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The shrill goofy vocalist lays down a second album of groovy camp tunes that'll make your dog cover his ears! There's a few lame tracks on here, but there's also some great ones, like her versions of "Girl From Ipanema" and "Monday, Monday". Mod arrangements by Fred Bock and Lex De Azevedo too!

The first moment of genius from the Steve Miller Band – a killer debut that also features a young Boz Scaggs as a key member of the group! Steve's the core star here, though – setting things up in this amazing blend of psych, blues, and hard rock – one that's easily a lot more ballsy than most of his Bay Area contemporaries at the time – really taking off on some propulsive rhythms, razor-sharp guitar, and cooking keyboards! Scaggs' vocal help is mighty nice – and titles include "You've Got The Power", "Pushed Me To It", "Junior Saw It Happen", "Baby's Callin Me Home", "Roll With It", and "Key To The Highway".

Number five, and the Steve Miller Band is still going strong – working here with some great help from Area Code 615, who bring a slightly rootsy vibe to the set! That core Miller brilliance is still very firmly in place – and Steve's got an even sharper ear for writing songs this time around – working in more influences than before, and really finding his voice – or more appropriately, that great way his vocals can be filtered in with the production. Other guests include Ben Sidran and Nicky Hopkins – helping to reinstate the keyboard sound in the group – and titles include "Steve Miller's Midnight Tango", "Industrial Military Complex Hex", "Never Kill Another Man", "Going To The Country", and "Hot Chili".

A Capitol classic from Meli'sa Morgan – filled with sweet 80s grooves, and delivered with a style that's nicely lighter than some of her contemporaries! Morgan can still manage a nice hook when she wants, but the album's also got her working as a richer soul artist overall – eschewing the obvious chart territory of other 80s female singers, and stepping back to hit some great midtempo modes that really let her open up with amazing vocals! The mode's almost a female take on the quiet storm style at its best moments – and titles include "Now Or Never", "Lies", "Fool's Paradise", "Heart Breaking Decision", "Do You Still Love Me", and "I'll Give It When I Want It". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "Do Me Baby (US 12" single)", "Do Me Baby (interlude – inst)", "Deeper Love (ext rmx)", "Deeper Love (dub)", "Fool's Paradise (paradise mix)", "Fool's Paradise (single)", and "Getting To Know You Better (12" mix)".

Meli'sa Morgan doing what she does best – pushing the envelope for mainstream soul, but often in really subtle ways! There's a majestic sweep to these tunes that's a real surprise – a class and care that takes Morgan's music past some of her poppier contemporaries, and which always brings a little something extra to the table – maybe a bit of jazz inflection to the vocals at points, or some deeper lines that really help send a lyric home! And although the production is relatively commercial, the end result is a lot richer, too – thanks to work in the studio from Kashif and Lesette Wilson – both of whom leave their mark on the set. Titles include "Love Changes", a duet with Kashif – plus "You're All I Got", "Good Love", "If You Can Do It I Can Too", "Here Comes The Night", "Just For Your Touch", and "I Still Think About You". CD features lots of bonus tracks – including "If You Can Do It I Can Too (club house mix)", "If You Can Do It I Can Too (dub)", "Good Love (ext rmx)", "Good Love (rmx edit)", "Here Comes The Night (special club opus)", and "Here Comes The Night (special club opus 12")".

Great early west coast jazz! This album puts together 2 different sessions both recorded by Gene Norman in the early 50s. One features Shorty Rogers heading up a great group with Art Pepper and Jimmy Giuffre – on the tracks "Four Mothers", "Didi", "Sam & The Lady", and "Popo". The other features classic cool Gerry Mulligan material – played by a tentet with Chet Baker, Bud Shank, and Bob Enevoldsen. Titles on that one include "Westwood Walk", "Simbah", "Walking Shoes", and "Rocker".

A great record by east coast funky soul group Mystic Merlin – and a diverse one, with some jazzy uptempo club tracks, and others on the funkier edge of that style – excellent work from this oft-overlooked band on Capitol! There's a bit of that nice, smoothed out group soul sound that Capitol was hitting so well at the beginning of the 80s, but the band does it their own way – which includes a more searing, funkier sound on a few tunes! Titles include "Just Can't Give You Up", "Dark Side Of Your Love", "Dreams", "Burned To Learn", and "Don't You Want To Be A Star". 4 bonus tracks on this Big Break CD edition: "Burned To Learn (Single Version)", "Got To Make The Best (Of A Love Situation)" (12" Disco Version)", "Just Can't Give You Up (Single Version)" and "Can't Stop Dancing (No Matter What I Do (Single Version)".

A standout classic from one of the all-time overlooked greats – the sublime Mystic Merlin, a group who cut a handful of killers in the early 80s! The group's biggest claim to fame is a young Freddie Jackson on vocals – but they're honestly much more an ensemble act than a backup for a lead star – and have this wonderfully-crafted blend of soul, jazz, and funk that never lets up – a really sophisticated groove, yet one that still knows how to be straight ahead and funky too! This classic set is wonderful all the way through – far from cliche, and head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – with a wonderful array of grooves that includes the killer cut "Mr Magician", plus "Your Love", "Rock The World", "Full Moon", "Back To Zero", "Mindreader", and "Love Is What You Need".

