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Tight trumpet and lively rhythms – an overlooked killer from the legendary Chocolate! The set's got a nice mix of roots and 60s New York modes – a bit of a sparkle on the trumpets, but plenty of rough edges on the rhythms – all sewn together by soulful vocals from Filberto, Lahera, and Balmaseda! The brass never gets in the way of the vocals at all – and often, the three singers intertwine nicely – almost harmonizing as they glide along with the grooves – on a set of tunes that includes "Fania", "Que Piensas", "Los Caminantes", "El Kikikiriki", "Mi Fanfarron", and "Macho Cimarron".

This is the second album of hard funky soul by this great New Orleans band – and it's one of their best! The record's a nice one, with great production by Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn, and a nice rolling funk groove that never lets up. Loads of great deep funky cuts, including "Never Ever Do Without You", "Running Away", and "Pluck It". One of their two truly great LPs!

No friction here, as the groove is mighty tight, and plenty smooth – a great example of the way that Chocolate Milk found a whole new sound in the 80s! Gone are the heavier modes of the 70s, and in their place are some wicked keyboards and bass-heavy rhythms – snapping and popping with a heck of a lot of vibrant energy, in an electro groove that's a long way from the group's New Orleans roots! The sound is great – almost like discovering a whole other band altogether – and titles include "Take It Off", "Friction", "Keep It Coming", "Don't Let Up", and "Don't Make Me Wait".

A killer set from one of the most unique acts of the 70s – the legendary Hot Chocolate, a group with a sound unlike anyone else at the time! Hot Chocolate's groove was a bit soul, a bit rock, and often nicely funky underneath – and the British group really won lots of new ears on this side of the Atlantic with their bad-stepping approach to 70s pop! This self-titled album's one of the greatest ever from the group – and the cool compressed production further pushes their sound into really great territory – mushing the guitars up alongside the keyboards, squeezing the hip vocals of Errol Brown into a badass edge, and glamming things up ever so slightly. Arrangements are by the great John Cameron – a talent we've loved since his late 60s work with Donovan – and production is by the legendary Mickie Most, who's still burning strong here in the 70s. The album features the group's huge hit "You Sexy Thing", plus "Lay Me Down", "Amazing Skin Song", "Hello America", "The Street", "Call The Police", and "A Child's Prayer". CD is overflowing with bonus tracks too – including the b-side version of "You Sexy Thing", and the cuts "Sexy Lady", "Blue Night", "Cheri Babe", and "Everything Should Be Funky".

Includes "Snake", "Been Around The World" feat Ja Rule, "Step In The Name Of Love (rmx)", "Who's That" feat Fat Joe, "Ignition", "You Knock Me Out", and "Dream Girl".

Definitely the sort of album to make you feel better – given the tight, soulful sounds of Ndugu Chancler and this Chocolate Jam Company! The album's got roots in jazz – Ndugu's a drummer with work on countless other albums – but also steps out with plenty of soul, too – thanks to vocals from Ndugu, Leo Miller, Josie James, and Maxi Anderson – who often sing together in this warm style that fits perfectly with the grooves in the set! Instrumentation is definitely a cut above the usual session of this type – no surprise, given the jazz and fusion heavyweights in the lineup – and the tunes are catchy and grooving, yet never clunky or commercial at all. The blend is sublime – the sort that's made the record a standout for years – and titles include "Send You My Love", "Space Connection", "Make You Feel Better", "Jungle Journey", "Love Anew", and "Come Into My Life Again". CD features three bonus tracks – "Shadow Dancing (7" version)", "Take Some Time (7" version)", and "Love Anew (7" version)".

An amazing album that's probably one of the most unified albums that George Clinton ever recorded! The band's rawer style has been firmed up and economized – but a lot of the best elements are still in place, including a strange approach to vocals that has male and female voices interacting and counterbalancing in a similar style to that heard on some of Roy Ayers' best work from the early 70s. Clinton's begun introducing a lot of elements of Funkadelic into the group – but the tracks are still short and very tight, with a focussed approach to both funk and lyrics that really makes the album stand up to repeated listenings over the years. The album begins with the sublime "Chocolate City", a surprisingly political number that has these incredible jagged piano lines that echo away madly – then it rolls into other great numbers like "Side Effects", "What Comes Funky", "If It Don't Fit, Don't Force It", and "I Misjudged You". CD includes 3 bonus tracks – "If It Don't Fit Don't Force It (alternate)", "I Misjudged You (alternate)", and "Common Law Wife (previously unreleased)".

An overlooked gem from Wilson Pickett – recorded in the post-Atlantic years, and with some great funky moments mixed in with those undeniably soulful vocals from the Wicked Pickett! Arrangements are by Brad Shapiro, who works the same magic here with Wilson that he did with a handful of other southern soul artists – updating their groove a bit more for the 70s, while also still respecting the best rootsy elements of the vocals. The style's a lot like some of Joe Tex's best funky moments from the same time – save that Wilson's vocals are even rawer and grittier – and titles include "I'm Gonna Do It All Over", "That Woman", "Best Part Of A Man", "Let Me Know", "Sweetwater Jail", and "It's Gonna Be Good".

An amazing set of music – two rare albums from Ohio funk legend Lou Ragland, plus bonus tracks, and a whole set of unreleased sessions too – a huge amount of new music, even if you've got some of the previous reissues! First up is the legendary Hot Chocolate album – one of the greatest lost funk records of all time! The group is not the British pop band, but an Ohio funk group led by the great guitarist Lou Ragland. The album's originally from Canada, which makes it super rare – and these guys are funky funky funky, and kick some major booty with a heavy guitar sound that's just great! Some of the cuts are instrumental, and some of them have some excellent soul vocals that are produced with a nice deep sound that's brought out nicely by the excellent quality of the reissue. The record's got a bit of Sly Stone, a bit of Grant Green, and a bit of Mike James Kirkland – with a tasty raw indie soul vibe – and the original album was only pressed up at 500 copies. Titles include "So Dam Funky", "Ain't That A Groove", "Sexy Moods Of Your Mind", "Messin With Sly", and "What You Want To Do" – plus 8 more tracks from the same vintage – "Good For The Gander" by Hot Chocolate, "I Travel Alone" and Big Wheel" by Lou Ragland, "Red Robin" and "I've Got Something Going On" by Volcanic Eruption, and "I Can't Take It" and "What The Doctor Prescribed" by Lou Ragland & Hot Chocolate. Next is The Conveyor – the second album from Lou Ragland, stepping out here in a great set of mellow soul tracks! The album's quite different from the heavy funk of the Hot Chocolate album – more of a message-oriented approach to soul, in the vein of similar 70s indie work by Mike James Kirkland. The arrangements are also bigger – not smooth, but ambitious, in a style that perfectly matches the higher vision Lou's going for in tracks like "Understand Each Other", "What Should I Do?", "The Next World", and "It's Got To Change". Conveyor also comes with bonus tracks too – "Tend To Your Business" by Wildfire, plus "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" and "I Didn't Mean To Leave You" by Lou Ragland. And last up is an incredible batch of unreleased material – maybe the biggest and best so far from Ragland – tracks that have this really ambitious quality that mixes soul, funk, and larger orchestrations – especially some light strings, which really expand the sound, and push the music into this righteous territory that reminds us a lot of the creative experiments in Chicago during the Cadet/Concept years! Lou's vocals are great, and the message is totally righteous – and even though the tape quality is slightly aged, the soulful vibe really comes through – on cuts that include "Understand Each Other", "It Ain't My Fault", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "Spend My Life Loving You", "Until I Met You", and "Brother Louie". Lovingly packaged by Numero – with a huge booklet of photos and history – and cool mini-LP sleeves too!

