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A quartet of lovely ladies, serving up their renditions of classics from the swing era – all done in sweetly scatted versions! Most numbers begin with these great wordless vocal passages that establish the tunes before the main lyrics come in – setting the scene like the horns in a larger group, but sounding even more wonderful through the sweet harmonies of the group. The format's a great one – quite unusual for the time, and very different than the approach used by other female vocal combos of the 50s. And thanks to some hip arrangements from Bob Bain and Bud Dant, even the older tunes on the record crackle with a new sense of life. Titles include "Opus One", "Music Makers", "Little Brown Jug", "Don't Be That Way", "You're Driving Me Crazy", "String Of Pearls", and "Marie".

Arranged by Richard Wess – and Ike sings "For Love Of Ivy", "I Will Wait For You", "Windmills Of Your Mind", "My Personal Property", "That Night", and "The Way That I Live".

Great early work from Johnny Keating, not the hokey sound of the "high road" you might expect from the cover, and instead a well-crafted batch of large ensemble tracks that really shows Keating deepening his sound! There's echoes here of some of the best modern work on the west coast scene of the 50s – the legacy of Kenton's tones and colors, taking into nicely swinging territory – and tracks are played by differing groupings of Keating's players from cut to cut. Titles include "Loch Ness Monster", "Kiltie", "Double Scotch", "Tam O Shanter", "Headin North", and "Down South Blues" – all originals by Keating!

Hard to imagine Anita Kerr being turned on – especially given her school marm-ish look on the cover – but the album's a pretty darn groovy set, and one that certainly shows Kerr picking up some of the best easy elements of the 60s! The Burt Kaempfert touch is heard here especially in the album's use of electric bass – a nicely bouncing element that gives most of the tunes a lot more of a bottom than some of Kerr's other work – used in that trademark stepping style that Burt first laid down himself a few years before on worldwide instrumental hits, and made even better here by Anita's great quartet and their warmly-crafted vocal harmonies! Titles include many tunes presented in a Kaempfert-styled way – but with vocals – and tracks include "Love", "I Can't Help Remembering You", "Two Can Live On Love Alone", 'Spanish Eyes", "Remember When", "Danke Schoen", "Strangers In The Night", "Wonderland By Night", and "A Swingin' Safari".

Although the Anita Kerr singers were not often the swinginest group in town, this LP has them doing a nice selection of Bacharach material, including "What's New Pussycat?", "Are You There (with Another Girl)", and "Windows of the World".

An amazing little soundtrack – one that's as spooky and eerie as the film for which it was written, and which was also one of the few American recordings issued by Polish jazz great Krzysztof Komeda! The core of the album is an especially haunting theme – one hummed as a lullaby by Mia Farrow on the title, and which is repeated often throughout – a dreamy little number that had a surprising life long beyond the film and this album, in a number of different versions on the market. We still like the original best – and especially appreciate Komeda's blend of soft jazz, odd electronics, and some darker atonal passages – all of which combine here to make the record a masterpiece throughout – on a level that easily matches the best from Morricone at the time! Titles include "Panic", "What Have You Done To Its Eyes", "Dream", "Expectancy", "Lullaby", "The Coven", and "Main Title". This expanded version is incredible – with 24 more bonus tracks (!!!!!), including the full film score on top of the original album – with lots of cool "ritual" tracks – and the source music, and even some tracks from the 45 of the main theme! Great sound, amazing booklet – and the best-ever CD reissue!

One of those "studio groups play instrumental versions of soul hits" albums that were so popular at the time. Most of the stuff's fairly standard soul instrumental material – like "Soul Man", "Sidewinder", "Pata Pata", and "Cold Sweat" – but there's a very cool original called "Afro-Desia", which has a nice groove to it!

An incredibly groovy album – filled with instrumental tracks that shift between funky big band and groovy 60s soundtrack – all arranged by Mike Nesmith and Shorty Rogers! The feel here is like that of some of Rogers' other groovy late 60s instrumental one-off albums – like his hot rod, dune buggy, or surf-orchestra sides – and Nesmith brings in a slightly cynical tone that manifests itself in the choice of some of the instrumentation for the tracks, and the overall setting of the record. Think Monkees instrumentals gone groovier, and you've got part of the picture – but there's also plenty of snippets of Sunset Strip hip and Warner Brothers longing for the past too! Titles include "While I Cried", "Don't Cry Now", "Tapioca Tundra", "Nine Times Blue", "Carlisle Wheeling", and "You Told Me".

Some of the best material Slim Gaillard ever recorded! Although he's best known for his Verve work, and for his early 40s sessions in LA – these 1959 recordings for Dot have Slim hitting a groove that's far tighter than usual, with a better jazz influence, and a much freer approach to singing than his usual stock style. There's a wonderful version of "How High The Moon" that's got crazy guitar, and wild lyrics from Slim about life on the moon. Other nice cuts include "Sukiyaka Cha Cha", "Chicken Rhythm", "Slim's Cee", "Lady Be Good", and "Thunderbird". If you've ever wondered why people think Slim is so great, check this one out – and you'll flip!

Although Manos Hadjidakis' soundtrack work of the 60s is mostly in the Greek-sounding mode, this one features him hitting a bit of a western soundtrack feel – to back a drama starring Terence Stamp, Ricardo Montalban, and Karl Malden. About half the tracks are instrumentals with an orchestral feel, and the others are similar, but have slight "westerny" touches – although not as much so as work for Italian films of the same time. Laurindo Almeida plays a bit of acoustic guitar on the album – and titles include "Blue's Solitude", "The Mexicans Are Coming", "Death Of Blue", "Nocturne", "Scherzo", and "Morning After Love".

Ken Nordine's first album of goofy jazzy stuff, recorded with the groovy Fred Katz group, and featuring such gems as "The Sound Museum", "Flibberty Jib", and "Hunger Is From". Sampled by United Future Organisation and a whole bunch of others. This is probably his best one, with stripped down stuff that doesn't get too bogged down in a bunch of stupid electronic effects. Seminal material – and pretty darn timeless!

A crazy album of funky tracks from Lalo Schifrin – very different than most of his other jazz and bossa work! This set's got some very tripped out styles that mix together funky backings, jazzy riffing, and even some nice electronics – a sweet little groove that's even more wild and hip than even the best of Schifrin's soundtrack work from the 60s! Some tunes certainly show the deft talent for arranging woodwinds and rhythms that first caught the ears of so many listeners on famous soundtracks – but in the setting of this record, away from any directorial needs, Lalo's also free to explore some groovier music ideas – and he really lets loose tremendously as the set rolls on! The titles alone should tell you the feel of the record – with names like "Secret Code", "Dissolving", "Vaccinated Mushrooms", "Wheat Germ Landscapes", and "How To Open at Will The Most Beautiful Window".

