Tracks from Digs, Woosh & Mr Ski, Juan Iborra, Wrenchman, Dimitri From Tokyo, Black Powder, River Ocean, Francois K, Digital Boogie, Mettle Music, Peppermint Candy, and more. CD

Includes the songs "Buhaina Buhaina", "After You've Gone", "Days Of Wine And Roses", "That's All", "Blues For Sam Nassi", "I'm Afraid The Masquerade Is Over", "The Real Blues", "Carioca Hills", "Exactly Like You", "Georgia On My Mind", "Keep On Pumpin'", "Onion Roll", "Gumbo Hump", "High Heel Sneakers", "Put Your Little Foot Right Out", "Ralph's Boogie", "Rockin' In Rhythm", "Lady Be Good", "Blue Bossa", "Like Someone In Love", "The Flintstones Theme", "Take The "A" Train", "Just Friends", and "Captain Bill". CD

A special split LP from Savoy Brown – one side live, and one side studio – both produced to blues rock perfection by Mike Vernon! The live set features one 22 minute long medley, titled "Savoy Brown Boogie" – and studio tracks include "Made Up My Mind", "I'm Tired", "Where Am I", and "Life's One Act Play". CD

Brilliant brown-eyed soul from Ray Camacho – an artist who was previously known for more border-styled work with his Teardrops band, but who steps out here with a surprisingly great blend of electric jazz and boogie! The approach is wonderful – a real re-direction of Ray's earlier groove into even more soulful territory – handled with that unique fusion that was happening in just a few of the best Texas spots, like the scene in Austin at the time. The album's equal parts soul and funk, but still has a few Latin roots too – and had this gem come out on Fantasy Records at the time, it would have pushed Ray and group into much headier territory. But we're also happy the set's been undiscovered for so many years (consider it our little secret) – and titles include "Reach Out", "Diggin Deep", "Shake What You Got", "Nobody But You", "Nothing But A Party", and "What A Day". CD

The best collection we've ever seen of the work of funky soul legends Dyke & The Blazers – a double-length set that features full, unedited versions of their classics – plus a whopping batch of previously unreleased tunes! Dyke & The Blazers had a groove that was mighty solid back in the late 60s – a hard-vamping, tightly rhythmic groove that easily matched the best early funk of the time from Charles Wright, Sly Stone, or James Brown – and which was often served up with a rougher edge, and an overall sound that was a lot more dangerous! However, many of the group's singles really trimmed down their performances – shaving off key instrumental moments that are lovingly re-attached here, and combining them with some even rarer tracks that never saw the light of day back in the 60s. The whole thing's amazing – and the 2CD set features a whopping 33 tracks in all, split into one disc of material recorded in Phoenix, and one more of tracks from Hollywood! Titles include "Black Boy", "Stuff", "Moon", "Booga Jivin", "Runaway People", "Funky Broadway Time (parts 1 & 2)", "Swamp Walk", "Extra Funk", "Let A Woman Be A Woman Let A Man Be A Man", "Soul Cake", "She Knows It", "Let's Do It Together", "Bring It On Back", "Funky Walk (parts 1 & 2)", and "Triple Funk". CD

A classic James Brown sample starts the groove on this early 90s set – and really stakes the pace for the rest of the funky soul to follow! The Good Girls do a great job of moving between new jack rhythms and some even more expansive modes on the set – including some of those great warmer styles that were coming into mainstream R&B as the 90s moved on – not retro at all, but a new embrace of some of the fuller, richer modes of the 70s – really balanced out here in a great way with the more contemporary elements. Vocals are especially nice on those tracks – and titles include "Just Call Me", "Can You Keep Him", "Let Me Love You", "Love In Love's Hands", "Future", "I'm Coming Back", "Runnin From Love", "Since I Fell For You", and "Nothing" – plus "Just Call Me (John's backdoor boogie remix edit)". CD

About as classic as you can get for Ben Webster on Verve Records – a nicely mature, nicely laidback session that really captures the energy promised in the title! The sidemen are all in an easygoing, soulful mode – Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Stan Levey on drums – and Ben blows these beautifully deep, well-crafted lines on tenor over the top – always with that raspy tone that had already influenced a generation, but which hardly ever got a better showcase than this! Titles include "Time On My Hands", "Where Are You", "Soulville", "Late Date", and "Ill Wind". CD also features 3 previously unissued tracks – "Who", "Boogie Woogie", and "Roses Of Picardy". CD

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! CD

A really heady collection of cuts – one that starts with jazz, and moves into a whole host of other righteous styles too – all to sum up a 70s mode that's as much about empowerment as it is peace! Think of the cuts here as being in the much farther reaches past the styles initiated by Impulse Records and the Coltrane generation – to a point where the artists here aren't just copying modal and spiritual jazz styles, but infusing them with all sorts of new inflections of their own – at a level that makes the whole collection a really wonderful discovery! As with previous volumes, there's titles here we never would have heard otherwise – and this CD features tracks from both Vols 5 and 6 of the vinyl version – titles that inlcude "Algunas" by Jimmy McGary, "Bless Your Soul" by Lucky Brown & The SGs, "Night In Tunisia" by A La Ala, "Cataracts" by Musica Orbis, "Januschka" by Frederic Rabold, "Little Boogum" by Federico Cervantes, "No Outlet" by Beaver College Modern Jazz Orchestra, "Night Eagle" by Cleveland Jazz All Stars, "Zimbabwe" by Ron Wilson Trio, "Shanti" by Jazz Yatra Sextett, and "One More For The Road" by Dahle Scott CD

