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One of our favorite albums from Lee Morgan – a soaringly soulful session that was recorded in the mid 60s, and finally issued by Blue Note at the end of the decade! The vibe here really follows from the lyrically inventive, post-Sidewinder mid 60s Morgan years – with a spirit that's similar to Lee's work on the albums Gigolo or Tom Cat, in a style that mixes in a fair bit more modal and Latin influences to the rhythms. The lineup is totally great too – a sextet that features Hank Mobley, Jackie McLean, Cedar Walton, Paul Chambers, and Billy Higgins – the last of whom provides tremendous rhythms that are as fluidly inventive as Morgan's playing and the writing of Hank Mobley, who contributed most of the tunes to the set. Titles include "Hey Chico", "The Double Up", and "The Murphy Man" – and the record also includes a nice version of Duke Pearson's "Sweet Honey Bee".

Peter Gabriel-era Genesis at their finest – with the amazing "Supper's Ready"!

The LA Turnaround from Brit folk tunesmith Bert Jansch – one of the few records he made for Charisma in the mid 70s – this one fresh from the break up of the seminal Pentangle! The UK folk sound is as noteable in Bert's voice as any other aspecet of this warm, wonderful set – but there's also some laidback, southern Cali sunshine in the acoustic picking as well as the more fleshed out instrumentation, with some electric bass, pedal steel and electric piano that shows up when the mood strikes. A really wonderful record, produced by Mike Nesmith, who often a part of some pretty inspiring things when free of any creativitely stifling Monkee business! Titles include "Fresh As A Sweet Sunday Morning", "Chambertin", "Travelling Man", "Stone Monkey", "Needle Of Death", "Lady Nothing", "One For Jo", "Open Up The Watergate (Let The Sunshine In), "The Blacksmith" and more. Vinyl version includes a bonus CD 4 bonus tracks: alternate versions of "Open Up The Watergate", "The Blacksmith" and "One For Jo", plus "In The Bleak Midwinter, plus the CD is enhanced, featuring the 13+ minute behind the scenes "LA Turnaround. . .The Movie".

The first great, label-spanning compilation of great 50s & 60s tracks by a variety of artists with some little in common in some cases, but share at least one unbreakable bond – they recorded these tracks with the incredible James Burton on guitar! It's got fiery, pivotal rockabilly Dale Hawkins and Bob Luman, pop takeover numbers by Ricky Nelson, rustic charisma from Lee Hazlewood, benchmark honky tonk from Merle Haggard, harmony country rock from Buffalo Springfield and much more – including numbers credited to James Burton himself and with Ralph Mooney. Includes "Susie-Q" by Dale Hawkins, "Red Hot" by Bob Luman, "Cannonball Rag" by James Burton, "Blood From A Stone" by Ricky Nelson, "A Child's Claim To Fame" by Buffalo Springfield, "Swamp Surfer" by Jimmy Dobro, "Someday, Someday" by The Shindogs, "Just For A While" by Carol Williams, "Tryin' To Be Someone" by David & Lee and more.

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song".

A great lost performance from Michael Jackson – finally brought to light! The concert features Jackson before a stunningly large crowd at London's Wembley Stadium in 1988 – part of his world tour for the Bad album, and a perfect document of Michael's impressive magic on the stage – a live energy that neither the strength of his studio albums nor his video performances could even hope to convey! The Jackson here is a completely different creature – almost a "Michael+" – moving with incredible physical dexterity, undeniable charisma, and still-soulful vocals on a set of tunes that includes "I'll Be There", "Human Nature", "Smooth Criminal", "Wanna Be Startin Somethin", "This Place Hotel", "Thriller", "Dirty Diana", "Rock With You", "Beat It", "Bad", "Man In The Mirror", and "Billie Jean". DVD features two more bonus performances too!

The second album from Chicago's great raw soul torch carriers JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound – their debut for Bloodshot, and a record that's gonna catapult them to the forefront of the live soul scene, in the Chi and everywhere else! The group's proved over the past couple years, via their raw, yet propellant debut album, some great singles, and furious live show schedule, that they're poised to deliver in a bigger way. On Want More they do that and, uh. . .a bit more! JC's a rare singer who can both shout out in a gritty funk mode and coo with charisma on slower soul anthems, and the group delivers on both fronts, too. Producer Jimmy Sutton captures them perfectly. The core group features Billy Bungeroth on guitar, Kevin Marks on drums & percussion and Ben Taylor on bass. Includes "Want More", "Everything Will Be Fine", "I Got High", their great cover of "I Am Trying To Break Your Heart", "Baaadnews", "I Can See Everything", "Sister Ray Charles", "Awake" and more.

