All Categories — LPs  

If you think that Pharaoh Sanders' genius as a leader first blossomed during his post-Coltrane years on Impulse, you owe it to yourself to check out this early album for ESP – a startlingly great session that offers a whole new side of his talents! The album features 2 side-long tracks – each of them great in their own ways, both in ways that are far different from the later Sanders sound on Impulse! Pharoah's tone here isn't nearly as raspy as on his more famous sides – it's more straightforward, almost Coltrane-esque – and as the long tracks unfold, there's almost a Sonny Rollins-like sense of spontaneous invention, especially on "Bethera", which takes up all of side two. And while we love the spiritual sensibilities of Sanders' classic albums, we also really like the pointedness of this one – not just because it shows a young Pharoah already possessed of greatness not infused by Coltrane, but also because the album's a mostly-inside session that's a real standout in the ESP catalog! The group's unusual too – and features Stan Foster on trumpet, Jane Getz on piano, William Bennett on bass, and Marvin Patillo on percussion. Tracks include "Bethera" and "Seven by Seven".

A landmark recording – Albert Ayler's first album for the ESP label, and a record that hit the jazz world like a bullet! Spiritual Unity sets the stage for a format that would become huge in the European avant scene of the 70s, 80s, 90s, and even today – the sax-driven power-trio, tenor against bass and drums, working freely with less rhythmic constraints than before, searching for new sounds and new modes of expression, working through changes in a style first proposed by Sonny Rollins, but taken to new intensity by the New York underground of the 60s. That sound is summed up here perfectly by Ayler, Gary Peacock, and Sunny Murray – working together with an edgey brilliance, on classic tracks that include "Ghosts: First Variation", "Ghosts: Second Variation", "The Wizard", and "Spirits".

One of the greatest albums so far from mighty Chicago reedman David Boykin – and easily a set that lives up to the rich legacy of avant jazz in the Windy City! There's a depth to the record that comes through right from the very first note – a sense of history and feeling that shows just how much Boykin's developed as a player over the past decade or so – a tenorist with a done that's right up there with Archie Shepp or David Murray at their creative best – really stretching out on some wonderful solos that never fail to dim in imagination or new ideas. The group's a trio – with Alex Wing on bass and James Woodley on drums – which gives the recording an almost ESP Records sort of vibe – and Boykin's the shining star throughout, really knocking us over with his solos on the well-recorded set! Titles include "Blast Off For Love", "Walk Turn Bat Shimmy", "Try Harder", "Blue Lotus", "Star Book", and "Late Night With The David Boykin Trio Theme".

An evocative name for this hard-driving group – a trio that features Mikolaj Trzaska on alto and bass clarinet, Olie Brice on bass, and Mark Sanders on drums – all stretching out with very freewheeling energy over the space of this double-length set – often with tones that remind us of the sound of ESP Records in the 60s! The bass and drums definitely kick the power trio into action – but Trzaska's reed lines have this grounding depth that's wonderful – almost a spiritual feel at points, in ways that take us back to Sonny Simmons or Charles Tyler – both players who really knew how to find their space in a setting like this. Tracks are all quite long – and titles include "Kornic", "Riverloam", "Ostrich Season", and "Carnival Of Shapes".

A rough-edged batch of spiritual jazz tracks from trumpeter Charles "Cha Cha" Shaw (not to be confused with Charles "Bo Bo" Shaw) – recorded in an open-ended loft jazz mode with a really open, echoey feel! The album's a rare 70s jazz date on the Folkways label, and it's almost got the freer, open sound of an ESP session from a decade before – experimental jazz that's very much at the fringes, but also played with some of the spirituality of the post-Coltrane generation. Shaw's trumpet has a really earthy sort of feel – blown with a great sense of personality, and a sound that's almost heart-wrenching at times – especially on some of the more modal numbers. Other players include Brian Ross on tenor, Billy Lyes on piano and guitar, and Ronnie Boykins on bass. Boykins is really the only player we know here from other records – and titles include the nicely grooving "KZ", plus "Juggety", "Super Slik", and "Eternal".

Vintage work from this overlooked group from the New York scene of the 80s – an all-star lineup that features Ahmed Abdullah on trumpet, Marion Brown on alto sax, Billy Bang on violin, Sirone and Fred Hopkins on bass, and Andrew Cyrille on drums! The tracks are long, and there's a loose, open feel that recalls the loft jazz generation – but an overall sound that shows the new strength and focus that some of these players were really hitting at the time – that sharper vision that you'd get during the early years of Black Saint/Soul Note – yet presented here in a style that's much more spontaneous overall! Brown and Bang are especially nice – some of the sharpest corners of this sextet – and titles include a great reading of "Goodbye Porkpie Hate", plus "Joann's Green Satin Dress" and "Amanpondo".

Prime material from Cannonball and David Axelrod – and despite the biblical leanings of the title, the record is pretty darn funky! As they did for the Zodiac, Cannonball and Axelrod take a trip through a host of cultural milestones – stopping along the way to turn each one into a new pillar of soul, working with Rick Holmes, who narrates the set in the same way he did on the Zodiac albums. Brother Nat Adderley and George Duke are among the players in the album's very funky backing – and tracks include "Make Your Own Temple", "Amani", "Space Spiritual", "Eternal Walk", and "Gone". Oh for the days of the double LP concept jazz record!

One of the coolest, baddest, funkiest albums Cannonball Adderley ever recorded – a massive suite of tunes based on the signs of the Zodiac, produced to perfection by David Axelrod, and featuring some hip recitations from the mighty Rick Holmes! The double-length set is completely compelling all the way through – a darkly brooding batch of funky jazz that shows a strong Miles Davis electric influence at points, thanks to Nat Adderley's spacey trumpet lines, Mike Deasy's trippy guitar, and George Duke's excellent keyboards! Other tracks are a bit more laidback, fitting the mood of their respective signs – and overall, the whole thing slips and slides wonderfully from cut to cut – taking you through the star signs with a really righteous, soulful approach. Titles include "Cancer", "Sagittarius", "Pisces", "Aquarius", "Capricorn", "Virgo", "Taurus", "Aries", "Libra", and a special "Introduction".

One of the most hard-hitting albums ever cut by pianist Georges Arvanitas – an early effort that's all soul jazz all the way through! Although Arvanitas is best known as a committed modernist, especially in later years, this sweet early 60s session is a stone cooker in the best mode of Blue Note dates of the time – tight, swinging, and perfectly poised with just the right space for some excellent solos from Francois Jeanneau on tenor, Bernard Vitet on trumpet, and Arvanitas himself on piano – all grooving in a style that would make the Jazz Messengers proud, but also one that's got some key touches of postwar Parisian jazz too. Bass is by Michel Gaudry and drums are by Daniel Humair – and titles include "Oblivion", "This Here", "Poco Loco", "Bouncin With Bud", "Bohemia After Dark", and "Mister X".

Unreleased soul from Vince Broomfield – a singer and saxophone player with a warm and smooth style! The work here is all from private recordings of the late 80s and early 90s, and has a sound that echoes mainstream R&B of the period, but which is served up in a much more stripped-down approach overall – one that offers up some nice indie elements that help keep things fresh, especially on the album's mellow steppers! All tracks are original – and titles include "My Girl", "I've Been Watching You", "She's Gone", "I've Got You Back", "Just What The Doctor Ordered", and "Rain Rain Go Away".

