All Categories — All Formats  

The Funk Ark floats mighty high on this sweet little set – charting a course on the sea of grooves with strong currents of African and Latin rhythms in the mix! The group are a funk combo at the core, but they've got a great ear for all sounds global – complex rhythms, unusual instrumental inflections, and a forward-moving groove that's able to pull in plenty of different strands, and keep things funky throughout! Funk Ark work here with sweet production from Adrian Quesada, who helps them find just the right sort of vibe in the studio – with the crisp crackle of some of his own work – and titles include "Road To Coba", "High Noon", "Riconcito", "Wayward Bill", "El Rancho Motel", and "Green Tree Yellow Sky".

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".

Nickodemus logically follows up his warm and breezy Sun People album with the more cosmically-lit follow up Moon People – once again bringing a wealth of global influences and instrumentation to his unique style of spacey dancefloor soul! He's joined by the legendary Afrika Bambaata and other great vocal guests – including Sammy Ayala, Kissey Asplund and Kathrin DeBoer of Belleruche – which elevates the creative mix of beats and eclectic instrumentation quite nicely! That said, the instrumental backdrops are quite hypnotic on their own – cosmic soul beats and atmosherics flavored by flutes, Eastern string accents, horns, steel drums and much more – depending on the needs of the particular track. Includes "Under The Volcano" with Navegante, "Moon People" feat The Real Live Show, "Nights Of Balaur", "Alkebulan" feat Afrika Bambaata, "Peaceful Island Earth" feat Kathrin DeBoer, "The Nuyorican Express" feat Candela Allstars, "Mirage" with Kissey Asplund, "Conmigo (Hallex Remix)" feat Sammy Ayala, "Vino People" and more.

Nickodemus logically follows up his warm and breezy Sun People album with the more cosmically-lit follow up Moon People – once again bringing a wealth of global influences and instrumentation to his unique style of spacey dancefloor soul! He's joined by the legendary Afrika Bambaata and other great vocal guests – including Sammy Ayala, Kissey Asplund and Kathrin DeBoer of Belleruche – which elevates the creative mix of beats and eclectic instrumentation quite nicely! That said, the instrumental backdrops are quite hypnotic on their own – cosmic soul beats and atmosherics flavored by flutes, Eastern string accents, horns, steel drums and much more – depending on the needs of the particular track. Includes "Under The Volcano" with Navegante, "Moon People" feat The Real Live Show, "Nights Of Balaur", "Alkebulan" feat Afrika Bambaata, "Peaceful Island Earth" feat Kathrin DeBoer, "The Nuyorican Express" feat Candela Allstars, "Mirage" with Kissey Asplund, "Conmigo (Hallex Remix)" feat Sammy Ayala, "Vino People" and more.

Thievery Corporation's stellar "Cultural Of Fear" with Mr. Lif – plus the Kaleidoscope Jukebox remix on the flip! The original has a heavy bass groove, a propollent, though still funky tempo, and some strong, topical lyricism – nice stuff! The Kaleidoscope Jukebox remix has a lighter touch, thanks to some piano, atmospheric bits of backing vocal, and some dubby textures, too – though it wisely doesn't mess with the strength of Lif's rhymes.

A well done survey of the career of Thievery Corporation to date – selected by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton – wonderful stuff from the reigning kings of downtempo jazzy grooves! It's made up of the duo's best known tracks as well as their own personal favorites. You couldn't really ask for a better or more careful curated set! Includes "Amerimacka", "Lebanese Blonde", "Facing East", "Holographic Universe", "Until The Morning", "All That We Perceive", "The Richest Man In Babylon", "The Passing Stars", "Satyam Shivam Sundaram", "Vampires", "Warning Shots", "Shadows Of Ourselves" and more.

A solid 12-inch split single from ESL and Ghostly International – pairing up the labels' top shelf talents of Thievery Corporation and Tycho! The A-side features Thievery Corporation's "Fragments", with a steady, hypnotic beat and some sweet keyboard atmosphere floating over. The first side also includes a remix by Tycho – and it's got a spacier style. On the flip is Tycho's slow-building "Ascension" – plus a nice remix by Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation.

A contemporary group, but one with a very vintage reggae vibe – one that's put together here by producer Eric Hilton, who's got a well-trained ear for the classic, thanks to his work in Thievery Corporation! There's a warm, soulful feel to the record – a vibe that's somewhere between mid 70s Kingston, and London reggae from a decade later – all handled with a stripped-down, no-nonsense approach that features soulful horns, stepping basslines, and just the right sort of dubbish production to make the whole thing gel together – yet survive on its own without any studio tricks or gimmicks. Vocals are by Ras Puma, Lenny Kurlou, Sleepy Wonder, and Ichelle Cole – and titles include "Who's Correct", "Nuff A Dem", "Crime", "Blasting Through The City", "Sensibility", "Music Is My Prayer", and "Boof Baff".

Thievery Corporation are back after a long hiatus – and they've returned to the fold with a host of surprising guest stars! The set's got a really wide range of grooves – as one might expect when the group's working with artists that include David Byrne, Perry Farrell, and The Flaming Lips! But over and above these bigger crossover names, the team's also sticking very true to their roots on other tracks – bringing in some great downtempo and Brazilian influences, and fleshing out tunes with an equally great array of lesser-known talents that includes Sista Pat, Gunjan, Verny Varela, Gigi Rezende, and Patrick De Santos. Titles include "Marching The Hate Machines", "Pela Janela", "Sol Tapado", "The Time We Lost Our Way", "A Gentle Dissolve", "Holographic Universe", "The Heart's A Lonely Hunter", and "The Cosmic Game".

A well done survey of the career of Thievery Corporation to date – selected by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton – wonderful stuff from the reigning kings of downtempo jazzy grooves! It's made up of the duo's best known tracks as well as their own personal favorites. You couldn't really ask for a better or more careful curated set! Includes "Amerimacka", "Lebanese Blonde", "Facing East", "Holographic Universe", "Until The Morning", "All That We Perceive", "The Richest Man In Babylon", "The Passing Stars", "Satyam Shivam Sundaram", "Vampires", "Warning Shots", "Shadows Of Ourselves" and more. This great 4 X 12" colored vinyl set collects each of the individually released EPs.

