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Nice compilation put together at the end fo the 80s with tracks for the preceding few years on Def Jam, with a number of now hard to find cuts. 13 tracks in all: LL Cool J "Rock The Bells", "Jack The Ripper" & "I'm Bad", Original Concept "Can You Feel It?", Beastie Boys "Rhymin' & Stealin" & "Fight For You Right (To Party)", Russell Rush & Jazzy Jay "Cold Chillin In The Spot", Public Enemy "Son Of Public Enemy (Flavor Whop version)" & "Rebel Without A Pause", Poppa Ron Love "I'm A Girl Watcher", Davy D "Have You Seen Davy?" and Slick Rick "The Ruler's Back".

Big Boi's got plenty of help this time around – a huge array of guest talents that includes Sleepy Brown, Phantogram, TI, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Killer Mike, Bosko, and many others – but there's still a nicely unified feel to the set – a strength of vision that holds on even in the more commercially-tuned numbers, of which there are definitely a few that should push this one over the top! Titles include "Shoes For Running", "Apple Of My Eye", "CPU", "In The A", "The Thickets", "Lines", "Tremendous Damage", and "Descending".

Big Boi's got plenty of help this time around – a huge array of guest talents that includes Sleepy Brown, Phantogram, TI, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Killer Mike, Bosko, and many others – but there's still a nicely unified feel to the set – a strength of vision that holds on even in the more commercially-tuned numbers, of which there are definitely a few that should push this one over the top! Titles include "Shoes For Running", "Apple Of My Eye", "CPU", "In The A", "The Thickets", "Lines", "Tremendous Damage", and "Descending". Deluxe edition features 3 bonus songs!

Here you get the radio edit and instrumental versions of three tracks: DMX "Stop Being Greedy", Onyx "React", Def Squad "Full Cooperation"

Produced by Rockwilder and DR Period.

The great first single from Kanye's Late Registration LP – with some very clever verses and a busy, exciting production! The track is built up from a sample of the classic John Barry/Shirley Bassey hit "Diamonds Are Forever" (thankfully Kanye didn't speed the vocal part into the chipmunk squeals this time), with some baroque touches in the sound. Kanye drops rhymes along the lines of his trademark style – readily reminiscing his humble, workaday origins as much as bragging and boasting about his late riches. His collaborators for this track, and the album, include little cousin Devo Springsteen (Devon Harris) and LA scenster/soundtrack composer/orch-pop troubadour Jon Brion!

"Number One Spot" produced by Green Lantern. "Who Not Me" features Small World and Dolla Boy.

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.

The breakout album for singer Frank Ocean – the featured voice and name attached to some stellar material by other acts leading up to this career-making set for Interscope! Simply put, Channel ORANGE is the hella rare pop phenomenon that not only lives up to the pre-release hype, it actually transcends it! Ocean has a unique and distinct voice and style, and we hope he's here to stay. Includes "Thinkin' About You", "Sierra Leone", "Sweet Life", "Super Rich Kids", "Pilot Jones", "Crack Rock", "Pyramids", "Lost", "Bad Religion", "Pink Matter" and more.

Two from the "All We Got Iz Us" LP. The usual scowling Onyx MC style, but the production on Last Days has a more low-tempo, late-night sound than the usual Onyx material.

Not only does this 12" include 2 mixes of "Can't Do Nuttin' For Ya Man", it's also got a good mix of "Burn Hollywood Burn".

The complete Public Enemy Def Jam collection on vinyl – Yo! Bum Rush The Show, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, Fear Of A Black Planet, Apocalypse '91. . .The Enemy Strikes Black, Muse Sick-N-Hour Mess Age and the He Got Game soundtrack – that's 6 albums on 9 pieces of vinyl in a heavy-duty box! Put together to commemorate PE's 25th Anniversary, it's really beautifully done. Little more needs to be said about PE's late 80s/early 90s golden age of classic records – all of which are included here, of course – but the one-time panned later Def Jam recordings are pretty damn great, too – and you also get those here – and on vinyl, they way always sounded best! Everything Public Enemy Def Jam studio release from 1987 to 1998 is here.

Includes the hit "I'll Bee Dat!", "Well All Rite Cha" featuring Method Man, "Da Goodness" featuring Busta Rhymes, "Da Da DaHHH", "Down South Funk" featuring Erick Sermon and Keith Murray, "Close Ya Doorz", "Let Da Monkey Out", "I Don't Kare", and plenty more.

We don't know what happened to Bushwick Bill, but Scarface returns to deliver the ghetto vibe. Pretty sweet, too. Includes "On My Block", "Guess Who's Back" featuring Jay-Z & Beanie Sigel, "In Between Us" featuring Nas, "In Cold Blood", "Keep Me Down", "What Can I Do?", "Someday", "Sellout", "I Ain't The One" and "Fixed". "Limited Collector's Edition" includes demo of "Swat Urban Justice".

Slick Rick's third LP, as the title suggests released during his time upstate. A short LP, just 11 tracks, but a few dope ones including "Sitting In My Car" with the nice Bobby & James Purify "Puppet" sample, "Cuz It's Wrong" and a remix of "It's A Boy".

Title track from the Behind Bars LP produced by Prince Paul and released during Slick Ricks brief stay upstate.

A Def Jam classic from Tashan – and a record that really helped bridge the gap between male soul and hip hop in the 80s! The style's still as warm and soulful as most of Tashan's contemporaries, but the record definitely shows a bit of street soul in the rhythms too – often just a bit gentle, but prefacing the changes that would come more strongly in the next decade – an aspect that really made this one stand out from the rest! Tashan's vocals are in a classic romantic mode, but often set to beats that provide a nice contrast and a good sort of punch – a definite Def Jam mode that's famously heard on the title track. Titles include "Ooh We Baby", "So Much In Love", "I Don't Ever", "Love Is", "Read My Mind", "If Words Can Express", "Chasin A Dream", and "Strung Out On You". CD features bonus tracks – "Read My Mind (long version rmx)", "Read My Mind (short version rmx)", "Chasin A Dream (special mix)", and "Chasin A Dream (single)".

All the hits: "Steppin To The A.M.", "Brooklyn Queens", "The Gas Face", "Product Of The Environment", "Words Of Wisdom" and seven more full-length cuts.

Featuring Smoothe Da Hustler and DV Alias Khrist.

The game-changing Def Jam classic from the mid 80s – and still possibly the greatest album by the Beastie Boys – even though they'd grow up a whole lot after this! The Beasties later distanced themselves from much of the attitude of this album, and you can't fault the Boys for maturing. Their genesis from stoopid (as opposed to stupid) to thoughtful and playful innovators is as impressive as just about any artistic evolution we can think of, but that doesn't make these party anthems any less amazing! With all the killer cuts you remember – "Rhymin & Stealin", "The New Style", "Girls", "Fight For Your Right To Party", "No Sleep Til Brooklyn", "Paul Revere", "Hold It Now Hit It", "She's Crafty", and more.