A crazy album of funky tracks from Lalo Schifrin – very different than most of his other jazz and bossa work! This set's got some very tripped out styles that mix together funky backings, jazzy riffing, and even some nice electronics – a sweet little groove that's even more wild and hip than even the best of Schifrin's soundtrack work from the 60s! Some tunes certainly show the deft talent for arranging woodwinds and rhythms that first caught the ears of so many listeners on famous soundtracks – but in the setting of this record, away from any directorial needs, Lalo's also free to explore some groovier music ideas – and he really lets loose tremendously as the set rolls on! The titles alone should tell you the feel of the record – with names like "Secret Code", "Dissolving", "Vaccinated Mushrooms", "Wheat Germ Landscapes", and "How To Open at Will The Most Beautiful Window". CD also features four groovy bonus tracks by Schifrin – "Another Side Of Harry", "Blues A Go Go", "Lucille", and "Self Destruct".

Mellow, magical, and moody – a sublime set from the great Jack Sheldon – working both as a vocalist and jazz trumpeter! Sheldon first cut his teeth as part of the west coast scene of the 50s – but by the time of this sweet little record, he'd elevated himself into a unique space that made him a regular fixture on TV during the 60s and 70s – always entertaining, and with a vocal style that was as raspy and rough as his trumpet solos were cool! This set for Dot is Jack's second for the label – and it's a great mix of styles all handled by Don Sebesky. Sebesky scores some tunes that focus on Jack's trumpet – with breathy solos that drift across some sweet 60s easy arrangements – offset by others that feature Sheldon's growling vocals, rumbling along in a jagged, jaunty sort of mode. The whole thing's filled with lots of groovy 60s touches – of the sort you'd expect much more from a record on A&M than on Dot. Titles include "The Boy's Got Soul", "Happy Together/Honey Pie", "Afterthoughts", "Meet A Cheetah", "I Think He's Hiding", and "Shangri-La".

12 remixes: "No,No, No Part 2 (Wyclef Jean extended version)", "Emotion (Neptunes rmx)", "Bootylicious (Rockwilder rmx)", "Say My Name (Timbaland rmx)", "Bug A Boo (refugee Camp rmx)", "Dot (E-Poppi mix)", "Survivor (rmx feat. Da Brat)", "Independent Women Pt II", "Nasty Girl (Azza's nu soul mix)", "Jumpin Jumpin (rmx ext)", "Bills, Bills, Bills (Maurice's xclusive livegig mix)" and "So Good (Maurice's soul mix)".

Groovy trio set, with a organ/guitar/drums lineup playing through a batch of soul hits like "Uptight" and "Wade in the Water", plus "Wee Dot", and a few pop hits. More groovy organ lines from Patterson, who's the main star here, and a surprisingly nice version of "Strangers In the Night".

The most notable thing about this single is that Two Kings in A Cipher were Ron Lawrence (know then as Amen Ra) and D Dot Agellettie (known then as D.O.P) who later went on to produce lots of Puffy's hits. And of course, D Dot Angelettie is now better know as The Mad Rapper. "Movin On 'Em" was a minor hit with a second-rate vocal style trying to immitate Rakim and King Sun, in both delivery and 5-Percenter subjects.

A triple-length set – one that brings together two classic Charly Records compilations! The bulk of the set is from the great 2LP collection Mr Joe's Jambalaya – an amazing collection of New Orleans soul from the legendary Minit and Instant labels – both imprints under the guidance of producer Joe Banashak – the "Mr Joe" in the title! The work here includes a good number of lesser-known gems from the Crescent City – mixed in with a few key classics that are really well-chosen numbers that illustrate the kind of important influence that New Orleans would have on soul music for generations to come! Grooves are mostly gritty, with more than a few hints of funk in the mix – and there's plenty of tracks that are filled with that tripling rhythmic mode that was quite specific to New Orleans at the time. Titles include "I Need Money" by Lee Dorsey, "The Sad One" by Eddie Lang, "The La La Man (part 1)" by Oliver Morgan, "Go Back Home" by Allen Toussaint & The Stokes, "Pass The Hatchet (part 1)" by Roger & The Gypsies, "It Will Stand" by The Showmen, "I'm Gonna Put Some Hurt On You" by Raymond Lewis, "In The Night" by Chucik Carbo, "Green Door" by Eskew Reeder, "Something You Got" by Barbara George, and "Beverly Baby" by Allen & Allen. The remaining third of the package is from the collection Loaded Down With The Blues – another compilation of Joe Banashak recordings, but one that focuses a bit more on gritty, bluesy material – mostly from the late 50s and early 60s. Titles include "Tight Like That" by Edgar Blancahrd, "Loaded Down" by Matthew Boogie Jake Jacobs, "Way In The Middle Of The Night" by Nolan Pitts, "Ain't Broke Ain't Hungry" by Polka Dot Slim, "Moanin & Screamin" by Diamond Joe, and "Nervous Condition" by The Pitter Pats. 2CDs, and 46 tracks in all!

A pretty great late live set from Buddy Guy – who's tearing it up at his namesake Legends club in Chicago! Buddy's been throwing it down for years at Legends during annual winter residencies – which can be among the tougher tickets to score in the winter live club scene around here – so it's a bit surprising that there hasn't been a proper live document before the top notch Live At Legends! Better late than never. It kicks off with a profane stage intro that lets you know that Buddy and his band aren't messing around or coasting on reputation, before they shake the roof with "Best Damn Fool", "Mannish Boy", "I Just Want To Make Love To You", "Damn Right I Got The Blues", "Skin Deep" and a couple killer medleys: "Boom Boom/Strange Brew" and "Voodoo Chile/Sunshine Of Your Love". The set also includes 3 bonus studio recordings: "Polka Dot Love", "Country Boy" and "Coming For You" – the latter featuring The Memphis Horns.

A killer early album by Mongo Santamaria – almost an equal blend of jazz and Latin rhythms, and a great illustration of the unique contribution that he was making to both types of music back in the 60s! Mongo's group here is filled with some really great horn players – Nat Adderley on cornet, Marty Sheller on trumpet, Ronnie Capers on alto sax, and Pat Patrick on baritone – really hitting a hard-edged groove that's as filled with soul jazz solo inflections as it is with Mongo's great work on percussion! The reeds bring a sharp edge to the record that keeps on going throughout – pushing the set with a lot more soul than other Latin sides from the time, particularly those in the charanga mode. Most tracks are short and feisty, and titles include "Skins", "Fatback", "Dot Dot Dot", "Corn Bread Guajira", "Para Ti", "Sweet Tater Pie", and "Tacos".

