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The team of Atlanta MC Boog Brown and Detroit producer Apollo Brown – strong stuff from the two Browns and the Mello Music Group! Includes "Marinate", "Master Plan", "Carpe Diem", "Shine", "Blink", "Play The Game" feat Kenn Starr, "Just Be", "UPS", "Understanding" and more.

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

An overlooked gem from Chic – a record cut past their initial fame in the discos, and done in a tightly-stepping 80s groove that's totally great! The style here still has plenty of that sharp-edged Niles Rodgers guitar – but the overall sound is cleaner and leaner too – more in a boogie-styled funk approach than before, with a tightly snapping groove that holds up strongly throughout! Bernard Edwards' bass is definitely up in the mix a fair bit, and vocals include contributions from Jocelyn Brown and Fonzi Thornton. Titles include "Flash Back", "Take It Off", "Just Out Of Reach", "Telling Lies", "Stage Fright", "Your Love Is Cancelled", and "Burn Hard".

A stunning disco classic from Dan Hartman – maybe an unlikely talent for the dancefloors, given his image on the cover – but an artist who definitely went onto shape the sound of the clubs at the end of the 70s! The album's got the Hartman groove really hitting hard, and right on the money – a tightly compressed approach to disco that really lays heavily on the hooks – in a style that's similar to where Peter Brown was going at the time, with a similar compressed sensibility that gets past any of the fluff that was drowning others in the disco generation! In fact, it could well be argued that the approach here really helps focus a dancefloor sound towards the modes of the 80s – while still allowing for the fluid soul of the disco years too – a style that's summed up perfectly in the album's extended classic "Vertigo/Relight My Fire", which features famous vocals by Loleatta Holloway! Other titles are all sweet too – and include "Free Ride", "I Love Makin Music", "Just For Fun", "Love Strong", and "Hands Down". CD features some nice bonus tracks too – "Boogie All Summer (single)", "Relight My Fire (single)", "Hands Down (12" version)", "Hands Down (Hands Up)", "Relight My Fire (historical 1979 rmx)", and "Vertigo/Relight My Fire (progressive instrumental rmx)".

Fast, frenetic funk – a romping 60s take on "James Brown's Boogaloo" – done at a level that's even rawer than the original from The Godfather himself! The guitar moves super-fast – cutting the tune with a razor-sharp rhythm that's then peppered with burning organ lines – plus a bit of heavy tenor on one of the versions here!

One of Eddie's classic dancefloor groovers for Tamla, with production and arrangements by the hit team of Frank Wilson and Leonard Caston! The album keeps Eddie's hit "boogie" groove going strong – grooving mostly in a midtempo smooth soul style that would become a dominant approach to soul during the next few years, Eddie and Motown's contribution to the soul legacy of the 70s that was nearly as strong as that of Philly soul. Titles include "Boogie Down", "Hooked On Your Love", "Honey Brown", "Tell Her Love Has Felt The Need", and "Loving You The Second Time Around".

This is definitely not your father's calypso – no living room limbo or Harry Belafonte cliches – and instead, a smoking batch of Caribbean grooves from The Mighty Sparrow! Sparrow was very much on the edge of the best styles in the 60s and early 70s – and although his basic groove might be termed calypso, he also brought in plenty of Cuban, Haitian, and Jamaican rhythms to his music too – as well as an occasional does of American soul! Like some of the best early sounds from Kingston, the grooves here often echo a deeper R&B sensibility, turned towards island rhythms – and really hit home strongly by Sparrow's wonderful vocals – as catchy, compelling, and charming as some of the best US singers of the time – with touches of the wit of Oscar Brown Jr, the warmth of Lou Rawls, the swing of a young Marvin Gaye, and the spookiness of Screamin Jay Hawkins! This massive collection is the first to really dig through his older records to pull out the best tunes – just the kind of special focus we'd expect from the Strut label, with a wicked track selection and great notes too! Titles include "Bongo", "Calypso Boogaloo", "Zinah", "Fool Fool Fool", "Ah Diggin Horrors", "Jook For Jook", "Sparrow Come Back Home", "Slave", "She's Been Gone Too Long", "Congo Man", "Ten To One Is Murder", and "Kennedy & Kruschev".