The final LP of the first round of EPMD, and the hardest to get on vinyl since it's not been made available in multiple pressings or reissues. 11 tracks of the LI hardcore boom bap with Eric and Parrish reppin' the East coast in fine style over their patented bass heavy trunk rattling beats. Non stop head nodders from start to finish including "Boon Dox", "Nobody's Safe Chump", "Can't Hear Nothing But The Music", "Chill", "Headbanger", "Scratch Bring It Back (Part 2 - Mic Doc)", "Cummin' At Cha", "It's Going Down", "Who Killed Jane", "Play The Next Man" and "Crossover".

More hotness from Kanye, who delivers a good dose of knowledge with his candy coated beats. How Kanye remained underground for so long is beyond us with his combination of wit on the mic over beats that'll stay in your head for weeks and weeks, like these 2 bouncing tracks.

Non-album cut that saved the movie "Less Than Zero" from being a total ruin – and one of LL's all-time classics!

One of LL's better cuts of the past few years, and a nice track built around a sample from "Blind Alley". The remixes are done by Easy Mo Bee.

Production by Meth, 4th Disciple, True Master and Erick Sermon. Guest rhymes by Redman on "Big Dogs".

A full length collabo from Nas & Damien "Jr Gong" Marley – who've worked together in the past on a track two – and overall it's a win that goes well beyond simple hip hop/dancehall fusion! The duo samples Mulatu, collaborate with K'Naan , Dennis Brown, Stephen Marley and others, and bring global dramatic sweep and and timeless funk to Distant Relatives that ends up working better as an eclectic whole than you may have suspected! Titles include "As We Enter", "Tribes At War" feat K'Naan, "Strong Will Continue", "Leaders" feat Stephen Marley, "Count Your Blessings", "Nah Mean", "Patience", "Africa Must Wake Up" feat K'Naan and more.

The game-changing Def Jam classic from the mid 80s – and still possibly the greatest album by the Beastie Boys – even though they'd grow up a whole lot after this! The Beasties later distanced themselves from much of the attitude of this album, and you can't fault the Boys for maturing. Their genesis from stoopid (as opposed to stupid) to thoughtful and playful innovators is as impressive as just about any artistic evolution we can think of, but that doesn't make these party anthems any less amazing! With all the killer cuts you remember – "Rhymin & Stealin", "The New Style", "Girls", "Fight For Your Right To Party", "No Sleep Til Brooklyn", "Paul Revere", "Hold It Now Hit It", "She's Crafty", and more.

A less tense and caustic Roots than the crew that hit us on the majority of Rising Down a couple years earlier – and this one's as strong of an album as they've delivered since moving over to Def Jam. In truth, we were a little scared when we saw some of the guests credited – Monsters Of Folk, John Legend, Joanna Newsom and other headscratchers on top of more likely collaborators such as Phonte, Blu, Peedi Peedi and Dice Raw – it gets over very, very well here! How I Got Over is a Roots effort through and through, with contemplative and soulful tracks that simmer and stew in tried and true fashion. The tracks with those indie rock guests turn out to be among the Roots-iest tracks on the record. Believe that! So you can rest easy, the Roots are The Roots here, just what we wanted and just what we get! Includes "A Peace Of Light" feat Amber Coffman, Angel Deradoorian & Haley Dekle, "Walk Alone" feat Truck North, PORN & Dice Raw, "Now Or Never" with Phonte & Dice Raw, "Dear God 2.0" with Monsters Of Folk, "The Day" feat Blu, Phonte & Patty Crash, "Doin It Again", "Tunnel Vision" and more.

Mostly Master P/Crucial Conflict/Foxy Brown type isht, but also "Adidas" featuring Havoc of Mobb Deep, "Usual Suspects" by Mic Geronimo/DMX/Fatal/Ja, "Down Wit Us" by Redman, and "Young Casanovas" by Junior Mafia/Mase/KAM.

Big Boi's got plenty of help this time around – a huge array of guest talents that includes Sleepy Brown, Phantogram, TI, Ludacris, Kelly Rowland, Killer Mike, Bosko, and many others – but there's still a nicely unified feel to the set – a strength of vision that holds on even in the more commercially-tuned numbers, of which there are definitely a few that should push this one over the top! Titles include "Shoes For Running", "Apple Of My Eye", "CPU", "In The A", "The Thickets", "Lines", "Tremendous Damage", and "Descending".

"Wreckgonize" features Black Rob.

The first Wu Solo LP, if only Meth and the rest had maintained this level rather than turning into caricatures of themselves. Fortunately most of the core members of the original Clan still show a glimmer of the talent they had in these early days, but you can hardly beat this LP for dark, menacing Shaolin cuts. Features the massive "Bring The Pain", and loads of other great cuts, including "What The Blood Clot", "Meth Vs. Chef", "Release Yo Delf", "Biscuits", "PLO Style" and "Method Man (rmx)".

Tracks include "Face Down", "Conspiracy", "Street Nigguz", "It Was Onyx", "Black Dust", "One Nation", "Fuck Dat", "Raze It Up", "Shut 'Em Down", and the "Shut 'Em Down" remix featuring Noreaga and Big Pun.

Digitally re-recorded and remastered versions of the Def Jam classics on picture disc. (Note: This item is not for sale online until after the close of business on Saturday, 4/20/13. It is in limited supply – and by nature of the Record Store Day rules, it will be offered for sale first to customers who visit the Dusty Groove retail outlet in Chicago on that day. It will not be pre-sold, or reserved in any way. However, after the close of business on Record Store Day, we will offer up whatever we have left for sale online.)

Compelling work by this Chicago combo – a really unique ensemble led by a trombonist with a wide range of skills! Big James claims James Brown as a big inspiration, but he also came of age in the Chicago blues scene – which is where his horn-heavy combo has mostly found a home, playing their own Windy City variant of rootsy funk! There's definitely a blues bent to the music, but the sound is quite different than most other contemporary groups on the scene, too – not just because James' trombone is firmly in the lead, but also because the group have a great ear for strong funk and deep soul roots too. Titles include a cover of the P-Funk gem "Qualified 2 Satisfy" – plus original tunes "Da Coldest Man I Ever Knew", "Low Down Dirty Blues", "Never Loved Any 1 Like U", "A Happy Fool", and "Da Best Love I Never Had".

Beautiful work from Benjamin Biolay – easily one of our favorite French artists of the 21st Century – even though we've been following his work since the previous one! Benjamin's got a sound that's just perfect if you, like us, dig an older generation of French work by artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, Michel Polnareff, and others from that magical late 60s moment when French pop really found its own sound. Biolay's got a way of sliding in the sinister next to the groovy – often with vocals that are spoken as much as sung – and produced to perfection by his own strong ear for unusual combinations of sounds. Benjamin helped launch the career of many other great French acts in the past decade or two – but we still love his own work the best – and an album like this definitely lives up to that faith. Titles include "Venganza", "Marlene Deconne", "Personne Dans Mon Lit", "Confettis", "La Fin De La Fin", "L'Insigne Honneur", and "Tresor Tresor".