Possibly the rarest album by UK outfit pf Alan Bown! The group is named for founder, trumpet and flugelhorn player, and they got around bit earlier in an R&B-styled mode, then billed as The Alan Bown Set. Starting with this cool record, they committed to more of a psychedelic pop mode. That serves them well! The tunes are infectious, skewing the the accessible side of the psych sound. The drums hit hard and there's both punchy electric and chiming acoustic elements – usually with groovy organ and huge melodies. Outward Bown has never had much luck in the market place, and this 2CD UK edition aims to remedy that – with the full stereo version plus the bonus track "Little Lesley" on disc one, plus the full mono version with a few additional bonus tracks on disc two. Includes "Toyland", "Mutiny", "Sally Green", "Love Is A Beautiful Thing", "Violin Shop", "You're Not In My Class", "Technicolor Dream", one of the most unique covers of "All Along The Watchtower", "My Girl Of The Month May" and more.

A lost treasure from James Brown & The JBs – a vintage live performance from the early 70s, and one that captures the group at the height of their powers! The format here is very similar to the excellent Revolution Of The Mind set – a totally funky, totally righteous live performance that has James and the group even more energized than in the studio – working with the kind of razor-sharp intensity that made them a legendary funk act – leaping from tune to tune with nary a break at all! Bobby Byrd acts as the MC, and joins James for a bit of vocals – and the group at this point still includes Bootsy Collins on bass, plus loads of great guitar from Catfish Collins, and Fred Wesley on trombone and Jabo Starks on drums. Dave Matthews handled some of the arrangements – and titles include "Soul Power", "Sex Machine", "Bewildered", "It's A New Day", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Brother Rapp", "Super Bad", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag/I Got You/I Got The Feelin".

One of the last great albums from James Brown! Not as totally sublime as Payback or some of the others from the 70s – but James is still working here with Fred Wesley and Dave Matthews – and many of the cuts retain the funk of a few years past. Case in point is the sublime "Funky President" – a super-dope track that mixes politics and funk, and which is one of our favorite James Brown tracks from the 70s. Other cuts include "All For One", "Check Your Body", "Reality", and "Further Up The Road".

Rare 70s work by Bobby Byrd – sides done for the Brownstone and International label, most of which feature work by members of the James Brown universe, and some production by James Brown himself! The best tracks on the set are from the early 70s – and feature Bobby working in that incredibly tight, incredibly fast-grooving mode he first forged with James – heard to best effect on some key live recordings, and served up here in some equally great studio sides that feature help from Fred Wesley and Brown. A few other cuts keep the funky fire burning with some surprisingly nice Miami touches – with Clarence Reid on production, but Bobby more than strongly in the mix on some great vocals. There also appears to be a few tracks from later years – featuring Byrd with singers Vicki Anderson and Martha High, plus a group that also includes Bootsy Collins and Fred Wesley – and 2 more that are later live numbers. The set features 11 tracks in all, and is a great counterpart to Bobby's one and only album for the King label – with tracks that include "Never Get Enough", "Hang It Up", "Back From The Dead", "The Way To Get Down", "Feel Good Friday", "Sayin It & Doin It Are Two Different Things", "Let Me Know", and "Tell Me What's On Your Mind".

A far-reaching selection of styles from Diesler – a one man operation that spins enough sweet, beat heavy mastery to outpace a lot of full blown collectives! Diesler first came to our attention with his contribution to the Tru Thoughts Shapes One compilation – and he carries that vibe here, but goes a lot deeper with a full tracklist of his own! The set's a nice mixture of pulsing club beats, driving production, and lots of raw jazzy touches! Tracks include "Cotton Wool", "Downtime", "Sandcastles", "Dark Water", "High Time", "Burnley Wallet", "City Of God", Redux", "Heist Theme", and more.

A pivotal album for Dylan – featuring complicated dark little numbers like "All Along The Watchtower", "The Ballad Of Frankie Lee & Judas Priest", "I Am A Lonesome Hobo", "I Pity The Poor Immigrant", "The Wicked Messenger", "As I Went Out One Morning", and "Down Along The Cove".

A wild batch of instrumental psychedelia – with plenty of avant garde touches thrown in! This is the sort of record that always restores our faith in major labels – and it makes us realize that no matter how many Elvis Presley albums RCA was selling in the 60s, there was also room to put out odd little record like this one. The enigmatic Friend Sound are kind of a loose collective of hippie jazz musicians – playing flute, organ, guitars, percussion, piano, recorder, shovel (shovel?), finger cymbals, and just about anything else that seemed to be handy – and they had a style that was kind of like free-jamming jam band stuff, but with out the skill of most jam bands. Ok, it sounds like we're talking ourselves into a corner – but the record's pretty darn compelling. It's kind of like the band and the engineers took a bucketful of drugs – so many that they got really mellow and dark – then went into the studio to cut a tripped-out album of instrumentals. The whole thing comes across with the same "anything goes" spirit of the NY 60s underground film scene – but with none of the silliness of bands like The Fugs – and it's that kind of energy that makes us love this one, and be proud that we're just giving it a space to exist. Titles include "Childhood's End", "Lost Angel Proper St", and "The Empire Of Light".

Lovely 60s girl pop from Lesley Gore – the sweet, soaring, brightly sunny Magic Colors album – released in full for the first time ever – and with a huge assortment of bonus tracks, too! Magic Colors should have come out on Mercury in 1967, but it wasn't to be. Well, better late than never, right? It's fluffy, but fun – with sweet vocals by Leslie and with arrangements by Bob Crewe, Jack Nitzsche, Gamble & Huff, Thom Bell and others. The album tracks include "It's A Happening World", "Magic Colors", "Brink Of Disaster", "I'm Fallin' Down", "To Sir With Love" and more. Includes a whopping 15 bonus singles: "Summer And Sandy", "Small Talk", "I Can't Make It Without You", "Summer Symphony", "One By One", "Wedding Bell Blues" and more. 25 tracks in all!

An incredible look at the all-too-short life and music of Sam Cooke – put together by Peter Guralnick with an amazing amount of historical detail, and an even more important love of Cooke's music! The book is to Cooke what Guralnick's earlier writings were to Elvis Presley – a much deeper look at the man than had ever before been published – put together with an keen understanding for the music and its contribution to the world around it. Guralnick follows Cooke's key years with a great amount of detail – presenting incredible research, along with a wealth of vintage photos, but in ways that always read with far more depth than typical music history. A whopping 749 pages, softcover, with lots of photos!

An oft-overlooked gem from the JBs – their last album for People Records, and a stone funk classic that's every bit as essential as the others! The band is still in fine fine form – with none of the fast-funk or proto-disco of some later recordings – and they're working here in some really tight song formats that almost go back to the early days of the group's first few singles. The album's filled with great playing, wonderful grooves, and Fred Wesley's keen sense of humor – which sparks the whole set with a sense of warmth and creative play that show why the JBs are still the greatest funk band ever. Includes the excellent "Little Boy Black", which begins with some tasty James Brown vocals; the oft-sampled "Rockin' Funky Watergate"; plus "Step Child", "Makin Love", and "Rice & Ribs". Not as drawn out as Doing It To Death, but more complicated than Food For Thought, and still a totally essential bit of funk!

