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A mid 70s meeting of two seminal blues talents from the Memphis scene – singer Bobby Blue Bland, and legendary guitarist BB King! The pair were both working for ABC at the time – major label fame after years woodshedding in the indies – and hitting well-deserved fame for their huge talents – still as fresh here as they were a decade before, and unmarred by any studio sanitization in this great live set! The record does an especially good job of bringing together the artists verbally – letting Bobby and BB open up and rap a bit during the songs – yet still having plenty of space to go into their own thing musically, too. Titles include "It's My Own Fault", "I'll Take Care Of You", "I'm Sorry", "3 O'Clock Blues", "Goin Down Slow", and a great long Medley track.

A mid 70s meeting of two seminal blues talents from the Memphis scene – singer Bobby Blue Bland, and legendary guitarist BB King! The pair were both working for ABC at the time – major label fame after years woodshedding in the indies – and hitting well-deserved fame for their huge talents – still as fresh here as they were a decade before, and unmarred by any studio sanitization in this great live set! The record does an especially good job of bringing together the artists verbally – letting Bobby and BB open up and rap a bit during the songs – yet still having plenty of space to go into their own thing musically, too. Titles include "It's My Own Fault", "I'll Take Care Of You", "I'm Sorry", "3 O'Clock Blues", "Goin Down Slow", and a great long Medley track.

Some of the funkiest female soul ever recorded – the near-complete work of James Brown diva Vicki Anderson, compiled here officially for the first time ever! Vicki was one of the first female singers to work with James – replacing the sweeter style of vocalist Anna King in the James Brown Revue of the late 60s, and setting the stage for better-known hard soul singers Marva Whitney and Lyn Collins in years to come! Vicki recorded some excellent singles with James and the band backing her up – but never actually cut a full LP, which is why this overdue set is so essential. Vicki's got a socking-hard sound that worked equally well with the early funk sound of the James Brown Band of the late 60s, as it did during her later recordings with the JBs and Bobby Byrd. The collection brings together 17 of Vicki's recordings under the James Brown umbrella – including a number that we'd never heard before, some duets with James and Bobby Byrd, and a few of her singles recorded under the name of Myra Barnes. And you can take our word for it that you won't find a better collection of funky female soul – because this one's hard-stepping and massively grooving all the way through! Titles include "Baby Don't You Know", "Message From The Soul Sisters (parts 1 & 2)", "Super Good (parts 1 & 2)", "I'm Too Tough For Mr Big Stuff", "Answer To Mother Popcorn", "I Want To Be In The Land Of Milk & Honey", "Baby Don't You Know", "If You Don't Give Me What I Want (I Gotta Get It Some Other Place)", "Wide Awake In A Dream", "What The World Needs Now Is Love", "I'll Work It Out", "Think", "Don't Throw Your Love In The Garbage Can", and "You're Welcome Stop On By".

One of the best James Brown soul LPs from the 70's, with a great mix of funky tracks and deeper soul tracks. The latter is represented by the classics "Public Enemy #1" and "King Heroin", both hard soul political tracks. The funk is represented by "Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothing", "There It Is", and James's version of "I Need Help" (which was also recorded by Bobby Byrd). Another great reissue of an album we hardly ever see in good shape – and at about one fifth the price of an original copy!

Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd – sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s – and feature Bobby working in that incredibly tight, incredibly fast-grooving mode he first forged with James – heard to best effect on some key live recordings, and served up here in some equally great studio sides that feature help from Fred Wesley and Brown. A few other cuts keep the funky fire burning with some surprisingly nice Miami touches – with Clarence Reid on production, but Bobby more than strongly in the mix on some great vocals. There also appears to be a few tracks from later years – featuring Byrd with singers Vicki Anderson and Martha High, plus a group that also includes Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley – and 2 more that are later live numbers. The set features 11 tracks in all, and is a great counterpart to Bobby's one and only album for the King label – with tracks that include "Never Get Enough", "Hang It Up", "Back From The Dead", "The Way To Get Down", "Feel Good Friday", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Let Me Know", and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind".

Brilliant work from Francisco Mora Catlett – a really timeless record that encompasses a world's worth of elements in jazz! Catlett's at the height of his powers here – leading the group with a sense of righteous majesty that takes us back to some of the most ambitious heirs of the post-Coltrane generation, but with perhaps an oddly rhythmic twist as well – such as you might find in some of the 70s classics of Bobby Vince Paunetto. Echoes of Latin, Afro, and spiritual jazz come together as one – soaring to the skies on soulful waves of sound – brought together with a sense of focus and spirit that really moves us a lot. Players include Marcus Belgrave and John Douglass on trumpets, Sherman Mitchell on trombone, Vincent Bowens on tenor and flute, Alex Harding on baritone and bass clarinet, Kenny Cox on piano, and Rodney Whitaker on bass – and titles include "Samba/Conga De Amor", "Amazona Prelude/Dawn", "Old Man Joe", "Rumba Morena", "Afra-Jum", "King Of Lightning/Drums Solo", and "Hasta La Vista".

One of Aretha's undisputed classics – a seminal session that furthered her deep soul agenda with key backings from Arif Mardin and Tom Dowd! The Sweet Inspirations provide sublime backing vocals behind Franklin's maturing delivery of the lyrics – and the music is by an all-star group of players that includes Spooner Oldham, Bobby Womack, Jimmy Johnson, King Curtis, Tommy Cogbill, Roger Hawkins, and even Eric Clapton! Cuts include "You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman", "Chain Of Fools", "Money Won't Change You", "Come Back Baby", and "Ain't No Way". CD includes 4 bonus tracks "Chain of Fools (unedited version)", "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman (mono single version)", "Since You've Never Been Gone (Sweet Sweet Baby) (mono single version)", and "Ain't No Way (mono single version)"!

One of the greatest female soul albums of the 60s – an obscure session cut by singer Anna King, produced to perfection by James Brown! The sound here is very much in keeping with James' best work of the time – deep deep deep soul, with a solid grounding in the indie traditions of the time, and some ultra-tight backing by James and the rest of his famous group. Bobby Byrd joins Anna on a great tune called "Baby Baby Baby", and all other tracks are sung solo – in a mindblowing style that should have been enough to make Aretha give up singing forever! Titles include "Come & Get These Memories", "If You Don't Think", "I Don't Want To Cry", "Sittin In The Dark", "Come On Home", and "Make Up Your Mind".

A 60s set from Memphis bluesman BB King – but one put together with a very distinct Chicago touch as well! The set's produced by Johnny Pate, and recorded live with a vibe that's similar to King's classic recording at The Regal – but it's almost got even more of a soulful punch, thanks to backing from a cool small combo that includes Bobby Forte on tenor, Kenneth Sands on trumpet, Duke Jethro on Hammond, and Louis Satterfield on bass! BB's vocals are great – in his best early form – and the tunes are bluesy, but also smoke with a nice degree of soul – and almost some jazzy touches at times from the tenor and organ. Titles include "Don't Answer The Door", "Blind Love", "Tired Of Your Jive", "Night Life", "Buzz Me", and "Waitin On You". CD features two bonus tracks – "Goin Down Slow" and "Sweet Sixteen (parts 1 & 2)" – both additional live numbers.

There's some bigger arrangements here than you'd usually get on a BB King album of the 60s – but they're used in a really great way that makes the album one of our favorites by King from his years at ABC! Johnny Pate arranged and produced, and he gives the whole thing a Chicago soul punch that's mighty nice – a mix of blues and soul that's not unlike some of the best Bobby Blue Bland work at Duke a few years before – and a blend that's really a lot like some of the best indie soul coming out of Chicago's west side in the late 60s too. The album's a killer all the way through, and it's great to hear BB in such a setting – on cuts that include "Dance With Me", "Heartbreaker", "I'm Not Wanted Anymore", "Having My Say", "That's Wrong Mama", "Now That You've Lost Me", "Until I Found You", and "Worried Dream".

A stellar set of surviving 70s Black Ark productions by Lee Perry – with rare and unreleased cuts plus pivotal, if long-buried sides by Junior Byles, U Roy, Delroy Butler, Tinga Stewart, The Upsetters, The Flames, The Ethiopians, Jah T and more – Perry-produced gems for Kingston's cultural rebels and sufferers! The Sound Doctor compilation is really an essential, perfectly-collected batch on Pressure Sounds – the UK label that once again proves to be among the finest and most respectful of Sound Doctor devotees. Among the exceptional rarities are the unreleased "Army Of Love" by Junior Byles, an exclusive dub plate mix of the Upsetters "Horny Train", the raw original mix of U Roy's "006" and many more – stirringly soulful Black Ark singles and dub versions including "Sound Doctor" by Bobby Floyd, "Do Good" by Al Maytone", "Different Experience" by Brother Ray", "Smiling Faces" by Tinga Stewart, "It’s Impossible" by The Ethiopians, "Grandfather Land" by Jah T, "King Of Kings" by Pat Francis, "Be Prepared" by Keith Poppin, "Key Card" by Lee & Jimmy, "Start Over" by The Gatherers and more.

Funky funky female soul! Marva Whitney was one of the greatest singers in the James Brown stable of stars during the late 60s – and she sang with a hard raw style worth of The Godfather himself! Brother James produced and wrote a good part of this classic album – and the record is one of the greatest JB albums of all time! Nearly every cut's a winner – like the sample classic "Unwind Yourself", which has a crazy corkscrew sax line, or the massive two-part remake of the Isley's "It's Your Thing" (titled "It's My Thing"), or the slowly funky "Get Out Of My Life", or the massive duet with Bobby Byrd "You Got To Have A Job", or the classic instrumental "In The Middle". It's all great – and the album's one of the best funk records you could buy!

Funky funky female soul! Marva Whitney was one of the greatest singers in the James Brown stable of stars during the late 60s – and she sang with a hard raw style worth of The Godfather himself! Brother James produced and wrote a good part of this classic album – and the record is one of the greatest JB albums of all time! Nearly every cut's a winner – like the sample classic "Unwind Yourself", which has a crazy corkscrew sax line, or the massive two-part remake of the Isley's "It's Your Thing" (titled "It's My Thing"), or the slowly funky "Get Out Of My Life", or the massive duet with Bobby Byrd "You Got To Have A Job", or the classic instrumental "In The Middle". It's all great – and the album's one of the best funk records you could buy!