This is definitely not your father's calypso – no living room limbo or Harry Belafonte cliches – and instead, a smoking batch of Caribbean grooves from The Mighty Sparrow! Sparrow was very much on the edge of the best styles in the 60s and early 70s – and although his basic groove might be termed calypso, he also brought in plenty of Cuban, Haitian, and Jamaican rhythms to his music too – as well as an occasional does of American soul! Like some of the best early sounds from Kingston, the grooves here often echo a deeper R&B sensibility, turned towards island rhythms – and really hit home strongly by Sparrow's wonderful vocals – as catchy, compelling, and charming as some of the best US singers of the time – with touches of the wit of Oscar Brown Jr, the warmth of Lou Rawls, the swing of a young Marvin Gaye, and the spookiness of Screamin Jay Hawkins! This massive collection is the first to really dig through his older records to pull out the best tunes – just the kind of special focus we'd expect from the Strut label, with a wicked track selection and great notes too! Titles include "Bongo", "Calypso Boogaloo", "Zinah", "Fool Fool Fool", "Ah Diggin Horrors", "Jook For Jook", "Sparrow Come Back Home", "Slave", "She's Been Gone Too Long", "Congo Man", "Ten To One Is Murder", and "Kennedy & Kruschev".

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

Includest tracks by Meade Lux Lewis, Charlie Spand, Wesley Wallace, Will Ezell, Henry Brown, Cow Cow Davenport, Charles Avery, Jabo Williams, Blind Leroy Garnett, and Cripple Clarence Lofton.

A very cool little record – almost the musical equivalent of pulp paperbacks and b-movie crime films – served up on a host of rare tracks from the 50s and early 60s! Crime is the dominant theme here – as you might guess from the title – but the great thing about the music is the way it's handled – often with a slight sense of humor that offers up a nice contrast to more serious crime-based pop culture of the time – reflecting the postwar fascination with the genre, but offering up its own vision of things as well! Instrumentation and production usually play a big part in the tunes – pretty crafty, with lots of cool twists and turns that make things as vivid as pre-code comic book or True Confessions magazine! Titles include "Cops & Robbers" by Boogaloo & His Gallant Crew, "Dick Tracy" by The Chants, "The Prisoner's Song" by Hylo Brown, "21 Days In Jail" by Magic Sam, "Mr Dillon" by The Delcardos, "Life To Go" by George Jones, "Bad Detective" by The Coasters, "Birmingham Jail" by Warren Storm, "Jail Bird" by Sonny Knight, "Prisoner's Plea" by Billy Boy, "Dragnet" by Ray Anthony, and "Have You Got The Gumption" by Scatman Crothers.

80s grooves galore – and a sublime collection of rare and underground boogie tunes from a few decades back! The package was put together by rabid collectors Joey Negro and Sean P – and is a welcome contrast to some of the dodgier 80s sets on the market – because Joey and Sean have gone out of their way to present each track with the best sound possible, in a way that lets the keyboards and electro rhythms sparkle with the same energy they had back in the 12" years! But even more than that, the pair have gone out of their way to annotate each track – so that you know that the excellent track list wasn't just a happy accident, and really represents the cream of the crop of the underground 80s scene! 2CD set features 20 tracks in all – including "Love Treatment" by Brenda Watts, "Am I Gonna Be The One" by Colours, "Ease Out" by Mid Air, "Livin Too Fast" by Vera Brown, "I Can Feel Your Love" by Samson & Delilah, "To Please You" by UDM, "Super Super Lovin" by Masurrati, "Happy Music" by Mastermind, "Think Fast" by Pamela Joy, "Deetour" by Karen Young, "Back At Ya" by Kerr, "I'm On The Real Side" by Lisa Hill, "Down For Double" by Cubie Burke, "I Am Going To Love Him" by Sanctuary, and "Love Massage" by Lowrell Simon.