One of the best-ever compilations of GoGo music we've ever seen – all hand-selected by legendary funk DJ Snowboy! Snowboy's been digging for GoGo for years, and he's managed to put together a compilation that avoids all the cliches and mistakes of others like it – going for an all-winning lineup that really gets at the funky funky power of GoGo at its best! Heavy percussion abounds – as congas, cowbells, and drums snap out long and acoustic rhythms – while the band vamps, calls, and even throws in a bit of electro and DJ trickery! The set's got 11 tracks in all, with some nice notes – and a list of titles that include "Scratchin To The Funk" by Doctor Funkenstein, "All We Want Is Go Go" by AM FM, "Give It Here" by Rare Essence, "Take It To The Top" by Ski Bone, "All Wrapped Up In One" by TTED All Stars, "We Need Some Money" by Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, "It's In The Mix" by Slim, "Meet Me At The Go Go" by Hot Cold Sweat, "Arkade Funk" by Tilt, "E Flat Boogie" by Trouble, and "Let's Get Small" by Trouble Funk. CD

About as classic as you can get for Ben Webster on Verve Records – a nicely mature, nicely laidback session that really captures the energy promised in the title! The sidemen are all in an easygoing, soulful mode – Oscar Peterson on piano, Herb Ellis on guitar, Ray Brown on bass, and Stan Levey on drums – and Ben blows these beautifully deep, well-crafted lines on tenor over the top – always with that raspy tone that had already influenced a generation, but which hardly ever got a better showcase than this! Titles include "Time On My Hands", "Where Are You", "Soulville", "Late Date", and "Ill Wind". CD also features 3 previously unissued tracks – "Who", "Boogie Woogie", and "Roses Of Picardy". CD

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. CD

The Texas tenor legend soars again – in three great albums from his later years! Funky Butt is strong later work by tenor sax legend Arnett Cobb – in a quartet session cut in New York in January of 1980 – sounding fresh and revitalized one of his final studio dates! Funky Butt actually isn't a left turn into a funk sound Cobb, but it is a pretty darn great showcase for his rich, full sounding and playful tenor approach – not too out of character from his work in the late 50s on Prestige. He's backed by a great group that includes Ray Drummond on bass, Derek Smith on piano and Ronnie Bedford on drums. It's got a few fairly stomping numbers, particularly the opener "Jumpin' At The Woodside" and their energetic take on "I Got Rhythm" – and the whole set is terrific – with the bluesy Cobb-composed title track, plus "September In The Rain", "Isfahan", "Georgia On My Mind" and "Satin Doll". Wild Man From Texas is a great overseas set from tenor giant Arnett Cobb – a set done after a bit of a late 60s comeback on Prestige Records, and one that takes him back into even grittier territory overall! The great Milt Buckner is on the set on organ and a bit of vibes – and the record also features work from Eddie Chamblee on tenor, Buster Cooper on trombone, Wallace Davenport on trumpet, and Earl Warren on alto – players of a generation who really resonate well with Arnett's lead! Titles include "Where Or When", "Ghost Of A Chance", "Smooth Sailing", "Dutch Kitchen Bounce", and "Flying Home No 2". Again is a set that has the tenor of Arnett Cobb reunited with the Hammond of Milt Buckner – but in an unusual quartet that also features Clarence Gatemouth Brown on guitar! Brown's presence definitely brings out some bluesier currents at times, and the tunes also get plenty of that raw, raspy tenor treatment that Cobb can do so well – on tunes that include "Cobb's Boogie", "Deep Purple", "Cobb's Blues", "Light Like That", and "Willow Weep For Me". CD

