producers/collaborators include Madlib, Sa-Ra, Karriem Riggins, James Poyser and ?uestlove. Amazing!!! Titles include "The Healer", "Me", "My People", "Soldier", "The Cell", "Twinkle", "Master Teacher", "The Hump" and "Telephone". The 9th Wonder produced single "Honey" is an unlisted bonus track.

A Brazilian underground classic from the early 70s – mindblowing work that mixes heavy percussion with lots of guitar – in a style that's samba soul one minute, but heavier rock the next! There's a bit of a Jorge Ben influence going on at times – particularly in the way the record uses quickly-strummed acoustic guitar next to the earthy rhythms – but the overall sound is also a bit more fragile at times, and rougher around the edges, especially at its most expressive moments. But that quality only serves to make the album more striking – an instantly captivating set that needs no previous cultural knowledge at all! Really tremendous stuff – the kind of lost treasure that will have you scratching your head, but loving it at the same time! Titles include "Apelo", "Grinfa Louca", "A Mente", "Tramba", "Madalena", "Mensageiro", "Cristina", "Olhar Animal", and "Microfones Metalicos".

Mindblowing work from the early years of Schema Records – a set that really helped set a whole new tone for a generation – and which still sounds wonderful all these many hears later! Balanco work up a perfect blend of bossa rhythms and soulful jazz – all wrapped up with the kind of slinky, sexy vibe the Italian scene first perfected back in the 60s – when they were borrowing lots of Brazilian elements for their best soundtracks! Balanco's sound here really recalls those glory days – mixing together sweet female vocals, lively bossa rhythms, and great work on Fender Rhodes – all under the guidance of Nicola Conte, who manages to make everything sound beautiful together. Highlights include versions of Morricone's "Metti Una Sera A Cena" and the classic "Cinnamon & Clove", but there's loads of other cool originals – like "Butterfly", "Fantasia", "Sister Bossa", "Aguadream", and "Blue Skat Samba".

Mindblowing work from the early years of Schema Records – a set that really helped set a whole new tone for a generation – and which still sounds wonderful all these many hears later! Balanco work up a perfect blend of bossa rhythms and soulful jazz – all wrapped up with the kind of slinky, sexy vibe the Italian scene first perfected back in the 60s – when they were borrowing lots of Brazilian elements for their best soundtracks! Balanco's sound here really recalls those glory days – mixing together sweet female vocals, lively bossa rhythms, and great work on Fender Rhodes – all under the guidance of Nicola Conte, who manages to make everything sound beautiful together. Highlights include versions of Morricone's "Metti Una Sera A Cena" and the classic "Cinnamon & Clove" – and the vinyl version features 4 more tracks, "Balanco", "Fantasia", "Aguadream", and "Blue Skat Samba".

One of the most soulful albums we've heard from Schema in many years – a brilliant batch of jazzy tracks from singer Andrea Balducci – served up with backing by a great lineup of players from both the Ricky Tick and Schema worlds! The core approach is jazz, but many of the songs are done with a very soulful approach – a style that's a bit like Mario Biondi, especially given Balducci's use of English throughout, and his raspy vocals – yet more 60s soul in the end, with a unified aesthetic that really holds strong over the course of the album. Players include Jukka Eskola on trumpet, Timo Lassy on tenor, Gaetano Partipilo on alto, and Luca Mannuzta on Fender Rhodes and piano – and titles include "Hurt So Bad", "Spooky", "Within Myself", "Big City", "I Just Dropped In", "Time Will Come", and "The Meaning Of Love".

One of the most soulful albums we've heard from Schema in many years – a brilliant batch of jazzy tracks from singer Andrea Balducci – served up with backing by a great lineup of players from both the Ricky Tick and Schema worlds! The core approach is jazz, but many of the songs are done with a very soulful approach – a style that's a bit like Mario Biondi, especially given Balducci's use of English throughout, and his raspy vocals – yet more 60s soul in the end, with a unified aesthetic that really holds strong over the course of the album. Players include Jukka Eskola on trumpet, Timo Lassy on tenor, Gaetano Partipilo on alto, and Luca Mannuzta on Fender Rhodes and piano – and titles include "Hurt So Bad", "Spooky", "Within Myself", "Big City", "I Just Dropped In", "Time Will Come", and "The Meaning Of Love". CD features a bonus track – "Hurt So Bad (swing version)".