The most notable thing about this single is that Two Kings in A Cipher were Ron Lawrence (know then as Amen Ra) and D Dot Agellettie (known then as D.O.P) who later went on to produce lots of Puffy's hits. And of course, D Dot Angelettie is now better know as The Mad Rapper. "Movin On 'Em" was a minor hit with a second-rate vocal style trying to immitate Rakim and King Sun, in both delivery and 5-Percenter subjects.

4 tracks, with clean radio and instrumental versions of each: De La Soul "Speed Limit", Hom "You Won't Get It", Sadat X "The Great Dot X", and Camp Lo "It's All The Same".

One of the greatest Brigitte Bardot albums you could ever buy – some of the grooviest, sexiest work the famous French actress ever cut! The album's overflowing with excellent original material written by Bardot by Serge Gainsbourg and Francis Lai – two of our favorite French composers of the 60s, and both a very good choice to work with Brigitte! Bardot sings in a sexy, whispery style that's a bit like Jane Birkin, but somewhat different too – and the arrangements are by Michel Colombier, Paul Pio, and Christian Gaubert – three talents who definitely keep things groovy. There's a few instrumentals mixed in with the vocal tracks – but that's totally fine with us, because they're all pretty great – and there's plenty of moments with a nice groove and a bit of funk. Titles include "Harley Davidson", "Ay Que Viva La Sangria", "Gang Gang", "David B", "Mister Sun", "Paris", "On Demenage", and "Contact" – plus the excellent "Marseillaise Generique" instrumental – used to great effect in Austin Powers!

Bill Black and his classic combo – but with a sound that's a lot more Stax Records than usual! The grooves are gritty right from the get-go – no surprise, given that the back cover notes begin with an anecdotal definition of funk – one that Black and his group clearly seem to have read, given that they start the album with a mighty drumbreak! The set's still got that saxy Bill Black sound, but the organ is a lot more deeply burning, and the drums have a nice sort of punch too – maybe more Mar-Keys than MGs, but still mighty darn nice. Titles include "Turn On Your Love Light", "The Horse", "Philly Dog", "Big Boss Man", "Red Light", "Bright Lights Big City", and "Shoo Bee Doo Be Doo Da Day".

Mindblowing work from French film composer Francois De Roubaix – an artist who's perhaps gotten more credit in recent years for his electronic sounds, but who's featured here in a fantastic batch of vocal numbers too! Many of these tracks have that great messed-up funky style of the era of Gainsbourg, Jean-Claude Vannier, and Michel Colombier – bouncing bass, psyche-inspired instrumentation, and lots of weird production that trips things out in these subtle, wild ways. Vocals are sung by a host of different artists, and the styles vary up nicely too – but the whole thing's really unified with that sense of madness we've always loved in the instrumental work of De Roubaix! Titles include "Les Poupons" by Olivier & Louis De Funes, "Le Rapace" by Los Incas, "Loin" by Joanna Shimkus, "Just Be Cool" by Fire Exit, "Mon Ami Thia" by Serge Reggiani, "Chacun Son Homme" by Brigitte Bardot & Annie Giradot, "Pour Qui Pourqui" by Nicoletta, "My Sky Is Blue" by Alice Herald, "Un Peu Beaucoup Passionnement" by Vaea Sylvain, "La Ballade Du Heros" by Farid, and "Avec Des Cubes" by Chapi Et Chapo. 24 tracks in all – and some very copious notes!

An excellent reissue of funky work by this obscure European combo – a favorite with grooveheads for years because of their unique mix of funk, exotica, and strange studio touches! In a way, these guys are kind of like a collision between Mandingo, Chakachas, and Serge Gainsbourg – with lots of nice conga work, breathy wordless vocals, funky flute, and sexy tribal grooving. The set includes their classic slow funk cut "La La La", plus the tracks "King Kong", "Streaking A Gogo", "Wild Groove", "Bantu", "Please Love Me", "Girl Safari", "Brigitte Bardot", and "Music For A Playboy".

Beautiful live recordings from Bill Evans – recorded with his late 60s trio that included the incredible Eddie Gomez on bass, plus Marty Morell on drums – a lineup that was really taking off with Bill at the time, and learning how to make some wonderful music together! The setting is the Jazzhus Monmartre in Copenhagen, in November of 1969 – and the tracks have a nice compact feel, not as drawn out as other recordings from the venue at the time – still showing Evans to be a master of economy, even when opening up and exploring new ideas. Bill's also got a bit more punch on the piano than a few years later, which mixes the soulful and lyrical sides of his talents nicely – on titles that include "How My Heart Sings", "Autumn Leaves", "Five", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Sleepin Bee", and "Stella By Starlight".

A very hip set from Bill Evans' second trio – the legendary lineup that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Both players bring Evans' sound to an even greater level of spaciousness – allowing for lyrical interplay that's completely amazing, and even furthers the promise of genius made by Bill on his first few albums – a bold step forward that really makes this album one of Evans' standout sets of the early 60s! Titles include an early reading of Evans' wonderful tune "Re: Person I Knew", plus "Very Early", "In Love In Vain", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "If You Could See Me Now", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams".

A very hip set from Bill Evans' second trio – the legendary lineup that featured Chuck Israels on bass and Paul Motian on drums! Both players bring Evans' sound to an even greater level of spaciousness – allowing for lyrical interplay that's completely amazing, and even furthers the promise of genius made by Bill on his first few albums – a bold step forward that really makes this album one of Evans' standout sets of the early 60s! Titles include an early reading of Evans' wonderful tune "Re: Person I Knew", plus "Very Early", "In Love In Vain", "Stairway To The Stars", "I Fall In Love Too Easily", "If You Could See Me Now", "It Might As Well Be Spring", and "Polka Dots & Moonbeams".

John, aka Johnny Frigo, who's best known to our set for the rare dynamite jazz dance sides he recorded later on, and to the jazz world at large for his work as a bassist, leads a small group on this rare, early full length for Mercury as as a leader on his first instrument – the violin! It's a pretty sweet set, and really not at all the token late 50s swing set you'd expect from the title, and owes as much or more to the bop scene at the time. Frigo's lead violin gives the tunes kind of a cinematic sweep – and he's accompanied by Dick Marx on piano, Ray Brown on bass, Norm Jeffries on drums and others. Tracks include "What A Difference A Day Made", "Polka Dots And Moon Beams", "Blue Orchids", "Moonlight In Vermont", "Is Love Good To Me" and more.

The first true moment of genius from the legendary Curt Boettcher – an early 60s folk-rock set that's already overflowing with the warm harmonies and creative arrangements of his later classics! The Goldebriars boast some incredible vocals in the duo of Sheri and Dottie Holmberg – both of whom take the lead on most tracks here, sometimes singing solo, but often harmonizing beautifully – in a mode that's nearly timeless, but which has some incredible musical touches from Boettcher, who pushes the vocals far from traditional folk mode, into a really unique sound that points the way towards countless post-folk imitators in years to come! Titles include "Long Time Travellin", "No More Auction Block", "Voyager's Lament", "Railroad Boy", "Come Walk Me Out", and "He Was A Friend Of Mine".