A standout classic from one of the all-time overlooked greats – the sublime Mystic Merlin, a group who cut a handful of killers in the early 80s! The group's biggest claim to fame is a young Freddie Jackson on vocals – but they're honestly much more an ensemble act than a backup for a lead star – and have this wonderfully-crafted blend of soul, jazz, and funk that never lets up – a really sophisticated groove, yet one that still knows how to be straight ahead and funky too! This classic set is wonderful all the way through – far from cliche, and head and shoulders above most of their contemporaries – with a wonderful array of grooves that includes the killer cut "Mr Magician", plus "Your Love", "Rock The World", "Full Moon", "Back To Zero", "Mindreader", and "Love Is What You Need". CD features a bonus single version of "Mr Magician".

One of the rawest recordings made by Fred Neil – and a record we really love – featuring one side of live tracks, and another of unusual studio material! The first half of the album has Fred playing in a spare setting up in Woodstock – working in a small club, and doing great versions of tracks that include "The Dolphins", "Other Side Of This Life", "Roll On Rosie", "Everybody's Talkin", and "Sweet Cocaine". The sound is nice and rootsy, with some 12 string guitar work that's totally great. The other half features an assortment of studio tracks that have Fred working with some diverse guests that include Les McCann, Vince Martin, and Gram Parsons – on titles that include "Felicity", "Badi Da", "Come Back Baby", and "Ya Don't Miss Your Water".

A cool record by ne of our favorite artists of the mid 60s to early 70s! Fred Neil is best known to the world as the man who wrote "Everybody's Talkin'", which was used excessively in the film Midnight Cowboy, but since the version in the film was sung by Nilsson, Fred's talents werelargely eclipsed. This Capitol album has the singer/songwriter playing in a very relaxed studio vibe – with some spare backing, and edgey playing that opens up a side of him that we've rarely heard elsewhere. Supposedly, the session was largely improvised, and designed to recreate the feel of his legendary live shows. The tracks are fairly long, and include titles like "Felicity", "Send Me Somebody To Love", "Looks Like Rain", and "Fools Are A Long Time Coming".

The first James Bond soundtrack – pre-John Barry, but already showing Bond music as a genre unto itself! Monty Norman handles the music – and brings together some cool Caribbean sounds with familiar jazz riffs – a blend that showcases the Jamaican setting of the main narrative, but also paves the way for lots of spy jazz to come! Titles include "James Bond Theme", "Under The Mango Tree", "Jamaica Jazz", "Dr No's Fantasy", "The Boy Chase", "Love At Last", and "The Island Speaks".

Mellow O'Jays galore – a great set of some of the group's more mature ballads from later years – served up with a harmony sound that's mighty darn nice! The trio really sparkle here – taking on subjects with the all-adult approach that made them last a lot longer than most of their Philly contemporaries – really sounding wonderful here on slow jams that include "Serious Hold On Me", "Emotionally Yours", "Closer To You", "Rainbow", "Fading", "If I Find Love Again", "Somebody Else Will", "Keep On Lovin Me", and "Don't Let Me Down".

A wonderful chapter in the career of Freda Payne – a gem of a set recorded for Capitol – and put together a sweet modern soul groove, thanks to tight production work from the legendary Skip Skarborough! Skip's getting a bit of help here from David Crawford on arrangements, who brings in some of the styles he was using on Candi Staton's clubbier work of the time – including an undercurrent of deep soul that really respects the lead vocals – but the overall style is more in the sophisticated midtempo mode that made so much of Scarborough's work so great – an approach that really works well for Freda's vocals in the years after her earlier pop hits, and helps give her sort of a newfound majesty. Titles include "Pullin Back", "Tell Me Please", "Just The Thought Of You", "Storybook Romance", "Livin For The Beat", and "Falling In Love". CD features a bonus single mix of "Happy Days Are Here Again/Happy Music".

A pretty strange concept for an album – a bunch of LA jazz players get together and do versions of songs usually associated with the south! This penchant for swinging tunes from unusual sources was one of Pell's strongest 50s tricks, though, and he makes it come off pretty well with a group that includes Tommy Tedesco on guitar, Jack Sheldon on trumpet, Marty Paich on piano, and Med Flory on baritone sax. Arrangements are by Flory, Paich, Bob Florence, Bill Holman, and Johnny Williams – and titles include "Shi Me Sha Wabble", "Sugar Foot Strut", "Jazz Me Blues", "Blues", "Paper Doll", and "Ballin The Jack".

A key compilation of early Floyd nuggets – with cuts that include "Arnold Layne", "Interstellar Overdrive", "See Emily Play", "Julia Dream", "Careful With That Axe Eugene", "Cirrus Minor", and "Bike".

Includes the tracks "Hallelujah", "Anything Goes", "There's A Small Hotel", and "Way Down Yonder In New Orleans".