A sweet instrumental tribute to the 70s soul genius of Thom Bell – plus the Delfonics and Stylistics as well – served up with lots of mellow keyboards from the mighty Bob Baldwin! Given that Bob's got a firm lock on soulful sounds of the 21st Century, he's a great choice to revive the music of Bell – helping to bridge the space of decades with his well-crafted lines on piano and keyboards – and with great guest work from artists who include Marion Meadows, Vivian Green, Will Downing, Paul Taylor, Ragan Whiteside, and Russ Freeman! Titles include "Didn't I Blow Your Mind This Time", "Betcha By Golly Wow", "People Make The World Go Round", "Break Up To Make Up", "I'll Be Around", and "La La Means I Love You".

Blistering sounds from Ballister – quite possibly the fiercest album so far from this key Chicago group – and that's saying a lot, given the intensity of their previous work! The trio really seem to know each other intimately by this point – so that they can really let loose, and explore a great range of sounds from the saxes of Dave Rempis, drums of Paal Nilssen-Love, and the cello, guitar, and electronics of Fred Lonberg-Holm! The album's an especially great illustration of the way that Fred's really opened up his energy level in recent years – and become a much more organic player, with a confidence in his sounds we never would have expected a decade ago. Rempis is masterful on alto, tenor, and baritone – blowing with a boldness that puts him firmly in line with a range of Chicago improvisers – and Paal's visiting drum work really pushes the whole thing forward strongly. Titles include "Cockloft", "Smolder", and "Phantom Box System".

One of the first albums ever cut as a leader by reedman Gato Barbieri – and a very sharp-edged session that's quite different than his better-known work in the 70s! Barbieri's tenor here has an incredible tone – as deeply soulful as Pharoah Sanders or late John Coltrane, and blown with a great sense of freedom – really stretching out on the album's long tracks. Gato never lets himself get too unfocused, though – and the album's an illustration of a side of his talents that was perhaps only shown this well on his recordings with Don Cherry. Players include Calo Scott on cello, Sirone on bass, and Bobby Kapp on drums – and the album's got a vibe that easily matches other ESP sets from the time by Charles Tyler or Sonny Simmons. Titles include "In Search Of The Mystery", "Obsession No 2", "Michelle", and "Cinematheque".

Later work from Charlie Barnet, but a set that really cooks nicely overall – still with the strong sax tones of earlier years, but also with a groovier sort of sparkle that marks the 60s date of the session! The tunes are short, but Charlie gets plenty of space to do his thing – leading off boldly with a great sense of tone, and blowing with some surprisingly inventive lines as the set rolls on. There's a bit of organ in the mix – uncredited, like the rest of the players – and titles include "Coachella Blue", "Mood Indigo", "Leapin At The Lincoln", "East Side West Side", "The Great Gong Of Hong Kong", and "Tappin At The Tappa".

The brilliant full exposure of the voice that was always buried in the larger sounds of Pink Floyd – a definite madcap romp from the amazing Syd Barrett – and a record that still sounds as captivatingly chilling all these many decades later! There's a stripping-down here that's really tremendous – no need for all the overblown, long-winded excursions of other forces in the psych generation – as Syd takes the whole thing down to its core, and carries it off with a charm that's almost folksy – yet which, like David Bowie at about this point in his career, manages to manipulate and dismiss the folk generation as much as it does the psych one too! David Gilmour and Roger Waters are on hand to help a bit with production – and titles include "Octopus", "Golden Hair", "Long Gone", "She Took A Long Cool Look", "Late Night", "If It's In You", "Love You", and "Terrapin". CD features 6 more bonus tracks – alternate takes of songs on the album!

A really wonderful later score from John Barry – and key proof of the maturity he really hit in his music during the 80s! There's a style here that goes way beyond most of his soundtracks of the 60s – and even of the 70s – a depth of feeling and jazzy approach that's almost like some of the best vintage work by Johnny Mandel! The orchestrations are sublime – handled by Al Woodbury with a really careful balance of strings and solo instrumentation – the greatest of which is the alto sax of Ronny Lang, which blows out wonderfully on most of the score's best numbers. Titles include "Main Title", "I'm Weak", "Chapeau Grits", "Busted", "Surprise", and "Oscar". This beautiful 2CD package is filled with a huge amount of tracks – not just the 13 numbers of the original album, but an additional 47 numbers – including tracks from the film, demos, and other great bits!