An incredible peek into a near-lost chapter of Chicago soul – the tiny Bandit label, home to The Majestic Arrows, one of the greatest indie harmony groups of the midwest in the 70s – plus a few other excellent soul artists! As with the other Eccentric Soul volume from Numero, this one offers far more than just an assortment of rare singles – and instead really digs deep to tell the true story of this tiny indie soul label. The music alone is totally great – as the set features a wealth of harmony soul tracks by The Majestic Arrows, plus other funk and soul tracks by Johnny Davis, Altyrone Deno Brown, and Linda Balintine – but the package is equally noteworthy – filled with the storied details of the unusual and exotic practices and lifestyles of the Bandit Records posse. The set features 17 full tracks – including "One More Time Around", "Another Day", "Doing It For Us", "Love Is All I Need", "Going To Make A Time Machine", "We Love Together", "The Magic Of Your Love", and "I'll Never Cry For Another Boy" by The Majestic Arrows; "We Have Love" and "Bring Back The One I Love" by The Arrows; "If You Love Me" and "Sweet Pea" by Altyrone Deno Brown; "You're A Habit Hard To Break" and "Glad About That" by Linda Balintine; and "You've Got To Crawl To Me" and "Boogedy Boogedy" by Johnny Davis. Plus, the set also features 3 rehearsal takes of tunes by the Majestic Arrows!

An amazing collection of music – put together ostensibly as a tribute to Excelsior label owner Otis Rene – but also a wonderful document of the wealth of wonderful sounds on the LA scene of the 40s and early 50s! The set is especially notable in that it includes rare early recordings by artists who'd flourish later on bigger labels like Capitol, Liberty, and Atlantic – yet heard here at the start of their careers, and already sounding wonderful – coming up with those unique hybrids of musical modes that made LA sounds some of the most compelling of the time – jump blues, smooth vocal R&B, and more – often pointing the way towards musical growth to come in the 60s. Despite the label's small status, its productions were all top-shelf – very polished, and well put-together – as you'll hear on this batch of 44 tracks that includes the titles "Pitchin Up A Boogie" and "All For You" by Nat King Cole, "Synthetic Joe" and "Groovin High" by Gerald Wilson, "Thursday Blues" and "I've Got To Have You That's All" by Jimmy Rushing, "Jeff Hi Stomp" and "Volcano" by Johnny Otis, "John The Revelator" by Luvenia Nash Singers, "Mobile" by Otis Rene, "I'm Still Crazy" and "Ribbely Bop" by The Drifters, "Strange Land Blues" by The Hollywood Flames, "Huckle Boogie" by Preston Love, "Crazy Baby" and "Think It Over" by Phil Flowers, "You Better Change Your Way" by Charles Brown, and "At Least You Could Save Me A Dream" by Herb Jeffries.

R&B, gritty blues, and some killer tenor talents – a wicked collection of vintage masters from legendary indie United Records! Musically, the package is very much on a par with Ace/Kent collections of this type – the sort that might feature material from King or Modern/RPM Records from the same vintage – and our hat's off to Delmark for doing such a great job of bringing back these crucially overlooked sounds from Chicago! Titles include "Cool Leo" by Leo Parker", "Cut That Out (alt)" by Junior Wells, "Organ Grinder" by Jimmy Coe, "Walking Home" by JT Brown, "Let's Get High" by Morris Pejoe, "Crazy Walk" by Tab Smith, "In The Dark" by Grant Jones, "Nona" by Paul Bascomb, "Goodbye" by The Pastels, "Tiny's Boogie" by Tiny Grimes, "Sophisticated Lady (alt)" by Jimmy Forrest, and "Come In The Room" by Robert Anderson.