A downtempo classic in the post-K&D world – a selection of dubs of the Tosca tune "Chocolate Elvis", done by talents that include Boozoo Bajou, Rodney Hunter, Babby Mammoth, Quant, and others! The package features 11 different takes on the tune – all in very different styles that sound like whole new songs – expanded out to a full album's worth of material!

An excellent bit of slick jazzy soul! The session was headed up B Baker and Lance Quinn, and it's a swirling mix of funky fusion, played by a group that includes Jimmy Ponder, Lonnie Smith, Jimmy McGriff, and Eddie Daniels. Two cuts have lead vocals – "It's Where You're Coming From", which features Lew Kirton, and "Dreamer", which features Gene Scott – but the strongest part is the jazzy playing, very much in the mode of a slick Fantasy Records sound from the late 70s. Includes the jazz funk classic "Snowblower", plus "Carousel" and "Spirit Level".

One of the best later albums by Chocolate Milk – a bit different than their earlier work with Allen Toussaint, but still bouncing along in a sweet 80s groove, with more than enough traces of their roots as a funky combo! Leo Nocentelli's sitting in on guitar, adding some nice licks to keep some tracks a bit more firmly grounded in tradition, despite some more modern production touches – and the album's got a compelling vibe that's partly pointed towards the boogie generation of the 80s, but with a heavier funk component overall! Titles include "Let's Go All The Way", "Like My Lady's Love", "Honey Bun", "Running On Empty", and a version of Otis Redding's "I've Been Loving You Too Long".

A dozen tracks – and a pretty expansive retrospective of the career of 70s funk stalwarts Chocolate Milk! The package starts with their early heavy funk days recording with Allen Toussaint, and it moves up to their smoother sounds of the early 80s – when the band was hitting more of a modern groove. Titles include "Girl Callin", "Action Speaks Louder than Words", "Running Away", "How About Love", "Who's Getting It Now", "Let's Go All The Way", "Take It Off", "Say Won'tcha", and "Blue Jeans".

Mystically grooving psychedelia from Chocolate Watch Band – a heady mix of the psyche sounds of the era with some really groovy Eastern inspired spirals of sound! The band doesn't skimp on the hip shaping and head nodding rock vibes – with some Stones-y swagger, especially in the vocals – but they bring the freaked out instrumental vibes into the mix very nicely – some sitar, really heavy bass grooves, shakers and other leftfield percussive touches. Titles include "Voyage Of The Trieste", "In The Past", "Inner Mystique", "I'm Not Like Everybody Else", "Medication", "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go", "Baby Blue" and "I Ain't No Miracle Worker".

A mix of spiraling psychedelia and grittier garagey rock from Chocolate Watch Band! No Way Out has a bit more grit than the more mystical follow up LP, but we wouldn't complain about that – the mix of more tripped out organ and atmospheric touches paired with harder hitting, sweaty r&b and fuzz rock influenced sounds match pretty well in our book! Groovy stuff from the late 60s Cali scene! Titles include "Let's Talk About Girls", "Midnight Hour", "Come On", "Dark Side Of The Mushroom", "Hot Dusty Road", "Gone And Passes By", "Expo 2000" and "Gossamer Wings".

Slightly later than some of Isaac Hayes' biggest Stax albums – but a great little record that's filled with some excellent smooth soul material! The record shows Hayes really trying to push his style to new levels, and it's got a sophistication that you don't hear on earlier albums – a sound that hints at the Polydor years, but without as much of a disco influence. Ike's also dropped his thing of doing a lot of soul covers of pop tracks – which means that the record's got a lot more original material, served up with a new sort of focus on songwriting! Titles include "Chocolate Chip", a perennial fave on the dancefloor, in both vocal and instrumental versions – plus "I Can't Turn Around", "Come Live With Me", and "Body Language".

Pure brilliance from The Nubian Crackers – a New York party groove from the early 90s, and one that's overflowing with classic samples from the old school! The cut mixes together a host of wicked funky tracks – with only a bit of a sampled vocal refrain over the top – and some great "Hard To Handle" beats on the chorus, which really send home the whole tune and give it a strong sort of focus! "Test Da Rocket Launcha" is another rare cut from back in the day – not a straight hip hop track, but the kind of 45 King-styled groove that plays strongly with older records – and shows that even in the 90s, the live spirit of mixing funky tracks was still alive and well!

Early string band styled numbers and timeless rural folk-blues music from the Carolina Chocolate Drops – brilliant stuff that's appropriately titled Heritage. It reflectsnow acclaimed trios own heritage – as well as that of all American music going back to the early 20th century. Live tracks and studio material that shows the group's depth of understand of lots of styles of old school rural American music. Includes "Another Man Done Gone", "Wayward Gal", "Black Eye Blues", "Georgie Buck", "Jack O' Diamonds", "Poor Lazarus", "Rickett's Hornpipe", "Bye-Bye Policeman", "Banjo Dreams/Jalidong", "Gambia" and more.

A killer album of 70s New Orleans funk! Chocolate Milk were an amazing funk group in their best moments – and this album is certainly one of those moments – a blistering batch of tracks that set a whole new style for the Crescent City scene, and which showed that producers Allen Toussaint and Marshall Sehorn could easily hit the hipper notes of the 70s! There's a tight rhythmic sound at the core of most numbers, but expanded instrumentation over the top – bits of spacey electrics or jazzier electronics that never would have shown up in Sansu records of years back, but which show that with the right group, New Orleans funk could easily take on the hippest styles going down on both coasts! The title cut, "Action Speaks Louder Than Words", is a slow funk classic – and the record also includes the incredible electronic-tinged "Time Machine", a perpetual favorite these days. Other nice tracks include "Pretty Pimpin' Willie" and "Ain't Nothin' But a Thing". Arguably the band's best album ever! This Big Break UK remastered edition includes one bonus track: "My Mind Is Hazy (Single Version).