An overlooked gem from the killer soul years at Capitol Records – the only record we've ever seen from Pyrymyd, a group with grooves as angular as their name! The tunes have a mix of bassy funk and clubby rhythms – that sweet 80s groove style that nobody seemed to do better than Capitol at the time – as heard to best effect from artists like BB&Q Band or TS Monk, both labelmates who'd make a good comparison to the Pyrymyd sound! There's some tight horns on the top of the arrangements, which warms things up nicely – and lead vocals are by Van Ross "Sonny" Redding – who often gets harmony support in the background, with a bit of an Earth Wind & Fire vibe. Titles include "All I'll Ever Need", "Shake It Down", "Fly To Paradise", "I'm Yours Forever", "We've Got Love Together", and "Mr Music Man".

Great work from pianist Don Randi – and a lost David Axelrod gem! The album features Randi playing over Axelrod arrangements – and as a whole, it's really more of an Axelrod album than anything else – especially considering the fact that Randi was the player on some of Axe's own albums, and that the orchestrations are more the star here than the piano. The tunes groove along in that wonderful Axelrod way – lots of space, a nice bounce, and just the right mix of big and little, loud and soft, to create a very nice sound! There's some very nice soundtracky bits on the set – and titles include "Che", "Across The River", "Goodbye Columbus", "The Fox", "Mrs Robinson", "Boogaloosa", and "Both Sides Now".

The last Capitol album from vocalist Sue Raney – and easily the most compelling of the bunch! Sue's in really great form here – shaking off some of the cooler west coast modes of earlier records, and going for a more lively, more fluid style that's sometimes touched with the R&B influences that were creeping into jazz vocals at the time. Backings are by Ralph Carmichael – tightly jazzy, but often with plenty of room for Sue to take over – and there's a really great sense of balance, poise, and power here that far surpasses most of Raney's other albums from the time. Titles include "How About Me", "Burnt Sugar", "Some Of These Days", "Trouble Is A Man", "Don't Let The Sun Catch You Crying", and "Here's That Rainy Day".

A fantastic album by this obscure vocalist – one of the first in a great run of work recorded by Sue Raney on the west coast scene! This session has Sue sounding a fair bit like Chris Connor or June Christy – often a bit icy, and sometimes sweet – but without some of the fuller modes on her later records. The album's got surprisingly understated arrangements by Billy May that have a nice jazzy edge – and Raney's vocals have all the wistful qualities you might guess from the title and cover! Titles include "A Blossom Fell", "Impossible", "I Get The Blues When It Rains", "My Prayer", "Wanna Laugh?", "Rain On The Roof", and "Blue Tears".

The first album by a great singer that you probably never heard of – but who made some very nice records in her day! Sue's got a sad and slightly dreamy style that's in keeping with the hipper side of Capitol Records in the 50s – and she's working here with arrangements by Nelson Riddle that really help pave the way for a strong debut release. There's nothing fancy about the record – just straight vocals with a lightly swinging tone, and a set of strong tracks that include "When Your Lover Has Gone", "Moon Song", "If You Were There", "My Silent Love", "It's Easy To Remember", and "I'll See You In My Dreams".

A pretty great little live set – recorded in Central Park in the late 60s, before a very large crowd! Lou sounds great, as always – and the Ramsey Lewis material is very much in the spirit of the live mid 60s Cadet recordings. Maxine Brown is the real treat, though, as the live setting is quite a contrast to her more staid sides for Wand. Maxine sings "In The Midnight Hour" and "Soul Serenade", Lou Sings "They Don't Give Medals", "Tobacco Road", and "On Broadway", and Ramsey plays "Salute To Ray Charles", "Hang On Sloopy", and "Goin Out Of My Head".

The first full length from Rene & Angela for Capitol – a tight batch of modern soul that sounds great to this day! There's a mixture of sweet duet soul with the best kind of 80s grooving – clearly inspired by Ashford & Simpson, but also with a strong sound of its own. Skip Drinkwater and Bobby Watson handle the production, smartly carrying over the warmer live instrumentation styles of the late 70s, which ultimately gives the record a timeless vibe! Titles include "I Don't Know", "Turn It Out", "Do You Really Love Me", "Everything We Do", "Love Won't Slip Away", and "Free & Easy".

Wall To Wall grooves from the team of Angela Winbush and Bobby Watson – easily one of the duo's best records ever, and a masterpiece of jazzy 80s groove! The sound here is clean, lean, and very bouncy on the bottom – that best blend of keyboard riffs and jazzier basslines that Capitol soul served up in the early 80s – and although tight enough to have hit potential, still more than soulful enough to keep on playing in the underground! The set's rock solid all the way through – with a great mix of midtempo steppers and more uptempo tunes – and titles include the nice groover "Secret Rendezvous", plus "Wanna Be Close To You", "I Love You More", "Love's Alright", and "Come My Way".