A wonderfully expanded version of this classic of funky funky female soul! Marva Whitney was one of the greatest singers in the James Brown stable of stars during the late 60s – and she sang with a hard raw style worth of The Godfather himself! Brother James produced and wrote a good part of this classic album – and the record is one of the greatest JB albums of all time! Nearly every cut's a winner – like the sample classic "Unwind Yourself", which has a crazy corkscrew sax line, or the massive two-part remake of the Isley's "It's Your Thing" (titled "It's My Thing"), or the slowly funky "Get Out Of My Life", or the massive duet with Bobby Byrd "You Got To Have A Job", or the classic instrumental "In The Middle". This reissue is an expanded version, and it features a very excellent batch of tracks that were previously only issued as funky 45s! Tracks include "Sunny", "I Made A Mistake Because It's Only You (parts 1 & 2)", "You Got To Have A Job", "Shades Of (inst)", "I'm Tired I'm Tired I'm Tired", "This Girl's In Love With You", "He's The One", "Unwind Yourself", "What Kind Of Man", "Things Got To Get Better", "It's My Thing (parts 1 & 2)", and "Get Out Of My Life". 18 cuts in all.

A crucial Yabby You set, dug up by the crew at Blood & Fire – this set contains the whole of the Yabby You & Michael Prophet "Vocal and Dub" album, plus 8 extra tracks taken mostly from hard to get 45s. We've always loved Yabby You, and his dub collaborations with King Tubby have yielded some of the fattest rhythms around. Tubby's in full effect here, along with his disciple Prince Jammy, and the band's a killer too, with Santa Davis, Chinna Smith, Ansel Collins and a great horn section: Tommy McCook, Bobby Ellis and Vin Gordon. 18 tracks: "Zambia", "Steppin' High", "Mount Zion Version", "Heads A Roll Dub", "Rock With Me Dub", "Conscious Man Dub" & "Warn Them Jah Dub".

A rich tribute to one of the greatest indies of the south – especially back in the 50s – Jackson's mighty Ace Records – home to a rich array of R&B, early rockers, and rootsy music too – all served up here in a mightily overstuffed compilation! The set brings together a few unreleased tracks alongside Ace singles and other obscurities – a rich testament to the strength of the label back in the day – and their great ear for sounds from surrounding scenes as well – as the music here has plenty of echoes of Memphis and New Orleans too! The package is heavy on obscure gems – and titles include "Baby Say You Will" by Jesse Allen, "Hey Hey Baby Come Home" by Albert Scott, "Well I Never Get Tired" by Johnny Fairchild, "Educated Fool" by Huey Piano Smith, "Roll On Train" by Elton Anderson, "Doing The Rock & Roll" by Calvin Spears, "Classy Lassie" by Alvin Red Tyler & The Gyros, "I'm Packing Up" by Earl King, "Love's Like A River" by Charles Brown, "Roll Em Back" by Eddie Bo, and "Love Is My Business" by Bobby Woods. CD features 9 more bonus tracks from the original album – with titles that include "Shed So Many Tears" by Elton Anderson, "You Aim To Please" by Jimmy Clanton, "Sea Cruise" by Huey & Jerry, "Baby It's Love" by Johnny Angel, and "Rock" by Lee Dorsey.

Possibly the greatest installment so far in this wonderfully groovy series – a set of hard-swinging soul jazz tracks from the 60s – most of them the sort you might find blasting out of a jukebox in the backroom of some southside bar! Heavy Hammond, tremendous tenor, and gritty guitar lines abound – all upbeat and groovy, almost funky at times – served up in 2 or 3 minute installments from a batch of rare 45s! There's echoes here of the instrumental grooves that play big on the popcorn soul scene, but other work is more jazz-based overall – and although a few tunes have vocals, the biggest focus here is on instrumental numbers. Wonderful stuff throughout – and a collection we'll be playing for years! Titles include "Bash Dance" by Bobby Donaldson, "Arabian Jerk" by The Merits, "La La La La La" by Afro Blues Quintet, "Take Off Your Shoes (part 1)" by Booker T Averhart & The Mustangs, "Hung Over" by The Martinis, "Senor Blues" by Dee Clarke, "Sweet Bread" by Miles Grayson Trio, "All Around The World" by Chuck Higgins, "COD" by Albert King, "Fredrick's Dream" by Kenny Rice & Leo's Five, and "Tam-A-Rind" by Hank Jacobs & The TKOs.

A host of wonderful work produced by James Brown – most of it by a range of different singers, and one by The Godfather himself! The collection brings together some of the earliest James Brown productions – mid 60s tracks recorded for King and Smash Records, most of which aren't nearly as well known as later JB productions for the People and Polydor labels! As with that later work, all the grooves here are right in the same territory that James was hitting himself – upbeat, funky, and stone out of sight soul – all with plenty of rough edges, and backings from the same tight core of musicians that were helping out Brown on his recordings. The package is a real treasure – and is a great complement to the James Brown Singles collections from the Hip-O Select label – proof that even in these early days, James was clearly the hardest working man in show business – given all his time in the studio with other artists! 22 tracks in all – including "I Found Out" and "I'll Keep Pressing On" by Bobby Byrd, "That's When I Cry" and "If You Don't Think" by Anna King, "I Don't Care" and "Unexplainable" by Dizzy Jones, "Got No Excuse" and "If You Don't Work You Can't Eat" by James Crawford, "Do You Really Want To Rescue Me (part 1)" by Elsie Mae, "Lookie Lookie Lookie" by The Jewells, "Wide Awake In A Dream" and "Nobody Cares" by Vicki Anderson, "Devil's Den" by The Poets, "It Hurts To Be In Love" by Yvonne Fair, "That's The Spirit" by Rev Willingham, "Faith" by The Five Royales, "I Cried" by Tammy Montgomery, "Soul Food (parts 1 & 2)" by Al Brisco Clark, and "New Breed (The Boo Ga Loo) (part 1)" by James Brown.

The full scope of the mighty songwriting talents of Carole King and Gerry Goffin – a much-chronicled 60s team who had plenty of troubles of their own, but who brought some really amazing music to the world at the time! The package features songs in a variety of genres – soul, pop, rock, country, and more – including some appearing here on CD for the first time ever, and plenty more that aren't just the obvious Goffin/King hits! The CD features a huge booklet – nearly 25 pages in all – with track-by-track notes on the tunes, as well as on the songwriting team – and as with some of Ace's other explorations into 60s pop powerhouses, the single disc package is almost more informative and thorough than some bigger box sets. Titles include "He's In Town" by The Tokens, "Don't Ever Change" by The Crickets, "The First & The Last" by The Chiffons, "Brand New Man" by Richard Popcorn Wylie, "Let Me Get Close To You" by Skeeter Davis, "The Idol" by Bobby Vee, "I Can't Make It Alone" by PJ Proby, "Just A Little Girl" by Donna Loren, "I Can't Hear You" by Betty Everett, "I Just Can't Say Goodbye" by Bobby Rydell, "I Didn't Have Any Summer Romance" by The Satisfactions, "Yours Until Tomorrow" by Dee Dee Warwick, "So Much Love" by Ben E King, and "A Natural Woman" by Aretha Franklin.

Brilliant bubbling-under soul from the late 60s – a killer package of non-hit material from a variety of well-known acts! The collection follows very strongly on Kent's excellent first volume – and like that package, it offers a fresher side fo the 60s by digging up obscure singles by artists known from bigger tunes – all top-shelf singers and groups that rank with some of the best indie soul of the 60s, represented here by lesser-known gems that are totally great! The vibe runs between Northern, uptown, and harmony soul – with a fair bit of tracks from New York and Chicago sources – and as always with compilations on Kent, the CD's got a great set of notes to prove that the track selection wasn't an accident! Titles include "Let's Copp A Groove" by Bobby Wells, "You Better Believe It Baby" by Joe Tex, "We're Doing Fine" by Dee Dee Warwick, "Water" by Geno Washington, "Earthquake" by Bobby Lynn, "I Can't Work No Longer" by Billy Butler, "Can't You Hear The Beat" by The Carltons, "With Feeling Darling" by The Spidells, "Love In Them There Hills" by The Vibrations, "The Beginning Of My End" by The Unifics, "Keep On Loving" by Otis Leavill, "Drive On James" by King George, "I'll Love You Forever" by The Holidays, and "You've Got To Pay The Price" by Al Kent.

A sweet little set of 70s dubs – recorded at Channel 1, Harry J's, Randy's and King Tubbys in the heart of the dub era – with dubby takes on classic cuts by Barry Brown, Horace Andy, Don Carlos and others. The rhythms were laid down by the cream of the crop, too – Santa Davis, Sly Dunbar, Robby Shakespeare, Chinna Smith, Tommy McCook, Deadley Headley, Bobby Ellis, Sculla Sims and others. Includes "Why Fight The Dub", "Conversation Dub", "A Better Version", "Care Free Dub", "Step Inna Dub Style", "Creation Of Dub", "My Brethren In Dub", "A Wicked Dub", "Rub This Dub", "The Jehovah Version" and more. 2 CD bonus tracks: "Invasion Dub" and "A Lonely Dub".

Oooooooh-weeee! Is this a funky monster, or what? The set's easily the best in this great series – a really hard and heavy batch of rare funk tunes that pushes past the cliches of the title to come up with an all-solid batch of tracks that's sure to please any fan of deep funk. Loads of great little groovers from a range of different labels – organ jazz meets heavy soul vocals meets dancing bassline funk, hard drums, heavy riffing, and beyond – all wrapped up together with a sound that never lets up. Tracks include "Mary Jane" by Bobby Rush, "Bustin Outta The Ghetto" by Carlos Malcolm, "I'm A Good Woman" by The Generation, "Dance Girl" by The Mighty Tom Cats, "Peace Love Not War" by Johnny King with The Fatback Band, "The Truth Shall Make You Free" by King Hannibal, "I'm Wishin" by Lorez Alexandria, "I've Known Rivers" by Gary Bartz, "Viva" by Jade, "Seeds Of Life" by East LA Car Pool, "Starvin" by Winfield Parker, and "He Called Me Baby" by Spanky Wilson.