Quite an unusual record from New Orleans R&B legend Dave Bartholomew – arranger, producer, and trumpeter – coming off here with more of a jazz sound than on his usual records! Despite the "New Orleans" and "House Party" in the title, the album's actually set of complicated larger group arrangements – wonderful stuff with some strongly pronounced solos, blowing forth in styles that almost evoke some of the best crime jazz soundtracks of the time. Wardell Quezerque joined Bartholomew in putting together the album, and titles include "Sultan's Dream (parts 1 & 2)", "Concerto For Alto Sax (parts 1 & 2)", "Portrait Of A Drummer", and "A Cool One".

Live material recorded in Germany in the early 70s – also featuring Eddie Lockjaw Davis on tenor and Al Grey on trombone!

Stunning soul from the great Joe Bataan – a really groundbreaking mix of modes that's right up there with the best of the Spanish Harlem scene of the late 60s! The album is Joe Bataan's debut for the Fania Records label – and the start of an incendiary run of Latin classics that forever changed the face of the New York scene – a mindblowing mix of Latin rhythms and soul-based inspiration, served up in a mix of English and Spanish language lyrics! The title track is a sublime cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Gypsy Woman" – one that's even more heartbreaking than the original – and other titles include "Ordinary Guy", Sugar Guaguanco", "So Fine", "Fuego", and the groovy "Chickie's Trombone" – a tight little jammer that shows that Joe's group also drew plenty of inspiration from the descarga scene too.

Stunning soul from the great Joe Bataan – a really groundbreaking mix of modes that's right up there with the best of the Spanish Harlem scene of the late 60s! The album is Joe Bataan's debut for the Fania Records label – and the start of an incendiary run of Latin classics that forever changed the face of the New York scene – a mindblowing mix of Latin rhythms and soul-based inspiration, served up in a mix of English and Spanish language lyrics! The title track is a sublime cover of Curtis Mayfield's "Gypsy Woman" – one that's even more heartbreaking than the original – and other titles include "Ordinary Guy", Sugar Guaguanco", "So Fine", "Fuego", and the groovy "Chickie's Trombone" – a tight little jammer that shows that Joe's group also drew plenty of inspiration from the descarga scene too.

A great live date from Batacumbele – a double-length album that really lets the group open up, stretch out, and do their thing! Given that Batacumbele's all about complicating the percussion patterns of their rhythms, the album's live, extended jams are perfect for demonstrating their best musical skills – a rich array of sounds on congas, timbales, bata, bongos, and other percussion instruments – providing the core grooves for instrumentation on keyboards, trumpets, tenor, and trombone! Most tracks have some sort of vocals, but the focus is often mostly on the instrumentation – and titles include "May Day", "Elegua", "Muevete", "La Tia", "Danzonete", "Calabo Y Bambu", "Hot Blood", and "Batacumbele Te Saluda".

Minimalist drone from Masaki Batoh of Ghost – sparely beautiful and somewhat ominous soundscapes from ever-creative experimenter – and the way he created these sounds is kinda mindblowing! Brain Pulse Music is literally what Masaki Batoh has here. Essentially, he dreamed up a machine that could convert radio-transmitted brainwave/EKG data into a more audible frequency. He then found some people to make that happen! Also in the mix here are both peaceful sounding and kind of clattering bits of more traditional Japanese instrumentation – drums, gongs and bells. Dreamy, haunting stuff from a master experimentalist! Includes "Kunamo Codex 1", "Eye Tracking Test", "Kumano Codex 2", "Kumano Codex 3", "Kumano Codex 4", "Kumano Codex 5" and "Aiki No Okami".