A killer album of modern soul from ex-Dramatics singer LJ Reynolds! The album's in a modern Detroit mode all the way through – with top-shelf production by Reynolds, Don Davis, and Ronnie McNeir – and Ronnie, who'd been lost to the industry for a few years, also re-emerges as a writer on the songs "Southern Pearl", "Lonely Superstar", and "Ain't No Woman Like My Baby". The real standout, though, is the amazing cut "Key To The World", a killer steppers track that has a hook that won't quit, and this wonderful brassy finish that gives the track a really triumphant sound that works perfectly with the righteous lyric. The track's been a fave on the Chitown steppers scene for years – and for good reason!

A pair of classic early 80s soul albums from ex-Dramatics singer LJ Reynolds! The self-titled '81 set is killer material in a modern Detroit mode all the way through – with top-shelf production by Reynolds, Don Davis, and Ronnie McNeir/ Ronnie, who'd been lost to the industry for a few years, also re-emerges as a writer on the songs "Southern Pearl", "Lonely Superstar", and "Ain't No Woman Like My Baby". The real standout, though, is the amazing cut "Key To The World", a killer steppers track that has a hook that won't quit, and this wonderful brassy finish that gives the track a really triumphant sound that works perfectly with the righteous lyric. LJ Reynolds' sounds great on '82's Travelin', too – stepping even more strongly away from his work with The Dramatics, and emerging as one of the best male soul acts of the early 80s! The production on this one is split between Reynolds and Don Davis, in a mode that's contemporary, but which allows LJ plenty of space for old school vocal expression – that far-reaching style of singing that always made him stand out strongly from the pack! There's a sublime mellow version of Aretha Franklin's "Call Me" on the set – and other tracks include "Words", "Trust In Me", "Say You Will", "You & Me", "Let Me Satisfy You", and "Fast Action"…

LJ Reynolds' sounding great on his own here – stepping strongly away from his work with The Dramatics, and emerging as one of the best male soul acts of the early 80s! The groove here is a nice extension of his earlier group work – still produced by Don Davis in a mode that's contemporary, but which allows LJ plenty of space for old school vocal expression – that far-reaching style of singing that always made him stand out strongly from the pack! There's a sublime mellow version of Aretha Franklin's "Call Me" on the set – and other tracks include "Words", "Trust In Me", "Say You Will", "You & Me", "Let Me Satisfy You", and "Fast Action". CD also includes the bonus track "Look What Your Love Has Done For Me".

A killer album from Johnny Richards – possibly the best he ever cut! The album sparkles with all the intensity he brought to Stan Kenton's Cuban Fire album – with bits of Latin, jazz, and some of the modernist scoring that Kenton, Richards, and Pete Rugolo were using at the time. However, the main thing about this album is that it swings like a mo-fo – moving past any tricks and gags to hit a strong jazz mode, with excelelnt solo work by players like Frank Socolow, Gene Quill, and trumpeter Burt Collins. Willie Rodriguez brings some nice Latin percussion to the set – and titles include "Cimarron", "Eyes", "Nipigon", and "The Ballad Of Tappan Zee".

The debut album from Trudy Richards – and honestly, maybe the only one we've ever seen from her – but a cooker of a set, thanks to great Capitol arrangements from Billy May! May brings along the nice subdued brassy styles he'd use with Sinatra at the time – maybe a bit more careful about space in the company of Trudy, but a perfect sort of bounce when she really wants to open up. May's sense of compression and swing is perfect for the wide range of Richards' vocals – and really helps keep things strongly in a jazz mode, particularly the leaner late 50s style. Titles include "A Wonderful Guy", "As Long As I Live", "Do It Again", "Love Me", "All Of You", "There's Danger In Your Eyes Cherie", and "Can't Help Lovin Dat Man".

After Minnie Riperton's heavenly first LP on Cadet – the sublime Come To My Garden – this one's got to be her most perfectly realized full LP. The album's sparkling work of jazzy soul, with touches of the heavenly production that Minnie got in years past, and lots of smooth mellow songs that are perfectly suited to her other-wordly voice. Includes the massive track "Baby, This Love I Have" – a slow funk number that's be sampled many times over the years – plus the spacey tunes "Minnie's Lament", "Inside My Love", and "Alone In Brewster Bay", remade from Minnie's first LP.

The last album ever from the amazing Minnie Riperton – and one of her greatest records as well! The album was sadly issued after Minnie's untimely early passing from this planet – but it's a heavenly batch of tunes that definitely shows that her love of music lives forever – thanks not only to a strong talent for songwriting and sublime production from husband Richard Rudolph – but also some important help from a variety of all-star guests who are all brought together out of deep affection for Minnie. George Benson, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Roberta Flack, Patrice Rushen, Peabo Bryson and others all make key appearances here – working with arrangements from Johnny Pate, and vocals the Minnie recorded for the record before its completion. Titles include the perennial favorite "Here We Go" – easily one of Minnie's greatest tunes ever – plus "I'm In Love Again", "You Take My Breath Away", "Strange Affair", "Island In The Sun", and " The Song Of Life (La-La-La)".