Three later live sets from Dizzy Gillespie – all in a single package! Sesjun Radio Shows 1 is great, and if you like Dizzy Gillespie as much as us, you'll know that he kept on getting better and better as the years went on – continuing to evolve as a musician, into territory that's always very different than what he was giving the world a few years before! That's definitely the case here, on two live performances done for Dutch Radio in the late 70s – both of which feature a guitar as the key partner – with Rodney Jones on the first half, Ed Cherry on the second, and bass from Benjamin Brown and drums from the great Mickey Roker. Tracks are long, and open up in this really wonderful way – and the group is joined by percussionist Sheyvonne Wright on the second half, who also sings a bit too. There's a quality here that's much more in the best 70s work on the Muse label than you might expect – and titles include "Barcelona", "Diddy Wah Diddy", "Toccata", "The Truth", "Night In Tunisia", "Manha De Carnaval", and Round Midnight". Sesjun Radio Shows 2 is further proof that the genius of Dizzy Gillespie knows no bounds, even in later years – as these two different radio performances feature Diz with very unique saxophonists – both of whom really transform the sound of the group! The first half of the set has Gillespie on trumpet with a young Paquito D'Rivera on soprano and alto sax – a young player really coming into his own here, in an unusual group that also features Canadian guitarist Ed Cherry, bassist Michael Howell, and drummer Ignacio Berroa – on titles that include the funky "Unicorn", plus "All The Things You Are" and "Cripple Crapple Crutch". The second half will be even more surprising to fans of avant jazz – as the legendary Sam Rivers joins the group on tenor and soprano sax – blowing straighter than on his free improv records, but definitely adding an edge! The rest of the group features Cherry and Berroa, with John Lee in on bass for Howell – and titles include "Tanga", "Manteca", and "Birk's Works". Concert Of The Century is a record with a title that's a hell of a claim to make – but it's also a hell of a concert, too – one that features Dizzy Gillespie blowing with an all-star small group lineup – in really stretched-out takes on the tunes, at a level that rivals his best 70s material on the Pablo label! In addition to Gillespie on trumpet, players also include Milt Jackson on vibes, James Moody on tenor and flute, Hank Jones on piano, Ray Brown on bass, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all working together as seamlessly as you'd expect! Titles include "Darben The Redd Foxx", "The Shadow Of Your Smile", "Get Happy", "Blues N Boogie", "If I Should Lose You", and "Bass Solo/Manha De Carnaval/Work Song". CD

Some of the greatest, most influential rhythm & blues ever recorded – the seminal R&B recordings the great Wynonie Harris cut for King Records – plus a second CD of rare alternate takes! Wynonie paved the way for a huge number of artists to come, but even if we're going to sidestep his trailblazing legacy, the recordings are jaw-droppingly great – really raw, full of fire, and often with a gritty lyrical approach that made Harris one of the key figures in the development of rock – with an attitude towards sex and drinking that could still make your grandmother blush! The backdrops are largely made up of a piano, horns, and the thumping bass and drums rhythm section – a perfect foil for Wynonie's voice, which is always front and center – seizing your attention in full, whether the cut is a bluesy lament or sly come on. Plus, the package pulls all the music from the original acetates – essentially the "master tapes" used by King Records in the pre-tape years – with titles that include "Love is Like Rain", "Rose Get Your Clothes", "I Like My Baby's Pudding", "Baby Shame On You", "Blowin' To California", "I Want My Fanny Brown", "Wynonie's Boogie", "Blowin' To California", "All She Wants To Do Is Rock", "Oh Babe", and "Teardrops From My Eyes" with the Lucky Millinder Orchestra. 48 tracks on 2CDs! CD

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! CD

One of the coolest Christmas compilations you could ever hope to own – but you probably guessed that already, from the cover image that pays tribute to a classic set from James Brown! The JB image is certainly well placed – as most of the tracks here are deeply funky Holiday tunes – the kind of gritty seasonal ditties that were only ever issued as funky 45s back in the day – and most really only on a local level, too! Strut's really outdone themselves with this excellent collection – as it features a fair bit of Christmas rarities we've never heard before, but which are totally wonderful – all-new tunes, not common Christmas cover versions – played and performed with a hell of a soulful feel throughout. Knock that ol' Bing Crosby record off the turntable, and give this one plenty of spins this December – and dammit, the music's so great, you may well find yourself playing the collection well into the New Year too! Titles include "Boogaloo Santa Claus" by JD McDonald, "Angel's Christmas" by Wild Honey, "Black Christmas" by Harlem Children's Chorus, "Getting Down For Xmas" by Milly & Silly, "Soul Santa" by Funk Machine, "Funky Funky Christmas" by Electric Jungle, "Christmas Present Blues" by Jimmy Reed, "Santa's Got A Bag Of Soul" by Soul Saints Orchestra, "Christmas Morning (Sean Bonniwell edit)" by Zebra, "Let's Get It Together This Christmas" by Harvey Averne, "Auld Lang Syne" by Black On White Affair, and "The New Year" by Jimmy Jules & The Nuclear Soul System. CD

One of the first-ever Christmas albums in the world of soul and R&B, and a host of vintage Holiday tunes pulled from the 50s LA R&B scene – served up here as a complete album! The set features some of the first great secular soul tracks recorded for the season – tracks that set the scene for all the Motown, James Brown, and other soul music Christmas albums to come! Titles include Charles Brown's classic "Merry Christmas Baby", plus "Lonesome Christmas (parts 1 & 2)" by Lowell Fulsom, "Sleigh Ride" by Lloyd Glenn, "Boogie Woogie Santa Claus" by Mable Scott, "Christmas Everyday" and "Christmas Dreams" by Johnny Moore's Blazers, "Love For Christmas" and "Jingle Bell Hop" by Jackson Trio, and "Christmas Blues" by Jimmy Witherspoon. CD