Killer live work from Seu Jorge – one of his boldest, proudest records to date – and that's saying a lot, given the soulful promise of all his other work! We've always loved Jorge, but we first really fell in love with his music in a live setting – where he's got an undeniable charm and charisma, on a level with older legends like Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye at their best. Other live sets have always shown Jorge as a mellower, more acoustic artist – but this one really has him exploding with a very funky sound throughout – really hitting that superstardom we always saw coming in his talents – working before a very large crowd, and clearly driving them nuts with his sublime performance on the set. The album's a real step forward for Jorge – upbeat, funky, filled with soul, and exactly the kind of music that should hopefully have him exploding around the globe. Titles include "A Doida", "Pessoal Particular", "Dia De Comemorar", "Mina Do Condomino", "Vizinha", "Burguesinha", "Diario De Um Detento", and "Dois Beijinhos".

A tribute to the famous romantic singer Felipe Pierela – once known as the Bolero Star Of The Americas! Given Hector LaVoe's warmth and charisma at the time, he was a perfect choice for such a project – and working here with producer Willie Colon, Hector steps into an older mode of Latin music – yet one that also sparkles with some of the more sophisticated contemporary touches that Colon was bringing to his own work of the period. Arrangements are by Louie Cruz, Carlos Franzetti, and Jorge Calandrelli, and titles include "Sombras Nada Mas", "Vieja Carta", "El Infierno", "Pobre Del Pobre", and "Castigo".

One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up!

Early work from Topeka, KS psychedelia and garage-tinged rockers Morning Dew – mixing hooky guitar rocker with a fuzzy sound and charisma to spare – a collection their mid-to-late 60s singles and unreleased material! We were hipped to the group via their fantastic At Last LP cut for Roulette a little later, but this earlier work cuts nearly as deep. There's just the right amount of grit to the recordings, balanced by a knack for catchy rockers and charismatic vocals. 19 tracks in all! Includes "No More" (unreleased alternate version), a cover of "I'm Not Your Stepping Stone", "Look At Me Now", "Be A Friend", "Go Away", "Sycamore Dreamer", "Sing Out", "Young Man", "Cherry Street" and more. 14 tracks in all.

The crossover rap classic from Tone-Loc! Temporary pop phenom this is not – the biggest couple of hits are still ubiquitous decades later – and Loc himself, with that raspy voice and smooth charisma, still stands as one of more unique voices of late 80s hip hop. On top of those attributes, Loc-ed After Dark is an early proving ground for the soon-to-be mega-producers The Dust Brothers. This 2012 CD edition features the original album and 7 bonus tracks. 3 cuts produced by the Dust Brothers – "Cutting Rhythms", "Next Episode", and "Don't Get Close" – plus the hits "Wild Thing", "Cheeba Cheeba", and "Funky Cold Medina", the title track, "On Fire (Remix)" and more. Bonus tracks include "On Fire (New Flavor)", "The Homies (On Tilt Mix)", "The Fine Line Between Hyper And Stupid", "Funky Beats" and more.

One of the strongest albums of recordings we've heard by Malcolm X – issued on the Douglas Records label, and featuring shorter snippets of longer speeches. The package is put together with a strong focus on Malcolm's true charisma as a speaker – his incredible ability to deliver righteous messages with a down-home charm and a good degree of wit. Very nice stuff – and although we wish the set had better notes, we're more than happy to listen without them!

If you ever needed a key example of the genius of Cannonball on Capitol Records, this tight little set may well be it! The record's got all the best elements of a Cannon classic firmly in place – production by David Axelrod, electric piano by Joe Zawinul, and some tremendously soulful work from Cannon and Nat Adderley on their respective horns – all presented with a sense of relaxed tightness (if we can use such a phrase) that's jaw-droppingly brilliant all the way through! Cannon speaks a bit and pushes the band into action with charisma and warmth caught nicely by Axelrod's recording – and the band grooves on long, snakey tunes that mix equal parts funk and soul jazz together, coming up with the quintessential Adderley groove on nearly every number! Tracks include the seminal "Why Am I Treated So Bad", plus "Mini Mama", "I'm On My Way", "One For Newk", "The Scene", "Yvette", and "The Other Side".

A sweet bit of electric funky jazz from Tom Browne – a bit tighter and with more of an 80s groove than some of his earlier work, but still pretty darn nice! Tom's always great – blowing over the top in spare, but well-placed trumpet solos – and the backing on the album shifts between a number of different soulful fusion modes that are all handled pretty strongly, without the traps that other artists would fall into on a record like this. Lead vocals on some of the tracks are by Frank Floyd, Margie Barnes, or Keith John – and the album includes the sweet jazzy groover "Come For The Ride", plus "Fungi Mama/Rebopafunkadiscolypso", "My Latin Sky", "A Message", "Charisma", "Naima", "Lazy Bird", and "Bye Gones".

One of our top 5 favorite Blue Note records of all time – a bold and powerful session from trumpeter Lee Morgan, but one that sat in the vaults for 15 years before release! The session was recorded around the same time as Morgan's hit The Sidewinder (which eclipsed its release at the time) – but it's got the soaring, searching energy of later Morgan work on records like Sixth Sense or Charisma – a whole new groove at the time, and one that's explored perfectly by a group that includes Jackie McLean on alto sax, Curtis Fuller on trombone, McCoy Tyner on piano, Bob Cranshaw on bass, and Art Blakey on drums. Modal lines come into play with older hardbop and soul jazz modes – and the result is an explosive batch of tunes that resonate with bold power throughout! Nearly all tunes are incredible originals by Lee Morgan – and titles include "Tom Cat", "Exotique", "Twice Around", and the completely captivating "Rigor Mortis". A treasure, and one not to pass up!