Beautiful work from Benjamin Biolay – easily one of our favorite French artists of the 21st Century – even though we've been following his work since the previous one! Benjamin's got a sound that's just perfect if you, like us, dig an older generation of French work by artists like Serge Gainsbourg, Jacques Dutronc, Michel Polnareff, and others from that magical late 60s moment when French pop really found its own sound. Biolay's got a way of sliding in the sinister next to the groovy – often with vocals that are spoken as much as sung – and produced to perfection by his own strong ear for unusual combinations of sounds. Benjamin helped launch the career of many other great French acts in the past decade or two – but we still love his own work the best – and an album like this definitely lives up to that faith. Titles include "Venganza", "Marlene Deconne", "Personne Dans Mon Lit", "Confettis", "La Fin De La Fin", "L'Insigne Honneur", and "Tresor Tresor".

Booker T's definitely getting a bit funky with this one – stepping off with the incredible title cut, a tune which really complicates the groove from the earlier years! The sound is still solid Memphis soul, with a raw instrumental vibe – but the grooves are even better than before, and the set includes loads of great original number written by the group – the kind of cool tunes they most likely cooked up while jamming live in the studio! These gems include the seminal "Hip Hug Her" – plus "Carnaby Street", "Booker's Notion", "Soul Sanction", "Double Or Nothing", and "Slim Jenkins' Place". But the covers are groovy too – and include a version of "Pigmy", plus "Groovin" and "Sunny".

Seminal work from The Brecker Brothers – 6 of the group's best albums, plus the two Blue Montreux live albums – packaged together in one very cool set, in tiny LP-like sleeves! The self-titled Brecker Brothers album is the first super effort from the team of Randy & Michael Brecker, whose twin-horn frontline forged a very popular sound in the mid 70s – some really well-crafted numbers, done with a strong smooth approach that still sits well after all these years! Back To Back features the twin horns of Randy & Michael Brecker, along with alto by David Sanborn, keyboards by Don Grolnick, and guitar by Steve Khan – but one of the things that really makes the album great is the vocal arrangements, which were handled by Luther Vandross, who also sung on the album along with Patti Austin. The set's got a great soulful feel – with some wonderful mellow groovers that have a sweet 70s sound! Don't Stop The Music is a stone classic from The Brecker Brothers – working with touches of club and disco grooves to give an even smoother edge to the jazz funk of the pair. And thanks to some solid soloing that's not afraid to go for the easy spots, the album's a lot more solid than an number of sound-a-like copycat LPs to come out at the time! Heavy Metal Be Bop is tight and funky jamming, with a bit more guitar here than on some of their other records – hence, possibly, the title! Keyboards and guitar jam strongly, but Randy and Michael still get in plenty of space for their solos – pushing their jazz licks with the jamming intensity that might normally be relegated to guitar heroes in the rock world. On Detente, the Brecker's are still rooted in jazz, but definitely step out with plenty of soul in the mix too – vocals from DJ Rogers, Carl Carlwell, Luther Vandross, and others – all of whom really add a lot to the set! On Straphangin, the BBs manage to groove with a sharpness and depth that most of their smoother fusion contemporaries just weren't hitting – an edge that reminds us of the deeper roots these guys had before they started hitting the mainstream! Last up are the live fusion classics Blue Montreux Vols 1 & 2 – both recorded as a unique live all-star outing by a group of Arista's best jazz players at the time! The group's an octet, but plays together in differing formations throughout the record – with Warren Bernhardt on keyboards, Michael Brecker on saxes, Randy Brecker on trumpet, Steve Jordan on drums, Steve Khan and Larry Coryell on guitars, Tony Levin on bass, and Mike Maineri on vibes – the last of which really make for some of the best numbers on the album!

A bit of a comeback for James Brown – a mid 80s outing recorded with Dan Hartman, who gives the record a "contemporary" sound that's definitely a great way to slide James in with the younger crowd at the time! The style's still funky, but has more street soul elements too – and the record sports guest appearances by Alison Moyet, Steve Winwood, and Stevie Ray Vaughan – and although the production is a bit stiff at points, there's some undeniable quality in James that still makes some nice moments shine through! Titles include "Gravity", "Let's Get Personal", "How Do You Stop", "Living In America", "Goliath", "Repeat The Beat", and "Return To Me".

A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out grooves as the album rolls on will pull you even further into the fold. Most tracks roll on with that improvised studio jamming style that James was hitting at the time – a pre-JBs mode that's not as long as later years, but which still makes you feel that there probably was plenty more recorded on the dates that didn't make it into the two-part versions of the tracks! And although James is singing on most numbers, the real focus is more on the band – hitting hard, vamping sharp, and grooving massively under shouted calls and directions from Brown. Titles include two great instrumentals – "Popcorn With a Feeling" and "Top of the Stack" – plus "Little Groove Maker Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Mother Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Mashed Potato Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Any Day Now", "You're Still Out Of Sight", and "I'm Shook" – as well as the great mellower number "If I Ruled The World" – redone here as an African-American anthem of pride and power!

A definite mother from James Brown – the kind of all-funky album that few of his contemporaries could ever hope to match! If you've ever doubted the sheer raw power of James at the end of the 60s, the first few notes of this one will definitely make you a convert – and the stretched-out grooves as the album rolls on will pull you even further into the fold. Most tracks roll on with that improvised studio jamming style that James was hitting at the time – a pre-JBs mode that's not as long as later years, but which still makes you feel that there probably was plenty more recorded on the dates that didn't make it into the two-part versions of the tracks! And although James is singing on most numbers, the real focus is more on the band – hitting hard, vamping sharp, and grooving massively under shouted calls and directions from Brown. Titles include two great instrumentals – "Popcorn With a Feeling" and "Top of the Stack" – plus "Little Groove Maker Me (parts 1 & 2)", "Mother Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Mashed Potato Popcorn (parts 1 & 2)", "Any Day Now", "You're Still Out Of Sight", and "I'm Shook" – as well as the great mellower number "If I Ruled The World" – redone here as an African-American anthem of pride and power!

Heavy ballads from Peabo Bryson – a perfect sampling of the style he did so well back in the day, including a few of his famous duets with Roberta Flack and Natalie Cole as well! The set's overflowing with mellow jams from Peabo – the kind of laidback numbers that really helped him lock in his style, and help define a whole new level of maturity for the male voice in soul music. Titles include "What You Won't Do For Love", "Feel The Fire", "I'm So Into You", "Tonight I Celebrate My Love", "All My Love", "Show & Tell", "She's A Woman", "You're Looking Like Love To Me", and "Reaching For The Sky".

Bold work from saxophonist James Carter – soulful one minute, modern the next – and definitely the sort of session that shows the full range of his mighty powers! Carter's possibly best known for his work on tenor, but the date also has him playing flute, baritone, soprano, and bass clarinet – all in ways that really shifts the mood of the record from track to track, yet never with a too-schizophrenic feel. Producer Michael Cuscuna's got a great ear for the most classic tones in Carter's horn – or horns – and the other players here include Dwight Adams on trumpet, DD Jackson on piano, Rodney Jones on guitar, and Victor Lewis on bass. Titles include "Bro Dolphy", "Sussa Nita", "Rapid Shave", "Bossa JC", "Tenderly", "Hymn Of The Orient", "Shadowy Sands", and "Dodo's Bounce".