Another strong set by the Beastie Boys – who would obviously rather put out a very good album every five or six years, than a sub par album every year or two! Arguably, the Beasties broke all the of the ground that they ever will prior to 2004, but that doesn't mean that they're done making solid records. If To The 5 Boroughs is any indication, there's still quite a bit of life left in the Boys as they approach 40. Prior to each infrequent LP, we're worried that the post Paul's Boutique world of difficult, expensive sample clearance will kill the layers of pop pastiche sound bites that made P's B such a brilliant statement, and with this one we're once again very pleasantly surprised at what they're able to pull off. The soul and funk samples are still piled on in abundance (albeit with a more electro studio built backdrop), as are the block rockin' party rhymes, even if the tone's serious in spots. There are no attempts at funky jazz or punk rock this time – this may be the Beasties' most classifiable hip hop album. Add it to that ever growing list of good-to-great albums by aging artists who were coaxed back into the game in part by their feelings about post 9/11 politics. Tracks include the great throwback single "Ch-Check It Out", "Right Right Now Now", "3 The Hard Way", "It Takes Time To Build", "Rhyme The Rhyme Well", "Hey F**k You", "Triple Trouble", "Oh Word?", "That's It That's All", "All Lifestyles", "Shazam!", "An Open Letter To NYC" and more.

Not quite the Wild Style soundtrack, but still not a bad one, and with a good assortment of popular hip hop cuts. Features tracks like Beastie Boys "She's On It", LL Cool J "I Can't Live Without My Radio", Kurtis Blow "If I Ruled The World" (with the chorus Lauryn Hill sings on the new Nas single), Fat Boys "All You Can Eat", Krush Groove All-Stars (Run-DMC, Fat Boys, Kurtis Blow, Sheila E) "Krush Groovin'", Chaka Khan "Krush Groove" and 4 more!

An amazing collection – every single Jorge Ben album recorded for Philips – one hell of a massive legacy in music, packaged here with a bonus CD of rare material too! The albums in the collection are the stuff of legend – amazing discs that forever changed the face of Brazilian music with Jorge's unique blend of samba and soul, plus a touch of funk as the 70s came on – and together, the music is a mindblowingly heavy batch of work that few other artists could ever match! Titles include Samba Esquema Novo, Sacudin Ben Samba, Ben E Samba Bon, Big Ben, Jorge Ben (1969), Forca Bruta, Negro E Lindo, Ben, 10 Anos Depois, A Tabua De Esmeralda, Solta O Pavao, Gil E Jorge, and Africa Brasil. Rarities disc is unique to this set, from what we can tell – and is filled with goodies too!

A compelling concept for a record – and a set that's also one of the best albums we've heard from Jerry Bergonzi in years! The tunes here are all based on other jazz standards, but really turned inside-out – so that the melodies are mixed up, the changes are changed up, and the overall sound is definitely something unique – a stunning showcase for that wonderful sense of tone that's always made Jerry so great, but which hasn't sounded this powerful for awhile! There's almost an echo of Joe Henderson in the 60s – in the way that Bergonzi plays straight, but always hinting at the edges – and these fresh tunes are often served up as blocks of tone and color, in a way that really sounds amazing. The group's trumpet work from Phil Grenadier provides a nice match for Jerry's horn in the frontline. Bergonzi plays a bit of piano too, and the group also features Will Slater on bass and Karen Kocharyan on drums. Titles include "First Lady", "Sprung", "Deek", "Wilbur", "A Granny Winner", and "PG 2013".

Two bold soundtracks from Elmer Bernstein – back to back on a single CD! First up is The Shootist – a late John Wayne western, but scored with a very classic feel – that driving, dramatic, very Americanist mode that Bernstein brought to his best action scores for the west in the 60s – where each new tune feels like a rich, fresh theme – even though there's a great sense of variety in the record! As with the best Bernstein, the orchestrations are always lean and focused – never too overblown, and able to pack just the right punch for the specific mood of the moment. Titles include "Shootout", "Farewells", "Ride", "Attack", "Pain/Promise", and "Sweeney". Next is The Sons Of Katie Elder – a great 60s western with Dean Martin in the lead next to Wayne – given a soundtrack by Bernstein that showcases some of the lighter elements that Martin brings to his performance – not comedic, but a nice balance to the usual John Wayne modes. The title track is served up in a vocal version by Johnny Cash, and John Wayne narrates "Texas Is A Woman" – alongside other tracks that include "The Elders Fight", "Trouble In Town", "Return To Town", "Memories Of Clearwater", and "Hastings Ranch".