A nice one from Badu – one with a depth of feeling and genuine soulful vibes that live up to its title, despite the fact that she records for one of the world's biggest media conglomerates! It's all about the vibe here. Erykah rolls her syllables, scats and emotes feelings more than an actual narrative in the strongest of these cuts. It's not that she's forgone lyrics; but it's all about the ambience, not radio sing-a-longs. She also dives head first into her organic soul and hip hop hybrid sound a little more sparingly, but still better than any of the ladies that followed her lead after Baduizm. She channels Donald Byrd on the great "Think Twice", which is pretty indicative of the vibe as a whole. The groove is sorta mellow, but in a very tripped-out way, with deep organ washes and synth tones, scratchy soul guitar, and crisp organic beats. There's an appearance by Dead Prez on "Steady On The Grind", and a really sweet old school flavored remake of the great "Love Of My Life" track from the Brown Sugar soundtrack with Queen Latifah and Bahamadia, but for the most part Erykah is sweating soul on her own spiritual plane here. It's gonna take a little while to sink in, but this may be her best album (despite whatever naysaying BS you may read in mainstream reviews.) Tracks include "Bump It", the great single "Danger", "Woo", "Back In The Day" and "I Want You".

A well-titled album from the legendary Derek Bailey – definitely a set that lives up to his tremendous reputation over the years! Bailey plays solo guitar here – working through a set of short improvised pieces, and coming up with sounds that are simply incredible – especially for an era when highly experimental records like this weren't often issued. Bailey's work on the strings of the guitar is far different than just about anyone before – and most players since – more sounds than notes, and often very abstract – but with a quality that all somehow makes sense – which is a great contrast to so many of the folks who tried to imitate this music in later years. The album's one of the best illustrations both of Bailey's mighty talents, and of the influence he had in following years – and it features 14 tracks, titled simply "M1", "M2", etc – all of them great!

One of the most soulful albums we've heard from Schema in many years – a brilliant batch of jazzy tracks from singer Andrea Balducci – served up with backing by a great lineup of players from both the Ricky Tick and Schema worlds! The core approach is jazz, but many of the songs are done with a very soulful approach – a style that's a bit like Mario Biondi, especially given Balducci's use of English throughout, and his raspy vocals – yet more 60s soul in the end, with a unified aesthetic that really holds strong over the course of the album. Players include Jukka Eskola on trumpet, Timo Lassy on tenor, Gaetano Partipilo on alto, and Luca Mannuzta on Fender Rhodes and piano – and titles include "Hurt So Bad", "Spooky", "Within Myself", "Big City", "I Just Dropped In", "Time Will Come", and "The Meaning Of Love".

A fantastic bit of jazz funk fusion – and one of the landmark 70s albums produced by Larry Mizell! This is Gary Bartz's second (and most amazing) collaboration with Larry Mizell – a studio genius who could focus on the best talent of a jazz artist, then expand it using additional keyboards, percussion, and often a sweet bank of chorus vocals to give the tracks an extra soulful sound! By the time of this album, Larry had already worked to great fame with Donald Byrd, Bobbi Humphrey, and Johnny Hammond – and the record has him turning his talents towards Gary Bartz to unlock a whole hidden side of soulful expression that would never be matched again! The title cut – "Music Is My Sanctuary" – is a jazz fusion classic in anyone's book, and it features characteristic Mizell keyboards alongside Gary's soulful sax, augmented by a deep vocal chorus that's simply fantastic. Other highlights include "Carnaval De L'Esprit" and "Macaroni" – and the whole album's nice!

Beautifully percolated grooves from Basic Soul Unit – spare and electronic, yet still surprisingly soulful too – almost like some of the gentler sounds that came around in the second generation of Chicago house, but informed by a 21st Century soul vibe as well! Most numbers have keyboards moving around beats in a really great way – and there's some acid electric touches that are subtle, but which bring a nice sort of retro energy to the set – some moogy brilliance that only gets better and better as the record moves on – almost with a Larry Heard feel in some of the best moments! Titles include "Let Go", "Backseat Lover", "Mind Forest", "Intersection", "All Over Me", "This", "Across The Room", and "Clouds".

Lots of earthy percussion here – especially on the leadoff 12" mix of "Alegria" – a flurry of bumping basslines and heady rhythms, peppered here and there with these echoes of older African grooves – almost drifting into the mix as if they're coming from a radio in the next room! The tune's also featured in a radio edit – and the flipside features the very percussion "Cuca (Manga Bo rmx)", which is almost a batucada cut at points – plus the heavier "Puxa (Beat Laden rmx)".

A bittersweet farewell from The Beatles – a record that definitely shows the fracturing unity of the group, with lots of near-solo moments – but a set that also makes us really wonder what they'd have done with all this genius, had they managed to hold it together! There's great hints here of the solo work to come – especially from George Harrison and John Lennon – and the Phil Spector production really helps open up a new sound for the group. Includes the genius cuts "I Dig A Pony", "Two Of Us", "Across The Universe", "I Me Mine", "One After 909", "For You Blue", and "Let It Be".

Tripped out electronics meet progressive rock jamming – all in a weird and wonderful film score from the early 70s! The record's one of the best by French experimentalist Philippe Besombes from the time – and it's got a style that sort of starts in the territory of Francois De Roubaix similar electronic work for film – but gets a lot darker and noisier right away! There's a textural depth here that's really great – almost a pre-industrial music exploration of sounds – but the work's also not that over-indulgent, either – and Besombes always has a great way of getting back to a tune, especially on the shorter tracks. Titles include "La Plage", "Rugby", "Ceremonie", "Hache 06", "La Ville", "Les Cosmonautes", "Tis A Song", "Boogimmick", and "PJF 261".

The oddball early 80s debut of The Big Boys – a slice of weirdness from the Austin, TX underground that paved the way for stylistically sprawling 80s punk and hardcore to come! One thing that sets The Big Boys apart is the bass sound, which is way up there in the mix. As paired with shredded-chord vocals and the brute force of the guitar and drums, the group had a really unique, nearly unprecedented sound. Oddball songs mixed with irascible punk attitude! This great reissue from Light In The Attic's Modern Classic imprint gives it the proper respect – with heavy vinyl, packaging and insert. Includes "Security", "TV", "I Don't Wanna Dance", "Identity Crisis", "Thin Line", "Advice", "Complete Control", "Work Without Pay", "Spit", "Act/Reaction", "Self-Contortion" and "Wise Up".

One of the rarer Ethiopian recordings we've heard from the 70s – and one of the most compelling, too! The sounds here are just as haunting as more familiar Ethiopian music, but also have a nicely unbridled feel too – almost a bit rough at times, especially in the way the rhythms unfurl – followed by snakey guitar lines, and these vocals that are richly expressive, but in a way that's quite different from the emotion of Anglo pop! The set's a great discovery of these rare sides from 1976 – and titles include "Siin Baarbaada", "Ishururuu", "Silaa Murtii Beeke", "Kophaa Koo", and "Ammalele".

A stone classic from Black Heat – the group's second album, and even tighter than their first! The group's size has dropped a bit between albums – but that only helps them cook even more – dropping a bit of the horn section from before, which allows even more emphasis on their razor-sharp rhythms! There's a slight hint of Afro Funk in some of the rhythms – and the keyboards cook with lots of sweet clavinet lines – mixed with a production style that features some bubbling electronic elements that remind us a lot of that crazy "magic bag" that was used by the Lafayette Afro-Rock Band. That group might be a good point of comparison, but the band also shares a lot of Kool & The Gang's ensemble funk style – especially on their cover of "Love The Life You Live" – which they burn here beautifully! Other tracks include "Super Cool", "M&M's", "Rapid Fire", "You Should Have Listened", "Times Have Changed", and "Check It All Out".

Blowfly changes up his groove nicely for the 80s – taking on a tightly-stepping approach to funk that's clearly inspired by some of the changes on the west coast scene – using Zapp-ish rhythms in a mode that ends up working pretty darn well for his off-color spoken lyrics! There's almost a P-Funk quality to the record – especially as the themes get a bit more political and current events-ish than usual – trading the easy sex jokes for some other comic fare on tunes that include "Convoy", "Blowfly Vs. Darth Vadar", "The Incredible Fulk", and "The Insects Theme".