Minnie's last LP – or at least the last LP released while she was alive – and a wonderful batch of jazzy modern soul cuts that gives a good indication of the direction that Minnie might have gone in the 80s. The album's got plenty of great guest players – including Minnie's longtime fan/friend Stevie Wonder, plus Phil Upchurch, Jose Feliciano, Hubert Laws, Harvey Mason, Tom Scott, and many others – and production is handled by the usual Rudolph/Riperton team, with help from Henry Lewy. Includes the great track "Memory Lane", which gets endless airplay here in Chicago, plus the beautiful ballad "Never Existed Before", and the cuts "I'm A Woman", "Lover & Friend", and "Return To Forever".

Very groovy! The record's a hip batch of jazzy tracks played by the great Howard Roberts, caught here at the height of his 60s groovy bossa style, and playing with his regular combo plus backing by a larger group of horns. Jack Marshall and Shorty Rogers helped Howard with the arrangements, and the record has that groovy LA jazz sound that graced the best of the Capitol sides of the time. Charles Kynard gets in some nice organ, Howard plays a nicely-toned Epiphone, and titles include "Bluesette", "The Lonesome Cowboy", "Charade", "Maniac", and "Recado Bossa Nova".

A relatively obscure chapter in David Axelrod's career at Capitol – a record of instrumental themes from the film The Bible, plus other 60s epics – like Spartacus, Ben Hur, and so on. Axelrod only produced the album, but you can definitely hear his influence on Rose's sound – still pretty lush and string-heavy here, but with a new sense of space that's quite nice, and lots of the darker shifts you'd hear from Axelrod's work at Capitol during the time. Titles include themes from "The Robe", "Ben Hur", "Spartacus", "Exodus", and "The 10 Commandments".

An incredible little record – and one that helped take the Capitol Records surf sound of the early 60s into much hipper territory for the 70s! The record is certainly a "surf symphony" – in that it features a larger orchestra conducted by Jan Rubini – set to groovier themes that have a leaner, cleaner, more "adult" sort of easy feel – but one that also bounces along with a fair bit of groove in the mix! The style is somewhere in the territory of Pat Williams at his hippest – but also has some slight rockish touches as well – stepping around the larger strings with a soundtracky mode that's totally great. Players on the record include Jim Gordon on drums and Lyle Ritz on bass – and Ritz's strong electric pulse at the bottom of the orchestrations really help keep things moving along nicely! The overall sound is tough to describe, but it's wonderful throughout – a really unique little record that's Capitol at its finest and hippest. Titles include versions of "Warmth Of The Sun", "Theme From A Summer Place", and "My Cherie Amour" – plus "The Last Thrill", "Green Water Sails", "The Promise Of Rain", and "Night Of The Lions".

A wonderfully groovy score from Carlo Rustichelli – best known to the world for his famous score for Divorce Italian Style, and working here in a style that mixes tight jazzy numbers with sparer themes in kind of a Nino Rota mode! There's some nice organ in the background on some of the best tracks, and the sophisticated writing is extremely compelling – at a level that should have put this one right up there with 8 1/2 or La Dolce Vita – especially in its ability to mix together playful themes and more serious orchestrations. Most tracks are pretty short, and titles include "Distant City", "Steps", "Dusk", "Faded Longings", "Freedom", "Bebo, Goodbye", and "Fog On The River".

A lost bossa classic from Wanda De Sah – aka Wanda Sa, the wife of Edu Lobo, and a singer who worked with Sergio Mendes in his pre-Brasil 66 days! The album's got a wonderfully laidback feel – languid, yet jazzy, with the feel of some of Astrud Gilberto's best work on Verve, yet with vocals that are possibly better – thanks to Wanda's pedigree in Brazilian pop. Recordings were done in California, not Rio – and arrangements are handled by the great Jack Marshall – who's got a strong ear for keeping things interesting with a mix of strings, Latin rhythms, and Capitol pop shadings. Titles include "Aqua De Beber", "Ho Ba La La", "Sweet Happy Life", "The Dreamer", and a great version of "Aruanda".

An overlooked 60s gem from George Shearing – mellow and jazzy, and done with a slightly different style than usual! Deep Velvet takes Shearing's piano and vibes and backs them up with a 12-piece woodwind choir – one that creates a shimmering backdrop of colors and tones for the core sound of the Shearing quintet – and a mode that allows George's work on piano to explore with even more lyrical openness than before. The woodwinds occasionally step out a bit in some complicated passages of their own, but the real charm of the record, as always, is from the Shearing touch. Titles include "Passing By", "Would You Like To Take A Walk", "Signing Off", "One Love", "Slowly", "My Heart Stood Still", and "I Used To Be Color Blind".

An unusual one for George Shearing – in that this Capitol session's a trio date, instead of Shearing's usual quintet mode – working in an Ahmad Jamal-like trio with drums by Vernel Fournier and bass by the late Israel Crosby! There's flowing, subtly soulful sound going on here – one that's almost an homage to Jamal, but which still has some of the more Shearing-like tones to ring out and announce George's influence on the date. The album was sadly Crosby's last recording, but his bass still sounds great – and titles include "Wonder Why", "Blues In 9/4", "Heart Of Winter", "What's New?", and "Symphony".