The classic first album by The JBs – James Brown's Fred Wesley-led backing band, and the force behind most of his greatest records of the early 70s! The set collects some of the group's best early singles, and includes all of the short little funky cuts that made them a legend right out of the box – "Pass the Peas", "The Grunt", "These Are The JBs", "Hot Pants Road", "Wine Spot", "To My Brother", "Blessed Blackness", "Theme From King Heroin", "Escapism (parts 1 & 2), and "Gimme Some More" – all together here in one tight little album of massive funky hard beats and breaks!

The classic first album by The JBs – James Brown's Fred Wesley-led backing band, and the force behind most of his greatest records of the early 70s! The set collects some of the group's best early singles, and includes all of the short little funky cuts that made them a legend right out of the box – "Pass the Peas", "The Grunt", "These Are The JBs", "Hot Pants Road", "Wine Spot", "To My Brother", "Blessed Blackness", "Theme From King Heroin", "Escapism (parts 1 & 2), and "Gimme Some More" – all together here in one tight little album of massive funky hard beats and breaks!

Some of the hippest work we've ever heard from German clarinetist Rolf Kuhn – a beautiful set from the 60s, and one that's filled with modern touches, but never goes too far out! Rolf's clarinet is definitely sharper here than in the decade before – informed by much of the modern jazz changes around him, and stretching out in space that's nicely open, and often moved along with some modal rhythms on the bottom. As with some of his other European contemporaries, Kuhn manages to use the instrument in completely new ways than before – no trad jazz clarinet lines that echo Benny Goodman's generation – and instead, an extremely evocative sound that often carries some nicely exotic overtones. The rest of the group's great too – and includes brother Joachim Kuhn on piano, Michal Urbaniak on tenor and soprano sax, and Czeslaw Bartkowski on drums. Titles include "Lady Orsina", "Mountain Jump", "Minor Impressions", "Solarius", and "Soldat Tadeusz".

A tremendous little record from Love Peace & Happiness – a great vocal trio from the early 70s, and one who really shine with this overlooked gem for RCA! The trio were part of the New Birth/Nite Liters universe that producer Harvey Fuqua brought to the label at the time – and they've got a hip sound that's right up there with the other two groups – with whom they were very intimately involved – working here with arrangements from Fuqua that are almost his contribution to post-Motown sounds in the 70s, the way that Holland-Dozier-Holland were working at Invictus. Ann Bogan really soars with righteous leads in the group – and gets equal support from brothers Leslie and Melvin Wilson – who really help underscore some of the bolder elements of the music – especially on the funkier cuts. Titles include "I Don't Want To Do Wrong", "Lonesome Lonely & Alone", "Don't Knock My Love", "If I Owned The World", "You Can't Cheat the Cheater", "Stay", "Mind", and "You've Chosen Me". Great reissue – with excellent sound and very detailed notes!

A stone killer from Gwen McCrae – a set that's light years past the deep soul of Gwen's Miami roots – and which is given a tight, modern spin by the great Webster Lewis! Lewis produced, and plays plenty of keyboards here – and his fusion-inspired groove really helps unlock a whole new side of Gwen's vocals – a vibe started on her previous "Funky Sensation" work for Atlantic, but a bit different too – with some sunny Cali touches that really mark a strong step forward in her music. There's loads of heavy rhythms on the set, but the sound is way past disco too – and arrangements are handled by Lewis, Fred Wesley, Harold Batiste, and HB Barnum. Titles include "Keep The Fire Burning", "I Didn't Take Your Man", "Doin' It", "Be For Real", "Hang In", and "I Need To Be With You".

The second album from Mombasa – and possibly even better than the first! The group have really come into their own by the time of this date – mixing together jazz and African roots with a sound that's unlike anyone else we can think of – quite unique in its approach to rhythms, sounds, and solos! The grooves aren't really the Afro Funk you might expect – and instead, they're based on a headier brew of basslines and percussion, one that's somewhere in a space between Boscoe, The Pharoahs, and Demon Fuzz – but with a sound that's ultimately different than both. The trombone of Lou Blackburn carries the lead on most tracks – snaking out wonderfully over the grooves, with a quality that's amazingly soulful, and which almost has him standing head to head with Fred Wesley as a 70s innovator on his instrument. Other members of the group include Doug Lucas on trumpet, Bob Reed on percussion, Alan Tatham on drums, and Don Ridgeway on electric bass – the last of whom really does a great job shaping the sound of the tunes. Titles include "Yenyeri", "Holz II", "Nomoli", "African Hustle", and "Al Rahman".

The Remixes are great – tunes that show a loving, understanding appreciation of Nilovic's original music – thanks to a well-selected batch of talents on the set! Most of the numbers hardly veer much from the great grooves that Janko first penned – as they're all awash in the best acoustic elements and electronic moments without going too far into abstract, contemporary territory – as can happen in some too-remixed projects we've heard of late. Titles include "Spacial Special" remixed by Minimatic, "African Boost" remixed by Kid Loco, "Summer Breeze" remixed by The Big Knife, "Escape To Chelsea" remixed by Casbah 73, "Tandoori Flock" remixed by Patchworks, "Leslie's Back" remixed by DJ Day, "New Post Scriptum" remixed by Metropolitan Jazz Affair, and "Vocal Improvisations" remixed by Cucumber.

The third album from the legendary Os Mutantes – part of the essential trio of sides released during the Tropicalia years! The record's got a sound that's tighter and a bit more straightforward than their previous efforts – stricter song formats, and styles that lean heavily on rockish guitars and organ. But as the odd cover images on the front and back will attest, the band is still in a very creatively arty mode here – still working strongly with arranger Rogerio Duprat, in a wash of sounds and moods that fold contemporary music back upon itself with plenty of odd twists, turns, and surprises! Titles include "Desculpe Babe", "Oh Mulher Infiel", "Quem Tem Medo De Brincar De Amor", "Hey Boy", "Haleluia", "Ave, Lucifer", and "Meu Refrigerador Nao Funciona".

A wild collection of rare tracks from this legendary group of the Tropicalia scene – a few outtakes and live tracks, but also some cool commercials, and collaborations with Caetano Veloso too – all brought together in a set that's a great complement to their famous albums of the late 60s! Maybe the most striking are a series of spots the group did for Shell gasoline – work we can't help but think they did with an ironic twist – and the set also features tracks with Veloso, "Marcianita" and "A Voz Do Morto" – plus "Balada Do Louco (outtake)", "Gloria Ao Rei Dos Confins Do Alem (live)", "Panis Et Circensis (live)", "E Proibido Poibir (live)", "Ando Meio Desligado/Nao Fez Marola (long)", "Caminhante Noturno (Franca 1969)", and "Baemacumba (Franca 1969)".

