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A big, warm sunshine psychedelic pop set from John Carter and the Flower Pot Men – built around the richly groovy Brian Wilson styled gem "Let Go To San Francisco" – featuring a number of tunes credited to the Flower Pot Men proper and a slew of related material! Listen To The Flowers Grow features a bunch of sweet summer of love style pop gems – including demos and previously unreleased bits buy the Flower Pot Men and their circle of cast members, related projects and pseudonyms – including work credited to John Carter, the Ministry Of Sound, Haystack, Dawn Chorus and more. Titles include "What's The Matter With Juliet" (demo), "Rain, Rain, Rain" (Ministry Of Sound/John Carter vocal), "Let's Go To San Francisco Pt 1", "Let's Go To San Francisco Pt 2", "A Walk In The Sky", "Am I Losing You", "A Man Without A Woman", "You Can Never Be Wrong", "Letter To Josephine" (as Haystack), "A Night To Be Remembered" (as Dawn Chorus) and more!

Gil Scott Heron's first album for Arista – very much in the mellow soul jazz work of his legendary album on Strata East! The record features some wonderfully moody jazz backing that really marks a shift in Gil's style – never going too far over the top, but hitting a sweet groove that really lets him open up as a singer even more than before! There's plenty of warm electric piano on the album, couched in those wonderfully soulful phrases that Gil and Brian Jackson could cook up so effortlessly at the time – and tracks include the fantastic cut "Winter In America", plus "The Liberation Song (Red, Black And Green)", "Ain't No Such Thing As Superman" "We Beg Your Pardon", "Alluswe" and "Western Sunrise".

An 80s collection, but one that's filled with gems from Gil Scott-Heron's legendary early years at Flying Dutchman – a time when he was recording some of his most impressively righteous material ever! The music's a hip mix of protest poetry and sweet jazzy numbers – played with great keyboard accompaniment from frequent partner Brian Jackson on nearly every track – plus help from Hubert Laws on flute and sax, and Bernard Purdie on drums. CD features 17 tracks in all – much more than the album – and titles include "Pieces of a Man", "Lady Day & John Coltrane", "Whitey on the Moon", "The Needle's Eye", "Home is Where the Hatred Is", "Did You Hear What They Said?", "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", "No Knock", "Sex Education Ghetto Style", "A Sign Of The Ages", "The Prisoner", and "When You Are Who You Think You Are".

A sweet debut set from Solution – a Dutch group who work here in a seriously jazzy blend of keyboards and reeds – almost with a vibe that's like Brian Auger in his post-Trinity years, but sometimes a bit more freewheeling too! The group's got great instrumentation from Tom Barlage on flute, alto, and soprano sax – and Willem Ennes on piano, Fender Rhodes, and organ – both players who soar out beautifully together, and have a way of dancing around each others' instruments as they take off to the skies! Bass is from Peter Van Der Sande, who also sings a bit – although the album's mostly instrumental – and drums are by Hans Waterman. Tracks are nice and long – and include "Koan", "Preview", "Phases", "Trane Steps", and "Circus Circumstances".

A mindblowing collection of 80s groovers – 2 CDs worth of music, and overflowing with great bits from the Capitol Rare generation! The set really comes together wonderfully – and features some lesser-known tunes by bigger artists, plus a few stone classics from the time, offered up in longer mixes lifted from 12" singles. The groove is completely tight and outta site – lots of heavy bass, sweet keyboard riffs, and the best jazzed-up soul approach of the 80s groove era! 20 tracks in all, with titles that include "All Because Of You (extended)" by Beau Williams, "Right From The Start (extended)" by O'Brian, "Crazy (extended)" by Colorblind, "Let's Go All The Way" by Chocolate Milk, "Feelgood (extended)" by Blue Feather, "Tell Me Why" by Change, "Trust In Me (extended)" by LJ Reynolds, and "A Good Thing Is So Hard To Find" by Deep.