Near-peak material from T Rex – the still great Tanx – with the hard-charging heaviness, swaggery Bolan charisma and all around blazing rock & roll onslaught as crushing as ever! Includes "Tenement Lady", "Rapis", "Born To Boogie", "Life Is Strange", "Shock Rock", "Electric Slim & The Factory Hen", "Mister Mister", "The Street & Babe Shadow" and "Left Hand Luke".

Near-peak material from T Rex – the still great Tanx – with the hard-charging heaviness, swaggery Bolan charisma and all around blazing rock & roll onslaught as crushing as ever! Includes "Tenement Lady", "Rapis", "Born To Boogie", "Life Is Strange", "Shock Rock", "Electric Slim & The Factory Hen", "Mister Mister", "The Street & Babe Shadow" and "Left Hand Luke".

A sweet bit of electric funky jazz from Tom Browne – a bit tighter and with more of an 80s groove than some of his earlier work, but still pretty darn nice! Tom's always great – blowing over the top in spare, but well-placed trumpet solos – and the backing on the album shifts between a number of different soulful fusion modes that are all handled pretty strongly, without the traps that other artists would fall into on a record like this. Lead vocals on some of the tracks are by Frank Floyd, Margie Barnes, or Keith John – and the album includes the sweet jazzy groover "Come For The Ride", plus "Fungi Mama/Rebopafunkadiscolypso", "My Latin Sky", "A Message", "Charisma", "Naima", "Lazy Bird", and "Bye Gones".

Killer live work from Seu Jorge – one of his boldest, proudest records to date – and that's saying a lot, given the soulful promise of all his other work! We've always loved Jorge, but we first really fell in love with his music in a live setting – where he's got an undeniable charm and charisma, on a level with older legends like Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye at their best. Other live sets have always shown Jorge as a mellower, more acoustic artist – but this one really has him exploding with a very funky sound throughout – really hitting that superstardom we always saw coming in his talents – working before a very large crowd, and clearly driving them nuts with his sublime performance on the set. The album's a real step forward for Jorge – upbeat, funky, filled with soul, and exactly the kind of music that should hopefully have him exploding around the globe. Titles include "A Doida", "Pessoal Particular", "Dia De Comemorar", "Mina Do Condomino", "Vizinha", "Burguesinha", "Diario De Um Detento", and "Dois Beijinhos". 2CD version features 12 more tracks than the core album – almost like getting a full extra record!

Killer live work from Seu Jorge – one of his boldest, proudest records to date – and that's saying a lot, given the soulful promise of all his other work! We've always loved Jorge, but we first really fell in love with his music in a live setting – where he's got an undeniable charm and charisma, on a level with older legends like Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye at their best. Other live sets have always shown Jorge as a mellower, more acoustic artist – but this one really has him exploding with a very funky sound throughout – really hitting that superstardom we always saw coming in his talents – working before a very large crowd, and clearly driving them nuts with his sublime performance on the set. The album's a real step forward for Jorge – upbeat, funky, filled with soul, and exactly the kind of music that should hopefully have him exploding around the globe. Titles include "A Doida", "Pessoal Particular", "Dia De Comemorar", "Mina Do Condomino", "Vizinha", "Burguesinha", "Diario De Um Detento", and "Dois Beijinhos". 2DVD version features 9 more more tracks than the core DVD – almost like getting a full extra record! Also features subtitles in spoken English, and a bonus "making of" feature.

Killer live work from Seu Jorge – one of his boldest, proudest records to date – and that's saying a lot, given the soulful promise of all his other work! We've always loved Jorge, but we first really fell in love with his music in a live setting – where he's got an undeniable charm and charisma, on a level with older legends like Stevie Wonder or Marvin Gaye at their best. Other live sets have always shown Jorge as a mellower, more acoustic artist – but this one really has him exploding with a very funky sound throughout – really hitting that superstardom we always saw coming in his talents – working before a very large crowd, and clearly driving them nuts with his sublime performance on the set. The album's a real step forward for Jorge – upbeat, funky, filled with soul, and exactly the kind of music that should hopefully have him exploding around the globe. Titles include "A Doida", "Pessoal Particular", "Dia De Comemorar", "Mina Do Condomino", "Vizinha", "Burguesinha", "Diario De Um Detento", and "Dois Beijinhos". DVD features 21 tracks – 6 more than the regular CD – with spoken subtitles in English too.

One of the stellar earlier albums from Tom Waits – with lots of slower, piano-led bluesy and jazzy ballads – on top of the jivey, gravelly charisma of his voice and songwriting. The mix of that gruff voice and the fairly pretty instrumentation is prime Waits, from this period. This is the 40s, 50s and 60s-inspired Waits at his near-finest. Includes "Cinny's Waltz", "Muriel", "I Never Talk To Strangers", "A Sight For Sore Eyes", "Barber Shop", Foreign Affair" and more.