What a singer! Anne Phillips is someone that we know nothing about – we'll admit – but this gem of an album is one we'd gladly stack next to our favorite 50s vocal sides, including work by June Christy and Chris Connor! The arrangements are superb – a blend of jazz and lusher styles, handled by Kermit Leslie in a subtly sweet style that never gets to cloying – and Anne's vocals are moody and dusky, but never self pitying. Wonderful stuff all around – and with tracks that include "For Heaven's Sake", "Lonelyville", "I've Got To Pass Your House To Get To Mine", "When Sunny Gets Blue", and "A Stranger In Town".

A classic late 60s performance – with titles that include "One Night", "Guitar Man", and some great medley cuts too!

Titles include "Mystery Train", "That's All Right", "My Baby Left Me", "Playing For Keeps", "Shake Rattle & Roll", and "I'm Left You're Right She's Gone".

Epic DJ Fontana (elvis presley's 50s-70s drummer) interview. The (pre-industrial) Wax Trax Records story – including the saga of the Jonny iii (Wax Trax house band). Czech prog-gods Plastic People Of the Universe interviewed. Little Richard is Jewish! 1950s country star Marvin Rainwater interviewed. The return, and self-destruction, of the Misfits. Flaming Lips interview. Don "Sugarcane" Harris obituary. Screaming Jay Hawkins obituary. David Lee Roth comix. 1960s psychedelic comic books explored. Interview with Gregg Gellar, master compilation producer, focusing on his "Sammy Davis Jr.-Yes I Can" box set, as well as the ins and outs of comp production. Plus Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Chuck Berry, rock & wrestling, comix and Jerry Lewis and Sammy Davis Jr. as you've always imagined them!

The seminal first album from the SOS Band – a record that really showcases the new sound of soul for the 80s, yet still holds onto all the best elements of the previous decade too! These guys have a great ear for groovers – well-demonstrated by the play they got on the dancefloor – yet they've also got a deeper sense of soul than some of their club contemporaries as well – heard not just on the ensemble vocals for the upbeat tracks, but especially on some of the album's great mellow steppers too! It's these laidback cuts that have always kept the album strong for us – showing that SOS are way more than just another fast funk band, and can really go deep, and stay with it for the long haul. Fred Wesley helped a bit on the arrangements – and titles include "Take Your Time", "Love Won't Wait For Love", "SOS (Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash Dash Dit Dit Dit)", "Take Love Where You Find It", and "Open Letter".

The seminal first album from the SOS Band – a record that really showcases the new sound of soul for the 80s, yet still holds onto all the best elements of the previous decade too! These guys have a great ear for groovers – well-demonstrated by the play they got on the dancefloor – yet they've also got a deeper sense of soul than some of their club contemporaries as well – heard not just on the ensemble vocals for the upbeat tracks, but especially on some of the album's great mellow steppers too! It's these laidback cuts that have always kept the album strong for us – showing that SOS are way more than just another fast funk band, and can really go deep, and stay with it for the long haul. Fred Wesley helped a bit on the arrangements – and titles include "Take Your Time", "Love Won't Wait For Love", "SOS (Dit Dit Dit Dash Dash Dash Dit Dit Dit)", "Take Love Where You Find It", and "Open Letter". Great new version – book-style cover, detailed notes, and bonus tracks that include "SOS (edit)", "SOS (special disco mix)", "Take Your Time (parts 1 & 2)", "Take Your Time (long version)", and "What's Wrong With Our Love Affair (edit)".

They may be one-album wonders – but Trussel were a strong group who cut this enduring soul classic at a fortunate time when Elektra was really trying to break into the modern soul market. The record's got a nice midtempo jazzy groove, augmented by production by Fred Wesley, and a sound that hints at the direction funky soul would take in coming years. Smooth, but with enough grooves to hit the dancefloor – and lots of strong titles like "Love Injection", "Sweet Love", "I Love It", "Big City Rocker", and "Gone For The Weekend".

Tripped out, heavy hip hop from the unlikely trio of west coast indie veteran Murs, Ego Trip's Sascha Jenkins and DC hardcore legend/Bad Brains bassist Darryl Jenifer! A pretty cool mix of uncompromising lyrics, heavy bass and waves of dissonant guitar. It's unlike anything else out there, circa summer '13! Includes "The Ghetto Is Tryna Kill Me", "Black-N-White", "Warn A Brotha", "Wifey", "King Of New York", "My Weapon", "I Like You", "Wesley Snipes", "My First White Girl", "Mandingo Rally", "Too Late" and more.

Surprisingly deep soul from Hannah Williams – a singer who seems like just your run of the mill local talent on the cover – but who comes across with the smoking sound of some legendary southern soul diva on the record! The band and the backing is pretty great too – way more than just a rehash of older soul modes – and instead a contemporary approach that has subtle strains of some of the more interesting funk elements that have percolated globally of late – all fused together by Diesler, who's kind of the "artistic director" of the set – and who gives the music a Tru Thoughts sort of complexity. Titles include "The Kitchen Strut", "Work It Out", "Washed Up", "Don't Tell Me", "Things To Come", "Get It", and "Do Whatever Makes You Feel Hot".

Surprisingly deep soul from Hannah Williams – a singer who seems like just your run of the mill local talent on the cover – but who comes across with the smoking sound of some legendary southern soul diva on the record! The band and the backing is pretty great too – way more than just a rehash of older soul modes – and instead a contemporary approach that has subtle strains of some of the more interesting funk elements that have percolated globally of late – all fused together by Diesler, who's kind of the "artistic director" of the set – and who gives the music a Tru Thoughts sort of complexity. Titles include "The Kitchen Strut", "Work It Out", "Washed Up", "Don't Tell Me", "Things To Come", "Get It", and "Do Whatever Makes You Feel Hot".