A dream – and the fab first LP by Harpers Bizarre! The group were one of the strangest pop ensembles operating in the seminal LA scene of the mid 60s – ostensibly a sweet harmony vocal group, but with a strangely childish approach that also had an ear open for the mind-blowing production styles of the Brian Wilson era. Van Dyke Parks was a big supporter of the group – and they perform a sublime version of his tune "Come To The Sunshine" as the leadoff track on the album – and even though Van Dyke didn't handle the arrangements of the record, the style of the music is very similar to his own, with guitar, bass, and drums coming into play with strings, woodwinds, and baroque orchestral touches. The record is as dark as it is sublime – one of those pop gems that hit big, but which has a brooding depth bubbling underneath the sugary coating – ala Pet Sounds. Tracks include "Happy Talk", "The Debutantes Ball", "I Can Hear The Darkness", "Raspberry Rug", and their huge hit version of "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy)". CD also includes the bonus tracks "Bye Bye Bye" and "Lost My Love Today".

An amazing tribute to one of our favorite soundtrack composers ever – a massive overview of the work of Michel Legrand, one that spans over 70 films, 4 decades, and 5 hours of music! The package looks at Legrand's career on a film-by-film basis – offering up key tracks and themes in a historical progression that begins in late 50s France, runs through key European films of the 60s, and takes off into important global territory in the 70s. Throughout this long span of work, Legrand always has an amazing ear for the sensitive melody – the kind of simple, straightforward tune that often becomes as important to a film as the image itself (and honestly, looking through the films in this collection, it's clear that many of the tunes have had a longer life than the movies they were used in!) The package comes complete with a great booklet on Legrand's career, complete with older photos and images – as well as both English and French versions of an interview with Legrand, and reflections on his work by Sydney Pollack, Agnes Varda, Norman Jewison, and others. Includes music from the films Lola, Cleo De 5 A 7, Le Gentleman D'Epsom, Eva, Love Is A Ball, The Happy Ending, Sweet November, Play Dirty, L'Homme A La Buick, The Go-Between, Le Mans, Portnoy's Complaint, Time For Living, Brian's Song, Peau D'Ane, To Catch A Pebble, Le Gang Des Otages, Castle Keep, The Magic Garden Of Stanley Sweetheart, F For Fake, Un Homme Est Mort, Lady Sings The Blues, Breezy, and many others!

A great one from Gil Scott-Heron – and another wonderful collaboration with Brian Jackson – who handled all the arrangements on this set, and gave the record that sweet jazzy sound that makes Gil's work from this time some of his best ever! There's loads of excellent electric piano from Jackson – whose work in the style made the Winter In America album so great – and the combination of Gil's vocals and his keys really makes the album sublime! Leading the way, Gil's heavy, strong, strident and focused lyricism – presciently and poetically preparing for the 80s as only he could! Includes the single "Shut 'Um Down", "Alien (Hold On To Your Dreams)", "Willing", "Corners", "Late Last Night", and "Push Comes To Shove". This Soul Brother edition includes a 2009 essay/introduction by Brian Jackson.

A dream – and the fab first LP by Harpers Bizarre! The group were one of the strangest pop ensembles operating in the seminal LA scene of the mid 60s – ostensibly a sweet harmony vocal group, but with a strangely childish approach that also had an ear open for the mind-blowing production styles of the Brian Wilson era. Van Dyke Parks was a big supporter of the group – and they perform a sublime version of his tune "Come To The Sunshine" as the leadoff track on the album – and even though Van Dyke didn't handle the arrangements of the record, the style of the music is very similar to his own, with guitar, bass, and drums coming into play with strings, woodwinds, and baroque orchestral touches. The record is as dark as it is sublime – one of those pop gems that hit big, but which has a brooding depth bubbling underneath the sugary coating – ala Pet Sounds. Tracks include "Happy Talk", "The Debutantes Ball", "I Can Hear The Darkness", "Raspberry Rug", and their huge hit version of "59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin Groovy)". This Now Sounds UK CD edition includes the mono version of the album with a whopping 17 bonus tracks – the instrumental versions of several tunes, mono 45 mixes and 7 tracks by the pre-Harper's Bizarre group The Other Tikis. 26 tracks in all!

A mindblowing collection of 80s groovers – 2 CDs worth of music, and overflowing with great bits from the Capitol Rare generation! The set really comes together wonderfully – and features some lesser-known tunes by bigger artists, plus a few stone classics from the time, offered up in longer mixes lifted from 12" singles. The groove is completely tight and outta site – lots of heavy bass, sweet keyboard riffs, and the best jazzed-up soul approach of the 80s groove era! 20 tracks in all, with titles that include "All Because Of You (extended)" by Beau Williams, "Right From The Start (extended)" by O'Brian, "Crazy (extended)" by Colorblind, "Let's Go All The Way" by Chocolate Milk, "Feelgood (extended)" by Blue Feather, "Tell Me Why" by Change, "Trust In Me (extended)" by LJ Reynolds, and "A Good Thing Is So Hard To Find" by Deep.