The Chambers Brothers may not actually be playing on Mars for this set, but they've definitely got a spaced-out sound – a freaky electric groove that goes even farther than some of their other studio work of the 70s! The set has some of the earthy soulful moments from the group's earliest years, but it also brings in blend of electric guitar too – extended the styles first explored at Columbia in the freer space of the live setting here. Steve Cropper joins the group for the performance, and you can definitely hear some of his grit in the grooves – and some tracks are quite long and jamming, even more so than we might have expected from the group! Side two features a 17 minute medley of "Stealing Watermelons" and "Mama Your Daughter (Is Hot Enough To Burn Water)" – and side one features "Me & Your Mother", "Superstar", and "Midnight Blue".

Sweet 80s grooves from Cherrelle – a set that really has the singer cooking strongly with the production team of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis – complete with all the heavy beats you might expect! Jam and Lewis borrow plenty of bottom sounds from the styles of hip hop and electro, and do a great job of mixing the rhythmic elements with Cherrelle's catchy vocals – all in a way that really blows away some of their more chart-topping productions, as the tunes have a bit more of an underground appeal! Make no mistake, this is definitely the poppier side of the soul spectrum – but there's also a freshness here that goes way past Janet Jackson – and which retains some of that smoother, more sophisticated sound we always love in the Tabu label. Titles include "You Look Good To Me", "High Priority", "Artificial Heart", "Saturday Love", "Oh No It's U Again", and "New Love". 2CD version features a cool book-style cover, new notes, and 11 bonus tracks that include "Artificial Heart (dance rmx)", "Oh No It's U Again (ext version)", "Saturday Love (ext version)", "Saturday Love (feelin luv ext mix)", "Saturday Love (Steve Anderson rmx)", and "You Look Good To Me (ext rmx)".

Five killer albums from Billy Cobham – all records that really define his strength on the drums in the 70s! The music here is a groundbreaking mix of jazz, rock, and a bit of funk – a style of which Billy was one of the greatest proponents at the time – not just on albums like these, but in other key collaborations and session work as well! Yet these records really showcase Cobham at his best and boldest – working with a strength on the drum kit that's as forceful as most funk players of the period, yet which often takes off in even more propulsively jamming ways. Things are mixed up nicely a bit over the course of the records, but there's definitely a unified groove that holds the whole thing together! Features the full albums Spectrum, Total Eclipse, Crosswinds, Funky Thide Of Sings, and Shabazz – all packaged in tiny LP sleeves!

An incredible collection of work from the vastly-overlooked Geater Davis – and a set that definitely lives up to its title! Geater Davis is a tremendous singer from the south – but one who barely ever got his due back in the 70s – even though these recordings for the tiny House Of Orange label are every bit as amazing as work coming out for bigger labels like Stax or Hi Records! Although Davis didn't record nearly as much as his contemporaries, he's got a sound that matches or beats them – a raw, raspy quality that's a bit like Bobby Blue Bland, touched with the depth of feeling we love in James Carr, peppered with elements of other Memphis singers – all produced to perfection with a sound that's got a deep-burning soul that never lets up. This excellent collection features all tracks from Geater's rare album Sweet Woman's Love, plus additional singles from the time – all produced by Allen Orange, an overlooked genius in the southern studio scene of the 70s. Titles include "Don't Marry A Fool", "Cry Cry Cry", "I Love You", "I Know My Baby Loves Me", "I Can Hold My Own", "Cold Love (long version)", "I'll Get By", "I'll Play The Blues For You", "Breath Taking Girl", and a killer long take on "For Your Precious Love".

An incredible album from Dinosaur L – the legendary New York dancefloor project of Arthur Russell! – fleshed out and expanded more than ever before by Sleeping Bag and Get On Down Records! The group's core sound is a punky, funky, chunky amalgam of bass thumping, guitar riffing, keyboard filling, and sax honking – all very much in the spirit of Russell's best quirky club work of the time, but with the added sound here of a more expanded approach – one that takes the tunes in a whole new territory than the more famous 12" singles! The tracks on the original set were simply numbered – "1", "2", "3", and so on – and come across almost as free-jamming instrumentals – but this reissue appends the songs with their 12" titles, so "#1" gets parenthetically entitled "You're Gonna Be Clean On Your Bean" and "#5" as "Go Bang!", plus this disc adds several 12" versions that were not on the original LP release, like Francois K's mix of 'Go Bang!" and Larry Levan's mix of "In The Corn Belt". Totally great stuff – as experimental as it is funky! This 4LP box set edition is amazing – coming in a beautiful hand-pulled silkscreen box – and it includes more Arthur Russell collaborative and/or pseudonymous material for Sleeping Bag with or as Bonzo Goes To Washington, Felix, Sounds Of JHS Brooklyn and Indian Ocean. Other tracks include "School Bell/Treehouse" (Indian Ocean), "You Can't Hold Me Down (Extended Version)" (Felix), "5 Minutes (R-r-r Radio Mix)" (Bonzo Goes To Washington) and more. Also includes an oversized booklet of photos, artwork and artist testimonials – plus notes by Russell biographer Tim Lawrence.

Sweetly percolated sounds from Five Star – a great collection that finally brings together all the remix material they served up on singles during their big run for Sony Music! The group burst into prominence at a time when music formats were really expanding, especially in the UK – where usually a few different varieties of a single were issued at once. Given the already-catchy sound of the group, their style is a perfect one for mixing – usually great hooks that really stand out, no matter what the changes made – which in most cases here, are for the better – and definitely emphasize the groove of the tunes! 2CD set features 26 tracks in all – and titles include "Hide & Seek (ext dance mix)", "Crazy (12" version)", "System Addict (dub rmx)", "Stay Out Of My Life (12" version)", "Let Me Be The One (dance mix by Hardrock)", "Love Take Over (Paul Hardcastle's ext version)", "RSVP (remix s'il vous plait)", "Whenever You're Ready (crazy dub jammy)", "Are You Man Enough (Shep Pettibone 7" mix)", and "Another Weekend (Friday night dub mix)".

Fantastic funk from a group who definitely earn their name – a sweet jelly bean jar of 70s groovers – played in this great compressed bass-heavy style! The group hail from southeast Asia, but sing in English throughout – and play tunes that clearly echo their love of American funk by groups like War or Sly & The Family Stone – both covered here, but in ways that really tune the tunes inside out nicely! There's never too much jamming on the instrumentation, but the production has a way of folding the edges into the middle – creating this cool cross-filtered sound that works especially well on the vocals, and gives them this offbeat quality that really furthers the charm of the set. Titles include "Stand II", "Assassination", "Spill The Wine", "Get It Together", "You Got Me", and "Thank You". CD features the bonus track "Jerry Beans Xtract".

Classic Jam Session work from Norman Granz – featuring a group with Stan Getz, Harry Edison, Wardell Gray, Benny Carter, Willie Smith, Buddy De Franco, Count Basie, and Freddie Green – on two long tracks, "Oh Lady Be Good" and "Blues For The Count". The session's got a number of interesting aspects – Basie plays organ, Getz is a bit harder than usual, and Willie Smith sounds great, as always, in one of his rare appearances from the time.