A rare funk album from west coast legend Larry Williams – very different than his heavy R&B of the late 50s, or the brief soul comeback he had with Johnny Guitar Watson in the 60s – and instead a heavy groover with a trippy Cali sound! The record's got a sharp groove right from the start – a vibe that's a bit similar to some of the best Johnny Watson funk of the period – a slight jazzy undercurrent in the instrumentation, with wicked guitar and keyboard bits dancing around each other in the rhythms – often mixed with vocals that have a cool sort of electric feel, and topped with some great horn work from Fred Wesley on trombone and Maceo Parker on alto sax! Rudy Copeland plays keyboards on the album alongside Williams, the the set's got a bit of the feel of Rudy's lost Funky Blindman set – and in a way, also echoes the best strutting, sexy modes of Bootsy Collins too. The album's a surprising gem all the way through – a real lost chapter in Larry's career, and the kind of set that might have broken bigger, had he not died mysteriously a few years later. Titles include "Funky Force", "The Resurrection Of Funk", "One Thing Or The Other", "ATS Express", "How Can I Believe", and "Can't Dance To The Music (If It Ain't Got Funky Rhythm)".

A very tight early session by the great organist Larry Young! The album's quite different than Young's later Blue Note work – more in-the-pocket soul jazz, but filled with the expansive sensibility that would later have him take off for the heavens. The biggest example of this tendency is the track "Talking Bout JC" – a cut dedicated to John Coltrane (who Young used to jam with, although sadly never on record!), recorded more famously later on Blue Note, but still sounding pretty hip here in an early take. The group on the set is a quartet that includes guitarist Thornel Schwartz and tenorist Bill Leslie (with whom he cut an album for Argo, under the name of Lawrence Olds) – and other tracks include "Gettin' Into It" (which is 15 minutes long) and "Groove Street".

An excellent live outing from pianist Denny Zeitlin – recorded at the height of his early powers! The session's got a fresly new conception to piano-based jazz – a style that resonates nicely with the best 60s work of Steve Kuhn or Keith Jarrett, sharing some of the tenderness of the former and the sense of color of the latter. Rhythm is from the team of Charlie Haden on bass and Jerry Granelli on drums – and Haden's bass is an especially powerful force in the set, pushing out the tunes with a flowing quality that pulsates nicely even on the more gentle numbers. Titles include "Lonely Woman", "Where Does It Lead", "My Shining Hour", "Spur Of The Moment", and "Carole's Waltz".

A great batch of songs by legendary New Orleans R&B and soul producer Dave Bartholomew – recorded by a sprawling line-up of soul, pop, R&B and rockers – another revelatory set in the Ace Records series of songwriter compilations! The numbers here stretch back to the 50s and continue up to the end of the 60s/start of the 70s – with Bartholomew-penned tunes done here by Fats Domino, Shirley & Lee, Elvis Presley, Johnny Burnette, Brenda Lee, Georgie Fame, Bobby Charles, Tami Lynn, Bobby Mitchell, Dave Bartholomew himself and many more! 25 tracks in all: "The Fat Man" by Fats Domino, "Ain't Gonna Do It" by The Pelicans, "Blue Monday" by Georgie Fame & The Blue Fames, "Sick And Tired" by Neville Grant, "One Night Of Sin" by Tami Lynn, "The Big Beat" bh The Del Vikings, "The Monkey" by Dave Bartholomew and many more.

Includest tracks by Meade Lux Lewis, Charlie Spand, Wesley Wallace, Will Ezell, Henry Brown, Cow Cow Davenport, Charles Avery, Jabo Williams, Blind Leroy Garnett, and Cripple Clarence Lofton.

Fantastic French femmes from the 60s – and a great illustration of the way that girl power really took over the sound of the Parisian scene at the time! These tunes have a punch that few American or British tracks of the period could ever hope to match – a way of staying sweet, yet really hitting hard with a groove – sometimes with fuzzy guitars or organ, sometimes with a fuller blast of orchestrations – always completely charming and immediately appealing – even if you can't understand the lyrics! Most numbers feature work by some top-shelf arrangers from the tight Parisian scene – including Alain Goraguer, Jacques Denjean, Michel Colombier, and Ivan Julien – and titles include "Le Coeur Au Bout Des Doights" and "Ce Soir Je M'En Vais" by Jacqueline Taieb, "Laisser Tomber Les Filles" and "Le Temps De La Rentree" by France Gall, "Voila" by Francois Hardy, "Caque Nuit" by Les Surfs, "Donne Moi" by Petula Clark, "Un Chagrin A Oublier" by Alice Dona, "Il Suffit D'Un Jour" by Liz Brady, "L'Adorable Femme Des Neiges" by Christie Laume, "Impatiente" by Les Gams, and "Les Filles C'Est Fait Pour Faire L'Amore" by Charlotte Leslie.

Classic funky disco material from George Clinton and the trio of lovelies that recorded under the name Parlet. The backing's by the rest of the P-Funk empire – with arrangements by Bernie Worrell and Fred Wesley. Titles include "Mr. Melody Man", "Cookie Jar", and "Pleasure Principle".

We kept hoping and hoping throughout the 80s that Clinton would get back into the funk of things, but it seems he never quite hit his stride, with the exception of the "Atomic Dog". And though we can't hold this up anywhere near his best work, it's a reasonably solid effort, given that we're now looking back on those 80s keyboard sounds, cheesy drum machines and bass heavy grooves with a bit more fondness these days. By this point, his band included former Headhunter Blackbyrd McKnight and former JB's Fred Wesley and Maceo Parker, plus the inimitable Bootsy Collins, and they cut seven grooves for you here, including "Electric Pygmies", "Do Fries Go With That Shake?" and the "Mix Master Suite".

A supremely fantastic album, and one that's always woefully overlooked in discussions of James Brown's incredible People label! Sweet Charles, Charles Sherell, was a great lost soul vocalist who had a voice that was warm and mellow, with a sweetness that was often missing from James' singing – but which sounded great with his arrangements and production. Fred Wesley and Dave Matthews arranged this one and only album, and the record's a great blend of sweet soul tracks, funky numbers, and other stellar grooves. There's a killer version of "Soul Man", that begins with a very tasty break; the monster "Yes, It's You", which has a sweetly sliding intro that's ripe for sampling; the righteous political "Why Can't I Be Treated Like A Man"'; and lots of other nice ones too!

Titles include "Native Love" by Divine, "Desire" by Roni Griffith, "Passion" by The Flirts, "These Memories" by Oh Romeo, "I'm So Hot For You" by Bobby O, "Whisper To A Scream" by Bobby O & Claudja Barry, "Make It On My Own" by Free Enterprise, "You & Me" by The Flirts, "The Letter" by Gomez Presley, "Ready Or Not" by Hot Line, "Sensitive" by Band Of South, and "Love Reaction" by Divine.