80s grooves galore – and a sublime collection of rare and underground boogie tunes from a few decades back! The package was put together by rabid collectors Joey Negro and Sean P – and is a welcome contrast to some of the dodgier 80s sets on the market – because Joey and Sean have gone out of their way to present each track with the best sound possible, in a way that lets the keyboards and electro rhythms sparkle with the same energy they had back in the 12" years! But even more than that, the pair have gone out of their way to annotate each track – so that you know that the excellent track list wasn't just a happy accident, and really represents the cream of the crop of the underground 80s scene! 2CD set features 20 tracks in all – including "Love Treatment" by Brenda Watts, "Am I Gonna Be The One" by Colours, "Ease Out" by Mid Air, "Livin Too Fast" by Vera Brown, "I Can Feel Your Love" by Samson & Delilah, "To Please You" by UDM, "Super Super Lovin" by Masurrati, "Happy Music" by Mastermind, "Think Fast" by Pamela Joy, "Deetour" by Karen Young, "Back At Ya" by Kerr, "I'm On The Real Side" by Lisa Hill, "Down For Double" by Cubie Burke, "I Am Going To Love Him" by Sanctuary, and "Love Massage" by Lowrell Simon.

A sweet little 4 track DJ tool 12" with four of our favorite 80s groove numbers! You know the Frankie Smith number:; the rope-jumping, rollerskating, linoleum rocking summertime groove. "Rock Your World"s a catchy 80s groover from Weeks & Co – one of their best early cuts! The track cooks up the groove like a monster roller skating jam – using bass, keys, and a snapping approach to grab us right away – before the chanting chorus and main vocals come into the mix – and serve up a surprisingly soulful breakdown in the middle. JR Funk delivers a mid tempo club groover with a fast two-beat groove that's got some shouted James Brown-esque vocals over the popping groove. Suzy Q rounds out the set with a track that's just shy of roller boogie – slightly cold, with a thumping dancefloor groove that's got some nice European touches!

One of the slickest of Dave Matthews' funk records from the 70s – but still pretty darn nice! Matthews was the mainman behind the legendary funk group The Grodeck Whipperjenny, and a key arranger in James Brown's sound of the Polydor years – but by this time, he moved into smoother club-type jazz, of the sort he'd penned for Idris Muhammad and other artists on the Kudu label. However, Matthews' always had a talent for the funky groove – and even these otherwise pop disco numbers shine with a musical intensity that surprises us – especially at moments like the funky drumbreak on "You Keep Me Hanging On", the freaky moog on "Shoogie Wanna Boogie", the funky bass solo on "California Dreaming", and the excellent keyboard work on "Gotta Be Where You Are".

A really great later Blue Note session from Stanley Turrentine – a small combo set that's almost a return to the format of earlier years! The group's a strong one – and features Shirley Scott on organ, Jimmy Ponder on guitar, and Idris Muhammad on drums – playing in a style that's subtler and more laidback than his work with Lou Donaldson, but which still has a nice funk undercurrent. Stan's horn is in wonderful form on the record – really taking advantage of the longer tracks to open up with a mellow and exploratory tone – and the team of Scott and Ponder especially sounds great next to each other on the album. Tracks include "Boogaloo", "Buster Brown", and "Common Touch". CD also features a bonus 11 minute version of Carolyn Franklin's fiesty cut "Ain't No Way"!

Funky treasures back to back – two Watsonian albums from the late 70s on one CD! Master Funk is a great Johnny Guitar Watson side project – a set not billed directly to his name on the front, but which has all the great hallmarks of the best Watson albums from the 70s! Johnny produced, wrote songs, played, and sung on the record – but there's also an equal focus on his backing group too – which means maybe a bit lead guitar upfront, and more vocals from the whole ensemble – who work together to give the whole thing a mighty great party sound! In fact, some of the best numbers almost have a roller boogie vibe that's not unlike early hip hop – although other numbers get much bassier, and funkier overall. The whole thing's great – and titles include "Virginia's Pretty Funky", "De John's Delight", "Lady Voo Doo", "Master Funk", and "The Funk If I Know". Extra Disco Perception is hardly the disco promised in the title – and more of a club funk album overall – served up with plenty of input from the great Johnny Guitar Watson! The album's a great break from Johnny's usual groove – as he's able to retire his personality a bit, and slide in with the groove of the rest of the band – even though Watson's still at the helm – handling the writing, arrangements, and production of the record! The band handles most of the vocals, though – in a cool catchy style that works great with their tight instrumentation – and the whole thing's mighty groovy throughout. Tracks include "Pretty Brown Doll", "Rock", "Pretty Miss T", and "New York New York".