The second fab album from Curt Boettcher's legendary Goldebriars group – even dreamier and more unconventional than the first, and filled with beautiful harmony vocals! As on the group's debut, singers Dotti and Sheri Holmberg take the lead on most of the tunes – but Boettcher's also singing along with them a bit too, starting to develop the styles he'd use later on, and really giving a weird sort of sound to the music. Arrangements have their roots in folk, but really change things up a lot – still using simple acoustic instruments, but in modes and rhythms that are a far cry from both mainstream and rootsy folkies of the 60s! There's an eerie, otherworldly feel to the whole record that's amazing – like finding some lost Pandora's Box of music buried deep in the mountains – opened up and floating magically through the skies. Titles include "Zum Gale Gale", "Ride That Chariot", "Jump Down", "Haiku", "Sweet Potatoes", "Sea Of Tears", "MacDougal Street", "Joy Joy Joy", and "No More Bomb".

A great rare discovery from Dexter Gordon – a previously-unissued live set, recorded in Montreal in the late 70s – at a time when Dex was really hitting some new heights in his playing! Although the album coincides with a time when Gordon had returned to these shores, and was getting his act together on the New York scene, it's also got some of the looser, more open modes of his previous European live recordings – the stretched-out, constantly creative solos that always made all the long tracks from Dexter so great on those records. But almost even more uniquely, the album also preserves some of Gordon's spoken parts at the start of the tunes – that wry wit that always made him a compelling presence on the stage. The group also features George Cables on piano, Rufus Reid on bass, and Eddie Gladden on drums – and although the titles are familiar, they're all transformed in the hands of Dex – as you'll hear on "Lover Man", "You've Changed", "Old Folks", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", and "LTD".

One of Slide Hampton's greatest records of all time – a totally hip batch of tracks recorded with a large group that reminds us of some of Max Roach's ensembles of the early 60s! No surprise, Roach is a key part of the album – pounding away with frenzy on Hampton's 5-part "Drum Suite", and working well here on other tracks with players that include Yusef Lateef and George Coleman on tenor, Freddie Hubbard and Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Tommy Flanagan on piano, Eddie Khan on bass, and both Hampton and Benjamin Jacobs-El on trombones. There's a righteous, majestic energy to most of the tracks – not just the pivotal "Drum Suite" in five parts, but also the originals "Gallery Groove" and "Fump" – plus versions of "Lover", "Our Waltz", and "Stella By Starlight".

Sanctified, indeed – and just the kind of record to show why Slide Hampton was unlike any of his trombone-playing contemporaries! The set's got a tightness and punch that's really unique – not the compact quality of JJ Johnson and Kai Winding, but also not the hardbop of Curtis Fuller either – instead king of a rousing approach to jazz trombone that really makes Hampton the kind of the soul jazz approach to the instrument! Slide's working here with a cool octet that has the focus of a group half their size – a really well-chosen lineup of young, hip players that includes George Coleman on tenor sax, Hobart Dotson and Richard Williams on trumpets, Larry Ridley on bass, and additional trombone from a y oung Charles Greenlee! Titles include "El Sino", "Ow", "Milestones", and the stormin' title cut "Somethin Sanctified".

One of the loosest, most open albums from Ronald Shannon Jackson & The Decoding Society – and a set that's a great antidote to some of the later records for bigger labels! Jackson's still got a very inspiring sound at this point – a polyrhythmic groove that's virtually the blueprint for the post-loft scene in New York – driven onward here by performances from key contemporaries who include Billy Bang on violin, Byard Lancaster on soprano sax and alto, Charles Brackeen on tenor and soprano, Vernon Reid and Bern Nix on guitars, Melvin Gibbs on bass, and Erasto Vasconcelos on percussion. Tracks are all tightly structured, but well up with free sounds from the musicians – and titles include "Sortie", "Nightwhistlers", "Eastern Voices/Western Dreams", "Shaman", "Dancers Of Joy", "Arising", and "Orange Birthday".

A classic bit of London funky guitar from Ronny Jordan – the heir apparent to Grant Green and Ivan Boogaloo Joe Jones – and one of the best new players of his generation! The set takes the older funky guitar styles of the 60s soul jazz generation, and fuses it with a 90s nujazz approach – to come up with some tight groovers that have a surprisingly classic feel, yet which also sparkle with the fresher sounds of the time – some of the hip rhythms that were bubbling around in London during the Talking Loud and early Acid Jazz years. Titles include a great remake of "So What", the jazz/hip hop classic "Get To Grips", and the cuts "Cool & Funky", "Summer Smile", "Show Me", "Nite Spice", and "After Hours".

Fantastic French grooves from the end of the 60s – a killer set of jazz-based tracks recorded by trumpeter Ivan Jullien, with help from funky arranger Michel Colombier! Jullien recorded a fair bit of jazz and studio work around the time, and his playing here is razor-sharp – and supported by Colombier grooves that rival his best soundtrack material, his experiments with Pierre Henry, or his backings for singers like Serge Gainsbourg or Brigitte Bardot! Colombier also plays keyboards on the record, as does the great Maurice Vander – amidst a host of other great French jazzmen who include Pierre Gossez on sax, Roger Guerin on additional trumpet, and Eddie Louiss on organ. Drums are nice and funky on most cuts – and the whole thing kicks even more than most funky big band records on MPS! Includes the great break cut "I Remember Otis" – plus "Sonoro", "The Looser", "Talk", "An Oscar For Eddy", "Wake The Monster", "Edith", and "Crescendo".

Cool compressed grooves from Raoul K – music that's offers up a really unique blend of African roots and contemporary club – but in ways that are a lot more abstract than others working in the genre! Raoul really abstracts the instruments in his music – so that the core elements fuse together as the set rolls on – with a sound that's contemporary, yet has an earthiness too – kind of timeless roots buried somewhere in the background – not in ways that hit you over the head, yet which really inform the music! Titles include "Somassi", "Bardot", "Sierra Leone (Deetron mixdown)", "Belebeleba", "Rainforest (Chicagomix)", and "Mande (Griotmix)".

Cool compressed grooves from Raoul K – music that's offers up a really unique blend of African roots and contemporary club – but in ways that are a lot more abstract than others working in the genre! Raoul really abstracts the instruments in his music – so that the core elements fuse together as the set rolls on – with a sound that's contemporary, yet has an earthiness too – kind of timeless roots buried somewhere in the background – not in ways that hit you over the head, yet which really inform the music! Titles include "Somassi", "Bardot", "Sierra Leone (Deetron mixdown)", "Belebeleba", "Rainforest (Chicagomix)", and "Mande (Griotmix)". Features a bonus DVD – "Still Music Presents Mr Raoul K" – a film about Raoul in the Ivory Coast!