One of the stellar earlier albums from Tom Waits – with lots of slower, piano-led bluesy and jazzy ballads – on top of the jivey, gravelly charisma of his voice and songwriting. The mix of that gruff voice and the fairly pretty instrumentation is prime Waits, from this period. This is the 40s, 50s and 60s-inspired Waits at his near-finest. Includes "Cinny's Waltz", "Muriel", "I Never Talk To Strangers", "A Sight For Sore Eyes", "Barber Shop", Foreign Affair" and more.

Mad homegrown soul from the enigmatic Darondo – a brief Bay Area star back in the 70s, and also host of TV comedy and children's shows! Darondo only ever saw release of 3 singles, but they're all pretty darn great – a weird mix of funk, soul, and sly slinky grooves – very unique in conception, and with a heady, tripped-out vision that makes us wish he'd recorded more. Luv N Haight have really done Darondo justice with this set – bringing together all 6 tracks from the singles, plus 3 more previously unissued numbers – all in a great package that features words from the man himself, plus some great images from his older TV shows. A near-lost soul figure, but one with enough charisma to fill the careers of other more famous acts! Titles include "How I Got Over", "Let My People Go", "Legs (part 1)", "True", "Didn't I", "I Want Your Love So Bad", "My Momma & My Poppa", "Sure Know How To Love Me", and "Listen To My Song".

Baritone country vocal badassery from The Baron – the great Dick Curless's excellent, perhaps career best Long Lonesome Road album from 1968 – loaded up here with 19 bonus tracks that extend the sound and style really well! Curless may be best remembered for his trucker songs, but he covered the stylistic breadth of honky tonk subject matter as well as any of the other rough hewn country heroes of his day. The deep, weighty vocal style is paired well with the sad, mournful songs, but he does it with such style and charisma that it's never a downer. The way he holds a note with that voice at the end of a line, eeking every bit of emotion possible from the words is incredible – and the songs here are up there up the best he ever recorded. 29 tracks in all: "You Can't Go Back Again", "Bury The Bottle With Me", "A Tombstone Every Mile", "The Heartline Special", "Highway Man", "When Dad Was Around", "End Of The Road", "I Ain't Got Nobody", "Woman Don't Try To Sing My Song", "Been There People", "Just For The Record" and many more.

Raw early Beatles – recorded in Hamburg at the beginning of the 60s when they were backing up singer Tony Sheridan – surprisingly well-preserved recordings, assuming that no one knew that this little backing band was going to take over the entire pop music world in a few years! We actually really dig the stripped-down, fairly rudimentary, though nicely rollicking Beatles instrumentation here – with charismatic vocals by Sheridan as well as some nice early Beatles compositions and vocals. The original release of this material may have been a post-breakout cash grab, but the music holds up really well and it's very much worthy! Includes "Ain't She Sweet", "Cry For A Shadow", "Let's Dance", "My Bonnie", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Ruby Baby", "Why", "Nobody's Child", "Ya Ya" and more.

The fourth album from Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings – solidifying what we learned pretty early on from the indomitable soul spirit that is Sharon and her impeccable combo the Dap-Kings – it's that this is not some retro soul revival novelty act, what they are is the greatest active embodiment of a true soul sound that will never go away! We've always loved that Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings recognize the studio and the stage as different worlds. On stage, Sharon is the possibly the most energetic, charismatic presence you'll ever see and the band brings heft and heat. In the studio, they stretch out and diversify wonderfully, bringing both raw, unpolished funky soul realness to some more stripped down numbers and a full on Stax or Hi level heaviness to the bigger ones. The songs are better and more memorable than ever on this record – with "The Game Gets Old" and "I Learned The Hard Way" (an astoundingly strong one/two punch for the opening minutes) plus "Better Things", "Give It Back", "Money". "The Reason", "Window Shopping", "I'll Still Be True", "Without A Heart", "If You Call" and "Mama Don't Like My Man".

Life is good, and so is Nas – and that's an understatement – as he's one of the most vital MCs of the early 90s onward! Life Is Good finds Nas in a somewhat liberated mode, though still rocking an Empire State Building-sized chip on his shoulder – and spitting charismatic vitriol at any target deemed worthy – but he's too smooth and too sharp of a lyricist for it come off as too ill-mannered. Good stuff from a legend. Includes "No Introduction", the standout "Loco-Motive" with Large Professor, "Daughters", "Reach Out" with Mary J Blige, "Back When", "The Don", "Stay", "Bye Baby", "World's An Addiction" with Anthony Hamilton, "Summer On Smash" with Miguel & Swizz Beatz, "A Queen's Story" and more.

One of those bright, charismatic Billy Ocean records from a couple years before his massive pop soul crossover – just a sublime 80s club groover that pumps along at a nice mid tempo clip – a real favorite around these parts! This was Billy's debut for Epic and there's plenty of signposts here of his potential to bust out in a big way commercially – it's hooky and insistent, but still plenty soulful, less steeped in pop gloss and with fewer ballads – lean, danceable soul that holds up very, very well. Also includes "Stay The Night", "Whatever Turns You On", "Don't Say Stop", "Another Day Won't Matter", and "Taking Chances". This Big Break UK remastered edition has 4 bonus tracks: 12 inch versions of "Are You Ready" and "Stay The Night" and single versions of the title track and "Another Day Won't Matter".