The best album so far from this up-and-coming Colombian group – a great mix of rootsy elements and more electronic production – served up in the forward-reaching style we've come to love in recent projects from the Soundway label! Bomba Estereo are easily one of the most contemporary groups to hit the imprint of late – and they've got no trouble at all moving between upbeat, soulful styles and more earthy levels of instrumentation – all fused together with the kind of warmth and joy we might expect in some of the older productions from Luaka Bop, but with a bit more edge too. Titles include "Bosque", "Bailar Conmigo", "Pa Respirar", "Mozo", "Pajaros", "Pure Love", and "Caribbean Power".

One of the youngest groups of the zydeco wave of the 70s – and one of the grooviest too! The group's got a solid swing and sense of soul that goes beyond most of their contemporaries – almost a deeper current of blues at most points, especially in the guitar – and even in some of the accordion, which can come across like a harmonica at points! Titles include "Mama", "La La Waltz", "Sugar Cane Patch", "Country Boy", "SB 5", and "SAM".

The monumental debut of BT Express – and an excellent funk album that often gets overlooked by fans of the music because of the band's bigger fame as a disco group! This first record has the combo grooving hard and instrumentally – in the mode of a tight blacksploitation soundtrack, with plenty of tight wah wah guitar riffing, conga beats, and funky flute and sax – topped off by just the right amount of strings to make the set soar even more! The album's best known for the title track "Do It (Til You're Satisfied)" – which was a big hit, but is still an excellent groover – and the set also includes loads of other great cuts too – like "Express", which was the original song that the created the JBs' response track "Monorail"; "This House is Smokin'", which has lots of funky descending horn bits; and other great tunes that include "Mental Telepathy", "If It Don't Turn You On", and "Do You Like It".

Classic soul jazz material from trumpeter Donald Byrd – one of his most sinister (and most rare) albums for Blue Note! The group's a quintet, with frequent bandmate Pepper Adams on baritone, Duke Pearson on piano, and Philly Joe Jones on drums – all grooving with some of the tightness heard on other Adams/Byrd dates, but also a warmer, more open-ended approach to the music, especially on the solos! The tracks slink along with a dark little groove – and although Pearson's piano is often sweetly lyrical, it also has a nice hard sound that works well with the sharp-edged horn lines of Byrd and Adams. The album's very much in the vein of the pair's work on the Warwick label during the same time – and with excellent compositions that include "Say You're Mine", "Duke's Mixture", "The Cat Walk", and "Hello Bright Sunflower".

Sweet electric funk – in a very trippy style! Before Donald Byrd hooked up with Larry Mizell and started recording his smooth fusion grooves of the mid 70's, he recorded this gem – kind of a "lost" album that has Donald working in an open-ended electric sound – one that's clearly inspired by the experiments of Miles Davis, but which has a generally funkier feel overall! The tracks are very long – with lots of spiralling keyboard and trumpet solos – and the hip players on the set include Bobby Hutcherson, David T Walker, Wilton Felder, and Harold Land. We love the tracks on this set – especially "The Emperor" and "The Little Rasti", which are both over 15 minutes long, and have a haunting spacey sound that's a departure from Donald's usual work!

Sublime minimal sounds from Italian composer Robert Cacciapaglia – a record we'd rank right up there with the 70s best from Terry Riley, Steve Reich, and Philip Glass! Cacciapaglia follows in a tradition begun by other Italian modernists – like Giusto Pio and Franco Battiatto – but he also adds in phase-oriented playing that really opens things up – a beautifully lyrical vibe that's probably most close to Terry Riley in its hypnotic swell, but which is carried off here through complicated variations of strings, woodwinds, electronics, marimba, and some especially great vocal passages! The cover's as wonderful as the music – and the whole thing's a set we've treasured for years.

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

Amazing work from John Carpenter – still a dedicated soundtrack composer long into his film career – and always a master of spare, spooky electronics! The instrumentation here is a bit evolved from some of his earliest classics – different keyboards and electronics developed during the 80s – but the overall approach is still very similar, and co-performed with Allan Howarth, who always gives Carpenter's music the right sort of careful balance! Carpenter does a lot with just a little – never making things overblown, especially in the way that some of his contemporaries might do – and titles include "Transient Hotel", "Wake Up", "Underground", "A Message", "Return To Church", and "The Siege Of Justiceville". This limited edition on orange & black vinyl comes with an exclusive 12 x 12 lithograph & a poster of the cover art.

The legendary 1970 recordings Alex Chilton made at Ardent Studios – recorded in a brief moment after the bust up of the Box Tops and before the debut of Big Star – and a truly powerful precursor to that most iconic of soulful Memphis rock acts! For the longest time, the 1970 sessions were something of a rock & roll holy grail – having been oft-discussed, if rarely heard, by Chilton and Big Star diehards. In the mid 90s, Ardent Records finally released the heart of this collection as 1970 – and here it's done up with even more love and respect by Omnivore, which over the course of just a handful of releases has become one of the very best deep digging reissuers of great, should-be classic soul & rock treasures. The vibe swings from stripped down, soulful rock that sometimes flirts with country rock – those songs featuring gruff, bluesy vocals from Chilton that belie his actual youth, just as greatly as his vox for The Box Tops – to gentler soul pop numbers that truly prefigure the Big Star sound to come. 12 tracks on the vinyl version – plus great liner notes by Bob Mehr, a living encyclopedia of Memphis musical knowledge. Includes "Free Again (Original Mono Mix)", "Come On Honey", "Something Deep Inside", "I Can Dig It", "The EMI Song (Smile For Me)", "Every Day As We Grow Closer/Funky National", "I Wish I Could Meet Elvis", "All We Ever Got From Them Was Pain", "All I Really Want Is Money", "Jumpin' Jack Flash" and more.

Dark and moody folk-psych from the American underground – a record once included on a list of "Top Ten Records Most Likely To Be Owned By A Serial Killer"! We're not sure if the set's as nasty as that might imply – as there's actually a heartfelt, almost earnest quality to the vocals – a slightly bluesy undercurrent, mixed with acoustic and electric guitar riffs – and almost spoken at times – or maybe not spoken, kind of "exclaimed" – as if the lyrics were coming to singer Thorn Oehrig right at the time he was recording them! All this makes for a great sense of reflection on the record – quite different than the posturing you might normally get on such a record – especially given that some of the tunes get really tripped out, with some really weird guitar parts. The set was recorded in 1980, but really feels like some lost biker psyche outsider set from the late 60s or early 70s – with heavy themes of drugs, death, and loneliness – all recorded with a rough-edged quality that further underscores the feelings in the music. Titles include "Limousine Ride", "Billy Bad Billy", "Red Dog", "Old Charlie Polecat", "Old Time Feeling", "How Long", and "Just For Today".

One of the holy grails of the Spaced Out club music scene! Patrick Adams produced and arranged (and wrote and probably performed) this stunning set of spacey club grooves with a cool electronic feel, and a nice sense of mid to up-tempo rhythms. Includes the classic "Atmospheric Strut", one of the moogiest tracks around, plus the classics "Spaced Out" and "Disco Juice". All cuts are great, though, and the album's also got a good soul sound that often gets overlooked, especially on the cut "Doin' It All Night Long". A great one, and on the rare P&P label!

A slightly sweeter version of Cluster than on previous records – a bit more focused, tuneful, and rhythmic – thanks to some great use of the "rhythmusmaschine"! Most numbers here have a slightly pulsating feel – one that really prefaces the electronic modes that would come from the UK at the end of the decade, especially the best work of the Sheffield scene. Cluster here show the way brilliantly – taking the longer jams of earlier years, and honing them down into simple melodies and rhythms – yet still delivered with a fair bit of edge throughout, and not nearly as much of the softness that would characterize later work by Moebius or Roedelius. Tracks include "Hollywood", "Caramel", "James", "Rote Riki", "Fotschi Tong", and "Marzipan".