No friction here, as the groove is mighty tight, and plenty smooth – a great example of the way that Chocolate Milk found a whole new sound in the 80s! Gone are the heavier modes of the 70s, and in their place are some wicked keyboards and bass-heavy rhythms – snapping and popping with a heck of a lot of vibrant energy, in an electro groove that's a long way from the group's New Orleans roots! The sound is great – almost like discovering a whole other band altogether – and titles include "Take It Off", "Friction", "Keep It Coming", "Don't Let Up", and "Don't Make Me Wait".

An overlooked funky classic from Chocolate Milk – and a set that still preserves the tight grooves of the group's earliest work! Allan Toussaint is still on hand this time around to help with both production and songwriting – and his touches can definitely be felt on the record – a tight funky undercurrent that's definitely rooted in New Orleans soul, but has some warmer, more contemporary elements too – just like that mid 70s change Toussaint was bringing to his own grooves. Standout cuts include the funky numbers "Grand Theft" and "America" – plus the groover "Girl Callin" – although there's some mellower numbers we like pretty darn well too. Other tracks include "Help Me Find The Road", "Thinking Of You", "That's The Way She Loves", and "Fertility".

An amazing album that's probably one of the most unified albums that George Clinton ever recorded! The band's rawer style has been firmed up and economized – but a lot of the best elements are still in place, including a strange approach to vocals that has male and female voices interacting and counterbalancing in a similar style to that heard on some of Roy Ayers' best work from the early 70s. Clinton's begun introducing a lot of elements of Funkadelic into the group – but the tracks are still short and very tight, with a focussed approach to both funk and lyrics that really makes the album stand up to repeated listenings over the years. The album begins with the sublime "Chocolate City", a surprisingly political number that has these incredible jagged piano lines that echo away madly – then it rolls into other great numbers like "Side Effects", "What Comes Funky", "If It Don't Fit, Don't Force It", and "I Misjudged You".

An amazing set of music – two rare albums from Ohio funk legend Lou Ragland, plus bonus tracks, and a whole set of unreleased sessions too – a huge amount of new music, even if you've got some of the previous reissues! First up is the legendary Hot Chocolate album – one of the greatest lost funk records of all time! The group is not the British pop band, but an Ohio funk group led by the great guitarist Lou Ragland. The album's originally from Canada, which makes it super rare – and these guys are funky funky funky, and kick some major booty with a heavy guitar sound that's just great! Some of the cuts are instrumental, and some of them have some excellent soul vocals that are produced with a nice deep sound that's brought out nicely by the excellent quality of the reissue. The record's got a bit of Sly Stone, a bit of Grant Green, and a bit of Mike James Kirkland – with a tasty raw indie soul vibe – and the original album was only pressed up at 500 copies. Titles include "So Dam Funky", "Ain't That A Groove", "Sexy Moods Of Your Mind", "Messin With Sly", and "What You Want To Do" – plus 8 more tracks from the same vintage – "Good For The Gander" by Hot Chocolate, "I Travel Alone" and Big Wheel" by Lou Ragland, "Red Robin" and "I've Got Something Going On" by Volcanic Eruption, and "I Can't Take It" and "What The Doctor Prescribed" by Lou Ragland & Hot Chocolate. Next is The Conveyor – the second album from Lou Ragland, stepping out here in a great set of mellow soul tracks! The album's quite different from the heavy funk of the Hot Chocolate album – more of a message-oriented approach to soul, in the vein of similar 70s indie work by Mike James Kirkland. The arrangements are also bigger – not smooth, but ambitious, in a style that perfectly matches the higher vision Lou's going for in tracks like "Understand Each Other", "What Should I Do?", "The Next World", and "It's Got To Change". Conveyor also comes with bonus tracks too – "Tend To Your Business" by Wildfire, plus "Since You Said You'd Be Mine" and "I Didn't Mean To Leave You" by Lou Ragland. And last up is an incredible batch of unreleased material – maybe the biggest and best so far from Ragland – tracks that have this really ambitious quality that mixes soul, funk, and larger orchestrations – especially some light strings, which really expand the sound, and push the music into this righteous territory that reminds us a lot of the creative experiments in Chicago during the Cadet/Concept years! Lou's vocals are great, and the message is totally righteous – and even though the tape quality is slightly aged, the soulful vibe really comes through – on cuts that include "Understand Each Other", "It Ain't My Fault", "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love", "Spend My Life Loving You", "Until I Met You", and "Brother Louie". Lovingly packaged by Numero – with a huge booklet of photos and history!

A sweet, smooth stepper from the great Randy Brown – and a record that's got the same sublime mix of mellow grooves and earthy vocals that you might find on some of Tyrone Davis' best late 70s work for Columbia! Tunes are all plenty darn fresh – written by the team of Homer Banks and Chuck Brooks, who also produced the album – and Randy's got this way of hitting a groove that's confident, but never arrogant – a perfect late 70s masculine mode, of the sort only a handful of singers could handle this well! Titles include "Without You (I Can't Make It Through The Night)", "We Ought To Be Doin It", and "Do You Love Me?" – all of which have great hooks – plus "Do You Love Me", "Love Be With You", and "Love Formula".

Great Mid 70s records from Cameo – Cardiac Arrest from 1975 and We All Know Who We Re from 1977 – together in a single set! Cardiac Arrest is excellent early work from the group. It's got a really sublime approach – tightly funking, but not too fast, in the mode of some of their weaker 80s material. The band have that tightly snapped groove firmly in place – as you'd already know if you've heard the album's classic sample cuts, "Rigor Mortis" and "Post Mortem". Other tracks include "Funk, Funk", "Find My Way", and "Good Times" – and the record's one of the best of the bunch from this period! We All Know Who We Are is of the most overlooked Cameo albums – and one we go back to more than the rest! Unlike some of the group's other funk-heavy outings, this one's nicely restrained, with a sophisticated ensemble soul style that reminds us of the best mid 70s work by Earth Wind & Fire. A real highlight is the smooth stepping title cut – "We All Know Who We Are" – a wonderfully catchy number that's also got a really righteous message, and kind of a "Damn Right I Am Somebody" intro, with the band rapping to each other before the song starts. Other tracks include "It's Serious", "Inflation", and "Stand Up".