Hard to see how these nighttime folks get any lovin done – give that the grooves in the series are always so great, we're bound to spend the whole evening on the dancefloor! This smoking 17th entry (!) in the collection is every bit as grooving as the rest – heavy on the kind of 80s soul that still sounds pretty darn fresh today – cuts that never got the right sort of chance back in the day, and which are finally being rediscovered and given new life in the 21st Century! Rhythms are heavy on keyboards and beats – with a fair bit of bassy bits too – and titles include "Sweat" by Brick, "Lovequake" by Bobby King, "Just Begun To Love You" by Renee Aldrich, "Cry Like A Wolf" by RJ's Latest Arrival, "Give Me" by I Level, "Let Sleeping Dogs Lie" by Intrique, "This Time" by Funk Deluxe, "Hot Girl" by Private Eye, and "Let's Change It Up" by Inner Life.

Rare soul from the legendary King Records – hand-picked by Mr Fine Wine, with a special ear for sharp-edged R&B grooves! Most of the work here is from the same early soul stretch as James Brown's initial work for King – and recorded with an equally raw sound overall – heavy rhythms, powerful instrumentation, and amazing vocals that really stretch out with a bold sound for the new generation! A few of the cuts here are by familiar names, and others are lesser-knowns from the rich King catalog – all wrapped together in a big batch of tracks that's filled with the kind of rare gems that Fine Wine's know for – both as a collector and a DJ. Titles include "Old Faithful & True Love" by Earl King, "She's Mine" by Joe Tex, "Mama Needs Your Lovin Baby" by Linda Hopkins, "Cozy's Mambo" by Cozy Cole, "The Jumpin Bean" by The Mystics, "Harem Girl" by Red Prysock, "I Won't Have It" by The King Pins, "One Buffalo" by Jimmy Peterson, "Thanks Mr Postman" by Bobby King, "Solid Rock" by Eli Pauling & The Royalton, "Nothing But Good" by Hank Ballard, and "Take Your Fine Frame Home" by Billy Gayles.

Rare soul from the legendary King Records – hand-picked by Mr Fine Wine, with a special ear for sharp-edged R&B grooves! Most of the work here is from the same early soul stretch as James Brown's initial work for King – and recorded with an equally raw sound overall – heavy rhythms, powerful instrumentation, and amazing vocals that really stretch out with a bold sound for the new generation! A few of the cuts here are by familiar names, and others are lesser-knowns from the rich King catalog – all wrapped together in a big batch of tracks that's filled with the kind of rare gems that Fine Wine's know for – both as a collector and a DJ. Titles include "Old Faithful & True Love" by Earl King, "She's Mine" by Joe Tex, "Mama Needs Your Lovin Baby" by Linda Hopkins, "Cozy's Mambo" by Cozy Cole, "The Jumpin Bean" by The Mystics, "Harem Girl" by Red Prysock, "I Won't Have It" by The King Pins, "One Buffalo" by Jimmy Peterson, "Thanks Mr Postman" by Bobby King, "Solid Rock" by Eli Pauling & The Royalton, "Nothing But Good" by Hank Ballard, and "Take Your Fine Frame Home" by Billy Gayles. Totally great limited package – 20 tracks on 10 funky 45s – all packaged in a mighty cool box!

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

Bobby Valentin was certainly the king of the bass by the time of this record – and a player who'd helped bring the electric instrument from its strong 60s use in Latin Soul to one of the key components in salsa rhythms of the 70s! The set follows very strongly in bold sound of Valentin's "second wave" of salsa sides – his post-trumpet years that marked an even deeper commitment to shaping the broader sound of the Latin mainstream, but always with an ear for soulful twists and turns that made his records so great! Marvin Santiago and Frankie Hernandez are on vocals, but the lineup also features some tenor and baritone sax fleshing out the more typical trumpets – a groove that brings in nice colors at just the right moments, especially on the hipper tunes in the set. Titles include "La Vibora", "Arenas Del Desierto", "Aqui No Me Quedo", "Hay Craneo", "Guaraguao", "Codazos", and "Coco Seco".

Sweet 70s funk from George Benson – an album that's a bit smoother than some of his earlier work, but still free from the commercial polish of his later hits! Maestro David Matthews is at the helm for this session – and most numbers have a full backing from players who include some of the best of the CTI/Kudu generation – including Ronnie Foster and Bobby Lyle on keyboards, Joe Farrell on flute, Fred Wesley on trombone, Eric Gale on rhythm guitar, Dave Friedman on vibes, and Steve Gadd on drums – who manages to kick in a nicely funky undercurrent, even on some of the mellower numbers. George's guitar is filled with warmly chromatic hues – gliding away nicely on titles that include the slow funky "Em", plus "Siberian Workout", "Shell Of A Man", "Hold On I'm Coming", "One Rock Don't Make No Boulder", and "Theme From Good King Bad".

One of Anthony Braxton's first great recordings with a larger group – a really impressive array of sounds and tones that takes his compositional experiments to the next level! Tunes here are all those complicated Braxton formulas from the 70s – carried out by a host of equally-imaginative players who include Dwight Andrews, Vinny Golia, JD Parran, Marty Erlich, and Ned Rothenberg on saxes and reeds; Kenny Wheeler, Leo Smith, and Michael Mossman on trumpets; Ray Anderson, George Lewis, and James King Roosa on trombones; Marilyn Crispell on piano, Bobby Naughton on vibes, James Emery on guitar, Bob Ostertag on synthesizer, Thurman Barker on percussion and marimba, and Braxton himself at the head of the ensemble! The electronics come across with some great tones that really link the freer reed moments – and the sound of the whole album is plenty powerful throughout.

Excellent rare soul from Atlantic – and a very different side of the label's output! The focus here is on tracks that are a bit more sophisticated than the hits – not really mellow, as most of the numbers are very nice groovers, but just with a twist that sets them apart from some of the label's other material. The 25-track set begins with a previously unissued gem from Ben E King – "Getting To Me", which has some of the most amazing arrangements we've heard on his records! Other titles include "Sly Girl" by Derek Martin, "My Love Is Getting Stronger" by Cliff Nobles, "Here Come The Tears" by Darrell Banks, "You My Love" by Tami Lynn, "Across The Street" by Lenny O'Henry, "Come On Baby & Hurt Me" by Naomi & Harris, "New Day Begins" by Parliaments, "Find Me Somebody" by Bobby Womack, "Got To Get You Back" by Johnny Newbag, "Suffering City" by Johnny Copeland, "Where Did I Go Wrong" by The Embers, and "Thank You John" by Willie Tee.

During the 50s, King Records was one of the biggest labels in R&B – and as the soul years of the 60s approached, the company kept the flag flying strong with a host of new artists, underground soul and blues singers who helped define the new sound of the decade with a rich approach to the music. This set features 24 tracks from those years – mostly obscure numbers by artists that have long fallen by the wayside, but who recorded for King next to James Brown, Little Willie John, and other important early soul artists – often matching or beating their intensity with their brief turn in the studio! The set features tracks that were mostly singles on the King and Federal labels – with titles that include "My Kinda Girl" by Hannibal, "You're Welcome To The Club" by Lee Shot Williams, "Just A Little Bit" by Tiny Topsy, "Thanks Mr Postman" by Bobby King, "I'm Shakin" by Little Willie John, "Burnt Toast & Black Coffee" by Mike Pedicin, "I'm Better Off Now" by The Premiers, "She Made My Blood Run Cold" by Ike Turner, "You Won't Want Me Around" by Mike Williams, "You're Using Me" by The King Pins, and "Don't Be So Mean" by William Patton.

Oooooooh-weeee! Is this a funky monster, or what? The set's easily the best in this great series – a really hard and heavy batch of rare funk tunes that pushes past the cliches of the title to come up with an all-solid batch of tracks that's sure to please any fan of deep funk. Loads of great little groovers from a range of different labels – organ jazz meets heavy soul vocals meets dancing bassline funk, hard drums, heavy riffing, and beyond – all wrapped up together with a sound that never lets up. Tracks include "Mary Jane" by Bobby Rush, "Bustin Outta The Ghetto" by Carlos Malcolm, "I'm A Good Woman" by The Generation, "Dance Girl" by The Mighty Tom Cats, "Peace Love Not War" by Johnny King with The Fatback Band, "The Truth Shall Make You Free" by King Hannibal, "I'm Wishin" by Lorez Alexandria, "I've Known Rivers" by Gary Bartz, "Viva" by Jade, "Seeds Of Life" by East LA Car Pool, "Starvin" by Winfield Parker, and "He Called Me Baby" by Spanky Wilson.

Oooooooh-weeee! Is this a funky monster, or what? The set's easily the best in this great series – a really hard and heavy batch of rare funk tunes that pushes past the cliches of the title to come up with an all-solid batch of tracks that's sure to please any fan of deep funk. Loads of great little groovers from a range of different labels – organ jazz meets heavy soul vocals meets dancing bassline funk, hard drums, heavy riffing, and beyond – all wrapped up together with a sound that never lets up. Tracks include "Mary Jane" by Bobby Rush, "Bustin Outta The Ghetto" by Carlos Malcolm, "I'm A Good Woman" by The Generation, "Dance Girl" by The Mighty Tom Cats, "Peace Love Not War" by Johnny King with The Fatback Band, "The Truth Shall Make You Free" by King Hannibal, "I'm Wishin" by Lorez Alexandria, "I've Known Rivers" by Gary Bartz, "Viva" by Jade, "Seeds Of Life" by East LA Car Pool, "Starvin" by Winfield Parker, and "He Called Me Baby" by Spanky Wilson.

A treasure box of early 60s R&B 45s – a top shelf collection of singles cut for the King & Federal labels from 1960 to 1964 – amazing numbers from Hank Ballard, Freddy King, The Drivers, Little Bobby Moore, Willie Dixon & The Big Wheels, Johnny Guitar Watson, Carol Ford, Little Willie John and more. Early 60s soul and rollicking R&B sides to rival the best and most exciting sounds of the era – compiled by DJ Mr Fine Wine, most of which have never been reissued before now! Includes "Gibble Gobble" by Willie Wright & His Sparklers, "Broadway" by Hank Ballard, "What Makes You So Cold" by Lulu Reed, "My Nerves" by Little Willie John, "The Slummer The Slum" by The 5 Royales, "I Don't Know About You" by Lloyd Nolan, "Where You At Jack" by Little Mummy, "That's It Man" by The Valentines, "Mind Your Own Business" by Eugene Church, "Regardless" by Charles Brown, "Texas Oil" by Freddie King", "One Zippy Zam" by Roy Mildton & His Orchestra, "Mom, Won't You Teach Me To Monkey" by Little Emmett Suttoon, "Hog Killin Time" by Eddie Kirk and more.