The mellower of Lyn Collins' two albums for the People label – but still pretty darn fantastic! At some level, it seems like Lyn's taking on the rest of the soul industry – showing them that she can kick some major booty on her interpretations of hits like "Backstabbers", "If You Don't Know Me By Now", "Try A Little Tenderness", and "Mr Big Stuff", which is one of her best funky tracks ever, and better than Jean Knight's original! She also shines extremely well on the original cuts, though – especially the funky classic "Rock Me Again & Again & Again", plus the often-overlooked mellow soul groovers "To Each His Own", "Put It On The Line", and "How Long Can I Keep It Up". Production by James Brown, of course!

Swirling spiritual work from Alice Coltrane – an incredible trio album that features her heavily on harp, plus a bit of piano – in a trio with Ron Carter on bass and Rashied Ali on drums! The sound is wonderful – lush, yet contemplative – in a personal style that really shows Alice beginning to express herself in new modes after the death of The Great One. The us of harp is especially incredible – handled here with a sense of majesty that really leaves us breathless, and which goes far beyond other use of that instrument in jazz. And even Alice's piano is surprisingly nice – with these mellow, earthy undertones that bubble at the bottom and ground the whole effort on earthly territory. Titles include "Turiya", "HIS", "Jaya Jaya Rama", and "Via Sivanadagar".

Way more than just a simple version of work from Porgy & Bess – and instead, a key collaboration between Miles Davis and Gil Evans – done with a sound that really transforms the tunes! True, the work here is all based on George Gershwin's original compositions – but through his inventively modern arrangements, Gil Evans really pushes the familiar numbers to a whole new place – and Miles glides over the top with some especially shimmering solos! Titles include "Summertime", "The Buzzard Song", "I Loves You, Porgy", and "Fishermen, Strawberry, & Devil Crab".

Great grooves from Debo Band – a contemporary combo, but one who's steeped in older Ethiopian modes – particularly the best 70s sounds inspired by artists like Mulatu, Mohammad Ahmed, and Tilahun Gessesse! The album may well be the funkiest set ever issued by Sub Pop – and has a hard-rolling power that rivals classic sounds you might hear on the Ethiopiques series – sent home especially well by the sax lines of Danny Mekonnen, and amazing vocals of Bruck Tesfaye – an artist who's really got his sound just right! Other instrumentation is right on the money, with some occasional touches of funkier elements – but usually just the right sort of classic Ethiopiano percussion, horns, and strings to make the music come out beautifully. Titles include "And Lay", "Asha Gedawo", "Habesha", "Abassel", "DC Flower", "Not Just A Song", "Ney Ney Weleba", and "Akale Wube".

A great blend of early rock and monster movie aesthetics from The Dynamic Del-Aires – a north New Jersey group who only cut a handful of singles, but also managed a key appearance in The Horror of Party Beach before fading away into obscurity! Despite that short time in the record racks, though – the group is totally great – a combo that almost blows away the best of the Northwest, and certainly has their same sort of raw, rocking, instrumental-heavy approach – although some numbers also feature some cool vocals too! This package brings together the rare singles, the movie tracks, and even some unissued live and demo tracks too – all in a beautiful-looking package with lots of photos of the group in action. Titles include "Drag", "So Far So Long", "Zombie Stomp", "The Crawl", "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow", "Berserk", "Treble Rock", "Sing Sing Sing", "Someplace Else", and even a "Horror Of Party Beach" movie trailer!

A long-overdue recognition of the blues contributions of Willie Dixon – a set that pulls him out of the indie ghetto and pushes him firmly into the mainstream with this key release on Columbia Records! Yet despite that placement, the style is nicely down home – a strong recreation of older Chicago blues modes by producer Abner Spector – one that has Willie singing versions of his classic tunes like "Back Door Man", "The Seventh Son", "Little Red Rooster", "I'm Your Hoochie Coochie Man", and "The Same Thing".

A sparkling live performance from this West African group of the 70s – an ensemble who hail from Guinea-Bissau, but share most of the best elements of Mali music from the time! The guitar work on these tunes is wonderfully deft – sometimes so quick-fingered and locked in with the rhythms, it feels like another instrument entirely – really matching the pulse of the ensemble's call-response vocals, which are also a really appealing aspect of the music! The sound is bright – West African music on its way to big exposure in the next decade – yet still nice and rootsy, and very spontaneous too – especially on the album's longer tracks. Titles include "Mortos Nega", "Julia", "Sociedade De Malandros", "Tamanco", and "Festival".

A sparkling live performance from this West African group of the 70s – an ensemble who hail from Guinea-Bissau, but share most of the best elements of Mali music from the time! The guitar work on these tunes is wonderfully deft – sometimes so quick-fingered and locked in with the rhythms, it feels like another instrument entirely – really matching the pulse of the ensemble's call-response vocals, which are also a really appealing aspect of the music! The sound is bright – West African music on its way to big exposure in the next decade – yet still nice and rootsy, and very spontaneous too – especially on the album's longer tracks. Titles include "Mortos Nega", "Julia", "Sociedade De Malandros", "Tamanco", and "Festival".

Sublime spiritual soul from Dyson's Faces – a mid 70s east coast group headed by singer/songwriter Clifton Dyson, an ensemble that was equally well suited to uptempo groovers and mellow harmony soul! The vocals here are especially great – handled beautifully by the group with an earnest, honest quality that reminds us a lot of the harmony soul coming out of the Philly and New Jersey scenes a few years before, but which is presented here with a professional approach that only adds to the sweetness of the lyrics. Most numbers step along in a mellow or midtempo mode – with the vocals lifting beautifully up alongside full arrangements – and the more uptempo tracks hit kind of an ensemble funk style that still also works great with the group's approach. Tracks are all originals, and include the spacey "Wait A Minute Girl", which also has a great monologue – plus "We're Two Fools In Love", "Ole Jose What You Gonna Say Today", "Happy Days Again", "Welcome To All This Love Again", and "Don't Worry About The Joneses".

The second incredible album from Dyson's Faces – one of those underground 70s groups that should have been huge! The set's got a soaring sound that's even more righteous than the group's debut – a quality that glows wonderfully with the quartet's mix of male and female voices – a sound that almost reminds us a bit of Voices Of East Harlem at times. Backing is by the Hard Times Band – a tight combo who groove hard on the more uptempo numbers, and lay back nicely on the mellower ones – just throwing in some licks here and there on guitar or keyboards next to the warmer harmony vocals. The voices are an especially great part of the record, and really sparkle with a sound that's even fresher than most other groups from the time – a sound that shows that Dyson's Faces wasn't just one of those funk groups who happened to also be able to sing – but a strongly committed soul outfit who really put a lot of energy into their music! Titles include "This Time It's Gotta Be Love" in both vocal and instrumental versions – plus "Till I've Got This Feelin Of Love", "Try Me Baby", "You & Me", "Working My Way To Something Better", and "Cry Sugar" – as well as "Welcome To All This Love Again" and "Don't Worry About The Jones", which both appeared on the group's first album.

Strings are king in this rare set from guitarist Herb Ellis and jazz violinist Stuff Smith – a date that's possibly more on Stuff's side of the spectrum, but which comes during a short by great run of Ellis work for Epic in the early 60s! Tracks are longer than you might expect – especially for a Smith session – with an open feel that's got an almost Verve-like energy. Ellis gets some great open solos on the date, and Stuff vocalizes on two tracks in this cool raspy way – and titles include "Skip It", "Blues For Janet", "Get Acquainted Blues", and "Hillcrest".