Massively funk work from Cameo – a set that's right in the middle of their classic early run – and still quite strong on the bass-heavy grooves the group helped inspire in countless legions of imitators! The tightness of the set is incredible – moving at a pace that's simply mindblowing, especially in a pre-sampling, pre-programming world – proof that spontaneous work by a group like this could still blow away any commercial crap! There's a few mellower moments too – always a side of the group that we love – and titles include "Use It Or Lose It", "Freaky Dancin", "I Like It", "Knights By Nights", "I'll Always Stay", "The Sound Table", and "Don't Be So Cool".

It's nice to hear a new MC these days that rhymes largely on beat and can create thought provoking rhymes that go beyond the sort of lowest common denominator topics of ass and money you hear not just on the radio and in the club, but even on supposedly undeerground records. Chicago's own Diverse rhymes over simple, tight beats, with a mellow jazzy feel, and gets remixed by fellow traveller J Rawls of the Lone Catalysts on the flip.

A mix of post disco soul sophistication and laidback funky numbers from Gaston – a welcome approach from the early 80s era – a time when too many contemporary soul acts moved towards a more overly polished vibe! Gaston's self-titled LP is just polished enough – with a bright sound, lead and call-and-response harmony vocals, bouncy bass lines, soulful keys and sweet synths. Fun party soul jams and a couple of tasteful ballads, too! Titles include "Mind Sticker", "You Don't Love Me", "Broken Record", "You Turn Me On", "Benny Hill", "Here A Funk, There A Funk, Everywhere A Funk Funk", "Love Is Gonna Getcha" and "We Come To Take Control".

Cameo are going for more of an 80s groove here than on earlier albums – adding in slicker bass parts and more keyboards, but also still keeping a nice soulful finish on the best cuts. These include great vocal tracks like "Feel Me" and "Is This The Way", which have a sweetly compressed harmony sound on the lyrics. Other tracks include "Better Days", "Keep It Hot", "Roller Skates", and "Is This The Way".

Unheard Piano Overlord material – the hypnotic piano & Rhodes-spun recordings of Guillermo Scott Herren – the visionary mind behind Prefuse 73 and Savath Y Savalas! Piano Overlord arguably finds Herren at his loosest – though Aninha Mission has plenty of the moody, hazy beats that Herren works so well with in other guises. Speaking of beats, John McEntire plays drums on the record, which also features some additional percussion by David Perez and production by Elvin Estela and Carlos Nino. Titles include "Conception", "Reception", "I Moved Here", "Somewhere South", "Better Things", "Eygtology", "Untitled" featuring vocals by Cibelle, "En Sveno", "Aninha" and more.

Featuring vocals from Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, Mr. Lif and cuts by DMC champ DJ Craze, this track has a much straighter beat than some of the more abstract electronics you might expect from Push Button. Plus the b-side "Breaker's Delight" a squishy electro track, ripe for your moonwalking pleasure.

Ed Townsend, the great soul composer and producer responsible for many big hits over the years, put together this album with some younger generation family members and an outside ringer. The result is a great album of modern group soul with a cool mellow soul vibe that's similar to some of the other great soul records on Chocolate City. Our favorite cut's the great midtempo cut "True Love", but other highlights include "It's You", "You Can", and "Wondering".

One of the few albums ever issued as a leader by the great Joe Cain – a wonderful Latin arranger with a really mad ear for a groove! Cain's approach is often quite choppy in the rhythms – short, hard, and very very sharp – then topped with sweeter, jazzier lines – played on this set by Clark Terry on trumpet, Jerome Richardson on tenor and flute, and Frank Anderson on piano and some especially nice organ lines! Percussion is super-heavy throughout – played by Jose Mangual, Chocolate, and Marcelino Valdes with a vibe that's just right for the rhythms – and additional support is from Cachao on bass and Herbie Lovelle on drums. The grooves are incredible – quite different than anything else on Mainstream Records at the time, and even different than most of the New York scene – and titles include the amazing "It's A Mad Mad Mad Mambo (parts 1 & 2) (also known elsewhere as "Mambo Au Go Go") – a cut that sounds like some sort of crazy avant garde percussion banging, all made to keep in time to a mambo beat, with jazzy organ solos over the top. Other titles include "Mongo Mongo Baby", "Papa Bajo", "Que Paso", "Tanga Pa Katanga", and "Chunga A Go Go".

Features material with Carter's Chocolate Dandies group – with Ben Webster on tenor, Buck Clayton on trumpet, and Al Grey on trombone!

Sweet Miami funk from the team of George "Chocolate" Perry and Clay Cropper – one of the rarest TK albums from the time, and also one of the funkiest too! The sound here is slightly polished, but never too much – a bit more in the sound of bigger Florida groups, like Miami, with a tight groove overall, but still enough sharper funky bits on the edges! George plays bass and Clay handles guitar and keyboards – and the vocals seem to be sung by both parties, often in that slightly-flanged Miami style of the time. Titles include "My Uncle Funky", "Sweet Mary", "Cream Is Rising To The Top", and "Two Different Worlds" – plus the excellent mellow soul track "Free (I'll Always Be)", which has a nice sweet sound in the same vein as work by Milton Wright.

NuHop? Common newcomers who buy Electric Circus for the single with Mary J Blige are going to be left with some head scratching – but if you like the spiritual/psychedelic Com that was hinted at on Like Water For Chocolate, this may be the follow up you were waiting for! This is still hip hop – with production by the Neptunes, Jay Dee, ?uestlove and others, but it's definitely a boundary stretcher. The mood runs from Roots style soul bumpers to Hendrix and Eugene McDaniels style feedback heavy freakouts. There's a guest on nearly every track, mostly from the Okayplayer camp and NuSoul titans, including Bilal, Omar, Pharrell Williams, Cee-Lo, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab and others. We won't lie to you, we miss the Chicago hip hop Common that kicked insight over raw and soulful productions, but you can't fault the guy for being an artist, and he really has crafted something original here. A great cover – a kind of rainbow drenched cut and paste photo collage of the contributors and inspirations with Com out front, sort of reminding us of Tribe's Midnight Maurauders, and even Sgt. Pepper. Tracks include "Ferris Wheel", "Soul Power", "The Hustle", the first single "Come Close", "New Wave", "Star *69", "Jimi Was A Rock Star" and more.