The 5th volume in this well-chosen set of tracks – brought to you straight from the Chicago steppers underground! The set features a dozen tracks – running from smooth late 70s numbers to more recent titles, all reflecting the penchant for a sweet mellow groove that's kept the Chi-town stepping scene hot for all these years! Titles include "Sensually" by Raw To The Core, "I Was Wrong" by The Moonglows, "I'm Not In Love" by Dee Dee Sharp, "Easy To Love" by Body, "As You Are" by Pharoah Sanders & Phyllis Hyman, "Your Heart Belongs To Me" by The Supremes, "Nika" by Vicious, "Super Bad, Super Slick (part 1)" by James Brown, "House Party" by Fred Wesley, "Nyce & Slo" by Little Louis, and "Alone Without You" by Narada Michael Walden.

Sweet 70s funk from George Benson – an album that's a bit smoother than some of his earlier work, but still free from the commercial polish of his later hits! Maestro David Matthews is at the helm for this session – and most numbers have a full backing from players who include some of the best of the CTI/Kudu generation – including Ronnie Foster and Bobby Lyle on keyboards, Joe Farrell on flute, Fred Wesley on trombone, Eric Gale on rhythm guitar, Dave Friedman on vibes, and Steve Gadd on drums – who manages to kick in a nicely funky undercurrent, even on some of the mellower numbers. George's guitar is filled with warmly chromatic hues – gliding away nicely on titles that include the slow funky "Em", plus "Siberian Workout", "Shell Of A Man", "Hold On I'm Coming", "One Rock Don't Make No Boulder", and "Theme From Good King Bad".

A lost treasure from James Brown & The JBs – a vintage live performance from the early 70s, and one that captures the group at the height of their powers! The format here is very similar to the excellent Revolution Of The Mind set – a totally funky, totally righteous live performance that has James and the group even more energized than in the studio – working with the kind of razor-sharp intensity that made them a legendary funk act – leaping from tune to tune with nary a break at all! Bobby Byrd acts as the MC, and joins James for a bit of vocals – and the group at this point still includes Bootsy Collins on bass, plus loads of great guitar from Catfish Collins, and Fred Wesley on trombone and Jabo Starks on drums. Dave Matthews handled some of the arrangements – and titles include "Soul Power", "Sex Machine", "Bewildered", "It's A New Day", "Ain't It Funky Now", "Brother Rapp", "Super Bad", "Give It Up Or Turnit A Loose", and "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag/I Got You/I Got The Feelin".

A great later set from Arthur Crudup – and one that's still got the powerful vibe of his "That's All Right" classic! Those Crudup vocals come through with an incredible punch – a built-in vibrato that really matches his guitar work on the record (amplified through the same Leslie speaker used by Buddy Guy on another Delmark record from the same time! The Leslie creates a cool Hammond-like quality to the guitar, which really sounds great with Arthur's vocals – and although the recording style is rootsy, the speaker still brings a pretty full feel to the set. Other players include Mark Thompson on bass and Willie Big Eye Smith on drums – and the set also features some guest guitar from Jimmy Dawkins and Mike Thompson. Titles include "All I Got Is Gone", "Trying To Take Me For A Ride", "Sunny Road", and "Please Don't Leave Me With The Blues" – and the CD also features some bonus studio chatter too!

The return of the Headhunters – with percussionist Bill Summers and drummer Mike Clark heading this modern incarnation of the legendary soul-funk-fusion combo – proudly and fearlessly fusing the far-reaching funk style they innovated in the 70s with post millenium grooves! The Headhunters are well aware of the impact they've had on the hip hop and funky soul that followed in their wake and they get some love here from Snoop Dogg, Killah Priest and Jaecyn Bayne on rhymes – but the record belongs to the Headhunters and their legacy. George Clinton drops in, too, along with fellow OG Headhunter Bennie Maupin, Azar Lawrence, Patrice Rushen and other great players. Titles include "Mission Statement", "Salamander", "Tracie", "Paging Mr Wesley", "Palm Nut", "Congo Place", "Head Hunting", "Soul Glow" and more.

An oft-overlooked gem from the JBs – their last album for People Records, and a stone funk classic that's every bit as essential as the others! The band is still in fine fine form – with none of the fast-funk or proto-disco of some later recordings – and they're working here in some really tight song formats that almost go back to the early days of the group's first few singles. The album's filled with great playing, wonderful grooves, and Fred Wesley's keen sense of humor – which sparks the whole set with a sense of warmth and creative play that show why the JBs are still the greatest funk band ever. Includes the excellent "Little Boy Black", which begins with some tasty James Brown vocals; the oft-sampled "Rockin' Funky Watergate"; plus "Step Child", "Makin Love", and "Rice & Ribs". Not as drawn out as Doing It To Death, but more complicated than Food For Thought, and still a totally essential bit of funk!

An oft-overlooked gem from the JBs – their last album for People Records, and a stone funk classic that's every bit as essential as the others! The band is still in fine fine form – with none of the fast-funk or proto-disco of some later recordings – and they're working here in some really tight song formats that almost go back to the early days of the group's first few singles. The album's filled with great playing, wonderful grooves, and Fred Wesley's keen sense of humor – which sparks the whole set with a sense of warmth and creative play that show why the JBs are still the greatest funk band ever. Includes the excellent "Little Boy Black", which begins with some tasty James Brown vocals; the oft-sampled "Rockin' Funky Watergate"; plus "Step Child", "Makin Love", and "Rice & Ribs". Not as drawn out as Doing It To Death, but more complicated than Food For Thought, and still a totally essential bit of funk!

Pinch us, we're dreaming – a lost album from The JBs! The set's a treasure for any fans of the funky James Brown sound of the early 70s – and it features material originally recorded for release as the first full length album by The JBs in 1972 – but never issued at the time! A few cuts here made it onto other records and singles in different versions, but others are completely fresh – and heard here for the first time ever – really helping expand our understanding of the group at this point in their career. Dave Matthews did a lot of the arrangements for the set, and there's a surprising amount of jazz in the mix, too – lots of full horn passages that show Fred Wesley leading the group with a damn hard-swinging sound – mixed in with just the right degree of soul you'd expect, but in ways that are different than some of the later JBs jams. Titles include "Transmograpification", "Use Me", "Everybody Plays The Fool", "Sweet Loneliness", "Watermelon Man", "Secret Love", "You've Got A Friend", and "Seulb". CD also features 4 bonus non-LP singles – "Funky & Some", "JB Shout", "Back Stabbers", and "Alone Again Naturally" – all killer funky 45s from the early 70s!