Early work from Gwen Guthrie – produced by Sly & Robbie, but with a sweet modern soul sound that's got a lot less of their influence than you'd guess! The sound is much more New York than Jamaica – and that's probably due to some great instrumental backing on keyboards by the likes of Harry Whitaker, Bernie Worrell, and Wally Badarou – all massive talents that bring a nice sweet jazzy sound to the best cuts on the record. There's a definite 80s sing-song groove going on – in that not-yet-top-of-the-charts soul sound that you'd hear on the better small urban stations at the time – moving back and forth nicely, in a strong link between the mainstream and the underground clubs! Tracks include "Hopscotch", "Seventh Heaven", "Oh What A Life", "Younger Than Me", and a nice cover of Sly Stone's "Family Affair".

Early work from Gwen Guthrie – produced by Sly & Robbie, but with a sweet modern soul sound that's got a lot less of their influence than you'd guess! The sound is much more New York than Jamaica – and that's probably due to some great instrumental backing on keyboards by the likes of Harry Whitaker, Bernie Worrell, and Wally Badarou – all massive talents that bring a nice sweet jazzy sound to the best cuts on the record. There's a definite 80s sing-song groove going on – in that not-yet-top-of-the-charts soul sound that you'd hear on the better small urban stations at the time – moving back and forth nicely, in a strong link between the mainstream and the underground clubs! Tracks include "Hopscotch", "Seventh Heaven", "Oh What A Life", "Younger Than Me", and a nice cover of Sly Stone's "Family Affair". CD features 3 bonus tracks too – "Padlock (Larry Levan special mix)", "Hopscotch (Larry Levan rmx inst)", and "Peanut Butter (Larry Levan special mix)".

The classic debut from one of the weirdest concept groups of the 60s – a mime rock band brought together by producer Lew Futterman – who'd also worked on some killer funky jazzy sessions with Brother Jack McDuff! The style here is psychedelic pop through and through – and although the group didn't speak, they do sing (is that really mime?) – and work in a groovy sing-song blend of reeds and rockish rhythms, one that definitely has some of the same sharp changes and funky undercurrents you'd find in Futterman's jazz projects – although honed down here into much shorter Sunshine tunes! The album's a very unique little record – and oddly the group flourished for years. But somehow this first record has a charm that's really undeniable – and is maybe still their best effort ever. Titles include "White Winged Doves","Dream Of Tomorrow", "Pray For Rain", "How Does It Feel To Be Free", "I Ride To Nowhere", "Come & See Me", and "Jelly Jam".

The smoking return of Martha High – a singer who worked famously with James Brown during his funk years, but who never got the same shot at full-length fame as Lyn Collins or Marva Whitney! Martha's every bit as great – and although she did cut later records in the disco years, it's only recently that folks have finally discovered the true depths of her talents – as she's returned to the fold with amazing vocals, and strong support from the global funk underground! After a previous set with Shaolin Temple Defenders, Martha breaks out even more strongly here with backing from Speedometer – a UK combo who've played together for years, and are already razor-sharp on their own – making for the perfect sort of groove to restore High to the sound of her years with James Brown. The album's brilliant all the way through – not a rehash of older modes, but a rich union of two very strong talents – coming together in an effort that's definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Titles include "I'd Rather Go Blind", "No More Heartaches", "No Man Worries", "Never Never Love A Married Man", "You Got It", "You Got Me Started", "Dragging Me Down", and "Trouble Man".

The smoking return of Martha High – a singer who worked famously with James Brown during his funk years, but who never got the same shot at full-length fame as Lyn Collins or Marva Whitney! Martha's every bit as great – and although she did cut later records in the disco years, it's only recently that folks have finally discovered the true depths of her talents – as she's returned to the fold with amazing vocals, and strong support from the global funk underground! After a previous set with Shaolin Temple Defenders, Martha breaks out even more strongly here with backing from Speedometer – a UK combo who've played together for years, and are already razor-sharp on their own – making for the perfect sort of groove to restore High to the sound of her years with James Brown. The album's brilliant all the way through – not a rehash of older modes, but a rich union of two very strong talents – coming together in an effort that's definitely greater than the sum of its parts. Titles include "I'd Rather Go Blind", "No More Heartaches", "No Man Worries", "Never Never Love A Married Man", "You Got It", "You Got Me Started", "Dragging Me Down", and "Trouble Man".

Maybe the third great Philly studio group of the 70s – after MFSB and Salsoul Orchestra – a killer combo who provided backing grooves to plenty of great club tracks over the years – and who step out strongly here on their own debut album! Bunny Sigler helps give the album a sharp focus – with his own production and songwriting in play – in modes that are very much like his own best club tracks of the time – but the group is more than great enough on their own – with a funky edge that definitely lives up to their name, and a groove that's even sharper than the two aforementioned contemporary combos. Lead vocals are by James Carmichael, who's totally great – and titles include "Don't You Wanna Party", "Never Let It Go Away", "I Got My Mind Made Up", "Dark Vader", "Wide World Of Sports", and "You Say You Want Me To Stay". CD features bonus tracks that include "I Got My Mind Made Up (12" rmx)", "I Got My Mind Made Up (single)", "Crying (12" rmx)", "Crying (single)", and "Dark Vader (Pat Stapley rmx)".

A later chapter in the career of soul singer Etta James – six full albums, plus a bonus disc of live material too! The set represents most of Etta's work from recent years – a series of albums done for the Private Music label – in styles that range a bit more than before, yet still come across with plenty of the soul you'll know from Etta's roots. Production is definitely a bit more modern at times, yet the vocals are still top-shelf – whether in a more blues-based setting, or one that's going for a crossover vibe instead. Packaging is great – all CDs come in LP-styled sleeves – and titles include Love's Been Rough On Me, Life Love & The Blues, Matriarch Of The Blues, Burnin Down The House, Let's Roll, and Blues To The Bone – plus a bonus CD, Live In San Francisco!

The great Jesse James – still going strong! We've loved Jesse for decades – from his great 60s album on 20th Century, through his important 70s underground singles, and even into his later bluesy years – a great place for James' talents in the later generation! This album's definitely got that feel – kind of a Malaco Records sort of sound, but arguably produced with a sweeter feel than Malaco's had on any of their sessions for many many years – southern soul that's contemporary, yet pretty darn timeless too – especially with vocals as great as James'. Millie Jackson adds in a few great guest appearances – and titles include "Let's Get A Room Somewhere", "Are You Gonna Leave Me", "I Can Do Bad By Myself", "Where Do Lonely Lovers Go", "A Change Is Gonna Come", "If He Can't Hold His Pants Up How Can He Hold You Up", and "It Just Don't Feel The Same". Also features a XXX live version of "Let's Get A Room" – and an interview with Jesse!