An amazing set throughout – not just for the musical growth of Coleman Hawkins, but also for the development of the tenor sax in jazz, too! These sides could very well be said to be THE seminal recordings for tenor – the records that helped transform the instrument from a bit of a trick noisemaker into one of the most dominant voices in jazz during the 20th century – the beginning of a rich legacy that went onto encompass Lester Young, Stan Getz, John Coltrane, and so many others! The package captures Coleman Hawkins right at the start of his career – with vital early 78rpm recordings that move from trad to swing to some of the modern combo sounds that Hawkins would blow in the postwar years. And the range of settings is amazing, too – not a loose collection or mish-mash of material, but a really thoughtful progression that has Hawkins working with Mamie Smith, Fletcher Henderson, Clarence Williams, The Chocolate Dandies, and McKinney's Cotton Pickers in the early years – then moving up to work as a leader on his own – as well as material with Lionel Hampton, Benny Goodman, Benny Carter, and Count Basie. Most of the later material is for small labels – like Baronet, Cont, Meritt, Neatwork, and others – and the early sides are for Okeh, Columbia, Vocalion, Brunswick, and other smaller imprints. Features 190 tracks in all, and very copious notes, too – an amazing package from Mosaic!

A real standout in the early career of trumpeter Freddie Hubbard – a very unique session that has him working with some larger arrangements in the background – blowing these magical solos over the top, while still hitting a great edge with the rest of the musicians as well! There's a sound here that's unlike anything else we can think of – including other big band trumpet dates of the time – partly because the set features a fair bit of arrangements by Wayne Shorter – a very rare side of his talents, but one that's equally as soulful as his sublime small group albums of the time. The record has an undeniable depth right from the start – magical, mystical, and very soulful – with a group that includes Eric Dolphy and Wayne Shorter on saxes, Curtis Fuller on trombone, Cedar Walton on piano, and Reggie Workman on bass. Tracks include "Chocolate Shake", "Thermo", "Clarence's Place", and "Aries".

A mind-blowing collection of work from Kaleidoscope – the ultra-hip psych combo who recorded some great work for Epic Records at the end of the 60s! This package not only features all the group's important albums, but also includes a wealth of rare singles too – including some surprising gems recorded for Epic in unusual situations, proof that the label really expected the band to break big at the time! The 3CD package features 45 tracks in all – with titles that include "Egyptian Gardens", "I Found Out", "Little Orphan Nannie", "Please", "Rampe Rampe", "Love Games", "Egyptian Candy", "Lie To Me", "Let The Good Love Flow", "Cuckoo", "Seven-Ate Sweet", "Banjo", "Why Try", "New Blue Ooze", "Lie & Hide", "Sefan", "Chocolate Whale", "Another Lover", "Sneakin In The Ghetto", and "Ballad Of Tommy Udo".

A second great comeback set from Latimore – working beautifully with producer George Chocolate Perry, who helps him hit a groove that's just like his classic 70s work for TK! As with those records, the vibe here is a laidback blend of blues and soul – lots of great electric piano work stepping along on most numbers underneath Latimore's slinky vocals – which themselves show a slight touch of age, but are still as sensual as ever! There's more smooth soul than the blues and rhythm in the title – a good thing to us – and titles include "Mr Right Now", "Singing & Playing The Blues", "Don't Give Up On Our Love", "City Life", "Around The World", and "Every Day Is A Beautiful Day".

The pair of great pianists don't play together – but are featured on a side apiece of the record, pulled from their Savoy recordings of the 50s. The album's most notable for the work of Nichols – some of the few sides he ever cut, and along with his two Blue Note LPs, and one for Bethlehem, a key to understanding his rare and short-lived talent for modern improvisation. The Nichols sides feature Chocolate Williams on bass, plus a bit of vocals, Shadow Wilson on drums, and (possibly) Danny Barker on guitar. Titles by Herbie include "Who's Blues", "Nichols & Dimes", "My Lady Gingersnap", and "Good Story Blues". The Monk sides are cut with the Gigi Gryce Quartet – and include "Shuffle Boil", "Brake's Sake", and "Nica's Tempo".

One of Eddie Palmieri's greatest albums – and certainly one of the most mindblowingly creative! The album encompasses all the grooves stated in the title, and then some – as Eddie works with a mix of acoustic and electric instruments, crafting tunes that are long and exploratory, tightly jazzy but also free, and with more than a bit of funk in the mix on the best numbers. And far from confusing, the whole thing comes together with a really cohesive sound – the kind of broad vision in one fell stroke that only Palmieri could pull off! Titles include "Cobarde", "Chocolate Ice Cream", "The Mod Scene", "Random Thoughts", "Resemblance", and "Condiciones Que Existen".

A real scorcher from Eddie Palmieri – as much a transition as a superimposition – and the kind of record that would have a huge impact on Latin jazz in the 70s! Eddie's got one foot in the small group styles of his 60s work, but he's also reaching forward in a mode that's rootsy and modern at the same time – a back-to-basics approach that's tremendously focused on the rhythm, and which mostly uses heavy percussion and piano to lay out the grooves – then tops them off with some jazzier riffing on brassy horns. Eddie's piano is sublime throughout – crackling with life and energy that barely made it onto record before, and hitting notes that are modern, yet which sit comfortably next to the earthier grooves of the rest of the band. Ismael Quintana's on lead vocals, and tracks include "Bilongo", "Pa'Huele", "La Malanga", "Chocolate Ice Cream", "17.1", and "Isn't It Pretty".

Mod grooves from The Satin Chaps – a group that's heavy on organ lines and horns, and who play in a soulful 60s groove! The cuts are mostly instrumental, and they cook along strongly with a sweet blend of sounds from the groove – horns that pack plenty of punch, but which are really sent home by the deft work on guitar and keyboards – the latter of which mostly comes across with a vintage Hammond-style feel! All cuts are originals, and mighty fresh too – different than the usual funk combo mode – and titles include "Funky Matador", "Cry Baby", "Dry Rub", "Jump Shout Shake", "Wet Leather", "Catch On Quick", "Hot Chocolate", and "Pigtail Park".

One of the last great 70s soundtracks on Curtom Records – a smoking little set that pairs the music of Curtis Mayfield with the vocals of Mavis Staples! Curtis is very much in charge of the record from the start, and works in a hard-stepping and righteous mode that recalls his earlier work on the Staples' soundtrack for Let's Do It Again – no surprise, given that Piece Of The Action was the next installment in the successful series of films that starred Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier! The sound here is nicely full, hitting that rich mid 70s Curtom mode that sounded so great on Leroy Hutson and Natural Four albums of the time – a slightly more sophisticated approach that mixed in a bit of strings with the heavier funk at the bottom. Titles include "Chocolate City", written by Curtis with Keni Burke and Henry Gibson, plus "Getting Deeper", "A Piece Of The Action", "Orientation", and "Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid".