A gaggle of grooves from those funky Italian groovers Jestofunk – way more than a simple greatest hits package – a double disc set that includes the group's greatest singles and a host of remixes, rarities, and rare nuggets! The group has bridged the worlds of electronic club groove and live funk for years – and Irma Records has rightfully rolled out the red carpet for this celebration! The first disc features the remixes and tunes that are finding their way to CD for the first time – 13 in all including "Special Love (Steve "Silk" Hurley rmx)", "Happy (Bob Sinclar rmx)", "Can We Live (Farley & Heller rmx)", "Cane We Live (Murk Boys rmx)", "Mama Blues (Atjazz rmx)", "Special Love (Joey Negro rmx)" and more! The second disc features the longtime faves and the best singles – 15 tracks including "I'm Gonna Love You", "Can We Live" with CeCe Rogers, "Special Love" with Jocelyn Brown, "The Ghetto" with CeCe Rogers & Fred Wesley, "For Your Precious Love", "Aboriginal Shop", "Stellar Funk (Lazzaro Shoes)" and more!

A killer set of grooves – and one of our favorite-ever soundtracks! The album's an incredible blend of swirling strings and mod French rhythms – a perfect 60s backdrop for the film, and a record that's unlike anything else we can think of! Some tunes have a really groovy jerk-style rhythms, but others have a more sweeping style that's equally great – and together, the tunes make for a perfect blend of music, one that makes the album an all-killer, no-filler record! Titles include the massive "Clara's Jerk" – which has some Pierre Henry-like electronics, and a very cool groove – plus "Leslie's Jerk", "Sortie Metro", "Generique", "Top Cover Girl", "Ballade Dans Paris", "Baiser", "Kam-Tcha-Tka", and "Ballet Photo Rouge".

A mid 80s trio set from Ronnie Mathews – one of those great players who always labored in obscurity, but who also managed to always sound great at whatever point in his career he was recorded! The tracks are deceptively simple piano trio material – with excellent rhythmic backing by Alvin Queen on drums and bass by Ray Drummond – and the best tracks have a flowing quality that's the best demonstration of mellow soulful Mathews' approach to piano that we can think of. Titles include "Song For Leslie", "So Sorry Please", "Day Dream", "I Mean You", and "Summertime".

Groovy female club tracks – with George Clinton producing, and funky horn arrangements by Fred Wesley and the usual crew. A bit more uptempo than regular P-Funk material, but with some nice moments, nonetheless. Tracks include "Wolf Tickets", "I'm Mo Be Hittin' It", "Funk Until the Edge of Time", and "Help from My Friends".

A tasty bit of late P-Funk! The album was recorded in 1980, on the wane of the main P-Funk groups – and it features Bootsy and Fred Wesley teaming up on the arrangements, in a set of bass-heavy, mostly instrumental tracks that groove hard like the best early work by Zapp! There's a great jazzy groove to the record – with loads of tasty keyboards, and less of the slapp bass funk that could sometimes ruin other efforts like this. Titles include "Love Munch", "Hyper Space", "Freak to Freak", "Body Shop", and "We Do It All Day Long".

A beautiful Rebirth for the Tribe Records scene in Detroit – a set that brings together older players whose work illuminated that famous label – Phil Ranelin on trombone, Wendell Harrison on saxes, and Marcus Belgrave on trumpet – all working here with younger musicians who include Amp Fiddler on keyboards, John Arnold on guitar, and Carl Craig on keyboards and production! The mix of generations is amazing – every bit as mesmerizing as the Detroit Experiment session from years back – and the tunes have this soulful, spiritual sensibility that really holds up to the promise first laid down by Tribe back in the 70s – a righteous reworking of familiar jazz ideals, stretching forward with cosmic energy that's really amazing! Craig's presence on the set makes for a bit of electricity at times – but the rhythms are all live and acoustic – and if anything, the whole project marks a real growth in Carl's own music, almost more than that of the originators whose sound here is every bit as great as we could have hoped! Titles include "Son Of Tribe", "Livin In A New Day", "Deneka's Chant", "Jazz On The Run", "Ride", "Lesli", "Where Am I", "13th & Senate", and "Glue Fingers".

Tripped out, heavy hip hop from the unlikely trio of west coast indie veteran Murs, Ego Trip's Sascha Jenkins and DC hardcore legend/Bad Brains bassist Darryl Jenifer! A pretty cool mix of uncompromising lyrics, heavy bass and waves of dissonant guitar. It's unlike anything else out there, circa summer '13! Includes "The Ghetto Is Tryna Kill Me", "Black-N-White", "Warn A Brotha", "Wifey", "King Of New York", "My Weapon", "I Like You", "Wesley Snipes", "My First White Girl", "Mandingo Rally", "Too Late" and more.

Funky tracks by Donald Byrd, the Bar-Kays, Average White Band, Undisputed Truth, Lou Donaldson, Ronnie Laws, Fred Wesley, and many more.

Volume one of the legendary compilation of James Brown produced stuff that taught us to love his other work back in the 80's when it was released. We're not going to pretend that we had all the original stuff when we were kids, but we did have this great comp – which includes monster stuff by The JBs, Lyn Collins, and Maceo. This was a sampler's dream in the 80's, and it's still a listener's dream in this decade! Long out of print on wax, too! Tracks include "Gimme Some More" and "Pass the Peas" by the JB's, "Think (About It)" and "Rock Me Again & Again & Again & Again & Again & Again" by Lyn Collins, and "Damn Right, I Am Somebody (Part 1)" and "If You Don't Get It the First Time, Back Up and Try It Againm Party" by Fred Wesley & the JBs.

A great later set from Arthur Crudup – and one that's still got the powerful vibe of his "That's All Right" classic! Those Crudup vocals come through with an incredible punch – a built-in vibrato that really matches his guitar work on the record (amplified through the same Leslie speaker used by Buddy Guy on another Delmark record from the same time! The Leslie creates a cool Hammond-like quality to the guitar, which really sounds great with Arthur's vocals – and although the recording style is rootsy, the speaker still brings a pretty full feel to the set. Other players include Mark Thompson on bass and Willie Big Eye Smith on drums – and the set also features some guest guitar from Jimmy Dawkins and Mike Thompson. Titles include "All I Got Is Gone", "Trying To Take Me For A Ride", "Sunny Road", and "Please Don't Leave Me With The Blues" – and the CD also features some bonus studio chatter too!

The beautiful first solo album by Lani Hall – recorded after years of work with Sergio Mendes in the Brasil 66 group – and done in a style that certainly reflects her great vocals with that ensemble, yet which also expands her sound tremendously! The set was arranged and produced by Herb Alpert in a spare, almost folksy style that still has some sweet LA touches – and the album's worth it alone for the leadoff cut – a version of Lesley Duncan's "Love Song", done in a gently grooving mode that's got a real folk-funk feel! The set's also got a great version of "We Could Be Flying" – and other tracks include "Ocean Song", "Vincent", "Come Down In Time", and "You".