Great pop sounds from the lovely Mina – an Italian singer of the 60s whose powers easily rival those of French chanteuses like Francoise Hardy, Brigitte Bardot, or France Gall! The tunes here have a nice undercurrent of rock and pop elements under larger arrangements that often allow Mina to show off her jazz chops too – and the record definitely represents a turning point in the singer's career – a move towards some of the deeper sounds that she'd explore even more strongly at the end of the 60s! Titles include "Chopin Cha Cha", "Renato", "Eclisse Twist", "Sabato Notte", "Da Chi", and "Improvvisamente".

A great look at the lesser-known side of the career of UK vocalist Matt Monro – one that features rare EMI singles, obscure album tracks, and other usual bits all pulled together in one overstuffed 2CD set! The package is a great antidote to all of the overdone hits collections of Monro's work on the market – and it really gets at the subtle brilliance of his work – that dark-voiced style that was a true precursor to the sound of Scott Walker and others to come in UK pop at the end of the 60s. And even though we're big fans of Matt, there's plenty here we'd never heard before – but that's to be expected with a total of 51 tracks that include "When I Look Into Your Eyes", "The Lady Smiles", "Love Song", "Other People", "Mirage", "All Of A Sudden", "When Love Comes Along", "It's That Time Again", "Only Friends", "So Little Time", "Nothing To Lose", "Lover's Caravan", "All That Remains", "Sitting On Top Of The World", "Till", "I've So Much To Be Thankful For", and even a medley of Matt's famous commercial work!

A wonderfully moody vocal outing from Joe Mooney – a lesser-remembered singer from the 50s, but one of our favorite talents from that generation! Joe's got a style of singing that's in the more fragile mode of male vocalizing – similar to Matt Dennis, but a bit more boozy overall – with a late nite feel that possibly comes through more perfectly on this record than any of his other albums! Joe plays organ along with his vocals here – usually in a laidback and mellow mode, just floating along eerily, with guitar, bass, and drums giving slight additional support. The songs are all familiar ones, but sung with a really great style that almost makes us feel like Joe's telling us the lyrics of the tunes from a neighboring barstool – and titles include "Nina Never Knew", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "That's All", "The Kid's A Dreamer", "Nowhere", "My One & Only Love", and "Have You Met Miss Jones".

Joyous grooves from congolero Johnny Ray – a contemporary set of salsa tracks, put together with a mix of keyboards and acoustic instrumentation at the core! Ray's conga's lost none of its edge over the years, and helps direct the group with a nice rootsy vibe – even amidst the more modern keyboards – and singers in the group include Jose Davila and Sammy Gonzalez Jr. Titles include "Si No Soy Yo", "Estoy Amandote", "Te Quiero Un Monton", and "Ganas De Ti".

A great Italian comedy score from the early 60s – put together in key transitional modes by composer Carlo Rustichelli! The music is a great mix of those older, more sentimental Italian styles with some of the cleaner, leaner, playful sounds that were beginning to emerge in the 60s – served up in a host of short tracks with a great deal of variety – some in a swinging jazz mode, a few in a twist party style, and others that are more serious. This CD version of the score is greatly expanded from any previous one – 44 tracks in all, with great remastering – and a huge amount of previously unreleased songs! Titles include "Ratto Twist", "Corrida Rumba", "Vampata D'Amuri", "Morte Di Ascalone", and "Dicerie".

No blues here, but a hell of a great soul jazz set from Norman Simmons – the pianist who was a big part of the early 60s scene in Chicago, and who never really recorded that many albums as a leader! The record's got a super-hip lineup – with Clifford Jordan on tenor, Jimmy Owens on trumpet, Vernel Fournier on drums, and Lisle Atkinson on bass – and the tracks are straight ahead soul jazz, sort of in the Jordan mode of the late 70s, and with a good underground groove that's a nice antidote to some of the slicker recordings of the early 80s. Simmons has a harder left hand style on the piano than usual, which makes for some nice gritty grooves – and titles include "Juicy Lucy", "Good Humors", "I'm The Blues (parts 1 & 2)", "Why Try To Change Me Now", and "Los Milagros Pequenos".

One of the most beautiful albums ever from the great Mel Torme – and a set that's a bit different than his other work for the Bethlehem label too! The set features Mel singing to lush backings from arranger Al Pellegrini – who brings in a mode that definitely lives up to the blue tones promised in the title – with enough melancholy moments in the mix to rival the sound of Frank Sinatra's classic Wee Small Hours album. The voice of the Velvet Fog is perfect in such a setting – and Torme's all serious, all classic, all the way through – no gimmicks or tricks or goofy moments at all. Titles include "How Long Has This Been Going On", "It's A Blue World", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good", "All This & Heaven Too", "Wonderful One", and "Stay As Sweet As You Are".

One of the most beautiful albums ever from the great Mel Torme – and a set that's a bit different than his other work for the Bethlehem label too! The set features Mel singing to lush backings from arranger Al Pellegrini – who brings in a mode that definitely lives up to the blue tones promised in the title – with enough melancholy moments in the mix to rival the sound of Frank Sinatra's classic Wee Small Hours album. The voice of the Velvet Fog is perfect in such a setting – and Torme's all serious, all classic, all the way through – no gimmicks or tricks or goofy moments at all. Titles include "How Long Has This Been Going On", "It's A Blue World", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "I Got It Bad & That Ain't Good", "All This & Heaven Too", "Wonderful One", and "Stay As Sweet As You Are".

Yeah, THIS is the Nick Tosches we want! Tosches has a way of chronicling the diseased, mobbed up underbelly of the 20th Century music rackets that's simply unrivaled – it's gut level brilliant and street smart writing like no one does anymore. Save The Last Dance For Satan is a more fleshed out and newly spun continuation of material published more than a decade ago as Hipsters And Hoodlums in Vanity Fair (boy, mainstream magazine content sure has changed a bunch since 2000) – chronicling the sleaze and criminality at the core of the 50s & 60s music biz. It's great! His best stuff has often read with the sweaty, intoxicating allure of seedy pulp storytelling, so it's with the utmost pleasure to see his work put out by Kicks Books - which literally puts Tosches' work in just that kind of old school hip pocket paperback! He joins Andre Williams (whose "Jailbait" single is mentioned early in this book as the badass antidote to mid 50s candy-coated rock & roll that it most certainly was) and Sun Ra at Kicks. A couple of Tosches' more recent books have been a tough slog – more about his own near obsessive search for impossibly hidden subjects than anything else – but this slim 120 page tome is the opposite – it has us slobbering for more!