One of our favorite funk combos take on a host of gems from the past – all classic soul and funk numbers that really expand the sound of Osaka Monaurail! The group first got their start doing a great riff on the sound of James Brown – but here, they move into Memphis soul, Chicago funk, and more – working their well-honed instrumental talents over a host of killer cuts that explode in fresh new versions! Unlike other records, where Ryo Nakata sings, this time around he's just leading the group and playing keyboards – but that shift is OK with us, as it gives the horns and guitar lots more space to do their thing. Titles include "Cafe Regio's", "Supershine #9", "Chocolate Buttermilk", "Amen Brother", "Get Down", "Get Ready", "Little Old Money Maker", "Message To Love", "Divertissement", and "Hey Jude". CD also features 3 bonus live tracks – "Tighten Up", "Truck Turner", and "Soulful Strut". Note: This is a different package for the album Amen Brother – which was issued under the Osaka Monaurail name.

A incredible little set of grooves that lit up early 80s Italian club scene – bubbling electro pop, pulsing post disco, and cosmic soul tunes compiled by DJ Mooner – a batch of nuggets originally spun in the famous Discoteca Cosmic! The tunes were all on the playlists during the heyday of that famous Italian club – a great mix of spacey, uncommonly warm synth grooves and cosmic funk featuring the Rah Band, Chocolate Star, Heaven 17 and more! Some of the most atmospheric club friendly grooves of the time! 11 tracks on the CD: "Electric Fling" by the Rah Band, "Mystery Man Remix" by Clive Stevens & Brainchild, "Dance On The Groove (And Do The Funk)" by Love International, "Crash (Monner's edit)" by Doctor S Cat, "I'm Your Money" by Heaven 17, "Basic" by Memory Control 1, "Oriental" by Peru, "This Is Me" by Chris & Cosey, "The Pop" by Chocolate Star and more.

Go Go galore – a massive compilation of Chocolate City grooves – some of the best funky numbers from the DC scene of the 80s – a unique strech when the nation's capital was cooking up some mighty heavy grooves! Although recorded in the 80s, these tracks really preserve a 70s sort of funky sound – and in a way, the Go Go scene was kind of a refuge for all the great live funk energy of the 70s – especially the larger ensemble groups, like those in the P-Funk universe! Tracks are nice and long, filled with great rhythms, and lots of nice live instrumentation – and some great call-response vocals that are a bit like old school hip hop too. Titles include "Welcome To The Go Go" by Class Band, "Feel It" by The Mighty Peacemakers, "Somebody's Ringing That Doorbell" by EU, "You Can Dance" by Davis Pinckney Project, "Virginia Gone Go Go" by Code Red, "Skunk Funk Go Go" by Dr Skunk Funk, "Who Comes To Boogie" by Little Benny & The Masters, and "DC Groove" by Static Disruptors. 24 tracks in all – way more than any other set of this nature we've seen!

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 remarkable collection of psychedelic and garage rock that at this point really needs no introduction from us. 27 amazing tracks of seminal rock, including the Electric Prunes "I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night", the Standells "Dirty Water", the Shadows Of Knight "Oh Yeah", the Seeds "Pushin' Too Hard", the 13th Floor Elevators "You're Gonna Miss Me", Count Five "Psychotic Reaction", the Leaves "Hey Joe", the Cryan Shames "Sugar & Spice", the Blues Magoos "Tobacco Road", Chocolate Watch Band "Let's Talk About Girls", and the Nazz "Open My Eyes", plus loads more!

Was funk ever this great again? Maybe not – as Mickey & The Soul Generation were one of the greatest groups of their generation – a completely polished gem, in the sometimes rough-edged funky 45 rockpile! The band never cut a full album, but their 7" singles from the early 70s are the stuff of legend – some of the first funky 45s that started passing amongst collectors, prized for their incredibly tight sound – right up there with the JBs, Meters, and other established funky acts for pure "in the pocket" action. Most of that rare early work's never been reissued – save for the occasional dodgy boot – which is why it's even more wonderful to have this double-length set of work by the group, complete with a fuller track listing than we'd ever imagined they recorded, and full notes on the music and band by Josh Davis, aka DJ Shadow! The 2LP set features 19 tracks – including released and unreleased recordings – with numbers that include "Iron Leg", "Football", "Up The Stairs & Around The Bend", "Give Everybody Some", "Joint Session", "Chocolate", "Message From A Black Man", "Soulful Sickness", "UFO", "Hey Brother Man", "Southern Fried Funk", "How Good Is Good", and "We Got To Make A Change".

The wildly diverse, heavily percussive global jazz, soul, and exotica inspired Afrodesia from the late 60s combo Afro Soultet – a crazy rare one, too! The group purportedly has roots in Texas, but incarnations of it were gigging around LA a bit earlier as Afro Latin Blues Quintet +1 and a bit later as Afro Latin Soultet. Here they play with boundless inspiration from around the globe. Afro Latin percussion and rhythms hold it all together, but they bring in strains of Latin soul, African rhythms, straighter jazz and madly percussive instrumental rock. Producer/composer/arranger/raconteur Jack Millman plays drums in the group as Johnny Kitchen, and other players include Joey Dubreau on vibes, Frank Morris on guitar and harmonica, Eddie Paris on drums, Dean Elliot on percussion, William Quinn on flute & sax, and Bill Collins on keys. Includes "Afrodesia", "Mozamba", "Soul Rockin'", "Afro Revolt", "Torrid Zone", "Oom Gowa", "Slave Traders", "Drumbouie", "Aphro Bugaloo", "Chocolate Drop", "Le Berber" and "Sand, Sun And Sea".

Includes Carter performing with his own orchestra as well as Mezz Mezzrow & His Orchestra and the Chocolate Dandies.

Sweet Miami funk from the team of George "Chocolate" Perry and Clay Cropper – one of the rarest TK albums from the time, and also one of the funkiest too! The sound here is slightly polished, but never too much – a bit more in the sound of bigger Florida groups, like Miami, with a tight groove overall, but still enough sharper funky bits on the edges! George plays bass and Clay handles guitar and keyboards – and the vocals seem to be sung by both parties, often in that slightly-flanged Miami style of the time. Titles include "My Uncle Funky", "Sweet Mary", "Cream Is Rising To The Top", and "Two Different Worlds" – plus the excellent mellow soul track "Free (I'll Always Be)", which has a nice sweet sound in the same vein as work by Milton Wright.

Sublime grooves from Fat Larry's Band – a combo that's heavy on bass, but one that also keeps things cool! The style here is easily one of the best from the group's generation – a laidback groove that's not nearly as tight as other 80s club acts – never too much bass in the face, nor rhythms that get too stiff – just a stepping sort of groove that's rooted in funk, and served up with plenty of soulful touches. In a way, the sound reminds us more of ensemble funk groups from the late 70s than you'd guess from the date – particularly some of the Mercury or Chocolate City artists. Titles include "House Party", "Act Like You Know", "Breakin Out", "Be My Lady", and "Zoom". CD features bonus tracks too – instrumental and radio mixes of "Act Like You Know", and a radio mix of "Zoom".