Jamal could make magic out of anything – case in point is this fantastic little LP, based around Anthonly Newley and Leslie Bricusse's score to The Roar Of The Greasepaint! Jamal takes the tunes and turns them completely on their heads – using them all as platforms for lyrical improvisation, in that magical and soulful style that he virtually invented at the time. His trio includes Jamil Nasser on bass and Chuck Lampkin on drums, and titles include "Feeling Good", "This Dream", "Look At That Face", "It Isn't Enough", and "Sweet Beginning".

Really great work from Sam Rivers – an album that's a bit more inside than some of his other European recordings of the period, but in a really great way that makes it a decided standout in Sam's career! Rivers is playing a bevy of heavy horns here – flute, tenor, soprano sax, and even a bit of piano – and the group has some good electricity in the rhythms, thanks to the guitar of Jerry Byrd and electric bass of Rael Wesley Grant. But the really compelling element is the drums of Steve Ellington – a surprisingly funky player at points, giving some of the cuts here a damn heavy groove, which Sam matches with some of his tightest, most soulful horn work. A few cuts definitely go outside, and unlock the freer side of Rivers – especially the piano moments – and titles include "Swirl", "Rapture", "Crosscurrent", "Sunbeams", "Breeze", "Eddy", and "Serenity".

A tasty bit of late P-Funk! The album was recorded in 1980, on the wane of the main P-Funk groups – and it features Bootsy and Fred Wesley teaming up on the arrangements, in a set of bass-heavy, mostly instrumental tracks that groove hard like the best early work by Zapp! There's a great jazzy groove to the record – with loads of tasty keyboards, and less of the slapp bass funk that could sometimes ruin other efforts like this. Titles include "Love Munch", "Hyper Space", "Freak to Freak", "Body Shop", and "We Do It All Day Long".

A damn great little record from Zo – one that has him stepping forward brilliantly from his previous series of self-released records – moving into really heavyweight territory with the Foreign Exchange team, on a set that features guest vocals from Phonte, Sy Smith, Lady Alma, Yazarah, Eric Roberson, and others! The album's an amazing extension of the Detroit cosmic soul that Zo's always done so well – taken into even tighter, more professional territory – yet all without ever sounding slick or commercial! We've always loved Zo – and this album's like a great reward for all our faith in his music – like being right there at the start of something special – and trust us, the album's definitely something special. All the guest stars fit in perfectly, and Zo's keyboards and other instrumentation are just right – as you'll hear on cuts that include "If I Could Tell You No", "SunStorm", "Say How You Feel", "Greatest Weapon Of All Time", "Be Your Man", "For Leslie", "Free Your Mind", "MakeLuv2Me", "All Is Well With Love", and "Flight Of The Blackbyrd".

Fantastic French femmes from the 60s – and a great illustration of the way that girl power really took over the sound of the Parisian scene at the time! These tunes have a punch that few American or British tracks of the period could ever hope to match – a way of staying sweet, yet really hitting hard with a groove – sometimes with fuzzy guitars or organ, sometimes with a fuller blast of orchestrations – always completely charming and immediately appealing – even if you can't understand the lyrics! Most numbers feature work by some top-shelf arrangers from the tight Parisian scene – including Alain Goraguer, Jacques Denjean, Michel Colombier, and Ivan Julien – and titles include "Le Coeur Au Bout Des Doights" by Jacqueline Taieb, "Laisser Tomber Les Filles" by France Gall, "Voila" by Francois Hardy, "Il Suffit D'Un Jour" by Liz Brady, "L'Adorable Femme Des Neiges" by Christie Laume, "Impatiente" by Les Gams, and "Les Filles C'Est Fait Pour Faire L'Amore" by Charlotte Leslie.

A stellar collection of far reaching 70s funk – bridging schools of funk brilliantly – from fusiony grooves, to disco, to rawly raucous, and smoothed out and soulful – a mix of famous material that crossed over with others that are best known to crate diggers! The set's in the German Jazz Club series – and includes great stuff from Deaodato, Pleasure, Rose Royce, Betty Davis, Parliament, Rick James, The Bar-Kays, Ohio Players, Southside Movement and many more. 18 tracks in all: "Funk Yourself" by Deodato, "Let's Dance" by Pleasure, "Supernatural Feeling" by Blackbyrds, "Unfunky UFO" by Parliament, "This Is It" by Betty Davis, "Blow Your Head" by Fred Wesley & The JBs, "Shake Your Rump To The Funk" by Bar-Kays, "Funk Talk" by Southside Movement and more.

Some of the deepest grooves we've ever heard from Mop Mop – still in the cool, jazzy mode of previous records – but a lot more organic too, with great percussion that really helps shape the sound of the set! As before, there's some excellent work on vibes and keyboards – but many of the rhythms also have a tribal vibe that seems reflected in the album's cover image – a groove that's made even better by live instrumentation that includes trombone from Fred Wesley, and some well-chosen vocal moments that include guest work from Anthony Joseph on three tracks. Titles include "Kamakumba", "Heritage", "Phantom Of The Panther", "Run Around", "The Golden Bamboo", "Damballah", "Mojomamy", and "Afro Jojo (parts 1 & 2)".

Some of the deepest grooves we've ever heard from Mop Mop – still in the cool, jazzy mode of previous records – but a lot more organic too, with great percussion that really helps shape the sound of the set! As before, there's some excellent work on vibes and keyboards – but many of the rhythms also have a tribal vibe that seems reflected in the album's cover image – a groove that's made even better by live instrumentation that includes trombone from Fred Wesley, and some well-chosen vocal moments that include guest work from Anthony Joseph on three tracks. Titles include "Kamakumba", "Heritage", "Phantom Of The Panther", "Run Around", "The Golden Bamboo", "Damballah", "Mojomamy", and "Afro Jojo (parts 1 & 2)".

The Remixes are great – tunes that show a loving, understanding appreciation of Nilovic's original music – thanks to a well-selected batch of talents on the set! Most of the numbers hardly veer much from the great grooves that Janko first penned – as they're all awash in the best acoustic elements and electronic moments without going too far into abstract, contemporary territory – as can happen in some too-remixed projects we've heard of late. Titles include "Spacial Special" remixed by Minimatic, "African Boost" remixed by Kid Loco, "Summer Breeze" remixed by The Big Knife, "Escape To Chelsea" remixed by Casbah 73, "Tandoori Flock" remixed by Patchworks, "Leslie's Back" remixed by DJ Day, "New Post Scriptum" remixed by Metropolitan Jazz Affair, and "Vocal Improvisations" remixed by Cucumber.