A totally great little group – actually a quartet instead of a quintet, and one who work with the tight energy of some of the best Brazilian jazz combos of the bossa nova generation! The sound here isn't exactly bossa, but the groove is characterized by the same tight work on the drums you'd find in hard bossa jazz – and the piano has this wonderfully fluid quality – more than able to keep up with the rhythms, but also taking off in its own lyrical ways too! The set also features a bit of alto and tenor, pushed forward by these warm rolling basslines – and titles include "Zimbo Samba", "Nightingale", "Muita A Vontade", "Se Voce Pensa", "Fiesta Espagnole", and "Clouds".

A killer array of funky grooves from Fela Kuti – served up in a 6LP box set, with records chosen by Ginger Baker! Baker's a key choice to work on the set – given his famous recordings with Fela, heard here on the album's leadoff record – Fela & Ginger Baker Live! Next up is Roforofo Fight – an early full-length Fela LP, filled with 4 tight groovers that stand with his best work! "Go Slow" begins with this mad trumpet solo that you'll recognize from a famous sample, especially as it mixes in with keyboards; "Roforofo Fight" is a fast-time groover that has the drums working overtime to keep up with the political power of the cut. Confusion features a monster 26 minute track – and it begins with Sun Ra Arkestra-like washes of sound and spaciness, before leaping into a bass-heavy groove that provides a perfect platform for heavy jamming and vamping by the band. Alagbon Close is a lesser-known 70s session from Fela – but a great one too, and a record that captures the Africa 70 group at all their early raw best! Tracks are both very long – stretching for a side of the record apiece – and the title track "Alagbon Close" features some amazing keyboard lines on the intro, all tinny and thin – and done with this other-worldly almost Sun Ra-like quality! The other tune, "I Get No Eye For Back", also has some amazing electric piano too – but intertwined with some very strong horn work from the group! He Miss Road brings back Ginger Baker – who's producing the group, and gives them a sweet progressive vibe. Titles include "He Miss Road", "Monday Morning In Lagos", and "It's No Possible". Last up is the Na Poi album, with two long cuts cuts – "Na Poi" and "You No Go Die Unless"! Both have a freer feel than usual, with heavy percussion added into the usual mix of keyboards and sax solos. All records in original cover art, too!

The first full length for The Five Americans – a great set of mid 60s heartland rock by a group that could deliver raucous garagey nuggets, sweeter harmonies, and jangly pop tunes – with equal excellence! The group vocals are fantastic, and it's especially impressive that they could handle organ and heavy drums drenched rockers and groovy pop vocals at the same time. These five fellas should be much better remembered! Includes the killer title track "The Losing Game", "Goodbye", "The Train", "it's A Crying Shame", "I Know They Lie", "Twist And Shout", "I'm So Glad", "The Outcast" and more. Reissued for the first time in mono here by Sundazed – and it sounds great!

A gem of a record from the same Pernambuco early 70s scene that gave us Lula Cortes, Ze Ramalho, Geraldo Azevedo, and Alceu Valenca! This obscure little set has lots of the earthier tones that showed up in work by the above artists – a style that mixes folksy touches with bits of psychedelia – kind of a north east answer to the growing sound from the Minas Geraes generation around Milton Nascimento. Many of the tunes here are fairly mellow – building slowly with an honest, earthy integrity – and mostly relying on acoustic instrumentation to carry the gentle poetry of the lyrics, but still coming across with enough of an edge to appeal to fans of stronger South American rock. Titles include "Canto Funebre", "O Tempo", "Noite", "Desespero", "Cancao De Outono", "Do Amigo", and "Romance Da Lua Lua".

A legendary bit of funk, from one of the most overlooked guitarists ever! George Freeman's got a sound and a style unlike any other player we can think of – an approach to funky guitar that's often got a really hard touch on the strings, and which gets nice and noisy at the best funky moments. Freeman's probably best known for the few obscure records he cut with Groove Holmes, but this album's his out and out masterpiece – a rare one-off session cut in the funky Philly scene and supervised by DJ Sonny Hopson – and featuring a rare mix of players that includes Cesar Frazier on organ and Charles Earland on Arp! The mix of organ and Arp is really incredible – especially on the side-long jammer "Franticdiagnosis", which runs for nearly 20 minutes, and is one of the most messed-up funky jazz jams of the 70s! Other players include Von Freeman on tenor sax and Dave Hubbard on alto flute – and the album features the legendary jazz dance track "The Bump", plus the cuts "Free-Man" and "God Bless The Child".

A legendary record – and one that's well worth all the anticipation it's gotten over the years! The set features rare, previously unreleased material done by Funkadelic during their classic years at Westbound Records – some songs, and some studio jams – of the sort the group were famous for, especially during their time at Westbound! The songs are totally great – massively funky numbers that rank right up there with classics of the Cosmic Slop years – and the jams are almost even better, a rare opportunity to hear the genius collective at work in the studio – without any edits at all to get in the way! We'd easily rank this set right up there with Free Your Ass or America Eats Its Young – and after years of waiting, it's great to have this wonderful collection finally out for the masses! Songs include "Heart Trouble", "Talk About Jesus", and "The Goose That Laid The Golden Egg" – and jams include "Vampy Funky Bernie" and "Slide On In".

A landmark collaboration between Serge Gainsbourg and actress Jane Birkin – his paramour at the time, and a much younger woman! The pair come together beautifully here in a set of sensuous duets – tunes that have an open, honest approach to the relations between the sexes – yet never in any sort of cliched late 60s hippie-esque ways. This album is perhaps the archetypal Gainsbourg erotic effort – and it's filled with wonderful duets set to breathy, bouncy orchestrations – tunes that forged a whole new "adult" level in pop music – not just in France, but around the globe! The arrangements are amazing, and feature some of the weirdest instrumentation ever heard on a pop record – especially one that was as successful as this. Backings are by Athur Greenslade – and titles include the classic "69 Annee Erotique" and "Je T'Aime Moi Non Plus", plus "Jane B", "Elisa", "Orang Outan", "Les Sucettes", and "Manon".

An overlooked chapter in the Zapp/Roger story of the 80s – the only album ever issued by vocalist Bad Bobby Glover! Roger Produced, and there's plenty of Zapp talent on hand for the record, too – which means that the overall groove is heavy on the kind of funky basslines, electrified keyboards, and tight rhythms you'd expect – all put together at a level that's especially got the sharp focus of the first few Zapp albums! Glover's a great vocalist for the project – one who slides in perfectly with the groove, making his voice fit just like a key element in the rhythms – which makes for a very groove-heavy set overall. Titles include "What Kind Of Lady", "Bright Skies Sunny Days", "I Love You", "It's My Turn", "Your Spell", "So Mean", "Happy", and "I Can't Stand the Pain".

Sweet guitars, creepy keyboards, and even a bit of funk from time to time – all wrapped up beautifully in this vintage horror soundtrack from Goblin! There's a bit less rock here than on other Goblin albums – and instead, there's almost a John Carpenter-like sense of spareness that comes through especially well in the keyboards – with some great moody numbers that step along in a slowly-building style, almost like the best of 70s cop show work – moving the group past some of their more rockish or jamming postures. The spare, minimal approach only seems to make things spookier than before – and titles include "Vibrazioni", "Metamorfosi", "Visioni", "Patrick", and "Transmute".

One of the grooviest albums on the legendary International Artists label – a set that's as psychedelic and experimental as most of the others in the imprint, but also pretty darn tuneful as well! Golden Dawn have a nicely stretched-out approach to their music – one that lets the songs build up slowly, then really pack a punch as their catchier hooks come into play. There's a bit of a late 60s SF rock quality to the record – especially when the vocals get a bit wild – and the guitars ring out nicely with a great rough-edged sound. Titles include "Starvation", "This Way Please", "Evolution", "My Time", "A Nice Surprise", "Tell Me Why", "Reaching Out To You", and "Seeing Is Believing".