A raw raw party from Richard Berry & The Soul Searchers – caught live at HD Hover Century Restaurant, a place so funky, the food must have jumped off the table! The album's a really unusual one, even for the time – as Berry and the group are captured in a live small club setting, in a way that just lets the tunes roll out as if you were catching the group in person – freewheeling, open-ended, and with an extended grooving quality that even surpasses the energy of the best funky 45s of the time! Berry's got a mighty power at the helm – singing, talking, and calling out the tunes with a real sense of funky majesty – while the small combo really jams behind him on percussion and sax, and a trio of lovely ladies come in to help out on the choruses from time to time. The album features a side-long version of "Down Here On The Ground" that's easily the most mindblowing take we've ever heard on the track – as Berry stretches the thing out with Isaac Hayes-like intensity, and really turns the tune on its ear! Other tracks include the heavy-jamming "Wild Berry", plus "Spread Your Love" and "Give Her All The Love I Got".

A beautiful session of spiritual soul jazz – and one of the rarer albums on the legendary Strata East label! The obscure combo is led by drummer/percussionist John Betsch – and instrumentation includes guitar, piano, electric piano, and reeds – all used with plenty of warm touches, and a few sharp edges – all very much in the best Strata East mode of the time! The tracks have a soaring sort of sound – similar to some of the Keno Duke material on the label, but also touched with some trippier edges too – a great blend that really brings a lot of depth to the session, and which has made this one of our favorite Strata sides over the years. Titles include "Song For An Untitled Lady", "Ra", "Get Up & Go", and "Ode To Ethiopia".

It's been a few years since we last heard from Big Boss Man – but it's been well worth the wait, as these guys know how to cook up a mod groove better than just about anyone else! Winner's got a sound that takes us back to the swinginest days of London in the 60s – Hammond wailing over some snapping mod rhythms – sometimes instrumental, sometimes topped off by slightly psychedelic vocals that expand the sound even more. In the past few years, these guys have really grown a heck of a lot – and have managed to pick up some Latin influences that sit nicely alongside their straighter inspirations from jazz, soul, R&B, and 60s mod rock – making for an album of many surprises, and an expansive sound that's way more than just a quick retro-styled groove! Titles include "Kelvin Stardust", "Fall In Fall Out", "Complicated Lady", "Reach Out", "Oh My Gawd", "Boogaloo", "Fever Special", "Everybody Boogaloo", "The Hawk", and "Got It So Bad".

The most fully-formed album from Nat Birchall so far – and one that has him definitely going into another dimension in jazz, thanks to a slightly expanded lineup! The shift here is almost that betweeen the 60s spiritual sounds on Impulse Records, and the label's groundbreaking material in the post-Coltrane years of the early 70s – a time when folks like Pharoah Sanders, Marion Brown, Alice Coltrane, and others were really helping to redefine a sense of spiritualism in jazz – yet always at the best moments still hanging onto the core sense of individualism that first got the movement started in the 60s! Nat Birchall is at the head of the group – blowing fantastic lines on tenor and soprano sax – searching and righteous, but always with a sense of gentleness too – a really special blend that makes the album sparkle. Other players include Adam Fairhall on piano, Corcy Mwamba on vibes, and Rachael Gladwin on harp – and there's lots of nice percussion touches that are nestled in on the bottom. Birchall wrote all tracks – and titles include "Ancient World", "Dance Of The Mystic", "Radiant Will", "Peace In Ninevah", and "Sacred Dimension".

The earliest work we've ever heard from tenorist Nat Birchall – a player who's really blown our minds with his recent albums from the UK! This set's from the late 90s, and already has Birchall really finding his voice – a freewheeling approach to tenor that's unlike most of his contemporaries, and definitely steeped in strong influences from the spiritual jazz generation! Yet while recent records have Nat in a more meditative mode, the sound here is almost more explosive – with echoes of 60s avant in the mix, amidst some bold rhythmic impulses from the group – almost with a quality that reminds us of some of those brilliant moments when an American soloist would combine with a European combo in the heady 60s scene. In addition to Birchall's tenor, the group also features John Hulme on trumpet and flugelhorn, Richard Wetherall on piano, Dave Tompkins on bass, and Danny Ward on drums – and titles include "Redemption", "Helix Nebula", "Unity Blues", "Passion Dance", and "Ism Schism".