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

A funk and soul treasure trove – wicked rare work from the legendary Brunswick label – most of it only issued on 45s back in the 60s and early 70s, and not reissued on CD! The package is a stunner – a real surprise that shows us there's plenty to dig for at Brunswick when you get past the hits – some wonderful Windy City soul from the late 60s, and gritty New York cuts that balance things out nicely too – and which definitely show a harder-edged side of Brunswick than you'd guess from the label's better-known tracks. There's some great obscurities here – the kind of cuts that we'd normally only find on rare 45s – like "It's Gonna Be Good" by Johnny Jones & The King Casuals, "Baby It's Time" by Marshall & The Chi-Lites, "Just A Little Misunderstanding" by Johnny Williams, "You Are" by Bobby Reed, "I Want Something To Remember You By" by Marvin Smith, "How Can You Say Goodbye" by Sidney Joe Qualls, "Once You Fall In Love" by Eddie McLoyd, "Karate Boogaloo" by The Emperors, and "Talk A Little Louder" by Wales Wallace – plus rare Brunswick material by folks you'd normally associate with other labels – like "Sweet Temptation" by Isaac Hayes, "Easy Evil" by Walter Jackson, "Since You've Been Gone" by Major Lance, and "Try Some Of Mine" by Little Richard.

A stellar set of surviving 70s Black Ark productions by Lee Perry – with rare and unreleased cuts plus pivotal, if long-buried sides by Junior Byles, U Roy, Delroy Butler, Tinga Stewart, The Upsetters, The Flames, The Ethiopians, Jah T and more – Perry-produced gems for Kingston's cultural rebels and sufferers! The Sound Doctor compilation is really an essential, perfectly-collected batch on Pressure Sounds – the UK label that once again proves to be among the finest and most respectful of Sound Doctor devotees. Among the exceptional rarities are the unreleased "Army Of Love" by Junior Byles, an exclusive dub plate mix of the Upsetters "Horny Train", the raw original mix of U Roy's "006" and many more – stirringly soulful Black Ark singles and dub versions including "Sound Doctor" by Bobby Floyd, "Do Good" by Al Maytone", "Different Experience" by Brother Ray", "Smiling Faces" by Tinga Stewart, "It’s Impossible" by The Ethiopians, "Grandfather Land" by Jah T, "King Of Kings" by Pat Francis, "Be Prepared" by Keith Poppin, "Key Card" by Lee & Jimmy, "Start Over" by The Gatherers and more.

A sweet little set of 70s dubs – recorded at Channel 1, Harry J's, Randy's and King Tubbys in the heart of the dub era – with dubby takes on classic cuts by Barry Brown, Horace Andy, Don Carlos and others. The rhythms were laid down by the cream of the crop, too – Santa Davis, Sly Dunbar, Robby Shakespeare, Chinna Smith, Tommy McCook, Deadley Headley, Bobby Ellis, Sculla Sims and others. Includes "Why Fight The Dub", "Conversation Dub", "A Better Version", "Care Free Dub", "Step Inna Dub Style", "Creation Of Dub", "My Brethren In Dub", "A Wicked Dub", "Rub This Dub", "The Jehovah Version" and more.

A great collection of the classic pop-soul-rock songwriting of Neil Sedaka and Howard Greenfield – very well curated to show how far-reaching their talents are in writing across genres and styles – as well as to more simply play brilliantly as great collection of songs,purely iconic and relatively forgotten ones alike! It's got soul, pop vocal and proto rock icons – Connie Francis, Bobby Darin, The Everly Brothers, Little Anthony & The Imperials, Peggy Lee, Ben E King, The Monkees, Tom Jones, The Tokens, Patti Drew, The Globetrotters, The Tokens and many more – including Neil Sedaka himself! 25 tracks in all: "Stupid Cupid" by Connie Francis, "Keep-A-Walkin'" by Bobby Darin, Calendar Boy" by Dee Dee Sharp, "Get Rid Of Him" by Dionne Warwick, "Foolish Little Girl" by The Cookies, "Magic Colors" by Leslie Gore, "Bewitched" By Peggy Lee, "Walking In The Footsteps Of A Fool" by Ben E King, "Don't Look Over Your Shoulder" by Nanciy Wilson, "You're Knocking Me Out" by Neil Sedaka and more.

Snowboy returns with another batch of grooves in the Hi Hat series – the first volume we've heard under that name in awhile – and while the sound is still great, the format here is a bit different than before! The style this time around is heavily jazzy – and pulled from records that are even more obscure than those used on previous volumes – mostly relatively recent recordings from the past decade or so, but those which were ignored the first time around – making the music here seem even more fresh! Most of the numbers are titles that were buried in more conventional records, but which stand out as modern jazz dance tracks – keeping the spirit of modal, hardbop, and Latin-styled jazz grooves alive and well on the dancefloor – as testified by the album's photos from Snowboy's Hi Hat club night! Titles include "Sunny Day (live)" by Jon Lucien, "Speed Trap" by Peter King, "If I Perish" by Terrell Stafford, "Our Man In Havana" by Cubana Bop, "Seven Steps To Heaven" by World Saxophone Quartet, "Caribbean Fire Dance" by Bobby Sanabria & Ascension, "Blue Bossa" by McCoy Tyner Latin Big Band, and "Fical Mal Com Deus" by Airto.

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The quintet forged a sound that made them an immediate hit – and which had their tight, jagged, soul-drenched sound getting copied by everyone. The record features some amazing soul jazz standards – like Nat's original version of "Work Song", the first-ever record of Timmons' amazing "Dat Dere", Cannon's slinky "Them Dirty Blues", and the jaunty groover "Jeannine", a wonderful cut by Duke Pearson that never sounded better! The CD features alternates of "Work Song" and "Dat Dere" – for a total of 9 tracks in all!

One of the all-time great ones by Cannonball! This record captures him in the prime of his early soul jazz fame – working with an unbelievably heavy quintet that featured Bobby Timmons on piano (with Barry Harris sitting in on a few tracks), Sam Jones on bass, Louis Hayes on drums, and brother Nat Adderley on cornet. The quintet forged a sound that made them an immediate hit – and which had their tight, jagged, soul-drenched sound getting copied by everyone. The record features some amazing soul jazz standards – like Nat's original version of "Work Song", the first-ever record of Timmons' amazing "Dat Dere", Cannon's slinky "Them Dirty Blues", and the jaunty groover "Jeannine", a wonderful cut by Duke Pearson that never sounded better! The CD features alternates of "Work Song" and "Dat Dere" – for a total of 9 tracks in all!

One of the coolest projects to bear the imprint of New York DJ Ron Trent – a shimmering blend of house music, jazzy fusion, and Latin influences! The core group features Trent on percussion and keyboards – with additional keyboards, vocals, and woodwinds from Jay Rodriguez – and the album sports a host of great guest players, including Chucho Valdes, who plays Fender Rhodes on a few tracks! There's a strident approach to the album's tracks – almost taking off of seminal 70s Latin fusion projects, like the work of Bobby Vince Paunetto, and giving the grooves a more current New York twist. The set's great overall – and titles include "Just A Dream", "Agua", "Dear Neven", "Cumbe", "Oya", "Olajope", "Buscame", and "Myths & Realities".

An early George Benson groover from the A&M years of CTI – a set that's quite different than his famous 70s sets, with a really unique sound overall! The arrangements here are by Latin Soul maestro Marty Sheller – who brings some of the vibe to the set that he brought to his 60s work with Mongo Santamaria – not a straight Latin sound overall, but one that comes through strongly in some of the percussion and horns! Players are all pretty hip – and keyboards are from Richard Tee on most of the best tracks – and drums are from Idris Muhammad throughout, working here under his original name of Leo Morris. Main solos are from Benson on guitar – although the record also features alto solos from Sonny Fortune and Bobby Porcelli – who'd both stepped out a bit with Santamaria too. Titles include "Water Brother", "Jama Joe", "Dontcha Hear Me Callin' To Ya", "Jackie All", "Soul Limbo", "Are You Happy", "Land Of 1000 Dances", and "Out in the Cold Again".

An incredible full length debut from vocalist Mario Biondi – a jazz singer we'd rank right up there with the legendary Mark Murphy – supported here with great backings from the High Five Quintet! The grooves here are in a soaring, tightly-stepping style – very much the best club jazz mode of the contemporary European scene – with all-acoustic instrumentation, and rhythms that move along at a really great dancefloor pace! Mario's vocals are really unique too – with a little rasp that catches slightly, and really brings a timeless quality to his voice – mixing personal feeling into the lively numbers on the album, with an unexpected depth that really makes the album stand out from similar sessions of this type! There's echoes of hip vocal jazz work from years past by artists like The Peddlers, Bobby Cole, or Mark Murphy – and titles include "A Child Runs Free", "No Mercy For Me", "This Is What You Are", "I Can't Keep From Cryin Sometimes", "Rio De Janeiro Blue", "Handful Of Soul", "On A Clear Day", "Never Die", "No Trouble On The Mountain", "Slow Hot Wind", and "Gig".

One of the many albums that the Jazz Messengers recorded live at Birdland, and one that features a transitional lineup for the band that has new guard players Lee Morgan on trumpet and Bobby Timmons on piano, and old guard player Hank Mobley on tenor. Everyone grooves in a very hard fashion – and the set's an excellent link between the raw mid 50s version of the Messengers, and the groundbreaking 1960 edition. The set list of this first volume includes "Hipsippy Blues", "Justice", "Just Coolin", and a nice version of "Close Your Eyes".

Pounding! This is the long-awaited re-release of a lost session that Blakey recorded in 1958, with a triple-drum rhythm group that included himself, Philly Joe Jones, and Roy Haynes – plus some additional conga work by Ray Barretto. Unlike other Blakey "drum orgy" sessions, though, this one's got a much straighter jazz feel – with plenty of solo space for trumpeter Lee Morgan and pianist Bobby Timmons. The drums work together in fantastic interplay – with Haynes' lyricism, Blakey's crackle, and Jones' raw power all providing perfect complement to each other while Morgan solos freely out front as the only horn (a role that he rarely ever got to take!) The set also includes 2 amazing other tracks that feature only bass and drum (not drum n bass!) interplay between Blakey and the late Paul Chambers – making for a total of 8 incredible tracks in all, with titles that include "Lee's Tune", "Blakey's Blues", "Lover", and "Drums In the Rain". Great stuff, and with notes by Kenny Washington, too!