A dozen hard early 60s Latin numbers – performed by Rene Grand and his combo, with some occasional vocals by Frankie Rodriguez – but also a number of great instrumentals with a sweet jazzy finish! The groove is very strong, with lots of mambo jazz in the mix, and a hard New York groove that really keeps the set lively – especially on the numbers that feature some smoking sax work! There's a bit of charanga moderna playing by the group, which creates some cool rhythms on the best cuts – and the album's a very unified session overall. Titles include "Cool", "Go Go Mambo", "Siga La Gente", "Sabroson", "Chacho", "Ahora No Pare", and "Going Cha Cha".

Smooth 80s soul from Billy Griffin – formerly of The Miracles, but emerging here as a solo artist on his own, with a strong bid for stardom, dressed in a slick narrow-tie linen-jacket-with-collar-turned-up 80s stab at crossover fashion! Billy's voice is a lot better than his choice of outfit, though – and he's got a smooth style that mixes in a bit of falsetto with deeper vocals, keeping things pretty real on top of the synth/bass pedal grooves that make up the backing. Tracks include "Respect", "Serious", "So Many Ways", "Don't Ask Me To Be Friends", and "Dreaming".

Lost European jazz recordings from the vaults of producer Gigi Campi – and a stellar batch of non-US material with Johnny Griffin at the lead – working in the company of Clarke/Boland compatriots who include Benny Bailey, Sahib Shihab, Jimmy Woode, Idrees Sulieman, and Milt Jackson! Despite the "Bags" in the title, Milt's only on a few tracks – but that's fine with us, because Johnny Griffin is the main attraction – and the material is good small group sides with Griff soloing and trading lines with players like Sulieman and Bailey, or with some of the other players on their own. The recordings are different than the usual breed of Johnny Griffin European recordings – most of which have him soloing with a piano quartet on extended tracks. On this release, most of the tracks are short, hard, and very nicely swinging with a good hard bop groove – as with the best of Griffin's Riverside and Blue Note recordings. Kenny Clarke's on drums on nearly all the material, and he pulls out his bop chops to drive Griff's hard solos as fast as he can. The set's a great batch of work, with excellent notes and photos, and some great playing all around. Cuts include "Gamal Sady 'n Em", "Foot Patting", "Lady Heavy Bottom's Waltz", "Blues For K", "Muvaffak's Pad", "The Girl & The Turk", and "Gyson's Bag". 16 cuts in all, and none of them are from the Griffin/Davis LP on MPS (just in case you thought to ask!)

Guttorm Guttormsen certainly isn't a household name around these parts – but with music this great, that certainly might change! The set brings together material from two rare 70s sessions by this Norwegian reedman – both of which feature him on soprano sax and flute, alternating between each instrument with a really sweet sound – stretching out soulfully with a searching sort of quality, but never in the overdone way of some of his contemporaries on the European scene. The rhythms are equally great – often quite blocky and modal – with a building sort of energy that really matches Guttormsen's solos, and which have made both of these records sought after by groovehounds in recent years. Players include either Brynjulf Blix or Rune Kakegg on piano, Jorgen Naess or Espen Rud on drums, and Carl Morten Iversen on bass – and the LP version features the most groove-heavy tracks from the two LPs Soturnudi and Albufeira – "Daimi", "Sol Fa", "Ny Latin", "Soturnudi", "I Ro Og Mak", "Sang Til En Katt", and "Sors Samba".

A deep and worthy first volume of unreleased Early Takes from George Harrison – one of most spiritually-minded people to ever become a rock & roll star – and here's some of his best songs stripped to the bare, real essentials! Firstly, we must say that this set does right by George and honors his legacy – compiled by Giles Martin (son of Beatles producer George Martin), who was granted access to Harrison's personal tapes by Olivia Harrison and the family. Secondly, it's great to hear the songs in something of a root form, especially the ones that got the grand Phil Spector Wall Of Sound treatment back in the day! It's got demos and otherwise unheard versions of his best-known early solo material, and stripped down takes of some his later songs. Most of it centers around George's emotion-steeped vocals and acoustic guitars, with other stripped-down accompaniment, though nothing nearly as huge as Phil Spector's All Things Must Pass production. Includes demo versions of "My Sweet Lord", "Run Of The Mill", Dylan's "Mama You Been On My Mind", "Behind The Locked Door", "All Things Must Pass" and "The Light That Has Lighted The World", plus early takes of "I'd Have You Any Time", "Woman Don't You Cry For Me" and "Awaiting On You All".

A beautiful early 70s psych folk set from the angelic vocal and songwriting duo of Pat Gefell and Jo D Andrews – their Refuge album for Ovation in 1973 – highlighted by their gorgeous vocals, but committed with lovely, lightly soaring arrangements! Save for a solid cover of the Elton John/Bernie Taupin penned "Sixty Years On", Gefell and Andrews wrote the songs here, and it's remarkably strong stuff! The duo vocals and harmonies are especially sweet. The Chicago-based production wisely leaves ample space in the arrangements for them to sort of loosely, emotively embellish with their voices – with string arrangements by co-producer George Andrews and an impressive roster of session players including bassist Phil Upchurch, drummer Don Simmons and percussionist Bobby Christian. Includes "Jenny", "Voice In The Wind", "To A Flame", "Tomorrow Is A Long Time", "Refuge", "Song For Craig", "A Light Is Shining", "Feel The Spirit" and more. Heavy vinyl and cover – and features a great insert with notes!

A heady power trio, with a sound that's a lot more heavy than you'd guess from the cover! These guys come across looking like they might be a soft rock harmony group, but instead they wail away beautifully with a pre-metal sort of sound – lots of full, fierce rhythms and fuzzed-up guitar – very lean and mean, and quite uncharacteristic for the RCA label at the time. Solos are especially burning – right up there with Sabbath at the time – and believe it or not, the guys actually do harmonize a bit on the lyrics too! Titles include "Lazy Woman", "Mystery Rider", "Fifteen", "All I Need", "Promotion Man", and "Bells".

Kelly Hogan makes a huge step up to Anti- – home to fellow traveler Neko Case and some of her heroes and heroines, from Mavis Staples and Bettye Lavette to Booker T and Tom Waits – and with I Like To Keep Myself In Pain, Kelly's made a better record for Anti- than any of them! If you're unacquainted with Kelly Hogan (which is forgivable if you're not a Chicagoan...maybe), she's always singing and performing, though rarely recording – for herself, anyway. Not only is Hogan's first new album in years near-perfect, she makes it sound easy! A love for country soul and the best kinds of 60s vocal pop inform the style, but she makes it all her own – and that's especially impressive given the diverse crop of songwriters she interprets. Truly one of best albums from a solo singer in recent years – in any genre! Booker T, Dap-King Gabriel Roth, and longtime Hogan-friend Scott Ligon play on the record, and songs include "Dusty Groove" (it's not about us, though if it's possible to be flattered by a coincidence, we'll take it), "We Can't Have Nice Things", "Daddy's Little Girl", "Golden", "Ways Of This World", "Plant White Roses", "Whenever You're Out Of My Sight", "Pass On By" and more.

Quite an amazing little record – and one that definitely lives up to its title! The set's one of the most intimate ever recorded by Lightning Hopkins – done in a style that's equally folk as it is blues – with Hopkins playing guitar and singing, but in a very relaxed, laidback style that also feels more conversational at points – especially when he breaks out from singing to do a bit of speaking. The approach is wonderful – just right for the aging talents of this legendary Texas musician – on cuts that include "The Gambling Life", "Mama & Papa Hopkins", "Trouble In Mind", "Get Off My Toe", "75 Highway", "Short Haired Woman", "So Long Baby", and "Bottle Up & Go".