A dream band indeed – as the set features a cast of excellent players who manage to come together tightly as a unit, then break out in really strong and hard-blown solos! Even by a "pulled together for this jam session by the record label"-type group there's a swinging style firmly in place – incredible tightness, but a real respect for the soloists – and a power to kick it louder and larger than even in a small group setting. Players include Herb Geller, Al Cohn, Hank Jones, Budd Johnson, and Ernie Wilkins – and titles on this first volume include "Maynard The Fox", "The Wailing Boat", "Somebody Wants Me Down There", "Little Girl Kimbi", and "Button Nose".

An ambition Black Opera – Libretto from Black Opera and producer Astronote – featuring guests Melody Betts, Mayer Hawthorne, Boog Brown,Lalibella, Rasheeda Ali and 14KT. Includes "End Of The Beginning", "Grand Endtrance", "Rich Blood", "Kings Ramsom", "Queen Of Hearts" with Mayer Hawthorne, "Peace And War" with flute by Rasheeda Ali and trumpet by 14KT, "Thorns", "Red Bills", "Shadows" with Boog Brown, "Black Lair" with Melody Betts and more.

The grandest scale and most elaborately furnished Black Sabbath album to this point – but they still bring the heavy! The title track is one of the most influential metal songs ever, with the foreboding lyrics, trudging stomp of a rhythmic pace and those bridges that are almost pretty – and the most of the rest of the album is great, too – more carefully produced than the previous few without compromising the menace. Titles include "A National Acrobat", "Fluff", "Sabbra Cadabra", "Spiral Architect", "Looking For Today", and "Who Are You".

Hard hard hard soul from the great Cicero Blake – a singer who's better known these days for his down-home blues work, but who was a heck of a great soul artist in the 60s and 70s! This wonderfully-done set collects together 23 singles from Cicero's diverse recordings of the 60s and 70s – pulling together recordings that were issued on a variety of different labels, but when taken together show Blake to be an incredibly powerful singer, with a depth to rival that of his Chicago contemporaries, like Tyrone Davis or Syl Johnson! And honestly, even though we'd heard the odd single by Cicero here and there over the years, we'd never gotten a complete picture of his career until this wonderful set – and we're extra-thankful to the folks at Grapevine for doing such a great job on the notes and track selection. Titles include "See What Tomorrow Brings", "Sad Feeling", "Soul Of Pain", "Take It From Me", "Loving You Woman Is Everything", "Shing A Ling", "Here Comes The Heartache", "Should I Go", "Could This Be Love", "Face The Case", "Don't Wait Until Tomorrow", "Bad But Beautiful Bag", "Doin What Comes Naturally", "Dip My Dipper", "Be Good To Me", "Your Love Is Like A Boomerang", and a bonus 90s sweet soul number, "Don't Wanna Blow My Chance With You".

Proof that the genius of Art Blakey never falters! This obscure gem was recorded in the mid 80s – but rarely saw proper issue until the time of this CD – and it features Blakey leading a hip group of young lions with all the care and confidence of some of his best Jazz Messenger sides from earlier years. The style on the album's about halfway between Blakey's Blue Note and Prestige styles – with the hard-blown solos of the former, and the longer freer song structure of the latter – and players include Terence Blanchard on trumpet, Donald Harrison on alto, Jean Toussaint on tenor, and Mulgrew Miller on piano. Tracks are all long – and titles include "Fuller Love", "Dr Jeckyle", "81", and "One By One".

Nocturnal boombap from Blockhead – a sleepless, samples and electic-beats heavy survey of an after hours metropolis – finding Blockhead as insistently inventive and timeless in approach as ever! We love that Blockhead's work kind of exists in it's own world, yet clearly shows love for NYC life – and the globally diverse soundscapes strongly represent both that great urban landscape and Blockheads inner genius. Includes "Never Forget Your Token", "Creeps Crouchin", "Panic In Funkytown", "Meet You At Tower Records", "Escape The Meadow", "Smoke Signals", "Midnight Blue", "Snapping Point", "Beyond Reach" feat Baby Dayliner and "The Robin Byrd Era".