Definite pop disco material from Dan Hartman – the kind of work that showed that the underground sound of the clubs was now firmly lodged in the mainstream! The tracks are long and the grooves are upbeat – definitely disco, even if the soulful aspect isn't as deep as it might be in some of Dan's contemporaries. Fortunately, Hartman has a nice way with a hook – and has come up with some pretty good ones for the set. And also fortunately, Gene Page handles all arrangements here – giving the album a bit more depth than you might expect – a fact that's echoed by Tom Moulton's mix for the whole set as well. Titles include "Instant Replay", "Countdown/This Is It", "Double O Love", "Chocolate Box", and "Love Is A Natural".

A killer album from Paulette Reaves – a hip singer from the TK Records scene of the 70s, but one who never fully got her due at the time! Paulette's got a really wonderful style here that's partly deep soul, partly jazz-inflected – an approach that almost has more of the sophistication of 70s Philly sessions, especially given the mix of mature modes that come across in both the vocals and some of the instrumentation. Production is by Clarence Reid, Snoopy Dean, and Chocolate Perry – all of whom polish things enough to match the maturity in Reaves' vocals, yet never take the record into too-commercial territory – including the other styles you might find at TK. Titles include the sublime "Jazz Freak" – a classic stepper that has Paulette running down a list of her favorite artists in the lyrics – and other tracks include "You Are My Star", "We'll Try It Again", "I Forgot To Be Your Lover", "Flesh", and "Sweet Bitter Love".

Very soulful work from singer Ismael Rivera – working here with some sharp arrangements by Javier Vazquez, in a groove that's totally great! As with other Vaya sessions of the time, there's a strong undercurrent of tradition in the rhythms – a return to Latin roots at the height of the 70s salsa years, in a way that gives the record a really timeless feel overall – right in keeping with Rivera's approach to the vocals. Players in the group include Carlos Malcolm on timbales and Chocolate Armenteros on trumpet – and titles include "El Nazarena", "Que Te Pasa A Ti", "Witinila", "Orgullosa", "Traigo De Todo", "El Niche", and "Satelite".

One of the last great 70s soundtracks on Curtom Records – a smoking little set that pairs the music of Curtis Mayfield with the vocals of Mavis Staples! Curtis is very much in charge of the record from the start, and works in a hard-stepping and righteous mode that recalls his earlier work on the Staples' soundtrack for Let's Do It Again – no surprise, given that Piece Of The Action was the next installment in the successful series of films that starred Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier! The sound here is nicely full, hitting that rich mid 70s Curtom mode that sounded so great on Leroy Hutson and Natural Four albums of the time – a slightly more sophisticated approach that mixed in a bit of strings with the heavier funk at the bottom. Titles include "Chocolate City", written by Curtis with Keni Burke and Henry Gibson, plus "Getting Deeper", "A Piece Of The Action", "Orientation", and "Of Whom Shall I Be Afraid".

Smooth pop soul tunes by Tony Wilson – not the famous avant jazz drummer, but the ex lead singer from Hot Chocolate, the hit British group of the mid 70s. The best cuts have that flanged out vocal style of Tony's that we like so much, and even though arrangements are nothing special, the album's pleasant enough overall. Titles include "Try Love", "Give Your Lady What She Wants", "Lay Next To You", "Fool Around", "Africa", and "New Orleans Music".

A wonderful duet set from Ike Hayes and Dionne Warwick – one that draws on the classiest side of the Hayes spectrum, and uses his groove to help Dionne find some great new energy! Even in performance, the music has that great rich quality that Isaac always brought to his solo recordings in the 70s – with strings, backup singers, and some tight undercurrents that help keep things soulful throughout – really cutting through the schmaltz of Ike's shiny tux on the cover! Dionne really sparkles in his company – and the record features duo numbers, solo spots, and even some nice medley tracks. The band behind the pair are electric, mellow, and very soulful – and titles include "Can't Hide Love", "Chocolate Chip", "Then Came You", "Come Live With Me", "Unity", and "By The Time I Get To Phoenix" and "I Say A Little Prayer", done nicely in a medley together.

Wonderfully baroque funk from the great O'Donel Levy! The album's got some very cool arrangements by Manny Albam that mix together strings and funk – in a super-dope way that sounds a lot like the work coming out of Cadet during the late 60s – and the rest of the set features Levy playing with a smaller group, one that includes Chester Thompson on drums and Charles Covington on organ. The approach is great on both types of sets – complicatedly funky, in a way that's held up incredibly well over the years – and which warrants greater discovery of Levy's work from the time. The album's got covers of "We've Only Just Begun", "Let's Stay Together" and "It's Too Late" – plus some groovy originals like "Cherries", "The Chocolate Horse", "Ideal", and "Breeding of Mind".

One of the coolest, sexiest, most straight up irresistible French rock & roll albums we've heard in years – a great self-titled gem from Liminanas on Chicago's Trouble In Mind label! Drums, bass, woozy organ and percussion are at the core of the sound – with a raw, neo-classic garage psyche vibe, but it's the sultry, somewhat pulpy mood that sets them apart from the pack. Marie Liminana brings the spare, perfectly effective drums & percussion, while Lionel Liminana does all kinds of groovy stuff – guitar, bass, sitar, melodica, piano, organ and percussion – with special guests sharing vocal duties on alternate tracks. The Liminanas don't hammer away like underground garage kids around the world, they're more into setting a mood, but that doesn't compromise the raw and exhilarating edge. Titles include "The Darkside", "Je Ne Suis Pa Tre Drogue", "Chocolate In My Milk", "Mountain", "Berceuse Pour Clive", "Tears", "Tigre Du Bengale", "Got Nothin To Say" and more.

Sweet clubby grooving from Joe Thomas – a set that has the Ebony Godfather smoothing his groove a bit for the disco years of the late 70s, but still keeping things plenty soulful throughout! Brad Baker (of B Baker Chocolate Company fame) arranged and conducted the album, and he brings in some added vocals to the session – starting most tunes with a bit of singing before the instrumentalists get to solo in the grooves. The approach still works plenty darn well, though – and there's some great numbers here that slide in a bit of moogy vamping, in a way that's somewhat like some of Thomas' previous Ebony Godfather records. Titles include the funky "Caught You Lying Again", the smooth stepper "Let Me Be The One", and the tracks "Sugar Smack", "Get On Back", "Make Your Move", and "Your Love Is So Good To Me".