A great new chapter in the career of Jose James – and a record that really seems to take his already-amazing vocals to a whole new level! In a relatively short career, Jose's already been turning a lot of heads with his work on other projects, his jazz-based recordings, and his debut for Gilles Peterson's album – yet this Blue Note set may well be his best record to date – and a set that definitely seems to find just the right place for his classic-styled approach to soul music vocals! Backings are mostly live, with a cool small funk group feel – but a bit more laidback too, almost with the jazzy touches you'd hear on some of Gil Scott-Heron's best 70s work, inflected with hipper changes with a 21st Century vibe. The whole thing's great – as important to Blue Note's move into soul as the Robert Glasper Experiment album – and titles include "Vanguard", "Heaven On The Ground", "Come To My Door", "Trouble", "Sword & Gun", and "It's All Over Your Body".

A great new chapter in the career of Jose James – and a record that really seems to take his already-amazing vocals to a whole new level! In a relatively short career, Jose's already been turning a lot of heads with his work on other projects, his jazz-based recordings, and his debut for Gilles Peterson's album – yet this Blue Note set may well be his best record to date – and a set that definitely seems to find just the right place for his classic-styled approach to soul music vocals! Backings are mostly live, with a cool small funk group feel – but a bit more laidback too, almost with the jazzy touches you'd hear on some of Gil Scott-Heron's best 70s work, inflected with hipper changes with a 21st Century vibe. The whole thing's great – as important to Blue Note's move into soul as the Robert Glasper Experiment album – and titles include "Vanguard", "Heaven On The Ground", "Come To My Door", "Trouble", "Sword & Gun", and "It's All Over Your Body".

A completely hip little record from Morgana King – one that takes her amazing voice, and sets it amidst some expansive arrangements that push past jazz to include some trippier 70s styles! The whole session's got a nice mix of the mellow and baroque – with a subtle funky undercurrent at points, and definitely a fair bit more soul than we're used to hearing from Morgana! Arrangements are by Torrie Zito and Bob James – and the production often compresses the vocals in a really cool way – sliding them amidst the instrumentation with a haunting quality that's hard to describe in words, but which makes the album one of King's most breathtaking ever! The back cover has Morgana getting props from Donny Hathaway, Stevie Wonder, Paul Williams, and Kenny Rankin – all names we can certainly trust – and titles include a great version of "We Could Be Flying", "All In All", "A Song For You", "Like A Seed", and "The Sands Of Time & Changes".

A pair of killers – back to back on a single CD! First up is the killer debut from the Dazz Band – issued way back when they were named Kinsman Dazz, and when "dazz" was a reference to the fact that the group could play both dance music and jazz! That jazzy element is definitely in place here – as the set's got lots of hip instrumental touches over the core funky grooves – produced with some great help from Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson, who bring in a bit of Earth Wind & Fire vibe – and set to some larger arrangements from Patrice Rushen, who ups the jazzy quotient too! But the core sound of the group is what really drives the album – a well-crafted batch of Ohio funky numbers that step along with the best of their generation – on titles that include "Makin Music", "Forget About Lovin You", "Get Down With the Feelin", "Stand In Your Way", "And I Mean", and "Dazzberry Jam". On the Dazz album, Kinsman Dazz are even funkier here than before – showing off their Ohio roots, and pointing the way towards the classic Dazz Band sound they'd forge in the 80s! Rhythms are very tight throughout – but still often touched with the jazzy elements that made the group so great in their early years – echoing a bit of an Earth Wind & Fire sound, as Philip Bailey's on board to help a bit with arrangements and background vocals. The whole thing's great – a super-tight record without any filler at all – and titles include "I Searched Around", "Love Design", "Keep On Rockin", "Can't Get Enough", "Dancin Free", and the wonderful "Catchin Up On Love", a spacey harmony track with a really anthemic sound!

A fresh new sound from the Shawn Lee universe – one that's every bit as funky as before, but which has some great twists and turns too! The album definitely lives up to its title – and offers up plenty of keyboards soaring off into space – but there's also some unexpectedly gritty rhythms at the bottom, making for a nice degree of acoustic funk – and not just the drum machine bits you might expect! And in fact, there's even some sweet congas and other percussion at points – bringing in a deeper, rootsy quality that's a great contrast to the moogy moments – almost as if Jean Jacques Perry was sitting in some some lost combo from the funky 45 years! Titles include "Black Hole", "Galactica", "Celestial Waltz", "AJ's Mood", "Low Riders In Space", "Jupiter's Jam", and "Tiger Style".

Dubby funk with plenty of Jamaican undertones, but not exactly a reggae set – and instead the sort of wonderful criss-crossing of modes we've come to expect from The Lions! The group definitely owes a lot to the sound of 60s and 70s Kingston – yet their approach is different, too – a bit sharper and maybe more soul-based than the usual reggae group – in ways that belie some of the deep funk associations of the group members! Yet from a reggae perspective, the set's right on the money too – played at a level that easily rivals the Studio One sound back in the day, yet served up with production that's even sharper overall – thanks to work by Connie Price in the studio. Titles include "Birds On A Wire", "This Generation", "Picture On The Wall", "New Girl", "Pieces Of A Man", "Let's Go Out Tonight", and "Be Easy".

The Groovers definitely earn their name here – coming up with a wicked rocksteady rhythm behind Lloyd's lead vocals and the sweet harmonies that really send the tune home! The Emotions aren't the American group, but have a great Jamaican soul approach on this cut – moving with vocals that are slower than the snapping rhythm of the track – with this sad, heartbreaking quality that really moves us!

A really nice batch of early 80s soul from Loose Ends – one of the best remembered groups who were making strong soul music in Britain in the period – and who actually recorded this excellent first album at Philadelphia's Alpha Studios! Making the record in Philly was a wise decision – the sounds range from classic level slow jams, to solid modern soul to touches of electro and more dancefloor geared groovers – and it sounds like work of deft scene veterans rather than a full length debut for the group! The songs were written by the band who, at that time, included Jane Eugene, Carl McIntosh and Steve Nichol. Tracks include "Hangin On A String", "Choose Me", "Music Takes Me Higher", "Dial 999", "Tell Me What You Want", "A Little Spice", "So Much Love", and "Let's Rock". This great Soulmusic.com CD edition has wealth of bonus tracks: seven in all, including "In The Sky (UK Single – Long Version)", "Only A Day Away", "No Stranger To Darkness (UK Single)" and more.

A definite breakout from Louisa Mark – a set of smooth-stepping rhythms with plenty of Jamaican elements in the mix – yet served up in a warm London vibe that's plenty soulful too! The mix of modes is great – and makes the record a lovers' rock classic right from the get-go – and a great evolution of 70s reggae into some soulful styles for the 80s! Producer Clem Bushay does a great job with the music – keeping things tight, yet never in a way that's commercial at all – just compressed enough to let Louisa's vocals really sparkle in the lead. There's a heartbreaking quality to most tunes – an element that really furthers the soul music aspect of the record – and titles include "Reunited", "People In Love", "6 Six Street", "Even Though You're Gone", "Baby Simone", and "He Used To Be My Man". Also features bonus tracks – "Gone Out" by Louisa Mark with Bushranger, "Step It Brother Clem" by Trinity, and "Natty Go Dey Voluntarily" by Jah Son.