A killer album of funky blues – recorded by Howlin Wolf during the period when Chess/Cadet was backing its older artists up with some of the newer funk musicians it had working in its studios! The overall sound works quite well – and although purists at the time moaned at the way artists like Wolf, Etta James, and Bo Diddley were being handled (especially with a "we know better than them" message on the cover like this!), the funky blues records from this time actually seem to be some of the most enduring from Chess – especially with younger listeners in the 21st Century! A big part of the success here goes to producers Charles Stepney and Gene Barge – who helped bring together a younger batch of players for Wolf's backing – including Pete Cosey and Phil Upchurch on guitars, Louis Satterfield on bass, and Morris Jennings on drums. Titles include "Spoonful", "Tail Dragger", "Smokestack Lightning", "Red Rooster", "Evil", and "Down In The Bottom".

``A heady set from mid 70s South Korea – the debut album from a mighty edgey little trio! The album's not nearly as psych as some of the other Korean efforts from the period – as the group's got a tight groove on most numbers, with a definite funk influence on the drums and bass – mixed nicely with heavy use of fuzz guitar, and Shin's weirdly soulful vocals! The set's not really a funk album, but it's not really funky rock either – kind of a unique hybrid, and a very original little set – especially when you throw the oddness of the Korean vocals into the mix. Titles include "Lady", "I Do Not Know", "Rising Sun", "I Love You", "Long Long Night", and "I Think There Was Someone Else".

Psychedelic, folksy, and a tremendous lost set from the French scene of the early 70s – the standout full length set from the duo of Bernard Ilous and Patrice Decuyper, two very hip cats who really blow our minds with this set! There's some folksy elements here – so we might be a bit tempted to call the set "acid folk" – but the record's also more strongly linked to a tradition of some of the hipper singer/songwriter French work of the era – that great wave of creativity that burst forth after the tighter pop constraints of the 60s. Most instrumentation here features guitars – electric and acoustic – interwoven with gently sonic support – in ways that are never rocking, but also never sleepy – just very concerned with the right sort of sound to support the airy vocals that dominate the set. Titles include "Cor Bucolique", "Nuit De Glace", "Non", "Cyclothymie", "Melancolie", "Berceuse", and "Beurk".

Quite possibly our favorite-ever album by the Impressions! The record is a key transitional one – and it has them opening up the politics that were often hidden by spiritual metaphors on earlier ABC albums, into a righteous soul groove that hints a lot at the overblown direction Curtis Mayfield would take in the 70s, yet which still retains all the tightness of the group's earlier work. Nearly every single cut's a classic – and the group outdid themselves vocally, especially Curtis, who always makes our heart break on this one! Donny Hathaway and Johnny Pate handled the arrangements, and tracks include "Choice Of Colors", "The Girl I Find", "Mighty Mighty (Spade & Whitey)", "Soulful Love", and "Seven Years".

A selection of beats from four contemporary forces working on the Norwegian scene – J-Ramm, Kolon Productions, Clark F, and The Nutsons! The last are the only ones here we've heard before – from a great single we used to stock many years ago – and each artist has a different approach to their work. J-Ramm mixes laidback beats with a more pronounced hip hop style – especially on tracks that feature work from Frank N Dank, Shawn Jackson, or Illa J. Kolon Productions are heavy on hip hop too – but also have a pretty great ear for unusual sounds – staying straight on tunes with work by Baatin or Super Smash Brothers, then hitting mellower, almost soundtracky modes on instrumental cuts. The Nutsons are a bit more beat heavy than we remember, but have also lost none of their sense of whimsy either – especially in the playful turntable work that really makes their tunes bristle. Clark F's another newcomer to our ears – and his work here features guest contributions from Loys Doy, Onkl P, and Toby Tones. 32 tracks in all – and a great way to sample a heck of a lot of beats from overseas!

The return of a legend – or maybe more accurately, the first time this legend's ever really gotten his due! Ralph Jackson's been working in the Alabama soul underground for decades – yet this smoking album may well be the first time he's ever really gotten out front, and able to do his thing – working with a tight group of younger musicians who really respect the southern soul vibe that Ralph's going for – and help him hit a really great sound in the process! The set's a soul record through and through – not one of these modern funk workouts with an old singer thrown into the mix – but the kind of old school album you'd hear from Malaco or Criteria Studios – particularly during that point when deep soul was growing up in the 70s. Production and arrangements are right on the money – and all tunes are written by Jackson, save for one totally great cover of The Ides Of March classic "Vehicle"! Other titles include "You've Been Very Good To Me", "Searching", "For Just One Second", "I Can't Leave Your Love Alone", "I'll Take Care Of You", and "There Must Be A Reason".

One of the most fantastic albums by the JBs – a masterpiece of funky jamming, tight instrumentation, and that free yet tight style of the James Brown 70s years! The tracks are longer than on some of the earlier singles – especially the 8 minute jammer "(It's Not The Express) It's the JBs Monourail", an answer to BT Express' theme song, and a fantastic cut that's held up through so many years and so many scenes! Another great jammer is the group's version of "Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself", which runs for nearly 10 minutes – plus spacey funk tracks "Transmogrification" and "Taurus, Aires, & Leo", and the tighter jammer "Soul Funky Train", which returns to the group's funky 45 mode. Fantastic all around – and the kind of record you'll be playing for your grand kids!

Damn damn damn – maybe the funkiest album ever from Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings! The group have always been great, but there's something here that goes even farther than usual – an especially funky snap on the drums at the bottom, even on more laidback tunes – and a stone classic approach to funky soul, one that's definitely been honed to a "T" through their important work on the road during the previous few years! And Sharon Jones is great – with vocals that are way deeper and much longer-lasting than any rehab outpatient wannabe – sending home these tunes with a quality that may well pass most of her classic female soul inspirations from back in the day. And even though the set brings together some older singles and other odd bits, it's got a rock-solid punch that makes it a very unified album throughout! Titles include "Settling In", "I'm Not Gonna Cry", "When I Come Home", "Ain't No Chimneys In The Projects", "New Shoes", "Without A Trace", and "Inspiration Information".

One of the greatest blacksploitation soundtracks of the 70s – and one of the rarest too! The album's a crowning achievement for the mighty Don Julian – an artist who's best known for his earlier LA soul with The Larks, but who steps out here with a hip, hard-grooving sound that's really amazing – kind of a small combo take on the bigger orchestrations you might hear in other films of the time – served up with lots of heavy drums and sharp-edged guitar in the mix! The rhythm section is especially great – bad-walking along with a blend of bass, drums, and congas – and other instrumentation includes flute, sax, and trombone – plus guitars from both Arthur Wright and Julian. Titles include the massive 10 minute title cut "Savage" – plus "Lay It On Your Head", "Where I'm Coming From", "My Favorite Beer Joint", "It's A Sad Song", and "Janitizio". As the cover says – "On the Streets, Or On the Sheets, He's a Savage!".

Bold bass saxophone sounds from the overlooked Helmut Brand – a German player of the postwar years, and one with a sense of tone and texture to rival that of Gerry Mulligan at his west coast best! The work here is all previously unreleased, but shows Brand as one of the key reed innovators of the German scene at the time – right up there with the experiments of Hans Koller, especially in the way that Helmut can work fresh tones in with a strong sense of soul and swing! Many of these cuts feature trumpeter Conny Jackel joining in the frontline – folding his horn in with Brand's to create a cool wash of color – and a few other numbers feature Helmut alone as the lead soloist in a quartet, one with Roland Kovac on piano and Kenny Clarke on drums. Titles include "Bami", "Nordlicht", "Yesterdays", "Salute To Lars Gullin", "Love For Sale", "Berlin Calling", and "Sum".