Smart rhymes by Trek Life & guests with solid Mello Music Group production by Duke Westlake. Includes "What's Real" feat Yu, "We Good" with Oddisee, Belvi and Funklogik, "Just The Music", "Eat More Chocolate", "Be Together", "Driving While Black", "Hello" feat GMK, "Name Game", "Street Casualty", "Happy Everyday" feat Richard Wright and Seanwyze, "Hometown Foreigner" and more.

Quite possibly one of the greatest funk compilations ever – and we're not just saying that because we're from the Midwest! The genius compilers at Jazzman spent years scouring the smaller cities of the American hinterlands – tracking down obscure musicians, long-lost labels, and nearly-gone master tapes – all to bring together 23 bits of rare funk that bristle with the same energy and excitement as the day they were first recorded! The package is incredible – not only filled with incredible tunes that somehow manage to push the boundaries and redefine our understanding of classic funk from the time, but also doing so in a package that's filled with liner notes that offer more information on the artists than probably their own mothers know! Plus, the set's also got some previously unissued numbers as well – making it a must-have for any funk fan, even if you've somehow managed to track down original copies of some of these choice bits! Titles include "Whip It" by The New Establishment In Soul, "Let's Do It Today (full version)" by The Us, "Pushin To The Top" by Markus Kelly & The Impassions, "Sissy Walk" by Billy Ball & The Upsetters, "Tell Her" by Fred Williams & The Jewels Band, "The Hatch" by The TMGs, "Boots Groove" by The Soul Tornados, "Po Boy's Dream" by Illinois Connection, "It's Not You For Me (live)" by Billy Joe Holloman, "Funky In Here" by Dayton Sidewinders, "Master Groove" by Henry Peters & The Imperials, and "A Day In The Life" by Chocolate Snow.

The rebirth of the Afro-Cuban groove on the New York scene of the 70s – a dozen recordings in the "new traditionalist" sound of the time! After the boom of the Latin Soul sound of the late 60s, and the rise of salsa in the early 70s, there was also a "back to basics" movement within the players of the New York Latin community – a shift that stripped down the sound, reintroduced traditional instrumentation, and worked in rhythms that might have been used on older sessions, but which were slightly updated for the newer recordings. The work of that period, although strong, has often been overlooked in favor of some of the flashier sounds of the scene – and this set wonderfully corrects that fault by bringing together a great sampling of work from the traditional spectrum of the Salsoul and SAR record labels, along with the kind of notes and commitment to quality that makes the Honest Jon's reissues so great! Titles include "Son Sabroson" by Rey Roig, "Cuchillo Para La Pina Cubana" by Charlie Rodriguez, "Chocolate En C7" and "Trumpet En Montuno" by Chocolate, "Oriente" and "Tiene Sabor" by Henry Fiol, "Yo Perdi El Corazon" by Lita Branda, "Camina Y Ven Pa La Loma" by Roberto Torres, "Celosa" by Angelo Y Su Conjunto Modelo, and "Los Dos Hermanos" by Los Jimaguas.

Deep, deep, turntable wizardry from one of the most respect cats on the wheels these days – D-Styles of the Invisibl Skratch Picklz! The records 5 years in the making – and features collaborations with like minded travelers Q-Bert, Melo-D, Babu and others. It's one for the purists, too – made with only wax, a mixer, two turntables, and a Roland RE-201 Space Echo. We'll have to stew on it a while, but our first reaction was stunned bliss – this could end up a classic. Hard, supremely funky and catchy, but with enough crazed outer space synth psychedelia to freak Devo out! "Beautiful Ugly Sound", the great "John Wayne On Acid", "Hamburgers And Chocolate Ice Cream", "The Murder Faktory", "Charlie's An Angel", "Portal Stalker", "Clifford's Mustache", "Mr. Arrogant" lots more.

A smoking little EP from Quasimode – proof that these guys pack more into a short space than most other groups do into a full album! "Summer Madness" isn't the 70s classic, but a jazzy groover with Japanese lyrics – soaring over a Rhodes-heavy groove that's also got plenty of horns. But 70s fans, have no fear – as the set also features a great version of the Johnny Hammond classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates" – served up in a sweet mix of acoustic piano and Fender Rhodes, with the same sort of snapping drums that made the original so great! The CD's completed by the Latin groover "OK Take Off" – a nice number with tight percussion at the bottom.

Some of the most enigmatic pop recorded for the Cherry Red label in the early 80s – all by artists who never really put out full LPs, and who are collected here in one great set of rarities! The set's got a mumber of great tracks by Jane & Barton – featuring singer Jane, an ex-member of Tracy Thorn's Marine Girls group, and a sweet-voiced vocalist with a really great approach. There's also a number of tracks on the set by Grab Grab The Haddock – a group that features Jane and the other member of the Marine Girls – recording in a style that's a lot like The Marine Girls, even without Tracy Thorn's vocals. Last up is In Embrace – a vastly under-appreciated pop group with a dark edge, some great guitar, and more lovely female vocals. It's sweet and simple 80s Brit pop all around – with 19 tracks that include "It's A Fine Day", "Of All Leaves Were Falling", "I Want To Be With You", "There Is A Man", and "You Are Over There" by Jane & Barton; "Last Fond Goodbye", "Wan But Smiling", "I'm Used Now", and "That Day" by Grab Grab The Haddock; and "Shouting In Cafes", "Chocolates For Breakfast", and "This Brilliant Evening" by In Embrace.

Amazing stuff! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of Gears, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the say we he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do". The second half of this CD is Forever Taurus, which Johnny recorded right after his legendary Gears album, and it features production by Wade Marcus that's very much in the Larry Mizell mode that made Johnny huge in the 70s! As with the Gears record, Johnny's backed by a large ensemble of players – and the overall sound has lots of nice touches, extra percussion, and a good electric groove. Tracks include "Cosmic Voyager", "Walk In Sunshine", "Ghetto Samba", and the title cut.

Amazing stuff! Johnny "Hammond" Smith began his career as a simple soul jazz organist – but by the time of this album, he'd teamed up with the mighty Larry Mizell, the genius arranger/producer who'd breathed new life into the careers of Donald Byrd and Bobbi Humphrey. Mizell works with Hammond in the same way he does with other jazz artists – by taking a groove that works best with their solo style, and slowly layering other instrumentation and effects on top of it, so that when the solo kicks in, it's supported on waves and waves of funky sounds and soulful grooves. Mizell and his brother Fonce both play keyboards on the record, and the rest of the group includes monster fusion players like Harvey Mason, Roger Glenn, Hadley Caliman, and Jerry Peters. The real treat is Johnny, though – as his solos are heavenly, the best of his 70s work, stripped mean and lean, laid in at just the right points. Includes the breakbeat classic "Shifting Gears", the house classic "Los Conquistadores Chocolates", and funky numbers "Fantasy" and "Tell Me What To Do".