Brilliant later work by Bobby Blue Bland – done with backings that are much fuller than on his earlier albums – a mixture of strings and horns that really expand the sound! That doesn't keep things from being soulful, though – as Bobby's in incredible form vocally, really rising to the occasion of the session with some of his best vocal performances of the decade. Great throughout – and one of his few true classic sessions after the early Duke years. Titles include "Today I Started Loving You Again", "I Take It On Home", "I Hate You", "If Fingerprints Showed Up On Skin", and "Too Far Gone".

The start of a tremendous run from Blue Magic – easily one of the greatest harmony groups of the 70s, a quintet we'd place in a rare class with heavy hitters like The Stylistics or The Moments! The album's smooth and sweet, but never slick – perfectly arranged by the great Norman Harris, who makes the vocals sound equally great on mellow tracks and uptempo numbers – setting a new Philly standard with the album, and one that few other groups could match so well! Every piece of the core 70s Philly harmony sound is in place here – from the near-perfect (but wonderfully human) vocals of the group, to the full yet subtle backings by Sigma players who include Vince Montana, Earl Young, Bobby Eli, and Harris himself – and if you've ever needed a record to prove the genius of the east coast harmony sound, this may well be it! Titles include "Look Me Up", "What's Come Over Me", "Tear It Down", "Sideshow", "Stop To Start", "Welcome To The Club", and "Just Don't Want To Be Lonely".

Blue Magic getting a bit bolder than before – adding in some heavier funk that takes them past the mellow moments of their earliest years – yet still serving up some great harmonies in the process! The change is a subtle one – heard on some of the album's more hard-grooving tracks, which also bring in some full arrangements that echo the trippy feel of the cover – yet which still always respect that slight heartbreaking undercurrent of the group's great vocals, thanks to arrangements from Bobby Eli! Just about every moment from Blue Magic is totally great, and this album is no exception – with titles that include "Freak N Stein", "Mother Funk", "To Get Love", "See The Bedroom", "Summer Snow", "Making Love To A Memory", and "Spark Of Love".

An obscure single taking off from a groove borrowed loosely off Zapp's "More Bounce To The Ounce" and adding a sort of quasi-rap vocal over top, that sounds more like George Clinton type vocalese than any sort of hip hop.

Way more than just a James Bond cash-in record – and instead an ultra-hip jazz session from the west coast scene of the 60s! The James Bond at the helm of the record is actually Jimmy Bond – the great bassist who worked on some key sessions of the late 50s and early 60s as a sideman, and who turns out to be a surprisingly great leader on this rare mid 60s date! The record is more jazz than anything else – played with a crime/spy bent, to be sure – but also flowing with really great solos and a fair bit of a bossa influence in the rhythms! The group here is more than hip enough to make the record work – with Harold Land on tenor sax, Bobby Bryant on trumpet, and Buddy Colette on flute and tenor – all working in a sextet led by Bond, with plenty of round, warm, almost modal lines on his bass – punctuated nicely by piano from Joe Parnello and drums by Joh Guarin. Arrangements are by Dick Groove – who keeps things very groovy – and many of the tracks here are actually original numbers written by Bond and Warren Baker, titled after Ian Fleming books that had not yet been made into movies at the time of this album! Titles include "Casino Royale", "Moonraker", "For Your Eyes Only", "007 Theme From Dr No", "Man With The Golden Gun", "Diamonds Are Forever", and "Live & Let Die".

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great. But if you're thinking that the CD is just a Monkees rehash, it's not – because there's very little work here that was associated with the more famous group – and instead, the collection really gets at the jangly genius of the Boyce & Hart sound, a style that should have sparkled strongly on its own in the 60s, but which was unfortunately always eclipsed by their work for other artists. Looking at the great photos in the CD's well-done booklet, it's clear that Boyce and Hart have a hell of a lot of charm – and that charm comes through brilliantly in the set's collection of 24 numbers pulled from their 3 albums for A&M Records. Titles include "For Baby", "Sometime She's A Little Girl", "Girl I'm Out To Get You", "Where Angels Go", "The Ambushers", "Love Every Day", "Teardrop City", "Pretty Flower", "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Six & Six", "Alice Long", "PO Box 9847", and "Strawberry Girl".

Brilliant 60s pop from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – best known for their key early songwriting work for The Monkees, but a heck of a great duo on their own! Boyce & Hart have a sparkly, sunshiney sound that's very much a part of The Monkees generation – a beautiful post-folk, post-surf blend of styles, and one that's served up with all the warmth and charm that made The Monkees so great – yet also with some cool twists and turns that make a record like this so great – the kind of chance-taking that A&M sometimes allowed its artists to take at the time! Backings are super-groovy – arranged by Artie Butler and Don McGinis – and titles include "I Wonder What She's Doing Tonite", "Teardrop City", "I Wanna Be Free", "The Countess", "Population", and "Two For The Price Of One" – a great cover of a Larry Williams & Johnny Watson soul tune! Features bonus mono single tunes – "The Ambushers", "Love Every Day", "Where Angels Go Trouble Follows", and "I Wanna Be Free".

One of the headiest albums from the team of Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart – as you might guess from the image on the cover! The album continues the playful quality of previous A&M sets, but also has a deeper feel too – a bit more soul on the vocals, which really comes through on the album's few covers – and a slightly more socially-conscious approach to the lyrics too – supported by backings by a core group that features John Gallie on some especially great organ and keyboards, and great arrangements from Jimmie Haskell! The shift is great proof that these two were way more than just songwriters – and titles include "Change", "Maybe Somebody Heart", "Abracadabra", "My Baby Loves Sad Songs", "Thanks For Sunday", and "Strawberry Girl". CD features bonus mono tracks – "Six & Six", "LUV – Let Us Vote", "We're All Going To The Same Place", "PO Box 9487", and "Alice Long".

Damn amazing work from Charles Bradley – an instant soul classic for all generations, as you'll hear from the very first note! Not only are Bradley's vocals incredible – the kind of once-in-a-long-time approach he brought to his debut – but the backings and production are completely sublime too – magical music from the Menahan Street Band, who sound here like some lost combo from 60s Memphis, but without any of the hoke that reference might imply – instead that really unique approach that you'd only find on one of your few favorite vintage soul albums – maybe Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, or Jesse James on his 60s album for 20th Century! Yet the sound here isn't just vintage for vintage sake, either – as there's an intensity that's very present, contemporary, and urgent – a sound that doesn't die – and which just gets better and better with each new listen. Tremendous stuff – even from the Daptone universe we've been loving for years and years – with titles that include "Strictly Reserved For You", "You Put The Flame On It", "Dusty Blue", "Love Bug Blues", "Hurricane", "Through The Storm", "Confusion", and "Where Do We Go From Here".

Damn amazing work from Charles Bradley – an instant soul classic for all generations, as you'll hear from the very first note! Not only are Bradley's vocals incredible – the kind of once-in-a-long-time approach he brought to his debut – but the backings and production are completely sublime too – magical music from the Menahan Street Band, who sound here like some lost combo from 60s Memphis, but without any of the hoke that reference might imply – instead that really unique approach that you'd only find on one of your few favorite vintage soul albums – maybe Bobby Taylor & The Vancouvers, or Jesse James on his 60s album for 20th Century! Yet the sound here isn't just vintage for vintage sake, either – as there's an intensity that's very present, contemporary, and urgent – a sound that doesn't die – and which just gets better and better with each new listen. Tremendous stuff – even from the Daptone universe we've been loving for years and years – with titles that include "Strictly Reserved For You", "You Put The Flame On It", "Dusty Blue", "Love Bug Blues", "Hurricane", "Through The Storm", "Confusion", and "Where Do We Go From Here".

A lost treasure from James Brown & The JBs – a vintage live performance from the early 70s, and one that captures the group at the height of their powers! The format here is very similar to the excellent Revolution Of The Mind set – a totally funky, totally righteous live performance that has James and the group even more energized than in the studio – working with the kind of razor-sharp intensity that made them a legendary funk act – leaping from tune to tune with nary a break at all! Bobby Byrd acts as the MC, and joins James for a bit of vocals – and the group at this point still includes Bootsy Collins on bass, plus loads of great guitar from Catfish Collins, and Fred Wesley on trombone and Jabo Starks on drums. Dave Matthews handled some of the arrangements – and titles include "Soul Power", "Sex Machine", "Bewildered", "It's A New Day", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Brother Rapp", "Super Bad", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag/I Got You/I Got The Feelin".

A key bit of jazz funk from trumpeter Tom Browne – still grooving strong here, with a sublime mix of modern soul, funky jazz, and some of the 80s groove touches that showed up on the best GRP titles from the time! The album's got a smooth compressed groove – kind of post-Donald Byrd, with Tom taking solos over the top of most tracks, and occasional vocals , wither from a backing group, or an assortment of different lead singers. Players on the set include Bernard Wright, Dave Grusin, Bobby Broom, and Marcus Miller – and tracks include "I Know", "Midnight Interlude", "Let's Dance", "Night Wind", "Making Plans", "Thighs Hihg", and "Magic". CD features nice bonus tracks too – "Magic (12" UK version)", "Thighs High (single version)", and "Let's Dance (single version)".

Killer groovers from trumpeter Bobby Bryant – with more than enough force in the rhythms to make the entire earth dance! The mighty Wayne Henderson's along for the set, helping Bobby out – making one of his first steps away from the Jazz Crusaders to produce another artist – and really pointing the way towards some of his best jazz funk sessions of the 70s! The group is large, but mighty tight – and sports players like Ernie Watts on tenor, Joe Sample on keyboards, Herman Riley on saxes, Freddie Hill on trumpet, and George Bohannon on trombone – a wicked lineup that bounces nicely on electric basslines from Wilton Felder! There's a great crisp edge to all cuts – and titles include "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", "Happiness Is A Warm Gun", "Cristo Redentor", and Freddie Hubbard's "Crisis".