With "Rapture", "One Way Or Another", "Heart Of Glass", "Call Me", "Atomic", "Rip Her To Shreds", "Hanging OnThe Telephone", "The Tide Is High", "Dreaming" and more.

A stone classic from Blood Sweat & Tears – and a record that went onto have a tremendous impact in jazz, rock, funk, and soul! The group's format is plenty darn famous – adding a lot of horns to hip riffing grooves – but despite countless plays on oldies stations over the years, this initial album still has a power that's undeniable – a way of putting the whole thing together that really uses the best elements of the late 60s studio – handled with sweet production from James William Guerico that rivals his best work for Chicago! Even the lead vocals by David Clayton Thomas hold up nicely – and the set includes the classics "Variations On A Theme By Eric Satie", "And When I Die", "Smiling Phases", "More & More", "Spinning Wheel", and "You've Made Me So Very Happy". CD features bonus live tracks – "More & More" and "Smiling Phases".

A wild debut from Blood Sweat & Tears – one of those records that forever changed the face of popular music! The set's noteworthy not just for early vocals from Al Kooper – who was a key part of the group at their start – but also for key production work from a young John Simon – who helped arrange a bit, threw in a few musical touches, and really gave the group some focus on record – of the sort that would continue over the course of man albums. The set's got some added strings at points, and there's even some backup vocals from the duo of Valerie Simpson and Melba Moore. Titles include "Overture", "I Can't Quit Her", "Just One Smile", "Without Her", "My Days Are Numbered", "Morning Glory", and "So Much Love/Underture". CD features bonus tracks – "Refugee From Yuhupitz", plus demo versions of "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" and "The Modern Adventures Of Plato Diogenes & Freud".

The wild first album from Bloodstone – a much trippier affair than some of the group's later work, as you might guess from the image on the cover! There's a really heavy vibe going on with some of the tracks here – almost an echo of psychedelic soul from the Norman Whitfield camp, with perhaps some of the fuzzy guitars of the Westbound scene too – all a very different change from the sweeter harmonies Bloodstone would drop later in the 70s still a bit rough around the edges here, but in a great way! The album's got plenty of appeal for fans of heavy funk, and there's a definite righteous undercurrent to the music – as you'll hear on tracks like "This Thing Is Heavy", "Dumb Dude", "Lady Of The Night", "Friendship", and "Take These Chains".

Bloodstone moving into a whole new thing – a funkier groove than before, and one that really points the way towards the group's clubby direction at the end of the 70s! Although best known as a sweet harmony group, Bloodstone shine equally well in this upbeat mode – a territory that's somewhere in a space between the funky Isleys of the 70s, and some of the more soaring, sweeping Philly grooves of The Spinners! A few fragile, mellow moments come into the mix – which helps balance out the sound – and the group get some great east coast soul treatment from arranger Bert DeCoteaux, who co-produced the album with Tony Silvester. Titles include a great version of "Just Like in the Movies", the Ace Spectrum classic – plus the tracks "This is It", "When We're Doin It", "Do You Wanna Do a Thing", "If You Wanna Be My Baby", and "Give Me Your Heart".

A great later album from Bloodstone – recorded after their initial classics for London, but in a sweet and mellow soul mode that's totally outta site! Part of the strength of the set is the mighty Al Johnson – who provides arrangements here that push the group firmly into a more modern take on harmony soul, and which have a gentle groove that makes for plenty of sweet steppers and mellow midtempo groovers. The vocals are every bit as great as on the earlier albums – just given a brighter setting in which to shine. Titles include "Just Wanna Get The Feel Of It", "She Wants To Hear The Words", "It's Been A Long Time", "Throw A Little Loving My Way", "It's All Been Said Before", and "Don't Stop".

Bloodstone's augmented here by a heck of a lot of studio players – more than enough to fill out the needs of the soundtrack to this so-so film from the mid 70s. A few cuts still have the group singing in their better harmony style, but more than a few numbers are remakes of 50s vocal group classics or older standards – in a mode that clearly shows that Bloodstone's control over the score was maybe not as strong as that of other groups working on soundtracks at the time. Titles include "Yakety Yak", "Hooray For Romance", "Go To Sleep", "I'm In Shape", and "Money".