The inpired paring psychedelic hip hop beatmaker Paul White and profane, yet undeniably charismatic and and versatile Detroit emcee Danny Brown! "Street Lights" is a should-be instant classic – with rumbling, continually thumping and beats and eerie atmosphere to spare – but it's still catchy and accessible. Includes also includes Dabrye remix and the instrumental versions for both the main version and remix.

A later gem from Prince Buster – the early 70s Sister Big Stuff album – one that finds his voice as charismatic and soulful as ever! The record finds Buster not only adapting pretty nicely to the more upbeat reggae style on the period, but he's also successfully adapting some surprising numbers! It kicks off with "South Of The Border", a tune popularized by cowboy movie/country & western star Gene Autry – with thick bits of organ, a heavy rhythm, and Buster's easygoing vocals. There's more great numbers in a similar vein, plus takes on tunes made famous by Abyssinians, the title track, which is a riff on Stax soul heroine Jean Knight's "Mister Big Stuff" and more! Other tracks include "Still", "Why Not Tonight", "Wish Your Picture", "Sata A Masa Gana", "Stick By Me", "Young, Gifted And Black", "Stick By Me", "Cool Operator", "Stand Accused", "Protection" and more. 3 bonus tracks on the CD: "Police Trim Rasta" and "My Happiness",.

A great late album from French composer, arranger, lyricist, singer and all around creative musical force Jean Claude Vannier – with Vannier singing moody, vintage orch pop numbers in a mode that does both JCV and his old collaborator Serge Gainsbourg proudly! The set has a very lively feel to it, which is quite natural, given that the album came about following the group's rehearsals for the Histoire De Melody Nelson performance at London's Barbican in 2006. It features a brilliant group of players who worked with Vannier and Serge Gainsbourg on that uber-iconic album as well as other boundary-busting projects and soundtracks – including Cannabis, La Horse, Slogan and Vannier's own legendary leftfield classic L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches. Vannier's voice is charismatic as can be, and the vintage pulp orchestrations are as fresh as ever. Includes "Londres-Paris-Sofia", "Les Yeux Valise", "Au Desespoir Des Singes", "Les Coquelicots", "La Vie En Live", "Une Partie De Scrabble", "Roses Rouge Sang" and "Un Petit Quelque Chose".

Some of the hippest sounds ever recorded on the Afghan scene – and a great reminder that the nation's got some standout music if you know where to look! The package is the third whopping volume in Pharaway's look at Ahmad Zahir – a charismatic singer who rose to huge fame in the 70s, but still has a sound that's pretty darn fresh to our Western ears – a mix of psychedelic production, exotic instrumentation, and some surprisingly compelling lead vocals – which tend to hold us rapt, even though we can't understand the language! Instrumentation often features plenty of raw percussion and offbeat reed lines – mixed with keyboards and guitar, to create this pan-generational sound that's really unique. Titles include "Shaady Kunaid Aye Dostan", "Tu Barayem Mogadasi", "Duzdi Eshgam", "Ansiman Begoyed", "Kai Bashad Kai", and "Nay Nay Hargez".

Some of the hippest sounds ever recorded on the Afghan scene – and a great reminder that the nation's got some standout music if you know where to look! The package combines the second and third volumes in Pharaway's look at Ahmad Zahir – a charismatic singer who rose to huge fame in the 70s, but still has a sound that's pretty darn fresh to our Western ears – a mix of psychedelic production, exotic instrumentation, and some surprisingly compelling lead vocals – which tend to hold us rapt, even though we can't understand the language! Instrumentation often features plenty of raw percussion and offbeat reed lines – mixed with keyboards and guitar, to create this pan-generational sound that's really unique. Titles include "Shaady Kunaid Aye Dostan", "Ahange Zindegi, "Az Nazo Che Maykhande", "Baduhait Konam", "Begzaro Ta Begeeryam", "Dil Ze Sowda", "Che Koosh Amadi Safaa Kardi", "Tu Barayem Mogadasi", "Duzdi Eshgam", "Ansiman Begoyed", "Kai Bashad Kai", and "Nay Nay Hargez".

Raw early Beatles – recorded in Hamburg at the beginning of the 60s when they were backing up singer Tony Sheridan – surprisingly well-preserved recordings, assuming that no one knew that this little backing band was going to take over the entire pop music world in a few years! We actually really dig the stripped-down, fairly rudimentary, though nicely rollicking Beatles instrumentation here – with charismatic vocals by Sheridan as well as some nice early Beatles compositions and vocals. The original release of this material may have been a post-breakout cash grab, but the music holds up really well and it's very much worthy! Includes "Ain't She Sweet", "Cry For A Shadow", "Let's Dance", "My Bonnie", "Sweet Georgia Brown", "Ruby Baby", "Why", "Nobody's Child", "Ya Ya" and more.