Killer stuff – as Jerry's getting the full early Philly treatment here, with arrangements by Thom Bell, Bobby Martin, and Roland Chambers, and production by a young Gamble and Huff! The sound isn't nearly as icy as the old Vee Jay days – but that's fine with us, as Jerry is nice and soulful on tracks like "Moody Woman", "When You're Alone", "I Forgot To Remember", "Brand New Me", "What's The Use Of Breaking Up", and "Walking Around In Teardroops". Nice cover, too – with Jerry standing in a pile of fake diamonds!

Very early work from Charlie Byrd – a cool little record that has him playing at his home turf of the Showboat club in DC, and working with a group that includes a fair bit of horn players! The style's quite different than Byrd's better-known Brazilian work of the 60s, or his lusher large group sets – as tunes move between small combo club grooving and some more ambitious modes that are almost 50s chamber jazz. Ginny Byrd sings on two tracks, but others are instrumental – and players include the mighty Buck Hill on tenor, plus T Carson on piano, Keter Betts on bass and cello, Bobby Felder on valve trombone, and Kenneth Pasamanick on bassoon. Titles include "Tri X", "Blue Turning Grey Over You", "Byrd's Word", "Conversation Piece", "Top's Tune", "Buck's Hill", and "Don't Explain".

Sweet electric funk – in a very trippy style! Before Donald Byrd hooked up with Larry Mizell and started recording his smooth fusion grooves of the mid 70's, he recorded this gem – kind of a "lost" album that has Donald working in an open-ended electric sound – one that's clearly inspired by the experiments of Miles Davis, but which has a generally funkier feel overall! The tracks are very long – with lots of spiralling keyboard and trumpet solos – and the hip players on the set include Bobby Hutcherson, David T Walker, Wilton Felder, and Harold Land. We love the tracks on this set – especially "The Emperor" and "The Little Rasti", which are both over 15 minutes long, and have a haunting spacey sound that's a departure from Donald's usual work!

The second volume of work that Donald Byrd recorded live at the Olympia in Paris in 1958 – even harder-hitting in tone than the first! The set features Byrd playing some tight hardbop lines – working in a cool group that also features Bobby Jaspar on tenor, Walter Davis Jr on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all players who come together with the sound and style of some of those great late 50s Prestige blowing sessions! The difference, though, is that Byrd is the clear leader here – working his trumpet solos with techniques that really show him growing as an artist on this Paris trip – forging a tight vision into the music that makes it way more than just a loose bop exercise on stage. You'll hear that especially on "52nd Street Theme", but the whole set's pretty darn great – and tracks include "At This Time", "Formidable", "Two Bass Hit", "Parisian Thoroughfare", and "Stardust".

Snapping drums and heavy funk – a completely heavy-hitting number that rivals the best James Brown work of the early 70s! The track's a smoking cooker that never lets up – from the first rattletrap on the drums, to the shouted righteous vocals from Bobby, to the monstrously riffing guitar in the middle, and the great little time change on part 2! Insanely wonderful – the kind of funky 45 that keeps us digging for funky 45s!

An amazing collection of music – some of the hippest jazz to ever come out of the west coast scene, and a legendary pairing of trumpeter Bobby Bradford and saxophonist John Carter! Both players have really gone onto leave their mark in later years – but honestly, they almost reached the peak of their powers with these incredible early recordings – beautifully bracing modern jazz, of a sort that somewhat follows an Ornette Coleman lineage, but which also opens up into the new spirituality that was hitting the LA scene in the post-Coltrane years – almost a bridge between the Coleman/Dolphy generation, and the later Nimbus scene that would rise in the west! The music here is stark, simple, and quite organic – yet has an energy that's all its own – an amazing progression of rhythms and horn sounds, wrapped together beautifully through a killer set of original compositions. Carter plays alto, tenor, clarinet, and flute; Bradford is on trumpet, and rhythm players include Nate Morgan and Bill Henderson on piano, Henry Franklin and Louis Spears on bass, and Bruz Freeman and Leon Ndugu Chancler on drums. The set brings together material originally issued on the Seeking and Secrets albums for the Revelation label – but then also features lots more previously unreleased tracks – making the set more than 50% new material! Most titles are of the 1969/Early 70s vintage of the Revelation albums – but the set also features some beautiful 1979 duets between Carter and Bradford, with no other instrumentation at all. 22 tracks in all – and an instant treasure!

An amazing debut from the John Carter/Bobby Bradford New Art Jazz Ensemble – one of the most powerful voices in jazz on the west coast at the end of the 60s! In a way, the quartet's sound is a culmination of the underground changes that had been bubbling under during most of the 60s on the LA scene – new ways of conceiving jazz after Ornette and Dolphy had first set the scene on fire at the start of the decade, but styles that weren't receiving nearly the exposure as some of the better-known avant work on the Chicago, New York, or European scenes. The style here definitely owes something of a legacy to Ornette in the way it reconceives rhythm and melody – and a bit to Dolphy in its freewheeling, free-thinking work on clarinet, flute, and alto by John Carter. Bobby Bradford's bracing trumpet lines really give the album a tremendous punch – and the rest of the group features Tom Williamson on bass and Bruz Freeman (brother of George and Von!) on drums. Titles include "Seeking", "The Village Dancers", "Sticks & Stones", "In The Vineyard", "Karen On Monday", and "Song For The Unsung".

Amazing! This album is one of the great lost classics of East Coast harmony soul of the 70s – and it always leaves us breathless! Continental 4 may not have been as big as some of their contemporaries, but the cut "(You're Living In) A Dream World" is one of the most sublime soul tracks ever recorded – with stunning harmonies, fragile production, and some wonderful Philly ballad instrumental touches. The rest of the album is just as good – with slowly plucked electric sitar, soaring harmonies, and an amazing batch of orchestrations that are just out of this world! Titles include "Escape From Planet Earth", "Running Away", "I Don't Have You", and "How Can I Pretend". Dream work from Philly Maestros like Bobby Martin and Norman Harris!

Forget blues, because Geater Davis is a soul singer through and through – a really incredible southern talent with a deep soul sound that few others can match! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit like Bobby Blue Bland, touched with the depth of feeling we love in James Carr, peppered with elements of other Memphis singers – all produced to perfection with a sound that's as classic as anything on Stax or Goldwax. This excellent collection features all tracks from Geater's rare album Sweet Woman's Love, plus additional singles from the time – all produced by Allen Orange, an overlooked genius in the southern studio scene of the 70s. Titles include "Don't Marry A Fool", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Love You", "I Know My Baby Loves Me", "I Can Hold My Own", "Cold Love (long version)", "I'll Get By", "I'll Play The Blues For You", "Breath Taking Girl", and a killer long take on "For Your Precious Love".

An incredible collection of work from the vastly-overlooked Geater Davis – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! Geater Davis is a tremendous singer from the south – but one who barely ever got his due back in the 70s – even though these recordings for the tiny House Of Orange label are every bit as amazing as work coming out for bigger labels like Stax or Hi Records! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit like Bobby Blue Bland, touched with the depth of feeling we love in James Carr, peppered with elements of other Memphis singers – all produced to perfection with a sound that's got a deep-burning soul that never lets up. This excellent collection features all tracks from Geater's rare album Sweet Woman's Love, plus additional singles from the time – all produced by Allen Orange, an overlooked genius in the southern studio scene of the 70s. Titles include "Don't Marry A Fool", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Love You", "I Know My Baby Loves Me", "I Can Hold My Own", "Cold Love (long version)", "I'll Get By", "I'll Play The Blues For You", "Breath Taking Girl", and a killer long take on "For Your Precious Love".

An incredible collection of work from the vastly-overlooked Geater Davis – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! Geater Davis is a tremendous singer from the south – but one who barely ever got his due back in the 70s – even though these recordings for the tiny House Of Orange label are every bit as amazing as work coming out for bigger labels like Stax or Hi Records! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit like Bobby Blue Bland, touched with the depth of feeling we love in James Carr, peppered with elements of other Memphis singers – all produced to perfection with a sound that's got a deep-burning soul that never lets up. This excellent collection features all tracks from Geater's rare album Sweet Woman's Love, plus additional singles from the time – all produced by Allen Orange, an overlooked genius in the southern studio scene of the 70s. Titles include "Don't Marry A Fool", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Love You", "I Know My Baby Loves Me", "I Can Hold My Own", "Cold Love (long version)", "I'll Get By", "I'll Play The Blues For You", "Breath Taking Girl", and a killer long take on "For Your Precious Love".

Fantastic soul from Lamont Dozier – his first LP as a solo artist, and one of the best debuts of the 70s! The record has a quality that's impossible to describe accurately – but it's kind of a post-Motown full-on approach to soul that mixes strings, piano, and that wall of sound groove that was one of Dozier's biggest contributions to the Motor City. Surprisingly, the album's produced by McKinley Jackson – leader of The Politicians, who provided regular backing for Dozier's HDH productions of the time. The real strength, though, is Dozier's voice – which is produced here in a compressed way that brings up the better raspy qualities of his style, juxtaposing them with the tightness of the arrangements in a mode that's similar to Bobby Womack's work of the time. However, Dozier's songwriting is way way better than Womack's by this point – and the album's filled with anthemic soul cuts like "Fish Aint' Bitin", "Out Here On My Own", "Take Off Your Make Up", "Trying To Hold Onto My Woman", and "Let Me Make Love To You".

An overlooked chapter in the Zapp/Roger story of the 80s – the only album ever issued by vocalist Bad Bobby Glover! Roger Produced, and there's plenty of Zapp talent on hand for the record, too – which means that the overall groove is heavy on the kind of funky basslines, electrified keyboards, and tight rhythms you'd expect – all put together at a level that's especially got the sharp focus of the first few Zapp albums! Glover's a great vocalist for the project – one who slides in perfectly with the groove, making his voice fit just like a key element in the rhythms – which makes for a very groove-heavy set overall. Titles include "What Kind Of Lady", "Bright Skies Sunny Days", "I Love You", "It's My Turn", "Your Spell", "So Mean", "Happy", and "I Can't Stand the Pain".