A lasting classic from the funky female foursome who were one of the biggest acts on Motown in the mid-80s – working here with super tight production and arrangements from Rick James – who also wrote all the songs on the record too! The girls' look is a bit dated, but their sound has surprisingly strong staying power – partly because of Rick's crossover version of funk in the rhythms, but also because of the way the vocal interplay still stays nice and catchy! The album's definitely commercial, but doesn't have that clunk that makes other efforts of this time from the time fall flat – and titles include "In My House", "I Betcha", "Girlfriend", Wild & Crazy Love", "Shadow Lover", "Break It Up", and "Lonely For You".

A lasting classic from the funky female foursome who were one of the biggest acts on Motown in the mid-80s – working here with super tight production and arrangements from Rick James – who also wrote all the songs on the record too! The girls' look is a bit dated, but their sound has surprisingly strong staying power – partly because of Rick's crossover version of funk in the rhythms, but also because of the way the vocal interplay still stays nice and catchy! The album's definitely commercial, but doesn't have that clunk that makes other efforts of this time from the time fall flat – and titles include "In My House", "I Betcha", "Girlfriend", Wild & Crazy Love", "Shadow Lover", "Break It Up", and "Lonely For You".

One of the coolest, grooviest tunes we've ever heard from Jimmy McCracklin – a cut that begins with this totally awesome "uh-huh" vocal chorus – but recorded in a very echoey space, so that it sounds almost out of this world! Jimmy's own lead vocals are tremendous too – and proof that he was definitely one of the founding forces of soul music!

This is definitely not your father's calypso – no living room limbo or Harry Belafonte cliches – and instead, a smoking batch of Caribbean grooves from The Mighty Sparrow! Sparrow was very much on the edge of the best styles in the 60s and early 70s – and although his basic groove might be termed calypso, he also brought in plenty of Cuban, Haitian, and Jamaican rhythms to his music too – as well as an occasional does of American soul! Like some of the best early sounds from Kingston, the grooves here often echo a deeper R&B sensibility, turned towards island rhythms – and really hit home strongly by Sparrow's wonderful vocals – as catchy, compelling, and charming as some of the best US singers of the time – with touches of the wit of Oscar Brown Jr, the warmth of Lou Rawls, the swing of a young Marvin Gaye, and the spookiness of Screamin Jay Hawkins! This massive collection is the first to really dig through his older records to pull out the best tunes – just the kind of special focus we'd expect from the Strut label, with a wicked track selection and great notes too! Titles include "Bongo", "Calypso Boogaloo", "Zinah", "Fool Fool Fool", "Ah Diggin Horrors", "Jook For Jook", "Sparrow Come Back Home", "Slave", "She's Been Gone Too Long", "Congo Man", "Ten To One Is Murder", and "Kennedy & Kruschev".

This is definitely not your father's calypso – no living room limbo or Harry Belafonte cliches – and instead, a smoking batch of Caribbean grooves from The Mighty Sparrow! Sparrow was very much on the edge of the best styles in the 60s and early 70s – and although his basic groove might be termed calypso, he also brought in plenty of Cuban, Haitian, and Jamaican rhythms to his music too – as well as an occasional does of American soul! Like some of the best early sounds from Kingston, the grooves here often echo a deeper R&B sensibility, turned towards island rhythms – and really hit home strongly by Sparrow's wonderful vocals – as catchy, compelling, and charming as some of the best US singers of the time – with touches of the wit of Oscar Brown Jr, the warmth of Lou Rawls, the swing of a young Marvin Gaye, and the spookiness of Screamin Jay Hawkins! This massive collection is the first to really dig through his older records to pull out the best tunes – just the kind of special focus we'd expect from the Strut label, with a wicked track selection and great notes too! Titles include "Bongo", "Calypso Boogaloo", "Zinah", "Fool Fool Fool", "Ah Diggin Horrors", "Jook For Jook", "Sparrow Come Back Home", "Slave", "She's Been Gone Too Long", "Congo Man", "Ten To One Is Murder", and "Kennedy & Kruschev".

Willie Mitchell's definitely on top with this smoking little set – a record that seems to allow even freer interplay between the members of his group – in ways that make the album one of Mitchell's jazziest efforts of the 60s! The players of the group are getting a bit of credit on the back cover this time around – a great revelation that the smoking tenor on the record comes from Willie's brother James Mitchell, and that the cool tight guitar lines are from Mabon Teenie Hodges – who we don't think we know from anywhere else! Most tunes are familiar songs, but reworked with hip Memphis instrumental arrangements – on titles that include "30 60 90", "Big Power House", "Ain't Too Proud To Beg", "Come See About Me", "Sunshine Of Your Love", "Who's Makin Love", and "Take Five".

That's the Modern Jazz Sextet – not the Modern Jazz Quartet – although the group definitely borrows a bit of energy from the MJQ, and some personnel too! The group was only put together for this date – and combines the subtle touches of MJQ members John Lewis on piano and Percy Heath on bass, with some harder-edged, hardbop-driven sounds from Dizzy Gillespie on trumpet, Sonny Stitt on alto, Skeeter Best on guitar, and Charlie Persip on drums! The set's got an open, easygoing feel – that loose Verve studio mode of the time – which stems from their jam session modes, but is a bit tighter overall – in ways that really help the players find their energy together in the tunes. Titles include 2 standards, in the usual Verve style – "Mean To Me" and a ballad medley of "Old Folks", "What's New" and "How Deep Is The Ocean" – plus 3 originals – "Blues For Bird", "Tour De Force", and "Dizzy Meets Sonny".

James Moody's definitely feelin it here – stepping back into a straighter hardbop mode after some funkier sets of the early 70s – really sounding great on tenor, alto, and flute – and working with a very hip quartet for the date! Kenny Barron's in the group on both electric and acoustic piano (plus a bit of harpsichord) – and given his previous work with Moody in Dizzy Gillespie's group, the players already have a well-established repoire that shows clearly on the record – at at times, Barron nicely sets the scene with some of his moodier 70s playing, which really suits James' flute work well. Bass is by Larry Ridley and drums are by Freddie Waits – two more key players in this very hip quartet – and titles include "Anthropolgy", "Dreams", "Autumn Leaves", 'Wave", "Morning Glory", and "Kriss Kross".

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)".

Tight grooves from this group who definitely live up to their name – a combo who's rooted in jazz, but equally adept at a rich range of other styles too! The New Cool Collective work with a tight brace of horns – including sax and flute from leader Benjamin Herrman – plus sweet keyboards, guitar, bass, and plenty of percussion – all to underscore the unusual mix of modes you'll find on the record – bits of Latin, rocksteady, surf, and straight funk – all played with a retro-styled vibe throughout! There's a bit of soulful vocals on the record, but the main focus is instrumental – and titles include "Snarky", "The Donkey", "Ogun", "12 Monkees", "The Bouncer", "Frankie & Gracie", "Como Camina", and "Sanctification".