A madly tripped-out little record – about as wild as you could hope to expect from a group named Shiva's Headband! There's a real San Francisco hippie feel going on here – a blend of rootsy rock and psychedelia, plus a few bluesy touches – done in a mode that's down-homey, yet which is also the kind of vision of "down home" that was playing big in Haight Ashbury at the time! Instrumentation includes harmonica, violin, and electric piano – in addition to the usual guitar, bass, and drums – and the vocals often have a rough and ragged quality – fragile, yet also a bit bluesy too. Spencer Perskin arranged, wrote, and produced most of the record – and also sings lead vocals too – and titles include "My Baby", "Take Me To The Mountains", "Song For Peace", "Ripple", "Ebeneezer", "North Austin Strut", and "Good Time".

Think what you want about Dinah Shore, she could serve up some pretty great vocals at her best moments – and this album is definitely one of those moments! The style here is laidback and late nite – with Dinah singing alongside backing from the trio of Andre Previn on piano, Red Mitchell on bass, and Frank Capp on drums – all working in an easygoing mode that comes across with a great small club feel. Previn's piano is especially nice – filled with light flourishes that illuminate the tunes nicely, but in a subtle way that's never too over the top – and usually touched with just a hint of sadness to fit the mood of the songs. Titles include "April In Paris", "Then I'll Be Tired Of You", "The Man I Love", "That Old Feeling", "It Had To Be You", "I'll Be Seeing You", and "If I Had You".

One of the greatest vocal albums of all time! Sinatra's never sounded better than on this album – one of the first truly cohesive albums of torch and ballad songs ever recorded – done by Frank at a time when his heart was really breaking, and sung with a depth you'd hardly ever find in his other work. The whole thing's sublime – one of the darkest, moodiest selections of material we've ever heard – and the record never fails to send chills down our spine, no matter how many times we hear it! Tracks include "Mood Indigo", "I See Your Face Before Me", "Deep In A Dream", "Ill Wind", "I'll Be Around", "This Love Of Mine", "Dancing On The Ceiling", "Glad To Be Unhappy", and "I Get Along Without You Very Well".

Essential! When this one came out at the end of the 80's, it not only restored our faith in modern soul music, but it also drew the world's attention to the rich rich talents that had been bubbling under in London's mid 80's rare groove scene. The record's a classic, and most of the tracks still sound as fresh today as when they were first minted – probably because Jazzie B drew heavily upon a classic soul sound in his production style, which assured the album an instant place in the upper lineage of R&B! This very nicely repackaged "10th Anniversary" edition includes 6 bonus mixes that weren't on the original CD – for a total of 16 killer soul tracks, including "Jazzie's Groove", "Keep On Movin", "Back To Life" (in both the LP acapella and the 12" vocal versions), "Fairplay", and "Holdin' On". Great stuff, and surprisingly fresh!

A wickedly tight album from SRC – perfectly blended guitar, keyboards, and snapping drums – and the kind of a record that should have made them much bigger players at the time! The album is jamming, yet also lean and clean – almost a sunshine approach to hard rock, with some great harmonic touches that really make the album sparkle. Includes their jamming take on "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" in a medley with "Bolero" – plus the cuts "Checkmate", "The Angel Song", "No Secret Destination", "Eye Of The Storm", and "Show Me".

One of the greatest rock albums to come out of Detroit in the 60s – even if these guys aren't as well known as The Stooges or MC5! There's a similar brilliance here, though – a heady brew of ripping guitars, burning Hammond, and massively pounding drums – all recorded with a slightly garagey edge and expansively searching quality that stretches things out without overindulging in too much jamming. There's also a really dark feel to the record too – one that has the same sense of danger and urgency as SRC's bigger contemporaries, yet never sounds forced. Titles include "Onesimpletask", "Daystar", "Exile", "Marionette", "Black Sheep", and "Refugeve".

One of the greatest rock albums to come out of Detroit in the 60s – even if these guys aren't as well known as The Stooges or MC5! There's a similar brilliance here, though – a heady brew of ripping guitars, burning Hammond, and massively pounding drums – all recorded with a slightly garagey edge and expansively searching quality that stretches things out without overindulging in too much jamming. There's also a really dark feel to the record too – one that has the same sense of danger and urgency as SRC's bigger contemporaries, yet never sounds forced. Titles include "Onesimpletask", "Daystar", "Exile", "Marionette", "Black Sheep", and "Refugeve". Includes a bonus live version of "Black Sheep".

Three hard-grooving records from late 60s Motor City rockers SRC – self-titled, Milestones and Traveler's Tales – together in a 2CD set! The debut is straight-up one of the greatest rock albums to come out of Detroit in the 60s – even if these guys aren't as well known as The Stooges or MC5! There's a similar brilliance here, though – a heady brew of ripping guitars, burning Hammond, and massively pounding drums – all recorded with a slightly garagey edge and expansively searching quality that stretches things out without overindulging in too much jamming. There's also a really dark feel to the record too – one that has the same sense of danger and urgency as SRC's bigger contemporaries, yet never sounds forced. Titles include "Onesimpletask", "Daystar", "Exile", "Marionette", "Black Sheep", and "Refugeve". Milestones is the wickedly tight follow-up – with perfectly blended guitar, keyboards, and snapping drums – and the kind of a record that should have made them much bigger players at the time! Includes their jamming take on "In The Hall Of The Mountain King" in a medley with "Bolero" – plus the cuts "Checkmate", "The Angel Song", "No Secret Destination", "Eye Of The Storm", and "Show Me". The group had some lineup changes for Traveler's Time, but the lumbering rhythms and heavy organ grooves are as solid as ever! Titles include "Street Without A Name", "By Way Of You", "Diana", "Across The Land Of Light", "The Offering" and more. One bonus track: "My Fortune's Coming True".