An overlooked chapter in the Zapp/Roger story of the 80s – the only album ever issued by vocalist Bad Bobby Glover! Roger Produced, and there's plenty of Zapp talent on hand for the record, too – which means that the overall groove is heavy on the kind of funky basslines, electrified keyboards, and tight rhythms you'd expect – all put together at a level that's especially got the sharp focus of the first few Zapp albums! Glover's a great vocalist for the project – one who slides in perfectly with the groove, making his voice fit just like a key element in the rhythms – which makes for a very groove-heavy set overall. Titles include "What Kind Of Lady", "Bright Skies Sunny Days", "I Love You", "It's My Turn", "Your Spell", "So Mean", "Happy", and "I Can't Stand the Pain".

A really unusual album for Dexter Gordon – one that has him working in a quintet with vibes by Bobby Hutcherson! Hutcherson's sound really transforms the session, giving it a shimmering middleground that disperses the dominance that Gordon's tenor usually has – and creating a warm, fluid feel that's really great. Barry Harris is in the group on piano – providing some wonderful accompaniment that's a great fit for Hutcherson's vibes – and the rest of the group is completed by the excellent rhythm section of Bob Cranshaw on bass and Billy Higgins on drums! The album includes a great version of "Manha de Carnaval", plus a Dex original, "Le Coiffeur" – and the tracks "Heartaches", "Who Can I Turn To", and "Everybody's Somebody's Fool". CD also features the bonus tracks "Flick Of A Trick" and "Very Saxily Yours".

One of the best 70s mellow soul talents at Atlantic Records – sounding completely sublime here in a full set of Philly arrangements! The set was recorded at Sigma Sound – and is a great reminder that even during the disco years, the studio was still a great place to cut a heartbreaking ballad – the sort of number that younger Philly groups would have done for indie labels at the start of the 70s – polished up and given some real maturity here by The Major! There's also a few great groovers on the record too – but with that Philly poise that also still holds onto all the personality of the singer – and the arrangements are great throughout – handled by Norman Harris, Ron Kersey, and Bobby Eli – a perfect Philly team. Titles include "Walkin In The Footsteps", "Jealousy", "I Got Over Love", "Tynisa", "It's Got To Be Magic", and "What's The Use In The Truth".

An incredible collection of work from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – some of his most righteous recordings ever, spread out over the span of 5 albums recorded for Blue Note in the mid 70s – one of which was only ever issued in Japan! The work here has Bobby taking off nicely from his years with Harold Land – and although the set includes two albums with Land, the excellent Cirrus from 1974, and the Japanese-only Inner Glow, the remaining albums feature a range of different players – including Manny Boyd on soprano and tenor sax, George Cables on piano, Larry Nash on electric Piano, Hadley Caliman on reeds, and Freddie Hubbard on trumpet. As with the better-known recordings with Land, the style here is flowing and open – an approach that starts in modal rhythms, and which moves into some of the more soaring, spacious modes shared by Bobby's contemporaries on the indie soul jazz scene – especially artists on labels like Black Jazz and Strata East. The albums here are all amazing – never too slick, and beautifully balanced, with a sense of focus that still makes Hutcherson one of the greatest vibists working at this point in his career. 3CD set features the albums Cirrus, Inner Glow, Waiting, The View From The Inside, and Knucklebean – featuring a whopping 30 tracks in all!

A beautiful later Blue Note album from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – a set recorded after his famous association with Harold Land, but with a groove that's wonderfully soulful in a whole different way! Bobby plays marimbas instead of vibes this time around, and he's working with his own arrangements for a slightly larger group – one that has some sweet fusion overtones, and these wonderful mellow funk inflections – so that even the mellow cuts have this warmly glowing, ultra-soulful sound that's mighty nice – a bit like some of the work from Gene Harris around the same time. Other players include Jerry Peters on Fender Rhodes, who also helped out with the arrangements – plus Harvey Mason on drums and Ernie Watts on reeds – and a few tracks feature sweet backing vocals from The Waters. The highlight here is a nice moody extended version of "People Make The World Go Round", but all cuts are great, and titles include "Silver Rondo", "Manzanita", "NTU", and his dark cover of "Theme From MASH".

One of the most wonderful 70s albums from Bobby Hutcherson – and one of the most deeply spiritual, too! As with others in Blue Note's Montreux series, the tracks are long and very open – with a different flavor than the artists' studio work. Hutcherson works with a hip small group that includes excellent trumpet from Woody Shaw, piano from Hotep Cecil Bernard, bass from Ray Drummond, and drums from Larry Hancock – all snaking out beautifully on these long, spiritual tunes – very much shaped by Woody's presence. Titles include a great take on Shaw's classic track "The Moontrane", as well as "Song Of Songs". Hutcherson's own "Anton's Bail" rounds up the set, and the whole thing's a beautiful batch of soaring modal grooves, caught live before a very enthusiastic audience!

A really heady set of tracks from vibist Bobby Hutcherson – a record that has him stepping away from the harder sounds of his early modern years – and moving into the sublime mix of soulful and modal styles that would really grow strongly by the end of the 60s! The album's a treasure through and through – warm, subtle interpretations of the music by a group that features Hutcherson on vibes, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Stanley Cowell on piano, Reggie Workman on bass, and Joe Chambers on drums – all working together in modes that are quite like Hutcherson's music with Harold Land – but slightly looser and freer at points too. The album includes a fantastic version of Cowell's "Effi", which was later recorded by Charles Tolliver a few times, plus other beautiful compositions by Joe Chambers – including "Patterns", "Ankana", "Irina", and "Nocturnal". Also features a bonus alternate of the title track!

Rare work from Weldon Irvine – a selection of tracks recorded as private studio outings, reissued briefly by Luv N Haight in the early 90s, and then only on vinyl! The style here is much more jazz-based than some of Irvine's soul recordings – a mode that's often all instrumental, and which features Weldon playing more acoustic piano than on his 70s fusion classics – but usually mixed in with sweet electric elements, too – which creates this wonderfully righteous balance in the music! The whole thing's very soulful, with plenty of undercurrents of the RCA years – and guest players include Steve Grossman on tenor, Marcus Miller on bass, Tom Browne on trumpet, and Bobby Broom on guitar – the latter 3 of which all worked with Weldon at GRP, making us guess that some of these 80s sides were intended for release on that label. Titles include "Kundabuffer", "Music Is The Key", "Mr PC", "We Can Try Again", and "Blues For Spike". CD features a huge amount of bonus tracks – including "Blue In Green", "Heard It All Before", "It's Funky", "Shopping", "The Sisters", "Think I'll Stay A While", and "Misty Dawn" – all only ever on the Sisters album, making their first appearance here on vinyl.

Queen of Soul is right! Heck, on these early albums, Etta practically invented soul – or at least invented a deep soul style of singing that would be taken up by countless other female singers during the 60s, but rarely matched with this kind of brilliance. Straight up beatiful stuff! The arrangements are uncredited, but we think they're probably by Riley Hampton – who did so much of Etta's other wonderful work in the early 60s. The recordings for sure took place at points between '62 and '64, mostly in Chicago, with couple in New York and one in Nashville. One other thing that is crystal clear about the sessions is that she had access to the very best musicians and the best sound possible – all you need is a listen to know that! The album's an all-solid, all-soul record with loads of obscure tunes and not a bit of filler! Titles include "Flight 101", "Bobby Is His Name", "Breaking Point", "Mello Fellow", "Do Right", and "Somewhere Out There". This first ever proper CD release is loaded with excellent bonus material – recordings from the same early-to-mid 60s period – 13 of them "You Got Me Where You Want Me", "Only Time Will Tell", "Pushover". "You Can't Talk To A Fool", "Would It Make Any Difference To You", "Pay Back", "Tomorrow Night", "I Can't Hold It Any More" and more. 23 tracks in all!

One of the strangest albums ever issued on Philly International – a set of tunes by Dick Jensen, who was part blue-eyed soul singer, part easy male vocalist – sounding here as if he'd almost hit the market about 5 years too late to make a difference. The record's the kind that would be more at home on late 60s Capitol than early 70s Philly – but they must have had big plans for it, as all the tracks are originals by Gamble & Huff, who also do the production with Thom Bell and Bunny Sigler. Bobby Martin, Vince Montana, and Norman Harris all arrange, so the backings are top-shelf too – it's just that Dick can't seem to figure out what he wants to be from track to track on the record. Titles include the funky "Fat Mama", plus "Peace Of Mind", "Going Up To The Mountain", "I Don't Want To Cry", "32nd Street", and "Tamika".

One of the strangest albums ever issued on Philly International – a set of tunes by Dick Jensen, who was part blue-eyed soul singer, part easy male vocalist – sounding here as if he'd almost hit the market about 5 years too late to make a difference. The record's the kind that would be more at home on late 60s Capitol than early 70s Philly – but they must have had big plans for it, as all the tracks are originals by Gamble & Huff, who also do the production with Thom Bell and Bunny Sigler. Bobby Martin, Vince Montana, and Norman Harris all arrange, so the backings are top-shelf too – it's just that Dick can't seem to figure out what he wants to be from track to track on the record. Titles include the funky "Fat Mama", plus "Peace Of Mind", "Going Up To The Mountain", "I Don't Want To Cry", "32nd Street", and "Tamika".

Singer and harpist Carol Kleyn's Takin' The Time album from 1980 – and a pretty remarkable step up from her Love Has Made Me A Stranger record of a few years earlier! While the preceding album carried more of a late 60s mood – though one that felt right at home on the mid 70s folk fringe – this one has a warm, laidback and somewhat otherworldly West Coast folk rock vibe. Carol's voice leads the way, and her harp is often right out front, too, but there's lot going on! Speaking of fringe-y, Bobby "Enlightening Beam Of Axonda" Brown is the producer here – but the record is actually quite accessible. Another really strong and worthy reissue from Drag City! Includes "Takin' The Time", "Jethro", "She Lost Her Crown", "Sailor Like Me", "Could Be Me", "Tides And Crazy Moons", "Missy Robin", "Intermission", "How Long Till Forever" and "Prayer".

Steve Lacy, working with a very comfortable lineup of Parisian players – Bobby Few on piano, Steve Potts on alto and soprano, Jean-Jacques Avenel on bass, Oliver Johnson on bass, and Irene Aebi on vocals and a bit of violin! Lacy plays soprano throughout, and the tunes often have that angular, almost arty feel that he developed with Aebi – grounded a bit more nicely by Few's piano. Titles include "Napping", "The Gleam", and "Keepsake".