The legendary unreleased Motown recordings by The Contours – material that should have been issued as a full length LP in 1964 – but all but a couple tunes have languished in the vaults until now! The group simply kills on on these dancefloor ready stormers, with raucous, charismatic lead vocals and tight harmony backup – on a set of numbers that were no doubt ready and set to slay live audiences. We're sure The Contours were unbeatable live, but these recordings really should have made it out at the time. Better late than never, to say the very least! Includes the 60s singles "Can You Do It" and "Can You Jerk Like Me", plus the unreleased "Do The See Saw", "Foot Stomping Time", "Party Groove", "Okey Dokey", "Love Is Uncertain", "Wanted", "Boy Meets Girl", "You Hurt Me So", "Throw You Out Of My Mind", "Giant Steps", "Let's Do The Uncle Willie", "Tonight", "Nobody Fine As Dinah", "Somebody's Daughter Outta", "Let's Do The Uncle Willie" and more. 26 tracks in all!

Peter Gruzien's legendary underground loner psych country record The Unicorn from 1974 – reissued here with a bonus second LP Garden Of Love – which features odds and ends written and recorded from the late 50s through the 70s! The Unicorn is a cool and strange mix of spare honky tonk musical backdrops, oddball keyboards and trippy effects, plaintive, charismatic drawl vocals and lyrics that are in turns staight up and wildly surrealistic. Titles include "Innocents", "The Unicorn", "White Trash Hillbilly Trick", "Satan's Horn", "The Lost World", "Redemtion And Prayer", "Return Of The Unicorn" and more. Garden Of Love features songs that are for the most part less trippy lyrically, but it's ultimately just as otherworldly thanks to the lo fi vibe! Titles include "The Garden Of Love", "Alone Amongst The Crowd", "Kiss Me Another", "The Bills", "Echoing Footsteps", "Stonewall" and more. 2LPs of crucial esoteric Americana!

A nice one from soul poet Anthony Joseph and his expansively stylistic, yet tightly grooving Spasm Band – bits of calypso and otherwise tropically toasted funk and Afro Soul – produced by the great Malcolm Catto! We've never seen the band in action, but this album has a very live feel – and it's a great approach. Joseph's storytelling style is great, too – the lyricism is impressive, but so is his charismatic delivery. Includes "Griot", "Started Off As A Dancer", "She Is The Sea", "Cobra", "Tanty Lynn", "Speak The Name", "Bullet In The Rocks", "Generations" and more.

A nice one from The Orb and Lee Scratch Perry! Honestly, we're not at all surprised at how strong the record is – The Orb have long transcended genres and expectations in the electronic realm – and Scratch has long proven to be one of the most adaptable and unique voices in dub reggae. They go great together! The Orb deliver some spacey, dubby and deeply atmopsheric sounds – and Lee's charismatic voice sounds great floating over it. Includes "Ball Of Fire", "HOO", "Main In The Moon", "Soul Man", "Golden Clouds", "Hold Me Upsetter", "Go Down Evil", "Thirsty", Ashes", "Police & Thieves" and "Congo".

A damn strong 3-track 7-inch EP Versis & Bagir-Ba – the former on the mic and the latter laying down the beats – on 3 tracks that are reminiscient of the classic craft of Tribe Called Quest, Stakes Is High era De La Soul! Charismatic rhymes, prominent funky beats and sunny keys in mix. 3 solid tracks: "Barista", "Amanita" and extra soul jazz-inspired "Naima".

The oft-covered Bob Dylan songbook never sounds so soulful – classic interpretations of Dylan's canon from a great, far reaching roster of black artists – from the the ever-stirring Staple Singers, southern soul heroes Howard Tate and OV Wright, charismatic country soul from Brook Benton, great gender role perspective flipped versions by Nina Simone and Patti LaBelle, a funky tamborine take by Con Funk Shun and much more! It’s another excellent entry in the Songwriter Series from Ace Records, extra excellent in that it takes an obvious hero of 60s Songwriter – and actually pulls together songs that'll take you by surprise for their depth – whether you treasure Dylan, deep 60s & 70s solo & group R&B, funk, folk soul...or all of the above! Includes "Blowin In The Wind" by OV Wright, "Girl From The North Country" by Howard Tate, "The Man In Me" by The Persuations, "Lay lady Lay" by The Isley Brothers, "Emotionally Yours" by The O'Jays, "All Along The Watchtower" by Bobby Womack, "Maggie's Farm" by Soloman Burke, "Mr. Tamborine Man" by Con Funk Shun and more. 20 tracks in all.

Late 50s material by the incomparable Serge Gainsbourg – studio and live recordings from 1958 and 1959 – plus tunes from singer Juliette Greco's EP of Gainsbourg songs from the same period – really wonderful stuff all the way! A number of the tunes feature wonderful arrangements by Alain Goraguer, with Serge's earlier, less nicotine stained vocals a bit smoother, but no less charismatic. Titles include "Le Claqueur De Doights", "Mambo Miam Miam", "Indifferente", "L'Amour A La Papa". "La Jambe De Bois", "Agioisse". "La Licorne". "Tension Mambo" and more by Serge Gainsbourg, plus "Il Etait Eune Oie", "Les Amours Perdues", "Amour A La Papa", "Defense D'Afficher" and more by Juliette Greco.