A surprisingly great comeback for The Beach Boys – working here with Brian Wilson at the production helm, in a mode that really recalls the glory of the group's post-Pet Sounds years! We'll be honest that we were initially cringing at the title – and expected the worst – but there's a compelling, charming quality here that comes not just from the group's well-crafted harmonies, or the sensitive and careful production – but also from the fact that these guys have aged a heck of a lot, and seem to bring a sense of humanity to the music they wouldn't have had before! It's almost like that early 20s moment when the Boys were starting to grow up and bringing a new sense of pain to their previous teen lyrics – but recast here in a post-middle age mode that's even more human and honest – yet somehow still served up with all the sweetness that's always made the group great! It's that mix of sweet sounds and bittersweet undercurrents that really makes the album shine – a balance that even Brian Wilson never managed to capture this well in some of his own solo projects over the past few decades. So our hat's off to the group (showing the same bald spot that most of them have too) – thanks for a nice album that includes the cuts "Shelter", "The Private Life Of Bill & Sue", "Think About The Days", "Isn't It The Time", "Pacific Coast Highway", "Summer's Gone", and "From There To Back Again".

Wonderful wonderful! The third album by Harpers Bizarre – and one that shows them growing in leaps and bounds with each new release! The record is a sublime fusion of sweet pop California 60s harmonies (ala The Sandpipers or The Lettermen), baroque arrangements with a fake dreamy nostalgia (ala Van Dyke Parks or Randy Newman), and drug-addled underground takes on the eazy sound of the generation (ala Brian Wilson or Love). This album is one of their most perfectly-realized visions, and it features a great blend of older songs, all hipped-up to modern LA arrangements by the likes of Nick De Caro, Perry Botkin, and others. The record has an approach that's simply mindblowing when you consider the amount of funds and effort that must have been put into a record that would only be truly appreciated 40 years later – and it's filled with great titles that include "Me, Japanese Boy", "Look To The Rainbow", "Funny How Love Can Be", "Mad", "Green Apple Tree", and "Las Mananitas".

A pair of late 70s Motown gems from Cuba Gooding – back to back on a single CD! The well-titled 1st Cuba Gooding Album is his first project on his own, done after a classic stretch in the Main Ingredient! Gooding's working here with help from Dennis Lambert and Brian Potter – the hit 70s soul team who really help him find a great new groove on his own – a sound that's rooted in the sweeter vocal modes of The Main Ingredient, but which has a sparklingly sophisticated quality of its own! The music is mature and upbeat – a bit like some of David Ruffin or Eddie Kendricks' solo work of the 70s – and nearly all tunes here are originals by Potter and Lambert. Titles include "Fool Of The Year", "Mind Pleaser", "Hold On To What You Got", "All I Can Give You Is Love", and "As Long As There's You". Love Dancer is a tremendous solo outing from Cuba Gooding – a record that not only shows his strength as a lead singer away from The Main Ingredient – but one that also shows that he really knows how to groove as well! The album's produced by Michael Smith, and has a vibe that's a bit different than Gooding's previous Motown record – with some tunes that have a wonderfully rich clubby sort of sparkle – and some even nicer mellow moments that really unlock that mature potential Gooding always had in his vocals – that smooth-stepping sound he'd really bring to the forefront when returning to The Main Ingredient in the 80s. Titles include the great mellow groover "I'm Yours Now" – plus "Hey The Party's In Here", "Disco Royale", "Trust Me", "Tell Me How Long It's Been", and "Running Man".

Great guitar and bass interplay – between Roni Ben-Hur and Santi Debriano – plus some light and lively rhythms from percussionist Duduka Da Fonseca! The set's a jazz album, but has the up-close and personal instrumental feel of a Brazilian session – not just because of some slight bossa touches in the rhythms and tunes, but because the players have a great way of finding warmth and intimacy with each other. Make no mistake, though – the set's hardly a bossa album, and has much more of a jazz feel overall – and represents not just a great setting for Roni's sweet guitar lines, but also for Santi's always-wonderful bass. Titles include "Milonga For Miami", "Anna's Dance", "Green Chimneys", "Earl's Key", and "Suave".