One of the greatest early albums by Julie London – a record that features sublime jazz backings from the Jimmy Rowles Orchestra, in a mode that gets way past the "breathy girl with subtle guitar" sound of her first few for Liberty! Rowles' backings bring in some really nice horn work – inflecting the tunes with subtle solos and shadings of color that deepen them past London's spare and sexy presentation of the tunes – but which also don't go too far, or force Julie to do things she's not ready to do. Bobby Troup produced, and the record's got all the subtle wit of his own best efforts – and titles include two Troup numbers, "Daddy" and "Free & Easy", plus "Somebody Loves Me", "For You", "Midnight Sun", "All My Life", "Bye Bye Blackbird", and "Dream Of You".

A wonderful record by Bobby Lyle – and a genius blend of jazz, soul, and lots of other righteous sounds! Lyle started out as a keyboardist, but this album really has him taking off as a vocalist too – working in a sweet Roy Ayers-styled groove – one that blends mellow rhythms with warmly jazzy inflections – with roots in fusion, yet a tighter soul finish overall! Lyle's still got a few keyboard flights – of the sort heard on The Genie – but with Wayne Henderson at the production helm, things are a bit tighter overall – given a really wonderful focus that makes Bobby sound better than ever. Titles include the great funky number "Groove (Ain't No Doubt About It)", the warm stepper "Good Inside", and cool keyboard grooves like "Star Traveler", "Missing Your Love", and "Inner Space".

Two lost smokers from vibes legend Johnny Lytle – back to back on a single CD! The Soulful Rebel is lost early 70s set from Lytle – totally funky, but in a way that's very different than his famous 60s work! The album's got a sweet electric groove that comes not only from Johnny's vibes, but also from the sweet Hammond and Fender Rhodes of Billy Nunn, and the smoking guitar of David Spinozza – who really wails away here, and brings in a cutting edge to the tunes that's a lot sharper than some of his later work! Lytle's vibes are wonderful throughout – filled with that sense of space, soul, and timing that's always made him one of the grooviest players ever on the instrument – and this time around, he seems to have an even greater ear for unusual tones – in a way that makes the album sparkle strongly throughout! The rhythms are smoking, too – with Ron Carter on electric bass, Jozell Carter on funky drums, and Ray Barretto on congas – cooking things up righteously on the album's funky tunes. Highlights include the stone smoker "Gunky", a great remake of "The New Village Caller", and a reworking of "Lela" – plus the extended "Soulful Rebel Suite" – mighty nice! People & Love is one of Johnny Lytle's most righteous albums ever – a soaring, spacious set that's almost to Lytle's career what Gears was to Johnny Hammond's! Of course, Lytle's groove here is different – no Mizell production, and a mellower feel overall – but the unbridled space of 70s Milestone is definitely a key influence here – and Johnny stretches out here like never before! The players are all pretty hip – and include Daahoud Hadi (aka Butch Cornell) on electric piano and organ, Marvin Cabell on flute and tenor, Bob Cranshaw on bass, Betty Glamann on harp, and Jozell Carter on drums – all perfect mates here for Johnny's spiritual exploration of sound with his vibes – in ways that are almost more amazing than work from Bobby Hutcherson or Roy Ayers at the time! Titles include an amazing original called "Libra", plus "Tawhid", "Where Is The Love", "Family", and a version of "People Make the World Go Round".

Very righteous work from Esther Marrow – a soul sister who sings with a hell of a lot of power! The set's an overlooked gem in the Fantasy catalog of the 70s, and it's one of only two secular soul albums cut by Marrow – and quite possibly the best of the bunch, too! Esther's got some great help on the set from arrangers Richard Tee, Bernard Purdie, and Bobby Scott – each of whom set Marrow up with some small group backing that keeps things tight and soulful throughout – thanks in big part to the drum work, which is handled by Purdie, Jimmy Johnson, and Idris Muhammad. Other players include Tee on organ and piano, Cornell Dupree on guitar, and Ralph McDonald on congas – whose percussion really helps shape the sound of most of the grooves. There's a horn section too – used sparingly – and there's also a bit of backing vocals from The Reflections, although Esther's pretty much in the lead on all numbers. Titles include "Trade Winds", "Things Ain't Right", "Ask Me To Dance", "Woman In The Window", and "Ghetto".

A modernist classic from 60s Blue Note! The album's one of Jackie McLean's greatest from the time – and one of his seminal "new thing" sessions cut with young modernists Grachan Moncur and Bobby Hutcherson. 3 of the 4 long tracks on the record were written by Moncur, and have a similar approach to his own recordings for Blue Note – moody and introspective, in a style that's as concerned with sound and space as it is jazz and rhythm – and Hutcherson's vibes are beyond compare here, with have a sinister metallic quality that he only used briefly in his early career! The whole record's a gem, and one not to pass up! Titles include "Kahlil The Prophet", "Riff Raff", and "Love & Hate".

A righteous group soul classic from the 70s – the one and only album from The Modulations, and a lasting classic that almost beats the multiple album runs of some of their contemporaries! The group's a southern harmony quartet at their core, but they also get some really great backings on the set – a Philly vibe that really matches the best work from the Gamble & Huff stable, but with more of an indie vibe too – fitting for the Buddah Records placement of the set. The record features studio help from Norman Harris, Vince Montana, and Bobby Eli – whose work on the record helps link the style to the righteous grooves of groups like Soul Generation or True Reflection – both a good comparison to The Modulations too! Titles include "It's Rough Out Here", "I Found Love At Last", "Those Were The Best Days Of My Life", and "I'll Always Love You".

One of those great overlooked dates from Gerry Mulligan's sometimes-ignored stretch of the mid 70s – a time when he was really trying out some excellent new musical experiments! This cooking set features his baritone in a group that really cooks nicely – and in ways that are quite different than you'd ever expect from the Mulligan of the 50s – and maybe even the Gerry of the 60s too! There's a bit of electricity in the group – thanks to Fender Rhodes from Tom Fay and guitar from Mike Santiago – and that element is a surprisingly wonderful complement to Gerry's baritone – which only seems to have a deeper sense of soul in comparison. Dave Samuels adds in some excellent vibes – and the other players include George Duvivier on bass and Bobby Rosengarden on drums – on titles that include "Strayhorn 2", "Idol Gossip", "Taurus Moon", "Waltzing Mathilda", and "Walk On Water". Also features a bonus "Jazzspeak" track – a 16 minute interview!

One of the last sessions Oliver Nelson cut, recorded in the mid 70s for the Japanese East Wind label, and one of our favorites, a nice soul jazz sleeper. The band includes Bobby Bryant, Jerome Richardson, Mike Wofford, and Shelly Manne, with a nice 6 piece front line, so the horn parts sound nice & full. The rhythm section features electric piano and bass, so the sound is a bit more modern, but we love the readings they do of classics like Nelson's "Stolen Moments" and there's a great groover kicking off the second side, "Mission Accomplished".

A poppy record, but a great one too – and a surprisingly enduring pleasure from the Streetwise scene of the 80s! This is the album that started it all – the wave of younger groups that would come into play in 80s soul strongly by the latter half of the decade – New Edition with its now-classic lineup that includes a young Ralph Tresvant, Bobby Brown, and the Bell, Biv, Devoe trio! The album's really the brainchild of producer Maurice Starr, who's also working here with a fair bit of help from Michael Jonzun and a bit of guidance from Arthur Baker – all of whom serve up tunes that are sweet and catchy, and which are almost an 80s update of the sound of the Jackson 5 or Five Stairsteps from a decade before – given a hipper, more streetsoul undercurrent. Titles include "She Gives Me A Bang", "Pass The Beat", "Ooh Baby", "Popcorn Love", "Candy Girl", "Should Never Have Told Me", and "Gimme Your Love".

Landmark early recordings by Phil Ochs – the demos that predate his first album, which were recorded live to reel-to-reel, many with spoken intros – and he's clear-toned and strident as ever here! It's remarkable stuff, and a even a bit chilling now, given how relevent so many Phil's songs even decades later– as topical as they were at the time, the struggles at their core go on and on. However you feel about his views, there's just no denying the strength and passion, and he's as charming as he is righteous here. Some songs ended up being recorded professionally for later albums, but a good deal of it is didn't appear until after Phil passed away. 25 in all: "The AMA Song", "The Ballad Of Davey Moore", "On My Way", "Lou Walsh", "Hazard, Kentucky", "I'll Be There", "The Power And The Glory", "How Long", "Bobby Dylan Record", "Talking Airplane Disaster", "Spanish Lament", "Don't Try Again" and more.

Lost grooves from Spanish Harlem – an incredible set of Latin Soul from The 107th Street Stickball Team! With a name like that, the group certainly aren't as well-remembered as contemporaries like Joe Bataan or Willie Colon, but they've got a soulful groove that definitely fits the style of the time – a sweet uptown blend of Harlem soul and Latin rhythms – with the same blend of sweet soul ballads and uptempo groovers you'd find on some of Bataan's classic albums for Fania Records! Bobby Marin put the whole album together, with a tight groove that's very similar to his work for Speed Records – played here by a group that includes Orlando Marin, Louie Ramirez, Ozzie Torrens, and Joey Pastrana – all kings of Latin Soul at the time! Vocalists include Butch Johnson and Danny Agosto – but there's a real group feel to the record, with lots of harmonies behind the lead – the kind of streetcorner soul you might have heard while catching a stickball game on one of the side streets up north of Harlem. Titles include "Toma Guajira", "Look To Me", "You Put A Hurt In My Heart", "Rhythm & Soul", "Mojo Shingaling", "Barbara With The Kooky Eyes", "Tell Her I Love Her", and "Let Me Do My Thing". CD features 3 bonus tracks by The Nitty Sextet, all previously unissued – "Nitty Boo Boo", "Something New", and "Say Listen".

A nicely sensitive set from guitarist Joe Pass – hardly the usual bag of Ellington-alike material, and instead a small group outing that unlocks a newly introspective side of Duke's compositions! Joe's working here with Ray Brown on bass and Bobby Durham on drums – and the feel overall is mostly gentle, almost in a late nite mode – with plenty of space to let Pass step around the strings with care and quietude, as he works his way through titles that include "Caravan", "Solitude", "In A Mellowtone", "I Got It Bad", "I Let A Song Go Out Of My Heart", and "Satin Doll".