Standout cuts from the legendary Power/Fuerza record by The Ghetto Brothers – nicely paired on a Funky 45 by Truth & Soul! "Got This Happy Feeling" is one of their tighter, hard-charging numbers. It's got a straight-up killer guitar groove, feverish Latin Funk drums and percussion – and those charismatic Benky Melendez vocals out front. "Ghetto Brothers power, baby. . .from The Bronx!" The flip is "Girl From The Mountain" – one of the more melodic, psych-styled numbers by the group – and it's also one of their best!

A split single by some esteemed Billys – folkish indie mainstay Bonnie Prince Billy and Texas boogie rock great Billy F Gibbons of ZZ Top – and each covering Fleetwood Mac! Gibbons & company cover the very early Mac song "Oh Well" on the A-side, and honestly, it's pretty great! It's a loose, swaggery, bluesy thing, though not in a typical ZZ Top way – but Gibbons is Gibbons – with his charismatic, gravely voice out front of those signature electric licks. He's backed by Blake Mills, Danielle Haim and Matt Sweeney. Sweeney & Bonnie Prince Billy cover "Storms" on the other side – and it's another win – one that shows real respect for the Stevie Nicks-penned song, by furnishing it sparey and singing it well!

Rare late 60s funky R&B from singer Al Reed! Both sides are written by Reed, recorded for his own Axe label and arranged by New Orleans legend Wardell Quezerque. "99 44/100 Pure Love" has an unruly title, alright – but the funky dancefloor groove, well, it just plain rules! Charismatic, laidback vocals and steady, slow-building rhythms, backed by classic-level Wardell horn arrangements! "Shake 'Em Up" is just as great, if not better – with some piano and guitar in the mix more prominently –and a groove that indeed shakes pretty feverishly!

Heavy, soul-baring lyricism delivered with spiritual resonance and wise authority by Gil Scott-Heron – his first album shot in far too many years, and a direct hit – essential listening for longtime listeners and neophytes alike and a well worthy entry in a legendary career! Scott-Heron is documenting his world as profoundly and poetically as ever here, and the production is built with spare, haunting beats and atmospheric bits of strings, guitar, keys, loose atmospherics and hazy electronics – loosely framing his voice and giving it all the room in needs to carry the mood. Gil sings and speaks with equal authority throughout, and you can hear the years in his voice like never before, giving him the worn edges of the old soul he always evoked. This is a record we're proud to put among his treasured recordings of the 70s and early 80s. Titles include "On Coming From A Broken Home" (Parts 1 & 2), "Your Soul And Mine", "I'll Take Care Of You", "Where Did The Night Go", "Running", "The Crutch" and more, including several interludes that are pretty amazing – captures of conversation that show Gil nearly as charismatic and poetic in "off" moments as he is recording a song. Also includes 2 covers, "Me And The Devil" (the Robert Johnson song) and the title track, Smog/Bill Callahan's "I'm New Here", given a whole new life.

Blue and lonesome 50s honky tonk sounds from Texas Ruby – one of the great female voices of the era, if too little remembered all these years later – spinning tales of tears, heartbreak and blues with honesty and authority! Ruby is a real pioneer, in an era of country music when women were generally wheeled out to sweeten the gruff deliveries of the men folk – but Ruby wasn't having that, with a husky voice and a charismatic tone that makes her a real precursor to the great ladies of 60s & 70s honky tonk. 23 tracks in all: "Love Me Know", "Big Silver Tears" and more with her husband, fiddler Curly Fox, plus "Falling Leaf", "We Live In Two Different Worlds", "Travelin' Blues", "Those Dreams Are Gone", "It's Over Forever", "Even Though I'll Shed A Million Tears" and mots more.

A career-spanning anthology of the legendary Yellowman – the Jamaican deejay whose longevity against all odds is nearly as surprising as the top notch quality of his best recordings – many of which you can find here! Yellowman's better known in some circles for being a pioneer, for better or worse, in a more sexually explicit lyricism – for good reason – but he's such a charismatic performer that he deserves to be better known for his style than his words. Lots of great material here, and a good deal of it is quite timeless! 40 tracks on 2CDs: "Mad Over Me", "Shorties", "Lost Mi Love", "Mister Chin", "Out Of Hand", "Death Of Barnabas", "Them A Fight I", "Night Flight", "Top Form", "Duppy Or A Gunman", "Zungguzungguguzungguzeng", "Galong Galong Galong", "Gregory Free", "King And Queen" and "Jah Mek Us Fi A Purpose" with Sister Nancy, "Mr. Wong", "Herbman Smuggling", "Water Rock" and "Bam Bam" with Fathead, "Bunn The Kutchie", "Blueberry Hill" and more. 40 tracks on 2CDs – plus the DVD Live At Sunsplash 1988!