Beautiful work from Kay Starr – a set that's still got that remarkable vocal style in place, but which also comes across with a more mature sound too – a mode that's never too emotive, but which is full of feeling – and really makes great use of that classic Starr twang! The arrangements are lush, but never overdone – and have the gentle sadness of the rain shower pictured on the cover of the album – gently washing Kay's vocals on tunes that include "Gonna Get A Guy", "You Always Hurt The One You Love", "Only Forever", "When I Lost You", "Into Each Life Some Rain Must Fall", and "A Faded Summer Love".

Includes "Squeeze Me", "I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good", "It's The Talk Of The Town", and "My Silent Love".

Includes "Memories Of You", "Deep Purple", "Moon Is Low", and "Reflections".

One of the earliest Capitol albums by otherworldly singer Yma Sumac! As with Yma's other records, the album features many original tunes written by Moise Vivanco – her frequent musical collaborator at the time, and the force behind much of the stronger South American musical elements of the work. Of course, Les Baxter's also along to give the album a nice touch of early 50s exotica – making for a strange blend of Latin, easy, and otherworldly sounds that's always made the album one of Yma's most enigmatic. Titles include "Xtaby", "Wayra", "Taita Inty", "Monos", and "Tumpa".

One of the greatest records ever cut by Sun – the late 70s funk group who some excellent albums for Capitol Records – a group whose records never made the charts as strongly as their contemporaries, but not for lack of quality! This set's a great batch of heavy ensemble funk with an edge that's not always heard on other Sun records – lots of razor-sharp guitars riffing away in saw-cut modes, striking hard at the grooves of the record, and chilling out nicely for the mellower cuts. The blend is wonderful – totally tight, and totally top-shelf all the way through – yet never in a commercial way at all. Titles include "Wanna Make Love", "My Woman", "Live On Dream On", "The Show Is Over", "Love Is Never Sure", and "They're Calling For Me".

A pair of stormers from Sun – back to back on a single CD! Wanna Make Love is one of the greatest records ever cut by Sun – a group whose records never made the charts as strongly as their contemporaries, but not for lack of quality! This set's a great batch of heavy ensemble funk with an edge that's not always heard on other Sun records – lots of razor-sharp guitars riffing away in saw-cut modes, striking hard at the grooves of the record, and chilling out nicely for the mellower cuts. The blend is wonderful – totally tight, and totally top-shelf all the way through – yet never in a commercial way at all. Titles include "Wanna Make Love", "My Woman", "Live On Dream On", "The Show Is Over", "Love Is Never Sure", and "They're Calling For Me". Sun Power is a solid smoker from Sun – the kind of tight funk set that made the group one of the greatest soul acts on Capitol Records during the late 70s! There's a wicked Ohio vibe going on throughout – everything focused together, and right on the money – even despite the large size of the ensemble – and touched with a slightly jazzy undercurrent that carries strong echoes of Earth Wind & Fire! Rhythms are nice and tight, with keyboards, guitar, and brassy horns over the top – and on the mellower cuts the vocals have a nicely compressed quality. Titles include "Conscience", "We're So Hot", "Organ Grinder", "She Lives Alone", "Time Is Passing", and "Light Me Up".

Two gems from The Sylvers – back to back on a single CD! Showcases is filled with great groovers from The Sylvers – a set cut when the group were firmly in their disco years – a great setting for their playful family-style vocals! In fact, moving to disco may well have been one of the greatest things the group could have done – because it really set them apart from the rest of the pack, and helped them find a way for their maturing vocals to really stretch out! Foster, Leon, Angie, and the whole Sylvers gang sound mighty great here – as they groove hard on their classic "Boogie Fever", plus other tracks that include "Ain't No Good In Goodbye", "Free Style", "I Can Be For Real", and "Ain't Nothin' But A Party". New Horizons is hard grooving work from The Sylvers – LA's favorite family soul act of the 70s, really burning strong here for the Capitol club years! The album follows nicely in the mode of some of their bigger chart hits of the time – using the group's surprisingly well-crafted harmonies in a playful mode that often has some nice uptempo dancefloor touches, but which still manages to lay back at just the right points for a mellow cut. The album's self-produced by the group, and titles include "New Horizons", "The Party Maker", "Another Day To Love", "Star Fire", "Any Way You Want Me", "Dressed to Kill", and "Lovin' Me Back".