A killer late set by Bloodstone – one that holds on to all the excellent harmonies they brought to their 70s work, but which pushes their groove forward in a whole new direction! There's a warm modern glow to the set – one that works perfectly with the vocals – and the quintet still have a hell of a way with a ballad – singing in that slow-tripping style that was never too overly emotive, yet could pack a hell of a punch back in the day – especially in the wee hours! The tunes here are longer than before, and inflected by some rich arrangements by both the Isley Brothers and McKinley Jackson – and the set's got an Isleys-like approach by putting all the ballads on one side, and the groovers on another. These groovers really hold onto the harmonies wonderfully – making for a great follow-up to the ballads – and titles include the sublime smooth stepping track "We Go A Long Way Back", plus "Go On & Cry", "How Does It Feel", "Nite Time Fun", "My Love Grows Stronger", and "My Kind Of Woman". CD features great bonus tracks too – "My Love Grows Stronger (part 2)", "Go On & Cry (7" mix)", and "We Go A Long Way Back (12" mix)".

Some nice surprises here – including "Do It Any Way You Wanna (parts 1 & 2)", "Soleful Moments", "Bossa Fuego", "Shake Your Bootie", "Low Down", and "Foxy Funk".

Excellent stuff from Blow Fly – and a great bit of funk that's a hilarious parody of disco! Blow's band funks it up with riffs that you'd hear from The JBs, BT Express, or other groups of the time – while Blow himself sings these very off-color, and very funny lyrics that rip off the overt sensuality and empty promises of the disco era. The whole thing's as great as any of his other funky records from the time – and it's another one of those great gems from the 70s that put the "party" in Party Records!

Well of course the guy's a porno freak – after all, his albums of the 70s were as close to audio porn as you'll ever get! And on this album, Blowfly's certainly keeping things below the belt – working in a style that's a bit tighter than before, and with some nice P-Funk touches, plus a bit of hip hop – but still very much in the raunchy party mode for which he's known! Titles include "To F*ck the Boss", "Porno Freak", "The Girl Wants to F*ck", and "International Pricks".

Blowfly changes up his groove nicely for the 80s – taking on a tightly-stepping approach to funk that's clearly inspired by some of the changes on the west coast scene – using Zapp-ish rhythms in a mode that ends up working pretty darn well for his off-color spoken lyrics! There's almost a P-Funk quality to the record – especially as the themes get a bit more political and current events-ish than usual – trading the easy sex jokes for some other comic fare on tunes that include "Convoy", "Blowfly Vs. Darth Vadar", "The Incredible Fulk", and "The Insects Theme".

Sublime work from Blue Magic – a record that still has them singing in the sweet harmony sound of earlier records, but which also picks up a fuller sound and a bit of a groove – thanks to stone Philly arrangements by Norman Harris and Ron "Have Mercy" Kersey! A number of tracks add in a bit of moog that sound surprisingly great next to the group's harmonies – electrifying them a bit without overwhelming them – and letting Blue Magic step way past their fragile harmony roots into the forefront of Philly group soul at the time! Tracks include the groovers "We're On The Right Track" and "Magic Of The Blue", the ballads "Chasing Rainbows" and "Loneliest House on the Block", plus "What's Come Over Me", which is a duet between the group and Margie Joseph.

A lost treasure – never-issued material from the legendary Blue Notes combo – and a set that really helps fill some space in their all-too-small recorded catalog! The set captures the group at the end of the 70s, working in their most openly-creative mode – a style that partly shows their strong roots in the South African jazz scene of the 60s, but which also really opens up with some of the freer modes of the following decade – hitting a mix of modes that's not unlike some of the AACM at their best, although often with a lot more intensity, too! The group at this point is a quartet – with Chris McGregor on piano, Johnny Dyani on bass, Louis Moholo on drums, and Dudu Pukwana on some especially amazing alto sax – blown with such righteous force, we might well say that his instrument is center stage on the record – were it not for the wonderfully complex rhythms from the other three group members too! Tracks are long, and filled with righteous soul – and titles inlcude "Ithi Gui", "Mange", "Lonta Uyagula", "Lakutshonga Ilanga", "The Bride", and "Funk Dem Dudu".