Seminal club tracks from the New York underground at the end of the 70s – a host of killer singles from the Spring, Vanguard, and Posse labels – all in a fantastic blend of boogie, disco, electro, and soul! The work here is easily some of the most sophisticated to come out of the east coast club scene at the time – a real return to indie genius after disco broke heavily in the mainstream, almost a reinvention of the groove with a host of new elements! Some of these tunes will be familiar, but they're presented here in their full extended versions next to others that have been un-reissued for years – making the set an essential batch of tunes that really gets at the best sound of New York from these years! 10 long tracks in all – including "Over Like A Fat Rat" by Fonda Rae, "It Ain't No Big Thing" by Rainbow Brown, "Money (Dollar Bill Y'All)" by Jimmy Spicer, "Charley Says (Roller Boogie Baby)" by King Tim III, "Wired For Games" by C-Bank, "Rockin It" by MC Flex & The FBI Crew, "Electric Kingdom" by Twilight 22, "Is This The Future" by Fatback, "Love Hangover" by Players Association, and "You Keep On Making Me Hot" by Busta Jones.

Heady sounds from one of Harlem's hippest indie labels of the 50s – the Red Robin imprint, home to a rich array of blues, R&B, and vocal group numbers! The company had a relatively small roster, but really helped its artists find the right sort of groove – in some cases to flourish at a level they'd never done before, in others to get a great start before moving onto bigger fame elsewhere – but still always at a level that had them giving their best! This 2CD package features three dozen numbers from the 78rpm era – the kind of heavy platters that kept Harlem moving in the years between swing and soul – on cuts that include "Hard Rock" and "The Hammer" by Red Prysock, "Shake Baby Shake" and "Drunk Again" by Champion Jack Dupree, "Juicy Fruit" by Tiny Grimes, "Can't Do Sixty No More" and "Go Back" by The Du Droppers, "Daisy" and "Don't Dog Your Woman" by Brownie McGhee, "Doggin My Heart Around" by Sonny Terry, "Earthquake" by Charlie Singleton, "Bobby's Boogie" by Morris Lane, "The Man I Crave" by Sadie Birch, "I've Got A Feeling" and "Tippin" by The Topps, and "You Didn't Give Me A Chance" by Sandra Grimes.

A great little live set – ostensibly a Dizzy Gillespie performance, but with some very strong guest stars! The core of the group is Diz's great one from the early 60s – with Lalo Schifrin on piano and Leo Wright on alto and flute, and they're joined by Stan Getz, JJ Johnson, and Candido for this tasty set of three long tracks: "Kush", "Sweet Georgia Brown" and "Bop 'N' Boogie".

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

A great version of the classic Rufus Thomas album Do The Funky Chicken – presented here with lots of bonus tracks from singles! The core record is one of Rufus' best from the 70s – a key record from his comeback years, and one that has him trading in his older R&B mode for a harder, funkier Memphis groove! Rufus was 52 at the time, but thanks to a never-dying fire, and some great youthful arrangements, the set crackles with a raw intensity that put him at the top of the funky Stax for the time! The set includes the massive comeback hit "Funky Chicken", plus a sublime remake of "Sixty Minute Man" – done in a slow and funky mode that rolls on for lover 7 minutes in all! Other tracks include "Soul Food", "Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown", "Turn Your Damper Down", and remakes of "The Preacher & The Bear" and "Bearcat". Plus, the CD also features a bonus 7 tracks from singles at the time – work that's almost even funkier, on titles that include "Itch & Scratch (parts 1 & 2)", "Funky Way", "So Hard To Get Along With", "Funky Mississippi", and "Boogie Ain't Nuttin (parts 1 & 2)".