The rare soundtrack for the second movie starring a very young Brigitte Bardot – with moods that range from whimsical movie symphony to sultry, percussion heavy exoticism! The 1952 vehicle for Bardot pegged her to portray the alluring daughter of a light house keeper, and it's pretty sweet how this nice little score brings visions of the beauty to mind! The best parts are the sultrier turns, ratcheting up the drums and off kilter strings for a smoky vibe that sounds a decade ahead of it's time! Titles include "Overture (Manina Theme/Parisian Interlude/Tangier Oriental)", "Swimmers Ballet", "Corsican Guitar Motif", "Music Hall Can Can", "Moorish Oriental", "Guitar Serenades", "The Escape (The Chase/Manina's Love Song)" and "Drowning Scene Music".

One of the best combinations of African and European modes we've heard in awhile – thanks to some great overall production and execution! Belgian singer Stef Lamil Carlens works here with Burkina Faso musicians Awa Deme and Mamadou Diabate Kibie – in this very cool blend of rootsy, bluesy sounds and more contemporary songwriting – a wicked blend that shouldn't sound nearly as great as it does! The album's a great antidote to all the cultural pilfering that's gone on over the years by Anglo musicians on the African scene – and really does feel like a true collaboration in the way that Stef's lyrics are blended with the balafon, percussion, and added vocals from Ada Deme. Titles include "Taare", "Sababu", "Tasuma/Ji", "A Sera A Waara", "Sia Slide", and "Ala Lon Man Di".

Here's the real deal – a totally cool collection of all-classic Jamaican ska tracks from the mid 60s – with no revival cuts, no remakes – just the core original grooves! The quality of the work here is tremendous – a rocking, romping approach to soul music that really shows the Jamaican sound starting to fall into place – often handled by singers and musicians who'd break even bigger in the later reggae years, but who have a raw brilliance here that's even more compelling! The track list is wonderful – and the set is a hell of a deal at this price – with tracks that include "One Eyed Jacks" by Jimmy Cliff, "JFK's Memory" by Don Drummond, "The Sun Rises In The East" by Dotty & Bonnie, "Catch A Fire" by Baba Brooks & His Band, "Do You Keep On Dreaming" by The Cherry Pies, "Choo Choo Ska" by Llans Thewell & The Celestials, "Parro Saw The Light" by Lloyd Clarke, "The Jerk" by Derrick Harriott, and "Dragon Weapon" by The Skatalites.

A different groove than usual from Keb Darge – not the deep funk we're used to seeing associated with his name, but a killer selection of rare R&B and rockabilly work – co-compiled here with Cut Chemist! Turns out both Keb and Chemist are longtime fans and collectors of the genres, and they really know their stuff – digging here as deep into 50s material as they might usually do with 60s and 70s soul and funk. But even without the high-end collector pedigree, the set's a great one – way more than just obvious older numbers – and filled with ultra-rare tracks that are as hard-grooving and gritty as they are obscure! As with other BBE compilations, the sound here is great – a very welcome antidote to all the dodgy rockabilly sets on the market – and Keb also includes some great liner notes too, offering up a unique London perspective on these older American sounds. 2LP set features a whopping 37 tracks in all – including "All I Can Do Is Cry" by Wayne Walker, "Chick Chick" by Junior Dean & The Avalons, "Cottonpickin" by Mickey Hawks & The Night Raiders, "Stressed Up" by Kick Em Jenny, "Juicy Fruit" by Rudy Greene, "Sadie Green" by Big T Tyler, "Stampede" by The Scarlets, "Fever" by Carlos & The Bandidos, "Shorty The Barber" by Lou Millet, "That'll Get It" by The Imps, "Long Time Dead" by Jack Rabbit Slim, "Don't Have A Heart Left To Break" by High Noon, and "Hot Dog" by Corky Jones.

A sprawling compilation of the folk rock, Brit blues, jazzy songcraft, oddball comedic and otherwise boundlessly fresh music from the roster of Transatlantic Records in the 60s & 70s! It's a mix of the still revered and largely forgotten – and the quality is high on both sides of that spectrum! Includes numbers by Bert Jansch, The Dubliners, Ralph McTell, Gerry Rafferty, Pentangle, Gryphon, The Purple Gang, Alberto Y Los Trios Paranoias, Stefen Grossman and many more. 42 tracks on 2CDs: "Ye Jacobites By Name" by The Johnstons, "Wild Rover" by The Dubliners, "Streets Of London" by Ralph McTell, "Come Sing Me A Happy Song. . ." by Bert Jansch, "The Handsome Meadow Boy" by Dransfield, "Mother Nature's Son" by Gryphon, "Sign On The Dotted Line" by Gerry Rafferty, "Summertime Blues" by Mick Farren, "In Time" by Pentangle and many more.

A great live date from Bill Evans – one of his essential sides of the 70s, even if you've already got a bunch of other Evans live material! We know what you're thinking: "Do I have this one? Seems to be a lot of tunes here that I've got on other Evans recordings." But take it from us, this set's a real winner – beautifully recorded despite a larger venue performance in Tokyo – and captured with all the grace, poise, and gentle-flowing genius of Evans in his best better-known live dates – a real antidote to some of the other 70s live albums that might have been better left unissued. Everyone's at the top of their game here – Eddie Gomez on bass with those round warm tones, Marty Morrell on drums with his simple spare rhythms, and Evans himself with a sound that's bold then quiet then bold then soft – beautiful throughout, and really setting fire. Titles include "My Romance", "Yesterday I Heard The Rain", "Mornin Glory", "Up With The Lark", "When Autumn Comes", "TTTT", "Gloria's Step", and "Hullo Bolinas".

Sun Ra's really moving forward with this classic set – refining the sound of his Chicago-based Arkestra, and reaching for new territory that moves him way past familiar jazz modes! The cover bills the group as playing "music from tomorrow's world" – and you can definitely hear that on some titles here, including one number that features Ra on some really haunting celeste, and another that features Marshall Allen making weird noises with his mouthpiece! The group is all greats from the old days – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute, Pat Patrick on baritone and flute, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Charles Davis on baritone, and Ronnie Boykins on bass – and titles include "Hours After", "Saturn", "Ancient Ethiopia", and "Blues At Midnight".

Wicked Fantasy/Milestone work from Azymuth – really burning strong here with a soulful fusion vibe, and always hitting all the right notes in their music! The sound here is still relatively spare, and sublimely reliant on the keyboards of Jose Roberto Bertrami – who plays Fender Rhodes, organ, and percussion on the set. Ivan Conti handles the main percussion, though – a great mix of tight work on the drum kit and rootsier, Airto-like elements that are totally great – and the whole thing's driven along nicely by bass and guitar from Alex Malheiros. Guests include Aleuda on percussion and vocals, Gordinho on surdo, and Doto on repinique – and titles include "Papasong", "Outubro", "Maracan", "Un Amigo", "Carta Pro Airto", and "Dear Limmertz".