An Afro Funk treasure from the 70s – a rare album recorded by Pax Nicholas, a singer and percussionist who was part of Fela's legendary Africa 70 band! The album's got a sound that definitely echoes that heritage, but with a groove that's pretty weird too – more stripped down than most of Fela's work, with a thin keyboard part that often pulsates under the horns, creating an offbeat, edgey vibe in the music! Nicholas' groove is almost like taking Fela, and putting it through an odd sort of filter – one that turns things slightly sideways, and brings a really fresh sound to more familiar Afro Funk modes – kind of with the same other-worldly feel we love in some Ethiopian work of the time. Tracks are all nice and long – and plenty jamming – and titles include "Na Teef Know De Road Of Teef", "Ataa Onukpa", "Na Six Feet", and "You".

Early work from a group who later grew into the famous Ikenga Super Stars Of Africa – recording here in London with a great raw sound – and an unusual mix of modes that's part Afro Funk, part something else entirely! The set's got that unique post-colonial vibe of some of the other great London recordings of the early 70s – such as work by Cymande or Demon Fuzz, both of whom have some dubby similarities to the Nkengas work on this set – possibly because the whole thing was served up for the Orbitone Records label – usually a home to sounds from Jamaica! There's a nice use of echo that really abstracts the basslines and percussion – although the grooves themselves are still more straightforward than any from Kingston at the time – and definitely echo the Nigerian roots of the group. Tracks have a lot of cool little funky corners and sharp edges that really set them apart – and titles include "London Special", "Ndu Bu Isi", "Anyi Bundi Igbo", "Jungle Beat", "Anyi Buofu", and "Ube Frank Special".

The start of a legendary run for vocalist Alexander O'Neal – and a set that really helped redefine the sound of male soul in the 80s! O'Neal got his start in an early version of The Time, and he's working here with Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis – but the sound of the record is way deeper than all of those references put together – a careful, classy set that definitely lives up to the vintage look of Alexander on the cover! Jam and Lewis play tightly in the group, handling most of the key instrumentation – often with a restrained style that's quite different than their pumping hits, which lets O'Neal's great vocals flow out with an undeniably soulful power. Rhythms often hit the best sort of groove for Alexander's style – which sounds best in a mellow or midtempo mode – and the set's filled with classics, including "A Broken Heart Can Mend", "If You Were Here Tonight", "Innocent", "What's Missing", "You Were Meant To Be My Lady", and "Look At Us Now". 2CD version features a cool book-like cover, new notes, and lots of bonus tracks – including "Are You The One", "Innocent (dance rmx)", "If You Were Here Tonight (soft version)", "You Were Meant To Be My Lady (ext dance rmx)", and "What's Missing (dance rmx)".

One of the crowning achievements of Alexander O'Neal – a set that uses cool little intro tracks to help structure the standout songs on the set – giving the whole thing a much more well-conceived approach than other mainstream soul albums of the time! Some of the cuts draw from O'Neal's own life and experience, and that feel is definitely augmented by the spontaneous, conversational feel of the intros and links – a really nice contrast to the wonderfully tight R&B production from the superteam of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis! Of course, lots of these tracks also struck big as singles for Alexander – proof that the cuts are more than strong enough to stand on their own – yet taken over the course of the whole album, with all the extra bits, the whole thing really sounds great. Titles include "Hearsay", "The Lovers", "Fake", "Criticize", "Crying Overtime", and "Sunshine".

A treasure trove of rare funk – a massive package that not only includes the legendary Inspiration Information album by Shuggie Otis, but which also adds in four bonus tracks to that classic – plus a full other album of unreleased vintage work! Shuggie Otis is the son of Johnny Otis – the LA R&B maestro who was moving heavily into funk at the end of the 60s – and he has this tripped out, super-dope guitar style that he played to strong effect on Johnny's albums of the late 60s and early 70s, and on his first two solo albums, which were kind of bluesy in tone. But for Inspiration Information, he shocked the world by moving into a stripped-down mode that pairs his guitar with spare drum machine rhythms, flanged-out deeply soulful vocals, and one of the most laidback conceptions of funk you'll ever hear. The album's a landmark – one of those gems that's unlike anything else you can think of, but which will redefine your concept of what you want in a record for years to come. Every track's a winner – and the whole thing's a perfectly unified batch of tunes that includes instant classics like "Inspiration Information", "Island Letter", "Aht Uh Mi Hed", "XL 30", and "Rainy Day" – plus unreleased bonus tracks "Miss Pretty", "Magic", "Things We Like To Do", and "Castle Top Jam". Then – as if that's not enough – the set features incredible rare material from Shuggie – 14 more tracks as the Wings Of Love album, mostly recorded in the late 70s post-Inspiration years, plus a few tracks from later vintage too! The sound is great – the kind of extra bits we've been wanting to hear from Otis for many many years – finally unleashed from the vaults, and showing a style that really echoes the groove that others had copied from him – like The Brothers Johnson and some later contemporaries. There's plenty of great lost nuggets on Wings – and titles include "Trying To Get Close To You", "Give Me Something Good", "Wings Of Love", "Give Me A Chance", "Fireball Of Love", "Fawn", "If You'd Be Mine", "Black Belt Sheriff", and "Destination You".

A double-length live set from this tight Japanese fusion combo – a quartet with very heavy keyboards in the mix, as you might guess from the Korg placement on the cover – and some razor-sharp guitar from Hirokuni Korkikaia! Hiro's got a style that's tight, but never overly polished – at least not in the live setting here – and he steps out with a frenetic edge that recalls some of the most jamming fusion guitarists of the 70s – a quality that's bound to reach out and impress non-jazz audiences with his deft work on solos. Tracks are long, and plenty jamming – and titles include "Gold Rush", "Purple Saurus", "Now Or Never", "Last Blues", "Tears Of Mermaid", "Dimension Traveler", and "Z Paradise".

Funky soul from Bobby Patterson – a smoking set of music that's easily some of the funkiest ever cut for the Paula label in the 70s! Bobby's a southern soul singer, but he's got a righteousness that feels much more Detroit or Chicago – and some of the best cuts here have this sharp, funky undercurrent that's not unlike work by Joe Quarterman – a wicked bottom groove that's definitely inherited from James Brown, and which really helps underscore the badass quality of Bobby's music! The set's a wonderful way to start digging Patterson at the height of his career – and the package includes 17 tracks, with "This Whole Funky World Is A Ghetto", "Right On Jody", "If You Took A Survey", "It Takes Two To Do Wrong", "How Do You Spell Love", "Quiet Do Not Disturb", "I Just Loved You Because I Wanted To", and "I'm In The Wrong".

A weird little record from the Nigerian scene of the 70s – much more laidback than you might expect, and a set with a definite Jamaican influence too! At times, some of these tracks are almost more reggae than Afro Funk – although at other points, there's definitely the fierce energy of some more familiar Nigerian music of the period – making for a really cool blend that sets this album strongly apart from most of its contemporaries! Production is great – not really dubby, but kind of spread-out – in ways that make the Afro-styled numbers really sparkle strongly – and which trips out some of the more Jamaican sounding grooves. Titles include "Papa's Black Dog", "Lahila", "Elizabeth", "Come Back Again", "My Home", and "Jahojah Comfort Me".