The second volume of work that Donald Byrd recorded live at the Olympia in Paris in 1958 – even harder-hitting in tone than the first! The set features Byrd playing some tight hardbop lines – working in a cool group that also features Bobby Jaspar on tenor, Walter Davis Jr on piano, Doug Watkins on bass, and Art Taylor on drums – all players who come together with the sound and style of some of those great late 50s Prestige blowing sessions! The difference, though, is that Byrd is the clear leader here – working his trumpet solos with techniques that really show him growing as an artist on this Paris trip – forging a tight vision into the music that makes it way more than just a loose bop exercise on stage. You'll hear that especially on "52nd Street Theme", but the whole set's pretty darn great – and tracks include "At This Time", "Formidable", "Two Bass Hit", "Parisian Thoroughfare", and "Stardust".

A really old school jam from guitarist Larry Coryell – one that takes us back to some of the most tripped-out sounds of his early years! Given the cover, you can definitely expect a psychedelic influence to the music – and the group here really helps Larry get back to his roots – finding a sound that's still plenty jazz, but which mixes in some funky and progressive elements too – that genre-stepping quality that really helped Coryell break down a lot of barriers back in the day. Coryell plays both acoustic and electric on the date, and the lineup features some especially nice Fender Rhodes – plus trombone, saxes, bass, and plenty of percussion. Titles include "Torchlight", "Cobalt", "Terco", "The Last Drop", "Return Of Shirtless", "December Blues", "Honey Dijon", and "Dream Scene".

Some of the darkest music ever recorded by the quirky German pop group Der Plan – their soundtrack for the 1982 film Die Letzte Rache, recorded in a series of short and quirky little tunes! The sound here is similar to Dar Plan's other albums of the time, but perhaps a bit bleaker at times – with traces of post-industrial instrumentation littered alongside more playful and upbeat numbers. The group's sense of humor is still very firmly in place, but it's also got a lot more bite than usual – as does their overall work with electronics, which seems to have advanced incredibly by this point – able to stretch between the abstractions of Jon Appleton and the directed messages of Bruce Haack. And despite the fact that many of the tunes are extremely short, they're also extremely memorable as well – playful little experiments in soundshapes and tone that have stood the test of time extremely well! Titles include "Oh Oh Oh", "Ich Bin Es", "Zur Alten Dschunke", "Die Wuste", "Junger Mann", "Fruchte Radio Special", "Older Nicht", and "Das Ende". CD also features 6 bonus tracks from the film Grottenolm!

A brilliant criss-crossing of group from this cool trans-global group – a set recorded in London, but with roots in Venezuela, LA, and Ghana – served up with a sound that's even greater than the sum of its parts! Malcolm Catto recorded the record – and really helps bring a funky energy to the record, by working alongside lead studio help from Jack Yglesias of The Heliocentrics – pushing here into a space that's even more offbeat than the grooves of that group! There's loads of rich acoustic instrumentation – especially percussion – and Mulatu joins the record at one spot, furthering the exotic appeal of the set. Some tracks have an almost ethnographic vibes, while others are a bit more contemporary – although the overall sound is more than worthy of placement on the Soundway label. Titles incude "Arena", "Cumbacutiri", "Fly Through The Lightning To Speak With The Sun", "El Negrero", "Escape To The Palenque", "Manicero", "La Familia", and "Speak To The Spirit Of The Sea".

Although Belgian in origin, tenorist Bobby Jaspar was a key part of the French jazz scene of the postwar years – and his playing on records like this also made him one of the standout jazz talents in Europe in the 50s! The set features extremely rare material by Jaspar – cut for Barclay Records in 1955, and featuring a quintet with Rene Utreger on piano and Sacha Distel on guitar. Distel is especially wonderful, and even though he later went on to become a teen heartthrob pop singer in France, he's an excellent guitarist with an edgey string-heavy tone that really makes the recording stand out from some of Jaspar's other sides. That, and the fact that Jaspar's playing tenor on all tracks but one (he often plays mostly flute on some albums), makes the record one of his best from the time – and titles include "Minor Drops", "Bag's Groove", "Memory Of Dick", "Night In Tunisia", and "I'll Remember April".

A monster! If you buy one Latin record this year – make it this one – because it's one of the greatest ever recorded! Ray's late 60s Acid album is a landmark recording – a sublime mixture of Latin jazz, percussion, and soul – grooving hard in a variety of styles, and always hitting the money on every single track. The title cut "Acid" is one of those tunes you'll be playing until you're locked up in a nursing home – and the rest of the record is equally great – with cuts like the bouncy groover "Soul Drummers", the tasty boogaloo "El Nuevo Barretto", and the extended "Espiritu Libre", a great Latin jazz track, with very "out" piano!

Coltrane plays the blues, but in a way like nobody else – stepping off of the deeply soulful sound of his late Prestige years, and moving into even more open and exploratory space for Atlantic! The setting is bare bones and simple – and many of these numbers begin with the sort of simple vamp that might characterize a blowing session for other labels, but which still has a strong degree of focus for this date. Rhythm is from McCoy Tyner on piano, Steve Davis on bass, and Elvin Jones on drums – and there's some great sharp edges from Coltrane here, especially on the numbers that feature tenor sax in the lead. Side one of the album features more standard bluesy vamps, but side two really opens up into some tremendous numbers that show the first great hint of modal energy – rollingly enchanting titles that still leave us breathless after all these years! Tracks include "Blues To Elvin", "Blues To Bechet", "Mr Syms", "Mr Day", and "Mr Knight".

A funky funky classic from The Counts – and an album that has the group tightening up their sound from the Westbound years, but still keeping the groove plenty nice! There's a tight, bad-walking feel to most of the cuts on the set – one that almost comes across with a blacksploitation groove – especially as the album's basslines are all laid out in a hard-stepping groove, and topped off by plenty of wicked guitar work. Most cuts have vocals, and the lyrics have a Fatback-like love of the catchy chorus and funk-heavy theme. The album's worth it alone for the excellent cut "Tecalli" – a stretched out mellow instrumental with some great Kool & The Gang-esque floating trumpet over the top – but the whole thing's great, and other tracks include "At The Fair", "Dedicated Man", "Jazzman", "Magic Ride", "Short Cut", and "Flies Over Watermelon".

One of Eric Dolphy's lasting classics – and possibly the ultimate album of "new thing" jazz from the mid 60s! The record's got an even sharper edge than previous Dolphy recordings for Prestige – a really unique combination of instrumentation that includes Freddie Hubbard on trumpet, Bobby Hutcherson on vibes, Richard Davis on bass, and Tony Williams on drums – plus Dolphy on alto sax, flute, and bass clarinet. Although Dolphy's reed playing is as amazing as you'd expect, the real surprise here is Hutcherson, whose vibes ring out with this cold harsh tone that give a perfect edge to the set – bold and metallic, quite different than any work on vibes from previous players. Despite a large number of later recordings, Hutcherson almost never hit this sound again – except perhaps on a few Jackie McLean recordings – and it's his playing that gives the set such a unique sound. Titles include "Straight Up & Down", "Gazzelloni", "Hat & Bread", "Out To Lunch" and "Something Sweet Something Tender".

A classic underground funk set from the 70s – and a record that definitely lives up to the party time promised in the title! The group have a really festive approach to funk – still as hard-hitting and sharp-edged as other indie contemporaries – but willing to open up and push things with a live sort of energy too – a vibe that's a bit like a funkier take on Jr Walker & The All-Stars – especially given the strong use of tenor on the tunes! The set's got two very long jamming numbers – "Party Bump (parts 1 & 2)" and "One More Time (parts 1 & 2)" – and other titles are all pretty nice too – including "You're Gonna Need", "Now Generation", and "Party Strut". Produced by George Kerr, arranged by Bert Keyes, and even the version of "Amazing Grace" comes out pretty nice too!