One of the greatest sides of The Blackbyrds' music – their mellower, more chilled-out tunes – all tracks that we like almost as much as their funkier classics! Although the combo first earned their name for upbeat, sharp-edged funky fusion, they also had a wonderful way with a laidback groove – sweetly stepping instrumentals that were often a bit overlooked next to some of their bigger 70s hits, but which are equally great – and perhaps even more so, as they represented a really unique approach to the music at the time! There's a vibe here that we'd rank right up there with Kool & The Gang on "Summer Madness" – an approach that's often spare, and focused around a key instrumental bit – and which is a great antidote to some of the heavier-handed funk of the time! Keyboards are often heavy on these numbers, and although there's some vocals, the instrumentation is almost always center stage – served up over some sweetly stepping rhythms that are really great. Titles include "Lady", "Wilford's Gone", "A Heavy Town", "All I Ask", "At The Carnival", "April Showers", "Love Is Love", "Soft & Easy", "Lady", "Flying High", "The Baby", "Summer Love", "Dreaming Of You", and "Time Is Movin".

An album as incredible as its bulls-eye cover – the first record ever from a young Bob Dorough – and easily one of his most swinging sessions! The style here is a bit straighter jazz than on some of Bob's later work – vocalese inspired by Jon Hendricks, King Pleasure, Eddie Jefferson, and others – recorded with a small combo that includes Jack Hitchcock on vibes, Warren Fitzgerald on trumpet, Jerry Segal on drums, and Bob's longtime partner Bill Takas on bass. Many of the tunes are vocalized versions of bop numbers – done with a nicely quirky style that shows that the mad Dorough touch was already in place during these early years – on titles that include "It Could Happen To You", "Polka Dots & Moonbeams", "Baltimore Oriole", "Yardbird Suite", "Devil May Care", and "Ow" – plus his great original "You're The Dangerous Type"! Also features a bonus alternate take of "Yardbird Suite".

An incredible document of late 60s America – composed and conducted by Gary McFarland, in a style that's much more ambitious than any of his other work! The album's fully titled "America The Beautiful: An Account Of Its Disappearance" – and features "movements" with very telling subtitles that include "On This Site Shall Be Erected", "80 Miles An Hour Through Beer Can Country", "Suburbia: Two Poodles And A Plastic Jesus", and our personal favorite, "Due To A Lack Of Interest, Tomorrow Has Been Cancelled". Gary's really wearing his politics on his sleeve here – picturing a late 60s America that's without hope, without revolution, and clearly in danger of falling prey to its own plasticization. The whole thing's a wonderful antidote to the "revolution is coming" side of the 60s that is more popularly pushed – and Gary was one of the few musicians at the time with an eye that was clear enough to see that in the 60s, you could sing "The Times Are A-Changing" – but in reality, the corporations were a-growing! Musically, the album features a larger group of jazz players working in a full, rich style that has lots of soundtrack touches. There's a real Axelrod-like feel to the set – with string passages one minute, funky rhythms the next – and some breakout jazz soloing that really colors the tunes nicely! Players include Jerome Richardson, Eric Gale, Bernard Purdie, and Chuck Rainey – and Gary's mostly doing the conducting on the set.

A great little live set from Sergio Mendes and his Brasil 65 group – a pre-Brasil 66 combo that features Wanda De Sah on vocals and Rosinha De Valenca on guitar! The style here is more traditionally Brazilian bossa than Sergio's later work on A&M – a fluidly jazzy groove captured with a good sense of intimacy despite the live setting – and issued by Atlantic as a nice antidote to some of the more watered-down bossa work on the US market! The vocals are wonderful – often spare and a bit more fragile than the two-voiced sound of A&M – and titles include "Tem Do De Mim", "Noa Noa", "Caminho De Casa", and "Arrastao".

The second and best album by Morphine – rightly remembered as a much needed antidote to the grunge and mainstream alternative rock that was taking over pop culture at the time – and an enduring, ageless classic that would stand out in any era! Morphine's previous album was nearly as great, but Cure For Pain is nearly perfect. Mark Sandman's 2-string slide bass sound is indeed perfectly paired with his own vocals, the sax and drums doing the rest of the work instrumentally – there was only a couple years in which they'd really surprise us sonically with this setup, but what an amazing couple of years – and albums! Includes "Dawna", "Buena", "I'm Free Now", "All Wrong", "Candy", In Spite Of Me", "Thursday", "Cure For Pain", "Sheila", "Let's Take A Trip Together".

A lost soul treasure from the 70s – and a rare secular album recorded by gospel singer Dottie Peoples! The set's got a stunning deep soul feel – easily right up there with the best 70s work from the Malaco and Muscle Shoals scenes – with a pure and top-shelf approach to the material that stands tall throughout the entire session. Dottie's vocals are tremendous – influenced by her gospel work, but with an easygoing style that's never too overdone, and which has the same mix of modern and southern that we love in work from the time by Jimmy Lewis or Sam Dees. The album's never been issued before, and the original 1978 tapes have been lovingly remastered with beautiful sound. Titles include "Look Around", "Imagine Me", "A House Made Of Love", "Very Strong Affection", "I Don't Want Nobody", and "Bring It Over Baby".

Sun Ra's really moving forward with this classic set – refining the sound of his Chicago-based Arkestra, and reaching for new territory that moves him way past familiar jazz modes! The cover bills the group as playing "music from tomorrow's world" – and you can definitely hear that on some titles here, including one number that features Ra on some really haunting celeste, and another that features Marshall Allen making weird noises with his mouthpiece! The group is all greats from the old days – John Gilmore on tenor, Marshall Allen on flute, Pat Patrick on baritone and flute, James Spaulding on alto and flute, Hobart Dotson on trumpet, Charles Davis on baritone, and Ronnie Boykins on bass – and titles include "Hours After", "Saturn", "Ancient Ethiopia", and "Blues At Midnight".

One of the greatest Brigitte Bardot albums you could ever buy – some of the grooviest, sexiest work the famous French actress ever cut! The album's overflowing with excellent original material written by Bardot by Serge Gainsbourg and Francis Lai – two of our favorite French composers of the 60s, and both a very good choice to work with Brigitte! Bardot sings in a sexy, whispery style that's a bit like Jane Birkin, but somewhat different too – and the arrangements are by Michel Colombier, Paul Pio, and Christian Gaubert – three talents who definitely keep things groovy. There's a few instrumentals mixed in with the vocal tracks – but that's totally fine with us, because they're all pretty great – and there's plenty of moments with a nice groove and a bit of funk. Titles include "Harley Davidson", "Ay Que Viva La Sangria", "Gang Gang", "David B", "Mister Sun", "Paris", "On Demenage", and "Contact" – plus the excellent "Marseillaise Generique" instrumental – used to great effect in Austin Powers!