Sweet and dreamy instrumental pop from John Andrews Tartaglia – an arranger we only know from a few late 60s sides at Capitol Records – all of which are pretty great! Tartaglia's got a style that's still heavy in mainstream 60s easy modes, but borrows a fair bit from the generation of Galt MacDermot and Jimmy Webb – an approach that's initially straightforward, but which has some very nice dark corners – a bit in the mode of Nick DeCaro's work from the same period! A few tracks here feature a bit of moog, but even when there's no electronics, the instrumentation seems to hint at them – thanks to some very inventive orchestrations. Titles include "Poto Flavus", "America", "Like To Get To Know You/Give A Damn", "Wichita Lineman" and "I Am The Walrus". The album also has a version of "Abraham, Martin, & John" which pairs the voices of The Blossoms with a Moog!

Always-great work from Tavares – one of those groups who never seemed to miss, and who seemed to weather the disco era a lot better than most of their contemporaries! This 1980 album is key proof of that fact – a tremendous little set, done at a point when Tavares could have rested on their hits – yet they kept on getting better and better – really soaring here with impeccable vocals, and tightening things up into a mode that's not exactly 80s groove, but which sure isn't disco either! Harmonies are great – and titles include "Love Uprising", "Break Down For Love", "Only One I Need To Love", "Don't Wanna Say Goodnight", "She Can Wait Forever", "Do You Believe In Love", and "Life Time Of Love". CD features the bonus track "Love Uprising (7" single version)".

Classic work by Teagarden – pop trad tracks, cut at the height of his popularity in the mid 50s. Teagarden sings and plays trombone – and other players include Gus Bivona, Nick Fatool, Harry Geller, Jack Marshall, and Manny Klein. Tracks include "After You've Gone", "I'm Coming Virginia", "Beal Street Blues", "Peg O My Heart", and "The Sheik Of Araby".

Not sure how many new dimensions these guys actually hit in their music – but the record is a rare early David Axelrod production!

A tremendous sophomore set from Donna Washington – working perfectly here in the hands of Capitol soul maestro Chuck Jackson! Jackson's touch is wonderful here – just the right blend of cool and class, groove and grace that he brought to some of the label's best at the time – including Natalie Cole! And like Cole, Washington's got a hell of a great voice when someone points it in the right direction – which it definitely is here, in a blend of warm mellow groovers and a few more upbeat tracks – numbers that push Donna into an 80s groove mode and avoid any of the clunky disco cliches that another producer might have tried. The balance is wonderful – and carried off by a range of top-shelf studio players like Patrice Rushen on keyboards and Ndugu Chancler on drums – on titles that include "I See Home", "Scuse Me While I Fall In Love", "I Want You Tonight", "Share Your Love With Me", and "Going For The Glow". CD also features a bonus track – "Scuse Me While I Fall In Love (single mix)".

A real sweet soul gem from Nancy! The record has her working with arrangements and production by Gene and Billy Page – who give the record a great smooth 70s soul finish, and a feel that's a lot more unified than some of her other efforts from the decade. Nancy sings some great versions of "If I Ever Lose This Heaven" and "Come Get To This", plus the original tracks "Houdini Of The Midnight Hour", "Like A Circle Never Stops", "Boogeyin All The Way", and "Happy Tears".

A pair of stunners from Nancy Wilson – back to back in a single set! Music On My Mind is an overlooked gem from Wilson's excellent 70s run on Capitol Records – a set that goes way beyond the spirit of some of her earlier records, and features a very unified vibe overall! The set was done in heavy collaboration with producer/composer Clarence McDonald – and features all original album penned for the date, most of which has a sublime blend of strings and soul that really pushes Wilson into even more sophisticated territory than before! Nancy's really on a par here with Marlena Shaw at her 70s best – even though Wilson had hit some of the territory years before – and the set's overflowing with great little numbers – including the funky classic "I'm In Love", plus "Let It Flow", "I'm Gonna Let Ya", "Music On My Mind", "He Makes Me Feel Good About Myself", and "Light". Life Love & Harmony is a killer from Nancy – very different than most of her earlier work, and proof that she was still growing as an artist on Capitol! The record's arranged and produced by Larry Farrow – who gives the session a jazz funk feel that brings Nancy into a whole mode, a smooth modern one that's kind a perfect fit for the rich character of her vocals – a much-needed update of the classy sound of her late 60s work, in territory that still shows that Wilson can hit this sort of groove better than anyone else! The standout cut is the massive "Sunshine" –a sparkling jazzy groover with a monster hook and some wonderful stepping arrangements – and other tracks include "You're The One Wrapped Up In The Comfort Of Your Love", "Heaven", "Here's To Us", and "Life, Love, & Harmony". CD also features bonus single mixes of "Sunshine" and "Life Love & Harmony".

Not as guitarry or AM-pop heavy as the group's earlier classics, but still a pretty nice little record nonetheless – filled with the kind of playful McCartney tunes that we've always loved, and carried off with an undeniable charm. Includes the hit "With A Little Luck", plus "Famous Groupies", "Deliver Your Children", "London Town", "Café On The Left Bank", "I'm Carrying", "Backwards Traveller", and "Cuff Link".