A classic underground Latin jazz album from the 70s – a wonderfully warm session that beautifully mixes older rhythms and a range of soulful jazz styles! The album's one of the few cut as a leader by bongo player Jose Mangual – whose sweet-stepping rhythms really make the set groove – and the session also features great work from Tito Puente on timbales and vibes, Patato Valdez on congas, Luiz Ortiz on trumpet, Dick Meza on tenor, and Kimmy Knepper on trombone. Most tracks are in an acoustic mode, but slight electric touches warm things up nicely – making for a really unique Latin jazz groove that was years ahead of its time – and a vibe that still makes this album one that we go back for time and time again! Titles include the funky groover "Black & Brown Boogie" – which features guest work on keyboards by Richard Tee, plus a bit of vocals – and other instrumental tunes include "Mai Kinshasa", "Summit", "Chinatown", "Dreamy", "Bamba A Puerto Rico", and "Sunrise Prince".

One of the best Rufus Thomas albums from the 70s – a key record from his comeback years, and one that has him trading in his older R&B mode for a harder, funkier Memphis groove! Rufus was 52 at the time, but thanks to a never-dying fire, and some great youthful arrangements, the set crackles with a raw intensity that put him at the top of the funky Stax for the time! The set includes the massive comeback hit "Funky Chicken", plus a sublime remake of "Sixty Minute Man" – done in a slow and funky mode that rolls on for lover 7 minutes in all! Other tracks include "Soul Food", "Rufus Rastus Johnson Brown", "Turn Your Damper Down", and remakes of "The Preacher & The Bear" and "Bearcat". And dang! There's a huuuuuge amount of bonus tracks here too – funky Stax singles from the early 70s – including "Funky Mississippi", "So Hard To Get Along With", "Funky Way", "I Want To Hold You", "Itch & Scratch (parts 1 & 2)", and "Boogie Ain't Nuttin (parts 1 & 2)".

Not 80s hits, but a great collection of lesser-known gems from the left side of the soul spectrum – some cuts by bigger artists that sparkle even more strongly than their hits – mixed with work by some less common acts too – all served up in a double-length package that's filled with surprises! Most numbers have a boogie bounce or an 80s groove approach – nice and funky, but in a post-70s sort of style – and titles include "Hypnotized" by Scott White, "Don't Wanna Wait" by Lew Kirton, "Ladies Choice" by Stone City Band, "Joy" by Band Aka, "Sexy Sassy" by Bobby Nunn, "Don't Bust Yo Bubbles" by Muscle Shoals Horns, "My Simple Heart" by Carol Douglas, "Happy Days" by Forecast, "Let's Dance" by Tom Browne, "Don't Stop" by Shine, "Special Delivery" by Ann Fields, "Shout About It" by Lamont Dozier, "Love Follows" by Steven Dante, and "Stomp" by Moses Tyson.

Don't let the Euro-looking guys on the cover put you off, because this is one massively soulful set – filled with jazzy grooves that are mostly from the good ol' US of A! Most of the work here is from the super-deep Fantasy Records catalog – and much of it is from the 70s too – pulled from that great time when Fantasy labels were mixing up a variety of different influences with older soul jazz modes – touches of Brazilian and Latin rhythms, heavy styles of funk, and even some deeper soul too. CD features 17 tracks in all – including "Welcome To The Basement" by Merl Saunders, "You're So Vain" by David Axelrod, "Goodbye So Long" by Funk Inc, "From The Bottom" by Bobby Timmons, "Boogalooin" by Charles Kynard, "The Riot" by Ed Bogas, "Escravos De Jo" by Dom Um Romao, "Milestones" by Mark Murphy, "Scarborough Street Fair" by Merl Saunders, "Agua Dulce" by Cal Tjader, "Forever & A Day" by Mel & Tim, and "Aye Ma Ma" by Pucho & The Latin Soul Brothers.