A fantastic Serge Gainsbourg album – and the BB initials in the title belong to Brigitte Bardot! This rare gem from 1968 is a second set of tracks that Serge cut with Brigitte Bardot – and it's a doozy! The record repeats a few tracks from their other effort (Bonnie & Clyde) – but it's also got some incredible cuts that are exclusive to this album, and which have that stone funky groove that makes the best late 60s work of Serge so in-demand these days! The best tracks include "Ford Mustang", "Initials BB", and "Black And White" – all of which have incredible funky intros that are totally sampleable – and the set also includes "Bonnie And Clyde", "Qui Est In Qui Est Out", "Marilu", "Shu Ba Du Ba La Loo Ba", "Hold Up", "Torrey Canyon", "Dr Jeckyll Et Monsieur Hyde", "Comic Strip", and "Bloody Jack".

Stunning sounds from the team of Serge Gainsbourg and Michel Colombier – and maybe the most perfect example of why Gainsbourg soundtracks can be so great! First up is the duo's fab music for the film Le Pacha – a wonderful blend of trippy touches and more subtle jazzy moments, plus bits of electric sitar and bassy funk – shifting effortlessly from track to track to create a mad melange of musical grooves! Cuts include the classic "Requiem Pour Un Con", which is a funky gem – plus "Psychastenie", "Joss A La Calvados", "Un Noel 67", "Cadavres En Serie", "Batucada Meurtriere", and Brigitte Bardot singing "Harley Davidson"! Next is Vidoq – a handful of songs originally penned for a TV series in the 60s, and very unusual work from Serge! The tunes include two very offbeat vocal numbers, sung in this deep-voiced style – plus a few more serious instrumentals, but with a weird twist. Titles include "Le Mariage De Vidocq", "A Vous De Jouer", "L'Evasion", and "Chanson Du Forcat". Comment Trouvez-Vous Ma Soeur – or "how do you find my sister?" – seems like a perfect title for a film to feature music from Serge – and the music definitely follows suit! The movie's from 1964, so captures that pivotal time when Gainsbourg was shifting from classier French styles to groovy ones – both modes featured here in the instrumentals directed by Colombier, and on Serge's vocal reading of the title tune. Tracks include "Erotico Tico", "No Love For Daddy", "La Course Au Mariage", "Rendez Vous A L'Eglise", "Surboum Chez Ma Soeur", and "Quart D'Heure Americain".

Rare early work by Johnny Pate – the great jazz bassist who later went onto great fame as an arranger at ABC, where he handled all of the classic work by the Impressions! This album features a tight Chicago piano combo, ala the Ahmad Jamal group, with Pate on bass, Wilbur Wynne on guitar, and Floyd Morris on piano. (Obviously, Floyd's a lot funkier than Jamal, but you get the idea.) Pate contributed a few originals to the set – like "All The Time", "Carmen's Chaser", and "Yvonne" – and the rest of the tracks are standards.

An excellent EP with one of our favorite numbers of the Dots & Loops album, plus three non-LP cuts, all filled with the same wonderful bubbly 'Lab approach! Tracks include "Miss Modular", "Allures", "Off-On", and "Spinal Column".

A female doctor in a military hospital – with all the goofy results you could expect from an Italian sex comedy! Piero Umiliani's music definitely matches the mood of the piece – plenty playful at most points, with styles that move between clever themes, odd melodies, and some sweeter, groovier numbers too! Edda Dell'Orso sings on a few tracks – some of the most sparkling cuts on the CD – and this new version features a total of 25 tracks in all, with some nice goofy images too!

Wicked grooves from the German scene of the 70s – that stretch of the sound library generation when things were getting even more electronic than before – and picking up some great funky dancefloor modes in the process! Most of these numbers are heavy on keyboards – especially the more electronic types that warrant the "cosmic" in the title of the collection – usually delivered over clean, clear, upbeat rhythms that bring plenty of club, disco, and boogie modes to play in the process! Think of this one as the blueprint for the best Euro club sounds of the late 70s and early 80s – but since the tunes are even shorter and more focused, they pack a hell of a lot more punch too! Features work from sound libraries that include Media Music, DeWolfe, Sonimage, Jollymay, Golden Ring, Intersound, and more – with cuts that include "Greenwich Street" by Klaus Weiss, "Bacchanales Estardiennes" by Bernard Estardy, "Poursuite Dans La Nuit" by Roger Davy, "Spectator" by Tom Elliot, "Coordinates Meeting" by Peter Thomas, "Bio Rhythm No 3" by Thomas Clausen, "Flying Objects" by Roger Webb, and "Ele Toldoth" by Helmuth Brandenburg.

A wonderful collection of rare rhythm & blues and soul from the Nashville scene – most of which haven't been reissued before – raw and truthful grooves from the 60s and singles originally released regionally on labels like Jewel, Valdot, Poncello and more. It's wonderful stuff, carrying on the spirit of older blues & r&b well into the 60s – with cuts by Sam Baker, Bobby Lindsey, Roscoe Shelton, Levert Allison, Luvenia Lewis and others. Titles include "Slow Down Baby" and "You Better Check What You Got" by Sam Baker, "No Way Out", "I Had A Dream" and "Don't Stop Now" by The Mighty Men, "Let Me Down Easy" and more by Earl Gaines, "Sugar Booger Baby" by Bobby Lindsey, "The Shape I'm In" and "You Made A World" by Levert Allison, "Since I Fell For You" by Dottie Clark", "Yesterday's Mistake" (previously unreleased version) by Roscoe Shelton and more.

A fantastic Serge Gainsbourg album – and the BB initials in the title belong to Brigitte Bardot! This rare gem from 1968 is a second set of tracks that Serge cut with Brigitte Bardot – and it's a doozy! The record repeats a few tracks from their other effort (Bonnie & Clyde) – but it's also got some incredible cuts that are exclusive to this album, and which have that stone funky groove that makes the best late 60s work of Serge so in-demand these days! The best tracks include "Mustang", "Initials BB", and "Black And White" – all of which have incredible funky intros that are totally sampleable – and the set also includes "Bonnie & Clyde", "Qui Est In Qui Est Out", "Marilu", "Shu Ba Du Ba La Loo Ba", "Hold Up", "Torrey Canyon", "Docteur Jeckyll et Monsieur Hyde", "Comic Strip", and "Bloody Jack".