One of the best early efforts to pair the great Sam Lightin Hopkins with accompaniment – in this case, the rollicking drums of Spider Kilpatrick – bring just a little bit of early 60s boogie to Sam's charismatic blues! The electric guitar and bluesy storytelling style of Sam sounds great in all recording situations if you ask us, but this pared down duo style with Spider works really well. A great early Arhoolie album from Sam & Spider. Includes "Meet You At The Chicken Shack", "Once Was A Gambler", "Ice Storm Blues", "Do The Boogie", "Goin' Out", "California Showers" and more.

Hard grooving, heavily grooving South American rock from Miguel Y El Comite (Miguel & The Committee) from the early 70s – led by Miguel Livichich, who made waves a bit earlier with El Syndikato! The percussion drives the sound pretty well, but the vocals are nicely out front in the mix, where they should be, as their charismatic and inviting as can be – with a nice fuzzed out guitar sound and a killer bass sound. Includes " Para Hacer Musica, Para Hacer...", "No Va Mas (Ya)", "Mi Sol", "Que Me Importa", "Junto Al Mar", "No Ves Que No Cabe", "Candombe Triste", "Hiroshima (1945)", Rompan Todo" and more.

A nice one from The Orb and Lee Scratch Perry! Honestly, we're not at all surprised at how strong the record is – The Orb have long transcended genres and expectations in the electronic realm – and Scratch has long proven to be one of the most adaptable and unique voices in dub reggae. They go great together! The Orb deliver some spacey, dubby and deeply atmopsheric sounds – and Lee's charismatic voice sounds great floating over it. Includes "Ball Of Fire", "HOO", "Main In The Moon", "Soul Man", "Golden Clouds", "Hold Me Upsetter", "Go Down Evil", "Thirsty", Ashes", "Police & Thieves" and "Congo".

Killer rhythms and charismatic dub vocals from the mighty Jah Stitch – a tight collection of his late 70s deejay cuts from Kingston Sounds! Nice versions of classic backdrops originally laid down by John Holt, Johnny Clarke and more – done up nicely here with Jah's prime, inimitable 70s style. Includes "Dread Inna Jamdown", "Make A Joyful Noise", "Natty Dread Skanking", "From Dusk To Dawn", "Rock To The Beat", "Natty Going On So", "Live Together In Harmony", "Love For Everyone", "Serious Thing", "The Best By Any Test" and more.

Words of wisdom from I Roy served over a steady backdrop of rhythms and heavy bass groove. The bass carries through a pretty heavy rumble on these numbers, paired so very nicely with I Roy's voice – which is charismatic and soulful, with some gritty growls when the words beckon for that approach. This Clocktower collection of includes "Satta", "Alright", "Tea Pot", "Never Go Wrong" "Roots Man Time", "African Talk", "Hypocrite Backout", "Musical Injection", "Don't Touch I Man Locks", "Crisis Time", "Equality And Justice", "What About The Half", "Jah Jah Our Savior", "Never Go Wrong" and more. 14 in all.

Chicago hip hop jazz veterans J Davis Trio return with a solid EP – laid down with an impressive roster of guest musicians from the Chi community – led by the classic hip hop learned rhymes of Julio Davis! The group is as fresh as ever, with rhymes, keys and vibes by Davis – the rhymes reminiscent of Chali 2na and that school of throwback-styled charismatic flow – and vibes that add a bit of Roy Ayers-y jazz funk. Never strictly a trio, the group and extended family & friends on this set includes bassis Dave Smith, trumpet player Dave Winer, drums by San Sharp, sax by Chris Greene, congas by Ryan Murphy, violin by Inger Carle and others. The featured guest collaborators include vibes player Joe Sonnefeldt, guitarist, singer and on this set, Latin rapper Carlos Ortega, Chicago musical omnivore Nick Tremulis on electric guitar, and flute player Paul Mertens. Includes "The Answer" with Joe Sonnefeldt, "Girl, Intoxicating" with Carlos Ortega, "The Firm Swing" with Nick Tremulis and "The Bell Curve" with Paul Mertens.

A great late album from French composer, arranger, lyricist, singer and all around creative musical force Jean Claude Vannier – with Vannier singing moody, vintage orch pop numbers in a mode that does both JCV and his old collaborator Serge Gainsbourg proudly! The set has a very lively feel to it, which is quite natural, given that the album came about following the group's rehearsals for the Histoire De Melody Nelson performance at London's Barbican in 2006. It features a brilliant group of players who worked with Vannier and Serge Gainsbourg on that uber-iconic album as well as other boundary-busting projects and soundtracks – including Cannabis, La Horse, Slogan and Vannier's own legendary leftfield classic L'Enfant Assassin Des Mouches. Vannier's voice is charismatic as can be, and the vintage pulp orchestrations are as fresh as ever. Includes "Londres-Paris-Sofia", "Les Yeux Valise", "Au Desespoir Des Singes", "Les Coquelicots", "La Vie En Live", "Une Partie De Scrabble", "Roses Rouge Sang", "Un Petit Quelque Chose" and more.